Denver City Council Finance and Business Committee Meeting - August 11, 2026

The Finance and Business Committee of the Denver City Council met on August 11, 2026, at 10:30 AM in room 391 of the City & County Building. Chair Chris Hinds presided. The committee considered two action items and eight consent items, addressing a citywide towing services contract amendment and a resolution to amend the City Council Rules of Procedure regarding a labor acknowledgement.

Consent Calendar

• 26-1155: Amends a Master Purchase Order with Fastenal Company to add $2,000,000 for a new total of $4,500,000 and extend the end date to 8-31-2027 for industrial supplies, citywide. Approved by consent.
• 26-1156: Approves a contract with Wilderness Construction Co. for $750,000 (7-31-2029) for on-call framing and drywall services, citywide excluding Denver International Airport. Approved by consent.
• 26-1157: Approves a contract with Halcyon Construction, Inc. for $750,000 (7-31-2029) for on-call framing and drywall services, citywide excluding Denver International Airport. Approved by consent.
• 26-1158: Approves a performance loan contract with Zion Senior and Community Resource Center, Inc for $695,000 (9-30-2046) to renovate a building at 5151 E 33rd Ave for a community service facility, Council District 8. Approved by consent.
• 26-1159: Amends a Lease Agreement with Project Voyce, adding $3,600 for a new total of $39,600 and extending six months to 12-31-2026 for community services office space at 2900 Downing Street, Unit AA, Whittier Neighborhood, Council District 9. Approved by consent.
• 26-1160: Grants a revocable temporary license to H & L Concrete, Inc. for $0.00 (approximate end 7-15-2027) at 955 E. 51st Avenue for Globeville Levee project activities, Council District 9. Approved by consent.
• 26-1161: Approves a Stormwater Facility Maintenance Agreement with Arapahoe County granting a non-exclusive easement to access Renewable Natural Gas stormwater detention area at the Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site (DADS), citywide. Approved by consent.
• 26-1162: Approves a Uniform Easement Deed and Revocable Storm Drainage License Agreement with Arapahoe County granting a permanent easement for DDPHE's Renewable Natural Gas infrastructure and a revocable license for drainage flows at DADS, citywide. Approved by consent.

Discussion Items

• 26-1169 – Citywide Towing Services Contract Amendment (Ferkam, Inc.): Staff from General Services presented a request for the second and final amendment to the towing services agreement with Ferkam, Inc. (operating as Extreme Towing and Recovery). The amendment would add $1,500,000 for a new total of $23,000,000, extend the term one year to August 31, 2027, and update pricing in Exhibit A-1 (heavy towing rates). Key points from the discussion:
  • The contract originally received only one bid (Ferkam), and competitors became subcontractors.
  • Councilmember Amanda Sawyer shared a personal experience with a rude tow truck driver after a fatal accident and criticized the lack of customer service metrics and cleanup enforcement (e.g., bumpers and glass left on streets). She expressed strong reluctance to approve the extension but acknowledged the city's need for towing services.
  • Councilmember Paul Kashmann asked about procedures for towing vehicles used as housing, and staff clarified that the street engagement team and Denver Police Department handle outreach before towing inhabited RVs.
  • Councilmember Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez suggested requiring photo documentation of cleanup through the existing TowBook platform, and staff agreed to discuss this with the contractor.
  • Councilmember Darrell Watson noted that the towing data referenced “stadium” tows during May-June, which likely included Nuggets and Avalanche playoff games, not just Broncos season.
  • The committee voted to approve the resolution for filing (6-0, with one absent) and moved it to the full council.
• 26-1096 – Resolution Amending City Council Rules of Procedure (Labor Acknowledgement): Councilmember Sarah Lewis introduced a resolution to amend the council’s rules of procedure to include a labor acknowledgement recognizing the history of enslaved African labor and other exploited labor. The resolution sparked extensive debate:
  • Councilmember Lewis argued that the acknowledgement should be precise about the uniqueness of chattel slavery and not flatten different histories. She emphasized that inclusion should expand understanding, not blur distinctions.
  • Councilmember Flynn proposed an alternative, more inclusive draft language covering multiple communities (Japanese, Chinese, Latino, Jewish, etc.) but noted he had not had time to stakeholder with those groups. He shared the draft with all council members, which Councilmember Lewis said was shared to her last, raising procedural concerns.
  • Councilmember Gonzales-Gutierrez supported the original resolution, stating that expanding the language should require the proponents to engage with those communities. She emphasized that the coalition behind the resolution had done extensive community work.
  • Councilmember Kashmann noted that after reflection, he believed slavery’s history is unique and that the September 29 postponement date would allow time for the coalition to continue its work, but not enough to fully engage all other communities mentioned in the alternative draft.
  • Councilmember Hinds and others confirmed that the discussion was about process and that the original resolution should not be rushed.
  • The committee voted to postpone 26-1096 to a date certain of September 29, 2026 (6-0, with one absent), moving it to the full council with that recommendation.

Key Outcomes

• 26-1169 (Towing contract amendment): Approved by committee (6-0) and will be sent to the full City Council for a final vote. Staff committed to exploring customer service improvements, including photo documentation of cleanup, and to preparing a new RFP with better metrics.
• 26-1096 (Rules of procedure – labor acknowledgement): Postponed to September 29, 2026 (6-0). Councilmember Lewis will continue working with her coalition, and other council members who wish to expand the language are expected to engage their own communities before the next committee meeting.
• All eight consent items were approved without objection.
• The meeting adjourned at approximately 11:45 AM.