Denver Mayor and City Council 2024 Budget Update – April 16, 2024

At the weekly Mayor and City Council meeting on April 16, 2024, Deputy Chief Financial Officer Stephanie Carriannis Adams presented a 2024 budget update covering agency reductions, vacancy savings, and adjustments tied to the newcomer/migrant program. Council members asked follow-up questions on safety, 911, traffic signals, revenue enforcement, and projects funded by grants.

Announcements

• University of Denver Pioneers won a record 10th NCAA Division I men's hockey championship, breaking a tie with Michigan; this was their fifth title in 20 years, and almost 80 program alumni have gone to the NHL. Denver Fire Department responded to 20 fires in the University of Denver area during celebrations; a council member urged safe celebration.
• Councilman Cashman announced a proclamation honoring the Pioneers next Monday; the mayor suggested bringing the team to City Hall.
• A District 7 safety roundtable was announced for 6:30 PM at Dahlia, 119 South Broadway, with Department of Safety and 911 officers in attendance.
• Near Southeast Denver Area Plan open house will be held next Tuesday at 5:30 PM at Placebridge Academy.
• Roseman Park new playground ribbon-cutting will be next Thursday, April 25, at 3:30 PM.
• District 5 Spring Parks Cleanup Day will be Sunday at 8:30 AM at Montclair Rec Center.
• The Love Project in Virginia Village will hold a food and supplies giveaway on Saturday; donations can be dropped at Virginia Village Library and Ace Hardware at Holly and Florida.

Budget Update: Agency Reductions and Newcomer Program

• Deputy CFO Adams described broad reduction categories: vacancy savings, repurposed capital funds, services and supplies, shifts from general fund to other funds, and technology projects.
• Safety agencies contributed large dollar amounts but lower average percentages than other agencies. For police and sheriff, the finance team projected vacancy savings from recruit classes not expected to fill; they took less than the projection because those dollars often pay for overtime. No uniform officer FTE was reduced; non-uniform positions offered vacancy savings.
• A $3,105,000 DPD recruit class cost is being shifted from the DPD budget to the newcomer fund and offset by Denver International Airport funding. Planned recruit classes remain: DPD three, fire two, sheriff four, plus a possible lateral police class.
• A council member noted that the recently approved sheriff deputy contract with salary increases has already produced more applications and interest.
• The 911 general fund reduction shifts expenditures to the 911 trust fund without changing operators or FTE. Staffing fill rate is approximately 95.4%, and one council member reported that a 911 call was answered immediately.
• The Border Crisis Special Revenue Fund purpose was read from the ordinance: providing support to programs and services for migrants and asylum seekers arriving in Denver from other countries. Councilman Watson asked whether the fund could also support existing migrants; Adams responded that the wording does not explicitly limit it to recent arrivals.
• Office of Children's Affairs reductions include services and supplies shifted to a donations/special revenue fund and unused contract dollars.
• Horse patrol is not being cut; capital funds for exploring a future relocation were pulled because the current lease remains in place and no immediate investment is needed.
• A list of technology license and application reductions is available.

Discussion on Projects and Studies

• Alameda Underpass: Denver was awarded $7.8 million in DRCOG grants for planning and NEPA activities, plus a $1.95 million local match, making $9.75 million available. The $2 million being pulled was for a grant that was not received, so the project continues.
• The roadway alignment study of a possible Rigsby Court realignment had not started; funding was pulled because agencies were asked not to start new studies this year. The 35th Street project between Arkansas and WAZE had been canceled.
• Traffic signals: $842,000 in leftover 2022/2023 funds was removed and will not affect 2024 signal work. Councilwoman Sawyer noted that the mayor's office had agreed to fund design of 11 stoplights, one per council district, and asked whether those designs were completed. Adams could not confirm; the mayor said his team would get an answer for the 10:30 FinGov meeting.

Vacancy and Revenue Concerns

• The reduction proposal includes 160 positions, not the city's entire vacancy count. Agencies may swap positions during the year. Frontline/direct-service positions and positions that had never been filled were prioritized.
• The Council President worried about workload from long-vacant positions, including city attorney positions; Adams acknowledged the proposal may increase workload despite those priorities.
• A council member raised concerns that revenue-generating enforcement positions, such as parking enforcement and vacant/derelict property enforcement, are not being filled and are leaving revenue on the table. Adams said no revenue-generating position was included in this reduction proposal, and agreed this is a separate workforce-allocation conversation for 2025.

Key Outcomes

• Council received the 2024 budget update and requested additional details before the 10:30 FinGov meeting, including safety non-uniform position counts, the 11 stoplight design status, and Office of Children's Affairs reduction details.
• No formal votes or final approvals occurred during this session; further budget discussion was scheduled for FinGov later that morning.
• The mayor thanked the finance team and agencies for minimizing impacts on public-facing services.