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Record of Proceedings

Denver Mayor and Council Meeting Discusses Energized Denver and ICE Arrest - March 18, 2025

Mayor-Council Meeting — Tuesday, March 18, 2025

BodyDenver, Colorado

SessionMayor-Council Meeting

DateTuesday, March 18, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 28:51

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:00

And council members on various proposals and projects across the city.

0:04

This meeting of the mayor and city council members begins now.

4:52

Okay, good morning, everybody.

4:53

Thank you so much.

4:54

Welcome to the mayor council.

4:55

Great to see you.

5:00

We are gonna start with introductions and then we'll uh jump into some announcements and uh excited to have Casra here to talk a bit um about Energized Denver and then we'll do executive sessions.

5:07

So we'll start with introductions.

5:09

Distinguished gentleman to my right who's gonna jump in.

5:12

Chris Hines, Divers, perfect.

5:14

Amanda Sawyer, District Five.

5:17

Paul Cashman wants distinguished managers from regular extinguished.

5:28

That was him.

5:30

Good morning, Diana Romero Campbell, Southeast Denver District 4.

5:33

Jamie Torres was Denver District.

5:42

Darrell Watson, fine district nine.

5:44

Good morning, Stacey Gilmore, District 11.

5:49

Good morning, Amanda Sandoval, Northwest Denver District One.

5:54

Um great.

5:55

I think we will start with uh announcements this morning if folks have them uh to jump in.

6:03

Um I think actually, sorry, councilman.

6:06

I will start with one before we we go on.

6:09

Um I know a number of you have been tracking this morning um information about Jeanette Visgeta, who has been picked up uh by ICE.

6:18

Uh I just want to make clear people should know what this is.

6:21

Um this is not immigration enforcement.

6:23

This is Soviet-style political persecution of political dissidents uh under the guise of immigration enforcement.

6:30

This is not someone with a criminal record.

6:32

This is a mom of American citizens who works at Target and has started a community nonprofit.

6:38

Uh, this is not something that makes our community safer in my mind.

6:41

I think it makes our community flawless.

6:43

Um, so we are worried about it.

6:45

Uh, we're tracking it.

6:46

Um we are in connect connection with community organizations who are engaged, but we think this is uh is a dark day for Denver.

6:54

Um, and we are uh prepared to do what we can to make sure it doesn't happen again.

6:57

So I just want to name that at the at the top of this conversation, knowing it's on a lot of people's heads and hearts uh this morning.

7:03

Um I'll open up to other announcements that folks have, but I wanted to not let the start of the meeting pass without naming that.

7:10

Uh other announcements, concerns, questions.

7:14

Councilman Sawyer.

7:15

Thanks, Mr.

7:16

Mayor.

7:16

Um, just wanted to remind everyone that the three council members in four, five, and six will be joining you this evening um at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church to talk about the um potential vibrant Denver Bonds.

7:31

So please come and join us, Most Precious Blood Catholic Church.

7:34

I think it's 5.15 p.m.

7:36

tonight.

7:38

Thank you so much.

7:38

Council Torres.

7:40

Uh you will be joining me in District 3 for a GoPond meeting on Wednesday night at Barnum Recreation Center, also 5.15.

7:49

So thank you so much.

7:50

Looking forward to it.

7:52

Council Watson.

7:53

Uh the Gold Bond discussions continues on Thursday night at Glenome Rec Center, 5.15 p.m.

7:58

And that's 2800 Glenarm Place with uh Mayor Johnson and the administration to discuss uh GOBON.

8:07

Others, Councilman.

8:09

Uh the GoBond discussions have already transpired and look uh perfect time.

8:14

Uh I want to thank you for uh for coming uh to the comments on Champa at 5.15.

8:20

I guess that's uh the time for a very vibrant time.

8:24

So um, but yeah, I want to thank you for the conversation.

8:27

It was lively.

8:28

We had about a hundred people there to chat about um uh the bond in our center city.

8:33

So thank you.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Energy And Environment█████████████████████████████████████████████54%

Procedural███████████████████23%

Public Engagement████████████████19%

Community Engagement███4%

Summary of Proceedings

Denver Mayor and Council Meeting Discusses Energized Denver and ICE Arrest - March 18, 2025

Mayor Mike Johnston opened the meeting at 4:30 PM on March 18, 2025, with an announcement regarding the ICE arrest of Jeanette Visgeta, a Denver mother and nonprofit founder, calling it "Soviet-style political persecution" and stating it makes the city less safe. Council members then made announcements about upcoming GoBond meetings in their districts. The primary discussion item was a presentation from CASER on proposed updates to the Energized Denver Building Performance Policy.

Discussion Items

GoBond Community Meetings: Councilmember Sawyer announced a meeting at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church on March 18 at 5:15 PM. Councilmember Torres announced a meeting on March 19 at Barnum Recreation Center at 5:15 PM. Councilmember Watson announced a meeting on March 20 at Glenome Rec Center at 5:15 PM. Councilmember Paridy noted a lively meeting with ~100 people already held at Curtis on Champa.
Energized Denver Policy Updates: Liz Babcock (CASER Executive Director) and Sharon Jay presented an overview of the policy, which aims for 30% energy reduction across covered buildings (not per building) as part of Denver's 2040 zero-emission goal. Key changes include:
- Shifting from a penalties-first approach to flexibility and support, with no performance penalties issued to date and none expected before 2029 at the earliest.
- New compliance options: timeline extensions, compliance adjustments, custom targets for unique buildings, and 1.5x credit for on-site solar.
- Expanded resources: a new Building Management Portal launching May 1, free online energy management tool, expanded rebates for energy audits, coaching, and a help desk (8 AM–5 PM).
- 29% of large buildings already meet requirements (up from 15% two years ago). 90% still use natural gas.
- No ordinance changes required; the rules are being updated through agency regulations, with a final adoption hearing on April 1, 2025. Written comments are due March 31.
Q&A with Council:
- Councilmember Flynn confirmed no legislative changes are needed.
- Councilmember Sawyer requested digital copies of the FAQ for social media; staff agreed to send materials.
- Councilmember Watson asked about buildings that spent significant money on retrofits but thought they were non-compliant. Staff explained that inaccurate benchmarking is often the issue and that they will launch a major communications campaign after April 1 to reach building owners.
- Councilmember Paridy asked about condo buildings with shared ownership. Staff noted that new options like solar subscriptions were added and that they held condo-specific listening sessions with Councilmember Hines in November/December 2024.

Key Outcomes

No formal votes were taken during the public session.
The Mayor praised CASER's stakeholder engagement (over 2,000 meetings) and the resulting policy improvements.
A motion was made and seconded to move into executive session pursuant to DRMC 234A, sections 1, 3, 6, and 7 to discuss the city's response to recent federal action and pending litigation. The motion passed unanimously.
The Energized Denver rules are set for final adoption on April 1, 2025, with a 30-day public comment period open through March 31.

Meeting Transcript

And council members on various proposals and projects across the city. This meeting of the mayor and city council members begins now. Okay, good morning, everybody. Thank you so much. Welcome to the mayor council. Great to see you. We are gonna start with introductions and then we'll uh jump into some announcements and uh excited to have Casra here to talk a bit um about Energized Denver and then we'll do executive sessions. So we'll start with introductions. Distinguished gentleman to my right who's gonna jump in. Chris Hines, Divers, perfect. Amanda Sawyer, District Five. Paul Cashman wants distinguished managers from regular extinguished. That was him. Good morning, Diana Romero Campbell, Southeast Denver District 4. Jamie Torres was Denver District. Darrell Watson, fine district nine. Good morning, Stacey Gilmore, District 11. Good morning, Amanda Sandoval, Northwest Denver District One. Um great. I think we will start with uh announcements this morning if folks have them uh to jump in. Um I think actually, sorry, councilman. I will start with one before we we go on. Um I know a number of you have been tracking this morning um information about Jeanette Visgeta, who has been picked up uh by ICE. Uh I just want to make clear people should know what this is. Um this is not immigration enforcement. This is Soviet-style political persecution of political dissidents uh under the guise of immigration enforcement. This is not someone with a criminal record. This is a mom of American citizens who works at Target and has started a community nonprofit. Uh, this is not something that makes our community safer in my mind. I think it makes our community flawless. Um, so we are worried about it. Uh, we're tracking it. Um we are in connect connection with community organizations who are engaged, but we think this is uh is a dark day for Denver. Um, and we are uh prepared to do what we can to make sure it doesn't happen again. So I just want to name that at the at the top of this conversation, knowing it's on a lot of people's heads and hearts uh this morning. Um I'll open up to other announcements that folks have, but I wanted to not let the start of the meeting pass without naming that. Uh other announcements, concerns, questions. Councilman Sawyer. Thanks, Mr. Mayor. Um, just wanted to remind everyone that the three council members in four, five, and six will be joining you this evening um at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church to talk about the um potential vibrant Denver Bonds. So please come and join us, Most Precious Blood Catholic Church. I think it's 5.15 p.m. tonight. Thank you so much. Council Torres. Uh you will be joining me in District 3 for a GoPond meeting on Wednesday night at Barnum Recreation Center, also 5.15. So thank you so much. Looking forward to it. Council Watson.

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