Denver City Council Meeting Honoring City Librarian Michelle’s Retirement – April 15, 2025
Denver City Council Meeting – April 15, 2025
The mayor and Denver City Council held their weekly session on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. The meeting featured council member announcements and a special tribute to outgoing City Librarian Michelle, who has served the Denver Public Library since 2001 and as Executive Director since 2015. No formal votes or public testimony occurred.
Announcements
- Councilmember from District 5 announced two upcoming meetings for Cherry Creek residents and businesses regarding a potential General Improvement District: an online informational meeting for residents inside the Cherry Creek Business Improvement District on April 15 at 5:30 p.m., and a business information session on April 17 at 12:30 p.m. for businesses outside the district.
- Councilmember Abbey announced a community meeting on April 17 at 6:00 p.m. at Ratio Brewery (2030 South Cherokee) about creating a General Improvement District, and constituent hours on April 18 from 3:30–5:30 p.m. at Table Public House.
- Councilmember Watson (District 9), along with Councilwoman Alvidras (District 10) and Councilmember Parody at-large, announced a virtual town hall on modernizing parking requirements on April 15 from 6:00–7:30 p.m. (Zoom link available via district offices).
- Councilmember Lewis announced District 6’s Academy in the Community on April 16 from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at Cook Park Rec Center (7100 Cherry Creek South Drive), noting potential road closures.
- Council Pro Tem Romero Campbell announced a final community conversation about the Elevate Go Bond on April 16 at 5:15 p.m. at Hamilton Middle School.
- Madam President announced a community Easter egg hunt on Saturday at Regis University (50th Avenue and Lowell) at noon.
Recognition of City Librarian Michelle
- Mayor and council members delivered heartfelt remarks thanking Michelle for her 24-year career. Mayor praised her transformative leadership: expanding the library’s website to include Arabic (now with Vietnamese, Spanish, English, and Arabic), eliminating overdue fines, embedding social workers, reinventing the Central Library, and opening three new branches (Ragland, Archilletta, and a future Globeville location).
- Councilmembers shared personal stories: Councilmember Watson recalled her early support when he ran for office; Councilmember Sandoval highlighted the bookmobile’s impact in Northwest Denver; Council Pro Tem Romero Campbell noted Michelle’s work to include informal caregivers after a past incident; Councilmember Kines (District 10) praised her communication during the Cherry Creek Library closure and her citywide approach.
- Michelle outlined upcoming library programs: Día del Niño celebrations in April, the Eleanor Garys Awards on May 5 honoring reporter Kevin Beatty, Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month programs in May, Summer of Adventure starting in June, and the Silent Pages Society (quiet book club) events.
Key Outcomes
- The meeting adjourned after the tribute. No formal actions or votes were taken.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to this meeting of the mayor and Denver City Council. At this weekly session, city agencies brief the mayor and council members on various proposals and projects across the city. This meeting of the mayor and city council members begins now. Oh wow. Um the distinguished gentleman to your left, I am Chris. How do you follow up on that? Uh Darren Watson, fine, district nine. Sadana Gonzales Cotianas, one of your council members at large, and the district. We're missing our distinguished pay. I hear I twenty five as evil this morning. Um, all right. Well, with that, uh we have to introduce yourself now. I'm Mandy Sandoval, Northwest Denver District Run. Yeah, who has announcements? Let's start with some announcements. I'll make an announcement. Councilman Sorry. Uh, but I have to pull up my calendar to do it, so give me one second. Uh okay, residents of District 5. If you live in Cherry Creek and you are interested in learning more about possibly creating a general improvement district in Cherry Creek, please join us. Um, we have two meetings this week today, tonight at uh 5 30 p.m. online. If you are a resident who lives in the boundaries of the Cherry Creek Business Improvement District, please join us for an online informational meeting. And then Thursday at 12 30 p.m. again online. Um if you are a business in Cherry Creek that is outside of the Cherry Creek Improvement Distinus Improvement District, please join us for a business information session. Um so that is residents inside the bid today at 5 30 online. Um Thursday, businesses outside the bid at 12 30 p.m. Thanks. Thanks. Councilman Abbey. Great, thank you. Um so this Thursday, April 17th. There will also be a community meeting around creating a general improvement district at Ratio Brewery at 2030 South Cherokee. That's at 6 p.m. Thursday the 17th at Ratio Brewery. And I will be having constituent hours on the 18th Friday afternoon from 3 30 to 5 30 at Table Public House. So if you want to talk to me about anything at all, we'll be there this Friday from 3 30 to 5 30. So councilmember Watson. And uh follow up with Councilwoman Alvidras. Um her office, my office, council district 10, the perfect 10, and our councilmember um parody at large will be hosting a virtual town hall for modernizing parking requirements. So if you have questions on any of the changes that are being proposed for um parking, uh parking impacts in your communities and your neighborhoods and your businesses. Um we'll love to have you join us. Um any of our offices can provide you the actual link to apply uh to um join through Zoom. And it's from 6 to 7.30 p.m. tonight. Send an email to Denver uh to District 9 at Denvergov.org, district 7 at Denvergov.org, district 10 at DenverGov.org. When we could uh provide you all of the great details, should be a fantastic discussion. Thank you, Madam President. Awesome.
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