Denver Mayor and City Council Meeting - May 13, 2025
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Denver Mayor and City Council Meeting - May 13, 2025
The Denver Mayor and City Council held their weekly session on May 13, 2025. The meeting opened with announcements from council members regarding upcoming community events and initiatives. The main presentation was from Denver Parks and Recreation, covering greenhouse operations, open space management, and youth stewardship programs. The meeting concluded with a unanimous vote to enter executive session to discuss legal advice and potential settlement of pending litigation.
Announcements
- Councilwoman announced a groundbreaking at La Rasa Park on Thursday, May 15, at 5:30 p.m., celebrating $2 million in bond funds for park improvements, featuring Aztec dancers.
- Councilman Gonzalez Gutierrez and Councilwoman Perry will host a community forum on May 21 from 6–8 p.m. at Zion Senior Center for the Office of the Independent Monitor and Citizen Oversight Board's 2024 annual reports.
- Councilman de Vivros announced a vaccine clinic at Valverde Elementary School on Tuesday, May 20, from 3:30–7 p.m., offering MMR, TDAP, HPV, flu, and hepatitis vaccines.
- Councilman Watson promoted the Colfax Marathon on May 17–18, noting street closures.
- Councilman Cashman reported nearing the end of first-round interviews for the first director of the Office of Community Empowerment, with a candidate expected in the coming weeks.
Discussion Items
Presentation: Denver Parks and Recreation - Greenhouse, Open Space, and Stewardship Programs
Julie Lehman, Manager of Horticulture, Open Space, and Stewardship, presented an overview of the programs. Key points:
- The greenhouse system was built in 1941 (updated 2005, 2010), with a history dating to 1894.
- Over 250 planting beds citywide; plants grown to order for horticulturists, open space, Denver Botanic Gardens, and Denver Zoo.
- 98% of plants grown from seed; shift toward native and perennial plants to reduce water use and support pollinators. In 2025, the mix includes more native species compared to 2023.
- Water conservation efforts include partnerships with CSU Extension for sustainable landscaping training; test plots at Denison Park (native plants, mulches) and Seventh Avenue (deep gravel bed).
- Open space program manages approximately 1,400 acres directly, plus hybrid park acres and waterway acres. Work includes volunteer projects, noxious weed mapping, and monitoring.
- Stewardship program engages youth and adult volunteers; highlights include plantings at Sanderson Gulch, Sand Creek, and a medicine wheel at Daniels Park (collaboration with mountain parks and zoo).
Council members asked questions and expressed appreciation:
- Council President Pro Tem asked about Southeast Denver open spaces; Lehman confirmed East includes Hinsel Park and noted ongoing contracted work and volunteer opportunities.
- Councilman Watson inquired about measuring water savings and alignment with the city's Game Plan; Lehman confirmed coordination with the water conservation team.
- Councilman Cashman requested the slide deck for newsletters.
- Councilman Sawyer thanked for Denison Park work; asked about partnership with Denver Digs Trees (Lehman explained they provide pickup space for tree distribution); also asked about volunteer opportunities for park planting—Lehman directed to Go Denver Parks website and noted improving volunteer coordination.
Key Outcomes
- The council unanimously approved a motion (all in favor, none opposed) to enter into executive session under DRMC 234A, sections three, six, and seven to discuss legal advice and potential settlement of pending litigation. No other votes or formal decisions were taken during the open session.
Note: The meeting included no public comment; the mayor noted that public comment is not part of Mayor-Council sessions.
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. Great to see you. Welcome to Mayor Council. Thank you so much for attending. I love you not helping me, Councilman. We'll have to start with some introductions, which would be a great place to start. Um, and so I will turn it over to the distinguished gentleman on my right to start our introductions this morning. Good morning, Mayor. Uh Paul Cashman, South Denver District Six. Good morning, everyone. Sadana Gonzalez Cucianas, one of your council members at large. Good morning, Chantal Louis District 8, and I bought cupcakes. Make you mouse on hand top cupcakes. I want a boiled day. That's what you come on. Good morning, Diana Romero Campbell, Southeast Denver District 4. Southwest Denver District 2. Madam President. Oh, good morning, Amanda Sandoval, Northwest Denver District. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. Uh great to see you all. We will jump into some announcements right now. We do have um on the agenda this morning, both a general session and an executive session uh on general session. We are delighted to have our folks from Denver Parks and Rec here to talk some about our um greenhouse and our open space management and our youth stewardship programs. So delight of them up in a couple minutes. Uh but first love to open it up for announcements if there are announcements that council members have for either the listing public at home or for other members. I do. Right, Madam President. Um, so just want to say thank you to your team and thank you to my parks and rec people. Um Thursday at 5 30. We're having a groundbreaking at La Rasa Park um for the the two million dollars of bond that are going to that park for the people in the audience. People know that this is a um love project of mine. Um, and so just so thankful. I think we got asked if we wanted a groundbreaking or a ribbon cutting. And me being the North Sider I am, I said I'm gonna have both. And so we're having um the Aztec dancers who have been dancing, praying for 20 plus years. They're gonna do ceremony there on Thursday because they are they have traditionally danced there for the summer solstice every year, and the park will be closed this year, so it'll be the first time that we're not able to celebrate Chupantla, which is um the summer solstice there, and we don't want to disturb our ancestors, and so they're gonna pray um and for the groundbreaking on this Thursday. So if anyone like to join, it will be 5 30 at Laudasa Park. Great. Thank you so much. Uh Councilman Gonzalez Gutierrez. Thank you, um, Mr. Mayor, and thank you, Councilwoman. I'm really excited for that because I think you and I both have um that connection with that park. Um so it really means a lot. Um, so I don't see Councilwoman Perry. So Councilwoman Perry and I are going to be hosting a community forum for Denver residents to learn, ask questions, and give feedback to the Office of the Independent Monitor and the Citizen Oversight uh Board, and they will be presenting their 2024 annual reports about police and sheriff actions and oversight. Um this will take place next Wednesday, May 21st from 6 to 8 p.m.
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