Pueblo City Council Regular Meeting - July 10, 2023

The Pueblo City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, July 10, 2023, at 7:35 PM in City Council Chambers. The meeting included public forum, council commentary, approval of consent agenda items, and final passage of several ordinances. Notable actions included the approval of $975,000 in ARPA funds for the Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association (SCARA) following a contentious debate and amendment, and the passage of multiple grants and resolutions.

Consent Calendar

• M1: Resolution authorizing $424,332 in ARPA funds for premium pay to eligible Classified Group A employees of General Services departments who performed essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency. (Passed as part of consent agenda)
• M2 and N3 were removed from the agenda at the request of a council member.
• M3-M14 and N1, N2, N4-N12 (first presentation ordinances) were approved as part of the consent agenda. Public hearings for the ordinances were set for July 24, 2023.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Steve Valejas criticized the Pueblo Police Department for using scare tactics to secure pay raises, stating the city is "going to the shit" and that the police are failing to protect the community. He also called for more assistance for the homeless.
• Elvis Martinez thanked the organization Crazy Faith for a presentation, questioned the spending on a gondola feasibility study ($84,000 total with county), and advocated for more conservative use of taxpayer money. He urged the council to find a solution for a warming shelter by the end of August and questioned why only $975,000 was allocated to SCARA instead of also supporting Crazy Faith.
• Frank Artiaga (volunteer coordinator for the Gang Alternative Program and supporter of SCARA) provided an update on gun collection efforts and read a passage about the impact of trauma on children's brains. He thanked the mayor for supporting the program.

During the SCARA hearing, many speakers testified in favor and against:

• Proponents (including SCARA Board President Laura Sandoval Adams, peer specialists, and community members) described the center's holistic services—medical care, food distribution, recovery resources, and connection to social services—and emphasized that the needle exchange is only one small part of their work. They argued the center would serve the community's most vulnerable and reduce harm.
• Opponent Michelle Gray argued that despite other services, the needle exchange program is harmful and not wanted by the community. She questioned the financial growth of SCARA (citing tax returns showing revenue and salary increases) and urged the council to remove the needle exchange component or deny funding. Another opponent, Samuel Hernandez Jr., expressed concerns about needles in parks and the impact on Bessemer businesses.

Discussion Items

• Mayor’s Commentary on M1: The mayor strongly criticized the resolution for essential pay for PAGE employees, stating it was "fiscally irresponsible" and "unnecessary." He explained that PAGE had already received a 3.4% wage increase in 2021, while police and fire unions deferred their raises during the pandemic. The mayor noted that council instructed staff to recalculate the pay at $1.50 per hour instead of the agreed $1,000 lump sum, increasing the cost from $171,843 to $424,332.
• Council Responses: Councilor Sarah Martinez defended the pay, saying she proudly supported PAGE employees who worked on the front lines during the pandemic. Councilor Meistry expressed disappointment over the divisive language used in previous meetings and emphasized that contract agreements should be honored. Councilor Graham clarified that the police received a $10,000 retention bonus, not a raise, and argued for equitable pay across all employee groups.
• SCARA Ordinance (R2) Debate: The discussion centered on an amendment to remove a five-year prohibition on syringe services at the new Bessemer Wellness Center. Councilor Martinez Ortega proposed the amendment, arguing that council should not dictate the services of a private nonprofit. Councilor Atencio opposed, stating that the removal of the prohibition went against earlier agreements and that they should vote the original ordinance down. The amendment passed 5-2. After debate, the amended ordinance (allowing syringe services) also passed 5-2.
• Other Discussion: Brief discussions occurred on several items, including the Bessemer Commerce Revitalization Project (R4) and the law department special counsel (R6).

Key Outcomes

• M1 (ARPA essential pay for PAGE employees) was approved as part of the consent agenda (7-0).
• Q1-Q3 (sponsorships for Heritage Center, Latino Veterans event, and Pueblo Diversified Industries) were each approved 7-0.
• R1 (Pueblo Food Project subgrant $55,000) approved 7-0.
• R2 (SCARA $975,000 ARPA grant) was amended to remove the prohibition on needle exchange services, then approved 5-2.
• R3 (Safe Streets grant $852,000) approved 7-0.
• R4 (Bessemer Commerce Revitalization $245,025) approved 7-0.
• R5 (Pretreatment Building Project $150,000) approved 7-0.
• R6 (Law Department special counsel $120,000) approved 7-0.
• R7 (Pueblo Food Project grant $53,625) approved 7-0.
• R8 (Pueblo Food Project grant $20,000) approved 7-0.
• R9 (Private activity bond allocation for Compass Point Apartments, 192 units) approved 7-0.
• R10 (Sister city agreement with Chihuahua, Mexico) approved 7-0.
• Executive Session was not held because outside counsel was unavailable after 9:30 PM; the meeting adjourned at 10:16 PM.