Pueblo City Council Meeting - December 26, 2023
Pueblo City Council Meeting - December 26, 2023
The Pueblo City Council met on December 26, 2023, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included final proceedings for outgoing council members, public comments, and approval of numerous administrative items. Key decisions included a vote to reduce the marijuana excise tax to zero for three years and approval of a gunshot detection system contract. Several ordinances were postponed to the January 8, 2024 meeting.
Consent Calendar
The council approved the consent agenda, which included routine items such as minutes of the Planning and Zoning Commission, resolutions for construction contracts and fund transfers, and ordinances for various projects including the Pope Block Building repairs, grant agreements, street name change to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass, and a landscape improvement delay for Crawford Townhomes. All passed 6-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Sandra Schear criticized a council member for publicly humiliating a forum speaker by revealing past criminal convictions, calling for forgiveness.
- Christina Francois spoke about gun violence, urging the city to investigate adults selling guns to minors via social media, referencing her daughter's death and her cousin's unsolved homicide, criticizing police inaction.
- Elvis Martinez requested a "Ted Freeman Day," commented on lack of response to public forum topics, and made humorous remarks. He thanked responsive council members.
Discussion Items
Council Member and Mayor Commentary:
- Mayor Gradisar reported successful financing for three new fire stations: $34.45 million raised via certificates of participation at a 3.65% interest rate over 20 years, with annual lease payments matching previous municipal justice center payments.
- Councilor Flores led an invocation honoring outgoing councilors Lori Winner, Larry Atencio, and Vicente Martinez Ortega.
- Councilor Martinez Ortega acknowledged two recent deaths (Rita Baca and Lola Quinteros), supported the Colorado Supreme Court ruling barring Trump from the ballot, discussed the school-to-prison pipeline, and explained his personal decision not to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
- Councilor Martinez thanked outgoing councilors for their specific strengths and praised the public forum speaker for her testimony.
- Councilor Maestri thanked the three outgoing members.
- Councilor Atencio commented on an officer-involved shooting earlier that day, a carjacking in Mesa Junction, and a police ride-along revealing widespread fentanyl use among the unhoused, who largely refused SOS team services.
- Councilor Flores thanked volunteers for holiday lights in Bessemer.
Agenda Amendment: Council voted 6-0 to move items N8 (commercial vehicle operations) and N9 (public camping ordinance) from first presentation to the January 8, 2024 meeting to allow new council members to review. Item R4 (marijuana tax) was moved to the beginning of final presentations.
Ordinances – Final Presentation:
- R4 (Marijuana Excise Tax Reduction): Ordinance to reduce excise tax on retail marijuana from 8% to 0% for three years, effective January 1, 2024. Public hearing: Salvatore Pace (principal drafter of original tax) and David Lemon spoke in favor, arguing the tax drives away cultivation jobs and is bad policy. Councilor Maestri opposed, noting potential revenue loss ($500,000/year) and citing a letter from Dr. Brad Roberts urging retention. Councilor Flores supported elimination. Vote: 4-2 in favor (Atencio, Flores, Martinez, Martinez Ortega yes; Graham, Maestri no). Passed.
- R1 (Mayoral Runoff Election Funding): Ordinance appropriating $175,000 from general fund reserve for runoff election expenses in 2023. Total cost not to exceed $300,000. Passed 6-0.
- R2 (Plastic Pollution Reduction Fund): Establishes a special revenue fund for fees collected under the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act. Revenue to date: $111,383.29. Passed 6-0.
- R3 (Fire Department Equipment Purchase): Transfers $50,000 between budget lines for equipment delayed due to supply chain. Passed 6-0.
- R5 (Street Utility Service Fee Suspension): Suspends the monthly street utility repair fee for 12 months starting January 2024 to study the fee structure. Passed 6-0.
- R6 (ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection System): Approves a 3-year contract with Sound Thinking (formerly ShotSpotter) for gunshot detection. First year $259,000, subsequent years $219,000 each. Grants of $452,714 offset costs. Vote: 4-2 in favor (Atencio, Flores, Graham, Martinez yes; Maestri, Martinez Ortega no). Passed.
Quasi-Judicial Proceedings:
- S1 (Easement Vacation – Pinion Ridge): Vacates two sidewalk/utility easements to allow development of a truck oil change facility and a Black Bear Diner restaurant. Passed 6-0.
- S2 (Easement Vacation – Skyview Subdivision): Vacates storm drainage easements on a 16.12-acre parcel to facilitate a 224-unit multifamily residential development. Passed 6-0.
Key Outcomes
- Marijuana excise tax reduced to 0% for three years (R4) – vote 4-2.
- ShotSpotter gunshot detection contract approved (R6) – vote 4-2.
- Street utility fee suspended for 12 months (R5) – unanimous.
- Mayoral runoff election funded (R1) – unanimous.
- Plastic Pollution Reduction Fund established (R2) – unanimous.
- Fire equipment funds transferred (R3) – unanimous.
- Easement vacations approved (S1, S2) – unanimous.
- Items N8 and N9 postponed to January 8, 2024.
- Consent agenda approved including routine resolutions and ordinances.
- Outgoing council members honored for their service.
- Mayor announced fire station financing completed with $34.45 million at 3.65% interest.
Meeting Transcript
The time is 7 p.m. The date is December 26th, and I call this being to order. Councilor Dennis Flores is going to give our invocation. If everybody will stand and please stay standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Prior to the invocation this evening, I wanted to, as a point of privilege, thank our three outgoing city council counselors. Tonight, you know, I want to all of us to remember in the invocation about the sacrifices that these three individuals that served. They were truly individuals that were dedicated. They love the city of Pueblo. And I think all of us, not only the staff here, but the city council. We should all thank these three individuals for serving for the amount of time that they did. It's very difficult for people to even make the decision to run for office, especially in today's environment where there's a lot of public comment if uh, you know, with people attacking people instead of their policies and their ideas, and also even threatening uh issues all over the United States. So I wanted to publicly thank uh those three individuals, uh, Lori Winner, who could not be here this evening, uh Larry Atencio, and Vicente Martinez Ortega. I wanted to uh thank them on behalf of the city, the mayor, uh the entire staff, uh and especially the city council. We all know how much they loved Pueblo and how much time they gave. Uh you have to sit up here to understand how much these people gave, and I wanted to publicly thank them, and uh hopefully uh we can remember them uh in our prayer this evening and invocation. So I will now uh proceed with the invocation. Uh we thank you tonight, God, for these your servants, our mayor, our city staff, and our city council members. We give thanks for the way of service they have chosen to take up on behalf of all of us here. We all come to this room tonight as complex human beings carrying burdens, carrying joy and hope, trusting that you alone can hold us together, O God, in your love and peace. Help us, Lord, to trust you more, more than our fears and our wounds and even our accomplishments. May we lean on your everlasting arms tonight. God, in your word, you may clear your expectation for those who sit in places of authority. Endow your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. May we be judged, may he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy. May he crush oppressors, for God will deliver the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no one to help. God will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. God will rescue those from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight. And so we pray that you would be glorified tonight through our decisions of this city council. We pray that we would have the eyes to see how our lives are all connected and how our common good is upheld when we listen and respond to those most vulnerable among us. We pray that your kingdom would come in and uh and see it through your power working in each of us, uh, these your servants. May your truth be revealed, may your light shine brighter, may the voices of those most silenced be heard loud and clear. Defend their cause, O God, through this government. We all come to this room tonight as uh company here. God will uh and so we pray that we would be glorified tonight through the decisions this city council makes. We pray that we would have the eyes to see our lives are all connected and how our common good is upheld when we listen and respond to those most vulnerable among us. We pray that your kingdom would come in into heaven through the power working in each of these your servants. May your truth be revealed, may your light shine brighter, may the voice of those most silenced be heard. Defend their cause, O God, through this governing body tonight. We pray for wisdom, for strength, for courage to do what is right and good for all of our citizens. May we put the interest of others above our own. May we act with love for the common good. May we be good neighbors, recognizing your image and every person here. We thank you again for this council, our mayor, our city staff, and our first responders and all those who work to make the city of Pueblo a place we call home, and such a wonderful city it is. Amen. I agree with the individuals to the flag of the United States of America. Thanks to the Republicans. Roll call. Larry Atensio. Here.
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