Recording in progress.

Well, happy eclipse day, Pueblo.

Uh today is Monday, April 8th, 2024.

The time is 7 p.m.

and I call to order this regular city council meeting.

Uh first up on the agenda is the invocation, Pastor Richie Perko of Pueblo Christian Center.

Come on down.

Uh if you'd like to stand for the invocation, please do, and afterwards we'll do the Pledge of Allegiance, Pastor.

All right.

Well, let's pray.

Dear Lord, we love you and want to thank you for this time that we can be here, Lord, for this city of Pueblo.

God, we just come in with gratitude today.

Want to thank you for tonight.

Thank you for springing.

Want to thank you for those in this room.

And would you heal those and touch those who need a touch from you today?

God asks that you would bless the city council, bless the first responders, bless all of those who serve the city of Pueblo.

We ask for provision for safety and for guidance.

And God asks tonight for godly wisdom for the decisions that will be made that affect the city of Pueblo and the people who live here.

So would you make us aware that you're in this room tonight?

And we ask these things in Jesus' name.

Amen.

All right, thank you, Pastor.

Um about roll call.

Mark A.

Leff, here.

Dennis Flores.

Here.

Roger Gomez.

Charles Hernandez.

Here.

Joe Latino?

Here.

Regina Maestri?

Here.

Sarah Martinez.

We now move to special recognition.

So I'm gonna I'm gonna go out of order and go and begin with E2, which is the proclamation for the week of the young child.

And I believe that uh counselor Mart Martinez is going to do that.

I'm so excited to present this proclamation to my friend Angie Shehorn, who's the director of Children First, um, as a as an intentional week of the week of the young child to really celebrate all of our little zero to five and the agencies that serve them.

So the week of the child of the young child is April 6th through the 12th, and the proclamation reads, whereas the demand for quality child care continues to escalate as the number of single parents, grandparents, and married couples who participate in the workforce also increases, and statistics indicate that the percentage of mothers with young children who will join the workforce is increasingly substantial.

And whereas each day in our community, thousands of working or college student parents place their infants and young children, our nation's most precious resource in the hands of child care and early childhood education providers, and whereas early childhood care and educational professionals render an invaluable service to families throughout the world and are as such responsible for our children's futures, contributing to our kids' positive, lifelong personal academic and vocational achievements, and whereas the Pueblo members of the National Association for the Education of Young Children celebrate this occasion with special activities, honoring and acknowledging the vast importance of the services for early childhood care and education professionals provide and stressing the need to give our children quality child care and early childhood education opportunities.

So now, therefore, we the city council of the city of Pueblo and the Board of County Commissioners for the County of Pueblo with the authority vested in us to hereby proclaim this week, April 6th through the 12th, as the week at the young child in the city and county, and urge all of you all in the community to join us in partnership with the Pueblo Orderly Childhood Council to express our appreciation for all early childhood professionals and their commitment to the care and education of our young children.

So let's celebrate the week of the young child.

And if anyone is looking for child care for their children, any uh any of the eleven counties in Southeast Colorado, you can call our office at 719 549-3411, or you can search for care on your own at children first cour.

We have a fun event for open to the public.

It's free for families of young children on April the 20th from 9 until noon on the Pueblo Community College Pueblo campus.

Come join us.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Okay, now we're gonna move on to a proclamation uh presentation for Arbor Day, April 18th, 2024, Charlie Kunz or Koontz and Mike Sexton.

This is a proclamation for Arbor Day, April 18th, 2024.

Whereas in 1872, Jay Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees.

And whereas this holiday called Arbor Day was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska.

And whereas Arbor Day is now observed throughout the nation and the world, and whereas trees can reduce the erosion of our precious topsoil by wind and water, lower our heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen, and provide habitat for wildlife.

And whereas trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, and beautify our community.

And whereas trees, wherever they are planted, are a source of joy and spiritual renewal.

And whereas the city of Pueblo has been recognized as a tree city USA for 44 consecutive years by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

And whereas the city is partner partnering with the students and administration of Colombian Elementary School, thereby planting a symbolic tree on the grounds of Columbian Elementary School, the site of this year's special Arbor Day Ceremony.

Now, therefore, we, the City Council of the City of Pueblo, Colorado, and the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Pueblo, Colorado, by the authority vested in us, do hereby officially proclaim April 18, 2024 as Arbor Day in the city and county of Pueblo, Colorado, and encourage the citizens of this community to join us in celebrating the natural beauty and stature of our trees and in recognizing the devout need to replace aged or diseased trees in this area.