Pueblo City Council Regular Meeting - November 25, 2024

Pueblo City Council met in regular session on Monday, November 25, 2024, at 7:00 PM in City Council Chambers. The agenda was amended to move two bathhouse/tennis funding resolutions to the regular agenda, the consent calendar was approved, and the council then held lengthy debate on the City Park tennis complex funding package, final-reading ordinances, and the FY2025 budget. Councilor Sarah Martinez recused herself from the final budget vote because she is employed by a city-funded organization.

Agenda, Minutes, and Consent Calendar

• The agenda was amended to move Resolutions M11 and M12 to the regular agenda; the amendment passed 7-0.
• The minutes of the November 11, 2024 regular meeting were approved 7-0.
• The consent calendar was approved 7-0, receiving and filing the Planning and Zoning Commission minutes of September 25, 2024, approving Resolutions M1-M10, and passing Ordinances N1-N14 on first presentation. Public hearings for the first-reading ordinances were set for December 9, 2024, and the ordinances were ordered published by title.
• Consent items included contract awards for Bradford Park basketball court resurfacing ($157,900.40), the 2024 Manhole Selenium Reduction Project ($120,004), architectural services for 650 Dittmer Avenue ($80,134), Prairie Hawk Lane concrete improvements ($16,367.50), an emergency sewer repair ($5,783.26), fire code fee changes, two advisory committee appointments, and revocable permits for holiday lighting events.
• Consent ordinances included the city-county childcare center IGA ($100,000 in ARPA funds), two transit energy-grant ordinances, suspension of Street Repair Utility Service Charges for twelve months beginning January 2025, a Biobot sewershed monitoring MOU, a USGS hydrologic data funding agreement, FY2025 personnel and pay plans, a DOC/Pueblo Fire Department MOU, a Pueblo Conservancy District contribution ($75,000), a GOCO grant ($190,532), a School Resource Officer agreement, building permit changes, and a Rescue Mission/Safeside Recovery lease amendment.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Michelle Gray, speaking about a Main Street building, described an electrical fire caused by people living above her office, thanked first responders, and asked the city to address unsafe conditions and protect small businesses between 6th and 7th Streets on Main.
• Ted Freeman opposed tourism-priority budget spending, questioned the value of a council member's dashboard product, and suggested repurposing more than $60 million in a city fund for childcare and other needs. He also noted the half-cent sales tax issue would return in 2026.
• Margot Harriman, accompanied by a pregnant woman, urged council to protect unborn children and criticized the council for not bringing forward an abortion-related ordinance.
• Ken Dante supported renewable energy, citing about 600,000-700,000 fossil fuel jobs versus about 3.5 million renewable energy jobs in the United States, and argued that renewable energy is the lowest-cost future.
• Dr. Nicole Ferguson, operator of Mariposa Center for Safety, said the city had sent multiple code enforcement violations about boarded windows after she last spoke to council, called the enforcement harassment, and asked for an appeal process, police patrols downtown, and an end to the adversarial relationship.
• Elvis Martinez proposed expanding public forum using an Aurora-style first-hour model, asked for cost details on homeless encampment sweeps, advocated pallet shelters, and cited 2021 District 1 election statistics: 18,974 registered voters, 5,353 votes cast, 363 undervotes, 34 overvotes, and a 157-vote winning margin.
• During the budget hearing, Larry Fancher opposed nonprofit cuts and described the death of Andrew Holcomb, a homeless man with mental illness who was attacked; Sandy Morrison of Mariposa Center for Safety said the city never communicated the funding cut despite the mayor's public statements; Alvis Martinez detailed personnel cost increases and objected to cuts affecting minority-focused nonprofits; Devin Clock opposed cuts while the mayor's office budget increased; Erica Medina said public safety comes from social investment rather than policing; Mark Mahillage asked for an inventory of unused city properties; Shane Warren, a disabled veteran, said the cuts hurt veterans and vulnerable people; and Diana Bailey warned of job losses and emphasized the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center's economic impact.

Council Member and Mayor Commentary

• Mayor Graham had no comment.
• Councilor Latino thanked the Urban Renewal Authority for east-side duplex rehabilitation, noted needs for a grocery store and police substation, and presented 1,139 petition signatures against demolishing the historic bathhouse.
• Councilor Gomez recognized Jim Bishop, founder of Bishop's Castle, who recently passed away, and proposed a special day of recognition. He also expressed concerns about the needle exchange program's current location and suggested a mobile unit or relocation to a commercial area.
• Councilor Meistry said needle exchange and recovery populations are intentionally kept separate, wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving, and expressed hope for the new national administration.
• Councilor Flores gave extended remarks opposing nonprofit cuts, saying arts funding was cut by nearly 90 percent, children's programs by about $214,000, and the only veterans group completely eliminated. He described nonprofits as 6 percent of local employment and argued they are net economic contributors.
• Councilor Boston urged support for Colorado State University Pueblo's playoff game.

Discussion Items

City Park Tennis Complex / Bathhouse Funding (M11, M12, Q3, Q4)

• Staff reported that bids for the tennis complex restroom building came in about $1 million over budget and that the funding package was intended to close a $1.3 million gap using lottery, ARPA, and previously allocated funds without new general fund dollars.
• M11 would have transferred $240,000 into Capital Project LT2301, City Park Tennis Club and Bleachers. Councilors Flores and Latino asked for conversations with bathhouse preservation advocates and for consideration of donations and alternative sites. The mayor and staff said the preservation alternative had been reviewed, no tangible financial commitments had been received, delays would increase costs, and ARPA funds had to be obligated by December 31, 2024. M11 failed 4-3.
• M12 would have transferred $254,622.80 into Capital Project CI1108, City Park Tennis Clubhouse Renovation. It also failed 4-3.
• Q3 would have reallocated $822,238.20 in ARPA funds to the tennis club replacement building. A public speaker questioned moving money from five other projects for a seasonal restroom building. A vote was called, but the transcript does not record a stated tally.
• Q4 would have awarded a $2,717,392 construction contract to Spire Building Group, with $245,000 in contingencies, for the City Park Tennis Complex. Staff said there was no funding available, making the award inappropriate. Public speakers offered pledges totaling about $135,000, volunteer labor, and an alternative site study, but the city attorney explained that public improvement projects must be competitively bid. A vote was called, but no tally is audible in the transcript.
• President Aliff said after the earlier funding votes that the bathhouse project was done because the funding source had been voted down.

Other Regular Agenda Resolutions

• Q1, a $1,500 council contingency contribution to Pueblo District 60 Foundation for the Christmas Extravaganza at Minnequa and Columbian Elementary Schools, passed 7-0. The clerk's first reading listed the event as December 12, while the agenda and staff report said December 20.
• Q2, awarding a $1,554,540.88 contract to Montano Concrete for the Minnequa Lake Concrete Trail with $195,459.12 in contingencies, passed 6-1. Staff said the project is 100 percent federally grant funded.

Ordinances - Final Presentation

• R1: City property tax mill levy certified at 15.633 mills for the 2025 budget year; passed 7-0.
• R2: Bandera Boulevard Special Improvement Maintenance District mill levy set at 5 mills; passed 7-0.
• R3: Southpointe Special Improvement Maintenance District mill levy set at 5 mills; passed 7-0.
• R4: Real Time Crime Center Project established with a $1 million transfer from police salary savings as a match for a state DOLA grant; passed 7-0. Police Chief Noller said the center operates from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. and the grant cannot be used for personnel.
• R5: Axon Enterprise agreement approved for body-worn cameras, Tasers, VR training, and video storage. The five-year contract totals about $4.1 million, or $825,355.92 per year; passed 7-0.
• R6: Soccer practice field MOU approved with the City contributing $250,000, Pueblo Urban Renewal Authority $250,000, School District 60 $350,000, and Central High School Foundation about $47,000. The field will be open to public use except during scheduled practices. One member of the public opposed, asking about restroom and ADA access. The ordinance passed 7-0.
• R7: Repeal of cabaret license requirements passed 7-0. Staff said Pueblo's requirement was unusual among Front Range cities and had not been updated since 1982.
• R8: Ordinance creating municipal penalties for misuse of natural medicines, covering public use, under-21 possession, unsecured growing, providing to minors, and unlicensed therapeutic administration, passed 6-1. Public comment from attorney Erica Medina opposed the criminalization approach.

FY2025 Budget and S1

• The finance director presented the proposed 2025 budget with total revenue of approximately $117 million, a 4.3 percent decrease from 2024, and total expenditures of approximately $125 million. The budget projected an $8.6 million drawdown of fund balance. Sales and use tax makes up 71.9 percent of general taxes; property tax is expected to decrease by 8.2 percent.
• Proposed compensation included 7 percent raises for police officers/corporals, 10 percent for police sergeants, 7 percent for fire ranks, and 2.8 percent for other employees. New staffing was limited to sworn fire personnel for Fire Station 11.
• The mayor said 28 nonprofits applied for funding and 24 were funded at a total of $5.5 million.
• Councilor Flores offered an amendment to reduce the council-designated reserve from 12 percent to 10 percent and add $1,325,140 to restore non-departmental and nonprofit funding to 2024 levels. The amendment failed 4-2.
• Councilor Boston offered an amendment to add $100,000 for the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center. The amendment passed 4-2.
• Councilor Martinez was excused from the S1 vote because of her employment with a city-funded organization.
• The transcript does not include a separate spoken tally on final adoption of the budget itself after the amendments; the meeting then moved to adjournment.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda amended and minutes approved, both 7-0.
• Consent calendar approved 7-0; public hearings for first-reading ordinances scheduled for December 9, 2024.
• M11 and M12 failed 4-3, rejecting the first two pieces of the City Park tennis/bathhouse funding package.
• Q1 passed 7-0; Q2 passed 6-1.
• Q3 and Q4 votes were called but no tallies are recorded in the transcript; staff said Q4 had no funding source.
• R1-R7 passed 7-0; R8 passed 6-1.
• The Flores nonprofit restoration amendment failed 4-2; the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center amendment passed 4-2. No final budget adoption tally was audible in the transcript.