OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Pueblo City Council Regular Meeting - October 14, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, October 14, 2025
BodyPueblo, Colorado
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, October 14, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 4:31:59

Transcript — Verbatim
0:33

Well, it's another beautiful evening in Pueblo, Colorado.

0:36

Thank you all for coming tonight.

0:38

I now call the regular city council meeting to order.

0:42

Today is Tuesday, October 4th, 2025.

0:47

We'll move first into the invocation.

0:50

Tonight we have Pastor Jim Urey from Pueblo Praise, who will lead us in the invocation.

0:55

Then if you'll stay standing, we will do the Pledge of Allegiance immediately following.

1:00

Thanks.

1:03

Heavenly Father, thank you for the privilege of gathering here.

1:07

Pray that your blessing would fall in this room.

1:09

Pray that you'd be with all the council members and the city leaders.

1:13

Lord, the representatives of Pueblo, Colorado, Lord, as they speak in open foreign.

1:18

All the business that's taken care of tonight, pray that your spirit would lead and guide every step in Jesus' name.

1:26

Amen.

1:27

Amen.

1:29

I claim allegiance to the fire of the United States of America.

1:34

And one nation, under God in the liberty, and justice.

1:46

Thank you, Pastor.

1:48

Madam Clerk, we now move to roll call.

1:52

Mark A.

1:53

Here.

1:55

Dennis Flores.

1:56

Here.

1:56

Roger Gomez.

1:57

Joe Latino.

1:58

Here.

1:58

Regina Maestri.

1:59

Here, Sarah Martinez.

2:01

Here.

2:03

Everybody's here and accounted for.

2:05

We do not have any special recognitions, so we'll go to public forum.

2:10

First up is Salvador Torres.

2:12

Come on down.

2:15

Hello, sir.

2:16

Thank you for coming.

2:23

Hello.

2:24

Thank you, Councilmembers and Mayor's Office.

2:26

Like this opportunity to speak to report to the public veterancial team.

2:30

Haven't been here for a while, so just bear with me.

2:34

I think I know every single one of you.

2:36

Today's an important day because it's the public veterans virtual team is entertaining of possibly the spanning.

2:45

And I'm I want this to really not to blame anybody, but it's a different generation.

2:51

You know, the monker for the home of heralds comes from home of heralds.

2:56

Your grandparents, your relatives.

3:00

That's what we're known for.

3:01

I want you to support all organizations, including ours.

3:04

It's not just the money.

3:07

Because the ritual team is pretty much self-sustained.

3:09

We came here and asked for money today.

3:10

I'm not going to ask you for money.

3:11

That'll be a different day.

3:12

If we survive.

3:26

Go to PublicVeterans.com or call us at 719-686-3968.

3:33

We've slowed down.

3:35

We're a very part of an important part of this community.

3:39

Fire department, police department memorials.

3:42

We to uh Brian McCain, before he was chief of staff, helped the ritual team.

3:48

Got us in congressional recognition.

3:50

From the mayor to every single one of you, pretty much almost all of you have helped us in one way or another.

3:56

We're non-political.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procurement█████████████13%
Procedural███████████11%
Ethics And Conduct███████████11%
Economic Development███████████11%
Public Works███████████11%
Urban Renewal██████████10%
Affordable Housing███████7%
Public Safety██████6%
Engineering And Infrastructure████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Pueblo City Council Regular Meeting - October 14, 2025

The Pueblo City Council held a regular meeting on October 14, 2025, starting at 7:00 PM. The meeting included public forum, council commentary, approvals of consent and regular agenda items, quasi-judicial proceedings, and a final ordinance on the Dillon Drive Urban Renewal Plan. A notable ethics complaint against Councilor Maestri was discussed but a motion to investigate failed. Several financial resolutions and contracts were debated, with the most contentious involving a roofing contract (Q1) that was defeated and a special area plan for Townhomes at River's Run that passed.

Consent Calendar

  • Items L1 (Planning and Zoning Commission minutes), M2, M3 (emergency sewer repair contracts), N1 (eviction prevention assistance), N3 (CDOT grant), N4 (rezoning), N5 (deferred filings extension), N9 (abatement assessment roll) were approved unanimously (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Salvador Torres (Public Veterans Ritual Team): Spoke about the team’s self-sustained work honoring veterans and asked the city to consider a veteran-focused municipal program; did not request money.
  • Peyton Ross: Described a Housing Authority property in his neighborhood functioning as a drug house for a decade and urged council to collaborate with residents and address nuisance properties.
  • Nancy Miller (Pueblo West resident): Criticized Councilor Roger Gomez for deleting his comments and others from a Facebook discussion where a resident asked about his performance; called for transparency and accountability.
  • Elvis Martinez: Raised code enforcement issues (tall weeds, boarded-up building, signs) and alleged unexcused absences by two council members; also reported a workplace threat incident.
  • John Farley: Delivered a faith-inspired speech about healing and environmental responsibility, urging support for innovative recycling and energy projects.
  • Ken Dante: Argued against keeping the Comanche 3 coal plant and for transitioning to cleaner, distributed energy, citing high costs from Black Hills Energy.

Discussion Items

  • Council Commentary:
    • Mayor Graham presented the proposed 2026 budget with $5.7 million in operating expenditure reductions.
    • Councilor Gomez reported high crime statistics in Bessemer ($563 per person vs. national $258) and introduced the BAND (Best Association for Neighborhood Development) program focused on safety and code enforcement.
    • Councilor Martinez noted the city has 39 police vacancies (not 90) and defended council’s 97% approval rate on resolutions/ordinances since February 2024.
  • M1 – Building Upkeep Transfer: Council postponed to October 27, 2025 (6-1) to receive expense history.
  • N2 – Small Business Window Repair Grant: Approved on first reading (6-1) with an amended title specifying a $50,000 mini-grant program funded by ARPA interest.
  • N7 – Circle K Purchase Agreement: After debate about site redevelopment at Convergys, council moved to postpone first reading to October 27 (4-3). Staff noted the deal includes city receiving 1.32 acres for affordable housing.
  • N10 – St. Charles Industrial Park Infrastructure: Approved first reading (6-1), establishing an $8 million project for planning, design, and construction of wastewater and road improvements.
  • Q1 – Wastewater Roof Replacement: Defeated (5-2) after extensive discussion regarding the use of Garland Roofing as basis of design, perceived conflict of interest, and objections to the bidding process.
  • Q2 – Pavement Design Criteria: Approved (7-0).
  • Q3 – Airport Hangar & Taxilane Construction: Approved (7-0).
  • Q4 – Pope Block Maintenance Transfer: Postponed to October 27 (6-1) pending expense report.
  • Q5 – City Park Tennis Court Lighting: Approved (7-0).
  • Q6 – Buc-ee’s Travel Center Support Resolution: Approved (7-0) to express city’s willingness to host a Buc-ee’s.
  • Q7 – Broadway Theatre League Sponsorship: Approved (7-0) for $2,500 to provide student tickets.
  • Q8 – Habitat for Humanity Ramp Up Sponsorship: Approved (7-0) for $1,000.
  • Q9 – Greyhound Park Blight Removal: Approved (4-3) after debate about using $500,000 in ARPA interest for demolition; property owner described plans for hotels and retail.
  • Q10 – Convergys Site Redevelopment: Postponed to November 10, 2025 (6-1) pending work session.
  • R1 & R2 – Townhomes at River’s Run: Approved (7-0) a special area plan and subdivision for 133 townhome lots on 9.384 acres.
  • S1 – Ice Arena Roof Repair: Failed (4-3) amid similar concerns about Garland roofing materials.
  • S2 – Dillon Drive Roundabout: Approved (7-0) with $2 million in FASTER funds.
  • S3 – Northern Ave Trail Phase 3: Approved (7-0) accepting additional CDOT funds and awarding contract to Morton Electric.
  • S4 – Lake & Orman Roundabout: Approved (7-0) transferring $400,000 from street rehabilitation.
  • S5 – Zoning Code Amendment (Family Definition & Special Area Plan Fee): Approved (7-0).
  • S6 – Police Department Daycare Grant: Approved (7-0) accepting $200,000 from Colorado Department of Public Safety.
  • S7 – Engineering Services for Airport Hangar: Approved (7-0).
  • S8 – License Agreement with Colorado State Fair: Approved (7-0) for cleanup activities.
  • S9 – Dillon Drive Urban Renewal Plan: Approved (7-0) after public testimony praising the developer’s risk in remediating a floodplain.
  • U1 – Ethics Complaint: Council accepted the communication (7-0). A motion to investigate the complaint filed by Mayor Graham against Councilor Maestri failed (4-2), effectively dismissing the matter.

Key Outcomes

  • Defeated: Q1 (roofing contract, 5-2) and S1 (ice arena roof, 4-3).
  • Postponed: M1 (to Oct 27), N7 (to Oct 27), Q4 (to Oct 27), Q10 (to Nov 10).
  • Approved with debate: N2 (6-1), N10 (6-1), Q9 (4-3).
  • Approved unanimously: Consent items, Q2, Q3, Q5, Q6, Q7, Q8, R1, R2, S2–S9.
  • Ethics complaint: Motion to investigate failed 4-2; no further action.

Meeting Transcript

Well, it's another beautiful evening in Pueblo, Colorado. Thank you all for coming tonight. I now call the regular city council meeting to order. Today is Tuesday, October 4th, 2025. We'll move first into the invocation. Tonight we have Pastor Jim Urey from Pueblo Praise, who will lead us in the invocation. Then if you'll stay standing, we will do the Pledge of Allegiance immediately following. Thanks. Heavenly Father, thank you for the privilege of gathering here. Pray that your blessing would fall in this room. Pray that you'd be with all the council members and the city leaders. Lord, the representatives of Pueblo, Colorado, Lord, as they speak in open foreign. All the business that's taken care of tonight, pray that your spirit would lead and guide every step in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. I claim allegiance to the fire of the United States of America. And one nation, under God in the liberty, and justice. Thank you, Pastor. Madam Clerk, we now move to roll call. Mark A. Here. Dennis Flores. Here. Roger Gomez. Joe Latino. Here. Regina Maestri. Here, Sarah Martinez. Here. Everybody's here and accounted for. We do not have any special recognitions, so we'll go to public forum. First up is Salvador Torres. Come on down. Hello, sir. Thank you for coming. Hello. Thank you, Councilmembers and Mayor's Office. Like this opportunity to speak to report to the public veterancial team. Haven't been here for a while, so just bear with me. I think I know every single one of you. Today's an important day because it's the public veterans virtual team is entertaining of possibly the spanning. And I'm I want this to really not to blame anybody, but it's a different generation. You know, the monker for the home of heralds comes from home of heralds. Your grandparents, your relatives. That's what we're known for. I want you to support all organizations, including ours. It's not just the money. Because the ritual team is pretty much self-sustained. We came here and asked for money today. I'm not going to ask you for money.

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