>>COUN. PEÑA: GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THIS IS THE THIRD MEETING OF THE 27th COUNCIL. WE WILL COME TO ORDER. ALL COUNCILORS ARE PRESENT. COUNCILOR LEWIS WILL BE HERE SHORTLY. WE'LL START OFF WITH THE MOMENT OF SILENCE AND JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. AS WE DO THE MOMENT OF SILENCE, IT'S THE 17th ANNIVERSARY OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN FOUND ON THE WEST MESA. TODAY IS THE ANNIVERSARY. KEEP THEM IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, I'D APPRECIATE IT. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >>COUN. PEÑA: DO WE HAVE THE PLEDGE OUT IN THE FRONT FOR EVERYBODY TO PICK UP IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH? MAYBE IN THE FUTURE WE CAN DO THAT, THAT WAY EVERYONE CAN START JOINING US. THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. CIVIC PARKING PASSES ARE PROVIDED FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. YOU CAN OBTAIN THEM NEAR THE ENTRANCE. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE THE ABILITY VOOVIEW THIS IN PERSON AND LIVE STREAMS THREW FOUR PLATFORMS, GOVTV ON COMCAST CHANNEL 16, GOVTV WEBSITE, AND YOUTUBE AND ZOOM. THE LIVE STREAMS CAN BE ACCESSED FROM MOST SMART PHONES, TABLETS AND COMPUTERS. THIS MEETING IS CLOSED, YOU MAY ENABLE THE CLOSED CAPTIONING SERVICE ON YOUR TELEVISION OR DEVICE AT THIS TIME. THE RECORDING OF THIS AND ALL PAST COUNCIL MEETINGS WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING ON THE CITY COUNCIL WEBSITE. COUNCIL STAFF IS AVAILABLE VIA TELEPHONE IF YOU NEED HELP. PLEASE CALL, 505-768-3100 FOR ASSISTANCE DURING BUSINESS HOURS, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 8:00 TO 5:00 P.M. WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AT 7 O'CLOCK IF NEEDED. WE WANTED TONIGHT'S PROCEEDING TO BE AS CIVIL AND RESPECTFUL. NO APPLAUSE OR SNAPPING, THE PRESIDENT WILL PROVIDE ONE WARNING TO ANYONE CAUSING THE DISRUPTION, UPON THE SECOND DISRUPTION, THAT INDIVIDUAL WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE CHAMBERS AND IF NECESSARY SECURITY WILL BE ASKED TO ESCOURT THAT PERSON OUT OF THE CHAMBERS. SUCH REMOVAL FROM THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS WILL BE EFFECTIVE FOR THAT MEETING. IF CONTINUED DISRUPTIONS OCCUR, WE MAY RECESS AND CLEAR THE CHAMBERS OF PERSONS PARTICIPATING. THE MEETING WILL GO SMOOTHER IF WE'RE RESPECTFUL TO ONE ANOTHER. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE ADMINISTRATION QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD. DIRECTORS WILL BE PRESENT IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS FOR THE DURATION OF THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD TO RESPOND TO THE COUNCIL'S QUESTION. TO ENSURE ALL COUNCILORS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE LIMIT THE QUESTIONS TO ONE DIRECTOR UNTIL ALL COUNCILORS ARE WISHING TO ASK QUESTIONS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. AFTER 5:30, THE QUESTIONS MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE ADMINISTRATION. AT THIS TIME, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION? COUNCILOR BACA AND COUNCILOR GROUT. >>COUN. BACA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. QUICK QUESTION. IT'S BEEN OVER SIX MONTHS SINCE WE DID THE NOISE CAMERA ANALYSIS. AND WE CIRCLED BACK AND SEE WHERE THAT'S AT. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN. -- RIGHT NOW. I'D LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE STAND. >> COUNCILOR BACA, WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT UPDATE. I'LL GET WITH APD AND PLANNING AND MAKE SURE WE DO THAT. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: COUNCILOR GROUT. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. MY QUESTIONS ARE FOR DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR GROUT, DIRECTOR SANDOVAL IS HERE. WE ALSO HAVE OUR CURRENTLY NOMINATED CFO CARLA MARTINEZ. HOPEFULLY WE CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE. OUR STAFF, WE ASKED FOR THE BUDGET FORMS. WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THOSE YET. WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THOSE? >> COUNCILOR PEÑA, COUNCILOR GROUT, WHICH BUDGET FORMS ARE YOU REFERRING TO? WHICH ONES? >>COUN. GROUT: THE BUDGET FORMS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SEND EARLIER. -- MR. WHELAN IS BEHIND YOU. HE KNOWS. >> YES, I CAN FOLLOW UP. I'M NOT SURE WHEN YOU REQUESTED THEM. WE'LL GET THEM TO YOU. >>COUN. GROUT: MR. WHELAN. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR GROUT, AS WE'VE BEEN HAVING TRANSITIONS AND BECAUSE THINGS WERE PUSHED ONE MONTH BACK WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE. WE'RE DILIGENTLY DOING THAT. WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH THAT SO WE CAN MEET WITH YOU GUYS TO GET YOU WHAT WE NEED AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WHAT WE HAVE IS ACCURATE AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SENDING DOWN. >>COUN. GROUT: WHEN DO YOU THINK WE'LL GET THOSE? >> I WOULD SAY WITHIN THE NEXT SEVEN TO TEN DAYS. OUR NEW CFO IS TRANSITIONING OVER, AND I'M TRANSITIONING INTO ANOTHER POSITION, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT TOGETHER. >>COUN. GROUT: PERFECT. THANK YOU. WHEN CAN WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE THE FIVE-YEAR BUDGET FORECAST FOR THIS YEAR? >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR GROUT, THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST WE JUST FINISHED IT. WE'RE REVIEWING IT. AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE NUMBERS BECAUSE THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST WILL ALSO HELP US WITH OUR BUDGET DUPLICATES. >>COUN. GROUT: OKAY. MAYBE IN A COUPLE WEEKS? >> YES. >>COUN. GROUT: ONE MORE QUESTION. WHEN CAN WE EXPECT TO GET THE QUARTER-CENT TAX REPORT? TRANSPORTATION TAX REPORT. >> COUNCILOR GROUT, THE QUARTER-CENT TAX REPORT -- WHEN IS IT DUE? >>COUN. GROUT: IT'S A YEARLY REPORT. AND IT'S DUE SOMETIME NOW. >> I'LL FOLLOW UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS. >>COUN. GROUT: THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU. AS WE'RE -- WE'RE ALL BUSY. WE'LL NEED IT TO MAKE SOME BUDGET DECISIONS. THANK YOU. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. MY QUESTION IS FOR FIRE FIRST. COME ON DOWN. >> COUNCILORS, GOOD EVENING. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP, I RECEIVED A QUOTE FOR STATION 11 FOR THE BUNKS. I WANTED TO ASK IF WE HAVE A DATE OF WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION WILL START? >> GREAT QUESTION. I WOULD NEED TO GET WITH DEPUTY CHIEF TO ANSWER THAT EFFICIENTLY. >>COUN. ROGERS: OKAY. AWESOME. YOU'LL ASK? WHAT'S THE BEST PROCESS? YOU'LL LET ME KNOW? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I APOLOGIZE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS, I'LL PROBABLY GO DIRECT WITH DEPUTY CHIEF AND WRIEL -- I'LL SPEAK WITH THE FIRE CHIEF. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. JUST TO GET A START DATE FOR THAT CONSTRUCTION. >> CERTAINLY. >>COUN. ROGERS: THE OTHER QUESTION IS I WAS UP AT THE LEGISLATURE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM SENATOR PADILLA THAT HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET A COPY OF THE REQUEST FOR THE MESA DEL SOL FIRE STATION. I KNOW WE TALKED WHEN I WAS THERE, OR MAYBE IT WAS SOMEONE ELSE, THEY DIDN'T PRINT THOSE OUT TO HAVE THEM AT ALL FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. I WANTED TO SEE IF I CAN GET COPY SENT TO ME SO I CAN SEND IT TO THE SENATORS FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN FUNDING IT FOR THE DISTRICT. IF THERE'S FIREFIGHTERS LOBBYING, THEY NEED COPIES FOR THE REQUEST FOR THE LEGISLATURE. >> I'LL GIVE IT TO DEPUTY CHIEF ON THAT SUBJECT AS WELL. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. A COUPLE OF OTHER QUESTIONS. I'LL SEND THEM VIA EMAIL. THEY'RE BEEFY. I'LL SEND THEM VIA EMAIL SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THEM LATER. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: DR. SENGEL, DID YOU WANT TO RESPOND? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS, WE'LL PROVIDE YOU ALL THE UPDATES FROM FIRE. I WAS JUST NODDING. THANK YOU. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: OKAY. COUNCILORS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I JUST HAVE ONE, MADAM PRESIDENT. IT'S NOT FOR AFR. ACTUALLY APD. CHIEF, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TONIGHT. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT A NEIGHBORHOOD RESPONSE TEAM IS? >> YES, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESPONSE TEAM IS CURRENTLY GOING OUT AND ADDRESSING ENCAMPMENTS AND OTHER ISSUES WE SEE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: OKAY. MADAM PRESIDENT, WHAT ARE THEY DOING? WHAT IS THEIR SOP? WHAT IS THEIR -- >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, ESSENTIALLY, THEIR GOAL IS TO HELP INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN ENCAMPMENTS GET RESOURCES. THEY WORK WITH OUR SOLID WASTE DIVISION AND THEY ADDRESS ENCAMPMENTS AND THE UNHOUSED IN THE AREA. FIRST TRYING TO GET THEM INTO HOUSING AND OFFER RESOURCES. AND IF THEY'RE VIOLATING ANY CITY POLICIES OR CITY ORDINANCES, THEY WOULD THEN ADDRESS THAT. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: MADAM PRESIDENT, DO THEY RUN THEM INTEREST WARRANTS AND REST IF THEY HAVE WARRANTS? >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, YES, THAT IS PART OF THE PRESS. WHEN THEY'RE MAKING CONTACT WITH THE INDIVIDUALS -- OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE TO HAVE A REASON TO DO SO. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: OKAY. MADAM PRESIDENT, THAT REASONING FALLS UNDER WHAT PARTS? THE SAME AS ANY OTHER INVESTIGATION BY A POLICE OFFICER? PROBABLE CAUSE? >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE YES. REASONABLE SUPERVISION AND PROBABLE CAUSE. WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A LAWFUL REASON TO MAKE CONTACT WITH INDIVIDUALS AS WE WOULD WITH ANYONE ELSE IN THE COMMUNITY. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: I'M JUST TRYING TO GET CLARIFICATION, MADAM PRESIDENT, ON PROCEDURES OF THIS. IF THEY'RE GOING OUT AND OFFERING SERVICES, THAT'S A CASUAL ENCOUNTER. DO THEY CHECK FOR WARRANTS ON THE CASUAL ENCOUNTER OF DO YOU NEED SERVICES OR HELP? >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE NO. THAT IS NOT PART OF THAT. THEY RESPOND TO SPECIFIC INCIDENTS IF THEY'RE OFFERING RESOURCES THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR. WE HAVE TO HAVE A REASON TO RUN THEM FOR WARRANTS, LIKE WE STATED, REASONABLE SUPERVISION OR PROBABLE CAUSE THAT SOME TYPE OF CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED OR REASON TO BELIEVE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: PERFECT. THAT'S WHAT I NEEDED CLARIFICATION ON. THANK YOU, CHIEF. I APPRECIATE IT. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. ROGERS: I'M SORRY. MR. VICE PRESIDENT, I FORGOT ONE FOR SOLID WASTE. IF POSSIBLE. HELLO. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I JUST WANTED TO ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS. IN MY DISTRICT WE HAVE AN APARTMENT COMPLEX WHERE THEY CONSTANTLY HEAR FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS A WALKING SCHOOL BUS ON ROSS AND VALENCIA, I GET PICTURES OF EVERY WEEK, I'M SORRY I SHOULD HAVE SENT THEM. I'LL FORWARD THEM TO YOU. AN OVERFLOWED TRASH BEEN. THERE -- IS THERE A REQUIREMENT SAYING YOU NEED TO GET ANOTHER DUMPSTER BECAUSE THIS ONE IS NOT SUFFICIENT? >> YES, WE HAVE THAT PROCESS. WE HAVE INTERNAL CODE INSPECTORS THAT GO OUT. YOU CAN GIVE ME THE ADDRESS AND WE CAN LOOK INTO IT. >>COUN. ROGERS: I DID SEND IT TO CODE ENFORCEMENT. I SHOULD SEND IT TO CODE ENFORCEMENT AND SOLID WASTE? >> YES. WE HAVE TWO CODE ENFORCEMENTS. >>COUN. ROGERS: PERFECT. THIS IS ROSS AND VALENCIA. I'LL GET THE ACTUAL ADDRESS FOR YOU. IT'S A PROBLEM. IT'S HAPPENING EVERY WEEK AND THE KIDS HAVE TO WALK OVER MOUNTAINS OF TRASH. LAST QUESTION. IF THERE'S TRASH LEFT OVER AROUND THE DUMPSTER AFTER THE TRUCK COMES AND TAKES IT AWAY, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING UP OUTSIDE LEFTOVER? >> COUNCILOR ROGERS, IT IS RESPONSIBILITY OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX TO ENSURE THAT IT'S CLEAN IN THAT AREA. MOST OF THE TIME THE DRIVERS WILL GET OUT AND PICK UP DEBRIS THAT'S LEFT. IT DEPENDS ON THE QUANTFY. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'LL SEND THAT AGAIN. I'VE SENT IT TO CODE ENFORCEMENT A COUPLE TIMES TO GET THEM ANOTHER DUMPSTER. I SHOULD SEND IT TO YOU. I'LL DO THAT. >> IT ALSO DEPENDS IF THEY HAVE ONE TIMES, TWO TIMES, THREE TIMES. THAT'S WHAT WE'LL EVALUATE THE NUMBER OF DAYS THEY NEED TO PICK UP. >>COUN. ROGERS: AWESOME. MAYBE WE CAN ADD ANOTHER DAY. I'LL LET YOU FIGURE THAT OUT. I DON'T WANT THE KIDS TO HAVE TO WALK THROUGH IT EVERY WEEK. I KNOW WE'LL TALK A LOT ABOUT THAT EVERY MEETING. THANK YOU. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: MADAM PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES ADMINISTRATIVE Q&A. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. GREAT QUESTION, COUNCILOR ROGERS. BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES THEY NEED TO BE REEVALUATED TO SEE HOW MANY TIMES THEY GET SERVICED DURING THE WEEK. THANK YOU. NOW, WE'RE ON TO PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS. WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING ALBUQUERQUE WEST SIDE DAY. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HERE TO ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION. MS. SANCHEZ AND MS. McCOMB. THEY'RE WITH THE ALBUQUERQUE WES SIDE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, AND WEST CENTRAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP. THEY'RE HERE TO ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATIONS. WE WILL GET STARTED. COUNCILOR BACA. >>COUN. BACA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. WHEREAS, ALBUQUERQUE WEST SIDE DAY OF THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE WAS FOUNDED BY SENATOR MASTEAS. AND EACH YEAR BRING AWARENESS TO KEY ISSUES IMPORTANT TO WEST SIDE SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES AND NEIGHBORHOODS. AND WHEREAS WEST SIDE STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM THE BOUNDARIES IN BETWEEN SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN EDGES OF BERNALILLO COUNTY LINE WEST OF THE RIVER GATHER FOR A RALLY IN THE CAPITAL TO CELEBRATE THEIR PRIDE OF THE WEST SIDE. >>COUN. TELLES: THIS YEAR'S SCHOOLS ARE ADOBE ACRES, CHRISTINE DUNCAN HERITAGE ACADEMY, HORIZON ACADEMY, WEST EDERED GONZALEZ, LAVALAND, EARNY PYLE, ARMIJO, CARLOS REY, ATRISCO HERITAGE, KIT CARSON, MARY ANN BINFORD. >>COUN. LEWIS: WHEREAS, OVER 700-PLUS WEST SIDE DAY PARTICIPANTS ARE INTRODUCED TO THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND PROVIDED WITH A CIVICS CLASS, SAVINJURE HUNT AND TOUR OF THE CAPITAL BUILDING, AND WHEREAS PARTICIPANTS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET RESPECTIVE LEGISLATORS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS TO URGE THEIR SUPPORT ON ISSUES SIGNIFICANT TO THEM. THE VOLUNTEER BOARD MEMBERS OF THE WEST CENTRAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP, ALBUQUERQUE WEST SIDE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND THE SOUTHWEST ALLIANCE OF NEIGHBORS SHOULD RADIATE WITH PRIDE AS THEY SUCCESSFULLY ASSISTED REPRESENTATIVE ANTONIO MAESTAS FOR THE LAST 17 YEARS. >>COUN. PEÑA: THE 17th ANNUAL ALBUQUERQUE WEST SIDE DAY WILL BE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2026 AT THE STATE CAPITAL BUILDING IN SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO. BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, DECLARES THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5th, 2026, AS THE 17th ANNUAL ALBUQUERQUE WEST SIDE DAY. CONGRATULATIONS LADIES. [ APPLAUSE ]. I'M GOING TO ASK THEM TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THESE GROUPS ARE ALL VOLUNTEER BOARD MEMBERS. IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE WEST SIDE, CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU HEARD, THEY'RE ALL VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. 30-PLUS YEARS, SOME MEMBERS 20, SOME 10. THEY STARTED WORKING ON THIS. AND WE -- IT'S ACTUALLY SENATOR MO MAESTAS. HE STARTED TAKING UP 700 STUDENTS EVERY YEAR. THIS IS ALL FREE. THEY RAISE SOME MONEY THEMSELVES. THEY GO TO BUSINESSES. COME TO LOCAL ELECTED LEADERS. AND ASK FOR MONEY TO TAKE THE STUDENTS WHERE THEY MAY NOT OTHERWISE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO SANTA FE AND OVER THE YEARS I THINK THEY HAVE TAKEN OVER 10,000 STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS. AND IT'S ALL VOLUNTEER. THANK YOU. IF YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS? >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEÑA, COUNCILORS. I JUST LIKE TO SAY TO REITERATE THE 17 YEARS. THE WEST CENTRAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP, SENATOR MAESTAS AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM THE WEST SIDE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM. WE STARTED PLANNING THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM IN OCTOBER. TAKING THAT MANY STUDENTSES -- STUDENTS TAKE A LOT OF LOGISTICS. I WANT TO SHARE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE EVERY YEAR. THIS YEAR, MY STAFF SENT OVER 250 EMAILS. FIVE PLANNING MEETINGS WITH THE SENATOR AND HIS OFFICE. COUNCILOR PEÑA'S OFFICE. AND OURSELVES. WE PRINTED AND FOLDED 750 FLIERS, FILLED 675 LANYARDS FOR THE CHILDREN WITH SCHOOL NAMES AND BUS NUMBER SO WE DON'T LOSE ANYONE. WE HAVE, THIS THURSDAY, WE'LL MEET WITH 48 BOXES OF BREAKFAST BRUTEOES WE PURCHASE FROM LOCAL VENDORS ON THE WEST SIDE. AND TAKE THEM TO THE BUS STATION AND DRIVE TO SANTA FE WHERE WE MEET ALL THE STUDENTS. WE HAVE A HUGE RALLY. FOLLOWED BY SELF-GUIDED TOURS, WHICH WE HAVE DEVELOPED CURRICULUM OVER THE YEARS TO SEND TEACHERS WITH TOUR PLACES TO STOP AND SPEAKING MOMENTS FOR EACH ONE OF THEIR STUDENT CLASSES SO THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT THE ROUND HOUSE ITSELF. ALL THE CHILDREN IN FIFTH GRADE OR ABOVE HAVE BEEN ARRANGED TO VISIT THE SENATOR CHAMBERS. SO THEY CAN GO DOWN AND ACTUAL SEE THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS HAPPENING FRONT OF THEM. WE'LL FINISH OUR DAY BY FEEDING ALL 600 KIDS TWO-PIECES OF SLICES OF PIZZA AND PACK THEM BACK ON TO THE BUSES AND GET THEM OUT. THIS THURSDAY WILL BE A CRAZY DAY FOR ALL OF US. AND AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT SAID, OUR BOARD IS ALL VOLUNTEER. AND OUR VOLUNTEERS AND TWO PART-TIME STAFF MEMBERS ARE THE BEST IN THE WORLD. I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT. THEY WORK VERY HARD TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS. I'M VERY PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT MAKES THIS IMPORTANT TO OUR STUDENTS. I WANT TO SAY THAT I MEET PEOPLE ALL THE TIME. I HAVE GONE AS KID. I HAVE TWO STUDENTS CLOSE TO ME THAT ARE GROWN MEN NOW. AND THEY TALK ABOUT POLITICS. THEY VOTE. AND THEY BELIEVE IN THE PROCESS. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. THANK YOU ALL FOR VERY MUCH FOR THIS PROCLAMATION. WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I ACTUALLY GET THE EASY PART. THANK YOU, WEST CENTRAL GROUP, FOR PUTTING THE STT ACTIVITIES TOGETHER. THE ALBUQUERQUE WEST SIDE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, HOSTED THE LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION. THIS YEAR, WE'LL BE AT CHOMP FOOD HALL FROM 4 TO 6 P.M. WE INVITE ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND HUSBAND OWNERS TO ATTEND. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THIS PROCLAMATION. I HAVE THE HONOR OF BEING PART OF THIS -- I WAS LOOKING BACK ON FACEBOOK MEMORIES, IT GOES BACK TEN YEARS. I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE BEEN PART OF THIS FOR THAT LONG. IT'S AN HONOR. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, LADIES, FOR YOUR HARD WORK. YOU CAN COME UP AND GET YOUR PROCLAMATION. [ APPLAUSE BROADCAST. [ APPLAUSE ]. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, LADIES. OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS FROM MS. WARNER, SHE WILL PRIDE AN UPDATE ON CANNABIS AND GROSS RECEIPTS TAX. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. HERE IT IS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY QUICK. BASED ON THE STATE SHARED 1.225 INCREMENT, THE GRT GREW OVER 1.2% OVER LAST NOVEMBER. THAT BRINGS THE GROWTH TO 4.9% FOR THE YEAR. IF WE DON'T CONSIDER THE IMPACTS OF THE DECLININGING HOLD HARMLESS, THE BUSINESS SECTOR GROWS 3.1%. THIS TIME AROUND ACCOMMODATIONS DID EXPERIENCE DECLINE IN NOVEMBER. THAT TOLD THE FIVE-MONTH INTO THE NEGATIVE TERRITORY. SIMILARLY, FOR CONSTRUCTION, AFTER DECENT GROWTH IN OCTOBER, THAT DID DECLINE IN NOVEMBER. OTHER SERVICES, AFTER SOME GROWTH IN OCTOBER, IT RETURNED TO A DECLINE IN NOVEMBER. HOWEVER, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES HAS BEEN DOING WELL AND CONTINUES TO DO WELL. RETAIL GAINED SLIGHTLY AS WELL. CANNABIS INCREASED FOR A SECOND MONTH IN A ROW. IT WAS A ROBUST 9.6% FOR NOVEMBER. THE CUMULATIVE GROWTH IS STILL SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE AT NEGATIVE 3.2%. AT LEAST IT'S BEEN POSITIVE FOR THE LAST COUPLE MONTH. THAT WRAPS UP WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COUNCILOR BACA. >>COUN. BACA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THIS IS UNRELATED, KIND OF RELATED. SEVERAL BILLS IN SANTA FE RIGHT NOW. SEVERAL REMOVE GRT, BASED ON HOUSING MEDICAL. HAVE YOU DONE AN ANALYSIS ON THAT? SOMETHING YOU CAN SHARE WITH ALL OF US. I KNOW I'M SEEING WHAT I'M SEEING FROM THE STATE. I'D LIKE OUR OWN MEMBERS TO LOOK AT IT AS WELL. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR BACA YES. THERE ARE TWO OF THEM TOP OF MIND. THE ONE FOR MEDICAL DEDUCTIONS -- WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT THERE'S A HOLD HARMLESS MECHANISM BUILT INTO IT THAT WILL SUPPOSEDLY -- I SHOULDN'T SAY SUPPOSEDLY. IT'S GOING TO BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE DEDUCTIONS THAT ARE CLAIMED. IF IT GOES FORWARD AS IT'S DESIGNED, IT WOULDN'T IMPACT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. IT WOULDN'T IMPACT ALBUQUERQUE. I'M FORGETTING -- I WANT TO SAY -- I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY HOW MUCH THE TOTAL IMPACT WAS FOR ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. I'M NOT REMEMBERING, BUT YES, THERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE A FIX IN THERE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. THE OTHER ONE THAT I'M THINKING OF -- >>COUN. BACA: THE HOUSING. >> CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT. I BELIEVE THAT ONE WAS $4 MILLION FOR ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENT. AND THESE BILLS ARE EXTREMELY HARD TO ANALYZE. THE FIR THAT WAS PUT OUT AT THE STATE LEVEL DID ESTIMATE AROUND $4 MILLION FOR ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. AND THEY STIPULATED THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE UPTAKE WILL BE. WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HOUSING PROJECTS THIS COULD SPUR. IT'S REALLY HARD TO MAKE AN ESTIMATE. WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF ALBUQUERQUE AND THE POPULATION, IT'S VERY LOOSE, BUT IT'S LIKE 40-50% OF THE FORECAST ESTIMATES WOULD IMPACT ALBUQUERQUE. A RULE OF THUMB COULD BE THAT 40-50% OF IMPACT WOULD HIT ALBUQUERQUE. LIKE I SAID, IT COULD BE MORE. IT COULD BE SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO GO WITH. >>COUN. PEÑA: YOU'RE GOOD? DR. SENGEL. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR BACA, WE SHARED WITH OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE THIS WEEK -- THIS WEEKEND ON SATURDAY, THAT THE HIGH END ESTIMATE FOR GENERAL ESTIMATE IS $54 MILLION STATEWIDE ACROSS ALL OF THE GRT PROPOSAL FOR EXEMPTION. AND OUR ESTIMATE IN THAT ANALYSIS IS THE CITY WOULD BE 50% OF THAT. THAT'S $54 MILLION IN THE YEAR. WE WOULD SEE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN OUR GRT. EACH ONE OF THOSE PIECES OF LEGISLATION, I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME HOLD HARMLESS AND ALL OF THAT. BUT JUST STRAIGHT ANALYSIS OF ALL OF THOSE PACKAGES. >>COUN. BACA: CAN YOU SEND THAT TO US FOR REVIEW? I IMAGINE THE SAME FOR ALL MY COLLEAGUES, BUT WE GET TO ASKED TO SPEAK FOR AND AGAINST. IT WILL BE HELPFUL IF WE HAD THAT INFORMATION. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. IN LINE WITH THAT, WHEN I WAS AT SANTA FE, LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOUSING CONSTRUCTION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IS THE CITY ADMINISTRATION GOING TO PUT OUT A STATEMENT AS FAR AS WHERE WE STAND ON THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION? I'VE BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK AND I READ THROUGH IT AND I WAS INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU ALL THINK. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS, OUR LOBBYISTS HAVE BEEN PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO THIS ITEM. WE'RE COORDINATING WITH OTHERS, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, AND MUNICIPAL LEAGUE. THAT WORK IS VERY ACTIVE FOR ALL OF US. AND I DON'T KNOW WE HAD PLANNED FOR OUR PROACTIVE STATEMENT, BUT WE ARE VERY CLEAR IN TERMS OF AN EXPECTATION OR HOPE FOR A LOCAL HOLD HARMLESS IN THIS DIRECT IMPACT THAT IT HAS TO OUR BUDGET IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING GRT IS HOW WE FUND THE PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT THE INDIVIDUALS AND THESE PROGRAMS AS WELL. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I THINK IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU'RE SENDING COUNCILOR BACA, IF THERE'S ANY POSITION BY THE CITY I'D LOVE TO KNOW THAT TOO SO I CAN ECHO THE SAME. I THINK IN DISTRICT SIX WE NEED ALL OF OUR GRT. I'M WORRIED ABOUT GIVING IT TO ANYONE ELSE. WE HAVE A LOT OF HOUSING GOING UP THAT WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THAT. FOR ME, I'M LIKE THAT WOULD HELP A LOT. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT. I'M ALWAYS ASKING ABOUT INTERNET SALES. HAVE WE FIGURED THAT OUT? ARE WE ALMOST THERE? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, THE TAX DEPARTMENT IS STILL MAINTAINING THAT SPLITTING OUT THE INTERNET SALES FROM GRT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE. >>COUN. PEÑA: BASICALLY, WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF REVENUE AND HOW MUCH GRT WE GET FROM THAT REVENUE? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, IT WAS ALSO COMMINGLED WITH THE RECOVERY FROM COVID. IT WAS HARD ENOUGH AS IT IS, AND YOU GOT THAT HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME. IT IS ALL PRETTY MUCH LEVELLED OUT AT THIS POINT. AND THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S REALLY HARD TO TEASE OUT WHAT IS INTERNET SALES. >>COUN. PEÑA: OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE NOW ON TO OTHER BUSINESS. I MOVE THAT WE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DOES MATTERS RELATED TO 10-15-H7 DISCUSSION SUBJECT TO ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE TO MAYOR TIM KELLER VERSUS CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL. THERE'S A SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT. WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE. [ ROLL CALL ]. >>COUN. BACA: YES. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. ROGERS: YES. >>COUN. TELLES: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >> PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [ EXECUTIVE SESSION ]. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. I AFFIRM THE MATTERS DISCUSSED IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WERE LIMITED TO THOSE SPECIFIED IN THE MOTION FOR CLOSURE. WE'RE GOING TO APPROVAL OF COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS. BEFORE WE DO THAT, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THE REASON I MADE THE DISCLAIMER THAT I DID AHEAD OF TIME WAS THAT PEOPLE CAN CARRY CONVERSATION BUT CARRY IT QUIETLY OR IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION CARRY IT OUTSIDE TO HAVE DECORUM OF CHAMBERS. WHILE WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE CAN HEAR EVERYTHING. IT ECHOES IN THERE. IT'S REALLY LOUD. FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, WE'D APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE NOW ON TO APPROVAL OF COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS. I MOVE APPROVAL OF COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT DATED FEBRUARY 2nd, 2026. MOTION, AND A SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT CHAMPINE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED, SAME MOTION. MOTION PASSES. WE'RE NOW ON TO THE JOURNAL. I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 21st JOURNAL. THERE'S A MOTION, AND A SECOND BY COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE CHAIR COUNCILOR GROUT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED, SAME MOTION. MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE NOW ON TO COMMUNICATION AND INTRODUCTION. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE LETTER OF INTRODUCTION? COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I MOVE THE RULES SUSPENDED FOR INTRODUCING O-11 AND PLACING IT ON THE FEBRUARY 18th COUNCIL AGENDA FOR ACTION. O-11 IS ESTABLISHING THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADVISORY BOARD WITH THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION, AND A SECOND BY COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. THIS NEEDS TWO-THIRDS VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE LETTER OF INTRODUCTION. THERE'S A MOTION, AND A SECOND BY COUNCILOR GROUT AND COUNCILOR ROGERS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED, SAME MOTION. MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE ON TO REPORTS OF COMMITTEE. COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. BASSAN: THE LAND USE PLANNING AND ZONING MET ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 26 AND REPORTS THE FOLLOWING O-2 DO PASS. O-6 DO PASS. I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE REPORT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION, AND SECOND BY COUNCILOR GROUT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED, SAME MOTION. MOTION CARRIES. DEFERRALS AND WITHDRAWALS. COUNCILORS, ANY DEFERRALS OR WITHDRAWALS AT THIS TIME? >>COUN. TELLES: MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO DEFER EC-549, COMMUNITY PLANNING AREA ASSESSMENT REPORT, TO FEBRUARY 18th. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION, AND A SECOND BY COUNCILOR GROUT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED, SAME MOTION. MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE NOW ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE. FOR THE INDIVIDUALS ON TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA WHO ARE BEING POINTED TO SERVE ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. SEEING NONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. THERE'S A MOTION, AND A SECOND BY COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED, SAME MOTION. MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE NOW ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS. COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. BASSAN: MADAM PRESIDENT, THERE WILL BE FIVE INTERGOVERNMENTAL LEGISLATIVE RELATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5, SATURDAY FEBRUARY 7th, AND SAET FEBRUARY 14, ALL VIA ZOOM. AND THERE WILL BE A LAND USE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 11, AT 5:00 P.M. IN THE VINCENT E. GRIEGO CHAMBERS BASEMENT LEVEL OF ALBUQUERQUE GOVERNMENT CENTER. THIS WILL BE A HYBRID MEETING. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: MADAM PRESIDENT, THERE WILL BE A FINANCE AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9th AT 5:00 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL COMMITTEEING ROOM OF THE ALBUQUERQUE GOVERNMENT CENTER. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. WE'RE NOW ON TO FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS. THERE ARE NONE. APPEALS, THERE ARE NONE. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN PROVIDE LIVE PUBLIC COMMENT THROUGH COUNCIL IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY IF THEY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT PER THE INSTRUCTIONS PUBLISHED ON THE AGENDA AND OUR WEBSITE FRIDAY. HERE ARE THE PUBLIC COMMENT RULES. EACH PARTICIPANT HAS ONE MINUTE TO PRESENT. COMMENTS ARE TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE COUNCILORS ONLY THROUGH THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT. ANY DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT WILL RESULT IN REMOVAL FROM THE MEETING. AND THERE IS A ONE-MINUTE TIME LIMIT AND THE BELL WILL RING TO INDICATE YOUR TIME. PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. FIRST SPEAKER IS DEE FOLLOWED BY NATTILY. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILORS, SOME OF THE OBSTACLES STUDENTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT FACE ARE SIDEWALKS, LITTERED WITH PIECES OF TRASH AS THEY TRAVEL TO TRY TO GET TO SCHOOL. DRUG-LADENED FOIL AND NEEDLES, FECES, CONDOMS AND MORE. AND THE CITY REFUSED, OUR KIDS HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THIS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. COUNCILOR ROGERS HAS CONTRACTED TO HAVE SOMEONE COME BEFORE 7 O'CLOCK EVERY MORNING BEFORE OUR WALKING SCHOOL BUS STARTS. BECAUSE THIS IS WHEN THE CHILDREN START THEIR JOURNEY. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. THE SAFER TO SCHOOL COMMITTEE PREPARED A MID-YEAR REPORT CORD. THE CITY EARNED AN F. DON'T BE DISCOURAGED BECAUSE WE BELIEVE YOU CAN DO BETTER. ON THE BACK OF YOUR REPORT CARD YOU HAVE A RUBEWRECK AND IT GIVE USE ALL THE DETAILS OF WHAT WE EXPECT TO BRING YOUR GRADE UP TO A C. WE'LL BE BACK AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO SEE HOW YOU HAVE DONE. GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK. >>COUN. PEÑA: IF WE CAN HAVE THE ADMINISTRATION CHECK THAT OUT, PLEASE. WE HAVE ANOTHER ALLEY ON THE WAY, WHERE THE STUDENTS WALK IN THE ALAMOSA NEIGHBORHOOD. YEAH, KIDS ARE WORKING TO SCHOOL AND THEY'RE SEEING THIS KIND OF THING. WELCOME. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, IN THIS SMALL AREA, WHICH IS THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT I REPRESENT, JUST FOUR BLOCKS BY EIGHT BLOCKS, WE'VE SEEN 30% INCREASE OF UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS AND INCREASE OF TRASH. NEARLY 60% OF SOCIAL SERVICES ARE CONCENTRATED HERE. THE CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO WORSEN. THE NUMBERS MATTER BECAUSE CHILDREN LIVE HERE. THEY WALK TO SCHOOL AND THE ENVIRONMENT THEY'RE FORCED TO WALK IN AFFECTS DEVELOPMENT. BOTH DESIGNATED FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY. ACS IS PRAISED FOR ITS WORK, BUT HERE THEIR PRESENCE HAS NOT TRANSLATED INTO SAFETY, OR MEANINGFUL SUPPORT. THAT IS A FAILURE. CHILDREN IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WALK PAST DRUG USE, AND INDIVIDUALS IN CRISIS. THE FACT THIS IS HAPPENING IN THE VICINITY OF ACS FACILITIES IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS DETRIMENTAL TO DEVELOPMENT, CONSTANT DISORDER CAUSES STRESS AND TRAUMA. IT AFFECTS ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE, FEEL SAFE AND TRUST THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THEM. THANK YOU. >> FRANCESCO FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM. >> I HAVE A PACKAGE FOR ALL COUNCILORS AND COUNCIL SERVICES. LET THE RECORD SHOW, THE CITY COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF ALBUQUERQUE ARE ON NOTICE FOR MY INTENT TO SUE, FOR HOLDING THE PURSE STRINGS THAT HARBOR CRIMINALS. IN COMPLICIT VIOLATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO OATH OF OFFICE AND CITY POLICY. IN THE MATTER OF MAYOR KELLER'S ILLEGAL WALL. I'M OPEN TO MEET WITH EVERYONE WHO PREFERS A SHORTER PRISON TERM. YOU HAVE MY CONTACT INFORMATION. YOU HAVE MY BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. NO ONE. >> WILLIAM FOLLOWED BY LISA. >> HI, THERE. I'M WILL WRMWILLIAM. I'M WITH THE NEW MEXICO COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS. I AM THE OVERSEER OF THE ANNUAL POINT IN TIME COUNT WE DO FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. I AM HERE TODAY TO THANK THE COUNCILORS WHO ASSISTED WITH DISTRIBUTING SOME OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE GET OUT TO PEOPLE DURING THE COUNT AND INDIVIDUALLY THANK THE COUNCILORS WHO JOINED US ON THE COUNT THIS YEAR. COUNCILOR ROGERS, COUNCILOR GROUT, AND COUNCILOR TELLES. AS WELL AS ENCOURAGING OUR OTHER COUNCILORS, IF YOU DIDN'T JOIN, JOIN US. IT'S A VALUABLE AND USEFUL USE OF YOUR TIME. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. >> LISA, FOLLOWED BY JANET. >> ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL, I KNOW WE'RE LIMITED TO ONE MINUTE. AND THERE'S PROBABLY TEN EMPTY ROWS. YOU CAN LIMIT OUR COMMENTS ALL YOU WANT, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIMIT WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY THIS ENTIRE YEAR. THIS IS THE FIRST CITY COUNCIL OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, 2026, AND I KNOW YOU ALL DO NOT SEE ME. TRAYVON MARTIN WAS SEEN. NOW HOW WE WANT TO BE SEEN BY UNCHECKED LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH THE CITY, WE'RE HERE TO HELP OURSELVES. FOR THOSE PEOPLE JUST NOW CONNECTING THE DOTS TO THE AMERICA THAT IS ALWAYS BEEN, THE NATIVES TOLD US, THE BLOOD OF THE SLAUGHTERED MILLIONS AND SMALLPOX INFIRSTED BLANKETS OF KINDNESS, THIS IS AMERICA. THE AMERICA THAT IS ALWAYS TREATED US DIFFERENTLY. THIS YEAR, WE WANT OUR JUSTICE. EITHER PARTICIPATE AND HELP US, AS SOME OFFIA HAVE, WE WILL COME WITH RECEIPTS. WE WILL BE HERE EVERY WEEK IN THIS ROOM OR OUTSIDE OR WHEREVER YOU TRY TO RELEGATE US. >> JANET FOLLOWED BY THOMAS. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: MADAM PRESIDENT. POINT OF ORDER. ON THE SCRIPT, IT SAYS TWO MINUTES. IS THERE ANYONE RECEIVED TWO MINUTES? >>COUN. PEÑA: NO. IT'S IN THE FRONT. THEY PUT NOTICE IN THE FRONT WHEN PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: MADAM PRESIDENT, I'LL MOVE TO OVERRULE OF THE DECISION OF THE PRESIDENT AND ALLOW PEOPLE THEIR FULL TWO MINUTES. >>COUN. PEÑA: IF THERE'S A SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: POINT OF CLARIFICATION. WHY WAS IT REDUCED FROM TWO TO ONE? IS THERE A PROCEDURE? IS THERE A RULE WITHIN OUR GUIDELINES OF WHY WE BRING IT FROM TWO MINUTES TO ONE? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, WHAT HAS GONE ON PRETTY FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS IS THAT IF THERE'S A TOTAL NUMBER OF SPEAKERS HAVE EXCEEDED 50, THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT REDUCED THE TIME TO ONE MINUTE. THERE'S NOTHING IN THE RULE THAT SAYS THAT'S THE CUTOFF. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THANK YOU. THAT'S THE PRACTICE. WHY IS THAT PRACTICE THAT? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, THAT WAS BEFORE MY TIME. I DON'T KNOW. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: I WOULD ASSUME, AND I I'M GUESSING IN MY LIMITED EXPERIENCE, IF WE HAVE MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE AT TWO MINUTES WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO TWO HOURS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. WHICH DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT THE PUBLIC HAS THE RIGHT TO SPEAK, BUT THE SAME TIME THE PUBLIC COMPLAINS THAT WE GO TO MIDNIGHT. WHERE IS THE BALANCE? THE BALANCE SOMEWHAT -- IS WHAT WE DO. WHEN WE BALANCE FROM TWO TO ONE, SO PEOPLE AREN'T HERE UNTIL MIDNIGHT. AS MUCH AS I ENJOY BEING HERE ATMOID NIGHT. I GUESS I ANSWERED MY QUESTION. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. BASSAN: MADAM PRESIDENT. BASED OFF WHAT WAS SAID, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT PRIOR TO LAST YEAR, WHEN I WAS COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I DID DIRECT STAFF -- I SAID IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR WHEN WHERE WAS PRESIDENT, I WANTED TO HAVE A METRIC FOR MAKING SURE WHEN WE DO CHANGE IT FROM ONE MINUTE TO TWO RATHER THAN JUST WHETHER MY MOOD WANTED IT OR NOT. I MADE SURE TO INFORM THE COUNCIL, PUBLIC, EVERYONE, WHEN WE EXCEEDED 50 PEOPLE I WAS GOING TO CHANGE IT TO ONE MINUTE. IN THE COURSE OF ALL OF THAT, STAFF CHANGED ON THE AGENDA TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VERBIAGE DID SAY WITH A MAXIMUM OF TWO MINUTES, OUR COUNCIL RULES, I BELIEVE ALSO SAY THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT HAS THE DISCRETION TO LIMIT IT TO UNDER TWO MINUTES IF THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT SEES FIT. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THIS IS 16 YEARS, I THINK WE'VE AT TIMES HAD TWO MINUTES, ONE MINUTE. AND EVEN AT TIMES 30 SECONDS. THIS IS NOT ANYTHING NEW. THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT THIS. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE DISCRETION OF THE PRESIDENT WHO IS TASKED WITH MANAGING THIS MEETING AND MAKE SURE WE GET TO ALL THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS AT A REASONABLE HOUR. I THINK WE GET THE SAME COMPLAINT SOMETIMES WHEN WE GO UNTIL MIDNIGHT OR 1 IN THE MORNING. AND USUALLY IT'S THE RESULT OF LONG-WINDED CITY COUNCILORS, BUT ALSO WHEN WE HAVE SEVERAL HOURS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. SO THE INTENTION IS NOT TO LIMIT SPEECH AND PUBLIC COMMENT, I BELIEVE THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO MANAGE THIS MEETING IN A WAY THAT IT'S MOST PRODUCTIVE. AND SOMETIMES THAT DECISION MEANS CHANGING THAT TIME PERIOD. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR LEWIS. YES. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. THOSE ARE THE RULES, EVERYBODY HAS TO FOLLOW THE RULES. THE RULES SAY YOU HAVE MAXIMUM OF TWO MINUTES. WE USE DISCRETION TO GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THIS IS SOMETHING NOT OUTSIDE OF THE ORDINARY, AS COUNCILOR BASSAN STATED. SHE'S DONE THAT. PREVIOUS COUNCIL PRESIDENTS HAVE DONE THAT. PLEASE READ THE COUNCIL RULES AND YOU'LL KNOW THAT'S THE DISCRETION OF THE PRESIDENT AND, YES, IT DOES MAKE FOR A LONG EVENING TO TRY TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO SPEAK. THIS IS REALLY THE ONLY FORUM IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN FRONT OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OUTSIDE THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND SPEAK TO US. SO YOUR VOICES CAN BE HEARD. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE DOESN'T HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY. AND THIS ISN'T SUGGESTING YOU SHOULD, BUT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC VOICES TO BE HEARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WITH THAT, THERE WAS A MOTION AND A SECOND. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: I HOPE TO GET TO CLOSE ON MY MOTION. I AGREE, FOLKS SHOULD READ THE RULES. I'M READING THE SCRIPT WE WERE GIVEN TODAY. IT SAYS TWO MINUTES. SO, I ASSUME EVERYBODY IN THE BEGINNING HAS TWO MINUTES. THERE ARE 23 PEOPLE WILLING TO BE HERE TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION, AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR. ALL THOSE IN FIVE AIR YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED NO. MOTION FAILS. WE'LL MOVE ON. WE WERE ON OUR NEXT SPEAKER. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. JANET FOLLOWED BY THOMAS. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I'LL BE FAST. GOOD THUZ. WE'RE AT A MILLION DOLLARS ON THE FAMOUS PROJECT 599 MAIN LIBRARY H-VAC. THAT'S BECAUSE OF MORE MONEY GIVEN BY COUNTY COMMISSION. I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON R-25-217 WHICH IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. I LOOKED AT THAT BEFORE I CAME AND I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT 27% WILL GO TOWARD FACILITIES IN ANIMAL WELFARE, ARTS AND CULTURE, SENIOR AFFAIRS AND YOUTH AND FAMILIES. THERE ARE 51 BUILDINGS IN THAT CATEGORY. AND EVEN IF THE REHAB AMOUNT IS SOMETHING LIKE 50% OR 90%, I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO REHAB ROOFS AND PLUMBING. I HIGHLY SUGGEST THE COUNCIL START THINKING ABOUT A GROSS RECEIPTS INCREASE OF AN EIGHTH OR 16th THAT MIGHT ME USED FOR REHAB OF THESE BIG TICKET ITEMS LIKE ROOFS, ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THOMAS FOLLOWED BY TREVOR. >> COUNCILOR PEÑA, THIS IS THE GENERATION OF TIKTOK. I CAN TICK YOU OFF IN 60 SECONDS. I'M HERE LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION. DAN LEWIS, I WAS TALKING TO YOUR BUDDY AND ASKING HIM ABOUT THE INFLUENCE GAR HAS OVER OUR LEGISLATION. AS YOU REMEMBER, I SENT A TEXT MESSAGE FROM GAR THAT'S TALKING ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS THEY BELIEVE YOU'RE PRESENTING ON THEIR BEHALF. AND GREG HULL SAID HE TALKED TO YOU ALL THE TIME. YOU SEE THE STUFF ALL THE TIME. AND I JUST ACTUALLY WANT TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION ON YOUR WORK, YOU SAID GAR HAS ALREADY HAD A LOT OF INFLUENCE ON THIS BILL WITH SEVERAL AMENDMENTS ADDED THAT WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE REALTOR GROUPS. MY QUESTION IS FOR COUNCILOR ROGERS, WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT? WHAT ARE THESE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE GETTING ADDED TO YOUR LEGISLATION? WOULD YOU MIND TELLING ME ON THE RECORD? [ INAUDIBLE ]. >>COUN. PEÑA: THIS ISN'T A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> I ASKED A QUESTION. SHE'S RESPONDING. MAY I HEAR THE ANSWER? >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO RESPOND. I THINK WHAT HE'S REFERRING TO IS THE MEETING I HAD WITH ADVOCATES AND PROFESSIONALS FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF REAL ESTATE TO WORK ON THE BILL. I PERSONALLY HAD MEETINGS WITH BOTH ADVOCATES AND OUR REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS. THAT'S MY PROCESS IS TO DO THAT BEFORE I INTRODUCE A BILL. I HAD TO DO IT THREE MORE TIMES AFTER THAT. ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS YOU PRETTY MUCH SAW DURING THAT MEETING, YOU CAN WATCH THEM, CAME FROM REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS. >> TREVOR FOLLOWED BY JOE. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCILORS. I'M A FULL-TIME WORKER. AND I BARELY TAKE HOME $2100 A MONTH. I'M CURRENTLY LOOKING ON THE RENTAL MARKET FOR A PLACE TO MOVE IN THIS SUPPOSEDLY AFFORDABLE CITY. RIGHT NOW, THAT IS LOOKING PRETTY DIFFICULT AND IT'S COSTING ABOUT HALF MY INCOME FOR ALL MY EXPENSES. RENT AND SO ON. ON THE 21st, THE COUNCIL SHOT DOWN THE ORDINANCE, THE RENTAL PRACTICE ORDINANCE WHICH WOULD HAVE ELIMINATED JUNK FEES, HIDDEN FEES, AND MISUSE OF LANDLORD AUTHORITY TO NEGLECT TENANTS. THIS BILL WAS REJECTED BY PENA, LEWIS, CHAMPINE, BASSAN AND GROUT. I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THE DECISION TO REPRESENT THE LANDLORD LOBBIES AND NEIGHBORHOOD INTEREST GROUPS RATHER THAN CONSTITUENTS AND COMMON VOTERS LIKE ME. I WANT TO THANK YOU THE REST OF YOU FOR DOING THE CORRECT CHOICE. >> JOE FOLLOWED BY CHRISSY. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT COUNCILORS. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX. I DON'T THINK IT'S A SECRET TO ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM COSTS ARE GOING UP. RENT IS GOING UP. THE COSTS FOR EVERYTHING IS GOING UP. OUR UTILITY BILLS ARE GOING UP. COST OF GROCERIES ARE GOING UP. AND EVERY DAY FOR A WORKING PERSON THE COSTS KEEP GOING ON AND SQUEEZED AND PRICE GOUGED BY COMPANIES. I'D SAY MOST PEOPLE IN ALBUQUERQUE BELIEVE IN VALUES OF COMMUNITY AND FAIRNESS AND LOOKING FOR OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT SOMEHOW THIS COUNCIL SEEMS TO HAVE MISSED THAT PICTURE. LAST MEETING, AS THIS GENTLEMEN BEFORE ME MENTIONED, YOU WENT AHEAD AND DENIED THE MOST BASIC PROTECTIONS FOR FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING PEOPLE SO WE COULDN'T HAVE SOME PROTECTION OR GUARDRAILS AGAINST SOMEONE DOUBLE CHARGING US FOR APPLICATION FEE. BY THE WAY THAT HAPPENED TO ME MANY TIMES JUST LIKE BANKS THE GOUGE US AND CHARGE US FOR SERVICE FEES AND MAINTENANCE CHARGES. WORKING PEOPLE HAVE HAD IT WITH COSTS GOING UP AND HOUSES GOING UP AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ON THE STREETS AND DEAL AND WITH FINANCIAL INSECURITY. YOU SHOULD THINK CAREALLY OF WHAT COMES NEXT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. THERE'S NO APPLAUSE. NO TALKING OUT LOUD. SO, PLEASE FOLLOW THE DECORUM OF THE CHAMBERS. THAT'S YOUR FIRST WARNING. PLEASE CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. CHRISSY FOLLOWED BY WILLY. WILLY FOLLOWED BY BRICK. >> COUNCILOR PEÑA, COUNCILORS, LAST MEETING SOME OF YOU ARGUED THAT SIX MONTHS IS TOO SHORT -- THIS IS NOT A SIX MONTH CONVERSATION. IT'S BEEN A MULTIPLE YEARSLONG ONE. COUNCILOR ROGERS PROVIDED A TOTAL FAILURE OF ENFORCEMENT. RENTERS NEEDED PROTECTION YESTERDAY. IF PUBLIC DEMAND IN SIX MONTHS OF FORMAL DEBATE ARE NOT ENOUGH, THE PROBLEM ISN'T THE POLICY, IT'S LACK OF WILL TO PROTECT YOUR CONSTITUENTS OVER SPECIAL INTEREST. WE CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO CATCH UP TO REALITY WE'VE LIVED IN FOR YEARS. RENTERS NEED ACTION NOW. I DON'T UNDERSTAND -- IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN TWO MORE HOURS. THANK YOU. >> BRICK FOLLOWED BY LEX. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILORS, THANK YOU COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN FOR NOTIFYING WHO THE REAL TYRANTS ARE. FIVE. WE BROUGHT YOU A STORY A YEAR AND A HALF AGO ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL NAMED JONATHAN BARELA, AND NOW HE KILLED SOMEBODY. A 67-YEAR-OLD MAN KILLED ON A WELFARE CHECK. WE TOLD YOU FIVE MONTHS PRIOR HE WAS A BAD APPLE. YOU DID NOTHING ABOUT IT. THAT MAN IS DEAD BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THAT 67-YEAR-OLD MAN GOT A WELFARE CHECK ON A BAD APPLE WHO WAS READY TO KILL SOMEBODY. IT CAME TO AN OLDER GENTLEMAN, HIS HOUSE DID A WELFARE CHECK. THE OTHER THING IS, IT'S ANOTHER BAD APPLE OUT THERE. WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU A PICTURE IN A MINUTE. GUY GRABBING HIS NUTS IN FRONT OF HIS CHILDREN'S CENTER, OR FAMILY CENTER OR WHATEVER IT IS. SAME GUY. HE'LL SHOW YOU THE PICTURE. TELLING YOU ABOUT THE BAD APPLES. JUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. >> LEX FOLLOWED BY MARSLEN. >> THIS GUY HERE TODAY, WE PAID A REVISIT TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE WHERE WE WERE UNLAWFULLY TRESPASSED BY THE POLICE. WHO SEEMED THEY WANTED TO GIVE THE WISHES OF PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE CITY WHO ARE HOUSING PUBLIC ENTITIES THE RIGHT-OF-WAY TO TRESS PASS PEOPLE FROM PUBLIC WHEN WE WENT THERE TO DO TO DO A RECHECK, THEY WERE TELLING US WE HAVE TO LEAVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE CLIENTS THAT DESERVE PRIVACY. THERE'S NO EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY IN PUBLIC. THEN WE GOT THIS NUT HUGGER THAT IS GOING TO START SWINGING HIS NUTS AGAIN IN PUBLIC. CLAIMING THAT WE'VE BEEN TRESPASSED BEFORE FROM HIS PROPERTY. WE'VE NEVER BEEN TRESPASSED IN HIS PROPERTY. I GOT A CRIMINAL TRESPASS TODAY FROM THAT DAMN PROPERTY. IT'S ANOTHER CAUSE OF ACTION. YOU'RE ALREADY INVOLVED IN ONE. HAVING BEEN TRESPASSED FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND THEN TRESPASSED FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WHEN I WENT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IT. YOU GUYS GOING TO GROW UP? YOUR FUCKIN OFFICERS AREN'T SWEARING THE DAMN OATH. >> MARSLEN FOLLOWED BY FRED. >> WE DON'T MAKE STABILITY IN THE CITY EASIER -- WE KEEP THE CITY RUNNING. WE ARE A FAMILY HERE, WE BUILT COMMUNITY HERE. AND THAT IS MADE HARDER BY THE SYSTEM THAT FAILS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO MAKE IT RUN. THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT USES UP THOSE WHO TRY WITH ALL THEIR WILL TO MAKE IT AND SQUEEZES THEM UNTIL THEY FAIL OUT OF THE SYSTEM. I'VE HAD TO BURY FRIENDS BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM TAKES AND TAKES AND IT TAKES AND NEVER GIVES. THE SYSTEM WE FAIL TO GET ENFORCEMENT PROTECTING US. IT'S WAY TOO BIG OF A TASK ENFORCING ANY LAND LORD VIOLATING THE LAW AND PUSHING YOUR OWN CITIZENS INTO HOMELESSNESS WITH SURPRISE FEE AND SURPRISE JUMP IN RENT. THINGS ARE HARD RIGHT NOW GROCERIES ARE EXPENSIVE RENT IS GOING UP. PEOPLE NEED ACTUAL HELP. THEY NEED PROTECTION. WE DON'T NEED TO GIVE THEM INFORMATION PANELS ABOUT RENTERS KNOWING RIGHTS. IT'S ABOUT ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO UNDERTAKE THOSE RIGHTS. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. AND WE HAVE SO MUCH ENFORCEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO HARASSING THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY OF THE CITY. WE HAVE SO MUCH POWER. WE CAN SEND SIX COP CARS FOR ONE PERSON. BUT WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR RENTERS. WE'RE PISSED OFF. >> FRED FOLLOWED BY TAD. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M A VISITOR HERE. MY FAMILY IS FROM HERE IN NEW MEXICO. THIS IS THE 250th ANIVERSARY OF OUR GREAT FAEGZ. -- AND SOME HOPE FOR THE PEOPLE. 250 YEARS AGO ON THE HEELS OF THE REVOLUTION, THE PEOPLE GOT TOGETHER AND THROUGH CONSENSUS DECIDED WE HAVE A GOD WHO CREATED US IN HIS IMAGE AND WE THE PEOPLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A CONSTITUTION. TO THAT CONSTITUTION, WE DECIDED UNDER ARTICLE FOUR THAT THE CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEED EVERY STATE IN THE A REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT. THE NEXT THING THEY SAID UNDER ARTICLE SIX IT'S THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND THAT CONSTITUTION. ARTICLE 21 OF THE NEW MEXICO STATE CONSTITUTION ACKNOWLEDGES THAT. THAT IS THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND. AND WE GUARANTEED EVERYBODY HERE THAT SERVES IN THE PUBLIC, WE THE PEOPLE PUT YOU HERE, YOU HAVE NO POWER. YOU HAVE WHAT WE GIVE YOU. AND WE HAVE MECHANISMS IN LAW TO TAKE IT AWAY IF YOU DO NOT BEHAVE. POWER TO THE PEOPLE. >>COUN. PEÑA: THIS IS THE THIRD WARNING. I'M GOING TO ASK -- [ INAUDIBLE ]. [ INAUDIBLE ]. >>COUN. PEÑA: CAN WE -- CAN SOMEONE ASK HER TO LEAVE? [ INAUDIBLE ]. [ NO AUDIO. ]. [ NO AUDIO BRANGS. [ NO AUDIO ]. >> TAD FOLLOWED BY SHANNON. >> THANK YOU. WELL, I HAVE -- MY NAME IS TAD. WHAT'S HAPPENED TO FINAL ACTION? ONLY TWO. AND ONE -- I DON'T CARE. NOW WHY? BECAUSE THAT GOVERNMENT BODY -- WHOLE CONSENT AGENDA. THAT'S WHAT HYPOCRITES THEY ARE. LAST TIME, YOU SAID ABOUT RENT. YOUNG FELLA. YOU SAID, YOU MADE STATEMENT -- THE COUNCIL GOING TO DO ANYWAY WHAT THEY WANTED. WE CAN GO ON AND ON. ONE MINUTE. 20 SECONDS. AND SO ON. WE'RE GOING TO FURTHER TO THE COURT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. CAN YOU CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER? >> FOR WOMEN AND MEN. EQUAL RIGHT FOR WOMEN AND MEN. >> SHANNON FOLLOWED BY SIMON. >> HI, GUYS. I'VE COME TO YOU BEFORE. I HAVE VISITED WITH THE COUNTY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. AN INMATE KICKED HIM. THE COUNTY IS COVERING IT UP. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE COME TO YOU. NOT ONE OF YOU HAVE SAID ANYTHING TO HELP US OUT BECAUSE THEY ARE COVERING THIS UP. I CAN GIVE YOU ALL THE NAMES AND PROOF AND EVERYTHING. YOU DPIEZ GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING FOR US. I THINK WE SHOULD WORK ON REMOVING YOU FROM OUR SEATS IF YOU CANNOT WORK FOR THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU. >> SIMON FOLLOWED BY JAMES. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. TWO MINUTES -- THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED YEARS AGO UNDER A PRIOR COUNCIL. PEOPLE ARE, AS WE SEE TONIGHT, VERY FRUSTRATED AND COMMUNICATING THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE CITY. I THINK YOU SHOULD GO BACK TO THE ONLY FORMAT WHERE PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED TO SIGN UP AND DONATE THEIR TIME TO SOMEBODY WHO THEY THOUGHT BETTER REPRESENTED OR VOICED THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE CITY. ONE MINUTE IS NOTHING. MAYBE WE -- IT'S JUST SYMBOLIC. WE DON'T WANT TO BE YELLING AT YOU AND JUST LEAVING. I THINK PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH OUR GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU. >> JAMES FOLLOWED BY KRISTEN. >> I'LL JUST SAY GOOD EVENING. I REALLY LIKE THE TWO MINUTES BECAUSE I GET TO SAY MY NAME AND SAY DISTRICT FOUR AND BE REALLY RESPECTFUL. AND ONE MINUTE, THAT'S THE FIRST THING I CUT FROM MY SCRIPT IS MY NAME AND WHAT DISTRICT I'M FROM. I'LL PROCEED. I REALLY AM HERE TO SPEAK IN STRONG SUPPORT OF O-5. I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO LIMIT THE STR, THE AIR B&B AND VRBO. EVERY TIME THEY TURN INTO SHORT-TERM RENTAL IT RISES HOUSING COST. I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER COMMON SENSE THING AS TO LIMIT. ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS PUT A CAP ON HOW MANY ARE IN THE CITY. AND THIS IS A REASONABLE REQUEST. I STRONGLY URGE YOUR SUPPORT. I THINK IT'S COMMON SENSE WHEN WE'RE HAVING AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS. THANK YOU. >> KRISTEN FOLLOWED BY JOE ON ZOOM. >> TODAY I RENT A DUPLEX IN DISTRICT SIX. WHEN WHERE WAS 13, I BECAME HOMELESS. MY MOM WAS DISABLED, AND WE LIVED WITH MY GRAMS AND ABUSIVE UNCLE. MY UNCLE WAS AN ALCOHOLIC AND ABUSIVE LIKE HIS FATHER. I WAS THE ONLY ONE UNWILLING TO PUT UP WITH IT. HE HAD HALF A FOOT AND A HUNDRED POUNDS ON ME. WHEN HE THREATENED THE SAFETY OF ME AND MY MOM AND LITTLE BROTHER WE GOT IN A FISTFIGHT. I WAS 13. WE HAD NOWHERE TO GO. MY MOM DIDN'T WANT THOSE TO BECOME NORMAL. WE MOVED IN WITH ONE OF HER FRIENDS UNTIL SHE STOLE FROM US. WE HOPPED ACROSS THE SERIES OF BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTERS, WHILE I APPLIED FOR HIGH SCHOOLS AND TOOK STANDARDIZED TESTS. I GOT ATHLETES FOOT. I GOT LICE. I MISSED SCHOOL BECAUSE OF LICE. I MISSED SCHOOL. ONE NIGHT WE STAYED AT A HOMELESS SHELTER. IN THE MORNING WE WERE SENT WITH ONE SANDWICH EACH THAT WILL BE ALL OF OUR FOOD FOR THE DAY. MY MOM ENCOUNTERED ANOTHER HOMELESS MAN SPONGE BATHING IN THE BATHROOM. SHE WAS RAPED WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD BY HER FATHER, SO THIS TRIGGERED A FLASHBACK. IN THE CAR, WHILE I ASSURED MY SOBBING MOM SHE WAS NOT A BAD MOTHER, AND ENCOURAGED MY 4-YEAR-OLD BROTHER WHO DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING TO EAT THE SANDWICH BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY THING HE WAS GOING TO EAT THAT DAY. IT WAS IN THAT MOMENT I REALIZED WE WERE POOR. I'M ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. I GOT OUT. BUT I HAD TO GO BACK TO MY ABUSER TO GET OUT. SO I COULD HAVE AN ADDRESS TO APPLY TO COLLEGES. SO I CAN HAVE AN ADDRESS TO GET A JOB. SO I WOULD NOT LOSE MY DOCUMENTS IN THE SWEEPS. THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE ONLY OPTION FOR VICTIMS OF ABUSE. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE FROM VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT. WHEN YOU BAN CAMPING AND PRIVATE BUSINESSES LIKE QUIRKY BOOKS FROM ALLOWING CAMPING. AND YOU ENDORSE DIVIDED BENCHES TO PREVENT SLEEPING OR THE ADDITION OF SHARP ROCKS ON MEDIANS TO PREVENT PANHANDLING, YOU'RE DECLARING WAR ON THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WHEN YOU VOTE AGAINST THE PROTECTIONS SUCH AS O-25-102, YOU CAN -- CONDEMN PEOPLE TO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS AND SEAL UP THE CRACKS BEHIND THEM BY BLOCKING THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL SAFETY NET. IF THIS BODY CONTINUES TO VOTE THIS WAY, TO ACTUALLY CRIMINALIZE HOMELESSNESS, I WANT YOU TO BE HONEST, I WANT YOU TO TELL ME AND EVERYONE WITNESSING HERE THAT YOU WISH MY BROTHER AND I HAD DIED AS CHILDREN. SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WATCH IT AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT. . >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. IS MR. VENEGAS HERE? YOU ADDED HIS NAME. OKAY. >> UP NEXT WE HAVE JOE FOLLOWED BY NICOLE. >> I'M UNMUTED. HI. MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I SPOKE AT THE LAST MEETING. AND I'M SPEAKING AT THIS MEETING ABOUT THE SAME THING. SO I CAN CONTINUE AND GET MORE INFORMATION TO YOU. I AGREE WITH THE LAST SPEAKER ON ALL OF HER POINTS. BUT I'M COMING FROM A DIFFERENT POINT. I HAVE HOMELESS CAMPING ON MY BLOCK. AND THAT'S WHY I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU FROM HOME NOW. I'M TALKING TO YOU FROM FLYING STAR BECAUSE THE NOISE AND DISRUPTION WAS SO INTENSE I COULD NOT CONCENTRATE OR FOCUS TO EVEN COMPLETE A SENTENCE IF I WERE AT HOME. I COULD NOT PLAN THIS SPEECH TONIGHT BECAUSE THERE WAS TOO MUCH NOISE. ESPECIALLY DOGS BARKING. 14 SECONDS. I HAVE -- AND I HAVE ADD. THE COMBINATION OF ALL THE DISRUPTION WITH THOSE MAKES MY HANDICAPS INTO DISABILITIES. PLEASE, FIND A PLACE FOR THEM TO LIVE. WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE -- WHERE THEY CAN JUST CAMP WITHOUT BEING KICKED OUT EVERY DAY. AND NOT CAMP ON MY BLOCK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> NICOLE FOLLOWED BY AMBROSE. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILORS, MEMBERS OF THE THE LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD PARTICIPATED IN LIBRARY LEGISLATIVE DAY LAST FRIDAY AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE. WE VISITED THE OFFICES OF EVERY LEGISLATOR WITH THE DISTRICT IN ALBUQUERQUE, AND MADE REQUEST FOR CAPITAL OUTLAY FUNDS FOR THE MAIN LIBRARY H-VAC, IN ADDITION TO THE REST OF THE SLATE OF LIBRARY CAPITALOUTLAY REQUEST FOR THOSE LEGISLATORS WITH THOSE OTHER BRANCHES IN THEIR DISTRICT. WE HAD MANY POSITIVE INTERACTIONS WITH THE LEGISLATORS AND THEIR STAFF. THEY HAVE UNTIL THE END OF THIS WEEK TO DECIDE HOW TO PARCEL OUT THEIR CAPITAL OUTLAY. IF WE MAKE OUR $2 MILLION GOAL, WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY WILL COVER THE DIFFERENCE TO COMPLETE THAT MAIN LIBRARY PROJECT AND WE WILL BE MONITORING THAT AS THE FUNDS COME IN. THANK YOU. >> AMBROSE. >> HI. EIGHT YEARS AGO I MOVED TO THE CITY AND I WAS READY TO BE HAPPY AND PROUD TO LIVE IN A CITY SUCH AS THIS ONE. INSTEAD, I FOUND MYSELF QUICKLY MADE HOMELESS BY THE SUDDEN JUMP IN RENT, UNDISCLOSED FEES, AND MAINTENANCE FEES FOR BUILDINGS THAT ARE STILL ABLE TO DO THAT TODAY. WE HAVE PEOPLE OUT HERE WHO ARE LIVING ON THE DIVIDED BENCHES AND WE'RE SEEING THE PROBLEM RATHER THAN VICTIMS OF THE INCOMPETENCE THAT YOU HAVE DISPLAYED MORE THAN JUST SINCE YOUR LAST MEETING. I EXPECT YOU TO DO BETTER. I EXPECT YOU TO DO A BARE MINIMUM GOOD JOB AND I EXPECTIA TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR YOURSELF AND THE PEOPLE YOU ARE HARMING. MOVE FORWARD, FIX THINGS, HELP AND PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY. PUT EVERY ICE AGENT IN THE FEDERAL PRISON WHERE THEY BELONG. >> THAT CONCLUDES GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. WE'RE NOW ON APPROVALS. COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE PERSON MISSED FOR SOME REASON. CAN WE FIND OUT WHY? YES, YOU MA'AM, IN THE BACK. >>COUN. PEÑA: SHE SIGNED UP ON ANOTHER BILL. >> THAT'S CORRECT. >>COUN. PEÑA: OKAY. THANK YOU. WE'RE NOW ON APPROVALS. EC-18, REVENUE AND EXPENSE REPORT FOR FIRST QUARTER FISCAL YEAR 2026. WE HAVE MS. BROKAW. IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE EC, AND UNLESS ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS? I'M SORRY. MOTION FOR APPROVAL. THERE'S A MOTION. I'M SORRY. RECEIPT BE NOTED. THERE'S A SECOND BY COUNCILOR GROUT. IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? >> THE PERSON THAT SIGNED UP FOR THIS BILL, MADAM PRESIDENT, NOTIFIED ME SHE ALSO SIGNED UP FOR O-26-5. I MOVED HER. >>COUN. PEÑA: OKAY. MS. BROKAW. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, THIS IS THE REVENUE AND EXPENSE REPORT FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2026. IT DOES GO OVER VARIOUS REVENUE VERSES FOR GENERAL FUND AND REGULAR FUND AND INCLUDES THE TABLE OF YEAR TO DATE EXPENDITURES WITH PROJECTIONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR. >>COUN. PEÑA: ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY COUNCILORS? COUNCILOR GROUT. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. I'M NOT SURE WHO TO ASK. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, WE HAVE DIRECTOR SANDOVAL AND BUDGET DIRECTOR DAVIS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. >>COUN. GROUT: HI, MR. DAVIS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THE ADMINISTRATION IS PROJECTED TO OVERSPEND BY $18.8 MILLION THIS YEAR, ACCORDING TO THIS FIRST QUARTER SPENDING. APD IS OVERSPENDING BY $3.4 MILLION PROJECTED. CITY LEGAL OVERSPENDING BY $825,000 AGAIN PROJECTED. DMD OVERSPENDING BY 5.2. I KNOW THAT AFR IS TYPICALLY PROJECTED TO OVERSPEND. BUT THIS YEAR THEY'RE PROJECTED TO OVERSPEND THAN HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FROM LAST YEAR. CAN YOU TELL ME THE MAIN REASONS WHY THEY'RE PROJECTED TO OVERSPEND SO EARLY IN THE FISCAL YEAR? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR GROUT YES. I HAVE GENERALIZED OVERVIEW FOR YOU. IF YOU WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL DETAIL I CAN PROVIDE THAT AFTER TONIGHT. SO, FIRE INCREASE IN GENERAL OPERATING COST, SUCH AS PHARMACEUTICAL CLEANING OPERATING COST AND CONTRACTS. LIKE YOU SAID, THIS IS TYPICAL FOR AFR BECAUSE THEY'RE FULLY STAFFED. THAT'S FOR FIRE. LEGAL, PERSONNEL OPERATING AND ACTIVITY WE NEED TO REVIEW IN FISCAL YEAR 27. AS A RESULT FROM FISCAL YEAR 25 AND 26. AS FAR AS MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT, THERE ARE THREE PRIMARY REASONS. WE GOT SOME CONTRACTUAL SERVICES WITH THE WATER AUTHORITY THAT IS A SLIGHT INCREASE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26. SOME STREET LIGHTS COSTS THAT CAME ONLINE THAT WE NEED TO REVIEW FOR BUDGET PURPOSES. AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE A BIG SERVICE CONTRACT FOR A CONTRACTOR THAT GOES AND REPLACED KNOCKDOWNS AND TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND COPPER THEFT. WHAT I HEARD FROM THE DEPARTMENT WAS A LOT OF THE TIMES EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NO COPPER, THEY PUT ALUMINUM. THEY BREAK INTO THEM, AND THEY HAVE TO REPAIR THAT. THAT'S A BIG CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY SPEND THEIR -- THEY CURRENTLY SPEND A LOT ON. POLICE, AGAIN, CONTRACTUAL SERVICES. SHOTSHOTTER THAT WE'RE BRINGING ONLINE FOR 26. AND INCREASING -- I THINK THAT SUMS IT UP, COUNCILOR GROUT. I THINK THAT WAS ALL OF IT. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO BRING THAT IN? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET BACK TO BALANCING THE BUDGET? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, FIRST QUARTER PROJECTIONS ARE GENERALIZED AND CONSERVATIVE. WE WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT. THERE COULD BE A NUMBER OF THINGS. IF YOU REALLY NEED TO SPEND THIS AMOUNT ON THIS CONTRACT, DO YOU NEED TO TRAVEL, DO YOU MANAGE THROUGH POTENTIAL VACANCIES. IT'S A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE'LL MANAGE THE FIRST QUARTER PROJECTION. AS YOU KNOW, SECOND QUARTER IS ALREADY GONE. SO, WE STARTED PLANS THROUGH THIS AS SOON AS SEE STARTED SEEING THIS. WE MONITOR THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. >>COUN. GROUT: IS THAT SERVICE CONTRACT WITH DELTIA? >> YES. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU. ONE FINAL QUESTION. THE FISCAL YEAR'S 25 REVENUE FOR CIP, 48% LOWER THAN DUE TO CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET PROVIDES 58% INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. HOWEVER THIS MAY BE ADJUSTED DOWNWARD AT THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, FOR THE PUBLIC, THERE ISN'T AN ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, WHAT IS THE ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNT? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR GROUT, GIVE ME ONE SECOND. OUR CITY ECONOMIST MANAGES REVENUE. SHE'LL FIND IT QUICKER THAN ME. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR GROUT, FOR FY26, CIP TRANSFERS POSITIONS ARE BUDGETED AT $14.3 MILLION. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S IT. >>COUN. PEÑA: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST HAD A QUESTION ABOUT WAS THE AUDIT -- THE AUDIT WASN'T COMPLETED WHEN THIS EXPENSE AND REVENUE REPORT WAS DONE? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS CORRECT. >>COUN. ROGERS: GIVEN THE FINAL AUDITED FY25 FORMS AVAILABLE, HOW WILL COUNCIL BE BRIEFED NOW THAT THE AUDIT IS DONE? >> IT'S NOT COMPLETE YET. WE'RE PARTICIPATING COMPLETION DATE AND REVIEW FROM THE STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE BY FEBRUARY 20th. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. HOW WILL WE ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF THE FINANCIAL REPORTS TO THE PUBLIC? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS, THESE ARE IN LEGISTAR. >>COUN. ROGERS: OUTSIDE OF LEGISTAR. WE HAVE OUR BUDGET ON THE WEBSITE. THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO LEGISTAR TO FIND IT. WHAT ABOUT THIS THING? >> COUNCILOR ROGERS, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. THAT'S JUST SOME QUESTIONS I'M GETTING FROM MY CONSTITUENTS OUTSIDE OF LEGISTAR WORK. AND JUST -- I'M JUST -- CAN YOU EXPLAIN -- I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT WHY WAS THIS SO LATE? BECAUSE THIS IS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER, AND IT'S JANUARY. WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THIS. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS, TYPICALLY YOU'RE RUNNING DIFFERENT PROCESSES. THIS YEAR, WHAT DELAYED IT WAS ACTUALS FOR 25. I WOULD LOVE TO SAY WE'RE ALWAYS ON TIME WITH ALL OF OUR DOCUMENTS AND WE'RE HITTING OUR TARGETS. WE'RE NOT IMMUNE TO TURNOVERS. WE'VE EXPERIENCED TURNOVER. WE HAVE TWO NEW BUDGET STAFF. THEY'RE IN A VERY STEEP LEARNING CURVE. IT WAS A COMBINATION OF DELAY IN FINANCIALS AND STAFF ISSUES. >>COUN. ROGERS: HOW ARE WE GOING TO -- WHAT'S THE PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOESN'T CONTINUE HAPPENING? >> COUNCILOR ROGERS, YOU KNOW, BESIDES PUTTING OUR NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE AND WORKING, WE TURNTHEM OUT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. I WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU WE CAN GET THEM DONE, YOU KNOW, SOON AFTER WE CLOSE THE BOOKS. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IT'S A CALCULATION OF STAFFING. WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS WHEN A QUARTER ENDS, THAT'S NOT WHEN FINANCIAL IS PREPARED. THEY CAN'T CLOSE BOOKS UNTIL TWO TO THREE WEEKS AFTER. THEY RUN FINAL PAYROLL AND ACCRUALS, AT THE VERY EARLIALIST WE CAN START IS THREE WEEKS AFTER. IN ACTUALITY, I THINK IT'S AFTER THAT. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >> COUNCILOR ROGERS, I STATED BEFORE EVERYTHING IS PUSHED BACK BY ONE MONTH BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL SHUTDOWN. THINGS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED ON DECEMBER 15th, WE SAID THIS PRIOR, WE WOULD HAVE HAD THOSE NUMBERS BY JANUARY 15th. IT WAS PUSHED BACK TO JANUARY 20th UNTIL WE GOT THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES FOR THE AUDIT. TO DO OUR PROJECTIONS BASED ON NUMBERS WE HAVEN'T SUBMITTED OR AREN'T SOLID IS ONE BIG REASON WHY WE'RE ONE -- A LITTLE LESS THAN ONE MONTH BEHIND AS WELL AS THE THING THAT MR. LAWRENCE SAID RIGHT HERE. THAT HAD A BIG THING TO DO IT WITH IT BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO PROJECTIONS ON BOOKS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ADJUSTED OR SUBMITTED. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I UNDERSTOOD THAT PART. WE DON'T CONTROL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS MUCH AS I'D LOVE TO. HIS ANSWER IS MORE WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT. WHAT WE CAN CONTROL AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE PROCESSES TO HELP WITH THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO ME. LAST QUESTION IS JUST ABOUT RISK MANAGEMENT. SPEAKING OF OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IMPACT, ARE THERE ANY RISK MITIGATION STRATEGIES WE'RE USING ON ECONOMIC ISSUES LIKE -- I THINK AS SOON AS WE HAD TRANSITION IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, I ASKED WHAT ARE THE FEDERAL IMPLICATION IF WE LOSE FUNDING. AND CAN WE PUT TOGETHER A LARGE LIST. IS THAT IN YOUR FORECASTING? LOSS OF FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SHUT HAD -- SHUTTOP -- SHUTDOWNS, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT YOUR WORK? >> I KNOW WE HAVE A LIST OF ALL OF OUR FEDERAL FUNDS. AND POTENTIAL TAKEAWAYS OR LOSSES. AS WE PREPARE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET, AWAY BE REVIEWING ALL OF THAT AND HOW IT PLAYS INTO IT GOING FORWARD? >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. LAST THING IS JUST -- ARE THERE EARLY WARNING OR TRIGGERS IN YOUR DEPARTMENT THAT TRIGGER YOU TO LOOK AT OUR FINANCES OUTSIDE OF MID-YEAR? ANY PROCESSES TO TRIGGER YOU TO SAY, OH, MAYBE WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK. >> COUNCILOR ROGERS, FOR EXAMPLE? >>COUN. ROGERS: FEDERAL SHUTDOWNS. >> -- YES AT THE STATE. WE TALK ABOUT IT AT THE STATISTIC. WE CONSTANTLY MONITOR, CITY ECONOMIST AND MYSELF. WE GET FROM LOBBYISTS TO LOOK AT THIS AND IMPACTS OF THIS. WE'RE WELL VERSED TO LOOK AT THE LEGISLATION. EVEN THOUGH I DON'T LIKE READING 2,000 PAGES OF LEGISLATION AND TRY TO INTERPRET IT. WE'RE CONSTANTLY MONITORING. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HUD FUNDING. THERE'S A NOTIFICATION ABOUT HUD FUNDING AND CITIZENSHIP. ARE YOU DEALING WITH THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET? OR IS THAT AN HHH? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS, I HAVEN'T HEARD TOO MUCH ABOUT IT. I DEPEND ON TRIPLE-H. SFLR THANK YOU, MAD . >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR TELLES. I'M SORRY. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THE LAST QUESTION. WE -- >>-- INDICATORS OR SIGNALS WE SEE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION. WE HAVE BOTH A -- OUR GRANT MANAGER AND THAT'S NOT HER OFFICIAL TITLE. I CAN'T REMEMBER IT. BUT IT'S MAKE SURE WE WATCH ALL OF THE FEDERAL DOLLARS AND WE WATCH THAT VERY CAREFULLY. AND WITHIN ANY DEPARTMENT THAT RECEIVES DOLLARS. THE DIRECTORS WATCH FOR ANY SIGNALS AT ANY TIME SO WE HAVE COMMUNICATION INFORMATION AS WELL AS ANY MEDIA INFORMATION THAT MIGHT BE INDICATING SOMETHING OR PROACTIVELY ALSO REACHING OUT ANY TIME WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION TO ENSURE WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH OUR KEY CONTACTS WITHIN THOSE FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS TO UNDERSTAND IF IT HAS A DIRECT IMPLICATION FOR OUR SPECIFIC GRANT OR MEANING RATHER THAN ASKING ABOUT THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, BUT ASKING THE GRANT PROGRAM WE'RE FUNDED THROUGH. AND WE'RE DOING FULL MONITORING AT ALL TIMES. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO SAY IN STUDYING THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THERE ARE SEVERAL HUD POSITIONS FUNDED BY HUD FEDERAL DOLLARS. WE HAVE ANY CLOSING IN HUD FUNDING, THAT'S 12 POSITIONS WITHIN HHH THAT HOPEFULLY THE ADMINISTRATION ARE PLANNING FOR HOW TO FUND THOSE. OR IT WOULD FALL ON COUNCIL WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGET TIME. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE EXTRA CAUTIOUS, ESPECIALLY -- I EVEN SAW POLICE OFFICERS FUNDED THROUGH FEDERAL FUNDING. I DON'T PARTICIPATE WE WOULD LOSE THAT BEFORE HUD. I SENT AN EMAIL ASKING WHAT IS OUR PRACS WITH OUR PROVIDERS. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING BACK ABOUT THAT SO I CAN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS I'M GETTING. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. COUNCILOR TELLES. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. FROM WHAT I CAN SEE FROM THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO ME, IT LOOKS LIKE THE MAJORITY OF THE OVERSPENDING IS COMING FROM FUND 50 PERSONNEL. IS THAT CORRECT? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING? >>COUN. TELLES: I AM LOOKING AT THE GENERAL LEDGER. WITH THE FISCAL YEAR ACTUALS. DO YOU NOT HAVE THAT? >> I'M SORRY, MADAM PRESIDENT. COUNCILOR TELLES, WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION? >>COUN. TELLES: MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE BUDGETING PERSONNEL APPROPRIATELY? ARE WE BUDGETING OVERTIME AS A PERMANENT SUBSTITUTE FOR STAFFING AND WHY ISN'T THIS -- YEAH, THAT'S MY QUESTION. ARE WE BUDGETING OVERTIME AS PERMANENT SUBSTITUTE FOR STAFFING? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, I WOULD SAY NO. WE BUDGET OVERTIME AT WHAT WE ANTICIPATE FOR THE YEAR. WE NEVER KNOW WHAT IT MIGHT BE, ESPECIALLY FOR POLICE AND FIRE. IT'S A NUMBER WE REALLY LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE YEAR. IF WE INCREASE WAGES MY TEAM GOES IN AND INCREASES THE OVERTIME ANTICIPATED. ON ANY GIVEN YEAR, DEPENDING ON ACTIVITIES IN THE DEPARTMENT, IT COULD SPIKE OR GO DOWN. TYPICALLY, IT'S ALWAYS HIGHER, DEPENDING ON ESTIMATIONS. BUT NO, NO WE DON'T INFLATE OVERTIME. >>COUN. TELLES: MADAM PRESIDENT, HOW MUCH OF THE PROJECTED 18.8 VARIANCE IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO FIRE AND POLICE OVERTIME? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, I CAN REVIEW THAT. I DON'T HAVE THAT SPECIFIC DETAIL FRONT OF ME. IF YOU WOULD LIKE, I WILL DIG INTO THAT I MEET WITH MY BUDGET ANALYST. >>COUN. TELLES: OKAY. MADAM PRESIDENT, WHAT'S THE ADMINISTRATION -- I KNOW COUNCILOR ROGERS ASKED THIS AS WELL, WHAT'S THE ADMINISTRATION'S MITIGATION PLAN FOR THE REMAINING FISCAL YEAR? WHAT ARE WE DOING? PLAN FOR HIRING ACCELERATION? SCHEDULE CHANGES? I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT WE CAN REALISTICICALLY CLAW BACK BEFORE YEAR END AND HOW. >> COUNCILOR TELLES IS -- ANYTHING IS ON THE BOARD. MAYBE NO MORE TRAVELS, POTENTIAL LEAVING POSITIONS VACANT, IS THIS CONTRACT NECESSARY. WHAT WE ALWAYS SAY IS ONLY THE ESSENTIALS. REVERT BACK TO ONLY THE ESSENTIALS. >>COUN. TELLES: MADAM PRESIDENT, DO WE NOT DO THAT WHEN WE'RE DRAFTING THE BUDGET? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TRAVEL, CONTRACTUAL SERVICES AND PERSONNEL IT'S CONSIDERED FOR THE BUDGET AND IT'S INSERTED IN THE BUDGET. >>COUN. TELLES: MADAM PRESIDENT, HOW MANY SERVICE CONTRACTS DO WE HAVE? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. >>COUN. TELLES: YEAH. FROM WHICH DEPARTMENTS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. AND HOW THAT AFFECTED WITH THE VACANCY RATE IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS. JUST A COUPLE MOR -- MORE QUESTIONS. I KNOW I'M SPEAKING ROBUSTLY. WILL THIS VARIANCE REQUIRE A FORMAL BUDGET ADJUSTMENT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, HOPEFULLY NOT. HOPEFULLY WE CAN REIN IT IN AND OFFSET IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS. IT'S A GIVE-AND-TAKE BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS THAT OVERSPEND AND UNDERSPEND AND WHAT WE CONTROL THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR. >>COUN. TELLES: MY FINAL QUESTION. AS COUNCILORS, WE HAVE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES, PUBLIC FUNDS. HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO RESPONSIBLY VOTE ON FUTURE APPROPRIATIONS WITHOUT ANY STANDARDIZED PERFORMANCE MEASURES TIED TO THE BUDGET REQUESTS? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, WE HAVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BUDGETING. WE HAVE ICC TO THE FIVE-YEAR GOALS. IN THEORY, THEY'RE TIED DIRECTLY THE BUDGET YOU APPROPRIATE. THEY'RE INSERTED IN THE DOCUMENT. AS FAR AS DIRECTLY TYING TO EACH DOLLAR, I CAN'T SAY THEY DO. >>COUN. TELLES: MADAM PRESIDENT, CAN YOU SEND ME THOSE PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT ARE TIED FOR EACH DEPARTMENT? THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST HAVE TWO QUICK QUESTIONS. GOING THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OF THIS. IT SAYS IN THERE FOR FY26 THE GRT BREATH IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY 3.4%. IS THERE UNKNOWN REASON WHY WE EXPECT THAT? IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU. IF THE ADMINISTRATION KNOWS AS WELL. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, I WOULD REFER TO CHRISTINE BURNER. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: EVERYBODY IS WAVING THE RIGHT PERSON ON. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, I THINK I NEED YOU TO REPEAT YOUR QUESTION. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: I'M LOOKING OVER THE ANALYSIS THAT WE'RE PROVIDED. IT SAYS FOR FY26GRT GROWTH IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY ABOUT 3.4%. DO WE ANY THE REASON WHY WE EXPECT IT TO INCREASE? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE YES. I PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THAT NUMBER. JUST BRIEFLY, THE CITY HAS A FEW METRIC MODELS WE USE. I USE DATA FROM A NATIONAL SOURCE. I GET PROJECTIONS FOR CPI. I USE DATA FROM UNM. I GET PROJECTIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT. PROJECTION FOR HOUSING PERMITS. AND I PUT THOSE INTO A MODEL, WHICH WILL FORECAST GRT GROWTH. SO, WE ALSO -- BECAUSE OF THOSE DECLINING HOLD HARMLESS, I ALSO PULL OUT THE HOLD HARMLESS COMPONENT AND I ESTIMATE THE FOOD AND MEDICAL GROWTH, TAKE THE DEDUCTION OUT OF THAT AND I HAVE MY MODEL FOR THE REST OF GRT. WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY ABOUT THAT? THAT'S THE HIGH LEVEL. A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WORK WENT INTO THAT. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: ONE FINAL QUESTION. IT ALSO STATES ON HERE, PROPERTY TAXES ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY 3.5 PER. HOW DID WE COME UP WITH THAT PROJECTION? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, THAT IS A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO PROJECTION. WE DO GET INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY FOR PROPERTY TAXES AND WHAT THOSE ARE DOING. THERE'S ALSO SOME MECHANISMS IN THERE THAT KEEP PROPERTY TAXES FROM INCREASING TOO MUCH FOR RESIDENTS. AND WE'VE GOT THE NEW DEDUCTIONS FOR VETERANS THAT WE WERE WORRIED COULD IMPACT REVENUES, BUT WE'VE BEEN ASSURED THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO IMPACT OUR REVENUE. I WORKED WITH THE COUNTY ON THAT TRYING TO GET A GOOD ESTIMATE OF WHAT THOSE REVENUES WOULD BE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THAT'S WHY I ASKED THAT QUESTION. OUT OF CURIOSITY, WITH THE LIGHTNING TAX IT CAN'T GO OVER IT WITH RESIDENTIAL. WHERE IS THE .5? ARE WE GETTING NEW PROPERTY OR NEW HOUSING? IS IT RENOVATIONS AND NOW OLD HOUSES THAT WEREN'T BEING USED, ARE THEY REASSESSING PROPERTY VALUES? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, THAT'S CORRECT. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: WHICH ONE? >> ALL OF THE ABOVE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: EVERYTHING I MENTIONED. OKAY. THANK YOU. SDMRP COUNCILOR GROUT. >>COUN. GROUT: >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR GROUT. >>COUN. GROUT: I HAVE ONE COMMENT AND ONE QUESTION. I THINK WE NEED A STUDY SESSION FOR SURE TO ANSWER A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS LIKE THIS. THIS IS A GOOD REASON FOR THAT. WHEN WILL WE RECEIVE SECOND QUARTER PROJECTION? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR GROUT, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WITH THAT BEING SAID, NEED TO FINISH FIVE-YEAR FORECAST FIRST. AND WE'RE WORKING ON SECOND QUARTER PROJECTIONS NOW. YIPE HOPING BY THE -- I'M HOPING BY THE END OF THE MONTH. SDMRG OKAY. I'LL . >>COUN. GROUT: OKAY. I'LL HOLD YOU TO IT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR GROUT. >>COUN. ROGERS: THAT BROUGHT UP ONE MORE QUESTION FOR ME. IF THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO BE SHUT DOWN, WILL WE BE DELAYED A MONTH? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS NO. >>COUN. ROGERS: ONE MORE. I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO WHAT COUNCILOR TELLES ASKED FOR. I'D LIKE TO SPECIFICALLY DIG INTO FIRE BECAUSE WE HAD A REPORT FROM CHIEF ABOUT 12% VACANCIES. 18% FOR DRIVER PARAMEDICS. BUT AWAY ALREADY APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR THOSE POSITIONS. I'M INTERESTED IN WHAT OVERTIME COST FOR THOSE POSITIONS ARE. AND IF THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A LOT OF VACANCIES IN THOSE PARTICULAR POSITIONS. I'M JUST INTERESTED IN THAT. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS, IF YOU WANT A FOLLOW UP SPECIFICALLY, WE'LL CONTACT YOU AFTER. >>COUN. ROGERS: ABSOLUTELY. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR ROGERS. COUNCILOR TELLES, AND WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE FLOOR. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. JUST A COUPLE MORE REQUESTS. CAN YOU PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT HOW YOU'RE BUDGETING FOR THOSE TYPE OF FACTORS, LIKE FURLOUGHS, GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS, REDUCE WORK WEEK, TIME FREEZES, POSITION EXPANSIONS? CAN YOU ALSO PROVIDE A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE BUDGET? ANY SORT OF ECONOMIC, LOCAL ECONOMIC FACTORS IN GREATER DETAILS? ARE THERE BUSINESS CLOSURES, NEW BUSINESS EXPANSIONS? ANY SORT OF REVENUE DECLINES. I KNOW WE GOT THAT FROM OUR WONDERFUL ECONOMIST. JUST A MORE -- I GUESS, I JUST WANT TO SEE SPECIFICS. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. DID THE ADMINISTRATION HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO COUNCILOR TELLES. I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A MEETING. I THINK OUR ECONOMIST HAS A SOPHISTICATED WAY OF HOLDING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION. IT'S BUILT INTO OUR BUDGET DOCUMENTS. WE HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS IN WHICH THE TEAM DOES THIS WORK. I THINK AS A NEW COUNCILOR IT WOULD BE A GREAT WAY FOR US -- AS WE GET READY TO GO INTO BUDGET, AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO ORIENTATION ABOUT ALL THE WAYS WE PULL THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER. BECAUSE I THINK -- I'VE FOUND IT -- I'M AN ORIENTATION WHEN THEY DO IT, FIND IT VALUABLE. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU. LAST QUESTION. WHO IS OPERATIONALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, ALL OF THE ABOVE. WE OPERATE AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL TO MONITOR AND THE DIRECTORS RUN THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND OPERATE THEIR BUDGETS AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS QUARTERLY PROJECTIONS GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY CHECK IN WITH THEM, BUT ALSO REPORT OUT PUBLICLY AS TO WHERE WE ARE IN THE HEALTH OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET. AND THE OPERATINGING. AND BUDGET TO ACTUALS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN TO DO THE WORK IN ANY QUARTER TO ENSURE WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON THE BALL THAT EACH OF THEM HAVE IN THEIR BUDGET. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. ON THAT, WE HAVE CLOSED THE FLOOR. THERE'S A MOTION FOR RECEIPT ME NOTED OF EC-18. NOT SEEING ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED, SAME MOTION. MOTION PASSES. WITH THAT, I THINK THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A TOSS-UP. I WAS QUESTIONING WHETHER WE WANT TO TAKE A BREAK OR PLOW THROUGH? I THINK WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AND BE BACK AT 7:40. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: OKAY. WE'RE BACK IN SESSION. WE'RE NOW ON FINAL ACTIONS. COUNCILOR BACA, COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN, AND COUNCILOR ROGERS. O-5. >>COUN. BACA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. O-5 AMENDING SOME SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE AND SEPARATION REQUIREMENT FOR RENTAL PERMIT. AND MOVE DO PASS. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: SECOND. >>COUN. PEÑA: MOTION, AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF O-5. COUNCILORS, WANT TO OPEN ON YOUR BILL? >>COUN. BACA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. MY APOLOGIES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YOU'RE FINE. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE THREE AMENDMENTS. MOTION AND SECOND FOR DO PASS, WE CAN GO TO THE AMENDMENTS. >>COUN. ROGERS: PERFECT. NO PROBLEM. >>COUN. BACA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. LET'S START WITH FLOOR AMENDMENT ONE. ON PAGE TWO, LINE 16, FTR PERMIT SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED WITHIN 100 FEET IN ALL DIRECTIONS OF ANOTHER PERMIT. THIS IS REDUCING THE BUFFER DISTANCE BETWEEN SHORT-TERM PERMITS TO 100 FEET FROM 330 FEET. THIS IS WORKING WITH FOLKS TO TRY TO FIND MORE REASONABLE DISTANCE, GIVEN STR ARE CONCENTRATED IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CITY, ESPECIALLY DISTRICT TWO. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE ESPECIALLY IN PLACES LIKE BARELAS, THERE'S 70 AIR B&B CRAMMED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION AND, AND A SECOND BY COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN FOR FLOOR AMENDMENT A, WHICH IS ONE. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AMENDMENTS? ADMINISTRATION? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF -- YOU HAD A QUESTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY YES. OPPOSED, SAME MOTION. I'M SORRY. SHOULD WE DO THAT AGAIN? NO? OKAY. THAT MOTION PASSES. WE'RE ON FLOOR AMENDMENT LABELED B, WHICH IS TWO. COUNCILOR BACA. >>COUN. BACA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. NUMBER TWO, ON PAGE TWO, LINE 14, AMEND AS FOLLOWS, SEPARATION REQUIREMENT CONTAINING -- SHALL APPLY WITHIN THE -- FROM CITYWIDE TO COUNCIL DISTRICTS 2, 6 7. THIS IS BECAUSE BY FAR, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE FLEXIBILITY. MAYBE NOT AS FLEXIBLE. HOWEVER, AND, AGAIN THE VAST MAJORITY OF AIR B&Bs ARE WITHIN A SMALL PART OF THE CITY. IF YOU WANT TO ADJUST AND HELP AND FIND BALANCE YOU DON'T NEED TO DO THE ENTIRE CITY. I MOVE DO PASS. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND FOR FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO? THERE'S NO SECOND. THAT AMENDMENT FAILS. FLOOR AMENDMENT, LABELED C, IS FLOOR AMENDMENT TWO. >>COUN. BACA: FLOOR AMENDMENT TWO. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. ON PAGE THREE, LINE EIGHT, AMEND AS FOLLOWS, SECTION FOUR EFFECT VEN DATE THE ORDINANTS SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON JULY 1, 26 AFTER PUBLICATION BY TITLE AND GENERAL SUMMARY. THIS IS A CHANGE FROM FIVE DAYS AFTER PASSING. THE REASON FOR THIS IS WORKING IN GOOD FAITH, AGAIN. RIGHT NOW, I GOT THE MOST RECENT NUMBERS, WE HAVE SOMETHING CLOSE TO 2,000 SHORT-TERM RENTALS. OF THOSE 2,000, ONLY 800 ARE ACTUALLY REGISTERED. WE HAVE CLOSE TO 1200 SHORT-TERM RENTALS NOT PAYING ANNUAL FEES, NOT CONTRIBUTING TO THE LODGER'S INCOME TAX. ALL THAT SAID, I DO BELIEVE IN HELPING SMALL BUSINESS AS WE FIND BALANCE IN ALL THIS. THIS WOULD ALLOW ALL THOSE FOLKS TO REGISTER WITH THE CITY, AND THEY WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED INTO THIS BILL AND ME PROTECTED. THEIR BUSINESS WOULD BE PROTECTED AS WE WORK TO BALANCE OUT THE NEED FOR ALL OF OUR CITY. I MOVE A DO PASS. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION, AND A SECOND FOR FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCILORS? COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. COUNCILOR BACA, WE BROUGHT UP SOMETHING WHERE YOU SAID THAT THE LODGER'S TAX -- THE LODGER'S -- JUST CLARIFY, DID LODGER'S TAX -- IF YOU'RE WITH THE AIR B&B AND ADVERTISE OR REGISTER WITH THEM AND USE THEIR PLATFORM FOR YOUR RENTER, THAT'S ALREADY TAKEN OUT. THOSE TWO PLATFORMS DO THAT ALREADY AND SUBMIT THE MONEY TO THE CITY FOR THAT DEAL. WHEN YOU SAY THAT HALF ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO THE LODGER'S TAX, CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT? >>COUN. BACA: RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. SOME PLATFORMS, NOT ALL SHORT-TERM RENTALS FOLLOW THOSE TWO PLATFORMS. IN FACT, AS WE NOTED LAST COUNCIL MEETING, THE LODGER'S TAX IS DOWN 8% DURING HISTORICALLY BUSY BALLOON FIESTA. IT'S DOWN FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. BUT 8% DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER. YES, IN SOME CASES THEY DO GET IT. IN MANY OTHER CASES THEY DO NOT. THANK YOU. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK WE HAVE COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN AFTER COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: THANK YOU. I SECONDED THIS. I PLAN TO SUPPORT IT. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHY THIS AMENDMENT IS NEEDED. LOTS OF FOLKS CALL ME. VERY, VERY UPSET THAT THEY WERE WORRIED THIS BILL WAS GOING TO MAKE THEM STOP THEIR CURRENT BUSINESSES. I SAID NO, NO. READ THE BILL. IN THE BILL IT SAYS IF YOU'RE AN EXISTING SHORT-TERM RENTAL WITH A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT YOU ARE EXEMPT. AS LONG AS YOU MAINTAIN THAT PERMIT. AND IT BECOMES VERY CLEAR, BUT I DON'T HAVE A PERMIT. IF YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE LAW, I CAN'T HELP YOU. AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD NECESSARILY BE HELPING FOLKS THAT AREN'T FOLLOWING THE LAW. BUT THE POINT OF THIS AMENDMENT THAT COUNCILOR BACA BROUGHT FORWARD IS TO SAY IF THIS PASSES, YOU GET A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET LEGAL, TO GET YOUR PERMIT. SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE SITUATION WHERE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN OPERATING A SHORT-TERM RENTAL ILLEGALLY SUDDENLY CANNOT CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH FOLKS, MORE THAN I'M WILLING TO WORK WITH FOLKS, TO FIND A SOLUTION TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO GET THEIR PERMITS IN A TIMELY MANNER AND START BEING PART OF THE ACTUAL SYSTEM RATHER THAN JUST CONTINUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT PROCESSES LIKE THESE. ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO DO THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. THERE WAS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSE, SAME MOTION. MOTION PASSES. WE'RE BACK ON THE BILL AS AMENDED. WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. WE'LL GET STARTED WITH THAT. >> FIRST SPEAKER IS CARL FOLLOWED BY THOMAS. >> MAY I PLEASE HAVE OVERHEAD? I'VE GOT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS I JUST WANTED TO SHOW. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. I'M WITH THE NEW MEXICO SHORT-TERM RENTAL ASSOCIATION. THE FIRST THING YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S ABOUT 1400 SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT ARE RENTED OUT LESS THAN # 0 -- 90 DAYS. THEY'RE RENTED OUT WHEN THEY'RE OUT OF TOWN OR TRAVELING FOR THE SUMMER OR WHEN THEY JUST NEED EXTRA INCOME. WE ARE DOWN TO ABOUT 2,000 SHORT-TERM RENTALS. WE'VE LOST 5% OF OUR SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THE CITY. AS AN INDUSTRY WE'RE STRUGGLING. OVERALL, I ALSO HAVE A MAP THAT SHOWS THE 330-FOOT SETBACK, THIS IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE HOSPITAL. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT MAP. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN CONVEY THIS IN ONE MINUTE. CHANGING IT TO THE 100-FOOT SETBACK WE HAVE TWO AND A HALF CIRCLES WHICH WOULD ALLOW TWO UNITS OUT OF 100 HOUSES. IT'S 98% PAN -- BAN ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS. >> THOMAS FOLLOWED BY TREVOR. >> AS WE GOT A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT OVER THE BREAK. I'M HERE TO TALK AGAINST THE LOBBYING AND MONEY BEING SPEECH IN THIS COUNTRY. I REALLY WISH THERE WAS TRANSPARENCY ON THESE THINGS. COUNCILOR BACA, WHEN I ASKED YOU LAST TIME WHO HERE OWNED SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES, YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE HERE AND HONEST AND RAISED YOUR HAND AND SAID I DO. I WISH WE GOT THAT KIND OF TRANSPARENCY FROM ALL OF OUR CITY COUNCILORS. AND I THINK WHAT REALLY BOTHERS ME IS ON THE BERNALILLO COUNTY WEBSITE YOU CAN'T LOOK UP PROPERTY BY NAME ANYMORE AND OWNERSHIP. I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHICH OF YOU GUYS OWNS ANY PROPERTY, WHICH IS BEING HONEST ABOUT THAT. I DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN HONEST WITH ME. I UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS ARE UPSET ABOUT THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT THE REASON WE HAVE THEM IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET TO THE TRUTH AND THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO ASK. DO YOU GUYS HAVE SHORT-TERM RENTALS? ANYONE ELSE, ARE YOU SELF-INTERESTED? >> TREVOR FOLLOWED BY SUSAN. >> THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF RESPECTING AND ADVANCING INTEREST AND THIS IS MY SUPPORT FOR ORDINANCE FIVE. I WANT MUCH MORE TO FOLLOW, INCLUDING REDUCING AND ELIMINATING PARKING MINIMUM. ALLOWING PERMISSIVE USES OF DUPLEXES AND EXPANDING MIXED USE ZONING. I WANT TENANTS RIGHTS TO BE PROTECTED. HOLDING THE REIGNS ON SHORT-TERM RENTAL IS AND REELING IN LANDLORD GREED IS A NECESSARY COMPONENT OF AN AFFORDBIBLE HOUSING. SHOWING YOU'RE LISTENING TO CONSTITUENTS. VOTE YES ON ORDINANCE FIVE AND AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE RENTER'S INTEREST, THANK YOU, COUNCILOR TELLES, COUNCILOR BACA, COUNCILOR ROGERS, FOR LEADING WITH DIGNITY. >> SUSAN FOLLOWED BY RYAN. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'M PROUDEST ARE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT I EMPLOY. THESE PEOPLE DO A RANGE OF SERVICES FOR ME AND THEY'RE ALL FROM ALBUQUERQUE. THEY'RE EVERY ONE FROM CONTRACTORS, TO GARDENERS, PEOPLE WHO COME IN AND TECHES. THERE'S PEST CONTROL PEOPLE. THERE'S OLD SCHOOL PLUMBERS THAT KNOW HOW TO FIX MY OLD SCHOOL, LOW TECHNOLOGY FIREPLACE. IF YOU VOTE FOR THIS, IF WE CONTINUE TO LIMIT OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE INCOME FOR EVERYBODY FROM YOUNG HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE MAYBE RENTING OUT A ROOM, TO RETIREES WHO WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE INCOME COMING IN ONCE THEY'RE NO LONGER ABLE TO GO TO JOBSES, THE IMPACT IS GOING TO BE FELT EXPONENTIALLY. TO THE MATTER OF WANTING TO WORK WITH SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO MIGHT BE IN DEFAULT OF SOME OF THESE PERMITS, DO IT. ALWAYS SUPPORT BUSINESS OWNERS. THANK YOU. >> RYAN FOLLOWED BY TAD. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. ON BEHALF OF THE GREATER ALBUQUERQUE ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS REPRESENTING 3900 REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS, GAR OPPOSES THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT MISDIAGNOSES THE PROBLEM AND WILL NOT DELIVER HOUSING RELIEF IN THE ALBUQUERQUE AREA. THE DATA IS CLEAR, IT REPRESENTS 1% OF ALBUQUERQUE HOUSING STOCK. DEPENDING ON WHOSE NUMBERS WE'RE HEARING OR WHAT TIME OF THE YEAR IT IS. IT'S TOO SMALL TO MATERIALLY IMPACT HOUSING AVAILABILITY, RENTAL PRICES OR HOME AFFORDABILITY. INDEPENDENT PEER REVIEWED RESEARCH CONSISTENTLY SHOWS THAT SHORT-TERM RENTALS DO NOT DRIVE HOUSING SHORTAGES, WHAT THESE STUDIES DO SHOW IS THAT RESTRICTING SHORT-TERM RENTALS REDUCES TOURISM REVENUE, REDUCES TAX REVENUE, ELIMINATES JOBS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND RELATED INDUSTRIES AND FAILS TO IMPROVE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. OUR HOUSING CRISIS STEMS FROM THE SYSTEMIC UNDERBUILDING OF RISING COSTS AND OVERREGULATION. >> TAD FOLLOWED BY ALEX. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS TAD. OKAY. I HAVE QUESTION TO THIS GOVERNMENT BODY. ARE YOU WORKING FOR AVERAGE RENTER WHO PAYS RENT OR ARE YOU WORKING FOR THE FAT CATS REAL ESTATE AGENTS -- >>COUN. PEÑA: CAN YOU DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO ME? >> AND MANY -- THEY HAVE OVER ON EVERYTHING. LAST MEETING, THAT WAS SEVERAL OF YOU. COUNCILOR PEÑA, COUNCILOR LEWIS, AND MANY OTHER TODAY. ONE OR TWO. MAKE STATEMENT THAT MET REAL ESTATE AGENTS. WELL, LEWIS ALSO MADE STATEMENT. THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY WANTED. WHAT A COWERED ARE THEY RIGHT HERE. >> ALEX FOLLOWED BY VINCENT. >> GOOD EVENING. I'VE COME HERE TO REPRESENT THE LITTLE GUY, SO TO SPEAK. MY WIFE AND I OWN AND OPERATE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, OUR HOME. WE RENT OUT OUR HOME ON A PART-TIME BASIS WHEN WE'RE OUT OF TOWN FOR WORK AND WHEN WE VISIT FAMILY. THE EXTRA INCOME ALLOWS MY WIFE TO STAY HOME WITH OUR TWO YOUNG CHILDREN BUT THE IMPACT OF OUR LITTLE FAMILY BUSINESS EXTENDS FAR BEYOND JUST OUR FAMILY. CONSIDER OUR GUESTS. IN THE FEW SHORT YEARS HOSTING, WE'VE HOSTED SO MANY LIFE EVENTS. OUR HOME HAS BEEN A PLACE FOR PEACE DURING CHALLENGING TIMES. JUST A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WE HOSTED A FAMILY THAT CAME INTO TOWN TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO THEIR FATHER AND GAND FATHER AS HE PASSED. THIS FAMILY TOLD US THEY WERE COMFORTED BY THE HOME BECAUSE IT'S IN THE SAME AREA THEY GREW UP AND HAD MUCH OF THE SAME DECOR. WE HOSTED PEOPLE THAT HAD A TRAGIC DISAPPEARANCE OF THEIR DAUGHTER. IF WE CAN BE A SMALL PART IN BRINGING THEIR DAUGHTER HOME, WE'RE HONORED TO DO SO. CONSIDER THE GUESTS, CONSIDER THE PEOPLE THAT VISIT THE CITY. THANK YOU, GUYS. >> VINCENT FOLLOWED BY MELISSA. >> SHORT-TERM RENTALS CAN NEGATIVE IMPACT NEIGHBORHOODS. NEIGHBORHOODS AREN'T HARMED BY SHORT-TERM RENTALS. THEY'RE HARMED BY BAD HOST. NOISE COME FROM POOR INFRSMENT. NOT THE NUMBERS OF PERMITS ISSUED. THIS DOESN'T IDENTIFY AND FIX BAD ACTORS. IT LIMITS RESPONSIBLE HOSTS FROM EXPANDING. IT PREVENTS NEW RESPONSIBLE HOSTS FROM EVER EMERGING AND STARTING THEIR OWN SMALL BUSINESS. COUNCILOR BACA SAID THERE WAS 1200 NONREGISTERED AIR B&B, THIS DOES SOMETHING TO ENFORCE PERMITTING OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS. LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF PERMITS IS ENFORCING THIS. THE BAD ACTORS ARE GOING TO BE THE BAD ACTORS NO MATTER WHAT THE AMENDMENT IS. CAN WE GET SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTES TO ENFORCING THE LAWS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE INSTEAD OF TRYING TO PATCH THINGS TOGETHER TO THINKING THEY'RE GOING TO MANAGINGLY GOING TO START REGISTERING BECAUSE IT'S A NEW AMENDMENT. >> MELISSA FOLLOWED BY DAREN. >> COUNCILOR PEÑA, COUNCILORS, I'M AN ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY MEMBER STATIONED AT KIRTLAND AND OLD TOWN HOME OTHER THAN AND NEW MEXICO RESIDENT. KIRTLAND IS MY FIRST DUTY STATION IN 2008. WE MOVED FROM MINNESOTA AND BECAME ENCHANTED WITH NEW MEXICO. THIS TIME, STATIONED AT KIRTLAND I WANTED TO PUT DOWN ROOTS. BOUGHT A HISTORIC HOME AS MY FAMILIES FOREVER HOME. THE INTEREST RATES AND HOME PRICES WHEN WE MOVED IN OCTOBER 2023 MEANS MY MORTGAGE IS $4,000. TO BRIDGE THAT GAP, I STARTED MY SMALL BUSINESS TO RENT OUT MY PROPERTY'S CASITA AS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL. I RECEIVED NOTICE THAT I'M SUPPOSED TO GO BACK TO D.C. BUT UNDER THIS SHORT-TERM ORDINANCE, MY MAIN HOME WOULD BE DENIED THAT SHORT-TERM RENTAL BECAUSE IT SITS FIVE MEET FROM MY ALREADY PERMITTED CASITA. >> DAREN FOLLOWED BY ANTHONY. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCILORS. I'M BORN AND RAISED NEW MEXICAN, AND A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. I AM NOT A FACEILOUS CORPORATION, WE'RE YOUR NEIGHBORS, AND WE ALSO SUPPORT LOCAL JOBS. CLEANERS MAINTENANCE PLUMBERS. OUR GUESTS AREN'T JUST VACATIONERS, MANY ARE TRAVELING TO FILL CRITICALLY BUT CHRONICALLY UNDERSERVED INDUSTRIES. IF YOU MAKE MOST STR DISAPPEAR, THE VISITOR NEEDS DON'T VANISH, THEY SHIFT TO COSTLIER HOTELS OR DON'T COME AT ALL. IT MEANS IT REDIRECTS MONEY TO OUT OF STATE CORPORATE HOTELS INSTEAD OF LOCAL BUSINESSES. IF THE GOAL IS HOUSING, BROAD SHORT-TERM CONTRACT DOWNS WON'T DELIVER PROMISE. LOOK AT NEW YORK, IT BANNED IN 2023, AND WHAT HAPPENED FOR AFFORDABILITY? NOTHING. TOURISM DROPPED. RENT CLIMBED. AND HOTELS CHARGED MORE. I'M ASKING YOU TO SEE LOCAL STR NOT AS A PROBLEM TO ELIMINATE BUT AS PARTNERS. THANK YOU. >> ANTHONY FOLLOWED BY DIEGO ON ZOOM. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCILMEN. I GREW UP IN THE SOUTH BROADWAY NEIGHBORHOOD. IT WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD MANY OF US KNEW FOR DRUGS, GANG ACTIVITY AND VIOLENCE. LIKE MANY FAMILIES MY MOM SAID COME HOME BEFORE THE STREET LIGHTS COME ON. WE ALL KNEW WHICH HOUSES TO AVOID. PLACES WITH PEOPLE COMING AT ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT. THOSE PROPERTIES HAD COMMON TRAITS THAT WERE RUN DOWN AND NEGLECTED AND LEFT WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY. ONE OF THOSE PROPERTIES WAS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. TODAY THAT SAME PROPERTY IS A LEGALLY OPERATED SHORT-TERM RENTAL. SINCE BEING REHABILITATED IT HAS NO DRUG ACTIVITY, GANG PRESENCE, AND FAMILIES NO LONGER AVOID IT. THE HOUSE IS HELD TO STANDARDS IT'S NEVER BEEN BEFORE. OPERATING THAT PROPERTY CHANGED ME. IT TAUGHT ME HOW TO OWN AND RUN A SMALL BUSINESS, MANAGE MONEY, UNDERSTAND TAXES, CLEAN WORK FOR OTHERS, CLEANERS, CONTRACTORS AND LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS. HELPING OTHERS AFFORD THE COST OF LIVING. I'M THE FIRST PERSON IN MY FAMILY TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THIS. IT CREATED HOPE FOR PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD TO SEE A DIFFERENT PATH AND INVEST WHERE YOUR FROM. THIS AMENDMENT SUGGESTS SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE BAD BUT MY EXPERIENCE SHOWS IT'S ACTUALLY GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU. >> DIEGO FOLLOWED BY SHANE. >>COUN. PEÑA: AS HE'S MAKING HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM -- >> MADAM PRESIDENT, THE REST ARE ON ZOOM. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR EXPRESSED THE NEED FOR MORE HOUSING. I APPLIED FOR A PERMIT TO BUILD A CASITA IN MY BACKYARD IN 2022. AND IN 2024 I CAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND EXPRESSED MY FRUSTRATION THAT I HADN'T GOTTEN MY PERMIT YET. ACTUALLY, SOMEONE ON THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME CALLED ME A LIAR AND I WAS MAKING A STORY UP ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GET A PERMIT. LUCKILY FOR ME, SOMEONE FROM ZONING WAS IN THE AUDIENCE AND WAS CALLED TO THE PODIUM AFTER ME. THAT PERSON STATED I WAS TELLING THE TRUTH AND MY STORY WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE. THE CITY WASN'T PAYING COMPETITIVE WAGES. NO ONE ON THE COUNCIL EVER MADE AN ATTEMPT TO APOLOGIZE TO ME. HERE WE ARE IN 2026 AND THE SAME CASITA PERMITS ARE STILL STALLED. A PLUMBING TRUCK -- >> THANK YOU. SHANE FOLLOWED BY GREG. >>COUN. PEÑA: BEFORE THE NEXT SPEAKER, MR. VARELA, IF WE'LL SHARE WITH YOU THE NAME OF THIS MAN, IF YOU CAN GIVE HIM A CALL? THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT, CITY COUNCILORS, I OWN A FEW RENTAL PROPERTIES IN ALBUQUERQUE. AND UNLIKE THE GENTLEMAN WHO SPOKE ABOUT -- I'VE ACTUALLY WORKED BETWEEN 50 AND 60 HOURS A WEEK FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS OF MY LIFE WITH REAL ESTATE AS AN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO NOT WORK SO HARD. WHICH I STILL DO, BUT IT'S OKAY. I'M LEAVING GENERATIONAL WEALTH FOR MY KIDS WHICH IS A THING I ENJOY DOING AND TEACHING THEM HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS. WITH 1% OR LESS OF THE HOMES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO AS SHORT-TERM RENTALS, I SEE THIS AS LOW HANGING FRUIT FOR THE CITY COUNCIL. THIS IS WHY THIS IS THE SEVENTH TIME IN FOUR YEARS I HAVE SPOKEN UP AGAINST THIS. BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON THIS LOW HANGING FRUIT IS AN EASY CULPRIT TO BLAME FOR HOMELESSNESS OR THE LACK OF HOUSING. 1% DOES NOT THE HOUSING SHORTAGE IF YOU FREE THOSE UP. PLEASE HELP US KEEP OUR BUSINESSES. THANK YOU. >> GREG FOLLOWED BY CHERISH. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT, CITY COUNCIL. I LIVE AND WORK IN ALBUQUERQUE. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PROPOSED RULE ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS. UP FRONT, THIS IS ABOUT PRECCING MY OWN BUSINESS. EVEN THOUGH I END UP BEG GRANDFATHERED, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS A GOOD POLICY FOR THE CITY. THIS IS BEING PRESENTED AS A SOLUTION TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THERE'S NO CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT RESTRICTING SHORT-TERM RENTALS WILL INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOWINGING SUPPLY. NO SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN ALBUQUERQUE OR EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE DOES NOT CONVERT THEM INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IN MANY TIMES THEY BECOME LONG-TERM RENTALS. THIS DOES NOT SOLVE AFFORDABILITY PROBLEM. IF WE WANT MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE SHOULD FOCUS ON CONVERTING VACANT BUILDING INTO UNITS, ENCOURAGING CONSTRUCTION REDEVELOPMENT, SUPPORTING MIXED USE ALONG TRANSIT CORRIDORS. THESE APPROACHES INCREASE HOUSING SUPPLY. THANK YOU. >> CHERISH FOLLOWED BY TEAREN. >> GOOD EVENING. I AM A PROUD WOMAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. THERE WAS A TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN I WAS A SINGLE MOTHER TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. I WAS ON EVERY TYPE OF ASSISTANCE YOU CAN THINK OF TO PROVIDE FOR MY CHILD. I NEVER WOULD IMAGINE I WOULD OWN MY BUSINESS ONE DAY. WHAT STARTED WITH JUST ME AND TWO -- TURNED INTO A SMALL LOCAL CLEANING COMPANY. TODAY I HAVE A SMALL CREW MADE UP OF INCREDIBLE WOMEN, MANY OF THEM ARE SINGLE MOTHERS, STUDENTS WHO NEEDED FLEXIBILITY, AND STILL COULD BE THERE FOR CHILDREN WHILE EARNING A LIVING. BECAUSE OF THIS INDUSTRY MANY OF US WERE ABLE TO GET OFF ASSISTANCE, GAINED FINANCIAL STABILITY AND DO MORE FOR OURSELVES. THIS IS ABOUT EMPOWERMENT, INDEPENDENCE, AND GETTING PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO BUILD SOMETHING BETTER. EVERY DOLLAR I EARN GOES BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY. BUYING LOCAL, SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND INVESTING IN ALBUQUERQUE. THIS IS NOT JUST FOR ME BUT THE WOMEN I EMPLOY AND THE FAMILIES WE SUPPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU. >> TEAREN FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER. >> HELLO. I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE REGULATINGSHIRT-TERM RENTALS. THIS IS NOT A HOBBY, IT SUPPORTS MY FAMILY AND 25 LOCAL MAINTENANCE WORKERS WHO DEPEND ON THIS INCOME. THIS ORDINANCE THREATENS JOBS AND PEOPLE WHILE OFFERING NO MEANINGFUL SOLUTION TO HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. THERE'S NO DATA SHOWING SHORT-TERM RENTAL ARE A CAUSE FOR HOUSING CHALLENGES. THEY MAKE A FRACTION OF THE CITY'S HOUSING STOCK, ELIMINATING THEM WILL NOT CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. TARGETING THEM ARE FIXER THAN ADDRESSING PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT THIS IS NOT HONEST POLICY. THE ONLY WINNER FOR THIS ARE HOTELS AND LARGE CORPORATION. HOMEOWNERS WHO INVESTED IN PROPERTY SHOULD HAVE THE FREEDOM TO RENT RESPONSIBLY WITHOUT GOVERNMENT OVERREACH. SMALL BUSINESS SHOULD NOT BE SACRIFICED TO APPEASE POWERFUL LOBBYING INTERESTS. I URGE YOU TO VOTE NO AND FOCUS INSTEAD ON REAL SOLUTIONS, ZONING REFORM, RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> CHRISTOPHER FOLLOWED BY JOSH. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. AS CHAIR OF GARS GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, I WORK CLOSELY WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS ON HOUSING POLICY. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WHY THIS ORDINANCE IS PROBLEMATIC FROM A POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION STANDPOINT. THERE'S NO DATA PRESENTED SHOWING THAT A 33 O-FOOT SEPARATION REQUIRES SHORT-TERM INTO LONG-TERM. IT ASSUMES ELIMINATING SHORTTIME WILL INCREASE HOUSING SUPPLY. THAT IS UNSUPPORTED AND UNREALISTIC. THIS CREATES AN ENFORCEMENT NIGHTMARE. THE CITY WILL HAVE TO MAP EVERY SHORT-TERM RENTAL AND CALCULATION DISTANCES AND DENY RENEWALES FOR COMPLIANT OPERATORS AND DEFEND LEGAL CHALLENGES FROM PROPERTY OWNERS THAT INVESTED BASED ON EXISTING REGULATION. THIS VIVIDERTS RESOURCES FROM -- SEE ARBITRARY RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED AFTER THEY FOLLOWED ALL THE RULES THEY LOSE TRUST IN THE SYSTEM. THAT DRIVES OPERATORS UNDERGROUND MAKING ACTUAL NUANCED PROBLEMS HARDER TO ADDRESS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> JOSH FOLLOWED BY DEPECHE. >> I'M A REALTOR IN ALBUQUERQUE. I DON'T OWN A SHORT-TERM RENTAL. I WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY NEIGHBORS THAT DO OWN THEM AND HAVE RAN THEM VERY WELL. I LIVE ON THE CORNER OF MORNINGSIDE AND ROMA FOR 15 YEARS. I HAVE TWO SHORT-TERM RENTALS ON EITHER SIDE OF ME. THEY WERE VERY BAD PROPERTIES. THEY HAD CRIME AND PROBLEMS. BECAUSE OF PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY, THE SECOND HOME FROM ONE OR INHERITANCE FROM ANOTHER, THEY WERE ABLE TO STAY AND GENERATE SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME TO COVER THEIR MORTGAGE, PROPERTY TAXES AND MAINTENANCE. AND THEY REQUIRE THE PERMITS, THEY FOLLOW CITY REGULATIONS AND PROVIDED 24-7 CONTACT INFORMATION TO THEIR NEIGHBORS AND THEY HAVE NEVER HAD NOISE OR PARKING COMPLAINTS. THEIR GUESTS SPEND MONEY IN ALBUQUERQUE, RESTAURANTS, SHOPS AND ATTRACTIONS AND EMPLOY LOCAL CLEANS, LANDSCAPERS AND HANDYMAN. THEY PAY LODGERS TAX AND THERE ISN'T CORPORATE SPECULATION. >> YOUR TIME IS UP, SIR. >> I'M SORRY. IT TOLD ME I'M NOT ON ZOOM. OKAY. >>COUN. PEÑA: WE HEARD YOU. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY. SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> DEPECHE FOLLOWED BY BRACHES. >> PHYSICAL SEPARATION STANDARD IS A TOOL THE CITY HAS THAT DIRECTLY REDUCES RENTAL -- CREATES HURDLE FOR OUT OF STATE CORPORATION THAT BUY HOMES. SECOND IN MY ROLE AS LODGER'S TAX ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER WE SEE IRREGULARITIES IN SHORT-TERM PROPERTIES. IN ANY GIVEN MONTH ONLY 50% ARE REGISTERED TO DO BUSINESS, YET THEY CONTINUE TO RENT. THAT'S UNNEVERING BECAUSE IT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT CONSISTENT PERMITTING AND WHETHER TAXES ARE REPORTED THE WAY THEY SHOULD BE. STR ARE SOPHISTICATED LODGING BUSINESSES WITH COMMERCIAL MARKETING TOOLS THAT MAKE MONEY AND COLLECT TAXES AND THEY SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE LODGING BUSINESSES FROM CITY PROCESSES AND ZONING STANDPOINT. IS A PROBLEM AND CREATES UNSAFE NEIGHBORHOODS. AT A MINIMUM, SHORT-TERM PROPERTY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PERMIT LIKE OTHER COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES, THEY NEED TO KEEP A VALID CITY REGISTRATION AND COMPLY WITH TAXES. THIS ORDINANCE HELPS PUSH SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES IN THAT DIRECTION. >> RACKECHE FOLLOWED BY CRYSTAL. >> YOU ARE MUTED, SIR. >> I AM THE HOTEL INDUSTRY AND I AM HERE LOCAL IN ALBUQUERQUE. SO ARE MY INVESTORS. WE'RE ALL MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY. WE ALL PAY OUR TAXES. AND ALL WE WANT TO SEE IF THIS BILL PASSES -- THIS CREATES A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD SO EVERYBODY'S PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE. WE'RE TAXING ALL THESE 800 OR SO -- ACTUALLY 1200STRs NOT PAYING ANY LODGER'S TAX, SALES TAX, GROSS RECEIPTS TAX. CURRENTLY, STR AREN'T PART OF THE TOURISM MARKETING DISTRICT. THEY DON'T PAY THAT TAX. THEY DO. THEY BENEFIT FROM THAT. THEY'RE NOT TAXED AS A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS. IF YOU TAKE A HOME OUT OF CIRCULATION FROM OUR HOUSING INVENTORY, YOU'RE NOW OPERATING A BUSINESS. I GOT NEWS FOR YOU. YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR FAIR SHARE. YOU HAVE TO REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS. WE'RE NOT AGAINST STR. WE'RE FOR FAIR BUSINESS. >> CRESTA FOLLOWED BY CHRIS. >> GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY STRONG OPPOSITION FOR THIS ORDINANCE. RESEARCH FROM OTHER CITIES SHOWS CONSISTENT ECONOMIC HARM FROM BROAD SHORT-TERM RENTAL RESTRICTION. EVIDENCE SHOWS IN SAN FRANCISCO THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH SHOWS STRICTER STR RULES REDUCE LISTING BUT DID NOT INCRES LONG-TERM HOUSING SUPPLY, LOWER RENT, AND LOCAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY DECLINED SIGNIFICANTLY. IT ESTIMATED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF LOSS IN VISITOR SPENDING HARMING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND WORKERS AND FAILING TO INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSE. MOST STR ARE LOCAL RESIDENTS NOT HOTEL CORPORATIONS. THIS HARMS LOCAL COMMUNITY SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR ECONOMY. WHILE FAILING TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO RELY ON DATA AND OUTCOMES AND APPLY SCRUTINY TO ALL LODGING SECTORS BEFORE ADOPTING THIS ORDINANCE THAT HAS BIAS TOWARD BEING HEBALLY INFLUENCED BY THE HOTEL INDUSTRY. >> CHRIS FOLLOWED BY MARSLEN. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF GAR. 91% OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE OWNED BY INDIVIDUALS, FAMIIES OR SMALL LLCs. WHEN WE LOOK AT VALUES OF PROPERTIES, WE COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES. IF MY NEIGHBOR HAS STR AND I DON'T, I'M NOW SHORTENING BY POOL OF BUYERS AVAILABLE BECAUSE MY HOUSE ISN'T AS EFFECTIVE PAUSE I WOULD NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO HAVE AN STR WITH MY HOUSE. YOU'RE PUNISHING THE CURRENT HOMEOWNERS AND PUNISHING FUTURE MOM AND POP BUSINESS OWNERS, MAKING ALBUQUERQUE IT HARD TO DO BUSINESS. I WANT TO REMIND GAR IS A BIG RESOURCE FOR YOU GUYS. WE HAVE PLENTY OF STAFF AND NUMBERS. WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS. THANK YOU TO THE COUNCILORS THAT REACHED OUT TO US SO FAR. THANK YOU. >> MARSLEN. >> I APPRECIATE IT. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER RENTAL FOLKS HERE. A BIG PART OF THIS BILL IS THAT IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY REGISTERED, YOU ARE UNAFFECTED. IF I INREADINGING THIS BILL CORRECTLY. YOU ARE UNAFFECTED IF YOU'RE CURRENTLY REGISTERED. AND YOU HAVE UNTIL JULY TO GET REGISTERED. IT'S NOT TRYING TO DESTROY CURRENT SHORT-TERM RENTALS. IT'S COMING TO THE FACT WE HAVE A THREAT CALLED PRIVATE EQUITY. AND IT LIKES BUYING HOMES AND TURNING THEM INTO SHORT-TERM RENTALS. THIS IS A THREAT. THIS IS A THREAT TO HOUSING. I LIKE PEOPLE MENTIONED THIS IS ISN'T A ONE ALL. THIS IS NOT A ONE ALL. IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT AND NEEDS TO BE PASSED. BUT WE NEED MORE THAN JUST THIS. THIS ISN'T GOING TO FIX OUR HOUSING CRISIS, BUT IT PLAYS A ROLE TO PROTECTING THAT SMALL BIT THAT'S AFFECTED BY THIS. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THIS. I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY TRY TO UNDERSTAND THIS BILL RATHER THAN LISTENING TO TALKING POINTS TOLD BY MEN IN POLOS WITH VERY TACKY POLOS. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, THAT CONCLUDES COMMENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: WE'RE BACK ON THE BILL AS AMENDED TWICE. WE'LL GO TO CITY COUNCILORS. COUNCILOR BASSAN. I APOLOGIZE. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I COME BEFORE US TO PRESENT COUNCIL BILL O-26-5 AS AMENDED, TO ALBUQUERQUE'S SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE. IT ESTABLISHES A MINIMUM SEPARATION REQUIREMENT BETWEEN SHORT-TERM RENTALS. I BRING THIS FORWARD WITH MY COLLEAGUES NOT AS AN EFFORT TO ELIMINATE SHORT-TERM RENTAL, BUT BETTER BALANCE THEIR PRESENCE WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOUSING MARKET. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, I'VE HEARD CONSISTENTLY FROM RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY, HOMEOWNERS, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND SMALL LANDLORDS ABOUT THE IMPACTS THAT CONCERN SHORT-TERM RENTALS ON COMMUNITY STABILITY, PARKING NOISE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE AVAILABILITIES OF LONG-TERM HOUSING. IN SOME PARTS OF ALBUQUERQUE, LIKE IN MY DISTRICT IN NOB HILL, WE'RE SEEING CLUSTERS OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT CHANGE BLOCKS THAT WERE ONCE PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL. THIS BILL SEEKS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE IN A MEASURED WAY BY REQUIRING REASONABLE DISTANCE BETWEEN PERMITTED SHORT-TERM RENTALS WHO AIM TO PREVENT OVER CONCENTRATION WHILE ALLOWING PROPERTY OWNERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MARKET. THIS IS ABOUT PROVING NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE AND ENSURING FAIRNESS ACROSS THE CITY. THANK YOU TO MY CO-SPONSOR, CITY STAFF, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS. WE APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS. THESE DISCUSSIONS HELPED SHAPE A BETTER POLICY. AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE. WE STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR ROGERS. ANY OF THE OTHER SPONSORS? COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY -- COUNCILOR TELLES WAS JUST COMING TO COUNCIL AND SHE DID NOT GET HER NAME ON THIS BILL, BUT SHE INDICATED SHE'D LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR. I'D LIKE TO GIVE HER A MOMENT. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. YES, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE SPONSORS ADD MY NAME AS A CO-SPONSOR TO THE BILL. >>COUN. PEÑA: CAN YOU REFLECT THAT IN THE RECORD? THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. BASSAN: MADAM PRESIDENT, I'M WONDERING IF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL INDUSTRY HAS ANY THEORIES -- I'VE MADE MY PEACE ABOUT DATA AND STATISTICS AND HOW TO PROVE THEM ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. BUT ANY THEOIES ON LODGER'S TAX AND BUSINESS REJ REGISTRATIONS ARE DOWN. >>COUN. PEÑA: ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THAT? >> GOOD EVENING. YES. WE HAD THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. I CAN TELL YOU IT WAS DEVASTATING TO NOT JUST SHORTTIME RENTALS, BUT TO THE HOTEL INDUSTRY. I SIT ON THE BOARD OF VISIT ALBUQUERQUE. IT'S WELL KNOWN THAT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN REALLY HARMED TRAVEL. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS AND INDICATORS THAT THE LODGER'S TAX WAS BE DOWN FOR LAST YEAR. TOTAL SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE ALSO DOWN. WE'VE LOST 5% OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS ACROSS THE CITY. I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE HIGH TURNOVER. IT IS A VERY HARD JOB TO RUN A SHORT-TERM RENTAL. PEOPLE OPEN UP A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, THEY MAY DO IT TEMPORARILY. I SHOWED THE DATA EARLIER. 30-60 DAYS. THEY FIND OUT IT'S NOT FOR THEM. IT'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK. THOSE PEOPLE, IF THIS PASSES, WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO GET A PERMIT BECAUSE IF THEIR NEIGHBOR HAS ONE THEY WILL BE INELIGIBLE. THAT'S WHY IT'S VERY CONCERNING TO LIMIT IT IN THIS MANNER AND TO MAKE IT GEOGRAPHICICALLY, A NEAR BAN, IS WHAT THIS IS. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION. >>COUN. BASSAN: MADAM PRESIDENT, DO YOU HAVE ANY THEORIES ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BUSINESS REGISTRATION? >> YEAH. I THINK, NUMBER ONE, I'VE BEEN TOLD BY NUMEROUS PEOPLE AS ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL ASSOCIATION THAT ALBUQUERQUE HAS ONE OF THE LONGEST PERIODS OF TIME TO GET A PERMIT. YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR TAX ID, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FLOOR PLAN, IF YOU DON'T CORRECTLY MARK EVERY SINGLE THING ON THE FLOOR PLAN, IT GETS DENIED. WHEN THAT BILL FIRST PASSED FOUR YEARS AGO, THE CITY AT THE TIME TOLD US TO SUBMIT A FLOOR PLAN, WE DON'T CARE IF IT'S AN A NAP KIN. IT STARTED GETTING MORE AND MORE STRICT. I'VE BEEN TOLD A SHORTAGE IN THAT OFFICE AND NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PROCESS THE APPLICATION. WE HAVE SEEN PERMITS TAKE OVER 30 DAYS JUST TO GET A PERMIT. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S ALSO VERY INTERESTING IF YOU OWN A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, IF YOU RENT YOUR PROPERTY FOR OVER 30 DAYS, YOU'RE LEGAL. IF YOU CHOOSE TO RENT YOUR PROPERTY FOR 29 DAYS OR LESS, YOU NOW NEED A PERMIT. WE HAVE A HOTEL INDUSTRY THAT REQUIRES A $35-BUSINESS LICENSE TO OPERATE. BUT A SHORT-TERM RENTAL THAT BRINGS IN AN AVERAGE OF $28,000 A YEAR IN REVENUE HAS TO GET $150 PERMIT AND WAIT MONT FOR IT AND FILL OUT ALL THESE CHECKS AND BALANCES TO GET THAT DONE. THAT'S WHY THE PERMITS ARE TAKING LONG. THAT'S WHY NOT EVERYBODY DOES IT. AND THE DATA I SHOWED EARLIER, I BELIEVE, IS VERY CLEAR THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR SHORT-TERM RENTALS, OVER 1400 OF THEM, WERE RENTED LESS THAN 90 DAYS. MOST PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO HOP THROUGH A PERMIT FOR TEMPORARILY RENTING THEIR HOUSE. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR BASSAN, WE HAVE ANOTHER GENTLEMAN ON ZOOM WHO WISHES TO RESPOND. WOULD YOU LIKE THAT OR NOT? >>COUN. BASSAN: AS LONG AS THEY'RE FROM THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL INDUSTRY. >> MADAM PRESIDENT -- >>COUN. BACA: I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. VIDAL. >>COUN. PEÑA: IF YOU CAN REMAIN UP HERE, AND WE CAN GET ALL THE QUESTIONS OUT OF THE WAY. >>COUN. BASSAN: I KNOW MR. VIDAL IS FROM -- >>COUN. PEÑA: IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING HE IS, CORRECT. >> I BELIEVE SO. WE ALSO HAVE DEPECHE. >>COUN. PEÑA: OKAY. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO GET EVERYBODY TO RESPOND. I THINK FOR NOW WE'LL STICK WITH MR. LESECK AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD THE TO THAT, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT BRIEFLY. WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILOR BACA. >>COUN. BACA: MR. VIDEL. >> HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ON VISIT ABQ? >> THREE MONTHS. >>COUN. BACA: YOU'RE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF VISIT ABQ AFTER THREE MONTHS EXPERIENCE. I'M SPEAKING FOR THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL INDUSTRY. I WROTE THE 2023 ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY. I'VE DEDICATED MY LIFE TO DATA AND SHORT-TERM RENTAL. >>COUN. BACA: ARE YOU AN ECONOMIST? THAT'S AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS. >>COUN. BACA: ARE YOU AN ECONOMIST? >> I -- >>COUN. PEÑA: OKAY. >>COUN. BACA: PEER REVIEWED? >> YES, SIR. I AM A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO. >>COUN. BACA: WHAT'S YOUR DEGREE IN? >> MARKETING. I'M EXTREMELY GOOD WITH DATA, DATA ANALYSIS. AND I'M VERY GOOD AT BREAKING THINGS DOWN. I'VE READ THE STUDIES. >>COUN. BACA: AS A SCIENTIST, I DO LOOK AT NUMBERS. I DO NOT SHARE COUNCILOR BASSAN'S -- THEY CAN BE. EXPERTISE MATTERS. I DON'T CALL SURGE TO DO MY PLUMBING. I I DON'T CALL A DENTIST TO ELECTRICAL WORK. IF YOU'RE GOT PRESENT ECONOMIC ANALYSIS, I HOPE IT'S PEER REVIEWED BY ECONOMISTS AND WRITTEN BY AN ECONOMIST. THAT ASIDE, I WAS ON VISIT ABQ LAST YEAR. AND DURING BALLOON FIESTA, EVERYTHING WAS FULL. DESPITE -- WE HAD A RECORD YEAR. WE RAN OUT OF PARKING MULTIPLE TIMES. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT -- WHY DID THE HOTEL INDUSTRY SAY NUMBERS ARE DOWN. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM THE INDUSTRY WHY WE THINK THAT IS. I ALSO THINK WE SHOULD SPEAK FROM A POSITION OF EXPERTISE. AND WHILE I KNOW YOU'RE IN THAT INDUSTRY, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME IN THE INDUSTRY, YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT INDUSTRY THAN I DO. I ALSO -- LETS NOT INFLATE OUR CREDENTIALS. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. VIDAL. >> I APPRECIATE YOU FOR LETTING ME COME TONIGHT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK WE'RE -- COUNCILOR BASSAN, DID YOU QUESTION GET ANSWERED? THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'M OPPOSED TO THIS BILL. AND FOR MANY REASONS. BUT I AM OPEN, AND I MADE SOME OF THESE CLEAR TO THE SPONSOR -- I WANT TO WIN ON THE IDEAS AND NOT JUST -- BUT TALK ABOUT THE NUANCES AND THE IDEAS THAT ULTIMATELY WOULD HELP ME DECIDE ON THE CHOICE BETWEEN VOTING FOR THIS BILL OR NOT. I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS. WHETHER WE THINK THEY'RE QUALIFIED OR NOT, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S THE BEST QUESTION TO BE ASKING THOSE COME AND TAKE THEIR TIME TO COME DOWN HERE AND FROM AN INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE, FROM A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE, TO BE GRILLING THEM ON THEIR QUALIFICATIONS OF WHAT THEY KNOW AND WHAT THEY THINK. I DO APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM EVERYBODY. I WAS GOING TO HAVE THE DIRECTOR COME UP. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S NECESSARY BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION. SOME DISCUSSION OVER THE REGISTRATION PROCESS. AND I AM INTERESTED IN HOW DIFFICULT IT MIGHT BE. I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'RE MAKING THE REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS A LITTLE ONEROUS. I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT WHAT OTHER STATES AND CITIES ARE DOING BECAUSE I THINK THAT SHOULD BE AN EASY PROCESS. I THINK WE SHOULD BE ACTIVELY PURSUING THOSE WHO ARE OPERATING SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND ENSURING THAT THEY'RE PERMITTED AND OUR DEPARTMENT IS ACTIVELY DOING THAT ACCORD TO ORDINANCES IN PLACE RIGHT NOW. I'LL SAY THIS. I'D BE OPEN TO DOING AWAY WITH LARGE CORPORATIONS AND OUTSIDE THE STATE OWNERS OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS. BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HELP SOLVE SOME OF THE BAD ACTORS AND SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I'VE OFFERED SOME OF THOSE IDEAS. I THINK THOSE CAN GO A WAY. THAT'S FROM SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT REAL BIG ON REGULATING SOMETHING, BUT LETTING THE MARKET DICTATE HOW THAT GOES. SO, YEAH, IS THERE AN ISSUE WITH LARGE CORPORATIONS OR PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE STATE? I DO BELIEVE PEOPLE THAT ARE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN OLD TOWN THAT LIVE IN PARTS OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE THAT OPERATE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, THEY CARE ABOUT THOSE HOMES. AND THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS. THEY'RE GOING TO OPERATE THOSE RENTALS ACCORDING TO OUR RULES AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE PRODUCTIVE. AND THEY ALSO PROMOTE THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. THEY PROMOTE OUR AMENITIES. THEY PROMOTE OLD TOWN AND DOWNTOWN AND ALL THE GREAT AMENITIES WE HAVE AS A CITY. AND THEY PROVIDE AN INCREDIBLE SERVICE. I AM OPEN TO SOME CHANGES. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS BILL ANSWERS THOSE QUESTIONS AND HELPS US. IN FACT, I THINK IT HAS THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. I'M AGAINST ALLOWING CAPS AND PART OF THE REASON IS BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF NUANCES TO THOSE WHO OWN SHORT-TERM RENTALS. I KNOW FOLKS WHO ACQUIRED A HOME FROM A PARENT OR PASSED AWAY. THEY INHERITED A HOME. AND THEY'RE FINALLY GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SOME INCOME. WE'RE ABOUT AFFORDABILITY. WE'RE ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY IN THIS CITY. I KNOW MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY AND DECIDED THEY GO THE ROUTE OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL. THEY TAKE CARE OF THAT HOME. THEY PROMOTE OUR CITY. AND THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME INCOME FOR THEIR FAMILY AND FOR THEIR KIDS AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT. THERE'S MANY OTHER NUANCES. I KNOW FOLKS WHO DECIDED TO GO AND PARTICULARLY ONE THAT DECIDED TO GO AND LIVE OUT OF COUNTRY FOR A YEAR. IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE OPTION OF OFFERING THAT HOME AS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, THEY WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THAT WORK. WHETHER YOU HAVE TRAVELING NURSES, OR MANY FOLKS THAT -- AGAIN, A LOT OF NUANCES OF FOLKS WHO OWN SHORT-TERM RENTAL AND UTILIZE THEIR PROPERTY IN THAT WAY. I BELIEVE THIS IS CALLING WINNERS AND LOSERS. THE WINNERS ARE THE CORPORATIONS, IF WE THINK THAT'S THE PROBLEM. IT DOESN'T LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD. THE FACT IS THIS WILL HURT SOMEBODY. REULATING THIS WAY AND PUTTING A CAP -- BY THE WAY IT IS A CAP. WHEN YOU HAVE DISTANCES -- BY THE WAY, WE'RE TALKING LARGE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT COULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS. AND MANY PEOPLE WOULD BE LIMITED FROM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THEIR PROPERTY IN THIS KIND OF WAY. SO, THE FACT IS THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE HURT BY THIS CAP. FOR A LOT OF REASONS, I THINK -- AGAIN, I WANT TO WIN ON THE IDEAS. I WANT TO GO IN THE DIRECTION OF THE BEST IDEAS FOR OUR CITY. AND I THINK IT'S BEEN PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE BEST DECISION OF THE COUNCIL AND LAW WOULD BE TO NOT GO THIS DIRECTION WITH IT. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR LEWIS. NEXT, WE HAVE COUNCILOR CHAMPINE -- I MEAN, COUNCILOR TELLES FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. MR. VIDAL, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE 1%. WAS IT MR. VIDAL? WAS IT RYAN WHO SAID THE 1%? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I MADE THAT REFERENCE. >>COUN. TELLES: WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 1%, YOU MEAN THE HOUSING MARKET? >> CORRECT. WE'RE LOOKING AT 2400 SHORT-TERM RENTALS OUT OF 240,000 HOUSES. >>COUN. TELLES: OKAY. YOU'RE SPEAKING OF THE TOTAL HOUSE UNITS, FULL HOUSING STOCK? >> CORRECT. >>COUN. TELLES: LIKE NOT HOUSES FOR SALE. >> CORRECT. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU FOR CLEARING THAT UP. I'M SORRY. MADAM PRESIDENT, DO WE -- DO YOU KNOW IF THE MARGINAL STR CREATES MORE OF A TOTAL BENEFIT THAN THE HOUSING HARM IT CAUSES? >> I WOULDN'T HAVE THAT SPECIFIC DATA, OR ANY SPECIFIC DATA TONIGHT. >>COUN. TELLES: BECAUSE GAR HAS A LOT OF RESOURCES. CAN WE GET -- DO YOU THINK THE -- YOU KNOW, $40 MILLION TO REPLACE STR UNITS COSTS MORE OR LESS THAN THE $100 MILLION TO BUILD THOSE HOMES OR REPLACE THOSE HOMES? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I WOULDN'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION BUT I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO GET SOMETHING TO YOU. >>COUN. TELLES: WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION, WHAT'S MORE $100 MILLION OR $40 MILLION? >> OBVIOUSLY, $40 MILLION IS LESS THAN $100 MILLION. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU. THE IDEA IT HURTS SMALL LOCAL OWNERS JUST DOESN'T MATCH WITH THE POLICY. THERE'S A SEPARATION REQUIREMENT. IT'S BUILT INTO EXCLUDE THOSE OWNER OCCUPIED RENTAL, OWNER OCCUPIED. THOSE ARE SMALL MOM AND POP. IT ALLOWS FOR RENEWAL, UNLESS PERMITS LAPSE. WE'RE NOT CRACKING DOWN ON SMALL STR OWNERS. WE WANT THAT. WE WANT A SMALL BEAUTIFUL ECONOMY IN ALBUQUERQUE WHERE WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS. THIS A GUARDRAIL AGAINST EXACTLY WHAT COUNCILOR LEWIS IS TALKING ABOUT. COMMERCIAL CLUSTERING OF STRs. I REALLY, REALLY DO URGE SUPPORT OF THIS. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I UNDERSTAND COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN ALSO WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN AND THEN WE'LL DEFER TO YOU. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. I'M GOING TO DIRECT THEM TO MS. DELGADO. ANYONE ELSE CAN ANSWER TO IT. I KEPT HEARING THINGS I WANTED CLARIFY. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THIS BILL DOES NOT CLOSE DOWN EXISTING SHORT-TERM RENTALS. IS THAT CORRECT? >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN, THAT'S CORRECT. ANY ACTIVE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT WOULD REMAIN IN PLACE. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: THE EXAMPLE WAS GIVEN FOR SOMEONE WHO LEFT THE CITY FOR A YEAR AND RENTED THEIR HOUSE OUT. WHAT'S THE TIME LIMITATION ON A SHORT-TERM RENTAL? >> COUNCILOR PEÑA, COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN, ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE LAPSE IN TOURNAMENTING? >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: NO. I'M ASKING WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL IN THIS BILL? >> THE DEFINITION OF SHORTTIME RENTAL IS 29 DAYS OR LESS. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: OBVIOUSLY, A ONE-YEAR RENTAL WOULD NOT FALL UNDER THIS ORDINANCE THAT'S PROPOSED TONIGHT. I DON'T KNOW THIS IS A QUESTION FOR MS. DELGADO. I KEPT HEARING ABOUT HOW WE'RE EMPLOYING PLUMBERS AND FOLKS TO MAINTAIN HOMES. I JUST WOULD REALLY HOPE THAT NO MATTER IF YOU'RE SHORT-TERM RENTAL OWNER OR LONG-TERM RENTAL OWNER YOU'RE MAINTAINING YOUR PROPERTY. I WOULD CERTAINLY HOPE WE DON'T STOP MAINTAINING PLUMBING AND THE LIKE BECAUSE SOMEONE IS A LONGER TERM RENTAL. I DID WANT TO CLARIFY A FEW THINGS AND MAKE A FEW STATEMENTS. I LOOKED IT UP BECAUSE WE KEPT HEARING INCORRECT INFORMATION ON WHAT THE BILL IS THAT WAS PASSED THAT ACTUALLY REQUIRES SHORT-TERM REGISTRATION. THAT BILL PASSED IN 2020. THAT WAS SIX YEARS AGO. IT WAS DONE BY MY PREDECESSOR, COUNSELOR GIBSON. I JUST LOOKED WHAT'S REQUIRED. I DO AGREE THERE HAVE BEEN HICCUPS IN THIS PROCESS. HERE ARE THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE EXISTING ORDINANCE THAT I DON'T THINK ARE VERY ONEROUS. IT REQUIRES PHYSICAL ADDRESS OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL UNIT. THE NAME, PHONE NUMBER, EMAIL AND BUSINESS ADDRESS OF THE AGENT. THE FLOOR PLAN. STATEMENT SIGNED BY THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL OWNER THAT THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL WILL BE OPERATED IN IN COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND PROOF INSURANCE. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY I DON'T THINK ANY OF THOSE FIVE THINGS ARE SUPER ONEROUS. I DO AGREE THERE ARE BEEN HICCUPS WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT GETTING THOSE PERMITS OUT. THAT IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE ONEROUS NATURE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BILL. I JUST -- I GOT A LOT OF EMAILS ABOUT THIS IS NOT GOING TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE CAN ARGUE TAT THAT EITHER WAY. THE REASON I SUPPORT THIS BILL IS BECAUSE I GET CALLS EVERY SINGLE WEEK FROM SOMEONE IN MY DISTRICT MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK WORRIED ABOUT THEIR CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I'M CONCERNED SOMEONE IS GOING TO COME IN BUY MY NEIGHBORHOOD, RENT THEM OUT AS SHORT-TERM RENTALS. I WILL NO LONGER KNOW MY NEIGHBORS OR FEEL THE SAME SENSE OF COMMUNITY I FEEL NOW. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT. MY HOUSE, MY HOUSE IS ON A BLOCK WITH 14 HOMES. SO, IF I SUDDENLY HAVE FOUR OF THOSE HOMES, WHICH IS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT COMPARED TO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS EXPERIENCING SATURATION OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS, BUT EVEN AT FOUR, IN MY STREET WHICH IS 14 HOMES, 29% OF HOMES ARE NO LONGER PEOPLE I KNOW. TO BE HONEST I KNOW THE NAME OF EVERY DOG ON MY STREET. MY PARTNER KNOWS THE NAME OF EVERY HUMAN ON THE STREET. THAT WOULD BE A LOT. 30%, A THIRD OF FOLKS I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE. I THINK THAT IMPACTS YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S CHARACTER. IT IMPACTS YOUR SENSE OF COMMUNITY. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH LIMITATIONS WITH THE NEW LIMITATION THAT COUNCILOR BACA CHOSE TONIGHT. EVERY HUNDRED FEET YOU COULD STILL HAVE TWO OR THREE ON MY STREET. I THINK THAT IS A REALLY LEGITIMATE COMPROMISE THAT STILL GETS TO THE POINT WHERE A PARTICULARLY IN OLD TOWN AND UPTOWN I HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE A MAJORITY OF THE HOMES ON A STREET THAT ARE SHORT-TERM RENTALS. I THINK THAT IS VERY PROBLEMATIC FOR FOLKS WHO ARE USED TO LIVING IN A QUIET RESIDENTIAL AREA WHERE THEY KNOW THEIR NEIGHBORS. THEY SEE THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY WHEN THEY WALK TO THEIR PARK AND SEE THEIR NEIGHBORS. THAT CHANGES WHEN THE MAJORITY OF HOMES IN AN AREA ARE SHORT-TERM RENTALS WHICH ARE OFTEN EMPTY A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE TIME. ALSO SAFETY. I JUST THINK THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION. I THINK IF WE REALLY LOOK AT THIS, THIS IS ABOUT MAINTAINING NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER, ABOUT MAINTAINING HOUSES OF ALL SORTS. AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR -- RATHER THAN EXPANDING THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL, MAINTAINING THAT AND MAKING SURE WE DO NOT LOSE FURTHER EXISTING HOUSING. I'M NOT SAYING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I'M SAYING HOUSING OF ANY SORT. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I THINK THERE'S A TENDENCY TO THINK OR CONVEY THAT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS. THIS DOESN'T HURT ANYBODY AND THIS MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT IT ALL. WHAT'S REAL CLEAR IN THE EXAMPLE I GAVE, YOU MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT A 30-DAY RENTAL IS BETTER THAN FOUR ONE-WEEK RENTAL OR FOUR WEEKEND RENTALS. AND REGARDLESS IS WE'RE LIMITING AND CAPPING SOMEONE'S ABILITY TO OPERATE THEIR HOME IN A LEGITIMATE WAY TO BRING INCOME TO THEIR FAMILY. SO, THE EXAMPLE -- 29 DAYS SHORT-TERM RENTAL, WELL IF SOMEONE IS GONE FOR THE YEAR, THE EXAMPLE I GAVE, THEY CAN RENT IT FOR A YEAR AND YOU MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT'S BETTER THAN DOING 29-DAY OR 28-DAY SHORT-TERM RENTALS OVER THE COURSE OF THAT TIME. IT'S LIMITING IN THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE YOUR PROPERTY. THAT'S NOT ONLY BEST FOR YOU, BUT COULD BE THE BEST THING FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR THE FOLKS THAT WANT TO RENT. AND THEN, THIS IS ALSO A LIMITED ON NEW SHORT-TERM RENTALS. YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, JUST GET REGISTERED AND YOU'RE GOOD. WHAT ABOUT OUR KIDS? WHAT ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATIONS? WHAT ABOUT THE YOUNG FOLKS WHO INHERIT A HOME OR HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE THEIR PROPERTY BUT ARE LIMITED BECAUSE THEIR PROPERTY IS 99 FEET FROM SOMEBODY WHO HAS THE SAME OPPORTUNITY YET THEY DON'T. THE POINT IS IT'S GOING TO LIMIT SOMEBODY. AND I WOULDN'T THINK SOMEHOW THIS COMES ACROSS AS IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY IS GOOD. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT -- >>COUN. CHAMPINE: AIR B&B ARE DOWN 24%. I DON'T THINK THE ABUNDANCE AND EVERYBODY IS GOING TO JOIN IN AND BUYING HOUSES AND BUYING NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN WE'RE SHOWING THE TREND IS GOING DOWN 5%. LESS THAN 1% OF THE HOUSING MARKET -- IT'S NOT REALLY GOING TO AFFECT RENTALS OR HOME OTHER THANSHIP WHEN YOU'RE TALKING -- 240,000 HOMES IN THE MARKET, 37 ON THE MARKET FOR SALE RIGHT NOW ACCORDING TO GAR. WHAT WE'RE REALLY COMING DOWN TO IS -- ONE THING WE HAVE NOTICED IS LACK OF ENFORCEMENT. I'M GOING TO PICK ON ZONING. I DO IT WITH THE MOST RESPECT BECAUSE I LOVE YOU GUYS. AT FGO THEY ADMITTED THEY'RE NOT ENFORCING THIS BECAUSE IT COSTS MORE MONEY TO PUT OUT THE LETTERS THAT YOU'RE NOT ENFORCING THAN IT DOES TO -- FOR THE FINE. WE CAN'T. WE'RE OVERWHELMED. WHAT I KEEP HEARING, AND WHETHER YOU'RE FOR HOTELS OR SHORT-TERM RENTAL OR LONG-TERM OR MID-TERM, YOU HAVE 30 DAY WEEKEND WARRIORS THAT ARE LIVING IN OLD TOWN AND UPTOWN, HOW MANY PEOPLE GO TO A TOWN AND SAY I WANT TO GO TO SAN DIEGO OR NEW ORLEANS AND STAY TWO MILES OUT? GUESS HOW MANY AIR B&Q ARE IN THE FRENCH QUARTER. THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY WANTS TO STAY. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT. THE BIGGEST THING WE'RE MISSING IS THE FACT THEY CAN -- CAN'T ENFORCE IT. INSTEAD OF LIMITING THE NUMBERS WE ARE EVERY HUNDRED FEET. WHY ARE WE NOT -- AS A TONE OF WHAT COUNCILOR LEWIS SAID, THE IDEA. WHY ARE WE NOT SAYING WE NEED CODE ENFORCEMENT WITH NOBODY 30 PEOPLE? IF THIS IS THAT SHORT THAT IT'S 2,000 OF THESE, BUT WE ONLY HAVE 600 REGISTERED AND SOME OF THEM ARE BAD OR SOME OF THEM ARE GOOD OR THEY'RE NOT PAYING LODGERS TAX THEN WHY AREN'T WE ADVOCATING FOR 30 MORE PEOPLE IN CODE ENFORCEMENT TO GO AFTER THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL 2,000 ARE REGISTERED AND WE'RE GETTING LODGER'S TAX FROM THAT? WHY ARE WE NOT MAKING SURE CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS 40 PEOPLE TO GO AFTER THE BAD RENTERS, THE BAD LANDLORDS AND THE AIR CONDITIONING PEOPLE AND CODE ENFORCEMENT AND BAD WATER HEATER, AND WEEDS. I CAN KEEP GOING ON THIS. THE BIGGEST THING WE'RE MISSING, INSTEAD OF CREATING MORE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND CAPPING THINGS, EMPOWER THE PEOPLE THAT ENFORCE THIS AND GIVE THEM WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO GET OUT THOSE BAD ACTORS. IN ORDER TO HAVE THOSE REGISTRATIONS. I CLOCKED MY OWN MINUTES AT THIS. I'M AT SIX. I NEALED -- AGAIN. WE GO -- I THINK IT'S BEING DISCORRECTED. I THINK THE PREMISE IS RIGHT. THE PREMISE IS RIGHT IN THE SENSE OF THE IDEA AND WHAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH. I THINK THE PROCESS AND THE PATH WE'RE GOING DOWN IS NOT THE RIGHT ONE. WE CAN TWEAK IT AND GO IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO GET DONE. ALL NINE OF US ARE TRYING TO GET DONE. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. I DON'T SEE THERE'S ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON THE FLOOR. WE'LL PUT TO THE SPONSORS TO CLOSE. I JUST WANTED TO GO TO -- YOU WANT TO DO A FOLLOW UP TO THAT? >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY SAY I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE ABOUT WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 30-DAY RENTAL AND FOUR WEEKEND RENTALS. I THINK FOR FOLKS WHO LIVE NEXTDOOR TO AN EMPTY HOUSE 30% OF THE TIME, I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS CLEAR. IF I HAVE A NEIGHBOR WHO IS THERE ALL THE TIME, THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN HAVING A HOUSE THAT IS EMPTY EXCEPT ON WEEKENDS. WHEN THAT EXAMPLE IS GIVEN, I CAN HAVE SOMEBODY NEXTDOOR TO ME 30 DAYS OUT OF 30 DAYS, OR EIGHT DAYS OUT OF 30 DAYS. I'M GOING TO FEEL CALM AND SAFE AS A NEIGHBOR WHEN THERE'S CONTINUAL PRESENCE IN EACH OF THE HOMES ON MY STREET. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. BEFORE WE GO TO CLOSE, I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR OMEGA. I WANTED TO ASK, WE'RE DOING UPDATE TO THE IDO. ONE OF THE UPDATES IS TO ALLOW FOR BUSINESSES IN EVERYBODY'S HOUSES. WOULD THIS FALL UNDER THAT? >> COUNCILOR PEÑA, THE ANSWER IS NO. SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE NOT REGULATED THROUGH OUR ZONING CODE. >>COUN. PEÑA: OKAY. I'M ONLY ASKING THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL, ALL THE COMMENTS WAS GOING TO BE IT HELPED THE ECONOMY AND SMALL BUSINESSES AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAD HOUSES OR CASITA OR ROOM TO SHARE TO BE ABLE TO GENERATE MONEY. IT WAS GOING TO BE ECONOMIC STIMULATOR TO HAVE MONEY. IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY POSITIVE. AND NOW WE'RE TALKING IN REVERSE OF THAT. IT HAS ME A LITTLE THROWN OFF. I WANT TO SAY THAT I WOULD AGREE WITH COUNCILOR LEWIS IN SOME OF THE COMMENTS HE MADE. I THINK LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LIVE IN THERE'S A FEW, THERE'S NOT TOO MANY, NOT A HIGHLY DESIRABLE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT PEOPLE WANT TO PUT SHORT-TERM RENTAL, BUT THERE ARE A FEW. I JUST WANT TO SAY WHEN WE'RE PICKING AND CHOOSING -- I THINK HE SAID THIS BEST, WHEN YOU PICK AND CHOOSE WINNERS IT'S A CHALLENGE BECAUSE WHAT IF YOU HAVE FIVE HOUSES ON A STREET AND YOU HAVE ONE WHO IS GRANDFATHERED IN AND YOU AS A NEIGHBOR WHO MAYBE SOME OF THE EXAMPLES WE USED, YOU'RE TRYING TO RAISE MONEY TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN'T BECAUSE YOU DON'T FALL INTO THAT BUT YOUR NEIGHBOR DOES AND HIS PROPERTY BECOMES MORE DESIRABLE THAN YOURS DOES. I REALLY THINK IT'S AN ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THIS. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, AGAIN, PLANNING YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB. YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN WITH THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE. THIS REALLY ISN'T TALKING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT. THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE CURRENT ENFORCEMENT YOU HAVE AND WHAT YOU WOULD DO TO ENFORCE SOME OF THESE THINGS. I KNOW YOU'LL DO THE BEST YOU CAN. THIS IS ABOUT PROHIBITING SOME OF THESE ING SOME PLACES. AND CREATING A SEPARATION AND PICKING AND CHOOSING WINNERS. WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILOR BACA OR ANY OF THE SPONSORS TO CLOSE. >>COUN. BACA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'LL CLOSE. I WON'T SAY TOO MUCH. WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS. I HAVE FOUR MAIN POINTS. ONE, WE KEEP TALKING AS IF WE'RE CHOOSING -- I'M SORRY. BECAUSE OF ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS PASSED EARLIER, WE HAVE TO -- CREATED A TECHNICAL AMENDMENT THAT'S NEEDED TO BE DONE. THIS WOULD BE FLOOR AMENDMENT C. ON PAGE TWO, LINE 25 AMEND AS FOLLOWS. BECAUSE WE PASSED THE PREVIOUS AMENDMENT THIS IS INTERNAL OVER THE -- SHRUNK TO 100. I MOVE DO PASS. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION. SECOND BY COUNCILOR ROGERS FOR DO PASS OF FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE. ALL THOSE -- ANY QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED, SAME MOTION. MOTION CARRIES. >>COUN. BACA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. WE TALK ABOUT THIS IS WINNERS OR LOSERS. HOTELS VERSUS STRs. AND REALLY, OUR JOB IS TO FIND BALANCE AND NOT PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS. ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE CITY IS HOW DIVERSE AND AMAZING IT IS DEPENDING ON -- TO COUNCILOR PEÑA'S POINT, I'VE BEEN TO HER NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE'S A REASON WHY THERE AREN'T SHORT-TERM RENTALS THERE. THERE'S A FEW. THEY'RE NOT CLUSTERED LIKE THEY ARE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. IT REALLY IS A QUESTION OF BALANCE AND FAIRNESS. NOT JUST BETWEEN THE HOTELS WHEN I TALK TO THEM A PERMIT FOR THEM IS 18 MONTHS MINIMUM PLUS ALL THE COST AND FEES AND HAVING TO GO TO THE HEARING IN FRONT OF THE ASSOCIATION WHEREAS AN STR, WHEN I TALKED TO OUR FOLKS, FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS. YOU CAN SUBMIT A FLOORPLAN ON A NAPKIN AND THEY ACCEPT IT. THERE'S A QUESTION OF FAIRNESS THERE. MUCH EASIER FOR AN STR. IT'S NOT JUST THAT. IT'S ALSO ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES. PART OF OUR JOB IS HOW DO WE BALANCE THE NEEDS OF EACH OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS. WHEN I BRING UP DISTRICT TWO, THIS IS OUR CITY MOSTLY, PREDOMINANTLY PEOPLE OF COLOR, PREDOMINANTLY PEOPLE WITH LOWER INCOME. AND THIS IS WHERE STRs TEND TO BE LOCATED. IT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO BE DOWNTOWN AND MOVIE INDUSTRY AND HOTELS. IT ALSO MATTERS. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT 1% OF THE TOTAL CITY STOCK, THAT MAY BE TRUE. IT'S ALSO MISLEADING BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE ARE LOCATED IN CLUSTERED AREAS. YOU LITERALLY -- THAT 1% HAS A MUCH BIGGER IMPACT IN NEIGHBORHOODS SUCH AS BARELAS. ALSO WE'VE SUBMITTED A PEER-REVIEWED PAPER ON DEMOGRAPHICS WHICH SHOWS THEY'RE AN 70STRs IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, POPULATION DROPPED, SCHOOLS ARE CLOSING. IT HAS HAD A VERY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THAT AREA. THAT'S JUST REAL. WE'RE FIND THAT BALANCE FOR THOSE FOLKS. TO MR. VIDALS POINT. HE BROUGHT UP THE PICTURE NEXT TO THE HOSPITAL. YOU WANT MEDIUM TERM RENTALAL NEAR THE HOSPITAL. WE WANT TRAVELING NURSES. WE WANT THAT IN THE CITY. THERE'S SO MANY BILLS RIGHT NOW, THE DEBATES AT THE SESSION IS MEDICAL CARE. VERY FEW TRAVELING NURSES USE A WEEKEND AIR B&B BUT THEY USE MEDIUM TERM RENTALS FOR SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR. WE DO WANT TO DO THAT. THE OTHER POINT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NEIGHBORHOODS, TO COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, THE FRENCH QUARTER. I WAS THERE SIX MONTHS AGO. TO BE HONEST IT'S THE ONE IR B&B I'VE STAYED AT. THEY HAVE A CAP. AND IT STILL WORKS. I STILL HAD A GREAT TIME. NO COMPLAINTS THERE. I'VE USED AIR B&B MYSELF. I AM A LANDLORD. I HAVE A RENTAL PROPERTY. I'M NOT AGAINST THAT. I BRING THAT TO MY THIRD POINT. MR. FRANCE AND MS. SAWYER, YOUR PROPERTY IS PROTECTED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, MS. SAWYER. I'M A FELLOW VETERAN. IT'S DIRECTLY WRITTEN IN THERE, IF YOU HAVE A HOME, YOUR CASITA CAN STILL BE USED. IF YOU'RE RENTING IT, IT'S PROTECTED. YOU WILL NOT LOSE ANYTHING IF YOU HAVE REGISTERED. IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT ENFORCEMENT MATTERS. IT'S THAT EASY TO AVOID ENFORCEMENT. I'LL GET TO THAT IN A SECOND. I LIKE COUNCILOR LEWIS'S IDEA OF TWEAKING OR FINDING IDEAS AND BEING OPEN TO IDEAS. WE DID RESEARCH OUT OF STATE. AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT. THAT'S A REAL THING. I HAD A RENTAL THAT I SOLD AND I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO BE LANDLORD. I DIDN'T LOOK TO SEE WHO WAS BUYING. I JUST TOOK THE HIGHEST PRICE. THAT'S MY OWN FAULT FOR NOT LOOKING. IT WAS PURCHASED BY AN OUT OF STATE PERSON WHO RUNS AN AIR B&B IN A PLACE WHERE THERE WAS A FAMILY. THERE WERE TWO HOMES. SAME THING THAT HAPPENED. WE ALL HAD OUR KIDS GROWING UP TOGETHER. THAT NEIGHBORHOOD 100% BEEN INFECTED BY OUT OF STATE OWNERS OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS. 100%. WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE REGISTERED, I DON'T KNOW. I HOPE THEY ARE. I HOPE THEY'RE SOLID CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE DOING THEIR PART. I DO HOPE WE FIND MORE IDEAS. I THINK THE LAST THING I'LL POINT OUT IS -- TWO THINGS. GREG COFFMAN, BOTH WERE AGAINST THE BILL. BOTH ALSO CITED WORK ON OTHER THINGS THAT HELP. ZONING CHANGES. TURNING SMALL HOMES INTO BUSINESSES. ALL THE STUFF VOTED DOWN RECENTLY IS WHAT THEY'RE ASKING US TO DO. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE AGAINST STR, AT LEAST BE FOR ZONING. LET'S DO THE OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. THERE'S STILL A BALANCE. THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. SO MANY ISSUES. THE FINAL CHALLENGE. NO MATTER THE OUTCOME OF THIS BILL, THIS BODY SHOULD BE WORKING ON ADDING AT LEAST TWO FTE TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THAT'S OUR CHOICE. TO ENFORCE. IT IS WRONG WE HAVE THAT MANY STRs THAT ARE NOT REGISTERING, NOT PAYING BILLS, AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT. I AGREE WITH EVERYONE UP THERE THAT SPOKE. THERE'S BAD APPLES AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. I WOULD SAY COMING UP IN A COUPLE MONTHS, I CHALLENGE US TO FIND THOSE TWO FTE, WHICH IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY BECAUSE EVERY DEPARTMENT NEEDS TWO FTEs MINIMUM. I DO CHALLENGE EVERYONE TO FIND THOSE TWO FTE REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME. I WANT TO FINISH BY SAYING THIS IS ABOUT THE -- IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE JUST TRYING TO BUY A HOME NEXT TO PARENTS, PEOPLE TRYING TO BUY THEIRS FIRST HOME. PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DO THAT AS FIRST BUSINESS, EVEN IF THEY QUIT AFTER 60 DAYS. IT DOES CREATE FLEXIBILITY. THERE CAN BE ISSUES AND CHANGES. SOMEBODY QUITS AFTER 60 DAYS BECAUSE IT'S NOT THEIR THING, WELL THE PERSON NEXTDOOR CAN DO IT. THIS IS A REASONABLE APPROACH FOR AN ISSUE THAT AFFECTS A VERY SMALL PART OF OUR CITY IN A VERY BIG WAY. I URGE EVERYONE'S SUPPORT. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: THAT WAS THE CLOSE. DO ANY OF THE OTHER COUNCILORS WANT TO CLOSE? NO? OKAY. WE'RE BACK ON THE BILL AS AMENDED THREE TIMES. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ADMIN? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED? NO. MOTION FAILS. WE'RE NOW ON O-7. AMENDING ROA1994 SECTION 2-110, REPEALING THE ADMINISTRATION QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD. I MOVE A DO PASS. THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR DO PASS OF O-7. I THINK WE HAVE VICTOR HERE. HE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMMENTS. WE'RE UNDOING SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE. I MENTIONED THIS AT THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING. JUST TALKING WITH THE ADMIN AND REALLY TRYING TO FIND SOME COHESIVENESS AND UNSTICK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE STUCK IN TERMS OF HAVING COMMUNICATION AND DIALOGUE WITH COUNCIL, HENCE WHY WE PASSED THIS. NOW WE'RE UNDOING IT AND GOING BACK TO THE WAY WE WERE BEFORE. VICTOR, GIVE US A BRIEF UPSHOT OF THE BILL. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THAT'S GENERALLY CORRECT. THIS PROVISION IN THE ORDINANCE WAS AMENDED BY O-24-50 TO REQUIRE SEVERAL DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS DURING QUESTION AND ANSWER. PREDOMINANTLY IT REQUIRED LOTS OF PARTICIPATION BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AFTER THEY WERE ASKED IF AN ANSWER HAD BEEN PROVIDED AT THAT PARTICULAR MEETING. THIS ORDINANCE -- ALL IT DOES IS REPEAL THOSE PORTIONS OF THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD. THAT'S THE TITLE OF THAT SECTION. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF THE COUNCILORS. IF NOT, I HOPE THAT CLARIFIES THINGS FOR EVERYONE. COUNCILOR TELLES. >>COUN. TELLES: I HAVE A QUESTION JUST BECAUSE I'M STILL LEARNING THE -- ARE THESE ITEMS -- MADAM PRESIDENT, ARE THESE ADDRESSED IN AN SOP? SO WE CAN STILL ADDRESS THIS, IF NEEDED? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, WHAT WE DID WHEN THIS LEGISLATION WAS FIRST PASSED WAS WE DEVELOPED PROCESSES INSIDE COUNCIL TO FOLLOW THE LEGISLATION. THOSE -- WE COULD POTENTIALLY CARRIY ON WITH THOSE PROCESSES. WE CAN HAVE DANIELLE WHO IS THE PERSON THAT GOES THROUGH QUESTION AND ANSWER TO DETERMINE WHAT QUESTIONS WERE ASKED THAT DID NOT HAVE A RESPONSE. WE CAN CONTINUE WITH THAT IF THIS WERE TO PASS SO THAT WE WOULD TRACK QUESTION AND ANSWER AND IF WE DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE WE CAN CONTACT THE PROPER DEPARTMENT. ONCE THIS IS PASSED, WE HAVE TO CREATE A PROCESS FOR IT. >>COUN. TELLES: MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE AS APPLICABLE IF WE NEED TO DEVELOP SOME SORT OF SOP IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'M GOING TO ASK A QUESTION THAT ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS ASKED ME. IF THIS PASSES, WHAT ASSURANCE DOES THE PUBLIC HAVE FOR TRANSPARENCY IN THE CITY? JUST TONIGHT APD AND FINANCE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET BACK TO COUNCILORS ON ANSWERS. WHEN WOULD THE RESIDENTS RECEIVE THOSE RESPONSES AS WELL? >>COUN. PEÑA: I CAN TACKLE THIS BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE GUESSING. AGAIN, IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION AND WORKING TOGETHER, SOME COUNCILORS FELT THE REASON THIS WAS PASSED ORIGINALLY BECAUSE WE CAME TO AN IMPASSE. WE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT IMPASSES. WE CAME TO IMPASSE BECAUSE WE FELT WE CAME TO IMPASSE WHEN WE WERE GETTING OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. WE'RE TRYING TO UNDO SOME OF THAT AND TAKE AWAY OF THE BUREAUCRACY. WE ACTUALLY HAD THE DIRECTORS HERE, WHICH WE HAVEN'T HAD IN QUITE SOME TIME. THE DIRECTORS ARE HERE FROM 5:00 TO 5:30. THOSE WERE PART OF THE REASON WHY WE DID THIS. THIS GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR QUESTIONS WE HAVE AND CONCERNS. AND IF THEY'RE LONGER QUESTIONS THAT NEED MORE THOUGHT BEHIND THEM, SIMILAR TO TODAY, THEY WILL BRING THOSE BACK TO US. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THE PROCESS WILL BE FOR AN ANSWER THAT THEY COULDN'T PROVIDE DURING THE MEETING, WE'LL PUT THAT BACK ON THE RECORD WHEN WE GET THE RESPONSE? >>COUN. PEÑA: SURE. WE DON'T HAVE A PROCESS ANYMORE. WE'RE GOING BACK TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE. IF THEY DIDN'T AND YOUR QUESTION, IT WILL BE BACK TO BEFORE WHERE YOU WOULD ASK THEM AGAIN AND THEY WOULD PROVIDE IT AND WORKING IN GOOD FAITH. THEY'RE COMMITTED TO GOING PACK TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE ALL THIS HAD HAPPENED. >>COUN. ROGERS: I APPRECIATE THAT, MADAM PRESIDENT. I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND. I THINK SOME OF THE FOLKS IN THE PUBLIC HAVE GOTTEN USED TO BEING ABLE TO SEE THE RESPONSES, EVEN IF THEY WEREN'T GIVEN ON THE RECORD. BEFORE WE REPEAL THIS TOGETHER, I JUST WANT TO IRON OUT A PROCESS SO THAT RESPONSES WE DIDN'T GET ON THE MEETING CAN STILL BE MADE PUBLIC. I'M OPEN TO HOW WE DO THAT IF IT'S NOT THE SAME. I THINK CONSTITUENTS HAVE REALLY LIKED TO HAVE A RUNNING RESPONSE LIST EVEN THOUGH -- I THINK FOR US IT WOULD JUST BE EXACTLY IF WE DON'T GET A RESPONSE, I THINK MY PROCESS WOULD BE EVERY TIME I'LL READ IT ON THE RECORD. IF WE DON'T HAVE AN IDENTIFIED PROCESS. >>COUN. PEÑA: CORRECT. THAT'S WHY WE HOPE WE'RE NOT GETTING BACK INTO THAT POSITION WE WERE BEFORE. THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD IS NOT OFFICIAL BUSINESS, IF YOU WILL, OF THIS COUNCIL. IT'S NOT -- THIS IS REALLY JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ASK QUESTIONS. THIS ISN'T REALLY SOMETHING ABOUT HAVING TO HAVE SOME OFFICIAL RESPONSE. I THINK IT'S UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCILOR TO MAKE SURE IF THEY QUESTION DIDN'T GET ANSWERED, THEY CAN BRING IT UP AT THE NEXT. I THINK DR. SENGEL MAY WANT TO ADD TO THIS. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I THINK OUR HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN WHEN A COUNCILOR HAS QUESTIONS, WE MAKE SURE WE PROVIDE THOSE RESPONSES. AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES A STEP TO GO BACK AND FORTH. OF COURSE, ANY COUNCILOR THAT WANTS TO SHARE RESPONSES WITH THE CONSTITUENTS WHO MAY HAVE RAISED THOSE QUESTIONS TO THEM, WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR RESPONSES ARE ALWAYS PUBLIC IN THAT REGARD. AND WE CAN WORK WITH COUNCIL SERVICES STAFF ON ANY COUNCILOR THAT WANTS US TO POST SOMETHING OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE CAN ABSOLUTELY CREATE THAT PROCESS TO MAKE IT FEASIBLE BASED UPON EACH COUNCILOR'S REQUEST. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MADAM CAO. FOR MY CONSTITUENTS TO FEEL COMFORTABLE, I'LL PLEDGE IF THERE'S NOT A QUESTION LIVE, THE NEXT MEETING I'LL READ IT ON THE RECORD FOR THE PUBLIC SO THEY DO RECEIVE THE RESPONSE. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: PERFECT. I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING BEFORE. COUNCILOR TELLES. >>COUN. TELLES: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS WAS TO ADDRESS AN IMPASSE. IT WAS ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY MEASURE INITIALLY? >>COUN. PEÑA: NO. IT WAS TRYING TO GET THE ADMINISTRATION TO ANSWER SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS. >>COUN. TELLES: ACCOUNTABILITY. IT WAS AN ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE. IF THE ADMINISTRATION CHANGED AND THE COUNCIL CHANGES AND THEY MEET AN IMPASSE, ARE THEY GOING TO REFILE THIS AS A NEW BILL? WHAT RISK MITIGATION IS BEING PUT INTO PLACE TO ENSURE WE CAN STILL -- THIS IS STILL ACCESSIBLE SHOULD WE COME TO ANOTHER IMPASSE? I'M ALL ABOUT GOOD FAITH. I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN, BUT I'M A RISK MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST. I PLAN FOR THAT. >>COUN. PEÑA: YOU WOULD DO AN ORDINANCE CHANGE. >>COUN. TELLES: WE'RE GOING TO APPEAL AN ORDINANCE WITH THE NOTION WE MIGHT HAVE TO REFILE IT? >>COUN. PEÑA: IF THAT COUNCILOR FELT THE NEED TO. >>COUN. TELLES: OKAY. >>COUN. PEÑA: I THINK WE HAVE PUBLIC SPEAKERS. WE'LL GO TO THAT. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THOMAS. MADAM PRESIDENT, ARE TWO ZOOMS ARE NOT ONLINE. IT WILL JUST BE THOMAS. >> COUNCILOR PEÑA, YOU MUST BE A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE NOW THAT THIS ROOM IS MORE EMPTY. BUT THE PERSON WHO IS IS HERE THAT STILL MATTERS THAT I KNOW YOU'RE AFRAID OF IS THE CAMERA THAT IS STARING RIGHT AT YOU AND HAS A VERY GOOD SHOT OF YOU. THE REASON IS THIS IS YOU DON'T WANT PUBLIC ANSWER FROM THE ADMINISTRATION DURING THIS PERIOD. YOU WILL PERFECTLY CONFIDENT IN YOUR ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. THE IS WHERE THE CAMERAS ARE. THIS IS WHERE MEDIA LIKE MYSELF IS. JOURNALISTS WHO WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. WHAT YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO IS VERY OBVIOUS AND VERY PLAIN. YOU DO NOT WANT THESE ANSWERS ON THE RECORD. YOU JUST SAID THIS HAS TO BE IN GOOD FAITH. IF YOU FEEL LIKE BEING HONEST WITH US, YOU CAN. YOU HAVE NO GOOD FAITH AND YOU AREN'T AN HONEST PERSON. I DON'T BELIEVE THOSE ARE THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO DO. THE REASON YOU WANT THIS BILL PASSED IS YOU DON'T LIKE THE AMOUNT OF SCRUTINY YOU'RE UNDER AS ONE OF THE MOST BRIBED POLITICIANS IN ALBUQUERQUE HISTORY. THAT'S THE TRUTH. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, THAT CONCLUDES COMMENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: I HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEYS. WHEN PEOPLE MAKE STATEMENTS UP HERE, IT'S PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE ABSORB IT AND TAKE IT IN. AND JUST IGNORE STATEMENTS BEING MADE. WHEN PEOPLE ARE MAKING ALSO MAKING FALSE ACCUSATION. IS THERE LIBEL FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THAT? >> COUNCIL, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF LIABILITY FOR ANY SPEAKER FOR SOMEBODY THAT SAYS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE UNTRUE. THERE'S -- IT'S NOT QUITE AS CUT AND DRY AS JUST ANY FALSEHOOD. BUT THERE'S A LEGAL ANALYSIS WE CAN PROVIDE THAT WILL BE MORE IN DEPTH. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCILORS? OKAY. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR O-7. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED NO. MOTION PASSES. MOTION PASSES. NOW WE'RE ON TO OTHER BUSINESS. I MOVE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS MATTERS RELATED TO NMSA1978 SECTION 10-151-H2 LIMITED PERSONNEL MATTER PERTAINING TO INSPECTOR GENERAL FROM ATTORNEY LAUREN KEEFE. THIS REQUIRES ROLL CALL VOTE. THERE'S A SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT. [ ROLL CALL ]. >>COUN. BACA: YES. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. ROGERS: YES. >>COUN. TELLES: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >> PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [ EXECUTIVE SESSION ]. >>COUN. PEÑA: WELCOME BACK -- THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.