>>COUN. BENTON: GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE SECOND MEETING OF THE 25th COUNCIL. THE MEETING WILL COME TO ORDER. ALL COUNCILORS ARE PRESENT VIA ZOOM. THIS IS OUR FIRST REGULAR MEETING OF THE YEAR. I WANTED TO WELCOME COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN, COUNCILOR GROUT, AND COUNCILOR SANCHEZ. I GUESS THOSE ARE THE NEW COUNCILORS. I THINK ALL COUNCILORS ARE PRESENT CORRECT? YES. THANK YOU. WE WILL START WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALEGION -- ALLEGIANCE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. MOMENT OF SILENCE. >> 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: [ RECITING THE PLEDGE IN SPANISH ]. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEÑA. AS WAS NOTED IN A PRESS CONFERENCE FROM OUR OFFICE FRIDAY, AND POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND NOTED AND PUBLISHED AGENDA THIS MEETING HAS SPECIAL PROCEDURES AND BEING HELD VIA ZOOM. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, CITY STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA HAVE THE ABILITY TO VIEW THIS THROUGH FOUR DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. GOVTV, THE GOVTV WEBSITE, YOUTUBE, AND ZOOM. THESE LIVE STREAMS CAN ALSO BE ACCESSED FROM MOST SMART PHONES, TABLETS, AND COMPUTERS. THIS MEETING IS CLOSED CAPTIONED AND YOU MAY ENABLE THE SERVICES ON YOUR TELEVISION OR DEVICE AT THAT TIME. FOR THOSE WATCHING ON THE LIVE STREAM, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THE RECORDING OF THIS AND ALL PAST COUNCIL MEETING WILL RMAIN VIEWABLE ON THE CITY COUNCIL WEBSITE. COUNCIL STAFF IS AVAILABLE VIA TELEPHONE IF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC NEED HELP. PLEASE CALL 505-768-3100 FOR ASSISTANCE DURING BUSINESS HOURS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 8 A.M. TO 5 P.M. COUNCIL IS RECEIVED WRITTEN COMMENT AND LIVE COMMENT. IT WAS DISTRIBUTED IN ADVANCE OF TODAY'S MEETING. OUR NEXT ORDER OF PRESENTATION IS PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATION. COUNCILOR GROUT IS SPONSORING A PROCLAMATION. COUNCILOR GROUT. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. WHEREAS HUMAN TRAFFICKING INVOLVES EXPLOITATION FOR THROUGH THE USE OF FORCE, AND WHEREAS EVERY YEAR MILLIONS OF MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN ARE TRAFFICKED WORLD WIDE, CREATING AN ILLEGAL INDUSTRY THAT GENERATES $150 BILLION ACCORD TO THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION. MORE THAN NETFLIX, STAR BUCKS, AND COCA COLA COMBINED. AND WHEREAS THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ESTIMATES THAT 14,500 TO 17,500 FOREIGN NATIONALS ARE TRAFFICKED INTO THE UNITED STATES EVERY YEAR. AND AN ESTIMATED 200,000 AMERICAN CHILDREN ARE AT RISK FOR TRAFFICKING INTO THE SEX INDUSTRY. WHEREAS HOMELESS CHILDREN ARE AMONG THE MOST VULNERABLE AND TARGETED BY TRAFFICKERS. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 5,000 HOMELESS YOUTH THAT TRAVEL THROUGH ALBUQUERQUE PER YEAR. ONE FIFTH OF THE HOMELESS CHILDREN ARE TRAFFICKED FOR SAX. WHEREAS THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO HAS LIMITED SERVICES FOR YOUNG SEX TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS AND THE NEW MEXICO DREAM CENTER EXISTS TO FILL GAPS AND SERVICES FOR HOMELESS AND TRAFFICKED YOUTH AND RESTORE THE DREAMS AND HOPE WITH HOPELESS HURTING AND BROKEN CHILDREN. WITH WHEREAS THE CITY COUNCIL BELIEVES THAT SURVIVORS HAVE A LIFE PURPOSE AND THEIR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE CAN BE RESTORED. BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE RECOGNIZES JANUARY, 2022 AS SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING MONTH AND COMMANDS THE NEW MEXICO DREAM CENTER FOR ITS WORK IN RESTORING THE BROKEN DREAMS OF TRAFFICKED YOUTH AND TRANSFORMING SADNESS TO PEACE AND JOY. I COMMEND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NEW MEXICO DREAM CENTERS FOR THE WORK SHE DOES IN OUR COMMUNITY. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. AND IS SHE ON THE CALL? THANK YOU FOR THE IMPORTANT PROCLAMATION, COUNCILOR GROUT. NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION. WE HAVE NONE SCHEDULED AT THIS MEETING. WE'LL MOVE TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. HELLO TO THOSE JOINING US TO PROVIDE LIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. WE RECEIVED WRITTEN COMMENTS DISTRIBUTED IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL IF THEY SIGNED UP FOR LIVE PUBLIC COMMENT PER THE INSTRUCTIONS PUBLISHED ON THE AGENDA AND ON OUR WEBSITE. SPEAKERS WILL BE MOVED INTO THE MEETING ROOM TWO AT A TIME. THEY REMAIN MUTED WITH THE CAMERA OFF UNTIL THEY'RE CALLED TO SPEAK. AT WHICH POINT THEY CAN TURN ON THEIR CAMERA AND UNMUTE THEMSELVES AND HAVE ONE AND A HALF MINUTES TO PRESENT THEMSELVES. AT WHICH POINT THEY'LL BE AN ATTENDEE OF THE WEBINAR. COMMENTS ARE TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE COUNCILORS ONLY THROUGH THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT. ANY DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT WILL RESULT IN REMOVAL. PLEASE CALL THE NAME OF THE FIRST SPEAKER. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS TERESA. YOU HAVE A MINUTE AND A HALF TO SPEAK. ONCE YOU BEGIN SPEAKING THE TIMER WILL START. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE SOUTH CAMPUS TAX INCREMENTAL ITEM IN ITEM 14D. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE AND WE'RE HOPING FOR YOUR SUPPORT. WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WHEN THAT ITEM COMES UP. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. >> MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAD FOUR OTHER INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. I'M NOT SEEING ANY OF THE OTHER ONES ATTENDING THE MEETING AT THIS TIME. >>COUN. BENTON: THANKS. WERE PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR ANY SPECIFIC ITEMS AS WELL? >> MR. PRESIDENT, ONE IS THE CPOA BOARD MEMBER. WE CAN GO BACK TO THEM ONCE THE ITEM IS HEARD. >>COUN. BENTON: THAT SOUNDS GOOD. VERY GOOD. THANKS. WE DO HAVE NEXT ON THE AGENDA ADMINISTRATION QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD. THERE'S A QUESTION FROM COUNCILOR JONES ABOUT ALBUQUERQUE FIRE RESCUE AND HUMAN RESOURCES. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I THINK THIS QUESTION WOULD BE BEST ANSWERED BY AFR CHIEF GALLEGOS. >> YES MA'AM. >>COUN. JONES: JUST A QUESTION IN SOME OF OUR MINDS, MOST ESPECIALLY MINE UNFORTUNATELY, AFR MEMBERS HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD OVER THE RECENT YEARS TO RAISE THE STANDARDS FOR PROMOTION WITHIN THE ALBUQUERQUE FIRE RESCUE. HOWEVER, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT NOW SOME OF THE STANDARDS FOR PROMOTION FOR DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF WERE RAISE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY THOSE WAIVED WHEN SO MANY OFFICERS HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO ACHIEVE THE STANDARDS WHICH WERE SET FOR THEM BY THE DEPARTMENT? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR JONES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YES, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A DEPUTY CHIEF SELECTION PROCESS IN PLACE FOR WHENEVER THE PROCESS BEGAN I HAVE FIVE VACANCY OF THE SIX DEPUTY CHIEF POSITIONS. FIVE VACANCY FOR THE SIX DEPUTY CHIEF POSITIONS. WE THOUGHT DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF VACANCY AND THE INITIAL AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT APPLIED WE THOUGHT IT BEST TO OPEN UP THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER SO WE CAN GET AS MANY QUALIFIED APPLICANTS AS POSSIBLE. SO, AGAIN, WORKING WITH CITY HR FOLLOWED THE PROCESS AND TEMPORARILY WAVING THE CERTAIN QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE DEPUTY CHIEF POSITION WHICH THERE WAS MISLEADING INFORMATION, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THE ENTIRE PROCESS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE THAT WE WORKED TOWARD AND WE'RE CURRENTLY HOLDING WORKS. WE ACTUALLY GOT MORE QUALIFIED APPLICANTS THAN WE DID BEFORE. THAT FALLS WITHIN SECTION 200 OF CITY RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE PROCESS TO OPEN IT UP TO A WIDER POOL NOT ONLY GOT MORE APPLICANTS BUT WE GOT MORE QUALIFIED APPLICANTS THAT FELL WITHIN SECTION 200. IT WAS THE MAIN POINT, TO GET MORE QUALIFIED APPLICANTS SO I CAN BUILD OUR TEAM TO SUPPORT THE CITIZENS OF ALBUQUERQUE, PUBLIC SAFETY AND GET THE TEAM IN PLACE. THE BEST TEAM IN PLACE. SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. AGAIN, I WANT MY STAFF OR MY TEAM TO BUILD A GREAT STAFF FOR YOU. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU. MR. PRESIDENT, IF I MAY, ONE MORE QUESTION. CAN YOU TELL ME, YOU'RE LOOKING AT INCREASING THE POOL. HOW MANY INITIALLY APPLIED FOR THIS? >> AGAIN, 5 VACANT POSITIONS, 12 APPLIED AND ONLY 10 QUALIFIED. AFTER THE WE CHANGED THE POOL, WE HAD 22 APPLY AND 15 OF THEM HAD BACHELORS AND 13 QUALIFIED UNDER SECTION 200. >>COUN. JONES: IF YOU HAD TEN APPLICANTS FOR FIVE POSITIONS, I'M NOT SURE WHY THAT WASN'T ENOUGH FROM WHICH TO CHOOSE SOMEONE FOR THE POSITION. IF THEY ALL MET THE QUALIFICATION. >> I UNDERSTAND, BUT WE'RE LIVING IN A COVID WORLD. THE WORLD HAS BEEN FLIPPED ON ITS HEAD. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING EVERYBODY THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST IN CASE LIFE HAPPENS, THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO SHOW THE INTEREST OF BECOMING A DEPUTY CHIEF. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE PROCESS WORKED. WE EVEN GOT MORE APPLICANTS THAT FALL WITHIN SECTION 200 THAN WE DID INITIALLY. THAT WAS MY GOAL. TO ENCOURAGE AS MANY QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO APPLY FOR THE PROCESS AS POSSIBLE. WE DID GET THE INCREASED NUMBER OF SECTION 200 APPLICANTS THAT APPLIED. >>COUN. JONES: IF I MAY, CHIEF, HOW MANY TOTAL APPLICANTS DID YOU GET BEFORE YOU STARTED THE PROCESS TO SELECT? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR JONES, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 22 APPLICANTS. >>COUN. JONES: OF THOSE, CHIEF, HOW MANY OF THE QUALIFIED THAT YOU ORIGINALLY APPLIED? >> 13, MA'AM. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK SOME -- THANK YOU THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS. THE PERSON THAT CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION IS ANTHONY ROMERO. >> GOOD EVENING. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU. I DIDN'T WANT TO CATCH THE CHIEF ON SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT WHAT HE NORMALLY DOES. HERE YOU ARE. IN ORDER TO ISSUE THE TEMPORARY WAVER ON SOME OF THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PROMOTION TO DEPUTY CHIEF, WHAT POLICY OR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WERE FOLLOWED? IF I MAY, LET ME ASK ONE MORE THING. I UNDERSTAND THAT HR ISSUED THE ACTUALLY MEMO ON WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED. IS THAT CORRECT? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR JONES, WHAT HAPPENED WAS WE HAD -- CHIEF AND I HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT WANTING TO EXPAND THE POOL. WE WERE -- HE ASKED IF I WOULD SUPPORT HIM IN A REQUEST TO THE CAO TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION REQUEST FOR THIS TO SECTION 200 TO EXPAND THE PULL TO ENSURE THERE WOULD BE ENOUGH INTERESTED APPLICANTS TO APPLY FOR THE FIVE DEPUTY CHIEF VACANCIES OUT OF THE SIX. WHEN I WAS PRESENTED THE REQUEST FROM THE CHIEF I CONCURRED WITH HIM. THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE CAO FOR APPROVAL. IT WAS A TEMPORARY REQUEST TO THE RULE FOR THE UNCLASSIFIED POSITIONS THAT WOULD NOT BE A PART OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNIT. >>COUN. JONES: OKAY. IF I MAY, MR. PRESIDENT, JUST WAVE YOUR HAND IF YOU WANT ME TO STOP. >>COUN. BENTON: YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. HOW MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO APPLIED HAD THE REQUISITE BACHELOR'S DEGREE? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR JONES, CHIEF GALLEGOS, I BELIEVE THERE WERE TEN FOLKS THAT HAD INITIALLY APPLIED THAT WERE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FIVE VACANT POSITIONS. >>COUN. JONES: WHO HAD THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE? >> NOT ALL OF THOSE TEN HAD THE BACHELOR'S. >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR JONES YES. INITIALLY, IT WAS 12 APPLIED ONLY 10 QUALIFIED. AND THE SECOND ROUND WAS 22 APPLIED AND 15 HAD BACHELORS, 13 OF THEM HAD EVERYTHING THAT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE SECTION 200. >>COUN. JONES: I KNOW THIS IS JUST A GUESS AND OTHER COUNCILORS WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS, WHY DO YOU THINK THERE WAS A CHANGE IN HEART OF THE PEOPLE WHO APPLIED THE FIRST TIME? WHAT HAPPENED? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR JONES, I COULDN'T TELL YOU THAT. I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT ALL OF THEM APPLIED. I KNOW I DID HAVE A FEW OF THEM -- I TALKED TO A FEW OF THEM THAT MET THE QUALIFICATIONS AFTERWARDS AND I WAS LIKE HOW COME YOU DIDN'T APPLY. SOME OF THEM WERE HESITANT BECAUSE THEY HAD LACK OF CONFIDENCE. SOME OF THEM JUST WERE LIKE, WELL, WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR THE FUTURE. BUT THE FUTURE IS NOW. THAT'S WHERE ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I CONVEYED TO MOST OF MY MEMBERS. DON'T PASS UP OPPORTUNITIES. ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE FULLY QUALIFIED. DON'T PASS UP THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. THEY'RE AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN BENEFIT YOU IN THE FUTURE, BENEFIT YOUR FAMILY, BENEFIT THE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THEIR WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE. THAT'S WHERE MORE OF THE QUALIFIED APPLICANTS ACTUALLY APPLIED. THE SECOND GO ROUND. AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT NOW. I AM GRATEFUL THAT MORE OF THEM APPLIED. >>COUN. JONES: MR. PRESIDENT, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME AND I'LL YIELD. I'M RESERING THE RIGHT TO COME BACK. CHIEF, IF YOU HIRE SOMEONE WITHOUT A BACHELOR'S ARE THEY NOW GOING TO HAVE TO ACHIEVE THAT DEGREE WITH X AMOUNT OF TIME? IS THAT THE CONSIDERATION OF THEIR JOB TO MAINTAIN THAT POSITION? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR JONES, IN MY OPINION, ABSOLUTELY. I THINK WE NEED TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE. AND DOWN THE PATH OF EXCELLENCE. IF THAT WAS TO OCCUR, THEN THAT WOULD BE MY EXPECTATIONS FOR THEM. >>COUN. JONES: I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YOU'RE THE CHIEF. AND THAT WOULD BE YOUR RECOMMENDATION MATCH DOES THAT MEAN THAT WOULD BE A RULE FOR FUTURE HIRING FOR THE POSITION? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR JONES, RIGHT NOW THAT'S -- IT'S JUST A TEMPORARY WAVER. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THESE ARE ALREADY IN PLACE. AND DUE TO LIFE IN TODAY'S WORLD WHICH HAS FLIPPED ON ITS HEAD, WE STILL BELIEVE IN THESE RULES BUT WE ALSO THINK LIFE HAPPENS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT BECAUSE OF OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, EVERYTHING IS FLIPPED ON ITS HEAD, WE STILL WANT TO MOVE FORWARD IN PROGRESSING OUR DEPARTMENT. THIS IS WHY IT'S A TEMPORARY WAVER. >>COUN. JONES: ONE MORE. I PROMISE I'LL YIELD. HOW MANY VACANCIES DO YOU HAVE IN THE DEPARTMENT? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR JONES, CURRENTLY WE -- OUT OF THE POOL WE PROMOTED ONE. I HAVE FIVE VACANCIES. I PROMOTED ONE. I STILL HAVE FOUR VACANCIES. IN THE DEPUTY CHIEFS, OUT OF SIX. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO COME BACK AGAIN, CHIEF. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: WE HAVE HANDS RAISED FROM COUNCILOR DAVIS, THEN FROM COUNCILOR SANCHEZ, AND THE BUDGET CONFERENCE ROOM. >>COUN. DAVIS: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. COUNCILOR JONES, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP. I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF YOURS AND EXCITED SEE YOU TAKE THIS POSITION. ESPECIALLY GIVEN ALL YOUR TIME AND SERVICE IN OUR PARTS OF THE SOUTHEAST. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WANT TO FOLLOW UP TO COUNCILOR JONES'S VERY BRIEFLY. IT CONCERNED ME A LITTLE BIT HONESTLY. WHAT I HEARD AND PERHAPS I'M WRONG, CLARIFY FOR ME. ORIGINALLY YOU HAD TEN QUALIFIED FOR FIVE POSITIONS. IS THAT CORRECT? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR DAVIS, ORIGINALLY WE HAD -- I HAD FIVE VACANCIES OUT OF SIX DEPUTY CHIEFS. ORIGINAL I HAD TEN QUALIFIED APPLICANTS APPLY. WE WERE LOOKING FOR -- AGAIN, A BIGGER POOL. >>COUN. DAVIS: MR. PRESIDENT, CHIEF, WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS YOU HAD MORE QUALIFIED APPLICANTS THAN POSITIONS. IT CONCERNS ME THAT WE CHANGED THE RULES AFTER THE FACT. I APPRECIATE COUNCILOR JONES, AND IT WOULD BEHOOVE US NOT TO DELAY THIS MEETING. BUT FOLLOW UP WITH THE FIRST PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING. IT SEEMS TO ME SOME THINGS I HEARD THAT I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AND THE CAO. IF WE ANTICIPATED THESE OPENINGS AND WERE OCCURRING, I'M NOT SURE WHY THE DEPARTMENT DIDN'T ENCOURAGE THE QUALIFIED APPLICANTS BEFORE THEY POSTED THE POSITION. IT SEEMS LIKE YOU FOUND ADDITIONAL FOLKS DOWN IN THE RANKS WHO WERE ELIGIBLE THAT DID NOT QUALIFY AND ENCOURAGE. THAT SPEAKS ABOUT A RECRUITING AND PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CONCERN OR MAYBE JUST A STRATEGY THAT WE OUGHT TO REVISIT. I ALSO WANTED TO ASK MR. ROMERO OR YOU PERHAPS, CHIEF, IF YOU KNOW. OTHERWISE I'LL DEFER THIS TO PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT IF WE HAVE A POSITION WHERE THE DIRECTOR WANTS TO CHANGE QUALIFICATIONS I'M UNDER THE IMPRESSION THERE'S A PROCESS WHERE THEY CAN SUBMIT THAT REREQUEST THROUGH HR TO MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO REVIEW THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS THROUGH A PROCESS THAT INVOLVES HR AND THE DEPARTMENT INSTEAD OF TEMPORARILY CHANGING THEM. IS THAT CORRECT? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR DAVIS, ON THE FIRST PART, AS FAR AS RECRUITMENT. I'LL TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY. I ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS TO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY. TELLING YOU THE NUMBERS, I HAVE 16 BATTALION CHIEFS. 11 OF THEM WERE QUALIFIED. ON TOP OF THAT, OF THE 55 TAP INS WE HAD 24 THAT WERE QUALIFIED FOR THE DEPUTY CHIEF POSITION. I'LL TAKE COMPLETE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT. I CONTINUED TO TELL ALL OF THEM. I THINK YOU NEED TO APPLY. LET'S SEE, I BELIEVE IN YOU. THAT'S WHERE THE SECOND GO ROUND THERE'S A FEW OF THEM THAT I DID ASK, YOU ARE COMPLETELY QUALIFIED. YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ABILITIES. I'M NOT SAYING I'M GOING TO SELECT YOU, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT YOU TO DOUBT YOURSELF. I WANT YOU TO BELIEVE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB. THERE WERE SOME OF THEM THAT DID APPLY AND SOME THAT STILL DID NOT APPLY BECAUSE THEY FELT THEY NEEDED A COUPLE YEARS TO MATURE. THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE. I RESPECT THAT. >>COUN. DAVIS: THANK YOU, CHIEF. MR. PRESIDENT, CAN WE LET MR. ROMERO ANSWER MY SECOND QUESTION. I BELIEVE THERE'S A PROCESS TO CHANGE REQUIREMENTS INSTEAD OF TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING REQUIREMENT FOR A SINGLE PROCESS. IS THAT CORRECT? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR DAVIS, WITH THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE THIS IS INVOLVING AN UNCLASSIFIED POSITION BUT WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THIS GO PRETTY QUICKLY. SO WE WEREN'T BEING DISRUPTIVE OF THE WHOLE PROCESS. IT WAS AN UNCLASSIFIED POSITION. THERE WERE NO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS. THIS WAS THE QUICKEST WAY TO DEAL WITH THE CHIEF'S CONCERN TO EXPAND THE POOL. FOR OTHER POSITIONS IN THE CITY THAT ARE CLASSIFIED THERE'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROCESS FOR THEM. >>COUN. DAVIS: THANK YOU, MR. ROMERO, MR. PRESIDENT. CAN YOU TELL ME IS IT NORMAL PRACTICE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO SUSPEND THE RULES WHEN THEY HAVE TWICE AS MANY APPLICANTS AS THERE ARE POSITIONS TO FILL? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR DAVIS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE I BEGAN THIS ROLE IN MARCH THAT I ENTERED INTO THIS PROCESS OR AGREED THAT WAS APPROPRIATE. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I STILL BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS A PROPER AND APPROPRIATE ACTION TO TAKE, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS TEN PEOPLE THAT WERE ELIGIBLE, RIGHT NOW THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE GOING INTO AN INTERVIEW PROCESS AND EVEN AFTER THEY'RE SELECTED THEY'VE DECLINED OR BEFORE THEY GO INTO THE INTERVIEW THEY WITHDRAW. WE'VE SEEN THAT PROCESS HAPPEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY GOOD PRACTICE TO GO AHEAD AND EXPAND THAT POOL SO WE WOULDN'T GET IN A POINT WHERE WE THOUGHT, OH, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BODIES TO FILL THESE VACANCIES. >>COUN. DAVIS: THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. I KNOW OTHER COUNCILORS HAVE SOME THINGS ON THIS TOPIC. THANKS TO COUNCILOR JONES FOR BRINGING THIS UP TO OUR ATTENTION. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. MR. PRESIDENT, IT OCCURS TO ME THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN THE CITY SETS PERSONNEL RULES WE FOLLOW THEM AND WE MAKE THAT PROCESS PREDICTABLE HELPING OUR EMPLOYEES SET THEIR PERSONNEL GOALS AND CAREER PATH GOALS AND MAKING THEM ATTAINABLE. WHEN WE TAKE THESE CONSIDERATIONS IT UNDERMINES OUR CONFIDENCE IN THE PROCESS. IT'S MY HOPE, ALTHOUGH COUNCILORS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN HIRING, IT'S MY HOPE THE ADMINISTRATION WILL REVISIT THIS PROCESS AND SET THIS EXTRAORDINARY PROCESS ASIDE AND REVISIT THIS. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IF WE HAVEN'T HAD A RESOLUTION BY THEN. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR SANCHEZ. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE A QUESTION IN REFERENCE TO CHIEF GALLEGOS. AS YOU KNOW I COME FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUND WHICH IS SIMILAR TO WHAT GOES ON AT AFR. MY BIGGEST CONCERN, AND MOST OF THE CONCERNS WERE ADDRESSED BY COUNCILOR DAVIS, IN REFERENCE TO IT BEING AFTER THE FACT WHICH SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE TO THE RANK AND FILE AND WHETHER IT'S A NORMAL PROCESS. THOSE TWO THINGS ARE REALLY SITTING ON ME. I KNOW FROM BEING IN AN AREA SUCH AS PUBLIC SAFETY THAT IT MAKES A MASSIVE CONCERN THROUGH THE RANK AND FILE WHEN AFTER THE FACT THE PROCESS IS CHANGED. IT MEANS THAT THERE'S SO MANY OFFICERS SO MANY FIRE FIGHTERS THAT ARE LOOKING TO MOVE UP AND NOW THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS CAN BE COMING FROM OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT. IT COULD ACTUALLY CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH UPWARD MOVEMENT. I JUST HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT IT AS WELL. PRETTY MUCH ALL THE SAME CONCERNS THAT COUNCILOR DAVIS BROUGHT UP. I KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN THAT SITUATION AND I'VE HAD THESE KINDS OF THINGS HAPPEN TO ME AS BEING THE NEXT IN LINE FOR THE PROMOTION OR NOT HAVING TO COMPETE AGAINST OTHERS WHO ACTUALLY WERE QUALIFIED AND NOW YOU OPEN UP A POOL TO MANY MORE PEOPLE. THAT GIVES ME A LOT OF CONCERN WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. I DON'T SEE BUDGET CONFERENCE ROOM. I'LL TAKE IT TO COUNCILOR JONES IF SHE WANTS TO CONCLUDE. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I THINK THAT WAS SOME GOOD DISCUSSION. I'M STILL NOT ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. WE JUST HAD TWO HANDS GO MUCH I THINK COUNCILOR BASSAN AND COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. HAVE THE POSITIONS NOW BEEN FILLED? HAVE INTERVIEWS BEEN COMPLETED AND THE POSITIONS BEEN FILLED? >> COUNCILOR BASSAN, COUNCILOR BENTON, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FILLED. >>COUN. BASSAN: OKAY. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE TO ECHO THE FACT THAT WHEN I HEAR TEN QUALIFIED APPLICANTS, QUALIFIED TO ME MEANS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. MEETS ALL THE REQUIREMENTS. TO HAVE DOUBLE THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO MAKE SENSE TO ME EITHER. I DON'T SEE AND I'M WILLING TO BE PERSUADED. I DON'T SEE HOW COVID AFFECTS THAT EITHER. IF IT'S DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND THEY'RE ALL MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS, IT JUST SEEMS -- I AGREE SOMETHING DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS. I REALLY WANT US TO FILL THE POSITIONS FAIRLY AND FOLLOWING THE RIGHT PROCESS. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: MR. PRESIDENT, MY QUESTION WAS UNRELATED. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE ON THIS TOPIC AND CATCH ME AT THE END. >>COUN. BENTON: SURE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. I GUESS THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION THERE. MAYBE JUST SOME POSSIBLY REFERRAL TO PUBLIC SAFETY AS FURTHER DISCUSSION. I'LL LEAVE THAT TO THOSE WHO HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THE ISSUE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCILOR LEWIS'S QUESTION. >>COUN. LEWIS: I THINK IT APPLIES TO THE Q&A TO THE ADMINISTRATION. I'M WONDERING IF WE USED THAT REGULARLY, IF WE USED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION ITEM, IF IT'S A REGULAR PART OF THE COUNCIL MEETING OR IF IT'S ON THE AGENDA. HONESTLY, I THINK I PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA WHEN I WAS COUNCIL PRESIDENT SIX YEARS AGO. IF IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE USING REGULARLY I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE THE ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. I THINK THE ORIGINAL IT INTENT WAS WE KEEP ECONOMIC DRIVERS AT THE FOREFRONT AND HAVE THE COUNCIL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND THE ADMINISTRATION BRING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO THE COUNCIL ON A REGULAR BASIS SO WE CAN SUPPORT THOSE INITIATIVES. JUST A QUESTION OF IF IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE USING REGULARLY, IF NOT LET'S GET IT OFF THE AGENDA OR LET'S ENCOURAGE THE ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT ITEM. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. I ALWAYS APPRECIATED IT BEING ON THERE. I THINK I BROUGHT UP A COUPLE OVER THE YEARS SINCE THEN. ON MY OWN AND OF COURSE COUNCILORS ARE WELCOME TO DO THAT AS WELL AS IS THE ADMINISTRATION. I'LL JUST PUT IT OUT THERE TO COUNCILORS, IF YOU LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING IF THIS SHOULD STAY ON, WE CAN ALWAYS CHANGE MINOR RULES. I LIKE THE IDEA THAT IT'S ON THERE PERSONALLY. IN RESPONSE TO HOW OFTEN ITS BEEN USED RECENTLY, I CAN'T RECALL. I KNOW CERTAINLY IN THE LAST QUARTER OF LAST YEAR I THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME. OCCASIONALLY, I GUESS, IS THE ANSWER FROM MY RECOLLECTION. >>COUN. LEWIS: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I'LL DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE THE DEPARTMENT TO SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING ITEMS TO US THEY'RE WORKING ON AND FOR THE SUPPORT WE MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT MAY NEED TO SEE FOR THIS KIND OF DISCUSSION. IF THEY'RE WILLING TO INITIATE THAT AND GIVE US A LIST OF ITEMS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH US AND DURING THAT ITEM MEETING IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH THEM ON THAT AS WELL. >>COUN. BENTON: SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS THAT GOT IN WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. I'M GOING TO INTERRUPT THE AGENDA AND MOVE BACK TO THAT FOR JUST A MOMENT BEFORE WE GO TO THE APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL, UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILORS. SEEING NONE. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. WE'LL GO TO FRED. IF YOU CAN ACCEPT THE PROMOTION TO PANELIST TO PROVIDE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT AND KELLY, IF YOU CAN ACCEPT THE PROMOTION TO PANELIST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. THERE'S PAULA. WE'LL GO WITH PAULA FIRST. FEEL FREE TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOUR TIME WILL BEGIN WHEN YOU START SPEAKING. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BENTON, AND COUNCILORS, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF R-221 APPROVING THE AGE FRIENDLY ACTION PLAN. I'M A CO-FOUNDER OF NEW MEXICO NEW. THAT STANDS FOR NEW ELDER WORLD. WE'RE A NON-PROFIT AND WE'RE ENGAGING NEWLY E RETIRED 50 TO 70-YEAR-OLDS AND MAKE THEM WRAP THEIR SKILLS AROUND NON-PROFITS, SMALL BUSINESSES AND START-UPS. THIS CAN BE AN ECONOMIC FORCE AND COMBAT THE LONELINESS AND ISOLATION THAT CAN HAPPEN IF YOU DON'T REACH OUT TO THE OLDER ADULT. NEW MEXICO NEW REALLY BELIEVES THIS RESOLUTION WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO THIS KIND OF SUPPORT FOR OUR ALBUQUERQUE OLDER ADULTS. AS WE ALL GROW AND THAT POPULATION, WHICH IS ABOUT 40%, WE OFFER TREMENDOUS VALUE. AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE ENGAGE, OUR CITY CAN GROW SMARTER, KEEP OUR OLDER ADULTS HEALTHIER AND UTILIZE US TO HELP ALL GENERATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF SUPPORT. KNOW THAT WE'RE TREMENDOUS ASSET OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO CONTRIBUTE. HELP US DO THAT BY PASSING THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, PAULA. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KELLY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILORS. MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT BEING ON THE ZOOM EARLIER. I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO THE AGENDA ITEM THAT IS THE SOUTH CAMPUS TAX INCREMENT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT. I'M THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. WE WILL HAVE SOME PRIME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN REGARDING IN THE INCREMENT DISTRICT. I WILL YIELD THE REMAINDER OF MY TIME AND COME BACK TO YOU FOR THAT AGENDA ITEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>COUN. BENTON: THANKS, MR. WARD. >> OUR LAST SPEAKER IS FRED. TURN YOUR VIDEO ON, UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOUR TIME WILL BEGIN WHEN YOU START SPEAKING. >> OKAY, I THINK I'M UNMUTED. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT MY PICTURE. THAT DOESN'T MATTER. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ITEM 14D, REGARDING THE MASTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO. IF I CAN BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK AT THAT TIME, I'D APPRECIATE IT, MR. PRESIDENT, AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. >>COUN. BENTON: I THINK WE CAN DO THAT. WE'LL HAVE YOU BROUGHT BACK INTO THE ROOM WHEN WE HAVE THAT AGENDA ITEM. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THE TIME. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. WE MOVE ON NOW TO THE APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL. VICE-PRESIDENT LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: I PROVE APPROVAL OF THE DECEMBER 20th JOURNAL. >>COUN. BENTON: IS THERE A SECOND? I SEE A COUPLE OF SECONDS FROM COUNCILOR BASSAN. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. CALL THE VOTE. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR LEWIS, THE JANUARY 10th JOURNAL. >>COUN. LEWIS: I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 10th JOURNAL. >>COUN. BENTON: SECOND FROM COUNCILOR GROUT. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. ALL RIGHT, ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE LETTER OF O -- INTRODUCTION? I MOVE THAT THE RULES BE SUSPENDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PLACING R-4 ON TODAY'S AGENDA FOR ACTION. R-4 IS ADOPTING MULTIJURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITT DPAGZ -- MITIGATION PLAN FOR THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. WE NEED TWO THIRDS OF THE COUNCILORS PRESENT TO SUSPEND THE RULES. IS THERE A SECOND? COUNCILOR DAVIS. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. THANK YOU. I MOVE THE RULES BE SUSPENDED FOR INTRODUCING R-5 AND PLACING ON THE FEBRUARY 7th COUNCIL AGENDA FOR ACTION. IT'S APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF A GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT GRANT OF THE UNITED STATES EPA AND PROVIDING APPROPRIATION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN FISCAL YEARS 2022 AND 2023. I SEE A SECOND FROM COUNCILOR BASSAN. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. THANK YOU. I MOVE THE RULES BE SUSPENDED FOR INTRODUCING O-4 AND PLACING IT ON THE FEBRUARY 7 AGENDA FOR ACTION. ITS APPROVING AGENDA FOR THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT ACT OF THE CITY ORDINANCE TO SUPPORT ACQUISITION CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF FACILITY FOR A PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE COMPANY LOCATED IN ALBUQUERQUE AUTHORIZING THE EXCUSE PROJECT AGREEMENT. THIS REQUIRES TWO THIRDS OF COUNCILORS. COUNCILOR LEWIS THANK YOU. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 9-0. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. I'LL MOVE THE RULES BE SUSPENDED FOR INTRODUCING O-5 AND PLACING IT ON FEBRUARY COUNCIL AGENDA. IT'S AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE TAXABLE INDUSTRIAL BOND IN THE PRINCIPLE AMOUNT OF $5 MILLION DESIGNATED AS ONE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE INDUSTRIAL REVENUE BOND FOR SERIES 22A AND THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE TAXABLE BOND FOR LLC PROJECTS 22B. THERE'S A SECOND FROM COUNCILOR JONES. CALL THE VOTE. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 9-0. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. I MOVE THE RULES BE SUSPENDED FOR INTRODUCING O-6 AND PLACING ON THE FEBRUARY COUNCIL AGENDA. IT'S APPROVING A PROJECT INVOLVING HERITAGE DEFENDER IN PURSUANT TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTION TO SUPPORT THE CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF AN AUTOMOTIVE FABRICATION RESTORATION FACILITY LOCATED IN ALBUQUERQUE. AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THAT PROJECT. THERE'S A SECOND FROM COUNCILOR LEWIS. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 9-0. >>COUN. BENTON: ALL RIGHT. THAT TAKES US TO LETTER OF INTRODUCTION. VICE-PRESIDENT LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: I MOVE APPROVAL. >>COUN. BENTON: I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. MOVE TO THE VOTE. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. THANK YOU. WE DON'T HAVE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS. WE'LL MOVE TO DEFERRALS AND WITHDRAWALS. COUNCILORS, ANY DEFERRALS OR WITHDRAWALS? COUNCILOR BASSAN AND COUNCILOR PEÑA. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. R-190 IS APPROVING AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, COUNTY OF BERNALILLO AND THE SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION TO -- I MOVE TO FEBRUARY 23rd. >>COUN. BENTON: THERE'S A SECOND. COUNCILOR DAVIS SECONDS. MOVING A DEFERRAL TO FEBRUARY 23. VOTE. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 9-0 ON THE DEFERRAL. >>COUN. BASSAN: AND COUNCILOR PEÑA AND COUNCILOR BASSAN, R-235. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THIS IS ESTABLISHING FEDERAL PROGRAMMING AND POLICY PROOITS FOR THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE FOR FISCAL YEARS 2022 AND 2023 I MOVE DEFERRAL. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, THERE'S A SECOND FROM COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: ANY CHANGES TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? >>COUN. PEÑA: I THINK WE HAVE ADMISSION TO THE BIO PARKS ADMITTANCE TO APPLY A PLAN TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR SOME OF OF OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. I DON'T KNOW IF DIRECTOR SANCHEZ WANT TO GIVE INPUT ON THAT OR DO WE VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FIRST? >>COUN. BENTON: LET'S REMOVE THAT. THAT'S ITEM A ON CONSENT. AND WE'LL MOVE THE REST OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, UNLESS COUNCILORS HAVE ANY OTHER ITEMS THEY WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AT THIS TIME. SEEING NONE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS ON TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA WHO ARE BEING APPOINTED TO SERVE ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION AND MAYBE WATCHING FROM HOME, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US AS A COUNCIL TO ADVISE US. WE'RE NOT SUBJECT MATTERS EXPERTS, AND ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTISE ON COUNCIL STAFF, WE RELY ON YOU. THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP. COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: I AGREE WITH THAT AS WELL, MR. PRESIDENT. I WANT TO AMOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. >>COUN. BENTON: SECOND. I'LL SECOND THAT. MS. ORTEGA. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 9-0. >>COUN. BENTON: ALL RIGHT. THAT TAKES US BACK TO EC21-472. THIS IS THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE PRIORITY OBJECTIVE GOAL. REGARDING A STUDY FOR CREATING BIO PARK ADMISSIONS AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. COUNCILOR PEÑA, I THINK YOU MENTIONED DIRECTOR SANCHEZ MIGHT HAVE SOME POINTS FOR US. YOU GO FIRST, IF YOU WOULD LIKE. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THIS IS A HUGE PRIORITY OF MINE. WE DID THE BUDGET LAST CYCLE I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR SANCHEZ BECAUSE SHE'S PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT AND EFFORT INTO THIS. I THINK THEY ACTUALLY PRESENTED TO US A WHILE BACK ABOUT SOME OF THE OPTIONS. I THINK THEY FINALIZED THE OPTIONS AND THAT'S WHAT THIS ITEM IS FOR. I'D LIKE FOR HER TO TALK ABOUT THE DECISION AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE OFFERING IN OUR COMMUNITY. DIRECTOR SANCHEZ. >> HELLO. COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR PEÑA. THIS IS SIMPLY OUR REPORT TODAY ON POSSIBILITIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW WE COULD PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE FINANCIAL ACCESS TO THE BIO PARK. SINCE IT IS -- IT'S NOT ONE OF, IT'S THE MOST POPULAR CULTURAL INSTITUTION IN TERMS OF ATTENDANCE IN OUR STATE. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE FIND WAYS TO MAKE IT FINANCIALLY ACCESSIBLE. WE HAVE DONE SOME THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN OUR PURVIEW. WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE SOME PASSES. MAKING ANY CHANGES TO ADMISSIONS IS WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF COUNCIL. I THINK SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL WORK ON THE PART OF THE DEPARTMENT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY FINANCIAL IMPACT ANALYSIS WITH THIS. IT WOULD REQUIRE REVISITING SOME OF THE ADMISSION FEES, WHICH OF COURSE WOULD NEED TO GO IN FRONT OF COUNCIL. AT THIS POINT OUR RECOMMENDS ARE THERE. THEY'RE BASED ON BEST PRACTICES AROUND THE COUNTRY. AND SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS THAT WORKED AT OTHER BIO PARKS, ZOOS, AND AQUARIUMS. ONE OF THE MORE SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS HAS BEEN LOOKING AT PROVIDING FINANCIAL -- PROVIDING REDUCED TICKET ENTRY FOR PEOPLE WHO QUALIFIED FOR SOME KIND OF SNAP OR EBT BENEFITS. BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN VETTED THROUGH A DIFFERENT PROCESS. SHOULD THEY PRESENT AN EBT CARD WITH AN I.D. AND THEY'RE ABLE TO GET A DIFFERENT ADMISSION PRICE. THE CITY IS NOT VETTING WHO IS ELIGIBLE. THIS WORKS BETTER THAN SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE WITH SCHOOLS BECAUSE IT ALSO INCLUDES SENIORS WHO ARE EBT OR BENEFIT ELIGIBLE AND SINGLE INDIVIDUALS. SOMETIMES WHEN WE FOCUS ON THE SCHOOLS FOR ACCESSIBILITY, WHICH IS A PLACE THAT WE TYPICALLY GO TO, WE LEAVE OUT OTHER LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY. AT THIS POINT, THIS IS OUR REPORT ON WHAT'S POSSIBLE. IF IT PLEASES THE COUNCIL AND WOULD LIKE US TO TAKE IT FURTHER THEN WE'LL JUST WAIT FOR YOUR INPUT. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I APPRECIATE THAT BRIEF PRESENTATION. I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS. LIKE I SAID, I THINK THIS IS HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR DIRECTOR SANCHEZ. SHE'S PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT AND HARD WORK INTO IT. I LOOK TO MOVING SOMETHING FORWARD. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE THE EC-21-472? >>COUN. PEÑA: YES, I THINK YOU JUST DID. I'LL SECOND IT IF YOU WANT. >>COUN. BENTON: VERY GOOD. WE CAN DO THAT EITHER WAY. FIRST MOVED AND SECONDED. MS. ORTEGA FOR THE VOTE. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 9-0. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, MS. ORTEGA. WE'LL MOVE ON. WE DON'T HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS TONIGHT OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS OR APPROVALS. THAT TAKES US STRAIGHT TO FINAL ACTIONS. WE'LL START WITH ITEM A. THIS IS COUNCILOR BASSAN AND COUNCILOR DAVIS AND MYSELF. O-78. AMENDING CHAPTER NINE, ARTICLE FOUR, PART ONE ROA1994 THE POLICE OVERSIGHT ORDINANCE. I MOVE A DUE PASS. I SEE A SECOND FROM COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU. I DO HAVE A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS THAT WE'LL GET ON THE SCREEN FOR YOU. >>COUN. DAVIS: MR. PRESIDENT, IF I MAY, JUST FOR A POINT OF ORDER. MR. PRESIDENT, I KNOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS. THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE DISCUSSING THESE OR TAKE ACTION. CAN THE PRESIDENT TELL US WHAT HE INTENDS TO DO? JUST DISCUSS THEM OR DEFER THEM FOR FURTHER ACTION? >>COUN. BENTON: I'LL LEAVE THIS UP TO THE CO-SPONSORS. I APPRECIATE THEIR WORK ON THIS. WE ALSO HAD FORMER COUNCILOR SENA INVOLVED IN A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS OVER THE LAST YEAR, I GUESS GOING ON THREE QUARTERS OF THE YEAR. WE KNOW THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE -- OBVIOUSLY JUST TO THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF A VERY IMPORTANT CITY BOARD. ALSO IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR COMPLIANCE WITH THE CASA AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. I'LL LEAVE IT -- I FEEL LIKE WE'RE PRETTY FAR ALONG, MYSELF, ON THIS. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE UNDER ANY EXTREME PRESSURE BETWEEN NOW AND THE 7th. IS THERE OTHER IDEAS THAT ARE STILL OUT THERE? I KNOW THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS NOT ADDRESSED BY THESE AMENDMENTS. I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU AND COUNCILOR BASSAN. COUNCILOR BASSAN, DO YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN? >>COUN. BASSAN: THANKS, MR. PRESIDENT. WE COULD PROBABLE DRAG IT OUT FOREVER IF WE JUST DIDN'T -- REALLY I WANT TO SAY PULL THE TRIGGER, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT THING TO SAY TALKING ABOUT THIS. IF WE DON'T JUST HANDLE IT. TO ME, I DON'T REALLY WANT TO VOTE ON THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE TONIGHT. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS AND HOPEFULLY WORK THROUGH SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS SO IF THERE ARE MORE THAT COME UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE CAN INSTEAD OF HAVING A LOT LATER WE CAN CHIP AWAY NOW. >>COUN. BENTON: I GREE WITH THAT. I SEE A THUMBS UP FROM COUNCILOR DAVIS. WE'LL MOVE THE AMENDMENTS AND MOVE THE BALL FORWARD AND AMEND IT. THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST AMENDMENT. THIS WOULD BE FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO O-21-78. THIS IS SPONSORED BY THE THREE CO-SPONSORS ON THE BILL. DO I NEED TO READ THE WHOLE THING? ACTUALLY, I'LL ASK TO SUMMARIZE THESE AS WE GO. HE'S BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THESE DISCUSSIONS. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. COUNCILOR -- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HER WALK WAS THROUGH THESE. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO HER. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, COUNCILORS. THIS FIRST AMENDMENT, AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE, REDUCES THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD FROM NINE-MEMBER BOARD TO A FIVE-MEMBER BOARD. PLUS A NON-VOTING CHAIR PERSON. THE USE OF A NON-VOTING CHAIR PERSON SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO OFFICIATING THE MEETINGS MAY HELP WITH THE EFFICIENCY OF THE BOARD WHICH HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE FOR THIS BOARD. THERE ARE NO REQUIREMENTS IN THE CASA FOR THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS THAT SHOULD BE ON THIS BOARD. NUMBERS VARY ACROSS DIFFERENT CITIES WITH SIMILAR OVERSIGHT AGREEMENTS IN PLACE. THE NINE-MEMBER BOARD IS A CARRY OVER FROM THE SLEES -- POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION WHICH WAS APPOINTED BASED ON COUNCIL DISTRICT. A FIVE MEMBER BOARD MAY BE EASIER TO KEEP FULLY SEATED. OTHER AMENDMENTS ARE UPDATE AT AIMED AT REDUCING THE WORKLOAD. THERE'S NO HARD AND FAST REQUIREMENT FOR THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS, OTHER PROPOSALS FOR THE SIZE OF THE BOARD CAN BE EVALUATED AS PART OF THIS AMENDMENT. THIS AMENDMENT ALSO DIRECTS THAT CERTAIN BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BACKGROUND QUALIFICATIONS AND IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE OR WITH CIVILIAN POLICING COUNCILS. >>COUN. BENTON: ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCIL STAFF, OR THE SPONSORS? I CAN VOUCH FOR HAVING GONE THROUGH THE WHOLE THING, I THINK THE ONLY OTHER COUNCILOR WHO WAS THERE FOR A TIME WAS COUNCILOR LEWIS AND COUNCILOR JONES WERE THERE. WE BASICALLY HAD A BOARD THAT HAD A LOT OF TURMOIL THAT LED TO THE DOJ GETTING INVOLVED. ACTUALLY, RESIGNED AND WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE WE WERE IN THAT POSITION TO MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY. THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS OFTEN DONE, THERE WAS SOMETHING OF THE SYSTEM. THIS IS A LEGACY OF THAT. I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE AND MAKES SENSE. I CERTAINLY AM IN STRONG SUPPORT OF REDUCING THE NUMBERS OF THIS BOARD GIVEN HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FILL IT OUT. AND TO HOPEFULLY MAKE THEIR FUNCTIONING EASIER. WE HAVE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM COUNCILOR PEÑA AND COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I GUESS THIS IS FOR JULIA. I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT OF THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES WITH BOARD MEMBERS AND MAINTAINING BOARD MEMBERS. MY CONCERN IS THAT WHEN WE GO DOWN TO FIVE VOTING MEMBERS AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO PRIMARILY THE BOARD WOULD CONSISTENT FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS, ONE WITH COMMUNITY POLICING EXPERIENCE AND A GENERAL MEMBER. HOW DO WE ENSURE -- BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS HOW SEE WE GET COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN POPULATIONS MOST IMPACTED. I KNOW THERE'S A CHALLENGE IN TERMS OF THE EXPERIENCE AND WHO GETS ON THE BOARD AND SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. THIS REALLY SEEMS LIKE IT MAKES A SEAT AT THE TABLE FOR SOME OF THE POPULATIONS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT. CAN YOU HELP ME NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT? >> MR. PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR PEÑA. IN TERMS OF THE EXPERTISE REQUIREMENTS CONTAINED IN THE AMENDMENT, BASED ON DISCUSSIONS WITH CHRIS SYLVAN WHO IS THE COUNCIL AUTHOR LIAISON TO THE CPOA BOARD, WE DO RECEIVE A NUMBER OF APPLICANTS TO THIS BOARD THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR THESE EXPERTISE REQUIREMENTS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WOULD NOT INHIBIT OUR ABILITY TO FILL THE SEATS ON THE BOARD. IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, I'M NOT SURE THAT I'M ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT QUESTION FOR YOU, UNFORTUNATELY. I'M SORRY. >>COUN. PEÑA: DO WE HAVE MR. SYLVAN ON THE CALL OR DO WE HAVE -- YES. MR. SYLVAN. MR. PRESIDENT, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE BOARD CONSISTS OF, WHO THE BOARD CONSISTS OF CURRENTLY? WHAT ARE THE COMPOSITION, WHETHER THEY'RE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PEOPLE FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. AND WHO WAS THE GOAL OF ATTRACTING FOR THE CPOA BOARD? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR PEÑA, CURRENTLY THE BOARD CONSISTS OF SEVERAL MEMBERS ACROSS THE CITY. WE BASE THEM ON MEN AND WOMEN. WE ALSO BASED THEM ON WHERE THEY LIVE. WE ALSO BASE THEM ON RACE. WE DO THE BEST WE CAN TRY TO DIVERSIFY THE BOARD. THE IDEA BEHIND THIS AMENDMENT WAS THE CPC FOLKS WOULD BE BETTER SERVED TO JUMP ON THE BOARD RIGHT AWAY AND BE INVOLVED WITH THE CASA AND HAVE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE OVERSIGHT BOARD WORKS. >>COUN. PEÑA: OKAY. RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY IF WE NARROWED IT DOWN TO FIVE VOTING MEMBERS IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM SAY MY DISTRICT OR ANY OTHER DISTRICT? >> COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR BASSAN, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LIST OF PEOPLE WE HAVE APPLIED. WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF FOLKS FROM ACROSS THE CITY WHO HAVE APPLIED. GIVEN HOW WE STAFF THE BOARD, IT'S BEEN VERY DIFFICULT BASED ON HOW THE APPLICANTS SCORE WHEN THEY APPLY FOR THE BOARD. WE TRY OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GEOGRAPHICALLY REPRESENTING THE CITY AND ALSO REPRESENTING MEN, WOMEN, AND RACE. BY DISTRICT, WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE IT THAT WAY. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. >>COUN. PEÑA: MR. PRESIDENT, FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON THE COMMITTEE WHO ARE SELECTING PEOPLE, IS SOME OF THE CRITERIA PROHIBITED IN TERMS OF REALLY ELIMINATING SOME PEOPLE WITH LESS EXPERIENCE THAN OTHERS TO BE ABLE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD AND WHAT I MEAN BY LESS EXPERIENCE IS THAT SOMETIMES THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS IT REALLY MAYBE DOESN'T SERVE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. I THINK I'M SAYING THAT CORRECTLY. I KNOW THERE'S A CHALLENGE THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE GREAT APPLICANTS GET WEEDED OUT THREW THE APPLICATION PROCESS. >>COUN. BASSAN: IF I MAY RESPOND, I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT MAY HELP WITH WHAT COUNCILOR PEÑA IS ASKING. THANK YOU. IN REGARD TO THE FIVE MEMBERS VERSUS THE ORIGINAL NINE THAT WE HAD, THROUGH SOME FAIRLY INTENSE DISCUSSION AND WE WORKED WITH OUR STAFF, IT WAS REALLY RECOGNIZED THAT A LOT OF APPLICANTS ARE NOT NECESSARILY -- IT'S NOT EASY TO FILL PER COUNCIL DISTRICT. THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE THAT WE ENDED UP MAKING SURE BY HAVING FIVE THAT MIGHT MINIMIZE SOME OF THE NEED TO HAVE THE GEOGRAPHIC CHANGES. IN ADDITION TO THAT THE SOME OF THE NEXT AMENDMENTS ARE GOING TO HELP. THEY WERE INTENTION TO -- WITH THE CONSIDERATION OF MAKING SURE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, COUNCILOR PEÑA, WITH MAKING SURE WE CAN SPECIFICALLY IN WHAT I WAS THINKING CONSTITUENTS FROM YOUR DISTRICT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS HAVE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION OR CHILD CARE OR A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT REASONS TO BE ABLE TO DEVOTE TIME TO THIS BOARD EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DOING SO. THAT WAS PART OF MY GOAL WAS, REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME KIND OF COMPENSATION OR STIPEND OR THE WORD WE ENDED UP WITH. HONORARIUM. I THINK THAT'S A PART OF IT. IN ADDITION TO THE REASON WHY THERE'S TWO TO THREE CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPERIENCE AND TWO TO THREE COMMUNITY POLICING MEMBERS. AT ANY GIVEN TIME, IT WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR TWO, TWO, AND ONE. THIS OFFERS FLEXIBILITY SO THAT IF PER SE THERE'S THREE REALLY GREAT APPLICANTS WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM EXPERIENCE, WHICH SOMEONE ALSO MENTIONED THAT MIGHT BE INCLUDING A RUN-IN WITH THE LAW AT SOME POINT IN TIME. NOT JUST WHAT I WAS ORIGINALLY THINKING AS CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM EXPERIENCE AS A POLICE OFFICER OF SORTS. THIS COULD BE SOMEONE ON ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT SPECTRUMS WITH EXPERIENCE WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WHEN WE STARTED BREAKING DOWN SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS IT STARTED OPENING OPTIONS TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS EQUITY INVOLVED IN THE SELECTION PROCESS. AND GOING BACK TO THE TWO TO THREE, LET'S SAY WE HAVE THREE GREAT APPLICANTS FROM CPCs THEN WE MAKE SURE WE HAVE ONE WITH REALLY GREAT CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM EXPERIENCE. SO THAT THEY THERE'S A LITTLE FLEXIBILITY AND KEEP IT WELL-ROUNDED IN REGARD TO THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS OR MAKES IT ALL WORSE. THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON TRYING TO INCLUDE MORE FROM THE CITY WHILE ALSO MAKING IT A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND A BETTER REPRESENTATION ON THE BOARD. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. WE'LL CIRCLE TO COUNCILOR DAVIS AND WE CAN CIRCLE BACK TO COUNCILOR PEÑA WITH ANY FOLLOW UP. >>COUN. DAVIS: MR. PRESIDENT, THANKS. JUST FOR THE RECORD I WANTED IT BE SURE THAT WE CAUGHT WE HAD A MOTION FOR THE MOMENT AND SHE CAN RECORD ME IF SHE DESIRED. I KNOW COUNCILOR PEÑA'S ISSUE IS WELL-TAKEN. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THIS DOESN'T REPLACE THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER GEOGRAPHIC OR SOCIAL EQUITY ISSUES IN APPOINTMENT. IT SIMPLY RESTATES THE NUMBER OF PERSONS AND IT RETAINS THE LANGUAGE RELATING TO BALANCES. EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T SAY SPECIFICALLY FOR COUNCIL DISTRICT. AND THE COUNCIL'S ANALYSIS WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT PUBLICLY AND INTERNALLY IN THE DEBATE. MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK FOR COMMENTS SO OUR NEW COUNCILORS CAN PARTICIPATE. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEÑA. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I APPRECIATE COUNCILOR BASSAN'S JUMPING IN THERE BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY BEEN MY CONCERN ALL ALONG WITH THE CPOA AND CPC IS HOW WE GET BETTER REPRESENTATION AND HOW WE ACTUALLY GET A SEAT AT THE TABLE FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE HAD A RUN IN WITH THE LAW. THESE ARE SOME OF THE BARRIERS WE HAVE. I'M NOT SURE, ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE THE INTENT, AND I UNDERSTAND THE STRUGGLES WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE NINE MEMBERS ON BOARD, I REALLY LIKE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY FROM EACH OF OUR NINE COUNCIL DISTRICTS WHETHER WE CAN FIND SOMEONE OR NOT. I THINK HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOMEBODY FROM OUR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS IS IMPORTANT TO ME. I WAS HOPING WE CAN LOOK AT DOING SOMETHING ELSE IN TERMS OF HOW THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE ABLE TO SIT ON THE BOARD TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE BARRIERS. MAYBE IT'S A MORE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO. I APPRECIATE THE SPONSORS INTENT I WON'T BE SUPPORTING IT. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR LEWIS IS NEXT. I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY SAY THAT WHEN I WAS REFERRING TO THE PREVIOUS HISTORY, THE OLD POLICEOVER SIGHT COMMISSION THAT WAS DISTRICTED BY NINE DISTRICTS. THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMENTS AT THAT TIME WHETHER IT WAS WORKING OR NOT FOR POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD. IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE CITIZEN'S PANEL AND AT THAT TIME IT BROKE DOWN. I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT THE PEOPLE INVOLVED. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED AT THE TIME. COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: MR. PRESIDENT, I DO THINK THE OTHER AMENDMENTS ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES MORE SPECIFICALLY. THIS ONE I DID HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT BECAUSE I THINK RATHER THAN ADDRESSING THE SPECIFIC ISSUE IT REMOVES SOME OF THE POSITIONS. I THINK THAT BY DOING THIS IT DOES CREATES LESS DIVERSITY ON THIS PANEL AS WELL AS WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE ALL THE GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS REPRESENTED. I THINK THERE'S CHALLENGES WITH THIS AMENDMENT. AGAIN, I DO UNDERSTAND THE INTENT. I THINK THE CHALLENGES ARE THERE. I THINK THE OTHER AMENDMENTS ADDRESS THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFICALLY AND I'M MORE COMFORTABLE WITH. I PROBABLY WON'T SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT. >>COUN. BENTON: ALL RIGHT. THANKS. ANYONE ELSE? WE'LL GO AHEAD. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. COUNCILOR DAVIS IS THE SECOND ON THAT. WE'LL MOVE TO A VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: NO. >>COUN. JONES: NO. >>COUN. LEWIS: NO. >>COUN. PEÑA: NO. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: NO. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> MOTION FAILS ON A 4-0 VOTE ON AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE. >>COUN. BENTON: THAT MOTION FAILING, I THINK THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT IS THE RIGHT NUMBER. THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT. I STILL BELIEVE NINE IS A REALLY BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE TO TRY TO CORRAL AND TALK ABOUT THESE CRITICAL ISSUES AND COMPLEX ISSUES. WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT AMENDMENT. THIS WOULD BE FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. THIS IS ALSO SPONSORED BY COUNCILOR BASSAN, COUNCILOR BENTON, AND COUNCILOR DAVIS. I'LL MOVE THAT. SECOND FROM COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU. WHAT THIS IS WE'RE JUST REFERRING TO THE HONORARIUM OR SOME FORM OF COMPENSATION OR INCENTIVE. THIS HAS TO DO WITH PROVIDING AN HONORARIUM OF $500 OF COMPLETION OF INITIAL TRAINING. SECONDLY, EACH MEMBER OF THE BOARD SHALL BE COMPENSATED $250 ON COMPLETION OF THE REQUIRED ONGOING TRAINING AS OUTLINED IN SECTION 9-415-F3. THE AMENDMENT ALSO INSERTS A NEW SUBSECTION ABOUT THE BOARD WITH REGARD TO THE STIPEND. AND EACH MEMBER OF THE BOARD WOULD BE COMPENSATED $100 PER REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD. SO IT'S NOT JUST EVERY MEETING OF THE BOARD BUT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE BOARD NOT TO EXCEED $200 PER MONTH PER MEMBER. THESE ARE EXTENSIVE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE EXPLANATION. I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I'M WONDERING, I HAD HEARD TODAY MORE. I DON'T REMEMBER US NECESSARILY DISCUSSING IT BECAUSE I WAS SO FOCUSED ON THIS PARTICULAR BOARD. SHOULD WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, HOW WOULD THIS POTENTIALLY AFFECT ALL THE OTHER BOARDS THAT ARE IN EXISTENCE IN ALBUQUERQUE? BEING THAT I DID NOT REALLY HAVE THAT HAT ON WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT -- FOR EXAMPLE EPC. AND YOU HAVE DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. THAT'S JUST ONE. WE HAVE SO MANY IN THE CITY THAT I WONDER IF THIS IS SOMETHING, ALTHOUGH I'M A HUGE ADVOCATE WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE COMPENSATE THESE PARTICULAR BOARD MEMBERS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONSIDERING THE POTENTIAL OF THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. >>COUN. BENTON: I'LL MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT AND HEAR FROM COUNCILOR DAVIS AND COUNCILOR PEÑA. I THINK IN THE PAST THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION AT PREVIOUS YEARS PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF THE IDO. THE EPC IS PROBABLY THE OTHER MOST HIGH DEMAND SERVICE, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT. MOST HOMEWORK, THE LONGEST MEETINGS, MULTIPLE MEETINGS. AND THAT HAD BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE PAST. HOWEVER IN THAT PARTICULAR BOARD OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE WORKLOAD WAS SOMEWHAT REDUCED BY THE IDO. ANYWAY, I THINK IT'S A FAIR QUESTION. LET'S HEAR FROM COUNCILOR DAVIS AND COUNCILOR PEÑA. >>COUN. DAVIS: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. YOU AND ME AND COUNCILOR BASSAN AGREE. MY PERSPECTIVE IS NOT SO MUCH WE SHOULD NOT DO THIS. I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DRAES ADDRESS IS THE PROFESSIONALISM. AND EXPERTISE AND AMOUNT OF COMMITMENT AND ONGOING TRAINING TO STAY ON TOP OF THE CASA REQUIREMENTS AND POLICING TRAINING REQUIREMENTS IS IMPORTANT. WE ALSO HAD TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION HEARING FROM BOARD MEMBERS THAT SOME ARE SPENDING MORE THAN 40 HOURS IN VOLUNTEER SERVICE TO KEEP UP WITH READING DOCUMENTS, INVESTIGATIONS AND POLICY REVIEWS. I WOULD ARGUE THAT IN THE CITY THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENT TIERS OF BOARDS AND SERVICE THAT ARE INSTRUMENTAL OR CRITICAL TO THE OPERATION OF THE CITY'S KEY METRICS AND FUNCTIONS. THE EPC AND A FEW OTHERS THAT SHOULD MERIT THAT. I WOULD NOT BE OPPOSED TO THE CITY CONSIDERING HOW WE COMPENSATE FOLKS FOR THESE SPECIALTY BOARDS THAT REQUIRE SPECIAL SERVICE OR TECHNICAL EXPERTISE. FOR -- IF WE'RE GOING TO RECRUIT GOOD PEOPLE AND ASK THEM TO SET ASIDE OTHER THINGS. WE HAVE HAD A HARD TIME KEEPING MEMBERS ON THE BOARD. WE HAVE NOT HAD AN INCENTIVE TO COMPLETE TRAINING EXCEPT THEIR PROMISE TO DO SO. THIS IS A WAY TO GIVE US ACCOUNTABILITY FOR BOARD MEMBERS WHO FAIL TO COMPLETE THEIR REQUIRED TRAINING AND FOR US TO SHOW DOJ WE'RE MEETING THEM HALFWAY GIVING THEM A CARROT AND THE STICK. >>COUN. BENTON: WE DO HAVE SOME -- I WANT TO GET TO OTHER COUNCILORS. COUNCILOR PEÑA AND COUNCILOR JONES. I DID WANT STAFF TO COMMENT. THEY DID LOOK INTO OTHER JURISDICTIONS. WE'LL HAVE A QUICK UPDATE FROM THEM IN REGARD TO WHAT THEY FOUND IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILORS, I LOOKED INTO OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND WHAT I FOUND IS THERE WERE 13 JURISDICTIONS THAT PAY THEIR CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT BOARD MEMBERS SOME SORT OF STIPEND. THESE RANGE FROM $12,000 FOR THE CHICAGO OVERSIGHT BOARD TO $50 FOR ANOTHER BOARD JUST FOR ATTENDING MEETINGS. WHAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO IS NOT OUT OF THE ORDINARY. SEVERAL OF THESE JURISDICTIONS ALSO ARE UNDER DOJ CONSENT DECREE. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, MR. SYLVAN. NEXT UP IS COUNCILOR PEÑA, FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR JONES. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. SIMILARLY, LIKE THE PREVIOUS AMENDMENT, AND I APPRECIATE COUNCILOR BASSAN'S THOUGHTS ABOUT REVISITING THIS AND LOOKING DEEPER INTO IT. I JUST HAVE CONCERN WITH PROVIDING STIPENDS TO WHICH IS CONSIDERED A VOLUNTEER BOARD AND WE HAVE TONS OF OTHER BOARDS THAT ARE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OPEN SPACE THE OTHER DAY AND QUESTIONS ABOUT PEOPLE'S TECHNICAL EXPERTISE ON SERVING ON THAT BOARD AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO SERVING ON THESE BOARDS. I LOOK AT IT FROM THIS IS THE PERSPECTIVE OF GETTING ORDINARY PEOPLE FROM ORDINARY WALKS OF LIFE JUST TO SERVE ON THOSE BOARDS TO REALLY HELP US TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS COMPLEX ISSUE. FOR THAT REASON, I REALLY DON'T SEE US PROVIDING A STIPEND. I RECALL AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS WAS MY TIME AS CITY COUNCIL OR DOING THE COMMUNITY WORK, THERE WERE SOME BOARDS THAT WERE PAYING FOR TRAINING AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WERE STIPENDS OR NOT, IT REALLY TURNED INTO AN ISSUE FOR THE CITY. I JUST THINK MAYBE THERE'S OTHER CREATIVE WAYS WE CAN LOOK AT AS ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION OR MAKING IT EASIER, WHETHER IT'S ONLINE TRAINING COURSES FOR SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SO THAT IT'S NOT SO CUMBERSOME. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. COUNCILOR JONES. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I AGREE WITH COUNCILOR PEÑA. I DON'T BELIEVE ANYBODY SHOULD GET COMPENSATION OTHER THAN WHAT THEY GIVE BACK TO THE CITY. AS I LISTEN TO THIS, I THINK ALL OF THE BOARDS THAT WE LOOK INTO OVER THE YEARS, THE NUMBER ONE THING WE HEAR IS THEY DON'T HAVE TRAINING, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEY'RE LOST. I WOULD THINK THAT RATHER THAN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH MONEY TO GIVE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ASKING FOR MONEY. THEY WANT TO VOLUNTEER AND HELP THEIR CITY. WHY DON'T WE MEET WITH -- STAFF MEET SO IT'S NOT VIOLATION OF WHAT WE DO. WHY DON'T WE SIT DOWN WITH, IN DIFFERENT GROUPS, THE EPC BOARD AND CPOA BOARD AND THE PEOPLE, AND SIT DOWN AND SAY WHAT DO YOU THINK IS WRONG WITH THIS BOARD. WHAT COULD WE DO TO MAKE IT BETTER. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE TO MAKE IT BETTER. THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO RIFLE RANGE AND SHOOT AND ALL THAT. THEY'RE LOOKING AT ISSUES THAT OCCURRED OR MIGHT OCCUR. I THINK WE NEED TO ENGAGE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK IS BROKEN. PERHAPS WE CAN HELP FIX THAT RATHER THAN COMING UP WITH IDEAS OF OUR OWN. VERY FEW VOLUNTEER BOARDS VOLUNTEER. OTHER THAN, AS MOST OF US HAVE DONE, WHEN I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL I HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS COMPENSATION AND I DIDN'T CARE. WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE OUR CITY THE BEST IT COULD BE AND MAKE IT SAFE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE AND DO THE RIGHT THING. I REALLY THINK WE PUT TOGETHER SESSIONS AND SEE IF THEY WILL TALK TO CHRIS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY WILLING TO SIT AND GET IDEAS. THAT'S A TIME CONSUMPTION ISSUE. BUT I BELIEVE MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE ON BOARDS AND ARE FRUSTRATED REALLY LIKE IT WHEN SOMEONE ASKS THEM WHAT THEY THINK. >>COUN. BENTON: I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION WITH BOARD MEMBERS. LET'S HEAR FROM COUNCILOR BASSAN AND WE DO HAVE ACTING CHAIR OF THE CPOA BOARD GALLOWA UP NEXT. >>COUN. BASSAN: MR. PRESIDENT. I'M WILLING TO EITHER WAIT TO DO THIS. I'M CURIOUS WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS TO SAY. MY INTENTION IS I WOULD LIKE TO END UP NOT VOTING ON THIS TODAY SO WE CAN REALLY DISCUSS IT FURTHER WHETHER WE NEED TO DEFER OR WITHDRAW AND HEAR IT ON FEBRUARY 7th. WHILE EVERYONE IS HERE, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO HEARING WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT. >>COUN. BENTON: THERE'S NOTHING TO PREVENT US AS SPONSORS AT LOOKING AT AN AMENDMENT THAT GETS VOTED DOWN AND TALK MORE WITH OTHER COUNCILORS ABOUT IT OF COURSE. YEAH, I AGREE. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG HAUL AS WE'RE SAYING. A GROUP OF COUNCILORS HAS BEEN MEETING WITH THE DOJ AND THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR OF CPOA AND OTHERS. LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET -- PLAY THIS BY EAR AND TRY TO MOVE THIS ON. I THINK THE DISCUSSION IS VALUABLE. LET'S MOVE ON TO HEAR FROM MS. GALLOWAY. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BENTON. I WOULD VERY MUCH ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER WHAT COUNCILOR JONES JUST SUGGESTED. THE BOARD HAS BEEN REQUESTING FOR QUITE SOME TIME JUST TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME AND TALK TO US. WE HAVE MADE IT TO A COUPLE OF COUNCILORS, BUT IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY CHALLENGING. WE HAVE A WHOLE NEW COUNCIL THAT'S BEFORE YOU NOW. WE WOULD VERY MUCH WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION. THERE'S SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT CAME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT THAT PERSONALLY I'M IN FAVOR OF. IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SPEAK FOR THE BOARD EVEN THOUGH I'M THE CHAIR BECAUSE WE RECEIVED THOSE AMENDMENTS FRIDAY AFTERNOON. OBVIOUSLY, CAN'T COME TO A DECISION. I KNOW WE WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO GIVE THEM THE TIME. I WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THAT TRACK. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, MS. GALLOWAY. COUNCILORS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER WHILE WE HAVE HER ON? WE APPRECIATE HER BEING HERE. I'LL MOVE ON TO -- WHY DON'T YOU STAY ON WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS? COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: MR. PRESIDENT, MS. GALLOWAY THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING WITH YOU AND SCHEDULE WITH YOU. I'LL MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW UP AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING UP TO SPEED. THANK YOU, AGAIN. ON THE AMENDMENT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST. IF WE'RE NOT PLANNING ON VOTING ON THE FINAL ACTION BILL TONIGHT. LET'S DEFER THE AMENDMENT. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THIS AMENDMENT. IN FACT, I WOULDN'T BE OPPOSED TO SOME COMPENSATION FOR A COMMITTEE LIKE THE EPC. I DON'T THINK WE'RE HAVING THAT KIND OF PROBLEM LIKE WE ARE ON THIS AS FAR AS KEEPING MEMBERS. LAST TIME I APPOINTED EPC I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE IT UP TO THAT PERSON EVER SINCE. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TIME ON THAT BOARD. I DON'T THINK IT'S A BAD IDEA. I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO IT. IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO VOTE ON THE BILL, LET'S TAKE MORE TIME THE THINK ABOUT THIS ONE. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR LEWIS. WE HAVE COUNCILOR DAVIS. AND I'D LIKE TO ASK MS. CORDON WHO WORKED WITH US ON TO EXPLAIN THE AMENDMENTS ABOUT US VOTING ON THEM NOT NECESSARILY RIGHT NOW. AND WE CAN SEE IF WE WANT TO DEFER. THERE IS ALSO SOME ISSUES OF TIMELINESS OF GETTING THE BOARD RECONSTITUTED BECAUSE WE HAVE MULTIPLE VACANCIES. AS WE STATED EARLIER, THE COUNCIL ITSELF HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY UNDER THE CONSENT DECREE TO GET THE BOARD FILLED OUT AND TO MAKE SURE IT'S FUNCTIONING. COUNCILOR DAVIS. >>COUN. DAVIS: YOU TOOK THE WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH. LET'S HEAR FROM OUR STAFF FIRST. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MS. MCDERMOTT. I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH TO DEFER THE REST OF THE AMENDMENTS. I AGREE, WE NEED A DATE TO GET THIS DONE. WE ARE UNDER THE GUN TO DO THIS. THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS MADE IT CLEAR AND WE KNOW THIS BOARD IS NOT BEING SUPPORTED WELL. IT NEEDS NEW MEMBERS. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR US TO APPOINT NEW MEMBERS IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE APPOINTED TO. I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE A DATE FINAL TO DO THIS. I'LL WAIT TO MAKE THE MOTION. >>COUN. BENTON: LET'S HEAR FROM JULIA ON THE REMAINDER OF THE AMENDMENTS. COUNCILORS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO STUDY THOSE AS WE GO FORWARD. MOST LIKELY WITH A DEFERRAL. I THINK WE CAN GET A GOOD RUNDOWN ON WHAT REMAINS. >> CERTAINLY, MR. PRESIDENT. IF MR. MOYA WOULD BE ABLE TO PULL UP THE NEXT AMENDMENT. YES, THANK YOU. THE THIRD AMENDMENT ADDS A PROVISION THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE CPOA BOARD THAT REQUIRES A JOB DESCRIPTION THAT EXPLAINS THE EXPECTATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THIS WOULD BE DRAFTED AND SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL. AND ALL BOARD MEMBERS WOULD BE EXPECTED TO READ AND SIGN THE JOB DESCRIPTION WHICH WOULD AFFIRM THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE OBLIGATIONS TO THE BOARD AS A MEMBER. THIS IS AIMED AT IMPROVING BOTH CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. AND HOPEFULLY IMPROVING PARTICIPATION AND RETENTION OF MEMBERS IN THAT THEY HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO IN SIGNING UP FOR THIS BOARD. >>COUN. BENTON: ALL RIGHT. WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OTHER AMENDMENTS FROM COUNCILOR SANCHEZ. JUST TO SUMMARIZE JULIA'S STATEMENT. OUR -- MY PERCEPTION IN DEVELOPING THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE IS THAT THERE, I THINK, COUNCILORS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE KNOW THERE'S BEEN PRETTY GREAT DIFFICULTY IN BRINGING THE BOARD UP TO A FULL CONTINGENT. WE HAVE SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO THIS AMENDMENT THAT WAS JUST READ THAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES MAYBE HAVE NOT BEEN SPELLED OUT WELL ENOUGH. MAYBE THAT'S WHAT THE APPOINTMENT REALLY ENTAILS. I THINK THIS AND THINGS LIKE THE HONORARIUM, THINGS LIKE TALKING ABOUT THE SIDE OF THE BOARD AND THE EXPERTISE NEEDED ON A BOARD LIKE THIS. IT'S A CITIZEN'S CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT BOARD. IT SHOULD CERTAINLY REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY. IT IS ALSO A VERY SPECIALIZED BOARD. WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE ADVOCATES BUT WE'RE ALSO THE MONITORING TEAM TO CODIFY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. THEY HAVE TO ME A MINIMUM OF FOUR HOURS BUT ARE ENCOURAGED FOR LONGER. BECAUSE WE AGREE. GROEN -- I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HELPFUL. IT'S REQUIRED. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: I WAS TOTALLY OF THE FACT THERE'S TWO RIDE-ALONG REQUIREMENTS. MY GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE -- YOU KNOW, KNOW WHAT THE OFFICER FEELS LIKE EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY'RE HANDLING THE CALLS FOR SERVICE. THAT WAY IF YOU HAVE A CERTAIN OFFICER THAT YOU LIKE TO RIDE WITH, OR THAT YOU HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH, THEN AT THAT POINT THE OFFICER WILL GIVE YOU THE INSIGHT HE HAS AND MAYBE CONTINUE TO HELP OUT EVEN AFTER THE FACT. I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT I ACTUALLY HAD PEOPLE RIDE ALONG WITH ME WHO I HAVE BECOME LIFELONG FRIENDS WITH. I STILL TALK TO THESE FOLKS THROUGHOUT MY LIFE AND CAREER. IT ALL STARTED WITH JUST A SIMPLE RIDE ALONG. IT'S AMAZING HOW THE RELATIONSHIP CAN BUILD TO THE POINT WHERE BOTH PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO RIDE IN FOUR RIDE-ALONGS WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT AND THAT'S WHAT THE AMENDMENT CALLS FOR, YOU WOULD GET TO SEE FOUR DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS. DURING THAT TIME, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE -- ACTUALLY DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT OFFICER. IF YOU DON'T DEVELOP AN OFFICER WITH ONE, YOU MAY DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SECOND ONE. AT THAT POINT, THEN YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO GAIN THAT PERSPECTIVE. I THINK THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT IN REFERENCE TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BECAUSE I THINK IF YOU ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE TO WANT TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH AN OFFICER AND VICE VERSA, THEN AT THAT POINT I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FILL THESE POSITIONS WITH A WHOLE LOT OF EASE. THE WORD GETS AROUND THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER. AND I GOT THE OTHER AMENDMENT IF ANYONE WANTS TO CHIME IN ON THIS ONE. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR, WHY DON'T YOU EXPLAIN YOUR OTHER AMENDMENT. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS BASICALLY PART OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM THAT IS ON HERE. AGAIN, MY BACKGROUND AS BEING A POLICE OFFICER AND SUPPORTING THE OFFICERS MEANS THAT I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE OFFICERS TO ININTERNAL AFFAIRS TRAINING INCLUDED BUT NOT LIMITED TO TRAINING ON ALL APD POLICIES RELATED TO APD INTERNAL REVIEW INCIDENTS. THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THE OFFICERS THEMSELVES WOULD TOTALLY APPRECIATE A BOARD WHO UNDERSTANDS ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITHIN THE DISCIPLINARY PROCESS. IT IS A LARGE PROCESS THAT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF TIME. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY STRESSFUL IS WHEN YOU'RE PUT INTO THE SYSTEM, YOUR STRESS LEVEL IMMEDIATELY RISES. AND IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO EVEN GO TO WORK WIN -- WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MONKEY ON YOUR BACK. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT ANYONE IS GOING TO BE MAKING ANY KIND OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN REFERENCE TO POLICE ACTION SHOULD BE VERY, VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE POLICE OFFICER GOES THROUGH. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT THE SANCTIONS CALL FOR, THEY CAN SEE HOW THE WHOLE BREAK DOWN HAPPENS WHEN THEY RECEIVE THE TARGET LETTER ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT TAKES. RIGHT NOW, KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE OFFICERS, THERE'S A BACKLOG OF THESE USE OF FORCE INVESTIGATIONS THAT REALLY, REALLY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE ADMINISTRATION, BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. IF WE CAN GET THROUGH THEM QUICKER, I HONESTLY THINK THAT THIS WOULD HELP THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS TRAINING. I WOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM BEING INVOLVED IN MY TWO AMENDMENTS. I UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WORK. VERY, VERY WELL. I ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO FACILITATE AND HELP WITH THE PROCESS. THE NEXT THING I WANT TO BRING UP IS IF THE CPOA COMES TOGETHER A LOT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN A FORM OF MEDIATION. BACK IN MY DAY WE USED TO DO MEDIATIONS. WE WOULD DO A MONTHLY MEDIATION ON THE LOWER LEVEL USES OF FORCE. WE GOT SOME OF THE CPOA MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATION IN THE MEDIATION OF LOWER USES OF FORCE. I THINK WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SOLVE A LOT MORE PROBLEMS AND BE ABLE TO MOVE ON TO MORE SERIOUS ISSUES QUICKLY INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH THOSE LOWER LEVEL ISSUES WITHIN THE MEETING. THOSE LOWER LEVEL ISSUES WOULD ALREADY BE TAKEN CARE OF. AND THEY WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF WITH THE COMBINED EFFORT OF THE CPOA AND ALSO THE POLICE OFFICERS PRIMARILY. THAT'S WHERE I AM AT IN REFERENCE TO THESE. THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR YOUR TIME. BACK TO YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANCHEZ. IF IT'S ALL RIGHT WITH YOU, I'M GOING TO GET BACK TO OUR LIST OF AMENDMENTS. I WANT TO WITHDRAW MY MOTION ON AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO, IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO COUNCILOR DAVIS WHO SECONDED IT. THANK YOU. IS THAT OKAY? AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO IS WITHDRAWN. I WILL MOVE DEFERRAL UNTIL OUR MEETING ON THE 7th OF FEBRUARY. THERE'S A SECOND FROM COUNCILOR DAVIS. I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR DEFERRAL. MS. ORTEGA TO CALL THE VOTE. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 9-0 ON THE DEFERRAL OF O-78 TO FEBRUARY 7th. >>COUN. BENTON: I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO WELCOME TO CALL ME, AND I'M SURE ANY OTHER SPONSORS, TO DISCUSS IT. AND MS. MCDERMOTT WHO I DIDN'T GIVE A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN, BUT I THINK WITH THE DEFERRAL IF I CAN SPEAK FOR HER, SHE'S HAPPY TO DISCUSS ALL OF THE ABOVE WITH YOU. DIANE HAS BEEN WITH THE AGENCY FOR A LONG TIME. A QUICK WORD, IF YOU WOULD LIKE. >> YES, COUNCILOR BENTON. COUNCILORS, I HAVE BEEN WITH THE AGENCY A LONG TIME. I'VE SEEN SUCCESSES AND FAILURES. I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS. I APPRECIATE ANY OPPORTUNITY YOU'D LIKE FOR ME TO PROVIDE INPUT. THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME AMENDMENTS THAT I SEE TO THE ORDINANCE THAT WILL IMPROVE. I THINK THERE'S A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO BE TWEAKED OR REVISED. THERE'S A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN CONTEMPLATED IN THE EXISTING DRAFT THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED THAT PROBABLY WOULD BE WISE TO LOOK OVER AND ADDRESS. AGAIN, I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR INFORMATION FROM ANY COUNCILOR THAT WISHES. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE TO OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS. THIS IS R-221. COUNCILOR PEÑA. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. R-221 IS APPROVING THE ONE ALBUQUERQUE AGE FRIENDLY ACTION PLAN AND DIRECTING THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE SENIOR AFFAIRS TO USE AGING POPULATION STUDY TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN AND MOVE A DUE PASS. MR. PRESIDENT, WE ALSO HAVE DIRECTOR SANCHEZ HERE SO SHE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ACTION PLAN. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. YOU HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNCILOR BASSAN. MS. SANCHEZ. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL RIGHT? >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING, COUNCILOR BENTON, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SENIOR AFFAIRS. CERTAINLY, I ACTUALLY PREPARED A SLIDE IF I MAY BE ABLE TO SHOW. IT GIVES DETAILS TO LOOK AT BESIDES MYSELF ON THE SCREEN. >>COUN. BENTON: YES, WE'LL ALLOW YOU. GO AHEAD. >> I APOLOGIZE. I'M NOT SEEING IT ON MY SCREEN. LET ME SEE. YOU MUST CLOSE A WINDOW TO OPEN ANOTHER. HERE WE GO. OKAY. CAN YOU SEE THAT? GREAT. THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I'LL CUT TO THE NUTS AND BOLTS, WILL CREATE A DIALOGUE ABOUT AGING IN THE COMMUNITY. WE'VE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF LESSONS DURING COVID. THIS RECENT STUDY THAT WAS ASKED BY COUNCILOR PEÑA, THE AGING POPULATION STUDY REALLY JUST HIGHLIGHTED A FACT THAT OUR AGING POPULATION IS GROWING. IT'S GROWING FASTER THAN OUR YOUNGER POPULATION. THE MOST RECENT CENSUS, IF YOU NOTED IN THE CENSUS IT HIGHLIGHTED THE FACT THAT NATIONALLY WE'RE ALSO CHALLENGED BY A STAGNANT POPULATION GROWTH. I THINK THIS IS THE MOST STAGNANT POPULATION GROWTH SINCE THE 1900s. THIS IS A NATIONAL OPPORTUNITY OR CHALLENGE, WE'RE HOPE TO CREATE A VOICE FOR OUR SENIORS. WE WANT TO ADDRESS REALITIES AND BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW DO WE ENGAGE THIS GROWING POPULATION AND SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION IN THOUGHTFUL WAYS. FURTHER THIS RESOLUTION IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO PUSH THE AGING LENS ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS AND REALLY MAKE OUR OLDER ADULTS VISIBLE WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING COMMUNITY-LED DECISIONS. WE KNOW THAT OUR DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUR CRITICAL SERVICE AND OPERATIONS TRANSPORTATION AND HOME DELIVERED MEALS. AS YOU SAW DURING COVID, ALL THOSE WERE VERY IMPORTANT. THIS RESOLUTION PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENHANCE WHAT WE DO. WE ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS RESOLUTION AND ALLOW US TO WORK CROSS COMMUNITIES TO ENHANCE SERVICES AND PROGRAM. AND JUST FOR CONTEXT, ONE OF THE MOST RECENT THINGS WE'VE EMBARKED ON WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNER ADDRESSES TECHNOLOGY AND SENIORS. WE HAVE COMPUTER LABS, WE HAVE NEVER PROVIDED IN-PERSON SUPPORT FOR THE SENIORS. WE'RE DOING THAT NOW. WE ALSO ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN SUPPORT OUR SENIORS FOR ISOLATION AND MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE IN LIVING. WE'RE BRINGING THAT WITH THE HELP OF PARTNERSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO DO THAT ON A LARGER SCALE. THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THIS RESOLUTION OFFERS. WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE THE VOICE OF OLDER ADULTS AND APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION FOR THIS RESOLUTION TO BE PASSED BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, DIRECTOR SANCHEZ. I DON'T SEE ANY. WE'LL TAKE IT BACK TO THE SPONSOR. COUNCILOR PEÑA. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. JUST IN CLOSING, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. I KNOW WE'VE TALKED TO DIRECTOR SANCHEZ WHEN WE ACTUALLY DID THE AGING POPULATION STUDY. AS YOU KNOW AND SHE MENTIONED, 40% OF THE POPULATION IS BY THE YEAR 2030 ACCOUNT FOR -- JUST KNOWING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT I'VE HAD IN THE AREA OF MAKING SURE WE HAVE SENIOR SERVICES AND SENIOR CARE. AND REALLY LOOKING AT OUR BUDGETARY ISSUES. AS YOU KNOW, THE SIGNIER -- SENIOR AFFAIR DEPARTMENTS IS ONE OF THE LOWER FUNDED DEPARTMENTS. AS SHE TALKED ABOUT THE PANDEMIC AND THE NUMBER OF MEALS AND EFFICIENT HOW THE DEPARTMENT HAS RUN IS ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS VULNERABLE POPULATION WE HAVE IN THE CITY. I URGE YOUR SUPPORT. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEÑA. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. WE'LL GO TO MS. ORTEGA FOR THE VOTE. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM IS R-225. THIS IS MYSELF AND COUNCILOR DAVIS. THIS IS APPROVING A FORM OF MASTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SOUTH CAMPUS TAX INCREMENT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT. I MOVE A DUE PASS. THIS IS A TAX INCREMENT DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL WITH THE UNIVERSITY. WE HAVE STAFF ON THIS. KIM, DO YOU WANT TO PITCH IN? AND WE HAVE MS. MEREHEAD. KIM, DO YOU WANT TO START? >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I KNOW THAT THERESA SPOKE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION, I BELIEVE SHE HAS COMMENTS AND REMARKS SHE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AT THE OUTSET. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S IN THE WAITING ROOM. COULD WE -- >>COUN. BENTON: I THINK SHE'S GETTING ON RIGHT NOW. >> SHE'S OUR SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION AT THE UNIVERSITY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE TO GET BACK ON AS A PANELIST. MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I SERVE AS THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO AND WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO BRING BEFORE YOU THE APPROVAL OF THE MASTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT COMPONENT OF THE SOUTH CAMPUS INCREMENT DISTRICT. THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE DISTRICT IN OCTOBER. THIS MEETING IS TO APPROVE THE EXPLANATION OF HOW IT WILL BE FUNDED. WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE TO SPEAK OR ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT OR THE MASTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE FRED WHO IS HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF IT. REALLY BECAUSE THIS IS BECOMING A COMPONENT ACTION ACTIVITY WITHIN THE OVERALL TID I DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON IT. WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MIGHT HAVE. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. KEN, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK ANY FURTHER? >> YEAH, I APPRECIATE HER OPENING REMARKS. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE MASTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS CONTEMPLATED IN THE STATE ACT. IT'S THREE PARTY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY, UNIVERSITY AND DISTRICT. THE DISTRICT IS A PART OF THE AGREEMENT. IT'S A FAIRLY TECHNICAL DOCUMENT DEALING WITH THE FINANCING OF INFRASTRUCTURE. THE INFRASTRUCTURE LIST THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS ESSENTIALLY THAT IS CONTAINED IN THE TID DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND FEASIBILITY STUDY WHICH IS APPROVED BACK IN OCTOBER. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CLARIFICATIONS. THEY WERE PROPOSED BY THE ADMINISTRATION WHICH WE WELCOMED FOR THE VARIOUS INFRASTRUCTURE HAVING TO DO WITH PEDESTRIAN DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE SPORTSES FACILITIES AND A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PART. THE TRANSPORTATION LINE ON UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD. INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RECREATION FACILITIES AND RECREATION FIELDS. I WOULD HOPE TO PERHAPS -- LAWRENCE MAYBE PROVIDE FURTHER COMMENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT'S BEEN REACHED BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE UNIVERSITY. >>COUN. BENTON: LETS HEAR FROM THE THE ADMINISTRATION. MR. RAEL, IF HE'S AVAILABLE. >> MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER AND INTERIM DIRECTOR WILL GIVE YOU MORE OF THE SPECIFICS. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HIM. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, DIRECTOR LARA. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILORS. AS INDICATED BY MR. MURPHY WE'VE LOOKED AT THE MASTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. WE'RE RECOMMENDING A FINAL APPROVAL. WE DID NEGOTIATE BOTH WITH THE UNIVERSITY AND WITH DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE BOTH THE COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES INCLUDING SOME ADDITIONAL AMENITIES FOR OPEN SPACES AND TRAILS WERE INCLUDED. ADDITIONALLY, THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY ATTRIBUTES THAT WERE INCLUDED, ALL OF WHICH AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC FINANCING AND REIMBURSEMENT BY THE TID. WE BELIEVE IT'S A GOOD PROJECT BOTH FOR THE CITY, THE RESIDENTS OF ALBUQUERQUE, AND THE UNIVERSITY AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, CHRIS MEREHEAD IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, AND EVERYONE WHO WORKED HARD ON THIS FROM THE CITY AND THE UNIVERSITY. FRED IS HERE WITH US AND SIGNED UP TO SPEAK WITH US. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PRESIDENT. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE R-225 MASTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. THIS IS A LOGICAL NEXT STEP IN MAKING THE TAX INCREMENT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT POSSIBLE. IT CREATES AN AREA, AND I'M GOING TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. IT CREATES AN AREA WHICH DESPERATELY NEEDED IN ATTRACTING NEW COMPANIES WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS WITH AN AREA THAT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL LAND. NOT RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOT MUCH LAND AVAILABLE WITHIN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO AFTER LARGE COMPANIES THAT HAVE SETTLED IN LOS LUNAS AND OTHER PLACES. SECONDLY, IT FILLS IN A GAP. WE DRIVE TO THE AIRPORT, WE SEE THIS HUGE AREA SITTING THERE BETWEEN THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARK AT UNM AND THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND THE AIRPORT. THERE'S A NEW TECH HUB DEVELOPING IN NORTH TIJERAS. THE MESA DEL SOL WOULD BENEFIT AS WELL. THERE'S HIGH-PAYING JOBS IN RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY AND INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I THINK IT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF MAKING ALBUQUERQUE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY -- CREATING A REGIONAL HUB THAT WILL BE THE EQUIVALENT OF THE SILICON VALLEY. THE PLACES AROUND BOSTON CORRIDOR AND AREAS IN NORTHERN NORTH CAROLINA. IT'S A FANTASTIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY, FOR THE UNIVERSITY AND FOR THE AREA. VERY, VERY STRONG RECOMMENDATION, MR. PRESIDENT, ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY, OF WHICH I'M AN ALUMNUS, THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY. AND ON THE DEVELOPMENT BOARDS. VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. COUNCILOR DAVIS. >>COUN. DAVIS: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. JUST BRIEFLY, GIVE KUDOS WHILE WE'RE GOING AROUND THE ROOM. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THIS IS TECHNICALLY IN YOUR AREA. IT BORDERS MINE. AND THE RESIDENTS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TRAVEL THIS CORRIDOR EVERY DAY. WE ARE ACTIVE AND ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF THE UNM COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORS OF THE UNIVERSITY. WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THIS DEVELOPMENT. WE'RE ENCOURAGED TO SEE SOME OF THE RETAIL OPTIONS THAT WILL SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT THERE. AND HE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, REMINDING THE COUNCIL THAT IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE IT WAS A HARD YEAR, BUT ON THE NUMBERS WE ADDED ABOUT 6,000 NEW JOBS IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE LAST YEAR. 4,000 WERE WITHIN A MILE OF THIS POTENTIAL NEW DEVELOPMENT. AND MASTER DEVELOPMENT AREA. AROUND NETFLIX, MESA DEL SOL, THE GIBSON CORRIDOR. ALL OF THE THINGS HAPPENING IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE CITY THAT SHOWS THE CITY IS ON THE RISE AND GETTING READY TO LEAD IN SPACE TECH. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS. AND THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION. THEY PUSHED US TO DO MORE THAN WE NORMALLY DO IN THE DEALS TO MAKE IT A BETTER DEAL FOR EVERYBODY. WE'LL ALL SAY THANK YOU TO OUR UNM TEAM. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR BASSAN AND COUNCILOR PEÑA. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I KNOW I SPOKEN WITH CONSTITUENTS LAST YEAR WHEN THIS FIRST CAME TO US. THERE'S SOME RESERVATION ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT REGARD WITH THE TID WHEN NORMALLY THAT'S NOT TRADITIONAL. I KNOW THAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT AND SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL BENEFITS NOW THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS WORKED AND DIRECTOR LARA YOU TOUCHED ON THOSE AS FAR AS WHAT THE CITY COULD GET BACK IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE TAX REVENUE. IT WOULD BEHOOVE US, IF YOU DON'T MIND, DIRECTOR LARA, TO SPELL THOSE OUT A LITTLE BIT FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND. I THINK IT MAKES A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST DOING THIS STATE OR GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT ENTITY WITHOUT SOME KIND OF ALIGNMENT AS TO HOW THE CITY CAN BENEFIT IN ADDITION TO WHAT'S JUST BEEN MENTIONED AS FAR AS JOBS AND SOME OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IF YOU DON'T MIND, DIRECTOR, WOULD YOU PLEASE LET THE PUBLIC KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ADDITIONS THAT GOT PUT IN? >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR BASSAN. ABSOLUTELY. AS YOU INDICATED, WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS THAT WERE REQUESTED NOT ONLY BY THE DEMONSTRATION BUT BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL. IT REALLY INCREASED THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF ALBUQUERQUE. PARTICULARLY IN THIS AREA IN THE CORRIDOR AS MENTIONED BY OTHER COUNCILORS. THIS REALLY IS AN UNDERUTILIZED AND HISTORICALLY UNDERINVESTED AREA OF ALBUQUERQUE. THERE ARE ABOUT, AS PRESENTED IN THE STAFF ANALYSIS, APPROXIMATELY 82 ACRES OF VACANT LAND THAT WILL BE TAKEN UP UP THIS DISTRICT. THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE MADE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S SOME OPEN SPACES AND TRAILS AND AMENITIES THAT WILL PROVIDE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA. THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS SHOT SPOTTERS AND ADDITIONAL POLICE SUBSTATIONS THAT WILL BE GOING INTO THE AREA. THERE ARE ALSO AMENITIES IN AND AROUND THE STREETS THAT WILL BE UNM THEMED AREAS AS WELL THE PUDESRY -- PEDESTRIAN AREAS AROUND THE SPORTS FACILITIES THAT WILL PROVIDE MORE ACCESS. I DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO THE DETAILS OF WHAT'S IN THE NEWS IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS OF PEDESTRIAN CCASUALTIES. THOSE WILL BE A PRIORITY TO BRING THAT FORWARD. AS MENTIONED, WE ARE ALSO WORKING CLOSELY TO ENSURE WE HAVE MORE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND MORE ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE AREAS INCLUDING THE BART WHICH IS A NEW COREDORE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. THESE ARE CONCERNS AND DESIRES EXPRESSED BY THE BUSINESS INDUSTRY. ALIGNING THAT CORRIDOR ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE AIRPORT AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT CONTEMPLATED CONNECTING THE NETFLIX FACILITIES AND THE NECESSARY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR ALL ALONG THAT AREA ALONG UNIVERSITY TO THE AIRPORT DOWN TO CENTRAL. ADDITIONALLY, THAT WILL BRING IN A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WOULD BE NEW MONEY TO THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO FOR THAT PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NOBODY HAS TO PAY FOR. EXCEPT FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THOSE ALL PUT INTO THE AREA. FINALLY, SOME ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS ALONG LOMAS. AND SOME TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY, BOTH THE SHOT SPOTTER, TRANSPORTATION, AND OPERATIONS TO ENSURE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA ARE PROVIDED AND CAN BE TRANSPORTED TO NECESSARY SERVICES WHEN APPROPRIATE. >>COUN. BASSAN: IF I MAY? THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. THAT TO ME MAKES IT A LOT EASIER TO SWALLOW WHEN THERE WAS ARGUMENT BEFORE ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL METHOD OF USING A TID VERSUS WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW. ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE TOUCHING ON TRANSPORTATION BUT ALSO SERVICES. AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE CITY CAN BENEFIT FROM. I AM GRATEFUL TO THAT, I HOPE THE CONSTITUENTS THAT WERE CONCERNED ABOUT BEFORE HAVE MORE EASE HEARING THAT INFORMATION. >>COUN. PEÑA: I WANTED TO THANK ADMINISTRATION. I HAD DISCUSSION AND APPRECIATE COUNCILOR BASSAN AND HIGHLIGHTING HOW IMPORTANT SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PUT IN AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT. AND UNM WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SHARE PUBLIC SAFETY AND ENSURE THIS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS. I DON'T HAVE THE REFERENCE IN FRONT OF ME, I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR THIS IN ONE OF THE EXHIBITS, BUT UNM HOSPITAL WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM THIS TID IS ACTUALLY HAVING THE INDIJANT FUND AND HOMELESSNESS IS A BIG ISSUE IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE UNM TID FOR MAKING -- >>COUN. BENTON: IT LOOKS LIKE COUNCILOR PEÑA MAY HAVE CONNECTION DIFFICULTIES. WE HAVE CHALLENGES GOING ON HERE. YEAH, GOOD POINTS MADE BY COUNCILOR PEÑA. AND COUNCILOR BASSAN. AND COUNCILOR DAVIS. IF YOU LOOK AT THIS AREA OF THE CITY, IT COULD ME CHARACTERIZED AS A FIELD DESERT. MEANING THE OPTIONS FOR US IS STOPPING. NOW YOU'RE BACK. >>COUN. PEÑA: I THINK I'M BACK. SORRY. THE BEST SPEECH OF MY LIFE AND I WAS MUTED. I WAS SAYING I WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE FOLKS FROM UNM BECAUSE THEIR COMMITMENT WITH EVERYTHING THAT MR. L -- LARA TALKED ABOUT. I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IN ONE OF THE EXHIBITS IN ADDITION TO THIS, AND THIS WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE INDIGENT FUND. HOMELESSNESS IS AN ISSUE FOR ALL OF US WHETHER YOU'RE PART OF BERNALILLO COUNTY, UNM, CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, IT SAYS INCOOPERATION WITH THE CITY AND UNIVERSITY INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS WITHIN THE DISTRICT. I APPRECIATE THAT. I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES LANGUAGE LIKE THAT IS NOT RELATED TO THIS IS HARD TO GET IN. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S WILLINGNESS TO MAKE SURE WE FOCUS ON THAT. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEÑA. WITH REGARD TO OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH UNM AND MAJOR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, WE'RE TRYING TO TACKLE THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE THROUGH THE COORDINATING COUNCIL. SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS SURROUNDING THESE SITES ARE SOUTH BROADWAY, KIRTLAND, CLAYTON HEIGHTS. THEY'VE OFTENED CRIED OUT AND SOMETIMES CAME CLOSE TO GETTING A SUPER MARKET IN THAT AREA. JUST SIMPLE THINGS LIKE THAT ARE GOING TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR FOLKS IN THAT AREA. THAT'S WHY IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP WORKING ON THIS TID. I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE'S HANDS RAISED. I WILL -- I SEE THE MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ROOM. >> MR. PRESIDENT, I JUST WANT TO ALSO ADD MY TWO CENTS. IT'S BEEN A REALLY INTERESTING PROCESS. OBVIOUSLY, THE UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN WILLING TO WORK WITH THE CITY. AND ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT COUNCILOR BASSAN JUST ASKED US TO RECITE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. AS WE LOOK AT THIS DEVELOPMENT GOING FORWARD, JOBS, SECURITY AND SAFETY FOR BOTH THE UNIVERSITY AND THE CITY ARE SUPER IMPORTANT. ESPECIALLY AS THE UNIVERSITY IS AN ANCHOR, IF YOU WILL, OF BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITY FOR THE WHOLE STATE OF NEW MEXICO. WITH THAT, COUNCILOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND THE PATIENCE IN WORKING THROUGH THIS. AS YOU ALL WOULD SAY, WE URGE YOUR SUPPORT. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE BY THE ADMINISTRATION. WITH THAT, I WILL URGE YOUR SUPPORT. WE'LL GO TO A VOTE. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 9-0. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM E. COUNCILOR BASSAN AND COUNCILOR PEÑA. R-226. >>COUN. BASSAN: IT'S ESTABLISHING A REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE PURSUANT OF ARTICLE FOUR SECTION THREE TO REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING NINE DISTRICTS. I MOVE A DUE PASS. >>COUN. BENTON: I SEE A SECOND FROM COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN. >>COUN. BASSAN: MR. PRESIDENT, WE DO HAVE SOME AMENDMENTS. >>COUN. BENTON: ALL RIGHT. WE WILL PUT THOSE UP ON THE SCREEN. BEAR WITH US, EVERYONE. >>COUN. BASSAN: I SEE MS. MORRIS, I'M HAPPY TO MOVE THE AMENDMENTS. THEY'RE STRAIGHTFORWARD. FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY AND WITHOUT HAVING TO DUPLICATE I'M HAPPY IF SHE HELPS OUT WITH THAT. >>COUN. BENTON: WE'RE GETTING IT UP ON THE SCREEN HERE. >>COUN. BENTON: THIS WOULD BE FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. ON PAGE TWO BEGINNING ONLINE 29 REVISE SECTION FIVE C TO READ ADHEARANCE TO EXISTING BOUNDARY LINES ACCEPTING THOSE PRECINCTS DIVIDED BY MUNICIPAL BOUNDARY LINES. THEY PROPOSE FLEXIBILITY BETWEEN COUNCIL DISTRICT AND PRECINCT BOUNDARIES. A PRECINCT SHOULD ONLY BE SPLIT TO ACCOUNT FOR AWKWARDNESS CAUSED BY THEM BEING AFFECTED BY CITY BOUNDARIES. >>COUN. BENTON: MOVE THAT? >>COUN. BASSAN: YES, I DO MOVE THAT. >>COUN. BENTON: AND COUNCILOR PEÑA SECONDS. THANK YOU. THAT WOULD BE FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR EXPLANATION? MS. MORRIS, IT SOUNDED LIKE COUNCILOR BASSAN COVERED THAT PRETTY WELL. SHE'S NODDING. COUNCILOR JONES. SORRY. I'M GETTING USED TO THESE HANDS. YOU'RE MUTED, COUNCILOR JONES. >>COUN. JONES: BEFORE WE -- GIVE ME THE DEFINITIONS FOR THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO? >> MR. CHAIR, COUNCILOR JONES, COUNCILORS, THE BOUNDARY LINES THAT THE SECTION IS TALKING ABOUT IS THE GUIDELINES FOR WHAT THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING. THIS IS IN A LARGER SECTION THAT TALKS ABOUT WHAT THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. IT REQUIRES THEM TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE NEED TO COMPLY WITH CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES FOR VOTING RIGHTS POPULATION. FOR THE DIVERSITY OF COUNCIL DISTRICTS THAT ARE RELATIVELY COMPACT. AND THIS AMENDMENT AFFECTS C THE ADHERENCE OF PRECINCT BOUNDARIES LINE. IN CONSIDERED BEST PRACTICE IN REDISTRICTING THAT PRECINCTS NOT BE SPLIT WITHIN COUNCIL DISTRICTS BUT BETWEEN COUNCIL DISTRICTS. SECTION C RECOMMENDS THAT WE ADHERE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO THE PRECINCT BOUNDARY LINES. BUT, THIS AMENDMENT ADDS AN EXCEPTION WHEN THE PRECINCT BOUNDARY LINES GO OUTSIDE OF THE MUNICIPAL BOUNDARY. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THERE'S A PRECINCT IN THE NORTH VALLEY THAT GOES THROUGH THE CITY AND INTO LOS RANCHOS AND BACK INTO THE CITY. IN ORDER TO INCORPORATE THAT PRECINCT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE CHUNK OF THE VILLAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. THAT DOESN'T FOLLOW THE TYPICAL BOUNDARY LINE. IN THAT INSTANCE IT MAKES A LITTLE BIT OF SENSE THAT PART OF THE PRECINCT IN DISTRICT TWO AND PART IN DISTRICT SEVEN. THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHEN WE MIGHT NOT WANT TO FOLLOW THE PRECINCT BOUNDARY LINE AND INSTEAD DO SOMETHING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FOR COUNCIL DISTRICT. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU. IF I MAY, MR. PRESIDENT? WHO POLICES THIS REDISTRICTING TO BE SURE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT ISN'T DONE UNLESS IT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY? >> MR. CHAIR, COUNCILOR JONES, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. ULTIMATELY, YOU GUYS. INITIALLY, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE CONSULT NALITYS -- CONSULTANTS WILL BE CONSIDERING WHEN THEY PUT THE MAPS TOGETHER. WEB THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE CONSIDERS THOSE MAPS, THAT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE INITIALLY TASKED WITH CONSIDERING, IF THEY'RE MAPS THAT COME FORWARD THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE WILL HAVE TO CAREFULLY AND CONSIDER WHY IT'S APPROPRIATE. THIS LANGUAGE IN THE BILL PROVIDES THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE THAT CONSIDERATION. ULTIMATELY, WHEN THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE MAKES ITS RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, IT'S YOU GUYS IN THINKING ABOUT WHICH MAP YOU ESSENTIALLY CHOOSE IN CONSIDERING THAT. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR JONES. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT? WE'LL GO TO THE VOTE. ON AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 9-0 ON AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. ON PAGE TWO, DISTRICT SHALL BE DRAWN WITH -- SHALL BE RESPONSIBLY COMPACT TO THE EX TENT FEASIBLE AND PROTECT COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AND TO THE EXTENT FEASIBLE. THEY MAY SEEK TO RESEEK THE CORE OF EXISTING DISTRICTS AND MAY CONSIDER THE RESIDENTS. THIS AMENDMENT ADDS ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION FOR THE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER. AND THIS ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION CALLS FOR THE DISTRICT TO CONSIDER TRADITIONAL PRINCIPLES OF POPULATION OF VOTING RIGHTS AND CONTIGTY AND COMPACTS AND COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. >>COUN. BENTON: I'LL SECOND THAT, COUNCILOR PEÑA. SECOND FROM COUNCILOR PEÑA ON AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. IT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR. THESE ARE KEY COMPONENTS. >> YES, THESE THREE AMENDMENTS FROM COUNCILOR BASSAN AND COUNCILOR PEÑA ARE CONSIDERED BEST PRACTICES IN REDISTRICTING AND ARE IMPROVEMENT TO THE LANGUAGE IN THE BILL. >>COUN. BENTON: THANKS. COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: MR. PRESIDENT, I GUESS I'M JUST QUESTIONING THE NEED. IF THEY'RE BEST PRACTICES, ARE THEY JUST OUT THERE AS THESE ARE KNOWN THINGS THAT SHOULD BE PUT IN PLACE SO WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING THEM ON PAPER? I GUESS I'M JUST QUESTIONING THE NEED FOR IT. MAYBE IT COULD BE EXPLAINED A LITTLE FURTHER. >>COUN. BENTON: MS. MORRIS. >> YES, SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS CONSIDERED BEST PRACTICE. THE BEST PLACE TO KNOW WHAT THOSE BEST PRACTICES ARE IS TO HAVE IT IN THE RESOLUTION THAT IS GUIDING THE WORK OF THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE. THAT'S WHY WE ARE PROPOSING TO PUT THIS INTO THE BILL. >>COUN. LEWIS: I GUESS, MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD -- IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GIVING SOME DIRECTION THAT -- HOW FAR DO WE TAKE THIS? WE COULD LITERALLY TAKE THIS AND SAY THERE WILL BE NO BOUNDARIES BEYOND THE RIVER THAT WOULD CROSS THE RIVER. WE COULD TAKE THIS PRETTY FAR IN THIS REGARD. I'M WONDERING WHY THESE AMENDMENTS -- WHY THESE STATEMENTS AND MAYBE THE SPONSORS AND EXPLAIN FURTHER. ARE WE TRYING TO GUARD AGAINST SOMETHING? HOW OFTEN ARE WE -- WHAT ARE WE REALLY TRYING TO GUARD AGAINST WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP FROM SPLITTING PRECINCTS. WHAT DO PRECINCTS HAVE TO DO WITH THE GOAL? >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR PEÑA AND COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. ACTUALLY, TO COUNCILOR LEWIS'S QUESTION IS WHEN WE DRAFTED THIS RESOLUTION WE ACTUALLY JUST OMITTED SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES AND AFTER DISCUSSION WITH SOME FOLKS, IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD INCLUDE THEM BECAUSE IT REALLY GUIDES US IN TERMS OF HOW WE DEFINE OUR BOUNDARIES. IT WAS REALLY AN OMISSION ON MY PART. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO PREVENT ANYTHING FROM HAPPENING WHEN WE CAN FORESEE POSSIBILITIES HAPPENING. FOR EXAMPLE, THE CONTIGUOUS THAT ARE ALL CONNECTED. I KNOW IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE ISLANDS CREATED. I THINK IT SEEMS OBVIOUS, BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME DEBATE, ESPECIALLY IN RECENT TIMES WHERE PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS TOUCHING. EVERYTHING IS NOT GOING TO HAVE SOME KIND OF VOID IN IT BUT WE'RE ALSO NOT GOING TO INTENTIONALLY OR WITHOUT PUTTING THIS INTO THE RESOLUTION, I THINK THAT IT LEADS TO THE POTENTIAL FOR THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING SELECTED TO BE ON THIS CENSUS COMMITTEE AND THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THESE ARE THE CHECKS AND BALANCES OF WHAT TO BE SURE TO INCLUDE. I KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT I SPOKE WITH HAVE NEVER DONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LAY OUT IT IS COMMON PRACTICE AND THE BEST PLACE TO DO THIS IS SOMETHING IN THE RESOLUTION WE'RE CREATING TODAY. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR PEÑA, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT? >>COUN. PEÑA: IF I CAN ADD TO THAT. I WAS CHOKING THE LAST TIME I SPOKE. I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT IF YOU GO AND LOOK UP THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF REDISTRICTING, EVERYTHING WE HAVE HERE IS OUTLINED WITHIN THAT. IT'S REALLY JUST PUTTING IT INTO THE RESOLUTION SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE WHO ARE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN THIS HAVE A TOOL AND A GUIDE IN WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF REDISTRICTING. THESE AREN'T ANYTHING WE DRAFTED ON OUR OWN. THIS IS SOMETHING OUTLINED IN REDISTRICTING. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR LEWIS, I SEE YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP. IS IT OKAY IF WE HEAR FROM COUNCILOR JONES AND GO BACK TO YOU? >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR JONES. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. MY QUESTION IS, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO SERVE ON ONE OF THESE. IT'S AN EYE-OPENER. WE ALSO HAD CONSULTANTS TO GUIDE HOW WE DO THAT. I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'RE PROVIDING CONSULTANTS TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE DOING THIS. AND PEOPLE WHO WILL -- HOW DO YOU SELECT THE CITIZENS IN THE REDISTRICTING, WHAT IS THE CRITERIA? AND HOW ARE THEY SELECTED? I THINK THOSE ARE ALL SUPPOSED TO BE QUESTIONS. >>COUN. BENTON: THAT'S A GOOD POINT. I HAD A SIMILAR QUESTION AS TO HOW WE'RE GOING TO STAFF THE COMMITTEE. MAYBE JUST SPEAK TO THAT, MS. MORRIS AND WE'LL GET TO COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT. I THINK THE COMMITTEE SHOULD CONSIDER ALL OF THE BEST PRACTICES. THIS NOT ANYTHING AGAINST THE SPONSORS. IT'S JUST I'M NOT QUITE SURE IF THE STATEMENT REFLECTS THE KIND OF GUIDANCE WE SHOULD GIVE THEM. THEY SHOULD CONSIDER ALL OF THE BEST PRACTICES. I'M NOT SURE THESE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAT THE OTHER. I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I KNOW YOU CALLED ON MS. MORRIS, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, I KNOW WHEN I WAS DISCUSSING IT WITH MS. MORRIS, AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR JONES, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING AND THESE COME FROM BRIAN AND HIS CONSULTING AND EXPERTISE. THIS IS WHY I HAD PUT MY NAME ON SOME OF THESE AMENDMENTS IS BECAUSE WE'RE BEING TOLD THIS IS RECOMMENDED PRACTICES IN ADDITION TO THE FACT TO ANSWER COUNCILOR BENTON YOU MENTIONED TOO. WE EACH GET TO SELECT TWO PEOPLE. IT'S WRITTEN IN HERE WHERE WE SELECT THE ONE PRIMARY AND ONE ALTERNATE. THEY ARE GOING TO BE, AND MS. MORRIS WILL DO THIS MUCH MORE ELOQUENTLY. THEY WILL BE WITH CONSULTATION AND GUIDANCE THROUGH USING THE PROPER GROUP THAT WE HAVE FOREVER, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. IT SEEMS LIKE. I DON'T KNOW ANYONE BEFORE THEN. I THINK WE'RE NOT SAYING WE WANT TO PICK PEOPLE IN EACH DISTRICT TO DO THIS AND SEND THEM OUT WITH ONLY THIS RESOLUTION. HOWEVER IT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED THIS GET ADDED IN. MS. MORRIS CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG OR ADD MORE INTO THAT. >> MR. PRESIDENT, COUNCILORS, YES. HANG ON A SECOND. WE HAVE A CONSULTANT WE'RE WORKING WITH US. THEY HELP US REVIEW THE RESOLUTION. WE MET WITH THEM AND REVIEW THE RESOLUTION AS DRAFTED AND THEY POINTED OUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS WE HAVEN'T QUITE COMPLETED. AND THESE ARE THE THREE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING. IN GENERAL, WE'RE WORKING ON THESE COMMITTEES TEND TO PREFER HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE DIRECTION THAN LESS DIRECTION. AS COUNCILOR JONES AND COUNCILOR BASSAN MENTIONED, THE FOLKS THAT WE HAVE ON THE COMMITTEE AND MANY INSTANCES HAVE NEVER SERVED ON ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. HAVING THESE VERY BASIC PRINCIPLES IN THE RESOLUTION HELPS PROVIDE THAT DIRECTION. THESE AMENDMENTS ARE REALLY ABOUT BEST PRACTICES. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE GETTING INTO OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS. THESE DO COME FROM GENERAL BEST PRACTICES OF THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE. I THINK COUNCILOR JONES HAD ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I CAN'T REMEMBER. >>COUN. JONES: I'M FINE. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR PEÑA. >>COUN. PEÑA: JUST ONE LAST THING, THERE ARE NO COMPETING LIST. THIS IS JUST THE PRINCIPLE OF REDISTRICTING. IT WAS OMITTED AND THEY NOTIFIED US THAT THESE PRINCIPLES WEREN'T IN THERE. WE PUT IT IN THE AMENDMENTS. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: ALL RIGHT. THANKS FOR THAT. WE DID HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE AMENDMENT. THIS IS AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. MS. ORTEGA TO CALL THE VOTE. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: NO. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> MOTION PASSES ON 8-1 VOTE FOR FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. >>COUN. BENTON: THERE'S A THIRD AMENDMENT FROM COUNCILOR BASSAN AND COUNCILOR PEÑA. COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER AMENDMENT ONE. >>COUN. BENTON: THERE'S A MOTION TO RECONSIDER AMENDMENT ONE. WE'LL NEED A SECOND FOR THAT. IS THAT A SECOND, COUNCILOR DAVIS? >>COUN. DAVIS: POINT OF ORDER. IS IT THE ONE WE JUST VOTED ON? >>COUN. BENTON: THE ONE BEFORE. NUMBER ONE HAD TO DO WITH DIVISIONS OF PRECINCTS WHEN MUNICIPAL LINES ARE INVOLVED. IS THERE A SECOND? >>COUN. DAVIS: FOR THE PURPOSES OF LETTING THE COUNCILORS MAKE THE VOTE TO CORRECT THE RECORD. I'LL SECOND IT. >>COUN. BENTON: ALL RIGHT, THERE'S A SECOND FOR RECONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE. MS. ORTEGA. >> TO CLARIFY FOR THE NEWER COUNCILORS, YOU'LL TAKE A VOTE TO RECONSIDER AS PART OF THE MAJORITY. THEN WE GO BACK TO AMENDMENT ONE AND TAKE A RE-VOTE. >>COUN. BASSAN: NO. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: NO. >>COUN. GROUT: NO. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: NO. >> THAT PASSES ON A 5-4 VOTE. WE GO BACK TO AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: NO. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 8-1 ON AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE. >>COUN. BENTON: ALL RIGHT. THAT TAKES US BACK TO FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE. COUNCILOR BASSAN AND COUNCILOR PEÑA. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I MOVE FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE ON PAGE TWO AND BEGINNING ONLINE 25. ADD A NEW SECTION 5D. THE COMMITTEE SHALL NOT USE ELECTION OR VOTER REGISTRATION DATA WHEN CONSIDERING DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. THIS AMENDMENT PROPOSES TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL CRITERIA THAT PROHIBITEDS VOTER REGISTRATION DATA WHEN CONSIDERING BOUNDARIES. THE CITY COUNCIL IS NON-PARTISAN ELICTED BODY. >>COUN. BENTON: I THINK I SEE A SECOND FROM COUNCILOR PEÑA. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR DAVIS. >>COUN. DAVIS: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO ASK EITHER MS. MORRIS OR OUR SPONSORS IF THEY CAN HELP WITH THIS. I UNDERSTAND THE NON-PARTISAN NATURE AND APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. DURING OUR CONVERSATIONS IN PUBLIC FINANCING WE DO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN HAVE DIFFERENT VOTER PARTICIPATION RATES. I KNOW IN REPRESENTATION WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT OUR WORKLOADS ARE EQUAL TO GIVE OUR CONSTIP -- CONSTITUENTS EQUAL TIME. IT STRIKES ME IN ORDER TO ENSURE EVERYONE'S VOTE COUNTS EQUALLY FOR THOSE THAT DO VOTE, THERE'S AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE THAT WE AT LEAST CONSIDER VOTER PARTICIPATION AS ONE OF THE FACTORS WHEN DRAWING THESE LINES. I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S A REASON FOR PROHIBITING IT. OR IF IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE TO LET THE COMMITTEE CONSIDER PHOSEDY -- THOSE FACTORS TO ENSURE OR HAVE MORE PARTICIPATION. I'M CURIOUS. >>COUN. BASSAN: MR. PRESIDENT. >>COUN. BENTON: YES, COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR COUNCILOR PEÑA. THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE THAT WAS RECOMMENDED. I CAN UNDERSTAND BOTH WAYS. I UNDERSTAND WE'RE NON-PARTISAN. I ALSO REALIZE WE'RE DETERMINING PUBLIC FINANCING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THAT'S DURING CAMPAIGNING. WHICH THAT'S IS WHAT THIS GOES TO AS WELL. I DON'T KNOW IF MS. MORRIS HAS SOMETHING CLEAR AS TO WHY THIS IS RECOMMENDED THAT WE DO INCLUDE THIS. OR IF COUNCILOR PEÑA HAS A SPECIFIC GUIDELINE. IT WAS RECOMMENDED BY -- AND HIS GROUP FOR BEST PRACTICES. >>COUN. BENTON: ALL RIGHT. I'LL ASK MS. MORRIS TO ANSWER THAT IF SHE CAN. >> MR. PRESIDENT, COUNCILORS, AS COUNCILOR BASSAN MENTIONED. THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CONSULTANT THAT IT IS BEST PRACTICE. AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE, HIS RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT IF ELECTION DATA DOES GET INVOLVED AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE, THE CONVERSATION CAN GET VERY POLITICIZED VERY QUICKLY. HE RECOGNIZED ELECTION DATA AND REGISTRATION DATA DOES GET CONSIDERED. H COUNCILOR BASSAN AND COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. COUNCILOR JONES, THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THINK THAT IS A GREAT WAY OF PHRASING IT IS WHAT MS. MORRIS SAID. IDEALLY, THIS IS BASED OFF OF CENSUS DATA. WHETHER PEOPLE ARE VOTING OR NOT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE REPRESENTING THEM. ALTHOUGH TO COUNCILOR JONES'S POINT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS WHAT HAPPENS. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE COUNTING PEOPLE, NOT VOTERS. I THINK THAT MEANS WE SHOULD TRY OUR BEST. WE SHOULD PUT THIS IN HERE. IF THAT MEANS WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO TRY OUR BEST. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. COUNCILOR LEWIS AND COUNCILOR PEÑA. >>COUN. BENTON: YOU'RE MUTED, DAN. >>COUN. LEWIS: ALL RIGHT. MR. PRESIDENT, I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT. I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY HEARTACHE IF THIS DOESN'T PASS OR IT DOES MASS. I THINK THERE'S UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF DEFINING IT LIKE THIS. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TAKE DATA LIKE REGISTRATION DATA, THEY'RE GOING TO COME TO THESE MEETING WITH THAT DATA. AT LEAST IT WILL BE IN THEIR MINDS. AND THERE'S GOING TO BE DECISIONS MADE THAT ARE INFLUENCED BY THAT. AGAIN, I WON'T SUPPORT IT BECAUSE OF THAT. AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT. I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE ADDED IN THERE. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. COUNCILOR PEÑA. >>COUN. PEÑA: I'LL BE BRIEF. JUST AGREE WITH COUNCILOR JONES AND COUNCILOR BASSAN. THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT'S PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION. IT WASN'T -- IT WAS THE CONSULTANTS AND WE HAD THEM REVIEW THE RESOLUTION AND PART OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF REDISTRICTING AND YES, UNFORTUNATELY, AS COUNCILOR JONES STATED EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THIS BASIC INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES WE'RE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW UNFORTUNATELY THAT DOESN'T QUITE HAPPEN. I THINK AS A REMINDER OF SOME OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES IS IMPORTANT AS A GUIDE MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE ANYMORE DISCUSSION. MS. ORTEGA. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: NO. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: NO. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> MOTION PASSES ON A 7-2 FOR FLOOR AMENDMENT THREE. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE MORE AMENDMENT. I'M SPONSORING THIS ONE. I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY. I HAD TO AT LEAST GIVE THIS A TRY. FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, COUNCILORS. THIS AMENDMENT WOULD HAVE THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE, FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, CONSIDER WHAT A PREFERRED MAP WHAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE IF WE HAD 11 COUNCIL DISTRICTS. IT'S SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED REPEATEDLY IN THE PAST. I'LL ADMIT THAT THIS IS PROBABLY BASED LARGELY ON WHAT HAPPENED IN THE OLD DISTRICT TWO AND THREE WHEN THEY WERE COMBINED. IT CREATED A VERY COMPLEX DISTRICT. THAT INCLUDES DOWNTOWN AND OLD TOWN. VERY UNIQUE IN THAT SENSE. SOME OF THE MAJOR FACILITIES AND SO FORTH. WE DID LOOK TO HAVE STAFF LOOK AT OTHER CITIES AND THE GROWTH OF ALBUQUERQUE SINCE NINE DISTRICTS WERE CREATED. OF COURSE THIS WOULD REQUIRE CHANGES IN THE FUTURE. SINCE THE COMMITTEES ONLY MEET ONCE EVERY TEN YEARS AND WE DO HAVE THE EXPERTISE OF MR. SANDER HAUF ON BOARD THAT FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES THIS WOULD NOT AFFECT THE IMMEDIATE REDISTRICTING THIS YEAR. BUT TO LOOK AT A MAP OF WHAT 11 DISTRICTS MIGHT LOOK LIKE. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT. I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THE AMENDMENT. IT LOOKS LIKE I MAY HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNCILOR DAVIS. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. AT FIRST I WAS THINKING THIS SEEMS WILDLY OUTRAGES. THEN I THOUGHT, MAYBE. I WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS IN MY HEAD. I'M AT THE, WELL DOES IT -- WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST US TO DO THIS? PART OF ME IS THINKING, EVERY TEN YEARS WHY NOT TACK IT ON AND DO THE RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATE AND SEE WHERE WE END UP. AT THE SAME TIME, HOW WILL THIS CHANGE THE PROCESS AND THE WORKLOAD FOR THE COMMITTEE? EVEN I HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH ANY KIND OF CENSUS WITH THE COUNCIL OR ANY OF THE LIKE. I'M WONDERING A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT THIS -- WHAT CAUSE AND EFFECT MIGHT HAPPEN. >>COUN. BENTON: THAT'S A LEGITIMATE QUESTION. IT -- SINCE THEY'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT MAPS AND ALREADY HAVE A QUALIFIED CONSULTANT LOOKING AT MAPS IT MIGHT BE INFORMATIONAL. AND INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE. COUNCILOR PEÑA. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. YOU HAVEN'T GIVEN UP ON THE 11-MEMBER COUNCIL. I APPRECIATE IT. I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE AMENDMENT. I DO APPRECIATE YOUR INTENT. I'M GOING TO TRY TO PARAPHRASE THE CP O -- COP . >>COUN. PEÑA: AND THE FACT THAT THE POPULATION HAS BEEN STAGNANT. WE HAVEN'T SEEN POPULATION GROWTH. I WOULDN'T SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 11-COUNCIL MEMBER ATTEMPT. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: I'M THINKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT 11 PEOPLE ON THE POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION. I DON'T SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT. THE COMMITTEE WILL HAVE ENOUGH TO DO ANYWAY. I WON'T SUPPORT IT. >>COUN. BENTON: LET'S SEE. I'LL ASK MS. MORRIS. ANY SENSE OF WHETHER THIS WOULD BE A BIG CHANGE OR IS IT A DISTRACTION? I RECOGNIZE IT'S IMPORTANT WORK TO DO. ANY SENSE FROM YOUR SIDE? >> MR. PRESIDENT, COUNCILORS, TO BE HONEST, I'M NOT SURE. I DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF HOW BIG OR LENGTHY OF A DISCUSSION REDISTRICTING WITHIN ALBUQUERQUE WILL BE THIS TIME AROUND. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE ENORMOUS POPULATION GROWTH THAT WE SAW BETWEEN 2000 AND 2010. THERE WAS SOME REALLY BIG CHANGES IN THE GROWTH OF ALBUQUERQUE IN THAT DECADE. THAT LED TO BIG CHANGES IN THE MAP. A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS. I AM UNDER THE IMPRESSION FROM THE CONSULTANT THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN THAT LEVEL OF OGROWTH IN THE CITY IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. THE CHANGES TO THE BOUNDARIES AND -- I DON'T KNOW THAT WAS NECESSARILY TRANSLATING TO MORE OR LESS DISCUSSIONS. TO BE HONEST THIS IS MY FIRST GO AT REDISTRICTING ITSELF. I'M REALLY NOT SURE. >>COUN. BENTON: YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW THE AMENDMENT. I GUESS -- I THINK IT EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LANGUAGE. I THINK IN THE SECOND AMENDMENT. HAVING TO DO WITH PRESERVING COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. I THINK THAT WAS THE BIG ARGUMENT. THERE WAS SOME INJUSTICES THAT RESULTED FROM THE LAST REDISTRICTING IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE OLDEST AND POOREST COMMUNITIES OF THE CITY BEING LEFT OUT. -- THERE'S POCKETS OF POVERTY THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THE NORTH VALLEY THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM MOST COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST WHO CAME FORWARD TO CHALLENGE IN COURT THE LAST REDISTRICTING. THAT'S PART OF THE REASON I HAVE THIS BONE IN MY MOUTH THAT I WON'T LET GO OF. I WOULD BE WITHDRAWING THE AMENDMENT. I THINK IT EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DISTRICTS THAT I THINK THERE'S AN APPROACH TO REDISTRICTING WHERE YOU JUST TRY TO KEEP IT ALL THE SAME. I WOULD HOPE THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL BE LOOKING BROADLY AT THE DISTRICTS AND WHAT'S BEST FOR COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST WITHIN EACH DISTRICT. COUNCILOR JONES. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU FOR WITHDRAWING. I THINK I WOULD ALSO ME INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT THE RESULT WOULD BE. IN REALITY, TEN YEARS FROM NOW IT COULD BE -- THESE ARE TIMES WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. IT COULD SHRINK BY 40% OR GROW BY 40%. AS MUCH AS I WOULD BE ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT OUR VERY TALENTED PEOPLE COULD DO, I AGREE WE SHOULD USE THE MONEY ON SOMETHING ELSE. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. >>COUN. BENTON: THANKS. I'LL TURN IT BACK TO THE SPONSORS TO CLOSE. >>COUN. BASSAN: I URGE YOUR SUPPORT. >>COUN. PEÑA: SAME HERE, MR. PRESIDENT. >>COUN. BENTON: I WANT TO THANK THE SPONSORS FOR WORKING ON THIS. IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO. AND STEPPED UP TO HELP MAKE IT -- PUT IT BEFORE US. THANK YOU FOR THAT. WITH THAT CLOSE, WE'LL MOVE TO THE VOTE. MS. ORTEGA. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 9-0 AS AMENDED. >>COUN. BENTON: WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM G. THIS IS MYSELF AND COUNCILOR BASSAN. R-236. THIS IS REFERRING THE PETITION FOR THE ALBUQUERQUE TOURISM PLANNING DISTRICT TO PREPARE THE DISTRICT PLAN AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY CLERK TO GIVE NOTICE OF A HEARING OF THE PROPOSED PLAN. I MOVE A DUE PASS. IT LOOKS LIKE A SECOND. THANK YOU. WE DO HAVE SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS FROM VISIT ALBUQUERQUE WITH US. I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCILOR BASSAN WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHE AND I ARE SPONSORING AT THE REQUEST OF VISIT ALBUQUERQUE AND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. LET'S LEAD IT OFF. I'LL START WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MS. ARMENTA. >> MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNSELING, THANK YOU FOR OPPORTUNITY BRIEFLY ADDRESS THE PROPOSED TOURISM MARKETING DISTRICT TO YOU. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A GENERAL OVERVIEW AND EXPLAIN THE PROCESS BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST STEP IN THE PROCESS. AGAIN, I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF VISIT ALBUQUERQUE. WE'RE THE PRIVATE NOT FOR PROFIT 501C6 THAT SEVERS AS THE ALBUQUERQUE TOURISM ORGANIZATION. I'M PLEASE TODAY HAVE THE PLANNING DPRUP WITH ME SO THEY CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THEY'RE KEY LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND SIGNIFICANT INVESTORS AND LEADERS IN THE INDUSTRY. I'D LIKE TO SHARE MY SCREEN AND WALK YOU THROUGH A PRESENTATION. WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ALBUQUERQUE TOURISM MARKETING DISTRICT. IT'S A GAME-CHANGER FOR THE CITY. FIRST AND FOREMOST WHAT IS THE TOURISM MARKETING DISTRICT? THE FUNDS PROVIDED WILL GIVE A FULLY DEDICATED FORCE OF REVENUE FOR TOURISM PROMOTION. THIS A BUSINESS COALITION THAT ALLOWS LODGING PROPERTIES TO ORGANIZE EFFORTS INCREASE THE CITY'S TOURISM MARKETING WHICH ATTRACTS MORE VISITORS TO ALBUQUERQUE AND VERY IMPORTANTLY IT'S A POWERFUL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL THAT GENERATES REVENUE AND CREATES JOBS. CERTAINLY IMPORTANT TOPICS IN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW. HOW WILL THIS WORK? I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE PROCESS WITH THE PLANNING GROUP TONIGHT. THIS IS ALL PROPOSED. THIS IS TO ADD A 2% ASSESSMENT ON THE GROSS RENTAL REVENUE AT LODGING PROPERTIES WITHIN THE DISTRICT. THE FEE IS PAID BY THE GUEST AT CHECK OUT AND COLLECTED BY THE LODGING. THIS IS A FEE GOING TO THE GUESTS STAYING AT HOTELS. THE LODGING PROPERTIES REMAIN IN CONTROL OF ADVERTISED ROOM RATES. THE FIRST QUESTION IS WHY NOW. I THINK IT'S NO SECRET THAT THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. ALL COMMUNITYERIZE -- IT'S HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND WILL GET MORE COMPETITIVE. SOME CITIES ARE BETTER TO RESPOND THAN OTHERS. THIS HAS BEEN THE REALITY FOR ALBUQUERQUE THAT WE'VE BEEN UNDERFUNDED FOR A CITY OUR SIZE. THERE'S SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC INVESTMENT, PRIVATE INVESTMENT, BUT NO ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO TELEALBUQUERQUE'S STORY AND PROMOTE THE CITY. THIS GIVES YOU THE DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION ANNUAL BUDGET WHICH SOME OF YOUR KEY COMPETTERS. DALLAS HAS OVER $40 MILLION. PHOENIX AT OVER $16.5 MILLION. TULSA AT $10.4 MILLION AND SANTA FE WITH $10 MILLION OF DEDICATED TO THE DESTINATION MARKETING EFFORTS. A FEW THINGS, DALLAS IS NOT THE TOP OF THE LIST. THERE'S MANY THAT HAVE NINE-FIGURE BUDGETS. I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THERE'S A CARAT NEXT TO THE CITY'S NAME IT MEANS THERE'S A TOURISM MARKETING DISTRICT WHICH WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE. IF THERE'S TWO NEXT TO THE CITY'S NAME IT MEANS THEY'RE ACTIVELY CONSIDERING IT. I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE. PHOENIX AT $16.5 MILLION HIGHLY LIKELY THEY'RE ACTIVELY CONSIDERING THIS VERY GOOD POSSIBILITY ALONG WITH AUSTIN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO JUMP IN TERMS OF BUDGETING FOR PROMOTION ALONG WITH CITIES LIKE TULSA AND TUCSON. THEY'RE LISTED AT $6.5 MILLION. THAT'S PUBLIC AND PRIVATE DOLLARS FOR VISIT ALBUQUERQUE. THIS CONCEPT THAT I'M SURING WITH YOU TONIGHT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN GROWING IN POPULARITY. IT'S OVER 193 CITIES ACROSS THE U.S. HAVE A TOURISM MARKETING DISTRICT OR TOURISM IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. YOU CAN SEE THE TREND LINES IN TERMS OF THE GROWTH OF POPULARITY. YOU MIGHT ASK IF WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ADD THE 2%. THE ANSWER IS YES. HERE'S SOME OF THE COMPETTERS IN TERMS OF THE TOTAL GUEST FEE. UPON CHECK OUT FOR SOME OF THE COMPETITIVE SETS. YOU'LL SEE WHERE MANY OF THOSE SAME CITIES, SAN ANTONIO IS NOT THE TOP. THERE'S SOME THAT HAVE 21% UPON GUEST CHECK OUT. WE PICKED SOME OF THE COMPETITORS. YOU'LL SEE ALBUQUERQUE SITS AT 13.87%. WE CAN ADD THE 2% AND BELOW THE AVERAGE. WE HAVE THE CAPACITY. THAT'S BEEN ACTIVELY DISCUSSED ALONG WITH HOTEL AND LODGING COMMUNITY. WHAT IMPACTS WOULD THIS MARKETING DISTRICT HAVE? IT WILL DOUBLE THE BUDGET AVAILABLE FOR MARKETING OUR CITY. WE HAVE DONE ESTIMATES IN REGARD TO WHAT THAT FIRST YEAR OF COLLECTION WOULD BE. WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT GAME-CHANGING POSSIBILITIES AND THE ABILITY TO TELL ALBUQUERQUE'S STORY THAT'S WHERE WE ARRIVED AT A DOUBLE BUDGET ON BEHALF OFT OF THE MARKING EFFORT. WHY WOULD WE CONSIDER THIS INCREASE MARKETING SALES EFFORTS LEAD TO HEIGHTENED AWARENESS AND UNIQUE EVENTS. MAJOR VISITORS, SPORTING EVENTS COMING TO ALBUQUERQUE. INCREASE IN EMPLOYMENT AND HOSPITALITY. ESCALATED ECONOMIC GROWTH SKWIM PACT ON BEHALF OF THE INDUSTRY. I WILL POINT OUT THAT AS EVERYONE KNOWS TOURISM MARKETING INCREASES THE APPEAL AND AWARENESS OF THE CITY. THE BENEFITS ARE NOT JUST TO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY. IT WILL BENEFIT THE GREATER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. MAKING MORE AWARENESS OF ALBUQUERQUE AND GREATER APPEAL FOR ALBUQUERQUE. THE TOURISM MARKETING DISTRICT COMMITTEE WOULD BE A COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF LODGING PROPERTIES THAT WILL PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND THIS INCLUDES REPRESENTATIVES FROM FOOD SERVICES AND LIMITED SERVICE LODGING PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AGAIN, I MENTIONED MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING GROUP ARE HERE THIS EVENING. THE PROPOSED PLANNING GROUP IS REPRESENTED. [ LISTING PARTICIPANTS ]. I WILL TELL YOU THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE ACTUALLY ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY AND LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY. BETWEEN THEM, REPRESENTATION AND LEADERSHIP WITH THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOTELS ASSOCIATION, AND THE GREATER ALBUQUERQUE HOTEL ASSOCIATION AND THE LODGERS TAX ADVISORY BOARD. TO QUICKLY TALK ABOUT HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS. WHAT WE'VE DONE LEADING UP TO THIS TO BRING IT TO YOU, WE'RE USING THE STATE'S BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT STATUTE AS THE ENABLING LEGISLATION FOR THIS. THAT STATUTE AND ENABLING LEGISLATION CALLS FOR A PETITION PROCESS. REALLY WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE HOTELS IN THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTING THIS, WE HAVE MET THAT REQUIREMENT. AND SUBMITTED THE PETITION TO THE CITY. WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH THE PROPOSED PLANNING GROUP PROCESS. THE NEXT STEP AFTER APPROVAL OF A PLANNING GROUP WOULD BE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING. THE CITY CLERK WOULD NOTICE ALL HOTELS OF A PUBLIC HEARING WHERE WE INVITE ALL THE HOTELS OF THAT PUBLIC HEARING. TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ABLE TO PROPOSE THE PLAN, HAVE DISCUSSION FROM THE HOTEL COMMUNITY AND ENSURING EVERYONE IS HEARD. WE HAVE DONE THE -- WE WOULD THEN COME TO CITY COUNCIL AFTER THAT PROCESS WITH THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE FOR THE TOURISM MARKETING DISTRICT AFTER THAT PROCESS. AND THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL STEP TO GO AHEAD AND ADOPT THE ORDINANCE LEVYING THE ANNUAL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT BENEFIT. AT THE CLOSURE OF THAT THE DISTRICT WOULD BE COMPLETE. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY WITH THE TIMELINE THIS PROCESS COULD MOVE FORWARD AND WE COULD LOOK TO START COLLECTING AS EARLY AS JULY 1 IN COMBINATION WITH THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR PROCESS. AND MANY OF THE HOTEL COMMUNITIES THAT'S EXCITING NEWS. IT'S A GAME-CHANGING POSSIBILITY AND RECOVERY OPPORTUNITIES FROM THAT. I WOULD -- I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. OUR PLANNING GROUP AND I SAN FRANCISCOED STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. AND THANKS TO THE PLANNING GROUP FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT. HOPEFULLY WE DIDN'T PUT YOU TO SLEEP PRIOR TO NOW. FIRST, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COUNCILOR SANCHEZ. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO A LOT WITHIN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE IS I AM INTO STAYICATIONS. I LIKE GOING TO DIFFERENT HOTELS HERE. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE DO. I'M AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE ALBUQUERQUE HISPANO CHAMBER. THEY HAVE A STAYICATION GOING. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE'S A WAY TO ACTUALLY MAKE A CHANGE IN THIS SO THAT ANY CITIZEN THAT ACTUALLY HAS AN ALBUQUERQUE RESIDENCE IS EXEMPT FROM PAYING THE HIGHER TAXES. I'VE SEEN THAT IN OTHER CITIES AS WELL WHEN I GO INTO THE CITY AND IF YOU HAVE AN I.D. THEY DON'T CHARGE THE EXTRA TAXES. JUST CURIOUS. >> MR. PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR SANCHEZ, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE LOCAL REPRESENTATION AND NATIONAL CONSULTANT. I CERTAINLY, THAT NATIONAL CONSULT NALITY WORK I WILL GO BACK TO THEM AND INQUIRE TO YOUR POINT ABOUT LOCAL RESIDENTS AND THE OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR THAT CONSIDERATION AND BRING THAT FORWARD THROUGH THE PROCESS. >>COUN. BENTON: ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCILOR SANCHEZ? >>COUN. SANCHEZ: I JUST WANT TODAY MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT, MR. PRESIDENT. I UNDERSTAND THIS VERY WELL. I HAVE ATTENDED MANY CONFERENCES IN OTHER STATES AS ALL OF YOU HAVE. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE SUPPORT THIS BASED ON THE FACT THIS IS NEW MONEY COMING IN. THIS IS MONEY THAT WE DON'T SEE OTHERWISE. I THINK THIS IS A VERY, VERY GOOD PROGRAM. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. I ALSO WANTED TO THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANCHEZ, FOR VOLUNTEERING TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF VISIT ALBUQUERQUE ALONG WITH COUNCILOR GROUT. I'VE SERVED ON THEIR BOARD BECAUSE I'M A BELIEVER IN THIS INDUSTRY. AS YOU SAY SO ELOQUENTLY, COUNCILOR SANCHEZ, THIS IS A KEY COMPONENT. I THINK COUNCILOR LEWIS AND COUNCILOR JONES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YOU NEED TO UNMUTE, COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: IT'S LIKE A THREE STRIKES. I MIGHT HAVE MISSED THIS. WHAT IS THE PROJECTED REVENUE, THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE THIS WOULD BRING IN? >>COUN. BENTON: MS. ARMENTA. >> GREAT QUESTION. AGAIN, WE'RE IN A VERY UNCERTAIN ENVIRONMENT. I WANT TO PREFACE IT BY SAYING THESE PREFACE ARE PRE-COVID ESTIMATES. WE BELIEVE THE FIRST YEAR OF COLLECTION WOULD BE ESTIMATED AT ABOUT $4.8 MILLION. JUST SHY OF $5 MILLION. THIS WOULD BE A FIVE-YEAR SERVICE PLAN. OPPORTUNITY FOR $25 MILLION UPWARDS OF $25 MILLION OF TOTAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MARKETING FOR THE CITY. >>COUN. LEWIS: MR. PRESIDENT, I KNOW THERE'S OTHER REVENUE SOURCES FOR MARKETING OUR CITY AND I GUESS I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF WE CONSIDERED SOME OF THE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES WHEN IT COMES TO INCREASING MARKETING. I KNOW WE FUNDED MARKETING THE CITY IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS. I GUESS I WANTED TO ASK THAT GENERAL QUESTION OF OUR STAFF. WHAT HAVE BEEN THE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES IN THE PAST, INCLUDING ONES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW? >>COUN. BENTON: WHO HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING WITH ON THE CITY STAFF? >> MR. PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE SANJAY BACA IS AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS IN REGARD TO THAT. THAT'S THE MAYOR'S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILOR BENTON, COUNCILOR LEWIS. I THINK WE HAVE SOME OF THE OTHER SOURCES IN THE PAST. MOST RECENTLY DURING THE PANDEMIC WE ALLOCATED SOME MONEY, CLOSE TO $1.5 MILLION. THAT WAS FEDERAL MONEY. IT WAS ALLOWED TO BE SPENT SPECIFICALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC. OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE SPENT, OTHER THAN LODGERS TAX REVENUE, FOR MARKETING. THAT SAID, THE ADMINISTRATION IS SUPPORTING THE INITIATIVE. I THINK IT WOULD CREATE LEVEL FIELD FOR US. ESPECIALLY WITH OUR NEIGHBORING COMPETING CITIES. AND THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY WHICH WOULD BE -- IT WOULD MAKE ALBUQUERQUE VERY COMPETITIVE. AGAIN, I THINK IT'S MOSTLY PAID BY THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN ALBUQUERQUE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO WOULD STAY IN ALBUQUERQUE HOTELS AS MENTIONED BY WAY OF STAYICATION. MOST OF IT WOULD BE SPENT BY PEOPLE NOT LIVING IN THE CITY. THEREFORE WE SUPPORT THIS. I HOPE IT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. >>COUN. LEWIS: MR. PRESIDENT. I'M GOING TO STATE THIS NOW, I'M GENERALLY NOT IN SUPPORT OF JUST MAKING IT MORE EXPENSIVE TO VISIT OUR CITY. IF THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE ONLY WAY TO BUILD THE REVENUE WE NEED AND MARKET OUR CITY, THEN MEMBER I CONSIDER THAT. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO CONSIDER MAKING IT MORE EXPENSIVE FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT OUR CITY. IF THIS DOESN'T PASS, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY COMMIT THAT I WILL DO EVERYTHING, I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN WITHIN OUR BUDGET WE'RE FUNDING THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY. I WILL MAKE THAT COMMITMENT. I DON'T SUPPORT THE PRINCIPLE OF RAISING FEES AND MAKING IT MORE EXPENSIVE TO VISIT THE CITY. I HOPE THOSE SPONSORS UNDERSTAND THAT. I'M GOING TO BE UP FRONT AND HONEST. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. WE HAVE A COUPLE COUNCILORS. LET ME ASK -- BEFORE WE GO TO THE COUNCILORS. LET ME ASK MR. SINDOM TO SPEAK. I KNOW WE HAVE LODGERS TAX, BUT THAT'S DIVIDED AMONG OTHER ENTITIES OUTSIDE OF VISIT ALBUQUERQUE. SIR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK SOME >> COUNCILOR LEWIS, THAT'S A GREAT POINT AND QUESTION. PROBABLY THE SAME QUESTION I ASKED MYSELF WHEN TANYA FIRST BROUGHT THIS PROPOSAL TO US. I REPRESENT TOTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. WE HAVE FIVE HOTELS HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE, THEY'RE ALL LIMITED SERVICE PROPERTIES. OUR HOTELS ARE ALL NEW MEXICO OWNED. WE HAVE CLOSE TO 150 EMPLOYEES LOCATIONS. THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS IS IT REALLY GOING TO COST SOMEBODY MORE TO COME TO ALBUQUERQUE? NO. I DON'T THINK SO. BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE LODGER'S TAX THAT OTHER CITIES ARE CHARGING, WE'RE GOING TO BE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. I DON'T THINK IT MAKES IT MORE EXPENSIVE, IT REALLY JUST PUTS US ON PAR FROM EXPENSE STANDPOINT. THE OTHER HALF OF THAT COIN IS LODGERS TAX HAS BEEN -- I HATE TO USE THE WORD RATED, IT'S BEEN UTILIZED FOR OTHER THINGS. IT'S FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER AND TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE. WHICH LEAVES VERY LITTLE MONEY LEFT FOR PROMOTING TRAVEL AND TOURISM. IN THE PAST, AND IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE STATE, LODGERS TAX IS THE ONLY FUNDING FOR TOURISM MARKETING. I JUST SEE THIS AS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO TO STAY COMPETITIVE. THE OTHER POINT I WANT TO BRING UP -- AND THIS WAS VOICED BY JUST ABOUT EVERY MEMBER OF THE HOTEL ASSOCIATE ASSOCIATION THAT I BELONG TO AND SEVERAL OTHER HOTEL OPERATORS THAT I SPOKE TO, OUR NUMBER ONE CONCERN IS REALLY PUBLIC SAFETY. WE DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN AS TAKING ONE NICKEL OR PENNY OR DIME AWAY FROM PUBLIC SAFETY. OUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY. FROM THAT STANDPOINT, I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE COMING FROM AS HOTEL OWNERS. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: I'LL ALLOW COUNCILOR LEWIS TO DO A FOLLOW UP AND WE HAVE COUNCILOR JONES AND COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. LEWIS: I UNDERSTAND THOSE ARGUMENTS, IF IT WAS EITHER OR. IF WE WERE TAKING THEM FROM PUBLIC SAFETY TO FUND IT. WE'RE NOT DOING THAT. WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THOSE CHOICES. WE CAN GIVE YOU $5 MILLION IN THE NEXT CITY BUDGET AND COMPLETELY FUND THE SIZE OF THE MARKETING FOR OUR CITY. I THINK YOU ALL WOULD AGREE IF WE WOULD DO THAT AND MAKE IT LESS EXPENSIVE FOR PEOPLE TO STAY INSIDE OF YOUR HOTEL I KNOW YOU WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. I THINK THERE'S A BETTER WAY. THAT'S WHY -- THAT'S THE POINT I'M MAKING. I THINK THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO FUND CHAMPIONING OUR CITY AND HELPING PEOPLE TO COME AND SEE THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT OUR CITY AND STAY AT OUR HOTELS. I'D LIKE TO FUND IT A DIFFERENT WAY. THAT'S WHY I'M OPPOSING THIS VOTE. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. LET ME MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING. YOU'RE PROPOSING TO ADD A TAX ON THE ROOM RATE THAT THE HOTEL WHO PARTICIPATE WILL BE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL FEE ON TO THE ROOM RATE AND THAT MONEY WILL BE USED TO PROMOTE THE CITY AND THEIR HOTELS? >> YES, ADDING A 2% ASSESSMENT. 2% ASSESSMENT. THIS WOULD DIFFER FROM THE OTHER COLLECTION OF TAXES THAT ARE GOVERNMENT TAXES. THIS WOULD BE AN ASSESSMENT USING THE BUSINESS COALITION AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ENABLING LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THAT. AGAIN, THE PETITION PROCESS THAT'S BROUGHT THIS FORWARD TONIGHT WITH THE MEETING THAT REQUIREMENT FOR THE MAJORITY OF HOTELS THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THAT PETITION AND THE OPPORTUNITY NOW FOR THE PLANNING GROUP TO HOLD -- THE PLANNING GROUP THEN TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING WITH ALL HOTELS IN REGARD TO THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE COMING BACK TO COUNCIL. >>COUN. JONES: MR. PRESIDENT. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN SEE A DOWN SIDE TO THE PEOPLE -- BUSINESSES REALIZING THAT THEY NEED HELP. THEY NEED TO PROMOTE OUR CITY IN ORDER TO HELP THEIR BUSINESS ASK WE'RE CONSIDERING THAT IS BAD THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO GO FORTH AND RAISE THE MONEY. NOT FROM OUR CITIZENS TO PROMOTE THEIR BUSINESS IN OUR CITY, BUT FROM CUSTOMERS OF PEOPLE WHO STAY IN THEIR HOTELS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BAD ABOUT THIS. I MEND -- COMMEND YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND SAYING WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND INCREASE THE LODGERS TAX AND GIVE US 90% TO DO THIS. WE'RE WILLING TO STEP UP, DO THE WORK, MAKE THE ARRANGEMENT, COLLECT THE MONEY AND MARKET THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE OUT OF OUR POCKETS. I WISH MORE BUSINESSES HAD THE ABILITY TO PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING LIKE THIS. YOU GUYS ARE IN A VERY UNIQUE SITUATION. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO STEP UP AND TRY TO DO WORK ON YOUR OWN FOR THE CITY INSTEAD OF COMING TO US WITH YOUR HAND UP AND SAY MY BUSINESS ISN'T AS GOOD AS IT SHOULD BE, YOU NEED TO GIVE MORE MONEY TO MAKE MY BUSINESS BETTER. I SEE NO DOWNSIDE TO THIS. IF IT DOESN'T WORK, YOU STOP CHARGING THAT MUCH MONEY. I THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ALL. THIS IS WHY YOU'RE SUCH GOOD BUSINESS PEOPLE. THANK YOU. I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. BASSAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I'M ON THE -- MAYBE MY CLOSE AS PART OF THIS. I THINK THAT IT ALREADY GOT TOUCHED ON. I DON'T THINK THAT -- I DON'T THINK RAISING THIS COST IS WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE PEOPLE VISIT ALBUQUERQUE MORE EXPENSIVE AT THIS TIME. I THINK WE HAVE OTHER ISSUES WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE COST OF THE VISIT. AT FIRST, I WAS HIS TANT TO CO-SPONSOR THIS BILL. TALKING ABOUT IT AND TO COUNCILOR JONES'S POINT, ONCE I HEARD FROM MANY CONSTITUENTS AND IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY THAT WERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS, IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT COUNCILOR JONES SAID ABOUT THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING TO FIX A VOID THAT THEY HAD. IN ADDITION TO THEM AFTER THAT REALIZING WE WEREN'T JUST ASKING TO HIKE THE PERCENTAGE IN SOME ASTRONOMICAL WAY, WE'RE STILL COMPETITIVE IN THE COMPARISON WITH OTHER HOTELS ON THE SPECTRUM AND ON THE SAME LINE OF BUSINESS WHEN IT COMES TO NEIGHBORING CITIES ARE THAT ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL AND THEY'RE DOING IT BETTER. HERE'S A WAY TO STEP UP AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING TOO MUCH ON AN INCREASE AS FAR AS CONSUMER COST. I THINK THE BUSINESSES WANT IT. I THINK I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA THAT COUNCILOR SANCHEZ PUT ON HERE ABOUT A LOCAL DISCOUNT. MAYBE HOTELS ALREADY OFFER IT. I WITH MY MANY CHILDREN DON'T REALLY DO STAYICATIONS VERY OFTEN. AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WORTH LOOKING INTO. I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD COMPROMISE TO MARKET ALBUQUERQUE AS THE AMAZING PLACE THAT IT IS WITHOUT TAKING MONEY FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS IN ALBUQUERQUE. I'M REALLY HOPING TO URGE YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT. >>COUN. BENTON: I THINK WE'RE IN CLOSE HERE. I'LL ALLOW COUNCILOR LEWIS TO RESPOND. >>COUN. LEWIS: THANKS, MR. PRESIDENT. I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE PASS. I THINK THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO FUND IT. THEY'RE COMING FOR APPROVAL FOR A FEE INCREASE. I THINK THERE'S A BETTER WAY FUND IT. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. I THINK A LOT OF THE MONEY WE'RE SPENDING ON A LOT OF OTHER THINGS IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. AND IF THE CITY DID ITS JOB AND FUNDED PROMOTING OUR CITY AND TOURISM IN THE CITY, THEN YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE RAISING YOUR FEES TO BE ABLE DO THAT. I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND MY POSSESSION. I THINK THERE'S A BETTER WAY. I'LL LEAVE IT WITH THAT. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. >>COUN. BENTON: THANKS. I GUESS -- I DON'T KNOW IF THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO COMMENT ON THIS? OR HAS A POSITION? MR. RAEL. >> MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AS MR. BACA SAID OBVIOUSLY THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR BUSINESS MEN AND WOMEN THAT OWN HOTELS ARE STEPPING UP THAT SAY WE CARE ABOUT THE BUSINESS AND THE COMMUNITY TO IMPOSE THIS WE. AND THIS IS THE FIRST STEP. THERE'S STILL MORE STEPS TO BE HAD BEFORE THIS IS DONE. THEY HAVE TO DO A MEETING WITH OTHER HOTELS TO GET THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL. THIS BEGINS THE PROCESS. AS WE MOVE THROUGH IT, WE'LL GET MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY. IT REALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD AND PUT MONEY INTO THE MARKETING. EVEN WITH THE PANDEMIC AS IT IS. THIS IS TO BE AHEAD OF THE CURVE RATHER THAN BEHIND THE CURVE AS WE FIND OURSELVES IN MANY AREAS. WE SUPPORT THE PROCESS AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE HOTEL INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. I'LL CLOSE AS WELL. AS I REFERRED TO BEFORE, I SAT ON THIS BOARD FOR MANY YEARS. I'M HAPPY TO HAVE A COUPLE OTHER COUNCILORS WHO WANT TO JUMP IN. I'LL STAY ON AS AN ALTERNATE TO THE BOARD. I HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE WARS. THERE IS A LOT OF COMPETITION TO THE LODGERS TAX MONEY. THAT WOULD BE ONE ASPECT. I THINK WHAT VISIT ALBUQUERQUE AND THE FOLKS THAT DO THE NATIONAL ADVERTISING FOR US FIND IS THEY'RE IN COMPETITION WITH A LOT OF OTHER INTEREST. LET'S JUST FACE IT POLITICAL INTERESTS, PERHAPS SOME PUBLIC OFFICIALS WANT DO GET A CAPITAL PROJECT DONE AND YES IT'S LEGITIMATE USE OF THE LODGERS TAX, BUT THAT TAKES A BIG BITE OUT. I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CITIES GIVING SUPPORT TO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, WE'RE LAGGING. I DO APPRECIATE THE PRIVATE SECTOR STEPPING UP AND WANTING TO HELP US HELP THEM. ALSO AT THE SAME TIME HELP THE CITY AS A WHOLE TO PROMOTE ALBUQUERQUE AS WONDERFUL PLACE THAT IT IS. THIS IS A FIRST STEP. IT'S NOT THE FINAL. WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO QUESTION MORE AS WE FORWARD. FOR THE FIRST STEP OF THE ADRY GROUP, I URGE YOUR OTHER. WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE TO A VOTE. MS. ORTEGA. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: NO. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> PASSES ON AN 8-1 VOTE. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. WE'RE NEAR THE END. WE WON'T HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS REMAINING. THE FIRST IS R-4. THIS IS ADOPTING THE MULTIJURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN FOR THE CITY AND BERNALILLO COUNTY. I MOVE A DUE PASS. SECOND BY COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU. I WILL ASK THE ADMINISTRATION TO ADDRESS THIS. I'M ACTUALLY DOING THIS BY REQUEST. I DON'T KNOW ALL THAT UP ABOUT IT. I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT WORK WITH THE COUNTY. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THIS IS ROGER. WITH THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING ADOPTING THIS PLAN THAT REPRESENTS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT OF SEVEN ENTITIES AND IT TOOK SEVERAL THOUSAND HOURS TO COMPLETE. THE PLAN EXAMINES THREATS AND HAZARDS AND WHETHER THEY BE NATURAL, TECHNOLOGICAL OR HUMAN CAUSED. WE RANK THEM TO ESTABLISH THE THREATS AND HAZARDS AND HOPEFULLY WILL MAKE US ALL SAFER. THE PLAN IS REQUIRED BY FEMA TO BE UPDATED EVERY FIVE YEARS AND ALLOWS US TO PARTICIPATE IN VARIOUS FEMA PROGRAMS INCLUDING GRANTS. OUR OFFICE HAS ONE $500,000 GRANT THAT REQUIRES THE ADOPTION OF THIS PLAN. WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. I'LL ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILORS, ANY QUESTIONS? I DO NOT MOVE THIS YET. I'LL MOVE A DUE PASS ON THIS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND FROM COUNCILOR DAVIS. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR DAVIS. >>COUN. DAVIS: I JUST WANT TO SAY WELCOME BACK, ROGER. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS ON THE COUNCIL AND PUBLIC DON'T THINK ABOUT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MUCH UNTIL THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I WANT TO SAY IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC YOU WERE CRITICAL IN HELPING THE COUNCIL MAKE CRITICAL DECISIONS. THAT SUPPORT AND INSIGHT AND COMPETENCE HAS NOT WAVERED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. WE'VE WATCHED OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE REALLY STRUGGLED TO DO THIS BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T AS PREPARED. I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU CONGRATULATIONS AND PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. THIS GRANT IS DESERVED BECAUSE OF THE GREAT WORK YOU PUT IN. THANK YOU FOR THIS. THIS WILL BE A GREAT EFFORT TO CONTINUE THAT WORK. IT'S WELL-DESERVED. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: I'LL DITTO THAT. THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >>COUN. BENTON: I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILORS. WE'LL MOVE TO A VOTE. MS. ORTEGA. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 9-0. >>COUN. BENTON: THANK YOU. WE MOVE TO OTHER BUSINESS. THIS EC1, THE MAYOR'S VETO OF O-21-79. AMENDING THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND AND LAND ADMINISTRATION ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF FUNDS FOR OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION. AMEND THE RELEVANT CROSS REFERENCE AND AMEND THE SECTION 2.12 OF INTENT AND SCOPE TO MAKE PERMANENT 2% CIP FOR OPEN SPACE ACQUISITIONS. THE ADMINISTRATION DID VETO THIS AND SENT A VETO MESSAGE. I ASSUME EVERYONE READ THAT. IF THE COUNCILOR WISHES TO OVERRIDE THE VETO THEY WILL MAKE A MOTION TO OVERRIDE. IF NO MOTION IS MADE, IF A SECOND IS NOT RECEIVED THE VETO STANDS. ALSO, IF A MOTION IS MADE SECOND IS RECEIVED, SIX VOTES ARE NOT OBTAINED, THE MAYOR'S VETO STANDS. IS THERE A MOTION OVERRIDE? SEEING NONE. THEN THE MAYOR'S VETO STANDS. I'M SORRY. COUNCILOR JONES. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I THINK THIS IS CONFUSING FOR THE PEOPLE AT HOME WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT WE JUST DID. I THINK WE JUST NEED TO SAY WHAT WE DID WAS REFUSE TO ENFORCE THE -- WE AGREED WITH THE MAYOR AND DECIDED THAT THE HANDLING OF OPEN SPACE AND THE FUND THAT TRUST FUND SHALL NOT BE CHANGED. >>COUN. BENTON: THAT'S CORRECT. OUR ACTION WAS TO NOT OVERRIDE THE VETO. HOWEVER, WHAT THAT DOES IS EFFECTIVELY IS LEAVE THE SYSTEM AS IT EXISTS NOW IN PLACE. I THINK ONE FACTOR IN THAT, I SEE COUNCILOR LEWIS WANTS TO SPEAK. JUST QUICKLY FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, YOU CAN READ THE MAYOR'S VETO MESSAGE. I THINK THE ONE THING NOT MENTIONED IN THE VETO MESSAGE WAS THE ROLE OF THE OPEN SPACE ADVISORY BOARD WHICH WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE BOARD. THEY RECOGNIZE THAT BOARD -- AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM. I THINK FROM THE ONES WE SPOKE TO THEY RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT COUNCILOR HARRIS REASONING WERE LEGITIMATE ISSUES, IT'S JUST THOUGHT THE PATH FORWARD TO ADDRESS THEM. >>COUN. JONES: IF I MAY, THAT'S WHAT WE NEEDED TO GET OUT THERE. THIS IS NOW AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US AND THE ADVISORY GROUP, WHICH IS MAGNIFICENT. THEY LIVE AND BREATHE THIS GROUP. IS TO REASSESS AND SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO MAKE THE OPEN SPACE SYSTEM WORK BETTER FOR THE CITIZENS OF ALBUQUERQUE. IS THAT FAIR TO SAY, MR. PRESIDENT? >>COUN. BENTON: I THINK THAT'S GETTING THE MESSAGE. I ALSO MENTIONED THE NEED OF EQUITY OF ACCESS TO OPEN SPACE AS AN IMPORTANT POINT. CERTAINLY THE RETURN ON THE FUND, RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED. A LOT OF ISSUES REMAINING TO BE TACKLED. I THINK AN INTEREST IN REALLY UPDATING THE ORDINANCE. JUST NOT AT THIS POINT. COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. JONES: THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN WHAT HAPPENED OR UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED. THANK YOU. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR LEWIS AND COUNCILOR PEÑA. >>COUN. LEWIS: MR. PRESIDENT, I THINK THE FURTHER CLARIFICATION, I THINK THE STATEMENT WAS MADE BY LETTING IT STAND LIKE IT DOES RIGHT NOW WE AGREE WITH THE MAYOR ON THIS. THAT'S CLEARLY NOT THE CASE. THERE WAS A VOTE TAKEN ON THIS. THERE'S A VETO ON IT. THERE'S STILL COUNCILORS THAT ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THIS BILL. I FOR ONE, AND JUST BECAUSE I THINK THE PUBLIC MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE, IF I CAN STILL MAKE THAT MOTION I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO OVERRIDE. >>COUN. BENTON: YOU CAN STILL MAKE THAT MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? COUNCILOR PEÑA, DID YOU WANT TO SECOND OR SPEAK? >>COUN. PEÑA: I WAS GOING TO SPEAK. >>COUN. BENTON: IS THERE A SECOND TO COUNCILOR LEWIS'S MOTION? COUNCILOR BASSAN, WERE YOU SECONDING IT? >>COUN. BASSAN: MR. PRESIDENT, I'LL SECOND IT FOR THE SAKE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO VOTE ON IT. AT THE SAME TIME I DO HAVE A COMMENT WHEN YOU WILL ALLOW. >>COUN. BENTON: THAT MOTION IS ON THE FLOOR. COUNCILOR PEÑA WAS IN THE QUEUE. I'LL ASK HER TO SPEAK FIRST AND WE CAN GET THROUGH THE MEASURE. YOU CAN SPEAK TO -- >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. IT'S LOUD AROUND HERE. I JUST REALLY WANTED TO SAY SINCE WE'RE HAVING DISCUSSION ON IT. I JUST REALLY WANTED TO COMMEND COUNCILOR HARRIS. I APPRECIATE HIS EFFORT ON THIS AND ALL HIS WORK. THE TRUST FUND IS ACTUALLY NOT A TRUST FUND IN THE NAME OF A TRUST FUND. IT'S JUST BY NAMESAKE. THE INTEREST HAS BEEN GENERATED SINCE THE TRUSTFUND NAME HAS DEVELOPED HASN'T REALLY GENERATED ABOUT -- I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE AMOUNT WAS. $870,000. IT HASN'T ALLOWED US TO PURCHASE PROPERTY. BY US BEING ABLE TO USE THE $10 MILLION TO BUY PROPERTY THAT WE'RE LOSING, ESPECIALLY HERE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND PROPERTY VALUES AREN'T GOING TO BE CHEAPER DOWN THE ROAD. THE PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING TO INCREASE. I APPRECIATE HIS EFFORTS IN THAT. AND THE FACT THAT HE IS ACTUALLY THE ONE THAT WAS THE BRAINCHILD HAD BEHIND PUTTING THE PERCENTAGE THROUGH THE CAPITAL EVERY YEAR. THAT'S AM MONEY WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY WITH. I THINK HE'S BEEN THOUGHTFUL AND IN TERMS OF HOW HE ENVISIONED THIS MOVING FORWARD AND INCREASE TO 2% I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE ENABLED US TO PURCHASE PROPERTY MORE QUICKLY INTO THE FUTURE. THAT BEING SAID, I WASN'T PLANNING ON VOTING AGAINST THE MAYOR'S VETO. I JUST THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AS WE MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT THE OPEN SPACE TASK FORCE THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MORE EXTENSIVE DIALOGUE WITH THEM AND HOW DO WE IMPROVE THAT FUND IS PARAMOUNT TO US ACQUIRING OPEN SPACE MOVING FORWARD. IN ADDITION TO THAT, JUST WANTING TO SAY THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OPEN SPACE, PURCHASING OPEN SPACE, SOMETHING I HAD CONCERN ABOUT WAS THE EQUITY. RIGHT NOW THERE'S DEFINITIONS THAT SAY WE MUST PURCHASE PRISTINE PROPERTY. I THINK WE DEFTLY NEED TO HAVE THAT EQUITY TOOL IN THERE. I HAD A PIECE OF PROPERTY WHICH WAS NOT PRISTINE PROPERTY. IT WAS BEING OVERLOOKED AS A POTENTIAL FOR OPEN SPACE. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THE I HOPE WE HAVE WITH THE BOARD MOVING FORWARD SO WE CAN LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE AND FINANCIALLY STABLE AND ABLE TO BUY PROPERTY MOVING FORWARD FOR THE THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. >>COUN. BASSAN: MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU. I STILL STAND BY MY EARLIER VOTE FROM LAST YEAR. I THINK WE SHOULD SPEND THIS MONEY. I THINK WE SHOULD BUY OPEN SPACE. I THINK WE SHOULD SECURE IT BEFORE IT GETS DEVELOPED. THAT'S THE WHOLE REASON WE WANT TO HAVE OPEN SPACE PRESERVES. ADD SAME TIME I THINK THE POINT THE MAYOR MADE AND HIS VETO MESSAGE MAKES SENSE. I THINK THAT THERE IS SOME ROOM TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT PROCESS WHILE ENCOMPASSING THE THE INDIVIDUALS ON THE BOARD WITH RESPECT TO WHAT WE DO AND HAVE THEM DO. I HOPE WE SPEND THE MONEY AND CIRCLE BACK TO THIS. I WANT TO DO THAT. AT THE SAME TIME I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO THINGS RIGHT WITH CONJUNCTION TO THE SYSTEM WE HAVE SET UP. >>COUN. BENTON: COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: I THINK WE CAN STILL CONSIDER THE POINTS THAT THE MAYOR MADE AND CONTINUE TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION. I DO WANT TO -- I THINK THE COUNCIL MADE A GREAT CASE FOR THIS AND THE MAJORITY PASSED IT LAST YEAR. I CERTAINLY WANT TO CHAMPION THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE FOR OPEN SPACE ON THE WEST SIDE. WE HAVE TREASURED AREAS WE NEED TO MOVE ON. WITHOUT THE FUNDS BEING AVAILABLE I DON'T THINK THERE'S -- THIS FUND HAS THE USE THAT WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE. I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THAT CASE AGAIN. BECAUSE I THINK THE CASE WAS HADE. I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT JUST THE THE FACT -- WE DIDN'T MAKE A MOTION TO OVERRIDE THIS VETO THAT WE CHANGED OUR MIND FROM WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD PROCESS. I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE THIS VOTE. >>COUN. BENTON: ALL RIGHT. WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. FOR OVERRIDE OF THE VETO. COUNCILOR DAVIS. >>COUN. DAVIS: I'LL TAKE THAT AS THE PRESIDENT'S HINT WE OUGHT TO BRING IT TO A CLOSE. I AGREE WITH THE OTHER COUNCILORS. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF AGREEMENT THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS. THE MAYOR'S VETO HAD SOME MERIT AND SOME OF THE WAYS THAT THE FINAL BILL CAME OUT. LET ME REMIND THE COUNCIL AND PLACE A FLAG. THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND IS UNIQUE BECAUSE OF WHAT IT DOES AND HOW WE PROVIDE FOR IT. WE HAVE HUGE AMOUNTS OF FEDERAL DOLLARS COMING TO THE CITY AND LOTS OF THE FEDERAL DOLLARS IN TERMS OF CONSERVEIVATION. THE FEDERAL PUBLIC LANDS TRUST FUND, THE STATE CONSERVATION EFFORTS. THE CAPITAL OUT LAY HITTING RECORD NUMBERS. AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR CAPITAL OUTLAY ACQUISITIONS. I THINK WE CAN PRESERVE THIS TRUST FUND. WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS A VALUABLE TOOL AND ASSET FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE FEDERAL PRIORITIES, WE HAVE THE LEGISLATURE GETTING STARTED AND BARELY GETTING STARTED. WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO BOTH. I THINK THINGS LIKE CRESTVIEW BLUFFS, NORTH WINDOW. ALL THOSE ARE WORTHY OF ACQUISITION AND THERE'S OTHER WAYS OF DOING THAT WITH LARGE CHUNKS OF CASH COMING TO THE CITY. I DON'T WANT TO THINK OF RAIDING THIS FUND. I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO OVERRIDE THE MAYOR'S VETO. BUT SOMEBODY WILL BRING A BILL BACK AND I WANT TO STOP AND THINK ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVES THAT WE HAVE THAT WILL BE SMARTER AND GET US TO WHERE THE FOLKS WANT TO GET TO SOONER. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. >>COUN. BENTON: I'LL JUST -- I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER COUNCILORS. I DID WANT DO SAY THAT I DID VOTE AGAINST THE ORIGINAL BILL. THERE'S A MISSING KEY STEP HERE. THAT WAS GOING TO OPEN SPACE ADVISORY BOARD AND HAVING COMMITTEE HEARINGS ON THIS. IT IS A BIG ASSET OF THE CITY THAT OPEN SPACE LAND. WE KNOW WE NEED OTHERS. SOME OF THE MAJOR, LARGE PURCHASES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, BUT ALSO SMALL PROPOSAL LIKE CRESTVIEW BLUFFS, WHICH HAS IMPORTANT HISTORICAL ASPECTS THAT WE HAVEN'T CONSIDERED YET. I THINK THERE'S ONE PART OF THE VETO MESSAGE THAT I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING IN THAT. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE LISTEN TO OUR BOARD THAT PUT A LOT OF WORK AND JUST MOST RENTLY ANOTHER OPEN SPACE PROJECT WE WORKED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CANDELARIA NATURE PRESERVE. WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE THERE AND LISTEN TO EXPERT TESTIMONY. I'M CONFIDENT THAT IF WE TAKE IT BACK AND KEEP IT IN THE FOREFRONT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WE CAN IMPROVE THE SYSTEM THAT IS A LONG-STANDING SYSTEM. IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME AND TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT IT. ANYONE ELSE WANT TO WEIGH IN? WE WILL GO TO A VOTE. THIS WOULD BE A MOTION TO OVERRIDE THE VETO. >> IT WOULD REQUIRE SIX VOTES. >>COUN. BASSAN: NO. >>COUN. DAVIS: NO. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: NO. >>COUN. GROUT: NO. >>COUN. JONES: NO. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: NO. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: NO. >>COUN. BENTON: NO. >> MOTION FAILS ON A 1-8 VOTE. >>COUN. BENTON: THANKS, COUNCILORS. WE'RE ON THE LAST ITEM. THIS IS APPROVAL OF COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS. I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS DATED JANUARY 18, 2021. I SEE A SECOND FROM COUNCILOR BASSAN. ANY COMMENTS? JUST AS PRESIDENT, THIS WAS HARD. WE HAD A LOT OF COMPETITION FOR SOME OF THE COMMITTEES. I TRIED TO BALANCE IT OUT AS BEST AS I COULD. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S INTEREST, AND ESPECIALLY -- I SHOULDN'T CALL YOU NEW COUNCILORS. OUR WELCOME NEW COLLEAGUES AND RETURNING COLLEAGUE, COUNCILOR LEWIS. I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON THESE. AS WE KNOW ALL THESE COMMITTEES, IF WE PAY ATTENTION WE ALL HAVE A VOICE IN THEM. IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE FOLKS WHO PUT IN A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME DEPENDING ON WHAT THE TASK OF EACH COMMITTEE IS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS. MS. ORTEGA. >> JUST TO QUICKLY CLARIFY. IT'S DATED JANUARY 18, 2022. THE YEAR OVERSIGHT IS MY FAULT. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. DAVIS: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. JONES: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >>COUN. SANCHEZ: YES. >>COUN. BENTON: YES. >> 9-0. >>COUN. BENTON: ALL RIGHT. THANKS EVERYONE. THERE BEING NO OTHER BUSINESS, THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS ADJOURNED.