City Council - Regular Meeting

Hello. Good evening everyone. I call this committee of the whole meeting to order. Um all counselors counselors are present this evening with counselors Bassan Pena on Zoom and councelor Lewis will be here soon. We will start with a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance. 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. Thank you. I don't have council. I don't know it in Spanish.

There she is. Today is the first of three public hearings the council is required to hold on the city's operating budget. Today's meeting will focus on the social goals uh social goal department budgets which include Albuquerque police, Albuquerque fire rescue, civilian police oversight agency, community safety, health, housing and homelessness, parks and recreation, city clerk, economic development, arts and culture and senior affairs. Because of the scheduling conflicts, aviation will be heard tonight and youth and families will be heard next Thursday. On Thursday, May 7th, the council will hold a second hearing to discuss the city's physical goal department budgets, which include municipal development, planning, general services, environmental health, transit, um, animal welfare, legal, solid waste, internal audit, inspector general, human resources, technology and innovation, finance and administration, and city support. The council will hold a third committee of the whole meeting on Thursday, May 14th to consider amendments or substitutes. No live public comment will be taken on at the May 14th meeting, although written comments will be accepted. At the end of the May 14th meeting, the budget, as amended or substituted, will be sent to the Monday, May 18th city council meeting for adoption. Live public comment and written comments will be accepted at the May 18th meeting. Members of the public, city, staff, and the media have the ability to view this meeting in person or on live streams through four different platforms. Gov TV

on Comcast channel 16, the Gov TV website, YouTube, and Zoom webinar. The live streams can be accessed from most smartphones, tablets, or computers. Also, this meeting is close captioned and you may enable the closed captioning services on your television or device at this time. The video recording of this meeting will also remain available for viewing at any time on the city council's website. Council staff is available via telephone if members of the public need assistance, finding the videos online. Please call 5057683100 for assistance during business hours which are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Members of the public have the opportunity to address the committee if they have signed up for public comment per the rules published on the agenda and on our our website on Friday. We now um will now move um to public comment. Here are the public comment ground rules. Each participant has two minutes to present. Comments are to be addressed to the counselors only and disruption any disruption uh disruptive conduct will result in removal from the meeting. Mr. Cornelius, please call the name of the first speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Our first speaker is Lambhoe, followed by Janet Sers. Hello. I'm sorry. I'm a first- timer. Is this where I stand?

Okay. Good evening everyone. I'm Lamb Hoe and I've been a resident of Albuquerque since October 2024. I'm a newly appointed atlarge u library advisory board member. I'm so excited to be working with y'all. U I'm a resident of East Downtown. I'm also a writer and consultant about to start my MFA in poetry at UN M, a community I'm really excited to be a part of. I'm here to advocate for libraries to receive at least $500,000 of funding for it on an annual basis and to fill any open staffing positions. And I want to share why this would be so important to the work that I do. I write stories about the Vietnam War and my parents' journey here as immigrants to America. And I can honestly say that if it weren't for the library, my work just wouldn't be possible. Uh, working with staff to make sure I can find what I need through the archives and also being able to print quite simply has allowed me to put together my first poetry collection. So, I hope you'll consider prioritizing the library in this budget. Thank you so much for your time.

Thank you,

Janet Sers followed by Kit Copek. All right. Uh, good evening, Madame Chair, members of the the council. I'm Janet Sers, chair of the library advisory board, and this was my we just met in person. We've uh emailed, but we hadn't met in in person. So, that's very exciting. So I'm chair of the library advisory board and the our charge our duty in the ordinance is to uh communicate be the liazone between our government and the community and to recommend policies for development and encourage the greatest use of library facilities and programs. So having said that, we first of all are very thankful that we have two wonderful partners uh helping our our libraries and that would be the friends which provide over $100,000 every summer to support the weekly performers and uh prizes that are part of the summer reading program that starts June 2nd. We're also thankful for the library foundation that pays for the twiceearly event guide. I I have my uh what do you call those? Anyway, so this is what the event guide looks like. And excuse me. And this is our Oh, and our summer program this year is unear unearth a story. And we're going to have dinosaurs, archaeologists, paleontologists. So, it's going to be a Oh my gosh. 31 seconds. Okay. It's going to be very exciting. Um, I mean, you all I'm preaching to the choir. You You all are library supporters. But let me just say this. We We urge I mean, we're supposed

to uh recommend things to the mayor. We urge the mayor to change designating technology at the library as non-recurring. Come on. This is how the library runs. It's not non-recurring. It's been recurring forever. And lastly, staffing levels of the library so that we don't have to close during lunches and um close early. So, thank you very much. Appreciate your um thank you what you do. Thank you.

Kit Copek, followed by Julia Clark. All right. Uh, Chairwoman Grout and council members, thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Kit Copek and I'm speaking to you as president of the Friends of the Albuquerque Public Library. We are a nonprofit supporting the Albuquerque and Bernalo County Library System. Our purpose is to fund library programming such as the summer reading program, as Janet mentioned, and professional development for library staff. Uh to be clear, the friends and foundation have a well- definfined scope of work and that cannot include staffing, technology or other major activities uh of the library. The public library should be funded with public money. Our contributions our contributions are a supplement. I am asking you to fund library IT funding or sorry library IT needs as recurring at the $500,000 level in FY27. The current uh currently it's set for $400,000 as non-recurring and this is used to cover hardware and software that runs the entire library system as well as public and staff computers. Clearly not a one-time need. Um Albuquerque residents use libraries heavily and we deserve reliable quality 21st century services that meet the demand. Our library system sees over 1.5 million in-person visitors annually and often nearly and offers nearly 10,000 programs every year. Keep in mind that libraries are not just book warehouses. They uh in addition to books, movies, and music, libraries provide free programming for youth and adults, free computers, printers, Wi-Fi, and other tech, a free and safe place to spend time indoors, and so much more. Libraries protect our civil

rights. Libraries build business. And libraries build strong communities. Thank you.

Julia Clarks, followed by Grace Dukes. Good evening. I'm Julia Clark. I'm on the Library Advisory Board as well as the board of the Albuquerque Public Library Foundation. Public libraries are about people. They're not just a place to store books. There are books, computers, programs, films, music, and many things that enhance the daily life of our community. Needs vary. Is it an afterchool program? Is there a school assignment or a science fair project? Is it using the public access computers? Or did are you a member of a group that had reserved a community room? Our libraries serve all residents, all ages. Their schedules vary. One thing is constant. The buildings must be open for the services to be rendered. The proposed budget does not ensure enough staff to keep all of our locations open, the posted hours. If a library is closed for an hour or so a day, information is posted on social media or you read the close sign on the door as you arrive at the library. There is no advertising budget and this is not what our community wants or deserves. There are no tricks or schemes that will result in our libraries being open on a reliable schedule unless enough positions are funded in the budget and the vacant positions are filled in an expedient manner. I will close by also asking you to fund the IT budget as a recurring item at the $500,000 level. Thank you.

Grace Dukes, followed by William Pendler.

Mayor Keller says he cut 35 million because of Donald Trump's federal funding war, but his own budget shows that is a bold-faced lie. Recurring revenue and spending are up, and the city is sitting on over $70 million in reserve. This is not an austerity budget. This is a priority budget. He chose who gets cut and he chose to eliminate 247 vital roles. APD gets 19% of the city's budget, more than housing, childcare, seniors, transit, and community safety combined. APD is the only department of game personnel from this budget, including the entire office of emergency management. In a year of ICE raids and climate risk, disaster response now answers to the police. That is structural pre-compliance to Donald Trump's agenda. Keller is eliminating 42 teaching positions at child development centers. These are not pimple simple cuts. These eliminate specialized human intensive support. He has admitted the city will serve fewer children. He calls it strategic realignment. It is a calculated choice to abandon early childhood education. Keller disingenuously brags about a 10% increase to housing when the entire increase is non-recurring funds. There is no long-term commitment. And behind the headline, Keller slashes substance use programming by 76%. Mental health by 17%, health and human services by 22%. The city is giving $400,000 for a diversion program to process people arrested for sleeping outside while cutting the worker who would have helped them get into a shelter. That worker, the emergency shelter community outreach coordinator, is a person who goes out to where people are living and connects them to services before they ever get cited or arrested. That position is gone. Keller defunded a person who prevents the citation and funded the system that processes it. He is not solving homelessness. He is he is managing it through the criminal system and calling it a diversion program. That is the pipeline of criminalization. The

$73 million reserve exists for moments exactly like this. Use it to protect the most vulnerable residents, not to grow the mayor's surplus. These cuts are all reversible. Do not roll over to him. This is a classic shell game. Thank you. William Pentler, followed by an Curl.

Good evening. My name is William Pentler. Um throughout my whole working career, I was a zookeeper and a park ranger. Um, sadly what I've done as a career has always been considered secondary. Anytime there's a budget cut, it seems that the things at the biopark or in open space seemed to be the top line of being cut and it's happening again. When I first started in open space in the early 2000s, there were four full-time park attendants. At this point with this cut, there will be one one full-time park attendant, two parks to handle on opposite ends of town. Petrolift National Monument, Bokeenegra Canyon, and the Elena Gyos. This is a time when reservations increase, other things increase. You know, it's hell is to pay if we don't open parks on time. The biopark and open space are two of the shining stars of Albuquerque. These are two entities that have the highest visitation of any um attraction as you want to call them within the city and yet we always take the biggest cuts. This doesn't make any sense. This is problematic as a whole. Truthfully, if you want to save money, lean towards fleet management's um principle. Currently, what they do right now is they demand that a set amount of miles be put on each and every vehicle within the city fleet. This includes big equipment and trailers, which sadly causes a lot of employees to drive around aimlessly just to put on miles. If they don't put on these miles, their vehicles are threatening to be taken away because they feel they're not being used enough. This is a waste of personnel. This is a waste of gas. This is a waste. period. Please look to cut

that principle and save our employees a lot of things. And also, please don't cut open space or the biop park. Thank you very much. Thank you. An Curl followed by Nquille Pylor.

Good evening. Uh my name is Anne Curl and I'm a homeowner and registered voter in district 3. Uh, councelor Pena, you may not recognize my name because you never respond to any of my emails and neither does your staff. Please make your comments, Germaine, to the budget. I'm getting there. Okay. And direct them to me, please.

Oh, sure. Then Okay. Um, I'm sure you care as much about district 3 as councelor Pena does. Um, I was at the grand reopening of the Alamosa Library branch along with councelor Pena. I know all of us in district 3 were grateful for her for leading the charge on the renovations. Um, however, the branch continues to be plagued with staffing issues, forcing frequent closures. Uh, please do what I know to be in your power to address this and, um, it makes sense why your last election was so close and I would be worried about the next one. Thank you, Nikil Pylorure, followed by Dr. Lisa Christopherson.

Uh, hello. Uh, my name is Nikil. Uh, I'm a District 4 voter. Uh I'm here uh to speak about some of the priorities reflected in the mayor's proposed budget. Uh I think specifically there are several items that others have spoken about earlier, but uh I'd like to highlight in particular the urgency of making sure our transit system here in Albuquerque is fully funded. Uh I think as we've seen in the last month uh the uh the state of oil prices is not something we can easily budget for and predict and having alternative metrics of methods of transportation available to our residents uh is of increasing critical importance. uh you know Albuquerque in some ways is quite a bit ahead of uh the rest of the country in that we have made transportation in some ways a right uh anybody can hop on a bus without having to wait in line to pay the fair. Uh it makes things like art uh a lot better designed in terms of the infrastructure in terms of reliability. Uh this is a chance I think for Albuquerque to invest more in our transit system, to invest in terms of expanding these kind of alternatives uh in terms of investing in greater reliability, safety, uh more regular routes, uh more service towards uh different neighborhoods of the city rather than cutting back on our resources. Uh I would also like to highlight that uh the city has seen significant progress in the last few years in terms of a reduction in violent crime. I think that's a good thing that we should all be celebrating. Uh it doesn't make sense then that by far the largest share of increases in the budget is uh towards the police department when at this point violent crime uh is at

this is near a 5-year low. Uh so I think with those things considered uh I would certainly hope that the council weighs significant changes to the mayor's budget. Thank you. Thank you

Dr. Lisa Christopherson, followed by Tom Galnik, Tom Golnik, followed by Julie Rug. Thank you, Madam Chair and city councilors. Uh, I'm Tom Gurelic, as you heard. Um, and I'm the founder and director of the Outpost Performance Space for 38 years now, and I thank you for letting me address you. First of all, I want to express my gratitude for all you do to make Albuquerque the unique and wonderful place it is. Something that uh some of you might be aware of is that today, April 30th, is International Jazz Day. So, I thought it'd be appropriate for me to come here before you to thank you for your past support for the Outpost Performance Space, one of premier presenters in the country of jazz and much more for the last 38 years. I also want to thank uh I also want to ask that you continue to support us in our efforts to serve the community. Indeed, we are in the budget draft for a generous appropriation once again this year. And this year, these dollars will be stretched as the 50-year-old New Mexico Jazz Workshop merged with Outpost in January. So, our combined programs comprising extensive educational programs, year-round concerts, the summer under the stars concerts at the Albuquerque Museum and the 20th anniversary of the New Mexico Jazz Festival will happen because of your support. So, thank you. I know how precious these dollars are as belts have tightened and uh so many arts organization more than it is possible to support deserve the support of the city. I want to assure you that the dollars spent on outpost and the jazz workshop programs will serve the city and its

residents well. We do not by any means take your help for granted and appreciate it deeply. The arts are essential and we have a terrific arts culture here in Albuquerque. It makes our city a better place to be. Thank you once again for all you do. Thank you. Julie Rug followed by Bruce Hinrix

Madame Chair, counselors. Good evening. My name is Julie Millerug and I am the executive director of the New Mexico Biop Park Society, the nonprofit support organization for the Biopark. And I'm here tonight speaking on behalf of our 89,000 members and volunteers. As you consider tonight's budget, I ask you to consider two items affecting the biopart. First, eliminating the event supervisor does not make fiscal sense. This role generates significant revenue. In 2025, one supervisor brought in over $600,000. The biopark has had to reduce its event schedule over the past several years as its events team has been cut from three full-time events people to zero. This has led to the loss of a destination dinners in 2019, weddings at the Botanic Garden in 2022, and so many other community events and fundraising opportunities. Due to eliminating this position, event bookings have already dropped 40% resulting in an estimated $250,000 loss. That's more than three times the savings from cutting the position. Second, funding for animal diets and medications of $250,000 is currently labeled as non-reoccurring. This is an essential ongoing cost tied directly to animal well-being and maintaining national accreditation standards. It must be included in the biop park's annual operating budget. In if additional funding is needed, a minimum $1 admission increase could generate over $1 million annually. The Bile Park and the community have benefited from over $150 million in improvements. Yet, admission prices have not changed since 2017, remaining $10 for an adult resident. Even El Paso, once charging less than us, now charges $13.95 for adult residents. Truly, it's time for an increase. These are practical steps to protect both the biopark's financial health and its it

and its mission. Thanks for your time and consideration. Thank you, Julie.

Bruce Hinrix, followed by Neil Copperman. Madame Chair, I'm Dr. Bruce Henriks, member of the board of directors of the Biop Park Society and a proud zoo dosent. I can't really believe that I'm here again beating the same old drum. Year after year, food for the animals at the zoo and medications administered to them have been classified as nonrecurring expenses. Does that mean that the city actually believes that there are some years that the animals don't need to eat nor have medications available to them? When will these items finally be classified as essential ongoing operational needs that warrant a dedicated line item in the budget? In the past, there have been as many as three event planners employed by the biopark. They serve an invaluable function planning public events that bring in revenue far in excess of their salaries. And now the city wants to eliminate the single remaining event planner on the staff. Pennywise and pound foolish if you ask me. The biopark is a worldclass venue that has received national acclaim. It has undergone extensive expensive renovation and expansion in the last 10 years thanks to the revenue generated by the GRT. It would be a shame if its reputation were tarnished should word get out that the animal collection could not be fed and that the biopark would no longer host its very popular income generating public events for lack of an events planner. There is a very simple way to remedy this budget in Brolio. A modest increase in the gate fee, which has been stagnant since 2017, could generate enough income

to feed the animals and employ one or more events planners. Thank you,

Neil Copperman, followed by Carl Kaiser. Greetings, chairman, chairman Grout and the members of the city council. Uh, thank you for the opportunity to address you today. My name is Neil Copperman and I'm the executive director and founder of AMP Concerts. I think you're mostly familiar with us because I've been coming in for several years now. Uh, but AMP is a nonprofit that has served Albuquerque for 19 years. Our work is rich, diverse, and creative with an emphasis on connecting New Mexico to a global network of musicians that enriches our local community. We produced over a 100red events around the city each year, many of which are free programs, artist residencies, workshops, school outreach, and opportunities for local artists to work with international touring artists. Our programs in the libraries, open spaces, and parks allow us to bring free music to people across the city. We provide two free events a month at the city count and county libraries. And uh since that program has started, we've brought over 23,000 people um to the libraries to see music. Uh the funds we've received from the city help us with downtown activations like the 90 plus programs we have done at the vibrant fusion art space at first and the many events we produce at the Kimmo and South Broadway Cultural Center. Uh we'll be heading back to the Kimo in just a little bit for our concert over there tonight. Uh and the money also helped us uh start a free concert series at the new park at Winrock Town Center uh which we will be kicking off again at the end of May this year. Um this year we've been able to bring in artists for school programs from Ukraine and Jordan as well as an acclaimed coral composer. Um so it's already getting off to a good start on that front. We are requesting funding support from the city council in this year's budget to continue to be able to offer and expand these programs to city residents. Thank you for your consideration and your service to the community.

Thank you. Carl Kaiser followed by Kristen Lee.

Madame Chair, uh members of the committee, I speak today uh in support of open space. Uh I am Carl Kaiser, a member of the open space advisory board approved by this council last December. Uh Albuquerque open space successfully manages more than 30,000 acres of land. Whether you picnic at Len Gayos, stroll in the Bosque, bicycle in the foothills, or jog in four hills, uh all most all city residents regularly enjoy these open space lands. People visit and move to Albuquerque because of its accessibility to beautiful natural areas. The mayor's proposed budget mandates four fewer positions within open space, four of four of 12 within parks and wreck, and the largest dollar reduction within the department. Unfortunately, two less educator positions and two less park attendant positions impact the core functions of open space. When staff is small, one or two less persons mean, frankly, that things aren't done. For example, park attendants monitor open space lands, open and close locks, gates, perform minor ongoing maintenance tasks. Without these people, it becomes a free-for-all on our public lands. The current budget allows for one person, one parking attendant for the entire city. I expect most entities within the city will need to spend less this fiscal year given revenue shortfall, but such cuts need to be equitable and not unduly impact a small staff. Please reduce such a large cut to our open space programs. Thank you for your time this evening.

Thank you,

Kristen Lee, followed by Sheldon Hamilton. Hello. Hello. Good evening, Madame Chair, members of the council. My name is Kristen Lee. I'm the co-executive director at Explora. I'm here to um thank you for the opportunity to um speak. Thank you for listening to all of these voices and to respectfully ask that you restore the $250,000 cut from Explorer's operating funding in the draft FY27 budget and to add that funding to our recurring uh not non-recurring budget line. Explora is a powerful public private partnership with the city. Together, we provide a science center, children's museum, teen workforce center, and early childhood programs for Albuquerque families. Over time, Explorer has leveraged the city's investment to significantly expand our impact. While the city's contribution once represented nearly half of Explorer's operating budget, today, excuse me, today it accounts for just 28%, reflecting substantial growth in our own earned revenue and philanthropic support. Each year, Explorer brings more than 600,000 in federal funding and over 1 million in state funding into Albuquerque to support programs that serve local children, families, and educators. Notably, the city's contribution has rema remained relatively flat for more than a decade, and we're not asking for an increase, only that this essential support, which makes us such a strong example of a public private partnership, be maintained. Explorer serves over 300 thou50,000 people each year and students in our program show measurable gains in educational outcomes and workforce development skills. The loss of 250,000 which equals a loss of five FTE staff members will result in fewer STEM programs, fewer free memberships for

Albuquerque families, and fewer out of school time opportunities for preK through high school learners. Thank you for your support of a proven high impact partnership. Thank you Kristen Sheldon Hamilton followed by Julie Redsovich.

Good evening madam chair and members of the council. My name is Sheldon Hamilton and I am on the leadership team at Explorer. I run the team workforce development center but tonight I'm here to talk about Explorer specifically as it's somewhere near and dear to my heart place I grew up. Uh, and I would also like to respectfully ask that you restore the 250,000 cut from the operating funding in FY draft budget uh 27 and add that funding to our recurring budget line. Um, as Kristen mentioned, Explore serves over 350,000 people each year and students in our program show measurable gains in educational outcomes and workforce development skills. Um, and today I brought with me a letter that we just received from one of those students. Uh, and I would like to read to you with permission. Hello, I'm I hope you're doing well at Explora. I'm graduating this year with my bachelor's in chemical engineering and I will be going to graduate school in New York City this fall. The directed energy internship I had at Explore a few summers ago was the best experience I could ever have as it helped me get an internship at Sandia National Labs. Working at the labs allowed me to get into my PhD program and I'm extremely grateful to have learned from you Tim Presnell and Dr. Gunny about the STEM and life related activities within the classroom and maker space. I was wondering if you had any opportunities for volunteering or helping out with the summer camps. um and I as I'm looking to get more experience with them um and STEM education. I really love Explorer. It gave me so much and now it's my turn to give back. Best Sophia Castillo. That $250,000 loss will result in fewer STEM programs for students like Sophia. Restoring this $250,000 investment will protect a proven high impact partnership that leverages significant outside funding, serves hundreds of students, hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors, and delivers measurable outcomes to Albert's children's families and economy when it needs it the most. Thank you so much. Thank you,

Julie Ranosovich, followed by Jesus Munoz. Chair Grout and members of the committee of the whole. My name is Julie Rostlovich, chair of the Metropolitan Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. I plan to speak about park activation and programming this evening. That remains important. But given this budget, I want to speak about the board's top priorities. We understand this is a difficult year, and we recognize the mayor's focus on public safety, housing, and homelessness, but the cuts to parks recreation will have immediate visible impacts across the entire city. I ask that the committee of the whole consider restoring some funding to our city's parks and recreation department. Priority one, please consider restoring contractual services. The proposed $2.1 million cut is an urgent concern. With only 50 full-time staff to look over um to look after nearly 300 parks across the city, park management depends on seasonal workers to maintain our parks. This funding also supports basic operations, trash collection, restroom cleaning, security, essential services. And then priority two, please protect core staff. Eliminating 10 full-time positions will further weaken operations. The budget projects um the budget projects cut in forestry, park management, golf, and open space. Open space will be reduced, as you've already heard earlier today, would be reduced to one educator, effectively ending more most of our programming. These are essential roles, not optional. With regard to programming, we continue to support park programming, but not at the expense of core operations and staffing. So, the bottom line, parks are essential infrastructure. When

maintenance dollars um decline, uh people see the impact immediately. Uh trash is not collected, closed restrooms, safety concerns. We urge you to restore contractual services first and protect critical staffing. These are the minimum investments needed to keep our parks functional. Thank you. Thank you, Julie.

Jesus Munoz, followed by Megan Yosis on Zoom. Megan Yossis followed by Nicole Finch.

Uh, good evening, uh, Chairwoman, um, council members. So I uh I just um want to speak against the budget as it has currently been written um and ask you to um provide some amendments to make the budget more centered on um on people's needs. So there's no there's really no like law of the universe that says that the police have to get an everinccreasing share of the budget um when crime is at a historic low over the past like several several decades. It's at a historic low. Um it's just it's really unfortunate to see a budget that prescribes um staffing cuts and uh funding cuts for pretty much every department except for the police department. And you know, just sitting here I've been hearing um different cuts that I was not previously aware of. Um so the ones that I'm specifically focused on um I do not think it's a good idea to cut public transit while we're in a gas crisis. um and the price of gas is um reached $4 dollars. Um a lot of people rely on public transit right now and this is just going to make things even harder for them if um y'all are cutting um bus routes and bus driver positions and stuff. Um and then also for the library, um our libraries are underst staffed. Um Baltimore, which is a city of similar size, has like hundreds and hundreds more library staff um than Albuquerque does. So, I would love if my library was open um was open later, was open on Sunday. Um and also the library does deserve um recurring funding for computers and it because the library can't really function without computers. Um people go there to use the computer because they don't have a computer at home. And just overall um I think city workers uh deserve a raise. Um I know that there are some recommendations that maybe haven't been implemented about um giving city workers a race. I do think that um you know community safety,

sanitation workers, all of our city workers um who are currently dedicating their lives to public service when they could be making more in the private sector um all of them deserve a raise. Thank you. Thank you, Nicole Finch followed by Yasmine Najimi,

Madame Chair, councilors, my name is Nicole Finch and I'm a member of the library advisory board for district 9. I had really hoped to be there in person with my colleagues tonight, but my knee just gave out and I couldn't get there. And so I appreciate the council's commitment to accessibility via Zoom. And I want to express my thanks to Mr. Cornelius for always doing such a great job managing the technical aspect. Uh I'm also grateful to the library for its accessibility because I'll be able to check out an ebook to read tonight without leaving my home. Uh the library is committed to serving all members of the community regardless of disability status, age, residential status, or income. A budget is a moral document and it's very important that our city budget shows our commitment to the library and therefore the community by fully funding and staffing the library system, including recurring IT funding. The library budget this year is heartening if it actually results in the muchdeserved payraises for library staff, but we have to fully staff the library all the way up to that funding level and fill all vacancies without leaving positions open. Our hardworking library staff deserves that and our community deserves that. Thank you so much for all you do.

Thank you, Nicole. I hope you feel better. Yasm mean Najmi followed by Steve Glass.

Good evening councelor Grout and other counselors. U my name is Yasmine Najmi and I am also on the open space advisory board. Um and I know that environmental and outdoor education and public engagement are very important to the Keller administration and very important to the counselor. uh so much so that the council um directed the open space division to produce a public engagement plan and all of these activities really to implement them um obviously take staff and uh as Mr. Pentler and Mr. Kaiser um eloquently talked about, you know, reducing the education staff to one and park attendance to one means that you're not going to have um the wonderful and critical programming that open space provides and you're not going to have management of these critical open spaces. Um and it's my understanding right now that the park attendant staff duties are largely being done by temporary staff um who are being funded through contractual services. So any reduction in contractual services could jeopardize again uh the ability to manage some of these open spaces and be responsive to the public and protect these open spaces. Um but also other critical management activities such as uh restoration um of these critical ecosystems that open space uh embodies and the many other activities that open space does as well. So, um I really would strongly encourage you to maintain uh as much of the permanent staff as you can uh in particular in education and the park attendance and to restore the contractual services budget. And I thank you for your time.

Thank you, Yasmine. Steve Glass followed by Althia Athetherton.

Good evening. Uh, Madame Chair and members of the council, I'm here as well uh representing the Open Space Alliance, which is uh the friends of uh Albuquerque Open Space, so to speak, to speak in support of the uh funding for the open space division and for the public uh the parks and recreation division or department in general. Um the the last two or three speakers we that spoke on open space have eloquently described the uh the challenges that the proposed cuts provide or or off or challenge the open space division. And I'm not very eloquent tonight. Uh but I will point out that um Albuquerque has a a reputation as being one of the most the having the highest ratio of uh park spa parkland spaces to to population and I would say that that that's an uh tourist attraction. It's a reason for people to visit Albuquerque generates revenue. Uh, so the open space division uh is is a critical element of um of the Albuquerque environment and I really strongly encourage you to do what you can to maintain the positions that the Albuquerque uh open space division needs that have been uh eloquently described by the previous speakers. Uh thank you for your time and for anything you can do to assist uh the open space division.

Thank you, Mr. Glass. Althia Athetherton followed by Rudolph Serrano.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'd like to open with a quote from the 14th Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden. Librarians have been called the cornerstone of democracy. They're free. Anyone can walk through the doors and with the insurance that the what they're asking for and what they're asking would not be shared with anyone else is a pillar of democracy. and librarians in their profession have held that that is one of their cornerstones of service. It's public service. I use our library several times a week as an avid reader rating raising avid readers and a geographic information technology student and a conveyor convenor of public meetings in public spaces. Libraries should be fully funded with all the technology expenses that they need recurring annually. And if libraries are the cornerstone, then transit is the connective cement that touches every social issue that you can imagine. I start most of my bus rides at the Ernie Kyle Library and I take it to all the other libraries. I take it to Explorer. I took it this morning to the city hall to meet with my own city counselor. I've taken to the doctors and I'm far from alone. Transit is the underappreciated, underspoken cardiovascular system of our entire economy. And while I know that we'll talk more about transit next week when we talk about physical goals, I can't help but think about how transit is crucial for the efficacy of all these social programs as well. And the heart of that system is our bus drivers. Uh they just like most city workers are more than overdue for a pay raise and not just cost of living adjustment. They need to be paid like our peer cities. And you shouldn't have to take a pay cut to drive a bus for the city over the CDL jobs in the private sector. And while it's been clear that these transit positions that are currently vacant don't impact service today, that doesn't mean that these transit positions are unnecessary as they are to restore us to 95% of our 2019 operation levels. Right now, we're kind of at 65 70%. And transportation, public transportation is 10 times safer per mile than traveling by the automobile. And if we want to

really be concerned about human safety, we need to fully p fund public transit um and have real customer service uh like ambassadors. Um thank you very much and I appreciate your time. Thank you Althia

Rudolph Serrano. Madame chair and everybody if I go over two minutes me up because I don't know the queue here but here I'm on the open space and if you can see they put a rope and we cannot enjoy the open space. They just made a line and we cannot open uh you know enjoy it anymore. So don't give them more money so they can cut our access to the open space until they take these things ropes. It's not conservation. They're just segregating us from enjoining what is ours. Um, hello Sheldon from Explorer. Thank you for trying to help me all last year to get my puppets to be 3D. Sadly, her boss Alexis deny me the use of Explorer, which is our money and I I was not able to do anything and her words, you just don't quit, right? And that's just wrong. So, we need to work with the Hispanics and Explorer. I want to see how many employees are Hispanics before we give him one more penny. The other thing is THC the road from THC to schizophrenia. We cannot give them 3.5 million so they can keep continuing developing this uh terrible illness in our streets. And uh we need to put that money to make sure we fight it. And um with homelessness, which is my specialty, uh the PTSD cruiser, I have a new proposal, but uh I think my timing is going to be wrong, but uh we definitely need to talk more about uh the use of uh our money to to to THC. you know the there's a correlation that they don't want to put in TV and that's the the and and the

companies they say that is not related to crime but schizophrenia is behind 80 40% of the increase of crime so they're just trying to wash their faces but uh pretty much the are coming because now we can follow it thank you thank you Mr. Serrano. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. That concludes public comment. Thank you. Thank you.

Okay. Okay. Uh before we begin department presentations, I have just a couple of questions for the CFO and the um DFA um Department of Finance um regarding the one-time compens compensation adjustment as well as the proposed um budget uh or the the this budget. Now, um, so to Miss Sandival.

Hi, Miss Sandival. Hi. Um, what was the total cost of the one-time supplemental payment that employees got in R25219? Um, Chairman Grout and counselors, I believe it was just under two million. Can you please um get me the exact amount? Sure, I can. Okay. And if you could get that to us tomorrow, that would be great. Um, how much of that was uh what how much was appropriated for it? Uh, Chairman Grout, that's the amount that was appropriated.

Okay. um what was the total co there is two different numbers so there so I guess I'll talk with you afterwards we'll get the exact numbers that we need okay and it will help us moving forward thank you all right thank you um and miss um uh CFO Martinez thank you at the finance and government operations committee meeting on April 13th madam CFO you did state that the general fund will come in at budget for fiscal year 26. Is that still the plan, Madame Chair? Yes, that's still the plan.

Okay. Um Okay. Is the assumption that you're coming in at um budget for fiscal year 25 included in the estimation for the fiscal year 27 proposed budget? I'm sorry. I I heard fiscal year 25. Do you mind restating that? Okay. Is the Is the assumption of you coming in at budget for fiscal year 26 included in the estimation for the fiscal year 27 proposed budget? I'm not sure I understand your question. Councelor Grout.

Um, budget staff, can you explain further to our CFO? Uh, chair, madame chair, um, we're we're asking if you're assuming that you come in budget in FY26, have you included that estimation in the proposed 27 budget.

Madame Chair, I think Kevin, do you want to Mr. Noel? Yes, Madam Chair. Um, yeah, we are including that in the proposed budget as we showed on the fund table. Okay. Can you show us where in the in the uh fund table? Um, I'm not sure if everyone has a copy of the fun table.

No, it's not included in the slide. So, Madame Chair, um, if I mean the FY27 proposed budget shows that, you know, we're not anticipated to carry over a deficit into from FY26 into FY27. Um the fund table for f I'm sorry the FY26 estimated actual shows that uh the available fund balance will net to zero um with this cost savings measures and the well not cost savings however but you know just getting the spending back under budget and therefore we wouldn't be carrying that deficit into FY27.

Okay. And where is that on this table? Well, I mean, you can see that in the fund table for I'm sorry, in the column for FY26 estimated actuals, we're showing that 13 thou $13 million uh estimated projection adjustment reflects the guidance by which we're using to um help departments manage their spending so that they'd come in at budget, which is reflected by the zero at the bottom for the available fund balance. And therefore, if we were anticipating coming in um you know over budget then we would have you know we would have reduced our spending in FY27. But we're just showing that you know we will um you know have an $8 million fund balance at the at the end here. So I mean

Okay. Thank you. We'll have further questions later. Okay. Thank you sir. Okay. Um Yes. Sure. You want to follow up on that? Sure. M Thank you. Mr. Lewis, Madam Chair Lewis.

Uh, well, really just because it's more of a general question to Miss Martinez or Miss Single. Um, so this this total budget, I mean, there there are some fee increases to city residents. Um, you know, $2 on weekends for city residents at the bio park. Um, I mean, look, you built your budget around a pretty massive increase to a water bill. I mean, it could be um a uh I mean, you're assuming it you're assuming this council would pass this, but you built your budget around it. A pretty big increase to the water bill for every resident in our city. Um, you proposed an increase for, you know, $3, an increase of $3 in senior meals. So, um, and also a trash pickup bill. It's a pretty significant amount of money that would apply to small businesses. Um, so, you know, I look at this and it's you you've built your proposed budget around um some significant fee increases um to city residents, you know, even though we have um you know, more taxpayer dollars and revenue than we have before. So really the question is this, you know, back at the mayor's city, you know, state of the union, state of the city address, he said that he announced a freeze on um on city fees. Now, that was clarified. There was some confusion about it. Um and uh so then Miss Single, you clarified that uh by stating uh that, you know, those obviously were not a fee, you know, freeze to all fees and or you even said it's not a tax reduction. Uh and the mayor said his his purpose for that is because he wanted to make, you know, city hall affordable. You know, he recognized that, you know, people were having a hard time making ends meet and uh um you know, the city, you know, taxes a lot. You know, we have a lot of

fees. Um so really the clarification that you gave um you know, to this council and you know, addressing the mayor's statements and his desire uh not just desire, his commitment to do it. It was a I would call it a campaign promise. I mean, he announced uh while he was running for mayor again that there would be no fee increases uh to city residents. Um and so I mean and again you you clarified that over and over and and you mentioned as well uh that the purpose was the concern for affordability. Uh so really I guess my question and it's kind of a gotcha question. I'm sorry. It it is. I'll admit it. Um but um are I guess several things. Um, you know, are do we do we not care about afford affordability anymore? I mean, is that not a concern? Because it was a concern during the state of the city address when the mayor was running for reelection. It was a concern of you all, you know, that you all conveyed as well. Um, and yet we see these fee increases throughout this budget on city residents. I mean, city hall is more expensive now than it was last year. if we um if we uh um you know accept your budget. Um and so was it a was it a was it a a a a reig on a campaign promise just uh or is it just not not a concern anymore about affordability in the city?

Who is that for? Question. CF CEO CFO.

Um, Madame Chair, Councelor Lewis, um, you know, you mentioned a few different revenues in there, so I'm going to address them. So, as it relates to the storm storm water fees, there was a state law that passed that said that municipalities can recoup those costs. So what we have proposed to you all relates to the recruitment of infrastructure that has been built by the city related to storm water fees. Again I mean you can take it or leave it right but if we don't raise these as potential revenue opportunities then the conversation never happens. As it relates to solid waste, I know that there was a proposal to increase on outofcity residents for those that are utilizing our services at convenience centers that are not residents of the city of Albuquerque and are not paying into the tax space. As it relates to senior affairs, there is a complete revampment of their menu and I'm sure that director Sanchez is happy to, you know, talk in more detail about that related to cultural affairs. Again, I think director Sanchez can speak to this. Um, but I think you know this decision about whether or not to increase charges on on residents there, I think the intention for her when this proposal was raised by her was really to modify behavior so that they're we actually don't want to raise fees on residents. The hope is that these individuals start to utilize our facilities on different days and really try to increase the experience for everybody. But again, I will let uh Director Sanchez speak to that because that really is the heart of of her reason for wanting to propose this.

All right. Madam Chair, I maybe it's more of a policy decision because I mean I mean you explain some of the fee increases although the commercial increase in solid waste is to all that's a that I mean you have in here a two about $2 million and an increase in fees uh related to trash pickup for commercial. That's small businesses and that's a a pretty big increase to services that this city provides. And so it's again it's a new increase you know to families to small businesses directly related to people uh you know that live and do work in our city. Um the uh the storm water I mean whether you again however we justify it or not I mean yeah I mean I I know you know how it works you know we have the ability to raise these fees um but you proposed to do it and you built your budget around it. Um, and then, you know, regardless of what the the the fee increase at the zoo is meant to do, uh, it's a it's a big increase to to city residents and families uh to go to the zoo. Um, the senior meals, you know, I guess we'll talk about that, but um uh it's a it's a tax. It's an increase in services that we provide, an increase in money directly out of the pockets of senior citizens in our city with something that we provide for them. So, it's an increase. Uh, so I guess I would ask it to the CEO and again it's it's a gotcha question because I think it deserves it. I mean, you know, not made made to look bad, but to go I mean, I sincerely want to know the answer to the question, and that is, is the mayor by policy not concerned about affordability of families in the city like he was in, you know, a few months ago when he did the state of the city address? Um, or was that just a campaign promise that he had no intention of ever, you know, keeping whatsoever? Uh, Madame Chair and Councelor Lewis,

um, actually appreciate that you asked the question again because it gives me the opportunity to point out that, um, you know, in one of the questions that was posed with, uh, from city council was, uh, if we were charging market rates or even keeping up with the market increases that would be appropriate in the many places within our city that um, we charge fees, what would the new revenue be for all of those fees? And I believe we've provided that answer. But I think it's important to note, you know, there is not a fee increase for going to the pool. There is not a fee increase for playing golf, which I know was important to you, counselor. You mentioned it to me several times. It was important to you that we uh and the mayor that we maintain fees. that what you're speaking to are items that are critical infrastructure issues like storm water in which the state passed law to ensure that we have the opportunity to continue to invest in storm water to support individual neighborhoods to not be flooded. What you're ref referencing is the commercial um solid waste fees that um long ago have been uh approved and that through discussions with city council around the fact that we need to uh ensure that we're keeping up with the cost of delivery and that enterprise fund for picking up waste uh with commercial businesses different than what it how it impacts uh a resident in their household at their at their curbside or where that might be. And those search charges related to the biopark um is a it remains that individuals have choice. Um our residents do not have to attend go to the zoo at the time when those search charges are there. They make it they have the opportunity to make that choice. So, we have not raised all of the fees that um would be necessary to uh for us to keep up with what is

probably notably um reasonable. If you look across our region in terms of um other uh areas and including in the state of New Mexico, we have made that commitment to keep things as affordable, especially when it relates to children and our our um uh senior community and others that are rely on our services. Um this is in balance with the fact that we have made significant uh cuts in the through this budget and tried to maintain services for those individuals that rely on these services for their quality of life and the opportunities that the city brings for them. It is an impossible task to imply that we should not raise fees and not generate revenue and keep all services at the same level to support our community and uh cut the budget at the same time. We are experiencing the same price increases in in every single purchase, every single payment we make as a city. And that includes, by the way, a budget that's presented to provide wage increases to our employees because they uh the 6,000 employees also need the opportunity to have the uh ability to um afford what they need to at home as well.

Madam Chair, Miss Singer, you said it's impossible. It's impossible. So So were you guys just naive a few months ago? I mean, what was going on? because you know you said in the statement you you said it means that the city will not propose any fee increases. That's what you said that rather than eliminating fees entirely because you wanted to clarify it's not hey we're not limit we're just not doing any fee increases. You know you said it also covers programs that already offer free access to city facilities or services. You said the this is your quote the intent of freezing means that we would not be increasing any fees or proposing any fee increases. That's what you said. I mean, were you guys I don't know. I mean, are we just complete idiots? I mean, you were just saying you're just again, is are these just are these just campaign, you know, reelection type statements with with no intent whatsoever? Did you know when you said this that it was impossible to do that? Um, you know, so again, I I guess probably not going to answer that. And I I think we know though. I I think the answer is obvious. I mean, um, that there was never any intention whatsoever to actually do, you know, what the mayor ran on and wanted to do and told the people of this city that he wanted to do. Um, and what I mentioned are some pretty real fee increases. You know, I mean, again, it's going to cost more for seniors according to your proposal. At the same time, we're cutting Yeah. You said, "Well, we cut we we uh we really cut some Yeah. You cut some departments. You cut the libraries. you cut some other significant services. Um but it wasn't because we didn't have enough revenue. You cut it because of your other priorities. Uh whether it be uh um you know in housing or other priorities that you said this is what we're going to uh prioritize and do. So um you know we weren't in need of a cut in those departments.

Uh but you wanted a cut. you wanted to cut some things so that you can fund other stuff and so really be clear that it's not this is not like some citywide cut because we you know we don't have enough revenue and at the same time increase fees on seniors on every resident on small businesses um so you know just a lot of things about that that don't make sense even about the specific things you guys said just a few months ago which to me I took that as okay um you you know, maybe there's some some true changes from this administration when it comes to understanding affordability in our city, understanding um you know, uh just the non-stop fee increases that we just accept, you know, year-over-year. And so, I mean, I think the only reason why the mayor would have said that and you said that is because you had a pretty real understanding of the fact that there is a direct correlation between affordability in our city and the cost of city hall. That's it. Thanks, Madam Chair. Thank you, M. Councelor Lewis. Okay,

Madam Chair, I'm sorry if I could make one point of clarification. Uh, senior citizens will and still continue to get free lunch. So, I just wanted to make that clear. So, there's there's an increase in $3 to senior meals. So, what what are you trying to say? What is the difference, Madam Chair? I mean, Madame Chair, we're happy to discuss that more when uh director Sanchez comes, but there are others besides seniors that come and partake in meals, very inexpensive meals. So, I continue to state that seniors continue to get free lunch. Okay. Councelor Teas.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a question about the storm water fees um and what is included in the budget. So you have $4 million in the budget on storm water fees. Is that right? Madame Chair, Councelor Tas, yes, the budget was sent down with an assumption of millioned revenue.

So we did have a conversation about this earlier or I guess it was last week now. Um I guess so. But the storm water fees are not actual revenue that we get. I know you mentioned that the state passed a bill. So that's why you included it. But the bill actually with the state requires that the city pass an ordinance to collect those fees. And we don't actually have an ordinance. So we're not actually collecting those fees. And while there is now an ordinance, because I did see one has been introduced, um, do you have a plan, contingency plan? We've had this discussion. I'm just wondering if you were able to put together a contingency plan for those fees, that $4 million, should this ordinance not get passed.

Madame Chair, councelor Teas, you are correct. When we had the meeting, we flagged the fact that we had sent down a balanced budget with available fund balance that included this uh $4 million revenue. We have also provided parallel to that um a draft ordinance in lie of this because the state law does say does give municipalities the opportunity to uh to increase for storm water fees through and via through an ordinance. So that is what we have done. And so I apologize I can't remember uh I did I I don't know if I answered all your questions. Yeah, I'm just wondering if there's a contingency plan. So, if we don't pass that ordinance, what are where are you going to get the $4 million from?

Well, um, as I Madam Chair and Councelor Tea, as I stated in our meetings, you know, we did send down a balanced budget with an $8 million available fund balance.

Uh, okay. Thank you. Um, and Madame Chair, one more question. So I see that there's about so the inner fund transfers those are not also that's also revenue risk um so 8 million let's just say so that's 4 million I also know that there's about 4.7 million in the recurring funds let me find that I think it's on page 20 or 30. Okay. So, we have 22 million in non-recurring appropriations um for items that are arguably very much operational costs. So, should not be one-time non-recurring appropriations. um of that we only have a revenue stream for non-recurring revenue in the amount of $4.4 million. So we are about $18 million over in non-recurring items. So where are you going to get the additional money to pay for that those 18 mil that$ 18 million? because the 4 million and the 4 million that puts us at 8 million. So that's your wiggle room. But we still have 18 million and that's only in the recurring items. That is totally unaccounted for that arguably are really actually operational needs and not one-time things. You look at technology and innovation for example, just that one list in the recurring

items has us at me find it 22. I think it's about 22 and 22 million or 20 sorry um you know what I'm saying. Um but those are not they're listed as non-recurring but I call center script for 311 Cisco docuine subscription ESRI for APD licenses credits people soft licensing those are not one-time needs those are things that we need to operate every year what would APD do without the ESRI support

uh Madame Chair Cil I think um there and you know even hearing some of the presentations I think there's confusion because an item is a non-recurring. It is not a reflection of whether the expense is recurring or not. It's a matter of the funding source that is being utilized. So I just want to make that clear. It's not a referendum on whether or not we think those items are are recurring items or not. As to the other question, I mean I will have uh Mr. Noel If you can answer the question, Madame Chair, councelor Tez, which question is that?

Yes. Oh, as far as the non-recurring versus the non-recur I'm sorry, non-recurring expenses versus the non-recurring revenue, I mean the all of the revenue is put into the general fund and then as uh CFO Martinez stated um you know we determine okay which type of appropriation is going to be non-recurring i.e. you know, intended to last just for the year instead of recurring repeating every year. Um, getting to the point about say something like it costs, you know, it initially when these items were set up, you know, they were set up as non-recurring to get an understanding of how they might, you know, if it's something that actually would be the same amount each year. And so, you know, we're willing to work with the departments to see how we can, you know, if these are going going to continue to be repeated costs, then we can work with them to see how we can make them recurring going forward. Um, but yeah, just to I guess get back to the understanding of how the general fund works is that, you know, revenues be they recurring, non-recurring, they come into the fund and then we determine how to allocate them

to the different you know, items or, you know, appropriate them correctly and then, you know, This non-recurring list is just a reflection of items that we anticipate would only be appropriated for a single year. And if a department comes back and says, well, we need it again. Then we would look at do we want to appropriate it as a recurring or you know in discussions with them, how long do they anticipate that it's going to be recurring and therefore it might go on to recurring. Thank you. In that sense.

Okay. Thank you. Um and and Madam Chair, just to be clear, sure uh we're using it for not necessarily um non for non-recurring expenses, right? But it's very explicit in state guidance, budgeting guidance from DFA and our local government division that we are never to budget recurring costs from nonrecurring one-time revenues. Um because you're going to have overbud budgeted obligations. There's pop there's a lot of risks in doing that. Like a lot of risks in doing that. And yeah, it's not technically, you know, the thing right there. It's not a law. You're not doing anything illegal, but you're certainly risking misstatements and mismanagement of government public funds. So, um, that's a and 22 million in non-recurring items is quite a lot for a potential misstatement or mismanagement of funds. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, council. Madam Chair, yes, Mr. Noel. Madam Chair, Councelor Teas, on page 27, uh, in the blue column, the proposed budget, we show that recurring revenue, recurring revenues are 889 million and recurring expenses are 852 million. So, we're not budgeting uh recurring items with non-recurring revenues. Well, that that's holding distributions. So, those aren't going to be there forever. Those are phasing out a big chunk of that. But that's the non-recurring, right?

Revenue. I'm just saying that the 889 million on the recurring line is higher than the 852 million recurring appropriations. So, we're not budgeting recurring revenues from non-recurring I'm sorry, we're not budgeting recurring expenses from non-recurring revenues. No. Right. But you're only supposed to use non-recurring revenue to fund non-recurring appropriations. That's the that's the general practice under Gazsby, under Yellowbook, under whatever you want to look at it. If you are having non-recurring appropriations, they should be funded with non-recurring revenue.

Madam Chair, Council Tas, we'll take a look at it. Thank you. Thank you, Councelor Tas. Councelor Feeblecorn.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to clarify um because I've got a lot of um emails and calls about the storm water um utility fee and the storm water utility ordinance and I was telling everybody that it has not been introduced. It has not been introduced. I saw um just a couple of minutes ago that is now available on Legisar, but it's got a note that it is to be introduced. So I just I just wanted to clarify that because everybody's very concerned and none of us have actually seen it and now I see that it is on legisar which I will be looking at it tonight but just wanted to clarify that. Thank you. Okay, any other questions? All right, let's move on. Thank you for that robust discussion. Okay, we will now go to Mr. Kevin Noel. He is the budget officer. Mr. Noel will lead today's presentation overview of the social goal department budgets. Counselors will have an opportunity to ask questions of each department after they are presented. Mr. Noel, Madame Chair, counselors, thank you very much. Um, so we're presenting to you the FY27 proposed budget um with revenue and information on the social departments this week. Um, go to the next slide, please.

Next slide, please. Garrett, next slide. Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair, counselors. Um, I would like to first thank our office of management and budget staff. Uh, we have city economist Christine Burner. Um, I'm the acting budget officer Kevin Noel. Uh, our senior budget analyst Linda Cutler Cutler Padilla who oversees chief the the CEO's office economic development, fire, the mayor's office, and parks and recreation. Uh, our other senior budget analyst, Hyenhao, she oversees DFAS, general services, human resources, and transit. Executive budget analyst, Emma Romero, who oversees CPOA, the Civilian Police Oversight Agency, legal, police, and senior affairs. Our other executive budget analyst, Mavan Bazar. She oversees animal animal welfare, aviation, community safety, solid waste. Executive Budget Analyst Suzanne Oliver who oversees city support municipal development office of the city clerk, office of internal audit, uh the office of inspector general, technology and innovation and YFS and executive bud budget analyst Diane Shaver who oversees arts and culture, environmental health, health, housing and homelessness and planning. And I'd like to take a moment just to really thank them because you we as you all know we went through a lot of transition in the middle of budget prep and um our two new analysts uh Suzanne Oliver and Diane Shaver they really stepped up as well as um Linda and Hyenne as our senior budget analysts. They did a great job in leading the whole budget team and getting you know the budget submitted on time and accurately. And then Emma Romero and Ma Mavan, they work really hard as well in, you know, helping Linda and Hyenne uh bring along the two new analysts. So,

I'd just like to, you know, acknowledge their efforts. Um, the FY27 budget calendar started on December 19th with the budget call and the message and instructions sent to the departments. Um on January 9th, department submitted the budget forms to OM from on February 9th and 10th as well as February February 12th and 13th. We conducted the CEO budget hearings. On April 1st, we submitted the budget resolution to council. On April 22nd, um the departments, the social departments sent their responses to uh the council's questions. On April 29th, yesterday the physical departments sent their responses to council. Today we are having the uh committee of the whole number one social goal presentation. On May 7th, we will have the committee of the whole number two physical goal presentation. On May 14th, we will conduct the committee of the whole meeting for the budget markup. And on May 18th, um we will conduct the regular council meeting for budget and final adoption. I'll turn this over to CFO Martinez now. Thank you, Mr. Noel. Thank you, Madame Chair and members of the committee. And first of all, um, Madame Madame Grout, I appreciate your flexibility and allowing us to flip-flop a couple of the departments due to scheduling conflicts. So, thank you for that. I would like to start with sort of an understanding of the budget methodology that we applied this year. I will say that, you know, this body confirmed me, I believe, on February 18th, which I appreciate. And, um, in less than, I think, six weeks, uh, I had to gain a fairly good understanding of the budget and be able to submit with the team. They're an

amazing group, a uh, budget, a balanced budget by April 1st. And I think not only was the time compressed, but it was a different approach this year to the budget as I have mentioned to many of you. And so it was a lot of long hours. It was a lot of having conversations, some very difficult sometimes conversations with departments about the work that needed to be done. But at the end of the day, they all stepped up and did the hard work. And so this is just a highlight of some of the things that were done. First of all, I know that this city council had requested um of I believe the mayor and the CEO that we discontinue the use of prudent program savings. It was something that was on the budget in previous years I believe as a negative number and a way to balance the budget. And so one of the first things that departments were required to do was to go find those positions that would be discontinued as part of that process. And through doing that work, we identified $18 million of positions that were identified to discontinue the prudent program savings. In addition to that, the departments were asked to find potentially 7% of cost cuts in their departments and that led to an additional $37 million. some of that, and we'll get to a later slide, was additional positions that were cut um to get us to a total of $23.5 million of positions that were position savings through this budget. And as the departments did those cuts,

we had conversations about ways in which we would reallocate the budget according to priorities as well as to reflect appropriate spending. And in previous years, departments used vacancy savings in many respects to cover their operating budget. And this year to the extent you know it's going to be a a several year attempt but to the extent that we could we moved and shifted those costs into the right places which was into operations. So that was the overall sort of budget methodology. As a result of it, as you see on this table, there was an overall amongst all of the funds within the city's budget, an overall $35 million cut to the budget. I think there's been some conversation about was it really a cut? Yes, it was absolutely a cut. However, we acknowledge that there was an increase in the general fund. And to that point, we will uh talk through what some of those increases were a result of. But be can we move to the next slide? Before we get into that, I als I wanted to start with sort of the overarching which I think some of the counselors have touched upon. Number one, our budget revenue assumptions or budget assumptions, excuse me, were that we would send down a budget based on a 5% IDOH rate. I appreciate the conversation has happened with city council around this and I know we've sent down additional information based on your requests. We also uh sent down a a balanced budget with 4 million related to storm water fees based on again the state law that allows municipalities to collect that and then 5.5 million in search charges. Those are costs that we

would apply to outofcity or outofcount residents who are using our our services as a city but are not paying into the tax base. And I know that in last year's budget, I believe we sent you down a fund balance of maybe $12,000. Um, and this year the commitment from the mayor and the administration was something more than that. And so what we sent down was an $ 8.1 million fund balance. Some of the items that Sorry, next slide. Sorry.

Okay. Uh one of the, you know, these are some of the highlights of places where you see increases to the general fund. As CEO Sangel said, we wanted to invest in our staff, the 6,000 plus employees in the city of Albuquerque. Um the budget assumes a average of a 2% pay increase across the city. And again I I want to highlight that that is also subject to negotiations with our many unions. And within that $13 million there was $4 million set aside for AFR that was part of the uh negotiations that happened last fiscal year. And then uh we also have uh done in addition to the 13 million wage adjustments for YFS of $800,000 for part-time employees. So a huge chunk of YFS's employment is around hiring part-time employees, especially during the summer. And so this $800,000 infusion is to help them try to at least get competitive. Um, as it stands right now, the part-time employees make about $12 an hour. I have a 17-year-old. She makes more working for a fast food joint. Right. So, the hope is that we're able to attract talent and retain talent by being a little bit more competitive. This infusion would, I believe, get them up to about $15 an hour. And then we are asking to infuse about 300 about 300,000 into metro security to help again the wages of our security officers be more competitive and also be more competitive even with other city departments.

Oh, and yes, uh both Metro Security and YFS are both subject to the union negotiations as well. Couple other highlights. Um, we have some capital that is coming online. We have station 12 that's coming online. We have um the Northwest Multi-Gen that is coming online. And so there's about $1.2 million there to get operations going for those those facilities. We have also added $500,000 to YFS for team programming. A lot of this was initiated, I know, by counselor Rogers, so we appreciate that. and then almost $2 million in expansion for ACS. We have also asked for $400,000 for a legal diversion program. Um I think there was some previous comments about this criminalizing our homeless. I want to make it clear this is a program that would be run by the city that is before any individual actually gets into the criminal justice system. That's the whole point of this diversion program. And then of course we have some, you know, standard recurring increases in costs. We have medical that has gone up. We've had dental that has gone up slightly. And then of course just regular um ongoing costs for communication and other things that we do in the city. Some places where we reduced within the budget, I mentioned the two $23.5 million. Again, 18 million of that was prudent program savings that had been reflected in previous budgets. We completely eliminated those positions. One thing I wanted to flag is there are places where we still have to maintain vacancy savings in departments for flexibility. We have for instance, I'll use parks as an example. They have promotional tracks depending on certification. So, we have to make sure we're leaving positions available when

individuals receive certain certifications and they need they're promoting within the system. Um, we added 12.2 million of new positions, so 129 new FTEEs because we had expansions in certain areas, but the overall reduction to personnel costs was 11.3 million. We also had $7.3 million of overall non-recurring reductions. So, u madame chair, councelor tea, you know, we did reduce that number from 30 to about $22 million. And then uh we did across you know multiple and these are just highlights of places where we reallocated funds amongst the budget to be more efficient and find ways in which we could have better cost savings. Um, we had, for instance, in DMD, uh, we reallocated, this is one of those examples where DMD was using vacancy savings to pay for ongoing operational costs and we made the decision to move that money into operations so that it was a better reflection of what they were actually doing with the funding. We moved additionally some money into subsidy for gas tax because in years past that was not something that was recognized as a budget need but it was an ongoing need and so that happened this year and um Chief Harmia will get into a little bit more about her overtime savings but this is an example of where we shifted positions within AFR to help lower overtime costs that were happening. And then another example is Triple H uh you know identified an opportunity to shift some money to ACS. We've heard city

councilors, we've heard, you know, a request or a want to to arm ACS with vouchers and other things to help our homeless population. And so this was um an attempt to start that kind of pilot towards that. And uh I will turn it over to Christine and Kevin to follow up with the remaining slides. Okay, Madame CFO. Yes. Um councelor Shanghai has a question for you.

Just just a quick um madam CFO, the overall non-reoccurring reduction was 7.3 and then you saying that the budget reallocations were to all these departments. Correct. Uh ma madame chair and councelor Champine. Uh there are two different points that are just put on the same slide. This adds up to 8 million. That's 7.3. Just Yes. My apologies for the confusion. Thank you. You Mr. Noel.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So the next slide shows the FY27 resources for all funds. So the largest share is of is the gross receipts tax revenue of 616 million at 42%. Uh the next come next comes property tax at 200 roughly about 201 million at 13.7% then other taxes at 3.9%. Um intergovernmental represents um like grants you know federal and state grants that's roughly about 74 million. Next is the enterprise funds that would be aviation uh the you know parking fund as well as um you know solid waste and other you know similar departments and those that that revenue is at 188 million. Uh then inter fund and fund balance those would be transfers between between funds as well as a fund balance appropriations that is at 16.3% uh which equates to about $239 million. Then at 75 million we have charges fines and permits and then miscellaneous comes in at 16.3 million. So those would be any other, you know, small revenue items. And to give a more detailed breakdown of the gross gross receipts tax revenue, Christine Burner will be giving that presentation. Madame Chair, members of committee, good evening. So yes, I'll be giving you a quick update on GRT, the general fund and employment soon as I can actually see. So this first table, it's just GRT revenue. Um, and you've you've seen

similar things like this uh in the recent past. Um, this table shows the evolution of the GRT revenues. Uh to the far left you have FY25 audited actual and then the FY26 approved budget where we thought we'd be uh at the five-year forecast and then the second quarter which is the most recent report that you've uh that you've received. Um and then to the to the the last column on the right is the FY27 proposed budget for GRT. Um and then the percent growth the 3.8% 8% that is the growth of FY uh 26 uh not 27 just just to avoid any confusion. Um at quarter 2 FY26 is is expected to grow 3.8%. Um and I do have an update for February revenue. We did get that uh and growth was actually 4 and a.5% for February. Uh and that allowed the cumulative growth for the year to remain at 4.6 um percent. And that's not up there for you. I just have got this year. Um and then for February, just briefly, cannabis grew 40 almost 43% for February. Uh however, I looked back at the last couple of Februaries and they just seem abnormally small. So, I think there's some sort of anomaly there that I'll look into. But at any rate, this February um did quite well over last year, this time last. And um and that brings the cumulative growth for cannabis uh nearly 2% positive for the first time this year. So, good news there. Uh and then the FY27 GRT estimate in the proposed budget is uh projected at 1.9% um and that's about 11 and a half million over the previous year. So if I could have the next slide. Am I doing the slides or you Oh, sorry. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, next. Wait, before you do that, we typically point out the hold harmless um increment that was implemented effective July 2018. And

so for 27 FY27 that's projected at almost 91 million and then when you account for uh the required reserve that leaves about 83.7 million available for appropriation. So next slide please. So this is all of general fund um briefly and I I think you've seen most of this as well. the FY25 audited actual where we were with the approved budget and then the second quarter and then I wanted to just provide some of the um some of the changes that we see in FY26. So uh recall that FY26 the GRT uh a little bit growth a little bit higher there than we had at the approved budget that reflects year-to- date growth. Um there is the lumpsum uh food hold harmless that we got at the beginning of the year which is in there as well. Um so that's that bit of increase there. Uh property tax it's holding steady. We do not like I said before expect to see significant impacts from the the new exemptions for veterans. Um so that stays at 4%. Um franchise revenues are still doing well year to date. Um we did have some um higher rates for water and P&M which were impacting FY25 and FY26 intergovernmental that that small decrease there that's largely the state shared gas tax. It was elevated last um this time last year and um I didn't expect to see it again in FY26. So that's what that refle that's what that reflects. And then permit revenue at the second quarter, we did adjust that down slightly. I mean, there were some delayed um changes that were going to happen at the planning department. Um and so we did I did put that a little bit lower in the second quarter. However, I am just recently looking at year-to- date um permit

revenues, both regular permit and and other building permit and other permits. They're actually tracking fairly well right now. Um, and so for Q3, which you should be getting before too long, I might be able to adjust that estimate up a little bit. And then miscellaneous, that's nearly 46% decrease there, that 6.7 million, but the vast majority of that is because we had um audit adjustments at the end of FY25, and you can't budget for that. And so that's why that's um so much lower. There was I mean, there were some other decreases. there was some earnings on investment that had to be pulled back a little bit but that's it's largely because of those audit adjustments and then interfund transfers you know funds coming from other funds into the general fund um some of that's the um IDOH there was a one-time uh transfer from um the hospitality fund into general fund for some um athletic events I believe and so um it reflects that that increase reflects some of those so we can go to the next slide.

Can I pause for just a minute? I have a few questions and a couple counselors too as well. So, I have just a couple questions. Um, fiscal year 26 had a 3.8% projection. Isn't that correct? Correct.

So far in fiscal year 26, it looks like we're about 4.6 or a little less than 1% over the projection. Where does that um increased amount over the 3.8% go? Uh, madame chair, that goes into general fund and um I think I mentioned previously while the general fund while the GRT is a little bit higher, we do have some reductions in the rest of general fund. And so um part of it's offset by other reductions in other places. Sorry, it's the GRT that you're seeing that increase in and and it does offset some of the decreases in other revenues in the general fund. Correct. But yes, it goes right into general fund.

Okay. And then my final question is how many how much money is equal to about 1% over projection? Yeah. The estimate would be around $5 million. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um Councelor Rogers. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um question just to go back to the um GRT slide. Is the CMP is that the cannabis listed on here? Uh Madam Chair, no. Go back one carrot for me, Madam Chair. No, there's no cannabis in the general fund at this point. It's all going into that special dedicated fund,

right? But we still want to see what it is on the slide. So I I think I've said that several times even though I know it doesn't go into the general fund. It goes into its own fund. We still want to see it called out on any of our Madam Chair. Councelor Rogers, you did say that and I didn't include it and I do apologize. Thank you. Can we just get an updated Sure. Thank you so much. Uh, Councelor Champine. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I'm just going over your chart and I'm just trying to follow it all, but these numbers that you say in FY25 audited actual numbers, all that column adds up to 839557. Correct. Correct, Madam Chair. And 873043 and so on and so forth.

Correct, M. Okay. Then help me with my math on the percentage growth because I'm coming up with a negative 11, not a positive 3.9. Are you, Madam Chair, this this should be FY26 growing over the FY25 audited actual. Is that what you're doing?

Yeah, the the FY26 percentage growth. I'm adding up that column and I'm not coming up with 3.9. I'm coming up with 11gative 11. Unless that 45.8 is a typo. Oh, Madam Chair, um, if you were to take the 872055, that growth over the FY25 audited actual of 839557, I believe that's the 3 point the 3.9%. That's where you're getting that from. You're correct. I apologize if that's confusing. Thank you for the clarification, Madam Chair. Okay. Thank you. All right. Continue, please.

Okay. All right. The next slide is GRT by sector. So this is just sort of for your information. Um it does show the relative um percentage by by uh business sector for total GRT. And so um for the far left column you've got the fivemonth cumulative um average. So you can see for example that professional and scientific services has grown about 10.8% so far this year. So that's what that column is about. And then I've included February. Um and you'll note that while like retail trade had experienced a bump of 16.2 construction for example, this time last year, uh it it declined 18.2. So there there were some declines in there. And then I'll point out the far right two columns, FY19 share and FY25 share. This actually speaks to a question that councelor tea had. Um I don't know maybe it was last time I was before you all uh but she asked well which which sectors are the most important which ones have I believe that was your question. Um and this answers the question more thoroughly. So I think I mentioned professional and retail but then you can actually get the percentage share for each sector and you can see the change from 2019 to 2025. So

thank you for that.

Next slide please. All right. Well, I wish I could say I saved the best to last, but I did not. Um, this is employment. And I think that Oops. I think that this might be the first time since CO that I've had to tell you there's a decline in in in um employment for the city. Um, for January 2026, which is the last that I had, um, non total non-farm employment declined by 1.1%. Uh, we did see increases in retail, trade, information, health, leisure, state government. However, um, federal government declined, you know, nearly 12% which we understand. Um, but then construction employment declined 8.6% 6% from this time last year. Um, and professional and business services. So, and I'll just tell you that construction employment is one of the main drivers of GRT for the city. So, that's that's a little bit worrying at this point, but can we really be s, you know, entirely surprised at this point.

Um, so, and then the unemployment rate for Albuquerque increased to 4.8% for January and that was up from 3.9 in December of 2025. And that was a bit higher than the uh unemployment rate for the federal and state. Uh the state was four and a half and the federal was 4.3. And so that was the last data that I had um available to me when I made this slide, but very recently um February actually became available and I'm uh it's actually not very much changed from January. Total non-farm employment was down 1.2% 2% from the previous year with construction and federal government suffering the the worst. Um and then the unemployment rate for Albuquerque remained unchanged for February uh with New Mexico at 4.7 and the US I believe at 4.4 for February. And so that those are that's the end of my slides. I'd like to just sort of remind you I I believe you all received the the UNM Bureau of Business and Economic Research. Um they just released their uh April report. So this the current proposed budget was built on the January report. That was the latest information that we had available and that was before the the war in Iran. Um, and this April report is the first actual data that I'm seeing that I'm getting to look at that takes some of that into account both federal and with Bieber and you know many in many years it seems like I've been able to come around this time and be able to maybe suggest the addition of additional money but I don't see that happening this year. Um, uh, I actually have early in the morning a meeting with Bieber. Um, this is their forecast meeting. Um, and they didn't send their narrative to me until late this afternoon. I haven't even had a

chance to look at it. So, you know, I'll I'll come back to the to the council and let you know details. I mean, you've got the the high level, you've got the numbers that you've seen it. I've sent it to you. Um, but it's it's I need to I need to talk with with Bieber and kind of get the nuts and bolts of what's behind their data. Thank you. Yes. Um, thank you for that. Um, and we'll look forward to your next presentation. Stay in touch.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank Thank you for the data. Um, I mean, I'm assuming that the you I read the report, but I guess it it would refer to high g higher gas prices. Um, probably the same higher gas prices that we had a couple years ago uh to and had, you know, two years before that and previously. So, um, I think there's a lot of conclusions that we could probably draw, uh, you know, based on some of our history and how do we deal with budgets as a city and future revenues when we see high gas prices. Um, you know, when it comes to the city, we're budgeting wise. I mean, uh, we hedge, we normally hedge our fuel. Um, not sure if we've done that this last year. We hedge the fuel this year. Do we have a hedge on a fuel? Um, Madame Chair, councelor Lewis, not as of yet because we are trying to watch the numbers. Um, generally somewhere between February and June, we hedge uh, you know, we we lock in on the hedge for one year.

Usually one year. Okay. Yes. Um,

so I mean that that would be some advice I guess we could gain from that regarding our own fuel usages. But as far as the overall economy and look, we have these reports. Actually, we didn't have these reports for a long time until I, you know, made sure that we had these reports because these reports, I think, should shape our policy. Um, and for a good, you know, couple years now, we have these reports and they show that our economy in Albuquerque sucks. I mean, that's that's the that's the result. That's the conclusion of these reports that we're getting. Um, if if anything, maintaining or pretty good. Uh but but you know these reports should cause us to actually shape policy. They should shape policy. They should shape a budget. Um now we get a report when it comes to our biggest driver in our economy, employment. Uh when it comes to construction, when it comes to the greatest contributors to GRT. Um, and we're talking about, you know, I mean, we've had discussions about raising GRT taxes and things like I mean, can you see how how significant that this report, this data is to shaping policy? Sure. Certainly. So, I mean, my qu as we're going through this budget and really as we're moving forward, um I mean I' I'd love to be able to see um in our in our budget reasoning and forecasts and projections and goals for our city, you know, from the administration um the kinds of things that are going to change getting reports like this. That's the whole point. the things that are going to be the drivers in this. Um but what we do is we again you know more fees more taxes more programs none of them are related to this kind of data and they should be um and if you know if you could help us with that at times you know I mean because you know it's just like accountants you know we we you know we love accountants got to have

accountants the great accountants um uh that that help I mean you have to as a decision maker you have to be able to go what does this accounting mean for the way I'm going to run my business for the decisions I'm going to make tomorrow. And I think that's report is is is the same way. So, thank you, madam. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Councelor Lewis. Okay. Continue. Madam Chair, that concludes my presentation. Okay. Um Madam Chair. Yes. Um I if I may recommend um since her meeting is with UNM tomorrow that we'd ask that she'd be able to come back next week at the Thursday cow hearing and give an update to the council.

I think that's a great idea. Thank you for that. Okay, Madam Chair. Yes,

I did have a quick, you know, quick followup. Um M. Martinez, um, when you went through the the the slides there again, I noticed, uh, I I was referring to the commercial, uh, trash rate increase, uh, of $1.8 million that's in your budget, page 171. Uh, and yet, um, so it's the commercial rate increase is expected to generate about $1.8 million of additional revenue. So, you're you're counting it in your revenue, but yet you all didn't show it on your your your rating your rate sheet. Why why was why was that not on the rate sheet?

Um, madam chair, councelor Lewis, the reason being is that we're presenting the general fund versus solid waste has an there solid waste is an enterprise fund and so what we're presenting is the highlights of the general fund. Okay. So, it's not, Madam Chair, it's not a comprehensive what you gave us wasn't a comprehensive list of of fees for the budget. It was just the ones related to tonight.

Madame Chair and Councelor Lewis, it's my understanding that's what is always presented to you is the general fund because that is the piece that you all make decisions about. I mean, don't get me wrong, we will be presenting solid waste and transit and other enterprises uh uh as part of the presentations, but the highlights that I gave to you and the budget that was submitted to you does include the enterprise funds, but I was highlighting the work that was done related to the general fund. Okay. Does that does that help?

I mean, just some clarification from our staff. Is that usually the case? Is it I mean because we're we're talking generally about revenues and and that's a pretty significant increase in revenues to the whole budget. So would you say it's it's just another conversation for another day. Madam Chair, councelor Lewis, I I would say that in the proposed uh FY27 search charge list, there is a a search charge for convenience center receipts uh for outside of city uh users. So there that number is in in the proposed search charge, but the 1.8 is not.

Yes. So, so you gave us you gave us a a schedule and it had uh you know solid waste fee increase you know two different one but one of them one of them was there and one of them is not there. Um

Mr. Way. Yeah, madam chair, councelor Lewis, the reason why it's part of the discussion about the search charge is because we have general fund related funds that there are funds expenses related to the general fund that relate to that and so that was essentially um we wanted to flag that for you. But again, solid waste will be presenting to you. But my highlighted the ones that I was trying to highlight were kind of the high level mostly focused on the general fund.

Gotcha. So one of them was actually a lesser of a fee increase that was on that schedule. The other So So I guess in that reasoning it would be one uh one goes to the general fund, one doesn't. You want to clarify that, Mr. Wayland? Uh council chair and councelor Lewis. Uh there's several differences here. the five the increase to the commercial rate was approved back in 2021 or 2022 by the council which was the last time we had a um residential rate increase. So this was part of that increase back then which allowed the department to try and keep up with its commercial costs uh up to a certain percentage and that's what you're seeing which is the 1.8. So it has been for a long time.

Madam Chair, this is a I guess mow could correct me if I'm wrong then. You're saying the dollar increase that that I didn't approve. I guess this council approved it in the budget a few years ago. Uh a dollar increase. You're saying that that's the same thing as this new increase, this 1.8 million because the expenses to it or I mean this is an additional increase to trash pickup. uh council chair and councelor Lewis back when we did the rate increase residential increase in that legislation it was stated that based this the department could raise commercial rates up to 5% annual every 12 months or annually which they have done since 2022 I believe I don't know the exact year but it has been done and it's in that legislation without approval it's approved in that legislation as the rate increase because any rate increase has to be approved by this council which it was which was a rate increase I believe um which brought us from 16 to 18 and then within that legislation there it said that they could raise commercial rates up to 12 up to 5% in a 12-month period. So every 12 months they can raise that commercial rate up to 5% and it's not it's varies based on the commercial um uh person business that has it. So, for instance, if you have a small business and you have a fouryard can and you pay $30 a month for one pickup each week, which would be four pickups and you pay $30, it would be four or 5% of that $30. If you're one of our highlevel commercial clients like our fast food chains such as McDonald's or those who need to be picked up daily, their rates are a lot higher. So, their 5% is a lot higher because it's based on the actual usage whereas our residential rates are a set rate set by the council.

All right, madam chair. So yes, understand this. Um, so you got it you got you got the ability without I we gave you the freedom to do that for how long a period of time? I mean, but like I guess you could do it inevitably you can continue to raise those rates by 5% every 12 months, Mr. Modsko.

Oh, I madam chair, councelor Lewis, uh, unfortunately if it was passed in 2022, that was that was before my time. Uh, in the budget book itself on 171 where it does mention the rate increase of $1.8 8 million. That ordinance is not referenced. Uh in the next paragraph they talk about the the the fuel hedge and that ordinance is referenced. So if Mr. Wayland and I could discuss afterwards that the ordinance reference, we'd be happy to look that in up for that for you. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Okay. Um I also want to uh sir charge is another word for fee increase, correct? Uh madame madame president um in our mind it is not a fee increase. It is an additional charge a sir charge for those individuals that are outside the city limits. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Um

so Okay. Thank you for that clarification. So at this time it is 7 o'clock. Before we get started on our um departments, we're going to take a quick lunch dinner break for about 30 minutes. We'll be right back at 7:30 and we're going to knock this out. Okay. Thank you. Heat. Heat.

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Hi, Jennifer. Thank you. Okay, we're back from our dinner break. U Mr. Noel, would you like to go ahead and start your presentation? Madam chair, continue with it. Yes, madam chair. Uh we have one more slide in the overall presentation before you departments.

Okay, this last slide shows the FY27 appropriations for all funds. Um the net overall operating budget is 1 million 1 billion466 million and 195,000 after the elimination of interfund transfers. And this actually correlates to the uh slide that showed the resources earlier. Um the slide on the or the pie chart on the left shows the FY27 proposed budget and that is by category by spending categories. So personnel is at 52.4%. Uh grants I apologize it's floating out there but there is a line that should be going to the uh wedge to the left the blue wedge to the left of the green section for personnel. that's at 4.3%. Uh transfers is at 5.9% and those are the end of fund transfers. Uh capital spending is at 0.2% and operating costs are at 37.2%. Um the slide to the right or I'm sorry the pie chart to the right is the net appropriations by fund type and this is in millions. Um internal service funds are at 186 million 35,000. Enterprise funds are at 230 million. Non-enterprise debt services would be like your geo bond debt service, GRT debt service, that's at 126 million. Special revenue is at 106 million. This includes both uh like your project funds, which would be your grants um uh you know fund 250, which is the senior services provider fund and other special revenue funds. That's at 107 million. And then the general fund is at 817 million. So this is an overall presentation um of both the resources and the appropriations. Um you will be able to in your budget book you'll be able to see more detail on pages 41 and 45 in the financial consolidations section. Um and this basically just shows you know after we've eliminated the interf

transfers which are um the transfers between you know funds and departments where you know revenue comes in for example into the general fund and then we decide okay we're going to transfer some of that money out to the the grants fund. Um and so it's an expense in the general fund but it's also revenue transfer revenue in the grants fund and then the grants fund will then expend it. So that transfer uh expense from the general fund and that you know transfer revenue in the grants fund we just basically cancel those out so that we show the true um revenue and expenses and it just shows that we balance the budget. Um next we have I'm sorry the next slide um Garrett. So the next slide shows just the order in which the departments will go. Um this will be we'll start with the city clerk then we'll go to APD um then AFR then we'll go to the civilian police oversight agency uh Albuquerque community safety health housing and homelessness aviation parks and recreation economic development arts and culture and then senior affairs. We'll wrap it up. So on the next slide we have the city clerk's off or the office of the city clerk. Ethan Watson is the city clerk. Uh their FY27 proposed general fund budget is 5,45,000 and they have 35 35 general fund positions. Uh their budget actually is uh based on an adopted tiered rate structure to address surge in outofstate and international requests. Um $131,000 uh they have $131,000 in personnel savings from cutting two positions. And there is a $400,000 reduction by re reallocating temporary employee expenses to the risk fund. And this next slide will be presented

by Chris who is standing in for Ethan Watson.

Good evening. Good evening.

All right. Uh so unfortunately Ethan had to step away uh to attend a meeting to discuss IFRA uh on a statewide level. So uh I'm filling in uh this uh this evening. Uh the uh office of the city clerk uh has uh as Kevin mentioned eliminated two positions uh from our record center, but we believe that we are able we will be able to continue to keep up with uh our work at the warehouse. Uh we've sought uh uh funds from elsewhere uh federal uh grant funds, state funds. So we're we're looking to do that. Uh we've seen a substantial increase in our IRA requests particularly from outofstate and outofcountry res uh people or persons. Uh I ran a uh report a couple of weeks ago just for this calendar year and we're seeing about a 45% of our requests coming from out of New Mexico and we believe that that's due to content creation uh seeking on body camera lapel footage for content creation on YouTube. Uh we uh we are digitizing as many records as we can and we're also expanding our hearing office uh to keep up with the increase in ACE uh citations that have been issued. And so we're we're looking at uh bringing on additional hearing officers to keep up with that demand as it as it continues to increase.

Counselors, any questions? Okay. Councelor Champine, thank you. What were the two positions that were cut? It was two document imaging techs at our warehouse. How long were they open for? I I couldn't give you an exact uh time frame, but they were I believe they were vacant for about eight months.

Any other questions? Yes, Madam Chair. Hold on one sec. Uh, and you just mentioned that you're going to be adding two new a couple new positions to address the ongoing um requests. Yes, Madame Chair, Councelor Champine. Yes, we are we're not adding uh FTE positions. These are going to be contract hearing officers. And how much are you allocating for their salaries? Uh, they're not going to be salaries. They will Madam Excuse me, Madame Chair, Councelor Champine. They're not going to be salaries. It's going to be contracts. Um I believe we're we're still in discussions with DMD about what's available for those uh contract hearing officers. How many positions

we're looking to we have uh one presently on contract and then I believe we're looking to bring two additional. Perfect. Thank you, Madam Chair. Councelor Feeblecorn. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um my question might just be for the CFO. Um it's around the use of risk fund to cover the temporary um staffing. Now I'm I'm against temporary staffing. I don't think this is a temporary thing. We're going to be doing um forever. Um but can you just talk about the justification for using the risk fund for that expense?

Um Madame Chair, councelor Feebleorn. Yes. And I I believe Mr. PEC 2 could speak to why we use temp services. I think for them it's an a better strategy for them rather than having full FTEEs. However, as it relates to transitioning these funds into the risk fund, I you know, I think this is a reflection of our city clerk and Mr. PEC being very creative and proactive as it relates to their budget and the work that they do is frankly risk mitigation work. And so we felt comfortable and we felt it appropriate to shift what had been one-time funding for these for these temp positions to shift that funding into the risk fund because the work they do has shown a decrease in in IRA lawsuits as it relates to the the work the processing of IPRs.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I I I hear you. I just I have concerns. I mean, all of our work could be considered a risk um mitigation in one way or another. And I think that responding to IRA is not just about reducing risk, it's about providing transparency for the public. But I I appreciate the the um rationale there. And then just one more question. I just noticed that there's a trend also of transferring, you know, attorneys to legal this year. And can you just talk through kind of the thought behind trying to get most of the attorneys into the central legal department rather than having them um in the various departments?

Um Madame Chair, councelor Feebleorn, it actually is not a reflection of where these attorneys will be physically working. It's a matter of the fact that they are supervised by the city attorney and therefore we felt it appropriate for the funding related to those positions to be reflected in the city attorney's budget. Thank you, Councelor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just had a question about the reduction for the Kasin contract. I know that that was the um contractor that we were using in city clerks to do process improvement so we can get better at IRAS and so reducing that contract by 100,000. How is that going to affect that work? So I believe that we are looking to fix that in a technical adjustment. Um I I feel we had talked to uh budget and I I I think we're going to address that in a technical adjustment. Thank you, Madame Chair. You should answer the question.

So, are we going to add it back? Is that what you're for wanting to put it back in? We've t Madame uh Chair, Councel Rogers, we've talked to budget, so I'll let Kevin explain. Madam Chair, Councelor Rogers, as Chris explained, uh that was sort of an administrative oversight and so we're looking to submit an amendment to or submit a technical adjustment request to get that corrected.

Thank you. I'm glad to hear that because if we want to get better at IPAs and we're doing process improvement, we won't want to cut the contract that's going to help us get better at doing the IPASS. And I think, you know, to councelor Vhorn's point, I think I raised some eyebrows about the risk fund, but then when I looked at how much we're paying out in lawsuits for not being done on time, I say this is a risk mitigation uh opportunity so that we're not paying out uh so much um in claims. 131 claims since 2022 with over $2.7 million paid out. So, I would say that it is a risk mitigation thing. So, we don't uh continue to have to pay that out. So, thank you counselors. Any other questions? Councelor Tas, that's right. I'm sorry, Councelor Tas.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Hi. How are you? Doing good. I'm doing well.

Yeah, that's too you know. Um, okay. With regard to your performance measures, I know there's the four core services here. Um, and it looks like all the data that we're capturing, I see, is more actionbased data. So, we're capturing public records requests that volume, trainings that volume. So the measurements are all volume based. Um how are you measuring your outcomes? Uh madame chair, uh councelor teas, that's a good question. Uh a lot of the work that we do at the city clerk's office is driven by factors outside of our office. So we uh you know we we're subject to the volume that we or the demand that we encounter from the public. So whether that's administrative hearings or if that's uh uh public records requests, those are always going to be our high drivers, right? That that forms the data that we present to you. Um, and so outcomes are a little bit tricky to for us to kind of formulate because we never know in a given year what's going to drive our increase or our demand for either public records or administrative hearings. And so I understand your question as to how would we better capture our outcomes and I think uh that that's something that we can look at. I think we're looking at ways where we can uh use data after the fact versus just getting it on the front end and then having to address the that demand and then reporting out. So, uh those are certainly conversations that uh we're having ongoing uh between the clerk and myself and our team to see

what we can actually present to you in a in a way that's not just pie charts and uh numbers in that way, but actual outcomes for our office.

Yeah. Thank you. Um, and Madam Chair, thank you for that. And I I'll just throw this out there because this is a question that I'm going to ask of all of you, all of our department um, leaders really, is how are you determining your outcomes? Because what I am seeing here is a list of intents, um, intention, what your goals are, what your objectives are. I see that you're capturing data, but then it stops there. And so we're not I don't know how you're able to inform your decisions and how you're making decisions because I certainly cannot be informed by that. I need to know from this data how are we doing better? How are we doing worse? Right? What should we be scaling? What should we be pulling back? And without outcomes, we can't be properly informed to make those decisions. Um, and you just, you know, got lucky number one because you're the first up, right? So that's, you know, but really this is necessary information for every department because we are significantly lacking in outcomebased data. And so I think that's Yeah. So for the rest of you be prepared uh to answer that question. So thank you. Appreciate it.

Thank you madam madam chair. Yes. Um if I might just

uh address a little bit. I mean I I appreciate councelor TAS's reflection on this. I do think that these performance measures are done in collaboration with city council staff and city councilors. And so if there's opportunities that we can look at for for gaining some better uh data, we're all for it. I do I do want to say that there are a few places as we look at city clerk where there is performance being tracked like the number of hearings being held within the time frame. Um as well as uh average working days from the request to delivery. So there are there are options for that. Are there opportunities for improvement? Absolutely. But but they are in there.

Councelor Rogers.

Thank you, Madame Chair. And I'm just so happy to hear councelor Tea say this because I've been saying it for this is year three now. There's not a metric tied to the objectives. So I think you're right. We have objective and goals. Um but again, there's no metric that tells me if we're meeting the objective. And so, you know, saying that it's on city council to to we don't we set the help set the objectives and pass the objectives, but we don't assign the metric to that objective. We need the department to tell us what that is. So, um I don't know what we have to do as a team, administration, council, get together and fix this once and for all. I know I asked about this at our last meeting and our director said we're working on that on that. Um, but I I I just don't want to have to keep saying the same thing for three years and that we need a metric tied to every outcome for every department so that we can see if we're meeting our goals. So, I just wanted to again thank you councelor Dez because we've been asking for three years.

Thank you, Council Rogers. Councelor Shamine. Thank you, Madam Chair. I just read on their little sheet that you had right up here. said you're expanding the independent hearing office capacity to improve timeliness. How are you expanding it? Uh madame chair, councelor champine, we are doing that through the addition of uh hopeful addition of the contract hearing officers. So in addition to the one or two that you had mentioned,

so we have we have the uh Madame Chair, councelor Shimpine, we have currently we have our chief administrative hearing officer and we have one for for uh the ACE specific hearings. We have one contract hearing officer uh and we're looking to add two more to that number. So there would be three total contract hearing officers and the chief administrative hearing officer. And is that in addition to the one to two three positions you had mentioned earlier or is that the same? It's the same. Okay, perfect. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, Chris. Thank you, director.

Mr. Noel.

Madam Chair, next we have Albuquerque Police Department uh with Cesaly Barker. Is it police chief? Their proposed general fund budget for FY27 is 278,238,000. Um, and on the positions, I want to give a little bit of clarification. So, in the budget, there is,00 sworn positions. The 917 reflects the current sworn positions that are that are currently staffed. Is that correct? And so with uh some last minute math, the uh 99 was just deducted from um the overall number also counting the 69. So if you add all those up, the 917, 909, and 69, it is correct in total. It's just that there are,00 sworn positions in the budget and there are 726 civilian general fund positions as well as 69 grant positions. So just a little clarification on that. So, it's just really driven by the fact that uh this 917 was initially to reflect what was currently staffed.

Mr. Noel, will you repeat those numbers again? The the true numbers 1100 for the sworn general fund positions, 726 for the CI civilian general fund positions, and then 69 for the grant positions. Thank you.

Um their budget includes 7.2 million a $7.2 $2 million cut in 63 civilian and sworn brass positions. Um that is offset by the addition of $3.2 million for 50 police service aid positions. Uh this increases the total PSA count to 100 100 funded positions. It also includes a $ 1.1 million increase for the transfer of the office of emergency management personnel and operating budget to the police department to strengthen citywide coordination and enhance operational readiness and ensure a unified approach to emergency management and major event planning. And then there is $400,000 a $400,000 increase in funding for four crime technology analyst positions. And I'll turn it over to Chief Barker for questions. The next slide.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I go over the second slide? Yep. Madam Chair and members of the committee, some of the reallocating of resources to strengthen our frontline response for field uh starts with drones of the first responder program. Um as it notes here, we currently have 10 dock drone networks um which has enabled us to have a quicker response time to specific calls. Um eventually we're looking at going to 14 dock drone networks which would allow us to have coverage over the entire city. In March alone, APD conducted over 500 deployments with 65% of those deployments uh calls were able to be cleared remotely and allowing for a quicker response time for patrol officers. Something that we have seen with the drones as well as an ability for the officers to be safer when they're responding to calls. A recent example is a call at Interstate 40. um and Eubank, not the officer involved shooting, but a different one where an individual had an handgun. Uh the drone was able to respond and you know, show the officers um what what the threat was. Um and the people watching the drone were able to tell the officers um a safe way to approach that. Um we also been able to use the drones to locate um missing children as well. And so that's that's some success that we're seeing there. In reference to the digital intelligence team, we've expanded from three to 10 examiners and two supervisors, and they're now supporting in all cases. So, when we initially started the DIT team, they were only able to review homicide cases and assist those detectives. However, they are now able to assist across the entire investigation bureau. Um, they have completed 1,260 cases in 2025, and year to date, they have completed 600 cases. That team is instrumental um to helping us solve our homicide cases and other cases throughout the city. Um they do anything from look at cell phone data um social media um anything related to

technology to help us uh solve crimes. Our civilian support increases uh capacity. Um so to support operations, PSAs and transit safety officers are leveraged to handle non-emergency calls, transit related incidents, and this helps to free up sworn officers. And so um we've talked about what that looks like, whether it's um at bus stops on central um or our police service aids responding to traffic accidents and helping officers take reports um and write citations. And I will be or stand for any questions that you might have. Councilors, any questions? Council Lewis.

Madam Chair, thank you. Thank you, Chief. Um, so Chief, we we always uh fund additional sworn positions in every budget. Uh, but you know, there are always vacancies. Um, what's the actual number of deployable officers currently working field assignments compared to last year?

I don't have the number in comparison to last year. I can tell you that we um bid 43 more officers at the field officers bid than we did last year. We currently have 363 police officers in uniform that are responding to calls. That does not include supervisors and it does not include our crisis negotiation or uh crisis negotiation team which is also under field services and assists you know walking uh downtown as well. I I appreciate that. That's that's good. That's what I was asking. Um uh and and how does it compare to the positions that we're budgeting for th those that from that 363?

Madame um chair and councelor Lewis we currently have 917 sworn police officers. We are budgeted for,00 uh we did have 100 officers join the police department last year and we are on course to have that many more uh complete training this year as well. So and and just so I know the 1100 is um the the budget specifically for um the deployable officers working currently in field assignments correctly the 363 number and then that 1100 is where we want to be. Is that correct, Madam Chair? Councelor Lewis, that is correct.

Okay. And so, um, you know, we're not reaching full staffing and we haven't for some time. Um, but so how much can you quantify like how much of your operations are being sustained through overtime uh rather than permanent staffing?

Madame Chair, Councelor Lewis, we are currently putting caps on our overtime. Um, previous years we did have more money in the budget to allow for overtime. We also had state funded money which allowed our officers to work a warrant tax plan. Uh, we have a 25-hour cap on overtime right now. And we also allocated um our field service officers to work four 10-hour shifts uh to make sure that we had bigger squads um able to respond to calls for service. And um Mrs. Long is here and I don't know if she has an exact um fiscal number for you as far as that goes. So, the total amount of overtime that we are current, sorry, my apologies, Madam Chair, Councilman Lewis, um, currently right now, we are for FY26, we will spend $24 million in overtime in total. Out of the amount of that is due to the recent schedules that we have was the four, what is it? 3 312

one week and basically 4436 in each weeks which caused a lot of openings for overtime. The amount of overtime that we were having was due to the amount of officers in FMLA injury duty. So when we did the comparison of the hours of worked versus the hours of overtime it was a difference of 50 roughly about 50 hours. So it was almost equal. We have a lot of folks on military leave. We have a lot of folks on FMLA and you have to cover those shifts plus their training hours. So, our overtime was being caused by this. In the recent two payrolls that we have run with the different shifts, our overtime is looking a lot better. We have already brought it down close to about $300,000 per payroll which is a big difference because we have less people calling in for um excuse me due to the larger schedules you have 10 hour 10 officers you have a minimum of what they can work and Erin I might be stepping in your area but um so it's less officers that you can take a vacancy without needing to mandate overtime at that point. So therefore, our overtime costs are starting to come down, but we are also answering the calls more for service is what I understand.

Correct. Madame Chair and Councelor Lewis, um just to add to what Miss Long said, um our squads are bigger now as well. Um last year we had squads that had anywhere from three to five officers on them. We currently staff five to 10 um officers. So, we have increased the size of our squads, allowing for, you know, if someone takes off, whether that be calling in sick um or vacation, we do not have to backfill that with an officer coming in to work overtime.

Okay. And Madam Chair, and this is a budget hearing, so that's why I'm addressing this. Um at at what point does overtime stop being a short-term tool and become the staffing model? Madame Chair, Councelor Lewis, um that's a hard question to answer. Something that we talk about, you know, all the time. We need to continue to staff our police department, which we have tried to utilize technology and our professional staff to include our police service aids and TSOs uh to assist us with the lower priority calls so that we have enough officers responding to calls for service. I would also add that ACS has helped us to clear um up to 3,000 calls um a month and that's calls that are taken away um from police so that we can respond to the priority calls.

Thank you. Thank you. Okay, let's see who's next. Councelor Champine. Thank you, Madam Chair. Just a kind of a couple of point of clarification. Um it says in here that you would cut 36 I'm sorry. 63 civilian and sworn brass positions. What were the breakdown of those positions? How many civilian and how many brass of the 63? Madame Chair, councelor Champine, um I believe we had 63 total professional staff or civilian. Um I'll defer to Kevin for this. Madame Chair, councelor Champine, it was 55 civilian and eight brass.

Perfect. And just out of curiosity, Madam Chair, what was the is an increase of 1.1 million to the office of emergency management. What was the justification behind that? Madame Chair, councelor Champine, we actually moved the budget that was assigned to Office of Emergency Management and the positions and shifted them under APD. Previously, they were under DFAS, Department of Finance, and it made more sense for them to be aligned with APD.

Perfect. Thank you. Uh, Madam Chair, it says in here the 400,000 increase for funding for four crime technology analysts uh to support the growing demand. Can you expound on the growing demand?

Madame Chair, Councelor Stampine, those analysts are going to be for the real time crime center. And so that goes back to the technology that we've talked about, whether that's the drone program um overseeing that and then just the response uh for officers who are out in the field and asking questions um of those working at the real-time crime center to get um timely and accurate information to them as well as providing data um for meetings that we have like Duke City Stat where we're analyzing data and crime trends throughout the city. And Madam Chair, what what would the to what would that if you added these four, what would the grand total be then at the crime center, the real time crime center?

Madame Chair, Councelor Champine, um if Miss Long doesn't have that number, I will make sure to get that back to you. Thank you. Okay, Madam Chair, only a couple more questions. Um, can you expound on how the the drone program reduced 65% or cleared 65% calls remotely? How do they clear them remotely?

Um, Madame Chair, Councelor Champine, that would be 65% of the 500 calls that the drones responded to. So, for an example, um if we have a report, sometimes it's called a down and out, which you might know is just an individual who is reported to be sleeping somewhere. If the drone is able to go there and notice that there's no one at that intersection in the area, then a supervisor can state there is nobody in that area and they can clear that call for service and that allows a police officer not to respond and to then respond to priority one calls. Okay? So basically it saves the time and the officers aren't dispatched. They can check the area. Madame Chair, councelor Chine. Yes. May

I have a just out of curiosity in your spare time just a list of those type of calls that they uh that they're able to clear? I mean, we're checking the area for a down and out. Is one um shots fired, stuff like that. Stolen car, illegal parking. What what what are these doing specifically? Just out of curiosity. Madam Chair, Councelor Shine, I'm sorry. We will get you a full list of what the RTCC is currently doing. Perfect. Um, Madam Chair, the digital intelligence team, is that all civilians? Madame Chair, councelor Champine. Yes.

Okay. And my last question, Madam Chair, it says that the the PSAs will be answering non-emergency calls. What non-emergency calls are they now? Madame Chair, Councelor Champine, those non-emergency calls are going to be traffic accidents that they might respond to. Um, they do assist the field. If they um are at um an encampment, they can call for a PSA to come and assist them in writing citations or helping to secure the scene, but they are never dispatched to um those type of calls if there's not an officer who has already made the scene secure for them.

Okay. Have they expanded, Madam Chair, have they expanded to accidents with injuries? Madam Chair, Councelor Champine, we still uh try to have officers respond to accidents with injuries. Same with major time delay on calls, say residential burglaries that are 24 hours or older. Madame Chair, Councelor Champine, they are able to respond to burglaries and um calls that require a report again when there is no um offender on scene and when that has been verified by dispatch. Okay. And I was curious, you said there was a 25-hour cap on overtime. Does that include court overtime or is that strict calls for service?

Um, Madame Chair, Councelor Champine, that does not include court. That's just uh calls for service um chief's overtime. That that type of um that type of overtime. Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Councelor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Hi, Chief. First budget hearing. Yay. So, couple questions. So, um, in on page 162 of the budget, it has department by the numbers for your department, but FY27 targets are missing completely. So, I only found that you were budgeting to,00 officers because it was in the narrative on page 160 um, where it says sworn officer count will be,00 um, so I'd like to get that updated because this is the data, right, that I've been asking for. number net gain of officers versus cadets, number of sworn officers, number of cadetses, number of 911 calls received. I know it's so it would be good to see what that looks like for FY27, what your targets are for those. Um because it's completely not in the booklet. Um and then kind of in the same line of questioning that council Lewis says about 24 million in overtime is a lot. So at like and I'm gonna try to rephrase it and not duplicate it, but I still feel like like what would it take to rightsize APD's budget, right? And and so that we can actually get to it because your department even though we know there's a certain amount we've not have haven't been able to hire year over year, those weren't cut like other departments in APD,

right? because I understand how cutting officers is very politically touchy thing, but every other department we cut positions that were not filled, but we did not do that here. So, I think it would just be good to see like what So, I'll ask you that. At what point um does over, you know, overtime um let me phrase this. At what point does overtime spending become more expensive than hiring and retaining our officers? I think I feel like we're there.

Madame Chair, Councelor Rogers, um we are always going to be trying to hire more personnel and again we are going to um continue to try and utilize technology and professional staff to take um the work away from our sworn police officers so they can really focus um and strategize on on crime fighting. Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. And I get that. But in my district, you have uh air force base and the aviation and the airport where you're not going to be able to fly drones in a lot of places in my district which are high crime areas. So what's your plan for my district where you can't have drones in several places in my district because of the flight restrictions for Air Force and the and the airport?

Madame Chair, Councelor Rogers, that's a good question. Um, and that goes back to what we looked at uh when we prepared for the the bid for field officers. And so we used a data analyst to pull calls for service and where they were happening. Um, and made sure that we provided the correct amount of officers per area command based on those calls for service. And that goes for shifts as well. And so you might see and we have heard there are less officers uh, for example, in an early morning graveyard shift, but that is strictly based on calls for service that have been documented.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm glad to hear that because the last bid I saw a couple bids ago, we had way more officers in the South Valley, for instance, 60 in that bid and like 20 in my Southeast command. And we have county to to help with South Valley. So, I felt at the time leadership was kind of wanting to compete with the sheriff or something. So, we're adding way more officers in an area where we don't necessarily need them based on the call volume. And so I feel like, you know, we were talking about my ride along where we had three officers on shift on swing shift during my ride along. One acting sergeant that meant two officers to take all the 911 calls. And it was eyeopening at how heart-wrenching it was for the officers who wanted to go to calls but couldn't. Um, and it changed my perspective wholeheartedly on what they're dealing with. Um, and so for me, I just want us to get to a point where we're right sizing the department. um and um making sure and then we come back at midyear and add more positions if you get there right we're doing that with every other department but we didn't do that in APD

um so I just u talked about that so can you talk are there what based on your experience chief what are the top financial risks for APD's budget what' you say madame chair councelor Rogers I'm going to defer to um this as the things I'm thinking of over time, overtime overruns, legal settlements,

like all like there's long list. Madame Chair, Councilwoman Rogers, the biggest risk that APD has is really software escalators, contracts, cost of ammunition, cost of basically our day-to-day supplies have escalated

and the amount that we are now putting in vests, folks that are in vests by increasing PSAs, by increasing transit officers, they have to wear vests to be out there. They can't be without the vest. So those are costs that we didn't have before. So that all of that brings up issues of where we find the money. You have to dress them, you have to outfit them, you have to train them. All of those costs are drawing against our operating budget. And we balance that very delicately. Um we leverage our LAPF funds to help us a lot. this year was the most money we have ever used of the LAPF funds to cover our vests and cover our instead of using it for day-to-day equipment for the officers. We are we we'reighing what's more important to us. It's more important that they're safe with what they need to do their jobs.

So, those are really our escalators of what I don't know. With the war going on, the ammo is going to be harder for us to get. We're going to have to make more orders so we can keep it in time to have it available for the officers. Thank you, Madam Chair. That's that was a deep You have a followup on that? I can wait.

Yeah, it was actually off of what you'd said because looking at the numbers, councelor Rogers, it says it's you're actually budgeted for,00 officers and 726 civilian positions and 69 grant positions, which total is 1895. But our sworn is 917, the civilian is 909 and 69 grant positions, which is 1895. So if you say that you're using sworn position money to fill in civilian positions, which would be the PSAs, if you already have sworn money that you're using for civilian spots, the crew chimon of a ci of a sworn position would be included in that money. Vests, radio, belt, uniform,

councilwoman Grout and Councilwoman Champagne. Yes, you are correct in the sense of supplies being that's part of the budget, but our budget has remained flat over the last two years and we have not had an increase in supplies to cover those expenses. So, I am relying on vacancy savings to cover those costs. So, our operating budget has stayed the same. Believe it was increased by 2% last year, but I'll have to look. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you for the introduction. Thank you. Good. Oh, a couple more questions. Okay. Um, okay. So, the other I think the last question,

are there any one-time funds being used to support ongoing operations for APD? Um, we're talking a lot about reoccurring, non-reoccurring.

We have very limited um, Councilwoman and Councilwoman Rogers. We have very limited um non-reoccurring funds as of last year. Our non-reoccurring funds we had five transactions. One was the I APD technical support of 130 which is the computers which is used for sworn. Then we had the criminal justice coordinator for 20,000. And then we had the drag racing which helps the officers with the drag racing program and keeping up with the kids. And then we have the youth risk programs which helps us with our summer camps and our um programs. And then we have the student loan forgiveness. If we don't have those, the officers kind of lose out on that a little bit with the student loans. If we don't have the risk, we'll have a harder time putting on those youth camps. If we don't have the racing, we can't keep up with the kids and catch them. And then the criminal justice coordinator council. I don't know enough about that program, so I'll have to refer to COS Jones on that one. And then the technical support. We need our computers. So we would have to figure out where I'm going to pull that funding.

Thank you. That helps me a lot, especially as we're digging into the public safety tax. There's a 6% call out for corrections. The city of Albuquerque no longer runs any jails. So what is APD using the 6% corrections from the public safety tax for? All of Councilwoman Graman, Councilwoman Rogers, the 6% all goes to salaries for us. Oh, PTU and PTU. So, it's PTU and SWAR that the money is used for. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Okay, Councelor People. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, all right. So, just a couple of questions. one. Um, you know, the transit security officers are now at APD. It's my understanding that those are being paid for out of your budget. Um, but what how are we paying for the contract services for the um additional transit security that is not actual employees at this time? Madame Chair and councelor Feebleorn that is coming from transit.

So transit security is now housed at APD but transit is paying for transit security. That seems counter to the whole point of moving them over. Uh, Madame Chair, councelor Feebleorn, the decision for the move was related to the supervision and the alignment with APD, the systems um and the opportunity for APD and uh TSOs to be aligned in terms of call and that might be uh transit is funding the transit security officers both within APD and transit security. So, as we are able to increase the staffing um within APD and hiring up transit security officers, those dollars are coming from transit into APD. They're maintaining the balance um uh to maintain security uh contracts and as we grow and that comes from that transit um safety report that we had done by the consultants to think about how to do this most effectively and ensure that we're having a unified and appropriate response related to transit oriented um issues.

Thank you. I I um I just have a concern about that. Right. We we are taking money from one of the departments that got the most reduction um and transferring it to the department that has by far the largest buddy budget in the city and um these these transit security officers are now based out of APD and so I feel that APD should be paying for them. Um and I think that's just shocking to learn. Um so okay, next question. Um and this one is just about a reduction in the civilian um spaces. Most of the civilian piece um personnel that were cut, you know, there was a good reason for it. It was already empty. It's not going to impact um it's not going to impact any um service, but one stuck out stuck out and there were a lot of folks that commented on it tonight. It's the victim's advocate um that was cut and and on your own table it says this change will adversely impact service delivery. Can you just talk through why we would cut a victim advocate and and knowing that it's going to impact service delivery when we're adding, you know, 50 new police service aids and drone flyers and all those things that I'm sure are important, but so are victims. Madame Chair and uh Councelor Feebleorn. So again, we have um had to make some really hard cuts and and taking a look at um all of our staffing and where we can make those cuts. You know, it is detrimental. I worked at the family advocacy center um for several years throughout my career and that is a very important position. Um we do have advocates there. Um and so we do know that we will still be able to continue our services. Um and that is something you know that we will have to continue to monitor to make sure that those services are not um being disrupted.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It does say with fewer victim advocates available, response times will increase as the remaining advocates assume higher case volumes. So I think we know that it's going to negatively impact and again we're adding a lot of new staff. I just feels like that one is one that um I have concerns about dropping. um when we're adding, you know, 50 new police service aids, surely we could add 49 and have um victims cared for as well. Thank you. Okay, Counselor Teas.

Hello, Chief. Hello, Commander. How are you doing? Good. Hanging in there. All right. I have a question going back to overtime. Is time still reported in teles staff? Is that what you're using? Madame Chair, councelor Tees. Yes. Okay. And are you verifying um that overtime is it reflected in CADs? Madame Chair and Councelor Tea, it is. So if an officer works overtime, they would have had to been logged on a CAD or a location to show that they were working and then the supervisor um is required to approve that overtime and ensure that it was actually worked.

Okay. Um, do we have um do you have any of that data you can send to us? Madam, I even spot checked. Yeah, Madame Chair and Council Teas, um, I will work on providing a document that can provide that information.

Okay. Um, Madame Chair, Chief, so I'm a little um concerned about the overtime and I have a little bit of sensitivity to APD overtime because five years ago I worked on the APD overtime special audit and so I want to make sure that um, you know, we're keeping up with the SOP update on that one. Um, so I also understand there's supposed to be a 65-hour weekly cap. Um, is that being

Yes, Madame Chair, Council Tas, we currently have a 25-hour overtime cap. Um, that is in place. And then just in reference to um your noting of the SOP update, we do review our policies on a consistent basis. And that's something that was placed um when the DOJ was here that we are continuing. And then I've also put accountability measures in place at our weekly Duke City stat meeting, meaning that the area commanders um are having audits on their overtime and if there's an area command that um is far above another, uh they are to report as to why. Um there could be valid reasons for that, but it's a trust but verify. Gotcha.

I love trust but verify. That's I'm more of a verify and then trust kind of gal, but you know. Um, so can we I know the for the chief's overtime because that was a biggest bit. Um, the SOP or the recommendation was to require a 30% audit of the coot entries per pay period to ensure that CAD support. Do we know that that 30% is being adhered to? Councilwoman Grout. Councilwoman Telus. Sure. Yes.

Um the chief's overtime has changed since that SOP. We are now running it through a third party called offduty management. So when an officer signs up for overtime, they go in through their system. They clock in on their system, punch in and punch out through their system, and they are paid via through us. The entry is made by the fiscal staff. We audit to make sure that we can confirm with the ODM report that the in officer actually showed up, worked, did the job, then it's entered into teles staff and approved at that point.

Okay. All right. And my last question, Madame Chair, um Chief, do we know if we um APD and maybe this is for Dr. um Single or um Yeah. So, I don't know. Do we know if we have ever actually recovered any of our overpayments? Um, Madame Chair, councelor Tez, um, can you specify overp payments on what specifically?

Yeah, so in the, um, special audit that we we did, there was a lot of that we were seeking repayment from officers that didn't have verifiable um, overtime reflected in their CADs. And there was quite a bit in there. Um, and so I want to know if we had ever even attempted to collect those overpayments. Madame Chair, councelor Tez, um, that would have happened um, before Miss Long was here, but we can work on a response for you. Um, can you reference what year that was?

Yeah, so this would have been um, end of 2020. So, a good time, right? That was a fun year. Um, and let's see. And and you know, we can do samples so we don't have we can spot check and I'm happy to um chat with you more offline about what that could look like so we don't have to go super deep in it. Um, yeah. So, we can totally work together on that. Madam Chair, councelor Tees, I would appreciate that.

And Madame Chair, councelor Tea, we do recoup overpayment with employees. It's one of the painful things that I often have to have those conversations and when there's an error or um an individual is separated from the city and there's been a payroll error where we continue to pay. We we do go back and recoup. I can't speak obviously to the chief's overtime pre prior to my time here at the city, but it is a practice that we have in place. Thank you.

Thank you. I have a few questions for you. Um thank you for being here this evening. Um, currently APD has a goal to answer 78% of 911 calls in 15 seconds. The national standard is 90%. In 2025, we were answering 76% of the calls within 15 seconds. I understand setting realistic goals for improving performance. What's keeping us from the 90% target and what would it take to get there? Madame Chair, uh what is preventing us from getting to that target right now um has a lot to do with our staffing. Um and when uh the dispatcher answers the call, if it's a priority one, for example, they do have to stay on the line until an officer arrives. Um Deputy Chief Hernandez, I have spoke with him at length about this um over the last several weeks and he's working on several different avenues to try and ensure uh that we are getting the proper staffing. He currently has six uh people who are in the pipeline um to be hired. We are hopeful uh that they will be on board and he believes that if he can get um eight more personnel added to his team that we will be able to meet that goal.

Do thank you for that. Do you have um is are you are you budgeted for those eight positions? Uh madam chair yes we are. Okay thank you. Very good. Good luck to you do that. Um okay so I have a couple more questions. You had mentioned that um overtime is it this year or fiscal year 25 that you were 24 million overtime madam chair it was in both years 24 I'm sorry in 25 we spent 24 and I'm slated to hit the $24 million mark again.

So this um in fiscal year um 27 you have um you have it budgeted at 11.7 million. Is that realistic? I'm hoping so. I will be honest. Um, we are managing overtime way differently than it was with the previous chief. Okay. Um, we are watching our caps. We are going to be lowering the cap again down to 20 hours to help us maintain it and we will be open to discussion as if we need to keep lowering it or need to find a different method, we will work on it. I hope not. Okay. But hopefully we can achieve it.

Very good. Thank you. Um and then um question about vehicle management. Uh where in the budget is vehicle replacement reflected? U Madam Chair, vehicle replacement for APD is with the office of operations. I will need to get an answer from Commander How of our replenishment plan is through DMD. I don't have that on hand. I'm sorry. Okay. Will you get that for us? Sure, Madam Chair. We will provide that to you. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Um, councelor Shampine.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just a point of clarification for the record. It was an 1.8% increase you guys got last year. So, there was an increase roughly about 5 million. Thank you, councelor Tea. Followup. Sorry, I have one more question. Thank you, Madam Chair. for um crime lab work. The is 49 additional personnel to conduct crime lab needs included in your in the request. Madame chair, councelor teas, I don't know that exact number. Um we can check that now.

Okay. Um and Madame Chair, Chief, are we how are we dealing with any sort of bottlenecks um or anything that it that you're dealing with concerning the crime labs? Um because I understand that there is a need for modifications um and some additional equipment. Um, are you able to with your staffing the way it is, are you are you meeting your needs to process evidence?

Madame Chair, councelor Tez, um, we do have proper staffing. I do know that they are currently um, trying to ensure that they have the personnel they need. Historically, we have seen um, backlogs in different areas. Um, but we have worked hard to come out of those in the last few years. Um, Commander Ratliff oversees the crime lab and he is continually doing audits to ensure uh that we are meeting the needs whether it's um processing evidence um DNA uh fingerprints um and and those types of requests.

Madame Chair, um Chief, are we having any scenarios or situations where evidence is not being processed timely while individuals are being held? Um, and you know, is is there any are you seeing any issues of cases being dismissed for time because evidence is unable to be processed properly?

Madame Chair, councelor Teas, we always prioritize cases. We work very closely with the district attorney's office to ensure um that the cases they are either going to trial on or that they need information back um promptly. we prioritize those um and we will continue to do that and I will ensure and work with Commander Ratliff to um make sure that we're addressing that. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you both. Thank you. Okay, Mr. Noel. We have Albuquerque Fire Rescue is next.

Thank you. Thank you, President Grout. Um, Albuquerque Fire and Rescue with Chief Emily Harmo. Their FY27 proposed general fund budget is 138,268,000. They have 789 sworn general fund positions and 39 civilian general fund positions. It in the budget includes a $1 million reduction in overtime and the reallocation of positions into the field. Uh, there's 4.8 8 million for IAFF negotiated FY27 wage increases to include additional funding for overtime and the $325,000 personnel savings includes $157,000 for cutting two civilian positions and the balance was used uh for wage adjustments for other positions and uh chief will present the next slide and stand for questions. Good evening, Chief. Good evening, Chairwoman Grout and um members of the committee. Um I'd just like to start by thanking our fiscal officer, Dr. Amanda Vehill, who's right behind me, and our budget officer, Linda Cutler Padilla. Um because takes a team to help manage uh our budget. So, um I just like to thank them. Um so with our slide um I think the first block might be a little confusing if you compare it to the slide before um because the the number is different. So um on this slide the 4.4 million is just specific to the contractual wage increases for our contract with the 244. So, um, we have a 5% acrosstheboard raise for all of our sworn firefighters. Um, that goes into effect in FY27. So, on this slide, that's the 4.4 million. If you look at

the previous slide, it says 4.8 million.

Um, the 4.8 million includes increases in overtime, an overtime adjustment based on the wage increases, and then also it includes the 2% for our civilian staff. So that's why you see that difference there. So I wanted to point that out. Um our second portion here is medic 12 deployment. So we opened station 12 at the end of last year. Uh station 12 is one of our busiest stations in the in the southeast corridor. Um it's the only station in the southeast corridor that doesn't have a medic unit yet. So station 11 has a medic unit. Station five has a medic unit. Um this is uh it looks just like the rescue um but it's another unit that we can put there as part of our ALS expansion program to help address the needs of that district. Um and then also reduce the call volume for engine 12 and rescue 12. So they'll be able to share the share the load of calls there. Um so good for the firefighters and then also good for the people living in district 12. Um and then the third um portion of this slide is significant right sizing. Um, so this is where we had to do the hard work with this budget for FY27. Um, because so many of our positions, as you can see on the previous slide, are sworn. Um, and we don't have a very big civilian staff and we did not have a lot of vacancies either in our civilian staff. Um, I had to really look at the department and how we can address uh the needs in the field. Um, so I know, um, based on the questions that I received from the council, a lot of them were related to overtime and staffing. So field staffing is always our priority and it's our biggest challenge. Um, that's why we see the overtime rates that we have. And so what we did is we um I had all of my support divisions um and we did this during COVID also report

back to me um minimum staffing levels that they could continue to operate um by reducing the numbers of firefighters that work in desk jobs. Um and so we kind of started that first wave of right sizing there where we took sworn positions that have a desk job and reassign them to a field the field. Some of them were vacant and I've been holding them vacant during FY26 uh because we had vacancies in the field at those ranks and I didn't want to pull people from the field and increase the vacancies in the field and then put them in desk jobs. So I've held some of these vacancies since October of 24 um so that I could prioritize field staffing. Um, so some of the three of these positions that were transferred were already vacant, but I did um reduce um some of the staffing in our two newest divisions that we've added over the past eight years, which was our heart program and adapt. And we know that those are both very important programs um uh to the city, but uh we're really trying to prioritize field staffing. And um so we did lose some positions in there that are now being transferred to the field for FY27. The last part of the right sizing that I have is um and we've had this practice for several years. We call it support fill and um our support divisions are our desk firefighters. um we have a uh every two weeks they have a day that's assigned to them and if we have a vacancy we attempt to fill it with the support division personnel um for that day shift. So rather than them say going into the work in the fire marshall's office they would do a 10-hour day in the field. It helps reduce overtime costs, but it also helps reduce the impact on having our firefighters in the field work um forced overtime and things like that. So, right now, we've been

doing it on the back end where we fill all the overtime slots and then we use support fill. So, we're flipping that and we're going to assign those support division positions first before we start calling overtime. We were really just trying to prevent it um from from there being force hires, but now we're going to fill it on the front end, which will also save us some of the money in our overtime budget. Um so that's where we anticipate with these changes that we should see about a million dollar of uh change in our in our overtime overage. And um with that, uh any other questions that you may have? Um, I know I gave you a lot. So,

thank you, Chief. I have I have one real quick question. Is uh support division are those like floaters? Is that what you would call floaters? U Madam Chair, no. So, floaters are actually assigned to the field. So, we have a float pool that's operations um firefighters through the ranks. Um, and and I'm glad you asked that question because actually they generally fill the vacancies first and then we would move into the support divisions, but based on our vacancies per day, the floaters get used every day into a position. Okay. Thank you, Council Lewis.

Thank you, Madam Chair and Chief. Thank you. Um, you've addressed some of this, I think, or but wanted to ask it. um you know AFR continues to respond to a high number of EMS calls. Um what percentage um again is a budget discussion so it's related to that but what what percentage of your total call volume is low acuity or non-emergency and has that changed over time? Um, Madame Chair, Councelor Lewis, um, I feel like I should rattle this one off the top of my head because of all of the time that I spent as the deputy chief over EMS. Um, our are our I don't have the percentages for you, but I can get you those. I'd like those to be accurate. So, I'd like um 80% of our about 80% of our call volume is emergency medical services and um the majority is generally um more on the non-emergent than the eent side. Um but I'd like to break those down for you and get you the actual percentages so I can send those over.

Okay. And you mentioned overtime and you know we're we're seeing it you know that's a significant amount of reliance on overtime to meet minimum you know to meet our minimum staffing. Um, do you know, and again, this is a budget discussion, so uh do you know what it would cost uh to staff those positions on a permanent basis instead of relying on overtime? And uh and and I would say, you know, why why is that not reflected as a policy option in the budget? Um, Madame Chair and Councelor Lewis, uh, uh, to answer the first part of your question, it it really depends on the the position. So, a firefighter position would have a certain cost versus a driver versus a paramedic driver. Um, and so we it would depend how many we calculated that we needed in each of those. Um, one thing that we do when we and we've had this practice over the past eight years is every time we add an additional resource, we use um what we call the 1.33 multiplier uh to ask uh for funding for additional floaters. This is something that was not done before. And so we're playing catchup on that float pool. Um, but basically what that multiplier means is for every firefighter that you hire, you need to hire 33 of a firefighter. And so when we put a a truck in service, like when we put engine 23 in service, we did hire those floaters as part of our ask. But with, you know, 23 stations and and all of the apparatus that we have, it is it's a tremendous amount of catchup to build our float pool. But it is something that we've been working on. and with the support of the administration and the support of the council, every time we've asked for those positions, we've been able to get them into the budget. Um, and so I I think that uh with with your question

about how much it would cost, there's two pieces. There's the total cost, which if you take just the overtime for backfill, uh, for FY26, looks like we're expecting about six and a half million for backfill. Um, and that's the back fill of those positions. um we can always break that down by position. But then the next part of that is how many firefighters can we train a year and so um it's something that we're gradually trying to build to um and and we have been um but it's not something that we can just fix overnight unfortunately. So I I believe to your policy question um we have been following that that best practice of trying to increase our float pool with that multiplier. It's just taking some time.

Okay. And then uh madam chair and chief. So and you know same question with uh you know you know similarities with APD but um you know at what point does overtime become you know um or stop being a structural part of your staffing model um rather than it's a temporary solution. you know, it's always been a temporary solution, but over time becomes a structural part of your staffing model. And so, um, do you do you, uh, are are you all focused on that that time? And at what point is that?

Um, Madame Chair, Councelor Lewis, uh, I 100% agree with you that it is a structural piece of our budget. Um the the downside of relying on overtime is also the work that it places on our firefighters. The majority of our overtime is voluntary overtime. Um people that want to work but they work a lot and it's it's it's hard work. And so um you know to answer your question, I think that again it's kind of following that that that that strategy of adding to our float pole. Um, and as we continue to add to our float pool, then in theory that should reduce our overtime because we have people that are hired, which I believe councelor Rogers was the one that pointed out earlier in the meeting that it's got to be cheaper to hire somebody than to rely on overtime. Um, if we continue to follow that practice of hiring the floaters, uh, then in theory we should see that overtime reduction in our budget. Um, another challenge that we did have this year with overtime is is the wage increases and how that affected. So, um, we're in the third year of a very good contract, which is great for our boots on the ground. Um, but then then that means that our overtime costs also went up and there is always an adjustment there, but there was some pretty significant raises in certain areas that um, I think might be affecting us this year as well. So, I think um you know, paying attention to wage increases, how that affects how much we're paying out on overtime, but also just really focusing on that float pool um and continuing to grow that every year so that we can start seeing that reduction.

Thank you, Councelor Champine. Thank you, Madam Chair. Just a couple quick questions. It it says that there's a million dollars in reducing of overtime, but then in the next deal over Chief, it says they're negotiated including additional funding for overtime. Can you clarify between the two?

Um, Madame Chair, Councelor Champine. Yes. Um, so the the the additional money that was added for overtime is to hopefully offset what I was just talking about with the 5% raise. um starting July one when that firefighter works overtime um I'm going to have to pay them more money. And so that is new money that's being added in to account for that. And then separately from that by me moving people over we're projecting that we should be able to save about a million dollars.

Okay. And the other uh two positions that were reduced were 325,000 in two positions or what was the numbers on those? Uh Madame Chair and uh councelor Champine that is also um unfortunately a a typo. Uh so the two positions was 151,000 reduction. Um, we had a total we had some other positions, civilian positions that were vacant that we've used to kind of move um to uh make some adjustments in other areas of our civilian positions. And so that was reflected in the 325 with a total of four positions. Um but to uh reflect the cuts uh it was two positions that were cut from our department and that's 151,000.

Perfect. Thank you, Madame Chair. Uh and final question that you had mentioned two departments were reduced. Um were those departments designed to help reduce calls for service in the initial part? Um, Madame Chair and uh, uh, councelor Champine. Ye. Uh, yes. So, our heart our heart division specifically um, holds our repeat patient program where um, and our fall prevention program um, and some other some other programs in there. But those are two of our really big programs that we have. Um, so yes, they were designed to help uh, reduce call volume um, eight years ago. And um so as we're as we're shifting these positions out right now our team is kind of re-evaluating how they can prioritize uh the most important work that they can do in the office. And um another strategy that I'm using to help support them is uh we on average have anywhere from about 16 to 20 firefighters that are on light and modified duty based off of injuries on and off the job. And so I am going to be um making that division a priority for getting some of that light duty support uh because any trained firefighter can kind of jump in and help in that division. Um so we're going to that's one of the ways that we want to try to make sure that we don't lose um lose the services that are very essential to the community and to our department um with these with the shuffling of the personnel.

Perfect. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Chief. Thank you. Real quick before I get to Councelor Rogers, um the people that um the overtime that you um have for your firefighters, what is the the number one position that is usually um needing firefighters over time for overtime? U Madam Chair, that's a it's a complicated question because on duty like today we have five battalion chiefs. So if you broke it down by percentage, if I have one battalion chief off that's I see

you know it's it's so and I have you know hundred firefighters. So it's it's um a little bit of a challenge. One of the areas that um I would say we're the most challenged in staffing with overtime are our paramedic positions. Um which are at the driver, lieutenant, and captain rank, although we can put a paramedic kind of into any slot when we need to. Um and at our officer rank, uh it tends to be where we find the most challenges. And so that's where we get into these overtime issues because a person that's a firefighter rank cannot work as an officer. they cannot work as a paramedic. And if I so I can only staff that position with someone with those credentials. And um to layer that even more um it it's a little bit different for maybe like police where maybe they're just short one on their squad that day. I don't want to be short one on my squad because then we get into a safe staffing discussion or on a rescue I have to have two people. So then I would have to shut that truck down. And so that's where we're a little bit different than say police where um I don't want to have an un unsafeely staffed truck. Um and that's where we start to talk about atypicals and all of those things. Um we're trying to balance our duty to the public to respond to the calls, safe staffing, and then having enough firefighters to backfill those positions.

It's a puzzle or like a jigsaw puzzle. I think it's hard.

Councelor Rogers. Thank you, Madam Chair. Hi, Chief. So, a couple questions, of course, around staffing because I am very concerned about staffing levels in AFR. Um, I think even in your write up about needing to pull firefighters out of ADAPT and HART, um, which ADAPT for my district is critical, um, to be able to to document and work with code enforcement and that commercial residential structures that pose a risk to your firefighters, right? And so to me, um, the fact that you're having to do that says that we have a bigger staffing issue than I think we're wanting to just be admit. Um, and so I think I had the pleasure and thank you for helping me set it up meeting with um, a lot of your captains. And so I just had a question on in the FY27 proposed budget. It says total full-time positions is 828. How many of those 828 are the boots on the ground uh deployable firefighters?

Um so, um Madame Chair, Councelor Rogers, out of the 828 positions um in FY27 with with these changes here, 789 are boots on the ground positions. And then is there any practice in your department for the prudent savings? because I know we're getting away from that which I'm grateful for. But are there any um well actually let's answer the same question for FY26. In the budget it said 826. How many of those are boots on the ground?

Uh Madame Chair Councelor Rogers. Um so I am currently funded for 785 sworn. So, um I don't know if I can do that math right here, but it uh 785 of those positions, the 826 that you said are currently sworn boots on the ground positions. Okay. And then the other are the support.

Um Madame Chair, Councelor Rogers, those are sworn total sworn. Um currently 183 of my positions are in support divisions in FY26. So, um, you would need to sorry. So, 785 minus 183 would tell you what we have boots on the ground in the field. 602. Thank you.

Okay. And I think that's that's the disconnect I think I noticed when I met with the captains that when um so I taught them how to look at the proposed budget. I taught them how to look at the past budget to see what they were budgeted for. um and seeing a difference in those I think and I was trying to explain to them about prudent savings and you know but of course the boots on the ground don't want to hear that they don't want to hear that we are saving for a rainy day when they're working so hard especially in in the um stations and in you know across the whole city but especially in the busy ones in district six. So, I think um I'm glad we're getting away from that because I think we need to hire to the full amount that we need and I know you want that too.

Um um so I think that was interesting just kind of they really were like what is that? Um and I hope that didn't cause too much chaos for you, but I think it was good to to at least teach them where to see it for themselves. Madame Chair, Council Rogers, if I may, um AFR actually doesn't follow prudent savings. We're one of the departments that has not um been instructed to follow that um really as long as I've been up here. Uh now, previously, prior to this um administration, we did we I believe we had to have a 2% was that is that right, Amanda? About 2% uh salary savings that we had to follow. And when we started in 20 19 um we had massive amount of catchup for staffing because we had to follow that but we don't follow uh the prudent salary savings. Um

so how thank you madam chair. So then how do we how do we account for the 100 plus difference then because you just said I'm just going off of FY26. So we budgeted for 826. You said 785 of those were boots on the ground minus the 183 sworn. That's 602 minus 826. that you're budgeted for. That's negative 142. Um, Madame Chair, Councelor Rogers, uh, all of those sworn positions are are together. So, we're not short 100 firefighters in the field. Um, that 785 number includes fire inspectors, heart paramedics, all of that,

right? Which you gave me the number to subtract of those support staff, which was 183. So, I subtracted that and got to the 602. If you subtract the 602 minus what you're budgeted, that's 142 positions difference. And so what I'm hoping is that we're I'm just doing the math based on the numbers that you just gave me. And so I don't want to uh but so what I'm hoping is we're not purposefully understaffing the department is what I'm wanting to make clear.

Um and so because it's just Yeah. So I think so biggest question I've continued to ask is atypical atypical staffing. Um what would you say are how I still can't I cannot get you to give us that in your reports atypical staffing. So, Madame Chair, Councelor Rogers, we're actually um something that uh came of our discussion is we're working on a we want to put together a quarterly staffing memo that we can send out to our our firefighters and then also share with the council that will include atypical staffing, the numbers of force hires. Uh we're we're doing some graphs right now showing trends of um when leave is like our highest days for leave usage and if those are correlating with atypicals and things like that. So, um, we're in the process of finalizing a memo that will have that, uh, which I believe we we got most of it done yesterday. So, I'm thinking we'll be able to send that over to you all next week, which will have a lot of that information. Um, I have some of the notes here. Um and uh we in January we had um 39 uh 38 incidences of atypical trucks out of 17,112 staffed shifts, we had 32 uh 38 times that they were atypical out of that many staff trucks. Because if you take 23 uh engines times them by 24-hour shift times 31 days, that's how many shifts we have to staff. Um, and then in February we had nine and then in March we had 19. And so it fluctuates based off of uh in January is when our cadet class graduated and so that gave us a improvement. Uh February we had a driver's test and so now we were able to promote people into those positions. So,

we see these trends, but what we're trying to do in this memo that we'll share will show some correlation of cadet classes and just different things we have and um Sure. and the atypicals and the forced hires. Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. And I appreciate that because I think that gives us a good snapshot of what's actually happening because bottom line is the the men and women in my district um the forced overtime on their first day off is becoming a norm. it's becoming the staffing model like councelor Lewis said.

Um so I think that that is something I want to see get decreased and so being able to track that in your reports will be super helpful. So thank you for uh for doing that. I think the the other question because you know I think putting cadetses in there they aren't taking calls. So cadets doesn't help me be able to see what's happening for boots on the ground. They're not taking calls. So to to subtract them or keep them in your totals um doesn't give me a good picture of what's actually happening because I had to help with nursing staffing um at UNM hospital. I'm very acutely aware of what you're dealing with and how hard it is a jigsaw puzzle um of fitting all of the things in the right places. Um but atypical is not acceptable that I mean we always know we want to not have any atypical. Um and so to see 30 some um is is still to me alarming knowing staffing. Um so I just I really just have to continue to echo this is something I'm going to be watching because this is for me about the working environment of the folks that are doing the work and it is not sustainable for for the men and women in my district.

Madam Chair, Councelor Rogers, I just want to address a couple of things that um you brought up. And the first is the um saying that uh we're force hiring in the international district every first day off um is actually not accurate. Um I didn't say in the international district,

you said in your district. So I um so we we in in March we had uh one 10-hour force hire on a Friday, we had five on a Saturday. This is the entire month and 13 on a Sunday. It's still a lot and I but it's not every firefighter every first day off. I just want to make sure to contextualize that we we have forced hire and we would like that number to be zero and that's why you see our overtime number high because I'm putting people that should be working working overtime into those positions and when we run out that's when we run into forced hiring so we have states state staffing so we don't have atypicals but these numbers don't compute to every first day off every firefighter getting forced and then the second part with the cadetses that's always the challenge all because in in human resources you you're funded for a position and so I'm funded for the 785 positions and these cadetses are with us for several months and then they go and fill that position and so um I think that maybe is a bigger conversation on because you can't put someone into a position that doesn't exist and so they kind of hold that position and so we hire into those vacancies. So right now, as of today, I have 30 vacancies, boots on the ground. That's it. That's where I'm at. Next week, we do chief selection. Generally, the budget office does let me overhire because we know we'll lose some people in that process. We have retirements, so we generally start day one of the cadet class with that many vacancies in the field. But I'm able to back them up with that many cadetses. And then after four to five months, then those cadets go into those positions. then I don't know HR-wise how you solve that because um they're they're filling a funded position and that funded salary.

Yeah. Thank you, Madam Chair. We had the same problem with nursing at the hospital. We put them in the floating pool. That that's what our our fix was that putting putting the training we had residencies. So nurse new nurses that came to the hospital had to go through a residency program for a year and so they aren't necessarily on the floor the whole time. So there's there's ways around that, but it's not for me it's it doesn't amount to boots on the ground if they're cadets. I know that they're filling a position and that's a hard part, but they're not taking calls. So we can't subtract use that as a way to say we're staffed. That's all I'm saying. And I think you can agree that any amount of atypical I mean atyp or any amount of forced overtime is hard for a firefighter like period. And it is becoming the norm. And I think that's what I'm hearing from my boots on the ground. It is becoming the norm. And so I'm glad to hear all of the things that you're working on to make sure it doesn't become more widespread um than it already is. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Thank you, Chief. Okay, let's go on to the Civilian Police Oversight Agency, Mr. Noel.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, the Civilian Police Oversight Agency is overseen by executive director Diane McDermott. Their FY27 proposed general fund budget is 3,124,000. They have 21 general fund positions. It includes $45,000 in one-time funding carried forward to cover costs associated with branding materials for the CPC, mediation, and translation services. And so, director McD McDermott is here to uh present the second slide and stand for questions.

Hello.

Hello. Uh thank you for the opportunity. Um just to go over some of the highlights that we did mention on our thing, our slides. Uh the mediation program is a new program that uh is new this fiscal year and it's been very successful in it short period of time. Since the mid2025 which is when it was initiated we've had 36 cases that were already handled by formal mediation. The benefits basically to formal mediation are that it promotes constructive dialogue and enhances community policing relations. We also additionally have many cases that we resolve through an informal mediation process with supervisors. APD supervisors. These are when the uh either the citizen asks for that kind of a resolution or it's that they're needing information. The various driving complaints is how those issues are resolved. So we have many cases that go that direction as well. Um our other accomplishment that I could highlight is our staffing has been filled for the first time um almost they're in the process of HR um for a long time and we've had staffing increases due to our department need. Um I've taken a lot of effort with uh partnering with HR and budget to actually realign some of our positions that they're more efficient and uh a better match for what we actually need in our department. So, that's a big accomplishment that we've had those things filled. Now, um to council tea's kind of like question about metrics, I wanted to give a couple of things here. Um in 2025, as an example, we've had 899 intakes and 277 of those were formal investigations. So, the difference between that is the formal um and informal mediations comprise some of that number that's outside of the 277 and also um some of the other just answering questions, I guess you'd say. There's a lot of information, a lot of people file complaints with us and

they don't really know why. They don't know what our department does. Um, usually anyone in the city that hears police a problem go to CPA. So, we get a lot of different things that we may or may not be able to resolve, but we do our best to help help them and resolve them. Um, it also speaks to a much better intake process that we have. It used to be because we had so short staff and we didn't have enough people that we had to just kind of assign everything for investigation to figure it out. Now we have a much more robust intake process. We can review it. We can look at it. Are there really issues here? Are there not? So that's why you're kind of going to start seeing that difference between a high number of intakes but a lower number of assigned cases. Um sustained cases are being completed um in time to ensure that officers are appropriately trained and held accountable. So that is another measure of success when we don't have missed sustained cases especially that's a big u measure of our accomplishments. Uh we've made policy recommendations from the beginning of 2025 to March of 2026 we made 264 different policy recommendations of which 165 were accepted. So we have a 62.5% acceptance rate in what we're recommending the department that they are now incorporating into their policy. Uh we also support the CPA board of course the data assistance admin support and funding for their work. Um the board is filled for the first time um in a long time again also and we have very dedicated members. The board is current on its force reviews which definitely could not be said for boards of the previous years. So again another big accomplishment. Um the community policing councils again we support them with funding and they are our partners but they still have their independence of course. So just to kind of wrap it quickly is these are all community value type of items. Um as was mentioned we do have three non-recurring items that are should be recurring and are recurring items. So at some point we would like to

see those be recurring um line items for us. that totals about $45,000 uh dollars. And um again, we just provide the community a resource to address their concerns about their interaction with the police department and we conduct fair and impartial investigations. We improve the department through our recommendations and identify problems with the incidents that are brought to our attention. Thank you, Miss McDermott. Uh councelor Tea.

Thank you, uh Director McDermott. I appreciate you coming up and um starting with the the performance measures because we all know that CPOA is a public accountability function. That's your whole purpose, right? And so I was a little um kind of taken aback when I noticed that we actually don't have a separate performance measurement for CPOA um that are required here. And so it sounds like you are tracking some information. Um and you know as a public accountability function for your organization I would expect actual performance measures um that we can review because that is also a public accountability function. So do you have any um sort of measures that you have started tracking and developing? You mentioned that you are with um complaint intake. Um but are you tracking case closure time, any sort of backlog, um sustained findings, any type of policy recommendations, just any sort of um you know, decision- making sufficiencies in in terms of performance measures such as intent um you know, objectives and outcomes that you can provide to us.

Uh yes, chairwoman and uh councelor Tea. So unlike a lot of the departments, we actually have an ordinance of course, a separate ordinance that guides a lot of things. So the ordinance actually lays out many of these different metrics and measures and our semiannual report has a wealth of information about many of the things you just asked about. So those are all available to to the council, to the public in our in our semiannual reports that we publish online.

Thank you um Madame Chair, uh executive director McDermott, I appreciate that. I will um review that. But you know, I always say the law is the lowest bar for ethical behavior. So um hopefully we're capturing more data than that than that's required in the the ordinance. So thank you. Absolutely we do. And um just for the council's information, it's it's not yet ready for roll out, but we are actually working on a public facing dashboard that we'll be having on our website, but again, we're working on it. It's not quite ready yet. Thank you, Councelor Shanhine.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, just a quick question. From my notes from last year, it looks like your budget has been increased by $160,000. Is there is that with the new positions? Do you have a idea of I think predominantly part of it is from the move to the new facility at uh 501 Terrace because we do have to pay rent and janitorial services um for those things. It's not a city-owned building. So that's part of it. I think the other part is mostly the, you know, just the regular cola and those types of things. Um, we haven't really operationally received anything in an increase. What's your, uh, Madam Chair, what's the rent and janitorial cost annually?

Not sure if I have it right handy. I'll have to get it to you just to be Sorry, lots of line items that are hard to read on the on the fly. I can get it to you if if we can't find it here. Oh, we don't know what So, we're not budgeting for it this year. Yes, it is. It's as part of the I just don't know what the separate line item is for that. Um because it's not run by us. It's run by GSD and it's just put in our in our bucket. But I don't like see it exactly the same way as every other expense. Understand Madam Chair, CFO.

Uh Madame Chair, councelor Champine, um we it's an allocated amount based upon a total rent. So we can get that for the department. We just don't have it um off the top of our in the documents separate. Okay. But we will obviously provide that. Thank you. That it council Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President. I think it's just a follow up to council tea just about the objectives in the budget. Every department has objectives listed and I would like to see CPOA have them reflected in the budget. So, because this is the document people are going to be looking at. They're not going to go to your reports. So I think putting the main objectives into the budget with would be helpful so that we can see it in line with every other department and and council we do have we have been assigned two objectives which we fulfill those objectives we report on those objectives um so that's what is assigned to us.

Thank you madam chair. No I believe you have them. I just want to see them reflected in the budget book. Every department in here has their objectives and then what those um goals are for the objectives. But for CPOA, there's nothing there. And I know CPOA is also under city counts per purview. So we need to do that work to to make sure um we um have those listed for you here. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Very good. Thank you. Okay, we are going to move on to community safety. Mr. Noel.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Albuquerque community safety is overseen by Director Jody Escabel. Their proposed general fund budget for FY27 is 19,819,000 with 146 general fund positions, 10 grant positions. Uh, it includes $1.9 million, a $ 1.9 million million dollar increase supporting the addition of 15 positions, an additional contractors helping ACS expand its mission, 330,000 in funding for programmatic costs and community safety resources for a school-based violence intervention program, and $500,000 to fund emergency placements with dedicated oversight and coordination. Um, and director ESL is here to present the second slide and stand for questions. Good evening. Good evening. Uh, madame chair, counselors, thank you for this time to go over the second slide. I will try to be quick. These are it's kind of a bunch of Oh, my slide's a little different. Um, the first slide or this first um little bullet that I have is the funding um diversifying funding that's coming into the department. We currently are um have five grants that we've applied for and two more that will open next next month or tomorrow maybe. Um understanding that uh we want to help diversify funding coming into the department. So we are seeking out additional funds consistently um to support across the board. Um to touch base on the grant funding that's coming in now, a lot of our violence intervention side of the house to include include our school-based program is currently grant funded. Um something that was important to um the community as well as the city council as well as the administration was making sure that ACS had the

capability to do proactive outreaches. Um our call volume has increased drastically. um and I'll go over those numbers, but we also know that it's important to reach the community members, inform them, and have good outreach. And so with that, we've been able to um increase and we've done 1,85 proactive count um contacts. And that means that is somebody either stopping stopping when they can, not a call for service. So, some space that we can um create outreach without receiving a call for service. And I know that's been important for us to be able to get back to that in a proactive nature. In FY26, we saw a major increase in demand, including 25% overall calls for service, and I'll break that down for you in 911 calls and 311 calls and what that looks like. We've also seen an increase of transports. So, year to date, we've had an increase of 69% transports. So, what that says to me is even though our calls are increasing, we're continuing to get more folks into connections. So, um those numbers briefly just for transports. Last year we um transported 3,000 or two 204, excuse me, we transported 3,325 people and the last year we transported 4,311 people. And so that's another thousand people. That excludes our overnight winter transport, which also was um massive numbers this year. So 6,000 over 6,000 people were transported via winter transport. We've also seen um I mentioned the violence intervention division that's housed in the trauma recovery center. We've also seen their their number increase overall about a 300% increase

for their case loads. And that includes our youth team, our school-based team, as well as our opiate education and prevention team, and as well as our um violence intervention team, which we're closely working with APD and those referrals for. I think those are the big points. I want to take a note just as far as operationally for this last year. We did some huge very big departmental changes that has helped us mitigate the call volume with having the same amount of staffing. And so what that looks like is we split the city in half bilaterally. And so before a responder would be on Tramway and then their next call could be on Kors. and instead we as everyone else in the city and public safety has um sectors that they're staged at so that they can increase response times. So the best that we could do with the amount of staff that we had was split the split the city in half. So that's helped us tremendously. One other thing uh one other operational thing that we did was we went to a priority based system. So we are dispatched under the police department. A call comes into 911, you're going to get one of three responses. the fire department, the police department or Albuquerque community safety before um last year. Um we were kind of just trying to figure out how to get to the calls efficient efficiently with the bilateral split as well as the priority dispatch system. It has helped us tremendously being more effective. So priority one for us is somebody that is actively um suicidal, somebody that is saying that they want to take their life. um there's no criminal element and there's no medical element to those calls because that's a different call for service. That's a fire department or a police response. But for us, that's an extreme priority for us to be there um immediately.

The next priority, one call that we have is a call that an APD officer is on scene. And so that is also a priority to us to ensure that we can relieve our officers so that they can get back into the field and respond to their priority one calls for the city. So seeing the the collaborations with APD um as well as a AFR to alleviate and reimagine what public safety looks like and the response of a 911 system in the city um we've really been able to to to solidify that with those changes. One other big change that we made um and had a had a budget impact was that our responders before were salary and that's really hard on shift work and um trying to flex hours and oh you got held over on a call and we wanted to make sure that everybody was being compensated correctly and so we went to an hourly rate they're eligible for overtime now. um we budgeted that in even though um we we knew we needed to find it within our own budget to make that transition happen. And that's to take care of the responders. They're doing hard work for a long amount of time and if they're being held over, they should be compensated accordingly. And and thankful to our responders for continuing to answer the calls for service here in the city. Um that we we desperately need um that compassionate outreach to to folks to get them connected. So with that, I will stand for questions.

Councilors, any questions? Councelor Lewis.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, director, thank you. Uh, you're you're a a great leader for what that's worth. I mean, uh, a director who leads a very large department and um, great example of uh, of giving just great leadership, you know, to a a department like this and vision for it. Um, I I like the I like the programs. I like the um you know the various things that ACS does and the improvements and all those things. Um I'm I'm interested mostly in the the calls that are diverted you know the diverted calls and I think um uh would would you classify that? I think just in as you're talking about it you would you would call that a priority one call because you get called for a lot of different things and I now you have so many things going on that you get called directly. Um, but uh is that what you'd call a a diverted call that went to the police department and they gave it to you or is that is that what you're calling priority one or is that another category that you're

um Madame Chair, Councelor um Lewis, thank you. Thank you for the compliment. I'm I'm honored to be able to leave lead this work and and honored that this city and and you all give me this opportunity to um answer the call for service in a city that I grew up in and a public service system that I've been in for, you know, 20 plus years. So, thank you for that. the the call diversion is an interesting word and what I've been trying to maybe um make the narrative a little bit more clean is that yes that call would have gone to the police department when we were not in existence and the way the reason why it's being diverted from APD is because we're dispatched by the police department so they they receive the calls you know they're the call takers and then we've give them guidelines on what calls for us that we can we can take. We also have a triage specialist that is embedded in the emergency communication department. So they are also helping APD triage calls to say hey this one looks like we can take it. Let's take this one. Let's take that one or hey we can't take that one. We got to shoot it back to the police department. And that position is is really vital as well as the triage. So to answer your question, um that is a priority one for us and that would have been a call diverted from the police department.

Yeah. Um so and madam chair um director I mean the reason why that's important I think is because that that's the reason why ACS was created. you know it was you know whe whether it goes through you know so it goes through the um you know APD dispatch it goes to you all you tell them that whether you can you know your criteria whether you can respond to that to not not you respond to it and um you you um responded to something in a way where one of our officers didn't have to respond to right so we saw the value in that there was there was value in that when your department was created uh and that was the reason uh for the part that the apartment exists and the reason why it was created. Um and so so that that's why I want to zero in on that. Um and and and that's again we're we're in a budget discussion. Uh so how many calls are currently um diverted to community safety and how many additional calls uh are you expecting to divert with that kind of increase? And so I'm assuming that you you know how many uh calls that were and again lack of a better term maybe there's a better way to say that or where to turn that but it's the you know the reason why ACS exists you know calls that are taken and responded to by ACS that would have gone to um to to the police department um how many of those have you have you do you have the calculation of those calls responded to and then what's the uh um expected growth of that kind of capacity.

Madame Chair, Councelor Lewis, for the amount of calls that come into the 911 center, we're looking at an 84% diversion of those calls, the percentage of calls that are coming to us, 84 of those would have gone to the police department. Some of them wouldn't have. some of them maybe would have gone to lesser the fire department because if it's medical they need medical attention. Um so 84% of those calls that we're receiving are potentially APD calls and that um just just to clarify. So you're whether that be from dispatch that that comes from dispatch everything you know. So, um you're going to refer it back to them, you know, and then about So, it' be about um you know, 16% you would go, "Yeah, this meets our criteria." Um and we'll respond to it. So, about about 16% would that be it of calls that come to you or 16 out of 100 you take.

So, total calls diverted from APD year to date is 126,000 calls. Okay. Um, and so on average, we're receiving three uh 4,000 calls very conservatively a month. Okay. And what that looks like right now for January, February, and March of this month, our 911 calls have increased every single month. On January, they increased 29%. That's 3,000 calls, 399 uh 3,399 calls um via 911. And you would think 85% of those would have gone to the police department. The other percent that we we're still responding to, it would have just gone somewhere else. Sorry. Yes.

Okay. So those calls would have um the truth is was we've asked our officers to do everything under the sun for a really long time. Um so if it wasn't medical, it was going to go to the police department. And now we've created this this redefining public safety in Albuquerque saying those don't have to go to the police department. They should go to ACS and those are those calls that we're responding to. And you again and and what's what would be that number again per month? About you said about 4,000 a month,

correct? Um quick numbers which I can add. In January we responded to 3,399 calls for 911. 311 it was 1 201 calls. So that's 4,500 4,600 calls. So conservatively, very low, not exaggerating numbers, would be 4,000 a month, but we're we're nearing 5,000 calls a month.

Okay. Yeah. I mean, I'm assuming that we would track those pretty pretty closely, you know, because again, they say, "Hey, this is uh the the uh this is our capacity and this is the difference that it's making and with uh with APD." So, um and that would be my next question is um you know h how how would those numbers translate into measurable reductions in APD and a AFR workload? uh you know particularly in terms of overtime and staffing demand um you know maybe not don't know that I mean but do you have do you have a way to kind of measure that the impact of uh of what that's doing for APD and AFR and again that's the reason why ACS exists the reason why it was created so how how do you measure that I mean to me that would be the the measure of success for the department the difference that it's making in APD and in AFR as well.

Madame Chair, Councelor Lewis, we've we've been um trying to figure out what metric that looks like as well. And one thing that we came up with was let's track our manh hours and how many calls and how much time we spent on scene with the community and what that looks like because because if we weren't there, maybe it was going to be somebody else uh overtime, etc., etc. Um, so manh hours in 2025 was 25,640 man-h hours of community time spent with ACS responders being dispatched into the field. So I can we can do the calculation of of like how much that costed the city as far as of salary per manh hour. Um, and then we can talk about that. Yeah, I know that I got the question about um how much it costs for each department to respond and I think I I will just say that that's a really hard comparison seeing that everybody has a very different scope of work along with um they measure success different in different ways, right? Our our op our um our now really solid data that we're really trying to track now, which also helped in the last year is I want to see outcomes. I want us to say we've transported X Y andZ many more people. We are the connector of services and as long as my percentage of of transports are going up, even matching the calls with the same amount of people, I know that we're on the right track. If our transports are going down, then we need to evaluate.

Great. You I do think that's important. you know, I mean, and I and I think that's up to also to to AFR and APD to be able to to be able to show some um some measurable, you know, reduction um show some measurable, you know, uh you know, stats when it comes to their staffing, their overtime, their call volume. Um those are critical for us. And again, we're in a budget discussion. This is a budget hearing. And so when it comes to a council continuing to fund, not just to fund, but to increase the funding in a department, um it it has to be those measures of success that started the department in the first place. Um and that's going to be different, I imagine. I mean, that's the reality of that is is to to you all it's that it's that data. It's those measurable differences. To the mayor, it's it's something different. you know, it's his idea and um it's uh it's enough that Mayor Mandami brags about or thinks it's a wonderful thing to do and is jealous of it. You know, uh to the mayor that's enough, you know, to to me that's not enough. You know, I want I want it to be, you know, have some some measurable results in that kind of regard. Um so, thank thanks so much. Appreciate it. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Madam Chair, um Councelor Lewis, one more point. um as far as measurable difference and um and and I agree with you. Um I want it to work for the city and I want it to work for our community and and and reimagining public safety and what that looks like to make sure our our public safety partners are at the calls that they should be. Um what we've seen in um year-over-year is our response to behavioral health emergencies increase and APD's use of force decrease. and and we talk about measurable I think I um sent a slide in the in the packet so that you guys can see those numbers as well. Um so I hope that helps.

Yeah and m Madam Chair it does and I I think that in so many in so many ways I think you you've shown that um uh and you've revealed that in your reports. Um but I I have I think having that messaging pretty tight I mean it it helps me to be able to say um you know this department is making an impact making a difference uh it's helping our you know uh APD and helping overall safety of it. So um you know so that's just some some thoughts regarding but thank you appreciate it. Thank thank you. Let's see councelor Shanghai.

Thank you madam chair. Uh, thank you, director. Uh, compliments to the assistant director's attire tonight. Looks good.

Uh, I just have one question and again I'm we're reminded over and over again how this is budgetary hearings and and and from one council or other counselors that want to say that they need um results, you know, um resultbased accounts. So my question is, and you were talking about 4,000 calls for service a month. You were you increased last year's budget was increased by a million dollars. This year is projected at $ 1.9 million for all the services and all the calls for service. Um are you seeing a drop in homeless population? Madame Chair, councelor Shine, uh it valid question. Um what I can show share with you is um thank you to this body that has helped us receive opiate money. um and and really concentrate on Shri outreach at a at another level, which is also mentioned in in the 500,000 that we would be trying to um add into this program, is that we've housed um successfully from just this year, January 1st to April 28th, 71 individuals. And those are housed long-term housing, not a quick stay at a hotel. This is um the navigators that are paid by the opit money to say, "Walter, um let's make sure that you're settled in. Let's do check-ins. Let's walk them through this process." And so, in a very small amount of time, we've seen people long-term housed through this through this initiative. And so, I can tell you the numbers of of the folks that we're seeing um no longer be on the streets. And so to answer your overall um question I think is really hard but I

do know that people are getting housed through our street outreach navigation team.

Okay. And the reason why I ask is because the point in time and such every year we talk about how there's 4,500 homeless, there's 5,000 homeless. And I'm not taking away from the work you do. I mean, Council Lewis hit the nail on the head when he said that that the type of work that you guys do does take away from APD's calls for service. Uh, it frees up APD, it frees up AFD to take other types. When there is a crime, that's what APD does. When there is a uh um an emergency, and this is a tough one for me to say, but when there's an emergency, AFD goes out. You know, it's not the same as APD, but I'm biased. Um, but the amount of calls you're taking and and it being 4,500 to 5,000 homeless people that you guys have direct account with, whether it's mental, uh, drug abuse, alcohol, housing issue, all the stuff that you guys deal with, you would think that you would see a significant decrease based on you're asking for almost $20 million this year. Your calls for service are up there. We we brag and boast about how they're over 100,000 or 130,000 since the insemination of this department, but yet these numbers aren't decreasing that well.

Madame Chair, councelor Shampine, completely understand um the the question. Um I do know that we've had a 20% increase of connection to services and I think that goes to the broader um system that we actually have those services to connect people. um women's um women's gateway, men's gateway, first responder drop off. I think we're probably the highest utilizers. Um and and understanding that really some of our calls aren't the unsheltered. Those that were transporting

are in mental crisis. Um a lot of our highest transports I'll share with you. Our top four transports locations are Caseman Hospital, UNM Psych, Westside Shelter, and And madam chair and director, I'm not taking away from the work that you're doing in the calls for service.

It really just goes back to the question and in because this is budget because there's an increase I mean three 3 million 4 million over the la last two years. Is it effective? Are you seeing a a number of a reduction number in the streets with the clientele that you see dayto day? Madam Chair, councelor um Champine, I do think that it's effective and it's working. People are getting connected into services. We have more services. Um homelessness is a is a really global issue, right? Affordable housing, all all of the other things that kind of tack on to the side. I can transport thousands and thousands of people. People also have free will to leave the shelters. Are they not ready? These these things that we have to take into account. I think that there's been a reduction. And I think that ACS is is uh by the numbers um being more effective than they've ever been in the past and more efficient. And I think that's important for the greater good of the city of Albuquerque. Um we talk about bringing small businesses here and and all the things that we want to support our city. I think that this is vital. Um, we do uh proactives now that we're able to in the old oldtown area, downtown area, all these areas that we we everywhere across the city connected caravans go citywide. Um, there's not one specific area that we're we're focusing on, but we understand we understand the the bigger picture of the city of Albuquerque. Okay. Madam Chair, and and again, thank you for the service that you do and stuff like that, but when we're where we're talking about sheer numbers and we're transporting 4,000 people, but yet there's 5,000 uh people living on the street, that means that we're transporting them over and over and over and over and over again. Um so it might not fall on your shoulders of uh your job of you're doing it, you're transporting. You even said if my transport numbers are going up,

I'm doing something and I am showing progress. uh it might be further on past your department of where they go that the reason why you keep transporting the same person over and over again. So, thank you.

Thank you, counselor. That was going to be one of my questions. How many people do you see over and over and over again that you transport? So, how many repeats are in those numbers? Madame Chair, I think that's something that we could dive into for you to see um see what we come up with as far as evaluating our our reports. I do want to say that one thing that is um that should be understood about ACS's data is that we don't have the authority to make people tell us who they are. Um so Walter could be Mr. Walter Adams today and tomorrow he could be Bob Adams, right? And so when I pull the report for Walter, maybe it only shows a few times. Um, and so we can look into that. I can't promise you that it'll be the best data because of that. Okay. Thank you. I'm going to just ask a couple of my questions. Um, and then I'll go on to other counselors. Um, the 500,000 that u motel vouchers that you have in the budget, proposed budget, will that be for non-recurring or recurring? Madam Chair, that is recurring.

Recurring. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Um and then Mr. Adams, I have a question for you. Um earlier this week um we our office had asked about um motel vouchers and um my question was um wanting to know um about a list of the mo the motel that accepted motel vouchers and your response was that you do not maintain centralized list of motel um that accept city v funded vouchers. We primarily connect individuals to service providers who provide motel vouchers. So, we're not keeping track of anything. I mean, where is the how do we know something's missing? So, Madam Chair, um, typically for motel vouchers that are city funded, we refer to agencies that provide the motel vouchers, um, and then they have the the relationships with those motel. So, are you telling me that this 500k that you guys would like um you're are you going to be giving 100K to to Motel One and Motel 2 and Motel 3? Madame Chair, we feel like the scope of the opiate money that we received would be vital for this 500,000. So what that what that money encounter um um encompasses is also um eviction prevention application fees um these types of services to help mitigate unsheltered the unsheltered population. the voucher of saying like, "Hey, Walter's gonna go to a hotel is is for a subset group of people that are ha that are stable and that we don't want to

lose through the system and somebody that our navigators can continue to check in so that we we know that um the hotel voucher is a transition for them to get into something more stable, right? we can't we can't pay for them to stay in a hotel for a long time and so we want to make sure so some of that money would absolutely go to emergency voucher uh hotel vouchers. Okay. Um thank you for that explanation. Um, again, we need to have tracking of what we're doing with taxpayer monies. And so to have have an answer that um we just hand them off and we don't have that information, that doesn't sit well with me. I think um I I need to know what um what what hotels that are taxpayer dollars are being used at because there are some hotels that they should not be used at. Madame Chair, all of the hotel vouchers are in communication with the um owner of the hotel and all of the as we refer them out now, all of the service providers would have the list of hotels. Like everything is tracked in that way. It's just that we don't own the contract or the voucher. So when I refer Walter to a community partner and then they put them into a hotel, all of that is absolutely tracked through our community partners. So what my ask is I would like a list of the hotels that are receiving taxpayer dollars to house people. It's important that we have them in proper hotels and not in some not good hotels.

Madame Chair, absolutely. we can talk to our our community partners um where those are housed at this time and and understand that um it is also hard to depending on the clientele. Um it's also hard to and we have money built out for incentive incentives for renters and hotel folks, right? because um some some hotel owners are familiar with the unsheltered population and are welcoming to those those folks to to stabilize. Um and it it does need to be a conversation with the hotel owners. Absolutely.

Correct. It also we also um there is also a an ordinance um that we are not um any hotel that is in the adapt program is not to be receiving hotel vouchers from the city of Albuquerque. And it's important that we have that list so we can make sure that um both taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely and that the people that are using the hotel vouchers are in a good safe place. So, if you wouldn't mind, I this is very important to me. I would like a list of where any taxpayer dollar motel vouchers are being spent. And if that means you have to call the providers that are getting them, so be it. Thank you. All right. Um, with that, um, Councelor Rogers. Thank you, Madam Chair. Couple things I will continue to scream off the raptors every budget cycle for the people in the back. ACS is not not the homelessness department. So again, ACS is not the homelessness department. That is health, housing, and homelessness. So if you want to see that, we should have the same questions that you had for ACS for HH coming up next because that is who is in charge of homelessness at the city of Albuquerque. Now, their work intersects a lot with homelessness because we're talking about behavioral health, right? And so, again, when we're talking about the partners that they're referring to, those are the people that HH contracts with for vouchers. Now, for the opioid settlement dollars, you do have contracts directly with hotels. Is that correct for for the opioid settlement dollars? Madame Chair, Councelor Rogers, right now we have a PT

contract for $100,000 with Heading Home. And so we track um that extensively on where they are going and and what's going on with that money. And I have a full layout of what we've done thus far with the opiate money.

Thank you, madam. So that is the tracking I think councelor Grout's looking for specifically for for housing dollars that are in HH. It's only the opioid settlement dollars which are tracked through a contract that they manage. when they talk about referring them to partners, those are the partners that HH funds, right? And that keep that data that is not controlled by ACS. So, um I think it's important for everybody um listening as well to understand that. Uh so, a couple questions for you. But I'm concerned, you know, concerned about our clinicians, our behavioral health. Because to your point of fellow counselors, your mission is when someone calls and says, "I am going to harm myself." We are sending the right response at the right time, which is not APD. Every boots on the ground officer that I've talked to absolutely love ACS. They do not want to go to those calls. they are happy uh to have ACS go to those calls but my questions are around the clinicians. So, those are the ones who are answering those priority one calls, right? Your our behavioral health uh responders, right? How many behavioral health responders are we budgeting for in FY27 versus FY26? So, as we look for those numbers exactly and just for a point of madam chair, excuse me, um, uh, councilors, councelor Rogers, thank you for the question. To be clear, um, the we do have, we actually do have licensed clinicians that are, um, with our MCT team, which is a co-response model with APD. Um, and those are independently licensed clinicians that go to very high acute calls that APD can potentially clear and also um, our clinicians can um, evaluate for a certificate of evaluation. Our

behavioral health responders, which I think that you're referring to, can can and um are the are the only um, responders that are um, triaged to go to our priority one calls. So, with our behavioral health responders that we have right now, um I'm sorry, we currently have 19 BHR teams. We have two community responder teams. And just because I have the the floor, a point of of education on the growth of ACS is that we do have levels to where you can um promote, right? And and so we have a community responder, which is our entry level position, which would be equivalent to like an EMT basic. There's three levels. Um a CR, a BHR1, and a BHR 2. And then you can go on to the supervisor level. the BHRs, 19 BHR teams, two um resp um community responder teams, four street outreach teams, and five triage specialists. For the asks, um we've asked um to increase we've asked to increase our shared outreach response as well as our BHR team. So, we've asked for four BHR responders as well as an increase of um the street outreach um coordinators. So it was nine um street outreach coordinators um four total. So we would add two more BHR teams to um the fleet essentially.

Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. So what does unmet demand look like? How many calls should like if we're looking at the data and trending because I know you guys look at trending. Is there ever a time where there's a call but not a responder to go to that call and it defaults back to AFR or APD?

Madam Chair, Council Rogers, thank you for the question. The way that we're triage now um and the priority based system really helps us be able to answer to those um answer those priority one calls. I'm I will be honest. Um the lowest priority calls have um a long response time, but it is because we are prioritizing our mission. And so does a call go unanswered? No. We will respond um to every single call that is sent to us. If it is a priority one call and we don't have a team available, that would be likely a team that gets sent back to dispatch to say, is there anybody available? So, Madam Chair, so it would default back to AFR or APD.

Madame Chair, if it's a priority one, it would. Yeah, Madame Chair, Councelor Rogers, yes, it would.

Thank you. That's what I was trying to get to because what I'm saying is understaffing clinicians doesn't just limit ACS. It shifts the cost burden back onto police, our ERs, and jails. Right. So, I think I want to see I know that we are trying to respond to counselors in the community wanting more outreach to try to help homelessness, right? That is not the mission of ACS is that that's not I have always said this. If we want it to be, let's give HH some of HH's money to ACS and watch them work. I've said that over and over and over again. And so I think but what I don't want us to get away from and that's I'm directing this definitely to the administration is is trying to answer the response of counselors and other folks in the community wanting ACS to get in the homelessness business full-time. That's not what ACS was built for. And if we want them to do that, we need to fund them at the level that we do, the homelessness department, so that they can actually do what we want them to do, which is get people off the streets into permanent care. And to hear that you've already placed 81, was it 71 people into housing, permanent housing, right? Is that is that what I'm hearing with with the amount that we've allotted for you for that? And when I'm looking at HH for men's navigation, they've sent like 20 people to housing with millions of dollars to run that operation. So, I'm saying our cost like our return on our investment um I agree we need a better return on investment when it comes to homelessness, but that's not the charge of ACS. So, if ACS is the alternate, um, we have to fund it like a core public safety function, not as a pilot. And I think that that's the direction we need to go if we want to see homelessness reduced.

You do have metrics, just to answer some of my counselor questions around frequent flyers. It's in the uh community safety metrics on page 93. It talks about number of frequent 911 callers that they contact. Um and for midyear FY26 it's 1,152. Um last year actual for FY25 was 2373. So they are keeping metrics on um frequent what we call in healthcare frequent flyers um which are a drain on our resources for fire, for ACS, for police, for ERS, for mental health um places to hear that your top respon like transport areas are are places like Casemen and um the UNM mental health hospital. Are we billing for transport for those in ACS?

Madame Chair, Councelor Rogers, that's an extremely uh great question and we are exploring what that would look like. We we did bring on a contractor to do an evaluation and so we are are continuing to travel down that path. During the the federal change in landscaping, there was a pause um but it does seem promising and so we'll continue to pursue that.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I think that is the way we need to go. We need to be compensated for the work that we're doing. And that's not even I mean we talk about that for fire. We talk about that for um uh transports even in APD sometimes. Like it would be really awesome to see us get nimble like that where we are billing Medicaid if folks have Medicaid or insuranceances for transports to casemen or to UNM mental health. Madame Chair and Councel Rogers, if I could just add an extra sentence to what Director Esabel said, it was positive by the state. Um, we had two departments working very diligently on Medicaid eligibility for the appropriate um services offered through the city um through ACS and HH that should qualify. Um, and I can't speak technically to the Medicaid terminology, but I felt we were on pro on going to make that progress and um, it was paused by the state um, offices indicating they did not have the capacity to continue based upon the changes in Medicaid that they had to figure out how to incorporate. So, it is high on our priority.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Well, I'm glad to know that and we can do some advocating on the state level. We all have great relationships. um we should be advocating and screaming that off the raptors that we cannot we cannot that's not acceptable like we can't take on new Medicaid reimbursements right now because we are like not acceptable. So I'm happy to advocate state on the state level for that because that will give us revenue for them to do more of the homelessness work that we clearly want ACS to do and trust me I do too. I do too but not without the resources to do that. Uh, last question. One of the things that came up last time, and I know this is capital, but we have enough vehicles to go to the 911 calls now.

Madame Chair, Councelor Rogers, yes, we do. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Councelor Pena,

I'm good. Thank you. I was just going to make a comment. I just really appreciate ACS and the work they're doing and being proactive. I know that when we first brought them on, that was one of the major goals and, you know, I know that once they um um embarked down the road um noticed that really they were actually um having to respond to lots of things going on in the community rather than being able to, you know, take that extra um time to to just be proactive. So, um, I met with Jodie, um, the other day just to let her know, but I just wanted it on the record to say I really appreciate that work. Um, that's really meaningful to me. Thank you so much. Thank you, counselor. Um, I have councelor Feeblecourt.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I just wanted to jump in. I think, um, I think we've heard a lot of metric metrics up here today about the work you're doing and, um, I think it's quite impressive. Um, but I I do want to just say I think the idea that we would judge any city department on how many unhoused people are in our community is faulty. Um, we are having new unhoused people every single day. Um, and I just wanted to raise the issue that, you know, just yesterday, uh, ACS helped someone who was becoming unhoused, um, because of a bad landlord. um no longer a habitable place to be. Planning had to close that down. And who was there to help this person get to somewhere that he could live safely while this was all being worked out? It was ACS. And so, um I would just challenge us all to think about the real causes for unhoused people in our community. And they are not that is not ACS. that is more the decisions that this body makes, the decisions that the mayor makes, the economy, all of those things impact the number of h of unhoused people that are streaming onto our streets. Um, but I do think that the way you report your work each month to us really shows the value of the work that you are doing. Um, two things that we just haven't talked about and I I know they're in the budget, but I just want to clarify. Um, welfare checks. You guys have helped me on so many welfare checks in my district and suicide calls and those are giant responsibilities of ACS that I think are really worth mentioning and I know you pulled them out in all of the work that all the reports you do. Um so I just wanted to to raise that and also thank you for helping that gentleman yesterday who is newly unhoused um because of of a bad landlord not anything to do with

anything else. Thank you. Thank you, counselor. I have a followup to the 500,000. Um, what is the $500,000 that you want for homelessness in ACS4?

Madame Chair, um, as mentioned, I think that we're we're finding great success in the eviction prevention. Um, the kind of the pivotal point of prehomelessness, I think, is really important. Um and what that that scope of that money looks like is very similar to the money that you you all um pass for opiate funds. Um and so what that looks like is the immediate emergency um hotel placements for a short short-term time. Um it looks like engaged street outreach, housing stabilitation and the system coordinating um entry level system. That also looks like support through our street medicine team as as well as um the um application fees etc etc to get somebody into a new space. So that 500,000 is really close to the same scope of work that we're seeing um be extremely successful for the opiate money.

Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions, counselors? Councelor Teas. Thank you, Madam Chair. Hello, director. I actually would love to ask our new um executive director of public safety some questions um because we have um gone through all of our public safety departments that you're now going to be working with. Where's my little guy in here? Too many tabs. Madam Chair, hello. How are you, director? Good.

Um, let me see. Community safety group. Okay. So, I think we're all on the same page up here on the on council. You have heard us repeat the same thing. I think um in different ways about the necessary requirement of having outcomes reported so that we can make the right type of decisions and we are tracking a lot of data right we're getting outputs we're getting the what did we do but we're not getting the what changed and I think it's because we're missing a lot of the baseline information cuz we're saying hey we're going to you know increase by 27% or we're going to cut by 105 or whatever that is but of what right we don't know what that initial number is so we have no baselines to go off of these suggested numbers right um so we have I think we have the targets and I think we have the data sources um we need the baselines and the outcomes so that we can get that cost connection. And I think in your role now, and I don't actually 100% know what that in includes, but I'm hoping that it includes um identifying where these overlaps are with these public safety um departments. And one of the things that I outlined was some some estimated overlap costs between APD, ACS, and a AFR. Um, I have talked to our awesome budget team to help me verify this information, but when it comes to certain functions like behavioral health response, crisis calls, outreach, transport, and encampment response,

there's a lot of overlap between the three public safety departments. And I don't know who the primary responders are for that, who is the lowest cost responder, right? Um what type of work is being duplicated and who owns these processes of these functions from end to end. And so one of the things I'm hoping that you can do and help us with is figure that out

as the executive director of the public safety because you have that umbrella, you know, uh, oversight. So what that's what I would ask of you is to help us gather this information. I mean, we have good data, but we're not using it to inform what we're doing, what changed, right? Um, and so I want to know, you know, you come from a very, you know, great background um, in in managing big departments and seeing how this this looks. How would you how would you go about building something like that? So, Madame Chair and Councelor DeSa, thank you for the question and yes, we're looking at cost and efficiency and we have overlap between three departments that are all under the public safety umbrella. We need to make sure that we're looking at those efficiencies and we're not overtasking and spending resources where we don't need to spend resources. At the end of the day, it's my responsibility to go ahead and find how we can make that process better. And we're not only just better just in because we're saying that we're going to go ahead and reduce times. we're going to but what are the outcomes that are going to positively impact our city and we want to provide the right resources at the right time with the right personnel and yes we're going to go ahead and look at technology to make sure that that gives us some of the answers that we're looking at so we're not duplicating just dispatching uh additional resources that are not needed and at the same time look at a cost effectiveness because these resources are not weighted the same. We talked about overtime throughout the the session. We've talked about overall vacancies and those types of resources, but in the end of the day, it's about staffing in such a way that we can provide the resources that we need. So, we are looking towards the outcomes that are going to drive down cost in some effect, but also at the same time provide the adequate resources that our community needs at the time that they need those resources. So yes, that's

going to be on me to go ahead and figure out how we're going to go not only just looking for a cost savings that's not that may or may not be needed, but make sure that we're also providing those resources and that it makes sense for everyone. Thank you, director, madam chair. So I would ask it for you to do that right now. Well, not right right now, you know what I mean? But um yes because like I said I've identified five functions um that appear to be have some cost overlap. Yes.

Right now and again it's behavioral health response crisis calls outreach transport and encampment response. And I appreciate, you know, Chief Harmio and um Chief Barker and and Director Esaval being here to answer these questions, but I want them to focus on their public safety jobs, their core job, right? and and I would love for you as the executive director now of the public safety, you know, umbrella to help us figure out these metrics for our next gathering of, you know, the brain trust up here. So and and happy to you know we have our great team also working happy to help with that but because I see a lot of risk um and overlap and I don't know again who are who's primary who owns these functions from end to end that are overlapping right who is the responsible um administrator for that because that's going to help us then to inform our our decision and it does have to be a governance shift, right? It has to be we have to move away from just intent and activity and get to the real question like what changed? What is the measurable change here? Because we spent this money, what improved? We want the what improved information because we can't make informed decisions without that. I can't say we should scale or we should claw back without that. Um and you know I think all of us are more than willing to to help and work with you and every all of you um to do that. So um that's what I'm hoping that I'm going to ask of you to help us

with um and then I know hey man I'm new too so we'll just get through it together. Yes, Madam Chair, councelor T. Yes. Yes, that is something that I'll go ahead and and working with your respective teams as well because I want to make sure that we're meeting the marks and getting you the information and the data that is needed to make these decisions. Thank you. Thank you, Councelor Jam. I'll go ahead and get it all out of it. Get it out of the way now. Madam Chair.

Yes, sir. Make a motion to suspend the rules. Oh, you all were nervous. You all were very nervous. Make a motion to suspend the rules uh and extend this meeting till midnight tonight. Okay, madame clerk, will you call the role?

Councelor Bassan. Yes. Councelor Champagne. Yes. Councelor Peopleorn. Yes. Councelor Lewis. Yes. Councelor Bea. Yes. Councelor Rogers. No. Councelor Teas. Yes. Councelor Gro. Yes. That passes on a 71.

Thank you. Okay. Let's thank you guys for being here. director. Thank you, Mr. Noel. Let's move on to health, housing, and homelessness. Mr. uh, Director Gilbert Ramirez.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Health, housing, and homelessness is overseen by director Ramirez. Their FY27 proposed general fund budget is 48,847,000. They have 78 general fund positions, 20 grant positions. Uh their highlights include a continued investment into the gateway system of care, $780,000 increase from HB2 Grow for House Bill 2 Grow for Gateway Young Adult Housing International District and affordable housing. Um and expanding capacity by they are expanding capacity by hiring an individual with expertise in a large shelter environment. And director Ramirez is here for the second slide and to stand for questions. Good evening, director.

Good evening, madam chairwoman, counselors.

All right. Sorry, folks are getting set up here. So, this slide is really going to reflect something from our department uh in regards to what we've been working toward. I know uh you all have had an large amount of patience in regards to us finally operationalizing the programs in which we've been spending time and also funding uh in creating the infrastructure for. Um so without a doubt you can see just some highlights there in regards to uh programs that have been brought on. Um I do want to say that uh overall highlight that uh we can share that in fiscal year 26 at a large level three housing developments came online producing 190 affordable housing units for this last FY26 year uh which is a a huge contribution to our community development team uh their investments and their work with our developers to get that online. Um uh this slide will highlight that over uh 332 new beds were brought online in just this last year of FY26 all related to the gateway system that are contributing now to uh entry points that I think have been mentioned and discussed earlier this evening um that uh APD um metro security I believe ACS and others utilize as far as resources and intake or input areas uh to support those most in need. Um we have uh I also want to highlight that we have been a leader that has uh been looked upon by other states in regards to our system that we built out by doing innovative services. Um many cities and municipalities are struggling with regards to the response to homelessness um and behavioral health needs throughout the community. Uh and there is that crossover with our chronically unhoused who tend to have a serious mental illness uh as well as being unhoused and and that's a challenge across the nation. Um many of the frameworks that we've either visited personally or looked at in Houston, San

Antonio, Phoenix, Tucson, uh Denver, Los Angeles, um all have been doing wonderful work that have informed our decisions building this infrastructure. But what I will say is the one thing that's unique to us is that we've integrated clinical and medical services as part of that structure, not just a response to uh homelessness. By that I want to highlight our recovery housing uh pallet shelter which is the first in the state of that size and has done tremendously well as far as occupation um of residents utilizing that program. Our medical sobering center is not only um fewer than 60 of these in the nation, but the medical model that we've deployed to really support EMS and first responders is now a model being looked upon to us um for restructuring of medical so programs particularly on the west coast who's been a leader in this area and we learned that information uh earlier this week as they have learned from our model and are taking that. Um lastly, I'll say our treatment and navigation centers are a different design, right? They're part of this holistic continuum from crisis and entering shelter to then finding the appropriate service you need. As was mentioned, I think earlier in ACS's work, the navigation is crucial and it works and finding people permanent housing. Um, and our navigation centers are geared toward that and now fully operational. Um, and all the way to the back end is making sure that we have affordable housing either vouchers and or affordable housing placements for individuals. So, it is a full spectrum that our department does address. Um, and we have been continuing to push that work at least in my last two years as head of the department. That's been our focus and our goal is really not only executing the deliverance of this system, but also making sure that it's operationalized and then moving forward. Um, so that's really some highlights of the department. I know it's been a late night, so I will go ahead and pivot over to questions on behalf of council.

Thank you, director. Counselors, any questions? Okay, councelor Rogers. Thank you, Madam President. Hi, Director Hyen. Thanks for being here. Couple questions for you just on the prevention side of the budget. Um, I think the biggest question is, can you tell me what is our strategy for prevention in the budget? Madam Chair, Councelor Rogers, uh can you be a little more specific because we do infuse funding in regards to various areas of prevention, whether that's behavioral health, uh we have services that uh and contracts that we issue for access for children, early vaccination, which is a health focus, right? All the way to uh intervention programs in the schools, the opioid money we give to uh APS for their crossroads counseling. If you're asking specifically for housing or homelessness, I think

Thank you, manager. H homelessness. Absolutely. Uh thank you for that clarity, Madam Chair, Council Rogers. Um so what we refer to in prevention is really diversion, right? And diversion happens in two areas. It happens in the beginning. It also happens when you house someone because you're always at risk of re-entering into the system. So that is going to be funding that we have for programs like eviction prevention. Um we have uh food assistance programs that uh help support food sustainability and maintaining that. Um, and we also uh work to make sure that our uh current stock of affordable housing is maintained and the individuals are in there are doing well and being successful. So, it can range anywhere from our portfolio of affordable housing units that are within our stock and we're maintaining those in good quality to make sure those folks have longevity in living. Um, that's preventative. Um, when we do a development agreement in regards to the 190 units I referenced that we brought online for affordability, typically there is a long-term afford a affordability clause and that to me is uh diversion and or prevention. And then lastly, our eviction prevention dollars which are crucial um probably not as high of an investment as we saw during CARES. Um, but I want to recognize that, you know, we've continued to leverage the federal funding that we can to put in that arena. we can always use more because eviction and prevention is a a good modality making sure folks don't enter into homelessness uh and or house status. Um that cost is about 7667 $667,000 that we're putting in eviction prevention in this budget.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So 767,000 for eviction prevention to prevent homelessness because vaccinate vaccinations doesn't prevent homelessness. just I know it's a public health, you know, a nod to public health, but that does not prevent homelessness. So that should not even be a part of the equation. Um, so I think what I think what I'm noticing o year over year in this budget is that we are prioritizing downstream services for folks after they're already, which is way more expensive than preventing homelessness. And so I don't see a shift in our priorities um in our budget at all when it comes to especially our highest growing number of uh homeless population is seniors 55 and above. Um we have what I call the silver tsunami happening right now in New Mexico being the old one of the oldest third oldest states in the entire country. Um, and if we do not focus on prevention for those folks, um, we're only going to see homelessness increase like exponentially. Um, so I'd like to see um we start to think about the prevention buck bucket specifically um and the downstream effects um that we continue to keep funding but not the upstream um strategic um stopping homelessness before it even starts. So I just have a question for you. So, in your experience, what would it cost to fully fund eviction prevention for all atrisisk households? Um, and compared to what we're spending on homelessness response.

Uh, Chairwoman Grout, uh, Council Rogers. So, difficult question to answer, but I'm going to try and break this down to what we know based on our most recent count for rentals. about 42% of individuals who live in Albuquerque are rentals, right? So, if we were to look at that rental rate and then look at the amount of individuals who are being outpaced by the affordability for their units, I think we could come up with a calculation of what that full cost would be. Um, I can say that when we had the huge infusion of funding that came in during uh COVID, the CARES funding, right? Um, it was uh utilized in every area and understanding that folks couldn't work and there were some that were laid off. Um I don't have an exact number. I think we can do the analysis based on the fact that we do know what the renters are. We know what the average uh rental rate is going for and then we would have to look at the average medium income for the individuals who actually can afford that rate. Right? So is it 80% or 60%. Um so I don't have that number for you off rent but I say I do think we know we can narrow into seeing how many individuals and what that cost be.

Thank you madam chair. I think yeah and I mean obviously we don't have to plan for every single renter. Not every single renter needs help right so figuring out what I think we know that from co we know that from rental assistance dollars that we already sent out and I must remind everybody we sent back millions of dollars of eviction prevention money during COVID because instead of doing that work ourselves we decided to contract with the state of New Mexico to get our dollars out. So I I I still um feel like we need to do some better um work around prevention um in this budget because it, you know, compared to the millions and millions of dollars that we're spending on folks who may or may not accept the help. Um it's much easier to help folks who are in their home and don't want to lose that home and will help happily take the help. Um, so I don't want to keep harping on that, but um I asked your department several times since August about uh funding for a specific provider um in the community um based on some federal regulations that have now been overturned by the courts. Do we have an answer for that funding um for for the specific provider that we spoke about before?

Oh, uh Chairwoman uh Councelor Rogers. Um so um nothing has changed from our conversation that we had last week in regards to that. We did reach out. We understood that um they have pivoted away from that funding. That funding was attached to our action plan. It was reassigned to uh funding for affordable housing. Uh in regards to that, um our conversations with that entity has been pretty clear. There's no one in jeopardy of being unhoused. They're on schedule for their current funding to be funded through December and then we'll be exited and transition accordingly with the existing contract.

Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. We we need to sit down with the provider because I'm getting completely different um feedback also to and I'm just again I'm and this has to be on the record. I I I've waited for a couple weeks to get a response. Um, and so what I'm expecting is that we come up with a solution because we should not have not funded this provider based on federal rules that are not in place right now. Um, and so um, we need to come up with a solution for that. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Councelor Bassan. Madam Chair, I just wanted to ask the director if he can go ahead and tell the council a little bit more about the homeless prevention program that I've worked on for quite a while now and that we've been getting up and running. It has $300,000. We would love to have more. It's been successful. I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned yet. I would love the council's support in increasing funding for it, but if you all are not familiar with it, I would be happy to either have our staff give you briefings on it if you interested or if maybe the department has more to say along those lines. I think it's incredibly important and valuable to include that information when we're talking about what we're doing to keep people from becoming homeless because it's something that we've been working on and has been initiated for quite some time now. Chairwoman and Councelor Bassan, thank you for raising that. There are so many uh programs and this is actually one of success. Our deputy will be able to speak to that program and actually the highlights we've had. Um and yes, you're correct. I think there's other preventionary services that are funded out of our federal grants, too. I want to highlight our home rehab program, which really works to help individuals infuse $50,000 into their home to repair so that it doesn't become dilapidated and or uh in trouble with the city codes and requirements, but more importantly, elderly who can't afford to now redo that roof and or do other things. and we've awarded that federal funding. Um these are considered preventionary type services. Um but uh deputy director Dr. Replo can speak to this particular program and thank you for flagging it. Councelor Bassan

uh committee chair councelor Bassan, thank you for the question. We are so proud of this program and so uh grateful to the council for working with us and the council staff for putting this together and working with the provider. Um, our new provider is Catholic Charities and they've done a wonderful job standing this up, getting us to a place where we've expended close to all of our money now before the end of the fiscal year. And so I think that's just a testament to the fact that, you know, more money is needed in this area. they're very quickly able to get that money out because they have a list of they already do some work like this and so they have a a system and a process for allocating that money and so they push that money out very quickly and um it's been really um a pleasure to get to see them help so many people not become homeless. Uh our I also just want to mention our landlord engagement program does very similar work and has had a lot of success in this area as well and that's also something the council has helped with. So, we're very um proud of both of those programs and hopeful for the next year and and seeing them, you know, get off the ground. They only had six months to run this program. And so, for a full year, I think that they'll they'll do even more for us. And if you'd like, we can get the numbers out to you guys in terms of how many served and how many families uh helped to prevent from homelessness.

Madam Chair, I would really like that to be distributed to the council, please. And the landlord engagement program is another one that I've done and I think it's also an amazing one that they that that I think we should be proud of and that we're actually doing some really strong progress with.

Thank you, counselor. I can um echo that they are very successful programs and um um Abby in our council services she got to present nationally um I think in Washington DC um about the success of the program. So we are very proud of the program. It does work um and and these are the I mean we can see the return on investment for for these two programs for sure. Um, councelor Bassan. Sorry, I just Madam Chair, I have to shout out Don Marie. She's worked

tirelessly on this and I know Aby's put in a lot of work, but it was it was not just a singular effort. Thank you to to everyone involved. Yes. Thank you, Don Marie. Thank you. Okay, counselors. Okay, I have a couple of questions. Um so um going through the um going through everything, one of the questions I have is who is in the who's included in the New Mexico Pure Coalition?

Madam Chair, that is the name of an entity, the New Mexico Pure Coalition. So, okay. So, they received 1.7 million of opioid funds. What are they doing with that?

Uh, councelor Grout. Sorry, Madam Chair. So, that was under the previous allocated opioid allocation for the the small the capacity building. Um, and so we have just highlighted that that will be a contract. Okay. And so they are building out um ongoing engagement. they're building. They also do soul recovery cafe where they have kind of a drop-in center. Um, and so we're still fine-tuning those scopes because we don't yet have the contract executed. Um, but they are engaging people in a a variety of services. So mostly it's prevention and intervention. Where is that? Where is the New Mexico Pure Coalition?

Madam Chair, I don't know the exact address. I I hate to say that. Google it. Okay. Okay. Thank you. LGC. It is LGCC funding. Yes.

Okay. Thank you. Okay. We understand you will be providing the actual amount available to appropriate um in fund 2011 and we'll be updating the o opioid dashboard and we look forward to receiving your resolution for the actual appropriation request for fiscal year 27 as some of the contracts identified in the budget narrative have already been appropriated. So what is the status of obtaining a schedule of actual payments through 2038? Madam chair to the act that schedule I'm gonna have to defer to Donna or Carla as that is I mean the CFO or the director of

Madam CFO director Sandival

Madame Chair I had already provided what we had on the portal the opioid portal um we're working on getting better information than that that's that's what we we have as as of now. So what what is the status of obtaining a schedule of actual payments through 2038? What is the status on that? Madame chair, it can't be actual if it's 20 through 2038. Part of it would have to be projections. Okay. Um I I've already provided the actuals that we've received through now. Now anything going forward is not actuals. It would be a projection.

Okay. What about what is the status of obtaining a schedule of projected payments through 2038? Okay, Madame Chair, um I gave you what we have from the opioid portal. Um the other thing I can give you is what we've recorded in our act for

Okay, thank you. Um so in regards to the state funding that um last year the legislature um provided um through uh the cabinet secretary. The city is supposed to be giving a report of gateway operations um and we have not received a report. When do we when are we going to receive a report? Um, madam, can you hear me? Sorry, Madam Chair. Are you referring to the monthly reports that Triple H provides to the state? I I guess I'm unclear.

We have not. We We have not received anything and we were supposed to receive something and we haven't received anything. We've received one letter dated December 31st and actually the secretary sent it to us. Um, Madame Chair, I will allow Dr. Verplu to to respond to this because I know they they are working on those reports.

Madam Chair, thank you for the question. We did send our monthly reports over to Abigail Styles, so she should have those on hand. I'm certain that I sent the quarterly report, but I need to I Abby, I'm not sure if you got that, but um I need to check to make sure that quarterly report was finally sent. We formalized it last week. Uh but then at the end of the period of the full grant completion, then we'll have a final report for all of those quarters together. When is that due? It'll be due at after the end of the fiscal year. So in July, probably end of July. Okay. But we'll send you the quarterly reports as they come and the monthly reports as they come as well. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Okay,

Madam Chair, for clarification, it sounds like the reports have have gone to some staff possibly. Would you like for those reports to come directly to you as well? Yes, please. Okay. City and all city councilors. Yes. Okay. Okay. Um, any other questions? Councelor Shamhine. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, director, you had stated that 42% of all Albuquerque residents are rentals. Where did you pull that information from? Uh,

Madam Chair, councelor Champine, so there was a study done in 2024 that's published on our website that we really looked at the analysis of affordable housing. I'm happy to send you the link to that page, the entire group. Uh, in that report, which is the most comprehensive one that we had, it really dug into the rental rates, affordability rates, and it highlighted that percentage. So, I'm happy. And that report shows where you got the information from or that the information you developed from external reports or it was a contract. I'm sorry, Madam Chair, councelor Champine. It was a commissioned report that was done that looked at the whole analysis of it and um so that entity um provided it for us and it's on our website, but I'm happy to send that link.

Perfect. Madam Chair. Okay. And just we talked about the home rehab program. Did we find funding for that? We did. Uh, Madam Chair, uh, counc award funding that we, uh, issue out and so I'm I think my director can deputy can speak to, you know, the amount of funding and how much of that will recur.

Madame Chair, Councelor Champine, so we did have a homeowner rehab funded out of um, ARPA funding. It was for $3.3 million. It was awarded to Homewise. They are finishing up that program. It is um the time of performance is now ending June 30th. Um we did release another RFP for a homeowner rehab program with our Hanunda fundings, but that funding will be limited to the pockets of poverty. Um it is being routed to council now and that is for $2.85 million.

Perfect. Thank you for that, Madam Chair. um director, we've built up a really good um housing and treatment navigation center of uh it shows in 2022 we had 50 beds for the women housing and now we're up to 100 are all are all those beds being used now our most current numbers madam chair councelor Shampine. Yes. Yes. So, the housing navigation program involved two that were um uh expanded and are fully operationalized this year. Women's was at 50 since 2022. That doubled this year to 100. And then men's was up to 92. And I believe I have our reports of our uh actual numbers. Uh, currently, and I pulled this census as of 429 right now, men's housing navigation has 92 beds with zero available at this point. And let me look at women's. I'm sorry. Where's my men's? Sorry, 78 of the 100.

Perfect. And madam chair, uh the 50 beds offered for medical sobering. Yes, I have soberings as well. Sorry. As of uh my pulled report for a live dashboard this morning, uh we have 10 clients currently in there. Um 13 just 1300 year. So yes, 1300 year to date who have been served since we opened this um I believe it's October of 25. So

okay. and of the gateway recovery uh the capacity to house 50 people and 46 pallet homes. How of those 46, how many are filled right now? 45, Madam Chair. 45. A little quicker on that one, Madam Chair. Uh and how about the rest bit? How many have we have right now? And how many of you push through there? The I'm I'm sorry. Uh can you repeat of the 50 beds you offer for the safe space recovery for illness the medical respit?

Oh got it madam chair council champine we are at 25 of the 50. Now I do want to caution that that particular program is in partnership with two of the providers healthcare for the homeless and first nation. It is a program that was approved under the state 115 Medicaid waiver demonstration grant. So they have to scale up at their capacity for that funding and demonstration and data and so uh we are supporting them as they're moving forward and they are growing at capacity as they can under that grant. Okay. And since February of 25 when we open those about a total how many people have gone through it or is it just 25 we we keep in there since February?

Madam chair council I think we're pulling that. Hold on. Thank you. Madam Chair and counselor, while she's pulling that up, if there's another question, I'm happy to come back to it. I don't want to delay.

Um, I would love to hear the number, but it's uh Yeah. So, your budget in FY25 was 52.2 million. And in FY26 it dropped to 45.3 and this year it's going to be 48.8. You guys have done some amazing stuff uh with less money than FY25. Um what why the increase? If we've done so much at 45.3 million in the past fiscal year, where do we need the the other the increase? Uh, madam chair, councelor San Pine, so this is uh it comes from a couple of sources. One, we have grants that are ending that we're funding some of these programs. We had an infusion of funding coming from the state as well that um we'll probably uh end once we're done expending that. So the variances you're going to see whether it's an increase or decrease could be related to either a grant ending that funding going away. Um uh we also offset it with new increased funding which could be cannabis and opioid which is not in the general fund. um but they have their own direct accounts that we align with the programming. Right. So we are continuing to get uh consistent revenue at least from our cannabis. Um as the uh elected body here appropriates opioid funding for certain programs, we utilize that. Um and then of course the replacement of any funding that ends has to be offset. So that's why you'll see either an increase and or you might see a decrease in a year because we offset that through the funding that we've received in other areas. Thank you, Madam Chair. As as my fellow counselor eloquently put, homelessness is your division, not ACS's, despite AFR having a program that is an outreach and ACS has an outreach because they're all in the field and they all have contact with people that are homeless um or living on the streets

or suffering from a lot of things. So, I go back to the same question I asked them. If we're spending all this money and we're having all these numbers and we're doing great things that things are 78 out of a 100 beds are there, 92 out of 92, why is there no reduction in in the people living on the streets?

Uh, Madam Chair and Council Champine, um, I probably can be very long-winded in regards to this, but I'm going to try and uh make it clear and concise. Um we made a commitment to uh easily reach a thousand individuals within our system of care under all of our systems of salute. Um with that being said, our average right now is anywhere from 1,000 to,200 individuals in our care. The issue that we are dealing with and this is nationwide um is visible homelessness. These are individuals who are on the streets and for various reasons are choosing not to enter into our systems. That can be anything from advocates encouraging them not to take services, mistrust in government entities in which they do not want to enter into um political climates or fear that they might be targeted. Um individuals with severe behavioral health issues where large shelter settings like ours um creates anxiety in which they don't wish to be a part of. Um so there are variable factors that uh uh relate to the area of visible homelessness. I will say it is a different lens right uh when it comes to uh visible homelessness and the individuals we see uh those are the ones you get calls on I believe our department gets calls on um I always say I don't often get calls for the 1200 who are under our care it is the other individuals who are actually visible and not choosing to enter into our system um this is where I will say the joint partnership is so important um what ACS does what our police department does what our fire team does is all um connected it. They're going to be the individuals that have maybe a first contact or um interaction with these individuals. They're building relationships. They're building trust. And I've always said this, the biggest influential influential factor for behavioral change is a trusting relationship. Our ACS team does a wonderful job in that area um to build that confidence. Our job is to make sure that our systems of inputs, whether that's first responder, med sobering, our shelter, um we want them prepared

and ready to receive when they are. Ultimately, as human beings, we all have the right to self-determination and to accept and or deny those services. That's going to be a challenge that we will continue to see. It's not necessarily an investment. What I will say is that a reduction in those costs, let's say we close the shelter tomorrow, you would see 700 people back out on the street and then you would notice the difference or the impact. Um, so any closure, reduction in services, a reduction in our permanent supportive housing vouchers of $8 million will reflect on an impact in other systems that we have, which will be homelessness, visibility of homelessness, uh, calls for APD, as well as increased calls for ACS. Um, so it's it's a complicated answer to a situation, but I do believe that if you were

complicated situation.

Yeah. I mean, it's hard for every municipality to be able to do it. Um, are we working in tandem with all these other departments to really address the issue of v visible homelessness in our street outreach and encampments? Yes. That's why you're seeing infusion of funding going to ACS from our department because they're the ones with the trusted relationships in which they may be able to influence some stability. Um, they're doing the housing navigation as are we. Those are proven tools that work. Um, supportive housing vouchers are a crucial piece because on the on the end of it, you need to look at stabilization services for those who have the most chronic issues, whether it's a serious mental illness and or a health issue. Um, these are things that don't go away and therefore those folks will either return to the street or be in the care of one of our networks of services. And so I will say, you know, we may not say uh that we are seeing a difference, but I can guarantee if you took all the money away tomorrow, you would notice it.

Okay. And Madam Chair, so ACS does have an an effect on homelessness. They do talk with homeless people. They do have part of their ACS and AFD have as part of their responsibility or their or their tasks are dealing with homelessness. So if if ACS is transporting 1,000 to,200 people a month and it's going to these services are they just walking out after being transported and then repeating the same process over and over again?

Madam Chair, can sine um I think we see various outcomes for individuals, right? You may have an individual who's willing to accept a shelter stay um because of perhaps let's say addiction. um they have a violation there for drug possession and or drug use and they enter back out onto the street. Um you're going to have so many unique factors of individuals who may cycle through this. Um one of the things I say is that if you're not familiar with how painful withdrawal is, it's one of the main reasons of why individuals may stay on the street to stay connected to uh what they say is uh maintaining their wellness. Um that means that some of these drugs wear off within an hour.

Yes. Wears off within an hour's time. which means that if we take you to the shelter that's 22 miles outside of town, um you may go into a state that's very painful and dangerous for your life. Therefore, they're going to stay closest to that person or individual, right? So, there are variable reasons why they may take shelter. Um we've continued to do uh intensive support and coordination with transportations with ACS. We track where they drop those individuals off. We are working on um right now a strategy to look at what are referred to unfortunately as high utilizers throughout that system. um and what can we do more impactfully to make sure we sustain them in another area because these are folks that are cycling through hospital systems as well as the jail systems and our systems and why are we losing them and there's a lot of factors in that but we also know that if we can concentrate resources with those individuals we might see a bigger impact so that they don't stay um in the streets and vulnerable to those u conditions.

Thank you madam chair and one last question. So is it still the seven to eight exposures before they start trusting and then want to uh get into the system. Is it still seven to eight contacts?

Oh, um Madam Chair, Shep, I think it varies. Um I think you do want to go based off of just average contacts. And you can see that it takes a relationship, right? I I can't say the science is going to be exactly seven to eight. Um but the more meaningful and impactful that connection is, the more they're willing to build trust to actually accept the services, right? I always say that, you know, uh I've worked with youth for a long time and not a single young person I worked with cared about the credentials behind my name or the title. They cared that if I cared and I can tell you with this one thing, once they knew I cared, they move mountains for me. It's the same in regards to building trusting relationships with this population for them to enter into a system. Um unfortunately, we have a climate in which not all government systems are trusted right now. And so we have to ensure that you know, yes, we've in remodeled the entire facility of our shelter. We've added security cameras. We have a new contractor there. It used to be that the facility wasn't safe. Um, now we have good working showers and alternative services. Is it perfect? By no means. Um, but is it better and improved from when I stepped in in 24? Um, absolutely. Um, and so we want that environment to be one that's enticing to them. It's also trauma informed. Uh, we don't want to add traumas to them. We want to make sure that we're reducing those. Um, but it's a challenge.

Thank you, director. Thank you, Madam Chair. Councelor Tas. Uh, Madam Chair, councelor Champagne, I have the number for you. 113 individuals from Rasbbit. I think I owed you that response. Our team was working on that. Thank you. Yes, Teas. Thank you, Madam Chair. Hello, director. How are you? I'm well, madam. Thank you, councelor. Um, can you tell me what we operations? Madam Chair and councelor Tess. Yes. So, we used to refer to the Gateway West shelter as the Westside Emergency Housing Center and though uh so there might be some outdated references in there into that line item, but the WEC in short was is now Gateway West.

Okay. And can you tell me uh Okay. Well, that's very concerning to me because I see that that is listed as a non-recurring fund and Gateway West operations are recurring, right? Uh Madame Chair and Councelor Teas, 1.2 million uh dollars of that was a non-recurring funding. Yes. Mhm. Mhm. But Gateway West is a recurring need, right? Correct.

Yeah. Okay. So, we have 1.2 million in operations structured right now as non-recurring. Um, okay. What about uh assisted outpatient treatment? Is that you would say ongoing necessary operational need?

Madam Chair and Council T, great question. And actually, I just attended the two-day first of its ever AOT New Mexico conference. So, if you're not familiar with the assisted outpatient treatment, um, this is a civil uh, process that's not connected to criminal charges, um, to allow individuals with serious mental illness. Now, I'm talking about schizophrenia and bipolar, some of the most challenging individuals who have this diagnosis. Um, it is a civil matter in which treatment and treatment compliance is court ordered and it uses a black robe effect to make sure that individuals are wrapped around Um, so in layman's terms, what I will say is when I first stepped in as deputy director, I met with the owner of a very prominent business in our town, but who also had a child with serious mental illness. One of the things she said is, "You do not know how hard it is for me to support my adult child who can tell me no and I will not do it and I don't know how to help my child." And they are continuously being evicted from their apartment and we get them a new one or they crash their car and we have to buy a new one. the AOT program. There are only three in the state currently up and running. Los Cusus, ourselves, and I believe up north. Um, we are trying to lead the way in partnership with second judicial court to show that AOT is an alternative that does not have to necessarily have you tied to a criminal system, but we can put a civil support program around you to support you. Um, that cost under state statute, you can reimburse for the clinical services and bill that to Medicaid. what we are contributing to are the costs that aren't there which are the petitioning attorneys, the defending attorneys, um the staff tied to this. Um so there's a lot of administrative costs and and I did say this to the governor and I actually testified for this up north uh in the committees when they asked for AOT funding and how our program was going is that the statute that was created is a little flawed. There are administrative costs that are not covered that require in order to make this work. Um, I'm proud of the fact that, you know, our program supports up to 40 individuals that can go into that

civil commitment. U, we work closely with our partners at Second Judicial to make sure that we stand this up. I believe the governor has echoed that they would love to see this program expanded and are now starting to put infused dollars in there and we will go after whatever is available and we will leverage our SB3 money as well to be able to see if we could offset that. But I will say credit to the city and this department. We've been funding AOT through a SAMA grant originally and when that is currently still through a grant uh no SAMA ended a while back and that's why it pivoted over to our budget which you are seeing for the next

well but it's it's as nonrecurring and so to me it sounds like a necessary thing that we should be built into the operating budget. Yes. And so again, this is another one of those things that I wonder why is it listed as a nonrecurring

line item because we need it and it works and people love it. And again, so I don't understand how we're going to pay for that if it's listed as a non-recurring um item even though it's a necessary operational item and I want to fund it. Um, and I also see we have affordable housing vouchers here listed as non-recurring. So, right now in your budget, director, I have I see $10.1 million in necessary operational needs as non-recurring. And so maybe this is not a question for you, you know, and and um you know, CFO Martinez, maybe you can help me understand for these three items that are clearly necessary operational costs that are recurring by nature, that are ongoing treatment programs, that create an ongoing service benefit expectation, that are making a difference in our community. Why are they allocated as non non-recurring and how are we gonna how are you planning to pay for it? What fund is this going to come out of?

Madame Madame Chair and uh councelor Teas. Um, so this is coming out of the general fund and you know I can't speak to historically but historically the city council, excuse me, the city has funded certain things through non-recurring funds. I mean it's just the way it has been done. I can't speak to why that's done that way, but this is something that had been previously paid with non-recurring and continues. And I will be honest with you personally, I think the AOT program should be paid with behavioral health dollars, tax dollars. Um, that's my personal opinion.

I don't know if I speak for everybody else, but I I have often wondered, I mean, it's almost a million dollars that we're funding and why is that not coming out of behavioral health tax dollars? We did mention, Madam Chair, that it it's reimburseable. Are we being reimbursed?

Oh. Madame Chair, council teaser, so the reimburseable clinical services don't get built to us. They have to build that and then we only build for the offset. What I would say in defense of the AOT strategy thinking and why it might be substantiated as non-recurring is that we are currently under SB3 at the state level which is establishing uh behavioral health regions. We are part of region two. We are working in collaboration with the county. We have submitted our application which they accepted last week uh at the chair committee. What that means is right now under the trust fund that was created by the state which is not fully funded. So we need advocacy there. There will be about $4 million coming to our region per year for the next three years. As that money comes we are heavily involved and part of the committee that's making the decision of where funding would go. And I do believe we will be making an argument that AOT should be offset by that SP3 funding. it is an appropriate allocation and designation in which I would say that keeping it as non-recurring for one more year um is appropriate while we make the moves to uh find a sustainable funding source for that and so I I agree with you 100% there

okay thank you director and I do um have one more question what is madam chair what is um fund 265 it looks like you have um about 8 million coming out of the operating grants fund 265 for um prepaid rapid rehousing.

Madam Chair, council teas. So um there's some history to uh 265 which is like a grant funded setup. Uh originally this council appropriated a large portion of funding for vouchers um close to 22 million I think it was at one point in time. Um, so our task was to develop a program for vouchers. Um, slowly that money started to be expended. It wasn't recurring and it diminished. I believe last year we got into this situation with the $8 million that supports permanent support of housing vouchers. Um, vouchers um are committed to individuals and unfortunately our fiscal cycle sometimes doesn't always work with how leases are issued, right? So if you get a lease in January, it goes to next January, but our budget cycle only goes for a year. What was decided last year and what our department did is that we move that funding to be accounted for in funds 265 and therefore any money not expended for it reverts back to that grant account and can't be used for anything else. And so that's how it was established. That's the history of it. I can only say that the infusions of money have um varied depending on our council cohort. And so we were asked as a department I was here at the time as a deputy, not as director. Um but I do know the deputy that oversaw it at the time and we were told okay here's this infusion of voucher funding now create a program issue it build partners um and and that's what led us to this point now for that fund. Okay. Thank you, director. Cuz I do have some concerns as we as we know as you know um prepayment of anything is risky. Um it's actually also not allowed by procurement rules generally um and it's generally not allowed by uniform guidance. And so I want to make sure um that we are structuring this properly um to make sure and there are ways to structure it. Not saying that I support rapid rehousing and we need to make sure that

we're funding this, but I don't want to risk losing it because of non-compliance with our uniform guidance, HUD guidance, procurement rules, because right now it's listed as prepaid rehousing. And so and and again I know there are ways to do prepayments. So I want to make sure that we are doing that properly so we don't lose it. So can we get some information um to make sure that we are are are complying with um the requirements so we don't lose that. So we're not in violation of any procurement rules or HUD HUD guidance or CFR guidance or anything like that. Uh, Madame Chair, councelor Teas, I I think it's actually a mis kind of naming of the fund by calling it prepayment. Okay.

What they do is they pay and correct me if I'm wrong, director, but they pay a month just like any rent you would pay the month for that month that is coming, you know, you pay on the first for that month that they are in housing. So that is that is what is happening. So, I think it's just a a misnaming of the the fund or Thank you. You can see why my spidey senses are tingling a little bit there, though. So, can we verify that? Let's verify that and make sure so that we don't risk being out of compliance or anything like that with any sort of procurement prepayment issues.

Madam Chair, councelor T. Yes, we follow our procurement regular. It's verified. We do not do prepayment. It follows that. Uh I mean I understand how the verbiage would lead you to that and great question um by absolutely for asking for that but that is not what we follow. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. I would just like to see the Yep. verification. Thank you. Thank you Rogers.

Thank you madam chair. Just thought of one thing as my colleagues were asking questions just about I think outcomes. I think the for me outcomes for people exiting our shelters. um I think would be really great to see because you know just you provided us a table of how many folks we've housed in our shelters and how many folks have exited to housing uh permanent housing from our shelters and it's clear our sheltering services aren't a pathway to housing like I think just looking at the numbers um that you all provided we housed last year 4,31 people in our sheltering system um just added up what you put in our attachment aim and then based on that in the in the gateway network 131 last year exited housing which is a success rate right it's a outcome measure um and if we add that up we our success rate of getting people to housing through our shelters is out of a 100red people that's three out of a 100red right which is 3% we spent Just breaking down what you said we spent on um the gateway network 25,364,07. We divide that by the 131 people we exited to housing for a success rate of 3% that's $193,618 per person to house them permanently. Right. That's that's we could have bought them a house straight up. So they will never be homeless again. Um so I what I want us to do is is be able to tie our return of investment for the $25

million we're spending on the gateway network to see a better pathway to housing through our sheltering services. because I think it's clear looking at these numbers, we are not exiting people to housing in our sheltering systems at the rate that we need to be exiting them out. Um, and so I just want to like point that at this rate we if we keep this up the vast majority of people are not successfully transitioning out of homelessness with success would suggest a system bottleneck that we have which I know you're very familiar with. Um, but I I we just have to be we just have to exit people out to housing at a at a higher rate um for what we're spending. We could buy all of these people a house and they would never be homeless again. Right. Thank you.

Thank you, counselor.

Madam Chair, if I if I might, just to clarify, um our our updated numbers on permanently housed is about 328 to date. Um understanding some of these programs only became fully online in October. Um so we're expecting to see more in our other systems. Um, one of the other things too I will highlight, um, there are individuals and in through the partnership with the state, we started developing our analytics to really get to this point because I'm in full agreement. We do need to track that now that all these systems are online. Um, what our quarterly reports are also showing and I think sometimes this is just a matter of how the question is asked is that there are a um, an additional large cohort of individuals being um, placed in transitional living programs, right? So, it's not just the permanent. And so, we want to break that out for you to be able to say this many went in transitional housing. This many are permanently housed. But, um, I'm not in disagreement. I believe our goal is to continue to provide the metrics and show the impact for the funding and the infusion. Um, we owe you that. Uh, and that's our goal. So,

yeah. Thank you, Madam Chair. We just received these answers from your department. Like, these are these are the answers you were supposed to turn in. So if they're not accurate, we just received these answers. Then I would suggest you send some updated ones so we can recalculate that. These are the This is a table we just received from you in the last last week. Week. Thank you, Coun. Thank you, councelor. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Councelor Lewis.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, and director, uh, would you say that our just our overall policy in the city of Albuquerque on the unhoused or on homelessness is is it is it I know a lot of people talk about a housing first. Um, have we adopted that? I mean, is that would you say that's the overriding strategy of our um um, you know, our policy when it comes to homelessness?

Uh, Madam Chair, councelor Lewis, appreciate that question. Um, housing first is uh been a principle that uh has long carried over in the community in regards to a strategy, right? Which really means hous them first and we deal with all the other issues and try and wrap ourselves around them because stability is so important. Um, when I'm one of the ones who are probably most critical of our system and constantly comparing ours to others around the nation to say, are we doing this right? Uh, do we have the right ingredients and what are we looking at? Um what we are seeing and actually this came out at the AOT conference last week is that for individuals who are experiencing serious mental illness, there are uh different modalities you need to use. It's not housing first unless there's full wraparound services to go with it. Our recovery housing program addresses that. Permitive supportive housing vouchers um also goes with that. So I I do have to caution that I say our policy isn't so much that we're against housing first. It works very well for individuals who may not have other compounding issues that doesn't allow them to sustain themselves on their own. Others may need, if you have not been in a home and had independent living skills utilized in a while, like over a year's time, it's going to take you a while transition to what is it like to have four walls around you in a bed and not actually have to be vigilant around your own personal safety. Um, so that's a complex issue. Um, I believe we um have built our systems to adapt to all of it. if there is a need to address the substance use behavior health, we have those entry points and we want to make sure we have those outputs. Um I think uh the chairwoman uh was very innovative in approaching us and saying recovery housing, I want more of that and we are um working together with an opioid appropriation to be able to have an alternative for that particular population. We need multiple strategies and not just the housing first. Um I'm not against it. I wouldn't say it's our only strategy. um we are adapting to the needs of the population to be able to place them accordingly.

Yeah, Madam Chair, I mean, yeah, I mean I I I I figured that and I think that's good explanation. It's a there's there's so housing first is in the mix there. Um but I would also say you describe as housing, it's management, you know, we're managing a uh a large population of homelessness, some that are chronically homeless. Um and uh um and but but a housing first strategy if that was our goal uh I think it'd be a little easier to uh have some metrics and I think um uh you know in in that goal if that's one of the goals we should have some metrics in that area as well um as far as you know point in time of housed or unhoused to housed um so I think the conversations around that some some measurements I think are important and critical Um, but you know, a large part of what we do, I mean, I would characterize as managing, we're managing a very large population of homelessness with everything that's involved in that. Uh, the treatment, the the the the counseling, um, you know, shelter, um, uh, clothing, food, I mean, everything around that. Um and there are there are um some pretty incredible groups in our city that are doing management, you know, with the hopes of getting them housed, you know. Um I think of the you know, the rock or noonday, I used to call it. I served for a lot of years at noonday. Um and uh and I I guess my one of the points I would make is about just just coordination of an overall policy. Um and I and I think it's more than just your department because um and so I I guess I would ask you I mean how often or are there been some efforts to um to have some high level coordination between uh you all and um and a APD uh and AFR and ACS um as well as you know our our new

public safety director uh when it comes to high level policy regarding um the complex lexities of it as well. Um because again I think we're doing a mixture of things. You're you're you're handling a pretty big budget, a lot of programs um to both, you know, housing first to management of all the things going on with it. Um and I want to just describe real quick why I think that's important. Um you have you have a a group like the Rock which is privately funded. Um they they feed, clothe, um have um counseling, you know, they have uh um uh you know, all kinds of services. About 500 people a day um that go to the Rock. Uh many of them are chronically homeless. They feed them, they clothe them, uh give them haircuts, they do counseling, um they help them uh consult with them on all kinds of things, anything that they may need. I think over a 100,000 people per year. Um so right now we move I mean APD um the city of Albuquerque actually moves them toward uh noonday or the rock around certain time of day. Um uh the rock you know provides their services. Uh they are moved back under the bridge you know move back around First Street in that area. Large population spend the night there. Um and then they'll come back around that area around noonday sometime around, you know, 9:00 in the morning. Um about 10:00 in the morning, um our planning department will come by and site, you know, literally sight the rock for all the trash that's left all around it, you know, even though they clean everything up, you know. So now uh the very people that we send you know to the rock uh and to man thank God that they provide those kind of services for a massive homeless population many of them chronically homeless. We send them there

um they take care of so many services managing and then we cite them. They clean it all up you know next morning they're cited by our planning department. And so that's crazy to me. That's just unbelievable to me. But I think what it reveals is everybody can play a role in that. Our planning department, you know, from ACS to APD to AFR, uh, to our new, u public safety director with some highlevel, um, meetings, you know, conferences and meetings. I mean, really getting to the heart and the bottom of what we can all do together, you know, the kind of policies that we can put in place that could really, um, you know, drive things forward and make a big difference. And so, and again, we're this is a budget hearing and we're talking about I mean, we have to talk about measuring these things because we're putting millions of dollars in it and we're approving it and we're accountable to people and I believe people in this city um they want a certain amount of management of those in need, you know, helping them regardless of whether they they get into a home or not, you know, I mean, that's a part of what we do as as as human beings. Um but as a budget and what I mean as a budget as you know when we put dollars to it um we also want to see some some big vision and uh and and things that are driving forward and making it need if you want to comment on that. I know we've taken a long time tonight, but

I'll be short. Madam Chair, counselors, thank you for finding that on the issue specific to uh the Rocket Noon Day, a wonderful partner. Um volunteered there myself and so have my children, so we know the importance of them. Um our homeless innovation uh uh manager met with the director actually last week. um from and the result of that meeting we now have a meeting with planning and we've done exactly I think what you mentioned is can we get the high level folks to the table to be able to look at that issue and so that is moving forward and we are addressing that

madam pres madam chair I hope at the very least we could solve that issue you know we come together and solve that issue with a pretty incredible organization that's taking care of a large population right now really taking care of them uh with with no money from the city of Albuquerque at all uh if we if we can knock that out I I think that would go along long ways. But, you know, even overall, I mean, I I would just challenge you and encourage you along with the administration um a a real a real a real concerted effort, you know, working together to really drive forward effectiveness of helping people in that regard. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you. I have just a couple questions. Uh 200 thou 200 mil or two million was uh put in as revenue from Rio Rancho for opioid monies as revenue for fiscal year 27. Um, and I was told that you were hoping to get that 22 million from them. Can you give me an update on that?

Uh, Madam Chair, yes. So, I I thought it was on the projected revenue that was coming in, but yes, I've been in uh City of Rio Rancho reached out to us in regards to their opioid funds. Unfortunately, they do not have capacity to be able to uh create, distribute, and or create programs for themselves. Um, so that meeting uh took place in regards to their leadership and ours. um we put a proposal forward for them to be able to look at services they felt might be most useful for the city of Urancho um and they took that back. Now I know an election just happened and I think the swearing in of their new mayor just happened. So I can only believe that any delay in that is happening because there's a change in administration there. Um I did reach out probably two weeks ago and they said they were still reviewing that and finalizing whether um there are going to be some needs for that funding for them on transportation um that they would pull out and then they would reassess that and reach back out to us. So that's the most current update I have for them uh in regards to that negotiation. They have a total of $4 million. The proposal I gave to them would be for 2 million for two years for access to services.

Okay. I I talked to the mayor about a month ago, well, right after we got this and noticed that and he he was going to get on that and see, you know, make sure because we did mention that there was going to be a new mayor and all the things. And so I said, "Well, you need to get that done before April 30 and here we are." Okay. So, um, because that's kind of important. That's a lot. So, I need to know that. We need to have a follow-up. if you could work on that this next week, that'd be great. And then uh thank you for this list of gateway programs now online. I've noticed that the the um young adult shelter is not on here. Oh, did we

How did that get left off? Young adult. Oh no. Well, my apologies if it was left off for young adult. What I Madam Chair, what I will say is yes, that came online in March. Had a wonderful um open house. Um I'm happy to report we have 28 young adults already occupying of the 40 slots. So we have 12 news 12 available. Yes. Okay. And um now one other thing is um I know have you heard of grow funds that are coming from the state?

Uh madam chair my understand is grow funds are the old uh junior bill funds. Yes. And um so I don't know how many how much grow funds that the city of Albuquerque was appropriated. Um do you know does do you know uh Madam CFO? Anybody? Madam Chair, in total it was 1.1 million and it was distributed between Triple H and ACS. Triple H got 780,000 and ACS is currently budgeted for 330,000. Are those numbers reflected in this budget? Yes, ma'am. Yes, madam chair.

Okay. Okay. Very good. Glad to hear it. Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Counselors. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay. We get to move on. We're We've got 45 minutes to do five more. Okay. Okay, y'all. Um, let's see. Aviation. This is an enterprise fund, and I understand we have a new director. Yes, Madam Chair. Man, Man E Manuel Enriquez is the new director for aviation. Their FY27 proposed operating budget is 85,284,000 with 313 positions. Uh they have 728,000 for the addition of a few positions there. Two custodians, airfield maintenance coordinator and some other positions. 7.7 million for security landscaping landscaping software additional prof additional professional technical contracts and city support and 2 and a.5 million in non-recurring funding for an enterprise asset management system. And I'll leave it to directors for the second slide and questions.

Sir, good evening director. Congratulations, Madam Chair. Thank you very much. Now, I know that you're not a social Yes. department, correct? But but you are but you are a physical I think you're social. We've got a little bit of both, Madam Chair. So, thank you. Thank you for that and appreciate your willingness to hear us tonight. Sure. Um,

Madame Chair, counselors, good evening. I I'll uh I'll present some high points of our uh strategy around this budget. Um so first of all, as you all know, um we've been working on the dream of flight uh which is is descriptive of the renovation project, but it also encompasses a lot more in terms of the reimagining of the customer experience at the Sunport. And so um in this current fiscal year, late in this current fiscal year, we do expect or sorry in in FY27, next fiscal year, we do expect to um complete and open to the public the new observation deck um which we have discussed before. I'm I'm happy to report that we're very close to a final GMP. Um but we're looking at about a 13 to$15 million budget. Uh which really tracks with the the uh the estimate that I gave you late last year at $15 million. So we're on track. Um, and a lot of the enabling projects are wrapping up and we're getting ready to uh to establish that final GMP at the 100% construction documents uh milestone which is is coming up here in the next couple weeks. Um, I I'm also happy to report that we're working on the very last food and beverage unit. Uh, we do look forward to opening that within this calendar year. Still working on finalizing that concept. I hope to have some news for you on that front uh in the near future. Um we also have a very exciting prospect uh at hand and that is that um the FAA has designated the Sunport the aviation department along with our partner reliable robotics which is currently uh operating feeder flights

uh for FedEx um as a uh as a pilot program uh designated airport and that's for the integration of advanced air mobility systems. And so there were eight uh different uh cities and states and other municipal governments that were awarded through this FAA program. Uh and if we are able to launch that effort um this summer to begin testing these autonomous flight systems, we will be the first airport in the world to have commercial testing and ultimately operations of autonomous flight systems. So what that means for us is that um it is also a really great opportunity to pivot towards strategic airside investment so we can continue to build up the capacity of our airport to attract new air service to attract new air cargo services and to deploy this kind of really innovative technology in the advanced air mobility space. I'm really proud to to to state that you know ABQ is leading the world in this area. Um and so with that we're very much uh looking at a strategy to invest in our economic and operational uh growth potential. Uh and that means investments in the personnel, the infrastructure and all the assets uh that'll enable us to um invest in both airside and landside projects. Um I think we've talked about the southern acreage and the rail spur multimmoal effort that's underway. We've already uh we've already activated 1.5 miles of that 4 and a half mile rail spur. Um and the ACE, which we all know has had a couple of projects not succeed there, it's looking very promising. I think with this integration pilot program, we're getting some companies interested in uh building and establishing operations on the ACE that have uh a lot more potential to succeed. So, it's an

exciting moment for the department and I think for the city at large. Thank you, councilors. Any questions? Councelor Lewis, you go first.

Uh, thank you, Madam Chair. Thanks, Director. Um, that airport's looking awesome. I mean, it it really is a a great place and I think, you know, always just a unique uh place for people to fly into and out of and experience and uh a lot of great work on it. Um, couple questions. One one thing real quick though, I wasn't planning on asking this, but um the I mean with all the great all the renovations, everything looks phenomenal. One the one thing I noticed is uh on the uh the drop off um lanes um and the the beams above you there and those drop off lanes there, it just seems like the only area that's not been rehabbed yet. And if uh from someone like me who's not an engineer and I look at those beams and you big chunks of concrete that are taken off of them and it almost looks like a Lindy's diner a little bit to me, you know. So, um but I imagine, you know, um you know, hopefully they're they're safe, but um um I mean what what's the what do you know about as far as renovating that area there? Yeah. Uh, Madame Chair, Councelor Lewis, um, so we do structural analysis, uh, ongoing structural analyses of all of our structures, the main terminal building and the parking structure to ensure safety of those structures. Um, there are some aesthetic uh, issues that we'd like to address in I'd say in the coming years. Um, there's also some stucco on the outside of the facility. We'd like to refresh. Um, and the the portals to the gates themselves that weren't part of the Dream of Flight renovation. I think we'd like to see those really get a nice touchup and really kind of um lift up all of those areas, make them nicer, and and really commensurate with what we've done with the rest of the the terminal, especially the interiors. Um, but truth be told,

we've got some pretty major capital projects uh that are going to take um a lot of our resources to address that are critical, such as um fire suppression uh systems as well as a new baggage handling system. Uh so projects like the one you're talking about are certainly um going to be on our list of things to address and uh and I think also um within the next well within this calendar year you'll begin to see some uh new art sculptures on the arrivals curb too that'll kind of draw the attention of of of the passengers especially those people arriving while they're waiting for their rides while they're waiting for their taxis or what have you. I'm sorry.

All right, director, real quick. Uh, yeah, thank you. The the budget shows approximately $45 million being transferred from operating to the capital fund. Yes. Um, and the department's response describes a portion of that as excess revenue. Um, can can you clarify what makes up the 45 million and explain the difference? Uh yeah, Madam Chair, Councelor Lewis, um I'm going to call up myme, our our lead fiscal uh at the department, and he will give you an explanation on that one.

Hi, Madame Chair, Councelor Lewis. Um I'm not sure where the 45 million is coming from. We are transferring 17 million from our operating fund to the capital fund uh to fund our capital projects. I would have to look into where the 45 million number is coming from. You got you guys know Miss M. Martinez. Yeah. Can somebody from exact team tell us?

Madam Chair, Councelor Lewis, I'm trying. So, Madame Chair, Councelor Lewis, you're looking at page 83. I don't know where I'm looking at. I was just I pulled it out of there. Aviation transfer capital and deferred maintenance of 17 million. Yeah. It's the 45 million being transferred from operating to the capital fund. You see that you describe a portion of it of that as excess revenue. I read that. Sorry, Madam Chair.

So, what's it what makes up that full 45 million or maybe our staff can clarify that? Um, Madame Chair, Councelor Lewis, um, they're referring to the CAO summary for aviation and there's a transfer out capital uh, fund 613 and there's a transfer of 45.6 million. It's

part of the part of the transfer that makes up the, you know, balances the budget really. So, Madam Chair, Coun Council Lewis, I'm looking at their green bar, the CEO summary, and I see the minus 45 million, the reduction. Is that what we're talking about? That's a reduction. This transfer,

right? It's in the transfer column, but it's saying that that's a reduction in the transfer. That's a that's a reduction in the amount. If it was an actual transfer out this year, it would be positive. So that means that their transfers were reduced by 45 million. Just make sure our staff gets that. I mean, is that crystal clear on what that is then? Okay. Um so also seeing some increases in contract services and maintenance. Um real quick the what are the primary drivers of those increases? Uh Madam Chair, councelor Lewis, the primary driver is um it's right sizing our budgets in the building maintenance and um while our operating program and our admin programs um largely due to uh contract escalations as well as the um COVID relief grant funding expiring um and right sizing the budgets um in preparation for commitment control coming back online. Do

they be ongoing costs then? They're going to be recurrent ongoing costs. Okay. Um Okay. And then real quick, so finally with the ongoing vacancies and recruitment challenges, um why why are we adding new positions instead of prioritizing filling or repurposing existing ones?

Madam Chair, Councelor Lewis, we're really doing both. um the positions that we're adding are tend to be sort of mid-level or higher level um management positions. We really need to address kind of the the way that the industry is evolving, the way that our airport is is growing up really and and and having uh an increase in in needs in certain areas. um especially like you know a new technology that's coming online and really beefing up that that uh level of the workforce. But at the same time we are really pressing as as aggressively as we possibly can on recruiting for the bluecollar jobs and the trade jobs. But it's the the the competition out there is fierce as I think everyone knows and it's retention is difficult. Um so we've got a few different strategies that we're trying. It's really um uh more expanded presence at job fairs and also for those jobs that where it makes sense to try to recruit um people with aviation expertise uh going to AAE and ACI the the associations for the airline industry and airports um to advertise uh but again the the competition is is really really difficult to uh to to contend with.

Okay. And then uh when we look at operating in capital together, so operating capital together with the aviation is the spending the total spending is it going up is it going down or is it staying flat? The total spending is going up in the operating budget. It is going up and and uh we're tracking with about a 7% increase in revenue. So our our uh increase in operating budget expenditures is commensurate with that. Um and at the same time, um you know, the COVID relief grant funding ran out and so this is why for the first time in several years, we're actually looking to to have that budget increase because we don't have that grant funding to rely on anymore. Um that said, on the capital side, we're still working through um what that will look like as far as, you know, compared to previous years. um that really fluctuates with how much um grant funds that we can get. Our capital uh over 60% of the funding for our capital projects is provided by the FAA's airport improvement program.

Thank you, C. Um Councelor Rogers. Thank you, Madame Chair. Congratulations, director. Thank you.

Um I love working with your team. Um, and I'm just I I'm at the airport quite often and I appreciate counselor uh Lewis's questioning about the I just picked up someone yesterday for my daughter's graduation and saw the chunks of concrete missing from the top and thought, "Oh, I did think of, you know, I know it's too soon." I thought of the diner down downtown, too. Um, and so I appreciate the response and I think that maybe we can figure out how to do some just sheer patch work on that that just get someone to slab some concrete so it looks a little better. Um, I think would help because it is it is glaring and and it it it's not a reflection of what the inside looks like. Yes. Um, but I think most residents who don't get to travel and that are picking people up, that's what they see and right and I think we could find a a quick solution that will make it look a little bit and feel a little bit better. Um, but as far as the remodel, it's it's absolutely phenomenal. But one of the things I'm waiting on baited breath for, and it said it wasn't available at the time you prepared the budget was our statement of value for the aviation facilities now that we've done all of this remodel. Um when can we expect that report? It said it wasn't available at the time of the budget, but to see the return of our investment in the uh remodel uh and what the value of our facilities will be where last year was 552 million.

Um so I'm interested in all of the work that we've done. What is that um value going to be placed on? Absolutely. Um, madame chair, councelor Rogers, um, so this is just my kind of my my sense of of of the matter is that um, statement of value really makes the most sense uh, once we complete the renovation of the observation deck, right? So, we're about a year away from completing that project. Um, but, uh, Mr. Stevens might have a little more color on that. Do you, sir? Uh, Madam Chair, Councelor Rogers, I to the mic.

I'm sorry. Uh, I believe that will come out after the audited financial statements for FI26, I believe. But somebody can correct me if I'm wrong. Okay.

Thank you. I'm excited to see that because I'm I I anticipate that we'll see that our investment amounted to a bigger value for our airport. Um and then I think the last question I have is do we have any um metrics around the new flyby pass like how how folks I got to use it and use the kiosk for the first time um where you can go and patron all the local businesses um local restaurants that are at the airport. It was a really seamless process to go through the kiosk. Um, of course, just the ID scanner, we talked about that and the lighting that you guys are working on. So, it'll scan. Yes. Um, but any just preliminary data on how many folks are actually using that?

Yes. Um, Madame Chair, Council Rogers. Um, so I don't have the exact number and I I would like to follow up with with a more precise figure, but I can tell you um that we've had at least six 7,000 people using that that system so far. since we launched it in December. Um it's been a really successful program. Uh unfortunately due to the continued DHS shutdown,

they uh TSA still has not established the process whereby they can update the software that enables youth to use the program. So we're waiting on that. And I expect when we do get that patch update from TSA, those numbers will rise because then it means families can use it too with their children. So, we're looking forward to that. But I I'll I'll send out numbers and ensure that that the full council has those figures. Yeah. Thank you. That's exciting, Madam Chair, to know people are utilizing that. And again, you don't get to skip security. You still go through security. You still get the scan and open, you know, all of the things to make sure people are safe.

Absolutely. Um we all of that still applies. That's right. Um but it's a really great way for and I'm excited to hear about the family park because it is a great I mean you literally could make an afternoon of it. Yes. Um with all the new art installations and food and local vendors. Um it's pretty awesome. So thank you for all your work. Thank you for um really elevating our ele airport. Um I'm I get nothing but great feedback um about it. So thank you. It's wonderful to hear. Thank you councelor. Thank you councelor. Counselor Champine. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, with all these renovations to the actual airport and the do we what's on the next Well, I want to say what's on the next what's the shelf life of our two runways?

Uh, madam madame um, uh, chair councelor Champine. So, we are consistently doing upgrades and repairs to the runways. Um, so you know, we have rolling projects to uh rehab the pavement. We just are completing uh a couple of lighting projects. So that those repairs are always ongoing. As far as like complete repaving, we're we're quite a ways away from needing to do that with either of our major runways. Madam Chair, I know it shuts down monthly to maintenance 821. Yes. You know, 321 and 826. Sorry. Um that's right.

That's right. when they shut down monthly and we switch. But there's no we're quite away from the actual tear down and rebuild of a runway. Correct. Yes, sir. Correct. Okay. Okay. And Madam Chair, so this is an enterprise fund, so whatever is generated gets put back right into it. It's like a non nonprofit sort of thing for layman's terms. Correct. Madam Chair, Councelor Champine. Yes. The FAA requires that all resources that are generated by the enterprise fund by by the airport system that includes double legal 2 as well are reinvested in the airport system. Okay. Um and of course we pay for services that other city departments provide as well.

But but that's the only other uh way we can allocate money to to uh to anything outside of the airport. But those are services that we do enjoy. So, it's all in service to continuing to to make the airport functional and to update all our systems. Okay. And director, I know you weren't the director last year, but from my notes from FY26, we were looking at a 120.9 um million budget and only an $85 million budget this year. So, what's the big discrepancy?

Madam Chair, Councelor Champine, I'll have Mr. Stevens answer that. Madam Chair, Councelor Champine, uh the biggest difference is our capital fund transfer um is greatly reduced. There was a $29 million transfer last year for land purchase as well as our capital fund transfer was 30 million instead of the 17. It was I'm sorry. Uh it was uh 30 million um last year uh instead of the 17 that we're um requesting for next year. Okay, perfect. Thanks for the clarification.

Thank you. I have um a couple of questions. First of all, I do agree that the the airport is just lovely. It's um I think it's the nicest one in the country and I hope that it it's number one, but I think we have to fix the outside to make that happen. So, we better do that, right? No. Well, that's the big one. Okay. Uh yeah, you would know. Okay. One of the questions that we asked um the department sheet the budget sheets report on zero re revenue from passenger facility charges in fiscal year 25. What is the reason for not collecting charges and does the department intend to reintroduce those fees? Your response was passenger facility charges continue to be collected. However, they are not reflected as departmental revenues in the fiscal year 27 budget sheets. First of all, what are those fees? And then can we see the sheets um the income sheets

for these fees? Madam Chair, um we can certainly generate some some more detailed information for you about the passenger facility charges. Um but the airport never stops charging those fees. Okay.

So, a $4.50 50 cent PE fee per departure ticket from the Sunport is attached to to every every flight that somebody takes or every seat that's that's purchased. Um so those are continually collected. The reason they're not reflected in the annual budget uh the way our other revenues are reflected is because those funds are only released to us to expend on projects on a projectby project basis. So, for example, we had PFC funds released to us to help pay for the terminal renovation project, the $90 million 90 plus million dollar. Whoes them? Is that the FAA?

The FAA does. We have to enter in an application, describe the project. Goes to the FAA. Well, we hold it we hold it in a reserve account. Okay. Um, but we can't actually utilize it until the FAA authorizes us to do so. depending on their approval of us using it on a project. What's in that fund currently? Uhhuh. Mr. Stevens, um uh Madam Chair, the PFC's, they're collected monthly by payments from the revenue uh from the airlines and they are deposited into our capital fund 613

and then they're distributed to the um the approved projects um on a quarterly basis. Oh, so what's in that fund? Our our capital fund. Just tell me. I don't have it off the top of my head. What do you mean by what's in it? It's um it's all of our activity for capital projects are funded through that fund. Um fund 613. But do you have a line item that's just for PFC's? Like would you have that number? Yes. I don't have it with me, but we can definitely get that for you. I would love I'm very curious. Yeah. How often do you get authorization to use them?

Uh, it's based on a collection authority that is approved by the FAA and as director Menrique has mentioned um we apply for specific projects for the use of those funds. Uh right now our collection authority I believe goes through 2030. Um and so we don't have to apply for any new projects until um that point. Right now it's uh primarily the dream of flight renovation project that we are re reimbursing ourselves through those funds. Oh yes. So that's where our funds for the dream of flights are coming from. A portion of them. Yes.

Portion of them. Okay. Um so if I help me out here so so do you have to get what how often are you um taking money out of that project? How often are you getting reimbursed? So the airlines they submit a monthly payment based on the number of uh departing flights that um happened during the month the previous month. Um those deposits are deposited in an account in our 613 fund. And then quarterly we distribute that those monies between the the different eligible projects. Okay. I see. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome.

That's I'm very curious though. How much is in that fund? Yes. Will you let me know? Okay. Thanks. All right. Um I think that's it. Uh oh, I wanted to ask about solar parking lot annual fees. Who are we paying these fees to? Madame Chair, I believe you're referring to the project that's being managed by sustainability partners. Okay.

Um that is a sort of a different kind of project. It's it's actually um it's not coming out of our uh capital in terms of uh us doing the design and build and and paying those vendors. Um Sustainability Partners is actually doing that as a managed project. So they put they put the upfront capital in for design and for construction and we pay them a monthly fee for uh a certain period of time thereafter both to recoup their investment and then uh any ongoing uh M resources that they need to keep and who is they

that sustainability partners. So the the city has a governing contract with sustainability partners that covers various different projects. Okay. I believe they're all solar okay projects and and ours is one of them. Got it. Thank you. You're welcome. Okay. I think that's it. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Council. Madam Chair. Yes, sir. Make a motion to suspend the rules to extend the meeting from 12:00 till 12:45. Oh, shoot. We need a second. Okay, madame clerk.

Councelor Bassan. Yes. Councelor Champine. Yes. Councelor Fableorn. Yes. Councelor Lewis. Yes. Councelor Bea. Yes. Councelor Rogers. No. Councelor Teas, yes. Councelor Gro, yes. Passes on a seven one. Thank you, Mr. Noel. We're going to talk about parks and recreation and cap uh director Simon's here. You know what? We can read these slides. Let's get straight to questions. Yes, Madam Chair.

Well, Madam Chair, you stole my line. Sorry. No, I'm 100% happy. How can I How can I help? Madam Chair. Okay. Any questions? Okay. Councelor Feeblecore. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thanks for staying up so late, director. Um, so the first question is just where in the budget the neighborhoods program is. I cannot determine if it is the um nonrecurring line item called urban forestry or if it's buried into um strategic support programs.

Uh Madam Chair, councelor Fubicorn, it's the former. So it's part of those non-recurring funds for the urban forestry program. So it is um the line item is 350. Yes, ma'am. Is that all neighborhoods?

Uh, Madame Chair, councelor, no. Uh, typically we have uh tried to stay in a pattern of being able to uh support three neighborhoods plantings per year. Those used to be 44,000. They've now gone up to 50,000 a year. So 150 of that 350 would be uh we would tag for neighborhoods and the rest supports other forestry and tree planting efforts. Thank you, Madam Chair. What are the other things that it supports?

Well, we're still hard at work, Madam Chair, counselor, on our Let's Plant Albuquerque initiative. So, uh we're doing multiple kind of a multifaceted campaign to get trees in the ground. That means uh education, uh tree giveaways, uh all you know, all kinds of things. And then uh some of those funds, you know, also help supplement our tree planting efforts within the parks and other public lands.

Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. A couple more questions. Um director, I you know, we heard a lot of folks tonight very concerned about open space. Um I I share that concern and it does strike me um if you look at the budget that the amount for open space management went down pretty dramatically but golf went up and um I would think that those should be switched. I would love to hear your thoughts on first of all why we need more money for golf um but more importantly why we can survive such a reduction for open space management.

Sure. So Madam Chair, councelor Feebleorn um several of our core programs have consistently um run in the red that is our annual expenditures exceed the budgeted amounts. uh those have included um since I've been director golf, recreation and aquatics. So I think the the budget this year reflects trying to plug one of those holes to get uh budget closer to actuals and that was that was golf. Um you know I share your love and and uh concern for the open space program. There's no question it's a great program and it has also has lots of needs.

Thank you. I mean, we heard tonight over and over again that these cuts leave, you know, I think I heard one um open space staffer is tell us where you will be with this budget unmended. How many folks will be working in open space? Is it as dire as some of the commenters made it seem or are there positions that we're not aware of?

Yeah. Uh, Madame Chair, councelor, uh, of the of the positions that the budget deactivates um to meet our our target for that. I believe three of them are in open space if I'm not mistaken. uh that that includes uh a PL a junior planning position and a couple of um open space education positions. So, if I'm not mistaken, I think what you might have heard was that those deactivations would leave one open space education position, but we have almost 40 open space positions. So certainly that division is not going to be reduced to a staff of one but the education program uh will definitely uh take a hit. Um those positions were vacant. So in the hard work of trying to come up with the savings that the budget needed, you know, vacant positions were were identified first.

Right. Thank you, Madam Chair. You know, I do think that's something that that the community might not know is that to my knowledge, all of the positions that were cut out of parks and wreck were long-term empty positions. No one is being let go. Is that Can we just verify that for everyone?

Yeah, Madam Chair, counselor, I would say that is correct except long term. I mean, some of them have been vacant for different periods of time, but they're vacant, you know, they're vacant currently or I mean, all of them were were vacant presently and a combination of those vacancies plus the ones that we felt um we could do where where the pain of losing the position would be less and we could absorb the work or reorganize the work that those were the kind of governing criteria for identifying the positions to meet the uh personnel savings goal.

Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. So, um, in the information that you provided to us, you gave some averages on costs for the various golf courses and Porto del Soul is astronomical, right? Um, and I'm just wondering why and if this is really a necessary use of city funds.

Right. Madame Chair and counselor, it's just math. um for most of FS the the numbers that you got for averages as we were requested I think were a three-year average of those costs. So for fiscal year 24 uh the city had to operate Portadell sold by um the city was operating the course. So expenses were way up that year. So that that is still affecting the three-year average in a very significant way. without that um those averages would all be much um much closer to each other. The numbers would be much more similar.

Thank you. As someone who likes math, I find that insulting, but okay. Um so there's also this discussion around some of the the cycling USAC masters championship and the proam sports and recreation support. all of these types of um very very good um events for our community. Um but some of them were funded through the lodgers tax last year. I'm not sure we have a lot left in the lodgers tax this year. So, what you know, what does this look like and and what would we be losing if we aren't able to fund those because they feel like they bring in a lot of tourism?

Madame Chair, uh, councelor, um, I agree. I I don't have the specific numbers for you, though I believe that was part of a follow-up question from council that we we will be glad to answer. uh but these funds are designed to support those events that draw people to the city and create uh enhancements to our quality of life by hosting these events. So, you know, some of their some of this work is proving to be, you know, very successful. We we're having record numbers of softball tournaments. We've uh we host a a BMX national uh bicycle event here every year that adds $1.5 million to the economy. We've uh had some great success mixing in some other things like archery, like a national tournament for archery, a cricket tournaments, uh all these kinds of things where I think we can fill a lane, maybe a niche for us that, you know, uh we can do well at. So most of what we're doing is I think successful and productive. You know without these funds um we will not be able to support those events. Thank you madam chair. So we could So they're not in the budget right now. And um so we're saying that if we can't find that that much funding in the lodgers tax, which I I don't believe we can um then we we will lose out on those. Madam Chair, councelor, of course, we will we will try to do everything we can, you know, to still put on uh important events. I think we'll have to

prioritize. Okay. Uh but also, I guess one other option would be to see whether there could be any additional support from our partners at Visit Albuquerque. Now, they have a different mission and they do a great job with what they do. So, it's not as simple for them to simply step in and and take the burden of this kind of support, but I, you know, we would do the best we can to find support. I think it it will be challenging and I just don't think we'll be able to support the same number of highquality efforts.

Okay. Thank you. And then last question. Um, Councelor Grout, Councelor Baka, and myself last year worked to get three new positions for Bossi um, maintenance and and preservation. And I just noticed that, you know, they're not filled. Um, they were literally just created recently. I'm just wondering what why it would take a year to get those positions created and get folks into those positions. Uh, madame chair and councelor Feebleorn, uh, two of the three are filled, I think, right now. The BOSI forester is out there working in the BOSI this week. Uh, I think by the time when we supplied you these answers, one of them, uh, was advertised and the other was about to be advertised. So, I think two have been filled. One is still we have to do the advertising. The big difference here is when we could use an existing job description, it was much faster and easier. And that was for the case for the Bossi Forester position uh which we used to have so we brought it back. These other positions had to go through the entire creation process in the city uh of a position. So it's multiaceted multi-step took some time and longer than I want to tell you the truth. But um you know we've we've pushed through and I think we'll have all all the people on board um let's see by probably the middle of the month

by the time the next budget is approved. Um, so thank you, Madam Chair. I just I want to say, you know, that I don't know who I'm look I'm talking to. I don't think it's the director, but it it should not take a year for us to get a new position created and advertised. And I would love to figure out what went wrong here and what we can do to fix that in the future. Because those funds were appropriated last year, we're going to use a very small amount of them. Um, and that's a shame because I think at least the counselors I've spoken to about that felt that those were very important positions and we're here an a year later and they're just getting filled. So that's that's just disappointing um to hear. I agree.

Thank you 100%. Councelor Lewis,

Madam Chair, thank you. And uh director, we'll get right to it. So, uh, water usage dropped from about, uh, 2.04 billion gallons to 1.89 billion gallons in one year. Um, among the city, the parks. Um, roughly 150 million gallon reduction. Uh, well, it looks like the costs increase. Um, so what what drove that reduction and and uh what what impact do you think that had on the park conditions across the system? Uh, madam chair, councelor Lewis, you're referring to the difference between 2024 and 2025, I assume. So, you know, a number of factors drive that. I think some of it is, uh, conservation uh, efficiency of our systems also systems being down occasionally. If we're if a system is down, we will obviously use less water. So, and then the biggest factor uh you know are uh weather conditions and things like that. So, uh I think those were all the things that played into that. Um you know, water use is kind of it bounces a little bit around and we've had higher use actually sort of the last few months. So,

what what uh I guess are those decisions that are made on a regular basis as far as how much to water the parks and how much not to? The biggest decisions uh madam chair and council because it really boils down to a decision of turning them on or turning them off.

Madam chair counselor the biggest decisions have to do with our you know seasonal uh schedules. So you know when we go into the usual schedules say for for watering parks uh typically we we're working with the water utility authority on the range for that and uh typically starts April 1. So, you know, if we change the parameters on those seasons, that's a big factor. That's one. And then the amount of winter watering, I think we've discussed that before. That's a conscious choice. And uh the need to do more of that will affect our water use.

Okay. So, I mean, we did see some noticeable deterioration in park conditions, you know, by late late summer. Um I mean, what what are some objective met? I know we've been using that term a lot tonight. some metrics. I mean, such as like turf quality or field closures or maintenance complaints. I mean, I'm sure you track all those, right? And did you show I mean, what did you show during that period? I mean, was it Madame Chair and counselor for for last year or going forward? This last summer?

Last summer. Um, you know, I think the the question of metrics for turf quality is a really good one. It's a that's a good question to ask. I think uh the best metrics for that would really reflect uh scientific monitoring composition of turf and things like that. So those are kind of grids or overlays that we have not implemented as metrics. It would be very interesting to try to do that. So I mean if this same level I guess of reduction whether it be water you know caused it uh if it continues I mean should should residents expect the same level of park conditions this next year? Well, uh, Madame Chair Coucher, you know, we've had a lot of discussion about that. Um, you know, we we've taken, uh, different approaches, uh, to things starting up from last fall to the present day. And, um, I think the results will be, uh, much different and better. At least that's my, uh, my expectation. Uh, you know, I think I'm I'm I'm kind of like this. We're the super spreaders right now of Albuquerque. We've we've spread 1.8 million pounds of compost on the parks already this year. We've spread 100,000 pounds of fertilizer. We've spread about 40,000 pounds of seed. So, the inputs, you know, are I'm much happier with the inputs that we're we're using and I think we we should see better results.

All right. All right. Thanks. Thanks, George. Thanks, Madam Chair. Thank you. Uh, councelor Shanghai. Just a quick question, director. Where did you get the compost from? That is that's a great question, Madam Chair and counselor. I think we sourced it from multiple places. So, I I will have to get you the answer to that. Uh, we typically have use what's on contract, but I I don't know all all the places. Perfect. I'd love to learn more about that. Thank you.

Okay. Counselor Teas. Thank you, Madam Chair. Hello, director. How are you? Good, good, good. Um, I have a couple questions about um infrastructure. So, I don't see a lot of of information here. I don't really see any information here about um park condition, maintenance statuses um and any sort of backlogs that might exist um for infrastructure because I know I mean the parks are, you know, our highest use of water, right? And a lot of our highest waste in water comes from cracks, leakage, all that stuff. the stuff underground that we don't see, not the fun, cool, sexy stuff, right? The infrastructure. Um, do we have any sort of um data or information regarding park conditions, maintenance, um, what is needed, what we're looking at for that type of of um, you know, to limit that waste or reduce that waste by you know fixing these items. Uh, madame chair, councelor tea, that's the most important aspect of our infrastructure that we pay attention to and try to work on with with your help. So the the first tool that we use is sort of our list of irrigation systems in parks and its age and condition. So we have that list and we try to work from that list uh when we're doing renovations or irrigation upgrades. Then other other work is driven, you know, by conditions. If a geyser suddenly emerges in the middle of a park,

that's the priority. So, uh we we have to respond to those long-term needs that we're aware of as systems age and then the immediate breakage uh requirements that we have to address.

I would love to see that information if you have that and can send that over to me. Um, and I think one of the other things um that I'm con I'm curious about is back to the staffing levels and sort of the open space issues. So, you know, Albuquerque Fire Rescue had reached out to counselors for some set aside funds um specifically to respond to wild fires within some of our open space areas. um and they wanted it for a um a truck, a water tender for AFR. So, how are the some of these staffing issues um going to affect, you know, the the safety conditions and keeping, you know, our open space um fire resistant? Madame Chair, councelor Teas on on fire uh protection and the reduction of risk though they're kind of two different things in my mind. First, the detection and response to wildfire is is one thing, right? And right now we have a sensitive system, a lot of eyes on the Bosi. AFR has a absolutely fantastic wildland fire uh operation and even this year you've seen how rapidly AFR can jump on to to starts to fire starts and must almost 100% of them are kept to half an acre or less that is great on top of that uh parks and our open space division we are deploying a pilot system that's nowhere else in the country called torch and it's a integrated system of sensors

that is incredibly accurate, can detect uh anomalies based on heat and chemical signatures that can pinpoint fire starts even before AFR can see them or we might even detect them. The combinations of that will be a force multiplier for AFR. Uh we have some of those systems in place and with some of the funds that the council graciously uh allocated in the current fiscal year, we are hoping to expand that torch system. Uh so I feel better than ever about our ability to detect fire and of course AFR I have a lot of faith in their ability to respond to wildfire. Now on the issue of reducing wildfire risk that's a question of managing the forest and our ability to do fuel thinning and restoration work and you know that that's that's our our ability to do that is affected by what we have to work with. So I think on that side um you know we we we could have we could have less capacity although this year with some more with the positions new positions they have the ability to organize projects supervised projects potentially fundra for projects but um for example some of the non-recurring dollars uh that went to the BOSI in last year's budget were not uh in this one so I I think there is some uh impact on our restoration and fuel thinning efforts. But there are other partners for that as well. So MRGC, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District is a significant player and partner. They bring resources to the table. The Interstate Stream Commission is a state agency. They're increasingly focusing some dollars on things like this. So we again will always do the best we can and try to access every dollar we can.

Yeah. Thank you, Director Simon, because I Yeah, I see that. I mean there's a pretty significant drop in the budget here and so yeah we do have AFR doing a lot of fast responses but I am concerned about um how much funds we're losing dedicated to you know deadfall removal invasive species removal vegetation thinning um any sort of that boske fuel reduction in the open spaces that are going to leave us at risk to an already over capacity AFR to respond to, right? And so, you know, grandma always said an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So, I want to know like, have you mapped um any of the highest um sort of fire risk areas in the open space um to prioritize? We're g this is going to be a bad fire season. Um we're, you know, at risk with high fire. It's fire seasons lasting longer and longer. Um and I'm very concerned about about that.

Madam Chair, counselor, I'll just quickly answer to your question. Yes, we've done a fairly significant amount of mapping and analysis to determine where the highest priorities are for treatment and preventative measures. There's they're beautiful colored maps and you know we take those maps and we try to go do stuff as we're do as we were doing the past two weeks on the latest project that was a fuel thinning project sort of north of uh of Campbell Road in the North Valley area. It was one of the highest priority areas with very dense uh dense fuels and we used all the science and the maps to go there to start to work. And do you have enough money to no keep that mitigation

require what? Okay, that's what we need to know. Yeah, it's a significant ongoing need to manage over 3,000 acres of forest. So it's it's like that thing that never goes away. Yeah. So that 1.27 million drop is huge in particularly potential fire mitigation and big problems. Uh, Madam Chair, councelor, yes, that will impact our ability to do restoration. Um, we, you know, we want to try to work with partners and it's nice to be able to bring that to the table. Uh, it doesn't mean all work will cease, but it it it will potentially affect some of our capacity. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Councelor Rogers. Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll make this quick. Two questions. One question um just about the indoor track and the revenue. I know we we have been talking to UNM for the indoor track. I see that we expend $336,000 for that, but we don't receive any revenue um from the track season. Do you know how much revenue is generated just overall that goes to other entities like UN M or um as far as

Madam Chair, Councelor Rogers, we do have an agreement with UNM where they provide us about a h 100,000 a year in uh either funds or inind assistance in the for the track um because it takes effort to put it up and take it down. So we'll gladly accept their help to do that in instead of having to pay for that. Uh so but the um like gate revenues from the convention center those do not go to the city but it's actually a pretty small amount. You know where the payoff really is for our city is in the room nights and the food and beverage expenditures and that is undeniably great for our city and that is some of the things that parks does. I'm not that concerned about the revenue generated on some of say our proam sports events. What I am focused on is drawing people to our city and having them spend money here and and that is a benefit to our our business community and and all the people who work in the service industry.

Sure. Thank you. Um so just made me think then why pitch to UNM like you did during the last TID meeting for them to take the track and put it in a facility. This is one of my dreams, counselor, is that UNM has a indoor track facility that matches um the success of their program as they are undeniably doing a great job in winning championships and um I think it'd be absolutely marvelous for UNM to have a facility that continued to attract student athletes to the university and keep New Mexico as uh on the map uh in that respect. So, you know, it's a big project though to do one of those things, but um we we want to make sure UNM uh hopefully stays focused on that as one of their goals for enhancing their sports infrastructure.

Thank you. Thank you, M. Last question or two questions. One is Sunport Pool, will that be open for the at 2026 season?

Uh Madam Chair, counselor, the 2026 season, meaning this summer. Unfortunately, the answer to that is no. Uh we are still uh the good news is that we have more resources than ever now to to fix the pool, bring it back online. The New Mexico State Legislature in particular, one legislature was extremely generous uh to that project this year. And that means I believe we have close to $3.5 million to put into fixing the pool. We are still waiting for structural engineering guidance on what has to be done. So my timeline for that counselor is that we will have all that information this year and we will probably try to begin construction assuming we can bring the pool back online that you know it's physically possible we would start that work later this year. It'll probably take 12 months. So I'm thinking uh the Sunport pool will either be open late next year or in 2028.

It is a big Yeah, it's it's hard to it's hard to hear that. It's a massive you know, it's an old pool. It's a very old facility. So, um it'll be if we can bring it back, it'll be worth every penny. Uh but we we're still waiting for the engineers to really tell us exactly what's going to need to be done. Maybe it'll be easier than we think. In which case, you know, we will we will always push as hard as we can to bring the pool back on as fast as we can.

Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. Last question, promise. Last question is around the temporary staffing. So, I saw that we had a budget reduction of 400,000 for temporary staffing. And in looking at the Thank you for sending us the park maintenance schedule for my district, a lot of the parks are maintained by volunteers, not even temp people, like church volunteers. Not saying nothing about the church volunteers, but to them be the only thing managing my park. Um, we've talked a lot about that, so I don't want to harp on that, but in the responses that you gave us, you talked about 22.7 new park acorage that would be an estimated to ma manage, schedule, maintain would be $971,000, $800, $971,800 with a $400,000 reduction in temporary staffing services. How are we going to accomplish taking care of the parks we already have on top of the 22 new park acres that are going to take almost a million dollars to maintain?

Madam Chair, councelor, you know, in a difficult budget environment, really hard, really, very difficult decisions had to be made. and uh instead of you know what we didn't want to do was close facilities that didn't have to be closed you know uh and so the areas for us to find savings um get limited um and contractual services is one of the places that we uh felt we we needed to uh we needed to address I think it will be a difficult challenge I'm not saying it's going to um be easy. I think it's going to it's it's going to be difficult, but some of it will depend on how else the rest of the budget, you know, is completed and what flexibility we have, too. I mean, I I will say this, no one's talked about this much because you've been hearing from some departments, some of which tonight are are proposed to gain gain budget. And you hear why I mean, we're talking about incredible needs in uh social services in our city uh versus park needs. And it's undeniable that there's immense needs for those departments and I support them getting their help. Uh but when in a a department that is facing constraints, you know, flexibility actually is one of the things that would be most useful to a department that is going to have to manage um differently for the year. And that would be part of my answer is that I think we'll have to be flexible, try to be flexible as we can and do the best with what we have. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. I just have one question about parks um maintenance schedules for the um for the public even though it's 12:15 at night. Um can you tell me what is um typical schedule for um pool or for um mowing the lawns and trimming and all of that? I say that because um I went by one park to this week and um the grasses were so long. They were seeding. It had been a long time since it had been mowed or trimmed. And then I went across the street, Major Street, and that park had been trimmed and mowed. And it was probably six blocks, maybe a a mile away. I mean, I'm wondering the maintenance schedule. Tell me about it.

Okay, Madam Chair, typically when we're in the middle of sort of the throws of the of the season, the high season, the summer, uh parks are mowed once a week. Um some of them get mowed more frequently, particularly if they have an athletic league or youth sports on the field that needs different conditions, shorter grass or something like that. um when sometimes those schedules stretch depending on staffing and resources, but the goal is that all parks are typically mowed at least once a week. Uh all parks have their trash removed at least once a week, many twice a week, some three times a week. Now what you're probably seeing in your recent example is that in the spring startup we've been pushing very heavily to uh do all the things better that need to be sequentially done like getting irrigation systems online. That is number one to make sure the water is working and then doing irriation, fertilization, any herbicide application, composting, seeding, those things. We want to get a lot of that as much of that done as we can before we go into the regular mowing cycles. So it is basically May one and that is the time we go for the most part into regular mowing cycles. But what I think you probably saw was an emphasis in one area on some of the things I was mentioning first. While another area may have been a little bit ahead, they're able to get into their mowing a little bit faster. But the but I'm aware that we've had some parks that haven't been uh gotten their first MOS and we talked about that as a leadership team today and the shift is on for that.

You know, people love their parks. We have great parks

and I love seeing families children playing in them and um and and being used. And so we're very blessed to have what we do. Thank you. Um, our outdoors, the open space, it's we have the best in the country. Again, 30,000 acres belong to the city for anybody to use and, um, maintenance is super important. You know, we have a huge investment in them. And so, um, uh, being outdoors is important. Um, it's good for for our health and u for so many good reasons. And so, um, the investment that we make in them is just as important as the other services that we provide for the city, um, no matter where they are. So, thank you for what you do.

Well, thank you for saying that. Thank you, director. Okay. Okay. We're going to move on. We have three left. Um, counselors, think real hard about your questions. So, I have to get up in the morning early. Okay. Um, Mr. Noel, we have economic development up and director Max Gruner. Madam Chair, do you want me to read the slide or let them stand for question? No, skip the slide. We can read. Okay.

Council, Madam Chair, I also have with me Deputy Director Monica Mitchell. Hi, Monica. Hi. Good morning. Unless there's any questions.

Awesome. So, I love what you do. Economic development is huge. Um, without economic development, we don't have any growth in our city. Um, it it drives everything. And, um, this JTA is one of my favorites that you all do. um if you'll just tell us just a little bit about that and then we'll probably let you go.

Wonderful. Madam Chair, um committee members, I I do want to point your attention to the uh first slide. It does speak to the return of investment of our uh core uh programs. You will see for JTA for every dollar we invest as a city city public dollar, we get a return of $21. And then for leader, for every city leader money, we get six and a half state dollars invested into Albuquerque, an additional three uh $235 in private investment. Uh to answer your question directly, JTA is a partnership between the city and uh CNM and a few other providers that at no cost to the individual uh provides the kind of training and resources that people who try to upskill themselves to better themselves and their families uh would the the kind of activities they would like to uh engage in. And then as you know uh LED our other program is a mechanism. It's sometimes referred to as the job creation fund sometimes referred to as gap funding. It is one of the incentives that the city brings to the table usually handinand glove with the state and the county at times to to help a company make that decision. Look, we want to expand. Are we going to expand here or look we're looking for a new home and are we going to go to Houston or are we going to go to Albuquerque and and Lita JTA uh some of the tax abatements that the state brings to the table create that portfolio where we can have those conversations.

Thank you. Thank you. Uh councelor Rogers. Thank you Madam Chair. Just a question. I'm getting a lot of calls about the cut to CNM ingenuity for 60,000. Can you talk about the decision to to cut that?

Uh, Madame Chair, uh, committee member, yes, absolutely. I I love the phrasing that, uh, my colleague, Director Simon, uh, used. Uh, you know, it's a really tough, uh, budget and really um, difficult decisions had to be made. Uh, I I think the world of that program. Um I also believe that uh CNM and that program in particular are positioned in a way and have the kind of access that they will absolutely find a path to um find other avenues of funding. Uh we we have really enjoyed and continue to enjoy our collaboration with them.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just I just think that that was one provider that was really helping service small businesses, especially startups and things of that nature. So, you know, I'm always I know economic development, you're great at the big deals, like the, you know, big ones, but I'm often wondering for small small businesses. Um, you know, if we're getting rid of that, who's going to pick up that for the city? Like where where are we going to refer them to? Uh madame chair uh committee member uh you're absolutely right that is the question that we have to answer and that CNU will ultimately have to answer. Again the um the program they they provide the activities they provide are are truly priceless. They are important exactly what you just said to our startup ecosystem to our small businesses. So again this this uh cut is not a reflection on the value of this program. It really is one of those difficult decisions that um I felt I had to make in this uh budget environment.

Councelor Lewis.

Thanks, Madam Chair. director just comment um uh in and you know not not not tonight but um uh I would just ask you you know throughout the year um just come with us with any any any ideas anything new the department's doing anything you need help with for you know financially um this this the economic development department uh whatever you propose I'm going to support you know small business large business u if you doubled your budget this year. I would support it, you know, um because this is the department that I I hope we're just constantly taking chances on. Um you know, pouring new ideas into. Um and uh so just know there was a time in our council meetings, we actually had on the agenda um an economic development report every single time we had a council meeting. I know when I I started that when I was president years ago, I don't know why we got rid of that, but um but because honestly I think it's probably one of the most important things we could talk about as a city, you know, and so I guess one thing when it comes to the budget um I think you got some new things in here, but uh I I guess I would just more of a a challenge or request that uh you as the director of the department, I mean, you know, um anything you need, come to us as often as you need to. uh any new ideas, anything you have going on, anything we could do to support you. So, thank you.

And Madam Chair, if I may respond, um committee member, uh thank you for that offer and we would absolutely appreciate a closer working relationship. Uh I I do agree with you, right? Economic development is the thing that enables all of the other things we need to do as a city. and if there are creative ideas uh if you can lend support uh especially in our interactions with Santa Fe and the state legislature uh that would be very welcome. So thank you for that offer. Thank you sir councelor Shan director just one last time the laser beam sound. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Very good. Thank you. We have two more. Yes. Councelor or Madam Cy.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Sorry, I just woke up. I'm kidding. I'm just kidding. Um, I wanted to mention based on councelor Lewis's comments, um, we have I've instituted a collaborative collaborative meeting between MRA, economic development planning, and our, um, commercial and economic development group at aviation and our housing department. We're meeting bi-weekly and we're really are working to think about what are the ways in which we can leverage the strengths and assets of each of those departments to think about um community growth and opportunity. Um and I sus I feel like that team is going to bring forward some really thoughtful work for um that would contribute to that what you're asking for which is what do we think we can leverage um with those teams and their assets and the talent that they have uniquely within their departments um together. they already work really well together um I think um in support of business and community development opportunities but I've really wanted us to focus in on how do we coordinate in a way that could bring forward those those real strategy opportunities and what would take a little bit of investment or a different way of thinking. So I appreciate the invitation and we'll um accept the opportunity to bring things to you all.

Thank you. We have one final question from councelor tea. Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a question. I I notice um in the budget that we are really still primarily using a lot of sort of reactive um and dealbased incentives um instead of also including um some proactive instructure um incentives. And so I am curious if we have any sort of targeted um ready site programs um if those are being considered, if they're in the pipeline. um kind of what that looks like as far as especially, you know, in my district on the on the west side where um a lot of our a lot of our major challenges generally for attracting, you know, more um I think economic development is we have we have the land, but it's not easy to build on, right? We have very rocky soil, rocky land. a lot of folks who might want to come in and, you know, build um or bring businesses, you know, attract businesses, um might see all this land, but then realize, oh, I can't build on lava rock, you know, and I think we use a lot of again those those tax abatements, just a lot of reactive incentives. Um, and I wonder if we should be looking at investing more in um, site readiness, right? Utilities, grading, all of those things that give us more um, a cost-effective way to attract some of that business because I don't really see that in in this plan. So, thoughts go.

Madame Chair, um, committee member, uh, the answer to your question is yes. Um the uh biggest challenge we have in Albuquerque and we have in New Mexico is we have a lot of land. We don't have shovel ready land. Uh we also have buildings, but we don't have what's usually referred to as turnkey ready buildings. Uh we did work closely with the state legislature two sessions ago. Uh two bills were passed. The site readiness bill and the uh bill that allows our utilities for the first time in the history of the state to build out utility infrastructure proactively without the assurance of having an offtaker at the other end.

Uh some of those sites are indeed in Albuquerque. We are now working uh with our partners at the state on a second iteration on the site readiness program and there are some additional sites in Albuquerque we have identified uh some of the sites are part of the ACE property my colleague uh presented on that and uh additionally on the west side surrounding the double eagle property but as you know there are additional challenges there because if you put a shovel in the ground there's a good chance that things go boom which is not healthy for the person wielding the shovel,

right? Yeah. Thank you, director. I appreciate it. I would love to sit down and talk more about the the site readiness um opportunities that are available because I know, you know, they are often a lot less expensive um and a big incentive for folks who want to come in um and do business and can often be a better incentive than some of the tax abatements and whatnot that that we give. And I think it's it's an opportunity for us to really, you know, move, I think, even more aggressively toward toward that. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay, two more to go, but we can do this. Um, arts and culture, Dr. Shell Sanchez, um, Mr. Noel.

Madam Chair, Arts and Culture has a 53,784,000 budget with 407 general fund positions. Should I go further or? Yep. Again, we can we're good. Councilors, do we have any questions? Okay, Councelor Feeblecorn, thank you, Madam Chair. Um,

thank you for being here. I The first couple of questions are just based on the comments that we've heard tonight, emails, phone calls. Um, folks are very concerned about the non-recurring line items for food for the animals held at the zoo and library it. And can you just talk us through why those are included as non-recurring again this year? I have to say when I saw the food item I I thought it was a mistake, but I don't think it is. So tell us what's going on.

Um Madame Chair, Councelor Feeblehorn, um these are um these are expenses that have been in our budget um using non-recurring funding for a number of years. the increase. Um, and to be clear, we actually spend more than $250,000 a year um on um food and um um medical expenses at the biop park. Um this is really represents um most of the major increases since the pandemic. Um so I think it's more around a million or somewhere around a million dollars that we spend total. Um and uh the same for the IT. This has been it is a recurring expense. We have it every year and it has been funded through non-recurring dollars year-over-year since um FY8 when we moved that particular uh funding out of the bond cycle and put it into general fund.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Okay. And then I just wanted to talk a little bit about um the large events that the city sponsors. Um the one that you know jumps out to me is Freedom Force. Your department is spending $350,000 on that. Uh Parks and Wreck is spending an additional 50. Um I'm sure that Solid Waste is spending a lot of money. APD is spending a lot of money. ACS is spending a lot of money. AFR has to come. Um, I believe OEM has to be there easily a million dollars for one event. Um, and then I notice at the same time we are discontinuing a lot of smaller events. In my mind, smaller events are what builds community. I don't think that a$1 million freedom forth is building community or attracting tourism, but I I'm would love to be corrected. So could you just talk through why the decision to focus on these giant events rather than the smaller community events that that might be more beneficial for neighbors to get to know each other and that quite frankly neighbors could afford to go to um unlike some of the larger ones that cost a lot. Um, madame chair, councelor Feeblehorn, uh, so the city has for many years, um, 10, 20, even more than that, uh, organized and offered a number of large-scale events which are free. Freedom Fourth is free. There are there are other concerts at um, Balloon Fiesta Park that are ticketed, but um, Freedom Fourth is a free event. Um, and you know, I it I feel like this is a conversation. I there are very there are differing views on this for for many people and many people in the community. Uh, freedom forth is really important.

Um, it's very important that we have these largecale community events across the city. Um, and I I agree that they're important. I also agree um that the smaller events build community and are great to have throughout the community. I think what we try to do uh with the community events division is support um as many of those as possible. So yes, we put on freedom forth and if it's a great weather year and uh we hit right on the band, you know, we have 50 or 60,000 people out there. That's a lot of Albuquerque residents um that get to do something really special with their family on the 4th of July. Um, and yes, it is expensive and that's why if you have to charge a ticket price for it, you know, those tickets for some of those similar events tend to be $75 to $150. So, yeah, it's expensive, but we also at the same time it's the same team that's doing free concerts in um, Oldtown um, at the Oldtown Gazebo. And so, again, you have those smaller events. So, that team is doing a whole entire range of things on behalf of the city.

Yeah. I mean, I I um Madam Chair, I I love those smaller events. I go to those um and and I fully support that. I'm just saying that for a million dollars um we could put on a lot of small events and we could feed the animals at the zoo um which apparently we have a hard time doing. And so I'm just questioning the prioritization of of these various events versus, you know, if we're going to hold animals at the zoo, we have to feed them and provide medical care. and it it just seems like we are missing out on prioritization of what really matters. But thank you for your answers.

Okay, Councelor Rogers. Thank you, Madam Chair. Hi, Director. Just have a couple questions about library closures because I know we've been talking about the closure of the International District Library on Sundays. um be very concerned about that especially in the summer where that is one of our major intended or not cooling stations for district 6 for international district. Um and so can you tell me what other libraries are being closed across the city? Um, Madame Chair, Councelor Rogers, uh, so I think we're you're you're referring specifically to the temporary closure u because of our current staffing levels um at the International District Library. Right now, the International District Library is open for three hours on Sundays. Um, we have several other libraries that are open on Sundays for four hours. That's Erna Ferguson. Um, Central and Unser Cherry Hills. Oh, yep. No, I think that's it. Um, the and those so those are the branches that are open on Sundays for four hours. And the closure at ID Library um we anticipate will be only through the beginning of the fiscal year. Um and by then we hope we have some of the positions in that branch or in that area um filled.

Sure. So a reading Thank you Madam Chair. A reading you talked about a staffing levels across the whole library system. So that I guess that's my question. What other libraries are being closed altogether? Um besides the ID library.

Madame Chair Councelor Rogers there at this point there are no other branches. um in 24, just to be clear, we have had to do this before. In um uh fall 24 through early 2025, uh we had a similar issue at Ner Ferguson and we had to suspend Sunday hours um at that branch for several months and I I had a similar conversation with councelor Feebleorn and she had similar feelings about that at the time, but we were able to get those staffing levels back up in that area and we resumed those hours.

Sure. Thank you. My concern is is also we're not reallocating those staff to other libraries to cover on Sundays, so they're losing hours. So, is there a way to to make sure that if if we're not going to have the ID library open, could those that staff that's scheduled on Sunday be moved to another library so they're not losing pay? Um u madame chair, councelor Rogers, uh they are absolutely not losing pay. Uh these are full-time employees and um in reality we have we are um barely staffed for some of those hours at our kind of minimal staffing level um on Mondays and Saturdays at the ID library. So their uh their schedules will be adjusted so that they'll either be working on Saturdays or Mondays um to ensure that we have the the level of staffing that we're comfortable with.

Okay. Thank you. Because that was a concern I heard directly from library staff at the ID library. So maybe we just need to recommunicate to them

that they're not losing hours because the feeling is that they are. So I just I just want to make sure we can reiterate that to the staff. Um that's my library where where I live. So we're there a lot. And um um the other big thing, Madam Chair, I'm hearing from the staff there um is about the social issues and the social um just community social issues that are they're having to handle at the library. And I don't think this is really necessarily um for the director, but more the administration is around, you know, especially with the fire like the fired station right across the pond um at the ID library. Could we have firefighters sitting in the library instead of in the house waiting for calls so that they could help some of this ACS? Um some type of help for social services. Um, maybe we need to get something because the librarians that like they're not they're not supposed to I mean they're great at it. The librarians there I think choose that spot because they want to help that population of folks. And so they're amazing. Absolutely amazing the things that they're having to do from administering Narcan to breaking up fight. I had to break up a fight at the ID library like literally. Um so there's a lot of things happening at that library. Counc. So, I just want us to think more about how we can support the staff there. And I'll stop there. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Councelor Shamine. Yes. I make a motion to suspend the rules to extend this meeting till midnight. No, I'm sorry. We already did that till 1:00 a.m. Okay. Madame Clerk.

Councelor Bassan. Yes. Councelor Champine. Yes. Councelor Piborn. Yes. Councelor Lewis, yes. Councelor Ben, yes. Councelor Ben. Yes. Thank you. Councelor Rogers. No. Councelor Teas. Yes. Councelor Ro. Yes. Passes on a 71 vote. Thank you. Councelor Rogers. Are you ready? Have any more? I'm done. Thank you. Okay. Madam Chair. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Yes. Respond to one thing. I just wanted to clarify one thing. um about the previous question. Um we do actually c uh international district library is one of the places where we have um a staff. We have three staff across the system which are specifically hired to help and support um the social kinds of issues that you're talking about and support staff or support our patrons that are coming in that have additional needs. So there is somebody at that library um who's both a library um staff member and also their job is to interface with people when they are clearly in need of additional services. And I do feel the need um you know the directors are we're a really great team and we spend a lot of time talking to each other um about our challenges and uh the international district library is a shared challenge um for a lot of departments. Um, I I would say that um asking firefighters or ACS staff to come in in place of library staff um is not a solution that I would personally support and I would be surprised if other directors um those other directors would feel like that was the way to solve the staffing issues. Um our librarians are there to do really important work that we believe deeply in. Um, and if we don't have the staffing levels, then the library should be closed.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm not suggesting that you use other departments to fix your staffing issues. What I'm suggesting is, and what I'm hearing from your librarians there, is they need support. One person does not cover the entire hours of operation for the ID library. So, what I'm saying is that your staff needs support. Um, and one person for that library isn't going to cut it. And so, I appreciate all that. Um, but it's just I they need they they're asking for this. This is not my opinion. This is the this is what your staff is asking for. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Councelor Tea. You're good. Okay. Councelor Champine, one question.

Thanks. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, the 700,000 in personal savings across divisions. Can you expound on that, please? Uh, Madame Chair, Councelor Champine. Yes, those are um eight positions that have been deactivated and they were filled at one point or they have always been empty. They were all filled at some point, but they were vacant when they were um Okay. And how long have they been vacant? Director,

uh, Madame Chair, Councelor Champine, I I would have to go back and look. It it definitely varied by position. Um, but I I I wouldn't be able to tell you like each position how long it had been vacant without going back and looking at our most recent vacancy reports. Okay. Would you please give me that information? Yes. Thank you, Councelor Lewis.

Madam Chair, thanks. Thanks everybody for staying a little crazy. Um, uh, director, so the the admin, uh, stated that that the fees changes won't impact residents. that was a part of the budget proposal. Yet we we're seeing a weekend search charge at the biop park that residents are clearly going to pay for. Um so how's that not an increased cost to residents? Um, Madame Chair, councelor Lewis, so this searchcharge uh was proposed by the department and by the biopark uh and it is truly meant to address the popularity and growing attendance and um like you know consistent record attendance that we are experiencing especially on weekends uh and especially on weekends during the summer. Uh this is something that uh a great deal of similar attractions, Botanic Gardens, aquariums, zoos use across the country to even out attendance and improve um the guest experience. I mean, I know for a fact I live um about a block from the zoo. I know I can look out my door and know if we are over 6,000 people um at the zoo for that day because I can tell by the number of cars that are parked um on my street. And so it really right now the number of people that are coming um all wanting to come at the same time um is impacting guest experience. It's impacting our neighborhoods and we're we're trying to even that out. And we know from our colleagues across the country that sir charges will help us even out even 10 or 15% of visitors if they choose to come on Friday or Thursday instead. It's going to significantly impact for the better

the quality of service that we deliver. So the logic just seems that and it you want to reduce the attendance at the biopark. I mean that's part of the logic it seems like because what you know they may not be able to go on Friday or during the week but they certainly you certainly intended to you to reduce attendance to the biop park on the weekends.

Councelor Grout um and counselor Lewis where what it has shown and other places across the country is overall attendance does not go down. um attendance evens out uh across the week. Um and that is especially true in the summer and we've seen that even um at a smaller example we uh started doing this with River of Lights where um weekdays are less expensive, weekday evenings are less expensive overall. We still see increases in attendance um but more people are going um on less popular nights. And that's the same thing that we expect and that's the same thing that other facilities see when they

But you have a projected amount of what it's going to raise for the for annually. Is that is that in the is that on the list? So there's a projected amount. What is that for the year? Um, madame madame chair, councelor Lewis, um, I think we did. We're looking I mean, whatever it is, I don't know, a million bucks, whatever it is. It seems like,

um, if you're going to if if it's intended to reduce the amount of attendance. So, it's like a fee that just keeps people from coming on the weekend, but doesn't raise any money at all. If it if it does keep people from coming on the weekends, people aren't going to pay that search charge, and it's not going to raise any money. So, I I I don't get that at all. Madame Chair, Councelor Lewis, um I think there's there's two things. Uh first, overall, we do expect about an $800,000 increase in ticket revenue.

So, you're expecting you're trying to keep people from coming on the weekends, but you're expecting them to come anyways and they're going to pay more. U Madame Chair, councelor um councelor Lewis, the other part of that so we do expect that we will still have high levels of attendance. Um if we look at the ticket prices that will result from the search charge, we are still significantly below other attractions um locally and far be far below um similar attractions in um our peer cities like Denver, Oklahoma City, Phoenix. So, it's not to cover costs.

Our costs are still um 50% less or um in most cases 50% less or at least 30% less than if you were to buy a ticket at the Denver Zoo or go to the Botanic Gardens in Phoenix or go to the aquarium in Oklahoma City. Um, and if you look locally, it our ticket prices are still still far below um, Hingle Family Fund Center, the trampoline park. So, we are still an incredibly affordable option um, for our city residents. And what we believe the search charge will do is to even out the number of people at the zoo, which will make everyone's um, experience better. you you're not doing it to to raise any kind of money that'll help the sustainability of the biop park. Just you have no intention to utilize that money to enhance the biopart.

Madame chair, councelor Lewis, all of the money that um comes in for admissions um at the biopart goes into the general fund. Yeah. And there's a great deal of general fund money that is then turns around and supports the biopark. So

yeah, it goes to the general fund. So it's not it's not attached to anything that you need. So you don't need it for anything because it just goes to the general fund anyways. It's meant to penalize people for coming on the weekend and yet if they do come on the weekend they get, you know, charged more. It just seems like I don't know. I'd have to see what other bioparks are doing and just the results of it, you know, and that that are directly related to that. Um otherwise all all it is is again taking more money out of the pockets of people that live in this city that pay for that biop park anyways and just makes it more expensive for them to come and enjoy the biop park. And uh I'm just I'm always going to be an advocate of that. I'm a huge advocate of the biop park as you know, but at the same time um I mean the we we do this incrementally over time and it just gets more and more expensive and it's just again I mean these are things that go back to affordability in our city and just making making city hall affordable. Um so I mean I was going to ask you what kind of improvements should residents see as a result of those increased fees, but there's not any improvements there. there is no improvements to the biop park because of an increased fee. And that also should be I think another um you know reason that should be attached to increasing any fees or search charges anything is that you know there's going to there's going to be a better service. There's going to be something you know beneficial to residents as well. So that that's it. Thank thank you again.

Thank you counselor. Thank you director. Okay, our last one. Um senior affairs director Anna Sanchez. I'm running. Okay, I'm running again. We can read. Um, we can read. Counselors, any questions?