City Council - Regular Meeting

Hey Denver, it's time for the weekly general session of your Denver City Council. Tonight's coverage of Denver City Council starts now.

Here we go. Good afternoon and thank you for taking the time to join us for Denver City Council meeting. Today is Monday, July 27th, 2026. Tonight's meeting is being interpreted into Spanish. Sam or Jasmine, would you please introduce yourselves and let our viewers know how to enable translation on their devices.

Yes, thank you. Hello, everyone. My name is Sam Guzman, joining you virtually through Zoom. And along with my colleague, Jasmine, we will be interpreting today's meeting into Spanish. Please allow me a quick moment while I give instructions in Spanish on how to access interpretation. . Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Monday, July 27, 2026. Councilmembers, please join Councilmember Torres in 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.

Councilmembers, please join Councilmember Torres as they lead us in the Denver City Council Land Acknowledgement.

The Denver City Council honors and acknowledges that the land on which we reside is the traditional territory of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado. We honor elders past, present, and future, and those who have stewarded this land throughout generations. We also recognize that government, academic, and cultural institutions were founded upon and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of Indigenous peoples. May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to working to dismantle ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities, and recognize the current and future contributions of Indigenous communities in Denver.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, roll call. Councilmembers Gilmour. Parity. Here. Alvidrez. Here. Flynn.

Here.

Gonzalez-Gutierrez. Here. Hines. Here. Cashman. Here. Lewis. Present. Sandoval.

Here.

Sawyer. Torres? Here. Watson? Here. Madam President Romero-Campbell?

Here.

11 members present.

There are 11 members present. Council has quorum. Approval of the minutes. Are there any corrections to the minutes of July 20th? Seeing none, the minutes stand approved. Announcements. Council announcements. Are there any announcements from council members?

Okay, let's go ahead and get started with Councilmember Torres. Thank you so much. Just a few events happening in West Denver District 3. There'll be a movie in the park on Thursday at Barnum Park. I think that one is Lilo and Stitch. And then the West Colfax Association of Neighbors, WE CAN, will be holding their annual festival at Paco Sanchez Park on Saturday from 11 o'clock to 1. Excuse me, 2. I know Councilwoman Pro Tem... Gonzales Gutierrez, you hyphenated. Gonzales Gutierrez is going to be tabling with me. So we hope to see folks out for that. And then Saturday evening, we have been supporting Colorado Youth on Record and the La Alma community with La Alma Live, which is a live concert series starting this Saturday in the La Alma Park Amphitheater, which is right behind the pool. So hope to see folks there. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Alvidrez.

Thank you so much, Council President. I'm excited and so grateful to thank the people that helped put together Blue Cipher Fest this weekend in District 7. It was amazing and it even bled into other districts. It was very special. I think the community really feels ownership of this festival. I also wanted to highlight that Saturday is Colorado Day. So happy birthday to Colorado to 150 years. And there's a lot of events on the Colorado State website to attend this Saturday. Check that out. And a reminder that Yoga on the Lawn is currently happening at Leavitt Pavilion every Saturday for the next couple of weeks. So check out some free yoga at Leavitt Pavilion. Thank you, Council President. Thank you.

Council Member Sandoval. Thank you. Thank you. In Northwest Denver, we have a couple fun things going on. I've been holding an annual outdoor yoga series. The next one is this. A couple Wednesdays from now, a month from now, Wednesday, August 26th from 6 to 7 at the historic Elitch Carousel Dome on 38th and Tennyson. Once again, that's August 26th from 6 to 7. All you have to do is bring a yoga mat. And then we're holding our, I want to say it is my 14th annual Zuni Park movie in Zuni Park, Friday, August 28th. The fun starts at 6 p.m., and the movie starts at 8, and I believe we're showing How to Train Your Dragon. Yep, got confirmation. And then... If you're looking to shop local, just consider stopping by the Denver Farmers Market between 32nd and Julian and Newton. The market runs every Sunday through October 25th. You can grab a beverage, a snack, listen to live music, chat with neighbors, and it's a great place to go. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you. Council Member Watson.

Thank you so much, Council President. Once again... I think Blues the Forward is awesome, Councilmember Alvidrez. So congratulations to you and all the folks that came out to some great music in District 7. I want to elevate the Underground Music Showcase this past weekend as well. So having great music in downtown Denver was fantastic. I want to call out Terry Modeska from the Rhino Business Improvement District. for her team and all the folks that did so much work over the 200 bands that played and the folks that came out to make sure we were well fed while we were listening to great music. So congratulations to everyone on an amazing time in the fine District 9 this past weekend in the Rhino Art District of Five Points. We have a few events coming up this weekend. We have the Brick City Reunion Picnic and Resource Fair that happens each and every year. That's going to be happening at Mistiso Curtis Park. That's this Saturday from 1 to 7 p.m. So come on out and enjoy. Community members, have some fun with us at Brick City. We have Manual Thunderbolt Nation Party in the Park. That's also happening this weekend. That's from around 12 to 7. So you can go to Brick City first and come over to Fuller Park and do Manual Thunderbolt Alumni Nation Party in the Park. And then you can follow that up with Clayton Community Days. It's happening outside Cohesion at York Street Yards. Lots of fun in the fine District 9. So if you are having friends over, having people coming to town, bring them to the fine District 9 where we're having all the fun. Thank you, Council President.

Thank you. Council Member Hines. Thank you, Madam President. I would just start from a district that's fine. But there's a whole lot of things going on in perfect District 10, one of which we're having several conversations with a lucky district quite a bit to my left. Lucky District 7 regarding best value contracting. If you are watching today and you have interest in learning or weighing in on best value contracting, specifically in city sponsored construction projects, please reach out to the District 10 office or the District 7 office. We have at least four meetings just this week about best value contracting. So we are very interested in hearing from you and your thoughts. Speaking of hearing from you and your thoughts, Denver's Perfect 10 is also having a coffee conversation, a town hall, this Thursday from 1230 to 2 in the Denver Public Library, the central branch, which is just a couple blocks from here. So if you want to join our town hall, it is 1230 to 2 in the Parkview Room on the first floor of the Central Library Library. It is, the address is, wait for it, is, I don't know. It's the library that is just a block or two from here. Oh, I thought I would, I thought I had it. So thank you so much. And I hope to see you on Thursday or any of the four meetings about best value contracting. Thank you, Madam President.

Great. Thank you. Council Member Lewis. Oh, thank you so much. So I wanted to invite folks to join us on August 9th for a special community event. We're having a public conversation amongst residents of District 8 to have one-on-one or small group conversations to discuss the things about their neighborhoods at the district, what's most important to them, with the opportunity to enjoy some food and some bowling as well. in between those conversations. Again, that is on August 9th. And then I wanted to tell folks thank you for inviting me to the Unity Festival yesterday. And congratulations to the student nominees and the adult nominees on their work on environmental justice. And I just wanted to shout them out because they've been doing incredible work. And so Lexi Stamps-Howard, Lenora Harris, Juliana Cornell, Kristen Van Burn, Unique Gee, Precious Davis, Keyshawn Davis, and Holly Sissa. Councilman Watson covered the Manuel Thunderbolt alumni celebration in Denver City Park from noon to seven. So that's also on August 1st. I hope to see you all there. And then finally, this one is in my district. Hoping that you all can join us for the Montbello 2020 and beyond. and keep Colorado beautiful cleanup from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event is put on by the good folks at the Montbello 2020 and kicks off in the morning at the Environmental Learning for Kids or ELC building located at 12680 Albrook Street, or Drive, excuse me, Denver, Colorado, 80239. Thank you. Thank you.

There are no presentations. There are no communications. There are two proclamations being read this afternoon. Councilmember Hines, please read Proclamation 26-1099. Thank you, Madam President.

Proclamation 26-1099, a proclamation honoring Philip A. Washington for a lifetime of service and celebrating his retirement as Chief Executive Officer of Denver International Airport. Whereas Philip A. Washington was raised on the south side of Chicago and at the age of 17 chose a life of service by enlisting in the United States Army. And whereas over a distinguished 24-year military career, he rose to the rank of Command Sergeant Major, the highest enlisted rank soldier can attain, served under the command of General Colin Powell, earned the prestigious Defense Superior Service Medal, and retired as a disabled veteran. And whereas he joined the Regional Transportation District in the year 2000 and was named the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer in 2009, where he led the delivery of Fast Tracks, one of the largest voter-approved transit expansions in the history of the United States. And whereas under his leadership, Bartini opened the West Rail Line eight months ahead of schedule and under budget. Who does that? completed the celebrated restoration of Denver Union Station five months early and pioneered the nation's first and still only operating rail transit public-private partnership. And whereas he was elected the chair of the American Public Transportation Association and later inducted into its Hall of Fame, And from 2015 to 2021, served as chief executive officer of LA Metro, overseeing an $8 billion budget and one of the largest public works programs in North America. And whereas in 2021, he returned to Denver to lead Denver International Airport. known as DEN, making sure my colleagues heard that, not DIA, and was unanimously confirmed as this chief executive officer by the Denver City Council. An honor extended to him twice under two mayors. And whereas as CEO of DEN, he set forth the Vision 100 and Operation 2045 plans, advanced the Great Hall program ahead of schedule and under budget.

Again, you did it again?

opened more than 30 new gates, welcomed record passenger traffic and Lufthansa A380 service to Munich, and helped sustain an airport that generates more than $47 billion for the region each year as Colorado's largest economic engine. Whereas he championed DEN as a leader in sustainability and safety and established the Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation, opening the doors of the aviation industry to young people and creating career pathways for generations of Denverites. And whereas he was awarded the William Bill Jennings Airport Director of the Year Award for the American Minority Advisory Council, for outstanding leadership, industry impact, and a commitment to advancing opportunity. And whereas through every role, soldier, transit builder, and airport executive, Phil Washington... has lived by the conviction that the most important thing a leader can do is to take care of people. And whereas Philip A. Washington will retire effective August 1st, 2026, leaving Denver stronger than he founded and leaving behind a legacy of vision, service, and humanity that will endure for generations. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council, Section 1, that the Denver City Council hereby honors and celebrates Philip A. Washington for his extraordinary career of public service and his transformative leadership of the Regional Transportation District and Denver International Airport. Section 2, that the Denver City Council extends its deepest gratitude and sincere best wishes to Philip A. Washington for a joyful and well-earned retirement and a rewarding next chapter. Section 3, that the clerk of the City and County of Denver shall affix the seal of the City and County of Denver to this proclamation and that a copy be transmitted to Philip A. Washington.

Thank you. Council Member Hines, your motion to adopt.

I move that Proclamation 26-1099 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded. Comments by members of Council. Council Member Hines.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, I just read a proclamation full of dates and titles and numbers, and every one of them is earned. But a list of accomplishments is not the same as a life, and it is certainly not the same as a person. So let me use a few minutes to talk about Philip A. Washington, the person. I come at this a little differently than most. I moved through this city mostly without a car, on our sidewalks, in our bike lanes, on our transit. I just got this wheelchair in late January. I've already put 451 miles on it. So transportation isn't an abstraction to me. It is how I get to this dais. So when I look at what Phil... And I'm going to start calling you Phil again now that you've moved on instead of Director Washington. So when I look at what Phil spent his career building, I don't see a resume. I see the difference between a Denverite who can get a job interview and one who can't. I see a parent who makes it to pick up on time. I see a city that decided on purpose to connect its people to their futures using mass transit.

That's the quiet truth about the work Phil has devoted his life to.

Infrastructure is a strange kind of gift. You pour years into things that other people will use without ever knowing your name. The traveler catching an early flight tomorrow won't be thinking about who made that possible. And Phil never needed them to. That is what public service looks like when you've done it right. You build for people you will never meet, and you let the work speak for itself. But what I'll remember isn't any single project. It's how he treated people. Phil ran some of the largest systems in the country, and he still carried himself like someone who never forgot where he started. Ask anyone who worked for him, and you'll hear the same thing, that he made them better, and he made them feel seen. He built up the people around him as deliberately as he built anything out of concrete and steel. It has been a treat and an honor serving as vice chair, chair, and currently on the committee that oversees the airport. And most importantly, having that oversight while you've been here. And it's been a delight to see what you've done for our transit systems in Denver. So let me say this again as plainly as I can. Phil Washington spent his career moving the city forward. And he did it by building things the rest of us use, the rest of us get to use without ever knowing his name. Phil, you are leaving the city more connected than you found it. And I don't just mean the rails and the runways. You spent a career moving people. Now it's your turn to move you into a very well-deserved next chapter, hopefully at a slower pace and definitely without a construction schedule. May your next chapter be delivered on time and on budget. just like the projects you've overseen at 10. On behalf of District 10 and a grateful city, thank you. Save travels, my friend. You've earned every mile. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Council Member Flynn.

Thank you, Madam President, Phil. Other than, I don't know if anyone else over here on the dais, but I had the advantage of working with you when I was at RTD for five and a half years after the Rocky Mountain News closed, and your team gave me the opportunity to go to the dark side, as it were. But the old newspaper reporter in me has to ask why you're sitting totally apart from your team in the back row. So I always think there's a story there, and I'll explore that later. But one thing that I noted from covering you at the newspaper And then working for you is how you work with the internal teams. I was surprised the first couple times I came to the Friday afternoon Fast Tracks meetings, I worked on the Eagle project, which built the train to the airport to Arvada, Wheat Ridge, and Westminster. Being called into those meetings sitting around the backside, not at the table, but was surprised when you went around the horn and actually called on me and not just my supervisor, Pauletta, or Scott Reed. But you wanted to know what I thought as well and how things were going. And I always held that as one of the lessons I learned about management. And it's not just to talk to your reports, but to talk to the people out in the field. And I really valued that about your leadership. I don't know if that's... how your team, how they're nodding their heads yes. And I think that's the mark of a true leader. A true leader isn't one who knows where he wants to take everything or she wants to take everything, but relies on the input from the experienced members of the team. And I think that accounts for a lot of the successes that have happened out of DIA, and I still say DIA, I'm sorry. I'll never say DEN. And that's one of the lessons that I think you brought to the airport. And I hope that whoever permanently takes your place remembers that and can do that in your place. So thank you for all your contributions to the city. And best of luck in whatever comes next for you. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Council Member Watson.

Thank you so much, Council President. And thank you, Council Member Hines, for lifting up this proclamation. I think it's... It is so important as we look at leaders throughout our city and folks who have dedicated their entire careers to service that we take time every now and then to lift them up, to give them their flowers and to really look at really what. the life of service is. The thing that I respect the most about CO Washington is not just your ability to lead these large agencies, these large spaces, but how intimate your understanding of the intricacies of the work that you do. So I can say when we are having discussions here at Council, since I've become a Council member, and we're discussing DEN and we're discussing things that have great impact on the lives of everyone that comes to and through Denver, you have always been available to help answer those questions as well. You hire well, you hire highly competent folks, You've taken the time to understand the deep importance of the role that you lead and the importance of really making sure you have not just the right answer, but you make sure that you have the answer and have the humility or the curiosity to always come back if you don't have the answer to the question. I respect that in your leadership. As a black man, I respect you being in these rooms. I am certain, sir, in many rooms that you've walked in, you may have been one of two or maybe one of folks that look like you and that has your background. Yet in every single room that you're in, that I have sat in, in which you have demonstrated leadership on transportation, you have been the person leading that room. And that matters. That matters beyond simply your title. That matters beyond legacy. That matters to the young black or brown man or woman that are watching this. And they can see through your outcomes their ability to actually lead and your ability to actually excel and possibly see themselves in those roles. roles. So I want to say to you, sir, thank you for your leadership. Thank you for being able to answer the tough questions, but always being present and being willing to raise your hands for some of the most dynamic roles within the city. You will be missed and I hope you're going to take a long the occasion before someone else grabs you and pulls you into some other role. But I greatly respect you and it has been an honor serving in City Council and supporting you and the good work that you're doing at Dent and for all the folks that are here with you as well. Thank you so much, sir. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Councilmember Lewis. Hi, thanks. I'll be very brief. You know how much I respect you and how much I appreciate you. Coming on to City Council, I had the opportunity to chair the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee under your leadership, quite frankly, and I've learned quite a bit from you. But one of the things I most respect for you is that you actually have a vision and you have values and you live in that vision and that values, and you're able to bring back each contract every single time to that committee to tell us how it is feeding into your vision. And I have a deep respect and appreciation for that. In addition to that, you have figured out how to make the subcontractors that would typically stay there primes, and that's not something to sneeze at. And so I really appreciate your capacity to be innovative and to think about how do you build and expand those that are in contact with the city or with the airport when it comes to that work. You've lived in your integrity as well, and you have just been a joy to be able to work for, to work with, and to work beside. And I think it makes a lot of sense that you departing from your role and me departing from the committee because of the work that you've done just maybe feels like alignment. And so thank you for everything that you've done. And I do hope you get some rest and I hope you don't make time for more of this type of work and you find time for vacations and rest and massages and all the things I'm sure you haven't done in the time that you've been working in this capacity. So thank you for your leadership.

Thank you. Councilman Cashman.

Thank you. I'm craning my neck to see over the monitor. Director Washington, it's so good to see you. Congratulations on heading off on the next trail. I don't know if you remember, but when we first met, somewhere over in this part of the room, I remember shaking your hand and saying, you know, you just took on a big job. I don't know if you're up for it. And not only are you up to it, you are more than up to it and you've done an amazing job. I think Denver International Airport, one of the perks of this job is we get to take a behind the scenes tour and really see the whole scope of it. I remember early on in my time of council, we took a drive around with 53 square miles is what I remember is the size of Denver International Airport. And the scope of what you've been charged with leading is truly breathtaking. I know you would be the first to say you're not a one-man band, but you have been the leader of the band. I was thinking that Kevin... Councilman Flynn, before the meeting starts, DIA comes. I don't know who's back there running the airport. There's always a whole posse coming to answer any questions that we might have because it's a city that you run. thousands and thousands of employees. Your budget is roughly what the city of Denver's budget is. More, I think, actually. But I just wanted to congratulate you and say my suspicions as to your capabilities were misplaced. You've done a hell of a job. And we wish you well, though I am mildly cranky that you return. But I'll deal with it. Good luck, sir. Thank you.

Thank you. Director Washington, thank you so much for your work that you've done. I echo the sentiments of my council members today. I really appreciate just the leadership that you've brought. You are a leader amongst leaders. You have a team that is just firing on all cylinders, and you're able to manage and make sure the job is getting done. There are two things that I think are remarkable. There's a lot of projects that have happened, but one is SIA, that Center for Equity and Excellence, and I keep making up what the name is. But for the SIA program, I think that innovation is really a model not only nationally, but I think across the globe to be able to have that kind of center in Denver. and to be able to lead that forward is truly, I think, a huge feat. The other one is like the not sexy stuff, but that really gets other things together, and that's the dashboard that you had presented on of monitoring where our assets are and where those assets are in its lifeline and how it's coming forward. It is truly, I think, a remarkable thing for our airport to have and really, I think, shows what has been accomplished. I will miss you always coming up in front of us and starting with or ending with. And this is ahead of schedule and under budget. And so thank you again for all of your work. Okay, Madam Secretary, roll call.

Council Members Alvarez. Aye. Flynn.

Aye.

Gonzalez Gutierrez. Aye. Heinz? Aye. Cashman? Aye. Lewis? Aye. Parity? Aye. Sandoval? Aye. Torres? Aye. Watson? Aye. Madam President Romero-Campbell?

Aye. Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results.

11 ayes.

11 ayes. Proclamation 26-1099 has been adopted. We have about five minutes for the proclamation acceptance. Councilmember Heinz, who would you like to call up to accept the proclamation?

I'd like to bring up Executive Director Phillip A. Washington.

Well, thank you so much, counsel. I really appreciate it. The reason I'm sitting away from our team is because I think I got here early. They came in late. No, actually, they were here, and I was working at the airport. No, I really appreciate this honor. I wasn't expecting all of this, the pomp and circumstance, but I really appreciate it. I appreciate our team at the airport as well. One of the best teams, if not the best team in the industry, the aviation industry. And I know that you don't see that every day. I see it every day. And I'm very, very proud of them. I really appreciate the confirmation from two councils during my time when I first arrived here and was nominated and appointed. So thank you so much. And I do remember that conversation, Council Member Cashman, but I really appreciate the support. Listen, I, last month, June 29th, 50 years ago, I left the South Side of Chicago, and I joined the military, and I knew I couldn't go back. Obviously, going back to visit and all those things, but I knew I could not go back. This was it. And I was 17 years old, and I joined the military with what I thought would be maybe a couple of years. I ended up staying for almost 25. And I was fortunate. to rise in the ranks. I was fortunate to push troops for 25 years and be pushed as well. I experienced good assignments, bad assignments, good commanders, bad commanders. But all in all, we knew what our mission was in uniform. I got out and I could have stayed for much longer but I had an assignment that was coming up that I didn't want to do and that was to Korea for an unaccompanied tour, one year unaccompanied tour and normally I would have took that but just as I was going to leave They changed the requirements to a two-year unaccompanied tour. Unaccompanied meaning you couldn't take your family. And my kids were young at the time, and I decided to retire from the Army. And that's a tough decision as well. I put in my retirement papers. In those days, you could retire 12 months out before you actually left the military. And I answered an ad in the newspaper for a job at the Regional Transportation District. It was sort of like a deputy job, an assistant general manager job. And I walked in to the CEO, and he was a Vietnam veteran. And I think he probably only asked me one or two questions, and he said, I think this is a good fit. And I thought, a good fit? Wow. I still got 12 months to go. And he, by the time I got home, it was a voicemail on my answering machine offering me the job and with a salary offer. And I thought, wow. And the salary offer, I think, was like $75,000 a year. I was like, yes! Yes! But I still had 12 months to go. So I called my branch manager at the Pentagon, who I knew for many years, and I said, hey, listen, I got to get out the Army. And he said, well, you know, we can't do that. This is the United States Army. But he was able to carve out about six months off that 12-month tour. And then I went back to the CEO of RTD at that time, and he said, listen, we'll wait for you. And I thought, this man is going to wait for me. He doesn't even know me. But he understood my level of responsibility at that time as reaching and earning the highest enlisted rank that a person can achieve. And he understood my level of responsibility in that setting. And six months later, I went to work for him. And nine years later, I replaced him as the CEO of that organization. And we built most of the rail that you see around the city and had great teams putting Union Station together, the redevelopment of that, and a number of other things. When I left home at 17 and joined the military, I went to the deep south. And my mother was very, very concerned for me going to the deep south because we grew up on the south side of Chicago with the story of Emmett Till. And Emmett Till was a 14-year-old black boy who went south on vacation and was killed. And we knew his mother. His mother knew my mother, went to the same church. He was older than I was, Emmett Till was. But my mother was very, very concerned with me going to the south, so much so that when I did go down there in the military, if I didn't write home like every maybe two or three days, two or three times a week, my mother would call my commander. And the first time she did that, she called my commander. My commander told me to come in the office and said, when's the last time you wrote home? And I told him and I said, I'll write home as soon as I get to the barracks. He said, oh, no, no, no. You're going to write two or three letters right here in my office. And I thought, wow, I better do that. So I grew up in sort of that environment. As a youngster, I saw people building infrastructure in my community that did not look like me. And I wanted a job. And so that led to my real, real desire to create pathways for young people. And I've done that both in the military and in the transportation career. So we've done a lot of great things. We've led a lot of great teams, both in the United States military, RTD in Los Angeles, and here at DEN. But what is needed now is not just good leadership. What is needed now is great leadership in the environment that we find ourselves in right now, both nationally, And locally, it is going to take great, great leadership. We have to reimagine government. We have to reimagine how we do business. Each one of you are going to receive one of my challenge coins. And the challenge coins come with great significance with regard to the United States military. But in this case, I am challenging this body to not just exercise good leadership, but great leadership. We're living in a time where we have to motivate folks. We've got to motivate young people. We've got to motivate folks that might not get raises. And this is all over the country. I used to tell my soldiers that soldiers don't charge a hill for money. They need something else. They need leadership. They need vision. And so with that challenge coin, I challenge all of you, and kudos to the office that you're holding. This is not easy, what you're doing, being in local government. But I challenge you to exercise even greater leadership than you are exercising right now. And then lastly, to the anchor organizations that are here in Denver and here in the state, and those anchor organizations are the old organizations that really, really have to exist for people in the state, in the city. These are like Denver Health. I saw Donna Lynn come in, Denver Water, Denver International Airport, the transit. For those anchor organizations, we have to do more than just good leadership. We got to exercise great leadership. The people deserve it. So thank you so much. Thank you, Councilman Hines, for bringing this forward. Thank you, Council President, and thank you to the entire council. Councilman Flynn, we hired you at RTD so you would stop covering Thank you so much.

Thank you. Council Member Sandoval, will you please read the proclamation 1108. Thank you.

Proclamation 1108 honoring Gabrielle Burns, Miss Colorado 2026 for her service and advocacy. Whereas the City and County of Denver proudly recognizes individuals who leadership, service and dedication inspire others and strengthen communities throughout Colorado. And whereas Gabrielle Burns, Miss Colorado 2026 has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to service advocacy, and education by using her platform to amplify the voices of individuals with complex communication needs and promote greater inclusion for people of all disabilities. And whereas through her community service initiative, Beyond Voice, Gabrielle has worked to increase awareness of complex communication disorders educate communities on the importance of accessible communication, and expand opportunities for individuals with communication disorders to connect and thrive. And whereas as a graduate student pursuing a master's degree in speech language pathology at the University of Colorado Boulder, Gabrielle has combined academic excellence with compassion, service, and preparing for a career dedicated to empowering children and families while serving as an advocate for equitable access to communication and education. And whereas during her three years with the Miss Colorado Opportunity, Gabrielle has represented the state of Colorado with integrity, grace, and purpose, volunteering in communities across the state, and partnering with schools, nonprofit organizations, healthcare professionals, and civic leaders to promote disability awareness, leadership, and community engagement. And whereas Gabrielle embodies the values of service, scholarship, style, I can guarantee style, sisterhood, and success, the five pillars of the Miss America opportunity. She inspires Coloradans of all ages to use their voice in service of others while demonstrating the lasting impact one individual can have through compassion, advocacy, and love for public service. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council that the Denver City Council, on behalf of the people of Denver, extends its warmest wishes to Gabrielle Burns as she proudly represents our state as Miss Colorado 2026 and competes for the title of Miss USA this fall. that the clerk and recorder of the City and County of Denver shall affix the seal of the City and County of Denver to this proclamation and that a copy be transmitted to Gabrielle Burns, Miss Colorado 2026.

Thank you, Councilmember Sandoval. Your motion to adopt?

I move that Proclamation 1108 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded. Comments by members of council.

Council Member Sandoval. Thank you, Madam President. It's not often that you get to have a friend who gets to claim that their daughter is Miss Colorado. So we were on our annual trip. A group of us go to Palisade every year, and we were on our annual trip. and I was talking to her dad and we were talking about all of the accomplishments of our friends and our daughters and all of the family that we're doing and what am I doing and what is everyone doing and I found out we have Miss Colorado who sometimes resides in the north side where I get to proudly represent And I said right away, the first thing I want to do is arm her with a proclamation so she can go to her competition and show that the Denver City Council supports her in this work and that it takes a lot to put yourself out there. It takes a lot to make sure that you're on TV. We all have to be up here camera ready on Monday nights so we understand what it looks like, feels like to be camera ready. And to believe in yourself, where a lot of times, especially young women, struggle with self-esteem. And young women do not want to stand up and be put pretty much on a pedestal and be self-advocates. And I think I've seen that in yourself, and I've seen that in your family, and I know your family is surrounding you with love. and support. And we just wanted to do the same on Denver City Council. So it's my honor to present this proclamation to you today. And just know that you have a huge group of people on the north side who will be cheering for you this August and watching. And I hope that when you win, you know that we were here and we're part of your crowd. And just keep being the amazing woman you are. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you.

I wasn't going to say anything, but this is just amazing. And if you want to do a tutorial for anybody on council on how to be camera ready, we need that.

I need that. That's me.

Madam Secretary, roll call.

Council Members Alvidrez? Aye. Flynn? Aye. Gonzalez-Gutierrez? Aye. Hines? Aye. Cashman? Aye. Lewis? Aye. Parity? Aye. Sandoval? Aye. Torres? Aye. Watson? Aye. Madam President Romero-Campbell?

Aye. Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results. 11 ayes. 11 ayes. Proclamation 1108 has been adopted. We have time for the proclamation acceptance. Council Member Sandoval, who would you like to invite up to accept this proclamation?

I would like to invite up Ms. Colorado 2026.

Good afternoon. My name is Gabrielle Burns, and anytime anyone needs a makeup tutorial, let me know. Thank you so much for this incredible honor. Standing before you today as Miss Colorado is something I never imagined would be possible, and I'm deeply grateful to be recognized by the Denver City Council. While many people know me as Miss Colorado, before the crown and sash, I was a little girl who struggled to communicate. As a child, I lived with motor and vocal tics, which were involuntary movements and sounds that often made me feel different and made it difficult for me to communicate. I remember feeling self-conscious in classrooms, uncertain in social situations, and wondering if people saw my diagnosis before they saw me. I didn't have someone who looked like me or shared my experience to remind me that my voice still mattered. That experience shaped the person I am today. It led me to become a speech-language pathologist, dedicating my career to helping others find confidence in their communication. It also inspired my community service initiative, Beyond Voice. Beyond Voice is built on a simple belief. Communication is so much more than spoken words. Every person deserves to be heard, understood, and valued, regardless of how they communicate. Through Beyond Voice, I advocate for individuals with communication differences, partner with organizations across our state, and work to create communities where differences are not barriers, but strengths. I have the privilege of serving on the Young Professionals Board for Special Olympics Colorado and working alongside Best Buddies Colorado, organizations that remind me every day of the power of inclusion, acceptance, and authentic connection. When I visit schools and community organizations throughout Colorado, I don't simply hope children will remember my title. I hope they remember that someone believed in them. I hope that a child who feels different can look at me and think, if she can do it, maybe I can too. This is what the title has always meant to me. Miss America is not just a competition. It is an opportunity to serve. Every conversation and classroom visit is a chance to advocate for people whose voices are too often overlooked. Colorado has given me so much. It has given me mentors who believed in me, educators who encouraged me, families who welcomed me into their communities, and children who remind me every day why this work matters. Representing this state has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. So today, while I accept this proclamation with immense gratitude, I also accept it on behalf of every child who has ever felt different, every family navigating a communication disorder at home, every educator creating inclusive classrooms, and every advocate working to ensure that every voice is valued. Thank you for believing in the importance of service, for recognizing the work being done across our state, and for reminding all of us that leadership is measured not simply by the titles we hold, but by the lives we choose to impact. It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as Miss Colorado, and I promise to continue using this platform to ensure that every Coloradan knows that their voice and their story matters. Thank you.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, please read the bills for introduction.

City Council Direct Files 26-1107, a bill for an ordinance authorizing a rescission from general fund contingency and an appropriation in the general fund to make a cash transfer to an appropriation in the liability claims special revenue fund. From the Community Planning and Housing Committee, 26-1024, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed agreement between the City and County of Denver and HNTB for consultant services to execute the equitable TOD implementation plan for the federal BRT corridor in Districts 1, 2, 3, and 7. From the Finance and Business Committee, 26-1000, a bill for an ordinance making a rescission from and an appropriation in the Culture and Recreation Special Revenue Fund Series to make a cash transfer to an appropriation in the Parks Legacy Capital Improvement Fund. From the Health and Safety Committee, 26-1010, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed intergovernmental agreement between the Sedin County of Denver and Regents of the University of Colorado Children's Hospital Immunodeficiency Program to provide care, treatment, and supportive services to individuals living with HIV and AIDS in the Denver Transitional Grant Area citywide. 26-1011, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed contract between the City and County of Denver and Colorado Department of Human Services to provide DHS programs with access to and use of Equifax Verification Services . 26-1036, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed agreement between the City and County of Denver and Denver Health and Hospital Authority to provide comprehensive correctional health care services for people in custody at the Denver County Jail and Downtown Detention Center in Council Districts 8 and 10. And from the South Platte River Committee, 26-1019, a bill for an ordinance vacating a portion of the East 49th Avenue at 510 East 51st Avenue with reservations.

Oops, there you go. Councilmembers, this is your last opportunity to call out an item. Councilmember Torres, will you make the motions for us this evening? Yes, Madam President. Now, I will do a recap. Under resolutions, Council Resolution 1016 and 1017 have been called out for comments by Councilmember Lewis, and Council Resolution 0996 has been called out for questions by Councilmember Lewis. Under Bills for Introduction, Council Bill 1107 has been called out for comment by Council Member Lewis, and Council Bill 1036 has been called out to be re-referred to committee by Council Member Sandoval. Under Bills for Consideration, Council Bill 0770 and 0973. Sorry, Madam President. Oh, that's right. We're going to take that out. Sorry, we need to change the script there. I will hold. Okay, let's go to under bills for final consideration. No items have been called out. Under pending, no items have been called out. Madam Secretary, please put the first item on our screens. Council Resolution 1016, a resolution approving a proposed agreement between the City and County of Denver, Park Ranger Austin Sankey to reside at City-owned property 3000 Union Avenue, Morrison, 80464. to provide caretaker duties and other responsibilities related to the mountain parks and park amenities in mountain parks. Council Resolution 1017, a resolution approving a proposed agreement between City and County of Denver and Denver Park Ranger Joshua Morris to reside at city-owned property 300 Union Avenue, Morrison, Colorado, 80465 to provide caretaker duties and other responsibilities related to mountain parks and park amenities in mountain parks. Councilmember Lewis, please go ahead with your comments on council resolutions 1016 and 1017.

Thank you so much. So I actually really love these two items, which will provide housing for two mountain parks employees, and I think it would be very wonderful if the city intervened to provide more workforce housing for its employees outside of the special circumstances. for these two employees. And so I just wanted to call it out because I think it's fantastic.

Thank you. Thank you. Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens. Council Resolution 0996, a resolution declaring the intent of the City and County of Denver, Colorado to use its best efforts to issue housing revenue bonds, mortgage credit certificates to provide financing of residential facilities for low-income and middle-income families or persons prescribing... persons prescribing certain terms and conditions of such bonds and certificates and containing other provisions relating to the proposed assurance of such bonds and certificates. Council Member Lewis, please go ahead with your questions on Council Resolution 0996. Thank you so much.

So in the filed materials, it reads that the city will provide its best efforts. And I was just kind of curious as to what does best efforts mean in this context? if you can tell me what that means in practice and not in concept. Thank you.

Afternoon, members of council. My name is Dennis Progenic. I'm an analyst for the Department of Finance. Ultimately, that is terminology we use because the process of the carry forward resolution allows us to carry forward these private activity bonds for up to three years. And ultimately, historically, we haven't had an issue with this. We do a good job of identifying projects to put private activity bonds towards. But ultimately, we can't guarantee it at this time. So ultimately, it's just sort of giving us, you know, I guess just being honest that we haven't identified the specific projects yet. But like I said, we have three years to put these bonds to use. And historically, we always have.

Okay. Thank you. That's it. Appreciate it.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens. Council Bill 1107, a bill for an ordinance authorizing a rescission from general fund contingency and an appropriation of the general fund to make a cash transfer to the appropriation in the liability claim special revenue fund. Council Member Lewis, please go ahead with your comments on Council Bill 1107.

Thank you. So I called this out tonight because for those of you who are following along at home, I track every dollar paid out in settlements to the city. This item is not a settlement, but it will be used to pay out settlements. Settlements are not paid out of a specific agency's budget. Instead, that funding is drawn out of a liabilities claim special revenue fund. Like other special revenue funds, this is money that can only be spent on specialized uses, and in this case, paying out settlements. However, when the fund is used up, the city has to move money over from the city's general fund in order to continue to pay out claims. This item before us tonight is the second time this year that we will be pulling funding from the general fund and moving it into this SRF. And so in other words, every dollar that we move can only be spent to settle cases. Every dollar moved from this purpose is one less dollar that can be used to fund city staff, city programs, and city services. And I've made it abundantly clear over the past few years that this is not a satisfactory place to be, especially in the light of the larger structural issues with the city's revenues and the city's budget. I would love to see structural changes made that would prevent the deluge of settlements for the city across all agencies from the Department of Transportation to the Denver Police Department. And so just wanted to call this out because it is $18 million that we are moving from the general fund to the liabilities claim SRF. Thank you.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens. Council Bill 10.

We have someone in the queue.

Oh, sorry. I did not see you in there. Council Member Perry. Yeah.

Hi. I just wanted to speak to this because it may be my last time sort of addressing the issue of police settlements from the dais. Many of you on council know that I had the experience of representing people that had been subjected to excessive force a lot of times in my career before I got here. And it really changed, I guess, just my understanding of how we empower the use of force and how we govern it. And it's an area that I think... where I don't think we frankly do enough governing. And I think that the frequency of settlements and the amount of the settlements reflects that. It has been difficult in my three years here to make a lot of headway and really understanding training changes that may be needed and really feeling like we're like we have the oversight that we need of the safety agencies to understand what they do when a use of excessive force incident occurs. It's a frequent topic when we have executive sessions about these settlements. We're always asking about it. But I don't think that we really have gotten to the point where there's genuine oversight by this council of the things that lead to these settlements. So I hope to see progress made on that in the coming years. And I think a big piece of that is people as constituents, really focusing on the fact that governing the use of force is one of the most powerful things that we do up here, and that if you don't have democratic oversight of the use of force, this is sort of where we wind up. Thank you.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens. Council Bill 1036, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed agreement between the City and County of Denver and Denver Health and Hospital Authority to provide comprehensive correctional health care services for people in custody at the Denver County Jail and the Downtown Detention Center in Council Districts 8 and 10. Councilmember Torres, would you please put Council Bill 1036 on the floor for publication?

I move that Council Bill 1036 be ordered published.

It has been moved and seconded. Is there another motion on the floor? Councilmember Sandoval, what would you like to do with Council Bill 1036?

I move that Council Bill 1036 be referred back to committee.

It has been moved. And seconded, comments by members of council on the re-referral to the Committee of Council Bill 1036. Council Member Sandoval.

Thank you, Madam President. I have questions for the administration on this contract that I have not been able to get answered. So I would like to go back to committee. I believe it could go back to committee next week, August 5th. And if it goes back to committee next week, August 5th, it could skip Mayor Council and be back here in front of us August 10th. But I have questions that I feel should be asked at committee, and I don't want to do committee work on the floor. Thank you.

Thank you. Council Member Parity.

Yeah, I'm I just there's been a little bit of conversation among members about this and personally I'm still grappling a little bit with why What is it that makes this committee work because it's sort of unusual for us to send something back to committee and this the splitting up of the large overarching Denver health agreement and breaking it into these different Contracts has been in the works for a very long time so It would be helpful to me I guess I would like to ask Denver Health to come up and give them the opportunity to address why this wasn't, if they know, why this wasn't re-set out as an RFP. And sorry, I said that very badly. Or if there is anyone from Department of Safety

That's not my questions, Councilman. We had committee counseled, and it went on consent, and it missed mayor counsel. So again, I have other questions that I would like to have it referred back to committee.

So it's not that hard of a— Before I vote, though, I would like to hear from Denver Health about that, and I would also like to hear from Denver Health about any consequences of a delay, because these services at the jail are something that—

It's a contract for commencing in 2027. So it has nothing to do with the current contract. It commences in 2027. So we have plenty of time. It's a new contract that if you read the contract, it commences January of 2027.

I understand that. I just want to, as a courtesy to Denver Health, because I see they've taken the time to show up, I'd like to know if they feel that there will be any consequences of a delay. It's just something I want to know before I vote. Thank you. Is there anyone from Denver Health here who wants to address that question? Or from the administration side?

I mean, I think, yes, you can ask a question, and yes, you can. And part of this is part of the council work that I think Council Member Sandoval is trying to do. Madam President, we always are able to ask questions before we vote on something. Yes, she can, but I'm just stating that's part of the council, of the committee work. But please, do come up.

Thank you. Good afternoon. I'm Donna Lynn. I'm the CEO of Denver Health. Thanks for the opportunity to address you. And I'll be short, but I do want to state a couple of things. First of all, this is a relationship. I get it that it's a contract, but as you know, for decades, Denver Health has been providing these services. We have provided them and spoken to the council many times, certainly since I've been in this role, we've brought to the council's attention that Denver Health was not paid for indirects. Denver Health was not always given cost of living adjustments. and Denver Health was not provided with liability protection, all of which would have been afforded to other vendors, and I'll call them vendors.

Donna, I do want to say that I asked a slightly different question, which is that I just want to know, first of all, what Denver Health's understanding is of why this wasn't reissued as a new RFP to make sure that we're all on the same page about that. And I see Tim from the mayor's office who may also have something to say about that. I think And then secondly, if there are any consequences to not voting this through now, given that it starts in 2027?

I'm going to answer the second question because I do believe there are consequences. We gave the city quietly notice that we would end our services as of December 31st. of 2026 if we were unable to reach agreement. It has taken the city and Denver Health six months to reach an agreement and of course we have employees who are somewhat aware of this condition. We have 200 employees in the jails and I would suggest that we've operated with a lot of uncertainty for many years and certainly it's accelerated and we're more aware of what the consequences would be to those employees if we were unable to reach an agreement and have it approved. But I will let my colleague here address why it did not go to RFP. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman. Tim Hoffman in the mayor's office. So this $55 million contract was part of the Denver Health operating agreement. I believe it was section B3 or 3B of that agreement. So we pulled it out of the operating agreement. It's now a standalone contract. It's not a new service contract. There's been no kind of changes to the terms or the requirements. It's just shifting it from the operating agreement to a standalone contract. That's why I didn't need to go through a new RFP process.

Thank you. And that addresses my concerns, because with respect to the need for notice and the complexity of the operation, I understand Council Member Sandoval's point that we're talking about a fairly short delay here. So that's what I need to know. Thank you so much. Thanks, Madam President.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, roll call on the re-referral to Committee of Council Bill 1036.

Council Members Alvarez? Aye. Flynn? Aye. Gonzales Gutierrez? Aye. Hines? Aye. Cashman? Aye. Lewis? Aye. Parity? Aye. Sandoval?

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson? Aye. Madam President Romero-Campbell?

Aye. Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results. 11 ayes. 11 ayes. Council Bill 1036 has been re-referred to committee. That concludes the items to be called out. All bills for introduction are ordered published. Councilmembers, remember this is a consent or block vote and you will need to vote aye. Otherwise, this is your last chance to call out an item for a separate vote. Councilmember Torres, will you please put the resolutions and proclamations for adoption and the bills on final consideration for final passage on the floor?

I move that the resolutions

I move that the resolutions and proclamations be adopted and the bills on final consideration be placed upon final consideration and do pass in a block for the following items. Series 26, 1109, 995, 996, 997, 998, 999, 1002, 1007, 1006, 1015, 1016, 1017, 1001, 1003, 10.04, 10.05, 10.18, 10.31, 10.08, 10.09, 10.12, 10.13, 10.14, 9.78, 9.88, and 9.81. Thank you. It has been moved and seconded. Madam Secretary, roll call. Council Members Alvarez. Aye.

Flynn? Aye. Gonzalez Gutierrez? Aye. Hines? Aye. Cashman? Aye. Lewis? Aye. Parity? Aye. Sandoval?

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson?

Aye.

Madam President Romero-Campbell?

Aye. Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results. Eleven ayes. Eleven ayes. The resolutions and proclamations have been adopted and the bills have been placed upon final consideration and do pass. Tonight, there will be a required public hearing on Council Bill 0776, changing the zoning classification for 406 South Quitman in Westwood, a required public hearing on Council Bill 0777, changing the zoning classification for 4901 South Monaco Street in Southmore Park, and a combined courtesy public hearing on Council Bill 0970, submitting to a vote of registered electors of the City and County of Denver at the general election to be held on November 3, 2026, the question of the granting of a franchise to Public Service Company of Colorado and approving a franchise agreement. Therefore, Council Bill 0973, approving a proposed Denver Energy Partnership Agreement between the City and County of Denver and Public Service Company of Colorado to progress commitments to sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy and joint Energy Leadership in Denver and Council Bill 0974, approving a proposed operating agreement between the City and County of Denver and Public Service Company of Colorado and Xcel Energy Company to provide utility services at Denver International Airport. If there are no objections from members of council, we will recess until 5.30. Before reconvening the regular meeting, city council will provide a half-hour general public comment session to hear from the public on city matters, except for any matter that is scheduled for a legally required public hearing. General public comment session will begin at 5 p.m.

Here's what's happening around the Mile High this week. Evening's alfresco is a one-of-a-kind way to soak up summer.

Thank you, Brandi. That concludes our general public comment session. If we did not get to you today, please join us next week or submit your comments in writing. The next session will be held Monday, August 3rd. Sign-up begins at 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 30th. We look forward to hearing from you again, and thank you for attending. Council will now reconvene from our earlier session. There is no unfinished business from the earlier session. There are two proclamations being read this evening. Councilmember Hines, please read Proclamation 1103.

Thank you, Madam President. Proclamation 26-1103, a proclamation recognizing December 10th as International Human Rights Day in the City and County of Denver. Whereas each year on December 10th, the world observes International Human Rights Day, first commemorating the day in 1948 when the United States General Assembly, excuse me, the United Nations, different, very important, 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first global articulation of the rights and freedoms to which every person is inherently entitled.

And...

Whereas the Universal Declaration affirms that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, disability, sex, language, religion, national origin, or other status, and has become the most translated document in the world and a cornerstone of international human rights law. And, whereas International Human Rights Day offers communities everywhere an opportunity to reaffirm their shared commitment to a just and equitable world in which the rights and dignity of all people are protected, And whereas the city and county of Denver is home to one of Colorado's largest and most vibrant international communities, with more than one in seven residents born outside of the United States, enriching the culture, economy, and civic life of our city. And Whereas Denver affirms these values through its own institutions, including the Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships, its Anti-Discrimination Office, and its Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, which work to prevent discrimination and protect the rights of every resident, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity, and... Whereas, formally recognizing International Human Rights Day reflects Denver's enduring commitment to human dignity, accountable governance, and the inherent worth of every member of our community. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council Section 1 that the Denver City Council hereby proclaims December 10th as International Human Rights Day in the City and County of Denver. Section 2, that the clerk of the City and County of Denver shall affix the seal of the City and County of Denver to this proclamation and that a copy be transmitted to 38 Freedom and the Denver Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships.

Thank you, Councilmember Hines. Your motion to adopt?

I move that Proclamation 26-1103 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded. Comments by members of Council. Councilmember Hines.

Thank you, Madam President. I just read the words of this proclamation. Let me add the part that isn't printed on the page because, frankly, I think it's the most important part. You may have noticed something. We are recognizing a day that falls on December 10th, And it is very much July. That is not a mistake. It is a choice, and it is the best kind of choice. The natural thing would be to read this on the day itself, in December. But December 10th is a school day, and the people who brought this proclamation to us are students. Young people from 38 Freedom looked at their city, noticed that a day the rest of the world observes had never been formally recognized here at home, and decided to do something about it. They didn't wait until they're older. They didn't wait until they could vote. They did the research, they made the case, and they carried it into this building. And we're not about to ask a group of students to choose between sitting in a class and presenting for their city. So instead of pulling them out of school in December, we are recognizing the state today in the middle of summer when they can be right here. in this chamber to read these words themselves and be in the room when this council votes to make it real. And that's why we're in July. And I honestly could not think of a more fitting way to mark a day about human rights as this. Because... Here's what these young people understand better than most. Human rights are not a document under glass or a date on a calendar or some distant capital. They are something ordinary people insist on and then hand to the next generation to carry forward. Speaking in this room is intimidating. I watched seasoned professionals get nervous at that microphone right there. And these students are about to walk up to it anyway on behalf of an idea far bigger than themselves. They didn't just ask Denver to recognize human rights. They showed us what exercising them looks like. So to the students of 38 freedom, thank you. You reminded a chamber full of elected officials that you don't need a little, a title, or a term of office, or even a driver's license to move a city. You just need to care enough to show up, and today, you're showing up. This chamber belongs to you, too. Consider this your invitation to come back. Congratulations, and I look forward to the vote. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, roll call.

Council Members Alvidrez? Aye. Flynn?

Aye.

Gonzalez-Gutierrez. Aye. Hines. Aye. Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis. Aye. Parity. Aye. Sandoval.

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson? Aye. Madam President Romero-Campbell?

Aye. Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results.

11 ayes.

11 ayes. Proclamation 1103 has been adopted. We have about five minutes for the proclamation acceptance. Councilmember Hines, who would you like to invite up to accept the proclamation tonight?

Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to ask the students and families of 38 Freedom to say some words. And also, Human Rights and Community Partnerships are also here. So if you wanted to come up as well, you're welcome to.

Good evening, everybody. Can you guys hear me?

Yes.

Good evening, everyone. I would like to thank the Denver City Council for having us tonight in honor of the proclamation to formally recognize International Human Rights Day as a formal holiday in the city of Denver. Before, I would like to take a brief moment to reflect on why we have gathered tonight and what this moment represents for our community. When we look at the history of human rights, we often think of assemblies like these, treaties, or declarations. But human rights do not live solely within the law, but are intertwined within our neighborhoods, schools, and all of our conversations. Today, as we mark the official recognition of International Human Rights Day as a formal citywide holiday in Denver, only the second city in Colorado following Aurora, we take a momentous step in bringing universal values back home. On December 10, 1948, following the devastation of World War II, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, affirming for the very first time that human rights are inherent to every individual regardless of race, creed, background, or identity. Denver carries an immensely diverse people, and the proclamation recognizes that we celebrate all of those people and their differences. with immense pride and dignity. Denver also carries a rich history of recognizing pivotal human rights milestones, from recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day to establishing Juneteenth and Indigenous Peoples Day as official city holidays. By proclaiming an official citywide holiday for human rights, Denver joins a proud lineage of progressive, municipal leadership. We leave you here today to ask each and every one of you in this room, no matter your age or whether you live in Denver, that we live up to these three purposes of today's proclamation. First, affirmation. Reaffirm that every resident in Denver is entitled to dignity, equality, and protection under the law. Education, creating a space in every school, business, and community across Denver to reflect on equity and civic responsibility. And action, ensuring that city policy continually uplifts vulnerable communities, fosters inclusion, and actively opposes discrimination in all forms. Today is not merely a celebration of a new date of an old holiday, but the revival of collective action. Every single person in this room, every single person you know, and every single person who seems incapable of making change has a place in this world, a place to turn all of the world's unfair wrongs right again, to guide others to prosperity, and to make this world a better place to live in for everyone. This proclamation is your reminder to go out there and do good for those around you. Thank you to the city leaders, advocates, and community members who worked alongside and within 38 Freedom to bring this proclamation to fruition. 38 Freedom would like to specifically thank Councilman Hines and his office for being our representative to the larger city council. We'd also like to thank the Denver City Council for having us and the Human Rights and Communications Agency for joining us at today's reading. Your work continues to inspire all of these young people you see in this room, including myself. And let us not forget our community members who came to support us tonight, families, friends, and kids. Let us all continue to work together to make Denver a beacon of fairness, dignity, and human rights for all. Thank you.

Thank you. Director Gaylor, did you want to say anything? Okay. All right. Thank you so much.

Councilmember Watson, please read Proclamation 261100. Yes, Madam President.

Proclamation number 261100. Recognizing the Black Sheriff Protection Association. Whereas the Black Sheriff Protection Association, BSPA, established in 1976, has served as a pillar of unity, advocacy, leadership, mentorship, protection, and community empowerment for black law enforcement professionals and the communities they serve. And whereas, BSPA was founded on the belief that representation, fairness, mentorship, and community connection matter and continues to provide a strong and supportive network for deputies, detention officers, civilian staff, and allies throughout their careers. And whereas, BSPA is dedicated to encouraging professional development by mentoring new deputies and detention officers, promoting education and leadership opportunities, and cultivating future leaders within the Denver Sheriff Department and a broader public safety profession. And whereas, BSPA fosters a culture of brotherhood, sisterhood, accountability, and excellence by supporting members during personal and professional challenges while celebrating achievements and positive representation. And whereas BSPA actively engages in community outreach through mentorship programs, youth engagement, school visits, food drives, community events, wellness initiatives, and partnerships that strengthen trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. And whereas BSPA promotes positive representation by highlighting black excellence in public service, inspiring future generations. and demonstrating professionalism, compassion, integrity, and leadership in every aspect of public safety. And whereas, BSPA advocates for fairness, opportunity, inclusion, and equal treatment while providing a professional and supportive environment where members can collaborate, share concerns, and contribute solutions that benefit both the department and the community as a whole. And whereas BSPA recognizes the importance of mental health, emotional well-being, physical wellness, and work-life balance, and remains committed to supporting the overall health of all of its members and their families through education, wellness initiatives, peer support, and access to valuable resources, And whereas, BSPA's mission is to unify, support, mentor, and empower black law enforcement professionals while strengthening relationships with the communities they serve through leadership, advocacy, service, and integrity, And whereas the contributions of BSPA have helped strengthen community trust, promote professional excellence, support employee wellness, and create lasting positive impacts for future generations of public servants and community leaders. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council, Section 1, that the Denver City Council recognizes and honors the Black Sheriff Protective Association for its decades of dedicated service, leadership, advocacy, and commitment to strengthening both public safety and community relations. And then Section 2. that clerk and recorder of the City and County of Denver shall affix the seal of the City and County of Denver to this proclamation and that a copy be transmitted to the Black Sheriff Protective Association.

Thank you, Council Member Watson, for your motion to adopt.

Madam President, I move that Proclamation 261100 be adopted.

It has been moved. And seconded, comments by members of Council. Council Member Watson.

Thank you so much, Council President. I look in the audience and I see so many members of the BSPA. And first and foremost, I want to thank you all for your service. I want to thank you for raising your hands to be not just leaders in our community, but to be a demonstration of really what our community is about. We are about service. Each and every time I, as a city council member, walk into this building, it is because of you and many other sheriffs that are outside of these halls and throughout this building that ensures that every citizen that comes to their government, that comes to their city, that they're safe in doing so. You protect not only folks that are in detention, you protect the folks who are here. The role that you play in community goes well beyond your protection of folks here in this building. I see you in community at races like at Auraria Campus, where President Romero Campbell invited me to come to a race this past fall, and you all were there. And some of you are running, but for the most part, you're there to meet with the young people. to speak to them about really the work that you do and the ways in which you are not only in community, but you're a part of community. These proclamations matter because it elevates the good work that city servants do on a daily basis. It elevates the quiet work that you do in partnership with folks across the city. I want to thank you all so much, and I see some of our friends who are here every night. Thank you all so much for the good work that you do and all the ways that you collaborate and elevate our communities in service. I hope this honor feels like an honor because this comes from our heart, from Denver City Council, and our appreciation of every day your due diligence in doing your duty. Thank you so much. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Council Member Lewis. Thank you. I'll keep it brief. Thank you all. This is a wonderful proclamation, and I am in full support and disappointed to not be a co-sponsor. Last year, I did run a budget amendment to get the sheriff's office. more money for staffing to ensure that my support for the folks who do the work in our jails were adequately supported by the city. It would have added $1.6 million in funding for staffing needs. And unfortunately, that item failed. But I am hopeful that the association can put some pressure on our council members come budget season, if necessary, to ensure that our recognition extends to action beyond a proclamation. Thank you all for the work that you do.

Madam Secretary, roll call. Oops, did you want to get in there? Okay. Madam Secretary, roll call.

Council Members Alvarez. Aye. Flynn. Aye. Gonzalez-Gutierrez. Aye. Hines. Aye. Cashman. Aye. Lewis. Aye. Parity. Aye. Sandoval. Aye.

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson? Aye. Madam President Romero-Campbell?

Aye. Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results.

11 ayes.

11 ayes. Proclamation 1100 has been adopted. We have about five minutes for the proclamation acceptance. Councilmember Watson, who would you like to invite up to accept the proclamation?

Yes, Madam President, I'd like to ask President Deputy Devin Dawson and Vice President Deputy Darwin Cox, if you both wouldn't mind coming up and saying a few words. And any other members of the association that wants to stand with them, please do so.

Can you hear me okay? Thank you. First of all, I wanted to thank you, Councilman Watson, for your kind words. Councilman Lewis, for your kind words. Madam President, I wanted to thank you and all the members of council. Thank you very much for having us here tonight. Your words touched me. Hearing you say that, Councilman Watson, we really do appreciate it. And one thing that you touched on that brought to mind was that we're a piece of the puzzle, just like every one of you. You all represent our city in its own facets, and we try to do the same in our capacity. So we appreciate the work that you do every day. Sitting in those seats is not easy, I'm sure. But first, I wanted to say that thank you to everyone else that helped us along the way to get to this point for this profound honor. As Councilman Watson said, I am Deputy Devin Dawson. I'm the president of the Black Sheriffs Protect Association, newly appointed. All of our board members are newly appointed. This is Vice President and Deputy Darwin Cox. This wouldn't be possible without this young lady standing next to us right here. This is Deputy Charlisha Leslie. Without her hard work, I wouldn't be in the position I'm in and neither would anyone else that has been along the way with us. So thank you as well. On behalf of the BSPA, I am deeply humbled and grateful to accept this proclamation. It recognizes not just our organization, but recognizes the vital work that we do every day to support the community, to support, protect, and uplift our fellow officers that do the work that we do, because a lot of the work we do is behind closed doors, and only certain things are illustrated through the media, and that's not the full story. But another thing you touched on that is true is that we are members of the community as well. We have men and women that do this job daily, but we go home to our families every night, just like everybody else in their line of work. The proclamation stands as a powerful validation to our mission, which is to foster unity, excellence, and equity, equality within the law enforcement agencies that we all connect with, to build stronger bridges between officers and the community that we protect, and to ensure that every sheriff has the resources, mentorship, and advocacy needed to lead with integrity, courage, and their humanity since it was founded in 1976, which I'm also honored because that marks our 50th anniversary of being Black Sheriff Protective Association this year. We remain committed to the advancement of public safety, promoting justice, and creating lasting positive change, work that has never been more important than now in this day and age. This recognition fuels our resolve to do even more. To our members, to our partners, and our supporters, this proclamation serves as a vital part in bridging the gap for things that we thought we would never be able to do, but here we are doing it today. And this is only the beginning. For us, we're all new. Like I said, appointed board members, we're all very eager to do things like they've never been done. And this, This inspires us. It really does. It truly does. So I wanted to say thank you to everyone that has helped us get to this point. Family, friends, coworkers, and supporters in the community. And through this work, we're going to continue to support you the best that we can. And through all those facets and hopefully more. And we've also been starting to work with other organizations for other communities in the Denver metro area. So we're trying to make sure that we bridge the gap as much as possible and that the Black Sheriffs Protective Association is in the conversation, but it's in the right conversations. Thank you very much, and we appreciate this. Thank you.

We have two required public hearings and one courtesy public hearing tonight. As a reminder, council members need to turn on their video during a vote. For those participating in person when called upon, please come to the podium. On the presentation monitor on the wall, you will see your time counting down. For those participating virtually when called upon, please wait until our meeting host promotes you to speaker. When you are promoted, please accept the promotion, turn on your camera if you have one, and your microphone. All speakers should begin their remarks by telling the Council their names and cities of residence, and if they feel comfortable doing so, their home address. If you have signed up to answer questions only, state your name and note that you are available for questions of Council. Speakers will have three minutes and there is no yielding of time. If translation is needed, you will be given additional three minutes for your comments to be interpreted. Speakers must stay on the topic of the hearing and must direct their comments to council as a whole. Please refrain from profane or obscene speech and refrain from individual or personal attacks. Council Member Torres, will you please put Council Bill 0776, changing the zoning classification of 406 South Whitman in Westwood on the floor for final passage.

I move that Council Bill 776 be placed upon final consideration and do pass. It has been moved and seconded.

The required public hearing for Council Bill 0776 is open. May we have the staff report?

Good evening, Council. My name is Will Prince. I'll be presenting the rezoning application for 406 South Quitman. I request a rezone from ESUDX to ESUB. This evening, I will go over the request, the location and context, the process, and, of course, the review criteria. Again, this is a request to rezone from urban edge single unit DX to urban edge single unit B. A little bit more about the property. It is 10,000 square feet or a little over 10,000 square feet. It's currently vacant with a half story basement house. And the goal of this rezoning is to split the lot for new housing options. Continue on to the location and context. This is located in council district three with council member Torres. and is located in the Westwood neighborhood. As for the existing zoning, again, this is ESUDX, which is the majority of the area, and it also abuts to ETUC to the east. Continuing to the existing land use, this is, again, single unit, which the majority of the surrounding area is, but there are some multi-unit residential nearby, but again, majority of the area is single unit use. Continuing to the building form and scale, you can see the property here on the bottom right corner with the large vacant property and the half-story structure. But the surrounding area, again, is majority one-story residential throughout the neighborhood. Continuing on to the process, this received its informational notice in March, and it was heard at the planning board hearing at mid-May with unanimous support for approval. It was heard at the CPH committee in June, and we are here today for the city council public hearing, and there have been no comments or letters related to this application to date. Continue on to the review criteria. I will review each of these criteria, starting with consistency with adopted plans. For this property, three plans are applicable, starting with comprehensive plan 2040. And this proposed rezoning will further calm plan 2040 by enabling new housing options at an infill location where infrastructure and services are already in place in a large lot. It meets two vision elements in particular, starting with vision one, equitable, affordable, inclusive. This meets three goals, including ensure all Denver residents have safe, convenient, and affordable access to basic services and a variety of amenities with strategy A, increased development of housing units close to transit and mixed use developments, as well as goal two, building housing as a continuum to serve residents across all ranges of incomes, ages, and needs. and develop housing that is affordable to residents of all income levels. It also implements vision five, environmental resilience. Goal eight, clean our soils and conserve land and grow responsibility. With strategy A, promote infill development where infrastructure and services are already in place. Continue on to Blueprint Denver. This is identified as urban edge. The context does not change, but this context is predominantly residential and acts as a transition between urban and suburban, where homes in this context are typically low scale with single and one to two unit options and some multi-unit residential. Continuing on to future place type, this is identified as low residential. Again, predominantly single and two unit uses on small and medium lots. Accessory dwelling units and duplexes are appropriate and can be thoughtfully integrated where compatible. And also recommends up to two and a half stories in height. As for future street type, Quitman and Dakota are both local, which does not impact this zone request. Continuing with Blueprint Denver, the growth strategies. This is identified as all other areas of the city where we anticipate 10% of job growth and 20% of housing growth by 2040. In addition to the maps we just reviewed, there's also additional policies that help implement this plan through this rezoning that help address equity and climate goals. In particular, housing policy six, increase the development of affordable housing and mixed income housing, particularly near transit services and amenities. And housing policy seven, expand family-friendly housing throughout the city. Continue on to the Southwest Area Plan. This was adopted in March of this year. Future neighborhood context matches with urban edge as well as future place type with low residential. And there are several policies throughout this plan in particular related to housing and land use that helped implement this plan. But in particular, we'll call out land use L3. Low residential places should allow for additional housing growth while promoting affordability, design and preservation. And in particular, the additional outcome E, lots larger than 9,000 square feet should be split in two or more lots. This allows for more housing while keeping lot sizes consistent with the surrounding area. And to wrap up the remaining criteria, this will meet public interest by implementing our citywide guidance and allowing additional housing uses and options near transit, commercial areas, and resources in the Westwood neighborhood. and is lastly consistent with neighborhood contact zone district purpose intent meeting all the regulations related to esub and that summarizes our staff report based on the information provided this evening and in with the staff report cpd finds that all review criteria have been met and recommends approval i'll be available for further questions and the applicant is available virtually thank you

Thank you. We have two. Let me make sure we have how many individuals we have up to speak tonight. We have two individuals that are scheduled to speak. Our first one is Griselda and Andrew Gorel.

Hi, thank you, Madam President. We are actually the property owners of 406 South Quitman. I'm Andrew. This is my wife, Griselda. We won't take too much of your time. We're just a few minutes from the project with our daughter in the Villa Park neighborhood. So we had a few quick things to say, and then we're available for questions.

We've been in the community for a while now, and we've gotten to know the community through this rezoning process. And I actually serve on the board of the Westwood Community Action Team. And what's clear to us is that Westwood needs more houses, not more expensive or bigger houses.

We truly believe that rezoning this property, ESUB, is what is going to be the best path to creating the type of housing that is right for the Westwood neighborhood. And we respectfully ask for your yes vote on this proposal. And thank you for your time.

Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Jesse Paris.

Yes, good even members of the council those watching at home. My name is just the Sean Paris and I represent the black star action movement for self defense. Positive action commitment for social change as well as the unity party of Colorado. The North Park Hill coalition front line, black news about his bucket experience, enhance the revolutionary agenda. and i reside at the roach and bedbug infested legacy loss in daryl watson's district of the fine district nine historically black district of five points and i am counted on the ballot for house district eight the election is in november first of all i'd like to state Same on this new president. You literally cut off the black people that were speaking during the general public comment and let the white people speak. I just want to take note of that. Now, in regards to this rezoning, The rezoning sounds good on the surface and meets all the criteria. I just have a few questions. As y'all know, I've been supporting since 2019 when I 1st ran for office to the council at large, we're almost 15,000 votes with no money. I still support them today. I just have a few questions. Are these going to be for sale or for rent? Because this neighborhood of Westward is being rapidly gentrified and I hate to see any more unintended consequences come from any of these. in a historically uh chicano neighborhood um so i want to make sure that people can actually afford to live here um so i want to know that i want to know has there been a traffic study done has there been a transportation study done and has there been a group a neighborhood uh benefits agreement signed if somebody could please answer those questions i would greatly appreciate it all right i'll see you on the next one

Thank you. That concludes speakers. Questions from members of council on Council Bill 0776.

Council Member Torres. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you so much. Just a quick question for the property owners, if you wouldn't mind coming up. Give me a little background on what you're thinking you might do here. Obviously, it's kind of downzoning on the size, so I'm assuming there's a lot split that might be happening. So if you could describe that for me, that would be great.

Yeah, that's correct. We've already demolished the existing structure. It wasn't really livable by modern standards. So the goal here would be to split the lot and build two single-family homes. We're aiming for a three-bedroom size to try to keep it in that starter home range for Westwood. looking at building a couple of modular homes there, a little bit deeper, but still trying to keep enough space around it with on-site parking. And they will be built for sale is the plan. So the goal is to put them back in the hands of the Westwood neighborhood.

Okay, that's super helpful to understand. There's no alley on this street, is there? There's not, no. Okay. How long have you owned the property?

Just over a year now.

Okay, but you live in Villa Park? Yes. Okay, perfect. I don't think I have other questions. You've done great in keeping me informed and going back and forth with CPD, so I appreciate that. Thank you so much. Will, just a quick question for you on the plan guidance. Was there... Do you recall if there was anything in the Westwood neighborhood plan that spoke to the growth? I think we pretty much absorbed that into the Southwest MPI pretty comprehensively, right? Because early we were talking about literally across the property line from this property is TU zoning. So I just want to make sure I was understanding why this was more strongly recommended for SU zoning as opposed to you.

Sure. So one, we did absorb the Westwood recommendations into the Southwest Area Plan. And I believe there was, without going into plan itself, but I believe there were some defined lines of single unit versus two unit in the Westwood area plan and this was not within the two unit area. I think the zoning border is kind of where it stood. As for looking at this for one versus two unit, That kind of falls upon the unlocking housing choices elements that are being proposed citywide. Based on the plan language that we had here, I know there's the opportunity for additional units based on citywide guidance and citywide programs. We looked at the two unit option and we found that is stronger support and stronger plan guidance for this to be a lot split and single unit. The language regarding Lots larger than 9000 was put in there for the whole area, but it really did reflect both Westwood and Marley in particular.

Okay. I actually think it suits the neighborhood a lot better, but they would still have the option of putting a detached accessory dwelling unit on the back of each side as well, right?

Yes. So there's the opportunity for two single unit primary and then each one could have its own accessory dwelling unit. Great. Okay.

Thank you, Will. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. The public hearing is closed. Comments by members of council on Council Bill 0776. Council Member Torres.

Thank you. Just super quick, I really appreciate the property owners who've been really diligent about making sure, because we were, I think, in process on the Southwest Neighborhood Planning Initiative, and making sure that you understood how it might affect your property and what you might propose. I know we went back and forth about whether or not TU would be appropriate. And so I appreciate you being willing to ask those questions of CPD to better understand that. And I really think you get what Westwood is all about as well. And I love that you've gotten more involved in the neighborhood, the R and O of Westwood as well. So just thank you for caring as much about your property in the community that you'll be contributing to as you do your own. And I encourage my colleagues to support. I think it meets all plan guidance. You've done a really good job at ensuring that it has. Thank you, Will. Thank you.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, roll call on Council Bill 0776.

Council Members Alvarez. Aye. Flynn. Aye. Gonzalez Gutierrez? Aye. Hines? Aye. Cashman? Aye. Lewis? Aye. Parity? Sandoval? Aye. Torres? Aye. Watson? Aye. Madam President Romero-Campbell?

Aye. Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results. Ten ayes. Ten ayes. Council Bill 0776 has passed. Council Member Torres, will you please put Council Bill 0777, changing the zoning classification for 4901 South Monaco Street in Southmore Park, on the floor for final passage.

I move that Council Bill 0776. I move that Council Bill 0777 be placed upon final consideration and do pass.

It has been moved and seconded. The required public hearing for Council Bill 0777 is open. May we have the staff report?

Certainly. As long as I can get it in presentation mode.

I don't know if we can hear you. No. Okay.

There. How do I get this into presentation mode again? Of course. Of course.

Is the microphone on, Tim? Tim, is the microphone on? I can move this up. Okay. Are we good?

Yeah, we can hear you now. Yeah. I can do that? Okay, here we go. Good evening, members of City Council. I'm Brandon Shaver, Senior City Planner with Community Planning and Development, presenting a rezoning request to rezone 4901 South Monaco Street from B4 with waivers U01, U02 to SMX5. Again, we're going to start with the requests. So requesting to rezone from B4 with waivers U01, U02 to SMX5. This property is just under three acres and is currently a three-story building previously used as an assisted living facility and has surface parking surrounding it. Diving into the location, this is within District 4, represented by Council President Romero Campbell. Congratulations. and is within the Southmoor Park neighborhood. Digging into the zoning, again, B4 with waivers, U01, U02. We see a lot of this zoning in this part of the city, near the Bellevue Light Rail Station, and as well as some SMX-12, and this property also borders Cherry Hills Village and Greenwood Village. There are some waivers on this site, as it is zoned in former Chapter 59. These waive out adult-related uses, billboards, auto sales, and other interesting uses, and does have a maximum gross floor area of 1.2 million square feet allocated for residential uses, and that has all been allocated to date. There are also use overlays on this property, but in CPD's analysis, we have found that there is sufficient land remaining in our city for adult uses, and as the current waivers prohibit billboards, there is no need to continue that use overlay. The proposed zoning is SMX5. That is in the suburban neighborhood context, mixed use, and up to five stories. Here you can see the general purpose, intent, and building forms allowed in that district. The land use on this site is classified as multi-unit residential. We see a lot of this in this part of the city. Also some park open space, some office uses to the north and the east, some vacant properties to the south, and single unit residential exists to the west in Cherry Hills Village. This gives you a sense of the building form and scale. Again, three story building surrounded by surface parking. and those uses to the north, multi-unit residential, about seven stories, and then those office uses to the east across South Monaco Street. So this rezoning did follow the regulated process and the zoning code with informational notice being sent early this year, followed by a planning board notice and a planning board hearing this spring, and is today at city council public hearing. To date, we do not have specific RNOs in this area of the city, but we have received 29 comments in opposition from neighbors, largely speaking to parking and loading concerns, allowed uses, infrastructure constraints, and perceived safety. I will note on this slide that the applicant is ready to present with a signed good neighbor agreement that they've executed today. At the planning board hearing, they voted unanimously to recommend approval of this application, finding that all the applicable review criteria have been met. Now we'll get to the review criteria. So first, consistency with adopted plans, comp plan. A number of strategies fit into this request. However, CPD finds that this is the most important one. Goal one, strategy C, making sure that we have equitable access to resources. and a number of cultural and natural amenities, healthcare, education, and parks, as well as a number of residential uses. And ensuring that our neighborhoods have a mix of housing types and serve a diverse population. Also, wanting to stay environmentally resilient and promote redevelopment and infill development where we already have infrastructure and services in place. Moving to Blueprint Denver, this is mapped as the suburban neighborhood context, which this request is consistent with. And it is mapped as a high-medium residential area where we see a medium-scale multi-unit residential uses, some compatible commercial uses, and up to five stories, rather, in height is appropriate. This is furthered by commercial arterials existing close to the site as East Bellevue Avenue and South Monaco Street are very busy. this fits into our all other areas of the city for growth where we expect 10% of new employment and 20% of new housing by 2040. There are some additional strategies in Blueprint Denver that are mentioned here. The biggest one is that we would love to rezone properties out of our old zoning code and into the Denver zoning code. Also would love to diversify our housing types and enable housing near transit and employment options, which the Bellevue station in this area has. We also find that this would be in the public interest as it would implement a lot of city plans and foster a walkable mixed-use area near transit. Lastly, we find this to be consistent with the suburban neighborhood context and zone district purpose and intent statements for SMX 5. For those reasons, CPD does recommend approval based on finding all review criteria have been met. I'm here to answer questions and I'm joined by a number of members from the applicant team. Thank you.

Thank you. We have six individuals signed up to speak this evening. Let's go ahead and get started with Brian Tierney.

Good evening everyone. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be here in front of you all today. I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Brian Tierney. I work for Guardian Recovery. I oversee our service lines here in Colorado and will be overseeing this project if it passes. I'm here to help answer any questions you may have about our current operations or what we're planning to do with this facility. And also just want to speak to the effort that we've put into reaching out to the community. I've been a part of that for the last 18 months or so. And commit to continuing to put that effort in through our good neighbor agreement with the surrounding community members. So that's all I have to share today.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Joshua Scott.

Good evening, everyone. My name is Joshua Scott. I'm the CEO of Guardian Recovery. Thank you, Madam President and council members for being here to hear us this evening. To tell you a little bit about Guardian Recovery, we operate in seven states. We've been in existence for 18 years. Our mission is to be of service to families and individuals that have substance use disorder and mental health diagnoses and provide equitable access to resources for those individuals. As I said, we're currently operating in seven states. We've been in the Denver community since June of 2021 at our location, Cura West, which is 2535 South Downing Street. Tonight's hearing is the culmination of a long process for us working on Monaco Street. We started this process two years ago, effectively, and we do sincerely ask for a yes vote from the council. This is also a special night as I was observing the proceedings earlier with two proclamations that came before us. One about human rights and another recommending the Black Sheriff Protective Association, which is about being of service to the community. And Councilman Watson said something that I heard that stood out to me, which is, and referencing the Black Sheriff's Protective Association, not just being in the community, but being a part of the community. And that is sincerely our commitment to the city of Denver and to the neighbors that we have. We are here to be of service, and we are humbly before you tonight. So thank you very much.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Eric Carlson.

Good evening, Madam President, Council Members, Eric Carlson, I'm Land Use Counsel for Guardian Recovery Network, Foster, Graham, Milson, and Kalischer. That's 360 South Garfield Street, Denver, 80209. It is an honor and a privilege to be in front of you tonight. It's an honor to represent Guardian Recovery Network. As I've gotten to know Josh and Brian and the rest of their team, their commitment to the community, their commitment to the services that they provide is truly inspiring. Tonight, of course, to ask in front of you tonight is a rezoning of this property from a former Chapter 59 zone district before with waivers to the SMX-5 under your current Denver zoning code. Your staff has been incredible. Brandon Schaefer has done a great job. We've worked with him intimately through this process, so always an opportunity to say thank you to your staff and let you know what a great job that they do. As you know, rezoning into your new Denver zoning code creates more predictability. It improves your standards for housing goals. It applies your goals equitably across all different type of residential uses. We of course meet the rezoning approval criteria tonight. This application is in fact consistent with several goals within your adopted plans. This is. in the public interest. This will allow an adaptive reuse of an existing building. It implements our plans. It expands our housing choices. These are all goals that further the public interest. It is also consistent with the neighborhood context and then the zone district purpose and intent. As mentioned previously, we have had a A very integral commitment to community outreach throughout this process. We've met with dozens of neighbors. There's a homeowners association of privately owned condominiums nearby that has signed a good neighbor agreement with us. You know, things you would anticipate, right? Who can we call if a vehicle is parked somewhere it shouldn't be? Who can we call? something about the operation it doesn't doesn't feel up to the neighborhood standards you know all of those typical provisions and it has been signed and we're really grateful for that we're grateful to be a neighbor we're grateful to have that have that commitment so we have more members of our team here tonight we're available to ask questions we will of course be requesting your approval of this rezoning application thank you for your time thank you our next speaker is austin king

Good evening, Madam President, members of council. Thank you for your time this evening. Austin Kane, resident of Denver's District 10. Brandon and Eric and I think Brian and Josh did a pretty good job giving a little bit of background on both the zoning piece of this and the community engagement piece of this but I really do want to kind of drive home that community engagement piece I've been lucky enough to work with the applicant and you know changes like this and and projects like this always come with questions but we took that community engagement very seriously as Eric mentioned We met dozens of times with individuals and several times with the HOA board as a whole of both of the HOAs next to us. And I think over time that we've established a rapport and we've built trust. And I think that that is true about the neighbors, but we've also met with the Denver Police Department who have pledged their full support. We've met with Denver Health repeatedly, and we're working with them. And then, of course, being the nature of this use, the Behavioral Health Administration is also involved with this, and they have said what a good user and company that Guardian is, thanks to their work at Cura West. We really are grateful not only for Brandon and staff's time, but all of the time spent and the consideration given by our neighbors and the good neighbor agreement that we've signed today. I think is a testimony to the fact that we built that trust. But it's also just the beginning because this is going to be a long-term relationship. And I know that the Guardian team takes very seriously honoring the pledges that they've made in the Good Neighbor Agreement. Thank you very much for your consideration tonight, everybody. And I hope we can get your approval. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker. is Jesse Paris.

Yes, good evening members of council, those watching at home, those in the council chambers. My name is Jesse LaShawn Paris and I represent for Black Star Action Movement for Self-Defense, Positive Action Committee for Social Change, as well as the Unity Party of Colorado, the North Park Hill Coalition, Frontline Black News, Chewbacca's Black Experience Enhanced the Revolutionary Agenda, and I reside at the Roach and Baerbock Infested Legacy Laws in Darrell Watson's District of Defined, District 9, Historically Black District of Five Points, and I am a candidate on the ballot for House District 8. The election is in November. Lordy. Okay. So it looks like y'all did your homework. It looks like y'all got this one in the bag. It really do look like y'all got this one in the bag. Y'all crossed all your T's and dotted all your I's. You done went and did your community outreach. It sounds really good, but I don't see y'all really addressing the concerns. It was 29 comments in opposition. and you just now came up with a neighborhood agreement something's not right and then you're going to mention black people are black people going to actually be able to afford to live here but people are going to be actually able to live in this property how you gonna miss the black people with it then black people can't even live here make that make sense i got several questions first of all i want to know what exactly are you planning here you said something about a system living how people even apply for that What is the AMR level going to be for this housing? Has there been a traffic study done? Has there been a parking study done? Has there been a transit study done? Has there been... You said you did a community outreach, right? What guarantee do they have? This is going to actually be affordable and attainable for people to actually live in. This is DTC. It's not affordable here. The level is through the roof. So, what guarantee do we have that this is actually going to be affordable and accessible for those that are seeking recovery services and all of the above. That you have listed during the presentation. It sounds real good. Say it's going to better the community. You say it's going to better public safety, public interest, all of that. It sounds really good. The talk is cheap at this point. We want to see results. That's all.

Thank you. That concludes our public speakers. Questions from members of council on Council Bill 0777. Wait. Are we out? Okay. Council Member Sandoval.

Thank you. I have questions about the Good Neighbor Agreement. If I can get any representative. Oh, I do think we missed someone. Did I miss somebody? Oh, I'm so sorry.

Did I miss Mueller? Yeah.

Oh, my apologies. Ryan Mueller. If you are virtually... Oh, he's not able to join? Okay. All right. Sorry about that. Didn't mean to miss him. Okay. Thank you. So Ryan Mueller is unable to join with behavioral health. Thank you very much. Sorry I missed that name. Yes. So we're going to go to council member comments or questions. Council member Sandoval.

Yeah. So for the good neighbor agreement, I'm reading through it. It talks about this community liaison person agreement number one, owner obligations. If I were to be living next door, how do I know who the community liaison is? And if that person changes, how are people informed?

Yeah, so they will notify the residents HOA, right? The signatory of this document is an HOA board. So they'll communicate with the HOA board about who that community liaison is. And if that changes, that'll be their notifying body. So everyone who's a neighbor there is a member of that homeowners association. So if they need to get ahold of who that community liaison is, they'll contact their HOA board.

Okay, and then your occupancy schedule, so it will take a full year to get up to 160 beds, is that correct?

That's correct.

And then after hours, that's usually when I get most my complaints in my council district when I have institutions like these right next to residential. And in the good neighbor agreement, it's kind of vague. I mean, it says that the community liaison and other contact shall make commercially reasonable efforts to respond to requests. What does that mean? If you look on page one, commercially reasonable. What does that mean?

Yeah, so in the conversations with the homeowners associations, I think there was an emphasis of, look, we don't want to have to call you as much as you don't want to have to be called, right? And so let's try to kind of work on, hey, if we can communicate on a semi-regular basis within business hours to say, hey, there were a couple of things that You know, this is maybe like a minor thing, but it can wait until tomorrow, things like that. But of course, if there are large infractions, that can be handled immediately as they should.

Okay. And then according, reading over the public comments, it looks like the good neighbor agreement addresses the parking. What type of permit, if this were to go through, what type of permit do you have to get to run this type of facility?

So there is already a residential care permit that was permitted under the former chapter 50, 59 code.

And how long does that run for?

that runs in perpetuity.

And do you have to get a license from the state or what other type of perpetuity?

Yes, it has to be.

Can you give me the whole suite of licenses that you have to get?

I probably cannot give you the whole suite of licenses. Someone's probably coming up behind me. But the Behavioral Health Administration is a state licensing agency. Brian, do you want to speak to that?

Sure. So we would be licensed through the state. If you'll just introduce yourself again for the record. Oh, sorry. My name is Brian Tierney, and I'm with Guardian Recovery. The Behavioral Health Administration would be monitoring our license to be able to treat for the level of care that we'd be offering at this facility. We'd also be monitored optionally under the Joint Commission accreditation, which our facilities are all accredited under that.

And how often, remind me, how often do those get updated?

How often do you have to review those? Annual reviews by the BHA, and then depending on the joint commission that we have, that could be annual or tri-annual. Okay. I believe we're on a tri-annual cycle with the joint commission right now.

And then this is across the street from our county border, correct? Like you're right in Denver, and if you go across the street, it's a different county?

That's correct.

So will this be utilized by the region, or is this just for Denver patients? Or talk to me about where you will be drawing your 160 patients from. Yeah.

Yeah, they'll primarily be stepping down from our Cure West facility, which is located at Porter Hospital, which is in the Denver area. But I would say we're pulling patients from the Denver metro area, not exclusive to Denver, but from the metro area.

So regionally? And then how long, what's the average stay? Talk to me about the average stay of a resident in a facility such as this.

For this facility, the average stay could be between three to five months. That's typically what we see with this level of care.

And then do they go, are they committed for the whole entire time within the boundary, like within the confines of the facility? Or can they go out on the weekends? What's the protocol?

Protocol for this level of care is that they would be able to be escorted off-site, but they would be under staff supervision.

Okay. And then if you see people loitering around, do you have a good neighbor agreement where you would get people to start cleaning up or making sure that they're not loitering in the area? How does that work?

Yeah, we always intend to be really good neighbors wherever we operate. So any type of loitering that would make any neighbors feel uncomfortable, we would stay on top of that. I would say loitering is not really going to be too much of an option. The level of services being offered clinically throughout the day are pretty intensive, so it keeps people pretty busy. People are there to focus on getting better.

And then one last question. Is this referral-based, meaning you have to have gone to an emergency room, or can a family call you and then that you would be able to take them in?

Families or referral partners in our community would be able to refer that, but this is a lower intensity level of care. So I just want to be clear that people aren't coming straight from an ER or from any type of emergency service. This is a lower acuity residential setting. So these are people that are generally stabilized medically before stepping into that. So they wouldn't be coming from an emergent or intoxicated state.

Great. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. I do have some questions as well about the good neighbor agreement. So I know that it was signed today. There was also a letter that was put out by residents about some of the questions that they had. And maybe you could go through, since we just got it today, haven't had a chance to thoroughly go through, but if you could talk to us about how you addressed some of the issues that the residents were most concerned about. And I can start them off or we can go back and forth on that. But they had the scale of the proposal being unprecedented and unjustified. That is what was in a letter. But can you talk about how you've, I know you've talked about the scale up, but have you also talked about how you're working with community to address the scale?

Yeah, thank you for that. So as we touched on briefly earlier, there's an occupancy schedule here. So we know, you know, on day one of this, there won't be 160 beds. The initial proposal was also greater than 160 beds. So we've worked with the nearby owners to talk about, you know, what's a comfortable number there and reduce the bed count to a maximum of 160. And it'll take one year to scale up.

Great. Thank you for that. Do you have another big question that community had was about like the traffic and the parking and staffing. Can you talk about how you address that during in the good neighbor agreement?

Yeah, so we have, there's a pretty long section about parking, right? And for sure making it clear, you know, that there's not to be parking in the nearby condominium properties, which, you know, is pretty obvious, right? Park on your own property. There's not a lot of street parking here. And so there will be, you know, kind of, there's some provisions that talk about here's how delivery, you know, deliveries still have to happen. The neighbors recognize that. Visitor parking will be limited. And the parking also, in the dialogue between guardians, staff, and the neighbors, I think the neighbors really started to understand kind of how this facility operates and functions. That there really aren't that many visitors that are coming. Obviously patients, you know, don't have their own vehicles. And so I think that there's As they just got to know each other better and understand this, I think there was some similar understanding of, oh, it was a senior living facility before. We kind of understand how that operated. This doesn't feel like, from a parking perspective, it'll operate all that different.

And then the parking for the staff, I know that that was an issue that had been brought out. How was that addressed?

Correct. So we're contracting with an off-site location to make sure that we don't have too many staff parking on site, and we'll shuttle them from an off-site location.

Okay. The... The residents that signed for the Good Neighbor Agreement, can you tell us a little bit about how you came to that conclusion? I know that there was some challenges before as to who would sign and who was eligible. Can you talk just a little bit about that final? Yeah.

I'll let Austin King speak to that. Great.

Thank you.

Hello again, everyone. Austin Kane, resident of District 10 on behalf of the applicant. So the good neighbor agreement really was an evolutionary process. I think we initially started with four basic tenants and I don't know what letter H is, but we're up to H. So we really have tried to be responsive to the needs of the community. And like Eric said, we've contract or we're in the process. We've agreed in principle. We haven't signed it yet. But depending on the results of tonight, if everything goes well, we have an agreement agreed to in principle with St. Gabriel's Church. which is 1.1 miles away for auxiliary parking for our staff. But one of the concerns, as you rightly point out, that we heard right from the beginning was they don't want, they being the two homeowners associations adjacent to us, do not want Guardian vehicles on their property. very reasonable request. I think that those two homeowners associations have gone back and forth way before Guardian with kind of bifurcating that parking and making sure everybody stayed on their side of the lot and we want to make sure that we adhere to that as well. I actually spoke with one of the HOAs today and she asked if we would work with them to put up signs on their existing parking signs. just to make doubly sure that Guardian employees or visitors don't encroach on their parking. And we, of course, agreed to that. I think of those initial 29 letters, and I can't say that we've won everybody over, but we really have, I think, allayed some of the concerns of our adjacent neighbors, and we want to make sure that we honor that commitment going forward. Does that answer your question, Council President?

Yes, that does. Thank you, because I think parking was a big issue.

Definitely.

And I'm glad that you came to some resolution on that.

The other question I had was around, so the GNA is signed with the two homeowner associations?

Actually, how that evolved, and it's kind of interesting, we were initially talking by both homeowners associations that they weren't sure that they would be able to get their board to allow them, basically, to sign a good neighbor agreement. And as we continued to have discussions, one of the HOAs, Villa Rosa Residences at DTC West, decided to engage with us further in case there was a positive benefit coming from the GNA. And I worked with a gentleman named Mike Keys, who is incredibly thoughtful and was generous with his time, and as we continued to have discussions, and we had a myriad of discussions, as we continued to have those discussions, it became more and more evident to that particular to that particular HOA, that the signing of a good neighbor agreement gave them some oversight and some enforceability of the commitments that we were willing to make. And all of a sudden, they were kind of engaged to the point that they were willing and eventually able to sign this good neighbor agreement. And I was involved with many conversations with HOA board members but also the HOAs themselves and then there was a bunch of conversations that I was not privy to behind the scenes between the Villa Rosa residences at DTC West HOA board and the individual residents themselves and they had a meeting last Wednesday, which required a three-day notice to their residents to discuss this in kind of an open forum. And the board, I believe there's five members of the board, and they agreed unanimously after that discussion to engage in this GNA with us.

Thank you. I'm going to shift just a little bit, so less on the GNA and just address more of a question. The scaling up would be for 160 beds? That's correct. And again, that's almost double what it was when it was a senior facility. Correct. In the description for the folks who would be at the facility, what outdoor space? It's pretty limited outside. Is there any plan for expanding outdoor space for residents who are at the facility?

Yes.

Because it's a small patio.

It's a small patio today, but we want to maximize that space, the outdoor space, to the extent that we can without infringing on the public space that's adjacent to us or in any way on the HOAs themselves. We added a provision in the GNA. that will provide for fencing around that so that we can create a bit of separation. But we are really going to try and maximize the amount of outdoor space that our residents have access to. And then, you know, one of the words that I heard earlier was loitering. And I might actually lean on Brian or Josh for this, but they have a rounding procedure like, you know, you see on TV in the hospital shows where they are checking in with patients. Is it every half hour? about every half an hour so they know where everybody is at all times. This is a voluntary facility but the oversight by staff is pretty resolute and I'm really proud to say we've actually got members of the the Guardian team here who are part of the staff at Cure West and I would also state Currently at Cure West at Porter Hospital, a different kind of facility. There are 44 beds and on any given day, 20 to 25% of those are vacant. We actually were able to tour with some members of council, but also we invited neighbors to tour and a few of them took us up on it. And I think when you walk through that Cure West site, you see how unbelievably clean it is, but also quiet and calm. And that's the exact environment we want to create at 4901 South Monaco to allow the residents to focus on healing. Thank you.

I just wanted to ask another question of Guardian as well. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you again for being here. Maybe you could just address real quick. I know that this has come up multiple times, but the size or the decision to have a 160-bed facility, it was mentioned that that seemed to be the right size. And can you talk a little bit about that in comparison to the other facilities that you mentioned?

Sure. Yes. And again, for the record, Josh Scott, CEO of Guardian Recovery. So thank you for the question. A couple things about the size. So from a square footage standpoint, the ratio of clients to square footage is consistent with our other properties. This building has space, both bedrooms and common area space to support that census. Additionally, while the scale is 160, because of the length of stay, the amount of Intakes or admissions per month is actually going to be significantly lower than many of our other properties because at Cura West, for instance, with less than a third of these beds. We are doing over 100 admissions intakes per month. At 4901 South Monaco, we'll be doing somewhere between 30 and 40 admissions a month because of the length of stay. So the actual intake and administrative burden is going to be significantly less than our other properties. And again, the intensity, the acuity for the patients, for the clients at this facility is going to be significantly lower than our other properties. These clients are going to be more stable and further along in their recovery journey than the clients that engage with us at Cura West.

Okay. Thank you.

Yes.

All right. Any other speakers? Thank you. The public hearing is closed. Comments by Council on Council, comments by members of Council on Council Bill 0777. Council Member Parity.

Thank you so much, Madam President. I'm not feeling great tonight, but I came back for this hearing and the next hearing because they're both so important. We hear endlessly almost up on this dais about what a shortage we have of treatment in the city for behavioral health and mental health conditions. And the more intensive that treatment is, the more of a shortage there is for it. And so, of course, this is Like most medical treatment in the US, this is a private medical facility. Not everyone's insurance will cover it. It doesn't matter. We desperately, desperately, desperately need these kinds of facilities in the city. I've served on Denver's Opioid Abatement Commission. We still lose about 500 Denverites every year to opioid overdoses alone. That's not to mention deaths from alcoholism and not to mention behavioral health. And so I just want to say that I am so glad that this facility is opening. We probably need about 10 of them. And I certainly hope that we're not about to provide a roadblock tonight. Just before I move on really quickly, I am someone who, within my family, multiple times I have had to be the person calling around looking for an inpatient mental health bed. for a number of people that are close to me and that I love. They're very hard to find, even if you have resources. I have also, my sister lost her nephew to an overdose last summer. It was a tragedy. I've known him since he was a kid. He was a bright, beautiful boy. And his family had, he had been through treatment a few times. Again, they had resources. But he was waiting to try to get into treatment again when he died. So this is not any rezoning. And while I understand we all living in cities may have concerns about our neighbors, for me, for people to be concerned about this kind of treatment as though people who are experiencing addiction or experiencing a mental health collapse and trying to recover from that are people that we're not going to welcome into our neighborhoods. I just don't agree with that because those are my family members you're talking about, quite frankly, and probably most of yours. So most of you in the room are not here for this item. I'm just curious, how many people here have ever had a loved one, friend, family member who needed treatment for drug use or behavioral health? Thank you. That's all. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Council Member Watson.

Thank you, Council President. I'll be quick. I just want to say thank you all for the work that you do. I mean, this is a zoning request. We're reviewing whether the zoning can be changed from former Chapter 59. However, the work that you do and the ways that you invest in our community matters. As Councilwoman Paradis stated, most of us on diets, and I can share the story of my sister who was addicted to opioids and actually died on the streets. There are many families that are dealing with the pain of not being able to find spaces and places and community that does the level of support that you all do on a daily basis. So your work impacts lives. Thank you and all of your staff that are here and those that are watching and listening for all the ways on a daily basis that you make an impact in so many lives and provide hope and dignity to many in our community that don't receive that on a regular basis. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Council Member Sandoval. Thank you. I also support this tonight and thank the work that you've all done to get a good neighbor agreement. And I am glad that we'll have 160 new beds in Denver, even if it is regionally. We need that desperately. We need to find more places where we can have these type of services. I've had personal issues in my own family with people who are addicted and who need help with sobriety. And I cannot thank you all enough. And for the neighbors who are concerned, I hope that we all understand that we live in the urban core, that we live in Denver, we live in the city and county of Denver, and this represents our values. So I absolutely will be supporting this this evening as well. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. I also wanted to thank you for going through the process of the Good Neighbor Agreement. It has been quite a journey to be able to get here, and it started out as something very different than what it is today, and so I just appreciate that you've listened to community, that you've responded, and that you've really thought about what this looks like. Southeast Denver is not new to recovery and facilities and support, and I have told you from the beginning that we do need support services and recovery locations throughout the entire city. I appreciate that you have also spoken to and followed up with all of the community members as well as Denver Police Department and specifically with DPD3 and Denver Health and with Porter and all of the all of the other partners that have been a part of this. I also appreciate that you've looked at the number and 160 is lower than I think with the top of the licenses, which I think is like 10 more for that particular space and that you're looking at what the outside space also looks like. This particular, for those who don't know, this particular portion of South Monaco has also just opened up a family housing, affordable housing, with one of the first building adaptations. So I know that there is a lot of change that's going on in the neighborhood, which is why I needed to ask those questions and give you an opportunity to respond on the record. One of the things that I really appreciate about Southeast Denver is that, you know, we're being thorough as we are throughout all the other places in the city. And I think that this, you know, as I read the Good Neighbor Agreement, this shift is also a use by right. So when we talk about having a neighborhood plans. This is one of the reasons why it would be great to have a neighborhood plan. And we are one of the areas in the city that still do not have a comprehensive neighborhood plan. However, we do have what is throughout the city, right? In our, and I just forgot it, but throughout the city. But one of the things that I think is really important for people to note is that going from chapter 59 is Still it's used by right. This is still going to be the changes is that it won't be coming back for review to committee every every two years and so that means the good neighbor agreement is one of those things that we can have within community that holds accountability that and continues that conversation and so I would hope that that continued conversation would happen not only with community but with my office and the like. So I will ask my council colleagues and it sounds as though also in agreement to support this zoning change this evening. So thank you for the work that you've put into a different product and a better product moving forward. I had to go back to the script here. Madam Secretary, roll call on Council Bill 0777.

Council Members Alvarez. Aye. Flynn.

Aye.

Gonzalez Gutierrez? Aye. Heinz? Aye. Cashman? Aye. Lewis? Aye. Parity? Aye. Sandoval? Aye. Torres? Aye. Watson? Aye. Madam President Romero-Campbell?

Aye. Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results. 11 ayes. I'm sorry, I missed how many? 11 ayes. 11 ayes. 11 ayes. Council Bill 0777 has passed. Councilmember Torres, will you please put Council Bill 0970, submitting to a vote of registered electors to the City and County of Denver at the general election to be held November 3rd, 2026, the question granting of a franchise of Public Service Company of Colorado and approving a franchise agreement therefore. the city and county of Denver and public service company of Colorado to progress commitments to 0974, approving a proposed operating agreement between the City and County of Denver and the Public Service Company of Colorado, an Xcel Energy Company to provide utility services at Denver International Airport on the floor for final passage.

I move that Council Bills 970, 973, and 974 be placed upon final consideration and do pass in a block. It has been moved and seconded.

The combined courtesy public hearing for Council Bill 0970, 0973, and 0974 is open. May we have the staff report? Please. Thank you.

Good evening, Madam President, honorable members of Denver City Council. Thank you. Thank you. Dominic Moreno, Deputy Chief Operating Officer in the Mayor's Office. Thank you for your time hearing this package of items this evening. If you are having deja vu, it's because you have, in fact, been here before. And we're going to review a little bit of what is different this year. We are hopeful that you will agree that what you have in front of you is a package that is more responsive to council and community input. And really want to thank multiple members, several members of the working group that are here tonight, the community working group. Also, thank you to Councilmember Watson and Councilmember Parity for your service on the working group. Former Council President Sandoval for your guidance throughout this process. Much like The Empire Strikes Back and Terminator 2, we hope you agree the sequel is better than the original. So with that, I'm going to go into a little bit of the detail behind each one of these items. I will also invite up many members of the city staff who worked very closely on each of these items. So just to start, to serve as a bit of a grounding of what does the city of Denver actually get out of a franchise agreement? First off, we get strong standing, oversight, and negotiating power at large. at the Public Utilities Commission. The franchise agreement is what allows Denver to intervene in rate cases on behalf of Denver residents, and the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency does that often. And they will walk you through why that matters so much in this process. It also allows us to have reduced costs and expedited infrastructure projects throughout the city. We estimate that cost savings at $150 million a year because keep in mind the franchise agreement is what requires Xcel Energy to move their own infrastructure when the city has public works projects. So Xcel Energy covers the entire cost of that relocation throughout the city when it is necessary as part of a city project. It also allows us to have additional utility investments and pilot project opportunities that are further expanded in the energy partnership agreement, which we will walk you through. And very importantly, the 3% franchise fee contributes directly $34 million per year to the city general fund. Next, I'm going to turn it over to my colleague, Shannon Gifford, in the mayor's office, who's going to walk you through some of the major wins in the actual franchise agreement.

I'll be brief. Shannon Gifford, Mayor's Office. I'll be brief. Dominic introduced this by saying we would talk about some of the things that have changed between last year and this year. As a matter of fact, the franchise agreement itself has not changed. A lot of what we've put our time and effort into over the past year is the community working group, listening to the community, listening to council members about things that they would like to see evolve in our relationship with Excel generally. So the franchise agreement itself, just having a franchise agreement per se, without the specifically negotiated items in this franchise agreement, has a lot of benefits. I think Johnny will speak more articulately about this in terms of its ability to help us negotiate at the Public Utilities Commission. But it... provides us with certain things. It provides us with 1% of electrical revenues towards underground and power lines. That amounts to about $10 million a year right now. We would not have that without the franchise. As Dominic said, it provides us with $34 million on budget to the general fund, $2 million of which, as you know, is allocated to low-income energy assistance payments. Off budget, and more invisibly to all of us, it provides us with a number of benefits in terms of relocations. DOTI's estimate is that over the past 20 years, it's provided approximately $150 million per year in relocation benefits. And in our specifically negotiated franchise, that extends beyond city public works projects to a lot of the other governmental entities that operate within Denver and provide services to our residents. including transit agencies, including RTD, water and wastewater utility projects, flood control districts, and improvement districts such as bids. This is very atypical for franchise agreements, and in fact, we're not aware of another one in the state that includes those provisions. In addition, Excel has developed kind of a standard new franchise agreement that expands the territory in which Excel is allowed to operate beyond the rights of way and into other city property. We resisted that and we've confined the franchise agreement to the rights of way itself and offered that if Excel believes it needs to go beyond that, they can negotiate individually. And additionally, the standard new franchise with Excel provides that subsequently adopted legislation ordinances by their city councils don't prevail over the franchise agreement. And we have flipped that. We have said that it's important to retain city council's authority over how Excel operates within the city and that subsequently adopted ordinances will, in fact, prevail over the franchise. Those are the basics. And at this point, I will turn it over to Cindy to talk a little bit more about how this provides for it.

Good evening, Cindy Patton. I'm the Chief Operating Officer of DOTI. And as Dom alluded to, when we were here in the room a year ago, we took that experience very seriously and we heard the words that this body brought forward and the concerns that you had about our outreach and transparency with this process. And so following council's direction and your input, We thought about ways that we could go about this process differently to inform the products that we knew needed to look quite different when we came back to you. And we convened a working group made up of representatives from a really broad cross-section of community interests, including affordability, environmental, business representatives, neighborhood leaders, a union rep, and other stakeholders, including two members of this body, including Councilman Paradis and Councilmember Watson. And we met regularly since February to talk about identifying priorities. They provided feedback and really helped to shape our negotiating position for this agreement. And so that work really directly informed the final energy partnership agreement that is before you today that is separate from the franchise that Shannon just covered, which largely we did not hear a lot of disagreement around and felt very confident about what we had originally negotiated. So I want to cover some of the wins that the working group specifically called out that we were able to achieve in this agreement. First, affordability was quite a major priority throughout this whole process, and we secured more shareholder investments than any other franchise in Excel's service territory to date and currently to support utility assistance and income qualified affordability programs. And we don't just lock those in. Today, the annual shareholder contribution that starts at $125,000 a year has, and we negotiated this since the committee meeting where we heard this was a priority of this body, a 3% annual increase over the term of the agreement to ensure that the value of that investment will grow over time instead of losing value to inflation. And we also negotiated energy resource navigators that will be dedicated to Denver to our folks to make sure that they are connecting to other resources. One thing that we heard incredibly clear last year was the desire for far more transparency in this process and far more transparency of the life of the franchise. It's quite long. And admittedly, the last 20 years was a little bit of a black box. So in conversations with the working group, they also recognize this, and this agreement will establish a public reporting through an online dashboard, regular five-year partnership reviews, and an ongoing community advisory group with oversight. And finally, we heard from the working group and the community that it was really important to create a process to fund and evaluate pilot projects. We know that we don't know all of what the next 20 years brings. We will evolve, our energy needs will evolve, our climate needs will evolve. And so this will establish that process to fund and evaluate pilot projects. We will also formalize a commitment, a good neighbor commitment process for dedicating at least, not at a ceiling, but at minimum 1% of new substation budgets towards neighborhood-compatible designs. That could be landscaping, it could be screening, and that is a great investment for these new substations that are coming online. And you may ask, where is all that money coming from? So we wanted to be very clear about both the cadence of those investments and where they originate, where the funding originates from. And so this slide will summarize those commitments that are secured in that energy partnership agreement, along with the franchise agreement and how those investments will benefit. So the one-time $2.5 million, that is a shareholder contribution that does not come from ratepayer dollars. The $3.3 million is also a shareholder contribution, and that will escalate the 3% every year. The energy resource navigators, that's $250 a year, that will come from ratepayer dollars, but that is dedicated to Denver, so that those resources are dedicated to our folks. The $2 million a year is a Denver franchise set aside, so that comes out of the $34 million that Dom talked about. And then the 1% of substation budgets is part of that capital budget and will be rate payer. It's coming out of the infrastructure project budget, and that will be ongoing as that need presents. So we feel very confident that this is the most valuable gold standard franchise that has been negotiated in the XL Colorado Service Territory by any municipality to date. And it represents a very meaningful long-term investment. And Johnny's going to come up and describe even more about why we believe that the priorities that are expressed by both you and what we heard from the working group are going to really provide those lasting benefits. Thank you.

Thank you, Cindy, and hello, council members. Jonathan Rogers, please call me Johnny, the Deputy Executive Director in Denver's Climate Office. I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this slide. My colleagues have already walked through several of the really important improvements gained in the Energy Partnership Agreement over this past year, since you all encouraged us to continue the negotiation. I can say with confidence, as Cindy mentioned, that Denver has negotiated the strongest energy partnership agreement in the history of Colorado. And importantly, the benefits of this agreement and of being a franchisee extend far beyond any of the individual listed improvements and accomplishments. And they really enabled Denver to continue in our leadership in the energy transition. Denver is already considered a global leader in energy and sustainability. We're one of eight lead platinum cities in the entire world. By 2030, there are plans approved by our state regulators to ensure that over 88% of our electricity will come from cleaner sources. The average residential electric bill in Denver is 37% lower than the national average, and the system serving Denver customers is bolstered by investments that will support economic growth, the adoption of all electric heating and transportation options, and replace problematic electrical distribution feeders that contribute to localized outages and reliability issues so that we can ensure that all Denverites have access to reliable power. As a franchisee we have a seat at the table with state regulators where we work hard on issues including system planning, customer programs, and the modernization of utility systems to improve the alignment of investment plans towards affordable, reliable, and pollution-free energy options. I want to spend a minute discussing the importance of pilots to advancing Denver's energy and affordability goals. Denver's current leadership is enabled by our taxpayers and the Climate Protection Fund and amplified by commission-approved and statutorily directed resources. We've identified nearly $350 million of active funded initiatives that are currently underway with Denver involvement. Denver can strategically invest where other communities are limited in innovative solutions that are demonstrated and then scaled across the entire system. We're establishing a community-informed process to recommend new pilot projects, and we'll be reporting on the progress of those initiatives via an online website to support transparency with the public and city leaders. Additionally, Denver's been selected as a House Bill 24-1370 gas planning priority community And through this, we have access to data showing us the exact age, location, material of the gas lines that serve Denver customers. And Denver customers spend about $250 million per year on gas service. As that gas infrastructure reaches the end of its life and needs to be replaced, we hope to redirect those investments to electrify entire neighborhoods. We have a pilot kicking off in the Ruby Hill neighborhood that will explore the use of a community geothermal network to support customers. However, this statutory initiative and others are only available to communities that are active franchisees. The first pilot I want to talk about is an electric heating rate reduction opportunity where we want to make it even cheaper to go green in Denver. This pilot will inform a permanent rate option that will be available to customers that primarily use a cold climate heat pump to meet their heating needs. It will be demonstrated over this upcoming heating season, replacing the overnight heating rate from 9 p.m. all the way overnight throughout the day until 5 p.m., which when looking at my own hourly smart meter data is exactly when my heat pump is running to keep my family warm. There are rebates available to customers that are interested in reducing the cost of acquiring a heat pump, as well as new on-bill financing options to help make it even more accessible for customers. We looked at other cities across the country in terms of their offerings, and we see Denver as really competitive in that this is the type of innovative pilot that will help us to ensure that our power remains cleaner and cheaper than most cities in the country. Second, we're exploring innovative ways in which we can heat and cool and meet the energy needs of a dense urban core and really make for the most economically and environmentally sustainable and attractive downtown. The solution here, we were able to leverage existing infrastructure through the district chilled water network that currently provides cooling to many of downtown's largest buildings, tapping into it as a heat source where energy shared between buildings dramatically reduces the amount of energy input, reduces our emissions, reduces water consumption, and creates a scalable model that can really incrementally expand the existing backbone of Denver's energy infrastructure Cities around the world have taken notice of this opportunity. They come and talk to us. We're excited to showcase the leadership that Denver offers. We're talking with major redevelopments around the downtown area to see how this type of solution could serve their campuses and potentially be integrated in the future. At the community level, what we're demonstrating in Ruby Hill will help to showcase how this can happen in a more localized effort for our community. And we're really excited by the momentum that we have in our actively converting facilities this year and into next. And the last pilot that I'll demonstrate or I'll speak to is a neighborhood residential retrofit program, really looking at how do we move entire neighborhoods together off of aging and polluting gas infrastructure and towards the all-electric options that we need to really serve our community for future generations. Denver has been selected as part of Excel's approved clean heat plan by the Public Utilities Commission with a goal to upgrade 100 homes in the Val Verde neighborhood with free upgrades to install all electric space and water heating equipment, induction cooktops, home efficiency improvements, more insulation, electrical panel upgrades, more thermostats, everything they need to really showcase what does a sustainable community look like. And we're lucky to have that in Denver. And then this is the kind of thing that we can bring back to the commission and really show how are we going to do this systematically in partnership with our neighborhoods, in partnership with our leaders, to make sure that we can move us all together. Last, I want to highlight the energy assistance programs that all Denverites have access to. And the Excel shareholder contributions and energy resource navigators that were mentioned earlier will really be complementary to the robust resources that are already available to Denverites. Over $145 million per year of programs that are out there and often underutilized. Over the past several weeks, I've had the pleasure of connecting with Ron and Tawny Taylor, constituents of Council Member Gilmore in District 11, who she spoke of last week. Ron and Tawny, they were confused. There's a lot of programs that are out there, and you don't really know which are available to me, which are going to be best to meet my needs. They were approached by a local nonprofit that offered them free rooftop solar panels, and as you can imagine, they were reasonably skeptical. I think the expression is that there's no such thing as free lunch, but there are, in fact, programs that'll get you free solar panels or a free heat pump or free insulation. And in talking through their options, they've now signed a contract to get solar installed on their roof, and they're speaking with other nonprofits that do home efficiency improvements, and I'm excited to follow up with them to learn about what else they were able to gain access to. And through this partnership agreement, the Energy Resource Navigator program will hopefully serve as a trusted resource to expand access to these valuable but often underutilized programs for Denverites. So before I turn it back over to Dom to close out the staff presentation, I'd like to summarize by saying that Denver has the resources, the expertise, the influence that we need to continue our leadership and enable a more sustainable future for Denverites, for my children, for future generations. believes that Denver is stronger as a franchisee, and I think that we are ready for the voters to consider this important question. Thank you.

Dominic Moreno, Mayor's Office, just to bring us home. So we've covered this kind of in detail, but what happens to Denver without a franchise agreement if the franchise agreement is not referred by this body or not approved by voters? Obviously, that $34 million in franchise fees to the city's general fund does not get executed each year. Relocation benefits becomes uncertain. because then you have to negotiate project by project who covers what infrastructure relocation costs, which might lead to project delays, rising costs, diminished scope. And then, as Johnny mentioned, the lack of eligibility for programs and pilots that are only available to communities that are active franchisees. So just a recap of these are the action items for your consideration this evening. And before we close out, I am going to turn it to our partners at Xcel Energy to provide some comments.

Good evening. My name is Holly Velazquez Horvath, and I'm a regional vice president here at Xcel Energy in Colorado. Council President Romero-Campbell, council members, thank you for the opportunity to be here this evening. Before we dive into agreements, policies, or infrastructure, I want to explain why this matters deeply to me. I am a fifth generation Coloradan and a third generation Denverite. For more than 25 years, I have worked alongside Denver's civic, nonprofit, business, and community leaders. Long before I came to Xcel Energy, I was committed in helping this city succeed. And throughout my 15 years at Xcel Energy, that commitment has never changed. I serve on boards that care deeply about Denver's health, economy, and its future, because this city is my home. So today, I am not standing here simply as an Xcel Energy leader. I am standing before you as a Denverite who wants this city to thrive. The values that have guided my public service are the same values that I expect from Xcel Energy. Listening, partnership, accountability, and long-term investment in this community. Many of my team members are sitting behind me today and live in neighborhoods represented by each of you. Their children attend Denver schools. They support local businesses. They sit on community boards. They help run youth sports programs. They shovel their sidewalks after storms and show up to local events. When Denver succeeds, they succeed. That is not just where we work. This is not where we work. This is where we live. Can Denver trust Xcel Energy to be a long-term partner? I believe that that is the question many people really want answered. Not whether we have legal documents, not whether we have utility infrastructure, but whether Denver can trust Xcel. Can Denver trust us to listen? Can Denver trust us to be accountable? Can Denver trust us to invest in its future? My goal today is to try and answer that question. The reason I began with my personal story is because I want you all to understand something. The values that have guided my public service are the same values that I expect from Excel. Listening, accountability, partnership, and long-term investment. Those values are not marketing slogans. They are the foundation of these agreements. And they are the foundation of how I believe Denver and Excel should work together. One of the reasons I am proud of this package is because it exists because you all, Denver, pushed us. Council challenged us. Neighborhood organizations challenged us. Community advocates challenged us. And they were right to do so. The most important thing we did over the past year was not negotiate these agreements. The most important thing we did was listen. Because trust isn't earned by talking. Trust is earned by listening and responding. To date, we have held 36 listening and franchise agreement presentations, including four citywide webinars, run 65 Red Truck events, and logged over 3,800 outreach contacts across neighborhoods citywide. Every presentation had the same goals, listen to community priorities, show how this agreement delivers for Denver and answer questions. And we are not stopping. Virginia Village is scheduled for August 11th with 21 more red truck and community activations ahead and outreach continuing citywide. Let's talk about a couple of those examples of our outreach. The red truck, Resources Education Delivered, brings Xcel Energy employees straight into Denver neighborhoods so customers don't have to navigate our systems alone. With 65 events and over 2,500 contacts on site, our representatives, our representatives, community customer care representatives, Dedicate help with LEAP enrollment, bill pay assistance, program access in English and Spanish, alongside partners like Jewish Family Services and Servicios de la Raza. So a family can meet energy, food, and rental needs in a single stop. You will also hear about our partnership with the Latino Community Foundation of Colorado and Carlos Martinez named Power Together in the public hearing part of this public statement part of this presentation. The heart of it is that it is a permanent commitment to meeting our neighbors where they are and serving customers who need us most. Denver continues to grow. We need more housing. We need stronger infrastructure. We need to meet ambitious climate goals. We need to support economic opportunity. And we need to maintain one of the most important airports in the country. None of those goals happen successfully if the city and its utility are working separately. These agreements create a framework to solve problems together rather than independently. That is what partnership looks like. These agreements meet people in their homes, classrooms, hospitals, and their small businesses. We understand that these agreements are personal. They are also about giving Denver stronger tools. tools to demand accountability, tools to oversee investments, tools to ensure public assets create public value, tools to make sure the energy transition benefits working families and our neighborhoods. At the core, these agreements recognize that when a utility uses public assets, the public should receive public benefit in return. This package reflects a simple principle. Public assets should create public value. The agreements support Denver General's fund. They strengthen energy assistance programs. They support infrastructure investments. They improve accountability. They protect one of Denver's most important economic assets, Denver International Airport. Most importantly, they ensure that community benefits remain at the center of our partnership going forward. With the near-term work in view, let's step back and look at the long-term investments we are making in Denver's electric system. The multi-year commitments to reliability, growth, clean energy, and public safety that will carry this grid into decades ahead. These are long-term commitments to reliability, growth, clean energy, and public safety, work that runs from the transmission backbone all the way down to the neighborhood distribution electric feeders that serve homes and businesses. Let's start with the transmission. We are putting roughly $1.178 billion into the transmission system serving Denver and the surrounding metro region. Part of that is about 126 miles of transmission line being rebuilt, reconducted, and upgraded so the backbone is stronger and more resilient for decades to come. On the distribution side, We have approved funding for about 750 megawatts of new capacity across the Denver metro area. In Denver specifically, that includes 22 distribution projects, roughly 350 megawatts. Those are new substations, substation banks, and electric feeders that directly support housing, commercial development, electrification, and economic growth. And this is not just capital spending on paper. Through the franchise, we continue to underground, overhead lines, and coordinate relocations with city projects. Worth roughly, as you've heard, $150 million in relocation value with an estimated $3 billion savings for taxpayers over the 20-year term. The bottom line, a safer, cleaner, more reliable, and development-ready grid for Denver's next generation of growth. This map shows the 11 new distribution substations planned across Denver with the location estimated cost and in-service year for each one. Together, they represent the next wave of capacity we are building to keep pace with housing, commercial development, and electrification across the city. The work is phased across 2027 through 2035, so this is a sustained multi-year program rather than a single project. Investments in Uptown, Ball Arena, River Mile, Cherry Creek, Central Park, Green Valley, Montbello, Lowry, Cherry Knolls, and Globeville. The key point to land is our beautification commitment. For every new substation, we are dedicating a minimum of 1% of the project cost to additional beautification. That may include or may not, depending on what the neighborhood prefers, additional screening, new wall, landscaping, graffiti art, design that helps facility fit around the surrounding neighborhood. Across the program, that adds up to roughly $6.4 million reinvested directly into the communities that host these sites. I respectfully ask for you to support these agreements and allow Denver voters the opportunity to make the final decision. And we are ready to make our case to the voters that these agreements are good for Denver. These agreements are not perfect. No relationship ever is. But they are stronger because Denver demanded and deserved more. If I did not believe in these agreements, I would not be standing before you asking for your support. This is my city. Our employees care deeply about this city. And together we want to do right by the city. I am from here. We listened, we changed, we are accountable. These agreements help Denver. Please trust us with the opportunity to continue earning that trust. Thank you. And I am happy to answer any questions.

Thank you. I would like to recognize Council Member Sawyer. I didn't get a chance to do that before the staff report. So welcome Council Member Sawyer to the meeting. This is a 60-minute public, courtesy public hearing, and we have 23 individuals signed up to speak. I hope that we're going to be able to hear from everyone, and so let's go ahead and get started. And our first speaker today is Nate Bernstein. Virtually? I'm so sorry, what? Okay. And, okay. And so also, so you know, we're gonna go a speaker for, a speaker against, and just kind of keep going down the line. Okay. Nate, are you online?

I am here, yes.

Please go when you're ready.

Good evening, my name is Nate Bernstein. I am the Executive Director of Climate Jobs Colorado. Climate Jobs Colorado is a union coalition that advances strong climate policies and practices in a way that means workers and specifically union workers win. We believe that climate policy and advancing good union jobs go hand in hand. We have 13 labor organizations that comprise our membership representing tens and tens of thousands of workers from across the state. I am speaking in favor of Excel franchise agreement and sending it to the voters for approval. Excel is and has been an important union employer in the state of Colorado, employing approximately 1,900 workers across the state and hundreds who live right here in the city of Denver, and upholding its commitment to the hardworking people who have helped electrify this city and this state for over 100 years. Being represented by a union means workers and their families live with job security, income security, and are some of the best trained workers in the country through their union apprenticeship programs. We hope to see Accel continue to have this opportunity to provide service to the great city of Denver, its residents, and its businesses. I have been in the labor movement for over 17 years and I am strongly of the belief, and I've seen it over and over again, that unionized workers deliver services under the safest working conditions and provide the highest quality work product. Climate Jobs Colorado also stands for the proposition that we need to address climate change, which means the build out of clean and renewable energy in our state, as well as the transmission and distribution needed to ensure power is safely, reliably, and affordably delivered to customers. These systems should be built with good family-sustaining careers, and I believe this utility fulfills that commitment. Xcel has invested billions of dollars in clean and renewable energy in our state, which means cleaner power for Denverites. In addition, The parties have worked diligently to reach an improved agreement. Climate Jobs believes this is a good agreement that should be endorsed by the council. For these reasons, I respectfully request that the council support Excel's franchise agreement with Denver, allowing voters to make the final decision. I thank you for your time this evening, and I will yield the remainder of my time.

All right. Thank you. Our next speaker is Jeffrey Ackerman.

Good evening, Madam President and Council. My name is Jeff Ackerman. I was a member of the Franchise Working Group representing Together Colorado. I also bring the perspective of a former Public Utilities Commission chair and a 40-year history of improving, engaging how utilities engage in improving service, especially to the least of us, amongst us. I reside in District 8, and I worship at Montfee Willard Presbyterian. As such, I'm trying to model tonight a more compassionate understanding of the Gospels and our shared calling of all faith traditions to foster and sustain the beloved community. So I view this Excel franchise, Denver franchise, as being about power and relationships as they relate to what type of society we want to live in. In 2025, we saw the power of a strong mayor system bring forth an agreement with zero community benefits. High on political power, low on relationship. Thank you, City Council, for pushing back in 2025 on that approach. These past two years, we've also seen how power gets in the way when trying to improve a relationship with a for-profit utility, monopoly utility, an entity created to serve the public good and to serve the public service. The financial and profit motivations are apparently hard to overcome. They impede building genuine community. This is from a company that pays its national CEO $16 million to deliver service in a zero competitive market, yet struggles to find more than $125,000 per year to engage with Denver, a city committing $2 million of its own dollars into that partnership. But it's not all about the money, and Excel isn't all bad, and there is some progress. Yes, we as faith communities and as human dignity advocates were seeking benevolence out of utilities' enormous largesse, and more so to develop a genuine spirit of collaboration, focused on truly caring for the society that Excel profoundly influences, especially for the low-income. Instead, the agreement shows us that a utility can buy its way to what it wants. Across the street, it's spending $10 million in one-time extra low-income assistance to secure gas and electric rate increases. And now here, it's spreading $5-plus million over 20 years to secure franchise renewal. So, you can likely tell I'm not highly satisfied with the outcomes of the second attempt at relationship building. I was optimistic that Excel could be nudged towards seeing its role in society as more than a financial instrument providing dividends to investors. I was hoping for genuine community engagement, not as a slogan, not as a project for a hired consultant with a slide deck, and not as folks who can tell you their accolades based upon their financial commitment to Excel, but in a spirit of true problem solving. Working together to be a loving community we all yearn for, we deserve, and at our core, we know is what we want to manifest. The picture of future starting this fall where the utility doesn't need to spend lots of money on campaign tactics or advertising, but was leveraging the free advertising of word of mouth, drawing upon the goodwill fostered by genuinely working together. Yet if our government and corporations are not part of the solution, addressing injustice and hardships, they are part of the problem because holding the status quo is not sufficient. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to call the next five so you have an idea as to who's coming up next. Eric Chip, then Ben Mayerhoff, Jeremy Ross, Ann Carlberg, and Mike Ferafino. So let's go with Eric Chip.

Next.

Thank you, Council President and City Council members. My name is Eric Chip. I'm a member of IBEW Local 111 here in Denver, and I'm a Troubleman Lineman for Accel. Troubleman are the first responders for all accidents, outages, and emergencies involving Accel infrastructure. An average week for me has me working multiple times with Denver Fire or Denver Police. We show up when requested by the fire department or police for issues like low wires, house fires, car accidents, or even fatalities involving Excel equipment. I am also the chairperson for the Colorado Safety Advisory Group for the electric side, and I'm here to give firsthand insight into the challenges we face as linemen working in the city. Part of my job as the Safety Advisory Group chairperson is leading monthly safety meetings with all of our linemen and troublemen linemen. It is not uncommon during our meetings to hear that one of my coworkers had a customer threaten them, attack them, point a gun at them, or even fire gunshots in their direction. Last year, one of our linemen showed up to a large outage. While trying to restore power, a customer decided it would be a great idea to point a loaded handgun with laser sights at the lineman. The lineman stayed calm and slowly tried to get back into his truck, all with a red dot painted on his chest. The customer did not stop pointing the gun at the lineman until the lineman was behind the closed door of his Xcel Energy truck. We deal with issues like this all while working a job that is already dangerous enough. All of these challenges have happened with the franchise agreement in place. I know within the public there is a lot of confusion as to what the franchise agreement covers. Even without the agreement, I would still be expected to service Excel lines and to keep the public and emergency responders safe from all dangers these power lines and equipment can create. The people of Denver deserve and expect reliable power. I can't imagine trying to restore outages or respond to an emergency while interacting with public or customer base that does not believe that I have the right to be there. I implore you to vote yes to refer the franchise agreement to the voters so that my coworkers, their families, and myself can find a little solace in the fact that we have one less thing that we need to worry about in an already dangerous job. Thank you.

Keep on forgetting to turn that on.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Ben Meyerhoff.

Good evening, President Romero-Campbell and city council members. Thank you for this public testimony time. My name is Ben Meyerhoff. I'm a member of Montview Presbyterian Church in District 9 and a member of Together Colorado Denver Chapter. I'm speaking as a father of three who lives with a disability and spends a lot of time in Denver. For people like me, living with a significant chronic and physically disabling condition such as a C6 spinal cord injury, internal regulation of our body temperatures is impossible. The current and foreseeable trend is of an ever-warming Denver and planet. Yet even now, if I go out into the summer sun, I must return to a cooler respite within one to two hours or risk heat stroke and possible death. My condition prevents me from sweating, you see. My critical air conditioning is an increasing demand on an electric system still emitting carbon. Thus, it's a short-term band-aid for the systemic ulcer of climate change, which will continue to ravage our society. We all know that this inconvenient truth is not a hoax. Denver should be setting a stronger example among its peer municipalities seeking long-term service solutions for people in need. Although assisting low-income customers with provisional funding to help them pay their energy bills is a good idea, it's not nearly enough. That alone does nothing to address the root problem. In fact, it could be seen as making the problem worse. This companion agreement should require a percentage of Excel's guaranteed profits to help Denver address the impacts of climate change upon its residents. Because the current provision does nothing to address root causes, I am here to say that I'm opposed to this measure. Our futures and our children's futures depend upon those in positions of responsibility to demand more aggressive actions now. Thank you for the opportunity to share my perspective.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Jeremy Ross.

Good evening, Madam President and council members. My name is Jeremy Ross. I'm the political coordinator for IBEW 111 and was a member of the working group. I just want to say that I believe the working group had a robust group of voices in there that worked hard to try and come up with a reasonable companion agreement to go along with uh, the franchise agreement that you guys are considering tonight. There, um, these are tough, um, conversations to have because nobody really knows, um, what is out there with one of these agreements. They're not talked about much. Once they're in place, they're long-term agreements and they don't really fully understand what all of the impacts are. As you heard from one of the members of IBW just a minute ago, there's incredible safety risks that our members see every single day that are just an inherent part of the industry that we work in. But then, you know, followed up by risks from the community. These folks go out there. They're the face of the company when stuff happens on a daily basis. They're the ones that go out there. They're the ones that knock on the door. They're the ones that try to get this stuff up and running as quickly as possible. And with any, you know, potential additional delays of not having one of these franchise agreements in place, I fear that there is an increased... risk to those folks. As a member of the IBEW and also representing the 4,500 members of IBEW 111, 1,900 of which work for Xcel Energy, and a number of them work and live in the city and county of Denver. And our primary goal every single day is to make sure that these folks can go to work, make a living for their family, do what's necessary, and go home the same way they showed up to work that morning. And without these types of agreements, we have real concerns that there's the potential for additional delays through the process of getting these projects done. I do truly believe that there was a diverse group of voice represented in the conversation about the companion agreement. There was weeks and weeks and weeks, I don't even know how long exactly we worked on it, but of back and forth and conversations had. And I would urge and ask the council to please consider referring this to the voters of Denver this evening. It's an important step forward for the relationship, not only with XL, but also with the labor folks that go out there and do the job every single day. Thank you.

Our next five speakers are Anne Carlberg, Mike Ferafino, Billy Wolter, Kate McKenna, and Susan Powers.

Thank you, Council President Romero-Campbell and Council Members, for hearing my testimony regarding the proposed Excel franchise agreement. My name is Ann Carlberg, and I live in Barnum West neighborhood in Council District 3. I'm a person of faith, and I attend the Kirk of Bonnie Bray United Church of Christ. I am also a passionate advocate for environmental justice and a leader with Together Colorado. I want to express my grave concern that the proposed energy partnership agreement falls far short of the visionary collaboration we need between the city and its utility provider. We are embarking on a 20-year agreement that must consider both current conditions and envision solutions for the next generation of economic and environmental challenges. Instead, we have a conservative proposal that protects the profit margins of an investor-owned monopoly. Through the working group, we had hoped for a partnership in which Excel would commit to 20 years of mutual problem solving, in which jointly conceived pilot projects would identify sustainability and affordability improvements. We had hoped for a meaningful financial investment in such a collaboration, but what we got was a pittance. The mayor seems to be satisfied with this. Will city council be satisfied as well? I hope not. Some say we are in the midst of a great turning, a transformation of human society from a destructive industrial for-profit growth model to a life-sustaining civilization where resources are shared and ecosystems are protected. I believe that this moment in Denver, we are making the decision whether to be part of this great turning or to cling stubbornly to the destructive but familiar corporate profit model. To say a courageous no to Excel and send them back to the negotiating table means taking a risk. But not insisting on a better, more visionary collaboration means taking a far greater risk that will keep us stuck in the same old model of corporate greed over human need for the next 20 years. The consequences of acquiescing are clear. If we accept this agreement, our neighborhoods will continue to face rising costs, unreliable service, and missed opportunities for climate progress. Excel, on the other hand, will insult us by professing their generosity when what they're really doing is continuing to enrich corporate leaders and investors at our expense. Excel should do better, and we should demand it. I urge you to reject this proposed agreement and to turn all of us toward a vision of collaboration, equity, sustainability, and justice.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Mike Ferafino. Please go ahead when you're ready.

Good evening, Madam President, honorable members of city council. My name is Mike for, you know, and I'm the president CEO of the Colorado Hispanic chamber of commerce. Our mission is to support the development growth and success of Hispanic owned businesses from that perspective. We strongly support the proposed agreements between Denver. And Excel energy, we believe Denver voters should have the opportunity to make the final decision in November. Earlier, a question was raised tonight which was believed to be fundamental, whether Denver can trust Xcel Energy to be a long-term partner. And I believe the answer is yes. Xcel has been a significant member and partner of the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for more than 15 years. I've known Holly for years, and I trust her. I know and trust Grace and Daniel. I've watched them show up, listen, build relationships, and work through difficult issues with our community. Excel has not been perfect, no company is, but a strong partner is not one that never makes a mistake. A strong partner listens, responds, improves, and remains accountable. This is what we see in the second version of the agreement. The first proposal did not move forward. Rightfully so, members raised legitimate concerns and the parties went back to work. This version is substantially improved with stronger commitments to affordability, transparency, community oversight, neighborhood input, and accountability. Xcel has also demonstrated what it means to show up in the community. Through the 65 Red Truck events in Denver, the company both brought energy assistance, a program to support directly in the neighborhoods in both English and what is incredibly needed, Spanish. Tonight, you have also heard about the people that Xcel employs, people who live in our neighborhoods, send their children to our schools, volunteer and serve on our nonprofit boards. I want to add another perspective. And that is the impact this agreement will have on local businesses, local minority and women owned businesses. Denver's on the verge of a massive and unprecedented wave of development. With the right partners, that development will create infrastructure projects, contracts jobs opportunities for local contractors subcontractors suppliers and professional service firms this council has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to expanding economic opportunity for small women owned minority owned hispanic owned and local owned businesses i personally believe excel has been a leader in supplier diversity it has set ambitious And voluntary goals that are very ambitious. Built the relationships internal capacity and commitment needed to expand contracting and subcontracting opportunities. Develop diverse suppliers and invest in workforce and leadership development. These efforts create contracts, careers, mentorship, business growth and opportunity. These agreements also create real public value. they provide certainty for public and private development without a franchise agreement access to streets and public right-of-ways uh could be addressed project by project creating uncertainty and delays involving utility relocation and delays cost money so on behalf of the chamber we respectfully ask city council to support thank you um the next speaker is billy walter

Good evening, Council, Madam President Romero-Campbell. I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak to you. And I want to let you know that I actually live in Romero-Campbell's district. I'm in District 4. I am a member of Together Colorado. I am also a member of Augustana Lutheran Church in District 6. And together, Colorado and also the Lutheran Equity, it is our mission to establish equity for all Coloradans, particularly those marginalized by race, class, gender, immigration status, religion, or other forms of oppression. I am here to express my frustration with the Excel franchise agreements. Last year, Excel's annual revenue was $14.67 billion, of which $5.27 billion operating revenue came from the state of Colorado, resulting in an operating profit of $1 billion. Denver is their largest customer in the state, yet when asked to support ongoing pilot projects such as resilience kits for people with critical life-saving medical devices, And I would like you all to think about this. How many people in this room know somebody with a CPAP, has to have oxygen, has to have air conditioning, needs refrigeration for their medication? I bet the number would be almost every one. And yet we're not going to be able to get that because Excel felt it was more important to give their billionaire CEO money. I'm sick of hearing how wonderful Excel is and what a great, great contract we have. When they say they listen, we were in a meeting with one of the council people and that council person said they had been waiting and asking for five years to get a light pole, a light pole that had been run into by a car, replaced. Five years. Then we hear about South Denver and how the businesses there had intermittent Electricity. After we went out to all these RNOs and all these other places, finally, guess what? That got fixed. When it goes public, it might get fixed. So, going back, Excel could only find 2.5 million one-time shareholder payment to be used by TRUA to balance the mayor's budget. That's where it's going to go so he doesn't have to put any money into it.

And $125,000. Thank you. That's your time.

Thank you.

Yeah. Thank you. The next speaker is Kate McKenna. After Kate, we have Susan Powers, then Aaron Martinez, and Carlos Martinez.

Good evening, Madam President, members of council. Thank you so much for your time and service. My name is Kate McKenna. I'm a proud Ballpark resident, and I also serve as the CEO of the Ballpark General Improvement District. We represent over 10,000 residents and property owners in downtown Denver's fine District 9. And I'm here today to express our continued support of the franchise and partnership agreement between the city of Denver and Xcel Energy. Previous presentations and continued conversations have shown that this agreement delivers substantial value to Denver. This is the type of franchise agreement, subsequent community support, and funding that Denver desperately needs. Throughout my 15 years of service in urban community development, I have worked with several major energy companies including ComEd, NRG, Reliant, and DTE, and none of them have matched the level of community partnership, engagement and assistance that Excel offers throughout this process and the evolution of this agreement. Their emphasis on community engagement and informed revisions in addition to the substantial financial contributions to the general fund, the allocation for public project utility restoration and the community compatible design that Excel has committed to speaks directly to the question of can Denver trust Excel? And it confirms that the answer is yes. Excel owns and manages multiple properties in the ballpark neighborhood, including a half-block substation, and they maintain a standard of excellence around their facilities, maintenance, and its public way cleanliness. These efforts have seamlessly integrated their properties' day-to-day operations, so much so that one of the most asked questions by visitors and residents alike that our ambassador team receives is, what is the building with the big doors? You would truly never know it's a substation. In addition to maintaining the standard of excellence, Xcel actually reached out and proposed working with the Improvement District on a green infrastructure project on 20th Street because they understand that this corridor is not just an entrance to Ballpark, but it's an entrance to all of downtown Denver. I'm proud to share that this project is fully funded by Xcel, but fully formed by our community and fully led by our organization. This funding exists because of the current franchise and partnership agreement. Oftentimes, utility companies treat engagement and partnership as a checkbox, but what Xcel is proposing here is different. It's real commitment backed by real dollars. It's real accountability and real opportunities for neighborhoods like ours to finally have a voice in how utility providers will impact their day-to-day lives. It further shows that Xcel Energy is listening, that they meet us where we are, and it's because they're our neighbors. This agreement brings direct tangible improvements and cost savings to our direct freight payers and allows us to continue to grow from supplementing city service maintenance to enhancing programming as an improvement district. And this is why myself and the board of directors respectfully urge the referral of the franchise agreement and partnership. Thank you so much for your time and service. Thank you. Our next speaker is Susan Powers.

Sorry, I can't be there in person with you. I did send a letter out to 2 council members earlier today because I, because I knew I wasn't gonna be able to be there in person. I just thought I'd make a couple of comments based on that. I participated in the, the working group for the last 6 months and. You know, and while. I think we would all agree that nobody got everything they wanted from this. No one ever, that never happens. And I think that we, the compromises that were made and the programs that are being funded and the steps towards including a 1%. The 1% of the total development cost to address the physical impact and design considerations of substations in neighborhoods is the 1st time that's ever been done. And we hope that that's something that will grow in time and be and make the, the equipment that ends up in neighborhoods more acceptable to the neighborhoods. I do want to mention that I. Um, that it's not just for the new ones is for major expansions as was mentioned before. They're all especially in the case of some Valley, the large facility that's been there for. Decades decades decades, and it is now going to have additional capacity there and and this 1% would apply to the. I think over well, I don't know the number of it a large number that is going to be spent on that 1. so I think that's a really good step. The, the. Pathway for the pilot programs is also an important element of what came out of here. And again, there was certainly frustration that there wasn't as much money being put in that by the shareholders, but we feel like this is a good step and it's more than happened 20 years ago. And having the cost of living increase every year is also something that's really important because we're looking at something on a long-term basis. So I would hope that you would move this to the voters for their November action. And personally, I will be voting for this as a citizen in Denver and appreciate the work that was done by the city and Excel staff to get us to this point. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Erin Martinez. Waiting for Aaron Martinez. Okay. Our next speaker is Carlos Martinez. Oh, Carlos. C-A-R-L-I-S. You are coming up. Is it you? Because there's also a Carlos Martinez on here. Carlis. Am I saying it wrong? Carlis Martinez? Yes. Sorry, you're going to come back in just a minute. Joseph Lopez, after Joseph Lopez, then Carlos Martinez, and then Ryan AIDS.

Good evening, council members and president. My name is Josep Lopez. I'm a vice president at Servicios de la Raza. Servicios is a 54-year-old organization founded by community members and activists from the Chicano-Mexicano community. Purpose has always been to provide essential services and opportunities to those in need, which so happens to be some of the hardest to reach communities today. And we also serve a more diverse population than we have ever before. We ask that you support the agreement between Xcel Energy and the city. Excel Energy has been and is a great partner to Servicios, supporting our events in many ways. We will soon be partnering with Excel in a way that keeps our community safe. With this partnership, Servicios will help Excel Energy identify neighborhoods and communities where Sound the Alarm events may have the greatest impact. So this includes areas with older housing stock, multi-generational or high density households, rental communities with limited access to safety upgrades, neighborhoods with historically lower participation in STA events, and language support. Through this partnership, surgery seals enables Xcel Energy to extend wildlife mitigation, outage preparedness, and public safety power shutoff readiness into communities that are often underserved by traditional outreach. The collaboration strengthens trust, improves preparedness, and brings forward lived experience that can inform both operational improvements and regulatory reporting. We appreciate Xcel Energy's care and consideration of our community. We hope you will recognize their good stewardship and support the agreement before you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Carlos Martinez, then Ryan Aids, Sergio Córdova, and Christine Morrow.

Thank you Madam President and Council Members. Good evening. My name is Carlos Martinez and I am the CEO of the Latino Community Foundation of Colorado. We are a statewide organization led by and for Latino, BIPOC, and LGBTQ communities. Our mission is to work hand-in-hand with diverse communities to create culturally responsive strategies that build influence, equity and opportunity. This mission was an impetus that drove our relationship with Xcel Energy as they look to reimagine and restructure their work and their relationships with low-income communities. In 2024, We partnered with Excel to work with disproportionately impacted and income-qualified communities. What we do, we recruit and train people from these communities, referred to as Community Action Partners, or CAPS to go into their own communities and engage in authentic conversations right now in four languages, English, Spanish, and two African languages to listen, learn firsthand of the challenges and issues they as customers have of Excel. This information is then given back to Accel to build their staff's awareness and knowledge of these communities to understand their lived experiences and to use the information to redesign programs so that they are more accessible and relevant. Built into this work with Accel is the opportunity where these community action partners can share and build relationships with Accel staff, from those working on these programs to Accel leadership such as Robert Kennedy, the president of Accel, and Holly Velazquez Horvath, regional vice presidents. These community action partners now have a direct line to the powerhouse there in Excel. To date, these CAPs have engaged close to 700 people. Additionally, our CAPs educate the community on various programs available to them, teach them how to apply and navigate the enrollment process so that they can do the same for others. building the ability to empower and advocate for themselves. In addition to CAPS, we are establishing community hubs at nonprofit sites, which will also do the work of the CAPS, but also hold community dialogue sessions to educate and learn more about access and participation challenges of Excel programs. In our partnership with Accel, they have recognized that it can do better through this type of authentic community engagement. Accel is demonstrating just that, to do better. I realize that there are varying opinions of Accel Energy. Our work with Accel has been rewarding. And for doing this kind of work for 37 years, community organization, I can say that I'm very proud of this relationship and ask you to support the franchise agreement.

Thank you. The next speaker is Ryan Aids, then Sergio Cordova, and Christine Morrow. After that is John Gooden.

Good evening, Madam President, members of council. My name is Ryan Aids. I'm a Denver resident in District 7, and I'm the executive director for the Greenway Foundation. The Greenway Foundation has spent more than 50 years revitalizing the South Platte River and connecting Denver communities with the river. As an organization focused on protecting our natural environment and building strong, connected communities, I want to directly note Xcel Energy's ongoing support and long-standing support of our efforts that include support for our SPRE outdoor environmental education programs, supporting free community events like CrossCurrents and Confluence Park, and providing support and volunteers for ongoing stewardship and volunteer cleanup events. These examples show Excel's commitment to being a strong community partner and supporting community organizations like the Greenway Foundation. For these reasons, I respectfully ask you to refer this to the November 2026 ballot. Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker is Sergio Cordoba.

Madam President, members of the council, my name is Sergio Cordoba and I'm a business agent with Five Feathers Local 2-8. And I want to thank you for the opportunity to express our support for the Denver XL Franchise Agreement. Pfeiffer's Local 208 is in support of the renewal of the franchise agreement between the City and County of Denver and Xcel Energy. We strongly encourage City Council members to support this renewal. Xcel Energy is a significant employer of union labor across Colorado. Xcel has a long-standing relationship with Local 208, providing good-paying union jobs and a skilled workforce that serves Denver and the surrounding regions. We are not just supporting this agreement because it is already in place. We are supporting this agreement because it's working. It's delivering stability for workers, productivity for management to plan their work, and the citizens are benefiting because the work is done right the first time. It is proof that when we focus on mutual respect and shared interest, we all benefit. This renewal represents a responsible partnership that supports both the public, the public good, and the Denver working families. We appreciate your consideration and your continued service to the people of Denver, and respectfully, we ask for a yes vote on the franchise agreement.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Christine Morrow. Online.

Good evening. My name is Christine Morrow and I am a Denver resident in the Berkeley neighborhood proudly represented by Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval. I am here today in support of the franchise agreement because I have personally benefited from Xcel Energy's Colorado medical exemption program. Due to a medical condition, I rely on several pieces of durable medical equipment to maintain my oxygen levels within a medically acceptable range. A family member suggested I look into Xcel's medical exemption program, and I'm grateful that I did. The program provides an important benefit. I can operate my medically necessary equipment at any time of day without being subject to peak time electricity charges before enrolling. I worried. That the increased electricity needed to run my equipment would result in unaffordable utility bills. Now, I have the peace of mind to use my equipment whenever I need it without hesitation or concern about higher costs. My need for this equipment is not predictable. Air quality, temperature, and other environmental factors can quickly affect my breathing. So having the flexibility to use my equipment whenever it is medically necessary is essential. I can say with certainty that the program has made a meaningful difference in my life. I hope it continues to exist and main remains available to others. Who depend on medical equipment in their homes. I understand that people have differing opinions about Xcel Energy, and I am here only to speak from my own experience. When a utility offers a program that helps people with medical needs afford the electricity required to operate life-sustaining equipment, I believe that benefit deserves careful consideration. For that reason, I respectfully ask you to vote in favor of the franchise agreement. Thank you for your time and your Thank you.

Our next speaker is John Gooden. After John is Lindsay Tyson and then Britt Deal.

Thank you, Madam President and the Council for the opportunity to speak this evening. My name is John Gooden and I live, both live and work here in Denver. I hail from District 10. My role focuses on energy and decarbonization as a mechanical engineer. And I really work at the intersection of both buildings and the utility sector. Over the course of my 20-year career, I have seen residents and building owners struggle with rising utility costs, and I've also correspondingly seen municipal and state governments struggle to address that from an affordability crisis perspective. At the same time, we're also trying to comprehensively address how we generate and deliver power to make our grid both more sustainable, more efficient, and more resilient. I'd like to register my strong support for extending the Excel franchise agreement. Both Denver and Xcel's partnership and leadership are a model for other municipalities and have helped control costs, while in my work we've seen nationwide costs continue to rise for energy. We are an inflection point for both our climate and economic status going forward. And I believe that the next five years alone, we're going to see continued investment from both Excel and the city and county of Denver into innovative solutions for both our grid and our district energy solutions, some of which was talked about here tonight. In my opinion, continued cooperation is the most reliable way to control costs for consumers and ensure that Denver stays at the forefront of the energy transition. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Lindsay Tyson.

Hello, good evening. I'm Lindsey Tyson, and I am a resident of District 6. I am here tonight to urge you to support bringing the proposed franchise agreement with Xcel Energy to the voters. I speak to you today, first and foremost, as a mother of two young children for whom I want the best possible future. I am also speaking to you as a sustainability professional. with experience at three Fortune 500 companies, all of whom have large presence in the Denver metro area. Additionally, I served on the board of the Colorado Renewable Energy Society and currently serve on the board of Denver CASA, And I share this not only to demonstrate my commitment to this community, but also to demonstrate my expertise and the energy transition and the risks we face when we don't manage this transition properly. I like you, I like to remind you that this franchise agreement is not a referendum on every frustration that Denver and its residents have with our utility without the franchise agreement. You've heard from so many now that Denver loses the general fund, the public projects that would face delays, increased costs and likely litigation. And we are likely to further delay the incredibly important transition of our energy infrastructure in the midst of unprecedented heat, wildfires and air quality ratings that are skyrocketing across the globe. This only harms us. Without the franchise agreement, We don't necessarily get a better deal by default. There is no deal by default. Without Excel, we can end up switching to another energy provider or attempting to municipalize, both of which could take at least a decade, require multiple billions of dollars, and would not guarantee cheaper nor cleaner power. To be very clear, I'm not coming out in support of Excel, but I am coming out in support of our community, because as a franchise, we reap the financial benefits of the general fund, maintain our influence at the PUC, which, as a reminder, has full economic regulatory authority over investor-owned electric and gas utilities, and we can continue to focus on serving our community members to support the transition to an affordable, reliable, and clean energy system. This would allow Denver to maintain its status as a national leader in the energy space with lower utility bills than the national average, a high wind and solar electricity mix, and robust climate protection fund, which can be best deployed through a franchise agreement. If you are on the fence, a no vote means closing the door, but a vote to send this agreement to the voters means trusting the voters, those very voters that elected you to make the best decisions for our future and for the futures of our children. I respectfully ask that you vote yes. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Britt Deal and then Christy Kibler.

Thank you, Madam President, and good evening, members of Council. My name is Britt Diehl. I am the Vice President of External Affairs at the Downtown Denver Partnership, a proud resident of District 10, and here thrilled to support Excel's endeavor to get on the ballot with the franchise agreement. I want to first acknowledge, like many that you've heard from tonight, that Excel has been an absolutely tremendous partner, not only to our organization at the Downtown Denver Partnership, but to the entire downtown community for decades, showing up at every turn as steadfast supporters and leaders within our community. Downtown is the economic engine of the city in this region, and a reliable, well-maintained energy infrastructure is absolutely foundational to that role. This agreement keeps in place tools our downtown depends on, including continued undergrounding of power lines, coordinated emergency response, and a framework that keeps utility relocation costs with Excel rather than city budgets. That protection has preserved billions for public infrastructure over the past 20 years, capital that could have otherwise come at the expense of streets, public spaces, and capital projects that make downtown and the rest of our city work. Excel has been a strong and responsive partner in downtown's revitalization and far beyond, and this agreement reflects that same spirit of partnership. This is a stronger agreement than the one it replaces, and it deserves to go before voters. And we urge you to place it on the ballot for your vote tonight. Thank you so much.

Thank you. We have three more speakers for tonight. The next speaker is Christy Kibler. Then we have Jesse Paris and Brandi Majors.

Good evening, Madam President and members of the Council. My name is Christy Kibler. I'm the CEO of Lupus Colorado. Lupus Colorado is the only statewide organization serving folks in Colorado living with lupus. We serve about 30,000 Coloradans. Many of the people we serve live with significant health challenges while also struggling to make ends meet. In addition to our health programs, Lupus Colorado is proud to serve as an energy outreach Colorado agency. We are often the first call families make when they are facing the impossible choice between paying their energy bill, buying groceries, or filling a prescription. This year alone, we've helped 467 Xcel Energy households access more than a quarter of a million dollars in energy bill assistance. Behind every one of those households is a real person, a parent trying to keep the lights on for their children, an older adult relying on electricity to power medical equipment, or someone living with a chronic illness who cannot endure extreme heat or cold. We are the front lines every day. We hear the fear in people's voices when they don't know how they're paying the next bill. We also see the tremendous relief when programs funded through Energy Outreach Colorado make it possible for them to stay safely in their homes. That support is not theoretical. It changes lives. The partnership between Xcel Energy and EOC has become an essential part of the safety net for our community. It allows organizations like ours to respond quickly and compassionately when families are facing an energy crisis. As you consider the franchise agreement, I encourage you to recognize the importance of preserving the partnerships and investments that help protect our most vulnerable neighbors. For the hundreds of households we serve each year and the thousands served by our community organizations across Denver, the support truly matters. Thank you for your time, your service, and your consideration, and I strongly support moving the agreement to the ballot.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Jessie Paris.

Yes, good evening members of council those watching at home those in the council chambers. My name is Jesse the Sean Paris and I'm representing for black star action movement for self defense, positive action, commercial, social change as well as the unity party of Colorado, the Northeast or North Park Hill coalition. Frontline Black News, Chewbacca's Black Experience Enhanced, The Revolutionary Agenda, and I reside at the Roach and Bearbug Infested Legacy Lofts in Darrell Watson's District of Defined, District 9, the Historically Black District of Five Points. And I am a candidate on the ballot for Cardinal State House of Representatives for House District 8. The election is in November. Isn't this the same XL that tried to pull a nuclear reactor in Green Valley Ranch? I hear all this broad and vigorous terminology, vulnerable communities. How is this gonna benefit Black Denverites? How is this franchise gonna? The last time y'all brought something like this to the voters was with the Park Hill Golf Course, which was supposed to be a benefit to the Black community. That is not benefiting the Black community. Same thing with this franchise agreement. I don't see no benefit to this. The rates are through the roof. You're not doing nothing to address that. When it hits 105 degrees in Denver, the power goes out. I witnessed this twice in 2017 and in 2020 in black neighborhoods. The first time was in 2017 in Skyland. It hit 105, the power went out. In 2020, When I was living in Park Hill, the power went out historically black neighborhoods. These Excel substations are not benefiting black Denver rights. These obsessive rates are not benefiting black Denver rights. Nothing that has been said tonight is going to benefit black Denver rights. In fact, it's going to harm Black Denverites. So as you can see from my background, I fight for Black Denverites' interests. And I don't see this helping Black Denverites at all, just like the last time y'all brought something before the voters. So I ask you not to bring this forth to the voters in November. We're not benefiting from this at all. We are only black people that have spoken tonight. I wanna make note of that. It's only gonna be me and Brandy Majors are gonna be the only black speakers that have spoken on this tonight. I definitely wanna make note of that. And your little tokens that you try to put up, they don't speak for so-called BIPOC, even though I don't use that broad, ambiguous language. I'm a foundational Black American, descendant of American child slavery freedmen, and we're not going to benefit from this franchise agreement. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Brandi Majors.

Okay, can you hear me?

Yes, we can.

Okay. Thank you city council and those watching everybody in the chambers. I'm a resident. I'm a resident in Aurora. I pay utilities. I've been paying utilities since God knows. I can remember my parents pay utilities. I'm 46 years old. That's been paying utilities. I've been paying utilities to excel energy. So I can remember. Man, let me tell you about it. Let me tell you about this, right? I'm a very disabled individual. I live in a very high crime, poor area of town in Aurora. I have no access to these benefits that Xcel Energy is always talking about, right? Once a year, I qualify for the energy outreach program. It's once a year where you can help me with these excessive bills. And the only thing that keeps my lights on is because I have three machines that keep me breathing. and alive and able to move around. These are like medical devices. And without them, I can die. But that's not beside the point. I'm in an apartment that has no heating or AC or really any kind of way to cool down. So I could die anyway. I have a very serious heart condition. And yet I'd rather eat than die. We have to pay these excessive energy bills. We have to deal with that in these poor communities, in our poor communities. I mean, you know, having to pay Xcel Energy. You wanna talk about franchise, all this stuff, right? But all I see is you guys keep getting more and more money. We keep paying so your coffers keep getting bigger. Billions and billions of dollars every single year. And you want to keep adding to it. You want to keep taking all the little monies that the poor people get in taxes and bills and everything so you can keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger. And all you're doing is polluting and killing the people. And yet you want this franchise to go to the voters. I, I vote nay. And I encourage everybody else to What you're doing is getting kickbacks and incentives for these data centers, these drilling, you're doing the most. This grid is not stable and it won't be. that's overheating, everything's bad. And yet you wanna keep franchising. You wanna keep building and making Denver greater. Well, what did we do before this franchise? Can we go back to that? How about we take a long five-year pause of you being so greedy and give back to the people who've paid into you for 20 years? Why don't you just cut us a check? Why don't you help us stimulate the economy? Maybe we could eat. Maybe we could breathe a little better. Maybe we could actually afford AC. Why don't you do that, Xcel Energy?

That concludes our speakers. Questions from members of council on Council Bill 0970, 0973, and 0974. Let's get started with Council Member Watson.

Thank you so much, Council President. From anyone with the sustainability team in CASR, if we can speak to you a little bit on the pilot programs or pilot projects. How do we integrate pilot programs now? And what are your anticipations from the partnership agreement from the advisory group? How do you perceive that they're going to integrate into some of those dialogues? So anyone from that team?

Thank you for the question, Councilmember Watson. Again, Jonathan Rogers, Johnny, Deputy Executive Director from Denver's Climate Office. We see this as really being a complementary opportunity to bring more community perspective in terms of how we identify and select and advance pilots. It currently happens from a number of different sources. We have a really robust staff of subject matter experts that are We're constantly looking for opportunities for improvement for the energy systems that are serving our community. So some will be staff proposed. We have expertise on Denver Sustainability Advisory Council already made up of members of the community who provide us with recommendations for things that they observe that could be implemented in Denver. We always have an ear to our elected officials and council members and hear from constituents with an interest in different opportunities that we take into consideration. The Public Utilities Commission is almost continuously exploring different opportunities in terms of how we generate, move, share power between customers to find those ways that are most affordable, reliable, and pollution-free. Obviously, partnership with Xcel Energy and their staff as the utility provider, if they're interested in exploring creative opportunities that can benefit Denverites, we certainly take it into consideration. We have the resources to use consultants to conduct cost-benefit analyses and studies that help us to try things out at that really small scale before we make a large investment. We are at the end of the day stewards of our taxpayer resources and the Climate Protection Fund, as well as then wanting to see what is ready for prime time and able to be brought to scale through the Public Utilities Commission and the billions of dollars of investment that we hope to seek to influence in the public interest. This Denver Energy Partnership and the Community Advisory Group will bring in more perspectives that will really help to advise us in our various efforts, and we're excited to engage with these community members on an ongoing basis.

Thanks so much, Johnny. Just see what other area I want to touch on quickly. Thank you, Madam President. I don't have any additional questions at this time.

Thank you. Councilwoman Paradis.

Thank you, Madam Pro Tem. I wanted to ask, I guess I have one question for Excel and one for the administration to start with. For Excel, I'm curious how you all determined the $125,000 per year number.

Yes, Councilwoman. Again, repeat that really quickly.

How did you settle on $125,000 a year?

So we took, we have about 754,000 customers in the state of Colorado that can qualify for our low-income program and payment assistance. In the city of Denver, it's about 167,000 of those customers. So if you divide that into the 754, you roughly get about 23% of the percentage of the population to service that. As you heard, we committed to a $10 million shareholder donation that we are working with our Colorado Public Utilities Commission to help with bill pay assistance. And so we just took that number and said, let's do an additional two and a half million And then another 125 equaled another 2.5 million. That was before the 3% escalator. And that was how we got to the math of the support.

Okay. And so it wasn't based on—when you say there's 167,000 people in Denver, roughly, because we're sort of estimating a prorated share of the state, that would qualify for— or I may not be using the right word, but for assistance. First of all, what's the cutoff for qualification for that? Is it the poverty line or how is that determined?

It's the 80%. It's what HUD uses to qualify for customers to get the payment assistance.

And then 167,000, is that households? people it's a hundred and sixty seven thousand households households what would be the value of all those households had they had the assistance that they needed in other words how much are those households paying total annually

I don't know exactly how much, but I will say, if it helps, that an average utility bill for our customers is $110 a month. Okay.

So that would take a little bit of back of the envelope, but what I'm trying to get at is it's interesting to me that this number is just sort of... based off of a PUC number, rather than being a consideration of the need in the city. And I actually didn't know that that was how you all had come up with that. I also, I do just have to point out, $125,000, even if you increase it by $300, I mean, I don't know what number of Excel employees make more than $125,000 a year. I hope a lot of you. But that is not a lot of money. It's just not. And so it's a little, it's just really a strange number to me. I also am curious, I think this is probably an administration question for Dominic. Thank you so much. Sure. Dominic, can you share what was the largest number that the administration ever asked Excel for, for anything beyond the base franchise fee? So for energy assistance, for pilots, what was the biggest ask you all ever made?

Madam President, Councilmember Parity, we did, in negotiations, always bring up the recommendations from the working group. So we did say that certain members of the working group, it wasn't a, I think, formal entire working group recommendation, had advanced $5 million request.

But obviously, like... Wasn't that, was that $5 million a year or $5 million over 20 years?

I believe that was $5 million a year, Councilmember Perry. Right. So this would be 1 20th of that.

Okay. All right. Those might be all my questions. I'll get back in the queue if I have more. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilmember Sandoval. Thank you, Madam President. My question is for Excel. Can you please share how does your profit share work and who are your shareholders?

Yeah, thank you for asking the question. So we are a regulated monopoly that is investor-owned, and our investors are our shareholders. They include millions of Americans. If you think about our shareholders, because of the rate of return that our shareholders earn, it's about 8%, roughly, between 6% and 8%. That is typically what institutions that steward Vanguard, 401 s, pensions, that includes para. And so these are retirement funds, and our shareholders are folks who need to make a modest return on their ongoing investment for retirees, for themselves as they plan for retirement. About 85% of our shareholders are representative of one of these types of funds and institutions.

Thank you. And have you always been a shareholder? Or is that how Excel started out, is having shareholders?

We started out as a local, very, very small gas company that had a wagon and rode down 16th Street lighting gas lamps. I don't suspect until we got to about the 1940s when we had built and invested all of the electric infrastructure that we actually started to think about what a regulated monopoly investor owned. So we didn't start out that way. I think we evolved into that.

One last question I have. When we've done pilot programs for other types, so when I was a council aide in Highland area, we did a LED pilot, and we wanted to change all the Cobra headlightings because we had better lighting with LED, and they were more sustainable, and it was a better... At the same time, we were having a lot of crime in certain council districts, and so we partnered with Excel. And you provided us free light bulbs so that people can go and turn on the light campaign, basically. Dating myself, it was 2014. Do you know, when we change out LEDs, do we have those costs or does Excel pay for those costs?

So it depends on the lighting and maybe Cindy could probably answer this better because I can't remember what program, program A or program B of the street light program. So maybe you can answer that because I don't want to be inaccurate.

Thank you. Sure. Cindy Patton from DOTI. We would pay for those costs. So in the example of conversion to LED, we would get charged for that through the franchise agreement. Sorry, through the tariff, I believe. Thank you. And then for things like turning up wattage, turning down wattage, we would also get charged. For replacing lights, for adding new lights, those are all actions that the Excel team will take on because we do not have anywhere near the staff to be able to handle the vast number of street lights that are out there, but we would be billed for that. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Council Member Gonzales, or Pro Tem Gonzales-Piqueiras. Thank you, Council President. I just, I have a couple questions. I think this will probably be for Excel, and I'm not sure who would be best to answer, but thanks, Holly. Regarding the commitment to ongoing community engagement, you guys talk about the red truck, you talk about the work that has been done up to date. What does that commitment look like going forward and even beyond a campaign? Knowing if this gets referred to the ballot, what does that community engagement in trying to find out what are the needs in the communities, what does that look like?

Yes. So this is fairly new for us. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. It's been about three to four years that we've been, as Carlos Martinez represented with LCFC, that we've been trying to reimagine how we engage with community and think about it genuinely as making an impact versus checking a box is really what I told Carlos from the very beginning. We've been doing it, like he said, since 2024. So we're learning. We launched the red truck. again. Daniel, when did we? 2023, sorry. Daniel runs our Red Truck program. Daniel runs our Red Truck program, and we launched that in 2023. So we're really new. We are committed to engaging in community because what we're learning is that we are hearing language, challenges, issues that we're not ever told the way that we should have been listening. And we're learning a lot about how we need to improve as a company through that engagement. I would say that we are committed to it. We will continue to. Whether or not we have a franchise or not, we are in. We are serving the customers of Denver. And we know that our customers are in need. And this is, at least right now, how we've best thought about showing up. We are completely open to getting feedback. We're not perfect and we're learning and so we've committed to doing that in the long term with whatever organization decides that they want to give us additional feedback and opportunity to do that.

Thank you for that and I mean I appreciate the commitment I think even more pointedly I guess I would ask that it is you know more that I appreciate that more than a checkbox rate because that's what I'm getting at but also how often right and I know you probably can't put a number to that here tonight but what I would ask is that it is more than a once a year thing right that it is ongoing throughout the year as we know when it comes to energy needs in our communities it's not just one season, right? It's all the time and all of the different needs that exist. So I guess I'm asking if there will be a commitment to figuring out what that model would look like and that it would be really engaging with what our folks that are, you know, low-income folks that are, you know, having financial needs and, you know, what are the specific needs that they do have, right? Being able to engage in those conversations. Is that something that Excel is ready to dive into?

Yes, and I will say that one of the things and the ways in which we have started to engage is not by sending out webinars or organizing community events on our own. It's really about meeting our customers where they are. So that's why Jewish Family Services and Servicios de la Raza are partners. We've engaged with a partnership with Red Cross. to learn about emergency preparedness and resiliency and they're the ones that are allowing us to be with them as they engage regularly with community. So we're doing it all the time and we are committed to continuing to do that and evolve however community needs.

Okay, thank you. On the same front of that there is this community navigator position that has been written into the agreement as well and I was reading that last night and I saw that it is it sounds like one position and that's the $250,000 for a community navigator and I was curious is that position held at Excel is it held at the city where where will that position live if anybody has that information?

So I can, we can answer together, but I will say that through the negotiation, the intention of the navigator program at a minimum investment of 250 was to do an RFP to a third party, not the city of Denver, not Xcel Energy, and ask for that partnership in building the navigator program and being responsible for it. And then we would pay for that contract similar to how we've engaged with Latino Community Foundation of Colorado and whether 250 is the right number we wanted to say a minimum but we're not committed to not funding more if the RFP comes back and we start to evaluate it in partnership with the city of Denver and it says that we need to fund it for three to start and we find that in a year it needs to evolve we're committed to making it work because we believe in the value of of connecting the city of Denver programs with Xcel Energy programs and trying not to make it confusing for our customers.

Okay. Was there anything you wanted to add from the mayor's office or from Johnny? Okay, thanks. On that, so you're saying that if it will cost more, because here's like part of my concern is that one position may not be enough to cover the entire city of Denver. That's one individual providing navigation for hundreds of thousands of people potentially, depending on what the needs are. And so I think it's just something that I'm grateful to hear you say that that's the minimum amount and that there would be willing to discuss potential of additional. And it looks like...

I know I was going to say, I heard Cindy behind me.

I think it was intended for two to three. So the intention was that that would be the contract amount or more per Holly, but it could be multiple positions. It is not just one position.

Okay. I think that's where it was a little confusing because in the agreement, it makes it sound like it's just one position. And maybe I misread a piece, but it did appear that way in that language. Okay. Thank you. Thank you so much. That's all that I have right now. Thank you. Thank you.

Council Member Alvarez. Thank you, Council President. I did have a few questions just to follow up on the concerns that were brought up the first time this came around. I think one of the big issues that came up was being intentional around undergrounding and that 1%. Can anyone from the city side speak to how we're going to be more intentional with those dollars and planning for the undergrounding?

Yeah, so Cindy Patton again with Dottie. Thank you for bringing up undergrounding because it is a an essential part of the franchise, the core franchise. It's a really valuable benefit to the city, and that means that 1% of the gross revenues, I believe, will go into undergrounding. These are dollars that Excel will hold, and we will direct where to underground overhead utility lines. It is a very expensive endeavor. It's about a million dollars a block, so we are not talking about an expansive reach of this program at 1% a year. However, we acknowledge that the year of the last 20 years, this has been quite a black box program, and it has not been clear where those dollars are going. In most cases, and we have put some of this information on our website already, because we want to be more transparent about where the dollars have gone. But moving forward, I'm very happy to continue to be more transparent about it. And it's really a right size, right fit because it is not a lot of money. And sometimes the big capital programs need a lot more to underground all of Evans or all of a really long corridor that has this historic overhead condition. But we are very committed to making sure that it is more transparent moving forward because that's not been the case to date.

I appreciate that. And then one of the other concerns was around how we are advocating at the PUC. Is there any thoughts about how we can advocate differently at the PUC better and approach that relationship in a new way?

Absolutely. Johnny Rogers again from the Climate Office. We're the most active community at the Public Utilities Commission, and we're continuously striving to identify those opportunities for what really brings us to affordable, reliable, clean energy for Denverites where and when we need it. And how are we also looking at modernizing the way in which utilities make their profit? Do they get a full rate of return on things that continue to put, say, pollution into the air and are not in alignment with state laws? Or is that only available for investments that advance those public policy interests? Those debates are actually happening. right now at the Public Utilities Commission. And we're fortunate to have a seat at the table in their gas infrastructure plan, their gas rate case, new explorations of a large load tariff for data centers and how do we ensure that data centers don't get built on the backs of rate payers, but that those large customers would pay for their connections, pay for their new generation, pay for the infrastructure that they need for their services so that it doesn't fall on the rest of us to do that.

Yeah, I appreciate that. And when it comes to data centers, I think one of the other concerns, since there is one already going in in the city, was around outages that they may cause to the neighborhood. Is that part of the discussion as well? on how not only are they paying their fair share for their infrastructure, but does that infrastructure include protections for the surrounding communities?

Absolutely. I mean, those are our three pillars, and affordable and reliable come first. And by the way, it does need to be pollution-free to align with our goals. Resource adequacy, backup power, how do we make sure that we can always keep the lights on and serve customers, and that one customer is not going to be treated more favorably, and then a blackout would hit our local residents or other businesses. We keep a very close eye on that and participate the appropriate proceedings to make sure we can take corrective action if anything seems amiss.

I appreciate that. I'd love to hear from Excel also on your take on how you are treating data centers versus our local residents in a fair manner.

Yeah, absolutely. So the large load tariff that Johnny referred to that is in front of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission is currently being reviewed and it is a framework that protects all of current existing customers, residential customers from not having to pay in any way, whether that's in their rates or infrastructure for any data centers in Colorado. We also, because of the voltage that data centers require on the distribution side, we will not own any distribution infrastructure for any data center. So they will have to build operate and maintain their entire lead distribution center and then interconnect into our transmission. So they actually won't be residential or small business customers because they will only be connected in on the transmission. And they have to pay their way. Growth pays its way. So they will pay for all transmission infrastructure, any generation that is required. And that is in total to their cost, not to customers. In addition to that, other customers benefit from that infrastructure. So electrons move where electrons move. They're not discreet to serving whoever paid for the infrastructure. So even though our customers aren't going to pay for it and they will be protected, all customers will benefit from that resiliency and that additional infrastructure.

I appreciate that. One of the things that I have heard a lot of really great feedback from over the last year from residents is the rebate program. And so I want to make sure that those rebate programs are things that you want to continue and they're not going to go away after this franchise agreement is approved.

Yes, absolutely. We actually, Johnny mentioned the electric heat rate pilot that he highlighted as one of the pilots for Denver. That is included in our entire large customer program filing that includes all of our energy efficiency rebates, our clean heat rebates, which are all for electrification. That was filed on July 1, and that customer program filing is intended to go for the next three and a half years, and then we will file a new one.

Thank you. I appreciate the efforts here, and I really appreciate that you are talking about wanting to do better and Excel not being perfect. I will emphasize that I have seen some improvements over this time, but I will also say that we still have a long way to go. Just the other night when we were at the State of the City, an R&O convened just to hear from Excel. They weren't even going to have a regular meeting, and Excel didn't show up. That is not good for my residents or for the neighbors in the Ruby Hill neighborhood in particular. That was that night. I think I have a lot of concerns going into the future about the planned power outages. We haven't had any in Denver. One day we will. Every time we get these notifications that there could be a planned outage, you start really big and then you whittle down. And it's very stressful as a mom to think about, is my son's school going to have power? Is my office going to have power? And so I think what I'm most nervous about is that communication. Climate change is really taking a toll on us right now. We just heard. Storms outside of this building and I think how we partner and communicate better in the future And it and I will say this does scare me 20 years is a long time We don't know what the climate is going to do in the next 20 years And so I'm asking you and asking all of your employees who I know you all work really hard just like our city workers do as well is to continue to partner and think about how we can do better because Power is what people rely on. There's people with medical needs. There's extreme heat. There's extreme cold. And where we are at is not good enough. And not only are we having planned power outages, but we do have severe thunderstorms. We have severe storms.

Councilmember, we're in question time. Sorry. You were going in. I was listening. I don't know if there was a question in there.

Yeah, there's a question. The question is just, are you all committed to doing better and admitting that there is still a lot of room to improve?

Absolutely, and that's why I said in my remarks that we're not perfect, and we are continually to always working better and getting that feedback, and we're committed to doing that.

I appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you, Council President.

Thank you. Council Member Parity. Yeah, I'm sorry. Let me click back over to my remaining question, and thanks for letting me get back in. I have too many windows open, as usual. That's okay. I have lost it. I don't need to waste everybody's time looking for it. Sorry about that. Thanks, Madam President. Okay.

The public, let me bang that first. The public hearing is closed. Comments by members of council on council bill 0970-0973-0974. Council member Watson.

Thank you so much, Council President. I just wanted to first start with thank you. The last time this came through, I didn't have a list of everyone that participated in the working group and the City of Denver staff. And so I want to call out some names, put it on the record. I'd like to thank my colleague, Council Member Sarah Parity. Sue Powers that called in virtually from Urban Ventures. Keith Meyer, who is the president of Denver Interneighborhood Cooperative, so Denver INC. Joe Levy, the Dottie Advisory Board member and principal at Oz Architecture. Aaron Martinez with Urban Line Conservancy, Jeff Ackerman with Together Colorado, Jeremy Ross from IBEW that spoke tonight as well, Luke Johnson from the Broadway GID, General Improvement District, Adair Andre from the Denver Regional Council of Governors, and the Power Ahead Colorado program lead. Very quickly, sometimes you don't thank the city staff. Tons of work over the last two and a half years as well. So I want to call out a few names. Dominic Moreno, Senator Moreno, Shannon Gifford, Alex Gutierrez, Liz Babcock, Johnny Rogers, Charles Solomon, John McGrath, Cindy Patton, Nicholas Williams, Alana McWhorter, and Terry Goodwin. If I missed anyone, I apologize. But I wanted to at least start my comments today. there and obviously there's a whole team of folks actually i missed den so reader aguilar and scott morrissey i want to thank uh den as well and then um The work that the working group did, part of our opportunity over the last six months was to come together with a diverse group of folks to have a discussion on a topic that impacts all of us, all of our families, the small businesses that we support, the nonprofits that we support, the people we see on a daily basis. We had an idea of really a framework of outcomes that we wanted. As you heard, obviously, the working group spoke to larger dollars in some parts of the partnership agreement than we received. We had a negotiation. We had six months of dialogue. And I do believe, as a member of this working group, that we made excellent progress on that, and we put forward a franchise agreement that I support strongly, and I believe it's the opportunity for the voters to make the final decision, not just us sitting here. I do believe the partnership agreement is solid. I wanted to remind folks or highlight a few of the things that I think... should be mentioned, should be elevated. So within the franchise agreement, which is truly a right-of-way agreement, provides the opportunity for Excel to leverage our right-of-way instead of each individual development that comes through the City and County of Denver, for there to be individual agreements done throughout the process. is cost ineffective, timing ineffective, and it will impact I would say negatively our communities without this precise franchise agreement. There's about $34 million in city general fund dollars that are going to be coming back for this. About $2 million per year of these funds are dedicated to income qualified energy affordable programs. About $150 million to speak to and to help with that infrastructure work that we're doing in a growing city. And then for the question asked by Councilwoman Alvarez, about $10 million, and that is targeted to really making sure that we're doing undergrounding our power lines, an essential work for Excel and for this agreement. Very specific to the partnership agreement that I think we should elevate. And I think I appreciate, I think with Cindy, I don't remember who clarified when it came to the navigator program. A few of the speakers, a few of the folks who came to public comment shared about gaining an awareness of programs that they had no idea existed within the city and county of Denver. Programs that possibly saved their lives. when it came to providing energy assistance when they had medical needs. The Navigator program provides for a third party to work collaboratively to look at what is the opportunity for us as consumers, folks across Denver, to tie us to many programs that we are under utilizing. Many of these life-saving programs, many Denverites don't know about them. The Navigator program will provide that opportunity. I think the 1% for substations was something specifically asked by INC and by many folks in communities that I've spoke with. The beginning ask was 3%. What we got was 1%. However, that is more as far as specific when it comes to substations and ensuring that we have community input in these substations that must be built, like Poder. I remember the community dialogue and kind of the little battle we had with Excel specific on the Poder plant, specific on community input on the exterior. and what that means and what that impact is. And Excel came up with community and a co-created idea that was much better than what was originally put forward. That was one of the models of what this 1% will provide. I think the EPA process was also essential in making sure that we have a reporting structure, and we didn't speak to that a lot tonight. And one of the things that we don't have fully embedded in the last 20-year agreement is a clarity on touchback. We have a lot of advisory committees. Not a lot. I think we have a handful of advisory committees that works directly with Excel and community members. But we don't have anything that is embedded within the existing plan. We have a community advisory group that will be embedded, that will work with Johnny and his great team, with CASR, with Excel and with others, and with being informed by the PUC as far as steps we can take for pilot programming. to make sure that those essential pilots that we described is community informed. The community process also is going to be informed by a dashboard. Each trigger, each target within the EPA agreement provides a dashboard that everyone that's watching here live on Channel 8 and folks in this audience will be able to review the dashboard and review the steps we've taken, the successes we've had based on this EPA agreement. This is new. This is important. There's a five-year evaluation requirement. It doesn't mean that we won't be receiving annual updates to Denver City Council and to all of the partners that currently occurs, but we've embedded a five-year evaluation in this process each five years. I think that is also important. So the Dashboard Community Advisory Group, clear targets for making sure that we as a community know the outcome. Is this a perfect... Partnership agreement, it is not. Did we receive everything as a very diverse group of folks that worked on the EPA? We didn't. Did Excel get everything they wanted? No, they didn't. But that is what this process was, to bring to this council the opportunity for a partnership agreement tied to the franchise agreement and then take it to the voters. We have been discussing this for two years. I believe as one person within that working group and one of 13 council members that now is the time to take this to the voters for them to decide on their own whether this franchise agreement works. I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this and allow the voters to have their say finally throughout this process. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Council Member Hines.

Thank you, Madam President. uh... till the rlb a yes tonight uh... on an enthusiastic yes uh... i'm a yes because uh... you know sometimes we have to trust we can be on every committee we can be everywhere at the same time we have to trust that our colleagues council member watson is on the committee and he's uh... he's giving a more enthusiastic yes and i am uh... he's on the committee did the deeper dives and i have to do something you know i have to have some trust into that he's done the deeper dive. I'm a yes because of all the jobs that Excel provides. I'm a yes because of the promises that Excel has provided, how they will do more community engagement, that they'll have some additional work with the areas around their property, on their property and around their property. You know, what we're doing is we're asking the people to vote on this. So we have a little bit. I mean, yes, because this gives Excel and all the lobbying firms that Excel has hired more time to make the full case between now and November. for the people to have a more educated, more informed vote. I do have reservations. I hear that Excel engaged the community. We have about 30 RNOs in District 10. And some are active, some are not. So I'm not trying to say that all 30 of them are active. But I learned that Excel had conversations with two of them. And we have three business improvement districts. Excel had conversations with one of them. I hope that community engagement is more than just sending an email or three to a neighborhood organization. These are groups that have said, Obviously, you know, overtly that they want to communicate with the city of Denver about local government. That's a registered neighborhood organization is the way in law that the people of Denver can have conversations with the city of Denver. So, you know, I have... reservations about how it's always demonstrated how it is by interacts with the community that um... the encampments uh... we don't have a chemist anymore that's not really uh... entirely because of expo i'm sorry we don't have large-scale encampments anymore like a hundred-tenths uh... like we had four different large-scale encampments in district ten uh... and some of them would camp on excel property and we try to get Excel engaged and it was tough to get. So anyway, so I'm hoping that this is a renewed commitment from Excel and from CASR. I don't know if I believe that this is the best deal that any city has gotten in Colorado. Guess what? You got some time. So I'm going to lay that down. You have said that on the record.

I'd love for you to show the people.

that and so there is time between now and November for for Kazir to to go dig in a little bit and not just say that we've that this is the best deal but it demonstrate why I think that Mr. Smelly He's not here tonight, but he was present in the conversations a year ago. He actually did a side-by-side analysis of five different municipalities and explained that we had the worst deal of the five municipalities. So I would encourage you to, for a majority yes vote in November, I would encourage you to do some of that analysis and share with the community that too. Sorry, it's not an enthusiastic guess, but I think the vote is what you, what is the right answer for tonight. And so anyway, thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Councilman Flynn.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you to everyone who showed up and stayed here until the hour it is tonight. I struggle to try to be impressed with the package that we have here today. The people who know me know that I tend to focus on things I didn't get. as opposed to things that I did. I don't know if that's from being Irish Catholic all my life and expecting Cromwell to write it and cut off our heads at any moment. But I do make a note that of the working group, All of the community-based organizations that participated, except for one, all support this. And I especially want to call out the support from our labor friends, those folks with their skills, especially IBEW and the pipefitters, but also Denver Area Labor Federation. for being very involved in this. I do see that what we're voting on tonight is a substantial improvement over what we looked at last year. and which was rejected, a substantial improvement. And again, I focus on, well, what's still on the table. And as several people have noted during the testimony and during comments here already, no one gets everything they want. No one, ever. And I suppose that's the best way that it can be. Earlier today in the meeting, we honored Phil Washington from his retirement from DIA. But when he was at the CEO of RTD, I worked for him on the Fast Tracks program and I got to see. So much of the work in projects that involve utility relocation under the UP tracks, under the BNS tracks, out in Arvada on the Gold Line, on the line to the airport, it's just tremendously expensive work. And were it not for this franchise... all of our bond projects, all of the capital improvement projects that we have lined up will become enormously more expensive. The hit alone to our general fund, if we were to lose a franchise fee, and the other benefits, the undergrounding fund, would go out the window our ability to to participate in PUC proceedings for example out the window and so I believe this is ready to go to the voters is it perfect no I respect those all of those who took part in the process and got the deal that's before us I don't know councilman Hines if it's the best one in the state I really don't care because it's the one we're looking at And with that, I'll be very supportive of sending this to voters once and for all. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Madam President. I want to first say that this is better than where we were a year ago. And I just gently want to say to my colleagues who didn't think it was worth taking the extra year that we've secured another $5 million of low-income energy assistance, the off-ramps, and just a lot of commitments because we took that time. Some of the things are pretty fine-grained. The money doesn't knock my socks off, but it was worth the extra year. And I hope that people will maybe chew on that a little bit because it was a very slim majority of us that made that decision last year. And we were very much told that we were not going to do any better, and that we were creating a huge risk for the city, and we were heavily lobbied. So on the one hand, this has improved. But I wanted to go back to why we're sending this to the voters at all. This is about the value of the public right-of-way. So the history of regulation of electric utilities in this country is that Essentially, in the beginning, in sort of the 1880s, 1890s, I think this provision was maybe passed in 1904, as best I can tell. Cities had these provisions that said that they would never give an exclusive franchise. They wouldn't grant a monopoly. And they often would grant multiple franchises with the purposes of keeping costs down for people. Over time, cities grew, monopolies developed through the market. And so now here we are in a position where what we have is a monopoly, despite our charter saying that we won't grant an exclusive franchise, which this isn't. The fact is that Excel is the only sort of meaningful possible provider in Denver. But that doesn't mean that they have an entitlement to our public space. It's valuable. It remains valuable to them, despite the fact that they have their lines in place. And you know that from hearing from their workers. We have heard from the unions repeatedly about how important it is to them and therefore how important it should be to the company to have this franchise in place. It has value to this giant private corporate behemoth that makes billions of dollars every year. So have we extracted the true value of that agreement for our city? I am pretty certain that we haven't. Part of the reason that I think that is because the working group as a whole, with very little dissent, most of those that serve on the working group, had sort of asked the mayor's administration to ask Excel for $5 million a year of low-income energy assistance, not $5 million over 20 years. And I will say, just to gently put a gloss on what Mr. Moreno said, I checked back with some working group partners, and what the mayor told some of us at that time is that he didn't make that ask because he just thought it was too much. So I just don't have faith in these negotiations that we really got what we should have gotten for the people of our city. And it matters. It matters a huge amount. I've represented low-income people. I did that for many years of my career, 10 years of my career, maybe 12. I don't know. And electric bills are one of the things that can break the bank. They just are. The statistics, I think, are... are kind of interesting. If there's 167,000 households in Denver that need help with those $110 a month average electric bills, those households pay Excel $220 million every year. And we're offering them $125,000 of utility assistance. So even if they only need help with half their electric bills, that's 0.001% of the need. It's not the only program, but the programs fall far short of the need. And when we talk about the need, we're talking about the need for people not to pay to a utility that has vast profits. So it's sad to be sort of subject to a monopoly. It's not the fault of city staff that Excel has become a monopoly. But I don't think that we really have recognized I don't think that Excel is paying what it perceives to be the full value of this franchise from having watched these negotiations and how they've gone from the start, because I think the city came into it in too much of a position of self-perceived weakness. And how is Excel serving our consumers, the people that get to vote on whether it's worthy of using our public space that we own? Well, in 2024, the average Excel Colorado customer, this is statewide, not city, experienced 350 outage minutes. That's a lot more than in the past. That's because the grid is stressed. The climate is changing. So Excel didn't cause that problem exactly, but it is the provider. And then customer service has really collapsed. In 2024, Excel auto-disconnected 100,000 calls. in the state, again, not the city. We don't have the numbers for the city. Customers abandoned 200,000 calls after long wait times. Wait times hit seven and a half minutes. Excel has cut staff. I know Excel is working on that, but those are real problems, especially when we're experiencing the kind of heat that we are. I just happened to experience one week of the European heat wave, and I was in places without air conditioning. I have disabilities that make me heat stressed, and I will tell you that that heat wave was horrific, and I'm really afraid if that comes to demorize air conditioning here. But if my power were to go out, that's a serious matter for me, just like it is for people with many, many other health conditions. So that's why the people of the city are so frustrated with Excel is because of those customer service issues, which are incredibly real. And when we say customer service issues, we mean issues having power in your home, right? And that's part of why in the city charter, we put these franchises on the ballot because people should get a vote on whether a company that's going to make vast profits off of our city streets is worthy of that. Are they a good company? Are they serving people well? It's not just about the $35 million to the general fund and this and that. That's why people get a vote. That's why we're sending this to the ballot at the end of the day. It's about democracy. It's about a check on what I think early regulators knew would be very risky if it became a monopoly, as it has, because it's a basic need, which is why we have that provision in the charter. Excel has been spending money on things like polling. This is the first time I've ever seen my name in a push poll. It was pretty funny. that they have been spending a huge amount of money on lobbying us, which they have every right to do, but this franchise is valuable to them, and that's why they're spending all of that money. It was also interesting tonight just my ear caught multiple speakers, the majority of whom and it's not a ding on anybody, but a lot of the people speaking in favor of the franchise have a financial relationship with Excel, including nonprofits who benefit from contributions to them who do incredibly good work and need those contributions. But that's a financial relationship. The term was... Can we trust Excel? So I think that must be Excel's sort of theme for the ballot in the fall. Can we trust Excel? Those disconnection figures say no to me, but that's also not what I'm voting on tonight. I'm voting on whether I think that this franchise agreement gets the full value to this private company of this franchise. And I just don't think that it does. I also have a hard time thanking a private company for providing relief to customers with medical needs when that, again, what that private company is providing relief from is its own bills. Yes, it's a highly regulated utility, but it's also incredibly profitable. The fact that the CEO makes $16 million a year, we've gotten so used to these numbers in America. That's insane. And this $125,000 for low-income folks in Denver that we're adding here per year is 0.008% of that salary. I know that Accel is not the only company that pays its CEO ungodly amounts of money. This is a national problem. We're not going to fix it with this franchise agreement. But we should care about that. We should care about profit being made from something that people have to pay for that's a necessity of daily life. And we should care about the fact that the voters of this city have a say in that, which is what this is about tonight. So clearly I'm a no and that's not out of that's not out of It's for these much larger reasons that people in our democracy are supposed to have a say about whether a company That's getting a huge amount of benefit from the use of our public spaces Should get that benefit It's not about anybody who was on the working group. It's certainly not about city staff who? Are incredibly expert and who I've learned a huge amount from in this process from Dottie and from Kassar But I just don't I don't feel that I can vote yes on on this. Thank you Thank You madam president.

Thank you councilmember Lewis

Thank you so much. So last week I spoke about the ways I believe this agreement fell short. And I want to be clear, I do believe this agreement is an improvement from where we were last year. And I'm proud that we did not move forward with a weaker agreement and that we pushed for something better. But improvement does not mean we should stop asking whether we did everything we could. Ultimately, the people of Denver will have the opportunity to weigh this agreement, and I think it is important that we are honest about both what it accomplishes and where I believe we could have gone further. And I want to start with what I believe is the underlying challenge, not just with this agreement, but with every agreement we have with an investor-owned utility. The reality is that Excel's power and influence cannot be ignored. We have to acknowledge the imbalance that exists when a company with six significant resources as sophisticated lobbying operation and a substantial communication budget comes to the table. Our options are shaped not only by what our community needs, but also by state law and by the influence of a corporation that has far more resources than any local government. And I think that imbalance was reflected throughout this process. I found it troubling that Excel was given 20 minutes today during the official staff presentation to make its case for this agreement, essentially an opportunity to advocate for its position when they also had the same opportunity as everyone else during public comment with the same time limitations that applied to residents, advocates, and community members. That matters because this process should always be centered around the public interest. So with that context, I want to talk about where I believe this agreement should have gone further. First, I want to talk about the $125,000 annually for utility and low-income assistance. To me, it's just simply not enough. Xcel is one of the largest corporations in Colorado. This is a company with significant resources and significant profits. And while I understand the argument that future profits are uncertain, I struggle with the idea that a corporation of this size cannot commit more meaningfully resources to helping the very customers who keep their systems running, especially when we know what our residents are facing. You heard it here today. While utility rates are not determined through the franchise agreement, we cannot ignore the reality that families are already struggling and that projected rate increases could make energy affordability an even greater challenge in the years ahead. $125,000 a year is not going to meet the moment. Second, I believe we missed an opportunity to invest in the future. A 20-year agreement should have included a commitment to innovation over the entire lifespan of that agreement. What would it have looked like if we had dedicated resources five years from now, 10 years from now, 15 years from now, and 20 years from now to test new ideas, improve energy efficiency, increase resiliency, and prepare Denver for the challenges ahead? That's how cities lead. We do not wait until a crisis happens and then ask what we should have done. We invest before that moment arrives. And I believe we had the opportunity to establish Denver as a national leader in energy innovation, and I'm disappointed we did not secure that commitment. Third, I remain concerned about the lack of clarity around how the pilot projects will actually move forward. I asked these questions during committee. How does a project get identified? Who makes the decision? What role does the city play? What role does Excel play? What criteria determines whether an idea moves forward? And I did not receive a clear answer. For us to be successful, we need more than the possibility of projects. We need a transparent process, clear accountability, and a shared understanding of how these investments will actually happen. Otherwise, we risk creating commitments on paper that never become meaningful action. Fourth, I believe we fell short when it comes to integrating substations into the communities where they're located. The working group recommended dedicating 3% of substation costs towards beautification and community-driven design. This agreement includes 1%. That difference matters. Too often, the communities that experience the greatest impacts from infrastructure investments are communities that have historically carried more than their fair share of burdens. We should not simply ask communities to accept infrastructure. We should ask how we can make these investments better, more thoughtful, and more connected to the neighborhoods where they exist. That means community input. That means intentional design. That means investing in the places where these projects are located. And finally, I want to acknowledge my disappointment that we were not able to reach a stronger partnership with organizations like Together Colorado around affordability and equity. I believe this was an opportunity to create deeper commitment around problem solving, one where we work together to identify the unique challenges facing income qualified and working families, establish shared criteria for solutions, test strategies, and invest in what works. And I would have liked to see a commitment that when the city identifies projects that meet those criteria and step forward as a funding partner, that Excel would also come to the table as a partner. That kind of relationship would have moved us beyond a single agreement and towards a true partnership focused on the people that we serve. And I recognize where we are tonight. I recognize that this agreement has the votes to move forward. And I'm proud that we kept an even worse agreement off the ballot last year. And I hope the people of Denver take the time to carefully weigh the pros and cons of this agreement before casting their votes. This is an important decision that will shape our relationship with our electric utility for the next 20 years, and the voters deserve to make that choice with a full understanding of both its strengths and its limitations. I was asked last week, at this point, knowing this agreement has the votes to pass, what is the purpose of voting now? My answer is simple, principle. Because our votes are not only about the outcome in front of us tonight, they are also about what we are willing to stand for, what we believe our communities deserve, and what standards we set for future agreements. A vote is an opportunity to be honest about where we are, but also about where we believe we should go. And for me, that means acknowledging the progress that was made while also being clear about the places where I believe we fell short. Principle matters because progress does not happen simply because something is better than before. Progress happens because people are willing to ask for more, to challenge what is possible, and to hold the line of what our communities deserve. And I want to again acknowledge that this is better than when we started, but our responsibility is not simply to ask, is this better? Our responsibility is to ask, is this the best we could do for our people of Denver? And I believe there are still areas where we could have been more ambitious, more creative, and more accountable. The work of government is not just celebrating progress. It's also having the courage to ask where we can do better. And that is the responsibility I believe we have to the people that we serve. Thank you, President.

Thank you. Council Member Sandoval.

Thank you, Madam President. Last year, this body made a difficult decision to not move forward because we believe Denver deserved a better agreement. That decision wasn't about saying no, it was about saying we can do better. And I believe we did. Over the past year, this has been one of the most thoughtful and collaborative negotiations I have been a part of. In January, I sat down with the mayor and said, we need to do this different. I looked back at my calendar and I started having meetings on the Excel franchise agreement at the beginning of February, February 10th to be exact. And what I did is I used my leadership meetings on Tuesdays to convene with everybody. I brought Excel to the table for the first time to sit down with the mayor, figure out what we were going to do. I asked specifically the mayor who was going to be the representative from the mayor's office and be the one person who city council could go to to get answers, and it was told that Dominic Marrero would do that, and he did it. Last time, we didn't know who to go to. We were going to everybody different, and we needed one spokesperson from the mayor's office to reach out. I was asked to appoint two people to the working group, and as you can see, I did. I appointed two opposing sides. One council member just is voting yes, and one council member is voting no. So it wasn't even. I had a very diverse group of council members who were represented our community on that working group. We were asked who else should be a part of that working group. We wanted neighborhood representation. I wanted to make sure Together Colorado had a seat at the table. I wanted to make sure our business improvement districts had a seat at the table, that nonprofits had a seat at the table. And as I will not exhaust that list, as Councilmember Watson went over it, and we sat there, I'll never forget sitting there and say, did we forget anyone? And we looked over the list and everyone agreed that we had not. Is this franchise agreement perfect? They rarely are. I have done tons of research looking at franchise agreements since August of last year. Really dug into them. What they are, are long term partnerships that require compromises on all sides. And I believe that this is what this agreement does. It has compromises. Tonight, I am not approving a franchise agreement. What I'm doing is I'm sending it to the voters. And what I believe is it's time that we trust the voters of Denver. Let them decide. I do not believe 13 people should be up here deciding on what's best for Denver. The franchise agreement has it built into the charter that the voters of Denver should finally make that in vote. And I will be voting it to send it to the people of Denver. After a year of listening, negotiating, improving, collaborating, I believe that we are in a significant better place than we are in last year. I also want to say, for these reasons, I will be voting yes. And I just want to say to everybody, thank you for showing up. Thank you for being here late at 9.30 on a Monday. If it didn't matter, you wouldn't be here. If it didn't matter, we wouldn't have spent hours negotiating. I literally spent the last six months of my council presidency working on this because it was so important to the people of Denver. If it hadn't been, I wouldn't have done it.

Thank you.

And people know me when it comes to things that I'm committed to. I put every amount of energy I have into something. And I did not choose to be on the working group. I allowed two very diverse viewpoints be on it, as you could hear tonight, from the public and from my colleagues. So with that, I will be sending this to the vote of the people for them to decide on the November ballot. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Councilmember Gonzales Gutierrez.

Thank you, Council President. I kept going back and forth on whether or not I had something to say about all of this because this has been quite a process. I do thank everybody that has been a part of this process. Councilman Parity, Councilman Watson, and all the people that devoted, I believe, a lot of volunteer time, probably, and I would say that's mostly our community folks. I think oftentimes engage in these kinds of processes without being compensated when we know on the other side there's lots of compensation happening. And that's always something that's really just always difficult for me to wrap around in my brain and how we do that. With that, I am grateful for everyone's participation in that process, including my colleagues and then-Council President Sandoval. I think I made it pretty clear during some of the questions that I asked about the partnership with community. And at least what I'm hearing from folks is that that commitment is extremely important. I would like to see more partnership and engagement with the community. And as stated tonight, we know that there's a long way to go as this has been a new venture for Excel. This hasn't been, and I appreciate admitting that fact and recognizing that and knowing that there's a lot of work to be done. I kept hearing tonight, you know, we did better. Yes. Could have it went farther? Yes. I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments of my colleagues around What can be brought forward by a huge corporation that powers not just Denver, but many other cities? Many. It is for the voters to decide. And I will... I will have to sit with that. They will have all of the information before them is my hope to make the decision. And I just want to be very clear that the way that Excel shows up in the community matters. Right? I think a lot more work can be done in that respect. I think it's important that we saw some of the minor progress And it's important for the future, right? This is 20 years. And in 20 years, none of us will be on this dais. Our administration will not be in office just like the previous administration who is seeing us go through this right now or former from 20 years ago is seeing us all go through this right now, knows what it was like then. And I think there is a lot that has been learned through this process, a lot of understanding of what is actually possible. And I think there was a lot more that was possible. And I kept getting, why can't we get additional money? Well, what is it going to be used for? It's going to be used for people. It's going to be used for people to be able to survive, to make sure that people have their needs met. I will be supporting this tonight so that the voters can decide. And between now and the election, my expectation is that I see the commitment being fulfilled, partnering with the community, identifying issues, and creating strategies to address those issues, and not just during the campaign. I want to see that continue. And that's really hard. That's a lot of trust. That's a lot of trust right now. Thank you everybody that showed up tonight and provided your comments. And again, thank you to those community members who worked on this without that compensation. I really appreciate your time. Thank you, Council President. Thank you.

I just want to thank all the speakers and everyone who's still here in the council chamber this evening. It's a commitment to the work that you've put into it. I think the community members, to my colleagues, to the city staff, and to the XL staff as well, and to the work group that put something forward for us to review. I do think that in a very practical way, definitely need to have the voters decide. And I think that this is ready for it to move forward. But not having to franchise agreements means that we have further administrative burdens that are ultimately more expensive for the city and county of Denver. And therefore, for the rest of us in Denver, for the residents. And this agreement creates a direct channel of communication to ensure efficiency. So I'm thinking about it in that way. I'm thinking about it as the amount of agreements that happen because of a franchise agreement. So that right away, the developments that I know are going in my district, if we didn't have a franchise agreement, they would all stop. these things would not happen. And I believe that we have an agreement ready to go to the voters. It's been a long night, and I think we are ready to move this forward for a vote. So again, thank you all for your time and staying here this evening. And I have to find the script. So here we go. Madam Secretary, roll call on Council Bill 0970, 0973, 0974. Council Members Sawyer? Aye. Aye. Got you. Alvarez? Aye. Flynn? Aye.

Gonzales Gutierrez. Aye. Hines. Aye. Cashman. Aye. Lewis. Nay. Parity. No. Sandoval.

Aye.

Torres. Aye. Watson. Aye. Madam President Romero-Campbell.

Aye. Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results.

10 ayes.

10 ayes. Council Bill 0970, 0973, and 0974 has passed. There being no further business before this body, this meeting is adjourned.

GET OUT OF HERE.