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.

Good afternoon and thank you for joining us for the Denver City Council meeting. Today is Monday, August 24th. Tonight's meeting is being interpreted into Spanish. Sam or Alejandro, would you please introduce yourself and let our viewers know how to enable translation on their devices?

Yes, of course. Thank you for having us. Hello, everyone. My name is Sam Guzman, joining you virtually through Zoom. And along with my colleague Alejandro, we will be interpreting today's meeting into Spanish. Please allow me a quick minute while I give instructions in Spanish on how to access interpretation. Buenas tardes a todos. Mi nombre es Samuel Guzman con la CLC. Y juntamente con mi colega Alejandro estaremos interpretando la reunión de hoy al español. Si se une con nosotros virtualmente a través de Zoom, por favor busquen su pantalla un icono que dice interpretación. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of the Monday office. My council president.

Here we go. Thank you very much. Welcome to the, let's do that again. Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Monday, August 24th, 2026. Council members, please join Council Member Sawyer 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 Sawyer 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 that 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.

Madam Secretary, roll call. Councilmembers Gilmour?

Here.

Alvidrez? Here. Flynn?

Here.

Gonzalez Gutierrez? Here. Hines? Here. Nashman? Here. Lewis? Present. Sandoval? Here. Sawyer? Here. Torres? Here. Watson? Here. Madam President Romero-Campbell? Here. 12 members present.

There are 12 members present. Council has a quorum. Approval of the minutes. Are there any corrections to the minutes of Monday, August 17th? Seeing none, the minutes stand approved. Approval of the minutes... Oops, we got that twice here. The approval... Council announcements. Are there any council announcements?

Let's go ahead and get started with Councilmember Alvidrez. Thank you so much, Council President. I wanted to start off by thanking Dottie and Director Amy Ford for helping us make the benefit concert for the historic Baker Garden this weekend possible. We had a great turnout. If anybody's looking for a cause to support, there's a historic Baker Garden that is used for food access and one of Denver Urban Gardens gardens. And they're trying to fundraise to keep it. It was recently the owner has decided to sell it and so they're trying to keep that. But thank you to the Porch Fest team for making this free concert for community. I also wanted to invite people out to Athmar Park at Houston Lake on Saturday at 7 30 p.m. We'll be having our movie in the park. It's Toy Story, which is very fitting since there's the new Toy Story out in theaters. So come on down to Houston Lake Park this Saturday at 7 30 p.m. Thank you. Thank you council president. Thank you council member Hines.

Thank you madam president We in Denver's perfect ten have town halls every month and this Thursday We are going to have our next town hall between 7 and 8 o'clock 830 p.m., yes, an evening town hall at Sakura Square, so that's 1947 Lawrence. So if you want to participate in learning more about what's going on in District 10 in our center city and in our legislation and want to share some thoughts or input, please feel free to attend our town hall. One other item that I just want to share is not every day do we get... elected officials or former elected officials here in our audience. We really rarely get former mayors, so former Mayor Federico Pena, thank you for being here in our audience tonight. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Council Member Sandoval.

Thank you, Madam President. We have a couple of cool events happening in the north side this week. So we've been doing an outdoor yoga series at the old historic carousel dome on 38th and Tennyson. We've brought an hour of free yoga. And this week, it's bilingual yoga because a lot of people's native language is Spanish. So it's from 6 to 7 at 38th and Tennyson at the old historic English carousel dome. So just bring a yoga mat. And then this Friday is our annual Zoo Night Park resource fair slash movie in the park. We're featuring How to Train Your Dragon. The fun starts at 6 p.m. and the movie will start at 8 p.m. So come see us at the 52nd and Zoo Night. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Council Member Torres. Thank you so much. Sloan's Lake is where District 3 and District 1 meet, and they'll be hosting Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. That'll be on Saturday from 10 to 7 and Sunday from 10 to 5. The race, though, because a lot of people come out to cheer their favorite team on, starts at 8 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday, so looking forward to that. And then if folks want to help support Denver Animal Shelter, They are holding a Melodies of Gratitude concert at Denver Library Central Branch this coming Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. It is a ticketed event, $40 per person, $20 for those under 20, and children under five are free. Denver Animal Shelter doing a lot of really good stuff. So thank you, Madam President. Thank you. Council Member Watson.

Thank you so much, Council President. Two quick look-backs at an amazing weekend in Denver. The Flocken Zoo for the Denver Zoo, an amazing event for family, friends, and everyone. Krista Tejera and your team, you did an amazing job this past Saturday. And then Cleo Parker-Robinson Dance Ensemble, dancing with the Denver Stars, was also this weekend. A fantastic event. Thousands of folks. Actually, it was just about a thousand folks there. But it was a packed hall with great folks from around the city putting themselves out there to dance for two and a half minutes for a room full of about a thousand folks. I know Sheriff Diggins did it, shook his groove thing a few years back. Thank you so much. It was good. Look at the video. You'll laugh. along with me. So I want to say to everyone that participated, Malik, Cleo, the entire team, what an amazing event and a way to show up and show out for community. I wanted to do a quick thank you to the River North Art District and Five Points, the Business Improvement District for holding the Unground Music Showcase. This was a festival that we did with a collaboration at some level with District with Councilwoman Alvarez because this was an event that happened in her district, but I wanted to elevate. All of the things that happened that day and really elevate the bands and the folks. There were about 6,500 tickets sold. That's 6,500. 50,000 visitors over that weekend. 50 businesses participated at some level. 700 artists supported. And this was... Just the first weekend of this ever. So to everyone that took time to pull together UMS to support local artists, thank you so much for everyone that was there. Much applause and thank you to the bid for holding a successful event. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Council Member Sawyer.

Thank you, Madam President. Just two quick announcements for the residents of District 5. The first one is our biannual community cleanup day will be Sunday, September 27th. So meet us at 8.30 a.m. at Montclair Rec Center. You will gather supplies and get some breakfast and then head out. We clean half of our city-owned parks in the fall, half in the spring, and we repaint a number of the bus stop benches around District 5, which is always an adventure, but definitely needed. So come on out and join us. Again, that's September 27th. And then second, I just want to remind residents of District 5, check your mailboxes. Pretty soon, our annual mailer with our annual community survey will be in your mailboxes. This is how I get the information. So when I sit in committee and I say things like, I can tell you with 95% confidence that 2.4% and a 2.4% margin of error that the residents of district five think whatever it is that they think. That's where I get this information. We get thousands of responses every year. It is really important. It helps us. know what you're thinking as residents of District 5 so that we can plan our work plan for the following year and make sure that we are working on the things that our residents care about. So check your mailboxes. That'll be coming just after Labor Day. Thanks.

Thank you. Council Member Gonzales Gutierrez. Thank you, Council President. So Councilwoman Torres brought up the Dragon Boat Festival. If you would like to see your at-large councilmember rowing in a boat in the reenactment, I will be there. At 9.45 a.m., I think the ceremonies begin, and they started doing this last year and doing the reenactment in the story. And so I'll get to be joining them again on Sloan's Lake. My other announcement is between Councilman Watson, Councilman Cashman and myself and of course the mayor's office. Last Friday was the kickoff of the opening of the application for folks to apply for the working group for the data center working group. And so just encouraging folks to, you can find that on our webpage at denvergov.org backslash data centers. If you are interested, a community member that is interested in this subject and would like to, you know, put your application in to be part of the working group and work alongside of all of us, we would love to have you. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Watson.

I apologize, Council President, but I'm back again. The fine District 9 and throughout the city, we're sending our kids back to school. So there are teachers, principals, folks going back to our schools to drive. slower Denverites around these school zones. But I want to shout out the mighty, mighty Manuel Thunderbolts. I was there this morning on the east side wearing your pin today. They have the red carpet welcome to all of the young scholars. So to principals, Dr. Klinkscales and Dr. Chris DeRammer. Actually, Doug Klinkscales. Sorry for calling you Dr. Doug. I think you're going to be getting there soon. But Dr. Chris DeRammer. Thank you for welcoming all the young scholars and the teachers back to Manuel Thunderbolts, to Manuel High School, Manuel Middle School, and looking forward to coordinating with all the schools on the east side. Thank you, Madam President, and I'm done.

Thank you. I do have one announcement, and thank you for saying something about our students going back to schools. Please drive safe in every neighborhood, but it's a big time of year for everyone, so keep them safe. I have an announcement about our Rosamond Park pickleball courts. They have been completed and this, I'm just trying to think of what day we are on, Wednesday, we are doing a grand opening of the pickleball courts at Rosamond. Rosamond Park, and it starts at 4 p.m. We're asking community members to come and sign up, and Director Joel and Clark and myself will be playing the first two lucky community members that are going to beat us very badly at pickleball this Wednesday. So if you are interested, please come out for this event. We're really excited and long-awaited pickleball courts in southeast Denver. Thank you very much. There are no presentations. There are no communications. There are three proclamations being read this afternoon. So council members Lewis and Torres, will you please read proclamation 26-1230? Yes, we can. I might be first.

Proclamation 261230 honoring Vibes in the Park, whereas Vibes in the Park was founded in 2020 during a time of unprecedented isolation, evolving from a grassroots gathering among three friends into a cultural movement that has become a significant part of Denver's black and brown cultural history.

And whereas Vibes in the Park has grown beyond an event into a platform for connection and opportunity. drawing hundreds of residents and visitors from across Colorado while creating meaningful opportunities for local artists, musicians, food vendors, small businesses, entrepreneurs, creatives, and...

Whereas, for six years, Vibes in the Park has become a defining chapter in Denver's cultural landscape, demonstrating how public spaces can cultivate community celebrate culture expression, and strengthen neighborhoods through free, family-friendly experiences where black and brown communities feel seen, welcomed, and celebrated, and...

Whereas, through intentional partnerships with community organizations, local government, public safety agencies, neighborhood leaders, and volunteers, Vibes in the Park has continually evolved to ensure community celebration is paired with safety, responsibility, and stewardship of Denver's public parks.

And whereas the success of Vibes in the Park inspired the creation of Vibes Community Inc, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to inclusive experiences, supporting underserved businesses, empowering local creatives, and strengthening civic engagement throughout the Denver metro area. And...

Whereas, Vibes in the Park has reshaped how Denver gathers by bringing neighbors, families, and friends together while celebrating culture through music, dance, art, fashion, food, and tradition, leaving a lasting impact on communities throughout the City and County of Denver.

And... Whereas from its beginning at City Park to its continued growth at Sunken Gardens Park, Vibes in the Park has demonstrated that the heart of the gathering is not defined by a single location, but by the people, culture, and connections that make every space a place of celebration, belonging, and shared experience. And...

Whereas the dedication of its founders, committee members, sponsors, volunteers, performers, vendors, community partners, and attendees reflects the spirit of service, innovation, resilience, and pride that enriches the City and County of Denver and represents what can be achieved when a community comes together with vision and purpose.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council, Section 1, that the Denver City Council recognizes and celebrates Vibes in the Park for its extraordinary contributions to community engagement, cultural enrichment, economic opportunity for local businesses, and the promotion of unity, belonging, and civic pride throughout the City and County of Denver.

And Section 2, 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 the co-founders of Vibes in the Park in recognition of its continued service and enduring commitment to the people of Denver.

Councilmember Lewis, your motion to adopt. I move that Proclamation 26-1230 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded. Comments by members of council. I'll start with you, Council Member Lewis.

The script says 29. This says 30. I just want to make sure one of those two are right. Happy to start. Here it says 1230.

It should be 1230. Okay, cool. Thank you.

All right. Thank you so much. So tonight, I have the incredible opportunity of recognizing two people who have become such a part of a beautiful community for me and a part of my community, both Tiffany and Gabrielle, the founders of Vibes in the Park. I've had the privilege of working with and alongside of you both for almost three years now, which is wild to think about. And over those three years, my support for Vibes in the Park has absolutely grown. When we first started working together, I remember you all were hosting Vibes in the Park at City Park and you reached out to my council office because you were all learning how to navigate the concerns from the neighbors while also trying to understand different city protocols and all the things that come with putting on an event. this size and I could tell that you all were absolutely exhausted. But you were also determined and you were also persistent and even then I could see that you were committed to figuring out not just for yourselves but because you believed in what vibes in the park could mean for the community and over these last three years I've had the opportunity to watch that commitment grow. People see vibes in the park. They see music, they see food, they see families, neighbors, young people, elders. They see people laughing, dancing, connecting, and simply enjoying themselves. They see joy. But I have to watch what happens behind the scenes. I've watched you all be asked to jump through hoops that others simply haven't had to jump through. I've watched additional requests come at the last minute, whether that be permits or trash or security or logistics or whatever else the city might throw your way. And I've watched you all stress. And I've watched the angst that you all carry. And if you're anything like me, I know that there has probably been some moments where there has been some anger mixed into there as well. But what has always been impressive to me is how you all respond to those things. I remember a time when there were claims that Vibes in the Park had broken a trash can, and the claim was simply untrue. And you could have gotten defensive. You could have said, that's not our problem. You could have walked away. But you didn't. You stayed engaged. You worked through it. You continued to have conversations. And when neighbors raised concerns about parking, You didn't just send an email or wait for someone else to resolve the issue. You literally walked the streets to figure out what the issue was and how you might be able to resolve it. You went out and talked to the neighbors, you talked to the people, you listened to their concerns, and you tried to find solutions. And that is absolutely leadership that I am so, so proud to know and so, so proud of. It's also why I have such a deep appreciation for the both of you. You don't just talk about community, you show up for community. You have managed every additional request, every unexpected challenge, every criticism, every complication with grace, with love, with kindness, with an unwavering commitment to the vision that you started with. You've never allowed the challenges to negotiate away from the goal that you all set. And that is why Vibes in the Park is not just an event. It's a reminder of what happens when people believe in their community enough to build something for it. And tonight we issued this proclamation for you all. And I want to be very clear about what we're actually honoring. We are not just honoring what we see, we are honoring the work we don't see. The late nights, the phone calls, the emails, the problem solving, the unexpected offenses, expenses, the last minute requests, the difficult conversations, the moments when you probably wondered, why are we doing this? And then you did it anyway. And we are honoring the burden that you all carry so that someone else can experience joy. Because for the person who walks into Vibes in the Park, like I did yesterday, it's free. They get to show up. They get to dance. They get to eat. They get to laugh. They get to bring their children. They get to see their neighbors. They get to experience community. And they may never know what it took to make that moment possible. But we know because we see you, Tiffany and Gabrielle. And I want you to know that I see you and I see the sacrifice. I see the perseverance. I see the love. I see the way you respond when things get hard. I see your commitment to creating something that belongs to community. And so I just want to thank you all for carrying on this vision and each time making this bigger and bigger and bigger and creating a space for joy. And thank you for creating a space for belonging. And thank you for reminding us our community doesn't always have to be complicated. It can simply be music, food, laughter, and people coming together. And thank you all for continuing to show up. And one of the things that was said at the top of this hour is that there was a former mayor in today. And thank you for being here. And also, you all should know that at Vibes in the Park, Mayor Webb showed up as well. And so that's the kind of community that you all are creating, that multi-generational love and joy. So thank you all. Sorry, Taurus. I really love them. Are you done? Yeah.

Okay. Thank you. Council Member Taurus. Thank you so much. I echo all of that. That was praise duly laid upon your feet. And I just really think you've done a really beautiful thing here. I think when I... Anthropology is my background, and we talk a lot about how do you create community? What are the dynamics that actually do that? And it is creating memories, it's creating associations between tastes and a moment, sounds, music, and a moment, and it becoming fixed in people's minds. And they always take you back to, you remember when we last heard this song? It was in Sunken Gardens Park, and we were surrounded by all these strangers who became friends, who, you know, we just expanded our network. That's how you create community. And I thank you for bringing that to District 3. Councilwoman Lewis, Councilman Watson, I remember you emailed me two years ago and said these gals need a place to host their event and I'm just really grateful that this location has worked out. I think you bring something really beautiful to West Denver and to Sunken Gardens Park and I look forward to continuing to support however we can. I want to tie this to why I think it's important that it's in this park in particular because 57 years ago students at West High School walked out of school in the West High blowouts because of discrimination and systemic mistreatment that they were feeling there. And it fills my heart with joy that we're now filling this park with so much love and celebration right in front of the school where that moment also happened and giving Denver a lot of new memories to have in those spaces. So thank you.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, roll call on Proclamation 26-1230.

Council Members Gilmour? Aye. Alvidrez? Aye. Flynn?

Aye.

Gonzalez-Cutierrez? Aye. Hines? Aye. Cashman? Aye. Lewis? Aye. Sandoval? Aye. Sawyer? Aye. Torres? Aye. Watson? Aye. Madam President Romero-Campbell.

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

12 ayes.

12 ayes. Proclamation 26-1230 has been adopted. We have time for the proclamation acceptance. Councilmembers, who would you like to have, who would you like to invite up to accept the proclamation? Great. I'd like to, we'd like to call up Tiffany and Gabrielle.

You can come right here to this podium.

You just go ahead and whenever you're ready, just introduce yourselves and go ahead and continue.

I'm Tiffany, co-owner of Vibes in the Park. And I'm Gabrielle, the other co-founder of Vibes in the Park.

You guys have spoken about us so well that it's so hard to speak right now. We're a little choked up because that was amazing. We are a community building project that has started in 2020 and could not have done this without reaching out to the city and seeing how the support came through. And I think that inspired us to keep pushing and learning what we needed to learn.

Yeah, we're again so thankful for, you know, we started in City Park and there were some hurdles that came up and we reached out. Watson came in, Lewis came in, and that's how we met Torres. And we're just so thankful for all the partnerships, all of the help, all of the support, even DPD. I see DPD is in here. They have helped us at Vibes as well. I'm sorry, I'm like really shaken up because... Take your time.

This means so much to us, and we just don't want to leave without saying it takes everyone, Dottie and all of the agencies that really care to communicate back and forth with us, and we want to continue to have this as a legacy for Denver. Thank you. We appreciate you all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilmember Flynn, will you please read, we are going to move to your proclamation next, yes. Councilmember Flynn, will you please read Proclamation 26-1231.

Yes, Madam President, thank you. Proclamation 26-1231, honoring John Simonet's principled and moral leadership on behalf of the people of Denver. Thank you. Whereas Louis John Simonette was born in 1937 in Newark, New Jersey, and after brief stays at the US Air Force Academy and as a college football player in Missouri, entered the seminary and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1964. And whereas John soon was assigned to a parish in Patterson, New Jersey, where one year later he and another priest opened the Catholic Community Center in the middle of Patterson's poor black community to focus on fair housing, education, health, and civil rights with the goal of bringing black and white people together. And whereas, as an increasingly outspoken social activist in Patterson, John initiated a march as a memorial to Reverend Martin Luther King and led 100 families in a rent strike, culminating in an eruption of violence in the summer of 1968, whereupon John witnessed white police officers using nightsticks to break windows of black-owned businesses. resulting in John's testifying against the officers, who were all nevertheless acquitted. And whereas discouraged by the lack of support from the church and the hatred with which he was targeted as a result, John left the priesthood and moved to Denver in 1969, working first in construction before being hired by the City of Denver's Committee on Community Relations and later by the Corrections Division of the Denver Sheriff's Department. And whereas John was named Director of Corrections by Mayor Bill McNichols in 1981, a role he filled until 1983 when Mayor Federico Pena named him Manager of Safety and returning to Director of Corrections in 1985 until his retirement in 2000. And whereas under John's leadership, Denver's jails became the first in the nation to be accredited by the American Correctional Association, ensuring that Denver's facilities were constitutional, safe, and humane. And whereas John was known for being tough when he needed to be, but also incredibly compassionate towards staff, inmates, and their families, taking the time to get to know people and to understand what they were going through, often stopping to talk one-on-one with inmates and offering individualized support to the people he worked with. And whereas, John modeled respect and dignity for all, creating innovative inmate and community volunteer programs and administering one of the most liberal visitation policies in the country, allowing physical contact between inmates and their visitors. And whereas Denver's jails were consistently overcrowded, creating hazardous conditions for inmates and staff, John worked with Mayor Wellington Webb's administration to plan for a new jail and fought for higher wages for deputies. And whereas after about 30 years working for the city, John decided to retire in 2000. becoming a volunteer in a second-grade classroom at Greenlee Elementary School for four years before volunteering as full-time grandpa after the birth of his first grandchild. And whereas in 2010, when Denver finally opened a new 1,500-bed detention center to help ease crowding in the city jail system, it was determined that the building would be named after two people, one being John Simonet. And whereas, just as John was kind and compassionate in his professional life, he is also caring and warm-hearted to family and friends. He is an avid reader and an entertaining storyteller, drawing people close to him to enjoy a good laugh or a meaningful conversation. And whereas, having celebrated his 89th birthday this year, John was diagnosed with cancer. And as anyone who knows John would expect, he's facing it with optimism and gratitude for a life well lived. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council that the Denver City Council honors John Simonet for his lifetime of service to all people, particularly the most marginalized by society. with most of that service being here for the people of Denver, for whom he set an example of respect, dignity, and compassion. Section 2, 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 John Simonet.

Thank you. Councilmember Flynn, your motion to adopt.

I move that Proclamation 26-1231 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded. Sorry, my screen was closed. Moved and seconded. Comments by members of Council. Council Member Flynn.

Thank you, Madam President. For a brief time over the weekend, we thought that John would be able to be here for this, but I think he's watching Channel 8 at home. Hi, John. At least I hope he is, to hear this proclamation. I see in the room a number of people who have known John over the years, and I'll invite them up afterward to speak. I knew John when I was a reporter at the Rocky Mountain News. And I think one story, one episode really stands out for me. And that was when, John, I hope you remember this, because I had the opportunity to visit with him on Thursday at his home with Melanie. And we talked a lot about those days here in Denver. And one of the stories I said to him that I appreciated the most and that got me to know him as well as anyone could is I was out at the county jail on Smith Road. And I forget what the story was. It might have been about him. It might have been about something at the jail. But he invited me to come into population with him, into where the inmates were. And when he walked in, almost every inmate in there came up to him and said, hey, John, have you looked into this? And John would respond, and he knew each one by name, and he knew pretty much why they were there and what they were going through. And that's just so impressive. I guess for a former priest, you've got to expect that's like being in a confessional, right? But I just came away completely impressed with the person that John Simedet is and continued to be throughout his service. I worked with his wife, Melanie. She was at the Rocky Mountain News when they met and later got married. And I don't know how long they've been married. Maybe Fran can tell us. So I've known Melanie for almost as long as I've known John. I have known thousands of city employees over my 45 years here in this building, mostly. And I don't think I could find a single person who would not say the same thing if they knew John. That he is a person of unquestionable integrity and commitment to the least in society. That's what led him into the church. That's what led him out of the church. And that's what led him to devote his life and career to corrections. Not to punishment, but to corrections. I think I better be quiet now because... I'm just a little too unable to speak anymore. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Councilman Cashman.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you for your words, Councilman Flynn, and for bringing this forward. I'm sitting here wondering, how did I not know that John Simonette was a Jersey boy? As am I. And I mean, he's a decade older than me, but unbeknownst to each other, we spent a good bit of time just a few miles apart when I was in college in a city called East Orange, which was adjacent to Newark. at the time he was there. Then when he moved over to open the Catholic Community Center in Patterson, we might have shared space in a restaurant or a shop. My cousin's aunt and uncle lived in Patterson, New Jersey. So then I moved out to Colorado, and I forget from the proclamation when John did. But again, we're sharing some space. And I talked to him once or twice. I had a community newspaper when he was a manager of safety. And I remember when he was appointed thinking, he's a man of faith. What? How's that fit with manager of safety? And then I watched him manage that department, as my friend Councilman Flynn said so eloquently, with social justice and compassion. as his guideposts. And it taught me a good lesson about who's qualified to do what and what characteristics might matter in what job you're assigned. So again, Councilman, thank you for bringing this forward and send out my best to Mr. Simonette. And thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. And thank you, Councilman Flynn, for bringing this forward. I always appreciate the history that you bring and the long thread of relationships that you're able to bring forward to this job. So thank you very much for bringing this forward. Madam Secretary, roll call on Proclamation 26-1231. Councilmember Gilmour? Aye.

Alvitrez? Aye. Flynn?

Aye.

Gonzalez-Gutierrez? Aye. Hines? Aye. Cashman? Aye. Lewis? Aye. Sandoval? Aye. Sawyer? Aye. Torres? Aye. Watson? Aye. Madam President Romero-Campbell?

Aye. Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results. 12 ayes. 12 ayes. Proclamation 26-1231 has been adopted. We have time for the proclamation acceptance. Councilmember Flynn, who would you like to invite up to accept the proclamation?

Thank you, Madam President. There are several people I want to invite up. I wish one of them were John. He's at home. John, I wanted to mention that we have a Colorado flag that was flown over the state capitol in his honor. John and Fran will bring this home to you. But we have several folks here. Number one is John's daughter, Fran, Denver County Court Judge Fran Simonette. And I see you have judges with you as well, Nicole Rodarte and Judge Fay. And I am honored to have Sheriff Diggins here. representing the Denver Sheriff's Department. I see Chief Thomas in the back also. Thank you for being here. And I'm especially honored that former Mayor Federico Pena is here. So I want to invite up Sheriff Diggins, Mayor Pena, and Judge Simonette. I don't know who wants to go first. I think this would have been easier for me, John, if you were here. I don't think I would have broken up like that.

Councilman Flynn, thank you very much. This is very touching to my family. And my dad really wanted to be here today, but he's just not feeling well. So I'm honored to be here and hear this and accept the flag. And I will, of course, deliver it to his home. So thank you very much.

Thank you, Your Honor. Good afternoon, Council. Elias Diggins, I'm the Sheriff of the City and County of Denver. And I wrote my notes down because in the same way that Councilman Flynn, and thank you, Councilman Flynn, for bringing this proclamation forward, is very moved by Mr. Simonette's current diagnosis. When I first was called by his wife, I had a lump in my throat and I couldn't call her back for a couple of hours. because I've known Mr. Simonet since the day that I became a deputy. So I wrote my notes down so that I could get through this. Mr. Simonet is a role model and a mentor to many of us who had the privilege of working under his leadership while he was at the helm of the Denver Sheriff's Department as the Director of Corrections and Undershare for 18 years. And I emphasize that because it's a remarkable feat In this current day, I am the second longest serving person to head the sheriff's department with six years. And I told Mr. Simonette about a month ago, he can keep that record. I will not break that. although I love our department. He changed the way that we perform our duties to ensure that we not only become a department who valued every life, but he purposefully broke down barriers for women and people of color in the Denver Sheriff's Department. We are the most diverse Sheriff's Department in a five-state region because of the legacy of John Simonette. I would not be here as the sheriff of Denver if it were not for him because he promoted me 26 years ago. I was walking when I was a deputy to go to class at a regular campus where I was going to Metro State. And he and the chiefs were pulling up a pump gas. And he saw me and said, didn't I see you today at work? And I said, yes, sir. And he said, and you're going to school at night? And I said, yes, sir. He said, if you graduate, I will promote you. And I graduated in December and he promoted me in February. And so I never forgot that. I never forgot the kindness that he showed to not just our staff, but also the people in custody and how important community was. And so I carry that in me for our department because it was planted by John Simonette. Today as he is recognized, we thank him. his wife, Melanie, and his entire family for his service, for his dedication, service, and duty to not only the Denver Sheriff's Department, but also the people of the city and county of Denver. So thank you very much for his proclamation.

Madam President, Councilman Flynn, I will be brief, because I know you have a long agenda. And I think everything's been said about John Simonet, and I wanted to thank his family also, because you know behind every great person is a terrific family, so thank you. I want to make one comment. If you'll recall, Councilman, you do remember this, some of you do, when I was elected in 1983, I promised the people of Denver that we would change city government. And that essentially required my replacing everybody in city government. The entire cabinet, sub-cabinet, members of the mayor's office, etc. Except for one person, John Simonet. I kept him. Manager of safety. How could you not? A former priest. I needed all the help I could get. But seriously, seriously, The comments made about the chains that he brought to the department and the long-lasting impact they have had require recognition. And thank you from all of you to him. I cannot think of a more difficult job in city government than being manager of safety and then in charge of the jail. And there are lots of tough jobs in the city. You did it, and I assume you're listening and watching this, and I just want to thank you for coming to our recent luncheon. Thank you for all your service, and I want you to know we are all rooting for you. Thank you, and God bless you. John Simonet.

Due to an administrative change, Proclamation 26-1229 is being pulled from today's agenda. So we have our two proclamations and we will hear from that one at another date. Madam Secretary, please read the bills for introduction.

From the Community Planning and Housing Committee, 26-1168, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed and mandatory agreement between the City and County of Denver and Denver Housing Authority to continue supporting the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable housing serving low- and modern-income households. From the Finance and Business Committee, 26-1161, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed stormwater facility maintenance agreement between the City and County of Denver and Board of County Commissioners of Arapahoe County to grant Arapahoe County a non-exclusive easement to access a renewable natural gas stormwater detention area located at the Denver-Arapahoe disposal site, DADS, from public right-of-way citywide. 26-1162, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed agreement between the City and County of Denver and Board of County Commissioners of Arapahoe County to grant a permanent non-exclusive easement to access and use an area for constructing, operating, and maintaining facilities associated with DDPHEs, renewable gas infrastructure, and grants a revocable license permitting the City to discharge approved drainage flows at the Denver-Arapahoe disposal site citywide. From the Health and Safety Committee, 26-1228, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed second amendatory agreement between the City and County of Denver and Jefferson County Public Health to continue the work of addressing healthy food access in the Denver metro area as part of a regional food security strategy citywide. From the South Platte River Committee, 26-1147, a bill for an ordinance relinquishing an easement in its entirety reserved in the temporary access easement for right-of-way recorded with a Denver clerk and recorder at reception number 2020211335 and relinquishing an easement in its entirety reserved in the permanent easement recorded with a Denver clerk and recorder at reception number 201535801 located at 3800 Blake Street. 26-1163, a bill for an ordinance approving an amendment to the 2025 Intergovernmental Agreement for Stadium Site Project 2025 IGA between the City and County of Denver and Broadway Station Metropolitan District No. 1 in Council District 7. And from the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, 26-1175, a bill for an ordinance relinquishing an easement in its entirety reserved in the permanent easement for public access recorded with the Denver Clerk and Recorder at reception number 2022-068734 and relinquishing an easement in its entirety reserved in the permanent easement agreement recorded with the Denver Clerk and Recorder at reception number 2022-068735 located at 1086 North Mead Street.

Councilmembers, this is your last opportunity to call out an item. Councilmember Sawyer, will you make the motions for us this evening? You got it, Council President. Now I will do a recap. Under Resolutions, Council Resolution 26-1166 has been called out for comments by Councilmember Alvidrez. Council Resolution 26-1158 has been called out by Councilmember Lewis. Council Resolution 26-1159 has been called out by Councilmember Lewis. And Council Resolution 26-1169 has been called out for a vote by Councilmember Sawyer. Under Bills for Introduction, no items have been called out. Under Bills for Final Consideration, Council Bill 26-1123 has been called out for comments by Councilmember Flynn. And Council Bill 26-1125 has been called out for comments by Councilmember Lewis. Under pending, no items have been called out. Madam Secretary, please put the first item on our screens. Council Bill 26-1123, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed intergovernmental agreement between the City and County of Denver and Community College of Denver to establish the operational partnership for the theater at Loretto Heights in Council District 2. Council Member Flynn, please go ahead with your comments on Council Bill 26-1123.

Thank you, Madam President. Just briefly, this I think is a really fitting agreement to have the theater at Loretto Heights be managed and operated and overseen by the Community College of Denver because the Sisters of Loretto built this theater in 62, 63 as a teaching facility, as a curricular structure. And the performing arts program at Loretto Heights College was nationally known in the 60s and 70s. A lot of the graduates from there went on to very productive careers in that industry. And so I feel like it's full circle for Community College of Denver to come in, to step in, and use this facility again as a teaching facility, as a community accessible teaching facility. And I'm hoping that the Community College of Denver will turn out again from this building individuals who will go on to productive and well-known careers in the industry. Madam President, that's really all I wanted to say. I just wanted to note that I think the Sisters of Loretto must be smiling from up above at this contract. And so I ask for everybody to support it. Thank you.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens. Council Bill 26-1125, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed amendatory agreement between the City and County of Denver and Regional Transportation District for eligibility determination, application processing, and services related to the RTD

live live live program thank you councilmember lewis please go ahead with your comments on council bill 26-1125 thank you um so i just wanted to highlight the rtd live program it's an income based low income specifically program that builds on some of the work that i was committed to both as an employee and as a director of the Regional Transportation District, and so I'm very excited to see this program and this partnership. For those of you that don't know, this program offers eligible customers a 50% discount on regular fares, and discounts are valid on all RTD buses, light rail, accessoride, and commuter rail. And so sign up if you have not. It's a fantastic program. Thank you.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens. Council Resolution 26-1166, a resolution approving and providing for the execution of a proposed grant agreement between the City and County of Denver and the State of Colorado Department of Local Affairs, DOLA, concerning the Denver Broadway Station Pedestrian Bridge Project and the funding therefor. Council Member Alvarez, please go ahead with your comments on Council Resolution 26-1166.

Thank you, Council President. I just wanted to highlight this bridge. The pedestrian bridge is essential to making Santa Fe Yards a truly transit-oriented, community-serving development. It will connect the Broadway station, light rail station, directly to the stadium and to housing, businesses, parks, and the South Platte River Trail. Very important things to District 7. I also want to highlight that one of the first traffic deaths that I experienced as an elected official was right here as a bicyclist was trying to cross Santa Fe and Mississippi. That loss has stayed with me since then and it's something I think about often. And this is part of the reason why I, along with many of the people around District 7, are deeply concerned about the widening of Santa Fe Drive, which was mentioned when this was in committee. More lanes do not create a safe, connected neighborhood. It would create more division and put more pedestrians and bicyclists at risk. So I look forward to having more conversations about this and support the community effort that's building up to oppose the widening of Santa Fe. This bridge was envisioned long before the stadium. It also connects the west side to things like grocery stores that we don't have and will hopefully make us all feel safer, have us a more accessible neighborhood. And so although very excited and supportive of this bridge, very concerned about that issue that remains about widening Santa Fe there. Thank you very much, Council President.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens. Council Resolution 26-1158, a resolution approving a proposed HUD CDBG public facility and improvement amendment between the City and County of Denver and Zion Senior and Community Resource Center to renovate the building located at 5151 East 33rd Avenue in Denver for the use of a community service facility in Council District 8. Council Member Lewis, please go ahead with your comments on Council Resolution 26-1158.

Thank you. I actually just wanted to say congratulations to the Zion Senior Center and Community Resource Center for these dollars. They're much overdue and available for really important and important critical facility improvements for each of you, for the facility overall, including the fire alarms, the plumbing, the electrical lighting, flooring, bathroom, and then ADA accessibility upgrades to ensure that the building remains safe. This is such a community hub, a space of gathering, a space where people come together as seniors, it's multi-generational, you can learn to sew, which I'm very excited about. I'm really gonna come to class one day, I promise. It's on my list, but I'm just very, very excited for you all because this is long overdue, not just for you all that run this facility, but for the community that really relies on the services that you all maintain, whether that be food access or the exercise programs that you offer or offering the space to communities in whatever way that they desire to be able to use that space. So very, very excited for you all. And I just wanted to call this out because I was excited for you. So congratulations.

Thank you. Thank you. Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens, Council Resolution 26-1159, a resolution approving a proposed First Amendment to the lease agreement between the City and County of Denver and Project Voice for providing community services and office space at 2900 Downing Street, Unit AA in Denver Whittier neighborhood in Council District 9. Councilmember Lewis, please go ahead with your comments on Council Resolution 26-1159. Great. I'll be brief.

I just wanted to commend Project Voice, which is V-O-Y-C-E. It stands for Voices of Youth Creating Equity, but as a co-founder, it previously was Voices of Youth Creating Change. And so, really excited that the city has continued to partner with to continue to partner with Project Voice and to really invest in young people between the ages of 10 and 26 and then grades for the fourth grade through the 12th grade to provide them with tools to be able to lead to organize and create change. Our city is better because we are uplifting the voices of the youth. And this is a fantastic entry point for us fostering what our next generation of leaders are. And so thank you to the City and County of Denver for this continued partnership with an incredible organization.

Thank you. Thank you. Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens. Council Resolution 26-1169, a resolution approving a proposed second amendatory agreement between the City and County of Denver and Fercom Inc. for towing services citywide. Council Member Sawyer, would you please put Council Resolution 26-1169 on the floor for adoption?

I move that Council Resolution 26-1169 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded. Questions and comments by members of Council on Council Resolution 26-1169. Council Member Sawyer.

Thank you, Madam President. For those of you who are in committee, you know I said from the very beginning I was going to be a no on this one. It's a really tough one, right, because the city has to have a towing contract. And therefore, I would ask my fellow council members not to follow my lead and vote no on this unless you personally have a reason why you want to vote no on it. But I do have a personal reason why I want to vote no on it. And I talked a little bit about this in committee. My daughter and I were in a car accident in January. And unfortunately, it was fatal. Both of us were fine. Not everyone in that accident was fine. And it was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. And the tow truck driver who came to tow us away lacked customer service. Let's just put it that way. And so when this contract came up in committee, I started asking questions kind of about the contract itself. Are there customer service metrics associated with this contract? What does this contract look like? And what I discovered in committee is, some of it I already knew, this is a single bidder on this contract. There was only one bidder that existed on this contract from the very beginning. All of its competitors became its subcontractors. feels a little odd, but there we are. We have to have a towing contract as a city, right? This is an extension. It's the last extension on this, so I really appreciate General Services hearing us on our concerns about this contract and putting it back out for bid next year. The metrics that are associated with this contract are sort of few and far between, and they are, as I mentioned, there are zero metrics as it comes to customer service. However, there are also some concerns around the quality of service that is being received in this contract. For example, this contract says that our tow companies have to clean up the accidents. that they clear away from. I don't know about you, but I see bumpers all over the right of way in our city all the time. And that tells me that this contract is not being followed through on by the contractor. And that's really concerning to me. Like I said, we have to have a towing contract in our city. I wish that this had gone back out to bid this year when several council members shared their concerns and voted no on this contract extension last year. It didn't work out that way and that is okay, but that doesn't mean I have to say yes here. And so I'm going to be a no tonight. But I do acknowledge that this is a really tough position for council members to be in because I think that a lot of council members feel the same way I do about this contract and yet We have to have a towing contract in our city. We cannot go without one. This is the kind of contract that literally we cannot run a city without. And so that stinks. It really, this is one of those tough situations where we sit up here as council members and we say to ourselves, well I really wish that hadn't happened but here we are and I feel like I have to vote yes because the city has to have a towing contract and at the same time I want to vote no because this contractor has lacked accountability on this contract for a lot of years at this point so this is a tough one and I acknowledge that I will just again say the city has to have a towing contract but I will be a no tonight thank you.

Thank you councilmember Flynn.

Thank you, Madam President. I appreciate Councilwoman Sawyer calling attention to the lack of some metrics in the existing contract. And is there someone here from General Services who can speak to that? Hello. We approved this contract initially in the summer of 2022 as a three-year contract with two one-year renewals. So within that five-year window, after which we go out to RFP for new vendors. And so I wonder if you could tell us, hearing this, what the new RFP might contain. And is it possible that a new contract... to take effect after the expiration of this one, which I'm going to vote yes to approve, would come before this body before it changes over so that we, who have heard all this for the last five years, would be able to weigh in on it, rather than a new body which is going to have at least six new people.

Nicole Sudreth, Contracts Manager for General Services. So yes, to answer your question. I appreciate the feedback that we received from Councilwoman Sawyer. I've taken that into my own personal, looking at the scope of work. We are already starting to do outreach with our primary partners, which would be Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, as well as Department of Safety, to really look at what's missing in this agreement. When this went out for bid in 2021, That was under a different management. And so going forward, now that this procurement would be under my wheelhouse, I'm really looking at what's missing from there. So where can we improve? And these type of explanations and stories are things that we are really looking at and what we can do better when we put a new procurement out. to make sure that not only one vendor, but all vendors are aware of what we're looking for to make sure the city is properly serviced in this area.

Thank you. I really appreciate that. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Council Member Lewis. Hi. Thank you so much. I just have a few questions about the metrics that do exist. Can you talk about the metrics that exist in this contract currently and what you all are thinking about in terms of what's missing and what's going to improve that you all might be looking to include in the RFP moving forward? Yes. Thank you.

Great question. So again, the original procurement I did not run. I got a scope of work and was told here, go ahead and do this. At that time, my recollection was that the tow response time was really out of whack. one hour to an hour and a half. So one of the major modifications that we did in this new procurement that we did in 2022 was 45 minute turnaround time. And so with the implementation of a tow book, which is the tow management system that all the contractors use, we are able to see when they actually get on site, when the call, actually you can start back from when the call's even submitted. when they get on site, when they hook up, the travel time, and then where the destination is. So we have point information so we can actually see those metrics in there. And that has truly helped. We can see that we are under 45 minutes. There are certain times where there may be different situations where we're not always hitting the mark, but that is overall one of the things that we have seen vast improvement on.

Yeah. And so in terms of that 45-minute turnaround time, does that include the cleanup that Councilwoman Sawyer touched on? Can you talk about that a bit?

It should also include that, right? When they are going out, they're hooking up the site, they should be cleaning up the debris from the accident, whatever it may be. In speaking, since we had the FinBiz committee meeting earlier this month, I've been in direct contact with the primary contractor and have asked, I need actual photos to be taken and uploaded into the tow management system. You have that capability that we can actually do that.

So that's a new accountability metric you all have built in since having the converse.

So we always, they are currently already putting photos in there of sites of when accidents are, when they're arriving on site and when they're towing. And I've just asked for additional. If you're not doing it, I need it done.

So, yeah. What does that look like in your system in terms of being able to track what percentage of accidents are being cleaned up and what percentage of accidents are not being cleaned up? Yeah, that's a great question. Oh, that's what's missing.

And right now, so the presentation that we did earlier this month, there was about 27,000 tows that were done throughout the city. So really, we would have to really figure out a mechanism on how we do some audit spot checking, just to make sure kind of what's going on. Then that's what we're trying to figure out now. Again, when we're looking at going forward, setting those metrics, what do we wanna see? How are we ensuring that they're complying with their requirements?

Okay. And then is it common for the additional bidders to become subcontractors for the prime? Have you seen that before? Again, that was before my time.

Oh, you did say that. So I can't speak to how that all came about, but it was actually a posted formal advertisement. So it did go through the proper process. We did have, I pulled some information, we had two addendums that were actually posted on that. We did have nine folks that actually downloaded the procurement, and then we only received the one final bid. Okay, cool. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. I don't have any questions. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. Thank you. Madam Secretary, roll call on council resolution 26-1169.

Council members Gilmore.

Aye.

Alvidrez. Aye. Flynn. Aye. Gonzalez-Gutierrez. Aye. Hines. Aye. Cashman. Aye. Lewis. Aye. Sandoval? Aye. Sawyer? No. Torres? Aye. Watson? Aye. Madam President Romero-Campbell?

Aye. Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results. 11 ayes. 11 ayes. Council Resolution 26-1169 has been adopted. This 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 Sawyer, will you please put the resolutions for adoption and the bills on final consideration for final passage on the floor?

I move that the resolutions be adopted and bills on final consideration be placed upon final consideration and do pass in a block for the following items. All 26 series, 1188, 1155, 1156, 1157, 1158, 1159, 1160, 1164, 1165, 1167, 1150, 1166, 1148, 1149, 1151, 1152, 1153, 1154, 1125, 1123, and 1124.

It has been moved and seconded. Madam Secretary, roll call.

Council members, members Gilmore. Aye. Alvarez. Aye. Flynn. Aye. Gonzalez-Gutierrez. Aye. Hines. Aye. Cashman. Aye. Lewis. Aye. Sandoval. Aye. Sawyer. Aye. Torres. Aye. Watson. Aye. Madam President, Tamara Campbell.

Aye. Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results. Aye. 12 ayes. 12 ayes. The resolutions have been adopted and the bills have been placed upon final consideration and do pass. There being no further business before this body, this meeting is adjourned. The general public comment session will begin at