City Council - Special Meeting

Okay, we are on. Good morning and thank you for taking the time to join us this morning for the Denver City Council special meeting. Today is Wednesday, August 5th, 2026. Today's meeting is being interpreted into Spanish by Sam or Jasmine. Would you please introduce yourself and let our viewers know how to enable translation on their devices? Are Sam or Jasmine online? Okay. Can we hold for just a second? Can we? Thank you for your patience. We are just going to make sure that we have translation for this meeting. If we don't have, just go ahead and continue. OK. All right. We are going to go ahead and continue on with the meeting today. And when they are available, they will join the meeting. Welcome to the special meeting of the Denver City Council on Wednesday, August 5th, 2026. Councilmembers, please join Councilmember Hines in the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic of which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Councilmembers, please join Councilmember Hines 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, sorry, I'm choked up, I don't know why, 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. Mr. Secretary, roll call.

Council Members Alvarez.

Here.

Flynn. Here. Gilmore.

Here.

Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Here.

Hines. Here. Cashman. Here. Lewis. Present. Sandoval.

Here.

Sawyer.

Here.

Torres.

Here.

Watson. Here. Madam President.

Here.

12 members present.

There are 12 members present. Council has a quorum. Approval of the minutes. The minutes of Monday, July 27, 2026 were approved during the meeting of Monday, August 3, 2026. The minutes of Monday, August 3, 2026 have been distributed to members of Council for review. And should there be any corrections, they will be discussed during the meeting on Monday, August 10, 2026. Council announcements. Are there any announcements from council members? Seeing none, there are no presentations. There are no communications. There are no proclamations being read in this session. We'll have one a little later. And there are no bills for introduction. Council members, this is your last opportunity to call out an item. Council member Hines, will you make the motions for us this morning?

Yes, Madam President.

Now I will do a recap. Under resolutions, no items have been called out. Under bills for introductions, no items have been called out. Under bills for final consideration, no items have been called out. Under pending, no items have been called out. No items have been called out today. This concludes the items to be called out. 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 Hines, will you please put the resolution for adoption on the floor?

I move that the resolution be adopted in a block for the following item, 26-1143.

It has been moved and seconded so that people know, and we have this because it is a special meeting. I'm just going to take a moment to read what that resolution is. For the record, a resolution declaring a vacancy in the office of an at-large council member. This declares a vacancy of the office of an at-large council member, seat B. That's me. There's details in there. Council Member Romero-Kelm approves and directs this for direct filing.

It has been moved and seconded. I'm sorry, Madam President. I have a quick question. My understanding is this is not seat B because we're operating under the original rules.

So, great question. Thank you. John, can you please address that? Or Lori? A or B.

Yes, actually. So the change that you made was effective immediately. So that is in ordinance currently that the seats are designated as A and B. So at the time that change was made, we didn't anticipate there would be a vacancy. But as soon as a vacancy occurred, those seats are now designated for any filling of those seats as A or B. So, that is how—it is in the charter. So, the seat is correctly identified in the resolution.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you for the clarification. Thank you. Mr. Secretary, roll call.

Councilmember Zalvidrez?

Aye.

Flynn? Aye. Gilmour? Aye. Gonzalez-Gutierrez?

Aye.

Hines? Aye. Cashman? Aye. Lewis? Nay.

I mean, I was going to do this.

Sandoval.

Sorry. Go ahead.

Nah, I'm good. Sawyer.

Aye.

Torres.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Councilmember Lewis, I'm afraid you have to vote aye. Aye. Madam President.

Aye. Did you call me?

I did. Sorry. Sandoval.

Aye.

Mr. Secretary, close the voting and announce the results. 12 ayes, the resolution has been adopted. If there are no objections from council members, in light of this being a special meeting, we will not recess and will move immediately into our second session. There is no unfinished business from the earlier session. There is one proclamation being read this morning. Council members, would you please read proclamation 26-1146? Am I the first? Yes. I believe so. Yes. Okay, sorry. Mic on? Microphone.

Proclamation 1146, a proclamation honoring Councilwoman Parity and her service to the people of Denver. Whereas Councilmember Parity's love for the city and county of Denver was evident from the very first day she took office by leading with tenacity, compassion, and unwavering dedication, always placing the needs of Denver's residents first, including over her illness. Serving along Councilmember Parity, we witnessed her leadership firsthand as she convened subject matter experts through the Housing and Homelessness Working Group to educate and engage Councilmembers on some of the city's most pressing challenges, including affordable housing and homelessness, ensuring our policymaking was informed, collaborative, and thoughtful. Councilmember Paradis was deeply committed to her work as the chair of the Community Planning and Development Committee and as a voting member of the South Platte River Committee, where her thoughtful leadership and collaborative approach helped shape policies that strengthened our cities and its neighborhoods. Denver has been profoundly fortunate to benefit from Councilmember Paradis' service, and while our city will miss her leadership and unwavering advocacy on behalf of its residents, For those of us who had the privilege of serving alongside her, we'll also miss her friendship, generous spirit, and steadfast commitment to public service, which have left an enduring legacy, and...

Whereas Councilmember Sarah Paradis has brought her legal expertise, policy expertise, and commitment to public service to the Denver City Council, and her work alongside fellow Councilmembers has contributed to important conversations and decisions affecting the future of our city. And...

Whereas, as an at-large member, Councilmember Paradis served every resident of District 10 alongside its district representative, whoever that is.

And her...

Her insistence that Denver's laws, budgets, and institutions account for those the city was not designed for, whether by circumstance, income, or ability, she reflected a conviction that government works best when it is shaped by lived experience, a conviction her colleagues will carry forward in her absence, and...

Whereas, without knowing much about who Sarah Parity was before she joined City Council, it was a joy to get to know who Councilmember Sarah Parity is as a legislator, leader, and partner. She took seriously the trust that the public placed in her and championed policy that pushed the envelope, forced people to think critically about government, and never stopped being a champion of the people.

Whereas Council Member Parity is a collaborative leader. Her collaborative spirit demonstrated itself in her co-creating legislation with diverse communities. Her leadership on harm reduction, election reform, housing as a right for all residents, and many other issues were all rooted in her commitment to social justice and dignity for all Denver residents. That collaborative spirit is also demonstrated in her co-sponsoring legislation with most of her colleagues. Her decisive leadership, sharp mind, and unflinching commitment to residents of Denver will be missed and...

Whereas Councilwoman Sarah Paradis brought a fierce heart, a sharp mind, and a noble spirit to the pursuit of justice, approaching every challenge with courage, compassion, and unwavering conviction. Through her leadership and relentless advocacy, she helped move Denver forward in just three years in ways that might have otherwise taken decades. challenging us all to think bigger and act bolder, including putting people over parking by removing parking minimums citywide, bringing ADUs citywide, and uplifting our houseless neighbors' safety in extreme weather conditions. Councilmember Paradis stepped up to the challenge of representing every corner of the city and county of Denver by learning and being an ally to her colleagues on everyday issues facing their districts, doing it all with her children running around in the background of her campus. During meetings, the steadfast support of her husband and enduring inspiration of her father's memory. Council member Sarah Parity showed us that the greatest leaders are those who fight with strength, compassion, and love, leaving a legacy that will continue to inspire generations of Denverites in the pursuit of more just and compassionate world. And whereas...

Whereas Councilmember Parity brought a work ethic to the Council that was rooted in listening, contributing, collaborating, and advocating, all with frankness and integrity that is essential in a working governing body. And...

Whereas Councilmember Sarah Paradis has always been for the people. She understands the history, sacrifice, and ongoing struggles of communities that since the inception of the United States have been systematically oppressed. Every day of her tenure as an elected official, she worked to change policy, to reflect the human rights that all people deserve. It has been an honor serving with her, and I know that her story remains to be fully told. A girl who grew up in Wyoming, who served on Denver City Council while being a mom, partner, and loving friend, This is a time to rest, and we look forward to supporting your next stories. And.

Whereas Councilmember Parity chose to establish her roots in Colorado, raising her family in Denver, her life experiences influenced her commitment to public service and principled advocacy. She embodied not only the role of a council member, but that of a devoted mother of two. often accompanied by her children at community events and public meetings, reflecting her deep connection to the people she served and represented. Councilmember Paradis' dedication to ensuring that all Denverites can thrive and continue to call Denver home will be remembered through her advocacy for fair labor practices, housing, and addressing the needs of our most vulnerable populations. And...

Whereas, Councilmember Paradis has championed so many important issues, including reducing low-level traffic stops, encouraging construction of single-stair apartments, discouraging algorithmic rental price fixing, and more. And this body has been the beneficiary of her uncommon brilliance and focus, as well as her equally brilliant sense of humor. and has been in absolute awe at the additional breadth of her work on a virtually endless list of topics focusing largely on the root causes of public safety and social justice.

Whereas Councilmember Paradis stood unapologetically in her values, continuously questioned the status quo, and acted boldly with policy and with persistence. She shed light on many needs and issues for the people of Denver, not only by creating a longer table where everyone could participate, but also by showing up as a caring neighbor first and foremost. She cared for so many. Councilmember Paradis is a thoughtful, meticulous, and courageous leader. Inspiring others to act with intention, integrity, and attention to detail. She has made our council body better by showing us how to be critical and open to change for the benefit of our communities, even when it was difficult and uncomfortable. And as a council member at large, she approached the role as a collaborator, recognizing that this work is best done when done as a team. And

Whereas, Councilmember Paradis has been a staunch advocate on behalf of marginalized and vulnerable in Denver. And she has shown herself a fierce and undaunted fighter in this advocacy. She is always willing to collaborate, but never willing to yield to political expediency or surrender her values in service of what may be easier or more popular. She has been a formidable force for structural change, sponsoring over 20 bills and 30 budget amendments and three short years on council. the overwhelming majority of which passed and went into effect. Council Member Parity often says that she is hard on systems and soft on people, and she shows by her actions that she spends every day standing on that principle. The city will be lesser for the loss of her unique and rare voice in service of the silent and ignored, and city council will be lesser without a central force for policy. I love you.

that now therefore be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council that the Denver City Council, section one, that the Denver City Council honors and expresses its gratitude for the years of public service former council member Parity provided, acknowledges the meaningful contributions made for the community of Denver at large, and extends sincere wishes of continued healing, fulfillment, and success in all her future endeavors.

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 Honorable Sarah Parity.

Thank you. Councilmember Lewis, your motion to adopt. I move to adopt proclamation 261146. It has been moved and seconded. Comments by members of council. Mr. Secretary—oh, Councilmember Sandoval.

I just want to say thank you to your family, Sarah, and thank you to your kids, thank you to your husband. And I had forgotten that you lost your dad when you were on council right around Father's Day. And as someone who has lost her dad, Your ability to maneuver through that and be there for your little sister and the rest of your family while you've been going through that is unimaginable. Having to suffer the way you are when you walk up a flight of stairs is unimaginable. And just want you to know that when you're rested and you're feeling better, you have a friend in the north side who would love to grab coffee, who would love to use your subject matter expertise, and who will miss you firstly. It was one of my great honors appointing you to be chair of Community Planning and Housing, and I was going back and watching you as chair of the Housing and Homelessness Working Group, and you were a badass. And I know I'm not supposed to cuss up here, but that basically sums you up. So thank you for your service, and it was really an honor for the last two years to have to, have to call you and really work with you as council president. It really was, you were always thoughtful, challenging. You challenged me and you made me think in ways that were outside my comfort zone. And I will always remember that. So thank you for the service of Denver. And I hope that tomorrow when you wake up, You feel a little bit better knowing that you don't have to carry the world of the city and county of Denver on your shoulders and that your kids can hug you and help you as you transition through this time. But please don't do it alone. Please don't suffer alone. Please reach out to those of us who can understand and be there for you because you are not alone. And this has to feel a little bit lonely. And so I just want to reiterate, you are not alone. Please do not suffer in silence. It's too common that we do that. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you.

Councilmember Sawyer. Thank you, Madam President. Sarah, thank you. I can't say thank you enough from the bottom of my heart. this city is better for your leadership. We agree on very little and yet my favorite part of my day is the day when I march into your office next door to mine and we complain to each other about all the things going on in the city together because it turns out, although politically we are very far apart, we are actually very, very close together. And I just want to reiterate what Councilmember Sandoval said. You are not alone. And the friendships and the coworkerships that we have had over the last three years are special. And they don't go away just because you are taking time to take care of yourself and you're doing the right thing. here and sometimes the right thing and the thing that feels good are two totally different things and this is absolutely one of those situations and my heart goes out to you. I know you have the support of your friends and your family and I'm glad for it but Just like in District 1, you will always have a friend in District 5. And when you're feeling better and you're feeling calmer and you've had a little space from the chaos of this job and your adrenaline goes down, call me, and let's get together. Thank you for everything. Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Alvedrez.

Thank you, Council President. Thank you, Councilmember Parity, for being an ally. I think one of the things in my piece of the proclamation is just that you have accepted the challenge of representing all over the city. And I can say that the District 7 residents definitely feel represented by you. I have learned a lot from you coming into office as someone that has never had a political background and never made legislation. Having someone like you who is patient and willing to have hard conversations and talk about issues has taught me a lot. And so I think that the last three years that we have been on council have been also incredibly challenging between having people dropped off downtown to opening the family shelter in District 4, to opening the tiny home village in District 7. And you showed up for each and every one of those challenges in a thoughtful, present way. as someone that wasn't born here, as someone that moved here because Denver was a place that you felt safe and that's what you want for other people. I think that's something that a perspective that we need and so that we can stay being a welcoming city to the world. And I just want to thank you for the way that You showed up the way that you led because even watching you and hearing your thoughtfulness when it came to issues and having your allyship on the issues that we both felt were so important made the difference between things passing and failing and made the difference in the trajectory of our city. So I want to just thank you for that. Thank you. Thank you, Council President.

Thank you. Councilmember Cashman.

Thank you, Madam President. Councilwoman Parity, the proclamation pretty much says it. I agree with Councilwoman Sandoval. Badass kind of comes close to... who you've been, you've made such an enormous contribution to this council, and when I was thinking about what I wanted to talk about, the first thing that does come to mind, I mean, you're really smart as hell, you're focused on the issues, you get to the point so well, but then I realized you make that shift from that super serious to that great smile and a laugh and wonderful sense of humor, but What really came to my mind... The first day, I believe it was, that this council was seated. And your dad was here. And he came up, introduced himself to me, and went on about a seven-minute rant about how spectacular you are. Your father... wherever he may be, is so proud of you and so, so proud of the work you've done here, and I am sure is watching down, looking forward to your next chapter to see what more wonderful things you do. Yeah, sure, come down to 6 anytime. We'll welcome you. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Councilmember González-Gutierrez.

Thank you, Madam President. Council Member Paradis, Sarah, my other council member at large, we'd always call each other the others. I've had the opportunity to work alongside you since 2019. And I remember like it was yesterday. I think you had maybe just had had your daughter Right, Imogen? I was a baby legislator at the state capitol, and my mentor in the House, Janet Buckner, asked if I wanted to join her and some other senators on a little bill called Equal Pay for Equal Work. That was a bill that the Colorado Women's Bar Association was one of the main coalition members of. In walks Sarah Paradis, current president of the Colorado Women's Bar Association. Do I have to say more? I remember getting to meet Sarah as she guided us along with the drafting of the bill, taking meetings with legislators to express why we needed this policy. I remember sitting there thinking in many meetings with her, this woman knows what she's doing. Not only is she smart, she is bold. She is unwavering in her conviction. And I admired her and I admired you then just as much as I do now. And on May 22nd, 2019, 30 plus years later, equal pay for equal work was signed into law. And that is because of you, Sarah. I remember during the campaign, because we were running at the same time, right, for at-large, and we called each other—all of us called each other co-candidates. And it was very nice, right? Sometimes it got a little messy, but for the most part, it was nice. I just remember a particular forum where you and I both—it was just you and I who ended up showing up at this forum. And I think they were doing them in, like, small groups. And Sarah and I were the only ones who actually came to the forum on East Colfax. And I had brought my oldest daughter. At the time, she was 13 or 14. And your daughter was there as well. Imogen, she saved a seat for my 14-year-old daughter right next to her with her little unicorn stuffy. And I remember that forum was basically you and I bouncing ideas off of one another in front of community members. It didn't feel like we were running against each other. We were running together. Even though we weren't part of any kind of like slate or anything, we were there together. And afterwards, my daughter says to me, mom, I think you and Sarah make a good team. And I think that's the first time she had seen us together like that. And I don't know. That moment wasn't just about you and I working as a team and supporting one another, but it was also about the simple gesture of your daughter saving a seat for my daughter, an older kid. And it was also about the observation of my 14-year-old not seeing candidates running to be at-large council members in a race that was still competitive, still a race, But it was at how we could work together and support one another is what she came back with. This was not the only time that you have shown your collaborative spirit. From day one, I remember you saying, how do we want to do this together? How do we tackle the whole city together? And because of your persistence, you pushed me and you made me a better legislator. You continue to teach me every single day how to go further to collaborate with others. You took me along for many crazy rides on policies. And of course, I was always willing to jump in feet first because I believed in you and I believed in your vision. I know this has been your favorite job, and you've said it time and time again. And I'm grateful that you're taking care of your health because we need you for the fights ahead. Just because you are not going to be up here on this dais, I know you're not going away. I expect you to call me, call my office, email me. You can call me directly. You know where to find me. And you tell me what's what. I also want to continue to hear stories about Annie Parody the cat. I am proud and honored to call you my friend, my hermana. and my colleague, I know that this will not be the last time that we hear from Sarah Paradis. And it's now time for the community to show you the same love that you have bestowed upon all of us with your compassion, advocacy, and service for all of us. Thank you, Council Member Paradis.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you. Council Member Torres. Thank you, Madam President. Councilwoman Paradis, it's not hard to do this job and take things personally. And it's hard not to compartmentalize people, particularly after the experiences or disagreements we might have with them. And I never saw you throw someone away, push them into a known corner, And it takes such an advanced ability to see that long-term vision and not just short-term wins. You are a force and you are strong and you are vulnerable and those are—you're just human. And I think you— Being able to demonstrate that to all 12 of us here, to community who could see that at a much bigger level, I just thank you for being that person every day. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Council Member Gilmour. Thank you, Council President. I was trying to think back when we first met, Sarah, and I think we first talked at, like, a union hall somewhere and shared a little bit. And, you know, I grew up in Brush, Colorado, on the Northeastern Plains, and so you growing up in Wyoming, it's a similar sort of political spectrum. And then, you know, coming to the city and doing this incredible work, and you... Beyond your policy expertise and how amazing of a person you are, you also do the work behind the scenes. And I saw that firsthand when Jack Scraton... went missing. And when you reached out and said, what is going on? What's happening with it? You know, there's plenty of advocates, but it's much different when it's a colleague who is saying, how can I help you? And especially you being an at-large member, that helps when I talk to the police. And I'm like, well, you know what? Parity asked me about this too. And We don't talk a lot about how important the support that we give each other makes a difference in everyday people's lives. And I've seen that you've demonstrated that time and time again through the layoffs. about a year ago and how when people would come to me and ask me questions, I'd say, you got to talk to Councilwoman Parity. She's your point person on it. She's the person who knows the lawyers, who knows employment law, who knows what's allowed and not allowed. And that was not technically your legislative job. But you did it and you did it with such compassion that I hope that you see by your actions today, you are showing others and especially those young people that are super stressed out that it's okay to hit the pause button. It is perfectly fine and you are not letting anybody down. You are doing what you want to do for yourself and need to do for yourself. And that is a power that we're sitting in that wisdom right now. And I just appreciate you allowing us to spend this time with you. know that we are always here to support you. And thank you for truly walking and being who you say you are because you have done it. Thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Council Member Lewis. I'll keep it brief because you know how much I love you anyways. Most folks don't know this, but I didn't know Sarah before we got on council together. We ran as a slate for DSA and... I didn't know much about her. I just knew that she was on the slate, I was on the slate, and we needed to win. And then we did. And you have been a gangster. And that is what I love about you. And that is what I'm going to miss about you. You do not play about people. You do not play about your values. You do not play about your love. You do not play about your staff. And... God, it's going to be so gravely missed on this body. What you contribute, what you give. I just think about the policies that we've ran and the conversations that we've had and the bravery. You just fight. You never fold. And that is so rare. And you've given me your children that I get to talk about glitter and sunshine and rainbows. and unicorns and also trains and transit. And I love this and I love you. Thank you for everything. And I'm not going to invite you to coffee. I'm just gonna come over. You should know, just give me the code so I can just let myself in. I love you so deeply, but I thank your staff for everything that they have done to make this world a better place, to make this community a better place, to make this city a better place through them and through you. So, dang. I feel like my best friend's moving away. Thank you.

Thank you. Sarah, I think it goes without saying there's tremendous love for you on this body. And we appreciate everything that you've brought. The proclamation and the words that have been spoken today are just, I think, the tip of the iceberg of our feelings. Your dad was mentioned, and he did talk to all of us on that first day. And he had said in my conversation with him, he's like, it's all about relationships, and you're really going to love her, and you're really going to love working with her. And I was like, I'm sure I will. And he was right. I think that from the beginning of the times you've shown up in the district for some really big meetings that were really... You know, stepping into brave spaces. And so I just appreciate all of that support. I think about the drive that we took with your son in the back taking his nap, all through District 4. And we kept looking back. Oh, we got a little bit more time. And we not only talked about the district, but we also talked about family and life. And you've continued to be that human and thread. And so as you are healing, as you are moving forward, we are all here for you. And we deeply love you, and you will be missed.

Thank you.

Thank you for all you've done for this council. We are going to do roll call, and then we have a little something before we give you a moment to also accept. So, Mr. Secretary, roll call.

Council Members Alvidrez?

Aye.

Flynn? Aye. Gilmour?

Aye.

Gonzalez-Gutierrez?

Aye.

Hines? Aye. Cashman? Aye. Lewis? I guess. I'm sorry. I didn't hear that. Aye. Okay. Sandoval?

Aye.

Sawyer?

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson? Aye. Madam President Romero-Campbell?

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

12 ayes.

12 ayes. Proclamation 261146 has been adopted. We have a few things for you, but we definitely need to also give you... So before you have a moment to speak, we have a few things for you. So thank you, Council Pro Tem, from the body, but also getting this done. So we're going to hand it down. You can walk it down. Oops, I'm going away from the mic. So I'm going to stay on the mic and talk. Can you walk this down? There we go. There is a piece of artwork that shows the entire city, all of the districts, in commemoration of your time. It's absolutely beautiful. And also a street sign, Councilwoman Parity. Again, it's just a small token of our gratitude to be able to have something for you to be able to take with you to remember us. We expect that you'll put that on your front porch or in your front room, right? Council Member Parity, I turn it to you.

The floor is yours. I don't know if I can say a lot. I thought this was just a procedural meeting. I guess I just—I mean, this is kind of just us. This is Council. I see other folks from the City, but it's us, and it's a lot of the 60-plus people who work for us. So, on June 1st, I was trying to talk to the City and get people to think about running for the seat. On Monday, I was mostly talking to our city employees, who I love so much, but now it's just us. So I mostly want to say, first of all, that, I mean, that was ridiculous. It's too much. All of us are just what we bring here. We're kind of like a, we're a package, you know, which is sort of the idea of representative government. And so we're here as a conduit, you know, for the people that we represent, right? And we also, you guys know what I'm about to say. My team, a council office is a group of people. It's not a person. So the type of this... This is a group of people, Megan and Zach and Jess, will you guys stand up? I'm sorry, you have to. Thank you. the stuff that you guys were reading through the proclamation. I mean, the number of bills and budget amendments and all that work, you all know this because you all have amazing, spectacular teams in your offices too, which is basically who's here. But that's not, one person can't do all of that. And so... I was so lucky from day one to just have the absolute best office team who brought their A-game and their entire hearts and were in here working way too many hours. We had to do vacation checks to make sure they were taking vacation because otherwise they wouldn't. And in the beginning I had to make them keep track of their hours so that they weren't working too many hours because otherwise they would. Anyway, I'm glad that all of them are going to be staying with City Council. because it takes a really special kind of person to be able to take all the public feedback, respond to all the questions with patience and with nuance to help people navigate really hard situations with the city and then also keep their eye on the bigger picture and just always be trying to make change and roll the ball forward. And that's what I had in my office. A lot of the things that that we worked on were not things that I thought of or would have found on my own. It was these guys or it was community. So I love you all very much. And that really goes for all of the aides in the other offices. It's been a real joy to get to know all of you. Anybody who is cynical about government or whatever, I dare them to come hang out with council aides and they will feel differently because you guys are just like pure hearted public servants and you're so smart and so giving and so You're just genuinely every day coming here to do what you can to help the people of the city And I love you all so much Colleagues I can still call you that technically I guess I just It's The cameras sort of don't see our one-on-one relationships, and this is a small body, and so we have one-on-one relationships. I don't know how the math works out, but 13 people to the power of whatever, that's the number of relationships that are up here, and it's actually really funny that my dorky father said that because Because that's the truth. Every single bit of work that we did up here, whether it was big public projects that we were having with the public out in community, or whether it was legislation, or whether it was trying to advocate within the city agencies for something that we were hearing percolating up, we did all of that. relationally and I was really shocked when I was newly elected and I think virtually everybody, everyone who was already on the body reached out to me and like I really remember Sawyer because we had this meeting where Sawyer is a straight shooter. Okay, and she just sat me down and like gave me the lay of the land and was like You know how to reach me, you know And that was our relationship from day one and that sand of all the bill that just passed you told me about when we had coffee before I got on the On the body you and Torres did it last week. These things can take a really long time And they they are done through Group work always it's a group project. So I Just everybody, be good to these folks. They have really hard jobs, and they're all here from the purest and best motivations. They're your neighbors. I will not lose any of your numbers. Every single one of you is going to be hearing from me. And I don't know what it's like in the state legislature or the federal government, but I kind of suspect that it's pretty special here. We're not running away to caucuses. We're not being told how to vote by lobbyists. We're listening to each other. And the reason we don't legislate quickly is because you have to sit with everybody and persuade them fully on the merits of what you're trying to do. And that can take a really long time. And we've all been... in both chairs there. We've been the ones trying to persuade, and we've been the ones on the receiving end of the persuasion. And that's why you see the vast majority of legislation that comes through this body passing unanimously or by a supermajority. And I think that's pretty amazing. So I don't know. I have nothing else to say. But I really loved doing this with all of you. Thank you.

We want to have lots of hugs, and I want to do this before my turn comes up as well. But there being no further business before this body, this meeting is adjourned.