Remarks by Kevin Maher
16 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 1
Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to take a moment to promote our university. the School of Mines. This week is their homecoming week, Saturday at 1 p.m. They have their homecoming football game. It's against the University of New Mexico. They have a great football team this year. They've had four games. They've won three of them, including their best game ever where they beat a Division I university. So I really want the community and the council to support the School of Mines, and thank you for the opportunity just to make sure everybody knows what's going on. Thank you.
Councilor Maher. Well, thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to add that the council passed the vision fund of $3 million to go to the new impact fund. One of the reasons it was done, and you guys can do your homework, one of the reasons it was done is to take the decisions out of the city council And we were just, this was the seed money. The goal is to get $10 million into this fund before they start giving money out. It's an independent board. They pick the nonprofits that qualify, that they vote. The board will change, but the city is out of it. It was a one-time gift. There's no more taxpayer…
I didn't have to tell you how to vote, but...
Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to also say that I think the chief of staff position is critical to the city. I know what is accomplished in that department, and I really appreciate the support of all the department directors who signed a letter supporting that chief of staff for the city, and I want the council to accept that recommendation from all the directors in the city and support reinstating the funding. Thank you.
I'll withdraw the motion. I support the position. And I'm okay with a little bit more time to figure out exactly the right dollar amount. Thank you.
Yes, I've really struggled with this ordinance because I believe in full disclosure, transparency to the neighborhood, to the people, and so I understand. I've met with city attorney. I've seen the lawsuits. We don't have any choice. We have to accommodate Oxford houses. because of ADA and FHA rules. If we don't, we will be sued. So I'm okay with the whole thing with Oxford Houses. My concern is it really bothers me that we're not willing to notify the neighbors. I don't know why we can't just tell them, hey, this is gonna be an Oxford House. Doesn't mean you can stop it, but at least you're…
I'd like to go ahead and make the motion that we approve this application.
uh thank you um i would like to make a motion and then if i could get a second to retain the floor and that motion would be to have the city take the cpi increase authorized by the state in our property taxes okay we have a motion by kevin maher to accept the cpi from prop for property tax with a second by armstrong the floor is yours counselor maher Yeah, I believe that Daniel told us it was about $780,000 we would leave on the table if we don't take that CPI increase. And that means that next year, our mill levy's gonna be lower and we're not gonna get the money. And if you go back 10, 20…
yes i i support the position of chief of staff i agree with most everything that josh bieberdorf mentioned it is important there's so many things going on in the city we have so much growth we got so much going on it's important that the mayor if he can't be he can't be everywhere every day but to have a chief of staff that can go sit in for him at a meeting for a couple hours and come back and brief him on it it saves him time it keeps him more informed of what's going on in the city and with our partners in the city and some of the other organizations that we deal with such as you know the…
Thank you. I'd like to point out that, I don't know, maybe Daniel can answer this question, but I believe the proposed budget by the mayor was about nine and a half, I think it was nine and a half percent below last year's budget, 26 budget compared to next year, so a reduction in the overall budget. but if you look at the mayor's office the mayor's office has a 25 reduction in the request for 2027 over what was budgeted in 2026. so to take another 200 000 out of that you'd only be given uh the mayor 690 000 to to run the the mayor's office and that would be a reduction of Well, gosh almost…
but I thought Daniel said it was actually supposed to be 250,000. So are you?
I'm not sure if you were chiming in for this one?
Yeah, I have a question for our HR director maybe. If you raise the CDL or the salaries for the bus drivers, does that impact other departments that also have employees that have CDLs?
yes I wondered if I couldn't open the attachment the request from journey on but I would like to make the motion that we increase the allocation to journey on because of I think it has something to do with their they have another van now and they need some additional staff which would give us more services from journey on so I don't know if anybody can explain exactly what that was but I would support the increase that was requested
Well, since that's the case, I don't know if I can change my motion, but I withdraw my motion and do a new motion to say let's pass the $475,000 as requested in the mayor's budget. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. President. So I have a question for Daniel Ainslie, and that is have you been keeping track of the changes we've made tonight so we know what they are before we vote on this? Thank you.