Governing Body Thu, Jan 15, 2026 · Governing Body https://santafeminutes.space/meeting/909 == Executive Summary == The City Council meeting covered a wide range of topics, including the ratification of two significant trail extension projects, discussions around land acquisition for city facilities, and the appointment of key interim city staff. The council also addressed public concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccine mandates, traffic congestion, and the city's handling of public records requests. A major decision was the approval of a new three-tiered water utility rate structure aimed at promoting conservation and funding infrastructure projects. Community members and councilors alike expressed optimism for the new governing body, with many praising staff for their work on community events and during the transition period. The meeting also saw the council direct the City Manager to negotiate for the acquisition of Tract O and to obtain an updated appraisal for land adjacent to the Pajarito Real Water Reclamation Facility, indicating a focus on strategic land use for city development. == Key Decisions == - Approved the meeting agenda as amended to move two grant ratification items to discussion. - Ratified a second amendment to a cooperative project agreement with NMDOT for the S1000650 AIA trail extension project, extending the term until December 30, 2027. - Ratified a second amendment to a cooperative project agreement with NMDOT for the S1000770 Tiara Contenta Trail Extension Project, extending the term until December 30, 2026. - Approved a motion to direct the City Manager to negotiate with the State of New Mexico for the acquisition or possible acquisition of Tract O (7-0 roll call vote). - Approved the appointment of Chief Brian Moya as Interim City Manager (7-0 roll call vote). - Approved the appointment of Marcos Martinez as Interim City Attorney (7-0 roll call vote). - Approved the appointment of Gerilyn Cardinus as Interim City Clerk and Director of Community Engagement (7-0 roll call vote). - Approved the appointment of Councilor Lee Garcia as Mayor Pro Tem (7-0 roll call vote). - Approved the appointment of City Council Committees (7-0 roll call vote). - Approved the appointment of Mara Christian Harris and Barbara Vil to the Sister Cities Committee as alternates (7-0 roll call vote). - Approved Bill 2025-25, updating water utility rates and service charges with a new three-tiered structure (6-0 roll call vote). - Approved a motion to recess until 7:00 p.m. (6-0 roll call vote). == Motions & Votes == - Agenda Approval as amended — Passed (unanimous voice vote) - Consent Agenda Approval — Passed (unanimous roll call vote) - Motion to enter Executive Session — Passed (unanimous roll call vote) - Motion to reconvene from Executive Session — Passed (unanimous roll call vote) - Motion to direct City Manager to negotiate for Tract O acquisition — Passed (7-0 roll call vote) - Motion to move to Item 21 (Appointments) — Passed (7-0 roll call vote) - Appointment of Chief Brian Moya as Interim City Manager — Passed (7-0 roll call vote) - Appointment of Marcos Martinez as Interim City Attorney — Passed (7-0 roll call vote) - Appointment of Gerilyn Cardinus as Interim City Clerk and Director of Community Engagement — Passed (7-0 roll call vote) - Appointment of Councilor Lee Garcia as Mayor Pro Tem — Passed (7-0 roll call vote) - Appointment of City Council Committees — Passed (7-0 roll call vote) - Appointment of Mara Christian Harris and Barbara Vil to Sister Cities Committee (alternates) — Passed (7-0 roll call vote) - Motion to take a break until 7:00 PM — Passed (vote count not provided in summary) - Motion to recess until 7:00 p.m. — Passed (6-0 roll call vote) - Bill 2025-25 (Water Utility Rate Updates) — Passed (6-0 roll call vote) == Public Comment == The public comment period featured diverse concerns. Steven Fox urged the council to communicate with the Governor regarding COVID-19 vaccine mandates, citing a Spanish study, and discussed his efforts to establish a UN branch in Santa Fe. Nigela Costa congratulated the new leadership, advocating for local talent and emphasizing Santa Fe as a Chicano and Hispano-friendly city. A resident expressed concerns about severe traffic congestion and the impact of new development. Kathy Rivera advised a holistic approach to city and state projects, specifically regarding Tract O. Daniel Ortiz and Elmer Mystus raised concerns about the ongoing Soldiers Monument issue. Daniel Ortiz also criticized Councilor Castro for hosting an event promoting a film perceived as advocating violence. Stephanie Benonato raised significant concerns about the city's handling of Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) requests, alleged delays and denials, and questioned the city's practice of using third-party law firms. She also reported an uncleaned alley and expressed concerns about proposed ICMA credentialing requirements for city managers. While supporting the three-tiered water rate increase for conservation, she inquired about assistance programs for low-income residents and urged the council to seek state funding for water capital improvements. == Topics == - Water Rate Increase - City Manager Qualifications - AIA Trail Extension - Tiara Contenta Trail Extension - Executive Session - Public Comment Procedures - IPRA Requests - Community Energy Efficiency - Agenda Approval - Remembrances/Invocation - City Manager Update - Alley Maintenance - Tract O Acquisition == Full Transcript == IT team in the back, are we live? We are live. Perfect. Thank you so much. I'd like to call our January 15th, 2026 Governing Body meeting to order. First up, we've got a Pledge of Allegiance. Councilor Chavis, lead to the New Mexico flag. Councilor Casset, and invocation remembrances from Councilor Lee Garcia. Please rise as you are able. Mariaima. That's a greeting among Smanos. And the reason I started with that is I wanted to remember first off, and the reason I'm mentioning this first is because I'm going to say a prayer that is done for our deceased Manos. And then Emano Roberto Mandraon, who was former Lieutenant Governor of the state of New Mexico, a beautiful symbol of tradition and culture, someone who taught, walked, and lived life and set the example for many of us. And the invocation prayer that I will do is called a Sudario in his memory. But it'll also be for us as a council, but for him specifically, Cruz Roberto, and was a very good friend of mine. I had the opportunity of knowing him while calling him an Edmano and performing with him at the lens, playing with him on many occasions and learning a lot from him. And so, we want to thank you for all the guidance that you've given us throughout the years, setting an example for others. The other one I would like to say as far as an invocation would be for this governing body for new beginnings. And so it's just basically saying that we are guided by truth and we are guided by each other and that we always are doing the best for our community. So with that, I'd like to just offer one more remembrance if that's okay, Mayor. And a friend of mine who is a patron and a longtime resident of Santa Fe, Carlos Bayades, passed away on December 31st. An amazing man, taught me a lot. And in Paz, thank you. Mayor, are there any other remembrances from both? If not, let's just take a moment to self-reflect and take a moment to remember those as. Thank you. Madam Clerk, can we get a roll call, please? Yes, Mayor. Councilor Barrett? Here. Councilor Casset? Here. Councilor Castro? Sente. Councilor Chavez? Here. Councilor Falner? Here. Councilor Fagali? Here. Councilor Garcia? Here. Mayor Garcia? Present. Mayor, you have a quorum. Thank you so much. Next up is approval of tonight's agenda. Are there any changes? Yes, I do have an amendment that I would like to make. Items E and F were grants that have been ratified and it is our custom that they move to discussion as opposed to consent as they have not been to a committee. So I would like to make that change. Okay. So noted. Any other changes? Committee member or governing body members? Second. Okay. We have a motion and a second. Motion to approve as amended. But we've already got the. Sorry. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed. Motion passes. Next up is consent agenda. Are there any items removed from consent, Madam City Clerk? No, Mayor. Any items governing body members would like to remove last moment? No. There was a couple questions that I had, Mayor, but I did address them with staff already. Okay. Thank you, Counselor. With that being said. To approve. Second. Okay. So, we've got a motion and a second. Any discussion or none? May I get a roll call vote, please? Yes, Mayor. Councilor Barrett. Councilor Casset. Yes. Councilor Castro. Councilor Chavez? Yes. Councilor Faulner? Yes. Councilor Fagali? Yes. Councilor Garcia? Yes. Motion pass. Okay. Next item is presentations. We don't have any tonight. We've got through consent and so let's go ahead and move on to item 10, which is discussion. We're going to hear item E. And Madam City Clerk, can you read into the record what that is? Certainly, Mayor. Item E is a request for ratification of second amendment to cooperative project agreement design work item 25-0546 with the New Mexico Department of Transportation to extend the term through December 30th, 2027 to complete the engineering design of S1000650 AIA trail extension project. And here to answer questions is Capital Projects Manager Romela Glorio Somas. Thank you, Miss Glorios, for being here tonight. If possible, can you give us a brief overview and then we'll open it up to any questions from the committee members or governing body members. Thank you. Good evening, Mayor Garcia and councilors. So, as stated by the City Clerk, staff is requesting governing body ratification of an amendment extending the term of the second rail extension from Rufina Street to San Philipper Road. And then the NMDOT has given us two years and extending the funding of women. So typically the New Mexico Department of Transportation allows the city no more than one month to approve original contracts or contract amendments. The time frame does not provide sufficient opportunity to complete the city's standard review and approval process which includes review and approval of the City Attorney's Office, the budget amendment resolution and project ledger approvals through the Finance Department and placement on the agendas of the Public Works and Utilities Committee, the Finance Committee and the governing body. For that reason, staff requested and received approval from the City Manager under Santa Fe City Code 2-46B, which authorizes the City Manager to enter into agreements seeking or accepting funds when the deadline occurs before the agreement can be placed on the agenda for the governing body's next regularly scheduled meeting as required. By that provision, the agreement is now being brought forward for governing body ratification. So the extension that was given by NMDOT was to accommodate an expansion of the project scope to address storm water drainage issues in the Morning Drive Subdivision neighborhood where the trail extension is located. Due to the ongoing impacts of climate change, flooding in this neighborhood is expected to worsen if these issues are not resolved. Thank you. And I stand for questions. Thank you, Miss Gloriosum. Any questions from any of the governing body members to approve? Second. We've got a motion in a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, Madam City Clerk, can we get a roll call vote, please? Certainly, Mayor. Councilor Cassett? Yes. Councilor Castro? Yes. Councilor Chavez? Yes. Councilor Falner, yes. Councilor Fagali? Councilor Garcia? Yes. Councilor Barrett? Yes. Motion is approved. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Glorios. Next up is item 10F. Madam City Clerk, can you please read that into the record? Certainly, Mayor. 9F is a request for ratification of second amendment cooperative project agreement construction work item 24-0535 with the New Mexico Department of Transportation for $2 million to extend the term through December 30th, 2026 to complete the construction of S1000770 Tiara Contenta Trail Extension Project, a federally funded project. And Cap Projects Manager Romelo Glorio Sas is here for questions. Thank you, Miss Glorio Sas. Can you please give us an overview of this item? So, the term extension was necessary to accommodate the relocation of prairie dogs in compliance with the city's ordinance which limits allowable capture periods from April 1st through April 30 and June 15 through September 15. These windows align with local climate conditions and prairie dog behavior to ensure humane relocation and support the city's broader efforts to protect the native ecosystem. In addition, the extension will support a smooth federal project closeout process. Construction of the Tier Contenta Trail extension from Buffalo Brass to South Meadows is anticipated to be completed in the in late fall of this year. This project is a safe route to school project providing safe access to school age children attending Sweeney Elementary School and Ortiz Middle School. At the last count of SFMPO, there were about 60 to 70 students who used this trail. Thank you. And I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you, Miss Glorios. Do any governing body members have any questions? Councilor Lee Garcia. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just not too many questions. I really wanted to thank Director Gllaios for working with both Councilor Falner and myself on this issue. We identified some problematic areas on the construction that were brought to us by constituents and after seeing the issues, her attention, her and Cody, were very receptive in understanding that there were things that needed really to be done or the project wasn't be completed in a fashion that would be advantageous to the community. And so I want to really appreciate your attention to that and thank you, Director. Councilor Faulner and Councilor C. Quickly want to echo Councilor Lee Garcia's comments. We've really appreciated the amount of work you put in and that we've been responsive to the community and what they need. And so we're just, I think we're kind of pretty satisfied or maybe a little happy about the work you've done to like meet the needs of the community. Councilor Castro. Move to approve. Second. We got a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. Madam City Clerk, can we get a roll call vote, please? Certainly, Mayor. Councilor Castro? Yes. Councilor Chavez? Yes. Councilor Falner? Yes. Councilor Fagali? Yes. Councilor Garcia? Yes. Councilor Barrett? Yes. Councilor Casset? Yes. Motion is approved. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Glorios. Next up is item number 11, matters from the City Manager, City Manager Moya, our Interim City Manager Moya, floor is yours. Mr. Mayor, thank you. The only thing I really have, first of all, thank you. It's been week two. It's been a lot. So, thank you. The only other thing is I just wanted to bring everybody's attention to the January 23rd Governing Body study session. I think that'll be a good thing for us next week. So, I just wanted to bring that to everybody's attention. But other than that, that's all I have. Thank you. Thank you, Interim City Manager Moya. Next up is item 12, matters from the City Attorney, Interim City Attorney Martinez. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor and members of the governing body. And I also want to thank you for the opportunity to serve. Mayor Garcia and members of the governing body, I recommend that we go that the governing body move to go into executive session. I move that we enter an executive session pursuant to the Open Meetings Act section 10-15-1H subpart 8 for discussion of the purchase as acquisition or disposal of real property or water rights by the governing body. Second. We've got a motion in a second. Any discussion? None. Madam City Clerk, can we get a roll call vote, please? Yes, Mayor. Councilor Chavez? Yes. Councilor Falner? Yes. Councilor Fagali? Yes. Councilor Garcia? Yes. Councilor Barrett? Yes. Councilor Casset? Yes. Councilor Castro? Yes. Motion passed. Okay. So, members of the public, we're going to go into executive session, discuss this matter, and we'll be back once the conversation's over. Okay, we are reconvened from our executive session. Is there a motion? Second. Pursuant to the Open Meetings Act section 10-15-1J, I move that the governing body reconvene in open session and state for the record that the matters discussed in the closed session were limited to those specified in the motion for closure. We got a motion and a second. Any discussion? Seeing or hearing none, Madam City Clerk, can we get a roll call vote, please? Mayor: Certainly, Mayor. Councilor Faulkner, yes. Councilor Falgali, yes. Councilor Garcia, yes. Councilor Barrett, yes. Councilor Casset, yes. Councilor Castro, yes. Councilor Chavez, yes. Motion approved. Okay, with that being said, the next item is executive session action items. Is there an action item or a motion any governing body member would like to make? I move to direct the City Manager to direct negotiations for the acquisition or the possible acquisition of Tract O with the State of New Mexico. Second. There's a motion and a second. Any discussion? Hearing none, Madam City Clerk, can we get a roll call vote, please? Mayor: Certainly, Mayor. Councilor Falgali, yes. Councilor Garcia, yes. Councilor Barrett, yes. Councilor Casset, yes. Councilor Castro, yes. Councilor Chavez, yes. Councilor Faulkner, yes. Motion approved. Thank you. So, that moves us on to our next agenda item, which is item 14, matters from the City Clerk. Madam City Clerk, the floor is yours. Thank you, Mayor. I have nothing to report for today. Thank you. Okay. With that being said, next up is communications from the governing body. And since Councilor Faulkner's always the one to go last, I'm going to start off with you this time. My God, you love the middle kid. Okay, I'm so excited. I want to start with a couple of things. I want to thank all the people who helped with the La Posada. It was successful, and we gave away, I don't know, 800 and some toys, fed another 800 and some folks. It was terrific, and thank everyone from the council who supported it. And then I would like to do a shout-out to our City Clerk because she is training staff on how to make things accessible for not only myself but for the public, and she's on it, and she's doing a fantastic job, and I just want to appreciate that you hit the ground running on this and that you're doing such an awesome job. I also want to thank Andrea Phillips and the finance team because I had a great meeting with them as the new finance chair, and I think we're going to, the finance committee and staff are going to be a pretty positive team, and that we're going to be able to work with the Mayor to do some awesome stuff to get things on track at the City of Santa Fe. And I also want to say that I appreciate that the council is pretty positive. I feel hopeful and excited about just the tone that's been set by the Mayor, and that is leading the council in a direction where we're going to do good things for the City of Santa Fe, but I think we're also going to have some fun doing it, and it's going to be a collaboration, which is going to be very refreshing. Thank you, Councilor Faulkner. I'm just going to continue on with the wave outwards. Thank you, Mayor. Yes, thank you to the new governing body. It was a really amazing first meeting. I also want to thank city staff. I know everybody's under a lot of pressure, and in particular, City Manager and Chief Grundler for meeting with us today about the incident on Harrison Road. We know that you are with us. It is a difficult situation, but if anybody has concerns, please reach out to Councilor Falgali or myself. Thank you. Thank you, Councilor Castro. Councilor Casset. Mayor, I just, happy New Year, everybody. First meeting back, and really welcome, welcome to the new faces on the dais, and welcome to this life that you have chosen for yourself, and you may want to question your sanity at this moment in time. I also really want to thank the staff that put on the community engagement project for the Richards Avenue micro-community. There were some hiccups that we need to look at with notifications and figuring that out. There seemed to be uneven notification. But the team did a wonderful job of reaching out to as many people as possible, and really running a very good round table, and a great round table. And then I also want to acknowledge Rod Gould and the team that put together our budget session. That was a really, really wonderful, wonderful session. Really, I thought it was really positive as I was listening to the conversations, and I really loved the opportunity that the public had to delve into some of the challenges that we ourselves have to deal with in terms of making decisions on how to spend an, unfortunately, a finite amount of money when there are infinite issues and things that we would like to be supporting. So I thought that was really great. I look forward to watching this budget process develop. We, on our first year, we've learned some good lessons already. But I thought that Rod and Andrea and the entire team and all the staff that was there to facilitate just did an incredible job leading us through that. And that is all for me. Thank you, Councilor Casset. Councilor Garcia. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I would like to extend a welcome to the new governing body members. Thank you for taking on the harsh role of representing the, not harsh, but you know, it's challenging at times, and so thank you for taking on that role and representing our community. Congratulations and welcome, actually, Mayor Michael Garcia, in your first meeting. To the staff that's taken on the responsibility of at least currently being interim, it's a huge lift, and thank you. It's whenever there's a change in administration, there's a lot of transitional chaos, I guess you could say, and thank you for leading the way. I do want to give a shout-out to Councilor Faulkner. She thanked everybody for their help and support in doing the La Posada and some of the community events that we do on the south side of town. Truly wouldn't happen the way that they do without her leadership and the work that she does. No, it's absolutely true. And so you're very modest in thanking others, and I thank you for doing that. Aside from that, Happy New Year, Feliz Año, and I'll pass it on. Thank you, Councilor Chavez. Thank you, Mayor. Yes, Happy New Year, everyone. I want to welcome our new teammates to this work, and I've already connected with one, and I'm excited to start working on a project. And yeah, I think there's a really good feeling of positivity, and I think that, you know, you deserve some credit for that, Mayor. So thank you for your work so quickly and already having an achievement of moving us in the right direction in a very positive way. So thank you for that. I also want to thank Councilor Faulkner for the La Posada as well. She spent, I think, every free moment she had working on that event, from shopping to delivering toys to sorting toys to connecting with partners to finding donations. So she says that she doesn't, she doesn't want credit, but it literally wouldn't happen the way it happened without her work. So thank you, Councilor Faulkner. And on a personal note, I want to congratulate my eighth-grade son for making the Magro Middle School basketball game. He's currently playing right now. So if you see me on my phone, it's because I am keeping track of the score. I'm harassing everyone that's there so I could feel like I'm there. So congratulations to him. He is a starter for the team, so it's a big achievement. So congratulations, Gray. Thank you. Thank you, Councilor Chavez. Councilor Barrett. Hey there, everybody, and Happy New Year, and I'm Barrett. I'm new to District 2. I'm a social worker. This is my first time in a political office, and I'm excited to get some work done and work with this amazing team. Thanks. Thank you, Councilor Barrett. Councilor, the last one. I'm so used to seeing on the other side of the dais, and it's going to take some time to be like, Councilor Falgali, the floor is yours. Hi, Paul. Thank you, Mayor. Yeah, it's weird. It's weird being on this side. I'm like, oh, you can see, I can see at least half the room. I guess when the TV is in the way, we, I can only see half, but it's nice to be able to see folks and not everyone behind me when I'm at the lectern. So, I just want to thank everyone who put together the orientation. G, Chief Moya, Marcos, Andrea Phillips, and Rod, and everyone who helped with that. It was really helpful to me. I think also to Councilor Barrett. And yeah, it's really, everyone's been really positive and helpful and answering our questions like, where, where is this thing? How do we get in the building? You know, all the, all those things. So, it's been, it's been really nice, and I, I really appreciate everyone's kindness and willingness to help. So, thank you. Thank you, Councilor Falgali. And I just want to thank everybody, governing body members, staff. We're on day 10, but it sometimes seems like day a thousand at the speed we're going. We, we are moving quick. I think my colleagues over on the other side of the room can attest to that. So, thank you for keeping up the pace. Yes. Forgot one last thing, Mayor. Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. One of our co-councilors is always really good about wishing everyone a happy birthday, and we did not wish her a happy birthday. So, Councilor Casset, happy birthday. Okay, everyone's talking about the La Posada, but there's two things I have to say. Our department did a huge lift for the La Posada, like massive lift. And then also, I would like to thank our interim or acting City Manager because he already does a lot for the City of Santa Fe, but he's stepped up, and he's helping us in this transition period, which is a lot out of nowhere. And I, I think we all should be grateful that he stepped up to that position. Thank you, Councilor Faulkner, and I'll echo those sentiments. All, all three of you all up there. You're in interim roles, but you, you're rocking and rolling like you've been doing this for decades. So, so thank you. It makes coming to the office every day fun. So, so thank you. We've got a lot of work ahead of us. We, we all know the work we have ahead of us. So, I just want to make sure that we continue the momentum we've started. We continue to have fun. We continue to get work done. I think that's ultimately why we were elected. The public has faith in us to, you know, represent them, represent them well, but see the positive change that they're asking us to take on their behalf. With that being said, we do have a vacancy. It's, you see, there's a space to the left of Councilor Casset. So there is a District 2 forum this weekend. There are 11 folks that are vying for the vacant City Council position that was left when I resigned to take on the mayoral duties. So I would encourage folks, especially the folks on the dais up here, to either be in attendance or watch it. We will be live streaming it because ultimately the process is I get to appoint, but eight of you all get to decide if you agree with that appointment or not. It's your final decision. So with that, I would, I would encourage, participate in the sense, watch. If you have any questions from any of the candidates, reach out. There's resumes are available online. I've been seeking questions from the public all week. Friday, not Friday, on Saturday, upon conclusion of the forum, I'm going to post all the questions that have been submitted. With 11 candidates, it's going to be very rough to get through a lot of questions in an hour and a half, but I want to make sure that all the questions that come in are publicly available for the candidates to address on their own merit. With that, we can have somebody hopefully on the 28th meeting up for approval, and they'll be able to help us get the work done. So, lots of work ahead. Thank you, everybody, for an amazing 10 days. We've got lots, lots, and lots of more days ahead. And so with that, thank you. We'll get to move on to item 16, which is introduction of legislation. First up, Madame City Clerk, if you wouldn't mind reading item A into the record, please. City Clerk: Certainly, Mayor. Item 16A is consideration of a resolution. This is sponsored by Councilor Amanda Chavez and Councilor Jamie Casset. It's a resolution directing the City Manager to obtain an updated appraisal and negotiate a sales price for potential acquisition of 122.634 acres of land adjacent to the Pajarito Real Water Reclamation Facility. Mayor: Okay. City Clerk: Mayor, I would just want to add, the additional land would allow for expanded sludge drying, staging for construction during the Pajarito Real Water Reclamation Facility, rehabilitation and replacement, and possibly more replacement options for the Pajarito Real Water Reclamation Facility. Mayor: Thank you, Councilor. Okay. All right. Next item is petitions from the floor. Following our rules process, we will usually have that as close to 7:00 as possible. The next item after that is a public comment, which is another public hearing. The rest of the agenda is pretty light. Any recommendations from the governing body how they would like to proceed for the next 30 minutes? Councilor: Mayor, I would recommend that we move to item 21, appointments, and then we could come back to public comment if we were closer to 7:00 p.m. Mayor: Okay. Is that a motion? Councilor: Second. That is a motion. Mayor: Okay. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Councilor: I would propose that we would just go in order and then just revisit the time at 7:00. That's a discussion. Councilor: It's the last thing on the agenda, I think. Councilor: Yeah. But I would propose us just moving to public, just continuing in order with the agenda. We have 30 minutes. We would take up whatever we can before 7:00 instead of having it super rearranged. I don't know. Councilor: That's a discussion point. Councilor: Right. So, I think following Councilor Chavez's direction, we would go to public comment on bills, but we typically would have a public hearing after 7:00, and the remainder of the items are public hearings or public comment portions. Councilor: I say we start with final action on legislation 19. It's also a public hearing. Councilor: Oh, yeah. So, I think that's why Councilor Castro recommended we go to something that doesn't have any public input and then, if need be, take a 10-minute break, whatever, however it takes to get through these appointments because there are a number of them. Councilor: That makes sense. Mayor: Okay. So, there is a motion and a second to move directly to item 21. Any further discussion there? Seeing none, Madame City Clerk, can we get a roll call vote, please? City Clerk: Yes, Mayor. Councilor Garcia? Councilor Garcia: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Barrett? Councilor Barrett: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Casset? Councilor Casset: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Castro? Councilor Castro: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Chavez? Councilor Chavez: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Falner? Councilor Falner: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Fugali? Councilor Fugali: Yes. City Clerk: Motion passed. Mayor: Okay. Thank you so much. What's the next agenda item, Madame City Clerk? City Clerk: Next agenda item, we'll move to 21 appointments. 21A is appointment of Chief Brian Moya to Interim City Manager. Councilor: Move to approve. Councilor: Second. Mayor: Okay. Thank you. So, with that, I just wanted to say, I think it's pretty evident that Chief Moya has the skillset, ability, and talents to take on this Interim City Manager role. Even in this first 10 days of the change of administration, it's evident that I'm thankful for the work that you're bringing to the city. So, no other comments from me. Any other comments from? Councilor: Ditto. Mayor: Yes, Councilor Casset. Councilor Casset: Thank you. I just, I do also want to recognize Chief Moya. You have always been very good at communicating about things and calling, which is, I'll get used to that. But I really, I really do appreciate you stepping up. You already do so much. And I really, this is a tough job, and you always are so dedicated to the city. So very happy to have you here. So thank you so much for being willing to do this. Mayor: Thank you, Councilor Casset. Any other, there are none. Madame City Clerk, can we get a roll call vote, please? City Clerk: Certainly, Mayor. Councilor Barrett? Councilor Barrett: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Casset? Councilor Casset: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Castro? Councilor Castro: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Chavez? Councilor Chavez: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Falner? Councilor Falner: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Fagali? Councilor Fagali: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Garcia? Councilor Garcia: Yes. City Clerk: Motion passed. Mayor: Okay. What's the next agenda item, Madame City Clerk? City Clerk: Next item is item 21B, appointment of Marcos Martinez to Interim City Attorney. Councilor: Move to approve. Councilor: Second. Mayor: And we've got a motion and a second. Again, I would like to take a moment. Thank you, Mr. Martinez, for agreeing to take on these duties. You as well are more than qualified to take on this role. It's been an opportunity and a pleasure to work with you these last 10 days, and I look forward to whatever the future may hold as we work to fill the position on a permanent basis. So, thank you. Any other comments, questions? Seeing none, Madame City Clerk, can we get a roll call vote, please? City Clerk: Councilor Casset? Councilor Casset: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Castro? Councilor Castro: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Chavez? Councilor Chavez: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Falner? Councilor Falner: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Fagali? Councilor Fagali: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Garcia? Councilor Garcia: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Barrett? Councilor Barrett: Yes. City Clerk: Motion passed. Mayor: Thank you. Next item, please. City Clerk: Next item is 21C, appointment of Gerilyn Cardinus to Interim City Clerk and Director of Community Engagement. Councilor: Move to approve. Councilor: Second. Mayor: Okay. Motion and a second. Sorry if that was a little weird for you to read your own name, but again, I echo the sentiments. You've proved historically, as you've taken this role on in the past in an interim role, and you did it with flying colors. So continue that. It's been amazing to have the opportunity to work alongside you in the capacity now as Mayor, and let's get to work. So any other comments? Yes, Councilor Garcia. Councilor Garcia: Thank you, Mayor. As stated earlier, thank you to all of you who's accepted that role because it's not just what you were previously doing. It's in addition to, and so that's a heavy lift. So, thank you guys for doing this. Mayor: Thank you, Councilor Garcia. Any other comments? Okay, seeing none, can we get a roll call vote, please, Madame Clerk? City Clerk: Certainly. Councilor Castro, Councilor Travis? Councilor Travis: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Faulner. Councilor Faulner: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Fagali. Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Garcia. Councilor Garcia: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Barrett. Councilor Barrett: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Casset. Councilor Casset: Yes. City Clerk: Motion passed. Mayor: Okay. Thank you. Next item, please. City Clerk: Next item is 21D, appointment of Councilor Lee Garcia to Mayor Pro Tem. Councilor: Move to approve. Councilor: Second. Mayor: Okay. I'd just like to take a moment to thank you, Councilor Garcia, for agreeing to take on these duties. Hopefully, I'm not sick or away from the office. So, in the absence of me, I definitely am confident that you can continue to keep the collaboration and work going in my absence. But God willing, I'm not going to be absent too much. Too much work ahead of us. Thank you. Any other comments, questions? Hearing none. Madame Clerk, can we get a roll call vote, please? Councilor Chavez. Councilor Chavez: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Falner. Councilor Falner: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Fagali. Councilor Garcia. Councilor Garcia: Oh, yes. I'm a robot. I'm sorry. Councilor Barrett. Councilor Barrett: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Cassett. Councilor Cassett: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Castro. Councilor Castro: Yes. City Clerk: Motion passed. Mayor: Thank you. Next item, please. City Clerk: Next item is no vote required, but it is an announcement of an appointment of Councilor Alma Castro to Parliamentarian. Mayor: Thank you, Madame Clerk. I just want to thank Councilor Castro for taking on these duties. Always requires somebody to ensure that we're following the rules, following the processes. So we're going to count on you to keep us in line. So thank you. Councilor Castro: And I just want to honor, thank you all. In our training, we decided we wanted to clean these up and make sure that they're clear. So, I hope Willie will take that direction from all of you. Mayor: Well, thank you. Next item, please. City Clerk: Next item is 21F, appointment of City Council committees. Councilor: Move to approve. Councilor: Second. Mayor: Okay. Just some context here. I tried to do my best in regards to affording the opportunity for every governing body member to chair at least one committee. I think especially during our discussions we had last week, there is lots of enthusiasm, and folks really want to grow in their roles, and the only way I see we can do that is thrust folks into leadership positions. And so, just thank you, everybody, for willing to take on those tasks. With that, no other comments, anything else? Okay. Can we get a roll call vote, please, Madame City Clerk? City Clerk: Certainly, Mayor. Councilor Falner? Councilor Falner: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Fagali? Councilor Fagali: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Garcia? Councilor Garcia: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Barrett? Councilor Barrett: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Casset? Councilor Casset: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Castro? Councilor Castro: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Chavez? Councilor Chavez: Yes. City Clerk: Motion passed. Councilor: Just make one. Councilor Falner: Sure. I just, I want to thank the Mayor for taking the time to meet with those of us who wanted to advocate for a given position on a committee and being willing to have some honest, hard conversations and being willing to listen to those of us who were seeking out positions. I really appreciated that. Mayor: Thank you, Councilor Falner. Next item, please. City Clerk: Next item is 21G, Sister Cities Committee. Mara Christian Harris appointment as alternate, term ending October 2028, and Barbara Vil appointment as alternate, term ending October 2027. Move to approve. Councilor: Second. Mayor: Okay. Any discussion? None. Madame City Clerk, can we get a roll call vote, please? City Clerk: Councilor Fagali? Councilor Fagali: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Garcia? Councilor Garcia: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Barrett? Councilor Barrett: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Casset? Councilor Casset: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Castro? Councilor Castro: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Chavez? Councilor Chavez: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Falner? Councilor Falner: Yes. City Clerk: Motion passed. Mayor: Okay. Thank you, Madame City Clerk. I think the remainder of our agenda is either petitions from the floor or has some type of public comment portion on the agenda. So what's the will of the committee or will of the governing body? Councilor: Mayor, I'd like to move that we go to petitions from the floor and continue with the agenda as posted. Councilor: Mayor, according to our rules, we are not allowed to start petitions from the floor before 7:00 p.m. Councilor: It says as close as we can. We could take a break. Councilor: It says not before. Councilor: Okay. Councilor: Take a break until, that's what I would recommend. Councilor: So, I would move that we take a break until 7:00. Councilor: Second. Mayor: Okay. So, there's a motion to adjourn until 7:00, and there's a second. Any further discussion? Not adjourn. Take a break. Let me take. Okay. It seems like no more discussion. Can we get a roll call vote, please? City Clerk: Yes, Mayor. Councilor Garcia? Councilor Garcia: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Barrett? Councilor Barrett: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Cassett? Councilor Cassett: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Castro? Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Chavez? Councilor Chavez: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Falner? Councilor Falner: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Fagali? City Clerk: Motion passed. Okay, so we stand in recess until 7:00 p.m. Okay, let's go ahead and reconvene. Madame City Clerk, what is the next item on the agenda? City Clerk: Mayor, the next item is item 17, petitions from the floor. Mayor: Thank you. So now is the opportunity for members of the public to come and address the governing body for two minutes, whether it's here in the chambers or online. Michael, if you'll start the timer, please. So turn the clock on. Okay. And please state your name for the record, please. Speaker: I'm Steven Fox. I'm the founder of the United Nations' new effort to have a branch in Santa Fe. I've been out of this about five years. I want to start with a message from the Royal Family of Spain. I came to tell you guys back in 2021 that I got a letter from the King of Spain recognizing United Nations Santa Fe, and me as founder. So, this message is as follows: 2.7 million Spanish children and teenagers, zero COVID deaths. 81% were unvaccinated. A Spanish study was reviewed and published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. None of those 2.7 million children died of COVID. None, as in zero. Would you please communicate this to the Governor of New Mexico, who persists in hammering this, the vaccine mandates? It's wrong. It's wrong. It's terribly wrong. And the last time I came to see you all was to tell you about the Nigerian Surgeon General of Florida that got rid of all the vaccine mandates in the state of Florida. It took a Nigerian to come here, and everything's been good. Okay, so some more good news. Can you foresee in the future what a United Nations branch in Santa Fe could do with an Under-Secretary-General for Nutrition, Consumer Protection, and Longevity, and an Under-Secretary-General for Stopping Child Trafficking? I have another idea, which is an indigenous specialized high-level indigenous court. That's a long shot. None of those cases found in Central and South America ever get heard at The Hague in the Netherlands because of the corrupt national governments and the corporate manipulations thereof. So, let's see. I brought a compendium. I spent three hours today putting together a compendium of articles and videos. I have a YouTube channel now called United Nations Santa Fe. It's only got four videos in it. Is that it? Yeah, I will communicate with the rest of this, each of you, tomorrow in an email. Thank you very much. Thank you. Mr. Mayor, members of the City Council, beloved staff and community, I want to start off, since this is my first meeting here with you all, with hugs and kisses for everybody, right? And I'm going to give them to the staff first because you all work harder than everybody else. And then just pass them around, and everybody gets a hug, everybody gets a kiss. Nigela Costa, proud resident of the Southside. I want to congratulate our new mayor. I want to congratulate our new city councilors, and congratulate the new leadership roles that people are taking on. It's not easy, but it's very necessary. Thank you for doing that. I also want to support the decision to promote people from within. I think we've got the leadership capacity here on staff already, or in Santa Fe, to get the job done. We don't need to be going to California, New York, Cincinnati, or wherever it is that people have been recruiting from lately. We've got the gente here. We've got plenty of great people here. I also want to congratulate you all because everybody's contributing to creating a new sense of hope here in Santa Fe. And I know you're going to be successful, and our new mayor is going to be successful. It's great to see one of our own up there in that position, and we're going to be successful in the way Chicanos do it, collaboratively, right? Working mano a mano, working together through resolving needs and things that we need to do to make the difficult decisions, and then we live with them because that's what we do. That's how we survive. I also love to see some more investment on the Southside, especially on the north of Airport Road in the annexed areas. And finally, and I do have one, but I'll save it for the legislation conversation. But one thing too that I want us to keep in mind: we're an immigrant-friendly city. We're a Native American-friendly city. We're definitely a tourist-friendly city, African-American-friendly city, and an Asian-friendly city. I want us to deliberately think about how do we make this a Chicano and Hispano-friendly city again. Thank you. Thank you. I'd like to add my congratulations. It's, first of all, the obvious, those of you who got elected, reelected. But I lived about 50 years in the D.C. area. Yeah, just pull it a little closer to you, sir. A little closer. Okay. I'm used to just my voice carrying, but what I saw of government, not the federal government, except how it related to the D.C. government, I am so happy that you're all up there. That's all I need to say about that. It was a disaster trying to deal with multiple county and city governments. But my real reason for being here tonight is I, and a lot of us, need your help. Yesterday, I was traveling on St. Francis going towards the interstate, and I would normally turn down Zia to the right, and with the construction there, that's pretty much a disaster. So, I made the choice of going on Cerrillos, thinking I'd get down to Yucca and then get down to Zia and turn left and get into the condo where I live. It took me 14 minutes from the light at St. Francis to get to Yucca. The traffic was a non-moving line. That area is overwhelmed. And the second part of this is that I don't see how, with this new subdivision going in at Zia and St. Francis, how it can possibly have additional units and a commercial area. Traffic could just be stalled, snarled, stalled, whatever you want. So, I ask for your help with that. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor, members of the governing body. My name is Kathy Rivera, resident of District 1, and I would like to congratulate the new members of the council. The reason I'm here tonight, and timing is everything, I was hoping the public comment would happen before the conversation on Tract O. But my comments regarding that Tract O are really directed at you as a governing body to realize that while the City of Santa Fe has an interest in that property and may go forward exploring that property, there are also several other projects that involve the state that are ongoing currently. One of them being the new legislative offices across from the State Capitol. So, my message to you all is that while we understand we need to look at these projects in isolation and they need to be vetted in their respective isolated projects, I would ask you to look at them collectively and figure out what synergies exist that we might be able to benefit from each other's needs to figure out what compromises may need to be crossed across projects, and perhaps make sure that we can work and build our relationships with the state to ensure that their projects go forward and ensure that the City of Santa Fe is getting what they want out of these projects as well. So, that's my message to you, is more of a synergistic look across all the projects in collaboration with the state. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening, Mr. Mayor, governing body. My name is Daniel Ortiz, 14th generation Hispano, District 1. I'm here on behalf of the United States Hispanic Anti-Defamation Association. First of all, congratulations to all of you and thank you for your service. I know your positions are not easy, but yet here we are. And I'd like to just ask for the mayor directly. I hope, and I think I can honestly say for virtually everybody in this room and watching this video, that your tenure is not like the lyrics from The Who song, "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss." Not laughing, that was meant as a joke. We're not supposed to have a dog, so I don't want to engage. I apologize. I hope everybody knows that song, "Meet the new boss." No, no, I don't think that's going to be the case. But having said that, we are in a new year. We have a new governing body, and we all want to start fresh. But we know that logically, it's not a cut from the last year to the new year or the new last administration. There's overlapping, right? There's overlap. And so, let's just all, we all hope for a new era, a new beginning. But I am concerned. I am concerned about some events that happened with the Soldiers Monument that occurred, and this notion of, I have to just say, call out one of your members of the governing body. Councilor Castro, you were hosting an event at the local cinema called "How to Blow Up a Pipeline" with Red Nation. You hosted a forum where they actually promoted violence as a means of social change. This is not acceptable. Mr. I think your time is up. Okay. Tomorrow, you're all going to get an email with her presentation, "How to Blow Up a Pipeline." This is not acceptable. We're watching. This is not acceptable. If you could please wrap up. Thank you, Mr. Ortiz. Mayor, council members, bienvenidos. You can't express how happy we are to have you lead our city. Now, I won't say anything about the other one because they'll all be negative. I want to be positive. We're going to be positive from here on out. And I want to thank you, and I know you will do a great job for the people of Santa Fe. And they are trusting you. They are, you were voted on, so they're looking forward to you being our new leadership. I wanted the two new councilors that are here, I want them, they don't know much about it, but the Dativa filed a lawsuit against the city and the mayor five years ago. Still there. We needed to finish this thing. Okay. It needs to be completed. It's, it's, it's dividing the city. The attorney, if you would read the renderings from the courts, what they said, the court said, "Remove that box." They did within 90 days, I mean, 30 days, and then 30 or 90 days, I can't remember. And then if not, rebuild the Soldiers Monument to 2020 standards, or go to the SHPO. Last administration went to the SHPO. The SHPO, the State Historical Preservation Officer, said, "Before we entertain anything, you need to have a public forum with the people. You need to determine what you're going to do with it, where you're going to place it, and what is going to be in its place, and where is it going to go?" You have to finish that. Well, I don't know if you have to finish it, you need to check. You don't have to abide by it. They just give you that option. But you've got to remember, you still have that order, that court order that says you need to build it, rebuild it to 2020 standards. So, that's all I want to say. We've got to get this thing done. I mean, it, it, it broke our city. It really did. So again, bienvenidos, thank you very much, and we look forward to your new leadership. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening, Mr. Mayor, city councilors. I appreciate all your hard work that you've done and you're going to be doing. My name is Elmer Mystus, District One. In any case, yeah, I want to echo some of what he said regarding the monument. It's our past time that we don't do that. And I see a lot of, I'm getting a lot of good fights from all of you here tonight. There's no reason why we can't do that. And we get it done. We want to make Santa Fe look positive. We don't want to give Santa Fe a black eye. Some of these issues that we've been fighting about have brought us. We are much better off with good feelings city. Thank you very much. Good night. Thank you. Excuse me. Can you re-look at the two-minute rule? The two-minute rule was brought about by the... Mr. Behill. Well, I gave you, you had your two minutes already. Thank you. Hello, my name is Elizabeth West, and I have so many things I'd love to say, and so I'm not going to say them. There are too many, and I am in the mood for being positive. Usually I am, but not always. However, I am today, and so welcome. I see familiar faces, and I look forward to congratulating each of you individually and getting to know some of the newer ones. So, I'm sure I'll say some things sometime another time that aren't going to be so fabulous, but I really do try to be positive. So, I'm stating that just so you know that's the cushion for future discussion. Good luck, and you're being very polite. You're listening to each other, and that feels really, really good. It's not easy and new people. Sir, with the red shirt, I'm so sorry. Are you with the fire department? Boy, did I love those bags. Okay, thank you very much. More later. Good luck. Mayor: Thank you. Madam City Clerk, are there any folks online that would like to provide public comment? City Clerk: If the attendees in the Zoom room would please raise their hands. We have Stephanie Benonato. Stephanie, you can go ahead. Stephanie Benonato: Thank you, Stephanie Benonato. I too would like to welcome the new members of the council and Mayor Garcia, and hope that things go as copathetically as they seem to be going tonight for some time at least. I do, however, want to bring some problems to your attention. One is IPRA requests. I made three requests, and one, even after, and I had to, I finally sued the city because I wasn't getting any response. And eight months later, just trying to look at, get certificates of training from one employee, even after we, Ken Statler, filed the lawsuit, I was still getting notices that it was too burdensome to go look at someone's HR file to see what trainings and certificates were there. This has been farmed out to a third-party law firm who seems to like to prolong lawsuits. And again, instead of admitting that I didn't get these, they've denied that I didn't get them. And this is just a waste of city resources. And I'm asking that the policy of farming out these lawsuits rather than looking at the merits be considered. Secondly, there is an alley behind my house, and as far as I know, I haven't been able to get back there recently because I was in a very bad accident where a truck hit my bike from behind, and I flew off the bike. But, as far as I know, months and months later, that alley has not been cleaned at all. And it's been again such a long time, and I don't understand why it is taking the city so long to maintain an alley where utilities run along it, and it is the city's alley. Thank you. Mayor: Thank you, Madam City Clerk. Are there any other community members online? City Clerk: Mayor, no other attendees in the Zoom room have their hands up. Mayor: Okay. Are there any other members in the audience that would like to provide public comment petitions from the floor? Seeing none, Madam City Clerk, what's the next item on the agenda? City Clerk: Next item on the agenda is item 18. This is public comment on bills. First public comment, no action. 18A is consideration of Bill Number 2025-26, adoption of an ordinance sponsored by Mayor Alan Weber, Councilor Carol Romo, and Councilor Jamie Cassutt. It's a bill approving a Community Energy Efficiency Development Seed Block Grant from the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department Energy Conservation and Management Division pursuant to the Seed Block Grant Act to authorize a seed program project and approve the terms and conditions of the grant agreement. Mayor: Thank you. Are there any members of the public that would like to provide public comment for this item? Madam City Clerk, is there anybody online that would like to provide public comment for this item? City Clerk: If the attendees in the Zoom room would like to provide public comment on this bill, please raise your hand. Mayor, no hands have been raised. Mayor: Okay, thank you. Given that, what's the next item on the agenda? I'm sorry. The next item is 18B. This is consideration of Bill Number 2025-23, an adoption of an ordinance. This is sponsored by Councilor Jamie Cassutt and Councilor Pilar Faulkner. It's a bill amending SFCC 1987 Section 2-4.2 to require city managers to be International City Manager Association, ICMA, credentialed or credential eligible unless an appointment and consent of such a candidate is not possible after five months, requiring candidates for Deputy City Manager to have the same qualifications pursuant to Section 2-4.6L, removing portions of Section 2-4.3 that conflict with city charter, and removing the provision for an acting city manager to employ and discharge personnel. Mayor: Okay. Are there any members of the public that would like to provide public comment on this item? City Clerk: There is one in the Zoom. Mayor: Okay. Don't see anybody in the chamber. So, let's go ahead and move to the person in the Zoom room. City Clerk: Stephanie Benonato. Stephanie Benonato: Thank you, Stephanie Benonato. I am a little concerned that this international certification may exclude people. I understand the wanting and need to professionalize that office, but I'm just wondering how easy or not easy it is to get the certification. I see that there's ways of not, you know, of it being waived, but then why have it if you're going to waive it after five months anyway? And so that is my concern. And also for the Assistant City Manager, it seems like that person should maybe be required to get some certification within a certain amount of time. I do appreciate that the interim City Manager would have hiring and firing capabilities because sometimes that interim position can go on for quite some time, and it would hamper the, I think, the administration in getting the team together. Thank you. Mayor: Madam City Clerk, are there any other members of the public that would like to provide comment via the Zoom link? City Clerk: Mayor, no other hands are raised in the Zoom room. Mayor: Okay, seeing that there is none in the City Council Chamber, let's go to move on to the next item, please. City Clerk: Next item is item 19. This is final action on legislation. This is a public hearing. 19A is consideration of Bill Number 2025-25 and adoption of an ordinance. This is sponsored by Councilor Amanda Chavez, Councilor Carol Romo, and Councilor Jamie Cassutt. It's a bill updating the rates and service charges for water utility services. Mayor: Thank you, Madame Clerk. Do not see Interim Director Roach here, but I do see a colleague here approaching the podium. If we can get a presentation, please. Jonathan Montoya: Good evening, Mayor Garcia, members of the governing body. I guess to give a brief overview of this, I think you all received a presentation back in December over the proposed rate increase for the water utility. I guess some key takeaways, some key points is that our water rates have not increased since 2013, and we've seen a general cost inflation of 41%. This rate increase is directly tied to funding some of our large capital projects over the next, you know, several years. I guess what this means for the average utility bill payer is that beginning in 2027, the average bill is going to increase by $1 per year for the next five years. This also changes to our rate structure. Currently, there are two tiers. There are the single-family multi-use homes that use less than 7,000 gallons of water are in Tier 1, and then above 7,000 gallons of water, they're in Tier 2, which they pay a higher rate. We're proposing that there's going to be three tiers, and this is going to incentivize water conservation. So, for the families that use less than 4,000 gallons, they may see a decrease in their water bill of roughly a dollar, a dollar per thousand gallons, I should add. And then in Tier 2, there's going to be a slight increase. And then for users who use more than 9,000 gallons of water, which is a small percentage of the city, but typically it's high users, they're going to see more of an increase. So, this aims to do two things: incentivize water conservation as well as help fund our large capital improvement projects into the future. Mayor: Thank you. Are there any members of the public that would like to provide comment on this agenda item? Is there anybody in the Zoom room? City Clerk: Yes, Mayor. There is one person in the Zoom room, Stephanie Beninato. Mayor: Okay. Thank you, Ms. Beninato. The floor is yours. Stephanie Beninato: Can you hear me now? Mayor: Yes. Stephanie Beninato: Okay, good. I'm happy that you are going to do a three-tiered rate increase. I always find my water, sewer, garbage bill to be very high and has been going up pretty consistently. I assume it's the sewer line or the garbage part that is going up. Typically, even though I have a casita and it's billed in one bill, we use less than 1,900 gallons a month. So, that's a very small amount, and I'd like to be able to save or get rewarded for being a low user. I also wonder if you can establish some kind of, or maybe there is a program that would help people who are low income who may have trouble paying this bill to help them be able to at least be subsidized in some way, shape, or form. And I hope that the council will also go to legislature to get as much money as possible to do the capital improvements that are necessary for the water system. Thank you. Mayor: Thank you, Madam City Clerk. Are there any other members of the public that would like to comment via the Zoom link? City Clerk: Mayor, there are no other hands raised. Mayor: Okay. With that being said, are there any questions or comments from the governing body members? Councilor Castro. Councilor Castro: Mayor, I think maybe we can give staff an opportunity to talk about those programs for low-income users. Jonathan Montoya: A question for staff. Sure. Mayor Garcia, Councilor Castro, I don't know the specific details, but there are programs available currently for individuals that have low income. So, and forgive me, I didn't introduce myself for those of you who don't know me. I'm Water Division Director Jonathan Montoya. I've been with the city for about 14 years. So, nice to meet you all. Mayor: And thank you, Director Montoya. I realize that you're not the utility billing director. And I'm sorry, we should have had a director here, but there are some programs, and if you reach out to us as your representatives or to the utility billing, we can work with folks to get payment plans and other options. Thank you. Any other comments or questions from the governing body members? If not, what's the will of the body? Councilor: Move to approve. Councilor: Second. Mayor: So, we have a motion and a second. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing, hearing none, Madam City Clerk, can we get a roll call vote, please? City Clerk: Certainly, Mayor. Councilor Barrett? Councilor Barrett: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Cassutt? Councilor Cassutt: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Castro? Councilor Castro: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Faulkner? Councilor Faulkner: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Fagal? Councilor Garcia? Councilor Garcia: Yes. City Clerk: Councilor Chavez? Councilor Chavez: Yes. City Clerk: Motion passed. Mayor: Okay, I believe we've reached the end of the agenda. If I'm not correct, please correct me. Okay, with that, we are adjourned. Thank you, everybody.