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2026-05-18 - City Council

Summary

Built from the official action summary (minutes, Legistar status Final) and the Council President's letter of introduction for the same date (2026-05-18 - President). The action summary records motions and votes only, not discussion, public comment, or the text of amendments.

  • Monday, May 18, 2026, 5:00 PM, Twenty-Seventh Council, Eleventh Meeting. All nine councilors present: Peña (President), Champine (Vice-President), Baca, Bassan, Fiebelkorn, Grout, Lewis, Rogers and Telles. The summary records adjournment at 11:06 p.m., although a vote during the budget debate extended the meeting to 1:00 a.m.; the recorded time may be an error in the minutes.
  • Pledge of Allegiance led in English by Peña and in Spanish by Bassan. The journal of May 4, 2026 was approved. Committee reports were received for the Finance and Government Operations Committee (May 11) and the Committee of the Whole (May 14).
  • Fiscal Year 2027 budget: the City's operating budget resolution (R-26-17) passed as amended 7-2 (against: Bassan, Lewis) after votes on 19 numbered amendments, several tabled and later taken off the table, and a vote to extend the meeting to 1:00 a.m. (6-3). The companion one-year objectives resolution (R-26-28) passed as amended 8-1 (against: Lewis).
  • Police oversight: the ordinance clarifying the Civilian Police Oversight Agency's authority to investigate APD personnel (O-26-23) passed 9-0.
  • City Attorney: Champine's ordinance amending the Legal Department and City Attorney ordinance (O-26-29) failed 4-5.
  • Downtown Vacant Premises Ordinance (O-26-30): Baca's Amendment No. 1 carried 6-3; postponed as amended to June 1, 9-0.
  • Postponed to June 1, 2026: Storm Water Utility Ordinance (O-26-26, 5-4), Sunset Review Clause (O-26-27, 9-0), obsolete boards repeal (O-26-28, 9-0), two Charter Article V propositions (P-26-2 and R-26-30, each 7-2) and a supplemental outside counsel agreement with Modrall Sperling (EC-26-126, 9-0).
  • Passed 9-0: Juneteenth activities funding (R-26-31), the Capital Implementation Program amendment for a new affordable housing project (R-26-34) and the Youth Climate Action Fund grant acceptance (R-26-32). The FY2026 operating appropriations adjustment (R-26-36) passed as amended 7-1 with Telles recused.
  • Consent agenda: nearly all items approved, confirmed or noted 9-0 on Peña's motions, including recommendation of award for audit services (EC-26-146), four outside counsel supplemental agreements, the DNA Labs International contract extension and price increase (EC-26-121) and the Destination Forward grant application (EC-26-125). The Mayor's re-appointment to the Albuquerque Housing Authority Board (EC-26-117) was withdrawn by Administration.
  • Approvals: the Mayor's appointment to the Joint Air Quality Board (EC-26-142) was confirmed 7-1-1 (against: Champine; recused: Lewis).

Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget

  • R-26-17 (C/S, Grout) appropriates funds for operating the City government for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), adjusts fiscal year 2026 appropriations and appropriates capital funds.
  • Rogers's Amendment No. 1 was tabled 9-0. Baca's No. 2 (9-0), Grout's No. 3 (9-0) and No. 5 (9-0) carried. Baca's No. 4 carried 6-3 (against: Bassan, Lewis, Peña). Grout's No. 6 carried as amended (Fiebelkorn's Amendment No. 1 to it, 8-0 with Baca excused; No. 6 as amended 9-0). Nos. 7 and 8 carried 9-0.
  • Fiebelkorn's No. 9 failed 4-5; her No. 10 carried 7-2 (against: Champine, Peña); her No. 11 failed 2-7. Bassan's No. 12 failed 4-5 (for: Bassan, Champine, Grout, Peña).
  • Peña's Nos. 13 and 14 were amended, tabled, taken off the table and reconsidered several times, all 9-0. Baca's No. 15 was tabled 8-0 (Bassan excused), taken off the table 9-0, and carried as amended 7-2 (against: Fiebelkorn, Telles). Grout's No. 16 carried 7-1 (against: Champine; Lewis excused); No. 17 was amended, reconsidered and carried 9-0; No. 18 carried 7-2 (against: Baca, Rogers).
  • Rogers's Amendment No. 1 (taken off the table 9-0) was itself amended by a Rogers sub-amendment 5-4 (for: Baca, Fiebelkorn, Peña, Rogers, Telles) and carried as amended 5-4. Telles's No. 19 failed 2-7.
  • The rules were suspended to extend the meeting to 1:00 a.m. (6-3; against: Baca, Bassan, Rogers). Passed as amended 7-2 on Grout's motion (for: Baca, Champine, Fiebelkorn, Grout, Peña, Rogers, Telles; against: Bassan, Lewis).
  • The action summary does not state the content of the amendments or the budget total.

Fiscal Year 2027 One-Year Objectives

  • R-26-28 (C/S, Grout) establishes one-year objectives for FY2027 to meet five-year goals and sets reporting requirements. Grout's Amendment No. 1 carried 9-0; Peña's No. 2 carried 7-2 (against: Champine, Lewis); Telles's No. 3 carried 9-0. Passed as amended 8-1 (against: Lewis).

Police Oversight Investigation Authority

  • O-26-23 (Grout, Fiebelkorn, Rogers) amends the Police Oversight Ordinance to clarify the Civilian Police Oversight Agency's authority to investigate APD personnel. Passed 9-0 on Grout's motion.
  • O-26-29 (Champine) amends the Legal Department and City Attorney ordinance (ROA 1994, Chapter 2, Article 7, Part 2). Champine's motion to pass failed 4-5 (for: Bassan, Champine, Grout, Lewis; against: Baca, Fiebelkorn, Peña, Rogers, Telles). A later ordinance on the same subject, O-26-54, passed in August.

Charter Article V Amendment Veto

  • P-26-2 (a proposition to amend Charter Article V on the appointment, removal and independence of the City Attorney and City Clerk) and R-26-30 (a proposition on Article V, Section 4), both Champine's, were postponed to June 1, 2026, each 7-2 (against: Fiebelkorn, Telles).

Downtown Vacant Premises Ordinance

  • O-26-30 (Baca): Amendment No. 1 carried 6-3 (against: Bassan, Grout, Lewis); postponed as amended to June 1, 9-0.

Storm Water Utility Ordinance

  • O-26-26 (Peña, by request) was postponed to June 1 on Peña's motion, 5-4 (for: Bassan, Champine, Grout, Lewis, Peña; against: Baca, Fiebelkorn, Rogers, Telles).

Sunset Review Clause Ordinance

  • O-26-27 (Bassan) postponed to June 1, 9-0, on Peña's motion.

Obsolete Boards Repeal Ordinance

  • O-26-28 (Bassan) postponed to June 1, 9-0, on Peña's motion.

Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Appropriation Adjustment

  • R-26-36 (Champine) adjusts fiscal year 2026 operating appropriations for certain funds and programs. Champine's Amendment No. 1 carried 8-0 (Telles recused). Passed as amended 7-1 (for: Baca, Bassan, Champine, Grout, Lewis, Peña, Rogers; against: Fiebelkorn; Telles recused). It was rescinded and replaced by R-26-37 (2026-05-27 - City Council).

Juneteenth Activities Funding

  • R-26-31 (Rogers) appropriates funds within the FY2026 operating budget to support Juneteenth activities. Passed 9-0 on Rogers's motion. It was later rescinded and replaced by R-26-38.

Capital Implementation Program grant appropriations

  • R-26-34 (Rogers, by request) amends the adopted Capital Implementation Program by supplementing current grant appropriations and approving a new project for affordable housing. Passed 9-0 on Rogers's motion. (Introduced with immediate action requested on 2026-05-18 - President.)

Youth Climate Action Grant

  • R-26-32 (Fiebelkorn, by request) accepts grant funds from the Youth Climate Action Fund and appropriates them to the Environmental Health Department beginning in FY2027. Passed 9-0 on Peña's motion.
  • EC-26-126 (first supplemental agreement adding funds for outside counsel legal services with Modrall Sperling) was postponed to June 1, 2026, 9-0, on Grout's motion under Deferrals/Withdrawals.
  • Consent, approved 9-0: first supplemental agreements adding funds for outside counsel legal services with Allen Shepherd & Lewis PA (EC-26-122), Snell & Wilmer, LLP (EC-26-123) and Peifer, Hanson, Mullins & Baker P.A. (EC-26-124). Amounts are not in the summary.

Destination Forward Grant

  • EC-26-125, the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency's submission of a State Tourism Department Destination Forward FY27 grant application, was approved 9-0 on the consent agenda.

Other actions

  • Consent agenda approved, confirmed or noted 9-0 on Peña's motions: EC-26-120 (educational campaign and crosswalk and signal update under R-25-196; receipt noted), EC-26-121 (contract extension and price increase with DNA Labs International, approved) and EC-26-146 (recommendation of award for audit services, approved).
  • Mayor's appointments confirmed 9-0 on the consent agenda: Albuquerque Energy Council (EC-26-127), Balloon Museum Board of Trustees (EC-26-128 and EC-26-130), Library Advisory Board (EC-26-129), Urban Enhancement Trust Fund (EC-26-131 and EC-26-133), Personnel Board (EC-26-132), Housing and Neighborhood Economic Development Committee (EC-26-134, EC-26-138 and EC-26-139), Airport Advisory Board (EC-26-135), Indicators Progress Commission (EC-26-136), Metropolitan Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (EC-26-137), Information Services Committee (EC-26-140), Affordable Housing Committee (EC-26-141) and Lodgers' Tax Advisory Board (EC-26-143).
  • EC-26-142, appointment to the Joint Air Quality Board, confirmed 7-1-1 (for: Baca, Bassan, Fiebelkorn, Grout, Peña, Rogers, Telles; against: Champine; recused: Lewis).
  • EC-26-117, re-appointment to the Albuquerque Housing Authority Board, withdrawn by Administration, 9-0.
  • O-26-1 (Council Services Department preparation of reports, plans, technical documents and drawings; Grout) withdrawn by sponsor, 9-0.

Sources