[Music]
council,
you are live.
We don't have a quorum. We can't start
yet
for those in the room. Excellent.
Thank you so much. Hi everyone. Welcome
to today's work session. It is Monday,
June 23rd, 2025 at 108
p.m. Just kidding. Just teasing. Thanks
everyone with uh with for your patience
while we established quorum um this
afternoon. Fortunately, we have a couple
of colleagues who are in Germany and um
so, you know, we're a little short
today, but we're here and we're going to
get started with the pledge of
allegiance. If you can all join me
please.
Liberty and justice for all.
Thank you so much again. Thank you for
your patience. And first up, we'll have
jobs of the week with Sarah Rainey.
Good afternoon.
All righty. My name is Sarah Rainey. I'm
the onetop coordinator for the southwest
region of America's Job Center New
Mexico. For jobs of the week this week,
we have a water resources service
technician for the city for 2110 an
hour. At this time, it's a continuous
posting. We also have a heavy equipment
operator 2 for the city. That one starts
at 2110 as well, and it is a continuous
posting, too. We have a branch manager
for Lind Gas and Equipment. That one
closes on July 10th.
a student program coordinator senior at
NMSU starting at 1785. That posting
closes very soon on July 2nd. And we
also have a content director at KRWG on
the NMSU campus starting at 59,000 and
that position will be opened until
filled at the Donetta Park Apartments.
We have a maintenance tech.
Also wanted to just remind you guys we
have the community of hope job readiness
event coming up this week on Wednesday.
Um, that's where anybody that's out
there can come for resume help,
interview help, any sort of career
pathways. Anybody is welcome. Also,
employers are welcome to come join us if
you're looking for employees. There's
always there's always people looking out
there. So, we definitely welcome
everyone on all sides. Also, we have the
Lions Club free glasses event at our at
our office on 226 South Alama Boulevard.
So, that one's going to be on Thursday
from 9 to 3. And as always, you can stay
connected with us. You can scan the QR
code or follow us on any of the social
media aspects. Um, employee&mm is always
our call, so you can reach us and find
all of our events across the region,
especially here in Los Cusus on there.
Thank you. Thank you, Sarah. There you
go. Next up, we have pets of the week
with Carol
Nielson.
I'm Carol Nelson, digital content
specialist, and apparently I'm living a
week behind. I forgot to update the date
on the presentation. So, um, just as a
reminder, our dog and cat of the week
are available at no cost the week that
they are promoted. So, great time to
come out and visit them. Uh, this week
our dog of the week is Teddy. He is
still available to adopt. He says, "I'm
a gentle and sweet pup who may be a bit
shy at first, but once you get to know
me, you'll see my playful side. I love
engaging in pushpull play with my furry
friends and enjoy my time in playgroups
where I'm learning to be more social. I
walk well on a leash and love to
explore, sniffing everything along the
way. With a little patience and love,
I'm sure I'll blossom even more. If
you're looking for a furry friend who
appreciates gentle affection and outdoor
adventures, I might just be the perfect
match for you."
And our cat of the week is also
available to adopt still. Uh, Dragonfly
says, "When I first arrived, I was a bit
shy also, just like our dog of the week.
But I started to warm up to staff fairly
quickly. While I may not be the most
social cat, I don't mind when you come
close. I prefer to hang out in my cubby
where I feel safe and secure. But don't
get me wrong, I don't mind when you give
me attention. Once I start to get
comfortable and you start petting me, I
lean in and soak up all the love. If you
don't mind a companion who just needs a
little patience, I'd love to meet you.
Uh we'd also like to highlight some of
our long-term residents. Our longestterm
resident right now is Whisper, who has
been at the shelter for 327 days. Peppa
has been with us 323 days. Uh Tia has
been at the shelter 269 days and Mchiato
235 days. And so as always, our
residents who are have been with us
three months or more are available for
just $25. So they're also great
adoptions options for adoptions.
Um and this weekend we will be at the
farmers market here downtown. Uh we did
decide this says 10 to1, but I do want
to clarify we decided for the health of
our pets we're going to actually change
it to 9 to 12 just to get them out of
the heat a little quicker. So that's
everything for this week. If you would
like more information, feel free to
follow us on social media or visit our
website asmv.org for more information.
Thanks so much, Carol. Thank you. Uh on
to our agenda items, we have 3.1, a
review of the strategies, goals,
settings, and populations recommended by
the opioid settlement advisory council
in order to develop allowable allowable
expenditure recommendations for opioid
settlement funds. Presenting will be
Barbara Beno.
Good afternoon, Mayor Prom,
Council, and Staff. Barbara Beno for the
record. I get this started.
Right.
All right. And as you stated today,
we're here to talk about the opioid
settlement um and the work that's been
done by the opioid settlement advisory
council and making recommendations to
you for the allowable expenditures. And
so before I uh get into the
presentation, I do want to recognize
those advisory council members and
support staff that we have here, folks
who have been working um hard on these
recommendations. And so as I call their
name, I'm just going to ask them to
stand uh where they are in the audience.
So we have Gabriella Vasquez
representing public health through the
New Mexico Department of Health. We have
t sorry, thank you.
We have Tena Gonzalez repres uh
representing treatment providers in the
LC3 behavioral health collaborative.
[Applause]
Miguel Ramirez recommending uh
representing community health workers.
Thank you.
We have Sherah Thorp and Gina Pada from
Donana County Health and Human Services.
[Applause]
And we have our own Wes Smith from Las
Cru's Fire Department, MIH and light
program.
Thanks to everyone who's done such uh
tremendous work and has uh taken so much
time to make sure that they uh are
recommending meaningful um um
expenditures to you as we're going to be
bringing those forward in the in the
future.
So today we'll talk briefly about the
settlement agreements, the selected core
strategies that we got from the March
10th joint work session and then we'll
talk about the goals, settings and
populations that the advisory council is
recommending today that will form the
basis of the expenditures and activities
that we'll be bringing forward to you as
part of the next steps uh for the opioid
settlement.
As we've mentioned uh previously, the
settlements to date have been with
distributors, manufacturers, and
retailers. The city is expected to
receive uh almost $10 million through
2038. And to date, we have received just
over $3.6 million.
The use of the funds uh is to address
the harms of the opioid crisis and the
allowable uses are governed by the
settlement agreement what we know as
exhibit E. Um, the funds are held
separately as stipulated in the
settlement. And then for purposes of
transparency, the city website does have
all the information about the opioid
settlement and the funds received.
Some key public meetings that we've had
leading up to today. In September of
2023, we got our first public um
overview of the settlement funds from
outside council and the opioid
settlement advisory council was
established.
In May of 2024, we had a joint city
county work session to review the
preliminary community needs assessment
that was done by NMSU Crimson Research
and to get guidance on some additional
data collection uh that was recommended.
In August of 24, the advisory council
hosted a stakeholder workshop with key
informants that included first
responders and those in the school
system uh to work on reviewing the needs
assessment and developing
recommendations.
In March of 2025, we had again a joint
city county work session and that's
where we selected the recommended
strategies for the use of funds. And
again today we're here to further drill
down on the framework for developing the
recommended expenditures by looking at
the recommended goals, settings, and
populations to focus on.
As always, the guiding principles for
the use of funds include spending money
to save lives, using evidence to guide
spending, investing in youth prevention,
focusing on racial equity, and
developing a fair and transparent
process.
the advisory council as they have been
mulling all the allowable uses and then
looking at information to make
determinations about what will be most
impactful to our community have been
relying on the following the NMSU
crimson research needs assessment that I
spoke about earlier um the stakeholder
workshop that brought more input forward
their own knowledge and expertise on
evidence-based practices
and then of course the exhibit E
allowable expenditures from the
settlements. So those are some of the
the many um pieces of information that
are were considered in order to bring
forward recommendations to you.
So the framework for the allowable uses
starts with core strategies. We'll talk
about these a little bit more in just a
second, but that was the focus of the
March joint work session. As I
mentioned, there are many allowable uses
because these are nationwide
settlements, but we want to tailor the
recommendations to what our community
needs. And that's why we did the NMSU uh
Crimson Research needs assessment so
that we could determine of all of the
allowable strategies, what are the ones
that would be most impactful to our
community. And I'll go over those in
just a sec. Once we adopt the
strategies, then the next part of the
framework is what are the goals? what is
it we're hoping to accomplish
and where are we going to be doing that
in what settings and who will be
receiving services the populations that
we'll focus on. So, so today we're going
to really be looking at those goals,
settings and populations in a little bit
more detail.
And then of course all of that framework
is leading to the recommended activities
and expenditures that we'll be looking
forward to as part of the next step of
this process.
So in March at the joint city and county
work session of the nine allowable core
strategies in the settlement agreement
there were actually four that were
selected. one, medicationass assisted
treatment. Two, warm handoff and
recovery services. Three, prevention
programs.
And the fourth one, which I'm kind of
holding separately, was data collection
and reporting. And not that that is not
important because it really is. We need
that in order to make sure that the
expenditures are yielding the desired
results. We need to collect data and
analyze that. but it won't be under much
discussion today because um it's
universal. It doesn't have specific
settings or populations associated with
it. We're going to be collecting data on
every expenditure uh that we make and
tracking the outcomes and the goals that
we're setting for those expenditures.
So going back to the framework for the
allowable expenditures after the
strategies are selected the next part of
the framework as I mentioned are the
goals. What is it we are hoping to
achieve and the advisory council has
helped us to narrow down to eight goals
to focus on. The first one to improve
access to and utilization of medication
for opioid use disorder
to increase access to
in rural areas and for Spanish-sp
speakaking constituents
to improve early identification of
opioid use disorders by implementing
universal screening
to improve access to nlloxxone or Narcan
for people most vulnerable to overdose
to incorporate harm reduction services
into medical and emergency care to
people at risk of overdose or from
developing opioid use disorder.
To improve the capacity within the
health care system to identify and treat
opioid use disorder,
to create a more comprehensive continuum
of care for substance use disorder or
opioid use disorder, and to improve
transitions of care. And by transitions
of care, we're talking about things like
discharge from the emergency department
or um release from the criminal justice
system or it could be just going through
a primary medical care visit. There
there's a number of transitions that
could be addressed. And then finally to
prevent the development of opioid use
disorder primarily in children and youth
by addressing risk factors. So these are
the eight recommended goals um to focus
on.
And then again going thinking about the
framework for the allowable uses, we
start with strategies. We go to goals.
What are we going to accomplish? And
then we look at settings. Where are we
going to apply our efforts? And there
are 10 allowable settings. And the
advisory council is recommending we
focus on five of those. And I'll go
through each one of those settings with
associated populations.
Emergency department is one of the
settings for people who overdose or who
may present with withdrawal symptoms in
our community. People who are just as
involved or likely to be and have either
opioid use disorder or substance use
disorder.
older people, people at risk of
developing opioid use disorder or
overdosing, especially children and
youth. So, those vulnerable.
Another setting, residential treatment
facilities, primary care clinics and
intensive inpatient programs for people
who have current substance use disorder
and or serious mental illness and all
new patients primarily for screening.
the realm of our first responders,
people who overdose or near overdose but
may not go to emergency departments,
people in rural communities and or who
are Spanish-sp speakaking.
The primary care setting, obstetrics,
pediatric clinics, labor and delivery
for pregnant postpartum women, infants
and their families,
and children and youth at risk for
developing opioid use disorder.
And finally, in the child welfare realm
for children and youth involved with
justice or care systems or children at
and youth at risk for developing opioid
use disorder. So those are the the
recommended settings and populations
that would inform the recommendations
that would be coming forward for
specific activities and dollar amounts.
But before I move forward, I do want to
speak about one more setting because in
reviewing this with our uh police chief
and fire chief, they also made the
recommendation that one setting that we
address is in schools primarily for
prevention uh children at youth and and
youth at risk for developing opioid use
disorder. So I don't want to give the
impression that the advisory council did
not want to uh address youth prevention
programs but the focus uh of the
advisory council was more on the in the
community setting and in other uh
settings not not primarily in schools.
Uh but I'm including this because as as
I mentioned it's it's input from our
police and fire chief about where where
we should be spending money.
So with that, um, we're here today to
get guidance on those goals, settings,
and populations that we've narrowed down
again based on our community needs
assessment, based on the input from our
workshops, um, based on the data that
we've that we've reviewed. Um and then
once that is done, we're going to be
able to select the activities, programs,
and outcome measures for the initial
funding recommendations.
Initially, we are thinking about a
two-year funding cycle. Um and again, we
would be tracking the outcomes from
those initial expenditures. We would
develop the logic models and the scope
of work, including an evaluation
framework for allocating funds. and we
determine the funding process for
distribution, monitoring, and reporting.
Um, and as well, we need to talk about
the establishment of a trust, which we
talked a little bit about last goround
at the at the joint city county work
session. Some of the funds might be
allocated directly. For example, if we
wanted to fund um the acquisition of
Narcan uh for our police and fire, we
could directly allocate the that to our
public safety entities, but some of the
funding would need to go through an RFP
process because there may be community
providers who would apply to assist us
by providing the services that and the
scope of work that we would detail
through that that process. So, um,
again, once we get the, um, guidance on
the goal, settings, and populations, we
already have strategies. We'd be able to
do all of that work and come back to
you. Uh, we'd like to come back in the
August time frame for a fall potential
RFP. And of course, as I mentioned
before, we would continue to monitor and
report back to the council and
commission and the community. And of
course we are subject to annual audits
from our state as well. So um a lot of
work has been done, a lot of work still
has to be done. And with that um we will
stand for any questions.
Thank you Barbara. And thanks to the
folks here who've been with us for a
couple of years now, I think. And for
those who couldn't come as well, please
extend our gratitude. Barbara. Um, I'll
go to questions. Councelor Flores. Uh,
thank you, Mayor Potm, and thank you,
um, to the other Miss Banko.
Uh, no relation. Um, so, um, I too am,
uh, concerned. Peron,
okay.
You couldn't hear me. You're kidding.
So, um I um I I too was concerned to see
as a police department and the fire
department um to not see a uh an active
uh participation in schools. Councelor
Graham and I um serve on the um uh
community schools uh board and uh and
the um
and and community to me. I mean, I know
that you I I don't know if you have a um
a caveat or something that would
whatever it's called, a prohibition or
whatever um to not work with the
schools. But I know that um when my boys
were in in in elementary school, there
was a program that the uh police
department put on, but I can't remember
it's been like 50 years ago. I can't
remember um what it was called, but they
would come home with things and then
they would, you know, at dinner time we
would talk about it or they'd, you know,
talk to their friends about it and um
and it was about uh staying away from
drugs and alcohol and um
and I was just and it was something that
became a you know, the parents would
talk about it at the PTA meetings and
all that, but so um is there any um
is there any way uh for this uh group to
work with our comm with our community
especially our community schools who
really reach out to um you know to all
corners of our county here. Yes. Yes. So
Mayor Prom and Councelor Flores, thank
you for the input and no there is
there's no prohibition on working with
the schools on this sort of thing. One
of the things that the um advisory
council took into consideration is
whether there were other funding sources
already funding some of those programs
in different settings. And that was I I
believe one of the uh considerations.
The other one is um for example
potentially in the community setting the
uh prevention programs could incorporate
not just the students or the youth
children and youth but their families as
well in a so they're just different
settings allow for different types of
programming. Uh similarly in the child
welfare setting for example. So there
are a number of ways to address
prevention programs. There's nothing
that stipulates that we could not work
with the schools and that's why it's an
allowable setting and I included it as a
as a recommendation.
So um yeah and thank you for that for
our chiefs. But um how is it going to be
implemented Miss Mano? I is it are you
going to reach out to the community
school system or to the uh district
office of uh LCPS?
So, Mayor Prom and uh councelor Flores w
once we get guidance on what direction
to go in for the funding. Yes, there's
going to be a lot more work to
undertake. I know that when I spoke with
the the chiefs, they had some ideas of
some programs that they were aware of. I
know the schools have as well. Um and so
we would need to have some conversations
about where identifying programs and or
needs. Um, and I don't know if the
chiefs would like to jump in as well on
this since it was part of our discussion
on on this specific topic.
Thank you, Barbara. Mayor Proim,
Councelor Flores, the program you're
referring to with your sons was DARE,
the original DARE program. And so,
several studies kind of invalidated it
and then you saw it went away. So, we
were very active with DARE. It's hard to
justify it when all the the research is
saying it doesn't work. Now, there's
several programs, including a new DARE
model that has evidence behind it and
operation prevention from DEA. And so,
we would like to look at or consider
getting back into our schools with these
newer models that have more evidence
behind them to start youth prevention.
Again, I think regardless of the funding
source, whether it's through the these
funds or a different pot of money,
starting with their community schools is
a good place to start so we can do a
pilot or a trial with those schools. But
that's something we want to pursue
regardless and and find a way to make it
happen.
Thank you so much for that uh chief
story and thank you Miss Beno. Thank you
may here. Thank you councelor Matise.
Yeah I was just going to add for um Mr.
Story Chief Story there's our lady
Leticia Sanchez
and uh she's actually working with the
Los Cruus public schools and I believe
there may be a couple of pilot programs
on the new DARE program and she wanted
to expand that. So, anything we can do
to get a hold of Leticia and then maybe
expand that, I think it would be good
for all the schools to have that new
program. Thank you.
Thank you. Um I mean, I think I would
like to remind us that that we we have
no authority over the schools and what
they decide to do with um curriculum or
not. Um but but I do think it's
important that we're in collaboration in
in terms of the schools and perhaps
Barbara if you can put the squares. Um I
forgot to note which Yeah, that one.
Yeah. Right. So there's obviously some
that that we're not covering. I'm I am
curious if the group the council has
discussed
um the ways in which the state
allocation will be supplementing some of
this. Right. Like I the state also has a
significant uh settlement portion. Do
you know yet Barbara how? Yes. Will you
will you share with us a little bit of
how how they're going to be spending
that? Yes. And uh thank you for that
question Mayor Potam. We actually now
have information not only from the state
because they've been allocating funds
for a couple of years now, but also the
city of Albuquerque and Bernalo County
just finished an almost two-year process
where they were evaluating uh what to
spend the funds on and and they
allocated funds as well. So, I do have
information um on both. Um with respect
to the state, they've been allocating
funds um since 2023.
And of course, the state is going to
receive a lot more than we will receive.
The state is slated or expected to
receive 391 million uh in that
neighborhood. The state has set up two
funds uh the opioid settlement
restricted funds where the their
receipts come in and the opioid crisis
recovery fund where they spend funds.
and they are only allocating um or
planning to allocate 5% of their
receipts. So they are effectively
setting up a trust um for this. So so
they've already done that. Um and then
the funds are expended through
legislative appropriations. So that's
what we've seen it in House Bill 2 uh
for the last three years. Some of their
allocations have been for medication
assisted treatment. In fact, uh both
Albuquerque and um the state are
allocating the majority of their funds
to the treatment realm. And then um
Albuquerque very specifically is
allocating 60% for treatment, 40% for
prevention. Um and if you look at all
the things that the state is doing,
they're not far off from that from that
mark as well. Um the state is doing a
lot of capacity building, even
facilities.
um looking to to bring in providers. Um
they're um trying to expand mental
health services, uh looking at
supportive housing,
uh giving allocations for child care,
for example, uh as part of supportive
services in addition to some of the
programming that that we're talking
about in terms of prevention program and
that sort of thing. um in in Albuquerque
and Bernalo County, they are funding a
um prevention program through the school
district there and it is called
Crossroads prevention program. It's
primarily a counseling program. So I I
don't have all of the details about it,
but I do know that both Albuquerque and
Bernalo County are funding that through
their school district as part of their
40% allocation for prevention funds. Um
and then and then the rest uh treatment
options. So I don't know if that helps.
Does that Yeah, I think so. Just to be
clear, the state through their
allocation has been uh funding
prevention measures, treatment and
prevention. Correct. Okay. Good. So that
so that's the area of focus and it
aligns with the aligns with the
strategies that we've set but for our
community we may do it in different
settings than what the state is doing
it. I hope so. Yeah, I think I don't
know if any sorry I'm looking back
because I don't want to ignore if any of
the advisory council members want to
jump in. I don't want to speak for all
if they'd like to add anything. Sorry.
Yeah, absolutely. If the committee
members if you want to um speak up I'll
allow some time at the end as well but
if you want to come in now just raise
your hand. Um, and you just said that,
right, Barbara? Uh, around I think we
want to make magic with this money. Um,
and I think we will and I think the
folks in our community will. I I also
just want us to have a balance in terms
of um, like there are families being
torn apart because of the opioid crisis
right now, right? Like people are dying
right now. And I think it's a very fine
balance in terms of treatment now and
prevention. Obviously, I'm a social
worker. or I want to go upstream. Um and
and I think we just have to have a very
good clear analysis of what the state is
doing and how they're spending down this
money as well so that we're not
necessarily replicating efforts and not
making the money go as far as it needs
to. Um I just have a couple of more
questions. Councelor Graham, do you have
anything before I jump in? Okay. Um I
have another question, too. Okay, I'll
come back to you, Council Flores. Um
the on the um settings and populations,
most of them are pretty specific. I'm
curious if you can any of you can talk
more about the community setting. I
think that feels a little bit more
um nebulous if you will, right? The
other ones feel very specific. I'm
curious um Barbara with the community
conversation
how that went. Yeah. Yeah. And I think
what what you see with the there are
three bullets of uh populations under
that community setting. The the second
two as I mentioned th those are your
vulnerable populations. So the the focus
is on older people and people uh
children and youth uh for sure. And then
of course we want to look at people who
are justice involved. We talked about
transitions. We don't want people to
fall through the cracks and we want to
make sure that we are um improving that
continuum of care so we can address
address underlying uh causes for those
fe folks who already might be in the
justice system. So with all of these I
will say um you know there's there's a
lot of allowable strategies there's a
lot of allowable settings we don't have
unlimited funds. Yeah. So, we are trying
to focus our efforts where they will be
most impactful in this first round of
spending, which, you know, I mentioned
we're we're thinking about this two-year
cycle. So, that's not to say that we're
not going to come back and maybe pivot
to a different setting or population. It
depends on, you know, what is the data
showing us once we get this out there?
What is our community experiencing? Uh
what are our first responders telling
us? what is our what are our school
professionals telling us? Um, so we want
to be able to respond to that and I
think that was some of the input you
gave us previously about wanting to make
sure that we have a source of funds as
as you know we progress through the
years uh to address this crisis as it
unfolds and perhaps takes a different
shape. Um, so I will say that the the
focus of the discussion on the
strategies, goals, settings, and
populations is looking at the
priorities. Now, um, not to say that
there aren't other important things, but
with $10 million sounds like a lot.
We've only received $3.6 million. It's
not that much. So, we don't necessarily
want to recommend putting a little bit
of money on a lot of different things
that might not have the impact that we'd
like to see for our community. So that's
a very general answer, but I'll say that
that's a guiding principle in in order
to make these hard recommendations for
what to prioritize. No, I really agree
with that guiding principle, Barbara.
Thank you. Um I I don't necessarily have
any guidance in terms of the strategies,
the goals, settings, and populations. I
think where I want to sort of give some
thoughts is uh this next step for the
funding cycle and how the advisory
committee sets up that process for
distribution, implementation, evaluation
um and and making sure that this
continues to be a guiding principle
around um I don't know if you'll set
some sort of rubric or whatever that
give that does give weight to
uh those kind of programs. programs that
are going to make the most impact right
now. Um, I I'm ready for that
conversation and I hope it comes soon. I
think the community I've I've had uh
treatment and like provider providers
reach out and say, "Hey, is this uh is
this available yet?" And so I think our
community knows about it. I think
they're ready about it. And I think um
we're going to see some really exciting
uh kinds of proposals. And so I'm I'm
ready for that conversation and I do
hope that it comes, you know, soon,
early August. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.
Yes. And and I will say just want to
clarify and and you'll see on these in
the on this timeline that we've got
activities, dates, and those who will be
involved in in doing the work. We're
going to shift a little bit from we
we've relied on certainly our advisory
council to a large extent to s sift
through all this information make the
recommendations our elected officials to
provide guidance. Um now there is going
to be a lot of staff involvement for us
to come back to the uh to you with the
specific breakdown of activities
funding. As I said some of the funding
might be internal allocations some of it
might be RFPs. I know that the city and
the county, we would like to coordinate
as much as possible on any RFPs that we
have so that we could coordinate, for
example, pre-proposal conferences
between the city and the county because
we'll get some of the same questions
from the community members perhaps about
um some of the RFPs that will be going
out there. And so we really want to make
this as um cohesive as possible so we
can minimize any confusion in the
community about how the providers can
respond to these RFPs. So so there will
be a lot of staff work and you'll see
that here in in developing some of the
evaluation frameworks
um and then the determination for the
for the allocation of funds. But again,
that's going to come back to you uh for
approval uh once we have a proposal
that's that's has the specificity that
you're looking for, but that logically
tracks from the recommended strategies,
goals, settings, and populations that
we've laid out that we would like to
address. And you might not have the
answer to this question, but is it is
something that I will most likely be
following up with at the next work
session around this um around who you
think would make up the committee for
selecting proposals ultimately, whether
that's staff, county, city staff, and if
the if the advisory council will
continue to be part of of that selection
process. Yeah, we we do have the
advisory council um certainly being
involved in the ongoing monitoring and
evaluation
uh determination about whether we're
getting the desired outcomes etc. But
there are a lot of administrative
functions that we would like to handle
at the staff level just to make sure
that we are um you know following our P
code, following the state uh procurement
code etc. Um and and we certainly have
members of the advisory council who are
representing certain factions, but they
might be aligned with service providers
uh who would want to bid on on some of
these things. And so we have to be very
careful to make sure that we maintain
the integrity of the process and and
what we'll propose to be for evaluators.
Yeah. Yes. That's exactly why I'm asking
for sure. Thank you, Barbara. I
appreciate it. Councelor Foris, did you
have a question? Yes. Uh thank you. Um
so Barbara um
is there a need to work closely with the
the state or will um our local you know
county city um people here or group um
be working closely with the state? Um
and what exactly were in terms of um
you know making uh because you know
making sure that the dollars we do have
are stretched and they're effective. Um
so and so
it's a question of not having
overlapping like everybody jumping in
and it's like you know everybody's
focusing on one thing and then
everything else is falling by the
wayside and and the reason I'm concerned
about the state
um with all due respect to the hard work
of most of our senators and our
representatives
um you know the money for you I mean
like a lawsuit, the big Yazy Martinez u
lawsuit, the money still hasn't been
implemented for the children. Um, you
know, and that lawsuit's as old as, you
know, well, I don't not as old as I am,
but definitely it's sitting there. So,
I'm just concerned that, uh, you know,
that, uh, the state isn't going to move
on it. I know that you will.
I know the city will. And because you're
on that uh committee,
um I know that uh you keep people on
their toes, Barbara, and I appreciate
that. And you're you really follow
through and I appreciate that. And so I
think uh is there going to be any
oversight in terms of the state coming
through? Thank you for the question,
Mayor Prom and Councelor Flores. you
know um the state is allocating funds
through a number of their departments.
We know what they are allocating it for
generally. For example, they are
allocating uh medication assisted
treatment in prisons. So that's the
setting that they're looking at. They're
allocating um mental health for infants
for example uh initiatives some uh
facilities a children's psychiatric
hospital uh in Albuquerque hepatitis
community health outcomes program. So we
know the programs that they're they're
going through a number of different
entities at the state. I actually would
love to have someone at the state that I
could speak to that would be the opioid
settlement zar I don't know what to to
get that understanding of what their
plans are so that we don't duplicate
efforts we are to the best of our uh
ability reviewing all the information
that we have so that we can leverage our
funds and not and not duplicate efforts
and I I think we can do that again um by
understanding what the state is
allocating. I I would love to to have a
point person there. We don't right now.
Uh we did go up and testify um at the
health and human services legislative uh
committee last November about the
collaborative efforts going on uh on
around the state, the Albuquerque,
Bernalo County, the Los Cusus, Donana
County, the seven counties collaborative
um as well so that the state could know
what we were doing and where we were and
we anticipate that we'll be going back
to talk about our efforts. Um, and I
know that I'll be um, we will all be
interested to hear in whatever way,
shape, or form we can get at the
information about what the state is
going to be doing because that will
always uh, play a part and how we make
our determinations about funding. But
again, I'm going to go back to what we
did at the very beginning of this effort
is that community needs assessment we
did says what is needed in our
community. That's what we need to focus
on. Sometimes if we say, "Oh, the state
is um funding medication assisted
treatment." It may be in a different
setting. It may be in a different way
and we may just need more of it. That's
not to say they're going to take care of
all of it either. Um so it's certainly
something that on an ongoing basis we're
going to have to evaluate and continue
to partner as much as we can. And uh and
that's why I'm I'm grateful that one of
our um uh advisory council members is
from the Department of Health. Uh so we
we have connections, numerous
connections, and we will use all the
connections that we can in order to get
the information that we need in order to
do the best work for our community.
Thank you very very much. Thanks,
Barbara. Actually, before we move on, I
just caught my note here. Um you
mentioned Barbara as an example
potential uh for an internal uh perhaps
use of the funds for Narcan for police
and fire. And you don't have to have
this information today, but I' I'd be
grateful if you could get us information
from both fire and police on what that
looks like right now. What does
acquiring Narcan for public safety in
the city look like right now in terms of
budget and how long? Absolutely. Yeah,
we we've already had those discussions
and I know Chief Daniels has provided me
some information as well, but we will
make sure that we understand what that
landscape looks like as well. We know
that at the federal level, uh, some of
the funds that were previously allocated
for Narcan may not be coming as well. So
that's another uh you know set of
information that we need to stay on top
of that might uh cause us to pivot and
where we're focusing funds as well. So
yes, that is that is definitely already
in the works to get that information.
Yeah, but internally for sure that'd be
great to if for council to understand
that current context. Um thank you. That
was it for me. Anybody else? And I'll
open it up to um public comment. Anyone
want to come up and come on up and we'll
give you three minutes.
And don't forget to state your name,
please. Good afternoon, Sherah Thorp,
Dana County, HHS. Good afternoon,
counselors, staff.
You want to raise it?
We good? You guys can hear me? Okay,
great. I just wanted to let everybody
know as far as what the county is doing
with the schools. Um HHS, our department
has been in Los Cru's public schools for
the last 20 years and we continue to
meet with Los Cus's public schools for
evidence-based programming. So, we do
have several programs already in the
schools and I just excuse me wanted to
speak about when we had our workshop um
we talked about not including the
school-based because we didn't want to
duplicate any efforts that were
currently happening or that are going to
be happening. But I wanted to just
mention that even though we excluded it
for initial recommendations, it does not
mean that we would not include it in
another phase. It's just for our initial
recommendations, we did not include the
schools just due to those other programs
that we had in the schools. So, I just
wanted to speak to that and let you all
know that HHS is in the schools and that
there is some evidence-based programming
happening there already. So, thank you
very much.
Yes, thank you so much for that context.
Um, other folks, come on down.
If you want to speak, um, make your make
your way down to the front.
Okay, forever hold your peace. Just
kidding. Okay, nobody else. Uh, hello
council. My name is Trent Scribner. I
want to thank everybody for coming out
today. Uh, I lived in Los Cusus my whole
life. I always say I work in healthc
care right now. Um,
and more importantly, I've had family
and friends, a lot of family and friends
who have been, you know, addicted to
drugs, opiates and whatnot, what have
you. Uh, so this conversation means a
lot. uh working in healthcare. I think
that our priorities are good here. It
seems like we want to cast like a wide
net with um with screening with
universal screening for everybody, which
is good. Uh
the important thing with universal
screening in the healthcare setting,
which usually you'll meet these people
in the emergency department, is making
sure that we have followup available for
them. Um, so follow up with counseling
and and I think this is a really good
opportunity to kind of get all of the
disperate nonprofits and city
organizations together so we know what
resources are accessible to people. The
hospital maintains a list of what
resources we refer people to, but um
having something kind of more central to
refer them to would be very helpful.
Uh
I think that education prevention
education in the schools is very good.
Um, I wasn't a fan of the old DA their
model because everyone I know who won
the contest did drugs later on. But, uh,
but but Chief Story was right that the
new DARE model, I think they call it
like keeping it real or something, is
backed by the evidence, which is good
because we have the numbers to back that
up. And um
I know a lot of people who if they had
had these programs and more importantly
had like the followup again with
counseling and and with uh city services
and state services because really it's
an issue of poverty and you want to
coordinate, you know, uplifting them
from if you want them to stop doing
drugs, you got to feed them first. Um
I I I just wanted to express my support
for everything that we're doing here and
I'm excited to see uh the implementation
of it because I'm impatient. Thank you.
You just called out all your friends.
Thank you.
Come on up, Tena.
Good afternoon, Mayor Prom um city
manager, city counselors, chiefs. My
name is Tena Sosa Gonzalez. I'm a board
certified psychiatric mental health
nurse. I'm an alternate on this um team,
but I've been working in mental health
and working with people with opiate use
disorder for over 15 years and a great
vast lived experience as well. And so I
just wanted to share with you all that
one of the things that we that was been
a firm point of discussion amongst the
opiate council is where are those other
funds coming from. So with transitions
and car and transitions in CYFD, we're
really trying to look at where the gaps
are and where where we can where we can
fit in and not duplicate those services
and also be mindful of workforce
shortages, right? So where we can make
the biggest impacts and I think a lot of
us are having really great discussions
with people in other communities. I
recently had um a really remarkable
discussion with a deputy chief um from
Tucson. They're doing two-hour post
Narcan follow-ups. So I think that
things are written broadly enough that
we'll have some opportunity to be really
innovative and also um be really mindful
about monitoring and reporting back. I
think that the proof is in the pudding
and that's kind of that's kind of I
think a lot of us where we where we're
focused and the term community is used
broadly. Um I think it's used broadly
intentionally and also when we talk
about schools it is that seal model.
Everybody loves DARE not so much science
to support DARE. However, lifelong
healthy changes
associated with social emotional
learning evidence-based social emotional
learning doesn't just impact substance
use disorder. it it impacts um outcomes
for risky youth behavior for long-term
health choices. So, those are all of all
things that impact our community that
can broadly be used when we're working
together with our community schools and
community providers. So, thank you.
Thank you so much.
Anyone else?
Well, again, thank you so so much to
this council who's provided uh so much
information. And um Barbara has one more
thing she wants to say before I move on.
I apologize. is I just wanted to follow
up with some uh recent news. I want to
clarify that the settlements that we are
talking about right now in terms of the
$10 million we're expecting to receive
do not include the Purdue Pharma
settlement that was just announced last
week. That's over $7 billion that will
be distributed to local governments and
medical providers and individuals. And
so that is separately in the works. My
understanding is, and Brad, you can
correct me if I'm wrong, that we're
going to be working with the state
attorneys general um to opt in to these
settlements. I believe we're going to
have until the uh end of September to
make that decision. And then the
bankruptcy judge is expecting to approve
a plan in the November time frame if
enough parties sign on by that time. And
so hopefully in the fall we'll have more
information about an additional funding
stream that's resulting from the Purdue
Pharma settlement. So just wanted to
clarify that. Thank you. Do you know if
that has the same timeline, 10 years?
It's over 15 years right now is what I'm
hearing. So, uh, it will be extended as
well. Thank you, Barbara, for the update
and for all your work on this project.
Thank you so much. Okay, if there are no
other questions, um, thank you all so
much. Look forward to our August get
together. Um, and we move on to three
item 3.2 public in and uh, this is
public input needed metropolitan
redevelopment area plan overview for El
Paso and South Solano. Uh, presenting
this will be Elizabeth Teters and our
consultants.
Okay.
Good afternoon, Mayor Prom and City
Council. For the record, my name is
Valer Flores and I'm with the city of
Los Cusus Economic Development
Department. We are here today to present
the El Paso and Salano metropolitan
redevelopment area plan which has been
prepared by Site Southwest over the past
year. At this time, I'd like to
introduce Ally Casy and Danny Wilson
from Site Southwest who will provide a
more detailed overview of the plan and
its contents. Thank you.
Thanks, Blair.
All right. Good afternoon, uh, Mayor
Prom, city councilors. Thank you so much
for taking the time this afternoon to
hear back on this plan. We're excited to
be here. Um, and before we get into some
of the overview of the plan and where we
are today, uh, let me introduce myself
formally. Uh, my name is Danny Wilson.
Uh, I've had the pleasure of meeting
with several of you over this planning
process. Thank you so much upfront for
the time and energy you've already given
to this. Uh definitely a group effort on
this one. And after just over a year of
working on this, we're really happy to
be back here today with our draft plan.
But I'm going to also have my co-orker
Ally introduce herself before we get
going. Yes. Hi everyone. Good afternoon.
Uh my name is Ally Casy. I'm a community
planner with Site Southwest. I've been
working alongside Danny throughout the
over year-long process of this plan and
really excited to be here this
afternoon. Thank you.
Yeah. So, hopefully at this point you
all have seen the plan. It's currently
posted on the city's MRA website uh for
public comment and review. And we've
received several really good questions
and comments coming through that portal.
Um so, we won't get into too much detail
about the plan itself. We're going to
begin to focus on the process that got
us here today. Uh some of the community
engagement that we've had along the way.
And then finally, we're going to focus
more on the strategies and
recommendations and more importantly,
what are the next steps for city staff
and for the community to make sure that
this plan doesn't just sit on the shelf,
but rather is taken into the hands of
those people who have stewarded it along
this last year and moves forward in
beginning that transformation process
for the El Paso South Solano area. Um,
so also on our team, I I wanted to
highlight some of our folks who put a
lot of effort into this, including Civic
Plan Studio. Uh, so they're an urban
design team, Jay and Mike, some of you
may have met already, uh, who helped us
begin to, uh, bring the vision for this
space to life through their drawings.
Uh, we worked with RCL Co. who provided
a really in-depth market analysis to
make sure that any recommendations we
have for future development are really
grounded in what the reality is on the
ground. um what's the potential for
future growth in terms of commercial and
residential and mixeduse development.
And then finally, Wilson & Company was
our engineer on board. And so
specifically when it comes to um
streetscape design and redevelopment,
they were helping us to ground those
recommendations and what's happening on
the ground. Uh what we needed to do in
terms of meeting the capacity levels of
the roads that we're looking at while
also making them more pedestrian
friendly.
Uh, so this is just a quick look back at
the original MRA project area. We'll
talk about this a little bit later as we
get into recommendations, but we ended
up expanding this original boundary down
to university uh for consistency as
we're thinking about our design
recommendations. There's a lot of things
that we think about when it comes to El
Paso pelpo,
excuse me, that could apply to
University Avenue and we wanted to make
sure that those uh design decisions were
aligned accordingly.
And then just a quick look back at that
timeline. So way back in March of 2024,
we began this process with our initial
evaluation of the site and area. Uh we
met with staff and we had this techn
technical review team of different
departmental staff who guided us along
the way. Um and then we also hosted
focus groups for key folks like
developers and realtors, business
owners, uh nonprofit and institutional
representatives that really helped us to
ground our first understanding of what
are the issues in this area as well as
the opportunities for the future. um in
June and September through September, we
took all that information and created an
existing conditions uh memo. And this
was something that we turned into a
briefing book for folks who participated
in our September workshop. So, we had a
multi-day workshop where there were
multiple touch points with the community
to engage and begin to provide their
feedback. And it also allowed us to
quickly iterate on that and come up with
some interesting solutions even at that
point that we were able to then flex on
for the next several months um through
the fall and winter. This was a lot of
our plan development time. So lots of
drafting of those recommendations. Um
and that was further guided by a
community survey that we'll talk about
in a minute. And then finally, we're in
this uh period of review and plan
finalization. So, we've gone through a
round of review with staff and the plan
is currently open for public review
until the 27th of June.
Uh, and then I just want to take us back
up to that 30,000 foot level really
quickly and talk about the whole point
of this. So, why is this plan important
to the city? Um, and ultimately we want
to make sure that we're building on the
many years of work and energy that's
already gone into thinking about El Paso
and the role it serves the city of Los
Cusus and begin to expand that out into
the neighborhood and areas around it.
And ultimately we want to make this
framework that will help the city to
take the steps to transform this area
into a economically thriving and
pedestrianfriendly area. something that
both hearkens back to how people
remember El Paseo and the days of
cruising El Po back when uh that was a
really popular activity on the weekends
to uh how do we begin to evolve that
into a future that meets the needs of
residents nearby. Um that will all be
grounded in sustainable development
practices as well as equitable growth to
make sure that everybody's benefiting
from these uh transformations that we're
talking about. And then a few of the
goals that we want to achieve through
this program is also highlighted on the
right. So in addition to that
revitalization, thinking about the
infrastructure investments that the city
should be making along the way, whether
that's in street design or in park
rehabilitation or trail assessments.
There's a lot of ways that the city
could begin to invest that money. Uh
we'll also think about public health and
safety. This is really a point that I
think is a little bit more uh
programmatic. It's not necessarily the
physical transformation, but it is
equally as important because it uh
begins to drive how people feel in that
space, how people come down and use the
space. Um and ultimately that will show
the success or not of this
transformation in the end. Uh we don't
want to forget social equity along the
way. As I mentioned, we want this to
benefit residents who are directly there
first and then of course the businesses,
the visitors, those workers who are
coming to the area as well. And then uh
environmental sustainability is kind of
a given for us. We're a practice that is
really grounded in uh both landscape
architecture and planning. And so this
is something that is really core to what
we think about in our recommendations.
And then historic preservation too. We
know that there's a lot of uh buildings
and neighborhoods that are really
essential to the cultural identity of
Los Cusus in this area and we don't want
to lose that along the way.
And then I'm going to hand it over to
Ally to talk a little bit more about the
tools of the MRA, what it is, and how it
can benefit the city.
So to take an even further step back, um
what is an MRA? It stands for a
metropolitan redevelopment area which is
outlined in a state statute which
basically takes an area with blighted
both physical and economic conditions
thinking about things like uh vacant
storefronts, cracked roads, um just poor
housing outcomes um and looks at how the
city can actually play an active role in
redeveloping this area. Um the plan is
will include specific projects which
will help target investments related to
those initial um conditions that's
defined within the designation report.
And so back in March of 2023, there was
an initial report uh you all reviewed
which described those conditions and
thus proving the need for kind of this
planning effort. Um, yeah,
as I mentioned, the MRA, um, is outlined
in the state statute. It's what the
state refers to as a locally authorized
exemption from the anti-donation clause,
which is a fancy way of saying, um, this
area needs help and is in dire need of
both public and private investment to
guide that growth um, and rehabilitation
of this area. And so through the
designation process, this triggers our
planning process which then allows for
uh a variety of tools which we'll kind
of talk through how the city can use to
help implement these actual
recommendations. Um as part of our
planning process, an important question
we had for residents, business owners,
um visitors is what should that
redevelopment look like? We've
understand that there is kind of this
defined issue and so how can we make
recommendations that will help address
those issues and provide the outcomes
we're looking for.
And so we employed a variety of
engagement tools really hoping to meet
folks where they're at. um beginning in
quite early in the planning process with
those initial listening sessions and
stakeholder meetings with different
business owners, property owners, um
instit institutional and community
groups hoping to just get kind of that
initial sense of what are those needs.
Um moving into our community design
workshop, we started to answer the
question and what could that
redevelopment look like based on our
needs. Um, as Danny mentioned, we hosted
a 3-day pretty intensive design workshop
inviting residents, business owners, um,
any interested parties to come and again
workshop through these ideas to kind of
get their hands on this plan and help
make, you know, just for more solid
recommendations. Um, we were able to
engage the local high schools well, help
helping uh, students also get excited
about redevelopment in their community.
Um and so just meeting a variety of
folks at that at that process. Um we
launched a community survey in the uh
late fall where we received over 2,000
responses. Um we were able to send a
survey and a reminder to every single
property within the MRA letting folks
know again the information that they
would need as well as um incentives to
take the survey. We also partnered with
city um we al excuse me we also
partnered with city staff to pass out um
over gosh 500 flyers through food banks
and so again being able to go directly
within the MRA and meet folks who need
those services um and be able to again
seek their input in that way um and we
are still currently allowing for
engagement. We have um as mentioned the
draft plan available on the city MRA
website that's been open um for a few
months now um closing at the end of this
week to which allows um members of the
public to access the same draft plan you
all saw leave comments and actually
engage with neighbors and other folks
who've left comments. And so this also
being kind of the transparent process,
but also to allow for um kind of
continued comment.
And so I just wanted to touch on quickly
what we heard um overwhelmingly, not
just within all of our, you know,
one-on-one conversations and community
meetings. This data is pulled
specifically from that survey, but
echoes a lot of what we heard, which is
that the highest priority for this area,
the biggest need is to improve safety
and security. This includes things like
not only police kind of response times
and connections to the neighborhood, but
also things like improving lighting so
people feel safe at night, improving um
the sidewalks, can thinking about how
the physical form can help um make folks
feel safe and welcome. Um following the
second priority is looking at the
opportunity to transform El Po um into
this kind of large bring back the life
of this corridor and thinking about how
we're connecting the university and
downtown is again a vital corridor. Um
how can we begin to reimagine that as
part of this redevelopment process? Um
third most important thinking about the
neighborhoods that exist within the MRA.
It is a large area and it encompasses
several different institutions,
neighborhoods, um, business corridors
and so folks were interested in seeing
their, you know, neighborhoods, their
communities improved things like, you
know, storefront facades. We mentioned,
uh, you know, sidewalks, helping with
landscaping in the area. Um, and then
fourth, I just want to call close
behind. Um, we also spoke a lot with
local business owners who shared kind of
what that specified support might look
like along um the El Paso and South
Solano corridors um to yeah be able to
provide kind of strategic
recommendations related to those
businesses
and I will pass it back to Danny.
Okay. Um so we also wanted to highlight
the illustrative vision that was
developed as part of that engagement
process. This is something that as Ally
mentioned, the whole area in its
entirety is rather large. Um much bigger
than MRA areas are traditionally.
Usually you kind of like focus on a
corridor and then expand out from there.
But in this case, um both from the
community and from staff, we understood
that the neighborhoods in between those
corridors are just as important as the
corridors themselves. So um wanted to
highlight that first and foremost. But
in order to begin to focus that vision
for this entire area, uh we wanted to
not lose that uh that emphasis on the
corridors themselves. So both El Paseo
and South Solano as these key
connections between downtown and the
university. Um as Ally mentioned in
terms of pedestrian safety, that was one
of the key issues that came up. And if
you look at the crash data from the
city, it reinforces that like that these
are very um dangerous corridors if
you're not in your vehicle. Um and then
not to be lost in that Idaho and then
bouts in Missouri um kind of follow
equally there. And so we know the city
is already thinking about these key
corridors and improvements that can be
made and we just wanted to provide a
little more direction on how to begin to
do that. um related to that uh corridor
redevelopment is encouraging the actual
development on the corridor. So thinking
about a healthy mix of commercial and
residential development that could begin
to spring up especially along El Paseo
where you do have the land to begin to
support that. Um, so we're imagining
this space as sort of again that vibrant
services connector between these two
nodes between downtown and the
university that eventually will begin to
fill those needs that the the city
already has for housing as well as for
additional commercial services. Um, and
then the next one is just a little bit
redundant there in terms of overall
development, but um, we kind of imagine
South Solano as a slightly different uh,
creature when we're thinking about what
is most important to that corridor. It
already has a very healthy
infrastructure there in terms of small
businesses, uh, institutions and really
good close by residential areas that are
walkable to those businesses. Um,
however, those businesses could use some
support as well. Um, oftent times
they're historic. The structures that
they're in are historic and to be held
to the same standards for development as
new development is sometimes a bit of a
burden, especially if you want to
improve your business or improve your
structure. So, we're really thinking
about how can we support those
businesses, especially the long-term
ones, to make sure they stay and retain
that character of the area.
As Ally mentioned, safety concerns are
utmost for this plan. And that comes in
the form of both physical safety when
you're thinking about moving through the
space as well as just feeling like
you're safe there. And so it's like
there's the psychological component to
that. And so we have some
recommendations related to that. Um we
see the uh green spaces and public
spaces in the MRA area as some of the
biggest assets here. And so we want to
make sure that we're building on
improvements that are already planned
for Valley View Park as well as Fringer
and Gomez parks. And then we also want
to think about some connections that
could be made so that folks from the
neighborhood can access these assets and
perhaps even uh take a trail one day up
the AOYO uh to Youngs Park and some
areas to the east of the area. Um we
want to facilitate development not just
on our corridors but at some key infill
sites that we saw especially for
residential. We'll look at that with our
opportunity nodes. And then we want to
make sure we're reinforcing the sense of
history, character, and neighborhood
identity along the way. Um, we heard
from lots of neighbors who are at
various degrees of organizing themselves
here. Um, and for the most part, they're
just looking for a little extra support
from the city in doing the work that
they're already continuing. So, thinking
about neighborhood cleanups, thinking
about uh neighborhood signage, things
that are pretty simple but can go a long
way in beginning to build that
stewardship and pride among residents.
And then finally, we don't want to lose
this sense of uh lowhanging fruit when
it comes to our drainage ditches. We
were uh fortunate to work with Elephant
View Irrigation District along the way
and think about how these might be
opportunity sites for future pedestrian
connections.
And as I mentioned, we uh took this
effort to try to break down the MRA area
into what we're calling opportunity
nodes just to begin to focus those
efforts. So again, we're not spreading
resources and funding uh equally across
the whole area, but rather looking at
where can we have the biggest impact uh
for the city's dollars that we're
investing. And the first is what we're
calling the Brickyard District or Valley
View Park area. And so within and along
that sort of Valley View Park extension,
there's a few key properties that could
be ripe for mixeduse development or
residential development in the future.
And so we've highlighted that within the
plan. What we're calling POSIS in the
family services district is sort of this
larger area where the city is already
making a ton of investments with the
Poseph development of housing. Uh as
well as uh the Munen Center is already
here in the library. uh Valley View
Elementary School exists just on the
southern bit of it. And then we also
have the Boys and Girls Club and Family
uh youth uh FYI
Innovations. I I'm forgetting the I
right now. Thank you. Uh is also making
key investments here. And so we want to
make sure that we're building on those
and recognizing the ripple effect that
those investments can have when we're
better connecting families to those
service areas. Um the third area is what
we're calling Foster Montana
residential. So we've got these sort of
internal street networks that already
have some good multifamily housing uh
base there. Good infrastructure, good
architecture there and uh actually some
new development happening there as well
as well as one key uh site that's
already owned by the city where housing
is going to be shifted over to Pose
Ferris. And so we see that as like a key
opportunity area to begin to uh show an
example of what good uh missing middle
housing can look like here. Um and also
think about some good pedestrian
infrastructure investments that can be
made to better connect those residents
to the businesses and services they
would want to access on uh El Paso. And
then finally uh we're looking at the
node around Frag Gomez Parks and then
also kind of connecting eastward over to
Solano. There's uh some key properties
that are opportunity sites that we see
for residential development. Um we have
a few faith institutions who have
expressed interest in being partners
with the city in this work and uh
further further contributing to their
community through the development of
potentially residential housing or
additional community services that could
be of use to to neighbors there.
Um, so we're going to get a little bit
into uh the catalytic projects in a
minute, but I wanted to highlight we had
several actions that we recommended for
the city under these strategic
recommendation categories. Um, to be
quite frank, it's a little too much for
us to get into in the time that we have
here today. But I just wanted to
highlight those categories for those
recommendations that you can find within
the plan. Um, and I'm going to turn it
over to Ally to talk a little bit about
the catalytic projects we wanted to
highlight.
So again, this is a large area and we
don't want to spread the dollars thin.
We want to think about what projects can
make the highest impact um and are the
highest priority as we heard from um the
assessments but also from what we heard
from folks in the community. Um so
building on again this idea of catalyst
that these projects we've specifically
called out to help really bolster the
transformation of this area. We've
identified these projects as building on
existing momentum which will help with
the success of their implementation. A
lot some of the stuff is already in the
works. Um in other ways the MRA
designation can help support and
implement these projects. And so we'll
kind of talk through each of them, but
this is again just to preface that these
are highly transformative, highly
impactful uh projects that we think
would really serve this area well based
on those guiding principles.
And so first to address kind of the
largest consideration throughout the
plan, um we dedicate a chapter to public
safety improvements. Um specifically
looking to build on what the city is
already doing with cooperation from
LCPD. Um we want to work together to
extend and expand the programs that the
police department is already providing.
Um different programs um such as bike
rodeos, the integration with schools. We
also want to think about uh the
infrastructure that the you know police
department is looking to finalize the
real-time crime center um by the end of
this summer which will give not only the
city um more information about how to
use public safety resources um and also
data related to crimes in specific
areas. Um but this is also an
opportunity to work with the business
owners who we've heard um suffer from
the concerns around public safety in
this area. So this is just one kind of
particular way that we can use kind of
the MRA to again bolster these programs.
Um not only again just the programmatic
recommendations but also infrastructure
if you're familiar um with the idea of
crime prevention through environmental
design that there's ways we can build
our communities to kind of naturally
deter um crime. And so we want to think
about opportunities there. Um including
the a police substation kind of located
within one of our opportunity nodes
which could help again those kind of
targeted more specific um needs in that
area. We also are advocating for city
policies which would help expand support
services within this area. Um again
targeted to what we've heard from
especially business owners about the
needs in this area. Um with that we
formed great partnerships and
friendships quite honestly with some of
the businesses on how we can understand
again those how can we best serve their
needs and again opportunities to use MRA
funding in this designation to help
support additional security in this
area. Not only helping the businesses
feel more comfortable but also helping
visitors, customers, residents um just
feel more safe in this area with a
little bit more targeted support. Um,
and then lastly with the environmental
design, we also want to think about
opportunities for lighting, sidewalk
improvements, shade, which help again
mitigate a lot of the effects that of
crime that we can see in this area,
especially when it gets hot in the
summer.
Second most important, well, I shouldn't
say most important, they're not ranked,
but a large project, a large lift that
we recognize we're recommending is the
transformation of El Po. And I want to
think about the idea of transformative
that we are rethinking what this
corridor both has been and what it could
be going forward. Um we recognize yeah
this is an expensive heavy lift that
would take to really transform the
roadway to allow for more multimodal
pedestrianfriendly use. Um there's
construction that comes along with any
kind of road project. Um, but we really
see this as just a a a catalyst for this
area, making this kind of key commercial
corridor that not only goes through the
area, but also connects to large um
communities in the city as um
uh excuse me as
sorry. Um
we want to yeah invest and target this
money through the transformation of this
corridor to can build on the existing
assets of downtown and NMSU but then
also within this area thinking about how
people are not only moving through the
kind of the city but also within the MRA
itself. Um and so ultimately we will um
be working on making a final
recommendation to council which would
kind of describe in more detail those uh
design options. Um we've also been
working handinhand with engineers to
think about again the feasibility of
this project, what it could look like
realistically, not just based on a
vision of what we hope but based on what
is realistic and also um allowable
within the city. Um and with the next
steps yeah being to continue through
engineering and construction. This is
kind of an initial phase one design that
we'll again be making more specific
recommendations to in the plan. Um but
just to highlight this as a really key
project for the city to undertake
on that. We also want to think about the
kind of commercial and residential
redevelopment that would happen
alongside some of these roadway
improvements. Um, we are making
recommendations that currently align
with the new zoning code, which would
again allow for mixed use, higher
density along those key corridors where
it's already more appropriate. Um, we
also want to work with existing
businesses in the area to kind of foster
their needs and again address what
business owners are seeing again along
El Po and South Solano, recognizing that
these are two very different commercial
corridors and they'll have different
needs as well. Um, and so with El Po, we
also want to think about how we can work
with property owners in the area. um
this specific stretch is characterized
by large parcels and so the opportunity
to further subdivide and allow for the
kind of development that we would like
to see including that kind of mixeduse
commercial and residential.
Um and lastly, we also want to use this
plan to help attract the kinds of
projects that will advance these goals.
We want to again highlight development
at the opportunity sites and utilize the
public and private partnerships that the
MRA allows to build what we hope to see
in this area. More specifically,
I mentioned that we also want to think
about South Solano just a little bit
differently from the El Paso corridor.
Um, specifically with how we can support
the businesses that are already there.
Um Danny mentioned we already have great
neighborhood character, good bones, but
how else can we help support kind of
those businesses thrive in that area and
again with just knowing that it's a
little bit more of the residential kind
of smaller scale business um corridor.
Again, we worked kind of handinhand with
business owners specifically along the
South Solano corridor to understand
better understand those needs. Um and we
can make we make specific
recommendations in the plan related to
that as well. Um as part of that we also
want to make sure that city processes
allow for this kind of flexible um
pedestrianfriendly design which kind of
already exists along the south Sono car
corridor. And so how can we uplift and
protect kind of the existing nature of
that community um with alongside
additional enhancements that kind of
support that uh design. And lastly, we
want to make the recommendation of
coordinating across city departments um
to look at the opportunity to explore
some sort of business organization
specifically for Solano businesses with
recognition that this these kinds of
scale of businesses have different
needs. And so we want to make sure we're
continuing that conversation beyond the
planning process and working um to again
build out this program and implement
this.
Okay. And I will pass this back to Danny
to talk through the rest of the
catalytic projects.
Um so I also want to recognize too in
this the work that the city is already
doing. I would say especially in regards
to that last point um city staff already
has many ideas and um some opportunities
in the work that we're in the works that
we're going to highlight a little bit
later. Um so again this is not all
coming from us from scratch. These are
ideas and things that have been worked
on uh over time and so we're just trying
to uplift that and make sure that we're
supporting it through resources and
funding that come with the MRA plan. Um
so the next one is Valley View Park
activation and I would say this to takes
a very similar character to that last
point I made where city uh the city is
already making large investments in this
park. Um there's funding for a master
planning process that will get going
here uh to begin to reinvision how
Valley View can better meet the needs of
the area. Both uh students at the nearby
elementary school, neighborhood
residents, and then folks who are coming
to some of those destinations we talked
about. Um, we started this conversation
with EBID and we're just recommending
that the city continue that conversation
to make sure that any future pedestrian
connection or trail uh that the
neighborhood might want to see be put in
place connecting that park to uh Young's
Park eventually is what we envision to
the east. Um, and then finally, it's
just implementing those plans, right? So
after that master planning process goes
through, it's continuing with that
design and construction and then finally
activating the program. Oh yeah. Do we
need to pause here? Yes, I see. That's
fine. Thank you. Thank you, Christine.
I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. No,
that's a great point. Cut you right in
the middle. I had that thought and then
I kept going. Um, you know what? I also
had that thought earlier and I thought
about telling people to hold it. Yeah.
And I didn't. So, thank you. Wait. Yeah.
Yeah. Maybe.
Folks, just a reminder that we need to
have four of us up here for to establish
quorum in order for us to continue
having any public conversation.
At this point,
Okay.
So, everyone else, please don't leave.
And I do promise we're almost done with
the presentation. No, no, no. Take your
time. Thank you.
Um, the last thing I just wanted to
mention about this slide is that um,
programming we also see is equally
important to the physical infrastructure
that's going into our community spaces.
And so we want to make sure that we're
activating these spaces, partnering with
the local schools, the library, the
senior center, uh, to make sure that
we're offering those activities that
families want to see here. That's what a
lot of what we heard through our
community outreach was that we just want
more familyfriendly safe uh spaces and
activities to do with kids. So something
to highlight there
uh for recommendations for infill what
we're just calling broadly infill as
redevelopment. This this is looking at
those areas outside of the corridor. So
those key properties that are
opportunity sites for either housing or
mixeduse development. Um, one, as I
mentioned, in that Brickyards area,
we're calling the Feather Light site.
Uh, a really nice property that's
immediately adjacent to the Los Cusus
Aoyo. Uh, and could be really great, uh,
for future reinvestment after an
environmental assessment is conducted
there. Uh, we also want to support FYI's
proposed mixeduse center that they're
envisioning uh, really close to Pose
Veritis, off camp combo, and uh,
Southerntherland Lumber. uh we want to
just further advance that implementation
of POS Verde. So any connections that
the city and the residents hope to see
to that site to those other amenities we
want to support through the MRA. Uh
there's a few key sites around the area
that I mentioned in the f Foster Montana
neighborhood as well as further south in
Frederme Park where we want to work with
those property owners uh whether they
are the um you know whether they already
have plans in the works for developing
apartments that they just need to
further get down the line or whether
they're these religious institutions
that I mentioned who kind of have a
dream of maybe furthering supporting the
area through residential development but
aren't sure exactly how to get started.
Uh that's something that the city can
facilitate as well. Uh finally, we want
to make sure that we're creating a
smooth process for development to
happen. So, thinking about uh bolstering
what the design review committee is
already doing at the city level. Uh and
thinking about further design
assistance, uh support in aligning with
the new zoning code, uh thinking about
infrastructure support just to make that
lift a little bit easier for developers.
And then finally, we thought that it
might be helpful to share a concise
housing resource guide for potential
future developments. So again, it's just
making it easier to do the things that
we hope to see um that have been
outlined for by the vision for this
area.
Uh this is one of those lowhanging fruit
items that I've already mentioned, but
continue that collaboration with EBID to
think about our trail connections both
across the Los Cusus lateral um and the
uh or excuse me, yeah, the AOYO trail
plan and then also the park drain as
well. Those are two opportunity sites
for this.
And then I know we talked about this a
little bit earlier, but I wanted to talk
more specifically about what that
community and neighborhood placemaking
could look like in terms of neighborhood
support and stewardship. So, uh, we had
a specific neighborhoods workshop as
part of what we did back in September.
And these were some of the thoughts that
came directly out of that in terms of
thinking about a signage program that
might be in partnership with the local
uh, Los Cusus High School. Uh there's a
lot of ways that we can begin to involve
folks just to help to uh reinforce that
everybody has a role in this work.
Everybody has a purpose in transforming
this area. Whether you attend high
school here or whether you live here, um
they could be a partner in helping to
support the creation of those gateways,
uh public art, neighborhood markers,
signage. Um, we want to continue to
organize neighborhood cleanups and
whether that's happening at the scale of
LiftUp Los Cusus or at the block. Um,
all of those are valuable moments to get
people out talking amongst themselves
with their neighbors and also seeing the
way that the city really cares and is uh
reinforcing and supporting the energy
they're putting into their block and
their neighborhood. And then finally, we
just want to make sure we have that
staff capacity to continue to do this
work. That's kind of step one. actually
shouldn't be the third bullet point
because that is really where this
originates from. We want to make sure we
have the capacity and the resources at
the city level uh to continue these good
works because they are important
and then I'm going to hand it off to
Elizabeth to talk about our timeline
here.
All right. Good afternoon, Mayor Prom
and City Council. My name is Elizabeth
Teters and I am the economic development
director. Uh, and I'm going to quickly
walk you through the timeline from here
on out and our plans going into
implementation of this plan. Um, so
first off, so the plan will come in
front of you for adoption on July 7th
and there will be two resolutions um,
one specifically for the plan and we
have to do a separate one for the
extension of the boundaries. Uh we are
working on creating an internal MRA
committee um that we're hoping to have
formed by the budget season around
October so that it can move smoothly
with the uh budget season and I'll go
into detail on the next slide about
that. Uh we were given through the
budget $100,000 for a pilot program. So
we're going to be using it on a program
called safety improvement program uh
that we'll hope to have in place by
September and this will be used
specifically for the El Paso Salano MRA.
There may be some other um MRA
incentives that we will adopt around the
same time. Uh we've been working closely
with the city of Albuquerque who has
quite a few MRAs and they've given us a
lot of tools that they use. Uh so we're
looking at those options. But both
program um whatever programs we do
create beyond the safety improvement
program, we will be doing we hope to
have active around September to actually
start really pushing out toward to the
El Paso Salano corridor. Um and then
finally the resolution for the GRT
baseline and county property tax will be
coming uh where it starts the they start
keeping track in July July 1st. So
there's going to be about six months of
data that they need. So uh January
February time frame is when we'll be
bringing that back for the tax
increment.
Um so let's talk about implementation.
when it comes to a committee, we've been
talking a lot about how we are going to
in implement these plans, all the MRAs
as they all come um online. And so we've
decided what we're going to do is create
an internal MRA committee. Um this
committee will consist of directors or
designated department representatives
that the the directors will um
designate. Um the staff will uh filter
the projects based on capacity,
priority, and funding. uh
recommendations will go to city council
and this committee will also meet
monthly to review and coordinate
efforts. The idea um we're kind of
envisioning is similar to a CIP. So our
CIP process so it'll move along with the
budget season. So city council will be
very aware of the recommendations that
will be coming forward and the type of
funds that will be available. Um and you
know this committee will be in charge of
working with the public and working even
though not every project has to be
clearly stated within the plan. So, you
know, as we hear from the public and
things change in the next 20 years, this
committee will be in charge of making
sure that we're keeping on track and
we're getting everything done that we
need to.
Uh, and finally, I just wanted to do a
map of the B boundary extension. You'll
see that it goes down to university. Um,
this will be the separate resolution at
the city council meeting that we will be
doing just because to extend that
boundary. And I wanted you to see a
clear picture of what that looks like.
And with that, we are all here to stand
for questions. Thank you so much all of
you. Sites Southwest, thank you for
being on this ride along with us. Um,
I'll open it up to my colleagues for
questions. And we have councelor Graham.
Thank you so much. Um,
before I forget, great document. Um,
really appreciated the appreciate the
document design. Just great
presentation. Um I recognize that these
are not all questions that may be able
to be answered today, but if we could
just kind of bookmark um for future
discussions. Um in no particular order,
um I noticed a couple of points largely
um around the South Solano corridor
where the report specifically mentioned
that there were some zoning impediments
to doing um the most effective
redevelopment.
will specifically for those areas will
realize
help with that and in a larger context
is realize poised to empower the MRA
writ large and if not what are some
potential amendments.
Yeah. So, that's a great point and I
should say we started updating uh points
of the plan after realize Los Cusus was
approved. But I will say I think we need
to go back with a fine tooth comb and
still double check on that because the
new zoning code does make that process
easier for those property owners along
South Solano. I think the more accurate
description at this point would be that
sometimes still with redevelopment
there's um steps for the permitting
process and uh certain assessments that
need to happen along the way that are uh
they don't discriminate between a large
redevelopment project and a small
redevelopment project and sometimes that
can be an additional time and financial
burden on developers particularly if
they're small business owners in the
South Solano area. So, I think rather
than that's a really important shift to
make that it's not zoning per se. It's
more that redevelopment permitting
process that might um there might be
ways that we can streamline that for
these business owners and property
owners along South Solano, but the plan
should reflect that. So, we'll make sure
to take a look at that text. Okay,
great. Thank you so much. Um, second, I
know it when in both the report and the
presentation, you talked about specific
public policy recommendations that would
help move this along. Um, for instance,
I noticed the um illusion to uh vacant
property ordinance, which I believe one
of my colleagues is going to dig into a
little deeper. But beyond that, um, what
are we thinking? Yeah. we could start if
you wanted to think about. Cool. Okay.
No, the vacant property ordinance is a
good one to bring up because I that
again is lowhanging fruit that other
communities have used as a pretty
effective tool where um we want to be
careful to balance both the carrot and
the stick approach that we're using. Um
that one's a little bit more of a stick.
And in order to balance that, we want to
make sure we're also providing the
support and resources we need. And so,
uh, thinking about how we might have
some, uh, funding mechanisms that the
city can use, um, to help incentivize
that rather than, uh, penalizing, I
think, property owners who who have
those vacant properties. So, we do want
to use both here. Um, I think also just
thinking more broadly about policies
that the the city can consider to
support some of the recommendations of
the plan. Um Ally mentioned this when
she talked about some of the public
safety pieces. There are policies that
we don't traditionally think of as tied
to redevelopment, but when we think more
broadly about uh the character and
impact the um that this area has, when
we look at our social services and
public services that we're providing,
when we look at the um policies that we
have in place around uh safe and
complete streets, these are all things
that can be revisited. You know, I I
know this the city has a safe streets
ordinance, but it might be revisited and
updated to better reflect the uh reality
of what's on the ground, what developers
can do, and the degree that the city can
hold that those developers accountable
for creating the conditions for safe
movement through the space. So, those
are kind of two areas that I think the
city could consider in terms of policy
updates and ordinance updates off the
bat. Great. Thank you so much. Um, and
then a kind of
Are you gonna jump in, Elizabeth?
Please. Sorry. Um, real fast, Mayor Prom
and, uh, councelor Graham. The only
thing I would add, um, to what Danny was
saying is, um, taking a look at our info
policy. We haven't updated in a while.
So, looking at that because that's going
to impact our almost all of our MRAs.
So, um, looking at that and seeing what
could be updated, like Danny was saying,
that can better help these vacant
buildings or bringing buildings up to
code, how we can fill in the infill.
That would be the another policy that I
would consider looking at. Great. Thank
you so much.
And then kind of a a little more
philosophical question, I guess. Um
there's a lot of really compelling um
of compelling information here about
neighborhood identity, community
building, and as I'm reading through
recognizing that one of the things that
makes this MRI unique is the per capita
percentage of renters um huge compared
to Donanna County as another. Um, and
recognizing renters are as great
neighbors as homeowners. Um, I was a
renter for well, now that I've lived
here forever, I think I've finally
outstripped my homeowner versus renter
timeline, but there are challenges to
affecting these kind of changes when
you're going to necessarily have maybe a
rotating cast of neighborhood members.
So, how how do we as the city as the one
who's always going to be there help to
and I think you already started to
mention some of these things,
neighborhood cleanups, block parties,
but specifically how do we leverage this
in a renterheavy
area?
I think that one of the best ways to
engage both renters and homeowners is to
first shift the perspective because I
think they're often is this bias against
renters that they aren't um perhaps as
like worthy of some of the investments
that we're thinking about and the
programs that we're thinking about
because they aren't going to be there
long term. But especially in this area
considering the proximity to NMSU, you
often have that large Rentine student
population in addition to folks at other
stages of life and they are just as um I
think impacted by some of these things
where it's less of looking at renters as
a liability and more of looking at them
as like where where can we find the
opportunity here to create long-term
connection to create that sense of
purpose and stewardship especially among
a younger population like students.
And I think the first lesson that we
took away and what we've taken away from
the planning process is by meeting them
where they are. And so by getting out
into the community, whether that is
through organized community events or um
in some of these spaces where they might
come for services, whether that's the
library, uh the uh Boys and Girls Club,
the senior center, uh whatever the city
can do to meet those residents where
they are and show them how they have a
place within the community.
um whether that's by taking on a
volunteer role or being involved in
something that's happening in the future
in these areas in the park, wherever it
might be happening. I think that
establishing that sense of you all have
a place and a purpose here, whether you
rent or whether you own your home is
step one. Um and then beyond that, the
idea is that eventually we're creating
the opportunities to begin to shift
those who want to move from renting to
home ownership to do so. So by creating
those uh mixeduse, missing, middle,
infill housing opportunities, maybe we
can create the conditions where some of
those renters will move into be being
homeowners in the future and staying in
the neighborhood.
Thank you so much. That was lovely. Um
and actually kind of a perfect
transition for my final um kind of more
of a comment, but I'd love to hear your
thoughts on it regardless. Um I think
clearly uh an area isn't designated as
an MRA if it's doing great in all
aspects. You know these are these are
areas that need some reinvestment, some
love, some attention. Um but I think I
just caution all of us on the DAS in the
community. Um I think we can fall into a
narrative of you know oh well this is a
problem area. This is a scary area. this
is a and I think that reframing that
conversation just like you said like
looking as not as a liability but as an
opportunity. Um I think that that is so
important and I think a lot of times you
know I've gotten I've gotten some push
back as I've been really advocating for
the MRA throughout my time as a city
councelor
uh to you know people will say like oh
well you're just not being realistic.
you're just trying to brush the problems
aside or you're not recognizing the
realities. But if we continue to
characterize these areas as blight or
problems, then nothing will change. So
much of what you're talking about is
momentum and how relatively speaking,
how easy, how one small catalytic
spot, you know, Boys and Girls Club
moving moving in, one small
change in the stream can make such a big
difference. So I just I hope that we
will find great words to say about our
El Paso Salano MRA. So thank you, Mayor
Prom. Thank you, Councelor Graham. other
folks with questions.
Good, because I have a lot.
Um, thank you again so much. I I have a
lot of chicken scratches, so maybe I
don't have a lot. Maybe they're all
going to be around the same thing, but I
do want to just start with what I love
because I loved a lot. Um, and I just
couldn't be prouder that we're finally
here. Um, so I'm very excited. I do want
to lift up um the I think one of the
things that I loved the most was um the
catalytic project of Ela El Po
transformation plus the opportunity
site. I forgot what you called it but
it's the PO Veres and family resource.
Yeah, family services district is what
we called it. I loved it. No, I really
loved that and I think um I I love it
because I think you captured the
investments that we're already making,
right? Like the the commitment that
we're already making to this part of the
corridor with Basio Veres and our
housing team with our partnerships and
great uh partnerships and resources in
the community like um FYI and Boys and
Girls Club um and so many other things.
And so I just wanted to lift up that I
really loved that synergy if you will.
Um I'm so I'm really excited about all
of that. I think I am also thank you for
u mentioning realize. I think one of the
pieces that I felt exciting while
reading this was that I I I guess I do
hope that you sort of go through realize
also and pick out the pieces. I one of
the greatest things that I think people
didn't see or didn't want to see and
realize was how much of a focus it had
on flexibility in the MAS and see staff
back there is shaking their head because
it was so intentional
um because we have such a focus on on
these corridors and so I think you if if
your team does go back through it before
you come back for adoption you'll see I
think you're going to see a lot of
alignment again because that was so
intentional. So, I'm very excited about
that. I was also really happy to see
that you had a chapter, if you will, on
uh vacant properties. Um, this is
something I've been talking about quite
a bit and and um you know, you talked
about there being 90 vacant parcels plus
30 unoccupied buildings in the entire of
the MRA. Um, you know, that's that's
huge. And um I'm sure you know I I I
just think that there's such we must
address this like we have to address
this and I think folks like Albuquerque
have sort of started paving a way on how
we do some of that with the balance of
what you said right the balance of the
stick and the carrot. I certainly not
punitive and working with good actors
who people who desire to do something
with the property versus folks who have
abandoned their responsibility. I think
that's an uncomfortable conversation,
but one that we need to have. And so I
really appreciated your focus on that.
And it is, you know, one of the policy
priorities that I I will continue to
have is is adopting some sort of
ordinance on on addressing vacant
properties and unoccupied properties.
Um, one of the other uh pieces of uh
policy recommendations that a
constituent brought to my attention um
thank you Don was around the CPACE
program which I actually connected with
staff this morning and they said they're
coming to present in July. So um lots of
alignment there. So, but just to put it
on you all's radar, CPACE is um
commercial property assessed clean
energy which is an alternative source of
financing for improvements to commercial
properties. It covers the direct and
indirect costs related to reducing
energy or water consumption generating
renewable energy and building
resiliency.
Eligible properties include any
privately owned commercial, agriculture,
industrial, multif family property with
five or more dwelling units and um that
includes nonprofit organizations and the
the the state adopted this as a as a
policy, but counties and municipalities
have to opt in. And so um uh Albuquerque
Key has done it, Santa Fe's done it. And
so I'm hoping that that's what the July
work session will be on the
recommendation that we opt into this
program that I think can be one of those
incentives for our nonprofit partners,
but also commercial folks who are
already doing a lot in this area.
Okay. Um, I I also wanted to lift up the
impact feed reduction um and demolition
site fund that I thought was really
important and would love for us to
continue having those conversations
about what it would look like here. Um,
okay, I'm getting through my list. Um,
those were sort of my big statements, I
guess. Um, I had less questions, so my
apologies. Um,
I think actually one of my big question
questions
was and maybe not. So, I'm just giving
you um my input I guess lesson questions
on public safety. I I
I actually can you help me understand on
public safety what were some of the core
concerns that people had? Um was it like
property crime? Was it Yeah. So folks
who are unhoused for struggling with
addiction like what was the core of
those concerns? Yeah. So a lot of it
came up as property crime. So especially
for business owners, you know, their
employees not feeling safe, you know,
closing up the business and going into
the parking lot on their own at night.
So having first of all the
infrastructure to feel safer there, but
then also having um a a good connection
with LCPD. So if something happens, they
know they have that that quick response
that they can reach out to there. I
think also what we heard too from
residents was just the differentiation
between what service is needed needed at
a given time. So whether it's mental
health services for somebody who's in
crisis versus somebody who's actively
trying to, you know, break into their
property or or damage it somehow. Um, so
wanting to have a little bit more
clarity on on what to do as a property
owner, as a resident when you see that
kind of a situation. Um, and then I
think from residents just across the
board, there was this sense of we want
to be able to more fully utilize our
public spaces, but we don't feel slash
comfortable there. So, that was where we
got into some of our recommendations
around lighting and shading and just
creating that space where people can
feel like they can be out and about and
uh not have to worry about their safety.
Thank you. I do. I think um sort of one
of the
pieces that I was sort of thinking about
as you were presenting on that is that I
I want to make sure that we are um you
know holding this fine balance between
safety not only meaning more police
presence right like safety has a lot
more definitions and I think we as uh on
the city council and the city have um
you know one we want to acknowledge that
people's fears are very valid like those
concerns are incredibly valid and real
and I also want us to address them in
the way that makes the most sense in
terms of like what is actually going on,
right? Yeah. Sure. Like property crime.
Um I think the real time crime center
will absolutely help address some of
that. I think if it's issues around
unhoused, if it's issues around folks um
experiencing addiction and are on El
Paso South Solano, like how can we also
put in this plan more weight on the
kinds of things that will help address
those specific issues outside of just
policing. I think that to me that feels
really important and necessary um and
ensures that we're actually working
we're not burdening police department.
number one with uh things that right
like they're not necessarily trained to
do but number two pull in our partners
like FYI, like Community of Hope, like
other folks who are already doing a lot
of that outreach work. Um and and our
housing department, right? Ultimately,
if if one of the biggest issues is
homelessness, we're going to meet that
need when we build more housing. So I I
just just want to lift up um that piece
around public safety us having a wider
scope on that. Um I was also thinking
about the heat map index on El Paso and
how um that's a form of violence, right?
Like people experiencing
disproportionate amounts of heat,
whether it's their homes or walking um
not feeling safe crossing the street,
not having bus shelters. like those are
also things that to me hit at public and
community safety um that I wanted to
make sure I lifted up and and so I don't
know Elizabeth what the safety
improvement program will look like but I
want to just make sure that we are sort
of creating that program with some of
those principles in mind as well. Um let
me do a quick scan of my notes uh to
make sure that I got everything. Um, oh,
and then my only other recommendation
would be that the MRA committee that is
created that we do include someone from
the NAT team on there, the um
neighborhood action team or the nuisance
abatement team um given the hopefully
the priority we have on addressing
vacant and occupied properties.
Thank you so much for allowing me to
just talk at you the whole time. I
appreciate it. No, they're good
comments. Thank you. Thank you. I'm just
so invested in this and I think our
entire council is and the whole city and
and making redevelopment and
revitalization such a priority. So, I
really appreciate you all being here.
I'm excited for July and I'm excited to
send off whatever the state needs for us
to start collecting that data. Thank you
so so much. Okay. Yes, Councelor Matise.
Um, I I just really appreciate the
research that you've done and uh I've
only been on city council for about 13
months and I've watched El Po and Solano
deteriorate over the last 12 years. Uh,
with your experience and
professionalism, how do how does a city
prevent I mean you brought up the public
safety issues which is very important.
You brought up private partnerships
again, which is important, and there's
very wealthy private enterprises like
the gas and oil company that could help
us with investments. And you and you
brought up other items like neighborhood
associations and strengthening them. How
do you prevent
what would be the best opportunity for
the city to work on that we don't see
another Elpo? We don't see another
Solano. What do we need to be doing? Not
only on the public safety issues because
if you don't have a safe city, you you
have a problem. Yeah. But could you
indicate what other things we could be
doing so we don't have a a telshore or
Yeah. another area going into blight.
Yeah. And unsafe feelings. Yeah. I mean,
I have some ideas and then I also may
hand it over to staff if there's some
ideas as well. But thank you. I I do
think that so it's good to recognize the
context in which we're presenting this
plan. you know, this is one tool that
the city can use that offers flexibility
for infusing resources and funding in an
area that's already demonstrated that
kind of deterioration that you're
talking about. And when we think about
how that came to be over many decades
and how that might happen in another
area, I think there's a lot of
influences at play and some of that the
city has control over and some of that
the city does not. Um I think a large
part of it is just recognizing when it
comes to development decisions, uh
developers are going to go where they
have the uh the potential for the
greatest profit and the fewest barriers.
And so in the case of uh city cores,
especially historic city cores, there's
often constraints there, you know,
because of the way the road network was
laid out, because of the way the parcels
are, um that make it a little bit harder
to develop in an already built out area
versus going to say the fringes of a
community or to the county. Um, and so
that's one reason why you sort of see a
shift often in the spreading out of our
cities is because it's just easier to
develop on the fringes. Uh, it's cheaper
and you have to go through less hoops.
That's why also in the MRA plan, we do
talk about how to reduce those barriers.
Um, city's well on its way with the the
new zoning code, but I, as we mentioned,
there are some things in terms of
permitting processes, uh, in terms of
looking at the infill development
ordinance, um, that the city could do to
further reduce those barriers so that
we're making it easier for that
development to happen and to continue to
expand in areas where it might be a
little bit more physically constrained.
Um, so I think that's one thing the city
can do. It's not just in the MRA area,
but any part of the city that's older,
any part of the city that um has maybe
some of some of those additional
constraints. Um that's step one. Um, I
think also too, it's just there's a lot
of uh forces that are a little bit
beyond the city's control. When we look
at just overall patterns of growth and
development, policies that have happened
at the state and federal level that just
make it easier for people to hop on
highways and drive into the city rather
than making their home there and
building it up. And so some of that is
just out of the hands of the city, I
would say, and has come from decades of
um city planning that doesn't
necessarily in incentivize regrowing and
redeveloping in our cores. I guess
that's kind of a a bigger answer that
doesn't give you a ton of tools to work
with, but maybe one starting point with
reducing those barriers. No, that's
excellent. Thank you.
Thank you so much. Any other questions?
Great. I'm going to open it up to public
comment now. Um, you will each get three
minutes and just Yeah. Make yourself
come on down. Don't be shy.
Don't forget to state your name. Good
afternoon. I'm George Pearson. I'm vice
president of Velocus, which is a local
bike ped advocacy organization. Um the
plan lays out six plan goals and so I'm
just going to touch on each of those and
my comments about this. First is
economic revitalization and housing.
Well, it's not just housing costs but
transportation costs that affects the
cost of living. Uh for example, cost of
owning a car is about $10,000 a year.
um if you can remove a car and replace
it with a bicycle or uh other modes of
transportation active transportation
nodes and I think there needs to be more
emphasis on the other active
transportation modes
maybe laid out at the goal and in the
beginning um including bicycles and
transit.
Um, the MRA area
is easily 3 miles across, which is a
very easy access by bicycle. Um,
and improved transit would be wonderful.
Imagine having 15 minute headways where
you have a bus access. Uh, that's very
easy. Uh, infrastructure improvement is
the next one. Uh improved bicycle
facilities need more consideration. Um
identifying a protected bike lane
between the university and downtown is
something that we really need to look at
on public safety and health. Safe secure
bike parking is something that we need
to look at. Um this will result in more
bicycling trips and that will result in
the health benefits that uh are enjoyed
by people that use active
transportation. Um a longer lifespan has
been identified as a benefit of more
active transportation. On the social
equity side,
u roughly a third of the residents do
not have a driver's license for whatever
reason. either they're too young to
drive, too old to drive, or other things
have happened. So, uh they have to rely
on somebody else for transportation. So,
better active transportation solutions
helps with social equity.
Uh environmental sustainability,
well, that's active transportation is
just the obvious um answer to that. And
on the historic preservation,
um I think something that was talked
about in the body but not really in the
goals is fostering neighborhood
identities. And so I want to say reflect
it is a great document all in all and I
especially like the way it's broken up
into the smaller areas identifying what
can be done there. So um thank you for
allowing me to speak. Thank you George.
Good afternoon, Mayor Pro Tim and
Council. My name is Ashley Avidia. I'm
the CEO for the Boys and Girls Club of
Los Cruuses. Um, I was equally excited
to see that little area named as the
Family Services District. It's exciting.
I think it's an exciting um step in in
the direction that we're headed. Um,
we're we're really excited to be moving
to the area. um and to be um quite
frankly I think a little bit further
along in the process than most the the
entire MRA. Um of course we're still
working on on getting things funded, but
we're really really hopeful that we'll
be able to break ground this year. Um
that's that's truly the goal, but you
know, I just wanted to come in. and I
was watching online and I thought, you
know, I just want to come in and let you
guys know, you know, we appreciate the
partnership with the city and we're so
open to any other ways that we can
partner together to to make sure that um
we're getting this redevelopment done as
quickly as possible and in a way that
benefits the entire community. So, when
we, you know, I think about the public
safety concern and I hear a lot of that,
oh my goodness, you're moving the Boys
and Girls Club to that area. But I I
like to look at it on the positive side.
I I see us as being kind of the the
headliner if you will, you know, to
going in there. Yeah. And so, you know,
I want to say chief story, you know, if
there's any possibility, I was I was
thinking about community policing. Well,
we built we're building the facility in
such a way we'll have extra office
space. What if we had a police officer
office out of the Boys and Girls Club
from time to time? Then there's, you
know, presence in the area. Um but you
know any other way we can collaborate we
um we've designed the building in such a
way that the gymnasium is accessible
from the back end. So if we can partner
with parks and wreck you know for the
league sports or for anything else
that's really what we want to be. We
want to be a place that is
community-minded.
And um you know as you know the longer
the building sit empty the more concern
we have. So, you know, any support that
we can get from the city, um, we'd be
grateful for just to get this project
going. I think as soon as, you know,
people start seeing activity out there,
hopefully some of the issues will stop.
We have had squatters in the building.
You know, we've had a fire in the
building. We've had quite a few things
going on there. And, um, we just want to
get the project going. We can't get the
project going till we're at a certain
dollar amount. And so, um, I just wanted
to say thank you guys for what y'all
have done for us so far. And we're we're
definitely looking forward to working
together in the future and anything we
can do to move the MRA plan along. We're
we're here. You're behind us. I think
most of you know this has been my goal
for the last 12 years. So, um, we're
really hopeful to make this happen soon.
Thank you so much. You're absolutely a
catalyst in the area. So, thank you.
Come on down.
Hello, Trent Scriber. For the record, uh
the MRA is a big area. Like that's I I
know it seems maybe like a small area
cuz it's a small town, but that's huge
and it it's like kind of different needs
and different stuff going on in each
part uh along El Paseo there. So, when I
talk, I'm mostly talking about the
Foster, Montana area because that's
where my family stays. I spent uh a
couple years living there. I've lived
everywhere. I'm a renter which
uh but um I think that we have really
good priorities for the area. Uh
lighting is a concern. Public safety is
a serious concern and stuff like
lighting that's again evidencebacked.
Uh especially around Foster going
towards like the business complexes like
Crunch, Albertson's, all that cuz that's
a place people walk along. And it's uh I
used to run like from my place over
there to the Crunch and running there I
felt real good cuz I was all hyped up.
on the way back I'm weak and it's dark
and I'm like, "Oh man, they're going to
get me." And a street light would have
helped out a little bit. Uh vacant lots,
too. That's again evidence back. They
did a study, I think it was in Flint,
Michigan, uh they started taking vacant
lots and putting like greenery on them.
Uh but just making them look pretty
pretty much. I'm not all about like
broken windows theory, but making these
vacant lots look pretty and kind of
involving the people at every step of
the way. It reduced violent crime in the
area by about 40%. That was a 2018 study
in Flint, Michigan. Um, and so it's
effective and it's cheap. It's cheap,
effective, and humane, which is what we
want. Um, I was curious, and this is
kind of just like a like I'd kind of
like to know what the percentage of
responses back we got was from the
survey that you guys sent out to the
from the surveys that you guys sent out
to the to the community. Um, regardless,
I think it's it's representative of what
people want over there from what I've
heard from them. Um, what else? I was
really happy that you worked with the
schools that you worked with, Los Cusus.
Um, because those kids are like, it's
the only place you see people walking
because from Los Cusus High, they go and
they hang out along El Paso and they're
keeping it alive down there. Um, God
bless them. Uh, yeah, cleaning up the
vacant lots is good. holding these
people accountable for like the untended
properties. I think that we've relied a
lot on private investment to bring life
into communities and you can't rely on
private investment really. The 2008
recession hit hard in that area because
private investors were like, "Oh, you
guys are broke. Let's get out of here."
Uh 2020 COVID hit hard in that area
because private when things are hard,
private investment goes. And so if you
want resilient communities, focus on
public investment is is a principle that
I would have uh moving forward. And I
think that you guys are embodying that
very well. Um I wrote down a bunch of
stuff.
Uh
otherwise, I'm real happy about the Boys
and Girls Club. I was down there at the
graffiti event that they did and that
was beautiful. Uh people from the
community showed up, like real people
who don't usually go out, like the
teenagers and stuff who think that stuff
is lame. Um, and so I think that we're
doing really good things down there.
Turn the pay less into something cool.
Uh, don't turn it into a real estate
office. Thank you. Thank you.
And do you just want to point out that
it wasn't just Las Cruz's High School,
it was also Las Montana's High School,
which I really love.
Come on down.
Good afternoon, Council Mayor Pro Tim.
Axel Hail for the record. Um, I would
like to say that I agree with councelor
Graham about us framing this as an
opportunity area rather than a problem
area. I think we have such a rich
culture stemming from the downtown
market area and the mosqu historic
district not too far. Uh, and I think
expanding that into El Paseo is very
possible. Um, and I think we're starting
to see it with local businesses like uh
Deputy Dogs moving in there. Um, that
being the only El Camea we have in town.
um over there off of El Po to see that
culture grow into something similar to
what we see downtown where you regularly
have people gathering where you have
people gathering in the historic
district near Klein Park. Um I think
there's a lot of possibility there and I
really do like what they're doing with
it um with public investment and
bringing in those services that are so
heavily needed in that area. Um I've
also lived in Los Cusus my whole life. I
used to shop at that pay less. Um so I
would like to see that turned into
something meaningful. Um I I think the
you know vac vacant properties uh
focusing on that is I'm also on board
with that because by reducing those and
bringing in things there whether it's um
public sustainability agriculture stuff
uh more focus on those programs I think
having more there creating that presence
where it feels less empty and vacant
will help bring that new sense of life
into this area of the town. Um, I'm
somebody I used to work on El Paso. I
worked at that Arby's uh for a number of
uh months. Um, so I know how it gets
down there. And what Mr. Scribner was
saying about the students from Lasus
High School, they very much are keeping
it alive. Um, of course, Lost Montas
worked with a local film not too long
ago. Um, and seeing what they're
creating over there is also very
meaningful. Um so to see all of this
incorporated into something that the
entire public can come together in
meaningful ways to address is very um
promising. Uh and those those public
safety concerns as you were saying the
heat mapping uh the heat mapping is so
important over there because you don't
you don't have any of that shade right
now. There's um don't quote me, but I
think there's one bus stop on El Paso.
Um
and I I feel like it's very much viewed
as a travel through area than a stop in
area. Um it's okay. I'm going from this
part of town to university. Um so to
turn that area into something more
meaningful where the public can commune
is something that is super important. Uh
thank you for your time. Thank you.
Other folks,
come on down.
Hi, good afternoon. Uh, Mayor Prom and
counselors. My name is Don Curts. I live
on Missouri in Los Cusus. And, uh, first
I just want to congratulate the
consultants on this plan. I think it's
really good and and the input that came
from stakeholders and the council and
staff was good too and I feel like you
were very flexible in trying to
incorporate those things and anyway I
think it's a it's it's a great plan. I'd
like to um just make a couple comments
on sections of it. It seems like I've
always been especially interested in the
El Paso corridor. It seems like we're
kind of putting together the holy
trinity of a successful area there where
you have the housing which brings
commercial activity to support the
housing which in turn attracts more
housing and then holding it all together
in my view is the transit which we have
an opportunity there I think to
piggyback on the value of that corridor
just to connect the university and that
whole work student area with downtown
and that whole work area and Uh,
one thing on housing. I I think I want
to follow up on comments by councelor
Graham and and the young man earlier. I
think we want to be careful not to
unconsciously or consciously designate
this as a lowincome area because the
opportunities for housing along there
are tremendous for student housing, for
senior housing, for young professional
housing and the major uh employment
centers there in are right along that
corridor. Laspus public schools, the
high school, the university, and then at
the other end electronic caregivers. And
so I think the opportunity there for
housing is is much larger than uh but I
I got to say at the same time that the
whole idea of the POS veres in the
family services district is great. So
we're talking mixed income housing of
all kinds. Uh secondly, on the transit,
this is something that's come up uh
repeatedly over the the years. I think
when we think about transit, I'd I'd
like us to have Roadrunner be thinking
about this from the very beginning.
Direct service from the university
convention center area to town downtown
and back and frequent enough that people
can count on it to get to work to go to
class and you don't to go directly on
this have to loop way out to the east or
way out to the west, which is what we
kind of have to do now. So that kind of
short line service every 15 or 20
minutes for students. It's great for
coming to the entertainment districts
downtown. I think we could get DWI funds
to help support that kind of transit.
And finally, I appreciate you saying I
think we all know this is a heavy lift,
but hey, you know what? You guys have
done it before. When I think of what
downtown was a dozen years ago and what
it is now, that was a city initiative
that was bold and broad and went after
it. and I hope you'll do it here and I
think it can be done. So, I appreciate
it. I really congratulate all of you on
the work. Thank you. Thank you so much,
Don.
One more person.
I mean, more people can come, but I just
saw one more.
Good afternoon, uh, Mayor Prom Council.
Um, I am Allison Neil Wallace. I'm a
resident of District 4 and I work in the
MRA area um at one of the faith
communities. I won't say which because
I'm not supposed to officially
represent, but I do actually see two
gentlemen from our community in this in
this photo here, which is nice. um
something that we have faced. Um we are
on South Solano and just off of the
corner of South Lano and Missouri um or
I guess it's the Bout side, but um
we did face some of that that property
crime that was mentioned um when the
public safety discussion was was taking
place as we have several times actually
have seen um hateful vandalism come to
our church. Um, people have have come
and and spray painted spray painted some
very very awful, very racist things on
the walls. Um, and it's become a
concern. I really understand this public
safety concern in this area especially
because it's become a concern among uh
many members of our community. Um, and
something that I have always found to be
um, maybe lacking a little bit is uh,
community spaces that are more
accessible during the summer. I know
that we can we can come and gather, you
know, everybody from wherever, have a
have a birthday party in a park, but
when it's like I'm pretty sure the last
two weeks solid have been every single
day it's been over a hundred. um that
really hard to go spend time at a park
with your family. Um so that is if we
when we are looking into to revitalizing
our city and beautifying our city, I
think that is something that really does
need to be taken into consideration that
we do live in a ridiculously hot um area
of the country. Um, and
I'm I'm glad to see that that the city
is is putting a lot of work in to to
beautify our city and to improve
conditions here um with initiatives like
this and realize um we you know see a
lot of great opportunity. Um and yeah, I
just wanted to make sure that that that
the council is is always keeping the
ridiculous that I know it's impossible
to ignore um in mind when looking at
these projects. Thank you. Yes. Thank
you so much. Okay. Any other folks?
Okay. Anyone else on the council?
All right. I think that do I need to say
anything specific about that? Concluding
our
Okay, great. Thanks, Christine. Um, that
is it on our agenda for today. Uh,
really want to thank the both of these
items today were uh tremendously took a
lot of work. So, thank you all so much.
Um, can I get a motion to move by
move by voters? Thank you.
This is on the motion to adjourn the
work session. Councelor Mccclure is
absent. Councelor Matise, yes. Councelor
Graham, yes. Councelor Cran is absent.
Councelor Fletus, do I have to make up
my 10 minutes before I leave? Um, no. I
will excuse you this time. And Mayor
Prom? Yes. And mayor's absent.
Thank you. Thanks. No, I was watching,
you know,
really good.
Yes.
That would be super.
Okay. Okay.