The Mayor's Mixtape

The Mayor's Mixtape-Episode 45

• City of Pueblo • Episode 45

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Mayor's Mixtape episode 45 includes a recap of the Pueblo City Council meeting from January 26 along with the anticipated private unit plan for transitional housing offered at The Pueblo Shelter. Don't forget the State of the City event is Tuesday, February 3, 2026 from 4:30-6:30 at the Pueblo Convention Center, open to the public. Please join us!

Haley Sue Robinson:

Welcome to the 45th episode of the Mayor's Mixtape. I'm Haley Sue Robinson, Director of Public Affairs for the City of Pueblo.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

And I'm Heather Graham, City of Pueblo Mayor.

Haley Sue Robinson:

And if you have questions or a topic suggestion, you can email us mayor@pueblo.us. Mayor, we had a shorter city council meeting last night. Not a huge long agenda, and we were finished before 10 o'clock, which was nice. And actually speaking of time, that was one of the things that was mentioned or discussed last night and then voted to approve. We had a resolution for the work session time to officially be at 5 :30 on the second, no, the first, third, and fifth Mondays of the month. And then we had an ordinance for the regular meeting to start at 5: 30 on the first and third Mondays of the month. Um can you tell us a little bit about what that means and and the time frame?

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yeah, so it's up to the city council to decide decide what time they start their meetings. That's not set by charter. Um it's set by code so it can be adjusted. So previously there wasn't a um there was never a a a codified time for the work sessions. Um it was called executive uh committee meetings and that you know could be called whenever. So that was just a normal 5 30. So Councilor Dante um put that to paper and now it's the first, third, and fifth Monday, if needed, um work sessions will begin at 5 30. Okay. Um and then Councilor Boston bought brought a second amendment to that stating that the regular city council meetings, the time will be moved from 7 p.m. to 5 :30. Um and from the discussions at City Council last night, it sounds like um, you know, they're doing that so that people can get off work, head to the city council meeting, they don't necessarily have to come back or they don't have to spend their late nights um with us if there's an important agenda item that they want to give testimony on, because nine out of ten times we're there past um ten p.m.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Sure.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Municipal the charter and the municipal code state the way the agenda has to be formatted and put together. So it's not like we can go in unless a city councilor makes an amendment to the agenda when we're doing agenda review to move from one item from the front of the agenda or the back of the agenda to the front of the agenda. So everything is placed on the um agenda time specific uh to what the code calls for. So you might have some super pressing topics that might be the very last agenda item. Um, you know, it could be 10 o'clock, could be midnight, could be 2 a.m. I've been part of those over the last few years.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Or sometimes the really pressing item is at the front of the agenda, but then we have like a business developer or someone with um like planning and zoning um or a consultant that stays on till like 10 :30 because they're the last item on the agenda. And so we've seen it go both ways where it's either a super important topic that's right at the end, so everybody stays super late, or it's a really important item right at the beginning in the more kind of like I would say ho hem, like we know they're gonna pass probably 7-0 or or maybe contracts, right?

Mayor, Heather Graham:

They're just things, yeah.

Haley Sue Robinson:

They're kind of the

Mayor, Heather Graham:

annual passings of

Haley Sue Robinson:

exactly then those things get left at the end, and you're like, oh gosh, yeah, this is gonna be a late night. So um from my understanding, that means we'll only have work sessions on the first, third, and fifth Mondays. And we will not have a work session on nights of a regular meeting.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Correct.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Okay, so uh the next regular meeting is February 9th and it will just start promptly at 5 :30. We won't have a work session ahead of time. Uh you know, like last night, for example, we had work session, then there was an executive session. Um, and then I think we went until 7 :15 with the executive session. We took a five-minute recess and we started at 7 :20. We'll just start at 5 30.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Correct.

Haley Sue Robinson:

This is exciting.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

You get to go home early.

Haley Sue Robinson:

I mean, I I will say as a as a city employee, it's exciting. I think I think to um a lot of the counselors' points though, last night, um, this is helpful to just the everyday folks.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yeah. And if it doesn't work, they can change it as quickly as they put it in the place. So if they see that um, you know, it's difficult for the citizens. I mean, I look at it like we have the county BSCC meets at uh 9 30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, right? Like right in the middle of the workday, and people are still able to tune in, show up if you have to. Um we do Facebook Live, we have Zoom options, um, so we have alternatives if you can't make me there in person to talk in public forum or to give public testimony.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Well, and um so you you can watch on Facebook Live, you can watch uh the Zoom recording on our YouTube. It also replays on channel 17. But we've also had folks who um maybe can't make it in person and they can uh testify via Zoom, or they have also submitted like an email for the record with city council or with the city clerk. So I I think there's a lot of options to be involved if the time frame doesn't work. Because to your point, I think with uh the county commissioners, uh a lot of us are working at 9 30. And so I I don't think I would maybe say, Hey Mayor, I can't make this meeting. I'm gonna go over to the county commissioners meeting and go testify and then I'll come back later.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yeah,

Haley Sue Robinson:

I don't I don't know how that would go over.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

It depends on what it is.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Sure. Um, but it it that might be actually more inconvenient for folks.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yeah.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Um I I thought it was interesting. I was I was talking with Chief Noeller last night and he said actually a lot of the other chiefs of police are very surprised that our meetings go so late because they meet during the day. Right. Uh a lot of city councils uh throughout the state meet during the day. Um whether it's like a three o'clock and then it may go into the evening. Um so this kind of brings us a little more in line with other municipalities, which will be good.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yeah, see what happens.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Cool. Um okay, another thing that was brought up last night uh was was funding, and this is something that we've been talking about. You know, we discussed it throughout the budget season, what it looked like for the city's funding. Um you asked for 15% reduction in operations costs for all departments, and then for our contractual obligations to also make those cuts. Um, but something that was discussed last night was our obligation with um IGAs, uh, which are intergovernmental agreements. And so there was a lot of discussion about what's happening with the county right now. So I I just thought maybe you could explain that process or or what that looks like.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

So we have um a few IGAs with the county when it comes to monetary values. So we have CSAC.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Okay.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Um so previously um the county and the city would mirror what their funding looked like. So in 2025, we each did $490,000.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Okay.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Um earlier last year I went to the board of county commissioners and presented um what the city strategy was gonna be for 2026 because we were going to be asking all nonprofits to strictly apply through CSAC.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Sure.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

So I increased CSAC's funding by $60,000, so giving us a grand total of $550. Um at the time I would have assumed that the county was going to match do the same. Um I don't think that that's what they've decided. I think the county is looking at more like $465,000, so it's a decrease from their 2025 um budget allocation. Um none of this is contractually binding. Um and that could, you know, potentially be an issue like President Aliff talked about last night. Uh the next IGA that we have with the county is the HARP uh Riverwalks. So um in our HARP agreement, we're both supposed to provide a percentage of the HARP's budget. Um for the last several years, the county has not met the budget line in which the HARP has asked for. They were flat funded, and then in 2026, they actually reduced their flat funding by 62%. Um so they usually were giving around $341,000 and they're giving them $150,000, and the city is giving them uh $788,000. Um so it's a huge reduction. Uh so year after year the city has had to pick up the shortfall.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Okay.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Um and some things that uh you know could potentially be interrupted are having a bathroom attendant, so being able to open the bathrooms because we've had some issues uh with break-ins in the bathroom, meth use in the bathrooms. We like to have somebody there.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Yeah,

Mayor, Heather Graham:

um, our maintenance of the river walk, a lot of it is uh donated by Downs Landscaping.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Oh, yeah.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Um, but they're also our maintenance provider and then uh the security overall for the riverwalk. So we have security guards that are continuously walking the grounds. Um with the budget shortfall from the county. We're gonna have to look at reducing some of those land items in the budget. Um the health department is another um statutory obligation between the city and the county. Um again, no specific specific dollar amount that has to be provided, um, but they are our health department. Um we're statutorily required to have a health department just like we are a building department.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Yeah.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

So if the city wanted to leave the IGA, we would have to form our our own health department. And yeah, we don't want to do it. The health department does a great job, they provide a lot of services to the community. I think that what President Aliff and City Council are upset about is the IGAs that the city's involved with, the county, the county shortfalls the city. Um, and we've been picking up the slack. And so I get it, we have a budget issue um just like the county does, but I think that you have to look at other places that you could potentially make cuts.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Sure.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Um, instead of you know, cutting 62% of an IGA that you signed your line, your name to, the line. So I think there'll be further discussions uh with the county. And I know that they pushed the health department till March or last week of February.

Haley Sue Robinson:

So yeah, last week of February.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

To get additional information. The the last IGA that the city has, the biggest one is HSPPR.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Okay.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Um and we there that contract was on last night, but we did um we had to push it forward uh because the county had just finalized the dollar amount that they were gonna be giving.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Okay.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Um, and so we have to put all that information in there um make sure the contract's good to go. So we'll see that on first reading on February 9th. They fully funded um HSPP R's request, um, as did the city minus the animal pickup.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Sure. But that was uh that was part of the contract discussion of kind of similar to what the city did with the zoo for uh supplementing maintenance costs at the zoo. Um we're supplementing the cost of of dead animal pickup at HSPPR.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yep.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Okay, so um we'll see continued discussion with the county about what it looks like to move forward with IGAs. Um do you think this will be something that you know we see as a continued trend potentially in 2027 as well?

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yeah, I mean I from I watched their budget discussions and I don't foresee from what they share with the public, um, you know, a a change for 2027's budget. We have our first wage budget meeting today, um actually. So um there was gonna be some hard conversations, um but we wanna make sure that we're we're good to our partners that are providing services to the city that the city can't provide at that cost. We could never run a health department for six hundred and eighty-four thousand dollars.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Right.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Um it would it would uh it would be much more expensive than that. So I think you have to look at the over overall view.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Sure. Well, and um, you know, I've I know we've shared a a couple of conversations about uh partnership with the health department. You know, they do so much work like when the state fair comes to town or with the Chili Fest with all of the vendors and they work hand in hand with uh sales tax here in the city and then um they do

Mayor, Heather Graham:

They're a part of every single license that's issued, every business license that's issued in the city of Pueblo.

Haley Sue Robinson:

I mean, I even look at the work that we did with uh the Val-u-Stay and the Roadway and and they were our partners hand in hand there as well. And um yeah, it it can't really be understated just how necessary a health department really is. So yeah, but we'll see what that discussion looks like as we move forward and what those funding allocations look like. I I do know that um budgets a discussion for everyone, whether it's the city of Pueblo or the county or the state or the federal government. Um money is always an issue. Um and deciding to make those uh difficult decisions of what to fund and not to fund um will continue.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yeah, I mean it's happened. I'll be two years since I've been in office on Sunday. And that's a topic of everyday discussion.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Yeah.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Who are we gonna fund? What are we gonna fund? Where can we cut?

Haley Sue Robinson:

Where can we find the money? Where can we get a grant?

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yeah, totally.

Haley Sue Robinson:

You know, it's and we'll we'll continue down that path.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yeah. Everyday discussion.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Um okay, another update uh outside of city council. Uh Mayor Graham, you posted last week about some updates that we're gonna see at the public shelter. Um and there's going to be eight private units. Um can you talk a little bit about that project? Oh, there's gonna be more than eight. Okay.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

There's gonna be a couple of those

Haley Sue Robinson:

standalone?

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yeah.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Great.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

So um when I was on city council, the city before we were the operators of the shelter, we had gone in and there used to be this little brick house.

Haley Sue Robinson:

It was a bail bonds house, I think.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

The city took over, demoed, knocked down. So we have that large open space in between the emergency shelter and the resident um shelter, and we've been talking for quite some time about potentially doing pallet homes, um, what that would look like. The first year that I was the mayor, I got a uh a grant. We awarded some C D BG funds to go in and do some pallet housing, um, along with our we have some some home ARP um other HUD dollars that we receive from the federal government that can use be used for non-congregate sheltering.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Okay.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Um and so we have been working closely um with Clayton Homes to formulate something that could be used as more of like a little uh transitional housing uh unit. So these would be, you know, after the after you go through the emergency shelter and then the residence program, and um, you know, you're well on your way to maybe having your own home. Um this would be an option for you for for a few months uh to be able to save some money up. And so this would be the last part of the transitional housing. Um so it's a whole it's a whole plan for the um 410 area on West Forth. Um so we're we're looking at fencing the entire property um to have one entrance, one exit, like they do in Colorado Springs, which just makes a safer environment for everybody. Um continuing with the wraparound services, putting the standalone shelters um kind of in the middle that you see there, and then also we're gonna have a um a place for animals um like they do in Colorado Springs, yeah.

Haley Sue Robinson:

So that's something that is you know we hear all the time that's really important to a lot of Puebloans. I know I I can confidently say it's important to you as well as a dog owner, um, that we can offer that in a in a safe and um you know prepared way.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yep.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Yeah.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

So that's that's uh well underway.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Cool.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Hopefully we'll have those up by the end of this year.

Haley Sue Robinson:

That's fantastic.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

If not sooner.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Okay.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

So shelters really excited about it, community's really excited about it. I'm glad it's finally happening. Yeah, government is slow.

Haley Sue Robinson:

The process can be really slow, and um I know as you mentioned when you were on city council, we we had Pallet Shelter come give a presentation. You and I actually went up to Denver and toured a pallet shelter community. It's it's been a process of what does it look like and how does it make sense for us. Um making sure that we have the infrastructure in place and the fencing is super important, uh, safety. But I I think to your point earlier, this is kind of that missing link in the transition uh on that campus site of emergency shelter, wraparound services, resident program, and then a private unit that gets you out of that congregate shelter space, maybe before you um go into a home, an apartment, uh duplex or w whatever um a permanent shelter that that folks are working towards. Um and then the opportunity to include pets is super exciting.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yeah. Looking forward to it.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Cool, very cool. Okay. Um, well, we it was kind of a a light week um last night, um, but we have some exciting events coming up. Next week is the state of the city. Um Tuesday, February 3rd, Republic Convention Center from 4 30 to 6 30. Uh much different event than we've previously ho hosted. It's uh open house style.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

More interactive.

Haley Sue Robinson:

More interactive. It's also in the evening, so hopefully it's um more accessible to folks. You know, kids are welcome. We'll have parks and recreation, we'll have the police department, we'll have the fire department, we'll have all of our departments there. Um and and booth space so folks can come and ask questions. Um find out about all the projects that we completed in twenty twenty five and maybe ask questions about what we're gonna do in twenty twenty six.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yep.

Haley Sue Robinson:

It's gonna be fun.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Very exciting. 4 30.

Haley Sue Robinson:

430.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Convention center.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Convention center. And then you'll give your um address at five o'clock.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Yep.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Um another thing for folks to remember uh if you are a resident that was affected by the curb and gutter um update that we did at Lexington and Saratoga, uh, we are working with Trees Please and you have until January 31st to request a new replacement tree. We took a lot of those trees out um along Lexington and Saratoga because it was um ruining the concrete and it was creating a lot of problems. And so Trees Please is a really good partner in the city. Um and so they're offering some shade trees or um it can be a yard tree and it's free replacement, they'll even plant it for you, but you have to reach out to them by January 31st. You can visit them at www.trees-please.org, or you can call them uh 719-225-0650 to get a tree.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

Great.

Haley Sue Robinson:

So I wanted to remind folks about that. Um anything else you'd like to add, Mayor?

Mayor, Heather Graham:

No.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Okay.

Mayor, Heather Graham:

I don't think so.

Haley Sue Robinson:

Great. I just want to remind the listener, you can find us on Spotify, YouTube, Buzz Sprouts, Apple, wherever you find your podcasts. You can also watch us on channel 17. And if you have questions or topic suggestion, please email us mayor@pueblo.us. Like, subscribe, share with your friends, and we will see you next week.