[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6080228,"mediaKeyId","2949244-bf5451c8d7ecc92e13059b9db89a7e75","parentId",2949244,"title","Council actions: approvals on health benefits, arts budget, public celebrations and utility loan structure","audioSeconds",5365,"startMs",6046000,"endMs",11411000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2949244-bf5451c8d7ecc92e13059b9db89a7e75&start=6046&end=11411","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2949244-bf5451c8d7ecc92e13059b9db89a7e75/thumbnail_6046000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6080228/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Council-actions-approvals-on-health-benefits-arts-budget-public-celebrations-and-utility-loan-structure","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6080228-9ed7fe2133c03d4046ea78bbf2ee456d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173544&Signature=ANhQMMYiSVmTKp4LQI3y~vneQsZCXPj7ahW8icGOkbiQPMxqI7VsZJwsQWWkbR1cgVs0mDBrqyjCI-Q9StSQLJwv1cnOmCkGVJtAveUKohM-9Oa1a6CeeTsR3kPy2~a8ZKkfRrwPraEXn-BoD-QQZN5e4ICvCy8ZpeqChO~Rn3WwA1D25rpRZ9mwlPSneQaA12IlByByvnEF4rK6iurvpT6BVlpakDYZ~kKV2BzRE-XhILakNYOFBLg3Fk127INvsvY8dlDbfm9OKJEKCDEHCVhptcPRGauJ3GwqMVEcWFO8lIjhCNM78P~nxUAqgL-gBOUtUnlyVHvW3PIbWjTFAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Santa Fe, NM","date","2025-04-10T18:43:55.047Z","article","The governing body took several formal actions during the meeting, approving contracts, budget changes and resolutions on permits and loan agreements.

The nut graf: Key outcomes included (1) awarding administrative services for the city health plan to Blue Cross Blue Shield and approving open-enrollment and premium-holiday provisions; (2) approving an arts-and-culture budget amendment to allocate lodgers tax funds; (3) authorizing limited alcohol permits for Railyard Plaza summer events (amendments changed the permit name to \"public celebration permit\"); and (4) restructuring previously authorized New Mexico Environment Department loan authority into three separate loan agreements, one per utility, to isolate each utility’s debt.

Votes at a glance

- Employee health benefits (administrative-services contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield): Approved. Roll-call: Councilors Lee Garcia, Michael Garcia, Lindell, Romero Worth, Cassatt, Castro, Faulkner and Mayor Weber voted yes. The benefits advisory committee and union representatives supported the recommendation; staff said the proposal includes a roughly 3% cost reduction and a December premium “holiday” for most employees.

- Arts & culture budget amendment (lodgers tax funds, item 9c): Approved. Amendment and discussion narrowed a quarterly airport exhibition arrangement; council asked staff to consider reducing exhibit cadence. Roll-call: unanimous yes on recorded vote.

- Public celebration permits (Railyard Plaza summer concert series; SITE Santa Fe and International Folk Art Market events): Approved as amended (special-dispenser-permit language replaced with “public celebration permit”).

- Loan restructuring with New Mexico Environment Department (separate wastewater, water and solid-waste loan agreements): Ordinance approved as amended; bond counsel advised separating the loans by system to ensure system-specific debt obligations.

- Other approvals: contract with UNM Anderson School Center for Responsible Entrepreneurship for an accelerator ($300,000, two-year term) and several advisory-board and commission appointments were approved.

Councilors and staff emphasized follow-up: several items required post-approval administrative steps (contract finalization, software procurements, or designating an agent to pursue lot-line or administrative planning steps).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Governing Body Meeting 4/9/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the April meeting the governing body approved an administrative services contract for employee health benefits, a budget amendment for arts initiatives, several public celebration permits and NMED loan-structure changes for separate utility loan agreements.","taxTitle","Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, New Mexico","taxId",2727,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6080231,"Residents urge different shelter locations, cite safety problems near Pete’s Place and proposed pallet sites",1200,7200000,8400000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2949244-bf5451c8d7ecc92e13059b9db89a7e75&start=7200&end=8400","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2949244-bf5451c8d7ecc92e13059b9db89a7e75/thumbnail_7200000.jpg","/articles/6080231/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Residents-urge-different-shelter-locations-cite-safety-problems-near-Petes-Place-and-proposed-pallet-sites","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6080231-3a8abb1cf708a3694a7cfdd1cf45e2f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173544&Signature=inD7c3GL9Q2PxvULG7ExprsyMs0Oqv5rvVLLsYeIogYJOcB2DKJP5evucJ~lC9GX6JUnZS9CJHf4wwjUsCvKfwlR4mFUXiuHshoZy4z~dQcrZH6~W1jw~b1JgVDtA2rlDzeHCQGm7ZLot2wYXozBYhsjryayNKB3ZZhWYM5E4lIEdLNUyu20bG9emhjU-VOXL6UBknie0gosihasDWXsQTWI5ArSW4vPq6L1GQboKqOutiG4EBUwM6NGjEUgmg0PaoBJYeW-ficYxl43zMgc42R6~uYxFB~mwFVrv4CNJyB0klTULTDtHyiokFPcQHneuzJxnTpEoZagFpayOzE3Cg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of residents spoke during petitions from the floor, focusing mainly on homelessness, encampments and proposed pallet-shelter sites the city plans to pilot. The comments included personal reports of discarded needles, violent incidents, property break-ins and repeated calls for the city to relocate shelter or pallet-shelter sites away from residential neighborhoods.

The nut graf: The public raised repeated safety, economic and quality-of-life concerns about the concentration of street homelessness and shelter-related activity on the Siler/Cerrillos corridor (near Pete’s Place) and at proposed pallet-shelter locations such as a site on the 1300 block of Agua Fria; many asked the city to explore commercial or nonresidential sites, to increase policing and outreach, and to provide clearer communication and oversight for pilot shelter programs.

Speakers included longtime residents and small-business owners who said they have found needles near store entrances, experienced break-ins and face declining business at Siler/Cerrillos and along Airport and Cerrillos corridors. Several speakers who said they had visited other cities’ pallet-shelter deployments noted that most successful pallet sites elsewhere are not sited inside single-family neighborhoods; one presenter said a vendor list showed more than 90% of Pallet vendor sites nationwide are in nonresidential locations.

Church and nonprofit operators who run an existing pilot — cited as a comparatively successful example by some speakers — were urged to publish metrics and site-management commitments so councilors and residents can judge whether that model prevented the problems voiced at Pete’s Place. Multiple commenters requested a pause until the city publishes the micro-community advisory board membership, selection criteria for the five pilot locations, and an explicit plan for on-site oversight, security and service linkage.

Council members and staff answered procedural questions: park-ranger superintendent Jason Sharp explained rangers’ role is to identify encampments, issue 24‑hour notices and coordinate contracted cleanup crews and outreach providers, while other departments and the county provide outreach and supportive services. City staff and union representatives acknowledged that transitions for pallet-shelter residents and service continuity are major concerns, and said the city will provide targeted enrollment and one-on-one assistance to workers who must change primary-care providers under a new employee health plan (a separate agenda item).","Multiple residents used the petition-from-floor period to press the council on homelessness, calling out dangers around Pete’s Place and opposing pallet-shelter sites near single-family neighborhoods, urging alternative locations and clearer community engagement.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6080234,"City and volunteers report progress on litter, encampments, potholes and graffiti",1110,2610000,3720000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2949244-bf5451c8d7ecc92e13059b9db89a7e75&start=2610&end=3720","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2949244-bf5451c8d7ecc92e13059b9db89a7e75/thumbnail_2610000.jpg","/articles/6080234/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/City-and-volunteers-report-progress-on-litter-encampments-potholes-and-graffiti","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6080234-a0c07a5135a4d22fb9b0b2fcda5cf51f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173544&Signature=SEt2yG9nZrRrrabFs7LGIdbTtpHPAoed6Pij8K3iOb-KzyQ~JMvJmpNx2gmibM6nk~WK6CiYpoBaCPM60hDRmWYAy71dFAe5BTkkdsS5ZLGiqvDEjYpzthgw8zRFCCmxpKF5bqzE8cTDPbArtJBIcpq~EWwtnIcNkgDrI7ZcovTpHnNaGNnYFpUD~8AFEcQ9ewHp2qWhbhY2j7K~YmY3WhYGyXIeghUcciWdaXlvOd0Y6QqOjtIsJOLIt1IAjkjf2R495CKY-QgSvjflRdD--pzFWvctkwknHb8kuG04CYOuqCBWIvWh~WRPvraS37omnYk~YjaGeRFoMyXbt5B9Mw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City public-works, parks and environmental-services leaders presented the second annual beautification and safety report, describing a multi-department effort that city officials said reduced visible litter citywide and increased volunteer engagement.

The nut graf: The annual booklet compiled more than 9,000 constituent reports and quantified operations across 12 initiatives — illegal dumping and encampment cleanup, medians and mural programs, graffiti removal, parks maintenance, and a twice-yearly “blitz” of litter and weed abatement — and called for ongoing funding and cross-agency collaboration to sustain gains.

Carol Branch, director of Keep Santa Fe Beautiful, described the city litter assessment (Keep America Beautiful methodology) and said the citywide average litter score improved from 2.37 in 2024 to 1.98 in 2025. Parks and Open Space Director Melissa McDonald and Superintendent Jason Sharp described encampment outreach: Rangers issued 1,052 24-hour notices resulting in 862 encampment cleanups and removal of roughly 260 tons of debris last year; the city said it attempts to hold property for 10 days when items are removed and routes encampment referrals to outreach providers.

The report also highlighted potholepalooza: for this maintenance event crews filled nearly 5,000 potholes across multiple events last year and city staff said the program is paired with annual pavement rehabilitation appropriations (about $3 million annually) to reduce future needs. Graffiti crews (two-person crew citywide) removed visible tags across public and private property areas, and staff said cold-weather limits removal options and that some graffiti removal and mural programs require partnership with neighborhood groups.

Speakers at council praised volunteers and staff; councilors asked for recurring reporting (quarterly or biannual) and for additional contracting or staff resources to expand graffiti and median maintenance. Director Wheeler said recent hires and contract funds are deployed for medians and trails but acknowledged limits in current budgets. Several councilors urged more proactive posting of commonly requested documents and better website navigation to reduce repetitive CRMs.

Organizers encouraged public participation in the Great American Cleanup and other volunteer programs; Keep Santa Fe Beautiful said it registered 2,500 volunteers for last year’s Great American Cleanup and that partners contributed hundreds of volunteer hours and half a million dollars’ worth of maintenance-value through adopted medians.","City departments and Keep Santa Fe Beautiful described 2024 results: major encampment cleanups, 260 tons of debris removed, 700–900 weekly litter bags collected and an improving linear litter index. Officials sought more funding and volunteer engagement.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6080236,"City staff briefed on IPRA workloads, new software and redaction challenges",1449,411000,1860000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2949244-bf5451c8d7ecc92e13059b9db89a7e75&start=411&end=1860","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2949244-bf5451c8d7ecc92e13059b9db89a7e75/thumbnail_411000.jpg","/articles/6080236/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/City-staff-briefed-on-IPRA-workloads-new-software-and-redaction-challenges","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6080236-b89d4cae7784d4e8b356a4f6e99a1252/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173544&Signature=l3SMfulemlUsmP2uin48PZRjBCjnnk4teK-~7gKMSO1gLW6bXeheccwO70OUWVar0Yrff11kyu9ZO~BUPsrzca7Ff9woobTpFTD9efNjpX1-lZr8in0XsF-nCD9No3oXI3e1HgTbCdeES5tcW8PiMPP8HRsBIJveQ-TEjAcVjLa7jT7WDC4atHepkvKtUdvcHeQJn11I38xe-h2pemnil7mwI12yzv0duZYRd2AmHA3yaNVhTU8LsY4pbvrnLRaGduDQNezp1hI5kaTliQrsQgMUd6mrij6ZC664lNxShd6BLqx8n3j0ylusax7RfpJgSUwab-Sv9v4xIihous8t6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Catherine Garcia Gallegos, the city’s Inspection of Public Records Act manager, told the governing body that public-records requests increased more than 25% in 2024 and that the Office of Records Custodians responded to more than 38,000 requests since 2021.

Garcia Gallegos said the city currently uses NextRequest to receive and publish fulfilled requests and is negotiating a contract to replace it with a platform that offers enhanced communications, improved reporting and easier searchability. She said the office closed 10,824 requests in 2024 and has received more than 2,000 requests so far this year.

The nut graf: The city’s records office says rising demand and time-consuming review — especially for body-worn- and dash-camera footage and large email productions — have strained a five-person team; staff urged department-level cooperation, better online publication of commonly requested materials and temporary staff support to address a backlog.

City staff explained how requests are processed: the records team conducts a keyword and server search, adds subject-matter staff to the NextRequest workflow, reviews responsive materials for statutory exemptions and applies required redactions. Garcia Gallegos highlighted examples that consume the most staff time, including large email productions, police video that requires privacy redactions and historical land-use records that still require scanning and indexing.

Councilors asked about automation and mental-health supports. Garcia Gallegos and city attorney Erin McSherry said some automated redaction tools exist (Axon’s built-in features for law-enforcement video and pattern-based redaction for documents) but that accuracy requires human review. McSherry said the city is using one-time funds and overtime to hire temporary help to tackle backlog in the short term.

Councilors praised the office’s training outreach: Garcia Gallegos said she and her team trained 222 city employees and elected officials on IPRA compliance and that accident reports are now published online to reduce duplicate requests. She said providing more records proactively online is the “magic wand” to reduce repetitive requests, but that barriers include legacy software, scanning needs and physical records stored offsite.

The presentation closed with a call for departments to respond quickly to NextRequest alerts and to work with records staff to narrow broad requests and identify relevant search terms.","City IPRA manager reported a steady rise in public-records requests, plans to move to a new records platform, and continuing redaction and staffing strains that require cross-department cooperation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council actions: approvals on health benefits, arts budget, public celebrations and utility loan structure

Residents urge different shelter locations, cite safety problems near Pete’s Place and proposed pallet sites

City and volunteers report progress on litter, encampments, potholes and graffiti

City staff briefed on IPRA workloads, new software and redaction challenges