Amos Bailey, a Virginia Village resident who said he attended the July 28 council hearing, criticized the franchise and companion agreements with Xcel Energy during public comment on Aug. 11. Bailey said the negotiation process left many residents unconvinced that the utility has reformed its practices.

“There is no evidence that Excel has reformed,” Bailey said, using the transcript’s spelling; he also criticized what he described as resistance from company representatives to share data that would guide city policy. Bailey said the proposed low-income energy-assistance fund of $250,000 annually is small compared with what he said are $750 million in statewide profits. “This money is a pittance when it's compared to the $750,000,000 in profit Excel extracts from Colorado each year,” he said.

Why it matters: Bailey urged the council not to finalize franchise agreements without stronger transparency and community engagement, arguing that data access and larger consumer supports are needed to protect affordability.

Details and limits: Bailey said four council members who voted for first reading asked Xcel representatives for concessions; he urged pausing the process to engage more constituents. He characterized the agreements as likely to disappoint voters and suggested a delay would permit better negotiation. Remarks were made during public comment; no council action was taken during this session.

Context and note on names: The speaker used alternate spellings (“Excel” and “Accel”) when referring to the utility; the correct utility company name is Xcel Energy. The article uses the verified corporate name but attributes quotes as spoken.