A $500 million airport loan and $15 million in climate deals clear committee without debate

The two contested bills at Wednesday's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee took most of its two-hour meeting. The committee also approved eight other items by consent, without discussion or a roll call, on Nov. 4 (agenda). Together they total more than $600 million.

Why it matters: consent items are where much of the city's money moves. Any Council member can still pull one out for a separate vote when it reaches the full Council.

Denver International Airport: $595 million across four items

A $500 million short-term note, 26-1633. The ordinance lets the city's chief financial officer issue a $500 million bond anticipation note, a kind of interim loan, to keep cash flowing to projects already in the airport's 2023-2027 capital plan. The Finance Department's summary names the Great Hall completion, baggage system modernization and concourse renewal as the main projects. Key terms, according to the summary:

• The note would be bought directly by Truist Commercial Equity, chosen through a competitive process, with no rating or disclosure document required.
• Its variable interest rate resets monthly at 79% of the one-month Secured Overnight Financing Rate plus 0.40 percentage points.
• It is paid only from airport revenues, not city taxes, and is not considered new borrowing that adds to the airport's existing debt balance.
• The city expects to refinance it with long-term fixed-rate bonds next year, which the Council would also have to approve.

Restroom renewal, $83.8 million, 26-1584. A 650-day construction contract with Milender White for restrooms on the airport's original concourses, which we covered in an earlier story.

Two planning contracts, $12 million, 26-1634 and 26-1635. Five-year on-call airport planning contracts with InterVISTAS Consulting USA ($5.5 million) and Ricondo & Associates ($6.5 million).

The airport is in District 11, represented by Stacie Gilmore, who was absent Wednesday.

Climate Protection Fund: $14.9 million in two deals

Energize Denver help desk, $11.2 million, 26-1619. This amendment adds $11,224,754 and five years, through 2031, to a contract with Touchstone IQ for the help desk and compliance systems behind Energize Denver, the city's energy benchmarking and building performance rules. The total becomes $28,955,453. The request from the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency says:

• the system serves about 10,500 buildings, tracking efficiency targets for about 3,000 large buildings and compliance filings for about 7,500 smaller ones;
• the term runs past the usual five-year limit because replacing the customized software before the rules' 2032 deadlines would be costly, the office argues;
• the vendor was picked through a competitive process, and the money comes from the Climate Protection Fund;
• help for "Equity Priority Buildings," which this contract covered before, is being bid out separately.

DPS climate programs, $3.7 million, 26-1410. The amendment to the city's agreement with Denver Public Schools brings it to $4.18 million and extends it to Feb. 6, 2032, for student renewable energy and electric vehicle academies, paid clean-energy internships, school gardens and outdoor classrooms (request). It had waited in committee since Sept. 21, as we noted in our 4A story. Voters were approving DPS's own tax increase, 4A, with 68.4% yes in the latest count (our story).

Two permits revoked downtown

Two bills revoke old permits that let structures sit in the public right-of-way, both in District 10, represented by Chris Hinds:

• an enclosed pedestrian bridge over North Franklin Street between East 18th and 19th avenues, granted to Exempla St. Joseph Hospital in 2006, 26-1636;
• a bike station building and its utility lines at 1800 16th St., granted to The Bike Hub in 2015, 26-1637.

The city's requests don't say why the permits are being revoked.

What our records add

Consent items rarely draw debate, but they can be pulled. In October, Shontel Lewis used a Council rule to hold the $82 million Securitas guard contract and a Toyota sponsorship for a week before both passed, as we reported.

What's next

These items go to the full Council's agendas in the coming weeks. Resolutions need one vote; ordinances, such as the airport note and the permit revocations, need two readings. Our meetings page posts the agendas when the city does.