After a week's delay, the Council approves the $82 million guard contract. The Alterra lease waits again

The budget amendments took most of the attention at the Denver City Council's Nov. 2 meeting. But the official record, posted Tuesday, shows the Council also cleared two contracts that had been held a week, and delayed one of the year's most-watched leases.

Why it matters: these are the routine votes that decide who guards city buildings, what the city earns from sponsorships and what rent a city-owned building brings in.

Approved: the items held last week

On Oct. 26, Council member Shontel Lewis used Council Rule 3.6 to push two contracts back one week, as we reported. On Nov. 2, both passed in the consent block, 11-0, with Flor Alvidrez absent (roll call):

• Securitas security guards, 26-1497: adds $11 million, for a new total of $82.2 million, and extends the citywide guard contract nine months, to Sept. 30, 2027. The city told a committee it plans to seek bids for a new contract this month and start it Oct. 1, 2027. The contract started at $25 million in 2021, our records show.
• Toyota sponsorship, 26-1480: extends Denver Arts & Venues' exclusive auto sponsorship with the Denver Region Toyota Dealers Advertising Group by two years, to May 31, 2029, adding $861,000 for a total of $2,091,000. This one brings money to the city.

Lewis voted yes on the block. The record doesn't say why she called out the items or whether her questions were answered.

Delayed: the Alterra lease

Alvidrez called out the lease for Alterra Mountain Company's new headquarters at 101 W. Colfax Ave., the former Denver Post building the city owns, for a one-week postponement to Nov. 9 (26-1337). The Council's records note that the last regular meeting within the lease's review period is Nov. 23.

The companion bill, a funding agreement with the Downtown Development Authority, 26-1334, was ordered published on first reading the same night, so the two can still move together.

Under the terms presented to committee, the 12-year lease is $22 a square foot for about 64,654 square feet, with a year of free rent and two years of free parking, and an up-to-$7 million, 2% loan from the DDA for improvements (committee video). Our earlier story has the full terms and members' questions. The building is in District 10, represented by Chris Hinds.

Also passed

• Right-of-way encroachments, 26-1485: the rewrite of city rules on balconies, awnings, planters and sidewalk vaults passed final consideration 11-0, Alvidrez absent (roll call). Our explainer covers what changes.
• A police settlement, 26-1655: $65,000 to settle a lawsuit involving the Police Department, adopted in the block.
• Citizen Oversight Board, 26-1507: a Council appointment to the police oversight board, adopted in the block. We covered the board's open seat here.
• Denver CARES renovation, 26-1512: the $675,000 opioid-settlement-funded contract with Denver Health was ordered published, a first-reading step (our story).

Not yet posted: the Highland rezoning

The meeting's agenda included a required public hearing on rezoning 3343 to 3351 N. Mariposa St. in Highland, 26-1406, as we previewed. As of Wednesday morning, Legistar showed no action for it on Nov. 2, and the minutes are still in draft (meeting). We'll update when the outcome is posted.

What's next

• Nov. 9: The Alterra lease returns, alongside the final budget vote and the speed camera ordinance. See our Nov. 9 preview.