Council bans forums hosted by boards, commissions

Ordinance prohibits political meetings by unelected boards

City councilors voted unanimously on Monday to prohibit city boards and commissions from hosting political forums.

The ordinance, sponsored by Councilor Brad Winter, was introduced soon after the Albuquerque Police Oversight Board held a mayoral forum in August 2017.

It was postponed several times while the issue was explored further, Winter said.

“I think the big thing about this bill and the purpose, the major purpose, is that city’s boards and commissions, they’re not elected boards and they should act in a politically neutral position,” Winter said at Monday’s council meeting. “It has to be that way or I don’t think they’ll be effective.”

Winter introduced a floor substitute in February that clarified some of the bill’s language.

“The bill is a relatively simple amendment to the boards and commission ordinance,” council policy analyst Chris Melendrez said at the meeting.

Melendrez said city — and taxpayer-funded — resources are not designated to pay for political activities.

All nine of the councilors had expressed concern about the forum last year, which was held in the council chambers.

The Police Oversight Board, which operates independently of the City Council and administration, was created in 2014 as part of an effort to overhaul the city’s policing.

Winter, along with former Councilor Rey Garduño, sponsored the legislation that created the board.