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By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Albuquerque checked off some goals this year, while others are still a work in progress. The City Council reviewed Mayor Tim Keller’s fiscal year 2026 objectives Monday, Oct. 5, looking at everything from thousands of visits at the Gateway sobering center to ongoing problems with recycling and transit.
Councilors received and noted the final objectives report, which tracks “accomplishments and obstacles” across city departments and programs. The Department of Health, Housing and Homelessness had Gateway West fully operational, while the Gateway Medical Sobering Center had 2,212 admissions during the fiscal year. Job Training Albuquerque also surpassed its employee training goal, enrolling 1,467 employees from 189 small businesses, or 366.8% of its target. The Albuquerque Police Department had 920 sworn officers as it works toward a 1,000-officer goal. The department also expanded its use of technology, including 250 automatic license plate readers and 40 square miles of ShotSpotter coverage. The city also finalized site agreements for 18 planned electric vehicle charging stations in underserved areas and began preparing bids for construction.
But some of the city’s longer-term goals remain harder to reach. The city had hoped to convert hotel rooms into at least 200 affordable rental units, but properties such as the former Ramada Inn, where the city had planned Juniper Flats, proved unfeasible. The city instead pivoted to buying the former Shriners property at 6600 Zuni Road SE. A small-scale glass recycling pilot also struggled with low public participation, while 218 job classifications remained below the city’s 15th percentile pay target.
The gap between the city’s goals and what is happening on the ground came up during the council’s review. Councilor Renée Grout referenced a recent story in The Paper. about the city’s five electric buses, which have been out of service since December, and asked transit officials about their status. Transit Director Leslie Keener said none of the five buses are currently running. She said the city has struggled to get parts since Proterra, which made the buses, went out of business in 2023. Keener also pointed to a shortage of mechanics as another challenge. Grout then asked whether the city is still on track to have an all-electric bus fleet by 2040. Keener said the city will revisit the plan because of continued challenges with staffing, fueling, charging, maintenance and bus operations. She said workforce readiness has been the biggest issue.
The report gives the council a record of where the city met its FY26 goals, where it fell short and which challenges will carry into the next fiscal year. For ABQ RIDE, that means revisiting the city’s 2040 zero-emission goal as officials work through staffing, maintenance and equipment problems. As the city moves into FY27, those unfinished goals may remain on the council’s radar.