ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Albuquerque City Council will address $500,000 of city money in limbo, proposed changes to Albuquerque Fire Rescue and an ordinance on criminal activity at hotels and motels during their meeting Monday.

Recently, AFR proposed having one paramedic on a fire rescue unit, instead of two. However, the firefighters’ union pushed back, stating they want to keep EMTs as a pair.

City councilor Dan Lewis is a cosponsor of a resolution to back them up.

“It’s also a practice that we’ve done for 40 years, and so we’re not proposing any kind of change. We’re simply saying, ‘Hey, this is the best way to provide the medic service in our city, and we do not want to dilute that process’,” Lewis said.

Adding the resolution codifies existing language. However, AFR Chief Emily Jaramillo says the split is needed at certain fire stations. Two stations already operate this way and four more are slated for the change. They say it is because of high call volume.

“If my rescue is out, transporting to the hospital, all we have left at the station would be the fire engine. And when the public calls 911, it would delay a paramedic being able to get to their call, because we do not staff paramedics on our engine across the city,” Jaramillo said. “I did not have either of the sponsors, councilor Lewis or councilor Baca, reach out to me directly as they were crafting this resolution.”

Councilors will also debate $500,000 in funding. Currently, it’s in limbo as Mayor Tim Keller vetoed the council’s proposal to move that money from the Rail Trail to a sports complex on the West Side.

Keller said he supports both projects and proposed putting that money back into the Rail Trail and putting an equal amount toward the complex.

Councilors will hear this proposal Monday. Keller needs at least four votes to hold up his veto.

Keller’s administration is also endorsing an ordinance to crack down on criminal activity and code violations at motels and hotels in the city.

Council President Brook Bassan is sponsoring the “Hotel/Motel Accountability Ordinance.” According to the city, it “establishes enhanced operational requirements for problematic hotels and motels to ensure safety for the occupants and surrounding neighborhoods.”

This comes as the City of Albuquerque shut down the Tewa Lodge, Loma Verde Motel and the Bow and Arrow Lodge due to criminal activity and code violations.

The ordinance, if passed, requires enhanced guest identification and recording keeping. It would also require monthly reporting of Lodger’s Tax and imposes “fines or occupancy restrictions on noncompliant hotels and motels.”

The meeting is scheduled for Monday at 5 p.m.