Brook Bassan, the latest Albuquerque City Council president said she hopes to work amicably with Mayor Tim Keller’s administration and hopefully build some bridges.
“I hope we can work better together,” Bassan said. “I think there’s a divide between the council and the administration, and I don’t think it’s [solely] either side’s responsibility.”
Bassan said she’s not promoting any new policy ideas at the moment, preferring to make sure the city is following policies already in place, but she is aiming to make sure council meetings are professional and productive.
She said she wasn’t surprised at being chosen as president as she had talked individually to other councilors and made her case, but she still didn’t assume the outcome.
“I’ve been around long enough to know you can’t call something finished until it’s all done,” she said.
Councilor Renee Grout nominated Bassan and no other names were put up.
The council president presides over meetings, assigns bills and prepares agendas, among other duties. In 2024, Bassan chaired the Land Use, Planning, & Zoning Committee.
Bassan represents Council District 4, centered on the Northeast Heights. She takes over the role from District 5 Councilor Dan Lewis.
Councilor Renee Grout nominated Bassan and no other names were put up.
Bassan, elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2023, took the gavel and the center seat early in the meeting, then presided over the election of District 3 Councilor Klarissa Peña as council vice president.
Peña, who represents the southwestern part of the city, was elected in 2013, and won additional terms in 2017 and 2021. She served as council president in 2019.
Grout, who served as vice president for 2024, was named chair of the Committee-of-the-Whole, the role Peña held last year. As the name implies, the committee consists of all nine councilors, and addresses budget and capital improvements issues, including working with the mayor’s office on the city’s annual budget.
All three votes were unanimous.