[00:00:02]
I LIKE TO CALL THE REGULAR MEETING OF MONDAY, OCTOBER 7TH, 2024 TO ORDER.
WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A MOMENT OF REFLECTION? AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO KEEP IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, THOSE THAT WERE IMPACTED BY HURRICANE HELENE AND THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY HURRICANE MILTON AND THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE HURTING.
I PLEDGE IT AGAINST TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[1. ROLL CALL BY THE CITY CLERK]
COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI HERE.[a. Employee Announcements ]
RON ITEM TWO A, PLEASE.UM, WE ARE GONNA START WITH SOME EMPLOYEE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND I BELIEVE TRACY WILL INTRODUCE OUR FIRST PROMOTION.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
WE HAVE A LOT TO CELEBRATE IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TONIGHT, AND SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING ANISA ROMO AS OUR NEW SENIOR MANAGEMENT ANALYST.
ANISA ROMO CAME TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND THEN BEFORE THAT AS AN A SU MARVIN, UH, FELLOW.
AND OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, ANISA HAS BEEN WORKING TO FILL TWO ROLES, OVERSEEING THE DAY-TO-DAY, OPERATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT, THE DEPARTMENT, BUDGET COUNCIL INQUIRIES, EVENTS, SUPPORT, AS WELL AS PROVIDING OVERSIGHT OF THE STATE OF THE CITY, CITIZENS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, AVY WISE INNOVATION COMMITTEE, THE MARVIN ANDREWS INTERN PROGRAM, THE INTERFAITH COUNCIL, AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND I COULD GO ON
SO TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW ROLE A BIT.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA BE DOING? UM, SO I'LL BE MOVING INTO THIS SENIOR MANAGEMENT ANALYST ROLE.
SO, UH, SEE THE ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WORKING WITH THE BUDGET AND ALL THAT.
UM, OVERSEE OUR, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, OUR MYRON ANDREWS INTERN, GET TO HELP WITH THAT PROGRAM, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH OUR INNOVATION TEAM, UM, OUR VALLEY BENCHMARK CITIES.
UM, JUST A LOT OF REALLY GREAT INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SO I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE ON.
YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY EARNED IT.
UH, MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN ADD, UM, BE VERY NICE TO HER.
SHE'S PICKING YOUR NEXT COUNCIL ASSISTANT, UM, AS WE SPEAK.
SHE'S GOING THROUGH THE APPLICATION, SO, OH WAIT, I DON'T CARE.
UH, COUNCIL ASSISTANT IS, SHE'S BEING, SHE'S BEING PICKED EDGE.
NEXT UP WE HAVE JODY, UH, TO INTRODUCE OUR NEXT PROMOTION.
YES, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AS YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES HAS, UM, ACQUIRED A GREAT EMPLOYEE THAT CAME FROM OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR THEM FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, NEW BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND STRATEGY MANAGER, TORIN SEDO.
SO HE HAS BEEN WITH THE CITY, UM, SINCE 2021, WHERE HE'S WORKED IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UM, HELPING INITIATE A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WERE JUST MENTIONED, UM, THAT ARE STILL UNDERWAY IN THEIR OFFICE.
UH, TORIN HAS BEEN HELPING OUR DEPARTMENT SINCE MARCH, AND YOU MAY BE AWARE HE'S BEEN HELPING ACCELERATE AND ENHANCING OUR PROCESSES FROM REVENUES AND FEE INTAKE, BUILDING PERMITS, APPLICATIONS, PLANNING APPLICATIONS, CREATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, LOOKING AT OUR IT SOFTWARE IMPROVEMENT PROCESSES.
JUST A LOT OF STUFF THAT REALLY NEEDED TO BE OVERHAULED OR HADN'T BEEN TAKEN A LOOK AT IN, UM, SMALL DETAIL IN A REALLY LONG TIME.
AND IT'S REALLY HELPED US GET TO THE LEAPS AND BOUNDS OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
AND THERE'S STILL A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT MORE TO DO.
UM, HE'S VERY COMMUNICATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE WITH ALL OF OUR STAFF AND OUR DIVISION MANAGERS, AND HE'S PART OF OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM.
HE'S WORKING WITH FINANCE AND BUDGET AS WELL AS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND CONTRACTORS, UM, AND REALLY MAKING A LOT OF THINGS HAPPEN.
SO WHEN THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER THIS POSITION AND OUR DEPARTMENT AND HAVE HIM STAY WITH US, UM, I WAS QUITE HAPPY IT WAS A BITTERSWEET MOMENT.
'CAUSE HE IS DOING OUTSTANDING STUFF CITYWIDE, UM, ESPECIALLY FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE THAT TORIN, UM, NOT ONLY HAS HE BEEN HERE SINCE 2021, BUT HE HAD ALSO
[00:05:01]
WORKED FOR THE TOWN OF QUEEN CREEK, UM, THE CITY OF CASA GRANDE AS WELL AS THE CITY OF BISBEE.AND HE IS ALSO A MARVIN ANDREWS FELLOW.
SO HE BRINGS THAT WITH HIM, HAVING WORKED ON HIS MASTER'S DEGREE AT A SU.
UM, HE DOES HAVE A BACKGROUND WITH HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN URBAN PLANNING AND SUSTAINABILITY.
SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT FIT OVER IN OUR TEAM WITH PLANNING AND A BUILDING AS WELL.
AND SO WE WELCOME HIM INTO OUR DEPARTMENT AND, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO MORE OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS HE'S GONNA BE DOING HERE FOR US IN THE WHOLE CITY.
YOU KNOW, JODY, WE, WHEN, UM, YOU MOVED UP, WE THREW A LOT AT YOU VERY QUICKLY, AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TRAINING THAT HAPPENS THERE WHEN YOU'RE SUDDENLY THRUST INTO THE ROLE THAT YOU WERE THRUST IN.
I AM SO HAPPY THAT TORON STEPPED IN AND RON SAW THE NEED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU THE HELP AND LET YOU FOCUS ON WHAT YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S BEEN A REALLY GOOD, UH, PROCESS AND RELATIONSHIP OVER THE LAST, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN NOW? SINCE MARCH? NINE MONTHS.
TELL US A ABOUT WHAT, ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING EVERY DAY.
I KNOW SHE LAID IT OUT FOR YOU, BUT
MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR JUST AT THE, THE START.
EVERYTHING THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO EXPERIENCE WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM OVER THE LAST THREE PLUS YEARS, IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO TAKE THAT EXPERIENCE INTO MY NEXT ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WHERE, LIKE JODY SAID, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF GOING HOME.
I CAME UP THROUGH URBAN PLANNING, UM, IN MY UNDERGRAD.
AND SO MY NEW ROLE, I'LL BE OVERSEEING ALL OF OUR BUSINESS OPERATING SYSTEMS. SO OUR, UH, PERMITTING, OUR APPLICATION INTAKE SOFTWARE, UH, OUR SOFTWARE FOR PLANE REVIEW, FOR BUILD, UH, FOR BUILDING INSPECTIONS.
UH, I'LL BE OVERSEEING THE REVENUE SIDE OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS HERE, UH, CITYWIDE, I'LL OVERSEE THE DEPARTMENT BUDGET AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, I'LL BE HELPING TO LIAISE BETWEEN ALL OF OUR DEVELOPMENT FOCUSED DEPARTMENTS AND OVERSEE THE, THE PROCESS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, UH, MANAGED THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR, UH, DEVELOPMENT FOCUS DEPARTMENT CITYWIDE.
[b. Proclamation - National Community Planning Month]
DO YOU MIND HANDLING THE, UH, FLOW OF THE PROCLAMATIONS? YEAH, THE FIRST PROCLAMATION IS GONNA BE FOR NATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH, AND JODY NOVAK, OUR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, WILL, UH, START US OFF.UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, THIS MIGHT SEEM FAMILIAR TO YOU EVERY YEAR, BUT WE DO LIKE, UM, RECOGNIZING NATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR, UH, PLANNING DIVISION MANAGER, OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, CATHERINE LBE, AND OUR CITY PLANNING TEAM THAT ARE HERE IN THE FRONT ROW, UM, IN SUPPORT OF, UH, CITY PLANNING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
UM, WHAT I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD IS AVONDALE IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING SIGNIFICANT CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT, AS YOU'RE PRETTY AWARE, AND THE NORTH TO THE WEST, TO THE EAST TO THE SOUTH.
UM, JUST SOME NOTABLE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE HAVE ARE ON RESIDENTIAL OR ALAMAR VERDE TRAILS, ACCLAIM AND PARKSIDE.
UM, SO THEY'RE CREATING OUR SENSE OF COMMUNITY EVEN FURTHER.
THEY'RE ADDING MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING INTO OUR CITY, UM, HOPEFULLY SPENDING MONEY AND GETTING JOBS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE DATA CENTERS THAT ARE COMING IN.
THE HERMOSA RANCH TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS HAS TWO COMPONENTS IN THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH AND A COMMERCIAL SHOPPING CENTER THAT'S PLANNED.
SO THAT'S A REALLY EXCITING PROJECT NEAR DALE AND LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD THAT WILL ENHANCE OUR AREA AT THAT LOCATION.
AND WE HAVE LOTS OF NEW COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY COUNCIL THAT WOULD BE DEVELOPING ALONG THE I 10 FREEWAY FROM AVONDALE BOULEVARD, ALWAYS TO HUNDRED SEVENTH AVENUE.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW INVESTMENT IN OUR CITY.
WE'RE PRETTY PROUD ABOUT THAT.
ALL THESE APPLICATIONS COME THROUGH OUR CITY PLANNING TEAM.
THERE ARE OTHER TEAMS BUILDING FIRE ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING HAS MULTIPLE DIVISIONS IN THEIR DEPARTMENT THAT HAVE TO TOUCH THESE PROJECTS, OUR PUBLIC WORK STAFF AND SO ON.
UM, IT'S HIGHLY INVOLVED, IT'S VERY DETAILED.
I'M REALLY PROUD OF ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
UM, IT CAN BE STRESSFUL AT TIMES, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY HAS A PASSION FOR SEEING WHAT THEY CAN DO AND HAVE THEIR MARK ON, ON PROJECTS WITHIN AVONDALE.
AND SO I WOULD JUST, UM, LIKE TO SAY AT THIS TIME THAT I WILL PASS THIS TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBER NIELSEN, UM, CO CAN INTRODUCE AND READ THE PROCLAMATION FOR US THIS EVENING.
UH, PROCLAMATION FOR THE COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH, WHEREAS CHANGES CONSTANT AND AFFECTS ALL CITIES, TOWNS, SUBURBS, COUNTIES, RURAL AREAS AND OTHER PLACES.
AND WHEREAS COMMUNITY PLANNING CAN HELP MANAGE THIS CHANGE IN A WAY THAT PROVIDES BETTER CHOICES FOR HOW PEOPLE WORK AND LIVE.
AND WHEREAS COMMUNITY PLANNING PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS TO BE MEANINGFUL IN MEANINGFULLY INVOLVED IN MAKING CHOICES THAT DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS THE FULL BENEFIT OF PLANNING, UH, REQUIRE PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND CITIZENS WHO UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT AND DEMAND EXCELLENT IN PLANNING AND PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION.
AND WHEREAS THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IS DESIGNATED AS THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ITS TERRITORIES.
[00:10:01]
AND WHEREAS THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION ENDORSES NATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE CONTRIBUTIONS, SOUND PLANNING AND PLAN IMPLEMENTATION TO MAKE THE QUALITY OF OUR SETTLEMENT AND ENVIRONMENT.YOU KNOW, I I GAVE YOU THE MOST DIFFICULT ONE.
AND WHEREAS THE CELEBRATION OF THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE THE PARTICIPATION AND DEDICATION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS CITY COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE TO THE GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, TO WHEREAS WE RECOGNIZE THE MANY VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY PROFESSIONALS WITHIN THE CITY OF AVONDALE PLANNING DIVISION AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT THANKS FOR THEIR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICES BY THESE PROFESSIONALS.
NOW, THEREFORE, WE RESOLVE THAT THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2024 IS HEREBY DESIGNATED AS COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH IN THE CITY OF AVONDALE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CELEBRATION OF THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH.
LET, LET, LET'S HAVE, LET EVERYONE SEE.
WE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE AND, AND IN MY LETTER TO THE, TO THE STAFF, WE TALK ABOUT THE HEART OF AVONDALE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WORK BEHIND THE SCENES WHO THE PUBLIC REALLY NEVER SEES.
THEY MAY, UH, INTERACT WITH THEM SOMETIMES, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS.
YOU MAKE THAT PROCESS WORK SMOOTHLY, YOU MAKE THIS PROCESS REFLECT REALLY WELL IN OUR CITY, AND YOU MAKE US PROUD EVERY DAY FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR DOING THAT.
AND MAYOR, WE WILL DO A GROUP PHOTO GOOD WITH CITY COUNCIL AFTER THE LAST PROCLAMATION, MR. MAYOR AND
[c. Proclamation - Code Compliance Month]
COUNCIL, NEXT UP IS OUR PROCLAMATION CODE COMPLIANCE MONTH AND DALE MANGE OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.WE'LL MAKE THAT, UH, PRESENTATION.
OH, NO, Y'ALL GET TO COME DOWN.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL, AS YOU KNOW, OCTOBER IS ALSO CODE COMPLIANCE, UH, MONTH, UH, FOR THE NATION.
SO WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE OUR CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS.
UH, TO START OFF, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOUR TEAM.
FIRST WE HAVE JOSH PEREZ, WHO'S THE CODE COMPLIANCE MANAGER.
WE HAVE MARTHA ORTIZ, OUR LEAD CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICER.
WE HAVE ALBERT SOTO, FRANCIS MARTINEZ, AND CARLOS CONNO.
OUR, OUR OFFICERS THAT WORK OUT THERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
CLAUDIA ROJAS COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT.
UH, BUT IF YOU REMEMBER LAST YEAR, UH, THIS TEAM WAS RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AS CODE COMPLIANCE.
OFFICER CLAUDIA WON THAT AWARD AS WELL AS THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
SHE WAS CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICER OF THE YEAR FOR ARIZONA.
AND THEY WERE THE CO COMPLIANCE UNIT FOR THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
AND IF WE CAN ALL KEEP A SECRET THIS WEEK, THEY'RE GONNA BE RECOGNIZED AS THE, UH, RECEIVING A COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD FOR THE STATE OF ARIZONA FOR THEIR WORKS WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND DOING THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP PROJECTS.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE QUITE THE ACCOMPLISHED TEAM.
AND WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU FOR THE PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF RESIDENTS IN AVONDALE THROUGH THE ENFORCEMENT OF BUILDING, ZONING, HOUSING, ENVIRONMENTAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, AND OTHER CITY CODES AND ORDINANCES.
AND WHEREAS CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS OFTEN HAVE A CHALLENGING AND DEMANDING ROLE IN IMPROVING LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN AVONDALE.
AND WHEREAS CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS ARE DEDICATED AND HIGHLY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS WHO SHARE THE GOALS OF PREVENTING NEIGHBORHOOD DETERIORATION, ENHANCING AND ENSURING SAFETY AND PRESERVING PROPERTY VALUES THROUGH KNOWLEDGE AND APPLICATION OF HOUSING ZONING AND NUISANCE CODES AND ORDINANCES.
AND WHEREAS CO COMPLIANCE OFFICERS OFTEN HAVE A HIGHLY VISIBLE AND INTERACTIVE ROLE IN THE COMMUNITIES WHILE PROVIDING QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXCELLENCE TO THE COMMUNITIES IN AVONDALE.
AND WHEREAS CO COMPLIANCE OFFICERS ARE CALLED UPON TO PROVIDE QUALITY EDUCATION AND EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN AVONDALE.
AND WHEREAS WE RECOGNIZE THE MANY VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THE CO COMPLIANCE OFFICERS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY AND EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO THEIR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
NOW, THEREFORE, BY THE VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS THE MAYOR FOR THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA, I HEAR I, WHO I DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH, MONTH OF OCTOBER 24 AS CODE COMPLIANCE MONTH.
AND WE CALL UPON DALE COMMUNITIES TO JOIN IN RECOGNIZING AND EXPRESSING THEIR APPRECIATION FOR THE DEDICATION AND SERVICE BY THE INDIVIDUALS WHO
[00:15:01]
SERVE AS OUR CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS PROCLAIM THIS SEVENTH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2024.[d. Proclamation - Fire Prevention Week]
WE HAVE A PRO PROCLAMATION ON FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, AND CHIEF ROONEY WILL MAKE THAT, UH, PRESENTATION.I, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF KICKING OFF, UH, FIRE PREVENTION WEEK.
IT'S OCTOBER 6TH THROUGH THE 12TH.
UM, WE ACTUALLY KICKED IT OFF ON OCTOBER 5TH, THIS SATURDAY AT OUR FIRE STATION.
WE HAD AN OPEN HOUSE AND I WAS JUST INFORMED THAT WE HANDED OUT 200 PLASTIC HELMETS.
SO THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU THE IDEA OF HOW MANY PEOPLE TURNED OUT THE KIDS TURNED OUT WITH THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
SO WE WERE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE, WE SAW A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE.
UM, THE GOAL IS TO RAISE FIRE SAFETY AWARENESS AND HELP PROTECT THE FAMILIES OF AVONDALE.
UH, THE THEME THIS YEAR IS SMOKE ALARMS MAKE THEM WORK FOR YOU.
AND WE'RE VERY COMMITTED, UH, TO EDUCATE EVERYONE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A WORKING SMOKE ALARM THROUGH A SERIES OF, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD SMOKE ALARM WALKS, AVONDALE FIRE AND MEDICAL WANTS TO ENSURE THAT ALL RESIDENTS WITHIN THE CITY OF AVONDALE HAVE AT LEAST ONE WORKING SMOKE ALARM.
WE DID THIS ON OUR FIRST WALK IN OLD TOWN, AND WE WERE ABLE TO HAND OUT 680, UM, SMOKE ALARMS TO, UH, RESIDENTS.
AND OUR GOAL IS TO DO, UM, 800 IN CASH IN ON OCTOBER 26TH FROM 7:00 AM TO 12 NOON.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, WE WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY TO TEST THEIR SMOKE ALARMS AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH BY PUSHING THE BUTTON ON IT, AND ALSO REPLACE ALL SMOKE ALARMS THAT ARE 10 YEARS OLD OR, OR STOPPED WORKING.
HOW'S THAT? AND AT THIS TIME, I WILL, UH, PASS IT OVER BEFORE I PASS IT OVER.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THESE FINE PEOPLE THAT, THAT PROVIDE THE FIRE PREVENTION FOR US.
SO WE HAVE OUR FIRE MARSHAL SCOTT MILLER, AND WE HAVE OUR, UH, PLANS EXAMINER TRAVIS SAMUELSON AND, UM, OUR PUBLIC ED SPECIALIST SUE ENGLAND.
NOW I'D LIKE TO PASS IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO TO READ THE PROCLAMATION
I WILL BE READING THE PROCLAMATION FOR FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, WHEREAS THE CITY OF AVONDALE IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF ALL THOSE LIVING AND VISITING OUR CITY.
AND WHEREAS FIRE IS A SERIOUS PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY AND HOMES ARE LOCATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE THE GREATEST RISK FROM FIRE.
WHEREAS HOME FIRES KILLED MORE THAN 2,700 PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES.
IN 2022, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION, AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES RESPONDED TO 374,000 HOME FIRES.
AND WHEREAS ROUGHLY THREE OUT OF FIVE DEATHS HAPPEN IN HOMES WHERE EITHER NO SMOKE ALARMS OR WITH WORKING SMOKE ALARMS. AND WHEREAS WORKING SMOKE ALARMS CUT THE RISK OF DYING IN REPORTED HOME FIRES ALMOST IN HALF.
WHEREAS SMOKE ALARMS SEND SMOKE WELL BEFORE YOU CAN ALERTING YOU TO THE DANGER IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE IN WHICH YOU MAY HAVE AS LITTLE AS TWO MINUTES TO ESCAPE SAFELY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AVONDALE'S RESIDENTS SHOULD INSTALL SMOKE ALARMS IN EVERY SLEEPING ROOM, OUTSIDE EACH SLEEPING AREA, AND ON EVERY LEVEL OF THE HOME, WHEREAS RESIDENTS WILL MAKE SURE THEIR SMOKE ALARMS MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH SENSORY AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AVONDALE RESIDENTS SHOULD TEST SMOKE ALARMS AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, WHEREAS RESIDENTS WHO WHO HAVE PLANNED AND PRACTICED A HOME FIRE ESCAPE PLAN ARE MORE PREPARED AND THEREFORE WILL BE LIKELY TO SURVIVE A FIRE.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AVONDALE FIRST RESPONDERS AND DEDICATED TO, ARE DEDICATED TO REDUCING THE OCCURRENCE OF HOME FIRES AND HOME FIRE INJURIES THROUGH PREVENTION AND PROTECTION EDUCATION.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AVONDALE RESIDENTS ARE RESPONSIVE TO PUBLIC EDUCATION MEASURES AND ARE ABLE TO THANK TO TAKE PERSONAL STEPS TO INCREASE THEIR SAFETY FROM FIRE, ESPECIALLY IN THEIR HOMES.
AND WHEREAS THE 2024 FIRE PREVENTION WEAK THEME SMOKE ALARMS, MAKE THEM WORK FOR YOU, SERVES TO REMIND US THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING SMOKE ALARMS IN THE HOME.
NOW, THEREFORE, I GLORIA SOLORIO, BY THE VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 6TH THROUGH THE 12TH 2024 AS FIRE PREVENTION WEEK 2024, AND ASK CITIZENS TO MAKE SURE THEIR HOMES HAVE WORKING SMOKE ALARMS AND SUPPORT MANY PUBLIC SAFETY ACTIVITIES AND EFFORTS OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES.
[00:20:01]
THANK YOU.[e. Proclamation - Domestic Violence Awareness Month]
NEXT WE HAVE THE PROCLAMATION, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH PRESENTED BY PATRICIA, OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES VICTIM ADVOCATE.IT LOOKS LIKE SHE HAS SOME COMPANY WITH, UH, CHIEF AND SERGEANT BEHIND HER.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, JUST WANNA LET YOU GUYS KNOW YOU LOOK VERY GOOD IN PURPLE TONIGHT.
I HAVE TO GO WITHOUT SEEING AND IT'S CHIEF MEMO'S BIRTHDAY, SO IF HE DOESN'T KNOW HIS CHIEF KNOW'S BIRTHDAY MEMO 40.
I JUST WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, IS ALSO KNOWN AS DOMESTIC ABUSE OR INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, UH, AS IT IDENTIFIED AS A PATTERN OF CONTINUED ABUSE BEHAVIOR TOWARDS ANOTHER PERSON IN AN EFFORT TO GAIN OR MAINTAIN POWER AND CONTROL.
MOST OFTEN THE PERPETRATOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A CURRENT OR FORMER SPOUSE OR DATING PARTNER, OR A PERSON WHO HAS COHABITATED WITH A VICTIM SUCH AS A FAMILY MEMBER OR ROOMMATE.
SOMETIMES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CAN ALSO BE PERPETRATED AS A CARETAKER, SUCH AS SOMEONE WHO IS CARING FOR AN ELDERLY RELATIVE, OR A LANDLORD WHO HAS USED TACTICS OF POWER AND CONTROL OVER A TENANT.
IT DOESN'T ALWAYS COME WITH BRUISES IN A BLACK EYE.
VICTIMS MAY NOT ALWAYS BE IMMINENT DANGER, BUT RATHER FEEL CONTROLLED OR AN UNCONTROLLABLE AND UN UNCOMFORTABLE BE FORCED INTO DOING SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO OR BE INTIMIDATED BY THEIR PARTNER.
WE NEVER WANT TO BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING IN OUR CITY.
BUT I'M HAPPY THAT BEING A VICTIM ADVOCATE FOR THE AVONDALE PD THIS PAST 10 MONTHS, I HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE TO THE SURVIVORS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF ABUSE.
THE CITY OF AVONDALE, INCLUDING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WILL BE OR HAS BEEN DISPLAYING PURPLE LIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, WHICH LOOKS VERY BEAUTIFUL.
WE DISTURB, WE DISTRIBUTED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INFORMATION AND PASSED OUT PURPLE SWAG TO THE ATTENDEES OF THE BILLY MOORE CARNIVAL THIS PAST WEEKEND.
CITY EMPLOYEES WILL BE WEARING PURPLE ON OCTOBER 17TH TO BRING AWARENESS AND HONOR THOSE AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC ABUSE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR WISE, FOR YOUR 10 YEARS OF SERVICE AND VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THIS TIME.
I'LL PASS IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI FOR THE READING OF THE PROCLAMATION.
SO IT'S MY HONOR TODAY TO READ THE PROCLAMATION FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
WHEREAS IN JUST ONE DAY ACROSS THE US AND ITS TERRITORIES, NEARLY 75,000 VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SOUGHT SERVICES FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAMS AND SHELTERS THAT SAME DAY, MORE THAN 9,000 REQUESTS FOR SERVICES INCLUDING EMERGENCY SHELTER, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, CHILDCARE AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION COULD NOT BE PROVIDED BECAUSE PROGRAMS LACKED THE RESOURCES TO MEET VICTIMS' NEEDS.
AND WHEREAS THE IMPACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS WIDE RANGING, DIRECTLY AFFECTING INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETIES AS A WHOLE HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND IN THE WORLD.
AND WHEREAS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON PHYSICAL ABILITY, NATIONALITY, OR OTHER FACTORS HELP TO PER PERPETRATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND MAKE FINDING SAFETY EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR SOME VICTIMS. AND WHEREAS THE NEED FOR SAFE HOUSE CONTINUES TO BE RATED AS SURVIVOR'S MOST URGENT NEED, AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AVONDALE JOINS OTHER, WITH OTHERS ACROSS ARIZONA AND THE NATION IN SUPPORTING VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS WELL AS LOCAL PROGRAMS, STATE COALITIONS, NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER AGENCIES NATIONWIDE WHO ARE COMMITTED TO INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SENDING A CLEAR MESSAGE TO ABUSERS THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT TOLERATED.
AND WHEREAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IMPACTS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE EACH YEAR, BUT IT CAN BE PREVENTED.
PREVENTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REQUIRES THE COLLECTIVE VOICE OF POWER AND POWER OF INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, INSTITUTIONS, AND SYSTEMS. EACH WHOSE NUMBER ONE THING ADDS A VALUABLE AND POWERFUL COMPONENT TO TRANSFORMING OUR COMMUNITIES.
NOW THEREFORE, MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2020 FOURTH AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH AND ENCOURAGE ALL AVONDALE RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS, AND HOSPITALS TO SUPPORT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS AND STAND AGAINST ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE AND ABUSE IN RELATIONSHIPS.
[00:25:02]
THANK YOU.THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
[f. Proclamation - Cities and Town Week 2024]
PROCLAMATION IS FOR CITIES AND TOWN WEEKS OF 2024, AND UH, I'M JUST GONNA TURN OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE TO READ OUR PROCLAMATION.UM, MR. CORBIN, UH, AS A MEMBER, CITY OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES AND TOWNS, UH, WE WANNA BRING ATTENTION, UM, AND AWARENESS TO CITIES AND TOWNS WEEK 2024, WHEREAS THE CITIZENS OF AVONDALE RELY ON THE CITY TO EXPERIENCE A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS CITIES AND TOWNS IN ARIZONA WORK 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO DELIVER VITAL CITY SERVICES SUCH AS FIRE, POLICE, EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE TO ENSURE SAFE COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS CITIES AND TOWNS IN ARIZONA ALSO PROVIDES SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS SUCH AS PARKS, UTILITIES, STREET MAINTENANCE, SANITATION AND RECYCLING SERVICES, LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS. AND WHEREAS IT IS IMPORTANT FOR AVONDALE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE EXCELLENT DELIVERY OF SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT OUR CITIZENS HAVE COME TO EXPECT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS IT IS ONE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF AVONDALE OFFICIALS TO ENSURE OPEN ACCESSIBLE GOVERNMENT THROUGH FREQUENT COMMUNICATION WITH CITIZENS USING VARIOUS AVENUES AND MEANS.
AND WHEREAS THROUGH PARTICIPATION AND COOPERATION CITIZENS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, LOCAL BUSINESSES AND MUNI MUNICIPAL STAFF CAN WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT SERVICES PROVIDED BY AVONDALE CAN REMAIN EXCEPTIONAL ELEMENTS OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA DO HEREBY JOIN WITH THE LEAGUE OF ARIZONA CITIES AND TOWNS AND FELLOW MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE OF ARIZONA IN DECLARING OCTOBER 13TH THROUGH 19TH ARIZONA CITIES AND TOWNS WEEK IN AVONDALE.
I THINK THIS IS THE MOST NUMBER OF PROCLAMATIONS THAT I'VE EVER DONE.
ON YOUR WAY OUT, SIR, ON THE WAY OUT,
[00:32:37]
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.[g. Homeless Services Update, 2024]
ANYTHING.MAYOR COUNCIL, LOOKING TOWARD ENDING HOMELESSNESS IN AVONDALE.
UM, WE HAVE SOME DATA THAT WILL SHOW YOU WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TO MAKE THE EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS RARE, BRIEF, AND NON-RECURRING.
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF ROADMAP OF WHAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT TONIGHT.
I'M GONNA SHARE SOME, UH, DIRECT DATA IMPACT DATA THAT WE USE TO MEASURE OUR SUCCESSES.
I'LL BE SHARING ABOUT SOME, UH, AVONDALE INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE WORK OF THE SONAR TEAM THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND I'LL END BY SHARING SOME STORIES, SOME PERSONAL STORIES OF THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE, THE WORK OF THE HOMELESS SERVICES TEAM AND OUR PARTNERS.
SINCE THE COUNCIL APPROVED FORMATION OF THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION, WE'VE PRIORITI PRIORITIZED DATA AS A MEANS TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT OF THIS INVESTMENT.
THESE ARE SOME OF THOSE DATA POINTS, UM, THAT SHOW THE DIVERSITY OF OUR IMPACT.
UH, OUR SONY SONAR TEAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT ENCAMPMENTS THAT MAY HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE CITY ARE CLOSED HUMANELY AND PROMPTLY THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO SINCE JULY 1ST OF LAST YEAR, WE HAVE COORDINATED WITH POLICE DEPARTMENT PUBLIC WORKS CODE AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO CLOSE FOUR ENCAMPMENTS AND ENSURE THAT EVERYONE THAT WAS IN THOSE ENCAMPMENTS HAS SERVICES.
WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED OUR DEDICATION TO FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THROUGHOUT THIS FISCAL YEAR WITH PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COUNTY CURRENTLY DEVELOPING SIX UNITS OF BRIDGE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES TO ENSURE THAT, UM, AND WE'LL YOU'LL BE, UH, PRESENTING, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO THAT CONTRACT LATER TONIGHT.
UM, THAT WILL ADD ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE, THE, THOSE UNITS ARE DURABLE FOR FAMILIES IN THE LONG TERM.
WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO PROVIDE, TO ADD PROGRAMMING THAT PROVIDES ACCESS TO HOTEL AND MOTEL VOUCHERS FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF HOMELESS SINCE JULY OF LAST YEAR.
A NEW LEAF HAS HELPED 21 FAMILIES THAT REPRESENTS 31 ADULTS AND 51 MINERS GAIN ACCESS TO SAFE, SAFE SHELTER THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE.
AMONG THE OTHER OUTCOMES WE ARE MEASURING FOR OUR TEAM ARE WHAT WE CALL POSITIVE EXITS.
THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ABLE TO RESOLVE
[00:35:01]
THEIR EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS BY ENTERING SHELTER, UH, GOING INTO TREATMENT OR GOING INTO PERMANENT HOUSING THIS FISCAL YEAR.THE NUMBER OF THOSE SUCH EXITS WERE 31.
AND THIS IS AN ADDITION TO THE, THE ADULTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN, IN THE FAMILY 21.
SO THAT'S 52 HOUSEHOLDS THIS YEAR THAT WERE MOVED INTO SHELTER HOUSING.
WE ALSO TALK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY RESPONSE.
SO WE GET AVIE WISE TICKETS IN ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND SO SINCE JULY 1ST OF LAST YEAR, WE HAVE RESPONDED TO 120 UNIQUE AVIE WISE TICKETS.
USUALLY WITHIN ABOUT TWO DAY TURNAROUND, WE HAVE SEEN 105 UNIQUE SINGLE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'VE SERVED EITHER ON THE STREET OR AT THE RESOURCE CENTER AS WELL.
SO, UM, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE, SINCE WE STARTED THE PROGRAM.
SO THE WORD IS OUT AND PEOPLE KNOW US.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF INITIATIVES THAT ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY, UH, ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, BUT THEY IMPACT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AT A GREATER DEGREE, INCLUDING NARCAN.
SO, UH, IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FAMILY SERVICES DEPARTMENT BEGAN DISTRIBUTING NARCAN MAINLY THROUGH THE SONAR TEAM AND THROUGH THE RESOURCE CENTER AND EVENTS.
UM, IN THAT TIME, SINCE MARCH, WE'VE DISTRIBUTED 498 KITS THAT'S NEARLY A THOUSAND DOSES OF NARCAN THAT ARE ON THE STREET THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO MAKING SURE PEOPLE LIVE THROUGH OVERDOSES.
WE ALSO MANAGE HEAT RELIEF EFFORTS, SO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LIVING ON THE STREET ARE, UH, EXTREMELY VULNERABLE TO THE HIGH HEATS THAT WE HAVE IN THE SUMMERTIME.
UH, AND IN OCTOBER, APPARENTLY WE HAVE HIGH HEAT, UM, HEAT RELIEF EFFORTS.
THIS SEASON JUST CAME TO A CLOSE AND WE ENHANCED SERVICES THAT WERE POSSIBLE THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR DESIRE TO, TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY HAD COOLING CENTERS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
SO WE OPENED UP THE RESOURCE CENTER ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY THROUGH THE ENTIRE SUMMER, WE'RE STILL GATHERING DATA, BUT I CAN REPORT THAT WE'VE SERVED JUST UNDER 2000 INDIVIDUALS AT THE ARIZONA COMPLETE HEALTH AVONDALE RESOURCE CENTER THAT INCLUDES WEEKENDS.
AND TO ENSURE THAT WATER WAS AVAILABLE TO ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, WE PARTNERED WITH POLICE DEPARTMENT LIBRARIES, AND, UH, WE RIDE.
SO WE HAD WATER AND ICE, AND WE RIDE, WE DISTRIBUTED JUST UNDER 35,000 BOTTLES OF WATER THIS SUMMER.
AND THEN SPEAKING DIRECTLY ABOUT OUR SONAR TEAM, WHICH IS OUR HOMELESSNESS OUTREACH TEAM, SINCE JULY OF LAST YEAR, WE'VE INCREASED OUR PRESENCE THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND NEIGHBORHOODS OF AVONDALE.
WE SPENT 1900 HOURS ENGAGING WITH OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND WE'VE HAD NEARLY 2000 ENCOUNTERS, MEANING THAT WE HAVE TALKED TO PEOPLE FACE-TO-FACE FOR PROLONGED PERIODS OF TIME FOR NEARLY 2000 HOURS IN THAT, IN THAT FISCAL YEAR, THESE NUMBERS INDICATE THAT THE SONAR TEAM IS A TRUSTED AND AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE HOURS SPENT ON THE STREET ARE AN INVESTMENT IN BUILDING THE TRUST WE HAVE WITH THOSE THAT WE SERVE.
I'LL SPEAK A BIT ABOUT, WE DON'T DO THIS ALONE.
I ALWAYS SAY THAT WE DON'T EVER DO THIS ALONE.
WE JUST WE'RE WE'RE HANDING OUT WATER AND TALKING TO PEOPLE AND SEE WHAT THEY NEED NEXT.
WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
SO, AS I SAID BEFORE, UM, FAMILIES WITH MINOR CHILDREN CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF OUR PRIORITY AREAS.
THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH MARICOPA COUNTY AND A NEW LEAF, WE'VE ADDED A STAFF PERSON TO THEIR AVONDALE TEAM, WHICH INCREASES THEIR CAPACITY TO SERVE AVONDALE FAMILIES.
THIS EXPANDED PARTNERSHIP ALSO ADDED THE ABILITY TO PLACE FAMILIES IN HOTELS OR MOTELS AS A TEMPORARY LANDING.
THIS ALLOWS A BIT OF STABILITY, BRINGING AN INCREASED CAPACITY TO ADDRESS OTHER NEEDS SUCH AS SCHOOLING, EMPLOYMENT, UM, AND IT GIVES THEM A LITTLE BIT OF STABILITY.
WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH PHOENIX RESCUE MISSION TO EXPAND OUR OUTREACH HOURS.
UM, WE BEGAN TO SEE, ESPECIALLY IN THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER, THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE LIVING UNSHELTERED WERE MORE OAK ENGAGEMENT WHEN IT'S COOLER.
SO EARLY IN THE MORNING OR, UM, LATER IN THE, IN THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.
THE COUNTY PROVIDED RESOURCES TO US THAT SO THAT WE COULD EXPAND THAT PARTNERSHIP.
UM, AND IT NEARLY DOUBLED THEIR CAPACITY TO, TO BEGIN OUTREACH BEFORE THE SUN COMES UP AND INTO THE COOLER EVENINGS.
THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE FISCAL YEAR, 2024, WE WERE ENGAGED WITH A THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT.
SO, UM, WE'RE GETTING OUTTA THE PURPLE BOX NOW.
SORRY, I'M POINTING, BUT YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT I'M POINTING OUT ON OUR SCREEN.
UM, THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE, THE FISCAL YEAR, WE WERE ENGAGED WITH A THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT, PUBLIC WORKS, LLC.
THROUGHOUT THAT ENGAGEMENT, WE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY WERE ABLE TO SURVEY BOTH, UH, HOUSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND UNHOUSED COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THE CONSULTANTS COMPILED THIS INTO A LARGE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE WILL BE USING TO GUIDE OUR WORK OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AMONG THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS TO BEGIN CASE CONFERENCING, AND I'M PROUD TO REPORT THAT IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, WE BEGAN PARTICIPATING IN A WEST VALLEY CASE CONFERENCING.
WE SHARE STRATEGY AND RESOURCES WITH OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HELP RESIDENTS ACCESS SERVICES TO RESOLVE THEIR HOMELESSNESS.
THAT'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
AND NOW THE FUN PART, I DON'T OFTENTIMES GET UP HERE TO, TO GIVE YOU GOOD NEWS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET TO SHARE THE STORIES OF, UH, THOSE THAT WE SERVE DIRECTLY.
SO I WANTED TO START WITH LEWIS.
LEWIS WAS, UM, WAS A GENTLEMAN WHO BECAME HOMELESS AFTER A SHARED HOUSING APARTMENT.
SOMETIMES ROOMMATES DON'T WORK OUT.
WHILE WE WERE AT THE WEST VALLEY CASE CONFERENCING, SONAR LEARNED OF A PROGRAM THROUGH NATIVE AMERICAN
[00:40:01]
CONNECTIONS, WHICH THOUGHT THEY COULD HELP, WE REACHED OUT TO NATIVE AMERICAN CONNECTIONS AND THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADVOCATE TO ASSIST HIM INTO HOUSING.HE WAS TRANSPORTED THAT DAY TO VIEW AN APARTMENT, WHICH WAS FULLY FURNISHED IN THIS NEWLY RENOVATED APARTMENT.
HE WOULD BE ABLE TO STAY FOR TWO YEARS WHILE WORKING WITH CASE MANAGEMENT THROUGH NATIVE AMERICAN CONNECTIONS TO SECURE PERMANENT HOUSING.
UH, THE APARTMENT THAT HE, THAT, THAT HE WAS ELIGIBLE FOR WAS NOT READY.
SO NATIVE AMERICAN CONNECTIONS BROUGHT HIM THAT WEEK TO MOVE INTO A ROOM AT ANOTHER PROPERTY WHERE HE'LL STAY.
AND WE'VE JUST LEARNED THAT HE'S GONNA BE MOVING INTO HIS NEW APARTMENT THIS WEEK.
UM, JACK WAS CONTACTED BY, ON THE STREET BY SONAR IN OCTOBER OF 2023.
HE WAS USING BLUES ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN FRONT OF HOME DEPOT.
UM, BLUES IS, UH, UH, FENTANYL.
FENTANYL, SORRY, I WAS GONNA SAY NARCAN AND BLUES IS IS THE STREET NAME FOR FENTANYL.
HE WAS ACTIVELY USING IN THE HOME DEPOT PARKING LOT ON DYSART.
WE WORKED WITH HIM OVER THE COURSE OF THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.
WE BUILT TRUST AND EVENTUALLY JACK AGREED TO TREATMENT THAT WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE HE WANTED TO GET CLEAN AND HAVE A BETTER LIFE FOR HIM AND HIS CHILD.
IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, A MEMBER OF THE SONAR TEAM WAS AT A, A FACILITY CHECKING ANOTHER, ANOTHER CLIENT INTO TREATMENT, AND HE GOT A TAP ON THE SHOULDER.
AND IT WAS JACK WHO REPORTED THAT HE WAS 90 DAYS CLEAN AND HE HAD RECONNECTED WITH HIS SON WHILE HE WAS IN TREATMENT.
OH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, I NEVER KNOW WHAT SCREEN.
UH, TAMMY WAS A SENIOR WHO ENGAGED WITH OUR TEAM, WELL, LIVING ON THE CORNER OF, UH, THE STREET IN THE, IN THE CASHIER NEIGHBORHOOD.
SHE FOUND HERSELF ON THE STREETS OF AVONDALE FOR MANY YEARS.
AND THROUGH SEVERAL ENGAGEMENTS, THE TEAM FOUND THAT TAMMY HAD A SISTER IN TEXAS WHO HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR HER.
ALONG WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THE TEAM COORDINATED WITH TAMMY'S FAMILY TO SUPPORT HER TRANSPORT TO TEXAS.
TODAY, TAMMY IS SOBER, ENGAGED IN CARE AND LIVING A HEALTHIER LIFE WITH HER ENTIRE FAMILY IN TEXAS.
TINO TINO, UH, WAS A GENTLEMAN THAT WE ENGAGED AT THE SENIOR PROGRAM AT THE AVONDALE RESOURCE CENTER.
HE HAD BEEN HOMELESS AND ENGAGED WITH SONAR FOR ON AND OFF FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.
WE ASSISTED HIM APPLYING FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITY, UM, HYGIENE KITS, GETTING HIS SOCIAL SECURITY IN ORDER, AND PROVIDING JUST SUPPORT FOR THREE YEARS.
HE RECEIVED WORD THIS JANUARY THAT HE HAD BEEN APPROVED FOR NORTON CIRCLE.
UH, IN FEBRUARY HE MOVED INTO HIS OWN UNIT AND HE CONTINUES TO BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE SENIOR PROGRAM.
AND EACH NIGHT HE IS ABLE TO LEAVE THE SENIOR PROGRAM AND GO HOME TO HIS OWN APARTMENT AND SLEEP ON HIS OWN PILLOW.
AND THEN LASTLY IS SOPHIE AND DALTON.
I SAID WE'VE, WE'VE REALLY STEPPED UP OUR ABILITY TO SERVE FAMILIES.
SOPHIE WAS AN EXPECTING MOTHER, AND DALTON IS HER FIVE-YEAR-OLD SON.
SHE HAD BEEN STAYING AT HER FAMILY MEMBER'S HOUSE OVERCROWDING AND TENSION NEGATIVELY IMPACTED HER WELLBEING.
AND IT WAS TIME FOR SOPHIE TO MOVE ON WITH JUST TWO WEEK DEADLINE FROM HER FATHER-IN-LAW, TELLING HER THAT SHE HAD TO MOVE OUT, UM, AND NO OTHER SUPPORT OPTION.
SHE TURNED TO THE RESOURCES, THE AVONDALE COMPLETE, THE ARIZONA COMPLETE AVONDALE RESOURCE CENTER FOR HELP.
OUR TEAM MEMBERS FROM A NEW LEAF MET WITH HER AND CONDUCTED A PERSONALIZED ONE-ON-ONE ASSESSMENT TO UNDERSTAND THE OBSTACLES SHE WAS FACING AND EXPLORE WAYS TO OVERCOME THEM.
SHE WAS EMPLOYED IN AVONDALE AND DALTON WAS ALREADY ENROLLED IN SCHOOL, MAKING A MOVE TO ANOTHER PART OF THE VALLEY.
WE SHIFTED OUR FOCUS AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS AND, AND LOW INCOME APARTMENTS THROUGHOUT AVONDALE.
OUR PARTNER FROM A NEW LEAF SUGGESTED HILLCREST VILLA VILLAS, WHICH IS A, WHICH IS A NEW LOW-INCOME APARTMENT COMPLEX RIGHT HERE IN AVONDALE.
SOPHIE HAD ALREADY STARTED AN APPLICATION, BUT BECAUSE SHE HAD HEARD THAT THERE WAS A LONG WAITING LIST, SHE HAD BEEN RELUCTANT TO TURN THE APPLICATION IN FOR FEAR OF REJECTION.
MATT FROM A NEW LEAF WORKED WITH HER AND LET HER KNOW THAT WE SHOULD TRY GET ON THE LIST.
UM, THE VERY NEXT DAY SHE SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION TO HILLCREST VILLAS, AND IN A WEEK SHE RECEIVED A LONG AWAITED NEWS THAT SHE HAD BEEN APPROVED AND SECURED HER PLACE FOR HER IN DALTON.
UM, HER DETERMINATION DOES CURE A BETTER FUTURE FOR HER FAMILY, EVEN IN THE FACE OF A TIGHT DEADLINE.
AND UNCERTAINNESS IS TRULY INSPIRING AND WHAT MAKES US EXCITED TO COME TO WORK AND DO OUR WORK EVERY DAY.
SO THERE, THESE ARE JUST A, A FIVE OF MANY STORIES OF THOSE OF 52 FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE MOVED IN.
BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SHARE WITH YOU SO THAT YOU SEE THE DIRECT IMPACT OF YOUR WORK.
UM, AND WE'VE CHANGED THE NAMES, SO I'M SURE YOU MAY HAVE HEARD STORIES.
WE JUST CHANGED NAMES FOR PRIVACY.
BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US DO THE WORK THAT WE DO AND SUPPORTING THE WORK THAT WE DO.
AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE TONIGHT TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.
THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE DON'T KNOW IF THE EFFORTS THAT WE WORK ON, THE EFFORTS THAT WE, YOU KNOW, APPROVE IF THEY PAY OFF.
WE CAN SEE IT IN CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS, BUT IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WE JUST DON'T KNOW.
AND YOU'VE GIVEN US PROBABLY THE MOST HUMANE PROOF OF OUR EFFORTS AND YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR TEAM'S EFFORTS OF WHAT CAN BE DONE WHEN A COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER TO, TO FIGHT FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE.
UM, THESE ARE INCREDIBLE SUCCESS STORIES I WOULD ASK YOU AS YOU DO UPDATES GOING FORWARD WITH THIS COUNCIL AND THE NEW MAYOR THAT YOU INCLUDE SUCCESS STORIES LIKE THIS.
[00:45:01]
QUESTIONS FROM CONSTITUENTS, WE GET QUESTIONS FROM RESIDENTS SAYING, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE SEE THIS HAPPENING, WE CAN TELL THEM NOW WHAT IS HAPPENING.AND I THINK THESE ARE SUCCESS STORIES THAT HAVE TO BE SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I THINK IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
COUNCIL, ANY COMMENTS? TINA? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, I'M SO PROUD AND I'M SO THANKFUL FOR, UM, THE TEAM, CHRIS THAT YOU'VE DEVELOPED WITH EDITH AND BRIAN.
UM, WHEN I GOT ON COUNCIL IN 2017, THESE WERE SOME DISCUSSIONS THAT WE STARTED.
UM, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE? AND SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE SUCCESS STORIES THAT ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE WE WERE PROACTIVE AND AS YOU CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR HOMELESS DIVISION, UM, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT YOU IN ANY WAY THAT, UM, THAT I CAN.
I DO ALSO WANNA JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR SOMETHING, UM, THAT I SAW WHEN I WENT TO THE RESOURCE CENTER.
I NOTICED THAT, UM, YOU GUYS HAVE A FREEZER, UH, FOR WATER, UH, BOTTLES SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE COME IN TO GET WATER AND THEY LEAVE, THAT THEY CAN LEAVE WITH FROZEN BOTTLES OF WATER.
AND JUST THAT SOMETHING THAT SIMPLE, JUST REALLY JUST BLESSED ME TO SEE THAT, THAT YOU GUYS ARE THINKING ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR ONE FOR YOUR OUTREACH BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO BE OUTREACHING TO THESE FOLKS BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE CENTER.
DON'T KNOW ABOUT OUR RESOURCE CENTER.
SO I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT THAT WAS SO IMPORTANT.
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN SONAR DIVISION IN STILL KEEPING PHOENIX RESCUE MISSION IS AMAZING.
AND I'M REALLY ALSO THANKFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP WITH A NEW LEAF BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT DOES, UM, HELPING FAMILIES, UM, WITH RESOURCES AND, UM, PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT IS THAT DOES IT WELL, IS A NEW LEAF.
SO I'M REALLY PROUD AND HONORED THAT WE ARE PARTNERED WITH THEM.
BUT REALLY, I JUST WANNA JUST SAY THANK YOU.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE SUCCESS STORIES OUT THERE AND KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
ANYONE ELSE? CURTIS, JUST ADD, IF I HEARD YOU RIGHT, THIS IS JUST FIVE OF THE 52 SUCCESS STORIES.
YOU'VE HAD FIVE OF MANY AND AND NOT ALL OF OUR SUCCESS STORIES END IN HOUSING OR SHELTER.
SOMETIMES IT'S A DIFFERENT DESTINATION, BUT THESE ARE JUST FIVE OF MANY.
YEAH, I I WAS JUST THINKING IF YOU DID SAY 52, THERE'S 52 WEEKS IN A YEAR.
THAT'S, THAT'S ONE SUCCESS A WEEK.
AND THAT, THAT'S A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND YOUR GROUP.
IT'S EVEN GREATER THAT IT'S THE ONE-ON-ONE, BUT YOU'RE OUT THERE DOING IT.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM GOING OUT FACING ONE-ON-ONE, BRINGING BACK ONE-ON-ONE AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK TO OUR COMMUNITY TO SUCCESS AND WHATEVER IT IS, JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
THANK YOU, MARCELLA, DO WE HAVE ANY UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REQUEST TO SPEAK.
[4. CONSENT AGENDA]
FOUR IS CONSENT AGENDA.ARE THERE ANY COUNSELORS WHO WISH TO HAVE AN ITEM REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION? SEEING AND HEARING NONE, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO, A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, MARCELLA.
COUNCIL PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, RON.
[a. Solid Waste and Recycling Program Update]
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.UP NEXT IS A PRESENTATION BY HAROLD, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND A FEW OTHER, HE BROUGHT A WHOLE CREW WITH HIM HERE TONIGHT, BUT THEY'RE GONNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON SOLID WASTE IN OUR RECYCLING PROGRAM.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, WE'RE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT AN UPDATE TO OUR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING PROGRAM.
UH, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS TODAY.
UH, I'M GONNA RECAP OUR PREVIOUS UPDATE THAT HAPPENED A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO.
UH, QUITE SURPRISING IT'S BEEN THAT LONG, BUT IT'S BEEN A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO SINCE WE DID OUR LAST UPDATE TO COUNCIL.
UM, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHAT SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS AND SUCCESSES WE HAVE SEEN, UH, SINCE WE IMPLEMENTED THE, UH, THE SERVICES OR THE CHANGES SINCE OUR LAST RECAP, OUR CURRENT CHALLENGES AND WHAT THE FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM HOLDS.
SO THE RECAP FROM OUR PREVIOUS UPDATE, UH, WE HAD A CONSULTING FIRM, NEWGEN SOLUTION AND, UH, NEWGEN SOLUTION AND STRATEGIES THAT CONDUCTED AN OPERATIONAL STUDY OF OUR OPERATIONS.
AND THEY IDENTIFIED, UH, OUR IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO IMPROVE, UH, TO MEET OUR CURRENT DEMAND.
THE STUDY WAS NEEDED IN RESPONSE TO THE CONTINUAL GROWTH OF OUR CITY, AND THE SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS WERE GEARED TOWARDS CONTROLLING COSTS AND FEE INCREASES TO MODEST LEVELS.
SO WHAT WERE SOME OF THE SERVICE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS AND SUCCESSES THAT WE HAVE CONDUCTED SINCE THEN? UH, THINGS EVERYBODY REMEMBERS AND, AND HAS SEEN.
WE CHANGED OUR BULK TRASH COLLECTION ZONES.
UM, AND THAT WAS A, A BIG UNDERTAKING AS THE CITY HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY CHANGES, OUR RESIDENTS HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY CHANGES TO THEIR SERVICES IN ABOUT TWO DECADES WHEN WE MADE THESE CHANGES.
UH, AND THIS WAS NECESSARY AS WE NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE THAT OUR ZONES ARE EVENLY,
[00:50:01]
UH, SPREAD IN REGARDS TO THE, UH, THE HOME COUNTS SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.ADDITIONALLY, WE PROVIDED, UH, SERVICES ON ALL NON-MAJOR, UH, HOLIDAYS.
SO WE BASICALLY DO NOT PICK UP TRASH ON THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS, AND NEW YEAR'S.
THOSE GET PUSHED ONE DAY OVER ALL OF OUR OTHER NON-MAJOR HOLIDAYS.
WE PROVIDE SERVICES ON THOSE DAYS.
ADDITIONALLY, WE IMPLEMENTED COURTESY PICKUP AND CONTAINER REPLACEMENT FEES.
NOW, THESE FEES ARE MORE OF, LET'S SAY, OF A DETERRENT FOR THE CONTINUOUS REQUEST FOR EITHER A NEW CAN AND OR, UH, COURTESY PICKUPS.
AS A REMINDER TO COUNSEL, WE DO NOT CHARGE, UH, A REPLACEMENT CAN FEE FOR A BROKEN CONTAINER.
UH, WEAR AND TEAR, THOSE ARE REPLACED.
THESE ARE MORE SO FOR OF, UH, RESIDENT MIGHT WANT A BRAND NEW CONTAINER BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SMELL RIGHT OR IT'S DIRTY, OR THEY MAY NOT BE HAPPY WITH THE COLOR, BUT IF THE, IF THE, THE FADING OF THE COLOR OF THE CAN.
UH, BUT, UH, IF THE CONTAINER IS SERVICEABLE, WE'LL CONTINUE TO KEEP IT IN SERVICE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE COURTESY PICKUP HAS, UH, FEE HAS REALLY HELPED US IN REGARDS TO, UM, GOING BACK TO, UH, TO PICK UP, UH, COURTESIES, UM, AND AS A REMINDERS, $23 FOR THE PICKUP AND $83 PER CONTAINER.
AND LASTLY, WE ALSO DID SEVERAL UPDATES TO OUR SOLID WASTE CHAPTER 11 CODE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, AS BEEN MANY YEARS SINCE WE MADE ANY UPDATES TO THAT.
SO IT WAS A REQUIRED, IT WAS REQUIRED TO MEET TODAY'S, UH, NEEDS.
SOME OF OUR OPERATIONAL CHANGES THAT WE CONDUCTED, WE DID A 10 HOUR, UH, WORK DAYS, UH, PROVIDING SERVICES FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT THROUGH A FOUR 10 ROTATING SCHEDULE WITH OUR STAFF.
WHAT THAT MEANT WAS IF ONE OF OUR EQUIPMENT OPERATORS HAD A MONDAY OFF THIS WEEK, THEY WOULD HAVE NEXT WEEK, TUESDAY OFF THE FOLLOWING WEEK, WEDNESDAY, AND THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO ROTATE THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE MONTH.
SO THAT WOULD MEAN WE WOULD HAVE ABOUT A TEAM OF, OF THREE OR FOUR INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD BE SCHEDULED OFF ON ANY GIVEN DAY THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
WE ALSO HIRED AN ADDITIONAL HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC.
UH, THESE BID VEHICLES DO REQUIRE A LOT OF ATTENTION FROM OUR MECHANICS.
SO WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THESE TRUCKS ARE UP AND RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY.
AND SO HAVING THAT ADDITIONAL HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC REALLY HELPED WITH OUR OPERATIONS TO ENSURE THESE VEHICLES WERE OUT, UH, ON THE ROAD AS AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED A SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE AND GPS SYSTEM INTO, UH, INTO OUR OPERATIONS.
THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, UH, UH, SOFTWARE SYSTEM IS A GREAT TOOL FOR OUR OPERATORS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE BACK TO OUR SUPERVISORS AND OUR INSPECTORS, UH, FOR ANY CONCERNS OR ISSUES THEY MAY SEE OUT ON THE ROAD.
AND FOR ALSO LOGGING, UH, ANY OF OUR VIOLATIONS FOR OUR CODE AS WELL.
IN REGARDS TO OUR GPS SYSTEM, THAT'S ALSO BEEN ANOTHER HUGE SUCCESS.
WE HAVE CAMERAS ATTACHED TO ALL OF OUR VEHICLES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO RECORD.
UH, IF THERE EVER IS AN INCIDENT OR A CONCERN FROM A RESIDENT, WE'RE ABLE TO REVIEW THAT FOOTAGE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, HELP OUT THAT CUSTOMER.
OR IF THERE WE ARE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, WE'RE ABLE TO TO WORK WITH OUR RISK MANAGEMENT TEAM AND REVIEW THAT FOOTAGE AS WELL.
WE'VE ALSO IMPLEMENTED, UH, RECENTLY THE COMMUNITY RECYCLING DROP-OFF CENTER, UH, WHICH OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED ON JULY 17TH.
SO EARLIER THIS, UH, THIS SUMMER.
UH, AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT, UH, THROUGH THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WE HAVE DIVERTED OVER 2,500 POUNDS OF RECYCLING OR 1.2 TONS OF RECYCLING FROM THE LANDFILL.
UM, IT HAS BEEN A GREAT PROGRAM.
UH, THE COMMUNITY HAS DONE A GREAT JOB IN KEEPING THE RECYCLING CLEAN.
UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES WITH ILLEGAL DUMPING IN THE AREA.
SO THE COMMUNITY, UH, HAS REALLY TAKEN TO THIS PROGRAM AND HAS BEEN A BIG SUCCESS.
SO NEXT TIME I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT ARE OUR CURRENT CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE FACING TODAY.
ONE OF OUR LARGEST CHALLENGES IS COST AND COST SPECIFICALLY TO OUR LANDFILL AND RECYCLING, UH, AND OUR RECYCLING FACILITIES.
THEY HAVE INCREASED BY OVER 13% OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PER TON COSTS AT OUR LANDFILL SITE HAVE GONE UP FROM $31 IN FISCAL YEAR 23 UP TO $35 AND 25 CENTS THIS FISCAL YEAR.
ADDITIONALLY, A DEQ, UH, IT HAS, UH, HAS, IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING THEIR FEES THAT THEY WILL BE CHARGING TO LANDFILLS AND TO OTHER SERVICES.
UM, AND THAT WILL HAVE A PRETTY BIG IMPACT TO US HERE IN THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
AND NOT ONLY WOULD IT ALSO HAVE, WILL HAVE AN IMPACT TO US AS A MUNICIPALITY AND ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, BUT ALSO TO THE PRIVATE HAULERS AS WELL.
UM, IT'S NOT JUST A, A CONCERN FOR US, BUT IT'S ALSO TO THE, THE, THE PRIVATE COMPANIES TOO.
UH, JUST RECENTLY IN LATE JULY, UH, MAYOR WISE SIGNED A LETTER OF CONCERN, UH, SENT THAT WE SENT OVER TO A DEQ, UH, EXPRESSING OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE NEW FEES THAT, AND THE IMPACT THAT WILL HAVE, UH, TO OUR RESIDENTS AND TO OUR COMMUNITY.
ADDITIONALLY, THE RECYCLING COST, UH, UH, HAS ALSO INCREASED BY OVER 60%, UH, OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.
WE RECEIVE, WE HAVE A FIXED TIPPING FEE
[00:55:01]
FOR PER TON.IT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT $95 PER TON, BUT WE RECEIVE REVENUE BACK FROM THOSE MATERIALS THAT ARE SOLD, THE COLLECTIONS THAT WE SELL.
SO THE FLUCTUATION, IT CHANGES, UH, UH, DRAMATICALLY, UH, EVERY QUARTER, UH, BECAUSE IT, THE, THE MARKET BEARS WHAT THAT REVENUE WE'RE GOING TO BE RECEIVING.
SO THESE COSTS THAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU, UH, FISCAL YEAR 23 OF $30 85 CENTS, THAT IS THE NET COST TO US TO DISPOSE OR TO, UH, TO DISPOSE OF THAT MATERIAL OVER AT OUR RECYCLING CENTER.
AND IT'S GONE UP AS HIGH AS $71 AND 61 CENTS PER TON.
AND THAT WAS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2023.
AND JUST IN FISCAL YEAR 22, WE WERE ACTUALLY RECEIVING A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF REVENUE BACK TO US.
AND THAT WAS POST COVID WHEN WE HAD A LOT OF OUR PAPER AND CARDBOARD WERE A REALLY HIGH COMMODITY THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN A LOT OF REVENUE, UH, FOR NOT JUST US HERE AT THE CITY OF AVONDALE, BUT FOR EVERYBODY WHO WAS COLLECTING AND PROCESSING, RECYCLING MATERIAL.
ADDITIONALLY, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME, UH, CHALLENGES WITH OUR, OUR BULK TRASH SERVICES.
UH, ONE OF THOSE CHALLENGES IS, UH, WITH NEW COMMUNITIES, UH, COMING ON BOARD, SINCE WE DO PROVIDE A MONTHLY SERVICE TO ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, WE HAVE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH MORE MILES, UH, THROUGH OUR NEW COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE LAST, LAST TWO YEARS.
UM, SO THAT REQUIRES EXTRA TIME AND EXTRA FUEL AND EXTRA EXPENSE FOR OUR, FOR OUR, FOR OUR OPERATIONS.
ADDITIONALLY, THE FIVE MONDAYS IN A MONTH CREATES ADDED WORK AND IT CONFUSES OUR RESIDENTS.
SO THIS WEEK IS A, AN EXAMPLE, UH, OF THAT.
SO LAST WEEK WAS A FIFTH WEEK OR HALF A WEEK IN A MONTH.
SO, UH, WE DON'T PROVIDE BULK TRASH SERVICES THE THIS PAST WEEK, BUT THIS WEEK WE ARE, SO OUR RESIDENTS ARE USED TO A FOUR WEEK SCHEDULE.
SO FOUR WEEKS AGO I SHOULD PUT MY TRASH OUT.
BUT ON OCCASION, UH, EVERY YEAR WE HAVE ABOUT TWO TO THREE, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, WEEKS WITHIN, WITHIN THE YEAR THAT WILL CAUSE THIS CONFUSION WITH OUR RESIDENTS.
SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR RESIDENTS ABOUT THEIR LATE PUT OR EARLY PUT OUT.
UM, AND IT KIND OF JUST GOES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE MONTH OF WHEN WE HAVE THAT EXTRA WEEK.
UH, BUT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR RESIDENTS, BUT WE DO HAVE THAT, UH, THAT EARLY PUT OUT ISSUE, WHICH ALSO CAUSES MORE BULK TO BE PUT OUT, UH, AS RESIDENT.
SEE, OH, THERE'S A PILE, IT'S BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE, I'M GONNA GO PUT SOME MORE OUT.
SO IT DOES CAUSE SOME ADDITIONAL OVERTIME FOR US WHEN WE DO RUN INTO THESE SITUATIONS.
AND THEN ALSO WE, AND ALSO WE'RE HAVING, UH, CONTINUED MISUSE OF BULK TRASH PICKUP.
UH, HERE'S JUST SOME OF THOSE EXAMPLES.
I, I BELIEVE, UH, EVERYONE HAS SEEN OUR BIG, UH, PINK X MARKS ON OUR, ON THE PILES.
AND TO INCLUDE OUR BIG PINK TAGS THAT WE PROVIDE, UH, TO OUR RESIDENTS.
NOT ONLY DO WE MARKET, BUT WE ALSO, UH, PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR RESIDENTS IF THEY ARE HOME, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, DISCUSS, UH, EXACTLY WHAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ACCEPTABLE IN THEIR PILES, UM, AND SOLUTIONS TO WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THOSE PILES AS WELL.
ANOTHER CHALLENGE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY FACING IS OUR CURBSIDE TRASH AND RECYCLING PROGRAM.
THE CURB MAPS THAT WE HAVE TODAY WERE ESTABLISHED, UH, THE, SINCE 2022, WE HAVE ADDED MORE THAN 1700 NEW HOME BUILDS INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THAT INCLUDES COMMUNITIES SUCH AS LMR, VERTI TRAILS, ACCLAIM, ROOSEVELT PARK, PHASE TWO.
THAT'S ABOUT A 7% INCREASE TO OUR OVERALL, UH, HOME COUNTS THAT WE HAVE TO NOW, UH, INCLUDE INTO OUR ROUTING SERVICES.
THE CURRENT PICK UP SCHEDULE FOR BOTH TRASH AND RECYCLING WAS LAST UPDATED IN 2003.
SO THAT'S, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, ALL OF OUR GROWTH THAT HAS OCCURRED SPECIFICALLY IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF OUR CITY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, UM, HAS CAUSED WHAT AN IMBALANCE WHEN IT COMES TO THE NUMBER OF HOMES IN EACH ONE OF OUR ZONES.
VERY SIMILAR TO OUR BULK TRASH SERVICES WHERE WE HAD AN IMBALANCE OF HOMES IN OUR, IN OUR ZONES.
AND TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAYS DO REQUIRE OVERTIME TO COMPLETE FRIDAY SPECIFICALLY, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON A RECI ON OUR RECYCLING MAP, IT COVERS JUST EVERYTHING SOUTH OF THE I 10.
AND THE REASON WHY WE HAD LESS DAYS FOR RECYCLING THAN FOR TRASH.
WELL, ONE, THERE'S FIVE DAYS IN THE WEEK, SO WE CAN'T PROVIDE THREE DAYS OF SERVICE.
BUT SECONDLY, THE PUT OUR RATE FOR RECYCLING IS USUALLY A LOT LESS THAN IT IS FOR TRASH.
SO ROUGHLY ABOUT 60% OF OUR COMMUNITY PUTS OUT THE RECYCLING ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
SO WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM OF OUR, OF OUR PROGRAM HOLD WHEN IT COMES TO BULK TRASH? WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT MAKING ANY CHANGES.
WE JUST RECENTLY MADE THOSE CHANGES.
BUT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO MONITOR HOW THE GROWTH CONTINUES TO AFFECT OUR OPERATIONS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING A QUALITY SERVICE AND ON TIME AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS EXPECT FROM US.
WE'RE GONNA MONITOR WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE RECENTLY DONE TO, UH, THEIR BULK TRASH SERVICES.
SOME HAVE GONE FROM A QUARTERLY OR A MONTHLY TO A QUARTERLY SERVICE OR A QUARTERLY TO A BY APPOINTMENT SERVICES.
WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH OUR PARTNER CITIES TO
[01:00:01]
LEARN FROM, UH, THE, THE BEST PRACTICES, WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED FROM THE PROS AND CONS WITH GOING TO THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES SO THAT WE'RE PREPARED INTO THE FUTURE IF WE DO NEED TO MAKE ANY ADDITIONAL CHANGES.AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR ANY AND ALL ALTERNATIVES FOR RESIDENTS AND HOW TO BE ABLE TO DISPOSE, UH, THEIR BULK TRASH SERVICES AS WELL.
WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CURBSIDE TRASH AND RECYCLING, UM, WE WANT, WE'RE GONNA MAKE, UH, SOME CHANGES.
WE WANT TO PROVIDE CURBSIDE TRASH RECYCLING AND BULK SERVICES MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY MOVING FORWARD, UH, SORRY, STARTING FEBRUARY 1ST.
ALL STAFF WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE FOUR 10 ROTATING SCHEDULE AND THEY WILL BE HERE MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED ON A ROTATING SCHEDULE IS WE WILL HAVE A SCHEDULED GROUP OFF, BUT IF WE MAY HAVE ONE OR TWO CALL OUT SICK EMERGENCIES OR THE CASE MAY BE THAT DOES PUT A STRAIN ON OUR OPERATIONS, THAT WILL, DOES REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL OVERTIME.
OR WE CALL THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT BE OFF THAT DAY SCHEDULED OFF TO SEE IF THEY MAY WANT TO COME IN FOR SOME ADDITIONAL OVERTIME FOR THAT WEEK.
SO ONE OF THE, OUR SOLUTIONS IS TO REMOVE US FROM THAT ROTATING FOUR 10 SCHEDULE AND MOVE DIRECTLY TO A MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY OPERATIONS SO THAT EVERYONE IS HERE EVERY DAY.
THIS ALSO ALIGNS WITH OUR FLEET SERVICES OPERATION.
OUR FLEET SERVICES ARE ALSO A MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY OPERATION.
SO IF THERE IS A BREAKDOWN ON FRIDAY, IT MAY BE A FEW HOURS UNTIL WE'RE ABLE TO GET THAT TRUCK UP AND RUNNING AGAIN OR BACK INTO THE YARD FROM WHEREVER THE LOCATION MIGHT BE, WHICH ADDS MORE TIME, UH, FOR OUR STAFF, UH, TO BE OUT IN THE FIELD TO PERFORM THAT WORK.
IT ALSO REDISTRIBUTES THE WORKLOAD FOR RECYCLING AND TRASH SERVICES MORE EVENLY.
AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THOSE EFFICIENCIES INTERNALLY AND THINGS THAT WE CAN CONTROL TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR PART, UH, TO BE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE.
SO BEFORE I SHOW THE MAP, I WANNA, UH, GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE AND PRAISE WHERE PRAISE IS DUE.
UM, SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HADN'T MADE ANY CHANGES TO OUR SOLID WASTE SERVICES IN QUITE SOME TIME.
SO WE KNEW MAKING THE CHANGES THAT WE DID AFTER OUR LAST, UH, UPDATE, WHERE WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA RUN INTO SOME HICCUPS AND LEARN FROM, FROM OUR EXPERIENCES.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PROPOSED WAS FOR OUR STAFF TO PROVIDE OPTIONS ON WHAT THEY BELIEVE WOULD BE THE BEST SOLUTION MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO IT WAS LED BY TWO INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE NOT HERE TODAY.
THEY HAD SOME, SOME, UH, SOME EMERGENCIES TO TAKE CARE OF WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
UH, BUT WE DO HAVE STAFF, UH, HERE TODAY.
IT WAS AN INITIATIVE LED, UH, BY THEM.
UH, THEY PROVIDED SEVERAL OPTIONS, UM, WHERE WE LOOKED AT, I THINK IT WAS FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT MAPS.
WHAT WERE THE PROS AND CONS FOR EACH ONE OF THEM? THEY PRESENTED TO PUBLIC WORKS LEADERSHIP.
AND IT WAS A, A GREAT EXPERIENCE BECAUSE IT WAS INPUT FROM ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT OPERATORS, UH, TO TELL US THIS IS WHAT COULD WORK, UH, FOR OUR, FOR OUR CITY.
SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE PRAISE AND, AND, UM, AND CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE TO OUR STAFF FOR COMING UP WITH THIS MAP.
SO THIS IS WHAT THE NEW MAP WILL LOOK LIKE.
WE'RE FOLLOWING OUR BULK ZONES, UH, THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE TODAY.
AND AGAIN, TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT TO OUR RESIDENTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO IF YOU ARE IN ZONE A, YOUR NEW TRASH SERVICES WILL BE ON MONDAY, AND YOUR RECYCLING SERVICES WILL BE ON THURSDAY.
IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CITY FOR ZONE D, IT'LL BE THE OPPOSITE.
TRASH WILL BE ON THURSDAY, AND RECYCLING WILL BE ON MONDAY.
ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WE MADE THIS CHANGE IS BECAUSE ON THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS WHEN WE PROVIDE RECYCLING SERVICES, OUR OPERATORS NORMALLY HAVE TO GO TWO TIMES TO THE PHOENIX RECYCLING FACILITY IN THE AFTERNOON.
IT CAN TAKE UPWARDS TO TWO HOURS TO DRIVE TWO AND FROM, UH, TO THAT FACILITY.
AND THAT JUST HAS TO DO WITH TRAFFIC SCHOOL GETTING OUT.
THEY HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH SCHOOL ZONES TO GET TO THE PHOENIX RECYCLING FACILITY.
AND BY BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, UH, BY BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE AND REMOVING THAT AFTERNOON, UH, DRIVE TO THE PHOENIX, UH, RECYCLING CENTER REALLY OPENS UP MORE PRODUCTIVITY FOR OUR TEAM.
SO IN THE MORNINGS, OUR TEAMS WILL BE FOCUSED ON, ON THE RECYCLING, UH, THE RECYCLING PART OF THE DAY.
AND THEN IN THE AFTERNOON, THEY'LL FOCUS ON THE TRASH, WHICH WILL GO TO THE GLENDALE LANDFILL, WHICH IS NORTH OF US.
SO THERE'S LESS TRAFFIC IN THE AFTERNOON HEADING UP INTO THAT AREA.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS ALSO ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE COURTESY PICKUPS WHEN REQUESTED FOR ALL SERVICES AT ANY GIVEN DAY.
FOR INSTANCE, IF A RESIDENT ASKS FOR A COURTESY PICKUP FOR TRASH ON A THURSDAY, UNFORTUNATELY, I CANNOT PROVIDE THAT SERVICE BECAUSE ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR TRUCKS ARE DEDICATED TO RECYCLING, AND I CANNOT COMMINGLE OUR TRASH WITH OUR RECYCLING SERVICES.
SO, UM, WHAT WE DO BY PROVIDING SERVICES, UH, TRASH AND RECYCLING EVERY DAY, WE'RE ABLE TO NOW ACCOMMODATE THOSE COURTESY REQ, UH, REQUESTS.
[01:05:03]
AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING TO, UH, CONDUCT THIS NEW SERVICE STARTING FEBRUARY 1ST, 2025.UM, AS ALWAYS, UH, WE'RE GONNA WORK, UH, CLOSELY WITH OUR MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS TEAM TO DEVELOP AND CONDUCT ALL OF OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS, VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WE DID, UH, WITH THE BULK TRASH CHANGES.
ALTHOUGH ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WE WILL MAKE THIS YEAR IS INSTEAD OF HAVING A DOOR HANGER FOR, UH, EVERY HOME, WE'RE PROPOSING TO ACTUALLY GIVE OUT A STICKER, UH, THROUGH THE MAIL WITH A LETTER INDICATING WHY WE'RE DOING THE CHANGES TO THE SERVICES, AND HERE'S WHAT THE SERVICES WILL LOOK LIKE SO THEY CAN PLACE, OUR RESIDENTS CAN PLACE THAT STICKER ON THEIR CAN SO THEY CAN SEE WHEN THEIR DAYS OF SERVICE ARE, OR IF THEY WISH TO PUT IT ON THE REFRIGERATOR.
BUT THIS IS, I THINK, ONE STEP FURTHER FOR US TO COMMUNICATE THESE CHANGES TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND AS ALL AND AS WE, UH, EXPERIENCE WITH OUR BULK TRASH SERVICES, WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE A GRACE PERIOD FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AGAIN, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE MADE CH WE'VE MADE CHANGES, SO WE UNDERSTAND IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW AND GET USED TO.
OH, GOTTA TAKE MY BLANK KEN OUT.
I GOTTA TAKE MY BLUE KEN OUT THIS DAY.
UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S GOING TO BE A GRACE PERIOD FOR OUR RESIDENTS AS WE, UH, MAKE THESE CHANGES AND THEY GET USED TO THEM.
IN SUMMARY, I JUST WANNA REITERATE, NO BULK TRASH CHANGES.
UH, UH, UH, NO BULK TRASH SERVICES CHANGES AT THIS MOMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO, UH, CHANGE OUR CURBSIDE RECYCLING SCHEDULE FEBRUARY 1ST, 2025.
AGAIN, THESE OPERATIONAL CHANGES BRING EFFICIENCIES TO THE PROGRAM TO KEEP COSTS DOWN.
THERE'S STILL SOME OTHER ITEMS, UH, OTHER THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR, UH, RECYCLING FEES AND OUR LANDFILL FEES THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR.
AND IN THE SPRING, UH, YOU KNOW, RATE INCREASE, WE'LL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL BY OUR FINANCE AND BUDGET IN OUR, IN OUR, AND OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM, UH, FOR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS AS WELL.
WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
A LOT OF THOUGHT WENT INTO THIS.
IT'S GOTTA BE KIND OF FRIGHTENING TO LOOK AT A SCHEDULE THAT'S BEEN THIS WAY FOR 21 YEARS AND SAY, OKAY, HOW DO WE SHAKE THIS UP? BUT I THINK YOU DID IT EXACTLY RIGHT.
THE WOR THE, THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE FIELD KNOW WHAT THEY RUN INTO EVERY DAY.
THEY KNOW THE PROBLEMS, THEY KNOW THE ISSUES, THEY KNOW THE AREAS, THEY KNOW WHAT WORKS.
I LOVE THE IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, FRIDAY AFTERNOON, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET ON THE FREEWAY AND TRY AND GO SOMEWHERE.
UM, IF CHRISTMAS OR THANKSGIVING FALLS ON ONE OF THOSE DAYS, SO IF CHRISTMAS OR THANKSGIVING FALLS ON, YOU KNOW, THANKSGIVING'S ALWAYS ON A THURSDAY, WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT DAY? WHAT HAPPENS IF CHRISTMAS FALLS ON A ANY ONE OF THOSE DAYS? I KNOW IT GETS PUSHED BACK, BUT DOES IT THROW A WRENCH IN THAT SCHEDULE? UH, MAYOR, VICE SMEAR COUNSEL.
WELL, BECAUSE 'CAUSE YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE NOT GONNA GO ON FRIDAY.
SO IF CHRISTMAS WERE TO FALL ON A FRIDAY OR A THURSDAY, WELL, ON A FRIDAY OR THURSDAY, YOU'D HAVE TO PUSH BACK TO THE NEXT DAY.
MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL, YES.
WE WOULD HAVE TO COME IN ON A FRIDAY TO, TO CONDUCT THAT WORK.
JUST LIKE IF WE WERE TO COME IN IN ON SATURDAY TODAY, UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO PUSH IT OUT TO THE NEXT DAY.
BUT ONCE EVERY SEVEN YEARS, YOU'LL RUN INTO THAT.
COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, VERONICA, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, YOU SAID WE ADDED HEAVY, UH, EQUIPMENT, UM, TO OUR FLEET.
AND WITH THAT, DID WE HIRE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO DRIVE THE FLEET OR ARE WE UNDERSTAFFED, OVERSTAFFED WITH I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE OVERTIME.
I WANNA KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE STAFFING PIECE, MR. MAYOR, LET ME, IF I CAN
WE DID NOT ADD STAFF, OR WE DID NOT ADD EQUIPMENT.
WE ADDED AN EQUIPMENT, HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR.
WE DIDN'T BRING ON NEW, NEW TRUCKS.
YOU BROUGHT A NEW MECHANIC ON, I'M SORRY, YOU BROUGHT A HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC ON.
WE DIDN'T ADD, WHEN WE MADE THE CHANGES, WE DIDN'T ADD A BUNCH OF OF EQUIPMENT.
BUT GO AHEAD AND EXPLAIN THE QUESTION ABOUT STAFFING THOUGH.
UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER MALONE, UM, WE, WE'VE, WE INCLUDE, WE, WE ADDED THIS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.
WE ADDED A MECHANIC TO, UH, WORK ON ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT.
'CAUSE WE HAD ONE DEDICATED MECHANIC, AND WE NEEDED TO, UH, OUR, AND I'M, I'LL SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO OUR SIDE LOADER TRUCKS.
UM, AND WE ARE GONNA BE COMING BACK TO, IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, BUDGET PRESENT IN OUR BUDGET REQUEST FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR ANOTHER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, SOMEONE TO ACTUALLY RUN THE TRUCKS.
SO FROM A TRUCK PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE GOOD.
WE'RE NOT GONNA ASK FOR ANYMORE, BUT WE WILL BE COMING TO, TO COUNCIL TO REQUEST FOR ANOTHER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR AS WE CONTINUE TO, NOT ONLY ARE THESE CHANGES, UH, NEEDED, UH, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE NEEDING IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, ADDITIONAL STAFFING.
UM, ALSO IN OUR STUDY THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY OUR CONSULTANT, IT DID ALL, THEY DID ALSO PROVIDE WHEN WE SHOULD BE ADDING NEW STAFF OR NEW OPERATORS BASED UPON THE PROJECTED GROWTH THAT WE HAD AT THAT TIME.
[01:10:01]
OUR CONSULTANT TO RE-LOOK AT THAT, TO LOOK AT OUR GROWTH TODAY, UH, TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHEN WE WOULD NEED MORE STAFF MEMBERS AS WELL.SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS THE STAFF? UM, HOW MANY FTES DO WE HAVE DOING THE WORK? SO WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, WE HAVE EIGHT EQUIPMENT OPERATORS, AND WE HAVE A SENIOR AND A LEAD.
SO A TOTAL OF 10, UH, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BULK SIDE AND ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE.
AND HOW OFTEN, AND I'M SORRY, AND TWO AND AND TWOS? TWO INSPECTORS AND TWO INSPECTORS, YES.
AND HOW OFTEN ARE, UM, ARE VEHICLES OUT OF SERVICE? UH, LIKE ARE TRASH OR ARE, UM, UH, HEAVY EQUIPMENT? UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL? UM, THERE COULD BE TWO VEHICLES OUTTA SERVICE, MAYBE THREE VEHICLES OUTTA SERVICE.
UM, SOMETIMES WE HAVE PARTS DELAYS, UH, JUST BECAUSE IT'S, THAT'S KIND OF BEEN THE NATURE IN REGARDS TO OUR SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR SOME OF OUR EQUIPMENT.
UM, WE KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THAT.
UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT TRUCKS AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRUCKS TO HELP US WITH SOME OF THOSE ISSUES THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING WITH OUR CURRENT TRUCKS.
UH, BUT WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PURCHASING THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT.
AND OUR FLEET DEPARTMENT DOES A GREAT JOB ON TRYING TO KEEP THESE TRUCKS ON THE ROAD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, YOU ALSO MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE LIDS AND STUFF CAN CALL, UM, AND OUR, UH, COMMUNITY CAN CALL OR DO AN HOBBY WISE TICKET SO THAT IF THERE, UM, TRASH, UM, I GUESS THEIR TR TRASH LID IS BROKEN OR THEIR TRASHCAN IS BROKEN.
ARE WE BEING PROACTIVE, UM, IN OUR INSPECTORS? ARE THEY BEING PROACTIVE IN GOING AROUND AND LOOKING AT THAT? UM, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OR IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, AS I WAS WALKING, I HAD NOTICED A, A TON OF, UH, UM, LIDS THAT WERE, WERE BROKEN.
UM, SO ARE WE BEING PROACTIVE? ARE WE TRYING TO HELP THEM OR WE ARE, DO WE AS A CITY WAIT FOR THEM TO GIVE US A CALL? UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MALONE, UH, I WOULD SAY HISTORICALLY, UH, WE WOULD WAIT FOR OUR RESIDENTS, UH, TO CALL TO, FOR US TO, UH, MAKE A REPAIR.
UH, WHEN I TALK ABOUT EQUIPMENT, UH, WE HAVE NOTICED THAT SOME OF OUR EQUIPMENT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT HARSH ON OUR CANS, CAUSING MORE LIDS TO BREAK.
AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE MONITORING, UM, IN REGARDS TO BEING PROACTIVE.
WE DO IN OUR NEW, UH, UH, SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE THAT WE HAVE, OUR OPERATORS ARE ALSO TAKING PHOTOS OF BROKEN LIDS AND CONTAINERS TO LET US KNOW WE'RE DOING INVENTORY OF HOW OFTEN THAT'S HAPPENING AND HOW WE CAN BE PROACTIVE.
SO SOMETIMES A RESIDENT MAY CALL US BEFORE WE COULD BE PROACTIVE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THAT RIGHT BALANCE FOR US TO BE PROACTIVE AND NOT TO DUPLICATE EFFORTS IF A RESIDENT CALLS IN BEFORE WE'RE ABLE TO GET TO IT.
UM, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT ON TRYING TO BE MORE PROACTIVE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CANS, UH, THE LIDS ON THE CANS RIGHT NOW.
AND I'VE NOTICED THAT WITH MY CAN, UM, IT, IT, IT BROKE AFTER GETTING THE WHOLE ENTIRE CAN REPLACED WITHIN LESS THAN LIKE SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR.
SO DID WE, UM, CHANGE COMPANIES OF WHO WE BUY OUR TRASH CONTAINERS FROM? AND IS IT NOW JUST A LITTLE BIT FLIMSIER? ARE WE SAVING MONEY? ARE WE ACTUALLY SPENDING MORE MONEY BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING TO REPLACE ALL THE, UH, BROKEN LIDS OR BROKEN CONTAINERS? MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER MALONE, UH, THAT HAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY NOTICED WITH OUR CURRENT BATCH OF CANS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.
SO WE ARE MONITORING EACH ONE OF THOSE BROKEN CANS THAT WE HAVE SEEN.
AND, UM, YES, WE HAVE JUST RECENTLY WORKED ON GETTING ANOTHER CONTRACTOR ON BOARD, UH, TO PURCHASE CANS FROM AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR THE, UM, OPPORTUNITY AND THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
I SEE FOLKS HERE FROM, UM, THE TEAM.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
UM, I WAS, UH, FIRST THINKING ABOUT HOW IS, HOW WILL ALL THE CHANGES IMPACT EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION? IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAD A STUDY DONE, UM, AND YOU MADE SOME PRETTY DELIBERATE MOVES.
SO, AND THE COLLECTION OF RECYCLING FOR ME, I'M A FRIDAY PERSON.
I THINK YOUR EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION HAS ELEVATED.
HAROLD, IS THAT WHAT LED TO THESE CHANGES? SOME OF THESE CHANGES, UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, UH, THE CHANGES WERE BASED UPON LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE ORIGINAL CHANGES THAT WE MADE SINCE THE LAST UPDATE.
UM, SO WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT OUR STAFF HAD A VOICE IN WHAT THOSE CHANGES WOULD LOOK LIKE ALSO MOVING FORWARD.
ADDITIONALLY, WHEN WE MADE THE CHANGES, ORIGINALLY, OUR, UH, CONSULTANT DID, UH, EVEN INTERVIEW SEVERAL OF OUR STAFF ON WHERE THINGS CAN BE IMPROVED, WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED ON, AND EVEN GAVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO COME IN AND TO SPEAK TO THEM AS WELL.
SO IT WAS THROUGHOUT EVERY CHANGE THAT WE MADE AND EVERY PROCESS THAT WE'VE DONE, OUR STAFF HAVE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED.
UM, AND WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, EMPLOYMENT
[01:15:01]
SATISFACTION WITH OUR, WITH OUR TEAM, THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO HEAR FROM THEM BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SEE WHAT WOULD WORK BEST AND GET CONSENSUS FROM OUR TEAM.WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU MOVING TO, UM, THE TEAM BEING OFF ON FRIDAYS AND ONLY BEING THERE KIND OF AS NEEDED.
I THINK THAT PUTS THEM IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE REST OF THE CITY, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THAT.
I HAVE A COUPLE GRANULAR QUESTIONS.
MR. MAYOR, COUNCILMAN WHITE BEFORE WE GO ON.
A COUPLE THINGS I WANNA ADD IS, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE DOES AN ANNUAL EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION SURVEY.
THEIR LAST RESULT SHOWED ABOUT 83% POSITIVE RATING, AND I BELIEVE THE SURVEY IS GOING OUT, HAS ALREADY GONE OUT, UH, VERY SHORTLY.
AND SO THEY CONTINUALLY MEASURE THAT EVERY YEAR.
ONE OF THE OTHER DRIVERS BEHIND THESE CHANGES IS COST.
SO COUNCIL APPROVED A TWO YEAR RATE PLAN, UH, TWO YEARS AGO.
THAT'S EXPIRING NOW WITH THESE RISING COSTS, UH, WE WILL BE PROPOSING ANOTHER RATE INCREASE.
SO BEFORE WE DID THAT, WE WANTED TO ONCE AGAIN LOOK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE COULD BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH THE TAX, WELL, IN THIS CASE, THE RATE PAYERS DOLLARS.
AND SO IT WAS, UH, KIND OF TWOFOLD THERE, REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE GETTING THE MOST MONEY OR THE MOST SERVICE FOR THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY POSSIBLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, THE, THESE NEXT FEW QUESTIONS, AGAIN, PRETTY GRANULAR.
I KNOW YOU SAID YOU DO KEEP THE FOOTAGE FROM THE TRUCKS WHEN THEY'RE GOING BY, HELPS WITH, UM, RESOLUTION.
IF, IF IN CASE THERE'S AN ACCIDENT OR A COMPLAINT, HOW LONG DO YOU MAINTAIN THAT FOOTAGE? JUST SO OUR RESIDENTS KIND OF KNOW? YEAH, MAYOR, RISK MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER, WHITE, UH, FOOTAGE, UH, WHEN IT IS RETRIEVED, UH, WE HOLD IT FOR AS LONG AS REQUIRED BY EITHER ATTORNEYS FOR OUR RISK MANAGEMENT OFFICE.
UM, SO, AND WE ALSO ADHERE TO ALL OF THE, UM, UH, UH, RECORD KEEPING, UH, LAWS AS WELL.
AND THEN THE, UM, NEXT, UM, GRANULAR THING, YOU'LL BE SENDING OUT STICKERS IN ADVANCE OF THE FEBRUARY 1ST CHANGE.
UM, I KNOW THAT I, I I LIKE STICKERS, SO THANK YOU.
UM, ME PERSONALLY, BUT I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE A, A POSSIBLE SUGGESTION IF WE DO ANY PUBLIC EVENTS IN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, I ALSO LIKE THE MAGNETS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE OFFERED IN THE PAST WITH THE FRIDGE, BECAUSE THAT TELLS ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T PUT INTO THE GARBAGE CANS.
SO IF, IF MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW IF MA SENDING MAGNETS IS A COST EFFECTIVE THING, BUT MAYBE IF THERE'S A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WHERE WE'RE OUT, YOU KNOW, TOUCHING PEOPLE LIKE THE TRACE RES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY CAN HAVE THAT MAGNET FRIDGE YES.
CHRIS HAROLD, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU BACK ON THE RECYCLE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD IT.
THE NUMBERS THAT WERE THERE, THE 35 52, THE 49, WHATEVER IT WAS, THAT'S COST AND REVENUE.
UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCILOR O' NIELSEN? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO WE HAVE A FIXED, UH, PER TON FEE OF ABOUT $95, AND THEN WE RECEIVE REVENUE THAT HELPS OFFSET THAT COST.
SO WE'LL GET MAYBE $35 A TON BACK, OR $40 A TON BACK.
IT CHANGES ON A QUARTERLY BASIS FROM THE CITY OF PHOENIX.
UM, SO THEY SET THAT RATE, UH, FOR US.
AND IT'S NOT JUST FOR US, BUT THAT'S HOW THEY OPERATE.
I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD IT, THAT I'M NOT GOING AROUND AND TELL EVERYBODY THAT 35, 45, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, THE OTHER THOUGHT JUST MIGHT BE ON YOUR BULK TRASH, WHATEVER IT IS, MAYBE YOU'RE ON YOUR OUTREACH OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, UH, SETTING OF APPOINTMENTS.
IF IT CAN MAYBE DEB BE DONE ON AVENUE WISE OR ON THE WEBSITE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND IF WE'RE REALLY GONNA DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, MAYBE WE GET IT COUPLED WITH A STICKER THAT'S ON HERE THAT IF YOU HAVE BULK AND YOU WANNA MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, DA DA DA DAH TO THIS PARTICULAR POINT, IT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
THE OTHER THING, VERONICA, JUST ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE DONE WHEN I'VE SEEN TRASH CANS LIKE THAT, I'LL TAKE A PICTURE OF IT AND PUT IT ON.
ABBY WISE, THE PEOPLE ACROSS THE STREET HAD A COUPLE OF THOSE LIDS BROKEN OFF AND THEY GOT BACK WITHIN ABOUT TWO DAYS TO GET IT TAKEN CARE OF.
SO THE MEANS AND MECHANISMS WERE THERE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
AND I GUESS JUST THE LAST THING I WOULD LIKE TO REEMPHASIZE IS WHAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IS YOUR STAFF INPUT YEARS AGO AND MY OTHER WIFE, THAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE EVER DID.
WE BEGAN TALKING TO THE PEOPLE AND GETTING THEM THE FEEDBACK AS TO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, RATHER THAN ME PUTTING THE SCHEDULE.
THEY'RE THE ONE THAT'S GONNA BE LIVING WITH THE SCHEDULE.
I APPRECIATE THAT'S THEIR INVOLVEMENT AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT.
CAN WE TOUCH ON SOMETHING, CAN WE GO BACK TO SOMETHING HERE, BECAUSE YOU PEAKED MY ATTENTION AND I KNOW YOU PEAKED VERONICA'S.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RISK MANAGEMENT AND THE CAMERAS THAT ARE ON BOARD, IS THERE A SET TIME THAT WE KEEP THEM OR IS IT, I KNOW YOU SAID IN CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY, CAN WE GET SOME INSIGHT TO HOW LONG, 'CAUSE PD HAS A STATE RULE THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO KEEP FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.
WHAT IS OUR POLICY ON THAT MI MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL? THEIR, THEIR QUESTION IS, UH, HOW LONG DO THE CAMERAS BEFORE THEY WRITE OVER THEMSELF? OKAY.
BECAUSE IT'S AU IT'S AUTOMATICALLY REWRITES OVER ITSELF WHEN IT'S NOT PULLED.
HE KINDA DANCED AROUND IT, BUT I THINK, LET ME RE-ASK IT A LITTLE BIT.
[01:20:01]
IF IT'S NOT PULLED, IT, IT'S NOT A RECORD THAT WE NEED TO KEEP FOREVER.UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ABOUT EVERY TWO WEEKS IT GETS WRITTEN OVER.
SO IT GETS, SO IT GETS, SO IF, IF I GET A REQUEST, YOU KNOW, FOR AN INCIDENT THAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED A MONTH AGO, I CAN NO LONGER DOWNLOAD THAT FOOTAGE.
WELL, AND YOU WOULD HOPE THAT IF THERE WAS A RIGHT, THAT'S WHAT YOU AND I WERE LOOKING AT.
YOU WOULD HOPE THAT SOMEONE WOULD REPORT THAT INCIDENT WITHIN THE TWO WEEK TIMEFRAME, CORRECT? CORRECT.
COUNSEL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? RON, ANY THOUGHTS? NEW SCHEDULE? CAN WE SEE, CAN YOU, DO YOU MIND PUTTING UP THE NEW SCHEDULE JUST FOR ANYBODY WANNA TAKE A PICTURE OF THAT?
[6. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS]
OF CURRENT EVENTS.COUNCIL, ANYTHING? WE HAD BILLY MOORE DAYS THIS WEEKEND.
UM, SO THIS PAST WEEK WE WERE INVITED TO ATTEND THE KEANI, UH, KIWANIS CLUB OF LITCHFIELD INSTALLATION CEREMONY DINNER.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA JUST SHARE THAT WE RECEIVED AN AWARD THAT EVENING, SO IT WAS VERY UNEXPECTED.
UM, AND SO THE AWARD RECOGNIZES THE AVONDALE INTERFAITH PARTNERSHIP, WHICH I CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBER NIELSEN CO-CHAIRS, UM, AS BEING A COMMUNITY PARTNER OF THE YEAR.
SO I JUST WANNA JUST SAY THAT'S AWESOME.
ANY THOUGHTS? JUST ONE ADDITIONAL ONE.
UH, IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THESE PROCLAMATIONS THAT WE'VE READ TONIGHT,
UH, SOME OF US ATTENDED THAT GALA FOR 30 YEARS.
THAT MERCY HOUSE HAS BEEN A BLESSING, THE LIVES OF SO MANY PEOPLE HERE IN THE, IN, IN THE AVONDALE AND CASH AND AREA.
AND I WAS SURPRISED BETWEEN READING, HELP, HOMEWORK, HELP BACK TO SCHOOL, BACKPACKS AS CHRISTMAS THINGS, HYGIENE KITS, FOOD PANTRIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UH, JUST AMAZING LISTENING TO WHAT THEY DID.
AND I THINK I, MERCY DID SOMETHING I WOULD NEVER DO.
SHE GOT INVOLVED WITH THREE GANGS IN THE DAYS WHEN SHE STARTED THIS UP AND STRAIGHTENED THESE KIDS UP AND GOT 'EM TO CHURCH AND GOT 'EM MINED OUT.
AND MANY OF THEM COME BACK AND TOLD THEM THANK YOU FOR GETTING ME OUT OF THE, THE GANG AND GETTING ME WHERE I NEEDED TO BE.
SO GREAT OPPORTUNITY LAST FRIDAY NIGHT TO HEAR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ANYTHING MAX? YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, AGAIN, THANK THE, UM, THE CITY FOR ALLOWING ME TO PARTICIPATE IN LEADERSHIP.
WES, I KNOW THERE'S A PICTURE CIRCULATING AROUND WITH A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I WAS SITTING, UM, ON THE DAUS IN THE GOODYEAR CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, AND I JUST
THAT'S WHY I WANNA PUT IT IN THE PUBLIC RECORD BECAUSE I WAS ON THEIR DAUS.
I GOT TO SIT IN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, VICKI SEAT.
AND AS I WAS THERE LOOKING OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE, I, I REALLY JUST HAD TO REFLECT BACK ON EVERYTHING WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN THIS LARGE FOR A WHILE.
THEY DON'T HAVE OUR CAPACITY, BUT THEY HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY OVER THERE.
AND AS A PART OF LEADERSHIP WEST, JUST BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT ANOTHER MUS MUNICIPAL AREA AND SEE THEIR GOVERNMENT AND EVERYTHING.
THE ONLY THING THAT I THINK IS WHEN THAT MIGHT, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LITTLE BIT ON RON, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY HERE IN OUR CAMPUS.
AND GQ SQUARE IS NICE, BUT NOTHING'S AS GREAT AS HOME
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO PARTICIPATE.
VERONICA, THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE NEW DETENTION CENTER, THE STATE OF THE ART, UH, FACILITY THAT WAS ABLE, UM, THAT'S BEEN DE DEDICATED.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION 'CAUSE I HADN'T RECEIVED ANY PICTURES.
I KNOW THAT ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBER ELECTS WENT IN WITH A POLITICAL, UH, PIC, UH, A POLITICAL SHIRT ON, SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO POST THAT PICTURE.
I JUST WANNA KNOW, WILL THE CITY BE POSTING THAT PICTURE, UM, OR WILL THEY BE, UM, SHARING THAT WITH THE COUNCILS THAT SO THAT WE CAN POST THAT ON OUR, UM, ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES? IT'S NOT AN AGENDIZED ITEM, SO WE CAN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT BOTH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY, UH, UH, MARKETING HAS POSTED PICTURES.
UM, WE POSTED THAT WE DID A PRESS RELEASE TODAY AND OVER THE WEEKEND AND LATE LAST WEEK, BOTH PD AND, UH, PEERS GROUP DID POST THINGS ON ALL OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA STUFF.
SO THERE ARE PICTURES OUT THERE.
UM, THIS WEEK, ON THIS THURSDAY, SORRY, THE 10TH, UM, JUDGE PEP GUZMAN AND SEVERAL ELECTED LEADERS HAVE PUT TOGETHER, UM, UH, BECAUSE OF, UH, HIS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTHS MONTH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE LOCAL GRASSROOTS INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HAD IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND JUST WANTED TO CELEBRATE THAT THIS MUST BE MERCY'S MONTH BECAUSE SHE'LL BE HONORED THAT EVENING IN ADDITION TO, UH, MARTINA WITH CASH AND HAS HEART.
SO BOTH OF THEM WILL BE RECEIVING AN AWARD FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET TO SEE SOME OF ALL OF YOU THERE.
[01:25:01]
A LOT FOR ONE PERSON FOR A YEAR.UM, FRIDAY I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ TO A BUNCH OF THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE YEAR OLDS AT THE PRESCHOOL IN GARDEN LAKES AT THE CHURCH.
WE TALKED ABOUT, I READ A BOOK ON VOLUNTEERISM.
THERE WAS JUST A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, POLICE AND FIRE.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A PAGE ABOUT WHAT POLICE AND FIRE DO, AND THEY GOT THE BIGGEST APPLAUSE.
AND THEN TEACHERS GOT THE SECOND BIGGEST APPLAUSE.
AND IT WAS JUST, IT WAS GREAT.
MERCY HOUSE ON, ON FRIDAY WAS, UH, JUST A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE.
AND, UH, SHERRY, I KNOW THAT, UH, SHERRI DID THE RESEARCH AND KIND OF WROTE UP THAT PROCLAMATION, AND SANDRA LOOKED AT IT AND KIND OF TWEAKED WHAT NEEDED TO BE TWEAKED, BUT THEY WERE, IT WAS A SURPRISE.
SO THEY DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE GONNA READ A PROCLAMATION AND THEY WERE JUST, UH, THEY WERE REALLY IMPRESSED.
AND MERCY REALLY APPRECIATED IT.
SO, UH, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE.
ANYTHING FOR YOU, GLORIA? YOU HAD 13 SECONDS.
[7. Mayor's Report]
ALL RIGHT.UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS THE MAYOR'S REPORT.
AND SO I'M GONNA, UM, START IT OFF, UH, AS SOMETIMES WE DO.
SO, UM, I'M SORRY YOU'RE NOT THE MAYOR.
I KNOW, BUT I, I'M GONNA, UM, PRESENT YOU WITH SOMETHING BE BEFORE YOU START TALKING TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.
SO THIS IS YOUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING AS OUR MAYOR.
AND I'M NOT GONNA STEAL YOUR THUNDER, I PROMISE YOU, YOU GET THE LAST WORD, UNLESS NICOLE TAKES IT.
BUT, 'CAUSE SOME OF US ARE NOT BEHAVING AS WELL AS, UH, WE SHOULD BE.
BUT, UM, UH, WE ARE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW, GONNA CELEBRATE YOUR, UH, 18 YEARS WITH THE CITY IN DECEMBER.
UH, SAME TIME, WE HAVE ANOTHER ELECTED LEADER WHO WILL BE, UH, STEPPING DOWN DECEMBER.
SO THE PARTY IS IN DECEMBER, BUT I, I CAN'T JUST LET YOU GO QUIETLY INTO THE NIGHT.
SO WOULD YOU JOIN ME AT THE DICE, PLEASE? YOU'RE AT THE, UH, SPEAKER'S TABLE ALL.
SEE, THIS IS WHERE NO EMOTIONS, NOTHINGS GOING.
SO, UM, MS. MARY, AGAIN, I'M GONNA SAVE MY SPEECH TO UM, UH, DECEMBER.
AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, SIR.
YEAH, HE'S, HERE'S A COIN FOR US.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE FIRE.
CAN I GET A PICTURE WITH YOU? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THE DETECTIVE UNIT, THE KINE UNIT ON MY
I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT MY FAMILY IS CRYING MORE THAN I AM RIGHT NOW.
SO IF WE'RE GONNA DO PRESENTATIONS.
SO MIKE, YOU'RE GONNA BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF AVONDALE.
AND BEFORE I GET INTO MY WORDS, I WANTED TO PRESENT YOU SOME, I WANTED TO PRESENT YOU WITH YOUR OWN GAVEL BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE GONNA NEED A GAVEL OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
THIS IS NOT THE GAVEL I'M GIVING YOU, BUT I'M GONNA LEAVE IT HERE JUST IN CASE YOU DO NEED IT.
I'M GUESSING YOU, I'M GUESSING YOU MIGHT NEED IT.
MY HOPE IS TO START A TRADITION THAT THE OUTGOING MAYOR PRESENTS THE NEW INCOMING MAYOR WITH THEIR OWN GAVEL AND, UH, AND BASE.
AND I'VE HAD THIS FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE.
I DON'T REMEMBER IF THIS WAS MARIE'S, I DON'T REMEMBER IF MARIE TOOK HERS, BUT WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU.
AND DO YOU NEED ME TO LEAVE THAT HERE? 'CAUSE I'LL LEAVE THE BIG ONE HERE.
IF YOU NEED TO
AS A REMINDER, UM, I WILL TELL YOU AS I WAS WRITING UP MY COMMENTS, I, I, I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WANT THIS TO BE A GOODBYE.
I TOLD MARIE LOPEZ ROGERS, UM, ON FRIDAY.
[01:30:01]
I AM STUCK IN THIS ONE SQUARE BLOCK AREA FOR A WHILE.I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
YOU AND I WILL GET TOGETHER IN DECEMBER AND, UH, AND WE'LL SAY OUR GOODBYES THEN.
AND FOR ME, THIS IS JUST KIND OF GOING THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS CAME FLOWING INTO MY HEAD OVER THE LAST WEEK OR TWO WEEKS SINCE I MADE MY ANNOUNCEMENT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT I REMEMBER BEING APPOINTED TO COUNSEL AND GOING THROUGH THAT INTERVIEW PROCESS, GOING THROUGH INTERVIEWS.
AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT DAY BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 2006, I STILL GET A FEELING IN THE PIT OF MY STOMACH GOING THROUGH THE INTERVIEW AND ASKING QUESTIONS AND, AND, UH, JUST GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I GOT SELECTED TO COUNCIL 'CAUSE COUNCIL DID THEIR, WHAT THEY DO, AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
SO I REMEMBER THEY VOTED, THEY NARROWED IT DOWN BETWEEN ME AND ANOTHER GENTLEMAN.
AND, AND THEN THEY TOOK ANOTHER VOTE AND I GOT SELECTED.
AND I REMEMBER SAYING WHAT HAPPENED? AND JIM MCDONALD, WHO WAS MY FRIEND, SAID, HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND I THOUGHT, WHAT? IT JUST HAPPENED.
UM, BUT I STILL REMEMBER THAT FEELING.
AND IT'S THE SAME FEELING I HAD WHEN MARIE STEPPED DOWN AND COUNCIL WAS LOOKING TO FILL THE MAYOR'S ROLE.
AND REMEMBER, I DIDN'T WANT THIS JOB.
I, I JUST KNEW HOW HARD MARIE HAD WORKED AND I DIDN'T WANT TO BE LIKE, I DIDN'T WANNA LET THE CITY DOWN.
AND SHERRY SAID TO ME WHEN I CAME TO HER AND I SAID, HEY, THEY'D LIKE ME TO BE MAYOR.
AND IT'S THE SAME THING WE DID WHEN I, WHEN I PUT MY NAME IN FOR COUNCIL.
AND YOU SAID, AND I DIDN'T REALLY WANNA DO IT, I WASN'T SURE ABOUT MYSELF.
AND SHERRY SAID, JUST DO IT FOR TWO YEARS.
AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, YOU WON'T HAVE TO RUN AGAIN.
AND WHEN I PUT MY NAME IN FOR MIRROR, I SAID, I DON'T THINK I WANNA DO THAT.
AND SHE SAID SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES, YOU SHOULD DO IT FOR TWO YEARS, AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, YOU WON'T RUN AGAIN.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT WHEN I READ TO THOSE LITTLE KIDS ON FRIDAY, UH, AT THE CHURCH, IT WAS JUST, IT BROUGHT BACK ALL THE REALLY GOOD THINGS THAT WE DO WHEN WE HEARD ABOUT THE HOMELESS UPDATE TODAY, IT BRINGS ABOUT ALL THE REALLY GOOD THINGS THAT WE DO.
BUILDING MORE DAYS THIS WEEKEND WAS INCREDIBLE.
AND IT ALWAYS IS, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP AND THE DEDICATION, THERE WERE EMPLOYEES WHO WERE THERE BEFORE THE SUN CAME UP AND LONG AFTER THE SUN WENT DOWN, THAT WAS JUST AMAZING TO ME.
YOU KNOW, OVER THESE LAST 18 YEARS, I'VE MET SOME REALLY INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUALS AND PEOPLE THAT I HOPE WILL BE LIFELONG FRIENDS AND, UM, WITH REALLY TALENTED, TALENTED AND DEDICATED PEOPLE.
UM, I TOLD YOU IN THE LETTER HOW I FELT ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES, ABOUT THE TEAM, ABOUT EVERYONE.
TONIGHT, I WANNA TELL YOU KIND OF HOW I FEEL ABOUT MY COUNCIL.
AND I'VE TOLD YOU THIS BEFORE.
YOU ARE BY FAR THE BEST COUNCIL I'VE EVER WORKED WITH.
AND I'VE WORKED WITH SOME REALLY GOOD COUNCILS.
I'VE WORKED WITH COUNCILS THAT WEREN'T ALWAYS ON THE SAME PAGE.
I'VE WORKED WITH COUNCILS WHO, UM, WEREN'T COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE DOING IT TO, TO MOVE UP IN THE NEXT LEVEL OF THE POLITICAL RUNG.
I DON'T SEE THAT WITH THIS COUNCIL.
I SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE DEDICATED TO THE RESIDENTS OF AVONDALE WHO DO THIS JOB BECAUSE YOU'RE TRULY PUBLIC SERVANTS.
VERONICA, YOUR PASSION AND FIGHT INSPIRES ME.
YOU FIGHT FROM THIS COMMUNITY FROM THE VERY FIRST DAY THAT YOU GOT ON COUNCIL AND YOU KEEP ON FIGHTING TO THE VERY LAST DAY.
AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW TINA AND CURTIS, YOUR LOVE AND COMPASSION FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT YOU RUN INTO.
YOU GUYS TRULY HAVE A SERVANT'S HEART.
MY DAUGHTER DELANEY TALKS ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME.
I WILL TELL YOU, I FIND IT IRONIC THAT MY DAUGHTER DELANEY LEADS THE INTERFAITH COMMUNITY AT GOODYEAR, BUT DOESN'T REALLY ATTEND CHURCH ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT RIGHT HERE.
THAT, THAT, THAT SEEMS LIKE IRONY.
BUT DELANEY WAS TEXTING ME LIKE EVERY 10 MINUTES TODAY GOING, ARE YOU CRYING? ARE YOU CRYING? ARE YOU CRYING? AS I WAS WRITING THIS, I AM NOT MAX, YOU'RE DRIVING DETERMINATION.
WELL ABSOLUTELY SERVE YOU WELL.
AND I ALWAYS TELL YOU THAT YOUR VISION FOR WHAT YOU WANNA ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT YOUR VISION FOR THIS COMMUNITY IS GOES FAR BEYOND THESE CHAMBERS.
SO DON'T BE AFRAID OF THAT CHALLENGE.
OKAY, GLORIA, YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS.
I'VE KNOWN YOU PROBABLY AS LONG AS I'VE KNOWN ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS AND YOU'RE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER.
I REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST CAME TO ME AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HILTON DOING THE GARDEN AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
YOU WERE ALWAYS WILLING TO LEARN, YOU WERE ALWAYS THOUGHTFUL IN HOW YOU APPROACH THINGS.
AND I THINK THAT IS JUST AMAZING TO ME, MIKE.
IT'S THE COALITION BUILDING THAT YOU DO IN THIS CITY.
YOU KNOW, SO MANY PEOPLE, UH, YOU HAVE SO MANY RELATIONSHIPS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, IF YOU DO ONE THING AS MAYOR, KEEP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS STRONG.
UM, GUYS, I SEE GREAT THINGS FOR THIS COUNCIL BEYOND WHAT I COULD DO.
I SEE YOU GUYS, YOUR STRENGTH IS WORKING TOGETHER.
DON'T LET ANYTHING DIVIDE YOU.
DON'T LET ANYTHING PUSH YOU APART.
UM, I HAVE MAYORS THAT COME UP TO ME AND SAY, HOW DOES YOUR COUNCIL GET ALONG SO WELL? AND I SAID, I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE INSIDE STORY.
FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS AS WE DO OUR MOMENT OF REFLECTION OR OUR PRAYER, I SAY A PRAYER TO MYSELF, AND I
[01:35:01]
KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD THIS STORY.I SAY, GOD, PLEASE BLESS THIS COMMUNITY.
PUT WISDOM INTO MY MOUTH AND DON'T LET ME SCREW UP.
OKAY? BUT WE WORK TOGETHER REALLY, REALLY WELL FOR EVERY BUSINESS OWNER, EVERY RESIDENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE'VE ALWAYS TAKEN THE POSITION AS A COUNCIL THAT WE WILL NEVER, EVER BRING UP THINGS TO THIS CITY THAT DIVIDE US.
WE DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS FEDERALLY.
WE DON'T WANT, WE DON'T, WE FOCUS ON THINGS THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL.
AND WE NEVER PUT OUR EMPLOYEES IN A POSITION TO HAVE TO DEFEND US OR EXPLAIN THINGS ABOUT US, RIGHT? WE'RE, WE'RE PROFESSIONALS IN WHAT WE DO ALL THE TIME.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE SERVE THOSE WHO, WHO DIDN'T VOTE FOR US.
WE SERVE THOSE WHO DON'T LOOK LIKE US, THAT DON'T SOUND LIKE US, WHO DON'T HAVE THE SAME BACKGROUNDS, WHO DON'T HAVE THE SAME, UH, RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL, AND SOCIETAL VIEWS.
ONCE YOU TAKE THAT OATH OF OFFICE, YOU SERVE EVERY RESIDENT OF AVONDALE.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE THEY COME FROM, IT DOESN'T MATTER THEIR SITUATION.
WE TAKE AN OATH, AND IT'S AN OATH THAT I KNOW YOU ALL TAKE INCREDIBLY SERIOUSLY.
AND I THINK IT, IT'S WHAT REALLY HELPS US HAVE DRIVEN, HAS HELPED TO DRIVE THIS CITY FORWARD.
WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT OVER THE LAST 18 YEARS.
WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT OVER THE LAST DECADE.
I SEE GREAT THINGS FOR THIS CITY.
YOU HAVE PROBABLY THE GREATEST TEAM THAT ANY COUNCIL, ANY MAYOR COULD ASK FOR.
UM, YOU HAVE RESIDENTS WHO, WHO BELIEVE IN YOU, WHO, WHO HAVE PUT THEIR TRUST IN YOU.
DON'T EVER TAKE THAT TRUST FOR GRANTED.
AND, UH, KENNY CHESNEY SINGS A SONG ABOUT, UM, DON'T BLINK.
AND THAT, AND I THINK RON, YOU KNOW IT, AND HE TALKS ABOUT HOW THINGS HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE AND THEY'VE PASSED BY SO QUICKLY.
AND IF YOU TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED, IT'S, IT'S A SHAME.
AND IF YOU BLINK THAT YOU JUST MISS THEM, DON'T MISS YOUR TIME AS MAYOR.
DON'T MISS THE REST OF THE TIME THAT YOU HAVE ON COUNCIL.
CURTIS AND TINA VERONICA, YOU GUYS WILL LOOK BACK ON THESE DAYS INCREDIBLY FONDLY.
UM, MAX, MY HOPE IS THAT IN TWO YEARS YOU RUN AGAIN FOR THIS OFFICE FOR COUNSEL.
UM, I THINK YOU DO INCREDIBLE WORK TO ALL OF YOU.
I ALSO DON'T WANNA BREAK OUT IN TEARS, BUT LET ME JUST SAY THAT, UM, MAY GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU.
MAY GOD BLESS THIS CITY AND MAY GOD BLESS THIS COUNTRY.
JODY HAS TO DRIVE BACK TO CHANDLER
POOR TORN TORRANCE STILL LIVES IN GILBERT.
UH, CAN I GET A MOTION FOR ADUR, PLEASE? I MOTION ALL SECOND.