[1. ROLL CALL BY THE CITY CLERK]
[00:00:57]
AND COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE HERE.
[a. Employee Announcements]
OKAY.THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL UP FIRST IS WE HAVE OUR EMPLOYEE INTRODUCTIONS.
UH, JODY NOVAK, YOUR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, IS GOING FIRST.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM HAPPY TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR NEW EMPLOYEE IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, ALEX RODRIGUEZ.
HE'S A BUILDING INSPECTOR AND OUR BUILDING INSPECTION TEAM IN THE BUILDING SERVICES DIVISION.
HE STARTED WITH US ON JANUARY 6TH.
UM, HE HAD MOVED OUT HERE FROM TEXAS WHERE HE HAS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE IN BUILDING SAFETY AS WELL AS FIRE SERVICES.
UM, HE HAS SPENT MANY YEARS IN TEXAS AND HE NOW CALLS THE WEST VALLEY HIS HOME.
UH, WHEN HE MOVED OUT HERE NOT TOO LONG AGO, HE WAS WORKING FOR ANOTHER JURISDICTION IN THE EAST VALLEY.
SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HIM JOIN US HERE, UM, IN AVONDALE.
AND, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM, UH, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE TO ASK IS, UH, IS IT THE COWBOYS, ARE THEY YOUR FAVORITE TEAM OR COWBOYS?
I DIDN'T WANNA, I DIDN'T WANNA ASSUME, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW FROM TEXAS.
SO NOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN HERE, UH, A LITTLE OVER A MONTH GOING ON, UH, A LONGER THAN A MONTH, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE LEARNED ABOUT THIS CITY, UH, AS COMPARED TO OTHER PLACES THAT YOU'VE WORKED THAT, UH, LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE? UH, A LOT MORE STRUCTURED, A LOT MORE, UH, THE, UH, MY TEAM IS A LOT MORE, UH, IT'S MORE OF A, OF A TEAM THEN I WAS JUST A BODY IN MY OTHER MUNICIPALITY.
UH, IT WAS OF COURSE A LOT BIGGER, BUT, UM, THIS FEELS MORE LIKE WHAT I WAS DOING OUT IN ROUND ROCK, TEXAS.
I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE TEAM THAT I'VE CHOSEN.
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE TEAM, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE WITH ALL OF YOUR EXPERIENCE.
[b. Proclamation - Government Communicators Day 2025]
MAYOR.NEXT WE HAVE, UH, UH, PROCLAMATION WHO, UH, PEER OUR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING PUBLIC RELATIONS.
WE'LL START US OFF WITH, UM, HONORING OUR MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS STAFF.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M YOUR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND I'M JOINED HERE BY MY TEAM FROM THE NPR DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE WANTED TO BE HERE TODAY TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATORS DAY, WHICH WAS CELEBRATED ON FEBRUARY 21ST.
UH, THIS, THIS YEAR, UM, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S COMMONPLACE TO, UM, TO RECOGNIZE VARIOUS PROFESSIONS IN GOVERNMENT.
SO YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE ENGINEERING WEEK, WHICH YOU, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE AT YOUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
YOU HAVE PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH, YOU HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT MONTH, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND NOW YOU HAVE GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATORS DAY IN THIS CASE, WE ONLY GET ONE DAY.
SO, UM, SO THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIVE STAY IS TO RECOGNIZE THE VITAL ROLE OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT IT ISN'T JUST MY DEPARTMENT THAT'S INVOLVED IN COMMUNICATIONS.
WE DO HAVE VARIOUS, UM, EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHO HELP THEIR DEPARTMENTS IN THE COMMUNICATIONS FUNCTIONS, FROM PUBLIC SAFETY TO PUBLIC WORKS AND PART PARTS AND RECS.
SO, UM, THEY ARE FOLKS THAT ARE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, UM, BEHIND THE SCENES, DOING THEIR BEST TO, UM, HIGHLIGHT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THIS ESSENTIAL CITY FUNCTION.
[00:05:02]
THESE ARE JUST A, A QUICK OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE MANY, MANY THINGS WE DO.IT'S A DIVERSE RANGE OF, UM, DUTIES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO WE ARE ESSENTIALLY THE COMMUNICATIONS HUB FOR MEDIA RELATIONS, DIGITAL MEDIA, GRAPHIC DESIGN, AND MARKETING AND BRANDING SERVICES IN AVONDALE.
UH, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO, UH, JUST HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR SUCCESSES.
UH, WE ARE, UH, THE MARKETING AND PR DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE SMALLER DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY.
WE ARE ESSENTIALLY JUST SEVEN PEOPLE HANDLING EVERYTHING, UH, FROM GRAPHIC DESIGN TO PHOTOGRAPHY, TO ALL YOUR MEDIA RELEASES, UH, AS WELL AS THE MERCHANDISE THAT YOU SEE IN, IN OUR, UM, VISITOR AND MARK, UH, VISITOR CENTER.
SO LAST YEAR WE RESPONDED TO ABOUT 1500 PROJECTS FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS.
OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE REALLY BUSY, SO THEY KEEP US BUSY, WHICH IS JOB SECURITY THERE.
UM, OF COURSE, YOU, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH OUR RAVE MAGAZINE THAT'S MAILED TO EVERY SINGLE HOUSEHOLD IN THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
RIGHT NOW IT GOES TO 33,000 HOUSEHOLDS AND MORE AS, AS WE KEEP BRINGING ON NEW RESIDENTS IN THE CITY.
UH, YOU SEE OUR AVONDALE LY THAT WAS DESIGNED AT FOR OUR VISITOR CENTER, AND THAT WAS DONE COMPLETELY BY, UM, OUR OWN GRAPHIC DESIGNER, KRISTA WILSON.
UH, WE HAVE A BRAND STANDARDS GUIDE THAT WAS WORKED ON REALLY HARD BY THE TEAM.
IN PARTICULAR, NOLENE, WHO'S ANOTHER GRAPHIC DESIGNER WHO'S BEEN WITH US FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, UH, WORKING ON ALL THE BEAUTIFUL, UH, GRAPHICS AND AND BRAND THAT YOU SEE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, WE HELP OUR DEPARTMENTS WITH A LOT OF THEIR HIRING.
UH, AND THEN YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, WE RIDE OUR DEPARTMENT WAS THE ONE THAT CREATED THE BRANDING AND MARKETING COLLATERAL FOR OUR MICRO TRANSIT, UM, SERVICE THAT IS NOT JUST UTILIZED IN AVONDALE, BUT THROUGHOUT THE WEST VALLEY.
AND WITH THAT MAY, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR THE PROCLAMATION.
UM, PIERRE, AND IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, I DON'T WANT TO PUT EVERYBODY ON THE SPOT, BUT WE GOTTA HIGHLIGHT YOUR SUCCESS.
SO WOULD THE TEAM RISE AND BE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH THAT? I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONS IS TO INFORM, EDUCATE, AND ENGAGE THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS ROBUST COMMUNICATION AND GOVERNMENT CREATES TRUST AND INSPIRES RESIDENTS TO TAKE ACTION AND BE INVOLVED.
AND WHEREAS GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS CREATE RELATIONSHIPS AND CALL TO ACTION, BUILD AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING THROUGH STORYTELLING, ENGAGE AND FOSTER ENGAGEMENT ON CIVIC ISSUES, AND USE ALL CHANNELS TO INCLUDE PEOPLE IN CRITICAL DECISIONS.
AND WHEREAS IT IS ESSENTIAL TO HAVE A STRONG COMMUNICATIONS AND GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT'S A FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENT OF LIVING AND A DEMOCRACY WHERE CITIZENS HAVE THE FREEDOM TO MAKE THEIR VOICE HEARD.
AND WHEREAS AVONDALE'S MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT SERVES AS THE HUB FOR THE CITY'S EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION TO RESIDENTS, VISITORS, AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AVONDALE IS PROUD AND HAS DEEP GRATITUDE AND RECOGNITION FOR GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATORS, PROFESSIONALISM, DEDICATION, HARD WORK, COMMITMENT, ENTHUSIASM, AND SACRIFICE.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 21ST, 2025 AS GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATORS DAY AND THE CITY OF AVONDALE ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO RECOGNIZE THE MEMBERS OF THE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT, ALONG WITH OTHER CITY STAFF, INCLUDING PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR CAREERS TO ENSURE THE CITY OF AVONDALE HAS EFFECTIVE, IMPACTFUL AND SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES THAT RESONATE AND ARE RELEVANT.
BEFORE WE GO ONTO THE NEXT ONE, I WANNA LET, UH, YOU KNOW, AND COUNSEL KNOW WE'LL DO SOME PICTURES, UM, NOT VERY OFTEN THEY GET TO BE IN THE PICTURE, BUT WE'LL GET A PICTURE WITH COUNSEL AND THEM AS A GROUP.
WE WANT A PICTURE OF ALL OF YOU ALL.
UM, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN, BUT THERE'S SEVERAL PICTURES THAT'LL HAPPEN, BUT WE'LL WAIT TILL THE LAST PRESENTATION.
[c. Presentation by the Arizona Department of Transportation]
NEXT UP WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.UH, KIM MOON, YOUR DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING, WILL INTRODUCE OUR GUEST FROM A O HI.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE HAVE, UH, GUESTS THIS EVENING FROM THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND HAVE THEM STAND.
UH, KIMBERLY LARSON WILL BE OUR FIRST SPEAKER, BUT I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE, ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO THE FIRST SPEAKER, KIMBERLY LARSON ABOUT LOOP 1 0 1 AT I 10 SYSTEM INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS.
[00:10:01]
AND THEN, UH, GAEL LIMA FOR THE STATE ROUTE 30 IMPROVEMENTS.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR PINEDA AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, INVITING US TO SPEAK AND HAVE A CHANCE TO PRESENT ON THESE PROJECTS THIS EVENING.
UM, I'M KIMBERLY LARSON, COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROJECT MANAGER WITH ADOT.
I'M ASSIGNED TO THE LOOP 1 0 1 I 10 SYSTEM INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
UM, QUICKLY I JUST WANNA ALSO INTRODUCE, UM, THE REST OF OUR TEAM THAT JUST STAND, STAND STOOD, I SHOULD SAY.
UM, RASHIDA HAWK DESIGN PROJECT MANAGER FOR BOTH OF THE PROJECTS WE'RE PRESENTING ON THIS EVENING.
UM, GREG FLY AND MIKE CHASE AND THE DESIGN PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE LOOP 1 0 1 I 10.
TRAFFIC INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, TROY SITZ.
SO I WILL START WITH, UM, A PROJECT OVERVIEW, UH, INCLUDING THE TIMELINE AND THE KEY ELEMENTS OF, UM, THE PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS, UM, THE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND THE CONSTRUCTION.
UM, A LITTLE BIT INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS, IMPACTS.
SO THE PROJECT ENCOMPASSES THE LOOP 1 0 1 FROM INDIAN SCHOOL ROAD TO THE INTERCHANGE AND I 10 FROM THE INTERCHANGE TO 83RD AVENUE.
THE PROJECT'S PURPOSE IS TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE EXISTING AND FUTURE CONGESTION, UH, IN THE AREA.
AND TO ACHIEVE THAT, UH, SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, WHICH INCLUDE A DIRECT HOV RAMP CONNECTING LOOP 1 0 1 HOV LANES TO THE I 10 HOV LANES EAST OF THE SYSTEM INTERCHANGE.
UM, A NEW RAMP CONNECTION WILL ALSO BE CREATED FROM SOUTHBOUND LOOP 1 0 1 2 90 FIRST AVENUE, A NEW COMBINED SOUTHBOUND LOOP 1 0 1 EXIT TO THOMAS AND MCDOWELL ROADS, AS WELL AS THE CONSTRUCTION OF NOISE WALLS, UM, WERE WARRANTED THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT AND WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE DESIGN PHASE AND WE'LL BE WRAPPING UP THE FINAL DESIGN, UH, VERY SOON.
ADA AND ITS PROJECT PARTNERS HAVE HELD THREE PUBLIC MEETINGS DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT BETWEEN 2022 AND 2024 TO INFORM THE PUBLIC AND GATHER INPUT ON THE PROJECT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A BRIEF VIDEO THAT WILL ILLUSTRATE FOR YOU, UM, HOW THE PROJECT WILL LOOK ONCE IT IS COMPLETED.
SO THIS, UM, IS SOUTHBOUND ON LOOP 1 0 1 AND AS YOU'LL SEE ON THE RIGHT HIGHLIGHTED IS THE NEW COMBINED THOMAS AND MCDOWELL ROAD SOUTHBOUND EXIT RAMP.
THE LOOP 1 0 1, UM, IS BEING WIDENED ON BOTH SIDES TO PROVIDE ROOM IN THE MEDIAN FOR THE NEW DIRECT HOV RAMP CONNECTION.
UM, AND NOW WE'RE GONNA TURN AND LOOK AT I 10, UH, HEADING EASTBOUND.
AND AS WE PROGRESS, YOU CAN SEE THAT SMALL GREEN AREA IS THE NEW EXIT TO 91ST AVENUE FROM LOOP 1 0 1 SOUTHBOUND.
THE EASTBOUND I 10 AUXILIARY LANES COMING FROM LOOP 1 0 1 WILL BE EXTENDED TO THE EAST TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MER MERGING LENGTH.
AND, UH, THE PROJECT LIMITS END AT THERE AT 83RD AVENUE.
AND AS I MENTIONED, UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY, UM, IN THE FINAL DESIGN PHASE.
UM, THE TEAM EXPECTS TO CONCLUDE DESIGN, UM, HERE IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR.
AND THE PROJECT WILL THEN GO TO, UM, ADVERTISE FOR CONSTRUCTION BID IN THE SECOND QUARTER AND WE ANTICIPATE CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN THIS FALL.
UH, WE ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE PROJECT CONSTRUCTION IS PROGRAMMED AT 291 MILLION IN THE MAG FREEWAY LIFECYCLE PROGRAM, UH, FUNDED THROUGH PROPOSITION PROPOSITION 400, UM, THE DEDICATED HALF CENT SALES TAX, UM, IN MARICOPA COUNTY TO FUND TRANSPORTATION APPROVED BY VOTERS IN 2004 AND WHICH WAS RECENTLY, RECENTLY EXTENDED BY VOTERS.
SO WITH CONSTRUCTION, UM, JUST AROUND THE CORNER LATER THIS YEAR, I WANTED TO MENTION SOME OF THE, UM, IMPACTS AND WHAT TO EXPECT, UH, WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
UM, WE WILL, UH, SEE PERIODIC AND OVERNIGHT WEEKEND FREEWAY CLOSURES AND RESTRICTIONS,
[00:15:02]
UH, AS WELL AS TEMPORARY CROSS STREET RAMP CLOSURES THAT MAY LAST UP TO 60 DAYS.THIS, UM, WOULD APPLY TO THE INTERCHANGE RAMPS SUCH AS MCDOWELL AND THOMAS ROAD.
UM, THE SYSTEM RAMPS AT THE LOOP 1 0 1 AND I 10 SYSTEM INTERCHANGE WOULD ONLY, UM, REQUIRE WEEKEND AND OR OVERNIGHT CLOSURES.
UM, THERE WERE ALSO EXPECTED TO BE TEMPORARY CLOSURES AND LANE RESTRICTIONS ON SOME CROSS STREETS AND FRONTAGE ROADS.
AND WE'D JUST LIKE TO STRESS TO THE CITY THAT ADOT WILL AVOID FREEWAY RESTRICTIONS AND CLOSURES DURING THOSE MAJOR EVENTS AND MAJOR HOLIDAYS IN THE AREA AND TO PROVIDE, UM, AND WE WILL PROVIDE ADVANCE NOTICE ON CONSTRUCTION RESTRICTIONS, UM, TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND TO THE PUBLIC THROUGHOUT OUR VARIOUS COMMUNICATION METHODS.
SO THAT CONCLUDES, UM, MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS PROJECT, UM, OUR TEAM WOULD HA BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE AT THIS TIME.
ARE THERE CURRENTLY ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE HEADS UP THAT THERE'S GONNA BE CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE FEEDER LANE THAT COMES OFF FROM THOMAS ROAD, THAT WILL ALSO FEED INTO MCDOWELL.
SO WE'RE COMBINING TWO EXISTING EXITS WITH ONE THROUGHWAY NOW TO HAVE MCDOWELL.
AND, UM, HOW IS THAT CLOSURE GOING TO IMPACT, UM, THE TRAFFIC, I GUESS GOING SOUTHBOUND ON THE 1 0 1? ABOUT WHAT TIMEFRAME DO YOU SEE THAT TAKING FOR THAT PORTION OF THE PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED? UM, I WILL SAY IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE TOO EARLY TO PREDICT, UM, THE PHASING OF THE PROJECT.
UM, WHEN WE HAVE ADVERTISED AND SELECTED, UM, A CONTRACTOR, WE USUALLY THEN AT THE START OUTSIDE OF THE PROJECT, UM, WE WILL HOLD A PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND THE CONTRACTORS.
SO I CAN'T, UM, I CAN'T SAY AT THIS TIME WHEN THAT MIGHT HAPPEN.
IF YOU HAVE, I'LL INVITE RASHIDA AND, AND TROY TO PROVIDE ANY OTHER INSIGHT.
JUST WANT TO, UH, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO THAT HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO, UH, APPROXIMATELY WE ARE, UH, WE HAVE ESTIMATED, UH, ABOUT 30 MONTHS OF CONSTRUCTION PERIOD, AS YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE PRESENTATION.
IT IS BEGINNING IN FALL AFTER AWARD, UH, OF THE CONTRACT.
AND THEN WITHIN THE 30 MONTHS PERIOD, WE HAVE PHASES OF CONSTRUCTIONS.
AND TO, UH, ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION ON THE THOMAS AND MAGAW COMBINED, I'LL REQUEST, UH, OUR DESIGN MANAGER TROY, TO PROVIDE, UH, MORE, UH, INFORMATION ON THAT.
YEAH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
AND THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR QUESTION.
UM, JUST TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT, KIMBERLY IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
USUALLY ADO LIKES THE CONTRACTORS TO HAVE SOME INPUT INTO THE PHASING AND, AND TRAFFIC CONTROL OF THE, OF THE, UH, PROJECT.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE AS PART OF OUR DESIGN PROCESS IS WE HAVE LAID OUT A CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCING PLAN THAT WOULD ALLOW THOSE RAMPS TO BE OPEN FOR THE MOST OF THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT.
NOW WE WILL NEED TO HAVE SOME SHORT TERM CLOSURES, UM, OF THOSE RAMPS.
WE WOULD NOT CLOSE 'EM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, SO IF WE DO NEED TO CLOSE THE, UM, THE THOMAS ROAD EXIT FOR, UH, LET'S JUST SAY A 60 DAY PERIOD, ACTUALLY, I'M GONNA BACK UP THOMAS ROAD.
WE'RE PLANNING TO KEEP OPEN, UM, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A HOSPITAL THERE, UM, IN THAT, IN THAT GENERAL AREA.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS DO SOME TEMPORARY PAVING TO KEEP THAT, KEEP IT AROUND.
WE WILL NEED TO EXPERIENCE SOME OVERNIGHT AND WEEKEND CLOSURES.
UM, MAYBE A VERY SHORT DURATION CLOSURE THAT WOULD EXTEND A LITTLE BIT LONGER, BUT WE WOULD NOT CLOSE MCDOWELL AT THE SAME TIME.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA.
UM, BUT THE BIG BENEFIT OF COMBINING THOSE EXITS INTO ONE IS IT'S GONNA REMOVE A LOT OF THAT WEAVING FROM THE FREEWAY AND HELP HOPEFULLY, UH, CLEAR UP A LOT OF THAT CONGESTION AS YOU APPROACH THE SYSTEM INTERCHANGE.
YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH THE HOSPITAL.
I THINK THE ONLY THING WE COULD POSSIBLY ASK IS ONCE WE KNOW THOSE MILE POSTS, ONCE THE CONTRACTORS ARE IN PLACE, IF THEY COULD GIVE US A TIGHT TIMEFRAME ON THAT.
AND I'M SURE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA REQUIRE OF THEM ANYWAY.
SO WE'D JUST LOVE FOR YOU TO SHARE THAT WITH US.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON ONE THING.
YOU DID MENTION MAJOR HOLIDAY OR MAJOR EVENTS.
THE NASCAR RACES ARE CONSIDERED MAJOR EVENTS AND THEY ARE LISTED IN OUR SPECIAL PROVISIONS THAT THE CONTRACTOR WOULD HAVE TO KEEP THE FREEWAY OPEN DURING THAT TIME.
UH, IF I CAN JUST SUPPLEMENT IN THE END IS, UH, DURING, UH, WHEN WE WILL GET THAT CONTRACTOR
[00:20:01]
ON BOARD, WE HAVE A STANDARD PROCESS IN ADOT,AND AS PARTNER OF THIS, UH, PROJECT, CITY OF DALE REPRESENTATIVES ALSO WILL BE INVITED.
SO THEY WILL BE IN THE LOOP IF THERE IS ANY TRAFFIC CONTROL.
THERE WILL BE ADVANCED NOTIFICATION PROCESS TO KIMBERLY AND OTHER MEANS AND METHODS.
SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE ARE KEEPING EVERYONE IN THE LOOP FOR ANY KIND OF IMPACTS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, YOU KNOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE SAID SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT IN REGARDS TO SAFETY.
AND WHILE MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS MAY NOT BE UTILIZING THE SOUTHBOUND LANE, UH, IN THE MORNINGS FOR WORK, THEY MAY FOR LEISURE AND OTHER THINGS, UH, HEADING EAST, THE BOTTLENECK THAT OCCURS DOWN AT THE BOTTOM AFTER YOU ARE THE TRAFFIC IS COMING SOUTH, I THINK IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT WILL, UH, AT LEAST ALLOW FOR TO BE A SAFER, UH, TRANSITION, UH, FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND THOSE COMING FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WEST VALLEY.
SO I'M SURE WHILE IT PROGRESS BRINGS PAIN, IT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT OUR RESIDENTS WILL AT LEAST, UH, FIND, UH, IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO GAEL LUNA TO TALK ABOUT STATE ROUTE 30.
ALRIGHT, UH, MAYOR PINEDA, THE VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, UH, MY NAME IS GAEL LUNA.
I AM THE A O COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROJECT MANAGER WHO IS ASSIGNED TO THE STATE ROUTE 30, UH, 97TH AVENUE TO LOOP 2 0 2 IMPROVEMENTS I'LL BE COVERING, UH, IN THIS PRESENTATION.
SOME BACKGROUND ON THE PROJECT, UH, THE SELECTED ALTERNATIVE FOR SR 30, UH, PLAN IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT, UH, AS WELL AS THE PROJECT TIMELINE.
IN NOVEMBER OF 2017, ADOT HELD A PUBLIC MEETING, UH, TO PRESENT THE FOUR BUILD ALTERNATIVES AND THE NO BUILD ALTERNATIVE, AND IDENTIFIED THE RECOMMENDED BUILD ALTERNATIVE TO BE CARRIED FORWARD FOR DETAILED ANALYSIS AND ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INPUT.
IN EARLY 2019, ADOT RECOMMENDED A BUILD ALTERNATIVE FOR THE SR 30 ALIGNMENT.
THAT DECISION ALLOWED ADOT TO BEGIN ADVANCED RED WAY ACQUISITION, UH, AND SOME PRELIMINARY DESIGN WORK.
UH, THIS PROJECT IS NOW IN THE FINAL DESIGN PHASE.
UH, THE MAP THAT YOU'RE SEEING, UH, SHOWS THE PROJECT AREA BETWEEN 97TH AVENUE AND LOOP 2 0 2 IN ORANGE.
UH, THE PROJECT IS LOCATED ENTIRELY WITHIN THE CITY OF PHOENIX.
UH, HOWEVER, FUTURE SECTIONS OF SR 30, UH, BETWEEN THE FUTURE SOUTHWARD EXTENSION OF LOOP 3 0 3 AND 97TH AVENUE ARE SHOWN, SHOWN IN GREEN, AND WILL INCLUDE WORK IN THE CITIES OF AVONDALE AND GOODYEAR, BUT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS PROJECT.
THIS MAP SHOWS THE PROJECT AREA, UH, FOR THE SR 30 SEGMENT BETWEEN 97TH AVENUE AND LOOP 2 0 2, AND INCLUDES LOCATIONS OF NEW CROSS STREETS, UM, UH, TRAFFIC INTER, SORRY, LOCATIONS OF NEW CROSS STREET TRAFFIC INTERCHANGES IN THE GREEN CIRCLES, UH, NEW BRIDGES, THE LIGHT ORANGE AND THE SR 30 LOOP 2 0 2 SYSTEM INTERCHANGE, UH, IN THE BLUE CIRCLE.
UH, THE FUTURE SR 30 WEST OF THE PROJECT AREA IS SHOWN AS A GRAY DASHED LINE.
THIS SR 30 PROJECT WILL INCLUDE APPROXIMATELY FOUR AND A HALF MILES OF NEW FREEWAY FROM 97TH AVENUE TO LOOP 2 0 2 WITH THREE GENERAL PURPOSE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION.
A NEW SR 30 LOOP 2 0 2 SOUTH MOUNTAIN FREEWAY SYSTEM INTERCHANGE, UH, TRAFFIC INTERCHANGES AT 91ST STREET, 83RD, UH, AND 67TH AVENUES, WHICH, UH, WILL INCLUDE BRIDGES TO SEPARATE SR 30 AND CROSS STREET TRAFFIC WIDENING OF EXISTING BRIDGES AT LOOP 2 0 2 AND BASELINE ROAD SOUTHERN AVENUE BROADWAY, AND LOWER BUCKEYE ROADS, THE ROOSEVELT IRRIGATION CANAL AND BUCKEYE ROAD TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEW SYSTEM.
RAMPS BETWEEN SR 30 AND LOOP 2 0 2, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS AND ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTING THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT AREA.
AND NOISE WALLS WERE WARRANTED BASED ON THE NOISE ANALYSIS.
UH, AESTHETICS OF THE SR 30 LOOP 2 0 2 TRAFFIC INTERCHANGE WILL MATCH THE EXISTING THEMES ON LOOP 2 0 2.
UH, FINAL AESTHETICS FOR THE SR 30, UH, SR 30 SECTION BETWEEN 97TH AVENUE AND LOOP 2 0 2 ARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT AT THIS TIME.
UH, THIS IMAGE SHOWS THE SYSTEM INTERCHANGE BETWEEN THE EXISTING LOOP 2 0 2, UH, RED MOUNTAIN OR SOUTH MOUNTAIN FREEWAY AND THE FUTURE SR 30.
UH, THE RED LINES SHOW WHERE BRIDGE STRUCTURES WILL NEED TO BE BUILT, UH, FOR THE RAMP CONNECTIONS.
AND THE YELLOW, UH, SHOWS THE NEW SR 30 FREEWAY MAIN LINE, AS WELL AS THE INTERCHANGE, RAMPS AND CROSSROAD IMPROVEMENTS AT 67TH AVENUE BROADWAY ROAD AND SOUTHERN AVENUE.
UH, TO CONSTRUCT THIS INTERCHANGE, A NUMBER OF EXISTING BRIDGES WILL NEED TO BE EXPANDED IN NEW BRIDGES CONSTRUCTED, UH, ALONG LOOP
[00:25:01]
2 0 2, INCLUDING BRIDGES AT BROADWAY ROAD, SOUTHERN AVENUE AND BASELINE ROAD, SR 30 WILL BE INITIALLY CONSTRUCTED AS AN INTERIM, UH, FREEWAY WITH THREE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION.UH, ADOT WILL ACQUIRE THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR THE ULTIMATE FREEWAY CONFIGURATION, UH, SO THAT SR 30 CAN BE WIDENED INTO THE MEDIAN IN THE FUTURE.
UH, THIS IMAGE SHOWS THE APPROXIMATION OF A TYPICAL CROSS-SECTION OF SR 30, UH, SHOWING, UH, THREE 12 FOOT GENERAL PURPOSE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION WITH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE SHOULDERS, AS WELL AS THE WIDE CENTER MEDIAN FOR FUTURE EXPANSION.
THE SR 30, UH, DESIGN WILL ACCOMMODATE FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT INCLUDE AN ULTIMATE, UH, ROADWAY CONFIGURATION WITH FOUR GENERAL PURPOSE LANES AND ONE HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANE, UH, IN EACH DIRECTION.
AND DIRECT CONNECTING HOV RAMPS BETWEEN SR 30 AND LOOP 2 0 2.
UH, THIS EXHIBIT SHOWS THE ULTIMATE ROADWAY CONFIGURATION WITH THE FOUR GENERAL PURPOSE LANES, ONE HOV LANE AND 12 FOOT SHOULDERS ON EACH SIDE.
NEW RIGHT OF WAY, UH, WILL BE REQUIRED FOR CONSTRUCTION OF SR 30 BETWEEN, UH, CEVILLE AVENUE AND LOOP 2 0 2.
UH, UTILITY EASEMENTS MAY ALSO BE REQUIRED, BUT ARE EXPECTED TO BE MINIMAL AND WILL DEPEND ON THE ACTUAL UTILITY RELOCATION, UH, DESIGNS THAT ARE NEGOTIATED WITH UTILITY COMPANIES DURING THE FINAL DESIGN PHASE.
IN ADDITION, TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS MAY BE REQUIRED BUT ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO BE MINIMAL, UH, AND WILL DEPEND ON CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC REQUIREMENTS.
THIS PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDES ONLY THE PLAN SECTION OF SR 30 BETWEEN 97TH AVENUE AND LOOP 2 0 2 DOES REQUIRE THE ACQUISITION OF BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
BUT THE ACQUISITION PROCESS IS UNDERWAY AND IT'S NEARING COMPLETION.
UH, THE PROJECT IS CURRENTLY IN THE DESIGN PHASE, WHICH BEGAN IN OCTOBER OF 2024.
UH, ADOT WILL HOST A PUBLIC MEETING IN LATE 2025 OR EARLY 2026.
UM, DESIGN IS ANTICIPATED TO BE COMPLETED BY FALL OF 2026, AND CONSTRUCTION IS TENTATIVELY EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN SPRING OF 2027 AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED, UH, SOMETIME IN 2029.
UH, WE ALSO, REGARDING FUNDING THIS PROJECT AND THE OTHER SECTIONS OF SR 30, UH, LEADING TO LOOP 3 0 3 R FUNDED UNDER PROP 4 79 AND A HALF CENT, UH, TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX.
UM, AND THE AVONDALE SEGMENTS THAT ARE, UH, WELL, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PHASED YET AND THAT'S STILL IN DISCUSSION, UM, IN THE MARICOPA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, UH, THE, WE'RE ANTICIPATING THE SEGMENTS WILL BE, UH, BULLARD TO DYSART, DYSART TO AVONDALE, AND THEN AVONDALE TO 99TH AVENUE.
SO THAT CONCLUDES, UH, MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, WITH, UH, ANY TIME REMAINING ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT'S GREAT TO HEAR THE FIRST SEGMENT'S KICKING OFF FROM THE CITY OF PHOENIX.
THE ORDER THAT YOU JUST SHARED.
THIS WILL HAPPEN BASED ON THE TIMEFRAME YOU'VE BUILT OUT.
IS IT A GOOD APPROXIMATION THAT 2032 IS WHEN WE MIGHT SEE SOME OF THAT DEVELOPMENT HERE IN THE CITY? SIR, I, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
I KNOW THAT THE, THE ACTUAL PHASING IS STILL UNDER DISCUSSION AT THE MARICOPA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT AND, UM, GET BACK, UH, TO, UM, UH, KIMBERLY, UH, WITH, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IF THAT'S OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY IN THE AUDIENCE HAVE SEEN THE PLANS.
UH, NOT JUST THE SEGMENT FROM 97TH TO 2 0 2, BUT JUST IN ITS ENTIRETY OF ITS POSITION AND LOCATION AND HOW IT'S GONNA RUN THROUGH HERE.
AVONDALE, UM, OBVIOUSLY, WHICH WE ARE ALL, UH, CONCERNED WITH, AND I KNOW THE MANY OF THE MEETINGS THAT I'VE ATTENDED, UH, THE DATES HAVE KIND OF, THEY'VE NEVER BEEN SOLIDIFIED.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS, UH, FOR THAT.
AND I'VE HEARD THE 20 32 33, UH, ISH TYPE OF TIMEFRAME.
UM, BUT AGAIN, GOING BACK TO MY ORIGINAL COMMENT ON THE 1 0 1 INTERCHANGE IS, AGAIN, SAFETY AND THE FACT THAT I 10 HAS BECOME SUCH A PARKING LOT, THAT THIS RELIEVER, UH, FREEWAY, IF YOU WILL, WILL PROVIDE THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
THAT THE, I BELIEVE THAT THE INTERCHANGE WILL BRING TO THE 1 0 1, WHICH IS IMPROVEMENT, SPEED AND MOBILITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO GO EAST AND WEST.
AND SO, UM, AS MUCH INFORMATION AS YOU CAN SHARE, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ACCESS TO SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PUSH OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS AS TIME STARTS TO, TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND, UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO IF THERE'S NOT ANY OTHER COMMENTS, THEN, UM, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND THE TEAM BEING HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
[00:30:01]
MR. MAYOR.[d. Property All-Star Curb Appeal Award Program]
UP NEXT, WE HAVE JOSH PEREZ, OUR CO COMPLIANCE MANAGER.WE'RE STARTING AN ALL STAR CURB APPEAL AWARD PROGRAM.
EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT OUR CO COMPLIANCE AND OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY'S NEWEST RECOGNITION PROGRAM, THE PROPERTY ALL STAR CURB APPEAL PROGRAM.
SO WHY ARE WE GONNA HAVE A RECOGNITION PROGRAM? ONE OF THE GOALS OF CO COMPLIANCE IN THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE BEAUTIFICATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
THIS NEW PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN RECOGNIZING AND REWARDING PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE TAKING THOSE EXTRA STEPS THAT ARE MAINTAINING THEIR PROPERTIES AT HIGHER STANDARDS THAT WE HOPE ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS WILL ASPIRE TO AS WELL.
OUR RECOGNITION PROGRAM WILL HAVE TWO CATEGORIES.
OUR FIRST CATEGORY WILL BE RESIDENTIAL.
THIS WILL INCLUDE ALL SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOMES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
OUR SECOND CATEGORY WILL BE COMMERCIAL.
AND IN ADDITION TO ALL COMMERCIAL ZONED PROPERTIES, PROPERTIES SUCH AS MULTIFAMILY UNITS, SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEXES WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS AND HOA OWNED AREAS AND PROPERTIES AS WELL.
SO HOW WOULD WE SUBMIT A, A NOMINATION TO BE HAVING YOUR PROPERTY CONSIDERED OR A PROPERTY CONSIDERED? WE'LL BE USING OUR ABBY YS APP TO ALLOW RESIDENTS TO SUBMIT A PROPERTY FOR CONSIDERATION.
THIS WILL PROVIDE THE RESIDENT OR A CITIZEN A OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A PICTURE AND PROVIDE A BRIEF STATEMENT ON THAT PROPERTY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE NOMINATED.
AND THOSE WILL BE GO, ALL THE SUBMISSIONS WOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE CO COMPLIANCE DIVISION, WHERE WE WOULD SCREEN ALL THE ENTRIES AND THEN CREATE A LIST TO PROVIDE TO A SELECTION COMMITTEE.
A SELECTION COMMITTEE WILL BE COMPRISED OF MEMBERS OF THE CITY, UH, CITY STAFF, AND ALSO A MEMBER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION.
ONCE THEY'RE GIVEN THAT LIST, THEY'LL BE HAVING SOME CRITERIA.
SOME OF THOSE CRITERIA POINTS THAT THEY WOULD BE USING TO EVALUATE.
THE PROPERTIES ARE LANDSCAPE DESIGN, USE OF LIGHTING, HARDSCAPE ELEMENTS AND USE OF WATER CONSERVING PLANTS.
THE ELE SELECTION COMMITTEE WILL PROVIDE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CO COMPLIANCE MANAGER AND THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE FORWARDED TO CITY MANAGEMENT TO MAKE THAT FINAL SELECTION.
ONCE A PROPERTY OWNER HAS BEEN SELECTED, WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THAT PROPERTY OWNER TO COME TO A CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO BE GIVEN A CERTIFICATE AND ASSIGNED A PLACE IN FRONT OF THEIR PROPERTY TO SHOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN AWARDED.
AND WE'D ALSO LIKE TO FEATURE THEM IN UPCOMING RA PUBLICATIONS, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THIS WORD ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT A YARD SIGN WOULD BE, UH, HOW IT WOULD BE LOOKING IN YOUR FRONT YARD DESIGN BY OUR AMAZING MARKETING TEAM.
WE'RE REALLY HAPPY WITH THEIR HELP, BUT, UH, AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE, UH, PROVIDED TO THE RESIDENT.
IT'D BE, UM, PRINTED ON A CORRUGATED PLASTIC MATERIAL SO THAT THEY CAN PLACE IT ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE RESIDENCE.
AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST ANOTHER JUST WAY FOR US TO JUST TAKE THAT TIME TO JUST APPRECIATE THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE TAKING THAT COMMUNITY PRIDE IN THEIR HOMES.
AND AGAIN, HOPEFULLY GIVE THAT RECOGNITION AND PROMOTE THAT, THAT OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS ARE WILLING TO DO THE SAME.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO JUST A REGULAR HOME THAT INCLUDES HOMES AND HOAS, AND THEN THE COMMERCIAL.
DID WE CONSIDER DOING LIKE A NON HOA HOME AND THEN HAVING A HOA HOME? SO MAKING THREE CATEGORIES RATHER THAN THE TWO.
RIGHT NOW, WE JUST CONSIDER ALL RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
SO THAT WOULD BE RESIDENTIAL HOMES AT EVERY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S IN A SUBDIVISION WITH AN HOA OR IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, LIKE A ONE OF OUR REVITALIZATION C UH, YOU KNOW, HOMES AS WELL.
SO IT IS OPEN FOR ANYBODY TO SUBMIT A RECOMMENDATION AND THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD TAKE KIND OF SOME, THOSE CONSIDERATIONS, UH, WITH THE SELECTION CAN BE AND THE CRITERIA THAT WE BUILT.
BUT I MEAN, THOSE, AGAIN, WITH THE, ONCE WE IMPLEMENT THIS, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, OUR, HOPEFULLY OUR GOAL IS TO, THAT IT GROWS AND THAT THERE'S MORE CATEGORIES WE CAN CREATE IN OWN.
COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, THIS IS A VERY CUTE IDEA, ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE I SEE PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS TAKING CARE OF THEIR HOMES, LIKE GOING THAT EXTRA MILE.
UM, I HAVE A VETERAN IN MY COMMUNITY THAT GOES AND TAKES CARE OF THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE HE WANTS EVERYONE'S YARDS TO LOOK CLEAN.
UM, AND I'M GLAD THAT THEY HAVE TO NOMINATE THEMSELVES AND YOU'RE NOT WALKING AROUND BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO TO MY, GO TO MY HOUSE AND, AND BE LOOKING AT IT.
UM, BUT, UM, W WITH THIS, IT WOULD BE REALLY FUN TO DO SOMETHING LIKE DURING THE HOLIDAYS INCLUDED WITH THIS, BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE DECORATE
[00:35:01]
FOR LIKE HALLOWEEN AND CHRISTMAS.DO YOU GUYS PLAN TO DO ANYTHING SPECIAL FOR THE, FOR THOSE TIMES, UM, THAT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED WITH THIS PROGRAM? UM, I WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO STICK WITH OUR MANAGEMENT TO SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN INCLUDE IN MAYBE IN THE FUTURE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT'S OFTEN, YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE SEE CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR WHAT IT REALLY IS.
AND BRINGING SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ONLY CREATES MORE POSITIVITY AND IT CREATES THE ATMOSPHERE WHERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANNA GET INVOLVED AND, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE THE ONE HOME THAT MAYBE STICKS OUT THAT WANTS TO, YOU KNOW, WANTS THE REALLY COOL SIGN IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE TO SHARE THAT ABILITY WITH OTHER NEIGHBORS.
SO THANK YOU FOR CREATING THE PROGRAM WITH THE FOLKS THAT, UM, PUT ALL THE HARD WORK INTO IT.
IT'LL BE EXCITING TO SEE WHO IS YOUR FIRST WINNER.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? IT'S ALREADY PRETTY MUCH BEEN SAID, BUT AGAIN, I THINK JUST YOU SUMMED IT UP IN ONE WORD AND THAT WAS PRIDE AND, AND APPRECIATION.
AND AGAIN, JUST LIKE OUR STUDENTS WHO DO WELL IN, IN SCHOOL AND GET THE AVI AWARDS AND NOT NECESSARILY TO GET THE AWARD, IT'S JUST WHO THEY ARE.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO, UM, CELEBRATE THAT ACHIEVEMENT FOR HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE JUST TAKING THAT STEP OF PRIDE AND HOPEFULLY WILL ALLOW AND SPUR, UH, THAT TYPE OF, OF, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHER RESIDENTS AS THEY SEE THE AWARD POP UP AND IN THEIR NEIGHBOR'S YARDS AND, AND EVEN IN THEIR OWN.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS AND I, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE FIRST WINNERS OF THESE AWARDS.
[e. Opioid Youth Prevention Services Grant Awards Presentation]
MR. MAYOR.UP NEXT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY JURY, OUR FAMILY SERVICES MANAGER WITH NEIGHBOR AND FAMILY SERVICES TO TALK ABOUT OUR OPIOID YOUTH PREVENTION SERVICES GRANT AWARD PRESENTATION.
AS THEY'RE GETTING READY, UH, TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION, I THINK THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD POINT, TIME TO POINT OUT, UM, BECAUSE HE WON'T, UH, THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM IN THIS PROGRAM ARE BOTH UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DEPUTY CITY MANAGER NEGATE.
UM, AND I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE CREATIVITY WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A DIRECTION AND IDEA HOW HE'S ABLE TO GET HIS TEAMS. AND I KNOW THIS PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE GETTING READY TO HEAR ABOUT CHRIS'S TEAM AND EDITH AND EVERYBODY HAS REALLY BEEN INVOLVED, BUT JUST REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING TO BRING GREAT THINGS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU, UH, DEPUTY N THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ARI GUDO, I'M THE FAMILY SERVICES MANAGER WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FAMILY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF PRESENTING ON THE YOUTH OPIOID PREVENTION SERVICES GRANTS, WHICH INCLUDE AWARDING THE NONPROFITS THAT ARE RECIPIENTS.
UM, I WANNA SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO KIND OF JUST ECHO WHAT RON SAID TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UM, FOR SUPPORTING THIS ENDEAVOR.
THE PURPOSE OF THESE GRANTS, UM, IS TO PROVIDE, UM, NONPROFIT AGENCIES WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF THE PREVENTION EFFORTS, UM, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND TO DIVERSIFY THE PROGRAM OFFERINGS, UM, THAT WE WOULD GET FROM SAY JUST ONE ORGANIZATION AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE MULTIPLE GRANTS.
IT ALLOWS FOR THAT DIVERSIFICATION.
FOR FY 25 AND 26, WE HAVE, UM, BEEN PROVIDED $200,000, UH, FOR THESE EFFORTS.
AND THE MAXIMUM AWARD FOR EACH PROJECT IS $50,000, UH, FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD, UM, THERE WAS THREE SPECIFIC AREAS THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS EFFORTS ON.
UM, AND THAT WAS PREVENTION, EDUCATION, AND MENTORING SERVICES.
SO EACH OF THE RECIPIENTS, UM, THAT YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT TONIGHT, ALL, UM, WILL BE FOCUSING THEIR SERVICES AROUND, UM, THOSE KEY AREAS.
A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, IN NOVEMBER OF 2021, THE CITY COUNCIL GRANTED APPROVAL FOR THE CITY OF AVONDALE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ONE ARIZONA AGREEMENT DISTRIBUTION OF YOUTH OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
THIS AGREEMENT WAS FINALIZED IN 2022, WHICH WAS A PART OF THE 2021 NATIONAL OPIOID SETTLEMENT, WHICH RESOLVED ALL OPIOID LITIGATION FROM STATE AND LOCAL SUBDIVISIONS AGAINST PHARMACEUTICAL DISTRIBUTORS TO EFFECTIVELY DISTRIBUTE ONE POINT 12 MILLION IN OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
OVER THE NEXT 18 YEARS, THE STATE COUNTIES, CITIES, AND TOWNS REACH AN AGREEMENT TO DISPERSE FUNDS BASED ON POPULATION AND SEVERITY OF HARM.
I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT WENT INTO MAKING THESE
[00:40:01]
GRANTS POSSIBLE FOR THE COMMUNITY.UM, THERE WAS A DESI, A DESIGNATED TEAM, UM, THAT WAS MADE UP OF MULTIPLE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
UM, THE COMMITTEE, UM, ITSELF IS THE OPIOID PREVENTION COMMITTEE, AND MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE INCLUDE, UM, INDIVIDUALS FROM NEIGHBORHOOD AND FAMILY SERVICES, PD, FIRE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS, FINANCE AND OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO REP, RECOGNIZE OUR VERY OWN SUPER CHIEF N GATE FOR SPEARHEADING, FOR SPEARHEADING THESE EFFORTS.
UM, AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TO STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK IN DEVELOPING THE GRANT AND GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING AND SELECTING RECIPIENTS.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO AWARD THE RECIPIENTS.
AS I CALL YOUR ORGANIZATION'S NAME, PLEASE COME DOWN TO THE FRONT AND ACCEPT YOUR AWARD.
UM, WE HAVE BIG CHECKS AND LITTLE CHECKS, SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET BOTH CHECKS AS YOU COME UP.
THE FIRST ORGANIZATION THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE, UH, AWARDING IS NOT MY KID.
NOT MY KID, IS USING THE FUNDS TO EXPAND COMPREHENSIVE YOUTH OPIOID PREVENTION EDUCATION, EARLY INTERVENTION SUPPORT AND TREATMENT NAVIGATION TO AVONDALE YOUTH.
AS A REMINDER, WE'RE GONNA GET PICTURES AFTER THIS PRESENTATION WITH ALL THE AWARD WINNERS AND COUNCIL.
SO I WILL MENTION TO ALL OF THE AWARDEES, PLEASE STICK AROUND FOR THAT PHOTO OPPORTUNITY.
UM, BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT FOR THE EVENING LAW FIRM, TARA IMPACT IS THE NEXT RECIPIENT AND IMPACT.
USE THE FUNDS TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THEIR BUILDING RESILIENCY IN YOUTH YOUTH OPIOID PREVENTION PROGRAM TO ADDRESS YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION, INCLUDING THE PREVENTION OF O OPIOID USE AND ABUSE JOBS FOR ARIZONA GRADUATES IS THE NEXT.
AS THE NEXT RECIPIENT ALSO KNOWN AS JAG, THEY WILL BE USING THEIR FUNDS TO SUPPORT THEIR YOUNG LEADERS FOR YOUTH WELLBEING PROGRAM.
AT THREE OF THE AVONDALE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUSES, JAG STUDENT LEADERS WILL LEAD AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS ON OPIOID SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH.
YOUTH FOR YOUTH WILL USE THE FUNDS TO EXPAND AND STRENGTHEN THEIR YOUTH RESILIENCY AND DRUG DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAM WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON YOUTH OPIOID PREVENTION.
SOUNDS OF AUTISM SOUNDS OF AUTISM, WILL USE THE FUNDS TO SUPPORT TRAINING SESSIONS FOCUSED ON OPIOID AWARENESS AND PREVENTION FOR THOSE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM.
OKAY,
UM, DOES ANY MEMBER OF, UH, THE COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTION OR COMMENTS FROM ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS? OKAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND I REALLY COMMEND, UM, CHIEF AND YOUR TEAM FOR ATTACKING THIS AT THE USE LEVEL AND TRYING TO, UM, PREVENT, UM, OPIATE, UH, USE.
IT'S A DIFFERENT, IT WORKS DIFFERENTLY THAN, UM, OTHER DRUGS.
YOU BECOME PHYSICALLY DEPENDENT ON IT.
AND SO, AND A LOT OF THE DRUG CARTELS, UM, LAC THEIR OTHER DRUGS WITH OPIATES AND IN ORDER TO GET PEOPLE ADDICTED TO THEM AND DEPENDENT ON THEM.
SO I COMMEND YOU FOR THIS WORK.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE OUTCOMES.
COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS, ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? OKAY.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, JUST, I KNOW IT TAKES TIME TO WRITE THESE GRANTS AND, UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO COME BEFORE US AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, UM, MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THE PROCESS, WHICH I KNOW IS NOT EASY.
[00:45:01]
I HOPE THAT ALL OF THE, UH, RECIPIENTS TODAY, AND I ACTUALLY, I KNOW THAT THEY WILL USE, UH, THE FUNDS IN THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY WERE, UM, YOU KNOW, APPLIED FOR.AND IT'S ONLY GONNA DO, YOU KNOW, GOOD THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU TO AND ALL THE TEAM CHRIS AS WELL TO, UH, SUPER CHIEF NGE.
THANK YOU MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I BELIEVE WE'RE READY FOR PICTURES.
WE COULD START WITH THE, UH, AWARDEES AND THE, AND THE BIG CHECKS.
BRING 'EM DOWN HERE WITH YOU AS, UH, OUR PHOTOGRAPHER, UH, ARRANGES ALL OF YOU.
AND THEN WE'LL GET A PICTURE WITH THE MARKETING TEAM AS WELL, IF THEY DON'T MIND.
UM, IF I COULD HAVE YOU ONE STEP, ONE STEP, ONE STEP IN.
RIGHT NEXT TO COUNCILMAN WHITE.
I'LL HAVE YOU RIGHT OVER HERE.
I KNOW, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA TELL PEOPLE.
[3. UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES]
ITEM THREE'S, UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES.MARCELLA, I HAVE SEVERAL BLUE CARDS HERE, SO, UM, AS I CALL YOUR NAME, UH, IF YOU COULD COME UP TO THE PODIUM, UH, AND STATE YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
[00:50:01]
JUST GONNA READ 'EM IN THE ORDER IN WHICH I HAVE THEM.AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE, I BELIEVE, UH, MARCELLO THAT ARE NOT HERE IN PERSON OR MAYBE, BUT THAT YOU WILL READ ALOUD, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO FIRST WE ARE GOING TO, UH, ASK THERESA, AND IF I, UH, MISPRONOUNCE YOUR NAME, I APOLOGIZE, UP FRONT THERESA DESANTE.
AND AFTER THERESA, UH, MAYOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY WHO WILL BE SPEAKING SO THEY CAN MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE PODIUM? OH, YES.
UH, AND AFTER THAT WOULD BE, UH, WALTER WALTER GONZALEZ.
FEEL FREE TO START WHEN YOU'RE READY.
MS. MAYOR AND, UH, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM VERY EMBARRASSED ABOUT ONE OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS STATING THAT, UH, TOM HANKS PEDOPHILE, HE'S THE MOST DECENT PERSON.
AND WHAT GIVES HER THE RIGHT TO SAY THAT? WHAT, WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO SAY THAT? AND I'M TALKING TO YOU, GARCIA, YOU PUT A BAD TASTE IN DALE'S MOUTH OF SAYING THAT YOU JUST BARELY GOT HIRED ON.
AND I NEVER, I'VE LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE AND NEVER, NEVER HAVE I EVER CAME ACROSS ANY OF YOU GUYS TALKING BAD ABOUT THE CITY NEWCOMER IT, WHAT SHE'S DOING, MAYOR.
AND, UH, BECAUSE WHAT, YOU'RE STUCK ENOUGH TO TRUMP.
I KNOW YOU DID THIS FOR THE TRUMPSTERS BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT YOU'RE SO PROUD OF WEARING THAT HAT, WHICH IS OKAY, BUT I THINK THAT SHE SHOULD DO IT IN A PROPER WAY.
AND I ALSO WANNA ASK YOU, MR. MAYOR, IF TOM HANKS SUES GARCIA, ARE YOU GONNA BE LIABLE FOR HER ACTIONS? YES OR NO? SORRY, I WE CANNOT RESPOND FROM THE DEUS.
AND IF IT IS AVONDALE'S, TAXPAYERS ARE GONNA PAY FOR THE LAWSUIT.
AND UH, SO LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION, GARCIA, WHERE'D YOUR PARENTS COME FROM? DID THEY COME HERE LEGALLY? SO IT'S LIKE I SAID, YOU'VE BEEN ELECTED AND YOU'VE BEEN TAKEN THIS POSITION AND I, I THINK THAT SHE DID VERY WRONG FOR THE CITY OF DALE.
AND I THINK, I REALLY THINK THAT SHE SHOULD RESIGN OR HAVE HER RESIGN BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A BAD, BAD CHOICE.
WHAT SHE DID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS TRYING TO PROVE OR ANYTHING.
HEY, LIKE YOU SAID, FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
NOT CALL SOMEBODY A PEDOPHILE.
'CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T SPANISH LIKE ME.
IF SOMEBODY FROM GERMANY TOLD ME SOMETHING IN GERMAN THAT MEANT FART, AM I GONNA KNOW? NO, I'M NOT GONNA KNOW.
SO I'M ASKING YOU, WHY DID YOU DO THAT? YOU PUT A BAD TASTE IN ADVIL.
YOU'RE WELCOME AND THANK YOU MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER EXCEPT YOU GARCIA.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, AND I KNOW THAT IT WAS MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, YOU MAY MAY NOT HAVE CAUGHT IT, BUT, UM, DURING THIS UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES, COUNSEL IS NOT, UM, ABLE TO RESPOND DIRECTLY TO RESIDENTS.
SO, UM, JUST BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
SO IF YOU ASK US QUESTIONS DIRECTLY, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO RESPOND, UH, DIRECTLY TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
MY NAME IS WALTER GONZALEZ, THE THIRD GENERATION OF OLD TOWN AVONDALE.
I'M HERE TODAY, QUITE EMBARRASSED AND FRUSTRATED WITH THE QUIETNESS FROM THE COUNCIL.
UM, BUT LET'S GET TO THE FACTS.
FEBRUARY 16TH AT 8:24 PM COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA SHARED ON HER PERSONAL BUT PUBLIC EX-PRO PROFILE, HEY, UH, PETTO, TOM BANKS.
TOM HANKS, NOT ALL MAGA HAT WEARING PATRIOTS ARE WHITE.
IN FACT, BOTH RACISM COMES FROM THE ELITE DEMOCRATS.
YOU A*****E WITH 13,000 COMMENTS, 15,000 RE-SHARES AT 95,000 LIKES ON FEBRUARY 17TH AT 8:22 AM THE TESLA OWNER, ELON MUSK, SHARED THE POST GETTING
[00:55:01]
NATIONAL ATTENTION WITH 8,300 COMMENTS, 28,000 RE-SHARES AND 230 400,000 LIKES.FEBRUARY 18TH AT 2:30 PM COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA SHARED ON THE SAME PAGE.
I'M ACTUALLY SURPRISED MORE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE AWFUL TRUTH ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD ELITE PEOPLE ARE DEFENDING THEM AS IF THEY HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
FEBRUARY 20TH, AZ CENTRAL PUBLISHED ON TWO ARTICLES TITLED Y IS ELON MUSK PRAISING AN ARIZONA COUNCIL MEMBER FOR ATTACKING TOM HANKS AND ANOTHER OP-ED TITLED TOM HANKS SHASU ELON MUSK AN AND AN ARIZONA OFFICIAL.
FEBRUARY 21ST AT 11:54 AM COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA DAN SHARED ON MULTIPLE PLATFORMS INCLUDING HER COUNCIL, FACEBOOK, I'VE NEVER USED THE WORD PEDOPHILE.
THAT ACCUSATION ORIGINATED FROM OTHERS, NOT ME.
MY ORIGINAL POSTS ON X FOCUS WHOLLY ON RACISM, RACE RACISM I HAVE WITNESSED FROM LIBERALS DIRECTED TOWARDS LATINOS LIKE MYSELF WHO SUPPORT PRESIDENT TRUMP IN A POST I USED A SPANISH WORD BEDO, WHICH TRANSLATE TO FART AMONG OTHER MEANINGS IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
LET ME BE CLEAR, I WILL NOT APOLOGIZE FOR EXPOSING RACISM OF THE LEFT.
THE MAJORITY OF THOSE DEMANDING MY ATION ARE NOT AVONDALE RESIDENTS OR OUTSIDE'S INTENT ON BULLYING AND SHOWING DIVISION BEHAVIOR THAT ONLY VIOLATES AND POINT OUT MY ORIGINAL POST.
THIS HAS LED TO HARASSMENT AND THREATS DUE TO MISINTERPRETATION.
WORD FART BELLOW IN SPANISH YESTERDAY, COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA POSTED ON A FACEBOOK FACEBOOK PAGE, A FOLLOWER POSTED UNREAL.
I FEEL SORRY FOR HATERS WHO ARE TRIGGERED AT THE SLIGHTEST TRUTH.
TOM HANKS IS A PEDOPHILE AND PIMPED OUT HIS OWN SON, COUNCIL MEMBER.
THEN GARCIA REACTED TO IT AND PUT THE CARING EMOJI TO RESPOND.
UM, SHE ALSO ON FEBRUARY 9TH SAID, KENDRICK SAID GAME WAS RIGGED.
TURN OFF THE TV AFTER THE SUPER BOWL.
UM, SHOW IN THE SONG NOT LIKE US.
KENDRICK SAYS, BOO, WP WP WP I DO MY STUFF.
WHY YOU TROLLED HIM LIKE A B***H INTO TRIER TRYING TO STRIKE A CHORD.
PROBABLY A MINOR CERTIFIED LOVER, CERTIFIED PEDOPHILE.
BUT IN CONCLUSION, I GUESS THE RESIDENTS OF AVONDALE A HUNDRED PERCENT GOT IT WRONG AND MISINTERPRETED WHAT SHE SAID AND AS WELL AS KENDRICK LAMAR.
NEXT UP WE HAVE, NEXT UP IS ROGER PICK.
AND AFTER ROGER WILL BE MARY ALVARADO.
THANK YOU MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS VERY MUCH.
SOMETIMES FROGS SNEAK INTO MY CONVERSATIONS.
I'M ROGER RE I'M STATE COMMITTEEMAN FOR LD 22 AND I'M ALSO THE STATE GOP CHAPTER.
I WANNA BRING, I WANNA START OFF BY STATING SOMETHING TODAY, AN IDEA OF UNDERSTANDING WISDOM IS THE GODLY AND PRACTICAL USE OF KNOWLEDGE.
THOSE ARE WORDS I THINK WE ALL SHOULD IN INTRICATE INTO OUR LIVES.
IT'S, I SEE SO MUCH INFRACTIONS OF, OF PETTINESS A LOT OF TIMES IN OUR LIFESTYLES, YOU KNOW, OUR FAMILIES, WE CAN SEE THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CONTROL.
AND THAT IS, THAT IS DEFINITELY WHAT MEEKNESS IS IN THE WORD OF GOD.
MEEKNESS IS, IS POWERFUL AND CONTROL.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO START EXERCISING THAT OURSELVES IN THIS, IN, IN, IN THESE PREMISES ALL FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.
BUT ONE THING TO ALWAYS UNDERSTAND TOO, IS THAT WE CAN ALL PICK UP FIVE SMOOTH STONES.
BUT JESUS SAID IN THE, IN THE GARDEN, YE WHO HAS NO SIN CASTS THE FIRST STONE.
MY PRAYER TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TODAY AND AND EVERYONE IN THIS COUNCILMAN, IS WHEN YOU GO HOME TONIGHT, THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT YOU ALL FELL SHORT FOR.
AND THAT IS, AND WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT PERFECT, BUT WE'RE FORGIVEN IN THE EYES OF GOD.
WE SHOULD NOT BE JUDGEMENTAL FOR YEAST.
WE WILL BE JUDGED AT THE END DAY.
MY ENCOURAGEMENT ONCE AGAIN IS LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS YOU WOULD WANT TO BE LOVED YOURSELF FOR, YOU KNOW, AS A MODEL PRAYER, JESUS SAID,
[01:00:02]
FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US.WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOT OF THINGS SERIOUSLY NOW BECAUSE WE GOT BIGGER FISH TO FRY IN THIS NATION.
WE HAVE BORDERS, WE BE WORKED ON, WE HAVE FENTANYL.
WE'VE JUST SHOWED GREAT FIGHTS FOR, UH, OPIOIDS.
I WANNA SEE PROGRAMS LIKE IN GLEN GLENDALE TO GET 60,000 VETERANS OFF THE CURB.
WE NEED TO BE FIGHTING MORE SERIOUS FIGHTS AND START CONSIDERING WHERE WE STAND ON THE CORNERSTONE OF THE ALTAR OF FAITH OR OTHERWISE.
AFTER MARY, UH, WE WILL HAVE DON DESIMONE AS WELL.
SORRY, I WILL ADDRESS THE GROUP IN, UH, SPANISH AND THEN I WILL SUMMARIZE IT, TRANSLATE IT TO ENGLISH, SIR MR NO ACCEPT MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SHOCK OVER THE RECENT BEHAVIOR OF COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA.
AS A RESIDENT OF AVONDALE, I FIND HER CONDUCT NOT ONLY INCORRECT FOR A PERSON ELECTED TO A NON-PARTISAN POSITION, AND I ALSO FIND IT UNACCEPTABLE.
WHAT A SHAME THAT COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, WHO IS GIVEN THE TRUST AND RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, ACTS IN A VERY DISRESPECTFUL AND IRRESPONSIBLE MANNER.
THIS IS THE VIOLATION OF THE TRUST PLACE IN HER BY THE PEOPLE OF AVONDALE.
THE COUNCIL CANNOT OVERLOOK THIS LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISREGARD FOR THE STANDARDS EXPECTED OF PUBLIC SERVANTS.
I AM REQUESTING THAT THE COUNCIL TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
AS SUCH BEHAVIOR HAS NO PLACE IN OUR CITY OF AVONDALE, THE BEHAVIOR THAT WAS JUST PRESENTED BY TWO OTHER PEOPLE.
AND IT IS YOUR DUTY TO ENSURE THAT THOSE WHO REPRESENT US ADHERE TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF CONDUCT.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU.
I RISE IN SUPPORT OF COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA AND THE POST CALLING TOM HANKS A FART.
I HAVE KNOWN COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
I MET HER DURING HER CAMPAIGN AND SHE HAS CALLED ME AND OLD FART MANY TIMES IN A VERY FRIENDLY AND KINDHEARTED MANNER.
SO WHEN I SAW THE WORD PELO SPANISH FOR FART, IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME WHAT SHE MEANT.
[01:05:01]
FACE IT, AT THIS POINT IN HIS LIFE, TOM HANKS IS DEFINITELY AN OLD FART.AND I TOTALLY AGREE THAT BASED ON HIS RECENT SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SKIT, HE IS INDEED A RACIST OLD FART.
YES TO THOSE WHO JUMPED TO THE CONCLUSION THAT CO THAT COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA WAS CALLING TOM HANKS A PEDOPHILE.
TO PARAPHRASE SHAKESPEARE AND HAMLET ME THINKS THOU DOST PROTEST TOO MUCH.
THIS SAID MS. GARCIA'S TWO ACTUAL POINTS IN HER POST REMAIN TRUE AND UNCHALLENGED.
NOBODY HAS CHALLENGED HER MAIN POINTS.
HER FIRST POINT THAT WAS THAT NOT EVERYONE IN THE MAGA MOVEMENT IS WHITE.
IN FACT, PRESIDENT TRUMP GOT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE MINORITY VOTE, HELPING HIM GET 54% OF THE POPULAR VOTE IN WHAT PROVED TO BE THE LEAST RACIALLY DIVIDED ELECTION IN AMERICA IN HALF A CENTURY.
HER SECOND POINT WAS A TOM HANKS AND THE OTHER PROGRESSIVE ELITIST WHO WRITE AND PRODUCE SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE ARE RACIST FOR PUTTING ON THE RACIST SKIT KNOWN AS BLACK JEOPARDY.
IN FACT, IF YOU CHECK THE INTERNET, YOU WILL FIND THAT MOST OF THE BACKLASH AGAINST TOM HANKS IS COMING FROM PEOPLE OF COLOR, INCLUDING COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA.
DESPITE THE UNIFYING NATURE OF THIS LAST ELECTION, ELITES LIKE TOM HANKS AND THE WRITERS AND PRODUCERS OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE CHOSE TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THE RACIAL WEDGE.
THEY HAVE BEEN DRIVING BETWEEN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR YEARS RATHER THAN CHOOSING TO NURTURE AMERICA'S CURRENT TREND TOWARDS RACIAL UNITY.
WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE OF ALL COLORS, RACES, CREEDS, AND RELIGIONS ARE COMING TOGETHER AS ONE BIG AMERICAN FAMILY.
AND THE ELITES IN THIS COUNTRY SHOULD EITHER GET ON BOARD THE UNITY TRAIN OR GET OUT OF ITS WAY.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, JEFF, JEFF PRAY.
AND AFTER JEFF, WE GOT ROBERT MAXWELL.
MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I AS WELL AM COMING HERE IN SUPPORT OF COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA.
I'M NOT, UH, AS ARTICULATE OR AS PREPARED AS THE GENTLEMAN WHO SPOKE BEFORE ME, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I AM SHOCKED AND DISGUSTED AT THE OPEN RACISM THAT I'VE SEEN IN THIS MEETING THAT I'VE SEEN ONLINE IN COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
THE IDEA THAT A WOMAN OF ANY COLOR NOT BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK HER MIND OR THAT SHE NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE CONSERVATIVE IN HER VALUES WITHOUT BEING ATTACKED.
THAT'S JUST IT, IT GOES BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION.
ROBERT MAXWELL, AND THEN AFTER ROBERT, UH, NATASHA, NATASHA EDMONDS.
ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO START MY REMARKS BY, UM, I GUESS CONDEMNING THE RACIST ATTACK ON MS. GARCIA BY A MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE.
I'M SORRY THAT YOU HAD TO BE SUBJECTED TO THAT, UH, NO LESS BY SOMEONE CLAIMING TO CARRY A BANTER OF ANTI-RACISM.
IT'S REALLY RIDICULOUS WHAT I'M WITNESSING HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I ACTUALLY WAS GONNA SPEAK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I GUESS I SHOULD SPEAK ABOUT THIS MATTER SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, AS OPPOSED TO SOME OF THE MORE PRODUCTIVE THINGS WE COULD BE DISCUSSING TO I EMBED THE CITY.
UM, I WAS EXCITED WHEN MS. GARCIA WAS INITIALLY ELECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE SHE HAS SUCH A LARGE FOLLOWING.
UM, SHE HAS MORE OF A FOLLOWING THAN THE CITY OF AVONDALE'S TWITTER ACCOUNT, PLUS THE POLICE ACCOUNT, PLUS THE FIRE ACCOUNT, PLUS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ACCOUNT.
UM, AND I WAS HOPING THAT SHE COULD USE HER PLATFORM TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO FAR SHE'S, SHE'S DONE THAT.
IN FACT, SHE'S KNOCKED IT OUTTA THE PARK.
SHE'S GETTING DIALOGUE FROM THE RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD, UM, WHO'S
[01:10:01]
ENGAGING WITH HER.I'VE SEEN HER GET INVITED TO THE INAUGURATION OF, OF THE PRESIDENT.
AND REGARDLESS OF ONE'S PERSONAL OPINIONS ON THAT, I THINK THAT THAT PUTS US ON THE MAP.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE, INSTEAD OF INDIVIDUALS SHAMING, UM, MS. GARCIA FOR HER PERSONAL BELIEFS, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MEMBERS OF THE CITY, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, PEOPLE INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE GREAT PROJECTS WE'VE SEEN AND SOME OF THESE INITIATIVES.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM LEAN ON MS. GARCIA TO GET SOME OF THE WORD OUT, UM, TO BETTER THE COMMUNITY.
AND I WOULD ALSO JUST ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO JUST BE CAREFUL ABOUT USING BROAD STROKE IDEOLOGIES TO COVER UP THEIR OWN PERSONAL PARTISAN ANIMUS.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE THAT ANIMUS OUTSIDE OF, OF SPACES LIKE THIS, UH, IF WE'RE REALLY GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND UNIFY NOT ONLY AS A CITY, NOT ONLY AS A COUNTY, NOT ONLY AS A STATE, BUT AS A COUNTRY, WHICH I THINK WE ALL AGREE WE NEED TO DO.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, MS. GARCIA, FOR SPEAKING UP.
UM, CONTINUE USING YOUR VOICE, CONTINUE USING YOUR PLATFORM, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LOOK INWARD BEFORE LOOKING OUTWARD.
AFTER NATASHA IS MARISSA PATINO.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS NATASHA EDMONDS, CHAIR OF THE WEST VALLEY, N-A-A-C-P ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
WE DO HAVE MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL AS ONE OF THE AMBASSADORS OF AVONDALE.
AS A CITY AMBASSADOR, I HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY SEVERAL CITIZENS OF AVONDALE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS REGARDING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS MADE BY A MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL.
WHILE IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO SHARE THEIR PERSONAL OPINIONS ON THEIR PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES, I WANT TO REMIND THE COUNCIL OF THE COMMITMENT MADE WHEN TAKING THE OATH FOR A NON-PARTISAN SEAT.
THIS OATH SIGNIFIES A PLEDGE TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE, BEYOND PERSONAL OR POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS.
I ENCOURAGE ALL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REVIEW THE CITY OF AVONDALE'S CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH STATES I QUOTE, THE PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL CONDUCT OF MEMBERS MUST BE ABOVE REPROACH AND AVOID EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY.
MEMBERS SHALL REFRAIN FROM ABUSE OF CONDUCT, HARASSMENT, PERSONAL CHARGES OR VERBAL ATTACKS UPON THE CHARACTER OR MOTIVES OF OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, STAFF OR THE PUBLIC MEMBERS SHALL DEMONSTRATE CIVILITY AND RESPECT AT ALL TIMES.
THIS REMAINS TRUE IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENCOUNTERS.
AS MEMBERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE PUBLIC NATURE OF THE OFFICE THEY HOLD MEANS THEY ARE ALWAYS ON DISPLAY.
WITH THIS IN MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY REQUEST THAT THE COUNCIL AGENDAS THE FOLLOWING FOR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
IN ORDER TO HOLD A DISCUSSION AND VOTE, THE TOPIC SHOULD BE STRENGTHENING THE STANDARDS FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
CONSIDER IMPLEMENTING A POLICY THAT ENSURES CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS DURING THEIR TERM REFRAIN FROM POSTING STATEMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT CONTRADICTS THE NONPARTISAN NATURE OF THEIR SEATS FOR THE SAKE OF MAINTAINING AVONDALE'S NONPARTISAN INTEGRITY, AND ENSURING THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THE ENTIRE CITY RATHER THAN POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL'S LEADERSHIP IN ADDRESSING THIS MATTER AND REINFORCING THE VALUES THAT MAKE AVONDALE A UNITED AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.
UH, AFTER MARISSA, WE HAVE RYAN HARTWIG.
MY NAME IS MARISSA PATINO, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF AVONDALE.
I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO ENFORCE AVONDALE'S CODE OF CONDUCT RESOLUTION NUMBER 1 0 0 6
[01:15:02]
DASH 0 1 2 1, STATEMENT OF PURPOSE, PAST AND ADOPTED JANUARY 19TH, 2021.AS STATED, CONDUCT OF MEMBERS.
THE PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL CONDUCT OF MEMBERS MUST BE ABOVE REPROACH AND AVOID EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF IMPRO.
MEMBERS SHALL REFRAIN FROM ABUSE, CONDUCT, HARASSMENT, PERSONAL CHARGE, OR VERBAL ATTACKS.
UPON THE CHARACTER OR MOTIVES OF OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL BOARD'S COMMISSION, THE STAFF OR PUBLIC MEMBERS SHALL DEMONSTRATE CIVILITY AND RESPECT AT ALL TIMES.
THIS REMAINS TRUE IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENCOUNTERS.
AS MEMBERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE PUBLIC NATURE OF THE OFFICE THEY HOLD MEANS THEY'RE ALWAYS ON DISPLAY.
THE COMMENT MADE BY JEANETTE GARCIA ON 2 16 20 25 ON HER PERSONAL X PAGE NOT ONLY VIOLATES THE CODE STATED ABOVE, BUT ALSO DEMONSTRATES THAT SHE IS NOT ACTING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE.
AS STATED IN ARTICLE ONE, THIS POST HAS GARNERED SO MUCH ATTENTION THAT ELON MUSK HIMSELF HAS RESHARED IT AND HAS OVER 3 MILLION VIEWS.
THIS HAS BROUGHT UNWANTED ATTENTION TO OUR CITY IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT.
SHE THEN WENT ON TO ACCUSE POLITICAL ACTIVISTS, JOSE HERNANDEZ, OF SHARING HER INFORMATION THAT IS PUBLIC INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF AVONDALE AND THREATENED HIM ON THE SAME PERSONAL PLATFORM.
HER PERSONAL POLITICAL STANCE AND OUTLANDISH CLAIMS PROVE TO MANY THAT SHE WILL NOT MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON MERIT, BUT ON HER OWN PERSONAL BELIEFS AS SHE DID ON HER PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM.
I'M CALLING FOR THIS COUNCIL TO UPHOLD AND ENFORCE THE CODE OF CONDUCT AND ACT ACCORDINGLY.
AS STATED IN ARTICLE 11, SUBSECTION A, EACH MEMBER OF COUNCIL HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO INTERVENE WHEN OTHER MEMBERS' ACTIONS APPEAR TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
THIS CAN TAKE THE FORM OF AN INFORMAL VERBAL CONVERSATION.
THESE INSTANCES SHALL BE DOCUMENTED IN A MEMO TO BE MAINTAINED BY THE OFFICE OR THE CITY OF MAYOR AND CITY ATTORNEY WITHIN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
JEANETTE GARCIA'S ACTIONS AND PERSONAL BELIEFS DIRECTLY INTERFERE WITH HER ABILITY TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF AVONDALE CITIZENS.
AND IT IS EMBARRASSING THAT YOU ARE ALLOWING THESE ACTIONS TO GO UNACCOUNTED FOR.
I'M ASKING YOU NOW TO INTERVENE AND COMPLETE YOUR DUTY TO HOLD THESE ACTIONS ACCOUNTABLE AND MAKE A STATEMENT REGARDING THE HANDLING OF THIS INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR OR ALLOW HER TO HAND IN HER RESIGNATION ON HER OWN RECOGNIZANCE.
HI, MY NAME IS RYAN HARTWIG AND I'VE, I'VE LIVED IN AVONDALE ABOUT A YEAR.
IT'S A GREAT, GREAT CITY, GREAT COMMUNITY.
UM, WE HAVE THE, THE PARKS ARE GREAT.
UM, AND I'M, I'M ALSO A FACEBOOK WHISTLEBLOWER AND A FREE SPEECH ADVOCATE.
I'VE DONE OVER 200 INTERVIEWS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AND I HELPED GET A CRIMINAL REFERRAL TO THE DOJ AGAINST MARK ZUCKERBERG.
UM, SO THE, THE ISSUE HERE, I THINK IS JUST, IT'S FREE SPEECH.
I MEAN, LET'S, LET'S BE HONEST, LIKE WE SHOULDN'T PUNISH SOMEONE FOR, FOR THEIR, FOR WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ONLINE.
UM, SO LIKE BEING 2015, I, I ATTENDED A PROTEST OUTSIDE OF A MOSQUE IN PHOENIX AND HAD A, I HAD A SIGN UP.
IT WAS A, A DRAWING OF MOHAMMAD AND LIKE THERE WAS CONTR.
I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S CONTROVERSIAL, BUT IT WAS.
SO I WAS, I WAS ON THE COVER IN LA TIMES AND A COUPLE YEARS PRIOR TO THAT, LIKE IN 2012, I HAD SOME FRIENDS.
I, I WAS, DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, SO I HAD SOME FRIENDS FROM THE MOSQUE IN TEMPE WHO HELPED ME OUT.
I'VE BEEN TO THE MOSQUE IN TEMPE.
SO I LOVE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A VERY, YOU KNOW, A VERY, UH, TOLERANT CITY AND ACCEPTING OF ALL FAITH OR RELIGIONS, WHETHER IT'S MUSLIM, HISPANIC, LATINO, WHITE, UM, ANY, EVERY COLOR, EVERY COLOR IMAGINABLE.
SO THAT FOR ME, THIS ISSUE'S MORE ABOUT FREE SPEECH.
WE SHOULDN'T PUNISH SOMEONE, UH, FOR WHAT THEY SAY.
AND, AND WHEN I WORKED AT FACEBOOK, WHEN I WENT, I WORKED AT FACEBOOK FOR, AS A CONTENT MODERATOR.
SO I'VE, I'VE SEEN, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CRAZY COMMENTS ONLINE, LIKE, AND THE WORST THINGS IMAGINABLE ON THE INTERNET.
AND SO, UH, AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WHEN THE, THE PHRASE WHEN, WHEN YOU WOULD CALL SOMEONE A PEDOPHILE ONLINE, LIKE IF SOMEONE WAS CALLING SOMEONE ELSE A PEDOPHILE, WE WOULD NOT, WE WOULD LEAVE IT UP.
IT WAS ONE OF THE FEW THINGS WE WOULD LEAVE UP, EVEN IF THE PERSON WAS RE WAS REPORTING IT, LIKE THE SAME PERSON WAS REPORTING, WE'D LEAVE IT UP.
SO, I MEAN, THE INTERNET'S, WE KNOW THE INTERNET'S NOT A NOT A FUN PLACE TO BE.
UH, BUT, AND I WANT TO ALSO, SO ANYWAYS, THAT'S MY MAIN POINT IS, UH, REGARDING FREE SPEECH.
AND THEN ALSO JUST WANNA MAKE, EXTEND THE INVITATION TO THE CITY HERE IF YOU NEED ANY HELP OR, UH, TRAINING ON, UH, THE DANGERS OF ONLINE CYBER BULLYING.
FOR TWO YEARS, I REVIEWED OVER 90,000 PIECES OF CONTENT, MANY OF WHICH INVOLVED, UH, MINORS BEING ATTACKED, SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORS.
SO IF YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE IN CRAFTING ANY KIND OF TRAINING MATERIAL
[01:20:01]
TO PROTECT THE, THE YOUTH IN, IN AVONDALE, I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT WITH THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DANGERS OF INSTAGRAM AND, AND ANY KIND OF SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE KIDS GET INVOLVED IN SEXTING AND WHATNOT.SO I HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE IN THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY, I WANNA LEAVE THAT SO THAT WE HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, PRODUCTIVE ASPECT OF THIS MEETING.
UM, BUT ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR, UM, FOR THE GREAT CITY.
LIKE I SAID, I'VE LOVED IT HERE LAST YEAR.
AND, UM, I HOPE, I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN PROMOTE FREE SPEECH, UH, IN THE CITY OF AVONDALE AND NOT END UP LIKE, UH, GERMANY, WHERE MODERN DAY GERMANY, WHERE PEOPLE GET ARRESTED FOR HATE SPEECH.
I'M A BORN AND RAISED ARIZONAN AND A PROUD JEW WHO'S LIVED IN THIS GREAT STATE ALL MY LIFE.
I AM HERE TO SPEAK IN DEFENSE OF ONE OF ARIZONA'S FINEST COUNCILWOMAN, JEANETTE GARCIA.
COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA HAS LONG BEEN AN AVID AND ENGAGED MEMBER OF HER COMMUNITY AND A TRUE PATRIOT DEDICATED TO BOTH HER HOME STATE AND HER COUNTRY.
SHE VALIANTLY SERVED OUR NATION IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY WHERE SHE SERVED WITH DISTINCTION.
AND SINCE THE END OF HER SERVICE, SHE HAS BEEN DEVOTED TO THE GREATER GOOD OF ARIZONA AND HER FELLOW CITIZENS.
THEREFORE, I FIND THE SALACIOUS, VILE AND OUTRIGHT RACIST ATTACKS AGAINST HER TO BE THOROUGHLY BEYOND THE PALE, SOME OF WHICH WE'VE HEARD HERE AND, UH, HERE TONIGHT FROM MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE.
JEANETTE GARCIA'S SERVICE BOTH MILITARY AND PUBLIC, ENTITLED HER TO THE GREATEST RESPECT DESERVING OF OUR VETERANS.
AND HER INTEGRITY AND HONOR ARE SECOND TO NONE.
YES, SO TOO IS HER WELL-DESERVED REPUTATION FOR DIRECTLY SPEAKING THE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.
AND YET THIS COUNSEL HAS DONE NOTHING TO DEFEND HER FROM HER ATTACKERS WHO HAVE SAID SUCH VILE THINGS AS THAT A PROUD AMERICAN CITIZEN AND VETERAN SHOULD GO BACK TO MEXICO OR BE DEPORTED.
OR AS ONE ESTEEMED MEMBER OF THIS AUDIENCE, UH, DIRECTLY IMPLIED THAT COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA IS HERSELF AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT OR THE CHILD OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
THIS, AND IN SO DOING THIS ESTEEMED MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE UNWITTINGLY PROVED COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA'S POINT THAT THE NATURE OF LEFTIST RACISM IS THAT THEY ARE INCAPABLE OF ACCEPTING OR TOLERATING THE FACT THAT A MINORITY, WHETHER A PROUD LATINA OR A PROUD JEW COULD POSSIBLY DISAGREE WITH THEM.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PARTISAN ISSUE.
AND I FIND THE DISTINCT LACK OF MORAL AND TESTICULAR FORTITUDE OF THIS COUNCIL IN FAILING TO DEFEND ONE OF THEIR OWN SITTING MEMBERS TO BE IN INCREDIBLY DISTURBING.
YES, THIS COUNCIL SHOULD STAND AS ONE TO DEFEND ONE OF ITS OWN FROM LIES AND SLANDER.
AND SO I CALL UPON THIS COUNCIL TO DO JUST THAT AND PUBLICLY ISSUE A STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA AGAINST HER ATTACKERS.
AND IF THAT IS TOO MUCH TO ASK OF THIS COUNCIL, THEN THIS COUNCIL DOES A GREAT DISSERVICE TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE OFFICES THEY NOW RESIDE IN.
WILL WE BE READING THE OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I HAVE THREE ADDITIONAL REQUESTS TO SPEAK THAT I WILL BE READING.
THE FIRST ONE IS FROM, UM, JESSICA PENA AND I QUOTE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JESSICA PENA, AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY DISMAY REGARDING THE RECENT CONDUCT OF COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA.
HER ACTIONS DO NOT REFLECT THE VALUES OF INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY THAT WE EXPECT FROM ELECTED LEADERS.
I WAS MADE AWARE OF HER DISTURBING BEHAVIOR AFTER, UM, AN ARTICLE I READ.
I DECIDED TO LOOK ON HER SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES AND SHE FILLED, SHE'S FILLED WITH HOSTILITY WHERE SHE BELITTLES, THREATENS AND USES OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE TOWARDS THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH HER, MANY OF WHOM MAY BE HER OWN CONSTITUENTS.
THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR IS UNACCEPTABLE AND DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE LEADERSHIP AVONDALE DESERVES AS A COMMUNITY.
WE NEED LEADERS WHO SET A POSITIVE EXAMPLE AND ARE NON-PARTISAN, WHICH IS THE BEST INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS.
I URGE THE COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THIS BEHAVIOR.
THANK YOU, JESSICA PENA IN QUOTE.
THE NEXT ONE, MAYOR IS FROM ANDREA OJEDA, AND I QUOTE,
[01:25:01]
MAYOR AND COUNCIL.I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN REGARDING A RECENT ARTICLE I READ ABOUT ONE OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, WHO HAS USED SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM TO SPREAD, UH, DUBIOUS DIC AND HATEFUL MESSAGES.
AS A RESIDENT OF AVONDALE, I BELIEVE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS REPRESENT ALL RESIDENTS OF THE CITY WITHOUT FUELING, UM, DIVISION OR INTOLERANCE.
THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER IS NON-PARTISAN AND IS, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THOSE IN THESE POSITIONS WORK TO UNIFY OUR COMMUNITY RATHER THAN SOW DISCORD.
WHEN PUBLIC OFFICIALS USE THEIR PLATFORM TO PROMOTE HATE OR CREATE DI DIVISION, IT, IT UNDERMINES THE TRUST AND COOPERATION NEEDED TO SERVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL RESIDENTS.
THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR NOT ONLY DETRACTS FROM THE PROGRESS OUR CITY SHOULD BE MAKING, BUT IT ALSO CREATES A TOXIC ENVIRONMENT FOR RESIDENTS WHO EXPECT THEIR LEADERS TO FOSTER A SPIRIT OF RESPECT, INCLUSIVITY, AND COLLABORATION.
AVONDALE IS A DIVERSE COMMUNITY, AND OUR LEADERS MUST REFLECT THE VALUES OF UNITY AND UNDERSTANDING.
I URGE THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ADDRESS THIS MATTER AND ENSURE THE, THAT EACH OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE HELD TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONALISM AND RESPECT.
THE ACTIONS OF ONE INDIVIDUAL SHOULD NOT REFLECT ON THE INTEGRITY OF OUR CITY GOVERNMENT.
I TRUST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER THE CONCERNS OF RESIDENTS LIKE MYSELF AND TAKE STEPS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IN A WAY THAT RESTORES CONFIDENCE OF OUR ELECTED LEADERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS IMPORTANT MATTER.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THE ACTIONS YOU PLAN TO TAKE, ANDREA OJEDA.
AND THE THIRD ONE IS FROM ALEJANDRA LOPEZ, AND I QUOTE, AS A CONSTITUENT OF AVONDALE FOR THE LAST 19 YEARS, I TAKE PRIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
TONIGHT, I AM DISAPPOINTED AND ASHAMED IN COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA.
AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, THERE IS GREAT RESPONSIBILITY TO UPHOLD TRUTH AND INTEGRITY.
CALLING ANYONE A PEDO, UH, PEDO WITH NO FACTS IS RECKLESS AND HARMFUL.
AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, HER WORDS CARRY WEIGHT.
SHE HID BEHIND THE USE OF QUI SPANISH TO JUSTIFY AND EDUCATED LATINAS.
WE BOTH KNOW THESE WORDS ARE USED INFORMALLY AND NOWHERE IN HER STATEMENTS WAS SHE WRITING A SPANGLISH FORMAT.
LEADERSHIP MEANS TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY AND NOT MAKING EXCUSES.
OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES A REPRESENTATIVE WHO CAN ENGAGE IN FACT BASED DISCOURSE RATHER THAN UNFOUNDED ATTACKS.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF OUR REQUESTS TO SPEAK FOR TONIGHT.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO, UH, DIRECTLY, UH, RESPOND BACK TO ANYTHING THAT WAS ASKED OR QUESTIONS.
I DO KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO CRITICISMS, BUT AT THIS TIME, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY OR DO YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD? YES.
WELL, FIRST I WANNA SAY I'M A CHRISTIAN.
FIRST KINGDOM FIRST AND THE LORD.
FIRST, I GIVE ALL THE GLORY TO GOD.
AND THROUGHOUT ALL OF THESE ATTACKS, I KNOW THAT THERE'S FEAR AND THE LORD TELLS US NOT TO, NOT TO FEAR, NOT TO BE INTIMIDATED, BUT TO GIVE IT TO HIM BECAUSE HE'S THE GREATEST OF ALL.
I WAS ELECTED BY PEOPLE IN AVONDALE, AND THOUGH THE PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE THAT SPOKE AGAINST ME, YOU MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH ME, BUT YOUR NEIGHBOR MIGHT.
YOU MISUNDERSTOOD MY STATEMENT, BUT THE BIGGEST PART OF MY STATEMENT WAS ABOUT RACISM.
THAT I DO EXPERIENCE ALL THE TIME, SPECIFICALLY BY OTHER LATINOS BECAUSE I AM A LATINA CONSERVATIVE, OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO BE CONSERVATIVE OR TO BE OUTSPOKEN ABOUT THEIR BELIEFS, THEIR RELIGION, WALKING DOWN THE STREET BECAUSE OF SOMEBODY YELLING AT THEM, BECAUSE THEY DON'T BELIEVE THE SAME THING.
IT IS UNFAIR TO ANYONE ELSE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS THE SAME BELIEFS AS ME TO FEEL THAT WAY.
I APOLOGIZE TO ALL OF THE CITY STAFF WHO HAS BEEN HARASSED THIS ENTIRE WEEK BY THINGS THAT ARE NOT CITY BUSINESS, THAT WE TOOK OVER AN HOUR TO SPEAK ABOUT STUFF THAT ARE NOT CITY BUSINESS.
AND TO THE PEOPLE ON THE COUNCIL WHO HAVE RECEIVED EMAILS ABOUT THIS, THAT IS THE ONLY PEOPLE I OWE AN APOLOGY TO.
I DO NOT OWN APOLOGY TO ANYBODY ELSE BECAUSE I STAND ON MY WORDS.
I WILL NOT APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING FREE SPEECH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL HAVE.
AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME AND THAT SHOWED UP IN SUPPORT.
AND FOR THOSE WHO FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BEEN ATTACKED, YOU HAVE NOT, THIS WAS NOT TOWARDS YOU.
YOU HA YOU ARE NOT RELATED TO THE P PERSON IN THE POST.
YOU ARE NOT PERSONAL FRIENDS WITH THEM.
YOU WOULD NOT BE HERE IF ELON MUSK DID NOT RETWEET ME, AND 38 MILLION PEOPLE SAW THAT TWEET.
YOU WOULD NOT BE HERE IF I WASN'T A
[01:30:01]
LATINA CONSERVATIVE.YOU ARE ONLY HERE BECAUSE YOU ARE UPSET THAT YOU FOUND OUT THAT I AM A MAGA CONSERVATIVE.
BUT I ACTUALLY PRESENTED MYSELF THAT WAY THE ENTIRE TIME.
I'VE NEVER HID WHO I WAS BECAUSE I KNEW THIS WOULD COME UP EVENTUALLY.
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HONEST AND TRANSPARENT IN MY VIEWS TO EVERYONE THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO.
UM, SO FOR THAT, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO CAME TO SUPPORT ME, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO PRO, UH, REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF AVONDALE ON THIS DAIS BY THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED ME TO BE HERE.
UH, RON IS THERE ANY FOLLOW UP TO THIS? WE MOVE FORWARD, MAYOR A ACCORDANCE WITH THE AGENDA ITEM.
IT SAYS WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AS COUNSEL TO ASK THAT THE MATTER BE PUT ON A FUTURE AGENDA.
I REQUEST THAT WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DETERMINE IF THERE'S A CODE OF CONDUCT SITUATION THAT THIS COUNSEL NEEDS TO ADDRESS.
OF THE 14 COMMENTARIES, I HEARD THERE WERE FOUR IN SUPPORT, TWO THAT WERE NEUTRAL, AND I HEARD A TOTAL OF EIGHT THAT WERE IN DISAGREEMENT WITH THAT AND CALLED OUT THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
SO JUST TO HONOR THE COMMENTARIES THAT WE RECEIVED, I DO REQUEST AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DETERMINE AND TAKE A REVIEW OF OUR CODE OF CONDUCT.
SIR RON, MR. MAYOR, UH, I'LL WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO DECIDE HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT REQUEST.
[4. CONSENT AGENDA]
THAT BEING SAID, UH, WE WILL THEN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER.I'M SORRY, TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF COUNSEL THAT WISH TO PULL ANY ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA? C.
AND THEN CAN I GET A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE MADE THE MOTION.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS, IF WE CAN, UH, NOW VOTE.
[a. Public Hearing for Annexation - Hopewell Avondale Application PL-24-0242]
PLEASE.UH, NEXT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR ANNEXATION HOPEWELL AVONDALE APPLICATION PRESENTED BY SYLVIA, OUR PLANNER WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I WANNA THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
UM, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE, UH, PRESENTING THIS ITEM TO YOU.
UH, TONIGHT I WILL BE PRESENTING ITEM FIVE A, UH, THE HOPE WHILE AVONDALE ANNEXATION APPLICATION PL DASH 24 DASH 0 2 42.
OKAY, SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM TONIGHT IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION.
UH, THIS STRIP OF LAND IS LOCATED EAST OF THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF EL MIRAGE AND INDIAN SCHOOL ROADS, AND IT IS ON THE SOUTHEASTERN MOST PART OF THE HOPEWELL AVONDALE PARCEL ITSELF.
UH, THE AREA TO BE ANNEXED WAS FORMALLY, UH, MARICOPA COUNTY RIGHT OF WAY, AND IT IS NOW PART OF THE HOPEWELL PARCEL.
UH, BUT TECHNICALLY IT IS STILL WITHIN COUNTY JURISDICTION.
SO WE WANT TO INCORPORATE IT INTO, UM, AVONDALE JURISDICTION.
UH, AND THIS WAS AN ANNEXATION PROPOSED BY THE HOPEWELL AVONDALE OWNER, THE PROPERTY OWNER.
UH, THIS ITEM IS FOR DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC HEARING ONLY, AND NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN THIS EVENING.
UH, THE ADOPTION FOR THE ANNEXATION ORDINANCE IS TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE UPCOMING MARCH 24TH, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
SO HERE ON THE SCREEN, WE HAVE BOTH, UH, MAPS, THE AERIAL MAP AND THE JURISDICTION EXHIBIT.
UH, THE SITE IS OUTLINED IN RED, UH, AND IT IS LOCATED AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, UH, EAST OF THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF EL MIRAGE AND INDIAN SCHOOL ROADS.
AND IT IS ON THE SOUTHEASTERN MOST PART OF THE HOPPO PARCEL, WHICH IS IN THE DOTTED BLUE ON THE JURISDICTION EXHIBIT.
UM, FOR CONTEXT, THE JURISDICTION EXHIBIT SHOWS THE FIVE FOOT WIDE STRIP, UH, CONSIDERED FOR ANNEXATION.
AND, UH, YET THE STRIP, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS LOCATED IN COUNTY JURISDICTION, WHICH IS SHOWN IN GRAY.
UH, I'LL GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO VIEW THE JURISDICTION EXHIBIT.
UM, SO THE CITY OF AVONDALE IS IN BLUE.
UH, THE CITY OF PHOENIX IS IN THE RED COLOR.
UH, MARICOPA COUNTY IS IN GRAY.
UH, THE HOPEWELL PARCEL IS DOTTED IN BLUE, AND THE ANNEXATION AREA IS OUTLINED IN
[01:35:01]
RED.CONTINUING WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE REQUEST, UH, THERE IS ONE PROPERTY OWNER, WHICH IS HOPEWELL AVONDALE, AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO INITIATED THE ANNEXATION REQUEST.
UH, THE FIVE FOOT WIDE STRIP BEING CONSIDERED FOR ANNEXATION IS FIVE FEET WIDE BY 500 FEET, UH, LONG, AND IT TOTALS APPROXIMATELY 2,501 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE.
AND IT IS PART OF THE HOPPO AVONDALE PARCEL.
THE HOPPO SITE IS CURRENTLY VACANT AND THERE AREN'T ANY BUILDINGS, UM, OR RESIDENTS IN THE AREA.
UM, IT IS ZONED A ONE AND IT DID UNDERGO A SITE PLAN AND DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS WITH THE CITY, UH, AND IT WAS APPROVED IN, UH, JUNE 29TH, 2023.
THE APPROVED SITE PLAN WAS APPROVED FOR, UH, ONE WAREHOUSE BUILDING WITH INDUSTRIAL USES, UH, ANNEXING.
THE FIVE FOOT STRIP WOULD BRING, UH, UH, THIS STRIP INTO THE CITY JURISDICTION, AND IT WOULD MAKE THE SITE DEVELOPABLE IN ITS TOTALITY.
UH, FINALLY, THE PROPOSAL MEETS STATE REQUIREMENTS.
UH, STAFF CONDUCTED RESEARCH ON THIS ANNEXATION, AND, UH, WE DID FILE THE BLANK PETITION AND AFFIDAVIT AND ALL REQUIRED NOTIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UH, THE HEARING WILL NEED TO BE OPENED, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL DISCUSSION, AND THEN THE HEARING WILL NEED TO BE CLOSED.
AS A REMINDER, NO ACTION IS REQUIRED TONIGHT, AND THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON MARCH, UH, 24TH AT OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TONIGHT WITH US.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MARCELLA, UH, DO WE HAVE, HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY REQUESTS TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REQUESTS TO SPEAK.
SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS IN RELATION TO THIS ITEM? OKAY, SEEING NONE THEN, UM, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
[b. Annual Comprehensive Financial Report Fiscal Year 2024]
MAYOR AND COUNCIL.UP NEXT, WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT.
UH, I THINK RENEE IS GONNA MAKE THE INTRODUCTIONS AND WE'LL HEAR FROM OUR, UH, AUDITOR.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT THE, THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, AS WELL AS THE RESULTS OF THE AUDIT.
UM, AND HERE WITH ME TONIGHT IS BRITTANY WILLIAMS, ENGAGEMENT PARTNER FROM HEIN, FELDEN MEECH, WHICH OUR, WHICH IS OUR EXTERNAL AUDITOR.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I WILL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO BRITTANY.
UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.
I HAVE NOTHING BUT GOOD NEWS FOR YOU TONIGHT.
EVERYTHING LOOKS REALLY, REALLY GOOD,
UM, JUST TO START YOU OUT AGAIN, MY NAME IS BRITTANY WILLIAMS. I'M THE ENGAGEMENT PARTNER FOR THE CITY OF AVONDALE EXTERNAL FINANCIAL AUDIT, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER OTHER AUDIT REPORTS THAT COME OUT.
WE'VE MET WITH AUDIT COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, WHITE COUNCIL MEMBER NIELS, OR VICE MAYOR NIELSEN, AND, UM, ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS QUARTERLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO GIVE THEM UPDATE STATUS ON THE AUDIT.
SO THEY'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR FIRM IS A LOCAL FIRM.
WE SPECIALIZE ONLY IN GOVERNMENT AUDITS.
WE FEEL THEY DESERVE OUR FOCUS.
AND SO THAT IS WHERE ALL OF OUR PERSONNEL AND STAFF ARE TRAINED JUST TO DO GOVERNMENT NOT-FOR-PROFIT AUDITS.
UH, THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT.
SO THIS IS OUR REPORT ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
IT, IT, IT'S JUST THE FIRST PAGE OF IT, AND THE VERY FIRST PARAGRAPH YOU CAN SEE IS OUR OPINION.
SO OUR, WE ISSUED A WHAT IS CALLED AN UNMODIFIED OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AND THAT IS A CLEAN OPINION.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER AUDIT REPORTS THAT WE ISSUED THIS YEAR.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE AUDITOR OPINION WITH THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, WE ISSUE A COMMUNICATION TO THOSE CHARGED WITH GOVERNANCE.
I SEND A LETTER DIRECTLY TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MEMBERS AT THE END OF EVERY AUDIT TO OPEN UP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND LET THEM KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES THAT WE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE AUDIT.
UM, WE ALSO ISSUED THE HIGHWAY USER REVENUE FUND ACCOUNTANTS REPORT, AND THAT WAS A CLEAN REPORT AS WELL.
WE HAVE ISSUED THE SINGLE AUDIT REPORT, WHICH IS THE FEDERAL COMPLIANCE PIECE OF THE AUDIT AND THE ANNUAL EXPENDITURE LIMITATION REPORT AND THE L-M-R-C-F-D REPORT.
WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THE IMPACT FEES REPORT, WHICH IS DONE EVERY OTHER YEAR.
THE SINGLE AUDIT REPORT, UH, CONTAINS SEVERAL DIFFERENT, UH, SCHEDULES
[01:40:01]
AND REPORTS REPORTING ON GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS, REPORTING ON OUR TEST WORK OVER THE FEDERAL AWARDS.AND IT HAS THE SCHEDULE OF EXPENDITURES OF FEDERAL AWARDS, WHICH IS EVERY SINGLE FEDERAL DOLLAR THAT THE CITY SPENT DURING THE YEAR AND WHICH FEDERAL AGENCY HAD PASSED THAT MONEY THROUGH.
WE TEST FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND WE REPORT BACK TO BASICALLY THE WHITE HOUSE TO TELL THEM AND ALL OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS, WHETHER OR NOT THE MONIES WERE SPENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDARDS.
THIS IS THE ONE PAGE IN THE SINGLE AUDIT REPORT THAT'LL GIVE YOU THE SYNOPSIS OF EVERYTHING THAT WE CAME ACROSS.
THE TOP SECTION THERE IS THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
WE ISSUED AN UNMODIFIED OPINION.
THERE WERE NO FINDINGS UNDER FEDERAL AWARDS.
WE ALSO ISSUE AN UNMODIFIED OPINION ON COMPLIANCE FOR OUR MAJOR PREP FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT WE TESTED.
THE TWO FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT WE TESTED THIS YEAR WERE THE CDBG ENTITLEMENT GRANTS AND THE CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS.
UM, AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR FINDINGS TO REPORT ON.
SO THIS IS A VERY CLEAN REPORT.
LIKE I SAID, NOTHING BUT GOOD NEWS HERE.
EVERYTHING LOOKED REALLY WELL, REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
THESE ARE SOME RESOURCES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT READING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
AND THIS IS OUR FIRM, UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT US.
AND THEN WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR ME TONIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS REPORT? OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, SHARE THE AUDIT COMMITTEE RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION.
VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, SOLORIO, AND MYSELF, AS WELL AS THE REMAINDER OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
THAT'S THE ONLY FINDING I HAVE THIS EVENING.
IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE A CLEAN REPORT FOR THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
I WANT TO COMMEND ALL OF OUR STAFF, UM, BARBARA, RENEE, ALL THE HARD WORK YOU ALL DO IN ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE TO MAKE SURE THINGS ARE CLEAN AND CLEAR.
I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING FOR A VERY LONG TIME WANTING TO MAKE SURE, UM, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE HAVING SOUND OPERATIONS HERE.
AND WHEN YOU GO BACK AND DOUBLE CHECK AND LOOK AGAIN, THAT ALL THOSE THINGS ARE FALLING IN LINE.
SO, UM, WE'RE ALWAYS NERVOUS WHEN THOSE AUDIT REPORTS COME OUT, BUT TO HEAR THAT IT'S A CLEAN REPORT, I THINK PEOPLE ARE LIKE, UNDERWHELMED.
THIS IS LIKE THE MOST EXCITING THING HAPPENING AT OUR MEETING TONIGHT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE, UM, AUDIT COMMITTEE AGAIN, AND THE ENTIRE STAFF HERE IN THE CITY THAT'S DONE EVERYTHING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? OKAY, VICE MAYOR NIELSEN, BRITTANY, I JUST ECHO WHAT MAX HAS SAID.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK, YOUR GROUP THAT'S DONE THAT FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE TO WORK WITH YOU AND LISTEN TO THESE THINGS.
AND NOW HOW GOOD AVONDALE REALLY IS DOING.
WE'VE GOT A WONDERFUL STAFF AND THERE THEY PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE THINGS AND YOU'RE THERE TO CATCH 'EM AND YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CATCH 'EM YET.
SO WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT IT CONTINUES THAT WAY.
YEAH, AND I JUST WANNA EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO BARBARA AND RENEE AND MAGGIE IN FINANCE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY, WE WORK WITH THEM ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON ALL THESE DIFFERENT REPORTS AND THEY'RE VERY RESPONSIVE AND VERY WELCOMING.
SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN TO THE TEAM, RENEE, BARBARA, ON THE TEAM.
AND THIS JUST GOES TO SHOW THE RESIDENTS, AND I KNOW THAT MAYBE THE RESIDENTS WOULDN'T READ THROUGH THE SUPPORT AND FIND IT, UH, YOU KNOW, A REPORT THAT HAS A BUNCH OF BELLS AND WHISTLES, AND YET IT JUST DEMONSTRATES HOW RESPONSIBLE WE ARE WITH THE RESIDENTS MONEY.
AND SO, UH, FOR THAT, I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND APPRECIATE IT.
[c. Utility Rate Discussion]
NEXT ITEM PLEASE.THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UP NEXT, WE HAVE A UTILITY RATE DISCUSSION PRESENTED BY ROB, OUR BUDGET MANAGER, AND THEN KIRK BEATTY, OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ROBERT BEARER, I'M THE CITY'S BUDGET MANAGER.
AND JOIN ME UP HERE AS KIRK BEATTY, UH, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
AND WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH, UM, UTILITY RATES, UH, DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
SO THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT IS WE ARE GOING TO FIRST REVIEW OUR WATER, SEWER AND SOLID WASTE UTILITIES AND SOME OF THE EXPENDITURE PRESSURES THAT THEY ARE FACING CURRENTLY.
AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO, UH, RECOMMENDED RATES FOR WATER, SEWER, AND SOLID WASTE UTILITIES.
AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
SO THERE'S NO COUNCIL ACTION TONIGHT, BUT IT IS A DISCUSSION, UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL HAND IT OFF TO KIRK.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SOME OVERVIEW ON THE CITY UTILITIES.
WE'RE GONNA START OUT WITH A WATER UTILITY OVERVIEW.
UH, YOU'LL SEE ON YOUR SCREEN HERE, JUST SOME HIGH LEVEL, UM, DEVELOPMENTS.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'RE NOW SERVING ABOUT 28,000 CUSTOMERS, WHICH HAS BEEN AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 5% OVER THE LAST TWO FISCAL YEARS.
WE HAVE 380 MILES OF WATER MAINS.
THAT'S A 17% INCREASE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND ALONG WITH THOSE WATER MAINS ARE THE FIRE HYDRANTS AND THE WATER VALVES THAT ALSO GO ALONG WITH THAT OPERATION OF BUDGET HAS INCREASED 17% UP TO 7.8 MILLION.
[01:45:01]
UM, 120% INCREASE IN CAPITAL PROJECTS OVER THE FIVE YEARS.A LOT OF THAT IS DUE TO NEW PROJECTS AND INFLATION, AND WE'VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THAT BEFORE IN, IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
AND OUR TOTAL PRODUCTION OF WATER USAGE IN FY 24 WAS 4.6 BILLION GALLONS.
THAT'S UP 2% FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
UM, YOU MIGHT WONDER, WELL, HOW DID THE CUSTOMER GROWTH INCREASE BY 5%? BUT THE, THE PRODUCTION OF WATER ONLY BY 2%.
IT'S REALLY A FUNCTION OF THE MAKE UP, THE BASE OF THE, OF THE WATER PRODUCTION.
SO THE, THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT, SAY 4.5 BILLION GALLONS INCORPORATES A LOT OF YARD LARGE USERS.
UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST BEING THE CITY ITSELF IS A, IS A LARGE CONSUMER OF WATER, BUT ALSO LARGE HOAS AND SCHOOLS.
UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE NEW CUSTOMERS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH GENERALLY WILL HAVE A LOWER WATER USE, UM, PER HOUSEHOLD THAN SOME OF THOSE LARGE USERS.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENCE THERE.
WE'LL, DIVING A LITTLE DEEPER INTO EXPENDITURES, WE HAVE A 16% INCREASE IN WATER COMMODITY.
WHAT THAT IS, IS THE COST TO BRING THE WATER TO THE CITY.
FROM OUR PROVIDERS SALT RIVER PROJECT IN CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT, WE DON'T NECESSARILY PAY FOR THE WATER, BUT WE DO PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE OPERATIONS TO GET THAT WATER TO THE CITY.
THAT'S THE ELECTRICITY THAT RUNS THE WELLS IN THE PUMPS IN OUR SYSTEM.
AGAIN, CAPITAL COSTS OF NEW PROJECTS AND INFLATION CHEMICALS UP 20%.
SO THAT'S OUR, UM, CHEM, OUR, UH, CHLORINE AND ALSO OUR FILTER AND TREATMENT MEDIA THAT WE USE.
WE'VE ADDED A COUPLE OF STAFF FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND OF COURSE, THE COST FOR WAGES AND INFRINGING BENEFITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT CONTINUE TO INCREASE.
I WANNA TALK ABOUT A FEW PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE BOULEVARD WELL TRANSMISSION MAIN.
THE BOULEVARD WELL IS ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF I 10 AND AVONDALE BOULEVARD.
AND OVER THE SUMMER WE PUT IN A WATER LINE, A TRANSMISSION MAIN, RIGHT BEFORE WE DID THE ROAD RESURFACING.
YOU MIGHT RECALL THAT DISRUPTION DURING THE SUMMER, UM, THAT PROJECT WAS COMPLETED AND ACTUALLY COST ABOUT 26% MORE THAN WHAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUDGETED FOR IN FISCAL YEAR 23.
WELL, NUMBER 26 IS A REPLACEMENT.
WELL, ON THE, UH, WOULD BE THE CORNER OF I 10, SOUTH OF I 10.
AND ON THE EAST SIDE OF THERIA RIVER, THAT PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO START CONSTRUCTION IN 2025, AND IT WAS ABOUT A 20% HIGHER COST THAN WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY BUDGETED IN FISCAL YEAR 23.
AND THE LAST ONE IS OUR ENCANTO SHARED.
WELL, THAT'S A WELL THAT WE SHARE WITH SALT RIVER PROJECT AS WELL.
UM, WE'RE EXPECTING TO SEE CONSTRUCTION, UM, AT SOME POINT.
IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHEN SRP ACTUALLY DOES THEIR PART TO, TO CONSTRUCT THAT WELL, BUT OUR PART IS UNDER DESIGN.
THE REASON I HIGHLIGHTED THESE THREE PROJECTS IS BECAUSE, UM, IT REALLY ADDRESSES THE NEED FOR WATER PRODUCTION.
WE ARE INCREASING THE U THE, THE PRODUCTION OF WATER IN THE CITY, AND WE HAVE NOT INCREASED OUR PRODUCTION CAPACITY.
THE WELLS ADDING WELLS FOR OVER 12 YEARS.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO ADD WELLS SO THAT WE CAN KEEP UP WITH DEMAND.
COUPLE OF LARGE PROJECTS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE, IN THE, ACTUALLY SEVERAL TIMES WE'VE MET IN FRONT OF COUNCIL, THE FIRST ONE BEING OUR PARTICIPATION IN BARTLETT DAM, OR IS WHAT'S CALLED THE VERDE RIVER SEDIMENT MITIGATION PROJECT.
THIS IS A PROJECT THAT INVOLVES 22 PARTNERS IN THE IN THE VALLEY.
UM, ALL OF THE PARTNERS HAVE VARIOUS ALLOCATIONS OF WATER COMING OUT OF THIS PROJECT AND DIFFERENT COST SHARES, UH, RELATED TO THIS COST OF CONSTRUCTION FOR THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS A NEW WATER SOURCE FOR THE CITY, UM, APPROXIMATELY 4,700 ACRE FEET ANNUALLY.
THAT REALLY IS GOING TO REPLACE A PORTION OF OUR CAP OF OUR, UH, CAP WATER, OUR CAP WATER, OUR COLORADO RIVER WATER, AS WE SEE CUTS TO THAT WATER VOLUME IN AFTER 2026.
WE'RE ANTICIPATING, UH, SOME SIGNIFICANT CUTS THERE.
THE, THE VALUE OF THIS WATER IS IT CAN BE USED ON PROJECT, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SALT RIVER PROJECT SERVICE AREA, AND THAT BEING THE ODD PROJECT AREA, BUT IT ALSO CAN BE USED OFF PROJECT.
SO AREAS OUT OF THE SALT RIVER PROJECT SERVICE AREA.
IT COULD ALSO BE STORED FOR LONG-TERM STORAGE CREDIT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE TO THAT.
AND REALLY THE PURCHASE OF THIS, UH, PARTICIPATION AS THIS PROJECT IS IT IMPROVES OUR WATER RESILIENCY IN THE FACE OF ONCOMING OF THE CURRENT DROUGHT THAT WE THINK IS GONNA CONTINUE.
[01:50:01]
WE'VE GOTTEN SOME WORD RECENTLY THAT THE COST FOR THE PROJECT IS INCREASING SUBSTANTIALLY TO, TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $3.7 BILLION, UM, WHICH IS UP QUITE A BIT FROM THE PREVIOUS ESTIMATE ABOUT A YEAR AGO.WE HAVE A MEETING THIS THURSDAY, ALL OF THE PARTNERS OF THE PROJECT, ALONG WITH SRP TO DISCUSS WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE GONNA BE WITH REGARD TO THIS PROJECT.
IT'S STILL A VERY COST EFFECTIVE WATER RESOURCE FOR THE CITY LONG TERM.
AND WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS IN, IN, IN LONG TERM.
YOU KNOW, LONG DURATION, NOT JUST TODAY, BUT WE'RE TALKING 5,100 YEARS IN ASSOCIATION WITH OUR ASSURED WATER SUPPLY.
WE STILL NEED TO INVEST IN THESE TYPES OF RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR, OUR WATER SECURITY.
BUT AS WE MEET WITH THE PARTNERS, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE TIMING FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, SOME OF THE PARTNERS MAY DECIDE TO CHANGE THEIR PARTICIPATION LEVEL AND THEIR ALLOCATION, AND THEN ALSO STRATEGIES FOR FUNDING THE PROJECT.
THE INTENT WAS TO HAVE THIS PROJECT 50% FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THEN THE 2022 PARTNERS WOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN THEIR HALF PRIMARILY WITH, WITH CASH.
UM, BUT WE MAY BE WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO FIGURE OUT OTHER, UH, WAYS TO FUND THIS AND EVEN PROLONG THE TERM OF PAYMENT.
SO MORE TO COME ON THAT FOR SURE.
ANOTHER HIGH LEVEL PROJECT THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A FEW TIMES IS PFAS CONTAMINATION.
SO PER AND POLYFLOR ROCKLE SUBSTANCES.
UM, BACK IN APRIL OF 2024, THE NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATION WAS FINALIZED THAT SET A LIMIT FOR THESE CHEMICALS AT FOUR PARTS PER TRILLION OF PFAS, WHICH IS YOUR PER FLUORO OCTANE SUL ACID.
AND YOUR PFOA, YOUR PERFLUOROOCTANOIC ACID, UM, LIMITS ON THOSE IN DRINKING WATER AS LONG AS, AS WELL AS FOUR OTHER PFAS COMPOUNDS.
WITH THIS REGULATION, WE'RE REQUIRED TO MEET THAT LIMITATION OF FOUR PARTS PER TRILLION BEFORE APRIL OF 2029.
AND WE HAVE DEVELOPED WITH OUR TEAM INTERNALLY AND WITH CONSULTANTS AND ACTION PLAN AND THE STRATEGY TO MEET THOSE OBLIGATIONS.
THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THAT PROJECT IS $120 MILLION WITH AN ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSE ABOUT, OF ABOUT $4 MILLION GOING FORWARD.
WE HAVE $18 MILLION PROPOSED FOR DESIGN AND LAND ACQUISITION.
OUR PLAN AT THIS POINT IS TO PROCEED TO MEET THE CURRENT REGULATIONS AND THE DEADLINES THAT ARE SET BEFORE US.
BUT THERE ARE SOME POSSIBILITIES THAT REGULATION OR DEADLINES COULD CHANGE.
UM, THESE TYPES OF, OF REGULATIONS HAVE A TENDENCY TO GET EXPANDED IN TIME TO A LONGER TIMEFRAME JUST FOR, TO ALLOW, UM, PROVIDERS TO MEET THOSE OBLIGATIONS AND GENERATE THE CAPITAL THEY NEED TO DO THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS.
SO WE ARE SETTING OURSELVES UP TO ADJUST, STAY ON COURSE TO DESIGN AND GET READY, BE READY TO IMPLEMENT IF THE DEADLINE STAYS, BE FLEXIBLE AND IMPLEMENT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME IF THE, IF THE, IF THE DEADLINE IS EXTENDED.
THAT'S ALL ON THE WATER UTILITY.
SO WE'LL TALK NOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SEWER.
SO ABOUT 26,000 CUSTOMERS, 4% INCREASE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND REMEMBER THAT OUR, THAT'S OUR WATER CUSTOMERS, OUR ACTUAL WATER METERS, SOME OF THOSE METERS DON'T SERVE HOUSEHOLDS.
THEY SERVE LANDSCAPE AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY, UM, CONTRIBUTING TO THE SEWER.
AND THAT'S WHY THE, THE, UH, CUSTOMER COUNT IS LESS 264 MILES OF SEWER MAINS.
UH, THAT ALSO, THERE'S ALSO LIFT STATIONS INVOLVED WITH THAT.
LOTS OF MANHOLE AND OPERATIONS BUDGET OF $9 MILLION.
THAT'S UP FROM SEVEN UP 7%, FIVE YEAR CAPITAL 190 MILLION UP 49%.
A HUGE PART OF THAT IS INFLATION.
AND IN LAST YEAR, FISCAL 2024, WE'VE TREATED 2.75 BILLION GALLONS OF WASTEWATER.
SOME OF THE EXPENDITURE PRESSURES OF DIVING A LITTLE DEEPER.
SO WE HAVE TO TAKE OUR BIOSOLIDS, WHICH IS A DRY, DRY BYPRODUCT OF THE TREATMENT PROCESS TO THE LANDFILL ELECTRICITY INCREASE OF 18%.
SO THAT'S THE PUMPING STATIONS, THE LIFT STATIONS IN THE SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE OPERATION.
THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AT THE PLANT ITSELF.
CAPITAL COSTS, CHEMICALS ARE UP 36%.
AND THEN OUR SEWER SUPPLIES, PIPES, PUMPS, PARTS, ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, CERTAINLY SUFFERING FROM INFLATIONARY INCREASES.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THREE PARTICULAR PROJECTS FOR THE, FOR THE SEWER.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS DARD ROAD REPLACEMENT PHASE TWO.
[01:55:01]
IS A SECTION OF SEWER FROM, UM, CORRAL TO LOWER BUCKEYE.YOU MIGHT REMEMBER PHASE ONE, WHICH WAS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WHICH WAS RILEY TO CORRAL RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF DARD ROAD AND UNDERNEATH THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
IT WAS A QUITE A LONG PROJECT.
THIS IS THE SECOND PHASE OF THAT.
THE, UH, NEXT ONE WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MOMENT IS THE, IS THE EXPANSION TO THE WATER, UH, RECLAMATION FACILITY.
I'LL GIVE YOU SOME MORE DETAIL ON THAT.
BUT FINALLY THE LAST ONE IS THE ODOR CONTROL SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS AT THE WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY.
THAT PROJECT WAS COMPLETED JUST WITHIN THE LAST MONTH.
AND, UM, IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE BETWEEN FY 23 AND 25, THE BUDGET FOR THAT NEARLY DOUBLED FROM $4 MILLION TO $8 MILLION, REALLY DRIVEN BY INFLATIONARY, UM, INCREASES.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WATER RE RECLAMATION FACILITY EXPANSION.
THE DIAGRAM SHOWS, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE LEGEND EXISTING FEATURES, PROPOSED FEATURES FOR THIS CURRENT, UM, EXPANSION AND THEN FUTURE EXPANSION FEATURES.
THIS PLANT IS EXPANDABLE TO 15 MILLION GALLONS A DAY.
IT'S CURRENTLY GOT A CAPACITY FOR 9 MILLION GALLONS A DAY.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW WILL TAKE THAT CAPACITY TO 12 MILLION GALLONS TO DATE.
WE'VE ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL $22 MILLION IN THE FY 26 BUDGET.
AND YOU CAN SEE OVERALL THE CASH FLOW PER FISCAL YEAR FOR THIS PROJECT, WITH A TOTAL PROJECT COST OF NEARLY $156 MILLION.
THIS, THIS, THE, THE EXPANSION OF 3 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY IS EQUIVALENT, EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT 3,360 ACRE FEET OF WATER.
AND THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS THAT ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY ABOUT 10% OF OUR, OF OUR ASSURED WATER SUPPLY IN OUR PORTFOLIO.
SO, UM, THE BEAUTY OF THIS WATER IS ONCE IT'S TREATED, WHETHER IT'S COME FROM THE SALT RIVER PROJECT OR THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT, ONCE WE TREAT IT, WE CAN THEN USE THAT WATER ANYWHERE IN THE CITY.
AND AS WE SEE GROWTH HAPPENING IN THESE OFF PROJECT AREAS, IT'S VERY VALUABLE TO HAVE THAT WATER AVAILABLE FOR, TO MEET THOSE OFF PROJECT DEMANDS.
SO I, I KIND OF CAN THOUGHT, THINK OF IT AS ALMOST LIKE A WATER CONVERSION PLANT.
'CAUSE IT SHAKES SSRP WATER AND TURNS IT INTO SOMETHING ELSE WE CAN USE SOMEWHERE ELSE BEYOND CLEANING IT UP.
THE LAST UTILITY WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IS SOLID WASTE.
TRASH TONNAGE HAS ACTUALLY GONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
RECYCLING HAS INCREASED PRETTY SUBSTANTIALLY AND THE BULK WASTE HAS GONE DOWN.
AND IF YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT WHY THAT MIGHT BE.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF EFFORT IN IMPROVING RECYCLING THROUGH THE CITY, ESPECIALLY IN SOME OF THE AREAS WHERE RECYCLING WAS, UM, NOT DONE SO WELL, UH, WHERE WE WERE TAKING A LOT OF CONTAMINATED, CONTAMINATED RECYCLABLES TO THE LANDFILL.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, THROUGH EDUCATION AND A LOT OF OUTREACH, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CHANGE THAT TREND WHERE, UH, EVERYTHING THAT'S PUT OUT FOR RECYCLING ACTUALLY GOES TO THE RECYCLE CENTER NOW WITH VERY LITTLE CONTAMINATION.
AGAIN, THERE'S SOME PRESSURES THERE.
THE BIG ONE IS BEING THE COST OF RECYCLING.
THAT MARKET CONTINUES TO CHANGE AND IS VERY VOLATILE RIGHT NOW.
RECYCLING COSTS LESS THAN FIL BUT THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE IN IN THE PAST.
AND WE DO SEE A POSSIBLE CHANGE COMING THIS NEXT QUARTER WHERE THAT'LL CHANGE SLIGHTLY.
IT'LL BE COST A LITTLE MORE TO RECYCLE.
UH, SO WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT, THAT BEHAVIOR, THAT MARKET AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S AWARE, BUDGET FOR IT, PLAN FOR IT, MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS WE IF WE NEED TO.
VEHICLE, VEHICLE EXPENSES HAVE GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY.
WE'RE UP TO ABOUT $500,000 TO PURCHASE A NEW TRASH TRUCK, WHERE A FEW YEARS AGO THAT WAS ONLY $350,000.
AND I SAY ONLY THAT'S STILL QUITE A BIT OF MONEY.
PERSONNEL EXPENSES HAVE INCREASED, 20% INCREASES IN THE LANDFILL.
SO WE TAKE ALL OF OUR SOLID WASTE TO, UM, THE GLENDALE LANDFILL AND, UM, THEY INCREASE PRETTY MUCH ANNUALLY.
WE HAVE A LITTLE SMALL INCREASE IN OUR CONTRACT WITH THEM.
SO GOOD NEWS IS THE COST FOR FUEL MAINTENANCE REPAIRS HAVE ACTUALLY GONE DOWN FROM WHAT OUR ESTIMATED, UH, BUDGET WAS, PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE ESTIMATED HIGHER ON OUR FUEL COSTS THAN WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UM, NOT COUNTING WHAT YOU'RE PAYING AT THE PUMP TODAY, BUT OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS WE, WE, WE ENJOYED A, A LOWER COST FOR FUEL.
SO OPERATIONAL CHANGES THAT WE MADE, AND YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THESE, I KNOW, UH, OUR OVERALL
[02:00:01]
OBJECTIVE WHEN ANY OF THE CHANGES WERE WERE TO MAINTAIN CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS, WE CHANGED THE BULK TRASH ZONES A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.AND THEN OF COURSE THIS MONTH WE'VE CHANGED THE CURBSIDE RECYCLING AND TRASH SERVICE TO, TO A NEW SCHEDULE.
AND AGAIN, YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THOSE.
THE WHOLE IDEA OF THAT WAS TO LEVEL THE WORKLOAD ACROSS THE ENTIRE OPERATION.
SO WE DIDN'T HAVE SOME DAYS THAT ARE HEAVY AND SOME DAYS THAT ARE LIGHT.
UM, REALLY IT'S A MATTER OF OPTIMIZING OPERATIONS BECAUSE THEN YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE, WE'RE NEVER GONNA COME BACK AND ASK FOR MORE RESOURCES UNTIL WE KNOW THAT WE'RE MAKING THE MOST EFFICIENT USE, USE WE CAN OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
A LOT OF THAT CHANGE WAS AS A RESULT OF AN OPERATION STUDY THAT WE COMPLETED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
WE'VE ALSO LEVERAGED TECHNOLOGY.
SO WE'VE IMPLEMENTED, IMPLEMENTED A ROUTING SOFTWARE.
WE'VE PUT, UM, TABLET COMPUTERS IN ALL OF THE WASTE TRUCKS THAT HELPS THEM FOLLOW ROUTES.
IT HELPS THEM TO RECORD THINGS THAT THEY SEE OUT IN THE FIELD.
UM, MAYBE A CAN THAT CAN'T BE, UM, COLLECTED BECAUSE IT'S TOO CLOSE TO A PARKED VEHICLE.
WE'VE IMPLEMENTED VIDEO CAMERAS IN ALL OF THE TRUCKS, ALL OF THOSE TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATIONS THAT REALLY HELPED US TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CALLBACKS FOR ALLEGED MISSED COLLECTION SERVICE.
SO WE WOULD GET CALLS, SOMEBODY SAID, WE MISSED YOUR, WE MISSED YOUR CAN, YOU MISSED MY PILE OF BULK TRASH.
UM, WE CAN NOW REVIEW THOSE ITEMS ON THE, ON THE VIDEO OR IN THE PICTURES AND DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED AND GET BACK WITH THE CUSTOMER.
IN A LOT OF CASES, WE CAN OFFER THEM, UH, FOR A FEE TO GO BACK AND PICK UP THEIR TRASH.
I THINK ROB ACTUALLY TOUCHES ON THAT IN PART OF HIS PRESENTATION.
BUT IT HAS CUT BACK ON THE NUMBER OF, OF OUT OF SERVICE CALL OR OUT OF ROUTE CALLS THAT WE GET.
AND WHEN WE WERE DOING THOSE BEFORE, THAT'S JUST EXTRA FUEL, EXTRA VEHICLE COSTS, EXTRA LABOR THAT ALL OF THE UTILITY RATE PAYERS WERE ABSORBING.
SO THAT'S IT FOR AN OVERVIEW ON UTILITIES.
I THINK YOU'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO ROB FOR THE, YOUR RATE PORTION OF THE DISCUSSION.
MR. MAYOR, UH, GIVEN THAT IT'S REALLY TWO DIFFERENT THINGS WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT NOW MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME SO THAT IF COUNSEL HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON THE OPERATIONS AND THE COST INCREASE BEFORE WE GET INTO RATES, UH, MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO ASK UH, KIRK, UH, THOSE BACKUP QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING TO ADD? GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MAYOR KURT, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I JUST, UM, CONCERNED WITH THE REALLY HIGH COST FOR RECYCLING.
I KNOW YOU SAID IT'S STILL LOWER THAN, UM, WHAT OUR REGULAR, UM, LANDFILL EXPENSES ARE.
UM, WHAT'S THE TIME HORIZON YOU THINK, WHERE IT MIGHT BECOME UNAFFORDABLE OR A COST THAT WE'LL HAVE TO PASS ON TO OUR RESIDENTS? UH, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH ALL OF THAT.
WHAT'S THE TIME HORIZON THAT YOU THINK WE MIGHT HAVE TO REVIEW AND LOOK AT? IS RECYCLING WORTH IT ANYMORE IN AVONDALE? SO WE ARE, AS PART OF THE UTILITY RATE STUDY, THERE'LL BE AN INCREASE REGARDING SOLID WASTE TO IMPLEMENTS IN JULY 1ST, JULY 1ST.
SO THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT OUR PROJECTION RECYCLING FOR RECYCLING.
AGAIN, THE MARKET HAS GONE UP AND DOWN SO MUCH.
UM, IT WOULD BE, IT'S A, IT AND OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE IT.
THEY'VE STOPPED RECYCLING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL REALLY HAVE TO THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT THAT IT DOES CAUSE TOO MUCH.
'CAUSE IT'S HARD TO TURN IT OFF AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON AGAIN.
'CAUSE IT'S A BEHAVIOR THAT TAKE TOOK A LONG TIME TO, TO GET STARTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
BUT, UM, I WISH I COULD TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S GONNA BE A CERTAIN RATE FOREVER.
WE JUST, WE JUST DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, UM, I'VE, I'LL COME BACK TO COUNSEL IF IT COSTS TOO MUCH.
REMEMBER WE'RE STILL REQUIRED TO PICK UP TWICE A WEEK AT EVERY RESIDENCE.
WE DO THAT BY PICKING UP RECYCLING AND THE REGULAR TRASH.
SO WHILE IT WOULD REDUCE MAYBE OUR DUMPING FEES BY A LITTLE BIT, THE, IT WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE DUMPED.
SO YOU'RE ONLY REALLY SAVING THE DIFFERENTIAL.
SO WE'RE JUST WATCHING IT CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS WITHIN THE BUDGET.
I THINK YOU'LL SEE THE PERCENT INCREASES, VERY SMALL AND SOLID WASTE, BUT WE'VE MADE A COMMITMENT TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH THAT VERY HARD DISCUSSION THAT YOU'LL HAVE TO HAVE ABOUT POLICY ON RECYCLING WHEN WE CAN NO LONGER FIT IT WITHIN, UH, THE BUDGET THAT'S APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
UM, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THE TWO AND A HALF YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE WHERE IT'S COST LESS.
ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WE WERE GETTING READY TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT WAS SO EXPENSIVE.
BUT EVERY QUARTER I BELIEVE THE PRICE IS REEVALUATED.
AND, AND SO WE LOOK AT IT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, AS WE TRANSITION INTO THE DISCUSSION REGARDING THE UTILITY RATES? UM, I I JUST WANT TO COMMUNICATE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO KNOW THAT FROM AN OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE, THAT YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY, UH,
[02:05:02]
MAINTAINED THE EFFICIENCY AND, AND, AND HAVE MADE SUCH IMPROVEMENTS.WHETHER IT'S CHANGING THE ROUTES, UH, WHETHER IT'S UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY AND THINGS OF THOSE THAT NATURE THAT OFTEN THE CONVERSATION, UH, GOES TO A, A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE DISCUSSING, WELL AS AN ORGANIZATION BEFORE YOU INCREASE OR WHATEVER YOU MIGHT DO WITH RATES, YOU DISCUSS HOW DO YOU BECOME EVEN MORE EFFICIENT? AND, AND I I'M HERE TO SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, ON RECORD THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS DONE JUST THAT FROM THAT OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE OF LOOKING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCIES OUR, OUR OUR SAVINGS AND TAKING ALL THOSE THINGS INTO ACCOUNT TO BE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE FROM, AGAIN, FROM AN OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE.
SO I DON'T WANT THAT TO GET LOST IN THE CONVERSATION AS WE SHIFT OVER TALKING ABOUT RATES AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT I MENTIONED THAT.
SO THE WAY WE PAY FOR ALL THAT WATER SEWER SOLID WASTE SERVICE THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESSES DEPEND ON IS THROUGH CHARGING UTILITY RATES.
SO FOR OUR UTILITY CUSTOMERS, WE, WE CHARGE UTILITY RATES IN, IN RESPONSE TO THE SERVICE THEY RECEIVE.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE POLICE OR FIRE OR PARKS WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU PAY SALES TAX AND THAT GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
THESE WHAT THE, WHAT OUR RESIDENTS PAY GOES DIRECTLY TO FUND WATER, SEWER AND SOLID WASTE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
OUR UTILITY RATES MUST COVER ALL THE OPERATIONAL, THE MAINTENANCE AND THE FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THESE UTILITIES.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, WE HAVE SELF-SUPPORTING UTILITIES, WHICH MEANS THAT WHAT WE CHARGE OUR RESIDENTS GOES DIRECTLY TO SUPPORT THOSE UTILITIES.
WE DO NOT USE, UM, SALES TAX DOLLARS OR OTHER FUNDING SOURCES TO SUBSIDIZE OUR UTILITIES.
AND ADDITIONALLY, WE DO NOT USE WHAT WE CHARGE OUR RESIDENTS TO SUBSIDIZE OTHER CITY SERVICES.
UM, WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FORECASTING, UM, WHAT OUR, WHAT WE NEED IN TERMS OF UTILITY RATES OVER THE LONG TERM BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE WELL FUNDED, UM, UTILITIES NEXT YEAR.
BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING FISCALLY SUSTAINABLE AND BEING RESPONSIBLE TO OUR UTILITY CUSTOMERS, UM, WITH UTILITY RATES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
SO THE FIRST SLIDE I'M GONNA SHOW WHEN IT COMES TO UTILITY RATES IS WHERE WE CURRENTLY STAND COMPARED TO THE 13 LARGEST MUNICIPALITIES IN THE PHOENIX METROPOLITAN AREA.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE ON THE LOWER END.
SO WE'RE THE FIFTH LOWEST OF OUR 13 COMPARISON CITIES, UM, WITH A COMBINED WATER, SEWER AND SOLID WASTE BILL OF $106.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE RANGE RIGHT NOW GOES FROM $160 PER MONTH FOR GOODYEAR ALL THE WAY DOWN TO $74 A MONTH FOR THE CITY OF CHANDLER.
SO GOING A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO DETAIL ABOUT WATER RATES.
SO I'M GONNA FIRST DESCRIBE THE STRUCTURE OF OUR CURRENT WATER RATES.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A BASE CHARGE, WHICH IS, UH, DETERMINED BASED OFF OF THE METER THAT CONNECTS TO THE ANCE OR THE BUSINESS.
SO RIGHT NOW FOR A THREE FOUR INCH METER, WHICH IS THE TYPICAL METER CONNECTED TO A RESIDENTIAL HOME, THAT CHARGE IS $10 AND 54 CENTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE TIERS RELATED TO HOW MUCH WATER YOU CONSUME ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
UM, FOR RESIDENTIAL AND LANDSCAPE CUSTOMERS, WE HAVE THREE TIERS.
UM, SO FOR THAT FIRST TIER, WHICH IS FOR THE FIRST 6,000 GALLONS, UM, OF WATER USED FOR A RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, THAT CHARGE IS $2 AND 3 CENTS PER 1000 GALLONS.
THEN, UM, ONCE WE GET TO MORE OF THE DISCRETIONARY WATER USE, UM, ONE NOTE ABOUT WATER USAGE IS 70% OF, UM, WATER USAGE OCCURS OUTSIDE OF RESIDENTIAL'S HOME.
UM, WE START TO INCREASE THAT RATE BECAUSE THE, THE MORE WATER YOU CONSUME, THAT MEANS THE MORE WELLS WE HAVE TO ADD, THE LARGER PIPES WE NEED IN THE SYSTEM, THE MORE WATER WE NEED TO PURCHASE.
SO FOR THE NEXT TIER, WHICH IS FOR THE 6,000 TO 15,000 GALLONS, UM, THAT CHARGE IS $3 AND 56 CENTS.
AND THEN FOR, UM, TRULY HIGH WATER USAGE CUSTOMERS, WE HAVE A THIRD TIER, UM, WHICH IS $5 9 CENTS FOR ANYTHING ABOVE 15,000 GALLONS CONSUMED FOR COMMERCIAL AND MULTI-FAMILY.
UM, WE HAVE A FLAT RATE PER 1000 GALLONS OF $3 AND 9 CENTS.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE IF YOU THINK OF LIKE A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS, THERE'S LESS DISCRETIONARY WATER USAGE.
SO IF YOU'RE RUNNING LIKE A, A SMALL RESTAURANT, THE THE AMOUNT OF WATER USAGE YOU HAVE IS PROBABLY GONNA BE STEADY MONTH TO MONTH.
UM, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT A LOT OF COMMERCIAL AND OUR MULTIFAMILY WILL TYPICALLY ALSO HAVE A LANDSCAPE METER FOR THAT OUTSIDE LANDSCAPING THAT IS MORE DISCRETIONARY IN NATURE.
SO GOING INTO A TYPICAL WATER BILL FOR A, UM, AVONDALE RESIDENT.
SO WE BENCHMARK OUR AVONDALE RESIDENT AT 9,000 GALLONS A MONTH.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY HAVE THAT BASE FEE, UM, OF $10 AND 54 CENTS, WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THEIR METER SIZE.
SO THAT FIRST 6,000, UM, THEY'RE CHARGED $2 AND 3 CENTS PER 1000 GALLONS, AND THEN THEY HAVE THAT SECOND TIER FOR THAT SECOND FOR THAT NEXT, UH, 6,000 TO $9,000 OR 9,000
[02:10:01]
GALLONS OF CONSUMPTION, WHICH IS $3 AND 56 CENTS.SO RIGHT NOW OUR AVERAGE RESIDENT IS PAYING ABOUT $33 AND 40 CENTS, UM, ON THEIR WATER BILL.
SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WATER RATES RIGHT NOW, WE NEED TO FIRST OFF ENSURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING PACE WITH INFLATION AND WE'RE KEEPING PACE WITH WHAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS FOR OUR WATER UTILITY ARE.
UM, YOU SAW ON KIRK SIDES THAT OUR WATER, SEWER AND SALT WASTE ARE ALL FACING LARGE EXPENDITURE PRESSURES, LARGE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES LIKE WE ALL HAVE OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
UM, SO WE NEED TO KEEP UP WITH THE ESCALATING COSTS OF PROVIDING SERVICE.
WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN THE CITY'S WATER PORTFOLIO, MAKING SURE WE HAVE SECURED WATER SUPPLIES FOR OUR AVONDALE'S RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.
UM, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM KIRK, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE DROUGHT DECLARATION ON THE COLORADO RIVER, WHICH MAY IMPACT THE WATER SUPPLIES WE HAVE.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OTHER WATER SOURCES.
WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COMPLY WITH FEDERAL, UM, REGULATIONS RELATED TO THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE TRANSPARENCY ON THE PURPOSE OF OUR RATE INCREASES.
SO I'M GONNA GO STEP THROUGH, UM, A FINANCIAL FORECAST FOR THE WATER UTILITY RIGHT NOW.
SO WE HAVE A RESERVE REQUIREMENT FOR OUR WATER UTILITY, AND THAT IS SIX MONTHS OF OPERATING EXPENSES.
WE KEEP IN RESERVES IN CASE THERE IS OF ANY EMERGENCY OR ANY, UM, SIGNIFICANT ISSUE.
SO IF WE WERE NOT TO RAISE RATES AND WE DID NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT WE, THE BARTLETT DAM PROJECT AND THE PFAS PROJECT THAT, UM, KIRK WAS DESCRIBING, WE WOULD GO NEGATIVE BELOW OUR RESERVE REQUIREMENT.
UM, WE PROJECT IN FISCAL YEAR 28 29 WITH THE THOSE TWO PROJECTS, THE, THE BARTLETT DAM AND THE PFAS.
UM, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT GOING, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY MORE NEGATIVE, ESPECIALLY ONCE YOU GET TO THOSE OUT YEARS, WE'D BE NEGATIVE $60 MILLION.
SO I THINK THIS REALLY SHOWS THE NEED THAT WE HAVE FOR, UM, RATE INCREASES FOR WATER UTILITY.
SO OUR CURRENT PROPOSAL, UM, WE HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT PARTS TO THIS THAT I'LL STEP THROUGH.
SO FOR THOSE BASE AND TIER RATES, UM, JANUARY 1ST, 2026.
WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT A 6.7%.
WE'RE PROPOSING A 6.7% INCREASE TO THOSE, UM, BASE AND TIERS, AND THEN ANOTHER ADDITIONAL 6.1% JANUARY 1ST, 2027.
BUT TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT TRANSPARENCY ON THE WATER BILL FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE SEPARATE OUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR FOR THE ADDITIONAL TREATMENT, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO THE SAFE DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS, UM, AND PFAS.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING TO, UM, HAVE A FEE OF 7.5% ON THE TOTAL WATER BILL FOR THE DESIGN THAT'D BE DEDICATED FOR THE DESIGN AND LAND PURCHASE OF TREATMENT FACILITIES.
AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL WATER RESOURCE FEE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY CAN CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY.
AND THAT WOULD BE 6.2% ON THE TOTAL BILL, AND THAT WOULD ALSO GO INTO EFFECT, UM, JANUARY 1ST, 2026.
SO THIS IS HOW THAT, UH, PROPOSAL WOULD LOOK ON THE AVERAGE WATER BILL.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, FIRST THAT WATER BILL THAT WE FIRST WENT THROUGH, THAT THREE, $3 40 CENTS WATER BILL.
SO JANUARY 1ST, 2026 WITH THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, UM, THAT WOULD GO TO $40 AND 22 CENTS.
SO ABOUT A $6 AND 82 CENTS PER MONTH CHANGE, UM, ABOUT A 20% CHANGE OVERALL ON THE WATER BILL.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY IN JANUARY 1 27, YOU SEE THAT INCREASES AGAIN WITH THAT, UM, MORE THAT INFLATIONARY RATE INCREASE AT 6.1% TO $42 AND 66 CENTS, $2 AND 44 CENTS PER MONTH.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TREATMENT FEE AND THE RESOURCE FEE DO ALSO INCREASE WITH THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE, THE BASE WATER BILL IS GOING UP.
SO THOSE PERCENTAGES WOULD COLLECT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO WITH THOSE PROPOSED RATE CHANGES, UM, WE ARE PROJECTING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE, ABLE TO STAY ABOVE OUR RESERVE REQUIREMENTS THROUGHOUT OUR 10 YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST.
UM, SO THE WAY SEWER RATES ARE STRUCTURED IS JUST A LITTLE BIT SIMPLER THAN, UM, WATER.
SO WE HAVE A BASE CHARGE RELATED TO THAT METER SIZE, THAT THE METER THAT'S CONNECTED TO YOUR HOUSE THOUGH FOR SEWER, IT'S $9 AND 16 CENTS.
UM, THEN WE TAKE THE, WHAT WE CALL THE WATER WINTER AVERAGE FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
SO HOW MUCH WATER YOU'RE CONSUMING DURING THOSE VERY LOW CONSUMPTION MONTHS WHEN YOUR, YOUR LANDSCAPING DOESN'T NEED AS MUCH WATER, WE SAY, OKAY, SO YOU CONSUME THIS MUCH WATER, WE TAKE 80% OF THAT, AND THAT BECOMES YOUR SEWER BILL FOR THE, THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
UM, WE HAVE A CONSUMPTION CHARGE RELATED TO WHAT WE PROJECT YOUR CONSUMPTION IS, AND THAT IS $4 AND 53 CENTS PER 1000 GALLONS.
AND THAT IS ACROSS ALL RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESS, UH, CUSTOMERS.
SO FOR OUR BENCHMARK SEWER BILL, UM, WE TYPICALLY PROJECT OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS U USING ABOUT 8,000 GALLONS.
[02:15:01]
OF $9 AND 16 CENTS.SO IF THEY HAVE A USAGE OF 8,000 GALLONS, THAT RATE IS, UH, $4 AND 53 CENTS.
UM, FOR A TOTAL USAGE FEE OF THREE $6 AND 24 CENTS FOR A TOTAL BILL OF $45 AND 40 CENTS.
WITH OUR SEWER UTILITY FINANCIAL FORECAST, UM, WITHOUT A RATE INCREASE, WE'D PROJECT THAT WE'D GO BELOW OUR RESERVE REQUIREMENTS, UM, IN FISCAL YEAR 23, UM, OR FISCAL YEAR 33.
SO IT'S NOT AS DIRE OF A FORECAST AS, AS IT IS FOR WATER, BUT THERE IS STILL SOME NEED FOR AN INFLATIONARY INCREASE FOR SEWER UTILITY.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE, UM, WE'RE RECOMMENDING A 2% RATE INCREASE.
UM, THAT WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE JANUARY ONE OF 26.
SO THAT WOULD RAISE THAT, UH, CURRENT BILL FROM $45 AND 40 CENTS TO $46 AND 30 CENTS, A 90 CENTS PER MONTH INCREASE.
AND THEN WE WOULD PROPOSE ANOTHER 2% INCREASE JANUARY ONE OF 27, AND THAT WOULD BRING THAT BILL UP TO $47 AND 21 CENTS, ANOTHER 91 CENTS INCREASE.
SO WITH THAT, UM, PROJECTED RATE INCREASES, UM, WE WOULD PROJECT THAT WE WOULD STAY ABOVE OUR RESERVE REQUIREMENT THROUGHOUT OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST.
FINALLY, GOING INTO SOLID WASTE, SOLID WASTE HAS THE EASIEST RATE STRUCTURE.
SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF MATH INVOLVED IN HERE.
SO IF YOU HAVE ONE TRASH CAN, ONE RECYCLING, CAN YOU GET THE MONTHLY BULK SERVICE THAT IS $27 A MONTH.
CURRENTLY, IF YOU HAVE TWO TRASH CANS, ONE RECYCLING CAN AND MONTHLY BULK, THAT'S $43 A MONTH.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THAT SPECIAL ONE-TIME PICKUP FEE THAT KIRK WAS TALKING ABOUT FOR $28.
SO BY FAR, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS HAVE THE ONE TRASH CAN.
ONE RECYCLING CAN, UM, UM, BILL.
SO THAT IS $27 CURRENTLY WITH SOLID WASTE.
UM, OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE PROJECTING WE'D GO BELOW OUR RESERVE REQUIREMENT.
SO OUR RESERVE REQUIREMENT FOR SOLID WASTE IS FOUR MONTHS OF OPERATING EXPENSES.
UH, SO WE PROJECT WE'D GO BELOW THAT RESERVE REQUIREMENT IN FISCAL YEAR 27.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT, UH, FORECAST GETS, UH, PROGRESSIVELY, UM, MORE NEGATIVE OVER THE, THE FORECAST PERIOD.
UM, THAT IS REALLY DRIVEN BY THE FACT THAT, WELL, THE TRUCKS, UM, RELATED TO PICKUP OF SOLID WASTE HAVE REALLY GONE UP IN PRICE OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR, UM, SOLID WASTE CUSTOMERS IS GOING FROM $27 CURRENTLY AND IMPLEMENTING IN JULY ONE OF 25, UM, A DOLLAR 60 RATE INCREASE, ABOUT 6% ON THAT TOTAL SOLID WASTE BILL, AND THEN JULY ONE OF 26, AN ADDITIONAL $1 75 CENTS INCREASE.
SO WITH THAT, UM, WITH THOSE PROPOSED RATE INCREASE FOR SOLID WASTE, YOU CAN SAY WE STAY ABOVE THAT RESERVE REQUIREMENT.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S KIND OF A DIP IN 28, 29, 20 30.
THAT'S BECAUSE, UM, A LOT OF OUR SOLID WASTE VEHICLES GO UP FOR REPLACEMENT THEN.
SO WE REPLACE THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR SOLID WASTE VEHICLES IN THAT THREE YEAR FISCAL YEAR TIMEFRAME.
AND THEN WE HAVE A FEW YEARS WHERE THE FUND BALANCE RECOVERS AND THEN WE GO THROUGH THAT CYCLE, BUT WE STAY ABOVE THE RESERVE REQUIREMENT THROUGHOUT OUR 10 YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST.
SO TO SUM UP THE RECOMMENDATION, SO FOR WATER, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, A RATE INCREASE OF 6.7% ON THE BASE AND TIERS THAT CONSUMPTION FEE, AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 7.5% FOR THE ADDITIONAL TREATMENT FEE RELATED TO THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT REQUIREMENTS AND A 6.2% WATER RESOURCE FEE.
AND THEN IN 27, WE'D LOOK AT A 6.1% RATE INCREASE.
FOR SEWER, WE'RE LOOKING AT A 2% RATE INCREASE IN 26 AND 27.
AND THEN FOR SOLID WASTE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A DOLLAR 60 IN FISCALLY YEAR 26 AND A DOLLAR 75 IN, UH, 27.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THAT COMBINED UTILITY BILL, SO CURRENTLY IF YOU ADD UP WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING THE BENCHMARK CUSTOMER IS FOR WATER, SEWER, AND SOLID WASTE, THAT COMBINED BILL IS $105 AND 80 CENTS PER MONTH.
UM, IF THE RECOMMENDED RATE INCREASES ARE IMPLEMENTED, THAT BILL WOULD GO UP TO 115 13 CENTS, ABOUT A $9 33 CENTS CHANGE PER MONTH OR AN 8.8% RATE INCREASE.
AND THEN FOR JANUARY 1 27, UM, THAT, UH, BILL GOES UP TO $120 AND 22 CENTS $5.
UM, ABOUT A $5 INCREASE, ABOUT A 4%, UM, INCREASE ON THE TOTAL BILL.
SO IF THE RATE RECOMMENDED RATE INCREASES, UM, ARE IMPLEMENTED, WE'D GO FROM BEING THE FIFTH LOWEST TO BEING ABOUT MIDDLE OF THE PACK WITH OUR COMPARISON, UM, METROPOLITAN CITIES.
UM, SO WE'D STILL NOT BE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO BEING THE HIGHEST.
AND I ALSO WANT TO JUST, UM, SHOW THAT WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES FACING A LOT OF EXPENDITURE PRESSURES WITH UTILITIES.
SO I'M NOT GONNA GO READ THROUGH EVERY ONE OF THESE, UH, ONES.
BUT LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, GILBERT, THEIR BASE FEE, WHICH IS ONLY $9 AND 16 CENTS FOR US FOR SEWER, THEY'RE PROPOSING TO INCREASE THEIR BASE FEE FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS FROM $32 AND 75 CENTS TO $62 AND 1 CENT COME APRIL 25.
[02:20:01]
UM, INCREASED THEIR RATES, 13% FOR WATER, 7% FOR WASTEWATER.PEORIA INCREASE THEIR TOTAL UTILITY BILL 8.4%.
SO A LOT OF CITIES ARE FACING A LOT OF THE SAME EXPENDITURE PRESSURES, UM, AS WE ARE WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, OUR UTILITY RATES.
SO THERE IS NO ACTION TONIGHT.
UM, BUT, UM, WE ARE LOOKING TO HAVE A NOTICE OF INTENT, UM, UM, UP FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ON THE MARCH 3RD COUNCIL AGENDA.
SO THAT STARTS THE FORMAL PROCESS FOR ADJUSTING WATER AND SEWER RATES, BUT NOT SOLID WASTE RATES.
SO IF WE ONLY INCREASE THE RATES A PENNY, WE WOULD STILL NEED TO PASS THIS NOTICE OF INTENT BY CITY COUNCIL.
UM, WHAT IS ENTAILED BY THIS IS IT ONE SETS THE DATE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH WOULD BE MAY 5TH, UM, TWO, IT ALSO SAYS THAT WE MUST POST A REPORT TO THE WEBSITE THAT HAS MORE DETAIL ON OUR FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS AND THE RECOMMENDED RATE INCREASE.
AND THAT WOULD BE DONE 30 DAYS BEFORE COUNCIL ACTION ON MAY 5TH, AND THEN A PUBLIC NOTICE WOULD BE PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSPAPER AT LEAST 20 DAYS BEFORE COUNCIL ACTION.
SO THESE ARE, THESE ARE THE NEXT STEPS IN TERMS OF OUR UTILITY RATE ADOPTION PROCESS.
SO TONIGHT IS FOR DISCUSSION FEEDBACK, MARK, WE COME BACK MARCH 3RD FOR THE NOTICE OF INTENT.
UM, IF THE NOTICE OF INTENT IS PASSED BY COUNCIL, WE DO THE REQUIRED, UM, PUBLIC NOSING AND OUTREACH IN MARCH AND APRIL.
UM, PUBLISH THE NOTICE OF INTENT IN THE NEWSPAPER AROUND APRIL 20TH, HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE RATE ADOPTION ON MAY 5TH, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE WHEN WE WOULD IMPLEMENT THOSE RATE INCREASES FOR, UM, WATER, SEWER AND SOLID WASTE.
SO WITH THAT, UH, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT HAS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? VICE MAYOR NIELSEN, I'LL JUST MAKE ONE QUICK COMMENT HERE.
I APPRECIATE A COUPLE OF MENTIONED IN THE THING.
THIS IS REALLY HAVING TO DO WITH LONG TERM.
I'VE SAT ON THE AMAL WATER PORT DOWN THERE WITH THE 10 MUNICIPALITIES THERE, AND EVERYBODY'S CONCERNED ABOUT WATER AND SEWER AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UH, HOWEVER, THERE'S SOME DEVELOPERS THAT ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS, TAKE WHAT THEY CAN AND RUN AND LOOK FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FOR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, OR MAYBE EVEN GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
SO I APPRECIATE THE INSIGHT, AT LEAST WE'RE USING HERE IN AVONDALE TO LOOK FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE WHO WILL COME AFTER US AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A NICE PLACE WHERE WATER WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH WILL BE AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS, AS THE OTHER AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? I KNOW THAT WHEN I WAS FIRST APPOINTED LAST YEAR, UM, I HAD, THE VERY FIRST CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WAS WITH A RESIDENT WHO CALLED, UH, MY OFFICE AND I HAPPENED TO BE THERE, SO I ANSWERED, AND THE CONVERSATION CENTERED AROUND UTILITY RATES.
UM, SHE WAS, UH, ON A FIXED INCOME AND THE INCREASES, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, UM, DID NOT MAKE HER HER BUDGET VERY HAPPY.
SO AS I SHARED WITH HER THAT ONE OF THE, UH, ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT LED TO THAT WAS, AND I KNOW THAT EVEN PRIOR TO ME BEING ON COUNCIL, WAS THE, UM, WE DID NOT INCREASE RATES, UH, OVER, OVER, UH, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND THEN WHEN WE, I SAY WE, WHEN THE ORGANIZATION REALIZED THAT WE WERE BEHIND AND NEEDED TO DO THE INCREASE, IT WAS A SUDDEN SHOCK.
AND AS PART OF THIS PLAN, THESE UTILITY RATES, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY UP HERE WHO WALKS AND TALKS WITH OUR RESIDENTS TO SAY, WE'RE HERE TO INCREASE YOUR RATES.
AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US TAKE IT LIGHTLY.
UM, BUT AS DEMONSTRATED AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION, UM, THIS IS NOT A REVENUE GENERATING ACTIVITY.
IT IS KEEPING UP WITH NOT ONLY THE PACE, UH, AND THE COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING WATER, BUT EVEN THE DECISIONS THAT CENTER AROUND THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER CITIES IN TERMS OF COMPARABLES.
UM, GOODYEAR BEING ONE AND RESIDENTS OFTEN TALKING ABOUT THE DATA CENTERS THAT ARE COMING TO TOWN, YOU KNOW, OURS, THE ONES THAT ARE COMING TO AVONDALE OR, UH, NEARING DEVELOPMENT.
WE WERE FORTUNATE TO REQUIRE THE CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM, WHICH MEANT THAT WE DO NOT REQUIRE THE SAME AMOUNT OF WATER AS, UH, UH, OUR NEIGHBORS.
SO FOR THAT AND THE DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE MADE, UH, I'M VERY, UH, WE'RE FOR, I'M FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE RESIDENT AND HAVING A CONVERSATION.
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WITH, UH, THIS RESIDENT AS WELL AFTER THIS IN REGARDS TO RATES BEING INCREASED OR THE PARTICI THE POTENTIAL FOR THEM TO BE INCREASED.
AGAIN, I AGAIN HAVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THIS RESIDENT TO SHARE WITH, WITH HER THAT, UH, THIS IS NOT REVENUE GENERATING.
THIS IS MORE OF KEEPING UP TO DATE WITH WHAT IS REQUIRED FROM US.
AND SO, UM, I I TAKE THAT CONVERSATION AND THAT RESPONSIBILITY, UH, VERY SERIOUSLY.
BUT I ALSO KNOW FROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL
[02:25:01]
PERSPECTIVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE, IT COSTS MONEY.SO, UM, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE QUESTIONS, HOPEFULLY FROM COUNCIL, UM, EVEN MAYBE EVEN SOME CREATIVITY OR INNOVATIVE THOUGHT MOVING FORWARD.
BUT HERE'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AND SO, UM, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO IN TERMS OF A ROAD SHOW OR HOW WE GET THIS INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC IN TERMS OF EDUCATION.
UH, I KNOW THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE COMING UP, IS THAT MARCH 3RD THAT WAS REFERENCED HERE? UH, MARCH 3RD IS JUST THE NOTICE OF INTENTS OF THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC HEARING WOULD BE MAY 5TH.
THAT ALL OF US DO, UH, JUSTICE OF HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH RESIDENTS AS WELL SO THAT THEY'RE EDUCATED IN, IN WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED HERE TONIGHT.
SO, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS AT ALL FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? OKAY, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I APPRECIATE, AGAIN, THE PRESENTATIONS AND, AND THE INFORMATION SHARED.
[6. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS FROM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COUNCILMEMBERS]
WITH THAT, WE ARE AT ITEM SIX, WHICH IS OUR SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS.ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE? HI, MAYOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR RECOGNITION, AND THANK YOU ALSO TO THE CITY, UH, MANAGER'S OFFICE AND STAFF AS A MEMBER OF THE LEADERSHIP WEST.
WE VISITED
TREASURE HOUSE WAS FOUNDED BY KURT AND BRENDA WARNER, UM, TO, UM, TO HELP THEIR ELDEST SON ZACH, WHO SUFFERED A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.
AND IT WAS JUST, UM, IT WAS BREATHTAKING TO SEE HOW THE, UM, INTELLECTUALLY, UM, DISABLED COMMUNITY, UH, GETS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE TREASURE HOUSE AND POSSIBLY LEARN LIFE SKILLS SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME EMPLOYED AND POSSIBLY LEARN HOW TO LIVE ON THEIR OWN.
AND SO, JUST GOING THERE AND SPENDING TIME, UM, AGAIN, WITH PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ON THE SPECTRUM HAVE DEVELOP DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE UNSEEN DISABILITIES, SEEING THEM HAVE LIFE SKILLS AND BEING ABLE TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY, IT WAS REALLY AMAZING OF THE AMOUNT OF RESIDENTS THAT ARE THERE.
ONLY ONE HAS A DRIVER'S LICENSE, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT I JUST COULDN'T UNDERSTAND.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE TREASURE HOUSE PHOENIX EXISTS AND THAT THEY HAVE A STRONG MISSION.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IF, IF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT IT, DEFINITELY, UM, VISIT ONLINE.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE TEAM AND THEIR TEAM LEADER, REEN TANNER, UM, THE CEO OF TREASURE HOUSE, SHE DOES ALL THE FUNDRAISING FOR THAT ORGANIZATION PRETTY MUCH BY HERSELF.
AND SO I WAS JUST FLOORED TO KNOW THAT SHE'S ABLE, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION.
THEY DON'T GET ANY FEDERAL FUNDS, SO WHEN MONEY'S BEING TAKEN FROM DIFFERENT PLACES, IT DOESN'T EVEN STOP THEIR ABILITY TO SERVE THE INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED BECAUSE THEY GET ALL PRIVATE MONEY.
SO I WAS JUST PROUD OF THAT AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH COUNCIL AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO REPRESENT THIS, UM, TEAM ON LEADERSHIP WEST CLASS 31.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY LAST WEEK TO GO TO THE NEW DECONCINI PARK OVER IN OLD AVONDALE.
THANK PARKS AND REC FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE ON THAT.
THEY'VE GOT A PLACE FOR KIDS THERE, A KID PARK, THEY'VE GOT A NINJA PARK, AND IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO GO TO A SWING THAT HANDLES WHEELCHAIRS, THEY'VE GOT A WHEELCHAIR SWING OVER THERE.
SO THANK YOU PARKS AND REC AND WHATEVER ELSE.
IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE THERE.
AND THEN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO DAYS LATER, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO DOWNTOWN TO JPEG AND MEET WITH, UH, 50 DIFFERENT JAPANESE DELEGATES.
THE CONSULATE GENERAL THERE SAID HE'S GOT ABOUT $1 TRILLION THAT THEY WANT TO INVEST IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND I DO GIVE CREDIT FOR JEN STEIN BEING DOWN THERE,
I COULDN'T KEEP TRACK OF HER BECAUSE SHE WAS GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE TRYING TO TALK WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM AND STRUM UP SOME BUSINESS FOR AVONDALE AND BRING SOME OF THOSE TECHNOLOGY, UM, UM, OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
IT WAS JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SEE HER AT WORK AND, AND, AND MEET SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT SHE KNOWS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, I WENT TO AN OPENING OF A NEW MEDICAL CENTER THIS, UH, I MEAN LIKE TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST SO WONDERFUL THAT WE BRING THOSE TYPE OF BUSINESSES OUT HERE BECAUSE WE TRAVEL FROM THE WEST VALLEY ALL THE WAY TO THE EAST VALLEY ALL THE TIME FOR MEDICAL CARE, YOU KNOW, BEING A VETERAN.
I, MOST OF THE PLACES THEY SEND ME TO END UP BEING IN THE EAST VALLEY.
SO KNOWING THAT NOW WE HAVE LIKE A HEART AND ARTHRITIS PLACE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET, IT, THE BUILDING LOOKS LIKE IT DOES
[02:30:01]
NOT BELONG WHERE THEY PLACED IT.IT'S LIKE THEY PICKED IT UP AND DROPPED IT.
AND, UM, TALKING ABOUT NEW BUSINESSES, I KNOW APPLE DECIDED TO INVEST BACK INTO THE UNITED STATES, SO SINCE WE'RE BUILDING A LOT OF STUFF KIND OF SOUTH, IT WOULD BE AWESOME TO MAYBE LOOK INTO GETTING THEM TO BUILD SOMETHING SO WE COULD HAVE REVENUE FOR THAT FROM APPLE AS WELL.
HERE IN AVONDALE, I CAN SEE JEN GIVING THE THUMBS UP
UM, I, LAST WEEK ON FRIDAY HAD THE AWESOME OPPORTUNITY OF ATTENDING, UM, LUKE AIR FORCE BASE RODEO AWARDS, WHICH, UH, CONSISTS OF NOT ONLY, UM, SERVICE MEMBERS, BUT UH, CIVILIAN PERSONNEL.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, YOU'VE NEVER BEEN IN A HANGAR AS JETS ARE FLYING BY.
IF IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU FEEL, UH, PATRIOTIC, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL.
UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT I WANTED TO CONVEY IS JUST HOW IMPORTANT LUKE IS, UH, TO OUR REGION.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, NOT ONLY THE MEMBERS WHO LIVE WITHIN OUR CITY LIMITS, UH, BUT THOSE THAT, YOU KNOW, SHOP AT OUR STORES, EAT AT OUR RESTAURANTS.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WAS CONVEYED, UH, IN, IN, IN, UM, BY A MEMBER OF THE, BY A NUMBER OF THE MEMBERS THERE WAS THAT AS WE TRANSITIONED FROM THE F 16 TO THE F 35, THE BEST FIGHTER PILOTS IN THE WORLD ARE TRAINING RIGHT HERE IN OUR AREA.
I SEE WE GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CONNIE, A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO.
PLEASE VOTE EVERYBODY PLEASE DRIVE HOME SAFELY AND HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE EVENING AND WEEK.