[1. ROLL CALL BY THE CITY CLERK]
[00:00:04]
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE ORDER OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON APRIL 7TH, 2025.
WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE, UH, RISE AND JOIN WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A MOMENT OF I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FIRE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR RACIST FANS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE PRESENT VICE MAYOR NIELSEN.
[a. Avondale Fire and Medical Citizen's Academy]
NEXT ITEM PLEASE.THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, FIRST WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY CHIEF ROONEY AND, UH, GABBY BOBINSKI, OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR TO CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF THE AVONDALE FIRE MEDICAL CITIZENS ACADEMY.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, TONIGHT I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF INTRODUCING GABBY B BABINSKI, OUR, UH, UH, REACH COORDINATOR FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO, UM, OVERSAW OUR THIS YEAR'S OUR, OUR CITIZENS FIRE ACADEMY.
SO WITH THAT, SHE'LL DO A NICE PRESENTATION WITH US AND WE'LL GET TO MEET SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ATTEND.
UM, TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR CITIZEN ACADEMY PARTICIPANTS.
UM, THEY'RE THERE IN THE BACK CORNER.
WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO WILL SPEAK AT THE END.
UM, THIS YEAR WE HAD NINE PARTICIPANTS WHO, UH, ATTENDED SEVEN OF OUR CLASSES, KIND OF GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND INTO HOW WE RUN.
UM, AVONDALE FIRE ON OUR FIRST NIGHT, UH, WE HELD IT AT STATION 1 72.
THEY WERE ABLE TO GET A TOUR OF OUR COMMAND VAN, WHICH WAS KIND OF COOL 'CAUSE WE'D USED IT THE WEEK PRIOR FOR NASCAR.
UM, THEY GOTTA HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS, HOW WE SUPPORT NASCAR AND OTHER EVENTS HERE IN THE CITY, AS WELL AS SOME BACKGROUND ON OUR DEPARTMENT AND HOW, UM, WE REGULATE, UM, OUR SAFETY PROCEDURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
ON THE SECOND NIGHT, UH, THEY HAD A TOUR OF STATION 1 72 AND WERE INTRODUCED TO OUR COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION AND OUR FIRE INVESTIGATIONS AND INSPECTIONS.
UM, ON THE THIRD DAY THEY HAD A TOUR STATION 1 75 AND THEY WERE ABLE TO, UH, LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EXTRICATION AND OUR LADDER COMPANY FUNCTIONS.
UH, THEY GOT TO TOUCH THE TOOLS AND THEY, UH, WERE UP IN THE LADDER, WHICH IS ALWAYS A REALLY GOOD TIME.
UH, THE FOURTH NIGHT THEY EARNED THEIR CPR CERTIFICATIONS AND, UH, HAD A LITTLE INTRODUCTION TO OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, WHICH IS KIND OF THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT.
IT'S PREDOMINANTLY THE TYPE OF CALLS WE RUN ON.
UH, THE NEXT NIGHT WAS A STATION TOUR OF 1 74, UH, WHERE THEY HAD A LITTLE PEEK INTO OUR ENGINE COMPANY FUNCTIONS AND THEY WERE ABLE TO USE OUR HOSES.
UH, THE NEXT NIGHT WE INTRODUCED THEM TO OUR AVONDALE ONE CAMPAIGN, UM, OUR THREAT LIAISON OFFICER PROGRAM, AND THEY EARNED CERTIFICATES AND STOP THE BLEED.
AND THAT NIGHT THEY WERE ALSO ABLE TO GO HOME WITH, UM, A NARCAN KIT AND A TOURNIQUET.
UM, OUR FINAL NIGHT WAS OUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS, WHERE THEY LEARNED ABOUT OUR WILDLAND TEAM AND OUR TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM.
UM, THEY ALSO GOT A TOUR OF STATION 1 73, OUR BRUSH TRUCK AND, UM, SQUAD 1 73.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MIKE MARTIN, WHO WILL SAY A FEW WORDS ON HIS EXPERIENCE.
EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR US TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE ACADEMIES.
UM, WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A TASTE OF WHAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS DO.
IT'S, UH, JUST A LITTLE TASTE WE PUT ON THEIR FALLOUT GEAR AND GOTTA GO UP IN THE LADDER AND ALL THIS.
AND IT'S AMAZING ON WHAT THESE GUYS DO ON A DAILY BASIS TO PROTECT US.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND YOU GUYS FOR PUTTING ON THESE ACADEMIES.
CHIEF GABBY, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
AND MIKE, THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING, UH, THE ACADEMY AND THE GRADUATES.
AND, UH, WILL WE BE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU PUTTING IN A RESUME OR
WE'RE ALWAYS RECRUITING, BUT, OKAY.
AND, UM, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE ON THE DAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE OR ASK ANY QUESTIONS? I KNOW THIS IS GREAT ACADEMY, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARTICIPANTS WHO TOOK THE TIME TO SEE WHAT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES.
[00:05:01]
UM, THEY WORK HARD, THEY SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED FOR IT.AND TO SEE IT FROM THE INSIDE IS DEFINITELY A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN TO SEE IT FROM THE OUTSIDE.
SO FOR YOU TO TAKE THE TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO DO THAT.
UM, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH AND FOR EVERYONE WHO PUT IT ON, THANK YOU GUYS FOR DOING THAT AND GIVING, UH, PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND MAYOR, WE WILL HAVE A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY, UM, AT THE END AFTER ALL THE PRESENTATIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU GUYS.
UM, HAVING TAKEN THIS CLASS LAST YEAR AS ANOTHER ACADEMY TO SEE WHAT OUR CITIZEN SEE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT FIRE, LIKE YOU CALL FIRE FOR ANYTHING BASICALLY.
AND, UM, I MIGHT GET A LITTLE BIT OF HATE IN THE ROOM, BUT, UM, I WOULD SAY THAT THE FIRE ACADEMY TO ME, YOU EVERYONE DOES A GOOD JOB.
I'LL PREFACE IT THAT WAY, WAS PROBABLY THE BEST TIME EVER.
SO YES, I LIKE THE WAY YOU CLEANED THAT UP THERE AT THE END.
SO REALLY QUICKLY, GABBY, UH, WHILE WE'RE ON THIS TOPIC, CAN YOU TELL US WHEN THE ACADEMY WILL BE HELD NEXT? I'M ASSUMING IT'LL BE NEXT YEAR, BUT JUST SO THAT THOSE EITHER ARE ONLINE, UM, OR HERE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO ARE MAYBE THINKING ABOUT IT, UH, CAN PUT THAT INTO THEIR, UH, YOU KNOW, PURVIEW, SO TO SPEAK.
REGISTRATION, UH, WILL OPEN UP AGAIN IN THE FALL.
UH, WE'LL POST ABOUT IT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO FOLLOW US ON AVONDALE, UH, FIRE AND MEDICAL.
UM, AND IT'LL GO ON AGAIN, I BELIEVE FROM MAY TO APRIL.
THE DATES DEPEND ON, AGAIN, WHEN WE HOST NASCAR.
WE DID HOLD IT RIGHT AFTER WE, UM, HELD NASCAR HERE IN THE CITY.
SO IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON WHEN THEIR DATES ARE.
OKAY, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH AND FOR ALL OF YOU, UH, WHO PARTICIPATED, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'LL SEE YOU SHORTLY AND THANK YOU CHIEF AND GABBY AND MIKE, MIKE FOR, FOR, UH, YOUR PARTICIPATION.
[b. Proclamation - Month of the Military Child]
ITEM.THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UP NEXT, UH, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR THE MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD TO KICK IT OFF.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE TONIGHT'S DESIGN.
IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE TONIGHT'S PROCLAMATION FOR MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD, APRIL DESIGNATED AS MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD, A TIME TO HONOR THE SACRIFICES MADE BY MILITARY FAMILIES WORLDWIDE, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE EXPERIENCE OF THE DEPENDENT CHILDREN OF MILITARY MEMBERS SERVING AT HOME AND OVERSEAS.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE GUESTS THAT HAVE JOINED US THIS EVENING FROM LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, MR. SAMUEL SMITH, LUKE AIR FORCE BASE SCHOOL LIAISON PROGRAM MANAGER, MS. CHRISTY GERARDI, LUKE AIR FORCE BASE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM MANAGER.
AND AS YOU KNOW, EACH YEAR WE RECOGNIZE THE CURRENT AVONDALE EMPLOYEE WHO HAS SERVED IN THE MILITARY AND UNDERSTANDS THE SACRIFICES MADE BY MILITARY FAMILIES PERSONALLY.
THIS YEAR, IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE AND RECOGNIZE SERGEANT CHRISTOPHER BECKETT FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SERGEANT BECKETT AND HIS WIFE CRYSTAL, WHO ALSO SERVED IN THE MILITARY FROM 2003 TO 2005, HAVE FOUR CHILDREN.
WILLIAM 15, JOSHUA 13, MATTHEW 11, AND ALINA 10.
SERGEANT BECKETT HAS SERVED 22 YEARS IN THE AIR FORCE AND WAS A SUPERINTENDENT OVER THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT SHOP FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
SINCE 2024, HE HAS SERVED AS THE FIRST SERGEANT FOR THE CIVIL ENGINEERING SQUADRON AT THE HUNDRED AND 61ST AIR REFUELING WING AT GOLDWATER AIR NATIONAL BA NATIONAL GUARD BASE IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA.
HE DEPLOYED IN 2004 PRIOR TO HAVING CHILDREN AND DEPLOYED TO ALLUDE QATAR IN 2019 AND AB 2 0 1 AFRICA IN 2023.
SERGEANT BECKETT HAS BEEN EMPLOYED WITH THE CITY OF AVONDALE FOR 18 YEARS AND CURRENTLY SERVES AS A SUPERVISING SERGEANT OVER THE COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT BACK TO YOU FOR ANY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OR COMMENTS AND FOR READING THE PROCLAMATION.
AND SERGEANT BECKETT, WOULD YOU HAVE ANY WORDS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? YES, ACTUALLY,
SO, UM, COUNSEL MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD, IT IS MY PROFOUND HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU, ALONGSIDE WITH MY WIFE OF 18 YEARS, OUR FOUR CHILDREN, WILLIAM, JOSHUA, MATTHEW, AND ALINA.
UM, AS A MEMBER OF THE AIR FORCE, FORWARD 22 YEARS, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING THE COUNTRY WHILE ALSO WORKING AS A POLICE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
OVER 18 YEARS THROUGHOUT MY MILITARY CAREER, I HAVE HELD VARIOUS POSITIONS, UM,
[00:10:01]
AND MOST RECENTLY TOOK ON THE POSITION OF FIRST SERGEANT, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY LIKE HR.IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION, BUT VERY REWARDING, UM, FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'VE ALSO SERVED ON NUMEROUS, UH, TEAMS AND ASSIGNMENTS TO INCLUDE PATROL, FIELD TRAINING OFFICER.
I'VE SERVED ON TOU AND THEN, UH, THE COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM AS AN OFFICER, AND ALSO AS THE SUPERVISING, UH, SERGEANT OVER THAT UNIT, WHICH IS THE MOST REWARDING, UH, POSITION I'VE EVER HELD.
UH, MY JOURNEY HAS TAKEN ME AROUND THE GLOBE WITH MILITARY, UH, FROM DEPLOYMENTS TO LED, UH, IN 2019, AND ALSO AIRBASE 2 0 1 IN NIGER AFRICA IN 2023.
UM, I'VE BEEN AWAY FROM MY FAMILY FOR PROBABLY AT LEAST A YEAR AND A HALF OF THEIR LIVES, UH, BETWEEN THE DEPLOYMENTS AND VARIOUS TRAININGS.
SO IT'S BEEN VERY DIFFICULT IN SOME INSTANCES.
UM, AS A MILITARY CHILD MYSELF, UH, I KNOW THE INSTABILITY OF HAVING YOUR DAD LEAVE OR CONSTANTLY MOVING, UH, WHICH IS WHY I CHOSE TO ACTUALLY MAKE MY HOME HERE IN AVONDALE.
ONCE, UH, WE SETTLED HERE WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OLD.
UM, AND THEN I JOINED THE MILITARY, WAS ACTIVE DUTY FOR A WHILE AND SAID, I CAN'T DO THIS MOVING AROUND THING.
SO THAT'S WHY I JOINED THE NATIONAL GUARD AND WANTED TO BE A POLICE OFFICER TOO, WITH THE CITY.
UH, SINCE THEN, UH, I'VE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY ENJOYED LIVING IN THE CITY.
AND, UH, THE CITY'S BEEN SO GREAT AND SUPPORTIVE OF MY FAMILY.
BUT THE REAL REASON WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY IS TO SPEAK ABOUT THE MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD.
UH, MY WIFE CRYSTAL, ALSO SERVED IN THE AIR FORCE FROM 2003 TO 2005.
UH, SO SHE UNDERSTANDS THE UNIQUE, UH, SACRIFICES THAT MILITARY LIFE DEMANDS.
ADDITIONALLY, SHE CONTINUES TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AS A FOURTH GRADE TEACHER AT LITCHFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UH, SHAPING YOUNG MINDS AND NURTURING THE NEXT GENERATION.
AND ALSO TOMORROW'S HER BIRTHDAY,
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IMMENSE JOY.
AS I WATCH WILLIAM JOSHUA, MATTHEW, AND ALINA GROW INTO REMARKABLE INDIVIDUALS, THE RESILIENCE AS MILITARY KIDS AND ADAPTABILITY, UH, INSPIRES ME DAILY.
MY CHILDREN AND WIFE HAVE BEEN THE GREATEST OR HAVE MADE THE GREATEST SACRIFICE WHEN IT COMES TO SERVICE.
THEY UNDERSTAND LIVING WITHOUT ONE PARENT FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME, AND, UH, BEING WITHOUT THEM WHEN I CAN'T MAKE IT TO CERTAIN EVENTS.
MISSED BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES, SCOUTING, CAMPING TRIPS IS KIND OF THE ONES THAT I REALLY REGRET.
UM, ALSO, UH, TAEKWONDO BELT TESTING AND EVEN VACATIONS THAT I'VE MISSED HAVE BEEN VERY TOUGH.
UM, HOWEVER, SHE ALSO UNDERSTANDS OR THEY ALSO UNDERSTAND THE COMMITMENT I HAVE MADE TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO CALL HOME RIGHT HERE IN AVONDALE.
SO THAT'S WHY I CHOSE TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER.
'CAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT MY FAMILY GROWS UP IN A SAFE PLACE AS WELL.
IN CLOSING, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST APPRECIATION TO MY WIFE AND CHILDREN.
UH, YOUR SACRIFICE DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE UNDERSTANDING AND FOR BEING MY ANCHOR THROUGH THE CHALLENGES AND BALANCING THESE DEMANDING CAREERS.
I'M PROUD TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, EVEN PROUDER TO BE YOUR HUSBAND AND KIDS, YOUR FATHER.
SO CRYSTAL, YOU DID HEAR THAT.
HE ALSO MENTIONED ANNIVERSARIES WHEN HE SAID THAT HE MISSED OTHER THINGS, VACATIONS AND OTHER THINGS.
SO HE'S OFF THE HOOK, I THINK ON THAT ONE.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THE SACRIFICE AND LAST, LAST YEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY KIND OF EXPLAINED TO ME AND THE INFORMATION WAS SHARED WITH ME AND JUST HOW MUCH THE FAMILY SACRIFICES, UH, WHILE ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY HAS GONE TO SERVICE.
AND SO CRYSTAL, WHILE YOU AND THE FAMILY WERE, WERE HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND JUGGLING ALL OF THE DAY-TO-DAY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN LIVES WITHOUT YOUR HUSBAND HERE TO SUPPORT YOU, THAT TAKES TO A TREMENDOUS SACRIFICE AND A VERY STRONG, NOT ONLY INDIVIDUAL, BUT A STRONG UNIT.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE THAT HERE.
AND ARE ANY OF THE KIDS LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY A MILITARY CAREER? YES, ACTUALLY THE TALL ONE IN THE BACK THERE,
HE'S ACTUALLY BEEN IN THE CIVIL AIR PATROL FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS.
SO HE'S, UH, MAKING HIS WAY TO BECOME AN AIR FORCE PILOT IN THE FUTURE.
WELL, YOU CH CHOSE A GREAT CAREER, GREAT FAMILY,
[00:15:01]
UH, YOU KNOW, GREAT CITY TO REPRESENT, AS YOU MENTIONED, PUT THE ROOTS DOWN.AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO THE COUNTRY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE APPRECIATE THE SERVICE THAT THE FAMILY HAS ALL PROVIDED YOU, UH, WHEN YOU HAVE NOT BEEN THERE.
AND CRYSTAL, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE READY TO GO.
THANK YOU FOR WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND, UH, WHILE WE HAVE, UH, BEFORE WE GET TO THE PROCLAMATION, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SAMUEL HERE.
SAMUEL, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH, WITH, UH, US UP HERE AT THE DEUS REGARDING THE PROGRAM? THANK YOU MR. THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE SCHOOL LIAISON PROGRAM MANAGER AT LUKE AIR FORCE BASE.
AND IN THAT ENDEAVOR, MY JOB IS TO MAKE SURE OUR MILITARY CONNECTED KIDS AND FAMILIES ARE TAKEN CARE OF IN THEIR TRANSITION.
BECAUSE AS THE PARENT GOES AWAY, THE AND THE FAMILIES ARE TRANSITIONED.
THERE ARE CHALLENGES, THEY ARE ACADEMIC CHALLENGES, THEY ARE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES.
AND SO THE MILITARY SAW FIT TO CREATE THE SCHOOL LIAISON TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE FAMILIES AS THEY NAVIGATE THROUGH THOSE TRANSITION AND THROUGH THOSE TIMES.
I RECENTLY CAME HERE TO THE WEST VALLEY, I CAME HERE ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, CAME IN FROM GUAMA BAY, CUBA.
AND SO HERE IN THIS AREA WE HAVE 611 SCHOOLS, 40 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND 21,000 MILITARY CONNECTED STUDENTS THAT MY OFFICE HAVE, UH, OVERSIGHT OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR.
SO WE ARE CERTAINLY HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT AS AVONDALE IS LEADING THE WAY AND LEADING THE WAY WITH THIS PROCLAMATION THAT NONE OTHERS, THE CITIES HAVE THE GOVERNOR SIGNS A PROCLAMATION, BUT NONE OF OUR LOCAL CITIES HAVE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, AND WE CERTAINLY LOOK TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AVONDALE AND THIS FINE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME THERE, MAYOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, SAM, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND AT THIS TIME WE CAN GET THE PROCLAMATION READ BY COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA PROCLAMATION MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD APRIL, 2025.
WHEREAS SINCE 1986, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAS RECOGNIZED MILITARY CHILDREN DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL BECAUSE OF THEIR SERVICE, COMMITMENT AND SACRIFICE TO SUPPORTING THE MILITARY'S MISSION.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE OUR MILITARY'S YOUNGEST HEROES.
AND WHEREAS APRIL 20, 25 MONTH OF THE MILITARY MILITARY CHILD THEME IS CELEBRATING MILITARY CHILDREN AND YOUTH BUILDING STRONGER CHARACTER AND RELATIONSHIPS.
MILITARY CHILDREN SHOW BRAVERY, FEARLESSNESS, AND RESILIENCE BY ADAPTING AND MEETING ADVERSITY HEAD ON IN EVER CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.
AND WHEREAS THE CHILDREN OF MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND EXPERIENCES DUE TO THEIR PARENT SERVICE, INCLUDING FREQUENT MOVES, CHANGING SCHOOLS, AND THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF DEPLOYMENT AND REINTEGRATION AND INJURED OF FALLEN PARENTS.
AND WHEREAS THE MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD HIGHLIGHTS OUR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING EXCELLENT EDUCATION, CHILDCARE AND YOUTH SERVICES TO SUPPORT MILITARY CHILDREN AND HELP THEM OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE.
THE CITY OF ALAD AVONDALE HONORS AND APPRECIATES THE MILITARY CONNECTED CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THEIR POSITIVITY, RESILIENCE, AND SACRIFICE THEY MAKE.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE DEDICATION OF MILITARY PARENTS WHO SERVE WHILE RAISING THEIR FAMILIES.
THE CITY OF AL AVONDALE IS PROUD TO BE HOME TO MANY MILITARY CONNECTED FAMILIES, PARTICULARLY STAFF MEMBERS WHO CONTINUE TO SERVE AND RESIDENTS STATIONED AT LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN THE COUNTRY.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS STRONG TIES TO THE BASE AND WE RECOGNIZE THE SACRIFICE AND RESILIENCE OF BOTH THE MILITARY CHILDREN AND THE FAMILIES WHO SERVE OUR NATION FROM THIS VITAL INSTALLATION.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED.
I JEANETTE GARCIA, BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA, PROCLAIM APRIL, 2025 AS THE MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD AND CALL UPON THE RESIDENTS OF AVONDALE TO CELEBRATE THE CHALLENGES AND TRIUMPHS OF OUR MILITARY CONNECTED CHILDREN.
I JUST HAVE, UH, ONE MORE THING TO ADD TO THAT IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
PURPLE UPDATE IS A SPECIAL DAY OF RECOGNITION FOR MILITARY CHILDREN.
THIS YEAR, AVONDALE HAS CHOSEN THURSDAY,
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APRIL 17TH TO COMMEMORATE PURPLE UP DAY ON THIS DAY, ALL ARE ENCOURAGED TO WEAR THE COLOR PURPLE AS A SYMBOL OF SUPPORT FOR MILITARY KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES.THE COLOR PURPLE WAS CHOSEN AS IS IT A COMBINATION OF THE COLORS OF ALL BRANCHES OF THE MILITARY.
PURPLE UPDATE SERVES TO RAISE AWARENESS OF UNIQUE CHALLENGES FACED BY MILITARY CHILDREN, INCLUDING FREQUENT MOVES, DEPLOYMENTS, AND SEPARATIONS FROM THEIR LOVED ONES.
IT ALSO SERVES AS A REMINDER OF THE RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH OF MILITARY KIDS WHO OFTEN FACE CHALLENGES THAT ARE NOT EXPERIENCED BY THEIR CIVILIAN PEERS.
I ENCOURAGE ALL AVONDALE RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES TO WEAR PURPLE ON THURSDAY, APRIL 17TH, TO SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION AND THEIR SUPPORT FOR THESE BRAVE YOUNG PEOPLE AND TO RECOGNIZE THEIR SERVICE AND SACRIFICES FOR OUR COUNTRY.
IN ADDITION, I JUST WANT TO LAST THANK ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION TO INCLUDE STAFF PUBLIC SAFETY, WHO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS OR WHO THEMSELVES PROVIDED SERVICE TO THIS COUNTRY AND JUST SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE AVONDALE CITY COUNCIL.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT TO CELEBRATE THIS.
[c. Proclamation - National Crime Victims' Rights Week]
RON, NEXT ITEM PLEASE.THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UP NEXT WE HAVE, UH, CHIEF ESPINOZA.
UH, IT'S UP WITH THE PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL CRIME VICTIM RIGHTS WEEK.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNSEL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO PATTY YOUNG, WHO IS THE PDS VICTIM ADVOCATE, AND VERONICA GARRA, WHO IS THE VICTIM ADVOCATE AT THE SOUTHWEST FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER.
AT THIS TIME, PATTY WILL SAY A FEW WORDS IN REFERENCE TO THE NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS'.
THANK YOU, CHIEF MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, THANK GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT TO RECEIVE THE PROCLAMATION ANNOUNCING THAT APRIL 6TH THROUGH 12TH 2025 IS NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK.
IT IS A CALL TO ACTION TO RECOGNIZE THAT SHARED HUMANITY SHOULD BE THE CENTER OF SUPPORTING ALL SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS OF CRIME.
KINSHIP IS A STATE OF BEING THE SURVIVORS THAT DRIVES VITAL CONNECTIONS TO SERVICES, RIGHTS, AND HEALING.
FOR US VICTIM ADVOCATES, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE MAKE THOSE STRONG CONNECTIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS INCLUDES PROSECUTORS, NONPROFITS, OTHER VICTIM SERVICES THROUGHOUT ARIZONA AND OUR OWN AVONDALE RESOURCE CENTER.
IT IS A NECESSITY OF GIVING VOICE TO VICTIMS AND ENSURING THEIR RIGHTS THROUGH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, WHICH BRINGS CLOSENESS AND KINSHIP, WHICH IS HELPING FAMILIES AND SURVIVORS TO HEAL THIS KINSHIP IS WHERE VICTIM ADVOCACY BEGINS.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AT THIS TIME.
I'LL PASS IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR FOR THE READING OF THE PROCLAMATION.
THANK YOU PATTY, FOR READING THAT.
SO PROCLAMATION, NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS WEEK APRIL 6TH THROUGH 12TH 20 20 25.
WHEREAS CRIME AFFECTS INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES AND PROFOUND IN VARIED WAYS, OFTEN LEAVING LASTING PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL CHALLENGES.
WHEREAS THE CONCEPT OF KINSHIP UNDERSCORES THE CONNECTIONS THAT BUILD BRIDGES TO SUPPORT SERVICES AND SHARED STRENGTH AMONG SURVIVORS, ADVOCATES, AND COMMUNITIES.
WHEREAS KINSHIP IS THE FOUNDATION OF VICTIM ADVOCACY, INSPIRING TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE THAT NEEDS SURVIVORS WHERE THEY ARE.
WHEREAS THROUGH KINSHIP, WE BUILD PEER NETWORKS AND COMMUNITY ALLIANCES THAT EMPOWER SURVIVORS, FOSTER RESILIENCE, AND OFFER PATHWAYS TO HEALING.
WHEREAS KINSHIP REMINDS US OF THE STRENGTH THAT COMES FROM CONNECTION, THE IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING TO EVERY VOICE AND THE POWER WE HAVE TO CREATE LASTING CHANGE WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER.
NOW THEREFORE, I TINA CONDI, BY THE VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 6TH THROUGH 12TH 2025 AS CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK.
THIS PROCLAMATION REAFFIRMS OUR DEDICATION TO BUILDING CONNECTIONS, STANDING IN KINSHIP WITH SURVIVORS, AND CREATING A FUTURE WHERE HEALING AND HOPE ARE WITHIN REACH FOR EVERYONE.
[d. Proclamation - National Library Week and 2025 Bookmark Contest]
RON.THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UP NEXT WE HAVE NATASHA, OUR BRANCH MANAGER, TO PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK AND OUR WINNERS OF OUR 2025 BOOKMARK CONTEST.
HELLO, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
[00:25:01]
LAVY, BRANCH MANAGER OF SAM GARCIA LIBRARY FOR THE PARKS, RECREATION AND LIBRARIES DEPARTMENT.WE ARE EXCITED TO BE CELEBRATING NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK
IN ADDITION TO, IN ADDITION TO BOOKS, LIBRARIES PROVIDE EXCITING PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE STEAM FEST ANDES TO RESEARCH DATABASES, A SEED LIBRARY MUSEUM CULTURE PASSES EXERCISE, EQUIPMENT SCIENCE, TAKE HOME KITS, HOTSPOTS, AND MUCH MORE.
SAM GARCIA LIBRARY ALSO RECENTLY, AND A B CERNA PLAZA EXPERIENCED A RENOVATION WHICH PROVIDED UPGRADED SERVICE DESKS, NEW FURNITURE, NEW PAINT, LED SENSOR LIGHTS, A NEW CHILDREN'S PLAY AREA, A PLAYGROUND UPGRADE, AND NEW SIGNAGE AND BENCHES FOR AB CERNA PLAZA.
IN 2024 ALONE, BOLD BRANCHES HAD 156,200 AND FIF 257 VISITORS NOW TO THE BOOKMARK CONTEST.
IT IS WITH GREAT EXCITEMENT THAT WE ANNOUNCED THE WINNERS OF THE 2025 AVONDALE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOKMARK DESIGN CONTEST.
UH, THE WINNER FOR GRADES K THROUGH THREE WINNER IS GRAYSON M, AGE SEVEN FOR GRADES FOUR TO EIGHT.
OUR WINNERS, MELANIE, AGE 13 FOR GRADES NINE TO 12.
OUR WINNER IS GER LENE CORE AGE 15 AT THIS TIME.
MAYOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ THE PROCLAMATION? IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA BE COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS.
SO COUNCILOR WEISS, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE PROCLAMATION? NATASHA? THANK YOU.
PROCLAMATION NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK 2025.
WHEREAS LIBRARY SPARK CREATIVITY, FUEL, IMAGINATION, AND INSPIRE LIFELONG LEARNING, OFFERING A SPACE WHERE INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES CAN EXPLORE NEW IDEAS AND BE DRAWN TO NEW POSSIBILITIES.
WHEREAS LIBRARIES PROVIDE FREE AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO BOOKS, DIGITAL TOOLS, AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING, ENSURING THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO LEARN, CONNECT, AND THRIVE.
WHEREAS LIBRARIES PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS CONNECTING THE DOTS TO MAXIMIZE RESOURCES, INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND EXPAND ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES, STRENGTHENING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
WHEREAS LIBRARIES NURTURE YOUNG MINDS THROUGH STORY TIMES, STEAM PROGRAMS AND LITERACY INITIATIVES, FOSTERING CURIOSITY AND A LOVE OF LEARNING THAT LASTS A LIFETIME.
WHEREAS LIBRARIES SERVE AS A VIBRANT COMMUNITY HUBS CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH KNOWLEDGE, TECHNOLOGY, AND RESOURCES WHILE FOSTERING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, CRITICAL THINKING, AND LIFELONG LEARNING.
WHEREAS DEDICATED LIBRARIANS AND LIBRARY WORKERS PROVIDE WELCOMING SPACES THAT INSPIRE DISCOVERY, COLLABORATION, AND CREATIVITY FOR ALL.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED.
I, SHERRY WEISS, BY THE VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY OF VESTED IN ME AS A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA, DUKE HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 6TH THROUGH 12TH 2025 AS NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK.
DURING THIS WEEK, I ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO VISIT THEIR LIBRARY, EXPLORE ITS RESOURCES, AND CELEBRATE ALL THE WAYS THAT THE LIBRARY DRAWS US TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU WINNERS.
AS A, AS A REMINDER, UH, WE HOPE THE FAMILIES STICK AROUND FOR JUST A FEW MORE MINUTES SO WE CAN GET PICTURES WITH THE, UH, OF THE COUNCIL.
[e. Proclamation - Week of the Young Child]
ITEM PLEASE.THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UP NEXT IS WE HAVE ANOTHER, UH, PROCLAMATION FROM ONE OF, UH, UH, THE, UH, PARKS, UH, DIVISIONS.
WE HAVE THE PROCLAMATION FOR THE WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD.
UH, MARK, OUR RECREATION MANAGER IS GONNA, UH, KICK US OFF.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M THE RECREATION MANAGER FOR PARKS, RECREATION AND LIBRARIES DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE CELEBRATING THE WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD THIS YEAR, UM, WITH OUR KID FEST EVENT THIS SATURDAY, UH, FROM NINE TO ONE AT FRIENDSHIP PARK.
UM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS EVENT, THE SEVENTH ANNUAL SUPERHERO, 5K WILL BE HELD THAT MORNING.
THE PROCEEDS FROM WHICH ARE SUPPORT THE SOUTHWEST FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER, UH, THE 54TH ANNUAL WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILDS, AN EFFORT FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
[00:30:01]
FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN TO PROMOTE ACCESS TO FAMILY RESOURCES AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.AVONDALE'S CELEBRATION OF THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE SUPPORT OF OUR VALUABLE PARTNERS, VALLEY OF THE SUN, UNITED WAY, AND READ ON AVONDALE, REPRESENTED BY DON GREDO.
UM, AND, UM, FIRST THINGS FIRST REPRESENTED BY DELANEY RUSSELL AND ANNETTE BOURNE AT THIS TIME, MAYOR, WE'D LOVE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AND OR TO READ THE PROCLAMATION.
UM, CAN WE GET THE PROCLAMATION? I BELIEVE IT'S VICE MAYOR NIELSEN THAT'LL BE READING THAT.
WHEREAS ALL YOUNG CHILDREN DESERVE QUALITY EARLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS THAT SUPPORT THEM AS LIFELONG LEARNERS, WHEREAS NURTURING PARENTING, WHY DON'T YOU GIMME THIS ONE?
AND WHERE IS THE VALLEY OF THE SUN UNITED WAY? FIRST THINGS, FIRST, ARIZONA ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN READ ON ARIZONA, READ ON SOUTHWEST VALLEY AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN ARE CIVIL RATING, THE 54TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD.
WHEREAS THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE EARLY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROVIDE A STRONG START FOR THE CHILDREN IN AVONDALE.
AND WHEREAS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS AND CHILDCARE PROVIDERS WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF YOUNG CHILDREN DESERVE TO BE WELL SUPPORTED AND WELL COMPENSATED FOR THIS IMPORTANT WORK.
WHEREAS PUBLIC POLICIES THAT SUPPORT EARLY LEARNING FOR ALL YOUNG CHILDREN ARE CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF ARIZONA'S FAMILIES, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMY.
I CURTIS NITON, BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS VICE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 5TH THROUGH APRIL 11TH AS WEAK OF THE YOUNG CHILD AND ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO SUPPORT INVESTMENTS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU DON, UH, DELANEY AND ANNETTE FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
[f. Proclamation - National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week]
NEXT ITEM PLEASE.NEXT IS OUR PROCLAMATION, NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATION GROUP.
I BELIEVE THAT GOOD EVENING AGAIN.
MAYOR VICE MAYOR COUNCIL WITH ME, I HAVE, UH, ANGELA DUSTIN AND HER TEAM.
UH, ANGELA'S GONNA BE SEEING A FEW WORDS IN REFERENCE TO THE, UH, NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELE TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME'S ANGELA DUSTIN, I'M THE COMMUNICATION MANAGER FOR THE AVONDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SHE IS A COMMUNICATIONS SUPERVISOR FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO CELEBRATE TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK, THAT'S COMING UP APRIL 13TH THROUGH THE 19TH, AND SHOW APPRECIATION FOR THE AMAZING WORK THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR POLICE COMMUNICATION DIVISION DOES.
WHILE THEY'RE OFTEN WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES, THEIR EFFORTS ARE ESSENTIAL IN KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT TO RECOGNIZE THEIR WORK.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO YOU GUYS FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR THE PROCLAMATION.
I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATION WEEK APRIL 13TH THROUGH APRIL 19TH, 2025.
WHEREAS EMERGENCIES THAT REQUIRE POLICE, FIRE, OR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME.
AND WHEREAS AN EMERGENCY OCCURS, THE PROMPT RESPONSE OF POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, AND PARAMEDICS IS CRITICAL TO THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PRESERVATION OF PROPERTY.
AND WHEREAS THE SAFETY OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, AND PARAMEDICS IS DEPENDENT UPON THE QUALITY AND ACCURACY OF INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM CITIZENS WHO CALL THE AVONDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION CENTER.
AND WHEREAS PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS ARE THE FIRST AND MOST CRITICAL CONTACT OUR CITIZENS HAVE WITH EMERGENCY SERVICES.
AND WHEREAS PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS ARE THE SINGLE VITAL LINK FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, AND PARAMEDICS BY MONITORING THEIR ACTIVITY, BY RADIO, PROVIDING THEM INFORMATION AND ENSURING THEIR SAFETY.
AND WHEREAS PUBLIC SAFETY, TELECOMMUNICATORS OF THE AVONDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE CONTRIBUTED
[00:35:01]
SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE APPREHENSION OF CRIMINALS.AND WHEREAS EACH DISPATCHER HAS EXHIBITED COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING, AND PROFESSIONALISM DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR JOB IN THE PAST YEAR.
NOW, THEREFORE, I MAX WHITE, BY THE VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 13TH THROUGH THE 19TH 2025 AS NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATORS WEEK IN AVONDALE IN HONOR OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE DILIGENCE AND PROFESSIONALISM KEEP OUR CITY AND CITIZENS SAFE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
[g. Proclamation - Court Appointed Special Advocates Volunteer Week]
NEXT ITEM PLEASE.UP NEXT, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR THE COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES VOLUNTEERS WEEK.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR GUESTS FROM VOICES FOR CASA TO THE PODIUM TO SHARE A FEW WORDS REGARDING THE ORGANIZATION.
MAYOR VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON BEHALF OF VOICES FOR CASA CHILDREN, I WANNA EXTEND A, UH, MY JUST HEARTFELT GRATITUDE AND I'M VERY HONORED TO RECEIVE THE PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY OF AVONDALE, UM, DECLARING, UH, CASA VOLUNTEER WEEK FROM APRIL 5TH THROUGH APRIL 11TH.
UH, VOICES FOR CASA CHILDREN, NOT ONLY AM I A MEMBER OF THAT TEAM, UM, AND OUR COMMITMENT AND MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD LIVING IN FOSTER CARE HAS A VOICE, HAS SOMEONE BY THEIR SIDE ADVOCATING FOR THEIR BEST INTERESTS.
BUT I'M ALSO A CASA VOLUNTEER MYSELF.
AND I HAVE TO SHARE WITH YOU JUST HOW TOUCHED I AM THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF THAT ROLE IN PROVIDING YOUTH, LIVING IN FOSTER CARE WITH HOPE, A VOICE, AND, UH, A BRIGHTER FUTURE.
SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
IF WE CAN GET THE PROCLAMATION, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO PROCLAMATION FOR COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES VOLUNTEER WEEK.
WHEREAS ARIZONA'S CHILDREN ARE AMONG OUR STATE'S, MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCES, THEIR HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELLBEING ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE STATE, SHARING THE SAME BASIC NEEDS, DESIRES, HOPES AND DREAMS OF EVERY CHILD.
AND WHEREAS EACH YEAR, THOUSANDS OF ARIZONA CHILDREN ENTER THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM DUE TO ABUSE OR NEGLECT, EXPERIENCING UNCERTAINTY, INSTABILITY, AND A LACK OF CONSISTENT SUPPORT DURING A CHALLENGING TIME IN THEIR YOUNG LIVES.
AND WHEREAS THE COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATE, CASA, IS A TRAINED VOLUNTEER APPOINTED BY A JUDGE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILDREN LIVING IN FOSTER CARE, ENSURING THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD AND THEIR NEEDS ARE MET IN COURT PROCEEDINGS, PLACEMENT DECISIONS, AND OTHER CRITICAL AREAS.
AND WHEREAS CASA VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE AN INVALUABLE SERVICE, BUILD TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR APPOINTED YOUTH, ADVOCATE FOR STABILITY, PROMOTE POSITIVE OUTCOMES, AND HELP THE CHILD HOLD ONTO THEIR OWN DREAMS AND THRIVE.
AND WHEREAS IN ARIZONA, CASA VOLUNTEERS WORK DILIGENTLY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH JUDGES, ATTORNEYS, SOCIAL WORKERS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ENSURE THESE CHILDREN HAVE SUPPORT RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
AND THE WORK OF CASA VOLUNTEERS HAS A PROFOUND AND LASTING IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN, PROVIDING THEM WITH A CONSISTENT, COMPASSIONATE PRESENCE TO HELP THEM RESTORE A MORE HOPEFUL FUTURE.
AND WHEREAS CASA VOLUNTEER WEEK PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE DEDICATION OF THE CASA VOLUNTEERS, RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE URGENT NEED FOR MORE INDIVIDUALS TO STEP FORWARD, MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.
I GLORIA SOLORIO, BY THE VIRTUE OF AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS A COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA HERE HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 5TH THROUGH THE 11TH 2025 AS CASA VOLUNTEER WEEK AND APPLAUD THE EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS OF CASA VOLUNTEERS.
AT THIS TIME, I BELIEVE, YEAH, MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL, IF WE GO DOWN AND HAVE PICTURES, MAYBE WE COULD START WITH THE, UH, BOOKMARK WINNERS AND THEN GO IN ORDER BACK TO THE FIREFIGHTER ACADEMIES, BUT THAT WAY THE YOUNG KIDS CAN SCATTER ON BACK
[00:53:53]
I[00:53:53]
GOT[00:53:53]
A NEW PICTURE.IT CAME RIGHT AFTER WORK AND GLASSES, SO I WAS LIKE, I TOLD DALE SURE WAS LIKE, SURE.
SO, SO MY PICTURE, THIS ONE, THE OTHER ONE IS LIKE RIGHT IN THESE PICTURE.
IRONICALLY, THAT'S THE EXACT SAME.
[3. UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES]
OKAY, ITEM NUMBER THREE IS UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES.UH, FIRST WE HAVE UP CAESAR ROMERO IF YOU'D LIKE TO APPROACH THE PODIUM.
NO CAESAR, NO CAESAR, MR. ROMERO.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THERESA DESANTE DID UNION MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ON
[00:55:01]
SATURDAY, APRIL THE FIFTH, 2025, I STEPPED OUTSIDE OF MY PORCH TO TURN OFF THE WATER SPIGOT AND I NOTICED THAT THE AVONDALE FIRE DEPARTMENT PICKUP TRUCK WAS IN FRONT OF MY NEIGHBOR'S NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE BECAUSE MY NEIGHBOR HAD HAD A STROKE ABOUT 11 MONTHS AGO.SO WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, I ALWAYS GO MAKE SURE THAT HE'S OKAY.
I WENT OVER TO SEE IF I COULD HELP.
UH, SHE, LET ME START OVER AGAIN.
SHE CALLED 9 1 1 AND IT WAS HER UNCLE THAT WAS THE ONE THAT GOT HURT.
A METAL PIPE FELL ON HIS HEAD.
MY QUESTION IS, WHY WASN'T THE AVONDALE FIRE ENGINE TRUCK DISPATCHED? NOT THE PICKUP TRUCK, THE RED LITTLE FIRE PICKUP TRUCK? WHY WASN'T THE AVONDALE FIRE ENGINE TRUCK DISPATCHED? I KNOW YOU CAN'T ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW, BUT I EXPECT A RESPONSE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE UNCLE HAD SURGERY SUNDAY MORNING.
AND ACTUALLY, UM, CHIEF, WOULD YOU MIND STEPPING OUT WITH THERESA TO DISCUSS THAT? OKAY.
WOULD YOU MIND SPEAKING WITH THE CHIEF? I WILL SPEAK TO HIM.
OKAY, SO THAT CONCLUDES, UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE.
[4. CONSENT AGENDA]
ITEM NUMBER FOURS CONSENTA AGENDA.AND ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WHO WISH TO HAVE AN ITEM REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION? SEE NONE.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI SECOND FROM VICE MAYOR NIELSEN, PLEASE VOTE.
[a. Resolution 1018-0425 - Avondale General Obligation Bond Election 2025 - Resolution Ordering and Calling Election]
NUMBER FIVE, WE'RE ON.UH, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
UP NEXT, UH, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY KATIE, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ON THE AVONDALE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND ELECTION 2025, AND A RESOLUTION ORDERING AND CALLING FOR SET ELECTION.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITIZEN BOND COMMITTEE EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING A CALL FOR A SPECIAL BOND ELECTION FOR VOTER AUTHORIZATION OF UP TO 20 $123 MILLION IN GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.
I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS OUR PROCESS WITH YOU.
SO TONIGHT, UM, ITEMS THAT WILL BE COVERED WILL INCLUDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE, UM, THE ROLE AND GENERAL TIMELINE.
WE WILL SHARE THE RESULTS OF A RECENT POLL COMPLETED BY OUR BOND CONSULTANT AND WE'LL COVER SOME OF THE PROPOSED PROJECTS AND PROPERTY TAX IMPACTS.
AND THEN FINISH WITH THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT STEPS.
SO LET'S BEGIN WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOND COMMITTEE.
THE CITIZEN BOND COMMITTEE WAS FORMED BY CITY COUNCIL THIS PAST NOVEMBER AND CONSISTS OF NINE MEMBERS WITH THE PURPOSE TO ADVISE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING THE USE OF BOND FUNDS FOR FUTURE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ATTENDED FOUR MEETINGS ALL HELD HERE AT CITY HALL AND REVIEWED THE CITY'S CURRENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, BOND AUTHORIZATION, PRIOR USE OF BOND FUNDS, PROPERTY TAX RATES, AND THE PROPOSED PROJECTS TO BE FUNDED THROUGH GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.
AND BEFORE I GO INTO TOO MUCH, UM, DETAIL, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO RECOGNIZE THE MEMBERS OF THE CITIZENS BOND COMMITTEE, AND MANY OF THEM ARE HERE TONIGHT.
I HAD A CHANCE TO CHECK IN WITH A FEW, AND IF THEY WOULD PLEASE STAND WHEN I CALL THEIR NAME, NATASHA EDMONDS, DANIEL SHU AND REMAIN STANDING PLEASE.
NICOLE LIST, BEN RUTI, CINDY DE LA RIVA, CRYSTAL LOPEZ, DAVY HECTOR ARIANO, AMANDA DUNCAN BILLERMAN, AND DEANNA SATA.
THESE ARE MEMBERS OF YOUR CITIZEN BOND COMMITTEE THAT WERE, UH, PLACED ON THERE WITH A VERY IMPORTANT
SO EACH OF THESE MEMBERS APPLIED TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE AND WE'RE, UM, SELECTED THROUGH OUR NORMAL COUNCIL APPOINTMENT PROCESS.
AND WE ARE GRATEFUL AND APPRECIATIVE FOR THE TIME THAT THEY SPENT, UM, ON THIS INITIATIVE.
SO THE ROLE WAS TO LEARN ABOUT THE CITY AND THE PROJECT NEEDS AND REVIEW THE FINANCIAL AND SURVEY DATA THAT WE, THAT WE PROVIDED.
UH, THE MEETINGS INCLUDED A NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS FROM PARKS, RECREATION AND LIBRARIES, AS WELL AS FROM OUR POLICE FIRE, UH, AND THE CITY COURT.
[01:00:01]
COMMITTEE LISTENED, THEY ASKED VERY GOOD QUESTIONS,A KEY OBJECTIVE OF THE MEETING WAS TO IDENTIFY A FINANCING PLAN, AND THAT DOES NOT, AND ONE THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY INCREASE TO THE CITY'S PROPERTY TAX RATE AND APPROVE AND RECOMMEND A POTENTIAL BALLOT QUESTION OR QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
SO WE HAVE A TIMELINE YOU CAN SEE HERE, UM, THE COMMITTEE, UH, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, UM, THE, OUR BOND CONSULTANT DID DO A CITIZEN SUR OR A A, UH, SURVEY, A STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEY AND PRESENTED THAT INFORMATION TO OUR CITIZEN BOND COMMITTEE IN MARCH.
UM, THEY USED THAT INFORMATION TO HELP THEM FORMULATE SOME OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND TONIGHT, UM, I DO HAVE, UH, MR. PAUL BENS HERE.
HE'S A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF HIGH GROUND PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONSULTING, AND HE'S HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE OVERALL, UH, RESULTS OF THE SURVEY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS PAUL BENS AND I'M THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH AND STRATEGY AT HIGH GROUND PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
WE DO A LOT OF STATEWIDE, REGIONAL, AND LOCAL POLLING THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY, THROUGHOUT THE STATE, UH, THROUGHOUT SEVERAL OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE WEST VALLEY, INCLUDING GLENDALE, SURPRISE, UH, BUCKEYE, AS WELL AS GOODYEAR.
SO WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THIS TYPE OF BOND POLLING IN THE PAST.
IT'S A VERY HELPFUL TOOL TO GIVE YOU AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOUR ELECTORATE IS THINKING AND ENSURING THAT YOU HAVE ACCURATE, RELIABLE SURVEY RESULTS, UH, WHEN YOU HELP MAKE YOUR DECISIONS.
SO WE CONDUCTED THIS SURVEY FEBRUARY 10TH THROUGH THE 13TH.
IT'S A 400 PERSON SAMPLE, WHICH IT'S LIVE CALLS LIVE CALLED DIRECT DIAL CELL PHONES AND CALLED HOME PHONES, UH, AND, AND TALK TO PEOPLE WITH LIVE OPERATORS.
IT'S A, IT'S THE MOST RELIABLE WAY TO GET SURVEY DATA, ENSURE THAT YOU GET GOOD RESULTS.
UH, WE ALSO 400 SAMPLES, A PLUS OR MINUS MARGIN OF ERROR OF 4.9.
SO IF WE WERE TO DO THIS SURVEY 95 OUT OF A HUNDRED TIMES, ALL OF THIS DATA WOULD BE WITHIN FIVE POINTS OF WHAT YOU SEE HERE.
UH, BUT THE KEY IS WHAT WE TALK TO IS OFF-CYCLE VOTERS.
ONLY ABOUT 70% OF THE ADULT POPULATIONS ACTUALLY REGISTERED TO VOTE IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HIGH VOTER TURNOUT IN A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OR ANYTHING ELSE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A PERCENTAGE OF THAT ADULT POPULATION.
OF THE 70% WHO ARE EVEN REGISTERED TO VOTE, THAT MEANS THREE IN 10 WHO SAY, OF COURSE I'M REGISTERED TO VOTE, ARE ACTUALLY PROBABLY LYING TO YOU
UM, BUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT IS OF THE REGISTERED VOTER UNIVERSE, WHEN YOU'RE IN AN OFF CYCLE ELECTION, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A MUCH SMALLER AUDIENCE.
WHEN THE PRESIDENT OR THE GOVERNOR ARE NOT AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET, YOU GO FROM 70 PLUS PERCENT TURNOUT DOWN TO LESS THAN 30% TURNOUT.
SO A COUPLE OF THINGS HAPPEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AN OFF CYCLE ELECTORATE.
SO WE BALANCE OUR SAMPLE TO ENSURE THAT THE ELECTORATE LOOKS LIKE WHAT WE EXPECT TO SHOW UP, UH, WITH OVER HALF OF THE ELECTORATE OVER THE AGE OF 50.
WE ALSO BALANCE IT BASED ON ZIP CODE AND PARTY REGISTRATION TO ENSURE THAT WE GET A RELIABLE SAMPLE THAT LOOKS LIKE WHAT AN OFF CYCLE ELECTION LOOKS LIKE.
THAT WAY WE CAN GIVE YOU ACCURATE AND UNBIASED INFORMATION TO ENSURE, UH, WHEN YOU'RE MAKING YOUR DECISION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE INFORMATION AHEAD OF YOU.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S A BIT OF GREAT NEWS HERE IS WE START WITH SOME WARMUP QUESTIONS.
IS THE CITY HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OR THE WRONG DIRECTION? 70 PLUS PERCENT OF THE ELECTORATE THINKS THAT THE CITY'S HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND THAT'S A ATTRIBUTED TO ALL THE HARD WORK, ALL THE GREAT PROCLAMATIONS, ALL THOSE WONDERFUL CITIZENS THAT EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID TODAY REALLY DEMONSTRATES TO ME WHY SO MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT THE CITY'S HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IF YOU WERE TO ASK THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW WITH THE ELECTORATE, IT WOULD BE IN THE 30% RANGE.
IF YOU ASK THE DIRECTION OF THE STATE, IT WOULD BE IN THE 40% RANGE.
YOU'RE IN THE 70% RANGE, UM, VERY HIGH FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
THIS IS AMONG THE HIGHEST THAT I'VE ACTUALLY SEEN AT 70%.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU ALSO HAVE 18% THAT DON'T KNOW.
NEXT TIME I COME TO A SURVEY IN THE FUTURE, THERE'S EVEN AN OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT HERE.
BUT ACROSS THE BOARD AGE AND REGION, WE SEE A STRONG AMOUNT OF SUPPORT FOR THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY.
UM, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LIKE TO SEE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT BOND PROPOSALS IS TRUST IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
AND YOU HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF THAT.
UM, IN ADDITION, WHAT WE DID IS WE MEASURED THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES.
AND THIS IS ON A SCALE OF ONE TO FIVE.
THIS IS THE FIRST INSTANCE YOU'LL SEE OF THE LIKERT SCALE.
THINK OF IT LIKE A YELP RATING, A STAR RATING.
SO THE CLOSER YOU GET TO FIVE STARS, THE BETTER THAT WE ARE.
UH, ANYTHING ABOVE THREE IS WELL REGARDED.
UH, IN THIS CASE WE RANDOMIZED AND ROTATED.
SO SOME FOLKS GOT FIRE AND MEDICAL FIRST.
OTHER FOLKS GOT PARK AMENITIES FIRST, AND WE ASKED THEM TO RATE THEM.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE ASKING THE VOTERS JUST HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES.
FIRE AND MEDICAL WAS NUMBER ONE WITH 73% GIVING THAT A FOUR OR A FIVE, EXCELLENT OR VERY GOOD.
SO 4.05 IS A VERY WELL-REGARDED DEPARTMENT.
LIBRARIES IS SURPRISINGLY HIGH AT 3.94
[01:05:01]
WITH 59% GIVING IT AN EXCELLENT OR VERY GOOD.THAT SPEAKS TO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE WITH LIBRARIES IN, IN RECENT YEARS AND SPEAKS TO, UH, JUST THE OVERALL GENERAL SUPPORT YOU SEE FROM THE COMMUNITY POLICE SERVICES AT 3.85.
UH, SORRY FOR MY POLICE FRIENDS IN THE ROOM.
TRADITIONALLY, UH, FIRE DOES A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN POLICE BECAUSE FIRE IS, YOU KNOW, RESCUING FOLKS AND POLICE HAVE TO ARRE ARREST PEOPLE FROM TIME TO TIME.
SO THAT'S A PRETTY STANDARD THAT WE SEE FIRE DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN POLICE, BUT THIS IS A VERY HIGH SCORE FOR POLICE.
AND THEN PARK AMENITIES AT THREE POINT, UH, EIGHT OH, UH, WITH 65% GIVING IN AN EXCELLENT OR VERY GOOD.
UM, ON THE NEXT, THE WHAT WE SEE IS RECREATION PROGRAMS, CITY COURT SERVICES, UM, AND OFF STREET WALKING AND BIKING PATHS ALL DO PRETTY WELL AS WELL.
UM, RIGHT AROUND THAT 3.5 RANGE, WHICH IS WHAT WE LIKE TO SEE.
THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS WAS STREETS AND TRANSPORTATION AND 3.16 WITH ONLY 36% GIVING AN EXCELLENT OR VERY GOOD.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU, I'VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF COMMUNITIES, NOT ONLY IN THE WEST VALLEY, BUT IN THE EAST VALLEY AND THROUGHOUT IN THE GROWING SUBURBAN AREAS.
TRANSPORTATION IS ONE OF THE TOP ISSUES THAT WE SEE A LOT.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS.
AND IN FACT, IN SEVERAL COMMUNITIES THEIR SCORE IS BELOW THREE.
SO THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A 3.16, UH, IN TRANSPORTATION ACTUALLY SPEAKS TO A GENERALLY POSITIVE VIEW.
OF COURSE, THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE STREETS AND TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, BUT WE DID POLLING FOR PROP 4, 7, 9, THE HALF CENT SALES TAX FOR TRANSPORTATION LAST YEAR.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE, JUST UNIQUE TO AVONDALE.
IT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE SEE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE GROWING REGION.
UM, SO THE NEXT PART OF THE SURVEY, WHAT WE DID IS WE ACTUALLY TOOK A, A VARIETY OF THE PO POTENTIAL BOND PROJECTS AND WE ASKED VOTERS TO GIVE US AN IMPRESSION OF THOSE.
SO SORT OF THE SAME SCALE THAT WE SAW ON THE, UH, MUNICIPAL SERVICES, BUT BEAR IN MIND THE, THESE ARE THE DESCRIPTIONS WE GAVE THEM.
SO ENHANCING SHADE STRUCTURES AT PARK AMENITIES ACROSS AVONDALE, THAT'S THE DESCRIPTION.
IF THEY WANTED CLARIFICATION, UH, WE DIDN'T GET INTO A DISCUSSION BECAUSE THIS IS QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH.
SO YOU HAVE TO GIVE EVERYBODY THE SAME QUESTIONS.
SO THIS IS REALLY WHAT SOUNDS GOOD TO THE VOTERS.
NOW BEAR IN MIND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SUBSET OF A SUBSET OF A SUBSET OF FOLKS.
UH, ONLY ABOUT A QUARTER OF THESE RESPONDENTS HAVE KIDS AT HOME.
THAT'S THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO SHOW UP.
UH, BUT WHAT WE SEE IS THE NUMBER ONE MEASURE THAT WE ACTUALLY TESTED WAS SHADE STRUCTURES WITH AT A 3.97 WITH 44% GIVING THAT A FIVE.
UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT AND REFLECTED IN SOME OF THE ONGOING DISCUSSION THAT THE COMMITTEE DID.
AND WE PRESENTED THIS DATA IN FULL A WALKTHROUGH, ALL OF IT WITH THE BOND COMMITTEE AS WELL.
AND, AND SO YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS REFLECTED BASED ON SOME OF THIS DATA AS WELL.
THE JOINT POLICE AND FIRE STATION WAS THE SECOND HIGHEST ISSUE WE TESTED AT 3.86 AND DEVELOPING A RENOVATING NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AT 3.76, LAND PRESERVE FOR PRESERVING OPEN SPACE AT 3.52.
AGAIN, THESE WERE ALL VERY WELL REGARDED, STRONGLY SUPPORTED FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND SOMETIMES WE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
UM, YOU MIGHT SEE FOR SOME FOLKS DEVELOPING AND RENOVATING PARKS MIGHT BE THE SAME AS ENHANCING SHADE STRUCTURES OR THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY BELIEVE TO SAY THE SAME THING.
BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL WITH THIS TYPE OF DATA IS IT HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WORDS MATTER AND THE TYPES OF DISCUSSION.
ADDING SHADE BOOSTS IT UP FROM A 34%, VERY IMPORTANT TO A 44%.
VERY IMPORTANT 10% FIND IT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT WHEN YOU ACTUALLY MENTION THE SHADE PART OF, OF IT.
UM, IMPROVING, IMPROVING TRAFFIC FLOW FLOW AT, UH, FRIENDSHIP PARK 3.52, ALL OF THESE ITEMS, THE PUBLIC SAFETY OPERATIONS FACILITY, UH, FIRE TRAINING FACILITY WITH FIREARMS QUALIFICATION RANGE AND THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE CONNECTING TRAILS ALONG THE AGUA RIVER ALL ARE AT THAT 3.5 RANGE.
UH, NOT QUITE AS HIGH AS THAT FIRST TIER OF ITEMS THAT WE SAW, BUT STILL A STRONG AMOUNT OF, OF VOTER SUPPORT FOR THESE PROPOSALS AS WELL.
AND THEN, UM, THE NEXT SET HERE, AND THESE AGAIN, WERE RANDOMIZED AND ROTATED.
UH, WE JUST PUT THEM IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY WERE MOST POPULAR.
UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, THE BIG TAKEAWAY HERE IS ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT WE TESTED, EVERY PROPOSAL THAT WE WENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE, AND I'LL SHARE IT IN JUST A SECOND, UH, DID INCREDIBLY WELL ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND SO WHAT WE FIND IS VOTERS ACTUALLY HAVE AN APPETITE FOR ALL OF THESE PROJECTS.
JUST SOME COME TO THE FOREFRONT.
UH, AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM, IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM A FEW EXAMPLES, UH, IN MARKETING MATERIALS OR OTHER THINGS, THAT'S, THERE'S ONES THAT REALLY RISE TO THE TOP THAT PEOPLE CARE MOST ABOUT.
UM, EXPANDING POLICE HEADQUARTERS AT 3.38 WITH 24% ALSO DID VERY WELL.
AS I MENTIONED, THERE WAS ONLY ONE THAT FELL A LITTLE BIT BELOW THE MEAN SCORE.
AND ANYTHING ABOVE THREE IS WELL REGARDED, WAS CONSTRUCTING A COVERED PICKLEBALL FACILITY.
UH, I KNOW THE PICKLEBALL FOLKS ARE VERY VOCAL.
I KNOW THEY SHOW UP, THEY, THEY'VE GOT THEIR PADDLES IN THEIR HAND AND UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE AS NOISY AS THE BALLS THAT THEY HIT.
AND UM, THAT'S NOT TO SAY PICKLEBALL IS NOT POPULAR, BUT WHAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER PRIORITIES, VOTERS SCORED THAT AS A LOWER
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PRIORITY, UH, COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS. BUT THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS TO GIVE PEOPLE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT MIGHT BE INVOLVED AND GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN.IT WAS ALSO VERY HELPFUL FOR WHEN THE BOND COMMITTEE LOOKED AT THIS AND MADE SOME OF THEIR PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
THAT'S SORT OF THE GOAL OF THIS SECTION.
AND ULTIMATELY WHAT WE DID IS MEASURED, UM, TWO BALLOT QUESTIONS.
ONE FOR PARKS AND ONE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THE PARKS PROPOSAL WE FOUND AT 56.5%.
YES, COMPARED TO 33%, NO, UH, THE DEFINITELY YES, AT 28% TO THE DEFINITELY NO AT 18% IS VERY POSITIVE.
AND THEN THE PROBABLY YES, AT 28 TO THE PROBABLY NO AT 14%, UH, IS TWO TO ONE.
THE, THOSE ARE STRONG INDICATORS.
THIS IS AT THE END OF A SURVEY.
WHAT WE LIKE TO SEE IS ITEMS IN THE LOW TO 50 PER LOW, 50 TO MID 50% RANGE OVER THE COURSE OF A SURVEY.
WE GENERALLY SEE THIS LEVEL OF SUPPORT WITH THAT MARGIN OF ERROR THAT SHOWS A CHANCE OF VIABILITY HERE BECAUSE THEY COULD BE A FEW POINTS HIGHER OR A FEW POINTS LOWER.
I'M NOT SAYING TODAY, IF YOU PLACE THIS ISSUE ON THE BALLOT, IF YOU DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD THAT IT'S GOING TO PASS WITH 57% OF THE VOTE.
BUT WHAT THIS DOES DEMONSTRATE TO US IS A STRONG AMOUNT OF VIABILITY.
YOU CAN SEE ACROSS THE BOARD SUPPORT, UH, BOTH REGIONALLY AS WELL WITH AGE, UH, 50 TO 64 YEAR OLDS.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A, UH, A PLURALITY OF SUPPORT, BUT NOT QUITE A MAJORITY, BUT A MAJORITY OF ALL THE OTHER AGE SEGMENTS, PARTICULARLY AMONG YOUNGER VOTERS.
ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY PRETEST, POSTTEST WHERE WE FOUND IT AT 49.6, BASICALLY 50% YES.
NO, STILL POSITIVE IN THE, PROBABLY INDEFINITELY YESES COMPARED TO THE PROBABLY INDEFINITELY NOS UH, A LITTLE BIT LOWER IN BASICALLY THE 40 TO 64 RANGE.
BUT I WILL SAY THIS, I'VE DONE A LOT OF SURVEY RESEARCH A LOT ACROSS A LOT OF CITIES WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY PROPOSALS.
TRADITIONALLY WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS IN A PUBLIC SAFETY PROPOSAL THAT WHEN IT COMES TO POLICE AND FIRE IN PARTICULAR, IT'S GENERALLY ABOUT, ENDS UP FIVE POINTS HIGHER OR SO THAN WHAT WE SEE FROM THE SURVEY DATA.
SO SOMETIMES WE, IN FACT, THIS IS SOMETHING WE MEASURE IN SEVERAL OTHER WEST VALLEY CITIES, WE OTHER PROPOSALS, UH, WHEN WE TESTED THEM BALLOT WISE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND AND THEN IT ENDED UP BEING THE NUMBER ONE PASSAGE.
SO, UM, IN, IN LOOKING AT THESE PROPOSALS, UH, WE THINK THEY HAVE A STRONG AMOUNT OF VIABILITY AND A STRONG POSSIBILITY OF PASSAGE IF YOU WERE TO PLACE IT ON THE, UH, NOVEMBER OFF CYCLE ELECTION.
AND WITH THAT, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO KATIE, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SURVEY.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, BY ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME? COUNCILMAN GARCIA? CAN WE GO BACK TO WHERE THE ZIP CODES WERE? 'CAUSE I THINK ONE ZIP CODE WAS MISSING FROM OUR CITY.
IT WAS 8 5 3 2 9 8 5 2 AND MAYBE I MISSED IT, BUT IT'S 8 5 3 9 2, UH, 2 9 2 2 9.
THE ENTIRE CITY OF AVONDALE WAS INCLUDED.
IT'S I THINK 8 5 3 9 2 IS IS IN AVONDALE.
IT 8 5 3 2 9 IS SPECIFIC TO CASHING.
YEAH, SO THAT AREA WASN'T INCLUDED.
YEAH, IT'S, I I DIDN'T SEE, SO, UM, I'LL DOUBLE CHECK THAT.
SO WHAT WE USED IS THE ACTUAL ANYTHING THAT HAS A CITY COUNCIL CODE SO THEY CAN VOTE IN THE CITY COUNCIL ELECTION, WE ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY'S INCLUDED IN THAT IS IS PART OF IT.
SO I'LL DOUBLE CHECK THE ZIP CODES THERE, BUT, UH, WE USED EVERY ZIP CODE THAT WAS LISTED, SO IT, IT MAY NOT BE LISTED THERE, BUT IT'S INCLUDED AS WELL.
UM, AND NOW I'D LIKE TO SHARE JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT, UH, THE, THE STAFF SHARED WITH THE COMMITTEE AND THAT THEY, UH, LEARNED A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT AS FAR AS POTENTIAL PROJECTS, UH, OVER THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE DONE WITH BOND FUNDING OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
SO I'LL START WITH PARKS AND RECREATION.
UM, THERE WERE EIGHT PROJECTS THAT WERE REVIEWED BY THE COMMITTEE, UH, AND THE MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO GET TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE AND PROVIDE US SOME FEEDBACK.
AND DURING OUR MARCH MEETING, WE ACTUALLY HAD THEM DO A LITTLE BIT OF A PRIORITIZATION EXERCISE WITH US TO TRY TO IDENTIFY, UM, WHICH ONES KIND OF RESONATED THE MOST.
UH, I WILL SAY THAT THIS COMMITTEE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THEIR DISCUSSION ON, UM, PARKS AND IN FACT WE'RE THE ONES TO RECOMMEND THAT WE GO BACK AND LOOK AT OUR, SOME OF OUR EXISTING PARK FACILITIES AND SEE IF THERE'S SOME PARKS THAT COULD USE SOME MORE RENOVATION AND INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING, UM, OUR RESIDENTS WOULD REALLY RESONATE WITH.
SO WE DID DO THAT AND WE IDENTIFIED FOUR TYPES OF PROJECTS.
THE FIRST ONE BEING, UM, THE NEW PARK SHADE AND, AND SHADE EXPANSION, WHICH WE TALKED A LITTLE EARLIER ABOUT,
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UH, THE PARK AND THE PARKING IMPROVEMENTS.SO THAT'S KIND OF GOING BACK AND, AND LOOKING AT OUR EXISTING PARKS, LOOKING AT AND SEEING IF WE CAN DO SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR EXISTING PARKS TRAIL SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH AGAIN, WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT GAPS WITHIN OUR TRAILS.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
AND CIVIC CENTER LIBRARY IMPROVEMENTS.
WE HAVE A 20-YEAR-OLD LIBRARY THAT IS, UH, PROBABLY DUE FOR SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO IT.
SO THE FIRST SLIDE, UH, REALLY TALKS ABOUT NEW PARK SHADE AND SHADE EXPANSE EXPANSION.
AND REALLY WHAT THE IDEA HERE IS THAT WE WANNA MAXIMIZE THE USE OF OUR BEAUTIFUL PARKS AND FACILITIES.
UM, AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT REALLY IS THROUGH SOME SHADE, UH, FOR THOSE AREAS WHERE WE SEE, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE, UM, NOT, NOT ENGAGING IN THOSE ACTIVITIES, UH, DURING THE HEAT OF THE DAY
UM, AND WHEN WE CAN'T TAKE IT INDOOR, WE DEFINITELY, UM, WANNA MAKE IT MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THEM, UM, IN THE PARK.
SO PLACE SOME SHADE OVER THOSE AREAS.
AND I WILL ALSO MENTION THAT AS YOU SAW IN THE SURVEY, IT WAS, IT WAS NUMBER ONE IN THE SURVEY, WHICH, UM, WAS ALSO INTERESTING BECAUSE IT WAS ALSO A NUMBER ONE IN OUR PARKS, RECREATION AND LIBRARY MASTER PLAN SURVEY.
SO CLEARLY THIS IS SOMETHING OUR RESIDENTS ARE REALLY ASKING FOR, SOME OF THE, UM, UNS SHADED AMEN AMENITIES, UM, SUCH AS SPLASH PADS OUR SPECTATOR AREAS AND OUR SPORTS COURT REALLY KIND OF PREVENT THE USE THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AND THEY COMPOUND OUR DEMAND FOR THE USE OF THESE AMENITIES IN THE EVENINGS AND EARLY MORNING HOURS.
UM, SO I, ON HERE YOU CAN SEE A FEW IMAGES.
THIS INCLUDES SHADED SPECTATOR AREAS AT FESTIVAL FIELDS.
THIS IS ONE, UH, A REQUEST THAT HAS COME FROM A LOT OF, UH, USERS OF THE FACILITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE MOMS AND DADS WHO ARE WATCHING THEIR
AND SO, UM, LOOKING AT SHADING, THE SPECTATOR AREA THERE ON THE TOP RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE WHAT I KIND OF CALL AUMS OR THINGS LARGE, UH, SHADED THINGS, SHADED, UM, CANOPIES THAT CAN COVER, YOU KNOW, BASKETBALL COURTS AND ALLOW FOR THOSE TO BE, UM, SHADED.
AND THAT WOULD BE LIKE AT FRIENDSHIP PARK.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OTHER OUT HERE AT ALAMAR AND THE ONE AT THE, AT, UH, THE, THE, UH, BOULEVARD, THE SPLASH PARK AT THE BOULEVARD.
THE SECOND ITEM WAS THE PARKS AND PARKING IMPROVEMENTS.
AND, UM, THEY REALLY FELT THAT IT WAS IMPERATIVE TO INCLUDE THOSE, AS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH VARIOUS INVESTMENTS WE HAVE REALLY, AND IN MY OPINION, I BELIEVE THAT CITY OF AVONDALE HAS REALLY MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN SORT OF SETTING THE STANDARD FOR WHAT OUR PARKS ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND FOR THAT REASON, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB AND THAT'S BEEN HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND BENEFICIAL FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
BUT THERE ARE STILL ARE SOME PARKS WHERE THERE'S SOME WORK TO BE DONE.
UM, AND MANY OLDER PARK PROPERTIES PRESENT THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US FOR SOME IMPROVEMENT IN MODERNIZATION OF THESE SPACES TO ENSURE THAT THEY ALL ALIGN WITH THE STANDARDS THAT WE'VE SET.
NOW, THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE CITY'S CURRENT TRAIL SYSTEM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, WE GET TRAILS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
SOME THE CITY HAS, UH, BUILT OVER TIME IN CERTAIN AREAS, AND OTHERS COME AS DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS COME THROUGH THE CITY.
AND SO WE SOMETIMES SEE, I CALL IT SORT OF A SCALLOP SCALLOP TRAIL, WHERE WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TRAILS THAT CONNECT YET
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE IN HERE THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT GAPS.
AND ONE OF OUR PRIMARY TRAIL ARTERIES IS THE AFRI RIVER.
UM, THAT'S KIND OF A NATURAL PLACE WHERE YOU WANNA SEE TRAIL AMENITIES.
AND, UM, RIGHT NOW THERE IS SOME LIMITED, YOU KNOW, ACCESS.
YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THE ACCESS POINTS ARE SAFE, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AVOIDING CONFLICTS WITH VEHICLES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT UNDERPASSES AND, AND WAYS TO GET, UM, UNDER AND AROUND THE ROADS.
AND WHILE WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE IN SOME OF THE NEWER DEVELOPMENTS, AS I MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE SECTIONS OF THE TRAIL BUILT, BUT WE'VE GOT A FEW GAPS.
AND SO THE IDEA WITH THE BOND FUNDING IS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO START WITH WORKING ON FILLING IN A FEW OF THOSE GAPS AT SOME KEY LOCATIONS, PUTTING IN SOME TRAIL HEADS.
SO WE HAVE SAFE ACCESS TO THE TRAIL.
AND WE BELIEVE WE COULD ACHIEVE ABOUT A SIX MILE, UH, CONTINUOUS TRAIL ALONG THE AGRA OVER THE COURSE OF THE, OF, UH, THE 10 YEARS WITH THE BOND FUNDINGS.
AND WE'D FOCUS AGAIN ON AGRA RIVER TOWARDS THE COMPLETION OF WHAT WE SEE ARE THE, THE RE REAL FINAL SORT OF REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTIONS.
AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE EAST WEST TRAILS AS WELL AS, UM, ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH, UM, THE AQUA FRIA.
THE LAST ITEM WITH THAT, WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION WAS THE CIVIC CENTER LIBRARY IMPROVEMENTS.
THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED LIBRARIES AS A VERY HIGH PRIORITY, UM, AND AMENITY PRIORITY, AMENITY AND PROGRAM TYPE IN THE PARKS, RECREATION, AND LIBRARY MASTER PLAN.
UM, FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, IT'S SERVED AS A HUB FOR LEARNING, UM, INNOVATION AND ENGAGEMENT.
AND DESPITE REGULAR MAINTENANCE, THE FACILITY AND ITS FURNISHING AND JUST WITH TIME, UM, IT REALLY IS STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS OF SIGNIFICANT WEAR.
[01:20:01]
40,000 VISITORS ANNUALLY, UM, IN THE, IN THE LIBRARY JUST AT THE CIVIC CENTER LIBRARY ALONE.AND WE'VE GOT SOME CRITICAL UPDATES, INCLUDING SOME FLOORING AND REPAINTING AND IMPROVING THE OVERALL SPACE PLANNING AND SECURITY, UH, FEATURES.
SO MODERNIZING IT AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THE NEW WAYS THAT RESIDENTS USE THE LIBRARY, UM, WILL KIND OF KEEP US ON THAT LEADING EDGE WHEN IT COMES TO LIBRARY SERVICES AND KEEP US AT HOME HERE IN AVONDALE.
SO THAT WAS THE PARKS RECREATION LIBRARY SIDE.
THE SECOND SIDE WAS THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE.
UM, THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY PRESENTED A TOTAL OF FIVE PROJECTS, UM, FROM THE POLICE, FIRE, AND MEDICAL AND THE CITY COURTS TO THE COMMITTEE IN THEIR FEBRUARY MEETING.
AND THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, WERE GIVEN A CHANCE TO, AGAIN, PROVIDE A LOT OF FEEDBACK, THINK ABOUT THE PROJECTS, LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY THEY'RE IMPORTANT, WHAT JUSTIFIES THE NEED, ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND DURING THEIR MARCH MEETING, THEY ALL BELIEVED THAT THE PROJECTS WERE A PRIORITY AND RANKED THEM ACCORDING, UM, TO WHAT WOULD INTEREST THEY BELIEVE WOULD INTEREST THE RESIDENTS OF AVONDALE.
SO YOU SEE THAT HERE, THE SOUTHERN AVONDALE FIRE POLICE SUBSTATION, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT, THIS IS SOME LAND THAT THE CITY HAD DEDICATED THROUGH THE, UH, MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT OF A, OF ALAMAR.
SO THERE'S A LOCATION FOR THAT, AND THIS WOULD BE WHERE THE SOUTHERN AVONDALE FIRE POLICE SUBSTATION WOULD GO.
UM, NEW PUBLIC SAFETY HEADQUARTERS, POLICE FIREARM TRAINING FACILITY, MAINE POLICE STATION EXPANSION, AND A CITY COURT OFFICE EXPANSION IN THE SOUTHERN AVONDALE FIRE AND POLICE, UH, SUBSTATION WOULD BE LOCATED ON THAT LAND THAT I MENTIONED DEDICATED TO US WITHIN THE, UM, ALAMAR SUBDIVISION.
UM, THE FACILITY IS CURRENTLY UNDER DESIGN, UM, AND IT WILL PROVIDE GREATER RESPONSE TIMES FOR ALL RESIDENTS BY PEAK KEEPING THE FIRE CREWS CLOSER TO THEIR FIRST TWO AREAS.
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT WHEN IT COMES TO FIRE SERVICES, TRYING TO KEEP YOUR FIRE CREWS WITHIN THEIR FIRST DO NOT HAVING TO, UM, EXTEND BEYOND THEIR FIRST TWO AREA TO OTHER AREAS TO ASSIST.
SO, AND IT COULD ALSO BE, UM, OUR KEY, OUR MAIN STATION TO SERVE, UM, SOME OF THE MAJOR EVENTS AT THE RACEWAY.
UM, SIMILARLY, IT WILL INCLUDE A BRIEFING AND OFFICE LOCATION FOR POLICE OFFICERS TO STOP AND DO REPORTS AND TO ENHANCE THEIR VISIBILITY WITHIN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CITY, REDUCING SOME RESPONSE TIMES AND IMPROVING THEIR OVERALL SERVICES.
SO BOND FUNDING WOULD PROVIDE A PORTION OF THE OVERALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT.
SOME OF IT'S ALREADY FUNDED, BUT THE BOND FUNDS WOULD GET US WHAT WE FULLY NEED IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THAT PROJECT.
THE NEW PUBLIC, UM, SAFETY HEADQUARTERS, AND AGAIN, AS AVONDALE CONTINUES TO GROW, WE NEED TO PLAN, UM, FOR, UH, OUR NEEDS TO ADDRESS SPACE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
YOU'LL SEE THIS SORT OF AS A REFRAIN AS WE TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF PROJECTS HERE.
UM, THE NEW PUBLIC SAFETY HEADQUARTERS IS NEEDED TO CENTRALLY HOUSE THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THE FIRE AND MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, STAFF, AND ALL OF THEIR ESSENTIAL SUPPORT STAFF.
UM, CURRENTLY THEY ARE IN THE PHOENIX RACEWAY BUILDING, SHARING THE FIRST FLOOR WITH THE, UM, IT DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'RE STARTING TO GET A LITTLE CRAMP FOR SPACE.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE APPROPRIATE CORRIDORS OR THINGS FOR THAT TO, UM, TO GET PEOPLE TO THEIR OFFICES.
THEY'RE WALKING THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE'S AREAS.
UM, AND, UH, OTHER PARTS OF THEIR FUNCTIONS ARE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY HALL CAMPUS, SUCH AS OUR, OUR SAFETY OR CAMPUS SECURITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, A NEW BUILDING TO HOUSE THESE IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS IS NEEDED SOMETIME WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE IDEA FOR THIS ONE.
A POLICE FIREARMS TRAINING FACILITY, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH, UM, THE COUNCIL, WE SHARE SPACE AT THE GLENDALE, AT THE GRIP STICK.
UM, AND THAT'S THEIR TRAINING FACILITY.
AND THAT REQUIRES OUR OFFICERS WHEN THEY NEED TO GET CERTIFIED OR WHEN THEY NEED TO DO THEIR REQUIRED TRAININGS ON FIREARMS TO A FIND TIME AND FIND SPACE AT GRIP STICK IN ORDER TO GO THERE, THEY HAVE TO DRIVE TO GLENDALE, THEY'RE IN GLENDALE FOR THEIR TRAINING, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO DRIVE BACK.
SO THE IDEA HERE IS THAT WE, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A, A HUGE TRAINING FACILITY, BUT AT LEAST FOR FIREARMS, WE CAN, UM, WE COULD CREATE A FIREARM FACILITY WHERE OUR OFFICERS STAY LOCAL, STAY HERE IN AVONDALE, THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, RESPOND AS NEEDED.
AND IT WOULD PROVIDE THEM, UM, A PLACE TO REALLY HONE THEIR SKILLS, GET THE TRAINING THEY NEED, AND THE SORT OF, AND MAINTAIN ALL THEIR CERTIFICATIONS IN CERTIFICATIONS, AND THEN THUS INCREASING THEIR RESPONSE TIME AND THEIR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO INCIDENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR POLICE LOCATED AT THE MAIN HEADQUARTERS HERE, CENTRALIZED WITH OUR POLICE FORCE, OUR EVIDENCE, UH, STORAGE, OUR CRIME LAB AND OFFICES ALL, UM, TO IMPROVE OUR COORDINATION, OUR RESPONSE, AND OUR ACCOUNT ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE POLICE SERVICES AREA.
THE BUILDING WAS DESIGNED FOR EXPANSION.
UM, WE HAVEN'T COMPLETED THAT EXPANSION.
SO THE IDEA HERE IS TO ADDRESS THE SPACE NEEDED FOR SOME GROWTH THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING AS A COMMUNITY.
AND THIS PROJECT WOULD COMPLETE THAT FINAL BUILD OUT OF THE AVONDALE POLICE STATION.
[01:25:01]
LAST, UH, PHASE, IF YOU WILL.AND THEN SIMILARLY AT THE COURT FACILITY, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR COURT HAS BEEN THE SAME SIZE AND WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE, OBVIOUSLY, IN ACTIVITIES AT THE COURT.
UM, A LOT OF THEIR STAFF, OR A LOT OF THEIR REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO FILES, OR THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE TO HAVE BIG FILE ROOMS. THEY HAVE TO SAVE A LOT OF FILES BECAUSE THEY HAVE STATUTORY GUIDELINES ON HOW LONG THEY HAVE TO HAVE IT, JUST LIKE POLICE DOES.
UM, YOU CAN SEE FROM SOME OF THESE PICTURES THAT THEY'RE HAVING TO HOUSE STAFF IN FILE ROOMS BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE SPACE TO PUT THEM.
UM, AND THOSE ARE NOT THE APPROPRIATE PLACES FOR STAFF TO BE.
UM, INSTEAD WE WOULD, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE, UH, BUILD A PROJECT, UH, PUT, PUT A NEW, UH, POSSIBLY A TWO STORY FACILITY KIND OF IN THAT IN BETWEEN SPACE, YOU CAN SEE BETWEEN THE TWO BUILDINGS WHERE, UM, THEY COULD PUT SOME OFFICES AND, UM, HOUSE SOME ADDITIONAL STORAGE SPACE FOR FILES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO ROBERT TO TALK, UM, OUR BUDGET MANAGER TO TALK A BIT ABOUT THE, UM, PROPERTY TAX AND THE, AND THE RATE IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FINANCING PLAN, UM, FOR BONDS.
BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME ON PROJECTS? ANY QUESTIONS FOR KATIE? NOPE.
YES, YOU HAD, UH, ONE HAND UP.
UH, COUNCILOR GARCIA, I KNOW I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE, BUT JUST SO IT'S, AGAIN, SO WHEN I, IF THE BOND PASSES, ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU SPOKE ABOUT RIGHT NOW ARE WHAT WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH THIS BOND, AND THEY, WE CAN'T CHANGE THE PROJECTS ONCE IT GOES THROUGH.
SO I'LL, I'LL ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
YEAH, THE ANSWER'S GENERALLY YES.
NOW, UM, SOME OF THE PROJECTS ARE UNDER, YOU KNOW, WERE UNDERWAY LIKE THE, THE SOUTH AVONDALE FIRE STATION, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR A PORTION OF THE FUNDING FROM THE BOND FUNDS.
UM, BUT THAT'S GONNA BE MOVING FORWARD.
BUT WE DO NEED TO, TO, TO DO A PORTION IF WE DON'T NEED IT FOR THAT, FOR WHATEVER REASON, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SHIFT FUNDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SIMILAR TYPE FACILITIES WOULD BE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WE PUT SOME DOLLAR AMOUNTS TO SOME OF THESE WITHOUT KNOWING FOR SURE HOW MUCH ALL THESE THINGS ARE GONNA COST.
SO WE HAVE A GOOD SENSE, BUT WE WANTED THE QUESTIONS TO BE BROAD ENOUGH.
UM, AND THE ABILITY FOR US TO, IF THERE ARE, IS FUNDING THAT THAT IS AVAILABLE AND IT'S A PROJECT VERY CLOSE TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT WE'D HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY.
BUT ABSOLUTELY, THESE ARE THE PROJECTS WE'RE TARGETING.
THESE ARE THE ONES WE WANNA GET COMPLETED OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I HAVE THE EXCITING TASK TO GO THROUGH PROPERTY TAX.
UM, SO GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS HAVE A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH PROPERTY TAX.
SO, UM, FIRST I'M GONNA KIND OF WALK THROUGH SOME, UM, THE BASICS OF ARIZONA PROPERTY TAX AND ARIZONA PROPERTY TAXES.
SO, UM, YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL IS BASED OFF OF WHAT'S CALLED YOUR LIMITED ASSESSED VALUATION, UM, WHICH CAN ONLY GROW AT 5% OF THE YEAR.
SO THERE IS A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL IS BASED ON AND THE MARKET VALUE FOR YOUR HOUSE.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, HERE IN THE CITY OF AVONDALE, UM, THE AVERAGE HOUSE IS A MEDIAN HOUSE, WE LOOKED IT UP, IS ABOUT 405,000.
UM, THE PRO, THE LIMITED ASSESSED VALUATION ON THAT HOUSE IS 160,000.
SO SIGNIFICANT VARIATIONS THAT 5% REALLY DOES NOT CAPTURE THE AMOUNT OF EXPLOSIVE GROWTH WE'VE SEEN IN PROPERTY VALUES OVER THE PAST DECADE.
UM, ONCE YOU HAVE THAT LIMITED ASSESSED VALUATION, THERE'S AN ASSESSMENT RATIO FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROPERTY.
SO FOR RESIDENTIAL, THAT IS 10% OF THAT, UM, LIMITED ASSESSED VALUE.
SO YOU TAKE THAT 160,000, THAT, UM, ASSESSMENT RATIO IS 16,000, UM, BRINGS IT DOWN TO 16,000.
FOR A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, THERE'S TWO PORTIONS OF PROPERTY TAX.
SO THERE'S WHAT'S CALLED THE PRIMARY PROPERTY TAX, AND THAT GOES TOWARDS THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH FUNDS, YOU KNOW, ON GENERAL OPERATIONS OF THE CITY, DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
AND THEN THE SECONDARY PROPERTY TAX MAY ONLY BE USED FOR THE REPAYMENT OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND DEBT.
SO THIS IS THE PORTION OF PROPERTY TAX THAT IS, UM, DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.
WE HAVE A FINANCIAL POLICY THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED BY COUNSEL, UM, THAT SAYS THE COMBINED PROPERTY TAX RATE BETWEEN THAT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RATE CANNOT EXCEED $2, UM, PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUATION.
AND OUR CURRENT PROPERTY TAX RATE IS $1 45 CENTS, UM, PER $100 OF NET ASSESSED VALUATION.
SO TO AGAIN PUT THE PROPERTY TAX THAT DALE CHARGES IN CONTEXT OF THE TOTAL PROPERTY TAX.
[01:30:01]
HOME HERE IN AVONDALE OF 405,000, THAT LIMITED ASSESSED VALUATION OF 160,000 ON THAT PROPERTY TAX BILL.SO THEY'RE PAYING ABOUT $2,000, UM, A YEAR FOR SCHOOLS ARE 75% OF THE TOTAL PROPERTY TAX BILL AVONDALE IS ABOUT 11%, OR ABOUT $233 OF THAT TOTAL PROPERTY TAX BILL.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE COUNTY HAS A PORTION OF PROPERTY TAX AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS ARE ANOTHER PORTION OF THAT PROPERTY TAX.
BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PROPERTY TAX, UM, GOES TOWARDS SCHOOLS.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE, UM, ALAMAR, WHICH WOULD BE A SEPARATE PROPERTY TAX FOR THOSE HOMES IN THAT, UH, DISTRICT.
NEXT, UM, THIS SHOWS THE DEBT PER CAPITA, UM, FOR THE LAST DATA, UM, LAST YEAR.
WE HAVE THAT AVAILABLE FOR ALL OUR COMPARISON MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY.
SO YOU CAN SEE AVONDALE IS THE SECOND LOWEST DEBT PER CAPITA WHEN COMPARED AGAINST ALL THE OTHER VALLEY JURISDICTIONS.
UM, SO WE HAVE VERY LOW DEBT HERE IN THE CITY, BOTH GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND DEBT, WHICH IS THAT VOTER APPROVED DEBT, AND ALSO NON-GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT.
SO VERY LOW DEBT COMPARED TO A LOT OF OTHER CITIES HERE IN THE PHOENIX METROPOLITAN AREA.
AND THEN GOING INTO WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED, THE QUESTIONS THAT WOULD BE POTENTIALLY ON THE, UM, GOING TO VOTERS AND HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE.
SO, UM, OUR INTENTION IS THAT IF THIS IS APPROVED BY VOTERS, THAT WE WOULD KEEP THAT PROPERTY TAX RATE, UM, LEVEL THROUGHOUT THE, THE FOUR, UM, THE NEXT DECADE OR SO.
SO AS OLD DEBT IS RETIRED, OLD SECONDARY PROPERTY TAX, UM, RATE WOULD GO TOWARDS THAT NEW GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND DEBT, WHICH IS REPRESENTED THE GREEN.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE, UM, SO THE PROPERTY TAX RATE WOULD STAY THE SAME.
WE WOULD ACHIEVE THIS BY, UM, LOOKING TO ISSUE ABOUT $20 MILLION OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS EVERY TWO YEARS, UM, FOR 10 TO 15 YEARS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING THAT RATE STEADY THROUGHOUT THE, THE TIME PERIOD WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO WITH THAT, UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I HAND IT BACK TO KATIE? QUESTIONS BY COUNSEL? GO AHEAD.
COUNCILOR GARCIA, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT IF THE BOND DOESN'T PASS, HOW IT CAN LOWER THE PROPERTY TAX? YES, SO MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL, SO IF THE, IF THIS IS NOT APPROVED BY VOTERS, UM, OR REFERRED TO THE VOTERS, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, THAT GREEN BAR, UM, THAT WOULD DISAPPEAR FROM THE CHART.
AND YOU COULD SEE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE WOULD DECLINE OVER THE NEXT DECADE.
SO THE PROPERTY TAX PROJECTION WOULD BE THAT BLUE BAR PLUS THE ORANGE BAR, SO IT WOULD DECREASE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU, ROBERT.
SO THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION, UM, WHAT I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WAS, UM, THE COMMITTEE'S CHARGE WAS TO LOOK AT PROJECTS, DISCUSS PRIORITIES, UM, AND COME UP WITH A FINANCING PLAN THAT THEY COULD FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL FOR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO THAT MEANT THEY NEEDED TO LOOK AT KIND OF WHAT THE COST OF THESE PROJECTS ARE, AND THEN LOOK AT WHAT THE OVERALL BOND PACKAGE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
'CAUSE WHEN WE GO TO THE VOTERS, WE DON'T GO TO THE VOTERS WITH SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
WE GO TO THEM WITH A, AN ASK FOR SOME AUTHORIZATION.
I ALSO WANNA KNOW, JUST MAYBE ANSWERING A LITTLE BIT MORE OF YOUR QUESTION, UM, IS THAT ANYTIME WE ARE LOOKING TO SELL DEBT, MEANING WE'RE LOOKING TO ISSUE BOND, YOU KNOW, ISSUE BOND DEBT, WE COME BACK TO COUNCIL, IT'S GOTTA BE PART OF OUR APPROVED BUDGET, NUMBER ONE.
SO THAT'S A POINT AT WHICH COUNCIL CAN GIVE US AN, A SENSE OF WHERE THE PRIORITIES ARE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
AND IT ALSO HAS TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR AN APPROVAL TO ISSUE THE DEBT.
SO THERE ARE TWO POINTS EVEN AFTER, IF WE GOT AUTHORIZATION, WHAT WE'RE ASKING VOTERS FOR IS THE AUTHORIZATION.
WHAT THE COUNCIL DOES IS DETERMINE WHEN AND HOW THAT GETS SPENT.
UM, AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THESE PROJECTS.
SO THE COUNT, THE, THE COMMITTEE, UM, RECOMMENDED TWO QUESTIONS.
SO THEY, THEY LOOK AT A PARKS AND RECREATION QUESTION AND A A PUBLIC SAFETY QUESTION.
THEY THINK WE SHOULD RECOMMEND TWO QUESTIONS TO THE VOTERS.
FIRST QUESTION WOULD BE FOR $68 MILLION DEDICATED FOR PROJECTS RELATED TO PARKS AND RECREATION.
SECOND QUESTION WOULD BE FOR $55 MILLION DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND AGAIN, WITH THE INTENT THAT NO INCREASE TO THE CURRENT PROPERTY TAX RATE.
AS, AS, UH, ROB JUST TALKED ABOUT.
THIS IS KIND OF HOW THOSE PROJECTS FALL.
YOU CAN SEE THE TWO TWO AMOUNTS THERE.
AND THIS IS WHAT A QUESTION WOULD LOOK LIKE ON THE ACTUAL BALLOT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, UM, FOR BOND.
QUESTION NUMBER ONE, FOR PARKS, RECREATION AND LIBRARIES
[01:35:01]
IMPROVEMENTS, WE'RE REQUESTING VOTERS TO, TO APPROVE $68 MILLION IN AUTH VOTER AUTHORIZATION TO DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, IMPROVE AND ACQUIRE NEW AND EXISTING COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND FACILITIES, INCLUDING SHADE STRUCTURES, WATER CONSERVATION, BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN PATHS AND BRIDGES, TRAILS, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION, AND LIBRARY BUILDINGS.SO THAT WAS TO YOUR ANSWER A LITTLE BIT.
COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT IN THERE.
UM, BUT WE UNDERSTAND PROJECTS CHANGE AND PRIORITIES CHANGE OVER TIME A LITTLE BIT.
SO, AND COUNCIL HAS THE PREROGATIVE ON SOME OF THAT.
UM, FOR BOND QUESTION NUMBER TWO, IT WOULD BE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENT BONDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 55 MILLION ON AUTHORIZATION TO DESIGN, ACQUIRE, EQUIP AND CONSTRUCT FIRE AND EMERGENCY AND POLICE FACILITIES FOR THE PURPOSES OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRAINING AND TO DESIGN, ACQUIRE, AND CONSTRUCT CITY COURT FACILITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE, UM, IS RECOMMENDING WE COME FORWARD WITH.
BEFORE I HAVE A COMMITTEE MEMBER, I'D LIKE TO HAVE ONE OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS COME UP AND JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS, BUT I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS AND THE, UM, OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF COUNCIL WERE TO APPROVE THE CALL FOR ELECTION, UM, AND THE RESOLUTION ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
THE NEXT STEPS WOULD INCLUDE US INFORMING MARICOPA COUNTY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HOLD AN ELECTION IN, UH, NOVEMBER OF 2025.
WE WOULD USE THE TIME BETWEEN NOW AND, AND BASICALLY OCTOBER PROVIDING, DEVELOPING INFORMATIONAL ONLY INFORMATIONAL, UM, AND EDUCATIONAL, UM, MATERIALS FOR OUR PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, UM, AS A CITY, THAT'S ALL THAT WE CAN DO.
UM, AND WE WOULD BE, UM, USING THAT TIME TO KIND OF LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THIS IS, WHAT IS, WHAT'S PART OF THE, THE PACKAGE.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD, UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DATES THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF.
THE ONE WOULD BE THE LAST DATE TO SUBMIT ANY PUBLICITY PAMPHLET ARGUMENTS IS JULY 9TH.
AND THIS WOULD BE AN ALL MAIL BALLOT MAIL-IN BALLOT.
SO, UM, IT WOULD BE A VOTE BY MAIL.
AND THE FIRST DATE A CAST, AN EARLY BALLOT WOULD BE OCTOBER 8TH.
AND OF COURSE, ELECTION DAY IS ON NOVEMBER 4TH.
SO I WANNA KIND OF GIVE YOU THAT.
AND BACK TO MY EARLIER POINT, AGAIN, EVEN WITH VOTER AUTHORIZATION AND VOTERS APPROVING THIS, UM, THE COUNCIL STILL HAS TO HAVE TWO, THEY GET TWO BITES OF THE APPLE TO, TO DETERMINE WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE AND WHEN WE'RE GONNA ISSUE DEBT.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THE COMMITTEE'S ROLE WAS REALLY TO LEARN
AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE UP, UM, NATASHA EDMONDS AS THE COMMITTEE CHAIR TO COME AND JUST PROVIDE, TO PROVIDE YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT OF AN INSIGHT AS TO SOME OF THE, UM, SOME OF HER INSIGHTS AS TO HOW THE COMMITTEE WENT.
NATASHA? GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A FEW WORDS REGARDING THE COMMITTEE AND OUR WORK OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS.
THE CITIZEN BOND COMMITTEE MET FOUR TIMES, BEGINNING IN DECEMBER TO LEARN ABOUT AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL FOR A POTENTIAL FALL 2025 GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND ELECTION.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE AVONDALE HAS HELD A BOND ELECTION AND IT WAS AN HONOR TO CHAIR THE COMMITTEE AND WORK ALONGSIDE WITH OTHER ENGAGED CITIZENS.
SO MAYOR, WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR SELECTING US AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR SELECTING US TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMITTEE.
EACH COMMITTEE EACH MEETING, EXCUSE ME, COVERED A SERIES OF TOPICS SUCH AS FINANCIAL OVERVIEW, HOW PROPERTY TAXES WORK IN ARIZONA AND THE ROLE OF THIS COMMITTEE.
THE STAFF PRESENTATIONS WERE WELL ORGANIZED AND STAFF ENCOURAGED US TO ASK QUESTIONS.
THEY ALSO ENCOURAGED US TO PROVIDE OUR PERSPECTIVE.
WE GAVE THAT ON EACH OF THE PROJECTS AND REVIEW FINANCING OPTIONS.
WE HEARD ABOUT THE CITY'S HISTORY WITH BOND FUNDS, HOW THEY HAVE BEEN USED FOR PAST PROJECTS SUCH AS FESTIVAL FIELDS PARK, AND THE NEW DETENTION CENTER, AND HOW NEW BOND AUTHORIZATION IF APPROVED BY THE VOTERS, WOULD ADDRESS NEEDED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE EVALUATED PROPOSED PROJECTS, REVIEWED THE SURVEY DATA, AND PROVIDED A CITIZEN PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT PROJECTS WOULD BE MEANINGFUL FOR RESIDENTS.
THESE INCLUDED REINVESTMENTS IN EXISTING FACILITIES LIKE PARKS, FILLING IN GAPS ALONG THE TRAILS, AND PROVIDING ADEQUATE SPACE
[01:40:01]
AND TRAINING FOR THOSE WHO SERVE TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.WE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THIS COUNCIL THAT THE PROPERTY TAX REMAIN STABLE AND THE AMOUNT RECOMMENDED DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY TAX RATE INCREASES.
AS SUCH, WE HAVE HAD, UM, EXCUSE ME, AS SUCH, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT ON THE RECOMMENDED QUESTIONS AND AMOUNTS PRESENTED HERE TONIGHT, AND WE ARE PLEASED TO PROVIDE THOSE TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, FOR SELECTING US IN THE SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER KATIE GREGORY, BUDGET MANAGER ROBERT AND RENEE PARKS AND RECREATIONS, PUBLIC SAFETY AND ALL THE STAFF FOR YOUR TIME AND THE EFFORT AND SUPPORTING AND PROVIDING ALL THE NECESSARY DETAILS TO HELP US.
TO MY CO-CHAIR DAN CHU AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I HAVE TWO WORDS FOR YOU.
SO, UM, I WANT TO MOVE TO THE RECOMMENDED MOTION AND TURN THIS OVER TO THE COUNCIL FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR DELIBERATION.
I SEE THERE'S ALREADY A MOTION AND A SECOND, BUT BEFORE WE GO THROUGH WITH THE VOTE, I BELIEVE WE MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, THANK YOU KATIE AND ROBERT FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I JUST REALLY WANNA JUST SAY THANK YOU TO THE BOND COMMITTEE.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW A LOT OF YOU WORK, HAVE FAMILIES, AND JUST THE TIME THAT YOU GUYS TOOK TO COME AND THE COMMITMENT TO LEARN AND PROVIDE YOUR, YOUR FEEDBACK, I JUST WANNA JUST SAY THANK YOU.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S, THAT'S A LOT.
TOOK A LOT FROM YOU GUYS, SO, UM, YEAH.
YEAH, THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO WORK ON THIS.
UM, I MYSELF ARE NOT, NOT NORMALLY VOTE ON BONDS, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CHOICE.
SO SEEING IT ON THE BALLOT AND LETTING THE CITIZENS OF AVONDALE CHOOSE WILL BE, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN NOVEMBER.
BUT THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
TAKING THE TIME TO RESEARCH AND LEARN ABOUT THE BONDS.
UH, COUNCILOR WEISS, KATE, KATIE, ROBERT, AND PAUL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS AND TO THE BOND COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND UM, FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT OUR TAXES WOULD NOT INCREASE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ON THIS SIDE? QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? OKAY.
AS YOU MENTIONED, AND AS OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ALLUDED TO, UM, THE HEAVY LIFT THAT THE BOND COMMITTEE HAS, UH, PROVIDED TO US, THE INFORMATION, THE COMMUNICATION, AND AS, UH, PAUL BEN MENTIONED AS PART OF THE INFORMATION HE PROVIDED TO US, WORDS MATTER.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA BE KEY TO THAT EDUCATION PIECE FOR THE RESIDENTS HERE OF AVONDALE AND COMMUNICATING THAT, UH, AVONDALE HAS BEEN VERY GOOD STEWARDS OF THEIR, OF THEIR TAX DOLLARS, UM, WHICH HAS LED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, INCREDIBLE BOND RATINGS AND OTHER THINGS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S TO BE COMMENDED BY PRIOR COUNCILS AND CURRENT COUNCILS WHO HAVE MADE THOSE DECISIONS AND MADE 'EM WISELY.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE GROUNDWORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY, UH, EVERY MEMBER THAT'S BEEN REPRESENTED HERE TONIGHT.
AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA MENTIONED, UM, I, FOR 1:00 AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
UM, AGAIN, IT IS THE RESIDENT'S MONEY AND, UM, YOU SEE THE PRIORITIES THERE.
I WAS VERY, UH, NOT SHOCKED, BUT UM, WHEN THE INFORMATION CAME ACROSS MY DESK OF LEARNING JUST, UH, ABOUT THE AGE AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND THEIR, YOU KNOW, PLUS MINUS, UH, NEGATIVE POSITIVE REACTIONS TO THE QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT IT DOES DEMONSTRATE THAT AVONDALE IS A YOUNG COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, SO I BELIEVE THAT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED HERE, INCLUDING THE TWO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, UH, ARE RELATED TO THAT YOUNG AND NEW RESIDENT THAT WILL FIND AVONDALE HOME, UH, TO CALL HOME.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
SO, UH, BACK TO THE, OH, SORRY.
I JUST GOT A, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THERE, KATIE.
10 YEARS OUT, INFLATION, I KNOW WE DON'T PUT INFLATION IN THERE, BUT THE TIME COMES NOW, WE'RE 10 YEARS OUT, WE WANT TO GO DO SOMETHING.
THERE ISN'T AS MUCH MONEY BECAUSE THE PRICE OF THE LR HAS GONE UP OR WHATEVER.
DOES THAT MEAN WE REEVALUATE, I ASSUME, AND SEE NOW AGAIN, OF THESE PROJECTS WE'VE GOT WHICH ONES WE WANT TO KEEP AND THE BOTTOM ONE GOES OUT.
IS THAT HOW THAT WOULD WORK? YEAH.
UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, UM, NELSON NIELSEN, UM, THE, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
I MEAN, AS WE GO ALONG, WE, AS YOU SAW IN ROBERT'S PRESENTATION, UM, AS DEBT RETIRES, THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD COME BACK.
SO WE LOOK AT DOING THAT IN TRANCHES
[01:45:01]
AS WE HAVE THE, AS THE CAPACITY GROWS BECAUSE OUR CITY, CITY GROWS, OUR VALUATIONS GROW.BUT ALSO AS THAT CAPACITY IS AVAILABLE FOR US TO ISSUE DEBT, UM, THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL.
WE KNOW THAT OVER 10 YEARS, YES, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME INFLATION WE'VE EXPERIENCED AT THE LAST 10 SIGNIFICANTLY.
HOPEFULLY NOT AS BAD AS THE LAST FIVE, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL SEE.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT INTERESTINGLY, YOU DID HAVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WHO HAD THE EXACT SAME QUESTION YOU HAD, OF COURSE, SORRY, DIDN'T NEED TO DO THAT,
AND, UM, AND THEY ASKED THAT EXACT SAME THING, SHOULD WE ASK FOR MORE? SHOULD WE DO MORE? AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, OUR RESPONSE TO THEM WAS, WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE COUNCIL THAT WE WOULD FOCUS ON MAINTAINING THAT TAX RATE.
THIS IS WHERE WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE.
THEY HONORED THAT COMMITMENT AND THAT'S WHY THE RECOMMENDATION IS WHAT IT IS.
BUT THAT'S ALSO WHY THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE WE MAY FIND THAT SOMETHING COSTS MORE.
WE MAY ALSO FIND THAT YOU HAVE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES FIVE YEARS FROM NOW AND WANT TO LOOK AT, UM, SOME OTHER OPTIONS OF THINGS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO.
OR MAYBE WE GET GRANTS FOR SOMETHING AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SHIFT THOSE DOLLARS TO SOMETHING ELSE, UM, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN DO MORE AND LEVERAGE IT.
MAYOR, THE OTHER ONE, JUST TO MAYOR, IF I CAN JUST ADD TO, SORRY, VICE MAYOR, MR. VICE MAYOR.
I ALSO WANNA ADD THAT, UH, I, WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THOSE DOLLARS CURRENTLY ASSIGNED WOULD COVER EVERY PROJECT.
SO THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION ALREADY BUILT IN THAT MANY OF THESE PROJECTS WILL HAVE A COMBINATION OF BOND FUNDING AND THEN OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, WHETHER IT'S GRANT OR OUR GENERAL FUND OR OTHER, UH, WAYS TO PAY FOR THINGS.
BUT WE ALREADY ARE GOING INTO THIS KNOWING THAT THOSE PROJECTS ARE NOT 100% DEPENDENT ON THIS DOLLAR.
SO IF INFLATION DOES, UH, CREEP UP, UH, MORE THAN WE PLANNED FOR, WE WILL JUST REPRIORITIZE AND MOVE.
BUT, BUT WE ALREADY KNOW THAT, UM, THE, ESPECIALLY THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE BUILDINGS ARE, ARE GONNA BE A LOT MORE THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE BUDGETED BY THE TIME WE BUILD.
THE OTHER, THE COMMENT I'VE GOT HERE IS, IS EDUCATION.
UH, I KNOW I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH BONDS WITH THE, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS EDUCATE, EDUCATE AND TO EDUCATE.
YOU CAN'T SWAY, BUT YOU CAN EDUCATE AND HAVE THESE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THERE WILL NOT BE ANY ADDITIONAL FUND, UH, FUNDS OR ANYTHING THAT ARE REQUIRED.
YOU'VE GOT THAT ON THE MAP THERE.
THE, THE, IT'S ALL MAIL IN, UH, ELECTION.
SO IT GOES DOWN TO NOVEMBER 4TH, SO WE'RE GONNA GET 'EM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, EARLY OCTOBER 8TH, I THINK IS THE FIRST OCTOBER 8TH.
SO YOU GOT, YOU'RE GONNA GET THOSE STARTING OCTOBER 8TH, NOVEMBER 4TH.
WHAT HAPPENS ON NOVEMBER 4TH? THEY CAN'T BE BROUGHT HERE AND DROPPED OFF.
THEY HAVE TO BE SIGNED AND IN THE MAIL BY NOVEMBER 4TH.
IS THAT HOW THAT WORKS? OR, I WILL GIVE OUR, UH, CITY CLERK THE OPTION TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
SO THE BALLOTS WILL BE MAILED TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD, UM, ON THAT FIRST DATE.
THE MARICOPA COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE TYPICALLY PUTS ONE EMERGENCY BALLOT DROP SITE.
UM, AND THIS IS ALSO A REPLACEMENT SITE, SO IF SOMEBODY SPOILS THEIR BALLOT OR IF THEY JUST NEED TO COME AND GET A NEW BALLOT, UM, I HAVEN'T SIGNED THE CONTRACT WITH MARICOPA COUNTY YET.
UM, WE ARE WAITING ON THE RESULT TONIGHT, BUT WE HOPE THAT OUR LOCATION, WHICH IS CITY HALL, WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE EMERGENCY SITES.
UM, AND EVEN IF WE WEREN'T AN EMERGENCY SITE, UM, USUALLY THEY WILL HAVE IT DOWNTOWN PHOENIX, BUT WE WILL ABSOLUTELY HAVE A BALLOT DROPBOX HERE AT CITY HALL.
UM, AND SO VOTERS CAN COME HERE TO DROP OFF THEIR BALLOTS LIKE THEY DO EVERY NORMAL ELECTION.
UM, BUT THE NOVEMBER 4TH IS THE JUST DEADLINE DATE, UM, NOT THE POST DATE.
UM, IT HAS TO BE IN MARICOPA COUNTY, HANDS ON THAT DATE.
SO OUR, UM, EDUCATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE.
UM, WE'LL DO LIKE THE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I WAS LEAVING AS PART OF THIS EDUCATION.
NOT ONLY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, BUT THEIR RESPONSE.
ON THOSE BALLOTS NEED TO BE IN BY A CERTAIN DATE.
THEY JUST DON'T SIT ON THE TABLE OR WHEREVER IT MIGHT BE FOR THAT.
AND ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE BY ALL OF YOU.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UH, WE WERE ON SUCH A ROLL.
I DID NOT WANNA MENTION THE INFLATION WORK, BUT I'M, I'M GLAD THAT
AND WE DO KNOW THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO ADJUST AND I'M GLAD THAT MEMBERS OF THE BOND COMMITTEE, UH, FELT STRONGLY IN ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS AS WELL.
UM, BECAUSE IT IS, IT'S IMPORTANT.
SO, UH, KUDOS TO YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.
IT TOOK EVERYTHING WITHIN ME NOT TO BECAUSE WE WERE DOING SO GOOD, BUT THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
SO, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO, THE REST OF US COULD PLEASE VOTE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, EVERYONE.
[01:50:03]
I LIKE THAT.LET'S GIVE OURSELVES A GOOD JOB.
PUT HER ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, RIGHT?
[b. Public Hearing and Ordinance 2016-0425 - SJ Acquisitions Industrial Development Rezone- Application PL-24-0201]
PLEASE.COUNCIL, UP NEXT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY CHRISTINA, OUR SENIOR PLANNER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ON A REZONED REQUEST.
AND FOR OUR, UH, MEMBERS OF THE CITIZEN BOND COMMITTEE, UM, YOU ALL ARE FREE TO LEAVE FOR THE NIGHT, DON'T FEEL OBLIGATED TO STAY.
UM, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO STAY AND WATCH OUR NEXT COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS, FEEL FREE.
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, AND I APOLOGIZE, I'M DOING THIS JUST NOW, BUT ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT NEED TO TAKE A FIVE, A QUICK FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
I'M SO SORRY TO COULD CUT IN, BUT I, I FIGURED BY THIS TIME WE'RE ALMOST TWO HOURS IN.
IF ANYBODY HERE NEEDED A QUICK BREAK, BUT IF WE COULD JUST MAKE IT A QUICK FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
BE BACK AT 7 26 AND GET STARTED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UH, VICE, UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE ITEM BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS A RE ZONE REQUEST FOR SJ ACQUISITIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION PL 24 DASH 0 2 0 1.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINA LAVELL AND I'M A CITY PLANNER HERE AT THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO HEAR THE REZONE REQUEST AND TAKE ACTION.
SO BEFORE YOU IS AN AERIAL MAP OF THE PROPERTY.
THE SITE IS LOCATED WEST OF THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF FOURTH STREET AND LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD.
IT HAS A NUMBER OF ABANDONED OUTBUILDINGS ON IT.
AND THE PROPERTY WAS ANNEXED INTO THE CITY IN 1960 AND WAS ZONED MANUFACTURED HOME PARK.
IT WAS REZONED IN 2018 TO GENERAL INDUSTRIAL, LIMITED TO A MINI STORAGE WAREHOUSE WITH ANCILLARY RV STORAGE WITH THE MINI WAREHOUSE REQUIRING CONDITIONAL USE PER PERMIT APPROVAL.
THE CONDIT, A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, WAS APPROVED IN 2018, HOWEVER, THE APPROVAL EXPIRED IN 2022.
OKAY, SO THESE MAPS ARE PROVIDED TO SHOW THE ZONING AND THE GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATION FOR THE PROPERTY AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
THE CURRENT ZONING OF THE PROPERTY IS GENERAL INDUSTRIAL, LIMITED TO THE USE OF A MINI STORAGE WAREHOUSE WITH ANCILLARY RV STORAGE.
THE GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATION IS INDUSTRIAL AND THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC AVONDALE INFILL DISTRICT.
SO HERE'S SOME PHOTOS THAT ARE PROVIDED JUST TO SHOW SOME SITE CONTEXT.
THE TOP PHOTO SHOWS THE SITE IS SEEN FROM LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD.
THE SITE IS VACANT AND THERE ARE SOME ABANDONED OUTBUILDINGS ON SITE.
UH, THE SITE ALSO HAS LIMITED OFFSITE IMPROVEMENTS.
THE BOTTOM PHOTO SHOWS THE PROPERTY AS SEEN FROM ELM LANE.
SO THE REZONE REQUEST IS TO MODIFY THE EXISTING GENERAL INDUSTRIAL ZONING THAT LIMITS THE USES TO A MINI STORAGE WAREHOUSE WITH ANCILLARY RV STORAGE TO GENERAL INDUSTRIAL ZONING WITH REVISED CONDITIONS.
THIS IS TO ALLOW FOR A LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO THIS IS A CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE REQUIRED DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS IN THE A ONE DISTRICT.
SO ADJACENT TO A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT OR USE, THE DEVELOPMENT WILL REQUIRE A 75 FOOT BUILDING SETBACK, 35 FOOT LANDSCAPE USE BUFFERS, AND EIGHT FOOT SOLID TALLS BLOCK WALLS.
THESE ARE SOME CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGS THAT WERE ALSO PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT AND IT JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT SOME OF THE FUTURE BUILDINGS MAY LOOK LIKE.
SO, AS DESCRIBED IN THE CITY'S INDUSTRIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR EMPLOYMENT DISTRICTS, THE INDUSTRIAL BUILDING WILL HAVE THE LOOK AND FEEL OF AN UPSCALE OFFICE BUILDING WITH A MIX OF MATERIALS AND
[01:55:01]
BUILDING ARTICULATIONS.A SITE PLAN DESIGN REVIEW WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED AS PART OF THEIR APPROVALS.
SO STAFF HAS ANALYZED THE REZONE REQUEST.
SO REZONING THE PROPERTY TO GENERAL INDUSTRIAL WITH REVISED CONDITIONS SUPPORTS THE GOALS OF THE GENERAL PLAN BY ALLOWING A WIDER RANGE OF EMPLOYMENT USES THAT WILL DIVERSIFY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT THE SITE.
UM, IN AS WELL THE REZONE SUPPORTS THE GOALS OF THE SPECIFIC AREA PLAN BY ENCOURAGING THE REVITALIZATION, INVESTMENT, AND REDEVELOPMENT OF AN UNDERLIE UNDERUTILIZED INFILL SITE.
INCOMPATIBLE USES HAVE BEEN PROHIBITED WITHIN THE NARRATIVE, SO ALL PUBLIC NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET.
A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WAS HELD AT THE AGUA HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY ON FEBRUARY 11TH, 2025.
THERE WERE TWO ATTENDEES ASIDE FROM THE APPLICANT'S TEAM AND CITY STAFF.
DISCUSSION WAS PRIMARILY RELATED TO THE CITY'S PLANS FOR FUTURE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS ALONG LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD.
ONE PHONE CALL WAS RECEIVED IN OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST, AND THE NEIGHBOR JUST EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN ABOUT ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT THAT MAY BLOCK HER VIEW OF THE MOUNTAINS A PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS CONDUCTED ON MARCH 19TH, 2025, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD QUESTIONS REGARDING THE DEFINITION OF LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT TYPE OF ACTIVITIES WOULD OCCUR TO THE NORTH PORTIONS OF THE SITE.
STAFF RESPONDED THAT LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES TYPICALLY INVOLVES MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLY OF PREPARED MATERIALS AS OPPOSED TO WORKING WITH RAW, RAW MATERIALS.
IT ALSO REQUIRES THAT ALL FABRICATION OCCUR INDOORS.
THE CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN DOES NOT SHOW BUILDINGS IN THE NORTHERN PORTIONS, BUT THIS AREA MAY BE USED AS OUTDOOR STORAGE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED FIVE TO ZERO TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE REZONE REQUEST AND FORWARD THIS RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL STAFF RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2000 ZERO 16 DASH 0 4 2 5 APPROVING APPLICATION PL 24 DASH 0 2 0 1 SJ ACQUISITIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT SUBJECT TO THE STIPULATIONS FOUND IN THE STAFF REPORT.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE SO MUCH.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, BEFORE WE DO THAT, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND MARCELLA, DO WE HAVE ANY REQUESTS TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REQUESTS TO SPEAK.
YOU'VE SEEN THAT I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP TO COMMENTS FROM, I DO SEE THAT WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, BUT ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS, UH, FROM COUNCIL? I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI AND COUNCILOR GARCIA.
THANK YOU CHRISTINA, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SO I WAS ON COUNCIL WHEN WE APPROVED THE MINI STORAGE, UM, DEVELOPMENT.
AND I KNOW ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD AT THAT TIME WAS, UM, WHAT IT WAS GONNA LOOK LIKE FROM THE MAIN ROAD.
AND SO I KNOW THAT YOU SAID THERE WAS GONNA BE EIGHT FOOT BLOCK WALLS.
UM, IS THAT GONNA BE AROUND THE WHOLE PERIMETER? IS IT GONNA BE ON THE FRONT PART OF THE STRUCTURE? THANK YOU.
VICE, UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI.
SO THOSE BLOCK WALLS WILL BE ADJACENT TO THE RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
UM, THEY WILL NOT BE ALONG, UH, LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD.
THEY WILL ACTUALLY BE ALONG, UM, ELM LANE AS WELL.
SO IT'LL BE AROUND THE PERIMETER ASIDE FROM FACING LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD.
SO WOULD IT BE THE BLOCK WALL AND THEN THE 75 FOOT SETBACK? HOW DOES THAT WORK? UH, CORRECT.
SO THERE WILL BE A, UH, A, UH, I'M SORRY, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI, THERE WILL BE A EIGHT FOOT BLOCK WALL ALONG THE PERIMETER OKAY.
OF THE PROPERTY ALONG THE, ON THE PROPERTY LINE.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE A 75 FOOT SETBACK TO THE BUILDING ITSELF.
[02:00:01]
OKAY.SO THERE WILL BE A, UH, AN AREA THERE.
IT'LL BE A A BASICALLY A NO BUILD ZONE.
AND THEN, UM, AT THAT TIME WE WEREN'T REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC BECAUSE IT WAS JUST THE STORAGE AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT HAD BUSINESS HOURS OF USE.
YOU CAN SAY, SO DID WE DO A TRAFFIC STUDY? WAS THERE A DESAL LANE THAT, UM, WAS RECOMMENDED? MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI, THE APPLICANT DID PROVIDE A TRAFFICKED IMPACT STATEMENT THAT WAS REVIEWED BY STAFF, INCLUDING OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
UM, THEY DID NOT RECOMMEND A, UH, DECELERATION LANE.
IT'S JUST MY CONCERN IS BECAUSE IT'S JUST A TWO LANE ROAD AND IF WE LOOK TO PUT THIS TYPE OF BUILDING THERE AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE POSSIBLY, UM, OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S THAT AREA, THAT ROAD IS TRAFFICKED, UH, DRIVEN A LOT IN THE MORNING DURING BUSINESS, UM, WHEN PEOPLE ARE ON THE WAY TO WORK.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MINDFUL, UM, OF THE TRAFFIC THERE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONCE THOSE BUILDINGS BECOME OCCUPIED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, SIDEWALKS.
SO IS THE, ARE WE GONNA BE PUTTING SIDEWALKS BEFORE WHEN WE'RE GONNA DO THAT PART? MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI? YES.
THE, UH, APPLICANT WILL, UH, AS PART OF THE, ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY HAVE ON SITE, THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE HALF STREET IMPROVEMENTS, UM, PROVIDE SIDEWALKS AND RIGHT OF WAY LANDSCAPING AS WELL.
UM, I JUST REALLY WANNA BE MINDFUL, UM, ABOUT USE AND DISTURBING THE RESIDENTS AS FAR AS LIKE IF THERE'S GONNA BE A WAREHOUSE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S GONNA BE TRUCKS IN AND OUT ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT.
SO, UM, CITY MANAGER RON, I WAS WONDERING IF WE CAN JUST BE FOR THE RECORD, JUST WANNA PUT THAT ONCE IT'S BUILT AND OCCUPIED, THAT WE KIND OF MONITOR THAT SOUND IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT, UH, WITH OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, OUR NOISE ORDINANCES AND JUST IN, IN TOUCH WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
I DID WANNA ADD ONE OTHER THING ABOUT THE, UH, SIDEWALKS.
UM, I DID READ THAT IT, UM, THEY ALSO HAVE TO ADD LIGHTING TO THE ELM STREET SIDE, SO WE'LL ADD SOME, UH, NEEDED LIGHT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL, RIGHT NEXT TO THE, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
BUT WE WILL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT.
UH, THE CURRENT EXPECTATION IS LOW TRAFFIC, SO WE'LL, WE'LL JUST MONITOR NOT JUST THE NOISE AND THE ACTIVITIES, BUT THE TRAFFIC FLOW IN, IN AND OUT.
COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, YOU KIND OF TOOK MY NOISE APART BECAUSE I WANTED TO ASK, I ASKED EARLIER, BUT I THINK TO SPECIFY AND TO VISUALLY SEE IT, UM, TO EXPLAIN THAT IT WOULD LOOK SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT'S LIKE ON ALISO PHI.
IS THAT HOW IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME? BUT I THINK IF THE PUBLIC KNEW KIND OF LIKE A VISUAL OF WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTING IN THAT AREA, IT WOULD, I THINK IT WOULD HELP BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS AND I VISUALIZE THE OTHER BUILDINGS.
VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, A ABSOLUTELY.
IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THE PICTURE THAT SHOW THE RENDERINGS, POSSIBLE RENDERINGS, UM, THOSE LOOK A LOT LIKE THE ONES WE HAVE ON, UM, IN FELIX IN OUR INDUSTRIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, THEY'LL BE SIMILAR, PROBABLY NOT AS MUCH GLASS, BUT THE ONES GOING UP A LITTLE FURTHER TO THE, UH, WEST ON LOWER BUCKEYE ROAD, THE, UH, THE, UH, DATA CENTERS.
UM, AND MY GUESS IS THAT OUR STORAGE FACILITY THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING TO BUILD A LITTLE FURTHER TO THE WEST WILL ALSO BE SIMILAR TO THIS STORAGE TWO STORY LOOKING TYPE OF BUILDING.
UM, AS UH, WAS STATED, THIS STILL HAS TO GO THROUGH DESIGN REVIEW, SO THEY STILL HAVE TO, UH, THEY DON'T GET TO JUST TELL US WHAT IT MIGHT BE.
THEY HAVE TO SHOW US WHAT IT WILL BE AND THAT'LL GO THROUGH A REVIEW PROCESS AS WELL TO ENSURE THAT IT FITS IN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I KNOW ONE COUNCIL MEMBER HAD A CONCERN THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK TOO OUT OF PLACE, UH, AND THAT IT FITS WITH THE, AND IS RESPECTFUL OF THE, OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR PARK.
COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK ONE MORE SLED.
I THINK WHERE WE HAVE THE, UM, STREET VIEW THERE.
I KNOW LOWER BUCKEYE, WE, UM, UNDERSTAND THAT'S GONNA EXPAND TO A FIVE LANE, UM, THROUGH, UH, ARTERIAL ROAD.
BUT I GUESS I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT, UM, IS, IS EVERYTHING WE SEE DRAWN RIGHT NOW GONNA ACCOMMODATE THAT? OR IS ANY, ANY CHANGES GONNA HAVE TO BE MADE IN REGARDS TO KIND OF THE ENTRY AND EXIT? 'CAUSE I NOTICED THAT'S THERE AND I SEE WHERE THE SIDEWALK WILL GO.
I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT, HAVE WE PLOTTED ENOUGH SPACE TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THE PLUMBING, ALL OF THE PIPING THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO GO ON THE GROUND TO ACCOMMODATE WHATEVER IS BUILT HERE WON'T
[02:05:01]
INTERRUPT WHAT WE NEED IN TERMS OF EXPANSION? I'LL TAKE THAT REAL QUICK, MR. MAYOR, VICE AMERICA.I HAD THAT EXACT QUESTION EARLIER TODAY.
AND OUR ENGINEERING AND DEVELOPMENT TEAM SERVICES SAYS YES, THIS IS, UH, DEVELOPED WITH THE EXPANSION OF LOWER BUCKEYE IN MIND.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? UM, MY, MY COMMENTS WOULD BE, UH, THAT ALL VALID QUESTIONS WERE ASKED BY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BASED UPON WHAT I, I'VE LEARNED AND HEARD FROM, UM, EVEN RESIDENTS THAT LIVE THERE IN THAT AREA, THAT THEY WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY CONSIDERING THAT, UM, THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THROUGH VACANT LANDS, PEOPLE CUTTING THROUGH, WALKING, UH, DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT SOME JOBS WOULD COME WITH THIS.
THE FACT THAT OUR MOSQUE ACROSS THE STREET AND EVEN A POTENTIAL, UM, STORAGE FACILITY RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER THERE, BECAUSE I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS MAYBE BEING OUT OF PLACE MYSELF, UM, UNTIL I, YOU KNOW, REALIZED THAT IT WOULD BE AMONG OTHER SITES, UH, SIMILAR TO THIS.
AND SO, UH, FOR THAT REASON, I APPRECIATE THE MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER WES A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO.
AND AT THIS TIME WE COULD ALL VOTE.
UM, MARCELLA, DOES THE MOTION HAVE TO BE READ? NO, MAYOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR THE INVESTMENT IN AVONDALE TO THE APPLICANT THERE.
[c. Presentation and Discussion of the City Manager's Recommended Budget]
OKAY, RON.NEXT ITEM PLEASE, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UP NEXT IS A PRESENTATION DISCUSSION OF THE CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET PRESENTED BY RENEE, OUR FINANCE AND BUDGET DIRECTOR, EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT THE FISCAL 2026 CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
TO JUST BACKTRACK, UM, WE HAVE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL IN A WORK DISCUSSION IN JANUARY.
AND AGAIN, A BUDGET DISCUSSION WAS HELD IN MARCH.
WE ALSO BROUGHT FORTH OUR PROPOSED UTILITY RATES, UM, IN FEBRUARY AND POSTED A NOTICE OF INTENT.
UM, I WILL NOTE THAT WITHIN THIS RECOMMENDED BUDGET, THOSE PROPOSED UTILITY RATES ARE INCLUDED IN, IN THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
SO THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET PACKAGE, UM, INCLUDED A GENERAL FUND FORECAST, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL AND CIP PROJECT DETAILS IN ADDITION TO AUTHORIZED POSITIONS AND STATE BUDGET FORMS. SO AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH EACH ONE OF THESE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, UM, WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING THE CHANGES FROM THE PRIOR VERSION.
SO, UM, TONIGHT IS JUST TO COVER SOME OF THE CHANGES FROM THE LAST VERSION YOU SAW IN MARCH.
UM, THE FIRST BEING A CARRYOVER OF APPROPRIATION.
SO THAT JUST MEANS WE'RE, UM, TRUING UP OUR ESTIMATES ON WHAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND THIS YEAR AND WE'RE WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO CARRY OVER.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN A CHART.
THIS WAS MOVED FROM ONGOING TO ONE TIME, WHICH MEANS IT WAS PREVIOUSLY IN THE BUDGET EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND IT WAS MOVED TO JUST A ONE-TIME FUNDING IN FISCAL 26 LITCHFIELD PARK POLICE OFFICER FTE.
UM, I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY MENTIONED IN MARCH THAT IT WOULD BE STARTING IN JANUARY WE MADE AN ADJUSTMENT TO MAKE THAT.
SO IN THE BUDGET THERE WAS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR UM, INCREASE FOR SOME PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN IT.
THERE WAS ANOTHER FTE THAT WAS, UM, FUNDED IN THE BUDGET FOR FLEET SERVICES, PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE TECH.
THERE WERE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, UM, ON THE CIP SIDE BETWEEN THE ACCESS PORTAL FOR PERMITTING SOFTWARE AND SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CIP REPORT THAT YOU ACTUALLY RECEIVED LAST TIME.
IT, THESE ITEMS WERE ALREADY IN THE BUDGET, BUT THE TOTAL PROJECT BUDGETS, UM, WERE CORRECTED IN THE CIP REPORTS AND THAT BEING FOR OLD TOWN PHASE FOUR INTERSECTIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AND AVONDALE BOULEVARD AND MC 85, AS WELL AS THE DI R WATER ROAD LINE AND PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE.
SO LOOKING AT OUR GENERAL FUND FORECAST, WHICH HAS BEEN UPDATED, UM, JUST TO REAFFIRM WITHIN THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET THAT, UH, IT IS STRUCTURALLY BALANCED WITH OUR REVENUES EXCEEDING, UM, OUR EXPENSES.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE REASONS FOR THOSE, UM, REDUCED GAPS THERE.
SURPLUS WAS THE LOSS OF THE RESIDENTIAL RENTAL, UM, SALES TAX REVENUE.
UM, AGAIN, I WILL NOTE, UM, THAT WE DO NOT HAVE EMBEDDED IN OUR FORECAST SOME POTENTIAL REVENUES FROM, UM, FROM THE DATA CENTER PROJECTS.
UM, SO AS WE LOOK AT OUR FUNDING BALANCES, UM, I'LL POINT THAT OUT AS WELL.
LOOKING AT OUR ONE TIME EXPENDITURES HERE, YOU WOULD SEE THAT
[02:10:01]
PEAK MOVES FROM FISCAL 25, IT'S MOVING INTO 26.SO AGAIN, ALL OF THE CARRYOVER FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WOULD, UM, BE FINISHED IN THE COMING YEAR.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE GENERAL FUND FORECAST FUND BALANCE.
SO AGAIN, THESE NUMBERS ARE AFTER STABILIZATION AND CAPITAL RESERVE.
UM, FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT AWARE AND THE PUBLIC STABILIZATION IS A TOTAL OF 35% OF THE PRIOR YEAR BUDGET.
AND FOR CAPITAL RESERVE, WE HAVE A SET ASIDE OF ANOTHER $5 MILLION TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED, UM, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO WE ARE PROJECTING TO HAVE A GENERAL FUND BALANCE OF 103.6 MILLION AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AND AGAIN, THAT PEAK THAT YOU JUST SAW ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, THE SPENDING DOWN OF CAPITAL, WE DO PLAN TO SPEND DOWN THOSE BALANCES.
SO THE FORECAST FOR THE GENERAL FUND OUT IN FISCAL 2030 IS SITTING AT 4.6 MILLION.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S A POSITIVE BALANCE BEYOND RESERVES AND UM, WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THIS BUDGET BECAUSE IF WE, UM, FEEL LIKE THERE'S ANY TURN DOWNTURN BETWEEN NOW AND FISCAL 23, WE HAVE THE ABILITY EVERY SINGLE BUDGET CYCLE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO DECISIONS ON FUNDING AS WELL AS OUR CIP PLAN.
TO JUST GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THESE HIGHLIGHTS, UM, A LOT OF WHICH YOU, YOU HAVE SEEN UM, IN THE MARCH DISCUSSION WAS WITH THE PRIORITY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE DO HAVE AN FTE FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AS WELL AS 1.2 MILLION, UM, APPROPRIATED FOR THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND AND SOME FUNDING FOR BUSINESS ATTRACTION IN PARKS AND REC.
WE HAVE FUNDED THE YOUTH SUMMER CAMP AS AN ONGOING EXPENSE.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT CONCERT MERCADO, MERCADO AND EVENT SERVICES.
UM, WE DO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL, UM, PARK SUPERVISOR AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT THAT WAS, UH, ACTUALLY FUNDED AND STARTED THIS FISCAL YEAR CARRYING OVER INTO FISCAL 26, AS WELL AS SOME INFLATIONARY INCREASES FOR UTILITIES AND OPERATIONAL EXPENSES IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE HAVE, UM, TWO FTES FOR POLICE OFFICERS.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE GIVE THE AUTHORITY TO HIRE THOSE POSITIONS, BUT THEY'RE BASICALLY FUNDED OUTTA VACANCY SAVINGS.
THE FORENSIC INTERVIEWER AND CLINICAL SUPERVISOR, UM, WERE TWO POSITIONS IN THE FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICES OFFICER AS WELL AS A FIRE FLEET TECHNICIAN AND SOME OVERTIME WAS INCLUDED FOR, UM, FOR THE PURPOSE OF FIRE TRAINING WITHIN CONNECTED COMMUNITIES.
WE DO HAVE THE CONTRIBUTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN AT $200,000.
WE HAVE, UH, SPECIAL EVENT SOFTWARE AS WELL AS CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR PLANNING AND PERMITTING SOFTWARE.
WE HAVE FUNDING FOR THE WE RIDE PROGRAM.
SO THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS INFLATIONARY AND IS SUSTAINING CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS.
UM, THERE WERE NO, UM, EXPANDED SERVICES.
THERE'S A SENIOR SERVICE BUS AS WELL AS SOME AI SOFTWARE AND AN FTE FOR A TRAFFIC CONTROL INSPECTOR.
AND THEN LASTLY ON PERSONNEL, WE DID UM, ADD A TOTAL OF 20.5 FT.
WE DID INCLUDE A 2% MERIT INCREASE, A 3% COLA, AND HAVE ALSO INCORPORATED UM, INCREASES RELATED TO THE COMPENSATION STUDY THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
SO WITH THAT, THE UM, COMING ACTIONS FOR THE BUDGET WOULD BE TO RETURN ON MAY TO PRESENT THE TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR THE CITY.
UM, AGAIN, THE UTILITY RATES WILL ALSO BE BROUGHT BACK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THAT NIGHT.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, THOSE PROPOSED RATES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS VERSION OF THE BUDGET.
SO ONE THING TO NOTE, WHEN THE TENTATIVE BUDGET IS ADOPTED, THAT SETS THE EXPENDITURE LIMIT FOR THIS CITY.
SO WE CAN STILL MAKE CHANGES IN THE FINAL BUDGET THAT IS ADOPTED.
UM, BEYOND THAT POINT, WE WILL ALSO BE BRINGING FORTH THE ALAMAR CFD TENTATIVE BUDGET, UM, FOR ADOPTION FROM THE ALAMAR CFD BOARD.
WE HAVE SOME PUBLIC NOTICES FOR TRUTH AND TAXATION AND THEN PLAN TO HAVE THE FINAL BUDGET HEARING, UM, AND THE FINAL ADOPTION FOR BOTH THE CITY AND THE A-R-C-F-D IN JUNE, ALONG WITH THE CHIEF FISCAL OFFICER DESIGNATION, THE PENSION FUNDING POLICY IS AND THE CITY'S FINANCIAL POLICIES.
AND THEN WE'LL RETURN TO SET THE PROPERTY TAX LIMIT.
SO THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
YOU MAY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COUNSEL, REGARDING THE INFORMATION?
[02:15:01]
NOPE.THANK YOU FOR ALL THE UPDATES.
LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE IN MAY.
[6. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS FROM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COUNCILMEMBERS ]
OKAY, NEXT ITEM IS A SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS.DOES ANYBODY ON COUNCIL HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE? OKAY.
AS A MEMBER OF VALLEY METRO BOARD, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, LAST SATURDAY NIGHT TO ATTEND THE WOMEN IN TRANSPORTATION SCHOLARSHIP EVENT.
AND I WAS JUST VERY PLEASED TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THE NORTHWEST EXTENSION TO METRO CENTER.
UM, GOT ACKNOWLEDGED FOR ITS DESIGN LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY, BUT WE GOT, WE TOOK HOME AN AWARD FOR THAT.
UM, AS WELL AS, UM, JESSICA METFORD MILLER, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PHOENIX, K GALLEGO AND THEIR TEAMS BOTH AT VALLEY METRO AND ALSO THE CITY OF PHOENIX GOT RECOGNITION.
SO I WAS REALLY PROUD TO BE A BOARD MEMBER AND BE ABLE TO SIT THROUGH THAT AWARDS, UH, CEREMONY AND SEE SO MANY SUCCESSFUL WOMEN IN TRANSIT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THAT.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS, I'D LIKE TO JUST CALL OUT, UM, MARTINA AND DAVID WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE RIGHT NOW.
UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO DONNY HILL PARK THIS SATURDAY FOR A CLEANUP AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY CASH AND HAS HEART AND ALL THE STUFF THAT YOU DID TO HELP SET UP THAT CLEANING AND, UM, WE HAD A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS.
IT WAS WONDERFUL WAY TO SPEND THE MORNING.
I WAS GONNA SAY THE SAME THING.
BUT, UM, IT WAS AWESOME TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO CLEAN.
UM, MY BACK STILL HURTS FROM BENDING OVER AND PICKING UP TRASH FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS, BUT I'LL BE FINE.
UM,
AND I GUESS PEOPLE DON'T HAVE WANT THEM IN THEIR HOMES ANYMORE.
UM, BUT THERE WAS THIS WEEKEND AND THIS UPCOMING WEEKEND, THERE'S SO MANY EVENTS IN AVONDALE AND I WAS TELLING, UM, MY FRIEND, 'CAUSE SHE'S LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I GO, THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO IN AVONDALE THAT IF YOU DON'T ACTUALLY PAY ATTENTION, YOU'LL MISS IT.
UM, I TOOK RYAN TO STEAM THE STEAM FEST AND HE GOT TO DO HIS FINGERPRINTS AND MAYBE I'LL TATTOO THOSE ON MY, ON MYSELF NOW BECAUSE THEY CAME OUT SO WELL.
UM, BUT IT WAS JUST SO NICE TO SEE THE CITY ACTIVE THIS WEEKEND AND THEN THIS WEEKEND, UPCOMING WEEKEND.
AGAIN, IT'S GONNA BE JUST INSANE.
SO LIKE, UM, IF YOU KNOW NEIGHBORS THAT DON'T KNOW ABOUT THINGS GOING ON, I HANDED OUT, UM, TO ALL THE KIDS IN MY PARK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR KID FEST.
UM, SO DEFINITELY INVITE PEOPLE AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THESE EVENTS ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE IT'S JUST AMAZING TO BE ABLE TO DO THESE THINGS FOR FREE.
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE THAT HELPS AND DOES ALL OF THIS STUFF IN THE CITY.
UH, LAST WEEK I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, OR TWO WEEKS AGO, ATTEND, UH, THE CAESAR CHAVEZ, UH, DINNER, UH, WHICH WAS GREAT TO UM, AND I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO WAS THERE AS WELL.
AND, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE, UM, FOCUSED AND, AND HONORED THAT EVENING, UH, FOR THE WEST VALLEY FOUNDATION.
IT WAS AWESOME LAST WEEKEND, IN ADDITION TO, UH, THE, UH, DONNY HILL EVENT IN HERE, UH, WITH THE DROP OFF EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY, I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE RESOURCE FAIR WITH, UH, NFS CHRIS AND HIS TEAM.
I WALKED, I LOOKED AT THE CLOCK, 17 MINUTES AFTER 10, WHICH IS WHEN IT STARTED AND IT WAS ALREADY PACKED.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD HAPPEN AFTER THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT IT WAS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY.
THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, AVONDALE TOYOTA CONTINUES TO AMAZE ME, UM, AS, UH, AS A CONTRIBUTOR TO THIS COMMUNITY AS A HOSTED A, UH, CAR SHOW, UH, BY MANY MEMBERS OF THE, OF THE REGION, OTHER CITIES HERE IN THE WEST VALLEY.
AND, UM, USE, UTILIZE STAFF TO TAKE A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THEIR INVENTORY AND DISPLACE IT TO ANOTHER PART OF THE FACILITY SO THAT THE CAR SHOW COULD TAKE PLACE WITHIN THEIR PROPERTY LINES.
UM, THEY ALSO, UH, HAD A COUPLE OF FOOD TRUCKS AND AN ICE CREAM TRUCK AND MANY OTHER THINGS THAT THEY DID NOT CHARGE THE COMMUNITY FOR.
SO IT WAS ALL, IT WAS A FREE EVENT.
UH, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS AMAZING AND, AND WONDERFUL, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AND HELPING TO BENEFIT THE WEST SIDE RECREATION PROGRAM, UH, THAT IS RUN BY JUDGE PEP GUZMAN.
SO A LOT OF BUSY THINGS, AS YOU MENTIONED, UH, A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
AND IF THAT'S IT, IF I CAN GET A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT AS EVERYBODY RACING REALLY QUICKLY.
WE GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GAR, UH, WHITE, SORRY A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, IF WE COULD ALL VOTE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HANGING IN THERE, STAFF.