[00:00:03]
GOOD EVENING.I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF DECEMBER 1ST, 2025.
WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEDGE OF ALL ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS BY ONE MISSION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH THE LIBERTY JUDGE CELL.
[1. ROLL CALL BY THE CITY CLERK]
IF WE CAN HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE.COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE PRESENT VICE MAYOR NIELSEN.
[a. Code Department of the Year Award]
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.UH, FIRST PRESENTATION IS PRE GONNA BE PRESENTED BY LIEUTENANT LOPEZ FOR OUR CODE DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR AWARD ALL HERE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MR. MANAGER, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE A VERY SPECIAL GROUP OF EMPLOYEES RIGHT BEHIND ME.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INFORMATION, OUR CITY'S CODE COMPLIANCE TEAM PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN ENSURING OUR CITY LOOKING GOOD.
UM, WHETHER YOU LIVE, VISIT, OR SHOP WITHIN OUR CITY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE THAT COMES THROUGH AVONDALE IS IMPRESSED.
OUR CO COMPLIANCE TEAM HELPS BY GOING OUT DAILY AND CONTACTING A RESIDENCE AND PROPERTY OWNERS TO TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
JUST RECENTLY, THE TEAM DEVELOPED A PROPERTY ALL STAR AWARD PROGRAM REWARDING RESIDENTS THAT TAKE PRIDE ON THEIR PROPERTY.
ALSO, THROUGH THE YEARS, THEY HAVE CONDUCTED COMMUNITY CLEANUP EVENTS WHERE THEY COLLECT TRASH AND UNWANTED ITEMS IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN THE CITY, COLLECTING OVER A HUNDRED TONS OF TRASH.
SINCE 2018, THE WORK HAS BEEN SO IMPRESSIVE THAT THIS YEAR AT THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT, WHICH REPRESENTS THE PROFESSION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT IN ALL 50 STATES, HAS RECOGNIZED THE CITY OF AVONDALE CODE COMPLIANCE TEAM WITH A NATIONAL CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR AWARD.
ANY QUESTION? I WASN'T SURE IF JOSH WAS COMING UP TO SAY SOMETHING.
WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, CONGRATULATIONS.
AND AGAIN, YOU YOU HIT IT RIGHT, THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
IT'S THAT WE WANT AVONDALE TO KEEP LOOKING BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT'S EVEN JUST MUCH MORE THAN JUST LOOKING BEAUTIFUL.
IT'S MORE ABOUT JUST REINFORCEMENT THAT WE CARE AND RESIDENTS CARE ABOUT THE INVESTMENT IN WHICH, UH, UH, THEY HAVE, UH, DECIDED TO EMBARK UPON HERE AT THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
AND SO WHAT I REALLY LIKE IS THE LAST TIME THAT, UH, YOU ARE ALL UP HERE PRESENTING WAS REALLY JUST TO SHARE INFORMATION REGARDING EDUCATION AND THE EDUCATION PIECE, UH, THAT YOU WORK ALONG WITH, ALONGSIDE WITH, WITH OUR, OUR RESIDENTS.
SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT, UH, A NEGATIVE INTERACTION.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT EDUCATION AND SHARING ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT, UH, UH, OCCUR HERE IN THE CITY AND HOW TO BE A PART OF THAT.
AND SO, JUST CONGRATS ON THE AWARD, AND I'M SURE THERE'S OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYBE THAT HAVE A COUPLE OF WORDS.
SO ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? OKAY.
JUST ECHOING, UH, MAYOR'S, UH, COMMENTS.
AND I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT EDUCATION, THAT YOU PROVIDE EDUCATION AS THE FIRST STEP, AND I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.
YOU DEFINITELY ARE CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIENTED, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO, AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, YOU GUYS, IT FEELS LIKE YOU WERE JUST UP HERE RECENTLY.
AND IF I COULD JUST SAY ONE LAST THING IS THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
I LIKE THE SKIPPING AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS, BUT JUST REALLY HIGHLIGHTING WHAT YOU DO AND MAKING IT FUN, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, THIS THE CITY AND THE RESIDENTS REALLY BENEFIT FROM.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WE APPRECIATE CREATING THE AWARD AND, AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.
AND RON, ARE WE GONNA GET A PICTURE, UH, WITH THE COLD COMPLIANCE TEAM AND MS. MAYOR HEEL? YES.
SO, JOSH, DON'T LET YOUR TEAM LEAVE, IF YOU DON'T MIND STICKING AROUND FOR A FEW.
[b. Holiday Edition - Property All-Star Curb Appeal Award]
YOU, MR. MAYOR.COUNSEL, UH, JOSH, DON'T GO ANYWHERE.
UH, SPEAKING OF OUR, UH, AWARDS, UH, HE'S GONNA PRESENT OUR HOLIDAY EDITION OF THE PROPERTY ALL STAR CURB APPEAL AWARD.
[00:05:07]
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, THIS EVENING.I'M EXCITED TO PRESENT TO YOU, UH, THE RECIPIENTS OF OUR PROPERTY ALL STAR AWARD HOLIDAY EDITION.
UH, THESE ARE PROPERTY OWNERS.
UH, WE HAD SO MANY, UM, SUBMISSIONS TO OUR OFFICE, AND IT WAS REALLY, REALLY HARD.
UM, BUT THE, THE ONES WE CHOSE ARE JUST THE ONES THAT WE FELT THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, SPREAD THAT HOLIDAY CHEER AND JUST BRIGHTEN UP OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND SO I'M VERY HAPPY I'M GONNA HAVE THEM COME UP ONE BY ONE AS I CALL THEIR NAME.
I'M GONNA HAVE MY CODE OFFICER, CLAUDIA ROJAS ASSIST ME.
JOHNNY AND SARAH RENDON ARE FROM OUR DEL RIO RANCH COMMUNITY.
UH, MR. AND MRS. RENDON HAVE BEEN IN A, HAVE, HAVE BEEN AVONDALE RESIDENTS FOR NINE YEARS.
UM, MR. RENDON STARTED HIS LIGHT DISPLAY BECAUSE OF HIS THREE CHILDREN AND HOW MUCH THEY LOVED IT.
THE NEIGHBORS WOULD STOP AND TELL 'EM HOW MUCH THEY APPRECIATE IT, AND HE ADDS MORE TO IT EVERY YEAR.
HE DOES THIS FOR HIS KIDS AND JUST TO BRING JOY TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO, CONGRATULATIONS, MR. AND MRS. REND AND MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN INTERRUPT, WE WILL GET PICTURES WITH ALL THE FAMILIES ALSO, SO THANK YOU.
HOPEFULLY THEY'LL STICK AROUND FOR A PICTURE WITH COUNSEL, UH, JANET AND EVER EDWARDS MANSFIELD.
SO, MR. AND MRS. MANSFIELD AND THEIR SON RYAN, UH, ARE A PART OF OUR HISTORIC AVONDALE COMMUNITY, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY, SOME OF OUR PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS OF OUR PROPERTY ALSO AWARD, SO WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE THEM BACK.
THEY ALSO CREATED A WONDERFUL DISPLAY IN THEIR COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE THEM BACK AGAIN.
AND CONGRATULATIONS, MR. AND MRS.
UH, OUR NEXT RECIPIENTS ARE JESUS AND ANDREAS PEREZ FROM THE ALAMAR COMMUNITY.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT, BUT THEY JUST WANTED, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THEIR PROPERTY.
AND ALSO, THEY ARE ALSO PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS OF OUR PROPERTY ALL STAR AWARD AS WELL.
BUT WHEN SPEAKING WITH THEM, THEY WERE JUST REALLY HAPPY TO CREATE THIS DISPLAY THAT THEY SHARE WITH THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND THEY ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY ALSO INVITE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO COME AND TAKE PICTURES WITH THEIR LITTLE, THEIR DISPLAYS THAT THEY HAVE HERE.
AND THEY ALSO SHARE SOME COOKIES WITH THEM SOMETIMES.
SO
THEY DID A REALLY NICE JOB, MR. JIMMY ARZU.
SO, THE ARBI ZOO FAMILY HAVE BEEN IN GLEN ARM FARMS FOR OVER 50 YEARS, JIM, AND, UH, IT WAS JIMMY AND HIS FATHER THAT ACTUALLY BUILT THEIR HOME WHEN I WAS SPEAKING WITH THEM.
AND IN ADDITION TO THE WONDERFUL DISPLAY THAT YOU SEE HERE THAT HE CREATED, HE'S ALSO PRESIDENT OF HIS CAR CLUB, AND HIS ORGANIZATION ALSO WORKS WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY DO HOLD, HOLD EVENTS, AND THEY ALSO HOLD TOY DRIVES, WHICH HE'S HOLDING RIGHT NOW.
AND OUR FINAL RECIPIENT, MR. HERNANDEZ.
MR. HERNANDEZ HAS BEEN AN AVONDALE RESIDENT FOR FIVE YEARS.
UH, AND HE, WHEN SPEAKING WITH THEM, HE SAID, COMING FROM A SMALL TOWN IN TEXAS, HE SHARED THE, HE SHARED WITH ME THE MEMORIES OF HIS PARENTS, YOU KNOW, TAKING HIM AND HIS FAMILY IN THE CAR AND GOING OUT AND SEEING THOSE DECORATED HOMES AS A CHILD.
THAT'S WHAT HE WANTED TO DO FOR HIS COMMUNITY, CREATE THAT SAME ENVIRONMENT AND HAVE THE CHILDREN FROM THE COMMUNITY COME AND VISIT HIS HOME.
UM, AND HE ALSO HAS AN, HE HAD, I BELIEVE HE HAD AN EVENT LAST THURSDAY WHERE HE HAD ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COME OUT.
HE DRESSED UP AS A GRINCH AND PASSED OUT SOME COOKIES,
SO, UH, AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR JUST MAKING AVONDALE SHINE BRIGHT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
AND IF YOU GUYS WOULDN'T MIND STICKING AROUND SO WE CAN GET A PHOTO OF ALL OF YOU, WE'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND PLEASE DISPLAY, DISPLAY THOSE AWARDS WITH PRIDE.
[c. Citizen Leadership Academy]
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.UP NEXT DILLARD, UH, FROM MY OFFICE WILL PRESENT OUR CITIZEN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
MY NAME IS DILLARD COLLIER AND I'M A MANAGEMENT ANALYST IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
TONIGHT I WILL BE PRESENTING ABOUT THE CITIZENS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AND RECOGNIZING OUR 2025 PROGRAM GRADUATES.
SO THIS PROGRAM OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF AVONDALE CITY
[00:10:01]
GOVERNMENT AND A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS WITH INTERACTIVE AND IN INFORMATIVE DEMONSTRATIONS, TOURS, AND WORKSHOPS ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS, INCLUDING THE CITY COUNCIL, COURT SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, FINANCIAL AND BUDGET PRACTICES, PUBLIC PARKS, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING, AND MORE.SO THIS YEAR, OUR ACADEMY RAN FOR ABOUT NINE WEEKS, STARTING ON OCTOBER 8TH WITH AN INTRODUCTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND ENDED DECEMBER 10TH, LAST WEDNESDAY WITH SWAT SIMULATIONS AND SPECIAL EQUIPMENT, UH, SHOWCASES FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO EACH WEEK DEPARTMENTS SHARE INSIGHTS INTO THEIR OPERATIONS AND DELIVER DEMONSTRATIONS THAT HIGHLIGHT THEIR MOST ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE HAD FULL PARTICIPATION FROM ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS THIS YEAR, AND TODAY WE ARE EXCITED TO SHOWCASE A SELECTION OF THESE OUTSTANDING SESSIONS.
SO, PICTURED HERE IS CITY MANAGER CORBIN, EXPLAINING THE ROLE OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO OUR PARTICIPANTS.
SO EACH SESSION FEATURED AN INFORMATIONAL COMPONENT IN WHICH DEPARTMENTS SHARE BACKGROUND ON THEIR INTERNAL OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS THEIR EXTERNAL ROLES, AND INCLUDING HOW THEY ENGAGE WITH RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAMS. THESE PRESENTATIONS OFFER PARTICIPANTS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY'S FUNCTION AND OBJECTIVES, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SERVICES OUR DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE.
SO PICTURED HERE IS A SESSION WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, IN WHICH PARTICIPANTS LEARNED ABOUT THE POLICY CREATION PROCESS BY TAKING PART IN A MOCK CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
ALSO, PICTURED ON THE SLIDE IS THE SESSION WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, IN WHICH PARTICIPANTS LEARNED ABOUT THE CITY'S WATER TREATMENT PRACTICES.
SO ADDITIONALLY, DEPARTMENTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO INCORPORATE ENGAGING INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS INTO THEIR SESSIONS TO ENHANCE PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT AND DEEPEN UNDERSTANDING.
SO PICTURED HERE IS THE FIRE AND MEDICAL DEPARTMENT SESSION IN WHICH PARTICIPANTS PUT ON FIRE GEAR AND WATCH THE DEMOLITION OF A CAR TO LEARN HOW OUR FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND TO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
ALSO, PICTURED HERE IS THE BUDGET AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT SESSION IN WHICH PARTICIPANTS WERE TASKED WITH ALLOCATING LIMITED FUNDS TO PRIORITY SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, AND LEARN JUST HOW CHALLENGING IT IS TO BALANCE A BUDGET.
WHILE MOST PRESENTATIONS WERE HELD ON WEDNESDAY EVENINGS, A FEW SATURDAY SESSIONS WERE ALSO OFFERED GIVING PARTICIPANTS THE ABILITY TO EXPLORE OUR CITY'S AMENITIES AND FACILITIES.
THESE SESSIONS PROVIDED A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT CITY OPERATIONS AND A VALUABLE CHANCE TO MEET THE DEDICATED STAFF WHO KEEP OUR ESSENTIAL SERVICES RUNNING SMOOTHLY.
PICTURED HERE IS, AGAIN, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SESSION IN WHICH PARTICIPANTS TOUR, THE MUNICIPAL OPERATION SERVICE CENTER, THE WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY, AND THE AQUACULTURE BUILDING.
AND THEN ALSO A SATURDAY SESSION WAS THE PARKS, RECREATION AND LIBRARIES DEPARTMENT SESSION, UH, WHICH PARTICIPANTS TOURED THE AQUATIC CENTER, FRIENDSHIP PARK, MOUNTAIN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER, ALAMAR PARK, AND SEVERAL OTHER PUBLIC PARKS AND LOCATIONS.
NOW, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, WE'LL HEAR FROM THREE OF OUR GRADUATES.
SO, AMANDA, EVAN, AND ALYSSA WILL SHARE MORE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF AVONDALE FOR 28 YEARS, UH, WHICH IS MY ENTIRE LIFE, UM,
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE PROUD TO BE A RESIDENT OF THIS CITY, LEARNING ABOUT THE INS AND OUTS OF CITY MANAGEMENT.
ONE OF THE, THE BEST THINGS THAT I COULD HAVE TAKEN AWAY FROM THIS EXPERIENCE IS, IS THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE EMPLOYEES OF THIS CITY GENUINELY CARE ABOUT THE RESIDENTS, THE OPERATIONS, AND JUST THE, THE EFFICIENCY OF GOVERNMENT.
I THINK IN TODAY'S WORLD, IT'S VERY EASY TO FEEL DISCOURAGED BY THE THINGS THAT WE SEE GOING ON, BUT I FEEL THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
AND JUST SEEING THE, THE LEVEL OF EXPERTISE THAT MEMBERS OF THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HAVE AND IN EACH OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL AREAS, UM, IS, HAS BEEN FANTASTIC.
SO LEARNING ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS, I FELT SO MUCH MORE INFORMED ABOUT CITY SPENDING.
UM, I FELT HONESTLY INSPIRED WHEN WE WERE LEARNING FROM PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN PARTICULAR, MY DAD WAS A FIREFIGHTER FOR 37 YEARS, AND FOR MANY, FOR MUCH OF MY LIFE, THOSE WERE JUST STORIES THAT HE TOLD.
BUT LEARNING ABOUT IT FROM THE PROFESSIONAL SIDE, I THOUGHT, WOW, WE HAVE SUCH COMPETENT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF US IN THE CITY.
UM, I, IF YOU GET A BUNCH OF EMAILS SOON, IT'S BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TAKING MY ROLE AS, UH, INFORMING OTHER CITIZENS ABOUT OUR CITY VERY SERIOUSLY.
UM, I'M A GOVERNMENT TEACHER AT WEST POINT HIGH SCHOOL.
MY STUDENTS ARE DOING A CIVIC ACTION PROJECT, AND I WAS ABLE TO, WHEN THEY HAD DIFFERENT THOUGHTS AND COMPLAINTS, SAY, HEY, YOU COULD CONTACT THIS DEPARTMENT, OR HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT THE AVIE WISE APP? SO IF, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE WEEK WHEN THEIR PROJECT IS DUE, YOU GET SPAMMED, UH, THAT COULD BE WHY
UM, BUT ANYWAY, ALL THAT IS TO SAY, UM,
[00:15:01]
IT'S, IT'S BEEN SUCH A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY.I THINK ONE OF MY BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS IS JUST HAVING, HAVING LIVED HERE FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS, THERE'S SUCH TREMENDOUS GROWTH AND CHANGE, AND AVONDALE REALLY IS A CITY ON THE RISE.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS EVAN HO AND I LIKE TO SHARE A BIT ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE IN THE CITIZENS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
THIS ACADEMY TAUGHT ME ONE THING, EV AVONDALE RUNS ON FAR MORE TEAMWORK AND BEHIND THE SCENES COORDINATION THAN I'VE EVER REALIZED.
HEARING FROM THE LEADERS WHO MAKE THE CITY WORK, YOU QUICKLY SEE THIS ISN'T JUST A JOB FOR THEM, IT'S A PASSION.
FIRST, THE FIRE STATION TOUR, GETTING TO PLAY, DRESS UP AS A FIREFIGHTER, AND WATCHING THE TACTICAL RESCUE TEAM PULL OFF A MOCK RESCUE STRAIGHT OUT OF AN ACTION MOVIE.
THEN THE AVONDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAID, WE CAN TOP THAT
AND ROLLED OUT THE TOOLS, THE SWAT TEAM, THE CANINE UNIT, AND BASICALLY FILMED A LIVE EPISODE OF COPS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.
BOTH DEPARTMENTS DIDN'T JUST COMPETE TO BE THE BEST RESPONDERS.
THEY TURNED THEIR PRESENTATIONS INTO A FULL BLOWN PUBLIC SAFETY SMACKDOWN.
I DON'T RUN INTO BURNING BUILDINGS, AND I ALSO DON'T NEED A SPEEDING TICKET.
I'M NOT JUST SOMEONE WHO LIVES HERE.
I'M SOMEONE WHO CAN SPEAK UP, GET INVOLVED, AND HELP MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.
IF I COULD TELL OTHER RESIDENTS ONE THING, IT'S THIS, AVONDALE IS LISTENING.
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, JUST SHOW UP.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE AVONDALE CITIZENS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CLASS OF 2025.
WE STARTED AS REGULAR CITIZENS, AND NOW WE KNOW WAY MORE ABOUT HOW THE CITY WORKS AND EXACTLY WHO TO CALL.
WHETHER THAT'S HELPFUL OR MILDLY TERRIFYING.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
UM, I FIRST JUST WANNA START OFF BY THANKING MAYOR THE COUNCIL, UM, AND THE CITY OF AVONDALE TEAM FOR JUST MAKING THE CITIZENS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY POSSIBLE.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL PROGRAM TO BE A PART OF AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO.
UM, WHEN I FIRST ENTERED THE PROGRAM, I WAS AN EAGER RESIDENT, ONLY HAVING BEEN HERE FOR TWO YEARS, BUT I HAD LIMITED UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY TAKES TO KEEP A CITY RUNNING EFFECTIVELY ON THE DAY TO DAY.
UM, IT DIDN'T TAKE ME LONG TO REALIZE THE 24 7 PLANNING, COORDINATION AND PUBLIC SERVICE REQUIRED TO KEEP RESIDENTS LIVES UNINTERRUPTED AND RUNNING SMOOTHLY.
AND THAT REALIZATION ONLY DEEPENED AS WE WENT THROUGH EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND JUST LEARNED A LOT MORE OF THE BEHIND THE SCENE WORKS THAT'S HAPPENING, AND FRANKLY, OFTEN WITHOUT A LOT OF RECOGNITION FROM OUR RESIDENTS.
SO, I ESPECIALLY VALUED THE PRESENTATIONS, UM, FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FAMILY SERVICES.
I HAD NO IDEA THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS AT NO COST, OR HOW THOROUGHLY THESE TEAMS ARE WORKING EACH DAY TO MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL SERVICES OR PLANNING AHEAD AND TAKING PREVENTATIVE ACTIONS TO PROTECT THE CITY.
AND WHEN CHALLENGES ARISE, IT'S CLEAR NOW MORE THAN EVER HOW QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY THEY RESPOND, WHETHER THAT MEANS RESTORING NORMAL OPERATIONS OR HELPING A CITIZEN IN NEED.
IN ADDITION TO THAT BROADER PERSPECTIVE, I ALSO WALKED AWAY WITH SOME PRACTICAL INSIGHTS LIKE HOW TRAFFIC MARKINGS ARE INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED TO GUIDE DRIVERS SAFELY.
I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THAT BEFORE.
UM, OR JUST THINKING DIFFERENTLY ABOUT WHAT I PUT IN MY TRASH AND RECYCLING, KNOWING THAT THESE CHOICES CAN ACTUALLY DIRECTLY IMPACT WORKER SAFETY.
BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, TO ECHO WHAT MY CLASSMATES HAVE SAID ALREADY, WHAT'S INSPIRED ME MOST WAS THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE OPERATIONS.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL MOMENTS FOR ME WAS HEARING OUR MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR SHARE THAT THEIR TEAM EXISTS, NOT ONLY TO SERVE THE CITIZENS, BUT ALSO TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, AND THAT THE PEOPLE AT THE CITY OF AVONDALE GENUINELY WANT EACH OTHER TO FLOURISH.
IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I COULD BE PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN MYSELF AS A RESIDENT AND AS A PROFESSIONAL.
SO, WHILE IT MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALL DETAIL IN THE BROADER SCOPE OF CITY OPERATIONS, I BELIEVE IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT AVONDALE CONTINUES TO THRIVE.
IT REINFORCES THE IDEA THAT IT TRULY TAKES A VILLAGE TO RUN A CITY.
AND THAT MEANINGFUL PROGRESS HAPPENS WHEN EMPLOYEES, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND RESIDENTS WORK TOGETHER WITH A SHARED PURPOSE TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL.
[00:20:01]
SO IF I COULD LEAVE RESIDENTS WITH ONE MESSAGE, IT WOULD BE THIS.AVONDALE IS COMPRISED OF GENUINE PEOPLE TAKING GENUINE STEPS TO CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE.
THE AVONDALE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY INSTILLED IN ME A DEEP PRIDE IN BEING AN AVONDALE RESIDENT, ALONG WITH A RENEWED LOVE FOR A COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE ALL A PART OF.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO GET INVOLVED, WHETHER THAT'S PARTICIPATING IN THE CITIZENS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, GOING TO A CITY EVENT, VOLUNTEERING ON A COMMITTEE, JUST TO SEE FIRSTHAND HOW OUR CITY CONTINUES TO ASPIRE, ACHIEVE, AND ACCELERATE GIVES YOU AN ENTIRELY NEW APPRECIATION FOR THE CITY WE CALL HOME.
AND NOW WE'LL RECOGNIZE OUR 2025 CITIZENS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY GRADUATE.
SO WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE STAND, ALYSSA SCRO, AMANDA FLORES, CARL PETERSON, DEANNA SADA, EVAN HO, FRANCIS DEWIN, JEAN BRACKEN, GLORIA MCDOWELL.
LAVAR, SHE MOORE, RACHEL BRACKEN, VALENTINA ROBLES AND WALTER GONZALEZ.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING R 2025 LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR INVESTING IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND LEARNING ABOUT HOW YOUR CITY WORKS TO MAKE LIVES BETTER.
UH, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL, UH, THANKS TO MY PROGRAM, COAD ADMINISTRATORS, ANISSA ROMO, LIZ BARKER ALVAREZ, ALEXIS AYALA, AND BAYES RE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM'S DURATION.
AND THEN FINALLY, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THIS PROGRAM AND ENCOURAGING OUR RESIDENTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CITY.
SO OUR GRADUATES WILL COME DOWN TO TAKE A PHOTO WITH MAYOR AND COUNCIL AFTER THE PRESENTATION ITEMS. MAYOR, AT THIS TIME, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, JUST A COMMENT FROM ME.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT WAS SAID MANY TIMES BY THE AMBASSADOR, I'M SORRY, BY THE AMBASSADORS, BY THOSE WHO, UH, WERE GETTING UP TO SPEAK AND JUST HOW MUCH THEY'VE LEARNED, UH, ABOUT HOW THE CITY OPERATES.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, THE THINGS THAT YOU WERE NOT AWARE OF THAT NOW YOU HAVE A BETTER APPRECIATION FOR.
AND AS POLICY MAKERS WHO SIT UP HERE, WHO ARE ALSO RESIDENTS, UH, WE ARE VERY MINDFUL OF THAT, OF SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MAKE, UM, OR SOME OF THE POLICIES THAT WE CREATE ARE NOT JUST ONE OF WHICH WE, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST DO FOR THE SAKE OF DOING OR COMPLETING OR OFFERING, UH, OR, UM, YOU KNOW, PRESSING ONTO OUR RESIDENTS.
BUT IT'S MORE OF A MINDFUL WAY OF MAKING SURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE, UM, SAFE.
UH, AND THAT'S WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE SHOUT OUT.
SO THE PUBLIC SAFETY, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE COMPETITION IS LIVE AND WELL CHIEFS.
UH, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, JUST AT SOME POINT AS THE AMBASSADOR, AS YOU'LL HEAR IT FROM OUR AMBASSADORS, IS REALLY TAKING THAT MESSAGE ON BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO IT ALL.
AND WHILE WE DO SING OUR PRAISES, OFTEN IT'S BEST SAID THROUGH THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT, WHO HAVE SEEN IT, UH, YOU KNOW, LIVE AND IN PERSON THAT CAN COMMUNICATE IT TO YOUR NEIGHBORS, TO YOUR FRIENDS, THAT WILL HAVE A DEEPER APPRECIATION FOR THEIR CITY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH WE CONDUCT THAT TYPE OF BUSINESS.
AND SO, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PARTICIPATING.
AND THERE'S MANY MORE, UH, COMMITTEES.
THERE'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND, UH, AND OTHER THINGS TO JOIN.
SO PLEASE NOT LET THIS BE THE LAST TIME THAT YOU WERE INVOLVED, CONTINUE TO, TO, UH, TO INVOLVE YOURSELF AND EDUCATE YOURSELF, BECAUSE AS A CITY, WE BECOME BETTER WHEN OUR RESIDENTS ARE BETTER OFF EDUCATED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS HERE.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WISH TO SHARE? OKAY.
I THINK MY FAVORITE PART OF WHEN I HEAR THESE TESTIMONIES IS HOW YOU GUYS MENTIONED HOW THE STAFF GENUINELY LOVES THEIR JOB.
WHEN I STARTED, THE FIRST THING I NOTICED IS HOW THEY GENUINELY LOVED THEIR JOB.
EVERY PERSON THAT I SPEAK TO, ALL THE EMPLOYEES ARE ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP AND TO EDUCATE.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW SOMETHING, AND NOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS AND HAVE THE INFORMATION, IT'S YOUR, YOU KNOW, IT'S YOUR TURN TO GO OUT INTO YOUR COMMUNITY TO GO KNOCK ON THE DOORS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND LET YOUR NEIGHBORS KNOW, LIKE, WHAT'S HAPPENING ON COUNCIL, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY? BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY COULD JOIN, UM, THIS CLASS.
THEY DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THESE THINGS AVAILABLE TO THEM.
AND EVEN THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE AVIE WISE APP.
LIKE, SHARE THESE WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT COMMUNITY IS, RIGHT? LIKE, IT'S FOR US TO GET THE INFORMATION AND TO GO OUT AND SHARE IT WITH THEM.
AND THANK YOU DILLARD AND EVERYONE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS AND MAKING IT POSSIBLE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT TURNED OUT REALLY WELL.
SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
[00:25:01]
DILLARD AND STAFF FOR HELPING IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS WHO PARTICIPATED.
I KNOW THAT'S A LOT OF EXTRA TIME, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[d. Avondale Ambassador Program Recognition]
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WILL ALSO BE PRESENTING TONIGHT ABOUT THE AVONDALE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AND RECOGNIZING OUR INAUGURAL COHORT OF AMBASSADORS AND THEIR YEAR LONG COMMITMENT TO MAKING THE LIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS BETTER.
SO THIS YEAR LONG PROGRAM RUNNING FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER OFFERS RESIDENT RESIDENTS A STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE MORE DEEPLY WITH THE CITY'S PROGRAM SERVICES, EVENTS, AND HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS.
SO IT'S DESIGNED TO EMPOWER PARTIC PARTICIPANTS TO SERVE AS INFORMED COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS, SHARING KNOWLEDGE, RESOURCES, AND OPPORTUNITIES WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, FAMILIES, FRIENDS, AND OUR VISITORS.
SO, PICTURE ON THE SLIDE ARE TWO EXAMPLES OF OUR AMBASSADORS EMBODYING THESE PRINCIPLES OF INFORMATION AND RESOURCE SHARE RESOURCE SHARING.
THE SLIDE ON THE LEFT SHOWS OUR AMBASSADORS ENGAGING WITH A FAMILY AT THE CITY'S LIGHT UP THE SKY CELEBRATION ON JULY 4TH.
AND THE SLIDE ON THE RIGHT SHOWS OUR AMBASSADORS ENGAGING WITH A FAMILY AT THE CITY'S TRACE RIOS NATURE FESTIVAL ON FEBRUARY 22ND.
SO ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE, THE AMBASSADORS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONNECT WITH CITY LEADERS AND STAFF THROUGH QUARTERLY MEETINGS, MONTHLY CITY COUNCIL AND CITY BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETINGS, AND THE ANNUAL STATE OF THE CITY EVENTS.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, OUR AMBASSADORS ATTENDED FOUR QUARTERLY MEETINGS WHERE THEY TOOK A BUS TOWARD THE CITY.
LEARNED ABOUT UPCOMING CAPITAL AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
DISCUSSED THE FY 26 BUDGET AND BOND PROPOSITIONS RECEIVED CRITICAL COMMUNITY-BASED SAFETY RESOURCES AND SO MUCH MORE.
EACH AMBASSADOR ALSO ATTENDED AT LEAST 12 CITY COUNCIL OR CITY BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETINGS WHERE THEY ENGAGED WITH IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING OUR COMMUNITY AND LEARNED ABOUT THOUGHTFUL AND COMMUNITY DRIVEN SOLUTIONS.
OUR AMBASSADORS ALSO ATTENDED THE STATE OF THE CITY EVENT ON APRIL 10TH, WHERE THEY INTERACTED WITH LOCAL AND REGIONAL COMMUNITY LEADERS AND REFLECTED ON THE CITY'S GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENTS AND STRATEGIC LOCATION AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL.
FINALLY, OUR AMBASSADORS CREATED A SAFE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT AND POSITIVELY SHAPED OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY BY HOSTING 12 INFORMATION TABLES AT CITY SPONSORED EVENTS WHERE THEY PROVIDED FUN GIVEAWAYS AND INFORMATIVE HANDOUTS, AND SHARED THEIR EXPERIENCE AS AN ENGAGED COMMUNITY MEMBER.
FINALLY, OUR AMBASSADORS WERE ACTIVE ON AVONDALE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLATFORMS LIKE ABBY WISE AND AVONDALE CONNECT, AND FOLLOWED THE CITY'S VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS WHERE THEY PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON CITY PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES AND REPOSTED IMPORTANT CITY ALERTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND NEWS.
SO, PICTURED ON THE SLIDE IS OUR VERY FIRST QUARTERLY MEETING ON JANUARY 22ND, WHERE THE AMBASSADORS WERE GREETED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGEMENT.
SO, AS YOU CAN TELL, OUR AMBASSADORS HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SHARE A FEW DATA POINTS THAT ILLUSTRATE THE IMPACT THAT THEY'VE HAD ON OUR COMMUNITY.
SO CURRENTLY THERE ARE 20 AMBASSADORS IN THE PROGRAM, AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THESE AMBASSADORS ATTENDED 19 CITY SPONSORED EVENTS AND MEETINGS, WHICH IS ABOUT TWO EVENTS PER MONTH, UH, BUT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND MORE THAN 96 AND VOLUNTEERED FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 276 HOURS, WHICH IS ABOUT 14 HOURS PER AMBASSADOR.
TO FURTHER EXPLORE THE IMPACTING EXPERIENCE OF THIS PROGRAM, WE WILL HEAR FROM TWO OF OUR CURRENT AMBASSADORS, JANET BEASON AND RHONDA BELL.
UM, GOOD EVENING TO THE MAYOR AND THE VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ME LATELY HERE,
UM, IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO SERVE AS AN AMBASSADOR IN THIS INAUGURAL YEAR, BUT I DO WANNA TAKE JUST A MOMENT TO THANK DILLARD.
HE HAS KEPT UP WITH ALL OF US, ALL OF OUR TRAINING EVENTS, AND PARTICULARLY ALL THE MATERIALS THAT WE HAD TO USE WHEN WE WENT TO THOSE EVENTS.
SO, DILLARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE TRAINING, AND SO THE FIRST TRAINING I FOUND THE TRAININGS VERY INTERESTING.
I'VE, I'VE DONE THE ACADEMIES, BUT THIS TRAINING WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAT FIRST TIME WE DID A TOUR OF THE CITY.
NOW I HAVE, I HAVE BEEN PART OF AVONDALE SINCE 1977.
I THOUGHT I KNEW AVONDALE, BUT THE TOUR OF THE CITY WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
AS WE HAVE GROWTH AND WE'RE SO CLOSE TO PHOENIX AND WE'RE CLOSE TO GOODYEAR AND ALL OF THAT.
IT WAS JUST INTERESTING HAVING, HAVING THAT TOUR.
UH, THE OTHER MEETINGS, AS DILLARD MENTIONED, WERE THE INFORMATIVE MEETINGS FROM THE LEADERS, AND WE GOT TO KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT THE CITY.
NOW, I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THIS AT ALL, BUT NO DOUBT PEOPLE IN AVONDALE WHO WORK IN AVONDALE LOVE THE CITY.
I HAD THAT ON MY NOTES AND I KEPT ON HEARING THAT THIS EVENING.
BUT FOR ME, I ENJOYED, UH, BEING A REPRESENTATIVE, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
[00:30:01]
CITY DURING EVENTS.IT'S FUN FOR ME TO MEET PEOPLE.
I LOVE TO MEET PEOPLE, SHARE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT AVONDALE, ABOUT OUR ALERT SYSTEM, AVY WISE, THE THE WAVE, THE WAVE, THE RAVE OR THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
I AT A TABLE AT TRACE RIOS, UH, JUNETEENTH BILLY MOORE DAYS, AND THEN AT, AT ALAMAR AND DURING THEIR HALLOWEEN NIGHT.
I THINK THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES WE AS CITIZENS HAVE TO LEARN ABOUT CITY OPERATION AND TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THE CITY SEEMS TO ME TO BE A WONDERFUL CHANCE TO PROMOTE, TO PARTICIPATE, AND TO MAKE AVONDALE EVEN A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.
ANOTHER BENEFIT THAT I FEEL THAT THIS AMBASSADOR PROGRAM GAVE ME, I GOT TO MEET SOME RESIDENTS THAT I WOULD'VE NEVER GOTTEN TO MEET.
YOU KNOW, WE SITTING AT TABLES TOGETHER AND GOING TO MEETINGS TOGETHER, THAT WAS REALLY, UM, A BENEFIT THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAD PLANNED THAT, BUT YES, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO NEW AMBASSADORS.
UM, TELL 'EM, GET READY, SHARE HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO LIVE IN AVONDALE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL, AND THE CITY MANAGER.
I AM RHONDA BELL, AND I'M HERE TO ECHO A FEW WORDS.
YOU'VE HEARD EARLIER, ALL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY, UH, REFLECTIONS ON FOUR QUESTIONS THAT WE WERE, UH, SENT IN THE EMAIL WHEN WE WERE ASKED TO SPEAK.
WE WERE ASKED TO SPEAK OR REFLECT ON HOW THE PROGRAM HELPED US CONNECT, UH, MORE TO THE AVONDALE COMMUNITY.
FIRST UP, ACCEPTANCE AND ALIGNMENT FOR ME AND MANY OTHERS.
WE ATTENDED PRIOR ACADEMIES TOGETHER AND WE WERE ABLE TO RECONNECT AND STRENGTHEN OUR CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
AS JANET MENTIONED, WE'VE BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND OUR CITY STAFF, WHICH COM CREATES A MORE SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT.
UH, WHAT ARE SOME EVENTS, INITIATIVES, OR PROJECTS THAT HAD THE BUS BIGGEST IMPACT ON ME? I WOULD SAY ALL THE AVONDALE ACTIVITIES.
EACH MONTH, THE AVONDALE AMBASSADORS RECEIVED AN E-BLAST OF ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS.
WE RECEIVED A SCHEDULE, DETAILS AND LOGISTICS FOR TABLING RESPONSIBILITIES TO ENSURE THAT WE WOULD HAVE A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE.
I ATTENDED STATE OF THE CITY IN APRIL ON MY BIRTHDAY, APRIL 10TH.
WE RODE THE CITIZEN ACADEMY FLOW ON BILLY MOORE DAYS.
AND THEN, UH, THE TREE LIGHTING AND WINTER FEST.
LAST WEEK, ADVOCACY, THERE WERE SO MANY MEETINGS WHERE WE WERE JOINED BY CITY OFFICIALS AND STAFF, UH, WHERE WE RECEIVED TALKING POINTS, UH, ON FACTS PROMOTING TO PROPOSITIONS 4 0 4 AND 4 0 5, RATHER THAN EXPRESSING OUR OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS.
SO THE REAL LIFE APPLICATION CAME A FEW MONTHS LATER WHEN FELLOW AMBASSADORS, UM, WELL, WE WERE RAMPING UP FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, BUT I JUST WANNA SHOUT OUT MY FELLOW AMBASSADORS THAT WORKED ON THE MUNICIPAL BOND COMMITTEE.
AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO WORKED HARD TO GET THE WORD OUT.
THE VOTERS DID APPROVE PROPOSITION 4 0 4 FOR OUR PARKS, TRAILS, AND SHADE COVERINGS.
PROP 4 0 5 DID NOT PASS, BUT THIS WAS AN EXAMPLE OF OUR ADVOCACY IN ACTION.
OKAY, UH, WE RECEIVED T-SHIRTS AND JACKETS FOR WITH OUR OWN AMBASSADOR, LOCAL, BUT NOT WITHOUT INSTRUCTION.
SO WE RECEIVED COACHING AND EXPECTATIONS, EXPECTATIONS FOR BEHAVIOR AND CONDUCT.
WHILE WEARING THE AVONDALE LOGO, WE WERE TO EMPHASIZE BEING KIND, BEING HELPFUL, BEING PROFESSIONAL, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CITY OF AVONDALE EMPLOYEE.
SO WHILE WE'RE INTERACTING AND INTERFACING WITH RESIDENTS, WE'LL HAVE A FAVORABLE, UM, UH, VIEW AND FACE FOR THE PROGRAM.
[00:35:01]
EXERCISES, SIMULATING DIFFERENT BUDGET SCENARIOS TO TABLING EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, BEING THE FACE OF THE COMMUNITY AND BEING PART OF THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY.WE LEARNED HOW OUR CITY OPERATES FIRSTHAND.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A TRAFFIC LIGHT UP CLOSE? I'M SAYING YOU NEVER KNOW HOW BIG IT IS UNTIL YOU STAND UP RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
THE LENS WAS AS BIG AS MY HEAD.
WHAT WILL WE SHARE WITH NEW AMBASSADORS? ALL THE REASONS.
IF YOU WISH TO BECOME ACTIVE AND LEARN ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
YOU'LL GET TO LEARN ALL ABOUT, UH, ALL AREAS OF THE CITY AND PARTAKE FIRSTHAND IN SIGNATURE EVENTS.
BE SURE TO ASK PLENTY OF QUESTIONS.
AND IF ALL ELSE FAILS, YOU'LL MAKE A NEW BATCH OF FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY.
I GET TO HELP MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, FELLOW RESIDENTS, CONNECT THE DOTS TO AVONDALE RESOURCES, ACTIVITIES, VENUES, AND EVENTS, AND PROMOTE ALL THINGS AVONDALE.
BEST OF ALL, I'VE MADE SOME CONNECTIONS WITH SOME OTHER RESIDENTS THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE MET, I WOULD NOT HAVE MET OTHERWISE.
IN CLOSING, IT IS MY HONOR TO PARTAKE IN THIS PROGRAM ALONG WITH MY FELLOW AMBASSADORS AS WE HELP OTHERS CONNECT THE DOTS TO THE CENTER OF IT ALL.
SO, THROUGH THEIR PASSION AND SERVICE DRIVEN SPIRIT, OUR AMBASSADORS PROMOTED THE CITY AND COMMUNITY'S MISSION TO MAKE LIVES BETTER, AND REPRESENTED OUR CORE VALUES OF HELPFULNESS, KINDNESS, AND PROFESSIONALISM.
SO FOR THIS REASON, I'M THRILLED TO RECOGNIZE OUR 2025 AVONDALE AMBASSADOR.
SO WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE STAND.
I AL NUNEZ, AMANDA DUNCAN BILLMAN.
BEN RUDY, BRIAN SWANSON, SHERRY GERLACH, CINDY DE LAVA, CRYSTAL LOPEZ, DAVY, CYNTHIA, CAESAR MCCARTHY, DAN SHU, DAVID GARRISON, DEANNA SAADA, JANET BEESON, LINDSAY COTH.
NATASHA EDMONDS, PAUL LEMON, RAMON SANCHEZ, RHONDA BELL, WALTER GONZALEZ, AND WILLIAM BILL REEVES.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING ENGAGED IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND ACTIVELY WORKING TO MAKE LIVES BETTER.
CAN WE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING AND THANKING OUR 2025 AVONDALE AMBASSADORS, UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THIS PROGRAM AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO ENCOURAGING OUR RESIDENTS TO BECOME CHANGEMAKERS.
SO, UH, OUR AMBASSADORS WILL COME DOWN TO TAKE A PHOTO AFTER THE PRESENTATION ITEMS. AND MAYOR AT THIS TIME, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
ANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE AMBASSADORS? OH, WE'RE RON.
MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN ADD, UM, I, I THINK I OWE A FEW THANK YOUS FOR BOTH, UH, PRESENTATIONS.
UH, I'LL START WITH OUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS WHO PUT IN A LOT OF EXTRA TIME AND HOURS PREPARING FOR THESE PRESENTATIONS.
WE SOMETIMES COME UP WITH THE CRAZY IDEAS, BUT THEY'RE THE ONES WHO HAVE TO EXECUTE IT.
SO, UH, SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE PRESENTERS AND THE PARTICIPANTS AND THE BUS DRIVERS AND THE STORYTELLERS.
UH, WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU, SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO DILLARD AND HIS TEAM.
HE RECOGNIZED THEM, BUT HIM AND ANISA AND WHITNEY AND ALEXIS AND JAMES HELPS OUT AND LIZ HELPS OUT.
COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THAT, THAT TEAM.
AND THEN LASTLY, FOR THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, NOT MY IDEA, IT WAS TRACY'S IDEA.
COUNCIL ASKED TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONNECTION AND LEARNING ABOUT THE CITY.
AND THIS ONE CAME FROM, UH, TRACY BEHIND ME.
SO SHOUT OUT TO TRACY AND TEAM, BUT, UH, GOOD JOB TO THE AVONDALE, UH, STAFF.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE SEEING ALL THE BLUE.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, I, I APPRECIATED SEEING YOU ALL AT THE EVENTS, MANNING THE TABLES, PROVIDING INFORMATION.
AGAIN, AMBASSADORS ARE THAT CONDUIT BETWEEN US, THE COMMUNITY, THE DEPARTMENTS, THE COMMUNITY.
AND UH, YOU DEFINITELY DEMONSTRATED THAT.
WELL, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR SERVICE AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU ARE ALREADY SIGNING UP FOR THE NEXT GO ROUND.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT, I DON'T MIND, AGAIN, ANOTHER POPE PLUG FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AND INTERESTED, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU APPLY BECAUSE WE NEED MANY OTHER, UH, AMBASSADORS OUT THERE TO KIND OF SPREAD THE INFORMATION THAT IS AVONDALE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND WITH THAT, I THINK IT'S PICTURE
[00:40:01]
TIME, RIGHT? OKAY.COUNCIL WOULDN'T MIND JOINING ME DOWN THERE.
AND WE'LL TAKE PICTURES WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN HONORED TONIGHT
[3. UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES]
[00:54:18]
AND[00:54:18]
PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH GIFT BAGS CONTAINING TREATS AND ESSENTIAL SCHOOL SUPPLIES THAT THEY TEND TO LOSE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.UH, BEGINNING IN JANUARY, WE PLAN TO LAUNCH A CHESS CLUB AND A STEM CLUB TO SUPPORT THEIR ACADEMIC GROWTH.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE MCKINLEY VENT FAMILIES TO SUPPORT THOSE EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSTABILITY.
AND OVER THANKSGIVING, WE HOSTED FAMILIES TO ENSURE EVERYONE RECEIVED A HOME COOKED MEAL AND FELT LOVED AND CARED FOR.
WE'RE ALSO DOING THE SAME THIS SUNDAY BY PROVIDING A CHRISTMAS MEAL AND A TIME TOGETHER, LOVING ON THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, SHOWING THEM DIGNITY CARE THAT THEY DESERVE, RECOGNIZING THAT THEY'RE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.
WE INVITE YOU ALL TO PARTICIPATE AS WELL THIS SUNDAY WITH US AS WE SERVE THESE
[00:55:01]
FAMILIES.UM, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE CITY COUNCIL'S LEADERSHIP AND LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING AVONDALE WITH HUMILITY, INTEGRITY, AND PARTNERSHIP.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE OUR CHURCH AND THE WORK WE'RE DOING AND THE FUTURE ENDEAVORS WE SEEK TO DO THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
'CAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT CHURCH ISN'T JUST ON SUNDAY, BUT IT'S HOW WE LIVE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, SERVING PEOPLE, LOVING ON THEM.
AND IF I CAN JUST HAVE ONE MINUTE TO JUST PRAY FOR YOU ALL.
GRACIOUS GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS CITY, FOR THE LEADERS YOU HAVE ENTRUSTED WITH ITS CARE.
WE ASK FOR WISDOM, COURAGE, AND UNITY FOR THE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AS THEY SERVE US.
AND SERVE YOUR PEOPLE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
TEACH US TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS, TO SEEK JUSTICE AND SERVE WITH HUMILITY AND COMPASSION.
LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS AVONDALE, ALL OF ITS PEOPLE AND RESIDENTS, ALL OF THE, THOSE WHO WORK HERE AND ALL WHO LOVE IT SO DEARLY.
WE PRAY THIS IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
WE DO HAVE ANOTHER BLUE CARD HERE.
MARIA ALVARADO, CURTIS NIELSEN, AND MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BOARD.
BEFORE I BEGIN, I WANT TO SAY, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE FAMILIES WHO RECEIVED AWARDS, WHO WENT THROUGH THE ACADEMY.
THEY'RE NOT HERE RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY, UH, ARE, UH, DOING A GREAT, UH, JOB FOR THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF WHAT YOU DID, UH, TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THE ACADEMY AWARD AND THE GRADUATES.
NOW, UM, I WANT TO SAY, UH, MY NAME IS MARIA VERADO AND I LIVE IN AVONDALE, AND I WANNA WISH EVERYONE HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
UM, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND FELIZ.
WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TONIGHT IS, HAS TO DO WITH BEHAVIORS.
AND ONE OF YOUR, UH, TESTIMONIALS WAS RHONDA BELL.
WE LOOK AT BEHAVIORS, WE EXPECT BEHAVIORS NOT JUST FROM THE CITY OF AVONDALE, THE RESIDENTS, UH, THE BUSINESS PEOPLE, BUT ALSO FROM OUR LEADERS, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WAS HERE WHEN, UH, MAYOR PINATA SAID THAT THIS, UH, ACCUSATIONS AGAINST, UH, COUNCILWOMAN JEANETTE GARCIA, UH, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, THEIR HANDS ARE TIED.
THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
UH, REALLY, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE A CITY CODE OF CONDUCT.
AND IT, UH, TALKS ABOUT THE REASONS WHY THIS DOCUMENT WAS PUT TOGETHER, WHICH IS THAT EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL BEHAVE WITH HONOR DRIVING IN EXCESSIVE SPEED AND DRIVING, UM, AGAINST, UH, A, A A, UM, LET'S SEE, WHAT WAS IT REGARDING THE ACCUSES DRIVING TO AT A SPEED GREATER THAN REASONABLE AND PRUDENT IS NOT ONLY DISHONORABLE, BUT ALSO NOT AN EXAMPLE OF CONDUCT, WHICH AVOIDS THIS, AVOIDS THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY.
SO THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR IS BEYOND REPROACH, NOT BEYOND REPROACH.
UH, AS COUNCILWOMAN JANET GARCIA, JEANETTE GARCIA DEFENDS HERSELF AGAINST ALLEGATIONS.
WE, HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH MORE TIME CAN A JOB AND KIDNAPPING? I JUST, JUST, IF THE CITY COUNCIL CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, THE, UM, THE COMMUNITY WILL LOOK TO THE, TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE ARE ACTING IN A PROFESSIONAL PERSONAL CONDUCT THAT IS FAIR, ETHICAL, AND ACCOUNTABLE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND I JUST WANNA JUST, JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, THAT
[01:00:01]
YOU MENTIONED THAT I MENTIONED THAT MORE HANDS ARE TIED, AND I'M SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TO, UH, THE ISSUE RELATED TO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA'S LITIGATION AND ACCUSATIONS THAT WERE IN THE PAPER.WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT IN THAT SPECIFIC INSTANCE, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A TRIAL.
SHE'S NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF ANYTHING YET.
SO AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, SHE'S CONSIDERED INNOCENT TILL PROVEN GUILTY.
SO THE COUNSEL CANNOT REALLY, UH, DO ANYTHING IN REGARDS TO HER BEHAVIOR BECAUSE THERE'S NO BEHAVIOR TO MANAGE IN THAT ASPECT.
SO IF THIS IS THE DOCUMENT, THE SIX PAGE DOCUMENT, WHY DON'T WE JUST TEAR IT UP AND THEN BE DONE WITH IT? THERE'S NO CODE OF CONDUCT.
WE, WE, YOU EXPECT THE RESIDENTS TO BE BEHAVED.
WELL, WE CAN'T RIP UP THE CODE OF CONDUCT 'CAUSE IT'S, I THINK OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD ALSO, GO AHEAD, RON.
MS. MAYOR, THE THREE MINUTES IS UP.
UH, BUT ANYWAY, I'D BE HAPPY TO, I JUST TORE UP THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
[4. CONSENT AGENDA]
RIGHT.OR YEAH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, CONSENT AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WISH TO HAVE AN ITEM REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION? OKAY, BECAUSE I SEE, WELL, I GOT, ACTUALLY, I GOT A MOTION ALREADY FROM COUNCIL MEMBER, WES AND VICEMAN NIELSEN MY HAND UP.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, HAVE HER SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
UH, NICOLE, I SAW THAT WE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE THEN RAISED HER HAND.
SO HOW DO WE HANDLE THAT? DO WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VOTE? BECAUSE AS OF RIGHT NOW, THAT WAS, THAT'S THE ONLY MOTION THAT'S BEEN MADE.
I DIDN'T SEE, WAS SHE RECOGNIZED BEFORE? NO.
PEOPLE YOU ASKED FOR THE MOTION.
I DIDN'T EVEN GET A CHANCE TO ASK YET.
OUR AUTOMATED SYSTEM DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THAT.
UM, I GUESS YOU'D HAVE DISCUSSION ON IT OR THEN, SO DO WE TAKE THIS MOTION OFF? YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
YOU WOULD MOVE, JUST MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT? YES AND NO DISCUSSION.
HOW DO WE HAVE TIME TO, AM I SUPPOSED TO ASSERT VERBALLY OR DO WE HAVE AN OPTION ON THE AUTOMATED SYSTEM NOW? BECAUSE I CAN ASSERT FOR A MOTION BEFORE AND I STILL DON'T HAVE IT ON MY SCREEN TO DO ANYTHING.
SO THERE'S A TECHNOLOGICAL AREA ON MY SCREEN THAT DIDN'T ALLOW ME TO MOVE A SECOND.
SO THERE'S SOME TECHNOLOGY DIFFICULTY.
CAN WE PAUSE FOR A MOMENT PLEASE? 'CAUSE MY SCREEN DOESN'T OFFER ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOTION OR SECOND, I GOT ON MY SCREEN, IT SHOWS EVERYBODY ELSE'S SCREEN SHOWS THAT, SO MINE DOESN'T, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE THE TECHNOLOGICAL ERRORS, I DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
I DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH IT OR ENTERTAIN THE, UM, QUESTION OR PULL AN ITEM.
WELL, THE PROBLEM IS THE MOTION AND THE SECOND WERE PUT IN BEFORE YOU ASKED FOR THE MOTION TO BE MADE.
AND SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS A LOT BEFORE YOU'VE EVEN I'D LIKE A MOTION PEOPLE HAVE PUSHED SO BEFORE AND THAT'S HAPPENED IN SEVERAL COUNCIL MEETINGS.
AND SO YOU, THE MOTION SHOULDN'T BE MADE UNTIL YOU'VE ASKED FOR IT.
SO AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN CORRECT THAT GOING FORWARD.
BEFORE TONIGHT WE HAVE THE DISCRETION TO, YOU HADN'T CALLED FOR THE MOTION AND SHE HAD ASKED OR RAISED HER HAND.
SO YOU COULD I DON'T HAVE THE OPTION TO VOTE.
I DO NOT HAVE THE OPTION TO EVEN PARTICIPATE AT THIS MOMENT.
COULD SOMEBODY FIX MY TECHNOLOGY NOW? OH, THAT'S SEPARATE FROM, SO MAYOR? YES, WE COULD, UM, YOU NEED TO REDO IT.
YOU DIDN'T CALL IT AND SHE RAISED, YOU COULD HAVE WHATEVER SHE WANTED TO HAVE PULLED OFF FOR DISCUSSION.
SO THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN THE YES.
WHATEVER I, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO.
AND THEN MOVING FORWARD, JUST SO WE DON'T HAVE THIS ISSUE, IF YOU MEMBERS COULD PLEASE REFRAIN FROM, 'CAUSE THIS HAPPENS OFTEN, AND I KNOW I'VE NEVER CALLED IT OUT, BUT OBVIOUSLY HERE IN PUBLIC, WE'RE, WE'RE DEALING WITH A SITUATION IN WHICH WE'RE HITTING MOTION AND SECONDS REALLY QUICKLY.
BUT WE HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T EVEN FORMALLY READ THE STATEMENT YET.
SO MOVING FORWARD, IF WE CAN JUST HEAR THE MOTION AND THEN COME TO VOTE.
SO AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, CAN WE VOTE? CAN I, I I'M MAKING THE MOTION, UH, TO MATTERS.
SO WE STILL HAVE A TECHNICAL, I'LL FIX HERS, BUT ARE WE GOING TO PULL THE ITEM OFF? YEAH, WE CAN PULL THE ITEM.
AND WHAT, WHAT'S THE ITEM THAT YOU WANNA PULL OFF? F AND G.
SO CAN WE GET A VOTE ON ALL ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF F AND G? SO WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL ITEMS EXCEPT FOR
[01:05:01]
F AND G.WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE SAME COUNCIL MEMBER, CONDI AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, HOW DO YOU VOTE? COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE.
OKAY, SO THE, THE CONSENT CONSENT AGENDA MINUS ITEM F AND G HAVE BEEN, UH, HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[f. Project Budget Transfer]
F RON, UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER? WHITE.UH, YEAH, I JUST STOPPED TAKING A LOOK AT ITEM NUMBER FI JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHEN THE PROJECT A 0 4, 5 4 WILL BE COMPLETE BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE ARE, UM, MOVING SOME FUNDS FROM THAT PROJECT.
HOWEVER, THE PROJECT IS NOT COMPLETED AND I WAS JUST CONCERNED THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE ALL OF THOSE FUNDS MOVED FROM THE GENERAL FUND INSTEAD OF THE PROJECT.
'CAUSE WE ARE UNAWARE OF THE, UM, COMPLETION COST.
MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, UH, UH, THE, I APPRECIATE THAT WE EXPECT FOR FIRE STATION 1 71 TO BE COMPLETE NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY, MAYBE, UH, AS EARLY AS LATE, UH, JANUARY.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE WE WILL EXPEND THOSE FUNDS.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING ABOUT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS UNDER BUDGET.
SO WE'VE LEFT ABOUT $400,000 IN CONTINGENCIES WITH THE, UH, CONTRACTOR.
JUST IN CASE SOMETHING STRANGE WERE TO HAPPEN.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE ADDING, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL SCREENING THAT'S ABOUT ANOTHER A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS, I THINK, UH, 10 OR $20,000.
SO WE BELIEVE THE 400,000 IS, UH, UH, LEFT IS PLENTY.
UH, THE REST COME FROM, UM, RESERVES.
WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
UH, THE, THE, UM, RUSH FOR THIS TRANSFER, IF YOU WANNA CALL IT A RUSH, IS THE CONTRACT EXPIRES AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
UH, THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH.
SO WE JUST NEED THIS, THIS, THIS AUTHORIZATION SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITHOUT SEEING ANOTHER PRICE INCREASE OF THE FIRE APPARATUS.
SO, UH, YOU SAID, UM, THAT THERE WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 400,000 THAT WOULD BE REALIZED AS A SAVINGS COMING UNDER BUDGET.
UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, VICE AMERICAN SUPPORT, THAT, THAT IS OUR CURRENT, UH, EXPECTATION.
AGAIN, UH, AS OF TODAY, UH, FOR A SCREEN WE HAVE A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO WE EXPECT IT TO BE AROUND 400,000.
SO, UM, MAYOR, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT 400,000? DOES THAT GO BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR CUSTOMER? YES.
IT GOES BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING ESTIMATES FOR OUR END OF YEAR FUND BALANCES.
AND SO AS WE GET CLOSER, THIS WILL END UP IN THAT FUND BALANCE.
SO EVERY YEAR WE START WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THAT'LL GO BACK INTO THAT POT OF MONEY FOR THE NEXT PROJECT.
SO, UH, THE THOUGHT PROCESS, MAYOR, IS THAT IF THE MONEY IS GOING TO GO BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND, THE BULK OF THE FUND SHOULD COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WE REALIZE ALL OF THE SAVINGS AT THE END INSTEAD OF TAKING A PORTION FROM A PROJECT THAT ISN'T COMPLETE.
TO ME, IF ALL OF THE MONEY COMES FROM THE GENERAL FUND, THEN ANYTHING WE REALIZE BEYOND THAT IS TIED TO THE PROJECT GOES BACK TO THE FUND.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO SPREAD THE MONEY COMING FROM PROJECT FUNDS WHEN IT'S NOT CLOSED AND THE GENERAL FUND, THAT WAS THE THOUGHT PROCESS, BUT, UM, THAT, THAT IS, UM, WHAT I WOULD PREFER IN AND I MOVE THAT WE TAKE THE ENTIRE AMOUNT FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
SEEING THIS PROJECT IS INCOMPLETE.
UH, RONDA IS, DO YOU WANT FOLLOW? YOU DID AN EXPLANATION, BUT DO YOU WANNA FOLLOW UP PRIOR TO THE, WE GOT A MOTION ON THE TABLE HERE.
YEAH, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCILOR WHITE.
I'LL ASK RENEE IF THAT CREATES A PROBLEM, BUT WE ALREADY HAVE THIS, UH, BUDGETED OUT AND, AND WRAPPED UP, UH, THE WAY IT IS.
UM, WE TRY TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE TAKE OUT OF THE CONTINGENCIES, OUT OF, UM, RESERVES.
AND SO WHERE WE FEEL COMFORTABLE, THIS IS COMMON, UH, ESPECIALLY IN PUBLIC WORKS, WHEN ONE PROJECT CEASES OR STARTS, WE MOVE, WE MOVE THINGS AROUND FROM PROJECT TO PROJECT.
UM, SO IT'S JUST THE WAY EVERYTHING'S BEEN TEED UP.
BUT, UM, I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM IF IT HAS TO MOVE THE OTHER WAY.
I'M GETTING AHEAD IN AGREEMENT FROM OUR, UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR.
BUT AGAIN, UM, IT'S JUST NOT HOW IT WAS TEED UP.
AND RENEE, ANY COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE? UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UM, WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE THAT ALL COME FROM THE CONTINGENCY.
IT WILL, AS YOU MENTIONED, WILL FORWARD IN THE BALANCE IN THE END.
SO A MOTION'S BEEN MADE A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, A VOTE ALLOWS FOR ALL OF IT TO BE MOVED OVER NOW AS OPPOSED TO AS IT'S NEEDED.
[01:10:01]
MR. MAYOR, THAT'S HOW I UNDERSTAND THE MOTION.SO IF YOU VOTE YES, YOU'RE ALLOWING FOR THE FUNDS TO ALL BE PULLED NOW AS OPPOSED TO IN INCREMENTS AS IT'S NEEDED OR AS IT WAS, UH, COMMUNICATED, UH, BY, UH, CITY MANAGER CORBIN.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE GET A VOTE IS A VOICE VOTE OR YOU CAN VOTE ON YOUR SCREENS.
AM I VOTING COURT OR THE MOTION COURT AGAINST? AM I VOTING FOR THIS OR FOR HER? FOR THE, THE PROPOSAL.
THE MOTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE BOYD IS WHAT THE MOTION IS.
[g. License Agreement for a Private Electrical Transmission Line in Public Right-of-Way with Sierra Luna Energy Storage, LLC]
G.UM, I BELIEVE THAT THERE, UM, IN ITEM NUMBER G, THIS IS JUST FOR, UM, AN EASEMENT TO OCCUPY OUR AIRSPACE.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE I RECEIVED SOME CLARIFICATION FROM OUR CITY'S ATTORNEY, ATTORNEY OFFICE, BUT I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS SPOKEN INTO THE RECORD BECAUSE, UM, IN OUR LICENSE, IN THE AGREEMENT THAT'S IN OUR PACKET, I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S AN INDICATION AND IT'S STANDARD LANGUAGE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THAT WE HAVE TO AFFORD, UM, A MORTGAGE OPPORTUNITY IN THE CONTRACT.
SO IT WAS WRITTEN OUT PRETTY SPECIFICALLY, UM, IN THE DETAILED PACKET THAT WAS PROVIDED, UM, THE AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD ALLOW, UM, THE LICENSEE TO POTENTIALLY ENTER INTO A MORTGAGE ARRANGEMENT.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE AN EXISTING AGREEMENT THAT SAYS THIS, UM, LICENSEE DOES NOT INTEND TO SELL THIS PROPERTY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS SPOKEN, UM, TO THE PUBLIC THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE IS THAT CLAUSE IN THE AGREEMENT, THAT THERE IS AN AGREEMENT THAT EXISTS WITH COUNSEL, THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE A PROPERTY THAT WOULD BE MORTGAGED IN THE FUTURE.
UM, IS THAT CORRECT, SIR? WE WOULDN'T, THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE SELLING OR MORTGAGING THIS LAND.
UH, RON OR NICOLE? UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, VICE MAYOR, COUNCILMAN WHITE? I'M NOT SURE.
I, I'M FOLLOWING, UM, THIS IS SO THAT THEY CAN PUT LINES OVER, UH, THE ROAD.
UH, IT'S IN THE FORM OF AN EASEMENT.
UM, SO IT, IT, UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S, I I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROPERTY WOULD BE.
UM, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNSEL.
SO, UM, IT'S A LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR THEM TO HAVE THE LINES OVER.
AND THIS IS RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT YOU GUYS APPROVED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO FOR, UM, THE, UH, SIERRA LUNA MM-HMM
AND SO, UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST STEPS IN THAT PROCESS.
SO YOU GUYS AGREED IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO, UM, APPROVE A LICENSE OR EASEMENT FOR THEM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR PROJECTS.
AND SO, UM, IN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, THERE IS STANDARD LANGUAGE THAT TALKS ABOUT THEIR RIGHT TO ASSIGN OR MORTGAGE THAT'S STANDARD LANGUAGE THAT, YOU KNOW, FINANCING LIKES TO SEE BANKS LIKE TO SEE.
UM, THE LICENSE IS FOUR 30 YEARS.
UM, AND THE APPLICANTS HERE, I MEAN THE SIERRA LUNA REPRESENTATIVE IS HERE AND THEIR LAWYER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM, BUT AS WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT PROCESS, THEY'RE VERY COMMITTED TO AVONDALE.
THEY HAVE A SIERRA AUSTRALIA THAT THEY BUILT WITH US.
AND SO THEY DON'T INTEND TO SELL ANYTIME SOON, BUT THAT LANGUAGE DOES GIVE THEM THE OPTION.
AND THAT'S JUST STANDARD LANGUAGE IN OUR LICENSE.
AND THAT WAS NEGOTIATED BETWEEN OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND, AND THEIR UM, ATTORNEYS.
UM, DO WE KNOW WHEN THEY, UM, COMPLETED THE AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY OR WHEN THE COUNTY APPROVED IT? I THINK THE, WHAT DATE WAS THAT? UH, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCILOR WHITE, UH, AUGUST, AUGUST OF THIS YEAR? YES.
THAT WAS UNDER ONE OF THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS WAS THAT THEY GET COUNTY APPROVAL.
THEY DID GET ALL THEIR COUNTY APPROVALS, I BELIEVE.
RIGHT, BEN? THAT'S WHAT I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION OF.
SO WE'VE SPOKEN INTO THE RECORD.
UH, BUT WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD FOR WITH THE MOTION.
CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND? OKAY.
I GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS, A SECOND FROM VICE MAYOR NIELSEN.
FINALLY, I DON'T KNOW, MIGHT BE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE ITEM PASSES.
[a. Resolution 1084-1225 - 2026 Public Policy Priorities for the Upcoming State and Federal Legislative Session]
[01:15:01]
FIVE ON THE REGULAR AGENDA, RON.AND COUNSEL, UH, WE'RE NOW GONNA HEAR FROM LIZ, YOUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATOR, TALK ABOUT, UH, THE PRIORITIES FOR THE UPCOMING STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE SEASON.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS MR. CORBIN NOTED.
I'M LIZ BARKER ALVAREZ, INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
UH, PART OF MY JOB, UH, HERE AT THE CITY IS TO, UH, MONITOR, UH, STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION OR POLICIES, UM, ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE ONES THAT BENEFIT OUR CITY'S, UH, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND ADVOCATE AGAINST THOSE THAT, UM, WOULD BE HARMFUL TO OUR CITY, TO OUR RESIDENTS, OR TO OUR MISSION.
SO WE DO THIS BY REVIEWING AND ANALYZING PROPOSED POLICIES AND LEGISLATION.
WE MEET WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT WE CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND ALTOGETHER THE IMPACT THAT THE POLICIES WOULD HAVE ON THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
AND THEN WE MEET WITH POLICYMAKERS AND THEIR STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT THEY'RE ENGAGED, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE, AND HOPEFULLY THAT THEY ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S POSITION ON THOSE PROPOSED, UM, MATTERS.
ALL OF THAT REALLY, EXCUSE ME,
UM, ALL OF THIS REALLY STARTS WITH IDENTIFYING THE CITY'S POSITIONS ON THE PROPOSED MEASURES AND THE PUBLIC POLICY PRIORITIES THAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT TONIGHT REALLY OFFER US A FRAMEWORK FOR DOING THAT WHILE KEEPING UP WITH A VERY FAST PACE OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND BEING NIMBLE IN A POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT THAT'S CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
SO, AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION, I'M GONNA DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT IS, HOW THESE POLICY PRIORITIES AND OUR LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS ARE DEVELOPED, AND THEN GO OVER THE RECOMMENDED 2026 PUBLIC POLICY PRIORITIES.
SO IN TERMS OF OUR CURRENT ENVIRONMENT, DEMOCRAT KATIE HOBBS IS, UM, GOVERNOR, AND WE HAVE A REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN BOTH CHAMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
THE STATE'S FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET BALANCE IS ESTIMATED AT ONLY $69 MILLION COMPARED WITH 469 MILLION LAST YEAR.
THERE IS, UH, THE STATE FACES A $300 MILLION FISCAL CLIFF IN ITS EDUCATION BUDGET, AND THE SPENDING ON SCHOOL VOUCHERS HAS NOW TOPPED $1 BILLION FEDERAL LEGISLATION, INCLUDING TAX CONFORMITY AND COST SHIFTS IN PROGRAMS LIKE MEDIC, UH, MEDICARE, NO, SORRY, MEDICAID AND SNAP, UH, WILL COST THE STATE APPROXIMATELY $400 MILLION EACH YEAR, AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS.
IF AN AGREEMENT IS REACHED ON THE COLORADO RIVER, THAT WOULD REQUIRE LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL AS WELL.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE IN NOVEMBER OF 2026, WE HAVE AN ELECTION FOR STATEWIDE OFFICERS, FOR, UM, MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND THE FEDERAL MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
AND ALL OF THAT ADDS POLITICAL PRESSURES IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.
UH, JUST AS A REMINDER, AVONDALE IS REPRESENTED AT THE LEGISLATURE BY, UH, THOSE ELECTED TO DISTRICT 22.
WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVE LUPE CONTRERAS, WHO HAS REPRESENTED THIS AREA FOR OVER A DECADE.
AND THEN WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVE LUNA ELDA, LUNA NARA, AND SENATOR EVA DIAZ, UM, WHO HAVE BOTH REPRESENTED AVONDALE FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.
WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, UH, IN THE INTERIM SINCE, UH, JULY ONE, UH, WITH OUR LAWMAKERS AND HAVE OFFERED THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SOME DEEP DIVES INTO SOME OF THE ISSUES, UM, IMPACTING, UH, AVONDALE.
AND WE'RE SO GLAD THAT THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR WATER PORTFOLIO AND HOW SOME OF THE CURRENT ISSUES IMPACT AVONDALE.
AND THEN IN JANUARY WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ALL THE HOUSING THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED, UM, HERE IN AVONDALE.
AND, UH, I DO WANNA THANK, UM, THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND THEIR STAFF.
THEY PUT IN A LOT OF WORK TO PUT THESE, UM, TOURS OF OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
AND OUR ELECTED RE LEADERS REALLY COMMENTED, UM, ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR STAFF, ON HOW THEY IMPRESSED THEY ARE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN AVONDALE.
AND APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS IN DEPTH AMOUNT OF INFORMATION, BECAUSE DURING THE SESSION THEY HAVE SO MANY BILLS AND THINGS MOVE SO QUICKLY THAT THEY OFTEN DON'T HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WE WERE GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT IN THE INTERIM IN TERMS OF HOW WE DEVELOP, UM, OUR LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS.
SO THERE ARE ABOUT 1700 BILLS FILED, UM, EACH YEAR.
NO, I DO NOT READ EVERY PAGE OF 1700 BILLS, BUT I READ THE, I READ THE TITLE, I READ WHERE IT IS.
[01:20:01]
CHANGES ARE AND I DECIDE, OKAY, THIS LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA IMPACT THE CITY.I SENT IT TO ONE OF, OF YOUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND THEY AND THEIR STAFF REALLY DIG IN DEEP AND TELL ME HOW IS THIS GOING TO IMPACT THE CITY OF AVONDALE? THEN I TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND I COLLABORATE WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS.
IT CAN BE OTHER CITIES OR, YOU KNOW, INDUSTRY FOLKS.
WE KIND OF DECIDE ALTOGETHER, OKAY, THIS APPEARS TO BE HOW THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT CITIES POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY.
WE COMPARE THAT INFORMATION TO THE COUNCIL APPROVED POLICY PRIORITIES, AND THEN THERE'S A DISCUSSION WITH OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM TO SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT IT'S GONNA DO.
THIS IS WHAT THE POLICY PRIORITIES SAY.
CAN WE DETERMINE A POSITION? WE DETERMINE A POSITION, AND THEN WE DETERMINE WHAT ACTION WE WANNA TAKE.
UH, IT CAN BE SIMPLY FILING A POSITION ON THE BILL.
IT CAN BE MEETING WITH OUR LEGISLATORS, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THE BILL.
IT CAN BE COLLABORATING WITH OTHER PARTNERS WHO ARE PERHAPS TAKING MORE OF A, MORE OF AN ACTIVE APPROACH ON THE BILL AND SIMPLY PROVIDING THEM WITH INFORMATION, UM, ON THE CITY'S IMPACT AND ALL THE WAY TO EITHER PROVIDING TESTIMONY OR TO HELPING OTHERS TO PREPARE FOR LEGISLATIVE TESTIMONY.
SO THE WAY WE DEVELOP THESE POLICY PRIORITIES IS FIRST WE LOOK AT PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH, I THINK YOU'VE HEARD MYSELF OR OTHER INTER GOVS AND WE TALK TO YOU, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S THE SAME BILL YEAR AFTER YEAR.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T PASS IN ONE YEAR, TYPICALLY IT WILL COME BACK THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
SO WE REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THE TYPES OF ISSUES AND BILLS THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH IN PRIOR LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THEN WE LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES OF SOME OF THOSE REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE BELONG TO.
YOU KNOW, MANY OF THE MEMBERS THAT ARE UP ON THE DAYS RIGHT NOW PARTICIPATE IN GROUPS ON BEHALF OF AVONDALE, LIKE THE MARICOPA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, THE ARIZONA MUNICIPAL WATER USERS ASSOCIATION, THE LEAGUE OF ARIZONA CITIES AND TOWNS.
ALL OF THESE COLLABORATIVE GROUPS ALSO ARE DOING THE SAME PROCESS, LOOKING AT PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, TALKING WITH LAWMAKERS, TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE, AND IN DOING SO, THEY COME UP WITH THEIR PRIORITIES.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR OUR CITY PRIORITIES, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ARE ENCOMPASSED IN THERE AS WELL.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, OUR ONGOING CONVERSATIONS AND COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER CITY INTER GUS, SINCE REPRESENTATIVE CONTRERAS AND REPRESENTATIVE LUNA NARA AND SENATOR DIAZ REPRESENT DISTRICT 22, THEY'RE THE THREE LAWMAKERS THAT I INTERACT WITH THE MOST.
IN THE SAME WAY, INTER GOVS IN OTHER CITIES HAVE MUCH MORE DIRECT CONVERSATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE LAWMAKERS REPRESENTING THEIR COMMUNITIES.
SO WHEN WE ALL TALK TO OUR ELECTIVE LEADERS, THEN WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT I'M HEARING FROM OUR POLICY MAKERS IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT TO THEM, AND WE ALL SHARE.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN KIND OF GET A SENSE OF SOME OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH IN THE UPCOMING SESSION.
SO ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT I JUST LAID OUT IS WHAT WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE DRAFT, UM, THESE PROPOSED POLICY PRIORITIES.
AND FOR 2026, THESE ARE THE PROPOSED PUBLIC POLICY PRIORITIES.
IF THESE SEEM FAMILIAR, THEY SHOULD, BECAUSE THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE DOWN AT THE LEGISLATURE DON'T CHANGE THAT DRAMATICALLY FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
SO OUR PROPOSED POLICY PRIORITIES AND IN YOUR MATERIALS FOR THIS MEETING, YOU DO HAVE THESE LAID OUT WITH EXAMPLES OF, OF WHAT THEY, WHAT TYPES OF BILLS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UNDER THERE.
SO THOSE WOULD BE PRESERVE LOCAL FUNDING, OPPOSE PREEMPTION OF LOCAL AUTHORITY SUPPORT, EXPANDED HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY, CITY MANAGED GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPERITY, COLLABORATE TO BUILD A ROBUST TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, PROTECT AND ENHANCE OUR WATER SUPPLY, AND PROTECT THE MISSION OF LUKE AIR FORCE BASE.
SO WITH THAT MAYOR, WE HAVE THE RECOMMENDED MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 10 84 DASH 1225, ADOPTING THE 2026 PUBLIC POLICY PRIORITIES FOR THE UPCOMING STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO ACT ON SUCH ITEMS AND AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR OR CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY CLERK TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU'RE BUSY, ESPECIALLY WHEN SESSION STARTS AND WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT, AS YOU, AS YOU ELOQUENTLY SAID, IN REGARDS TO ALL OF THE CHALLENGES THAT, UH, PRESENT THEMSELVES
[01:25:01]
TO MUNICIPALITIES, UH, AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE TOO FACING SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES AND BEING ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND DETERMINE HOW YOU'RE GOING TO COME AND SUPPORT.WHAT DOES SUPPORT LOOK LIKE OR WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO OPPOSE AND WHAT DOES THE OPPOSITION LOOK LIKE.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S KEY, UH, THAT MEMBERS HERE ON COUNCIL, UH, CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH THOSE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR THOSE VERY REASONS TO BE AS EDUCATED AS POSSIBLE ABOUT HOW, UH, WE ARE ALL GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY SOME OF THESE DECISIONS, ESPECIALLY.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS HAS COME UP OFTEN IN REGARDS TO LOCAL CONTROL AND THE DIFFERENT AVENUES THAT LOCAL CONTROL OR THE LACK THEREOF, UM, HAS TAKEN SHAPE AND FORM.
AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL, UH, BECOME AS EDUCATED AS POSSIBLE ON WHAT SOME OF THOSE ISSUES MAY BE.
UH, THE CHALLENGES THAT WE WILL FACE AS A MUNICIPALITY AND ULTIMATELY HOW IT AFFECTS OUR RESIDENTS, SUCH AS THE LOSS OF OUR RENTAL TAX, UH, FROM OUR MULTIFAMILY AND JUST HOW, UM, HOW MUCH IT NEGATIVELY IMPACTS OUR BUDGET AND ABILITY TO DO THINGS.
AND SO FOR THAT REASON, WE HAVE TO PREPARE AND ADJUST.
UH, AND OFTEN RESIDENTS ARE NOT AWARE OF THAT.
SO IT'S REALLY GOOD THAT IN DURING THIS MEETING, THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT IT MEANS FOR US, UH, AND HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED WITH THESE CHALLENGES THAT WILL BE FACED, IMPORTANT DECISIONS THAT WILL BE MADE, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SAY.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND FOR ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TOUR.
ARE THERE OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT WISH TO SHARE? UH, VICE MAYOR NIELSEN? NO, LIZ, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
I APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL YOUR WORK AND EFFORTS, BUT NOT ONLY YOU, BUT YOUR INTERACTION.
I MEAN, YOU'RE NOT ONLY HERE, YOU'RE WITH ALL THE OTHER REPRESENTATIVES OR WITH SENATORS, BUT YOU'RE ALSO WITH ALL THE OTHER INNER GOVS.
THERE'S NOT A PLACE THAT I DON'T GO, THAT I MEET WITH ONE OF THE OTHER INNER GOVS AND THEY TELL ME HOW GRATEFUL THEY ARE TO INTERACT WITH YOU.
THEY APPRECIATE YOU WAIT WHILE WE
BUT, BUT THEY DO APPRECIATE YOU, YOUR INSIGHT, YOUR VISION AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO WITH THEM AND JUST THE ABILITY TO COLLABORATE AND BRING 'EM TOGETHER.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE ABILITY YOU'RE GONNA HAVE NOW TO LOOK AT THESE 1700 THINGS AND HOPE YOU DON'T STAY UP ALL NIGHT.
EITHER THAT, OR YOU CAN USE IT FOR PART OF YOUR INSOMNIA, USE IT FOR SLEEPING PILLS OR WHATEVER.
IF YOU'VE, IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN WITH LIZ WHILE YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT AND SHE'S GOT THE EARPIECE IN LISTENING TO WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWN AT THE LEGISLATURE, HAVING TO ENGAGE IN THE EVENT AND WORK WITH US, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS FULL COUNCIL MEMBER SORIO LIZ, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE HE'S RIGHT.
I'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN IN ON MULTIPLE TRIPS WHERE YOU'RE TYPING STUFF, I'M SURE MAYBE TO CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HEARING THINGS AND MAKING SURE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE AND MYSELF GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
AND I KNOW AFTER SEEING THIS, THAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND EVEN MORE TIME TOGETHER WITH MY BOARD APPOINTMENT AND HOUSING BEING ON THE FOREFRONT OF, UM, NLCS PRIORITY.
THANK YOU LIZ, FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I PROMISE I'M NOT GETTING EMOTIONAL.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL IF YOU CAN GO BACK FOR US TO THOSE PRIORITIES.
YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED.
UM, BECAUSE WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE PREEMPTION OF LOCAL AUTHORITY, IT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE MAYOR JUST SAID.
I MEAN, WE'RE LOSING A LOT OF MONEY THAT WE OTHERWISE HAD BUDGETED FOR WHEN I STARTED AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, WHEN I STARTED WE WERE GONNA LOSE THE RENTAL TAX.
SO OUR, OUR FORECAST FOR THE NEXT COUPLE FISCAL YEARS, WE GET REAL CLOSE.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET SOME REST BEFORE THE SESSION STARTS AND, AND POSSIBLY PUT A BUG IN THE CITY MANAGER'S EAR THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO, UM, ALLOW HER TO BE IN THE OFFICE SOME DAYS AND LEVERAGE ANOTHER TEAM MEMBER OR TWO TO HELP OUT WHEN I'M RUNNING AROUND THE CITY.
'CAUSE WE DO WANT YOU TO BE ZERO FOCUSED AS WE GET STARTED ON THE YEAR AT WHAT THE LEGISLATURE'S DOING.
'CAUSE YOU DO PROVIDE US A LOT OF INFORMATION SO WE COULD PROACTIVELY RESPOND IN ALL THE PLACES AND SPACES WHERE WE GET TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE WE ARE WELL PREPARED TO DO SO.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON, UM, COUNCIL AND I MET WITH YOU, I LEARNED A LOT AND I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO.
OKAY, WITH THAT SAID, CAN I GET A PLEASE OR PLEASE GET A MOTION? GOT A COUNT.
A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO.
A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, PLEASE VOTE.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS QUICK ITEM PASSES.
[6. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS FROM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COUNCILMEMBERS]
OKAY, ADAM, SIX SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS.ANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WISH TO SHARE INFORMATION?
[01:30:01]
OKAY.WELL, SATURDAY WAS A BUSY DAY HERE IN AVONDALE.
I THINK EVERY PERSON IN IN THE CITY WAS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY GIVING FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO THE CITY EMPLOYEES.
SO THANK YOU GUYS ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DID.
I WENT TO SHOP AT THE COP, I WENT TO UM, UM, CASH IN FOR LOVE.
I WENT CASH, CASH IN HAS HEART.
UM, SOUTHWEST RECREATIONAL CENTER.
UM, AND IT'S JUST REALLY NICE TO SEE THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DO.
'CAUSE IT REALLY DOES IMPACT PEOPLE SO MUCH.
AND THOSE KIDS WERE JUST SO HAPPY JUST TO GET SOMETHING.
OH, AND MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.
OH, WE ALL ATTENDED WINTER FEST, WHICH WAS GREAT.
I HAVE HAD MORE PUBLIC RESPONSE BACK TO THAT THAN I HAVE EVER HAD BEFORE FROM TEENAGERS AS WELL.
TYPICALLY YOU GET A PAIR OR SOMEBODY ABOUT, I'VE HAD TEENS COME UP TO ME AND TELL ME HOW MUCH THEY WERE IMPRESSED WITH THAT.
SO, UH, KUDOS ON YOU FOR PARKS AND REC AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WAS INVOLVED WITH THAT.
UH, PATTY AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY ON SATURDAY IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER THINGS, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE GOODYEAR'S FARM, UH, CEMETERY AND PLACE THE WREATH ON THE VETERANS THING THERE, DOMINIC, WHEREVER YOU MIGHT BE.
I LEARNED MORE ABOUT THAT CEMETERY IN A HALF HOUR.
I WAS WITH HIM
OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO, I JUST WANTED TO ECHO WHAT, UM, VICE MAYOR NIELSEN SAID.
I KNOW WITH COREY, UM, I SHARED YOUR PEOPLE ARE AMAZING IN AND, YOU KNOW, DAY IN AND DAY OUT, THEY DO LONG HOURS AND STUFF AND THEY NOT ONE PERSON IS LIKE TIRED AT THE END.
AND I DID SHARE WITH COREY ONE OF THE QUOTES THAT I SAID, BECAUSE IT'S TRUE LEADERSHIP THAT, YOU KNOW, A LEADER CAN HAVE A VISION AND THE PEOPLE CAN CHOOSE TO FOLLOW.
BUT I, I DID SHARE THIS WITH COREY, WHICH WAS BY SIMON SINEK.
LEADERSHIP IS NOT ABOUT BEING IN CHARGE.
IT'S ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THOSE IN CHARGE FOR OR THOSE IN YOUR CHARGE.
THANK YOU EVERYONE, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE JOB.
A JOB IS A JOB, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE STAFF ALSO.
I SEE MARTINA OUT IN THE, UM, HELLO.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND AND WE HAD SO MANY WONDERFUL CITY EVENTS.
AND ONE THING I DID WANNA KIND OF SHOUT OUT, PLEASE FIRE EVERYBODY.
WE HAD SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS, BUT THE LIBRARY SURPRISED ME WITH THEIR ROLLING TRUCK THAT WAS FULL OF BOOKS AND KIDS WERE ABLE TO GET BOOKS, UM, IN CASH AND, AND THAT WAS GREAT.
I JUST REALLY JUST WANNA THANK THE STAFF FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK DR. SHARON SMITH AT A SU.
I WAS HER GUEST AT THE BLACK CHAMBER OF ARIZONA'S, UM, 27TH ANNUAL PINNACLE PATHWAYS GALA, UM, WHERE THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE BLACK BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
VELMA TRAHAN IS THE CURRENT CEO OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
SO IT WAS REALLY AMAZING TO BE THERE.
UM, AND IT WAS REALLY NEAT TO ALSO SEE, UM, MY, MY FORMER EMPLOYER, BANK OF AMERICA GET RECOGNIZED FOR ALL THAT THEY DO, UM, TO SUPPORT, UM, BLACK BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK A SU THANK YOU DILLARD FOR MAKING SURE I WAS ABLE TO, UH, REPRESENT AVONDALE AT THAT EVENT.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, THANK, UM, DR.
HASSAN AS WELL, KENDRA HASSAN, WHO ALWAYS, UH, MAKE SURE THAT I'M ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND BE ENGAGED.
WE HAD A GREAT CONTINGENCY THERE FROM THE, UM, AT THE A SU WEST.
AND, UH, IT WAS A GREAT EVENING.
A LOT'S BEEN SAID, SO I DON'T WANNA REHASH EVERYTHING OR, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST ADD TO THE TIME OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT TRULY THE MVPS OF THE LAST WEEK WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, STAFF, PUBLIC SAFETY, FIRE, UH, POLICE.
I KNOW THE KIDS WERE SO EXCITED TO SEE THE TRUCKS AND SEE, UH, BOTH FIRE TRUCKS, UH, AND THE POLICE VEHICLES OUT THERE AND THE CANINE UNITS, AND THEY WERE JUST SO HAPPY.
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO STAFF, UH, THE TIME THAT IS SPENT.
PARKS AND REC AGAIN, UH, COREY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I COMMUNICATED TO YOU JUST HOW, UH, GRATEFUL I AM FOR, FOR YOUR STAFF AND JUST EVERYBODY WHO'S MADE THIS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING MARTINA AND K HART.
[01:35:05]
THANK YOU.CAN I GET A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT? GOT A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI.
A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, PLEASE VOTE.
EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT MR. MAYOR? OH, HOLD ON.
ALRIGHT, SO AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE ALAMAR COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT BOARD SPECIAL MEETING OF DECEMBER 1ST, 2025.
MARCELLA, CAN WE PLEASE GET ROLL CALL BOARD MEMBER CONDI HERE.
BOARD MEMBER WHITE PRESENT VICE CHAIR NIELSEN.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS WHO WISH TO HAVE AN ITEM REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION? SEEING NONE.
GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA? A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI, PLEASE VOTE.
CAN I PLEASE GET A MOTION? MOTION FOR COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI, PLEASE VOTE.
PLEASE HAVE A SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON.
STAY HEALTHY, BE SAFE, DRIVE HOME SAFE, AND WE'LL SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR.