Mar 08, 2022 City Council Work Session

[1. Call to Order NOTICE OF OPTION TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02, notice is hereby given to the members of the City Council and to the general public that, at this work session, the City Council may vote to go into executive session, which will not be open to the public, for legal advice and discussion with the City’s attorneys for legal advice on any item listed on the following agenda, pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.03(A)(3).]

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WELCOME TODAY'S MARCH 8TH, 2022 FOR A CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION CALLING TO ORDER.

JUST A NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC THAT CITY COUNCIL MAY VOTE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR LEGAL ADVICE ON ANY OF THE AGENDIZED ITEMS. ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

MAYOR DEASY.

HERE. VICE MAYOR DAGGETT.

HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN. PRESENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.

HERE. EXCUSE ME, COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.

PRESENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.

HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET.

HERE. ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET, WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE? IT'D BE MY HONOR.

PLEASE STAND.

VICE MAYOR, WOULD YOU READ OUR MISSION STATEMENT, PLEASE? HAPPY TO DO SO, THANK YOU.

THE MISSION OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL. THANK YOU, AND I THINK I'LL GRAB THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT TODAY.

SO FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE ANCESTRAL HOMELANDS OF THE AREA'S INDIGENOUS NATIONS AND ORIGINAL STEWARDS.

THESE LANDS STILL INHABITED BY NATIVE DESCENDANTS BORDER MOUNTAIN SACRED TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. WE HONOR THEM, THEIR LEGACIES, THEIR TRADITIONS AND THEIR CONTINUED CONTRIBUTIONS. WE CELEBRATE THEIR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS WHO WILL FOREVER KNOW THIS PLACE AS HOME.

[4. Public Participation Public Participation enables the public to address the council about items that are not on the prepared agenda. Public Participation appears on the agenda twice, at the beginning and at the end of the work session. You may speak at one or the other, but not both. Anyone wishing to comment at the meeting is asked to fill out a speaker card and submit it to the recording clerk. When the item comes up on the agenda, your name will be called. You may address the Council up to three times throughout the meeting, including comments made during Public Participation. Please limit your remarks to three minutes per item to allow everyone to have an opportunity to speak. At the discretion of the Chair, ten or more persons present at the meeting and wishing to speak may appoint a representative who may have no more than fifteen minutes to speak.]

MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I HAVE TWO FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

THE FIRST ONE'S GOING TO BE BLAKE SACHA.

BLAKE YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND UNMUTE YOURSELF AND ADDRESS MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR, WE CAN.

GREAT, THANK YOU TO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL STAFF AND MAYOR FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME TODAY.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE MY COMMENTS REGARDING RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

OH, I'M SORRY, BLAKE.

NO, I APOLOGIZE.

WHEN SOMETHING IS ACTUALLY AGENDIZED, YOU CAN'T SPEAK TO IT AT GENERAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. BUT PLEASE CONTINUE TO TUNE IN AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO GIVE YOUR COMMENTS WHEN WE GET TO THAT SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM AND THAT'S JUST RULES AND PROCEDURE, I APOLOGIZE. OK, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE ONE MORE I SEE.

THANKS. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I HAVE DAWN RODRIGUEZ, DAWN RODRIGUEZ, YOU MAY ADDRESS MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

DAWN, YOU'RE CURRENTLY MUTED.

YEAH. THERE IT IS JUMP IN HERE. NEVER HAD THAT HAPPEN BEFORE.

THE MUTE BUTTON WAS GONE ANYWAYS.

MAYOR DEASY, VICE MAYOR DAGGETT AND COUNCIL THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.

IT'S A JOY TO BE HERE EVERY TIME.

THE CITY SHOULD HAVE A TRAINING MANUAL WITH A SECTION ON SANDBAGS CLARIFYING THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW OF THE MATTER.

THE COUNTY MAILED OUT INFORMATION AND ON THE SAME PAGE, THEY SAID TO PUT SANDBAGS AND NOT TO PUT SANDBAGS.

THE COMMUNITY NEEDS DIRECTION FROM TRAINED EMPLOYEES.

EVEN THE CERT FIELD OPERATIONS GUIDE HAS A SECTION ON SANDBAG PLACEMENT.

I HAVE IT HERE. HERE IS A LIST OF QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER FOR THE NEXT UPDATE.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF SANDBAGS? TO SAVE LIVES OR TO SAVE PROPERTY? THESE ARE HONEST QUESTIONS I'M ASKING.

THERE ARE ONLY A COUPLE OF HOUSES THAT NEED SANDBAGS TO SAVE LIVES.

IS SAVING PROPERTY LEGAL IS NOT HELPING WHEN YOU CAN HELP LEGAL, IS IT MORAL OR OTHER LEGAL PROTECTIONS AGAINST BEING MORAL? DID YOU KNOW BARRIERS MORE THAN THREE LAYERS HIGH SHOULD BE LAYERED IN A PYRAMID

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COULD IT BE SAID THAT SANDBAGS ARE CHEAPER? BUT THE CITY IS ENCOURAGING BLOCK FLOOD WALLS SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO PROVIDE THE SANDBAGS? I DON'T KNOW. IS IT TRUE THAT STAFF IS PUSHING SANDBAGS SO HARD BECAUSE THERE CAN STILL BE LAWSUITS FOR THE CITY MESSING UP ON THE ROADS? I DON'T KNOW. IS THERE A COMPROMISE? WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO PUT SANDBAGS BUT NEED TO BE EXCUSED BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO IN AND OUT FOR DISABILITY OR THE BURDEN OF HAVING TO LEAVE SEVERAL TIMES A DAY TO DEAL WITH KIDS AGE OR WORK? WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE AIRBNBS OR ABSENTEE LANDLORDS SO THEY DON'T PUT ANY SANDBAGS ANYWHERE AT ALL? AND THIS CAUSES THEIR NEIGHBORS TO FLOOD? OUR FAMILY HAS DEDICATED OUR LIVES TO VOLUNTEER WORK.

REAL LIFE IS GREAT AND WE CAN'T SURVIVE IN THE REAL WORLD.

THIS MEANS THAT WE WOULD RATHER SACRIFICE OUR LIVES TO SERVE OTHERS RATHER THAN TRY TO REACH GOALS WHERE WE MUST MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON HOW TO MAKE THE MOST MONEY, NO MATTER WHAT THE COST. OUR FAMILY WAS FORCED INTO THIS SITUATION AND HAS NO OTHER OPTION BUT TO HELP. HOW DO WE NOT HELP? WE DON'T HAVE AN OFF BUTTON WHEN WE SET OUR MINDS TO SOMETHING, THOUGH, AS WE HAVE HERE.

THERE ARE NOT MANY PEOPLE WHO KNOW MORE THAN US.

WE ARE JUST TRYING TO CATCH EVERYONE UP.

IF WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE ON THE SAME LEVEL, WE CAN ACT AS A TEAM.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT UNTIL YOU SAY YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT WE JUST DON'T CARE.

WE CANNOT STOP ASKING THESE QUESTIONS.

THIS IS JUST ANOTHER FORM OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DAWN.

YOU BRING UP IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND WE APPRECIATE YOU.

ASSUME THAT'S OUR LAST SPEAKER.

YEP. GREAT.

JUST WANT TO CONFIRM WITH THAT WE WERE DOWN TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS THE

[5. Review of Draft Agenda for the March 15, 2022 City Council Meeting Citizens wishing to speak on agenda items not specifically called out by the City Council may submit a speaker card for their items of interest to the recording clerk.]

MCCARTHY'S GOOD AND ANY COMMENTS QUESTIONS CONCERNED ABOUT NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA COUNCIL? I'M NOT SEEING ANY AT THIS TIME, SO WE WILL MOVE RIGHT ALONG TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX,

[6. Creative Flagstaff (formerly known as Flagstaff Arts Council) Annual Update Presentation by the Creative Flagstaff Director, discuss and provide feedback.]

IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU ALL HERE IN PERSON.

NICE TO SEE YOU ALL AS WELL.

GOOD AFTERNOON, ELIZA KRETZMANN, YOUR BEAUTIFICATION ARTS AND SCIENCES MANAGER HERE AT THE CITY. SO I WANT TO INTRODUCE JONATHAN STONE.

HE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF, FORMERLY FLAGSTAFF ARTS COUNCIL, AS YOU MENTIONED, AND HE'S BEEN THE DIRECTOR THERE SINCE 2019.

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT HAS A COMPETITIVE CONTRACT WITH CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF, AND THIS IS TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP OF THE ART, CULTURE AND SCIENCE NONPROFIT SECTOR.

THEY ALSO DO MANY ACTIVITIES SUCH AS VIOLA AWARDS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND ALSO THE ADMINISTRATION OF GRANTS UTILIZING CITY BBB TAX FUNDS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE GO TO ABOUT 40 LOCAL NONPROFITS ANNUALLY, SO JONATHAN WILL BE SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT THESE ACTIVITIES AND OTHERS.

AND I WANT TO ALSO MENTION THAT THE CITY HAS HAD A CONTRACT WITH THIS ORGANIZATION FOR ABOUT TWO DECADES NOW, SO WE HAVE A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, AND I NOW TURN IT OVER TO JONATHAN STONE.

GOOD EVENING WELL AFTERNOON, YOU GUYS START EARLY FOR YOUR MEETING, SO I APPRECIATE THAT IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WORKDAY.

MAYOR VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.

IT'S BEEN A LITTLE OVER A YEAR SINCE WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU GUYS.

APPARENTLY TIME` FLIES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN, I GUESS.

BUT SO I UNDERSTAND I HAVE ABOUT 15 MINUTES WHEN I PUT A TIMER HERE, SO I DON'T LOSE TRACK OF MYSELF.

AND AS ELIZA MENTIONED, MY NAME IS JONATHAN STONE AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF. JUST A POINT OF CLARITY.

WE ARE STILL LEGALLY FLAGSTAFF ARTS COUNCIL, SO YOU MAY STILL HEAR THOSE WORDS UTTERED ON OCCASION THAT WE DO BUSINESS AS CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF.

AND SO I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION SINCE I KNOW WE HAVE NEW MEMBERS. A BIT ABOUT RECOVERING FROM THE PANDEMIC FOR US AND FOR OTHERS IN THE SECTOR, AS WELL AS OUR NEW BRAND AND STRATEGIC PLAN.

WE TALKED TO YOU BACK IN 2020 SORRY 2021, ABOUT 2020.

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SO CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF IS FOUNDED AS A PARTNERSHIP, THE CITY IS A FOUNDING PARTNER OF OUR ORGANIZATION.

BUT WE WERE INITIALLY BILLED AS A UNITED WAY FOR THE ARTS.

AND AS YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR CONTRACT WITH YOU, WE'RE THE OFFICIAL ARTS, CULTURAL AND SCIENCE AGENCY FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF, AS WELL AS ADMINISTERING THE BBB ART AND SCIENCE FUND. THE OTHER MAJOR PROJECT UNDER OUR BELT CURRENTLY IS THAT WE OPERATE THE COCONINO CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN PARTNERSHIP OR WITH THROUGH A LEASE WITH THE COUNTY.

SO THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES TO AFFECT THE SECTOR IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE A FEW EXAMPLES OF THAT JUST TO KIND OF CENTER THIS IDEA THAT THE PANDEMIC IS STILL HERE.

IT'S REALLY WEIRD TO BE STANDING HERE WITHOUT A MASK.

YOU KNOW, I'M LEARNING, I GUESS, AS WE MOVE ON.

BUT FOR EXAMPLE, THE MUSEUM IN NORTHERN ARIZONA IS STILL AT 50 PERCENT OF PRE-PANDEMIC ADMISSIONS. THE ORPHEUM THEATER, A FOR PROFIT CULTURAL SECTOR MEMBER ONLY RECENTLY SUCCESSFULLY RECEIVED SHUTTERED VENUES, GRANTS AN IMPORTANT LIFELINE FOR THAT VENUE.

AND IF WE LOOK NATIONALLY THROUGH DECEMBER OF 2021, THE TOTAL LOSSES FOR THE ARTS AND INDUSTRY, THE NONPROFIT PERFORMING ARTS INDUSTRY WAS ABOUT 3.2 BILLION.

AND THEN PERSONALLY, IN TERMS OF OUR WORK AT THE COCONINO CENTER FOR THE ARTS, WE CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT REDUCED ATTENDANCE FOR CONCERTS AS WELL AS EVENTS, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO SIGNIFICANT REDUCED REVENUES.

ONLY RECENTLY HAVE WE ALLOWED OURSELVES TO GO TO FULL CAPACITY.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE SELLING FULL CAPACITY ANYMORE OR HAVING AS FREQUENT EVENTS AS WE USED TO. SO WITH THAT, THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL STIMULUS THAT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY CRITICAL TO KEEPING THE CULTURAL SECTOR ALIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT THE COUNCIL HAS GIVEN.

BUT AS WELL AS TO SUPPORT THAT OTHER AGENCIES HAVE GIVEN TO HELP PRESERVE OUR SECTOR.

AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY PANDEMIC RELATED LOSSES OF NONPROFITS IN THE SECTOR. A REMINDER YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THIS BEFORE, THE NONPROFIT CULTURAL SECTOR IN FLAGSTAFF HAS $90 MILLION DOLLARS OF ECONOMIC IMPACT, AS STUDIED THROUGH THE ARTS AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY STUDY.

WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN A STATEWIDE UPDATE OF THAT STARTING IN MAY.

I BELIEVE IT IS, WHICH WILL INCLUDE INTERCEPT SURVEYS, FINANCIAL RESEARCH AND IMPACT MODELING. SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO TOUT NEW NUMBERS AS TO WHATEVER THAT IS.

HOPEFULLY IT'S GROWN, BUT WE ARE ALSO TAKING THIS ON THE TAIL END OF THE PANDEMIC.

WE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED OUR NEW BRAND, MANY OF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO ATTEND THE VOILA AWARDS, SO I WON'T BELABOR IT, BUT WITH CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF REALLY IS WHAT WE BELIEVE EMBODIES A MOVEMENT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

IT ALSO EMBODIES THIS IDEA OF INTERSECTION AND CONVERGENCE OF ART, SCIENCE AND CULTURE.

AND SO WHEN I FIRST STARTED HERE, I WAS ASKED BY STAFF AND ASKED BY COUNCIL, WHAT ABOUT SCIENCE? IS THE ART AND SCIENCE FUND WHY ARE WE WEAVING THESE THINGS TOGETHER IN MEANINGFUL AND INTENTIONAL WAYS.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF.

AND SO WITH THAT, WE LAUNCHED A NEW WEBSITE.

IT'S STORY FOCUSED AND WE'RE STARTING TO PUT TOGETHER CONTENT IDEAS.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CONTENT, IT'S ABOUT LEARNING TOGETHER AND USING THE OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE AND CULTIVATE THAT CONTENT TO BUILD THOUGHT LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE CULTURAL SECTOR. AND, OF COURSE, INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE GRANT PROGRAMS THAT WE ADMINISTER ON YOUR BEHALF AND OTHER RESOURCES, INCLUDING ARTISTS, JOBS AND DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT OUR AGENCY.

SO WE'RE STRIVING TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, AND I HOPE THAT THAT WEBSITE REFLECTS THAT INTENT.

WITH OUR NEW NAME, IN JUNE, WE UNVEILED OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH IS ABOUT A FIVE TO SEVEN YEAR TIME FRAME, WHO KNOWS HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE? I'VE STARTED, I'VE LEARNED NOW WITH THE PANDEMIC THAT NOTHING IS CERTAIN AND THINGS WILL TAKE THE TIME THEY TAKE, BUT IT'S BASED ON THREE PHASES.

AND SO WE'RE IN PHASE ONE NOW AND THAT IS THE COLLABORATIVE WHAT WE'RE CALLING COLLABORATIVE INVESTMENT INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF OUR ORGANIZATION TO SERVE THE SECTOR, HELPING THE SECTOR ITSELF BUILD ITS CAPACITY.

AND THEN WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FESTIVAL AS IT MOVES INTO PHASE TWO.

SO OUR ACTION PLAN FOR THIS YEAR IS SOME OF THAT FOUNDATIONAL WORK WORKING ON OUR BOARD DEVELOPMENT, FINALIZING THE CONCEPT FOR THE ARTS AND IDEAS FESTIVAL, AND THEN DEVELOPING A DIGITAL RESOURCE AND EDUCATION CENTER, WHICH I'LL EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT IN MORE DETAIL.

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AND IN 2021, JUST FOR EXAMPLE, THE TOTAL BBB FUNDS SUPPORTING OUR WORK AND THE WORK THROUGH US TO OTHERS WAS FIVE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND IN THE TWENTY TWO IT WAS FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT THOUSAND.

AND WE'RE ALSO REALLY THANKFUL I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS CONSIDERATION FOR ARPA FUNDS THAT COULD BE POSSIBLY PASSED THROUGH TO SUPPORT THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND IN HELPING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

YOU'LL NOTICE IN OUR CURRENT YEAR THAT THE GRAY BARS KIND OF EXTEND OFF TO THE SIDE MORE THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT, AND THAT'S JUST PARTIALLY A FACTOR OF TIMING IN TERMS OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF SIGNIFICANT GRANTS.

ONE WAS THE SHUTTERED VENUES GRANT, AS WELL AS THE OTHER BEING THE THOMA FOUNDATION GRANT, WHICH IS SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF THE DIGITAL RESOURCE CENTER.

SO THOSE ARE REALLY NICE TO HAVE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HOLD ON TO THOSE DOLLARS AND USE THEM WISELY AND SPEND THEM ACCORDING TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THOSE DIFFERENT RESOURCES.

SO GRANT MAKING IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU, AND I WANT TO TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS. SO WE THINK OF GRANTS IN SORT OF THREE DIFFERENT BUCKETS.

GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT, WHICH IS A CYCLE THAT'S OPEN NOW.

SO IF ANYONE IS WATCHING THIS ONLINE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE TOMORROW NIGHT IS OUR LAST FINAL WORKSHOP WHERE YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT PROGRAM, BUT THAT PROVIDES GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT TO ELIGIBLE CULTURAL SECTOR NONPROFITS AND IS KIND OF A BASELINE TO PASS THROUGH THOSE FUNDS TO THEM.

THEN THEN WE THINK ABOUT OTHER PROJECT BASED GRANTS, AND SO CAPACITY AND INNOVATION IS SORT OF OUR REGULAR RECURRING GRANT PROGRAM.

AND SO THOSE ARE BASICALLY PROJECT BASED DOLLARS, EITHER TO ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF AN ORGANIZATION TO DO MORE WORK AND BETTER WORK AND SERVE MORE OF THEIR MISSION.

AND THEN OR INNOVATION SORRY MY TIMER WENT AWAY OR INNOVATION.

SO ARE THEY TRYING SOMETHING NEW THAT THEY MAY OTHERWISE NOT BE ABLE TO TRY IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THOSE GRANT RESOURCES? AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS A SPECIAL GRANT PROGRAMS, AND THERE'S BEEN A FEW EXAMPLES OF THAT OVER THE YEARS, ONE OF WHICH IS THE THE COVID RELIEF GRANTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE WITH YOUR SUPPORT AND OTHERS, AS WELL AS WHAT WE CALL THE COVID COLLABORATION GRANTS, WHICH WE GAVE OUT IN THE FALL OF 2020, WHICH RESULTED IN SOME PRETTY, INTERESTING PROJECTS THAT I THINK REALLY EXEMPLIFIED THIS IDEA OF COMING TOGETHER TO BE RESILIENT TOGETHER AND THESE SORT OF INTERDISCIPLINARY AND CROSS-DISCIPLINARY RELATIONSHIPS.

SO JUST FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC, THESE ARE SOME OF THE RECENT GRANTEES THAT WE HAVE SUPPORTED. SO SINCE JUNE OF 2021, FORTY FOUR GRANTEES HAVE RECEIVED NINETY ONE AWARDS TOTALING JUST UNDER SEVEN HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND MOST OF THAT WAS BBB FUNDS. HOWEVER, THERE WERE SOME OTHER FUNDS IN THERE AS WELL.

WE RECENTLY ADOPTED SOME CHANGES TO OUR GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT, AND ONE OF THOSE IS THAT WE'RE MOVING TO A TWO YEAR CYCLE.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE NOT CHECKING IN WITH THEM EVERY YEAR, AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE TELLING THEM WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET FOR THE SECOND YEAR.

BUT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF GRANT APPLYING AND SHIFT THAT BURDEN TO OTHER MEANS OF ENGAGEMENT, TO IMPROVE AND TO STRENGTHEN THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE SUPPORT. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE AWARDED A TWO YEAR GRANT, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T HEAR FROM YOU THAT YEAR.

THAT MEANS WE'RE ACTUALLY EXPECTING YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER THINGS AS PART OF AN OBLIGATION OF THOSE TWO YEAR FUNDS.

WE STREAMLINED THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'VE MADE IT EASIER.

IT JUST MEANS WE MADE IT SIMPLER, MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME WE'RE ATTEMPTING.

WE'RE TRYING THIS IDEA OF A VIDEO SUBMISSION FOR OUR SMALLEST ORGANIZATIONS AS A PILOT TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT A VIDEO.

AND WHAT WE FOUND IS IS THAT LEVEL ONE, THESE ARE BABY NONPROFITS, YOU KNOW, WITH BUDGETS UNDER TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND, THAT SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT VOLUNTEER FOR THEM ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE BETTER BY SPEAKING, NOT NECESSARILY BY WRITING.

AND SO WE WANT TO GIVE THEM THOSE TOOLS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

AND LIKE I SAID, PARTICIPATION IN TRAINING OR MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS WE'RE SEEKING NON SCORED FEEDBACK ON THESE APPLICATIONS SO THAT WE CAN BETTER TAILOR THE TRAINING AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE PROVIDE FOR THEM.

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SO JUST A COUPLE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS.

I THINK I'M ON TIME HERE.

YES, I AM. ARTS AND IDEAS FESTIVAL IS ONE THAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT RESPONSIVE TRAINING. I'M SORT OF ALLUDING TO AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT.

AND THEN THE DIGITAL RESOURCE CENTER.

FIRST IS THIS IDEA OF ARTS AND IDEAS, IT ALSO KIND OF COMES ALONG THIS IDEA OF CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF. NOW YOU GUYS HAVE THE ARTS AND SCIENCE FUND IN YOUR CONTRACT THAT YOU CALL AS THE ART SCIENCE AND CULTURAL AGENCY.

AND SO WE'RE LIKE, WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN, WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO TO SHEPHERD AND TO BE CO SUPPORTERS OF ADVANCING THIS IN OUR COMMUNITY? AND SO WE SORT OF ABSTRACTED ART AND SCIENCE UP INTO ARTS AND IDEAS IN GENERAL.

AND SO THAT'S KIND OF FLOWING THROUGH HOW WE THINK ABOUT ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. AND THIS SLIDE SORT OF SPEAKS TO HOW THAT CAN JUST THAT CONTINUATION CAN HAPPEN.

AND SO ONE OF THE MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE PURSUING IS WHAT'S CALLED THE DARK SKY ARTS AND IDEAS FESTIVAL, AND THIS IS INITIALLY INTENDED TO POTENTIALLY HAPPEN IN 2023.

HOWEVER, I'M LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR AND REALIZING THAT 2023 IS VERY CLOSE FOR THIS KIND OF EVENT TO HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY AT THE SCALE AND IMPACT THAT WE WANTED TO HAVE.

AND SO WE'LL LET KIND OF THE FUNDING AND THE INVESTMENT KIND OF DRIVE WHEN THIS ACTUALLY SHOULD HAPPEN. BUT WE EXPECT TO BE LAUNCHING PROGRAMING RELATED TO THIS AT THE VERY LEAST IN 2023.

AND THIS FESTIVAL IS A MASSIVE, WHAT WE'RE CALLING A MASSIVE COLLABORATIVE MULTI VENUE INTERDISCIPLINARY FESTIVAL.

IMAGINE YOU'RE COMING TO FLAGSTAFF AND YOU CANNOT ESCAPE THIS IDEA THAT FLAGSTAFF IS A CREATIVE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE EXPLORING GAMIFICATION OR INTERACTIVITY TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO INTERACT WITH THE FESTIVAL ENTRIES AND CONTENT.

AND LASTLY, IT'S A BIT OF EVERYTHING.

AGAIN, THIS IDEA OF CREATIVITY EVERYWHERE.

SO VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS, CREATIVE PLACEMAKING AND THEN ULTIMATELY DISCOVERY AND IDEAS. AND SO IMAGINE YOU CAN HAVE THINGS FROM THE PURE ART EXPERIENCE TO THE PURE IDEA EXPERIENCE. THE REAL SWEET SPOT IS WHEN THEY THEY OVERLAP AND INTERACT.

AND WHY ARE WE DOING A FESTIVAL? WELL, WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF STUDIES AND RESEARCH OVER THE MORE RECENT YEARS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF TOOL BUILDING NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR OUR SECTOR TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND THRIVE.

AND WE SEE THE FESTIVAL ITSELF AS IN ITSELF AS A MASSIVE COLLABORATIVE PROJECT THAT FOCUSES THIS PHILANTHROPY AND CORPORATE SUPPORT IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY DOESN'T CANNIBALIZE THOSE BUT ATTRACTS THOSE TO THE CULTURAL SECTOR IN A WAY THAT WE CAN THEN, HOPEFULLY RIPPLES OUT AND BUILDS INVESTMENT IN THAT.

BUT ALSO, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY SEES AS PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY, THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY FURTHER IDENTIFIES THIS IDEA OF BEING A CREATIVE CITY.

THE SECOND PROGRAM I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS RESPONSIVE TRAINING AND INDUSTRY EVENTS, SO NOW THAT WE'RE KIND OF EASING UP AND STARTING TO GO MORE BACK TO NORMAL, WE'RE BUDGETING FOR TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES BASED ON SECTOR INPUT.

AND IT'S ALSO THIS IDEA THAT WHENEVER WE GATHER, WE LEARN SO WE CAN SOCIALIZE.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LEARN SOMETHING EITHER FROM EACH OTHER OR FROM INVITED PRESENTERS.

THE THIRD PROGRAM I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE PLANNED DIGITAL RESOURCE AND EDUCATION CENTER, SO ACTUALLY VICE MAYOR DAGGETT WAS PARTICIPATING IN VITAL RECORDING THIS SUNDAY, AND I BUMPED INTO HER AND I GAVE HER A BRIEF TOUR OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

BUT WE'RE MOVING SOME DOORS AND UPGRADING FINISHES AND PUTTING A NEW LIGHTING AND BASICALLY TO CREATE MORE FUNCTIONAL SPACE AT THE RESOURCE CENTER.

SO WE HAD WHAT WAS A KITCHEN, THEY CALLED IT, BUT THERE WAS NO SINK AND THERE WAS NO STOVE. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF KITCHEN THAT IS.

AND WE'RE REPURPOSING THAT INTO A NEW GREEN ROOM AN COLLABORATION SPACE.

AND THEN WHAT WAS THE GREEN ROOM AS AN OFFICE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH, BUT BASICALLY MAKING PARTS OF THIS ABOUT A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF THE FACILITY A BIT MORE FUNCTIONAL? AND THIS PROGRAM INCORPORATES WORKSHOPS, EDUCATION AND MENTORSHIP, A DIGITAL MAKER SPACE AND A LENDING LIBRARY.

AND SO JUST LAST NIGHT, WE HAD OUR FIRST COHORT KICK OFF WITH ABOUT EIGHT DIFFERENT NON-PROFITS PARTICIPATING, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING 10 WEEKS OF TRAINING TO CREATE A SHORT VIDEO ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEIR ORGANIZATION DOES.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING ON THOSE SKILL SETS AND THERE'S OTHER WORKSHOPS THAT WE'RE PLANNING AND LAUNCHING AS WELL.

SO ULTIMATELY, WHEN THIS PROGRAM REACHES SCALE, YOU CAN IMAGINE PEOPLE USING THE SPACE TO CREATE DIGITAL PROJECTS.

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AND THEN AS WE BUILD THE LIBRARY, WE'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO LEND OUT EQUIPMENT TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO I WENT OVER ABOUT FORTY FIVE SECONDS.

BUT ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, JONATHAN.

COUNCIL QUESTIONS.

YEAH COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET.

THANK YOU. GREAT JOB, I SPENT SOME TIME ON THE WEBSITE, IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND I'M WONDERING WITH THE PANDEMIC ART WALK KIND OF TOOK A HIT.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS ON REVITALIZING THAT EVENT? YES. SO THE ART WALK, YOU KNOW, IS AN INTERESTING EXAMPLE OF HOW THE PANDEMIC AFFECTS PROGRAMING, ESPECIALLY PROGRAMING THAT INVOLVES SO MANY STAKEHOLDERS.

AND SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AT ANY ONE TIME WHERE WE HAD ANY, ALL THE REASONS WHY, BUT WE HAD BUSINESSES THAT WERE NOT NECESSARILY WILLING TO OR WANTING TO OPEN UP FOR LARGE CROWDS OF PEOPLE.

WE'RE WANTING TO ALSO KIND OF LIKE, HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE WHAT WE WERE AT THE TIME CALLING ART WALK ALL MONTH LONG? RIGHT. AND SO KIND OF KEEP THE MESSAGING OUT THERE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY CONCENTRATE PEOPLE IN SMALL SPACES.

AND SO THAT SEEMS TO BE EMERGING NOW IN TERMS OF WE'RE KIND OF COMING OUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT. HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ALLIANCE TO HELP MAKE THE ART WALK STRONGER.

AND ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TOWARDS THE SUMMER AND WHEN WE START TO DO OUTDOOR PROGRAMING AGAIN, IS THAT BEING MORE INTENTIONAL? AND IN FACT, WE RECENTLY APPLIED FOR A GRANT TO SUPPORT THREE PILOT PROJECTS THAT WOULD AND HOPEFULLY IT'S AWARDED.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT.

BUT THOSE THREE PILOT PROJECTS WOULD PAY ARTISTS TO CREATE SORT OF EXPERIENCES THAT WOULD BE LAUNCHED AT ART WALK, WHETHER THAT'S LIKE A SCAVENGER HUNT OR SOME KIND OF ACTIVATION IN HERITAGE SQUARE.

SO WE'RE STARTING TO THINK BEYOND KIND OF WHAT ART WALK USED TO BE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND WITH THE INTENTION OF MAKING IT A MUCH MORE VIBRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY.

EXCELLENT. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO NOTE, I REALLY LIKE HOW YOU ARE DOING THE VIDEO SUBMISSIONS NOW.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA TO BE MUCH MORE INCLUSIVE, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE SMALLER GRANTS WHERE PEOPLE MAY NOT BE FAMILIARIZED WITH THE PROCESS.

SO I'M GLAD THAT THAT'S OPENING UP MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME OF OUR LOCAL ARTISTS AND INDIVIDUALS WANTING TO GET INVOLVED IN THE SECTOR.

SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, AND I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI HAS A QUESTION.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, JONATHAN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS IS INCREDIBLE, JUST REALLY EXCITING, IT'S EXCITING TO HEAR ABOUT AND LEARN ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT EFFORTS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN ON RIGHT NOW.

I THINK I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS AN A QUESTION.

SO GRATEFUL ABOUT THE ZERO LOSSES THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC THAT THIS IS GREAT NEWS AND I LOVE THE FOCUS ON STORYTELLING.

I'M REALLY EXCITED TO EXPLORE THAT MYSELF.

I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO I KNOW THAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN SPEAKS TO EQUITY AND DIVERSITY. HOW ARE WE EMBRACING THOSE TWO TOPICS HERE IN OUR EFFORTS? AND ARE THERE AREAS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE UPON THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON? YES, A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE A FURTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT MORE OF THEM, BUT ONE IS BOARD DEVELOPMENT AND OUR BOARD, AS RECENTLY AS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, EXPRESSED ITS INTENT TO DO AN OPEN CALL FOR BOARD MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE'LL BE MUCH MORE PUBLICIZING THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN OUR BOARD AND OTHER LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF.

WE HAD SORT OF INTENTIONALLY KIND OF PAUSED A RECRUITMENT FOR THE BOARD OR IN TERMS OF LIKE TRYING TO FILL AS MANY SEATS AS WE CAN WHILE WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORT BECAUSE WE WANTED TO USE THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO HELP GUIDE RECRUITMENT TO SUPPORT THAT WORK.

AND SO BOARD DEVELOPMENT IS ONE EXAMPLE.

THE SECOND IS HOW WE THINK ABOUT ALL OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMING, AND ONE WAY THAT WE'RE INTENDING TO DO THAT IS THROUGH THOSE RESPONSIVE TRAININGS.

AND ONE OF THOSE WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED IS TO DO KIND OF LIKE A THREE MONTH, I DON'T

[00:30:08]

AND SO THAT'S JUST NOW BEGINNING TO BE FORMED IN TERMS OF WHEN THAT MIGHT BE SCHEDULED.

BUT WE HOPE THAT THAT WILL BE A COLLABORATIVE, COMMUNITY DRIVEN EFFORT TO AGAIN LEARN TOGETHER. AND SO I WISH I COULD SAY WE'VE DONE IT, YOU KNOW, BUT WHEN WE ADOPTED THIS ALREADY, BUT WHEN WE ADOPTED THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WE ALSO THOUGHT WE WERE COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC. AND SO WE KIND OF PUT A PAUSE ON TRYING TO ORGANIZE THOSE A LITTLE BIT UNTIL WE COULD GATHER PEOPLE IN PERSON AGAIN.

AND SO NOW THAT THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S GOING TO BE MORE OF A POSSIBILITY, WE'RE KIND OF PICKING BACK UP ON THAT PROGRAM TYPE THAT WE THINK WILL SPEAK TO THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, AND YOU KNOW.

YEAH, THIS IS AN AREA THAT I THINK COMES UP A LOT IN OUR WORK, AND I JUST THINK THAT WE HAVE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL CULTURE HERE IN NORTHERN ARIZONA AND OUR HISTORY IS SO RICH AND THERE'S SO MANY NEEDS AROUND EQUITY AND DIVERSITY, YET STILL.

SO I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR THAT MAYBE EVEN, YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO GET MAYBE A LITTLE NOTIFICATION THAT OPENING IS BEING RECRUITED FOR, AND I'D HELP SPREAD THE WORD AS WELL, BUT VERY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PLANS, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEM.

THANK YOU. GREAT.

AND I'LL JUST ADD, IF YOU ALL HAVEN'T SEEN THE FINALISTS FOR THE VIOLA AWARDS THEY WERE ANNOUNCED ON SUNDAY.

I DON'T HAVE ANY STATISTICS, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST DIVERSE GROUP OF FINALISTS THAT WE'VE EVER HAD.

AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT I THINK WE ACCOMPLISH THAT IS BY CONVENING A GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO KIND OF HAVE AN OPEN DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VIOLA AWARDS FOR THE NEXT DECADE? AND OUT OF THAT CAME SEVERAL ENHANCEMENTS, LET'S SAY, TO THE VIOLA AWARDS PROCESS.

AND IN THAT WE ALSO DID AN OPEN CALL FOR PANELISTS IN A WAY THAT WE'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE.

AND WE ENDED UP WITH THE MOST ENGAGED AND LIKE IT WAS KIND OF HALF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED AS PANELS BEFORE AND HALF NEW PEOPLE.

BUT THE ENERGY AND THE INTENTION AND THE FOCUS THEY PUT ON THAT PROCESS, I THINK, LED TO THE RESULTS THAT WE HAD IN THE FINALISTS THAT YOU SEE BEING HONORED THIS YEAR.

SO DEI AND ALL THE LIKE IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO THE WORK THAT WE DO.

EXCELLENT. COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, A QUESTION TO MR. STONE AND A QUESTION FOR STAFF, BUT BEFORE ALL OF THAT, I WOULD LOVE TO GIVE YOU BIG GRATEFUL HEARTS. YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED IN BREATHING LIFE TO CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF.

MY FIRST QUESTION IS, ARE THERE EFFORTS IN ENGAGING REGIONAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS OR LIKE THE STEAM EVENT, I REMEMBER THERE WAS THIS STAMP CITY BIG EVENT, IT USED TO BE HELD AT THE DOME, AND NOW I THINK I SAW SOME EVENT ON FACEBOOK. IT'S NOW BEING HELD AT FORT TUTHILL , BUT I'M LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP THAT WHERE IN CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF CAN BE A MAJOR PARTNER AND STAKEHOLDER IN THAT REGIONAL STEAM OR STEM CITY EFFORT.

AND ACTUALLY, I THINK IT WAS MAYOR DEASY THAT INTRODUCED ME TO THE EFFORT THAT'S COMING OUT OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, AND SO I PARTICIPATED IN SOME INITIAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM. WE ARE, OF COURSE, EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF FLAGSTAFF.

I THINK I CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY BOARD.

IF I INTERPRET WHAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN INTENDS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, FLAGSTAFF IF WE INTEND TO BE KNOWN AS ONE OF THE SOUTHWEST MOST CREATIVE CITIES, THIS IDEA OF BEING A STEAM OR STEM HUB REALLY, REALLY PLAYS INTO THAT QUITE WELL.

AND WITH RESPECT TO STEM CITY AND THOSE PREVIOUS EFFORTS AND THE ONGOING EFFORTS OF THE STEM CITY ORGANIZATION, WE HAVE FUNDED STEM CITY IN THE PAST.

AND I DO KNOW THAT THEY ARE PARTICIPATING AT LEAST HAVE ATTENDED THE FUNDING WORKSHOP FOR THIS YEAR. SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN RESTORE INVESTMENT IN THEIR EFFORTS.

[00:35:02]

SO I CAN'T SAY SPECIFICALLY EXACTLY HOW YOU KNOW, BUT I DO EXPECT MYSELF, MY STAFF AND MY BOARD TO BE REGULAR PARTICIPANTS IN THE STEM STEAM HUB CONVERSATION, WHATEVER IT WAS CALLED. OK, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. YOU MAY BE AWARE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DEVELOPING THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR, AND I TRUST THAT YOU ARE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY INVESTMENT STAFF.

IF THERE ARE ANY BUDGETARY REQUESTS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO PUT FORTH PLEASE WORK WITH OUR STAFF. AND THEN THIS MAY BE A QUESTION APPROPRIATE TO BE ANSWERED BY CITY MANAGER OR OUR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT DIRECTOR, I'M JUST RECALLING THAT WE HAVE ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND IN ALLOCATION FROM OUR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUND, WHICH WOULD DIRECTLY AID NONPROFITS IN ARTS AND SCIENCES.

AND I HOPE YOU'LL BE INVOLVED WITH THAT PROCESS AS WELL, BUT I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATION ASPECT OF THAT GRANT PROCESS FOR ARTS AND SCIENCES FOR ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, AS WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION MY GUESS IS THAT SOMEWHERE RICK TADDER IS SCRAMBLING TO TRY TO FIND THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.

I DO KNOW THAT IN ADDITION TO THE GRANT ALLOCATION THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF, THERE'S ALSO COUNCIL'S DIRECTION TO PURSUE A FACILITY, POTENTIALLY IN THE SUNNYSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT COULD SERVE FOR STEAM EDUCATION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS.

SO THERE'S THAT IN ADDITION, AND THAT IS, I BELIEVE, A $350,000 DOLLAR ALLOCATION.

BUT IF MR. TADDER IS AVAILABLE AND IF YOU HAVE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS RICK TADDER, THE INFORMATION REGARDING ARPA AS COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS MADE REFERENCE TO THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

THANKS. I ACTUALLY HAVE IT IN FRONT OF MR. CLIFTON, SO IT'S ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND TO AID TO NONPROFIT SPECIFIC TO ARTS AND SCIENCES. EDUCATION ASSISTANCE, EARLY LEARNING, TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND.

AND EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FACILITY CONSTRUCTION FOR EDUCATION PROGRAMS. MY QUESTION IS SPECIFIC TO THE, I GUESS THE HOW DO WE DISPERSE THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND GRANTS? WHO IS MANAGING THE GRANT? I'M HOPING CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF IS INVOLVED IN THAT GRANT PROCESS SPECIFIC TO ARTS AND SCIENCES AT ONE FIFTY THOUSAND.

WE'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH CITY STAFF ABOUT THAT, SO WE HOPE THAT TOO.

THANK YOU. I DO SEE SOMEBODY'S GOT THEIR HAND UP.

YEAH. YEAH, I DO SEE MS. HANSEN ONLINE AS WELL.

BUT MR. [INAUDIBLE], I'D BE HAPPY TO DEFER TO [INAUDIBLE].

ALL RIGHT. I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH ANYTHING ELSE I CAN ADD.

HEIDI IF YOU I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THE ANSWER.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO HELP OUT.

AND THEN JONATHAN DID ALREADY SHARE A LITTLE INFORMATION.

GO AHEAD. YEAH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH GRANTS AND CONTRACTS, STACEY BRECHLER-KNAGGS TEAM THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GUIDING MUCH OF THIS FEDERAL FUNDING.

WE HAVE, AS MENTIONED, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN CONVERSATIONS WITH CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF ABOUT THAT. I DO BELIEVE SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS ARE ABOUT WHETHER IT CAN FUNCTION THROUGH THEIR SPECIFIC PROCESS OR WHETHER WE HAVE TO ASK THEM TO DO A SPECIAL PROCESS.

THERE ARE SOME COMPETITIVE GRANT GUIDELINES THAT I THINK WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH, BUT WITH A NONPROFIT SUCH AS CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF THAT ALREADY HAS THESE PIECES IN PLACE, I THINK WE'RE ALL HOPING THAT THAT MIGHT BE THE EASIEST WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND I SEE SBK ON THE LINE TO FURTHER CLARIFY.

YEAH, HI I JUST THOUGHT I'D, GO AHEAD AND JUMP ON.

AND WE HAD A GREAT MEETING WITH JONATHAN, HI, JONATHAN, ABOUT INITIALLY ALLOCATING THESE FUNDS TO CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF.

WE WILL BE COMING TO THE COUNCIL WITH AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT WITH CREATIVE FLAGSTAFF THAT WILL ALLOCATE THE FUNDS PLUS AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE.

[00:40:04]

AND THEN WE'LL START WORKING WITH PROPOSALS, DRAFT PROPOSALS WITH JONATHAN TO GET THIS OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

SO I WOULD HOPE HOPEFULLY THIS SPRING AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. I'M NOT SEEING ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I DO BELIEVE, MS. HANSEN HAD A QUESTION A LITTLE EARLIER BEFORE COUNCIL HAD COMPLETED.

MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, HEIDI HANSEN, INTERIM DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.

JONATHAN, MY QUESTION FOR YOU, I WAS INTRIGUED ABOUT THE GREEN ROOM THAT YOU WERE SHARING.

AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK, IS THE GREEN ROOM GOING TO BE FOR THE ABILITY TO DO VIDEO? IF YOU NEED TO DO VIDEO ON SITE AND YOU NEED TO CREATE THAT ENVIRONMENT THAT A GREEN ROOM, IS THAT WHAT THE GREEN ROOM PROJECT IS ABOUT? IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IN SORT OF PERFORMING ARTS CENTER PARLANCE, IT ALSO MEANS SOMETHING ELSE. AND SO IT WILL SERVE AS A GREEN ROOM, MEANING THE TALENT ROOM FOR THE THEATER. BUT IN THE INTEREST OF EXTREME FLEXIBILITY, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH SPACE, IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE TO PUT UP A GREEN SCREEN AND DO SOME GREEN SCREEN WORK.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT WE'RE WE'RE SAYING IS, IS THAT CCA IT'S A THEATER WHEN PEOPLE ARE SITTING THERE WATCHING SHOWS, IT'S A CLASSROOM WHEN PEOPLE ARE SITTING THERE LEARNING SOMETHING AND IT'S A DANCE FLOOR WHEN YOU KNOW IT, JUST IT ALL DEPENDS.

BUT YES, WE HOPE TO HAVE SOME GREEN SCREEN ABILITY WE'VE PURCHASED FOUR MIRRORLESS DSLR CAMERAS AND LIGHTING AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF THAT WILL SUPPORT THOSE KINDS OF FUNCTIONS. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION AND EXCITED TO HEAR AS IT PROGRESSES BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT TYPE OF ABILITY.

SO THAT'S THANKS FOR LETTING ME ASK THE QUESTION, MAYOR.

THANK YOU. AND WITH THAT, I AM NOT SEEING ANY OTHER C'S AND Q'S.

YEAH, GO FOR IT.

YEAH, ONE LAST ONE. I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE MR. STONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ANNOUNCE TO OUR PUBLIC THE SHOWS AND PROGRAMING COMING UP AT THE CENTER COCONINO CENTER FOR THE ARTS.

OH, SURE. THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER.

I GET SO CAUGHT UP IN SOME OF THE LARGER THINGS.

THERE'S SOME OF THE DAY TO DAY STUFF THAT WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY GREAT TO SHARE.

SO JUST THIS SATURDAY, WE HAD YOUTH ART OPEN AT THE COCONINO CENTER FOR THE ARTS, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE LIKE FOUR HUNDRED K-TO-12 ARTWORKS IN THERE.

AND LET ME TELL YOU, IT'S A LOT TO HANG UP ALL THAT WORK.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A BATTLE OF THE BANDS.

SO THE FIRST EVER ON SATURDAY AND I HAD FOUR BANDS PARTICIPATE IN THAT ACTIVITY RELATED TO YOUTH ARTS. SO THERE'S ADDITIONAL PROGRAMING.

IT'S GOING TO BE AROUND YOUTH ART, INCLUDING A PRINTMAKING WORKSHOP, AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHERS THAT ARE ON OUR THE COCONINO CENTER FOR THE ARTS WEBSITE, WHICH THERE IS A SEPARATE WEBSITE NOW FOR CCA.

AND I THINK WE ALSO HAVE A CONCERT THIS FRIDAY.

SORRY, SATURDAY FOR DOM FLEMONS.

AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE ON ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL.

SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE PRINTED THE LIST, BUT NEVERTHELESS OUR WEBSITE IS CREATIVEFLAGSTAFF.

ORG WHICH WE FIND SORT OF MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LARGER AGENCIES WORK AND THEN CC AFLAGSTAFF.ORG HAS THE CALENDAR OF EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE CENTER.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'M NOT SEEING ANY OTHER C'S AND Q'S IN THE CHAT BOX OVER HERE, SO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, THE UPDATE AND LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS COMING AHEAD.

GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[7. Ranked Choice Voting Discussion and Considerations Discussion]

APOLOGIES, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IT LOOKS LIKE MY FILE GOT MOVED, SO JUST A MOMENT HERE.

HERE WE GO. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, STACEY SALTZBURG, CITY CCLERK.

[00:45:04]

SO TODAY I WILL BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS, ALONG WITH SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON HOW IT MIGHT AFFECT FLAGSTAFF ELECTIONS.

BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT I DO NOT HAVE A POSITION ON THE CONCEPT OR THE METHODS OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

WHAT YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM ME TONIGHT IS REALLY AN OVERVIEW OF HOW RANKED CHOICE VOTING WORKS, AS WELL AS CONSIDERATIONS AND CONCERNS THAT I HAVE WITH POSSIBLE IMPLEMENTATION.

SO WHAT IS RANKED CHOICE VOTING? IT IS A METHOD OF VOTING WHERE VOTERS RANK CANDIDATES BASED ON THEIR PREFERENCES.

IN SINGLE WINNER RACES A CANDIDATE MUST RECEIVE 50 PERCENT PLUS ONE OF THE TOTAL VOTES TO BE ELECTED. IF IN THE FIRST ROUND OF TABULATION, THE FIRST CHOICE CANDIDATE DOES NOT RECEIVE THAT THRESHOLD OF 50 PERCENT PLUS ONE THEN THE CANDIDATE WITH THE LEAST VOTES IS THEN ELIMINATED, AND THE VOTES FROM THOSE WHO RANKED THAT LOWEST CHOICE CANDIDATE WOULD MOVE TO THE SECOND CHOICE, THEIR SECOND SELECTED CHOICE ON THEIR BALLOT.

AND THOSE SECOND CHOICES WOULD THEN BE APPLIED TO THE VARIOUS CANDIDATES ACCORDINGLY.

ESSENTIALLY, THIS PROCESS REPEATS UNTIL YOU HAVE A CANDIDATE THAT REACHES THE 50 PERCENT PLUS ONE THRESHOLD.

FOR MULTIPLE WINNER RACES, SO THIS WOULD BE FOR THINGS LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER RACES WHERE WE HAVE THREE SEATS THAT ARE ELECTED AT EACH ELECTION.

THE PROCESS IS RELATIVELY THE SAME, EXCEPT THERE THE THRESHOLD IS DIFFERENT, SO IT MOVES FROM THE 50 PERCENT PLUS ONE TO A THRESHOLD THAT'S BASED ON THE NUMBER OF SEATS AVAILABLE. ONCE A CANDIDATE REACHES THE APPROPRIATE THRESHOLD, THEY'RE EITHER YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DECLARED AS A WINNER.

AND ONCE THAT THRESHOLD IS REACHED, ANY SURPLUS VOTES FOR THAT PARTICULAR CANDIDATE WOULD BE MOVED TO THAT VOTER'S NEXT CHOICE.

SO WHAT I DESCRIBED IS REALLY A FAIRLY SIMPLE EXPLANATION FOR RANKED CHOICE VOTING, A MUCH MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION ON HOW THE PROCESS WORKS, AS WELL AS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR STAFF SUMMARY.

AND YOU CAN ALSO FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AT RCVRESOURCES.ORG.

THEY REALLY GO INTO A LOT MORE DETAIL AS TO KIND OF HOW THINGS PLAY OUT.

SUPPORTERS OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING SAY THAT IT PROVIDES MORE CHOICES FOR VOTERS BY ALLOWING THEM TO RANK CANDIDATES IN ORDER OF THEIR PREFERENCE, AND IT ELIMINATES WASTED VOTES IF THEIR TOP CHOICE IS NOT ELECTED.

IT WOULD ALSO ENSURE THAT THOSE ELECTED ARE SUPPORTED BY A TRUE MAJORITY BECAUSE IT REQUIRES THE 50 PERCENT PLUS ONE.

THEY ALSO STATE THAT IT IMPROVES CAMPAIGNS BY REDUCING CANDIDATE CAMPAIGNING OVERALL, WHICH INCLUDES REDUCED NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING, AS WELL AS SIGNS AND MAILERS THAT WOULD THAT TYPICALLY GO OUT. SUPPORTERS ALSO SUGGEST THAT THE USE OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING SAVES MONEY BY ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR PRIMARY ELECTIONS.

WITH RANKED CHOICE VOTING COMES SOME IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS AND CONCERNS FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF. RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS NOT CURRENTLY SUPPORTED BY ARIZONA ELECTION LAWS.

ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AS A MATTER OF STATEWIDE CONCERN, AND LOCAL JURISDICTIONS HAVE VERY LITTLE CONTROL OVER HOW THEIR ELECTIONS ARE RUN.

THIS IS EVIDENT BY THE NUMBER OF CHARTER PROVISIONS THAT HAVE ULTIMATELY BEEN PREEMPTED BY STATE ELECTION LAW.

THERE HAS ALSO BEEN INTENSE SCRUTINY OF ELECTIONS IN ARIZONA, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN A LARGE NUMBER OF PROPOSALS AT THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR RELATED TO ELECTIONS, AND THIS REALLY DRIVES HOME THE POINT THAT THE STATE CONTROLS ELECTION OPERATIONS.

THE CITY'S CHARTER ALSO DOES NOT SUPPORT RANKED CHOICE VOTING, AND SIGNIFICANT AMENDMENTS WOULD BE NEEDED IN ORDER TO MAKE THE CHARTER ACCOMMODATE A RANKED CHOICE VOTING SYSTEM.

THERE ARE AT LEAST NINE SEPARATE AMENDMENTS NEEDED, IN ADDITION TO A QUESTION TO ADD THE RANKED CHOICE VOTING METHOD.

FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE PROVISIONS THAT REFERENCE THE REQUIREMENT OF A PRIMARY

[00:50:04]

THERE ARE OTHER PROVISIONS THAT REFER TO THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES RECEIVED, RATHER THAN A MAJORITY OF TOTAL VOTES CAST, WHICH IS WHAT IS NEEDED FOR RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF OTHER PROVISIONS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE CHANGED OR REPEALED WITHIN OUR CHARTER IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

AND AS WE DISCUSSED LAST MONTH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF NEEDED AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A WHILE AND INTRODUCING THE RANKED CHOICE VOTING METHOD TO OUR CHARTER WOULD LIKELY POSTPONE THOSE OTHER CHARTER AMENDMENTS TO LATER ELECTIONS.

AND ADDITIONALLY, IN ORDER FOR THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS TO BECOME EFFECTIVE, THE GOVERNOR MUST OFFICIALLY APPROVE THE AMENDED CHARTER AND SIGN OFF ON THAT.

IT IS QUESTIONABLE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE GOVERNOR WOULD APPROVE AMENDMENTS RELATED TO RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

FURTHERMORE, IF THERE WERE OTHER CHARTER AMENDMENTS UNRELATED TO RANKED CHOICE VOTING, THOSE WOULD ALSO NOT BECOME EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR EITHER APPROVES ALL OR NONE OF THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS.

ONE OF MY LARGEST CONCERNS WITH POTENTIALLY IMPLEMENTING RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS THAT THE CITY WILL LOSE ITS CONTRACT WITH COCONINO COUNTY ELECTIONS TO ADMINISTER OUR ELECTIONS, AND THIS WOULD FORCE THE CITY TO HAVE TO TAKE OVER CONDUCTING THE ELECTION.

IN RECENT DISCUSSIONS WITH COCONINO COUNTY ELECTIONS, THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT SUPPORT THE RANKED CHOICE VOTING METHOD FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF.

SO TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT TO MY CONCERN ABOUT LOSING THE COUNTY'S CONTRACT, I WANT TO POINT OUT SOME OF THE MANY SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY THROUGH THIS AGREEMENT. THE COUNTY PROVIDES ALL NECESSARY VOTING EQUIPMENT, AND THEY COORDINATE ALL MAINTENANCE STORAGE, REQUIRED TESTING CERTIFICATION AND THE ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE. THEY OVERSEE THE DESIGN OF BALLOTS, WHICH ARE CODED SPECIFICALLY TO WORK WITH VOTING EQUIPMENT AND ARE SUBSTANTIALLY TESTED.

THEY ALSO DO ALL THE PRINTING OF BALLOTS AND PROVIDE ALL NECESSARY TRANSLATIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED BOTH OF BALLOTS THEMSELVES, AS WELL AS ON ON ELECTION DAY.

THEY LOCATE AND MAKE ALL ARRANGEMENTS FOR POLLING PLACES AND ENSURE ALL ACCESSIBILITY, ACCOMMODATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS ARE MET, WHICH INCLUDE PARKING, ADA REQUIREMENTS AND SIGNAGE. THEY ALSO RECRUIT, TRAIN AND PAY ALL ELECTION WORKERS.

THE COUNTY PROVIDES FOR EARLY VOTING BY MAIL AND IN PERSON, THEY ALSO MAINTAIN THE PERMANENT EARLY VOTING PROCESS AND ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ALL OVERSEAS VOTERS.

THEY ALSO DO THAT ALL THE BALLOT, TABULATION AND ELECTION CERTIFICATIONS, AND THIS INCLUDES SECURE TRANSPORTATION OF BALLOTS AND RELATED ELECTRONIC FILES, SECURE TABULATION FACILITIES AND COORDINATION OF PUBLIC OBSERVATION.

THERE ARE MANY OTHER SERVICES THAT THE COUNTY PROVIDES RELATED TO ELECTIONS, BUT THESE HIGHLIGHT JUST A FEW OF THE MORE PUBLIC FACING ITEMS. SO IF THE CITY WERE FACED WITH HAVING TO CONDUCT OUR OWN ELECTIONS, IN ADDITION TO TAKING ON ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT I JUST EXPLAINED, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR US TO PURCHASE AND OR LEASE VARIOUS EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING VOTING MACHINES, BALLOT TABULATORS AND BALLOT PRINTERS. THIS EQUIPMENT WOULD NEED TO SUPPORT OUR FULL POPULATION IN APPROXIMATELY TWENTY SIX DIFFERENT PRECINCTS.

WE WOULD BE FACED WITH DEVELOPING A POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL FOR CONDUCTING THE ELECTION. AND ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES HERE IS THAT THERE WOULD BE NO SUPPORT FROM THE STATE ON THIS DEVELOPMENT.

IT WOULD LIKELY REQUIRE A CONSULTANT ALONG WITH EXTENSIVE LEGAL RESEARCH, SUPPORT AND INPUT. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD TAKE TIME TESTING AND FUNDING TO DEVELOP.

TO BE FRANK, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, ALONG WITH OTHER DIVISIONS SUCH AS I.T.

AND LEGAL, WOULD BE QUICKLY OVERBURDENED AND WE WOULD REQUIRE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL STAFFING AND FUNDING AND OTHER RESOURCES.

ANOTHER BIG CONSIDERATION, ESPECIALLY IF THE CITY WERE TO HAVE TO RUN THEIR OWN ELECTIONS, COULD BE VOTER CONFUSION.

BECAUSE THE CITY HOLDS THEIR ELECTIONS AT THE SAME TIME AS COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL ELECTIONS LOCAL VOTERS WOULD BE FACED WITH HAVING TO VOTE AT TWO SEPARATE POLLING PLACES INSTEAD OF THEIR SINGLE TRADITIONAL POLLING PLACE THAT COVERS ALL ELECTION QUESTIONS THAT

[00:55:01]

TO THIS END, SOME VOTERS MIGHT FIND THEMSELVES IN A POSITION OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH TIME TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS IN PERSON AT TWO SEPARATE VOTING LOCATIONS.

ADDITIONALLY, VOTERS WHO CHOOSE TO VOTE EARLY BY MAIL, WHICH INCLUDES ALL OF THOSE ON THE PERMANENT EARLY VOTING LIST AND OVERSEA VOTERS WOULD RECEIVE TWO BALLOTS.

AND IN ORDER FOR THEIR VOTES TO BE COUNTED MUCH CARE WOULD NEED TO BE MADE TO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY RETURNED THE RIGHT BALLOT IN THE RIGHT ENVELOPE TO THE RIGHT JURISDICTION FOR COUNTING. ALSO FOR VOTERS WHO REQUEST MAIL BALLOTS DURING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE CITY TO REQUEST THEIR RESPECTIVE BALLOTS.

SO THIS IS CREATING ADDITIONAL STEPS FOR OUR VOTERS TO TAKE, WHICH IS CONCERNING ON MANY LEVELS. AND THEN FINALLY, VOTERS WOULD BE FACED WITH HAVING TO USE TWO DIFFERENT VOTING METHODS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO CONFUSION AS TO WHY THE TWO DIFFERENT RACES OR THE MULTIPLE RACES ARE DIFFERENT.

VOTING FOR LOCAL ELECTIONS AND THEN A DIFFERENT VOTING METHOD FOR, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER POSITIONS THAT MIGHT BE OPEN AT THE COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.

SO I SUSPECT THAT THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF FRUSTRATION EXPERIENCED BY VOTERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY YEARS OF ROLLING THIS TYPE OF METHOD OUT.

I ALSO FEAR THAT THERE COULD BE ACCUSATIONS OF INHIBITING A VOTER'S ABILITY TO EASILY PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THERE WOULD BE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION NEEDED IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER EDUCATION AND OUTREACH THAT IS BEING DONE FOR POTENTIAL BALLOT MEASURES THAT ARE ON A BALLOT.

SO ULTIMATELY, RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS BETTER SUITED FOR IMPLEMENTATION AT THE STATE LEVEL. THIS WOULD ENSURE THAT ALL ELECTIONS ACROSS THE STATE ARE TREATED THE SAME, WHICH KEEPS VOTING EASY AND ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE.

THE STATE WOULD ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE ON ELECTIONS, AND THE COUNTY WOULD CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THEIR ELECTION SERVICES TO THE CITY BECAUSE THEIR ELECTIONS, ALONG WITH ALL OF THEIR ELECTIONS, WOULD BE CONDUCTED IN THE SAME MANNER.

LASTLY, IMPLEMENTING RANKED CHOICE VOTING AT THE STATE LEVEL MAINTAINS THE POSITION OF ELECTIONS BEING A MATTER OF STATEWIDE CONCERN.

SO AGAIN, AS I CONCLUDE HERE, I WANT TO AGAIN EMPHASIZE THAT I DON'T HAVE A POSITION RELATED TO THE METHODS OR CONCEPT OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

MY CONCERNS ARE COMING FROM A PLACE OF LOGISTICS, VOTER ACCESS AND LACK OF RESOURCES.

SO WITH THAT, I HOPE THAT I HAVE PROVIDED A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR CONSIDERATION AND DISCUSSION. AND AT THIS TIME, I WILL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, COUNCIL FOR ANY QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION OR DIRECTION THAT YOU MAY HAVE FOR ME.

THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL PRESENTATION AND REALLY BEING EXPLICIT ABOUT THAT TO THE PUBLIC AND TO US ABOUT WHAT THIS IS GOING TO ENTAIL IF WE DO PURSUE IT.

BEFORE WE GET TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION, WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER ELECTRONICALLY AND AFTER PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, WE'LL TURN IT BACK.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I HAVE BLAKE SAKHA.

BLAKE, YOU MAY GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

GOOD AFTERNOON, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.

MY NAME IS BLAKE SAKHA AND I'M A MEMBER OF VOTER CHOICE ARIZONA.

WE SPOKE WITH YOU LAST MONTH WHEN THIS ITEM WAS FIRST DISCUSSED, AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE SPECIFIC CONCERNS HIGHLIGHTED BY STAFF.

FIRST IS THAT RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS NOT CURRENTLY SUPPORTED BY ARIZONA ELECTION LAWS.

WE HAVE ELECTION LAW LEGAL OPINIONS THAT ARE DIFFERENT.

ROY HERRERA FOR BALLOTS [INAUDIBLE] HAS INDICATED THAT NOTHING IN ARIZONA ELECTION LAW AFFIRMATIVELY PROHIBITS MUNICIPALITIES FROM CONDUCTING THEIR ELECTIONS BY RANKED CHOICE VOTING. STRODE VS.

SULLIVAN SAYS THAT STATE LAW MAY IMPOSE REQUIREMENTS OR CHANGES ON MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS ONLY WHEN THE MATTER IS OF STATEWIDE CONCERN.

AND CITY OF TUCSON VS.

STATE OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE WAS PROHIBITED FROM PREEMPTING TUCSON BOARD BASED ELECTIONS BECAUSE IT DID NOT CONSTITUTE A MATTER OF STATEWIDE CONCERNS.

SO OUR LEGAL OPINION SUPPORT THAT CHARTER CITIES CAN IMPLEMENT OUR [INAUDIBLE] WITHOUT FURTHER STATE LEGISLATION.

SECONDLY, REGARDING A CHARTER AMENDMENT, WE HAVE WORKED WITH BOTH NATIONAL AND LOCAL

[01:00:06]

THIS LANGUAGE IS SIMILAR TO WHAT'S BEEN USED ELSEWHERE.

IT PROVIDES A SIMPLE APPROVAL AMENDMENT TO VOTERS AND ALLOWS COUNCIL TO PROVIDE THE DETAILS. AND IMPORTANTLY, IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW THE COUNCIL TO UPDATE THE DETAILS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO BACK TO FOR ANOTHER CHARTER AMENDMENT.

FINALLY, AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, WITH REGARD IN THE NEED TO SEVER THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COUNTY AND STAND UP YOUR OWN ELECTION DEPARTMENT, WE CERTAINLY WOULDN'T ADVOCATE ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

AND WE HAVE SEARCHED HIGH AND LOW ACROSS THE 50 CITIES, MORE THAN 50 CITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED THIS, AND NOWHERE HAVE THEY HAD TO SEVER THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.

ALL VOTING EQUIPMENT WITHIN ARIZONA AND COCONINO COUNTY IS CURRENTLY CAPABLE OF RUNNING RANKED CHOICE VOTING ELECTIONS AND RUNNING RANKED CHOICE VOTING AND NON RANKED CHOICE VOTING ELECTIONS IN THE SAME ELECTION.

20 CITIES IN UTAH RAN RANKED CHOICE VOTING ELECTIONS IN 2021, AND EACH OF THOSE ELECTIONS WAS ADMINISTERED BY THE COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT AND THE COUNTIES HAD NO ISSUE WITH ADMINISTERING THOSE ELECTIONS.

THANK YOU, BLAKE. OUT OF TIME.

BUT I WAS JUST WONDERING, IS THERE ANY OTHER POINTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL COUNTY RECORDER'S, INCLUDING PATTY HANSEN, AND NONE OF THEM RAISED A CONCERN REGARDING RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

IMPLEMENTATION WOULD RESULT IN SEVERING THIS RELATIONSHIP.

SO WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD IN FACT BE NECESSARY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BLAKE.

COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE PUBLIC PARTICIPANT OR IS THAT A QUESTION FOR STAFF? THANK YOU MAYOR.

BLAKE, THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE CALL AND YOUR SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY HERE.

I BELIEVE I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THOSE 20 OR THE CITIES HE MENTIONED WITH THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY AND NOT BEING SEVERED.

NONE OF THOSE WERE IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA, THOUGH, CORRECT? SO THE OTHER ENTITIES, CITIES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED RANKED CHOICE VOTING ARE NOT IN ARIZONA, THE SPECIFIC COUNTY RECORDERS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED WITHIN ARIZONA ARE WITHIN THE STATE. OK, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. AND I'M NOT SEEING ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR YOU BLAKE SO, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN. THANK YOU.

AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS OUR LAST PUBLIC PARTICIPANT, CORRECT? OK, THEN WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT BACK ONTO US COUNCIL AND I SEE MCCARTHY LIKE TO SAY A FEW THINGS. STACEY, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING.

HAVE YOU ACTUALLY CONTACTED THE COUNTY AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT, IS THERE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE CAPABLE OF DOING RANKED CHOICE VOTING OR AND WOULD THEY BE WILLING TO DO THIS FOR THE CITY OR WOULD THEY NOT? HAVE YOU TALKED TO THEM SPECIFICALLY? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY YES, I HAVE SPOKEN TO PATTY HANSEN, WHO IS THE COCONINO COUNTY RECORDER. I ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH HER TODAY.

WE DID NOT GET INTO THE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS, BUT SHE DID CONFIRM THAT THE COUNTY WOULD NOT CONDUCT THE CITY'S ELECTION SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD WITH RANKED CHOICE VOTING. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

THAT'S A PRETTY DEFINITIVE ANSWER.

SOUNDS PRETTY SOLID.

I'VE ACTUALLY FOUND THIS WHOLE IDEA TO BE KIND OF FASCINATING AND YOU KNOW, I'M ALL FOR ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE ELECTIONS MORE FAIR AND LESS PARTISAN.

AND, YOU KNOW, FOR A SINGLE OFFICE LIKE MAYOR, FOR INSTANCE, IT'S FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

BUT WHAT I FOUND IN MY RESEARCH IS THAT FOR LIKE FOR COUNCIL, WHERE THREE PEOPLE GET ELECTED, THE RULES ARE PRETTY COMPLICATED.

AND THERE'S NOT JUST ONE SET OF RULES, THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF WAYS THAT IT CAN BE DONE. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WITH THE DETAILS OF THOSE PROCEDURES WOULD THEY HAVE TO BE IN THE CHARTER OR COULD THEY JUST BE, YOU KNOW, ENACTED BY COUNCIL AFTER THE FACT? IT SEEMS LIKE THE WAY WE DO IT, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S MORE THAN ONE PERSON TO BE ELECTED

[01:05:03]

BUT WHAT I FORSEE IS THAT THERE WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT WOULD NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN OUR CHARTER.

SUBSEQUENT TO THAT WOULD BE THAT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL THAT WOULD NEED TO BE CREATED THAT REALLY DIVES INTO THE NUTS AND BOLTS, SPECIFIC STEPS, HOW EVERYTHING IS PLAYED OUT IN, YOU KNOW, TABULATING THOSE VOTES THAT COME IN ON THOSE BALLOTS.

SO WHILE NOT ALL OF THE SPECIFIC INFORMATION MIGHT NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CHARTER, THERE WOULD LIKELY BE QUITE A BIT.

BUT A LOT OF THAT WOULD LIKELY FALL INTO THAT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL.

SO I HOPE THAT HELPS.

THAT DOES HELP AND THEN MAYOR I JUST HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT.

AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I I WOULD LIKE TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO MAKE ELECTIONS LESS PARTISAN BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE THAT ARE RADICAL LEFT AND RADICAL RIGHT.

I WANT THINKING PEOPLE THAT USE COMMON SENSE.

AND ONE THING THAT I FOUND IN MY EXPERIENCE AND IN MY READING IS THAT NONPARTISAN PRIMARIES ARE IMPORTANT IN THAT REGARD.

FOR INSTANCE, AS WHEN I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL, I DIDN'T RUN AS A DEMOCRAT OR A REPUBLICAN OR A GREEN PARTY OR WHATEVER PARTY I JUST RAN AS A PERSON.

AND THAT'S THE WAY WE DO OUR ELECTIONS IN FLAGSTAFF.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, NOT THAT WE CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT TONIGHT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT DONE ON A STATEWIDE AND A NATIONAL LEVEL BECAUSE I THINK WHAT HAPPENS NOW IS THE DEMOCRATS TEND TO NOMINATE SOMEONE THAT'S VERY LEFT.

THE REPUBLICANS TEND TO NOMINATE SOMEONE THAT'S VERY RIGHT, BECAUSE WHY IS THAT? IT'S BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT BEING REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS ARE THE ONES THAT VOTE.

AND WE END UP WITH PEOPLE THAT TAKE EXTREME POSITIONS WHERE IF WE HAVE NON-PARTISAN PRIMARIES, I THINK THE CANDIDATES AND THUS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE VOTING TEND TO THINK MORE IN THE MIDDLE AND MORE IN COMMON SENSE INSTEAD OF RADICAL POSITIONS.

SO THAT'S JUST A COMMENT.

WE'RE ALREADY DOING THAT, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT.

AND THAT'S MY LAST COMMENT.

THANK YOU. PASS THAT ON TO YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.

CITY MANAGER I'M SORRY, I NOTICED THAT YOU WERE WANTING TO COMMENT A LITTLE EARLIER IF YOU WANTED TO JUMP IN. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME.

YES. THANK YOU FOR A LITTLE TIME ON THIS.

I WILL ALSO PREFACE MY COMMENTS AS STACEY DID, AND ECHO THAT WE TYPICALLY DO NOT ADVOCATE POSITIONS IN WHAT SHOULD BE CONSTRUED TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT POLICY DISCUSSION BY THE COUNCIL. THAT SAID, THIS HAPPENS TO BE A POLICY CONSIDERATION THAT COULD AND WILL HAVE PROFOUND IMPACT UPON THE CITY ORGANIZATION AND SPECIFICALLY STAFFING, SPECIFICALLY THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.

AND SO I THINK IT'S ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE TO OFFER SOME COMMENTARY HERE, AND I WILL ADD TO THAT ANY IMPACT UPON STAFF RESOURCES NECESSARILY RESULTS IN IMPACT UPON OUR TAXPAYERS BECAUSE OUR TAXPAYERS PAY OUR SALARIES AN A SIMILAR COMMENT TO BE TRUE SHOULD THERE BE RESULTING LITIGATION, WHICH I WILL NOT GET INTO THAT THOSE ARE ADVISEMENTS PROPERLY LEFT TO YOUR CITY ATTORNEY.

SETTING ASIDE THE LEGALITIES AND ADDING ON TO WHAT STACEY HAS PROVIDED, THERE'S A VERY STRONG ARGUMENT THAT THE STATE OF ARIZONA CURRENTLY DOES NOT ACCOMMODATE ALLOWING FOR A DIFFERENT ELECTION METHODOLOGY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND ARGUABLY PREEMPTS THAT METHODOLOGY FOR HAPPENING. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK BRIEFLY AS TO THE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT FROM A PRAGMATIC STANDPOINT, NOT FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, AS IT MIGHT CONCERN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND OTHERS IN THE ORGANIZATION.

MY COMMENTS HERE ARE NOT BASED UPON SPECULATION OR THEORY, BUT FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE.

I WAS THE TOWN MANAGER IN ONE OF THE COMMUNITIES, ONE OF THREE COMMUNITIES IN COLORADO THAT IMPLEMENTED WHAT WE CALLED INSTANT RANKED VOTING.

SAME THING. AND I WAS THERE FOR TWO ELECTIONS THAT WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THIS METHODOLOGY

[01:10:04]

BUT THE CHARTER WAS CHANGED TO ALLOW FOR RANKED VOTING, AND WE WERE TASKED WITH HAVING TO IMPLEMENT THAT WITH NO GUIDANCE.

THAT DID RESULT IN THE A VERY DETAILED INTERNAL MANUAL ON HOW TO CONDUCT THE ELECTION, THE PROCEDURES THAT STACEY ALLUDED TO.

IT ALSO RESULTED IN THE FORMULATION OF THE BALLOTS AND THE COUNTING OF THE BALLOTS MANUALLY BECAUSE THE COUNTY DID NOT HELP CONDUCT THOSE ELECTIONS AND DID EVEN THOUGH WE HAD OPERATED UNDER AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR COORDINATED ELECTIONS.

THAT WAS NOT THE CASE WITH RANKED VOTING.

EVERYTHING I JUST DESCRIBED RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT TIME BY OUR CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND OTHERS. THE MANUAL WAS CREATED.

THE ELECTIONS, I THINK, WERE CONDUCTED WITHOUT ANY COMPLICATIONS.

BUT THAT'S NOT TO INDICATE THAT THEY WERE NOT COMPLICATED.

THEY WERE VERY COMPLICATED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THEM WAS DONE WITH A LOT OF CAREFUL PLANNING AND PREPARATION.

AFTER THREE ELECTIONS IN TELLURIDE, INSTANT RANKED VOTING WAS REMOVED FROM THE CHARTER AND THEN ONE OF THE OTHER TWO COMMUNITIES THAT HAD IT ON ITS BOOKS AT THE TIME THROUGH VOTER APPROVAL, IT WAS REPEALED THROUGH VOTER APPROVAL.

I WOULD NOT BE COMPLETING THE STORY OF IF I DID NOT MENTION THAT THE STATE OF COLORADO, I BELIEVE, HAS MORE RECENTLY MADE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR RANKED VOTING, I BELIEVE LEGISLATION WAS PASSED THIS LAST YEAR TO DO THAT.

SO MY GUESS IS THE STAGE IS NOW SET FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THERE TO DO THIS WITH MUCH MORE ASSISTANCE AND GUIDANCE THAN WHAT WE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

BACK TO ARIZONA, WE DON'T HAVE THAT GUIDANCE AND I THINK THE REQUEST BEFORE YOU ALMOST CERTAINLY WILL RESULT IN THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IF IT WAS TO CHOOSE TO GO FORWARD TO BE THE FIRST AND TO DO SO WITH NOT JUST THE LACKING OF STATE GUIDANCE, BUT PURPORTEDLY A PREEMPTION AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT COULD RESULT IN LITIGATION AND OTHER CONSEQUENCE.

MY CONCERN AS YOUR CITY MANAGER IS FOCUSED, OF COURSE, ON THE IMPACT THIS COULD HAVE IN TERMS OF TAX DOLLARS BEING SPENT, BUT ALSO THE IMPACT IT COULD HAVE IN TERMS OF OUR STAFF RESOURCES. ELECTIONS INHERENTLY ARE NOT EASY.

IT PROBABLY IS THE BIGGEST, MOST DAUNTING TASK THAT YOUR CITY CLERK PERFORMS. AND THEY ARE SCRUTINIZED AND THAT HAS BECOME EVEN MORE SO IN RECENT YEARS.

SO I THINK ALL OF THESE THINGS NEED TO BE VERY CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.

AND I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF AIRTIME HERE ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT POLICY MATTER BECAUSE AGAIN, I DO THINK IT'S ONE THAT HAS VERY FAR REACHING, POTENTIAL FAR REACHING CONSEQUENCE FOR THE STAFF WHO WORKS FOR YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER.

COUNCIL.

COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER FOR THAT COMMENT.

THANK YOU, STACEY, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

REALLY APPRECIATE THE AGENDA ITEM IN THE DISCUSSION THUS FAR.

CITY MANAGER QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTION FOR YOU.

IF WE COULD CONDUCT RANKED CHOICE VOTING LOCALLY THROUGH THE COUNTY AND NOT STANDING UP OUR OWN ELECTIONS EFFORT, WOULD THAT CAN YOU SPEAK TO YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE CITY MOVING FORWARD AT THAT POINT? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT GETS US OUT OF THE REALM OF DEALING WITH THE COMPLEXITIES BEFOREHAND. A LOT OF THOUGHT AND PREPARATION GOES INTO THESE RANKED VOTING ELECTIONS.

THEY SIMPLY ARE NOT AS SIMPLE AS ONE WOULD IMAGINE.

THE MANUAL THAT WAS CREATED THAT I MADE REFERENCE TO WAS WAS VERY DETAILED AND WELL IN EXCESS OF 30 PAGES.

SO SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, THAT SAME ENDEAVOR WOULD NEED TO BE

[01:15:02]

AND THE GOVERNOR AS STACEY MENTIONED, HAS TO SIGN OFF ON ANY CHARTER AMENDMENTS.

I THINK THAT'S A SEPARATE DISCUSSION, AND I WON'T GET INTO THAT BECAUSE I ONLY WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE LOGISTICAL ISSUES THAT THAT WOULD BE IN PLACE IF THIS WAS TO MOVE FORWARD.

SO I'LL STAY TO THAT FOCUS.

I THINK YOUR QUESTION PRESUPPOSES THAT THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND COUNTY.

I'M SURE THAT WOULD HELP.

AND BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD NECESSARILY MAKE THINGS SUCCESSFUL, BUT IT SURE WOULD HELP. WELL, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT, I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH AS TO WHAT GOES INTO THESE FROM A LOGISTICAL STANDPOINT, SO HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION.

IT DOES, CITY MANAGER AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHTS.

SO I SAY, DON'T HOLD BACK AND DON'T MIND, YOU KNOW, TAKING UP SOME EXTRA TIME, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHTS AND PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE HERE AND REALLY SEE VALUE IN THAT. SO I GUESS MY THOUGHT IS JUST AS A FOLLOW UP AS I WONDER HOW MUCH OF THAT MANUAL WAS DUE TO THE CITY REALLY TAKING THE LEAD ON IT VERSUS WORKING THROUGH THE COUNTY. AND I GUESS WE WON'T REALLY KNOW THAT UNTIL WE REALLY WALKED THAT PATH WITH OUR COUNTY ASSUMING THAT'S A PATH WE CAN WALK WITH THEM, RIGHT? GIVEN ALL THE UNKNOWN FACTORS AND HURDLES ALONG THE WAY.

BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE THIS ADDING STAFF TIME IN CREATING THAT MANUAL, EVEN IF IT IS A LESSER MANUAL THAN WHAT YOU ALL CREATED.

BUT I ALSO WONDER YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THERE'S OTHER MODELS WE CAN LOOK AT, YOU KNOW 20 CITIES IN UTAH ARE ALREADY DOING THIS.

I CAN IMAGINE AT LEAST ONE HAS A GOOD FUNCTIONING APPROACH THAT WE CAN REALLY LEARN FROM.

AND MAYBE UNLIKE WHEN YOUR CITY DID IT A WHILE BACK IN COLORADO, AT THIS POINT, MAYBE THE LANDSCAPES CHANGED ENOUGH THAT IT'S EASIER.

BUT YET I DON'T WANT TO UNDERPLAY THE AMOUNT OF STAFF TIME THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO THIS. I DEFINITELY RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT FULLY.

ANYWAYS, THANK YOU.

I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THOSE THOUGHTS AND FOLLOW UP.

BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND INVITE YOU TO WEIGH IN AS YOU DECIDE, YOU KNOW, DEEM APPROPRIATE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.

I HAD A QUESTION REGARDING THAT WITH THE COUNTY.

I'M NOT SURE YOU KNOW, THE LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE BETWEEN THE COUNTY RECORDER'S OFFICE AND THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

IF THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SAYS YES, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND VOTES IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE CONTRACT.

IS THAT THE CONTRACTUAL BODY OR I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE WITHIN THE COUNTY WORKS WITH RECORDER, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SINCE THEY'RE ALL ELECTED POSITIONS? SURE, THANK YOU.

I WILL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

THE COUNTY RECORDER IS AN ELECTED POSITION, AND THEY COORDINATE WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. HISTORICALLY, THE COUNTY RECORDER HAS CONDUCTED ALL ELECTION SERVICES JUST RECENTLY. THOSE SERVICES HAVE BEEN SEPARATED OUT INTO KIND OF A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT, IF YOU WILL. SO THE RECORDERS MAINTAINING THINGS LIKE VOTER REGISTRATION, PETITION INITIATIVE, SIGNATURE VERIFICATION, VOTER REGISTRATION, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

WHEREAS THE ACTUAL CONDUCT OF THE ELECTION IS BEING HANDLED FROM AN ELECTION OFFICE STANDPOINT, WHICH HAS A LITTLE MORE, I THINK, OVERSIGHT BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, BUT I'M NOT PARTICULARLY VERSED ON WHAT THAT EXACTLY LOOKS LIKE AND THAT I THINK WOULD BE A QUESTION MORE FOR THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF HOW THEIR STRUCTURE WORKS.

THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT DOES, I BELIEVE, STILL REPORT TO THE COUNTY RECORDER.

AND SO THERE'S THERE'S DEFINITELY THAT RELATIONSHIP THERE, I BELIEVE.

BUT AGAIN. I CAN'T SAY WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT SURETY, BUT WE COULD CERTAINLY LOOK INTO THAT. OK, THANK YOU.

VICE MAYOR HAS A QUESTION. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, STACEY AND GREG.

AND FORGIVE ME IF I JUST MISSED THIS AND YOU ALREADY SAID IT.

STACEY, DO WE KNOW WHY THE COUNTY WOULD NOT WANT TO WORK WITH US ON IF WE CHOSE TO GO

[01:20:04]

I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR VOTING EQUIPMENT NOT BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF ELECTION MODEL.

THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS WITH THAT THEY SHARE THE SAME CONCERNS WE HAVE IN TERMS OF THE STATE AND THEIR OVERSEEING OF ELECTION OPERATIONS.

THOSE ARE TWO OF THE PRIMARY ONES THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IN MY CONVERSATIONS.

OK, THANK YOU.

AND SO I GUESS HERE'S KIND OF WHERE I AM, THERE ARE MANY THINGS ABOUT RANKED CHOICE VOTING THAT I LIKE A LOT.

I WOULD BE OPEN TO ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS, BUT I WOULDN'T WANT. I WANT OUR CHARTER AMENDMENTS THAT STAFF FEEL ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE TO MOVE FORWARD UNINTERRUPTED.

SO THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT EVEN IF WE CAME TO AN AGREEMENT AND WE WANTED TO DO THIS, THAT I WOULD WANT TO SEE LUMPED IN WITH THOSE CHARTER AMENDMENTS.

SO I SEE THEM AS VERY SEPARATE.

AND AS I SAID, I'M OPEN TO CONTINUING THIS DISCUSSION.

I HEAR A LOT OF SIGNIFICANT ROADBLOCKS TO DOING THIS AND BECAUSE OF THOSE ROADBLOCKS AND JUST THE COMPLEXITY OF BEING THE FIRST, I THINK THAT I DEFINITELY WOULDN'T GIVE DIRECTION TONIGHT TO MOVE FORWARD CONSIDERING CHANGES TO OUR CHARTER TO ALLOW FOR THIS TO BE ON THE NEXT BALLOT WHERE WE HAVE CHARTER AMENDMENTS.

I HOPE THAT'S CLEAR. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR.

WELL, I'LL WEIGH IN IF NOBODY ELSE IS GOING TO CHIME IN.

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP UP WITH THE DISCUSSION.

I'M STILL IN THE PLACE WHERE I LIKE RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

I UNDERSTAND LOTS OF OBSTACLES, BUT I STILL SUPPORT THIS GOING TO A COMMITTEE, A BOND OR NOT, A BOND COMMITTEE, A CHARTER COMMITTEE WHERE THIS COULD BE DISCUSSED.

I MEAN, IF THIS TAKES PRESSURE FROM US TO THE STATE LEVEL, IF IT TAKES WHATEVER IS REQUIRED TO GET THROUGH THE PROCESS, IT ALWAYS STARTS WITH THE PEOPLE DISCUSSING IT, BRINGING IT UP, CREATING A GROUNDSWELL.

SO THAT WAY, IF WE DID NEED TO DEAL WITH IT AT THE STATE LEVEL, THE COUNTY THAT WE CONTINUE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS AND CONTINUE ETCHING AWAY AT THE ROADBLOCKS THAT ARE AHEAD WITH THE SITUATION.

SO I'M NOT, I DON'T WANT THIS TO DIE TONIGHT.

BASICALLY, WE NEED TO HAVE THIS AS PART OF THE CONTINUED DISCUSSION, HAVE THIS ON THE LIST FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMITTEE FOR CHARTER AMENDMENTS AND CONSIDER EVEN MORE THAN THAT. YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ISSUES WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE HAVE THREE COUNCIL SEATS WE'VE ALWAYS HEARD BEFORE OF HOW WE SHOULD NOW THAT WE'RE TURNING INTO A LARGER CITY HAVE DISTRICTING RATHER THAN AT LARGE FOR CITY COUNCIL, WHICH MIGHT HELP WITH SOME OF THOSE ISSUES WITH RANKED CHOICE WITH THREE SPOTS.

ANYWAYS, I THINK THAT THESE ARE ALL ELECTION REFORM RELATED ISSUES.

WE NEED TO HAVE A COMMITTEE DISCUSSING THE OPTIONS, DISCUSSING ROADBLOCKS, FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION AND SEE WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO ALSO, AT THE STATE LEVEL, SO THAT WAY WE CAN PUSH OUR STATE LEGISLATORS AND HAVE A COMMITTEE FROM THE PEOPLE WHO CAN ALSO PUT PRESSURE IF THAT'S THE ROUTE THAT WOULD BE NEEDED.

THE PUBLIC AND TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION WELL, WE DO HAVE SOMEONE WHO MIGHT NEED TO BE MUTED THERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET.

THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, STACEY, FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATION AND TO CITY MANAGER FOR YOUR STORY ON THAT AND YOUR BACKGROUND WITH IT.

IN THEORY, YOU KNOW, I'M INTRIGUED AND I COULD SUPPORT THIS DOWN THE ROAD.

BUT I THINK FOR RIGHT NOW, WE ARE OVERWHELMED WITH COMMITTEES AND DISCUSSIONS, AND IT

[01:25:06]

THIS MIGHT BE BETTER IMPLEMENTED WITH STATE AND COUNTY SUPPORT.

I'M HAPPY TO REVISIT THIS DOWN THE ROAD, BUT RIGHT NOW I FEEL LIKE OUR PLATES ARE PRETTY FULL. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BRINGING THIS UP AND LET'S SEE WHAT CAN HAPPEN.

AND IF WE WANT TO PUSH OUR STATE LEGISLATURES, LET'S DO IT.

BUT TO KEEP TAKING UP A LOT OF STAFF TIME RIGHT NOW, I JUST SEEMS LIKE MAYBE WE SHOULD TAKE A PAUSE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.

WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DO FIND THIS IDEA INTRIGUING, BUT I THINK I AGREE AGREE WITH MS. SWEET THAT IT'S NOT RIPE, RIGHT NOW, SO I WOULD NOT SUPPORT MOVING THIS FORWARD IN ANY WAY AT THIS POINT.

I THINK THERE'S A BIG MOVEMENT IN THE COUNTRY TOWARDS THIS AND WE'VE SEEN IT IN MAINE AND OTHER STATES, AND IT MAY COME TO ARIZONA, BUT IT'S NOT HERE YET, IN MY OPINION.

ALL RIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS AND THEN I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI ONLINE.

YES, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, MS. SALTZBURG FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND MR. CITY MANAGER FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND INSIGHT FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES YOU HAVE WORKED WITH IN COLORADO.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CITIZENS WHO PUT THIS FORWARD AS A F.A.I.R.

ITEM. I BELIEVE THIS IS EMANATED FROM A FAIR ITEM THAT WAS A RESULT OF A CITIZEN PETITION.

I'M INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THIS AT THE STATE LEVEL, BECAUSE AS MR. MAYOR MENTIONED THIS, THIS ENCOMPASSES, YOU KNOW, ELECTORAL REFORM, WHICH HAS TO START AT THE STATE LEVEL. YOU KNOW, WE HEARD FROM MS. SALTZBURG THAT, YOU KNOW, RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS NOT CURRENTLY SUPPORTED BY ARIZONA ELECTION LAWS, AND IT MAY POSE CONFLICTS WITH STATE LAW.

THAT MEANS THE CHANGES SHOULD START AT THE STATE LAW LEVEL, WHICH MEANS ADVOCATING THE STATE LEGISLATURE, WHICH I WOULD INVITE YOU KNOW, THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE PUT FORTH THIS, FAIR ITEM, IS TO ENGAGE IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

I ALSO WANT TO BE MINDFUL THAT SHOULD THIS MOVE FORWARD, LET'S SAY, AS A CHARTER AMENDMENT, IT MAY INVITE LITIGATION AND LAWSUITS LIKE THE CLAIM FOR 1487 WHERE OR ANY MEMBER OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE COULD FILE 1487 WHICH MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FLAGSTAFF CITY ADOPTED A NEW LAW THAT IS IN CONFLICT WITH STATE LAW AND A CLAIM OF 1487 WOULD RISK OUR STATE SHARED REVENUE.

AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THAT RISK AT THE MOMENT, SO I THINK RANKED CHOICE VOTING ADVOCACY SHOULD BE DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL SINCE IT'S THE STATE LAW THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, NOT OUR CHARTER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I GUESS AS WE'RE STARTING TO WRAP UP THIS CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY I SEE A TON OF VALUES IN RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

I UNDERSTAND IT'S COMPLICATED AND HAVE A LEARNING CURVE AND IMPLEMENTATION STRUGGLE.

BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LEADER IN THE STATE ON A NUMBER OF PROGRESSIVE AND JUST GENERAL CHANGE AND LEADERSHIP, AND THE STATE IS TYPICALLY FORCED TO ADDRESS THINGS THROUGH OUR LEADERSHIP.

WE KIND OF HELP PUT THAT PRESSURE ON THE STATE.

SO I THINK IT'S A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH THEM AND FOR THE GOOD AND FOR THE BAD. BUT IT WOULD BE OF NO SURPRISE TO SEE FLAGSTAFF REALLY LEAD WHEN IT COMES TO RANK CHOICE VOTING IN THE STATE.

I AM WONDERING, YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD UP HERE WITH COUNCIL. THANK YOU ALL.

AND I ALSO AGREE WITH VICE MAYOR'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS NOT BEING

[01:30:05]

I FULLY AGREE WITH THOSE POINTS.

I GUESS MY QUESTION STACEY WOULD BE FOR YOU IS JUST IN REGARDS TO THE TIMELINE OF THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND PLAY THROUGH LIKE THE SCENARIO RANKED CHOICE VOTING GETS PUT ON THOSE AMENDMENTS THEY GET PASSED.

WOULD BASICALLY THE FIRST ELECTION WITH RANKED CHOICE VOTING BE 2024.

THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.

THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY.

IT REALLY WOULD DEPEND ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROCESS PROCEDURES, YOU KNOW, SECURING DEPENDING ON THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, SECURING ADEQUATE RESOURCES AND EQUIPMENT TO DO THAT.

SO THERE'S A LOT THAT WOULD GO INTO THAT.

I CANNOT SAY WITH ANY SORT OF SURETY THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN 2024.

OK, I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE A BIG PICTURE TIMELINE HERE, IF THINGS ACTUALLY WENT SMOOTHLY, WHICH I DON'T EXPECT THEM TO DO, BUT JUST WONDERING, OK, SO THAT'S HELPFUL.

SO WE MIGHT HAVE SOME TIME AND I THINK THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE RIGHT, RIGHT IN THE RIGHT TIMING, YOU KNOW, TO SEE THIS IDEA PROGRESS AND GROW OVER THE YEARS TO COME.

BUT I THINK WITH UTAH REALLY EMBRACING IT, I THINK THAT WE'LL SEE ARIZONA SOON TO FOLLOW, BUT I THINK OUR LEADERSHIP CAN HELP.

SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS COUNTY RECORDER PATTY HANSEN BY CHANCE ON THE CALL TODAY? DOES ANYONE KNOW OR PATTY, IF YOU'RE WITH US, MAYBE CHIME IN.

COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI. SHE IS NOT IN ON THE CALL TODAY.

SHE IS, WHEN I SPOKE WITH HER TODAY, SHE WAS GOING TO BE TUNING IN TO WATCH THE CONVERSATION, EITHER THROUGH THE LIVESTREAM OR TOMORROW ONCE IT'S POSTED.

OK. AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS FOR SARAH LANGLEY IS AND MAYBE MAYOR YOU CAN ANSWER THIS. DOES ANYONE RECALL IS RANKED CHOICE VOTING ON OUR STATE PRIORITIES? I FORGET.

NOT, DIRECTLY.

I MEAN, WE TALK ABOUT THE ELECTION, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING ELECTIONS AND RESISTING VOTER SUPPRESSION LAWS. BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING DIRECTLY SAYING RANKED CHOICE VOTING. BUT SARAH.

SARAH, SHE CAN WE'LL DEFINITELY KNOW ON THAT FRONT.

OK AND SARAH IS WRITING, THAT IS CORRECT, MAYOR.

OK, THANK YOU. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THAT BEING A FINER POINT, MAYBE THAT WE RELAY TO TODD. IT SEEMS LIKE MOST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS SPOKE IN FAVOR OF IT AS AN IDEA.

AND JUST LASTLY, IN MY CLOSING COMMENT HERE, I'LL JUST SAY ON THE TOPIC OF ELECTION INTEGRITY BEING A HOT TOPIC AT THE STATE AND AMONGST POLITICIANS, I THINK THAT RANKED CHOICE VOTING HAS A LOT OF INTEGRITY.

AND WHEN WE GET OVER THE CONCERNS AND THE FEARS ABOUT IT, I THINK WE'LL ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE THAT THIS IS THE WAY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR ELECTIONS AND IT'S THE WAY TO DO IT WITH THE MOST ETHICS AND INTEGRITY THAT AN ELECTION SYSTEM CAN HAVE.

I'M SURE THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, BUT IT'S A BIG STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND I BELIEVE WE CAN ALL GET BEHIND THAT.

AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT UTAH IS DOING AND HOPE THAT ARIZONA GETS WITH THE PLAN SOONER THAN LATER. THANK YOU ALL, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING FUTURE CONVERSATIONS ON THIS TOPIC.

HOPEFULLY, THAT GIVES DIRECTION.

IN REGARDS TO THE COMMITTEE I ALSO AGREE.

I DON'T THINK IT'S TIME TO ESTABLISH THAT COMMITTEE.

I THINK WE NEED TO GET THE COUNTY'S SUPPORT AND MS. HANSEN'S SUPPORT BEFORE WE REALLY ESTABLISH A COMMITTEE.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S WHAT I THINK MOST OF COUNCIL IS SAYING AS WELL.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU.

JUST TO CLARIFY, THE COMMITTEE IS ALREADY OUT THERE, SO THE COMMITTEE FOR CHARTER AMENDMENTS IS OUT THERE AND LOOKING FOR.

AM I CORRECT IN THAT? SO, MAYOR, THE DIRECTION THAT I GOT FROM COUNCIL LAST MONTH WHEN WE DISCUSSED CHARTER AMENDMENTS WAS TO DO AN INTERNAL COMMITTEE OF STAFF TO EVALUATE THE QUESTIONS THAT HAD BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD.

SO WE ARE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF FORMULATING THAT COMMITTEE INTERNALLY.

OK. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WAS STILL EVEN ACTIVE FROM A YEAR AGO BECAUSE WE HAD BROUGHT THIS UP BACK IN JANUARY OF 2021.

SO AT THAT TIME, WE DID OPEN UP THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING TOGETHER A CITIZEN COMMITTEE AND WE WERE SOLICITING APPLICATIONS AND AT WHICH TIME WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY.

WHICH IS WHY WHEN I CAME FORWARD LAST MONTH, I WAS VERY MUCH ENCOURAGING, SINCE MOST OF THESE AMENDMENTS ARE VERY TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROCEDURAL TO OUR CURRENT OPERATIONS, THAT MY RECOMMENDATION WAS TO ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN INTERNAL COMMITTEE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO REALLY DIVE INTO THOSE RANK THEM IN TERMS OF OUR LEVEL OF, YOU KNOW, OF IMPORTANCE AND THEN BRING FORWARD AN ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL IN TERMS OF WHAT MIGHT BE PRESENTED TO VOTERS.

OK, THANK YOU. YEAH. I KNOW WE'RE DOING THAT FOR OUR, YOU KNOW, THE CITY CHARTER

[01:35:05]

BUT I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT COUNCIL HAD GIVEN DIRECTION TO USE THAT OPEN COMMITTEE FOR THINGS THAT ARE ELECTION RELATED.

AND MY APOLOGIES, MAYOR, IT LOOKS LIKE MR. CLIFTON WILL JUMP IN, BUT THAT WAS NOT THE DIRECTION THAT I HAD RECEIVED.

AND THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, MAYOR.

YEAH, THAT'S MY RECOLLECTION AS WELL.

COUNCIL GAVE US DIRECTION TO PURSUE THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARTER PROVISIONS, IF YOU WILL, INTERNALLY. AND THEN OUR DIRECTION WAS TO FRAME THIS DISCUSSION FOR TONIGHT AS A PRECURSOR TO ANY POTENTIAL OUTSIDE COMMITTEE THAT WOULD BE TASKED WITH ELECTION RELATED CHARTER PROVISIONS.

SO I THINK THIS IS PART OF THE DISCUSSION TONIGHT.

CHOICE WAS KIND OF OK.

THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE SUFFICIENT DIRECTION FOR TONIGHT FROM US TO STAFF? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I DO BELIEVE I HAVE ENOUGH DIRECTION FROM WHAT MY NOTES INDICATE I DO NOT SEE SUPPORT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, YOU KNOW, TAKING RANKED CHOICE VOTING INTO THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS THAT WE'LL BE EVALUATING FOR 2023, BUT TO PERHAPS KIND OF KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING AND IT MAY JUST BE A BETTER TIME LATER DOWN THE ROAD.

SOUNDS GOOD, AND LET'S TRY TO AT LEAST REMEMBER IT TOO WHEN WE DISCUSS OUR STATE LOBBYING PRIORITIES IN THE FUTURE.

LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ON THE LIST FOR DISCUSSION AT THAT POINT TOO.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

WE ARE DOWN TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS OUR GENERAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.

IN WHICH WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE FOR, WHICH BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NINE, OUR

[9. Informational Items To/From Mayor, Council, and City Manager; future agenda item requests]

COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO KICK US OFF.

WELL, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS SPACE AND TIME TO LIFT EVERY WOMAN IN THIS ROOM, EVERY WOMAN IN STAFF, EVERY WOMAN IN THE GLOBE, IT'S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY AND MARCH IS ALSO INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S MONTH BY VIRTUE OF A U.N.

DECLARATION OR IN 1977.

JUST IMAGINE A GENDER EQUAL WORLD, A WORLD FREE OF BIAS, STEREOTYPES AND DISCRIMINATION.

A WORLD THAT'S DIVERSE, EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE.

A WORLD WHERE DIFFERENCE IS VALUED AND CELEBRATED.

TOGETHER, WE CAN FORGE WOMEN'S EQUALITY.

COLLECTIVELY, WE CAN ALL HASHTAG BREAK THE BIAS.

RAISE AWARENESS AGAINST BIAS.

AND TAKE ACTION FOR EQUALITY EVERY DAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET. WELL, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS, I WAS ON THE SAME TRACK YOU WERE SO THANK YOU FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE TO INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY.

AND I HAVE NOTHING ELSE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY. I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING, BUT I'LL JUST MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN ON COUNCIL, AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR RUNNING AND THANK YOU FOR WINNING.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.

VICE MAYOR. NOTHING FOR ME TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.

AND THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THE CJCC IS MEETING TOMORROW FROM 3:00 TO 5:00 P.M.

AND THOSE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

THERE'S INFORMATION ABOUT THE AGENDA AND HOW TO ACCESS THOSE MEETINGS ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE. YOU COULD EVEN JUST GOOGLE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL AND FLAGSTAFF, MAYBE, AND IT SHOULD POP UP, BUT VERY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT MEETING.

AND THEN OTHER THAN THAT, I WANTED TO SAY I'M GOING TO BE GOING ON THE FORMER MAYOR'S COMMUNITY POLICY TRUST LIVE STREAM TOMORROW EVENING.

IT'S GOING TO BE A CONVERSATION ABOUT STATESMANSHIP WITH FORMER MAYOR CORAL EVANS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DISCUSSION.

AND THEN LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY AND INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S MONTH. COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORDS AND JUST REALLY

[01:40:02]

WE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING.

SO THANK YOU ALL AND BE, WELL, EVERYBODY.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN.

GREETINGS, EVERYONE. THANK YOU, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD TODAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE CONVERSATIONS.

THESE WERE IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN WE CAN SERIOUSLY CONSIDER RANKED CHOICE VOTING AS A METHODOLOGY ALL THE WAY UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT HERE IN ARIZONA.

I'LL LEAVE IT THERE FOR NOW.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.

AND I WANTED TO UPDATE EVERYONE ON AZ [INAUDIBLE] 2031 AT THE STATE LEDGE, THAT WOULD BE THE BILL CURRENTLY IN SENATE COMMITTEE STARTING TOMORROW THAT WOULD DISALLOW MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES, ET CETERA, FROM ESTABLISHING THEIR OWN WAGES AND COMPENSATION. WAS ON THE CALL THIS MORNING WITH THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE LEAGUE OF ARIZONA CITIES AND TOWNS, AND THEY HAVE AGREED.

WE AGREED COLLECTIVELY TO FULLY OPPOSE THE MEASURE AS THE ARIZONA LEAGUE.

THERE WAS DISCUSSION BEFORE ABOUT PUTTING, YOU KNOW, PRESSING FOR A GRANDFATHERING IN CLAUSE WHERE FLAGSTAFF AND TUCSON WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN THE SENATE NOW.

I'M JUST GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ALL LOCK IN AND REALIZE THAT THIS AFFECTS ALL OF US CITIES, THAT THIS IS A WAY TO TAKE AWAY OUR RIGHTS AND SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY VOTED UPON AS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BACK IN 2006 WITH PROP 202 THAT ALLOWED CITIES TO SET OUR OWN WAGES.

SO JUST HAPPY TO BE IN THAT CALL AND THE EXECUTIVE BOARD THAT I'M ON IS IN AGREEMENT TO GO FULLY UP IN FULL OPPOSITION.

SO THAT WAS GOOD NEWS FOR THE MORNING.

ASIDE FROM THAT, THAT WAS THE BIG ONE I HAD FOR YOU.

SO WITH THAT, HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, EVERYONE.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.