>> ALL RIGHTY, IT IS APRIL 28TH, [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).] [00:00:04] 2022 OF OUR CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL WORK SESSION CALLING TO ORDER. JUST AS NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC WE MAY VOTE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON ANY OF AGENDIZED ITEMS FOR LEGAL ADVICE. WITH THAT, ROLL-CALL PLEASE. >> MAYOR DEASY? >> HERE. >> VICE MAYOR SWEET. >> HERE. >> COUNCILMEMBER ASLAN. >> HERE. >> COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY. >> HERE. >> COUNCILMEMBER SALAS. >> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHIMONI. >> PRESENT. >> THANK YOU. HOW ABOUT COUNCILMEMBER SHIMONI LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE. >> ABSOLUTELY, PLEASE [OVERLAPPING] STAND IF YOU ARE ABLE TO. >> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER SALAS, WOULD YOU MIND DOING OUR MISSION STATEMENT, PLEASE? >> I'M HONORED TO DO SO. THE MISSION OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL. >> THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR, OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT, PLEASE. >> THANK YOU. THE FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE ANCESTRAL HOMELANDS OF THIS AREA'S INDIGENOUS NATIONS AND ORIGINAL STEWARDS. THESE LANDS STILL INHABITED BY NATIVE DESCENDANTS, BORDER MOUNTAINS 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. >> THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 4, [4. City Council Vacancy Interviews The City Council will interview the following six applicants: Alethea Karlin Al White Khara House McKenzie Jones Samantha Stone Joe Washington] OUR CITY COUNCIL VACANCY INTERVIEWS. DO YOU WANT TO, I ASSUME SAY A FEW WORDS HERE? [LAUGHTER] CITY CLERK. [LAUGHTER] >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL STACY SALZBURG, CITY CLERK. I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A REALLY QUICK RUNDOWN ABOUT HOW WE'VE GOTTEN TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. WE STARTED THIS PROCESS A LITTLE WHILE AGO, WENT THROUGH AN APPLICATION PERIOD. EARLIER THIS WEEK WE HEARD FROM 14 DIFFERENT CANDIDATES. THEY PROVIDED US SOME INTRODUCTIONS OF THEMSELVES, WHY THEY WANT TO SERVE ON THE CITY COUNCIL. AND YOU HAVE DECIDED TO BRING SIX OF THEM BACK TO GO THROUGH A FORMAL INTERVIEW PROCESS, SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY. WE DO HAVE SEVEN INTERVIEW QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED BEFOREHAND. THERE'LL BE A RANDOM ROTATION OF THOSE QUESTIONS FOR EACH CANDIDATE. EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ANSWER EACH INTERVIEW QUESTION. IF A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION IS ASKED, AN ADDITIONAL THREE MINUTES WILL BE ALLOTTED TO THEM TO ANSWER THAT FOLLOW-UP. REALLY AT THIS POINT TONIGHT, WE'LL HEAR THESE INTERVIEWS AND WE'LL LOOK TO COUNCIL FOR ANY FURTHER DIRECTION FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE. I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS, OTHERWISE, WE CAN GET STARTED. >> THANK YOU, CITY CLERK. COUNCILMAN RICHMOND. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. A QUICK QUESTION FOR STACY, CAN YOU REMIND ME HOW WE'RE HANDLING THE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS? IS IT THE PERSON WHO'S ASKING THE QUESTION CAN THEN ASK ANOTHER FOLLOW-UP? >> THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF OUR DISCUSSIONS LEADING UP TO THIS. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS YOUR PROCESS COUNCIL, SO IF YOU'RE ALL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, WE'LL GO WITH THAT. >> ALL RIGHT, GOOD. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMAN RASLAND. >> A SEPARATE QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO KNOW FOLLOW UP ON THE OTHER THING FIRST? >> WELL, I'LL JUST NOTE THAT YES, THAT'S WHAT WE HAD AGREED TO THAT WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON OUR OWN QUESTIONS IF THERE IS ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATIONS. BUT TO HELP NOT CREATE SUCH A JUMBLE OF LOTS OF QUESTIONS AND MULTIPLE MEMBERS WANTING TO JUMP IN, THAT WE HAD DECIDED TO JUST HAVE A FOLLOW-UP ON OUR OWN QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE FORMALIZED. JUST AS NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC, THESE INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS WERE DEVELOPED BY EACH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF COUNCIL INDEPENDENTLY. WELL, NOT INDEPENDENTLY THROUGH COLLABORATION AMONGST ALL OF US, BUT WE HAVE INDIVIDUALIZED THOSE QUESTIONS TO LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN AS MEMBERS. IN ADDITION, THEY ARE RANDOMIZED FOR EACH OF OUR CANDIDATES. THE LIST OF INTERVIEWEES IS IN THAT ORDER WAS COMPLETELY RANDOMIZED. JUST FOR EVERYONE'S KNOWLEDGE AND COUNCILMAN RASLAND. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. AT SOME POINT TODAY, I REALIZED THAT THIS WAS A FULLY PUBLIC PROCESS, WHICH MEANS THAT THE INTERVIEWEES WERE GOING TO GET THE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME EXCEPT FOR THE FIRST-PERSON TO GO. WE ARRANGED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE QUESTIONS WERE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY WITH SOME HOURS NOTICE. JUST IN A EFFORT FOR FAIRNESS AND EQUAL ACCESS TO THE PLAYING FIELD. I JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE-CHECK FOR THE RECORD IF EVERYBODY WAS ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE QUESTIONS A LITTLE BIT EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. I SEE ALL HEAD NODS, SO THANK YOU. [00:05:01] >> EXCELLENT. >> THANKS FOR PUTTING MY MIND AT EASE. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN RASLAND FOR PROPOSING THAT TODAY. WITH THAT, I WILL ALSO NOTE THAT SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER SALAS. >> SORRY TO INTERRUPT MR. MAYOR. DO WE HAVE ANY TIME LIMIT FOR EACH QUESTION OR FOR EACH CANDIDATE? >> EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ANSWER EACH QUESTION. >> DOES THAT INCLUDE THE FOLLOW-UP? >> NO, THEY'LL BE ALLOTTED AN ADDITIONAL THREE MINUTES IF A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION IS ASKED. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I WILL ALSO NOTE IF YOU'D PREFER TO BE SEATED. THE MICS RIGHT HERE AND THE MIC ON THIS SIDE IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO BE STANDING AT THE PODIUM. THOSE ARE ALL HOT MICS. [LAUGHTER] >> JUST MAKE SURE YOU PUSH THE BUTTON TO TURN THE MIC ON. >> NOT HOT YET, EXCEPT THAT. >> NOT HOT YET. [LAUGHTER]. >> THANK YOU, MS. SALZBURG, AND IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL BEFORE WE PROCEED? >> THANK YOU. >> I DON'T HAVE TO DANCE. >> THAT'LL BE RIGHT BEFORE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN CASE ANYBODY WANTS TO COMMENT. [LAUGHTER] WITH THAT, WE ARE STARTING WITH ALTHEA CARTLIN. >> WELCOME. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE ALTHEA. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME BACK. >> ALL OUR PLEASURE. AGAIN, THESE ARE IN RANDOM ORDER FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL AND I'LL CALL ON THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HAS THEIR QUESTION TO ASK. WITH THAT, MS CARTLIN, WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER SALAS. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ALTHEA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. ELABORATE ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT? >> THIS IS GOOD. AS FAR AS MY UNDERSTANDING, CITY COUNCIL IS ELECTED BY PEOPLE AND WE'RE MORE OR LESS A BOARD, LIKE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS, BUT NOT QUITE. SO WE'RE VOTED ON, SO PEOPLE WANT US IN OFFICE TO REPRESENT THEM. THE MAYOR, EVERYONE HAS ONE VOICE, ONE VOTE. MAYOR HAS ONE VOTE, HE'S LIKE THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, IF YOU WILL. THE CITY MANAGER IS IN CHARGE OF DAY TO DAY AND EVERYTHING, HIRING, FIRING, PLANNING. THEY ARE THE BIG BRAIN AND WE ARE THE VOTING BODY, IS MY UNDERSTANDING. [NOISE] >> DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT. I THINK DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WOULD DEPEND ON THE QUESTION THAT WOULD BE PROPOSED. JUST AS A GENERAL BASIS, WHAT I HAVE MY KNOWLEDGE OF CITY COUNCIL AND HOW FLAGSTAFF WOULD WORK. THE QUESTION, BASING MY KNOWLEDGE ON THE REGIONAL PLAN IS GOING TO BE FIRST IN MY WHEELHOUSE AND CONSULTING WITH MY PEERS, WHICH WOULD BE YOU GUYS, WHAT ARE YOUR OPINIONS? WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS? WHAT AM I HEARING FROM MY CONSTITUENTS? I KNOW THAT THEY'RE ALL THE SAME CONSTITUENTS, BUT EACH ARE GOING TO PULL A DRAW FROM DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION WHO ARE LIKE, I REALLY SUPPORT YOU, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT ME MAY HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT OPINION THAN THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT YOU. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE PEOPLE YOU ARE TALKING TO ARE LISTENING. WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE WHO TALK TO ME, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? HOW DOES THAT FIT IN WITH THE REGIONAL PLAN AS WELL? ALSO WITH EVERYONE ELSE WHO WORKS AT THE CITY, THERE ARE SO MANY BIG DEPARTMENTS AND AMAZING INTELLIGENT PEOPLE, THEY DO ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING AND THEIR OPINIONS, THEIR EXPERTISE IS GOING TO WEIGH IN HEAVY, IN ADDITION, SO THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT PIECES TO THAT PUZZLE THAT I WOULD HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AND PUT TOGETHER IN ORDER TO COME UP WITH A GOOD DECISION. >> THINKING OF SCOTLAND. WITH THAT, WE ARE TO VICE MAYOR SWEET. >> THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WHEN POTENTIALLY CONFLICTING PRIORITIES AND/OR VALUES ARE INVOLVED. [00:10:03] >> THIS IS GOOD. IT FEELS LIKE A FOLLOW UP TO HER FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. I LIKED FACT-BASED DECISION-MAKING FOR THE MOST PART. IF I EVER HAVE A BIG LIFE, PERSONAL DECISION OR A FRIEND DOES, LET'S LOOK AT THE FACTS. LET'S RESEARCH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WORKING FOR THE CITY, YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DO THAT RESEARCH AND SO IT'S CONSULTING WITH YOUR EXPERTS. ALSO SO I PUT IN HERE ANALYZING INFORMATION AND DATA PERTAINING TO THE SITUATION AS WELL AS WEIGHING IN OPINIONS OF MY COHORT. THAT REALLY TIES TOGETHER WHAT I SPOKE TO JUST A BIT AGO, IF YOUR OPINIONS MATTER, THE VOTERS OPINIONS MATTER. THE PEOPLE WHO DO THIS MORE PROFESSIONALLY THAN JUST BEING VOTED IN WHO THIS IS THEIR EXPERTISE, THIS IS THEIR FIELDS. THEIR OPINIONS REALLY MATTER TOO. THAT'S HOW I WOULD WEIGH ANY CHALLENGING DECISION. IT'S NOT MY DECISION ALONE. I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT YOUR DECISION SHOULD REPRESENT EVERYBODY AS BEST AS YOU CAN, AS LONG AS IT'S IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR VALUES. >> [INAUDIBLE] VICE MAYOR. >> NO. >> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER [INAUDIBLE]. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. HI THERE. [NOISE] WELCOME. MY QUESTION IS GIVEN AN EXAMPLE OF ONE, YOU FELT THAT PEOPLE OF UNDERREPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS WERE NOT BEING TREATED IN A WAY YOU WERE OKAY WITH AND WHAT DID YOU DO? >> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, I LOVE GIVING A VOICE TO THE VOICELESS, PEOPLE WHO THEY CAN'T STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES. THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY, MAYBE THEY'RE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES, BEING ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR ANY PERSON OR GROUP OF PERSONS IN THEIR BEST INTEREST IS A GIFT. WHEN I WORKED AT THE GUIDANCE CENTER ENSURING THAT CHILDREN OF VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS AND I DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANY SPECIFICS OUT OF CONFIDENTIALITY. I REALIZED IT'S BEEN QUITE AWHILE SINCE I WORKED AT THE GUIDANCE CENTER, BUT I STILL REALLY RESPECT THE FAMILIES I WORKED WITH. THOUGH THEY MAY BE ADULTS AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THEIR SITUATIONS ARE UNIQUE AND PRIVATE. BUT OFTENTIMES I HAD TO GATHER A GROUP OF PEOPLE, WHOLE CARE TEAM TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL HAD EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED, BE AT CPS OR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH IEPS, THEIR TEACHERS, THEIR COUNSELORS, OTHER STAFF AT THE GUIDANCE CENTER, OTHER AGENCIES OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH. SOMETIMES IT WAS JUST AS GIGANTIC GROUP WORKING FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL. IT WAS MY JOB AS A CASE MANAGER TO BE THIS CHILD'S VOICE. I'M THEIR VOICE. THIS IS THEIR BEST INTERESTS. NOT AS IF IT'S A BIG POWER THING, BUT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEAK FOR YOURSELF, WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL OLD ENOUGH, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT LEGAL REPRESENTATION, IT MATTERS TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S LISTENING. IF A CHILD OR AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY, AS LONG AS THERE'S SOMEBODY I CARE, I LISTEN, I'M THERE FOR YOU, I WILL GET YOUR POINT ACROSS. [LAUGHTER] >> IT IS NICE. I ACTUALLY DO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP. >> YEAH. >> AWESOME. WHEN CONFRONTING OPPOSITION, HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG THROUGH VOICES THAT ARE NOT IN THE ROOM? >> HONESTLY GUT INSTINCT IS TO RUN TO A PHYSICIAN. BUT I THINK HAVING A REALLY GOOD TEAM, HAVING FRIENDS ON YOUR SIDE FEELING LIKE, HERE'S AN EXAMPLE. THIS IS AN OPPOSITION. YOU AREN'T OPPOSITION, YOU ARE NOT OPPOSITION. BUT I'M ANXIOUS AND HAVING A FRIEND TO SIT NEXT TO, A NEW FRIENDS AND SIT NEXT TO. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE THIS CONNECTION AND A CARE, I FEEL STRONGER, SO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS, KNOWING YOU ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. IF I GET THE CHANCE TO SIT DOWN HAVE COFFEE WITH YOU, UNDERSTAND HOW YOU WORK, WE'RE FRIENDS, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN FACE THE OPPOSITION TOGETHER. OTHERWISE MY COMMUNITY CAN BE MY TEAM. I WILL FACE OPPOSITION WITH THEM AS A TEAM. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [NOISE] NEXT IS A COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY. >> WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR. FLAGSTAFF HAS A PILOT ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE PROGRAM TO SERVE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL POLICE RESPONSES TO 911 CALLS. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT POLICE FUNDING SHOULD BE REDUCED TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM? THEN AS RELATED QUESTION, HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL? >> I REALLY LOVE THIS QUESTION. [00:15:01] THIS WAS A REALLY CHALLENGING ONE WHEN I GOT THEM. >> WELL, THANK YOU. >> PARTIALLY, I WANT TO READ, AD LIB A LITTLE BIT. THE FIRST THING I DID WAS I RESEARCHED, I TYPED IN THE GOOGLE MACHINE ABOUT, WHAT DID FLAGSTAFF DO. HOW DID YOU GUYS COME UP WITH YOUR PROCESS? I SAW THAT WHEN IT WAS PROPOSED IN OCTOBER OF 2020, YOU HAD THESE BIG BEAUTIFUL SLIDES UPON YOUR CITY COUNCIL. YOU CAN LOOK AT IT, IT'S THERE. YOU'RE TRANSPARENCY FOR THAT IS BEAUTIFUL. IT WAS THERE FOR ME TO REFERENCE, IT'S THERE FOR ANYBODY TO REFERENCE. BUT MY POINT IS THAT IT GAVE EXAMPLES OF IN DENVER, IT WAS VOTER APPROVED BY A GRANT. THAT'S HOW THEY PAID FOR THAT PROGRAM IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. IT WAS FUNDED BY THE TAXPAYERS IN MESA. IT WAS ORIGINALLY FUNDED BY TAXPAYERS WHO GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF MEMPHIS, BUT IT DIDN'T SAY HOW THAT FUNDING WAS DONE FOR THAT SLIDE. IN EUGENE, THE SAME PROGRAM WAS RUN BY A NON-PROFIT. THERE ARE ALTERNATE METHODS OF FUNDING THAT THE CITY CAN COME UP WITH AND NOT ME, NOT YOU, BUT OUR TEAM CAN COME UP WITH SO THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM OUR POLICE. OUR POLICE DOES A VERY CRUCIAL JOB FOR THE CITY. HONESTLY, I FEEL LIKE THEY COULD BE UNDER FUNDED, LIKE THEY COULD BE PAID BETTER. THEY PROVIDE A INVALUABLE SURFACE. WE NEED GOOD, STRONG POLICEMEN, KIND, WHO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE VALUED BY THE COMMUNITY AND I CERTAINLY VALUE THEM. WHEN WE HAVE A RESPONSE TEAM TO WORK IN COORDINATION WITH THEM IT BETTER SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY, AND IT BETTER SUPPORTS THE POLICE. IT GIVES THE POLICE THAT BACKUP OF THIS IS MORE YOUR EXPERTISE RESPONSE TEAM, CAN YOU PLEASE HELP US HANDLE THIS, WILL BE BEHIND YOU IN CASE SOMETHING GOES SKETCHY OR VICE VERSA. [NOISE] THAT'S WHAT I THINK, HOW WOULD I APPROACH THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO APPROACH THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AS COORDINATION BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT AGENCIES WITHIN THE SAME REALM, WORKING IN COORDINATION WITH EACH OTHER. I THINK THEY CAN BE FUNDED FULLY WITHOUT TAKING AWAY FROM ONE OR THE OTHER. I THINK THERE ARE CREATIVE WAYS THAT THE CITY CAN COME UP WITH SO THAT THEY'RE BOTH FULLY SUPPORTED. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN MCCARTHY. NEXT UP IS MY QUESTION, [NOISE] WHICH IS, [NOISE] HOW HAVE YOUR POLICY VIEWS CHANGED OVER TIME? GIVE AN EXAMPLE WHEN YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR MIND ON A CRITICAL SALIENT ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. WHY DID YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND ON THAT ISSUE? >> THERE'S THIS BIG, BEAUTIFUL, INCREDIBLE SUNFLOWER FIELD THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS FROM CASH HIRE. IT IS THE SPOT AND IT IS HOTLY DEBATED. THERE ARE TWO BIG SIDES. THERE IS THIS OR THAT. AS A NORMAL AVERAGE CITIZEN, THIS IS HOW I VIEWED IT. THIS IS HOW IT WAS PRESENTED IN THE MEDIA. WE HAVE THIS OR YOU HAVE THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE BOTH. WITH FURTHER EDUCATION ON THE MATTER, TO GIVE YOU MY VIEWPOINT TO BEGIN WHAT I SUPPORTED, LET'S KEEP THEM FLOWERS. THAT'S 100 PERCENT WHEN I BACKED IS, I LOVE OUR OPEN SPACES. BUT WITH FURTHER EDUCATION, WITH LEARNING MORE ABOUT THAT EXACT SPOT OF LAND LEARNING THAT ONLY 20 PERCENT OF THAT SPOT WOULD BE DEVELOPED, THAT HAS THE INFRASTRUCTURE ALREADY THERE, THAT THE CITY CONTROLS THAT PARCEL. THEY COULD CONTROL THE COST. THAT COULD BE HOUSING FOR OUR POLICE, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS. THIS WOULD PROVIDE A GOOD SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY. MY POLICY OPINION ON THAT WOULD CHANGE OR THE WAY I WOULD VOTE ON THAT CHANGE BASED ON FURTHERING MY EDUCATION. THERE'S A WAY IN WHICH SOMETHING WAS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED AND DOING MORE RESEARCH, I WENT, I HAD NO IDEA. I'M SORRY, I CHANGED MY VIEWPOINT. >> THANK YOU. NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER AZTLAN. >> THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS QUICKLY. THANK YOU FOR GOING FIRST. >> WELCOME. [LAUGHTER] >> YOU DIDN'T EXACTLY CHOOSE TO DO THAT, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND WILLINGNESS ANYWAY. BEFORE WE START, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW I GREW UP WITH AN AUTISTIC BROTHER, WHICH MEANS I GREW UP WITH A MOTHER OF AN AUTISTIC CHILD. I HAVE IT ON PRETTY GOOD AUTHORITY THAT THERE IS A RAINBOW FLAVORED [00:20:03] GOLDEN CASTLE WAITING FOR EVERY MOTHER HAVING AN AUTISTIC CHILD IN HEAVEN. THANK YOU FOR JUST BEING A PARENT. I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'D NEED TO GO THROUGH TO TRAVERSE THAT. MY QUESTION IS, THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS AIMING FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2030. THIS LOFTY GOAL IS THE PRODUCT OF A BOTTOM-UP COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROCESS THAT HAS DETERMINED THE GLOBAL CLIMATE CRISIS BE TREATED LOCALLY LIKE THE EMERGENCY THAT IT IS. COUNCIL HAS ALSO RECOGNIZED ANOTHER EMERGENCY DRIVEN BY THE GROUND-UP RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. ARE THESE TWO URGENT CHALLENGES COMPATIBLE WITH EACH OTHER OR ARE THEY AT ODDS? HOW WILL YOU ADDRESS BOTH CRISIS SIMULTANEOUSLY? HOW WILL YOU LOOK AT THE QUESTION OF FLAGSTAFF'S POTENTIAL EXPLOSIVE GROWTH OVER THE NEXT TWO DECADES THROUGH THESE TWO DIFFERENT LENSES? >> FIRST, I WANT TO SAY, I FEEL HONORED TO BE MY SON'S MOM. IT'S ABSOLUTELY A GIFT. IT'S NOT A CHALLENGE IN ANY WAY. IT'S WHAT I WAS BLESSED WITH. [LAUGHTER]. BUT TO TOUCH ON YOUR QUESTION NOW, I FEEL THANKFUL THAT THE CITY AND COCONINO COUNTY HAVE EXPERTS WHO ARE WORKING ON YOUR REGIONAL PLAN AND YOU GUYS ARE AWARE. I'M AWARE FLAGSTAFF HAS BEEN GROWING PRETTY MUCH EVERY 20 YEARS OF BETWEEN LATE 1980 AND 2000, ABOUT 45 PERCENT GROWTH BETWEEN 2000 AND 2020 AND OTHER 45 PERCENT GROWTH. THE PROSPECTS OF GROWTH IS HUGE, IT'S REALLY BIG. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION. IN VIEWING WHAT THE CITY IS WORKING ON, WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE WORKING ON, THERE IS A BALANCE BETWEEN SUSTAINABILITY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. ONE OF THE LEAST POPULAR WAYS TO ADDRESS THIS IS BY THOSE NOT QUITE THE HUB STYLE, BUT HAVING MULTI-FAMILY UNITS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE SAVING ON HEAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE SHARED WALLS AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIVING WITHIN A SMALLER SPACE TOGETHER AND YOU LIVE [NOISE] CLOSER TO MAYBE WORK CENTERS. YOUR CITY PLANNERS ARE WORKING ON THESE BIG REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTERS WITHIN THE CITY AND WHERE ARE THESE BIG HOUSING UNITS CAN BE. I THINK THEY GO HAND IN HAND, CARBON NEUTRALITY AND GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY, IF WE CAN DO IT IN A WAY WHERE WE'RE EDUCATING OUR PUBLIC. THINKING ABOUT THIS BIG GROWTH AS SOMEBODY WHO GREW UP HERE, IT FEELS SCARY TO ME AND I GET AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE AND THE VOTERS ARE GOING TO GET AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE. THAT'S WHERE TRANSPARENCY AND EDUCATION AND THE CITY IS DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH LIKE YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO TRY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC. HERE'S OUR PROCESS. HERE'S HOW WE'RE DOING IT. BUT FOR ME TO ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE TO LEARN MORE SO THAT THEY FEEL MORE AT PEACE WITH IT. GROWTH ISN'T AN INEVITABILITY. IT'S HAPPENING. EITHER WE DO IT IN A HAPHAZARD WAY, OR WE DO IT IN A VERY THOUGHTFUL, CONTROLLED PLANNED WAY, WHICH IS WHAT THE GOALS ARE OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE. WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS JUST UP OR DOWN, [NOISE] DO YOU BELIEVE [NOISE] THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL AND THAT HUMANS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN THAT? ALSO, DO YOU THINK THAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2030? OR DO YOU THINK WE'RE CRAZY? >> I DON'T THINK WE'RE CRAZY. THAT'S REALLY FAST. THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPONENTS INTO CARBON NEUTRALITY AND I CAN'T SPEAK ON THAT. I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER. I HAVEN'T DONE THAT RESEARCH YET. BUT I FEEL LIKE HAVING THAT TYPE OF A LOFTY GOAL IS GOOD BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO MEAN THAT WE WILL TRY HARDER, WE'LL PUSH HARDER TO BE LIKE WHEN YOU'RE COMING UP WITH A DEADLINE, IF I KNOW I HAVE A WHOLE MONTH TO COME UP WITH THIS PAPER, I'M GOING TO WAIT WEEKS, BUT IT'S RIGHT THERE, 10 YEARS. IT'S RIGHT THERE. THAT'S GOOD. I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE IN GLOBAL WARMING, CLIMATE CHANGE. THERE'S JUST NO DENYING IT. THERE'S SCIENTISTS, THERE'S NO DENYING IT. IT'S FACTUAL AT THIS POINT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL DISAGREE WITH ME AND I WILL LISTEN TO THEIR VIEWPOINTS, OF COURSE, AND HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THEM IF THEY WANT. BUT THOSE ARE MY PERSONAL VIEWS. >> THANK YOU. WELL, WE DO HAVE THE LAST QUESTION. I DIDN'T KNOW THIS ONE WAS GOING TO BE [00:25:01] RANDOMIZED BECAUSE I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE ICE-BREAKER. BUT IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF ALL, WHICH IS, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST CEREAL AND WHY? >> MY FAVORITE BREAKFAST CEREAL IS OATMEAL. LET ME TELL YOU WHY. [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE YOU CAN MAKE IT AND SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. YOU CAN MAKE IT SWEET, YOU CAN MAKE IT SAVORY. WHEN I MAKE IT SWEET FOR MY KIDS, I ASK THEM, "DO YOU WANT THIS TYPE OR THIS TYPE?" LEMON POPPY SEED IS THEIR FAVORITE. I LIKE TO MAKE SAVORY WITH ZATOU SEASONING, AND TAHITI ON TOP AND SOMETIMES A FRIED EGG THAT IS EXACTLY, IT'S TYPE, [LAUGHTER] IT'S AMAZING. OATMEAL IS THE MOST VERSATILE, HEARTY, AND HEALTHY BREAKFAST CEREAL. >> I'M GOING TO ALLOW FOLLOW-UP FROM COUNSELOR MCCARTHY ON THIS ONE. >> [NOISE] DO YOU PREFER ONE MINUTE OATMEAL OR FIVE-MINUTE OATMEAL? >> IT HAS TO BE OLD-FASHION. I USE ONE MINUTE DEPENDING, BUT I LIKED THE OLD FASHIONED. IT'S BETTER FOR THE FIBER AND YOUR GUT. >> [LAUGHTER]. EXCELLENT. WELL, THANK YOU, ALTHEA. THAT'S THE END OF THE QUESTION. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND TAKEN THE FIRST STAB AT ALL OF THIS. YOU DID VERY WELL [LAUGHTER]. >> THANK YOU, GUYS, SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I LIKED THAT I FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE RELAXED AND I SEE HUMOR AND ALL OF YOUR EYES, AND IT'S WORTH IT FOR ME, SO THAT MAKES ME HAPPY [LAUGHTER]. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> WELL, I WAS PART OF AN INTERVIEW PROCESS JUST A WEEK AGO AND I FELT LIKE I WAS WALKING THROUGH A PAROLE HEARING. I ACTUALLY REALLY DIDN'T APPRECIATE THE TONE IN THE ROOM AND IT THREW ME OFF MY GARDEN, MADE ME NERVOUS. I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO JUST BE RELAXED AND BE YOURSELVES AND WE'LL TRY TO HAVE FUN UP HERE. THIS IS GREAT FUN FOR ME. THIS IS A PERFECT WAY TO SPEND A THURSDAY AFTERNOON. >> [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER]. LET'S CLAP FOR ALTHEA. [APPLAUSE]. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO MEET ALL OF YOU APPLICANTS WHO HAVE COME OUT AND STUCK YOUR NECK OUT FOR THIS AND HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. THIS IS NOT A SMALL DECISION TO HAVE APPLIED. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE. >> NEXT STEP IS JAKE BECHALM? >> [LAUGHTER] I'LL WAIT, PLEASE? >> MAYOR, IF I MIGHT? >> YES. >> JUST A REMINDER TO ALL OF OUR CANDIDATES AS WELL. IF YOU COULD BE SURE TO JUST SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY OUT IN OUR VIRTUAL LINE CAN HEAR YOU. JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER. >> THANK YOU, CITY CLERK. SIR, AND HOW YOU DOING TODAY? [LAUGHTER]. [NOISE] >> ALREADY. >> HI EVERYBODY? [OVERLAPPING] PLEASE START WITH NUMBER 7. >> START WITH NUMBER 7. >> [LAUGHTER] HOW DID THAT GET ON LAST PLACE TWICE IN A ROW? >> YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU WANTED THAT TO BE THE VERY LAST QUESTION FOR EVERY APPLICANT. [NOISE]. >> I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE FIRST. MAYBE I MIXED UP. [LAUGHTER] I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE ICEBREAKER. >> NOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEAD WITH THAT MAYOR, YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD [LAUGHTER]. >> NO. I LIKE THE END BEING LIGHTER. I THINK THAT SETS A GOOD TONE FOR NEXT FOLKS. WITH THAT, VICE MAYOR SUITE HAS THE FIRST QUESTION. >> THANK YOU AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE. MY QUESTION, PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WHEN POTENTIALLY CONFLICTING PRIORITIES AND OUR VALUES ARE INVOLVED. >> MY APPROACH IS TO GO TO THE PARTIES THAT ARE INVOLVED AND TALK TO THEM, FIND OUT ESSENTIALLY WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANT TO TRY TO GET OUT OF A PARTICULAR DECISION. HAVING DONE THAT, YOU CAN DISCOVER WHERE THEY'RE IN UNISON, OR WHERE THEY'RE AT LOGGERHEADS. THEN BECOMES THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATING AT WHAT COULD YOU GIVE UP OR WHAT COULD THEY DO, OR WHAT COULD BE DONE TO MAKE YOU GUYS SEE THIS THING EYE TO EYE. THEN QUITE OFTEN I FIND THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN OVERREACHING CONCERN THAT THEY HADN'T THOUGHT OF THAT WOULD APPEAL TO THEIR CAUSE OF COMMON GOOD OR A COLLECTIVE WIN-WIN SITUATION. [00:30:01] THAT'S HOW I'VE APPROACHED THOSE THINGS IN THE PAST. SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO REALLY GO OUT THERE AND FIND THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO BRING THINGS UP. I THINK THE ACT OF SOLICITING OPINIONS IS VERY IMPORTANT. >> DID YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP? >> CAN YOU GIVE A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE THAT MAYBE YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS? >> THE VERY FIRST IMPACT FEE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD, IMPACT FEES WERE EITHER YOU ARE ON BOARD OR YOU ARE AGAINST THEM. WE WERE ABLE TO COME TO A DECISION THAT EVEN THE MOST ADAMANT FOE OF IMPACT FEES WAS ACCEPTABLE TO THOSE FOLKS. THAT WAS THAT WE WOULD HAVE THEM, THEY WOULD BE REDUCED, NUMBER 1 AND NUMBER 2, THEY WOULD APPLY TO POLICE AND FIRE. WE FOUND UNIVERSAL ACCEPTANCE THERE AND WE'RE ABLE TO PUT THEM IN AND WAS STILL AFFORD A THREE VOLT IN THOSE DAYS. BUT IMPACT FEES WERE ESTABLISHED AND THEY HELP TO START TO COLLECT SOME MONEY TO HAVE GROWTH PAY FOR ITSELF. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> NEXT IS COUNCILMAN RICHMONEY. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD TO SEE YOU. GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHEN YOU FELT THAT PEOPLE OF UNDER-REPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS WERE NOT BEING TREATED IN A WAY YOU WERE OKAY WITH AND WHAT DID YOU DO? >> WHEN HERITAGE SQUARE WAS BEING BUILT SOMEHOW THE CITY IT ALLOWED THEM TO PUT IN A SEVEN FOOT CEILING ON THE UNDERGROUND PARKING AREA. THAT ELIMINATED AT THE TIME THE STANDARD FOR AN ACCESSIBLE VEHICLE WAS AT EIGHT FOOT 6'6 HEIGHT. THAT ELIMINATED ONE OF THE ACCESSIBLE SPACES THAT HAD THE CROSSHATCH NEXT TO IT. THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE PARKING WAS AT A LIMITED AVAILABILITY DOWNTOWN ANYWAY. I WENT TO CITY HALL AND I WAS ROUTED TO THE CITY MANAGER. I SAID THIS IS ESSENTIALLY UNACCEPTABLE. THEY RESPONDED AND THEY WENT OUT AND HIT THE STREETS AND FIGURED OUT BECAUSE THEY HAD APPROVED THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE SEVEN FOOT CEILING. THEY WERE AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT THEY COULD DO TO ACCOMMODATE AND CAME UP WITH FOUR PARKING SPACES IN THE LOT ACROSS FROM CHARLIE'S ON THE RUE, ONE OF WHICH WAS DONATED BY THE HERITAGE SQUARE FOUNDATION. THEY ALSO PROVIDE $10,000 A YEAR TO TRY TO BUY MORE ACCESSIBLE SPACES THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN AREA. LATER ON THAT DIFFERENT COUNCIL EXPANDED THAT TO ALL ACCESSIBLE SPACES. >> THANK YOU. ANY FOLLOW-UPS, COUNCILMAN [INAUDIBLE]? COUNCILMAN RASLAND. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HI ALL? THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS AIMING FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2030. IT'S A LOFTY GOAL AND IT'S THE PRODUCT OF BOTTOM-UP COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROCESS THAT HAS DEMANDED THE GLOBAL CLIMATE CRISIS BE TREATED LOCALLY LIKE THE EMERGENCY THAT IT IS. IN COUNCIL RECENTLY HAS ALSO RECOGNIZED ANOTHER EMERGENCY DRIVEN BY THE BOTTOM-UP RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WHAT DO YOU THINK? ARE THESE TWO URGENT CHALLENGES COMPATIBLE WITH EACH OTHER, OR ARE THEY AT LOGGERHEADS, AS YOU SAY? HOW DO YOU ADDRESS BOTH CRISES SIMULTANEOUSLY? HOW WILL YOU LOOK AT THE QUESTION OF FLAGSTAFF'S POTENTIAL EXPLOSIVE GROWTH OVER THE NEXT TWO DECADES THROUGH THESE TWO DIFFERENT LENSES? >> I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE NECESSARILY AT ODDS WITH EACH OTHER. I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE NECESSARILY ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OTHER ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO. PARTICULARLY WHERE I THINK THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IS THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION. I THINK, AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, I'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF FAVORING TRANSPORTATION THAT FEATURES CARS. I REALLY DON'T. I FEATURE TRANSPORTATION METHODS THAT ARE PUT OUT THERE THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE ANY TRANSPORTATION MODE, BE IT AN AUTOMOBILE, HORSE AND BUGGY, SKATEBOARD, WHEELCHAIR, SEGUE, YOU NAME IT BICYCLE, ATOM. I THINK THAT THE ANSWER IS BASICALLY TO TRY TO [00:35:02] BUILD IN A GRID PATTERN WITH NORTH-SOUTH CONNECTIONS. NOW THAT'S TOUGH IN FLAGSTAFF BECAUSE WE'RE BUILT ALONG A RAILWAY AND A 100 TRAINS A DAY, INTERRUPT THAT NORTH-SOUTH. BUT THAT'S WHY I FAVOR AND ALWAYS WAS A CHAMPION FOR THE 4TH STREET OVERPASS AND NOW THE LONE TREE OVERPASS, I THINK SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AND I WOULD GO WITH MORE. I THINK THAT WE MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY AT 4TH STREET AT THE INTERCHANGE ON 40TH 4TH STREET AS WELL. BUT NORTH-SOUTH CONNECTIONS, AND ROUNDABOUTS IN TERMS OF AS OPPOSED TO INTERSECTIONS, I THINK ARE A SMART MOVE. IN MOST CASES, I THINK THAT HELPS WITH THE NON-AUTOMOTIVE MODES OF TRAFFIC BECAUSE IT SLOWS TRAFFIC DOWN. THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IN TERMS OF HOUSING AND IN TERMS OF IF YOU HAVE A GRID PATTERN AND YOU HAVE BUSINESSES AND HOMES IN THE SAME PLACE AND YOU HAVE DENSITY IN THOSE THINGS AS WELL. I THINK THAT THAT EFFICIENCY HELPS TO KEEP THINGS AFFORDABLE OR MAKE THINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE AFFORDABLE AS WELL. I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING I HAVE ON THAT ONE. PLAN, SUBDIVISIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE ISSUE OF SECTION 20. SECTION 20 IS AT THE END OF BUTLER AVENUE WHERE IT SAYS TEMPORARY DEAD ENDS RIGHT NOW. THAT'S STATE LAND SECTION. IT'S 40 ACRES. THE WAY WE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT GROWTH THERE, I THINK COULD BE A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. >> I HAVE YOU DOWN FOR BETTER HORSE AND BUGGY INFRASTRUCTURE. >> YEAH. [LAUGHTER]. >> CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2030, IS THAT ACHIEVABLE? >> I'M SORRY, SAY THAT AGAIN. >> CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2030. >> I DON'T KNOW. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> BUT HERE'S THE THING. WHY WOULD YOU SET A GOAL OF LESS? WHEN I WAS THE EXECUTIVE HOUSEKEEPER AT THE GRAND CANYON, MY STANDARD OF CLEANLINESS IN A ROOM WAS PERFECTION. I KNEW WE WERE NEVER GOING TO GET THERE, BUT IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO SET A LOWER STANDARD. I THINK THAT YOU'VE SET YOURSELF A MARVELOUS GOAL. I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT. THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT CONTRIBUTES AS MUCH I THINK, TO THE CARBON PROBLEM AS AUTOMOBILES DO. TO ME IT'S A FAR MORE PRACTICAL WAY TO TRY TO APPROACH IT THAN TO SAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW CARS OR WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO RESTRICT CARS OR WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT. THE MARKETPLACE MAY TAKE CARE OF THAT WITH ELECTRIC CARS AS LONG AS THEY CAN CREATE THE ELECTRICITY THROUGH RENEWABLES. >> THANK YOU. [NOISE] COUNCIL MEMBER SOLACE IS NEXT. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. ELABORATE ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY MANAGER-CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER-CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT? >> THE COUNCIL-MANAGER FORM BASICALLY DICTATES THAT THE COUNCIL IS A POLICY BODY AND THE CITY MANAGER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT POLICY. WHILE THE CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDS THE BUDGET AND CREATES THE AGENDA FOR THE MEETINGS, THE COUNCIL CERTAINLY CAN ADD AGENDA ITEMS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION TO THE CITY FOR THE WAY THEY WANT TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD IN FUTURE PLANNING. THAT FORM OF GOVERNMENT PRECLUDES CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS DIRECTING STAFF YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND THE MAGISTRATES AND OTHER THAN THAT THOSE AREAS OR THOSE POSITIONS COVER AND SUPERVISE THE REST OF THE STAFF. THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IS A CONSENSUS OF FOUR OR MORE TO INITIATE AN ACTION AND THE COUNCIL DOES POLICY, THE MANAGER DOES PRACTICE, BUDGET DIRECTION, AND FUTURE PLANNING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING ANYWAY. [00:40:02] >> THE SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION IS DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER-CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT? >> MAJORITY RULES FOUR PEOPLE MAKE THE DECISION. I THINK THAT IT'S BEST IF YOU CAN REACH A CONSENSUS AND FRANKLY, 99 PERCENT OF THE THINGS YOU DO ARE UNANIMOUS. THEY ARE THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY. THEY ARE BUY A FIRE TRUCK, STAFF, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, STREETS, SO FORTH, AND SO ON. THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WHEN IT'S CONTENTIOUS, THEN I THINK BECOMES A QUESTION OF ENOUGH DEBATE, ENOUGH PUBLIC INPUT, ENOUGH SOLICITING THE CONTRARY OPINIONS TO WORK OUT A CONSENSUS. IF YOU CAN'T WORK OUT A CONSENSUS, THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE AN ODD NUMBER AND YOU VOTE, AND IT'S FOUR TO THREE OR FIVE TO TWO OR WHATEVER IT IS. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. >> THE SPECIFIC QUESTION ASK ABOUT YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WITHIN THE CITY MANAGERS-CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT. >> MY DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IS TO HEAR ALL SIDES AND THEN COME DOWN ON WHAT I THINK ISN'T NECESSARILY THE BEST FOR ME, BUT THE BEST FOR THE CITIZENS OF FLAGSTAFF, AND I TRY TO DO IT WITH AN EYE TO THE FUTURE BECAUSE SO MANY DECISIONS GET MADE THAT ARE TEMPORARY AND OR STOPGAP THAT WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FOCUSED ON 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 YEARS FROM NOW. THANKS FOR THE FOLLOW-UP. [LAUGHTER] >> THANK YOU AND THEN THE NEXT IS MYSELF. HOW HAVE YOUR POLICY VIEWS CHANGED OVER TIME? GIVE AN EXAMPLE WHEN YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR MIND ON A CRITICAL AND SALIENT ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. WHY DID YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND ON THAT ISSUE? >> OVERALL, I THINK MY VIEWS THEY'VE BECOME MORE SPECIFIC THAN GENERAL IN TERMS OF BROAD OVERREACHING POLICIES THAT MAY NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO SURVIVE IN A DEBATE-ORIENTED ENVIRONMENT. I THINK I'VE CHANGED MY POLICIES TO THINKING MORE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WILL START THINGS AND CAN GET THEM MOVING AND CREATE SMALL SUCCESSES THAT THEN BREED LARGEST SUCCESSES AND THE EXAMPLE I WOULD USE IS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARENA. FOR A LONG TIME, I WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE AND STILL I AM TO A CERTAIN EXTENT OF EXAMINING THE ENTIRE CONTINUUM OF HOUSING AND TRYING TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS WITHIN EACH AREA OF IT. BUT I FIND THAT THAT HAS WATERED DOWN TO A CERTAIN EXTENT OUR CAPABILITY TO CREATE NEW UNITS. YOU'VE GOT TO PLAN NOW THAT CALLS FOR A GAP OF 7,900 UNITS AND 254 TO BE BUILT ON CITY LAND IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS. THAT DOESN'T CUT IT. IT DOESN'T GET THE JOB DONE. I WANT TO CONCENTRATE ON CREATING PERMANENT, AFFORDABLE UNITS. I'VE CHANGED MY MIND BASED ON THE FACT THAT I DON'T THINK THAT CURRENT POLICIES ARE GETTING US THERE AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO ENTER INTO MORE LONG-TERM CONTRACTS WITH PARTNERS THAT LET THEM MAKE THEIR MONEY BACK BY CHARGING LESS TO THE TENANT AND TENANTS CAN THEN OPT TO LIVE IN THESE UNITS AND LIVE THERE FOREVER AND THAT TAKES CARE OF POLICE OFFICERS, THE SCHOOL TEACHERS AND SO FORTH OR THEY CAN SAVE UP TO ENTER THE FLAGSTAFF HOUSING MARKET, THE FREE MARKET, BY HAVING A DOWN PAYMENT AND NOT HAVING TO SPEND 50 PERCENT PLUS. THAT JUST RUINS THE ECONOMY IN A MILLION WAYS. YOU SPEND ALL YOUR MONEY ON HOUSING AND YOU GOT NOTHING TO DO TO SPEND ON THE OTHER THINGS THAT KEEP AN ECONOMY VIBRANT. I GUESS THAT'S MY BIG EXAMPLE, IS THERE MORE TO THAT QUESTION THAT I MISSED? [00:45:03] THAT'S WHY I CHANGED MY MIND. >> THANK YOU AL. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY IS NEXT. >> NOW, MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, FLAGSTAFF HAS A PILOT ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE PROGRAM TO SERVE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL POLICE RESPONSES TO 911 CALLS. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT POLICE FUNDING SHOULD BE REDUCED TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM AND THEN SECONDLY, HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL? >> I THINK DEFUND THE POLICE IS PROBABLY THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD AND DECEIVING SLOGAN OF RECENT TIMES. THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE IS TURNING OUT AS I LEARNED AT THE BUDGET RETREAT SITTING WITH DAN, IT'S TURNING OUT THE WORK WONDERS AND DO SOME GREAT THINGS AND IT'S SAVING SOME TIME AND ENERGY ON THE PART OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO DEVOTE THEIR TIME TO PROTECTION AND THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEED A POLICE FORCE THAT THEY PROTECT AND SERVE. SO I DON'T THINK THAT WE NEED A REDUCTION IN POLICE FUNDING. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND WHAT THIS ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE. FRANKLY, I'M QUITE PROUD OF YOU THAT ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS REALLY GOING TO GO PLACES. IN FACT, I THINK WE SHOULD BRING THAT DISCUSSION TO OUR GOVERNMENT PARTNERS IN THE US POLICE FORCE, THE [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY SHERIFF, AND I THINK THEY CAN LEARN FROM THIS EXAMPLE AND WE CAN SPREAD THAT SUCCESS STORY ELSEWHERE. >> THANK YOU AL, THANK YOU MAYOR. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. IS THIS THE BREAKFAST QUESTION? >> YES IT IS, THE MOST CRITICAL. >> I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A TRICK QUESTION [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY HAS TO SPEND THREE MINUTES ON IT, THEY'RE GOING TO BE TOO LONG-WINDED TO SIT UP THERE. [LAUGHTER] MY FAVORITE IS WHEATIES BECAUSE IT'S THE BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS [LAUGHTER] AND MY SECOND IS KASHI ISLAND VANILLA. HAVE YOU TRIED THAT? MAN IT IS OUTSTANDING, AND WHY? BECAUSE THEY BOTH GO WELL WITH BANANAS AND BLUEBERRIES. >> THAT'S A SOLID ANSWER. >> INVITED ME TO JOIN YOU. WE WILL HAVE [LAUGHTER] MORE FUN LIKE THIS. >> I'M GOING TO BE ASKING THAT OF EACH COUNCIL MEMBERS AFTERWARD TOO BECAUSE I'M REALLY CURIOUS NOW AFTER WE'VE PUT THIS ON THE LIST. WELL, THANK YOU AL. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND BEING HERE. >> YOU ARE WELCOME AND GOOD LUCK. I TOO THINK IT CAN'T GO WRONG WITH WE HAVE IN THIS ROOM. >> THANKS. I'M PULLING UP THE NEXT LIST HERE OF RANDOMIZED QUESTIONS BUT WE DO HAVE CARA [INAUDIBLE] NEXT. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. THE FIRST QUESTION IS COMING FROM COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY. >> I'D BE SURPRISED IF YOU'RE SURPRISED BY THIS QUESTION, BUT HERE IT GOES. FLAGSTAFF HAS A PILOT ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE PROGRAM TO SERVE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL POLICE RESPONSES TO 911 CALLS. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT POLICE FUNDING SHOULD BE REDUCED TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM? THEN HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL? >> I WAS GOING TO START OFF BY SAYING I AM STUNNED BY THIS QUESTION, BUT I SAW IT COMING. I THINK I'M GOING TO ANSWER IT A LITTLE BIT IN REVERSE. BECAUSE IN TERMS OF HOW I WOULD APPROACH THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THIS IS THE APPROACH THAT I LOVE. I WAS THRILLED BY THE PRESENTATION OF THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE THROUGH THE POLICE AND ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE OPTIONS WHICH KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO MAY HAVE OTHER THINGS GOING ON THAT ONCE THEY ENTER THAT SYSTEM, THERE MAY BE NO WAY OUT FOR THEM. I HIGHLY VALUE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE OPTIONS IN PUBLIC SAFETY. IN TERMS OF FUNDING, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT POLICE FUNDING SHOULD BE REDUCED TO IMPLEMENT ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE PROGRAMS. I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE COLLABORATING WITH EACH OTHER AND SO PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING SHOULD BE DISPERSED EQUITABLY BETWEEN THOSE PROGRAMS. I AGREE WITH AL WHITE WHO WENT BEFORE ME IN THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT DEFUND THE POLICE AND WHAT THE HEART OF THAT CONCERN IS FOR PEOPLE. [00:50:08] I BELIEVE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE TO ISSUES THERE NEEDS TO BE THOSE WAYS OF RESPONDING TO THEM THAT DON'T NECESSARILY ENTER PEOPLE INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THAT PROVIDE THEM WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED, WHETHER IT'S ACCESS TO SOBRIETY PROGRAMMING OR MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMS OR OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT THAT GIVE THEM THE HELP THAT THEY NEED WITHOUT [NOISE] BEING IRREPARABLY ENTERED INTO A SYSTEM THAT IS VERY HARD TO EXIT OUT OF. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION. >> I THINK IT DOES. YOU'RE SAYING YOU WOULD FUND BOTH ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE AND THE POLICE. YOU WOULD NOT REDUCE THE POLICE SPENDING TO IMPLEMENT THE OTHER, IS THAT CORRECT? >> CORRECT, YES. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> THANK YOU. NEXT IS COUNCIL RANSOME. >> OKAY. THIS IS GOING TO START FEELING LONG-WINDED, BUT TO GIVE DUE DILIGENCE TO THE PROCESS I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THROUGH IT HERE. [NOISE] THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS AIMING FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2030. IT'S A LOFTY GOAL, BUT IT'S THE PRODUCT OF A BOTTOM-UP COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROCESS WHICH IS DEMANDING THAT GLOBAL CLIMATE CRISIS BE TREATED LOCALLY LIKE THE EMERGENCY THAT IT IS. COUNCIL HAS ALSO RECOGNIZED ANOTHER EMERGENCY DRIVEN BY THE GROUND UP AND THIS ONE IS RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THESE TWO URGENT CHALLENGES ARE COMPATIBLE WITH EACH OTHER OR AT ODDS. HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS BOTH CRISES SIMULTANEOUSLY? HOW WILL YOU LOOK AT THE QUESTION OF FLAGSTAFF'S POTENTIAL EXPLOSIVE GROWTH OVER THE NEXT TWO DECADES THROUGH THESE TWO DIFFERENT LENSES? >> WHAT'S FUNNY ABOUT THIS QUESTION IS THAT I JUST HAD THIS CONVERSATION. I SIT ON THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF HOUSING COMMISSION AND WE WERE JUST HAVING A FURTHER INSIDE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN HOUSING AND SUSTAINABILITY. AS A RESULT OF THAT I CAN SAY WHOLEHEARTEDLY THAT I DO NOT SEE THESE AS BEING AT ODDS WITH EACH OTHER. I DO SEE THERE BEING A LOT OF ROOM FOR COLLABORATION. MY APPROACH WITH THIS AND WHAT I SHARED AT BOTH THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD AS A JOINT GROUP AND AT TODAY'S MEETING WAS THAT I THINK WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK AT WHERE COLLABORATION BETWEEN SUSTAINABILITY OR CARBON NEUTRALITY AND HOUSING IS NATURAL AND EASY. WE ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK AT WHERE CONFLICT IS GOING TO NATURALLY OCCUR BETWEEN WHAT WE WANT FOR EACH OF THOSE GOALS. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE HAVE TO SACRIFICE ONE FOR THE OTHER. IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF HARD WORK TO DO TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE COLLABORATE TO ADDRESS THOSE CONFLICTS IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T SACRIFICE ONE FOR THE OTHER, THAT HELPS US TO SEE AN ALTERNATIVE PATH TO ACHIEVING BOTH GOALS. >> THANK YOU. I'LL ASK YOU A SIMILAR FOLLOW-UP QUESTION ABOUT YOUR BELIEFS AND WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE OUR CARBON NEUTRALITY GOALS BY 2030. BUT THROW A CURVE BALL IN THERE TOO, I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW OPTIMISTIC YOU ARE ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO TACKLE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUE IN THE NEXT DECADE. >> THANK YOU FOR THE CURVE BALL. [LAUGHTER] I THINK MY ANSWER FOR THAT IS THE SAME AS IT WOULD BE FOR ADDRESSING CARBON NEUTRALITY, WHICH IS BOTH ARE VERY DIFFICULT. DIFFICULT DOES NOT MEAN IMPOSSIBLE. I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES FOR BOTH, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS. BECAUSE YOU SPECIFICALLY ASKED ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IS A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM. IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO FLAGSTAFF, IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO ARIZONA, BUT THE CHALLENGES THAT FLAGSTAFF FACES WITH AFFORDABILITY ARE IN ITS OWN WAY VERY UNIQUE BECAUSE OF THE DESIRE TO MAINTAIN OPEN SPACE, BECAUSE OF THE DESIRE TO REACH CARBON NEUTRALITY. THOSE THROW LITTLE CHALLENGES IN ALONG THE PATHWAY TO CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS. BUT AS I SAID, I DON'T SEE THOSE AS CONFLICTS. I SEE THEM AS JUST WHAT THEY ARE CHALLENGES IN DETERMINING HOW WE REACH BOTH. I DO THINK IT'S POSSIBLE FOR US TO CREATE THE NECESSARY HOUSING THAT WE NEED. THAT'S WHY I ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN AND ACTUALLY WROTE A LOT OF THE OPENING LETTER FOR THE TENURE HOUSING PLAN. IN SAYING THAT I THINK THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE AS LONG AS WE'RE WILLING TO COLLABORATE AND WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THEM. >> THANK YOU. NEXT IS COUNCILMAN SALAS. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE CARA. [00:55:04] ELABORATE ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT. >> IN ANSWERING THIS QUESTION I REALIZE THAT I'M A NERD [LAUGHTER] WHEN IT COMES TO THESE THINGS. THE WEIRDEST THINGS EXCITE ME AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM. WHAT REALLY EXCITES ME ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT IS THE AMOUNT OF COLLABORATION THAT IT REQUIRES AND THE WAY THAT IT REMINDS ME, IT MIRRORS THE CHECKS AND BALANCES OF OUR HIGHER GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS. [NOISE] IN MY MIND CITY COUNCIL IS THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE. THEY MAKE DECISIONS, THEY BRING FORTH POLICIES, THEY BRING FORTH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CITY. THE CITY MANAGER IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE ARM WHERE THEY ARE TAKING THOSE POLICIES AND THOSE CONSIDERATIONS IN MAKING THE DECISIONS THAT HELP TO ADVANCE THAT WORK. I ALSO SEE THE CITIES USE OF COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES AS PART OF THAT PROCESS AND THERE BEING UNELECTED PEOPLE, BUT BROUGHT FORTH BY COUNCIL TO HELP FEED INTO THE DECISIONS THAT COUNCIL IS MAKING. SEEING ALL OF THAT WORK COMING TOGETHER WE WERE HAVING A DISCUSSION BEFORE COMING IN TODAY ABOUT THIS QUESTION IN PARTICULAR, AND I SHARED THIS EXCITEMENT ABOUT HOW THAT LEVEL OF COLLABORATION IN CITY DECISION-MAKING MEANS THAT THERE IS NEVER ONE PERSON MAKING THE DECISION. IT IS COLLABORATIVE WITH MANY VOICES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK IT SO OFTEN GOES UNSEEN. THAT'S PART OF THE BEHIND THE SCENES MATTER OF WHAT HAPPENS IN CITY GOVERNANCE. BUT WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT PEOPLE'S VOICES ARE HEARD AS PART OF THAT PROCESS AND WE'RE ABLE TO COLLABORATE TO SEE WHAT'S WORKING FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE. WHEN IT COMES TO MY OWN FORM OF DECISION-MAKING, I THINK YOU'LL ALL GET TIRED OF HEARING ME USE THIS WORD, BUT COLLABORATIVE [LAUGHTER] IS THE WAY THAT I APPROACH DECISION-MAKING. I NEVER WANT MY VOICE TO BE THE ONLY ONE BROUGHT INTO MAKING A DECISION. I WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE. I WANT TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO AGREE WITH ME AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. BECAUSE I THINK IN HEARING THAT PERSPECTIVE THAT DIFFERS FROM MY OWN, MY OWN PERSPECTIVE IS JUST ADVANCED AND FURTHERED NOT HINDERED OR LIMITED BY OPPOSITION. I TRY AND RESEARCH AND FIND AS MANY VOICES AS POSSIBLE TO SPEAK INTO WHATEVER THE CONCERN IS AND SEEK THAT CONSENSUS AMONG THOSE VOICES TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE COME TOGETHER TO MAKE A DECISION THAT WORKS THE BEST FOR AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. >> THANK YOU. NEXT IS MY QUESTION. HOW HAVE YOUR POLICY VIEWS CHANGED OVER TIME? GIVE AN EXAMPLE WHEN YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR MIND ON A CRITICAL AND SALIENT ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. WHY DID YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND ON THAT ISSUE? >> IN TERMS OF POLICY VIEWS OVER TIME, I CONSIDER MYSELF A LIFELONG LEARNER. I THINK MY OPINIONS ARE ALWAYS CHANGING, THE MORE THAT I LEARN. THE MORE THAT I LEARN, THE MORE THAT I RESEARCH ISSUES, THE MORE I'M WILLING TO CHANGE FROM JUST WHAT I THINK [LAUGHTER] ABOUT AN ISSUE. AN EXAMPLE OF THAT FOR ME IS INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH FEELS LIKE SUCH A STRANGE ANSWER [LAUGHTER] TO GIVE, BUT THERE WAS A TIME THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE CALLED IT A CRITICAL AND SALIENT ISSUE. I RECENTLY HAD A CONVERSATION WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AND THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. THE WOMAN WHO I WAS SPEAKING TO WAS BRINGING UP INFRASTRUCTURE IN TERMS OF SIDEWALKS AND HEADWAYS AND PARKWAYS AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. THE STATEMENT THAT I MADE WAS THAT I DON'T SEE THOSE AS PART OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH BECAUSE THEY'RE SEPARATE. HER RESPONSE BACK WAS JUST, REALLY? [LAUGHTER] THAT RESPONSE IN ITSELF MADE ME STOP AND THINK ABOUT WHY AM I NOT SEEING THE CONNECTION AND WHERE IS THE CONNECTION THERE? IN REALIZING THAT YES, A PARK HAS A MAJOR IMPACT ON HEALTH. SIDEWALKS HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON HEALTH, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE TRIPPING OVER THEM. [LAUGHTER] ALL OF THOSE THINGS COMING TOGETHER, WHETHER IT'S INTERNET ACCESS OR ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT COME INTO INFRASTRUCTURE, IT IS A MAJOR PLAYER IN A WAY THAT I HAD NOT RECOGNIZED BEFORE. REALIZING THAT, IT HELPED TO CREATE A LENS IN MYSELF THAT SAYS, I NEED TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE WHEN MAKING EVEN A SMALLER DECISION. [01:00:04] >> THANK YOU. >>THANKS. >> NEXT IS VICE MAYOR SWEET. >> THANK YOU. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WHEN POTENTIALLY CONFLICTING PRIORITIES AND OR VALUES ARE INVOLVED. IF YOU WANT TO THROW IN AN EXAMPLE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> ABSOLUTELY. IT MAY SURPRISE YOU TO HEAR ME SAY THIS, BUT I TAKE A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH. I TOLD YOU YOU'RE GOING TO [LAUGHTER] GET TO CONVEY OF USING THAT WORD. I CONSIDER MYSELF A CONSENSUS SEEKER. TO ME, CONSENSUS DOESN'T MEAN FULL AGREEMENT, IT MEANS REACHING THAT POINT OF ENOUGH AGREEMENT THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. WHERE BOTH SIDES OR ALL SIDES OF AN ISSUE ARE WILLING TO GIVE-AND-TAKE, A LITTLE BIT SO THAT YOU CAN DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE MOST PEOPLE POSSIBLE. IN TERMS OF A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE FOR ME, I'D SAY AT LEAST HALF OF MY JOB CURRENTLY IS WORKING TOWARDS COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS TO RESIDENT CONCERNS. I WORK IN MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING. MY ROLE IS THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PART OF THAT ROLE IS ESCALATED RESIDENT CONCERNS. I JOKE THAT THAT MEANS THAT THE ANGRIEST RESIDENTS COME TO ME. BUT REALLY WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT THOSE RESIDENTS WHO ARE REALLY SEEKING A COLLABORATIVE SOLUTION TO THEIR PROBLEM COME TO ME AND THAT'S THRILLING FOR ME. BECAUSE WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT I GET TO HEAR ALL SIDES OF THE ISSUE. WHEN A RESIDENT COMES TO ME, I ASK THEM TELL ME ALL OF THE DETAILS OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SITUATION. WHAT WENT WRONG? WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? WHAT'S THE SOLUTION THAT YOU'RE HOPING FOR IT THAT WOULD HELP TO RESTORE THE TRUST BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY TEAM? AT THE SAME TIME AS I'M DOING THAT, I'M GOING TO THE SITE TEAM AND ASKING THEM, TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS SITUATION? TELL ME WHERE COMMUNICATION WENT WRONG. WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT YOU DID TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION? WHAT DO YOU NEED ME TO BRING INTO THE SOLUTIONS THAT'S PRESENTED? WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE AS PART OF THE SOLUTION TO THIS OR WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AS THE SOLUTION? WHEN I'M PRESENTING A SOLUTION, THEN IT'S NEVER MY SOLUTION. I'M TAKING WHAT THE RESIDENTS SHARES AND TAKING IT BACK TO THE TEAM AND SAYING, THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO DO OR WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO GIVE IN THIS? DO YOU SEE NOW WHERE THIS PERSON IS COMING FROM AND WHY THEY HAD THE RESPONSE THAT THEY DID? I DO THE SAME WITH THE RESIDENT. I WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT I'M THERE TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THEM, BUT I ALSO WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT GO BEHIND THE DECISION THAT THEIR TEAM MADE. IN THAT DECISION-MAKING, I THINK NOBODY IS EVER 100 PERCENT SATISFIED BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS GIVING EXACTLY WHAT EITHER SIDE WANTS. BUT YOU'RE HELPING THEM TO SEE EACH OTHER'S PERSPECTIVE AND YOU'RE HELPING THEM TO COME TO A PLACE THAT THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER RATHER THAN CONTINUING ON SEPARATELY. THANKS. >> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER SHIMONI. >> THANKS. GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHEN YOU FELT THAT PEOPLE OF UNDER-REPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS WERE NOT BEING TREATED IN A WAY YOU WERE OKAY WITH, AND WHAT DID YOU DO? >> IN THE FIELD THAT I WORK IN MULTI-FAMILY, THIS COMES UP THE MOST IN A PHRASE THAT'S CALLED DISPARATE IMPACT. IT'S NOT A POPULAR PHRASE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY BECAUSE IT LEADS TO A LOT OF POLICY CHALLENGES. WHAT DISPARATE IMPACT SAYS IS THAT THERE ARE POLICIES OR PROCEDURES THAT ARE SOMETIMES PUT IN PLACE FOR THE BEST OF INTENTIONS, BUT HAVE THAT DISPARATE IMPACT ON HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. IT ASKS FOR US TO TAKE A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH IN LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS THAT THIS DECISION IS GOING TO MAKE ON THOSE GROUPS. WHAT I'LL FOCUS HERE ON IN TERMS OF HOW I DEAL WITH THAT IMPACT IS THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE WITH THE LIVE LIKE EXPERIENCE PROJECT, THE COCONINO COUNTY AFRICAN DIASPORA ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE COCONINO COUNTY TRI-DIVERSITY COUNCILS. THE WORK OF EACH OF THOSE GROUPS HAS BEEN TO ELEVATE THE VOICES THAT OFTEN GO UNHEARD. I SPOKE THE OTHER DAY ABOUT CHANGING IN MY PERSPECTIVE ON BRINGING VOICE TO THE VOICELESS BECAUSE I THINK EACH PERSON OR EACH GROUP HAS A VOICE OF THEIR OWN, SO THEY DON'T NEED ME TO GIVE THEM A VOICE. BUT WHAT THEY DO NEED IS AN ADVOCATE AND AN ALLY WHO'S WILLING TO SAY, I'M GOING TO SACRIFICE MY VOICE OR MY POWER TO EMPOWER THIS OTHER GROUP. TO BRING FORTH THE PERSPECTIVES THAT THEY HAVE THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNHEARD OTHERWISE AND HELP THEM TO GET TO THAT TABLE AND TO BE PART OF THE DECISION-MAKING. [01:05:02] I'M SOMEONE WHO IS RELENTLESS IN THE PURSUIT OF EQUITY. I ALWAYS WANT TO BE BRINGING FORWARD THAT QUESTION OF HOW IS THIS IMPACTING THE GROUP THAT WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT? WHO IS NOT AT THE TABLE RIGHT NOW IN THIS DECISION AND HOW CAN WE BRING THEM INTO IT SO THAT WE'RE NOT OVERLOOKING THEM IN THE DECISION THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE? >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. THE QUESTION ON THE HOUR, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST CEREAL AND WHY? >> I JOKED EARLIER WITH SOME OF THE FOLKS OUTSIDE THAT MY HONEST ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS THAT I'M NOT A BREAKFAST PERSON AND I WAS AFRAID THAT IF I SAID THAT I WAS GOING TO GET, JUST GET OUT. [LAUGHTER]. >> YOU DON'T. >> BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY FAVORITE BREAKFAST CEREAL. MY FAVORITE IS ACTUALLY CREAM OF WHEAT. I'LL TELL YOU WHY. FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOT EVEN A HUGE FAN OF CREAM OF WHEAT, BUT IT'S MY FAVORITE BECAUSE IT MAKES ME REMEMBER MY CHILDHOOD AND MY MOM. MY MOM WOULD MAKE CREAM OF WHEAT FOR MY BROTHER AND I WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER. I REMEMBER HER BEING VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT, BEING SMOOTH. WHILE I WAS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE BUMPS AND LUMPS THAT YOU WOULD GET IN IT. I LOVED THEM AND IT WAS A CHALLENGE FOR HER TO MAKE IT FOR ME BECAUSE I WANTED THOSE IN THERE, BUT SHE DID THAT. I'M GOING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THAT AS A METAPHOR [LAUGHTER] FOR WHAT I THINK I BRING TO THE TABLE HERE. IT'S THAT WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE AND TO MAKE THOSE SHIFTS TO RECOGNIZE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE VALUE AND FEED IT TO THEM. THERE YOU GO. [LAUGHTER] >> THANK YOU, MS. ALLISON ENJOY HAVING YOU HERE. >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> NEXT UP, PULLING UP HERE, WE HAVE MACKENZIE JONES. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, VICE MARION COUNCIL. >> HELLO, HELLO. [LAUGHTER]. >> IT'S EXCITING TO SEE YOU ALL. >> [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER] WE DO HAVE A COUNCILMEMBER SHIMONI KICKING US OFF THIS TIME. >> HEY THERE MACKENZIE. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. MY QUESTION IS, GIVEN THE EXAMPLE OF WHEN YOU FELT THAT PEOPLE OF UNDER-REPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS WERE NOT BEING TREATED IN A WAY YOU WERE OKAY WITH, AND WHAT DID YOU DO? >> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER SHIMONI. I RECENTLY WORKED FOR THE CITY OF SEDONA AS THE SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER THERE, AND WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING A BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLANNING PROCESS. WHERE THE RESIDENTS COULD MAP WHERE THEY WANTED TO SEE SIDEWALKS AND WHERE THEY WANT TO SEE BIPEDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT WAS REALLY COOL MAPPING SITUATION. BUT THERE WAS THIS GIANT GAP IN A CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOOD. I REMEMBER TALKING TO THE CITY PLANNER ABOUT IT AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND IT TURNED OUT IT WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE PRIMARILY MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY LIVE. I WAS LIKE, WELL, DO THEY NOT WANT SIDEWALKS? WHAT'S GOING ON THERE? [LAUGHTER] IT TURNS OUT THERE AREN'T SIDEWALKS THERE AND PEOPLE DO JUST PRETTY DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION. I REACHED OUT TO NORTHERN ARIZONA INTERFAITH COUNCIL. I HAD VOLUNTEERED WITH THEM IN THE PAST WHEN I WORKED HERE, AND WE PUT TOGETHER A GRANT TO ENGAGE THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN SEDONA AND TO WORK ON CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND IDENTIFY BARRIERS WITHIN CITY PLANNING PROCESSES. WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF KICKING OFF A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WHICH WE DID MONTH ONE OF THE PANDEMIC. IT TURNS OUT IT WAS EXCELLENT TIMING. [LAUGHTER] PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE RIGHT THEN, AND SO WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT ZOOM, AND HOW DO YOU DO ENGAGEMENT ONLINE. BUT WE GOT THIS GRANT TO ESSENTIALLY PAY COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS TO LEAD CIVIC ACADEMIES AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE, IDENTIFY ISSUES, WORK WITH COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY ISSUES. THEY IDENTIFIED SIDEWALKS, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, TRANSIT, BULK TRASH, ALL THINGS. THEN WE ESSENTIALLY WORK TO INTERNALLY CHANGE CITY PROCESSES SO THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION SERVICES, AND A BUNCH OF REALLY INTERESTING THINGS SPUN OUT OF IT. WE HAD HEARD A LOT OF MICRO ENTREPRENEURSHIP WAS HAPPENING DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND SO WE WERE TRYING TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CITY STAFF AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS IN THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY. [01:10:02] WE ENDED UP BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, WHO PARTNERED UP WITH LOCAL FIRST ARIZONA TO DO FAIRS A LOCALE, WHICH ENDED UP BEING THIS ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING BUSINESS OWNERS, AND ALSO ENDED UP WORKING WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ADDRESS POLICING ISSUES AS WELL. IT'S ENDED UP BALLOONING INTO THIS FANTASTIC CITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND NOW THERE'S ACTUALLY ONGOING CITY FUNDING DEDICATED TO PARTNERING WITH NAC IN THE LONG TERM. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SALAS IS NEXT. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MACKENZIE. ELABORATE ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT, AND DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT. >> CERTAINLY. I THINK THE FOLKS WHO WENT BEFORE ME HAVE ADDRESSED THE BASICS OF ONE COUNCILMEMBER, ONE VOTE. I THINK IT DISTINGUISHES ITSELF AS A MODEL FROM THE STRONG MAYOR. A FORM OF GOVERNANCE WHICH IS THAT THERE'S LESS CORRUPTION AND MORE STABILITY WHEN YOU HAVE A CITY MANAGER PROFESSIONAL THAT HAS THAT BACKGROUND IN GOVERNANCE AND CAN PROVIDE THAT STABILITY. THEN YOU HAVE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE ELECTED, WHO CAN REALLY PROVIDE THEIR OWN UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS. AS FORMER CITY STAFF, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT PERSPECTIVE OF BEING A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT AND REALLY FEEDING INTO THOSE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CITY MANAGER. FOR ME WORKING IN SEDONA I REPORTED DIRECTLY TO THE CITY MANAGER, AND SO I THINK A LOT OF THAT WAS RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING, BECAUSE ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE A CITY STAFF MEMBER THAT IS FOCUSING ON SOMETHING, A NARROW PIECE OF THE OVERALL PUZZLE, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE CITY MANAGER AND KNOW HOW THEY'RE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS, AND THEN ALSO BE ABLE TO SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHY YOU'RE PROGRAMMING IS IMPORTANT AND HOW IT FITS INTO THAT PUZZLE. TO YOUR SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION, I THINK JUST FEEDING IN ALL THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON A TOPIC IS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND SO YOU GET THAT FROM CITY STAFF PROVIDING THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS. YOU'RE GETTING IT FROM THE CITY MANAGER WHO'S ALREADY WEIGHING THE COMPETING CITY STAFF PERSPECTIVES ON A TOPIC, YOU'RE GETTING IT FROM, I'M SURE YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR AND THE PEOPLE IN THE GROCERY STORE WHO STOP YOU WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO BUY SOMETHING. I KNOW WE ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT BEFORE. [LAUGHTER] YOU'RE PULLING IN THOSE PIECES FROM ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, AND THEN ALSO FROM THE OTHER FOLKS ON COUNCIL WHO HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES THAN YOU. I THINK FOR ME, I TRIED TO JUST WEIGH THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF WHAT I'M HEARING AND ALSO BRING IT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES, ESPECIALLY IF I WERE SELECTED AS SOMEBODY WHO WAS UN-ELECTED, I WOULD REALLY BE LEANING INTO THOSE COUNCIL PRIORITIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED AND TRYING TO WEIGH MY DECISION-MAKING AGAINST THAT. >> THANK YOU. THEN I AM NEXT ON THE LIST HERE. HOW HAVE YOUR POLICY VIEWS CHANGED OVER TIME? GIVE AN EXAMPLE WHEN YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR MIND ON A CRITICAL AND SALIENT ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY AS A CITY COUNCILMEMBER. WHY DID YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND ON THAT ISSUE? >> OKAY. THANK YOU. I LOVE THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL CAN GET ROOTED IN OUR OWN PERSPECTIVES AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO HEAR CONFLICTING INFORMATION AND ACTUALLY EVALUATE IT AND CHANGE YOUR MIND. FOR ME, I GREW UP IN A REALLY CONSERVATION ORIENTED HOUSEHOLD. MY FIRST JOB IN COLLEGE WAS WORKING FOR THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB IN ONE OF THEIR BACKGROUND COUNTRY HUTS IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. SO I HAD A VERY LAND CONSERVATION ORIENTED PERSPECTIVE. WE NEED TO PROTECT LAND. THEN I WAS HIRED HERE TO START EFFECTIVELY OUR OPEN SPACE PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF, AND SO I WORKED FOR SEVERAL YEARS ON PICTURE CANYON AND OBSERVATORY MESA, AND WORKING WITH THE OPEN SPACES COMMISSIONED TO WEIGH ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF HOW DO WE DEFINE VALUABLE OPEN SPACE. FOR ME, I HAD A REALLY BIG TURNING POINT AS IT RELATES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I WOULD SAY THAT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE THEORETICALLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT THEN IF THERE WAS A DEVELOPMENT ISSUE IN GENERAL, RELATED TO CONSERVATION, I WOULD LEAN MORE TOWARDS CONSERVATION. [01:15:03] I'VE REALLY PULL THEM 180 ON THIS ONE. I THINK THE SUNFLOWER CONVERSATION IS ONE THAT COMES UP OFTEN I THINK AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE A REALLY DIVISIVE ONE FOR PEOPLE. I THINK MY FIRST INSTINCTS FELT SOMETHING LIKE, "YES, IT'S BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND WE NEED TO PROTECT IT." SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. THEN ALSO, WHEN I DUG IN ON IT, IT BECAME REALLY CLEAR TO ME THAT FROM A CLIMATE JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE THAT IT'S ON TRANSIT, IT IS ON THE URBAN TRAIL, IT IS IN A BEAUTIFUL SPACE, IT IS IN A GREAT SCHOOL DISTRICT, THERE ARE ALL THESE ELEMENTS THAT MAKE IT PERFECT FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING. WHEN YOU EVALUATE IT FROM AN OPEN SPACE PERSPECTIVE, IT ALSO, BASED ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT THE OPEN SPACES COMMISSION DID IN 2015 WHERE THEY EVALUATE THINGS BASED ON THEIR ECOLOGICAL VALUE, THEIR CULTURAL RESOURCES, THEIR CONNECTIVITY, THINGS LIKE THAT, IT DIDN'T HAVE AS STRONG OPEN SPACE VALUES AS SAY SOMEPLACE LIKE PICTURE CANYON OR ANY NUMBER OF OTHER LOCATIONS. FOR ME, THAT WAS A REALLY BIG TURNING POINT AND REALLY AFFECTED HOW I THINK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOING FORWARD. PEOPLE HAVE TO LIVE SOMEWHERE. [LAUGHTER] >> THANK YOU, MACKENZIE. NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN. >> THANK YOU, STACY, PLEASE START MY THREE MINUTE TIMER HERE. THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS AIMING FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2030. IT'S A LOFTY GOAL AND IT'S THE PRODUCT OF BOTTOM-UP COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROCESSES THAT HAVE DEMANDED THE GLOBAL CLIMATE CRISIS BE TREATED LOCALLY LIKE THE EMERGENCY THAT IT IS. WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER EMERGENCY THAT IS BEING BROUGHT TO US FROM THE GROUND UP AND THIS IS RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. HOW ARE THESE TWO URGENT CHALLENGES COMPATIBLE WITH EACH OTHER OR AT ODDS AND HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS BOTH CRISES SIMULTANEOUSLY AND WOW WILL YOU LOOK AT THE QUESTION OF FLAGSTAFF'S POTENTIAL BIG GROWTH OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DECADES THROUGH BOTH OF THESE LENSES? >> YEAH. THANK YOU. ANOTHER GREAT QUESTION. I THINK I DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE COMPATIBLE AND LIKE I SAID, I DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE WITHOUT ADDRESSING HOUSING, I THINK IT'S CENTRAL TO FIGURING OUT A PATH FORWARD ON CARBON NEUTRALITY. I REALLY ENJOYED READING THE TENURE HOUSING PLANS. THANK YOU TO COUNSEL AND ALSO THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND CARA. I THINK IT'S AN IMPRESSIVE DOCUMENT AND I ENJOYED THE REFERENCE IN THERE THAT YOU DON'T DEAL WITH CARBON EMISSIONS LIKE IT'S A SNOW GLOBE. WHEN PEOPLE MOVE HERE, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE SOMEPLACE ELSE, SO IF WE ARE CREATING A COMMUNITY IN WHICH PEOPLE CAN LIVE A LOW-IMPACT LIFE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY A HEALTHY LIFE FOR THEM, THEN THAT'S A NET POSITIVE. WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE WATER. THAT'S AN ONGOING ISSUE HERE. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT SOMETIMES WE PRESENT THE TWO OPTIONS AS SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES OR THE HUB AND THERE'S A LOT IN-BETWEEN THERE AND THAT THAT CONVERSATION AROUND THE MISSING MIDDLE IS REALLY VALUABLE FOR BOTH HOUSING AND FOR CLIMATE BECAUSE WHEN WE DO DUPLEXES, TRIPLEXES, THINGS LIKE THAT, CONDOS. WE ARE CREATING THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE RESILIENT, THAT ARE BIKEABLE, THAT ARE WALKABLE, THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT DENSER, THAT ARE AFFORDABLE, AND ALSO WHEN WE DO BUILDING CODES THAT PRIORITIZE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, WE ARE PRIORITIZING HEALTHY HOMES FOR PEOPLE AND HOMES THAT ARE AFFORDABLE TO OPERATE. MY HOME WAS BUILT IN 1960 AND IT'S TERRIBLE. [LAUGHTER] I THINK ALL OF US HAVE PROBABLY SITUATIONS LIKE THAT WHERE WE'VE NO INSULATION OR IT'S REALLY INEFFICIENT TO OPERATE AND EXPENSIVE, AND THAT'S NOT HEALTHY FOR ANYBODY. I DEFINITELY THINK THAT WE CAN ADDRESS BOTH OF OUR GOALS AT THE SAME TIME. THERE ARE SOME TENSIONS IN BETWEEN THE TWO, BUT CERTAINLY I THINK THAT THEY ARE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL. TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUE, I DO BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE AND I BELIEVE THAT OR I SHOULD SAY I RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S HAPPENING AND I RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S HUMAN CAUSE. I WORKED WITH SEDONA TO SET A 50 PERCENT REDUCTION IN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS TARGET BY 2030 AND I STRUGGLED EXACTLY WITH THE QUESTION YOU'RE ASKING, WHICH IS, "WHAT TARGET ARE WE SETTING? CAN WE MEET THIS TARGET?" [01:20:01] WHAT IT CAME DOWN TO WAS, WE ARE SETTING A TARGET THAT RECOGNIZES WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND THAT IS WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN. IT IS A MORAL IMPERATIVE AND SO IT IS TECHNICALLY POSSIBLE TO MEET THAT TARGET. IT WILL BE DIFFICULT. I WAS THE FIRST-PERSON TO SET OFF THE ALARM. [LAUGHTER] >> MACKENZIE. THANK YOU. FORTUNATELY, THAT WASN'T GOING TO BE MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION BECAUSE I FIGURED IT'D BE SOFTBALL FOR YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FROM YOU, SUSTAINABILITY IS RIGHTFULLY CRITICIZED OFTEN FOR ITS LACK OF INCLUSION AND THE CHALLENGES IT HAS FOR BEING MORE INCLUSIVE. HOW ARE YOU POSITIONED TO MAKE HEADWAY THERE? >> THANK YOU. I THINK THAT'S THE REAL CENTRAL CHALLENGE. I KNOW SUSTAINABILITY FOLKS DEFINITELY HAVE THE TESLA DRIVING STEREOTYPES, SO WE NEED TO BEAT BACK. I WOULD SAY THAT FOR ME PERSONALLY, THIS HAS BEEN THE MAIN PRIORITY OF MY CAREER; IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE ACTUALLY ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AND CREATE HEALTHY COMMUNITIES THAT ARE EQUITABLE AND JUST. I FEEL LIKE MY WORK SPEAKS TO THAT AND THEN I HAVE PRIORITIZE THAT REALLY CLEARLY IN SEDONA AND ALSO IN FLAGSTAFF. I THINK THAT THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST OPPORTUNITY. I KNOW THAT YOU ALL WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH REASONING AND YOU'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH DEVELOPERS, YOU HAVE TO BALANCE, "WHAT DO WE ASK THEM FOR?" I DON'T KNOW. A DC FAST CHARGING SYSTEM OR DO WE ASK FOR THE LONGER TERMS ON AFFORDABLE UNITS OR DO WE ASK FOR BIKE RESOURCES? I DON'T KNOW. WHATEVER, AND ANY NUMBER OF THINGS. THAT IS SOMETHING WHERE YOU HAVE TO WEIGH THOSE AND TO ME I WOULD GENERALLY COME OUT ON THE THING THAT BENEFITS THE MOST PEOPLE AND ALSO SHIFTS POWER. IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND IT'S A QUESTION. WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES AND WE CAN EITHER DO MORE EV CHARGING OR WE CAN MAKE THE BUS SYSTEM WORK BETTER, I WOULD MAKE THE BUS SYSTEM WORK BETTER BECAUSE THAT WOULD SOLVE A PROBLEM FOR MORE PEOPLE WHILE ALSO REDUCING EMISSIONS AND ALSO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE INCOME STRAPPED ADDRESS ISSUES IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND MORE AFFORDABLY LIVE THEIR LIVES. >> FABULOUS. I DIDN'T HEAR HER USE THE WORD ARUGULA ONCE THERE. >> OH, NO. WHAT IS THE WORD? >> ARUGULA. >> ARUGULA. IS DELICIOUS. >> IRRELEVANT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE [OVERLAPPING] YOUR RESPONSES. >> THANK YOU. NEXT COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY. >>THANK YOU, MAYOR. FLAGSTAFF HAS A PILOT ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE PROGRAM TO SERVE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL POLICE RESPONSES TO 911 CALLS. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT POLICE FUNDING SHOULD BE REDUCED TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM? THEN SECONDLY, HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL? >> CERTAINLY, AND FIRST OF ALL, KUDOS FOR GETTING THIS PROGRAM OFF THE GROUND. IT'S BEEN SO EXCITING TO WATCH FROM A FAR AND I JUST HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THE FOLKS IT TELL AND IT'S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE IT ROLLED OUT. THAT IS EXCITING. I THINK I SHARED THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE BEFORE ME WHICH IS THAT, I THINK AT ANY GIVEN TIME, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE MODEL, I WOULD SAY THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE THOSE GAPS ARE BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS WHAT CITY DID TO BEGIN WITH IS HOW MANY OF OUR CALLS ARE GOING TOWARDS CALLS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY SOMEBODY ELSE AND IN A DIFFERENT WAY OR REQUIRE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES OR ANY NUMBER OF THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK CONTINUING TO EVALUATE THAT GAP BETWEEN WHICH CALLS ARE RESPONDED TO IN WHICH WAY AND HOW THE FUNDING IS GOING WITH THAT. WITHOUT KNOWING MORE, IT WOULD BE HARD TO UNDERSTAND. I THINK THAT WHEN YOU VALUE A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, IT IS BUNDLED IN WITH ALL OF OUR OTHER WORK THAT IS RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT WHOLE PICTURE AND SEE, WELL, DO WE NEED MORE RESOURCES IN GENERAL OR ARE THERE RESOURCES THAT COULD SHIFT? THAT I DON'T THINK I ACTUALLY HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO SPEAK TO THAT. FROM A POLICING PERSPECTIVE, I WORKED WITH THE POLICE HERE AS A CITY STAFFER ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS, EVERYTHING FROM OPEN SPACE TO THE LIVESTOCK ANIMAL KEEPING CODE [LAUGHTER] WHICH IS A LOT OF FUN, BUT IN SEDONA I HAD A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND LEARNED A LOT FROM HIM ON DIFFERENT ISSUES. [01:25:03] I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WORKED ON WAS WHEN WE HEARD THINGS FROM THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW THEY DIDN'T FEEL SAFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS OR THE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT THEY WERE RUNNING INTO. THAT JUST ESSENTIALLY BROUGHT UP THE IDEA THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS. WE HELD A LOT OF MEETINGS BETWEEN THE POLICE CHIEF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AND I THINK THAT REALLY IS WHERE MY PERSPECTIVE WOULD BE GROUNDED IN. I DO KNOW THAT NAC HAS CONTINUED TO FACILITATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS HERE IN FLAGSTAFF OVER THE YEARS AND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT GROUNDWORK AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ORGANIZERS ALREADY, SO I WOULD PROBABLY LEAN INTO THAT. >> THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR. >> THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WHEN POTENTIALLY CONFLICTING PRIORITIES AND OUR VALUES ARE INVOLVED AND IF YOU WANT TO THROW IN AN EXAMPLE THAT MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT YET, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> THANK YOU. I THINK IN MY EXPERIENCE AS A DONOR, I WAS TASKED WITH STARTING THE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM. I REMEMBER GETTING THERE AND THEY WERE REALLY ENTHUSIASTIC AND SUPPORTIVE OF IT, BUT WEREN'T IN MAYBE ENTIRELY SURE ABOUT WHAT THIS WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE EITHER. IT WAS A REALLY INTERESTING SITUATION WHERE IT COULD LOOK LIKE ANY NUMBER OF THINGS THAT I CAME UP WITH, WHICH IS A FANTASTIC THING TO BE PRESENTED WITH. IF YOU'RE SOMEBODY WHO REALLY LOVES WORKING ON CLIMATE, LOVES WORKING ON SUSTAINABILITY, IT'S GREAT TO GO, OKAY, THIS COULD LOOK LIKE ANYTHING I COME UP WITH. IT'S ALSO TERRIFYING BECAUSE THAT MEANS YOU'RE JUST LIMITED BY YOUR OWN ABILITY TO DO THINGS. FOR ME, HAVING TO WEIGH THOSE PRIORITIES AND WEIGH WHAT I SHOULD INVEST MY ENERGY IN AS A TEAM OF ONE WAS REALLY DIFFICULT. AT THE TIME, I THINK I WENT TO THE URBAN SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTORS NETWORK HAD A LIST OF HIGH-IMPACT PRIORITIES THAT IF CITIES WERE WORKING ON CLIMATE CHANGE, THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU SHOULD FOCUS ON. THAT IS WHAT I USE AS MY GUIDEPOST. BUT AT ANY TIME, YOU HAVE TO WEIGH, SHOULD WE BE INVESTING MORE IN THIS VERSUS THAT? I THINK THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS. FOR ME, IT'S A QUESTION OF WEIGHING ALMOST HAVING A MATRIX OF GOING, OKAY, WELL, DOES THIS, IF CARBON NEUTRALITY IS THE GOAL OF DEALING WITH THE HOUSING CRISIS IS THE GOAL, DOES THIS INCREASE UNITS OF HOUSING FOR PEOPLE? DOES THIS REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS? DOES IT ADDRESS HISTORIC POWER INEQUITIES IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND TRYING TO WEIGH THOSE DIFFERENT PIECES AGAINST EACH OTHER? FOR ME, I THINK THAT'S HOW I WOULD APPROACH IT. I THINK I ALSO AS A GENERAL RULE, JUST TRY TO LEARN FROM THE OTHER PEOPLE AROUND ME AND SEEK DIFFERENT INPUT ON THINGS TO RE-EVALUATE AND DECIDE, WELL, WHAT'S THE RIGHT PATH FORWARD. >> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST CEREAL AND WHY? >> I WAS TRUNK AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT I COULD TIE BACK TO SOMETHING THAT WAS A REAL ANSWER AND I GOT NOTHING [LAUGHTER]. SO ONE, AS AN ADULT, I DO NOT EAT BREAKFAST CEREAL UNLESS WE'RE COUNTING OATMEAL, WHICH YOU MADE A VERY COMPELLING CASE FOR OATMEAL. I BECAUSE I WATCH TOO MUCH OF THOSE INSTAGRAM OR TIKTOK VIDEOS ABOUT OVERNIGHT BAKED OATS HAVE NOW BECOME SOMEBODY IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS WHERE I MAKE THEM IN THE BLENDER AND YOU CAN TURN THEM INTO MAGICAL THING. I RECOMMEND GOOGLING THAT [LAUGHTER]. BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT AS A CHILD, I WAS RAISED IN A SHREDDED WHEAT FAMILIES, LIKE PEOPLE WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO HAVE GOOD CEREAL, WE WERE JUST ALLOWED TO HAVE HEALTHY CEREAL. MY SIBLINGS AND I ALL FORMED ALLIANCES WITH FRIENDS WHO HAD UNHEALTHY SERIAL FAMILIES AND NINTENDO AND STUFF. CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH IS ESSENTIALLY IT. WE WERE ALLOWED TO GET IT AT THE END OF EACH SCHOOL YEAR. WE WERE ALLOWED TO PICK OUT ONE SUGAR CEREAL AND MY BROTHER AND I ALWAYS PICKED CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A DESERT. >> [BACKGROUND]. >> YEAH. NO, IT'S ACTUALLY APPARENTLY THE LEAST I GOOGLED IT BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, HOW DO I PULL THIS BACK TOGETHER? NOTHING. IT IS THE LEAST HEALTHY CEREAL YOU COULD EAT APPARENTLY. IT HAS THAT GOING FOR IT. >> WELL, FOR THE RECORD, MY GRANDFATHER ATE CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH EVERY MORNING AND LIVED TILL 93 SO [OVERLAPPING] JUST THROWING SOME FACTS OUT THERE. THANK YOU, MACKENZIE. [01:30:01] >> THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. >> ARE YOU GOOD WITH ONE MORE APPLICATION KNOWING MOVE FORWARD. LET'S TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE BREAK REAL QUICK. A HARD FIVE-MINUTES THOUGH AND THEN WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. HARD FIVE FOR 4:34. EXCELLENT, WE ARE RIGHT BACK AT IT AND NEXT INDIVIDUAL TO COME UP IS SAMANTHA STONE. >> ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO TRY IT THIS WAY. LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ME TO SPEAK LOUDER OR IF I TURN THE MICROPHONE OFF ACCIDENTALLY. >> YOU'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I GET THE PRIVILEGE OF ASKING THE FIRST QUESTION HERE, THIS GO ROUND, AND THAT IS HOW HAVE YOUR POLICY VIEWS CHANGED OVERTIME? GIVE AN EXAMPLE WHEN YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR MIND ON CRITICAL AND SALIENT ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. WHY DID YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND ON THAT ISSUE? >> AS WITH ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS, I HAVE TO SAY THE PRIOR CANDIDATES ARE AMAZING AND OFTENTIMES I JUST WANTED TO SAY DITTO [LAUGHTER]. I'M GOING TO ECHO A LOT OF WHAT THEY SAID. BUT I THINK THAT SPECIFICALLY ON THIS ISSUE, WHAT I HAVE LEARNED WORKING IN POLICY IS THAT SIMILAR TO WHAT OTHER CANDIDATES HAVE SAID IS THE MORE THAT I KNOW, THE LESS I KNOW, IF THAT MAKES SENSE, OR THE MORE THAT I REALIZE I DON'T KNOW. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY COMES TO MIND HERE IS ON AN OVERALL BASIS THAT GOOD INTENTIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH AND THAT POLICIES HAVE ACTUAL IMPLICATIONS. SO WHILE IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE FOLKS WITH GOOD INTENTIONS IN THESE POSITIONS, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS OF POLICY, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I THOUGHT WHEN I STARTED GETTING INTO POLITICS. I THOUGHT AS LONG AS YOU HAD A GOOD HEART, THINGS WE'RE GOING TO BE OKAY. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THINK THINGS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AT THIS POINT. A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE WOULD BE GROWING UP, I WENT TO SCHOOL HERE IN FLAGSTAFF AND WE WOULD DO PLANT TREE DAY AT SCHOOL. THEN YOU HAVE ALL THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DEFORESTATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK THAT I ALWAYS FELT LIKE MORE TREES WERE BETTER. THEN WHEN I STARTED WORKING IN WESTERN WATER POLICY AND STARTED WORKING WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HEALTHY FOREST MANAGEMENT HERE IN TOWN, LEARNING THAT IS NOT TRUE HERE. IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE A HEALTHY WATER TABLE, HEALTHY FORESTS, WE HAVE TO CUT DOWN TREES, AND THAT WAS REALLY MIND-ALTERING TO ME. IT JUST TOOK MY UNDERSTANDING AS A CHILD OF WE SHOULD ALL BE PLANTING TREES ALL THE TIME. I THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT MAYBE. >> THANK YOU. WITH THAT, IT'S COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE]. >> HI, SAM, GOOD TO SEE YOU. GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHEN YOU FELT THAT PEOPLE OF UNDERREPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS WERE NOT BEING TREATED IN THE WAY YOU WERE OKAY WITH AND WHAT DID YOU DO? >> I GET A LITTLE BIT WHEN I READ THIS TO YOU [LAUGHTER]. I GOT INTO POLITICS. I STARTED WORKING IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZING WITH IMMIGRANT JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN TOWN IN 2009/2010 RIGHT BEFORE SB 70 CAME ABOUT. SOMETHING THAT I REALIZED AT THAT POINT WAS THAT WITH MY BACKGROUND, I WAS AFFORDED ACCESS TO SPACES THAT A LOT OF THE FOLKS IN THAT COMMUNITY DID NOT HAVE. I THINK SIMILAR TO WHAT MS. HOUSE WAS SAYING, I FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT TO USE MY LEVEL OF PRIVILEGE TO AMPLIFY THOSE VOICES. NOT NECESSARILY TO SPEAK FOR THE VOICELESS, BUT TO AMPLIFY THEM. I THINK THAT MY POLICY CAREER HAS VERY MUCH BEEN THAT. I HAVE WORKED WITH THE TRIBES HERE IN NORTHERN ARIZONA, PARTICULARLY ON WATER ISSUES, WHICH IS HUGE AS WE ALL KNOW. WHEN I WAS WORKING FOR THE UNITED STATES, ONE OF THE REASONS I DECIDED TO TAKE THAT JOB WAS BECAUSE IT AFFORDED ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK TO FLAGSTAFF AND REALLY FOCUS ON THE NORTHERN ARIZONA COMMUNITIES, WHICH ARE SO NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. OFTENTIMES, AS YOU ALL KNOW, I REALLY GET LEFT OUT OF THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS AT BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS. I'D SAY MY ENTIRE CAREER IN POLITICS HAS ESSENTIALLY BEEN BASED OFF OF THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR SWEET. >> THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WHEN POTENTIALLY CONFLICTING PRIORITIES AND [01:35:03] OUR VALUES ARE INVOLVED AND IF YOU WANT TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> ABSOLUTELY. I'VE GOT TO SAY, I THINK I GAVE ALL THAT OF THESE WITH THAT ONE [LAUGHTER]. I HAVE ADHD AND ANXIETY, SO THAT'S EVERY DECISION THAT I MAKE LIKE THERE'S THIS AND THIS. BUT ALONG WITH THAT IS THE ADHD SUPERPOWER OF HYPER-FOCUSED THAT ALLOWS ME, ESPECIALLY IN THE POLICY ARENA, TO LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT SIDES OF AN ISSUE AND TO RESEARCH THE HECK OUT OF THEM IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. SO THAT IS A LOT OF IT. SLEEPLESS NIGHTS GOOGLING EVERY POTENTIAL ASPECTS AND THEN MAKING MIND MAPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT'S A LOT OF MY DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. I ALSO THINK THOUGH THAT AGAIN, AS A LOT OF THE PRIOR CANDIDATES MENTIONED, A LOT OF THE TIME WHEN TWO ISSUES SEEM ON THEIR FACE TO BE CONFLICTING, YOU CAN FIND INTERSECTING AREAS OF WAYS TO WORK TOGETHER ON THOSE ISSUES. I THINK THAT A LOT OF GREAT EXAMPLES OF THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN ALREADY. I THINK THAT AGAIN, I WAS GIGGLING TO MYSELF BACK THERE. I DID NOT GROW UP WITH CONSERVATION BACKGROUND, I GREW UP IN A HOUSE FULL SMALL BUSINESS OWNING LIBERTARIANS AND MY DAD'S A BUILDER. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER AND WE MOVED TO FLAGSTAFF, PARTICULARLY FOR HIM TO BUILD MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING, HE WAS USING ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING METHODS NOT BECAUSE HE WAS TRYING TO USE ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING METHODS, BECAUSE THEY WERE CHEAPER [LAUGHTER]. IN MY EXPERIENCE, THERE'S SO MUCH OVERLAP, ESPECIALLY IN THOSE TYPES OF AREAS THAT YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD ON ISSUES THAT OFTENTIMES, LIKE I SAID, SEEM AT FACE VALUE TO BE CONFLICTING. >> AWESOME. COUNCIL MCCARTHY. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. [LAUGHTER] NO. I PROBABLY COULD SAY IT OFF THE CUFF, BUT THE GLASSES WILL HELP A LOT. IT SAYS HERE FLAGSTAFF HAS A PILOT ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE PROGRAM TO SERVE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL POLICE RESPONSES TO 911 CALLS. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT POLICE FUNDING SHOULD BE REDUCED TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM? THEN SECONDLY, HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL? >> AGAIN, [LAUGHTER] I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A REALLY COMPLICATED QUESTION WITH A COMPLICATED ANSWER. BUT I WANT TO START OUT BY REALLY COMMENDING THIS COUNCIL ON GETTING MOVING ON THAT ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE MODEL. I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT PILOT PROGRAM. I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE WHERE IT GOES. I'M VERY EXCITED FOR THE DATA THAT'S GOING TO COME OUT OF THE PILOT, AND POTENTIALLY EXPLORING DIFFERENT FUNDING STREAMS BASED ON THAT DATA FROM THE PILOT PROGRAM TO SEE HOW WE CAN INCREASE FUNDING FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF. PART OF MY BACKGROUND IS AS A GRANT WRITER. I THINK THAT THERE'S ALWAYS DIFFERENT WAYS OF FINDING FUNDING. WITH THAT SAID, I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER ASPECTS AS WELL. I THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE THINK OF PUBLIC SAFETY A BIT MORE BROADLY. NOT JUST AS POLICING, BUT AS SOME OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES HAVE MENTIONED AS MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE RESOURCES. ADDITIONALLY, I THINK THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS PUBLIC SAFETY. I THINK THAT ACCESS TO FOOD IS PUBLIC SAFETY. I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO APPROACH THAT ISSUE FROM A VARIETY OF STANDPOINTS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BOTH RESPONDING APPROPRIATELY AND ALSO PREVENTING WHAT WE CAN PREVENT. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THEN ALSO, WHAT ELSE WAS I GOING TO SAY ABOUT THAT? THEN ALSO LIBERTARIAN DAD, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. I THINK THAT GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS OFTENTIMES CAN BE EVALUATED. I DON'T KNOW, I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE BUDGET. I DO NOT HAVE EXPERTISE IN THE WAYS TO MANAGE A POLICE DEPARTMENT. I THINK WE'VE GOT FOLKS BACK IN THE BACK THAT KNOW QUITE A BIT MORE ABOUT THAT THAN I DO. I WOULD THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO COLLABORATE WITH EVERY AREA OF CITY GOVERNMENT TO SEE IF THINGS ARE BEING RUN AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE, AND IF IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO SHIFT FUNDING. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. >> THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER ASLAN. >> THANK YOU. HERE WE ARE AGAIN. [LAUGHTER] I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THESE. I JUST THINK IT'S BEST TO DO IT EQUALLY FOR EVERYBODY. [01:40:02] THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS AIMING FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2030. WE KNOW THIS IS A LOFTY GOAL, BUT IT'S THE PRODUCT OF A BOTTOM-UP COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PROCESS AND WORKS UNDER THE DETERMINATION THAT GLOBAL CLIMATE CRISIS IS AN EMERGENCY AND NEEDS TO BE TREATED LOCALLY. COUNCIL HAS ALSO RECOGNIZED ANOTHER LOCALLY-DRIVEN PROCESS AND CRISIS IN TERMS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THESE ARE TWO URGENT CHALLENGES. DO YOU THINK THEY'RE COMPATIBLE WITH EACH OTHER OR AT ODDS? HOW WILL YOU ADDRESS BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY? HOW WILL YOU LOOK AT THE QUESTION OF FLAGSTAFF'S POTENTIAL EXPLOSIVE GROWTH OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DECADES THROUGH THESE DIFFERENT LENSES? >> ABSOLUTELY, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION THAT I THINK ABOUT A LOT. AS A MOM, LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. BUT ALSO, I'M TRYING TO BUY A HOUSE HERE IN FLAGSTAFF. [LAUGHTER] IT'S HARD. IT'S DIFFICULT ON A NON-PROFIT SALARY TO BUY A HOUSE IN FLAGSTAFF. I THINK THAT AGAIN, AS OTHER CANDIDATES HAVE SAID, GROWTH IS INEVITABLE. DEVELOPMENT IS INEVITABLE. I THINK THAT RATHER IT BEING A QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT THESE THINGS ARE COMPATIBLE, IT'S A QUESTION OF HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE COMPATIBLE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO. IT'S NOT AN OPTION. CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL, DEVELOPMENT IS REAL. WE HAVE TO MAKE THOSE THINGS CO-EXIST SO THAT OUR WONDERFUL LITTLE TOWN CAN CONTINUE EXISTING. ACTUALLY, I'M A HUGE BOOK NERD. MY DREAM IN LIFE IS TO HAVE A BOOKSTORE, BE A LIBRARIAN. THERE'S THIS BOOK OUT RIGHT NOW. [LAUGHTER] IT'S CALLED THE GRAY AND THE GREEN. IT'S BEEN SITTING ON MY NIGHTSTAND WAITING FOR ME TO READ IT. SPECIFICALLY, ON THIS ISSUE ABOUT HOW WE CAN USE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TO TACKLE ISSUES OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY AS WELL AS CLIMATE CHANGE. I THINK THAT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT MORE OFTEN IS POTENTIALLY HOW EXPENSIVE UTILITIES ARE. THE ABILITY OF THINGS LIKE RENEWABLE ENERGY TO LOWER UTILITY COST THE WAY THAT THAT SHOULD BE BROUGHT INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK THERE'S ALSO SOME CITIES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO FLAGSTAFF THAT ARE DOING REALLY INTERESTING THINGS. I KNOW CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA HAS DONE SOME INTERESTING STUFF ON THIS TOPIC. I THINK IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO LOOK TOWARDS OTHER FOLKS THERE TO DOING THINGS. THEN ALSO I THINK THAT YOU ALL LIKE I SAID HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF LAYING THE GROUNDWORK HERE. YOU GOT A REALLY SOLID CITY STAFF THAT DOES A GREAT JOB OF PULLING THESE THINGS TOGETHER. WE'VE GOT FANTASTIC FOLKS ON COMMISSIONS THAT ARE ALSO BRINGING THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER. I THINK NOT TO JUMP THE GUN, BUT [LAUGHTER] I TOTALLY BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE. I THINK THAT IF ANYBODY CAN DO IT, IT'S FLAGSTAFF. >> THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW, IF YOU NOTICED. I LIKE TO USE MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. I THINK IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU MORE TIME TO TALK ACTUALLY. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU FOR SAYING YOU BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE. THE QUESTION HAD ENTERED MY MIND, GIVEN YOUR LIBERTARIAN UPBRINGING. I KNOW YOU WERE A STAFF PERSON FOR SENATOR MCSALLY FOR A WHILE TOO. DO YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING LOCAL MONEY TO TACKLE A GLOBAL PROBLEM? >> ONE HUNDRED PERCENT, ABSOLUTELY. I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I KNOW THAT [LAUGHTER] MY BACKGROUND IS A BIT MISLEADING. SOME OF THE FOLKS ON COUNCIL HAVE INTERACTED WITH ME OUTSIDE OF MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER, AND I THINK HAVE THE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF MY PERSONAL POLITICS. BUT AGAIN, I WOULD SAY THAT THE LIBERTARIANISM AND WORKING FOR SENATOR MCSALLY ARE MISLEADING. THE WAY THAT I VIEW GOVERNMENT IS AS A RESOURCE FOR THE PEOPLE. EVERY DIFFERENT LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE A RESOURCE TO THE PEOPLE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE REALLY INVESTED MY TIME IN THROUGHOUT MY CAREER IN POLITICS IS FINDING OUT HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT REALITY. I REALLY APPRECIATED SENATOR MCSALLY'S OFFICE COMING TO ME AND OFFERING ME THE POSITION BECAUSE OUR POLITICS ARE SO DIFFERENT. I THINK THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THE OFFICE DID THAT IS BECAUSE I'VE BUILT A REPUTATION FOR MYSELF IN WASHINGTON, DC AS BEING SOMEONE WHO BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS AND IS ABLE TO WORK WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE VERY DIFFERENT IDEALS THAN I DO, TO BUILD COALITIONS IN ORDER TO WORK TOWARDS THESE GOALS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. [01:45:01] YES, THAT WAS THE ROUNDABOUT WAY OF SAYING 100 PERCENT, ABSOLUTELY, [LAUGHTER] I DO. >> WELL, FABULOUS ANSWER. THANK YOU. A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHY WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ASK SOME FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS. I THINK IT CREATES SOME INTERESTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIALOGUE. JUST TO BE CLEAR, FOR THE RECORD, I DON'T THINK IT'S IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER STRIKE AGAINST YOU THAT YOU WORKED FOR ONE SENATOR'S OFFICE OR ANOTHER. I THINK IT'S A GREAT PUBLIC SERVICE. THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER SALAS. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, SAMANTHA. ELABORATE ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY MANAGER-CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT, AND DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER-CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT. >> THANK YOU. AGAIN, I FEEL THE PRIOR CANDIDATES DID A REALLY GREAT JOB OF DESCRIBING THE BASICS AND THE FACTS OF THAT STRUCTURE. THE CITY MANAGER, WHO RUNS THINGS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, AND THE COUNCIL, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DICTATING PRIORITIES AND GIVING DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY STAFF. I THINK THAT WHAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO LEAN INTO HERE IS MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND FLAGSTAFF CITY STAFF, ESPECIALLY THROUGHOUT COVID. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WORKING WITH THE SENATE WHEN COVID HIT. THEN THROUGHOUT 2020, WHICH WAS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY, AND REALLY GOT TO WORK WITH THE FOLKS HERE IN FLAGSTAFF ON A PRETTY REGULAR BASIS. CORRELL AND I WERE TEXTING ALMOST DAILY TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THINGS HERE. I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY HOW EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT THE CITY STAFF IS. I THINK THAT THAT'S ALL TO SAY THAT MY DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IS I BELIEVE WOULD LARGELY BE TO REALLY APPRECIATE AND LISTEN TO THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY STAFF FROM ALL OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE ON THESE VARIOUS ISSUES. WITH THAT SAID, I THINK THAT IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNCIL TO LISTEN TO CONSTITUENTS, AS PRIOR CANDIDATES HAVE SAID, AND DEVELOP THOSE PRIORITIES AND THOSE DIRECTIONS BASED ON WHAT CONSTITUENTS ARE SAYING. I ALSO THINK THAT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, IT IS EXCEPTIONALLY IMPORTANT TO ME TO SEEK OUT THE VOICES THAT ARE NOT BEING HEARD WITHIN THE CONSTITUENTS. I THINK THAT MY DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WOULD BE A BALANCE OF WORKING WITH CONSTITUENTS WHO OFTENTIMES MAY BE SILENCED, AND ALSO WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GOALS ARE BEING ACCOMPLISHED. >> OF COURSE. >> THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER] I APPRECIATE IT. PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE HAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT, AND DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PRESSES. YOU PRESENT THE EXPERIENCE OF POLICY, WHAT ABOUT BUDGET DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE REALM OF THE CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT? >> MA'AM, BUDGET IS SO INTERESTING TO ME. I ACTUALLY INITIALLY WHEN I WAS WORKING THROUGH MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE, I WAS PURSUING RANDOMLY, MY DAD WOULD JUST DIE, I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M SAYING THIS, BUT I WAS PURSUING AN ECONOMICS DEGREE, [LAUGHTER] WHICH WAS SURPRISING TO HIM. I WAS NEVER GREAT PERSONALLY WITH MONEY, BUT ECONOMICS FOR WHATEVER REASON MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO ME, BIG PICTURE THINGS MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE TO ME. THEN LIKE I'VE MENTIONED, I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN DEGREE, BOTH GRANT WRITING AND GRANT MANAGEMENT. A HUGE PART OF THAT IS MANAGING BUDGETS, OFTENTIMES FOR VERY COMPLEX PROGRAMS. I THINK THAT AGAIN, AND I HOPE THAT I'M SPEAKING TO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, LET ME KNOW IF I'M NOT. BUT I THINK AGAIN, WHEN IT COMES TO THIS TYPE OF SITUATION WITH THE COUNCIL CITY MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT, AGAIN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT CITY STAFF AND THE CITY MANAGER BRING OPTIONS TO COUNCIL, AND THEN WORK WITH COUNCIL TO REVISE THOSE OPTIONS. AGAIN, I THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT CITY COUNCIL [01:50:04] BE AWARE OF CONSTITUENT PRIORITIES AND MAKING SURE TO GUARD THOSE AND REPRESENT THEM WELL AND MAKE SURE THAT THE BUDGET DOES REPRESENT THOSE PRIORITIES. BUT ALSO TO RELY HEAVILY ON THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY STAFF TO FIGURE OUT THE NITTY-GRITTY OF THE DETAILS OF HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. >> THANK YOU. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST CEREAL AND WHY? >> THIS ONE, I WAS SO GLAD WE GOT A LITTLE BATHROOM BREAK RIGHT BEFORE WE WENT, BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT CEREAL AND I'VE BEEN BACK THERE DRINKING ICED TEA AND I WAS LIKE, "ALL I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO THINK ABOUT THE WHOLE TIME IS THAT I HAVE TO REUSE THE BATHROOM AND I LOVE CEREAL." [LAUGHTER] I'M GLAD WE TOOK THAT LITTLE BREAK. I HAVE SOME WEIRD DIETARY ALLERGY STUFF, AND I WASN'T ABLE TO EAT CEREAL FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND I'VE JUST RECENTLY BEEN ABLE TO START EATING CEREAL AGAIN, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT. [LAUGHTER] I EAT CEREAL ALMOST EVERY DAY. MY FAVORITE RIGHT NOW IS HONEY NUT CHEERIOS, BUT I LIKE TO PUT MORE HONEY ON IT, [LAUGHTER] AND THEN SLICE BANANAS ON TOP, BUT THE BANANAS HAVE TO BE COLD, AND WHOLE MILK WITH IT. BUT THEN ALSO MY GO TO ALL TIME FAVORITE PROBABLY IS LUCKY CHARMS, AND SIMILAR TO THE WONDERFUL APPLICANT BEFORE ME, I REALLY WANTED TO TIE THIS INTO SOMETHING DEEPER, BUT REALLY I JUST LIKE LUCKY CHARMS. [LAUGHTER] >> THANK YOU, SAMANTHA. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MR. JOE WASHINGTON. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. I THINK THE INDIVIDUAL KICKING US OFF IS COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN. >> I JUST NOTICED THAT TURNING THE PAGE HERE. LET'S GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY. JOE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR STEPPING FORWARD. IN THE SPIRIT OF PUBLIC SERVICE, REALLY APPRECIATE IT. YOU'VE PROBABLY BEEN FOLLOWING, WE'RE AIMING FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2030. IT'S A LOFTY GOAL. IT'S THE PRODUCT OF A BOTTOM-UP COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROCESS WHICH RECOGNIZES THE GLOBAL EMERGENCY OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND IS DEMANDING LOCAL ACTION. COUNCIL HAS ALSO BEEN RESPONDING TO A LOCAL PROCESS RECOGNIZING HOUSING AS A GRAVE EMERGENCY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUES. ARE THESE TWO URGENT CHALLENGES COMPATIBLE WITH EACH OTHER OR ARE THEY AT ODDS? HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY? REALLY, THE POINT OF THIS QUESTION FOR ME IS LOOKING AT FLAGSTAFF'S MID TO LONG-TERM GROWTH OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DECADES, AND HOW HOW DO YOU SEE GROWTH AND HOW DO YOU TACKLE THE CHALLENGES OF GROWTH THROUGH THESE TWO LENSES? >> THANK YOU. YES, I THINK THAT THE TWO GOALS ARE DEFINITELY COMPATIBLE, AND I THINK THAT THEY ARE THINGS WE'RE SEEING, FOR EXAMPLE, CLIMATE CHANGE WITH THE TUNNEL FIRE. WE'RE SEEING THINGS THAT ARE VERY REAL, AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T SEE THAT IT'S REAL, BUT IT IS, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DEALT WITH, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALSO IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT FEEL THAT THEY CAN'T STAY IN FLAGSTAFF BECAUSE OF THE PRICE OF HOUSING, AND SO THEY ARE DEFINITELY IMPORTANT AS WELL AS, A LOT OF TIMES THEY ARE PARALLEL, THERE'S NO DIRECT CLASH IN MANY CASES BETWEEN THE TWO GOALS. BUT MOST OFTEN, I THINK, THEY ARE COMPATIBLE IN TERMS OF USING SOLAR ENERGY WITH HOUSING AND SO ON LIKE THAT, IT HELPS. WITH REGARD TO GROWTH, IT HAS TO BE MANAGED. IT'S INEVITABLE. I'VE SEEN THE GROWTH BETWEEN THE TIME I GOT HERE IN 1976 TO TODAY, AND IT'S BEEN AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF GROWTH IN FLAGSTAFF AND THERE'S REALLY NO STOPPING IT, AND IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. FLAGSTAFF IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO BE, A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE, AND WE'LL HAVE GROWTH HERE, [01:55:02] AND WE LOOK TO THINGS LIKE INFILL AND LOOKING AT HOW TO DO THINGS TO PRESERVE THE BEAUTY OF FLAGSTAFF. WHEN I WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL, WE ADOPTED A LAND USE ORDINANCE THAT HAD THE PRESERVATION OF VEGETATION, AND WAS ANTI CLEAR CUTTING AND SO ON LIKE THAT. ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE HAVE THIS GROWTH, AS WE MANAGE THIS GROWTH, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY INEVITABLE. >> THANK YOU, JOE. YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THIS STUFF THROUGH ANOTHER LENS AND THAT IS, AS A TRIBAL MEMBER AND AN INDIGENOUS PERSON, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH THAT LIVED EXPERIENCE, AND IF YOU COULD SHARE WITH US SOME OF THE STRENGTHS AND UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES THAT YOU BRING TO SUSTAINABILITY AND OUR GROWTH CHALLENGES AND OUR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGES THROUGH THOSE LENSES. >> YES. INDIGENOUS PEOPLE CONSIDER OURSELVES TO BE PART OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THAT THE ENVIRONMENT, BOTH FLORA AS WELL AS FAUNA ARE PART OF OUR RELATIONS. THERE IS A BELIEF AND A GRATITUDE TOWARDS THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINING US FOR OUR FOOD AND SO ON LIKE THAT, AND PROVIDING MEDICINE SUCH AS HERBS AND PLANTS THAT ARE USED TO HEAL CERTAIN DISEASES. THERE IS LIKE IN HUNTING, HUNTING DEER FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS ALWAYS EVERY PART OF THE ANIMAL WAS USED, THE SINEW COULD BE USED FOR BOWSTRINGS AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. THERE IS A VERY ORGANIC FEELING BETWEEN INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AND WE HAVE A DUTY. THESE ARE LIVING ENTITIES AND OUR RELATIVES, AND SO WE HAVE A RELIGIOUS MORAL OBLIGATION TO PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT. IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US, [NOISE] AND SO WE DO FEEL THAT MOTHER EARTH HAS TO BE PROTECTED AND APPRECIATED AND THAT WE GUARD AND ARE THANKFUL FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. >> THANK YOU. WHO IS NEXT UP HERE? VICE MAYOR. >> THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS N WHEN POTENTIALLY CONFLICTING PRIORITIES AND OUR VALUES ARE INVOLVED, AND FEEL FREE TO GIVE AN EXACT EXAMPLE FOR ME. >> ALTHOUGH BEING A JUDGE IS DIFFERENT FROM BEING A COUNCIL MEMBER, I LEARNED A LOT OF THINGS FROM CLASSES THAT I TOOK AT THE NATIONAL JUDICIAL COLLEGE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY TAUGHT US WAS TO HAVE A SENTENCING PHILOSOPHY. I THINK THAT THAT IDEA, THAT CONCEPT IS IMPORTANT IN CHOOSING PRIORITIES. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A PHILOSOPHY ABOUT PRIORITIES, ABOUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT AND SO ON LIKE THAT, THAT WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE MAZE OF FINDING WHICH PRIORITIES ARE IMPORTANT AND HOW TO WEIGH THEM. THAT SENTENCING PHILOSOPHY AS A JUDGE WAS TO BE FAIR TO EVERYONE. FOR ONE OF A CONSERVATIVE IDEA IS THAT I FELT THAT IF ANYONE ACTUALLY HARMED, HURT SOMEONE, THAT I WAS GOING TO IMPOSE SOME AMOUNT OF JAIL TIME. THAT'S A PHILOSOPHY THAT IF ANYONE APPEARED BEFORE ME AND THAT THEY HAD SERIOUSLY HARMED SOMEONE, THEY WOULD VERY LIKELY WELL, OR SURELY BE SENTENCED TO SOME AMOUNT OF JAIL TIME. THAT PHILOSOPHY CAN WORK WITH THINGS LIKE THE ENVIRONMENT, ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT, AS WELL AS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE REAL EFFECTS THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE. THOSE PHILOSOPHIES, THOSE DECIDED PERSPECTIVES I THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO HAVE A PHILOSOPHY ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH PRIORITIES AND HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEM. [02:00:05] >> THANK YOU. >> AGAIN, NEXT IS ME HERE. HOW HAVE YOUR POLICY VIEWS CHANGED OVER TIME? GIVE AN EXAMPLE WHEN YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR MIND ON A CRITICAL AND SALIENT ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. WHY DID YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND ON THAT ISSUE? >> ACTUALLY, MY VIEWPOINTS HAVE NOT REALLY CHANGED MUCH OVER TIME. THERE ARE THINGS THAT THERE'S THE IDEA THAT AS PEOPLE GET OLDER, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE OPPOSED TO BOND ELECTIONS AND SO ON LIKE THAT. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH ME. I SEE A NEED FOR CERTAIN THINGS, AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THINGS LIKE BOND ELECTIONS AND SO ON LIKE THAT. GETTING OLDER DIDN'T HAVE THAT EFFECT ON ME. IN TERMS OF MY PHILOSOPHY, MY FATHER WORKED FOR THE EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR THE BIA, BUT HE WAS ALSO A LAY MINISTER IN THE CHURCH. MY MOTHER WAS VERY TRADITIONAL, HAVING TRADITIONAL BELIEFS AND NON-CHRISTIAN BELIEFS. I THINK EARLY IN THEIR MARRIAGE THEY MIGHT'VE HAD SOME FRICTION, BUT THE LONGER THEY STAYED MARRIED, THEY BECAME MORE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER IN THOSE VIEWS SO THAT MY MOTHER WAS MORE ACCEPTING OF CHURCH AND MY FATHER WAS MORE ACCEPTING OF TRADITIONAL VALUES AND SO ON LIKE THAT. THAT MAKES ME MORE APPRECIATIVE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S VIEWPOINTS AND OF THEIR STRONGLY HELD BELIEFS. THERE ARE WAYS TO HARMONIZE THEM. MY PARENTS DID IT. THERE ARE WAYS TO HARMONIZE THOSE THINGS. MY BELIEFS HAVE NOT REALLY CHANGED OVER THE YEARS. THERE'S ANOTHER THING THAT CONSERVATIVES OR, IT'S A THING THAT WAS JUST SAYING THAT IF YOU'RE NOT A SOCIALIST WHEN YOU'RE IN YOUR 20S THEN YOU HAVE NO HEART, IF YOU'RE STILL A SOCIALIST IN YOUR 40S, THEN YOU HAVE NO BRAIN, SOMETHING LIKE THAT [LAUGHTER]. MY PERSPECTIVE IS TO HARMONIZE THINGS, HARMONIZE BELIEFS, AND MY BELIEFS REALLY HAVEN'T CHANGED IN ALL THESE YEARS. >> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS, [INAUDIBLE]. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. HI JOE. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING WITH JOE, WHO WAS A CO-CHAIR OF OUR INDIGENOUS COMMISSION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR STEPPING UP. JOE, MY QUESTION IS, GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHEN YOU FELT THAT PEOPLE OF UNDER-REPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS WERE NOT BEING TREATED IN A WAY YOU WERE OKAY WITH AND WHAT DID YOU DO. >> I AM THE CHAIR OF A COMMUNITY GROUP CALLED THE INDIGENOUS CIRCLE OF FLAGSTAFF. WE OFTEN HEAR CASES WHERE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST. IT'S OUR ROLE AND IT'S MY ROLE TO SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER, TO BASICALLY THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE AFRAID OF BEING SLAPPED DOWN AGAIN. IF THEY BRING THINGS UP TO PEOPLE IN POWER, THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT BEING BATTED DOWN. IT'S MY JOB AND THE JOB OF OUR ORGANIZATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD, THAT THEY ARE HEARD. SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE SAYING. BUT FROM PERSONAL BELIEF, I AM A MEMBER OF AN UNDER-REPRESENTED GROUP. YOU WOULD THINK THAT WITH MY EDUCATION AND MY INCOME, I WOULD BE SOMEHOW INVULNERABLE TO RACISM, BUT IT'S NOT TRUE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED RACISM IN MY OWN LIFE. MY WIFE AND I WENT TO A RESTAURANT ONE TIME. IT WAS A NEWLY OPENED RESTAURANT. WE WALKED IN, THERE WERE PEOPLE EATING THERE. WE ASKED FOR A TABLE AND THEY SAID WE'RE CLOSED. THEY OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T WANT US THERE. I COULD HAVE INSISTED ON BEING SERVED AND SO ON LIKE THAT, AND MY WIFE IS VERY OUTSPOKEN. SHE COULD HAVE DONE THAT TOO. BUT I DIDN'T PARTICULARLY WANT TO HAVE DINNER WITH MEMBERS OF THE KU KLUX KLAN. [02:05:04] WE JUST LEFT AND HAD NOTHING MORE TO DO WITH THAT RESTAURANT. AGAIN, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S VERY REAL, THAT RACISM IS VERY REAL, DISCRIMINATION IS VERY REAL. I THINK IT'S MY JOB TO STAND UP FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED IT AND VERY BOLDLY I'LL POINT IT OUT AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. >> COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE] >> I DO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP, [INAUDIBLE] FOLLOW-UPS. I APPRECIATE THAT RESPONSE TREMENDOUSLY AND I'M JUST CURIOUS WITH YOUR PRIOR HISTORY HERE AT THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE SOME OF THOSE BIGGER UNDERLINING CONCERNS THROUGH THAT LENS OF RACISM THAT THE CITY AND WE NEED TO HERE AND CHAMPION MOVING FORWARD? >> JUST TO LOOK AT, AND I THINK THINGS ARE IMPROVING. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF DISCRIMINATED AGAINST NATIVE AMERICANS IN ENFORCEMENT OF THE OPEN CONTAINER LAW, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE TIME OF THE POW WOW, THAT INDIVIDUALS OF NATIVE AMERICANS WHO WERE DRINKING FROM AN OPEN CONTAINER WOULD BE ACTUALLY ARRESTED AND THROWN IN JAIL. PEOPLE WHO WERE WHITE WOULD NOT BE ARRESTED AND THROWN IN JAIL DOING THE SAME THING, DRINKING FROM A CAN OF BEER, AND SO ON LIKE THAT. IT'S JUST BASICALLY SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAD HAPPENED THAT NEEDS TO BE WASHED. BUT I THINK WE ARE VERY VOCAL ABOUT THE INDIGENOUS CIRCLE OF FLAGSTAFF HAS AT FORUMS. WE'VE MENTIONED THINGS LIKE THIS AND SPECIFIC THINGS THE CITY MANAGER ATTENDED SOME OF OUR FORUMS AND WE WERE VERY GLAD TO SEE THAT. WE FELT THAT WE WERE GETTING TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT IT. YES. >> THANK YOU. NEXT IS COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY. >> THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME. [NOISE] FLAGSTAFF HAS A PILOT ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE PROGRAM TO SERVE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL POLICE RESPONSES TO 911 CALLS. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT POLICE FUNDING SHOULD BE REDUCED TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM? THEN SECONDLY, HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL? >> POSSIBLY REDUCED, BUT ONLY IF THE CHIEF OF POLICE AGREED WITH IT. I THINK THAT THAT IS EVEN A POSSIBILITY. I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT CHIEF MUSSELMAN HAS BEEN THE GREATEST SUPPORTER OF THE ALTERNATE RESPONSE MODEL AND THAT IT DOES HAVE SOME VERY STRONG EFFECTS IN TERMS OF FREEING UP POLICE TO ACTUALLY DO THINGS THAT INVOLVE LAW ENFORCEMENT INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I WOULD THINK THAT IT WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT CHIEF MUSSELMAN MIGHT SAY, YEAH, IT WILL BE OKAY FOR US TO TAKE A LITTLE CUT IN THE POLICE BUDGET IN ORDER TO DO SOME OF THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE HE'S A GREAT SUPPORTER OF THE ALTERNATE RESPONSE MODEL AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL. I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT. I WAS A PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR 20 YEARS AND SOMETIMES PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND THE POLICE DON'T GET ALONG BUT I DID. I WAS LAID OFF IN THE YEAR THAT COVID STARTED. THE TWO FIRST PEOPLE THAT CAME INTO MY OFFICE TO SYMPATHIZE WITH ME WAS THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND A POLICE SERGEANT. I HAD DEVELOPED A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH POLICE. THEY UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND AT MAKING SURE PEOPLE'S RIGHTS ARE FOLLOWED AND SO ON LIKE THAT. I HAD EXCELLENT RELATIONSHIPS WITH POLICE OFFICERS. BUT LIKE I SAID, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT IN SPEAKING WITH THE CHIEF THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME AGREEMENT FOR REDUCTION OF FUNDS. BUT IF NOT, THEN WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT FINDING OTHER WAYS [02:10:04] TO DEAL WITH THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD PROGRAM, IT'S A NEEDED PROGRAM AND IT IS SOMETHING USEFUL. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. >> COUNCIL MEMBER, SALAS. >> THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, JOE. I GUESS I'M GOING TO CUSTOMIZE THIS QUESTION BECAUSE YOU SERVED ON COUNCIL BEFORE. BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE, ELABORATE ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT, AND DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT. >> I WAS A POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR IN COLLEGE. IF THAT QUESTION WAS ON A POLITICAL SCIENCE QUIZ, THE ANSWER WOULD HAVE TO DO WITH A DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND A STRONG MAYOR FORM OF GOVERNMENT. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE REASON WHY YOU'RE ASKING THAT QUESTION. I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER TO KNOW THEIR ROLE IN THE PROCESS, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT A COUNCIL MEMBER ONLY HAS AUTHORITY IN A CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WITH A VOTE, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER IS A POLICY MAKER AND IS ONLY INVOLVED IN POLICY. A COUNCIL MEMBER DOES NOT GET INVOLVED IN ADMINISTRATION. IT'S WRONG, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER TO CALL UP A MEMBER OF THE CITY EMPLOYEE AND SAY, I'M REALLY UPSET THAT THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE HAS NOT BEEN PLOWED AND I REALLY WANT YOU TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WRONG AND SO A COUNCIL MEMBER MUST KNOW THEIR POSITION, AND THEIR POSITION IS TO MAKE DECISIONS IN CONJUNCTION WITH FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS AS A POLICY MAKER AND NOT GET INVOLVED IN ADMINISTRATION. >> SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION IS, DESCRIBE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WITHIN- [OVERLAPPING] >> OKAY. THAT IS WITHIN THE COUNCIL. ANOTHER INDIGENOUS THOUGHT IS TO TRY TO REACH CONSENSUS. IN THE INDIGENOUS CIRCLE FLAGSTAFF WE TRY TO MAKE DECISIONS, IF ONE PERSON HAS SOME CONCERNS AND SO ON LIKE THAT, WE TRY TO TALK IT OUT AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO REACH A CONSENSUS DECISION, A UNANIMOUS DECISION IF WE CAN. SO MY PERSONAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES IS TO LOOK FOR THAT. IF SOMEONE SEEMS TO HAVE CONCERNS TO DRAW THAT OUT SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT EVERY ASPECT OF THE ISSUE IS AND SO IT'S INTO GIVE-AND-TAKE. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES IN ORDER TO REACH THAT DECISION, I WOULD HAVE TO FOREGO A POSITION THAT I HAD EARLIER TAKEN, AND SO WE TRY TO REACH CONSENSUS. WE TRY TO LISTEN TO EVERY VOICE AND TAKE FROM EVERY VOICE AND TRY TO WORK THAT THROUGH. MY DECISION-MAKING WOULD BE TO TRY TO REACH CONSENSUS ON ISSUES. >> THANK YOU. WITH THAT, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT YOU'RE CEREAL FAVORITES HERE. >> [LAUGHTER] OF COURSE, IT'S A TIE BETWEEN CHEERIOS AND SHREDDED WHEAT BUT I DON'T WANT TO SEEM LIKE I CAN'T MAKE UP MY MIND MAKE A DECISION. I'LL SAY SHREDDED WHEAT AND I THINK IT'S HEALTHY AND I LIKE THE TASTE AND I USE STEVIA ON IT INSTEAD OF SUGARS SO I DON'T OVERDO THE SUGAR. >> THAT WAS THE RIGHT CHOICE OF THE TWO BECAUSE MINE IS FROSTED MINI WHEAT. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, JOE. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. [APPLAUSE] WITH THAT I WANT TO SEE DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC PARTICIPANTS ONLINE OR ANY CARDS? >> NO, MAYOR, WE DO NOT. >> OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE. WITH THAT I AM WELCOME TO TAKE A LITTLE BREAK FOR US TO PROCESS, [02:15:01] WRITE DOWN SOME THOUGHTS. I KNOW WE HAVE A SCHEDULED EXECUTIVE SESSION BUT THAT WILL TAKE A VOTE TO MAKE HAPPEN. I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE CANDIDATES IN AN OPEN FORUM OR JUST GENERAL THOUGHTS. OR AT THE VERY LEAST, BEFORE WE WOULD GO AND DO E-SESSION, JUST EACH OF US STATE, SOME OF THE CRITERIA OR THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IN GENERAL, NOT A SPECIFIC CANDIDATE. IF THAT'S NOT THE ROUTE YOU ALL WANT TO GO FOR SPEAKING ABOUT SPECIFIC CANDIDATES. BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND OUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS THROUGH THIS ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE ASKING EVERYONE ELSE TO TELL US ABOUT THEIR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. STERLING. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. >> THANK YOU. >> UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT IS THE CASE. I WANTED TO JUST SPEAK BRIEFLY TO IT BEFORE WE GET OUT OF THE WORK SESSION HERE. AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE MAY BE A DESIRE BY YOURSELF AND PERHAPS EVEN ANOTHER MEMBER OF COUNCIL OR TWO. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY NOT TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR DISCUSSION OF THE APPLICANTS. THE PROCESS FOR THAT JUST WITH OPEN MEETING LAW IN CONSIDERATION HERE WOULD BE FIRST TO ADJOURN THIS SPECIAL WORK SESSION. WE TAKE THE BREAK YOU MENTIONED AND THEN CALL THE SPECIAL MEETING TO ORDER, YOU WOULD CALL FOR A MOTION TO RESETS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AS IT'S POSTED. IF THAT MOTION AND SECOND AND VOTE OCCUR AND SUCCEED, WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE VACANCY APPLICANTS. HOWEVER, IF THE MOTION SECOND AND VOTE OCCUR AND IT FAILS, THEN ESSENTIALLY TO MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL IS OF A MAJORITY, YOU WOULD NEED TO CALL FOR A MOTION TO PROCEED WITH THE DISCUSSION OF THE COUNCIL VACANCY APPLICANTS IN OPEN MEETING. IF THAT MOTION PASSES, YOU GO AHEAD AND PROCEED NOW WITH THE DISCUSSION IN OPEN. IF IT DOESN'T PASS, THEN MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT YOU ADJOURN THE MEETING AND INDICATE THAT THE COUNCIL WILL COME BACK TO IT AT ANOTHER MEETING TO BE SCHEDULED LATER. THE SAME GOES FOR IF NO MOTION IS MADE AT ALL TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, YOU COULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION IN OPEN, IF THAT SUCCEEDS, YOU GO AHEAD AND PROCEED AND OPEN. IF IT DOESN'T AGAIN, ADJOURN AND JUST MENTION THAT WE'LL COME BACK TO IT AT A MEETING TO BE SCHEDULED LATER. I HOPE THAT'S HELPFUL. I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO PROCEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH OPEN MEETING LAW AND THAT THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL IS BEING HEARD. >> THANK YOU, STERLING. I ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOU KEEPING US STRAIGHT HERE. BEFORE THAT DELIBERATION. JUST TO CONFIRM, WE WILL NEED TO ADJOURN THIS SESSION BEFORE WE START THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. COUNCIL ASLAN? >> WELL, WHILE WE'RE STILL HERE IN PUBLIC SESSION, I WOULD JUST STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK GENERALLY ABOUT WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IN THESE CANDIDATES. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO STATING THAT VERY PLEASED WITH ALL SIX OF THESE CANDIDATES AND THE INTERVIEWS WE HAD TODAY, I REALLY DO AGREE WITH FORMER, COUNCILMEMBER AL WHITE, THAT WE CAN'T GO WRONG HERE THIS AFTERNOON. I JUST WANT TO STATE THAT PUBLICLY. I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE BE ABLE TO SPEAK FREELY AMONGST OURSELVES AS WE DELIBERATE ABOUT A PERSONNEL MATTER. IF WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL THE EXECUTIVE SESSION PROCESS FOR THAT AND I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT WE UTILIZE THAT PROCESS FOR OUR FINAL DELIBERATIONS ON THIS. I'M GUESSING AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO COME TO A FINAL CONSENSUS THIS EVENING, CORRECT? >> POTENTIALLY, DEPENDING ON. >> I GUESS IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS. BUT I REALLY DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'D BE AFFORDED THE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO DELIBERATE IN PRIVATE A LITTLE BIT WHEN IT COMES TO THE FINAL RISING OF A FINAL CANDIDATE TO CONSENSUS. BUT THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY CONTENTIOUS PROCESS. I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BY WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE TODAY. I HAVE SHARED A LOT OF THE FRUSTRATIONS THAT OTHER CANDIDATES AND OTHER FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS THAT IT'S VERY AWKWARD AND UNFORTUNATE THAT WE ONLY HAVE TWO CANDIDATES STEPPING FORWARD THROUGH THE OFFICIAL PROCESS FOR THESE FOUR SPOTS. ONE COULD SAY THAT IT MAKES THE PATH EASY [02:20:05] FOR ME FOR A SECOND TERM AND WHILE THAT IS EXTENSIVELY TRUE, IT'S NOT SATISFYING AND IT'S NOT THE WAY THE PROCESS IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. IT'S NOT MY FAULT. I SHARE THE FRUSTRATION THAT GOES INTO THAT AND I THINK THE VOTERS OF FLAGSTAFF DESERVE A BETTER PROCESS AND DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE CHOICES. I JUST WANT TO SAY ALL THAT, BUT I AM MORE ENCOURAGED AFTER GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T MAKE THE FINAL CUT AND FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T HERE TODAY, BUT WE'RE HERE ON MONDAY. I ABSOLUTELY ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO GO THROUGH THE TRADITIONAL PROCESS OF RUNNING FOR ONE OF THESE SEATS BY THE TRADITIONAL CANDIDATE ELECTION PROCESS. I THINK YOU WOULD ALL MAKE WONDERFUL CANDIDATES. I THINK YOU WOULD ALL MAKE WONDERFUL REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER, ASLAN. COUNCILMEMBER SHIMONI. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND SO ARE WE VOICING OUR GENERAL COMMENTS NOW, OR ARE WE DOING THAT AFTER THE BREAK? >> I WAS GOING TO TAKE A 10-MINUTE BREAK JUST TO GIVE US A BREATHER AND COLLECT OUR THOUGHTS AND I WOULD LIKE TO IF WE ARE PLANNING TO GO AHEAD IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, I'LL BE HONEST, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD. THAT'S HOW I'LL BE VOTING. I THINK AT THIS POINT WE HAVE GREAT CANDIDATES AND HONESTLY, WE'RE TRYING TO PRIORITIZE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS TO TALK ABOUT SIX PEOPLE ABOUT, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION REGARDLESS. BUT I DO FEEL THAT IF WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE DOING THAT AT THIS DAIS IN FRONT OF THE VIDEO CAMERA THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW WHAT IS THE PART OF INDIVIDUAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS AS WE START LOOKING AT THE APPLICANTS, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT COME UP IN OUR THOUGHTS SO THAT WHERE THE PUBLIC KNOWS OUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS BEFORE WE WOULD GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION. >> IT DOES, SO MAYOR, YOU'RE HOPING THE DEFAULT WILL BE THAT WE'LL HAVE THAT CONVERSATION PUBLICLY, BUT IF THERE IS A MOTION AND A MAJORITY TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE WILL DO SO, CORRECT? >> YES. REGARDLESS, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A 10-MINUTE BREAK. THEN WHEN WE COME BACK, WE CAN ALL AROUND THE TABLE JUST EXPLAIN, NOT NECESSARILY INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES, BUT HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE SITUATION SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS BEFORE WE WOULD MOVE ON TO ADJOURNING THIS MEETING AND THEN GOING TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTION AND AFTERWARD. VICE MAYOR. >> CAN I REQUEST 15 MINUTES? I NEED TO EAT DINNER AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE MY CHANCE. >> I'M DOWN WITH THAT. >> THANK YOU. >> WELL, JUST TURNED 5:35, SO WE'LL BE BACK HERE AT 5:50 AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE. THANK YOU. OKAY. WELL, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE VACANCY, INTERVIEWS, TAKEN SOME NOTES, AND SO FORTH. JUST MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PARTICIPANTS AT THIS TIME ONLINE. >> THAT IS CORRECT, MAYOR. >> ALREADY. SOUNDS GOOD. WELL, WITH THAT, BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST KINDA GO AROUND THE TABLE AND SEE WHAT OUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IS. THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN CONSIDERING OVERTIME, AND HAPPY TO HAVE ANYONE JUMP IN TO BE THE FRONT PERSON ON THAT IF YOU'D LIKE. THESE CAN JUST BE GENERAL, VERY GENERAL THINGS [LAUGHTER]. VICE MAYOR. >> AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE, WE CAN'T GO WRONG. IN MY THINKING OF HOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME AND HOW I WANT TO DELIBERATE WITH MYSELF. IT REALLY COMES TO YOU EACH HAVE SOMETHING TO BRING TO THE TABLE, A LOT OF THINGS TO BRING TO THE TABLE AND SO PERHAPS WEIGHING WHAT EACH OF THOSE THINGS ARE IT DOES APPEAR YOU ALL ARE VERY COLLABORATIVE, WHICH I APPRECIATE. I SEE YOU WORKING WELL WITH US. ALL OF YOU. I'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH AND I THINK FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT'S JUST NARROWING DOWN WHAT SPECIAL THING EACH OF YOU CAN BRING TO COUNCIL AND WHAT IS IT AS WE AS A COUNCIL FEEL WE NEED THE MOST AT THE TIME. I GUESS THAT'S MY INITIAL THOUGHT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR. COUNCILMAN AUSTIN? [02:25:03] >> THANK YOU. I WANT TO JUST ECHO WHAT I SAID BEFORE. I THINK I AGREE WE CAN'T GO WRONG. I THINK ANY OF YOU WHO DON'T FALL INTO THIS POSITION SHOULD FIGHT FOR IT BY RUNNING FOR COUNCIL, I THINK YOU WOULD BE DOING THIS CITY OF GREAT SERVICE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF YOU OUT THERE IN THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL SOMEDAY. I AM LOOKING FOR SOME SPECIFIC THINGS AND I THINK WE WILL GET THAT WITH ANY OF YOU. I DO WANT TO REITERATE THAT I THINK I'VE LOVED THAT WE'RE DOING THIS AND I THINK WE SHOULD SHARE AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN AND FEEL COMFORTABLE SHARING RIGHT NOW. I DO THINK IT IS IN SERVICE TO TRANSPARENCY AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROCESS. I DO THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT AT SOME POINT WE CROSS A LINE TO NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THE SAUSAGE BEING MADE. THERE'S GOING TO COME A MOMENT WHERE WE HAVE TO GRAPPLE WITH SOME CONFLICTING POSITIVE VIEWPOINTS. I WANT US TO COME OUT OF THAT PROCESS WITH A CONSENSUS CANDIDATE, SOMEONE THAT WE'RE ALL VERY EXCITED ABOUT AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK PASSIONATELY AND FREELY ABOUT SOME OF THOSE POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES UP IN THE EXECUTIVE CHAMBER SO THAT WE CAN GET, AT THE END OF THE DAY, PASSED THAT TO A PLACE WHERE WE'RE ALL VERY EXCITED AND OF VERY BEHIND THE CANDIDATE WHO IS GOING TO COME AND SIT AT THIS TABLE WITH US. I DO THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT BOTH ENDS AND I'D REALLY LIKE US TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION OPENLY WITH THE FULL FLEXIBILITY THAT ANY GOVERNING BOARD WOULD WANT WHEN CHOOSING PERSONNEL. BUT BE THAT AS IT MAY, I SEE THAT JOE IS NOT HERE ANYMORE. I DO WANT TO STATE EXPLICITLY THAT I THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THE FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE INDIGENOUS REPRESENTATION ON THE COUNCIL. I THINK THAT'S A SYSTEMIC WEAKNESS THAT EXISTS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED LONG-TERM. IT'S AN AMERICAN DEMOCRACY SYSTEMIC WEAKNESS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT CONVERSATION LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF GETTING OUT IN FRONT OF IT. BUT THERE HAD BEEN TIMES WHEN WE'VE HAD THAT REPRESENTATION ON COUNCIL. WE DON'T HAVE IT NOW, WE SHOULD. THAT FACTOR IS HEAVILY INTO MY THINKING. JOE HAS STEPPED FORWARD IN SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE HIMSELF, TO PROVIDE US WITH THAT CHARACTERISTIC. IT'S NOT THE ONLY CHARACTERISTIC TO CONSIDER. I DO LIKE THAT HE AND AL BRING EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE. IT'S IMPORTANT, IT FACTORS HEAVILY FOR ME THAT THIS IS ONLY A SEVEN-MONTH APPOINTMENT. WE REALLY DO NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. I THINK THE OTHERS OF YOU WHO DON'T HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE SHOULD GO THROUGH THE TRADITIONAL PROCESS OF RUNNING FOR COUNCIL, GET ON COUNCIL, BE AFFORDED THAT ROOKIE STATUS OF BEING ABLE TO LEARN AND GROW ON YOUR FEET. HERE WE HAVE IT'S JUST TOO SHORT OF TIME TO LEARN ALL THE INS AND OUTS. I WAS A PEACE CO-VOLUNTEER IN THOSE STENTS ARE TWO YEARS AT MINIMUM. MY WIFE AND I SERVED FOR THREE YEARS IN 100 CLOUD FOREST. YOU DON'T GET ANYTHING DONE THAT FIRST YEAR. IT'S SIMPLY LEARNING THE LANGUAGE, LEARNING THE CULTURE, MAKING RELATIONSHIPS, CREATING NETWORKS, BUILDING TRUST, AND LEARNING THE RULES. I THINK THERE'S A CERTAIN METAPHORICAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THAT HERE. THIS IS A ROLE THAT TAKES SOME GETTING USED TO AND IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING. THERE'S EXTERNAL THINGS THAT COME AT YOU TOO, THAT WILL SURPRISE YOU ALONG THE WAY. DOES THAT DISQUALIFY ANY OF THE OTHER FOUR OF YOU FROM TACKLING THIS ROLE? NO, IT DOESN'T. I'M VERY EAGER TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE DO WE BALANCE THOSE FACTORS. I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD REPRESENTATION. CARA WAS INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR INTERVIEW. I THINK IT'S VERY REFRESHING THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS HERE. IF WE HAVE OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD REPRESENTATION. I'M SORRY, THAT THAT WASN'T MORE CLEAR TO ME, [02:30:03] BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WEIGHS HEAVILY IN MY CONSIDERATION AS WELL. I'M JUST THROWING IT ALL OUT THERE ON THE TABLE. THIS IS THE THING WHERE YOU COULD PING PONG BACK AND FORTH. WHAT ARE THE POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES ALL EVENING, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I RELY UPON IS AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED GENERAL GROUP WISDOM THAT COMES INTO PLAY AS WE'RE FREELY ABLE TO HAVE SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS I THINK A LOT OF THE VALUES THAT I'VE EXPRESSED THAT I'M SURE OTHERS OF YOU WILL EXPRESS AND YOU'LL ADD TO THAT LIST WILL FILTER UP AND A CONSENSUS CANDIDATE WILL BECOME FAIRLY OBVIOUS TO US. THAT'S WHERE MY MIND IS RIGHT NOW. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER AUSTIN. COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DIDN'T ACTUALLY KNOW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THIS LITTLE CONVERSATION. I JUST OFF THE CUP JOTTED DOWN A COUPLE OF IDEAS. THE FIRST WORD I WROTE DOWN WAS INTEGRITY. I BELIEVE THAT EVERY CANDIDATE THAT WE INTERVIEWED HAS HIGH INTEGRITY. I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ANYTHING DIFFERENT. EXPERIENCE, I DO THINK THAT IT DOES MAKE SOME SENSE TO APPOINT A PERSON THAT'S SERVED ON COUNCIL BEFORE BECAUSE OF THE LEARNING CURVE, ETC. BUT I WILL TELL YOU, I'M ABSOLUTELY OPEN-MINDED ABOUT APPOINTING SOMEONE THAT'S NEVER SERVED ON COUNCIL. THERE IS SOME TRUTH TO THAT ARGUMENT ABOUT EXPERIENCE, BUT THERE'S OTHER EXPERIENCE TO EVERYONE THAT WE SEE IN THE AUDIENCE PLUS JOE HAVE EXPERIENCE. COMMUNICATION SKILLS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, AND WE GOT A FLAVOR OF THE CANDIDATE'S ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY TONIGHT. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO ME IN SERVING WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, IS CAN WE WORK TOGETHER EVEN WHEN WE DON'T AGREE? I'M JUST GOING TO THROW OUT A NAME CHARLIE OTAGUARD. HE AND I VOTED AGAINST EACH OTHER QUITE OFTEN, BUT THERE WAS NEVER ANY HARD FEELINGS, AND I CONSIDER HIM A PERSONAL FRIEND, AND I LOOK FOR THAT IN EVERY PERSON ON COUNCIL. I DON'T EXPECT TO AGREE WITH MY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT I DO EXPECT THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AT ALL TIMES. I GUESS THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS THAT POP INTO MIND RIGHT NOW. I DO SUPPORT GOING INTO E-SESSION FOR THE DISCUSSION, AND I CAN ELABORATE ON THE REASONS FOR THAT IF IT BECOMES NECESSARY, BUT FOR NOW I'LL JUST LEAVE THAT WHERE IT IS. I DO HAVE REASONS THAT I CAN ARTICULATE, BUT IF THERE'S NO REASON TO, THEN I WON'T. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY. COUNCILMEMBER SHIMONI. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SALAS. THE THINGS I JOTTED DOWN TOO WAS, I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THAT CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. I DEFINITELY SEE THE VALUE IN SOMEONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCE, WHETHER IT'S WORKING FOR THE CITY OR AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, OR EVEN AS A COMMISSION EXPERIENCE, ALL THAT DEFINITELY COUNTS. BUT I ALSO SEE THE VALUE OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT OTHERS BRING TO THE TABLE THAT ARE DIFFERENT, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE WORK AS A BOARD. AS YOU'VE EXPLAINED, WE'RE A NON-PROFIT BOARD AND OUR DIFFERENCES MAKE US BETTER, AND SO, EVERYONE BRINGS A LOT TO THE TABLE. I CAN GO NAME BY NAME AND EXPRESS ALL THE DIFFERENT VALUES THAT YOU ALL BRING IN, BUT YOU KNOW IT BETTER THAN I DO. BUT I DEFINITELY WANT SOMEONE WHO CAN JOIN US UP HERE AND JUST HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND BE A PILLAR THAT WE CAN LEAN ON. WHEN I THINK ABOUT FORMER VICE MAYOR DAGGETT, SHE WAS A PILLAR THAT WE CAN LEAN ON, THAT I WAS ABLE TO LEAN ON, AND I DEFINITELY MISS HER PRESENCE. I'M DEFINITELY LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN BRING THAT STRONG-ROOTED, GROUNDED ENERGY TO THE DAIS DURING HARD CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE DIFFICULT, OUR WORK IT'S VERY CHALLENGING AS COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY SAID, AND WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE. I'M LOOKING AROUND THE TABLE AND I CAN THINK ABOUT NUMEROUS TIMES THAT WE HAVEN'T AGREED BUT WE FIND A WAY TO OVERCOME, COMMUNICATE, AND HAVE THAT MUTUAL RESPECT AND INTEGRITY, AND THAT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT, BUT TO FIND YOUR VOICE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TAKES TIME, AND ESPECIALLY IN THIS ROLE, IT'S VERY OVERWHELMING. WE NEED BALANCE ON THIS COUNCIL, I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN FILL THE VOID, I THINK COUNCILMEMBER ETZLER SAID IT REALLY NICELY ABOUT [02:35:02] JOE'S INDIGENOUS BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVE. EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO BRING TO THE TABLE AND CREATE BALANCE, BUT WHEN I'M THINKING ABOUT THE CITY AT LARGE, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHAT GAPS ARE AMONGST US AS A COUNCIL BODY, WHERE ARE WE MISSING THE MARK? COUNCILMEMBER ETZLER, I THINK YOU MAKE A GREAT POINT. WE'RE NOT DIVERSE ENOUGH, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH DIVERSITY AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF MY MIND WHEN WE DO THIS, THE WORK WE DO EVERY WEEK. I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO COULD REALLY HELP US MOVE FORWARD. WE HAVE SO MANY ISSUES AND TOPICS OF INTEREST THAT WE'RE WORKING ON FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF, AND WE NEED TO WORK AS A TEAM, AND WE NEED SOMEONE THAT CAN HELP US JUST CONTINUE THAT IMPORTANT WORK, HELPING US TO MOVE FORWARD. I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THAT'S A LEADER, THAT HAS STRONG LEADERSHIP QUALITIES, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE FILLING. THEN LASTLY, I THINK I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT I DON'T MIND IF WE HAD THE CONVERSATION DOWN HERE, OR UPSTAIRS, BUT I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN INCLUSIVE AND COMFORTABLE CONVERSATION. I NEED THIS TO BE A SAFE SPACE FOR COUNCIL. ALTHOUGH WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO DO THINGS IN A PUBLIC WAY, I RESPECT THE DESIRES AND THE NEEDS OF EACH OF US TO WANT TO DO IT UPSTAIRS, SO I WILL SUPPORT US GOING UPSTAIRS IF THAT'S WHAT THE COUNCIL WANTS US TO DO IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT SAFE SPACE, TO MAKE IT AN INCLUSIVE AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR US TO HAVE THAT REAL CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF. AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY IN THE CITY AS OUR TOP VALUE IN PRIORITY, AND WHATEVER IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOR US TO DO THE BEST JOB WE CAN, I SUPPORT. IF THAT'S GOING INTO E-SESSION, THEN I'M JUST STATING IT PUBLICLY NOW, I SUPPORT US DOING SO. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SHIMONI. COUNCILMEMBER SALAS. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I THINK EVERYONE AND EACH OF YOU DESERVES [OVERLAPPING] A BIG GRATEFUL PUMPING HEART FROM ME. I ECHO WHAT MOST OF MY COUNCIL MEMBER HAS MENTIONED. I'M ALSO LOOKING INTO KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES, WHICH IS A TYPICAL PARAMETER FOR ANY RECRUITMENT AND HIRING POSITION. BUT I'M ALSO LOOKING INTO THE VALUE, OR THE POTENTIAL OF THE CANDIDATE, THE APPOINTED COUNCIL MEMBER TO CONTRIBUTE INTO BRINGING UNITY AND COHESION IN ADVERSITY, AND IN DIVERSITY. I DO THANK EACH ONE OF YOU WHO HAVE, AND EVEN ALL 14 CANDIDATES WHO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION AND SHOWED UP LAST MONDAY TO SPEAK BEFORE COUNCIL, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE STEPPED UP. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SALAS. FOR ME, REALLY THE NUMBER 1 CRITERIA IS WOULD THIS INDIVIDUAL BE ELECTED IF THEY WERE RUNNING THROUGH THE NORMAL PUBLIC PROCESS? I'M NOT CONSIDERING THIS NECESSARILY AS A SEVEN-MONTH GIG, A SEVEN-MONTH BAND-AID, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO BE AT THIS DAIS FOR FOUR YEARS, IN SEVEN MONTHS. THEN WITH THAT IN MIND, EXPERIENCE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BUT EACH OF THESE CANDIDATES BRING DIFFERENT LIVED EXPERIENCES, I'M NOT SAYING, OH, LOOK AT THE RESUME, I'M SAYING DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES, BACKGROUNDS, INFLUENCES, THE WHOLE WORKS, BUT INEVITABLY IT IS FOR ME WHO WOULD BE VOTED IN IF WE WERE HAVING THE ELECTION RIGHT NOW? ANOTHER ASPECT IS YES, A LOT OF THE INITIATIVES, THE THINGS THAT WE AS A COLLECTIVE BODY CHOSEN AS A PRIORITY, THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, OUR WORK WITH CARBON NEUTRALITY, HOUSING, THE ALTERNATE RESPONSE, WHICH I'M VERY GLAD THAT OUR FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS BROUGHT UP, [02:40:03] THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT PRIORITIES THAT WE SEE A HUGE CONSENSUS FROM COUNCIL ALREADY ON, AND ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE TRANSFORMATIVE AND CREATE REAL CHANGE WITH LIMITED TIME TO DO SO. WHEN I LOOK AT THINGS, I'M ALSO LOOKING AT WHO'S GOING TO CREATE THE CHANGE? ALSO TO THE POINT WITH, I APPRECIATE VICE MAYOR BRINGING UP AS, WHAT IS THE UNIQUENESS? WHAT UNIQUE THING COMES TO THE TABLE? WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RESUMES AND SO FORTH, THE BEAUTY OF OUR DEMOCRACY AND OUR VOTING SYSTEM IS THAT ANYONE CAN BE AN ELECTED LEADER. ANYONE THAT IS THE FOUNDATION AT HEART THAT YOU COULD BE A BIKE MECHANIC, A DATA ANALYST, A BUSINESS OWNER, ANY OF THESE THINGS, YOU CAN RISE TO THE OCCASION TO BE AN ELECTED PERSON TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE. THAT'S JUST MY GENERAL THOUGHTS, ALL OF THESE ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FACTORS, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT WAS JUST BROUGHT UP AT THE TABLE, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DELIBERATION, WHICH DOES LOOK LIKE IT WILL BE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. THANK YOU ALL FOR PUTTING YOUR NECKS OUT, BEING HERE, PUTTING YOUR NAME IN THE HAT, AND I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE SOME NAMES AS WRITE-IN CANDIDATES THIS YEAR FROM THIS CRAP FOR REAL. THANK YOU, AND PHOTO. YEAH, BUT JOE STEPPED OUT, SO WE DIDN'T THINK OF IT BEFORE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF WE COULD GET ALL SIX FOLKS UP HERE AND GET A PICTURE OF EVERYONE, AND INSTEAD WE JUST PHOTOBOMBED WHILE YOU WERE SITTING THERE TALKING. >> WE CAN ALWAYS PHOTOSHOP JOANNE. [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] >> WE COULD DO THAT. WELL, I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THEM OUT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A PICTURE ALTOGETHER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET JOE IN HERE AS WELL. I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE THE RESPECTFUL THING TO DO, OTHERWISE, WE SHOULDN'T DO IT. ANYWAYS, WITH THAT, THOUGH, ASSUMING WE STILL DON'T HAVE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, WE'RE MOVING TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 4 OR 5 RATHER. WITH THAT [NOISE] MEETING ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.