[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 regular meeting, 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).]
[00:00:03]
ALL RIGHT. TODAY IS NOVEMBER 1ST, 2022, OF OUR REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING CALLING TO ORDER.
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE COUNCIL MAY VOTE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR LEGAL ADVICE ON ANY OF THE AGENDA ITEMS. ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
CALL]. WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE? ALLEGIANCE].
AND, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, OUR MISSION STATEMENT, PLEASE.
THE MISSION OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU. AND I'LL BE READING OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT THIS EVENING.
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.
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS]
GO FOR IT. I MOVED THAT WE APPROVED THE MINUTES AS LISTED IN THE PACKET.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
ANY OPPOSED? THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY, WE'RE NOW DOWN TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AGENDA NUMBER FIVE.
[5. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Public Participation enables the public to address the Council about an item that is not on the agenda. Comments relating to items that are on the agenda will be taken at the time that the item is discussed. If you wish to address the Council at tonight's meeting, please complete a comment card and submit it to the recording clerk as soon as possible. Your name will be called when it is your turn to speak. You may address the Council up to three times throughout the meeting, including comments made during Public Participation. Please limit your remarks to three minutes per item to allow everyone an opportunity to speak. At the discretion of the Chair, ten or more persons present at the meeting and wishing to speak may appoint a representative who may have no more than fifteen minutes to speak. ]
AND I DO HAVE SOME CARDS HERE.AND WE WILL START WITH TRACE WARD, WHO IS ONLINE.
I DON'T BELIEVE HE'S BEEN ABLE TO JOIN QUITE YET.
SO MAYBE WE CAN ADD HIM TO THE CERTAINLY LATTER PART.
THANK YOU. TO THE BACK OF THE BLOCK HERE.
YEAH. IF YOU WANT TO PRESS THAT BUTTON.
PERFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
AND I ALWAYS COME BACK AND I HEAR, WELL, FUNDING IS A PROBLEM.
STEVE, I POINTED OUT WHERE THERE WERE SOME FUNDING ISSUES.
THERE'S A FUNDING AVAILABLE TO YOU IN YOUR OWN BUDGET.
AND THEY'RE DOING THAT SO THEY CAN HELP PROTECT WHATEVER THEY CAN FOR THE EAST RESIDENTS.
AND WE'RE ASKING YOU TO MOVE FORWARD ON OPTION TWO.
YOU CAN TABLE IT, WHICH IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO TABLE IT, WHICH IS KIND OF SAD.
SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET THEIR DAY IN COURT, SO TO SPEAK.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE RESERVE FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS, $21 MILLION TO SPEND, YOU'RE TAKING DEBT OUT ON US TO SPEND FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
IF THAT CULVERT ON OPTION TWO ISN'T A FUTURE IMPROVEMENT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.
IT WAS NOTED IT WAS 5.3 YESTERDAY.
ACCORDING TO YOUR PR PERSON, IT'S UP TO $6 MILLION.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE STORM WATER FEE INCREASE A LITTLE BIT IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
WHY DON'T WE TALK ABOUT THIS? WE GOT $21 MILLION YOU'RE GOING TO SIT IN THE BANK.
[00:05:02]
YOU HAD TAKEN OUT IN DEBT THIS YEAR.FOR FUTURE RESERVE PERFORMANCE.
PICK IT UP. SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
THE CURRENT CULVERT DOES LESS THAN 100 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT GOES A LONG WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
I ASK YOU AGAIN TO USE YOUR RIGHT AND OUR MONEY TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS.
I'M NOT DOING IT. I'M NOT LOOKING FOR MONEY FROM ME OR ANYBODY ELSE.
VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS TERRY MEDEKSA, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT WITH HAYLIE REYNOLDS FROM THE PRO'S TEAM.
SHE'S ONLINE AND WE'RE HERE FOR TWO REASONS.
THE FIRST IS WE WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY INVITE YOU, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY LEADERSHIP TO JOIN US AS WE KICK OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH OUR WINTER WONDERLAND EVENT.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, THIS EVENT HAS BECOME A SIGNATURE EVENT WITH MORE THAN 7000 VISITORS AND RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING THE MAGIC OF WHAT HAS BECOME ARIZONA'S WINTER WONDERLAND.
WE HAVE CRAFTS, ACTIVITIES, A HOT COCOA BAR, A S'MORES STATION, COOKIE DECORATING, CAROLING.
IT'S AN ALL AGES AND FREE EVENT THAT RESULTS IN CREATING LASTING MEMORIES.
WE ALSO HAVE MARKETING EXPERTISE FROM THE DISCOVER FLAGSTAFF TEAM TO HELP BROADEN OUR REACH.
THIS EVENT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH WHEN WE SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.
SO MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL ON DECEMBER 3RD.
IS TRACE WITH US ONLINE? MAYOR MAYOR TRACE GOT HELD UP IN ANOTHER EVENT AND SO HE WILL PROVIDE COMMENTS NEXT WEEK.
ALL RIGHT. RIGHT ALONG WE ARE DOWN TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, OUR PROCLAMATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS.
[A. Proclamation: Nation's Finest 50th Anniversary]
AND I WOULD INVITE COUNCIL DOWN TO THE FRONT HERE TO BEGIN WITH NATION'S FINEST 50TH ANNIVERSARY.AND IF MICHAEL O'DONNELL WOULD LIKE TO COME DOWN WITH US, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
NATION'S FINEST CELEBRATES THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF 2022, PROVIDING HOUSING, HEALTH AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES SINCE 1972. THEY HAVE SERVED MORE THAN 1550 THOUSAND VETERANS.
150,000. AND COUNTING, HAVING SPENT $275 MILLION ON DIRECT SERVICES TO VETERANS IN NEED.
THEY WERE A LEADING AGENCY IN THE LEGISLATIVE FIGHT FOR EXPOSURE TO AGENT ORANGE TO BE RECOGNIZED IN VETERANS BENEFIT ASSESSMENTS, ESTABLISHING PRECEDENT FOR THE RECENT DECISIONS REGARDING BURN PITS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND VETERANS OF ALL ERAS AND BRANCHES OF SERVICE CAN ACCESS SERVICES AT NATION'S FINEST NATION'S
[00:10:08]
FINEST FLAGSTAFF HAS BEEN SERVING FLAGSTAFF AND SURROUNDING AREAS FOR NINE YEARS.AS AN AGENCY OVERALL, THEY SERVE MORE THAN 7000 VETERANS PER YEAR.
NATION'S FINEST WILL SERVE 180 HOMELESS AND AT RISK OF HOMELESS VETERANS WITH DEPOSITS, RENT, EMERGENCY HOUSING AND ITEMS TO PROMOTE GENERAL HOUSING STABILITY. THIS YEAR, ON NOVEMBER 6TH, 2022, NATION'S FINEST CELEBRATES FOUNDER'S DAY, MARKING THE BEGINNING OF A MISSION THAT CONTINUES TODAY.
NATION'S FINEST HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE STRENGTH OF THE VETERAN COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS AND REMAINS COMMITTED TO CONTINUING THIS MISSION, GUIDING VETERANS HOME THEN, NOW AND ALWAYS.
THANK YOU ALL. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR DEASY. AND THANK YOU, FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL FOR THE SUPPORT YOU'VE GIVEN TO OUR EFFORTS AND THE EFFORTS OF OUR AGENCIES IN GENERAL AND FLAGSTAFF THAT SERVE THE HOMELESSNESS COMMUNITY.
AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE SUPPORT THEY HAVE GIVEN US IN HELPING OUR HOMELESS VETERANS HERE IN FLAGSTAFF.
[B. Proclamation: Alzheimer's and Caregiver Month]
OH, SHE'S ONLINE HERE.OKAY. WELL, JACKIE, IF YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS AFTER THE PROCLAMATION, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF, RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF ALZHEIMER'S AND RELATED DEMENTIA CARE AND ALZHEIMER'S AND RELATED DEMENTIAS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OUR RESIDENTS.
ARIZONANS ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN EDUCATING ABOUT THE DISEASE, ADVOCATING FOR A PROPER CONTINUUM OF CARE, AND IMPROVING THE TRAINING AND CARE OF PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIAS.
AND THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF SUPPORTS AN ARIZONA WITHOUT ALZHEIMER'S.
ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
AND I WILL JUST SAY THIS THIS ONE PERSONALLY IS A BIG ONE FOR ME.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK ON THIS.
SO, JACKIE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO CHIME IN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I'M SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR LOSS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY PERSONAL TO ME AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL THAT FLAGSTAFF IS HONORING THOSE IMPACTED BY ALZHEIMER'S AND RECOGNIZING CAREGIVERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE.
MAYBE OFFER YOUR SUPPORT AND LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE.
[00:15:01]
FAMILY. SO THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.THIS MONTH IS ALSO NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND I
[C. Proclamation: Native American Heritage Month]
WOULD LIKE COMMISSIONER WEATHERBY AND ROSE TOVEY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME JOIN US.HONOR THE INFLUENCE THEY HAVE HAD ON THE ADVANCEMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND NATION, AND RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO UPHOLDING TRUST AND RESPONSIBILITIES, STRENGTHENING OUR RELATIONSHIPS AND ADVANCING NATIVE SELF-DETERMINATION.
APPROXIMATELY 12% OF THE CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF ARE MEMBERS OF INDIGENOUS NATIONS AND INCLUDE THE 14 LOCAL NATIONS WHO HOLD THIS LAND AND BORDERING MOUNTAINS AS SACRED. IN ADDITION, NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY SERVES STUDENTS WHO ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF OVER 100 INDIGENOUS NATIONS.
WE ALSO NEED TO TAKE TIME TO HONOR INDIGENOUS VETERANS AND SERVICE MEMBERS WHO SELFLESSLY CONTINUE TO SERVE IN OUR MILITARY, INCLUDING THE BRAVE NATIVE AMERICAN CODE TALKERS IN WORLD WAR ONE AND WORLD WAR TWO.
FOR OVER TWO CENTURIES, NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE DEFENDED OUR COUNTRY DURING EVERY MAJOR CONFLICT AND CONTINUE TO SERVE AT A HIGHER RATE THAN ANY OTHER ETHNIC GROUP IN THE NATION BECAUSE THEIR ROOTS ARE DEEPLY ENTRENCHED IN THIS LAND.
FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL ESTABLISHED THE INDIGENOUS COMMISSION TO ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL ON ISSUES AND METHODS IN PROMOTING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSIVE PLANNING WITH INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE WITHIN THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF.
AND THE INDIGENOUS COMMISSION SUPPORTS THE DESIGNATION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2022 AS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN UNISON WITH ALL LOCAL, INDIGENOUS, STATE AND NATIONAL OBSERVANCES. THEREFORE, I, PAUL DC MAYOR OF THE CITY FLAGSTAFF, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 2022 AS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT AND APPRECIATE THE HISTORY, HERITAGE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF NATIVE AMERICAN AS INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THIS GREAT LAND.
THANK YOU. AND MR. WEATHERBY AND ROSE.
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE] I SHARE MY INTRODUCTION WITH YOU IN BECAUSE UP UNTIL 1990, OUR COMMUNITIES WERE PROHIBITED FOR SPEAKING OUR LANGUAGES.
AND UP UNTIL 1978, WE WERE PROHIBITED FROM PRACTICING OUR CULTURAL TRADITIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SONGS.
AND SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MAYOR.
CITY COUNCIL FOR THE PROCLAMATION FOR NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.
AND ALSO SHARE WITH YOU GOOD RELATIVES THAT WE WILL BE HAVING EVENTS AT NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY, AS WELL AS WITH THE COCONINO COUNTY INDIGENOUS ADVISORY BOARD.
I THINK I MIGHT HAVE MISSPOKE ON THAT, BUT ONE OF THOSE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE ON NOVEMBER 28TH.
[00:20:18]
. AND THANK YOU ALL. WE ARE DOWN TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.[7. COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS]
THIS IS OUR COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS, AND I'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE.YOU READY? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO THE OPEN SPACES COMMISSION DID NOT MEET IN OCTOBER.
WE ARE OPTING INSTEAD TO COMBINE THE OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER MEETING.
SO WE'LL BE MEETING SOMETIME EARLY THIS MONTH.
AND THE HOUSING COMMISSION HAD A GREAT REVIEW OF HOUSING POLICIES, PROGRAMS AND THE BEGINNING STAGES OF IMPLEMENTING THE TEN YEAR HOUSING PLAN THIS PAST THURSDAY.
SO THAT WAS A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION AND EDUCATING, ESPECIALLY THE NEW COMMISSIONERS ON SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENT POLICIES AND PROGRAMS. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DIVING INTO SOME OF THOSE IMPLEMENTATION PLANS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI? THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI YOU ARE MUTED.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI, YOU'RE ON MUTE RIGHT NOW.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI, YOU ARE MUTED CURRENTLY.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI? HE'S STILL GOING. ANYBODY? NO LIP READING IN THE ROOM? WE COULD USE SOME HELP.
HOLD. OH, I THINK I WAS MUTED, WASN'T I? YEP. SO IF YOU WANT TO START FROM THE BEGINNING, FEEL FREE.
YEAH. JUST ADJUST MY AUDIO SETTINGS, OKAY? I THINK I'M GOOD.
OKAY. I WAS JUST SAYING THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE TAC MOUNTAIN LINE BOARD MEETING LAST WEEK, BUT YOURSELF, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR WERE AND OTHERS WERE IN. VICE MAYOR SPEAKS AT SOME OF THOSE POINTS.
CURRENTLY, TRANSIT IS DISCUSSED IN PLANS BUT NOT REQUIRED IN CODE.
I WANTED TO MENTION THAT I HAD A REAL NICE MEETING WITH HABITAT AND NAH LAST WEEK AND THERE'S ALREADY A PARCEL THAT'S BEING IDENTIFIED TO BE WORKED WITH HABITAT AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.
THE INDIGENOUS COMMISSION, AS WAS MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO, IS MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY, TOMORROW AT NOON, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE GREAT AGENDA THAT WE HAVE IN THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'LL HAVE.
TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETS ON WEDNESDAY AT 4 P.M.
AND THEN BIKE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETS ON THURSDAY AT 4:30 P.M..
SO THAT'S MY UPDATE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
VICE MAYOR? THANK YOU. I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE MOUNTAIN LINE TAC MEETING AND WE ARE WORKING ON FINISHING UP THE FIVE YEAR TRANSIT PLAN FLAGSTAFF IN MOTION.
THE PLAN WILL HELP FORM FUNDING QUESTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE 2024 BALLOT.
SERVICE SCENARIOS MIGHT INCLUDE INCREASED FREQUENCY LATER NIGHT SERVICE SERVICE TO ANY AND THE AIRPORT AND CONSIDERATION OF SERVICES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.
A LOT WAS DISCUSSED AND MORE TO COME ON THE PROJECTS THAT WERE DECIDING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR.
SINCE THE MOUNTAIN LINE WAS ALREADY COVERED.
I'LL JUST ADD AS PART OF THE COMMISSION ON INCLUSION AND ADAPTIVE LIVING.
WE DID DISCUSS LAST TUESDAY REGARDING SIDEWALKS IN THE COMMUNITY, MAKING SURE THEY'RE MORE ACCESSIBLE, IDENTIFYING THOSE THAT ARE PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT FOR OTHERS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS AND UTILIZE.
SO I WILL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
[00:25:09]
DISCUSS THE REAR TO FLAG FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT.THINGS ARE MOVING AHEAD AND GOOD MEETING.
THEY HAD A NEW ENGINEERING MANAGER AND HE HADN'T SEEN THE PROJECT.
BRIEFLY MENTIONED THAT ON THURSDAY, THE FMPO, WHICH IS FLAGSTAFF METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS METRO PLAN, WILL BE HAVING THEIR MONTHLY MEETING AND THE BIKE COMMISSION WILL BE MEETING ON THURSDAY ALSO, I BELIEVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN? NOTHING TO REPORT RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU. AND COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.
I MISSED THE TOURISM COMMISSION LAST WEEK BECAUSE IT COINCIDED WITH OUR COUNCIL'S EXECUTIVE SESSION.
BUT KUDOS TO OUR DISCOVER FLAGSTAFF TEAM AND OUR ECONOMIC VITALITY TEAM FOR A VERY SUCCESSFUL AND MUCH ATTENDED ANNUAL STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS MEETING HELD TWO WEEKS AGO.
A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS HERE TOMORROW.
I MEAN, THIS IS WEARING MY METRO PLAN AND RURAL TRANSPORTATION ADVOCACY COUNCIL HAT.
ADOT IS HOSTING AN EV PLAN OUTREACH, THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM.
AND BY TOMORROW AT 5 TO 7 AT THE AQUA PLEX.
THE MEETINGS ARE PART OF A SERIES OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS EFFORT THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO SHARE DETAILS OF THE INITIAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND SEEK PUBLIC INPUT ON WHICH ADDITIONAL HIGHWAYS THROUGHOUT THE STATE SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE ADOT EV NETWORK.
THE GOAL OF THE FEDERAL VI PROGRAM IS TO ENCOURAGE ADOPTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES BY IMPROVING THE ACCESSIBILITY, RELIABILITY AND EQUITY OF CLEAN TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
I WILL BE SPEAKING IN FRONT OF THE STATE TRANSPORTATION BOARD.
ENCOURAGING THE STATE TRANSPORTATION LEADERSHIP AND ADOT TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IN FUNDING, PRIORITIZING FUNDING FOR THE 180 FLOOD MITIGATION SPECIFICALLY AND IN BUILDING THE CULVERT SOON.
ALSO, I ATTENDED A RURAL TRANSPORTATION ADVOCACY COUNCIL BOARD MEETING LAST WEEK, AND THE WHEELS ARE SET IN MOTION FOR ALL THE 11 METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION AND COUNCILS OF GOVERNMENT REPRESENTING RURAL ARIZONA FROM FREDONIA TO YUMA TO PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL.
WHICH WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE INCOMING STATE LEGISLATURE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
THE $300 MILLION, IF APPROVED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE AS A ONE TIME DIRECT FUNDING USING STATE BUDGET, THE SURPLUS BUDGET.
METRO PLANNING, GREATER FLAGSTAFF WILL RECEIVE 15.6 MILLION.
SO WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THIS AT THE METRO PLAN LEVEL IN THE FUTURE AND IDENTIFY THE PROJECT THAT WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH THE FIFTH BY THE 15.6 MILLION.
LAST YEAR WE HAD LAUNCHED THE OVERPASS AS A PRIORITY AND THE REQUEST FOR 50 MILLION.
AND IF APPROVED, THE METRO PLAN WOULD HAVE RECEIVED 2.6 MILLION.
SO THAT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT 300 MILLION REQUESTS.
[00:30:08]
WITH THE MISSION TO BRING STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS TO OUR LOCAL RURAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.
WITH THAT, WE ARE DOWN TO AGENDA ITEM A.
[A. Consideration of Appointments: Transportation Commission. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Make one appointment to a term expiring July 2023. Make one appointments to a term expiring July 2025. Make one appointment to a term for an FUSD Representative seat expiring November 2025. Make one appointment to a term for a NAIPTA Representative seat expiring November 2025. ]
THIS IS THE CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENTS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AND BEGINNING WITH IS COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI'S.ALL RIGHT, LET ME TRY TO DO THIS WITHOUT MESSING IT UP.
I LIKE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE APPLICANTS.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A APPOINTMENT OF MATTHEW AKOTH TO A TERM ENDING IN JULY 2025.
AND THAT'S. THAT'S ALL I SECOND THAT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ALL RIGHT.
OPPOSED? THAT MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
ANY OPPOSED? THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF THEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE APPOINTMENT.
FOR A TERM EXPIRING IN JULY OF 2023 FOR ERICA MAZA.
I SECOND THAT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ALL RIGHT, AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
ANY OPPOSED? THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[B. Consideration of Appointments: Commission on Diversity Awareness. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Make one appointment to a term expiring September 2023. Make three appointments to terms expiring September 2025. ]
AND I JUST PULL THEM UP THE STEER OF WHO'S APPOINTING.AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI AGAIN.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND APPOINT CAROLYN KIDD TO A POSITION, A TERM EXPIRING SEPTEMBER 2025. I SECOND.
THANK YOU. SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.
ANY OPPOSED? THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
YES. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO APPOINT SARAH JARVIS.
AND IF YOU COULD REMIND ME WHAT'S AVAILABLE ON THE YEAR? THERE'S A ONE 2023 APPOINTMENT AND THEN TWO APPOINTMENTS FOR 2025 AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.
YEAH. LET'S GO WITH THE 2025 ONE IF YOU'RE ALL AMENABLE TO IT.
THANK YOU. YOU GUYS SECOND THAT? I'LL SECOND.
BEAT YA. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
AND SECOND, THAT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
ANY OPPOSED? THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.
I AM HONORED TO NOMINATE CADEN CHRIS MONTANA FOR TERM EXPIRING SEPTEMBER 2023.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
AMY OPPOSED? THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY MOVING AROUND ALONG.
[A. Consideration and Action on Liquor License Application: Andrea Dahlman Lekowitz "GoPuff," 2001 E. Huntington Drive, Suite 1, Series 10 (beer and wine store), New License. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Hold the public hearing. The City Council has the option to: (1) Forward the application to the State with a recommendation for approval; (2) Forward the application to the State with no recommendation; (3) Forward the application to the State with a recommendation for denial based on information from staff, the testimony received at the public hearing and/or other factors.]
WE ARE DOWN TO AGENDA ITEM NINE.[00:35:02]
HUNTINGTON DRIVE, SUITE ONE SERIES TEN BEER AND WINE STORE NEW LICENSE.I AM HEREBY OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND IF WE HAVE ANY STAFF, PRESENTATION OR WORDS ON THIS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL AND MAYOR.
I'M A SERGEANT IN FLAGSTAFF PD.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THIS APPLICATION.
THERE WERE NOT ANY DEROGATORY REMARKS NOTED.
THANK YOU. AND DID ANDREA YATES REQUEST ANY PUBLIC PARTICIPATION OR JUST HERE FOR QUESTIONS? WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM ANDREA LEX'S LAW FIRM, AMY SCHWARTZ, ONLINE.
SHE HAS NOT REQUESTED TO SPEAK, BUT SHE IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
OKAY, SOUNDS GOOD. COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TO STAFF WITH THE APPLICANT? COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY? TWO ITEMS. ONE IS, I NOTE THAT ON THE PACKET THE LOCATION IS INCORRECT.
IT'S OFF BY ONE STREET, MINOR.
I DON'T THINK THAT'LL AFFECT MY VOTE ANYWAY, BUT I JUST THOUGHT I'D MENTION THAT.
THE OTHER THING I THOUGHT, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, IS THAT IN RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS THAT SELL LIQUOR, THAT THEY HAVE TO PORTRAY A WARNING TO WOMEN THAT MIGHT BE PREGNANT, THAT IT CAN BE A HEALTH ISSUE TO CONSUME ALCOHOL.
COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TO STAFF FOR THAT? SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GETTING THE 30 SECOND DELAY PLAN HERE.
AND GOPUFF, OF COURSE, DELIVERS TO PEOPLE'S HOMES.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IT BE A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY DELIVER A HANDWRITTEN NOTICE TO PEOPLE THAT ARE BUYING AT THEIR HOME, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THIS DELIVERY SERVICE OF THE SAME WARNING THAT THEY WOULD SEE IF THEY WERE IN A STORE.
OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, WITH THAT, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL BEFORE WE CLOSE AND MOVE ON TO VOTE? NOT SEEING ANY AT THIS TIME.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT.
CITY ATTORNEY? YEAH. JUST SO THE AMENDMENT WOULD REQUIRE A SECOND, AND THEN THERE WOULD BE A VOTE ON THE MOTION AND AMENDMENT TOGETHER.
UM, ACTUALLY, SHOULDN'T THE VOTE BE ON THE AMENDMENT SEPARATELY AND THEN ON THE BASIC MOTION? OH, I'M SORRY. THAT IS CORRECT.
SO IT'D BE ON THE AMENDMENT TO SEE IF IT'S PART OF THE MOTION.
THEN THE MOTION. CAN I BE THE ASSISTANT ATTORNEY FOR THE WEEK? RIGHT. SO THE QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. SECOND AND COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE.
AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THAT WOULD BE BASED ON WHAT THE STATE APPROVES AND WANTS TO DO.
THAT'S NOT OUR PREROGATIVE AS A CITY TO DICTATE SUCH A THING.
CORRECT. MAYOR, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THE AMENDMENT IS TO ADD THIS WARNING.
IT'S SIMPLY A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE STATE INCLUDE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
SO THANK YOU. JUST WANTED THE CLARITY.
AND I REALIZE THAT THE ULTIMATE DECISION IS UP TO THE STATE BOARD.
WE'RE JUST MAKING A RECOMMENDATION.
JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT FOR EVERYONE.
WE DO HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI? THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WAS JUST CURIOUS TO GIVE THE APPLICANT A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ON THIS.
I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION.
REPRESENTATIVE OF LIQUIDS ON LINE? YES. MAYOR. MS. AMY SHORE, WE ARE MAKING YOU A PRESENTER RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA AND YOUR MICROPHONE.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ARE READY TO GO AHEAD.
COULD YOU INDICATE IN THE CHAT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
IF YOU COULD PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION.
[00:40:01]
THAT'S CORRECT. JUST TURN ON YOUR CAMERA.ON YOUR MICROPHONE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. AMY, COULD YOU PLEASE TURN OFF THIS STREAMING THAT YOU HAVE ON AND JUST BE ON THIS MEETING? READY TO GO AHEAD? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
PLEASE PROCEED. SO WHILE WE'RE WAITING, COULD YOU INDICATE IN THE CHAT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO MEET YOURSELF? IF YOU PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION.
CITY ATTORNEY, NOW THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS CLOSED RATHER THAN.
DEJA VU. HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
AMY, COULD YOU PLEASE TURN OFF THIS STREAMING THAT YOU HAVE ON AND JUST BE ON THIS MEETING? AT LEAST YOU'RE READY TO GO AHEAD.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
OH, YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW IN THE CHAT.
FOR PEOPLE TO EITHER YOURSELF.
MAY I TAKE BACK MY QUESTION? ALL RIGHT. QUESTION WITHDRAWN.
ON THE AMENDMENT? ON THE AMENDMENT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ALL RIGHT.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ALL RIGHT. WE ARE DOWN THERE NOW.
ALL RIGHT. I MOTION TO FORWARD THE APPLICATION OF THE STATE FOR APPROVAL.
IT'S ALREADY BEEN MOVED IN SECOND, AND WE JUST NEED TO CALL FOR THE VOTE.
THAT'S ALL. ALL RIGHT, LET'S VOTE ON IT.
ANY OPPOSED? THAT MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ALL RIGHT. DOWN TO OUR CONSENT ITEMS.
[10. CONSENT ITEMS All matters under Consent Agenda are considered by the City Council to be routine and will be enacted by one motion approving the recommendations listed on the agenda. Unless otherwise indicated, expenditures approved by Council are budgeted items.]
I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE THAT WE'LL WANT TO PULL OUT HERE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO APPROVE JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE CHECKING HERE THE CORRECT ONES.I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI HAS ONE.
ALL RIGHT. THEN I WOULD LIKE TO APPROVE ALL OF THE CONSENT ITEMS ASIDE FROM 10B, WHICH WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON, WHICH IS THE CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF LETTER OF SUPPORT SAVE OAK FLATS.
BUT I MOVED TO APPROVE CONSENT ITEMS A AND THEN C THROUGH H.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ANY OPPOSED? MAYOR, COULD I MAKE A QUICK CLARIFICATION? I APOLOGIZE.
THANK YOU. YES. 10F, WHICH IS THE COOPERATIVE PURCHASE CONTRACT WITH 72 HOURS.
LLC NATIONAL AUTO FLEET GROUP WITH PURCHASE OF ONE NEW USED FORD EXPEDITION.
THE AMOUNT OF ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN REMOVED.
REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA BEFORE THE AGENDA BEFORE OUR COUNCIL MEETING.
[B. Consideration and Approval of Letter of Support: Save Oak Flats STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the letter of support. ]
SO I WOULD LIKE TO CALL BOSS PIKE TO THE PODIUM.I'M A STUDENT AT NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY AND MY CLAN IS IN ESTONIA AND MY BAND IS [INAUDIBLE] . SO I'M HERE FOR OAK FLAT AND I'M A PART OF THE MEMBER OF APACHE STRONGHOLD, WHICH HELPS LEAD THE FIGHT FOR THIS OAK FLAT.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP WITH OAK FLAT.
AND THIS FIGHT HAS NOT BEEN VERY EASY.
[00:45:02]
MY GRANDPA HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR THIS FOR MORE THAN TEN DECADES.APACHE STRONGHOLD AND PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO HELP SUPPORT THIS FIGHT AND THIS FIGHT IS A DIFFICULT ONE AND IT'S A HARD ONE. AND WE'VE BEEN BATTLING THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND KNOWING THAT THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF WANTS TO HELP, THAT THAT MEANS SO MUCH FROM US AND FROM THE APACHE STRONGHOLD MEMBERS.
AND YEAH, AND I'M JUST HOPING THAT SINCE YOU GUYS ARE SHOWING UNITY WITH OAK THAT SOON YOU CAN SHOW UNITY WITH THE SACRED MOUNTAIN SAN FRANCISCO PEAKS WITH SNOWBALL.
HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. VICE MAYOR, TOWN COUNCIL OR STAFF? YEAH. I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU DOING THIS.
FOR THIS LETTER TO SUPPORT AND SAVE SACRED OAK FLAT.
I MENTIONED BEFORE AS MY GRANDFATHER, ANGEL OTTO, DIED AT THE AGE OF 48 FOR BLACK LUNG.
MY DAD, HE WORKED 29 AND A HALF YEARS IN THE MILL, RAISING HIS OWN SIBLINGS AFTER HIS DAD DIED AT 21, WHEN HE WAS 21, HE STARTED RAISING HIS OWN SIBLINGS. SO IT'S LIKE HE'S HAD A ROUGH LIFE AND HE PASSED AWAY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
BUT MY DAD, YOU KNOW, HE KNEW, ALONG WITH OTHER RETIRED MINERS, THAT THIS WAS A BAD DEAL.
YOU KNOW, THEY SAW THAT THIS IS ANOTHER FOREIGN MINING CORPORATION GOING TO DEPLETE OUR PRECIOUS RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, ALL THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND JUST MOSTLY PROFIT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, ROBOTS ARE GOING TO BE DOING A DESTRUCTIVE BLOCKADE.
MINING METHOD IS JUST NOT NATURAL BECAUSE WE USUALLY USE BACKFILL AND DIDN'T DO THAT KIND OF DESTRUCTION TO SUBSIDE ALL THE LAND AND USE SO MUCH WATER, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF A MEGADROUGHT.
SO IT'S, WHEN YOU SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE OF THINGS, IT'S JUST SO CORRUPT AND EVIL TO THIS.
THE. YOU KNOW, THAT SMELTER THAT WAS THERE, THE TOXIC TAILINGS, WE LIVE BY THEM.
WE COULDN'T BREATHE. THE SMELTER, IT WAS ACROSS OUR SCHOOL.
IT WAS JUST. I HAVE RELATIVES, DIED OF CANCER, FRIENDS DYING OF CANCER.
NOW, AUTOIMMUNE PROBLEMS JUST YOU CAN'T IMAGINE.
BUT THIS IS REAL AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MY AGE ARE DYING, YOU KNOW, OF THIS RIGHT NOW.
SO IT'S LIKE THEY'RE DYING TOO YOUNG.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
YOU KNOW, THIS ELECTION, PRAY GOD, PEOPLE SEE THE FACTS AND LET THEIR CONSCIENCE BE THEIR GUIDE, BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG, IMPORTANT ELECTION AND I WANT MY POLITICIANS IN THIS STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY TO HONOR THEIR OATH JUST AS MUCH AS THE VETERANS HONOR THEIR OATH, YOU KNOW, TO.
DO THE RIGHT THING. SO I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
THIS PARTICULAR TIME AND PRAY FOR OAK FLAT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S WE REALLY WANT YOUR PRAYERS TO THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR SAVE OAK FLATS.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
HMM. CAN I ADD A COMMENT? OH, YEAH. GO FOR IT. THANK YOU.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL AND STAFF THAT WORKED ON THIS.
I WANT TO THANK PAUL AND THOSE WHO ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
SO I HEARD THAT YOU CAME UP HERE FOR SCHOOL AND THAT YOU'RE HERE ANYWAY, YOU SO WELCOME.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL, FOR SUPPORTING THIS.
AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY WHO BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, ESPECIALLY PAUL.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
[00:50:01]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ALL RIGHT, AYE.ANY OPPOSED? THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW DOWN TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS.
[A. Consideration and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2022-28: An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Flagstaff, Coconino County, Arizona, amending the Flagstaff City Code, Title 10, Flagstaff Zoning Code, Section 10-90.40.030 Rural Floodplain Map, to change the map designation of approximately 7.76 acres of real property from Rural Floodplain to Urban Floodplain on eight parcels of land (APNs 101-01-020A, 101-01-020B, 101-28-005G, 101-28-005H, 101-28-005K, 101-28-013A, 101-28-013B, and 101-28-013D) located generally between W Forest Avenue and N San Francisco Street; providing for severability and establishing an effective date. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: At the November 1, 2022, Council Meeting: 1) Read Ordinance No. 2022-28 by title only for the first time 2) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2022-28 by title only (if approved above) At the November 15, 2022, Council Meeting: 3) Read Ordinance No. 2022-28 by title only for the final time 4) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2022-28 by title only (if approved above) 5) Adopt Ordinance No. 2022-28]
AGENDA ITEM 11.AND THIS IS THE CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022 TO 28, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF, COCONINO COUNTY, ARIZONA, AMENDING THE FLAGSTAFF CITY CODE TITLE TEN, FLAGSTAFF ZONING CODE SECTION 10-9040.030 RURAL FLOODPLAIN MAP TO CHANGE THE MAP DESIGNATION OF APPROXIMATELY 7.76 ACRES OF REAL PROPERTY FROM RURAL FLOODPLAIN TO URBAN FLOOD PLAIN ON EIGHT PARCELS OF LAND LOCATED GENERALLY BETWEEN WEST FOREST AVENUE AND NORTH SAN FRANCISCO STREET, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THE CENTRAL. THANK YOU SO MUCH MAYOR AND COUNCIL TIFFANY ANTOL ZONING CODE MANAGER.
SO THIS STARTED AS A PROPERTY OWNER INITIATED REQUEST AND SPECIFICALLY IT WAS FOR PARCEL NUMBER 101-28-005H, WHICH IS A 3.35 ACRE PARCEL.
AFTER REVIEWING THE APPLICATION, STAFF SUGGESTS THAT IF THE RURAL FLOODPLAIN IS MODIFIED AS REQUESTED FOR THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, THAT THE REMAINING PARCELS DESIGNATED AS RURAL FLOODPLAIN ALSO BE MODIFIED AND IT INCLUDES THE SEVEN REMAINDER PARCELS.
AND IT IS COUNCIL'S DECISION TO CHOOSE THE ONE OR ALL AFFILIATED WITH THIS TEXT AMENDMENT.
SO JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE RURAL FLOODPLAIN IS, WE HAVE A RESOURCE PROTECTION OVERLAY AS PART OF THE ZONING CODE AND THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AS WELL AS THE OTHERS SURROUNDING IT, ARE LOCATED WITHIN THAT RESOURCE PROTECTION OVERLAY, WHICH IDENTIFIES FLOOD PLAINS, BOTH URBAN AND RURAL, AS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY RESOURCE TO BE PROTECTED ON A SITE.
THE ZONING CODE ALSO INCLUDES SPECIFIC PROVISIONS FOR FOREST AND SLOPE RESOURCES THAT CAN BE DISTURBED ON A SITE AS WELL WITHIN THE RESOURCE PROTECTION OVERLAY. BUT THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC PARAMETERS BUILT IN FOR BOTH SLOPE AND TREE RESOURCES.
BUT THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC PRESERVATION RATES PROVIDED FOR EITHER THE URBAN OR THE RURAL FLOODPLAINS, EXCEPT THESE TWO VERY SPECIFIC DESCRIPTIONS. SO THIS IS THE FIRST THIS IS AN URBAN FLOOD PLAIN.
THESE ARE NOT FEMA DESIGNATED TERMS. THIS IS SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC TO OUR OWN ZONING CODE.
AND THERE ARE OTHER JURISDICTIONS WHO DO NOT HAVE THESE CATEGORIES.
URBAN FLOODPLAINS MAY BE ALTERED TO ADDRESS CONVEYANCE AND EROSION CONCERNS, PROVIDED THAT ALL NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY'S STORM WATER REGULATIONS AS ADMINISTRATED BY THE STORM WATER MANAGER ADDRESSED.
SO HERE'S THE DEFINITION OF RURAL FLOODPLAIN.
RURAL FLOODPLAINS ARE NATURAL, UNDISTURBED, OPEN SPACES THAT ARE UNSUITABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES DUE TO PERIODIC FLOOD INUNDATION AND THE NEED TO PRESERVE THE STREAM CORRIDOR FOR BENEFICIAL USES, SUCH AS THE PRESERVATION OF IMPORTANT ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES.
RURAL FLOODPLAINS ARE DELINEATED BY THE FLOODPLAIN RURAL FLOODPLAIN MAP, WHICH IS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED HERE TONIGHT AND DEFINED AS AREAS OF DELINEATED 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN THAT CANNOT BE DISTURBED OR DEVELOPED EXCEPT FOR ROADWAY AND UTILITY CROSSINGS.
THE EXTENSION OF RURAL FLOOD PLAINS BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE DELINEATED FLOODPLAIN, BOTH UPSTREAM AND LATERALLY, MAY BE REQUIRED BASED ON MORE CURRENT OR EXTENDED FLOODPLAIN STUDIES, MASTER PLAN DOCUMENTS, OR OTHER STUDIES OR DOCUMENTS RELATED TO HYDROLOGY, HYDRAULIC STREAMS OR STREAM GEOMORPHOLOGY, WILDLIFE HABITAT OR WILDLIFE
[00:55:02]
CONCERNS. IT'S NOT THE CASE IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE.IN THIS CASE, THE RURAL FLOOD PLAIN MATCHES THE FEMA DELINEATED FLOODPLAIN.
SO HERE IS THE CURRENT RURAL FLOODPLAIN MAP.
AND YOU CAN JUST SEE AT THE TOP AS.
THIS SECTION OF THE FLOODPLAIN IS RURAL.
AND THEN AS YOU CROSS TURQUOISE, IT GOES BACK TO BEING URBAN.
SO THIS IS THE ONLY AREA THIS IS WHY STAFF SUGGESTED IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO PULL ONE PARTICULAR PARCEL, BECAUSE THE DESCRIPTION IS ABOUT THIS ENTIRE CHANNEL FROM FOREST ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE ROUNDABOUT.
IS ALSO THE CURRENT FEMA FLOODPLAIN MAP.
THERE ARE A LOT OF TERMS IN REGARDS TO FLOOD PLAIN, AND I OFTEN MUDDLE THEM UP MYSELF.
THE AREA THAT'S HATCHED ON THIS MAP IS THE FLOODWAY.
FLOODWAY IS THE AREA OF HIGHEST HAZARD IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT.
DEVELOPMENT IS EXTREMELY LIMITED WITHIN A FLOODWAY.
AGAIN, THAT IS THE AREA THAT IS HATCHED ON THIS MAP, THE AREA THAT IS BLUE OUTSIDE OF THE HATCHING, BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE FOR MOST PART ON THE NORTHERN END OF THIS, THE CHANNEL, THE FLOODPLAIN AND THE FLOODWAY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME.
AS YOU TRAVEL FURTHER SOUTH, INCLUDING THE PARCEL THAT INITIATED THIS REQUEST, THE FLOODPLAIN OR THE FLOOD FRINGE, WHICH IS THE AREA THAT'S IN THE FLOODPLAIN, BUT OUTSIDE OF THE FLOODWAY EXPANDS MUCH FURTHER OUTSIDE AND GROWS QUITE LARGER AND TAKES UP A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THAT PARTICULAR PARCEL.
SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S FLOODWAY, AGAIN, WHETHER IT'S URBAN OR RURAL FLOODWAY IS ALREADY A VERY HEAVILY RESTRICTED AREA OF DEVELOPMENT. THE FLOOD FRINGE IS WHERE DEVELOPMENT CAN OCCUR IF THAT DEVELOPMENT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STORM WATER MANAGER AND THE STORM WATER REGULATIONS.
YEAH, BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO AWAY FROM THAT, TIFFANY, COULD YOU POINT OUT THE PARCELS ON WHICH THE YMCA IS AND WHERE THE HOSPICE IS? SURE. AND I CAN DELINEATE WHO THE OWNER IS OF ALL OF THESE PARCELS.
BUT THE YMCA IS LOCATED HERE, ALMOST DEAD CENTER INTO THE SITE.
NORTHERN ARIZONA HEALTH CARE OWNS THE PROPERTY DIRECTLY TO THE NORTH, WHICH IS VACANT.
THIS IS THE PARCEL THAT HAS THE BRIDGE THAT ACCESSES TO THE YMCA JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE YMCA.
IS THE PROJECT OR IS THE PROPERTY THAT WAS INITIATED THIS REQUEST? THERE ARE TWO VACANT LOTS ADDITIONAL.
AND THEN AT THE END, JUST NORTH OF THE ROUNDABOUT IS THE HOSPICE NORTHLAND HOSPICE SITE.
SO THIS IS THE PROPOSED RULE FLOODPLAIN MAP.
IT JUST CHANGES THE COLOR FROM GREEN TO BLUE SO THAT ALL AREAS WOULD BE IDENTIFIED THE SAME.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FINDINGS FOR A ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENT.
SO THIS FIRST FINDING ABOUT THE GENERAL PLAN, THE REGIONAL PLAN, WHICH SERVES AS OUR GENERAL PLAN, DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS RURAL OR URBAN FLOODPLAINS AS DESCRIBED IN THE ZONING CODE.
FLOODPLAINS IN GENERAL ARE CONSIDERED ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LANDS WHICH ARE COVERED IN THE REGIONAL PLAN, WHICH DOES STATE THAT THESE AREAS CONTAIN CRITICAL RESOURCES AND REQUIRE SPECIAL CONSIDERATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT DESIGN AND REVIEW PROCESS.
AND AS IS TRUE WITH OUR CODES AND REQUIREMENTS, WE HAVE CODES THAT DEAL WITH THE SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN OF PROPERTIES THAT MAY DEVELOP WITHIN A FLOOD FRINGE OF A FLOODPLAIN.
DEVELOPMENT IN FLOODPLAINS IS REGULATED BY TITLE 12 OF THE CITY CODE.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO RELY ON THESE MAPS.
[01:00:02]
THE FIRST MAP IS MAP SEVEN, WHICH IDENTIFIES SIGNIFICANT NATURAL RESOURCES.SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS THIS GREEN SWATH IS GOING THROUGH THAT AREA OF FLOODPLAIN.
IT'S MUCH WIDER THAN THAT FLOODPLAIN ITSELF.
AND WHAT THIS GREEN SWATH MEANS ON THIS MAP IS THE THE MAP THAT I'M USING IS FROM THE WEBSITE RATHER THAN THE ACTUAL PAPER REGIONAL PLAN, WHICH IS THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENT.
THE OFFICIAL PAPER DOCUMENT IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL.
IT HAS THE WORD POTENTIAL IN HERE, RIPARIAN VEGETATION.
SO THESE ARE AREAS THAT MAY HAVE POTENTIAL RIPARIAN VEGETATION FROM VISITING THE SITE.
THE SITE IS HEAVY GRASSLANDS WITH PONDEROSA PINE, WHICH ARE NOT TYPICAL RIPARIAN VEGETATION.
AND NEXT UP IS FLAGSTAFF REGIONAL PLAN, MAP EIGHT, WHICH IS THE CONCENTRATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO THE DARKER THE LAYER, THE HIGHER THE CONCENTRATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES, THE LIGHTER THE LAYER, THE LOWER THE LEVEL OF LOWER THE LOWER CONCENTRATION.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE MID RANGE OF CONCENTRATION FOR NATURAL RESOURCES.
THERE ARE NO DESIGNATED OR IDENTIFIABLE WATCHABLE WILDLIFE IN TERMS OF THE REGIONAL PLAN IDENTIFIED HERE, ALTHOUGH LOTS OF PEOPLE REPORT ENJOYING THE WILDLIFE THAT THAT VISIT THIS SITE AND ANYBODY WHO LIVES IN THIS AREA IS WELL AWARE OR TRAVELS OR VISITS THE SITE IS WELL AWARE OF THE WILDLIFE THAT DOES OCCUPY THIS PARTICULAR AREA IN FLAGSTAFF.
SO IN TERMS OF THOSE TWO MAPS, NEITHER OF THEM SPECIFICALLY CALL OUT THAT THIS IS A PLACE THAT NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED BECAUSE OF A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESOURCES.
SO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS NOT ANTICIPATED TO BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SAFETY.
THIS AMENDMENT IS INTENDED TO RESOLVE A CONFLICT ON THE RURAL FLOODPLAIN MAP AND AGAIN, ANY DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE FLOODPLAIN HAS TO BE MITIGATED BY BEING COMPLIANT WITH OUR STORM WATER REGULATIONS AND THERE IS DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT DOES OCCUR WITHIN FLOODPLAINS.
SO THE CURRENT INDICATED AREA IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF RURAL FLOOD PLAINS.
RURAL FLOOD PLAINS ARE DESCRIBED AS NATURAL, UNDISTURBED, OPEN SPACES THAT ARE UNSUITABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES DUE TO PERIODIC FLOOD INUNDATION AND THE NEED TO PRESERVE THE STREAM CORRIDOR FOR BENEFICIAL USES, SUCH AS THE PRESERVATION OF IMPORTANT ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES.
THE REPORT STATES THE FOLLOWING THE PRIMARY LIMITING FACTORS TO THE BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS OF SWEITZER CREEK ARE DIRECT MANIPULATIONS OF THE CHANNEL AND FLOODPLAIN DURING PAST CONSTRUCTION AND SURROUNDING ROADS, UTILITY PIPELINES AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE.
I WOULD NOTE THAT WITHIN A RURAL FLOODPLAIN, ALL OF THESE TYPES OF DISTURBANCES ARE PERMITTED, BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY PERMITTED TO ALTER OR DIVERT OR CHANGE THE SHAPE OF THE CHANNEL ITSELF.
LARGE ROCK HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE BANKS AND CHANNEL, PRESUMABLY TO MINIMIZE EROSION.
EXTENSIVE SPOIL PILES LIMIT ACCESS TO THE ACTIVE FLOODPLAIN.
STEEP ROAD EMBANKMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASED SEDIMENT SUPPLIES.
CHANNEL REALIGNMENTS HAVE PUSHED THE CHANNEL INTO DENSE THICKETS OF PONDEROSA PINE.
THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF THESE MODIFICATIONS LIMITS THE FUNCTION OF THE RIPARIAN SYSTEM.
AND I WANTED TO STATE THAT BECAUSE THIS WAS A REQUEST BY A AN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER THAT A CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN WAS REQUIRED.
[01:05:03]
ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS A WORK SESSION BEFORE THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE PUBLIC COMMISSION COMMISSION.AND NOW WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU.
I WILL SAY THAT THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DID STRUGGLE WITH THIS APPLICATION OVERALL AS A WHOLE, BUT IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT RURAL AND URBAN FLOODPLAIN CHARACTERISTIC.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE HERE TO TRY TO ANSWER THOSE.
THANK YOU. WE DO HAVE SOME PUBLIC PARTICIPANTS, BUT I'LL OPEN IT UP TO JUST QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING FOR MS. ANTOL. COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI? THANK YOU, MAYOR AND THANK YOU, TIFFANY.
I JUST WANT TO SUMMARIZE KIND OF MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS IS THAT IF WE IF WE DON'T REZONE OR CURRENTLY AS A CITY, NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE IN FLOODING MITIGATION ON THIS PARCEL, BUT IF WE DO REZONE, IT'S THE OPPOSITE.
WE ARE ABLE AS A CITY TO ENGAGE IN FLOODING MITIGATION, CORRECT? MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI, THIS IS I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, THIS IS NOT A REZONING.
THIS IS A ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENT.
SO WE'RE SIMPLY AMENDING A MAP IN THE ZONING CODE.
BUT WHEN A PROPERTY IS WITHIN THE RURAL FLOODPLAIN DESIGNATION, IT DOES LIMIT BOTH WHAT WE COULD DO AS A CITY WITHIN THAT AREA IF ADDITIONAL MITIGATION OR RESTORATION WERE NECESSARY WITHIN THIS AREA.
SO I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT ON THERE.
BUT YES, THE RURAL FLOODPLAIN DOES PLACE ADDITIONAL BURDENS IF A PROPERTY OWNER SHOULD BE WILLING AND THE CITY IN PARTNERSHIP WANTED TO HELP OR THAT PROPERTY OWNER WANTED TO DO RESTORATION OF THE FLOODPLAIN TO MAKE IT A MORE BENEFICIAL USE IN AN EVENT.
AND THEN MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS JUST THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT WE'VE RECEIVED.
REFERRING TO THIS PARCEL IS OPEN SPACE.
CAN YOU JUST ADDRESS THAT REALLY QUICK? SURE. THIS PARCEL IS ZONED HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
IT HAS BEEN ZONED THAT FOR MANY YEARS.
THE RURAL FLOODPLAIN DESIGNATION RELATES TO THAT RESOURCE PROTECTION OVERLAY.
BUT THE POINT OF THIS AMENDMENT IS, IS WHETHER OR NOT THE FLOODPLAIN THAT IS ON THE SITE MEETS THE DEFINITION OF THE RURAL FLOODPLAIN, OR IF IT MEETS THE DEFINITION OF THE URBAN FLOODPLAIN.
AND TO DATE, THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO STAFF BY THE APPLICANT AND HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY OUR INNER DIVISION STAFF REVIEW TEAM IS IS THAT THIS FLOODPLAIN HAS BEEN ALTERED, THAT IT IS NO LONGER CONSIDERED AN UNDISTURBED RURAL FLOODPLAIN.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
TIFFANY. IF WE MAKE THIS CHANGE, I PRESUME THAT THAT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR IT TO BE CHANNELIZED.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT COULD HAVE A CONCRETE BOTTOM, CONCRETE SIDES, ETC., AS OPPOSED TO IF WE DON'T MAKE THIS CHANGE, IT WOULD BE LIMITED TO PRETTY MUCH KEEPING IT THE WAY IT IS.
IS THAT CORRECT? COUNCIL MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER MCCRTHY THAT'S CORRECT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE. THANK YOU.
THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, TIFFANY.
I'M JUST WONDERING, WHAT WOULD A DENIAL OF THIS CHANGE DO IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT? BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF COMMENTS SAYING THAT WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW THE DEVELOPMENT TO HAPPEN.
BUT DOES THIS CHANGE IMPACT THE ABILITY FOR THAT AREA TO BE DEVELOPED? THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE.
THERE IS A PORTION OF THIS PROPERTY THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE RURAL FLOODPLAIN AND WOULD ABSOLUTELY ALLOW FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE WHERE THE APPLICANT AND I'M NOT TRYING TO GET TOO FAR INTO THE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL, BUT THE SITE IS IS FAIRLY WELL IMPACTED BY THAT RURAL FLOODPLAIN AS WELL AS SOME SLOPE FROM WHICH IS MANMADE SLOPE FROM SCHWEITZER CANYON.
THE HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL ZONE HAS A BUILDING HEIGHT OF 60 FEET.
SO WHAT IT DOES IS IT WOULD ENCOURAGE A PROPERTY OWNER TO BUILD UP TALLER IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR MINIMUM DENSITY, BECAUSE, AGAIN, REMEMBER, WE HAVE MINIMUM AS WELL AS MAXIMUM DENSITIES.
[01:10:03]
THE PROPOSALS THAT I HAVE SEEN FOR THIS PROPERTY HAVE ONLY INCLUDED THE MINIMUM DENSITY AND WERE THREE STOREY BUILDINGS LOWER IN HEIGHT THAN COULD POTENTIALLY BE DONE WITH A SMALLER FOOTPRINT.SO THOSE ARE THE SORT OF DIFFERENTIALS.
SMALLER FOOTPRINT USUALLY MEANS GOING UP HIGHER DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THAT WILL BE THE CASE.
BUT THIS DOESN'T PROHIBIT ALL DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, TOO, THIS IS NOT A REZONING.
BUT WE DO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET TO THEM, UNLESS WE DO HAVE A WAS THERE A PRESENTATION REQUEST FROM THE APPLICANT AT ALL? OR AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AS NEEDED.
AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AS NEEDED.
OKAY. JUST WANTED TO CHECK BASED ON THE PROCESS HERE.
WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
HI, MARY. VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
I'M A CEO FOR NORTHLAND HOSPICE AND WE OWN OLIVIA WHITE HOSPICE HOUSE, WHICH IS AT THE END OF THE PROPERTY THAT ALL THIS IS DECISION IS GOING TO BE OVER.
I DID PROVIDE YOU GUYS WITH SOME PICTURES OF THE OLIVIA WHITE AND THE AREA AROUND THERE.
AND SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO TAKE ME OFF OF MY OFFER AND COME DO A TOUR.
MY CONCERN ISN'T SO MUCH THE CHANGE FROM THE FLOODPLAIN.
MY CONCERN IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE AREA NEXT TO OLIVIA WHITE.
WE HAVE OUR HOSPICE HOME THERE.
IT IS A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL AREA.
AND I BEG TO ARGUE THAT ANIMALS DO USE IT IN CROSS THROUGH IT QUITE OFTEN AND COME ALL THE WAY DOWN TO OUR BUILDING THAT'S DOWN ACROSS FROM THE DEALERSHIP. SO ANYONE THAT'S BEEN THERE CAN SEE THE BEAUTY.
MY CONCERN IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THAT AREA.
I UNDERSTAND DEVELOPERS NEED TO DEVELOP.
BUT WHAT CAN WE DO AS A COMMUNITY TO KEEP PART OF THAT ENVIRONMENT INTACT? SO FOR OUR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES THAT ARE THERE ENJOYING OLIVIA WHITE, THEY DON'T LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND SEE A BUILDING.
SO I THINK AS A COMMUNITY WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO.
WE'VE DONATED PROPERTY TO THE FOOT TRAIL SO THAT WE HAVE THAT BEAUTIFUL AREA THERE WE HAVE.
WE'LL NEVER BUILD ON THE OTHER SIDE OF OUR PROPERTY.
WE WILL KEEP THAT INTACT FOR THE COMMUNITY USE.
WE'RE PUTTING A GARDEN IN THERE.
SO I GUESS MY CONCERN IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO BENEFIT THAT AREA, WHETHER WE VOTE FOR THE FLOODPLAIN OR NOT? I MEAN, FOR RURAL OR URBAN AREA, WHAT CAN WE DO TO KEEP THAT AS INTACT AS WE CAN? BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THAT COMMUNITY THERE AND ESPECIALLY FOR NORTH GLENN HOSPICE AND THE HOSPICE HOME.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME AT ALL? COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI. HI THERE.
GOOD EVENING. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.
AND YOU WERE SO KIND TO COME OUT AND LOOK.
NICE TO SEE YOU IN PERSON AND NOT JUST OVER THE PHONE.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU AND STEVE, I BELIEVE, TALKED ABOUT STEVE AND I DID TALK ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT WILL HAPPEN IN THAT AREA.
SO MY GOAL WAS HOW COULD WE AS LANDOWNERS AND DEVELOPERS CREATE A COMMUNITY GARDEN AREA TO PUT A LITTLE LESS IMPACT IN THERE? AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, EVEN FOR THE Y, THE KIDS AT THE Y COULD COME DOWN AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
I WOULD LOVE TO PUT A BRIDGE OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF OUR PROPERTY, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT WE'D HAVE TO CHANGE THAT DESIGNATION SO THAT OUR HOSPICE PATIENTS AND FAMILIES COULD USE THE OTHER SIDE.
BUT MY GOAL WOULD BE TO TO MAKE IT PRESERVE IT AS MUCH AS WE CAN FOR THE WILDLIFE TO KEEP IT A SEMI CORRIDOR, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE AND THEN HAVE LESS IMPACT.
[01:15:02]
BUT YOU KNOW, TO THE AREA, WE DON'T SEE THE BUILDING SO MUCH.AND STEVE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT WITH AND HOPEFULLY GET THAT SUPPORT TO DO A COMMUNITY GARDEN.
THANK YOU. JUST CHECKING HERE.
THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, VERY MUCH.
I'M ALSO HERE FOR OLIVIA WHITE.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING, HAVE ANY OF YOU EVER WALKED ALONG OUR OLIVIA WHITE HOSPICE GARDENS? IT'S OUR CITY'S ONLY ISLAND HABITAT BETWEEN SCHWEITZER AND TURQUOISE.
A THREE STOREY CONDO IS PLANNED TO BE BUILT NEXT TO OUR OLIVIA WHITE HOSPICE HOME.
TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
I'M SEEKING CONSIDERATION FOR EXTENDED GREENBELT BETWEEN OUR PROPERTIES IS ALL I ASK.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL.
I JUST WANTED TO COME AND INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY STAFF FOR WORKING WITH US THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
IT'S BEEN VERY EDUCATIONAL FOR ME.
I'D LIKE TO THANK KATHY FOR INVITING ME OVER TO THE OLIVIA WHYTE HOSPICE HOUSE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE OPEN FOR TOURS OR NOT, BUT IT'S AN INCREDIBLE PLACE AND AND AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HER VISION AND WHAT SHE'S PROPOSING AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, A COMMUNITY SPACE.
THE PARCEL IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CHALLENGE WITH THE WITH THE MINIMUM DENSITIES IN THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND A WAY THAT WE CAN CREATE A BIT MORE OF A WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY OUT THERE AND STILL BE ABLE TO DEVELOP INSIDE OF OUR LIMITATIONS.
AND I'M JUST SERIOUSLY GRATEFUL FOR HER INVITING ME OVER FOR THE DISCUSSION.
I THINK IT'S EVEN COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
THANK YOU, MARY AND STEVEN, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US AND HAVING US THE OTHER DAY AT THE CASTLE.
HOW TALL ARE THE THREE, THE THREE STOREY BUILDINGS? WHAT'S THE HEIGHT, DO YOU KNOW? I CAN PULL THAT UP.
OH, NO. I'M THINKING OF A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ONE.
DO YOU HAVE IT, TIFFANY? OH, YOU TOOK IT OFF.
THAT'S OKAY. I CAN ABSOLUTELY GET BACK TO YOU ON IT.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT'S NOT FIVE OR SIX STORIES.
SO THAT'S. THAT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, I THINK, FOR THE NEIGHBORS.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE THE DENSITY REQUIREMENTS? AND WHAT IF THIS IS NOT A RURAL VERSUS AN URBAN? HOW MIGHT THAT AFFECT THE DENSITY REQUIREMENTS? AND THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING IS, AS I WAS MENTIONING.
SO THE DENSITY REQUIREMENT DOESN'T CHANGE URBAN TO RURAL, BUT IT IS A MINIMUM OF 20 UNITS PER ACRE.
THE THE CONCEPT THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING IN, WHICH IS IN ITS CONCEPTUAL PHASE, WE'RE LOOKING AT 34 UNITS AND WE HAVE ABOUT THREE, JUST A LITTLE OVER 3.5 ACRES OF LAND THERE.
OF COURSE, A LOT OF IT EXISTS INSIDE OF THE FLOOD FRINGE.
THE FLOODWAY IS IN THERE AS WELL.
THERE ARE SPECIFIC BUILDING REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE MET TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT SITS ON THE INITIAL LEVEL IS VENTED PROPERLY AND GARAGE SPACE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT IT DOES OPEN UP THE POSSIBILITY FOR US TO MEET THE MINIMUM DENSITY REQUIREMENTS WITHOUT HAVING TO REACH ALL THE WAY UP TO THE PEAKS AND BACK TO DO IT.
[01:20:01]
IN HEIGHT. THANK YOU.NO PROBLEM. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. HOLLAWAY. ABSOLUTELY.
SO I LIVE IN SCHWEITZER CANYON, AND I THINK.
SORRY IF YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO LOWER THE MIC JUST SO EVERYONE ON THE LINE CAN HEAR YOU.
AND I THINK THE RURAL FLOODPLAIN DOES THE BEST JOB OF DOING THAT.
BUILDING A BRIDGE DOESN'T VIOLATE THAT.
AND SO. I THINK IT'S JUST KEEPING THAT IN MIND.
AND THEN THE LAST STUDY THAT WAS DONE WAS IN 2003.
SO HOW ACCURATE IS THAT? AND THEN A LOT OF THESE THINGS GET PASSED OUT, RURAL FLOOD PLAINS.
AND SO SAME WITH FROM THE 2003 STUDY.
IT SAYS AFTER ALL OF WHAT TIFFANY HAD READ, IN SPITE OF THESE IMPACTS, THIS BREACH OF SWEITZER WASH STILL REMAINS MAINTAINS ITS RIPARIAN FUNCTION AND MUCH OF ITS WILD NATURE.
THE ONLY NEW ADDITION SINCE THEN IS THE YMCA, WHICH IS PRIMARILY OUTSIDE OF THE RURAL FLOOD PLAIN.
SO THIS IS NOT THAT DIFFERENT FROM THERE.
AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ABOUT PRESERVING THE OPEN SPACE.
I THINK FOR US, WHICH I DO LIKE THE SOUNDS OF COMMUNITY GARDENS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
YEAH. I THINK THE OTHER PART IS FLOODING.
IT SOUNDS LIKE FLOOD MITIGATION IS NOT POSSIBLE IN THE URBAN FLOOD PLAIN, ALTHOUGH I DID SEE CHESHIRE, THERE WAS EQUIPMENT IN THE WASH, YOU KNOW, DURING THE FLOODING. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S CURRENTLY NOTHING IN THERE THAT FLOOD.
SO IT'D EITHER BE ABOVE THERE OR BELOW THERE IF THE TOP OF THE WATERSHED EVER DID HAPPEN TO BURN.
SO RIGHT THE TOP OF THAT WOULD BE LIKE HOSPITAL HILL OR BELOW DOWN YOUR ROUTE 66.
BUT ANYWAYS I THINK IT'S JUST.
WHAT IS THE DEFINITION, WHAT IS IT? AND CAN WE PRESERVE THAT OPEN SPACE? AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT PART OF THE URBAN TRAIL HAVE A CONCRETE WASH INSTEAD OF TREES AND ROCKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE I RUN IT EVERY DAY.
HELLO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SPOKEN BEFORE A GROUP LIKE THIS.
SO. I AM A BIOLOGIST, A BOTANIST THAT'S WORKED IN THIS AREA FOR OVER 45 YEARS.
AND I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WANDERING AROUND THE DIFFERENT DRAINAGES.
I AM CURRENTLY ON THE FRIENDS OF THE RIO BOARD.
I DO NOT REPRESENT THEM NECESSARILY HERE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT.
IN MY EXPERIENCE OF THIS SCHWEITZER VALLEY DRAINAGE, I HAVE ENCOUNTERED TREMENDOUS OVERFLOW WATERS COMING DOWN IT, ESPECIALLY IN THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES OF RAIN ON SNOW EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SO DEEP THAT I WAS WALKING WITH HIP BOOTS AND WOULD NOT WALK INTO THE WATER BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UP OVER THE LEVEL OF MY HIP BOOTS.
IT KILLED THE PRAIRIE DOGS THAT WERE IN THERE, SO THEY WERE WIPED OUT FOR MANY GENERATIONS OF PRAIRIE DOGS, AND THEY'RE JUST BARELY COMING BACK IN THAT WHOLE VALLEY. THE WATER FLOWS OFF THE SIDES OF THE HILLS.
SO THERE'S VERY FEW HOUSES THERE AND THEY ARE OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN IN THAT AREA.
[01:25:02]
TO THE SOUTH OF THAT, THERE IS ALSO THE FLOODPLAIN DESIGNATION BEFORE YOU GET IT'S WITHIN THE CITY, BUT IT GETS DOWN MORE CHANNELIZED AS IT COMES INTO THE CITY.AND THIS IS ABOVE FOREST WHERE YOU YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT ON THE MAPS.
SO I WANT TO SAY THAT THAT THIS IS JUST NORMAL WINTER RAIN ON SNOW IN THAT HABITAT.
AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SINCE THEN HAD MAJOR FIRES, OFTEN DRY LAKE HILLS AND THE PIPELINE FIRE DOWN SCHULZE CREEK, WHICH HAS CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE BOTH IN EAST FLAGSTAFF AND DOWN THROUGH THAT AREA AND ALSO IN.
COCONINO ESTATES AND THAT AREA, THE SWEITZER DRAINAGE, IS BETWEEN THOSE TWO AREAS THAT HAVE BURNED, AND IT HASN'T BURNED UP THERE YET.
SO I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT WE MIGHT SEE THE SAME KIND OF IMPACTS YOU'RE SEEING BELOW THE PIPELINE FIRE AND THE MUSEUM FIRE DOWN.
SCHWEITZER DRAINAGE. YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THAT YET.
AND SO BE AWARE THAT YOU COULD HAVE A LOT OF IMPACTS AND HAVE, AGAIN, TO REMEDIATE ALL THE IMPACTS FROM THAT IN ANYTHING THAT IS DEVELOPED IN THIS NARROWER CHANNEL DOWN THIS AREA.
IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE AT THIS TIME? JUST TO MAKE SURE.
DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF? MORE COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MY ONLY COMMENT AT THIS POINT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY PART OF THE AGENDA ITEM ON THIS, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHICHEVER WAY WE GO WITH THIS AND UNDERSTANDING THAT DEVELOPMENT CAN HAPPEN IN EITHER CASE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MITIGATION PLANNING THAT HAPPENS IN TERMS OF THIS DEVELOPMENT, BOTH IN TERMS OF FLOODING AND THE CONCERNS REGARDING THE HOSPICE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE IN IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND ENSURE THAT THOSE ARE PART OF THAT PLANNING PROCESS THAT I THINK IS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS TO ME BECAUSE EITHER WAY, I THINK THOSE VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD IN THAT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, AND THEN WE'LL GO COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
I WENT ONLINE AND REVIEWED THE PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING ON THIS VERY SUBJECT, AND I DID NOTE THAT ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS VOTED NO ON IT AND THAT SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS, AT LEAST ONE THAT VOTED TO APPROVE IT, RECOMMENDING FOR COUNCIL TO APPROVE IT, THAT THEY HAD SERIOUS RESERVATIONS.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, I WENT OUT AND WALKED IT.
SO I WALKED FROM THE ROUNDABOUT.
UP TO THE BRIDGE PASS, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, NORTH OF THE YMCA.
AND THEN I WALKED BACK DOWN IT.
AND YES, THERE HAS BEEN SOME CHANGES.
THERE'S A SEWER LINE THAT GOES THROUGH THERE.
BUT MY CONCLUSION WAS THAT IT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY NATURAL AND IT WAS LARGELY UNKNOWN.
TOUCHED BY DEVELOPMENT ALSO NOTE THAT THE YMCA WAS ABLE TO BUILD.
AND SO AND I THINK WE KNOW THAT THIS DEVELOPER WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY.
SO IF WE GET A MOTION ON THIS TONIGHT, I WILL BE A NO VOTE.
AND IF ANYBODY HAS ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, HERE I AM.
COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
I THINK YOU MADE JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS.
AND YOU ALL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SPACE.
[01:30:02]
IF WE THINK IT'S LOUD IN IN PARTS OF TOWN BY CARS, I INVITE EVERYONE TO GO TO THE HOSPICE AND WITNESS HOW LOUD THE CAR IS TRAVELING BY IS.ANYWAYS, I'LL STOP THERE BEFORE CITY ATTORNEY CHECKS ME IN LINE BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION.
BUT I APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION AND THE SUPPORT AND THE TEAMWORK.
I ALSO WANT TO JUST TO PLAN TO SEE KIND OF PIGGYBACKING COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE TO TIFFANY IN THE TEAM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THIS WON'T COME BACK BEFORE COUNCIL IF THERE IS A PROJECT BEING DEVELOPED UNLESS IT NEEDS SOMETHING FROM US.
BUT THE DEVELOPER IS OPEN TO PREVENTING SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THEY ALSO WANT TO WORK TO ALLOW FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING TO BE PART OF THEIR PROJECT.
SO NOT SURE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT, BUT JUST WANTING TO PLANT THAT SEED AND SEE IF WE CAN HOLD YOU ALL ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A GREAT PLAN, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS A WORTHWHILE REQUEST.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
WELL, I WOULD I'LL JUST STATE THAT, YOU KNOW, INEVITABLY I ALSO WATCH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING AND FOUND THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY WHAT THIS DOES COME DOWN TO IS THE DEFINITION.
THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TONIGHT ABOUT.
IT'S NOT A LOT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSING ADD ONS FOR A DAY FOR A GARDEN.
THIS IS DOES THIS FIT THE DEFINITION? AND ALL OF THE EXPERTS FROM OUR CITY STAFF, AS WELL AS ONCE PLANNING AND ZONING, DID LOOK MORE THOROUGHLY AND BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT TRULY THEIR RECOMMENDATION AND WHAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD WAS THAT THIS FITS THE DEFINITION OF URBAN FLOODPLAIN.
I AM VERY CONCERNED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY ABOUT FLOODING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE PIPELINE FIRE TO THE WEST OF THE TO THE WEST OF THERE AND THE MUSEUM FIRE TO THE EAST.
AND WE HAVE TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE ON HOW THIS MIGHT IMPACT NOT AND THAT WOULD AFFECT HOSPICE, THAT WOULD AFFECT YMCA, THAT COULD AFFECT THE WHOLE AREA. IF WE CAN'T IF WE HAD A SITUATION WHERE.
IT WAS NOT DESIGNATED AS THIS LIKE WE HAVE WITH THE PIPELINE FIRE WEST, WHERE A FIRE HAPPENED.
WE GOT TO WORK, WE GOT THE NRC'S GRANT, GOT DETENTION BASINS BUILT, AND SO QUICK A TIME THAT WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE IF THIS IS A RURAL FLOODPLAIN DESIGNATION. AND GIVEN THAT THAT DESIGNATION IS REALLY IT'S JUST A DEFINITION AND THE EXPERTS HAVE SHARED EXACTLY THAT THAT IS THE CASE.
I WILL BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF OF THIS AND I AM GLAD THAT THEY HAVE YOU ALL ARE IN DISCUSSIONS.
AND I WAS I WAS GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.
BUT WITH THAT, I WILL BE PLACING A MOTION.
MISS ANSEL, CAN YOU PLEASE DISPLAY THE SLIDE THAT DEFINES URBAN FLOOD PLAIN? THIS. THERE YOU GO.
SO AGAIN, JUST JUST BRINGING TO THE CORE OF OF THE THE QUESTION TODAY IS.
IS AMENDING AMENDING THE CITY CODE FOR THIS PARCEL FROM RURAL FLOODPLAIN TO. OUR RURAL TO URBAN FLOODPLAIN SPECIFIC TO THESE PARCELS OF LAND.
SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ANY ANY PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OR CONCEPT AND AND AND POTENTIAL IMPACT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE THE DEVELOPERS HERE AND THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITIES HERE.
AND FOR FULL DISCLOSURE, THAT'S MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I WALK FROM FROM MY PLACE ON THIS PONDEROSA PARKWAY PRETTY MUCH ON A REGULAR BASIS WHEN SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA.
SO JUST KEEPING IN MIND SO THE THE FOCUS OF DISCUSSION FOR TODAY AND WITH WITH AN INTENT TO
[01:35:01]
TO READ THE ORDINANCE IS IS A ZONING.A ZONING TEXT MAP AMENDMENT FROM RURAL TO URBAN FLOOD PLAIN.
DEFINITION OF RURAL FLOODPLAIN.
YOU KNOW, THE THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS SHOULD THAT PROCESS TAKE PLACE, WHICH MEANS, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR CITY STORMWATER REGULATION WILL BE IN FULL FORCE. SO WITH THAT, I AM READY TO MAKE A MOTION.
AND I HAD A COMMENT BEFORE THAT.
THIS ISN'T DEVELOPMENT SPECIFIC, IT'S A FLOODPLAIN QUESTION.
AND BECAUSE MANY OF THE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN ABOUT THAT, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE STILL ALLOWED TO BUILD WHATEVER THE ZONING CODE ALLOWS IN EITHER FLOODPLAIN, WHICHEVER FLOODPLAIN IT IS DESIGNATED ULTIMATELY.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY. YEAH.
I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS FOR ASKING TO PUT THESE WORDS UP ON THE SCREEN.
IT HAD A DEFINITION OF A URBAN.
ABSOLUTELY. THERE'S NO ABSOLUTES HERE, BUT IT'S SUBSTANTIALLY AND IT'S IN A NATURAL STATE.
THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS, JUST BASED ON THE DEFINITION.
THANK YOU, MY COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
ANY FURTHER COMMENT BEFORE I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? MAY I? I'D LIKE TO WEIGH IN.
COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I JUST THINK IT SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE TO OUR STRUGGLING CITY RIGHT NOW AS WE'RE DEALING WITH NEW FLOODING ISSUES AND EXORBITANT COSTS AND STORMWATER FEES, CONVERSATIONS THAT WE ARE THAT WE BE PERCEIVED AS ALLOWING A DEVELOPMENT IN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DEFINED AS A FLOODPLAIN.
AND THE ONLY REASON WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IS BECAUSE OF THE DEVELOPMENT REQUEST.
WE DON'T NEED TO BE PUTTING MORE UNITS ON MORE FLOODWAYS.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S SOME COMPLEXITY TO THIS AND IT GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE MURKY, AS IT WERE, AND THE FUTURE MAY STILL HOLD SOME DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR THE REGION.
BUT FOR THOSE REASONS, I'M NOT IN SUPPORT OF THE CHANGE.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN.
ANY FURTHER COMMENT? ALL RIGHT. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED AND COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.
OFFER THIS SPACE AND TIME TO THANK OUR PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME AND ENERGY AND AND DEDICATION TO COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION ALONG WITH THE GRATITUDE TO STAFF IN STUDYING THIS MATTER.
AND I DO BELIEVE WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF IN PUTTING FORTH STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THIS DEFINITION ON THIS SCREEN, WE HAVE RURAL FLOODPLAIN.
DEFINITION GOING BACK TO THE URBAN FLOODPLAIN DEFINITION.
BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND STAFF.
I MOVE TO READ ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022 28 BY TITLE ONLY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
[01:40:08]
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.DO WE HAVE A SECOND? AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST MAKE A QUICK COMMENT IF I CAN.
I DID GO OUT. I DID A SITE TOUR.
I HAVE BEEN TO THE OLIVIA WHITE HOSPICE HOUSE BEFORE AND GIVEN ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND PROCESSING IT AND ALL IS THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THE DEFINITION AND REALLY HONING IN ON THAT.
A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR SWEET.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I.
OKAY, SO. THAT MOTION CARRIES IN A52 VOTE.
CITY CLERK, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF, COCONINO COUNTY, ARIZONA.
AMENDING THE FLAGSTAFF CITY CODE TITLE TEN FLAGSTAFF ZONING CODE SECTION TEN 9840 030 RURAL FLOODPLAIN MAP TO CHANGE THE MAP DESIGNATION OF APPROXIMATELY 7.76 ACRES OF REAL PROPERTY FROM RURAL FLOODPLAIN TO URBAN FLOODPLAIN ON EIGHT PARCELS OF LAND.
APY LANDS 10101020A10101020B10128005G10128005H10128005K10128013A10128013B AND 10128013 RD LOCATED GENERALLY BETWEEN WEST FOREST AVENUE AND NORTH SAN FRANCISCO STREET, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THAT DOES BRING US DOWN TO AGENDA ITEM 11 B AND AFTER THIS, WE WILL TAKE A
[B. Consideration and Adoption of Resolution No. 2022-51 and Ordinance No. 2022-27: A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Flagstaff, Coconino County, Arizona, declaring as a public record that certain document filed with the City Clerk entitled "PZ-19-00248 Updates to Zoning Code - Outdoor Lighting Standards" and an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Flagstaff Coconino County, Arizona, amending the Flagstaff City Code, Title 10, Flagstaff Zoning Code, to modify the existing Outdoor Lighting Standards. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: At the November 1, 2022, Council Meeting: 1) Read Resolution No. 2022-51 by title only for the first time 2) City Clerk reads Resolution No. 2022-51 by title only (if approved above) 3) Read Ordinance No. 2022-27 by title only for the first time 4) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2022-27 by title only (if approved above) At the November 15, 2022, Council Meeting: 5) Adopt Resolution No. 2022-51 6) Read Ordinance No. 2022-27 7) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2022-27 by title only (if approved above) 8) Adopt Ordinance No. 2022-27]
TAKE A BREAK, BUT I THINK WE CAN GET THIS ONE THROUGH 11 B IS THE CONSIDERATION ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 2020 2251 AND THE ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022 TO 7, A RESOLUTION IN THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF, COCONINO COUNTY, ARIZONA, DECLARING AS A PUBLIC RECORD THAT CERTAIN DOCUMENT FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK ENTITLED PG 1900248 UPDATES TO ZONING CODE, OUTDOOR LIGHTING STANDARDS AND AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
I'M GOING TO KEEP THIS PRESENTATION SHORT IN LIGHT OF OUR MOST RECENT WORK SESSION AND THE LACK OF ISSUES OR IDENTIFIED AT THAT WORK SESSION. SO AGAIN, JUST TO GO THROUGH AND HIGHLIGHT THIS HAS BEEN SEVERAL YEARS IN THE WORKS.
LIGHTING ZONE THREE IS THE MOST OF MOSTLY EAST FLAGSTAFF, MODERNIZING MEASUREMENTS OF ABSOLUTE LUMENS FOR LEDS, REVISING RESIDENTIAL AVERAGE USE STANDARDS AND UPDATING DESIGN STANDARDS TO ENCOURAGE OVERHANGING OR CANOPY MOUNTED LIGHTING FOR OUTDOOR LIGHTING AND LIGHTING.
SO THE PRIMARY DEVELOPMENT THAT IS IN LIGHTING ZONE ONE IS TIMBER SKY.
SO STAFF RECOMMENDATION FINDINGS.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THOSE REALLY QUICKLY.
THE FIRST IS, IS THAT IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN.
THE REGIONAL PLAN SPECIFICALLY SUPPORTS THE PRESERVATION OF DARK SKIES AND FLAGSTAFF.
DARK SKIES HAVE BEEN A PRIORITY FOR FLAGSTAFF FOR OVER THREE DECADES.
THIS CODE AMENDMENT REFLECTS RECENT PLANNING EFFORTS TO PRESERVE ASTRONOMICAL FACILITIES IN THE FLAGSTAFF REGION, AND THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WILL NOT BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST, HEALTH, SAFETY, CONVENIENCE OR WELFARE.
A LOT OF TIME AND CONSIDERATION WAS PUT IN TO THIS AMENDMENT, AND THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS NOT ANTICIPATED TO BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST, HEALTH, SAFETY OR CONVENIENCE. WE ARE JUST UPDATING AND IMPROVING OUR STANDARDS OVERALL AS A WHOLE.
[01:45:02]
AND AGAIN, THIS PUTS FLAGSTAFF OUT THERE AS A AS A LEADER IN DARK SKY PRESERVATION.AND THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS INTERNALLY CONSISTENT WITH OTHER APPLICABLE PROVISIONS.
SO THE CODE HAS BEEN VETTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S INTERNALLY CONSISTENT WITH THESE CHANGES, INCLUDING CHANGES TO MAPS AND DEFINITIONS AS WELL AS PROVISIONS WITHIN THE SIGN CODE.
AND THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION WAS FOR APPROVAL.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THEM.
ANY QUESTIONS? WE'VE BEEN OVER THIS A FEW TIMES, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
WAS THE PNC RECOMMENDATION UNANIMOUS? YES. THANK YOU.
I MOVED TO READ RESOLUTION NUMBER 2020 2251 BY TITLE ONLY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
MAYOR. COULD WE CLOSE THE CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING FIRST? NOW I READ RESOLUTION NUMBER 2020 2251 BY TITLE ONLY FOR THE FIRST TIME, A SECOND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I.
IN A POST THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY THE CITY CLERK, A RESOLUTION OF THE FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL DECLARING AS A PUBLIC RECORD THAT CERTAIN DOCUMENT FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK AND ENTITLED PRS DASH 19 DASH 00248 OUTDOOR LIGHTING STANDARDS.
A MOVE TO READ ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022 TO 27 BY TITLE ONLY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SECOND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I.
THERE'S A POST THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY CITY CLERK.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF AMENDING THE FLAGSTAFF CITY CODE TITLE TEN FLAGSTAFF ZONING CODE BY ADOPTING BY REFERENCE THAT CERTAIN DOCUMENT ENTITLED PRS 19 00248 UPDATES TO ZONING CODE, OUTDOOR LIGHTING STANDARDS PROVIDING FOR PENALTIES, REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, SEVERABILITY AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
LET'S GET BACK HERE AT 515 TO A GOOD MEAL BECAUSE WE MIGHT BE GOING ALONG THIS AFTERNOON.
[A. Consideration and Approval of Contract: Approve the Professional Engineering Services Contract with Burgess & Niple, Inc. in the amount of $716,401.00 for the Butler-Fourth Improvements Project. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the Professional Engineering Services Contract with Burgess & Niple, Inc. in the amount of $716,401.00 for the Butler-Fourth Improvements Project with a contract duration of 300 calendar days; and Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.]
IN THE AMOUNT OF $716,401 FOR THE BUTLER FORTH IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR.
I'M A PROJECT MANAGER IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SECTION HERE WITHIN THE CITY ENGINEERING DIVISION.
THIS PROJECT, FORMERLY KNOWN AS BUTLER AVENUE WIDENING, IS LOCATED CENTRALLY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
THE PROJECT LIMITS ARE GENERALLY LOCATED ALONG THE BUTLER AVENUE AND FORTH STREET CORRIDOR, EXTENDING FROM LITTLE AMERICA AND I-40 ON THE WEST SIDE TO THE EAST, TYING INTO SONOMA HEIGHTS AND STARTING JUST SOUTH OF SPARROW AVENUE ON FOURTH STREET, EXTENDING THAT COMPLETE STREET SECTION DOWN TO THE BUTLER INTERSECTION AND THROUGH THE INTERSECTION TYING INTO IMPROVEMENTS RELATED TO THE CANYON DEL RIO DEVELOPMENT.
THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE AWARD OF THIS CONTRACT.
THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDED ACTION.
IS THAT YOU APPROVE THIS COURSE, THIS CONTRACT.
I'M GOING TO TAKE A QUICK RECAP OF THE PROJECT BACKGROUND.
WHAT WE PLAN TO DO ONCE THIS AWARD IS GRANTED.
PRELIMINARY WORK ON THIS PROJECT WAS DONE BACK IN THE EARLY 2000.
IT HELPS COORDINATION WITH THESE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS.
[01:50:03]
AND FINALLY, IT ALLOWS US TO IDENTIFY OUR RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION NEEDS AS THEY WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH THE ENTITLEMENT PROCESS.WE HAVE TAKEN THE BIKE LANES OFF OF THE STREET AND MOVE THEM ON TO THE SIDE.
SO INSTEAD OF A SIX FOOT SIDEWALK, WE WILL ACTUALLY HAVE AN 11 FOOT WIDE MULTIPURPOSE LANE ON EACH SIDE OF THE STREET, WHICH WOULD BE SEPARATED FROM THE STREET TRAFFIC WITH A FIVE FOOT PARKWAY, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT BUFFER AND AN IMPORTANT SNOW STORAGE AREA.
THERE'S A LOT WITH THIS PROJECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER.
CERTAINLY IF COUNCIL WILL RECALL, WE WERE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
WE KIND OF BEFORE WE ADVERTISE FOR THESE THIS CONTRACT THAT WE'RE WORKING TONIGHT, WE GOT FEEDBACK ON THE INTENDED SCOPE AND SO ON, AND THAT WAS INCORPORATED IN THAT RESCUE OR REQUEST FOR STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS.
WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S APPROPRIATE TO USE A ROUNDABOUT AT THIS INTERSECTION.
AND WE'LL ALSO BE LOOKING AT THE FEASIBILITY OF A SEPARATED FOOT CROSSING SHOULD A ROUNDABOUT NOT PROVE TO BE FEASIBLE AND THE INTERSECTION REMAINS A SIGNALIZED, WE WILL INCORPORATE ENHANCED PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE FACILITIES OR PROTECTIONS SUCH AS A PROTECTED INTERSECTION.
HAROLD RANCH ROAD. THIS IS ANOTHER FOCAL POINT OF THIS PROJECT.
THE ROUNDABOUT IS NEEDED TO ALLOW LARGE TRUCKS THAT ARE BLOCKED BY A CENTER MEDIAN TO TURN RIGHT AND ACTUALLY MAKE A U-TURN AT THAT AT THE ROUNDABOUT TO GET BACK ON THE INTERSTATE.
THE PROJECT WILL INCORPORATE ITS FIBER CONTENTS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT LIMITS.
AND A PRIMARY THING OF THIS IS ALSO STORMWATER.
SO THIS BUTLER FORTH INTERSECTION CURRENTLY FLOODS.
AND WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE ENSUING YEARS.
UPON THE AWARD OF THIS DESIGN CONTRACT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING PROJECT REFRESHES WHAT WE TERM IT.
SO WE'LL BE TAKING ALL OF THIS PREVIOUS WORK THAT WAS DONE, WILL BE PREPARING SOME EXHIBITS, TAKING A LOOK AT THE FEEDBACK THAT WE PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED FROM COUNCIL AND FROM PUBLIC COMMENT AT OUR LAST MEETING.
WE'LL BE COMING UP WITH SOME CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS AND WE WILL BE ENGAGING WITH THE PUBLIC.
AT THAT POINT. WE WILL WE PLAN TO HOLD TWO PUBLIC TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
WE'LL BE MEETING WITH OUR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS A DONATE F USD AND SO ON.
AND ONCE WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THAT, THAT MORE PUBLIC PORTION OF THE PROGRAM, WE WILL TRANSITION TO ENGAGING WITH OUR COMMISSIONS, TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMISSION AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMISSION, ULTIMATELY CULMINATING WITH US BRINGING BACK A PRELIMINARY OR PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE TO CITY COUNCIL.
IF WE RECEIVE THAT AT THAT TIME, WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS 30% DESIGN.
I SHOULD NOTE THAT THE CONTRACT TODAY IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING PHASE A.
IT ONLY INCLUDES THIS OUTREACH EFFORT, PRELIMINARY DESIGN AND TAKING DESIGN TO 30%.
SO WE WILL BE BACK IN FRONT OF COUNCIL AT THAT TIME TO AWARD THAT MODIFICATION.
WE DO PLAN TO DELIVER THIS PROJECT BY UTILIZATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK DELIVERY PROCESS OR SEEMA, AND THAT CONTRACT WILL BE BROUGHT INTO THE PROJECT AROUND THE 60% DESIGNED LEVEL.
AND CERTAINLY THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE OR GMP WILL ALSO BE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY COUNCIL BEFORE CONSTRUCTION ACTUALLY BEGINS A HIGH LEVEL PROJECT SCHEDULE.
WE WILL BE USING THE REST OF THIS YEAR TO KIND OF DO THIS PROJECT REFRESH AND EARLY 2023, WE ANTICIPATE BEING BACK IN FRONT OF COUNCIL WINTER SPRING OF 2023 TO HOPEFULLY GET THIS DIRECTION AND MOVE THE PROJECT FULLY INTO DESIGN.
[01:55:05]
DELIVERY PROCESS AFFORDS, WE WOULD START CONSTRUCTION EARLY.AND WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE AWARD OF THIS DESIGN CONTRACT.
I JUST WANT TO NOTE BEFORE THE DISCUSSION THAT I SPOKE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY YESTERDAY ABOUT THIS, AND IT WAS NOT AGENDA IZED FOR DISCUSSION OF THE DESIGN AND THEREFORE WE CAN'T GET HEAVILY INTO THAT PART OF THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT.
SO JUST WANTED TO BE AWARE SO WE'RE NOT GETTING TOO MUCH INTO THE WEEDS.
BUT REGARDLESS, ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI. THANK YOU.
OF COURSE. I HAVE COMMENTS, I GUESS, TURNING OUT TO CUT ME OFF IF I GO OFF THE RAILS A BIT BECAUSE I DO HAVE COMMENTS ABOUT DESIGN, BUT SO CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT THE PARAMETERS OF THE DISCUSSION ARE? YEAH, THE AGENDA ITEM, THE SCOPE OF THE AGENDA ITEM IS APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT, NOT FOR THE DETAILS OF THE DESIGN THAT THAT WILL COME LATER OBVIOUSLY WHEN THEY BEGIN THAT WORK.
AM I ABLE TO OFFER SOME OVERARCHING COMMENTS ABOUT THE DESIGN AS THEY GO ABOUT THEIR PUBLIC OUTREACH? THAT WOULD THAT WOULD BE FOR THE PUBLIC OUTREACH PORTION APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR TONIGHT.
IT'S JUST ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE CONTRACT WILL BE APPROVED TO MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'S THAT'S THE THE AGENDA ITEM IS POSTED.
OKAY, SO THAT DEFINITELY CUTS MY COMMENT DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO SO MAYOR IN COUNCIL, I'LL JUST SHARE THAT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS I WANT TO THANK JEREMY AND THE TEAM FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD THIS WAY.
I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PUBLIC OUTREACH.
SO THANK YOU AND THE TEAM FOR FOR ENTERTAINING MORE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS DESIGN FOR FOUR YEARS.
BUT I'M GRATEFUL FOR WHERE THIS IS AT.
BUT I GUESS I'LL JUST SAY THAT I REALLY HOPE THAT COUNCIL CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE PAST YEAR TWO YEARS ARE REALLY ACCOUNTED IN THIS PROCESS OF THIS DESIGN AND THAT WE LOOK TO SEE HOW WE CAN BEST CALM TRAFFIC THROUGH THE WIDTH OF THE ROADS AND THE THE FOOTPRINT THAT WE HAVE.
I GUESS I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
IT WON'T COMMIT TO ONE APPROACH OR ANOTHER.
IT'S JUST VERY PRELIMINARY STUFF.
I GUESS I'M SYMPATHETIC TO MR. SIMON'S IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO START DESIGNING IT, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO START DESIGNING? SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS JUST REAL PRELIMINARY STUFF? AND IT WON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF WE DO THE CROSS SECTION YOU SHOWED OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT THAT STUFF WILL BE LATER.
THOSE WILL SERVE TO FORM THE BASIS OF THE DESIGNS THAT WE PRESENT TO THE PUBLIC AND SO ON.
WE WILL BE OFFERING THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDBACK, INPUT AND SO ON, AND WE ENCOURAGE BOTH COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI AND OTHER INTERESTED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ENGAGE IN, STAY TUNED AND ENGAGE IN THAT PROCESS AND CERTAINLY TRACK THIS PROJECT AS IT MOVES FORWARD.
THE INTENT HERE IS TO REALLY TO TRY TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS UPFRONT WHILE WE'RE IN THESE PRELIMINARY DESIGNS WHERE WE CAN MAKE CHANGES WITHOUT HAVING SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT TO EITHER PROJECT COST OR SCHEDULE.
AND SO AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OFF OF WHAT WE WOULD TYPICALLY DO, BUT UNDERSTANDING THE REQUESTS THAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING AND THE INTEREST THAT PARTICULAR THAT THIS PROJECT HAS HAD, WE FELT THAT THIS WAS THE THING TO DO, THAT WE COULD WORK THROUGH THIS, ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STAKEHOLDERS, AND MAKE SURE THAT
[02:00:08]
WE WE CAN COME TO SOME LEVEL OF CONSENSUS.IS THE HOPE AND DIRECTION FROM COUNSEL TO MOVE FORWARD.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THE OPTIONS AND THEN YOU GO THROUGH THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, ETC., AND THEN GET INPUT FROM ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED AND THEN COME BACK.
CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? NEED TO PICK THIS UP HERE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE US APPROVE THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICE CONTRACT WITH BIRD AND NIPPLE INC.
IN THE AMOUNT OF 716,401 FOR THE BUTLER FORTH IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT WITH CONTRACT DURATION OF 300 CALENDAR DAYS, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
I SECOND THAT. SO JUST A CLARIFICATION.
OKAY. THANK YOU. SECOND, THAT MOTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. HI.
AND HE OPPOSED THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[B. Consideration and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2022-30: An ordinance amending City Code to align City Code and industrial discharge permits with the language in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 40, and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 403. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: At the November 1, 2022 Council Meeting: 1) Read Ordinance No. 2022-30 by title only for the first time 2) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2022-30 by title only (if approved above) At the November 15, 2022 Council Meeting: 3) Read Ordinance No. 2022-30 by title only for the final time 4) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2022-30 by title only (if approved above) 5) Adopt Ordinance No. 2022-30]
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE TO ALIGN CITY CODE AND INDUSTRIAL DISCHARGE PERMITS WITH THE LANGUAGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.EPA 40 AND CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS CFR 403.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM THE INDUSTRIAL PRETREATMENT SUPERVISOR FOR WATER SERVICES.
AS A REFRESHER FROM LAST YEAR, THE PRETREATMENT SECTION MONITORS ALL THE BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES IN TOWN TO PROTECT OUR WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM AND WATER RECLAMATION PLANTS. SO WHAT I'M PROPOSING TODAY IS THREE CHANGES TO OUR LANGUAGE FOUND IN OUR SEWER USE ORDINANCE.
ON JUNE 7TH, A COMPANY CALLED PPG ENVIRONMENTAL, WHO IS A CONTRACTOR FOR AQ WHO WAS HIRED BY AQ, VISITED FLAGSTAFF TO CONDUCT A PRETREATMENT COMPLIANCE INSPECTION. THIS ENTAILED A RECORD REVIEW OF THE PRETREATMENT PROGRAM.
SO THESE CHANGES WILL ALIGN OUR CITY CODE AS WELL AS INDUSTRIAL DISCHARGE PERMITS WITH EPA.
THESE ARE OUR CURRENT PERMANENT INDUSTRIAL USERS.
AND THIS THESE CHANGES WILL ALSO AFFECT ANY INDUSTRIES THAT COME IN THAT NEED TO BE PERMITTED.
THE EPA LANGUAGE SAYS THEY HAVE TO RESAMPLE AND REPORT BACK TO THE CITY WITHIN 30 DAYS INSTEAD.
THE SECOND IS ADDING WE HAVE ALREADY A CODE AND PERMIT LANGUAGE THAT SAYS THEY HAVE TO KEEP SAMPLING RECORDS AND RECORDS RETENTION OF THREE YEARS, I GUESS AN EPA LANGUAGE.
THERE'S ALSO A CAVEAT THAT SAYS THAT CAN BE THE RETENTION PERIOD CAN BE EXTENDED IF THERE IS UNRESOLVED LITIGATION OR IF THE STATE DIRECTOR EPA DEEMS THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A LONGER RETENTION PERIOD.
THE THIRD IS A SIGNATORY REQUIREMENT CHANGE.
RIGHT NOW OUR MANAGER DEFINITION IS FROM LIKE THE 1980S.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE UP UNTIL THIS POINT, WE DID A 30 DAY PUBLIC OUTREACH PLAN AND WE WENT TO THE WATER COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, GAVE THEM THE SAME PRESENTATION, TOLD THEM WHAT WE WERE MOVING FORWARD WITH.
AND WE ALSO OFFERED A MEETING.
WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL. WITH THAT, I MOVED TO READ ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022 TO 3 ZERO BY TITLE ONLY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
[02:05:03]
SECOND, WHEN I DO ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS HERE ALL SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH IT.I'M GOING FOR KARA COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE.
SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? CITY MANAGER. PLEASE FOLLOW THROUGH WITH YOUR ACTION AND I'LL COMMENT AFTERWARD.
I'M SORRY, MAYOR. SOUNDS GOOD.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. AND HE OPPOSED THAT MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
CITY CLERK, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF, AMENDING CITY CODE SEVEN, HEALTH AND SANITATION, CHAPTER 020010010.
INDUSTRIAL SELF MONITORING AND CHAPTER 020010012.
A LITTLE BIT OFF THE TOPIC, BUT SOMEWHAT RELATED.
TONIGHT, WE'RE ALSO SEEING ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES GETTING READY TO EXIT THE ORGANIZATION, AND THAT WOULD BE STEVE CAMP, WHO IS ON THE VERGE OF A VERY WELL-DESERVED RETIREMENT THAT WILL BRING HIM CLOSER TO HIS FAMILY.
WE'RE ALL QUITE HAPPY FOR HIM.
AND STEVE, I'M SO SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT I'M GOOD AT THAT.
BUT THIS IS, I THINK, HIS LAST FACE TIME WITH THIS COUNCIL.
ABSOLUTELY. I'M ALL FOR EMBARRASSMENT.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING TO SAY. I MEAN, IT'S LIKE I'M RETIRING, LIKE GREG SAID ON THURSDAY.
SO JOLENE IS GOING TO BE FILLING IN FOR ME IN THE INTERIM WHEN I LEAVE, SO.
WELL, HOW MANY YEARS ALTOGETHER? SO I WORKED FOR AQ FOR 22 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR EIGHT.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
ARE YOU STAYING IN FLAGSTAFF OR.
OH, MY WIFE WANTS TO MOVE DOWN TO THE VALLEY.
ALL MY KIDS MOVED DOWN TO THE VALLEY, SO A GRANDSON DOWN THERE.
SO MY WIFE WANTS TO GO DOWN THERE.
WE'RE EMPTY NESTERS UP HERE WITH ALL OF OUR KIDS DOWN THERE, SO.
EXCELLENT. WELL, I WISH YOU VERY WELL ON YOUR NEW ADVENTURE IN RETIREMENT.
YEAH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CITY MANAGER.
[C. Consideration and Adoption of Resolution No. 2022-50: A resolution of the Flagstaff City Council adopting the Active Transportation Master Plan STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: 1) Read Resolution No. 2022-50 by title only 2) City Clerk reads Resolution No. 2022-50 by title only (if approved above) 3) Adopt Resolution No.2022-50]
A RESOLUTION OF THE FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL ADOPTING THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN.SORRY, I KNOW THIS IS THE BORING ONE FOR ME.
YOUR HONOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M THE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNER FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF.
THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION.
SO THAT ATM APP IS A IS A GUIDE FOR THE CITY TO ENHANCE WALKING AND BIKING IN FLAGSTAFF.
AND OVER THE YEARS, A NUMBER OF PLANS, BEGINNING WITH THE CITY'S REGIONAL PLAN AND THE REGIONAL PLAN BEFORE IT, HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF WALKING AND BIKING AND AND ASKED TO SUPPORT IT IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
THE ATM APP, ON THE OTHER HAND, WILL HELP IMPLEMENT THOSE THE GOALS AND VISION THAT ARE EXPRESSED IN THE REGIONAL PLAN AND PROVIDE SOME OF THOSE DETAILS FOR US TO BECOME MORE WALKING BIKE FRIENDLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
HERE I'VE GOT LISTED. THERE ARE EIGHT CHAPTERS IN THE ATM APP.
FIRST, LIKE ANY GOOD INTRODUCTION, IT LAYS SETS THE STAGE FOR THE REST OF THE DOCUMENT.
HERE WE TALK ABOUT THE OVERALL INTENT OF THE ATM APP, ITS POLICY CONTEXT RELATIVE TO THE REGIONAL PLAN AND OTHER POLICY DOCUMENTS, AND THEN WORK OUR WAY DOWN THROUGH SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND OUR APPROACH NOT JUST TO WALKING AND BIKING, BUT TRANSPORTATION PLANNING MORE GENERALLY.
[02:10:04]
HERE ARE SOME DETAILS ON THE INTENT AS INCLUDED IN THE ATM.P. WE WANT TO INCLUDE MORE DETAILED POLICY GUIDANCE FOR WALKING AND BIKING, AS I MENTIONED, TO HELP IMPLEMENT THE GOALS AND THE VISION THAT ARE ALREADY INDICATED IN THE REGIONAL PLAN.
AND FINALLY, WE FACILITATE A CHANGE IN OUR OVERALL APPROACH TO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.
AN ITEM THAT WE HAVE REFERRED TO FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO AS THE BIG SHIFT IN TRANSPORTATION.
THE FIRST PRINCIPLE HERE IS THAT WALKING AND BIKING ARE IMPORTANT TO FLAGSTAFF, NOT JUST IMPORTANT IN AND OF THEMSELVES, BUT THEY ALSO HELP US MEET SOME OF OUR OTHER GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, INCLUDING PROVIDING BETTER MOBILITY, PROMOTING EQUITY AND INCLUSIVITY.
SUSTAINABILITY. COMMUNICATION.
COMMUNITY CHARACTER. QUALITY OF LIFE AND ECONOMIC VITALITY.
SECOND PRINCIPLE IS THAT FLAGSTAFF HAS A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE WALKING AND BIKING.
WE NEED TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO MAKE THEM HAPPEN.
FOURTH POINT HERE. WALKING AND BIKING AND TRANSIT AS WELL ARE NOT EXTRA OR OPTIONAL OR WOULDN'T IT BE NICE? BUT THEY NEED TO BE INTEGRAL PARTS OF OUR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE LAST GUIDING PRINCIPLE IS THAT WALKING AND BIKING ARE PART OF A LARGER CONTEXT OF LAND USE AND COMMUNITY CHARACTER AND STREET DESIGN, AND THAT WALKING AND BIKING BOTH AFFECT THESE THINGS AND ARE AFFECTED BY THAT CONTEXT SIGNIFICANTLY.
THE APPROACH DESCRIBED IN THE PLAN AND SUMMARIZED FOR YOU HERE IN THESE FIVE BULLET POINTS IS REALLY REFLECTIVE AND A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE BIG SHIFT IN TRANSPORTATION. SO SOME OF THE POINTS ARE ARE FIRST THAT WE'D BE MORE TRANSFORMATIONAL THAN INCREMENTAL.
SO THIS IS THE TIME FOR BOLD ACTION AND BIG STEPS.
SECOND, THAT WE EMPHASIZE PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS AND DON'T OVERBUILD FOR CARS.
SO WE KNOW BASED ON EXPERIENCE THAT WHEN WE PLAN FOR CARS AND PARKING, WE GET CARS AND PARKING.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN WE PLAN FOR PEOPLE IN PLACES, WE END UP WITH PEOPLE IN PLACES.
AND HERE I REFER BACK TO WHAT I CALLED UP IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
OUR OTHER OBJECTIVES ARE OTHER VALUES INCLUDE INCLUSIVITY, EQUITY, COMMUNITY, CHARACTER, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO PROMOTE AS PART OF THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND MORE GENERALLY.
WE'RE REALLY AT A STAGE IN OUR DEVELOPMENT AS A CITY.
FLAGSTAFF IS WHERE ONE OR TWO SOLUTIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION JUST WON'T WORK FOR US ANYMORE.
AND TDM AT ITS CORE SIMPLY MEANS THAT WE SEEK TO DECREASE THE DEMAND FOR SINGLE OCCUPANCY VEHICLES AS A TRANSPORTATION MODE AND INCREASE THE CAPACITY AND THE DEMAND FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE MODES LIKE WALKING AND BIKING AND TRANSIT.
IT MOVES ON TO DESCRIBE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE.
AND THEN IT DESCRIBES THE OPPORTUNITY AND FLAGSTAFF AS WELL IN IT.
[02:15:03]
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT THERE'S A TREMENDOUS UPSIDE.CHAPTER THREE INCLUDES 13 GOALS, 32 POLICIES, AND 143 DIFFERENT STRATEGIES.
THE 32 POLICIES ARE ORGANIZED AROUND SIX DIFFERENT TOPICS THAT YOU SEE LISTED HERE.
OUTCOMES, INDICATORS AND TARGETS MAKE UP.
SO I INCLUDED HERE A VERY BASIC EXAMPLE.
WE WANT THIS PLAN TO RESULT IN MORE PEOPLE WALKING IN AND BIKING.
INDICATORS ARE HOW WE KNOW IF IF THAT'S HAPPENING OR NOT.
SO OUR TARGET FOR MODE SHARE IS TO INCREASE WALKING AND BIKING MODE SHARE BY 50% BY THE YEAR 2027.
PRESENT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW AND 20 YEARS FROM NOW.
CHAPTER FIVE TALKS ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THE PLAN HAPPEN WITH THE IDEA THAT WE DON'T MISS ANY OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT THEMSELVES OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. THERE ARE 13 PRIORITY ACTIONS HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS CHAPTER.
THOSE 13 ACTIONS ARE DRAWN FROM CHAPTER THREE GOALS AND POLICIES.
THE 13 ARE FURTHER DIVIDED INTO FOUR THAT WE CAN DO IN THE FIRST YEAR OR IMMEDIATELY, OR AS SOON AS WE CAN GET TO THEM AS WELL AS NINE, THAT WE CAN SPACE OUT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS BUT ARE STILL PRIORITIES.
BUT WE WANT TO HIT THEM FAIRLY SOON.
THIS CHAPTER CLOSES WITH A SHORT DISCUSSION ABOUT SOME OF THE RESOURCES IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND STAFF THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AND THAT WE MIGHT NEED FOR THE FUTURE AS A WAY OF BEING KIND OF REALISTIC ABOUT EXPECTATIONS AND HOW WE ROLL OUT THIS PLAN AND HOW WE IMPLEMENT IT.
CHAPTER SIX COVERS PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS.
THAT SECOND COLUMN FOR LAND USE AND URBAN FORM IS REALLY REFLECTIVE AND IN SOME WAYS DERIVATIVE OF DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE ALREADY INCLUDED ABOUT LAND USE AND URBAN FORM IN THE REGIONAL PLAN. BUT WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IN THIS DOCUMENT IS TO DRAW A DIRECT LINE BETWEEN LAND USE AND URBAN FORM AND HOW THAT TAKES PLACE AND HOW THAT AFFECTS WALKING AND BIKING AND VICE VERSA.
SO IT'S VERY EXPLICIT IN A WAY THAT THE REGIONAL PLAN IS MORE GENERAL.
CHAPTER SEVEN IS DESIGNED GUIDANCE, AND THIS IS BASED ON THE IDEA THAT THAT AND PLANNING FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE FACILITIES, IT'S ALL ABOUT GETTING THE DETAILS RIGHT. SO THIS CHAPTER DESCRIBES WHAT WALKING IN PED AND BIKE FACILITIES AND STREETS AS WELL OUGHT TO LOOK LIKE OR HOW THEY HOW THEY SHOULD FUNCTION TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF WALKING AND BIKING.
CHAPTER EIGHT INCLUDES INFRASTRUCTURE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND AS PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE RECOMMENDATIONS, THIS ALLOWS US TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WILL BUILD OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS WITH THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, PRIMARILY THROUGH THE TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX AND THE FIRST MILE LAST MILE GRANT BETWEEN THE TWO THOSE TWO SOURCES, IT ADDS UP TO ABOUT 34 AND ONE HALF MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
IT ALSO HELPS US EVERY YEAR AS THE CITY MOVES THROUGH ITS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROCESS TO IDENTIFY THE PROJECTS THAT WE WANT TO BUILD NEXT YEAR AND THE YEAR AFTER TO GET REALLY DETAILED ABOUT ABOUT HOW WE IMPLEMENT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.
[02:20:04]
I COULD ADD A BULLET POINT HERE THAT TALKS ABOUT GRANTS AND HOW THE CHAPTER EIGHT ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE REALLY SETS US UP TO PURSUE GRANTS AND HAS OUR PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED AND PROJECTS IDENTIFIED.SO WE'RE THAT MUCH CLOSER TO BEING ABLE TO TO APPLY FOR THE GRANTS THAT ARE APPLICABLE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE END OF OF MY DETAILED DESCRIPTION ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE PLAN.
I DID WANT TO CLOSE BY TAKING A FEW MOMENTS TO DESCRIBE WHO THIS PLAN IS, WHO IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND REALLY, IT'S FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO REDUCE THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT BY DRIVING LESS.
A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY.
IT'S FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE MOTIVATED TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH BY EXERCISING MORE.
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MOBILITY CHALLENGES WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO WALK OR BIKE TO NEARBY DESTINATIONS OR EVEN TO TRANSIT STOPS AS A WAY OF IMPROVING THEIR MOBILITY AND REDUCING THEIR RELIANCE ON MOUNTAIN LIFT PARATRANSIT.
STILL MORE PEOPLE, SERVICE WORKERS WHO WALK OR BICYCLES BECAUSE EVEN OWNING A BASIC CAR IS UNAFFORDABLE TO THEM OR BECAUSE TRANSIT DOESN'T SERVE THE HOURS THAT THEY NEED.
AND FINALLY, FAMILIES THAT FIND THAT.
OF OUR COMMUNITY. OF OUR POPULATION AND FLAGSTAFF.
THESE ARE PEOPLE IN FLAGSTAFF WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN WALKING OR BIKING MORE FOR TRANSPORTATION, FOR RECREATION, BUT THEY NEED TO FEEL SAFE AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE FOR THEM COMFORTABLE FACILITIES TO KIND OF GET THEM OVER THAT HUMP AND ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE ON THAT TOPIC.
THANK YOU, MARTIN. SHIMONI DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY.
SO ANYONE ELSE? I'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR, COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
I'LL JUST KEEP MY FINGERS CROSSED THAT COUNCIL SUPPORTS IT TONIGHT.
I THINK. DO WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT THERE? WELL, WE DO, YES.
OKAY. SO YOU CAN HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT WE'LL HAVE THE DISCUSSION PART AFTERWARD.
SO ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? NOT SAYING ANYTHING.
ONE QUICK QUESTION. MARTIN, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON THE AT&T? HOW MANY DECADES IS PLEADING THE FIFTH AN OPTION HERE? IT'S BEEN I THINK WE STARTED IT KIND OF IN A SOFT WAY IN 2014.
FRANKLY, IT'S BEEN A FEW YEARS.
WHEN HE WROTE HIS FIRST BICYCLE.
THAT'S WHEN HE STARTED. ANY QUESTIONS? MCCARTHY. THANK YOU, MARTIN.
I AM SUPPORTIVE, BUT I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.
IT SEEMS THAT NOW THAT ELECTRIC MOTORBIKES ARE BECOMING VERY COMMON AND THEIR SPEED IS SUBSTANTIALLY FASTER THAN A PEDAL BICYCLE, AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I'VE SEEN AROUND TOWN.
DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR DOES THIS PLAN HAVE ANYTHING THAT ADDRESSES THE WHAT MIGHT BE CONSIDERED INCOMPATIBILITY OF VERY FAST MOVING BIKES ON ON SIDEWALKS AND FOOT TRAILS AND PASS THAT PREVIOUSLY WERE PEDAL BIKES, WHICH ARE FAIRLY SLOW AND PEDESTRIANS?
[02:25:02]
THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE IN SPEED BETWEEN PEDESTRIANS AND ELECTRIC MOTORBIKES.COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY THE PLANT TALKS ABOUT IT KIND OF IN IN GENERAL TERMS ABOUT MICRO-MOBILITY, MEANING DIFFERENT FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION, FROM E-BIKES TO SCOOTERS TO SKATEBOARDS TO HOVERBOARDS THAT ARE TYPICALLY POWERED ELECTRICALLY.
AND SO WHAT IT TALKS ABOUT IS, IS BEING OPEN TO THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY PRESENT IN TERMS OF IMPROVING MOBILITY FOR PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE HAVING TO DRIVE A VEHICLE AROUND, BUT ALSO BEING SENSITIVE TO EXISTING WALKERS AND BIKERS AND THE COMPATIBILITY THAT THAT YOU MENTIONED.
AND I THINK PART OF THE REASON THAT WE HAVE CONCERNS IS THAT IN SOME RESPECTS WE THINK OF THE SPACE THAT'S ALLOCATED FOR WALKING AND BIKING AS NOT ALWAYS ADEQUATE, EVEN UNDER CURRENT CONDITIONS AND SO FORTH.
BEING ASKED TO SHARE WITH ADDITIONAL USERS WHO MAY HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS OR TRAVEL AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS OR OPERATE IN A DIFFERENT WAY, IT BECOMES KIND OF A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION. SO I CAN'T SAY THAT WE PROVIDE A LOT OF GOOD ANSWERS, BUT IT RAISES THOSE QUESTIONS AND ASKS US TO KIND OF KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND MOVE FORWARD WITH WITH WALKING AND BIKING AND EMBRACING MICROMOBILITY, BUT MAKING SURE THAT IT IS COMPATIBLE WITH OTHER WALKING AND BIKING.
BUT IN THE FUTURE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MAY MAY CREATE THE NEED FOR MODIFICATIONS.
YOU'LL BE READY TO DO THAT, I'M SURE.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS, DID YOU? HE'S GOOD. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, MUCH GRATITUDE TO TO YOUR WORK AND LEADERSHIP ON THIS PROCESS.
A LONG PROCESS AND WITH HIGHLY INVOLVED COMMUNITY AND ENGAGEMENT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW IS THE TEMPE INTERFACE WITH THE METRO PLAN STRAIGHTFORWARD, WHICH IS ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF BEING? A FINALIZATION AND I THINK WITH ADDITIONAL WITH ADDITIONAL STUDIES AND PUBLIC OUTREACH BECAUSE THE STRAIGHT FORWARD HAS ALSO THE.
THE TWO TRAVEL DEMAND STRATEGIES AS.
ON THE UPWARD THE UPWARD STRATEGIES WHICH WERE MORE OR.
AND LESS DRIVING, HOWEVER, SO FAR IN THE LAST PRESENTATION TO METRO PLAN.
UH. THE PROPOSAL SO FAR WILL INVOLVE 53 MILLION IN TERMS OF.
QUADRUPLING BICYCLIST AND BEST PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES.
AND THAT IS ON TOP OF $4.19, WHICH IS 29 MILLION, PLUS THE 5 MILLION FROM FIRST MILE, LAST MILE GRANT.
SO I GUESS I'M JUST KIND OF THINKING OUT LOUD HERE IN TERMS OF HOW IS ATM MP GOING TO BE INTERFACE WITH THE METRO LINE FORWARD? AND ALSO I'M ALSO LOOKING FORWARD FOR IT TO BE BEING INTEGRATED WITH THE REGIONAL PLAN WHICH IS IN PROCESS AS WELL.
WE HAVE BEEN SHARING INFORMATION, AND I THINK THAT WILL BE REFLECTED.
STRIVE FOR STRIDE FORWARD DOCUMENT.
SO THEY CAN USE THAT AS PART OF THEIR PLANNING.
WE PROVIDE SOME OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT GOALS AND POLICIES AND THE DETAILS FOR WALKING AND BIKING THAT I THINK WILL BE REFLECTED IN IN STRIDE FORWARD IN ONE OF THE HOPEFULLY BOTH OF THE SCENARIOS.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MENTIONED THE TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT, SO THEY GET INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS OR WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE FOR FLAGSTAFF, WHERE AS WE DON'T GET INTO AS MUCH DETAIL.
SO WE'VE BEEN SHARING IDEAS AND SHARING DATA AND KIND OF COOPERATING.
[02:30:02]
AND I EXPECT THAT THAT THE STRIDE FORWARD DOCUMENT WILL INCLUDE A LOT OF THE SAME DISCUSSION.THE REGIONAL PLAN IS IS GOING TO COVER A LOT OF GROUND, A LOT MORE THAN TRANSPORTATION.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WITH THAT, WE CAN GO TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
OUR NEWLY REAPPOINTED TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER AS OF TODAY.
CHAIR WELL APPOINTED MAYOR, COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME TODAY.
I AM HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MOUNTAIN LINE IN SUPPORT OF THE HEMP.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS PLAN HOPEFULLY BE ADOPTED TONIGHT AND MOVE FORWARD.
WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE ALONG THE WAY.
AND WE REALLY COMMEND THE EXTENSIVE PUBLIC OUTREACH THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS.
AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW TONIGHT AND MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL KNEW THAT WE WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AND THAT ALL TRANSIT RIDERS REALLY START ON BIKE BIKES OR ON FOOT. AND SO THIS PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE NETWORK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE SUCCESS OF MOUNTAIN LION, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO SEE IT IMPLEMENTED OR WE'RE HOPEFUL TO SEE IT IMPLEMENTED IN THE FUTURE.
GOOD EVENING TO HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I LIVE IN COCONINO ESTATES FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.
I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMISSION, BUT I AM SPEAKING TONIGHT ON MY OWN BEHALF.
WOW. FINALLY, WE HAVE COMPLETED THE ATM APP.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT SINCE.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ON THE BIKE ADVISORY COMMISSION.
AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP FLAG MEET ITS GOALS AND TO ENLIST AN EAGER COMMUNITY OF FLAG CITIZENS, CYCLISTS WHO WANT TO BIKE MORE FOR THEIR OWN AND FLAGS, PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, THEIR SUSTAINABILITY AND SECURITY.
MANY COMMUNITIES HAVE THE SAME CHALLENGES AS FLAGSTAFF SNOWY WINTERS, CHALLENGING WEATHER, A DEMANDING, CAR CENTRIC HISTORY, AND AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WASN'T ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR BICYCLES.
PRIORITIZE BIKE FRIENDLINESS OVER THE NEVER DEMANDING DEMANDS OF CARS, AND THUS WE HAVE PLACES LIKE BOULDER, PORTLAND AND AMSTERDAM TO ASPIRE TO LET FLAGSTAFF BE THE PINNACLE OF CYCLING TO SAFETY FOR ALL OF ARIZONA AND THE SOUTHWEST.
WE HAVE WORKED SO HARD FOR THIS DAY, AND I BELIEVE THE TEMPE HAS GOOD SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL.
BUT APPROVING THIS PLAN IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
I BEG THE COUNCIL TO BE ACTIVELY SUPPORTING THIS PLAN.
SO MANY FOLKS ARE WAITING FOR THEIR STREETS AND PATHS TO SAFELY GET THEM TO THEIR DESTINATION.
BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE IS ONLY ONE ASPECT OF OUR PLAN.
BUILD IT AND THE CYCLISTS WILL COME.
EDUCATE THEM AND MORE CYCLISTS WILL COME MAINTAIN IT AND THEY WILL STAY.
GO TO MARTIN FOR LEADING THIS THING FOR SO MANY YEARS.
THANK YOU, SUZANNE. AND WE HAVE ONLINE PARTICIPANTS.
[02:35:03]
YES, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.I HAVE ONE FOR ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENT.
MICHELLE, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND DRESS MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
HELLO, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT TONIGHT.
THE ATM ATM APP PROVIDES THESE NECESSARY DETAILS AND PRIORITIES FOR THIS INFRASTRUCTURE.
FLAGSTAFF NEEDS TO BECOME MORE PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE FRIENDLY.
TEMPE PROMOTES AND SUPPORTS THE BIG SHIFT OUTLINED IN THE FLAGSTAFF CARBON NEUTRALITY PLAN, AND THE ATM APP WILL BE A GUIDE FOR BEST PRACTICES WHEN PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE FACILITIES ARE INCLUDED AS PART OF CITY CAPITAL PROJECTS SUCH AS ROADWAYS AND INTERSECTIONS.
THIS IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND WILL FLIP THE STATUS QUO TO PRIORITIZING PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLES AND OTHER WHEELED TRANSPORT ALONG WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND THE WORK OF MARTIN INCE, WHO LED THIS MULTI-YEAR EFFORT, I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW HOW MULTI-YEAR IT WAS THERE.
AND ENCOURAGE COUNCIL TO ADOPT THE PLAN.
AND I SEE THAT IT'S OUR LAST PUBLIC PARTICIPANT.
SO HAPPY TO OPEN IT UP TO DISCUSSION FOR COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MARTIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK ON THIS.
AND TO HEAR HOW LONG THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS IS REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
THE OTHER THING THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME IS IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE IN THE DRAFTING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN WAS THE VARIETY OF COMMISSIONS AND GROUPS THAT THIS WENT BEFORE. I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO CALL FORWARD BECAUSE AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INCREASING INCLUSIVITY AND AND EQUITY AND SUPPORTING THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY, TO SEE THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT THIS WENT BEFORE, IT INCLUDES THE BEAUTIFICATION AND PUBLIC ART COMMISSION, THE COMMISSION ON DIVERSITY AWARENESS, THE COMMISSION ON INCLUSION AND ADAPTIVE LIVING, THE HOUSING COMMISSION, OPEN SPACES, COMMISSION, PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION, PLANNING AND ZONING SUSTAINABILITY AND TOURISM COMMISSIONS.
THAT'S IMPRESSIVE AND THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT, I THINK, FOR THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING IN DEVELOPING FLAGSTAFF FUTURE TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS A PLACE THAT IS TRULY ENHANCING AND PROTECTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU TO THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEES FOR THEIR WORK, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE REST OF OUR COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS.
THANKS. YU COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE, VICE MAYOR AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
BEAT YOU TO IT. I ALSO WANTED TO THANK MARTIN AND EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS AND JUST GIVE YOU ALL A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE FOR ME. I'VE LIVED HERE ALMOST 30 YEARS.
AND, YOU KNOW, OUR TOWN HAS CHANGED, BUT I THINK WE'RE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND I JUST THANK YOU FOR HELPING US STAY THAT WAY.
AND NOT ONLY AM I BIKING, BUT I'M ALSO RUNNING ON OUR STREETS NOW.
I'M TRAINING FOR A HALF MARATHON, ALL TWO OF THEM.
AND I FEEL I FEEL SAFE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING THIS, THIS PROGRESS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS.
WE ARE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND THANK YOU.
THE VICE MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI THANK YOU, MAYOR.
VICE MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW IF I FEEL SAFE ON THE ROADS, BUT I'M GLAD YOU DO.
YOU KNOW, I'M SO GRATEFUL, MARTIN, TO YOU AND THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES AND THE COMMISSIONS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT PARTNERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS OVER THE YEARS.
JEFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ALL OF US, TOO.
I KNOW THAT MARTIN'S GOT A STRONG TEAM BEHIND THEM SUPPORTING HIM AND CHEERING HIM ON.
I SEE OUR FORMER MAYOR IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
YOU KNOW, I WAS UP HERE FLAILING, TRYING TO ADJUST THINGS AND FIX THINGS.
AND I REMEMBER MY ONE ON ONES WITH CORAL, SHE'D SAY, ADAM, YOU GOT TO SEE THAT ATM THROUGH.
[02:40:02]
AND I SAID, OKAY.I MET WITH MARTIN. WE TALKED ABOUT IT.
AND SHE SAID, WELL, CAN YOU SEE IF YOU CAN GET THROUGH BEFORE SUMMER BREAK? AND I WAS LIKE, YEAH, SURE, NO PROBLEM.
NEXT SUMMER BREAK CAME AND WENT.
AND AND I KIND OF WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS ACCOMMODATING THE TEMP.
JEFF AND THE TEAM ARE LOOKING AT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND RUNNING WITH THEM.
BUT IT IS SO GOOD TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND I AM SO EXCITED THAT THIS IS BEING ACHIEVED BY US TONIGHT.
THIS HAS BEEN MANY, MANY YEARS IN THE MAKING.
AND AND THEY'VE SAT ON THE SHELF AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
AND SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS ISN'T JUST SOMETHING THAT IS JUST PUT ON THE SHELF? YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY IT'S GOING TO COME DOWN TO FUNDING.
YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKING TO JEREMY DECATUR DURING THE BREAK AND HE GOES, WE NEED TEN MARTINS.
AND SO I WANT TO PLANT A SEED AND SAY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT TEN RIGHT AWAY, BUT 2 TO 5 I THINK IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOWARDS COUNCIL IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, STARTING IMMEDIATELY. AND SO, YOU KNOW, 2 TO 5 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES WHO CAN WORK AS TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT INDIVIDUALS AND ALSO PLANNERS TO HELP.
MARTIN DIVIDE AND CONQUER THE WORK THAT HE AND THE TEAM NEED TO DO.
LET'S EXPAND FROM 1 TO 3 OR 1 TO 4 AND THEN SLOWLY BUILD UP.
RIGHT? AND THE OTHER COMPONENT OF THE FUNDING IS JUST THE VISION ZERO THAT WE RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT.
AS WE KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY COSTLY.
SO AND I THINK THAT MONEY CAN COME OUT OF 4.19.
SO I'M HOPING THAT COUNCIL WILL HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS DURING THE BUDGET.
I'LL BE HERE AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC AND I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN AT LEAST SEE THOSE TWO THINGS THROUGH VISION ZERO AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. LAST LASTLY, LAST QUESTION IS, MARTIN, WHERE'S THE PARTY AT? THANK YOU. AND AND REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS, GETTING SEEN THROUGH TONIGHT.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS AND THEN MCCARTHY.
I AM VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THIS PLAN.
THE MIND, BODY AND SOUL OF A FULLY INTEGRATED MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
I REALLY DO. LET'S GET THIS APPROVED.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY WELL, THE HARD PART IS DONE NOW.
THE EASY PART FOR YOU, MARTIN, IS JUST FINDING $200 MILLION.
SO IT'S ALL IT'S ALL EASY SKATING FROM HERE.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PASS THE TORCH TO THE MAN WHO NEEDS TO MAKE THE MOTION.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I LIKE TO READ RESOLUTION NUMBER 2022 50 BY TITLE ONLY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS VICE-CHAIR OF THE STATEWIDE RURAL TRANSPORTATION ADVOCACY COUNCIL.
I AM YOUR PERSON IN BRINGING STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS TO THIS PLAN STARTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I WANT TO PUT REGINA IN CHARGE OF GETTING US SOME FUNDING.
SOUNDS GOOD. IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OUR EFFORTS ON THAT FRONT.
WITH THAT, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. I.
[02:45:03]
AND HE OPPOSED.YES. OH, YOU GOT TO READ AND I'LL NEED TO READ IT AGAIN.
A RESOLUTION OF THE FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL ADOPTING THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN.
MAY I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 2022 TO 50.
I SECOND THAT MOTION TO ADOPT MOST OF MY COUNCIL MEMBER CEREMONY.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? HI.
HI. NEW POSTS THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
EXCELLENT. WE ARE NOW DOWN TO AGENDA ITEM 12 DX.
[D. Consideration and Adoption of Resolution No. 2022-52: A Resolution of the Flagstaff City Council, requiring that new construction and major renovation of all city-owned, non-housing section, occupied facilities achieve emissions-neutral operations, and that these same facilities shall be designed to support one or more functions of a “community resilience hub” to support vulnerable community members during disruptive events, and that in the event that a city-owned building or property is being vacated by the city, that the housing section first have the opportunity to evaluate the property and determine the feasibility of re-purposing or developing in a manner that supports increasing the number of available and affordable housing units, and repealing Resolution no. 2014-09. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: 1) Read Resolution No. 2022-52 by title only 2) City Clerk reads Resolution No. 2022-52 by title only (if approved above) 3) Adopt Resolution No. 2022-52]
THIS IS THE CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 2022 TO 52 RESOLUTION OF THE FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL REQUIRING THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR RENOVATION OF ALL CITY OWNED NON HOUSING SECTION OCCUPIED FACILITIES ACHIEVE EMISSIONS NEUTRAL OPERATIONS, AND THAT THESE SAME FACILITIES SHALL BE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT ONE OR MORE FUNCTIONS OF A COMMUNITY RESILIENCE HUB TO SUPPORT VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS DURING DISRUPTIVE EVENTS, AND THAT IN THE EVENT THAT A CITY OWNED BUILDING OR PROPERTY IS BEING VACATED BY THE CITY, THAT THE HOUSING SECTION FIRST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF REPURPOSING OR DEVELOPING IN A MANNER THAT SUPPORTS INCREASING THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AND REPEALING RESOLUTION NUMBER 2014 ZERO NINE.THAT'S. THAT IS A MOUTHFUL WHEN YOU SAY IT.
YEAH. WE'LL SEE IF MYSELF OR SALTZBURG CAN READ IT FASTER.
IT'S WIGGING OUT. NO PROBLEM, RAMON.
IF YOU CAN TRY AGAIN TO SHARE THAT.
MY INTENTION TODAY IS TO BE QUITE BRIEF.
HERE YOU WILL SEE THE AGENDA AFTER A SINGLE BACKGROUND SLIDE.
IT WILL THEN BE UP TO COUNCIL TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER THE MATTER FOR ADOPTION.
THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING RESOLUTION WAS FIRST ADOPTED IN 2008.
SINCE THEN, IT HAS SERVED AS A POLICY DOCUMENT THAT OUTLINES THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT THE CITY WILL ADHERE TO AS AN ORGANIZATION WHEN COMMISSIONING THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW OCCUPIED BUILDINGS OR UNDERTAKING MAJOR RENOVATIONS OF EXISTING OCCUPIED BUILDINGS.
THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING RESOLUTION HAS ALWAYS SET AN ORGANIZATIONAL STANDARD THAT IS BEYOND CODE.
THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING RESOLUTION HAS BEEN REVISED ONCE IN 2014.
TODAY, FOLLOWING MONTHS LONG PROCESS WITH AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL CREW THAT INCLUDED REPRESENTATION FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES, HOUSING, REAL ESTATE, SUSTAINABILITY.
ONCE AGAIN, THEY ARE LISTED HERE IN THE ORDER THAT THEY WERE ADOPTED BY COUNCIL THIS WEEK.
I WILL NOT REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE SPECIFIC CONNECTIONS TO EACH OF THESE.
SIMPLY REEMPHASIZE THAT UPDATING POLICY DOCUMENTS SUCH AS THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING RESOLUTION IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF ACTION ENVISIONED BY THE ADOPTION OF THESE RESOLUTIONS AND DOCUMENTS. THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES THE THREE MAIN GOALS OF THE PROPOSED REVISIONS AND UPDATES.
THESE I WILL UNPACK IN THE NEXT THREE SLIDES.
THE FIRST GOAL IS TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM CITY BUILDINGS.
THE UPDATED SUSTAINABILITY BUILDING RESOLUTION MAINTAINS THE SAME MINIMUM CERTIFICATION AND OR PERFORMANCE PATHWAYS AS THE STARTING POINT IN TERMS OF PROVIDING GUIDANCE FOR THE ENVELOPE INSULATION, MATERIALS USED AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
IN ADDITION, IN MOST CASES, IT IS EXPECTED THAT AN ALL ELECTRIC DESIGN WILL BE A VIABLE APPROACH.
[02:50:02]
OPERATION. HOWEVER, LOW GRADE SPACE HEATING IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE ONE OF THESE INCOMPATIBLE PROCESSES.FINALLY, THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING RESOLUTION BOTH DEFINES AND CALLS FOR EMISSIONS NEUTRAL OPERATIONS AND NOTES THAT ALL ELECTRIC DESIGNS WILL ADHERE TO THIS STANDARD SO LONG AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GREEN POWER PARTNERS PROGRAM WITH APS.
THE SECOND GOAL IS TO INCREASE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE BY ENSURING THAT NEW BUILDINGS INCLUDE AMENITIES TO SUPPORT VULNERABLE RESIDENTS DURING DISRUPTIVE WEATHER OR OTHER EXTREME EVENTS.
THOSE BEING NEW CONSTRUCTION, MAJOR RENOVATION AS WELL AS NOW VACATING OF THE SITE.
THESE UPDATES ARE CAPTURED IN SECTION FOUR OF THE BE IT RESULTS SECTION.
SECTION FIVE OF THE BE IT RESOLVED DESCRIBES A PROCESS THAT DIRECTS THE HOUSING SECTION TO EVALUATE BUILDINGS AND PROPERTIES BEING VACATED BY THE CITY TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF REPURPOSING OR DEVELOPING IN A MANNER THAT SUPPORTS THIS GOAL.
BY PRIORITIZING THIS PROCESS, THE HOUSING SECTION IN COORDINATION WITH REAL ESTATE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS WILL BE ABLE TO CONSIDER ANY NUMBER OF CREATIVE OPTIONS, AS WELL AS UNIQUE RESTRICTIONS THAT MAY ARISE WITH EACH BUILDING OR PROPERTY.
BOTH CHANGES OCCUR IN THE WHEREAS SECTION.
NO CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE ENACTMENT SECTION.
WE DISCUSSED THE CHANGES TO WHEREAS NUMBER SEVEN.
NOW THESE CHANGES ARE FORMALLY REFLECTED IN THE RED LINE DOCUMENT AS WELL AS THE FINAL DOCUMENT.
WHEREAS NUMBER 12 IS AN ADDITION THAT HAS BEEN MADE BASED ON COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS COMMENTS AND HER RECOGNITION OF THE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN ECONOMIC VITALITY ADAPTIVE REUSE PROGRAM AND THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING RESOLUTION, SPECIFICALLY THE INHERENT SUSTAINABILITY OF REPURPOSING EXISTING BUILDINGS.
WITH THAT, I WILL BRING THE PRESENTATION TO A CONCLUSION.
THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR. VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AND THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR UP FOR DISCUSSION? MM HMM. WE DON'T HAVE ANY PARTICIPATION CARD, SO.
THAT'S WHEN RESULTS. I ECHOED THE GRATITUDE TO STAFF IN INCORPORATING MY SUGGESTION.
THE LAST TIME WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT INTERFACING WITH OUR ADAPTIVE REUSE PROGRAM.
THAT'S A PROGRAM WITH OUR ECONOMIC VITALITY TEAM.
HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN EMOTION AT THIS POINT.
OR I'M GOING TO DO IT BETTER, SOMEONE BETTER JUMP ON IT.
CARL SUAREZ. MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU. I MOVED TO READ RESOLUTION NUMBER 2022 52 BY TITLE ONLY.
I SECOND THAT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT, I.
ALL RIGHT. IN YOUR POST, I CARRY A CITY CLERK, A RESOLUTION OF THE FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL REQUIRING THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR RENOVATION OF ALL CITY OWNED NON HOUSING SECTION OCCUPIED FACILITIES ACHIEVE EMISSIONS NEUTRAL OPERATIONS, AND THAT THESE SAME FACILITIES SHALL BE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT ONE OR MORE FUNCTIONS OF A COMMUNITY RESILIENCE HUB TO SUPPORT VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS DURING DISRUPTIVE EVENTS, AND THAT IN THE EVENT THAT A CITY OWNED BUILDING OR PROPERTY IS BEING VACATED BY THE CITY, THAT THE HOUSING SECTION FIRST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF REPURPOSING OR DEVELOPING IN A MANNER THAT SUPPORTS INCREASING THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE AND AFFORDABLE UNITS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, AND REPEALING RESOLUTION NUMBER 2014 ZERO NINE.
[02:55:04]
THANK YOU. CITY CLERK.I SAID IT FASTER, BUT COUNCILMAN, HAS I MOVED TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 2022 DASH 52 I SECOND THAT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
THAT MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU, SUSTAINABILITY TEAM.
[E. Consideration and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2022-29: An ordinance of the City Council of the City of Flagstaff, amending section 1-07-001-0005, Salaries, of the Flagstaff City Code, and establishing an effective date. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: At the November 1, 2022 Council Meeting: 1) Read Ordinance No. 2022-29 by title only for the first time 2) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2022-29 by title only (if approved above) At the November 15, 2022 Council Meeting: 3) Read Ordinance No. 2022-29 by title only for the final time 4) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2022-29 by title only (if approved above) 5) Adopt Ordinance No. 2022-29]
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF AMENDING SECTION 1070010005 SALARIES OF THE FLAGSTAFF CITY CODE AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M JUST PULLING UP MY PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE BRIEF PAUSE.
THAT'S THE POSITION THAT SUPPORTS THIS WORK WITH THE COMMISSION ON COUNCIL SALARIES.
SO TO START WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, THE CITY CODE ON COUNCIL SALARIES OUTLINES THE CURRENT COMPENSATION AND THE PROCESS FOR REQUESTING A CHANGE IN COUNCIL SALARIES. CURRENT COMPENSATION FOR OUR MAYOR IS A SALARY OF $38,500 IN THIS CODE AND IT ALSO INCLUDES A $250 PER MONTH OR 3000 PER YEAR ROUTINE TRAVEL AND MEAL STIPEND.
THERE'S ALSO AN OPTION OF THE MAYOR CHOOSING A CAR THAT'S INSURED AND MAINTAINED BY THE CITY, AND THEN THIS STIPEND IS REDUCED TO $150 PER MONTH OR 1800 DOLLARS PER YEAR.
THE CURRENT COMPENSATION FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHICH DOES INCLUDE THE VICE MAYOR, IS A SALARY OF $25,500 AND 166 PER MONTH, OR 1992 PER YEAR.
ROUTINE TRAVEL AND MEALS STIPEND.
THIS INCLUDES OUR HEALTH, DENTAL, LIFE AND STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
ON JANUARY 7TH OF 2020, ORDINANCE 2019-39 WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL, AND THIS MEANS THAT SALARIES WOULD BE REVIEWED UPON THE REQUEST OF THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL RATHER THAN A PROCESS THAT WOULD BE ENDURED EVERY FOUR YEARS.
IN FEBRUARY OF THE SAME YEAR, A REQUEST WAS MADE BY THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL.
SO CITY STAFF BEGAN OUTREACH TO FILL THIS COMMISSION ON COUNCIL SALARIES.
THIS OCCURRED IN APRIL OF 2022.
BETWEEN JUNE AND AUGUST OF THE SAME YEAR, WE MET WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING PARKS AND RECREATION, TOURISM, WATER AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONS TO APPOINT THEIR MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THE CITIZEN COMMISSION OF COUNCIL SALARIES, IN ADDITION TO THOSE FOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT YOU APPOINTED.
THE COMMISSIONERS WERE PROVIDED.
AN EXAMPLE OF WORK FOR BOTH MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS WAS INFORMATION THAT'S DESCRIBED IN OUR CITY CHARTER, OUR CITY CODE, ALONG WITH OTHER ROLES SUCH AS THE COMMISSION COUNCIL LIAISON, AS WELL AS PARTICIPATION IN PARTNER AGENCY MEETINGS.
WHAT'S MINIMUM WAGE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY? THE COST OF LIVING AND LIVING WAGE DATA.
A FORM WAS ADDED TO SUPPORT WRITTEN INPUT AND A PRESS RELEASE WAS PROVIDED ON OCTOBER 3RD.
[03:00:04]
THIS YEAR AND A SECOND INCREASE FROM THAT SAME 54,340 TO $70,180, EFFECTIVE IN DECEMBER OF 2024. FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND AGAIN, INCLUDING THE VICE MAYOR.THE RECOMMENDED INCREASE FOLLOWING THE ELECTION IS GOING FROM 25500 TO 44650 AND THEN 63,800 EFFECTIVE DECEMBER OF 2024.
THE STIPEND RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE A $50 PER MONTH INCREASE FOR THE MAYOR FOR, AGAIN, THE ROUTINE TRAVEL AND MEALS STIPEND THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE CITY CODE AND A $34 PER MONTH FOR THE COUNCIL STIPENDS.
THE COMMISSIONERS ARE RECOMMENDING THE RETENTION OF THE VEHICLE OPTION FOR THE POSITION OF MAYOR.
THIS SLIDE ARTICULATES THE REASONS FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS PROVIDED BY THE COMMISSIONERS.
THE COMMISSION RECOGNIZED THE IRREGULAR SCHEDULE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH TUESDAY MEETINGS, RETREATS AND EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND SUPPORT TO COMMISSIONS AND OTHER AGENCIES AND HOW DIFFICULT IT MAY BE TO FIT THIS IN WITH A NORMAL WORK SCHEDULE.
IT RECOGNIZES THE ROLE THROUGH RESPONSIBILITY AND THE IMPACT OF COUNCIL DECISIONS.
THE SALARIES BEING RECOMMENDED ALIGN COUNCIL SALARIES CLOSER TO THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WHICH ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS WITHIN THE SAME AREA AND THESE RATES ARE SET IN ARIZONA REVISED STATUTE 11-419.
SO THAT'S THE PRESENTATION I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY.
SO THANK YOU, SHANNON, AND WE'LL START WITH JEFFREY [INAUDIBLE].
MY HIGHLY STRATEGIC NOTE SYSTEM HERE.
MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE HERE TONIGHT.
I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE INCREASE IN THIS, AND I WAS JUST SITTING BACK THERE THINKING HOW AWKWARD YOU ALL MUST FEEL HAVING SOMEBODY JUST TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU GET PAID, IN A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE, BUT ANYWAY, I LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS AND I'VE BEEN NEGLECTFUL.
I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THEY WERE WHAT THEY WERE UNTIL RECENTLY, AND I SEE NUMBERS THAT DO NOT CREATE A PLACE FOR DIVERSITY IN THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT CAN RUN FOR THESE POSITIONS.
THESE DON'T FEEL LIKE LIVABLE WAGES TO ME AS I LOOK AT THEM, AS I TALK WITH FRIENDS, AS I CONSIDER OTHER PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS, I'VE HAD THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT COMMENSURATE WITH THOSE NUMBERS, AND, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT INCREASING THESE WAGES WILL CREATE A SPACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE A MORE DIVERSE COUNCIL.
I THINK AS I LOOK AT THE COUNCIL TODAY, IT'S VERY DIVERSE AND I LOVE THAT, BUT THE COST OF LIVING IN FLAGSTAFF IS NOT GOING DOWN AS FAR AS I'VE SEEN, AND I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO EVENTUALLY CREATE A SITUATION WHERE UNLESS YOU'RE RETIRED, UNLESS YOU OWN A BUSINESS, UNLESS YOU'RE INDEPENDENTLY WEALTHY, OR UNLESS YOU'RE WILLING TO DO THE FLAGSTAFF FOUR JOBS SIDE HUSTLE, HOW'S A SINGLE MOTHER GOING TO BE ABLE TO RUN FOR ONE OF THESE POSITIONS AND FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A LIFE FOR HERSELF AND HER CHILD? I JUST LOOK AT ALL OF THESE AND I WONDER HOW IT'S HOW IT'S GOING ON SO FAR, AND I JUST WOULD ASK YOU TO
[03:05:05]
CONSIDER THAT THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT YOU AND YOUR POSITION, BUT FUTURE COUNCILS, FUTURE MAYORSHIPS, AND AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE COST OF LIVING GO UP AND UP AND UP, I FEEL LIKE THESE NUMBERS I HEARD KIND OF A WHISTLE AND SOMEONE SAID 70,180 PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS OF COMMENSURATE RESPONSIBILITY ARE WELL WITHIN THAT NUMBER.YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR OF FLAGSTAFF OVERSEES THE NEEDS AND WANTS OF 80,000 PEOPLE, AND I DON'T THINK THAT A NUMBER LIKE THAT WE'VE DONE SO MUCH HARD WORK IN THIS CITY TO WORK TOWARDS LIVABLE WAGES, INCLUDING INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN RECENT INCREASES TO STAFF SALARIES HERE IN THE CITY, AND I FULLY BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL BE A POSITIVE MOVEMENT FOR CREATING DIVERSITY AND CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE.
KYLE [INAUDIBLE]. ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR.
VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL, CITY STAFF.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ME SPEAK TODAY.
I ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THE COUNCIL FOR COMMISSION SALARIES.
I JUST WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO, ONE, LIKE HIGHLIGHT THE EXPERIENCE.
THE FIRST COMMISSION I'VE EVER SAT ON.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE REALLY, TO SEE HOW MUCH WORK THAT CITY STAFF DOES PUT IN TO SUPPORT ALL THE WORK THAT THE COMMISSIONS AND CITY COUNCIL DO, AND THEN JUST TO SEE CITY GOVERNMENT PLAY OUT, AND I DON'T KNOW.
IT WAS FUN. IT WAS FUN AS WELL.
IT WAS A GOOD TIME, BUT LET ME GET BACK TO WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.
I'M REALLY, REALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE DIRECTION THAT WE KIND OF ENDED UP WITH.
I WANT TO ADDRESS KIND OF A COUPLE OF CONCERNS THAT I'VE SEEN ONLINE.
ONE IS THAT WE'RE KIND OF VOTING ON OUR OWN SALARIES AND STUFF, AND THIS IS FOR THE FUTURE AS WELL, AND THE REASON WE KIND OF SPLIT IT UP INTO TWO BITS, ONE WAS TOUCHED ON, BUT THE OTHER BIT IS THAT OUR FOLKS WHO WERE ELECTED IN 2020 ARE GOING TO BE MAKING THAT CURRENT 25,000 SALARY THROUGH THEIR FULL TERM.
THEY WON'T GET THIS INITIAL RAISE, IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO I THINK THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON THAT IT WAS SPLIT UP AS WELL TOO.
THEY NEED A RAISE TOO, BUT THERE'S NO REASON THAT YOU GUYS ALSO SHOULDN'T GET A RAISE.
WE DO NEED MORE, MORE PROFESSIONAL CITY COUNCIL.
WE NEED MORE QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
I THINK WE SEE THAT THIS YEAR.
I MEAN, I THINK YOU CAN POINT OUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS AS SOME REASONS WHY WE DON'T HAVE A FULL SLATE ON OUR BALLOT THIS YEAR, BUT I THINK THE SALARY IS ONE OF THOSE HUGE REASONS I WANTED TO TOUCH ON KIND OF WHERE WE ARE STATEWIDE HERE.
I'M VERY NERVOUS ABOUT WHERE OUR STATEWIDE POLITICS ARE GOING, REALLY WHERE OUR STATE LEGISLATURE IS GOING, AND SO WE REALLY, REALLY NEED A STRONG CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR OVER THESE OVER THIS NEXT DECADE, FOR SURE.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED A STRONG MAYOR AND STRONG CITY COUNCIL, AND SO WE NEED FOLKS WHO ARE PREPARED TO DO THE JOB, AND I THINK THIS RAISE IS GOING TO MAKE IT SO THAT WE HAVE MORE QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
THANK YOU, KYLE. WE GOT FROM THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER LIST OF 17 CITIES AND WHAT THEY'RE PAYING THE MAYORS AND COUNCIL. I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU DON'T, I'LL GO TO SHANNON, WHAT DOES THE LEGISLATURE PAY JUST FOR? YEAH, LEGISLATURE DOESN'T PAY ANY.
I MEAN, IT PAYS THE SAME AS CITY COUNCIL HERE, 24,000 A YEAR, AND I THINK THAT'S SOME OF THE REASONS WE SEE SO MUCH CORRUPTION AT OUR STATE LEGISLATURE, AND THEN ALSO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF WE PAY TOO MUCH, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THESE LEGISLATORS ON FOR FOREVER AND EVER? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CURRENTLY AT 24,000 AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
THESE GUYS HANG ON TO POWER FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, EVEN WITH TERM LIMITS.
YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION. THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
KYLE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND YOUR SERVICE ON THE COMMISSION.
[03:10:02]
I KNOW WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY GETTING AHEAD OR BUYING A HOME, BUT THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT JUMP FROM WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.ABSOLUTELY. SO WE DID LOOK AT ALL THE CITY WAGES, THE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT AND THAT'S WHAT WE CONSIDERED, BUT WHAT WE WANTED TO REALLY TIE IT TO WAS THE CITY COUNTY OF SUPERVISORS.
JUST THE CITY COUNCIL GETS A LOT MORE FLACK.
YOU GUYS DEAL WITH A LOT MORE CRAP IN PUBLIC, AND ALSO, I WANT TO NOTE THAT COUNTY SUPERVISORS ARE GETTING A RAISE IN 24 TO GET UP TO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S 80 OR 90,000, BUT THEY WILL BE MAKING MORE THAN YOU.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF.
APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME THIS EVENING.
THIS TOPIC IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AS YOU KNOW, YOU MAY REMEMBER ME FROM HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, BUT I'M NOT WEARING THAT HAT TONIGHT.
SO HOUSING IS ALWAYS NUMBER ONE.
DEMOCRACY FOR ME IS NUMBER THREE.
SO WHAT I WANT TO SEE HAPPEN IS I WANT TO INSTILL OR TAKE AWAY THE FEAR OF GIVING YOURSELVES A RAISE. YOU DESERVE IT.
I DON'T KNOW THE LAST TIME THAT YOU GUYS GOT A RAISE, BUT IT WAS PROBABLY AT LEAST 15 YEARS AGO.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR MINIMUM WAGE THEN, COMPARED TO NOW, I THINK IT MIGHT BE AN APPROPRIATE RATIO.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PAYING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, ESPECIALLY FOR ALL OF YOU AT THE DAIS, A LIVING WAGE OR AT LEAST AN APPROPRIATE WAGE IS SIMPLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE NEED A GREATER REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE ON COUNCIL.
WE'RE NOW TALKING ABOUT EXCLUSION, EQUITY AND DIVERSITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE IN FLAGSTAFF.
I QUESTION YOU HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE 9 TO 5 SHIFT JOBS WHERE YOU CANNOT LEAVE YOUR WORK EXCEPT FOR WHEN YOUR SUPERVISOR GIVES YOU THAT BREAK? YOU CAN'T.
RIGHT. THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
YOU'RE MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS FOR ALL OF US, AND IT REALLY SHOULD COME FROM A DIVERSE BACKGROUND OF PEOPLE, THOSE THAT ARE AFFECTED NEGATIVELY , AND THOSE ARE AFFECTED POSITIVELY IN FLAGSTAFF.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT STATEWIDE COMPENSATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT'S PART OF OUR PROBLEMS IN OUR POLITICS STATEWIDE.
I ALSO WANT TO MAKE ONE OTHER COMMENT.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO BUY A HOUSE FROM FLAGSTAFF, RIGHT? ONLY ONE PERSON IS SHAKING HIS HEAD BECAUSE HE DOESN'T OWN A HOUSE IN FLAGSTAFF.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A BIG DISPARITY HERE.
MY RECOMMENDATION? VOTE WITH YOUR GUT.
KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT A NEW COUNCIL COMING FORWARD SOON AND YOU SHOULD VOTE WITH THE EXPECTATIONS YOU WANT TO SEE THEM IN YOUR SEATS FOR THE LAST TWO OR FOUR YEARS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, ERIC.
DR. [INAUDIBLE] EVANS, COME ON DOWN.
LOTS OF SMILING FACES WHEN [INAUDIBLE] COMES DOWN.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC TONIGHT.
TRUE LEADERSHIP RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF AND THE NEED FOR DIVERSITY, AND THEY ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT DIVERSITY IS MORE THAN SKIN COLOR, OUR GENDER.
DIVERSITY MEANS A DIVERSITY OF INTEREST THOUGHTS, IDEAS, VALUES, CULTURES, BACKGROUNDS, SKILL SETS, LIVED EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION AND WORK HISTORY.
THE JOB OF A PUBLIC SERVANT REQUIRES TREMENDOUS DEDICATION AND TIME.
[03:15:02]
IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, IT IS A NOBLE ONE AND ONE THAT THE COMPENSATION NEEDS TO REFLECT THE VALUE OF THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE, THE DECISIONS BEING MADE AND THE SKILL SET THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS COME TO EXPECT.WITH THE EXCEPTION OF VERY FEW INDIVIDUALS, MYSELF BEING ONE, HISTORICALLY OUR CITY FOR SOMEONE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SERVE IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE.
YOU WOULD HAVE HAD TO COME FROM PRIVILEGE.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM WEALTH.
YOU EITHER CAME FROM WEALTH, HAD WELFARE, HAD ACCESS TO WEALTH.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING AS YOU WEIGH YOUR DECISION TONIGHT.
IS IT EQUITABLE? FOR ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE PRIVILEGE, THOSE WHO EITHER COME FROM WEALTH, HAVE WEALTH, OR HAVE ACCESS TO WEALTH.
IS IT EQUITABLE THAT THOSE PEOPLE.
EVANS. COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU.
[INAUDIBLE], I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US.
IF YOU CARE TO SHARE, I KNOW THAT YOU PERSONALLY IN YOUR SERVICE HAD TO WORK MULTIPLE JOBS.
WOULD YOU MIND SHARING WHAT YOUR REALITY WAS TO SERVE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE CITY AND THEN AS OUR MAYOR FOR TWO TERMS? IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO BE NOT ONLY ON COUNCIL BUT MAYOR HERE IN THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I OVER THAT.
I WOULD ALSO SAY, AS YOUR MAYOR, I WORKED A TOTAL OF FOUR JOBS, ONE JOB MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW.
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO FIND AN EMPLOYER AND A JOB THAT FIT THAT SCHEDULE.
NOT EVERYBODY HAS THAT OPPORTUNITY.
I WILL TELL YOU, IN PREVIOUS COUNCILS, YOU HAD PEOPLE WHO ALMOST LOST JOBS BECAUSE OF THE COUNCIL SCHEDULE THAT THEY WERE REQUIRED TO ATTEND. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE BUDGET HEARINGS THAT TAKE THREE DAYS, AT SOME POINT YOU RUN OUT OF VACATION TIME.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MACKENZIE JONES 2121 NORTH TALKINGTON DRIVE.
MAYOR EVANS IS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW, BUT I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I SERVED ON THE COMMISSION FOR COUNCIL SALARIES, AND FIRST, I JUST WANT TO THANK SHANNON ANDERSON FOR ALL OF HER WORK AS OUR STAFF LIAISON TO THE COMMISSION .
I DO KNOW THAT THIS CONVERSATION SOMETIMES GETS FRAMED AS YOU ALL VOTING ON YOUR OWN SALARIES, BUT AS EVERYONE HAS SAID, AND I'M GOING TO SAY AGAIN, IT'S VOTING ON FUTURE COUNCIL SALARIES, AND THAT'S QUITE LITERALLY WHY YOU HAD A CITIZEN'S COMMISSION WAS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND THAT WE COULD DO THAT RESEARCH AND THAT WE AS AS RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY COULD THINK THROUGH THOSE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS BECAUSE I REALIZE IT IS AWKWARD FOR YOU, AND SO THIS DECISION ISN'T ABOUT YOU, THOUGH, RIGHT? SO WE'VE BEEN FRAMING IT AS ABOUT YOU.
IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T BE UP HERE AND WHO CAN'T SERVE ON THE CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MAKE IT WORK FINANCIALLY ON THE CURRENT SALARY.
SO I THINK THAT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO SHAPE FUTURE COUNCILS FOR DECADES, AND IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF POLITICAL COURAGE, WHICH IS A WEIRD THING TO SAY TO PEOPLE WHEN YOU'RE TELLING THEM TO GIVE THEMSELVES A RAISE, BUT IT DOES, RIGHT? IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF POLITICAL COURAGE TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T IN THE ROOM TONIGHT.
I BELIEVE YOU CAN DO THIS, AND I'M SUPER EXCITED TO SEE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO IN SHAPING THIS DIVERSE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DECISION.
[03:20:01]
WE HAVE ONLINE PARTICIPANTS.I HAVE FOUR PEOPLE ON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT.
OUR FIRST COMMENTER IS ANTHONY GARCIA.
ANTHONY, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ANTHONY GARCIA, 2012 CENTER ST.
IT JUST KIND OF SOLIDIFIED WHERE I'M AT IN MY LIFE, AND WHERE I'D LIKE TO BE.
I REPRESENT THE BLUE COLLAR WORKER, AND I IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE HAD SOME STRUGGLES, AND BECAUSE OF THOSE STRUGGLES, I HAD TO CHOOSE, YOU KNOW, A BETTER PAYING JOB, ONE THAT WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO BE AS COMMITTED TO THE COMMUNITY AS I WANT TO BE.
AND I REALLY WANTED TO RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY POSSIBLE THAT I COULD STAY LIVING IN FLAGSTAFF AND COMMIT 100% OF MYSELF AS A FULL TIME CITY COUNCIL PERSON, AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY I DID IT, AND THAT WAS REALLY HARD FOR ME AND THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME YOU KNOW THAT WAS A DIFFICULT CHOICE TO MAKE, TO CHOOSE SIMPLY LIVING AND HAVING A PLACE TO LIVE AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND BEING HOMELESS, BASICALLY WHEN YOU ARE IN THE SITUATION THAT I'M IN, LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK AS A BLUE COLLAR, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM WORKER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE ON THAT, AND AGAIN, FORGIVE ME FOR THE EMOTIONS.
I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT YOU GUYS DON'T DO A PART TIME JOB, YOU KNOW, AT THE BARE MINIMUM, YOU GUYS WORK FULL TIME, BUT I KNOW MANY OF YOU WORK EVEN MORE THAN THAT.
I HOPE THAT YOU KEEP THIS CONVERSATION IN THE EQUITY AND INCLUSIVITY PORTION INSTEAD OF JUST PURELY ECONOMICS, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT VOTING ON YOUR SALARY.
LIKE MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID, YOU'RE VOTING ON THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHER FOLKS LIKE MYSELF WHO, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO WORK AND LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. YOU'RE VOTING ON GIVING A WHOLE OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC VOICE A VERY IMPORTANT VOICE, AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, AND I THINK I THINK [INAUDIBLE] MENTIONED IT EARLIER.
INSTEAD OF SITTING AT THE TABLE.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
WE APPRECIATE IT. I APPRECIATE IT AND I SO APPRECIATE YOUR EMOTIONS AND YOUR PASSION FOR FLAGSTAFF.
ANTHONY, I'M CURIOUS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE AS SOMEONE WHO'S RUN FOR COUNCIL AND IS SO ENGAGED, IF COUNCIL WERE TO ADOPT THIS RECOMMENDATION AND THE SALARY WERE TO GO TO 63 800 FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOU PERSONALLY, AS A CANDIDATE OF RECENT AND ALSO FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD DO? WHEN YOU THINK OF A COUNCIL SALARY OF 63,800, WOULD THAT SEEM MORE REASONABLE TO YOU AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK? OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR WORKFORCE, HOW WILL THEY RESPOND TO THAT OPPORTUNITY? I CAN'T SPEAK NECESSARILY TO HOW THEY WOULD RESPOND TO THAT OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT'S HAVING A LIVABLE WAGE, BEING ABLE TO TRANSITION FROM A POSITION WHERE CURRENTLY THAT'S ABOUT WHAT I MAKE AND I'M ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE AND TO BE ABLE TO TRANSITION DIRECTLY TO THE SAME WAGE WOULD BE PERFECT, YOU KNOW, IN A PERFECT WORLD.
[03:25:04]
WHO HAS RUN FOR OFFICE, ALL YOU GUYS KNOW THIS.I KNOW MYSELF, I MEAN, I DEDICATED 15 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE PROCESS, HUNDREDS IF NOT 1000 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME BEFORE THE PROCESS. PEOPLE, IF THEY'RE LOOKING FOR JUST THE MONEY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE WEEDED OUT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS ITSELF IN JUST HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES AND HOW MUCH COMMITMENT IT TAKES, AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE VOTERS ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES WHO DECIDE AND THEY'RE GOING TO CHOOSE THE PERSON THAT PUT IN THE MOST WORK AND WHO THAT THEY FEEL IS GOING TO REPRESENT THEM BEST. SO ON THE SIDE OF MAYBE THIS IS TOO MUCH MONEY OR PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE CHASING A BUCK.
IT WOULD MEAN THE WORLD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD TO PAY YOUR BILLS AND STILL BE A COUNCIL MEMBER, AND IT WILL GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A FULL TIME COUNCIL MEMBER AS OPPOSED TO, THAT WAS MY STRUGGLE.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, ADAM, AND THANK YOU, GUYS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ANTHONY.
OUR NEXT COMMENTER IS HEATHER MARCY.
HEATHER, YOU MAY GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
COUNCIL, VICE MAYOR, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF.
I'M HEATHER MARCY HERE AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN.
EVANS AND ANTHONY FOR SHARING YOUR STORIES; THEY'RE SO IMPACTFUL AND JUST SHINE THIS PERSPECTIVE, I THINK, ON THIS TOPIC SPECIFICALLY.
I'M GOING TO TRY AND KEEP IT SHORTER TONIGHT, BUT I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS PUBLICLY BECAUSE I KNOW ASKING FOR A RAISE AND CONSIDERING APPROVING A RAISE FOR YOURSELF COMES WITH SOME REALLY BIG INTERPERSONAL CHALLENGES, AND SO I WANTED TO MATCH THAT WITH JUST SOME PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR HOW DIFFICULT THAT CAN BE.
YOU ALL HAVE VERY IMPORTANT JOBS AND YOU MAKE BIG DECISIONS IN A RELATIVELY QUICK AMOUNT OF TIME.
ADDITIONALLY, YOU ALL ARE EVERYWHERE.
YOU WORK EARLY, YOU WORK LATE, YOU WORK WEEKENDS.
MANY OF YOU ARE WORKING DURING THE LAST COUNCIL BREAK.
YOU TRULY HAVE A NEVER-ENDING JOB.
SO TONIGHT I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE ISSUE AS IF YOU WERE REVIEWING A JOB DESCRIPTION AND IF THAT JOB DESCRIPTION LISTED ALL OF YOUR DUTIES AND COMMITMENTS AND CAME WITH A SALARY OF 25,500, I THINK WE WOULD ALL AGREE THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION ISSUE, AND I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO SEE A MORE DIVERSE CANDIDATE POOL SHOULD YOU ADOPT THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS, AND MY LAST THOUGHT TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT IS THAT I THINK IT MAKES SENSE FOR VOTERS TO DECIDE WHO SITS IN THE SEAT , AND I THINK IT MAKES SENSE FOR THE UNBIASED COMMISSION TO MAKE AN EVIDENCE BASED DECISION ON WHAT THE RATE IS FOR THE PEOPLE SITTING IN THE SEAT.
YOU ARE WORTHY, YOU WORK HARD.
YOU DESERVE THE AMOUNT RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION, AND SO DO THE FOLKS THAT WILL SERVE AFTER YOU.
THANK YOU ALL. BE SAFE AND TAKE GOOD CARE.
THANK YOU, HEATHER. NEXT PARTICIPANT.
MICHELLE, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
GREAT. TURN ON MY CAMERA HERE.
YEAH, THERE IT GOES. SO, HELLO, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M MICHELLE JAMES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FRIENDS OF FLAGSTAFF'S FUTURE.
I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THE BOARD OF FRIENDS OF FLAGSTAFF'S FUTURE FULLY SUPPORTS THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO INCREASE THE YEARLY SALARIES OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS TO THE FULL AMOUNT RECOMMENDED BY THE CITIZENS ON COUNCIL SALARIES COMMISSION.
THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED AND CONSIDERED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY BENCHMARK DATA THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE CRITICAL ROLE THEY PLAY AND THE IMPACT OF THEIR DECISIONS ON OUR COMMUNITY.
[03:30:01]
MEMBERS. I THINK THAT WAS SAID SO WELL BY ANTHONY GARCIA.THIS ORDINANCE WILL RESULT IN INCREASED EQUITY AND REPRESENTATION ON THE DAIS.
YOU GUYS WORK REALLY HARD, AND I KNOW BECAUSE I'M WATCHING YOU EVERY WEEK AND IT'S A BIG JOB AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE PAID A LIVING WAGE TO DO IT FULL TIME. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MICHELLE. OUR NEXT COMMENTATOR FOR TONIGHT IS TYLER DENIM.
TYLER, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND DRESS MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
TYLER, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND DRESS MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
HI. YES, I WASN'T ABLE TO UNMUTE UNTIL NOW.
HI, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM SPEAKING TODAY ON ONLY MY OWN BEHALF TO SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE TO INCREASE MAYORAL AND COUNCILMEMBER SALARIES? [INAUDIBLE] YOU READ IT OVER THE MINUTES AND MATERIALS FROM THE CITIZEN COMMITTEE ASSEMBLED TO REVIEW THE ISSUE? I FOUND THE FOLLOWING ARGUMENTS PARTICULARLY PERSUASIVE.
FIRST, A HIGHER SALARY WOULD ATTRACT MORE CANDIDATES AND FROM MORE DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS.
SECOND, THE SALARIES SHOULD BE HIGHER BECAUSE THE POSITIONS OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER ARE A MUCH GREATER TIME COMMITMENT THAN A TYPICAL PART TIME JOB, AND THE HOURS WORKED ARE OFTEN IRREGULAR.
SUCH AS, CASE IN POINT PAST 7:03 P.M.
ON A TUESDAY. THIRD, THE PROPOSED SALARY INCREASES ARE QUITE MODEST.
70,000 FOR THE MAYOR AND 63,000 FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS IS STILL BELOW THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME FOR A THREE PERSON FAMILY, AND THE DISPARITY IS EVEN GREATER FOR LARGE FAMILIES.
SO IN SUMMARY, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE ORDINANCE AND HOPE YOU ADOPT IT.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
THANK YOU, TYLER. ALL RIGHT, THAT SEEMS TO BE OUR LAST PUBLIC PARTICIPANT.
SO WE ARE READY TO OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION.
I TOOK SOME NOTES HERE AND I'LL KIND OF GO DOWN THE LIST.
FIRST OF ALL, JUST FOR THE RECORD.
I HAVE NO VESTED INTEREST IN THIS.
I'VE GOT TWO MORE YEARS IN COUNCIL, AND UNDER THE RULES, I WON'T GET A PENNY OF AN INCREASE.
SO I'LL TRY TO MAKE A RATIONAL DECISION, NOT BASED ON ANYTHING THAT WILL AFFECT ME PERSONALLY.
SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, WE DID GET A RAISE FROM 24000 TO 25,500.
AND THAT WAS BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF A VERY SIMILAR COMMITTEE, AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT WHAT CAME OUT TO A 6% RAISE INCREASE.
I AM SUPPORTIVE OF A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
I THINK 6% LIKE WE DID LAST TIME IS TOO SMALL, BUT THE PROPOSAL IS TO RAISE THE SALARY OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND SIMILAR NUMBERS FOR THE MAYOR, BUT I JUST RAN THE NUMBERS FOR CITY COUNCIL AT 250% OVER TWO YEARS.
THAT'S KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF A STICKER SHOCK TO ME, JUST TELLING YOU MY GUT REACTION.
IF WE GOT THAT, OF THE 17 PEOPLE THAT SHANNON SENT US COMPS FOR, WE WOULD BE, LET'S SEE, OF THE 17, THERE WOULD ONLY BE ONE CITY THAT WOULD BE PAID MORE THAN THAT, AND THAT WOULD BE THE CITY OF
[03:35:07]
PHOENIX. RIGHT NOW, THE SALARY YOU MAKE IS 25.5 IS MORE THAN THE MAJORITY OF THE LIST THAT WE WERE GIVEN.SO EVEN WHAT WE MAKE NOW IS HIGH COMPARED TO THE COMPS.
I DO SUPPORT SOME KIND OF COMPROMISE.
IF WE JUST DID THE FIRST PART OF IT, WHICH WOULD GO TO 44,650, WE WOULD BE PAID HIGHER THAN EVERY CITY EXCEPT PHOENIX, AND I MIGHT HAVE MISSPOKEN A SECOND AGO.
IF WE GET 44,650, WE WOULD BE PAID HIGHER THAN EVERY CITY EXCEPT PHOENIX OUT OF THE COMPS, WHICH MAY BE GOOD.
ONE POINT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE PAY A COUNCIL PERSON WHEN THEY RUN, THEY DON'T GET PAID ANYTHING, AND I RAN THREE TIMES BEFORE I GOT ELECTED, AND THE LAST TIME I GOT ELECTED, I WALKED NEIGHBORHOODS EVERY DAY FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
NOT ALL DAY, BUT A FEW HOURS EVERY DAY AND ALMOST ALL DAY ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
SO I GUESS WHERE I'M COMING FROM IS I DON'T HAVE A POSITION, SO TO SPEAK.
I WANT TO HEAR A DISCUSSION WITH THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT MY GUT REACTION IS 63 .8 IS PROBABLY A LITTLE TOO FAR TO GO IN A TWO YEAR PERIOD.
MAYBE A SUGGESTION WOULD BE AND I'LL JUST TOSS THIS OUT.
MAYBE GO WITH THE INCREASE TO 44,650 AND NOT DO THE INCREASE TWO YEARS LATER.
SO ADAM'S ROLLING HIS EYES LIKE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? OR YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I SUPPORT IT.
I WAS JUST WONDERING WHY? WELL, I GUESS MY GUT REACTION IS THAT A 250% INCREASE IN TWO YEARS IS STICKER SHOCK A LITTLE TOO MUCH.
I DO SUPPORT A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE.
I'M NOT THINKING OF LIKE FIVE OR 6%.
I'M THINKING OF SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT.
IF WE GO FROM 25.5K TO 44.65K, THAT'S 75% INCREASE, JUST FOR THE RECORD.
SO I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR NOW, AND I REALLY WANT TO HEAR WHAT THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TO SAY AND THE MAYOR, OF COURSE, AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK AND HAVE MORE DISCUSSION, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST KIND OF START THE DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
OH, COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN DIDN'T HAVE HIS IN THE CHAT BOX LOOKING UP HERE RATHER THAN DOWN HERE.
SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT.
I'M ATTENDING THIS COUNCIL MEETING FROM A HOTEL ROOM IN CALIFORNIA WHERE I'M SPENDING THE ENTIRE WEEK AND THE NEXT WEEKEND, REPRESENTING THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF AND FLAGSTAFF INTERESTS IN MY ROLE AS A COUNCIL PERSON.
I'M ALSO HAPPY TO MENTION THAT I AM THE HUSBAND OF A WIFE WHO WORKS FULL TIME AND VERY MUCH SUPPORTS OUR FAMILY FIRST AND FOREMOST.
IF I WAS NOT IN MY MARITAL SITUATION, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS JOB FOR SURE, AND IT'S DOUBLY TRUE WHEN YOU CONSIDER BENEFITS AND MEDICAL AND OTHER COVERAGE.
SO I'LL JUST SPEAK FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES.
I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS.
[03:40:10]
TINKERING. WITH REGARD TO THIS MATTER, WITH SO MANY THINGS IN MODERN LIFE, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR AND PAYING OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, A PROFESSIONAL WAGE IS CRITICAL.OVER THE YEARS, FLAGSTAFF HAS STRUGGLED WITH RECRUITING HIGH QUALITY CANDIDATES TO SERVE ON COUNCIL, AND THAT'S NO SLIGHT TO THOSE OF US WHO ARE CURRENTLY SERVED, MYSELF INCLUDED. IT'S MERELY A RECOGNITION THAT IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE OVER THE LONG TERM STABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY ARE CRITICAL.
LASTING DURABLE STABILITY DOESN'T COME CHEAP.
TO ACKNOWLEDGE EXCELLENCE AND REWARD MERIT.
TO IMPROVE RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT.
WE'VE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO RIGHT OUR SHIP.
IT WILL MATTER AND IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I HEARD SEVERAL OF THOSE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC SPEAKING THIS EVENING AS WELL.
I'VE BEEN A PART OF THREE COUNCILS NOW.
ALL OF THEM HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB OF NOT KICKING CANS DOWN THE ROAD.
THIS COURSE CORRECTION IS ONE OF THE REMAINING ISSUES WE'VE BEEN HESITANT TO ADDRESS.
WE'VE WAITED AND WAITED AND WAITED TO DO THIS.
OTHER PRIORITIES HAVE RIGHTFULLY BEEN PLACED AHEAD OF THIS DECISION TIME AND AGAIN, BUT THIS RECOMMENDATION IS FINALLY COMING BEFORE US THROUGH A SEPARATE, APPROPRIATE CHANNEL.
OUR COUNCIL PRIDES ITSELF ON TAKING OUR COMMISSION SERIOUSLY.
I'M NOT EVEN CONVINCED THAT IT'S POSSIBLE.
THE VOTERS APPROVED THE CITY CHARTER.
THE CHARTER ALLOWS FOR COUNCIL TO DETERMINE ITS OWN PAY.
THE VOTERS HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED COUNCIL DISCRETION ON THIS MATTER, END OF STORY, AND AS TO THE ARGUMENTS WHICH TRY TO POINT OUT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AS COMPARISONS. I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, BUT I FIND THIS HIGHLY FLAWED.
OUR COUNCIL MEETS EVERY TUESDAY, OFTEN LATE INTO THE NIGHT.
OTHER COUNCILS BEING POINTED TO DO NOT.
THAT'S LARGELY BESIDE THE POINT.
ULTIMATELY, I WOULD ARGUE, WHY SHOULD WE BE POINTING AT OTHER FLAWED COMPENSATION STRATEGIES TO ARGUE WE SHOULD RACE TO THE BOTTOM? IS THAT WHAT WE DID WITH OUR CARBON NEUTRALITY EFFORTS? IS THAT WHAT WE DID WITH OUR HOUSING EMERGENCY OR WITH OUR COVID MITIGATIONS? I DON'T REMEMBER ANYONE LOOKING AROUND THE STATE DURING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND CONCLUDING WE SHOULDN'T ACT BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE PAVED THE WAY.
THAT'S WHAT LEADING LOOKS LIKE.
YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY THE WAGES ARE SO LOW THAT ONLY PEOPLE WITH A SECOND SOURCE OF INCOME OR A SPOUSE CAN AFFORD TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS FOR FLAGSTAFF. THIS LIMITS THE POOL OF PEOPLE WHO DECIDE TO RUN FOR OFFICE.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AN ISSUE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.
TONIGHT'S PUBLIC COMMENTS ALL OF THE LETTERS TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL WE'VE RECEIVED RECENTLY.
[03:45:02]
WE NEED TO MAKE THIS JUMP BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN MADE BEFORE, AND SUPPORT FOR IT HAS BEEN UNIVERSAL.THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO ALLOW COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY HAD ONE QUICK RESPONSE.
YEAH, JUST REAL BRIEFLY, I AGREED WITH MOST EVERYTHING THAT MR. ASLAN SAID, AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT EVEN THOUGH I DID KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMPS ARE AT OTHER CITIES, I ALSO STATED THAT SHOULD NOT BE OUR CRITERION.
THAT'S DEEP BACKGROUND, BUT THAT ISN'T A DRIVING FORCE IN MY MIND.
WE SHOULD MAKE A RATIONAL DECISION, WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR THIS CITY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI IS NEXT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS IS THIS IS SUCH A BIG TOPIC FOR FOR US COUNCIL, AND IT MAKES ME EMOTIONAL, TOO.
I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED.
TALKING TO [INAUDIBLE] AND SAYING, OH MY GOSH, THIS WORK IS SO CRUCIAL.
YOU CAN'T LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT GETTING BOMBARDED, AND WE'RE FULL TIME, AND WHAT JOBS COMPLEMENT THIS WORK? LITERALLY CLOSE TO NONE.
IT REALLY IS, BUT WE HAVE SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY WITH THIS DISCUSSION THIS EVENING TO CORRECT SUCH A WRONG THAT SYSTEMICALLY SET UP THIS WAY FOR SO MANY YEARS, SO MANY MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE IN THE NATION, AND IT'S HUMBLING THAT WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING SO BIG FOR FLAGSTAFF AND OUR COMMUNITY AND TO LEAD THE STATE AND THE NATION.
I WANT TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO THE COMMISSION AND THE STAFF AND SPECIFICALLY DEPUTY MANAGER, ANDERSON, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN GETTING THIS DONE AND I WANT TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO THIS MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND VICE MAYOR FOR FOR HOPEFULLY SEEING THIS THROUGH.
OUR CITY IS GROWING AND OUR OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTS US TO BE FULL TIME AND ON CALL 24/7.
THE BUDGET IS GROWING OVER HALF A BILLION DOLLARS CURRENTLY.
OUR STAFF IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY WORKING TO RAISE THEIR SALARIES AND RAISE THEIR VOICES AND ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS AND CONCERNS AS OUR COST OF LIVING INCREASES.
EMERGENCIES ARE INCREASING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR MEETINGS ARE NONSTOP.
OTHER COUNCILS ACROSS THE STATE, WHEN I GO TO ARIZONA LEAGUE OF CITIES EVENTS AND I TALK TO THEM ABOUT OUR WORKLOAD, THEY'RE SHOCKED AT THE AMOUNT OF TIME WE PUT IN AND HOW LONG OUR MEETINGS ARE, AND THAT WE HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS WEEKLY OFTEN AND THEY JUST DON'T BELIEVE THE AMOUNT OF WORK WE PUT IN IN TERMS OF THESE LONG HOURS.
LOOK AT TODAY'S MEETING. THIS IS NUTS.
I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO COMPARE US TO OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE.
I JUST DON'T SEE THAT ARGUMENT BEING VALID AND COUNCILMEMBER ASLAN'S COMMENTS.
THANK YOU. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A LEADER AND WE'VE ALWAYS CHARTED OUR OWN PATH AND NOT FOLLOWED PHOENIX OR GLENDALE OR WHATEVER COMMUNITY WE HAVE LED IN THE STATE, AND I'M PROUD OF FLAGSTAFF.
THIS IS ABOUT POWER AND WHO HAS ACCESS TO POWER.
THAT'S WHAT THIS CONVERSATION IS ABOUT.
THAT'S IT. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON COUNCIL.
EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON COUNCIL.
OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTS FULL TIME COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WE'RE ALWAYS ON CALL.
I RECALL WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, YEAH, I MENTIONED THIS PART, BUT YOU KNOW, SOMEONE ASKED ME HOW MANY HOURS A WEEK I PUT IN, AND I THINK ON AVERAGE IT'S 20 TO 60 HOURS AND I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THAT WAS TRUE ACROSS THE BOARD, AND THAT'S AT THIS CURRENT WAGE.
[03:50:01]
I PROMISE YOU, IF WE WERE MAKING 63.8K, I'D BE PUTTING IN MORE, BUT WE HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO, AND SIMILAR TO ANTHONY, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, I AM PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK WITH THIS SALARY, BUT I'M WILLING TO MAKE THAT SACRIFICE FOR THE COMMUNITY.THE WORK WE DO IS SO REWARDING AND OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES FULL TIME EMPLOYEES AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WANT TO SEE SINGLE MOMS RUN FOR OFFICE.
I WANT TO SEE TEACHERS RUN FOR OFFICE.
I WANT TO SEE FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL RUN FOR OFFICE.
I WANT TO SEE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN OUR SERVICE INDUSTRY RUN FOR OFFICE.
I WANT TO SEE MORE REPRESENTATION OF OUR DIVERSE POPULATION IN IN THESE SEATS THAT WE HAVE UP HERE.
I LOVE THIS WORK. I FEEL PASSIONATE, BUT HOW DO YOU DO IT FOR THAT PRICE? I WANT TO RAISE A FAMILY.
I WANT TO BUY A HOME, AND I SAY, YEAH, YOU CAN'T WITHOUT MAKING A SERIOUS SACRIFICE ON YOUR LIFE AND YOUR WELL-BEING, AND THEY SAY, YEAH, MAYBE WHEN I RETIRE, AND THAT'S A SHAME.
THAT'S A LOSS FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND THOSE VOICES THAT ARE NOT BEING ABLE TO GET TO THIS POINT.
LET'S NOT JUST REPRESENT THESE FINE CITIZENS.
LET'S HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM THESE CITIZENS.
63,800 IS MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT WE'RE MAKING TODAY, AND I WOULD ARGUE IF THE NEXT COUNCIL DECIDES THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT SECOND PORTION IMPLEMENTED, THEY CAN DECIDE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
WE DON'T NEED TO DECIDE THAT TODAY.
SERIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF LIVING IS GOING UP.
ON 63,800, YOU CAN'T BUY A HOME.
YOU CAN'T GET AHEAD, BUT AT LEAST YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
RIGHT? I THINK THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE THERE.
WE WANT SPECIALISTS AND EXPERTS TO RUN FOR OFFICE, BUT OFTEN THESE FOLKS AREN'T WILLING TO TAKE A PAY CUT TO SERVE, AND THEY'RE MAKING 80 UPWARDS OF 100,000.
SO 63,800 IS REALLY NOT THAT MUCH TO BE CONSIDERING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE ON THE BALLOT THIS ELECTION CYCLE.
HONESTLY, THAT'S REALLY EMBARRASSING.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, WHEN I RAN FOR OFFICE AND GETTING INVOLVED IN POLITICS, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT CREATING A CULTURE OF ENGAGEMENT, AND THAT'S WHAT LED ME TO RUN MYSELF, AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S NOTHING GREATER THAT WE COULD DO THAN TO RAISE OUR SALARIES TO CREATE A CULTURE OF ENGAGEMENT.
I REALLY DO. I THINK THAT WILL REALLY BE A GAME CHANGER.
I'M ALMOST DONE. REPRESENTATION IS SO IMPORTANT AS WE KNOW.
WE TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
HERE'S A CHANCE TO REALLY INVEST IN THE FUTURE OF FLAGSTAFF.
I AM HOPEFUL THAT THIS COUNCIL CAN GET BEHIND THIS COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION, OR AT LEAST FOUR OF US, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED IS FOR PEOPLE ON COUNCIL TO DO THAT AND THAT WE CAN REALLY LEAD THE STATE IN HOW TO CORRECT A WRONG THAT'S BEEN SYSTEMICALLY INJUST FOR SO MANY DECADES.
OUR SYSTEMIC ISSUES RUN DEEP, AND MAYOR, I'M LOOKING AT YOU BECAUSE I KNOW YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT, ESPECIALLY IN THIS REGION, AND I THINK THAT IF WE DO THIS, WE WILL SEE SO MUCH MORE DIVERSITY AND SO MUCH MORE CORRECTION OF THOSE INJUSTICES MOVING FORWARD IN THE YEARS TO COME.
SO THIS ISN'T AN INVESTMENT IN US, BUT AN INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE CHARTER GIVES US THE ABILITY TO DO SO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
VICE MAYOR AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SHANNON, AND TO THE COMMISSION FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I GUESS I'LL START WITH A COUPLE OF PERSONAL STORIES. I DON'T KNOW, ADAM, IF YOU REMEMBER, BUT WHEN I WAS COMING TO ALL OF THE MEETINGS BEFORE I EVEN ANNOUNCED I WAS RUNNING, YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS AND I SAID, WELL, I WOULD DO THIS FOR FREE.
I DON'T YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, I'M LUCKY AND I AM HUMBLED TODAY BY SAYING I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE A MANAGER.
[03:55:07]
FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.MY OTHER STORY IS THAT I SAW ANTHONY GARCIA THE OTHER DAY AT THE BPAC MEETING, AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD SEEN HIM IN PERSON IN A WHILE, AND HE JUST LOOKED LIKE A SHELL OF HIMSELF, AND I ASKED WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND HE JUST HE MISSES BEING ABLE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND HE CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE HE NEEDS TO WORK FULL TIME AT FEDEX.
SO, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE I WAS GOING TO GO TONIGHT ON THIS DECISION, AND I GUESS I STILL DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE I LAND, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, I THINK WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I BELIEVE IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND I THINK THIS VOTE IS GOING TO BE CRUCIAL IN ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE DO DESERVE A RAISE AND NOT EVERYONE IS LUCKY LIKE I AM AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE CAN HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY FOR NOW.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.
YOU KNOW, I OFTEN SAY I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF IN MY COMMENTS, AND TONIGHT I MUST ACKNOWLEDGE I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY EMOTIONAL TOPIC.
I THINK I AM INCREDIBLY MOVED BY THE STORIES OF DR.
WHEN I RAN FOR THE APPOINTMENT TO CITY COUNCIL, I SAID THAT I WANTED TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THOSE WHO OFTEN GO UNSEEN AND UNHEARD IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
THERE'S ALSO A LEVEL OF ECONOMIC EQUITY THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SO MANY VOICES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT GO UNHEARD, UNSEEN AND UNABLE TO SPEAK INTO THE MATTERS THAT MEAN SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THE FUTURE OF FLAGSTAFF BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE THE SACRIFICE THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE IN A POSITION LIKE THIS, NOT ONLY BREAKS MY HEART, BUT TELLS ME THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE A CHANGE IN THAT AREA.
THIS IS A HARD CONVERSATION, AND I THANK THOSE THAT CAME AND SPOKE TO US TONIGHT WHO ACKNOWLEDGED AND SPOKE OUT ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS IS NOT FOR US, THIS IS NOT FOR ME ON COUNCIL, THIS IS FOR THE FUTURE OF FLAGSTAFF.
THIS IS FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY, FOR BRINGING VOICES TO THIS TABLE THAT OTHERWISE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE HERE, BOTH PHILOSOPHICALLY AND LITERALLY CANNOT AFFORD TO BE AT THIS DAIS.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CHANGE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN THAT REGARD.
AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE VOICES THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS CONVERSATION WHO I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO IN SOME CASES AND HEARD ABOUT CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE HAPPENING WHERE THERE IS A LEVEL OF I'LL JUST SAY THAT THERE ARE OTHER VOICES THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS WHO MAYBE ARE NOT REPRESENTED IN THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT, AND AT THE VERY LEAST, I WANT TO SAY THAT I CANNOT OVERSTATE AND I DO NOT WANT TO UNDERSTATE THE VALUE OF THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CONVERSATION.
I VALUE THE INPUT THAT I WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE AND OTHER CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAD ABOUT THIS, AND REALLY, FOR ME, THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT IS ABOUT THE EQUITY AND THE INCLUSION OF DIFFERENT VOICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE FUTURE OF FLAGSTAFF.
I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS AN UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATION.
I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS A STRANGE CONVERSATION FOR ME TO BE HAVING AT THIS POINT IN MY SERVICE TO FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL. HOWEVER, I FEEL STRONGLY THAT I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PUT IT ON THE LINE FOR THAT FUTURE. SO I THANK THE COMMISSION WHO SPOKE INTO THIS.
I THANK THE PEOPLE OF FLAGSTAFF WHO POURED INTO OUR EMAIL INBOXES TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWPOINTS ON THIS, NO MATTER HOW THEY THEY CAME DOWN ON IT, AND I HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE MAKE THIS MOVE FORWARD, YOU ARE BRINGING OTHER VOICES TO THE TABLE WHO CAN SPEAK INTO THIS MEANINGFULLY, WHO ALSO DESERVE TO BE HERE.
SO THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY, BUT THANK YOU.
[04:00:01]
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE. COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.WOW. IT IS TRULY AN EMOTIONAL CONVERSATION, BUT BEFORE I MAKE MY COMMENT, I'D LIKE TO ASK DEPUTY CITY MANAGER IN TERMS OF THE FINANCIAL IMPACT, BECAUSE IT SAYS IN THE FINANCIAL IMPACT THIS WILL BE ACCOUNTED FOR DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
HOWEVER, DECEMBER 1ST OR WHEN THE NEW COUNCIL IS SEATED, THAT'S MID FISCAL YEAR. SO DO WE HAVE THE FINANCIAL ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THIS? YES. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S WORDS AND PERSPECTIVE THAT HAVE BEEN WELL ARTICULATED TONIGHT, AND ESPECIALLY TO DR.
EVANS. WHEN I MADE THE DECISION TO RUN FOR OFFICE IN 2018 I PREPARED MYSELF TO MAKE A VOW OF POVERTY.
HOWEVER, SINCE I WAS ELECTED, I HAVE ALWAYS PUT MY RESPONSIBILITY COUNCIL ROLE FIRST.
I HAVE TURNED DOWN A LOT OF PROJECTS DUE TO TIME AVAILABILITY.
I HAVE TURNED ON A LOT OF CLIENTS AND I AM JUST THANKFUL THAT I HAVE A HUGE FAMILY WHO I CAN LEAN ON WHEN I COULD NOT MAKE RENT , AND I'M ALSO THANKFUL THAT I HAVE PROPERTIES IN THE PHILIPPINES THAT I'M RENTING OUT THAT HELP ME WITH RENT HERE, AND IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE FINANCIALLY FOR ME, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST YEAR, BECAUSE I'M NOT THE SPRING CHICKEN.
THERE'S SOME MEDICAL BILLS THAT NEED TO BE PAID, AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A COLLEGE KID AND YEAH, AND I KEEP SAYING I AM ON A FIXED INCOME, BUT I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DEDICATED TO THIS WORK, AND FOR ME, SERVING ON COUNCIL HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT THE SALARY OR I ALWAYS CALL IT A STIPEND BECAUSE IT DOESN'T EVEN PAY MY RENT.
I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR ALL THE VOICES THAT SAYS, OKAY, THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME.
THIS IS ABOUT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE COUNCIL AND TAKING ACTION NOW.
WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, BUT I ALSO WANT TO ADD A VOICE OF ACCESS AND PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FUTURE COUNCIL CANDIDATES TO NOT BE DISCOURAGED OF THE VOW OF POVERTY THAT COMES WITH THE POSITION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.
CONSTANT CALLS ALL NIGHT, CHECKING THE RAIN GAUGES AT 1:00 IN THE MORNING, AND THEN WHEN I WAKE UP AT 2:30 AND THEN WHEN I WAKE UP AT 3:30 AND IT WAS A POINT WHERE MY PTO WAS BURNED THROUGH AND I HAD TO MAKE A HARD DECISION.
I THINK WE ALL HAVE FACED A LOT OF THAT ISSUE HERE ON COUNCIL.
I DO THINK COUNCIL DESERVES TO GET AN INCREASE.
THE QUESTION FOR ME IS BY HOW MUCH AND WHO SHOULD DECIDE, AND THAT HAS BEEN A BIG THING THAT I'VE BEEN WRESTLING WITH AND THINKING ABOUT THROUGH THIS PROCESS. SO LET ME GET OUT MY NOTES.
FIRST OFF, I THINK MY POSITION JUST IN GENERAL IS VERY SIMILAR TO COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY'S.
IN TERMS OF, WELL, WE DO NEED TO HAVE SOME POINTS TAKEN FROM SOME OF THE MARKET ANALYSIS.
[04:05:01]
WE DO NEED TO TAKE SOME POINTERS FROM THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND OTHER CITIES DO HAVE A LOT OF WORK. I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING HERE RAISING A COUNCIL MEMBER SALARY ABOVE THAT OF PHOENIX THAT SERVES 1.68 MILLION PEOPLE.THEIR JOB IS NOT SMALL, AND I KNOW WE DO HAVE LONG MEETINGS, BUT THEY ARE REPRESENTING AND BEING OUT THERE AND HAVING TO GO TO A LOT MORE REQUESTS, A LOT MORE EVENTS THAN WE DO HERE IN FLAGSTAFF.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT'S BEEN CONCERNING ME IS I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS TO MY PERSONAL EMAIL FROM CURRENT AND FORMER CITY STAFF WHO FELT THIS WAS A REAL SLAP IN THE FACE WHILE THEY'RE RECEIVING A 3% RAISE, AND THAT REALLY HAD ME THINKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY HAVE TO SIT THROUGH ALL THESE MEETINGS TOO LATE INTO THE NIGHT AND THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR SALARY BASED ON THAT MARKET ANALYSIS SHEET AS WELL FROM OTHER CITIES, AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT AND LOOK AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO, YES, IT NEEDS TO BE RAISED, BUT JUST LIKE STAFF HAVE TO GO AND ANY NORMAL PERSON NEEDS TO GO TO THEIR BOSS TO REALLY ASK FOR A RAISE.
I FEEL WE ARE ALREADY GOING TO A SPECIAL ELECTION NEXT FALL TO CHANGE THE CITY CHARTER, SPECIFICALLY TO DEAL WITH SIGNATURE COUNT REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE DEALING WITH THAT ARE THE PRIMARY REASON PEOPLE DIDN'T GET ON THE BALLOT THIS YEAR WHEN TEN PEOPLE DID PULL PAPERS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OTHER CITY CHARTER AMENDMENTS ON THERE AS WELL, AND IT'S NOT UNCOMMON.
THIS IS PHOENIX, IT'S IN THEIR CITY CHARTER, TUCSON.
IT'S THE CITY CHARTER THAT ACTUALLY SETS THEIR WAGES AND THEY HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS FOR IT.
NOW, HONESTLY, THAT'S WHERE AN IDEA I WANTED TO THROW OUT, THOUGH I AM NOT SAYING I'M ABSOLUTELY DOING THIS AND I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT TO ME, GOING TO A NORMAL PERSON'S POSITION, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US RAISE IT A DECENT AMOUNT FOR THE NEXT TERM, BUT IF WE GO TO A SPECIAL ELECTION IN THE FALL, THEN THAT CAN RESET IT FOR THIS NEXT COUNCIL TOO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT THIS COUNCIL VOTING FOR THIS COUNCIL. SO THAT BEING SAID, I WILL ALSO MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DID DO STUDIES PREVIOUSLY FROM LOOKING AT COUNCIL'S WORKLOAD, AND HERE LOCALLY, WHEN IT'S GOT ASSESSED, THEY'VE ALSO LOOKED AT IT IN OTHER CITIES, WHICH I KNOW, YES, WE'RE DIFFERENT, BUT THERE WAS A HIGH VARIANCE HISTORICALLY IN THE NUMBER OF HOURS WORKED AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, SOME WORKED 10, SOME WORK 40, SOME WORK 50, SOME WORK 25, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING THESE LEVEL OF SALARY INCREASES, YEAH, YOU COULD GET VOTED OUT IN FOUR YEARS IF PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION ENOUGH, BUT WE'RE REALLY TALKING HERE SALARIES THAT IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO JUST WORK 10 HOURS A WEEK, THEY WOULD BE MAKING A GREATER HOURLY WAGE THAN THE CITY MANAGER TO DO THE BASE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB.
SO I'M JUST THROWING A LOT OF THOUGHTS OUT THERE BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT IN MY RESEARCH I DID LOOK AT AND DID FIND, AND I WILL ALSO NOTE THAT IN THOSE MARKET ANALYZES, THE RATIO OF THE COUNCIL TO MAYOR PAY IS ABOUT 60% TYPICALLY THROUGHOUT ALL THOSE MARKET ANALYZES.
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, IT'S ACTUALLY ABOUT HALF TO LESS BECAUSE THE WORKLOAD FOR MAYOR IS MORE THAN COUNCIL, AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THESE RATES, I WAS LIKE, WELL, SO MAYOR IS GOING TO GET A LOWER AVERAGE HOURLY RATE THAN A COUNCIL MEMBER, AND THAT'S WHAT THE MARKET ANALYSIS SHOWS.
BECAUSE HONESTLY, IF I LOOKED AT THAT FOUR YEARS AGO, I WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE, WHY WOULD I GO FOR MAYOR IF I COULD GO FOR COUNCIL AT MUCH LESS RESPONSIBILITIES AT 90% THE PAY.
I JUST DON'T THINK COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS THE APPROPRIATE COMPARISON GROUP WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS EITHER, AND WE CAN SAY OTHER CITIES, NOT EITHER, BUT WE'RE A DIFFERENT MODEL OF GOVERNMENT.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF MY THOUGHTS.
HAPPY TO DISCUSS FURTHER, BUT WE'LL BOUNCE OFF TO THE BACK AND FORTH AT THIS POINT.
[04:10:02]
WELL, THANK YOU. I THINK THAT WAS AN EXTREMELY FRUITFUL DISCUSSION.I HEARD VERY STRONG POINTS ON EVERY SIDE.
I'M GOING TO MAKE A PROPOSAL AND EVERYBODY CAN SAY YES OR NO.
MY PROPOSAL IS THAT WHAT'S ON THE VIEW GRAPH FOR MAYOR, 38.5K TO 54.35K.
IN TWO YEARS WE WOULD INCREASE IT FROM 54.35 TO THE NUMBER ON THE VIEW GRAPH, WHICH IS 71.80K.
FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE WOULD INCREASE IT FROM 25.5K TO 44.65K JUST LIKE ON THE VIEW GRAPH, BUT THE SECOND YEAR WE WOULD GO 44.65K TO 50K.
ENOUGH SAID. I'LL HEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, FOR THROWING OUT SOME THOUGHTS.
FIRST QUESTION IS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
I'M CURRENTLY NOT AWARE OF ANY PROCESS OR VEHICLE UNDER OUR CITY CODE CHARTER OR EVEN STATE LAW TO SEND A QUESTION LIKE THIS ABOUT SALARIES TO THE VOTERS.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD CORROBORATE THAT OR SET THAT STRAIGHT IN ANY WAY.
JUST CURIOUS. IT'S A PROCESS QUESTION, AND THEN ALSO I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM OUR CITY MANAGER IF HE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK UP ON THE SUBJECT OR HAS ANY THOUGHTS TO SHARE.
I WANTED TO PROVIDE A SPACE FOR HIM TO DO SO SHOULD HE SO CHOOSE.
MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN AND COUNCIL.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING IN OUR CITY CODE OR CITY CHARTER THAT PROVIDES A VEHICLE TO SEND THE QUESTION OF COUNCIL MEMBER SALARIES TO THE VOTERS.
IT WOULD REQUIRE A CHARTER AMENDMENT.
SO RIGHT NOW I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING IN CITY CODE, STATE LAW OR OUR CHARTER THAT WOULD ALLOW THAT.
TO THE CONTRARY, OUR CITY CODE OUTLINES THE PROCESS, WHICH IS THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE, THE RECOMMENDATION YOU'VE RECEIVED AND YOUR APPROVAL VIA ORDINANCE, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT'S WHAT I WAS SUGGESTING WAS A CHANGE TO THE CITY CHARTER, RIGHT.
THAT THE VOTERS WOULD PUT IN FOURTH.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO TAKE ME UP ON MY OFFER OR NOT, BUT JUST QUICKLY RESPOND TO THAT , I THINK IT WOULD BE A REAL EYE CAMEL THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE THING FOR US TO TRY TO DO THIS THROUGH THE CHARTER PROCESS.
OTHERS SPOKE TO IT MORE ELOQUENTLY THAN I DID EARLIER.
I DON'T THINK THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE KICKED OVER TO VOTERS.
I THINK A LOT OF THESE BIG QUESTIONS ARE NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DIVERT BACK TO RESIDENTS BECAUSE RESIDENTS DON'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS HAVE THE FULL TOTALITY OF INFORMATION IN FRONT OF THEM AND NOR THE ABILITY TO KEEP EMOTION OUT OF THEIR CONVERSATIONS.
SO I DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR INTO THAT.
JUST SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT, AND THEN I CAN'T SEE THE CITY MANAGER'S BODY LANGUAGE OR EYE CONTACT.
OKAY, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER AZLAN, FOR BOUNCING IT MY WAY.
I HAVE STATED OFTEN THAT THIS IS ONE OF THESE TOPICS THAT COME UP THAT CLEARLY FALLS WITHIN THE COUNCIL SPHERE AS AS POLICY MAKERS AND NOT ONE THAT INVOLVES ADMINISTRATION OTHER THAN WHAT
[04:15:02]
HAS HAPPENED, AND SO APPRECIATIVE TO SHANNON ANDERSON FOR TAKING THE HELM ON THIS.WE SHOULD INFORM THE DISCUSSION.
WE HELP WITH THE ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMISSION AND THEN THIS DISCUSSION.
SO WE ARE HERE TO INFORM AND TO ASSIST.
WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE WEIGHED IN IN TERMS OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
I WILL TRY TO FRAME MY COMMENTS IN THE MOST OBJECTIVE WAY, WHICH I NEED TO DO WITHOUT WEIGHING IN OR ADVOCATING WHERE COUNCIL SHOULD GO ON THIS.
MUCH FALLS UPON LOCAL GOVERNMENT THESE DAYS IN TERMS OF RESPONSIBILITY AND EXPECTATIONS, DEMANDS FOR SERVICE AND REPRESENTATION, FRANKLY. IT IS NOT TO DIMINISH THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR STATE LEGISLATORS OR OTHERS, BUT IN THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNANCE. THE ACTION HAPPENS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
THE LAST THE EVENTS OF JUST THE LAST YEAR HAVE SHOWED THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THE EMERGENCY RESPONSES, THE MANY, MANY MEETINGS GETTING THROUGH THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC, THE UPS AND DOWNS OF OUR ECONOMY.
ALL OF THIS FALLS SQUARELY ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND US COUNCIL ARE REPRESENTATIVE LEADERS TO THIS COMMUNITY , AND YOU ANSWER THAT CALL.
WE HAVE, THROUGH THE DECADES, SEEN MORE EXPECTATIONS FILTER DOWN TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAN WHAT WAS THE CASE, YOU KNOW, 30 OR 40 YEARS AGO AND IN THE EVOLUTION IS CONTINUING IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO THERE'S NO EASY LIFT IN THIS POSITION.
IT IS AN ARDUOUS POSITION, AND WHEN THAT DEMANDS A LOT OF YOUR TIME.
WE OFTEN STATED IT'S A PERSONAL CHOICE AS TO HOW MUCH TIME YOU WANT TO PUT INTO THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO A VERY SAFE STATEMENT TO SAY YOU CAN'T NOT DEVOTE A LOT OF TIME TO THIS POSITION.
BETWEEN THE MEETINGS, THERE ARE OTHER MEETINGS, THERE ARE RETREATS, THERE ARE FUNCTIONS VERY IMPORTANT GET TOGETHERS LIKE MEETING WITH THE FEDERAL AGENCY LAST WEEK TO TALK ABOUT THE RIO DE FLAG PROJECT, LIKE THE BUDGET RETREATS THAT WE JUST GAVE YOU A SCHEDULE FOR THAT WILL DEMAND OF YOUR TIME TO DAY RETREATS THREE TIMES NEXT YEAR, AND THAT'S JUST GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET.
THAT'S NOT TAKING IT BEYOND THAT.
WE HAVE 26 COMMISSIONS, AND MANY OF THEM ARE QUITE ACTIVE.
SO COUNCIL IS ACTIVE WITH THOSE COMMISSIONS.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT NOTE.
IF IT'S NOT ALREADY OBVIOUS THAT THIS JOB DEMANDS A LOT FROM COUNCIL, YOU OCCUPY AN OFFICE UPSTAIRS, THE MAYOR HAS HIS OFFICE AND THE COUNCIL HAS A MEETING ROOM, AND YOU ALL HAVE LOCKERS IN THAT MEETING ROOM AND YOU HAVE YOUR MATERIALS AND YOUR PRESENCE IN CITY HALL IS RATHER CONTINUOUS, MORE SO THAN WHAT I'VE SEEN IN MY CAREER.
SO I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION YOU'RE HAVING.
WE'VE HEARD VERY HEARTFELT COMMENTS COMING IN FROM THE PUBLIC, AND I THINK WITHOUT ADVOCATING, I FEEL COMFORTABLE IN GOING SO FAR AS TO SAY THIS JOB EXPECTS ACTUALLY DEMANDS A LOT FROM OUR ELECTED BODY.
WE'RE HERE TO SERVE AT YOUR PLEASURE, BUT WE KNOW WHAT WHAT YOU'RE DEVOTING TO THIS COMMUNITY.
WE SEE IT FIRSTHAND, OUR PACKETS GOING INTO THESE MEETINGS ARE NOT A FEW PAGES.
[04:20:06]
THEY'RE SEVERAL HUNDRED PAGES, AND MANY OF YOU READ THESE PACKETS THOROUGHLY SO I CAN GO ON AND ON ABOUT THE RIGORS OF THIS POSITION, BUT I THINK ENOUGH HAS BEEN SAID.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR RESPONSE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN.
FIRST OF ALL, TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR PASSION, YOUR EMOTIONS, YOUR THOUGHTS AND ATTENTION TO THIS MOMENT, AND BEFORE I GO INTO MY COMMENTS, SAMANTHA, I'M GOING TO PASS IT BACK TO YOU.
I'M CURIOUS TO HAVE YOU SPEAK TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE FOR OUR STAFF.
YOU KNOW, MAYOR, YOU BROUGHT UP STAFF AND NOT BEING FAIR TO STAFF WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, I THINK WE'VE BEEN DOING AN AMAZING JOB TO ELEVATE THE NEEDS AND DESIRES OF STAFF TO BETTER RESPECT THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND KEEP THEM WORKING FOR TEAM FLAG BUT CITY MANAGER IF YOU CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT YOU'VE BEEN A PART OF JUST IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
MAYOR, CAN I GO AHEAD AND RESPOND TO THAT? YEAH, JUST IF WE COULD BE BRIEF, THOUGH.
YES, WE IMPLEMENTED THE COMPENSATION PLAN ACTUALLY THREE YEARS AGO, BUT IT REALLY BECAME EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF RATE ADJUSTMENTS AND RE-CATEGORIZING OUR EMPLOYEES.
THAT STARTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, BUT THE PLAN HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR THREE YEARS NOW.
WE'RE TWO YEARS INTO A MERIT BASED COMPENSATION REGIMENT.
THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL FOR THAT.
WHEN WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT, WE DID IMPLEMENT A 2% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
THAT WAS BACK DURING THE RECESSION.
SO TWO YEARS INTO A 3% INCREASE PER ANNUM, SO THAT'S 3% PER ANNUM, AND WE HAVE THAT MERIT INCREASE NOW OF 3% PROJECTED OUT FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
SO WE'VE MADE GREAT PROGRESS THERE.
AS NOTED EARLIER, WE FINANCED THE FULL PAYMENT OF OUR UNFUNDED PENSION LIABILITY THREE YEARS AGO THIS LAST YEAR WE MADE NOTABLE CHANGES IN TERMS OF COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS, MINIMUM WAGE, OF COURSE , BUT WE IMPLEMENTED THE MINIMUM WAGE EARLY, IF YOU RECALL, BY SIX MONTHS TO HELP OUR EMPLOYEES AND TO BETTER PREPARE OURSELVES FOR JANUARY.
SO COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS, MARKET RATE ADJUSTMENTS, A NEW PAY STRUCTURE AND PROVIDING MORE EQUITY THROUGHOUT OUR ORGANIZATION. NOW WE HAVE TO PAY REGIMENTS RATHER THAN FOUR STEP PLAN THAT APPLIES TO OUR COPS AND TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND TO OUR WATER SERVICE PERSONNEL, AND THEN THE REGULAR MERIT BASED SYSTEM FOR THE REST OF US.
THE LAST THING I'LL MENTION IS THERE'S BEEN SOME OTHER THINGS WE'VE DONE AS WELL.
WE REVISITED OUR HEALTH COVERAGE THIS LAST YEAR, WENT TO AN EXTRA TIER, IF YOU WILL.
THANK YOU. I'LL JUST NOTE, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT WITH SOME OF MY COMMENTS, WHICH IS WE'VE DONE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT WORK, REALLY GREAT WORK FOR THE MORALE OF OUR EMPLOYEES, AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT BACKLOGGED BY A DECISION FROM US.
OUR CITY MANAGER, JEANIE GALLAGHER, WITH THE COMPENSATION PACKAGE, BUT I KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEING IN AN ORGANIZATION WHERE I GOT A 3% RAISE IN THREE YEARS AND WATCHED THE HEAD BOSS' INCOME DOUBLE AND HIGHER ADMINISTRATION, AND THAT WAS DEFINITELY A HIT TO MORALE, BEING A NORMAL, EVERYDAY WORKER AT A GOVERNMENT INSTITUTION AND I JUST WANT TO REFRAIN FROM FEELING LIKE I'M DOING WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE WHEN I WAS A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE.
OKAY, SO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY MY COMMENTS REALLY BRIEFLY, MAYOR, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT PHOENIX [INAUDIBLE] THEIR DISTRICT AND THEIR WORKLOAD IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN OURS AND THEIR MEETINGS ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN OURS.
THE FORMER VICE MAYOR OF TEMPE WAS SHOCKED BY OUR WORKLOAD.
I THINK THAT'S MORE COMPARABLE.
[04:25:04]
TEN HOUR WORK WEEK, WE'RE PUTTING IN MORE THAN 10 HOURS TODAY, AND THAT'S NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE PREP WE NEED TO DO FOR A COUNCIL MEETING.I THINK WE NEED TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE HARD WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CITY CHARTER AT A LATER DATE.
I'M NOT HERE TO COMPROMISE AT THE MOMENT UNLESS WE'RE GOING UPWARD COUNCIL AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A MAJORITY SUPPORT FOR THIS COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION.
THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN GREAT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S POINT.
IT'S BEEN MANY YEARS IN THE MAKING.
THIS COMMISSION WAS NOT EASY TO ESTABLISH AND OUR STAFF HAS WORKED HARD TO GET US TO THIS POINT IN OUR COMMISSION HAS A LOT OF CREDIBILITY AND I RESPECT THEIR WORK TREMENDOUSLY, AND LASTLY, WE ARE FIRST IN LINE WHEN IT COMES TO REPRESENTATION.
ALL POLITICS ARE LOCAL AND WE SET THE TONE.
SO WITH THAT, MAYOR, I'M READY TO CALL THE VOTE AND I RECOMMEND WE DO A ROLL CALL, ROLL CALL VOTE, AND IF THAT WERE TO FAIL, THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT COMPROMISE AND NEGOTIATIONS, BUT I THINK I'D RATHER BUILD CONSENSUS OVER THIS THAN JUMP THE GUN TO GO TO A MAJORITY DECISION.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY DID PROVIDE A PROPOSAL PREVIOUSLY, AND I'D LIKE TO VET THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE THOROUGHLY BECAUSE THIS ISN'T THE ONLY OPTION. MAYOR, BEFORE WE DO ANY KIND OF COMPROMISING PROPOSALS, I THINK WE SHOULD GET A HEAD COUNT ON THIS CURRENT RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS COMMISSION, AND IF THAT FAILS, THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT--YOU'RE WELCOME TO MAKE A MOTION.
I THINK IT WOULD BE RESPECTFUL, GIVEN THE DIFFICULTY OF THIS CONVERSATION, FOR US TO LOOK AT ANOTHER OPTION THAT WOULD MAKE US MORE COMFORTABLE, AND YOU MAY NOT WANT TO DO THAT, BUT I THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SEE IF OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS MIGHT BE.
I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT I AT LEAST GET TO GIVE AN IDEA.
I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW ALL MY PREVIOUS PROPOSAL AND MAKE ONE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, AND THEN --IF I COULD, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. IS THIS A MOTION YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT? THIS IS NOT A MOTION. THIS IS CLEARLY NOT A MOTION.
WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS THAT WE CAN UNOFFICIALLY, NOT A MOTION, LET ME SAY THE FIRST THING.
SO I THINK THAT'S OFF THE TABLE.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS ONE PROPOSAL IS THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSAL, AND WE CAN GO AROUND THE TABLE AND VERY INFORMALLY GIVE A THUMBS UP TO THAT OR A THUMBS UP TO MY PROPOSAL.
ALL RIGHT, SO MY REVISED PROPOSAL AND YOU MAY WANT TO WRITE THIS DOWN BECAUSE.
OKAY, SO I'LL GO THROUGH IT SLOWLY, AND THE CURRENT COUNCIL SALARY IS 25,500. SO I'M GOING TO PROPOSE A NUMBER THAT'S SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE SUGGESTION.
THAT'S HALFWAY BETWEEN THE 50,000 THAT I WANT TO END UP AT FOR COUNCIL, AND BEAR IN MIND.
IF I VOTE ON THIS, I DON'T GET THIS, BUT ALSO, BEAR IN MIND THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING HERE TONIGHT WILL BE RUNNING AND THEY WILL GET IT.
SO THEY ARE THEY WILL GET IT IN ABOUT A MONTH.
JUST ONE POINT OF CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
WHETHER THEY'RE RUNNING OR NOT DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE SEAT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY PORTIONS OF THE CITY CODE.
NOBODY HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN THIS ON THIS BOARD OR THIS COUNCIL.
EXCUSE ME. YOU HAVE TO WIN YOUR SEAT BACK BEFORE ANYBODY WILL SEE ANY BENEFIT FROM, BUT WE ARE MAKING A SECOND VOTE ON NOVEMBER 15TH, WHICH IS AFTER ELECTION DAY. I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT JUST TO CLARIFY, IF SOMEONE IS SITTING UP HERE RIGHT NOW, GETS REELECTED NEXT WEEK IN DECEMBER, THEY WOULD GET THE RAISE, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
OKAY, SO ANYWAY, THAT'S JUST KIND OF A SIDE POINT, BUT HERE'S MY PROPOSAL IS WE GO FROM 25.5K, WHICH IS WHERE WE'RE AT NOW TO 37,750, AND THEN IN TWO YEARS IT GOES TO 50,000.
SO EVERYBODY GOT THOSE NUMBERS WRITTEN DOWN.
I WAS JUST SAYING AT 25.5K, 37.75K, 50K, AND THEN FOR MAYOR, GO FROM 38.5K, WHICH IT IS NOW
[04:30:08]
TO 54.25K, AND THEN END UP IN TWO YEARS AT 70K EVEN.ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT I WOULD ASK IS ANYBODY CAN MAKE A MOTION, BUT WHAT I SUGGEST IS WE GO AROUND.
FIRST OF ALL, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS? HOPEFULLY NOT, AND WE CAN GIVE A THUMBS UP AND SAY I'M FOR THE.
THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL VOTE, AND THEN AFTER WE DO THE UNOFFICIAL VOTE, WE CAN DO A FORMAL MOTION.
I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR NOW.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, IF I MIGHT.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A MOTION A SECOND TO SEE WHERE THAT GOES, BUT POLLING FOR A CONSENSUS PRIOR TO THE VOTE WOULDN'T BE APPROPRIATE UNDER OPEN MEETING LAW. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OR NOT, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO ARGUE ABOUT IT.
I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE--POINT OF ORDER.
I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
GO AHEAD. I BELIEVE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A MOTION PRIOR.
YEAH, BUT THE MOTION HASN'T BEEN MADE YET.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, MAYOR.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, I MIGHT VOTE FOR THE FULL INCREASE IF THE OTHER MOTION FAILS, BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW THAT FIRST. COUNCIL MEMBER, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FIRST I FEEL THE SAME WAY, BUT IN REVERSE.
ALL RIGHT, I'M MAKING A MOTION THAT COUNCIL SALARY GOES FROM 25500 TO 50000, AND THEN THE 38500 TO 70000 WITH THE HALFWAY POINT.
OKAY. I'M NOT GOING TO ARGUE ABOUT WHO'S GOING TO MAKE A MOTION.
HE WAS SPEAKING AND IT WAS INTERRUPTING.
[INAUDIBLE] AND 70,000 TO MAYOR, AND WOULD THERE BE ANY--POINT OF ORDER.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI HAS ASKED FOR A POINT OF ORDER.
WHERE ARE WE AT HERE, CITY ATTORNEY? MAYOR, AS THE CHAIR, YOU ULTIMATELY ARE THE ONE TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHO WAS ALLOWED TO MAKE A MOTION FIRST.
IT IS IN THE CHAT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI, WHILE COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY WAS STATING HIS PROPOSAL, DID ASK TO MAKE A MOTION THAT SAID IT'S ULTIMATELY YOUR DECISION AS THE CHAIR AND COUNCIL ULTIMATELY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK TO OVERRULE A DECISION OF THE CHAIR, WHICH IS UNDER RULE 8.01 OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURES.
OKAY, WELL, UNTIL I FIND OUT ABOUT THIS, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE NO ON THAT.
SO YOU CAN MAKE THE MOTION FOR THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL.
SO ONE ONE FURTHER CLARIFICATION, MAYOR, YOU DID STATE THAT YOU WERE MAKING A MOTION.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I TRIED TO MAKE A MOTION AND I GOT INTERRUPTED PARTIALLY WAY THROUGH.
I DIDN'T SEE THAT IN THE COMMENTS AT THE SAME TIME AS ALL THIS WAS GOING ON.
SO I AM ENTHUSED AND EXCITED TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE READ ORDINANCE NUMBER 2022-29 BY TITLE ONLY FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND I ASK THAT WE HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
THANK YOU. I WILL SECOND THAT.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN.
SO QUESTION FOR THE ATTORNEY: IF THIS FAILS, AND THEN MY PROPOSAL, WHICH I HAVEN'T MADE YET, FORMALLY, FAILS.
CAN WE COME BACK AND REVISIT? YES, YOU CAN. OKAY, THANK YOU.
SO I'M GOING TO VOTE NO ON THIS FOR NOW, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN I'M AGAINST ONE OF THE OPTIONS.
[04:35:04]
ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU.I'M SORRY THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A FIASCO.
I HATE TO SUGGEST THIS, BUT DID YOU ASK FOR ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HAVE A COMMENT, MR. MAYOR.
I DO APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY'S EFFORT TO COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE, BUT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN PUTTING TOGETHER THIS THIS RECOMMENDATION FROM CITY STAFF, FROM THE COMMISSIONERS WHO VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME AND ENERGY AND KNOWLEDGE AND ALL THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE COMMISSION, TO STAFF AND TO COUNSEL MUCH GRATITUDE.
THANK YOU. ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE.
YEAH. SORRY, I'M GETTING MY NOTES HERE.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF AMENDING SECTION 1-07-001-005 SALARIES OF THE FLAGSTAFF CITY CODE AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ALL RIGHT, NOW IS A GOOD TIME FOR A BREAK, I THINK.
YES, YOU MAY. I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE MAYOR VOTED NO ON THAT, I BELIEVE THAT HE WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THE GENERAL TREND OF THIS AND LIKE ME, PROBABLY WOULD HAVE VOTED YES IF IT HADN'T ALREADY BEEN DECIDED.
THANK YOU. SO, IN FACT, THE WHOLE COUNCIL AGREED TO THIS.
ALL RIGHT, IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT SOME SNOWPLOWING.
[A. Snow Readiness and Operations Update- PROSE / Public Works STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Discussion of the upcoming winter season preparations and parking restrictions. This discussion item is informational only. - Public Works Streets Section snow operations - Parks Section snow operations - Parking and community impacts]
SO LET'S START WITH GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.I'M GOING TO START FRESH TODAY.
IF YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED THE WEATHER UPDATE, DO SO.
WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY COOL OPPORTUNITIES.
COME IN FOR SOME SHOVEL ACTIVITY HERE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
SO I THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE FAIRLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR OPERATIONS, OUR READINESS REPORT, AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT COMING INTO THE SEASON AND SOME OF THE EXPECTATIONS YOU CAN SEE OR PLAN ON SEEING FROM BOTH PROS AND FROM PUBLIC WORKS IN THIS SNOW SEASON.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH OUR SNOW READINESS, SNOW OPERATIONS READINESS REPORT.
A COUPLE OF THE ITEMS WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER TODAY OR THIS MORNING, OUR FORECASTING STORMS AND PREPARATIONS FOR STREETS, WINTER OPERATIONS, PROS, WINTER OPERATIONS, STORM POST STORM OPERATIONS, AND THEN THE COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS AND PARKING ORDINANCE, WHICH DID AND WILL COME INTO EFFECT TODAY.
THOSE CALLS REALLY HELP US SCOPE OUR NEEDS.
FOR THE MOST PART, THEY GIVE US PRETTY GOOD INDICATORS OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE.
COULD BE A STORM LIKE WE'RE GOING TO SEE THIS WEEK OF 3 TO 7 INCHES.
THAT HAS BEEN FLUCTUATING A LITTLE BIT EACH DAY, BUT WE KNOW ROUGHLY WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE.
SOMETIMES WE GET THESE BIGGER STORMS WHERE THEY'RE 15, 16 INCHES.
WE'LL START GETTING MORE DETAILED FORECAST AS WE GET CLOSER.
[04:40:03]
THE ON-CALL SUPERVISORS FOR THE WATCH.IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE FISCAL SENSE TO DO THAT.
SO WHAT WE DO IS TRY AND HONE IN AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S COMING IN, AND THEN WE HAVE SUPERVISORS WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT WITH US, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INTRODUCE A COUPLE OF THE STREET SUPERVISORS HERE WHO OVERSEE OUR SNOW OPERATIONS ON THAT SIDE.
SO STARTING FROM YOUR FAR RIGHT, COMING ACROSS, WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE].
RICHIE HEARN, WHO'S OUR STREETS MANAGER, AND JULIEN MILLIGAN.
THEY'RE UP EVERY HOUR, EVERY HALF HOUR, MAKING SURE THAT WE STAY AHEAD OF WHATEVER'S COMING IN.
SOMETIMES YOU WIN SOME, SOMETIMES YOU LOSE SOME, BUT THESE GUYS RIGHT HERE, THEIR JUDGMENT CALL 99% OF THE TIME, IF NOT MORE, IS SPOT ON, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY SAW AND RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY OUT THERE DOING THE WORK, OVERSEEING THE CREWS AND GETTING THAT WORK DONE FOR US.
SO THANK YOU, GUYS, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TONIGHT.
ALL RIGHT, SO FOR RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT, WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THAT HERE.
IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE STORM.
NOW WE CAN RUN MORE OF A SMALLER SKELETON CREW, AND RAMP UP AS NEEDED.
HOWEVER, IT ALL DEPENDS ON SHIFTS.
FROM 10 TO 10, WE HAVE ONE SHIFT THAT'S 10 A.M.
SO 12 HOURS EACH SHIFT AND THEN AROUND THE CLOCK.
SO UNDERSTANDING HOW TO BALANCE THOSE HOURS, MAKING SURE THAT WE BALANCE THE RESOURCES EACH YEAR AND EACH STORM IN PREPARATION FOR WHAT MIGHT BE COMING, I THINK FORTUNATELY, WE SEE THIS STORM MOVING IN.
AGAIN, THAT'S A BIG ONE RIGHT THERE.
MOST OF YOU'VE LIVED HERE LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT OUR SNOW SEASON IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT HERE.
IT'S USUALLY GONE IN A FEW DAYS, DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER WE GET.
WELL, WHAT DOES THAT DO? THAT MEANS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME SERIOUS FREEZE FALL WHICH CREATES ICE ISSUES, WHICH MEANS THESE CREWS WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO RUN FAR PAST THE LIFE OF THE STORM WHERE YOU ACTUALLY SEE SNOW FALLING FROM THE SKY.
SO THEIR SHIFTS CONTINUE EVEN PAST WHEN YOU THINK THAT THEY HAVE ENDED.
AGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, AND I'M GOING TO BRING AMY UP HERE.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF TALKING, BUT THIS IS MORE THAN JUST INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS, BUT IT'S WITH OUR PARTNERS, WITH THE COUNTY, WITH ADOT, AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEIR OPERATIONS ARE.
WHO'S GOT WHAT COVERAGE? HOW IS IT LOOKING FOR THIS STORM? AND THEN WHAT IS OUR EXPECTATION THROUGH THOSE SHIFTS? ARE WE RUNNING MULTIPLE SHIFTS, ARE WE GOING TO SEE EXTRA RESOURCES COME IN FROM ADOT TO SUPPORT IT? DO THEY NEED IT? WHAT KIND OF COVERAGE ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE THROUGH THE CITY HERE AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO PICK UP UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN'T COVER IT ALL? WITH THAT, THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO BRING AMY IN JUST TO KIND OF DISCUSS THAT PARTNERSHIP AND THOSE AGENCY COMBINATIONS.
AS YOU PROBABLY NOTICED, OUR BIG TRUCKS DON'T FIT IN DOWNTOWN.
SURE. ABSOLUTELY. YOU WANT ME FORWARD ANY SLIDES HERE FOR YOU? NO, NO, NO, NO SLIDES.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME COORDINATION AND THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS AND THE TWO OTHERS THAT SAM MENTIONED, IT'S KEY THAT COORDINATION BETWEEN THE PARKS TEAM AND THE STREETS TEAM AND THE DOWNTOWN OPERATION IS UNIQUE.
I THINK WE HAVE A PHOTO OF IT FUTURE HERE IN OUR PRESENTATION ON WHEN WE HAUL THE SNOW OUT OF DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THERE IS NOWHERE TO PUSH IT BESIDES GETTING IT INTO SOME VEHICLES AND GETTING IT THE HECK OUT OF THERE.
[04:45:01]
SO THAT IS PROBABLY ONE OF OUR MOST UNIQUE THINGS TO COMMUNICATE ABOUT, BUT A LOT OF OUR WORK BETWEEN OUR OUR MULTIPLE TEAMS, IT'S ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER.SO WE NEED TO HAVE THAT HIGH COMMUNICATION OCCURRING AND ENSURING THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR EACH GROUP THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS , AND AGAIN, HER TEAMS ARE RUNNING THE SAME THING.
THEY'RE RUNNING 12 HOUR SHIFTS.
THEY RUN DIFFERENT HOURS, BUT IT'S CONTINUOUS.
I THINK ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE WITH.
AMY'S TEAMS IN PARTICULAR, THEY'RE NOT OUT THERE WITH BIG SNOWPLOWS.
THEY'RE OUT THERE DOING SOME HAND SHOVELING LIKE COUNCILMAN MCCARTHY WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT.
IT IS LABORER'S WORK AND IT IS CONTINUAL WORK.
SO A HUGE THANK YOU TO THEM AND THEIR TEAM AND ALL THAT THEY DO.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE 20 10-WHEEL SNOWPLOWS, FOUR SIX-WHEEL SNOWPLOWS, TEN MOTOR GRADERS, FIVE FRONT END LOADERS, TWO BOBCAT TOOL-CATS AND ONE SNOW BLOWER, WHICH YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE IN THIS PICTURE HERE.
YOU KNOW, NOTHING CRAZY, SOMETHING SIMPLE, MODEST, BUT GETS THE JOB DONE.
THIS HERE GETS SPLIT BETWEEN TWO SHIFTS.
SO AS WE WORK THROUGH THESE OPERATIONS, THE STAFFING IN STREETS IS ABOUT 20 PEOPLE.
SO BRINGING IN OTHER DIVISIONS SUCH AS SOLID WASTE, OTHER PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHO HAVE.
OTHERWISE, WE WOULD JUST NOT BE ABLE TO FILL ALL THE SEATS.
SO YOU'LL SEE WE DO HAVE THAT POSITION OPEN RIGHT NOW AS OUR SNOW TEMP AND WE ARE LOOKING TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE IN AS POSSIBLE TO TRY AND HELP US FILL SOME SEATS THIS YEAR.
THIS KIND OF WALKS YOU THROUGH THE STAFFING THAT YOU'LL SEE, AND THIS IS OFF BY ONE NUMBER BECAUSE I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE ARE UP TO 20 FULL TIME OPERATORS, NOT 19 IN THE STREETS DEPARTMENT IN PARTICULAR.
IT WAS ALWAYS STRUCTURED THAT WAY, BUT THAT'S THE WAY THAT KIND OF BREAKS OUT.
I THINK AN IMPORTANT TO NOTE ON HERE, SOME PEOPLE ASK, WELL, WHY IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST ON HERE? WELL, IT TURNS OUT THAT WHEN WE GET A LOT OF SNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO CALL PEOPLE AND SO WE LIKE TO GIVE A HUGE THANKS TO BAILEY, WHO TAKES ABOUT 200 CALLS, A STORM.
SO FOR A SINGLE EVENT, WE CAN SEE ON AVERAGE ABOUT 200 CALLS, AND THOSE CAN VARY FROM REQUEST FOR SERVICE TO SIMPLE GENERAL INFORMATION, HOWEVER, THAT'S INUNDATIVE.
THERE'S A TON OF COORDINATION THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IN A VERY RAPID TIME FRAME.
IT'S JUST HUGE ACKNOWLEDGMENT THERE FOR EVERYBODY WHO SUPPORTS THIS.
PRIORITY ROUTES VERSUS SECONDARY ROUTES.
MANY OF YOU UNDERSTAND AND HAVE DEALT WITH THESE FOR YEARS.
HOWEVER, MAIN ROUTES ARE SIMILAR TO THINGS LIKE YOU SEE [INAUDIBLE] ROUTE 66.
SO FOR US, THOSE GET PRIORITIZED BY USE SCHOOL BUSSES, THINGS LIKE THAT, WHERE THE BUS ROUTES DOWNTOWN AREA IS ONE OF THOSE PRIORITY ROUTE AREAS.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THE CORE OF OUR COMMUNITY TRAVELING AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE AND THEN AS WE WORK THROUGH AND GET INTO OUR SECONDARY ROUTES, IS TO GET INTO THOSE RESIDENTIAL AREAS WHERE WE SEE A LITTLE LESS TRAFFIC, A LITTLE LESS CONGESTION AND A LOT LESS INCIDENTS OR ACCIDENTS IN THOSE AREAS.
WE WILL GET THERE, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO WAIT YOUR TIME.
[04:50:02]
OUR EXPECTATION OF ALL OF OUR OPERATORS IS FOR PLOWING AND ICE CONTROL, AND THAT IS THE KEY FOR THEM TO BE OUT THERE IS TO TRY AND OPEN UP THE ROADWAYS AND THEN DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN DO TO GET AHEAD OF ICE, AND THAT INCLUDES LOTS OF CINDERS, CINDERS WHICH GET LEFT BEHIND AFTERWARDS, AND SO THEY ROTATE MANY OF THE OPERATORS OUT OF THAT SNOW SHIFT OPERATION MENTALITY AND RIGHT BACK INTO THE SWEEPER OPERATORS, THOSE ROUTES ARE ACTUALLY 12 HOUR ROUTES. SO FOR THOSE SWEEPER OPERATORS NEVER REALLY GET A BREAK.FOR PERSPECTIVE, A SINGLE TEN WHEEL DUMP TRUCK CAN PUT DOWN ABOUT EIGHT YARDS OF CINDERS.
A SWEEPER CAN PICK UP ABOUT A YARD AND A HALF OF CINDERS.
SO FOR EVERY ONE TRUCK, WE'RE MAKING A LOT OF PASSES TO TRY AND GET AHEAD OF THAT.
SO IT'S A CONTINUAL CYCLE THERE.
THIS ONE HERE IS JUST A REMINDER OF THE SNOW IMPACTS ON BUTLER AGAIN THIS YEAR.
THAT DOES CREATE HUGE IMPACTS FOR LEFT HAND TURNS AND ANY KIND OF CROSSOVER ACCESS ANYWHERE WHERE THERE ISN'T ALREADY A DIVIDED HIGHWAY OR DIVIDED ROADWAY IN THERE, AND THEN AFTER THE SNOWSTORM, AFTER WE GET ALL OF THE SECONDARY ROUTES CLEARED UP, WE'LL COME BACK OUT AFTER SNOW SHIFT.
THE CREWS WILL WORK A NIGHT SHIFT TO PULL ALL THAT SNOW OUT OF THE CENTER MEDIAN AND HAUL IT AWAY SO IT WILL EXTEND THEIR OPERATIONS AT LEAST ANOTHER DAY, IF NOT TWO, TO GO BACK AND CLEAN THESE OUT AS BEST THEY CAN SO PEOPLE CAN USE THE ROAD.
AND THEN I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO AMY TO TALK ABOUT HER TEAM AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY PROVIDE.
ALL RIGHT, SO FOR THE PARK SECTION, OUR READINESS REALLY MIMICS EXACTLY WHAT STREETS AND PUBLIC WORKS DOES WITH THOSE PREDICTIONS, AND THOSE SAME RESOURCE ANALYTICS.
OUR STAFFING AND OUR FLEET HAS NOT CHANGED FROM PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS.
SO WHEN WE'RE FULLY STAFFED, WE WOULD HAVE 15 EQUIPMENT OPERATORS AND TEN HAND SHOVELS.
WE'RE HAVING SOME RECRUITING VACANCIES FOR WELL OVER 12 MONTHS AT THIS POINT, AND IT'S A STRUGGLE.
SO WE'RE MISSING FIVE FTES, SO FIVE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES ON THE PARK STAFF AND WE'RE MISSING SIX TEMPORARY SEASONAL PERSONNEL THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY HAVE ON STAFF. RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT RECREATION STAFF AT OUR RECREATION CENTERS, OUR OPEN SPACE PARTNERS AND EVENTS.
SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY REVIEWING THAT AND MAKING THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING OUT FOR THAT TO ENSURING THAT WE'RE CREATING THOSE SAFE ROUTES.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR COURTESY BERM RELOCATION PROGRAM AND REVIEW AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT'S ONGOING RIGHT NOW RIGHT BEFORE THIS SEASON BEGINS, ALTHOUGH APPARENTLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE SNOWSTORM MAYBE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING, BUT A LOT OF THAT COORDINATION, EVEN FOR THE COURTESY BERM REMOVAL PROGRAM IS WHEN STREETS GETS INTO THAT SECOND PRIORITY IN THOSE RESIDENTIAL ROUTES AND ROADWAYS.
SO WE HAVE TEN PLOWS THAT ARE ON SOME OF OUR TRUCKS ON OUR FLEET.
THANK YOU. EARLIER THIS EVENING, WE HAVE ANOTHER TOOL KIT THAT WILL BE ON THE WAY AT SOME POINT.
WE HAVE SIX TRACTORS, BACKHOES.
THAT'S NOT 12 TOTAL, BUT SIX BETWEEN TRACTORS AND BACKHOES THAT WE USE, AND FOUR SNOW THROWERS AND MANY SHOVELS, AND THAT EXCLAMATION POINT IS A JOKE I HAVE FOR MR. OVERTON FROM YEARS AGO.
TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR PARKS OPERATION, IT'S A STILL A 24/7 WITH THE 12 HOUR SHIFTS, AS SAM HAS MENTIONED, OUR SHIFTS DO DIFFER FROM THOSE IN PUBLIC WORKS WHERE OUR EQUIPMENT OPERATORS WILL TYPICALLY BEGIN AT 4 A.M, AND OUR HAND SHOVELS AT 6:00 AM, AND DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT STORM IS DOING, WE MAY HAVE WHAT WE CALL A DAY SHIFT, AND A 9 A.M.
JUST REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT THE ACCUMULATION AND OR ICE SITUATION RESEMBLES.
[04:55:02]
WE DO PERFORM A TWO TO A 3 A.M.HAULING WHEN THERE IS THE DOWNTOWN HAULING OPERATION THAT OCCURS, AND FOR HERITAGE SQUARE, THE PRIORITIES OF OUR ROUTES HAVE BEEN PRE IDENTIFIED AND THEY ARE IN AN ORDER. THERE'S OVER 300 ASSIGNMENTS THAT PARKS DOES MANAGE.
THERE'S PARKING LOTS OF CITY OWNED BUILDINGS, THERE'S 63 PARKING LOTS.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE CONCRETE OR ASPHALT SECTIONS.
THERE'S THE DEDICATED CITY ALLEYS, MAJORITY OF THEM DOWNTOWN OR IN TOWN SITE AND A FEW IN SUNNYSIDE.
THEN THERE'S THE LATER THE COURTESY BERM SERVICE, AND WHILE THAT'S GOING ON THERE, STILL, AS SAM MENTIONED, THOSE MOP UPS, WE CALL THEM, WHEN THERE'S THE FREEZE THAW, THE ICE CONDITIONS THAT WHAT HAVE YOU LATER, WHAT'S KIND OF MORE IN OUR SECONDARY ROUTES ONCE WE CAN GET THOSE PRIORITIES ACCOMPLISHED, WOULD BE THE ENTRANCES TO FOOT.
SO WE ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THOSE, AND THAT BERM MAY HAVE BEEN CREATED FROM THE STREET PLOWING ON THOSE.
THEN THERE'S THE PARKING LOTS WITHIN OUR PARK LOCATIONS BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET THOSE CLEAR TOO, AND THEN THERE'S SOME OF THOSE FINER TOUCHES THE STAIRWAYS, THE WALKWAYS, MAYBE BENCHES, DOWNTOWN, SKATE TRACKS, SKATE PARKS, IF WE CAN GET TO THEM IN THE BMX TRACK WITHIN OUR CITY PARKS, YOU KNOW, SOME UNIQUE THINGS WE'VE BEEN DOING THE LAST COUPLE OF SEASONS AND WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT SUCCESS.
WE KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE AND WE KNOW HOW TO MANAGE THOSE WITHIN AND HOW WHEN WE BEGIN OUR OPERATION AND WHEN WE PULL CERTAIN TRIGGERS ON THINGS AND HOW TO OPERATE IN THOSE SHIFTS AND WITH SAFETY ALWAYS IN MIND AND WITH EFFICIENCIES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, WORKING WITH STREETS ON WHEN TO START GOING OUT AND HITTING THOSE COURTESY BURN LOCATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PRE APPROVED.
THIS HAS BEEN OUR MOST VALUABLE TOOL, HONESTLY, IN ADDITION TO JUST REGULAR COMMUNICATION.
IT'S A SNOW APP THAT PARK STAFF ALONG WITH GIS STAFF CREATED IN 2019.
IT GIVES US LIVE IMMEDIATE DATA.
WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT ASSIGNMENTS ARE COMPLETE AND WHAT IS NOT COMPLETE, AND IF YOU'RE AN OPERATOR OR EVEN A HAND SHOVELER AND YOU'RE WALKING BY THAT TABLET WITH YOU PINGS YOU TO LET YOU KNOW MAYBE AN ASSIGNMENT IS NOT COMPLETE.
WE HAVE A COUPLE INDIVIDUALS THAT LOVE TO VIEW IT AS KIND OF THE COMMAND CENTRAL.
WE'VE ALLUDED TO A LITTLE BIT OF IT.
I'M GOING TO HAND IT BACK TO SAM.
THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHOTOS OF DOWNTOWN AT PROBABLY THE 2 A.M.
HOUR. YEAH, WE'VE GOT TO GIVE CREDIT TO DIRECTOR OVERTON OVER HERE AS HE WAS THE PHOTOGRAPHER ON THIS PARTICULAR SCENE, BUT YEAH, SO WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT WHERE WE START GETTING OVERLOADED OR INUNDATED WITH SNOW, WE'VE GOT TO GET BACK OUT THERE AND CLEAN THAT UP, AND WE'LL DO THAT IN MANY AREAS.
WE'LL USUALLY START IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT AGAIN ON BUTLER.
WE ALSO WIND UP IN SEVERAL THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE SEE HEAVY INUNDATION IN ONE SIDE OF THE STREET THAT SEES A LOT MORE SHADE THAN THE OTHER SIDE, AND WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT THERE AND TRY AND SUPPORT THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND SPLIT THAT UP AND GET IT HAULED OUT OF THERE.
SO IT'S AN EFFORT ALL IN ITSELF, AND WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF SPACE TO STORE THAT SNOW.
YOU ALSO SEE HERE WE'VE GOT SNOW REMOVAL IN THE SEPARATED BIKE LANES.
AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE THE SAME THING AS IT'LL BE SNOW BLOWN OUT OF THE BIKE LANES.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CAPTURE THAT SOMEHOW.
SO IT TAKES ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO CAPTURE THAT SNOW AS IT CAN'T JUST BE PUSHED OFF TO THE SIDE.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT OUR POLICY IS TO STACK IT IN THE CENTER AND AS WE CAN, WE'LL WORK OUR WAY BACK INTO THAT COMMUNITY IF NEED BE, AND WE'LL GET THAT HAULED OUT OF THOSE CUL DE SACS, UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY DO CAUSE SOME INUNDATION.
HOWEVER, IT DOES ALLOW FOR ACCESS WITHOUT COMPLETELY INUNDATING ALL THE DRIVEWAYS IN THOSE AREAS.
ONE OF THE OTHER PIECES IN HERE AND ONE OF THE SUPERVISORS FOR IT IS SIGNAGE.
MANY OF THEM HAVE TO BE REPAIRED WITHIN A TIMELY MANNER.
SOME OF THEM HAVE TO BE REPAIRED WITHIN AN HOUR OR 2 HOURS.
STOP SIGNS CAN'T BE DOWN OVERNIGHT.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THOSE PIECES THAT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TAKE A SNOW OPERATOR AND FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET THAT STOP SIGN BACK UP OR WE HAVE SOME SORT OF A WEIRD OUTAGE WITH THE SIGNAL. WE'VE GOT TO GET A CREW BACK OUT THERE TO STILL CONTINUE SOME OF OUR DAILY MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS IN ADDITION TO WORKING ON THESE SNOW PIECES.
[05:00:08]
SO. PROLONGED ICE CONTROL AND SNOW TROUBLE SPOTS.THOSE ARE ONE OF THOSE PIECES, ESPECIALLY HILLS, YOU SEE IT ON FOREST HILL WHERE IT GETS CLOSED.
WHY? BECAUSE IT IS A CONTINUAL ISSUE.
THERE'S NO SUN THAT HITS THAT HILL VERY WELL IN THE WINTERTIME, AND IT IS JUST DANGEROUS TO HAVE PEOPLE ON THERE UNTIL WE CAN GET IT CLEARED AND OPENED UP, AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE ICE UNDER CONTROL IN THAT AREA, AND THEN IT'S RIGHT BACK INTO SWEEPING CINDERS.
WHEN YOU USE ALL THOSE CINDERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE HILLS, THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS GET THOSE PICKED UP AFTER THE STORM TO HELP REDUCE ANY KIND OF SLIPPAGE, IF YOU WILL, AND GET THOSE OUT OF THE WAY FOR PEOPLE TO TRAVEL, WHETHER IT BE BICYCLE OR BY VEHICLE OR EVEN BY FOOT.
SO THOSE ARE KEY ITEMS AS WE LOOK AT SNOW.
SO AS THE STORM RAMPS DOWN, THESE GUYS DON'T DON'T GO HOME AND GO TO BED.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE IF SHE'D TAKE IT.
IF WE CAN GET PEOPLE TO MANAGE THOSE EXPECTATIONS AND WHEN THEY NEED TO GO TO THE STORE, WHEN DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO TRAVEL? PICK YOUR MOMENTS.
MAYBE YOU WAIT A COUPLE OF HOURS AND LET THE TRUCKS GET OUT THERE AND DO THEIR JOB.
THE MORE CONGESTION THAT WE HAVE ON THE ROAD, THE SLOWER IT MAKES THESE OPERATIONS.
SO IF WE CAN GET THE ROADS CLEARED OUT, THE BETTER OFF WE ARE.
WE'VE GOT MANY OF THE AREAS, ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN.
THERE'S NO ROOM TO PASS ONE OF THOSE SNOWPLOWS WHEN THEY'RE PASSING DOWN THERE.
I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE IN OUR SNOWPLOWS LAST YEAR.
VISIBILITY SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE AWESOME.
IT IS NOT. IT IS LESS THAN AWESOME.
THAT'S THE BEST POSSIBLE THING YOU CAN DO FOR US AND PROVIDE SOME EXTRA DISTANCE.
THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR FIRST BIG IF IT COMES TO FRUITION.
IT'S THE ONE REMINDER WE WANT TO GET OUT THERE, SPREAD THE WORD.
IF YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND, REMIND THEM: GIVE IT A LITTLE EXTRA DISTANCE WHEN YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT STOPPING OR COMING UP TO A STREETLIGHT OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, BECAUSE THE ODDS OF YOU SLIDING OR SKIDDING ARE GOING TO INCREASE, BUT THIS FIRST ONE IS ALWAYS A REALLY GOOD WAKE UP CALL FOR EVERYBODY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT DOES COME WITH SOME DAMAGE SOMETIMES.
PARKING ORDINANCE AS OF TODAY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO START SEEING THAT BE AN ISSUE MOVING FORWARD.
THAT PARKING ORDINANCE IS FROM MIDNIGHT TO 7 A.M..
NO PARKING ON CITY STREETS, AND THEN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, IT'S AT 3 A.M.
SO IT PUTS THEM ON A REALLY TIGHT TIME WINDOW IN A REALLY STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENT.
WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THESE ON HERE BECAUSE THERE ARE IMPACTS.
SO LIKE MUSEUM FLOOD AREA THAT'S ON HERE BECAUSE NOT A LOT HAS CHANGED THERE.
THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO KEEP YOUR MITIGATION IN PLACE AND YET THAT DOES AFFECT THE WAY WE DO SNOW OPERATIONS IN THERE, AND WE'RE GOING TO STICK WITH THE SAME SETUP THAT WE'VE USED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UNTIL WE HAVE SOME BETTER SOLUTIONS MOVING FORWARD, AND AGAIN, IF THERE'S QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO TO OUR WEBSITE.
I WANT TO GIVE HUGE THANKS TO BAILEY, WHO'S DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB OF GETTING THAT INFORMATION, UPDATED ON THERE, AND WORKING WITH SARAH AND HER TEAM TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET AS MUCH INFORMATION OUT THERE AS POSSIBLE.
[05:05:01]
SO THAT PUBLIC INFORMATION PIECE IS KEY FOR US SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT TO EXPECT IN THESE TIMES.AND IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO ANSWER.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE. THANK YOU BOTH.
NOT A QUESTION, JUST A COMMENT.
I MEAN, IT'S REALLY IT'S IMPRESSIVE TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF THOUGHT AND CONSIDERATION AND EFFORT THAT GOES INTO THIS PROCESS AND CERTAINLY TO SEE JUST THE DEMAND THAT THIS IS FOR YOUR TEAMS UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU'RE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE BUSINESSES AND THE LIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WORKING AROUND THAT WHILE ALSO MEETING THAT NEED I THINK IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PART OF THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS LATE AND YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I KNOW YOU ALL DON'T MAKE MANY APPEARANCES HERE, SO I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME THIS EVENING TO SIT THROUGH OUR MEETING AND WITNESS OUR WORK A LITTLE BIT, BUT I DID GET TO DO A RIDE ALONG LAST YEAR, AND I GOT TO APPRECIATE SOME OF THE WORK YOU ALL DO.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN YOUR EFFORTS TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY MOVING.
RIGHT. I REALLY DO RESPECT AND APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
BUT I'LL GO THROUGH THE LIST AND LET YOU ADDRESS TO THEM.
I REALLY WANT US TO LOOK THROUGH A LENS OF EQUITY IN OUR SNOW OPERATIONS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING CARS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP MOVING, BUT OFTEN, YOU KNOW, SIDEWALKS ALONG OUR HIGHER PRIORITY TRAVEL ROUTES DON'T GET CLEARED AND REMAIN FULL OF CINDERS INTO THE SPRING, INTO THE SUMMER EVEN , AND SO I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IF THE TEAM CAN REALLY LOOK AT MAYBE FLIPPING THE PRIORITIES A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR THE PROGRESS ON ADDRESSING BIKE LANES AND PEDESTRIAN AVENUES, BUT JUST THINKING OF SOME OF THOSE CORRIDORS, I'VE SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE WALKING THROUGHOUT THE WINTER AND THE MUD AND THE SNOW AND THE WET AND IT'S NOTA A PRETTY SIGHT, AND I REALLY FEEL FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE TRYING TO GET TO WORK OR GET HOME, AND THEY'RE ALL WET.
THE BIG SHIFT, THE ATNP GOALS THAT WERE OUTLINED EARLIER.
I MEAN, THERE'S A BIG GOAL IN THE BIG SHIFT THAT MARTIN SPOKE TO EARLIER, BUT YOU ALL PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN ALL THAT AND MAKING THAT POSSIBLE BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T CLEAR THE ROADS, THEY WILL NOT COME, THEY WILL NOT WALK, YOU KNOW, ONLY THOSE THAT ABSOLUTELY MUST WILL.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE CLEAR THEM, THEY WILL WALK.
RIGHT, BUT CURRENTLY, I DO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M LOOKING AT SCOTT, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE SHARED THAT, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBERS ARE NOT NECESSARILY THERE TO BACK WHAT I'M SAYING, BUT I DO BELIEVE IF WE START CLEARING AND REALLY DOING THAT WITH A PRIORITY, THE NUMBERS MIGHT BETTER REFLECT AND REALLY START WORKING TOWARDS THAT BIG SHIFT.
SO IT'S LIKE WHAT COMES FIRST, RIGHT? THE BIKE LANES, THE BIKE PILOTS, AND I'M KIND OF SAYING THIS FOR THE SUPERVISORS MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE.
I RECOGNIZE THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MISTAKE, AND THAT'S ONE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING TO CORRECT THAT IS NOT EFFICIENT AND NOT A GOOD USE OF YOUR TIME, ALTHOUGH I DO SEE VALUE IN THAT WORK, BUT STICK WITH IT.
KEEP DOING IT, AND I THINK WE'LL FIX IT IN THE YEARS TO COME, HOPEFULLY SOONER THAN LATER AND MAKE IT A LOT MORE OF AN EFFICIENT PROCESS, AND SAM, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO DO THAT.
LASTLY, SAM, YOU SPOKE ABOUT HOPING THAT PEOPLE WERE TUNING IN CURRENTLY TO HEAR YOUR MESSAGE.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE.
THERE MIGHT BE A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE TUNING IN, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO THE POINTS YOU WERE MAKING ABOUT COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH, YOU DON'T GET TO SAY A VIDEO, RIGHT? A QUALITY SHORT VIDEO TALKING ABOUT BEST PRACTICES.
WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER LIKE WE DID LAST TIME, BUT SARAH AND THE TEAM HAVE MONEY TO MAKE VIDEOS.
THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THE TIME OR CAPACITY, BUT THEY'VE GOT THE MONEY, BUT BEST PRACTICES AND WINTER READINESS IN TERMS OF LIKE, WHEN'S THE BEST TIME TO SHOP, HOW TO BEST LIKE EVERYTHING YOU WERE SAYING, A QUALITY SHORT VIDEO I THINK COULD REALLY REACH THE MASSES REALLY MUCH BETTER THAN SPEAKING HERE TONIGHT, BUT I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT TO YOUR
[05:10:07]
THOUGHTS, BUT GREAT PRESENTATION.GLAD WE GOT YOU ANOTHER TOOL, AMY, EARLIER TODAY, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS. TIME FOR THE BIG HEART.
YEAH, I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD SING 'LET IT SNOW.' [CHUCKLING].
YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ENTIRE TEAM FLAGSTAFF.
WE HAVE STREETS, WE HAVE PROS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE OUR WINTER--THERE IS A REASON WHY FLAGSTAFF IS DESIGNATED AS ARIZONA'S WINTER WONDERLAND, AND I THINK WE HAVE A WINTER RECREATION MAP THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY OUR DISCOVER FLAGSTAFF TEAM.
OF COURSE, THIS IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN I WORKED FOR THE COUNTY, WHEN I COVERED THE PHONES OFTEN ASK QUESTION, WHERE CAN WE PLAY? WHERE CAN WE PARK? SO JUST KIND OF TO RELIEVE THE AWESOME BAILIFF FROM [INAUDIBLE] THE SNOW PLAY HOTLINE FOR THE SNOW PLAY MAP AND CLOSURES [INAUDIBLE] CONDITIONS AND WHERE ARE THE DESIGNATED SNOW PLAY AREAS BECAUSE THAT'S THE MESSAGING WE WANT OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS KNOW WHERE THEY COULD PLAY RESPONSIBLY. NOT ON 180 OR ON MAJOR ROADWAYS.
I ALSO DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT BECAUSE I REMEMBER A VICE MAYOR AND HER SON SHOVELING SNOW LAST YEAR, AND I THINK IT'S ALSO A PARTNERSHIP WITH DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ALLIANCE AND SOME OF OUR BUSINESS OWNERS DOWNTOWN AND ACROSS THE CITY AND HELPING CLEAR SIDEWALKS AND ALSO JUST MAKING IT SAFE FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR CUSTOMERS.
ALSO, I REMEMBER LAST YEAR, I SAW OUR LIBRARY STAFF JUST ALL HANDS ON DECK FROM 14 FLAGSTAFF AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHEN IT COMES TO SNOW OPERATIONS.
SO THAT'S WHY BIG GRATEFUL HEART.
THANK YOU. I'LL JUST ADD REAL QUICK.
I DO APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
GO, TEAM FLAGSTAFF, AND FOR THE DOWNTOWN, JUST A HUGE THANK YOU FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I'VE SPENT A LOT OF YEARS SHOVELING AND I SEE YOU WORKING HARD AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO PUT THE SNOW, AND WITHOUT YOU, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO OPEN OUR DOORS. SO THANK YOU.
SO HOW MANY HUNDREDS OF MILES DO WE HAVE A ROADWAY THAT YOU ALL HAVE TO SHOVEL? OH, FOR SHOVELING, IT'S LIKE TWICE WHAT WE HAVE FOR PLOWING.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU THAT. OR PLOWING, LET'S DO BLOWING.
YEAH. SO ON THE ROADWAY PLOWING, IT'S OVER 700 LANE MILES OF ROADWAY THAT GETS PLOWED.
YEAH. I THINK THAT MESSAGE HITS HOME A LOT OF THE TIME.
WHEN I SPEAK TO RESIDENTS WHO GET UPSET ABOUT THE SNOW PLOWING IS LIKE THEY GOT 700 MILES AND HOW MANY STAFF TO DEAL WITH IT? SO, NO, I THINK THAT IT'S GOOD PUBLIC INFORMATION FOR THEM TO REALIZE THE LEVEL OF THE TASKS THAT YOU ALL ARE CHARGED TO DO AND DO EXTREMELY WELL GIVEN THE VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION THAT MOTHER NATURE CAN DO ON CERTAIN DAYS.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.
I WANT TO GO ON RECORD THAT I WANT TO RIDE THE BOBCAT TOOLCAT TO REMOVE SNOW.
FOR THE RECORD, IT'S A TWO SEATER, SO WE CAN GET YOU IN THERE [CHUCKLING] AND I HAVE A 13 YEAR OLD YOU GUYS CAN USE IF YOU WANT TO ANY TIME YOU WANT TO HELP WITH DOWNTOWN.
I DO HAVE ONE RESPONSE TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI WAS REFERENCING.
THERE IS ONE SILENT PARTNER IN THIS THAT WE'VE NEGLECTED TO MENTION, AND THAT IS CO COMPLIANCE AND THAT GROUP, BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE SIDEWALKS THAT DON'T GET CLEARED OF CINDERS, THEY'RE PRIVATE AND SO THEN WE LEAN ON THOSE PARTNERS TO GO, WHETHER IF IT'S DOOR TO DOOR OR TO GET THAT MESSAGE OUT TO HELP US WITH THAT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
[05:15:06]
THEY'RE BIG IN THIS, TOO, SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONGRATULATE THEM ALSO ON ALL THEIR EFFORTS.EXCELLENT. JAMIE HAS ASKED THAT WE STOP DRIVING THE MOTOR GRADER ON THE FOOT'S TRAIL.
SO I'M WORKING ON THAT PIECE OF IT.
WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT. WELL, YEAH.
THANK YOU BOTH. THANK YOU ALL.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE DOWN TO ITEM 13B DISCUSSION ON STORMWATER CREDIT MANUAL REVISIONS.
[B. Discussion on Stormwater Credit Manual Revisions STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Staff recommends accepting the proposed revisions to the Stormwater Credit Manual and seeks direction from City Council to formalize those revisions.]
ED'S HERE, IT'S TIME TO PARTY.SO, YEAH GOOD EVENING, MAYOR VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
LET'S SEE IF THIS PRESENTATION OPENS.
HERE WE GO. OKAY, I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT OUR STORMWATER CREDIT MANUAL.
DISCUSSION ON POTENTIAL REVISIONS.
TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, THE PURPOSE IS TO REVIEW AND REVISE THAT STORMWATER CREDIT MANUAL TO PROVIDE BETTER EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITIES TO RECEIVE CREDITS. I WILL GO OVER A VIEW OF THE EXISTING 2015 CREDIT MANUAL BECAUSE I'M SURE YOU DON'T KNOW IT BY HEART; NEITHER DO I , AND THEN I'LL GO OVER PROPOSED STAFF REVISIONS TO THAT MANUAL FEEDBACK.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT SAYS WATER COMMISSION SHOULD BE FROM CITY COUNCIL.
APOLOGIZE FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
NEXT STEPS. SO A REVIEW OF THAT 2015 CREDIT MANUAL THAT WAS PUT INTO EFFECT BY RESOLUTION, THAT'S 2015-17.
THE EXISTING 2015 CREDIT MANUAL IS A REVISION OF THE ORIGINAL CREDIT MANUAL IN 2006.
SO WHY DO WE HAVE THIS? THE INTENT OF THE CREDIT MANUAL IS TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES, INCENTIVES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND CURRENT CODE IN STORM WATER BY PROVIDING A CREDIT TO THEIR STORMWATER RATE.
CREDITS ARE APPLIED BY OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF WITH REVIEW BY OUR STORMWATER STAFF.
I'M GOING TO MOVE THROUGH THIS QUICKLY.
THESE ARE JUST SNAPSHOTS OF THIS EXISTING RESOLUTION 2015-17, OUR EXISTING 2015 CREDIT MANUAL.
SO JUST GOING THROUGH OUR EXISTING MANUAL, OUR FIRST SECTION IS FOUR DETENTION BASINS.
THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT CREDITS.
ONE IS FOR A CREDIT FOR DETENTION BASINS THAT MEET OUR CURRENT STANDARD.
THAT IS A CREDIT FOR 25 YEAR STORM DETENTION OF A CREDIT OF 9%.
THERE IS ALSO LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT LID AND ACTIVE RAINWATER HARVESTING CREDITS FOR NONRESIDENTIAL PARCELS AND WILL GO INTO AND THAT IS FOR THE ONE INCH STORM WATER FOR THE 100 YEAR, 24 HOUR STORM FOR FOUR AND A HALF INCHES AND THAT'S A 10% CREDIT.
SO IF THERE'S A CHANNEL OR A BASIN THAT WAS WITHIN THAT ACREAGE, YOU CAN GET A 10% CREDIT.
ALSO, IF YOU HAVE A DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A STRUCTURED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS MOSTLY FOR ANY YOU, OTHER COLLEGES, SCHOOLS, ETC., NONPROFITS, IF THAT HAVE A STORMWATER RATE, IF THEY HAVE AN ACTIVE, STRUCTURED PROGRAM THAT GOES INTO THE BENEFITS OF STORMWATER, THEY ALSO GET A 20% UP TO A 20% CREDIT, AND THEN FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, THERE IS A 10% CREDIT IF YOU HAVE RAINWATER BARRELS.
SO THAT IS IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN 250 GALLON BARRELS, YOU CAN GET A 10% CREDIT.
SO THAT'S JUST A VERY QUICK JUST RUNNING THROUGH OUR EXISTING RESOLUTION AND I'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THE PROPOSED REVISIONS AND WHY WE RECOMMEND THESE REVISIONS.
THE FIRST ONE IS FOR STORMWATER DETENTION.
SO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A 9% CREDIT FOR PAST CODE DOESN'T MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE.
[05:20:03]
ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE GIVING A CREDIT FOR FAILING OUR CURRENT CODE AND THEN WE HAVE A 20% CREDIT FOR DEVELOPMENTS THAT MEET OUR CURRENT CODE.SO WE RECOMMEND REMOVING BOTH OF THE CREDITS THAT ARE THERE, THE 9% AND THE 20%, AND PUTTING IN A NEW CREDIT OF 10% FOR DETENTION BASINS THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND OUR CURRENT CODE.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE PURPOSE OF CREDIT MANUALS THROUGHOUT THE US IS TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
ANOTHER SECTION WE WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE IS THAT RESIDENTIAL WATER HARVESTING.
STILL A 10% CREDIT, WE RECOMMEND CHANGING IT FROM A MINIMUM OF TWO RAIN BARRELS, WHICH IS 100 GALLONS TO A MINIMUM OF 300 GALLONS, AND THIS IS STILL A VERY SMALL PORTION OF WHAT YOU SEE COMING OFF THE ROOFS, BUT THIS INTENT, THIS CHANGE, IS INTENDED TO SHOW A REAL REDUCTION IN RUNOFF.
WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT SO DIFFICULT THAT NOBODY WILL APPLY FOR THIS CREDIT.
ALSO, THIS STACKS WITH WHAT THE WATER CONSERVATION SECTION ALREADY PROVIDES.
THEY HAVE AN INCENTIVE FOR RAINWATER HARVESTING, A ONE TIME INCENTIVE FOR HOUSES THAT HAVE UP TO 1000 GALLONS. I'LL HAVE TO CHECK ON THAT.
THIS CAN BE A BENEFIT BOTH FROM THE STORMWATER SIDE AND THEN ALSO FROM THE WATER CONSERVATION SIDE.
THERE'S NOT THAT MANY ACREAGE.
WE THINK THAT'S PRETTY ONEROUS.
SO WE RECOMMEND REDUCING THAT LIMIT, AND AT THE MOMENT, WE'RE THINKING TWO CONTIGUOUS ACRES VERY OPEN TO DISCUSSION ON THAT, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS SOME THAT THERE ARE SOME PROPERTY OWNERS OUT THERE THAT CAN ACTUALLY MEET THIS THIS RECOMMENDATION.
WE DON'T RECOMMEND ANY CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
SO THIS WOULD BE EITHER WET OR DRY.
THOSE ARE THOSE GARAGES THAT ARE OPEN, IF YOU WILL.
AND THEN YOU HAVE STAIRS THAT GO UP TO YOUR FINISHED FLOOR.
SO WHAT WET FLOOD PROOFING, YOU'RE REALLY JUST LETTING THE WATER GO THROUGH YOUR PROPERTY.
DRY FLOOD PROOFING IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK OF AS FLOOD PROOFING.
THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE PUTTING IN SEALANTS AROUND YOUR DOORS, WINDOWS.
EITHER ONE'S GREAT, AND WE STRONGLY SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO FLOOD-PROOF THEIR PROPERTY.
SO WE DO RECOMMEND A NEW CREDIT FOR THAT IN THE TUNE OF ROUGHLY 10%.
SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. WE RECOMMEND GRANDFATHERING IN ANY CURRENT CREDIT ACCOUNTS.
WE DON'T WANT TO PENALIZE ANYBODY IF THEY ALREADY HAVE A CREDIT.
SO ESSENTIALLY, IF YOU HAVE NEW ACCOUNT HOLDERS NOT TRYING TO HAVE STAFF GO OUT THERE AND FIGURE OUT IF THEY STILL MEET THAT WITHIN THAT PARCEL, THAT'S PRETTY ONEROUS ON OUR SIDE, ON THE STAFF SIDE, AND WE DEFINITELY IF SOMEONE'S JUST MOVING INTO THE CITY, THEY OBVIOUSLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS CREDIT MANUAL, SO WE DON'T WANT THEM TO LOSE OUT ON THAT JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
SO LEAVING A CREDIT IN PLACE THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THAT PARCEL.
AS A REMINDER, CREDITS ARE PER MONTH AND NOT A ONE TIME BENEFIT.
SO THESE ARE CONTINUOUS BENEFIT AND AT THE MOMENT THE IMPACTS TO STORMWATER FUND ARE NEGLIGIBLE WITH OUR CURRENT CREDIT MANUAL AND WE EXPECT WITH THE REVISION IT WOULD STILL REMAIN FAIRLY NEGLIGIBLE.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE APPLIED FOR CREDITS.
SOME FEEDBACK. WE DID MEET WITH WATER COMMISSION IN SEPTEMBER.
THEY DID GENERALLY AGREE WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH A REVISION FOR THE CREDIT MANUAL.
[05:25:01]
THEY DID HAVE SOME COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT PROVIDING A SLIGHTLY MORE NUANCED APPROACH FOR THESE DIFFERENT SECTIONS.WE ENDED UP NOT REALLY MOVING FORWARD WITH ANY OF THOSE DISCUSSION POINTS JUST FOR THE FACT THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE STAFFING TO GO OUT THERE AND PROVIDE ENGINEERING ASSESSMENTS AT THAT TYPE OF LEVEL.
SO IT'S VERY GOOD FEEDBACK, BUT IT'S FEEDBACK THAT WE DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH IN THIS TIME, IF THAT MAKES SENSE , AND I PROMISE, THIS WILL BE SHORT OR AS SHORT AS I CAN MAKE IT.
SO I DID RUN THROUGH THAT VERY QUICKLY, BUT THIS IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS, AND THEN WE'RE HOPING AT THE NEXT WORK SESSION TO BRING FORWARD A RESOLUTION IF COUNCIL DECIDES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
THANK YOU, ED. ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, ED.
ONE QUESTION THAT I DID HAVE WAS JUST ON THE POINT ON ONE OF THE SLIDES THAT MENTIONED THE CREDIT REMAINING IN PLACE WHEN AND IF THE PROPERTY CHANGED HANDS, AND I'M JUST WONDERING, IS THERE AN ASSESSMENT THAT'S DONE IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT THOSE MITIGATIONS OR WHAT THEY RECEIVE THE CREDIT FOR BASICALLY IS ACTUALLY STILL IN PLACE TO AVOID RISKING BASICALLY THEM RECEIVING A CREDIT BUT NO LONGER ACTIVELY OR ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN WHAT THEY WERE GETTING CREDIT FOR, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
YEAH, IT TOTALLY MAKES SENSE, AND AT THE MOMENT I'D PROBABLY DEFER TO EITHER RICK TADDER FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE OR WATER CONSERVATION. I DON'T KNOW IF ERIN YOUNG OR TAMARA ARE ON HERE, AND THE REASON I DEFER TO WATER CONSERVATION IS THEY ACTUALLY HAVE AIDES THAT CHECK THE RAINWATER HARVESTING PORTION FROM THEIR SIDE.
ERIN IS ON LINE IF YOU WANT TO CHIME IN.
SURE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ERIN YOUNG, WATER RESOURCES MANAGER, AND YEAH, OUR RAINWATER HARVESTING REBATE IS IS A ONE TIME, SO WE'LL GO OUT AND INSPECT THAT AT THE TIME THAT WE ISSUE THE REBATE, BUT IN TERMS OF FOLLOWING UP OR ASSISTING, MAYBE WITH THE STORMWATER SIDE, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE THINK WE CAN INCORPORATE INTO THE WORK THAT OUR SUMMER WATER CONSERVATION STAFF STAFF ARE DOING WITH ENFORCING OUR WATERING CODE, IF THAT HELPS.
OKAY, THANK YOU, AND THEN MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION IS JUST ABOUT HOW.
I GUESS, HOW UTILIZED THIS IS, ARE WE SEEING A LOT OF UTILIZATION OF THIS AND WITH THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES, DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE UTILIZATION GOING UP OR IS THERE ANY POTENTIAL FOR DECLINE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I ASSUME THAT WITH THE REVISIONS, THE GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE UTILIZATION OF THESE INCENTIVES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS WERE ON THAT.
WELL, I'LL DEFINITELY DEFER TO RICK AND CUSTOMER SERVICE ON THE CURRENT UTILIZATION.
I WILL SAY ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE PUTTING THIS FLOOD PROOFING SECTION IN HERE IS WE ARE HOPING TO ADDRESS THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVELY IN THE FUTURE.
WE STILL HAVEN'T WORKED OUT EXACTLY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT WE ARE HOPING AS A STORMWATER SECTION, AS A CITY, TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE EDUCATION AT A MINIMUM EDUCATION ON FLOOD PROOFING, AND THAT'S REALLY COME ABOUT MOSTLY THROUGH SOME OF THOSE POST-FIRE EVENTS.
YOU KNOW, SANDBAGS AND BARRIER CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.
AT A CERTAIN POINT, WE REALLY WANT TO WORK AT LONGER TERM MITIGATIONS AND SOME OF THAT'S OBVIOUSLY OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ON THE PUBLIC SIDE, BUT ON THE PRIVATE SIDE, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT YOUR OWN PROPERTY AT A MORE GRASSROOTS LEVEL, IF THAT MAKES SENSE AND THIS IS ONE AVENUE AT TRYING TO PROVIDE THAT EDUCATION AND PROVIDE A BENEFIT OR PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S SMALL, BUT PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE TO WORK TOWARDS THAT. SO OUR HOPE IS YES, TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPTICK IN THE USE OF THIS CREDIT MANUAL.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, ED.
A QUICK QUESTION. ARE THERE OTHER STRATEGIES THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED THAT YOU HAVE SEEN OTHER COMMUNITIES TO BE ADDED TO THIS INCENTIVE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
[05:30:02]
WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED HERE BEFORE THE 2006 CREDIT MANUAL, THE 2015 ONES THOSE WERE ESSENTIALLY STRUCTURED AT A HIGH LEVEL. I'M NOT SAYING THE ACTUAL DETAILS, BUT THE HIGH LEVEL OF WHAT TYPES OF POTS OF INCENTIVES AND AREAS FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES.ARE THERE OTHER STRATEGIES? I'M SURE THERE ARE. I'M SURE WE'RE JUST ONE SMALL LITTLE SECTION HERE.
HAVE I LOOKED INTO THEM? I WILL BE TOTALLY HONEST.
I HAVE NOT SPENT MUCH TIME LOOKING AT OTHER CREDIT MANUALS.
MOST OF THEM ARE JUST AS HARD TO FIND AS OURS IS.
I MEAN, UNLESS YOU'RE GOOGLING IT, IT'S BURIED PRETTY DEEP.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'RE OPEN TO.
SO HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS TO APPLY TO GET THE CREDIT? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE APPLICATION IS ABOUT TWO PAGES LONG AND IT'S A CHECKLIST, SO IT SHOULD NOT COST TO ACTUALLY APPLY.
IT SHOULD NOT COST YOU ANYTHING.
IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT CREDIT YOU'RE APPLYING FOR.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RAINWATER HARVESTING, IT'S EASY.
WE CAN GO OUT THERE, WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
IT SHOULD COST THE APPLICANT NOTHING.
THE DRAINAGE STUDY ITSELF SHOULD HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION.
SO YOU HAVE A DRAINAGE STUDY AS PART OF YOUR DEVELOPMENT.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAND THAT OVER TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND STORMWATER.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO REVIEW THAT AND HAVE A DETERMINATION.
OKAY, THANK YOU, BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW LABOR INTENSIVE OR WE'RE CHARGING NEW DEVELOPMENTS OR SOMETHING, A BIG FEAT FOR US TO ASSESS, TO GET A CREDIT THAT MAYBE IT'S NOT UTILIZED BECAUSE OF CERTAIN FEES ASSOCIATED OR A NEW REPORT THEY HAVE TO DO SO.
ANYTHING ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
I WOULD YOU SAY I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE CHANGES THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED.
LIKEWISE. COULD WE GET A THIRD? I'M SUPPORTIVE.
THANK YOU. I'LL SEE YOU GUYS NEXT WEEK.
THAT BRINGS US DOWN TO AGENDA ITEM 13C DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL HOLIDAY DISPLAY POLICY.
[C. Discussion of potential Holiday Display Policy STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Discussion and direction to staff regarding potential establishment by resolution of a holiday display policy.]
MAYOR AND COUNCIL, STERLING SOLOMON, YOUR CITY ATTORNEY.AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE HAVE HAD THE THOUGHT OF PUTTING TOGETHER A HOLIDAY DISPLAY POLICY FOR SOME TIME FOR THE DISPLAY OF ITEMS THAT DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON ARE INCLUSIVE AND ALLOW THE CELEBRATION OF LIGHT, HOPE, JOY AND LOVE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU FOR DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
THAT IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DISCUSS TONIGHT.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE AS LONG AS IT'S INCLUSIVE OF, YOU KNOW, OTHER FAITHS AND OTHERS THAT WANT TO DISPLAY THINGS THAT ENCOURAGE THAT FAITH, HOPE, LIGHT AND LOVE. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND DISCUSS WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH THE POLICY ON THAT.
AS YOU SEE, THEY'VE PROVIDED YOU AT LEAST RABBI WOLFMAN HAS PROVIDED YOU WITH THE REQUEST FROM LAST YEAR, AND WE APPRECIATE THEIR PRESENCE HERE, BUT THE TIME IS YOURS, COUNSEL, TO DISCUSS WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT.
OKAY, WELL, WE'LL START WITH OUR RABBI GUESTS, RABBI SHAPIRO, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL, AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG MEETING, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME .
[05:35:02]
SO THERE WAS ONE SYNAGOGUE, ONE SHABBAT AND SERVICES, AND ONE GUY STARTS SNORING IN THE FRONT AISLE.SO ONE OF THE OTHER MEMBERS COMES OVER TO HIM AND HE SHAKES HIM AND HE SAYS, EXCUSE ME, YOU'RE DISTURBING ALL OF US, AND HE SAYS, LISTEN, I PAY A MEMBERSHIP HERE LIKE ALL OF YOU, AND I COULD DO WHAT I WANT.
HE SAYS, I AGREE, BUT YOU'RE KEEPING US ALL UP AND AWAKE AND WE'RE ALL TRYING TO SLEEP.
[CHUCKLING] SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
I ONLY HAVE 3 MINUTES AND I HOPE NOT TO BORE YOU.
I KNOW I HAVE MET MOST OF YOU HERE TONIGHT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF.
WE MOVED HERE 16 YEARS AGO WITH A DREAM TO GIVE THE FLAGSTAFF JEWISH COMMUNITY AND OPEN AND WELCOMING CENTER THEY COULD CALL THEIR OWN AND TO BE WELCOMING OF ALL PEOPLE, NO MATTER THEIR FAITH, CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS POSITIVITY BEGINS FROM THE TOP, FROM THE CITY.
WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE HAD WITH THE CITY OVER THE PAST 16 YEARS.
HOWEVER, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN REJECTED.
THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF STANDS FOR.
ALL WE ARE ASKING IS TO FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE INCLUDED IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
I WOULD ALSO JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT THE MESSAGE OF THE MENORAH, I THINK IT'S I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A FEAR OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT MAY COME KNOW WHEN YOU OPEN IT UP, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT JUST FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, IS THAT THE MENORAH IS THE MESSAGE OF THE MENORAH IS VERY IT'S A UNIVERSAL MESSAGE.
IT'S NOT A MESSAGE OF PUSHING RELIGION DOWN SOMEONE ELSE'S THROAT.
IT IS A MESSAGE OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS.
IT'S THE UNIVERSAL, UNIVERSAL MESSAGE OF FREEDOM OVER OPPRESSION AND THE MESSAGE THAT LOVE WILL OVER TRUMP, OVER HATE AND THAT'S THE MESSAGE WE ALWAYS SPEAK ABOUT OVER HANUKKAH.
IT'S THE MESSAGE OF THE MENORAH UNIVERSALLY.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI. THANK YOU.
MAYOR, IF I CAN ASK A QUICK QUESTION.
RABBI, WE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS LATE AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO IN OUR COMMUNITY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE ARE MENORAHS UP AT CITY AND STATE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS ALL ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THOSE? AND CAN YOU SPEAK TO SOME OF THOSE EXAMPLES? YES. SO IF I COULD JUST ANSWER JUST FROM SOME PERSONAL STORIES AND THEN MY OWN RESEARCH IN THIS REGION.
I GREW UP IN MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AND THERE WERE CITY MENORAH LIGHTINGS, PUBLIC MENORAH LIGHTINGS ON CITY PROPERTY THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT I PERSONALLY REMEMBER BEING A PART OF A LOT OF THEM IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
I SPENT A YEAR IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, WHERE THERE WERE PUBLIC MENORAH LIGHTINGS ON CITY PROPERTIES. IT WAS ALSO AT THE PARLIAMENT AND SO ON FOR YEARS IN FRANCE, AND EVERY YEAR I STUDIED FOR YEARS OUTSIDE OF PARIS IN A CITY CALLED BENOIT, AND EVERY YEAR WE WOULD GO TO PARIS FOR THE GRAND MENORAH, LIGHTING ON HANUKKAH RIGHT BY THE EIFFEL TOWER AND IN D.C., YOU HAVE THE ANNUAL MENORAH LIGHTING RIGHT OUTSIDE OPPOSITE THE WHITE HOUSE, WHICH IS ATTENDED BY DIGNITARIES EVERY YEAR, AND THAT'S JUST I MEAN, TWO YEARS IN NEW YORK, AND WHEREVER YOU GO, THERE'S PUBLIC MENORAHS BY EVERY MAJOR CIRCLE, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC CIRCLE AND CITY PROPERTIES AND THROUGHOUT MANHATTAN AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE, BUT MORE, MORE LOCALLY.
THE ARIZONA STATE CAPITAL HAS HAD A PUBLIC MENORAH EVERY YEAR FOR OVER 30 YEARS, THE CITY OF CHANDLER FOR OVER FIVE YEARS, CITY OF GLENDALE, OVER TEN YEARS, CITY OF TUCSON SINCE 1984.
OVER TEN YEARS, AND THE CITY OF BRECKENRIDGE, COLORADO.
15 YEARS, AND WE ARE HOPING FLAGSTAFF CAN DO THE SAME.
[05:40:02]
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, AND RABBI WOLFMAN, AND WHILE RABBI WOLFMAN COMES UP, IF I MAY, COUNCIL, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DRAFT A POLICY FOR.THANK YOU, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR.
CITY OFFICIALS. MY NAME IS RABBI WOLFMAN.
I'M THE ASSOCIATE RABBI AT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER.
I KNOW I'M VERY GRATEFUL PERSONALLY, AND OUR COMMUNITY IS VERY THANKFUL.
SO LAST YEAR, THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF FLAGSTAFF OFFICIALLY PUT IN A REQUEST BY THE CITY TO DISPLAY A PUBLIC MENORAH ON CITY HALL'S LAWN ADJACENT TO ROUTE 66, RIGHT NEAR THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
WE PLACED THIS REQUEST BECAUSE WE HEARD FROM MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT.
THEY FEEL LIKE OUTSIDERS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
THEY WOULD SAY THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS BEAUTIFUL.
LAST OCTOBER, WE REACHED OUT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY CLERK AND STACY SALTZBURG RESPONDED TO US IN A VERY NICE EMAIL SAYING THAT THE CITY WILL CONSIDER A POLICY FOR THE DISPLAY OF MANY SYMBOLS OF CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPORTANCE, SIGNIFYING HOPE, LIGHT, PEACE AND BELONGING, INCLUDING THE MENORAH AT CITY HALL NEXT YEAR.
SO THAT MEANS THAT, HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR WILL HAVE A MENORAH DISPLAYED IN FRONT OF CITY HALL.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY I WAS HERE FOR THE PAST 3 HOURS AND I SEE THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS A REALLY SHINING EXAMPLE FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND EVERY TIME YOU DRIVE BY CITY HALL ON ROUTE 66, YOU SEE THE FLAGPOLE.
IT EITHER HAS A NATIVE AMERICAN FLAG.
SO IN LIGHT OF FLAGSTAFF STRONG COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THIS YEAR THE CITY WILL ALLOW THE JEWISH COMMUNITY TO DISPLAY A MENORAH ON CITY HALL'S LAWN FOR THE WHOLE EIGHT DAYS OF HANUKKAH, AND IT'S ESPECIALLY PERTINENT DURING THESE TIMES WHEN ANTI-SEMITIC RHETORIC IS ON THE RISE.
I THINK THE BEST WAY OR ONE OF THE BEST WAYS THAT THE CITY COULD SHOW UNIFIED SUPPORT TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IS BY HAVING A JEWISH HOLIDAY DISPLAY, WHICH IS THE MENORAH , AND I WOULD SAY IN SUMMARY, THE MENORAH DISPLAY WILL CREATE A SENSE OF AFFINITY AND BELONGING TO THE JEWISH CITIZENS OF FLAGSTAFF AND WILL DEFINITELY ENHANCE THE HARMONY AMONGST THE MANY DIVERSE GROUPS THAT CALL FLAGSTAFF HOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? NOT SEEING ANY OF THIS TIME.
EVERYTHING THAT WAS JUST STATED BY THE RABBI IS EXACTLY HOW WE REMEMBER IT.
WE WANT TO EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY FOR ALLOWING US A YEAR TO TRY TO GET THIS POLICY IN FRONT OF YOU AND FORMALIZE THIS ARRANGEMENT. WE'RE EXCITED FOR IT TO HAPPEN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER.
CITY ATTORNEY. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IF SO DIRECTED, A RESOLUTION COULD BE PRESENTED TO YOU ON NOVEMBER 15TH, WHICH THERE'S A PLACEHOLDER CURRENTLY THERE FOR THAT AND AT THAT TIME YOU COULD APPROVE THAT RESOLUTION, WHICH WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CITY ATTORNEY.
WELL, I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO JUMP IN HERE BECAUSE I'M ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT THIS MOVE BY US AND APPRECIATE THE WORK AND YOUR PATIENCE WITH GETTING A PROPER POLICY IN ORDER, AND I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AND I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY THERE RESEMBLING TO OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE HAD SUPREME COURT CASES THAT HAVE BEEN VICTORIOUS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, AND MODELING IT IN THAT MANNER IS BEST ROUTE AND ALL OF THE FINER DETAILS OF IT WOULD NEED TO BE
[05:45:10]
DONATED OR DONE BY THE CITY, SET UP BY THE CITY, AS OPPOSED TO VOLUNTEERS BRINGING IT ON OR TAKING IT OFF, THEN I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT MOVE.COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I'M SO PROUD OF FLAGSTAFF FOR BEING INCLUSIVE AND ACCEPTING OF ALL PEOPLE.
REGARDLESS OF OUR DIFFERENCES.
SO I HAVE A FEELING WHERE THIS COUNCIL IS GOING TO LAND ON THIS, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE AT THIS TABLE AND THEN ALSO AMONGST CITY LEADERSHIP.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING INCLUSIVE.
I HAVE FELT LIKE AN OUTSIDER HERE FOR 17 YEARS, AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF NEGATIVITY TOWARDS ME BECAUSE OF MY FAITH, AND IT HAS NOT BEEN, YOU KNOW, NOT NOT PLEASANT.
SO I FULLY SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION POLICY THAT WILL COME BACK TO US ON NOVEMBER 15TH AND LOOK FORWARD TO THAT IN CELEBRATING LIGHT, JOY AND LOVE WITH ALL OF YOU THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI.
COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING AND FOR PRESENTING THIS.
I'M ALSO IN SUPPORT, AND JUST BRIEFLY WANTED TO TOUCH ON ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS SHARED IN THE CONVERSATION WAS THE MESSAGE OF THE MENORAH.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN OUR CURRENT CLIMATE, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT, BUT I THINK THAT MESSAGE OF LIGHT AND PEACE AND JUSTICE IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE FOR US TO SHARE IN, AND SO I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD. COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.
MAY I SHARE GRATEFUL HEARTS, RABBIS? THANK YOU. YES.
SO I AM IN TOTAL SUPPORT OF A HOLIDAY DISPLAY POLICY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WHEN THE UNIVERSAL MESSAGE IS TOWARD PEACE, JOY, COMPASSION, JUSTICE AND LIGHT AND HARMONY AND UNITY IN DIVERSITY. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE PROPER DIRECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
[14. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION]
WELL, WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE PROPER DIRECTION, AND I WANT TO THANK THE RABBIS FOR COMING TONIGHT AND TALKING ABOUT LIGHT AND PEACE AND JUSTICE. I MIGHT MENTION THAT I'VE BEEN TO ISRAEL A COUPLE OF TIMES AND REALLY ENJOYED IT, THE CULTURE OF IT AND LEARNING ALL ABOUT IT.HERE COMES THE HOWEVER STATEMENT.
I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO UNNECESSARILY GET ENTANGLED IN RELIGION, AND I'M NOT PICKING ON THE JEWISH RELIGION BY ANY MEANS.
I THINK THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD STAY OUT OF THE BUSINESS OF EVEN LOOKING LIKE THEY'RE PROMOTING A GIVEN RELIGION, AND I REALIZE SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS OF THIS.
IT HAS TO BE IN THE CONTEXT OF ONE OF MANY RELIGIONS, BUT I PERSONALLY AND I KNOW I'M A VERY SMALL MINORITY ON THIS, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD GET ENTANGLED IN RELIGIOUS ISSUES IN GENERAL, AND PLEASE DON'T THINK I'M PICKING ON THE JEWISH RELIGION.
I THINK IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO SAY HOW I FEEL, IF THAT'S HOW I FEEL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, AND IF I MAY FOLLOW UP, MR. MAYOR, JUST TO CLARIFY THE STATEMENT YOU MADE, THE DIRECTION AND I THINK I UNDERSTOOD THIS WAS FROM COUNCIL TO DEVELOP A POLICY FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF TO ERECT THE
[05:50:04]
DISPLAY OF HOLIDAY SYMBOLS AND SUCH OF PEACE, LIGHT, LOVE, HOPE AND JOY.I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE BEFORE I BROUGHT THAT I'M SEEING NODDING HEADS AND THUMBS UPS.
YES, WE'RE DOING THIS THROUGH A POLICY, NOT JUST DOING IT.
ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, IT IS PAST 9:30, SO WE'D HAVE TO TAKE A MOTION FOR US TO CONTINUE.
OTHERWISE, I'M GOING TO BE ADJOURNING.
MAYOR, I'LL MOVE THAT WE FINISH OUR MEETING AND CONTINUE.
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WAIT.
I THINK THERE'S TOO MANY. ALL RIGHT, WE SHALL CONTINUE THEN.
NO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT THIS POINT.
SO WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE [INAUDIBLE] SECTION, AND I'LL START AT THIS END WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS.
[15. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS TO/FROM MAYOR, COUNCIL, AND STAFF, AND FUTURE AGENDA ITEM REQUESTS]
HAPPY 29TH BIRTHDAY TO MY OLDER SON.HE'S WATCHING, AND I MISSED HIS CALL A FEW TIMES BECAUSE I'M HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN. I'M GOOD TONIGHT.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
A QUICK REMINDER, FRIDAY'S ARTWALK DOWNTOWN.
OH, YEAH. ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL, I'M GONNA TRY TO KEEP THIS QUICK, BUT I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE WAS THERE, AND I'M SO SORRY TO STEAL YOUR THUNDER.
HABITAT HAD THEIR OPEN HOUSE LAST WEEK AND I SAW MOST OF YOU THERE.
THAT WAS INCREDIBLE, AND MY LITTLE VIDEO WITH [INAUDIBLE] FROM ROOFTOP HAS GONE VIRAL AND HAS RECEIVED OVER 100,000 REACTIONS OR REACH ACROSS THE GLOBE.
IT'S INCREDIBLE. NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I KNOW, MAYOR, YOU DO QUITE OFTEN, THOUGH.
50 YEARS CELEBRATION FOR CCC&Y COCONINO COUNTY CHILDREN AND YOUTH HAD THEIR 50TH CELEBRATION.
THAT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT. SAW MOST OF YOU THERE.
I WENT AND MET WITH DARRELL MARK'S CLASS AT FLAG HIGH YESTERDAY AND HAD A GREAT DISCUSSION WITH A WONDERFUL GROUP OF HIGH SCHOOLERS WHO ARE DOING A TOUR OF CITY HALL WITH ME TOMORROW, AND CITY MANAGER WILL BE JOINING US.
I'M MEETING WITH [INAUDIBLE] FROM THE TOWNSITE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST THIS FRIDAY TO TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL LAND TRUST AT THE THORPE PARK ANNEX AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY ROOM FOR PARTNERSHIP. FRIDAY, THE 2022 FIREFIGHTING DEPARTMENT RECRUIT GRADUATION IS OCCURRING HERE AT CITY HALL, AND CONGRATS TO ALL THE GRADUATES THAT WENT THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
SATURDAY, WE HAVE NAU'S HOMECOMING AND I PLAN TO BE ON A BICYCLE FOR THAT WITH MY BOOMBOX.
SO THAT'LL BE GREAT AND HOPE TO SEE SOME OF YOU THERE.
FAMILY FOOD CENTER CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF HOT FOOD THIS SATURDAY AS WELL, AND THEN ON ELECTION DAY NEXT TUESDAY, MOUNTAIN LINE IS OFFERING FREE SERVICE ALL DAY.
SO BIG SHOUT OUT TO MY MIND AND BEST OF LUCK TO ALL THOSE IN THAT ELECTION.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE RESULTS, AND LASTLY, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY AND MAYOR DEASY, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS GENUINE, SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR FOR THE RESPECT YOU SHOWED EARLIER IN THE CONVERSATION WE HAD.
I KNOW THAT WAS HEATED AND GOT INTENSE, BUT REALLY APPRECIATE AND RESPECT EVERYONE AT THIS DAIS AND THE WAY THAT WAS HANDLED AND ALLOWING ME TO LEAD THAT REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ME.
HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER HAS NOTHING THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU. I DID FORGET ONE THING.
SO IF YOU WANT TO SEE MAYOR AND THE COWBOY, IT'S GOING TO BE FUN.
THERE'S DISNEY SONGS TO BOB MARLEY.
ANYWAYS, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, EVERYONE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.