[00:00:02]
I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
[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 discussion and consultation 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).]
TODAY IS MONDAY, AUGUST 28TH, 2023.THIS IS OUR REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO 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 DISCUSSION AND CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY'S ATTORNEYS FOR LEGAL ADVICE ON ANY ITEM LISTED ON THE FOLLOWING AGENDA.
CITY CLERK, CAN WE HAVE ROLL CALL? CALL] THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER HOUSE, WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? IT'S MY HONOR, MAYOR. IF YOU'RE ABLE, PLEASE STAND.
[PLEDGE] COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS, WOULD YOU READ OUR MISSION STATEMENT? YES, I WILL, THANK YOU.
THE MISSION OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
YES, MAYOR, IT'D BE MY PLEASURE.
THESE LANDS STILL INHABITED BY NATIVE DESCENDANTS BORDER MOUNTAINS SACRED TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.
WE HONOR THEM, THEIR LEGACIES, THEIR TRADITIONS AND THEIR CONTINUED CONTRIBUTIONS.
WE CELEBRATE THEIR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS WHO WILL FOREVER KNOW THIS PLACE AS HOME.
THANK YOU. MOVING DOWN TO ITEM FOUR, A CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
[A. Consideration and Approval of Minutes: City Council Regular Meeting of May 3, 2022, Regular Meeting of May 17, 2022, Work Session of May 31, 2022, Budget Retreat of April 27, 2023, Budget Retreat of April 28, 2023, Regular Meeting of May 2, 2023, Special Meeting of May 3, 2023, Work Session of May 9, 2023, Work Session of May 30, 2023, Special Meeting (Executive Session) of June 13, 2023, Special Meeting (Executive Session) of June 20, 2023, Special Meeting (Executive Session) of June 27, 2023, and Special Meeting (Executive Session) of July 3, 2023. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the minutes of the City Council Regular Meeting of May 3, 2022, Regular Meeting of May 17, 2022, Work Session of May 31, 2022, Budget Retreat of April 27, 2023, Budget Retreat of April 28, 2023, Regular Meeting of May 2, 2023, Special Meeting of May 3, 2023, Work Session of May 9, 2023, Work Session of May 30, 2023, Special Meeting (Executive Session) of June 13, 2023, Special Meeting (Executive Session) of June 20, 2023, Special Meeting (Executive Session) of June 27, 2023, and Special Meeting (Executive Session) of July 3, 2023.]
DO COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT ANY OF THE OUTLINED MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS? ALL RIGHT CAN I GET A MOTION? MAYOR I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED.
ALL RIGHT, MOVING DOWN, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
[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. ]
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ENABLES THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ABOUT AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.BRACKEN DAVIS. I WAS TOLD YOU WANTED TO GO SEPARATELY.
THEATRICALS HAS OVER 200 VOLUNTEERS, AND WITHOUT THEM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE.
A PROGRAM, AND SO WE STRIVE TO RECOGNIZE THEM.
BRACKEN DAVIS IS OUR VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, AS WELL AS OUR CHIEF CUSTOMER, AND BRACKEN HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HERDING THESE 200 OR SO VOLUNTEERS INTO VIABLE WORK TEAMS THAT MAKE THEATRICALS THRIVE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LIKE TO DO IS WE LIKE TO HAVE VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION.
WE HAVE WE HAVE PICNICS, WE HAVE RECOGNITION PROGRAMS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO TO RECOGNIZE VOLUNTEERS AT THEATRICALS IS AWARD A PIN COURTESY OF GOLD WOLF JEWELERS.
THE LITTLE PINS HAVE THE TWO FACES ON THEM, THE SAD FACE AND THE HAPPY FACE THAT RECOGNIZE DRAMA THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, AND SO AND BRACKEN IS IN CHARGE OF KEEPING THOSE RECORDS AS WELL, BUT ONE VOLUNTEER
[00:05:03]
THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO RECOGNIZE IS A VOLUNTEER WHO SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT THEATRICALS AND HAS PUT ON PROGRAMS THAT BOTH ENTERTAIN AND ARE THOUGHT PROVOKING AND HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS, IF NOT MORE, AND THAT PERSON IS OUR MAYOR, BECKY DAGGETT.WE HAVE A PIN AND A CARD FOR YOU TONIGHT, BECKY.
BECKY DAGGETT, COME ON DOWN, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THE THEATER AND WHAT WE HOPE YOU'LL DO AGAIN, MAYBE WHEN YOU GET LESS BUSY.
[CHUCKLING] MY MOM AND DAD HAD A REAL SENSE OF HUMOR.
SO, YES I'M REVEREND PENNY HONEY FROM UNITY OF FLAGSTAFF, BUT TODAY I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE, WHICH I HAVE BEEN HONORED TO BE THE LIAISON AND FACILITATOR, I GUESS, OF THAT FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS WITH THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR'S EVENT ON SEPTEMBER 23RD.
WE'RE HOPING THAT OUR HONORABLE MAYOR WILL BE THERE TO REDEDICATE, AND I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO SEAN IT'S OKAY, [CHUCKLING] AND BE THERE TO REDEDICATE THE PEACE POLE IN HERITAGE SQUARE ALONG WITH READING THE PROCLAMATION THAT THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF CURRENTLY HAS FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE, WE WILL ALSO BE CELEBRATING THE FACT THAT THIS COUNCIL AND THE FORMER MAYOR WERE WISE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT US IN GETTING THE STATUS OF INTERNATIONAL CITY OF PEACE. SO WE WILL BE CELEBRATING THAT ON SEPTEMBER 23RD.
SO THAT'S BETWEEN 10 AND 12 NOON.
I INVITE EVERYONE HERE AND EVERYONE HERE TO JOIN US THERE, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
WE ALWAYS, ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF CITY OF FLAGSTAFF AS WE CELEBRATE AND STAND WITH PEACE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M THE NEW CLIMATE ANALYST WITH THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE, AND I ALSO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE PROJECT COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY'S CITY FACILITY ENERGY CONSERVATION PROJECT THAT THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THIS LAST MARCH.
AS A QUICK RECAP, THIS PROJECT INCLUDES UPGRADING MORE THAN 6000 INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS ACROSS 39 CITY FACILITIES TO ENERGY EFFICIENT LEDS. THAT WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS BEING COMPLIANT WITH OUR DARK SKY ORDINANCE.
CREWS WILL ALSO BE WEATHERIZING 30 CITY FACILITIES INSTALLING ELECTRIC HEAT PUMPS AT THE JOSE MONTOYA COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER TO REPLACE THE EXISTING GAS UNITS, AND THEY'LL BE INSTALLING AUTOMATIC DOOR CLOSER AND AIR CURTAINS AT THE JAY LIVELY ICE ARENA, AS WELL AS INSTALLING SIX NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS FOR CITY OF FLAGSTAFF FLEET AND RECOMMISSIONING IRRIGATION CONTROLS AT CITY PARKS AND ALSO TESTING SOME OF OUR WATER METERS TO ESTIMATE OUR WATER LOSS.
WHEN COMPLETED, THIS PROJECT WILL SAVE THE CITY APPROXIMATELY $305,000 ANNUALLY IN UTILITY COSTS, AND IT WILL ALSO REDUCE OUR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS BY 3%, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO 864 TONS PER YEAR.
THIS PROJECT WILL BEGIN WITH LIGHTING UPGRADES AT CITY HALL ON SEPTEMBER 5TH THROUGH THE 14TH, AND THE PROJECT WILL BE ONGOING THROUGH THE SUMMER OF 2024 WITH A HIATUS OVER THE WINTER MONTHS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING YOU INFORMED OF THE PROGRESS ALONG THE WAY, AND ADDITIONALLY, UPDATES WILL BE SHARED ON THE CITY'S SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND THROUGH A DEDICATED WEBSITE FOR THE PROJECT THAT HAS AN INTERACTIVE MAP WHERE YOU CAN SEE WHAT ACTIONS ARE BEING TAKEN ACROSS OUR CITY FACILITIES.
THE WEBSITE ADDRESS IS WWW.FLAGSTAFF.AZ.GOV/ENERGYCONSERVATION.
THANK YOU FOR LEADING BY EXAMPLE.
THESE ACTIONS WILL ENSURE A FISCALLY SMART AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE CITY.
ALL RIGHT, MOVING DOWN ITEM NUMBER 6A, AUGUST WORK ANNIVERSARIES.
[A. August Work Anniversaries Recognition of employees celebrating work anniversaries in the month of August]
SHANNON. THANK YOU, MAYOR.[00:10:02]
I'LL PULL UP THE PRESENTATION HERE.I'M NOT SURE WHAT I DID THERE.
HOLD ON. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
WE ARE GOING TO COVER OUR AUGUST EMPLOYEE WORK ANNIVERSARIES.
THIS PRESENTATION IS GOING TO LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR YOU TODAY.
WE ACTUALLY MET AS A LEADERSHIP TEAM AND HAD A RETREAT OVER THE SUMMER WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'D LIKE TO MAKE, AND THE FIRST IS GOING TO BE RIGHT HERE AT THE BEGINNING, AND THAT'S RECOGNIZING OUR EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR FIRST YEAR WITH THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF.
WHAT AN EXCITING TIME FOR THEM AS THEY START THEIR CAREER WITH OUR ORGANIZATION.
WE ALSO HAVE TRAVIS LA MACCHIA, WHO'S ONE OF OUR RINK GUARDS, DEEDA WILLIAMS--SHE GOES BY DEE--IN ENGINEERING AS ONE OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALISTS. SAVANNAH RUCKER IS ALSO ONE OF OUR RINK GUARDS, ALONG WITH ELENA AUSLOOS IS ALSO A RINK GUARD.
WE HAVE JOHN BLISS, WHO WORKS IN PUBLIC, WORKS AS ONE OF OUR FACILITY MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS AS A THREE, AND WAYLON LANCASTER IS ONE OF OUR RECREATION MAINTENANCE WORKERS, TEMPORARY STAFF, AS WELL AS JESSICA SEALANA, WHO'S A POLICE RECORDS TECHNICIAN.
WE ALSO HAVE KELSEY FORTNAM IS A FIREFIGHTER, CHRISTOPHER FENNELL.
HE'S ONE OF OUR NEW DEPUTY FIRE CHIEFS.
WE HAVE BREANNA DUDZINSKI, WHO'S ONE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
JACOB MCQUAID, A FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, BLAKE ARMSTRONG, A FIREFIGHTER.
JUSTIN PARIS, RILEY MILLER, ALEX TAYLOR II.
FROM THERE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARIES.
SHE'S ONE OF OUR RECREATION INSTRUCTORS WITHIN THE PROS TEAM.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM ON OUR TEAM AS WELL AS OUR VERY OWN CITY ATTORNEY, MR. STERLING SOLOMON.
HE IS ONE OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS SUPERVISORS.
JEFF ELY. HE IS ONE OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS MANAGERS.
HE'S ACTUALLY THE MANAGER THAT'S OUT AT THE LANDFILL, AND JUST AS WE'VE PREVIOUSLY NOTED, WE LIKE TO RESPECT OUR EMPLOYEES AND WHAT THEY LIKE TO SHARE WITH US, AND SO IF SOME LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT, THAT'S WHY THEY'RE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, AND THEN OUR 25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, WE HAVE GLENN KUYPER.
HE IS ONE OF OUR INDUSTRIAL PRETREATMENT INSPECTORS.
AND HE'S ALSO OFFERED A QUOTE.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
HE STARTED IN PARKS AND RECREATION, BUT ULTIMATELY FOUND HIS HOME TO WATER SERVICES.
HE'S WORKED BOTH IN WATER DISTRIBUTION AS WELL AS INDUSTRIAL PRETREATMENT.
GLENN SHARED IN HIS 25 YEARS WITH THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF.
HE'S ALWAYS HAD A JOB THAT DEALT WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT EACH DAY AT THE END OF EACH DAY HAVE BEEN PROUD OF THE CHANGES WE AS A TEAM HAVE MADE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITY, AS WELL AS FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY.
THANKS FOR ALLOWING US TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
THANK YOU, SHANNON, AND THANK YOU, TEAM FLAGSTAFF.
[00:15:05]
OKAY. WE'RE DOWN TO NUMBER SEVEN COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS[7. COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS]
, AND I'M GOING TO START DOWN HERE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE.THEY DID A FOLLOW UP ON A PROPOSED EQUITABLE RESTROOM ORDINANCE THAT WAS, I BELIEVE, RECOMMENDED IN AUGUST OF 2020 AND MOVED FORWARD AS A FAIR ITEM BY COUNCIL, BUT NOT YET FULLY FOLLOWED UP ON.
SO WE'D LOVE TO GET ANY SORT OF UPDATES ON THAT OR HELP THAT IN CONTINUING FORWARD.
THE HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING WAS CANCELED FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, BUT THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO HAVE THEIR MEETING SEPTEMBER 28TH, AND I WANTED TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT THE ONGOING EFFORTS OF THE HOUSING TEAM AS THEY'RE WORKING TO MOVE FORWARD EFFORTS ON THE TEN-YEAR HOUSING PLAN AND FLAGSTAFF'S HOUSING EMERGENCY. SO MANY OF THEIR EFFORTS ARE ONGOING AND NOT AS WIDELY VISIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THEY ARE TANGIBLE AND THEY'RE STILL MEANINGFUL.
SHE IS THE, I BELIEVE, ONE AND ONLY REPRESENTATIVE FROM NORTHERN ARIZONA.
SO WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE HER ON THAT COMMISSION AND ALSO FURTHERING PLANS FOR THE ARIZONA SISTER CITIES ANNUAL MEETING AND THE REST OF MY BRICK ACTIVITIES I WILL SAVE FOR TO AND FROM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET.
BPAC ANNOUNCED SOMETHING EXCITING AT THEIR LAST MEETING.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A MEMORIAL PLAQUE FOR BRETT PETERSEN ON THE LONE TREE OVERPASS AND IF YOU RECALL, BRETT WAS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ENGINEER HERE AT THE CITY, AND WE ALL MISS HIM VERY MUCH.
MOUNTAIN LINE IS LAUNCHING THEIR SECOND ELECTRIC BUS AROUND SEPTEMBER 11TH, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE COLLECTING THE DATA FROM THE TWO ELECTRIC BUSSES TO SEE WHICH ONE PERFORMS BETTER BEFORE THEY ADD THE ADDITIONAL FOUR THAT THEY HAVE ON KIND OF A BACK ORDER WITH A GRANT.
SO THAT'S EXCITING, AND WITH THEIR HEAD START PROGRAM IS SEVERELY STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW.
THEY CANNOT FIND WORKERS AND THEIR PROGRAM IS BEING CUT, ESPECIALLY HERE IN FLAGSTAFF.
SO IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WHO WOULD BE A GOOD PERSON TO SEND THEIR WAY, PLEASE DO.
WE DON'T WANT TO SEE CLASSROOMS CLOSING.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I ATTENDED THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING AND SOME OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND ALSO I'M CHAIR OF THE METRO PLAN AND WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY MEETINGS THROUGH THIS SUMMER BREAK, BUT KATE MORLEY AND I DID GET TOGETHER AND GO OVER SOME OF HER PROPOSED GOALS, WHAT SHE'S GOING TO GET DONE THIS YEAR.
THANK YOU. WE'RE BACK IN GEAR.
IT'S BEEN A NICE RECESS, BUT ALSO A BUSY BREAK.
THIS PAST MONTH WAS INVOLVED IN SEVERAL TOURISM COMMISSION MEETINGS.
TOURISM COMMISSION MET THIS WEEK.
MOSTLY WHAT WAS DISCUSSED WAS THE FLAGSTAFF REGIONAL PLAN.
IT'S A PRESENTATION I'VE SEEN GOING AROUND LATELY.
SARAH DECKER IS DOING A GOOD JOB OF GETTING THIS INFO AND SOME OF THE RESULTS OUT TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, AND SHE'S DEFINITELY MADE THE ROUNDS WITH OUR COMMISSIONS. A LOT OF GOOD IMPROMPTU CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE TAXES ON OUR RESTAURANTS AND SOME OF THE STRESSORS THAT OUR RESTAURATEURS AND HOTELIERS ARE FEELING ABOUT THAT AND SOME MORE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT WILL BE AGENDIZED FOR THE FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY.
WE HAD A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE JOIN THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION.
IT WAS FUN TO GET TO KNOW ALL OF THEM AND HEAR THEIR STORIES AND LONG, LENGTHY CONVERSATION, VERY ENTHUSIASTIC CONVERSATION ABOUT POST-FIRE REVEGETATION EFFORTS, THE CPWAC MET ON FRIDAY AS WELL, AND WE GOT A PRESENTATION FROM CARLOTTA TOULOUSE ABOUT THE NEW BAAJ NWAAVJO I’TAH KUKVENI
[00:20:06]
NATIONAL MONUMENT. VERY EXCITING TO HEAR THOSE UPDATES AND HEAR FROM HER AND TO JUST EXPRESS A CELEBRATORY MOMENT AS WE BASK IN THE GLORY AND GLOW OF THAT RECENT VICTORY THAT THE COMMUNITY FOUGHT SO HARD FOR FOR WELL OVER A DECADE AND THEN FINALLY , COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY FAILED TO MENTION THIS, BUT HE JOINED ME AND OTHER CITY STAFF AND MANY COUNTY OFFICIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES ON A TOUR OF OUR FLOOD CONTROL EFFORTS WITH CONGRESSPERSON ELI CRANE.SO WE ALL GOT TO SHOW OFF SOME GOVERNMENT WORKS THAT WE'RE ALL INCREDIBLY PROUD OF.
FIGHTING FOR THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE EFFORTS CONTINUE.
GREAT TIME. THAT'S ALL FOR NOW.
JUST GOT TO SEE MY NOTES HERE.
OKAY, SO I ATTENDED OUR RECREATION.
RIGHT NOW, THE OPEN SPACE MEETING IS HAPPENING WHILE WE'RE IN COUNCIL, SO I'M NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THAT, AND THE AIRPORT MEETING WAS CANCELED. IN TERMS OF THE RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING, THEY'RE LOOKING AT A NEW TRAIL PROJECT THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON, AND WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM A GROUP THAT'S TRYING TO CONNECT THE TRAIL FROM SOUTHERN ARIZONA ALL THE WAY UP TO THE UTAH BORDER, I BELIEVE, OR THE NEVADA BORDER, SORRY, AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH OUR STAFF TO SEE WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND ALSO TO SEE WHAT HOW FEASIBLE THAT MIGHT BE.
SO WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD PROJECT AND THERE ARE DEFINITELY A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, BUT WE'LL GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION AS WE GET IT, AND THEY'RE JUST IN THE STARTING PLANNING STAGES, SO NOTHING HAS REALLY HAPPENED OTHER THAN THEM LOOKING AT THINGS AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH NAU AS A PARTNER, THIS ORGANIZATION.
WE'LL COME BACK LATER AND I WOULD LIKE TO TELL EVERYONE ABOUT MY TIME WITH PARKS AND RECS.
OVER THE SUMMER BREAK, I WENT ON OPEN SPACE TOUR.
I TOURED ALL OF OUR RECREATION FACILITIES.
WE HAVE SOME AMAZING THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE IN FLAGSTAFF.
STAFF CAN HELP ME WITH THAT BECAUSE MY MEMORY, BUT I FOUND FLAGSTAFF'S ONLY WATERFALL, I THINK, AND THAT'S IN PITCHER CANYON. I HAD NEVER BEEN.
WHOO HOO! AND SO IT WAS REALLY EXCITING, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE TO AND FROM.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GOING TO DELAY MY REPORT UNTIL NEXT TUESDAY.
ONE, THE INCLUSION, THE COMMISSION ON INCLUSION AND ADAPTIVE LIVING.
THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE COMMISSIONS THAT HAS BEEN A BIT CHALLENGING TO ATTRACT APPLICATIONS FOR AND SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME MORE APPLICATIONS IN.
THIS IS A COMMISSION THAT IS DOING SOME REALLY IMPORTANT WORK AND AT THE LAST MEETING, THE COMMISSIONERS CREATED A PRESENTATION ON SIDEWALK ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES, AND I STATED THERE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PRESENTATION GIVEN TO COUNCIL.
SO I THINK WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE THAT SOON, AND THE OTHER IS THE [INAUDIBLE] STRATEGIC PLAN HAS BEEN RELEASED AND TODAY THERE WAS A MEETING TO GO OVER KIND OF THE HIGH LEVEL POINTS THAT WERE BROUGHT OUT THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO DRILL DOWN ON DIFFERENT TOPICS.
[00:25:06]
ATTEND [INAUDIBLE] MEETING HERE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS WITH THE MEXICAN CONSULAR AND THE FORMER CANADIAN CONSULAR, AND THEY GAVE PRESENTATIONS AND WE WERE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT TRADE WITH BOTH COUNTRIES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE. SO WE WILL NOW MOVE DOWN TO APPOINTMENTS.[A. Consideration of Appointments: Housing Commission STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Make one appointment to a Building & Real Estate Professional - Any seat expiring in September 2025. Make one appointment to a Building & Real Estate Professional - Any seat expiring in September 2026. Make one appointment to a Building & Real Estate Professional - Developer seat expiring in September 2026. Make three appointments to Community Representative seats to terms expiring in September 2026.]
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, A CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENTS TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION, AND SO COUNCIL, YOU'LL SEE THAT, AND ANYONE LOOKING AT THE AGENDA, YOU WILL SEE THAT THE HOUSING COMMISSION IS DIFFERENT THAN SOME OTHER COMMISSIONS IN THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC ROLES THAT WE NEED FILLED ON THE COMMISSION.SO WE'VE GOT THREE APPOINTMENTS FOR A BUILDING AND REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL, AND WE HAVE THREE APPOINTMENTS TO COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE SEATS AND WE HAVE ALL OF THE APPLICANTS LISTED DOWN BELOW THAT.
THE ORDER THAT THE THAT THE APPOINTMENTS ARE MADE.
WE START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET AND THEN MATTHEWS, MYSELF, HOUSE, HARRIS AND VICE MAYOR.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S JUST ONE OF US THAT'S LEFT OUT OF THIS ONE.
SO LET'S START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET MAKING AN APPOINTMENT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I MOVE TO APPOINT TYLER DENHAM AS A COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE SEAT TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION, EXPIRING SEPTEMBER 2026.
I'LL SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, THAT CARRIES.
I MOVE TO APPOINT NIKKI SHARPE AS A COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE FOR A TERM EXPIRING SEPTEMBER 20 26. OUR SECOND.
THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. MOVING TO ME.
I MOVE TO APPOINT SANDY FLORES AS THE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE SEAT.
OH, YOU'RE JUST GETTING READY TO.
OKAY. TO A COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE SEAT FOR A TERM EXPIRING SEPTEMBER 20TH, 26.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WILL MOVE TO APPOINT HALEY ZOROYA TO THE BUILDING AND REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPER SEAT EXPIRING SEPTEMBER 2026. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT.
YES, I'LL MOVE TO APPOINT COREY RUNGE.
I THINK I PRONOUNCED THAT CORRECTLY.
I THINK THE TERM IS EXPIRING 2026, BUT CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
THANK YOU. YEAH, WE HAVE TWO EXPIRING 2026 SO THIS WILL BE THE SECOND BUILDING AND REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL EXPIRING IN SEPTEMBER 2026.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. VICE MAYOR.
YEAH. SO IT LOOKS LIKE HAYLEY WAS PICKED FOR BUILDING OR WAS SHE PICKED FOR THE DEVELOPER SEAT? SHE WAS PICKED FOR THE DEVELOPER SEAT.
OKAY, GREAT. SO WE HAVE ONE BUILDING AND REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL LEFT.
THAT IS CORRECT, WITH A TERM EXPIRING SEPTEMBER 2025.
LET'S GO WITH ERIC BROWNFIELD FOR THAT TERM EXTENDING TO SEPTEMBER 2025.
[00:30:01]
A SECOND. THANK YOU.ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, AND I WILL SAY THAT WE HAD A PARTICULARLY OUTSTANDING GROUP OF APPLICATIONS FOR THIS COMMISSION, WHICH I THINK SPEAKS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS COMMISSION , AND I KNOW THAT EVERYONE WHO APPLIED UNDERSTOOD HOW MUCH WORK THEY WERE GETTING THEMSELVES INTO.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE WILL MOVE DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER 8B COMMISSION ON DIVERSITY AWARENESS, AND THIS IS MYSELF AND
[B. Consideration of Appointments: Commission on Diversity Awareness. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Make two appointments to terms expiring September 2026. ]
COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE, AND I WILL BEGIN.LET'S SEE BOTH TERMS EXPIRE SEPTEMBER 2026.
SO I WILL MOVE TO REAPPOINT ANGELICA MARIA SANCHEZ TO A TERM EXPIRING SEPTEMBER 2026. I'LL SECOND.
THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I AM HONORED TO MOVE TO APPOINT TARANG JAIN, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING EITHER OF THOSE AS A NEW APPOINTEE FOR A SEAT EXPIRING SEPTEMBER 2026.
THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. WE'RE MOVING DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER 8C PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION, AND WE HAVE VICE MAYOR
[C. Consideration of Appointments: Parks and Recreation Commission. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Make three appointments to terms expiring August 2026.]
ASLIN, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY OPPOSED.
ALL RIGHT, AND COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET.
I MOVED TO REAPPOINT RYAN MARTIN TO A TERM EXPIRING AUGUST 20TH, 26.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER MATHEWS.
I MOVE TO APPOINT MICAH SMITH TO THE TERM OF PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION, EXPIRING AUGUST 2026. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT.
MOVING DOWN TO D SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION.
[D. Consideration of Appointment: Sustainability Commission. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Consideration of extension of two terms to October 2026. ]
ALL RIGHT. I AM LOOKING FOR WHO APPOINTS IN THIS ONE? AM I JUST NOT SEEING.MAYOR, IT WILL BE COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS AND COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET.
I MOVE TO REAPPOINT PRISCILLA BOATENG.
I'M SORRY IF I PRONOUNCED IT INCORRECTLY, BUT THAT'S TO A TERM ENDING.
GREAT DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET.
I MOVE TO EXTEND THE TERM FOR MARY ELLEN METZGER TO OCTOBER 2026.
SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE APPLICANTS TO ALL OF THE COMMISSIONS.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE TO SERVE ON ONE OF THESE IMPORTANT COMMISSIONS.
[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.]
WOULD LIKE TO PULL 1 OR 2 OUT TO DISCUSS SEPARATELY.[00:35:07]
OKAY. CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE? MAYOR. I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEMS 10A THROUGH 10F.DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. DOWN TO 11 A ROUTINE ITEMS.
[A. Consideration and Approval of Contract: Consideration and Approval of Second Amendment - GMP 3 for Final Engineering Design and Construction Phase Repair Services with Hunter Contracting Co. for a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) in the amount of $2,425,978.03 for the Inner Basin Waterline Restoration Project STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the Second Amendment - GMP 3 for Final Design and Construction Phase Repair Services with Hunter Contracting Company for a GMP of $2,425,978.03 and a contract duration of 160-calendar days for a total Agreement amount of $5,836,052.90; and Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.]
CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF CONTRACT.FOR THE INTER-BASIN WATER RESTORATION PROJECT.
VICE. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
DAVID PETERSON, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT MANAGER.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. THAT WAS A MOUTHFUL IN THERE.
SO THERE'S A LOT. THIS IS GMP THREE FOR INTER-BASIN WATER LINE PROJECT.
SO JUST TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STAKEHOLDERS, I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS, BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO BRING IT UP JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR FANTASTIC PARTNERS WE HAVE IN THIS PROJECT.
SO THE US FOREST SERVICE CONTINUES TO GIVE US OUR ACCESS VIA PERMITS TO ACCESS TO OUR PUBLIC LANDS.
COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THEIR HAND IN THIS PROJECT.
AS MENTIONED IN THE LAST GMP, IS GMP TWO, WE TALKED ABOUT DFM, THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE MANAGEMENT THAT IS SUPPLYING UP TO $16.1 MILLION TO FUND THE PROJECT, AND THEN HUNTER CONTRACTING IS OUR CONTRACTOR THAT'S DOING THE CONSTRUCTION.
JACOBS ENGINEERING IS DOING THE DESIGN WORK, AND THEN WE HAVE A MYRIAD OF COUNTY AND CITY STAFF, PARTICULARLY DOING ALL THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES TO KEEP THINGS GOING AND REALLY JUST DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
WE PUT THAT AS A PRIORITY, FIRST PRIORITY FOR THIS PROJECT THAT WE COULD BREAK, FIX OUR BREAKS THAT WERE IN THE WATER LINE TO MAKE THE WATER FLOW BACK INTO OUR SYSTEMS. THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
WE WERE THINKING IT WOULD BE IN THE FALL.
SO REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT HAPPEN IN AUGUST FIRST, ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS SCREEN, IF YOU REMEMBER, I HAVE A PICTURE COMING UP IN THE PRESENTATION AS WELL, BUT THERE WAS A PICTURE OF ME STANDING NEXT TO THAT 25 FOOT CANYON.
SO POINT I IS THAT CANYON, AND HERE WE WERE ABLE TO REPAIR THE WATER LINE.
THE WATER LINE IS INSIDE THIS CONCRETE ENCASEMENT.
THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE WORK TO COME.
SO THE MECHANICS OF GMP THREE AGAIN, HUNTER CONTRACTING HOLDS THE CONTRACT.
THEIR SUBCONTRACTOR IS JACOBS ENGINEERING.
THE DETAILS OF THIS IS JUST OVER $2.4 MILLION FOR THE GP3 AND THE CONTRACT WILL TAKE US INTO MARCH.
SO THIS WILL BE THE LAST GMP THAT CONTAINS AN ENGINEERING ASPECT.
SO THIS WILL TAKE US THROUGH WHAT'S CALLED FINAL DESIGN OR 100% PLANS.
THE BEAUTY OF AN EMERGENCY PROJECT, TYPICALLY WE DO DESIGN AND THEN WE'D HAVE CONSTRUCTION.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE THE DIALOG AND THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ALL THE ENTITIES GOING INTO THIS AS WE CONSTRUCT WITH THE GUIDANCE OF THE ENGINEERS AS WE GO, BUT THIS ONE WILL CONCLUDE THE ENGINEERING DESIGN.
AS YOU GUYS RECALL FROM PRIOR, WE HAVE THE CROSSINGS THAT EXISTED WITH THE SCHULTZ FIRE REPAIRS, WHICH WERE PREVIOUSLY ARMORED, AND THEN WE HAVE NEW CROSSINGS AND NEW DAMAGE THAT HAVE NO HARDENED INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WE HAVE TO TIE INTO THE OLD AND CONSTRUCT THE NEW.
SO JUST TO RECAP, AGAIN, BACK IN MID JANUARY, WE HAD GMP ONE THAT REALLY KICKED THINGS OFF.
MAINLY FOCUSED WAS THE DESIGN WORK, GETTING THAT GOING.
[00:40:01]
GMP TWO REALLY ALLOWED US TO START CLEARING THE ROAD, REALLY START GETTING THAT MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT IN THERE, SETTING UP OUR STAGING YARDS.THAT KIND OF COINCIDED WITH OUR CLEARANCE, WITH OUR DECISION MEMO FROM THE FOREST SERVICE, WHICH ALLOWED US TO GET IN AND ESTABLISH OUR YARDS, ALLOW US TO DO MORE NEW CONSTRUCTION VERSUS JUST MAINTENANCE CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN INSPECTION SERVICES IS WHEN WE WERE HERE RIGHT BEFORE COUNCIL BREAK AND TONIGHT AND THEN AGAIN THIS SPRING, WE'LL BE BACK WITH GMP FOUR TO FINALIZE THE CONSTRUCTION, AND IT'S IN THE STAFF SUMMARY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IF YOU'RE TRACKING ALONG HERE THAT WE'RE ABOUT 6.33 MILLION INTO THAT 16.1 MAX CAP.
SO IF YOU ADD THAT IN THERE, WE'RE ABOUT 6.33 MILLION.
ALL RIGHT. NOW BACK TO THE PICTURES.
SO THIS IS THAT PICTURE I WAS REFERRING TO AT POINT I ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS PICTURE.
THAT'S ME STANDING IN THE YELLOW CIRCLE, ABOUT A 50 FOOT ACROSS, 25 FOOT DEEP CANYON.
THIS PICTURE I TOOK LAST WEEK.
IT'S ACTUALLY CHANGED THIS WEEK FROM THIS PICTURE.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY INSTALLING THE GABION BASKETS HERE IN THE FRONT FACE HERE, BUT THE EXCITING THING HERE IS BY CONNECTING THIS POINT HERE, I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO DRIVE THE ENTIRE WATER LINE ROAD LAST WEEK FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE FIRE.
SO THEY'VE DONE AN AMAZING JOB GETTING THINGS IN THERE, GETTING GOING.
IT'S ALLOWING THE WATER TO PASS UNDER THE SITE WHILE WE CONSTRUCT.
IT'LL BE CAPPED AND SHORTENED AND ALL THE WATER AND DEBRIS WILL PASS OVER THE SITE INSTEAD OF UNDER.
STILL A LOT OF WORK. THE PIPE WAS EXPOSED HERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE DEBRIS THAT'S GOING TO BE CHIPPED UP AND SCATTERED ACROSS THE SITE PER FOREST SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS AND THEN THIS ONE WAS REALLY TRICKY.
SITE NINE, JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM SEVEN.
THIS SECTION OF ROAD IS PROBABLY ONLY ABOUT FIVE FEET WIDE, SO IT WAS WIDE ENOUGH TO WALK ON, BUT CLEARLY NOT WIDE ENOUGH FOR ANY MAINTENANCE, UTILITY OR AUTHORIZED VEHICLES TO GET BY HERE.
IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LAY BACK THIS SLOPE JUST ENOUGH TO GIVE US THE FILL MATERIAL TO LAY DOWN HERE, AND THE FOREST SERVICE GRACIOUSLY MET US UP THERE TO REVIEW THAT. THAT WAS IN THE DECISION MEMO TO INCLUDE A POSSIBLE REALIGNMENT AT THIS SITE.
SO GOOD COMMUNICATION CAN SAVE A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY, AND IN THIS PICTURE, I REALLY LIKE TO INCLUDE IN THE END HERE, THIS IS THE FOREST SERVICE DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB HOLDING THE FIRE LINE RIGHT ON THE RIDGE.
SO WONDERFUL GRATITUDE TO THE FOREST SERVICE AND THE CREWS THAT WERE FIGHTING THIS FIRE, THE ASPEN, ANOTHER THING WE'RE WORKING ON IS A TOUR FOR COUNCIL CITY STAFF IS WORKING ON HOPEFULLY PUTTING THAT TOGETHER COME OCTOBER BUT YOU'LL SEE ON THAT TOUR THAT SOME OF THE ASPEN UP HERE ALREADY 5 OR 6FT TALL, SO DOING ITS ROLE AND COMING BACK.
SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY COULD YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE? THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
NO, I GOT A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
IS THAT TRUE? I MEAN, IS IT IS THIS SITE GOING TO BE MORE RESISTANT TO EROSION THAN IT WAS BEFORE, OR IS IT BASICALLY THE SAME? WE'RE JUST PUTTING IT BACK AND TRYING AGAIN? COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, NO, THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE TIED INTO THIS.
SO SIMPLY TO GET MAINTENANCE AND GET EQUIPMENT IN THERE FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS, WE NEEDED TO MAKE THE ROAD PASSABLE FIRST, BUT IN THIS PICTURE YOU'LL SEE THERE'LL BE ADDITIONAL GABION BASKETS, THERE'LL BE A LARGER CONCRETE CAP, AND ACTUALLY THE CONCRETE CAP THIS TIME WILL INCLUDE INCLUDE A CHANNEL.
[00:45:06]
SO IT'LL BE A RAMP UP, A RAMP DOWN TO THE THALWEG OR THE FLOW LINE OF THE DEBRIS.IT'LL ACTUALLY LOOK MUCH DIFFERENT.
THIS IS JUST TO GET THE ROAD OPEN.
THANK YOU. THAT'S CORRECT. THEY'RE FAR FROM FINALIZED.
ONCE WE HAVE FINAL DESIGN, I CAN SHARE THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COUNCIL? DAVID, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
CAN I GET A MOTION? MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM 11A.
THANK YOU. WHICH INCLUDES AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE DOCUMENTS TO HAVE A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. MOVING DOWN, 11B.
[B. Consideration and Approval of Contract: FY23/24 Insurance Program Renewal STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Accept the renewal premiums for FY 2023-24 submitted by the Arizona Municipal Risk Retention Pool (AMRRP) for General Liability, E&O, SAM, Property, Auto, Marine, Crime, Cyber, Excess, and Worker’s Compensation coverage; AON/Chubb/Travelers for Airport Liability and International Travel; and Industrial Commission of Arizona to fund the Firefighters Presumptive Cancer Claims (statutorily required).]
FY 23-24 INSURANCE PROGRAM RENEWAL.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE FISCAL YEAR 23-24 INSURANCE PROGRAM RENEWAL AS WE HAVE OUTLINED IT, AND SO THE FIRST THING IS JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE NEWER TO THE COUNCIL, THAT WE ARE PART OF A POOL, AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE SHIFTED ABOUT FOUR FISCAL YEARS AGO OFF OF BEING SELF-INSURED, SELF-ADMINISTERED, SELF-FUNDED TO A POOL APPROACH.
WE ARE PART OF THE ARIZONA MUNICIPAL RISK RETENTION POOL AND SO WE ARE PART OF A MUCH LARGER GROUP, 77 MEMBERS TOTAL, AND WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED MEMBERSHIP FEES.
SO YOU CAN THINK OF THOSE AS INSURANCE PREMIUMS, BUT THEIR MEMBERSHIP FEES AND THOSE FEES ARE BASED NOT ONLY WITH WHAT THE OTHER MEMBERS HAVE GOING ON, BUT OUR LOSS.
SO OUR LOSS RUNS HOW MANY CLAIMS WE'VE HAD, OUR NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE, THE TYPES OF CLASSIFICATIONS THAT THEY SIT IN WITH RESPECT TO THE NCCI CODES, OUR INVENTORIES, OUR PROPERTY VALUES.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GOT DONE THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR.
SO THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAD BEEN ABLE TO EMBARK ON THAT.
SO I HIGHLIGHTED THE ONES THAT WE USE SO THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S THERE, AND THE NEW ONE THAT I HOPE TO GET GOING THIS YEAR IS A CENTRALIZED BANK OR DATABASE OF ALL OF OUR CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE IS ASKING OF US AS NAMING US AS THE NAMING THEM AS THE ADDITIONAL INSURED OR A NEW CONTRACT WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT INSURANCE REQUIREMENT AND HOPING TO IMPLEMENT THAT ONE THIS YEAR.
SO YOU MAY RECALL BEING PART OF THE POOL.
IF THERE'S AN EXCESS OF FUNDS, IF YOU WILL, IF OUR CLAIMS COLLECTIVELY DID NOT COME IN AS HIGH AS PROJECTED BASED ON THOSE PREMIUMS OR THOSE MEMBERSHIP FEES, THEN A MEMBERSHIP DIVIDEND WILL BE ISSUED THIS YEAR.
THAT DIVIDEND WAS A LITTLE OVER 280,000 LAST YEAR, YOU MIGHT RECALL IT WAS A LITTLE OVER 240,000.
SO YAY TO US FOR DOING A GREAT JOB.
I PUT THE FORMULA THERE, BUT WE WERE THE RECIPIENTS OF THAT.
WE ASKED THAT BE SENT BACK TO US IN THE FORM OF A CHECK SO THAT WE CAN TRACK IT, AND IT'S NOT KIND OF LIKE, OH, WHERE DID IT GO? OH, WE SPREAD IT OUT OVER THE PREMIUMS AND WE DON'T REALLY SEE IT.
SO WE HAVE A LINE ITEM TO ACTUALLY TRACK THAT.
SO THIS IS WHERE THE COST OF OUR PROGRAM ACTUALLY COMES INTO PLAY.
A LITTLE OVER 1.1 MILLION FOR THE LIABILITY PACKAGE, AND YOU CAN SEE IT COVERS THEIR MUNICIPAL PROPERTY, INLAND MARINE EQUIPMENT, AUTO LIABILITY, AUTO DAMAGE, CRIME, CYBER, AND THEN THE LIMITS, THE COVERAGE LIMITS VARY AND THE DEDUCTIBLES VARY DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS.
[00:50:04]
$5,000. SO DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRST $5,000, AND THEN THE CLAIM, DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT LEVEL IS, THEY COME IN WITH THE REST ON OUR PROPERTY DEDUCTIBLE.WE LOWERED THAT THIS YEAR TO $10,000 PER INCIDENT.
WE FOUND THAT WE WERE THE ONLY MUNICIPALITY WITH A $100,000 DEDUCTIBLE, WHICH WAS SUPER HIGH, AND THAT'S VERY HIGH, AND WE FOUND THAT WE HAD A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS LAST YEAR THAT MAYBE HIT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 42,000 AND 76,000, AND WE COULDN'T FILE CLAIMS BECAUSE OUR DEDUCTIBLE WAS 100,000. SO YOU'RE PAYING THE PREMIUM THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT COVERAGE LINE, BUT YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE ACCESS TO THE INSURANCE BECAUSE THE DEDUCTIBLE IS SO HIGH.
SO WE SHIFTED THAT THIS YEAR EXCESS COVERAGE.
SO THAT MIGHT BE LIKE A SEWER, LIKE A BIG SEWER BACKUP, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE EXCESS COVERAGE IN SOME SMALLER AREAS.
THAT WAS 150,000, AND THEN THE WORKER'S COMPENSATION, THAT'S AN ESTIMATE BECAUSE IT IS VERY SPECIFIC TO EMPLOYEE ACCOUNT IN ITS OWN RESPECTIVE RISK CATEGORY, BUT THAT CAME IN AT JUST UNDER A MILLION.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE GET OUR 2.2 MILLION.
THAT IS AN OVERALL INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR OF A LITTLE OVER 14%.
SO WE NOW HAVE A BETTER ACCURATE VALUE OF OUR ACTUAL TANGIBLE, TANGIBLE PHYSICAL PROPERTY , AND THEN THE DECREASE IN PROPERTY DEDUCTIBLE THAT I MENTIONED, THE PROPERTY DEDUCTIBLE, THE ACTUAL FIGURE TO MOVE FROM $100,000 DEDUCTIBLE TO A $10,000 DEDUCTIBLE WAS $52,000 ROUGHLY.
THEN WE HAVE OUR AVIATION LIABILITY AND OUR FOREIGN LIABILITY.
SO AMRRP DOES NOT COVER OUR AIRPORT OR ANY EMPLOYEE THAT IS TRAVELING OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
SO WE PROCURE THAT INSURANCE COVERAGE SEPARATELY.
THESE ARE OUR PROVIDERS OF THAT INSURANCE, AND LAST YEAR, YOU MAY RECALL, IF YOU WERE WITH THE COUNCIL WE WENT WITH, WE HAD THE OPTION OF GOING WITH A THREE YEAR POLICY, BUT WE WENT WITH A ONE YEAR.
THIS ONE WE WENT WITH A THREE YEAR POLICY THAT MEANS OUR ANNUAL PAY IT ANNUALLY, BUT THE PRICE IS FIXED SO IT'S GUARANTEED NOT TO INCREASE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO GO WITH THE THREE YEAR BECAUSE, A, IT'S FIXED AND B, WE HAVE A LOT OF CONTRACTS THAT ARE GOING TO RENEW UNDER OUR NEW AIRPORT MANAGER.
SO WE FELT THAT GAVE EVERYBODY US THEM TIME TO GET THROUGH THOSE AND TAKE A LOOK AT LANGUAGE AND INDEMNIFICATION STATEMENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SET. SO WE DECIDED TO GO WITH A THREE YEAR THIS YEAR, AND THE BREAKDOWN FOR THE OTHER MISCELLANEOUS SUNDRY CHARGES ARE IT'S THERE, AND SO THE TOTAL FOR THAT IS A LITTLE OVER 55,000.
THEN WE HAVE THE FIREFIGHTERS CANCER REIMBURSEMENT FUND.
THIS COMES FROM THE INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION OF ARIZONA.
THAT IS STRICTLY BASED ON POPULATION.
SO YOU'LL SEE I CIRCLED US, THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF THERE AND IN CASE THAT PRINT WAS TOO SMALL, JUST KIND OF PULLED IT OFF TO THE SIDE, BUT THAT IS STRICTLY BASED ON POPULATION ON THE MOST RECENT CENSUS DATA THAT THEY HAVE.
SO YOU'VE SEEN THE TOTAL THERE, AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE BOTTOM LINE AMOUNT HERE IN A MINUTE , BUT WHERE WE SAVE MONEY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IS WE RECEIVE A LOT OF CLAIMS, A LOT OF NOTICE OF CLAIMS, AND WE WORK VERY HARD TO INVESTIGATE THOSE AND DETERMINE WHAT'S CONSIDERED COMPENSABLE OR NON-COMPENSABLE.
SO LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE ACTUALLY PAID OUT A LITTLE OVER 35,000, BUT WHAT PEOPLE FILE IN AND SOME OF THEM, I WILL TELL YOU IN ALL HONESTY, THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED NO VALUE CLAIMS. WE GET SOME VERY INTERESTING THINGS AND THEY PUT DOWN $2 MILLION OR $5 MILLION OR $7 MILLION, AND THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION DOESN'T SUPPORT THAT CLAIM.
SO WE GET CLAIMS. IN LAST YEAR IT WAS A LITTLE OVER 15 MILLION AND WE DID NOT PAY 15 MILLION OUT.
SO WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR DID WE DO IT AND IF WE DID IT, WHAT PERCENT OF THAT IS THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR? WE ALSO RECOVER THROUGH SUBROGATION.
SO THAT'S SOMEBODY DAMAGING OR CAUSING LOSS TO SOME OF OUR PROPERTY.
MAYBE THEY HIT A WALL, A STREET SIGN, A SIGNAL BOX, ONE OF OUR VEHICLES.
SO WE WORK THROUGH THEIR INSURANCE COMPANY TO RECOVER THOSE FUNDS.
SO WE RECOVERED A LITTLE OVER 34,000 AND ANY PLACE WHERE THERE WAS AN ARREST OR THE PERSON DID NOT HAVE INSURANCE COVERAGE, WE WORK WITH THE COURTS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING ALL OF THOSE FILED AND RESPONDING TO ALL OF THOSE VICTIM NOTICES SO THAT WE CAN RECOVER.
THIS 19,000 THAT WE RECOVERED GOES BACK A NUMBER OF YEARS BECAUSE IT'S SMALL AMOUNTS.
[00:55:05]
SO WE MAY GET A LARGE CHECK RIGHT UP FRONT.SOMEBODY JUST LIKE WE WERE AWARDED, WE WERE THE VICTIM AND IT'S $1,300 AND THEY THEY PAY THE $1,300.
A LOT OF THESE ARE MUCH LARGER AMOUNTS, AND SO IT'S $150, $200 UNTIL THEY CAN GET THAT BALANCE DOWN.
SO THE TOTAL THAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING FOR APPROVAL IS THE 2.455916.
SO HOPEFULLY THERE'S NO DISPUTE OVER THAT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM.
COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT I DON'T SEE ANY.
SO CAN I GET A MOTION? THANK YOU. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ITEM 11B.
DO YOU HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
ALL RIGHT. MOVING DOWN REGULAR AGENDA ITEM 12 A CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER
[A. Consideration and Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-46: A resolution for the renewal of an Administrative IGA with Summit Fire & Medical District for the term of one-year. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: 1) Read Resolution No. 2023-46 by title only 2) City Clerk reads Resolution No. 2023-46 by title only (if approved above) 3) Adopt Resolution No. 2023-46]
2023-46. A RESOLUTION FOR THE RENEWAL OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE IGA WITH SUMMIT FIRE AND MEDICAL DISTRICT FOR THE TERM OF ONE YEAR. HELLO.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS CHRIS FENNELL. I'M WITH THE FLAGSTAFF FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT OUR EXTENSION FOR THE IGA THAT'S CURRENTLY IN PLACE AND JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND BEHIND IT.
THE IGA HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW.
SINCE NONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS ARE HAVE A LOT OF EXTRA STAFF, THAT BENEFIT HAS BEEN HUGE.
OUR COMMUNICATIONS, OUR DISPATCH, EVERYTHING IS ALL TIED TOGETHER WITH THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS AND WE'RE ASKING FOR A ONE YEAR EXTENSION ON THAT AND THAT WILL GIVE US TIME TO DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES IN THE FUTURE, TO SEE WHAT IT PROGRESSES THROUGH OR DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY IS GOING TO TAKE ABOUT NINE MONTHS TO GET THE RESULTS TO.
THE VENDORS ARE VERY BUSY AND IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE ONE YEAR EXTENSION.
THE FIRE DISTRICT AT SUMMIT THEY SIGNED LAST WEEK FOR THE APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU ALSO AND I WAS GOING TO SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME.
ANY QUESTIONS? JUST TO CLARIFY.
SO THE FEASIBILITY STUDY IS TO LOOK AT WHAT IS THE BEST ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO ENTITIES MOVING FORWARD.
SURE. CAN I GET A MOTION TO READ THE RESOLUTION? MAYOR. I'LL MOVE TO READ RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-46 BY TITLE ONLY.
THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CITY CLERK. A RESOLUTION OF THE FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL APPROVING AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF AND SUMMIT FIRE AND MEDICAL DISTRICT FOR SHARED SERVICES. ALL RIGHT.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADOPT? MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-46.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED.
ITEM 12B CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-43.
[B. Consideration and Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-43: A resolution of the Flagstaff City Council, approving an Intergovernmental Agreement between Coconino County and the City of Flagstaff for the Application for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program FY 2023 Local Solicitation/ CFDA #16.738 STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: 1) Read Resolution No. 2023-43 by title only 2) City Clerk reads Resolution No. 2023-43 by title only (if approved above) 3) Adopt Resolution No. 2023-43]
A RESOLUTION OF THE FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL APPROVING AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN COCONINO COUNTY AND THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF FOR THE APPLICATION FOR THE EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANT GRANT PROGRAM FY 2023 LOCAL SOLICITATION.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ALLISON HUGHES. I'M THE SUPPORT SERVICES MANAGER WITH THE FLAGSTAFF POLICE DEPARTMENT.
[01:00:03]
APPLICATION.FLAGSTAFF POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS THAT ELICIT COOPERATION BETWEEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL TO CONTROL, DETECT AND INVESTIGATE CRIME.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT UTILIZES THESE GRANT FUNDS TO HELP WITH COMMUNITY POLICING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS NEW YEAR'S EVE FESTIVITIES, COMMUNITY SUPPORT MEETINGS, BLOCK WATCH MEETINGS, EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS, CLEANUP PROJECTS, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, CAR SEAT SAFETY PREVENTION AND THE 4TH OF JULY PARADE.
THE JAG PROGRAM WAS CREATED IN 1984 TO PROVIDE FEDERAL LEADERSHIP AND ALLOWS AGENCIES TO SUPPORT A BROAD RANGE OF ACTIVITIES TO PREVENT AND CONTROL CRIME BASED ON THEIR OWN LOCAL NEEDS AND CONDITIONS.
THIS YEAR, THE FUNDING REQUESTED IS IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,185.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS UTILIZED THE JAG GRANT FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
WE CONTINUE TO BE PARTNERS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND STRIVE TO KEEP CRIME DOWN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. CAN I GET A MOTION TO READ? I MOVE TO READ RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-43 BY TITLE ONLY.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CITY CLERK. A RESOLUTION OF THE FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL APPROVING AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN COCONINO COUNTY AND THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF FOR THE APPLICATION FOR THE EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT JAG PROGRAM, FY 2023 LOCAL SOLICITATION CFDA NUMBER 16.738. CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADOPT? I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-43.
SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED.
OKAY. ITEM 12C CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-45.
[C. Consideration and Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-45: A resolution of the Flagstaff City Council, adopting the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System 457(b) Deferred Compensation Program. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Read Resolution No. 2023-45 by title only City Clerk reads Resolution No. 2023-45 by title only (if approved above) Adopt Resolution No. 2023-45]
A RESOLUTION OF THE FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL ADOPTING THE PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL RETIREMENT SYSTEM 457B DEFERRED COMPENSATION PROGRAM.MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? SO WE'RE GOING TO.
PRESENT TO YOU A PUBLIC SAFETY MEMBER.
ENROLLMENT TO STATE SPONSORED ASRS DEFERRED COMPENSATION 454 PLAN.
WE THOUGHT THAT WE HAD PRESENTED THIS TO YOU PREVIOUSLY.
THEY ACTUALLY PRESENTED, I BELIEVE, IN OCTOBER AND THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ON IT.
SO PUBLIC SAFETY MEMBERS COME TO FIND OUT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THAT 457 PLAN, AND SO ONLY ASRS EMPLOYEES COULD DO THAT, CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, IT WASN'T DISCOVERED UNTIL RECENTLY THAT THEY COULDN'T.
SO WE HAD TO STOP DOING IT, COME BACK TO YOU AND PRESENT A SIDE BY SIDE ASRS/PSRS PLAN.
SO THE FOLKS THAT WERE IN THERE PREVIOUSLY, BEFORE IT WAS DISCOVERED, WERE GRANDFATHERED IN, BUT WE HAD TO STOP IT AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO START IT AGAIN WITH A SIDE BY SIDE PLAN.
SO THE PACKET THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE ONE THAT WAS PRESENTED IN OCTOBER.
SHORT OF CHANGING ALL OF THE ACRONYMS TO PSRS, I BELIEVE STERLING, YOUR OFFICE HELPED US DEVELOP THE RESOLUTION ON THIS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE SIMPLY ASKING THAT THROUGH BY RESOLUTION WE CREATE TWO SIDE BY SIDE PLANS SO THAT THE FOLKS IN THE [INAUDIBLE] CAN ACTUALLY START INVESTING IN THAT PLAN AT THIS POINT.
THAT'S REALLY THE IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
WE'VE DISCOVERED YOU COULDN'T DO IT BY LAW, AND WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND DO ANOTHER RESOLUTION.
[01:05:01]
TO INVEST IN THAT SAME ONE OR ARE THEY SWITCHING OVER TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL RETIREMENT SYSTEM 457B. EXCELLENT QUESTION.FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THAT ONCE WE GET IT SET UP AND THE RESOLUTION IN PLACE, THEY WILL START MOVING THEM OVER TO THE APPROPRIATE PLAN, BUT THEY'RE STILL IN THAT PLAN RIGHT NOW AND THEY'VE BEEN GRANDFATHERED IN UNTIL THEY CAN BE MOVED OVER INTO THE NEW.
SO IN THE END, THE MONEY WORKS OUT THE SAME.
YES, AND IT'S THE SAME ADMINISTRATOR FOR BOTH OF THEM AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COUNCIL? CAN I GET A MOTION TO READ THE RESOLUTION? MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE READ RESOLUTION 2023-45 BY TITLE ONLY.
SECOND. DO I HAVE? I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CITY CLERK. A RESOLUTION OF THE FLAGSTAFF CITY COUNCIL ADOPTING THE PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL RETIREMENT SYSTEM, SUPPLEMENTAL SALARY DEFERRAL PLAN.
THANK YOU. CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADOPT? MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2023-45.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND. I'LL SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. 12D CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-44.
[D. Consideration and Adoption of Resolution No. 2023-44: A resolution approving the Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County for election services for the November 7, 2023 Special Election STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: 1) Read Resolution No. 2023-44 by title only 2) City Clerk reads Resolution No. 2023-44 by title only (if approved above) 3) Adopt Resolution No. 2023-44]
A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF AND COCONINO COUNTY FOR ELECTION SERVICES FOR THE NOVEMBER 7TH, 2023, SPECIAL ELECTION.DO YOU HAVE TO RUN BACK TO THAT MICROPHONE TO READ IT? I SURE DO. OKAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS RESOLUTION IS BEFORE YOU TO APPROVE AN IGA WITH THE COCONINO COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT TO CONDUCT OUR OR EXCUSE ME TO ACTUALLY ADMINISTER THE BALLOT BY MAIL ELECTION FOR NOVEMBER 7TH, 2023.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO EACH YEAR FOR EACH ELECTION, BUT I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. CAN I GET A MOTION TO READ THE RESOLUTION? I'LL MOVE TO READ RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-44 BY TITLE ONLY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED.
CITY CLERK. A RESOLUTION IMPROVING THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF AND COCONINO COUNTY FOR ELECTION SERVICES FOR THE NOVEMBER 7TH, 2023, SPECIAL ELECTION. THANK YOU.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADOPT? MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-44.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT.
[A. Wildland Fire Management Program - Forest Health and Operations Update STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Information only]
OKAY. HELLO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.THANK YOU FOR MAKING SOME TIME FOR US THIS AFTERNOON.
WE'RE GOING TO CHAT BRIEFLY ABOUT SOME OF WHAT WE'RE UP TO THIS FALL WITH BOTH OUR FOREST HEALTH AND OPERATIONS SIDE OF OUR WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, AND ALSO JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE SOME NEW FOLKS BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME NEW NEW PEOPLE ON THE TEAM.
SO. YOU KNOW, PAUL OLTROGGE, OUR BATTALION CHIEF, MYSELF, NEIL CHAPMAN, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME NEW PEOPLE NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT WE RECENTLY HIRED IN JUNE MARK ADAMS. HE'S THE NEW COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION AND FIREWISE SPECIALIST MARK COMES TO US AFTER 24 YEARS WITH THE FOREST SERVICE WORKING ON ALL THREE HOTSHOT CREWS IN OUR AREA.
HE JUST RECENTLY RETIRED AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE FLAGSTAFF HOTSHOTS.
SO AN INCREDIBLE BACKGROUND, AND YOU MAY REMEMBER LAST YEAR DURING THE PIPELINE FIRE, SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THERE WAS A WONDERFUL ARTICLE IN THE ARIZONA DAILY SUN ABOUT HOW OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO LIVE WITH WILDFIRE, AND MARK WROTE THAT, AND SO THAT WAS KIND OF HIS EARLY INTRODUCTION TO THE INTERVIEW PROCESS WHEN WE KIND OF WERE THINKING ABOUT PEOPLE FILLING THAT POSITION
[01:10:04]
AND THEN WE'VE GOT A FEW OTHER FOLKS AS WELL ON DYLAN'S SIDE OF THE HOUSE FOR DYLAN TO TALK ABOUT.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. VICE COUNCIL, OUR VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS DYLAN GUFFEY. I'M THE WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS CAPTAIN WITHIN OUR PROGRAM.
SO CAN YOU CONTINUE SPEAKING TO WHAT NEIL'S TALKING ABOUT? WHEN I STARTED A YEAR AGO, WE ALSO HIRED AN ENGINEER, CODY GLAISNER, WHO CAME TO US FROM SUMMIT FIRE, WHO HAD HAD TEN YEARS OVER THERE WORKING FOR THE LINE, CAME TO THE WILDLAND PROGRAM, AND THEN JUST WITHIN THE LAST MONTH, WE HIRED A NEW ENGINEER, [INAUDIBLE], WHO ALSO COMES FROM THE FOREST SERVICE, WITH ABOUT 12 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, MOSTLY HERE ON THE COCONINO AND THE PRESCOTT NATIONAL FOREST, AND VARIED BETWEEN HOTSHOT CREWS ENGINES AND SOME FUELS WORK AS WELL.
SO HOPE TO HAVE THOSE FILLED BY EARLY OCTOBER.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE AS SOME OF THIS STUFF IS HAPPENING OR IS PLANNED TO BE HAPPENING THIS FALL.
WE JUST TOOK A LITTLE TIME TO CHAT ABOUT IT.
PICTURE CANYON IS GOING TO BE WRAPPING UP THIS MONTH.
WE HAD A CONTRACT WITH THE ARIZONA CONSERVATION CORPS.
I'M GLAD YOU GOT OUT THERE TO SEE THAT WATERFALL.
THORPE PARK IS A NEW PLACE ON OUR RADAR.
SO IN BETWEEN LOWELL OBSERVATORY AND THE DISC GOLF COURSE.
THERE ARE SOME AREAS WE WANT TO KEEP WORKING UP THERE.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS IN PLACE TO WORK ON THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARIZONA CONSERVATION EXPERIENCE CAN POTENTIALLY DO SOME TRAINING UP IN THERE, AND THEN DYLAN'S WORKING WITH TEAM RUBICON.
TEAM RUBICON TO POTENTIALLY DO SOME MORE SAW WORK IN THEIR.
WE HAVE BIG PLANS FOR ALMOST 700 ACRES OF LOWELL OBSERVATORY.
WE'RE WORKING THROUGH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FUNDING OPTIONS RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT'S BASICALLY THE LAST LARGE SECTION OF LAND UP ON THE UP ON THE MESA THAT DOES NOT HAVE TREATMENTS IN PLACE, AND SO IN ADDITION TO A BUNCH OF FIREWISE WORK AROUND THE BUILDINGS, THAT LARGE SECTION UP THERE AS WELL, WE CAN DO A BUNCH OF ECOLOGICAL RISK REDUCTION BASED THINNING AND THEN CITY PARCELS.
YOU MAY HAVE REMEMBERED JEROLYN BYRNE WAS HERE FOR MANY YEARS AND HE'S REALLY HELPING FILL THAT GAP.
THAT WAS KIND OF EMPTY FOR ABOUT A YEAR AFTER SHE LEFT.
SO WE CAN START GETTING BACK INTO THE CITY LIMITS WITH BOTH PRIVATE LAND CITY PROPERTY AND ASSESSING SOME OF OUR PRIORITIES IN THERE AND WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO IMPLEMENT THOSE PROJECTS. SO HANDING IT OVER ON PRESCRIBED FIRE.
OKAY. SO FOR OUR PRESCRIBED FIRE PROGRAM, LOOKING AHEAD TO THIS FALL, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED FOUR PRESCRIBED FIRE UNITS THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT GETTING ENTRY INTO, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE UP ON OBSERVATORY MESA, A SMALL AREA IN THORPE PARK, CITY WELL FIELD, AND THEN THE NAVAL OBSERVATORY, FLAGSTAFF STATION.
SO WITH THOSE UNITS, OUR APPROACH TO THESE HAS BEEN VERY METICULOUS PLANNING.
WE KNOW THAT THESE ARE GOING TO BE HIGHLY VIEWED IN THE PUBLIC, VERY JUST A LOT OF PUBLIC INTEREST IN WHAT WE'RE DOING UP THERE, HOW WE'RE ECOLOGICALLY TREATING THE LANDSCAPE, AND SO WITH THAT, AS WE GO IN TO IMPLEMENT THESE, THERE'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR FOCUS ON PUBLIC OUTREACH.
YOU KNOW, PUBLIC OUTREACH WILL BE THE MAIN THING BECAUSE WE WANT TO NOT ONLY BE TREATING THE LANDSCAPE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, BUT ALSO SHOWING WHAT THE BENEFITS CAN DO WITH PARCELS CLOSE TO, YOU KNOW PRIVATE OWNERSHIP AND CITY PARCELS AND WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY REALLY TRYING TO ACHIEVE OUT HERE.
SO WITH THAT THE BURNS JUST KIND OF HOW FOR YOUR GUYS INFORMATION IS HOW THIS WILL WORK.
THOSE BURNS WILL IGNITIONS WILL TAKE PLACE EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND THIS IS ALL DEPENDENT ON WEATHER AND EVERYTHING'S GOT TO BE RIGHT ALL THE CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT BURNS WILL TAKE PLACE EARLY IN THE MORNING.
IGNITION SHOULD BE DONE BY 2 P.M..
PLENTY OF TIME TO LET THE SMOKE LIFT AND GET OUT OF TOWN AND NOT HAVE ANY IMPACTS IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN OUR PRESENCE WILL BE OUT THERE UNTIL THOSE PRESCRIBED FIRES ARE OUT. SO MOVING INTO THE ACTUAL UNITS THEMSELVES.
SAME THING IT'S GOING TO BE CONDITIONED BASED ON WHERE WE GO WITH THAT.
THE ONE UNIT IS 160 ACRES AND IT'S IN SOME LAND THAT HAS BEEN HARVESTED FOR TIMBER.
SO LOOKING TO GET IN THERE AND CLEAN UP SOME OF THE DEBRIS FROM THAT, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF OBSERVATORY MESA, AND THAT ONE IS ABOUT 40 ACRES IN THAT SECTION. SO AGAIN, WITH THAT, WE'RE LOOKING AT CONDITIONS AND BASICALLY WHAT THE FIRE BEHAVIOR IS THAT WILL BE EXPECTING ON THOSE TWO UNITS.
[01:15:09]
SO THAT'S THAT ONE.THORPE PARK IS GOING TO BE THAT AREA THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED HERE.
IT'S RIGHT AROUND THE PARK AREA THERE, AND SO WITH THAT ONE, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GET INTO TOWN AND SHOW THE COMMUNITY WHAT WHAT OUR PROGRAM IS DOING AND THE BENEFITS OF WHAT WE'RE BRINGING TO THE TABLE.
THE NAVAL OBSERVATORY, THAT IS AN 80 ACRE UNIT WITH A CONTRACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HELPING THEM MANAGE THEIR LAND OUT THERE.
SO BUILDING OUR PARTNERSHIPS EARLY ON THIS YEAR AND JUST GETTING THINGS READY TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR PROGRAM, AND THEN I'LL HAND IT BACK OVER TO NEIL FOR YEP, AND SO THESE ARE THE THREE THINNING PROJECTS THAT ONE ON THE LEFT WITH THE RED LINE THAT WAS PICTURE CANYON, AND THAT 200 ACRE PROJECT THAT'S JUST BEING WRAPPED UP. THAT ONE WAS A GRANT FUNDED THROUGH ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE MANAGEMENT AND THEN THORPE PARK, YOU CAN SEE THAT PARCEL JUST ABOVE THE BALL FIELDS AND IN THE DISC GOLF COURSE AREA THAT FIRE THIS THIS SPRING WAS KIND OF UP IN THIS AREA, AND TO SOME DEGREE, YOU DON'T NEED A PHD TO UNDERSTAND IF IT'S DARKER ON THE MAP.
THERE'S A LOT MORE TREES RIGHT THERE, AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO REALLY GET INTO AND TRY TO DO SOME OF THE THINNING, AND THEN THE LOWELL OBSERVATORY, THAT'S THAT LARGE SECTION RIGHT THERE, THAT'S OVER 600 ACRES ALL BY ITSELF, AND YOU CAN SEE TO THE NORTH AND THE WEST WHERE THE TREATED AREAS LOOK DIFFERENT.
SO WE WANT TO GET IN THERE AND DO SOME MORE WORK THAT'S GOING TO LIKELY BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GREATER FLAGSTAFF FOREST PARTNERSHIP AND COCONINO COUNTY, AND SO AS OUR FUNDING PLANS COME TOGETHER AND ONCE WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE, WE'LL GIVE ANOTHER UPDATE ON THAT ONE, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW DYLAN JUST MENTIONED IT AS WELL, BUT I GET REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PARCEL RIGHT HERE.
THIS THAT'S THE ROAD THAT GOES RIGHT UP TO LOWELL OBSERVATORY THAT IS IN THERE.
THIS WILL BE A VERY VISIBLE UNIT.
IT'S SMALL, BUT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO KNOW WHEN WE'RE DOING IT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A REALLY SMALL BUT VERY VISIBLE OPERATION.
WE CONTINUE WITHIN THE UPPER RIO DE FLAG.
SO THEY HAVE DIFFERENT PROCESSES OF CONTRACTING FROM PREP AND LAY OUT TO AWARDING CONTRACTS.
THERE'S A SNOWBALL ROAD HAND THINNING PROJECT GOING ON RIGHT NOW THAT IS THAT'S EXCITING BECAUSE WE'RE BASICALLY PREPPING THAT ROAD IN CASE THERE IS EVER A WILDFIRE THAT STARTS COMING UP THE PEAKS.
SO THAT WORK WILL ALL BE DONE AHEAD OF TIME INSTEAD OF AT THE TIME OF A FIRE COMING UP THE HILL, AND THEN THE [INAUDIBLE] NEPA ANALYSIS, WE'VE MENTIONED THAT ONE A FEW TIMES, BUT THE CLOCK HAS NOT OFFICIALLY STARTED ON THAT ONE.
THAT'S A REALLY INTERESTING PROJECT.
THAT IS IN BETWEEN FOREST ROADS 151 AND SNOWBOWL ROAD.
SO [INAUDIBLE] ROAD AND SNOWBOWL ROAD, IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE SOME COMPLICATED ACRES THAT WERE LEFT OUT IN THE PAST BECAUSE OF THEIR COMPLEXITY, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE COVER AS MUCH OF THIS LAND WITH NEPA AS WE CAN.
SO AS FUNDING AND IMPLEMENTATION PLANS COME TOGETHER, WE DON'T HAVE ANY GAPS, AND THEN AGAIN, THE EXPERIMENTAL FOREST, WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THOSE FOLKS OVER THERE ON HOW WE WORK, ON MAKING SURE THOSE LANDS THAT ARE MANAGED BY THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION STILL GET TREATED AND THEY DON'T GET LEFT OUT, AND THEN AGAIN, OUR CITY AND PRIVATE LAND.
FIREWISE EFFORTS THAT MARK IS REALLY TAKING UP TO A WHOLE NEW SPEED THERE.
WE HAVE TWO AGREEMENTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE COMING UP ON THE AGENDA SOON.
ONE IS FOR CULTURAL RESOURCE SURVEYS THAT MAY LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN OUR NORMAL KIND OF THINNING AND BURNING PROGRAM OF WORK, BUT THE FOREST SERVICE CAN'T DO PRESCRIBED FIRE IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE ARCHEOLOGICAL CLEARANCES IN PLACE, AND SO WHEN WE MET WITH THEM A WHILE AGO AND DISCUSSED SOME OF THE BOTTLENECKS TO INCREASING THE PACE AND SCALE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE, CULTURAL RESOURCE SURVEYS CAME UP AS A BIG ONE.
SO BASICALLY KIND OF LIKE THE SNOWBOWL WORK, YOU GO OUT TO A ROAD SYSTEM AND YOU START PREPPING THE ROADS AND DOING THE THINNING ALONG THE ROADS NOW RATHER THAN WHEN THE FIRE IS COMING AND IT'S AN URGENT SITUATION, AND SO THAT WOULD BE SENDING SOME MONEY FOR OUR CREW TO WORK ALONG.
[01:20:08]
AND THEN PRESCRIBED FIRE TRAINING.THERE'S SOME EXCITING THINGS GOING ON THERE.
THERE'S A PRESCRIBED FIRE TRAINING EXCHANGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY AND A COUPLE OTHER GROUPS THAT WERE STILL ON THE RADAR OF ORGANIZING, AND THEN THE PRESCRIBED FIRE TRAINING CENTER IS A HUGE ORGANIZATION IN THE SOUTHEAST.
OVER A THOUSAND FIREFIGHTERS GO THROUGH THERE EVERY YEAR OUT OF FLORIDA AND GET REALLY AMAZING PRESCRIBED FIRE TRAINING, EXPERIENCES AND SKILLS AND THROUGH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. THERE'S A LOT OF CAPACITY GOING INTO EXPANDING THAT OUT OF FLORIDA, AND THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR FLAGSTAFF TO BECOME A HUB OF A PRESCRIBED FIRE TRAINING CENTER EXPANSION, AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING DIALOG WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS AND OUR LOCAL PARTNERS ON HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT FLAGSTAFF STAYS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST OF AN EXPANSION OF THAT SORT OF PROGRAM AS WELL, AND THEN COMING UP, SOME FUTURE DISCUSSIONS.
THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION AND MANAGEMENT COMMISSION THAT I WAS APPOINTED TO LAST YEAR.
OUR FINAL REPORT WILL BE OUT IN LATE SEPTEMBER, AND SO WE'RE PLANNING ON GETTING THAT BACK IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS, AND WE CAN TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT SOME OF THE DETAILS ON ASPECTS OF THAT REPORT AND WHERE WE SEE THAT HAVING GREAT IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEN ALSO OCTOBER 17TH, WE'VE GOT NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FORESTRY, CAT EDGELEY AND ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION INSTITUTE'S MELANIE COLAVITO, THEY'VE PUT TOGETHER SOME WONDERFUL INFORMATION AROUND WILDFIRE IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES.
CAT'S DONE SOME AMAZING RESEARCH, SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH AROUND OUR COMMUNITY OUT INTO PARKS AND OUT INTO KACHINA AND MOUNTAIN AIR ABOUT SMOKE TOLERANCES AND INFORMATION SHARING AND DIFFERENT WAYS THAT PEOPLE'S TOLERANCES MAY VARY BASED ON THE INFORMATION THEY HAVE AND THEN MELANIE COLAVITO WITH ERI HAS GOT SOME WONDERFUL INFORMATION UPDATING THE SCHULTZ FIRE COST AVOIDANCE STUDIES, AND SO WE WANT TO GET THEM BACK IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS AND GIVE SOME UPDATES ON THEIR WORK AS WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS WHEN YOU ALL DO THINNING, I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU'RE TAKING OUT THE OLDER TREES OR THE YOUNGER TREES OR THE BRUSH.
OH, MAN, WE LIKE TO LEAVE THE BIG TREES.
THE OLD BIG TREES ARE WHAT WE CALL FIRE TOLERANT.
SO AN OLD PONDEROSA PINE IS NICE, THICK BARK ON IT.
SO WE LEAVE THE BIG TREES, WE REMOVE THE LESS FIRE TOLERANT LITTLE TREES, AND SO ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE DOING STUFF WITH A HAND CREW AND CHAINSAWS, YOU'RE REMOVING SMALLER TREES, AND SO THE THINNING REMOVES THOSE THOSE SMALLER TREES TO PREVENT THE FIRE FROM RUNNING UP INTO THE BIG TREES, AND THEN WHAT DO YOU DO WITH I MEAN, YOU YOU BURN STUFF IN THE WOODS.
WE LIKE TO LEAVE AN AGE DIVERSIFICATION CLASS OF THE TREES THEMSELVES, AND THEN IN THAT FIRST PHASE, WE'LL HAND PILE EVERYTHING, GO IN IN THE WINTER MONTHS AND THEN HAND BURN THE PILES AND REMOVE THAT FUEL LOADING FIRST, COME BACK IN IN A YEAR OR TWO, AND THEN DO A BROADCAST BURN AND THEN BURN ALL THE SURFACE FUELS.
SO TWO STEP PROCESS PRETTY MUCH.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED WOOD FOR LIFE WHERE WE CAN GET THIS STUFF OUT INTO COMMUNITIES AS FIREWOOD.
SO IT REMOVES SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE HAVE TO [INAUDIBLE] PILES IN THE WOODS.
IF IT'S IN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET TO IT TO HAUL IT AWAY FOR FIREWOOD.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO USE AS MUCH CAPACITY IN THAT PROGRAM SO WE HAVE LESS IN THE SLASH PILES IN THE WOODS, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, IF YOU WOULD, IF THAT WOOD IS BEING GIVEN AWAY OR PEOPLE CAN COME AND TAKE IT AND USE IT.
SO THE NATIONAL FOREST FOUNDATION HAS A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION GOING AROUND FINDING WAYS TO GET THE WOOD OUT INTO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THEY HAVE THEY TARGET BOTH TRIBAL AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE WOOD FOR LIFE PROGRAM.
OTHER QUESTIONS. COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY YOU MIGHT MENTION THAT THE CITY HAS A PROGRAM WHERE FIREMEN WILL COME OUT AND INSPECT YOUR PROPERTY TO SEE IF YOU'RE SAFE FOR A POTENTIAL FIRE OR IF YOU BETTER MOVE SOME PINE NEEDLES OFF THE GROUND OR CUT A COUPLE OF TREES DOWN OR WHATEVER.
MARK ADAMS OUR RELATIVELY NEW EMPLOYEE, IS OUR EXPERT AT THAT, AND SO HE PROVIDES A SERVICE WHERE HE'LL COME TO YOUR HOUSE AND DO AN ASSESSMENT, WHAT WE CALL OUR FIRE WISE ASSESSMENT, AND HE'S GOT A BIG OLD CHECKLIST WE GO THROUGH, AND REALLY, IT'S MORE THAN A CHECKLIST, THOUGH.
IT'S A CONVERSATION. WHAT KIND OF THINGS CAN YOU BE DOING AROUND YOUR HOUSE TO REDUCE THE RISK? SOMETIMES IT'S JUST RECOMMENDING YOU MOVE YOUR WOODPILE A LITTLE FURTHER AWAY.
SOMETIMES IT'S REMOVING TREES.
[01:25:05]
IT'S NOT THAT YOU JUST GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING ONE YEAR AND YOU'RE GOOD.THANK YOU. THEY'RE COMING TO MY HOUSE TOMORROW.
I'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT WHEN WHEN WE PARTNER UP, SAY, THE NAVAL OBSERVATORY, HOW DOES THAT WORK WHEN YOU'RE PARTNERING WITH ANOTHER ENTITY WHO COMES TO WHO? HOW DOES IT GET FUNDED? SURE. SO THAT RELATIONSHIP HAS EXISTED SINCE BEFORE EITHER ONE OF US CAME OVER HERE.
SO I CAN'T REALLY TELL YOU THE ORIGIN STORY OF THAT, BUT BASICALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE CAN PROVIDE THE SKILL SET AND THE CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECTS, AND THE NAVAL OBSERVATORY HAS A NEED TO DO THOSE PROJECTS, AND SO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAS A CONSERVATION STAFF WITH SOME BIOLOGISTS THAT WRITES A MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THEIR SITE, AND THEY'VE DONE SOME ECOLOGICAL THINNING OUT THERE.
I THINK THE CITY HAS DONE SOME OF THE THINNING AS WELL, AND THEY WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT THINNING CONDITION WITH PRESCRIBED FIRE, AND SO WE'RE IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT PRESCRIBED FIRE FOR THEM, AND SO WE HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE THAT LINES OUT ALL THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND LIABILITIES, AND THEY HAVE SOME FUNDING IN PLACE TO OFFSET SOME OF OUR COSTS AS WELL.
WE MISSED A FEW YEARS OF ROTATION.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO DO ABOUT 80 ACRES THIS FALL, BUT IT'S BASICALLY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IS PRETTY AGGRESSIVE IN THEIR USE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE ACROSS MUCH OF THEIR LANDSCAPES ALL OVER FORT HUACHUCA AND SOUTHERN ARIZONA HAS A WONDERFUL FIRE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, LOTS OF PLACES IN THE SOUTHEAST AND SO THEY'RE THEY LOOK TO THEIR LOCAL PARTNERS TO DO A LOT OF THIS IF THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE CAPACITIES IN-HOUSE, AND IT'S A GREAT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN FOR PROBABLY CLOSE TO A DECADE NOW.
I THINK ONE THING TO ADD TO THAT, IT'S JUST FROM OUR HIRING PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES THAT BRING THAT ABILITY TO CONTINUE DOING THAT WORK, AND THAT'S WHAT'S BRINGING MARK ADAMS IN.
HE'S A QUALIFIED BURN BOSS, MYSELF TRAINEE.
DID YOU SAY BURN BOSS? YEP. IT'S A QUALIFICATION THAT THEY USE FOR BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALL RIGHT. WE ARE MOVING DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER 14, FUTURE AGENDA ITEM REQUESTS.
[A. Future Agenda Item Request (F.A.I.R.): A Citizens' Petition titled Mitigation of Impact of Pickleball Courts in Bushmaster Park STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Council direction. ]
AFTER DISCUSSION AND UPON AGREEMENT BY THREE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AN ITEM WILL BE MOVED TO A REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING.SO WE ARE LOOKING AT A CITIZEN'S PETITION TITLED MITIGATION OF IMPACT OF PICKLEBALL COURTS IN BUSHMASTER PARK. SO WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO US.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME WRITTEN COMMENTS.
DOES STAFF HAVE ANYTHING TO PRESENT OR THEY'RE JUST AVAILABLE IF COUNCIL HAS QUESTIONS? MAYOR THERE IS NO FORMAL STAFF PRESENTATION, BUT STAFF IS AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
SO SHOULD WE JUST MOVE AHEAD WITH PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN HAVE THE DISCUSSION AMONGST US?
[15. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION]
ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE AUDREA SMITH.IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO APPROACH YOU.
I'VE ACQUIRED A COPY OF THE SOUND STUDY THAT TONY CULLUM'S LAW FIRM ORDERED PER THE LITIGATION PROCESS BY RESIDENTS OF FOREST HIGHLANDS.
YOU ALSO HAVE THE STUDY IN YOUR INBOX.
PLEASE BE CURIOUS AND LET'S HAVE A REVIEW AND SMART DISCUSSION.
PLEASE DO NOT DISMISS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SOUND EVIDENCE.
I'M HERE TO REQUEST THAT YOU HIRE AND FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE OF A QUALIFIED ACOUSTIC FIRM, AND UNTIL SOUND STUDIES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, YOU HALT THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION. I ALSO REQUEST THAT YOU SOLICIT INPUT FROM RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY AT LARGE WITH A RESPECTFUL, INCLUSIVE APPROACH.
[01:30:08]
IN DISCUSSION WITH MY GROUP AND NEIGHBORS AND PARK USERS.I MOSTLY RUN INTO ANGER AND DISGUST AND DEFEAT.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYONE ELSE HERE TONIGHT.
THE PICKLEBALLERS ARE THE ONLY GROUP GETTING ALL THE MARBLES, MS. HARRIS, AND THE UNDESIRABLE ELEMENT TURNS OUT TO BE 18 TO 20 TREES PER THE LAST DESIGN WE SAW FROM AMY.
WE KNOW THAT THESE SOUND IMPACTS, THESE SOUNDS IMPACT HEALTH.
I AM HELD IN CAPTIVITY BY THIS IMPULSIVE NOISE.
LITERALLY, I AM SHUTTING MY DOORS AND WINDOWS OF MY ART STUDIO.
NOW THE DOORS ARE MOSTLY SHUT.
DURING SESSIONS WITH MY CLIENTS.
I NO LONGER ENJOY MY BACK PATIO ON THESE BEAUTIFUL SUMMER NIGHTS WHERE I USED TO SPEND NEARLY EVERY EVENING DINING WITH FRIENDS OR JUST LYING ON THE BIG OVERSTUFFED COUCH WITH MY DOG AND CATS SIMPLY ENJOYING THE CRICKETS SOUNDS AND THE SILHOUETTE OF THE BIG TREES I CELEBRATE AT 9:58 WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT IN THE PARK.
HOWEVER, I'M USUALLY TRYING TO SLEEP BY THEN WITH SILICONE EARPLUGS STUFFED IN MY EARS.
MY GOOD HEALTH HAS TAKEN A TURN.
MY BLOOD PRESSURE HAS ALSO ALWAYS BEEN IN THE SWEET SPOT.
PLEASE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.
LET'S HAVE A SMART DISCUSSION.
ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THIS AND LET'S DO A SOUND STUDY.
THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT TO SAY. THANK YOU, AUDREA; I HAVE A QUESTION.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, FOREST HIGHLANDS INSTALLED NEW PICKLEBALL COURTS.
AM I CORRECT? AND IS THAT WHAT THIS SOUND STUDY IS ABOUT? YES, BECAUSE APPARENTLY THERE WERE THREE THREATS OF LITIGATION AND OR COMING TO THE TABLE TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, AN AGREEMENT, AND FINALLY, FOUR YEARS, I BELIEVE I HEARD THEY SPENT $3.7 MILLION. FINALLY MOVING THE COURTS NEXT TO THE HIGHWAY WITH SOUND BARRIERS.
THEY BUILT GIANT SOUND BARRIERS.
BESIDES GETTING THEM LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, 1000FT AWAY FROM ANY RESIDENT, BUT FIRST THEY WANTED TO PUT IT OVER HERE AND THE RESIDENTS COMPLAINED IT WAS TOO CLOSE, AND THEN THEY PROPOSED IT HERE, AND THERE WAS MORE COMPLAINTS AND THREATS OF LITIGATION.
THEN THEY, YOU KNOW, ON AND ON AND ON, AND SO THEY HIRED TONY CULLUM, THE LAST MAN WHO WAS AFFECTED, HIRED TONY CULLUM'S FIRM, AND THEY DID THIS GREAT SOUND STUDY, AND TONY SAID IT WAS AN AMAZING PRESENTATION, AND AFTER THAT PRESENTATION.
THE BOARD OF FOREST HIGHLANDS WAS ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY.
THEY HAD NO IDEA HOW IMPACTFUL THE SOUND OF PICKLEBALL NOISE IS, AND THEY ONLY HAVE SIX COURTS.
WE'RE GOING TO GET 16, AND SO THESE WERE THE COURTS WERE NEVER BUILT INSIDE THE WALLS, IS THAT CORRECT? THEY WERE THEN BUILT ON THE HIGHWAY OR WERE THEY BUILT AND THEN MOVED? NO, THEY WERE NEVER BUILT. THEY WERE NEVER BUILT AND, IN THAT TIME, THE PICKLEBALL GROUP, OF COURSE, GREW LARGER AND LARGER AND THEY WERE CONTENDING ALWAYS WITH THE TENNIS.
THEY HAVE A VERY LONG ESTABLISHED TENNIS CLUB THERE, AND IT WAS GETTING VERY, VERY CONTENTIOUS.
I KNOW THE TENNIS PRO MYSELF, AND SHE SHARED LOTS OF UGLY STORIES WITH ME AND.
SO FINALLY SO AFTER YEARS OF OF HOLDING OFF AND THREATS OF LITIGATION, THREATS OF LAWSUITS, WHICH FOREST HIGHLANDS RESIDENTS CAN AFFORD, THE HE LAST MAN WHO WHO HIRED TONY CULLUM SAID IF ACCORDING TO TONY, IF WE WIN THIS CASE, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A NEW MERCEDES.
[CHUCKLING] THAT'S WHAT HE SAID TO ME.
[01:35:03]
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE.DO ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR AUDREA? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR HER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE HAD TEMPORARY PICKLEBALL COURTS THERE AT BUSHMASTER FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, CORRECT? I DIDN'T QUITE HEAR YOUR PHRASING.
VERY WELL SAID. WE'VE HAD PICKLEBALL COURTS STRIPED OVER THE TENNIS COURTS AND PICKLEBALL PLAY FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THERE, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT AND SO WHAT IS CHANGING NOW? IS IT JUST THE FACT THAT WE'RE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF COURTS? NO, CURRENTLY.
TWO YEARS AGO, THIS IS JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA.
THERE WERE 8.9 MILLION PICKLEBALL PLAYERS IN THE US.
NOW THERE'S 48.3 MILLION PEOPLE PLAYING PICKLEBALL.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE I MEAN, IT'S ALL OVER THE NEWS.
PEOPLE SEND ME ARTICLES AND NEWS STORIES ALL THE TIME.
THE LATEST THING IS THAT THEY'RE OPENING A PLACE CALLED CHICKEN AND PICKLE.
THERE'RE FRANCHISES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
THEY'RE JUST GAINING SUCH MOMENTUM IN THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT EVEN UP TILL LAST YEAR IT WAS RELATIVELY TOLERABLE, AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, YEAH, WE WERE BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS.
WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T LIKE IT IS THIS YEAR.
IT ISN'T. THEY WERE EVEN PLAYING WHEN IT WAS 95 DEGREES ON MY PATIO.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT I MEAN, EVEN THAT IT'S GETTING MORE POPULAR. IT'S GOOD.
I'M SO GLAD THE CITY WANTS TO ACCOMMODATE THIS SPORT, BUT THERE ARE PLACES WHERE CORPORATIONS AND CITIES ARE PUTTING THEM FAR FROM RESIDENTS.
I WOULD LOVE TO PUT THE CITY MANAGER IN TOUCH WITH THE MANAGER OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA.
HE WENT THROUGH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY ENDED UP PUTTING THE PICKLEBALL COURTS, MOVING THEM OUT TOWARDS CAMP PENDLETON FAR, FAR AWAY FROM RESIDENTS.
IT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHERE THEY'RE EVEN CLOSING COURTS DOWN.
I HAVE SENT YOU LOTS OF ARTICLES AND VIDEOS, AND I'M JUST HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TOUCHED, YOU'RE IMPACTED BY.
SO I WAS JUST WANTING CLARIFICATION ON THAT, THAT'S ALL.
DID YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I SAID? THAT THERE ARE MORE AND MORE PLAYERS, THERE'S LINES OF PLAYERS AND THEY GET TO COME AND PLAY FOR AN HOUR OR TWO.
POP, POP, POP, POP, POP, POP, POP, BUT I GET TO SIT AND LISTEN TO IT.
I HAVE TO NAVIGATE MY LIFE BY CLOSING MY WINDOWS, AND I'M JUST ONE TO WORK AROUND THIS THIS GAME BEING PLAYED, THIS VERY, VERY, VERY INVASIVE SOUND ALL DAY LONG.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF, AND LIKE I SAID, I'LL JUST SAY IT AGAIN.
THERE ARE HOW MANY WHAT PERCENTAGE IS THAT? I MEAN. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE MORE PLAYERS THERE ARE, THEY'RE GOING TO FILL THOSE COURTS.
THEY'RE GOING TO FILL 16 COURTS.
RIGHT NOW, THERE'S EIGHT COURTS ON A SATURDAY THAT ARE FILLED CURRENTLY, LIKE, OKAY, IN THE MORNING THEY'LL START AT 7:00 AND THE NOISE WILL BUILD AND BUILD AND BUILD AND MORE PEOPLE WILL SHOW UP.
BY THEN, I'M JUST MY DOORS AND WINDOWS ARE CLOSED.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M GOING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING.
[01:40:01]
DO YOU HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING? IT'S LAST YEAR, MAYBE THERE WERE 100 PEOPLE IN THE TOWN PLAYING PICKLEBALL, AND THEY WOULD SHOW UP OCCASIONALLY.NOW IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE CONSTANT, AND WITH 16 COURTS WOW, AND WITH THE GROWTH EXPONENTIALLY OF HOW MANY PLAYERS THERE ARE EACH YEAR, NEXT YEAR, THERE'S GOING TO BE A 100 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY PLAYING PICKLEBALL, AND THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, A PIECE OF THAT'S GOING TO BE IN BUSHMASTER PARK SURROUNDED BY 78 RESIDENTS AND OTHER PARK USERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS, DID YOU HAVE YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED? I DID, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HER EXPLANATION AS WELL AS HER PASSION FOR IT.
I CAN FEEL HER FRUSTRATION FOR SURE.
COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE OR QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? I DO, MADAM MAYOR.
OH, I'LL GO AFTER. I'LL GO AFTER MR. MCCARTHY. DIDN'T SEE HIM START UP.
I THINK PICKLEBALL IS A GOOD SPORT IF IT CAN BE DONE IN A LOCATION THAT'S DOESN'T DESTROY PEOPLE'S PEACE AND QUIET AND IF WE'RE GOING TO BUILD PICKLEBALL COURTS THERE, WE DEFINITELY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WHAT HOW WE CAN MITIGATE.
WHICH MEANS REDUCE THE IMPACT OF THE PICKLEBALL NOISE, AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO DO A STUDY, AND THE PADDLES, THEY'RE NOT LIKE PING PONG WHERE THEY HAVE LIKE RUBBER ON THEM.
THEY'RE HARD. THEY'RE AS HARD AS THIS, AND THE BALLS ARE HARD.
SO IT MAKES A VERY OUTRAGEOUS NOISE, BUT THERE ARE POSSIBILITIES THAT WE CAN DEMAND THAT PEOPLE USE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PADDLES.
OR THAT WE COULD PUT UP SOME BARRIERS TO REDUCE THE NOISE.
IT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE DIDN'T BUILD IT AT THIS LOCATION.
I FEEL THAT I'VE SAID THAT BEFORE, BUT IF I CAN'T CONTROL THAT, I DEFINITELY THINK WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO REDUCE THE IMPACTS, TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS, AND TO ME, TO NOT DO THAT WOULD BE JUST UNCONSCIONABLE.
TO ME, THIS IS JUST A SLAM DUNK.
I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR NOW.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR.
YEAH, I THINK THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
IT'S NOT JUST A QUESTION TO LOOK AT A SOUND STUDY AND MITIGATION EFFORTS, BUT IT'S INHERENTLY COUPLED WITH DELAY AND HALTING OF CONSTRUCTION.
IS THAT TRUE? AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY? COUNCIL MEMBER I'M SORRY.
VICE MAYOR ASLIN, THIS IS REBECCA SAYERS.
FIRST, I WANT TO LOOK TO THE CITY ATTORNEY TO SEE IF WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION.
CERTAINLY ADDING TO THE DESIGN PROCESS WOULD INCREASE THE TIME OF DESIGN.
WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT DESIGN IN THE COMING MONTHS AND CONSTRUCTION POSSIBLY NEXT SPRING THROUGH FALL , BUT WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IF DIRECTED TO ADD TO THE DESIGN CONTRACT.
WE'LL NEED TO LOOK, REBECCA, MAYBE THIS IS A LEGAL QUESTION BECAUSE I'M WONDERING IF THIS CAN MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT BEING UTTERLY HALTED, AND I WILL TELL YOU, I'M FINE WITH THE STUDY.
I ACTUALLY THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTING AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO COME UP WITH SOME SCIENTIFIC DATA THERE THAT CORROBORATES THE COMPLAINTS AND THE CONCERNS, AND THAT PROVIDES US WITH SOME ALTERNATIVES MOVING FORWARD, BUT IF THIS IS INHERENTLY COUPLED WITH DELAYING AND HALTING THE
[01:45:01]
CONSTRUCTION, THEN THEN THEN I'M GOING TO REMAIN SILENT ON IT.MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
VICE MAYOR, THE QUESTION, AS I UNDERSTOOD IT, WAS, WOULD IT ABSOLUTELY HALT? I UNDERSTOOD THE RESPONSE TO BE THAT IT WOULD DELAY IT FOR A WHILE, BUT IN YOUR FOLLOW UP QUESTION, YOU MENTIONED DELAY.
IF WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE CONTRACT, IF COUNCIL WANTS TO DIRECT US TO DO THAT, THEN I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE COME BACK TO YOU IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH INFORMATION ON THAT AND I'M ASKING BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT THE ACTION REQUESTED ON THE PETITION ITSELF, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO MEAN WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON IS THE PETITION HERE, NOT SOME.
SUBSET OF WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE OURSELVES OUT OF THE PETITION, BUT THE PETITION AS A WHOLE PACKAGE, AND IT SAYS THAT THE CITY DELAY AND OR HALT CONSTRUCTION OF PICKLEBALL COURTS IN BUSHMASTER PARK UNTIL FOLLOWING IS COMPLETED.
THAT'S AN INDETERMINATE AMOUNT OF TIME, WHICH WHICH CONCERNS ME, AND IT'S ALSO JUST A TOTAL RESET OF THE DEMANDS WE RECEIVED EARLIER IN THE SUMMER, TWICE THAT COUNCIL PRETTY STRONGLY MADE ITS VOICE FELT HEARD ON AND I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT A CIRCULAR ARGUMENT STARTING UP HERE AGAIN THAT'S GOING TO LAST MONTHS AND MONTHS, AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT OF CITY HALL DEFENDING EITHER SIDE OF THEIR CONCERN FOR THIS IN A WAY THAT WE'VE ALL ALREADY HEARD THESE CONVERSATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, VICE MAYOR.
COUNCIL HAS BEEN PRESENTED WITH A PETITION.
IF COUNCIL HAS THREE MEMBERS OR MORE THAT WANT TO PUT IT ON FOR A DISCUSSION, THEN THAT'S WHERE THE DISCUSSION WOULD TAKE PLACE AND I WOULD ADVISE ANY SESSION AHEAD OF THAT.
AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, EXCUSE ME.
THANK YOU. UNDERSTOOD, BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE PETITION IN FRONT OF US INVOLVES A DEMAND THAT WE DELAY OR HALT CONSTRUCTION. CORRECT.
THE PETITION DOES CONTAIN BOTH WORDS, AND I'M SORRY I MISCONSTRUED YOUR QUESTION UP FRONT.
SO DELAY AND HALT ARE BOTH IN THE PETITION LANGUAGE.
WELL, THANK YOU. I HAD MY CAMERA ON.
SORRY. WE'RE GETTING INTO THE ACTUAL AGENDA ITEM, AND WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS, YOU KNOW, THE VICE MAYOR'S QUESTIONS ARE ALL VALID QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS WE PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA AND THEN WE CAN EXPLORE ALL OF THESE DETAILS AND DECIDE WHAT WE WANT TO DO, YOU KNOW.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO PLAN ON HALTING THIS PROJECT, AND ADMITTEDLY, ANYTHING YOU DO BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY PUT SHOVELS IN THE GROUND WILL SLOW IT DOWN TO SOME EXTENT, BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT.
IF IT GETS ON AN AGENDA AND STAFF AND THE PUBLIC CAN DO THEIR HOMEWORK, SO TO SPEAK, AND THEN WE CAN ADDRESS ALL THOSE ISSUES THAT THE VICE MAYOR JUST BROUGHT UP, AND IF I MAY, MAYOR, JUST AS A CLARIFICATION ON THAT POINT OF PROCEDURAL ORDER, I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY YOU POINTING THAT OUT, THAT THE CONSTRUCTION WOULD NOT BE DELAYED OR HALTED IN THE EVENT THAT COUNCIL ASKS THIS TO BE PUT ON A FUTURE AGENDA.
IT WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL COUNCIL MADE A DECISION TO DELAY OR HALT.
SO THIS IS JUST AGAIN TONIGHT.
JUST ONE MORE COMMENT, IF I MAY, MADAM MAYOR, AND THEN I'LL BE DONE ON THE TOPIC.
MY CONCERN AND MY WARNING TO EVERYBODY IS IF WE REGIONALIZE, IF WE RE-AGENDIZE THIS FOR A THIRD TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER SEVERAL COUNCIL MEETINGS OF 3 OR 4 HOURS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS.
SO, ATTORNEY, LET ME JUST MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
THE PETITION IS ASKING US TO PUT THIS ON AN AGENDA FOR A DISCUSSION AGAIN, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. ALL RIGHT.
WHEN I SAY FOR A DISCUSSION AGAIN ABOUT MITIGATING SOUND IMPACTS, THAT'S WHAT'S BEING ASKED FOR IN THE PETITION , BUT THE LANGUAGE IN THE PETITION SAYS TO DELAY OR HALT WHILE YOU CONSIDER MITIGATING IMPACTS, AND THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A DECISION MADE BY
[01:50:06]
COUNCIL TO DO A STUDY TO DELAY OR HALT.IN THE MEANTIME, EVERYTHING IS MOVING FORWARD AS PLANNED AS COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY DECIDED, AND THAT'S WHY I FEEL THAT'S THE LINCHPIN IN ALL THIS.
I THINK MOST OF THE PUBLIC WOULD BE FAIRLY OKAY WITH THE SOUND STUDY AND RECOMMENDATIONS BUT THIS PETITION WOULD MEAN THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING WHETHER OR NOT TO DELAY OR HALT THE BUILDING OF COURTS AT BUSHMASTER PARK AND COUNCIL CAN DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT ON THIS.
THAT'S FINE. I JUST WANT TO EVERYONE TO BE I WANT IT TO BE WELL UNDERSTOOD THAT WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT HOURS AND HOURS OF PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN BECAUSE OF THAT PARTICULAR ELEMENT OF THE WAY THIS PETITION WAS WORDED , BUT THAT'S NOT HOW THE PETITION WAS WORDED AND WE HAVE TO CONSIDER HOW THE PETITION WAS WORDED.
SO, STERLING, I BELIEVE THAT I HAD DISCUSSED WITH YOU PREVIOUSLY WHETHER I COULD ASK THIS QUESTION OF STAFF. STAFF, DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE ON POTENTIAL TWEAKS TO DESIGN? HI, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
ONE WAS EMAILED TO CITY COUNCIL, I BELIEVE, LAST THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
WE ARE MEETING WITH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS THAT ARE ON CALL FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF.
THERE ARE THREE OF THEM. I HAVE A MEETING THIS COMING FRIDAY TO JUST START TO DISCUSS SOME OF THOSE DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT HAVE COME INTO PLAY BASED ON THAT TWEAKED CONCEPT DESIGN THAT STAFF PUT TOGETHER, AND AT THIS POINT.
THERE'S NOTHING TO SHARE PUBLICLY.
THERE IS NOTHING TO SHARE PUBLICLY.
YEAH, I MIGHT SUGGEST ONE WAY AROUND.
WHAT I SEE AS A POTENTIALLY VERY STICKY SITUATION IS THAT WE REJECT THIS PETITION, BUT SOMEBODY THIS EVENING DURING TO AND FROM PUTS FORWARD A FAIR ASKING FOR A SOUND STUDY AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME OUT OF THAT.
THAT WAY WE'VE LEFT THE WE'VE DECOUPLED THOSE TWO CONSIDERATIONS AND PERHAPS HALTING OR DELAYING CONSTRUCTION COULD STILL BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS.
IT'S NOT A VOTE. IT'S JUST A SIMPLE IS THERE ARE THERE THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WANT TO PUT IT ON AN AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION? IT WOULDN'T BE A VOTE.
ALL RIGHT. THANKS. I WOULDN'T BE AGREEING TO PUT IT ON FOR ANOTHER DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN MOVING THIS ITEM FORWARD AND PLACING IT ON AN UPCOMING AGENDA? ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE AND COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, AND SO WE NEED THREE TO MOVE FORWARD SO IT DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PETITION.
ALL RIGHT. MOVING DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER 15, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
I DON'T SEE ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
[16. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS TO/FROM MAYOR, COUNCIL, AND STAFF, AND FUTURE AGENDA ITEM REQUESTS]
THIS TIME I'M GOING TO START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS.THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND I WAS THINKING RIGHT ALONG THE SAME LINE AS VICE MAYOR WAS AND HIS SUGGESTION.
SO I'LL BE THE FIRST TO ASK FOR A FAIR TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON A SOUND.
ANALYSIS ON THE PICKLEBALL COURTS.
DID I SAY THAT CORRECTLY? YES. ANYTHING ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS, DID YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL ITEMS?
[01:55:03]
NO MAYOR, THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY.OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS.
TIME FOR TO AND FROM? YES. SO I AM REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE , COMMISSION OR STAFF.
I SHOULDN'T SAY BECAUSE I DIDN'T MEET WITH THE COMMISSION, BUT THE STAFF, THEY WERE SO GENEROUS WITH THEIR TIME OVER OUR BREAK AND I HAVEN'T BEEN OUTSIDE THAT MUCH IN A LONG TIME DOING STUFF.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT ALL OF US, IF WE GET A CHANCE TO GO ON AN OPEN SPACE TOUR, GO ON A PARKS AND REC TOUR, IT'S REALLY EYE OPENING AND I THINK THAT COUNCIL WOULD REALLY ENJOY IT, AND I KNOW WE GO TO PARKS ALL THE TIME, BUT HAVING STAFF TALK TO YOU ABOUT THEIR PLANS AND TO BE OUT THERE WITH THEM AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT AND HOW IT CAN AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW WE ALL BENEFIT FROM IT, AND EVERYBODY THAT KNOWS ME KNOWS THAT I'M NOT A REAL BIG OUTDOORS PERSON.
IT'S SUCH A NEAT PLACE AND BLAH BLAH, BLAH, AND SO I WOULD LIKE FOR US AT SOME POINT IN TIME MAYBE TO TAKE A LITTLE FIELD TRIP OUT TO PICTURE CANYON.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY A LOT OF FUN.
OH, AND THE LAST THING IS THAT I MENTIONED VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT THE FRISBEE, THE GOLF, GOLF, FRISBEE, GOLF, WHATEVER.
DISC GOLF. DISC GOLF! THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR ASLIN.
I WAS AMAZED THAT WE HAD THAT MANY PEOPLE IN TOWN, AND I KNEW THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, BUT I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHY, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE DISC GOLF.
SO I THINK THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE THOSE KIND OF HUGE EVENTS, PEOPLE COMING, THOUSANDS LITERALLY OF PEOPLE COMING, I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD IDEA TO PUBLICIZE IT MORE, AND WE DID, BUT I JUST THINK HAVING MORE PUBLIC PUBLICATION ON IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR.
OR AT LEAST I WANT TO BRING A COUPLE OF THINGS TO THE ATTENTION OF OUR PROCESS.
A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM REQUEST MIGHT BE MORE THAN IS NECESSARY TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS I'M ABOUT TO RAISE, AND IF THERE'S ANOTHER ROUTE THAT WE CAN TAKE THAT'S JUST AS EXPEDIENT OR EVEN MORE SO, THAT'D BE GREAT BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THESE THINGS LOOKED AT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK THEY'RE RATHER URGENT.
SPECIFICALLY, I'M MENTIONING BASKETBALL AND BANKSHOT AMENITIES, INCLUDING BUT CERTAINLY NOT LIMITED TO PONDEROSA TRAILS PARK WHERE I KNOW THE NEED IS READILY EVIDENT AND ALREADY NOTED AND BACKED UP BY VARIOUS ACTIVE PUBLIC REQUESTS, BUT AGAIN, I'M SURE THE CONVERSATION CAN CAST A WIDER NET TOO, AND THAT'S KIND OF A NICE FOLLOW UP AND PIGGYBACK ON COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS'S WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES FROM THE SUMMER.
UM, I THINK THOSE AMENITIES ARE ARE JUST AS NEEDED AS THEY ALWAYS ARE, AND WE'VE NEVER REALLY SHONE A SPOTLIGHT ON THEM, AT LEAST NOT AS INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
REGARDING THE EXTENT TO WHICH SQUARE FOOTAGE IS FOR RETAIL SPACE ARE LIMITED RIGHT NOW.
IF THAT COMES BACK AS A FAIR OR UNDER SOME OTHER PROCESS.
REGARDING PICTURE CANYON, I'VE BEEN OUT THERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS MADE A FAIR TO DO A SOUND STUDY, AND I'M THANKFUL OF THAT.
[02:00:01]
I'M VERY OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT, AND THEN EARLIER THIS EVENING, THE VICE MAYOR MENTIONED THAT HE AND I AND A LOT OF STAFF PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTY AND FROM THE CITY MET WITH CONGRESSMAN ELI CRANE, AND HE SEEMED TO BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE FLOOD CONTROL AND FIRE CONTROL, THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND SUPPORTED THE IDEA OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THOSE.HOWEVER, HE DID MENTION THAT IF ONE OF A FUTURE SIMILAR PROJECT IS IN A BILL THAT CONTAINS ANYTHING ABOUT UKRAINE.
HE SPECIFICALLY SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO BE A NO VOTE, AND WHICH REALLY SURPRISED ME.
AS MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, MR. PUTIN HAS INVADED EUROPE, AND THE FRONT LINE IS THE UKRAINE.
I ALSO NOTICED THAT WE HAVE A UKRAINIAN FLAG FLYING ON OUR LAWN TODAY, AND I WAS AMAZED THAT HE WAS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF PROTECTING EUROPE FROM RUSSIAN AGGRESSION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET.
I CERTAINLY DID NOT GET MUCH OF ONE, BUT I DID GET AWAY LAST WEEK.
IT WAS WONDERFUL TO BE IN NAPA AND WE'RE BACK AND IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE.
AS A REMINDER, FRIDAY IS ARTWALK DOWNTOWN, SO I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL, AND SATURDAY WE ARE CO-SPONSORING PRINCESS BRIDE WITH THE COUNTY MOVIES ON THE SQUARE, SO JOIN US.
THANK YOU. MAYOR ALSO HAD A VERY BUSY AND PRODUCTIVE BREAK.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH SOME FOLKS IN SUPPORT OF OUR CONTINUED EFFORTS INVOLVING THE TOBACCO 21 ORDINANCE AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT CONVERSATION CONTINUE.
I WILL BE ATTENDING ALONG WITH MUCH OF THE REST OF COUNCIL.
THE LEAGUE CONFERENCE THIS WEEK.
SO I'LL BE HEADING DOWN STARTING TOMORROW AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A LOT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, INCLUDING ONGOING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF ARIZONA THAT WE ALL HOPE TO SEE, AND I MENTIONED THAT PARTICULAR CONVERSATION BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS COMING AND EXISTING ALREADY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE US CONTINUE HAVING, PARTICULARLY THE CALL THAT I'M HEARING FROM FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE ABOUT ONGOING CONVERSATIONS TO CONTINUE ENGAGING, GIVING VISIBILITY AND CELEBRATING THE VARIOUS CULTURAL HERITAGES AND TRADITIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES WHO DO NOT SEE THEMSELVES REPRESENTED VERY FREQUENTLY AND ARE CURIOUS AS TO WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO BRING THEM MORE TO THE FOREFRONT AND MORE INTO VISIBILITY.
SO I'D LOVE TO CONTINUE BEING PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, PARTICULARLY TODAY AND YESTERDAY ON THE WAKE OF ANOTHER MASS SHOOTING OF OF PEOPLE STRICTLY BECAUSE THEY WERE BLACK IS NOT SOMETHING THAT BYPASSES NOTICE, PARTICULARLY AS AS A MEMBER OF THAT COMMUNITY WHO LIVES THAT EXPERIENCE AND KNOWS WHAT THAT'S LIKE, TO NOT BE ABLE TO FULLY ENJOY COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF FEAR OF OF THAT SORT OF HATRED.
I THINK THAT THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE NEED TO KEEP HAVING AND KEEP BRINGING TO THE FOREFRONT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND FINDING WAYS TO CELEBRATE THE PEOPLE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HELP TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE VALUES AND THE BEAUTY OF FLAGSTAFF AS A COMMUNITY.
IF WE LET THOSE PEOPLE GO UNSEEN AND UNHEARD WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, THEN WE CONTINUE TO MISS PART OF OUR STORY, AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART THAT KEEPS US FROM HAVING TO ENDURE SOME OF THOSE ATROCITIES THAT ARE SEEN OTHER PLACES WITHIN THIS COUNTRY.
FINALLY, TO BE SURE THAT I'M ENDING ON A MORE POSITIVE NOTE THAN THAT WAS, I DO WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ERIKA ALEXANDER WELCOME HOME EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE SINCE LAST FRIDAY, A BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITY THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY HAD TO WELCOME THE RENOWNED ACTRESS, PHILANTHROPIST, PRODUCER AND MORE BACK TO HER HOMETOWN OF FLAGSTAFF, MS.
[02:05:05]
ALEXANDER GREW UP IN FLAGSTAFF UNTIL SHE WAS 11 AND THEN MOVED TO THE EAST COAST WHERE SHE WAS FORMALLY DISCOVERED BUT SHE EMPHASIZED SO OFTEN THE KEY ROLE THAT NORTHERN ARIZONA AND FLAGSTAFF IN PARTICULAR PLAYED IN FORMING WHO SHE IS AS A PERSON AND WHY SHE DOES WHAT SHE DOES, AND SO FOR US TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME HER BACK AND TO HEAR FROM HER AND TO EXPERIENCE HER PRESENCE AND TO HAVE THAT REMINDER OF THE POWER OF THIS COMMUNITY, TO HAVE THAT INFLUENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES IS, I THINK, SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT GO WITHOUT MENTION OR NOTICE.ALL RIGHT. I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THINGS I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ARTIST [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE GORGEOUS MURAL THAT HE PAINTED NEXT TO CHOCOLITA ON STEVES BOULEVARD, AND COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WASN'T THAT A BPAC FUNDED MURAL? IT WAS. SO THANK YOU TO OUR BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION AND TO STAFF FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, YOU NEED TO GO SEE IT, AND DWAYNE IS THE ARTIST WHO DID THE HOPI R2D2 DURING THE MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA'S THE FORCE IS WITH OUR PEOPLE EXHIBIT, AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO HIM A LITTLE BIT YESTERDAY.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE POLICE ACADEMY GRADUATION, AND THAT WAS REALLY NICE.
NICE TO RECOGNIZE THE OFFICERS WHO ARE GOING TO BE WORKING IN FLAGSTAFF AS WELL AS WITH THE COCONINO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND NAU AND THE YAVAPAI COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND ALL OF THESE OFFICERS ARE TRAINED HERE IN FLAGSTAFF, AND SO THE GRADUATION WAS HELD HERE LAST WEEK.
I DID A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT SMART AGRICULTURE AS PART OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.
THERE IS THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF CLIMATE RELATED FUNDING AVAILABLE, AND SO WE HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE TO TALK ABOUT THAT FUNDING AND THE GAME CHANGER THAT IT CAN MAKE WITH AGRICULTURE AND ALSO OUR SUSTAINABILITY DIVISION HAS SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO APPLY FOR, AND SO IT'S JUST IT'S VERY EXCITING TO HAVE THESE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE OUR THESE PROJECTS A REALITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE AND COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS AND I ATTENDED THE INDIGENOUS CODE TALKERS CELEBRATION THAT WAS PLANNED BY OUR OWN ROSE TOEHE AND INDIGENOUS COMMISSION MEMBER MARIAH ZAVALA, AND THAT WAS OUTSTANDING.
I THOUGHT THAT I KNEW A LOT, BUT I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT ALL OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE BY INDIGENOUS SOLDIERS AND MARINES BOTH IN WORLD WAR ONE AND WORLD WAR TWO.
COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS AND I ATTENDED THE MORRISON INSTITUTE POLICY RETREAT.
THIS WAS AN EXCELLENT TWO DAY RETREAT IN PHOENIX, WHERE WE HEARD FROM EXPERTS ON RESEARCH ON ISSUES SUCH AS WATER AND HOUSING, AND THEN, EQUALLY AS VALUABLE, WAS MEETING COLLEAGUES FROM AROUND THE STATE AND TALKING TO THEM ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND CHALLENGES THAT THEY'RE FACING AND MAYBE SOME UNIQUE APPROACHES THAT THEY'VE HAD TO SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY FACE.
SO I, TOO, AM GLAD TO BE BACK FROM THE SO CALLED BREAK AND EXCITED TO SEE YOU ALL.
CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
SO WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.