ALL RIGHT, LET'S TRY THAT AGAIN.
[00:00:02]
TODAY IS TUESDAY, MARCH 12TH, 2024.IT'S THE CITY COUNCIL'S WORK SESSION.
I AM CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER AND GIVING NOTICE TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MAY VOTE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHICH IS NOT, WHICH WILL NOT BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR DISCUSSION AND CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY'S ATTORNEYS FOR LEGAL ADVICE.
WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? PLEASE STAND IF YOU'RE ABLE.
THE MISSION OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MATTHEWS.
THESE LANDS, STILL INHABITED BY NATIVE DESCENDANTS, BORDER MOUNTAINS SACRED TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.
WE HONOR THEM, THEIR LEGACY, THEIR TRADITIONS, AND THEIR CONTINUED CONTRIBUTIONS.
WE CELEBRATE THEIR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS WHO WILL FOREVER KNOW THIS PLACE AS HOME.
THANK YOU AND BEFORE WE MOVE INTO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO REPEAT FROM LAST WEEK AND THEN A NEW ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
AND THEN AT THE END WE WILL ALSO ACCEPT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
ANOTHER CHANGE TO OUR AGENDA IS GOING TO BE THAT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
THAT IS NOT THE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA THAT YOU CAN STILL ACCESS ONLINE.
THIS IS IN PERSON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
AND AS A REMINDER TO EVERYONE, IF YOU SEND IN AN EMAIL TO PUBLIC COMMENT AT FLAGSTAFF AZ.GOV, THAT EMAIL WILL NOT ONLY BE READ BY THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT IT WILL ALSO GO INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE COMMENTS ONLINE.
SO WITH THAT SAID, WE'LL MOVE INTO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
[4. Public Participation Public Participation enables the public to address the Council about an item that is not on the prepared agenda. Comments relating to items that are on the agenda will be taken at the time that the item is discussed. Public Participation appears on the agenda twice, at the beginning and at the end. If you wish to address the Council at today'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.]
WE HAVE DENNIS GIVENS.HELLO. THANKS A LOT, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF, CITIZENS.
I TALKED TO THE OWNERS OF YOGURT ART.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE AN AWESOME FOR THEM AS A SMALL BUSINESS.
THERE WOULD ALSO BE MORE ROOM FOR HERITAGE SQUARE AND JUST LESS CARS IN GENERAL.
AND I'M ALSO PROPOSING A PITCH FOR FREE PARKING FOR LOCALS.
I FEEL LIKE IT WILL BRING MORE BUSINESS FOR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES.
THERE WILL BE AN INCENTIVE TO GO DOWNTOWN.
THERE'LL BE MORE MONEY FOR THE CITY THROUGH SALES TAX, VIA MORE BUSINESS.
AND THEN I THINK WE ALL SHOULD BUILD A PARKING GARAGE ON BEAVER STREET, WHERE THE OLD COURTHOUSE WAS, SO WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THE PARKING THAT'S GOING TO BE MISSING FROM THIS PEDESTRIAN MALL.
A LOT OF PLACES HAVE IT LIKE CALIFORNIA AND COLORADO, AND I THINK THEY'RE REALLY COOL AND AWESOME FOR THE BUSINESSES AND PEDESTRIANS IN GENERAL AND I ALSO WANT TO BE HERE TODAY TO STAND UP AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM AND ALSO JUST NO TO ALL TYPES OF HATE, HATE AGAINST WHITE PEOPLE, BLACK PEOPLE, INDIGENOUS AND EVERYONE.
WE SAID IT EARLIER, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I KNOW CHINA AND INDIA ARE LEADING AND POLLUTING.
WHY CAN'T WE SET THE EXAMPLE AND PROTECT MOTHER EARTH?
[00:05:01]
LET'S GO US! COOL. THANK YOU EVERYONE.I'M HERE TONIGHT TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE NEW CLIMATE RESILIENCE LEADERS WORKSHOPS THAT OUR OFFICE WILL BE HOSTING THIS SPRING, AND TO AN EXTENDED INVITATION TO THE COMMUNITY TO APPLY.
THEY WILL FORM THE FIRST COHORT OF THE FLAGSTAFF CLIMATE RESILIENCE LEADERS, A NETWORK OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LEADERS WHO ARE WORKING TO BUILD RESILIENCE IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. I ENCOURAGE ANY INTERESTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO APPLY, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.
THE APPLICATION FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE LEADERS IS OPEN UNTIL THIS SUNDAY NIGHT, MARCH 17TH, AND FOR MORE INFORMATION YOU CAN VISIT FLAGSTAFF.AC.GOV/RESILIENCELEADERS. AND ONCE AGAIN THE WEBSITE IS FLAGSTAFF.AC.GOV/RESILIENCELEADERS AND COUNCILMEMBERS.
WE WILL ALSO BE SENDING YOU AN EMAIL DIRECTLY AFTER THIS TO SHARE INFORMATION.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IT WITH ANY POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS, WHETHER THEY'RE NEIGHBORS, COMMUNITY LEADERS OR FRIENDS WITH A PASSION FOR BUILDING COMMUNITY, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT MOBILIZING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR COMMUNITY TO GROW CLIMATE RESILIENCE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
OKAY. MOVING DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER 5 REVIEW OF DRAFT AGENDA FOR THE MARCH 19TH, 2024 CITY COUNCIL
[5. Review of Draft Agenda for the March 19, 2024 City Council Meeting Citizens wishing to speak on agenda items not specifically called out by the City Council may submit a speaker card for their items of interest to the recording clerk.]
MEETING. I TOOK A LOOK AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING.I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT, COUNCIL? YES, PLEASE.
I JUST NOTICED A GREAT OMISSION THAT WASN'T ON THE AGENDA.
AND THAT'S COUNCIL MEMBER SWEETS 50TH BIRTHDAY THAT WILL BE CELEBRATING ALL DAY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT THAT WE DID ADMIT THAT.
ALOHA. [INAUDIBLE]. YEAH, OKAY.
I TAKE IT NO ONE HAS ANYTHING ELSE.
ALL RIGHT, SO, CITY MANAGER, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU NOW.
[6. City Manager Report Information Only]
THANK YOU. MAYOR, COUNCIL.HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUNCILMEMBER SWEET.
THAT'S WONDERFUL, THIS REPORT, WHICH IS TYPICAL OF THE REPORTS THAT COINCIDE WITH YOUR WORK SESSIONS, INCLUDES SOME UPDATES OF THINGS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES.
ONE THAT I PROBABLY COULD NOT OVERSTATE IS THE WORK BEING DONE BY THE BUDGET TEAM WITH THE DIVISION REVIEWS AND A LOT OF MEETINGS OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST THREE WEEKS.
WE THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE.
I DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THE CONVERSATION.
COUNCIL WILL BE RETREATING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH TO TALK ABOUT OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND THERE ARE MANY AND THEN I BELIEVE WE WILL HAVE TWO RETREATS IN APRIL OR TWO DAYS OF RETREAT IN APRIL OR OR EVEN MORE.
WE'LL GET THOSE DATES NAILED DOWN FOR YOU.
NOW, WITH THE BENEFIT OF ALL THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
PROPS TO THE FINANCE TEAM SPECIFICALLY FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK ON THIS.
SOME UPDATES REGARDING SOME GUEST LECTURES.
I WILL POINT OUT THAT THERE IS A YOUTUBE LINK THAT I POSTED IN MY REPORT.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS INCREDIBLE FOUR MINUTE VIDEO INVOLVING DARRELL MARKS WITH OUR INDIGENOUS COMMISSION AND ICF INDIGENOUS CIRCLES OF FLAGSTAFF HE DOES A VERY NICE NARRATION.
DISCOVER FLAGSTAFF PUT THIS ON WITH SOME GRANT DOLLARS, AS I UNDERSTAND AND IT'S A VERY MOVING VIDEO ABOUT FLAGSTAFF'S. YOU KNOW, STAY IN, PLAY RESPONSIBLY.
[00:10:01]
PROGRAM AND TOUCHES ON A LOT OF THE IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES HERE IN FLAGSTAFF.SO GIVE THAT A REVIEW AT YOUR LEISURE AND ENJOY.
EXPECT THE FIRST READ ON APRIL 2ND.
SOME UPDATES FROM OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIVISION AND THEIR ATTENDANCE AT THE URBAN LAND USE INSTITUTE IN ARIZONA, A WONDERFUL PROGRAM, A QUICK BLURB ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS, FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THAT COMMITTEE AND THE OTHERS.
YOU'LL BE GETTING MORE OF AN UPDATE ON THAT.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, A SHINING REPORT REGARDING THE CITY'S FINANCES AND THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE AUDIT.
SO THERE'S A NICE UPDATE FOR YOU THERE IN THE REPORT, AND THEN A FEW PAGES THAT ENCOMPASS THE MANY PROCUREMENT POLICY CHANGES.
A LOT OF UPDATES FOR YOU THERE.
AND UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OF ME.
WE DO HAVE UPDATES FROM, I BELIEVE, BOTH SUSTAINABILITY AND PROS.
AND WE CAN TAKE IT IN THAT ORDER IF SUSTAINABILITY IS READY TO ROLL.
IS THAT OKAY, MAYOR? OKAY. THANK YOU.
I'M HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A TECHNICAL ISSUE.
MAY I HAND THIS OVER TO PROS AND RESTART MY COMPUTER? ABSOLUTELY. HI NICOLE, WE WILL REVERSE THE ORDER AND INVITE YOU TO COME IN AND WE HAVE REBECCA IN PERSON.
GOOD AFTERNOON REBECCA. OH, WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU. YEAH I GOTCHA NICOLE.
YOU JUST MAYBE PUT IN THE CHAT WHEN YOU'RE READY AND I'LL TRY TO DELAY AS LONG AS I CAN.
REBECCA SAYERS, I'M THE PARKS, RECREATION, OPEN SPACE AND EVENTS DIRECTOR.
OUR FEBRUARY REPORT IS IN YOUR PACKET AND UP HERE ON THE SCREEN, I FIRST WANTED TO CALL OUT THESE NEW SIGNS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AROUND THORPE PARK.
I THINK THEY LOOK REALLY INCREDIBLE.
THIS IS THE WORK OF ONE OF OUR PARK SUPERVISORS.
WORKED TO DESIGN THIS AND GET THESE CONSTRUCTED.
SO THE THE MOUNT ITSELF, THE STRUCTURE IS THE SAME, BUT THE SIGNS IN THE MIDDLE ARE UPDATED.
THEY HAVE THE REFLECTIVE LETTERING, AND IT'S SIMILAR TO OUR FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA SIGNS AS YOU'RE COMING IN SO LOOK FOR MORE OF THESE AS WE HAVE TIME AND BUDGET.
BUT THAT'S THE PLAN IS THAT EVENTUALLY THESE WILL ALL LOOK VERY SIMILAR.
AND MANY THANKS TO SEAN MULANEY FOR HIS WORK ON THIS.
AND THEN OUR PARKS TEAMS THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN INSTALLING THESE, WHICH HAS BEEN GREAT.
WE DID START OFF IN FEBRUARY, RIGHT? FEBRUARY, MARCH WITH SNOW.
WE HAD SNOW. WE HAD SEVERAL DAYS OF SNOW.
MANY THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS IN ECONOMIC VITALITY, DAVID MCINTYRE.
AND I THINK THE FIRST FEW STORMS TAUGHT US A LOT.
AND WE MIGHT HAVE SNOW IN THE FORECAST THIS WEEK.
MAYBE. I DON'T KNOW, ANYWHERE FROM 1IN TO 2FT.
WHO KNOWS? BUT WE ARE GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THAT SAME CONTRACTOR AND ASKING THEM TO BE ON NOTICE AND READY TO GO AS NEEDED FOR THIS WEEK'S POTENTIAL STORMS. NICOLE I HOPE YOU'RE BACK.
WE GOT SOME TRAIL COUNTS GOING HERE.
WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT WAY TO TO SHOW THESE OFF TO ME.
AND YOU GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER IDEA OF THE NUMBER VERSUS THE PIE CHART.
[00:15:01]
SO STILL, BUFFALO PARK IS OUR IS OUR TOP TRAIL USAGE LOCATION, ESPECIALLY IF YOU CAN COMBINE THOSE FIRST TWO BARS AND THIS IS JANUARY.SO IT WAS COLD AND A LITTLE SNOWY AS WELL.
AND PEOPLE STILL GET OUT, WHICH IS WONDERFUL TO SEE AND I THINK, YEAH, JUST THE COMMUTER TRAIL ALONG ROUTE 66.
THAT'S IDENTIFIED AS ROUTE 66 EAST AND WEST OVER HERE.
WE ARE TRYING SOME NEW PROGRAMS. THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING OUR TEAM TO DO IS JUST TRY NEW THINGS, TRY TO GET NEW PEOPLE IN OUR FACILITIES TRYING NEW THINGS.
AND IT'S FUN FOR THE STAFF TO.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS ONE OF OUR LIFEGUARDS.
SO AT THE AQUAPLEX, WE HAD A BEACH POOL PARTY.
IT ALSO COST SOME MONEY SO THAT WE COULD RECOUP OUR COSTS FOR THE PROGRAM AND SO I HONESTLY WASN'T SURE HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD SIGN UP. WE HAD 70 PARTICIPANTS, WHICH I WAS REALLY PLEASED WITH.
THEY WATCHED THE BUTLER AND HAD SOME TRADITIONAL ETHNIC CUISINE.
AND THEY ALSO HOSTED A BLOOD DRIVE, WHICH THEY DO EVERY YEAR AND ALL 23 SLOTS WERE FULL ON THE BLOOD DRIVE. OPEN SPACE COMMISSION HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE OBSERVATORY MESA TRAIL PLAN.
YOU'LL SEE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT HERE.
THEY'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING ON ACCESS TO PRIVATE PROPERTY THROUGH OBSERVATORY MESA THAT HAS CALLED OUT A LOT OF OUR PUBLIC THAT'S VERY INTERESTED IN THAT POTENTIAL.
AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO ENSURE EVERYONE THAT.
EVERYTHING'S ON THE UP AND UP, AND THAT THE COMMISSION REALLY WANTS TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THE ORIGINAL BASIS FOR PURCHASING OBSERVATORY MESA, THE YOUTH PUBLIC ACCESS AND USE OF OBSERVATORY MESA IS FOR THE PUBLIC AND THAT IS THEIR FIRST INTENTION, AND IT'S FOR CONSERVATION.
AND SO THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
THAT HAS BEEN CALLED INTO QUESTION.
IN JANUARY, OUR BRAVE OPEN SPACE COORDINATORS WENT OUT ON THEIR FULL MOON HIKE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SNOWY AND SLEETY AND IT LOOKED LIKE THIS AND YOU COULD BARELY SEE.
THE CLOUDS PARTED AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.
THE LUMBERJACK ALSO JOINED US.
AMAZINGLY, EVEN IN THAT WEATHER.
THOSE REPORTERS JOINED US ON THAT HIKE.
AND THEY THEY DID A NICE ARTICLE ON THE OPEN SPACE PROGRAM ABOUT THE HIKE AND ABOUT OUR STAFF.
I AM TOLD THAT IT HAS NOTHING, THAT THIS HIKE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ALL OF THE OPEN SPACE STAFF GETTING SICK THE FOLLOWING WEEK, BUT WE'LL SEE.
SARAH HOLDITCH WAS WITH THE OPEN SPACE PROGRAM.
IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE INTERESTED, HAVE THEM SEND THEIR DEMO TO SPECIAL EVENTS AT FLAGSTAFFAZ.GOV.
AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR YOU, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
AND, NICOLE, I HOPE THAT WAS ENOUGH.
[00:20:03]
THANKS REBECCA, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.NICOLE ANTONOPOULOUS, SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR.
APOLOGIES FOR NOT BEING THERE IN PERSON THIS AFTERNOON.
SO I AM JOINING YOU VIRTUALLY AND I'D LOVE TO SHARE MY SCREEN WITH YOU.
SO YOU TALK ABOUT OUR MONTHLY REPORTS.
CONTINUING ON A SIMILAR THEME AS REBECCA WITH SNOW.
I'M REALLY HONORED AND PLEASED TO HIGHLIGHT THE SNOW HERO PROGRAM, WHICH WAS IN FULL SWING.
IN FEBRUARY, SOME OF THE COUNCIL MAY RECALL THAT THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE SNOW HERO PROGRAM THIS YEAR AS A PILOT AND THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL FROM SIDEWALKS, IMPROVING MOBILITY IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND OF COURSE, ENCOURAGING NEIGHBORS TO HELP NEIGHBORS APPROACH.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 45 VOLUNTEERS AGAIN, REALLY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO KICK THIS OFF.
STEPHEN THOMPSON HAS BEEN LEADING THIS EFFORT AND A BIG SHOUT OUT TO AMY HAGAN AND PROSE FOR ASSISTING, THOSE TWO HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE CREATING A PROGRAM THAT IS EFFECTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE AND IMPACTFUL.
SO WE'VE RECEIVED A FAIR AMOUNT OF NEWS COVERAGE INCLUDING ARIZONA FAMILY TV, JAZZ, THE DAILY SUN.
HIGHLIGHTED THE PROGRAM IN FEBRUARY AND SO THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF IMAGES FROM THE DAILY SUN AND PHOTOS OF MEMBERS OF THE NIU FOOTBALL TEAM ASSISTING A RESIDENT.
WITH, WITH THEIR SIDEWALK AND SO WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF REALLY POSITIVE FEEDBACK REGARDING THIS PROGRAM AND AS WE WRAP UP THE SNOW SEASON, WE WILL REGROUP AS A DIVISION AS WELL AS REACHING OUT TO PARTICIPANTS, BOTH THE VOLUNTEERS AS WELL AS THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED ASSISTANCE TO SEE HOW WE CAN BE ON A TRAJECTORY OF IMPROVEMENT AND EXPANSION.
MOVING DOWN INTO OUR REPORT, WE ARE REALLY THRILLED TO BE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH NIU.
AND WE HAVE IN OUR OFFICE NOW A NUMBER OF NEW AMERICORPS THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE CLIMATE CORPS. AND NIU RECEIVED A LARGE GRANT THAT IS FUNDING CLIMATE CORPS TO BE PLACED THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND HE WILL BE FOCUSING HIS ATTENTION PRIMARILY ON OUR HEPA AIR FILTER DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM THAT WE PARTNER WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO OUR FLOOD PROOFING ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE PARTNER WITH STORM WATER ON.
SO WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE BRADY AS PART OF OUR TEAM.
WE IN FEBRUARY DIRECTLY ENGAGED WITH MORE THAN 115 MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
IN FEBRUARY, AS I MENTIONED FOCUSING ON CLIMATE EDUCATION AND ACTION AND OUR CLIMATE EQUITY ADVISORY GROUP CONTINUES TO MEET AND IS BEING VERY INFLUENTIAL IN HELPING US DEVELOP OUR HOME ELECTRIFICATION INFORMATION, AS WELL AS IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR HOME ENERGY RETROFIT PROGRAM.
AND SPECIFICALLY ON THE LATTER, THIS IS.
REFERRING TO FEDERAL EARMARK FUNDS THAT THE CITY RECEIVED TO TARGET LOW INCOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND DEEP ENERGY IMPROVEMENT RETROFITS. SO THAT'S A NICE SEGUE INTO OUR FINALIZED GRANT AGREEMENT FROM HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FINALLY CAME THROUGH AND YOU HEAR A COLLECTIVE JUMPING FOR JOY AND YAHOO! HERE AT THE SUSTAINABILITY DIVISION, WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR WELL OVER A YEAR TO RECEIVE THAT GRANT AGREEMENT.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THIS IMPLEMENTED.
WE, OF COURSE, WILL KEEP THE COUNCIL UPDATED AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
OUR CITYWIDE ENERGY AND WATER CONSERVATION PROJECT WITH FRESCO IS PREPARING FOR PHASE TWO, AND WE ARE REALLY THANKFUL TO CODE COMPLIANCE FOR REVIEWING AND APPROVING OUR UP UPGRADE APPLICATIONS FOR EXTERIOR LIGHTING AT 44 CITY FACILITIES.
[00:25:06]
SO YES, WE ALSO HAVE TO SUBMIT PERMITS FOR LIGHTING AND THANKFUL FOR THE FOLKS IN CODE COMPLIANCE TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD. AND THEN FINALLY, THE NORTHERN ARIZONA SOLAR CO-OP HAS CHOSEN ICON POWER TO LEAD OUR, CO-OP THIS YEAR AND AGAIN, THIS IS A COLLABORATION WITH SOLAR UNITED NEIGHBORS AND THE CITY OF SEDONA AND COCONINO COUNTY TO ESSENTIALLY BULK PURCHASE RESIDENTIAL SOLAR AND ICON POWER WAS CHOSEN BY PARTICIPANTS OF THIS YEAR'S CO-OP, AND SO FAR THEY'VE ALREADY COMPLETED 45 SATELLITE REVIEWS, 15 SITE VISITS, AND SUBMITTED SEVEN PROPOSALS AND UNDER CONTRACT ALREADY WITH 17 RESIDENTS TO INSTALL RESIDENTIAL SOLAR.WE SUBMITTED SEVEN APPLICATIONS.
EXCUSE ME. COMMUNITY MEMBERS SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS, ALMOST $7,000 WORTH OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS THROUGH OUR HOME WEATHERIZATION AND ENERGY REBATE PROGRAM. THIS CONTINUES TO BE A REALLY POPULAR AND IMPACTFUL PROGRAM, AND SO WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE FUNDING THAT'S COME THROUGH FOR THIS AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE IMPACTS. WE'VE ALSO WELCOMED KATIE BEDNAR TO JOIN OUR TEAM AS PART OF THE CLIMATE CORPS.
SHE WILL BE FOCUSING ON ENERGY AND RESILIENCE, AND SHE'S HELPING TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT TARGETED OUTREACH STRATEGIES TO INCREASE ACCESS TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
WE HAVE TWO NEW HIGH SCHOOL AMERICORPS SUSTAINABILITY OFFICERS WHO HAVE JOINED THE TEAM.
NEXT MOVING INTO NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT AND VOLUNTEER SERVICES.
EVEN IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, OUR COMMUNITY STEWARDS ARE AT WORK.
OUR STREAM STEWARDS PROGRAM HAS INCREASED THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS.
WE HAVE 27 VOLUNTEERS NOW AND 30 ADOPTED STREAM SECTIONS, WHICH IS GETTING CLOSE TO ABOUT 50% OF THE IDENTIFIED STREAM SECTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION.
NOW SPEAKING ABOUT VOLUNTEERING OUR EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEER POLICY.
YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SEE UPDATES ON YEAR TO DATE VOLUNTEERING, VOLUNTEERISM WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
AND THERE'S BEEN OVER A HUNDRED SERVICE HOURS DEDICATED THIS YEAR.
AND MOVING INTO IMPACTS OF OUR PROGRAMING IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE HELD OUR FIXIT CLINIC THIS YEAR IN LATE FEBRUARY AND DIVERTED A LITTLE OVER 250 POUNDS OF MATERIALS FROM THE LANDFILL. AND THESE ARE JUST SOME NICE PHOTOS OF OUR VOLUNTEERS AND PARTICIPANTS.
IN OUR FOOD SYSTEMS. WE'VE ENGAGED WITH MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH PROCUREMENT AND OTHER INTERNAL STAFF TO FINALIZE AN INVITATION FOR APPLICATIONS TO EXPAND OUR URBAN FARM INCUBATOR AT MCALLISTER RANCH.
MAYOR DAGGETT COMMITTED TO THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF'S FIFTH YEAR OF THE MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE.
AND OF COURSE, THIS COULD NOT BE MADE POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR INTERNAL PARTNERS WITH PROSE, THE LIBRARY, AND THEN, OF COURSE, OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY NONPROFITS AND GROWERS.
SIDNEY RITTENHOUSE HAS JOINED OUR TEAM AS OUR FOOD AND WASTE.
IN OUR FOOD AND WASTE TEAM, AS OUR COMMUNITY GARDEN COORDINATOR.
[00:30:03]
PREVENTION JUST REAL QUICK.AND I KNOW I'M TAKING A LOT OF TIME AND THEMING HEIDI HANSEN HERE, CHANNELING HEIDI HANSEN.
AS A REMINDER, WE HAVE FIVE LOCATIONS, INCLUDING THE FLAGSTAFF COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE, ALSO KNOWN AS CSA STORE, HAL JENSEN REC CENTER, THE AQUAPLEX BOW AND ARROW PARK, AND THE FLAGSTAFF FAMILY SUIT CENTER AND IN WASTE REDUCTION. WE ARE REALLY THANKFUL THAT SUMMER WHITE AND EVAN TYRELL AND BRIAN SUTTER WERE ABLE TO GO DOWN TO THE CIRCULAR ANNUAL ARIZONA ANNUAL MEETING AND IN A ACCEPT AN AWARD AND ALSO MAKE SOME TOURS OF BEST PRACTICES IN TERMS OF WASTE PREVENTION AND PROCESSING.
HE FILLED ALL OF HIS TERMS. AND MOST PREVIOUSLY SAT AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION, AND WE'RE JUST REALLY THANKFUL FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND HIS DEDICATION TO THE SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES OF THE ORGANIZATION.
AND WITH THAT MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OTHER THAN WELL DONE FOR NICOLE? I HAVE A COMMENT IN THE COMMENT.
THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD PRESENTATION.
AND JUST A GREAT UPDATE ON THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN SUSTAINABILITY.
SO KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF JENNY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A VIDEO THAT I FORWARDED TO HER REGARDING.
IT WAS IN FEBRUARY, THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL, ALONG WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, I THINK, OR ANOTHER GROUP HAD DONE SOME RESEARCH AND STUDIES ON AFRICAN AMERICANS AND THE STRESS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY HAS BEEN CAUSING THEM. AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THE GROUP IS SAYING DON'T DO IT.
IT'S JUST TO MAKE US AWARE THAT.
WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE THAT VIDEO? DID YOU SEE THAT? DID SHE SHARE THAT WITH YOU? COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS I WAS OUT OF THE OFFICE AT THAT TIME, AND SO I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH HER ON THAT.
OKAY. YEAH. I JUST THINK THAT IT'S HELPFUL FOR US AS WE'RE DOING THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, TO BE AWARE OF THE EFFECT THAT THE WHOLE CONVERSATION IS HAVING ON SOME OF OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT AND ALSO TO, YOU KNOW, TO LET COUNCIL KNOW THAT'S AN AREA THAT IS STARTING TO BE ADDRESSED AT A NATIONAL LEVEL.
SO I WILL FIND OUT IF WE HAVE SHARED THAT ON A PUBLIC.
NICOLE, I LOOK FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING IN THE STREAM CLEANUPS AND THE OTHER CLEANUPS.
I'VE DONE TWO OF THEM LAST YEAR, AND THEY WERE JUST REALLY REWARDING AND FUN AND IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE AREAS THAT WE WORK ON. SO I JUST APPLAUD SUSTAINABILITY TO HAVE THAT PROGRAM AS ONE OF THEIR MANY PROGRAMS THEY DO FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR VOLUNTEERISM.
WE APPRECIATE THAT AND CITY MANAGER, I BELIEVE.
HAD SOMETHING. YEAH, I'LL JUST WRAP IT UP.
I WANT TO THANK BOTH REBECCA AND NICOLE FOR EXCELLENT PRESENTATIONS.
IT'S ALWAYS VERY INFORMATIVE AND VERY INTRIGUING TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES.
WE VIEW THAT AS SO FAR A SUCCESSFUL PILOT, AND IT IS FINDING ITS WAY INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS.
[00:35:05]
AS WE LOOK TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR NEXT YEAR.BUT WE'RE NOT FINISHED WITH SNOW JUST YET.
BUT ON THE TOPIC OF SNOW, AS THIS DISCUSSION WAS HAPPENING I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE STORM AT THE END OF THIS WEEK IS A BUILDING.
IT'S LOOKING LIKE THERE COULD BE SOME PRETTY GOOD SNOWFALL THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AT THE END OF THIS WEEK AND WITH THAT, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, MAYOR COUNCIL, I'LL CONCLUDE MY REPORT. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE OLD COURTHOUSE REDEVELOPMENT RFP.
[7. Old Courthouse Redevelopment RFP Update Staff will be providing an update on the RFP for the Old Courthouse Redevelopment. ]
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.I'M HERE WITH DAVE MICHELLE MCNULTY, PLANNING DIRECTOR.
AND ACTUALLY MY SLIDES ARE OUT OF ORDER, SO I'M GOING TO GO BACKWARDS.
SO WE WERE JUST BEFORE YOU, I THINK IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY WITH THE FLAGSTAFF DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, WITH THE DOWNTOWN VISION AND ACTION PLAN, WHICH YOU ALL VOTED TO SUPPORT.
THIS WAS A CATALYTIC SITE CONTAINING A FULL BLOCK.
THE DOWNTOWN VISION SHOWED THIS ENTIRE BLOCK REDEVELOPING INTO A MIXED USE GATEWAY TO DOWNTOWN.
SO THIS LOCATION WOULD BE IDEAL TO CONTRIBUTE TO DOWNTOWN HOUSING.
THAT'S A LOT FOR ONE BLOCK AND WE ONLY HAVE FOUR ACRES AND SO OF THAT ENTIRE BLOCK THAT GOES FROM HUMPHREYS, ASPEN, BEAVER, AND ROUTE 66, WE OWN THE FOUR PARCELS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN GREEN.
YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT MINIMUMS REALLY ARE WE NEED TO GET THE PUBLIC PARKING SPACES.
WE'VE NOT IDENTIFIED A NUMBER THAT WE WANT TO GET OUT OF THIS, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE RESPONSES SHOW AS BEING AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE REALLY WANT TO SEE ECONOMIC ACTIVATION OF EITHER THE ENTIRE BLOCK OR SOMETHING THAT COULD MAYBE INVOLVE ANOTHER DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP AND THAT COULD OR, SORRY, ANOTHER DOWNTOWN PROPERTY, AND THAT MIGHT INCLUDE A POSSIBLE TRADE.
SO WE'RE KIND OF OPEN TO DIFFERENT SUGGESTIONS THAT RESPONDENTS MIGHT PROVIDE, BUT WE REALLY ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT HAS SALES TAX GENERATION AS WELL AS MIXED USE, INCLUDING JOBS AND SERVICES.
SO IT'S GREAT TO HAVE PEOPLE SAY THAT, HEY, WE CAN DELIVER THIS, BUT WE REALLY WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US EXAMPLES OF WHERE THEY HAVE DELIVERED A PROJECT LIKE THIS IN A PARTNERSHIP, AND THEN ALSO SEEING A CONCEPT PLAN AND A PRO FORMA.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE EVALUATION GOES, WE REALLY WANT TO VALUE CERTAIN THINGS OVER PRESCRIBING BECAUSE WE ARE ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE FOUR PARCELS.
[00:40:04]
WE REALLY WANT TO SEE HOW A RESPONDENT WILL DELIVER WHERE WE THE THINGS THAT WE VALUE RATHER THAN PRESCRIBING.SO WE DO KNOW THAT WE NEED TO GET A CERTAIN PRICE FOR THE LAND.
WE WANT TO SEE CONFORMITY WITH THE DOWNTOWN VISION.
CONSIDERING THAT THIS COUNCIL JUST SAW IT AND VOTED TO SUPPORT IT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO PRESCRIBE WHAT TYPE OF HOUSING, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE EXAMPLES SUCH AS THEIR STRATEGY FOR PROVIDING HOUSING TO PERMANENT RESIDENTS. AND THEN AS WELL WITH SUSTAINABILITY.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING WITH SUSTAINABILITY TO PROVIDE THOSE EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE WANT TO SEE.
SO MAYBE IT'S A NET ZERO MIXED USE REDEVELOPMENT AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AND SEEING HOW THE MARKET RESPONDS TO THOSE EXAMPLES. AGAIN MEASURING WHAT THAT ECONOMIC ACTIVATION OF THE ENTIRE BLOCK OR OTHER DOWNTOWN PARCELS WOULD BE AND THEIR PROJECT APPROACH. AND PROJECT APPROACH COULD INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A SELL, A LEASE AGAIN, A TRADE, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DELIVER THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF CALLED OUT IN THIS CATALYTIC SITE.
THE TIMELINE IS THAT WE WANT TO GET THIS RFP WRAPPED UP BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, AND THEN GET IT TO OUR PROCUREMENT AND LEGAL REVIEW THROUGH APRIL, AND THEN HAVING IT GO OUT FOR RESPONSE IN MAY OF 2024.
GIVEN THE TYPE OF PROPOSAL THAT THIS IS, WE ARE WE WANT TO GIVE ABOUT 60 DAYS FOR PEOPLE TO RESPOND, KNOWING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO BUILD THEIR TEAM, DEVELOP CONCEPTS AND GIVE US THEIR BUSINESS APPROACH.
AND THEN WHILE YOU GUYS ARE TAKING YOUR BREAK IN THE SUMMER, WE'RE GOING TO BE BUSY REVIEWING AND HOPEFULLY INTERVIEWING A FEW SUCCESSFUL RESPONDENTS AND THEN BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU WHEN YOU GET BACK IN SEPTEMBER FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
AND I KNOW WE DON'T TYPICALLY BRING RFPS TO YOU BEFORE WE TAKE THEM OUT, BUT GIVEN THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING, WE DID WANT TO GET IN FRONT OF YOU, GIVE YOU AN UPDATE THAT ON THAT AND GET ANY FEEDBACK SO THAT WE CAN BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE.
AND WITH THAT I WOULD TAKE ANY FEEDBACK OR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU MICHELLE AND I FOR ONE, APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO SEE THE ALL OF THE MATERIALS BEFORE THEY'RE PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU.
JUST FEEDBACK I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
YOU'RE NOT BEING PRESCRIPTIVE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO LIMIT US TO WHAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE STUCK ON AND JUST OPENING IT UP FOR IDEAS AND VISION, AND THAT'S EXCITING TO SEE.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, MYSELF INCLUDED HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT THAT PROPERTY WITH THE COMMITMENT FOR PARKING, AND THAT'S WHY A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED AND THE TRADE OFF WAS WE WOULD GET PARKING THERE.
SO I'M SURE THAT COMPONENT WILL BE BUILT IN.
BUT SEEING THE BEST AND HIGHEST USE THAT FITS INTO OUR REVISIONING PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN AND JUST LETTING THE CREATIVITY FROM PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF OUR WORLD.
TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN BRING IN IS REALLY EXCITING.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEE WHO APPLIES AND WHAT PLANS THEY HAVE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR US.
THAT'S REALLY GREAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS.
LET ME ALWAYS TAKES ME A MINUTE TO GET TO THE BUTTONS.
SO I'M ASSUMING AND I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ASSUME, BUT I AM ASSUMING THAT THOSE PARCELS ARE THAT THERE'S ALREADY INFRASTRUCTURE THERE, LIKE WATER, SEWER, GAS, WHATEVER ELSE WE INCLUDE IN THAT.
IS THAT A CORRECT ASSUMPTION? THAT IS A CORRECT ASSUMPTION THAT IT IS CURRENTLY SERVED BY UTILITIES.
I CANNOT SAY FOR CERTAIN THAT A PROPOSAL WOULDN'T REQUIRE LIKE A WATER SEWER IMPACT ANALYSIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE IS AT THE RIGHT CAPACITY TO SERVE IT.
SO THERE MAY BE SOME NEEDED UPGRADES.
I WOULD ASK WATER SERVICES TO CONFIRM THAT, BUT I COULD SEE THAT BEING A POTENTIAL.
OKAY, AND THEN SO MY NEXT QUESTION THEN IS THAT IF EVERYTHING IS APPROPRIATE FOR WHATEVER IT IS WHOEVER WANTS TO BUILD, WHATEVER DO THEY HAVE ANY OTHER RESPONSIBILITY IN TERMS OF IMPACT FEES
[00:45:08]
BECAUSE ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALREADY THERE AND SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO PUT THAT IN, LIKE, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER SUBDIVISION OR ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT WOULD HAVE TO PUT ALL THAT IN.BUT SINCE WE OWN THE LAND, WE'VE ALREADY HAD A BUILDING ON THAT LAND AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THE NEXT PERSON COMING IN PROBABLY WILL WANT TO PUT SOME TYPE OF A BUILDING THERE THAT'S GOING TO NEED ALL OF THOSE.
YOU KNOW, WATER, SEWER, WHATEVER.
DOES THAT PERSON HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING TO TIE INTO OUR SYSTEM? SO IF THERE ARE ANY NECESSARY UPGRADES, THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT.
I THINK THERE ARE METER FEES OF HOOKING INTO THE SYSTEM.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY ANY ASSOCIATED BUILDING FEES, BUILDING PERMIT FEES.
WE ONLY CHARGE IMPACT FEES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND FIRE AND I BELIEVE THAT'S ONLY ON RESIDENTIAL.
SO IF THERE'S A RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT, THERE WILL BE A PORTION OF THAT GOES TO IMPACT FEES FOR THOSE SERVICES AND THEN JUST IN GENERAL, CURRENTLY AS IT STANDS UNDER CITY OWNERSHIP, IT'S COLLECTING NO PROPERTY TAX AND SO REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT SITE WOULD ALSO THEN START TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR PROPERTY TAXES.
OKAY AND SO THEN THEY WOULD ONLY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO SUPPORT WHATEVER THEY PUT ON THE SITE.
OKAY AND PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE HERE.
ME. IF THEY DON'T HAVE TO, IF THEY DON'T NEED ANY IMPROVEMENTS FOR WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
THEY JUST TIE INTO OUR SYSTEM.
CORRECT, AND THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE WATER AND THE SEWER AS IS CHARGED.
THEY WOULD PAY FOR WATER AND SEWER USAGE, NOT NECESSARILY TYING INTO THE SYSTEM.
BUT IF THEY ARE, I WOULD WELCOME THEM TO CHIME IN AND IF THEY'RE NOT, THAT'S OKAY.
OKAY. IT'LL COME BACK UP AT ANOTHER POINT IN TIME.
OKAY SO THEN MY LAST QUESTION OR COMMENT WOULD BE ABOUT HOUSING.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO ENCOURAGE A RESPONSE FROM SOMEONE WHO MAY TRY AND LOOK AT SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE ARE GOING TO ENCOURAGE HOUSING AND THAT WE WILL WEIGH THE RESPONSE TO EACH ONE, BUT WE ARE NOT PUTTING IN AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENT.
WE DO NOT PLAN TO AT THIS TIME.
SO THEN I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS LAST COMMENT.
AND THIS IS FOR THE WHOLE STAFF.
I THINK THAT US SHYING AWAY FROM TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THIS SPOT IS UNREALISTIC.
OTHER CITIES HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THEIR DOWNTOWN AREAS.
AND IT'S A, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN AMAZING LITTLE EFFICIENCY APARTMENT.
AND AS A FREELANCE PERSON, HE'S ABLE TO LIVE IN THAT CITY, IN THAT APARTMENT IN DOWNTOWN.
SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY IT CAN'T HAPPEN, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
SOMEONE CAN COME IN AND BUILD SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS CAN BE AFFORDABLE AND THAT PEOPLE WILL WANT TO LIVE IN THAT SPACE AND BEING A YOUNG PERSON, HE WANTS TO LIVE IN THAT DOWNTOWN AREA.
I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN DOWNTOWN, BUT HE DOES AND THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE LIKE HIM.
AND SO I JUST DON'T WANT US TO PUT A A CRITERIA ON WHAT GOES IN THERE IF IT'S ALREADY ZONED FOR RESIDENTIAL.
AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE AND THAT'S MY COMMENT.
[00:50:03]
GREG HAD A COMMENT AND THEN RICK CAN SPEAK TO THE WATER AND SEWER FEES.THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS, FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
I WANT TO ELABORATE ON WHAT MICHELLE STATED HOUSING IS DEFINITELY BEING ENCOURAGED IN THIS PROPOSAL.
WE JUST ARE NOT BEING OVERLY PRESCRIPTIVE AS TO WHAT TYPES OF HOUSING OR WHAT QUANTITY OF HOUSING.
WE VERY MUCH ARE ENCOURAGING IT AND KIND OF EXPECT IT TO BE HOPEFULLY A PART OF THE SUBMITTALS BEING COGNIZANT AND AGREEING WITH THE COMMENTS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE DOWNTOWN VISION AS A GUIDING DOCUMENT IN SETTING FORTH THE CRITERIA FOR THIS RFP AND WHAT COUNCIL WILL RECALL FROM THE PRESENTATION FROM JUST JANUARY ON THE DOWNTOWN VISION.
THE FINAL PRESENTATION IS HEAVILY YOU KNOW, FOUNDED UPON HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO WE'RE SEEING THIS RFP TO BE IN LOCKSTEP WITH THAT DOWNTOWN VISION.
AND HOUSING WILL BE CERTAINLY ENCOURAGED.
IN THIS RFP PROCESS, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT.
AND I CAN TURN IT OVER TO RICK TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WATER AND SEWER.
THANK YOU. HELLO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ON THE IMPACT FEES RELATED TO WATER AND SEWER.
IT'LL REALLY DEPEND ON WHAT THE PROJECT THAT COMES IN IS RELATED TO WE GENERALLY GIVE A CREDIT TOWARD THE EXISTING SIZE WATER METER. THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ON THE PARCEL, BUT AS THE USE CHANGES, THEY MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT SIZE METER OR MORE METERS THAT THEY WANT FOR USE. SO THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY THAT THEY ADD TO OUR SYSTEM ON THE SEWER SIDE AS IT CHANGES USE AND IT ADDS MORE CAPACITY ONTO OUR SEWER FROM WHAT IT CURRENTLY IT WAS A COURTHOUSE.
THE WATER SERVICES TEAM WILL LOOK AT THAT.
SO IT WON'T BE A CLEAR CUT RIGHT TODAY THAT WE COULD TELL YOU YES OR NO? IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE PROJECT AND WHAT WHAT COMES FORWARD.
SO LIKELY THERE WILL BE SOME CAPACITY FEES ON WATER AND SEWER AND COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS MADE A COMMENT IN THE CHAT THAT SAID THIS HOUSING NEEDS TO BE PERMANENT AND NOT AIRBNB.
AND I'M. YOU UNDERSTOOD? OKAY, GOOD.
AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET.
I KNOW THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS BLOCK, THERE'S A COUPLE PROPERTIES ON THERE, AND THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS WERE NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING OR BECOMING PART OF THIS NEW PROJECT.
SO THERE'S THREE TOTAL PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THE ENTIRE BLOCK.
AND THEN THE CITY OWNS OUR PROPERTIES.
THEY HAVE DEFINITELY EXPRESSED IN THE SHUMWAY'S HAVE DEFINITELY EXPRESSED INTEREST.
AND THE ACTIVATION OF THE CITY'S PROPERTY.
I HAVE NOT HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ROADWAY.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO THEIR INTEREST AND I'M LOOKING AT THE CITY MANAGER TO SEE IF HE HAS ANY KNOWLEDGE.
WE THE CITY, HAS NOT INITIATED THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DIALOG BETWEEN THE PROPERTY OWNERS COLLECTIVELY THAT BEING WHO WAS JUST REFERENCED, THE SHUMWAY'S AND THE OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS, AND I DO NOT RECALL THE NAMES, BUT I DO THINK THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION THERE, BUT NOT INITIATED BY THE CITY.
THANK YOU. SO I LOVE WHEN YOU SAID A MIXED USE GATEWAY TO THE DOWNTOWN.
I FOR ONE, AM REALLY JUST EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS.
AND I WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO YOU FOR THE RFP, KEEPING IT FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO SEE WHAT WE GET IN, AND YET TIGHT ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS PROJECT DONE.
[00:55:03]
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES OUT THERE, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU ADDRESSED THAT.YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SEE THIS TO THE FINISH LINE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT PROCUREMENT.
AND SO PART OF THE AMENDMENTS TO THE PROCUREMENT CODE WHERE COUNCIL DIRECTED THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE OUR HOUSING PRIORITIES AND OUR CLIMATE PRIORITIES REFLECTED IN OUR PROCUREMENT POLICIES.
SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THE ABILITY TO APPOINT EXTRA POINTS.
I MEAN, IF THIS IS WITHIN THE LEGAL REALM FOR AN AFFORDABLE PROJECT.
BUT WHEN WE DO HAVE THAT COME BEFORE COUNCIL, THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
HONORABLE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE WILL HAVE POINTS SET IN THERE FOR PROJECT APPROACH, AND THOSE POINTS WILL BE ASSESSED HEAVILY DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PROPOSALS PROVIDE.
THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN THERE ABOUT POINTS BEING ASSESSED SPECIFICALLY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT IF IT'S PART OF THE PROPOSAL AND IT'S ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE CITY AND IT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY WANT, THEN FIGURATIVELY THEY COULD RECEIVE MORE POINTS FOR THAT APPROACH.
AND SO WHEN WE HAVE THE AMENDMENTS TO THE PROCUREMENT POLICY, CAN WE ASK EXPLICITLY AND AWARD POINTS EXPLICITLY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING? WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW WITH HOUSING.
I'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH SARAH AND JUSTINA ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH ON WHAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE BEEN PILED IN ANYTHING SOLID YET? BUT WHAT I FORESEE IS SOMETHING IN THERE.
TELL US ABOUT AND I FORGOT MY COMMA THERE JUST NOW.
WE JUST HAVEN'T DIALED IN THAT POLICY YET.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS.
OKAY, SO I'M PUSHING HERE, AS YOU ALL CAN TELL.
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A HOUSING EMERGENCY OR HOUSING CRISIS, AND I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'RE NOT REALLY PUSHING HARD ENOUGH FOR ANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE HAVE ANY TYPE OF CONTROL OVER TO INCLUDE SOME TYPE OF AFFORDABLE UNITS, AS WELL AS MAYBE A FEW MARKET UNITS.
ABOUT WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING.
I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO LEGALLY IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
SO IF WE CAN PUT IN A REQUIREMENT OR NOT A REQUIREMENT, BUT A PUSH FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND IF IT'S NOT AGAINST THE LAW TO DO THAT, THEN WHY AREN'T WE DOING THAT? THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
MY APOLOGIES. I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF.
NO. THAT'S OKAY, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS, THAT IS EXACTLY WHY WE'RE LOOKING TO WHAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE DOING TO SEE USE AS A BENCHMARK IN WHAT WE CAN DO, WHICH WOULD BE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE LAW.
IF IT'S WORKING AND IT CAN WORK FOR US.
AND IT'S IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA, THOSE ARE THE LAWS THAT WE LOOK AT.
I'M LOOKING BACK AND FORTH HERE, AND THOSE ARE THE LAWS WE CAN USE.
WE JUST HAVEN'T DEVELOPED ANYTHING YET OR FOUND ANYTHING YET THAT IS SOLID.
I KNOW OUR HOUSING FOLKS HAVE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF CONFERENCES, I BELIEVE, WHERE THEY'VE TALKED IN LENGTH WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THERE'S VERY LITTLE OUT THERE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD SOMETHING AND PUT SOMETHING INTO OUR SOLICITATIONS THAT WILL GIVE IT SOME TEETH.
OKAY, I'M DONE PUSHING FOR NOW.
I JUST, I'M CAUTIONED ABOUT REQUIRING TECHNICALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
[01:00:03]
AND I THINK LEAVING IT OPEN TO SEE WHAT THAT PROJECT COULD LOOK LIKE FOR THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR FLAGSTAFF, WE NEED NOT JUST AFFORDABLE HOUSING, NOT JUST AFFORDABLE RENTS, BUT WE NEED MARKET RENTS, MARKET HOUSING.YOU KNOW, IT'S A COMPRESSION ISSUE.
AND SO I'M CAUTIOUS ABOUT REQUIRING THAT AT LEAST 100% AFFORDABLE.
JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT LIMITS US AND WE NEED.
YOU KNOW, MIDDLE PRICED HOUSING.
SO THEN PEOPLE THAT COULD AFFORD THAT CAN MOVE UP AND FREE UP THE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ASPECTS.
AND SO I, FOR ONE, AM A LITTLE CAUTIOUS ABOUT MAKING TOO MANY PRESCRIPTIVE REQUIREMENTS.
THAT COULD LIMIT OUR OVERALL VISION OF WHAT WE NEED.
AND HOUSING IS AS WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, HARRIS IS A TOP PRIORITY OF MINE.
BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT WE NEED NOT JUST AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE NEED HOUSING.
IF I MAY, JUST TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL CONTEXT, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE HOUSING, THERE IS THE IDEA THAT, YEAH, MANY DIFFERENT DIVERSE INCOMES WOULD BE WELCOME IN THE DOWNTOWN. AND ALSO, I THINK WE ARE SOMEWHAT CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT THE FOUNDATION FOR SENIOR LIVING PROJECT, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT 150 PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE AND EXCLUSIVELY AFFORDABLE UNITS, IS SCHEDULED FOR DEVELOPMENT IF THE FINANCING WORKS OUT, WHICH IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD RIGHT NOW, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS JUST A COUPLE OF BLOCKS NORTH. SO WE THOUGHT THAT HAVING THAT 150 UNITS OF ONLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALLOWED FOR SOME ROOM FOR US TO SEE KIND OF WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IS WILLING TO PROVIDE, KNOWING THAT HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING WOULD BE SCORED HIGHER AS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY VALUES WITHIN THE RFP.
THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER SWEET? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM WITH SAYING, LET'S REMAIN FLEXIBLE, KEEP IT OPEN.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT WHAT SPACE IS BETTER UTILIZED FOR WHAT? AND WE DON'T KNOW YET.
THIS IS AN EXCITING PROJECT AND I THINK WE KEEP OUR OPTIONS OPEN.
WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS GOING ON CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN.
AND WE LOOK AT THAT, WE LOOK AT THIS SPACE.
AND I THINK KEEPING IT FLEXIBLE IS WHERE I'M REALLY APPRECIATING RIGHT NOW.
COUNCILMEMBER HOUSE, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
OH, I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
I HEAR WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING ABOUT MARKET AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING.
AND I TALK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME.
KEEP IN MIND THAT EVERYBODY DOES NOT NEED OR WANT THE SAME TYPE OF HOUSING.
AND SO IN A BUILDING YOU COULD HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS.
YOU CAN HAVE SOME AFFORDABLE, YOU CAN HAVE SOME MARKET, YOU CAN HAVE SOME HIGHER END.
I MEAN THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF APARTMENTS THAT YOU CAN HAVE.
AND THEY DO THAT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
AND SO I JUST WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO REALLY DO KEEP IT OPEN AND ALSO WHEN I SAY AFFORDABLE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE AS WELL AS WORKFORCE.
SO I THINK THAT SOMETIMES WE FORGET ABOUT OUR TEACHERS OR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR MAINTENANCE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE CITY.
SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AND I'M GONNA LEAVE IT AT THAT, I PROMISE.
WELL, MY NOTE TO STAFF IS BE FLEXIBLE AND BE OPEN MINDED.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCIL, ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU ALL.
NEXT WEEK. OKAY, WE ARE MOVING
[01:05:03]
DOWN TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND I DO NOT BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.A ANOTHER REMINDER IN CASE PEOPLE LOGGED IN AFTER THE START OF THE MEETING, BEGINNING NEXT WEEK, WE ARE TAKING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN PERSON ONLY AND WE WILL STILL TAKE ONLINE COMMENTS FOR AGENDIZED ITEMS. WE ARE ALSO SWITCHING IT UP AND TAKING 30 MINUTES, UP TO 30 MINUTES OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE BEGINNING, AND THEN WE CAN TAKE THE REMAINDER OF IT IF THERE IS MORE THAN 30 MINUTES WORTH AT THE END.
[9. Informational Items To/From Mayor, Council, and City Manager; future agenda item requests]
REQUESTS. VICE MAYOR, ARE YOU STILL ONLINE? I AM, AND I HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER TODAY.YES. I DO WANT TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL, AN EXPERIENCE THAT I HAD THIS SATURDAY AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO HEAR THIS.
I HAD LUNCH WITH TWO BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING, INTELLIGENT YOUNG BLACK WOMEN WHO ARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
AND I SAT TWO HOURS LISTENING TO THEM TELL ME ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE IN SCHOOL AND THEY IT WAS REALLY PRETTY HARD TO LISTEN TO, AND I WAS JUST AMAZED AT HOW ARTICULATE THEY WERE ABOUT A VERY DISTURBING ISSUE.
I DON'T THINK AT THAT AGE I COULD HAVE HELD MYSELF TOGETHER LIKE THEY DID.
THEY TALK TO ME ABOUT THE WAY TEACHERS HANDLE SOME OF THOSE THINGS THEY TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WISH COULD HAPPEN THAT WOULD MAKE THEIR LIVES EASIER.
AND SO THE REASON I SHARE THAT WITH YOU IS THAT I THINK THAT WHEN WE KEEP THINGS LIKE THAT UNDERGROUND, OR WHEN WE DON'T SHARE THOSE KINDS OF COMMENTS WITH OUR COMMUNITY, THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING IS JUST FINE.
WE JUST ENDED BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY SAID WAS THAT THEY DID NOT SEE THEMSELVES IN THIS COMMUNITY DURING THAT TIME AT ALL, AND THAT WAS VERY HURTFUL AND DISTURBING TO THEM.
AND SO, AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER I HAVE DEFINITELY STEPPED UP AND WILL BE WORKING WITH THEM IN WAYS THAT I CAN TO SUPPORT THEM AND I WILL ALSO BE SHARING THEIR COMMENTS WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO I THINK SHOULD SHOULD HEAR THIS AND SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS.
AND SO I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE RETALIATED AGAINST BECAUSE THEY SHARED THAT INFORMATION WITH ME, AND THAT IS A REALITY BECAUSE IT DOES HAPPEN. AND SO I JUST WANT US TO BE AWARE OF THAT.
SO ANYONE WHO'S LISTENING AND ANYONE WHO'S IN THE COUNCIL ROOM AND ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ON COUNCIL I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT FROM WHAT WE EXPERIENCED LAST TUESDAY.
I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITIES AS A COUNCIL BODY IS TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO ENSURE AND PROMOTE THE CITY'S MISSION STATEMENT, TO PROMOTE OR TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
TO ME, THAT ALSO MEANS PROMOTING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND A FEELING OF BEING SAFE.
THIS BECAME A CHALLENGE LAST WEEK WHEN, IN MY OPINION, I PAID ANTAGONIST AGITATORS, POLLUTED OUR AIRSPACE WITH SOME PRETTY OFFENSIVE HATE SPEECH DURING OUR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
[01:10:04]
FOR MAKING A VERY THOUGHTFUL AND HARD DECISION THAT THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED AT THIS COUNCIL MEETING, THAT WE GO BACK TO PRE-COVID RULES AND THAT WE ARE REQUIRING IN-PERSON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION JUST TO HELP ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE SPEAKING AT THESE MEETINGS ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ARE REPRESENTING OUR COMMUNITY, AND NOT PEOPLE FROM THE OUTSIDE TRYING TO CREATE DIVISION AND FRICTION AND ANIMOSITY AMONGST EACH OTHER.SO I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IT WAS UNANIMOUS THAT WE DO THAT AND I THINK WE WILL BE BETTER BECAUSE OF IT.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE IS NOT ON THE MEETING, CORRECT? OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET.
THANK YOU. I TOO HAVE BEEN REFLECTING ON LAST WEEK AND HAVE A FEW COMMENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY TO HOLD SPACE FOR EVERYBODY.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WE DO STRENGTHENS AND ADDS LOVE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY ON COUNCIL TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY IN ALL OF ITS DIVERSE ASPECTS.
WE HAVE 80,000 PLUS PEOPLE IN FLAGSTAFF WITH ALL DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS, AND I DON'T BELIEVE WE SHOULD DO ANYTHING THAT RIPS THIS COMMUNITY APART INSTEAD OF BRINGING IT TOGETHER. THIS SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS SAFE AND ACCEPTED.
WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF UNPRECEDENTED TIMES.
I KNOW WE HEAR THAT A LOT, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT'S TRUE.
WE NEED TO BE HEALING THIS COMMUNITY, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN ENGAGE ALL OF OUR FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AROUND THESE DIFFICULT TIMES AND HOW WE, AS A COMMUNITY WANT TO ENGAGE IN TALKING ABOUT THESE DIVISIVE TOPICS.
FLAGSTAFF IS A GOLDEN RULE CITY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO READ A COUPLE OF PARAGRAPHS FROM RESOLUTION NUMBER 2008-68 THAT PERTAINS TO THE GOLDEN RULE.
PREJUDICE, HATE, BIGOTRY, AND INTOLERANCE HAVE NO PLACE.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF A GOLDEN RULE CITY IS THAT ITS CITIZENS TREAT EACH OTHER THE WAY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED, HELPING THOSE IN NEED, EMBRACING DIVERSITY AND TRANSCENDING DIFFERENCES.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.
I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SEVERAL THINGS.
AND I'M IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT WITH THEIR COMMENTS, SO I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
THE NEXT THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, AND THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THIS.
THE FIRST PART IS THAT I GET A NEWSLETTER CALLED THE KIPLINGER LETTER.
I'VE BEEN READING THIS SINCE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY'RE NOT POLITICAL ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
THEY HAD A PARAGRAPH HERE AND I WOULD LIKE TO READ FROM IT.
IT STARTS OUT HOW LONG CAN UKRAINE HOLD OUT AGAINST RUSSIA WITHOUT MORE AMERICAN AID? AND THEN IT GOES ON TO ANSWER THE QUESTION AND I'M QUOTING RECENT ESTIMATES SHOW KIEV SUCCUMBING TO MOSCOW IN A MATTER OF MONTHS WITHOUT HELP FROM THE US AND NATO, WITH DEFEAT COMING AS SOON AS THIS SUMMER.
EUROPE HAS PLEDGED TO KEEP AIDING UKRAINE, BUT LACKS THE ARMS PRODUCTION TO FILL AMERICA'S SHOES RIGHT AWAY IF CONGRESS DOESN'T APPROVE MORE ASSISTANCE.
THAT'S THE END OF THE COMMENT THAT WAS IN THE KIPLINGER LETTER.
[01:15:06]
AND HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT.ALONG WITH INACTION ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WAYS TO FIND SOME MONEY TO PROVIDE ARMS AND AMMUNITION TO UKRAINE SO THAT THEY CAN DEFEND EUROPE.
SO I CONSIDER THAT REALLY GOOD NEWS, AND I'M REALLY CURIOUS TO LOOK INTO THE DETAILS OF THAT DECISION WAS JUST MADE THIS AFTERNOON. SO I DON'T KNOW ALL EVERY LITTLE DETAIL AND HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY TO ALL.
I HOPE YOU NOTICED MY LITTLE IRISH GIRL UP HERE.
WELL, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR US TO REFLECT ON HOW WE WANT TO TREAT PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOUR WORDS AND GLAD TO SHARE THIS DAIS WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO SO RESPECT DIFFERING OPINIONS, VIEWPOINTS BUT WILL NOT PLAY IN THE ARENA THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US LAST WEEK.
I TOO WISH FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF FLAGSTAFF TO FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING AND A SENSE OF SAFETY.
AND SO I EXTEND THOSE, I EXTEND THAT, THOSE WISHES OUT TO EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE A GOLDEN RULE CITY.
CITY MANAGER? NOTHING FOR ME, MAYOR.
THANK YOU. WE'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.