City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. It's 5:30. We have a premeating to meet uh um the city's new newest employees. Welcome to everyone. And um we're um we're starting with um an introduction from Mr. Sephuentes. Thank you, Madam Mayor, members of council. Um tonight is one of those wonderful opportunities that we have at least on a quarterly basis where we get to introduce to council and to the community the wonderful employees that do the work here in the city of Cottonwood. Um, I have the honor of officially introducing our new community development director, Sammy Rial, as well as the executive admin, uh, assistant for administration, Ashley Chezic. Um, Sam Rial, I we've kind of given the background before. She's been with us couple months now. She comes to us from Clark County, Nevada. Um, she brings a wealth of experience to the position. um she jumped right in on some ordinance amendments and the AB2447 stuff. Um the design review guidelines. Um tonight there's a couple items that are before you that that she's pushed forward along with her staff. Um staff has been very very vocal about their happiness for having her here and leading the department and kind of taking the reigns and and moving them forward. And so she's been a wonderful addition to the organization. Um, and with that have Miss Sammy stand up.

Do you have you have words to say? You don't have to, but you're welcome to come up and

Good afternoon, Madame Mayor and members of the council. I just want to say what a pleasure it is um to be here. And as I say every day and anybody who asks me, I love this job and I love the people here. So, I could not be more happy uh having made this really big decision uh to to come make this move. Um I'm glad we did. I'm glad we didn't. My husband and I didn't wait five more years like we were planning and we did it now. So, thank you very much for all the warm welcome and I look forward to working with you more in the future.

Yeah. Thank you. To say Sammy uh started uh with a bang I is an understatement. I mean she's been phenomenal. So thank you. Ashley Chezic is one of those that works behind the scenes. We're in week two now Ashley and she came back. So that's always good telltale sign for us in administration. Um she's jumped in. I think you folks have started to see emails already on on meeting planning. Um she's taken over a lot of the administrative duties and uh has just been a wonderful addition. She's helping out all of us there in administration. Um, and so welcome Ashley.

Okay, next we have information technology. Um, good evening Kristen Lennon.

Good evening, Mayor Council. Kristen Lennin, financial services director. Uh, tonight I'm going to be introducing U back-to-back employees. First up, I have our new IT manager, Wayne Brick. Wayne comes to us with 30 plus years of IT experience doing things specializing in systems administration, networking, and security. He moved from Idaho, but he has family here and it is excited to be back in the area so he can be around his family. He likes to kayak and hunt and fish and be in the outdoors when he's not at work. And we are really enjoying his personality and we're enjoying his management of the IT department and we're looking forward to all the things that he's going to offer us. And I don't know if he wants to come up and say anything. He's okay sitting in the background. Very it like right kind of I'll just stay in my spot. And then next up I have uh Shereice Fulbright. Shereice is taking over the account accounting specialist 3 position. Um Shereice is also very familiar with the Verie Valley. She grew up here in the Verie Valley in Camvertie. She has about eight years of experience in governmental work doing things such as business registrations and licensing and permitting. and she did work um most recently down the Phoenix area for surprise

Paradise Paradise Valley as their management analyst. Um we are excited to have her come be in our office and help out with purchasing and with business registrations and with accounting. Um and she likes to do lots of outdoor activities in her spare time as well, which is great for Arizona cuz it's an outdoor place. And I don't know if she wants to come up and say anything either. She says no. But those I'd like you both to at least stand so that they can see you.

How long have Wayne and Shereice been been working for the city now? Sharice has been with the city for two weeks. A little over two two weeks. And Wayne, it's been three months. Four month. Wow. December 1st.

December 1st. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Okay, next we have um community development. Sammy, come on up. Good evening again. Uh I have the pleasure of introducing Connor Bamante. Oops. Sorry. He is a planner with the community development department. He's been with us for about 3 months. Uh so technically he's been here longer than I have. So I look to him for guidance. Um, since day one coming in here, I have been nothing but impressed by him. He is so smart. He has such the desire and and heart to want to learn. Uh, he demonstrates that he is more than capable of jumping in and handling tasks that are assigned to him. He yearns for more. He has very high aspirations for what he wants to do within the city of Cottonwood. I know that as he continues to grow in his uh career, you'll see him more and more. and I know that you'll be just as impressed as as I have been of him. And so I look forward to that day coming. Uh he is currently seeking his master's degree in public administration. Uh he has again high career aspirations uh to go compete with Mario in the future. So um I wish him all the best and I already know he doesn't want to say anything, so I'll just let him stand up and wave. Thank you. But again, I know that you'll be very impressed with him once you have the opportunity to interact with him more. He is just a pleasure to work with and we're very lucky to have him.

Thank you.

Chief Sman, you have someone to introduce. Good evening, Madame Mayor and council. Uh, thank you for this opportunity to come in and introduce two of our uh, newest members. Um, I don't give them a choice. They will be up here to speak to you. So, um, now we appreciate the opportunity. Um, we have with us this evening uh, Division Chief Joey Joey Martin. Uh, Joey comes to us from Copper Canyon Fire and Medical District. Um, he's also been in the fire service for coming up on 30 plus years. um beginning his career uh very shortly um after he was in that place where he was going to graduate from high school and uh following in his dad's footsteps as a volunteer and then he spent some time working um in the Air Force as a professional firefighter there and then just continued that evolution all the way through his career to today and uh go and let him speak. Additionally, we have uh Travis Adcock who is a native to the community here. Uh was born and raised and uh comes to us with about 10 years of experience and is an excellent addition to the fire department. Good evening, Madame Mayor and Council. I want to begin with at 18 years old, I put on a blue shirt with the idea that I was going to serve my country and my community, hopefully forever. Well, some years later, it looked like that that plan was coming to an end. And to my luck, it isn't. I'm grateful and humbled by the opportunity to continue to be able to serve to serve the citizens of Cottonwood and our visitors. As chief of community risk reduction, it is my job to ensure the safety of everyone through education, engineering and enforcement, economic incentives, and emergency

response. I look forward to the challenge to make Cottonwood a safer place to live and to visit. The newest part of my team, as Chief Sman pointed out, is Travis Adcock. And I'm just going to kind of embellish a little bit on what Chief Sman had to say about Travis. He's married and has two amazing daughters, 10 and 14. Met his wife right out of high school, and they've been side by side ever since. Um, the town has been Cottonwood has been his home. It's where he grew up. It's where he learned his values. and Ellis where he's raised in his own family. Um, I truly appreciate he says he truly appreciates the small town way of life, the sense of community, looking out for one another and pride we all share and calling this place home. It means a lot to him and his girls to grow up here. Also over the years he's worked a variety of jobs and I'm lucky to say that um I was able to work with Travis at Copper Canyon and is probably one of the finest firefighter paramedics that I had the opportunity to work with. Um his experience taught him the importance of service, teamwork, and showing up when the community needs you the most. Um he's excited for the next chapter of his life life and opportunity to continue the community that helped raised him. Travis.

Good evening everyone. Um, I just want to say I appreciate the opportunity. My family and I are super grateful for it and I look forward to serving the community that I had the privilege of growing up in. That's it. Thank you. Thank you both. Thank you. Okay, next we have an introduction by Chief Rudenthal.

Good evening, mayor, members of council. I'm Brian Frutenthal, your police chief. Um, thank you for this opportunity to introduce our staff. I'm extremely proud of our staff and especially some of the new hires that we've brought on. Um, I'll bring Jim up first. James, you want to come up? Um, so James has been with us just for a couple months. We hired him. He's a part-time employee to assist with our evidence technician. Uh, we brought in James has spent, well, to go back, James has spent, um, 20 years as a volunteer in fire departments, ambulances, sheriff's office, uh, doing different types of auxiliary type work for them. Um, in his in his professional life, he was an a building automation engineer. Um, and he comes to us with a ton of experience and in his short time, I can tell you in his short time that he's been here, he's already made an incredible impact on our evidence collection in our evidence room. Uh, I had an opportunity today to tour the evidence room and just do an audit of the evidence room today and just to see the improvements in the short time that James has been here. It had already improved greatly prior to my arrival. Um, but then James has taken it to a whole another level which is, as we all know, it's extremely important for us. It's a it's a huge part of our our followup to all of our cases and it's it's a tribute to our victims and making sure that we handle the cases correctly and we've seen uh from recent incidents in in the valley that the importance of evidence collection and evidence storage and that you lose cases if it's not done properly. So, I want to welcome James to our team. Um met with him today. He's just he's excited to be on board and uh he's looking for more work. I thought we've been able to keep him pretty busy and I know we've got a task for him now. is going to keep him real busy into the into the future, but I'm I'm confident that James is going to be on top of that and and and pretty quickly. So, we're excited to have him. He came to us from Navajo County after uh a couple two and a half years in their evidence room and working on their evidence and working. The good part is he had the opportunity to work with our same uh spillman um and

has a lot of experience in there and he brought that experience here with him. Uh, fortunately for us, his family lives here in the in the area and that's what brought him to the area away from Navajo County. Um, so we're extremely excited to have him and be a part of our team. You want to say anything, Jim, or you? No, I'm good. All right. Thanks. Okay. Appreciate it.

James, I have a suggestion. There's something James. Oh, James, I have a suggestion. Uh, there's something called the Bank of America robbery. Get on it. Uh, next is Joe Caneler. So, we're again extremely fortunate to to get Joe to join our team. Um, Joe has five children. Um, he's he's lived in the Verdie Valley for since 2018ish.

16. Yeah. 17. Um, so Joe uh started his career with the Cookanino Sheriff's Office in the detention. He worked there for a couple years where he then went on to the Flagstaff Police Department where he worked for 12 years with the Flagstaff Police Department. Um came down here for a business ad uh business opportunity. Uh worked in the business world for a couple years and then realized he missed law enforcement. Went to the Clarkdale Police Department where he spent uh seven years with the Clarkdale Police Department. Uh left to the Clarkdale Police Department to work for his wife and then quickly realized working for the police department is a little easier than working for your wife. But, uh, I can't tell you how fortunate we are to have Joe and his experience that he's brought to our team in a short time. Um, unfortunately for Joe, but, uh, as part of our FTO program, he still had to go through field training just like everybody else. Um, but I think he was more of a partner than he was a trainee. Um, and now just recently he got solo qualified and he's on the streets serving our serving our community u in a solo capacity and is back into the rotation. And so we're really excited to have Joe as a part of our team. Want to say Joe?

No, sir. All right. Thanks for being here. Thank you.

So Cheyenne I just said I don't I don't have to say anything, do I?

So um so Cheyenne is a part of that is a communication specialist. She's one of our dispatchers. We brought Cheyenne Cheyenne in over a year ago. And um the reason why I we used to bring new employees up here um but we realized quickly that the training is so difficult in communications that we have a high attrition rate um due to the difficulties of the training and it's a very difficult job. Um so we started waiting until they got off training. So we weren't introducing to people that uh short were shortlived in the police department or within the the communication center. She's she's passed the communications training with flying colors and she's now solo and she's been solo for a couple months since December. Um she's she's also a local that was born and raised here. Uh and she's a part of the VAT program which was really exciting for us. So we were able to bring her in through VAT an internship and those are the the individuals are seeking career opportunities through high school. Um, and she she she was successful in participating in that program and it just shows the benefits of that program and the quality of employees that were able to get through that program and it's been it's been an awesome opportunity. But she also enjoys the outdoors and living in the Birdie Valley and I'm pretty sure we got her for the long haul and we're excited to have her. She's been a great asset to the communications center. Anything? No.

Thank you. Good to meet you. Uh so the fourth one, he's unable to make it tonight. Uh Andre Cervantes. So Andre came to us. He's also born and raised in the Birdie Valley in Cottonwood. He's he's from Cottonwood, which is what we're super excited. Some of our more recent hires have been individuals that have been born and raised and grew up in this community and want to serve this community because of how much they love this community. And Andre is one of those. Andre graduated the academy in December. Um, and while he was in the academy, he or at the at the graduation ceremony, he received the Tyler Stewart award. Tyler Stewart award is um in honor of Tyler Stewart, who was a Flagstaff police officer that attended NARTA and was killed in the line of duty. And that award is voted on by your peers and those that are within the class with you. And they vote on those that the the in one individual that best represents the class, best represents what they believe law enforcement should be. Um, his commitment, his dedication, his integrity. Uh, and it was it was it's an incredible honor to receive that award and we're kind of incredibly honored to have Andre as a part of our team. Um, he's got five children that he's raising here in the valley. Uh, he's also dedicated to coaching and mentoring our youth, which is why he's not going to be able to be here tonight cuz he's coaching. Um, he's really into coaching wrestling, soccer, and whatever it is he can to have that impact that that individuals within our police department and fire department actually had on him when he was a kid growing up here in Cottonwood. So he's excited to serve and be a part and continue to be a part of this community and we're we're extremely fortunate to have Andre.

Thanks. Thank you very much.

Sure. Only

they were long. You are going to have to build. Okay, you ready?

Okay. No,

I know.

The new one.

Good evening. The meeting is now called to order. Thank you. Could we have a roll call, please? Council member Dwillis, here. Council member Dow, here. Council member Marks, present. Council member Mosley present. Council member Welen here. Vice Mayor Coats here. And Mayor Shaw here. And we have a quorum. Would you all please join us in the pledge of allegiance?

I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. First, we have a brief summary of current events by mayor, city council, and city manager. The public body does not propose, discuss, deliberate, or take legal action on any matter brought up during this summary unless this specific matter is properly noticed for legal action. As a reminder, if you wish to speak to the council on a matter which is not listed on the agenda, you must submit a request to speak form to the city clerk or the city manager by the end of this brief summary of current events. Anybody got any current events?

This uh past Saturday morning, I um I helped out at the uh Cottonwood Vintage Run where uh there was a half marathon, 10K, um 5K, no six, 5K, and um a two-mile fun run. Um I did the uh aid station. It was uh a beautiful day for a run. Um and had a a really good turnout, including our own Chief Rodenfall, who ran the half marathon. So, if you've noticed that, you know, the chief has been walking around kind of stiffly with a little bit of a limp that you know that that's I think that's the story behind it. Um and our own Mr. Suentes also uh ran the two-mile fun run. Um and then later um this past Saturday afternoon um I attended and did a short presentation um at a community baby shower um sponsored by an organization that provides uh financial and and um moral support for um families with uh children who are in the neonatal intensive care unit. Um the the organization is called my kota bearer. Um that is um kind of a an endearing nickname the uh founder gave to her little child who went through the uh uh nicu when when she was born. Um the the executive director for uh the local chapter is Miss Garrett's mom and Miss Garrett from our city clerk's office also helps out. It was um really educational, um really emotional, heard a couple of really powerful

stories. It is a very very uh worthwhile um organization. If you'd like to check into it, again, it's my kota ka bear. Um and Miss Mosley was uh in attendance also. Okay. Anybody got anything else?

Petty m um this last week um myself and Bob went to the uh Vak 25th anniversary uh open house. If you haven't been to the VAT, it is exactly what we talk about trying to keep our youth here when they grow up and they take jobs here. Uh great program. It's going to keep more of our youth here in jobs. Um if you again if you haven't checked it out, please check it out. Uh I think it's uh that thing that's um really going to advance us as a community. And they do a two-year degree now. If I if I remember correctly, they're allowed to do two-year degrees now. So um kudos to the team at VAT. Yeah,

I went to the open house um for Yavapai College and they also u they they serve in the same vein. There are a number of programs that connect directly from high school, bring them right through the door into college. and there they have developed a 92 credit hour um bachelor's degree for a couple of significant programs there. So um I later on I recently this last week too I met with um our superintendent of of Mingus um Dr. Melody Hearn and talk to her about the connection between Yavapai College and high school because ju just as Council Member Dell is talking about, we really would like to, you know, keep talent here, keep our kids here, keep our families together, all of that is is very significant for us here in the Verie Valley. So, um that was that was a good moment, too. Sadly, um in in um meeting yesterday with the mayors from and and other um significant leaders, um I found out that the the open house was at at Yavapai was not well attended. So, it would really be great if we could stir up a lot more interest in getting people in. It was a very nice event, really good information. There just weren't a lot of people there to partake of it. So um you know our connection to the college and its significance to our community is is really um really that it's it's significant. One of the other interesting things that I got to do um a week ago last Monday was meet with Representative David Schwikert who is

kind of um getting ready he's he's campaigning to to become governor of Arizona. he's kind of coming home from Washington to um get back to to the his home base and um the mayors uh and um also um city manager Suentes and city man uh town manager Miranda Fischer were we were able to um spend more than an hour talking to him and trying to help him understand um the need for our representatives to pay attention to what's going on in rural areas. Not everything is about Phoenix and it's not all about Tucson either. It's it's about, you know, how the rural communities require support in in order to thrive. So, it was a good moment to be able to talk to some like that up close and personal. Um, we'll see what happens from there.

Madame Mayor, Madame Mayor, members of council, if no one else has anything, um just a couple of community events on April 30th, a reminder, um we'll be hosting an event in in uh collaboration with the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce called Manga with Mario. Um it's an event for folks to come and have lunch um from the business community and ask any questions that they may have and just break bread together and talk about business in general in the city of Cottonwood. Um, somewhat related to that, on May 20th, the mobile business services outreach program led by Arizona Secretary of State Adrien Fontes is expanding access to select businesses and their services for individuals and organization and communities across the state, including Cottonwood and the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Resource Center. available to businesses and individual. This event will bring easier access to select services such as notary services, trademark registration, UCCC filings, and more. Folks can visit asos.gov/business for more information.

Okay, thank you. Um, I do want to mention before I move into call to the public that um the the item under new business which would be considering ordinance number 775 has been tabled indefinitely. So it may be that if you're here for uh for that purpose you wanted to address that. It is not going to to be discussed by council this evening. So I I just want you to be aware of that. That's the one the uh three-story apartment building in case you didn't know which specific one that was.

Okay. Um next is call to the public. Um, the public may address the council on matters direct directly relating to city business that are not listed on the agenda during the call to the public by submitting a written request to speak form to the city clerk no later than the conclusion of the information reports updates portion of the agenda. There is a threeinut time frame per speaker and all comments shall be addressed to the council as a whole and not to any member thereof, staff or audience. The mayor may direct a speaker to stop speaking and leave the podium or adjourn the meeting if anyone becomes disorderly or uncivil, makes personal attacks against any person or persons or if the mayor determines that the speaker is speaking about items that are outside the city's legal authority to act. Okay. First, I I have a request to speak from Eric Jurison.

Um, good evening, um, mayor and council. I, um, I saw my yellow slips come, so I'm going to shorten up my presentation as quickly as I can. My name is Eric Jerson. I own the Haunted Group. Um, me with my partners. Um, yesterday I read an article about the Main Street. Um, I think you guys call it the Main Street Master Plan and that we hired the Norris Group or hiring the Norris Group for $29,000. I called Maynard and asked if anyone on his team had been informed about this because no one at the Haunted Group knew about it. We're bad. We didn't look at agenda, so on and so forth. I would hope maybe in the future the city might take another look at the success we've had in the past with the public private partnership we've been working on for the last 20 years. we kind of went south with the last council um councils or whatever and it became more of just us against them. But I think we should work with the business owners if we're talking about Oldtown Cottonwood instead of just hiring a firm that we know nothing about. Um I read that, you know, there's a scope of proposal um that we want to pay them the $27,000. I'd like to address some of the things on that list, what you're asking them to do for us, and just give you a quick thought of what maybe this business owner would like to see. Uh, community engagement. That's what I was just talking about. It'd be great if we were reached out to individually as the people in that district. Option for uh creating a gathering space at Maine and Puma. Um, I've always had the dream of knocking down city hall and the planning buil planning and zoning former buildings and replacing with grass on the street to give us kind of a square for events on Main Street so we don't have to close Main Street. Put parking in the rear and pave it. Parking management, electric vehicle parking options is one. Um, that's creating parking places in the new areas and electric vehicles. We can do that back there. Pedestrian and streetscape improvements. Let's plant some trees around this area. potential

funding source. Paid parking is an absolute the absolute enemy for historic districts. It removes the locals from the equation because not only of the expense, but more importantly the inconvenience of paid parking. Um left turn from Willard on Maine before we start putting in a bunch of other things. There's nothing wrong with a good couple of good oldfashioned stop signs to see what that does before we decide to change up what how Main Street is currently working. It's not bad all of the time before we go to extremes. Um, I've kind of gone through most what you had in the newspaper about the scope of the work. If we work together with just the people here in the community, we might be able to save that 200,000 if it's not too late. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Next is Mike Weise. Madame Mayor, vice mayor, council members, uh my name is Mike Weise. I uh am with Realy One Group, Mountain Desert with offices here in Cottonwood and Sedona. Uh I am here to speak on behalf of the owners of the Westcot Funeral Home. And I know you had indicated mayor that this was not going to be discussed but I did want to pass on the sentiments of the sellers uh and that is that they would like to see this reszoned as per the public vote from R1 to R3 to allow multifamily and they're very much in favor of that. uh whether it's with this buyer or another buyer, uh they would like to see that believe that it's in the best good of themselves and the community.

Thank you. Thank you.

Rebecca Drake. Hello everyone. My name is Rebecca Drake. I live at 678 South 12th Street here in Cottonwood and I'm here to oppose the big pro the I'm sorry first I guess it's a planning and zoning to take that from R1 and C2 to R3 across the street. Uh yeah, I just think that it's too big of a project for our neighborhood. Everybody I've spoken to so far agrees we we see the how busy 12th Street is and the intersection at 12th Street and 89A. And I attended the uh meeting last week where the developers showed us what they want to do and there are three about eight buildings that are three stories high 35 ft uh in that location. in the old Lumberman's and uh the frontage strip AC in on uh 12th Street. The there's 251 units and 400 parking stalls and garages and 251 units. There could be over 600 people living there. I don't know, maybe even more. Um they're all going to flow out to 12th Street. The exits, they showed the only two exits and entrances are on 12th Street. I'm not sure if there's we're going to be able to get out of our driveways. Uh and even the people that live down the road uh and through Crest View and all that area. Um people are cut cut across from Commamino Royale to get over to 12th Street and 12th Street was improved to be a feeder street and it is it does that. You have Ming your Mingus bypass to take uh the road to lighten the road um off of 89A and we have 12 street to take cars off there. But and it's working. It's they're busy.

They're getting um but I just don't see how and I'm quite frightened to think of what kind of traffic uh problems we're going to create. And I look forward to seeing like AOT studies and different groups uh to tell us what they you know how safe that's going to be. Um yeah, I just think it's too big of a project for the area. Let's see what else. Um, well, I that's okay. I don't have to use all my time. Thank you. Thank you,

Bill Wagman. name is Bill Wagnon. I'm a Cogman resident for over 19 years. I wanted to speak to you about the uh Chapman or Kaufman study that's you're going to be talking about. So you want me to talk about this that now during calls to public and not during that time?

Yes.

Okay. Um in 2025 we had about 58,000 touchandgo operations. That means there were over 29,000 training flights taking off over residents homes. On page 10, the report recommends against increasing the published traffic pattern from 800 ft to 1,000 ft, citing concerns about increased overflights. However, their own analysis on page two shows that most training aircraft are already flying crosswind between approximately 940 ft and 1,190 ft AGL. So in practice, we are already operating at a 1,000 ft traffic pattern. If aircraft are already flying near 1,000 ft AGL, formally raising the traffic pattern for a simple reduction in noise intensity for everyone under the other legs of the traffic pattern without creating impacts. Publishing a 1,00 traffic 10,00 foot traffic pattern would not materially change where aircraft are flying now or the intensity of the noise. It would simply align the published traffic pattern with our actual operations in the FAA standard guidance. The question is if pilots are already flying these high altitudes, how would formalizing that create any additional impact? And my last item is on page 11, the recommendation to encourage early turnouts between 500 800 ft AGL raises serious concerns. We already know from experience that those turns below 700 ft training aircraft directly over training aircraft turn

directly over on the greens and pine shadows at the lowest and most intense noise levels. That is why we changed the traffic pattern from 500 ft to the current 800 ft suggesting early turns risk undoing that solution. Please have cop and associates consider these suggestions, particularly the early term recommendations due to the known safety and neighborhood impacts. Thank you. Thank you, Rick Gray.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. Uh my name is Rick Gray. I'm the vice president at Northern Arizona. I serve as the uh service area administrator here in the Verie Valley. And I'd like to just uh come to uh you guys and talk about the April uh donor uh life month. And so uh I'll read to you kind of what we do here here at NAH. So, uh, when we help our partners in donor network of Arizona to educate our communities about the value of organ and eye tissue donations, uh, we know that there are about a 100,000 people in the United States on a donor list, uh, who are waiting for any kind of organs mentioned above. Um, and so what better quality of life to do and is to be a donor. And so it's our honor and responsibility here in Verie Valley Medical Center and Flagstaff Medical Center to facilitate these life-saving donations to carry out the uh members of our community's wishes. Uh in 2025, we supported 12 donors at our two hospitals and they notated 36 organs, 16 ocular donations, and 22 tissue donations. And so, uh, as you can imagine, it's an incredible emotional event, uh, uh, when donations are made, uh, because it it it creates a life for someone else. And we would love to share a little bit of what it looks like at NAH. So, what we do, uh, as you could imagine, it's very emotional. It's a very hard decision for the family members to uh, do this. Uh, but what we do is we have a donor walk is what we call it, our honor walk. And what we do is any colleague that's available in the hospital will line up against the hallway uh as the uh donor is coming down the hallway to surgery and the family members follow them. And so as you are um I'm sure as you can imagine there are no dry eyes. It's very emotional. It's for emotional for the family for the people involved uh for the staff members and the community that uh will receive these organs. And so

it's a very emotional event but it's very needed event. So, um, an incredible special event. Uh, I can say there are not many dry eyes. As I mentioned, it's an honor to help those in need. As our nation, uh, weight list is more than 100,000 people. As I mentioned, there are not enough organ and, uh, tissue donations in the United States. In Arizona, we have a weight list of 2,000 people. And so, uh, that's why we spend time in April to encourage our community to consider donating and reaching out to the donor network of Arizona, uh, for information and discuss with your family so they understand your decision. Thank you. Thank you.

Brena Eldridge. Hello everyone, council and mayor, uh, fellow neighbors. I'm Brenda Eldrid. I live at 8:30 South 12th Street in the Verie Palisades area. Um, been a resident 36 years at that location almost 35 years. Um, I had no neighbors for a long, long time, so I've seen it really change. Um there's this upcoming zoning uh change request um for the parcel where the lumbermans was or in my day even Babbott's lumber was there um and the strip of land and uh I I recognize that we are growing and we need to have space and um we have to have housing and it just seems like it's more viable that we have to do more density. Um, but I'm asking that you hold it to R2 and no more because of the extreme ability. I mean, we're existing neighbors and we've had some very considerate previous developers do their town homes and apartments and stuff like that and has been very respectful to us. And for somebody to put a max that they can put on that property with this R3 zoning is really a lack of integrity to consider us here. And the it is the traffic. It's really hard for us to get out of our driveways. Um I had a few notes other notes here that I Yeah, the problem on the road is really almost intolerable many times. The speed, the noise. I've complained many times the police department has tried to help me with the boom boxes. I'm thinking an ordinance happened with that, but I'm not sure. Um, I did follow people one time to figure out where they

live to report them to the police. And I'm finding that a lot of people are just using it for a bypass. They're not even people that need it as a surface street to their home in the units, which I I can understand that's fair, but they're avoiding going to Main Street to 260 to avoid those lights. And so that's kind of interesting. Um it's just hard to be managed as a lot of our streets are. Um anyway, I I was mentioning that the consideration for the pre-existing neighbors, and I know there's other projects going on with the same thing. We could stomach a two twotory, but a three stories kind of a lot for us country folk. Um Oh, and I just had one more thing to say. In our area, we've been hit with lightning a lot. I don't know how many of you your houses get hit with lightning, but we do. And I think that building is a three story. It's going to get hit. Even one of my neighbors, um, it hit their garage and started and on fire. So, I've had a lot of damage to lightning multiple times in that 35 years. I That's it. Thank you.

Thank you, Heather White. Good evening, mayor and city council. There's been a lot of mention by the city council today about folks who've grown up here and families. And I grew up here and my family lives here and has lived here for years on both my mother and my father's side. Um, and I will say that throughout the years, the one thing that I've noticed, no matter what decisions are made by the city council, no matter who is on city council, there is a lack of vision and a lack of foresight. And so, we make plans. People will make plans because it's quick money or because they feel good or it makes males happy, but they don't look at the long-term impacts. And I would challenge you that for this proposal that's going to go in place for zoning off of 12th Street that you would look at the long-term term impacts. So I want to outline a couple things for you all. So first of all, NACOG NOG states set for 12th South Street going northbound. It's 3,876 cars. You heard that right. Over 3,000 cars go northbound on 12th Street per day. Now, that's the annual daily average. Southbound is 2,549. And if you think that number sounds like a lot, it is because it's only half of what goes on Main Street. And Main Street is twice as big as 12th Street. Also, Main Street is a business street. 12th Street should be residential. So I would like you guys to take that into consideration. Um secondly, I did put a

request in to AOT to get the accident reports. Um I do expect to have that over the next few weeks and I would be and I would love to share that with you all. Um the last thing that I wanted to touch in and this is more just um to kind of prepare you guys for if they do pass the zoning housing. We talk a lot about housing. What people don't talk about is the fact that in the city of Cottonwood alone, almost 9% of the houses are vacant. In addition to that, only 50% of our population um represent labor force. So, it got mentioned why a lot of people weren't at Yavapai College for the opening um for the open house is probably because we only have 50% for our labor pool. We also have um almost 40% are over the age of 65, which all of that is fine, but I think we need to focus on other things to make more affordable housing than just burning a bunch of houses when we already have almost 9% in the city alone of vacant houses. We need to focus on bringing more families here. We we need to focus on having better jobs. So, just something to think about. um for the upcoming votes. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm sorry. I'm just going through these all at once. Um I know that some of these are agenda items. However, um if no one sternly objects, we'll just continue on. Um the next would be Mary Lou Rose.

It it may be. Um yes, I'm going to call a point of order. Um, it is an agenda item and I believe we should wait. Is that is that correct, Attorney? I think the practice is ordinarily if you do have a matter that the public wanted to speak on and it's on the agenda that you take it in in turn uh um after you act on the consent agenda, then you would uh have an opportunity for those folks to speak uh on that next. So I think that's the way your um city code reads and so I think correct probably would be a better strategy just go ahead and wait on those folks that have matters that are on the wait for the agenda. Mary Lou. Yes,

I'm ready. I'm sorry. The reason it's difficult to sort out is because we have a number of different properties. One of which we've been talking about is not on the agenda. So, I'm trying to sort it out, but you know, senior moments being what they are. Um, yeah. No, this is okay. All right. And then my apologies to you, Mr. Wagman. you know, if if additional comment is required, I'll I'll extend that opportunity.

I appreciate that. Okay, Madame Mayor, maybe the best approach would be if once we conclude the public comment, we can go straight into the consent agenda. You can take those comments right at the front end of the consent agenda and then take action on the consent agenda if you wanted to. Um yeah, a number of these really have to do with new business. Oh, if they're if it's new business, then yes, we'll take that in the regular order of the new business matters. Yeah. If it's consent agenda matters, we can conclude the public comment. Okay, let me figure it out. All right,

just hang on a second because Yes. Okay. Mrs. Rose, would you like to um you will be next after we conclude um uh going through the the consent agenda? Okay. Um hers is in in that category. So, uh we have nine items on the consent agenda. Uh the one that would would be accepted then would be um just business.

Yeah. Thanks. I can't see it. Okay. So, it it is number five that that we'll um bring back for comment and unless there's anything else. Does she want to pull? No, she just wants to address it. How do you want to consider that? Address which? Number five. Number five on the consent agenda. Uhhuh.

Okay. So, I'd make a motion to approve consent agenda items, agenda items 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and nine, and pull five for public comment. Second. Second. All in favor? I I Okay, so that's you, Mrs. Rose. You would like to come up and address this? I have five which is

Oh, so that's on Yeah. So that's on new business. Okay. Oh, I'm sorry. Okay. So, um, yes, I'll ask you to wait on that. We'll we'll get to it. I'm I apologize for my Soionusion. I'll make a second motion to approve consent agenda item number five. Second. All in favor? I

I resolution. Um, under the consent agenda, we're approving ordinance number 767, an ordinance of the mayor and city council of the city of Cottonwood, Arizona, amending section 3.080.060 of the city cottonwood city code and providing for severability. Thank you.

We're also approving resolution number 3392, a resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of Cottonwood, Arizona, authorizing the city manager to accept waiverss of claims for dimmon. Okay. Um, no. We're going to move into uh new business

on the consent agenda as well as on the meeting agenda. No, excuse me, not the consent agenda. I'm on the call to the public and then later on I was wanted to speak but that's that one's gone but you should have something there with my name. Okay. Yeah. I'm not I generally I'm I'm not having people speak twice. So I guess that's my confusion. I'm not sure about that. Right.

What's his name? Bob Rothrock. He's on the planning and zoning commission. Yeah. So,

he's got new business number three, but that one's gone. Was there another one? Mayor, it turns out that the uh uh speaker uh intended to fill out a card for the public comment and in addition to an item that's on the the new business. And so I think it probably would be in good order to go ahead and take take re uh um engage folks on the public comment for this one speaker. Uh and then we can pick up the new business uh portion of the agenda.

All right. So then uh yeah re returning then to call to the public. Um come on up Mr. Rothrock. We'll give you three minutes there.

Thank you very much. Madame Mayor, members of the council, um, I want to talk about traffic. Um, 46 years ago, my wife and I moved to Cottonwood. We were real happy to move here and get out of Phoenix. Uh, we liked that it was a quiet community and so forth. Um, however, uh, traffic can always be a problem and when the public is asked for comments about traffic and things like, uh, the how we're doing it sort of stuff, um, there usually have problems with traffic. So, we have an opportunity to change this. Right now, there's a very long vacant property at the corn at the intersection of 89A and 260. And step one here would be to purchase that property right away before it slips away like the uh one on the other side of the street that's now at Dunkin Donuts and uh another food place. After we purchase the property, we petition A DOT to build a roundabout to accommodate the present and future residents. And then step three, of course, is to pat yourselves on the back for trying to do something about the traffic problems in Cottonwood. Thanks for your time. Thank you. Okay. Um, where we're returning to at this point, um, I I will once again

close call to the public. We're at the point of new business. And um what we have next is a public hearing and adoption of resolution number 3389 to approve a minor general plan amendment to change the land use designation from PLLD plan development to HR residential high density for the property located at 259 West Mingus Avenue. Good evening Miss Hayden.

Thank you Mayor Shaw Council. I am Tina Hayden with Community Development. Uh presenting on that general plan amendment and a zoning ordinance concurrently both items one and two. The request tonight uh applicant is requesting a general plan amendment from plan development PLLD to residential highdensity HR. They're also requesting a zone change from R1 single family residential to R3 multifamily residential zoning district. We ask that you consider the applicant's letter of intent as staff reports and that this is a public hearing process. With that being said, uh prior to the planning and zoning commission meeting and during the commission's call to the public, we've have heard from many members of the public uh citing concerns about traffic uh density and noise and trespassing. And I'll I have another slide that I'll comment more on that in the regarding access. Here is our vicinity map for you with some details. First, I'll have you note the north arrow here. Also have you note the roundabout over at Willard and Mingus so you have a clear idea of where this property is. Here is our project site. You will note that it is currently zoned R1. Uh to the north, south, and east, it's also zoned R1. And then to the west, there is planned area development zoning with multifamily residential. That's the Highland senior apartments there. The subject site is approximately 1.14 acres. The proposed HR highdensity residential land use designation would allow for uses consistent with the surrounding area. Mainly looking at that P A with

multifamily residential. The R3 zoning allows for higher density consistent with surrounding developments. Again, we're referring to this property here. Per state law, uh, the requirement for a reasonzoning ordinance is it's required to conform with the land use element of the general plan of the municipality. Currently, the land use designation for this site is PLLD plan development applicants requesting that general plan amendment to the HR highdensity residential. I'd like to also point out that there is a design review application that was approved by the planning and zoning commission last month. Uh it is stipulated that that approval is contingent on this zone change. I have some current site photos for you guys. I'll have you note the north arrows here. Here we're looking at adjacent properties and streets. So here we're looking westward at the Highland SE senior apartments. We can also see Mingus Avenue here in the bottom right. We are looking towards that Mingus and Willard roundabout. You can see the church property here. Uh not really showing the property further north. It's vacant land. Uh has it's currently zoned R1. Uh at this time we do. Now we're taking a look at the subject site. Again, note the north arrows I have here. Uh top left here, we're looking uh southoutheastward. You can see the church buildings there. Bottom right here. Uh we're looking southwestward. Again, you can see the Highland Senior Apartments and a portion of the church property here. For the general plan amendment itself, the justifications are as followed. Uh

this pro this request is supported by objective 15. Uh regarding mixed use, medium and highdensity residential and neighborhood designations. Uh general plans indicates locating multifamily residential uses adjacent to NC neighborhood commercial designations and multimodal service areas. Staff analysis. The parcel is located within a quarter mile of educational, recreational, health, and transit facilities. The second objective 2-1 regarding the growth area three clemens growth area. This property is a portion of that growth area. It does indicate uh planned uses of multifamily residential which would require a zone change to P A or R3. Staff's analysis. The site is within the Clemen growth area and the proposal for highdensity residential and R3 to accommodate 18 multifamily units is consistent with the surrounding area. Justifications regarding the zone change to R3. This zoning would conform with the land use element of the general plan. Element two also allows for uses and densities consistent with the area. Planning and zoning commission did consider this request and recommended approval at the March meeting. The recommended action tonight is to adopt resolution 3389 approving the land use designation change from PLLD to HR. Uh we also recommend adoption of ordinance 774 approving a zone change from R1 to R3. Uh I did mention that I'd have a slide to touch on the um topics that were brought up at the uh public hearing process. This is just regarding access. This is the approved site plan. Um, I'll kind of break it down for you a little here. Again, we'll note the north arrow

here. We have Mingus Avenue running here and the subject site here. This is an existing driveway access. Um, you can see that it serves the Highland Square Senior Apartments here. They have an easement on this subject site's property allowing access to and from their site. Additionally, the applicant proposes another two-way driveway access off of Mingus right here kind of midway on the property. Uh so this is two-way access and this is also two-way access with um round circulation throughout. This is a public hearing process. Uh the plan is for there to be one call to the public for both the general plan amendment and the zone change item and then we'll need two separate motions. The general plan motion first and then the zone change motion after that. I'm ready for any questions you may have. I have our applicant present for any questions. Well, let's Can you go back one slide? This doesn't directly apply to this site, but the parcel across the street, uh, Clemenso Town Site LLC, they I assume they're the current owners.

That's my understanding. Okay. And they there are no plans in process for that as you as far as you know. Uh thank you for that question, council member Marks. Uh there are no formal applications to go to the planning and zoning commission for approvals. I will say that we um during the code review process uh we have some people who are looking into this project uh that's a very preliminary part. Okay. Thank you. Are there any other questions from council?

If not, I I will open the floor to the public. I I know that um I I do have um Mary Shukin has a comment to make. Do you want to step forward, please? Mayor and Council members, I am Mary Shaquinn. I'm the executive director of the Verdie Valley Community Development Organization, and I'm here tonight to speak in favor of the plan ch general plan change and the zone change for this 18 unit complex. I think it's an exciting opportunity. It fits in the infill of your general plan and the request for housing within the Cottonwood community area. What we're working for is income aligned housing. We need to be focusing on housing that meets the income range of the people that live and work in our community. This project is exciting in that it's walkable to health and restaurants and the post office and transportation. We are always talking about the need for housing particularly for healthare workers that come here and cannot find a place to live and it's within two or three blocks of you know the hospital and the doctor's offices and things like that. I know at planning and zoning there was a comment that sometimes there are individuals on some of that open property that maybe are putting up tents and things like that. I think this will also alleviate some of that and it will be exciting to have families in that area. Um, as we spoke about, we're getting older across the region in population and this complex is actually designed for families. We need to bring more children and families here to create that quality of life and the

stability for our workforce and for the community as a whole. Thank you. Thank you. Um yeah, I'm just trying to Yes. Um so the other person who's interested in speaking is um Oliver. I'm sorry I don't have my glasses. Daener.

Yes. is it? I I have the R R1 and um

Oh, I see. Okay.

Well, it it's not this evening. We we are not discussing that um that particular property this evening. That was the intention of my announcement. You already had somebody speak.

No. Um that was a different project. In either case, mayor, that item has uh as you announced previously, that item has been tabled indefinitely. So there is no date certain for that item to arrive back. So there if it does move forward, it would be required to be renoticed uh newspaper notice and and publication. So the public will have an opportunity to to speak on that if it does come back.

Right. And I it it looks like that's all I have. Um, if once again, just to to be clear once again, if if you were intending to address council about the Westcot site, we're not discussing that one this evening. We're talking about a different um a different property also on Mangus Avenue. Is there any other public comment for a comment on property?

Okay. Thank you for allowing me to speak, mayor, council members. My name is Matson Brady. I'm on the board of directors of Cottonwood 7th Day Adventist Church School and the property that you're talking about is going to be right next to us. And what we're concerned about is we have a large parking lot and we're so concerned about people that uh this complex that that is going to be built of using our parking lot to park. That's a minor question. Our biggest question is the ability of the church school to hold classes especially during the construction phase of the uh of the building of whatever is going to be built there. It is we have classes that that are pretty much right next to the building site. uh and we're concerned about the noise that it's going to cause and the the disruption of this school of our teachers of teaching and our students. We also uh are concerned about the safety of these children in in the school. I understand that progress follows through it. it it goes. But being a school there, it's very important to have a stable uh relationship to whatever buildings or apartments that we have around us. And so this is our biggest concern on this thing is is the safety factor. Also in back of the school, we have a very large

field. We're in the process of convert converting that field, putting grass back in there. It's got a ball field there. And the noise factor of disturbing whatever buildings and the people that go to that uh that are living in that complex. It is going to be loud. We're going to have children. We're going to have so soccer games there of the from the from the school. And we are also inviting other organizations that come in and we helping them set up whatever practice or anything like that. So our concern is is based on the children at the school, the disturbance that we're going to have in in that school. So uh I just want to make sure that you take that in consideration in what is going to be put there. and thank you very much for allowing me to speak.

Thank you. Are there any other comments regarding this particular these two specific items? Um if not, is there any further comment or question from the council? I will.

Yeah, I'll go ahead and and uh close the public hearing on um this particular item. I move to adopt resolution number 3389. Second. Could we do a roll call, please? Council member Dwillis. Yes. Council member Dow. Yes. Council member Marks. Yes. Council member Mosley. Yes. Council member Wen.

Yes. Vice Mayor Coats. Yes. and Mayor Shaw. Yes. And that motion carries. I move to approve uh ordinance number 774. Second.

Council member Dwillis. Yes. Council member Dow. Yes. Council member Marks. Yes. Council member Mosley. Yes. Council member Welen. Yes. Vice Mayor Coats. Yes. And Mayor Shaw?

Yes. And that motion carries. Thank you. So to read this into the record, resolution number 3389, a resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of Cottonwood, Arizona, approving a minor general plan amendment changing the land use designation of approximately 1.14 acres of land located at 259 West Mingus Avenue from PLLD planned development to HR residential high density. Ordinance number 774, an ordinance of the mayor and city council of the city of Cottonwood, Arizona, amending the zoning map of the city of Cottonwood for approximately 1.14 acres of land known as APN46-32-022W to change certain district boundaries and classifications thereof from the present zoning classification of R1 single family residential to R3 multiple family residential. Okay, next I I'm closing the public hearing. That's that's done. So we will move on to um interviews of the airport commission applicants of whom we have two for the airport commission applicants. The the way that we're going to do this um it will be um one at a time. We're going to take turns asking you a series of questions.

Good evening. Good evening, mayor and council. My name is Evette Sket and I'm your deputy clerk. This evening, I'm representing for the Cottonwood airport commission application interview process. So, the Cottonwood Airport Commission consists of five voting members. Four members must be tenants lees of the Cottonwood Municipal Airport or individuals with working knowledge of airport related matters. Of those four members, at least three must reside within the city of Cottonwood. The fifth member represents the general public interest and may not be a tenant or lei of the airport or possess working knowledge of the airport matters. However, this member must reside within the city of Cottonwood. There are currently two vacancies on the airport commission. The first vacancy is for a partial term ending March 4th of 2028, resulting from an administrative resignation. This position represents the general public interest. The appointed individual is not required to be a tenant or lei of the Cottonwood municipal airport or have working knowledge of the airport of airport matters but must reside within the corporate the corporate limits of the city of Cottonwood. The second vacancy is due to an expired term and is for a full three-year term. This position must be filled by an individual who is either a tenant lei of the airport or has working knowledge of airport matters and must reside within the corporate limits of the city of Cottonwood. There was an attached chart and hopefully you were able to view the attached chart but the attached chart summarized the qualifications for each

vacant seat. So, the first one was for a partial term ending March 4th of 2028 and then the second was for a full three-year term. Two applications have been received. Both both applicants, Randy Taylor and Robert Plutier, reside within the incorporated city limits. Council should evaluate through the submitted applications and interview process whether each candidate meets its expectations to fill the respective vacancies. Because two applications were received for two vacancies, the applicants were not subject to the blind review process. Following the interviews this evening, staff will bring back the item to council for possible appointment to the airport commission on May 5th, 2026. Appointing new commission members will ensure airport commission will function at full capacity. Just an FYI, um we did verify addresses to make sure that they were living within the city limits and we used the Yavapai County GIS map to verify those addresses. Before we begin the interview process, does anybody have any questions for me?

Yes. Do are both individual who who decides which individual is is to take the full term versus the the partial? So once we take we take it back and we do the interviews and if I'm incorrect, Tammy will straighten me out. But so once we take it back and then we tally up the scores, then from there then we can see who's going to be for which term. Am I correct or incorrect? Go to I'mma leave. Bye. No. Um that would be up to council. Um, I think staff has determined in our opinion that the applicants meet either either seat, both applicants. So that will be up to council,

but we're not to do that tonight. Correct. Correct. Correct.

Any other questions? Will will the interviewers be separated? Yes. Okay. Any other if there we do Mr. Taylor first. Okay. So, we're gonna have Mr. Randy Taylor come before you. Thank you. Thank you. Hi, Taylor. Who would you like to start with your questions? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Mr. Mayor, please.

Vice Mayor, council members, thank you very much for this opportunity. All right, Mr. Taylor, I guess I'm first. Uh, please tell us how you would assist the commission in furthering the city's strategic plan to have the airport be an economic driver for the city. Great question. I wasn't prepared for it, but I can tell you this. I read over the the uh duties and the job descriptions and those that uh resonated most with me um were the fact that you're looking for harmonious use of lands and harmonious use of the air traffic control and um I I believe that I have the experience to help with that. I um am a pilot just under 500 hours as a pilot um single engine high performance and I believe I have the knowledge and the lingo to talk the language of airports. So as far as helping with the strategic plan of the city, I think it's the whole idea is to be harmonious with the residents and with building a um expanding the uh the industry part of the town to help support the community.

Thank you. Uh second question, what expertise would you bring to the commission to assist the commission in providing advice and recommendations on airport related matters to this council?

Well, I as I mentioned um I am a pilot. Uh I have experience in as a pilot. I also have experience in doing research and I have experience in in government. Um way too much experience in government to include 48 years uh 47 and a half years in law enforcement. So I believe I can can articulate issues uh critically think through the problems and uh provide the commission uh input as a as a through my research. Thank you.

Okay, Mr. Taylor, the next question. Turn my speaker on. Um, based on your understanding of the current airport commission, what does the commission do well and what can be approved upon?

I wasn't expecting these questions. Um, that's that's a really good question and I I have to be completely transparent. I um somebody who I greatly respect on on your council um uh requested or asked me to apply for uh this position and that's when I really started looking at the issues of of of the airport. And so it seems to me um like there are tremendous amount of um issues right now. The airport is is obviously it's it's part of Clark Dell's council meetings. It's part of your council meetings. It's taken up an awful lot of time and I believe that the airport commission has navigated many of those issues uh fairly well. Um, I know that at one point, maybe eight years ago, I met with an airport manager who didn't even have any experience as a pilot and he was making some really, you know, off-the-wall thoughts about um, how traffic should be controlled. And I think that that's one of the things commission has done a very good job in is keeping everything very logical and address those issues with the people that are most causing those issues. So I to me I think that's probably the best thing that they've done. Um and you know my hats off to them for that. And was there a second part? Was it what have they done poorly?

What can be improved upon? Well, I think I think that's a never- ending challenge. Uh never ending challenge of of handling the air traffic control. Um and and I I think that can be improved upon. I don't I don't have an answer right now, but I would hope through the research I could probably I could um provide some input, some valuable input. Thank you,

Chief Taylor. Um what do you see as the greatest value, doesn't it have to be a single thing of having an airport in Conwood?

Oh my. Um well, I think it's it's Um I'm searching for the best word. Having an airport is is makes provides economic um growth. It not only provides a growth but stability in in the economy. Um it it's been it's been difficult of late because of you know some of the the massive amounts of traffic um for training. But I think the airport otherwise is is extremely valuable to to um to any community.

Thank you. Thanks a lot, Mr. Taylor. That's it. We're done. Oh, okay. All right. I had a I have your whole book. Well, ask me a question. You you feel free to jump right in and tell us anything that you want to, but um yeah, we we really appreciate um all of the information that was included in your application. Um we've had the opportunity to go through that and um and yeah, this this interview process is blessedly brief.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. And I I I got to say though, I was when I downloaded your commission notes and everything, there's a lot of work here. You guys have gone through a lot of work and I'd be excited to be a part of it. Thank you. Great. Thank you.

So, we're going to have Mr. Robert Clutier come out. He's been sequestered and then walking to hear any other answers. Oh, that would be cheating. Well, I had my ears up the door.

All right. Um, thank you for being with us this evening, Mr. Clutter. The first question that we have for you is, please tell us how you would assist the commission in furthering the city's strategic plan to have the airport be an economic driver for the city. I've had multiple distinct careers. Naval officer, worked for defense, and then university professor. In each of those, I've had the opportunity to do things that a lot of people don't. As a univers university professor, I had to write grants. I had to fund my students. So, I understand grant writing. I understand how to get money. There's a lot of things that I believe we could do for the airport to actually make it an economic center. We could consider a restaurant in there. We could consider shopping in there. We could consider activities for our kids, which there seems to be a problem. We've heard earlier tonight that we can't keep our kids here. So, there's a lot of things that could be done, looked at properly that would fit within our zoning that could bring in revenue both for the airport and for the city, which if we bring in airport for the revenue for the airport, that's less weight on the city for what we have to fund. as a defense in the Navy. I was a qualified air traffic controller for USS Chandler, which means that when we were doing submarine exercises, I was the guy that was directing helicopters and fixed wing aircraft that would come off of uh San Francisco or other areas and having to keep that that uh

air space clear. So, I understand a little bit. I'm not a pilot. I'll be the first to admit that I one of my regrets from the Naval Academy, not getting my private pilot's license. Uh, but I understand what it takes in airspace to keep things clear and safe and that that fits in my background. Also, in defense, I work for the Boeing company. We designed airplanes. So I was very exposed to studies with the V22 aircraft with uh the CH53 different aircraft of working with the FAA to understand what it took to get approval for that. So I have a number of different backgrounds that would help the commission toward the economic development of the airport.

Thank you. Sorry, I was daydreaming about you getting us CH53 rides out of the airport, but I never I never I helped design the avionics on both of those. Never got to ride either of them. I've written in many CH53 and I miss those days. I did go to Pensacola and got to fly a jet and fly a helicopter and so do the Dempsey dump dunker. So, still fun times.

All right, sir. Um, next question. What expertise would you bring to the commission to assist the commission providing advice and recommendations on airport related matters to this council? As you look at my application, I am a systems engineer. Now, let me clarify, engineer is one of those hallowed words in this state. I am not a PE. I do not I'm not a licensed engineer but I taught system engineering for 20 years uh at the university level. I also was a system engineer in Boeing and Loheed Martin. I everything is a system. This council is a system. Certainly the airport is a system. So my expertise is taking that step back and looking holistically. One of the speakers tonight talked about unintended consequences looking at vision. That's what system engineering does. We also worry about risk. There's always risk in the decisions you make. And so those that's just a implanted in my brain through 40 years of adult life that uh I think would be of great value to the commission looking at the entire uh tasking for that commission.

Thank you. Based on your understanding of the current airport commission, what does the commission do well and what can be improved on? I actually read through the report that was published. Uh, interestingly enough, my house is right there when they make the turn or when they make the turn coming in. Uh, looking at the way Verie Village is built, it's taking that systematic approach. So, one of the things I don't think they've done well is manage the traffic in the schools. I understand they want to bring two more schools in there, but if I do my math right from the report, there's about 16 takeoffs are landing an hour right over top of my house. It's like an ocean, as my brother put it, just constant wave. So, I think that they they haven't done a good job of looking at what we can do. The reports talked about what happens, but I I didn't, as one gentleman said here tonight, we're already flying at that higher altitude. So, I think that we need some new and novel approaches to flight paths as well as growth. If we want to grow it, then we got to find some ways. Can they make a right as they take off? Can they make a right-hand turn instead of a left-hand turn? Go closer to Mingus Mountain and then circle back. I don't know. It's something that we can talk to to the pilots. They're the experts. So, I think that they've done well with the number of schools we have and attracting new new schools. I don't think they've done a real good job of managing it yet. And there's not been any economic growth. I drive by it all the time, but I don't see any signs. I

mean, give open up to the public for tours. Make the public more aware of what's going on. So, I don't think that they've really engaged with the city or the broader county. And and so those those would be the first couple of things I'd be interested in trying to help look at.

Yes, ma'am. Mr. Clutier, what do you see as the greatest value, and it doesn't have to be one thing, of having an airport in Cottonwood? That's a great question because the only the only people being served right now with the airport are the pilots. There's there's no no community being served by it. I know it's going to rub some people wrong, but could we be running 12, 15, 18 passenger puddle jumpers from Palm Palm Springs, from Las Vegas, from Boise, Idaho, in and out to get some commercial activity, which would also be good. I know that takes a lot to do and we don't have an air uh air uh control tower, but I I think that um obviously with that many flights a day, we're serving a community, but it's only the the aviation community. And and so I really think that we need to look, as I've said earlier, look at other things that we can do to broaden the reach of the airport as well as looking at who they're serving.

Quick question. Um, you seem very uh enthusiastic, let's put it that way, and you got some great ideas in my opinion. I'm just curious, what caused you to want this position? Um, I'll be 70 in June. I'm I've retired here. I came out here last June to visit my brother and three days later I made an offer in a house. Uh, and by that was in June and by the end of July I had moved into the house. I love this area. Um, my wife and I the be I I grew up in on the edge of the Mojave Desert in Southern California. I know I shouldn't admit that here in Arizona, but I I left California at 18 years old and never lived there again except while I was in the Navy. Um I'm an energetic person. I'm an enthusiastic person. And I think that this is something certainly one of the things I saw on that study is there's no noise study like how much noise we talked about noise. Have we measured it? I don't know. I I'll put a dog on sound meter in my backyard and measure it. But I I love to participate with the community. Last thing I was doing when I when I left Mobile, Alabama was to work for a uh actually I'm on the still he asked me to stay even though I moved on the board of directors for a nonprofit uh blacksmith organization that reached out to veterans to help them deal with their problems. And I got to tell you, there's something to be said about hitting hot steel with a hammer if you've got PTSD. So, I ju I like to be involved with the community. And though I've only been here for eight months now, um it's time. It's time.

Great answer. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Any other questions for Mr. Clutier? Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity. So, I want to thank you, Mayor, Council, and the applicants for your time this evening. Again, just to reiterate, so we will take your scores back. Once we take them back, we will come before you again on May 5th in order for you to be able to appoint someone. Does anybody have any questions before I step off?

Nope. Nope. I think that's clear. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. last but not well it's not actually last but we have review and discussion of the Cottonwood airport traffic pattern and runway use analysis and consideration of approval of recommendations to be incorporated into the FAA chart supplement for the Cottonwood airport. Good evening Mr. Propes.

Good evening madame mayor and councel. Rod Propes the city's airport manager. This agenda item is the result of Kaufman Associates doing an airspace analysis and calm wind uh one calm wind runway analysis. It is not a part 150 study. It is very limited in scope. It does not involve uh interviewing constituents. It's not if we wanted to do a part 150 then we would do those kinds of things. Additionally, in your agenda packet was some recommended language to the chart supplement. The FAA publishes a chart supplement for each airport. So, if I'm going to go flying and I'm not been to that airport, I'm going to look at the chart supplement. What's the traffic pattern out altitudes? Uh what is the traffic pattern? Is it a left hand or a right hand? Are there parachute activity? Is there gliders? Are there hang gliders jumping off of mountains coming to the airport? So, I know these things. So, I have recommended some changes to that language, removing language that is inappropriate. We are not as a city in the business telling pilots how to fly their airplanes. We have no authority to do that. So, I would recommend that the chart supplement be changed. It has traffic pattern altitudes in it and I'm recommending we leave those alone and remove the language that says climb to a,000 ft at a certain air speed. Uh again, that's something the city shouldn't be doing. Uh Mr. Corey Lewis, who did the study, works for Kaufman. He's an associate vice president. He's been with him over 20 years and he's an expert in airspace analysis, airport land use, and I can tell you having done a lot of airport land use planning myself, takes a long time to learn that and he's been doing it a long time and has done a number of projects both at general aviation and

commercial service airports. He's made recommendations of what we should probably change or do or not do. And uh I'd like to introduce him and let him do his presentation. Thanks, Corey.

Thank you, Rod. Madame Mayor, members of the city council, appreciate the opportunity to uh be with you this evening and to uh present on the traffic pattern and runway use analysis study that was put together. Um so just a a overview of the study. Uh we began this in late 2025. U this is the study overview. We collected background information, looked at some alternatives, got input from uh both uh airport users um and also discussed the uh uh the recommendations with the airport commit uh commission uh and ultimately came up with the uh the recommendations that we'll share. Um and obviously uh this evening we're uh here at city council. the this topic was uh presented at airport commission both in March of uh 2026 and earlier this month as well. So just some of the the background information that we're able to collect. So um you know the the airport experienced 61,195 uh operations in calendar year 2025. So one operation is either a landing or a takeoff. um uh with regard to time of day, that's 95% of those uh operations are occurring between 7 uh a.m. and 5:00 pm during the day. Uh and runway use uh is primarily on runway 32. So that's traffic to the north. So aircraft are arriving from the south uh and departing to the north a majority of the time. Uh there's been some uh mention of a traffic pattern. So when aircraft are operating on one runway 32, so that's departing to the north, they're turning right uh and and operating east of the

uh east of the runway. U in the in the uh event that the aircraft are operating to the south, so on runway 14, they're they're making a left-hand turn uh as they depart. And that is also putting uh aircraft activity to the east of the airport. um at uh many airports um that it's standard left-hand traffic uh but that can be changed uh due to terrain or or other uh existing conditions. So in in that case you you would have uh traffic patterns on either side of the runway. Uh in general the uh the traffic pattern altitude is 1,000 ft above ground level and the calm wind runway. So when uh you know when the pilot has uh has is able to make a decision because of calm winds the the the runway that is prioritized is uh runway 32. So we were able to use the uh city's uh vertower system. So uh I think as I I told the commission when you're doing this type of study and you have access to this type of information it's it's wonderful. It makes makes things a lot easier. So we can look at you know we can look at specific operations we can uh choose for for example in as we were doing this study we looked at the busy some of the busiest days of the year uh to collect some data. Uh so what you're seeing here is a you know on that day on on this busy day uh I don't have the date right in front of me u but you know this is one of the busier days this is what the typical traffic pattern uh looks like. So, uh, across the bottom you can see that's the aircraft altitude. Uh, the aircraft comes, it comes down, uh, down to the ground and goes back up. This is one aircraft, uh, doing multiple, uh, touchandgo operations. Uh, a little as as we're thinking about this and and you know what may be able to be done at the airport, it's important to think about the regulatory

framework. Uh so there are some limitations on uh what the city as airport sponsor can how they can control uh aircraft. Uh so uh United States code uh you know 49 United States code uh states that the government holds exclusive sovereignty over all airspace in the United States. So what this limits is you know that the city cannot dictate where aircraft operate. Uh you know once they're up off the ground that is not the city's responsibility. the pilot is in control uh and and in uh you know at Cottonwood that pilot is communicating with other pilots uh in the vicinity in the vicinity. Um so the the city of Burbank Lockheed air terminal case um also uh the court decided there that the FAA holds exclusive control over aircraft noise. Um, so you know, the city of Cottonwood cannot enact a an ordinance that is specific to aircraft noise. Um, so then also there's the airport noise and capacity act of 1990 which also eliminates the ability for local jurisdiction to implement noise related ordinances such as curfews or fees. So those are not uh you can't enact those uh as a as a city council. Then lastly the there's grant assurance 22 which is economic non-discrimination. Uh so this requires the airport to be open uh to all types, kinds and classes of aeronautical uses at all times. So that is throughout the course of the day even in the nighttime hours the airport uh needs to be open based on the grant uh asurances that are attached to the monies that are uh received by the city uh for routine maintenance of uh of pavement or uh any other kind of project that is FAA funded. So as we're starting to look at these alternatives uh we we kind of framed it is you know with regard to safety effectiveness feasibility and imple

implementation uh and adoption. So safety does that does the alternate alternative promote safety of pilots uh passengers and people on the ground. So when FA is considering uh you know safety is FA's primary responsibility uh and they'll they'll regularly communicate that and you know they'll be in conversations with airports about noise but if any uh recommendation uh could potentially decrease safety margins um FAA is not supportive of those um effectiveness. Does the alternative have the potential to shift overflights to areas with fewer fewer residential or north sensitive land uses? Uh feasibility. Is the uh alternative achievable given the constraints uh such as geography, terrain, uh the other existing procedures and other operational factors? Uh implementation. Does the airport have the authority to implement the measure? So that kind of gets back to the regulatory framework that I discussed and adoptions. How long how likely are pilots uh uh re how likely are pilots to utilize the recommended procedure uh or resource? So now I'm going to go through uh each of the alternatives that we considered and you can see at the end uh at the bottom of each one uh there's a statement as to whether or not the alternative would merit further uh consideration. So the with the the first one is uh runway 32 is the calm wind runway. So an an alternative uh would be to shift that calm wind res uh designation to runway 14. So that would increase uh arrivals from the north and shifts noise from other residential areas um shifts noise to other residential areas. So that's is primarily uh uh over in in the areas to the north. Uh and you know we concluded uh that this alternative does not merit further consideration primarily because it's shifting noise. Um and while it's

not specifically stated by FA FAA does not support measures that shift noise from one group to another. It's a increasing traffic pattern altitude. So 1,00 ft is the typical uh traffic pattern altitude at Cottonwood and that's also the standard uh nationwide. So increasing the traffic pattern altitude beyond uh 1,000 you're looking at a 1100 or,200 feet um has the potential to elongate the traffic pattern. So when we're looking at that um those ovals on on some of the maps as an aircraft continues to climb to reach that thousand feet, they may uh you know they're they are going to be higher above the ground. uh that would likely uh elongate the traffic pattern both to the north and and possibly to the south. Um and again this as we looked at this and and thought about this and talked with pilots about it, you know, that could also shift noise to other residential areas and with that the uh we concluded that the alternative does not merit further consideration decreasing the uh the traffic pattern altitude. So this is lowering it uh below 1,000 ft. Uh again, you know, the the 1000 ft is a standard nationwide. Um as Rob mentioned, you know, as as pilots are looking at some of these publications and you know, there's a lot of um student pilots and as the students are being taught, they're being taught a,000 ft. And then you know if you you have a different uh you know different recommendation at the airport it it can confuse pilots. Um and as well it would lower overflights uh over over portions of the city and uh with that the we concluded that that merit that alternative does not merit further consideration.

This uh was not one of the initial um measures that we discussed, but as we're talking with pilots, uh uh a couple of the pilots, and these are experienced pilots, they they suggested looking at a turn between 500 and 800 ft AGL. So, at the bottom of the screen, you see that typical uh traffic pattern. um you know potentially looking at having the aircraft turn earlier um you know could route aircraft through these areas um you know but it would it's unlikely to change what the traffic pattern would look like uh to the south and you know based on those conversations we uh we concluded that this merit this alternative merits further consideration is a voluntary measure. Not all pilots would uh feel comfortable um making this turn, but there may be some uh you know, experienced pilots uh that could do that to more um you know to decrease overflights of residential areas and over areas that are currently undeveloped. So this is uh discouraging straight out uh runway 32 departures. So that would be um you know aircraft departing along the runway center line of runway 32 as uh discussed earlier. There are there are certainly residential areas to the north in that area. Um and this is for aircraft that are leaving the the the Cottonwood area uh you know traveling to Prescat or or somewhere some point beyond. um to look at doing a slight right turn towards Pax Lake on departure. Um and this this is a a landmark that is out uh to the north. Um it would increase overflight of vacant land and away from uh residential areas and some pilots are are currently

using uh this procedure but it's not it hasn't been formalized in any way. Um so with that we concluded that the alternative merits further consideration as a voluntary measure. the chart supplement. Uh so this is the the resource that Rod mentioned. Um it has a a statement that says repetitive flight training is not authorized at night. Uh so nighttime uh for the purposes of of this these remarks are 6:00 p.m. uh to 8:00 a.m. on weekdays and 6 uh p.m. to 9:00 a.m. on uh weekends and holidays. So, uh, as we were having conversations about this, you know, this language could be changed from repetitive flight training to touchandgo operations. Um, it it's also important to note that the airport and the city do not have enforcement authority over this uh type of um, uh, statement. Um, so with that, we concluded that the uh, this alternative does not merit further consideration. But however uh you know Rod has some recommended recommended uh chart supplement uh revisions that he mentioned earlier. Uh then clarifying the number uh clarifying the limit of number of aircraft in the pattern. Uh so this could potentially decrease congestion. Uh and when we get additional aircraft in the traffic pattern, that elongates the pattern as well because uh they're they're following uh behind uh each other and giving each other space uh to land uh to land safely or to perform a touchandgo safely. Uh so when there are more than four aircraft in the pattern, uh there is the encouragement of full stop taxi backs. So, this is uh a little technical here, but then those aircraft would actually land and then taxi back and then take off again. I need to step away because I'm going to cough.

Nope, I'm back on. All right. Um, so this is currently implemented by FL some flight schools. However, you know, um, you know, when a flight school, uh, trainees are released to, well, actually, when they they make their request of where they're going to do their training, if they're from the same schools, if they already have four students over there, they won't send a fifth. However, uh, that doesn't necessarily apply to other flight schools. There's not coordination amongst flight schools, and there's not coordination amongst local pilots that are in using the pattern. So while one flight school may not uh send more than four uh that doesn't necessarily apply to all uh all users of the airport. However, so there there is some uh you know merit to uh looking in into this further to more widely publicize uh this type of behavior uh at Cottonwood airport. Could I ask um

Yes. How how does doing a full stop taxi back um minimize noise as compared to touch and goes? Uh it could potentially decrease the frequency uh you know increase the separation between overflights. Okay. Would would be the noise reduction.

Thank you. Mhm. Um so left-hand traffic on runway 32. So as I mentioned earlier, the the standard uh runway uh traffic pattern is a left hand. Uh so this is um I'm going to draw it here on the screen. So it would be departing to the north and then turning left. Uh and as I mentioned earlier, airports uh can choose to change that from left to right. Um as as I understand it, it is done because of the existing terrain features uh that are located to the uh to the west of the airport being Black Hills and Mingus Mountain. Um additionally, there's an existing Victor Airway on the sectional chart. So this is a a a a traffic path um where other aircraft could be operating. Um so in in talking with the pilots uh none were none of them were supportive of shifting that traffic pattern uh to the west. Uh so producing a pilot guide. So there's a lot of information and a lot of uh you know uh ideas that have have been shared through this process and and once kind of those recommendations are are finalized and those ideas are um you know agreed upon uh many airports put together what is called a pilot guide. So this is a a graphic depiction of noise sensitive areas. Uh it's usually the the primary resource for noise abatement uh information for pilots. Um and it can be printed uh posted distributed to flight schools uh and local itinerate uh pilots. So this would be on the website uh handed out uh we've seen 4x8 4T by 8 foot signs of that graphic. Um and we just think it those those can be helpful in communicating the community's desires

uh for these voluntary noise abatement measures. Uh and with that uh concluded that that would be uh merits further consideration. Um updating airfield signage. So these are the uh the signs that are actually out uh on the airfield. Um so as we looked at the various uh uh resources so this is the uh you know the the chart supplement uh the remarks in the the remarks in the chart chart supplement uh the airfield signage um it's not a consistent message to pilots. Um and so encouraging that you know after this after uh you know this item is considered um you know whatever the recommendation council is that is that message be consistent across the signage and the chart supplement and if you choose to uh uh you know authorize a pilot guide production of a pilot guide. Um and additionally it's noted that the noise abatement in effect is not clear. So as a pilot is approaching this sign and they see that it doesn't give them further information about uh you know how what what the expectations are uh in terms of flying in the community. So uh with that the conclusion with the is that the alternative merits further consideration. Uh so just in summary uh the the measures that we identified uh for um uh for further consideration um are the uh an early turn for single engine aircraft uh and TouchGo operations uh utilizing runway 32 and that of course would be you know it is a vol noted as a voluntary measure here and it it may be really only applicable for more experienced pilots and discouraging a straight out runway 32 departure. So that's a uh you know making that turn towards Beex Lake. Uh clarifying the number uh clarifying the limit to the

number of aircraft and traffic pattern. Uh pro uh producing and distributing a printable pilot guide containing the city's noise abatement information and updating airfield signage to recommend noise abatement procedures. And it's important to note that the as these strategies are finalized uh information in the chart supplement the pilot guide forflight which is a a re uh electronic resource uh the pilots use uh and the airfield signage should be reviewed and updated to ensure uh consistent messaging. With that be happy to answer any questions and I think uh Rod may have have a couple comments. Okay, Rod has a couple comments, but

I want the council to know that the existing chart supplement says the traffic pattern altitude for Cottonwood airport today is 500 ft for helicopters, 800 ft for single engine aircraft, 1,000 ft for twin engine aircraft, and 1,500 for turbine aircraft. I'm recommending that we leave that alone and not change that. We eliminate the language that was put in there that says climb to a thousand feet before you make any turns. Again, we shouldn't be in the business of telling pilots at what air speed to fly and what altitude to climb to. We have a traffic pattern altitude, and I think you should leave that alone. Uh it's been that way for a number of years. The airport commission recommends no more than three aircraft in the pattern at a time and they voted on that at their last meeting. Uh currently it's four. I can tell you from flowing flying Cessna 172 aircraft for hundreds of hours that you could climb it, get to 500 feet and start your turn on either runway and be very safe. Uh, and Imbry Riddle is currently based on what I've been told, uh, telling their students to start their turn at 700 feet and then climb to a,000. They could just as easily turn at 500. So, I think the chart supplement is an important diagram that we need to update. And I think that Mr. Lewis's recommendations are absolutely appropriate. We have before I got here started uh pilot guides with our previous on call airport planning uh firm and we could resurrect that and get those published and you know put electronically in because almost all the pilots now fly with an iPad and nobody uses paper stuff anymore. So that's all I ever used. So I would be happy to

answer questions. Mr. Lewis would be happy to answer any questions. We got a couple of questions. First one is you mentioned over 61,000 operations. Is is a touchandgo considered a landing and then a takeoff in those numbers? It is a landing and a takeoff. So it is two operations, right? Okay. Second question is who determines is it FAA determines the the size of the type of aircraft that can use Cottonwood airport? Who determines that?

The airport was designed to meet a certain type of aircraft design group. And so it was designed uh primarily for small uh aircraft typically under 12,500 pounds, but I can tell you yesterday we had a netjet come in and uh it's uh probably weighs 24,000 lb. So the airport is is not ever going to be a commercial service airport, but you may see more turbine aircraft in the future. We don't sell jet fuel. So that's

So my question maybe even fur further would be the weight of the aircraft, right? So the the the the asphalt or whatever would that who determines that and tell me about that.

When when the airport runway was designed, it was designed for a specific weight type of aircraft, not to exceed, for example, 20,000 lbs. Um the aircraft that landed the jet yesterday I think probably weighed 24,000 lbs. Um but they don't come very often. And so you can get so many passes over a you know a 30-day period that won't damage the asphalt. If those guys were coming every day, we would ask uh Dibble Engineering to analyze if if there should be a maximum weight that the aircraft can come in at.

Thank you.

So, um you mentioned, you know, the 500t turn. I just want to clarify that this is something since majority of the operations are Embry Riddle. You know, Mr. Lewis mentioned that you know ex you know this is a good procedure for experienced pilots and and you mentioned that Embry Riddle feels that student pilots can make the turn at 500 ft. I just want to clarify that basically anyone who's flying an airplane can make the turn at 500 feet. Council member Marks, I wouldn't say that. I can tell you having flown for thousands of hours that a CESA 172 can safely turn at 500 ft above the ground and still have options.

Okay. So, that would be something Embry Riddle potentially could be amanable to on a voluntary basis. Yes. I mean, they've been very amanable to the recommendations that the airport commission has made. For example, their arrival and departure to the north of the concrete stacks and then coming in to the from the north and the east. Do they depart over Clarkdale? Sometimes they do because I watch them on FlightAware, but I think they've told their people to not do that.

Um, and so if they're making a turn at 500 ft, do you have, you know, Mr. Wade at one time, you know, had this proposal about this early right turn and it kind, you know, the way he drew it out, it was kind of uh, you know, less populated residential areas. Would that would that be the intent, you know, uh, because Mr. Wagen during his public comment, you weren't here yet. No. His concern is that it would be turning over on the greens. I I'd love to tell you that, you know, if we make some recommendations that every airplane's going to fly over the same piece of ground every time, that's not true,

right? Based on weather and winds and the number of airplanes in the traffic pattern. By and large, if we leave the traffic pattern alone at 800 feet for single engine airplanes, I think it will bring the track of the majority of those farther to the south. Maybe over your house, but I'm not sure about that.

My wife will let me know. I'm sure. Um and so and I also want to clarify in the in the p um I just want to clarify the the proposed um instructions the the instru I'm sorry the airport chart the proposed chart supplement talks about discouraging more than three in pattern at once.

That's what we are the recommendation we're vote. What's one of the recommendations we're voting on today? I just want to clarify. I think what I'm asking and what the the commission is asking is for guidance on to what would be the appropriate language. First of all, we're not authorized as a city to tell pilots what to do. We can tell them what the taffric pattern altitude is altitude is. Tell them what the commin runway is. Um, but if I want to fly at 1500 ft in the pattern, I'm going to do that. And nobody's going to tell me I can't do that. Okay. I just want to be clear on what we're voting on.

I mean, the reason this issue I could have made all these changes a year ago in March just as the airport manager. I think this what we're talking about tonight has policy implications and the council should be involved in those and not just me unilaterally saying, "Okay, we're going to do this." I think you have an obligation to be involved on this decision. Well, I and I agree with you. I just want to make sure that I'm clear on what what decision we're making.

I agree with Council Member Marks. the the way the motion the the wording in the motion is written it is basically to accept the recommendations in the report which speak to limiting the number of aircraft in the traffic pattern. It doesn't say recommending um limiting the number of aircraft in the traffic pattern to no more than three. So I think that's something that maybe we could amend the motion to say that more clearly know understanding that it's voluntary.

It is all voluntary. It is a recommendation and what we're asking the pilot community is there's three in the pattern go away. I can tell you sometimes there's eight or 10 in the pattern. When you get Embry Riddle with four, Sierra Charlie out of Scottsdale with two, and the flight school out of Sedona with one, and then the local pilots trying to get in and out. That's pretty crowded pattern. And as Mr. Lewis pointed out, you know, the FAA since 1958 has controlled the airspace and what pilots do in that airspace. So, um, Mr. Probes, do you have the, um, wording for the chart supplement that we could look at on a slide? Do I have it on a sign?

A slide? I did not bring it on a slide. It was part of the packet. Okay. So, you asked you thought that we should provide input on that if I heard you correctly. I Yes. If you don't if you want to leave it not authorized, that's fine. We have no authority to authorize or not authorize.

We could request by discouraging activity during certain hours. I I thought that was more appropriate than not authorizing, but we could leave it not authorizing because it's voluntary. I would definitely get rid of climate V to a,000 ft upon departure. That makes no sense to me as a pilot or as an airport manager. So the the chart supplement council member remarks says as revised or proposed to be revised more than three aircraft conducting touch and grow touchandgo flight training in pattern discouraged. So I guess if we approve the motion we're approving this revised chart supplement. Is that correct? that that language or I will put anything in there that the council thinks is appropriate.

I I think it's more clear than not authorized, which was the language before, which was probably a little bit unclear.

I I'm not sure who put the not authorized in, but if you would have asked me back then, I would have said we don't want to say that. We have no authority to say that any more than we have the authority to say to a pilot, fly your airplane at this air speed to 1,000 ft. Well, I really think that, you know, what we're trying to get at here is is what is is written in um in the item itself, and that is um approval of recommendations to be incorporated into the FAA chart supplement for the Cottonwood Airport. And um trying to arrive at those precisely this evening may not be our real object. our our object is to approve the recommendation. However, I do have a couple of people who have requested to speak to this. So, before we entertain any motion, I I would like to have them um come up and and address um their concerns. So, yeah, if you guys would just stay with me for a minute. Uh Mr. Wagnon, I I I'll bring you back up. Um and and that way you you have the benefit of these two gentlemen to um to bounce this off of as well as council. Um I want to speak to to get some clarification here. Um the our airport traffic pattern 7 8 years ago and before that was 500 ft before Emry Riddle was flying here. Now, our experienced pilots, local pilots,

could fly, take off, climb to 500 feet, and turn, make a hard right turn and not fly over any homes. I call that threading the needle. They can make it to about where Colombia storage is now. That's about a half a mile. They were up at five or 600 feet. They could turn hard right and they could go right out between Garcetta Ranch Road and the next road closer to Cottonwood. When Emily Riddle started sending their planes over here, their pilots were trying to turn at 500 ft, but they don't climb as fast as experienced pilots. That's not the first thing on their mind. They were they were at five 600 feet when they were flying over pine shadows and on the greens and that's when they were turning at five or 600 ft over those residential areas. Well, that was a big push by the the residents and we started out at the airport commission and we ended up at the city council meeting and finally Mr. trip decided that the only solution here. We're not going to get those those trainee pilots to fly higher faster is to change the traffic pattern to 800 ft. That put them that gave them time to climb to where they're just pastine shadows before they got into their turn. And that reduced that noise at five or 6 hundred feet flying over your house. And remember, whether we like it or not, we are a training airport. 95% of the activity at our airport is training pilots. They really don't know how to fly all that well. They're learning and they're doing the safest

thing possible. That's one of the reasons why Emry Riddle has got them going up to 8, nine, 1,000 ft. And what they're what Emily Riddle looks like they're doing is they're staggering their turn areas. So they're not turning over the exact same homes every time. They're kind of going here, then go a little bit farther out and spreading the pain out and not over one place. So I would suggest we go with a,000 ft traffic pattern. That's standard FAA procedure is 1,000 foot. Now, can an experienced pilot take off and hit 500 feet? And if there's no one else in the pattern, can he crank it over and and fly out crosswind to 500 ft? Yes, he can.

So, thank you. All right. Thank you, Mr. Wagner. Hey, Mrs. Rose at last. Can I talk now? Yeah. Do come on up. Sorry for all of my confusion.

Good evening, U mayor and council. I'm here to ask you to approve the agenda item as presented by Mr. Propes. The airport commission's recommendations to maintain the chart supplement at 800 AGL um per the existing chart and remove the additional conflicting language and NOTM and reduce the number of aircraft in pattern. is a reasonable common sense step. It restores clarity and consistency and moves things back towards procedures that have worked since 1986. That chart supplement at 800 ft since 1986. In 2022, they moved all the noise to Clarkdale. Um I know the um I'm sorry you're you talked about moving well they did that in 2022 without any study at all. They just moved it to Clarkdale by increasing it by keeping the chart supplement as it is. It reduces reduces confusion for pilots by aligning guidance and eliminating conflicting information. I would ask if this is approved, the airport manager contact all the flight schools that are currently coming here to conduct repetitive flight training. I know we talked about us being a training airport. Embry Riddle is a part 141 flight school. They designate practice areas. That is part of their curriculum. We did improvements. The taxpayers Arizona did improvements in Slegman in Baghdad. It shouldn't be that we acquies to Embry Riddle to so we match their training program. That's what they want us to do to match their training program. That isn't Cottonwood's responsibility. If Embry Riddle wants to keep a,000 ft, send them to Slegman. Send them to Baghdad. this report that was conducted by Kaufman

Associates that you guys paid for 34 $37,000 only consulted with Embry Riddle and two local pilots. So again, the chart supplements's been there since 1986. All we're asking is the agenda be approved to remove all that crazy language in there and keep it the way it is. And most of the pilots that I watch when they're ex they know how to fly cuz I see them in our backyard can turn at 500 ft. Mr. Pope says that is absolutely safe. There was no safety study. You can't just assume it's safer to do one thing or another. But Mr. Popes is thousands and thousands of hours of flying says that's an appropriate time to turn. So I would again um respectfully ask for the support for this agenda item. Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions or comments from council?

I would just like to go on record that I love the bow tie. It's not often I get this pretty.

I would just like to say that I've sat in on a lot of airport commission meetings. Um, and I appreciate that this study was done. Um, and it has illustrated to me very clearly that there's no easy solution. Um, and there are not many things that we can do as a city. Um so I think what is presented in the report is um at least at this point in time the best that we can do. Um and I think some of us who um may have had less air traffic in the past may have a little bit more air traffic going in the in the future. Um but it it's one of those things that there's no easy solution that you know the airport will affect residents to certain extents and I think that's just this is what's being recommended is I think the best we can do at this time.

I just uh I appreciate the report itself. I I felt like um going through and and being able to read through the rationale for each of the the points was um very helpful in assisting me in understanding why the problem exists and why it will continue to exist. Apologies to everyone negatively affected, but um but yeah, there there are things that there are things in in the report that that are helpful. good good points that we can consider and continue to address our issues moving forward. um but with a a a greater understanding and I really um I I'm really supportive of of of creating clarity in the language, consistency and clarity in the language that's being presented so that so that everyone can have an understanding of what the expectations are for users of our airport.

Yeah, I think we're on the right track with this. I think it makes it more clear. I'm sure you've already done this, but posting it on the website, the whole nine yards. And I guess my biggest thing is doing what you're already doing, which is the collaboration and the communication with Embry Riddle and the other places and saying, "Hey, you know, we appreciate you're doing what you're doing, but by the way, we saw this wrong, and can you I think that's been effective from my point of view living at the end of the runway. I've seen changes. So I think just that collaboration, that communication with them has helped and that's all we can do anyway. So I think it's ma basically just holding them to be good neighbors. This is clear now. We want you to be good neighbors and I think we're there. So that's my opinion

and I agree with the former uh comments and hopefully uh full disclosure is the only one I can think of at this point. uh making it clear to the public and getting the word out as best we can on our website uh as as well in common language which is this this is what it was summarized uh would really make a big difference as well. So thank you Rod. This is you have done the best ever.

Thank you both. Are are you ready to make a motion? Actually, I just want to say that Kaufman and Associates, you guys have done an excellent job. I really like the presentation. I like the recommendations that you've made. I really like a lot of the verbiage that you've put in there. And hopefully some of the neighboring cities can can understand that we as a council, we hear them and we're trying to do everything that we can. And I I think this is going to really show that and and I I'm very appreciative. Thank you very much for for both of you.

So, I'll make a motion. I move that the recommendations of the Cottonwood Airport traffic pattern and runway use analysis be accepted and that the FAA chart supplement for the Cottonwood airport be changed to comply with the recommendations of the Cottonwood airport traffic pattern and runway use analysis and those of the city's airport manager. I will second that. Council member Dwillis, yes. Council member D, yes. Council member Marks, yes. Council member Mosley, yes. Council member Wen, yes. Vice Mayor Coats, yes. And Mayor Shaw, yes.

And that motion carries. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Do we make a motion that uh from now on, Mario has to wear a bow tie? Yes. Take it under consideration. If he does, you do. too was smitten by Rod's appearance tonight. All right. Um, next is council member request for future agenda item. Is does anyone have anything that

I have a request um for an a future agenda item on the performance review process for individuals reporting to uh city council um in areas such as the self-evaluation form um an option to solicit broad-based feedback etc. Um and that this be done prior to the next performance review. I second that. All in favor? I I I I move to approve the claims of April 22 21st, 2026. Second. All in favor? I I move to adjurnn. Second.

All in favor? I Thank you. Thank you all.