City Council - Regular Meeting

six o'clock I'll go ahead and call the meeting to order can we do a roll call please

Council Member De Willis.

I'm here.

Council Member Dowell.

Here.

Council Member Marks.

Present.

Council Member Mosley. Present. Council Member Wilden is absent. Vice Mayor Coates.

Here.

And Mayor Schaaf. Here. We have a quorum.

Okay. Next, would you all join me for the pledge, please? I pledge allegiance. indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Next, we have a brief summary of current events. The public body does not propose, discuss, deliberate, or take legal action on any matter brought up during this summary unless the 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.

do you want to go yeah i'll um start off on september 3rd council attended the grand opening of the verde life plus style boutique in old town this is part of the former combs building in old town that has undergone a massive renovation the store offers a really nicely curated collection of fun items and even better it is another locally owned and managed business The same day I participated in a conference call with our economic development manager and representatives from active Arizona as well as local bicycle advocacy groups and the purpose was to introduce the parties to each other and talk about how bicycling and other outdoor activities can benefit the city economically. On September 9th, the city hosted U.S. Congressman Eli Crane and provided him with a tour of federally funded city facilities, including our wastewater, transit, and airport facilities. And Council then had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Crane and his aides on topics including housing. And then my last thing was I wanted to acknowledge the grand opening of the newly remodeled Journey Church facility on Main Street near the post office. I think many of us have observed the construction going on over the past year. And I just wanted to remark that this church community has been part of our city for many years, starting actually at Old Town on Pima. then moving on to mingus in 1972 and so they've done a fabulous job of rehabbing the old building and many of us know the church because of its food pantry project rising hope that provides a lot of food and other services to our community thank you on september 10th council attended the grand opening of

Queen Bee Sushi in Old Town. It's great to see Mr. Keenan's continued, Mr. and Mrs. Keenan's continued commitment to Cottonwood and Old Town. and I can tell you that I'm not a sushi fan, but the sashimi is fresh and it's good. On the 12th, Councilmember Mosley and I attended Camp Verde's 40th anniversary and State of the Town event. A little bit rainy at the start, but still well attended and very well run considering the challenging conditions. Mayor Moore did a great job doing an overview of the 40 years of Camp Verde and it was good to have the chance to support our neighbors.

Not sending anything additional from Council met a mayor members of Council a couple of items for this evening tomorrow morning Riverfront Park will be closed starting at 06.00AM. To the public in preparation for Thunder Valley rally we ask that the public not under the main park area or softball fields during this closure the public will still be allowed to use amenities that will remain open such as the skate park disc golf skate rink and other public parks such as cottonwood kids Park and garrison Park. Riverfront Park is scheduled to be reopened on Sunday, September 20th at noon. If you'd like more information regarding this year's Thunder Valley Rally event, please visit thundervalleyrallyaz.com. And also the city's hosted international observed the moon night has been rescheduled from September 19th to October 17th. And then if I could just add on a personal note, I have served food at project rising hope. It's an incredible event there and to see what they do for the community for folks that are looking to volunteer, they can always use volunteers there and they serve a tremendous amount of people each week.

Okay, that concludes the brief summary. I'll continue with proclamations. I have two this evening. The first is a proclamation regarding Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Whereas ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the United States, and the American Cancer Society estimates that in 2026, approximately 21,010 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 12,450 will die from the disease nationwide, including an estimated 510 new cases and 330 deaths in Arizona. and whereas a woman's lifetime risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer is approximately 1 in 91, and her lifetime risk of dying from the disease is approximately 1 in 143. And whereas due to vague nonspecific symptoms in the absence of a reliable early detection test, the majority of women are diagnosed at stage three or later when the cancer has already spread beyond the ovaries. And whereas although the five-year survival rate for stage one ovarian cancer exceeds 90%, only 15% of cases are diagnosed at this early stage. For those diagnosed in later stages, the five-year survival rate drops below 30%. And whereas while screening tools such as mammograms and pap tests exist, for breast and cervical cancers no equivalent screening test exists for ovarian cancer making awareness of symptoms and risk factors essential for early intervention and whereas Increased public education about ovarian cancer can help save lives by promoting earlier diagnosis, supporting access to gynecologic oncology care, and encouraging research funding for better detection and treatment options. And whereas during the month of September, the City of Cottonwood joined survivors, families, health care professionals, advocacy organizations and all those committed to raising awareness, remembering lives lost and offering hope for a future with better outcomes and ultimately a cure. Now, therefore, I, Mayor Ann Shaw, do hereby proclaim September 2026 as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in the City of Cottonwood, Arizona, and encourage all residents to participate in awareness activities, wear teal in support, and engage in conversations that help save lives and support the thousands of families affected by this devastating disease. In witness whereof I and shop have caring to set my hand and cause the seal of the city of cottonwood to be a fixed this 1st, day of September, 2026. I realize it's the 15th, but it was meant to be for the entire month. So, thank you.

She needs to be muted.

Thank you.

May I say a few words, please? Yes, would you please? Thank you. Thank you. My name is Rachel Sackett-Puttman, and I'm here as a Stage 3 ovarian cancer survivor, driver, and advocate, and as a proud Arizona resident of the past 20 years. Thank you, Mayor Shaw and the council members of the City of Cottonwood for once again recognizing September as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Arizona is where I built my adult life, my marriage, my career, and my survivorship. So receiving this proclamation from the city of Cottonwood is so deeply meaningful. Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest cancers affecting women, yet it remains one of the most underfunded and least understood. Over 21,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed this year, and more than 12,000 will lose their lives, which is about a 60% mortality rate. Most women are diagnosed at advanced stages because symptoms are vague and there's still no reliable early detection test. For many of us, that lack of awareness is the difference between catching cancer early and fighting for our lives. I was diagnosed at 38 with a rare subtype called low-grade serous ovarian cancer, a chronic disease with no standard of care and an 85% recurrence rate. Like many women, I lost my ability to have biological children, dreams my husband and I I hadn't yet fulfilled. And this year, I've suffered some very deep losses, losses that weigh heavily on me and remind me why awareness is so urgently needed. Every teal light, every social media message, and every proclamation, including yours, helps someone recognize symptoms earlier and brings a much-needed attention to this insidious disease. These actions truly save lives and honor the women we've lost far too soon. Thank you for standing with survivors, honoring the women we've lost, and helping to protect families across the city of Cottonwood and the great state of Arizona. Your continued leadership makes a real and lasting difference. Together, we can shine a light on this gravely overlooked disease and give hope to the women and families who need it most.

Thank you, Mrs. Putman. I'm pleased to issue this proclamation today.

I appreciate it. Thank you so much.

Okay. My next proclamation is regarding Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. Whereas Pitt-Hopkins syndrome is a rare and severe neurological genetic disorder caused by a spontaneous mutation or deletion of the TCF4 gene, and whereas Pitt-Hopkins affects brain and nervous system development and is characterized by intellectual disability and developmental delay, breathing problems, epilepsy or recurrent seizures, gastrointestinal issues, lack of speech, and distinctive facial features. and whereas children with Pitt-Hopkins syndrome typically have a happy, excitable demeanor with frequent smiling and laughter, and whereas approximately 2,000 people worldwide have been diagnosed with Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, and whereas even though the cause of Pitt-Hopkins syndrome is known, there are currently no treatments available for this disorder. And whereas the Pitt Hopkins Research Foundation celebrates September 18th each year as the International Pitt Hopkins Syndrome Awareness Day to raise awareness and funding for research, this date was chosen to bring attention to the disorder's cause, which is a spontaneous mutation or deletion on the 18th chromosome. And whereas the Pitt Hopkins Research Foundation is an all-volunteer organization of families and professionals dedicated to finding a cure for Pitt Hopkins Syndrome through, pardon me, Through research, funding, education, and advocacy, its goal is to bring practical treatment into current medical practice. Now, therefore, I, Ann Shaw, Mayor of Cottonwood, Arizona, do hereby proclaim September 18th, 2026, as Pitt Hopkins Syndrome Awareness Day in the City of Cottonwood, Arizona, and encourage all citizens to increase awareness and understanding of Pitt Hopkins Syndrome in order to assist those individuals and families who live with this condition every day of their lives. Do you want to say anything on behalf of this, Mr. Gaylord?

Mayor, thank you. As the attorney, I'll go ahead and make a comment. The city does have a member of its extended legal team who has a child who is living with Pitt Hopkins. I'll say that I've met Cody, and the resolution is very true, a smiley, happy, joyful young man. And so obviously we hope the proclamation has its intended effect and helps raise some awareness and maybe brings closer to some treatment for this disorder. Thank you, Mayor.

Okay. Thank you. Okay, next we have call to the public. The public may address the council and matters 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 three minute timeframe 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. I do have a few here this evening. Tim Perry.

Good evening, Councillors. My name is Tim Perry. I live in Sedona. I'm here tonight for two reasons. The first reason is to call on the Mayor of Cottonwood to apologize to Cottonwood and the surrounding communities for twice violating open meeting law at the last City Council meeting. In the first instance, open meeting law does not permit a public official presiding over a public body to censor an entire relevant topic from discussion during the public forum. Open meeting law allows public bodies to impose time, place, and manner restrictions on speech, but with only some very narrow exceptions, bodies may not impose content restrictions on speech. The mayor's attempt to declare that flock spy cams could not be discussed at all was a content restriction and thereby violated open meeting law. In the second instance, when the mayor attempted to stop a speaker for criticizing a city official, that was again a violation of open meeting law because it was a content restriction rather than a time, place, and manner restriction. Both of these actions were violations of state law, the law the council and the mayor have sworn to uphold, and the community and the surrounding communities deserve an apology. The second reason I'm here tonight is because of this block of text on the Cottonwood Council agendas every time that says the mayor may stop speakers for certain topics or for making attacks on certain persons. Well, actually, as we've just mentioned, no. The exceptions in the open meeting law are very narrow with regard to content. Criticism of public officials is protected by the protection of content of speech. In fact, both the Attorney General's office and the courts have been extremely explicit that criticism of public officials up to and including stating that a public official should be killed is protected speech, period. This is why these laws exist, to protect our right to criticize officials. What's more, this block of text on the Cottonwood Council agenda is very similar to the council criticism policy done in Surprise that now has the city defending a First Amendment lawsuit in federal court. A wise council would remove this language before it can lead to anything. We know you guys aren't thrilled with free speech. Well, state law protects us and you're going to sit here and listen to it. Apologize and pull the language.

Next I have a request to speak about surveillance with no name on it. Do you know who you are? Okay, would you mind could I ask you to we pass that down You were distracted perhaps

Thanks. Sorry about that. Hi, my name is Isabel Arango, and I'm a Clarkdale resident and a systems engineer in the defense industry. First of all, I just want to say thank you for suspending the flock cameras. We appreciate this. Second, what is happening in this community right now is beautiful. Opposition to mass surveillance technology is one of the few truly bipartisan movements in America right now. Americans across the political spectrum are finding common ground here. To me, I see it as that and Dolly Parton that's holding us all together. In a time when it can feel like every agenda is striving towards division, we have found common ground in the Verde Valley, and that's worth pausing on. There's hope here. I work with complex technological systems professionally. I understand how they are designed, how they scale, and how mission creep happens. You build a system for one purpose, and the technology makes expansion frictionless. And the technology always seems exciting at first, like it will solve so many problems. Crime will go down, missing people will be found, communities will be safer. That's the sales pitch. Then the data shows that 649 searches run on a neighboring Community Flocks Network, and fewer than 20 are related to human trafficking justification used to secure the grant funding. Once this infrastructure is in place, it does not shrink. It always grows. It's not an opinion. That's systems engineering. I overheard someone at the Cottonwood Rec Center recently say that they weren't worried about the cameras because they don't do anything wrong. And I understand that. It's comforting. But the comfort only holds if you trust that what counts as doing something wrong never changes, that the data is never misused, and that the private corporation with no accountability to you will always protect your interests over its own. I'm not that trusting, and I don't think you should be either. But this is not just a technical argument, it's a constitutional one. The Constitution is not a finished document, it's a living argument that we've been having with each other for 250 years. An argument about who deserves protection and whose rights are real and how much power we're willing to let accumulate in the hands of a few. Every generation has had to show up and make that argument again, sometimes loudly, sometimes brashly. The answer to who benefits from the world we have built has not changed. It's not us. It is a private corporation backed by venture capital whose obligation is to its investors, not to the people of Cottonwood. We cannot outsource our safety, our privacy, or our constitutional rights to an entity that answers to its shareholders before it answers to us. A corporation does not take an oath to protect and serve. It takes a profit motive, and we should never confuse the two. That's what we're having. The argument is what we're having in the town of Cottonwood, right?

What's bringing us together.

And the people showing up aren't outside of the democratic process. We are the democratic process. So I'm sorry, I know I'm going over, but I have three small asks. One is that on September 22nd,

Point of point of order Point of order what we've reached the time limit So to treat everybody equally, I believe we should give everybody the same amount of time Thank you.

Thank you Rainy shower

Good evening, Mayor, members of council. As a now five-year resident of the Verde Valley, I want to thank the city for rescinding their agreement with flock safety and covering the flock devices with trash bags immediately, protecting the safety of the residents and visitors of our city. You'll have my full commendations when they come down entirely and get turned into scrap, since they're still collecting Bluetooth and other electronic data on cell phones, vehicles, and any other device as long as they remain switched on. On September 2nd, 2025, I delivered my concerns about these devices before this council, and I encourage you to review the efforts by the cities of Sedona and Flagstaff to remove these unsafe artificial intelligence enabled public surveillance devices from community spaces. I come to you again today with a request. I would like the council to commit through a city ordinance that no third party AI enabled automated license plate readers or surveillance devices of this type will be deployed against the citizens and tourists of this city. Motorola, aka Vigilant, Axon, Rekor, AutoView, and many more similar companies and devices are being utilized by police departments, HOAs, federal and state authorities across the nations, skirting public outcry over flock cameras because we focus on the specific vocabulary of flock out. I'm here to say that the values of this town do not reflect the kindness towards the surveillance state these support. I encourage the Cottonwood City Council or any other city organization with the power to make these agreements to consider the backlash already received by this before deploying any similar devices against the citizens of our little town. We will not ignore any new agreements with another similar company just because we did not explicitly name and shame them. Let it be said, we don't just want to flock out Cottonwood. We want third party AI-enabled surveillance devices completely banned from this city. Allow the police to rely on traditional methods of data collecting on suspects, such as getting judicial warrants for cell phone and vehicle data, or getting permission for secure government monitored and owned devices that require oversight, and not allow the people who work, live, and visit our town to become guilty until proven innocent. So my point today is this. The City of Cottonwood government needs to commit through city ordinance to no ALPR or AI surveillance devices in Cottonwood, not just Flock. Keep surveillance out of rural Arizona. Thank you.

Linda Migrano.

Hello, City Council. January 2023, I hired a licensed contractor to do some landscaping and to build a six by 40 foot patio covering in my backyard. After paying the down payment, he started work in February 2023 and backed out of his contract because he refused to follow through on the building permit for the patio covering, which it was understood that permit was mandatory. We agreed he would send me a refund statement for work done and breakdown of charges for my refund. I noticed he charged me for grading work not in contract and work not done. He also owed me more money from his calculations on my refund statement. After a very loud phone call with his contractor, I contacted the Arizona ROC. June 2023, I had an inspection in my backyard with the Arizona ROC inspector and contractor. The contractor admitted he refused to apply for a permit, couldn't prove grading was done, and the inspector said that a six to a 10 inch slope was needed from the house foundation, which was not done. When I received my report from the inspector, nothing we discussed in my backyard was in the report. The inspector sent me a refund statement from the contractor that had my forged signature. I told the inspector that was not my signature and why he did not question why my refund statement that I filed with the Arizona ROC does not have a signature. The inspector claimed since I signed the refund statement, I was not due any money from the contractor. February 2024th, I took the contractor to small claims court here at the Verde Valley Courts and in court in front of the judge assistant and the contractor and I, the contractor claimed he knows it's my signature on the refund statement because it matches my signature on my driver's license. To my surprise, the judge never asked him how he would know that. There was a second time in court when the judge was questioning me about paperwork that the contractor sent me, but never questioned the contractor. Who does the contractor know that works at the Arizona DOT? I had a difficult time with the round table, who gave me wrong information, suggested I spend $3,000 to have the signature analyzed, and added a laugh. They also refused to give me a copy of my report when I asked for one and told the boss would not release it. I did receive a report and you can imagine what was said about me. I want to thank City Hall and two policemen who were very professional and took my case seriously. I have contacted the director of Arizona ROC and other departments. I have sent documents to state representatives and hope that other people in this city will come forward to tell their stories. What I have said tonight is just half what I have been through, and no citizen should have to tolerate it. Thank you. Thank you. Good night.

Lori Peterson.

Good evening, Mayor and City Council. I have 394 signatures that were collected. My name is Lori Peterson. I am with the Indivisible Group, Cottonwood, Clarkdale, and Cornville. I am a resident here in Cottonwood. Through our organization and at events here in the city, our organization has collected, like I said, 394 signatures, which I would like to present when I'm done with this talk. Upwards of 200 individuals provided comment. and I would like to just briefly read a few of your constituents' comments about the topic of flock cameras that we have in the city and overall general the ALPR technology. Cara stated, please follow your oath of office and our constitution. It's easy and that's what you have agreed to do. Remember that you want to be on the right side of this and stand for America and our future as free people. Christine wrote, my entire household is against the invasion of privacy that flock cameras represent. The odds of this technology being misused is tremendous. While it may have had good intentions, we feel it is a violation of privacy and will eventually be used like in a warrantless search. Sherry wrote, while I'm a big supporter of law enforcement, I am not okay with having my privacy taken away because of criminals. This goes against our constitutional rights which our government officials, community officials, law enforcement, et cetera, promised to protect. Mark wrote that he is a lifelong resident of 67 years here in Cottonwood, and he never thought that we would have elected officials that care so little for the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution that they would let an outside corporation spy on its own citizens. He finds it shameful. Elizabeth wrote that she is not a Cottonwood resident, but she does travel in Cottonwood frequently. She asks not to adopt the use of this technology that violates the privacy of people who live in and visit our town. Kristen states that flock cameras have no place in our community. They are used to gather information that is private and sold to a third party for information. And I will close with, I'm sorry. I will close with Christopher, who just said unconstitutional. These are your constituents.

They voted for you.

They may not have voted for you, but regardless, they are your constituents. You have an ethical and civic responsibility and duty to hear their words.

Thank you.

And who do I give this to, if I may, if this is the time? Okay.

Kathy Ransom.

Kathy Ransom, almost 24-year resident of the City of Cottonwood. I would like to say I don't agree with what Mr. Perry said, but I'd agree with everything else that I've heard tonight. While the concerns about Law enforcement who have access to the data from the flock cameras tracking girlfriends, wives, ex-girlfriends, ex-wives is deeply concerning. I recently read something that chilled me to the bone. Last November, Flock Cameras was giving a conference in Denver, and as an example of how one might use the technology, they said, let's take, for example, a No Kings protest like you had here last June. We could track everyone who attended that protest. That strongly suggests to me that it's not simply a matter of tracking criminals that makes flock cameras so interesting to our federal government. I would like to know the source of the grants because my understanding is that this is not currently costing the city of Cottonwood anything. If this is a federal grant, ask yourself why the federal government would be so interested in providing this money to the city of Cottonwood. I'd also like to point out that I have noticed that the majority of people speaking out about the flock cameras are women. We feel stopped by this technology. I would like the women on the council to consider how safe they really feel, whether they are doing anything or not. any gentlemen on the council don't understand what i'm talking about i would be happy to try to explain my personal perspective in a private conversation we can have coffee i also think it's very important that after the work session there'll be further discussion and i know you can't vote at the work session but at the following meeting additional conversation and at before the vote, you should probably all go on record as to why you are voting exactly the way you are. I do not fear the Cottonwood Police Department. I think every interaction that I've ever had with Cottonwood PD has been, even when I was maybe not doing quite the right thing, they were extremely professional, they were courteous, they were respectful. We don't know who we will have on our PD in the future. We don't know who our chief will be in the future. Making those cameras the normal is dangerous for all of us. Thank you.

Okay. That concludes call to the public. Next is the consent agenda. The following items are considered to be routine and non-controversial by the council and will be approved by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a council member or a citizen so requests, in which case the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda. The first item that we have is a consideration and approval of the appointment of two new members. And this is an item that I am going to request be tabled for the current moment due to the fact that there is a possibility that the Cottonwood Youth Commission may be undergoing restructuring. We are going to be looking to continue working with many of the wonderful students who I praise heavily. They're great. They're doing a great job, and I'm hoping that we can continue to work together with them. But I...

Mayor, I make a motion to table consent agenda number one, which has to do with the appointment of Cottonwood Youth Commission.

Can we, are we able to have discussion?

Council could have discussion on that if you see. I would say that I was planning to ask that it be pulled and tabled as well. This recommendation kind of got out ahead of Mr. Thiel and I. We have some ongoing discussions about all of our commissions and the open meeting law. This particular one tends to be a challenge for the Youth Commission. And so we want to take a look and just if we could ask if council could table this indefinitely until we can come up with the structure and then bring the structure for a revised commission, which would likely not be a council appointed commission, but an advisory body and bring that back to council for consideration.

All right. Thank you.

I'll second that motion.

All in favor. All right. Which brings us to the 2nd point on the consent agenda, which is consideration and approval of job order number 5 with Timothy construction company for the grading electrical work and construction of a block wall fence. At the new Verde Santa Fe number 2 well site in an amount not to exceed 561,000 dollars.

Mayor, I make a motion to approve consent agenda item number two. And I'll second.

All in favor? Aye. Okay, moving into new business. The following items are for council discussion, consideration, and possible legal action. Number one is consideration and approval of the award of the community impact grant funding for FY2027 total amount not to exceed $125,000.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. Kirsten Lennon, the Administrative Services Director. Tonight, in your communication packet, and I'm going to give a very brief presentation on the Community Impact Grant and the program and the award of the grant to seven organizations that applied for the funding. Just wanted to give a brief history of this program that has evolved in various ways over a very long period of time. Started out as the building community grants at $15,000 in 2016. In 2020, it got changed to the outside agency funding at $100,000. In fiscal year 22, it got changed to $150,000 budget. In 25, it got changed to $180,000 budget. In 26, it was a $290,000 budget. And this last year in December, or not December, sorry, we brought, An item to you for discussion and consideration to change the grant program, have it be more focused on the vulnerable population, but meeting our strategic plan, reducing the funding, and then also limiting the ask from the grant applicants to a $25,000 grant process. We then put out advertisements in May for this program and got applications back. Again, the funding is 125,000 that they can ask from zero to 25,000. Funding for the programs or projects that should benefit Cottonwood residents and not be operational in nature. We opened the proposals on May 11th, and they were due on June 15th. And their criteria included things such as being a nonprofit with current operating bylaws. Programs and projects must primarily benefit residents of the city of Cottonwood. We didn't say they had to 100% or we would not fund if it was outside of the city. serving outside residents because several of the grant awards that we've done in the past have been to the schools and not all of the schools are within the city limits have been to the mission which the mission serves people from anywhere they're not selective on their service to those individuals We made sure that the proposals addressed demonstrated community need and that the applicants had to be able to execute the contract, had to be a program or a project and not operational. And then we require that they do quarterly financial reporting as long as financials with their application and that they need to do a final report at the end of the fiscal year. We received 17 applications for a total of $288,369, and we as a committee of five people evaluated these applications based on this criteria. We looked at the identification and documentation of community need, appropriate funding request, the ability to meet that need through the program funding, the degree to which the proposal met the city's strategic plan, or at least was looking at pieces of the city's strategic plan, and then the documentation of the development of planning and the background. We compiled those five people's scores and the totals, we looked at the totals from those scores, and determined that we could say that if you did not score an 80 or above, we could take your application and put it aside. Anybody who scored 80 and above, we looked at their application and then we decided to award them based on the percentage above the 80%. And then we calculated those awards based on that and determined that we could do a portion of every of the grant applications that we decided to award above 80. We did remove the senior center, they did apply, and they did a score above 80, but they are currently in negotiations for a service contract with the city for the same services, so we felt that they should not be part of this group. Some of the things that were awarded as part of this grant, if these do get passed, is the Old Town Mission wants to provide supplies for the Foundations of Dignity project, which is to do packaging supplies to hopefully distribute 16,000 meals, hygiene supplies, and essential hydration supplies or water bottles for the homeless population. House of Ruth wanted to have a baby boutique family supply and safety project that would provide essential infant goods like diapers and formula and car seats and other items. As part of their award, they did request for some informational material to go with it, and we only awarded $16,000 of their $18,000 request, so we are not considering that as part of the award for the informational material. It's just for the wipes and diapers and those types of tangible goods. low-income student aid does educational assistance programs they have been here several times and been awarded money through this program before and they just basically help students in need by providing meals or paying off lunch fees or doing registrations for sporting events and for the prom or for graduation and things that students may not have the funding in their own family to cover The Science Vortex is going to have a family maker space night and a little learner STEM night. And it's two days a week that they will be doing those for, I think it was like a year long process. Two nights a week they do these programs. Wheel Fun does the youth cycling programs at Mountain View Prep. Cottonwood Community School and Dr. Daniel Bright and they do an after school biking program for the kids and they also do a summer program now where they're helping with biking. They provide all the equipment and they provide an instructor and someone to work with the kids and it's free to the applicants that join the program. And then Verde Valley Habitat for Humanity is going to continue a portion of their critical care program that they had received CDBG funding this last year, and so they're gonna continue that program for the $20,000 that they were awarded to help individuals with housing needs such as air conditioning or those types of things. And then the Verde Valley Sanctuary asked for funding for a drainage and mold remediation project to help continue their sheltering support. And with that, I will answer any questions. I said it was a really short presentation.

I'm sorry, Kirsten, can you go back, or Miss Monning, can you go back to, go back, there you go, thank you.

I just want to make the comment that I appreciate the effort of the committee, the process. I have no qualms about this. I think it looks good and am interested in those who were selected. I wish everybody could have been, of course. I do. But I think that the selections make sense. And so I'm good to go.

Ms. Lennon, in your slide about requests for proposals, it talks about most recent year-end financial statements must be included. Are, totally out of ignorance, are nonprofits required to be audited? And if they are required to be audited, their financial statements required to be audited, are we getting audited financial statements?

We only have requested in the past and in this program that if they were requesting over $50,000 that we required an audited financial statement. Other than that, we have said if you're requesting and getting under $50,000, we just would like to see a financial statement and your finances.

Okay. Thank you. And just to answer your question, they're not required to have an audit like that?

Any other questions about this?

No, I, I'll just say this. I wish we could fund them all. There's a lot of ones on there that I. You know, are near and dear to my heart, and I think that it would be great, but. I mean, with the way we are in this economy, and it is, um. I hope that the money that we're granting this year can. Go a long way.

I'm sure that the organizations that have been selected will be very appreciative of the funds coming their way If there are no other comments or questions we can Make a motion to Approve this at this point

So I move to approve the following funding amounts for the fiscal year 2027 community impact grant program subject to approval of the final form of respective funding agreements by the city attorney. Old Town Mission $22,000, low income student aid $22,000, Verde Valley Habitat for Humanity $21,000 Brody Valley Sanctuary, $20,000. Wheel Fund, $17,000. House of Ruth, $16,000. And Science Vortex, $7,000.

And I'll second the motion.

Okay. Could we do a roll call vote for that, please? Council Member De Willis.

Yes.

Councilmember Dowell?

Yes.

Councilmember Marks?

Yes.

Councilmember Mosley?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Coates? Yes. And Mayor Shah? Yes. And that motion carries.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Yes.

Next is councilmember request for future agenda item. Do we have any such requests at this point in time?

Council, if I could clarify the discussion of the goals, measuring goals and that sort of thing will actually be at the November work session. I forgot to amend that. And then just as a reminder, on the 22nd, we have the work session on the automated license plate readers.

All right, okay, thank you. Okay, if there are no requests for future agenda items, next is the claims report.

I will move to accept the claims report of September 1, 2026.

I'm sorry, that was a typo. It should be September 15th.

I will make a motion to accept the claims report for September 15th, 2026.

I'll second. All in favor? Aye. Thank you.

I'll make a motion for adjournment.

Second that. All in favor?

Aye.

We are so adjourned.