Mayor and Council - Special Meeting

Well,

Mr. Mayor, it's time.

I'd like to call the special meeting to order at right now it's 2.47. Roll call, please.

Mayor Jose Grijalva.

Here.

Councilmember Ida Pedregal. Present. Councilmember Jose Montano.

Here.

Councilmember Gustavo Durazo. Councilmember Ray Shelton. Present. Councilmember Maria Dillman. Councilmember Rachel Acosta. Present. City Manager Honor Akiko. City Attorney Dennis Fitzgibbons.

Present.

City Treasurer Alejandro Martinez.

Thank you. Item three, President's wish to address the council on writing or voting on any item not on the agenda. Do we have anyone? Not on the agenda.

Oh, that's good.

Yes. Item four, discussion decision on approval of a funding award to the Arizona Border Alliance for tournament expenses for the juniors baseball team for playoffs in Bend, Oregon. Item A, funding award to the Arizona Border Alliance for tournament expenses for the juniors baseball team for playoffs in Bend, Oregon. We do have somebody who would like to address the council. Mr. Attenbrake.

Well, no, I have to bring it on the floor, right? Yes.

May I have a motion to approve the fund funding or. Do I have a motion to bring this to the floor? Mr.

I move that the mayor and council approve the city and contribute 14,000 dollars. When the vision 2032 line item to the Arizona alliance border lines. In support of the junior division, playoffs travel expenses.

They have a 2nd 2nd motion by Mr. a 2nd by Mr. Shelton. For discussion Mr Adam break. Sorry about that.

Thank you.

Name that a break. I'm here as a parent coach literally board member and member of the community. My wife and I, we blow this community for the 8 years. We've been here. These kids are special. This is a special place. This is a special league. 1st of all asking council. And I don't think there's any doubt approved the funding for these kids. These kids have earned it. Everything else that's going on, I do think needs to be addressed, but 1st, and foremost, these kids are in the opportunity to represent Douglas and should not be. Punished for any sort of mismanagement, whatever it may be. That said, I really don't think handing the money over without any sense of accountability. Is that all a responsible thing? Approving the funds with safeguards ultimately is what I believe needs to be done. The money should be used only for verified team expenses, such as travel, lodging, turning costs, uniforms, meals, or other direct player expenses. The city can pay vendors directly, reimburse families and receipts, or require documentation before funds are released. Additionally, I think there does need to be a clear condition. youth sports is an important part of douglas and i believe the city of douglas could play a bigger role in the administration of these youth sports and i think city of douglas has the skill set that would be needed to help these these youth sports leagues be able to thrive in terms of the administrative side of the job before future seasons i think the city really should review the processes going forward I think that review should include how Douglas Little League uses city fields, concession stands, public facilities, how money is handled, how All-Star eligibility is verified, how parents are communicated with, and what accountability standards should be required in the future. I think the city doesn't just have the right, I think they have the duty to step in and help with the operations of the league and a failure Friendly to operate in a transparent, clear manner should result in the city doing the responsible thing and demanding accountability withholding taxpayer funded assets of the ball fields, concessions, parks, et cetera. I think we could as a city probably be more aggressive on how we give. Access to the fields that I think that could be a tool that could be used to help the city. Help the leagues run run a little cleaner. Not about punishing kids. It's not about attacking volunteers. The league has great volunteers. You've got people who've stepped up. A lot of great baseball, a lot of great softball lines, but ultimately I really do think the league Needs a need some nonprofit business minds. It needs some city employees to help out. Um, perhaps how, however you want to do it, um, having a married sports council. I don't know. Something, uh, something that you can do to help these leagues. Succeed so we don't get stuck in a position at the end of the season where we're coming to have to ask for a large sum of money, or we can know how we operate what we're doing. Um, I really think the city holds all the cards with the access to the ball fields. I think the city has the funding to also support these youth groups. Right? Additionally, get the money. Supporting quicker to help with some mix ups. We've had a few mix ups this season when it comes to tournament times who runs what concessions, you know, so and so runs a concession stand because so and so the city said they could. Yeah, there has been mix ups, I think, on both sides. So, you know, my. My request fund the kids don't punish the kids. But fund it with strings attached, make sure that we are asking. The right questions demanding the right accountability. To make it even easier for you guys. On the 2nd page wrote exactly how to word the motion. If you're approving a disbursement today, you'll see written there. And if you're adding an item to vote on disbursement later, you'll see the wording there, according to Robert's rules. But I, I, I love this town. I love this league. I have the opportunity to coach 13 amazing kids. And I believe that this city has the talent. to have a state and a regional tournament team on the regular. But I think the city, I think the little league, I think we all need to come together. We just need to do a better job to make sure that it's administered properly so that this talent doesn't go wasted. We have a lot of talent. I'm convinced we have more talent than just about any league that I've ever seen. But not administer properly. I'm not sure that really matters. So I would ask you guys. Fund it, but fund it with straight attached, make sure you're getting involved. Make sure that literally is allowing you to be involved as well. Thank you guys for your time.

Mr.

Thank you. I agree with that's 1 of my recommendations. There should be some. Well, if it's not. I can't think of the word. I'm sorry.

Oversight.

It's not just give them money, but make sure it's being used like it's meant to be. So thank you very much. I really agree with what you said. Yes, but thank you.

And I just want to say yesterday when I talked to the team and the parents, Ms. Elsa Roscoe is here, that's going to go through the Arizona Border Alliance. She has said that she will bring a report to council the next meeting right in the August meeting when they're done to tell us how it was all spent. So that was one of the conditions.

Mr. Mayor.

Mr. Acosta.

Yes, Mr. Brigg, thank you so much. I want to congratulate the young man, and I know I've coached some of them at the middle school level. I agree with you 100%. I know that we've had a discussion in the past where the city needs to form some kind of an oversight committee where any league in the city of Douglas uses any facility, Then that committee would oversee that governing board of that of that league. And that, therefore, that it would be an oversight committee, make sure, you know, the fund even present any kind of a. any monies received, the registration process, and the liability insurances, make sure all that's covered and done right. And I truly honestly believe that the mayor and council will look into that and form some kind of committee here soon. So at all these leagues, any kind of clubs, anything, we do have that oversight committee in place. Now, my second point that I want to make, Basically, yes, I'm in agreement. These kids need to have that experience. I've coached for so many years. There's a lot of students, a lot of kids in this community don't travel past Douglas. I mean, even our baseball teams, once we get to Tucson, it's like, wow. But that experience, because I myself back in the day when I traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah for Babe Ruth All-Stars, I mean, it's a great experience, you know, and I wish him well and thank you and thank the board for that. I know it's a volunteer and they do put in a lot of hours, but, uh, you know, it. They deserve it and we are community. We love our sports. We love our kids. So, thank you so much. Thank you Mr.

I just want to make a quick announcement. So it's 1057 that clock's wrong up there. Um. we are going to, if the decision passes right now, it's gonna be wired to the team and it needs to be wired in before 315. So I know that council wants to say a lot of thoughts, but I would just recommend for the sake of the funding going through, if it is going to pass, I think we need to vote on it now.

But Mr. Sorry, but quick clarification point. Okay, this funding is gonna go through the community funding program. which is they need to fill out the application, and they also need to provide receipts and everything associated with the expenses, okay? So we'll ask for them of that. It's already an application that we have in place, and that's how this funding will be run. Mayor, can we just vote and then figure out all the logistics after?

Yeah. There's no further discussion. Roll call, please.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Motion passes.

Mr. Mayor, if I could get a point of clarification, is the amount, what is the amount that we're looking at?

Dr. Acosta said $14,000.

$14,000 and is there $4,000 coming from the county to? The county will reimburse us $4,000. Thank you.

So Mrs. Orozco, if you could get the information to Mrs. Grijalva there too. And congratulations and hope you enjoy your trip out there. Thank you. Um, item 5, a German don't have a motion to adjourn. Got a 2nd 2nd motion by Mr. second by Mr. all in favor say aye aye aye aye aye's have it. We adjourn at 258 PM.

Thank you Dennis.

All right. Good luck gentlemen and then to Oregon.

Thank you. Congrats.