City Council - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon. Today is October 13th, 2026, and this is the City of Prescott City Council voting meeting. Roll call, please.

Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

I would like to invite the friends to come up here and join me, please. Steve, do you want to join us? Oh, okay. Whereas the Friends of the Prescott Public Library play a vital role in strengthening our library by generously raising funds that expand and enhance the services and opportunities available to our community, supporting additional programming, essential equipment, support for children's summer reading, and special events throughout the year. Whereas the ongoing work of the Friends highlights the vital role our library plays as a cornerstone of the community, providing opportunities

And I have one more announcement to add on. Did you know that Prescott is a college town? We have three facilities here in town that people don't really realize. We have Emory Riddle, we have Yavapai College, and we have our iconic Prescott College. So I am pleased to announce that Prescott College will be marking their 60th anniversary with a four-day celebration starting tomorrow from the 14th through the 17th. And you can go to their website and look at what kind of activities will be going on so that you can sign up. So I just want to say congratulations to Prescott College for their 60th

Well, you better believe it. First of all, I'd like to comment on the recreation department. I didn't know this, but the Circle P Trail has been completed over there on the west end by Stringfield Ranch. So congratulations. And are we going to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony? Because it was done back in September, August?

oh that will be wonderful and then also for our library melissa orr is our wonderful director and i happen to notice that statistically we had an increase of 43 000 visits in the last couple of years so is melissa still here or did she uh did she leave i would like to ask uh what brought on that big surge

Well, thank you. It sounds like we might be outgrowing our downtown facility, and we may need to look at a branch up in the northern part of the community in our growth corridor in the future, the near future. Yes, thank you. Okay, thank you, Melissa.

Thank you, Ralph. And I'd like to direct the comments to our city manager because he's the one that makes the decision for the hiring. Thank you.

OK. I'd like to start the discussion with item 9B concerning the Evergreen Solutions Citywide Classification and Compensation Study. When I was reviewing the paperwork, I noticed that this company did Prescott. It did it about five years ago. We did this study by Evergreen. also and they included they studied Prescott Prescott Valley and Yavapai County and Flagstaff and I felt that maybe we needed to talk about this because I felt it was a conflict because our major competitors for employees are Yavapai County and Prescott Valley and to have the same company you know, doing the compensation re

OK, well, thank you very much. I have another comment, another question on page 151 of our packet. There's some bullet points, and the last bullet point reads, conducting reviews centered around gender and racial equity in compensation systems, ensuring their adherence to local, state, and federal laws and regulations. So I'm not an HR person, but I need some translation. I was thinking, is this when they mentioned gender, is this to make sure that women are paid the same as men for performing the same tasks?

And then, also, racial equity. As I understand, affirmative action has been kind of gone the way of the buggy whip. And is this to make sure that, like you said, everyone is getting paid?

I just want to make sure that we're hiring people based on merit and not because, you know, they belong to some certain group. I believe that's that's kind of against the federal laws.

OKAY. THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU. LOIS?

Okay, thank you. I don't think there's any more comments. And then moving on, we'll need to take a vote on each of them individually because they were all pulled.

And now we can discuss item C. Okay, item C is a contract between the City of Prescott and Lifeline Ambulance Services Inc. for Ambulance Transportation Services. As you know, Our health care system is up here in Prescott. We're having a lot of serious problems. And it's very important that we work with our fire department and our ambulance service companies to keep our response times low. And we've had a longstanding relationship with Lifeline. and they've been doing a very good job in a challenging situation. So I would just like to ask a few questions. Lifeline is a global, provides global

Okay. Well, thank you very much. In fact, that was going to be my next question on page three of the handout. It talks about response times and the geographic boundaries, and there's – 3 ZONES, OR BASICALLY 2 ZONES. ZONE 1, THE MAXIMUM IS 10 MINUTES. YES, MA'AM. AND THEN ZONE 2, YOU HAVE 10 TO 15 MINUTES ALLOWED. CORRECT. AND I WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE MAP THAT WAS INCLUDED IN OUR PACKET WAS NOT VERY DETAILED, AND YOU DID FURNISH A MORE DETAILED

Okay. All righty. And so this contract will be for a five-year term and then automatically renew an additional two years unless we wish to renew it or if there's an issue.

Alrighty. Well, thank you very much. And Mary has a comment.

Just a question. It's been a couple of years now, but when I was volunteering at Arizona Crisis Team, I know there was a dust-up in relation to whether there was sufficient ambulance service coverage in our area, and I believe it was priority ambulance that came in and filled some part of the role. Is that still part of the system here?

I appreciate that. And the Lifeline service is fantastic, frankly. And I was just wondering if Priority was also operating here in the Prescott area.

Thank you. Yes. And also, I think, is this something new where one of Prescott Fire Department's EMS with advanced life support training will be able to go along with, ride along with Lifeline to provide critical care service as they're being transported to the hospital?

Okay. All right. Good. I just wanted to clarify that. And I just wanted to let the people know that Deputy Chief Hickey is standing in for Chief Holger.

Okay, all righty. Well, thank you very much.

Okay, I think several people pulled this. Lois, do you want to start off?

Yeah, I had a similar question about the rodeo funds that were being transferred. It says from grants fund to the grants fund for facilities maintenance. So could you please enlighten us about that one?

So this was our rodeo appropriation funding, and we were trying to do it before the rodeo started.

Okay, thank you. Mary, do you have a comment? No, I don't. Okay, anyone else have a comment? All righty, thank you, Lars, for the clarification. You're welcome. Yeah, this money is under the microscope.

Is the applicant here? Okay, I just wanted to comment. I believe this is at the location 114 Montezuma is where the point used to be and now it's under a new owner. Correct. Do I hear a motion?

I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT, EVEN THOUGH THIS PROPERTY IS ZONED BUSINESS GENERAL, IN OUR ZONING WE HAVE INCLUSIVE ZONING. IT'S NOT EXCLUSIVE ZONING. SO BUSINESS GENERAL DOES HAVE A RESIDENTIAL PART TO IT. AND THIS IS FOR A RESIDENTIAL PLAT. IS THE APPLICANT HERE?

Yeah. This is a pretty high profile property. It's kind of hard to miss up on the ridge like that. And it's mass graded. And I was going to ask, are you going to mass grade the open space portion or are you going to leave that natural?

So it's all graded? You mass graded all the open space?

Well, I know it's still open space, but my question is, is it going to be graded or ungraded?

So it will be left natural the way it is? Okay, thank you. Is it usable open space?

Okay, thank you. Well, this seems pretty straightforward. Did you get the approval of the Prescott Lakes HOA as required in the master plan?

Okay. Alrighty, thank you. Does anyone else have any comments? Is anyone from the Prescott Lakes HOA here to comment?

Well, that's up to him. Yeah, they signed. Okay. All righty.

I'm good with it, thank you. I'm seconding it.

Let me ask you a question. I'd like to interrupt for a minute about the parking. Did we, you know, the county administration building is right immediately adjacent and you know, they're open nine to five Monday through Friday. Was there any attempt to ask them if we could use their parking lot during like rodeo and high population activities where we could park there since it's basically vacant during off hours?

Well, it sounds like we need to work on them a little bit more.

I'm sorry, Dallin, just to follow up on that, because I'm curious, did the county, whoever you spoke to there, give a reason why, well, in particular, I'm not talking about people coming to the rodeo using their parking lot, because that's a bigger ask, but specifically the auto club coming and going through their parking lot, did they say what their complaint was about that?

Yeah, thank you. So with respect to the state funding and the potential city projects, when you actually get into the preservation plan itself, where the $48 million IS ALSO IDENTIFIED ON PAGE 22. IT HAS A FIGURE OF 8.6 MILLION FOR SITE AREAS, GREEN SPACE, ENVIRONMENTAL AND PARKING. WHERE IS THE UTILITY UPGRADING NUMBER CAPTURED?

So it's not listed as a potential expense then either? So that utility is beyond?

DALYN, ISN'T THAT PART OF THE 15.3? CORRECT. THE WATER AND SEWER DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MARY, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? J? OKAY. ALL RIGHTY. LET'S ROLL.

I'd like to hear legal's opinion about applying a couple of conditions to the master plan if we decide to approve it today.

And you're talking about the Prescott Frontier Days lease?

And what about having a term, an expiration date on the master plan?

Yes, thank you. And Daylan, what was your third suggestion for a condition?

A sunset date of maybe 20 years, do you think?

I didn't, but since I was invited, I would agree on 20 years.

Yeah, Dallin, going back to that program summary and preliminary budget on page 22, so when we approved the master plan, and I guess maybe this might be to the city attorney too, when we approved the master plan, What's the implication that we're approving a $48 million project? It's obviously silent on who's paying for X, Y, and Z. Is there, do we have to have a caveat written in there somewhere? This is not necessarily an obligation of the city of Prescott?

Another related question. On page 10, it talks about facility assessment and also refers to utility systems and the like. So is there a report available to us on the assessment of the facilities and the infrastructure?

And I understand that we have had an engineer looking at grandstands. Have they completed their work yet?

Oh, thank you, Mayor. I guess what I would say to the public is that my sense is that the council as a whole is acutely aware of your concerns about traffic, noise, event frequency, and that sort of thing, but that the master plan is not the correct way to address those in full and that the lease process is. Thank you.

Yes, thank you. Following up on what Lois said, I think that governing piece is really important to keep stakeholders engaged. But speaking from a city council perspective, we also have a number of action steps that need to occur, you know, perhaps more after the lease is approved. But with survey, environmental issues of great concern to a number of us, if not the entire city council, as well as the neighborhood and other citizens. The other lists on page 36 and 37, floodplain investigation, utility studies, geotech, archaeological. I'm thinking out loud that... It's important for city counci

Okay, thank you. I'd like to move on. It's almost five o'clock. I'd like to move on to public comments if there's no more comments from City Council. Thank you.

Point of order, Madam Mayor. Light's red.

Oh, thank you. Carter, would you like to conclude? Goodbye. Okay, thank you.

Point of order, Madam Mayor. You don't have your timer light on.

Thank you, Ted. Thank you, Ted. It's nice to know you're not texting and you're watching us over here.

Summer, could you please come to a conclusion? Thank you.

I didn't know that. We've been looking for them.

Sara, you said we had 25? Where are we at now?

I'd just like to clarify a few things. The city of Prescott was not involved in the lawsuit over the state appropriation that was between the state of Arizona and two private citizens. And also, Save the Dells has never sued the city of Prescott, and I don't think we've ever heard anything from them, pro or con, about the rodeo. Thank you. Kim Lopez.

Mr. Mechanic, your time is up. So please come to a conclusion.

I won't be cutting you off, that's for sure.

Yes, Levi, I have a question. Are you going to purposely turn the speakers towards the offending neighborhood during the fair?

thank you thank you levi thank you for putting up with me all these years or all these weeks thank you guys have a good one okay good night that's all okay i'm ready to move that we approve are we going to have discussion No, I think we've had enough. I'm ready to vote. I move that we approve the master plan.

I think we should allow for some discussion.

Okay, we'll have another brief discussion. Thank you. Patrick?

Oh, thank you. So I just wanted to say that The Western Heritage, my wife and I moved here 10 years ago from, dare I say, the Phoenix area. And, yeah, I really value the Western Heritage. We lived for about eight years in Cave Creek, right along the horse trail leading back to Spur Cross Ranch. So, yeah, it's really, I think, really important to this community, and I appreciate the citizen comments about that tonight. And that also is... Kim alluded to if I have a background in public service, it was primarily in economic development. You can't deny the economic benefit of what's going on at t

I have said many times that Rodeo was the crown jewel of Prescott. But it seems like every time we mention Rodeo, this town goes Hatfields and McCoys. So I want to first credit down Kimball. You know, the city's been jerking around for, what, 25 years? And finally, we got to the point where we're looking at approving a master plan. Now, you've also heard me say before that the perfect is the enemy of the good. Why do I say that? Well, I'm Six Sigma trained, so I know Deming, I know Duran, and I've put together more Ishikawa fishbone diagrams than Tony Hamer has hair on his head, which is not a

Okay, so we could make a motion that says contingent upon the approval of the lease. Yes, you can do that. Thank you, Joe. That's all, Madam Mayor.

I just want to say it is apparent and tangible how the rodeo functions as a critical part of Prescott's identity and the way that it brings people together. I've been over there and seen the volunteers. There is a lot of heartfelt action that takes place inside the rodeo. And I think that's recognized by everybody on city council. I just want to also say there were two people that spoke that I remember, Lenora Bateman and Heather Seitz. I really appreciated your comment because I felt like you carried that spirit of coming together in your comments and that there was concern also for the neigh

Oh, thank you, Mayor. Yeah, I would recommend approving the master plan, but I do think that that approval needs to be contingent in, well, not the approval of the master plan, but expenditures of major master plan items should be contingent upon approval of the lease first.

And then I'm wondering whether... I didn't hear that. Was it contingent upon what?

Approval of the lease. And then the other thing is I'm wondering about a sunset date. I've heard several. I've heard 25, 20, and 10. And the 10 sounds kind of attractive to me because it comes from somebody who seems to know what he's doing. So I would think maybe we could attach a 10-year sunset date.

Thank you. I move that we approve the master plan.

I'm sorry, if I can just add my two. Oh, thank you, Mary. Thank you. I didn't see you up on the board. And just to... Just to say something, I will just say, yes, I think the master plan should go forward. I think there should be the two conditions that have been discussed significantly, one being not enacted until leases have names on the line that is executed. not just negotiated, not presented, just presented to boards or the council, but executed. And the timeline, a timeframe, a sunset, I'm not at 10 years, I think that goes by in a heartbeat, but I think 20 years would be a good timefram

Other than that, move away. Okay, I move that we approve the master plan with two contingencies, conditions number one that there's a sunset date or a term of 20 years and number two the master plan is effective upon completion of a lease with prescott frontier days rodeo do i hear a second second please vote