Remarks by Kesha Hodge Washington
104 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 5
- Play at 21:01
“Motion to approve the mayor and city council boards and commission nominations. Second.”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 23:16
“Motion to approve items three through 16. Second.”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 23:42
“Motion to approve items 17 through 79, except for the following, items 23, 32, 35, 46, 48, 57, 62, 63, 70, and 74, noting that item 41 is withdrawn and item 47 is as revised. And can the clerk confirm if there are any other items that should be excluded for in-person public comments?”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 24:52
“Yes, Mayor, I would move that we suspend the rules and take items 62, 63, and 65 out of order.”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 27:48
“Thank you, Mayor. I echo the sentiments of Councilwoman Stark. I am proud to support this item because I think it's a true opportunity to recognize someone from Phoenix whose impact reached children and families across the world. Having Joan born and raised here in Phoenix and through her creation of Sesame Street, She made learning more accessible, more engaging, more joyful for many of generations of children, including myself. She understood the power of education and media to teach children who may otherwise may not have had access to these type of opportunities. I think there's something…”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 35:39
“Thank you so much. I am very pleased to support item 65 because recognizing our history means recognizing the many communities and institutions that helped make Phoenix the city it is today. St. Salva Serbian Orthodox Church has been an anchor in this Phoenix neighborhood since 1958. For nearly seven decades, it has provided cultural, spiritual, educational, charitable, and community support while preserving Serbian American heritage for generations. What I particularly appreciate is that this recognition also celebrates the way culture can bring people together. ServFest gives thousands of…”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 38:04
“Vice Mayor. Motion to approve item 23. Second.”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 41:11
“Item 32 is next outside legal counsel by spare motion to approve item 32 second motion.”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 51:59
“Thank you. I have a couple questions also. Without talking about the actual substance of the work that's being done, I think, so this is a contract or an amendment of a contract to provide additional resources for legal services. Is it possible to give us high level about some of the work that the Ethics Commission has been doing that has resulted in the need for this additional legal services?”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 53:09
“So... from what I gathered from what you said is I feel like the ethics commission, this is my summary, so you can post something if I'm incorrect. I feel like the ethics commission, given the newness of the role, the newness of the procedural structure, the newness of what they're being asked, I got the impression that they have been asking council to make sure that they're going down the right path and have the right procedure in place. Is that kind of what you were saying in this instance?”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 54:09
“And is legal counsel assisting the commission with the actual investigation of these 27 or 29 complaints?”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 54:29
“And if the determination was made to move something towards an investigation, would that instruction, that direction, be public notice?”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 54:57
“Okay. So I guess I was trying to fill in some blanks for members of the public and for myself also, that part of the services being provided by outside counsel is actually to assist in the investigation to determine whether or not there is validity or no validity to the complaints that have been raised. And given the amount of... petitions or complaints that we have and the circumstances of each petition that may necessitate the urgency of having additional funds to complete that process.”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 55:41
“But I was correct. You were not in, but I don't think you said yes. Oh, yes.”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 56:04
“So it's fair to say that outside counsel in essence is also helping the ethics commission in carrying out their responsibilities to be able to investigate more efficiently and independently. Yes, that's correct. Okay. And can you talk a little bit about how the additional $150,000 was determined and why this level of funding was appropriate for the needs from the commission through the end of the contract?”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 56:50
“Okay, so is it fair to say one of the outcomes that the council and the public can expect if this motion carries with the additional availability of legal counsel is at a minimum some recommendations in response to the citizen's petition, at a minimum the rule considerations, as well as hopefully to resolve the petitions or the complaints that are pending?”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 57:26
“That's a fair distinction, but the goal is to at least be able to help them to vet and review that information and have council opine to the commission confidentially as to what their recommendation is. That's correct. Okay. Thank you, mayor. Those are my questions. Thank you both.”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 58:07
“Motion to approve item 37. Five. 35? Oh, I'm sorry, 35. Second.”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 1:01:20
“Thank you, Mayor. I am too. I'm also very excited to support this item because just having the opportunity to potentially bring the Olympics torch relay to Phoenix would be a tremendous win for our city. Especially, I know the mayor, as mentioned, has been working very hard on this for some time. And the Olympics represents so much more than competition. It is a recognition of individual and team excellence. It also represents perseverance, friendship, and the ability to bring people together. And I think those are values that we should continue to celebrate here in Phoenix. I also appreciate…”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 1:12:35
“Thank you, Mayor. I was going to ask that question because it was my understanding that this is not like a, it's not like flock cameras where you're surveilling every vehicle that passes through intersection. My understanding of this is it's more similar to like a micro tracker, similar to vehicles that have been, for example, leased and have not been fully paid off. Sometimes the owner of the vehicle will put a tracking device on that vehicle so they know where that vehicle is at that time. So it's an actual physical apparatus that is attached to a specific vehicle, is that correct?”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 1:13:16
“And before that tracker is affixed to a vehicle, you file a petition with the court, you outline the probable cause as to why you believe not only that a crime has occurred or is in progress, but you also identify why you believe that specific vehicle is involved and why you believe that tracking is necessary in order to apprehend or to document the criminal activity that's suspected, correct? That is correct. Okay. And it's only after a judicial officer has issued, you called it a court order or a warrant, is at that juncture when the microtracker is attached to the vehicle, correct?…”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 1:14:08
“Okay. And it's also my understanding that these trackers have a certain shelf life, for lack of a better word. Can you tell me what the shelf life is for that?”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 1:14:40
“So it's not an indefinite tracker that lasts? Okay, that's what I wanted to make sure I understood as well. Okay, thank you for those clarifications. I appreciate that. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you so much. Roll call.”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 1:15:16
“Motion to approve item 57. Second. Tammy Weaver?”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026
- Play at 1:27:16
“Thank you. Next up, we have Jeremy Thacker.”
City Council Formal Meeting · Oct 7, 2026