City Council Formal Meeting - Regular Meeting

Taking a step back in time, we looked at the Orpheum's original hand-drawn plans. They gave us context of a grand design and an intent to fully immerse the audience. An atmospheric garden oasis was beautifully created in this space. Surrounded by Spanish medieval baroque-style architecture, murals of mountains and forests, under a deep blue domed sky. It was hailed an architectural and artistic marvel, expressing modern theater at its finest. We were inspired to marry today's technology to that original intent. Taking a step forward, we gathered sounds that are true to Arizona. Mixing and layering hours of recordings. achieving realism to surround our audience. The dome sky is further brought to life, where advanced lighting and visuals are meticulously synced to captured sounds. Witness dusk till dawn and the expanse of our universe. All this magic to honor the Orpheum's original intent for audiences to lose themselves in this garden oasis. and be drawn closer to the performance. These efforts are a nod to the Orpheum's history and performances past, present, and future. As stewards of this historic space, we look forward to welcoming you and walking beside you one step into history, one step into the future.

My name is Destiny Sire. I'm a management assistant in the Director's Office of the Human Services Department. The City of Phoenix Management Fellowship Program is a year-long program that allows folks with any graduate degree to come in and it's like an introductory program for folks looking to get into local government. Throughout the time you have three different rotations and you have interdepartmental projects as well that you assist in as well as assisting in council projects. It really just gives you a feel of what it's like to work in the public sector for those with limited experience before and to develop your leadership skills. You know, my background is largely in social work. So I have my master's in social work and I have my master's in public administration. And so I really wanted to get into macro level work and it really allowed me to utilize both my social work skills and my public administration skills like to a T, especially within this position and everything I was working on during my management fellowship. It was very enjoyable and like I am so grateful for it. since it's been around for 75 years, you find prior fellows that have been here 25 years plus that started in the fellowship program and are like wanting to support you and hear you out and help you. Last year, the City of Phoenix and Mayor Kate Gallego, it was really important for them to focus on mental health and so us as a department had our community resource fair at our Travis L. Williams Family Service Center and we brought together over 20 agencies from around the community. We had over 200 people come to the resource fair to get resources. We were able to really cover it all and had a really good turnout for the first time ever. So it was very, very neat. That was probably one of my favorite projects. I feel like the fellowship is so unique where you don't need to come from a public administration background. What I think is important about the fellowship program is that it allows a route for everyone to come in. No matter your background, you can still find your place in the city. And it's important that you do. I just really think the City of Phoenix Management Fellowship is so special for those that are looking to impact their community. And it really puts you in a position to just keep on growing and learning more in your career, especially if you're looking to stay in local government. So what I would say to someone that's applying is just to reach out. We're excited to talk to you, excited to have the community learn more about the program because we're really looking for Everyone, we're looking for you.

The City of Phoenix Partner with a Principal program pairs local leaders with school principals to spark ideas, build relationships, and create real impact for students across the city. And after a day in the life experience, everyone gathered at GCU to continue discussions on how to turn inspiration into action, building partnerships that strengthen our schools and future workforce. Here's a look at some of those partnerships.

Last year was my first year of doing the Partner with a Principal program through the City of Phoenix, and it led to a wonderful partnership with At the Outlet, who ended up coming to work with us and our students every Friday. We're at our Family Choice Friday.

This was our first time being part of this program. We got to come and take a tour. Principal Schnecklaus told us some of the things that she was looking for, and it seemed like we were a good match and a good fit, and we got right to work.

Students had wonderful opportunities through the arts, whether it was palm, dance, vocal, drumline, but they build in a lot of life and social skills within their musical and arts instruction that the students really benefited from and just absolutely loved the experience.

They teach us dances. They help us if we don't know. If we forget, they help us and help us until we actually know it. I think it's a good practice because I want to be a singer and a dancer. And all the coaches were supportive. And we always had a performance in front of our parents in the school. And it felt so good because they would clap for us.

Once they start seeing that they're good at something, they start excelling at other areas as well because it helps boost their confidence.

They weren't just working on the skills of the arts, they were also bringing in that social and character development throughout their instruction, and I think that's where those relationships truly get built.

We get to actually practice what we preach, right? And then it's a win-win because we actually saw the difference it made for the students. It led to other opportunities. We were able to do a halftime show for the Rattlers, and some of these students got to do that.

I may not have known about at the outlet, which is a nonprofit literally just right down the street if I hadn't applied for a partner with a principal. So it really brings our eyes open to people right in the community, right in our neighborhood that want to support us. And just as the school, we want to support them.

I would encourage other businesses to get involved with the Partner with a Principal program so that you can see firsthand what's going on in our public school settings and be part of the difference that the students need.

Kitchell came in today to do a beautification project here at William R. Sullivan Elementary with the Murphy School District, and they are painting our beautiful walls in the Literacy Hub. They're also doing an improvement with our bulletin boards with the different quotes.

Not only does Kitchell want to be known as a great real estate company, but we want to be known as really a Phoenix institution that cares about those that we serve.

They brought in the resources and everything that we needed and it was done within a few hours.

We really made quick work of our tasks that were ahead of us. We think the classroom looks great. We like the bulletin boards and everything. So yeah, overall we're just really excited with how it turned out.

I know that our students are going to love it. I could already imagine their little faces when they come in. The more resources that we have, the more resources that we're able to provide to our students to help them improve with their literacy, with their academics, so then our students can get that additional support from our partnerships that we have.

It's very important that we emphasize that the youth of today are the future leaders of tomorrow. And therefore, we have to do all that we can to help make sure the kids have the right learning environment they need to succeed.

This was a great opportunity to partner with the principal and it has been wonderful. I have been coming over to Vista College Prep now, it's been one year and it's been amazing working with Principal Roy. She immediately was so supportive and

really sure what we can provide for you.

And she was like, no, it's not about me. What can we do for your school, for your team? I know that some other corporations, they have a lot of funding that's available to create all these programs. And I was like, oh my gosh, I would love to do that kind of stuff, but I don't have that. so in talking to principal roy i did say so what do you guys need like what can we do that's i guess inside of my my realm is that our teachers are hungry all the time um we love snacks i said snacks are you really she goes yes the teachers love snacks because they work long days hard days and they're not always able to just go break away and have a meal especially if they're here you know late in the evening and i said well wait a minute now we can do snacks. I solicited the help of the community, like through LinkedIn, friends, family, Facebook. I'm like, look, look, these teachers need snacks. They're amazing. They're great. And everybody's like, you know what? I'm donating because teachers do need that extra layer of love. And so it was so easy to get it. So we set up a snack station in the leadership office.

That's where it started. And then she said that she had some experience in public speaking and wellness. And I said, the other thing that I really think my staff would appreciate is just some self-care tips. We practiced many different skills, and danced, and we journaled, and had some breathing exercises.

We gave techniques on how to take care of yourselves, because we know that teachers are always taking care of the littles. And sometimes it's easy not to just embrace themselves and say, this is what I need. And then she reached out again. Hey, what do you still need? Very well. Microwaves? Microwaves? She goes, yeah, ours are old and they don't have the numbers. We don't know how long the food has been there. The teacher was like, can we get ones that have the plate that spins? And I said, you know what? We've got that. We went out and we bought a couple of microwaves. I'm so excited that they love the microwaves. That's just proof that sometimes it's just the small things that make a really, really big impact.

We've just been really blessed to have LaShonda and not just her, but again, the community behind her, her sorority sisters. That means the world to us.

I would just encourage anyone, everyone, if you're interested to participate in this program. It is so important to pour into our young people at a very early age, but with that, we can't pour into them without pouring into the teachers.

Phoenix isn't just a city. It's a community. Diverse, vibrant, and always moving forward. at phoenix tv we bring you inside city hall and beyond from the services you rely on to the stories that connect us all watch live meetings local stories and updates that matter to you phoenix tv your city your voice subscribe on youtube a dot connecting arizona

From the snow-capped mountains of northern Arizona to the arid desert and lush farmland of the central and southern regions of our state, Arizona's natural beauty is diverse and breathtaking. Residents and tourists alike certainly enjoy our scenic state. Unfortunately, sometimes a closer look reveals litter.

I thought I saw socks.

ADOT spends about eight million dollars a year cleaning up litter along our state highways. Removing litter from our roads and highways is a time-consuming and costly job that threatens to get worse as Arizona's population grows.

Thank you for participating in the Adopt-a-Highway program.

So we greatly appreciate the help of Arizona citizens like you who volunteer in our Adopt-a-Highway program.

Give yourself a hand.

Your group has graciously agreed to clean up litter along a specific section of highway for a period of two years. As you begin your efforts, please keep in mind that a public highway can be dangerous and some basic safety issues must be considered before you start work. So, are you ready to tackle the trash? It is important that you properly prepare yourself for the work day. Proper clothing and hydration are two priorities. When it comes to water, ask yourself these questions and plan accordingly for your water supply. How many people will be in your group? How many hours do you plan to work? How many miles do you plan to cover? What is the forecast temperature for the day? Now, think about your location. Does your cell phone get service where your adopted road is in case of emergency? How far is the nearest medical facility? Next, think about what to wear. Since most everything in Arizona has thorns, long-sleeved shirts and pants are recommended because of the harsh terrain, cactus, reptiles, and insects you may encounter. Wear protective gloves and strong-soled shoes or boots. Avoid sandals or loose-fitting shoes. Don't forget your sunscreen, and you'll probably want a hat, too. Congratulations! You're ready to pick up trash. Your group should carpool as much as possible to keep the number of cars on site to a minimum. And always remember to park as far away from the roadway as possible. Next, your group coordinator will conduct a safety meeting for all group members. Each person must wear a safety vest at all times. Safety vests along with trash bags will be supplied to you by ADOT. Remember, no children below the age of 12 or pets are permitted in the program or in the work area. For your safety, do not utilize music players. Your ears are often the first thing to warn you of imminent danger. Appoint a lookout for your group. Work facing oncoming traffic and remember to stay at least five feet from the pavement edge. The fewer distractions for the traveling public and your group, the better. Now when it comes to trash, know what you're picking up. If you cannot identify it, don't pick it up. This brings us to the topic of hazardous waste.

Methamphetamine is the number one drug abused in the United States and Arizona today and is responsible for a lot of our violent crime. Each pound of meth that is manufactured produces five to six pounds of hazardous materials as waste. So when you're out here on the roadway, don't pick up things that have tubing that is red, ice chests that are red, or red chemical bottles. Bad guys throw them out here because they don't want to get caught with them. Also, leave those corroded propane bottles alone. Used car batteries, needles, syringes, or anything that you don't know what it is. The best rule of thumb is if you are uncertain, don't touch it and inform local law enforcement. Remember, be alert.

Also, do not enter pipes or culverts. The danger is too high, so let the pros deal with that. You should pick up small items made of paper, cardboard, plastic, styrofoam, wood or rubber. Glass items in small empty containers are okay if they do not have sharp edges. Tie your bags securely shut and place the filled bags at least six feet from the pavement edge. Do not overfill or overstuff the bags. ADOT workers must lift these bags into their trucks. Place larger, heavier items like tire debris or any items that would tear a bag near the filled bags. Remember, don't move anything that could cause you or your team members physical harm. ADOT will remove your filled trash bags from the roadside after the cleanup is complete. Avoid overexertion and drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. Adopt-a-Highway program encourages recycling, so collect the recyclables and take them with you. Make sure your group has enough water and that on-site first aid is available. Leave snakes alone. People are bitten because they try to kill a snake or get a closer look at it. Keep hands and feet out of areas you cannot see. Don't pick up rocks or firewood. Be cautious and alert at all times. If you or a group member is bitten, wash the bite with soap and water. Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart and get medical help. Remember, you signed a permit to do this. That permit has terms and conditions. It is very important that you read and abide by them. Inform your ADOT Adopt-a-Highway contact at least five days prior to the cleanup effort. We need to make sure your dates don't conflict with other highway uses, so it's very important to know who your Adopt-a-Highway contact is and that they have your contact information. We need to know as quickly as possible if a new coordinator is appointed or if you change any of your contact information. Make sure everyone in your group fills out a volunteer registration form before each cleanup. The Arizona Department of Transportation wants this to be a rewarding and safe experience for all of you. Volunteers like you make this program successful by giving your time and energy to make a positive impact on the environment. Your efforts are appreciated, very much so, not only by ADOT, but also by the citizens of Arizona and the visitors who will enjoy a cleaner state because of your hard work. So spread the word. Arizona, keep it grand.

My name is Brian So. I'm a Management Assistant II at the Planning and Development Department at the City of Phoenix. The Management Fellowship program is a year-long program for people that have interest in being in local government, or City of Phoenix for that matter, to get to really experience what and how the City of Phoenix works. I was considering a career change into local government, so I felt a little nervous making that jump from academia to practice. And I felt like the management fellowship program was a great way to make that jump, be okay to take risks, but be able to get access to really try to learn and absorb and really do a deeper dive on how local governments work. If I were to describe the Management Fellowship program, I would say it felt like a classroom where I could really study and engage in whatever I wanted to do. And we had great teachers and mentors that could navigate me through the process. What I really appreciate about the program is that I was given really the fullest level of access to everybody that you could think of in the city of Phoenix, which is a wide range of diversity of people. A lot of great people that we got access to got to interact with them and really learn from their expertise and receive great advice from them along the way. The Manager Fellowship Program really gave me confidence that if I really put my head down and really try to understand how the city works, how things operate, how people operate. I can learn great things and I can achieve great things throughout my career at the City of Phoenix. The City of Phoenix set me up on a career of lifelong learning, which I really enjoy doing. So I'm just going to never run out of opportunities to learn at the City of Phoenix. If you're as curious as I am, if you're excited about learning new things and learning about public service and learning about what local government does to service people, I can't think of a better way than the Management Fellowship Program to do that.

What a wonderful day it is to be here as we welcome China Airlines with the first ever nonstop service from Taipei to Phoenix, Arizona. What a great day it is.

It was an honor to be on that inaugural flight from Taipei, Taiwan to Phoenix. It is indicative of what I know is a tremendous partnership that is really going to propel this region, the relationship between the two countries. This new route is more than just a connection between two cities. It's a bridge between two dynamic regions. The economic impact of this year-round service is expected to exceed $100 million on an annual basis. Passenger traffic between Phoenix and Taipei has surged by more than 400% since 2019, highlighting the growing demand for this connection. We are thrilled to welcome travelers from the Silicon Island to the Silicon Desert. The future is bright, and this is just the beginning.

This flight is not only about tourism, it's about forging more collaboration in our industries, in our technologies, in our exchanges, in education, in all fronts.

We truly believe in this city's potential and look forward to building even stronger partnerships together in here. The milestone is possible because of your dedication.

You had the confidence to make sure that this day happened, and I just want to thank you and the entire China Airlines team for allowing us to make that today possible.

My name is Destiny Dominguez. I'm an Administrative Assistant II in the Public Works Solid Waste Division. The Phoenix Management Fellowship Program is a year-long program where you rotate through three different departments, four months each. And during that time, you really just have the opportunity to learn about different things happening in that department. And it all kind of ties back to the city manager's office, which is where you're housed. You're learning from these top-level staff. It's just such a year-long learning opportunity. The goal of the Phoenix Management Fellowship then and I think now since it's been around for 75 plus years has been to help really just gain exposure to city operations. I grew up in Phoenix and so when I began studying public service public policy and then eventually public administration I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in local government and so during one of my undergrad classes I heard about the Phoenix Management Fellowship program And so thankfully I got it. Really just about giving back to the community that gave so much to me growing up. And then obviously Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the United States. Largest council manager form of government. Who doesn't want to be a part of that? I was seeking a couple of things. I was seeking mentorship, just support, and then experiences that would be able to kind of carry me through my career, hopefully with the City of Phoenix, and thankfully I'm here now today. But that was all here at the City of Phoenix. I think people are often kind of worried about how large Phoenix is, 1.7 million people, 15,000 employees, but truly you have such a diverse group of people here at the city to learn from. who are willing to just help you get through anything and just willing to be there. So I think that commitment to just building up the Phoenix of Tomorrow is what really intrigued me to be here, and I'm so thankful that I'm still here contributing to that. One of my favorite memories is really the community budget hearings, sitting in on those, listening to the community. The staff was always willing to listen. Them just being able to kind of have those conversations with them was really, really good to hear. Interacting with field staff, just administrative staff on a day-to-day basis, and the incredible executive team that we have here at the City of Phoenix, it's unparalleled. Having gone through the program through that entirely crazy year has prepared me now here because The amount of connections that you have, the amount of resources that you're able to provide that a lot of people aren't aware of, I think it's a big benefit to me. I knew coming into the program that this was my calling, but now I know more than ever that it is. And I'm so thankful to be here at the City of Phoenix. Phoenix has it all, and this is the place to be. Who wouldn't want to be here at the Phoenix Management Fellowship Program?

Semiconductor industry is becoming the future of the world. We're establishing something new in the country, something new that will generate the pipeline of future talent for TSMC.

Who doesn't want to be part of probably the biggest company that's coming? And plus, I really needed a career, and thankfully I found my career here.

It's truly been a privilege to establish this apprenticeship program here at TSFC. We started with eight apprentices. The apprenticeship program overall is between 18 and 24 months. The apprenticeship is structured in two cycles. This is the completion of cycle one.

I'm a water apprentice. I'm really excited and looking forward to the next step or second phase of the program. They have four departments here. They have electrical, water, mechanical, and gas and chems. And throughout the first phase of the program, we moved around to each department for approximately four months. They show us a lot of the basics that we need to know getting into an industry like this. We have on-the-job training, and we're also going to school. School is over at Westmec, so we get hands-on training over at school. And then here at CSMC as well, we're working with our mentors, with technicians, all of our supervisors. support us, help us, and they give us everything that we need to succeed.

The staff here is one of my favorite things. They show you what it is to be in a team. and they really are welcoming and want to help you grow.

We took individuals that had minimal industry experience and they're becoming industry experts. They are getting to learn a lot of the systems. They get to learn and work on all of our equipment and truly, truly become part of our TSMC family.

When I joined here, I joined here in hopes of building my career, like being set. I can't really tell you where I would be if I didn't have this position. So I'm just thankful to be here and I just want to keep going.

We are receiving a journeyman's card through the city of Phoenix. They work with CSMC and it's the first of its kind in the nation.

We love apprenticeships in the City of Phoenix. As you know, we believe in them. We use them ourselves. We took on the sponsorship role, which means these programs are actually the City of Phoenix programs. And employers now can join us, making folks like TSMC and other employers build this pipeline that will serve many different employers here in our community.

Semiconductor industry is becoming the future of the world. It's important to have skilled people and people that are motivated to grow with the technology that's innovating every day.

I just want to thank CSMC of the City of Phoenix, Westmec, Strait Mountain Community College for coming together and giving us this opportunity and helping our career grow and for everything that they've done and all the work that they've put in.

Up until 1889, the majority of the water that was used by Phoenicians came from the actual original canal that went through town. In 1889, a man named John Gardner started the first city waterworks, which is where we're standing today. Water was delivered to this very spot at Verde Park by a redwood tunnel that extended for 30 miles to the east and the northeast. Part of the city waterworks in 1938 was this pump house. It was built with the intention of being an emergency pump house. Water has always been an important element of thriving in the Valley of the Sun. This pump house represents one of the few remaining structures that show how that water was transported in the early 20th century. And it's a wonderful piece of architecture here in the southwest corner of the Garfield Historic District that we can all continue to enjoy here at Verde Park.

Welcome to Phoenix in about a minute. Today we are here in front of Monroe School. Built in 1914, located at 215 North 7th Street in the intersection of Monroe Street. Designed by Norman F. Marsh, the building has a beautiful neoclassical style with its dramatic columns with a Corinthian order. The Monroe School served as an elementary school and high school from 1914 to 1972, and later as a Department of Defense Recruiting Center until 1988. By 1988, a small group of volunteers founded the Phoenix Family Museum with the support of the Phoenix Legislature. In June 14, 2008, it was renamed Children's Museum of Phoenix the same day it opened to the public. It was added to the National Register of Historical Places on August 26, 1977 and to the Phoenix Historical Property Register in May 1987, later adjusted in March 2004.

Starlux was the first airline to announce international service between Asia and the city of Phoenix. Welcome to Phoenix. The friendliest island and the friendliest airport are now connected. Taipei could not be a more important partner to us and the country of Taiwan.

We're incredibly grateful to you all as you know for your commitment to connecting our two great cities and our communities for a vibrant future. international flights contribute more than $3.4 billion to the local economy each year. And this flight is expected to generate over $170 million each year statewide.

This is more than just a new route. It's also a meaningful milestone in the close partnership between Taiwan and the United States. Arizona has become one of Taiwan's key partners in the global semiconductor industry. And Phoenix is now a cherished second home for many Taiwanese families.

Phoenix actually offers very strong potential in both business and tourism. It has emerged as a major hub for innovation. Startups, airlines helps to further strengthen business and tourism ties between Phoenix and Taiwan. We look forward welcoming you on board very soon.

We have formed not just a partnership, but a friendship. And I think the people in Phoenix are going to see just what a wonderful, wonderful carrier Starlux is, and they're going to love flying the airline.

This new service is a win. It's a win for travelers. It's a win for all the airlines here today. And it's a win for the communities that we serve.

Starlux is a new airline with brand new planes and great friendly, friendly staff. So we look forward to filling your planes and to this deep, deep partnership. It's time to start thinking about your next vacation and Taiwan should be at the top of your list. So Starlux, welcome to Phoenix.

One of the most interesting parts of the Phoenix area and the history of it was right in this area during World War II, there was actually a German POW camp with upwards of 3,000 prisoners in it at one time. During the fall and winter of 1944, specifically, December 23rd, 25 of the prisoners had dug a tunnel over the last couple months and decided they were going to escape. And right here where this wonderful marker is is where they...

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. IT IS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2026. BEFORE WE CONVENE IN THE FORMAL MEETING OF THE PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL, WE WILL HAVE TWO COMMUNITY FACILITY DISTRICTS MEETING. I'LL NOW CALL TO ORDER THE PARK CENTRAL COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING. WILL THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL?

NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER.

NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER.

NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER.

NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. NEW SPEAKER. Board Member Hernandez? Here. Board Member O'Brien? Here. Board Member Pastor? Here. Board Member Robinson?

Here.

Board Member Stark? Here. Board Member Waring? Here. Vice Chair Hodge-Washington? Here. Chairwoman Gallego? Here.

ITEM THREE IS THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE DISTRICT BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEARS 2026 THROUGH 27 AND THE FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN. I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, SO I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS RESOLUTION PC24. BOARD MEMBER CONLIN, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION?

YES. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THE BUDGET FOR PARK CENTRAL, THE PARK CENTRAL CFD. P6724.

Second. Any comments? Roll call. Conlon?

Aye.

Mordado? Do we need to announce the resolution number as well? Yes. And I think part of the motion should include approving resolution PC24. Second. Thank you.

Excuse me.

SO BOARD MEMBER, PERHAPS THE EASIEST THING TO DO IS BOARD MEMBER CONLIN, WILL YOU CONFIRM THAT YOUR MOTION INCLUDES APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION PC24?

YES. MY MOTION INCLUDES RESOLUTION APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION PC24. WONDERFUL.

WHY DON'T WE BEGIN THE ROLL CALL AGAIN?

CONLIN?

AYE.

GUARDADO? YES. HERNANDEZ? YES. O'BRIEN? YES. Pastor? Aye. Robinson?

Yes.

Stark? Yes. Waring? Yes. Hutch Washington? Yes. Gallego?

Yes. Passes 10-0. Now we will adjourn the Park Central Community Facilities District, and we will call to order the Verdun Community Facilities District, and thank you to Board Member Conlon for your service to our district. Will the clerk call the order for the Verdun Community Facilities District?

Board Member Guardado? Aye. HERE. BOARD MEMBER HERNANDEZ. HERE. BOARD MEMBER O'BRIEN. HERE. BOARD MEMBER PASTOR. HERE. BOARD MEMBER ROBINSON.

HERE.

BOARD MEMBER STARK. HERE. BOARD MEMBER WERING. HERE. VICE CHAIR HODGE WASHINGTON. HERE. CHAIRWOMAN GALLEGO.

HERE. Item three is the public hearing for the proposed district budget for fiscal year 26-27 for the district. We'll open the public hearing. We do not have any members of the public here to comment. I will close the public hearing. Item number four is resolution V10.

Motion to approve resolution V10. Second. Roll call.

Guardado? Yes. Hernandez? Yes. O'Brien? Yes. Pastor? Yes. Robinson? Yes.

Yes.

Stark. Yes. Waring. Yes. Hutch Washington. Yes. Gallego.

Yes. Passes 9-0. Item five is the public hearing on the proposed tax levies for fiscal year 26-27. Open the public hearing. We do not have any members of the public here to comment, so we will close the public hearing. Item number six is resolution V-11.

Motion to approve resolution V-11. Second. Roll call.

GUARDADO? YES. HERNANDEZ? YES. O'BRIEN? YES. PASTOR? YES. ROBINSON?

YES.

STARK? YES. WERING? YES. HODGE-WASHINGTON? YES. GALLEGO? YES.

PASSES 9-0. ITEM 7 IS THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FEASIBILITY REPORT. I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE TO COMMENT, SO I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ITEM NUMBER 8 IS THE MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION V-12. SECOND. ROLL CALL.

GUARDADO. YES. HERNANDEZ. YES. O'BRIEN. YES. PASTOR. YES. ROBINSON.

YES.

STARK. YES. WERING. YES. HUDGE WASHINGTON. YES. GALLEGO.

YES. Wonderful, we will now adjourn the Community Facilities District. Thank you so much for joining us for that. And we will go to the invocation and welcome forward the very busy police chaplain, Rabbi Levertov.

Almighty God, every Shabbat during the summer months, Jewish communities around the world study a chapter of Pirkei Avot, the ethics of our fathers. This coming Shabbat, we will read the teaching of Hillel the Elder. Do not judge your fellow until you come to his place. Almighty God, Hillel reminds us that we rarely see the whole picture. We see a person's words and decisions, but not always the experiences and burdens that shape them. Only you know the full story of every human being. You remind us, Almighty God, that before judging another person, we should first seek to understand them. In a time when disagreement can quickly become division, teach us to listen before we condemn, to understand before we criticize, and to remember that those with whom we disagree are also your children created in your image. Almighty God, bless our mayor and the honorable members of the Phoenix City Council with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. May they be guided by your hand in making decisions that serve the citizens of Phoenix well, now and in the future. May they continue to embody and encourage a spirit of mutual cooperation, respect, and peace among all who call Phoenix home. May they serve as positive role models for our beautiful community, seeking understanding even in disagreement, and treating one another and all residents with dignity and respect. Finally, bless our mayor and council members and our dedicated city employees whose daily efforts often go unseen. Bless their families who share in the burdens and sacrifices of public service. All who are gathered here today and all the residents of Phoenix with health, peace, and prosperity, may we be ever mindful of how fortunate we are to live in this beautiful city filled with good people and served by dedicated public servants. And let us say amen.

Thank you, Rabbi. Councilwoman Gordado, will you lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance?

I pledge allegiance 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.

Thank you so much, Councilwoman Guardado and Rabbi. We'll now call to order the formal meeting of the Phoenix City Council. Will the clerk call the roll?

Councilwoman Guardado? Here. Councilwoman Hernandez? Here. Councilwoman O'Brien? Here. Councilwoman Pastor? Here. Councilman Robinson?

Here.

Councilwoman Stark? Here. Councilman Waring? Here. Vice Mayor Hodge-Washington? Here. Mayor Diego?

Here. Mario Barajas and Elsie Duarte are with us to provide Spanish interpretation. Mario, would you introduce your team?

Yes, Mayor. Thank you. Good afternoon. My name is Mario Barajas. I'll be working today with Elsie Duarte as Spanish interpreters for Spanish-speaking residents. I'll now take a moment to introduce ourselves to our Spanish-speaking residents. Buenas tardes. I am Mario Barajas. I will be working with Elsie Duarte. We would like to provide you with a couple of data or information so that we can facilitate the interpretation. First, if you are going to be giving a public comment, please speak clearly. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Mario. Will the City Clerk read the 24-hour paragraph? The titles of the following ordinance and resolution numbers on the agenda.

We're available to the public at least 24 hours prior to this council meeting and therefore may be read by title or agenda item only. Ordinances number G7517 through 7522, S52902 through 52963, and resolutions 22380 through 22387. Thank you. I'll turn to the city attorney to explain public comments.

Thank you, Mayor. Members of the public may speak for up to two minutes to comment on agenda items. Comments must be related to the agenda item and the action being considered by the Council. General comments that go beyond the scope of the agenda item should be made during the citizen comment session at the end of the agenda. The City Council and staff cannot discuss or comment on matters relating to pending investigations, claims or litigation. Additionally, any members of the public who appear before this council in their capacity as a lobbyist must, as required by Phoenix City Code, disclose this fact before addressing the council. The City Code states that speakers must express their comments respectfully and courteously. Use of profane language, threats, or personal attacks on members of the public, council members, or staff are not allowed. Such comments are disruptive and unrelated to the council's business. Any person who violates these rules may lose the opportunity to speak further and could be asked to leave. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Item one is boards and commissions as revised. Vice Mayor.

Motion to approve item one. Second.

One fund confirming as revised? Yes, as revised. And then before we take this vote, I will turn to the Vice Mayor for a special recognition.

Thank you so much, Mayor. I just wanted to take a brief moment to thank all of the members of the Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Review Committee, and in particular, Carmen Arreaz. Carmen has served the city on this committee for nearly 10 years, and most recently as chair. Through her leadership, our neighborhoods have received millions of dollars in funding to support public safety projects throughout the city. I want to say thank you, Carmen, for your dedication, thoughtfulness, and commitment to the city of Phoenix.

Carmen, will you stand up? Thank you.

We have a much safer city thanks to your leadership and we are so grateful that you have presided over very diverse committee representing a very diverse city and thank you for your work in this item on so many areas but for a safer city. Thank you Vice Mayor for that great recognition and we have some wonderful commissioners here today who are advising our city on land use development, the Human Services Commission and the Business and Workforce Development Board. all have contributed to really improving our city, and we're grateful for our new commissioners and our returning commissioners. Roll call.

Guardado? Yes. Hernandez? Yes. O'Brien? Yes. Pastor? Yes. Robinson?

Yes.

Stark? Yes. Waring? Yes. Hodge-Washington?

Yes.

Gallego?

Yes. Passes 9-0. Thank you so much, and Heritage Commission as well. I'm sorry I missed one. All right, please come forward for swearing in.

Congratulations on your unanimous.

Congratulations on your unanimous approval. Please raise your right hand. I state your name. Do solemnly swear. that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the state of Arizona, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and defend them against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of the office of

State your office.

According to the best of my ability. So help me God. Congratulations and thank you for serving our city. Well, thank you so much for stepping up for the city of Phoenix and helping us with some very important decisions. We are grateful to our commissioners and congratulations again. And the good news continues with the swearing in of the chief presiding judge. Before we swear in the chief presiding judge, we want to thank Judge Hernandez for serving as our interim chief presiding judge in a very important time for our court and one where we had a difficult loss that he helped us navigate. But today we celebrate the swearing in of Judge Wilbur Hudson as chief presiding judge for the nation's fifth largest city. I will turn to the Vice Mayor to make a very important motion.

Thank you, Mayor. I move to approve the swearing in of Judge Wilbur Hudson as Chief Presiding Judge. Second. We have a motion and a second. Roll call.

Guardado? Yes. Hernandez? Yes. O'Brien? Yes. Pastor? Yes. Robinson?

Yes.

Stark? Yes. Waring? Yes. Hutch Washington?

Yes.

Gallego?

Yes. Passes 9-0. Congratulations, Chief, and we'll now have you come forward. We have special guests who are joining us here today. We cannot introduce all of them, but I wanted to point out a few of the wonderful people in our audience today. Judge Wilbur Hudson is accompanied by his wife, Olivia Hudson, two daughters, Naomi and Nicole, his father, Wilbur Hudson Jr., his sister, Kim Graham, and several other members of the community and we will ask the Graham and Hudson families to come forward for today's very important swearing in. Please raise your right hand. I. I. Just state your name.

Wilbur Hudson.

Do solemnly swear.

Do solemnly swear.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

And the Constitution and laws of the state of Arizona.

And the Constitution and the laws of the state of Arizona.

That I will bear true faith.

That I'll bear true faith.

And allegiance to the same.

And allegiance to the same. And defend them against all enemies. And defend them against all enemies. Foreign and domestic. Foreign and domestic. And that I will faithfully and impartially. And that I'll faithfully and impartially. Discharge the duties of. Discharge the duties of.

Chief presiding judge.

Chief presiding judge.

According to the best of my ability.

According to the best of my ability.

So help me God.

So help me God.

Congratulations. Thank you.

Check them.

Well, congratulations to our court system and to Chief Presiding Judge Wilbur Hudson. We're pleased for today's milestone. We next go to the liquor license portion of our agenda. The City of Phoenix provides an advisory role to the state of Arizona. Vice Mayor, do we have a motion?

Motion to approve items three through 12.

Second. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, nay. City Clerk, are we ready for ordinances, new business, planning, and zoning?

Yes, Mayor.

Vice Mayor. Motion to approve items 13 through 107, except for the following, items 30 through 35, 76, and 106, noting that item 107 is an add-on item. And can the Clerk confirm, are there any other items that should be excluded for in-person public comment?

Yes, Mayor. Vice Mayor, also excluding items 62 and 82. That's items 62 and 82. Second. Roll call. Guardado? Yes. Hernandez? Yes. O'Brien? Yes. Pastor? Yes. Robinson?

Yes.

Stark? Yes. Waring? Yes. Hodge-Washington? Yes. Gallego? Yes. Passes 9-0.

Thank you. We will now enter into a series of votes related to our budget. Item 30 is a public hearing on the 26 through 2031 Capital Improvement Program. I now declare the hearing open. Is there anyone wishing to speak? The public hearing is closed. Item 31 is the adoption of the 2026-2031 Capital Improvement Program.

Mayor, I move for the adoption of Resolution 2382, the 2026 through 2020, sorry, 2031 Capital Improvement Program. Second. Any comments? Roll call.

Guardado? Yes. Hernandez? Yes. O'Brien? Yes. Pastor? Yes. Robinson?

Yes.

Stark? Yes. Waring? Yes. Hutch Washington? Yes. Gallego? Yes. Passes 9-0.

Item 32 is a public hearing on the adoption of the tentative 26 through 27 annual budget ordinances. I now declare the hearing open. Is there anyone wishing to speak? The hearing is closed. Item 33 is the adoption of the tentative 26 through 27 annual budget.

Mayor, I move that item 33 be in ordinance S52904, the tentative 2026-2027 annual budget be adopted. Second. Will the clerk call the roll?

Guardado? Yes. Hernandez? Yes. O'Brien? Yes. Pastor? Yes. Robinson?

Yes.

Stark? Yes. Waring? Yes. Hodge-Washington?

Yes.

Gallego?

Yes.

Passes 9-0.

Item 34 is the adoption of the tentative 26-27 capital funds budget.

Mayor, I move that item 34 be an ordinance S52949, the tentative 2026-2027 capital funds budget be adopted. Second. Roll call.

Guardado? Yes. Hernandez? Yes. O'Brien? Yes. Pastor? Yes. Robinson?

Yes.

Stark? Yes. WARREN? HUDGE WASHINGTON? YES. GALLEGO?

YES.

PASSES 9-0.

ITEM 35 IS THE ADOPTION OF THE TENTATIVE 26-27 REAPPROPRIATED FUNDS BUDGET.

MAYOR, I MOVE THAT ITEM 35 BE IN ORDINANCE S-52-905, THE TENTATIVE 2026-2027 REAPPROPRIATED FUNDS BUDGET BE ADOPTED.

SECOND.

ROLL CALL.

GUARJALO? YES. HERNANDEZ? YES. O'BRIEN? YES. Pastor? Yes. Robinson?

Yes.

Stark? Yes. Waring? Hodge Washington?

Yes.

Gallego?

Yes.

Passes 9-0.

Thank you. An important milestone in our budget. Thank you to my colleagues who work together. We are a diverse council and have unanimously passed today's budget milestone. Thank you to our city manager, city leadership, and budget team. Important, important vote. Item 62 is next. Vice Mayor? Motion to approve item 62. Second. We have a motion and a second. Diane Barker is here to provide public comment. Diane, come on down.

Good afternoon, Mayor and City Council. Block Watch in our Roosevelt neighborhood on District 7 got one of these Block Watch grants. And although I'm not the official spokesperson, for our neighborhood. I am a member and I once was on the board and I remember, you know, the signage, how this creates awareness that we get these different types of widgets to promote block watch. and so i just want to say i appreciate it i think it's helped the neighborhood to be informed and to be aware with one another for against blight and crime thank you thank thank you so much roll call guardado yes hernandez yes o'brien yes pastor thank you carmen yes robinson yes stark yes

Wearing. Hodge Washington. Yes. Gallego. Yes. Passes 9-0.

Thank you so much, and thank you to the Block Watch team. Item 76, which is related to helicopters, is next. Vice Mayor. Motion to approve item 76. Second. We have a motion and a second. I'll turn to Councilwoman Hernandez.

Thank you so much, Mayor. I just have a few questions on this item really quick. Thank you so much, Assistant Chief Lee, Commander. for coming up to the table. With this item, Council is being asked to approve up to roughly $16 million for PD to buy new helicopters and related products and services to maintain the helicopters. How many helicopters do we anticipate buying with this allotted amount of money of up to $16 million?

Mayor, members of Council, Councilwoman Hernandez, the intent behind this request would be for us to have the ability to purchase a new twin-engine helicopter under the airbrush frame instead of any of the previous ones that we had looked at.

Okay, thank you. So, sorry, so there would be a new one, so it wouldn't be used to replace an existing in our fleet?

Mayor, members of council, Councilwoman Hernandez, the contract that we're requesting here is a government services agreement contract, and it is more inclusive. It allows us not only to purchase an aircraft, but we could purchase any Airbus airframe under this contract to include parts and services that require specialized training or equipment.

Okay, thank you, Chief Lee. And then specifically, will this helicopter, will it, I mean, can you share a little bit of what kind of operations it would support? would it be PD operations or is this one of the types that would support fire with mountain rescues?

Mayor, members of council, Councilwoman Hernandez, the need that we currently have is for the new twin engine. The twin engine is the only engine in our fleet that is capable of doing mountain rescues. That is where we collaborate quite regularly with the fire department. Probably 85 to 90% of the times that we actually fire up that helicopter is in support of some sort of a fire event or a fire rescue from a trailhead. So that is the primary focus. It does have other capabilities for us to be able to insert or extract resources if we needed to during a tactical situation, but that is very far and few between.

Okay, thank you so much for that. I just want to reference really quick an audit that was done by our city auditor department in 2014. That audit looked at the overall PD Air Force and concluded that, and this is a quote from that audit, the units patrol helicopter fleet is larger than required to meet current air patrol levels and may be reduced by three aircraft without impairment to service levels or a significant increase in maintenance costs. The unit's current patrol flight schedule requires two functioning helicopters, Six additional patrol helicopters are retained for training and maintenance coverage. The unit maintains the second largest patrol helicopter fleet of the 13 comparable municipal police air support units surveyed and flies the third highest number of total scheduled flight hours. Even with the unit's reductions of three aircraft, four units surveyed would still fly more scheduled flight hours. per aircraft, indicating under-utilization of the unit's aircraft. Now, I realize that this audit was from 12 years ago, but are you aware if the city has followed the direction of that audit findings and reduced the overall number of helicopters we own and use?

Mayor, members of council, Councilwoman Hernandez, in terms of the audit recommendations, I have not actually seen that audit, so I would have to get back to you with regard to the comparison between what was presented in that and what our current usage is today. I can tell you that there has been significant addition to the services that we're able to provide in terms of flight hours. And again, by adding technical capabilities such as the twin engine to the fleet, that does provide additional need and additional training and additional resources to be able to fly and complete those missions. Currently right now, our fleet is comprised of six of the patrol helicopters that we use. And then we have the one rescue helicopter, the twin engine now that we are looking to replace. We also have two fixed wings that we use for a variety of mission objectives.

Okay, thank you. I'm just curious, like moving forward, like if we could, hopefully, you know, once maybe we can do another audit and see that if we are over, if we have over the number required, right, that are being underutilized in one area, Maybe we can shift that over to make sure that we have the right resources in this area without, and maybe that's a way to get some more resources into other areas. So just curious on that. Okay, yeah, just if you could follow up, Chief Lee, with just information on that and your perspective on that. We really appreciate it. Just want to see the data on that and see if there's, if we can really narrow down the need that we have for these overall for the city. Thank you so much. Those are all my questions and then just a couple comments. I'll be voting no on this item. It's really concerning to me that we as a council continue to throw tax dollars towards PD Air Force ESPECIALLY WHEN OUR OWN AUDIT TELLS US THAT THE AIR FORCE IS UNNECESSARILY LARGE AND REDUCING ITS SIZE WOULD SAVE OUR TAXPAYERS MONEY WITHOUT IMPACTING OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER SERVICES. TODAY WE JUST VOTED ON THE SECOND OF THREE BUDGET VOTES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 26-27 BUDGET. AND THAT WAS A BUDGET WHERE THE COMMUNITY HAS REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR MORE SHADE, MORE SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH INFLATION. and Trump's attacks on immigrants and refugees. And we've told them, hey, we can't move the money there because we need to move it over here, and we don't know where we can get that money from. But yet here we are voting on an item for $16 million on a helicopter that we probably could find other ways to shift resources from the patrol side to this side. And to me, that's a little fiscally irresponsible. And so I cannot approve and support that today. Gotta do what's fiscally responsible for my constituents. Thank you so much.

Councilwoman Gordado.

Thank you, Mayor. And thank you guys so much for all of the work that you guys do, the police department does every single day. And I am proud to support this contract, which will ensure that the Phoenix Police Department's Air Support Unit continues to have the equipment and resources necessary to protect our residents and assist in critical public safety operations. These helicopters play an important role in supporting patrol operations, locating missing persons, and assisting with mountain rescue missions alongside the Phoenix Fire Department. I want to thank the police department, the finance department, and all of the city staff who worked on this procurement. and carefully evaluated the best option for the city. Their commitment to maintaining reliable public safety resources helps ensure that Phoenix remains prepared to respond when our community needs it the most. I've seen these helicopters being used in Maryvale, and we've heard from many, many residents on how grateful they are with all the different technology and all the different tools that we have as a city within the police department to be able to respond as soon as we can to a lot of these incidents. We've seen one too many incidents where we've known if we've had different technology, different resources, different tools, we would have been able to save a life. So very grateful for this item to come forward. and being able to continue to support you guys as you guys continue to think of ways on how is it that we continue to keep the community safe and that we continue to show the community where their tax dollars are being spent in a way that they want to see them spend. So thank you guys all so much. And thank you, Lori, for all of your hard work on this as well. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you.

This is a timely item this weekend. Some of us were at a new fire station on the southern portion of our city where there is a new helipad, which we hope will help us with rescues, including mountain rescues. It is 105 right now, and so time does matter with heat like we are experiencing. Roll call.

Guardado? Yes. Hernandez? No. O'Brien? Yes. Pastor? Yes. Robinson?

Yes.

Stark. Yes. Waring. Yes. Hodge Washington. Yes. Gallego. Yes. Passes 8-1.

We next go to item 82, which is related to bus service for fiscal year 26-27. Do we have a motion?

Motion to approve item 82. Second. Motion and a second.

We do have Diane Barker here.

Thank you again, Mayor, City Council. I am a transit user. I believe in multimodal transit and the freedom of choice. And some people think I don't drive. Well, I haven't been driving lately, but I did have a CDL and I drove a bus. So anyway, this is of interest. And the reason that I'm looking at this, we're paying for some extensions out of Mesa, I think about eight of them. And we've been doing that through RPTA, which morphed into Valley Metro. And then you've added like eight more. I think several of them are express buses, which I really do believe in express buses. It brings more in at the fare box. and it is a way to get faster, particularly during rush hour, than even in a car. So I, overall, I'm just making this statement. I really think that the transit system needs to look at a good reform. We've got great buses. We use natural gas. We've got good drivers. But the system is all designed from back in the day where you came into the Capitol in downtown Phoenix during the morning and then you went out. And the thing about it is we want to get out of like the crashes and the rising price of gases. We need to move people efficiently. And I'm asking that you find some ways that we bring in private enterprise with their own buses and paying for their own gas because they will bid some lines that they can make some money on. And one would be coming across, just one, coming outside of rush hour periods across the valley and get people safely. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Roll call.

Guardado? Yes. Hernandez? Yes. O'Brien? Yes. Pastor? Yes. Robinson?

Yes.

Stark? Yes. Waring? Yes. Hodge-Washington?

Yes.

Gallego?

Yes. Passes 9-0. We next go to Item 106. Will the City Clerk read the title?

Item 106 is for Ordinance G7522, an ordinance amending Chapter 2, Article 1, Division 2, Section 2-14, and Chapter 2, Article 2, Division 1, Section 2-51 of the Phoenix City Code related to membership on the village planning committees.

Vice Mayor. Motion to approve ordinance G7522. Second.

We have a motion and a second. Roll call.

Guardado. Yes. Hernandez. Yes. O'Brien. Yes. Astor. Yes. Robinson.

Yes.

Stark. Yes. Waring. Yes. Hodge, Washington? Yes. Gallego?

Yes. Passes 9-0. Thank you so much. That concludes our agendized item, and I'll turn to our city attorney to explain the role of public comments.

Thank you, Mayor. During citizen comment, members of the public may speak to the city council for up to three minutes on issues of interest or concern. However, the matter's address must be within the jurisdiction of the Phoenix City Council and on which the council has the authority to act. The citizen comment section is limited to 30 minutes. The Arizona Open Meeting Law allows the city council to listen to the comments but prohibits council members from discussing or acting on the issues presented. However, council members may respond to criticism.

Thank you so much. And a reminder, if you are receiving compensation to speak before the council, please disclose that. All right, we will begin with Tony Harris followed by Tony Hill. Tony Harris, could you signal if you are here? Okay. Could our team let us know?

Okay.

Yeah, I would just like to say with regard to the homeless population, I've seen a lot more of them on the street and more tents coming up and I don't know if There's a backlog on housing or not, but because of the conditions outside with the heat, someone can get a lot of these people off the street and let them know where the cooling centers are so they won't end up having a heat stroke or something like that. That would be great. Plus, these cooling centers, I know the one downtown, you're not able to take a nap. And you have to sit in your chair when you're there. And it's very uncomfortable. So I don't know if they can change that for people that are exhausted. So thank you.

Thank you. Tony Hill, followed by Brandon Hunter.

Um, yeah, let me see. Well, the cast. Okay. Cast. I was staying there for a long time. And they told me to get a job. I got a job. They kicked me out and they said that I have to make a thousand dollars to come back to live there in their facility. So how is that right? I'm just saying, right. And thank you.

Thank you. Brandon Hunter is next, followed by Jerry Van Gass. Brandon, could you signal? You were Brandon? Oh, wonderful, okay, thank you. Jerry, you are next, followed by Faith.

Good afternoon, Jerry Van Gass. I was here, let's see, in front of this body March 25th when you directed the Parks Department to rename Cesar Chavez Park and Community Center. And at that time we pushed, you know, said we were going to push for renaming it after Jesse Owens, who lived here his last decade. And we subsequently the next night at the parks board meeting, reiterated that. And since then we've been began collecting signatures at the state meet from practically every track coach in the state. People have been on board for this for years, but this was the first time an opportunity like this came along. And we just last week, the Parks Department came out with, quote, their survey, which is anything but a survey. It's not a ballot, it's not a survey. There's no public discussion on it. It was just unilaterally put out there by the Parks Department. We've got real problems with that. But at the same time, a week ago tomorrow, USA Today came out with a real survey in conjunction with our 250th birthday of this country. And in it, the different sports, track and field is represented by the greatest track and field athlete ever, Jesse Owens, but they also said he was probably the most important athlete in US history. Their survey ends July 4th. Our survey, which is up for debate as to being a survey, ends right around the same time. We should honor Jesse Owens with something. And we're pushing for the park. We never mentioned the community center. But what's really ironic is he won his four gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics in front of Adolf Hitler. Guess what? Germany has a boulevard that leads up to that Olympic stadium named after Jesse Owens. They have a monument for him. and the quarters he lived in at the Olympic quarters there in Berlin. We can do better, folks. This is his hometown. Nothing is named after him by the city. Thank you.

Thank you. Faith is next, followed by Clarissa Peterson.

Thank you, Mayor, City Council. My name is Faith Kearns. I volunteer with Funds for Empowerment. What we're doing right now is literally nothing for the homeless. We need to correct a lot of our mistakes that we're making. Definitely the upkeep on Cass, that place is horrible and very degrading to even go in there. It needs to be updated. And also, if you could, please understand that it's not just the homeless leaving things out in the parks. It's regular people too. And with that, I close.

Thank you. Clarissa is next, followed by Elizabeth Venable.

Hello, Council and everybody, Mayor. I want to talk for the animals. They don't have a voice. I stay at SOS, and their fence and where they have the dogs to go to the bathroom and stuff is not being cleaned well enough for them to go there, and they have to walk back inside the tents. where their paws are dirty and they get sick and they lick their paws and it's they don't know um if it's dirty or not clean and it should be um clean well enough in the area and that's what i want to talk about thank you thank you elizabeth is next followed by victor sanchez

I'll just keep it short probably. What I wanted to say is that one of the reasons why we're trying to have accountability or more standards in the SOS law, and then also it would probably apply to other facilities, um is because of a variety of different reasons um one of the things that needs to be improved is those exit numbers um and the more that the um effectiveness of the programs can be improved the better you can get compliance and also um hopefully increase the number of exits that are positive exits from the sos lot which is pretty low I think that there's, like, capriciousness about some of the disciplinary situation, and a lot of people don't understand. I think that it's partially because there isn't enough capacity in the city of Phoenix, even though... you know, you guys are making efforts. It's difficult because there's a lot of other resources that aren't there and people sort of cycle in and out of these facilities without very little regard for, you know, standards. And so, you know, You know, it's not just the heat or the living conditions, although those are problematic too. I think it's about making the systems effective so you get your return on investment, so you have, you know, positive effects on people's lives when they get to leave the facilities and don't just cycle in and out. And I think that that's really important because if they do cycle in and out on something that's small, you know, it puts the burden back onto the community and it also increases the demand for policing and other services. So we want to, you know, keep people in and help them succeed and get those positive exits.

Thank you. Victor is next followed by Carla Kendall.

Good afternoon. My name is Victor Sanchez. Um, I would just like to talk about having public restrooms and it's not only for homeless people. Um, I used to be homeless. I'm not homeless anymore. And having a public restroom to the cities, it would be a good idea. instead of having people going into the alleys, you know, and getting busted, right? Please. Thank you.

Thank you. Carla is next followed by Randy Kelly.

Hello, city council and mayor. I've never done this before, so excuse me. There are some issues that I want to discuss. First of all, we have a time during the day that they close the showers off so they can clean them. And other than that, we can't shower. And I went in Monday morning because I had my physical therapy appointment. I walk a couple miles every morning, so I wanted to get cleaned up. 20 after 12, after they'd already cleaned, I had to pull the stair down to walk into a, it was a nightmare of death. You know, hair in the drain and mashed soap and filthy, you know, and I took a video of it, but where does the accountability come in when you rely on that? you know, that opportunity. And when I said something to one of the staff members, she just commented, well, if the stairs are up, that means don't go in them. Nobody knows to do that because they don't have anybody to address that, you know. And I have several doctor's appointments that I go to. And regarding transportation, My physical therapies are after 1.30, so they said if I have any transportation to do after 2 o'clock, I have to either call a VAO or use the bus. And after two and a half hours of physical therapy, who wants to walk another half mile to the bus stop, you know, just to get a ride home? And, you know... They have mail issues where we can only get mail from 1 to 4 on Monday. So Monday, I was at my physical therapy that night or evening. During dinner time, I asked one of the staff members for my mail, and she goes, oh, please just sign only 1 to 4. I don't want to get in trouble. No, you can't. And I'm like, I WASN'T HERE. I WAS AT MY DOCTOR'S, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THIS REALLY ARE DISRUPTIVE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THREE MONTHS FOR A LETTER FROM DISABILITY, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY SENT IT TWICE, WHICH THE MAIL IS PICKED UP AT CAST AND THEN BROUGHT BACK OVER, AND I'VE NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER. So, you know, things like this, I've been waiting so I can get out of there. That's my time, sorry.

Thank you for your testimony. Randy is next, followed by Matthew Mentor.

Madam Mayor, Madam Vice Mayor, City Council, thank you for your time to hear me out here. My name is Randy Killing. I'm here to support Montferrand for... sorry about that, the issue as far as for accountability. I came up with an idea of helping these people out, not just for myself, but the people here over at the SOS camp, which is located on 15th Avenue and and Jackson. The idea is to come up with carbon copies and other things for, not just for security itself, but the staff members and also clientele and other things so where everybody gets a chance to have a copy of what happened, a list of things that have been taken from, which has been happening and a lot of things have been disappearing. um the carbon copy i believe would actually help parents that so that we can keep track and accountability as far as for people who have things are taken from them or things that they bring in or out okay it's not just for any single individual or the staff themselves um what i would it's just a suggestion from me i think that that it But the accountability where people are being accused wrongfully or something like that, that it's itemized what is wrong in an ethnic status so that it's clearly understood, okay? Not just assuming or what do you call accusations. It would save a lot of time and effort and a lot of headaches. The second thing is that as far as with the animals control itself and things for the areas being cleaned, that does really need to be cleaned and things for some sort of chemical or things because people do walk, animals do walk in that stuff and it does go inside the tent area. So it's unhealthy for people and people are getting sick. I don't know if there's any way in the budget that you may be able to do something for that where it can get cleaned a lot better and where it's a lot more healthier for everybody else. The last thing, I want to say thank you very much for getting the ADA trailers over to the SOS. It's greatly appreciated. Even though the construction has not started on anything, it's greatly appreciated and the people do know that it is on its way. Um, we do still need, um, uh, porta potties and I think that cause there's, there's a little over 250 people over there using those. The trailers are over there and they are getting backed up so they can use a little bit of help with that part. Thank you very much, madam mayor, madam, uh, vice mayor and city council for hearing me out. You have a wonderful day.

Thank you. Uh, we'll go next to Matthew and then we'll go to a virtual comment from Greg.

My name is Matthew Mansoor. I just wanted to point out I've had the opportunity these past few weeks to just be out there, meet the homeless, just meet a lot of great people. We're all human beings. You say you believe in God. We're all created equally. We are all Him. And we are supposed to treat each other like brothers and sisters. We just Eliminate names. Just go up to somebody. Hey, brother, how you doing? Just talk to them. Be a human being. And I just wanted to put that out there that we're all human. There's a lot of great people everywhere. Every former business, cops, I met a lot of great cops. Just we're all human beings. Let's treat each other like that. That's all I got.

Thank you so much. We'll go to Greg and then back in person with Eric Richardson, if Eric could come forward.

Hello. Can you hear me? We can. All right. Thank you. Good afternoon, honorable mayor and city council members. My name is Greg Turner and I'm a native of Phoenix. I am respectfully submitting this statement as a citizen petition pursuant to chapter four, section 22 of the Phoenix city charter. I am petitioning the city council to provide guidance and consideration for the dedication of a crosswalk or pedestrian-controlled intersection at or near 25th Avenue and Greenway, where a pedestrian was fatally struck by an unlicensed and unsure driver. The individual did not survive, and the driver ultimately faced no meaningful penalty. This request is not made for financial gain nor as a substitute for litigation. Rather, it's made in the interest of acknowledgement, accountability, and public safety. The circumstances surrounding this death reflect a preventable failure, one that aligns directly with the principles of the City of Phoenix's vision zero commitment which recognizes that traffic fatalities are not inevitable accidents but outcomes that can be can and should be prevented through system level responsibility. The individual who lost her life was a mother strong independent and deeply love for surviving son was forced to endure both the loss itself and a legal outcome that left him without recognition or remedy. This petition seeks to ensure that her life is not reduced to a statistic or technicality, but instead acknowledged in a way that affirms the city's stated commitment to protecting pedestrians and learning from loss. And due to the outcome of the litigation, where my friend and his mother's relationship was trivialized, respectfully requesting that the council direct the appropriate departments to advise on the process criteria and feasibility of dedicating any intersection in the vicinity of 25th Avenue and Greenway Road to the memory of Harriet Diamond. Such an action would represent good faith, shared values, and a clear statement that the city must responsibly be stewards of public resources, it also can recognize the human costs of preventable tragedies and is committed to preventing their reoccurrence. And that's my presentation to all of you. My friend, I heard the story and I just wanted to do my part because Harriet was so instrumental in my life and she was such a just wonderful woman. And to hear that she was taken away so abruptly and violently and that through the litigation they really attacked my friend's relationship to his mother and he's just an unconditional guy you know and and everybody grieves differently but they were used that against him and so i feel knowing uh thank you so much for this important testimony and we are sorry for your loss we'll go next to eric and then michael morris

Good afternoon, Madam Mayor and City Council. Thank you again for giving me this time to talk to you all. My name is Eric Richardson, and I represent Funds for Empowerment. And I'm also a resident at the SOS lot over there on 15th Avenue in Jackson. And what I'm going to discuss today is basically really kind of a small issue, sort of. I mean, it has to do with basically a weekend breakfast, basically, here at SOS. Usually the weekend breakfast. Normally we kind of nickname it the continental breakfast because it's like similar to like the hotel. You get at the hotel. I mean, it's like really Monday to Friday we get like warm meals or whatever. On Saturdays and Sundays, we get cereal, fruit, and other items, basically. It used to be like that, basically. When I first got there, actually, this is my second time staying at SOS. I stayed there before two years ago. Usually, it was cereal, milk. We'd get a muffin, bagels. just various types of oranges, bananas, and as time goes on now, recently, it has doodled down for some reason. I don't know if it's because fun's been cut or whatever like that, but I mean... you especially as they give us now you wouldn't even see uh preschool kids get it i mean it's just a cereal and and milk and banana that's it basically it's like it's keep getting less and less and then i think even sunday i didn't get to eat breakfast basically because they ran out of food for some reason um i mean i i because usually breakfast starts around seven or whatever i got there everybody be like woke up maybe like between 8 30 and nine and they had already ran out basically so i had to like wait till lunch, which is like around 11 o'clock to eat, basically. So I don't know what y'all could do or whatever, but I think that needs to be looked at as far as why our breakfast is being cut down on the weekends. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Michael is next, followed by Frank Urban. Michael Morris, if you are here, is Michael here? All right, I do not see Michael. So Frank, you are next and followed by Rhonda.

Hello there, Mayor, City Council. My name is Frank Urban. I'm with Fund for Empowerment. I'm here to speak on behalf of the bill you guys just approved, I guess. This bill is, well, to be blunt, cruel to a lot of people. That's not just the homeless. And I know you guys say that it's safety and, you know, the medical waste that's left over in the parks after they get the treatment. But eliminating it just to two times per month per park in Phoenix is just ridiculous. I mean... AND THE TIMING OF THIS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST STARTING OUR THREE MONTH HEAT WAVE. SO THIS IS GOING TO JUST, THIS BILL IS GOING TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF HEAT RELATED DEATHS IN THE CITY OF PHOENIX, NO DOUBT. That's all I got to say.

Thank you. Rhonda is next, followed by William Kirkland. Rhonda, are you here? All right. William is next, followed by we'll see how much time we have left. So William is next.

Good afternoon. My name is William Kirkland. I'm with SOS. And it's Elizabeth. I come here for the first time y'all's last meeting. I only had one thing to say. And when I was raised, when you ask somebody something and it's followed up by action, which is what y'all did, I don't know which one you did, and that was approving the ICE and all that SOS. Everybody, dang, they're skipping. I mean, so less than 24 hours, I go back, and there's all the ice we need. So I just want to thank you, just flat out. I mean, wonderful. So you got my vote.

Thank you. Lee is next. Lee Ellis.

lee are you with us i do not see lee okay then our final speaker will be david morgan hi i'm david morgan i'm with the funds firm empowerment thank you all for hearing us on the ice issue that was huge um professional accountability

affects everything when it comes to living in a sheltered environment.

What I'm referring to is an example. Someone's waiting for CBI to give them a ride. They wake him up in the morning. They say, be ready. The person's ready. They leave him Calls his case manager, is told he's on report for noncompliance. That's like getting an AO1 inciting riot ticket in prison. It's the worst thing you can get. It can get you 86 permanently. This is not the client's fault. This is not the participant in the program's fault. It is CBI's fault. CBI needs to be held accountable. Now, I went through this with Rachel Milne with Office of Homeless Solutions, Jeremy, and the guy that runs the yard, which is IKA. And we sat down and we tried to discuss this. But there's other issues. You can bring up Lionheart Security. You can bring up the cleaning solutions people that supposedly clean our yard. And no one's held accountable. Keys to change, not held accountable. At what point did they become gods? They're minimum wage employees. Bare minimum workers. Where I'm from, that's called a POS. It's not acceptable. It's fired. It's let go until somebody that is accountable, responsible.

Please follow our counsel. You need to be respectful of all people.

I wasn't trying to direct anything at anyone in particular. wasn't bringing up names. The companies that exist that run the shelters are under contract with the city. The city can yank those contracts at any time. They need to be held accountable. Something needs to be done. That's all I'm saying.

Thank you. That is everyone we have signed up for public comment. We are adjourned.

To show people from various levels of gardening skills how to grow in their own backyard in Arizona and specifically in Phoenix. What we wanted to see was folks, one, eating more nutritious food but having a healthier lifestyle.