Council - Regular Meeting

We're going to forgo all formalities. Just go straight to roll call and then begin with the presentations. Mayor Herarda, present. Mayor Juan Castillo, present. Council member Jesus Raldan, present. Council member Luis Galindo. Council member Miguel Vando. Council member Martha Gonzalez.

Council member Lorena Deado. Mayor have a quorum. Good evening, uh, mayor and council. James Jones, parks director. Um, I come to you today with, uh, your request upon the museum project and, uh, Summerton, West Summerton Park, uh, community center. Uh, the first thing we're going to go over is the museum project. We're also going to touch on title 34, uh, request for qualifications and requests for proposals. Um, I have met with legal today, so she'll be jumping in every now and then and giving you some extra feed, uh, information and feedback. Um, I first want to go over what the site looks like now. Um, I think it's important that you guys see that and pictures in form and understand that where the site is right now to where we want to where we want to bring it to, it's night and day difference. Um, so we will need to go in there and look at the building, the structural building, the ADA, um, everything to make sure that it's fit for our residents and the project as a whole. And right now, all I'm talking about is the existing buildings. I'm not talking about the big uh parcel of space. Um, like I said, it's 16,590 square foot of open space there, not including the the building. Um, when I want to point out that when I wrote the RFQ for this, um, I just gave them that plot and showed them the two existing buildings in the open space, um, at that point we were not asking for any proposals, any design proposals. It was a qualification to just look for the best firm, which is when I'm coming here. Um, I also had four meetings with the historical society. In the first meeting, we reviewed the project and the overall goals of the project. The second meeting we reviewed the area and the

building conditions as you just saw. The third meeting we figured out the themes for the museum because it's important that we put something in the RFQ of kind of what little areas we need. Do we need eight? Do we need 10 to for displays? And then the fourth meeting went over the scope of work or for the request for qualifications based off budget of $20,000. I do want to point out that when these uh people sub or when these companies submitted their request for uh qualifications, they did not get a set amount for the budget total. So when they pro when they proposed their qualifications, it was just based off the work that they've done and their ideas and during each of those meetings and our city manager was in it, they said, "Well, you didn't provide us a lot of detail. You didn't provide us what we know. So, the first thing we we would need to know is have a meeting with you and know what you want in your museum. Um, the timeline right there is what uh they proposed. I want to point out that that's for full design. Um, not for the $20,000 budget. For $20,000 budget, you're not going to get that full design quality. You're going to get partial of that. Um, next meeting, the the request request for qualifications. I've we wanted to review this with you. Um request for qualifications focusing on experience, credentials, technical experience, not price used for professional services like architect, engineerings, and this is required under revised uh Arizona revised statute title 34. Firms are ranked best based on qualifications as have they done a museum before? Have they worked with small budgets? Have they worked with small municipalities? Have they worked with communities um like our size? Um it also includes interviews and scoring committees. Um that was myself, our city manager and our parks and facilities manager. Um the RFP, the request for uh proposals evaluates both approach and

cost as part of the proposal. So you really look at the cost. What is the whole design co cost? What is the construction cost? It's used for services or projects where the scopes and deliver deliverables are are clearly defined. I didn't give clear define. I just wanted to see what their proposals were, what they've done, what is best for our city. Um, and then the selection is based off best value, which is a combination of cost and quality. I don't know if you have anything.

So, Mayor, Council, Michelle Stinson from the city attorney's office. Um, I just want to hit home what James already said, but anything that touches on construction does require that RFQ process under um under state law. So that means that our very first solicitation cannot touch on uh the pricing. So it's only going to be qualificationbased uh review and once we once we select a firm based on their qualifications that we put in that solicitation then we go and negotiate the price. So that so that is why uh James is following those processes for anything that is related to construction um or architects and engineers specifically. And at the bottom you'll see the key difference. RFQ who's the most qualified then negotiate the price. So that's a twopart process. The first part is going to council and requesting permission to negotiate the price with the company. The second is coming back with the price or the scope of work that they're going to perform and what they're going to provide with the timeline. Um and then we know exactly what we're getting for our money or what the budget allows what we're getting for it. Um an RFP is who has the best plan and price combined. you know the flatout price minus if there's any change orders. I don't know if he has any questions on this slide. Okay. The next thing I really want to touch touch about is the title 34 and request qualifications. Title 34 falls under Arizona revised statute. It's triggered more it's triggered on more than just new construction. Um a a common misconception is that title 34 only applies to new new buildings or new construction. It does not. It is triggered when a project in in uh involves structural modifications, walls, roofs, uh foundations, ADA, things like that. Uh changes to the building layout or occupancy use. Um what were you using before? Now we're changing it and it's going to be more uh used. Is there is it does it fit that

qualifications? Um electrical plumbing or HVAC resign ADA compliance or upgrades that affect construction and public safety measures. fire egress accessibility and I want to point out that a museum conversion rehab almost fits uh all these areas.

Well, I was just going to um read read the actual definition of construction out of the statute because I think it really hits home uh what James is saying. So under title 34, the definition of construction is the process of building, altering, repairing, improving or demolishing any public structure, building or other public improvements of any kind to any public real property. So that's a lot of any and it it is a very broad definition. Um it does not, as James said, include routine operation, routine repair or routine maintenance of existing facilities. Uh

any questions? Okay. Uh this is what the city So a city staff cannot replace a licensed design professional even though your facility and park team were capable of and we can go out and do our best duties to do that and give you guys what you direct us to do. We are we are we have to go with a registered uh architect and engineer because they prepare the stamp plans. They ensure code uh compliance and they take and they take legal responsibility. As a city staff, we cannot stamp construction documents. We cannot assume liability for structural and code design. And without stamp plans, the city cannot legally bid or construct the project. So, it's really important that we cover our due basis with this and make sure that you know we had that meeting last week about ADA that the ADA qu requirements are met in the construction plans. I don't know if he has any questions on this slide before we move forward. Okay. um liability and risk exposure. The city tried to rehab in-house without title third. The city would assume full response or full liability for structural failures, ADA violations, uh life safety issues, insurance and auditors would flag the project. Um it could invalidate permits, future grant funding, and title 34 protects the city by placing design responsibilities on a licensed professional. Um, the next procurement law still applies to work itself. Even if staff could do portions of the work, construction over certain thresholds, still requires formal bidding process and competitive procurement, we can't just go, okay, we're going to go out and do this. Um, if it's over those thresholds, we still have to come back to you and get approval and then plans and like plans and yeah, specifications must exist which agree with 30 20 34 compliance. The only thing that I will add is that of course that is the rule and then

there are there are exceptions and so we our our office would work with staff to uh evaluate whether any exceptions to these rules apply and make sure that you guys are are fully informed with u you know if there's possibly different procurement methods or something like that. So sometimes depending on the cost of the construction for example um I believe this year if it's less than $28,000 or 28,000 and some change um then you could direct select your construction but that is a pretty low threshold. Um there's also a couple of exceptions uh depending on the type of of work that is being done. So

any questions? Um change of use, higher standards. Um turning a building into a museum, public assembly space increases uh the requirements, occup occupancy classification changes, ADA accessibility upgrades need to be done. Fire and life safety requirements are increased. Structural load considerations must change and they are not maintenance, they are regulated by design changes. Um so that's kind of uh and then there's last one is what can be done in house. So there is things that title 34 doesn't make all buildings off limits to us. Um it still can be handled this way. Routine maintenance, painting, minor repairs, non-structural cosmetic work, basic landscaping and site cleanup. Uh but once a project becomes design, construction of a of facility, you must follow title 34. Um, and then I do want to come back now that we've covered this back to the original four things that the that the committee disc discussed was site analysis and conceptual layout plan. What we're talking about there is can we use the buildings? Are they in good maintenance condition? Um, and then conceptual layout plans. That could be a 1D that could depends on that $20,000 that we use. That could be just a drawing where how we would use those spaces. Not the ext not extra work, not the Taj Mahal as mayor once said, it's just the spaces that are there. What can we use? What can we design in those spaces? Uh preliminary cost, how much would it cost to bring it up to code, bring it up to compliance, uh address the ADA, address all the other issues? Um phasing and implementation strategy. If we want to expand it in 10 years, 20 years, how would that look? If we just want to do it now, how would that look? And then presentation materials, which is PDF and 3D visuals, in case we want to do a like a private uh a public private partnership with with a group or we want to go out the funding, we have those materials that we can go out there and show them and look for more funding. Um, but I don't know if you guys have any

questions, but I do want to point out that when you go back and you think about that 28,000 or 20,000 and you look at the current state of the building. Um, and and I I don't know if 20,000 would bring that up to code. Um, I not I'm not also not sure if the building is or if the building in the jail structure is uh structurally safe enough to just start working on. We we need to and that's where that comes back to site analysis. Can we bring this up to code? Can we can we get what we want accomplished out of this? And at this point, we're staff is just looking for your direction on this project or we can answer any questions or anything that you want to move forward with. Any questions or comments?

Mayor, if I may. Yes.

Um mayor and vice mayor and council members. Uh I think um we just want to make sure that uh we've talked we've had different discussions and making sure on the different projects that we have is making sure that that's the idea that we're sharing with mayor and council and everybody's on the same page when it comes to these projects. Um you know what we've heard is trying to stay within uh the two structures. Uh again, uh we just want to get that feedback from from all of you, making sure that's that's what we're looking at. So when we do come back uh to see if we want to if if council approves uh the different uh engineer or I mean the companies that we've are are promoting or at least selecting that that you uh that we're all on the same page of the scope of work uh that we're looking at. And again it's not about uh what they present. It's about what you want to see and what you'd like to see. and then they take those ideas and bring them back to you.

Any questions or comments? Yeah. In a nutshell, the $20,000 that you're we approved or we talked about and now that you're presenting today, sum it up. The $20,000 is just for the conceptual design again, right? And those $20,000 will cover to ex tell us how much it's going to be. So basically, so if I'm answering to to understand your question, I think what we'll get because you're asking what we'll get out of the $20,000. I think number one, site analysis and conceptual plan layout, that 1D plan, the map of here's the buildings. Uh first off, can we use the buildings? Are the buildings able to be used? You need to know that right away. Okay.

If they're able to be used, then that's where the conceptual design comes in. the 1D, maybe 2D. Um maybe some present a 3D visual will come out of that. Um there's a lot of upfront work that kind of these companies put in when they did their qualifications that we can piggyback off from. Not the whole thing, but those two buildings we can focus on. Um that's basically what I think we'll get and the cost of just bringing those up to the museum. I think that's what the $20,000 will provide us and that might be it. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions or comments?

And I think with the presentation of when we heard this item last meeting, it was just uh the scope was for full design and uh but you know, at least we're realistic and and we'll know what to expect. At least um be be realistic about it. Um, you know, as we saw when we toured all the uh the city facilities, there's a lot of needs. So, this this probably going to give us just the tools to understand how much is going to be and with the other facilities. I I hope that we have those type of uh analysis to so when we uh budget that we know how much it's going to cost but at least um you know if if that's if those 20,000 is going to get us that at least on my end I would be fine because it's going to give us a realistic account of how much we're going to spend and then we saw the facilities needs we need to get everything and make decisions prioritize but at least this is the type of information that we need to make an informed decision.

Uh, mayor, I believe, uh, LEA is on the line. They can kind of tell you what they think they can give you out of that 20. I know it's not a dec. We're not making a decision tonight, but it's anformational piece that if they're on that they could provide you. I'm not sure if Lance is on, maybe not. Uh, good evening, Marinia and, uh, council members. This is Lance Inart with LEA Architects and I am on and could answer any questions that you might have. Lance, I think the big thing is with that $20,000 budget, they're wondering what do you think we could accomplish out of these four items?

Yeah, I I think it's really, as you described, uh looking at what the desires for the facility want to be. uh meeting with the user group uh whoever that might be the various stakeholders to define the vision. Uh we have a a basic understanding of that based on what you presented us in the RFQ and as you uh pointed out have taken some of that at your request and developed some preliminary ideas. you know, whether those bear fruit or have merit, we don't know because we haven't had the opportunity to interface with anyone so far because we haven't been able to generate a proposal. But, you know, our understanding of the scope is just as you described, taking a general assessment and look at what the existing buildings are. Um, you know, what their potential is for reuse or not. um thinking about the near-term needs of what the museum might want to entail. What are the different artifacts that it wants to house in the near term uh and also in the long term? This the site that was defined uh has a broader potential we think um beyond just those two buildings. There's a really strong connection or potential connection to the park there as you're rethinking the the public uh works component and the yard. There's space to the north that could become future um development or become future uses uh tied to this museum or tied to this public space. So, you know, we see a lot of potential there. But what we're most excited about is hearing what you see and what you

think and what the stakeholders think and and would see there and and how we might be able to turn some of those initial precepts and and ideas and wants into a a broader concept design and understanding that that concept design you may not have funding for it upfront and or only you may only have funding for a smaller piece. But that's not to say you should just be thinking about only that smaller piece. How can we think of the longer the broader vision and how this site could ultimately serve the citizens of of Summerton uh in the long term and be thinking about phasing and future uses. So, I guess all that to say the the budget is modest, but we've been working in your community for nearly 30 years and feel passionate about this project. We're proud of having been selected to work with you on this project and you know we'll we'll work with you to develop a concept out and and define what the cost for that concept might be and how you could phase it to achieve different levels of that concept over time. So I guess in I think one of the council members asked for it in a nutshell. It's maybe a couple nuts. I don't know, two or three. But uh that's generally how we see the the scope of work from our from our end. And hopefully it's aligned with your vision.

Other questions or comments? No, I mean I think I I uh at least for me I mean at last at our last meeting I kind of me I think this is the first step in in in in kind of planning out on what we want in in in in the future, you know. So I mean I was fine with it and uh I think it puts us in a good spot where we can also have our consultants uh um advocate for for for funding. So, I mean, I you know, I I I mean, I'm I'm I'm good with it. I mean, I was good with it last time. Any other questions or comments?

Thank you.

I'll move on to the next. Uh Okay. Um this one's about the West Summerton master plan. um shel uh community shelter uh community center and shelter design RFQ. Um I do want to go back to the video that you have been shown. This is the master plan video of the park. Um we use this as the footprint and kind of the overall scope of putting the community center plan together. How much space is there? Um it's up to 3200 square foot building. So we gave them the range of the space. Now, do we have to build it all at once? No. It could be a phased event. It could be what we need now to what we need in the future. I do want to state that when you walk through our our community center shelter now, we do not have a kitchen. We do not have uh ice machine. We do not have our CS and other materials stored there. We are lacking storage there. So, this project is, you know, the shelter side of it, I feel, is the most important part of it. Um, I know you guys have seen this video multiple times. I guess I'll let it play all the way through. Um, because you guys you guys are the ones that put this together. Um, you gave the direction to J2 and last architects to put this plan together. Um, this is your guys's master plan idea. I'm just here to try to help you accomplish it. Um, so I do want to point out that at this point the pond is 100% designed um, and was presented to council and we're going through the process of looking for funding methods for it. Um, can I move on?

It's an aquifer recharge recharge. Yep. Please.

I'm glad you got that down because I still don't clearly. Um, now here's the back here's the project background. As you see, I put it I this is from the original all these pictures. Yeah, there's numbers on them and things like that. Ignore the numbers. These I pulled these from the original master plan that was presented to you. Um so located within the West Summerton uh community park identified as a key component of the master plan and 10-year master uh master plan and the 10-year master plan for parks and wreck. Uh planned as a multi-purpose community center emergency shelter and supports long-term growth infrastructure needs. um community needs. We don't have a large scale indoor recreation facility currently available. Ours is modest and it works for us, but as our population grows, um we're running out of space for extra programs and extra spaces. We have community members that come to us with ideas and proposals, we don't have space for them right now. So, we have to work, we have to juggle around with our recreation department to make sure that we can uh give the residents everything that they want and provide that customer service. We do have limited space for athletics and leagues, indoor uh community programs and events, educational and possible need for senior services in the future. As we talked about, uh we're out growing the senior center. Um so we we we really want to just look at this building and see how can we phase this stuff into the future. Uh not build it all at once, but just phase it. Um increasing demand, year- round indoor programming. It is hot. It's Arizona. People do want to go inside. um emergency preparedness needs. As I said, we have a lack of emergency shelter. We have one that we use as emergency shelter, but we don't have a kitchen in there. We don't have an ice machine. We don't have CS. We don't have the things that we need to make an actual shelter. We would have to go get that stuff from other areas of the town. So, this is a really big need. Um I also

want to point out that um impact fees will support up to 10,000 square foot of a facility like this. Um and that could be designed that could be up. So there is that that spa that uh funding source in there. Um like I said, extreme weather res uh response, community safety operations, temporary shelter surfaces and design fits and meets modern safety and ADA standards. That's always going to be important to us. And then I per this is what I as you notice the picture in there, that's when you that's a picture from when you guys really were starting to plan this community park. So I wanted to throw that in there. Um, I provided them this. This is modeled after a facility in Florida. It's just a it's a framework. I had to provide them something. How much space, how much square footage, just so they can kind of get moving. They understood that I would I asked for this to be something that could be multi-use, flexible public use, designed for recreational program, community events, daily use for the public, eel shelter operations, ADA, low uh uh energy efficient and long-term durability. I do want to point out that the other part of this was how do we phase this? How do we build one part, build the next part, build the next part? Um, in no way did I say this was the final design. Um, and I'll get to why in a in a there's a why to that, but I want to show you the timeline before and then you'll see the why. Um, this was a preliminary sketch given to us. If you notice, it's phased and it shows 27 27,000 to 32,000 multi-use facility. It's got a full gym and a half gym, so you could have basketball and volleyball going on at the same time. Has a kitchen and a lounge that that that's for that shelter component. It's got locker rooms. That's the shelter component and just recreation component and multi-purpose gathering areas. Um, it's also got the the classroom space or the the spaces in there that we could host more

recreational activities, an art class, a band class, a dance class, things like that, and have multiple things going on rather than one at a time. because right now with comm community the cultural center will be used an hour later somebody else will come in there. We don't have multiple classes going on. Um so like I said though this is they did their best at phasing it and you kind of see the area. Um now like I said this isn't the main design. This is just go out there and get some proposals for the RFQ. Um there's a long way to go from an RFQ to the full design and you'll see that um the purpose of the project is expand recreational services, provide centralized community facility, improve quality of life for residents, support future growth, um establish emergency reg uh infrastructure. Um as you see all this stuff is important. Now the timeline I want you to pay attention to the timeline. Like I said, design service RFQ this falls under title 34. So you need to do it this way. Um but if you look at the timeline, it starts off with a kickoff meeting. Then it goes to programming workshop, programming workshop. Those are where the the firm that we hire comes in and meets with the public, meets with you guys, and really that outline I gave them, that 3200 foot outline that gets redone during that phase. That's where they come and gets your input. Uh what do you want to come first? What do you want to come second? When do you think we need to you know expand the uh the center? What population levels do we need? Those are things that you you guys can that will be in those discussion conceptual design worked out. All that stuff for the first so we're behind but the first four or five months is just coming to get input on the design from from residents staff and of course council. And then if you if you notice this whole project takes about 13 to 14 months. So it's it's not it's not done. It's not even been

discussed. It's just going out for proposals. And then this is the this is what they would do to get your feedback and kind of make the community center what Summerton wants, what Summerton needs, not just the random picture that I threw on a paper. Um I don't know if you guys have any questions.

Any questions or comments? I think for me my my concern is we go into the design phase for this. Do we have a plan how we would pay for it? That's like you know we we used to have one with the ARPA funds that we were going to use it for for them but we reallocated those uh those funds. So, is it my question would be is it something that council still wants to prioritize now that we don't have any funds and and I don't know I I I see this as something that we put it off for the community but how how are we going to pay if we invest all this money in in design then um you know before we used to have a funds identified for it but now the only way that would probably be able to build this would be bonding or if we get a grant, write a good grant, you know, we can justify the need for a shelter with the heat and but I don't know that at least for me that's my my concern as far as designing unless we have a clear plan how we going to move forward to it. Are we going to go for uh grants? How realistic is that? how or any uh is there appetite from council to go into a bond to the community for a for a vote and see if they would be uh in favor of this. But at least for me moving forward without identifying a funding source, it's something that at least give me pause for it. So I don't know what council I'm gonna look at Shona. How are we going to make it happen? Shaa,

the poor. Shaa, we want the poor.

Shaa Medell, finance director, um, mayor, vice mayor, council. So, this part of this planning is to identify those funding sources. If we do not have this planning, we cannot go out for grants. we cannot even go out for bonds. Um we have to have some type of plan. So when we talk shovel ready, I know that you guys have heard this a lot um this past year, shovel ready. This gets us started for shovel ready. Um yes, it is a big commitment as far as general fund is concerned to to go out for this design. But if we don't have this, we can't move forward to allocate or even try to go out for funding um due to the fact of we don't have a a shovel ready plan. Um so so that's that's kind of our mechanism and and moving forward is to try to get some of the general funds to pay for some of these designs so that we can have them to submit. We have a plan for that submitt. And who knows, I mean, we can get grant fundings, uh, appropriation fundings, all of that. Um, all of you sat in the Nexus presentation and that was the whole key point of it is you have to have something shovel ready ready before we can even try to move forward and trying to identify funding. Um, now, as far as prioritizing, yes, definitely. Um, if 250,000 right now is not the priority to use on a design, just know that that we we'll allocate it somewhere else, but eventually we are going to have to um get some type of funding to get a design in order to go out for funding. So, it's just moving it along. If this is not priority, then it'll just move it along to the next fiscal year and see what we can do. See if that's your priority at that time. If not, we can move it out five years. It's all up to you and your direction. I I do want to be transparent with the

$250,000. We're looking at probably 30% to 35% complete. With that $250,000, we're not looking at 70 or 80 or 90 where we're at where we need to be to start applying the grant cycle. We're looking at 30 to 35% design complete. We'd still have to put some more phases in to get the design work completed. Mayor, if I may, I just I just want to uh also be clear uh you know, our aquifer recharge uh system, you know, uh the council approved uh the design for that and that was uh just just under four uh four million

400,000. 400,000. Um, so, so that was what we needed, uh, to go to appropriations, uh, or look for funding to be able to get, uh, hopefully or possibly $4 million, uh, and that type of thing. So, but again, uh, I think what what staff is saying is, uh, we're going to be working on a five-year plan and and, uh, deputy city manager and and myself and and we're working with the department directors to to bring that to you. Uh so like you mentioned mayor to get your priorities uh and maybe we can we can look at that and and you can come back and give us the direction uh of that plan. Uh but yeah it is I mean those are going to be the bigger commitments up front. Um we we have asked uh Nexus and and looking at uh design uh design I guess funding uh but that seems to be a challenge. Uh a lot of them want it ready uh you know the

a lot of them want um commitment as far as the other side. So going to what you had said mayor as far as a plan um if you're going into design what is your plan to move forward this design? Um that's where that funding mechanism comes in is so we should have a plan from start to finish. Again going back to shovel ready like if we're going out for design for the $250,000 or a million dollars whatever it may be to get a grant to just design it we need to tell them how we're going to move it forward. And mayor, uh, if I may, uh, you know, currently, you know, we we have two projects that are being considered for appropriations, uh, and and those were 100% shovel ready. One of them was a is a 10-year-old project that we're hoping, uh, that there'll be funding. Uh but what helped in in getting that to I guess the second phase of what we're trying to do was that there was a commitment from the city uh and and there had been already you know uh the design was fully completed uh and again uh the city invested in that but also even in some property so that design would get and that weighed a lot at least when we were talking to uh the different uh I guess congressional representatives and and their team uh they mentioned that's good. That's that's what we want to see because uh the the more that we can put weight on uh what our requests are that the city's committing to. Uh I think that's what they're looking for. Uh at least that's what they that that's what they're telling us. So, but again, uh you know, uh wish we had, you know, the funding for all of these. Uh but you know, that's going to be something that we

look for mayor council on the priority list. I feel this is just a piece of the puzzle. We, you know, saw that that uh we, you know, they just opened bids for main street redevelopment. So that's also something that we need to look at as far as funding and and priorit prioritizing and so

yeah mayor and and also if I may uh you know we we have another project also with wastewater you know a connection to uh you know uh working partnering with the county so there's a lot of a lot of things going on and and there's there's a commitment from the city and some of those so I think that's something to be considered also because it is a a I think a a great commitment and a great uh opportunity for the city. Uh but again, at the same time, I think we're we're going to have to I mean, mayor and council will have to prioritize and see how we want to handle that. At least for real, it gives me pause committing eventually $500,000 for a design that we we need to talk to, you know, our grants people and see if how realistic is to get a grant and and if not, then is this council want to how we're going to fund it? It's going to cost millions of dollars. So, is it something that we want to move forward and and commit to it and work towards it? But but just having it $500,000 without really having a commitment from council or from in realistic sources and spending $500,000 on that.

Yes, I agree. I don't think we're ready for that commitment right now, especially since we have um other priorities. Um uh James mentioned it'll be only 30 35%. So to me it's it's I would rather wait and um you know continue with the with other priorities.

He's showing a light up Um, you know, and I think I agree with Counciloman Gonzalez and and it goes back to the comment that I made in in previous meetings when we saw the conceptual design for the new wastewater. It it was just put away. How much money did did council at that time or the city spent to make that conceptual design, you know, and it was put away. That was back in 2015, I think. Um, Rosa told us and and I too I think we need to to look at our priorities right now. There's a lot, you know, and and and I think it's for the well-being of our employees and and for these other commitments and the priorities that we have that are coming up to our plate. It's beautiful. I mean, I see this video and it's beautiful, but is as the mayor said, is it realistic right now? No. um $500,000. If it's going to cost us $500,000, I'm sure Jonah needs those $500,000 to spend to redo another, you know, something at the wastewater or over here at the public works department or your depart. I mean, yeah, I'm sorry, but I I just I don't see it now. I know.

Wow. You know what? And I I I mean, I understand the perspectives. I really do. Um but I also see you know this is the vision that we have you know for for the future you know um the aqua what is it

recharge the aqua recharge um so so uh I mean I understand the perspective that and I know it's a lot of money um you know but at the same time I feel that I mean we're going to end eventually we're going to end up spending it uh because that I mean that is the f that is what we want that is the design we want you So, for the future, we might not get it right away as quickly as we would want. But I'm thinking right now, if this is going to cost us right now, I'm pretty sure in a couple more years, it's going to the price is going to be we're going to pay up more. And I think we're always going to have priorities. Uh something's always going to especially with the limit limited resources that we have. Um and you know, and I'm thinking right now, we do have a consultant that we're you know, that that they're assisting us and and trying to get funds. And I think the the quicker and sooner we get most of these projects kind of like shovel ready, it's kind of like at least it gives us an opportunity where we might be able to fund those those projects because if we wait for for for us as a city um probably my great great grandkids are going to be the ones seeing it come to fruition. So I I mean so I mean I understand it's a lot of money but I kind of do see we don't pay it now. I mean, we're going to pay maybe double later and it's going to take even longer. And and I really think right now it's important for us to put all those projects shovel ready, per se, so that the consultants that we do have right now can help us with the funding. And and I know we have two projects that were funded, right?

That hoping that we're hoping, but I mean, we're much closer than than where we were last year, you know? We're we're I mean, we're really close. So I you know I I know it's a lot of money but I mean I you know it that aqua aqua recharge it research I mean look it looks great you know and it's something that we're going to need in the future and yeah I mean I I know it's a lot of money we don't want to spend it and we have a lot of priorities too but

you know at least that's my thinking on it you know and and again I I mean I understand the perspective it's a lot the fund I mean we might not have the funding source on how it's going to be but this is why we also to hire those consultants where they can help us out and if I feel if we don't move in that direction, they're really not going to be able to help us in that area. So, but I know it's a lot of money. So

I think after uh you know going to uh DC and meeting with Nexus and different uh uh congressional people out there you know they they're uh funding uh projects that are shovel ready. So I guess you know we're on the the balance what's priorities. I mean, I understand that, you know, tough times realistically, we need the money with, you know, other priorities within the city. But at the same time, I think, um, with Councilman Castillo that or Vice Mayor Castillo that, uh, in order for us to get to what we're supposed to be or what we want to be or or, you know, we also need to invest and and see the investment from the city so they can also, you know, give us or help us with the money so we can uh, finish the projects that we need to do. Um I guess as a council we have to uh you know where where we want to be you know where the vision is or or what's you know like uh vice mayor said you know the more we wait yeah the more expensive but at the same time we have to be realistic understand that you know what maybe this is not the year maybe next year or so forth you know hopefully units come in you know grocery store or whatever it needs to be so we can get more funding but uh I think after being there and meeting with uh the the lobbyist, you know, open your eyes that, you know, when you have projects that are shoved already, you know, you get more opportunities to get funding. So, um I just

like I said, you know, I I feel that I guess more conversations with uh our consultant to see how realistic is it that we would get grant funding. Is this a project that that goes well as far as the shelter and and how we can, you know, we we saw that we we have the aquifer, but what they they told us is we need additional information like maybe like for that example, it was like talk to the uh the Bureau of Reclamation, you know, they they need more more data as far as funding a project of that. So for us maybe that this type of shelter is like we need to identify more uh sources of information as far as the heat. Phoenix had a big grant as far as planting trees. What what type of information did they provide in order to get that type of grant funding? Maybe we we we need to do more of that research in order for us to be ready for when we're going to invest $500,000 in the design. How realistic do we feel? Do we feel comfortable with with the data that that that we need to research prior to going out and giving those those that that information? Because when we're talking to um you know the uh the the legislator, they're like, "Wow, this is like a pond." So, but we we so we need to justify because they they also have um their constituents that they need to answer to when they prioritize funding. It's just uh u you know it's a a competitive so they at least for me that that's you know we we have the u that's a redevelopment that we it's been on the shelf for eight years. We finally open bid. So you know we see like the

light at the end of the tunnel that we can probably um look at that and uh because yeah this it takes takes years but there we did the same thing. we didn't have uh funding sources available. Um finally Ghava Congressman Ghaba before he passed he gave us a million dollars for it. So at least we have some but we we did have the shovel ready. So it it's I think just seeing how everything works, just the information that's required and and having a realistic approach of what we're going to because $500,000 is especially with the needs that we saw, it it's a lot. Yeah. So, mayor, I I think the if I'm understanding correctly, the direction is we'll we'll look at those projects uh you know look at and see what you know how that would impact and and really what's the potential of of completing these projects. Is it a fiveyear, 10 year, is it a 20-year project uh that we can bring back to you and and also we'll be working on that five-year CIP so that you can review it and and provide us feedback and and have that information for you on those projects so that you know uh I know we don't want to have projects or they sit on the shelf for 10 years or 15 years. Uh uh but there you know eventually there's got to be that first step and I think that's what we'll work with mayor and council on when when do you think you can take that first step and plan it out.

Thank you. Thank you. This is a conversations that we were alluding to in our last uh meeting that we wanted to have is instead of having like bits and pieces we want to see the whole picture. So, mayor, if I may, I just want to add uh that, you know, th this will be something we'll be adding uh just to make sure that uh on the projects that we're on the same page and that the direction is is we're is understood. So,

yeah. 651 meetings adjourned. Amen. And uh he