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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - City Council - Meeting Date: 5/9/2023 City of Glendale 5850 West Glendale Avenue Glendale, AZ 85301 Glendale ARIZONA Meeting Minutes Tuesday, May 9, 2023 12:30 P.M. Workshop Meeting Council Chambers City Council Mayor Jerry Weiers Vice Mayor Joyce Clark Councilmember Jamie Aldama Councilmember Ian Hugh Councilmember Ray Malnar Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff Councilmember Bart Turner CALL TO ORDER Mayor Weiers called the meeting to order at 12:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Jerry Weiers Vice Mayor Joyce Clark Councilmember Ian Hugh Councilmember Ray Malnar Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff Councilmember Bart Turner Absent: Councilmember Jamie Aldama Also Present: Kevin Phelps, City Manager Jim Gruber, Deputy City Attorney Julie K. Bower, City Clerk WORKSHOP SESSION 1. 2023 NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY Presented by: Khala Stanfield, Director of Organizational Performance Guest Presenter: Joseph Dell'Olio, Senior Project Manager, Polco Ms. Bower read the item by title. Mr. Dell'Olio provided the results and analysis of the 2023 National Community Survey. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked how the households were selected. Mr. Dell'Olio said households were selected randomly as a whole throughout Glendale. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked if 8%was above or below the average response. Mr. Dell'Olio said it was equal to or greater than what would be received at a national level. Councilmember Turner asked if the drop in the income group from $75,000 - $99,000 was an actual drop in the community. Mr. Dell'Olio said the data was weighted but was expected to fall in line with the demographics of Glendale as a whole. Councilmember Turner asked if the graph indicated residents were rating Glendale lower than residents nationally rated their communities. Mr. Dell'Olio said that was correct. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked if adjustments were made due to the types of utilities some cities offered. Mr. Dell'Olio said it was the quality of the general utilities that were provided. City Council Meeting Minutes-May 9, 2023 Page 2 of 9 Councilmember Turner asked if Council would be receiving the data that backed up the presentation. Ms. Rios said Council would receive the full report. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked how the information would be used. Ms. Stanfield said staff would be digging deeper into the results and would work on strategies or initiatives. Ms. Rios said the important part of the survey was to benchmark the City over time. Vice Mayor Clark was more interested in hearing initiatives from department directors. She asked if Ms. Rios would be coming back to provide initiatives and what was the timeline. Ms. Stanfield said the item would return. A timeline would be developed after the results were presented. Councilmember Turner said it might be a time for Council to set goals on what to work on. Mr. Phelps said staff would go back and look at strategies. There were some things that could be addressed quickly and others, like crime, would take more time and study. Follow up polls would be needed to obtain more data for comparison. Councilmember Turner asked the amount of money invested in the project. Ms. Rios said $40,000 had been spent this year and there was another$40,000 in the budget for next year. Staff did not plan on conducting the same survey right away but would wait 2-3 years. A survey focused on specific topics would be next. Councilmember Turner said the $40,000 was well spent. It was a good start. He would like to see a general survey every few years and a specific survey every other year. 2. WATER RESOURCES UPDATE AND CONSERVATION OF WATER IN LAKE MEAD Presented by: Ron Serio, P.E., Director, Water Services Megan Sheldon, Deputy Director, Water Services Drew Swieczkowski, Water Resources Manager, Water Services Ms. Bower read the item by title. Mr. Serio provided information regarding the conditions at Colorado River reservoirs and the Salt and Verde River systems. He was seeking consensus to participate in the Bureau of Reclamation System Conservation Program for 2023 through 2025. Vice Mayor Clark asked what the new elevation was expected to be once water flowed into the reservoirs. Mr. Serio said levels were expected to rise greatly away from the critical level. The current position would be good until about 2026. There had been an approximately 10-20 foot per year decline. The goal was to decline usage and maintain the higher water levels. Glendale had a strong water portfolio. City Council Meeting Minutes- May 9, 2023 Page 3 of 9 Mayor Weiers asked if there was a way to collect the water that SRP was releasing. Mr. Serio said the water spilled from Roosevelt Lake to Granite Reef and was diverted into the canal. The City was using some of the spill water. Because the rest of it was hard to use, it was recharging the aquifer. There were also surface water laws that restricted its use. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked if the conservation program was at the city or state level and asked how it worked. Mr. Serio said it was voluntary and many cities were participating. It was a Reclamation program and there were some California entities participating. It was not just Arizona but did not include Utah or Nevada. The funding came from President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act and reclamation funding. Councilmember Turner asked if the City sold water to Lake Mead last year and if it was no longer the City's water. Mr. Serio said the water was kept within Lake Mead and no longer belonged to Glendale and was part of the conservation. Councilmember Malnar asked if California's demand on Lake Mead had been impacted due to the very wet year. Mr. Serio believed it had and California was not in major deficits this year. The agricultural demands were consistent and the highest user of Colorado River water. Mayor Weiers confirmed consensus to enter into an agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation to exchange up to 7,000 acre-feet at$400 per acre foot. 3. PRESENTATION OF THE CITY'S MODERN DATA PLATFORM Drasentad by: Faroz Marchhiya ClO Innovation A. Tachnology The item was removed from the agenda. 4. DISCUSSION OF A POTENTIAL 2023 SPECIAL ELECTION FOR G. O. BOND AUTHORITY (Updated 5/5/23) Presented by: Vicki L Rios, Assistant City Manager Brent Stoddard, Deputy City Manager Ms. Bower read the item by title. Mr. Stoddard presented information on the timeline and feasibility of holding a special election on November 7, 2023 for voter approval of General Obligation bond authority. Vice Mayor Clark said Public Safety's need was $155 million and the voters were being asked for$78 million. She questioned the difference. Ms. Rios said the City already had about$86 million in authority. It was the difference between what the City already had and what was still needed. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked the amount in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP)for streets that there was not capacity to fund. City Council Meeting Minutes-May 9, 2023 Page 4 of 9 Ms. Rios said it was $82 million for the 10-year period. Councilmember Tolmachoff questioned the need for a special election if there was enough money for different projects. She asked if the Bond Committee had recommended going out for an election. Mr. Stoddard said there were 3 options presented to the Committee at its April meeting with a staff recommendation to call for a 2023 election. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked who made the recommendation. Mr. Phelps said it was the City Manager's recommendation. The polling had indicated there was broad support for it. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked what the purpose of the Bond Committee was if it did not provide recommendations. Ms. Rios said if Council gave consensus, staff would educate the Bond Committee on the projects. The public was polled first before it was taken to the Bond Committee. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked how much education could be provided when the election would be held in 5 months. Councilmember Malnar believed the Bond Committee would help inform the community and assist with the election. Councilmember Turner said that two weeks ago Council agreed to take cash on hand to spend on sports fields. The bond election should take place in 2024 to allow time to explain to the public what the needs were instead of rushing to a 2023 election in 5 months. Vice Mayor Clark supported the bond and hoped Council would take the same position. Councilmember Hugh agreed with moving forward. Mayor Weiers asked about the authority that the City was never going to use. Mr. Stoddard said the authority included open space and trails, which did not poll well with the voters. It was not part of the recommended questions for the 2023 ballot. Mayor Weiers supported moving forward with the item. He asked if voters could drop off ballots at City Hall or return them by mail only. Ms. Bower said there would be several ballot drop off locations depending on who else might participate in the election. Councilmember Tolmachoff said it was a very tight timeline to educate the public about the election. Mayor Weiers confirmed consensus to move forward with the item. 5. COUNCIL ITEM OF SPECIAL INTEREST - CITY TREASURER Presented by: Brent Stoddard, Deputy City Manager City Council Meeting Minutes-May 9, 2023 Page 5 of 9 Ms. Bower read the item by title. Councilmember Tolmachoff discussed making the City Treasurer position identified in the City Charter a Council-appointed position that reported directly to Council and not through another Charter officer. Councilmember Turner said the Charter was very clear, and voters had wanted a City Treasurer to answer to Council. It was not right to have a City Treasurer that answered to the City Manager. It provided checks and balances. Vice Mayor Clark said that the Charter was written a long time ago. She questioned the necessity to create a separate City Treasurer at this time. Councilmember Malnar asked if there was a City Treasurer. Mr. Stoddard said the Budget and Finance Director, Levi Gibson, had been appointed by ordinance as the City Treasurer in September 2022. The Budget and Finance Director oversaw all the money, accounting staff and participated in some auditing functions. Councilmember Malnar said the City had a treasurer. He had been able to receive requested information and did not see a benefit of adding another person to do something that was already getting done. Mayor Weiers said ordinance 022-57 from September 13, 2022, updated the City's signature authority for banking transactions and appointed Levi Gibson as City Treasurer. Councilmember Tolmachoff made the motion to adopt the ordinance and Councilmember Hugh seconded the motion. The item was approved unanimously. He asked why there was a concern over the City Treasurer at this time. He had spoken with the City Attorney, Michael Bailey, and was told what the City was doing was legal and had been done that way for over 5 decades. Councilmember Tolmachoff had also spoken with Mr. Bailey and was told that she was correct. She brought the issue forward due to the budget presentation. The presentation showed that there was $50 million in the reserve even though the policy stated it should be 25% of ongoing operating revenues. Councilmember Turner said it was about checks and balances within the City. Financial advice was important to residents and following the Charter as written. Councilmember Malnar said City Council was the ultimate yes or no vote on financial transactions. The City Treasurer provided advice but did not make the decisions. Vice Mayor Clark agreed with Councilmember Malnar. She believed the motive for asking for a City Treasurer was due to distrust of senior management. Councilmember Tolmachoff said that an independent Treasurer could provide unfettered advice and could not be fired by the City Manager's Office. She trusted the current staff but there were repercussions when information was given to Council that staff did not want Council to have. Councilmember Hugh asked if Glendale was following the Charter. City Council Meeting Minutes- May 9, 2023 Page 6 of 9 Mr. Gruber had not been part of the Charter conversations. His understanding was that Council was in compliance with the Charter by adopting the ordinance in September. Councilmember Tolmachoff wanted to get an outside legal opinion. Councilmember Turner asked Mr. Gruber if the City Manager had the authority to fire the City Treasurer. Mr. Gruber said the Finance Director reported to the City Manager and could be fired. Councilmember Turner asked if Mr. Phelps were to fire Mr. Gibson, would Mr. Gibson would continue to be the City Treasurer. Mr. Gruber said that was a political question and not necessarily legal in nature. It would be something staff would have to discuss. Mayor Weiers said there was not consensus to move forward with the item. 6. COUNCIL ITEM OF SPECIAL INTEREST - SOBER LIVING HOMES Presented by: Rick St. John, Deputy City Manager Ms. Bower read the item by title. Vice Mayor Clark asked if there was a way the City could ban sober living homes. Mr. St. John said state law prohibited the City from banning the homes. There were certain requirements that had to be met in order to be deemed a sober living home. Currently, there were many homes that were not meeting the requirements. The City could require the homes to meet the requirements. He was seeking consensus to bring the item back for discussion at a future workshop. The discussion would include what resources would be needed to regulate sober living homes. Mayor Weiers said there was a consensus to move forward with a future workshop discussion. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT Mr. Phelps said Standard and Poor's had reaffirmed the City's AA+ rating on refunding bonds and on the rest of the existing excise debt. For the first time, Fitch Ratings had assigned a AA rating to the City's senior excise tax revenue refunding obligation. Mr. Phelps said, regarding the state budget, the items specific to Glendale were an appropriation of $200 million for Arizona Water Infrastructure Finance Authority for water conservation grants. Staff would apply for the maximum grant amount of$3 million. If awarded, staff would come back to Council and recommend using the funds to bolster the City's landscape rebate program. There was also $800,000 appropriated for the City's water reduction landscaping. Mr. Phelps said the City Manager's Office had received an unsolicited offer of interest for a City-owned parcel. The offer would be brought forward to Council per policy. CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORT No report City Council Meeting Minutes-May 9, 2023 Page 7 of 9 COUNCIL ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST Mayor Weiers requested the City Manager work with the International Association of Firefighters to get legislation sponsored and passed during the 2024 Arizona State Legislative Session regarding the reoccurrence issue for presumptive cancer. MOTION AND CALL TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION A motion was made by Vice Mayor Joyce Clark, seconded by Councilmember Ian Hugh to hold an executive session. AYE: Mayor Jerry Weiers Vice Mayor Joyce Clark Councilmember Ian Hugh Councilmember Ray Malnar Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff Councilmember Bart Turner Other: Councilmember Jamie Aldama (ABSENT) Passed EXECUTIVE SESSION Council met in executive session at 3:16 p.m. for: • Discussion/consultation with the City Attorney and City Manager to receive an update, to consider its position, and to provide instruction/direction to the City Attorney and City Manager regarding Glendale's position in connection with city-owned property near 99th Avenue and Glendale Avenue pursuant to A.R.S. §§ 38-431.03 (A)(3)(7) • Discussion regarding appointments and other matters relating to various boards, commissions and other bodies pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-431.03(A)(3)(4) A motion was made by Councilmember Ian Hugh, seconded by Councilmember Ray Malnar to adjourn the executive session. AYE: Mayor Jerry Weiers Vice Mayor Joyce Clark Councilmember Ian Hugh Councilmember Ray Malnar Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff Councilmember Bart Turner Other: Councilmember Jamie Aldama (ABSENT) Passed Mayor Weiers adjourned the executive session at 3:33 p.m. City Council Meeting Minutes-May 9, 2023 Page 8 of 9 ADJOURNMENT Mayor Weiers adjourned the meeting at 3:33 p.m. I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the meeting of the Glendale City Council of Glendale, Arizona, held on the 9th day of May, 2023. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. Dated this 22nd day of May, 2023. ie K. Bower, MMC, City Clerk City Council Meeting Minutes-May 9, 2023 Page 9 of 9