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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - City Council - Meeting Date: 3/5/2024City of Glendale 5850 West Glendale Avenue Glendale, AZ 85301 Glendale A R I Z O N A Meeting Minutes Tuesday, March 5, 2024 9:00 A.M. Budget Workshop Meeting Civic Center City Council Mayor Jerry Weiers Vice Mayor Ian Hugh Councilmember Jamie Aldama Councilmember Joyce Clark Councilmember Ray Malnar Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff Councilmember Bart Turner CALL TO ORDER Mayor Weiers called the meeting to order at 9:03 a.m. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Jerry Weiers Vice Mayor Ian Hugh Councilmember Jamie Aldama Councilmember Joyce Clark Councilmember Ray Malnar Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff Councilmember Bart Turner Also Present: Kevin Phelps, City Manager Michael Bailey, City Attorney Julie K. Bower, City Clerk WORKSHOP SESSION 1. FY24-25 BUDGET WORKSHOP Presented by: Levi D. Gibson, Director, Budget and Finance Amy Lindsay, Assistant Director, Budget and Finance Jonathan Hill, Budget Administrator, Budget and Finance Ms. Bower read the item by title. Mr. Gibson presented the following information on the FY25-34 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP): *American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Update . CIP Overview . CIP Projects Ms. Lindsay presented the following information regarding ARPA: . ARPA strategy . Remaining budget . Changes to ARPA projects Councilmember Turner asked how the changing of funds between the Sahuaro Ranch Park splash pad project and the Heroes Park ball field project was going to affect the timeline for the splash pads at Sahuaro Ranch Park. Vicki Rios, Assistant City Manager, said it was not possible to spend the funding for the splash pad in the timeframe required by ARPA. It simplified reporting, and the splash pad was going to be designed with the rest of the amenities as part of the Master Plan. The timing of the splash pad was dependent on approval of new bond authority for City parks. Mr. Hill presented the following information regarding the Draft Capital Improvement Plan (CIP): . Assets valued over $50,000 with a useful life of over five years . Land, buildings, streets and improvements, plants and large equipment City Council Meeting Minutes - March 5, 2024 Page 2 of 8 . Ten-year plan . Financial policies for the ten-year CIP Plan . CIP Funding sources Councilmember Tolmachoff asked why the change document only provided financial changes and did not address the timing of the different projects. Ms. Lindsay said that the timing and financial changes to the projects were included in the budget book provided to Council. Councilmember Turner said $2 million was taken from the Arts Fund and put into the General Fund to help during tough times. He wanted the money replaced so it could be utilized by the Arts Commission. Councilmember Tolmachoff said last year's CIP stated the GO bond funding ended in Fiscal Year 2026. This year's CIP said GO bond funding would begin in 2026. She asked if there was an assumption of a bond. Ms. Lindsay said the drainage fund was running out of GO bond authority. Some of the projects were pushed out a year to maintain the remaining authority. Councilmember Tolmachoff said it was not on the change form. She wanted more detailed information on the CIP change forms. Councilmember Aldama asked whether the explanation of changes to the different projects included labor costs or just materials. Don Bessler, Engineering Director, said the cost components included both labor and materials. Councilmember Aldama asked about the increase in costs for projects that were being moved to later dates. Mr. Bessler said the cost of construction always escalated. Councilmember Aldama asked if the City received bids for the projects. Mr. Bessler said the City had estimated costs. Councilmember Aldama asked if the costs of current projects included increases up to 2028. Mr. Bessler said that was correct. Councilmember Clark asked why it cost so much for the system of care renovation project. Ms. Moreno, Community Services Director, said the project included potential future parking. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked why the budget decreased in solid waste. Ms. Woytenko, Field Operations Director, said the change was related to the Glendale Operations Campus field staff building. The building became uninhabitable, staff was moved, and the funding was no longer needed. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked how it related to the decrease in funding. City Council Meeting Minutes - March 5, 2024 Page 3 of 8 Ms. Woytenko said the funding had been for a new building. Because a permanent location had been found, a new building was no longer needed. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked why the funding for the building project had increased by $20 million. Ms. Woytenko said Solid Waste was pulled out of the project last year. It had been added back in and the costs were based on inflation. Councilmember Aldama asked if the renovation budget for Velma Teague Library included furniture, fixtures and equipment (FFE) and technology. Ms. Woytenko said it did include FFE. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked how it was determined which projects were pushed out to later years in the CIP for the Foothills Library renovation. Ms. Moreno said the best way to accomplish major library renovations was to take one library offline at a time to provide continuity of operations. There were higher priority projects that moved, and the library renovations had to move out as well. Councilmember Tolmachoff said last year the main library renovations were to be completed in 2026. This year, it showed the renovations would be completed in 2027. Ms. Rios said that the projects were dependent on library bonds. The City was running out of library bond authority. Councilmember Tolmachoff wanted the CIP and budget book to be set up differently. She said it was difficult to understand. The change document did not mention bond authority. There should be an indication that projects in the CIP were subject to bond authority approval. Ms. Rios said that staff would revise and provide an updated change document indicating which projects needed bond authority. Councilmember Turner said staff should try to make the budget book easier for Council to understand. Mr. Phelps said the changes to the CIP had come from Council over the years. Staff would try to make the CIP easier to understand and add more detail. Councilmember Clark said the format of the budget had improved, and she hoped staff would continue to use the same format. She asked for more detailed explanations if there were changes to the different projects. Councilmember Aldama agreed with the comments made by Councilmember Clark. Council received the budget book two weeks prior to the workshop. He would have liked to receive changes prior to the meeting, so there were not as many questions to ask. Councilmember Tolmachoff said the Sine Building parking lot was going to be lower than the amount in the book. Ms. Rios said that was correct. The amount was a carryover and would be adjusted before the final budget. City Council Meeting Minutes - March 5, 2024 Page 4 of 8 Councilmember Aldama asked for an update regarding the Bonsall Park improvements. John Kennedy, Public Facilities, Recreation and Special Events Director, said Council had approved the Master Plan for Bonsall Park North improvements and the contract was approved in February 2024. The process for design work would take approximately 9-12 months. There was $1.5 million set aside for the improvements. The costs were included in the carryover. Councilmember Clark asked about the low amount of money used for the Sands Park improvements. Mr. Kennedy said that most of the projects were already completed, and the remainder of the money was carryover funds. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked about the Sierra Verde Park improvements. She suggested removing the sand volleyball court and adding a pickle ball court rather than adding a splash pad. She asked for consensus to add a pickle ball court rather than a splash pad with the money already allocated. Councilmember Malnar agreed with Councilmember Tolmachoffs suggestion. Mayor Weiers confirmed consensus for Councilmember Tolmachoff's suggestion. Councilmember Turner asked if the irrigation updates included flood irrigation. Mr. Kennedy said it was the potable system, not the flood irrigation. There were no plans to eliminate flood irrigation. Councilmember Tolmachoff did not see the Foothills Recreation and Aquatics Center (FRAC) listed in any future years in the CIP. She asked why it was not listed in the CIP. Ms. Woytenko said the HVAC at FRAC was being replaced as part of the performance -based contracts project. Other improvements were completed with ARPA funding. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked what the other improvements were. She made many improvements with district funds. Ms. Woytenko said within the performance -based contracts there would be lighting upgrades and parking lot upgrades, including canopies on parking structures. Staff would look at the building to make sure it was kept in good condition. Councilmember Tolmachoff said there was nothing in the CIP for the next 10 years and asked what was done inside FRAC with ARPA funding. Ms. Woytenko did not have the information but would provide it to Council. Councilmember Clark asked if there was a site already acquired for the proposed fire and police station in the west area. She asked if the design process was in the works. Rick St. John, Deputy City Manager, said there was a Master Plan being developed with a contractor for a fire station. There were some opportunities in Westgate where the police department had office space. Councilmember Turner asked about approved GO bond projects. Council should be informed about new fire station locations and new projects prior to seeing the information in the budget City Council Meeting Minutes - March 5, 2024 Page 5 of 8 book. Mr. St. John said a study was being done regarding higher calls to fire and police in the western area. There was a greater need for fire in different areas. Councilmember Turner did not like that the relocation of a fire station was included in the document without Council's approval. Mr. Phelps said that the CIP was a planning document, not a finalized document. Councilmember Turner said it should not appear as approved in the document if Council had not approved the relocation of the fire station. Mr. Phelps said the purpose of the budget workshop was to discuss staffs recommended CIP. If Council wanted an item removed, it was the time to remove it. It was not an approved CIP until Mayor and Council approved it. Councilmember Turner asked if the fire station relocation was included in the bond election. Ms. Rios said it was not. Councilmember Aldama asked if there was data to support the need for a Westgate rapid response team. Mr. St. John said there was a study going on that was looking at what was needed and the priority of the needs. Councilmember Tolmachoff said the City should plan for the beginning stages of a new fire station on the west side now, where the need was and not wait until 2026 or later. The City also needed to begin work on the police forensics lab in 2025. Councilmember Clark agreed with Councilmember Tolmachoff. She asked for consensus on the items Councilmember Tolmachoff referred to - sufficient funding in 2025 for the designs of the fire department site at Westgate and for the police forensics lab. Councilmember Clark asked about scallop streets. Shahid Abbas, Transportation Director, said the City could complete 2 miles of scallop streets with the amount currently budgeted. Councilmember Clark asked for a status update on the repairs to 83rd Avenue between Glendale Avenue and Northern Avenue. Mr. Abbas said the project was fully funded, and the design was ongoing. The Salt River Project was reviewing the design. Councilmember Clark thought there were more hold outs. John Murphy, Engineering Budget and CIP Administrator, said there was a holdout. An item was coming to Council for a consultant to continue the process of land acquisition. Mr. Bessler said the City was in the process of receiving small rights -of -way from several property owners. City Council Meeting Minutes - March 5, 2024 Page 6 of 8 Councilmember Clark asked when the City would condemn the properties that were not cooperating with the City. Mr. Bessler said not until the City had exhausted all reasonable measures. Staff would get back to Council with more detailed information. Councilmember Aldama was confident with the process being used. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked how many bus pullouts could be installed in a year for $330,000. Mr. Abbas said it was one bus pullout per year. There was carryover money, so two would be completed this fiscal year and one in the next fiscal year. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked how many bus pullouts were needed and why only one pullout was completed per year. Mr. Abbas said there were 185 bus pullouts in the City. The available funding allowed one per year. The City had applied for grants to complete additional bus pullouts each year. Councilmember Tolmachoff said the bus stops were inadequate and unsafe and wanted at least two pullouts completed per year. Councilmember Clark agreed with Councilmember Tolmachoff. Councilmember Turner asked the status of the North Glendale Park and Ride. Mr. Abbas said the design phase was substantially completed. The next phase would be construction. Councilmember Tolmachoff confirmed the park and ride would be in the FRAC parking lot. She asked where the money for the shade structures for FRAC was coming from. Mr. Abbas said there were two separate projects for shade structures. The cost of the project was $1.8 million. Councilmember Tolmachoff said the additional funding should be used for bus pullouts and bus stop enhancements. Jamsheed Mehta, Assistant City Manager, said the funds were restricted and could only be used for the park and ride lot. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked if the improvements would include ingress/egress points in and out of the parking lot. Mr. Abbas said that was correct. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked about a water rate adjustment and if all the current projects were viable. Ms. Rios said the projects would probably need additional rate increases. The City was going to hire a rate consultant who would meet with Council. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked if the City would be able to manage the debt service on all City Council Meeting Minutes - March 5, 2024 Page 7 of 8 the current projects. Ms. Rios said that was the reason for the rate consultant. The debt service was not the only thing that drove the need for rate increases. There were other operational costs that increased as well. Council could decide to slow down the capital program if it wanted, but there was a risk of failure to the water and wastewater systems. Mr. Phelps said the 10-year CIP represented almost $2 billion worth of projects. The purpose was to inform Council of projects the City believed needed to be addressed. Staff would recap what was discussed at the budget workshop in a memo to Council. Councilmember Clark said there was a fuel surcharge that was imposed when gas was over $4.00 a gallon. She would like to see a sliding scale created for the fuel surcharge, so when fuel dropped, so would the surcharge. Mr. Gibson said the fuel surcharge would be reviewed at the April budget workshop. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Weiers adjourned the meeting at 11:35 a.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 5th day of March, 2024. 1 further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. Dated this 20th day of March, 2024. J ' Bower, MMC, City Clerk City Council Meeting Minutes - March 5, 2024 Page 8 of 8