Note: The transcript begins with the mayor calling the meeting to order on September 8th, but the provided meeting date is October 15, 2025. This summary uses the given date but notes the discrepancy.
The meeting included two proclamations, a consent agenda consideration, a presentation and vote on a federal Safe Streets for All grant, and a detailed discussion on the speed safety camera program. No public comments were received. Council heard updates from members on community events and nonprofit funding.
Good evening. I'd like to call to order the regular city council meeting of September 8th. Would you all please join and uh celebrate me with the Pledge of Allegiance or celebrate with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. I would allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. One nation, under God, indivisible of liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Marcella, can we do roll call, please? Councilmember Condi, here. Councilmember Garcia, here. Councilmember Solario. Here. Councilmember Weiss. Here, Councilmember White. Minister Nielsen. Here. Mayor Peneva. Here. Ron, next item, please. Thank you, Mr. Mayor and Council. Up uh next is our proclamation for National Suicide Prevention Month. So if I can, Mayor, as I believe the council and probably most of the city knows this this topic is uh of high importance to me, very important to me, that we educate ourselves on signs and symptoms. And so September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Here at the city, we take that very seriously. So internally, uh tomorrow, a memo will go out from myself to all employees that outlines uh resources. Uh our human resources department has put together in partnership with Edith and her team over at NFS a list of trainings and opportunities so we can educate our employees on signs and symptoms. Awareness, we ask Council and you to do this proclamation for the community. Um then I will release my video where I talk about my own experience in my family. And so uh very important to me. So I just want to personally say thank you to Council and Mayor for being supportive of this program. It means a lot to me. In addition, we have a special program for you tonight. Uh Edith, uh the assistant director of uh neighborhood family services is going to introduce some of our partners that we use at the resource for our um for our uh community members. In addition, after you read the proclamation, we have a community member who wanted to personally uh share his story and say thank you to some of our uh employees. So with that, I will turn it over to Edith uh to continue. Thank you, everyone. Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council members. September is recognized as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. It's a time dedicated to raising awareness about mental health and promoting access to vital support and prevention resources. The City of Avondale is committed to fostering a community where conversations about mental health are encouraged, stigma is reduced, and individuals feel supported and connected. We extend our deepest appreciation to the professionals in mental health, education, and public safety who work tirelessly to support those in need. As a community, we encourage all residents to prioritize mental well-being, seek understanding through education, and also extend care and compassion to one another. The city's neighborhood and family services department serves as a trusted resource, offering support, information, and connections to services that promote mental health and overall well-being, all within a safe, welcoming environment at the Arizona Complete Health Avondale Resource Center. Our community members can also reach out for immediate 24-7 support by calling or texting 988 or visiting 9888 Lifeline.org. So at this time, Mayor, I would like to invite Kathy Via with Southwest Behavioral and Health Services to the podium to accept the proclamation. Yes, you can read first, please. Okay. Whereas September is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Month to raise the visibility of mental health and proactive suicide prevention resources in our community. And whereas we want to change the narrative, foster empathy, and help connect people with appropriate support services. And whereas, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34, with more than 48,000 people dying by suicide annually in the United States.