Avondale City Council Regular Meeting - October 22, 2025
Avondale City Council Regular Meeting - October 22, 2025
On October 22, 2025, the Avondale City Council held a regular meeting with Mayor Kenneth Weiss presiding. Councilmembers Conde, Nielsen, White, Vice Mayor Panaba were present. Councilmembers Solario and Malone had excused absences. The meeting included a proclamation for Parks and Recreation Month, recognition of an employee earning a prestigious certification, approval of a rezone for a car wash, and approval of quarterly budget transfers. All votes were unanimous (5-0).
Consent Calendar
- The consent agenda was approved unanimously (5-0) without any items removed for separate consideration.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jeffrey Huber, an Avondale resident of about a decade, expressed appreciation for the Avondale Police Department and first responders for their work. He also announced his intention to run for city council in the next year.
Discussion Items
- Proclamation - Parks and Recreation Month: Brian Hughes, director of parks and recreation, presented a proclamation designating July as Parks and Recreation Month. The proclamation highlighted the benefits of parks and recreation, including health, economic, and environmental benefits. Mayor Weiss read the proclamation. Councilmembers and staff shared remarks praising the parks and recreation team for their work, including events like the Fourth of July celebration and future programming at the new aquatic center.
- Recognition of Cheryl Colvert: Ken Choppa, director of economic development, presented Cheryl Colvert, assistant economic development director, who earned her Certified Economic Development Practitioner (CEDP) certification from the International Economic Development Council. The certification has a 30% first-time pass rate and only 37 certified professionals exist in Arizona. Colvert credited Choppa for support. Councilmembers praised her achievement and professionalism.
- Francis and Sons Express Car Wash (PL22-0308): A proposed rezone from freeway commercial to PAD to allow a C2 use with a self-service car wash without a conditional use permit. The site is 1.29 acres at McDowell Road and 107th Avenue. The car wash will be conveyor-style with vacuum stations, operating 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Staff analysis found the project compatible with surrounding uses and consistent with the general plan. A neighborhood meeting had zero public attendees. One online comment supported the project. Planning Commission recommended approval 4-0. Council approved the rezone with five conditions (5-0).
- Quarterly Budget Transfers: Finance Director Renee Weatherless presented three budget transfers. The first corrected an error in fire department salary annualization for FY23, requiring a transfer but with no net budget impact due to vacancies. The second transferred funds from marketing to parks and recreation for the Mountain View Community Center parking lot repairs ($235,000 from recharge park design savings). The third corrected a prior budget record and added $500,000 for unforeseen soil conditions on the Dysart Road sewer project from Riley to Corral, funded from savings on the next phase (Corral to Lower Buckeye). Council approved all transfers (5-0).
Key Outcomes
- Parks and Recreation Month Proclamation: Officially recognized July as Parks and Recreation Month in Avondale.
- Cheryl Colvert Recognition: Commended for earning CEDP certification.
- Rezone Approval (5-0): Approved Francis and Sons Express Car Wash with conditions.
- Budget Transfer Approval (5-0): Approved all three quarterly budget transfers as detailed in Exhibit A.
- Meeting Adjourned: Unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
I got nervous. I don't know what happened there. Watch that count. Like to call the regular meeting of Monday, July 10th, 2023 to order. Would you all please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of reflection? Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic, which stands one nation under all. Thank you, everyone. Marcella, do you mind doing roll call, please? Councilmember Conde. Councilmember Nielsen. Councilmember White. Here. Vice Mayor Panaba. Mayor Weiss. And Councilmember Solario and Malone have an excused absence tonight. They are representing the city at the Nalio Conference in New York, so we wish them well. We've already done the statement of participation. Unscheduled public appearances. Marcel, I have one card. Jeff, do you want to come up? Good seeing you, sir. Good. My name is Jeffrey Huber. I'm an Avenar resident for about a decade now, and I just come by to show my appreciation for all the Avonel First responders, but especially the Avondale Police Department and the police chief for doing such a terrific job with all the town of Avondale with what's been going on with all the craziness down there. And um just appreciate it. And this still being America, I think I'm gonna put my hat run for the city council sitting here in another year. So I just want to come by and sounds good, Jeff. Thank you. Thank you all. You look good up here. Guys, you know, I believe you can make a change. Truck 2024, baby. Thanks. Tell them. Rod item 3A, please. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh up next is a proclamation, Parks and Recreation Month. And Brian Hughes, our director of parks and recreation, is here to lead us off and then turn it back over to you, I believe. Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council members. Tonight we're here to celebrate Parks and Recreation Month. The National Parks Recreation Association's theme for this year is where communities grow. Since 1985, people in the United States have celebrated Park and Recreation Month in July to promote building strong, vibrant, and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation, and to recognize the more than 160,000 full-time park and recreation professionals, along with the hundreds of thousands of part-time and seasonal workers and volunteers that maintain our country's local, state, and community parks. Some statistics on parks and recreation from the National Recreation and Park Association's 2022 engagement with parks report. People place a high value on the programs and services that park and recreation recreation agencies deliver to their communities every day and strongly support their mission. 275 million people in the United States visited a local park or recreation facility at least once during the past year. Nearly three in four U.S. residents have at least one local park, playground, open space, or rec center within walking distance of their homes. Nine in ten people agree parks and recreation is an important service to provide by their local government.
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