OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Avondale City Council Regular Meeting - October 22, 2025

City Council — Wednesday, October 22, 2025
BodyAvondale, Arizona
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, October 22, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:53:00

Transcript — Verbatim
0:16

Councilmember Condi.

0:18

Councilmember Malone.

0:20

Councilmember Nielsen.

0:21

Councilmember Solario.

0:23

Councilmember White.

0:25

Present.

0:25

Vice Mayor Paneba.

0:27

Mayor Weiss.

0:28

Here.

0:29

How are you, sir?

0:30

I'm very good.

0:31

Mr.

0:31

Mayor, thank you.

0:32

Item number two, please.

0:33

Thank you.

0:33

Uh, we have Stacey Swanson, our recreation supervisor with Parks and Rec and Kelsey English, our recreation coordinator with Parks Rick to give an update on our special events.

0:49

Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council members.

0:51

Good evening.

0:52

I'm Stacey Swainston.

0:53

I'm the recreation manager, and this is Kelsey English Perry, our recreation coordinator.

0:59

Her and the special event team are what are make our special events magic.

1:04

I will be talking about the fall and winter events, and Kelsey will be talking about the spring and summer events.

1:10

And I'm just taking a second to have it load real quick.

1:23

To start off the spooky season, we have Barks and Treats, which will be at Alamar Park Saturday, October 7th.

1:31

So you'll see there the map of this event.

1:33

This was in conjunction with the grand opening of Alamar last year.

1:37

It is an event that we're going to continue to do each year.

1:41

So you'll see on this map we have pup photos, a pet costume contest that we currently have about 20 people registered for exhibitors and vendors for the pups, and it'll be a great event this year.

1:54

Next up, we have the historic Billy Moore days.

1:57

This takes place October 19th through the 22nd.

2:00

So on Thursday from Sunday will be the carnival, and then we will have our festivities going on from fry on Friday and Saturday.

2:08

That will include food trucks, activities for the kids, active um wild west shows, and then also we will be having our historic parade.

2:17

You'll see on this slide on October 21st at Saturday at 9 a.m.

2:22

This is the route.

2:23

Um the green dot is where the parade will start at Estrea High School.

2:27

It will go down central, taking a left on western, and then going back to Algro Fria High School.

2:33

So this new route is different, obviously from last year, but less residential impact with this new route that we have.

2:46

Okay.

2:48

Okay.

2:54

This will also take place at Alamar Park on Tuesday, October 31st.

2:58

You'll see on the slide um the different uh city departments are actually gonna be different themes for their booth.

3:06

So you'll see kind of a tease of what we have going on there so far.

3:10

And then also the map, you'll see trick-or-treating on the multi-use field along with crafts, face painting, and balloons, and then also to end the night, we're gonna be showing Casper a free family movie.

3:22

So this is kind of the start of trick or treating.

3:25

So it's from four to seven, so families can come on over to Alamar, enjoy a pre-trick or treating in the park, and then going out, go out into their neighborhoods.

3:34

Then we do have Winterfest.

3:37

Winterfest is a bit different this year.

3:40

As you guys know, the event is growing immensely.

3:43

So we are moving the event to the front of City Hall.

3:46

So instead of being in the back of the Amp Theater, we'll be moving it out in front.

3:50

So that'll take place all on Civic Center Drive with all of the stage, the food trucks, the exhibitors will all be out in front.

3:57

We're also moving the light show out in front.

4:00

So the Christmas tree will be right in front of the fountain, and then that will go to music, five different songs, and then we will have the rest of the front of the area with the holiday lights.

4:25

And then we also do have Avondale, the Avondale Championship open on November 2nd, and that is a golf tournament put on by the Boys and Girls Club, and that does benefit our local um Avondale Club here.

4:36

They have raised since they've been doing this over one million dollars, and last year actually raised 78,000.

4:43

We also have the vet run, and that takes place on November 11th, and that is a run at Austrella Mountain Community College, and then we go into a warrior breakfast, a ceremony, and then something new they're doing this year because it's the 10th anniversary.

4:56

They're doing a um brunch and booze uh VIP experience.

5:04

Then we have Trace Rios Nature Festival.

5:07

Unfortunately, due to the flooding at the Trace Rio Space Meridian Wildlife Area, we do have to move the location.

5:15

So after careful consideration, we did move it to a Stray Mountain Regional Park.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Waste Management██████████████████████22%
Public Safety███████████████15%
Parks and Recreation██████████████14%
Procedural███████████11%
Transportation Safety██████████10%
Public Engagement█████5%
Technology and Innovation████4%
Public Works████4%
Personnel Matters███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Avondale City Council Regular Meeting - October 22, 2025

The Avondale City Council held a regular meeting on October 22, 2025, covering a range of topics including special events, microtransit expansion, employee recognition, federal legislative updates, and solid waste ordinance amendments. The meeting also included public comments on safety concerns, a police shooting, and gun violence in the river bottom area. The council approved the consent agenda and the solid waste ordinance unanimously.

Consent Calendar

  • The consent agenda was approved by a 7-0 vote with no items removed for separate consideration.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Jose Castro (written): Requested a curfew for the river bottom area (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) to address speeding, noise, and safety issues. Called for more police presence and enforcement.
  • Julian Paleo (written): Urged the city to install physical barriers to restrict outsider access to the river bottom, citing gunshots and safety threats.
  • Diane D Carlo (written): Requested expanded police coverage in the Alamar residential area, reporting a recent shooting and consistent speeding.
  • Alex (first name only, Holly Acres resident): Described frequent gunshots, including automatic weapons, and requested stronger enforcement and consequences for illegal activity in the river bottom.
  • Mary Abrigal (Holly Acres resident since 1977): Reported that gunshots and parties have become unbearable in recent months, with 16 casings found near her home. Pleaded for action before a tragedy occurs.
  • Clovis Campbell (former state representative): Raised concerns about a police shooting of a young man in February 2025, calling for a thorough investigation and accountability.
  • Larnell Farmer (West Valley NAACP First Vice President): Questioned the status of the officer involved in the February shooting, noting the officer remains on administrative leave after seven months. Called for the officer's termination.
  • Bishop Anthony Holt (West Valley NAACP President): Expressed support for law enforcement but urged justice for the victim and the community. Stated the officer should not be patrolling streets.

Discussion Items

  • Special Events Update (Parks and Recreation): Stacey Swanson and Kelsey English presented fall/winter and spring/summer events, including Barks and Treats (Oct 7), Billy Moore Days (Oct 19-22), Halloween at Alamar (Oct 31), Winterfest (moved to front of City Hall), Trace Rios Nature Festival (relocated to Estrella Mountain Regional Park due to flooding), and a new run series. Council discussed attendance numbers (approx. 10,000 for Trace Rios) and the use of surveys on Avondale Connect.
  • We Ride Microtransit Expansion (Public Works): Harold Suwensis reported the expansion of We Ride into South Avondale starting October 2, with free service through November 17. The combined zone will cover 22 square miles with 551 virtual stops and 8 vehicles. On-time performance is 98%, with 38% shared rides. Council discussed plans for monthly passes (early 2025), weekend/hour expansion, and driver rating visibility.
  • Innovation Team Recognition: Torrin Sado recognized graduates of the 2022-2023 Innovation Team program, which included six employees from various departments. The team developed a leadership development toolbox and a skills-based training program to enhance employee retention.
  • Federal Legislative Update (Capitol Edge): Chris Gilio provided an update on the 118th Congress, the FY2024 budget impasse, and the potential government shutdown on October 1. He discussed the impact of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act on the city. Council expressed concern about regional ozone non-attainment and its effect on economic development.
  • Solid Waste Ordinance Amendments (Public Works): Harold Suwensis presented comprehensive updates to the solid waste code, last revised in 2004. Changes include clarified acceptable/unacceptable items (e.g., no motorized parts, livestock waste, dead animals; small amounts of construction debris now allowed in trash), new access standards for dense developments, removal of commercial vehicle permit requirements, and a new fee structure for violations after education. Council discussed enforcement, rental properties, and public education via Abbey Wise and HOAs.

Key Outcomes

  • The consent agenda was approved 7-0.
  • The solid waste ordinance was approved 7-0.
  • The council received updates on special events, We Ride expansion, and federal legislation without formal votes.
  • The council expressed appreciation for staff and directed staff to provide survey results and continue education efforts.

Meeting Transcript

Councilmember Condi. Councilmember Malone. Councilmember Nielsen. Councilmember Solario. Councilmember White. Present. Vice Mayor Paneba. Mayor Weiss. Here. How are you, sir? I'm very good. Mr. Mayor, thank you. Item number two, please. Thank you. Uh, we have Stacey Swanson, our recreation supervisor with Parks and Rec and Kelsey English, our recreation coordinator with Parks Rick to give an update on our special events. Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council members. Good evening. I'm Stacey Swainston. I'm the recreation manager, and this is Kelsey English Perry, our recreation coordinator. Her and the special event team are what are make our special events magic. I will be talking about the fall and winter events, and Kelsey will be talking about the spring and summer events. And I'm just taking a second to have it load real quick. To start off the spooky season, we have Barks and Treats, which will be at Alamar Park Saturday, October 7th. So you'll see there the map of this event. This was in conjunction with the grand opening of Alamar last year. It is an event that we're going to continue to do each year. So you'll see on this map we have pup photos, a pet costume contest that we currently have about 20 people registered for exhibitors and vendors for the pups, and it'll be a great event this year. Next up, we have the historic Billy Moore days. This takes place October 19th through the 22nd. So on Thursday from Sunday will be the carnival, and then we will have our festivities going on from fry on Friday and Saturday. That will include food trucks, activities for the kids, active um wild west shows, and then also we will be having our historic parade. You'll see on this slide on October 21st at Saturday at 9 a.m. This is the route. Um the green dot is where the parade will start at Estrea High School. It will go down central, taking a left on western, and then going back to Algro Fria High School. So this new route is different, obviously from last year, but less residential impact with this new route that we have. Okay. Okay. This will also take place at Alamar Park on Tuesday, October 31st. You'll see on the slide um the different uh city departments are actually gonna be different themes for their booth. So you'll see kind of a tease of what we have going on there so far. And then also the map, you'll see trick-or-treating on the multi-use field along with crafts, face painting, and balloons, and then also to end the night, we're gonna be showing Casper a free family movie. So this is kind of the start of trick or treating. So it's from four to seven, so families can come on over to Alamar, enjoy a pre-trick or treating in the park, and then going out, go out into their neighborhoods. Then we do have Winterfest. Winterfest is a bit different this year. As you guys know, the event is growing immensely. So we are moving the event to the front of City Hall. So instead of being in the back of the Amp Theater, we'll be moving it out in front.

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