Avondale City Council Meeting – November 4, 2026

This summary is based solely on the raw transcript; no agenda or minutes were provided. The Avondale City Council meeting on November 4, 2026, included employee recognition and new hire introductions, a presentation on the Goodyear Farms Historic Cemetery listing on the National Register of Historic Places, one unscheduled public comment, unanimous approval of the consent agenda, and council updates. Roll call indicated all seven council members were present: Councilmembers Condi, Garcia, Solorio, Weiss, and White, Vice Mayor Nielsen, and Mayor Pineda.

Employee Announcements

• Engineering Department Director Kim Moon announced the promotion of Javier Monchuka Jr. to Traffic Signal Technician. Monchuka earned a Traffic Control Design Specialist certification from ATSSA and IMSA certifications in roadway lighting, signage and marking, and work zone temporary traffic control.
• Police Chief Espinoza announced the promotion of Antonio Mendoza to supervisor of the detention center and the promotion of Leah McCarthy to sergeant. McCarthy, a 13-year veteran and the first female officer on the tactical team, said her favorite part of being a supervisor is passing on her experience and supporting officers. She thanked the council for its continued support of the police department.
• Chief Espinoza also introduced new police department employees: returning officer Vincent Smith; Officer Ward, who lives in Avondale; Officer Lopez, originally from Long Beach, California; Officer Damon Carr, who moved from Hawaii and cited the welcoming community and connections to Agua Fria High School; community services officers Madeleine DeLajoya and Corey Buchanan; new officers Deshaun Corbin and Canon Caribot; and records employee Riley Harden, a former dispatcher.
• Chief Information Officer Jeff Sheets announced the promotion of Christine Grascia to Senior Management Analyst in IT. Grascia has been with the city for 20 years and in IT for five years, handling technology procurement. She said she enjoys finding bargains and saving the city money.
• Parks, Recreation and Libraries Director Corey Lariva introduced Dwayne Betts, a new parks maintenance team member; Gina Gerard, promoted to Civic Center Library Branch Manager; Ariana Torres, an events recreation programmer; and Travis King, an aquatics maintenance coordinator who came from the City of Surprise.
• Public Works Director Kirk Beatty introduced Derek Baker, the new environmental coordinator overseeing the city's backflow and cross-connection prevention program. Baker has 16 years of municipal water experience. Two additional employees were introduced by video: equipment operator Joshua Hicks and water distribution operator Kyle Warapius.

Goodyear Farms Historic Cemetery – National Register Recognition

• Senior Management Analyst Dominic Decono presented the recognition of the Goodyear Farms Historic Cemetery on the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery was established in 1918 during the Spanish flu pandemic as a burial site for migrant farm workers and their families, many of whom came from Mexico to work at Goodyear Farms.
• The cemetery remained active, with the city still performing one to two burials annually for former Goodyear Farms workers and eligible family members. Goodyear Farms operated the cemetery until 1986, after which it experienced mismanagement and vandalism. In 2010, Suncor Development Company gifted the cemetery to the city.
• The city invested in improvements, including a 2020 capital improvement project of approximately $500,000 that repaved the parking lot, installed a new gate, added security cameras, and improved lighting. Other additions include public art, a veterans memorial established in 2023 for roughly a dozen veterans buried at the site, and continued maintenance.
• In April 2026, the P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center asked the city for support to nominate the cemetery to the Arizona State Register of Historic Places. The State Historic Preservation Office unanimously approved the nomination on July 10, 2026, and the cemetery was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 2026. It is the second Avondale location on the National Register, joining Monument Hill, listed in 2002.
• Decono thanked P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center representatives Lisa Hegerty, Mary Dixon, Margaret Baker, Judy Cook, and Karen Krause, and Tiffany Lopez of Ballet Folklorico Esperanza. He also reminded attendees that the annual Dia de los Muertos event at the cemetery would be held Saturday, November 7, from 5 to 9 p.m.
• Lisa Hegerty, executive director of the P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center, said the designation was a team effort and that the city should be proud of the landmark. Tiffany Lopez said her organization was grateful for the city's support and honored the late founders Kathy and Al Soria, who had worked to save the cemetery.
• Councilmembers expressed appreciation: Councilmember Garcia noted she has lived near the cemetery since age 13 and praised its upkeep; Councilmember Solorio shared that former Mayor Marie Lopez Rogers has family there; Councilmember White connected the cemetery to farmworker and labor history and honored Dolores Huerta; Councilmember Condi thanked all who worked on the designation; and Councilmember Weiss thanked the group for preserving local history. Mayor Pineda mentioned placing wreaths on veterans' graves and noted that Find a Grave records for the cemetery are available online.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Zach Aya, a 13-year-old Avondale resident, spoke during unscheduled public appearances. He expressed opposition to data centers in Avondale, stating they use up to five million gallons of water per day, contribute to rising water bills, create noise pollution, and may harm mental and physical health. He said less than 30% of Americans want these data centers and added, "Nobody in Avondale wants these." No council action was taken on the comment.

Consent Agenda

• No council member requested removal of any item from the consent agenda. Councilmember White made the motion to approve, Councilmember Weiss seconded, and the consent agenda passed 7-0.

Council Updates & Current Events

• Councilmember Solorio thanked city staff for Hispanic Heritage Month events, particularly the Mercados and Melody series.
• Vice Mayor Nielsen reported visiting the new WHAM organization at the city resource center, a veteran-focused art program. He said about 65 veterans were invited, challenge coins were presented, and he thanked veterans in the community.
• Mayor Pineda reported attending the Luke Air Force Ball, where 15 new service members were sworn in. He also praised the Billy Moore Days parade and the Halloween "Creep and Crawl" event, thanking Parks and Recreation staff for their effort. He also mentioned celebrating Valley Metro clean air awards and attending a White Tank Mountain Conservancy event.

Key Outcomes

• Employee promotions and new hires were announced and recognized by the council.
• The Goodyear Farms Historic Cemetery's National Register designation was formally recognized, and staff said they will continue their partnership on interpretive signage at the cemetery.
• The consent agenda was approved unanimously by a 7-0 vote.
• No other formal votes were taken; the meeting moved toward adjournment after council updates.