Chandler City Council Regular Meeting – April 23, 2026

The Chandler City Council held its regular meeting on April 23, 2026, beginning at the call to order with a quorum present. The meeting featured special presentations, approval of a consent agenda including charter amendment ballot questions, public comments, and current events announcements.

Special Public Appearances

• James R. Snediger Award: Terry Kimball, President/CEO of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce, presented the James R. Snediger Award to Police Chief Tom Dwiggins. Chief Dwiggins accepted on behalf of all Chandler public safety personnel, recalling the 1999 line-of-duty death of Officer Snediger and expressing gratitude for community and council support.
• Post Office Renaming: Coi Romine, from Congressman Greg Stanton’s office, announced federal legislation to rename the downtown Chandler post office (101 North Colorado Street) as the Mayor Coy Payne Memorial Post Office Building. The legislation honors the late Mayor Coy Payne, Arizona’s first Black mayor, who also served as a councilmember and educator. The bill is working through the House with no definitive timeline.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda included items 1–21, with speakers on items 11 (charter amendments), 17 (sewer), and 20 (water).
• Item 11: Four proposed charter amendments. Rick Human (resident) supported the first three technical changes but opposed the residency requirement for directors, arguing new hires at director level should live in the city. Councilmember Harris indicated he would vote no on item 11, calling the changes foundational to Chandler’s culture.
• Item 17: Noah James Markham (Tempe resident) expressed excitement about sewer improvements but criticized the current odor.
• Item 20: Markham thanked the city for addressing water issues, noting legislators at the state capitol are not doing their job.
• The consent agenda was moved and seconded. During discussion, Councilmember Orlando clarified that the resolutions include ballot language and can be amended or removed before the June 8 deadline. Councilmember Ellis noted that putting the items on the ballot lets voters decide. The clerk clarified that only one reading of the resolutions is needed (contrary to earlier mention of a second reading).
• Vote: The consent agenda carried unanimously, but Vice Mayor Inciñus dissented on item 11 only. (Note: The transcript states the motion carried unanimously while also noting dissent on item 11; the clerk confirmed the vote count as carried with one dissent on that item.)

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mr. Beal (Chandler resident): Criticized city leadership and the Chandler Police Department for not enforcing laws, citing an incident where 8–10 officers ignored violations. He opposed e-bike regulations that allow riding on sidewalks, warned of safety risks (e-bikes traveling 28 mph crossing intersections in two seconds), and noted Chandler’s park system ranked 93rd in the U.S., well below Scottsdale’s 48th. He referenced a 1965 fatal crash involving a child on the wrong side of the road as a cautionary parallel.
• Noah James Markham (Tempe resident): Raised concerns about a person openly carrying a gun in a car, urged police to monitor such activity. He praised women in leadership, specifically expressing a desire for a woman city manager. He criticized a Phoenix police incident involving ICE protestors and supported the Mesa ICE agreement, thanking Congressman Stanton for funding. He noted a Mesa ICE facility had a capacity of 21 but housed 46 people, and thanked Stanton and other officials for addressing that.

Current Events & Announcements

• Mayor Harkey: Invited the community to the Military Bound Ceremony on May 2 at Hamilton High School (10 a.m.–12 p.m.) honoring over 50 students enlisting in the armed forces, and to the Roads to Riches Financial Literacy Car Show & Night Market on April 25 at City Hall (5–10 p.m.), supporting scholarships.
• Councilmember Poston: Attended the 100 Club’s Heroes Gala where Chandler police officers Rupert Snediger and Dallin Bacon were named Officers of the Year for saving a seven-year-old girl.
• Councilmember Inciñus: Announced the Dia del Niño toy drive celebration at Galveston Elementary School on April 25 (1–5 p.m.), partnering with Chandler Unified School District and Chavez Media.
• Councilmember Lindo: Spoke at the fifth annual Pacific Island Festival, noting it has moved to Chandler and is the only such festival in the East Valley.
• Councilmember Harris: Championed a new local ordinance making it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly put any drug or substance into someone’s food or drink without consent (or attempt to do so). This gives Chandler police tools to address drink/food spiking and supports hospitality safety. He also announced graduations: himself earning an MBA in August, Councilmember Ellis earning a nurse practitioner degree, and his wife Elizabeth graduating from law school. Councilmember Ellis will receive an honorary doctorate in divinity on May 2.
• Councilmember Ellis: Thanked boards and commissions for their volunteer service and encouraged residents to apply for openings via the city website or clerk’s office.
• City Manager: Recognized Deputy City Manager Ryan Peters and Fleet Manager Mike Hollingsworth for the fleet being named one of the top 100 fleets nationally, and Chandler Escalante receiving the Workforce Practitioner of the Year award from the Arizona Association for Economic Development.

Key Outcomes

• The consent agenda was approved, with the four charter amendment resolutions set for the November 3 ballot. The deadline to modify or remove any resolution is June 8, 2026.
• The city will proceed with the federal post office renaming effort.
• The food and drink tampering ordinance was championed and is now in effect as a local misdemeanor.
• Upcoming community events were announced: Military Bound Ceremony (May 2), Financial Literacy Car Show (April 25), Dia del Niño (April 25).