OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Chandler City Council Regular Meeting - July 16, 2026

Public Meetings — Friday, July 17, 2026
BodyChandler, Arizona
SessionPublic Meetings
DateFriday, July 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 36:17

Transcript — Verbatim
4:35

Welcome to the Chandler City Council meeting.

4:37

To help us conduct tonight's meeting efficiently and respectfully, we ask all attendees to follow these rules and procedures.

4:43

Please submit a speaker card or comment card to the city clerk before the meeting is called to order.

4:48

This helps us manage the meeting and ensure everyone has a fair opportunity to be heard.

4:53

Speakers must be recognized by the mayor before addressing the city council.

5:00

Once at the podium, please direct all comments to the city council as a whole rather than to individual members or to the audience.

5:05

Courteous and orderly conduct is expected from everyone present in the chambers.

5:09

Disruptive behavior, such as booing, shouting, yelling, or stomping a feat is not permitted.

5:16

Any person whose conduct disrupts or interferes with the meeting may be warned by the mayor.

5:20

And if the disruption continues, may be asked to leave the council chambers.

5:25

This meeting is being recorded and broadcast live on the Chandler Channel and online.

5:29

Thank you for your participation and maintaining a respectful environment for all.

5:49

Mayor Harkey.

5:50

Here.

5:51

Vice Mayor and Cenas.

5:52

Here.

5:52

Councilmember Poston.

5:53

Here.

5:54

Councilmember Ellis.

5:55

Here.

5:55

Councilmember Orlando.

5:57

Councilmember Harris?

5:58

Councilmember Hawkins.

5:59

Here.

6:00

We have a quorum.

6:01

Thank you so much.

6:02

Our indication tonight will be brought by Pastor Dim Jim Grimm of Desert Springs Church.

6:09

And our Pledge of Allegiance by Councilmember Ellis.

6:13

Pastor.

6:15

You guys would all bow your heads.

6:19

Father, we thank you for the opportunity that we have tonight to come before your throne to come into your presence and to bring these petitions to you.

6:29

And I want to first start tonight by acknowledging who we are praying to.

6:32

We are praying to our Heavenly Father, who is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Great I Am, the Creator of everything seen, the creator of everything unseen.

6:42

And he didn't just create it, he owns it, he maintains it.

6:47

So God, we just acknowledge who we are coming before tonight.

6:51

And I didn't come here tonight to pray an eloquent prayer full of fancy words.

6:56

I came here tonight to pray our dependence, our understanding of our dependence on you, our dependence on you in our personal lives, our dependence on you in this room here tonight, over the council members who are leading this city and guiding this city.

7:12

So, God, I pray that your wisdom would rest on them, that your understanding would rest on them, that your council would rest on them.

7:18

And Lord, that they would make decisions as they lead this city based on the anointing of God, based on the wisdom of God and not on their own intellect.

7:26

And as they do that, God, that this city would be blessed, that this city would prosper.

7:30

In Proverbs 29, it says that when the righteous rule, the people rejoice.

7:34

And I pray that over this community right now, that again that your blessing would be on this community and it would be evident to everyone around us.

7:44

And God, we thank you for that.

7:46

We praise you for that.

7:46

I also pray, God, I think we'd be remiss if we didn't pray for our nation as a whole, especially given it's a 250th year of the birth of our nation.

7:55

So I pray for our president, I pray for our vice president, I pray for all the leadership in our in our nation.

8:00

Lord, that they would also be guided and directed by your wisdom and that your anointing would rest on them.

8:06

So, God, we thank you for these things.

8:07

We praise you for these things.

8:09

I pray for this meeting tonight.

8:11

Lord, that this meeting tonight would bring glory to you and glory to your name.

8:15

And the last thing I want to pray, I just want to pray a verse over us, and it's Ephesians 3.20, and this is what it says.

8:20

That God is able to do infinitely more than what we ask or think according to his power that is worked within us.

8:27

And God, I pray that over the council members and over the mayor, because I know there's a lot of praying members on this council that what you're what you're praying for, what you're what you're wanting to do in this community in the city, that God would do exceedingly more, exceedingly abundantly above what you're thinking because he's able to do that because of who he is.

8:46

So, God, we thank you for these things and we praise you for these things.

8:49

In Jesus' name and everybody said, Amen.

8:53

Thank you, Christopher.

8:57

Pledge, I believe.

8:59

To the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic.

9:05

One nation, under God, individual justice for all.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████████████████23%
Water And Wastewater Management█████████████████████21%
Economic Development██████████████14%
Public Engagement████████████12%
Public Safety████████████12%
Youth Programs████████8%
Arts And Culture████████8%
Historic Preservation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Chandler City Council Regular Meeting - July 16, 2026

The Chandler City Council convened on July 16, 2026, for a regular meeting. The meeting included approval of a consent agenda, a public hearing on an annexation, and unscheduled public appearances regarding a sewer odor issue. The council also received reports on recent events and upcoming activities.

Consent Calendar

  • The council approved the consent agenda (items 1 through 22) unanimously. Included was the appointment of Susan Ri to the Historic Preservation Commission.

Public Hearing

  • Annexation 2504: A public hearing was held for the annexation of a 16.87-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Appleby Road and the Union Pacific Railroad. The property is currently zoned I-1 PAD (light industrial) in Maricopa County and will be rezoned to Planned Industrial District (I1) upon annexation. The applicant plans to develop a pre-manufactured truss manufacturing facility with approximately 200 employees. Councilmember Harris recused herself due to a conflict of interest. No public comments were offered, and the hearing was closed.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Sewer Odor Issue: Three speakers addressed a recurring sewer odor affecting businesses at the Santan Dobson Business Park (Dobson Road and Pecos Road area). Ken Sherman presented survey results from 22 businesses: 86% reported employee complaints, 82% reported customer complaints, 68% reported disruption to daily operations, 50% incurred investigative expenses, 36% reported lost business, and 27% reported prospective tenants declining to lease. Speakers requested a comprehensive city investigation of the public sewer system. Council directed the city manager to investigate and report back.

Mayor and Council Reports

  • Mayor Harkey recapped the successful July 4th "All American Bash" celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary, and highlighted the Operation Back to School event that provided 2,000-3,000 stuffed backpacks and shoes to Chandler students.
  • Councilmember Poston congratulated Victoria Breadavog, former Miss Chandler, on becoming Miss Arizona, and noted her upcoming participation in the Miss America competition. He also congratulated Hamilton High School alum Cody Bellinger on being named MLB All-Star Game MVP.
  • Councilmember Ellis reminded residents of monsoon safety and mentioned the Chandler Center for the Arts' production of "Fiddler on the Roof."
  • Councilmember Harris highlighted a visit from the "Let's Fill Some Colors" art program and an upcoming Community Services Open House on July 25 at Tumbleweed Recreation Center.
  • City Manager announced a DIY sandbag station at 975 East Armstrong Way for anticipated rainfall, and provided contact numbers for street flooding reports.

Key Outcomes

  • The consent agenda was approved unanimously.
  • The public hearing on annexation was held; no further action was taken at this meeting.
  • The council directed city staff to investigate the sewer odor issue and provide updates.

Note: The agenda item for renewal of fixed camera automated license plate readers was withdrawn and will be considered at the August 13, 2026 meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to the Chandler City Council meeting. To help us conduct tonight's meeting efficiently and respectfully, we ask all attendees to follow these rules and procedures. Please submit a speaker card or comment card to the city clerk before the meeting is called to order. This helps us manage the meeting and ensure everyone has a fair opportunity to be heard. Speakers must be recognized by the mayor before addressing the city council. Once at the podium, please direct all comments to the city council as a whole rather than to individual members or to the audience. Courteous and orderly conduct is expected from everyone present in the chambers. Disruptive behavior, such as booing, shouting, yelling, or stomping a feat is not permitted. Any person whose conduct disrupts or interferes with the meeting may be warned by the mayor. And if the disruption continues, may be asked to leave the council chambers. This meeting is being recorded and broadcast live on the Chandler Channel and online. Thank you for your participation and maintaining a respectful environment for all. Mayor Harkey. Here. Vice Mayor and Cenas. Here. Councilmember Poston. Here. Councilmember Ellis. Here. Councilmember Orlando. Councilmember Harris? Councilmember Hawkins. Here. We have a quorum. Thank you so much. Our indication tonight will be brought by Pastor Dim Jim Grimm of Desert Springs Church. And our Pledge of Allegiance by Councilmember Ellis. Pastor. You guys would all bow your heads. Father, we thank you for the opportunity that we have tonight to come before your throne to come into your presence and to bring these petitions to you. And I want to first start tonight by acknowledging who we are praying to. We are praying to our Heavenly Father, who is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Great I Am, the Creator of everything seen, the creator of everything unseen. And he didn't just create it, he owns it, he maintains it. So God, we just acknowledge who we are coming before tonight. And I didn't come here tonight to pray an eloquent prayer full of fancy words. I came here tonight to pray our dependence, our understanding of our dependence on you, our dependence on you in our personal lives, our dependence on you in this room here tonight, over the council members who are leading this city and guiding this city. So, God, I pray that your wisdom would rest on them, that your understanding would rest on them, that your council would rest on them. And Lord, that they would make decisions as they lead this city based on the anointing of God, based on the wisdom of God and not on their own intellect. And as they do that, God, that this city would be blessed, that this city would prosper. In Proverbs 29, it says that when the righteous rule, the people rejoice. And I pray that over this community right now, that again that your blessing would be on this community and it would be evident to everyone around us. And God, we thank you for that. We praise you for that. I also pray, God, I think we'd be remiss if we didn't pray for our nation as a whole, especially given it's a 250th year of the birth of our nation. So I pray for our president, I pray for our vice president, I pray for all the leadership in our in our nation. Lord, that they would also be guided and directed by your wisdom and that your anointing would rest on them. So, God, we thank you for these things. We praise you for these things. I pray for this meeting tonight.

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