Mayor have six oh five good evening everybody and welcome to tonight's special Eloy City Council meeting.

It is Monday, November 25th, 2024.

I call this meeting to order.

Mary, can I get a roll call, please?

Councilmember Sutton.

Here.

Councilmember Wannawatho Rodriguez.

Here.

Vice Mayor Curtis.

Here.

Mayor Powell?

Here.

Councilmember Schneider.

Here.

Councilmember Garcia?

Present.

Councilmember Tarango.

Here.

Thank you.

I believe we have somebody for an invocation.

If we can all stand for the invocation and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Well, good evening.

I'm grateful for the privilege and the opportunity to be here with you all this evening for this special ceremony of commitment for Mayor Elect Andrew Sutton and Council members coming in, Joanne Galindo and Michael Rodrosca.

Have to tell you before I um offer the prayer that I've been reflecting on the question, what does November want from me?

That was a reflection that came up for me earlier in the month.

And my answer came fairly quickly, and it was Thanksgiving and trust.

But the harder piece is to implement that into practice.

Tonight we do give thanks for the women and men who have answered the call and were selected to serve the city and community of Eloy, and we entrust them with the responsibility to do so in a good and worthy manner.

As we look to the God of all that has been, all that will be, and all that is, I invite you to join me in invoking the blessings of trust and thanksgiving for the mayor and council.

Pray with me to the one you call holy, the divine, the one with many names.

Dear God, Alpha and Omega are beginning and our end, ground of our being, refuge, strength, safe place, protector, higher power, helper, healer, keeper of community.

We acknowledge the virtues of those who are stepping into leadership this day, their vision, their enthusiasm, their wisdom, their service, their commitment, their spirit of cooperation and community, all for the greater good of the city of Eloy.

We are thankful for them and for this time, looking forward with hope and expectation of new and good things for our community.

May they trust that your spirit will help them and all of us to trust and persevere when challenges or obstacles arise.

May there be a prevailing spirit of unity among all who serve this community.

And we ask for your blessing for those who are stepping into big shoes into new positions of leadership.

May this council entrust themselves to the divine spirit within, knowing and believing they are in God's hands, doing God's work, and please give them joy on the journey as they work together, promoting a healthy and robust community.

We give thanks for all who serve, bless us all and inspire us to take our part in the greater good of humanity, our neighborhoods, and our society.

Bless us and keep us, and may your light always shine on and within us all.

Amen.

One nation, under God, and the question.

Okay.

We have two that have signed in.

We are here to let's see.

Uh yeah, that you have three minutes to speak.

We cannot um discuss any of the topics that you guys talk about.

If I can have Irene Higgs up to the podium, please.

Mayor, you've got a good evening, Mayor Powell, Vice Mayor Curtis, Council Members.

My name is Irene Higgs, and I'm the executive director for the Sun Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization.

On behalf of the Sun Quarter MPO, I am here to present a resolution of appreciation to Mayor Powell.

A resolution expressing the appreciation of the Sun Corridor Metropolitan Planning Planning Organization to the Honorable Mayor Micah Powell for his dedicated service to the Sun Corridor MPO region for four years.

Whereas Mayor Powell served with distinction as the Sun Corridor MPO executive board chairman in 2022, Vice Chairman in 2021, and Secretary Treasurer in 2024.

And whereas, under Mayor Powell's leadership, the City of Eloy was part of a unified voice joining with neighboring cities on major projects and policy issues, including the widening of Interstate 10 from Casagrande to Chandler, the future Interstate 11, Phoenix to Tucson Passenger Rail, the North South Corridor, and improving air quality in Penau County.

And whereas through Mayor Powell's partnership with the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Sun Corridor MPO, the City of Eloy has received 11.8 million dollars in funding for roadway infrastructure projects.

This included a pavement preservation project on the Bataglia Road from Sunshine Boulevard to La Palma Road.

Intersection lighting is being installed at Bataglia Drive and Tweety Road.

Rumble strips and advanced warning detection was added to Jimmy Kerr Boulevard from Casagrande Avenue till Milligan Road.

Transportation Alternative Funding was awarded for the design of a new sidewalk on Bataglia Road.

The city was awarded state funding for the reconstruction and the widening of Sunland June Road from Erica Road to ITN and community project funding was awarded for a mill and overlay project on Frontier Street.

And whereas, through Mayor Powell's collaboration with Penau County and the City of Coolidge, Penell County received a 15.3 million grant to improve roadway infrastructure in the inland port for the anchor tenant Nickel Motor Company.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the executive board of the Sun Quarter MPO thanks Mayor Powell for his exemplary leadership and commitment to the this region and as a member of the executive board passed and adopted by the executive board of the Sun Quarter Metropolitan Planning Organization this 12th day of November 2024.

Thank you, Irene.

Surprised.

Thank you.

Next we have Ronnie Co is it Cook?

Crook.

Okay.

You have three minutes.

If you can uh state your name and address for the record.

Hi, my name is Rodney Crook.

I live at 4625 West Hodge Road in Eloy.

Um I'd like to address the council tonight, September of 2023, um, with the help of my neighbor Bob Ferguson, the city of Evoy, stole several acres of my property and gave it to my neighbor.

Um since then I've been harassed on a pretty regular basis by the city.

Um code compliance enforcement that for the first nine months of this issue were investigated, closed, and left alone.

We're investigated, closed, and left alone.

Now they're being prosecuted maliciously, I might add because I'm being charged with the same crimes that my wife is being charged with on the same material in the same yard individually.

And there's other examples that I can provide, but I would like to know if there's anybody on the state council that can help me understand how this could happen.

How can you steal a citizen's property more than a year after I purchased it?

Give it away to somebody else when that is outside the city's own procedures.

Um and just ignore I've left you more than one message.

I've yet to hear from you.

Um I need some answers.

What's happened in right?

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, next, we're gonna go to speakers.

Council members have anything.

We'll start on my left side.

Yeah.

Or Michelle?

Jose?

I do.

Oh keep it brief.

I will I have uh half a dozen here, but I don't know if I want no.

Uh I had the pleasure with uh our city manager David Mal was attending a uh energy future conference uh last week on solar.

It was not uh with all the solar farms coming into the Elo area, it was a way for David and I go to find out a little bit more detail what's happening, where the industry is headed to make uh some good decisions for the city.

Uh good conference.

Uh it was a discussion of where batteries are headed.

Uh some net metering was talked about, uh, the difference between what uh residents get paid for solar versus what they have to pay for uh bills from the electric company.

We talked about uh some of the myths that uh surround solar, talked about irrigation possibilities with solar.

So it was a nice discussion uh with uh met a lot of different people in the industry, and that was give us some good background of how to make some good decisions when uh we get presented with some of these solar activities.

Thank you.

Jose?

No.

Absolutely, thank you, Mayor.

As you can imagine, it's been a busy week for this council member with friends and family in town.

Thank you all for coming.

But I did have the chance to do the Eloy cleanup, which was a volunteer event.

I want to say thank you to city staff, especially Lydia and Angel, Dave and Mac for coming out there, and all the volunteers that help.

And part of the volunteers were the uh the landscapers who showed up donated their time, equipment, material, and everything together from two locations.

We removed over five, oh, just up to five tons of trash by hand.

We moved it, loaded into the landscape of trailers, and off it went.

So I just want to say thank you to everybody for a job well done.

Sylvia.

Yeah, no announcements.

Sarah.

Just want to let everybody know that this week at Skydive Arizona.

Um, we're working on building a world record.

There's a hundred and ten pro athletes from 20 countries around the world that are here specifically in Eloy to build a skydiving world record out of five planes.

So we're starting with the five-plane formations tomorrow at nine.

If anyone wants to come spectate, you're always welcome.

All right, thank you.

All right, next it's uh mayor announcements.

Mine are really brief.

I really didn't do too much.

Uh kind of just chilled out the house.

So um, yeah, that's all for me.

As you can tell, uh not everybody's here for me, so I let everybody else talk.

So all right, next one to go to consent agenda.

All out is listed with an aspect are considered to be a routine.

Oh, David, my son.

Oh, I already forgot about you.

Well, you did tell me to talk along this, so I'd stay up here longer.

Never mind.

Sorry, David.

David.

Uh thank you, Mayor, members of council.

Uh, real quick on my end.

The just want to do another push for the Eloy Police Department.

They sent out mailings to Eloy residents to help support the program that they do for the Christmas season.

The Eloy Police Department goes out and purchases gifts for um children, and then we have a big party for them.

We hand out these gifts, and it's a really great celebration.

So they're continuing to accept donations.

Uh, Trisha and the PD is the responsible for that.

You can make checks payable to the friends of Apache Junction.

There really isn't a cutoff date for this, but again, anything uh that folks can do, please uh help out.

Eloy PD loves it.

The community loves it.

It's just a great program and a tradition we've been doing in the community for several several years.

So contact Eloy Police Department if you got questions, or see y'all as well.

Uh the other one is save the date, December 14th.

We got our big 75th Christmas uh celebration going on.

So it's gonna be a big one.

Starts at two o'clock.

We've got a bunch of stuff going on, or I'm sorry, yeah, December 4th.

You got a bunch of stuff in the park going on.

We've got the rides, we've got bands.

So please come out, celebrate the 75th with us and stay for the electric light parade in the big event at the end with fireworks and a drone show.

And lastly, and as a reminder, City Hall will be closed uh for the observance of Thanksgiving Day holiday this Thursday and Friday.

So hope everybody has a happy Thanksgiving and enjoys it with family and friends.

Thank you, Mayor.

Council.

Before I move forward, I would like to recognize uh Mayor Joel Bellak, who's here.

Thank you, sir, for being here.

All right, next we're gonna go to consent agenda.

All items listed with an asterisk are considered to be a routine matter.

It will be enacted by one motion and one roll call vote of the council.

There'll be no separate discussion of these items unless the council members so request.

In which event the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda.

We have two items to discuss or to approve.

One is approval for minutes, and the second one is approval of letter of intent.

I would like to pull item B, the letter of intent with Vergie.

So at this time, do I hear a motion to approve item A, approval of minutes?

So moved.

Thank you.

Do I hear second?

Second.

Councilmember Sutton.

Yes.

Councilmember Wanalato Rodriguez.

Yes.

Vice Mayor Curtis.

Yes.

Mayor Powell?

Yes.

Councilmember Schneider.

Yes.

Councilmember Garcia?

Yes.

Councilmember Trangle.

Yes.

The motion passed unanimously, Mayor.

All right, thanks.

Next we'll go to item B.

Matt.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor, members of the council.

Uh, this item is is being brought to you for approval of the letter of for permission to enter into a letter of intent with Vergy.

Uh, Vergi is a firm that has worked with us on several water and wastewater projects, including the projects we recently completed with the solar panels at the water and the wastewater facilities, as well as some of the other water infrastructure improvement projects that we have.

Um, we have entered into contracts with with Vergy in the past to minister the projects for for these improvements, and and through Title 34 of Arizona Revised Statutes that allows us to offer a direct selection to for professional services of which engineering is part of this letter of intent is is basically to enter into negotiations for contracts with Vergy to help to design and to oversee the construction of five or six projects that we have to use the the American Rescue Plan funding.

Um there's the belt press at the wastewater treatment plant.

There's some repairs to the to the headworks, which is basically uh pre-screening at our wastewater treatment plant, as well as um infrastructure improvements that rehabilitating the the water reservoir at Pump Station 2, commonly known as the Blue Tank, as well as as repairing well site number three and getting that up and operational again.

Uh, if council approves this letter of intent, we will negotiate contracts with Vergy on each one of these projects and bring the bring the contracts to you for for approval for execution.

I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Council have any questions.

No.

Well, the reason why I pull this because I want to thank Ed and Dick for all their hard work.

So I remember we first started this this communication.

You guys can come on up.

Oh, we'll let the rolls be to be between the thorns.

There you go.

But I I know this has been um something that we talked about for a while, and uh you guys have committed into helping us with our infrastructure program uh moving the city um where we needed.

And um, Ed, you've been a friend of mine for many years.

And I thank you guys for coming to our community, investing in our community, wanting to help our community moving the city forward.

And you guys have saved the city a lot of money too.

And with that, I just want to say thank you.

As I'm still the mayor, thank you guys for all your hard work and for coming to the city and allowing us to be great partners with Vergie and City of Eloy.

We appreciate you, Mayor.

And above all, we we appreciate your staff.

For projects like this to be successful, it takes a two-way street.

And your staff has been remarkable to work with.

They've been Johnny on the spot when we needed data, when we need to do site visits, when we needed any answers to be any questions to be answered, your staff has been Johnny on the spot, and that we truly appreciate that.

And that's that was the true meaning of this success in all these projects, is working with your staff, and we truly appreciate all of you.

But to serve your community like you have with the dedication you have is a really awesome thing to do for citizens.

So thank you and for the new council members coming in.

Good luck, and God bless you all as you lead Eloy.

Thank you.

So Matt, how much are we saving?

Um with the solar projects.

We haven't had the the we haven't had the the funding coming in to come for the cost comparison.

Well we'll look at that and we'll we'll share that with the next council when we have it.

All right.

Okay.

Well, that's all I just want to say thank you, guys.

Nick and Edward.

So all right.

Do I hear a motion to approve item B?

I make a motion to approve item B.

Thank you.

Do I hear a second?

Second.

Give it to Sylvia.

It's her last one.

So Sylvia.

Can I get a roll call, please?

Councilmember Garcia?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Curtis.

Yes.

Councilmember Tarango.

Yes.

Councilmember Snyder.

Yes.

Councilmember Sutton?

Yes.

Councilmember Wanamato Rodriguez?

Yes.

Mayor Powell.

Yes.

The motion passed unanimously, Mayor.

All right.

Thank you guys.

Thank you very much.

All right.

Next, we're going to do presentations of plaques to outgoing Councilmember Sylvia Wanamatha Rodriguez and Mayor Micah Powell.

Who's doing that?

Mary?

I can't give myself a plaque.

I mean, I could.

Taking care of Sylvia.

Oh, okay.

Here, and this is her.

And then I got a card for her.

I guess I'm presenting this to you.

Um so yes.

Owing a card too.

Yes.

I had no idea this was happening.

So on behalf of the city of Eloy, we like to thank you for your dedicated service for the past four years.

If you guys don't know, Sylvia was the first FEMA vice mayor in over 30 something years.

And then we have Sarah to follow.

But your hard work, it's truly dedication to the community, to your family, uh, second to none.

Um, and thank you for just being an awesome friend to all of us.

And uh, yeah, I tell everybody we walk together, huh?

We walk the streets together and we're walking off together.

So on behalf of the city, here's a plaque for you, uh.

Uh-oh.

I hate surprises.

Oh, Mayor Powell, I am as just as prepared as you are to do this.

But it gives me great honor to present to you after your 12 years of service, a token from this city.

It really does.

Your dedication has been beyond for the whole city of Eloy, and that we thank you.

Turn around.

There we go.

I will be signing and autographing this and boxing it off to go to a local uh nonprofit.

I've got so many of these.

You don't need wallpaper now.

Thank you.

Thank you guys.

All right, next we're going to.

Well, I'm not going to do mayor's comments right now.

I'll go to council comments.

Um I'll start on my left side.

Any comments, anything.

Huh?

Yeah.

We already did it.

We're on item the mayor's comments.

I'm giving everybody an opportunity to say anything.

Or to the world.

Or to you both.

And I'm a crier, so.

Oh.

So get prepared.

No, I'm just kidding.

You are.

It doesn't matter whether I'm happy, sad, mad, whatever.

I'm a crier.

Um, and don't get me started on dogs.

Um.

Thank you, my mayor.

Thank you, Sylvia, both.

Um, whether I was an employee at the police.

No, no, no, no.

Whether as an employee at the police department, um, maybe not always agreeing on everything.

Um, council members wanted to do or didn't want to do.

Um, the last couple years has been great.

I've gotten to know you both a lot better in a different capacity, obviously, as a city employee.

It's much different, let me tell you.

Um, but I appreciate you both.

Um I wouldn't be here without you too.

So thank you.

That's all I'm gonna say because I'll cry now.

Well, I'm not a crier, but I'm gonna keep it short.

Um thank you to both you and Sylvia for the time you put into the city for everything you've done you've done for us.

It's been sometimes challenging, but it's been nice working with both of you.

Thank you.

Well, I'll start with Sylvia.

Sylvia, it's it's been uh four years, but she's been like a very quick four years.

You know, it's uh I've really enjoyed working with you in council.

Uh in some ways, Sylvia is kind of a dais kind of quiet, but yet if uh something got to her, her passion was there, you do it.

So uh she was uh a bulldog, she got a hold of something, uh whether it be those of you who know her probably know that.

She doesn't quit that uh whether it be the dogs or whether it be the some of the school or uh she'd be very passionate here, so I think that's the type of uh passion you need for people on the dais.

And so those uh some of us that maybe are not aware of situations, it's people like you that bring those to the forefront that we get good decisions.

So thank you.

And uh stay in touch.

Um mayor.

Did I say mayor or mayor?

I'm still here.

But uh Mike and I were talking uh beforehand.

He and I have been together, I guess, uh on the city here for about nine, ten years.

It was uh Joe Nickey who is mayor when I was at uh planning and zoning, and Micah was the ex officio, and then uh Mayor Bellach took over, and then uh I got an elected on council, so it and Michael was there, so he and I have been kind of together, so I'm gonna miss you, big guy.

You know, uh we used to have fun getting together for breakfast or lunch, and uh we just talk what was on our mind.

It was one of the the nice thing I could say what was on my mind, and it wasn't gonna go any further.

Likewise, you do the same thing.

So we always had open communication that we could uh what's on your mind, and okay, talk it through with each other and kind of settle some differences, whatever with what was going on in the city.

But anyway, I'm gonna miss you.

So uh keep in touch.

You got I got your cell phone number, you got mine.

I'm always agreeable for breakfast or lunch.

So keep that in mind.

So best of luck.

Sarah.

Uh Micah, Sylvia, you guys are both uh really inspirational to me.

You both uh taught me a lot about being kind and caring.

You're both uh really passionate people that care for not only the job but all the people that you represent, and I think that really means a lot to both the people and the city, and it's not just the feelings that you bring to it, but the execution that you brought to it too.

And I'm really looking forward to working with both of you again and whatever comes next.

Thank you.

Well, I actually wrote some stuff down because I didn't want to miss anything.

Sylvia.

A year and a half ago, I came to this council.

You were in the role of vice mayor.

That was a role you handled with ease and confidence.

I was impressed with your demeanor.

After getting to know you and meeting Ronnie and your beautiful family, it became clear to me you were a natural born leader.

I've seen you perform many roles over the past months.

Wife, mother, councilwoman, vice mayor, valued county employee, and my favorite mentor.

You guided this new council member with wisdom and grace.

You always took the time to explain to me your position thoroughly and patiently.

I will miss your presence on this dais.

I will miss you teasing me about my Spanish language skills.

What did you say?

And subtly correcting me.

This is not goodbye.

This is thank you, and I look forward to seeing you and your family in the neighborhood.

Senora, much gracias.

Todo no mejor para ti y tu familia.

I shouldn't even say what can he say?

Yeah.

I'm not done yet.

I don't I don't understand Spanish, so Micah.

We met a bit over three years ago, totally by chance across the street in the park during a farmer's market.

Who knew that would be the beginning of a true friendship?

We have shared so much over these past three years.

I personally thank you for all you have done for me and the city of Eloy, ensuring a smooth and seamless transition of power.

I am grateful for the introductions you made for me, senators, congressmen, state representatives, and just about every mayor in the state of Arizona.

You made sure I can hit the ground running.

As you leave this dais tonight, you do so holding your head high.

During your 12-year tenure, between council and mayor, you have served this body with distinction and a tenacity to always fight for Eloy.

Those are the lessons I learned from you.

Rest assured, I will continue that fight on behalf of the citizens of Eloy.

You have given so much to our community and benefited greatly from your dedication.

It is a great satisfaction to look back on a job well done.

And you, sir, did a job, a fantastic job.

Be proud, and I wish you all the best in your next chapter of life.

Holding back the tears, ladies and gentlemen.

Sylvia.

So I too had to write this down.

But now let me see if I can even read it.

All right.

So reflecting on these past four years, I am filled with gratitude and warmth.

It has truly been a remarkable journey, one that has brought me closer to our community through building new business connections, organizing heartfelt community walks after the pandemic, attending countless meetings, and serving on various boards, all with the shared goal of uplifting Uloy.

Each experience has left an imprint on my heart, and I've cherished every single moment.

I want to extend my deepest thanks to the community for placing your trust in me and electing me to this role.

Your faith in me means the world.

To my dear friends and family, your unwavering support and encouragement have been an anchor through it all.

I am especially grateful to my parents for instilling in me the courage to embrace new adventures and for always cheering me on, no matter how wild my ideas may seem.

To my incredible husband Ronnie, I can't thank you enough for holding down the fort while I was away, juggling the kids' practices, uh whipping up delicious dinners, getting them ready for school, and even tackling the hair combing.

Your love and support have been my rock, and I couldn't have done this without you.

Andrew and Micah, you two have been my steadfast companions from day one from those early days of campaigning to proudly representing Eloy at ICSC in Las Vegas and achieving the honor of becoming the first female vice mayor in over 20, 30 years.

Your camaraderie has made this journey truly special.

Well, we may not have joined the council seeking friendships.

I am so great so grateful for the bonds we formed.

Dan, Sarah, Andy, Jose, Michelle, and even George.

And all the dedicated staff, your commitment to making Eloy better, a better place is nothing short of inspiring.

To our new mayor, Andy, and the newly elected council members.

Let's carry this momentum forward, ensuring our community remains engaged and involved in its growth.

Wishing you all the best on this exciting journey ahead.

Now on to this next chapter in this thing called life.

Book called life.

Thank you.

Thank you, everybody up here.

Thank you, everybody in attendance.

Thank you for all the memories.

Thank you to my family.

Give me that tissue.

I have had a blast representing the city of Eloy for the past 12 years.

I started off on the cemetery board and then got involved with the city council.

And here I am.

This has been a dream of mine.

W someone like me to actually be have a title of mayor.

It's been truly a blessing.

I cannot say I did it all by myself.

I have an outstanding staff.

I'll even go back to Mayor Belloc being his uh vice mayor for six years.

We did a lot.

And here we are.

The staff that has come and go, this one right here that we have, this core staff is by far the best.

I'm so glad that you guys have committed yourself to the city of Eloy.

And one person that I'm gonna miss the most is Mary.

Only because she used to let me try on her wigs.

I'm good at you think I'm blind.

She really did.

She has pictures.

She says I look up like one of the backstreet boys.

Um David, you came in as assistant city manager position, and within not too long after being here, you kind of were placed into the city manager position.

Um you've had my back, I've had yours.

We've had some healthy fellowship, and um you have so much value inside you, brother.

You have uh saw what the city needed and saw the vision of the council, and have have made it your own personal duty to make Eloh better.

And your leadership with the staff, um well respected.

Everybody, everybody's gonna start wanting you soon.

Um that's okay because we had you first.

But um thank you for those uh conversations and just be an awesome city manager.

A lot of times city managers and councils don't always work together.

And when you have someone that is willing to um listen to all seven of his bosses and make it work, that's something special you want to keep him.

And uh David has been an amazing leader.

Um just thank you.

Thank you for you and McKinsey, who just got here.

So no, what I mean is people are gonna want them.

That's not we're not getting rid of them, so well, not under my watch, but now a couple more minutes.

Um but no, thank you.

You guys from the new chief to Public Works, whom I'm missing.

Brian, I always forget Brian, the finance, um everybody.

Dan who's not here, he's new.

We have a such a good core of department heads under the leadership of David, and that speaks volumes from you, sir.

So thank you.

Oh, Steve, too.

Can't forget Steve, he keeps us out of out of trouble legally.

So I've uh I've had the opportunity to speak, invite and talk to governors who've come to the city, or I've went to them and spoke on behalf of the city of Eloy, sitting U.S.

senators, uh, like Andy said, Congressmen, Congress, our Congress representatives, state, local.

And uh I wanted to be that voice that they knew that we who we are.

I wanted to have Eloy a seat at the table.

And I think that's what we're at now, that we're finally being recognized on not just a local level, but above and beyond.

It takes a lot of work, a lot of time away from your family, and we all know that.

Um can't do without the support, loving support of my family.

And um it's it's with the grace of God that that you guys have put up with me.

Um and I say this, I've said this before, to put this in perspective.

My daughter Callie, the youngest one, was in kindergarten when I first got on a council.

She's graduating this year.

She goes, What are you gonna do?

I'm like, oh I know is you on the council, and uh my poor baby, she she works, and me at two, they work, and everybody's asking, what's your dad gonna do?

What's your I don't know?

And uh, and my son MJ and my wife and grandbabies, and my mom, uh my mom, and my stepdad.

Um thank you guys.

Uh and my friends, my council members.

Um of them.

Andrew, my first vice, Dan was my second vice, Sylvain my third, Sarah, my fourth.

It becomes like family up here.

And um when you have a great group of council members that will walk and talk and will get things done on a professional level, that speaks volumes as well, too.

So, Michelle, thank you, Jose, thank you, Dan, thank you, Andy.

Thank you, Sylvia, thank you, Sarah.

Thank you.

Thank you for having my back.

I know there's times you want to stab my back, that's okay.

Or punch my back.

But I hope I made you guys proud being the mayor of these past four years, um, and Andrew as well for being on my council, George.

Um, but I did it with passion, I did it with conviction.

I did it with love.

I did it with my heart.

And um, who knows what I'm gonna do in the next couple years.

Um there's some rallying some speaking, what's going on, but right now I'm just want to be with my family, take some time away and just kind of focus on ourselves.

Um, but I've had a blast.

Um I've enjoyed every moment of it.

And uh thank you all for the trust, thank you, council, staff, everybody in attendance.

Um God bless you all.

So thank you.

One thing it talked about, we can talk about his partnerships as well, too.

And Andy, you're gonna have a great deal of uh fun with our local partnerships, uh, whether it's nonprofit, whether it's um our closest community, and right in our audience, we have a Castle Grand's elect, mayor elect Lisa Fitzgibbons, who's a dear friend, and we thank you.

I know you're gonna you better work with him, that's what I'm saying.

So Andy, my friend, I have the utmost trust and faith in you.

I know you're gonna do a good job.

I don't like hearing people say that you have big shoes to feel.

You have your own vision, your own style, you have your own your own New York attitude, you know, and uh something I can't bring.

I'm from the streets, but like New York one is different.

I wish you nothing but success, love and my friend.

Um I want you to reach for the sky.

I want you to do it better than I did.

And I want you to just deal with your heart like uh like all of us have.

It's a small uh amount of uh people who have been had that title of mayor, and now you're in that that club, brother.

So um yeah, from the first time we met till now.

It's been a hundred hundred percent.

A hundred percent.

And uh like I said, nothing but love and respect and well wishes and just have fun.

That's the one thing I did.

I just I just try to have fun.

Thank you, Mayor.

It means a lot to me.

Yeah.

I want to see them with a dunk tank.

Yeah.

The duck tank is not going to happen.

Ladies and gentlemen, at this time is when I hit the gavel for the last time, and five of us will be stepping off council, where the new five will be up here.

So with that, are you ready?

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for everything.

One more fish.

Anybody got a black hand?

You cry.

You ready?

Okay.

I call to order the organizational meeting of the council elect.

Um first item and administration of the loyalty of oath to mayor elect Andrew Sutton.

All right.

All right.

You raise your right hand and repeat after me.

I please state your name.

I Andrew Sutton.

Do solemnly swear.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

And the Constitution and Laws of the State of Arizona.

And the Constitution and Laws of the State of Arizona.

That I will bear a true faith and allegiance to the same.

And I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.

And defend them against all enemies foreign and domestic.

And defend them against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

And that I will faithfully and impartially.

And I will faithfully and impartially.

Discharge the duties of the office of mayor.

Discharge the duties of the office of mayor.

According to the best of my ability.

According to the best of my ability.

So help me God.

Congratulations.

You said the words, but you gotta sign it.

I can say the words.

Yes, I need your signature right here, please.

I mean, I'll go once we need the bypass.

Well, you proved it to December first, so we'll be seniors.

And the room does look different from over here.

Yeah, he takes over from here.

Mary, will you kindly administer the loyalty of oath to council member Alex and the the new council members?

You want to read off the names, Mayor?

I certainly will.

Will you kindly administer loyalty of oath to Council Alexa Sarah Curtis, Josephine Galindo, Daniel Schneider, and Michael Vibrasco.

You ready?

I please state your name.

I may have solemnly swear or affirm.

You solemnly swear.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

And the Constitution and Laws of the State of Arizona.

And the Constitution and Laws of the State of Arizona.

That I will bear a true faith and allegiance to the same.

That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.

And defend them against all enemies foreign and domestic.

And defend them against all enemies foreign and domestic.

And that I will faithfully and impartially.

And that I will faithfully and impartially.

Discharge the duties of the office of council member.

Discharge the duties of the office of council member.

According to the best of my ability.

According to the best of my ability.

So help me God, or so I can affirm.

So help me God.

Congratulations.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

Everybody's good to go.

Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, I'd like to present to you your new Eloy City Council.

That is excellent.

All right, we gotta get down to some business here.

In accordance with section two six D of the Eloy City Code, we have a few things to to take care of here.

First will be the appointment of the city clerk.

Now Mary will be leaving us into retirement shortly.

So this will be a short appointment.

So with that, I need a motion for appointment of City Clerk, Mary Moyes, till the date of one three twenty twenty-five.

Do I have a motion?

We can appoint her for life.

I tried.

I'll make the motion to appoint her till January third, twenty twenty-five.

Second.

Mary Rocle.

Councilmember Vodraska.

Do I anyone turn yourself?

Okay.

All right.

There you go.

If you turn it off, Councilmember, turn your mic there, great.

Okay.

Councilmember Golinda.

Yes.

Vice Mayor Curtis.

Yes.

Mayor Sutton.

Yes.

Councilmember Snyder.

Oh, I can I guess so.

Yes.

At least.

Councilmember Garcia.

I should be difficult, but yes.

Don't do that.

Councilmember Tarango.

Yes.

The motion passed unanimously, Mayor, and thank you very much.

Thank you.

Next on the agenda is appointment of the city manager, David Malowitz.

Do we have a motion to appoint David Malowitz?

So moved.

Second.

Second.

Mary, may I get a roll call?

Mayor Sutton?

Yes.

Councilmember Bojaska?

Yes.

Councilmember Tarango?

Yes.

Councilmember Galendo?

Yes.

Councilmember Garcia?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Curtis?

Yes.

Councilmember Schneider?

Yes.

Did I get you, Mayor Sutton?

Yes.

Okay.

Motion pass unanimously.

Thank you.

Third order of business is the appointment of the city manager, Cooper and Reuter, to an to another term.

Do we have a motion?

Mayor, I'll make a motion to appoint the city attorney, Stephen Cooper.

Do I have a term?

Second.

Roll call, please, Mary.

Let's go with um Councilmember Galindo.

Yes.

Councilmember Snyder.

Yes.

Councilmember Garcia?

Yes.

Mayor Sutton?

Yes.

Councilmember Tarango?

Yes.

Councilmember Bojaska?

Yes.

Did I get everyone?

Okay.

Oh, Council Vice Mayor Curtis.

Yes.

Okay.

Motion pass unanimously, Mayor.

Thank you.

You weren't last on purpose, Sarah.

It's at this time.

I'd like to thank Councilmember Curtis for all she has done as Vice Mayor here in the city of Eloy.

But the Vice Mayor term only lasts for one year.

So at tonight we will appoint a new vice mayor.

And you have shown me so much as your tenure as Vice Mayor and the events that we have attended together, especially outdoor events.

For some reason, when I stand next to Sarah, it look the photos, I look like her bodyguard.

I don't know why.

But it's your ease of speaking and your and your confidence that you put out there.

I thank you for all of that.

And with that, we are going to at this point select a new vice mayor for the city of Eloy.

Do we have any nominations for the Vice Mayor for the City of Eloy?

I make a comment in the case.

Go ahead, sir.

I think according to the codes that uh we're you can serve one term during your I guess term.

But I think the way it's worked out, I think everyone on a dias at this point is eligible.

Sarah, you have a new term.

And obviously you might go and have new terms.

And neither of you have served, so in my term, so everybody is eligible, so we'd have to worry about that particular.

Okay.

Okay.

Mayor, I'd like to nominate Michelle Tarango.

Second.

Mayor, can I get a roll call, please for the nomination of Michelle Tarango for Vice Mayor?

Okay.

Councilmember Galindo.

Yes.

Councilmember Bodraska?

Yes.

Councilmember Snyder.

Yes.

Mayor Sutton?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Curtis.

Yes.

Councilmember Garcia?

Yes.

Councilmember Tarango.

Does she have to stay upstairing?

Yes.

No?

Did you vote no?

I voted yes.

Can I vote no?

Are you sure?

Motion pass unanimously, Mayor.

Thank you.

And thank you, Sarah, for all you did.

And welcome, Michelle.

So now we're at this portion called Mayor's Comments.

First and foremost, I'd like to acknowledge the new first aid lady of Eloy, my wife Liz.

All right.

Without her unwavering support, none of this will be possible.

She stands by me through it all, and many times is the voice of reason that I need.

Thank you, Liz, for seeing me through yet another adventure.

And for your incredible sacrifice.

Your understanding, especially as I'm always running off somewhere, it means the world to me.

I keep telling her I'm retired, but she keeps seeing me working.

I don't know.

Next, I'd like to express my heartfelt thanks to all those who have supported me on this journey.

I will do my very best to make you proud.

To my friends and family, thank you for being here tonight.

It means everything to me to have such great people by my side.

I am truly humbled.

To my friends at the Eloy Police Department, as volunteer 29 across the street, I will continue to serve you wherever you need me.

To the department heads of the city staff of Eloy.

I look forward to working with each of you in the months to come.

I truly appreciate all of you and the jobs you do and the professionable, the professionalism by which you operate.

To my fellow council members, I am incredibly humbled to stand with each of you.

You all bring a unique set of skills and life experiences to this dais.

Knowing that together we will make a difference.

To the people of Eloy, rest assured, every decision I make will be in the best interest of this community.

This is your city hall.

We work for you.

With your support, great things will continue to happen for the city.

It's at this point we're at the end of our agenda, and this meeting is supposed to come to a close.

But I've been mayor now for about 12 minutes, and I think it's I think it's time to go off script just a little bit.

So, Mary.

First, I'm gonna ask the former mayor Powell to please stand.

Can you come to the front of the room, sir?

Thank you.

Another surprise.

Another surprise.

Ready?

Ready.

Oh, you guys are terrible.

This is a proclamation for Micah Powell.

Whereas Micah Powell has served with distinction as mayor of the city of Eloy for four years, exhibiting a remarkable commitment to the growth, development, and well-being of our community.

And whereas during his tenure, Michael Powell has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to advance Eloy as a thriving and prosperous city, fostering both economic growth and enhanced quality of life for its residents.

And whereas under Michael Powell's visionary leadership, the city of Eloy has celebrated many accomplishments, including the historic achievement of welcoming its very first hospital, effective management and leadership during the city white power outage in 2022, the opening of a new circle K, the Gold Wand facility, and vexed science, the refurbishment and elimination of the city's historic water tower, the completion of a state-of-the-art city hall and police station, and many more economic milestones.

And whereas Michael Powell's leadership, foresight, and dedication have shaped the city of Eloy into a more dynamic, thriving, and sustainable community, positioning it for continued success and prosperity in the future.

And why is Michael Powell's fat passion for public service, coupled with his steadfast leadership, has brought forth transformative changes that will positively impact the future of the city of Eloy for generations to come.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that we, the City Council of the City of Eloy, do hereby proclaim November 26th, 2024 as Micah Powell Day.

I'm not finished.

I'm almost there.

Okay, let me finish, okay?

Be it further resolved that the city council and residents hereby acknowledge and express our sincere gratitude to Michael Powell for his exemplary service as mayor and officially recognize the conclusion of his term in office effective November twenty-fifth, twenty twenty-four.

Signed this twenty-fifth day of November twenty twenty-four by Mayor Andrew Sutton.

Thank you.

Umfortunately, this is the face of the community, I love the face of the community.

So thank you for this.

Yes.

That's my voice.

So as we draw this meeting here to a close, first I would like to wish everybody here and within the city of Eloy a great Thanksgiving.

A safe, please make it safe holiday season.

Okay.

We will have refreshments next door after the meeting.

And thank you all for coming and sharing.

Meeting adjourn.

That was good, right?

Everyone, refreshments will be in our community room to your left.