Eloy City Council Meeting – April 13, 2026

The Eloy City Council met on Monday, April 13, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. (agenda listed 5:00 p.m.) in the City Council Chambers. Mayor Andrew Sutton presided, with all seven council members present. The meeting included proclamations, staff reports, a consent agenda, a public hearing on a solar farm extension, and a vote to place an APS franchise agreement on the November 2026 ballot.

Consent Calendar

• Items B, D, E, F, and G were approved unanimously under one motion. Item A (approval of minutes from March 23, 2026 work session and regular meeting, and March 30, 2026 budget study session) was pulled by Councilmember Schneider, who was absent for the March 30 session. After a separate vote, Item A passed 6–0–1 (Schneider abstained). Item C (upgrade of Police Department briefing/training room AV technology, not to exceed $60,000) was removed for clarification by Councilmember Galindo, then approved 7–0 after staff confirmed the funds were from the FY 25/26 CIP budget and could not be supplemented by opioid settlement funds.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the scheduled public appearance period.

Reports and Announcements

• Mayor’s Announcements: Mayor Sutton reported attending a Central Arizona Governments meeting and ADOT listening tour, stressing the need for better communication; a volunteer shift at the Easter egg hunt; ribbon-cutting for a new butcher shop, La Canaseria La Mejor; the Panal Scholarship Dinner; and the Eloy Police Department picnic. He also read two proclamations: one declaring April 11–17, 2026 as “Week of the Young Child” and another declaring April 12–18, 2026 as “National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.”
• Council Member Announcements: Councilmember Galindo attended the Panal Scholarship Dinner (20th anniversary, 51 scholarship recipients), celebrated the return of a new community services employee, and noted a productive meeting with constituents about a new plant. Councilmember Curtis attended a virtual tour with student council, the Easter egg hunt (10,000 eggs), and a groundbreaking at the Kindercity. Councilmember Schneider (Vice Mayor) reported on a Pinal County meeting about Opportunity Zones, noting that Arizona’s designated zones may be reduced by 30% and encouraging “shovel-ready” projects. Councilmember Garcia attended the butcher shop ribbon-cutting, the Panal Scholarship Dinner, and the police picnic. Councilmember Michel noted the Easter egg hunt’s high turnout and urged support for the new butcher shop.
• City Manager’s Announcements: The city manager reported that the Easter egg hunt had over 500 attendees, announced the Eloy Adopt-a-Street Spring Cleanup (April 18, 7–10 a.m., Shamway North Park), and the spring concert featuring Soul Town Train (April 18, 6–9 p.m., Main Street Park).
• Police Chief Sergio Banales Briefing: Chief Banales thanked the communications unit (dispatchers Trisha, Audra Cockins, Amanda Viesquez, Brittany Beechum, and Nicole Huffman) for providing 24/7 coverage (approx. 720 hours/month of dispatch). He reported that in March 2026, the department hired a former dispatcher, is actively recruiting for three police officer and two dispatcher positions, and has 29 sworn officers. Community engagement included Read Across America, vaccination clinics, a school safety summit (with plans to meet school superintendents), and a soon-to-launch public crime mapping tool (April 20). The traffic enforcement unit (redeployed June 2025) used $8,400 in overtime for DUI and speed enforcement during Thanksgiving, St. Patrick’s Day, and spring break; future details include back-to-school enforcement (July 19–Aug 1), Labor Day DUI detail (Sept 4–7), and child passenger safety week (Sept 20–26). Councilmembers encouraged bike safety education and a “Coffee with a Cop” event; the chief agreed to explore both.

Discussion Items

• Item A – Extension of Conditional Use Permit (CUP2022-022) for Solar Facility: A public hearing was held on Resolution 26-1654, which would grant a two-year extension to a previously approved CUP for a solar utility-scale generation and battery energy storage facility on 320 acres at the northeast corner of Sunshine Boulevard and Pretzer Road. Applicant Sean Lake (NextEra Energy Resources) and project manager Stuart Bear presented. They noted that the project has a contracted customer (Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, AEPCO), has received a Certificate of Construction from the Arizona Corporation Commission, and is working through NEPA (categorical exclusion expected by end of April). Councilmembers asked about county permits, fire department coordination (Eloy Fire District covering the site), landscaping (a preliminary landscape plan submitted with county), and environmental impacts (the land is currently farmland; NEPA categorical exclusion addressed). The project is expected to break ground by end of 2026. The public hearing was closed with no opposition. The motion to approve Resolution 26-1654 passed 6–1, with Councilmember Garcia voting no.

• Item B – APS Franchise Agreement Referral to Ballot: Staff presented Resolution 26-1655, authorizing the placement of a 25-year franchise agreement with Arizona Public Service (APS) on the November 2026 general election ballot. The current agreement expires in 2027. Key changes: shifting from a flat fee (approx. $100,000/year with CPI escalator) to a 2% gross revenue fee, which would grow with the city. Richard Rosales (APS) explained that the agreement is a right-of-way contract, includes relocation costs, restoration requirements, and vegetation management. Councilmembers asked about outreach (town halls, not just newspaper notices), the impact of a “no” vote (APS would still operate but would need individual permits, potentially delaying repairs), and the fact that the 2% fee is not an increase. City Attorney Stephen Cooper noted that staff negotiated an annual coordination meeting and a five-year planning requirement with APS, a concession not offered to other cities. The motion to read the resolution by title and then adopt it passed unanimously 7–0.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda: Approved with items A and C voted separately (Item A: 6–0–1; Item C: 7–0).
• Resolution 26-1654 (Solar CUP extension): Approved 6–1.
• Resolution 26-1655 (APS franchise on ballot): Approved unanimously, sending the question to voters in November 2026.
• The meeting adjourned without an executive session.