Gilbert Town Council Regular Meeting - June 23, 2026

The Gilbert Town Council held its final regular meeting of fiscal year 2025-26 on June 23, 2026. The meeting included a proclamation for Parks and Recreation Month, public comments, approval of a large consent calendar, a public hearing on a zoning appeal, and a presentation on the water meter audit final report.

Proclamation

• The council proclaimed July as Parks and Recreation Month, recognizing the benefits of parks and recreation for health, wellness, and community engagement.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Barbara (Gilbert resident): Expressed concerns about utility rates, questioning whether sewer rates would return to $30 after project completion and whether water rates would decrease. She doubted the accuracy of town charts and raised questions about apartment rates, contractor fees, and accountability. She also noted a $3.5 million transfer from the wastewater fund to the Greenfield Service Area System Development Fee fund.
• Charles Montenegro (Gilbert resident): Requested a left turn signal at the intersection of Power Road and Ridden House, citing traffic congestion and safety concerns for parents driving children to school. He emphasized benefits such as reduced stress and emissions.
• Noah Markham (Tempe resident, former Gilbert resident): Spoke about traffic issues, happy Pride Month, the Preston Lord case and the "Gilbert Goons," criticized police officers and the police chief, mentioned a political sign incident, and advocated for light rail expansion, a New Year's Eve party, and the Cactus Surf Park.

Consent Calendar

• The consent calendar included items 2 through 27, covering routine approvals such as intergovernmental agreements for transit and library services, contracts for water treatment chemicals, police uniforms, park maintenance, software licenses, and capital improvement projects.
• Items 13, 17, 20, 21, and 26 were pulled for discussion:
  • Item 13 (NUMO contract): Contract renewal for short-term rental licensing software, $421,903 over five years. Staff noted the program nets about $40,000 annually and a fee increase is proposed to cover costs.
  • Item 17 (Sprout Social contract): Social media management platform renewal, $116,141 over three years, allowing efficient management of 20+ accounts without additional staff.
  • Item 20/21 (Vaughn Connector Project): Phase 2 and 3 approvals for road improvements and drainage relocation, with contingencies. Discussion included coordination with the American Legion regarding parking.
  • Item 26 (Transfer of funds): Transfer of $3.5 million from the wastewater fund to the Greenfield Service Area System Development Fee fund, part of a previously planned $9 million transfer to address timing of expenditures. No impact on rates.
• The consent calendar was approved unanimously (7-0).

Public Hearing Items

• Item 28 (Zoning Appeal 2601 – Harvest Grove Commercial): An appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval of a design review for a 27-acre commercial component. The council first addressed the threshold issue of standing.
  • Appellant’s argument (Doug Jordan): Represented four nearby residents (including Robert Monastero, who was out of town). He argued that proximity (within half a mile) establishes standing and requested a continuance to gather traffic studies and other evidence, claiming insufficient time to prepare.
  • Developer’s argument (Brennan Ray): Represented Barclays Group. He argued that the alleged harms (construction disruption, increased traffic, property value concerns) are generalized and shared by all 1,200 surrounding parcels, not unique enough to confer standing under state law. He noted the design review focuses on aesthetics, not land use, and that traffic was already studied during the zoning case. A delay would cause financial harm.
  • Town Attorney’s guidance: Explained that standing requires a particularized, direct, and real injury, not generalized concerns. Proximity alone is insufficient.
  • Council discussion: Councilmembers agreed that the appellant lacked standing, citing the generalized nature of the concerns and the need to avoid setting a precedent. The motion to deny the appeal for lack of standing passed 7-0.
• Item 29 (A and B): Two administrative items approved without discussion. Motion passed 7-0.

Discussion Items

• Item 30 (Short-term rental fee increase): Notice of intent to increase licensing and renewal fees from $100 to $250 to cover program costs. Currently operating at a deficit, with the general fund subsidizing the difference. The fee would make the program revenue-neutral. Approved 7-0.
• Item 31 (Policy 202602 – Responsible Financial Management): Updated the health trust fund minimum balance from 30% to 25% and updated references. Approved 7-0.
• Item 32 (Council meeting efficiency measures): Postponed to the first meeting in August. Motion passed 7-0.
• Item 33 (Water meter audit final report presentation): Presented by Hawken and Candace. Key findings:
  • No systemic or system-wide failures; the system is working as intended.
  • Over 50 million rows of data reviewed; fewer than 0.5% of transactions had potential issues.
  • 381 residential accounts potentially overbilled (total ~$44,000); zero commercial overbilling.
  • Credits to be issued by July-August 2026 after validation.
  • Underbilled accounts (residential and commercial) require further review and physical inspections.
  • Recommendations for improvements in asset management, billing processes, performance monitoring, and communication.
  • Communication plan outlined: phased approach to share findings, issue credits, and return to normal billing.
• Councilmember appreciation: Acknowledged the audit team and staff for transparency and efforts.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar (items 2-27) approved 7-0.
• Item 29 A and B approved 7-0.
• Item 28 (zoning appeal) denied due to lack of standing, 7-0.
• Item 30 (short-term rental fee increase notice of intent) approved 7-0.
• Item 31 (financial policy update) approved 7-0.
• Item 32 (meeting efficiency measures) postponed to August 2026, 7-0.
• Water meter audit final report released; credits for overbilled customers to be processed by July-August 2026; further review of underbilled accounts ongoing.

Reports

• Town Manager: Recognized staff accomplishments for the fiscal year, highlighting work across departments.
• Councilmember Lyons: Thanked outgoing members of the Veterans Advisory Board.
• Vice Mayor Bongiovanni: Promoted upcoming Parks and Recreation Month events, including a dine-in movie night and Nerf Wars at the library.
• Mayor: Presented a detailed summary of fiscal year achievements across all departments, including water well drilling, hazardous waste collection, traffic signal installations, park awards, and recruitment efforts.