Lake Havasu City Council Regular Meeting (Final Budget Adoption) – June 25, 2024

The Lake Havasu City Council met on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers for its regular meeting and final budget adoption. Mayor Cal Sheehy presided, with all seven councilmembers present; Councilmember Jim Dolan attended via remote conferencing. The council approved the consent agenda, appointed members to city boards and commissions, conducted public hearings, adopted the $257,759,482 FY 2024-25 final budget, and awarded multiple professional services and supply contracts. The meeting recessed to a special meeting to adopt the budget, reconvened, and adjourned at 6:39 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the June 11, 2024, City Council Regular Meeting minutes (ID 24-4330).
• Adopted Resolution No. 24-3756 approving a Jail Costs Intergovernmental Agreement with Mohave County for jail services.
• Adopted Resolution No. 24-3757 appointing the Chief Fiscal Officer for FY 2024-25.
• Adopted Resolution No. 24-3764 authorizing a grant application to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for infant and toddler care and education research.
• Adopted Resolution No. 24-3765 authorizing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Veterans Affairs for law enforcement services.
• Approved Amendment No. 1 to the Animal Care and Shelter Services contract with Western Arizona Humane Society.
• Adopted Resolution No. 24-3766 approving Amendment No. One to the ADOT intergovernmental agreement for design and construction of a traffic signal at McCulloch Boulevard and Jamaica Boulevard and speed feedback signs.
• Ratified Change Order Nos. 1 and 2 to the Holbrook Asphalt, LLC purchase order for HA5 fog seal.
• Called an executive session for 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

The consent agenda was approved unanimously, 7-0.

Announcements & City Manager Report

• City Manager Jess Knudson announced a Second Bridge Feasibility Study Open House on Thursday, June 27, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers.
• Republic Services will host a free Household Hazardous Waste Event on Saturday, June 29, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Fire Station No. 2, 2065 Kiowa Boulevard North.
• The city will hold a Primary Election on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, to elect three Councilmembers; the voter registration deadline is July 1, 2024, at midnight, and early voting runs July 3-26, 2024, at the Mohave County Library.
• City offices will be closed on Thursday, July 4, 2024, for Independence Day.
• Councilmember Campbell invited residents to the Lake Havasu Realtors Association and Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum on June 26, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.; Councilmember Lane warned residents to hang up on scammers; Vice Mayor Moses reported the Partnership for Economic Development assisted DECKX in locating at Agave Business Park.

Public Comments & Testimony

• During the Truth in Taxation hearing, citizen Don Wisdom asked whether the tax rate was per $100 or per $100,000; Mayor Sheehy confirmed the rate is $0.6718 per $100 of assessed value.
• During the Call to the Public, Marsha Bailey, a permanent resident of the city for seven years, expressed concerns about new Planning & Zoning Commission members and said developments have been approved without adequate infrastructure. She cited concerns about working-class housing, healthcare, veterinary care, childcare, and traffic studies, and asked why developers are not required to pay for infrastructure improvements before developing. She encouraged residents to educate themselves about developers and vote in the upcoming primary election.
• Bonny Toy, a citizen, recommended that new complexes include benches and shade trees along sidewalks, citing a lack of places to rest and cooling stations while walking to the meeting.

Board and Commission Appointments

• Airport Advisory Board (10 applications): Appointed James Baldwin as regular pilot member, Louis Worthy as regular non-pilot member, and Thomas Williams as alternate pilot member, with terms ending June 30, 2027 (Resolution No. 24-3759; 7-0).
• Board of Adjustment (5 applications): Appointed Kevin Casey and Jim Harris as regular members with terms ending June 30, 2027, and Todd Rounds and Larry Heller as alternate members with terms ending June 30, 2026 (Resolution No. 24-3760; 7-0).
• Parks & Recreation Advisory Board (9 applications): Appointed Ashley Pascual, Kyler Cox, and Karen Cooper as regular members, with terms ending June 30, 2027 (Resolution No. 24-3761; 7-0).
• Planning & Zoning Commission (15 applications): Appointed David Diaz, Gabriele Medley, and Jim Harris as regular members with terms ending June 30, 2027, and Lonnie Stevenson and Mary Costa as alternate members with terms ending June 30, 2026 (Resolution No. 24-3762; approved 5-2, with Councilmembers Dolan and Lane voting no).

Other Public Hearing Items

• Recommended that the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses & Control approve a Series #12 restaurant liquor license for SummeRay Wine Bar & Local Eatery, LLC, at 2097 McCulloch Boulevard North #100. All posting and fee requirements were met, and no objections were received (7-0).

Budget and Property Tax Items

• Adopted Resolution No. 24-3763 transferring $10,000 from the City Attorney's budget to the City Clerk's budget to cover PSPRS legal expenses for FY 2023-24 (7-0).
• Conducted the Truth in Taxation hearing for the proposed FY 2024-25 property tax levy. The levy rate remains $0.6718 per $100 assessed value; assessed value rose from $945,969,724 in FY 2023-24 to $1,006,462,783 in FY 2024-25, increasing the levy from $6,355,025 to $6,761,417. The council approved the levy and will formally assess it at the July 9, 2024, meeting (7-0).
• Adjourned to a special meeting to adopt Resolution No. 24-3758 adopting the FY 2024-25 Final Budget of $257,759,482. Staff reviewed the 10-month budget timeline, noted the tentative budget was published as required, and confirmed no changes were made since June 11, 2024; the council may reduce but cannot increase the final budget amount (7-0). The proposed FY 2024-25 rates include a city property tax levy of $6,761,417 and an Improvement District No. 2 (London Bridge Plaza) levy of $17,188 at $0.7370 per $100 assessed value.

Contracts and Awards

• Approved a $242,520 Statement of Work with Camptra Technologies LLC for Oracle Cloud Comprehensive Managed Services Support for FY 2024-25 (7-0).
• Approved the cooperative purchase of a Police Interceptor (Explorer) K-9 vehicle from San Tan Auto Partners, LLC, dba San Tan Ford, in the amount of $75,578.58, funded by a grant from the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs for the police department's narcotics unit (7-0).
• Awarded a $514,149.88 Professional Services Agreement to Perlman Architects of Arizona for programming, design, Construction Manager at Risk management, and construction management of Fire Station No. 7. Five firms submitted qualifications, three were interviewed, and Perlman was selected as most qualified. Staff said the project is expected to improve response times for approximately 12,000 residents and includes back-in apparatus bays with high-speed doors (7-0).
• Awarded an Odor Mitigating Management Control Program agreement to Evoqua Water Technologies, LLC for a maximum five-year term, with authority to renew for four additional one-year terms and to exceed $50,000 annually but not exceed budgetary appropriations (7-0).
• Awarded citywide bulk chemical bids to Hill Brothers Chemical Company, Pencco, Inc., Polydyne Inc., PVS DX, Inc., and Univar Solutions for a maximum five-year term, with four additional 12-month renewal options and routine annual expenditures exceeding $50,000 subject to budgetary appropriations (7-0).
• Awarded a five-year Professional Services Agreement for Public Defender Services to Whitney & Whitney PLLC DBA Whitney | Whitney | Baldridge | Atkinson. The first-year annual rate is $280,000, with annual escalations reflecting about a 20% increase in traditional court case filings and about a 10% increase in problem-solving court filings over the past year (7-0).

Key Outcomes

• All consent agenda items and most resolutions were approved unanimously, 7-0.
• The Planning & Zoning Commission appointments were the only divided vote, 5-2.
• The FY 2024-25 Final Budget was adopted at $257,759,482, and the property tax levy will be adopted at the July 9, 2024, City Council meeting.
• The next regular meeting is July 9, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., followed by a regular meeting on July 23, 2024.
• The meeting adjourned at 6:39 p.m.