Lake Havasu City Council Regular Meeting – July 8, 2025

The Lake Havasu City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at Council Chambers, 92 Acoma Boulevard South, Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Mayor Cal Sheehy presided; Vice Mayor Michele Lin participated remotely. All seven members were present. The council finalized the FY 2025-26 property tax levy, approved a new CTE/EMS program partnership with Lake Havasu Unified School District #1, awarded multiple infrastructure and equipment contracts, and approved an Anita Avenue General Plan amendment and rezone by a 6-1 vote. The meeting adjourned at 6:39 p.m. Joan Dzuro gave the invocation, and the Echo Group Band of Brothers led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Consent Agenda

• Councilmember Jeni Coke moved, seconded by Councilmember Cameron Moses, to approve the Consent Agenda as presented: approval of the June 24, 2025 regular meeting minutes and a call for executive session on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Motion carried 7-0.

Announcements and City Manager Report

• City Clerk Kelly Williams announced vacancies on city boards, committees, and commissions, including one alternate member vacancy on the Board of Adjustment; applications are available at City Hall and www.lhcaz.gov.
• City Manager Jess Knudson congratulated prosecutor Sherman Jackson, Deputy Chief Jeff Kemp on his July 5 promotion, safety honoree Darren Spence, and the city lifeguard team for placing third overall at the Arizona Lifeguard Challenge on June 29. He promoted the upcoming General Plan visioning workshops on July 9, 2025, 4:30-6:30 p.m., and July 10, 2025, 6-8 p.m., at the Mohave County Library community room, and reminded residents that after-school program registration is open.
• Vice Mayor Michele Lin spotlighted Jack Hardie Park as part of the city's 'get to know your park' series, describing its playground, picnic ramadas, and recent improvements.
• Discrepancy note: The minutes state 'National Parks Week' was recognized and that after-school program registration opens on July 11, while the transcript references 'National Safety Month' and states registration opened on July 1. The agenda was not available to resolve the discrepancy.

Public Hearings and Action Items

• 7.1 CTE/EMS MOU: Fire Chief Pete Pilafas presented Resolution No. 25-3848, a two-year MOU with Lake Havasu Unified School District #1 expanding the career technical education fire program by adding Emergency Medical Responder and EMT-Basic courses for high school juniors and seniors, with 11 students enrolled to start July 31. Marsha Becker, LHUSD CTE Coordinator, expressed appreciation for the city partnership. No public comments. Motion by Coke, second by Moses; adopted 7-0.
• 7.2 General Fund Property Tax Levy: Administrative Services Director Jill Olsen presented Resolution No. 25-3856 setting the FY 2025-26 levy at $0.6718 per $100 assessed value. Proposed primary assessed value is $1,070,479,459 compared with $1,006,462,783 in FY 2024-25; the proposed levy is $7,191,481 compared with $6,761,417. The additional levy amount is $313,856 excluding new construction. No public comments. Motion by Diaz, second by Dolan; adopted 7-0.
• 7.3 Improvement District No. 2 (London Bridge Plaza): Resolution No. 25-3857 adopted the FY 2025-26 property tax levy rate of $0.7370 per $100 for maintenance and operation of the London Bridge Plaza parking lot, lighting, water service, and landscaping. The levy increases from $17,188 to $18,275 due to assessed valuation. No public comments. Motion by Dolan, second by Campbell; adopted 7-0.
• 7.4 Anita Avenue General Plan Amendment: Resolution No. 25-3855 approved a minor General Plan amendment changing the Future Land Use Map designation for 2441, 2443, 2445, 2447, and 2449 Anita Avenue, approximately 0.7 acres, from Low Density Residential to High Density Residential for a proposed multifamily project. City Planner Trevor Kearns said the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 7-0 on June 4. Applicant representative Tami Ross of Palimeri Construction said two neighborhood meetings were held with two families attending. Councilmember Nancy Campbell voted no, saying she wanted to protect remaining commercial nodes and expressed concerns about the 26-foot driveway and commercial property being 'sandwiched' by residential. Public speaker Bonny Toy asked whether the project would meet ADA requirements; Mayor Sheehy responded yes. Motion by Dolan, second by Coke; adopted 6-1 with Campbell dissenting.
• 7.5 Anita Avenue Rezone: Ordinance No. 25-1364 rezoned the same five lots from Limited Commercial (C-1) to Residential Limited Multi-Family (R-3) to allow a 10-unit multifamily development with a central courtyard. Parking requirements cited by Mr. Kearns: 1.5 spaces per one-bedroom unit and 2 spaces per two-bedroom unit, built to R-3 standards. Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 7-0. No public comments. Motion by Dolan, second by Moses; adopted 6-1 with Campbell dissenting.
• 7.6 Motorola radios: Police Chief Troy Stirling requested ratification of a Notice to Proceed and Subscription Services Addendum and approval to purchase 125 APX NEXT handheld radios and five years of subscription services from Motorola Solutions, Inc., using the Arizona state contract, in an amount not to exceed $1,480,000. The current radios were purchased in 2015 and are no longer supported. The new radios include LTE capability, GPS location for officer safety, and display of active calls. First-year funding is $1,274,536.64 plus taxes; annual subscription is approximately $60,000. The Notice to Proceed by June 27 locked pricing before an estimated 7 percent July 1 price increase. No public comments. Motion by Diaz, second by Campbell; adopted 7-0.
• 7.7 Stryker equipment: Chief Pilafas requested approval of purchases exceeding the expenditure threshold for two LIFEPAK 15 replacement units and one Power-PRO 2 Powered Ambulance Cot with associated equipment from Stryker Sales, LLC, for $108,449.27, using a Sourcewell contract and trade-in credits to offset some cost. Public speaker Emiliano Torres asked whether the cot would fit through doorways of smaller homes; Chief Pilafas said the cot meets code and breaks down for tight spots and stairs. Motion by Coke, second by Dolan; adopted 7-0.
• 7.8 North Havasu tank engineering amendment: Capital Program Manager Jason Hart presented Amendment No. 1 to the engineering agreement with Tank Industry Consultants, Inc., for $64,185 for the North Havasu Additional Tank and Distribution Line Project. The amendment adds piping plans, footing details, tank appurtenance details, cathodic protection, and electrical and instrumental design for a 750,000-gallon tank that will allow maintenance of the existing 2,000,000-gallon tank. Design completion is anticipated in November 2025. No public comments. Motion by Campbell, second by Diaz; adopted 7-0.
• 7.9 Kiowa Drain #3 Stabilization: Civil Engineer Shawn Clarke presented the bid award to Groundwater Partners, Inc., for $1,298,962. The project, west of Highway 95 from Cactus Wren Drive to Kiowa Avenue, is the last of the top 10 priority washes and includes channel stabilization, rip rap armoring with geofabric, energy dissipation features, and concrete access ramps. Six bids were received; the engineer's estimate was $1,531,040 and the CIP budget was $1.6 million. Councilmember David Diaz asked about low-bid quality; Mr. Clarke responded that bids were within 15 percent of the estimate and the low bidder reduced mobilization to win the work. No public comments. Motion by Diaz, second by Dolan; adopted 7-0.
• 7.10 Port Drive and Queens Bay Lift Station Upgrades: Project Manager Phil Porter presented the bid award to Schofield Civil Construction, LLC, for $533,600. The project upgrades two of the city's more than 70 wastewater lift stations to restore reliability and protect residents, visitors, and the potable water supply. The next bid was $617,500. No public comments. Motion by Dolan, second by Campbell; adopted 7-0.
• 7.11 Mulberry Treatment Plant Roof Replacement: Mr. Porter presented the bid award to T.R. Orr, Inc., for $152,000 to replace the aged roof at the Mulberry Treatment Plant Headworks building, including a new TPO roof, roof drain replacement, insulation, drywall repairs, and painting. Construction is expected to start August 2025 and finish in early October 2025; the construction budget was $300,000 and five qualifying bids were received. No public comments. Motion by Coke, second by Moses; adopted 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• During the public hearings on items 7.1-7.3, 7.5, 7.6, and 7.8-7.11, no residents offered comments. Public comments were received on the Anita Avenue items (Bonny Toy) and the Stryker equipment purchase (Emiliano Torres), as noted above.
• During Call to the Public: Emiliano Torres asked when shade structures at Main Street Commons would be completed and suggested using a local contractor if funding had run out. Bonny Toy said benches at Main Street Commons are not in the shade, and she reported concerns from families about police interactions with people with developmental disabilities, relayed from an Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council meeting. Nicholas Black asked about illegal electric bikes.

Key Outcomes

• Approved Consent Agenda 7-0.
• Adopted Resolution No. 25-3848 (CTE/EMS MOU) 7-0.
• Adopted Resolution No. 25-3856 (General Fund property tax levy at $0.6718 per $100) 7-0.
• Adopted Resolution No. 25-3857 (London Bridge Plaza Improvement District levy at $0.7370 per $100) 7-0.
• Adopted Resolution No. 25-3855 (Anita Avenue General Plan amendment) 6-1; Councilmember Campbell dissented.
• Adopted Ordinance No. 25-1364 (Anita Avenue rezone to R-3) 6-1; Councilmember Campbell dissented.
• Approved Motorola APX NEXT radio purchase and ratification 7-0.
• Approved Stryker LIFEPAK 15 and Power-PRO 2 cot purchase 7-0.
• Approved Tank Industry Consultants Amendment No. 1 for $64,185 7-0.
• Awarded Kiowa Drain #3 Stabilization bid to Groundwater Partners, Inc., for $1,298,962 7-0.
• Awarded Port Drive and Queens Bay Lift Station Upgrades bid to Schofield Civil Construction, LLC, for $533,600 7-0.
• Awarded Mulberry Treatment Plant Roof Replacement bid to T.R. Orr, Inc., for $152,000 7-0.
• Next meeting: Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. executive session and 5:30 p.m. regular meeting. Meeting adjourned at 6:39 p.m.