Lake Havasu City Council Regular Meeting – May 26, 2026
Lake Havasu City Council Regular Meeting – May 26, 2026
The Lake Havasu City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 5:30 PM in Council Chambers. All six present councilmembers (Mayor Sheehy, Vice Mayor Diaz, Councilmembers Campbell, Coke, Dolan, Moses) voted unanimously on all agenda items. Councilmember Michele Lin was absent. The meeting began with an invocation by Pastor Tim Giles, the Pledge of Allegiance led by the Lake Havasu City Lighthouse Club, and roll call. Key actions included approvals of technology contracts, infrastructure projects, and public comments addressing pedestrian safety and support for the local lighthouse club.
Consent Calendar
- ID 26‑5227: Approved the May 12, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes.
- ID 26‑5215: Approved Resolution 26‑3914, Intergovernmental Agreements with the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office for Public Safety Answering Point Policy Routing Function Backup.
- ID 26‑5218: Approved the Agreement for Percheron Estates Subdivision with Colt Estates Homeowners Association regarding private roadways and drainage.
- ID 26‑5221: Approved the Development Agreement for Rancho Buena Vista Subdivision with Jarbon, LLC regarding private roadways and drainage.
- ID 26‑5228: Approved a call for Executive Session scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 4:30 PM.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Bonny Toy, citizen: Addressed the council twice. During the public hearing on Pima Wash #8 Drop Structures (7.3), she asked whether deferring a portion of the wash reach would require additional funding and whether the Wash Management Plan had been updated since 2015. Staff responded that funding for the deferred work is already in the CIP and that a new 2025 Wash Management Plan (with 12 projects) was adopted in October 2025. During the Call to the Public (item 8), she reiterated a prior suggestion to lower the speed limit on Mesquite Avenue from Smoketree Avenue to Querio Drive to improve pedestrian access, especially during business hours. She also expressed support for the community helping the Lake Havasu City Lighthouse Club and encouraged councilmembers to provide committee reports at meetings.
- Paul Kantza, citizen: During the public hearing on Walnut Drive Drop Structure (7.4), asked whether all bidders used the same engineering specifications. Mayor Sheehy confirmed that the city puts out engineering specifications that all bidders use.
- Lake Havasu City Lighthouse Club (Rachel Hughes, Carl Cornett): Presented during Correspondence, Communications, Petitions (item 6) before formal public hearings. The club, a 100% volunteer nonprofit, maintains 28 lighthouses on the lake. They noted that vandalism and wear are increasing, repairs cost $800–$1,900 per sea light, and they receive no funding from any government entity. They asked the council for assistance and guidance in securing additional funds to keep the lighthouses operational. Councilmembers thanked them and noted the club’s importance to the community.
Discussion Items
- 7.1 – Oracle Cloud Comprehensive Managed Service Provider Agreement: Administrative Services Director Jill Olsen requested approval of a one‑year (13‑month) agreement with Oracle America, Inc. for Fiscal Year 2026‑27 at a cost of $234,325.06. Staff evaluated multiple vendors and selected Oracle’s Managed Services Division because of their local‑government expertise. A transition overlap with current vendor Camptra Technologies will occur the first year, but the city expects significant annual savings thereafter. The public hearing had no comments. Motion passed 6‑0.
- 7.2 – VMware Server Licenses (Broadcom): Chief Information Officer Jonathan Baskette requested authorization for a three‑year agreement with Broadcom (VMware’s parent company) for virtual server licensing and support at an annual cost of $134,400 ($403,200 total plus taxes). The city uses VMware to run 100–135 virtual servers on five physical hosts. The shortest term available is three years. Vice Mayor Diaz asked about the annual cost, which covers per‑server licensing based on core count. The public hearing had no comments. Motion passed 6‑0.
- 7.3 – Pima Wash #8 Drop Structures (El Dorado Avenue & Bluewater Drive): Engineering Manager Mike Wolfe presented Task Order No. 1 for two drop structures, identified as the final project in the 2015 Wash Management Plan. The project includes pedestrian crossing improvements, stormwater safety controls, and energy dissipation to reduce sediment transport. Four competitive bids were received; the low bid from Perco Rock Company was $609,083 (about $60,000 under estimate). The remaining 3,000‑foot wash reach (with burrowing owl habitat) will be deferred to fall 2026 per U.S. Fish & Wildlife and Arizona Game & Fish protections. Bonny Toy questioned deferral funding; staff confirmed it is already in the CIP and that a new 2025 Wash Management Plan exists. Motion passed 6‑0.
- 7.4 – Walnut Drive Drop Structure (Daytona Wash Crossing): Mr. Wolfe presented Task Order No. 2 for a standalone drop structure identified by the Streets Division as critically in need of replacement—potential failure could washout Walnut Drive. The design includes pedestrian crossings, stormwater controls, and energy dissipation. Four competitive bids were received; the low bid from Perco Rock Company was $408,420 (below the engineer’s estimate of ~$453,000). During discussion, Councilmember Dolan sought clarification on a discrepancy between a slide showing $371,056 and the bid tabulation of $408,420; staff confirmed the correct amount is $408,420. Paul Kantza asked about bidding specifications; Mayor Sheehy confirmed all bidders used the same city‑issued engineering specs. Motion passed 6‑0.
Key Outcomes
- All four public‑hearing items were approved unanimously (6‑0).
- Consent Agenda approved unanimously.
- City Clerk Williams announced upcoming vacancies on the Board of Adjustment, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and Planning and Zoning Commission. Application deadline: Friday, May 29, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
- City Manager Jess Knudson reported on Memorial Day ceremonies, staff recognitions (Councilmember Coke as a Flinn‑Brown Fellow, Swan Cooke for a drowning‑prevention article, Carrie Vote for a public‑sector leadership certificate), Public Works Week, summer camp registration (385 children registered, ~100 spots still available), the new “Big Fish Little Fish” program starting June 2026, and the launch of the city’s new website.
- Council Committee Reports: Councilmember Campbell reported on the Rural Transportation Advocacy Council (RTAC) lobbying for federal transportation funding (the “Protection Act” for pavement preservation) and the launch of a pilot construction apprenticeship program. Councilmember Coke reported that the Partnership for Economic Development attended the ICSC conference in Las Vegas, connecting with developers interested in the North Side Disc District and the Island. Vice Mayor Diaz reported on the first Go Lake Havasu meeting, with a search underway for a new CEO.
- Future meetings set: Tuesday, June 9, 2026 (regular meeting with tentative budget & CIP adoption) and Tuesday, June 23, 2026 (regular meeting with final budget adoption).
- Meeting adjourned at 6:23 PM.
Meeting Transcript
On Tuesday, May 26th, 2026 at 530 p.m. We'll now have an invocation from Pastor Tim Giles with Inspire the Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Rachel Hughes and Carl Cornet with the Lake Havasu Lighthouse Club. Thank you. It's a privilege to be here with all of you guys, our thoughtful civic leaders and the work you do, our community partners, citizens, for all the work and everything you do to strengthen and support serve the city. It really is. And I ask you for grace and wisdom for our city leaders. Lord, give them judgment, discernment, strengthen them. Father, I thank you that our citizens and our uh community partners, that we all come together for thoughtful discussion to serve and support our city. Thank you for the blessing you've given us with all these wonderful people. Lord, I pray that your grace covers all of us. In Jesus' name, amen. One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Amen. Good evening. My name is Carl Cornett, and I am the president of the Lake Habasoo City Lighthouse Club. I want to first uh thank everybody, um, the our mayor, our uh our council members and staff, because there's so many of you. I can't I really appreciate it. Um next uh what I like to do is introduce uh Rachel Hughes, she's gonna come up here and uh she'll be talking about uh the lighthouses and and what what they do and and just basic information so everybody gets to know what we do out there. Rachel. Good evening, honorable mayor and city council. The Lake Havasue Lighthouse Club is a 501 C3 nonprofit organization staffed by volunteer residents dedicated to the preservation, repair, and safeguarding of the Lake Havasu Lighthouses. The club was established in 2000 by boaters to help other boaters. Generous donors and sponsors paid for the initial building of the lighthouses. Presently there are 28 lighthouses on the lake. Replicas from the western U.S. are located on or near the California side, while replicas from the eastern U.S. are located on the Arizona side. The Great Lakes replicas are represented on the islands. The majority of the lighthouses were built from wood or stucco and are constantly exposed to the lighthouses. Wear and tear over 26 years is our main issue. They are in constant need of paint, battery replacement, and concrete repair. The beacons are solar powered with a life expectancy of 12 years. However, the battery life is only three to five. The sea lights, however, range between 800 and 1,900 each, depending on the nick the distance needed for projection. Vandalism, however, has become a much bigger issue for us and more prevalent due to the location and accessibility of some of our lighthouses. For instance, there are 15 lighthouses located on the island, making them very accessible and regularly visited. Previously, the Lake House Havasu Convention and Visitors Bureau claimed that over 30% of our visitors come specifically to see our lighthouses. Point Gratchett on the island is a perpetual example for us. This unofficial party location is host to many bonfires and constantly in need of cleanup and repair. Our members use a huge magnet constantly to retrieve nails from pallets, filling a five-gallon bucket. That's how many. We receive absolutely no funding from the city, the county, BLM, state, or federal. Our funding for all repairs and supplies comes 100% from donations by our community, visitors, and sales of our books. All of our resources and time are spent on maintenance, lighthouse inspections, and public education. Again, all provided by our by our members. As I've said earlier, cost to maintain our beloved lighthouses is skyrocketing. And I'm here today not only to bring awareness to you and our residents, but also to ask for some assistance and guidance in securing additional funds to help with ongoing maintenance and repair. Our members perform all the work using our own boats, tools, and time to ensure the lighthouses are working in working condition for the safety of our boaters and would really appreciate any suggestions on helping us prosper. Our membership is 100% volunteer, and we've lost many members over the years due to attrition and burnout. If the club goes belly up, what happens to the lighthouses?
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