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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Lake Havasu City Council Regular Meeting - October 13, 2026

City Council & Planning and Zoning — Tuesday, October 13, 2026

BodyLake Havasu City, Arizona

SessionCity Council & Planning and Zoning

DateTuesday, October 13, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:00:38

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

0:24

Good evening and welcome.

0:25

I call to order the Lake Havasu City Council meeting on Tuesday, October 13th, 2026 at 5.30 PM.

0:32

We will start with an invocation from Pastor Kay Zimmerman with City Anna Hill International Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Rich Crane from R and R Penn Pet Sanctuary.

Speaker 2

0:43

Let's pray.

0:44

Father God, we just thank you.

0:46

We thank you so much for our beautiful city.

0:49

We thank you for watching over it, God.

0:51

We thank you for the freedom that we have here, Lord.

0:54

And we thank you for all the great things you're doing in our city.

0:59

Thank you that you've created this city to honor you and give you glory and that you have great things planned for this city.

1:07

So I just ask for your presence to be here, God, for you to direct um our council, Father God, and the decisions to be made.

1:17

And God, we just thank you.

1:21

And I forgot the decree.

1:22

It's over

Unassigned speaker

1:23

here.

Unassigned speaker

1:26

And

Speaker 2

1:27

God reminded me so he wants that.

1:29

This is a decree he gave us in 2007.

1:32

I decree over the city of Lake Havasu City that this city shall be a city of righteousness that honors God in all her ways.

1:41

A city of hope to all her people and all those who come here.

1:45

A city of light where darkness finds no room to hide.

1:49

A city of love that prospers in all her ways, providing prosperity and good will to all her people as well as those surrounding her.

1:59

And a city of peace to all who dwell here.

2:02

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Speaker 3

2:16

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

2:32

Thank you, Bonnie.

2:35

Um my wife and I, Rachel, uh started

Unassigned speaker

2:40

R

Speaker 3

2:40

and R Pet Sanctuary back in the Mount.

Speaker 1

2:42

Yeah, Rich.

2:42

Uh if you could actually just use the microphone and face us, not the uh the audience in isn't it important, but there's also people home watching.

2:48

The only way the cameras are gonna get you is and the microphone.

2:52

So yeah, if you stay stay focused on it.

2:53

Thank you.

Speaker 3

2:54

Anyway, we started uh R and R Pet Sanctuary back in 2018.

2:57

Uh and our goal was to seek out those pets that were less likely to be adopted from shelters, the ones that had either severe problems, medical issues, skin issues, um, elderly things like that.

3:10

We started small, um, then we decided we were gonna become a nonprofit and apply for our 501c3 and got our 501c3.

3:17

Uh and now we are up to quite a few animals.

3:20

Uh we have 39 dogs, uh, a bunch of cats, bunch of guinea pigs, things like that.

3:24

And uh we focus on the disabled portion of uh of different types of like uh megosophagus, things like that.

3:35

We have all different types of disabilities that we focus on and we also educate the public on what these diseases are, what they can do for their pets, how they can help us, how they can help others and things like that.

3:45

Uh we also support the local um shelter here in town and we also support shelters throughout the nation.

3:51

And we've gotten dogs as far away from the Bahamas.

3:54

So basically that's what we do in a nutshell.

3:57

If you want to find out more about us, you can find us on social media.

4:00

We have a TikTok account, we have uh MySpace, or not MySpace, I'm sorry, that shows how old I am.

4:06

Facebook, I don't use.

4:08

Uh we have Facebook, we have uh TikTok, we have Instagram, uh, and we have a website uh that you guys can go to.

4:15

It's R and R Pet Sanctuary.

4:17

So just look that up on any of the social medias and you'll be able to find

Unassigned speaker

4:20

us.

Speaker 1

4:21

Thank you.

4:21

Thank you so much for being here and thank you for what you're doing for our most vulnerable animals.

Unassigned speaker

4:28

Uh

Speaker 1

4:28

item four is our roll call, Miss Williams.

4:30

If you'd uh please call the roll.

Speaker 4

4:37

Council members Nancy Campbell.

Speaker 2

4:39

Here

Speaker 4

4:40

Jenny Koch.

4:41

Here.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Fiscal Sustainability██████████████████18%

Procedural███████████11%

Budget Equity Analysis███████████11%

Liquor Licensing████████8%

Airport Management██████6%

Disability Rights██████6%

Code Enforcement██████6%

Public Engagement█████5%

Engineering And Infrastructure█████5%

Summary of Proceedings

Lake Havasu City Council Regular Meeting - October 13, 2026

The Lake Havasu City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 5:30 PM. The meeting included public comments, a consent agenda, several public hearings, and discussions on fees, infrastructure, and community programs. All councilmembers were present, with Councilmember Jim Dolan attending via remote conferencing. Mayor Cal Sheehy recused himself from two items concerning Roxy's Beach Bar & Cafe due to a conflict.

Consent Calendar

Approved the September 22, 2026 regular meeting minutes.
Approved Resolution No. 26-3952 abandoning a 110-foot portion of a utility and drainage easement.
Approved a partnership agreement with the Military Moms Organization for the Military Tribute Banner Program.
Approved apprenticeship contracts for police service assistants (Cora Mariani amendment, Seth MacKellar, Riley Chai), ratification of firefighter/paramedic contracts (Ashton Given, Kyle Crowe), and a fleet mechanic I contract (Brandon Graham).
Approved cooperative purchases of security systems from Stone Security LLC and cumulative purchases of wastewater treatment equipment from Parkson Corporation.
Approved the HOME and CDBG Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Project.
Approved a professional services agreement with AtkinsRéalis for the Tank S-1C-24 Replacement Project.
Approved calling an executive session for October 27, 2026.
The consent agenda passed unanimously (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

Mark Taylor spoke in favor of private development of hangar space at the airport and reinstating the Airport Advisory Board, citing neglect and a waiting list.
Bonny Toy requested the council not increase business license fees and suggested installing temporary lighting at crosswalks on Swanson Avenue, Smoketree Avenue, and Mesquite Avenue for Halloween safety.
Allen Hay, president of the local Experimental Aircraft Association, opposed outsourcing airport management, arguing it costs 20-30% more, and supported reinstating the Airport Advisory Board.
Pam Swenson questioned the timing of the Freedom Bridge right-of-way approvals relative to the groundbreaking and asked about 100% plans. Mayor Sheehy explained scheduling logistics and that plans were complete.
Bonny Toy again recommended the city begin saving for a third bridge to address future traffic.
Victor Vance questioned whether fees would decrease if CPI dropped; Mayor Sheehy clarified the three-year reset process.
Bonny Toy stated business license fees in Lake Havasu City are $196, much higher than comparables (e.g., Avondale $40, Kingman $100, Bullhead City $60).

Discussion Items

Freedom Bridge Right-of-Way (Resolutions 26-3955 and 26-3956): Public Works Director Ron Foggin explained that agreements with Arizona State Parks and Trails were needed to build the bridge, street, and multi-use path. The groundbreaking occurred earlier that day. Councilmember Lin requested final renderings. Councilmember Dolan voted no on both items, citing concerns about timing and documentation. Both resolutions passed 6-1.
Off-Road Motorized Vehicles Ordinance: City Attorney Kelly Garry presented an ordinance to correct a penalty reference error. Adopted 7-0.
Animal Definition Revision: Police Captain Chad Williams proposed reverting the definition of animal to include mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, correcting an unintentional exclusion from a 2025 revision. Adopted 7-0.
Court Enhancement Fee Increase: Judge Mitchell Kalauli introduced an ordinance to raise the fee from $20 to $40 to offset state surcharges and fund problem-solving courts. Introduced 7-0.
Flood Damage Prevention Update: Engineering Manager Mike Wolfe presented updates to comply with FEMA and ADWR audit findings. Adopted 7-0.
Rezone (2650 Paseo Dorado): City Planner Trevor Kearns presented a rezone of 3,544 square feet from Golf Course to Residential Estates to match adjacent single-family home zoning. No objections; Planning Commission recommended 7-0. Adopted 7-0.
Come-Together Development Agreement: Development Services Director Jeff Thuneman explained a development agreement with CF Capital Partners to allow parking and landscaping over a city-owned water main. Adopted 7-0.
Mission 3: Water Ready Program: Assistant City Manager Anthony Kozlowski presented a services agreement with School District No. 1 to assess swim competency for about 350 third graders. Council discussed potential expansion to other schools. Adopted 7-0.
CDBG Grant for Aquatic Center Accessibility: Grants Manager Vijette Saari requested authorization to apply for a $750,000 grant (no city match) to remove architectural and accessibility barriers at the Aquatic/Community Center, which opened in 1993. Adopted 7-0.
Fees and Service Charges Adjustment Process: Administrative Services Director Jill Olsen presented options for fee updates: (1) actual costs in Year 1, CPI in Years 2-3; (2) no change for two years; (3) actual costs every year. Council consensus was for Option 1, with future discussion on business license fees. Vice Mayor Diaz moved to formalize Option 1 in the Fiscal Sustainability Policy; passed 7-0.
North End Wastewater System Expansion: Project Manager Phil Porter awarded the bid for the Canterbury Lift Station and IPS Odor Control Project to Norstar Plumbing and Engineering, Inc. for $1,913,000 (lowest of six bids). Awarded 7-0.

Key Outcomes

Votes: All items passed with 7-0 votes except:
- Roxy's Beach Bar liquor licenses (8.1 & 8.2): 6-0 (Mayor Sheehy recused).
- Freedom Bridge resolutions (8.4 & 8.5): 6-1 (Councilmember Dolan voting no).
Direction on Fees: Council directed staff to maintain the current fee adjustment method (Option 1: actual costs Year 1, CPI Years 2-3) and amend the Fiscal Sustainability Policy accordingly.
Business License Discussion: Council committed to a deeper review of business license fees and enforcement at a future meeting.
Future Meetings: The next regular meeting is October 27, 2026, at 5:30 PM; another on November 10, 2026.
Recognitions: The city recognized the retirement of Fire Captain John Kowalski (36 years of service) and Firefighter/Paramedic Brian Simmons' leadership award. The Dean Barlow Legacy Loop unveiling is scheduled for October 23, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome. I call to order the Lake Havasu City Council meeting on Tuesday, October 13th, 2026 at 5.30 PM. We will start with an invocation from Pastor Kay Zimmerman with City Anna Hill International Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Rich Crane from R and R Penn Pet Sanctuary. Let's pray. Father God, we just thank you. We thank you so much for our beautiful city. We thank you for watching over it, God. We thank you for the freedom that we have here, Lord. And we thank you for all the great things you're doing in our city. Thank you that you've created this city to honor you and give you glory and that you have great things planned for this city. So I just ask for your presence to be here, God, for you to direct um our council, Father God, and the decisions to be made. And God, we just thank you. And I forgot the decree. It's over here. And God reminded me so he wants that. This is a decree he gave us in 2007. I decree over the city of Lake Havasu City that this city shall be a city of righteousness that honors God in all her ways. A city of hope to all her people and all those who come here. A city of light where darkness finds no room to hide. A city of love that prospers in all her ways, providing prosperity and good will to all her people as well as those surrounding her. And a city of peace to all who dwell here. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. Thank you, Bonnie. Um my wife and I, Rachel, uh started R and R Pet Sanctuary back in the Mount. Yeah, Rich. Uh if you could actually just use the microphone and face us, not the uh the audience in isn't it important, but there's also people home watching. The only way the cameras are gonna get you is and the microphone. So yeah, if you stay stay focused on it. Thank you. Anyway, we started uh R and R Pet Sanctuary back in 2018. Uh and our goal was to seek out those pets that were less likely to be adopted from shelters, the ones that had either severe problems, medical issues, skin issues, um, elderly things like that. We started small, um, then we decided we were gonna become a nonprofit and apply for our 501c3 and got our 501c3. Uh and now we are up to quite a few animals. Uh we have 39 dogs, uh, a bunch of cats, bunch of guinea pigs, things like that. And uh we focus on the disabled portion of uh of different types of like uh megosophagus, things like that. We have all different types of disabilities that we focus on and we also educate the public on what these diseases are, what they can do for their pets, how they can help us, how they can help others and things like that. Uh we also support the local um shelter here in town and we also support shelters throughout the nation. And we've gotten dogs as far away from the Bahamas. So basically that's what we do in a nutshell. If you want to find out more about us, you can find us on social media. We have a TikTok account, we have uh MySpace, or not MySpace, I'm sorry, that shows how old I am. Facebook, I don't use. Uh we have Facebook, we have uh TikTok, we have Instagram, uh, and we have a website uh that you guys can go to. It's R and R Pet Sanctuary. So just look that up on any of the social medias and you'll be able to find

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