Lake Havasu City Council Regular Meeting – October 27, 2026

Lake Havasu City Council met on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at 5:30 PM. All seven councilmembers were present, with Councilmember Campbell recusing herself from one vote. The agenda included a consent calendar, public comments, recognitions, a detailed Go Lake Havasu update, and eight public hearings. Council approved multiple contracts and resolutions, with votes ranging from unanimous to a 5-1 split.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the October 13, 2026 City Council regular meeting minutes (ID 26-5437) and called an executive session for November 10, 2026 at 4:30 PM (ID 26-5438). Motion by Councilmember Coke, second by Vice Mayor Diaz; passed 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• During the open call to the public, resident Bonnie Toy criticized rising business license fees, asserting that fee increases coincided with a decline in new businesses. She also argued that state law coerces voters by calling rejection of projects a waste of taxpayer money, which she said is the state's fault, not voters'.
• During the Go Lake Havasu public hearing, Bob Barrett requested that presentation materials be posted online before meetings, and asked for more detailed metrics to evaluate whether Go Lake Havasu is meeting its primary objective of attracting tourists and visitors. He estimated the incremental tax revenue at $500,000 but questioned whether the underlying cell-phone data proved those were new visitors.
• Also during the Go Lake Havasu hearing, Bonnie Toy asked about the agreement that funds would revert to the city, and was told the reversion clause applies only upon dissolution.
• At the Island Treatment Plant hearing, a speaker questioned the lack of a line-item breakdown for the $498,826 design fee and the meaning of "staff negotiated price." Sharon Wallace asked about the timeline and was told construction would take about three years and include redundancy between plants.

Discussion Items

• Go Lake Havasu Update (ID 26-5423): Go Lake Havasu board members presented progress since May 1. Chairman John Westergaard reported that the executive director search had narrowed from 19 candidates to two finalists, with a meet-and-greet scheduled in the next two weeks. The organization used Destinations International for roughly $1,000 and terminated its contract with 62 Above for website/digital marketing services. David Robbins said the website, built by Tempest, had been repaired and staff trained, and pay-per-click marketing was eliminated during the rebuild. Social media specialist Tanya Pickren reported annual views grew from 3.4 million to 4.8 million (39% increase), with organic views rising from 1.2 million to 2.8 million (now 60% of totals). She launched a community engagement tour featuring local businesses, accumulating nearly one million views. Christina Gallo reported lodging revenue increased by $10 million year-over-year, generating approximately $200,000 in additional sales tax and $300,000 in bed tax. She cited Zartico data showing visitor spending percentages at local businesses, including Burgers by the Bridge (75%), The Chair (73%), Barley Brothers (70%), and Safeway (62%). Councilmember Dolan expressed strong concern that taxpayer-funded social features provided free advertising for select businesses and said competitors could view it as unfair. GLH representatives defended the practice as standard DMO marketing and said all businesses could opt in. The council also discussed the funding agreement's dissolution clause: funds and assets revert to the city only if Go Lake Havasu dissolves, not if the city simply terminates the contract. Councilmember Moses defended the board, noting it consists of tourism industry members who pay the taxes. Councilmembers suggested addressing contract language in future negotiations. No formal action was taken.
• Island Treatment Plant Headworks Project (ID 26-5419): Staff requested approval of a $498,826 design contract with Ardurra Group. Councilmember Lynn asked why it was not competitively bid; staff explained that state law allows direct selection under $500,000 and that qualifications are critical for this wastewater entry point. Public testimony raised cost questions, and staff referred to the detailed fee schedule available online. Planning includes $5.5 million in future construction budgets.
• North Havasu Tank and Distribution Line (ID 26-5433): Staff requested a $222,895 construction management agreement with Tank Industry Consultants for specialized welding and coating inspections. Councilmember Dolan noted the city's nonprofit water utility keeps costs down.
• Other public hearing items received brief discussion before approval, including the parks board appointment, fiscal sustainability policy, police furniture purchase, Pima Wash #8 stabilization, and hot mix asphalt repairs.

Key Outcomes

• Resolution 26-3957 – Appointed Taylor Skelton as a student member of the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board with a term ending June 30, 2028. Motion by Dolan, second by Coke; passed 7-0.
• Resolution 26-3958 – Adopted the Fiscal Sustainability Policy, incorporating the fee-review process directed at the October 13 meeting. Motion by Dolan, second by Diaz; passed 7-0.
• Police Facility Furniture – Approved the cooperative purchase with Educational Furnishings of Arizona, LLC (dba Arizona Furnishings) for $500,877.43. Motion by Dolan, second by Coke; passed 7-0.
• Island Treatment Plant Headworks Design – Approved the professional services agreement with Ardurra Group, Inc. for $498,826. Motion by Dolan, second by Diaz; passed 7-0.
• North Havasu Tank Construction Management – Approved the professional services agreement with Tank Industry Consultants, Inc. for $222,895. Motion by Coke, second by Campbell; passed 7-0.
• Pima Wash #8 Phase II Stabilization – Awarded Job Order Contract Task Order No. 3 to Perco Rock Company for $1,616,626. Motion by Diaz, second by Campbell; passed 7-0.
• FY 2026-27 Hot Mix Asphalt Repairs – Awarded the bid to Pioneer Earth Movers, Inc. for $439,700. Motion by Diaz, second by Lin; passed 5-1, with Councilmember Moses opposing and Councilmember Campbell recused.

Future Meetings

• The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 10, 2026 at 5:30 PM. The November 24, 2026 meeting at 5:30 PM will include the swearing-in of new council members.