Thank you.

Welcome to the Mesa City Council meeting on October 6, 2025.

All of our council members are present.

We're going to begin the meeting with an invocation by Pastor Angela White with the Spiritual Assembly of Baha'is and Mesa, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thank you.

Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

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

One nation under God with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, everyone.

I want to start out this evening's uh meeting with uh deep sorrow.

We're gonna mourn the passing of Engineer uh Paul Schuop with Mesa Fire Medical, who served for over 20 years for our fire department.

Paul faced a battle with uh geoblastoma brain cancer, but with the same courage and strength he showed throughout his career.

As a retired Mesa Fire Captain Paramedic, I know the bond of this profession, and Paul exemplized the exemplified the best of it in dedication and compassion and the service to others.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife Nancy, their four children, and all who loved him.

Paul's legacy will live on in the lives he touched and the community he protected.

I'd like to invite our fire chief Mary Camilly to come forward and say a few words, Chief Camellia.

Thank you, Mayor Freeman, members of the council and members of the community.

Everything you said about Engineer Paul Shoop is absolutely true.

He was a wonderful member in this community, but also he served and he served with care.

Everything he did for the organization for our community, he gave his very best.

He was a trainer for our driver training to make sure we were out in the community driving safely, and he was dedicated to that as well.

His family and his fire department truly appreciate the community support, the support from council, city management that helped him through this battle and the support he got for the service as well.

It was an honor for us to serve him in that in that way, and we're grateful for the service in the 23 years that he's given to our community.

Thank you, Chief.

Appreciate that.

Will you join us in a moment of silence?

Uh everybody, please stand for a moment of silence for Mr.

Shu.

Thank you.

You can be seated.

This past Thursday, I was honored to proclaim October 2nd, 2025 as the International Day of Nonviolence in Mesa.

This day recognizes global in honor of Mahatma Gandhi, reminds us of the strength and found in peace, dialogue, and understanding over hatred, intimidation, or violence.

Mesa grows stronger when we treat one another with respect, even in times of disagreement.

By choosing civility, compassion, and reconciliation, we reinforce the foundation of our community, and that's very important.

I'll read the uh again, read the proclamation.

Again, it recognizes globally the International Day of Nonviolence, that nonviolence represents a universal principle that rejects hatred, intimidation, and violence as mean of resolving conflict instead of calling for dialogue, understanding, and reconciliation.

And our community of Mesa thrives when we commit to respecting one another, even in times of disagreement, and when we work together to resolve differences with civility and compassion.

And the use of nonviolence, whether physical, verbal, or political, destroys lives, erodes trust, and undermines the foundation of a healthy society.

And the city Mesa affirms that every resident deserves to live in a community where kindness, cooperation, and mutual respect are valued and upheld.

Therefore, I mark Freeman, virtue of the authority of estimated as Mayor Mesa, do hereby proclaim October 2nd, 2025 as the International Day of Nonviolence.

So with that, Council, will you join me for a photo down in the front?

Come on.

Thank you for your patience.

Because there are so many people here for items from citizen presence.

I will take the item first item first so that you don't have to stay for the entire meeting and speak.

So item 10 is items from items from citizen present.

We allow up to three speakers three minutes to speak, depending on the topic of the three speakers, if allowed to allow counsel to hear an issue that has not been raised tonight.

I want to remind everyone that this is a business meeting and to maintain proper decorum.

Please refrain from clapping, cheering, or other disruptions.

These interruptions make it difficult to move through the agenda to complete city business and for each speaker to be heard.

If you engage in conduct that disrupts this meeting, such as shouting, clapping, or any other loud noise, you may be removed.

This is your warning.

So let's be respectful and orderly so every voice has a fair opportunity to be considered.

So our first speaker tonight is uh Gail Graves.

Gail, if you want to come forward, followed by on deck is Marissa Luna.

Thank you, Gail.

You have three minutes.

Hi.

Um my name is Gail Graves.

I'm a native Arizona, and I was born in Phoenix, lived in Mesa my teen years and through my 30s, left, came back about a year and a half ago.