Payson Town Council Regular Meeting - April 22, 2026
Payson Town Council Regular Meeting - April 22, 2026
The Payson Town Council held a regular meeting on April 22, 2026, starting at approximately 4:04 p.m. and adjourning at approximately 5:27 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers. All seven council members were present. The meeting covered multiple agenda items including a consent agenda, public comments, a fire department update, a public hearing on the FY 2026-2027 fee schedule, and appointments to fill vacancies on boards and commissions.
Consent Calendar
- B.1: Approval of Minutes – Approved minutes of April 8, 2026 regular meeting.
- B.4: Resolution No. 2026-019 – Approved an intergovernmental agreement with ADOT for design and construction services on West Forest Drive from Colcord Road to State Route 87. Items B.2 and B.3 were removed for separate discussion. The consent agenda (B.1 and B.4) was approved 7-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Brooke Meyers applauded the Town’s disc golf and Ubuntu Trail events and requested monthly project management update meetings for transparency.
- Tom Dunning challenged the Town to consider becoming a green, net-zero community, suggesting a committee for future greening efforts.
- Mike Quinn praised the mountain bike race events ($400 people, increased hotel usage and tourism tax revenue), opposed reducing the food tax, and advocated for investing in a new pool rather than “nickel and diming.”
- Mike Voden recommended switching Town facility lighting to LED to save 80-90% on electricity costs, and proposed family campout weekends, fishing tournaments, and more covered benches and fountains at Green Valley Park.
- Jeff Robbins supported the two road-related resolutions, stating they improve traffic flow and are a “small step” toward broader traffic calming.
Discussion Items
- B.2: Resolution No. 2026-012 (Summer Work Program IGA) – Council Member Nossek requested separate discussion to highlight the program. Town Manager Darren Coldwell reported the program has run since 2018 at no cost to the Town, with interns placed in Parks, Community Development, and other departments. Several interns later become permanent employees. The application process is through Gila County. The resolution was approved 7-0.
- B.3: Resolution No. 2026-018 (Mud Springs to Monument Peak Trail Design/Scoping IGA) – Parks Director Steve Richardson and Rim County Trail Fund Secretary Anna Van Zile explained the project: a bike lane from the Granite Dells roundabout to the cattle guard, and a 10-foot paved mixed-use path to Monument Peak. The Town’s match is 5.7% of the $190,000 scoping phase. A special use permit from the Forest Service may be required, and a NEPA study is possible. ADOT prefers to see projects through to construction. The resolution was approved 7-0.
- D.1: Fire Department Update – Assistant Fire Chief Kevin McCully presented a 39-year veteran’s perspective. Key statistics (July 1, 2025 to date): 55 fires, 90 hazmat incidents, 1,945 medical calls, 2,874 total calls across three stations. 384 times two engines were on calls simultaneously; 51 times all three engines were on calls; 8 times mutual aid was requested. The department brings in about $540,000/year through external contracts. Ongoing improvements include a new drone program, First Due records management system, and 800 MHz radio upgrade. The Fire Prevention Division conducted 70 permits, 600 plan reviews, and 20 state-required inspections.
- F.1: First Public Hearing on Fee Schedule FY 2026-2027 – No public comments were made. The hearing was opened and closed. The final adoption will follow a 30-day posting period.
- H.1: Board and Commission Appointments – Deputy Town Clerk Megan Miller noted that applicant Eugene Wullkotte is not a qualified elector per Town Code. Council directed staff to draft a resolution allowing exceptions for individuals with a Town business license who live in the region, and to review other boards for similar eligibility issues. Council also requested that future applications include complete responses. For Wullkotte, the matter will be brought back.
- H.2: Building Advisory Board Appointments – Three appointments made:
- Cody O’Donnell appointed to term expiring June 30, 2027 (motion 6-0; Council Member Tubbs recused).
- Eric Santana appointed to term expiring June 30, 2028 (7-0).
- Patrick Whelan appointed to term expiring June 30, 2028 (7-0).
- H.3: Board of Adjustment Appointment – Joseph “Jack” Pence appointed to term expiring June 30, 2027 (7-0).
Key Outcomes
- Approved minutes (B.1) and three IGAs (B.2, B.3, B.4) all by 7-0 votes.
- Received Fire Department update; no action required.
- Held first public hearing on FY 2026-2027 fee schedule; final adoption pending.
- Directed staff to draft a resolution to allow non-resident business owners to serve on boards/commissions, and to review eligibility criteria across all boards.
- Appointed four individuals to fill immediate vacancies: Cody O’Donnell, Eric Santana, Patrick Whelan (Building Advisory Board), and Joseph Pence (Board of Adjustment).
- Town Manager noted the FY 2027 budget review work session is scheduled for May 7, 2026, at a time to be determined.
Meeting Transcript
Oh, you look at this. Invocation, Pastor Carl Saratsky. Thank you. Let us pray. Gracious God. Thank you for this meeting and all who are gathered here. We thank you for the opportunity to serve the people of our community. We humbly seek your guidance and pray that our hearts be open and our minds clear. We pray that our discussions are respectful and kind and that we value one another's contributions. Unite us as one body, working together to make our community a better place for all. Remind us that we are stewards of your authority. Grant us wisdom to govern amid any conflicting interest and issues of our times. Give us a sense of the welfare and true needs of our community, a keen thirst for justice and rightness, confidence for what is good and fitting, and the ability to work together in harmony, even when there might be honest disagreements among us. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Pastor. I pledge allegiance to July United States of America. And to the Republic for which is under God and principle with liberty Justice Carl. Let the record reflect that all council members are present. Thank you, regular Megan. Call to the public as a reminder, it's election season. State law prohibits any town resource, including staff time, equipment, and anything of value to be used to influence an election. This prohibition applies to call to the public. You can talk about a town issue, but please do not advocate for a specific candidate or ballot measure. We appreciate your efforts to help the town comply with state law and avoid using taxpayer monies to influence the election. When called to speak, please approach the podium, speak towards the microphone. So your statements can be heard. Give your name. Please contact the council members or staff directly on the town website. So our purpose is to conduct town's business. If you have not submitted a speaker request form, uh raise your hand when the speakers are done. So with that, uh Brooke Myers. So I really appreciate you. I've been going to a lot of the committee meetings, the council meetings, and the town has changed, changed for the good. Thanks Steve for what he's done. I've gone to the uh Frisbee Golf opening the trail. Uh I got goosebumps talking about that event last weekend. Um, and he told me that there were 400 riders last weekend. What? Almost 300. Almost 300. Okay, but also said that another one is coming up, and there's gonna be a thousand. I don't know where we're gonna put all these people. So uh hotels, that's where we're gonna put them right up. There we go. There we go. Uh congratulations, Megan. Uh I've I've gotten to know you a little bit, and you do a fantastic job. Uh that all being said, I do want to revisit something that I talked about a few meetings ago, and that's a monthly project management meeting. Uh I think us as stakeholders would love a monthly meeting with the new project manager.
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