Payson Town Council Regular Meeting – September 9, 2026

The Payson Town Council met in regular session on September 9, 2026, beginning at 4:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers, 303 North Beeline Highway, Payson, Arizona. The agenda and materials date the meeting to 2026; the transcript's opening recitation says '2025,' which appears to be a transcription error. The council handled consent items, heard extensive public comment, received a Main Street mixed-use presentation, conducted two public hearings, approved updated building codes and naming resolutions, and tabled a property proposal to the next meeting.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved consent items B.1 (minutes for the August 4 and August 12, 2026 council meetings) and B.3 (Resolution 2026-040, adopting the Town of Payson Title VI Plan) by a 7-0 vote.
• Item B.2 was removed at the mayor's request for separate discussion. Finance Director David Christian explained that negative balances in several funds are routine fund-accounting housekeeping: the general fund temporarily covers accounts that later receive revenue, such as the library fund, which was negative $160,000 pending county revenue; wildlands accounts awaiting reimbursements; and the airport fund, which is supplemented by an annual general fund transfer budgeted around $250,000. The council approved the transfer by a 7-0 vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• A resident suggested building a motocross track to attract summer family tourism and revenue, and advocated removing street lights and using roundabouts to address traffic.
• Richard Wayon opposed Flock automated license plate readers, arguing the program used taxpayer money to surveil residents, violated the Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments, and functioned as a government bailout for a private company.
• Bob Decker, with RIMRA (Rim Wildfire Awareness Team), reported that the Red Cross is beginning a partnership to prepare safety centers for APS public safety power shutoffs and wildfire evacuations; he noted Payson and Star Valley have no publicly published evacuation plan.
• Isaac Blake urged the council to weigh public-safety consequences before removing Flock, citing a February case in which a 73-year-old man kissed a 17-year-old employee and was identified using Flock; he acknowledged legitimate privacy concerns and asked for strong safeguards if such technology is used.
• Ralph Townsend supported the town's announced decision to discontinue Flock but asked the council to publicly confirm who authorized the termination, whether notice was given to Flock, whether additional payments are owed, when all 18 cameras will be deactivated and removed, and what data deletion, certification, and audit records will be provided.
• Paul Edwards and Robert Hirschberger, representing the Rim Country Housing Coalition, urged the council not to rush to sell the 21-acre Malibu property for a luxury resort; they asked that part of the land be dedicated to affordable/workforce housing and noted that quadrant of town also lacks park space.
• Pam Chittenden and Sharon Arnst opposed selling the Malibu property, arguing it should be retained for future municipal buildings, affordable housing, or a community recreation center; both called rehabilitating Taylor Pool cost-ineffective.
• Mike Quinn said the property should be bid out, noted the town may need land for a future fire department, and suggested combining recreation space with affordable housing; he supported finding another location for the proposed RV resort.
• Sin Stratton thanked the council for ending the Flock contract and urged that cameras be covered or disabled immediately until removed, warning that future surveillance would violate public trust.
• Jeff Robbins criticized recent decisions as lacking public engagement, opposed selling the Malibu property and spending millions to rehabilitate a 35-year-old pool, and asked for a public poll or forum. The mayor responded that an advertised public meeting at the library for a zoning change drew no community members.

Discussion Items

• Kyle Christiansen, Director of Capital Improvements, introduced the Main Street mixed-use RFP. Jim Hammett, CEO of White Mountain Advisory LLC, presented the sole response: a walkable district around the American Gulch with a town square, food and beverage options, arts and culture, and a 10,000-12,000 square foot market hall. Adjacent property owners could make a combined 5.5-6 acre development possible. Hammett said the next step is due diligence at no cost to the town and that this proposal does not include housing; White Mountain is separately pursuing multifamily housing on other sites. Councilmembers commented that the land assembly and gulch engineering are now advanced enough to make this effort different from past attempts.
• Public Works and Community Development Director Doni Wilbanks reported year-to-date statistics: 22 development services reviews, 318 closed code cases, 103 active code cases, 23 in court, 51 zoning applications, 236 building permits issued, and 587 business licenses processed. Streets accomplishments included 1.2 miles of roadway improved, more than 19,000 square feet of ADA sidewalk, 26 ADA ramps, 19,700 square yards of pavement reconstruction, and more than 1,500 linear feet of storm drain installed. The streets crew of 10 plus 2 mechanics maintains 110 lane miles, and 143 work orders have been completed since January 1. Upcoming work includes Safeway entrance improvements, about five miles of pavement preservation, American Gulch/Sunset Strip design completion, the drainage master plan update, Green Valley Parkway, and parking lot/trailhead improvements.
• In current events, the mayor reported that the town received a Standard & Poor's bond rating of AA- (double A minus) and that he signed the document discontinuing Flock service as of October 8, 2026, with no further access to Flock data. The initial Flock grant required council approval, but cancellation was an administrative action.

Hearings and Appeals

• E.1 Liquor License: The council opened and closed a public hearing with no comments on the Acquisition of Control Series 10 Liquor License application filed by Andrea Dahlman Lewkowitz, agent for Walgreen Arizona Drug Co., 100 South Beeline Highway, Payson. The council voted 6-0, with one absent, to recommend approval to the Arizona Department of Liquor.

Resolutions and Ordinances

• F.1 Updated Building Codes: At the second public hearing, no public comments were received. Staff said the adoption updates the town from the 2018 International Codes and 2017 national code to the 2024 International Codes and 2023 national code. The Building Advisory Board voted 5-0 to recommend adoption. The town will allow a transition period through December 31, 2026, with compliance with the new codes required beginning January 1, 2027. The council approved Ordinance 2026-105 and Resolution 2026-032, each by a 6-0 vote with one absent. The resolution is required because publishing lengthy code documents would be extraordinarily expensive; it declares the code documents public records.
• F.2 Ted Pettet Field: The council approved Resolution 2026-041 naming Rumsey 3 Ballfield 'Ted Pettet Field.' Payson Little League President Nicole Wilbanks requested the honor for Ted Pettet, the town's first mayor and longtime educator, coach, and civic leader. The petition received more than 100 signatures and the Parks and Recreation Commission voted 7-0 on August 5, 2026. The league now has more than 200 players. Vote: 6-0 with one absent. The agenda and resolution use 'Pettet,' while the transcript sometimes spells the surname 'Pettit.'
• F.3 Bill Armstrong Arena: The council approved Resolution 2026-042 naming the main arena at the Payson Event Center 'Bill Armstrong Arena.' Bill Armstrong served more than 50 years in rodeo and western tradition, including 40 years as rodeo boss, and was instrumental in moving the rodeo grounds and creating the Gary Hart Memorial Rodeo. The naming applies only to the arena, preserving future naming rights for the event center. Vote: 6-0 with one absent.

Key Outcomes

• Consent items B.1 and B.3 approved 7-0; consent item B.2 approved 7-0 after separate discussion.
• Walgreens Series 10 liquor license recommendation approved 6-0 with one absent.
• Ordinance 2026-105 and Resolution 2026-032 both approved 6-0 with one absent.
• Resolution 2026-041 (Ted Pettet Field) approved 6-0 with one absent.
• Resolution 2026-042 (Bill Armstrong Arena) approved 6-0 with one absent.
• The Flock Camera System agenda item had been removed from the agenda on September 5, 2026, so no action was taken.
• Item H.3, concerning Town Parcels 304-02-015W and 304-02-015X and Wildhorse Hospitality LLC's luxury RV and cabin resort proposal, was tabled to the next regular meeting so the absent councilmember could participate. Councilmembers withdrew the motion to enter executive session, and the developer's representative was described as amenable to the delay.