This location started out as a one-room family school, one of the first schools in the whole valley.

It was started by a pioneer family called the Osborne family.

And it was actually Sidney Osborne, one of the sons of the family became governor of Arizona in the in the 1940s.

For 140 years, this building was a church, several different denominations, but it started out in 1914 as the Bethel United Methodist Church.

And as Phoenix continued to grow all around it, the need for larger buildings came along with that growth.

So in 1948, they built this larger building.

Starting in 2012, the new owners worked very very closely with the city to transform the building rather than demolishing it.

And through a process called adaptive reuse, the city and the owners were able to transform this gorgeous building into a successful small business called the Taco Gilles.

Present your request to God.

Let us pray.

Thank you, Chaplain.

Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

And to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you again, Chaplain.

And now we're gonna pause for a moment of silence to consider those young people who have been victims of violence, particularly school-based violence in our own community and this morning in Minnesota, and I'll turn to Councilwoman Guardado for a few words.

Thank you, Mayor.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own Maryville High School students, Michael Montoya the second, who tragically passed away last week.

In honor of his memory and everyone else, and in support of all of those who are grieving, we ask that you please join us in a moment of silence.

Let us take this moment to reflect, to remember, and to keep Michael and everyone else who has lost their life tragically and their loved ones in our thoughts.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I want to thank everyone else, Councilwoman Pastor, the mayor, um, city staff that has been so helpful to this tragedy that has happened here in our backyard.

I just want to say that I'm very thankful for the resources that as a city we've been able um to give um to the different families, and that I know that we will be here to continue to support um everyone as we see um things that are happening.

Um very thankful for this council and very thankful for everyone in our city.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you.

We'll do our best to make sure schools are safe places for our students, teacher, and staff.

We'll now call to order the formal meeting of the Phoenix City Council.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Councilwoman guardado here, councilwoman and on this councilwoman Hodge Washington here, Councilwoman Pastor?

Here, Councilman Robinson.

Here, Councilwoman Stark?

Here, Councilman Waring?

Vice Mayor O'Brien.

Here.

Mayor Gallego.

Here.

Mario Barajas and Elsie Duarte are with us to provide interpretation.

Mario, would you please introduce your team?

Yes, Mayor.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

As already mentioned, my name is Mario Warajas, and together with me, we'll be uh El C Duarte, working from downstairs doing the simultaneous interpretation, will be serving as today's Spanish interpreters.

Now take a moment to introduce ourselves to our Spanish speaking audience.

When I started, you soy Mario Baraja.

Si es que van a dar un comentario publico, favor, hablar con claridad, un ritmo moderado, andar distractions de fondo.

Muchas gracias.

Thank you, Mayor.

Wonderful, thank you so much.

Will the city clerk please read the 24-hour paragraph?

The titles of the following ordinance and resolution numbers on the agenda were available to the public at least 24 hours prior to this council meeting, and therefore may be read by title or agenda item only.

Ordinances number G7405 through 7407, S52178 through 52233, and resolutions 22320 through 22328.

Will the city attorney please explain public comment?

Yes, Mayor, thank you.

Members of the public may speak for up to two minutes to comment on agenda items.

Comments must be related to the agenda agenda item and the action being considered by the council.

General comments that go beyond the scope of the agenda items should be made during the citizen comment session at the end of the agenda.

The city council and staff cannot discuss or comment on matters related to pending investigations, claims, or litigation.

Additionally, any member of the public who appears before the council in their capacity as a lobbyist must, as required by Phoenix City Code, disclose this fact before addressing the council.

The city code states that speakers must express their comments respectfully and courteously.

Use of profane language, threats, or personal attacks on members of the public, council members, our staff or staff are not allowed.

Council members are staff or staff are not allowed.

Such comments are disruptive and unrelated to the council's business.

Any person who violates these rules may lose their opportunity speak to speak further and could be asked to leave.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you.

We'll begin with the meeting minutes.

Vice Mayor, do you have a motion on item one?

Mayor, I move to approve the meeting minutes from March 26, 2025.

Second.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Councilman Waring, do you have a motion on item two?

Yes, I do.

Mayor move to approve the minutes of the formal meeting on April 9th, 2025.

Be approved.

Second.

Motion and a second.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, nay.

Councilwoman Hernandez, do you have a motion on item three?

Thank you, Mayor.

I move to approve the formal meeting minutes from April 23rd, 2025.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, nay.

Councilwoman Stark.

Do you have a motion on item four?

Yes.

I will make a motion to approve May 7th, 2025 minutes.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed nay.

Passes unanimously.

Item five is boards and commissions.

Vice Mayor, do we have a motion?

Mayor, I move to approve the mayor and city council boards and commission nominations.

Second.

We have a motion and second.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, nay.

Unanimously confirmed.

I'll ask our new commissioners to please come forward.

Please raise your right hand.

Aye.

State your name.

I can't remember.

Do solemnly swear.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

And the Constitution and Laws of the State of Arizona.

And the Constitution.

That I will bear true faith.

I will bear faith.

And allegiance to the same.

And allegiance to the same.

And defend them against all enemies.

And defend them.

Foreign and domestic.

And then I will faithfully and impartially.

Discharge the duties of the Office of Discharge of the Office of.

State your board and commission.

The Human Services Commission.

According to the best of my ability.

So help me God.

Congratulations, Commissioners.

Thank you for serving our city.

Congratulations to our new commissioners and thank you again for your leadership and service to the city of Phoenix.

The Phoenix City Council provides an advisory role to the state of Arizona on liquor licenses, and that will be the next portion of our meeting agenda.

I'll turn to the vice mayor for a motion.

Thank you, Mayor.

I move to approve items six through 31, except items six and thirty, and noting that item 31 is as revised as revised and now recommended for approval.

Second.

We have a motion and second.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, nay.

Passes unanimously.

We'll next go to item six, which is KZ beer and smoke shop.

Before we have a motion, uh I'll turn to public testimony and Teresa Morse available virtually.

And if you could start over, we can't.

Do you hear me?

So if you could start at the beginning, that would be great.

Thank you.

Okay, I am Teresa Morse.

And I live in Mesa, Arizona.

I am the agent on KZ beer and smoke shop in Phoenix.

Um doing this for quite some time.

Um if you have any questions for me, I'm not sure what the opposition was.

I was not aware of any.

Okay.

We do not have, I do not see any questions.

Okay.

Um KC Smoke Shop or Beer and Smoke Shop, excuse me.

Uh move from the Western suites three and four to one and two.

And um, but he did not have a liquor license at the other suit.

So he applied for the suite for one and two and passed the inspection by Phoenix Police Officer.

Um, I can't recall his name right at the moment.

Um at any rate, uh he and his staff will be attending uh both basic and management liquor law training.

Um I personally have been a police officer for 26 years, and I teach liquor law, so I will ensure that he does.

In fact, um comply with all of those laws as well as work with the community on any other problems that are in the area.

Thank you so much.

All right, that is all the speakers for this item.

I will it is in district one, so I'll turn to the vice mayor.

Thank you so much, Mayor.

Um I received a petition from community members from that was signed by 300 people asking us to not approve this location.

And because we are just uh we are a recommending board to the state, and the state makes the final decision.

I move to make a no recommendation on item six.

Second.

Any comments?

Roll call.

What about yes?

And on this, yes.

Hodge Washington, yes, pastor, yes, Robinson.

Yes, Stark, yes, wearing O'Brien, yes, Gallego.

Yes, passes nine zero.

Next we go to item 30, which is the Ash Lounge in District 4.

Uh will be uh this is in District 4 Councilman.

Would you let we have police department available to testify?

The applicant and community members begin with police department.

Police department.

All right, we will call up uh Commander Brewer is with us here today and uh Sergeant Craig Mays, Commander Afternoon, Madam Mayor Gallegos, Madam Vice Mayor O'Brien, Council members.

I am Warren Brewer, the commander of the Desert Rise and Precinct.

I have uh Lieutenant Scott Kane here with me and Officer Craig Mays.

Our recommendation is to not approve the liquor license for the Ash Lounge.

I'll turn some time over to Officer Mays to go into the details for this denial.

Good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council members.

I'm Officer Craig Mays.

I've been assigned to Desert Rising Precinct for 21 years.

Today I'm here to share with you our recommendation for denial for the application of the app acquisition of control for the license of the Ash Lounge located at 4516 North 19th Avenue.

The recommendation is based on our investigation that has led us to believe the applicant is not capable, qualified, and reliable as required by Arizona revised statute.

Title 4-202.

Mr.

Rivera purchased Ash Lounge in January of 2024, but identified himself as the manager as far back as December of 2021 during a police investigation.

Based on the application and questionnaire as filled out by the applicant and confirmed during our investigation, the Ash Lounge is operating as an adult-oriented business with scannily clad semi-nude female performers dancing on the stage with polls to entertain patrons.

The following five factors led us to believe that Mr.

Rivera does not meet the statutory requirements to hold this license.

Number one, community opposition.

We've received numerous community complaints and concerns during this time frame regarding drug use, prostitution, illegal vending, and fights on the property.

There has been nine calls for service to a police department regarding these fights.

On January 24th, 2024, there was a fight, including a shots fired.

Luckily, no one was uh no one suffered a gunshot wound.

On August 18th, 2024, there was a fight involving some female patrons in the parking lot, one of one of which suffered a fractured orbital.

This was not reported by management to the police department.

A third occasion on March 11th of 2025, there was an aggregate aggravated assault kidnapping, in which a male came into the establishment, dragged a female performer off the stage by her hair, and violently assaulted her, punching her in the face until customers intervened and dragged the offender outside.

This again was not reported by management to police department.

Is there's been um Department of Liquor License Control investigations at the property on March 15, 2025?

They were cited for over service of a patron.

On May 7th, 2025, there was another investigation by the Department of Liquor, and there's pending charges.

Uh this investigation is going to result in likely a citation for failure, failure to notify of acquisition, failure to maintain capability, qualification, and reliability, failure to comply with Title Four, failure to have knowledge of liquor laws and rules, and there may be other charges that we're not aware of yet as a result of that investigation.

The fourth fact is the establishment is operating adult live entertainment without a valid use permit.

Um they did receive a notice regarding this from planning on June 6th of this year.

This uh location has not had a valid use permit for adult use since December 20th of 2016.

Based on our interaction with Department of Life Liquor and License Control investigators throughout our investigation, it is our belief that the Department of Liquor and License Control will also be recommending denial based on on the violations they have observed.

These five facts that I've I've spoken to you about demonstrate the applicant's inability to maintain minimum requirements of being capable, qualified, and reliable by failing to maintain a safe environment for staff, patrons, and the community.

Since taken ownership, they have disregarded liquor laws and willfully operated an adult-oriented business without a valid use permit to do so.

For these reasons, I've stated the desert horizon precinct is recommending a denial of this permit for this acquisition of control for this applicant.

Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and City Council.

Wonderful.

Thank you, Officer Mays.

We'll next go to the applicant, Hector Rivera.

And Hector will be followed by Ann Ender.

Good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council.

Thank you.

My name is Jeff Miller.

I'm actually uh the agent for the applicant on the on the Is Hector.

If Hector is intending to speak, does Hector want to speak separately?

Yes.

Okay.

Can we have Hector first and then we will call you after?

You bet.

Good afternoon.

My name is Hector Raver.

I'm one of the uh partners of uh Ash Entertainment.

Um I've been in the business for like about 20 years.

I'm pretty think I'm pretty sure I'm qualified to run a business.

I know we've had a couple of uh uh mistakes in the past, and there's something that we can correct and everything like that.

But if you have any other questions for me, you can have ask them.

Questions?

Why were you operating without a license?

Uh we were we were operating with a license.

Uh right now we're uh we're running it at as a bikini bars and not an adult entertainment.

Uh entertainers are completely covered up at all times.

So did you have a liquor license?

Yeah, we do have a liquor license, yeah.

There's a liquid license.

Officer, could you please explain to me?

Um he's saying he's he, and I wrote this down at invalid, I guess an invalid use permit.

Yes, he does not have a use permit for adult use, which is hyperdancing um is a defined as adult use.

Would it be Keeney Lounge qualify as an adult use?

Yes, that would be an adult use.

Okay, so I'm gonna put it back onto the record.

Um my understanding, you could correct me if I'm wrong.

Um he was operating with an invalid use permit, which meant uh an adult establishment could not be operating.

That is right, councilwoman.

So you're saying you had the valid use permit to operate.

Well, we were running, we're not uh we're not a topless bar, we're a bikini bar, which is a little different.

But that's considered an adult use.

Uh we'll have an attorney that can probably explain that to you a little bit better.

Oh, I'm sure he can.

Thank you.

Okay.

All right, we'll go and Ender and then we'll bring up set attorney.

Welcome back, everybody.

Um, I don't have much to say.

I think the department has really covered it, but I own my childhood home that is just three blocks from there.

My son lives in it, and we also own the house next to it.

Um, not only our family, but several other families are trying to move back in, they're renovating these homes, and we're trying to bring it back to the neighborhood it was when I was a little girl.

So um the we just don't think that this establishment, and frankly, from what I remember most of my life, was never a good neighbor.

It was a magnet for crime.

In fact, um, who is the suspect who uh shot Officer Maldivan, was started his evening at the Ash Lounge, and then ended up doing donuts over on Camelback, and then we know what happened next.

So I'm just here to ask you to please um deny this.

Uh the neighborhood, we are working closely to try again try to bring safety and people in that want to um make this a good neighborhood again.

And we also intend to file a complaint because of the um non uh be the um use permit being um in violations.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Miller is next, followed by Jordan Greenman.

Or good afternoon and thank you.

I said my name is Jeff Miller, work with Arizona Liquor Industry Consultants.

Uh we help people file applications and serve as the agent on their licenses.

On this particular incident, we were contacted by Mr.

Shellstraight, who's a liquor attorney here in Arizona.

He had a client that had attempted to file an application at a location that has had a series six license uh for years, and it's just an acquisition of control or new controlling people coming in.

So since they had had some problems with filing some paperwork, some misunderstandings, they were requested to withdraw the application by the PD, so they came to us.

Um we are the ones who put together the current application form for the state license.

We ensure that the owners attend basic training, which is three hours management training, and then they were also willing to put their entire staff through an in-house security program that we teach.

So their entire staff's been uh trained in the basic liquor laws and management teams been trained in management, and the security staff has now up to date on the current uh requirements and standards uh of conduct for um people operating in security positions.

They have hired an attorney that deals with land use slash uh use permits who's looked into this situation.

Um, hearing some of the reports today about people starting, and and unfortunately, an officer was um fatally wounded, but it wasn't somebody that was at the bar, it was somebody who showed up in the parking lot, attempted to get in.

They were refused service, and they pulled out in the street, were spinning uh brody's or donuts, whatever you want to call it in the parking lot, and it was actually the staff that called the police to curb that activity.

So it does seem that some of the uh way that they're being painted isn't as accurate, and fortunately, um we have some people here that can explain that even better.

Mr.

Miller, I have a question for you.

May the council well do you have anything to say about the police report mentioning that Leonard said kidnapped and assaulted an Ash Lounge performer and transported to her as home where he was locked in a bedroom for three to four days?

Should we can may we consider that in our decision?

That it would have to be I had don't know anything about that case because we're doing the admin stuff.

Somebody here would be.

Did you read the report?

I did not read that specific report, no.

Oh, interesting.

Okay.

Well, let's hope uh Mr.

Greenman read the or Jordan Greenman is next.

Good afternoon, honorable mayor, vice mayor, city council.

My name is Jordan Greenman with Greenman Law Firm 1621 West Willetta Street.

I unfortunately, Mayor, cannot speak to the issues with the police.

Uh Honorable Mayor, I was brought in to determine the use permit side and the land use side of the nature.

Is our belief the city has improperly decided in 2016 that the use permit was abandoned?

We are currently working with planning and development to appeal that decision.

Honorable mayor, we had a um meeting yesterday with the fire department, the planning department to talk about a potential commercial tenant improvement to get the site up to potential specs.

When it comes to the policing side, Honorable Mayor, my side is just a land use and zoning side.

I can turn it back to the owners that could tell you more about that.

All right.

Did you have anything you wanted to say on the land use side?

No, honorable mayor.

Thank you so much.

All right.

Peter is next.

My name's Pete Shellstrade.

I represent 4516 LLC.

I'm the liquor license attorney.

Uh I was brought on post the first acquisition and control that was filed.

Um they realized that the actually they had a city council hearing set for March 26th.

Um, but five days beforehand, they changed the recommendation from recommendation from for approval to the city council to recommend denial, and they listed some items, one of which was the use permit.

So they were seeking more time, and so what ended up happening was is Hector Rivera then instead of requesting continuance, he requested a um withdrawal, the acquisition and control, just so there would be time to work this stuff out.

That's why we hired George Greenman to work out the use permit and the the adult entertainment versus bikini bar and what that difference is, and so he's working with the city on that.

Um but So this this is this is not there's location is not an issue here.

The license is at that location.

The only issue is is whether or not Hector Rivera and or Socia is uh cable qualifying reliable because they came on as owners to the LLC, and the reason they came on as owners of the LLC is the prior person that had the license reneged on a deal with them for them to be members of the LLC, and they had to sue that person to become members, and so that's how there was a delay of a period of time where they were working there, but they weren't disclosed as owners because actually they on paper they weren't, and it's kind of a complicated story, but that's it.

If you have any more further questions for me, but I'd like you to listen to Socia because I think response to the police department.

Um we did request those police reports.

He asked if we reviewed them.

I requested those with the from the city on June 8th, and we still have not gotten those reports.

The police did not talk to any of the employees or social.

But she can answer those questions for you.

Councilwoman, we don't have any additional speakers registered.

Councilwoman, yeah.

Did you uh my understanding is that uh there is an invalid use permit?

Are you saying there wasn't?

You're the lawyer, right?

Well, no, I the Jordan Greenman is the attorney who's handling the the permitting process.

So you're handling the you're a land attorney, right?

Councilwoman Pastor, I'm a land use and zoning attorney.

That is correct.

So then do you have any information on the invalid use permit?

Councilwoman, we are currently preparing a notice of appeal to the city of Phoenix in relation to a 2016 decision that was made by planning and development that established our use as abandoned under city code and the ordinance.

If a use is suspended for 180 days, it is confirmed to be abandoned in our uh opinion and based on the paperwork that I've just been researching over the last two weeks or so.

We believe that was made in error.

And it was 2016.

Did I hear that correctly?

That is correct.

That it was abandoned.

So it's about nine years now.

Yes, councilwoman.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, so for our staff, do we have any other speakers on this item?

No, Mayor.

Councilman, do you have any other questions?

I have some questions.

Right.

And I don't know who to ask them to.

Um, and sorry, I I just got back and now I'm um read it, but now I'm digging.

Um the statement was in 2016, and I don't know if who who is this, but 2016.

Um the use permit was abandoned.

Who can is that that zoning, right?

Planning and zoning.

Just squeeze in the yes, mayor, uh, councilwoman pastor.

There was a use permit that was issued in 1969.

In 2016, uh, it was requested for an informal interpretation of the status of the non-conforming status of the adult use.

And at that time, we issued um the informal interpretation that that nonconforming use had um ceased.

Yeah, and it exceeded the 180 days.

Okay, and so uh basically what I guess it's your question.

Uh basically there were operating with an invalid use permit.

Mayor, uh councilwoman pastor.

Yes, since they had lost their non-conforming status, they no longer have the use permit.

Also, they do not meet their spacing requirements for residential and child care, which is also a state law requirement for spacing.

Yes, because right across the street is the daycare, and right next door by there is like a convenience door.

Yes, Mayor, uh Councilwoman Pastor, there's the child care to the east and then residential to the west.

Thank you.

Well, Mayor, can I move ahead?

Um, it's very disturbing to know uh there is a request on acquisition of control in January 29, 2025, and so Mr.

Rivera is responsible for this business, and then on March 5th through the 7th, the kidnapping and assault happened at Ash Lounge to the performer and transported her to Living.

Obviously, um they're operating with an invalid use permit, and there are other situations or dynamics that are going on, such as drug use, prostitution, and fighting.

Uh, one uh I'm a councilwoman that lives in her district, as we all do, but I'm a councilwoman that grew up in uh around that area and understand the dynamics.

Um if anybody remembers Donna, this is Donna's neighborhood.

Um O Neil's neighborhood when I first got elected, and she was the one who really worked at towards uh fighting back, getting her neighbor neighborhood back into shape.

Uh this establishment has always been an establishment that has been troubled and challenging.

And so uh my recommendation or my motion is to deny the liquor license.

Second motion and a second, any additional questions?

Okay, and maybe checking with our staff.

Do we we're good on speakers?

Okay, roll call.

Guardado, yes, Hernandez, yes, Hodge Washington, yes, pastor, yes, Robinson, yes, Stark, yes, wearing O'Brien, yes, gallego, yes, passes nine zero the motion.

Thank you.

City clerk, are we ready for ordinances resolutions, new business planning and zoning?

Yes, Mayor.

Vice Mayor, do we have a motion?

Yes, Mayor.

I move to approve items 32 through 116, except for the following items 47, 57, 72, 77, 85, 93, and 116.

Noting that item 77 is as revised, items 60 and 105 are as corrected.

And will the clerk confirm if there are any other items that should be excluded for in-person public comment?

Yes, Mayor, Vice Mayor.

Also excluding items 60, 78, 79, and 81.

That's items 60, 78, 79, and 81.

We have a motion.

Do we have a second?

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

Any corrections?

Roll call.

Guardado?

Yes.

Hernandez?

Yes.

Hodge Washington?

Yes.

Pastor?

Yes.

Robinson?

Yes.

Stark?

Yes.

Warren?

O'Brien?

Yes.

Gallego.

Yes.

Passes 90.

We next go to item 847, a proposed annexation, the Schroeder annexation.

Go ahead and open the public hearing.

We do not have anyone to testify.

So I will close the public hearing.

This is a multi-step process, and today we will not vote on this item.

We'll next go to some good news.

Item 57.

Vice Mayor, do you have a motion?

Yes, Mayor.

I move to approve item 57.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

I'll turn to the vice mayor for comments.

Thank you so much, Mayor.

Our acquisition of the Choya Library property demonstrates a strategic investment in our community's future.

In 1974, the city built and began operating this vital resource while leasing the land beneath it.

The Choya Library has been a cornerstone of this community for half of a century, providing educational resources and gathering spaces for families across Phoenix.

And Choya Library holds a special place in my heart because it was my library growing up.

I have fond memories of browsing the shelves as a young child and feeling like a big kid when I moved on to chapter books.

Choya is where I spent time in high school doing research and homework.

And I'm excited that we as a city recognize its importance and impact on people of all ages.

By purchasing this property outright, we're securing the community asset in perpetuity while eliminating ongoing lease obligations.

This acquisition is this sorry, this acquisition is particularly significant as it sits adjacent to the Metropolitan, a 68-acre redevelopment project that will bring new housing, retail, and public amenities, transforming an area that's seen years of decline.

By owning this property, we secured Choya Library's role in the neighborhood's renaissance while ensuring our public investment complements the surrounding development.

This fair market purchase protects a community asset that we've invested in for decades while positioning us to fully participate in the area's bright future.

And I'd like to thank our city manager and all of our city management in helping to make sure that we can have this asset for the city of Phoenix and for our bright future for our kids.

So thank you very much.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you so much.

Roll call.

Guardado.

Yes.

Hernandez?

Yes.

Hodge Washington?

Yes.

Pastor?

Yes.

Robinson?

Yes.

Stark?

Yes.

Waring?

O'Brien?

Yes.

Gallego.

Yes.

Passes 9-0.

Wonderful.

Item 72 is an ordinance and I'm sorry?

Item 60.

Item 60.

All right.

Item 60 is next.

Vice Mayor, do we have a motion?

I move to approve item 60.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

And we have Claudia here to speak.

Claudia, uh, if you could please come forward.

Did we lose Claudia?

Claudia?

All right.

Um let's see.

We have a motion and a second roll call.

Guardado.

Yes.

Hernandez?

Yes.

Hodge Washington?

Yes.

Pastor?

Yes.

Robinson?

Yes.

Stark?

Yes.

Warren?

O'Brien?

Yes.

Gallego.

Yes.

Passes nine zero.

Wonderful.

I think I was very excited for item 72, which is the ordinance and development agreement with Vestar of Levine, and I'll ask Christine Mackey, our economic development director, to come forward as someone who was first elected to represent Lavine starting in first elected in 2013.

This is one that is very exciting for me.

When Christine was first hired as our economic development director, we went out to this site, and it's exciting to see this one move forward.

We did a development agreement in Levine that didn't go quite as intended, and is maybe going for a use we didn't really want to.

Um, which is a data center.

On this one, this is a retail, and there is it is not going to be a data center.

Is that right?

Mayor, members of the council, you were absolutely correct.

This is uh going through zoning with as a planned unit development for a retail center, and our development agreement that we have with them does call for it to be a retail center, and I would commit to you as we move forward with this amendment.

We will actually add that language into the amendment that data centers is a prohibited use.

Wonderful.

This is one the community has just been so excited about and um really like some good news item.

This is one of the sites that helped us get into having staffing in your department to get the retail that our residents need, and um I don't know.

It's a really happy memory for me when we announced the movie theater.

Um, my kiddo got to come out and had his picture with the Harkins movie monkey, and um, really like a happy one.

And I know this is uh exciting good news for all the of us who represent Levine.

Does anyone else want to say anything before we move forward?

Councilwoman Hernandez.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you so much, Chris.

Um, as the newest member and now represents um this future project in District 7.

I'm super excited.

Echo the sentiments of the mayor.

Like, thank you so much for helping us make sure we deliver this for the community.

They're really, really excited.

Um, I have we've we're we're excited and counting down, so happy that this is one step closer to really uh making this project a reality for our folks, and in addition to retail, some of the other things that that are gonna come with that.

So thank you so much.

Yeah, Councilman Hernandez, thank you very much.

Councilwoman Hodge Washington.

Thank you, Mayor, for the opportunity.

Um, as someone who has also represented Levine, I'm actually proud to see us move forward with this.

We know this is an area we take our uh real retailers on when we're doing our restaurant tour and and other items.

We know that the community has been asking for more um shops and restaurants, and you're doing your part to help us get there.

I'm also um we know about the unfortunate fire at the Hudson Farmstead has kind of changed the plan, but I actually am very hopeful that the developer continues to find ways to honor the community's history and ensure that the priorities shared by the residents continue to be addressed.

So thank you for all that you've done on this, and uh thank you for ensuring that Levine is receiving the items that they have asked for time after time.

So thank you.

And mayor, Councilman Hodge Washington, there's I've seen the zoning.

I was at the village as the zoning had its first hearing, and the first time I've ever seen the LRDC get up and thank them for the appearance of the building.

So it is, I think you'll be very pleased with what's coming forward.

And I know the community's excited.

These are one of the deals where you know, we are the fifth largest city in the country, but this one we feel like a small town where it's just neighbors talking about what their vision is for their neighborhood.

Levine's a very special area, and we want to always think about the history and honor that as we do developments.

So thanks for working on that.

We have a motion.

I move to approve item 72.

Second.

We have a motion and a second roll call.

Guardado.

Yes.

Absolutely, yes.

Hodge Washington, yes.

Pastor?

Yes, Robinson?

Yes.

Stark?

Yes.

Wearing, O'Brien?

Yes.

Yes.

Gallego.

Yes.

Passes 9-0.

We next move to item 77, which is the community policing microgrant.

Do we have a motion?

I move to approve item 77.

We have a motion and a second.

Uh, does anyone want to speak before we go to public comment?

All right, we'll go first to Leonard Clark and then Juni Bradford.

Thank you, Mayor and Council members.

Um, I strongly support this.

This shows that we need to do much more work and preventative actions in our community.

The police don't need to be the enemy.

You know, we build this wall and everything gets reinforced.

And I think this shows that instead of bringing in the military in our streets and armed soldiers.

Maybe it's just better to listen to the community and work together.

And these tragedies keep happening.

Uh we need to be aware of what's going on.

They need to not look at the police as the enemy.

There needs to be something done about this whole situation.

And anyways, I strongly support it, and I hope you'll vote for it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Juni is next.

We don't have Juni.

Okay.

Uh, then I think that concludes public comment.

We will turn to Councilwoman Hernandez for comments.

Um, I'll just do them during my vote, if that's okay for you.

Any other comments?

Roll call.

Guardado.

Yes.

Hernandez.

Mayor may explain my vote.

Please do.

Thank you.

Reading this agenda item brought a lot of brought me a lot of unease.

Just over a week ago we all witnessed a tragedy at Maryville High School that left one student dead, another student on the verge of being lost to the prison system, a school in mourning and the Mayorville community demanding answers and solutions.

We all want to keep our school safe but programs like this do not create true safety.

The grant proposal uses language like mentorship, trust building and accountability.

Yet the truth is that this grant is just is still just more policing.

Our children do not need policing they do not need stronger trust and deeper relationships with police.

They do not need more officers in their classrooms nor do they need staff who are hired by police departments disguised as mentors nor surveillance in the name of a partnership.

They need counseling services that meet their mental health and trauma needs crisis intervention specialists trained to de-escalate without criminalization family services and youth centers that strengthen community safety outside the gaze of law enforcement and real opportunities for healing true community safety does not come from embedding law enforcement deeper into the daily lives of black brown and working class youth it comes from addressing root causes like poverty trauma systemic disinvestment and resourcing the people who are already caring for our kids approving this grant is not innovation.

It is a continuation of the same old failed approach we cannot ignore the pain of what just happened in Maryville and additional schools across the state policing did not prevent that tragedy and it will not prevent the next one you have demanded a different approach and we must listen we cannot lose any more of our children our children deserve more than rebranded policing they deserve a city brave enough to invest in their futures not their criminalization and I vote no Hodge Washington Mayor if I may explain my vote.

Please do thank you so much as this partnership will be will be grounded in district eight um it is a partnership with uh fulfillment and training as well as the South Mountain High School.

I do not believe it is the cure all but I see this pilot as a step in the right direction it is an opportunity for us to foster mentor mentorship trust and non-enforcement interaction it is an approach I believe is worth exploring I believe it's an opportunity to create a model that can reduce recidivism build understanding and move us toward a more positive relationship between police and community as this move forward I will be watching closely to ensure that the outcomes align with our community's priorities particularly transparency cultural responsiveness and meaningful youth engagement I am encouraged that these programs have potential and I'm hope these are the types of programs that district eight has asked me for so I will be voting yes thank you mayor castor yes Robinson yes Stark yes Warren O'Brien yes gallego yes passes eight one items 79 through 80 or 7879 and 81 were pulled from the consent agenda for comments from Juni Bradford is Juni she was not here on the last one has she arrived okay then vice mayor could we do a motion on 7879 and 81 yes ma'am I move to approve items 78 79 and 81 second a second any comments roll call guardado yes yes Hodge Washington yesor yes Robinson yes Stark yes Waring O'Brien yes Gallego yes passes 90 item 85 is uh grant related to human trafficking vice mayor mayor I move to approve item 85 second we have a motion and a second uh claudia had signed up to speak on this one has Claudia returned all right uh councilwoman pastor yes thank you um I had several uh questions and I didn't exactly uh understand the answer so um my question is how will how will we keep track of how this money is spent mayor councilwoman pastor we have several members of the police department coming down to answer your questions mayor members of council councilwoman pastor to answer your question this is a state of Arizona funded grant and like all grants that we receive or have the opportunity to receive we follow grant management and financial practices which track the expenditures the activities and routine and ongoing uh reporting back to the granting agency which in this case is the Arizona Department of Public Safety and what will you be using this grant for so this grant will be uh I'm sorry mayor uh

And like all grants that we receive or have the opportunity to receive, we follow grant management and financial practices, which track the expenditures, the activities, and routine and ongoing uh reporting back to the granting agency, which in this case is the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

And what will you be using this grant for?

So this grant will be I'm sorry, mayor, uh council members and uh councilwoman Pastor.

This grant will be used specifically for drug traffickers and human traffickers.

Um Phoenix has become a major hub and corridor for uh both of those crimes, and so uh we're gonna be using this money specifically to target those criminals so that we can take them off the street and help the victims of human trafficking.

So it's only going to be used for that specific reason.

Specifically, this yes.

Okay, because somewhere in the grant, uh, what I want to do is uh I want to reassure the community that this grant uh isn't gonna be used for immigration enforcement.

So uh my statement to this is what are the protocols or guardrails that you are using to make sure this money is not going to be used for immigration enforcement.

Mayor counsel, uh councilwoman Pastor.

Uh this grant is written solely for us, the Phoenix Police Department is not in conjunction or in partnership with any other agencies.

So not only is it written specifically for drug trafficking and human trafficking, um, but we have no allegiance to call anybody, and most importantly, our immigration policy is our guideline so that we do not work with immigration on any criminal cases whatsoever.

And what data will be captured and analyzed.

Um give me one second, councilwoman, mayor council, councilwoman Pastor.

Uh so the major um data points that we will be collecting is um are the locations of the offenses, uh the search warrants that are issued and served, um, arrests and submittals to the prosecution, uh, the amount of fentanyl and or uh drugs seized, uh guns and vehicles that are seized, any cashed cash that is seized, and then any other drugs or paraphernalia that is seized during these operations.

Thank you.

Um, I'm hoping this money uh is placed in the track area where it's desperately needed, and you know what I'm talking about, and uh I'm sure for me this grant uh qualifies for the track area.

So thank you.

Thank you.

And it is going specifically there.

Thank you.

Roll call.

Guardado.

Yes, Hernandez.

Mayor, may I explain my vote?

Please do.

Thank you.

I'm opposed to allowing Phoenix PD to apply for and accept this grant.

This grant is being presented to us as the latest effort to curb drug trafficking and human smuggling using increased criminalization, fancier weapons and equipment, undercover officers, and public surveillance.

For decades, we have been offered these same tactics of tougher enforcement and punitive actions, and for decades, those tactics have failed to reduce crime and violence, drug use and human trafficking.

And these tactics have failed to create safe Phoenix communities.

Furthermore, grant funding will go to Phoenix PD over time, which is already overinflated, that has been seriously mismanaged, and that needs to be resolved.

Um, as a city, our approach to build true community safety should be to address the root cause of these issues and why they're happening.

The historically excluded community communities on 19th Avenue and 27th Avenue deserve true justice and care.

This includes treating substance use and addiction as a health issue, um, investing into prevent prevention measures like evidence-based education and treatment, um, addressing the negative impacts that these uh tactics have on social determinants of health like housing and employment and expanding harm reduction measures, continuing to put money into failed criminalization tactics will only get us more failed results until we invest in building our communities and invest in root cause root cost solutions.

We will only continue to delay real safety for Phoenix residents.

Lastly, I continue to have the concerns, and I'm going to continue to raise my concerns that our police of our police department's involvement with ICE.

We have continuously been told that we are not actively working in uh immigration enforcement, yet I am now hearing from constituents that are saying differently.

This is a border uh border support grant designed to increase local police capacity and participation in immigration enforcement.

I have yet to hear language that is in this grant that will prevent these funds from being used by the department for immigration enforcement activity.

Um with that I vote no.

Hodge Washington.

Yes.

Pastor?

Yes.

Rotminton?

Yes.

Stark?

Yes.

Wearing?

O'Brien?

Yes.

Gallego.

Yes.

Passes 8-1.

Item 93 is uh related to landscape maintenance.

Do we have a motion?

I move to approve item 893.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

I'll turn to Councilman Hodge Washington for comments.

Thank you so much, Mayor.

Can I ask Street Transportation to come to the day as please?

I'm sorry, to the table.

Congratulations again, our new director.

Um, I wanted to talk about this seems like a you know, a minor contract on our case, but for me, I often hear from district eight residents who share frustration about the lack of consistent maintenance on our medians, particularly when they feel like other parts of our city appear better maintained.

Can you help us understand what residents and neighborhoods can expect to see from these contracts in terms of maintenance and improvements?

Mayor, members of council, uh, councilwoman Hodge Washington, uh, first thank you.

Um, yes, in terms of this contract, uh, there will be five uh contractors, and we've split up the city into five zones.

Um, and they'll be responsible to maintain the landscaping within the public right away in specific areas uh monthly.

And so we'll be working very closely with the contractors to ensure that they have uh schedule of how they plan to do that within their respective areas.

They will be providing us uh daily reports so that our inspectors know where they're going to be working and can monitor the work that's happening, as well as weekly reports of all of the work that was completed so we can validate that um before payment.

And are you going to um so my key initiative?

Uh one of my concerns is ensuring that we have consistent um consistent maintenance around throughout the city, particularly I feel like portions of my district don't always get that.

How are we going to ensure is it going to be purely complaint driven or will the department take a more in uh more uh independent initiative to ensure that they're getting consistent um treatment?

Uh yes, that's a great question.

Absolutely.

We intend to make sure uh initially by setting expectations, but working with my team to make sure that we are being very proactive and not necessarily relying on residents to call in and we're out there um enforcing the work that should be being completed monthly by the contractors.

Thank you.

And in addition to um the routine and hopefully some routine spot checks are also on the horizon, as well as ensuring that when a custom uh a resident does report it on 311 or through another mechanism with the city that we are responding in a timely manner.

Um, it does help our communities or neighborhoods feel more prideful in their neighborhood when they feel like they're getting the same level of attention.

So thank you for um ensuring that we are going towards that route.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Pastor.

Yes.

Is this dollar amount or this amount specifically for the A dot areas?

Or is it in addition to?

So uh mayor members of the council, councilwoman Pastor.

This is for the full amount for all of the areas, including maintenance within the freeway areas.

Okay.

Um so this is covering all the city of Phoenix.

That's correct.

Okay.

I I agree with Councilwoman Hodge Washington in uh consistency and making sure uh there is consistency across uh the city.

One of the things that I have with uh really landscape maintenance in transportation or in streets, where I really thought it should have stayed in parks, but it was a uh way of saving money and moving it over to streets, and I'm not really sure the logic.

Um of the items, and they're no longer here, but one of the items that we worked really hard on was designing with all the departments was designing a way how the landscaping was going to happen, not only consistently, but also being able to maintain the trees that we have instead of cutting them to the point where where they're no longer provide shade or brushes that are no longer there, or there's a stub.

I am asking what happened to that uh project process, because it was supposed to be with all the different departments bidding uh for landscaping and being able to uh build a consistent and a grid and guidelines as to how we were going to check on the landscaping maintenance companies.

So, mayor members of the council, councilwoman Pastor, uh you bring up a good point.

So these contracts, we made sure to put language in there related to uh sustainable landscape management.

And so uh what you're referring to is how these are pruned and making sure they're not over pruning them so they no longer provide shade and they look more natural.

Um, and so we do have language in there, and we intend to move forward with all of these contractors as it relates to these contracts and trees in public rightway.

Okay, and then I think I don't know if you were part of it, Brianna, but I'm asking maybe I'm asking the city manager in the group.

Um, I'm asking what happened to that process when all departments were supposed to be part of this process that all that had all maintenance, landscape maintenance, um dollars.

Uh mayor, members of the council, councilwoman pastor.

I'm not sure if you're referring to like the the consistency between like water department and some of those different things.

Uh water department actually has their own contract.

Um, and so the various facilities library, for example, has their own contract.

It used to all fall under the parks and recreation department, uh, but it was uh broken out to the various departments, and the contracts might have multiple departments managing those facilities, but when it was broken up from the parks and recreation department, those pieces were taken as well.

Street landscaping is all now within the streets department.

No, yes, I know that that's my point that each department has their own process, and there was a committee formed around this, so that the consistency would happen across all of the city with the water department, um, streets, parks, everybody was all on the same page, and everybody was all on the same page that at the RFP language would talk about holding contractors uh accountable when they were basically killing our trees or shrubs or whatever we want to call it, but our maintenance.

I guess I'm asking what happened to all that work.

So, mayor members of the council and councilwoman pastor, I believe the standards are all pretty basic and standard in the contracts.

It's just that they were broken up into smaller pieces so they'd be more manageable.

And I think that's what happened.

So water manages their particular contract, but the standards and the scope are very similar.

The scope and the sustainability that uh Brianna talked about um and the various expectations about the pruning, those are all standard in those those contracts.

We did work on that, and that was something that was put in together.

So that's what I'm asking.

Okay, thank you.

That's what I want to make sure that it went into play.

Thank you.

I worked hard on that.

Uh thank you, councilwoman, for your hard work on that.

And just a little background for folks who are interested in this issue.

Part of the reason we've divided into smaller contracts is to allow smaller businesses to access this.

It's a real priority for us at the city to do business with our small local businesses in the community.

And when we have mega contracts for our very large city, which is more than 500 square miles, that is very hard for a small business to break into.

So we had a consulting partnership where uh an outside team of experts helped advise us and said that if we had smaller contracts, we might be able to do more business with small local businesses.

And the hope is also if it's a smaller service territory, a company might do better at maintaining it at high standards or clear ownership of who's there.

And I like the idea of small businesses, you can call the CEO if we're unhappy.

Um, but it there is real intention behind having multiple contracts, including the fact that that our small businesses said we just can't do your entire city or half of your city.

So trying to design our procurements so that as many entities can compete as possible.

Councilman Waring.

Uh, thank you, Mayor.

Uh, so just uh frame of reference because I've been around the longest up here.

When I started, I think we were doing three cleanings a year of each mile of the 5,000 miles of streets.

Um, but it had been four, and during the Great Recession, my predecessors, our predecessors had cut that back to three because of cost.

And then I think it went back up to four at some time, maybe a decade ago or so when things got better.

So we we recognize the streets weren't looking as good as they used to.

It's a lot of streets to clean when you talk about 5,000 miles, but you also have to have the available workforce.

This isn't something you can do by Zoom or coming in three days a week.

You got to have people available.

And I know your predecessors, Brianna, have told me there was a time, and maybe it still is that uh a fact now that there were more vacancies in the sections that clean streets than there were people to actually clean them.

I don't know if that's still the case.

We tried to bump up the pay and all the things that you can do, um, but it's it is a tough job.

Uh nobody probably calls you about cleaning up streets and asking you to move staffers around to try to get specific areas done.

But I also recognize if a crew is cleaning an Awatu and I'm asking you to move them up because we've had complaints on Greenway or something, that's a production in and of itself and lost person hours of cleaning.

So I try not to do that too much.

Sometimes it does get out of hand, and I will call you, but I do recognize your challenge is getting people hired to the medians, which is a common complaint in district two.

People ask exactly what Keisha was talking about.

Why do medians in some places look better than some in others?

Uh, isn't it true that when master developments came in further north in the city?

They said we really want you know fancy medians, and we were like, we can't maintain that.

So they took over those responsibilities.

So that's an HOA probably paying for a lot of that when you see that around areas that have more recently been developed as opposed to the city, correct?

Uh mayor members of council, councilman Waring, you are correct that there are medions throughout the city that are privately maintained by HOEs.

Yeah, and so Mayor, you know, that's really a user fee.

People are somebody's paying out of pocket, not the average taxpayer, only people who live in those communities.

Because I do get that question a lot.

I didn't know that either when I first started on the council.

But so the unevenness is at least partially.

I'm not speaking for for your district, Keisha or District 8, but in my district, that it's explained by different people are paying for it.

It's not all uh they're not apples to apples.

Um to the trees that that Laura was talking about.

Uh, I probably nobody's probably calling about trees dying more than me either.

Um, we had one of the new trees blew over.

It was beautiful, it was big, it had grown a ton in the couple years since it was planted.

I saw it just killed me.

I was hoping it could be saved, and and they just told me this morning it can't, so they're gonna replant.

Again, the trees are also uneven because some of them are gonna die.

The trees right around it were fine.

I mean, I don't know, it seemed to be bigger than they were until it toppled over.

Um, so I recognize the challenges that you have.

I appreciate the job that you're doing.

You're still gonna get calls from me, don't have any illusions.

But um, I I do appreciate that it is 5,000 miles of streets, and I don't know if you're hitting the mark on doing the four cleanings a year, but I know the staffing challenges make it hard for you.

So I just thought that was worth saying too.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Roll call.

What about one?

Yes.

Hernandez?

Yes.

Hodge Washington, yes, Castor?

Yes.

Robinson?

Yes.

Start?

Yes.

Warren?

Yes.

O'Brien?

Yes.

Yes.

That's nine-zero.

All right.

Item 116 is a citizen petition related to late-night public transit bus service.

I will turn to the vice mayor for a motion.

Thank you, Mayor.

I move to accept the staff's recommendation.

Second.

And I'll turn uh to our transportation chairwoman who has some background.

Thank you.

Um, so the petitioner, Ishmael, is uh one of my constituents, and he did text me uh right before our meeting today and said he wouldn't be here.

He is a teacher, and he lucky him is in parent teacher conferences today.

But he did say I probably should have done more research.

I failed to do that, and I recognize why you'll probably deny the petition.

So I would just ask that public transit as soon as we can, let's set up a meeting with Ishmael.

He is a true believer, he rides the bus, he writes like well, he really believes in what you guys do.

So I think we owe Tim have a meeting.

So thank you.

Thanks so much for staying in touch with him.

Uh Councilman Hernandez.

Thank you, Mary.

I just had a couple questions for staff on the on the bus routes and the petition.

You know, sometimes it's tough for community members to hear no when they bring something to the council.

I've been on that side of the dais a lot, so I know how that feels.

Uh, but I also think it's important to share with our community members and our residents that while this might not be an option, um, are there other options to expand mobile um connectivity availability through public transit or you know, all different forms of public transit?

Um so just have a couple questions.

Um according to the report to your to the reports, the city has returned 97% returned 97% of the bus routes that we had um pre-pandemic.

That is that is that correct.

Mayor, council, uh councilwoman Hernandez, that is correct.

We're at 97%, but not the exact same kind of service we had before.

We're 97% based on what the data is now telling us is the most advantageous for our riders.

Okay, thank you.

Um are the routes that were mentioned in the citizens' petition the biggest that haven't been returned, or is can you um speak to that a little bit?

Certainly.

So the routes that he identified tend to be our um some of our heavier routes, um, but none of the routes have been returned to late night service.

We have returned um early morning service because that did show that there was a need for that, but none of those routes have um late night service, but all of those routes are showing that they're um in the hours just prior, they have less um usage than they did pre-pandemic.

Awesome.

Thank you so much.

Um, and can you share a little bit about um what we're doing to encourage more ridership?

So hopefully in the future we can get all bus routes um back in service.

Certainly.

Um, what we recently did a new fare collection um program, and that that makes it easier for people to get to get fare to get on to make people who may not otherwise see themselves as transit users use it because it's easier to use.

It's it's easier to um to pay for.

So that's one way.

Um, but then we regularly do um we have our service planners who regularly review the data and look at trends and look at ridership numbers, and then when we see those um needs where we see something is causing a greater need for a transit, then we will um we will go out to the public twice a year.

We um do some kind of service changes, some of them are just small and minor.

Um, but then we'll we'll make those changes.

If it's a big change, we'll go out to the public and then we'll bring that back to the council to vote on.

Thank you.

Okay, so I just want to make sure that the public is aware that your team and city staff looks at this at least twice a year, um, looks at the ridership numbers to see if there's opportunities to to modify service, and then brings it to the council to see if we can make those changes.

Absolutely.

And we do really appreciate the input from Ms.

Morales and others.

They can contact us, they can contact Valley Metro.

Um, we have regular things to get more input, and so we very much appreciate the people who are actually riding, giving us feedback.

No, thank you so much.

I think that's a very important piece for the public to know is that we are continuously looking at this to see how we can just improve service across the city.

Um, and then my um last comment, and I think uh councilwoman Stark kind of uh brought this up already, just making sure that one of the requests was can we make this information more public?

Um, so I think it would go a long way to have a meeting with Mr.

Morales and just kind of walk, make sure he is aware and is the information is transparent to him and other community members um just so that they know what is going on with this.

Absolutely awesome.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Hodge Washington.

Thank you so much, Mayor.

I just had a few um clarification clarifying questions that I found helpful when I was doing the briefing with you, and I think might be helpful to share that information with the public.

Um it's my understanding that although we have an 11 p.m.

board in time, that does not mean that all of our routes cease to collect passengers after 11 p.m.

Could you speak a little bit about that?

Certainly.

Um mayor, council, councilwoman Washington.

Um, you are correct.

So when the um information says that it ends at 11 o'clock, um, that's for reporting, that's for comparison to other cities.

But what that really means is that at some point during the 11 o'clock hour, all of the buses that are on the street will start their last route, which means that we have some really long routes.

So that means that we are still picking up and dropping off passengers well past that time.

Um we're still at 12:30, 12, depending on the route.

Um, some one even as late as 1 a.m.

we're still picking up and dropping off passengers.

And that means that if a passenger is on the bus stop at 11:38, the bus will not just swoosh by them.

They will still stop and allow the passenger to board that bus at that time.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

It's a it's a normal route, that last route.

They they stopped at all of their stops, they drop off people just like a normal route.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

And I looked at um for me, as you know, it was one of the areas I wanted to confirm that this the routes that he identified as the key routes.

All but three of them have service beyond or continue to have um presence.

I'll just use that word on our roadways after 11 p.m.

and continue to um pick passengers up as late as if I remember correctly.

Some of them go as late as 12:30, 1245, according to my notes.

Is that about accurate?

Yes, that is accurate.

He actually identified the one we do have um one he identified that goes past 1 a.m.

Okay, my apologies.

I just go off of that.

Um but I think it might be helpful also.

One of the things I was cited in the response to um in the council report, it talks a little bit about the the MAG, our MAG is doing, and sorry, Valley Metro is doing a comprehensive operational analysis.

Can you tell us a little bit about what that would entail?

Certainly.

So that's something that is done in the transit industry.

It's not done a lot because it's very comprehensive, and for instance, this one is will take 18 months to two years to do, and they look at um the trends, they look at um route by route ridership, and they look at it as a region, and then they're looking at new innovations in technology and seeing and in transit and seeing where they could make changes and making recommendations.

So we're right in the middle of um one of those working with Valley Metro.

Thank you for that.

And I would ask that as we um converse with Valley Metro that we ask them to consider um to not set their time limits five years ago at a minimum look at 10 years because five years ago was when the pandemic started, and that's when we started that the shift that we are currently seeing.

I just want to make sure that when we are looking at late later night ridership, that we are actually looking at um, we're not limited to the data pool to that what was artificially created as a result of the pandemic.

Thank you, Mayor.

Those are my questions.

Councilwoman Pastor.

Hi.

Um we had talked about how we go out to the public.

I just want for my colleagues that tomorrow at uh the Valley Metro meeting, we will be speaking about community engagement and what community engagement really looks like to us.

And so if you have any ideas or if you uh want to make any comments or give me some information, uh please do so as the uh chair of Light Rail uh right now, and then the treasurer of Valley Metro Board.

Uh I welcome all your comments and um advice and information to be able to give back to the Valley Metro and in particular the community engagement piece.

So thank you.

Roll call.

Yes, Hodge Washington, yes, pastor, yes, Robinson, yes, Stark?

Yes, wearing O'Brien?

Yes, Gayco, yes, passes 9-0.

We next move to the final part of our agenda, which is citizen public comment, and I'll ask our legal team to introduce this item.

Thank you, Mayor.

During citizen comment, members of the public may speak to the city council for up to three minutes on issues of interest or concern.

However, the matters addressed must be within the jurisdiction of the Phoenix City Council, or which or on which the council has the authority to act.

The citizens' comment session is limited to 30 minutes.

The Arizona Open Meeting Law allows the city council to listen to comments but prohibits council members from discussing or acting on the issues presented.

However, council members may respond to criticism.

Thank you so much.

We'll begin with Diane Post, followed by Abdul.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

Thank you very much.

My name is Diane Post.

I'm an attorney, and I am on the library board, but I am not speaking for the library board.

But this issue came to my attention at the board.

That's how that got involved.

We were given a revised draft of the free speech zone policy for what I thought was the library.

Turns out it's the whole city of Phoenix.

I objected to that because the the version that was given to us was unconstitutional.

And um representative from the city count or the city um attorney's office was on the phone at the time.

So she was there during this discussion.

I drafted a legal memo as to why the current draft was unconstitutional, and also submitted a re revised um version of it that would be constitutional.

The issues that I found under there were the way that they were dealing with commercial activities, including vendors and artists, the way they dealt with the interest to be protected, which was the safety of staff and access of the customers.

And the most serious and the most unconstitutional part of it was that the discretion was left entirely to the Phoenix Police.

That is absolutely unconstitutional under the cases that have arisen around the country.

Unbridled discretion cannot be allowed.

Because what results is arbitrary and discriminatory application of that particular policy.

So that really does need to be changed.

And I urge you to change it because if not, it's going to result in a lawsuit at some time sooner or later, and then we're wasting taxpayer dollars on something that does not need to be.

We could fix it right now by my suggestion is that you have a small working group with someone from the city attorney's office, civil rights attorneys, myself included, and we draft it in a way that is constitutional and solve the problem now and not wait till we have a lawsuit.

So that is what I'm encouraging, and I hope that you will do.

Thank you.

Any questions?

Can I?

And on I I think we thank you for bringing that to us.

Councilman Pestler.

I'm actually gonna go over to City Manager.

Thank you for bringing it up.

What is she speaking about?

Well, no, nope, we can't do that, but we can commit to following up.

Okay, please follow up.

So we will we will commit to following up.

And then just again, this is to follow open meeting law.

We would have to agendize what we're having a discussion on so that everyone interested would know ahead of time.

But we are committed to following up on it.

Thank you for keeping me in line.

I'm trying.

I once had our well, yes.

Um Abdullah is next, followed by Nicole.

Oh, Abdul Mohammed.

I only let's see.

What oh, I think greetings.

I'm I'm my name is Minister Abdul Home Mohammed.

I'm the minister from Mohammed Moss number 32.

And I wanted to lend my voice, uh, a moral voice.

Um there was a very violent sexual assault that took place in South Phoenix.

And it should be, of course, extremely concerning to every single person as any human decency.

But what makes it concerning for us, of course, is that government, it could be a very compelling argument, but the most important role for government is to make sure that its citizens are kept safe.

And if the citizens are kept safe, then that is a serious concern for all who are concerned.

Unfortunately, what happens is that those who are poor, um, often those who are vulnerable, those who are elderly, don't have a voice, an advocate to speak for them.

And so those crimes of this kind of violent and vicious nation, not only was there a violent sexual assault on an 80-year-old woman, in addition, robberies and other kinds of of assaults on the welfare of all citizens.

As a Muslim, there's a verse in the Quran that I think is relevant.

I'd like for you to consider.

And it says that the most violent or vilest of beasts are the deaf and the dumb who understand not.

And so it's come to our attention that in the past, this council, this committee, this has been a prize of the kind of danger that anyone could see would be inevitable.

But it appears as if that cries went unheeded, that it went on death voices, that because those who were making these claims were not necessarily politically um connected or didn't have wealth or didn't have any kind of voice for them, then consequently their cries went unheeded.

Unfortunately, our city and its welfare is really um at odds.

And unfortunately, those who are the most vulnerable are uh prey for those who who have no moral um consideration.

And so there's some things that you can do that are relatively easy, that are relatively minor, but would make a world of difference for those who are vulnerable.

You can do things to put pressure, moral pressure.

You have a political pressure, but you also should have a moral imperative to make sure that those who are vulnerable are kept safe because most importantly, that is your responsibility.

That is your responsibility for city leadership.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Hudge Washington.

I'm going to respond to that very briefly.

Um that matter was under investigation, and due to privacy concerns for that resident, we at this juncture cannot talk about it publicly in an open meeting, but I don't want anyone to believe that it is not being taken seriously, and it is not a matter that we as I take a personal responsibility ensuring the safety of the of individuals when I learn information like that.

So I just wanted to respond to that because I don't I want you to know it's not being ignored.

There is a process for investigations, and that process is moving forward, and we have to honor the privacy of the victim also and ensuring we're not sharing um conf information that otherwise should be confidential.

Thank you though for coming down and sharing those concerns.

Thank you.

Nicole is next, followed by Jerry.

Hello, everyone.

My name is Nicole Ray, and I'm a passenger service agent at Sky Harbor International Airport.

I'm one of the workers you see pushing around Southwest passengers who need wheelchair assistance at the airport.

I love my job, and I love the work I do helping to make air travel possible for so many people.

But I'm paid poverty wages that make every day a struggle.

We need a $25 minimum wage to ensure that we are able to provide for ourselves and our families.

I am a single parent of two sons, and I constantly worry about how I'm going to pay for rent, bills, medication, and groceries.

Like me, he services Southwest by cleaning their offices, and he works another job at the airport, cleaning the American Airlines offices.

Most days he can't go home between shifts, so he sleeps at the airport.

He still lives paycheck to paycheck and relies on the state for health care.

He should not have to live like this.

None of us should.

We need a living wage.

And according to Arizona State University study, a $25 wage floor at the airport will put millions into our local economy and create new jobs that are so essential to air travel.

Corporate greed prevents our airport from operating the best possible way for passengers and our community.

The most vulnerable passengers lose out on getting the best care from a well-trained and stable workforce because workers leave the airport because they can barely afford to put a roof over their head.

And the new ones who come in don't have much experience or training, so they can't be very helpful.

The system is broken.

We don't want to live our lives to make strangers we've never met richer and richer while we are choosing between medicine and housing.

We are helping everyone get to their vacations or to see their loved ones, yet we can't afford to do the same.

We're sick and tired of corporate greed, keeping our wages low and prices high.

A real living wage.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Jerry is next, and then we will go to Virginia.

Good afternoon, Jerry Van Gas.

We could go tomorrow.

Our coalition concerned with our parks and preserve system filed a formal complaint at the Attorney General's office seeking an investigation of ongoing construction of two footbridges, illegal footbridges in the Phoenix Preserve.

You can't build in the Phoenix Preserve unless you have approval from the City Council.

That approval was never sought or given.

And two outside attorneys we've retained, have gone through all kinds of records we've requested and other information we've gathered.

We have found not one shred of evidence that this project is legal.

Consequently, we're going to demand that that bridge be dismantled.

First thing they did April 1st, demolished a nature trail with no notice to the family or to anybody be restored, and we want that three PI money that they've been illegally using to build this structure.

We want it returned to the fund.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We'll go to Virginia Edgerton, followed by Patricia Whitehead.

Good afternoon.

My concern is I live on the third floor in one of the senior buildings in the city.

And we have been asking for signs to go in the window.

Because if there's a fire, we cannot use the elevator.

We cannot get down the stairs with there are several people who are in wheelchairs, and I myself is on a walker, and we cannot go downstairs if the elevator is not working.

So we have asked for signs to go in the window so the fire department will know where and how to find us to get us out of the building.

All right, thank you.

We will try to follow up on that one, and now Patricia.

Yes.

Followed by Michael Robbins.

Good afternoon.

I'm Patricia Whitehead.

I also live on the third floor of the same building.

Matthew Henson Seniors.

Last week, one of our residents passed away.

And please keep in mind that we are on the third floor.

He was in there for approximately, he had to have been four days before he was found.

The smell was atrocious coming through the vent.

I'm in 327.

He passed away in 319.

I became violently ill.

I'm freshly home from the hospital.

And you know, I was taught to always respect my elders.

And these people, I saw them from our office, and I spoke with one lady I know from the office, and she had on a mask at that time.

Well, all these people went home and left the garbage.

And you know, if you ever smell death, it's on everything in its surrounding.

And it made me violently ill.

I mean, to where I was regurgitating, I was sick, and I think we need to be cared for a little bit better than that, as being a senior in a wheelchair, and uh it there's gotta be a way.

You don't walk into a martuary and smell death like that.

They take care of that to make sure you don't because it's the smell you'll never forget, and it hit you hard.

Thank you.

Thank you, and thank you for making the effort to come down with all that you have on your plate, Michael Robbins.

Oh, and and we will follow up with uh McCormick Barron who runs that property.

Uh, thank you for the update.

Michael Robbins is next, followed by Leonard Clark.

And I should say we are we are already working with the folks at McCormick.

Good afternoon.

My name is Michael Robbins.

I live in Mount Lahanton.

Uh I've been there approximately three years.

Um I've been there.

I've had my vehicle stole.

There's other people in the complex.

Advandalism.

We have reported this vandalism.

And um nothing has been did.

Uh we have as this is the videos.

Nothing has been done to review the videos.

You know you have these cameras that are multi-million dollar cameras in the complex.

And uh the people just look at you like no, you can't see this.

Or either you might have to get a court order.

But the main thing is this management company that's running this place.

I do believe that they're all about the Benjamins and not about the people.

And there's some good people there.

As you know, the lady that's up on the staircase.

Anyway, I'll leave you with that.

There's been a lot of other things going on.

Like I said, the rape.

Drug infested.

Um it should be a look at.

I'll put it like that.

Thank you so much.

Thank you for coming down to testify.

Our director of housing, Titus Matthews is here, and he will meet uh folks in that back corner uh after the meeting to provide some updates.

And maybe the uh, and we I think if councilwoman Stark has suggested someone from the fire department as well, because I think we do have a fire safety plan, but we need to maybe communicate it effective.

Oh, we look at that.

I didn't even look ahead of us.

And um, Councilwoman Hudge Washington, who represents the area, her office will be there as well.

So okay.

All right.

Thank you, Michael.

Leonard Clark is next, followed by Helen Skinner.

Thank you so much, Mayor and Council members.

My name is Leonard Clark, and although I don't reside in our beautiful city of Phoenix, Arizona, the fifth largest city in the United States, I still live just on the outskirts, and this is known as a Phoenix Metro area.

I'm with a group called the American Government in Exile.

We got about 10,000 members on Facebook.

And basically, it's not an actual government in exile, it's in all of our spirits and our hearts.

We tr we seek to preserve the actual principles of a constitutional republic and a constitution with its democratic principles.

But we have a petition, and the petition basically starts off with a prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant is unfit to be the ruler of a free people, the declaration of independence.

So what our petition says is here's our issue at change.org.

We pledge to defend the American Constitution from enemies foreign and domestic, including the current president who breaks the law and the constitution every day.

With others like with like mind of like mind.

Uh base and we base our beliefs for this necessary constitution defense pact upon our strong belief in the United States Constitution, the American creed.

You don't seem to be addressing one that the city of Council can act.

My first amendment rights.

I was born here in the city of Phoenix.

This is germane to the city of Phoenix because every one of the constituents is affected by the policies of the federal president of the United States.

His legal representative, the United States Attorney, resides in Phoenix.

If you wish to continue to speak, you should adjourn the channel.

And now I hear the speech is suppression.

Thank you.

Helen Skinner is next, followed by Tim Sirikowski.

Good afternoon.

My name is Helen Skinner, and I also live at the Matthew Henson Senior Apartments.

Um, one thing that the fire marshal just talked to us a few weeks, several weeks ago, we had our fire extinguishers taken.

We were supposed to get new ones back.

We have not received them.

But the main reason that I'm coming to talk to is I live on the second floor facing Seventh Avenue, directly across from the Elks Club.

We have some bushes out there, beautiful bushes.

We have a water main there that's probably this big around, and it goes down like that.

It's got two big wheels on it.

Because of the bushes and the access to the water, there are drug addicts doing drugs down there, they get in fights down there.

I've got videos of them, naked people, people smoking stuff on aluminum foil.

Uh recently they did put covers on the underground part where people used to inject their drugs.

Because I'd look down in there once in a while.

Now, this is in between our fence and the sidewalk.

When I talked to the people in the water department, it said they said it's not their problem.

When I called the city, they said it's Matthew Henson's problem.

Matthew Henson says it's on the other side of the fence, so it's not our problem, but it's right below my balcony and my window, and it's in between our fence and the sidewalk.

Who is responsible for putting a cover on that thing?

Because I walk, I go around the city, I see metal covers covering that, so people don't have access to that.

Last year they found a dead guy by the bus stop, and I believe that he was beaten right below my window and then drug over there.

Uh, they fight over their drugs, and I've I've shown people videos.

I've got a bunch of videos on my phone.

I even saw a woman shaving her crotch there the other day in broad daylight.

Somebody needs to cover that so that we don't the two people on the first floor below me are deaf, and I'm sure they don't wear their hearing aids when they sleep.

But last year, when I got real sick, I spent 13 days in the hospital.

I get woken up repeatedly, I had to have a foot of my colon removed, and I come home, and they build houses out of cardboard tarps and blankets in between the bushes and stuff.

They tie them up, and I've got videos of all of this, and nobody does anything.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

We will add that to the list.

Uh Tim is next, followed by Abdul Eshek.

Good afternoon, Tim Sirikowski.

Thank you so much for your time today.

I want to follow up with Jerry and talk about the bridge to nowhere.

I have spoken with so many people at Piestawa at the present time, and they are appalled that someone would put a bridge in the back of the park.

I have talked to many of the individuals that have worked hard in the parks.

No one was informed, no one really knew how much it was going to cost.

And they just started this bridge and really did not inform anyone of what was going on.

This all interrelates to the problem with the usage of 3PI money, because once you have 3PI money there, they just take the money, and no one is really overseeing any of the money.

You have a couple different groups that are taking care of or supposedly overseeing 3PI money, but they they have no clue what's going on with 3PI money.

And we're at a point now that we need to know exactly where all the money is going.

They spent approximately, we're not even sure, 60 60 to 80 million dollars last year of 3PI money.

Where'd it go?

No one seems to know.

No one seems to understand.

Wow, it's it's all gone at this point.

So we need to start having a better attitude towards something that we voted on.

The people have voted on 3PI money to help improve the park system.

But what is truly happened with 3PI money is that the 3PI money is being used to do all the renovation of all the parks.

General Fund is not paying for any of anything whatsoever on renovation of any of the parks.

It's now become a problem.

3PI was supposed to supplant the help the park, have it go forward.

It was not supposed to be used to run the park system and do all the renovation.

So we need to really sit down, and you as people that are supposed to be taking care of and watching out for this money.

So we need to really sit down, and you, as people that are supposed to be taken care of and watching out for this money, you need to start doing a better job because we really need to know exactly what's going on with this money.

And we know we want to make sure it's not being wasted, and we want to make sure that we're getting full benefit of the money itself.

So at this point, I think we need to get more or a different group of people on the parks board because parks board meeting was canceled for tomorrow night.

And we need to start getting individuals who are really concerned about the parks department and not their own political gains of what they're going to get from it.

And I I want to thank everyone here because we've been doing this many, many years, and I know sometimes we're just a big pain, but we really do and are very concerned about making sure the parks are taken care of for future generations and your children, many of the children's that are being raised that they have a park to come to.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Abdullah is next, followed by Maxwell.

Hello, everyone.

Um LSD Sky Shiv.

And unfortunately, no right now.

And we are prepared the food delivery thousand of mails daily.

That is uh in the airport.

We are ignorant.

That is uh rules of the timing of safety process.

We have bill that is acknowledged through years of experience.

Now a marican airlines maybe uh maybe relate our money, our company we with this coffee.

A company with the uh safety around, and right now I don't have any I can lose the job, and I have no I don't have nothing to cover in my life, you know.

Um be worried about that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Maxwell is next.

Hello, council members.

Uh, my name is Maxwell Eulin.

I'm uh an attorney for Unite Here Local 11 and also a member of the city's uh contract worker heat advisory committee.

Um we're gonna have some workers coming up and speaking for themselves about their concerns and fears about what uh may be transpiring at Sky Chefs at Sky Harbor with regard to their contract with American.

But I only want to note that the policy that our the our workers are going to be advocating for worker retention is essential, not just for protecting their jobs, but also for ensuring that whistleblowers are safe and that the city can actually properly enforce its contracts with companies at the airport.

Airport contracts and leases have dozens of provisions meant to ensure safety and efficiency for workers and airport travelers from the heat ordinance to anti-discrimination requirements and obligations to uh comply with public health laws, just to name a few.

Since these are contractual terms, though, normally the only recourse the city has when dealing with persistent noncompliance is to cancel a contract.

That can result in significant worker layoffs.

So if a worker knows that complaining to the city about, for example, public health-related violations from their employer, for example, could result in the loss of their employer's contract and therefore the worker's job.

The worker has every incentive not to report.

We've heard this very sentiment from Sky Chef's workers over the past month, as some of them have expressed fear that reporting on the heat safety issues that they've experienced with their trucks has put the American Airlines contract at risk, even though we as a union know personally that that not to be the case.

Similarly, the city also has a strong incentive not to terminate a contract, even for willful violators for fear of causing these kinds of mass layoffs.

A worker retention policy, which has been adopted by cities like Atlanta, CTAC, San Francisco, and other places would deal with these problems.

It would allow workers to speak up about issues without fear of for their employment, and it would allow city officials to act with greater confidence in enforcing and even terminating contracts for serial violators, knowing that workers' jobs would be safe.

Thank you for your time.

For folks who signed up and who did not get a chance to speak, we will take you first in our next formal meeting agenda public comment period, which luckily is coming up next week.

We are adjourned.