Queen Creek Town Council Regular Meeting – September 2, 2026

The Queen Creek Town Council met on September 2, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Chambers. The meeting included ceremonial recognitions, committee reports from the Chamber of Commerce and Cultural Foundation, a final action on Ordinance 895-26 establishing criminal penalties for misuse of police information systems (including ALPRs), and a lengthy discussion on proposed utility rate and fee increases, particularly a new water resource fee. All votes were unanimous unless noted.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes from the August 5, 2026 Special and Regular Meetings and the August 10, 2026 Mid-Year Strategic Planning Session.
• Removed Anati Zubia from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee due to lack of attendance and appointed Shannon Kellso to fill the vacancy (term ending August 31, 2027).
• Re-appointed Alex Matheson and Aaron Ballard and appointed Richard Blasier to the Planning and Zoning Commission (term September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2029).
• Appointed Kayli Householder to the Transportation Advisory Committee (term September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2028).
• Approved expenditures over $75,000, including: $700,000 for a Haaker Equipment diesel TruVac hydro excavator; $331,873 additional spending authority for Harquahala Water Acquisition projects (total $1,100,000); $193,825 additional for utility rate studies (total $702,325); $399,292 for Chandler Heights Widening Project; $357,941 for Sossaman Road Widening; $236,180 for Ellsworth Loop Road and Rittenhouse Road Bike Path; $1,400,160.86 for Fire Station 6 design; $559,576 for Fire Administration Building remodel/expansion.
• Approved a Cooperative Contract Agreement with Valley Rain Construction, Inc. for park, trail, and landscape job order contracting, including Job Order No. 01 for $152,848 for repair/reconstruction at the Field Operations Facility, with a budget adjustment of $168,133.
• Approved three professional services contracts for on-call estimating services with Kitchell Contractors, Nicole Azuri, and Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) for a three-year term with two possible annual renewals.
• Approved a Cooperative Purchase Agreement with Genserve LLC (through City of Mesa contract) for up to $1,500,000 for generator purchase and installation.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ordinance 895-26 (ALPRs and police information systems): Six speakers addressed the council. Opponents: Braden Peters (Mesa resident, cybersecurity professional) expressed concerns about privacy and Fourth Amendment violations, calling for a ban on ALPRs. Eric Fowler (Chair, Maricopa County Libertarian Party) argued the cameras were approved without public debate and criticized the ordinance as insufficient, noting that Tempe, Pinal County, and others have canceled contracts. Nathan Taylor Taft (co-director, East Valley Knight) said the safeguards are minimal and the technology constitutes mass surveillance, citing canceled contracts in Sedona, Flagstaff, Sierra Vista, South Tucson, Pinal County, Chandler, Surprise, Tempe, and Cave Creek. Robert Bartle May (Queen Creek resident, retired attorney) opposed ALPRs on privacy grounds, referencing George Orwell’s 1984 and Benjamin Franklin’s quote on liberty vs. safety. Proponents: Hamza Albarudi (former Flock employee) supported the technology, citing its use in recovering stolen vehicles and missing children, and noted that Flock does not sell data. Craig Gardner (Queen Creek resident) urged trust in the police department and supported the self-imposed restrictions.

Discussion Items

• Ordinance 895-26 – Police Department Information Systems: Chief Randy Price presented a comprehensive overview of the ordinance, which establishes criminal penalties (class 1 misdemeanor) for knowing misuse of protected information systems, including ALPRs. He detailed the current ALPR program: 62 cameras (47 under contract, 15 being tested), 30-day data retention, strict access controls, quarterly audits, and no sharing with federal agencies or out-of-state entities. He reported that from 2025 to August 2026, ALPRs were used in approximately 3,800 incidents, including stolen vehicle recoveries, hit-and-run investigations, and locating missing/endangered persons. The council discussed the ordinance at length. Councilmember Martinow expressed support after hearing from law enforcement at a human trafficking conference. Councilmember Brown emphasized the need for oversight and accountability rather than removing the tool, noting Queen Creek’s specific challenges with missing youth and trafficking. Vice Mayor McClure also supported the safeguards. Mayor Wheatley highlighted the proactive approach. Councilmember Padilla thanked the public for their advocacy and stated he would vote yes to impose restrictions while continuing to monitor. The ordinance passed 7-0.
• Utility Rates and Fees – Proposed Changes: Town Manager Bruce Gardner, Utilities Director Mark Skisepick, Deputy Town Manager Scott McCarty, and Communications Director Constance Hallend Wilson presented a 93-slide overview of the town’s water strategy and proposed new fees. Key points: The town has secured 3.1 million acre-feet of water over 100 years at a cost of $730 million, saving $71 million in CAGRD fees. A new Water Resource Fee (monthly) is proposed to fund replenishment, starting at $3.07 per 1,000 gallons, phased over five years. For a typical combined account (water and wastewater) using 9,000 gallons/month, the first-year increase would be $16/month (total ~$57); for a water-only account using 13,000 gallons, the first-year increase would be $40/month (total ~$97). Full implementation would generate about $60 million/year. A new Water Resource Capacity Fee (one-time) for new development will be proposed to ensure growth pays for growth. Additionally, adjustments to existing water, wastewater, and solid waste rates were discussed: water rates may be restructured to reduce some single-family bills slightly; wastewater rates unchanged for single-family; solid waste likely to increase by $3.78/month (to ~$20/month) to cover vendor costs. A water resource fee exemption for lakes program participants was recommended. The council discussed the magnitude of the increases (Councilmember Padilla noted a 242% increase for water-only accounts by year six, assuming no conservation). The communication plan includes stakeholder meetings, an online calculator, and public workshops. No vote was taken; the council will consider adoption of a notice of intent at the September 16, 2026 meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Ordinance 895-26 (Police Department Information Systems) adopted unanimously (7-0). The ordinance establishes criminal penalties for knowing misuse of protected information systems, including ALPRs, and requires annual reporting to the council. It also restricts data sharing, mandates audits, and sets a 30-day retention period for ALPR data.
• Consent Agenda approved unanimously.
• Public Hearing Consent Agenda approved unanimously.
• The council received the utility rate and fee presentation and directed staff to proceed with public outreach, including stakeholder meetings, an online calculator, and a two-part water workshop series. A notice of intent to create the new water resource fee and capacity fee will be considered on September 16, 2026, with a public hearing and adoption anticipated on November 18, 2026.