All right, good evening, everyone.

I'd like to call this regular city council meeting, September uh sixteenth, twenty twenty-five to order.

Madam Clerk, please conduct the role.

We have a special guest for invitation today, Mayor.

Miss Yvonne I have uh I gotta get that figured out because in my notes it says call to order, then invocation, then roll call.

So, Miss Yvonne, can you please lead us in the invocation?

Scriptures coming from New Living Translation, the Bible, John fourteen twenty-seven.

I am leaving you with a gift, peace of mind and heart.

The peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.

So don't be troubled or afraid.

Philippians four, six through seven.

Don't worry about anything.

Instead, pray about everything.

Tell God what you need and thank him for what he has done.

Then you experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.

His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Lord, today I ask that you fill this chamber with your peaceful city council with your peace today, Father.

And I also ask, Lord, that you bless this great city of surprise with your peace.

And I thank you in the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Madam Clerk, please conduct the role.

Present.

Here.

Thank you, Mayor.

We have quorum.

Okay, thank you.

Tonight we have some special guests from Sunset Hills Elementary, the National Junior Honor Society to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

So please go ahead.

So go ahead.

And we also, alongside with the PTO, we run Veterans Day Breakfast, Fall Festival, and things like that.

Being a part of NJ Jess has helped me have a more selfless mindset because I've seen that just an hour of my time spelling something small can plant season the community that better strengthen it.

Service is often overlooked because it can be hard to put one's needs inside in order to make a difference.

This is why I'm grateful to be around peers and teachers and family that push me to be my best self for the chance that I can help one person.

We cannot be a strong community if we don't look out for each other, which is why small acts of kindness like donating food to a food bank mean a lot to me.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to speak on behalf of Sunset Hills National Junior Honors Society this evening.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Thank you for this opportunity to be here.

My name is Raina Gessner.

I'm in eighth grade.

I'm the Secretary of National Junior Honor Society at Sunset Hills Elementary.

Our NJHS participates in many activities to help people need.

For example, we hold hygiene, blanket, and sock dries.

One of my favorite events is our Bear Drive, where we donate Stuff Animals to Phoenix Children's Hospital for kids spending time in the hospital during the holidays.

This project is close to my heart because it shows that even small acts like a can of food, a ball of water, or a Q Kelly teddy bear can make a diff a big difference in someone's life.

The National Junior Honor Society stands for five important pillars scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship.

It's truly a blessing to be part of a club that drives to make the world a better place.

I would like to thank the mayor and the council for support supporting students like us and giving me the chance to share about NJHS.

I'm also grateful for my peers, fellow officers, and sponsors who inspire me every day to leave a character and to value the importance of making a difference together.

Thank you.

Can we get a picture together?

We'll come up.

Unless you guys want to stand up behind them.

We want to stand up here.

Stand up behind me.

Yeah, and stand up for me.

I think we're hard to take it.

I don't want to recognize it.

It's crowned upon.

All right, ready?

One, two, three.

Hold on.

Another camera.

Camera T.

Ready.

One, two, three.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Good job speaking up there, you guys.

That's hard to do.

You guys said excellent.

Nice job.

All right, Mr.

Wingenroth, you have a city manager report.

Yes, thank you, Mayor and Council.

I'd like to welcome our superstar recreation coordinator, Shelby Fenwick, to introduce this evening's youth council representatives.

Shelby.

Thank you, Mr.

Wingenroth.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Nice to see you tonight.

I'd like to introduce our two rock star SYC members on the dais with you tonight.

Speaking first is Olivia.

Olivia is from Paradise Honors.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

My name is Olivia Bong, and this is my third year on the Surprise Youth Council.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening.

This fall, our youth council is excited to participate in several citywide events.

Next Friday, we'll be running 90s themed event activities at the City of Surprise Backyard Bash.

On October 11th, we'll be volunteering at the Surprise Fiesta Grande.

Gay night is one of our favorite events of the year, and that will be taking place on October 25th.

And in November, we will be participating in the Veterans Day Parade, as well as volunteering at the new festivities in the park that followed the parade, helping continue the celebration of America's 250th birthday.

That is all I have.

Thank you.

Thank you, Olivia.

Next up we have Anaya.

Anaya is from Shadow Ridge High School.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

My name is Vinaya Hood, and this is my second year in Surprise Youth Council.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening.

Our three committees, events, outreach, and youth development are planning exciting events.

The events committee will continue hosting Nerf battles, which have been a fun way for kids to connect.

The outreach committee is organizing a street cleanup in November and preparing the Luke Air Force Base event in the spring.

The youth development committee is focusing on career readiness and entrepreneurship while also launching a surprise art initiative to show youth creativity.

That is all I have.

Thank you, and have a great evening.

Thank you, Anaya.

Thank you, Mayor and Council.

Thank you.

That's it, Madam Clark.

Do you have a report?

Nothing tonight.

Okay, there's two items on the consent agenda.

Would anybody like to pull an item for clarification or have any questions or comments?

Oh hearing none, I will entertain a motion.

Move to approve the consent agenda.

Second.

It's been moved and seconded.

Please cast your vote.

Vice Mayor.

Your student register.

Yes.

Okay, that's unanimous yes vote.

Okay.

Thank you.

All right, we'll move on to the regular agenda items that require public hearing.

Madam Clerk, please read item number four.

Item for consideration and action regarding a comprehensive sign program for the Asante Trails Commerce Center, a site generally located on the southwest corner of 163rd Avenue and Pat Tillman Boulevard.

Case number FS24-1519.

Trevor, good evening.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Leslie could not be here tonight, so I'm filling in for her.

This item before you is a comprehensive sign program for a development known as Asante Trails.

Subject site is located at the southwest corner of Pat Tillman and 163rd Avenue within the Asante PAD.

Underlying land use designations include R3 multifamily and C2 community commercial.

Surrounding land use designations include commercial to the north and the south and additional uh residential to the west, all within the Asante PAD.

To the east across the 163rd Avenue, there's a mixture of commercial and multifamily residential.

So the primary function and purpose of this comprehensive sign program is to set design standards and construction standards for the signage within these two developments, the commercial and the residential.

It will ensure continuity of design, both between the signage and the buildings that are being constructed within this development.

It'll create uniformity uh uniformity of installation.

And um the code does allow for comprehensive sign programs to request deviations from the current sign code.

So there are a few minor deviations being requested as part of this that I'll outline later on.

So on the commercial side, there's some um minor minor monument signs being proposed to help um create continuity for any proposed drive-thru uses or any other directional signage within the commercial development.

Um this will allow for one monument sign or uh one class one and one class two minor monument sign per business within the commercial development, and it limits the height to 30 inches or six square feet.

So again, they it sets the standards for what the signs need to look like.

Um so it goes a little bit above and beyond what the LDO would allow and creates that continuity.

For the wall signs, again, no deviations are being requested for this from the LDO standards, but it does set some more stringent um rules on the tenants that are going in some of these multi-tenant buildings as far as the size of the logos and um helps to find how to measure the 1.5 square foot of sign area per um occupied space in the multi and multi-tenant spaces.

For the monument signs, uh major major monument signs, um, as you can see in the top right corner.

There's the map of where these will be located, primarily along um 163rd Avenue with one also located on Pat Tillman.

These are not requesting any deviations from current code, um, but it does set design standards and um creates a color palette and material palette that is consistent with the buildings that these signs will be used for.

And on the residential side, there is one monument sign being located um near a uh shared private drive at the south end of the overall development that will help direct um residents or prospective residents to this development off of 163rd Avenue.

Again, no deviations are being requested for this one.

The residential signs farther interior to the site, located at the north and the south entryways for the residential development.

Um have a little bit different design from the other monument signs, and they are requesting a slight deviation of a one square foot increase in overall sign size.

And then the um LDO does require a um four-foot difference between the adjacent roadway and that uh the bottom of the signed copy area.

At this time, um, those distances aren't known, but as shown um with this sign design, it's um it is requesting a deviation from that.

A neighborhood outreach meeting was uh held on June 23rd of this year at the Asante Public Library.

There's two attendees.

Uh there's concerns raised regarding the uh directional signage within the development, and the applicant was able to answer their questions on September 4th.

The planning and zoning commission recommended approval of this CSP subject to stipulations A and B.

And with that, uh both myself and the applicant are available for any questions.

Okay, thank you.

This being a public hearing, I'm gonna open this agenda item to the public.

Madam Clerk, do we get any requests to speak on this agenda item?

I did not, Mayor.

I'll close the call to the public.

Councilman Haney.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh Trevor, I just have a few questions.

So I know you said that the two attendees, they asked those questions and they were answered.

Were they satisfied with the answer, or did there leave room for an additional conversation?

Yeah, thank you, Mayor, Councilmember.

So part of the um part of the comprehensive sign program sets the design for the directional signage.

Um the questions and and comments that were raised were regarding um the ability for um customers to be able to navigate the the um development and know which shops or stores or restaurants.

Like the internal network internal, okay.

This comprehensive sign program doesn't set the locations of those signs, just this the size and the standards and the and the looks of it.

Um the locations will happen when those individual developments come through.

Okay.

And then my next question is so for the traffic flow question, was that more so centered around will the location of some of the signage impair overall um like the visual for the driver?

Because I know there's looks like there's one on 163rd and Pat Tillman in from what I can see, it looks kind of close to that Fry's entrance.

Is that am I seeing that correct?

On the north side there, yeah.

So those those two signs will be on the south side, they will be outside of any site visibility tri.

They meet requirements feet signs.

The the question related to traffic circulation was more uh again with the with the last one about internal circulation and making sure people know where they're supposed to go to to get in, to get out and get to the stores or the restaurants that they want to go to.

That makes sense.

And so when we're placing these signs, the standard is we have already standards put in place to make sure that we're not the signs are hindering drivers' ability to navigate the roadway that's already existing.

That's correct.

So that's that's partly why these signs are limited in height to make sure that drivers are still able to see over them.

Okay.

Um, and they're not um no none of the signs are allowed to be within the site visibility triangles.

Okay, and then if I understand you correctly, essentially some of those deviations is really just they want uniformity throughout the signage for the property there.

Yeah, so it's it's effectively some landlord control um so that they can ensure that the overall development is cohesive.

Okay, thank you.

That's all the questions I have, Mayor.

Thank you.

Okay.

The councilman have any questions or comments?

Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion.

I move to approve the Sante Trails Comprehensive Sign Program case number FS24-1519, subject to stipulations A and B as outlined in the staff report.

Second.

Just cast your vote.

That's a unanimous guess, vote, mayor.

Okay, thank you.

We'll move to the non-public hearing side of the meeting.

Madam Clerk, please read item number seven.

Item seven consideration action pertaining to resolution 2025-11.

Reducing the initial business licensing fee and amending the comprehensive citywide peace schedule.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Good evening.

So I'm here tonight to uh discuss propose uh reducing the business license fee after the work session two weeks ago.

consideration and action pertaining to resolution 2025-11 reducing the initial business licensing fee and amending the comprehensive citywide fee schedule good evening mayor and council good evening so I'm here tonight to uh discuss propose uh reducing the business license fee after the work session two weeks ago so background um city of surprise requires the business license fee per our municipal code our current initial license fee is 168 dollars which is prorated by quarter and with an annual renewal fee of 84 dollars I believe we've captured council's uh objectives here to lower barriers for new businesses promote entrepreneurial ship uh foster long-term economic growth through aligning with the city's strategic plan of the economic development um category so our proposed fee schedule uh we're looking to just reduce the fee in half um so our current initial fee is 168 dollars we're uh proposing to reduce that to 84 and then continue with our proration but keeping those in half as well so here on the the picture you can see that they are reduced accordingly by quarter uh and there will be no change to our annual renewal fee of 84 so tonight we're proposing uh with the approval of this resolution that we will amend our fee schedule uh and the fees will become effective on January 1st and I can entertain any questions or comments.

Okay thank you councilman Milton thank you mayor thanks Sandy uh since the work session two weeks ago I did a lot of deep diving into into our business license to see the the process and uh I was really impressed our staff they do they do a really good job trying to make this process as uh as easy as possible and as and as salient as possible to our to the business community I'm I know Lloyd and his team do do do go they go above and beyond and and try to educate um uh business leaders before before even purchasing land trying to work through right this license you so I'm really impressed by this so that that that you were able to come here um and it and either find a way to to to reduce the license fee I think it's great and I I really appreciate you guys looking into this that's all I am thank you mayor thank you Zanny Vice Mayor thank you mayor so I think thank thank you to all the work you know there's always been a lot of work that went into this and the conversation started with with uh then Vice Mayor Haney I think when we got the ball rolling and obviously we had input um there's a lot of ways you know obviously we talked like build a law process but even like within the city that things can just like kind of get lost along the way leadership changes and so you know having the initial work session I think it was you know last year and then having some feedback and you know speaking with other council members about you know everything you know we are taking action to cut costs in surprise a lot of elected officials I like elected officials not politicians that the term better um but a lot of elected officials talk about it very few do it and so we've we've cut property taxes now twice in a row um including the largest property tax cut um I believe in city history last year and and this right here doesn't just help business owners I think there's a stat out there that like you know 80% or I can't remember exactly what it is like you know 80% of people have thought about you know starting a business so this helps residents I mean I would argue that it's most difficult to pay these types of fees when you're just starting up and obviously there's staff time that goes into it but um before I ruin the chances of success on this vote I'll stop talking but um I want to thank everybody and um let's let's get it done this is I think this is a big deal I think it's the precedence that matters too um we obviously don't have a lot of control as local government you know we're not the federal government run up we're not the state government but this sends the message to our community that surprises open for business and that we're always gonna try um to take a look at how we do things and and try to do a do an even better job.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Hane.

Thank you mayor and thank you current vice mayor hastings um this is this is kind of a prime example of of why it's so important to have folks on the council with different perspectives um because obviously when this first started um it has changed a little bit um we we had some challenges up here but it's the messy work of government but it's great uh and so there's a lot that went into this and and thank you to Andrea and all of the staff involved for your patience as policymakers we are tasked with one having a vision for the city but also to know a little about a law and so to try to pretend that we're the subject matter experts on any given item is naive and so that's where we really rely on staff and their expertise to really let us know as we're sharing the perspective of the potential business owner that is is dealing with these fees is well what is the staff side of it and where can we kind of come and meet in the middle and I I gotta give credit where credit is due.

And so to try to pretend that we're the subject matter experts on any given item is naive.

And so um, that's where we really rely on staff and their expertise to really let us know as we're sharing the perspective of the potential business owner that is dealing with these fees is well, what is the staff side of it and where can we kind of come and meet in the middle?

And I I gotta give credit where credit is due.

Never once when we have uh an idea up here has staff ever said just no, it's well, let's take a look at it, let's see what we can do to make the lives of our residents better.

And this is a prime example was and like Vice Mayor said is we're cutting the costs.

And this is just one tool that will be available to small businesses.

The Spark Surprise, you've heard us talk about that.

Um, lately over the past couple of weeks, I've got to meet with several different business owners, different business ventures.

Um, but it's great to meet with them and hear their experiences.

And one of the feedback that I got is just how many uh different challenges that they face when they're starting a business, when they're trying to maintain that business.

And so if we can make it easier and we can be supportive and not just say it with our words, but also with our action and our votes, we should take every opportunity to do so.

And I think tonight is an opportunity for us to do that.

So thank you for helping in.

This is the finish line.

Thank you for uh, you know, my colleagues for really guiding the discussion to make it what it is.

And um, this is a big win for business owners in our city.

So thank you, Mayor.

Absolutely.

I just want to thank Vice Mayor uh Hastings and Councilman Haney for leading the charge on this initiative.

I think we had some great discussion last meeting.

I'm glad we landed on what we did.

And I think it just again, like you had said, it just further demonstrates this council's commitment to business here in the city of surprise.

So I'm excited to uh support this.

Not seeing any other questions or requests to speak.

I will I have a request to speak, Mayor.

Well, this is a uh non-public it's non-public as a request to speak on this particular agenda item.

Okay, go ahead.

Eric Fowler, are you present?

I thought he was here earlier.

Not present, and there are no comments.

Okay.

Thank you.

With that, I will entertain a motion.

All right.

I move to approve resolution 2025-116 reducing the initial business licensing fee and amending the comprehensive citywide fee schedule.

Second.

It's been moved and seconded.

Please cast your vote.

That's a unanimous yes vote, Mayor.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Chairman.

Job.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

This time I'll uh do the call to the public.

Madam Clerk, did we get any requests to speak on non-agenda items?

Yes, Mayor, I have a handful here.

I will just go down the list one at a time.

First, I have Nathan Madden.

Are you present?

Nathan.

Nathan, are you here?

Nathan submitted a letter that I can either read or hand to you at a later time, but it was a full letter.

How long is it?

Yeah, is it within three minutes?

Maybe if I can try to read it.

Start the top.

Please read it into the record.

Okay, let's let's go.

Uh good evening, Mayor and Council.

My name is Nathan Madden, second vice chair of the Arizona Libertarian Party here to advocate for the immediate termination of contract surprise contract with Flock safety and removal of all surveillance cameras from the community.

The founders of the country specifically thought to put protections in place against unreasonable search because they understood a fundamental truth.

A government that can watch everything will eventually control everything.

Right now, surprise taxpayers are funding approximately 20 flock cameras at a cost of roughly 2500 per camera annually.

Costs don't include the hidden expense of managing the data or the potential liability of privacy breaches.

What are they getting for their investment?

A system that tracks every residence movement without an even basis of reasonable suspicion.

The cameras record where you worship doctors you visit, political meetings attended.

It creates a digital record of your daily life without your consent.

Imagine for a second the city hired people to constantly float around their citizens simply because it could no one would find that acceptable.

And it's no different.

City of Sedona already has shown a path forward.

Council voted unanimously to end the program after discovering federal agencies had gained unauthorized access to the surveillance network without the consent of the city.

Despite Flock's promises of local control, they found their residence privacy had already been compromised.

Now they're struggling to get Flock to remove their equipment, demonstrating how systems become deeply entrenched in the infrastructure and resist removal even after contracts are terminated.

Black staff is following suit, reconsidering the entire program amid citizen pushback, uh discovering what we already know.

Cameras create more problems than they solve.

Do you want me to continue?

Is your three-minute timer up?

I wasn't very close.

I did not hit it when I started talking.

So I will keep going if you want me to.

Please do.

Evidence of harm is clear and compelling systems marked for targeted law enforcement have expanded general surveillance of citizens.

Cities attempting to end the programs face costly and complex removal processes.

Most disturbingly, seen how the systems create detailed profile, law-abiding citizens, daily movements fundamentally altering the relationship between government and the governed solution is straightforward and necessary.

Council must immediately terminate the contract with Flock.

Require complete removal of all equipment at Flock's expense if possible.

Establish clear policies preventing future mass surveillance systems from implementation without thorough public discussion and strict oversight.

No need to wait for more evidence of overreach or abuse.

We don't need to study the issue further.

Experiences of our neighboring cities and self-evident violation of constitutional rights provide all justification needed to end the program.

Every day the cameras remain active as another day.

We compromise fundamental liberties.

Time for action is now.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, next is Sheila.

Sheila Shaver.

Sheila, are you here tonight?

No.

Did they provide any comments?

There are comments on this also related to flock cameras.

Um you start the three-minute time, please remove the record.

Thank you, Mayor and Council.

City of Surprise should be cautious about continuing the use of cameras due to serious concerns of privacy and civil liberty.

The automated license plate readers capture not only plate numbers but vehicle details, make model color and bumper stickers, thereby creating a comprehensive surveillance net that tracks residents' movements without their knowledge or consent.

The practice amounts to warrantless mass surveillance, violating constitutional protections against unreasonable searches.

Data collected is stored on cloud servers and can be retained for extended periods, allowing law enforcement or third parties to build detailed profiles of individuals, routines, associations, and whereabouts, a kind of persistent monitoring, risks, chilling free speech, and discouraging participation in civil civic activities like protests, even religious gathering beyond privacy.

Implementation of flock cameras raises questions about transparency, accountability, and misuse.

In some cities, police departments have deployed systems without informing the public or even their own oversight of commissions, a lack of sinagens, the secretive placement of cameras fuels distrust and opens the door for abuse, not just by law enforcement, but potentially by private individuals who could exploit the system under the guise of official surveillance or even hacking.

Instead of investing in mass surveillance at 2500 per camera, the PIS could redirect funds toward proven community-based safety initiatives like mental health services, housing support, violate violence prevention programs, or better yet, back in the pockets of taxpayers.

Surveillance may promise security, but often delivers control at cost of the public's trust.

If you could say your crossroads for the record, please.

Sure.

Thank you.

I'm Catherine Ryman.

I live at Mara City Center.

My crossroads are Greenway and North Law Cometa.

Thank you for allowing me to speak tonight and for your attention.

Three months ago, I stood here and implored you to find a way to save microtransit for senior citizens and others in need here in surprise.

Since then, many others have stood here and at community meetings, asking for the very same thing.

Mr.

Mayor, I even suggested to you that you initiate having a council of senior citizens, similar to the one you have with veterans.

So that you can make sure you're hearing and addressing the concerns of your older constituents.

Unfortunately, there's either been no progress on these issues or there's been no transparency on this progress.

In my conversations with Bob Winghamroth and with Seth Jyson, I've told them my belief that we're tasked by God with taking care of women, children, and the elderly.

How are you providing for the elderly?

Are you making sure we can get to the doctor to the grocery store to buy food?

These are basic needs.

And so I say to you, in the words of the psalmist in Psalm 71, verse 9.

Do not cast me away at the time of my old age.

Do not abandon me when my strength fails.

Please help us.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um, Ethan Canney.

Ethan.

Okay.

Only sentences, flock safety surveillance, camera removal.

Um, this note I have is from Kevin James, who told me right before the meeting that he was not going to be able to be here.

So I'll read his statement for you.

Uh, expressing thanks.

Let me start to the mayor uh for the time and expertise that was shared with me last week.

That was very impressive, although we did not come to a sort of compromised agreement on a major item.

I do appreciate that you are very forthright, and I was impressed that your team was united.

To me, that shows good leadership.

The prize has a lot of good things going on now, and I credit you and your counsel for that.

However, I would like to come to a few meetings here and there over the next several months, and maybe give some thoughts and suggestions.

And with that, you can either contemplate or not, whichever works for you.

Thank you for the opportunity to meet with you and your staff sincerely, Kevin James.

Um, this is a second request for Eric Fowler, unless he came back in the room.

This was also comments related to the working report for Fox Cameras, no additional comment.

And next we have uh Roger Robert.

How do you say your last name, Robert Bochump?

Ah, thank you.

Come on up.

All right, good evening, sir.

If you can state your name and crossroads for the record, please.

163rd and um Pat Tillman.

Thank you.

Let me be here.

I'm here to uh say thank you to Councilman Haney for the great job you do for our district.

I've never seen anything better in my life.

Um, communication is awesome at the meetings, Facebook.

It's just like we know everything is going on, and I really appreciate that.

Thank you very much, sir.

That's it.

Thank you.

Alex Good evening, sir.

Uh Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council members, Alex uh Hunkrin 75th, and uh Waddell.

Um I wanted to talk tonight about Charlie Kirk.

Uh, once again, we have come to a point where um our beliefs, our thoughts, our way of life is being attacked, and it's being attacked by a certain group of people.

Uh Charlie Kirk lived his life out loud.

If you want to know who he is, you can go into social media.

He put everything that he believed in, everything that he thought and that he wanted to implement online.

You do not have to go by these labels that other people have given them.

No sooner did he was he pronounced dead that these same media outlets labeled him transphobic, whatever meaning that they gave to that Nazi, whatever meaning they gave to that.

You look upon his life through his social media.

I did not come to that conclusion.

So, mayor, I I want to express this to those who who do want to put us in jail, who do want to put give us the death penalty for our thoughts for our way of life or belief.

If you believe that, run for office, get elected, and change the law.

Do not become the judge, jury, or executioner.

That's not the way we live our life here.

Mayor, I hope that we can emulate and also imitate the way his wife was when she gave that speech on on Sunday night with grace, with just the love that she showed for her husband.

And I hope that we can do that as well.

We're coming to a very dangerous time in our life here.

And I'm sorry that I have to bring national um news again to our little city.

But I just hope that we that we can move forward and know.

And I wanted to leave you with this message that Charlie Kirk.

Get married, have a lot of children, and above all else, love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

And that's the message that Charlie Kirk left.

Thank you.

Thank you.

There are no additional requests, Mayor.

Okay, thank you.

Do any of the council members have any other business or future agenda items?

Hearing none, we'll move to the council report.

We'll start with district two, Councilman Greenbrook.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

I have a district meeting October 3rd at 11 30 at Arizona Tradition.

So I shouldn't even be saying that because they've now made them private because it's a closed HOA.

So the one after that will be October 8th at the Grand, which at 9 a.m., which is public, and anybody's welcome to come to that.

Um we went to the couple of us, Mayor and I went to the golden rule interfaith breakfast this morning, which was a wonderful event.

What brought all faiths or a lot of faiths together?

I'm sure there are more than they had.

But the one thing I picked up afterwards is that one of the charities that we support, New Leaf is in need of pillows, pillowcases, and sheets.

More than like even she said anything.

So for those who have the ability to provide these to them, uh, I'm sure they'd appreciate that.

And that's it for me.

Was that it?

I'm sorry, I was distracted.

Was that yeah?

Okay.

I appreciate you being at the golden rule breakfast as well.

It was a good time.

Um, Councilman Milton.

Oh uh, nothing for me tonight, Mayor.

Okay.

We'll go District Six.

Thank you, Mayor.

So uh a couple of things.

First, I just want to thank Virginia for being just one of our fantastic staff members.

And we have great staff here in Surprise, and and she's a great example of it.

She's just got a lot of energy and passion for for what she does between putting the surprise progress magazine out, getting our newsletters published, and then putting on the council conversation show.

So thank you very much for everything that you do.

Um, also tomorrow at six o'clock, I've got my community meet and greet.

So if you have any concerns or questions or just want to get some updates on what's going on, we'll be at the top house from six o'clock until everyone's bored.

Thank you.

Councilman Amy.

Thank you, Mayor.

And thanks for switching up.

It makes it exciting at the end.

I'm not even gonna say which way I'm gonna go.

I know, I like it.

Uh so um uh I have a community meeting coming up uh on the 22nd.

This one is going to almost be a field trip in honor of some of my colleagues who like to go different places.

And so uh we're gonna meet at the public safety auditorium at 6 p.m.

And then we're going to take a tour of the traffic control center.

So if you live in district one, um and you have concerns or you have questions about the synchronization of traffic lights.

I don't think I do have anyone in district one in the audience.

It doesn't look like it.

Oh, well, yes, I hi, yes, how can I forget my grandparents?

Yeah.

Um, yeah.

Well, I just went down on the grandson scale.

Um, but uh a lot of questions we get.

And so for me, it's never to try to gatekeep the answers, it's to be as transparent as open as possible.

And so if you disagree with the where the placement of traffic signals are, if you want to know how the operations work, I invite you to come and attend because I think you'll get a lot out of it, and I know I will.

So I hope to see you there.

Um, and then I do want to highlight um over the last couple of weeks.

I've got the opportunity to meet with a few residents, but I want to highlight something that one of the residents said today that we met with.

Um we had an issue that was going on originally was brought to our attention via social media, which I always say social media can sometimes be a hard place to be if you're an elected official.

Um, but it also can be a very great tool for us to connect with the community.

And so there was an issue that arose on social media, and we were able to connect with the resident and and her family, and we had the opportunity to meet with them, and it was a great meeting, and that's a testament to the work that staff did behind the scenes to go above and beyond.

Um, but one of the things that the gentleman said is he felt like the meeting was just taking place in his living room.

He was comfortable and he felt like staff really cared.

And and that's the testament to the culture you created, Bob, and every single one of our staff members that kind of line the wink here because um that doesn't happen without the effort that you guys put in to every single concern that comes across our emails.

And so uh it's just it's it's easy to kind of get focused on the negativity, and sometimes there's problems that we're not able to solve um right away.

Uh, but it's always a good feeling when a resident feels hurt and feels like they're not just another number, especially as our city continues to grow.

And so I just wanted to highlight that because it it really kind of I've been thinking about it ever since he said it, and um I look forward to more of those interactions with some residents.

So that's all I have, mayor.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Councilman Duffy.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, just one thing.

I'm not sure I should say it because then Councilman Haney's gonna copy it.

But looks like the the roadshow is back on.

I I didn't realize this is the last meeting of September.

So we'll be back in Saturday, October 4th.

I think we're we're at spa one, the water treatment facility, which is cactus in Lichfield behind Fire Station 308, and we'll make sure we post directions and have a map so you can figure out how to get there.

It's kind of tuck behind, but we'll have signs out too that morning.

So Saturday, October 4th at 9 a.m.

Thank you.

It's following.

Vice Mayor.

Thank you, Mayor.

I want to say thanks to the city council and uh obviously to previous Vice Mayor Nick Haney um for you know agreeing to cut the past, yeah.

What is it?

Former no.

Um, I think I think it's it's great that we're you know, trying to you know put our money where our mouth is um and support businesses in surprise.

And again, something that's kind of an ongoing conversation.

Um, you know, violence of any type is is wrong.

Um, and you know, it'd be probably easier just like to not say anything and um, but uh obviously like the actions of last week.

I mean, there was you know, what a political assassination, there's also um school shootings, you know, and and so I feel like we don't want like I I wasn't around 50s, 60s, but I taught history and obviously those eras you see a lot of like you know, political deaths, assassination of President Kennedy, um Robert F.

Kennedy um senior, um, also um Martin Luther King Jr.

and stuff.

We don't want to go down that path.

And so I think we have a responsibility to call it out and say it's wrong.

It doesn't matter, you know, what your beliefs are, what sides you're on.

Um, you know, so prayers um go out to the to the Kirk family, um, obviously the wife and the three-year-old daughter and one-year-old son.

Um I didn't realize that he was you know just two months older than me.

And so for me, I you know, I didn't really follow him, but obviously, like you know, you just like you see things online, you see clips and you see videos, and I didn't agree with everything he said, just like nobody does, but um it's it's sad, it's sad.

And um I really hope that we could kind of come together and you know, it's okay to agree.

One of the beauties of our country is that we can disagree, right?

There are countries like North Korea, like where you where you can't disagree with the government.

You can't, like you will get locked up, you know.

And so as much as we have disagreements with those, and and even if you don't side with anything one person believes, you know, you know, violence is never the answer.

You know, have a discussion, talk, have conversations.

Um, and let's continue to you know live up to be the standard that we you know can set for the world.

So thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Um, I want to start just by saying thanks to Seth Dyson, his team, uh Kara Poling for the interfaith breakfast.

I think uh as Vice Mayor was saying about coming together.

And I think that was a a great example of uh, you know, you look across the room, there was people um from a lot of different faith organizations.

We had um folks from the arts community, the disabilities community, uh school community, and it was just an amazing event to come together and and really put things in perspective as you know, treat others as you'd like to be treated.

So I appreciate you doing that for us.

Um I have a couple round tables coming up, and I really like to invite all the council members.

Uh you're more than welcome to to come to the round tables with a business round table on Wednesday, September 24th from 8:30 to 10.

The Faith Leaders Summit on September 29th from 8:30 to 10, and then the disabilities rent table on Wednesday, October 8th.

Um, from it starts at 11:30.

So I think it's a good opportunity to connect with with residents from different areas and um to the to the lady uh uh miss, I think it was Friedman.

Ryman, my apologies.

Um I I want to work on doing the the senior round table as well.

So I appreciate that, bring that to our attention.

So uh this Friday we're doing the uh, you know, one of the things I really like to focus on in building community and building connections.

So I know that we have two high schools that are playing Valley Vista High School and Shadow Ridge High School at Valley Vista.

So we're doing a um just uh an opportunity to build uh relationships with the the school board, uh the cabinet at Dysart and the city council.

So I encourage um the council members to to go as well.

I think it'd be a good opportunity.

The Valley Vista culinary programs and uh provide some food for us so we get to see their some of their talents that's uh barbecue.

And then we have the backyard bash coming up.

Um I think on the 20, when is that?

When is it?

26, yeah.

So in a week and a half.

Uh I hope to see everybody out there as well.

Can't wait to explain.

And then I don't we also have on the same day the desert farm festival is opening up, and I know it's in your your district, so I don't want to see your thunder.

I was hoping you'd say it.

Um but it's uh it's a pretty cool event.

I think you know, we all talk to residents and families and say we want more things for families to do here, and that's I think one of them.

So uh and the last thing, and it kind of goes in with what the vice mayor was saying, but last uh Wednesday, um we we held an event here at or over at Ottawa, and you know, when you when you have the idea of to run for office and you you say hey, I want to work on you know whatever it is, mine was school safety.

I live it every day in my in my my job, and and I know that we can make a lot of ground or gain a lot of ground with school safety.

So we invited we had 90 people from you know public-private charter schools from El Mirage, the El Mirage Mayor was there, but Natterburg School District there, Ottawa's there, and it was really just uh it was a kickoff meeting to talk about how do we make school safer.

And I I appreciate you know, the police chief Kim Campbell, our emergency manager, uh Kevin Spurlong, our fire chief, uh Brennan Spi, really the entire staff, Bob coming together and making that happen.

Um, you know, it's really exciting to see um that kickoff and what we can accomplish.

We set timelines and some goals.

So I um I appreciate that uh you guys doing that.

So um that's all I have.

I'll entertain them well.

I gotta go back one agenda item.

Vice mayor to ask if we can open up the future agenda items as well or other businesses.

Okay, so this isn't necessarily an doesn't necessarily need to be an agenda item.

Um it started because um I asked Christy this week, so obviously we have an invocation.

I think it's been in place for about six years now where people can say a prayer, residents can sign up to say the prayer before a city council meeting.

And so if you know they don't show, I think typically I think in our policy it says, and and I feel like council members and past mayors have led the prayer before, but it says that the city council will observe a moment of silence.

I would love to keep the policy for the most part the same, but if somebody doesn't show up, like I think that if a council member or mayor wants to give a give a prayer as a resident, and maybe we can even step off the dais.

Um so I don't know.

I I know there's like you know, rules and stuff, and so maybe that's something for Jeff to look into.

Um and again, but I just I think that you know we're we're ultimately residents too, and you know, so anyways, thank you.

Does anybody else want to support that?

It takes a second, right?

If not, yeah, let's explore it.

Second, okay, perfect.

All right, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn second.

All in favor, voice vote.

All opposed.

We're adjourned.

That's too quick.

We said we'd never break the three-second rule.

We'd never make a separate dinner.

And never do that.

We'd never.