Note: The raw transcript begins with the Mayor calling the meeting to order on Tuesday, May 5th, creating a discrepancy with the provided meeting date of May 6, 2026. This summary uses the date specified in the instructions but acknowledges the inconsistency.
The meeting was called to order with a prayer and recognition of the Shadow Ridge cheerleading squad as community champions. Multiple proclamations were presented: Professional Municipal Clerks Week (May 3–9, 2026), Small Business Week (May 3–9, 2026), Economic Development Week (May 4–8, 2026), and Youth Week (May 1–7, 2026). The City Court Academy celebrated its 10th anniversary, with 27 students from local high schools participating. The Youth Council member reported on upcoming events and the launch of a teen survey, noting growth from 20 to 35 members. The consent agenda (eight items) was approved unanimously. A public hearing was held for a new Series 10 liquor license (Gray's Craze) at 15278 West Bell Road, Suite 102; the council voted to recommend approval to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control.
All right, good evening. I like to call this regular city council meeting on Tuesday, May 5th to order. Tonight we have one of our planning and zoning commissioners to lead us in the in a prayer. So Lisa. Go ahead. It's an honor to be able to give the prayer this evening. Um this Thursday is the National Day of Prayer, and I'm just asking everyone to not only this evening, but pray every day, but especially Thursday for our nation. I realize there are many faiths in the room. I am Catholic, so I'm going to pray in my tradition. Heavenly Father, we come before you tonight, humbled, recognizing that we are all equally flawed and in need of your grace. Guide each of us to seek resolute reconciliation with you and one another, so we may serve with humility, compassion, and truth. Lord, we ask for an end to political violence in our city, our nation, our state, and throughout the world. Calm hearts that are angry, soften words that divide, and remind all of us that every person is created in your image and worthy of dignity and respect. Grant wisdom to those who engage in political conflict. Amen. Oh, after report. Yep. So tonight I want to bring up our community champion. It is the uh Shadow Ridge cheerleading squad. If you want to join me up here. So go ahead. So while they're coming up, I just wanted to uh recognize the coach, Coach Colton. Is he here tonight? Coach Colton. And he's you recently came from California, is what it says on the card. But uh and he won championships there, but here at Shadow this year, he's won two, which was the Partners stunt in November, and then the uh co-ed show chair this February, which is what we're recognizing you for. So I just wanted to come in and say, well, thank you, Paul, for doing what you're doing, representing the city. Thank you at the highest level, and say thank you. So let's all congratulate them on being community. We're not here right now. All right, so we have a few proclamations tonight. We're gonna start with the professional municipal clerks week, and we have your team here tonight. If you want to join me up here, we're gonna present it to our city clerk Christy and her team and so the the clerk's office does a lot. Uh prepare the records, they run elections, uh oversee the meetings, post agendas, and just do uh city historian, just a lot of work that they do. So for us to take a moment to recognize all of their work through this proclamation means I know it means a lot to me, the council, and everybody here in the city. So from the office of the mayor, whereas the office of the professional municipal clerk, a time-honored and vital part of our local government, exists throughout the world and is the oldest among public servants. And whereas the office of the professional municipal clerk provides a professional link between the citizens, the local governing bodies, and agencies of government at multiple levels. And whereas professional municipal clerks have pledged to do to be ever mindful of their neutrality and their impartiality, rendering equal service to all while serving as the information center for local government and community. And whereas professional municipal clerk clerks continually strive to improve the administration of affairs of the office of the personnel, professional municipal clerks through participation in education, programs, seminars, workshops, annual meetings of their state, county, and international professional organizations. And whereas it is most appropriate that we recognize their accomplishments of the office of the professional municipal clerk. Now, therefore, I, Kevin Sarter, mayor of the city of surprise, do hereby proclaim May 3rd through the 9th, 2026, as Professional Municipal Clerks Week. The next one we're gonna do is fancy because it's in a frame, but it's a small business week, and we have Steve Kaiser, is he here? If you could join me up here, uh Steve Kaiser is a president and CEO of the Arizona Small Business Association. How are you? Thanks for coming. Yeah. So from the office of the mayor, whereas small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and are vital to the strength, resilience, and vibrancy of our community. And whereas, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are more than 33 million small businesses in the United States, representing 99.9% of all businesses employing nearly half of the nation's private workforce. Whereas the in Arizona, more than 640,000 small businesses employ over 1.1 million people, contributing significantly to the state's economic vitality.