Okay, but then you need to buy buttons.

All right, good good evening.

I like to call us City of Surprise regular city council meeting to order on Tuesday June 2nd.

Madam Clerk, if you could please call the role.

Well, one second.

We have the invocation.

Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, I just pray over this meeting tonight, Lord.

I pray for all of the people that work for the city.

Um that they just represent the public well and everybody that showed up tonight to voice their opinions or to state their cases, Lord, that we can just represent the people of surprise as a whole, Lord.

Um that everything is done in your name to glorify you, and that benefits everybody in the city for generations to come.

Thank you for everything that everybody in this room is doing.

In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Thank you.

Madam Clerk, please call the role.

Hi, Smar Greenberg.

Here.

Councilman Haney.

Here.

Councilman Duffy.

Here.

Councilman Melton.

Present.

Councilman Hastings.

Councilman Jet.

Here.

Thank you, Mayor.

We have quorum.

Thank you.

Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

So we're doing a community champion award with Jonathan Thornton.

Um, I'm gonna be super nice to him because he's a fifth degree black belt.

Um with over fifteen years of experience, but uh he's the owner of the uh legacy martial arts here in the city of surprise, and he goes above and beyond with his uh uh business, and he's taken kids really around the world to compete, kids from surprise around the world and have have competed uh internationally, right?

Yes, sir.

And um have done an incredible job, I think, uh epitomizing what a community champion is in the city of surprise.

So we want to bring him in here and thank him for all that he does for the city uh and give you an opportunity to to say a few words if you wouldn't mind.

Yes.

Okay.

So here let's give you this.

And then we want to take some I think yeah, you have more photographers over here.

Any more?

You want to bring your family up here too?

Uh sure.

All right.

You guys want to say some words and then we'll bring them up and more picture.

Hello.

Uh there.

Right.

Uh like to thank God for the opportunity that he has given me to be able to impact other people's lives.

Um thing for myself is just serving others is a huge thing, and uh, I want to make sure I give a hundred percent to everybody.

Um, and just be a positive role model in our community.

Uh the community we built inside of surprise has been so amazing, so um so supportive, and I think it's exactly what surprise represents, where you know, kids can come train, work hard, uh, and and push themselves and have a safe place to fail and grow and learn.

Uh, because that's how I see that, you know, for the future.

Uh in my life, my personal life, you know, I've failed plenty of times.

You know, I've failed plenty of times.

I failed more than I succeeded, and that's what's got me here, and so that's what try to push these kids to you know, not uh um learn the the value of hard work and and you get the most rewards when you work hard and you work with integrity and you give it your 100%.

So yes.

I want you guys to take one by yourself.

Mayor and council.

One item tonight.

We have our city librarian Ash is here to introduce this year's library car design contest winners.

Good evening, Miss Ware.

Good evening.

Ooh, that swam around nicely.

Thank you very much.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Thank you so much for having me here.

You know that if you're stuck with me, I'm usually presenting something cool our community has done, and this is nothing different.

Um, but this is our 2026 library card designs.

For a little history, we do one every year.

We have a few categories in the last couple years.

We've had some special cards that have um been deemed appropriate for the year.

And um, I'm a phonetic reader, so please forgive me on any names.

And as I call out, our winners will come up and join us.

So our first adult winner is actually a mother-daughter duo, Summer and Harper Nitz.

Our teen winner is Nalisa Amato.

Our youth winner is Alexis Duran.

I find it very difficult to be a city librarian.

This is the hardest decision I make all year, but the city librarian choice is Timothy Mullett.

And rightfully so.

The mayor also has to go through this choice with me.

And finally, our special edition this year is for America 250 celebration is Karina Lawrence.

I want to thank everyone who put in entries.

We had over 250 entries this year.

It is amazing to see what our community puts together.

So, rightfully so, all of our new cards will be starting on July 1st, which will be our third year anniversary, and all of the entries will be put up in a gallery style at Saprise Right.

Surprise Regional Library, the library that I know.

So thank you very much.

All right, thank you.

Oh, what?

Make us move in the middle.

All right, right here.

Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Ware.

That's all, Mayor.

Thank you.

That's all you have.

Madam Clerk, do you have a report?

Nothing tonight, Mayor.

Thank you.

All right, we have six items on the consent agenda.

Would any council member like to pull one for clarification or information?

Five times.

Not seeing any.

I will entertain a motion to approve the consent.

Move to approve the consent agenda.

Second.

So moved and seconded.

Please cast your vote.

That's passed vote, Mayor.

Thank you.

We'll move on to the regular agenda item that requires a public hearing.

Madam Clerk, please read item number six.

Consideration and action pertaining to recommendation to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control on Application Number 397963.

Requested by Maria Danielle Burgess.

Her circle case for number 9287, located at 17050, West Pactus Road, the prize 85388 for a new Series 10 liquor license.

Do we have an applicant that wanted to say anything?

Um the applicant is not here, Mayor, but I did get an email notification that they possibly are going to withdraw their um application from the state, but we have nothing official.

So we move forward.

Okay.

I will open this agenda item to the public.

Madam Clerk, do we get any request to speak?

I did not.

I close this item to the public.

Council, any questions or comments?

Hearing none and seeing none, I'll entertain a motion.

I move to approve recommendation to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licensing Control and Application Number 397963.

Second.

It's been moved and seconded.

Please cast your vote.

That's a pass vote.

Thank you.

We'll move on to the regular agenda items that do not require a public hearing.

Madam Clerk, please read item number seven.

Item seven consideration and action pertaining to the award of the education subcommittee youth scholarship program.

Is Mr.

Dyson here?

I'm here.

Oh, sorry, go ahead.

I didn't see up front.

Sorry.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Um, tonight I present to you the proposal for the surprise youth scholarship program.

Um, the purpose is to help outstanding local students who are active in their community and graduating high school in spring 2026.

This funding allows students to benefit uh meet the needs or requirements set forth by the education subcommittee to afford further educational opportunities at an accredited college, university, or trade school.

Selected recipients of the scholarship will receive funding paid directly to their chosen educational institution for the upcoming school year.

Awards ranging from 1,000 to $5,000 are recommended at the discretion of the education committee.

Committee members included HSCV Director Seth Dyson, Assistant Professor Ottawa University of Arizona, Jack McMorris, and Economic Development Assistant Director Mike Hoover.

Requirements.

Enrollment as a full-time student in an accredited college or university or trade school of their choice.

All applicants must be a surprise resident.

Letters of reference included a school leader and a business business leader.

Umweighted GPA at or above 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

Each applicant also submitted a 500-word essay on how impactful would a scholarship award be for your college pursuit.

And then they uh continued with an interview with the education committee and provided an um must provide an acceptance letter and school ID from their educational institution upon approval.

The scoring criteria included the unweighted GPA, extracurricular activities, um, community and civic engagement, volunteerism, um, an explanation of their degree plan and school choice, an essay and interview.

With that, the committee uh is recommending the following $5,000 to Peyton Anthony, um, $3,000 to Jacob Garrett and Bastion Ubanks and Raoul, um, $2,000 to to Gerald Gilkey, and then 1,000 to Claire Wilson, Christian Ibrahim, Leo Franco Ramirez, and McKenzie Mice.

And I have um a brief synopsis, if you'll allow me to include information on each of them.

So Peyton Anthony graduated from Highland Prep, and she will attend the University of Arizona to study political science before pursuing a master's degree in constitutional law.

She hopes to pursue a career in public service and politics.

One of Peyton's special interests is civic engagement through community outreach and volunteer work.

Jacob Garrett graduated from Shadow Ridge High School and will attend Arizona State University to study mechanical engineering.

He hopes to pursue pursue a career in engineering.

One of Jacob's special interests is STEM and engineering projects through his school's engineering club.

Bastion Eubanks graduated from Willow Canyon High School and will attend Northern Air Arizona University to study computer science.

He hopes to pursue a career in technology.

One of Bastion's special interests is coaching youth sports and volunteering in his community.

Raul Livier uh graduated from Shadow Ridge High School, and he will attend Notre Dame to study neuroscience on a pre-med track.

He hopes to pursue a career as a physician.

One of Raul's special interests is community service and leadership through organizations like NHS and Best Buddies.

DeGerald Gilkey uh graduated from Willow Canyon High School, and he will attend Northern Arizona University to study interior design and architecture.

He hopes to pursue a career in interior design and eventually start his own design firm.

One of DeGerald's special interests is using design and creativity to positively impact people and his community.

Clara Wilson graduated from Shadow Ridge High School, and she will attend Grand Canyon University to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or a BSN.

She hopes to pursue a career as a registered nurse.

One of Clara's special interests is community service through volunteer work, mission trips, and organizations like Key Club and Best Buddies.

Christian Ibrahim graduated from Shadow Ridge High School.

He will attend Estrella Mountain Community College and study business general requirements before pursuing human resources at Arizona State University.

He hopes to pursue a career in human resources and business leadership.

One of Christian's special interests is engineering and hands-on STEM projects through Skills USA.

Then Leo Franco Ramirez graduated from Paradise Honors High School, and he will attend Arizona State University to study aeronautical aerospace engineering.

He hopes to pursue a career in aerospace engineering and space exploration.

One of Leo's special interests is robotics and engineering innovation through Skills USA and STEM programs.

And last but not least, McKenzie Mice graduated from Paradise Honors High School, and she will attend Northern Arizona Arizona University to study biomedical sciences.

She hopes to pursue a career as a certified registered nurse anesthesiologist or CRNA.

One of McKenzie's special interests is leadership and community service through the Surprise Youth Council.

So that is the recommendation for tonight.

Do you have any questions for us?

No, I don't see any questions or comments, but that's uh it's an impressive list of students and their accomplishments.

I uh hats off to the subcommittee.

Um, Jack, you're the chair of Councilman Hastings, you're the chair of that.

Right.

Um, so I appreciate your hard work on that.

And um, no, I think we're sending giving this to some of the best and brightest in the city of surprise, and we're honored to do it.

So good job.

Wonderful.

So my understanding is there's a vote on it, and then once that passes, um, we can present the scholarship recipients.

Um, Councilman Haston, did you have something?

Yeah, this real fast.

A little different than my last thing I set up here.

But um, no, I just want to congratulate all the students.

Um, you know, as an educator, you know, I think education um is essential, regardless if you're getting mad at a university, community college, um, you know, Westback on the job training, trade school, tech school.

And so, you know, a few years ago, we decided to, you know, our job when you saw it tonight is to invest tax dollars.

Um of those things that I think we should be investing in is education.

Uh, one of the things I was told when I was running the first time that, well, you know, your your education experience is irrelevant because the state legislature, you know, focuses on education.

But in reality, um, we work hand in hand with the school districts here, who work with the students.

Um, we see you outside on the streets, usually in the winter time, uh indoor during the summer times.

And we appreciate your guys' work um in the classroom and also your volunteer service uh outside of the city.

So I'm hopeful we can move this forward and uh send you guys to the next step on your journey.

Thank you.

Okay.

I will entertain a motion.

Who wants it?

Okay.

I move to approve.

The recommended school on the motion comment.

You got it.

Thank you.

I move to approve the recommended youth scholarship recipients and dollar amounts.

Do you want to second it?

Second it.

I didn't see a number.

Thank you.

It's been moved and seconded a puscas or vote.

Oh my councilman pollen.

All right.

We're gonna do uh the presentation.

Okay.

Go Irish too, whatever you with that.

I'd like to call the students forward.

So let's see.

Peyton Anthony, Jacob Garrett, Bastion Newbanks, Raul wasn't able to attend tonight.

Um Gerald Gilkey, Claire Wilson, Christian Ibrahim, Leo Franco Ramirez, and McKenzie Mice.

If you'd come forward, we'll take your picture, and then your family is welcome to take take pictures as well.

Gentlemen want to stand up for the picture.

Hey, congratulations.

That's all I'm asking.

You guys can get a little bit closer.

Talking about this.

I don't know.

Come on that in care.

All right, right here.

One, two, three.

Congratulations.

Do we want to yeah, congrats?

Yeah, absolutely.

Are there any parents?

Are there parents that want to get a picture too while we're up here?

I know there were some people leaning in.

You're good.

Okay.

All right.

Awesome.

Congratulations.

Madam Clerk, please read item number eight.

Item eight, consideration and action pertaining to approval of the agreement between the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, GPIC, and the City of Surprise for the fiscal year 2027 in the amount of 84,690 resolution 2026 86.

Good evening.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Thank you so much for uh this uh reviewing this item.

We're so excited to uh welcome um not only a great contract, but but a great guests.

Um I have sitting next to me uh the president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Christine Mackey.

So glad she could join me.

Um in the audience, executive vice president of GPEC is Thomas Maynard.

Um and he he's uh here to answer any questions about projects or any other questions you might have.

But we're just we're this is my favorite thing I get to bring.

Um and it because it represents really a long-standing partnership.

We've been members of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council since 1989, I think.

I think it's eight nineteen eighty-nine.

So, you know, uh 37 years.

Um, so it's it's one of my favorite things we get to bring to you.

And so thank you again.

I'm I'm gonna move right along.

So this is a really oh my uh my slide.

Okay, there we go.

I'm I'm learning here.

Um so the the mission of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council is one that's that's really special.

And it's be you know, if you think that the the previous presentation that we we had, all the students, this group and our partnership with GPEC is helping those young people find jobs close to home.

And even if it's not in surprise, it's in the West Valley or it's in the Greater Phoenix market.

But those are really talented people that we need to keep close.

And so that's the reason all of that is the reason why I'm so excited to uh present uh and and be here with Christine and Thomas.

Um so their their mission is specifically to attract all of those major employers um that we see in the news every single day, choosing the greater Phoenix Market, choosing surprise, choosing the West Valley um to grow, expand, um, hire, um, invest.

Um, and um that's that's why they're here.

They market the region, they market our community.

Um so if you think about it, a lot of um a lot of businesses we might interact with outside of Arizona may not be as aware of surprise as I would hope they would be.

But first they learn about the state, then they learn about the region, and then we have that opportunity because of our regional partnership to tell the surprise story.

And so that's uh so the marketing is very important, but secondly, their mission um to improve our competitiveness.

And they've they've really done a lot to really, I think clarify market information um and really uh create a better narrative about the greater phoenix market over the last few decades.

They're leveraging a lot of their public-private partners.

There's a lot of public businesses that are involved with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council that give them a lot of credibility to give that message, to create a better competitive model.

And it's, you know, sometimes it takes a group of businesses working with us to help us communicate and be more effective in our interactions with the business community at large and attract them to our market.

So the membership model is, again, it's it's been the same for 37 years.

Um where we pay GPEC on a per capita basis, as do the 21 other city members.

So in this case, we pay them about uh 48 uh 48 cents, 49 cents uh per population.

So in a city like surprise, that number is going to change probably a little more rapidly than a lot of other cities because we're growing so quickly.

But um that investment this year when we uh calculated it on the Arizona Office of Economic Umpportunity uh 2025 population was 84,690.

So GPEC is well recognized year after year.

They are well recognized by um the site selection community, um, by the uh real estate community as the top organization um in the nation.

Um so I've uh time after time, even the um International Economic Development Council, which we're all involved in, um, has ranked them as the top um economic development organization in the country.

So we're just very privileged to have a wonderful partnership and and just the know-how um in our market making making changes.

So there are 22 member communities that we're one of, um, two county members and 220 private investors.

And that number is just always growing.

Um, so they're their strategic plan goals.

We like a strategic plan and surprise.

Um it's to build an internationally recognized regional brand, drive regional process through strategic and future focused infrastructure policy and investment, and leverage organizational networks to deepen key relationships, expand our reach, sharpen our value proposition, and strengthen long-term sustainability in Greater Phoenix.

And one of the fo the photo that's up there is one of the ways that they do that.

Every couple, uh GPEG is in the marketplace.

They're in Dallas, um, they're in Boston, they're in California, they're all over the place marketing.

Um, but one of the things that they they do every two years, and they just did uh this last month was take a delegation of members like us and all their private members to Washington, DC and really advocate for some of the competitiveness issues that we we know are so critical to our success.

We get a return on investment.

So, how many, how many times do I get to come to you and say, gosh, what I'm asking you to uh approve?

There's an actual ROI that we measure every single year.

Um, when we uh ask GPEC to help us run a five year analysis, um we we basically get $64 back for every dollar that we invest um in GPEC, according to the the um economic impact analysis.

That means 242 million dollars um in new consumer spending, 24 million dollars in new direct revenues, and uh 2,719 new jobs calculated that um surprise residents can take advantage of.

We've had a number of successes um working with GPEC.

So over the last five years, I believe there's been approximately 230, 200 or plus um new locates in the region.

Um in fact, the the lovely lady sitting next to me is is the the powerhouse behind um the TSMC deal, bringing 165 billion dollars in capital investment to the region.

I tell, you know what?

I'm so glad she's on our side now.

If you look at Christine's background, we're really we're really lucky to have her at the helm at the Greater Phoenix Economic Council because she likes to compete just like we do.

And it's it's it's good to have her on our side.

Um so, but we've we've benefited quite a lot over the last uh five years.

Um, phase one jobs that we've calculated have been um in our market, 584 new jobs with um 250 plus million dollars in capital investment.

Sorry, a little laggard there.

Um, so they they do so much more than just uh business attraction.

So I if uh I I really I want to emphasize that.

Um so it it would be one thing if this were just a marketing and attraction firm, and that would be amazing.

Um, but they actually have a huge research capability.

They provide a lot of market intelligence to us.

Um they have a really compelling real estate database.

One of the things I used to love to do was to look at how does our market compare when we're competing with a project, let's say in Denver or in the Tampa Bay area or wherever, they can actually do a model of our market.

They can do all the inputs.

What are our, what's our primary property tax rate versus that of another area?

What's it cost to hire a welder in our market versus another market?

And they can put a complete look at our market versus another market.

And it's it's a really compelling story.

And Greater Phoenix really stacks up and is a real heavy hitter.

Um, but they, you know, they they really they give a uh a lens um on workforce issues.

They're attracting venture capital to the market.

So we're launching Spark Surprise.

Um that's that's going to be really important to us to better engage with the venture capital community.

Um, they do a ton of community engagement.

Uh, we we get involved in the ambassador programs.

They do unique tours for GPEC ambassadors.

I encourage you to look into that if you ever, if you have the capacity.

I know everybody's busy, but they they really do some great programming to get us all up to speed on some of the wonderful assets in the region.

Um, so our two board members that we've had probably the last three or so years representing Surprise on the Greater Phoenix Economic Council board of directors have been Scott Phillips, uh representing uh Carefree Partners, um, or that the a lot of the landholders in this area that we know that's how we know Carefree Partners, although they've got a lot of land holdings.

And then, of course, um, Dr.

Scott Spurgeon, who we all know and love.

So we've got two Scots.

I don't know what that means, but we've got the two Scots leading, leading us um on the board at GPEC.

And um having Dr.

Spurgeon there is a huge deal for us just to better um equip him with with what deal flow is coming into the market, helping him ramp up for the whole into us and the West Valley, but uh, but also help helping to tell the regional story about all that that WestMec does.

Um, over the last year of our partnership, we've responded to 29 uh deal flow opportunities or e-tracks.

And we've attended ambassador events and and had uh three research requests field.

But uh what's ahead is is most important.

Um, having a powerhouse like Christine Mackey um at the at the uh the helm is is really significant.

And um, they're launching a new uh marketing initiative.

I don't know if you want to talk a little bit about that, but it's really exciting.

I'd be happy to good evening, Mayor and Council.

Thank you so much for the honor of being here with you this evening.

As directory at Yorkovic talked about, we are launching and we have launched May 1st, a new campaign, a brand for the region.

It's called a new way to city.

And I mean, quite honestly, I've I've marketed the region for 35 years of my life.

I love what I get to do.

Every day I get to wake up and build a region.

There's no better feeling on the planet than that.

But so often international markets understand who we are better than national markets.

They still think we're cowboys in cactus.

Not that we don't have wonderful um Western atmosphere that exists here, but they have a different mentality.

They have a very old mentality about what's here.

So the new way to city program represents the city within its people, highlighting the really cool things that are happening in life sciences or in semiconductor and advanced manufacturing in aerospace and drone technology, but it's not highlighting the companies, it's highlighting the people that work there and what the city means to them and what this means as they move forward.

We launched on May 1st.

So we uh when we pulled our data, we were let's call it 26, 27 days in when we were able to pull the data.

We already had 5.2 million social media interactions.

We have had more than a hundred thousand uh complete views of our video of what we call our posters of our marketing, complete scroll downs and and I understand from our social media and our communications team, it's a really big deal, more than a five point uh 5.2 click through rate all the way to the end of the our our website and our information.

So I understand it.

People are usually happy with a half a percent.

And what it really shows is how hard the GPEC staff, our communities are all working together to highlight the new way to city campaign.

So uh really excited.

We're working with your director with mayor and council.

Love to work with you to make sure that we highlight those great companies and those great individuals that are here in Surprise.

So to your campaign.

So we'll be out shooting different videos and of course would love to love to be working with Surprise to highlight those those companies and those individuals.

So uh we also do significant number of international and national trade missions and delegations as Director Yorkovic spoke of.

We were in DC a few weeks ago talking about all that was going on here.

I'll share with you that I've done that delegation at least 10 times.

It was the first time that I felt like I was welcome in DC.

Each agency we met with asked how could they help us?

They knew everything that was going on in the region and how important the defense sector to our national security, the things that were happening here in Greater Phoenix, how important they were.

So it was uh it was joyful for me to be able to be there, not explaining why Arizona is in DC, but they knew why we were there.

We'll do a significant number of delegations this upcoming year in Taiwan, in Japan, in Korea, in Singapore, in Dallas, Orlando, Boston, San Francisco, a number, I think we have 30 different delegations that will have representation, really driving interest in the region and bringing prospect and potential activity back for our cities to consider as opportunities.

So again, as I said, I'm absolutely honored to be here with you this evening and had the pleasure to meet City Manager Davis and uh get an overview from her and your team as to surprise.

So I uh got up to speed very quickly on what surprise was what was interested in.

So thank you again.

And I look forward to your guidance and your partnership in the coming years.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So that concludes my presentation.

Um, but I'm we're welcome, you know, we welcome any questions that you might have.

Okay.

Councilman Melton.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, another uh thank you, Janine, for your the presentation.

Another benefit I don't it's intangible because GPAC has so much uh good access to their information to their locates and their assists.

I have gone to GPAC and as for economic data, uh very specific stuff, you know, for CapEx deployment, just so I can understand what the what I think the trend's gonna look like.

So that's another benefit uh that I really appreciate Ms.

Mackey that that your team was able to to do that.

And um you got a lot of your wealth of knowledge, and I appreciate that.

Well, thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

So another question or comments.

I appreciate um the presentation, Janine, and and then working with you, Miss Mackey.

It's uh it's exciting that you came on board in your role and came over to the city of Surprise and met with us and talked with us.

So I appreciate your commitment to the city.

And this I think is uh uh an agreement that's well worth it.

So I appreciate it.

Thank you, Mayor.

I'll entertain a motion.

I move to approve resolution 2026-86, the fiscal year 2027 agreement with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council and the amount not to exceed 84,690.

Second.

It's been moved consecutive.

Please cast your vote.

That's passed vote, Mayor.

Thank you.

Madam Clerk, please read item number nine.

Item nine, consideration and action pertaining to approval of a first amendment to the development agreement between the city of surprise and Nobella Surprise Owner, LP resolution 2026 56.

Good evening, Mr.

Abrams.

Good evening, Mayor, Council.

Item before you is for an amendment to the uh Norbella development agreement, which came before council in June of 25.

It basically is addressing right-of-way acquisition and supports the development uh being able to do the JoeMax Road improvements.

Sites located off of Jomax east of 163rd.

As you can see there, that's the red line designates uh JoeMax Road.

The purple designates to Nobella development.

Here's just a snippet of uh the roadway improvements that would go along Jomax and some of the parcels that are what will uh move forward with.

Again, owner's obligation is to acquire the right-of-way along with the design and construction of Jomax Road.

And they must complete it before the first uh residential um building permit goes up.

It'll allow for the um model home complex, but nothing more than that until the roadway improvements are done.

City obligation falls basically just to help the developer in uh acquiring that right-of-way.

So the amendment basically um to the initial agreement is just um providing that information as far as what we'll do as far as the intimate domain.

Um discretion is left out to council to proceed and the developers responsible for all costs associated with it.

That I'll take any questions.

Councilman Haney.

Thank you, Mayor.

It wouldn't be a council meeting without at least one district one road item on the agenda.

So um Lloyd, thank you for your presentation, the clarification.

I just want to thank everyone that was involved to get to this point.

Um I think it's important to clarify just for residents.

You might see model homes going up, but that those improvements will be done before people are occupying their actual houses.

So I'm just gonna say it now, and then I will send you a link to this video when I get the first email about it.

Uh so it's easy, so you don't have to listen.

But uh, I just want to thank everyone that was involved in this.

And with that, I'd like to move to approve resolution 2026-56.

Okay.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Please read item number two.

Item item 10.

10.

Consideration and action authorizing the acquisition of fee title or a lesser interest in real property, generally located along Joe Max Road between 155th Avenue and 160th Avenue.

Surprise Arizona by dedication, donation, purchase, exchange, or eminent domain.

Resolution 2026 32.

Mayor Council.

This goes along with the previous item, basically.

This is where the developers come back and identified properties along Joe Mac's alignment that they need assistance.

Um, with the provision in the amended um development agreement for Norbella to uh move forward with uh acquiring that needed right-away to for them to make those improvements.

Uh they've identified that they need that assistance with.

And with that, I'll take any questions or comments.

See any questions or comments from council who entertain a motion?

Me again.

I move to approve resolution 2026-32.

Second.

Thank you.

It's been moved and seconded.

Please cast your vote.

Pass vote, Mayor.

Thank you.

Madam Clerk, do we get I'll move on to the uh call to the public to any requests to speak on a non-agenda item?

Uh yes, Mayor, I do.

What I would like to do is read the names.

There's seven, and then you all can come up and state your name at the Kayla Bishop, Jennifer McCann, Natalie Bautista, Ann Bendheim, Taylor Bone, Allie Overs, Alex.

Who's the first one, Madam Clerk?

Oh.

Good evening.

Good evening.

All right.

Hello again.

My name is Kayla Bishop.

I recently purchased my first home here with my boyfriend at Bell and Reeves.

At the last meeting, a handful of individuals stood up here and said, We've been too harsh on you guys.

I want to be clear.

We did not start out this angry with you guys.

The first few meetings after the community found out about the ice warehouse.

People stood right here for hours, literally crying, dropping tears, and begging for you to protect us.

The anger came later.

It came when we were ignored when the video feed was cut off.

I think it might be on, which is surprising.

When you capped the speaker's time to 30 minutes, we're being silenced and shut down, and it's extremely belittling.

You're crushing the determination we have here, as you can see.

There's frustration on both sides.

You're frustrated if hearing the same thing over and over again, and we're frustrated because we hear the same thing.

Silence accompanied by no actions or a letter that has two sentences in it.

Maybe host a town hall right here, all of you present answering questions, having real human conversation.

Let us actually get answers because right now it feels like we're just talking to a wall.

Now let's talk about the lawsuit.

Chris Mays did not take legal action because of you.

That happened because your constituent showed up and demanded answers.

A resident here, Lynn Gelling, spent hours researching and handed that information over herself to the general.

Frankly, that level of research should be coming from the people who elected to protect the city, but apparently it takes a woman to get the damn job done.

The community put in the work yet, Mayor Sardar still wants credit.

According to EBC 15, he said, in quotes, the surprise city council is actively communicated concerns and advocated on behalf of our residents.

Simply asking questions and coming back from your meeting with DHS with not a single legal binding agreement does not deserve any credit when there's nothing to show for it.

Now to the rest of the council.

Patrick Duffy.

You've been silent for months on this issue.

I really didn't even know what your voice sounded like up until the meeting of May 5th.

Silence right now is not neutrality, it's complicity.

You seem frustrated and you're trying to speak out, but saying in your words that this council is, in quotes, too low on the totem pole while holding this position is contradictory.

You are never too low to make a difference.

Nick Haney, you're a firefighter and a paramedic.

You or your co-workers could be dealing with the consequences of this first hand if detainees are medically neglected or if there's a chemical spill at the facility next door.

I expected you to be far more vocal and said your silence enables this as well.

Jack Hastings, since I last called you out, I appreciate that you slightly improved, giving your constituents more respect when they're speaking.

You spoke out online on Facebook, but not everybody sees Facebook posts.

It would be great if you could stand against this in person when all eyes are on you.

Please do better.

It's the least you can do.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Jennifer McCann.

Good evening.

Good evening.

My cross streets are cactus and dice art.

Um my name is Jennifer McCann.

I am here again begging you to do everything you can to fight against the proposed DHS ice detention and processing facility purchased and planned for surprise.

Um this is not about political parties, it's about the kind of community that we want to be.

Do we want to be a community that turns its back on its neighbors that allows hatred and fear to prevail instead of love and community that allows our federal government to trample over our rights, along with completely disregarding our local laws.

Taking out the humanity and morality of this issue for a moment, which for whatever reason is not enough for everyone in our community.

There are countless fiscal and safety reasons to oppose this facility that you've heard here at Nauseum.

Um, many residents have expressed concern that this facility could place additional strain on roads, water resources, public safety services, and schools.

The toll will take money out of our community and add burdens to our services along with additional stress and fear in our community.

But getting back to justice and morality, um, for those of you who need scripture in Proverbs 31.8, we are told speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.

And the Prophet Micah reminds us in Micah 6 8, he has shown you, oh man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Justice requires transparency, mercy requires compassion, and humility requires listening to the people who will be most affected.

Tonight I ask you to really listen to the voices of the people for those who are here to speak up for their neighbors, for those asking you to fight from a place of compassion.

I'm asking you not to comply in advance and to fight this every step of the way with everything that you can.

Shifting gears a little bit.

I know that some of you are hoping that this is an issue that will just die down and go quietly in the night.

And we have seen a lot of um people stop showing up.

Um, but a lot of that was due to the efforts that were put in to silence us.

Um, I am a working mom, and I've been in every meeting except one since this facility was announced.

And frankly, I don't want to be here talking to you about opposing this facility any more than you guys want to hear me talk about it.

Um, there are a million other things I'd rather be doing, and I'm sure many of us feel the same way, but we have a moral obligation to be here fighting against this because it feels like really only some of you are listening to us and care to do anything about it.

We can trust you to ask the hard questions about new roads and zoning, but we can't trust you to ask the hard questions and take a hard stance to keep this facility from opening and operating.

So I'll be here every meeting, and I know many of us will be as well, um, until something happens to stop this facility coming here for good.

So see you again on June 16th.

Thank you.

Natalie Matista.

She's still in route, but she might make it by the end.

Okay.

Um, Anne Bentheim.

Yes.

I'm slow.

I know.

I know, I know.

Look at your shoes.

I'm sick.

Good evening, ma'am.

Hi, sorry.

I hi, my name is Anne.

And Bentheim.

I live in surprise near Wadell and 133rd Avenue.

You will be thrilled to know that tonight I'm not here to ask anyone to resign.

Tonight, I'd just like to share a story about my father, Walter Bentheim, who is part of a Jewish family living in Germany near Frankfurt.

In the 1930s, with the rise of Hitler and the Nazis, he, his mother and father, and his sister and brother managed to escape the internment camps.

Not death camps.

Thank God they didn't have to face the hydrogen cyanide in the gas chambers of Auschwitz or Triblenka.

It was the Unitarian church that helped them escape Europe and arrive safely in Cuba.

From there, they were able to enter the United States under the Cuban immigration quota.

Most of the rest of the Bentheim family that hadn't left by then perished at the hands of the Nazis.

Obviously, since I'm still standing here, my dad survived in America.

He and his brother Frank served in the U.S.

Army throughout the war.

Sadly.

Dad's father, Martin Benheim, died because of a gas leak in the family apartment.

Ah, there's irony, huh?

So why am I sharing this story?

I guess I'm particularly sensitive to the whole issue of a poisonous gas facility located here in surprise, located across the street from a plot the planned ICE prison camp.

Come on, you had to know I bring it up, right?

Uh, you know the names of the toxic chemicals being stored at the Rinchem storage facility.

You've been informed of the potential dangers of gas leak or explosion there would pose for the 542 immigrant prisoners locked up by ice.

Like that's a real number.

You've seen stories in the past last few weeks about real emergencies like the facility in Garden Grove, California that forced the evacuation of 40,000 people.

Well, those people weren't locked up in cages, unable to self-evacuate.

And like the members of my extended family who succumbed to the horrors of being gassed to death, the surprise.

Ice detainees could die in agony, forced to inhale the cloud of poison.

So as the ICE prison continues to gear up for opening this autumn, please think about my family, other families, living and dead.

May their memories be a blessing.

And I ask you to think about the unthinkable so that it cannot happen here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Taylor Bone.

Good evening.

Good evening, Mary Council.

My name is Taylor.

I live in Coyote Lakes at Coyote Lakes Parkway and Bell.

Thank you again for the opportunity to speak tonight.

Yesterday, an investigative journalism outfit called Project Salt Box published an article detailing the chemical hazards presented by Rinkim, the chemical storage facility directly across the street from our new favorite ice facility.

Rinkem stores a variety of hazardous chemicals in gross quantities.

Tonight I will only reference hydrogen chloride.

Rinkem stated that if a valve on one of their outdoor storage tanks were to fail, it would release 20,000 pounds of hydrogen chloride gas every 10 minutes.

This event would create a toxic cloud that would roll for 2.7 miles.

That cloud would wipe out a dozen school campuses and impact 74,000 residents of surprise, many of whom are just finding out about Rin Kim because of all the publicity this Heist facility is getting.

And that is not a worst-case scenario.

In the documents, Ren Kim themselves filed with the EPA, it is referred to as an alternative release scenario.

Nobody in surprise leadership nor DHS bothered to review this or consider it.

There will be over 500 people in cages across the street, and not enough vehicles to evacuate them.

Rinkem's alternative release scenario does specify actions to be taken by neighboring businesses, like how to shelter in place from these gases.

There is no consideration for human beings locked in cages.

Have you been watching what is happening in New Jersey?

Do you want that kind of spotlight on surprise?

I fear it is coming.

On Saturday, New Jersey police officers knocked over a barricade and advanced on peaceful protesters.

The next morning, the governor of New Jersey made a public comment in which she condemned the violent protesters for knocking over that very same barricade and forcing officers to defend themselves.

She got caught lying about something she chose to remain ignorant to because she personally does not care.

It pains me to say that, but I see this coming to surprise.

Mayor, you're a veteran.

You swore an oath to defend the Constitution.

Are you prepared to establish First Amendment zones like they have half a mile away from the Delaney Ice Facility?

The current agenda on this council is to not discuss our new favorite ice facility.

Pretend like it does not exist.

That plan never really worked, and sticking to it will soon be a non-option.

What is your new plan?

I think you owe residents a public discussion about the facility that will soon be impacting all of us.

This is not the kind of thing you take to executive session and ask for legal advice about.

Just talk to us.

Hold an event that welcomes discourse.

Try to, or at least pretend to care about residents.

Just a thought.

Politics won't matter when one of my elderly residents drives down Bell Greenway or the 60 smashes into a bus full of detainees driven by an armed guard.

Politics won't matter when detainees start to die from negligent care while in custody, like they are in every other ice facility.

Please save surprise.

It's in your hands.

Residents, snowbirds, visitors, spring training fans, and yes, detained immigrants.

We're all depending on you right now.

We will all suffer if you continue to do nothing.

I think we can agree that hoping for the best is not going to work.

Pretty soon, the phrase make America great again will be replaced with make surprise safe again.

Have a good night.

Thank you.

Callie Overs.

Good evening.

In an article from Project Salt Box, the fire department stated that they have received no emergency plans from the city regarding the chemical storage facility.

Why in the world is there still no plans?

How is it that it's been months and the mayor, city council, and school district still has yet to come up with a safety plan for the detention center and the chemical storage facility?

Not only that, but the chemical storage facility was built two years ago and was not ever once mentioned to students or residents.

Last week there was an evacuation in Garden Grove of California because of a chemical facility nearby having a gas link.

The facility in Surprise has far more dangerous chemicals than the one in the one that evacuated thousands of people.

We've all seen what's happening in Delaney Hall with the failed leadership from the school district to the mayor and the city council and representative Gozar.

That could easily be brought to surprise.

If that were to happen, how does students get to and from school if we don't even have enough money for police officers?

Second, I'm calling on more surprise residents who actually care for students to run for the district governing board.

One of the candidates, Lisa Everett, has proven why she's unfit as she's implied on her public Facebook comments that students are dumb.

Students deserve leaders who will recognize their hard work and intelligence.

She has actively proven that she will defend the mayor and city council members, but won't prove why she deserves to serve the students of the Dysart district.

She will choose politics and her friends over students.

She has also claimed that I don't know how the real world real world works.

I miss school every time a camera is around.

And the reason why I'm now calling out the mayor is because I didn't get my way politically.

In late March, I was worthy to stand next to her at a press conference opposing the detention center.

Now I'm holding her friend accountable, and I'm getting accusations from her online.

A few days ago, I asked Senator Mark Kelly and Senator Ruben Gallego's staff if they could add my three-mile buffer zone as an amendment to the respect for local communities act.

They said amendments get added later on at certain points in the legislative process, but the bill is not at that point yet.

If it gets there, they'll take my three-mile buffer zone proposal under consideration.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

He's a person who decides if this act gets scheduled for a committee hearing and markup.

Please call Senator Rand Paul's office at 202-224-4343 and ask him to schedule the respect for local communities act for a hearing and markup.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Alex, Chris.

Good evening.

Thank you much, Mayor.

Uh, let's hear it.

I hope this works directly from the attorney general.

Is a hazardous chemical storage facility operated by a company called Rincom.

This warehouse here stores chemicals that has the colour.

This is the attorney general.

Federal risk management plan requirements under the Clean Air Act.

Let this sink in.

The federal government wants to open a jail inside a documented chemical hazard zone.

We're talking some of the most hazardous chemicals regulated by the federal government.

Potentially things like chlorine, hydrofluoric acid, and fluorine.

Think about what that means for the people of surprise.

And for the if there is a tank rupture or a chemical spill or a fire, emergency responders will be responding to a potential mass casualty event involving hundreds, if not thousands of people who are locked in and cannot get out.

And I don't think we can have a better example of the problem than these tanks that are sitting right here behind us.

Mayor, the attorney general of Arizona, Chris Mays will be using state resources, public money, our tax dollars, possibly in the millions, on a temporary facility that may or may not be open after 2027.

Her claim that there is a storage chemical facility one mile from a high school.

It stores cloud chlorine, hydrochloric acid, fluorine, and other hazardous uh chemicals.

Her lawsuit is against the facility.

That is DHS, not against the facility that is storing chemicals one mile from a high school, a thousand yards from neighborhoods.

Is this not a frivolous lawsuit that she has done?

Absolutely, it is.

Her mismanagement and mishandling of DHS.

She absolutely needs to answer for the way that this was handled.

Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council members.

Our primaries are July 21st.

June 22nd is the last day to register to vote.

Please, if you have not registered to vote, my fellow surprise, all our citizens that have come up here and talked, please, they are begging you to register to vote as well.

This is what real uh republic democracy is all about.

Inform yourself on those candidates and vote accordingly.

Mayor and council members, thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um calling a second time, Natalie Bautista.

Did she make it?

Why not?

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Last Tuesday, uh last Tuesday in Tempe, Arizona, student Dylan Paredes and his mother Margot Paredes were detained by ICE two days before Dylan's eighth grade promotion.

Ice detained his mother at a Walmart where they shattered her car windows in the process.

ICE does this often when they leave, and when they leave the scene, I can assure you from personal rapid responder experience that they do not clean up after themselves.

We can expect to be using our city resources to clean up after their violent detainments, just as this occurred.

Margot Paredes was taken to see um Cecil Shamley School in Tempe to sign out her eighth grader.

Student of our school officials helped escort him over to ICE.

They were just far enough to be able to say they were not on school property, but close enough for school officials to walk him over to ICE for his detainment.

Nothing about this is okay.

This incident sparked public outcry, leading to a protest at the school the next day, which included students such as his classmates who can be seen crying on television interviews from the traumatic loss of her friend during the school day.

School administrators were so unprepared that rather than respond calmly and purposefully, they banned parents and guests from attending the eighth grade promotion ceremony.

Students were made to celebrate this milestone without them.

What should have been a day of celebration became a day defined by fear, division, and poor reactive management by this Tempe school and district.

The Tempe School District, like Dysart, does not have a safety plan with staff trained and families educated on how to handle the dangers and trauma that ICE brings into the community.

What would Dysart district have done?

What would you have done as city as a safety coordinator mayor?

The way that this played out, the unnecessary added trauma for students and family is a direct result of a failure from school and local leaders to prepare for something they knew was coming.

We know that the stop work order was lifted.

We know that Gardel World is actively hiring for the surprise detention facility.

And yet here we are with so much as a DHS update on the agenda.

We need City of Surprise and Dysart School District to step up and put real safety plans and policies into place before one of our community members becomes the next new story.

These moments test our courage, our integrity, and our willingness to act when it matters most.

Please ask, please act in the best interest of your community.

Serve your community.

In seven weeks, I leave my home to serve our country in whatever way they see fit.

The needs of the country come first before any promises made in my contract, and I will do my absolute best in any role that I'm given.

Please honor your oath of office as I will be honoring mine.

Please don't make me worry every night that I'm gone for the safety of my family here in surprise.

Will I come home to find that my family is gone too?

All opposed or adjourned.

Council meeting.

I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

Second.

It's been moving second and all favor voice vote.

Boy, Nick.

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

We'd never make a separate dinner.

And never do that.

We'd never let them sleep in our room.

And never become a minivan mom.

Um okay, well, I'm not at my desk right now.

As parents, we say never a lot.

But never happens.

No, it can happen.

Always stop.

Look, lock.

For any athlete, you have to have passion for the game to find success.

And here at Surprise Stadium, it's no different for the team that.