All right, thank you very much.

Good afternoon.

I now call to order the Tempe City Council work study session.

Mayor Woods is out of town on work-related business and is unable to run tonight's work study session.

He may try to join us virtually, but in his absence, he has asked me as Vice Mayor to lead tonight's meeting.

Council meetings can be viewed live on Cox Cable Channel 11 online at Tempe.gov forward slash Tempe11 or virtually through Microsoft Teams.

If you would like to speak on agenda item and have not yet submitted an electronic speaker card, you may still do so.

Please visit Tempe.gov forward slash council comment and complete the electronic card.

Be sure to select the option.

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When it is your turn, I will call your name.

You will then be able to turn on your microphone so we can hear you.

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Please submit your card by 4 15 p.m.

today to ensure smooth operation of the meeting.

Please note the Microsoft team's hand raise feature is not monitored.

So submitting an electric speaker card is the only way to be placed on the agenda in the queue.

So we'll go to move to agenda item number two, announcements from the mayor and or city manager.

So item 2a.

This item has is a friends of the library 60th anniversary proclamation, but this item has been moved from the agenda.

The proclamation will be read by the mayor at a future community event.

Item 2B joining us is for National Voter Registration Month and Day Proclamation.

And joining us is Avery Zola, who is voter education manager for the Citizens Clean Elections Commission.

Avery is a Phoenix native, a U.S.

Air Force veteran, and a Flynn Brown fellow whose leadership and outreach, civics, and public service has earned distinguished recognition in Arizona.

Welcome, Avery.

I will now read the proclamation.

Whereas the Office of the City of Tempe City Clerk is committed to encouraging broad voter registration, access and citizen participation in elections among voting eligible citizens.

And whereas the Office of the Tempe City Clerk recognizes that Americans are not able to vote because they miss a registration deadline or do not update their registration information or are unfamiliar with how to register.

And whereas the Office of the Tempe City Clerk recognizes the need for diverse partners, such as nonprofits, libraries, businesses, colleges, and universities, and others to work in the communities they serve to register citizens to vote.

And whereas the need for reliable and trusted public information and education on voter registration is critical to America's active participation in elections and the integrity of electoral processes.

And whereas the Office of the Tempe City Clerk is committed to joining national efforts to support voter registration and citizen participation in elections throughout the month of September, recognized nationally as National Voter Registration Month, and to highlight the specific call to action on National Voter Registration Day.

And whereas National Voter Registration Day, observed annually on a Tuesday in September this year on September 16th, 2025, serves as a nationwide nonpartisan civic holiday dedicated to ensuring every eligible voter has the opportunity to register and participate in our democracy.

Now, therefore, I, Doreen Garland, Vice Mayor of the City of Tempe, Arizona, do hereby declare September 2025 as National Voter Registration Month and September 16th, 2025 as National Voter Registration Day in Tempe, Arizona.

So we will move on to item 2C, which is the Fannie McLaren proclamation.

I now recognize Councilmember Hodge to read a proclamation honoring Fanny McLaren.

Hello everyone.

Excuse me, Major Fanny Glyphin McLaren, um, and on August 21st.

She was actually born September 22nd, and she will be 105 years old on that date.

And I wanted just to tell her happy birthday and myself and the mayor, we went to uh a celebration for her.

Um, and let me read the proclamation.

Whereas Major Fanny Griffin McLaren stand is one of the one of the two last surviving members of the historical 688 Central Postal Director Batlan, famously known as the Trip of the 6th Triple A.

And whereas the 6 AAA was the first and only all African American woman unit of the war women's army corps to serve overseas during World War II, answering the call of duties as a critical time when over 17 million of pieces of mail had accumulated and leaving countless Americans and soldiers disconnected from homes and their loved ones.

And whereas, though the relentless declamation, courage, work tireless work, and processing over astonishing 65,000 pieces of mail per shift, the 6AA restored the hope and morale among our U.S.

troops, excellent exemplary services and patriotism.

And whereas, despite confronting racism, sexism, and segregation both at home and within the military, Major McLaren and her fellow members carried out their mission with um steadfast determination, dignity, and excellence.

And whereas Major Fanny Griffin McLaren, born in Louisiana on 1920, barely answered her her nation's call.

Oh no, excuse me, bravely answered her nation's call during World War II and continuing her trailblazing military career by re-enlisting in the Air Force, where she broke barriers as the first woman to command an all-male unit in the strategic air command.

And whereas Major McLaren's life and serve.

Happy birthday, and we honor you.

Thank you.

That is wonderful.

Thank you so much, Councilmember Hodge.

It's an honor to have her living in the city of Tempe and all the service that she and the other members did.

So thank you for reading that.

Item uh agenda item number three is a call to the audience.

This portion of the meeting is reserved for those wishing to speak on issue review session and committee of the whole items on this agenda.

Before we begin, I will review the protocol for public comment.

You may speak up for up to three minutes on matters appearing on the agenda.

Please begin by stating your name and city of residence for the record.