OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Tempe City Council Work Study Session — May 18, 2026: Youth Commission, Human Services Funding, Water Resources

City Council — Monday, May 18, 2026
BodyTempe, Arizona
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, May 18, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 52:54
Transcript — Verbatim
0:08

Good afternoon, everyone.

0:09

Welcome to the Tempe City Council work study session.

0:12

Item number one is call to order.

0:14

Council meetings can be watched in real time via Cox Cable Channel 11 and at Tempe.gov slash Tempe11.

0:20

Members of the public may also attend the meeting virtually through Microsoft Teams.

0:24

Next up, item number two, announcements from the mayor and or city manager.

0:29

Madam City Manager, any announcements this afternoon.

0:32

Not this evening or not this afternoon, Mr.

0:34

Mayor.

0:34

Thank you.

0:35

Sounds good.

0:36

Well, thank you so much.

0:37

That will bring me to item uh two A for myself, which is the Experience Corps 20 Year Celebration Proclamation.

0:44

So if there's members of our community health and human services staff, along with our experience core volunteers, if you'd like to join me up front.

1:10

How are you?

1:15

How are you?

1:16

Wonderful.

1:16

I'm just the guy that gets the microphone.

1:17

How are you?

1:18

I know none of us look old enough to be honest.

1:20

I was gonna I was actually gonna say that, so you know.

1:23

Oh, come here.

1:27

Hello.

1:28

How are you?

1:30

Hi, Darry.

1:33

All right.

1:40

Did you call me an Opalumpa?

1:44

I've been called worse.

1:46

Um, my goodness.

1:51

Look, I've been enduring short jokes my entire life.

1:54

So why should why should today be any different?

1:56

I'm just kidding.

1:57

All right, this proclamation reads, whereas the city of Tempe is proud to recognize our AARP Foundation Experience Corps program for 20 years of supporting students to strengthen their reading skills.

2:09

And whereas strong partnerships with AARP, the Tempe Elementary and Kyrie School Districts and Tempe families have enabled us to serve more than 5,700 students.

2:19

And whereas more than 450 dedicated volunteers have helped students across Tempe reach grade level reading benchmarks, which is a critical milestone for future academic success.

2:29

And whereas volunteers not only help students build early literacy skills, but also grow critical social and emotional skills that they need for successful learning now and later in life.

2:40

And whereas Tempe Experience Corps is ending the school year on another high note with a hundred and thirty amazing volunteers serving about 400 students at 16 schools.

2:50

And whereas the City of Tempe would like to thank all of our partners and volunteers who have helped build a strong legacy of school success and giving back to the community.

2:58

Now therefore I, Corey Woods, Mayor of the City of Tempe, Arizona, do hereby declare May 4th, 2026 as Tempe Experience Corps 20th anniversary in Tempe, Arizona.

3:13

And now the most important question is, of course, who gets the proclamation?

3:19

Oh, I see.

3:22

There it is, there we go.

3:37

I'll come join Barry.

4:14

All right.

4:15

Now, item two B, 2026 community survey.

4:19

I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge and encourage our residents to participate in the City of Tempe's 2026 community survey.

4:26

At the City of Tempe, we value the partnership and input of our community, and hearing directly from residents helps us better understand our needs and the priorities and concerns of the people that we serve.

4:36

So beginning this June 1st, which is right around the corner, surveys will be mailed to residences throughout Tempe.

4:43

The survey will remain open through August 1st, and residents can return their completed survey using the enclosed purchase uh postage paid envelope.

4:51

Residents also have the option to complete the survey online by visiting Tempe.gov/slash surveys or by scanning the QR code included on the printed survey.

4:59

Participation in the survey is important because the results help guide City Council decisions on key services and programs that impact our community every day.

5:08

This includes public safety, parks and recreation, economic development, code enforcement, and other essential community services.

5:15

We encourage all residents to take a few moments to complete the survey and share your feedback, your voice matters, and your input helps shape the future of the city of Tempe.

5:25

So that brings me next up here.

5:26

Before we move into the call to the audience portion of the meeting, I want to take a moment to address campaign related activity, especially as we are now in the 2026 election season for one more day.

5:36

City council meetings are open to the public and are a vital form for civic engagement.

5:40

We welcome all individuals, including candidates, to speak on matters of public concern during the public comment portion of the meeting.

5:47

However, because this is an official city council meeting that is both televised and live streamed using city resources.

5:53

We ask all candidates, including any current council members, to refrain from electioneering or campaign related activity while participating in this meeting.

6:01

That means no discussing your candidacy, asking for votes or signatures, or displaying campaign materials such as signs, t-shirts, or literature while speaking.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Community Engagement████████████████████████████████32%
Procedural████████████████████████24%
Water And Wastewater Management██████████████████████22%
Youth Programs█████████████13%
Public Engagement█████5%
Mental Health Awareness████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Tempe City Council Work Study Session — May 18, 2026

The Tempe City Council held a work study session on May 18, 2026, from 12:15 PM to 4:56 PM. The agenda included a proclamation for the AARP Experience Corps 20th anniversary, a presentation on the 2026 community survey, updates from the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Commission, the Tempe Community Council’s human services funding recommendations for fiscal year 2026-27, and an informational briefing on Tempe’s water resources. Council also received status reports from eight subcommittees. No public comments were made at either public comment period.

Proclamations & Announcements

  • Mayor Corey Woods read a proclamation declaring May 4, 2026 as Tempe Experience Corps 20th Anniversary. The program has served more than 5,700 students with over 450 volunteers; currently 130 volunteers serve about 400 students at 16 schools.
  • The Mayor encouraged residents to participate in the 2026 Community Survey, mailed to Tempe households June 1–August 1, 2026, with results guiding council decisions on public safety, parks, economic development, code enforcement, and other services.
  • The Mayor reminded all attendees, including candidates, to refrain from electioneering or campaign activity during the meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public signed up to speak at either public comment period.

Discussion Items

Mayor’s Youth Advisory Commission (MIAC) Update and Recommendations

  • MIAC Chair Tal Al Shatri, Vice Chair Glossal Matt Lim, and member Braden Casneda presented the commission’s annual report. MIAC, established in 1980, includes up to 30 high school students from Tempe. They highlighted activities: participation in ASU Project Cities on Tempe’s 2050 vision, Tempe Youth Talks, a Youth Resource Fair, and a mental health resource fair in collaboration with Councilmember Hodge.
  • Survey results from four subcommittees:
    • Mental Health: 46% of respondents perceive a stigma around mental health (down from 87% last year). Recommendation: provide more youth mental health training for adults and parents.
    • Civic Engagement & Social Justice: 93% of respondents experienced discrimination (most often in schools). Recommendation: provide DEI education sessions and sensitivity training for youth.
    • Community Safety & Social Justice: 46% reported unsafe driving affected their lives. Recommendation: implement accessible driver education programs in all Tempe high schools.
    • Sustainability & Environmental Justice: Respondents most concerned about climate change; want more accessible information on community sustainability efforts.
  • Council members praised the commission’s work, noting the students brought solutions along with concerns. Councilmember Baraj offered to help strengthen collaboration with Tempe Elementary and Kyrene school districts.

Tempe Community Council (TCC) – Human Services Funding Recommendations for FY 2026-27

  • Tim Birch (interim executive director) and Jacob Butchery (Community Impact Committee chair) presented the annual agency review process. The process aligns with council priority 3.10 and uses a community needs assessment conducted by ASU’s Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center.
  • Key process changes: Agencies applied directly to address prioritized needs (e.g., food pantries, vouchers). Unified outcome, efficiency, and quality measures were adopted. Extra points given for deep collaborations and for addressing high-priority needs.
  • Budget: $1,136,000 allocated ($1,100,000 from general fund, $30,000 from Together Tempe water bill donations, $3,500 from direct donations, $2,500 from healthy giving campaign).
  • Applications: 71 applications from 63 agencies totaling nearly $2.9 million requested (highest ever). After blind scoring and consensus meetings, 35 programs across 27 agencies are recommended for funding. Agencies scoring above 90 were fully funded; those scoring 75–90 received partial funding (72–83% of requested amount). Three first-time programs and two collaborative projects were funded.
  • The Community Impact Committee will conduct site visits and quarterly reviews. Councilmember Bramberg noted she missed participating in agency review; the presenters explained that written Q&A replaced interviews to improve equity.

Tempe Water Resources Presentation

  • Public Works Director Tara Ford and Deputy Director Craig Caggiano presented an overview of Tempe’s water portfolio and the impact of Colorado River shortages.
  • Tempe’s water supply is 90% renewable surface water from Salt River Project (SRP). Population has increased 12% since 2015, but water demand decreased 20% due to conservation and land-use changes.
  • For non-SRP demands (pink areas on map), Tempe relies on Central Arizona Project (CAP) water, long-term storage credits, and Roosevelt Dam New Conservation Space (NCS). The Kyrene Water Reclamation Facility rehabilitation (completing late 2027) will produce reclaimed water for storage or exchange.
  • Under three planning scenarios for 2027 (from status quo to zero CAP supplies), Tempe maintains sufficient supplies to meet demands. Current drought stage is 0 (Watch).
  • Councilmember Adams asked how many years of supply Tempe has; staff confirmed a 100-year supply. Councilmember Bramberg emphasized the regional importance of the Colorado River issue even though Tempe is well-positioned.

Subcommittee Status Updates

Council received updates from eight subcommittees (details provided for upcoming meetings):

  • Animal Welfare & Cruelty: reviewing contracts; next meeting in a few weeks.
  • Community Engagement & Connection: next meeting May 21, 4 PM at Tempe Public Library.
  • Drink Spiking Education & Prevention: no update.
  • Federal & State Advocacy Review: next meeting May 22, 11 AM at City Hall.
  • Mixed Use Space: next meeting June 8, 1 PM at City Hall.
  • Motorized & Electric Mobility Device: meeting to be scheduled next week.
  • Revitalization of Tempe Town Lake: meeting likely late June.
  • Tempe Term Limits Policy Review: no update.

Key Outcomes

  • No formal votes were taken; all items were informational or received for consideration.
  • The MIAC annual report and recommendations were acknowledged; council expressed support and will use the findings to guide future youth-related policies.
  • The TCC funding recommendations were presented; council thanked the volunteers and staff. The recommendations will be acted upon at a future regular meeting to authorize funding distribution.
  • The water resources briefing was received; council noted the proactive planning and encouraged continued communication with residents.
  • The next scheduled work study session will be Thursday, June 11, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the Tempe City Council work study session. Item number one is call to order. Council meetings can be watched in real time via Cox Cable Channel 11 and at Tempe.gov slash Tempe11. Members of the public may also attend the meeting virtually through Microsoft Teams. Next up, item number two, announcements from the mayor and or city manager. Madam City Manager, any announcements this afternoon. Not this evening or not this afternoon, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. Sounds good. Well, thank you so much. That will bring me to item uh two A for myself, which is the Experience Corps 20 Year Celebration Proclamation. So if there's members of our community health and human services staff, along with our experience core volunteers, if you'd like to join me up front. How are you? How are you? Wonderful. I'm just the guy that gets the microphone. How are you? I know none of us look old enough to be honest. I was gonna I was actually gonna say that, so you know. Oh, come here. Hello. How are you? Hi, Darry. All right. Did you call me an Opalumpa? I've been called worse. Um, my goodness. Look, I've been enduring short jokes my entire life. So why should why should today be any different? I'm just kidding. All right, this proclamation reads, whereas the city of Tempe is proud to recognize our AARP Foundation Experience Corps program for 20 years of supporting students to strengthen their reading skills. And whereas strong partnerships with AARP, the Tempe Elementary and Kyrie School Districts and Tempe families have enabled us to serve more than 5,700 students. And whereas more than 450 dedicated volunteers have helped students across Tempe reach grade level reading benchmarks, which is a critical milestone for future academic success. And whereas volunteers not only help students build early literacy skills, but also grow critical social and emotional skills that they need for successful learning now and later in life. And whereas Tempe Experience Corps is ending the school year on another high note with a hundred and thirty amazing volunteers serving about 400 students at 16 schools. And whereas the City of Tempe would like to thank all of our partners and volunteers who have helped build a strong legacy of school success and giving back to the community. Now therefore I, Corey Woods, Mayor of the City of Tempe, Arizona, do hereby declare May 4th, 2026 as Tempe Experience Corps 20th anniversary in Tempe, Arizona. And now the most important question is, of course, who gets the proclamation? Oh, I see. There it is, there we go. I'll come join Barry. All right. Now, item two B, 2026 community survey. I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge and encourage our residents to participate in the City of Tempe's 2026 community survey. At the City of Tempe, we value the partnership and input of our community, and hearing directly from residents helps us better understand our needs and the priorities and concerns of the people that we serve. So beginning this June 1st, which is right around the corner, surveys will be mailed to residences throughout Tempe. The survey will remain open through August 1st, and residents can return their completed survey using the enclosed purchase uh postage paid envelope. Residents also have the option to complete the survey online by visiting Tempe.gov/slash surveys or by scanning the QR code included on the printed survey.

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