Welcome to the Tempe City Council work study session meeting.

Item of what is called 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.

The City of Tempe is now using the open meeting management system for city council meetings, which includes electronic speaker sign up.

If you would like to speak on one of the committee of the whole items on this afternoon's work study session agenda, you may use your smartphone camera to scan the QR code displayed on the monitors or signs in the council chambers.

Select the available meeting, select call to the audience, and enter your name and city and state of residence to submit your request to speak.

If you need assistance signing up, please see one of the designated staff members at the back of the council chambers who can enter the information for you.

If you submitted the city's online comment card before the meeting and requested to speak, you do not need to sign up again.

Your name has already been added to the speaker queue.

So thank you for welcoming this new system and this sort of new thing of the city of Tempe, which brings me to item number two announcements for the mayor and or city manager.

I'm gonna first look to our city manager, Madam City Manager.

Thank you, Mayor.

No announcements.

Okay, thank you so much.

Uh I've got some announcements here myself, which I guess we're probably gonna go ahead and do in the front.

I want to say to all the council, as you see, we've got a few things here, including the vote hats.

Uh so I think we're gonna try to put these hats on for the purpose of this uh National Voter Registration Day proclamation.

So if you would don your hats and then join me up front.

You can't do this at the end.

I took a long time to do my hair.

Okay.

Councilmember Garland, I also took a long time to do my hair.

Okay.

The sacrifice of the country is happening.

All right here.

Exactly.

All right.

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

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

And whereas in supporting this mission, we recognize the need for diverse partners, such as nonprofits, libraries, businesses, colleges and universities, and others to work at 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 Americans' active participation in elections and the integrity of electoral processes.

And whereas by recognizing National Voter Registration Month, we are committed to joining national efforts to support voter registration and civic participation in elections throughout the month of September.

And whereas National Voter Registration Day, observed annually on the third Thursday of every September, serves third Tuesday, I should say, 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, Corey Woods, mayor of the city of Tempe, Arizona, do hereby declare September 2026 as National Voter Registration Month in Tempe, Arizona.

Here we go.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

If you want to say the next proclamation here is for Ovarian Care Uh Cancer Awareness Month.

So if anyone wants to join me there, welcome to, or you can go back up.

All right.

So I would like to invite here, let's see, Rachel Sackett and Andrea Falsetto to join me up here, and they're right next to me.

If I would actually turn around.

I always talk about every year how this one's very important to me because my mother died of ovarian cancer on June on January 4th of 2012.

So this one is always uh one of the ones that I really get a very emotional reading, so forgive me if I stop a little bit a couple times.

So this one reads, whereas ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the United States, and the American Cancer Society estimates that in 2026, approximately 21,010 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and 12,450 will die from the disease nationwide, including an estimated 510 new cases and 330 deaths in Arizona.

And whereas the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer is approximately one in ninety-one, and the lifetime risk of dying from the disease is approximately one in one hundred and forty-three.

And whereas, although the five-year survival rate for stage one ovarian cancer exceeds ninety percent, only 15% of cases are diagnosed at this early stage due to vague, nonspecific symptoms and the absence of a reliable early detection test, meaning that the majority of women are diagnosed at stage three or later when the cancer has already spread beyond the ovaries.

And whereas, while screening tools such as mammograms and PAP tests exist for breast cancer and cervical cancers, no equivalent screening test exists for ovarian cancer, making awareness of symptoms and risk factors essential for early intervention.

And whereas increased public education about ovarian cancer can help save lives by promoting earlier diagnosis, supporting access to gynecologic oncology care, and encouraging research funding for better detection and treatment options.

And whereas during this month, the city of Tempe joins all those affected by ovarian affected by ovarian cancer, those currently battling, those who have lost their lives, their families and caregivers, and our dedicated health care professionals in raising awareness, promoting education, and fostering hope for earlier diagnoses, improved treatments, and ultimately a cure.

Now, therefore, I, Corey Woods, Mayor of the City of Tempe, Arizona do hereby declare September 2026 as ovarian cancer awareness month in Tempe, Arizona.

All right, so before we move into the call to the audience, I want to take a moment to address campaign-related activity ahead of the upcoming Tempe Special Election on November 3rd.

City Council meetings are open to the public and are a vital forum for civic engagement.

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

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

We ask everyone, including members of the city council, to refrain from electioneering or campaign-related activity during the meeting.

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

Thank you for helping us maintain the integrity and neutrality of our public meetings.

Once again, uh two guidelines for conduct at City Council meetings are on the table near the entrance for those in attendance at tonight's meeting.