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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-07-01 City Council Regular Minutes P ., City of Apache Junction, Arizona Meeting location: Q, City Council Chambers z� at City Hall Meeting Minutes 300 E. Superstition Blvd r ply* Apache Junction,AZ City Council Meeting 85119 apachejunctionaz.gov Ph:(480)982-8002 Doors are open to the public at least 15 minutes prior to the posted meeting start time. Tuesday,July 1,2025 7:00 PM City Council Chambers A. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Wilson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. B. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Councilmember Heck gave the invocation and Councilmember Soller led the meeting attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance. C. ROLL CALL Present: 6- Mayor Wilson Vice Mayor Schroeder Councilmember Nesser Councilmember Heck Councilmember Johnson Councilmember Soller Excused: 1 - Councilmember Cross Staff in Attendance: Matt Busby, Assistant City Manager Evie McKinney, City Clerk Joel Stern, City Attorney Ryan Kaup, Economic Development Director Rob Wisler, Management Analyst Eli Richardson, Management Analyst Michael Pooley, Police Chief Emile Schmid, City Engineer Angelie Hawley, Finance Director Pam Harrison, Library Director Liz Langenbach, Parks& Recreation Director Anna McCray, Human Resources Director Maggi Quinn, Public Works Facilities Manager Trina Harrison, CIP Program Manager Larry Binion, Management Analyst Dave Butler, Parks Superintendent City of Apache Junction,Arizona Pagel City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes July 1,2025 D. CONSENT AGENDA Councilmember Soller moved,seconded by Councilmember Heck that the consent agenda be accepted as presented. Yes: 6- Mayor Wilson, Vice Mayor Schroeder, Councilmember Nesser, Councilmember Heck, Councilmember Johnson and Councilmember Soller No: 0 Excused: 1 - Councilmember Cross 1. 25-279 Consideration of acceptance of agenda. 2. 25-280 Consideration of approval of minutes of the special meeting of June 16, 2025. 3. 25-281 Consideration of approval of minutes of the regular meeting of June 17, 2025. 4. 25-299 Consideration of award of contract for IFB CDBG#107-25 to Low Mountain Construction for Superstition Shadows Park Improvements in the amount of $439,804.38 plus a 10% contingency for owner controlled change orders in the amount of$43,980.44 for a total project cost not to exceed $483,784.82. Work will include new playground equipment, playground shade, and aquatic center shade at Superstition Shadows Park and be fully funded by the CDBG-RA allocation. 5. 25-303 Acknowledge receipt of the Annual Report of the Apache Junction Public Library Board of Trustees for 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. 6. 25-312 Consideration of approval of the Final Plat for Radiance, Phase 1 B, Parcel 19.10, 19.11 & Model Complex. E. AWARDS, PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS 7. 25-304 Proclamation designating July 2025 as "National Parks and Recreation Month." Mayor Wilson read the proclamation designating July 2025, as"Parks and Recreation Month." He presented it to Parks and Recreation staff members. Parks and Recreation Director Liz Langenbach thanked Mayor and Council for recognizing them and stated the department will be celebrating all month with many activities. She shared a video showcasing events and programs Parks and Recreation offers, and some upcoming projects. F. REGIONAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL UPDATES 8. 25-282 Brief summary of intergovernmental updates from mayor and councilmembers. Mayor Wilson and Council attended the ribbon cutting for WW Clyde's new building. He explained they outgrew their original building and needed more space for their inside work area. He shared photos of the event and commented on the impressive facility. City of Apache Junction,Arizona Page 2 City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes July 1,2025 Councilmember Heck shared his gratitude for the Parks and Recreation department and all the hard work they do for the city. Councilmember Nesser commented on the WW Clyde ribbon cutting event and their decision to choose Apache Junction for their Southwest Regional Headquarters. G. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT 9. 25-283 City Manager's Report Assistant City Manager Matt Busby explained that City Manager Bryant Powell is out of town and he is filling in for him. He introduced Superstition Fire and Medical District Chief John Whitney and President of the Superstition chapter of the IAFF Local 2260 Cole Waddell. 10. 25-237 Presentation and discussion with SFMD Fire Chief John Whitney, and Colt Weddell, President, Superstition Firefighter's Chapter, IAFF Local 2260, regarding upcoming bond activity. Superstition Fire and Medical District Fire Chief John Whitney and President of the Superstition Chapter of the IAFF Local 2260 Cole Waddell presented information on their upcoming bond election for Proposition 494. Mr. Whitney gave the background of the Superstition Fire and Medical District and statistics for total incidents and response times. He shared the funding challenges they are currently facing and the need for this Proposition to be passed. Mr. Waddell explained the transparent public process, the high priority capital needs and election deadlines. The bond is for$33.8 million and the cost would be on average$.027 per$100.00 of the assessed limited property value for home owners. Councilmember concerns included the time frame to replace the capital items needed, what happens to retired vehicles, mail in ballots, and what the training facility will look like. Mr. Whitney and Mr. Waddell responded to all concerns. 11. 25-284 Announcement of Current Events Management Analyst Eli Richardson shared an upcoming event: 4th of July Celebration: July 4, 2025, Free Open Swim 9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. at Superstition Shadows Pool and Fireworks at 8:30 p.m. at Superstition Shadows Park, located at 1091 W. Southern Ave, Apache Junction. For more details please visit www.apachejunctionaz.gov/4thofjjuly. H. PUBLIC HEARINGS I. OLD BUSINESS J. NEW BUSINESS 12. 25-321 Presentation and discussion on award of contract for Classification and Compensation Study for the City of Apache Junction RFP#25-001. Human Resources Director Anna McCray presented that as part of the City's proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget, $150,000 is included for a comprehensive classification and City of Apache Junction,Arizona Page 3 City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes July 1,2025 compensation study. The City conducted a compensation study in 2023, and a comprehensive classification and compensation study in 2015. While compensation studies compare titles and pay to the market comparators, full classification and compensation studies provide a more in-depth review which includes job titles,job descriptions and duties, pay structure and policies, promotional guidelines, and benefits, relative to market comparators. It is best practice for an organization to regularly evaluate their classification and compensation programs to ensure market competitiveness, transparency and equity in how positions are defined, and employees are compensated. Specifically, these studies help the city to: • Ensure that positions are appropriately classified based on duties and job descriptions • Maintain market competitiveness in attracting and retaining quality employees • Outline clear career paths to incentivize employees to stay with the organization and strive for advancement • Promote equity by aligning roles, responsibilities, and compensation across like positions • Support transparency and consistency in pay practices,job descriptions, and promotional opportunities • Identify gaps and emerging trends in employee benefits that could enhance the City's overall value proposition as an employer A Request for Proposals (RFP)was issued on March 13, 2025, and closed on April 17, 2025. The City received eleven (11) responses, which were independently reviewed and scored by a cross departmental panel of City employees. Responses were received from: •AutoSolve Inc. -$97,125 • Evergreen Solutions LLC-$74,500 • Flaherty& Hood PA-$135,100 • Gallagher Benefit Services-$68,915 • HR Now Consulting- $84,750 • Logic Compensation Group- $145,250 • Management Impact Solutions-$155,546 • McGrath Human resources Group-$87,675 • Paypoint HR LLC-$92,750 • Public Sector Personnel Consultants Inc- $67,000 • Segal Group-$180,000 After the initial assessment, the following four(4)finalists were selected and interviewed: • Evergreen Solutions • Logic Compensation Group City of Apache Junction,Arizona Page 4 City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes July 1,2025 • Public Sector Personnel Consultants • McGrath Human Resources Group Following the interviews, the panel unanimously recommends awarding the contract to Public Sector Personnel Consultants Inc. (PSPC). PSPC submitted the lowest-cost proposal and was determined to be the most responsive vendor. The contract is for an amount not to exceed $67,000, which includes a two-year(2) survey update through 2027. The 2025 study will include.- -A comprehensive review of job titles,job duties, and pay across the City's nine designated comparator organizations •An assessment of the city's salary schedule structure, pay policies and promotional guidelines •A high-level review of total compensation to identify any competitive benefits the City may wish to consider that are not currently offered PSPC conducted the City's last compensation update in 2023, and the last full classification and compensation study in 2015, bringing valuable institutional knowledge and continuity to this next study. In addition, they are an Arizona based company that is very familiar with Arizona cities and towns. Councilmember Heck questioned if PSPC would provide an adequate service for this study as they were previously used. Ms. McCray responded with the reasons why PSPC was the clear choice. 13. 25-285 Presentation and discussion on the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) Contract Renewal and GPEC Board Recommendation for Fiscal Year 2025/26. Economic Development Director Ryan Kaup presented that the City of Apache Junction and 21 other communities contract with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) on an annual basis to receive regional economic development services. The City of Apache Junction has partnered with GPEC for the previous 17 years. Key benefits of this partnership include prospect generation, marketing, and research analysis. As part of the City partnership with GPEC, Economic Development staff participate in regional economic development activities, including responding to GPEC originated business attraction prospects and assisting with the formulation of an Action Plan. Staff also participates in the Economic Development Directors Team (EDDT) and attends strategic sales missions with GPEC staff. The annual contract amount for GPEC is based on the State of Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity's 2024 population estimate for Apache Junction (41,643) multiplied by a fixed City of Apache Junction,Arizona Page 5 City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes July 1,2025 amount per capita ($.4897). The City's contracted rate for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 is thus $20,392.00. During the previous fiscal year, Economic Development staff responded to six (6) Requests for Proposals (RFPs) generated by GPEC for new companies considering the Greater Phoenix region. These RFP's provided Apache Junction the opportunity to compete for projects with the potential to: •Add up to 4,400 jobs • Build/absorb up to 1.5M square feet of industrial space • Invest more than $11.8B in capital expenditures Looking ahead, Economic Development staff is focused on bringing more speculative industrial space to Apache Junction, which will give the community a better opportunity to land GPEC originated projects. As a reminder, most industrial companies moving to the region will select a building already completed or under construction. Additionally, Apache Junction is in a strong position with the State Land along both the US60 and State Route 24, which will give our community the opportunity to get more looks from "build-to-suit" projects looking for large land sites, as other East Valley cities continue to approach buildout. Councilmember Peter Heck has served on the GPEC Board of Directors for the previous three (3) years. In Fiscal Year 2025-2026, this seat will be transitioned to Councilmember Bambi Johnson with the first quarterly board meeting taking place on September 18th, 2025. Vice Mayor Schroeder asked about the leads that have been received from GPEC. Mr. Kaup responded with the types of leads that have been received. Senior Vice President of Business Development for GPEC Brad Smidt presented the background, services they provide, Fiscal Year 2025 overview and current projects in the area. He also went over the community benefits report. Councilmember Heck inquired the reasons Apache Junction has not been chosen for many projects that went to other neighboring cities. Mr. Smidt responded with the various reasons why Apache Junction may have not been considered. Vice Mayor Schroeder shared his concern for continuing with GPEC when the City has not benefited from any projects with them. City of Apache Junction,Arizona Page 6 City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes July 1,2025 14. 25-309 Presentation and discussion on approval of agreements for on-call engineering services between the City of Apache Junction and various consultants for a term of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, in an amount not to exceed$300,000.00. City Engineer Emile Schmid presented that the City has used professional services agreements for on-call engineering services since July 2022. The purpose of the on-call consultants is to improve responsiveness, provide flexibility and minimize delays. The professional services agreements are due to expire on June 30, 2025. Engineering staff would like to amend the current on-call agreements of the consultant list below and add an additional year of engineering services. The term of the amended agreement will be July 1, 2025,through June 30, 2026. Service Area 1: General Civil Engineering Burgess& Niple, Inc. Carollo Engineers, Inc. EPS Group, Inc. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. Strand Associates, Inc. T.Y. Lin International, Inc. Service Area 2: General Survey Services Entellus, Inc. Wood/Patel &Associates, Inc. Service Area 3: Geotechnical Ninyo&Moore Geotechnical and Environmental Sciences Consultants, Inc. Speedie&Associates, LLC Councilmembers has no concerns. 15. 25-314 Presentation and discussion on approval of agreements for Job Order Contracting services between the City of Apache Junction and various trade service contractors for projects ranging from $2,500.00 to$500,000.00 each, not to exceed $1,000,000.00 each year. Parks and Recreation Director Liz Langenbach presented that to explore more diversified, streamlined methods of procuring contractor services, the City issued Request for Qualification (RFQ) 25TS-001 Job Order Contracting (JOC)for Trade Services. Statement of Qualifications(SOQs) were due on May 7th, 2025, and the city received SOQs from eight(8)firms across thirteen (13) categories. These were ranked by a panel that included city staff, a state registered technician and a state licensed contractor(the last two (2) required by state law). The City ranked and selected a maximum of three (3)firms for each category. The City chose not to award any categories that received only one (1) respondent. City of Apache Junction,Arizona Page 7 City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes July 1,2025 The Job Order Contract(JOC) method of delivery is allowed within state law and within our procurement code. It allows for a quicker turnaround time for receiving proposals and starting construction projects. The City often piggybacks on other municipal/county/state JOCs, but this is the first attempt to have our own. If awarded, each firm will enter into a Master Agreement for each category they were awarded, for a term of one(1) year, with the City's option to renew for a maximum of two(2) more years. Each project(Work Order) under these agreements may range from $2,500 to $500,000 per contractor; however,the total of all Work Orders may not exceed $1,000,000 per contractor, within the one (1) year term. Recommendation: Staff respectfully recommend award of contract within the following categories: General Construction: CGON Inc. Scholz Contracting Willmeng Framing & Drywall: AR Mays Willmeng Painting,Wall Covering, &Repair: AR Mays Builders Guild Willmeng Flooring: AR Mays Willmeng Doors, Door Hardware&Access Control: AR Mays Willmeng Electrical: PLG, LLC Willmeng Concrete,Asphalt&Repairs: Scholz Contracting Willmeng City of Apache Junction,Arizona Page 8 City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes July 1,2025 Landscape S Hardscape: Scholz Contracting Willmeng Mass Grading, Haul Off, Dump Services, Tractor Work: Scholz Contracting Willmeng Councilmember Johnson asked if the funds for this agreement were part of the approved budget. Ms. Langenbach responded that this is part of the approved budget. Vice Mayor Schroeder inquired about the categories that received no response and if the existing contractors will not be used any longer. He also stated the companies on the approved agreement should be used and not existing contractors that did not go through the process. Ms. Langenbach responded to all inquiries. 16. 25-315 Presentation and discussion on approval of agreements for Job Order Contracting services between the City of Apache Junction and various general construction contractors for projects ranging from $500,000.00 to $5,000,000.00. Parks and Recreation Director Liz Langenbach presented that to explore more diversified, streamlined methods of procuring contractor services, the City issued a Request for Qualification (RFQ) 25GC-001 Job Order Contracting (JOC)for General Contracting Services. JOC method of delivery is allowed within state law and within our procurement code. It allows for a quicker turnaround time for receiving proposals and starting construction projects. The City often piggybacks on other municipal/county/state JOCs, but this is the first attempt to have our own. Statements of Qualification (SOQ's)were due on May 7th, 2025, and the city received SOQ;s from eighteen (18)firms. These were ranked by a panel that included City staff, a state registered technician and a state licensed contractor(the last two (2) required by state law). The following eighteen (18)firms submitted SOQ's: A.R. Mays Construction Brycon Builders Guild Inc. Caliente Construction Co. City of Apache Junction,Arizona Page 9 City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes July 1,2025 Chasse Building Team Core Construction Danson Construction Econosmart Property Services GCON Inc. Haydon Companies LLC Hunter Contracting Co. KBE Building Corporation Lloyd Construction Co. SDB Ccontracting Services Sharp Construction Sun Eagle Corporation Valley Rain Construction Corp. Willmeng The panel ranked and selected five (5)firms for placement on the General Contracting JOC list. The firms were evaluated based on their statement of qualifications and their strength/experience. The panel selected firms that would be best suited to the various types of projects the City will have over the next few years. The highest ranked firms are as follows, in order of rank: 1. Chasse Building Team 2. Hunter Contracting Co. 3. Haydon Companies LLC 4. Caliente Construction Co. 5. Willmeng Recommendation: Parks and Recreation staff respectfully request City Council consider award to the above five (5) highest ranked firms. If awarded, each firm will enter into a Master Agreement for a term of one(1)year, with the City's option to renew for a maximum of two (2) more years. Each project (Work Order) under these agreements may range from $500,000 to$5,000,000 per contractor. Vice Mayor Schroeder commented on the great job with the structure of the agreements. Councilmember Johnson asked about the liability insurance amount listed on the agreements and if a performance bond would need to be added for the higher price projects. City Attorney Joel Stern and Ms. Langenbach responded. K. COUNCIL DIRECTION TO STAFF City of Apache Junction,Arizona Page 10 City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes July 1,2025 L. SELECTION OF MEETING DATES, TIMES, LOCATIONS, AND PURPOSES M. CALL TO PUBLIC There were no Call to Public speakers. N. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Wilson adjourned the meeting at 8:42 p.m. ACCEPTED THIS_16-A DAYOF G/ /� 2025, BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF APACHE JUNCTIO , ARIZONA. �4� SIGNED AND ATTESTED TO THIS P DAY OF ' 2025. cc r `( �)4ioltf WALTER"CHIP"WILSON Mayor ATTEST: EVIE MCKINNEY City Clerk City of Apache Junction,Arizona Page 11