HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-05-16 City Council Regular Minutes g ArizonaCity of Apache Junction, Meeting location:
City Council Chambers
at City Hall
Meeting Minutes
300 E.Superstition Blvd
" Apache Junction,AZ
City Council Meeting 8 119
apachejuncticnaz:gov
Ph.(480) -8 02
Tuesday,May 16,2023 7:00 PM City Council Chambers
A. CALL TO ORDER
Vice Mayor Schroeder called the meeting to order at 7x 9 p.m.
Mayor Wilson participated by phone.
B. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Councilmember Heck gave the invocation and Counciftnernber Soifer led the meeting attendees i
the Pledge of Allegiance.
C. ROLL _ L
Presents 7- Mayor t iz cin
Vice Mayor Schroeder
Councilrnember Nesser
Cnuncliember Heck
Councilmem er Johnson
Councileer Criss
Cauncilmember Soifer
City Staff in Attendance:
Bryant Powell,City Manager
Matt Busby,Assistant City Manager
Joel Stern,City Attorney
Yvette McKinney,Acting City Clerk
Al Bravo, Public Information Officer
Rudy Esquivias, Development Services Director
Ted Wolf, Public Works Director
Liz Langen ach, Parks and Recreation Director
Leslie DeReche, Finance Director
Sidney Urias, Interim Planning Manager
D. CONSENT AGENDA
C uncil►nember Cress moved,seconded by C uncilrnernber Soifer to approve the consent
agenda.
Yes: 7- Mayor VVi on, Vine Mayor Schroeder, Councils ember Nasser,
Co ncilrt ember Fleck, Cou cilmem er Johnson. C unci member Criss and
Counciimember olter
No: C}
1. 23-272 Consideration of acceptance of agenda.
City of Apache Junction,Arizona Fagg 1
City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes May 16,2023
, 23-292 Consideration of approval of minutes of the special meeting of May 1,2023,
23-272 Consideration of approval of minutes of the regular meeting of May 2,2023.
. 3-2 Consideration of approval of Resolution Nos. 2 -14,and 23-15, Resolutions
of the Mayorand City Council of the City of Apache Junction,Arizona,
designating Leslie DeReche as Chief Fiscal Officer for officially submitting
and certifying the accuracy of fiscal years 2021 and 2023 expenditure
limitation reports to the Arizona Auditor General.
. 23-28a Consideration of approval for an Affidavit of Correction for five(5)previously
approved final plats( - 3-11),
AWARDS, PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
6. 23-204 A Proclamation designating the week of May21st through May 27th,2023,
as"Public Works Meek."Ted Wolff, Director of Public Works,will be in
attendance to accept the Proclamation.
Vice Mayor Schroeder read the proclamation designating May 21 at through May 27th,2023,as
Public Works Week and presented it to Public Works Director Ted Wolf,
INTERGOVERNMENTALF. REGIONAL
7. 23274 rief summary of intergovernmental updates from mayor and
councilmemers.
ouncilmember Cross announced his attendance at the ribbon cutting ceremony that occurred
at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport for DSV. DSV is the world's third largest freight
forwarder and recently signed a 39-month lease with the Phoenix-Mesa Airport Authority for a
22,000-square-foot hangar that will function as a makeshift terminal for processing cargo
moving on large freighter aircraft, DSV has engaged Cargolux and Atlas Air to provide
dedicated transport utilizing Boeing 77 cargo jets.
argolux will begin weekly scheduled service from Luxembourg on June 5. Tentative plans call
for Atlas Air to deliver cargo from Hong Kong and Taipei,Taiwan„to Phoenix-Mesa starting
sometime in July, but final routing decisions are still being worked out.
G. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
8. 23,275 CityManager's Report.
City Manager Bryant Powell stated the riff-lush dog park will reopen this week. During the
seasonal change from winter grass to summer grass and summer to winter grass the park will
close to give it time to rejuvenate from all the use and to adjust to the seasonal change and
give the seasonal grass time to fill in.They also installed the Dry Well.
e recognized the many employees that work hard to keep the city streets clears,save and
traffic flowing with the resources they are allocated. It is a significant responsibility.
City of ache Junction,Arizona Page
City council Meeting Meeting Minutes May 16,262
9. - 6 announcement of Current Events,
Public Information Officer Al Bravo stated Mayor Wilson wished to announce they have had
three meetings with the states congressional delegation.Most recently Congressman Biggs
was present to hear the City's issues, ideas and proposals to address the severe flooding that
occurs throughout the city related to the Weeks flash area.The city has discussed and
devised a flood control project with a plan to mitigate the extensive damage caused by this
flooding.This would be a significant project that would need several partners to include
Maricope and Pinal County Flood Control,the state of Arizona and federal assistance.'
He announced tomorrow morning,May 17th, is the Police Memorial Ceremony that will take
place across from the police station:
The Superstition VistasMulti-model Transportation Planning Study will Bold a virtual meeting
Thursday, June 1st at :00 p,m.This is the next phase of the transportation area study.This
will look at transportation issues and will include the area south of US 60 and include areas of
Queen Creek, Mesa and Apache Junction.You can register for the Zoom meeting at:
https 11bi.ty/440fmd4.
The`Books and Brews book club meets on the third"Thursday of the month through October
from 6:30-6.00 p.m: at the Handlebar Puke and Grill.There is a 10%discount off food and
drinks:
e reminded everyone to check out the city`s homepage and the calendar for happenings
around the city,
Councilm tuber Soller stated there was a wreath placed at the Washington CC service for
Officer Russell Lowell Duncan who was killed in the line of duty while working for Apache
Junction on November g; 193 .
H. PUBLIC HEARINGS
BUSINESS OLD BUSINESS
J. NEW
. 23-289 Presentation and discussion of Rodeo Grounds purchase,
Parks and Recreation Director Liz uangenbach provided the City Council with an update on the
purchase of the rodeo grounds. She stated the city acquired the use of the rodeo grounds
through a parks and public use agreement in 1986 from the Bureau of band Management
L . It is one of four leased properties the city has, In 2020 the city entered into an
agreement to pursue the process of purchasing this property from the SL ;under this type of
lease, it does not allow any for profit events or commercial events like concerts.
The Bureau of Land Management conducted a survey on the value of the land,excluding the
value of the improvements the city had made, The purchase is only for the 20 acres within the
fenced area of the rodeo grounds. They tried to purchase more acreage, but that acreage is
tied to the Prospector Park lease,which would require a new acquisition process. The
third-party appraiser valued the land at and the city paid$1,4 million.The city will still be able to
use all the remaining area for parking, but the city cannot make money for parking,
City o APache Junction,Arizona Page
City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes May 16,2023
That money is to be re-invested into Prospector Park.
Final title and ownership documents should be received by mid June. The next steps in the
coating year include planning sessions so future events are successful and with minimal
hiccups.They have been visiting other rodeo grounds and parks in other cities especially the
Queen Creek facility. Over the next year matters to be addressed include review and update of
the city's meter plan for the parks which was done in 206, design review, evaluating
electricity for the vendor area and updating and increasing water lines:_This will be a public
process to include several user groups.
These changes will take time, but once the city is the official owner, it can rent and utilize the
property to bring in extra funds to aid with those upgrades.
s. Langenbach then reviewed the fees adopted by city council for use of the rodeo grounds.
She responded to questions from city council.
Councilmember Nesser would like to see the city look into purchasing more land from the SL
including the parking lot and land affiliated with Prospector Park.
LOCATIONS,K. COUNCIL DIRECTION TO STAFF
L. SELECTION OF MEETING DATES, TIMES,
AND PURPOSES
M. CALL T ...
O PUBLIC
Gail Evans,913 South Del Rio Court,Apache Junction, addressed council representing the
Community Development Corporation.The Corporation is a 501(C) )volunteer organization
that works on city projects and also works very closely with the city's code compliance division;
They help with city projects such as the memorial bricks and Make a Difference Day.They
help residents who are struggling with code compliance violations and clean up properties to
help them avoid going to court and being issued fines,She thanked the council and the Health
and Human Services Commission for their support and funds,and the AJ Mounted Rangers for
their donation to help with their youth project.
She wanted to share two significant projects the CDC worked on last year.One was to help an
elderly man who#s wheelchair ramp was destroyed when a large Saguaro cactus crashed down
on it during a severe storm, She wanted to recognize Urias Strickler,from the NextDoor apg
who spent several days building the ramp; Another individual, Pon Crow donated his John
Deere Front loader to the CDC.It needs a little work,and they have a volunteer for the labor,
they are looking for donations to purchase needed parts.
She wanted to recognize so many of these volunteers and those who go unrecognized for their
generosity.
W ADJOURNMENT
Vice Mayor Schroeder adjourned the meeting at 7:40 p,rn.
ACCEPTED THIS DAY OF 2023,BY THE MAYOR AMC CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION,ARI ONA.
City of Apache Junction,Arizona Pape
City Council Meeting Meeting Minutes May 16,2023
SIGNED AND ATTESTED TO THIS DAY 3 �'" �t � 202,1
ALT F "CH " I CII
Mayor
ATTES
City Clem
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the
regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Apache Junction,Arizona, held on the
day of 202 . I f irther certify that the rr eeting was
duly called and held and that a quorum was present
Dated this day of t , ._,202 .
JENNIF RA
City ClerkV
City of Apache Junction,Arizona Page