Phoenix City Council Formal Meeting - August 27, 2025

Today is Wednesday, August 27th. Thank
you for joining us. We'll begin with an
invocation from Police Chaplain Harry
Ston.
Madam, Madame Mayor, honorable council
members, ladies and gentlemen, my prayer
today is in view of the promise from
Philippians 4 6 and 7 that says, "Do not
be anxious about anything, but in every
situation by prayer and petition with
thanksgiving present your requests to
God." Let us pray.
Oh God, we thank you for your servants
here in the city of Phoenix and we ask
for your continued blessing and
protection in all that they do.
We beseech you, Lord, that you grant
this council wisdom as they seek to
serve others.
We thank you that even though we have
our own idea of how our life should
look, often setting out according to our
plans, your ultimate purpose prevails.
God, we ask that you prompt us when we
set out to make plans that we make them
according to your will and not our own.
We ask that you remind us to come
alongside you as we surrender every
detail to fulfill your greater purpose.
Please align our hearts with yours, our
ideas with yours, and our will with
yours. For your ways are higher than
ours, and your plans are greater than
ours, and nothing is impossible with
you.
Lord, lead us every step of the way. We
thank you for your bounty and your grace
and your mercy. Amen.
Thank you, chaplain. Please join me in
the pledge of allegiance. I pledge
allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic
for which it stands, one nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
Thank you again, chaplain. And now we're
going to pause for a moment of silence
to consider
those young people who have been victims
of violence, particularly school-based
violence in our own community and this
morning in Minnesota. And I'll turn to
Councilwoman Guardado for a few words.
Thank you, mayor. We are deeply saddened
by the loss of one of our own Mville
High School students, Michael Mononttoya
II, who tragically passed away last
week. In honor of his memory and
everyone else and in support of all of
those who are grieving, we ask that you
please join us in a moment of silence.
Let us take this moment to reflect, to
remember, and to keep Michael and
everyone else who has lost their life
tragically
and their loved ones in our thoughts.
Thank you, mayor. And I want to thank
everyone else, Councilwoman Pastor, um
the mayor, um city staff that has been
so helpful um to this tragedy that has
happened here in our backyard. I just
want to say that I'm very thankful um
for the resources that as a city we've
been able um to give um to the different
families and that I know that we will be
here to continue to support um everyone
as as we see um things that are
happening. I'm very thankful for this
council. I'm very thankful for everyone
in our city. Thank you, Mayor.
Thank you. We'll do our best to make
sure schools are safe places for our
students, teacher, and staff.
We'll now call to order the formal
meeting of the Phoenix City Council.
Will the clerk please call the role?
Councilwoman Guardo,
here.
Councilwoman Anand.
Councilwoman Hodge Washington
here.
Councilwoman Pastor
here.
Councilman Robinson
here.
Councilwoman Stark
here.
Councilman Wearing.
Vice Mayor O'Brien here. Mayor Ggo
here. Mario Barahas and Elsie Dwarte are
with us to provide interpretation.
Mario, would you please introduce your
team?
Yes, Mayor. Thank you. Good afternoon.
As already mentioned, my name is Mario
Vahas and together with me will be
Elsarte working from downstairs doing
the simultaneous interpretation. We'll
be serving as today's Spanish
interpreters. Now, take a moment to
introduce ourselves to our Spanish
speaking audience.
Simultane.
Thank you, Mayor.
Wonderful. Thank you so much. Will the
city clerk please read the 24-hour
paragraph? The titles of the following
ordinance and resolution numbers on the
agenda were available to the public at
least 24 hours prior to this council
meeting and therefore may be read by
title or agenda item only. Ordinances
number G7405 through 7407, S52178
through 52233 and resolutions 22320
through 22328.
Will the city attorney please explain
public comment?
Yes, mayor. Thank you. Members of the
public may speak for up to two minutes
to comment on agenda items. Comments
must be related to the agenda agenda
item and the action being considered by
the council. General comments that go
beyond the scope of the agenda item
should be made during the citizen
comment session at the end of the
agenda. The city council and staff
cannot discuss or comment on matters
related to pending investigations,
claims, or litigation. Additionally, any
member of the public who appears before
the council in their capacity as a
lobbyist must, as required by Phoenix
City Code, disclose this fact before
addressing the council. The city code
states that speakers must express their
comments respectfully and courteously.
Use of profane language, threats, or
personal attacks on members of the
public, council members or sta or staff
are not allowed. Such comments are
disruptive and unrelated to the
council's business. Any person who
violates these rules may lose their
opportunity speak to speak further and
could be asked to leave. Thank you,
mayor.
Thank you. We'll begin with the meeting
minutes. Vice Mayor, do you have a
motion on item one?
Mayor, I move to approve the meeting
minutes from March 26, 2025.
Second. Have
a motion and a second. All those in
favor say I. I.
Councilman Wearing, do you have a motion
on item two?
Yes, I do. Mayor, move to approve the
minutes of the formal meeting on April
9th, 2025 be approved.
Second.
Motion, second. All those in favor,
please say I.
I.
Any oppose? Nay.
Councilwoman Hernandez, do you have a
motion on item three?
Thank you, mayor. I move to approve the
formal meeting minutes from April 23rd,
2025.
Second.
We have a motion and a second. All those
in favor, please say I. I. Any oppose?
Nay.
Councilwoman Stark, do you have a motion
on item four?
Yes. I'll make a motion to approve May
7th, 2025 minutes.
Second.
We have a motion and a second. All those
in favor, please say I.
I. Any oppose? Nay.
Passes unanimously. Item five is boards
and commissions. Vice Mayor, do we have
a motion? Mayor, I move to approve the
mayor and city council boards and
commission nominations.
Second.
We have a motion and a second. All those
in favor, please say I.
I. Any oppose? Nay.
Unanimously confirmed. I'll ask our comm
new commissioners to please come
forward.
Please raise your right hand. I state
your name.
Iatically
do solemnly swear
domly swear
that I will support the Constitution of
the United States
that I support the Constitution of the
United States
and the Constitution and laws of the
state of Arizona.
that I will bear true faith
I will bear true
and allegiance to the same
and allegiance to the same
and defend them against all enemies
and all
foreign and domestic
foreign and domestic
and that I will faithfully and
impartially
I will faithfully and
discharge the duties of the office of
discharge the duties of the office of
state your board and commission
the human services commission
according to the best of my ability.
According to the best of my ability.
So help me God.
So help me God.
Congratulations, commissioners. Thank
you for serving our city.
[Applause]
Congratulations to our new commissioners
and thank you again for your leadership
and service to the city of Phoenix. The
Phoenix City Council provides an
advisory role to the state of Arizona on
liquor licenses and that will be the
next portion of our meeting agenda.
I'll turn to the vice mayor for a
motion. Thank you, mayor. I move to
approve items 6 through 31 except items
6 and 30 and noting that item 31 is as
revised as revised and now recommended
for approval.
Second.
We have a motion and second. All those
in favor, please say I.
I. Any oppose? Nay. Passes unanimous.
That we'll next go to item six, which is
KZ beer and smoke shop. Before we have a
motion, uh, I'll turn to public
testimony and Teresa Morse available
virtually.
Location
And if you could start over, we just
audio. So, if you could start at the
beginning, that would be great. Thank
you.
Okay. I am Teresa Moors
and I live in Mesa, Arizona. I am the
agent on KZ Beer and Smoke Shop in
Phoenix. Um,
uh, I've been doing this for quite some
time. Um, if you have any questions for
me, I'm not sure what the opposition
was. I was not aware of any.
Okay, we do not have I do not see any
questions.
Okay. Um, Kazy Smoke Shop or Beer and
Smoke Shop, excuse me. Uh, move from the
Western suites three and four to one and
two. And, um, but he did not have a
liquor license at the other suit. So, he
applied for the suite for one and two
and passed the inspection by Phoenix
police officer. Um, I can't recall his
name right at the moment. Um, at any
rate, uh, he and his staff will be
attending, uh, both basic and management
liquor law training. Um, I personally
have been a police officer for 26 years
and I teach liquor law. So, I will
ensure that he does in fact um comply
with all of those laws as well as work
with the community on any other problems
that are in the area.
Thank you so much. All right, that is
all the speakers for this item. I will
it is in district one, so I'll turn to
the vice mayor.
Thank you so much, mayor. Um, I received
a petition from community members from
that was signed by 300 people asking us
to not approve this location. And
because we are just a we are a
recommending board to the state and the
state makes the final decision, I move
to make a no recommendation on item six.
Second.
Any comments?
Roll call.
Yes.
Hernandez,
yes.
Hudge Washington,
yes. Pastor,
yes.
Robinson,
yes.
Stark,
yes.
Wearing,
yes.
O'Brien,
yes.
GGO,
yes. Passes nine zero. Next, we go to
item 30, which is the Ash Lounge in
district 4. Uh, we'll be uh this is in
district 4. Councilman, would you like
we have police department available to
testify the applicant and community
members? Begin with
police department. Police Department.
All right, we will call up uh Commander
Brewer is with us
here today and
Sergeant Craig Mazize. Commander
Afternoon, Madame Mayor Gyos, Madame
Vice Mayor O'Brien, Council members. I
am Warren Brewer, the commander of the
Desert Rising Precinct. I have uh
Lieutenant Scott Kaine here with me and
Officer Craig Maize. Our recommendation
is to not approve the liquor license for
the Ash Lounge. I'll turn some time over
to Officer Maize to go into the details
for this denial.
Good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor,
Council members. I am Officer Craig
Maize. I've been assigned to Desert
Horizon Precinct for 21 years. Today,
I'm here to share with you our
recommendation for denial for the
application of the acquisition of
control for the license of the Ash
Lounge located at 4516 North 19th
Avenue. The recommendation is based on
our investigation that has led us to
believe the applicant is not capable,
qualified, and reliable as required by
Arizona Revive Statute Title 4-202.
Mr. Rivera purchased Ash Lounge in
January of 2024, but identified himself
as the manager as far back as December
of 2021 during a police investigation.
Based on the application and
questionnaire as filled out by the
applicant and confirmed during our
investigation, the Ash Lounge is
operating as an adult orientated
business with scandaly clad semi-nude
female performers dancing on the stage
with poles to entertain patrons.
The following five factors led us to
believe that Mr. Rivera does not meet
the statutory requirements to hold this
license.
Number one, community opposition.
We've received numerous community
complaints and concerns during this time
frame regarding drug use, prostitution,
illegal vending, and fights on the
property.
There has been nine calls for service to
the police department regarding these
fights.
On January 24th, 2024, there was a fight
including a shots fired. Luckily, no one
was uh no one suffered a gunshot wound.
On August 18th, 2024, there was a fight
involving some female patrons in the
parking lot, one of one of which
suffered a fractured orbital.
This was not reported by management to
the police department.
A third occasion on March 11th of 2025,
there was an aggrav aggravated assault
kidnapping in which a male came into the
establishment, dragged a female
performer off the stage by her hair and
violently assaulted her, punching her in
the face until customers intervened and
dragged the offender outside. This again
was not reported by management to police
department.
Uh the third reason or the third fact
we're proposing is there's been um
Department of Liquor and License Control
investigations at the property. On March
15, 2025, they were cited for over
service of a patron.
On May 7th, 2025, there was another
investigation by the Department of
Liquor and there's pending charges. Uh,
this investigation is going to result in
likely a citation for failure failure to
notify of acquisition,
failure to maintain capability,
qualification, and reliability,
failure to comply with Title 4, failure
to have knowledge of liquor laws and
rules. And there may may be other
charges that we're not aware of yet as a
result of that investigation.
The fourth fact is the establishment is
operating adult live entertainment
without a valid use permit. Um they did
receive a notice regarding this from
planning on June 6th of this year.
This this uh location has not had a
valid use permit for adult use since
December 20th of 2016.
Based on our interaction with Department
of Life, liquor and license control
investigators throughout our
investigation, it is our belief that the
Department of Liquor and License control
will also be recommending denial based
on on the violations they have observed.
These five facts that I've I've spoken
to you about demonstrate the applicant's
inability to maintain minimum
requirements of being capable,
qualified, and reliable
by failing to maintain a safe
environment for staff, patrons, and the
community.
Since taking ownership, they have
disregarded liquor laws and willfully
operated an adult-oriented business
without a valid use permit to do so. For
these reasons, I have stated the Desert
Horizon precinct is recommending a
denial of this permit for this
acquisition of control for this
applicant.
Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and City
Council.
Wonderful. Thank you, Officer Maize.
We'll next go to the applicant, Hector
Rivera, and Hector will be followed by
Anne Ender.
Good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and
Council. Thank you. My name is Jeff
Miller. I'm actually uh the agent for
the applicant on the on the
Is Hector if Hector is intending to
speak? Does Hector want to speak
separately?
Yes.
Okay. Can we have Hector first and then
we will call you after?
You bet.
Good afternoon. My name is Hector. I'm
one of the uh
partners of uh Ash Entertainment. Um
I've been in the business for like about
20 years. I'm think I'm pretty sure I'm
qualified to run a business. I know
we've had a couple of uh uh mistakes in
the past and there something that we can
correct and everything like that, but if
you have any other questions for me, you
can head and ask them.
Questions? Why were you operating
without a license?
Uh we were we were operating with a
license. Uh right now we're uh we're
running it as a bikini bar is not an
adult entertainment. The entertainers
are completely covered up at all times.
So did you have a liquor license?
Yeah, we do have a liquor license. Yeah,
there's a liquor license.
Officer, could you please explain to me?
Um he's saying he's he and I wrote this
down an invalid I guess an invalid use
permit.
Yes. He does not have a use permit for
adult use
which type of dancing um is defined as
adult use.
Would a bikini lounge qualify as an
adult use?
Yes, that would be an adult use.
Okay. So I'm going to put it back onto
the record. Um
my understanding, you could correct me
if I'm wrong, um he was operating with
an invalid use permit, which meant uh an
adult establishment could not be
operating.
That is right, Councilwoman.
So, you're saying you had the valid use
permit to operate?
Well, we're running We're not a We're
not a topless bar. wear a bikini bar,
which is a little different,
but that's considered an adult use.
Uh, well, we'll have an attorney that
can probably explain that to you a
little bit better.
Oh, I'm sure he can.
Thank you.
Okay.
All right. We'll go Anner and then we'll
bring up set attorney.
Welcome back everybody. Um, I don't have
much to say. I think the department has
really covered it. But I own my
childhood home that is just three blocks
from there. My son lives in it and we
also own the house next to it. Um, not
only our family, but several other
families have tried to move back in.
They're renovating these homes and we're
trying to bring it back to the
neighborhood it was when I was a little
girl. So, um, the we just don't think
that this establishment and frankly from
what I remember most of my life was
never a good neighbor. It was a magnet
for crime. In fact, um Essa Williams,
who is the suspect who uh shot officer
Maldivon,
was started his evening at the Ash
Lounge and then ended up doing donuts
over on Camelback and then we know what
happened next. So, I'm just here to ask
you to please um deny this neighborhood.
We are working closely to try again try
to bring safety and people in that want
to um make this a good neighborhood
again. And we also intend to file a
complaint because of the um
non be the um use permit being um in
violation. So thank you.
Thank you. Mr. Miller is next followed
by Jordan Greenman
or
Uh good afternoon and thank you. I said
my name is Jeff Miller. Work with
Arizona Liquor Industry Consultants. Uh
we help people file applications and
serve as the agent on their licenses. On
this particular incident, we were
contacted by Mr. Shelstrit, who's a
liquor attorney here in Arizona. He had
a client that had attempted to file an
application at a location that has had a
series 6 license. uh for years and it's
just an acquisition of controller new
controlling people coming in. So since
they had had some problems with filing
some paperwork, some misunderstandings,
they were requested to withdraw the
application by the PD. So they came to
us. Um we are the ones who put together
the current application form for the
state license. We ensure that the owners
attend basic training which is three
hours management training and then they
were also willing to put their entire
staff through an in-house security
program that we teach. So their entire
staff's been uh trained in basic liquor
laws. The management team's been trained
in management and the security staff has
now up to date on the current uh
requirements and standards of conduct
for um people operating in security
positions.
They have hired an attorney that deals
with land use/ uh use permits who's
looked into this situation.
um you know, hearing some of the reports
today about people starting and and
unfortunately an officer was um fatally
wounded, but it wasn't somebody that was
at the bar. It was somebody who showed
up in the parking lot, attempted to get
in. They were refused service. They
pulled out in the street were spinning
uh Brody's or donuts, whatever you want
to call it, in the parking lot. And it
was actually the staff that called the
police to curb that activity. So, it
does seem that some of the uh way that
they're being painted isn't as accurate.
And fortunately, um we have some people
here that can explain that even better.
Mr. Miller, I have a question for you.
May the council Well, do you have
anything to say about the police report
mentioning that Leonard Suttered kid
kidnapped and assaulted an Ash Lounge
performer and transported to her his
home where he was locked in a bedroom
for 3 to 4 days? Should we can may we
consider that in our decision?
That it would have to I don't know
anything about that case because we're
doing admin stuff. Somebody here
Did you read the report?
I did not read that specific report. No.
Oh, interesting. Okay.
Well, let's hope uh Mr. Greenman read
the or Jordan Greenman is next.
Good afternoon, honorable mayor, vice
mayor, city council. My name is Jordan
Greenman with Greenman Law Firm, 1621
West Walleta Street. I unfortunately,
mayor, cannot speak to the issues with
the police. Uh, honorable mayor, I was
brought in to determine the use permit
side and the land use side of the
nature. It is our belief the city has
improperly decided in 2016 that the use
permit was abandoned. We are currently
working with planning and development to
appeal that decision. Honorable mayor,
we had a um meeting yesterday with the
fire department, the planning department
to talk about a potential commercial
tenant improvement to get the site up to
potential specs. When it comes to the
policing side, honorable mayor, my side
is just the land use and zoning side. I
can turn it back to the owners that
could tell you more about that.
All right. Did you have anything you
wanted to say on the land use side?
No, honorable mayor.
Thank you so much. All right.
Peter is next.
Yes, my name is Pete Shelstrade. I
represent 4516 LLC. I'm the liquor
license attorney. Uh I was brought on
post the first acquisition and control
that was filed. Um they realized that
they actually they had a city council
hearing set for March 26th. Um but 5
days beforehand they changed the
recommendation from recommendation from
for approval to city council to
recommend denial and they listed some
items one of which was the use permit.
So they were seeking more time and so
what ended up happening was is Hector
Rivera then instead of requesting a
contingency he requested a um withdrawal
the acquisition and control just so
there would be time to work this stuff
out. That's why we hired George Freeman
to work out the the use permit and the
the adult entertainment versus bikini
bar and what that difference is. And so
he's working with the city on that. Um
but
this this is this is not there's
location is not an issue here. The
license is at that location. The only
issue is is whether or not Hector Rivera
andor SOSA is capable, qualified, and
reliable because they came on as owners
to the LLC. And the reason they came on
as owners of the LLC is the prior person
that had the license reneers
of the LLC and they had to sue that
person to become members. And so that's
how there was a delay of a period of
time where they were working there, but
they weren't disclosed as owners because
actually they on paper they weren't. And
it's kind of a complicated story, but
that's it. If you have any more further
questions for me, but I'd like you to
listen to SOA because I think response
to the police department. Um, we did
request those police reports. You asked
if we reviewed them. I requested those
with the from the city on June 8th and
we still have not gotten those reports.
The police did not talk to any of the
employees or SOA but she can answer
those questions for you.
Councilman, we don't have any additional
speakers registered. Councilwoman.
Yeah. Did you My understanding is that
uh there is an invalid use permit. Are
you saying there wasn't? You're the
lawyer, right?
Well, no.
The Jordan Greenman is the the attorney
who's handling the the permitting
process.
So you're handling you're a land
attorney, right?
Councilwoman Pastor, I'm a land use and
zoning attorney. That is correct.
So
then do you have any information on the
invalid use permit? Councilwoman, we are
currently preparing a notice of appeal
to the city of Phoenix in relation to a
2016 decision that was made by planning
and development that established our use
as abandoned. Under city code and the
ordinance, if a use is suspended for 180
days, it is confirmed to be abandoned.
In our uh opinion and based on the
paperwork that I've just been
researching over the last two weeks or
so, we believe that was made in error.
And it was 2016. Did Did I hear that
correctly?
That is correct.
That it was abandoned. So, it's about
nine years now.
Yes, Councilwoman.
Okay. Thank you.
Okay. So, for our staff, do we have any
other speakers on this item?
No, mayor.
Councilman, do you have any other
questions?
I have some questions. Right. And I
don't know who to ask them to. Um, and
sorry I I just got back and now I'm um
read it, but now I'm digging.
Um, the statement was in 2016 and I
don't know if who who is this, but 2016
um the use permit was abandoned.
Who can is that
that's zoning right? Planning and
zoning.
Just squeeze in there.
Yes, Mayor. Uh, Councilwoman Pastor,
there was a a use permit that was issued
in 1969. In 2016, uh it was requested
for an informal interpretation of the
status of the non-conforming status of
the adult youth and at that time we
issued um the informal interpretation
that that non-conforming use had um
ceased
and it exceeded the 180 days.
Okay. And so uh basically well I guess
it's your question. Uh basically there
we're operating with an invalid use
permit.
Mayor uh Councilwoman Pastor.
Yes. Since they had lost their
non-conforming status, they no longer
have the use permit. Also, they do not
meet their spacing requirements for
residential and child care, which is
also a state law requirement um for
spacing.
Yes. Because right across the street is
a daycare. And right next door by there
is like a convenience store.
Yes, mayor. Uh, Councilwoman Pastor,
there's the child care to the east and
then residential to the west. Thank you.
Well,
mayor, can I
Yes. move ahead. Um, it's very
disturbing to know uh there is a request
on acquisition of control in January
29th, 2025 and so Mr. Rivera is
responsible for this business. And then
on March 5th through the 7th, the
kidnapping and assault happened at Ash
Lounge uh to the performer and
transported her to Lavine. Obviously um
they're operating with a invalid use
permit and there are other situations or
dynamics that are going on such as drug
use, prostitution, and fighting. Uh,
one, uh, I'm a council woman that lives
in her district, as we all do, but I'm a
council woman that grew up in, uh,
around that area and understand the
dynamics. Um,
if anybody remembers Donna, this is
Donna's neighborhood.
um Donna Neil's neighborhood when I
first got elected and she was the one
who really worked at towards uh fighting
back getting her neighbor neighborhood
back into shape. Uh this establishment
has always been an establishment that
has been troubled and challenging and so
uh my recommendation or my motion is to
deny the liquor license. Second
motion and a second. Any additional
questions.
Okay.
And maybe checking with our staff.
Do we We're good on speakers. Okay. Roll
call.
Yes.
Ernnandez.
Yes.
Hodge Washington.
Yes.
Pastor.
Yes.
Robinson.
Yes. Stark,
yes.
Wearing
O'Brien,
yes.
GGO,
yes.
Passes 90. The motion.
Thank you, city clerk. Are we ready for
ordinances, resolutions, new business,
planning, and zoning?
Yes, mayor.
Vice Mayor, do we have a motion?
Yes, mayor. I move to approve items 32
through 116
except for the following items 47, 57,
72,
77,
85,
93, and 116.
Noting that item 77 is as revised, items
60 and 105 are as corrected. And will
the clerk confirm if there are any other
items that should be excluded for
in-person public comment?
Yes, mayor. Vice Mayor also excluding
items 60, 78, 79, and 81. That's items
60, 78, 79, and 81.
Are we have a motion? Do we have a
second?
Second. We
have a motion and a second. Any
corrections?
Roll call.
Ward.
Yes.
Hernandez,
yes.
Hodgej Washington,
yes.
Pastor,
yes.
Robinson,
yes.
Stark,
yes.
Wearing,
yes.
O'Brien,
yes.
GGO,
yes.
Passes 90.
We next go to item 847, a proposed
annexation, the Schroeder annexation.
go ahead and open the public hearing. We
do not have anyone to testify. So, I
will close the public hearing. This is a
multi-step process and today we will not
vote on this item. We'll next go to some
good news. Item 57.
Vice Mayor, do you have a motion?
Yes, mayor. I move to approve item 57.
Second.
We have a motion and a second. I'll turn
to the vice mayor for comments.
Thank you so much, Mayor. Our
acquisition of the Choya Library
property demonstrates a strategic
investment in our community's future. In
1974, the city built and began operating
this vital resource while leasing the
land beneath it. The Choya Library has
been a cornerstone of this community for
half of a century, providing educational
resources and gathering spaces for
families across Phoenix. And Choya
Library holds a special place in my
heart because it was my library growing
up. I have fond memories of browsing the
shelves as a young child and feeling
like a big kid when I moved on to
chapter books. Choya is where I spent
time in high school doing research and
homework. And I'm excited that we as a
city recognize its importance and impact
on people of all ages. By purchasing
this property outright, we're securing
the community asset in perpetuity while
eliminating ongoing lease obligations.
This acquisition is pro this sorry this
acquisition is particularly significant
as it sits adjacent to the metropolitan
a 68 acre redevelopment project that
will bring new housing retail and public
amenities transforming an area that's
seen years of decline. By owning this
property we secure Choya Libraryies role
in the neighborhood's renaissance while
ensuring our public investment
complements the surrounding development.
This fair market purchase protects a
community asset that we've invested in
for decades while positioning us to
fully participate in the area's bright
future. And I'd like to thank our city
manager and all of our um city
management in helping to make sure that
we can have this asset for the city of
Phoenix and for our a bright future for
our kids. So, thank you very much. Thank
you, Mayor.
Thank you so much.
Roll call.
Yes. Ernnandez,
yes.
Hodge Washington,
yes.
Pastor,
yes.
Robinson,
yes.
Stark,
yes.
Wearing O'Brien,
yes.
GGO,
yes. Passes 90.
Wonderful. Item 72 is an ordinance and
I'm sorry,
item 60.
Item 60. All right. Item 60 is next.
Vice Mayor, do we have a motion?
I move to approve item 60.
Second. We have a motion and a second.
And we have Claudia uh here to speak.
Claudia uh if you could please come
forward.
Did we lose Claudia?
Claudia.
All right. Um, let's see. We have a
motion and a second. Roll call.
Ward.
Yes.
Hernandez,
yes.
Hajj Washington,
yes.
Pastor,
yes.
Robinson,
yes.
Stark,
yes.
Wearing,
yes.
O'Brien,
yes.
GGO,
yes.
Passes 90.
Wonderful. I think I was very excited
for item 72 which is the ordinance and
development agreement with Vestar of
Lavine and I'll ask Christine Mackey our
economic development director to come
forward as someone who was first elected
to represent Lavine starting in first
elected in 2013. This is one that is
very exciting for me. uh the community
has been asking for restaurant sitdown
restaurants, a family entertainment and
and theater center and and the city
worked really closely. Uh when Christine
was first hired as our economic
development director, we went out to
this site and it's exciting to see this
one move forward. Um we did a
development agreement in Lavine that
didn't go quite as intended and and is
um maybe going for a use we didn't
really want to. um which is a data
center
on this one. This is a retail and there
is it is not going to be a data center.
Is that right? Mayor, members of the
council, you are absolutely correct.
This is uh going through zoning with as
a planned unit development for a retail
center and our development agreement
that we have with them does call for it
to be a retail center. And I would
commit to you as we move forward with
this amendment, we will actually add
that language into the amendment that
data centers is a prohibited use.
Wonderful. This is one the community has
just been so excited about and um really
like some good news item. This is one of
the sites that helped us get into having
staffing in your department to get the
retail that our residents need. And um I
don't know, it's a really happy memory
for me when we announced the movie
theater. My kiddo got to come out and
have his picture with the Harkkins movie
monkey and um really like a happy one
and I know this is a exciting good news
for all the of us who represent Lavine.
Do does anyone else want to say anything
before we move forward? Counciloman
Hernandez.
Thank you, mayor, and thank you so much
Chris. Um as the newest member and now
represents um this future project in
district 7, I'm super excited. echo the
sentiments of the mayor like thank you
so much for helping us make sure we
deliver this for the community. They're
really really excited. Um I have we've
we're we're excited and counting down so
happy that this is one step closer to
really u making this project a reality
for our folks and in addition to retail
some of the other things that that are
going to come with that. So thank you so
much.
We are Councilwoman Hernandez. Thank you
very much.
Councilwoman Hud Washington.
Thank you mayor for the opportunity. Um,
as someone who has also represented
Lavine, I'm actually proud to see us
move forward with this. We know this is
an area we take our uh re retailers on
when we're doing our restaurant tour and
and other items. We know that the
community has been asking for more um
shops and restaurants and you're doing
your part to help us get there. I'm also
u we know about the unfortunate fire at
the Hudson Farmstead has kind of changed
the plan, but I actually am very hopeful
that the developer continues to find
ways to honor the community's history
and ensure that the priorities shared by
the residents continue to be addressed.
So, thank you for all that you've done
on this and u thank you for ensuring
that Lavine is receiving the items that
they have asked for time after time. So,
thank you.
And mayor, Councilman Hodgej Washington,
this I've seen the zoning. I was at the
village as the zoning had its first
hearing and the first time I've ever
seen the LDC get up and thank them for
the appearance of the building. So, it
is I think you'll be very pleased with
what's coming forward and I know the
community is excited.
These are one of the deals where, you
know, we are the fifth largest city in
the country, but this one we feel like a
small town where it's just neighbors
talking about what their vision is for
their neighborhood. means a very special
area and and we want to always think
about the history and honor that as we
do development. So, thanks for working
on that. Do we have a motion?
I move to approve item 72.
Second.
We have a motion and a second. Roll
call.
Yes.
Hernandez,
absolutely. Yes.
Haj Washington.
Yes.
Pastor,
yes.
Robinson,
yes.
Stark,
yes.
Wearing,
yes. O'Brien.
Yeah.
Yes.
GGO.
Yes.
Passes 90.
We next move to item 77, which is the
community policing micro grant. Do we
have a motion?
I move to approve item 77.
Second.
We have a motion and a second. Uh, does
anyone want to speak before we go to
public comment?
All right. We'll go first to Leonard
Clark and then Juny Bradford.
Thank you, Mayor and Council members.
Um, I strongly support this. This shows
that we need to do much more work and
preventative actions in our community.
The police don't need to be the enemy.
You know, we build this wall and
everything gets reinforced.
And I think this shows that instead of
bringing in the military in our streets
and armed soldiers, maybe it's just
better to listen to the community and
work together. And these tragedies keep
happening.
Uh we need to be aware what's going on.
They need to not look at the police as
the enemy. There needs to be something
done about this whole situation. And
anyways, I strongly support it and I
hope you'll vote for it. Thank you.
Thank you. Junior is next.
We don't have Juny.
Okay. Uh then I think that concludes
public comment. We will turn to
Councilwoman Hernandez for comments.
Um I'll just do them during my vote if
that's okay. Mayor,
any other comments? Roll call. Guard.
Yes. Hernandez.
Mayor, may I explain my vote?
Please do.
Thank you. Um, reading this agenda item
brought a lot of brought me a lot of
unease. Um, just over a week ago, we all
witnessed a tragedy at Mville High
School that left one student dead,
another student on the verge of being
lost to the prison system, a school in
mourning, and the Marville community
demanding answers and solutions. We all
want to keep our school safe, but
programs like this do not create true
safety. The grant proposal uses language
like mentorship, trust building, and
accountability. Yet, the truth is that
this grant is just is still just more
policing. Our children do not need
policing. They do not need stronger
trust and deeper relationships with
police. They do not need more officers
in their classrooms. Nor do they need
staff who are hired by police
departments disguised as mentors, nor
surveillance in the name of a
partnership. They need counseling
services that meet their mental health
and trauma needs. Crisis intervention
specialists trained to deescalate
without criminalization. Family services
and youth centers that strengthen
community safety outside the gaze of law
enforcement and real opportunities for
healing. True community safety does not
come from embedding law enforcement
deeper into the daily lives of black,
brown, and and working-class youth. It
comes from addressing root causes like
poverty, trauma, systemic disinvestment,
and resourcing the people who are
already caring for our kids. Approving
this grant is not innovation. It is a
continuation of the same old failed
approach. We cannot ignore the pain of
what just happened in Mville and
additional schools across the state.
Policing did not prevent that tragedy
and it will not prevent the next one.
Youth have demanded a different approach
and we must listen. We cannot lose any
more of our children. Our children
deserve more than rebranded policing.
They deserve a city brave enough to
invest in their futures, not their
criminalization. And I vote no.
Couch Washington.
Mayor, if I may explain my vote,
please do.
Thank you so much. Um, as this uh this
partnership will be will be grounded in
district 8, um, it is a partnership with
uh, fulfillment and training as well as
the South Mountain High School. I do not
believe it is the cure all, but I see
this pilot as a step in the right
direction. It is an opportunity for us
to foster men, mentorship, trust, and
non-inforcement interaction. It is an
approach I believe is worth exploring. I
believe it's an opportunity to create a
model that can reduce recidivism, build
understanding, and move us toward a more
positive relationship between police and
community. As this move forward, I will
be watching closely to ensure that the
outcomes align with our community's
priorities, particularly transparency,
cultural responsiveness, and meaningful
youth engagement. I am encouraged that
these programs have potential, and I'm
hope these are the types of programs
that District 8 has asked me for. So, I
will be voting yes. Thank you, Mayor.
Pastor,
yes. Robinson,
yes.
Stark,
yes.
Wearing.
O'Brien,
yes. GGO.
Yes.
Passes 81.
Items 79 through 80 or 78, 79, and 81
were pulled from the consent agenda for
comments from Juny Bradford. Is Juny She
was not here on the last one. Has she
arrived? Okay. Then, Vice Mayor, could
we do a motion on 78,79 and 81?
Yes, ma'am. I move to approve items
78,79
and 81.
Second. Have
a motion, a second. Any comments? Roll
call.
Yes.
Hernandez,
yes.
Hudge Washington,
yes.
Pastor,
yes.
Robinson,
yes.
Stark,
yes.
Wearing,
yes.
O'Brien,
yes.
GGO,
yes.
Passes 90.
Item 85 is a grant related to human
trafficking. Vice Mayor,
mayor, I move to approve item 85.
Second.
We have a motion and a second. Uh
Claudia had signed up to speak on this
one. has Claudia returned.
All right. Uh, Counciloman Pastor.
Yes. Thank you. Um, I had several uh
questions and I didn't exactly uh
understand the answer.
So, um, my question is how will how will
we keep track of how this money is
spent?
Mayor, Councilwoman Pastor, we have
several members of the police department
coming down to answer your questions.
Mayor, members of council, Councilwoman
Pastor, to answer your question, this is
a state of Arizona funded grant. And
like all grants that we receive or have
the opportunity to receive, we follow
grant management and financial practices
which track the expenditures, the
activities and routine and ongoing uh
reporting back to the granting agency
which in this case is the Arizona
Department of Public Safety.
And what will you be using this grant
for?
So, this grant will be uh I'm sorry,
mayor uh council members and uh
Councilwoman Pastor, this grant will be
used specifically for drug traffickers
and human traffickers. Um Phoenix has
become a major hub and corridor for both
of those crimes. And so, uh we're going
to be using this money specifically to
target those criminals um so that we can
take them off the street and help the
victims of human trafficking.
It's only going to be used for that
specific reason.
Specifically this. Yes.
Okay. Because somewhere in the grant, uh
what I want to do is uh I want to
reassure the community that this grant
uh isn't going to be used for
immigration enforcement.
So, uh my statement to this is what are
the protocols or guard rails that you
are using to make sure this money is not
going to be used for immigration
enforcement?
Mayor, council, uh, Councilwoman Pastor,
uh, this grant is written solely for us,
the Phoenix Police Department, and is
not in conjunction or in partnership
with any other agencies. So, not only is
it written specifically for drug
trafficking and human trafficking, um,
but we have no allegiance to call
anybody and most importantly, our
immigration policy is our guideline so
that we do not work with immigration on
any criminal cases whatsoever.
And what data will be captured and
analyzed?
Give me one second. Councilwoman,
mayor, council, councilwoman pastor. Uh
so the major um data points that we will
be collecting is um are the locations of
the offenses uh the search warrants that
are issued and served. um arrests and
submitts to the prosecution. Uh the
amount of fentanyl andor drugs seized.
Uh guns and vehicles that are seized,
any cashed cash that is seized, and then
any other drugs or paraphernalia that is
seized during these operations.
Thank you. Um, I'm hoping this money uh
is placed in the track area where it's
desperately needed and you know what I'm
talking about and uh I'm sure for me
this grant qualifies for the track area.
So, thank you.
Thank you. And it is going specifically
there.
Thank you. Roll call.
Yes.
Ernandez.
Mayor, may I explain my vote?
Please do.
Thank you. I'm opposed to allowing
Phoenix PD to apply for and accept this
grant. This grant is being presented to
us as the latest effort to curb drug
trafficking and human smuggling using
increased criminalization, fancier
weapons and equipment, undercover
officers, and public surveillance. For
decades, we have been offered these same
tactics of tougher enforcement and
punitive actions. And for decades, those
tactics have failed to reduce crime and
violence, drug use, and human
trafficking. And these tactics have
failed to create safe Phoenix
communities. Furthermore, grant funding
will go to Phoenix PD over time, which
is already overinflated. That has been
seriously mismanaged and that needs to
be resolved. Um, as a city, our approach
to build true community safety should be
to address the root cause of these
issues and why they're happening. The
historically excluded community
communities on 19th Avenue and 27th
Avenue deserve true justice and care.
This includes treating substance use and
addiction as a health issue. Um,
investing into prevent prevention
measures like evidence-based education
and treatment. Um, addressing the
negative impacts that these uh tactics
have on social determinants of health
like housing and employment and
expanding harm reduction measures.
Continuing to put money into failed
criminalization tactics will only get us
more failed results. Until we invest in
building our communities and invest in
root cause um root cause solutions, we
will only continue to delay real safety
for Phoenix residents. Lastly, I
continue to have the concerns and I'm
going to continue to raise my concerns
um that our police of of our police
department's involvement with ICE. We
have continuously been told that we are
not actively working in uh immigration
enforcement. Yet, I am now hearing from
constituents that are saying
differently. Um, this is a border uh
border support grant designed to
increase local police capacity and
participation in immigration
enforcement. I have yet to hear
language that is in this grant that will
prevent these funds from being used by
the department for immigration
enforcement activity. Um, with that I
vote no.
Haj Washington,
yes.
Pastor,
yes.
Robinson,
yes. Stark,
yes.
Wearing,
yes.
O'Brien,
yes.
GGO,
yes.
Passes 81.
Item 93 is related to landscape
maintenance. Do we have a motion?
I move to approve item 8 93.
Second.
We have a motion and second. I'll turn
to Councilman Hudge Washington for
comments.
Thank you so much, Mayor.
Can I ask Street Transportation to come
to the DES, please? I'm sorry, to the
table.
Congratulations again, our new director.
Um, I wanted to talk about this seems
like a a you know a minor contract on
our case, but for me I often hear from
District 8 residents who share
frustration about the lack of consistent
maintenance on our medians, particularly
when they feel like other parts of our
city appear better maintained. Can you
help us ex understand what residents and
neighborhoods can expect to see from
these contracts in terms of maintenance
and improvements?
Mayor, members of council, uh Councilman
Hajj Washington, uh first. Thank you. Um
yes, in terms of this contract, uh there
will be five uh contractors and we've
split up the city into five zones. Um
and they'll be responsible to maintain
the landscaping within the public
rightway um in specific areas uh
monthly. And so we'll be working very
closely with the contractors to ensure
that they have a schedule of how they
plan to do that within their respective
areas. They will be providing us uh
daily reports so that our inspectors
know where they're going to be working
and can monitor the work that's
happening as well as weekly reports of
all of the work that was completed so we
can validate that um before payment. And
are you going to um so my key initiative
one of my concerns is ensuring that we
have consistent
um consistent maintenance around
throughout the city particularly I feel
like portions of my district don't
always get that. How are we going to
ensure is it going to be purely
complaint driven or will the department
take a more in uh more u independent
initiative to ensure that they're
getting consistent um treatment?
Uh yes that's a great question.
Absolutely. We intend to make sure uh
initially by setting expectations but
working with my team to make sure that
we are being very proactive and not
necessarily relying on residents to to
call in and we're out there um enforcing
the work that should be being completed
monthly by the contractors.
Thank you. In addition to um the routine
and hopefully some routine spot checks
are also on the horizon as well as
ensuring that when a c when a a resident
does reported on 311 or through another
mechanism with the city that we are
responding in a timely manner. Um it
does help our communities or
neighborhoods feel more prideful in
their neighborhood when they feel like
they're getting the same level of
attention. So thank you for um ensuring
that we are going towards that route. So
thank you. Thank you,
Councilwoman Pastor.
Yes. Is this dollar amount or this
amount specifically for the A DOT areas
or is it an addition to? So, uh, mayor,
members of council, Councilwoman Pastor,
this is for the full amount for all of
the areas including maintenance within
the freeway areas.
Okay.
Um, so this is covering all the city of
Phoenix.
That's correct.
Okay. I agree with Councilwoman Hajj
Washington in uh consistency and making
sure uh there is consistency across uh
the city. One of the things that I have
with uh really landscape maintenance in
transportation or in streets where I
really thought it should have stayed in
parks, but it was a uh way of saving
money and moving it over to streets. And
I'm not really sure the logic. Um, but
one of the items, and they're no longer
here, but one of the items that we
worked really hard on was designing with
all the departments was designing away
how the landscaping was going to happen,
not only consistently, but also being
able to maintain the trees that we have
instead of cutting them to the point
where they're no longer provide shade or
brushes that are no longer there or
there's a stub.
I am asking what happened to that uh
project process because it was supposed
to be with all the different departments
bidding
uh for landscaping and being able to bu
uh build a consistent and a grid and
guidelines as to how we were going to
check on the landscaping maintenance
companies.
So, mayor, members of council,
councilwoman Pastor, uh you bring up a
good point. So, these contracts, we made
sure to put language in there related to
uh sustainable landscape management. And
so, uh what you're referring to is how
these are pruned um and making sure
they're not overp pruning them so they
no longer provide shade and they look
more natural. Um and so we do have
language in there and we intend to move
forward with all of these contractors as
it relates to these contracts and trees
and public rideway. Okay. And then I
think I don't know if you were part of
it, Brianna, but I'm asking maybe I'm
asking the city manager in the group. Um
I'm asking what happened to that process
when all departments were supposed to be
part of this process that all that had
all maintenance, landscape maintenance
um dollars.
Uh, mayor, members of the council,
Councilwoman Pastor, I'm not sure if
you're referring to like the the
consistency between like water
department and some of those different
things. Uh, water department actually
has their own contract. Um, and so the
various facilities, library, for
example, has their own contract. It used
to all fall under the parks and
recreation department, but it was uh
broken out to the various departments.
and the contracts might have multiple
departments managing those facilities,
but when it was broken up from the parks
and recreation department, those pieces
were taken as well. Street landscaping
is all now within the streets
department.
No. Yes, I know that. That's my point
that each department has their own
process and there was a committee formed
around this so that the consistency
would happen across all of the city with
the water department
um streets
parks everybody was all on the same page
and everybody was all on the same page
that if the RFP language would talk
about holding contractors
uh accountable when they were basically
killing our trees or shrubs or whatever
we want to call it, but our maintenance.
I guess I'm asking what happened to all
that work.
So, mayor, members of of the council,
Councilman Pastor, I believe the
standards are all pretty basic and
standard in the contracts. It's just
that they were broken up into smaller
pieces so they'd be more manageable. And
I think that's what happened. So water
manages their particular contract, but
the standards and the scope are very
similar. The scope and the the
sustainability that that Briana talked
about um and the various expectations
about the pruning, those are all
standard in those those contracts. We
did work on that and that was something
that was put in together. So that's what
I'm asking. Okay. Thank you. That's I
want to make sure that it went into
play. Thank you.
I worked hard on that.
Uh thank you Councilwoman for your hard
work on that. And just a little
background for folks who are interested
in this issue. Part of the reason we've
divided into smaller contracts is to
allow smaller businesses to access this.
It's a real priority for us at the city
to do business with our small local
businesses in the community. And when we
have mega contracts for our very large
city, which is more than 500 square
miles, that is very hard for a small
business to break into. Uh so we had a
consulting partnership where uh an
outside team of experts helped advise us
and said that if we had smaller
contracts we might be able to do more
business with small local businesses.
And the hope is also if it's a smaller
service territory a company might do
better at maintaining it at high
standards or clear ownership of who's
there. And I like the idea of small
business. You can call the CEO if we're
unhappy. Um, but
it there is real intention behind having
multiple contracts,
including the fact that that our small
businesses said, "We just can't do your
entire city or half of your city." So
trying to
design our procurements so that as many
entities can compete as possible.
Councilman Wearing.
Uh, thank you, Mayor. Uh, so just uh for
frame of reference because I've been
around the longest up here when I
started I think we were doing three
cleanings a year of each mile of the
5,000 miles of streets. Um, but it had
been four and during the Great Recession
predecessors, our predecessors had cut
that back to three because of cost and
then I think it went back up to four at
some time maybe a decade ago or so when
things got better. So, we we recognize
the streets weren't looking as good as
they used to. It's a lot of streets to
clean when you talk about 5,000 miles,
but you also have to have the available
workforce. This isn't something you can
do by Zoom or coming in 3 days a week.
You got to have people available. And I
know your predecessors, Briana, have
told me there was a time, and maybe it
still is that uh a fact now, that there
were more vacancies in the sections that
clean streets than there were people to
actually clean them. I don't know if
that's still the case. We tried to bump
up the pay and all the things that you
can do. Um, but it's it is a tough job.
Uh, nobody probably calls you about
cleaning up streets and asking you to
move staffers around to try to get
specific areas done. But I also
recognize if a crew is cleaning an
Awatuki and I'm asking you to move them
up because we've had complaints on
Greenway or something, that's a
production in of itself and lost person
hours of of cleaning. So, I try not to
do that too much. Sometimes it does get
out of hand and I will call you. But I
do recognize your challenge is getting
people hired to the medians, which is a
common complaint in District 2, people
ask exactly what Kesha was talking
about. Why do medians in some places
look better than some in others? Uh,
isn't it true that when master
developments came in further north in
the city, they said, "We really want,
you know, fancy medians." And we were
like, "We can't maintain that." So they
took over those responsibilities. So
that's an HOA probably paying for a lot
of that when you see that around areas
that have more recently been de
developed as opposed to the city.
Correct.
Uh mayor, members of council, Councilman
Wearing, you are correct that there are
medians throughout the city that are
privately maintained by HOAs.
Yeah. And so mayor, you know, that's
really a user fee. People are somebody's
paying out of pocket, not the average
taxpayer, only people who live in those
communities. because I do get that
question a lot. I didn't know that
either when I first started on the
council, but so the unevenness is at
least partially I'm not speaking for for
your district, Kesha, or district 8, but
in my district, it it's explained by
different people are paying for it. It's
not all uh they're not apples to apples
um to the trees that that Laura was
talking about. Uh I probably nobody's
probably calling about trees dying more
than me either. Um we had one of the new
trees blew over. It was beautiful. was
big. It had grown a ton in the couple
years since it was planted. I thought it
just killed me. I was hoping it could be
saved and and they just told me this
morning it can't. So, they're going to
replant again. The trees are also uneven
because some of them are going to die.
The trees right around it were fine. I
mean, I don't know. It seemed to be
bigger than they were until it toppled
over. Um, so I recognize the challenges
that you have. I appreciate the job that
you're doing. You're still going to get
calls from me. Don't have any illusions.
that um I I do appreciate that it is
5,000 miles of streets and I don't know
if you're hitting the mark on doing the
four cleanings a year, but I know the
staffing challenges make it hard for
you. So, I just thought that was worth
saying, too. Thank you.
All right. Thank you. Roll call.
Yes.
Hernandez, yes. Hodge Washington.
Yes.
Pastor,
yes.
Robinson,
yes.
Stark,
yes.
Wearing,
yes.
O'Brien,
yes.
VGO,
yes.
Passes 90.
All right. Item 116 is a citizen
petition related to late night public
transit bus service. I will turn to the
vice mayor for a motion.
Thank you, mayor. I move to accept the
staff's recommendation.
Second. and I'll turn uh to our
transportation chairwoman who has some
background.
Thank you. Um so the petitioner
Ishmamail is uh one of my constituents
and he did text me uh right before our
meeting today and said he wouldn't be
here. He is a teacher and he lucky him
is in parent teacher conferences today.
But he did say I probably should have
done more research. I failed to do that
and I recognize why you'll probably deny
the petition. So I would just ask that
public transit as soon as we can, let's
set up a meeting with Ishmamail. He is a
true believer. He rides the bus. He
rides light rail. He really believes in
what you guys do. So I think we owe to
him to have a meeting. So thank you.
Thanks so much for staying in touch with
him. Uh Councilman Hernandez.
Thank you, Mayor. Just had a couple
questions um for staff on the on the bus
routes and the petition. Um, you know,
sometimes it's tough for community
members to hear no when they bring some
to the council. Uh, I've been on that
side of the DIS a lot, so I know how
that feels. Uh, but I also think it's
important to share with our community
members and our residents that while
this might not be an option, um, are
there other options to expand mo um,
connectivity uh, availability through
public transit or, you know, all
different forms of public transit? Um,
so just have a couple questions. Um,
according to the report to your to the
reports, the city has returned 97
returned 97% of the bus routes that we
had um, pre- pandemic. That is that is
that correct,
mayor, council, councilwoman Hernandez,
that is correct. We're at 97% but not
the exact same kind of service we had
before. We're 97% based on what the data
is now telling us is the most
advantageous for our writers.
Okay. Thank you. Um,
and are the routes that were mentioned
in the citizens petition the biggest
that haven't been returned or is can you
um speak to that a little bit?
Certainly. So, the routes that he
identified tend to be our um some of our
heavier routes. Um, but none of the
routes have been returned to late night
service. We have returned um early
morning service because that did show
that there was a need for that, but none
of those routes have um late night
service. But all of those routes are
showing that they're um in the hours
just prior, they have less um usage than
they did pre- pandemic.
Awesome. Thank you so much. Um and can
you share a little bit about um what
we're doing to encourage more writership
so hopefully in the future we can get
all bus routes um back in service?
Certainly. Um well, what we recently did
a new fair collection um program and
that that makes it easier for people to
get to get fair to get on to make people
who may not otherwise see themselves as
transit users use it because it's easier
to use. It's it's easier to um to pay
for. So that's one way. Um but then we
regularly do um we have our service
planners who regularly review the data
and look at trends and look at
writership numbers and then when we see
those um needs where we see something is
causing a greater need for transit then
we will um we will go out to the public
twice a year. We um do some kind of
service changes. Some of them are just
small and minor. Um but then we'll we'll
make those changes. If it's a big
change, we'll go out to the public and
then we'll bring that back to the
council to vote on.
Thank you. Okay. So, I just want to make
sure the public is aware that your team
and city staff looks at this at least
twice a year. Um, looks at the
writership numbers to see if there's
opportunities to to modify service and
then brings it to the council to see if
we can make those changes.
Absolutely. And we do really appreciate
the input from Miss Morales and others.
They can contact us. they can contact
Valley Metro. Um we have regular things
to get more input and so we very much
appreciate the people who are actually
writing giving us feedback.
No, thank you so much. I think that's a
very important piece for the public to
know is that we are continuously looking
at this um to see how we can just
improve service across the city. Um and
then my um last comment and I think uh
Councilwoman Stark kind of uh brought
this up already just making sure that
one of the requests was can we make this
information more public? Um, so I think
it would go a long way to have a meeting
with Mr. Morales and just kind of walk
make sure he is aware and is the
information is transparent to him and
other community members um just so that
they know what is going on with this.
Absolutely.
Awesome. Thank you so much.
Thank you,
Councilwoman Hud Washington.
Thank you so much, Mayor. I just had a
few um clarific clarifying questions
that I found helpful when I was doing
the briefing with you and I think might
be helpful to share that information
with the public. Um, it's my
understanding that although we have an
11 p.m. board in time, that does not
mean that all of our routes cease to
collect passengers after 11:00 p.m.
Could you speak a little bit about that?
Certainly. Um, mayor, council,
councilwoman Washington, um, you are
correct. So, when the um information
says that it ends at 11:00, um that's
for reporting, that's for comparison to
other cities. But what that really means
is that at some point during the 11:00
hour, all of the buses that are on the
street will start their last route,
which means that we have some really
long routes. So, that means that we are
still picking off and dropping off
passengers well past that time. Um we're
still at 12:30, 12, depending on the
route. Um some one even as late as 1:00
am. still picking up and dropping off
passengers.
And that means that if a passenger is on
the bus stop at 11:38, the bus will not
just swoosh by them. They will still
stop and allow the passenger to board
that um bus at that time. Is that
correct?
That's correct. It's a It's a normal
route. That last route they they stopped
at all of their stops. They drop off
people just like a normal route.
Absolutely.
Thank you. And I looked and um for me as
you know it was one of the areas I
wanted to confirm that the the routes
that he identified as the key routes all
but three of them have service beyond or
continue to have um presence I'll just
use that word on our roadways after 11
p.m. and continue to um pick passengers
up as late as if I remember correctly
some of them go as late as 12:30
12:45 according to my notes. Is that
about accurate?
Yes, that is accurate. He actually
identified the one we do have um one he
identified that goes past 1:00 a.m.
Okay. My apologies to go off of that. Um
but I think it might be helpful. Also,
one of the things that was cited in the
response to um in the council report, it
talks a little bit about the the MAG or
MAG is doing and sorry, Valley Metro is
doing a comprehensive operational
analysis. Can you tell us a little bit
about what that would entail?
Certainly. So that's something that is
done in the transit industry. It's not
done a lot because it's very
comprehensive. And for instance, this
one is will take 18 months to two years
to do. And they look at um the trends.
They look at um route by route
writership and they look at it as a
region and then they're looking at new
innovations and technology and seeing
and in transit and seeing where they
could make changes and making
recommendations. So we're right in the
middle of um one of those working with
Valley Metro. Thank you for that. And I
would ask that as we um converse with
Valley Metro that we ask them to
consider um to not set their time limits
five years ago at a minimum look at 10
years because 5 years ago was when the
pandemic started and that's when we
started that the shift that we are
currently seeing. I just want to make
sure that when we are looking at late
later night writership that we are
actually looking at um we're not limited
the data pool to that what was
artificially created as a result of the
pandemic. Thank you mayor. Those are my
questions.
Councilwoman Pastor.
Hi. Um, we had talked about how we go
out to the public. I just want for my
colleagues um that tomorrow at uh the
Valley Metro meeting, we will be
speaking about community engagement and
what community engagement really looks
like to us. And so if you have any ideas
or if you uh want to make any comments
or give me some information, uh please
do so.
uh as the
uh chair of light rail uh right now and
then the treasurer of Valley Metro
board. Uh I welcome all your comments
and um advice and information to be able
to give back to the Valley Metro and in
particular the community engagement
piece. So thank you.
Roll call.
Hernandez,
yes. Hodge Washington,
yes.
Pastor,
yes.
Robinson,
yes.
Stark,
yes.
Wearing
O'Brien,
yes.
Go,
yes.
Passes 90.
We next move to the final part of our
agenda, which is citizen public comment.
And I'll ask our legal team to introduce
this item.
Thank you, mayor. During citizen
comment, members of the public may speak
to the city council for up to three
minutes on issues of interest or
concern. However, the matters addressed
must be within the jurisdiction of the
Phoenix City Council or which or on
which the council has the authority to
act. The citizen comment session is
limited to 30 minutes. The Arizona open
meeting law allows the city council to
listen to comments but prohibits council
members from discussing or acting on the
issues presented. However, council
members may respond to criticism.
Thank you so much. We'll begin with
Diane Post followed by Abdul.
Good afternoon, Mayor and Council. Thank
you very much. My name is Diane Post.
I'm an attorney and I am on the library
board, but I am not speaking for the
library board. But this issue came to my
attention at the board. That's how that
got involved. We were given a revised
draft of the free speech zone policy for
what I thought was the library. Turns
out it's the whole city of Phoenix. I
objected to that because the the version
that was given to us was
unconstitutional
and um representative from the city c
the city um attorney's office was on the
phone at the time. So she was there
during this discussion. I drafted a
legal memo as to why the current draft
was unconstitutional and also submitted
a re revised um version of it that would
be constitutional. The issues that I
found under there were the the way that
they were dealing with commercial
activities including vendors and
artists. The way they dealt with the
interest to be protected which was the
safety of staff and access of the
customers. And the most serious and the
most unconstitutional part of it was
that the discretion was left entirely to
the Phoenix police. That is absolutely
unconstitutional under the cases that
have uh risen around the country.
unbridled discretion cannot be allowed
because what results is arbitrary and
discriminatory application of that
particular policy. So that really does
need to be changed and I urge you to
change it because if not it's going to
result in a lawsuit at sometime sooner
or later and then we're wasting taxpayer
dollars on something that does not need
to be. We could fix it right now by my
suggestion is that you have a small
working group with someone from the city
attorney's office, civil rights
attorneys, myself included, and we draft
it in a way that is constitutional and
solve the problem now and not wait till
we have a lawsuit. So that is what I'm
encouraging and I hope that you will do.
Thank you. Any questions?
And un I think we thank you for bringing
that to our attention. We can't do
substantive questions, but you can
certainly say we're going to follow up.
Counciloman Pastor,
I'm actually going to go over to city
manager. Thank you for bringing it up.
What is she speaking about? Well, no,
no, we can't do that. But we can commit
to following up. Okay, please follow up.
So, we will we will commit to following
up. And then just again, this is to
follow open meeting law. We would have
to agendaize what we're having a
discussion on so that everyone
interested would know ahead of time, but
we are committed to following up on it.
Thank you for keeping me in line.
I'm trying.
I once had our well yes um Abdul is next
followed by Nicole
Abdul Muhammad
I only let's see
only see one
oh I Thank you.
Greetings. I'm My name is Minister Abdul
Hame Muhammad. I'm the minister from
Muhammad Moss number 32. And I wanted to
lend my voice, a moral voice. Um there
was a very violent
sexual assault that took place in South
Phoenix. And it should be of course
extremely concerning to every single
person who has any human decency.
But what makes it concerning for us of
course is that government it could be a
very compelling argument that the most
important role for government is to make
sure that its citizens are kept safe and
if the citizens aren't kept safe then
that is a serious concern for all who
are concerned.
Unfortunately, what happens is that
those who are poor, um, often those who
are vulnerable, those who are elderly,
don't have a a voice, an advocate to
speak for them. And so those crimes of
this kind of violent and vicious nature,
not only was there a violent sexual
assault on an 80-year-old woman, in
addition, robberies and other kinds of
of assaults on the welfare of all
citizens.
As a Muslim, there's a verse in the
Quran that I think is relevant. I'd like
for you to consider and it says that the
most violent or vilest of beasts are the
deaf and the dumb who understand not.
And so it's come to our attention that
in the past this council, this
committee, this has been a prize of the
kind of danger that anyone could see
would be inevitable. But it appears as
if that cries went unheeded that it went
on deaf voices that because those who
were making these claims were not
necessarily politically um connected or
didn't have wealth or didn't have any
kind of voice for them then consequently
their cries went unheeded.
Unfortunately,
our city and its welfare is really um at
odds and and unfortunately those who are
the most vulnerable are prey for those
who who have no moral um consideration.
And so there's some things that you can
do that are relatively easy that are
relatively minor but would make a world
of difference for those who are
vulnerable. You can do things that put
pressure, moral pressure. You have a
political pressure but you also should
have a moral imperative to make sure
that those who are vulnerable are kept
safe because most importantly that is
your responsibility. That is your
responsibility for city leadership.
Thank you.
Thank you, Councilman Hud Washington.
I'm going to respond to that very
briefly. Um, that matter was under
investigation and due to privacy
concerns for that resident, we at this
juncture cannot talk about it publicly
in an open meeting. I don't want anyone
to believe that it is not being taken
seriously and it is not a matter that we
as I take a personal responsibility
ensuring the safety of the of
individuals when I learn information
like that. So I just wanted to respond
to that because I don't I want you to
know it's not being ignored. There is a
process for investigations and that
process is moving forward and we have to
honor the privacy of the victim also and
ensuring we're not sharing um
confidential.
Thank you though for coming down and
sharing those concerns.
Thank you. Nicole is next, followed by
Jerry.
Hello everyone. My name is Nicole Ray
and I'm a passenger service agent at Sky
Harbor International Airport. I'm one of
the workers you see pushing around
Southwest passengers who need wheelchair
assistance at the airport. I love my job
and I love the work I do helping to make
air travel possible for so many people.
But I'm paid poverty wages that make
every day a struggle. While the American
Airlines CEO was paid 30 million last
year, we need a $25 minimum wage to
ensure that we are able to provide for
ourselves and our families. I am a
single parent of two sons and I
constantly worry about how I'm going to
pay for rent, bills, medication, and
groceries.
A higher wage would allow me to give my
kids everything they deserve and not
have to constantly worry. And I'm not
alone. My fellow airport worker,
Theophil, couldn't be here today, but I
wanted to share his story. Like me, he
services Southwest by cleaning their
offices. And he works another job at the
airport cleaning the American Airlines
offices. He's 63 and has eight children.
Most days he can't go home between
shifts, so he sleeps at the airport. He
still lives paycheck to paycheck and
relies on the state for healthcare. He
should not have to live like this. None
of us should. We need a living wage. And
according to Arizona State University
study, a $25 wage floor at the airport
will put millions into our local economy
and create new jobs that are so
essential to air travel. Corporate greed
prevents our airport from operating the
best possible way for passengers and our
community. The most vulnerable
passengers lose out on getting the best
care from a well-trained and stable
workforce because workers leave the
airport because they can barely afford
to put a roof over their head. And the
new ones who come in don't have much
experience or training, so they can't be
very helpful. The system is broken. We
don't want to live our lives to make
strangers we've never met richer and
richer while we are choosing between
medicine and housing.
We are helping everyone get to their
vacations or to see their loved ones.
Yet, we can't afford to do the same.
We're sick and tired of corporate greed
keeping our wages low and prices high.
We need the city council to stand with
us by raising the standards for all
airport service workers and supporting a
$25 an hour minimum wage here, a real
living wage. Thank you.
[Applause]
Thank you. Jerry is next and then we
will go to Virginia.
[Music]
Uh good afternoon, Jerry Van Gas. Uh, a
week ago tomorrow, our coalition
concerned with our parks and preserve
system filed a formal complaint at the
attorney general's office seeking an
investigation of ongoing construction of
two foot bridges, illegal foot bridges
in the Phoenix preserve.
You can't build in the Phoenix preserve
unless you have approval from the city
council. that approval was never sought
or given.
Um, our attorneys at the Center for Law
and Public Interest and of two outside
attorneys we've retained have gone
through all kinds of records we've
requested and other information we've
gathered. We have found not one shred of
evidence that this project is legal.
Consequently, we're going to demand that
that bridge be dismantled.
The the the Lori Pestto Nature Trail
that they demolished the first thing
they did April 1st demolished a nature
trail with no notice to the family or to
anybody
be restored. And we want that 3PI money
that they've been illegally using to
build this structure. We want to return
to the fun. Thank you.
Thank you. We'll go to Virginia Edertton
followed by Patricia Whitehead.
Good afternoon.
My concern is I live on the third floor
in one of the senior buildings in this
city
and we have been asking for signs to go
in the window
because if there's a fire we cannot use
the elevator
we cannot get down the stairs with
because there are several people who are
in wheelchairs and I myself is on a
walker and we cannot go downstairs if
the elevator is not working.
So, we have asked for signs to go in the
window so the fire department would know
where and how to find us to get us out
of the building. We've been asking for
that for the last 15 to 16 years and it
still has not happened.
All right. Thank you. We will try to
follow up on that one. And now,
Patricia.
Yes.
Followed by Michael Robbins.
Good afternoon. I'm Patricia Whitehead.
I also live on the third floor of the
same building, Matthew Henson Seniors.
Last week,
one of our residents passed away.
And please keep in mind that we are on
the third floor.
He was in there for approximately
he had to been 4 days before he was
found.
We kept smelling the smell but we didn't
know where it was coming from.
I mopped my floors from in a wheelchair.
Uh my friend washed all my garbage cans.
The smell was atrocious coming through
the vent. I'm in 3:27.
He passed away in 3:19.
I became violently ill. I'm freshly home
from the hospital.
I can't move around too much.
And you know,
I was taught to always respect my elders
and these people. I saw them from our
office and I spoke with one lady I know
from the office and she had on a mask at
that time. Well, all these people went
home
and left the garbage and you know if you
ever smelt death it's on everything in
its surrounding
and it made me violently ill. I mean to
where I was regurgitating. I was sick.
And I think we need to be cared for a
little bit better than that as being a
senior
in a wheelchair.
And uh it there's got to be a way. You
don't walk into a marerary and smell
death like that. They take care of that
to make sure you don't because it's a
smell you'll never forget.
And it hit your heart.
Thank you.
Thank you. And thank you for making the
effort to come down with all that
you have on your plate. Michael Robbins.
Oh, and and we will follow up with uh
McCormick Baron who runs that property.
Uh, thank you for the update. Michael
Robbins is next, followed by Leonard
Clark.
And I should say we are we are already
working with the folks at McCormack.
Good afternoon. My name is Michael
Robbins. I live in Mala, Hansen.
Uh, I've been there approximately three
years.
Um,
since I've been there,
I have had my vehicle stole.
Uh,
there's other people in the complex
vandalism.
Uh, we have reported
this vandalism
and um,
nothing has been did. Uh we have asked
to see the videos.
Nothing has been done to view the
videos.
You know, you have these cameras that
are multi-million dollar cameras
in the complex and um the people just
look at you like, "No, you can't see
this." Or either you might have to get a
court order. But the main thing is this
management company that's running this
place.
I do believe that they're all about the
Benjamins
and not about the people. And there's
some good people there.
As you know, the lady that's up on the
staircase.
Anyway,
I'll leave you with that. There's been a
lot of other things going on.
Like I said, the rape,
uh,
drug infested.
Um,
it needs to be looked at. I'll put it
like that. Thank you so much.
Thank you for coming down to testify.
our director of housing, Titus Matthews,
is here and he will meet uh folks in
that back corner uh after the meeting to
provide some updates
and maybe the uh and we I think if
Councilwoman Stark has suggested someone
from the fire department as well because
I think we do have a fire safety plan
but need to maybe communicate it effect.
Oh, we look at that. I didn't even look
ahead of us.
and um Councilwoman Hud Washington who
represents the area her office will be
there as well. So,
um,
what? Okay. All right. Thank you,
Michael. Leonard Clark is next, followed
by Helen Skinner.
Thank you so much, mayor and council
members. My name is Leonard Clark and
although I don't reside in our beautiful
city of Phoenix, Arizona, the fifth
largest city in the United States, I
still live just on the outskirts and
this is known as the Phoenix metro area.
I'm with a group called the American
Government in Exile. We got about 10,000
members on Facebook and basically it's
not an actual government in exile. It's
in all of our spirits and our hearts. We
we seek to preserve the actual
principles of a constitutional republic
and a constitution with its democratic
principles. But we have a petition and
the petition basically starts off with a
prince whose character is thus marked by
every act which may define a tyrant is
unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
The Declaration of Independence. So what
our petition says is here's our issue at
change.org.
We pledge to defend the American
Constitution from enemies, foreign and
domestic, including the current
president who breaks the law and the
Constitution every day. We also pledge
to strongly and forcefully push for a
code of ethics in the United States for
the United States Supreme Court because
this at this time we do not have a
functioning nor credible United States
Supreme Court because it has no code of
ethics unlike all other courts. And this
has caused the Supreme Court to lose the
trust of many of the American people
unless you support you know who the the
Epstein suppressing files person in the
White House. We have signed and pledged
to follow this Constitution Defense Pact
with others like with like mine of like
mind uh based and we base our beliefs
for this necessary constitution defense
pact upon our strong belief in the
United States Constitution, the American
creed. comments need to relate to an
actionable item for the city. You don't
seem to be addressing one that the city
council can act on.
My first amendment rights, I was born
here in the city of Phoenix. This is
gerine to the city of Phoenix because
every one of the constituents is
affected by the policies of the federal
president of the United States. His
legal representative, the United States
attorney, resides in Phoenix.
If you wish to continue to speak, you
should address issues. This is the first
time I've been at the city of Phoenix
and I am ashamed to say this. After 10
years as an
not behave disrespectfully towards
others
suppressing the first amendment. Thank
you.
Thank you. Helen Skinner is next
followed by Tim Sakowski.
Good afternoon. My name is Helen Skinner
and I also live at the Matthew Henson
Senior Apartments.
Um, well, one thing that the fire
marshall just talked to us a few week
several weeks ago, we had our fire
extinguishers taken. We were supposed to
get new ones back. We have not received
them. But the main reason that I'm
coming to talk to is I live on the
second floor facing 7th Avenue directly
across from the Elks Club. We have some
bushes out there. Beautiful bushes. We
have a water mane there that's probably
this big around and it goes down like
that. It's got two big wheels on it.
Because of the bushes and the access to
the water, there are drug addicts doing
drugs down there. They get in fights
down there. I've got videos of them,
naked people, people smoking stuff on
aluminum foil. Uh, recently they did put
covers on the underground part where
people used to inject their drugs cuz
I'd look down in there once in a while.
Now, this is in between our fence and
the sidewalk.
When I talked to the people in the water
department, it's they said it's not
their problem. When I called the city,
they said it's Matthew Henson's problem.
Matthew Henson says it's on the other
side of the fence, so it's not our
problem, but it's right below my balcony
and my window, and it's in between our
fence and
the sidewalk. Who is responsible for
putting a cover on that thing? Because I
walk I go around the city, I see metal
covers covering that. So people don't
have access to that. Last year they
found a dead guy by the bus stop and I
believe that he was beaten right below
my window and then drugged over there.
Uh they fight over their drugs and I've
I've shown people videos. I've got a
bunch of videos on my phone. I even saw
a woman shaving her crotch there the
other day in broad daylight.
Somebody needs to cover that so that we
don't The two people on the first floor
below me are deaf and I'm sure they
don't wear their hearing aids when they
sleep. But last year when I got real
sick, I spent 13 days in the hospital. I
get woken up repeatedly. I had to have a
foot of my colon removed and I come home
and they build houses out of cardboard
tarps and blankets in between the bushes
and stuff. They tie him up and I've got
videos of all of this and nobody does
anything. Thank you.
All right. Thank you. We will add that
to the list. Uh Tim is next followed by
Abdul Eshek.
Good afternoon, Tim Surikowski. Thank
you so much for your time today. I want
to follow up with Jerry and talk about
the bridge to nowhere.
I have spoken with so many people at
Pyestto at the present time and they are
appalled that someone would put a bridge
in the back of the park.
I have talked to many of the individuals
that have worked hard in the parks. No
one was informed. No one really knew how
much it was going to cost and they just
started this bridge and really did not
inform anyone of what was going on.
This all interrelates to the problem
with the usage of 3PI money because once
you have 3PI money there, they just take
the money and no one is really
overseeing any of the money. You have a
a couple of different groups that are
taking care of or supposedly overseeing
3PI money, but they they have no clue
what's going on with 3PI money. And
we're at a point now that
we need to know exactly where all the
money is going. They spent
approximately, we're not even sure, 60
60 to $80 million last year of 3PI
money. Where'd it go? No one seems to
know. No one seems to understand. Wow,
it's it's all gone at this point. So, we
need to start having a better attitude
towards something that we voted on. The
people have voted on 3PI money to help
improve the park system. But what has
truly happened with 3PI money is that
the 3PI money is being used to do all
the renovation of all the parks.
General fund is not paying for any of
anything whatsoever on renovation of any
of the parks. It's now become a problem.
3PI was supposed to supplant the help
the park have it go forward. It was not
supposed to be used to run the park
system and do all the renovation. So, we
need to really sit down and you as
people that are supposed to be taking
care of and watching out for this this
money, you need to start doing a better
job because we really need to know
exactly what's going on with this money
and we know we want to make sure it's
not being wasted and we want to make
sure that we're getting full benefit of
the money itself. So, at this point, I
think we need to get more or a different
group of people on the parks board
because parks board meeting was
cancelled for tomorrow night. And we
need to start getting individuals who
are really concerned about the parks
department and not their own political
gains of what they're going to get from
it. And I I want to thank everyone here
because we've been doing this many many
years and I know sometimes we're just a
big pain, but we really do and are very
concerned about making sure the parks
are taken care of for future generations
and your children, many of the childrens
that are being raised that they have a
park to come to. Thank you.
Thank you. Abdul is next, followed by
Maxwell.
Hello everyone, my name is Abdul Isak.
I'm uh
worker from LSG Sky
and unfortunately I know right now uh
I propot union legal member and we are
prepared the food delivery thousand
of meals daily
that is in airport we are know that is
the rules of The
timing of safety
processes we have bill that is
acknowledged
through years of experience.
Now American Airlines
maybe
uh maybe release our
money our company we with the sky cafe
a company with
the constit uh safety around and right
now I don't have you know I can lose the
job And I have, you know, I don't have
nothing to cover in my life, you know.
I'm be worried about that. Thank you.
Thank you. Maxwell is next.
Hello, council members. Uh, my name is
Maxwell Ulan. I'm an attorney for Unite
Here Local 11. um and also a member of
the city's uh contract worker heat
advisory committee. Um we're going to
have some workers coming up and speaking
for themselves about their concerns and
fears about what uh may be transpiring
at Sky Chefs at Sky Harbor uh with
regard to their contract with American.
But I only want to note that the policy
that our our workers are going to be
advocating for worker retention is
essential not just for protecting their
jobs, but also for ensuring that
whistleblowers are safe and that the
city can actually properly enforce its
contracts with companies at the airport.
Airport contracts and leases have dozens
of provisions meant to ensure safety and
efficiency for workers and airport
travelers from the heat ordinance to
anti-discrimination requirements and
obligations to comply with public health
laws just to name a few.
Since these are contractual terms
though, normally the only recourse the
city has when dealing with persistent
non-compliance is to cancel a contract
that can result in significant worker
layoffs. So if a worker knows that
complaining to the city about, for
example, public health related
violations from their employer, for
example, could result in the loss of
their employer's contract and therefore
the worker's job. The worker has every
incentive not to report.
We've heard this very sentiment from Sky
Chef's workers over the past month as
some of them have expressed fear that
reporting on the heat safety issues that
they've experienced with their trucks
has put the American Airlines contract
at risk even though we as a union know
personally that not to be the case.
Similarly, the city also has a strong
incentive not to terminate a contract
even for willful violators for fear of
causing these kinds of mass layoffs. A
worker retention policy which has been
adopted by cities like Atlanta, SeaTac,
San Francisco and other places would
deal with these problems. It would allow
workers to speak up about issues without
fear for their employment. And it would
allow city officials to act with greater
confidence in enforcing and even
terminating contracts for serial
violators, knowing that workers' jobs
would be safe. Thank you for your time.
Thank you so much. That concludes
today's public comment period. For folks
who signed up and who did not get get a
chance to speak, we will take you first
in our next formal meeting agenda public
comment period which luckily is coming
up next week. We are ajourned
fan of dressing up in 90 styles clothes.
She's going with stylish spots to
resemble a Dalmatian and give the
illusion that she's having fun.
Human is dressed as the infamous Rua
Deville.
This is Sedona with Judy.
[Music]
Next up is another one of our airport
employees, Crystal.
Crystal is sporting