City Council Special Meeting

Docusign Envelope ID: 91E0D626-3639-800B-82B0-DB6ED1EC94AD MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTTONWOOD, ARIZONA, HELD JUNE 2, 2026, AT 5:30 P.M., AT THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS--RIVERFRONT LOCATED AT 1083 E. RIVERFRONT ROAD, COTTONWOOD, ARIZONA. A COMPLETE RECORDING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD JUNE 2, 2026, IS AVAILABLE HERE: (FULL AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING OF JUNE 2, 2026, SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING) TIMESTAMPS FOR EACH AGENDA ITEM ARE PROVIDED BELOW THE CORRESPONDING ITEM DISCUSSED. ______________________________________________________________________________ Mayor Shaw called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Roll call was taken as follows: COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT Ann Shaw, Mayor Felicia Coates, Vice Mayor Stephen DeWillis, Council Member Christopher Dowell, Council Member Robert Marks, Council Member Joy Mosley, Council Member (Via Zoom) Debbie Wilden, Council Member STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT Mario Cifuentez, II, City Manager (Via Zoom) John Gaylord, City Attorney Tami Mayes, City Clerk Kirsten Lennon, Financial Services Director ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND POSSIBLE LEGAL ACTION: Public Hearing on the tentative budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27 Ms. Lennon requested the floor be opened for public comment. Mayor Shaw opened the floor for public comment at 5:31 p.m. No members of the public came forward to speak. Mayor Shaw closed the floor to public comment at 5:31 p.m. Docusign Envelope ID: 91E0D626-3639-800B-82B0-DB6ED1EC94AD Cottonwood City Council Special Meeting June 2, 2026 Page 2 Consideration and adoption of the City’s Fiscal Year 2026-2027 tentative budget and expenditure limitation (Audio at approximately 5:31 p.m.) Presentation by Ms. Lennon regarding the consideration and possible adoption of the Fiscal Year 2026/2027 Tentative Budget and the establishment of the expenditure limitation. She stated that the budget had been reviewed and discussed during several previous meetings, including budget presentations and the State of the City presentation. She noted that the required public notice had been published in the newspaper for two consecutive weeks and that the opportunity for public comment had been provided. Ms. Lennon stated that the Fiscal Year 2026/2027 Tentative Budget included total expenditures of $151,414,495. She explained that this amount reflected a slight change from the proposed budget previously presented during the budget meetings due to several minor adjustments. One adjustment included increasing funding for the Kids’ Park lighting project to $635,000 to ensure the full estimated project cost was covered. She explained that the updated estimate came in higher than the original request included in the proposed budget, and staff wanted to ensure the project was fully funded. Additional adjustments included changes to the Information Technology budget to provide funding for ADA website compliance updates and an evaluation of Wi-Fi connectivity throughout City facilities. Ms. Lennon noted there were also minor adjustments in other departmental budgets, including a small adjustment of approximately $160 in one budget and changes to the Human Resources Department budget for items that had previously been omitted. Ms. Lennon stated that all items included in the proposed budget remained included in the tentative budget. This included six new staff positions, five of which would only be funded if grant funding is received. The budget also included the employee wage adjustment of $2,080 to be provided on an employee’s anniversary date upon receiving a successful performance evaluation, funding for compensation study adjustments, health insurance changes, reserves, and capital projects as previously presented. There were no questions from Council. Vice Mayor Coates thanked Ms. Lennon and staff for their hard work throughout the budget process. Mayor Shaw commended staff on a job well done. Council Member Wilden asked when the City would find out if it received the budget award. Ms. Lennon explained that following adoption of the final budget in July, staff would complete the online budget book and submit it to the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for consideration of the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. She stated that the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 budget was submitted in December, and the City was notified of receiving Docusign Envelope ID: 91E0D626-3639-800B-82B0-DB6ED1EC94AD Cottonwood City Council Special Meeting June 2, 2026 Page 3 the award in February. She explained that the review process typically takes approximately two months after submission, and staff’s goal is to submit the Fiscal Year 2026/2027 budget by the end of October. MOTION: Vice Mayor Coates moved to approve the City’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026/2027 tentative budget as presented and to establish the City’s Fiscal Year 2026/2027 expenditure limitation at $151,414,495. SECOND: Council Member DeWillis A roll call vote was taken on the motion as follows: COUNCIL MEMBER YES NO ABSENT OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER DEWILLIS X COUNCIL MEMBER DOWELL X COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS X COUNCIL MEMBER MOSLEY X COUNCIL MEMBER WILDEN X VICE MAYOR COATES X MAYOR SHAW X The motion unanimously carried. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Mayor Shaw moved to adjourn the Special Meeting. SECOND: Council Member DeWillis The motion unanimously carried. The meeting adjourned at 5:37 p.m. ___________________________________ Ann Shaw, Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________________ Tami S. Mayes, City Clerk Docusign Envelope ID: 91E0D626-3639-800B-82B0-DB6ED1EC94AD Cottonwood City Council Special Meeting June 2, 2026 Page 4 CERTIFICATION OF MINUTES I hereby certify that the attached is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the special meeting of the City Council of the City of Cottonwood held on June 2, 2026. I further certify that the meeting was duly called, and that a quorum was present. 7/23/2026 _____________________________________________ ___________________________________ Tami S. Mayes, City Clerk Date