Council Regular/Special Meeting

MINUTES OF THE GILBERT TOWN COUNCIL, IN SPECIAL MEETING OF WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 11, 2019 AT 8:00 AM, NOT YOUR TYPICAL DELI, 1166 SOUTH GILBERT ROAD, GILBERT, ARIZONA COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Jenn Daniels, Vice Mayor Eddie Cook, Councilmembers Scott Anderson, Brigette Peterson, Jordan Ray, Jared Taylor, and Aimee Yentes COUNCIL ABSENT: None LEGISLATORS PRESENT: State Senators Eddie Farnsworth and J.D. Mesnard; State Representatives Jeff Weninger, Jenifer Pawlik and Travis Grantham STAFF PRESENT: Town Manager Patrick Banger, Town Attorney Christopher Payne, Deputy Town Manager Mary Goodman, Deputy Town Manager Leah Hubbard Rhineheimer, Office of Budget and Management Director Kelly Pfost, Digital Government Director Dana Berchman, Police Chief Jim Soelberg, Public Works Director Jessica Marlow, Fire Chief Jim Jobusch, Planning Manager Eva Cutro, Intergovernmental Affairs Director Rene Guillen, Assistant to the Town Manager Nicole McCarty, Intergovernmental Affairs Assistant Amy Arguilez, Mayor’s Aide Valerie Shaffer, Executive Assistant Monica D’Ortenzio and Senior Tax Compliance Auditor Josh Bies AGENDA ITEM NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY CALL TO ORDER Mayor Daniels called the meeting to order at 8:23 a.m. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS Mayor Daniels welcomed everyone in attendance. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS 1. Presentation and overview of Town of Gilbert demographics, achievements, and future plans. a. Update by Patrick Banger; topics included City of Future initiative, finances, budget, Gilbert public safety training facility, and two new Gilbert parks; 1 b. Chief Jobusch discussed Gilbert Fire accreditation; c. Mayor Daniels discussed the Gilbert Centennial in 2020; and d. Dana Berchman and Mayor Daniels discussed the centennial logo and new branding plan for the Town in 2020; 2. Presentation and overview of Town of Gilbert local and legislative priorities. a. Rene Guillen and Mayor Daniels discussed current status of occupational cancer presumption for Fire in state law and anticipated legislation for 2020; b. Mayor Daniels and Jessica Marlow discussed potential Town street bond for 2020 and reasons behind the discussions; and c. Vice Mayor Cook discussed water efficiencies, such as low flow devices. 3. Discussion with State Legislative Delegation on legislative priorities for Legislative District 12 and Legislative District 17. a. Senator Farnsworth discussed plans for 2020 state budget, including current surplus and need to plan for likely future downturn; b. Senator Mesnard discussed current spending on education, future education funding needs, and need to plan for financial future for State; c. Representative Weninger discussed important of broad economic base and anticipated future bills concerning alcohol and gaming; d. Representative Grantham discussed transportation concerns in the East Valley due to growth, including Highway 24, the benefit of having strong relationships between state legislatures and city elected officials, and anticipated future bills concerning peer-to-peer car sharing; and e. Representative Pawlik expressed appreciation to the Town for assistance as a new legislator, and discussed concerns for education, including work on programs for special needs, including dyslexia. 4. Discussion of potential topics for the 2020 Legislative Session including the budget and other statewide issues. a. Mayor Daniels discussed transportation maintenance needs and potential future Proposition 500 to address funding needs; Senator Mesnard discussed importance of transportation funding and cost of light rail; Senator Farnsworth discussed transportation funding, including need to take broad look at transportation funding statewide, including 2 look at one-time funding for infrastructure; Representative Mesnard discussed impact of specialized concrete, impact of large vehicles on roadways, and importance of transportation pl; Vice Mayor Cook shared Maricopa Area Governments (MAG) discussion on transportation; Councilmember Yentes discussed importance of allowing alternatives to needing to commute to work, including home-based businesses; and b. Mayor Daniels discussed school safety and School Resource Officers (SRO); Chief Soelberg discussed school safety, including SROs, SRO funding, and safety signing; Mayor Daniels and Senator Farnsworth discussed red flag laws and issues relating to mental health; Senator Farnsworth discussed due process concerns with red flag laws and SRO funding at state legislature; Senator Mesnard discussed how funding for school counselors and SRP was treated in last legislature and how SROs have become a political issue; Representative Weninger discussed views of political issues concerning SROs and school counselors; Councilmember Cook discussed State Board of Education funding for SROs and Counselors; Representative Pawlik discussed concerns about education funding; Mayor Daniels discussed criteria for funding for SROs. ADJOURN Mayor Daniels gave closing remarks and adjourned the meeting at 9:36 a.m. ATTEST: ___________________________ ___________________________________ Jenn Daniels, Mayor Lisa Maxwell, MMC, Town Clerk CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the regular meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Gilbert held on the ___ day of ____, 2019. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. Dated this ____ day of ____________________. ___________________________________ Lisa Maxwell, MMC, Town Clerk 3