City Council

Mayor Mark S. Nexsen Lake Havasu City Vice Mayor Donna Brister Police Facility Councilmember Dean Barlow 2360 McCulloch Blvd North Councilmember Don Callahan Lake Havasu City, Arizona 86403 Councilmember Jeni Coke www.lhcaz.gov Councilmember Michele Lin Councilmember Cal Sheehy City Council Regular Meeting Minutes - Final Thursday, November 12, 2015 6:00 PM 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Nexsen called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. INVOCATION: Pastor Richard Tatham, Stonebridge Christian Fellowship There was no invocation given. 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Mayor led in the Pledge of Allegiance. 4. ROLL CALL Present: 6- Mayor Mark S. Nexsen, Councilmember Dean Barlow, Vice Mayor Donna Brister, Councilmember Don Callahan, Councilmember Cal Sheehy and Councilmember Michele Lin Absent: 1- Councilmember Jeni Coke 5. CALL TO THE PUBLIC Mr. Brett Miller, Coach for London Bridge Brigade soccer team, stated he put together a packet of all the school fields that illustrates where soccer fields could be placed. He stated he believes in using existing resources at the schools that are currently not being utilized during the evenings mainly due to no lighting. Mr. Miller said building a field complex is a great idea but there is a much more immediate need with 700-plus kids involved in soccer at this time. He stated that his youngest son is only able to practice once a week because there is not enough lighted field space. Mr. Miller said by utilizing the green space at the schools, they are already served by City irrigation and also have existing parking and restrooms. Mr. Miller stated by using the field guidelines that are recommended by the state, he estimated the possibility of five regulation, full size fields available in the city. Mr. Collin Miller, son of Mr. Brett Miller, addressed the Council and stated he is only able to practice once a week and that is why he would like to see soccer fields with lights at all the schools. He said that would take much less time than building more fields because the fields at the schools would only take two days each to prepare. He added that the school fields could also be made into football and baseball fields but said, his dad would like to see one of the softball fields at Lake Havasu City Page 1 Printed on 11/25/2015 City Council Minutes - Final November 12, 2015 ASU turned into a soccer field. 6. CONSENT AGENDA 6.1 ID 15-0482 Approve the October 20, 2015, City Council Special Meeting Minutes, and October 27, 2015, City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting Minutes 6.2 ID 15-0469 Adopt Resolution No. 15-3002 Approving Amendment No. 1 to Lease Agreement with the Lake Havasu Metropolitan Planning Organization to Clarify the In-Kind Match Provisions 6.3 ID 15-0474 Adopt Resolution No. 15-3003 Accepting the Dedication of a 35-foot by 185.33-foot Section of London Bridge Road Right-of-Way Adjacent to 440 London Bridge Road APN 107-01-006 / William and Kimberlee McLaren, Owners; Lake Havasu City, Applicant 6.4 ID 15-0481 Adopt Resolution No. 15-3004 Abandoning the Southern 10-foot by 170-foot Portion of a 10-foot by 180-foot Public Utility and Drainage Easement Along the Northern Property Line of Tract 2344, Block 1, Lot 4 / PCB Acquisitions IV, LLC 6.5 ID 15-0484 Call for Executive Session Pursuant to A.R.S. 38-431.03(A) 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 24, 2015 Councilmember Callahan moved to approve the Consent Agenda as presented, seconded by Councilmember Barlow, and carried by the following vote: Aye: 6 - Mayor Nexsen, Councilmember Barlow, Vice Mayor Brister, Councilmember Callahan, Councilmember Sheehy and Councilmember Lin Absent: 1 - Councilmember Coke 7. CORRESPONDENCE, COMMUNICATIONS, PETITIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, CITY MANAGER REPORT 7.1 ID 15-0480 Veteran’s Court Update City Magistrate Mitchell Kalauli stated he was before the Council to review the success that the Veterans Court has had over the past two years. He stated the Veterans Court project has been a collaborative effort from government, but also everyone in the city. He thanked Mayor Nexsen and the Councilmembers for their support and for attending the Veterans Court proceedings. He also stated the Council has done everything to support Veterans Court and believed it to be a real success. Lake Havasu City Page 2 Printed on 11/25/2015 City Council Minutes - Final November 12, 2015 Judge Kalauli played a video outlining Veteran mental health issues related to their service. He stated that the video demonstrates that there has been a need for Veterans Courts and because that need was seen in Lake Havasu City by the Mayor and supported by the Council, the City was able to initiate the Veterans Court project two years ago. LHC Veterans Resource Team • The Veterans Resource Team (VRT) was formed in response to the growing needs of Veterans in our community and justice system. The VRT is collaboration between many of the local Veteran and City organizations who have one common goal…..Help our Veterans! • The VRT has assisted by providing testing and transportation aide, facilitating life skills workshops and assisting with events for the Justice Involved Veterans and other Veterans in the community. They have been an essential asset to the success of the Lake Havasu Veterans Treatment Court. Judge Kalauli stated that one of the reasons they have been so successful is that they started out with a VRT which was a big tide turner for them to be able to get the word out to the public and to provide the services that are needed for the Veterans in the city. He said by having the VRT and by doing it consistently for the past two years, it has brought not only the Veteran community but the whole city together. LHC Veterans Resource Team • American Legion Auxiliary Post 81 • American Legion Post 81 • American Legion Riders • Arizona Coalition for Military Families • Arizona Department of Economic Security (AZDES) • Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services • Arizona Department of Veterans’ Affairs • ASU Lake Havasu • AVVA975 Mohave County • Better Business Bureau • Community Legal Services • Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 27 • Goodwill • Hospice of Havasu • Interagency • Jerry Ambrose Veterans Council • La Paz County Health Department • LHC Veteran Treatment Court • Marine Corps League Auxiliary Det 757 • Marine Corps League Det 757 Lake Havasu City Page 3 Printed on 11/25/2015 City Council Minutes - Final November 12, 2015 • Military Moms • Mohave County Community Services, Workforce Investment Board • Mohave County Housing Authority • Mohave Mental Health • NAZCARE • Northern Arizona Veteran Resource Center (VRC) • One-Stop Career Center • River Fund, Inc. • Salvation Army • Southwest Behavioral Health Services • Triwest Healthcare Alliance • Vet Center • Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 9401 • Veterans Thrift Store • Veterans United Arizona • Vietnam Veterans of American Chapter 975 Judge Kalauli stated these organizations are represented at one point or another in the VRT and are organizations that the court relies on for support when they have a Veteran in need. He added that the Marine Corp League has been very supportive and has always been willing to assist them when asked. Judge Kalauli stated that the Veterans Court has had a partnership with Interagency from day one and has an agreement with the City to provide counseling services and other services to the Veterans. He added that representatives from ASU Havasu are now part of their team and already have Veterans signing up for college classes. Judge Kalauli stated the VRT goal has been to push the services at the beginning of the program to help avoid the Veterans from falling back into the court system. Lake Havasu Veterans Treatment Court • Opened Doors November 8, 2013 with one Veteran • 180 Veterans identified to date • 148 referred to Veterans Court • 46 Veterans currently in program (2 Veterans Pending) • 9 Homeless Veterans identified/7 provided housing • Average length of program is 9 to 18 months • 34 Veterans successfully completed program o (7 scheduled to graduate in January) • About 7 percent recidivism rate for Veterans currently in the program • ZERO percent recidivism rate for Veterans who graduated the program Judge Kalauli stated that they currently have five Veterans in the VA’s inpatient treatment program which lasts from 45 days up to 4 months and because of the way that they are able to work with the Lake Havasu City Page 4 Printed on 11/25/2015 City Council Minutes - Final November 12, 2015 VA the turn-around time to enter them into treatment has been less than 2 weeks. He said the Lake Havasu Veterans Court has a good reputation with the VA and when they are done with the inpatient program they know that support will be provided after their release. Judge Kalauli stated the video illustrated that the first treatment court has a 98% recidivism rate for those who have graduated and as of today, the Lake Havasu Veterans Court has not had a single veteran who has successfully graduated from the program come back into the program or re-offend. He said that is something that the City can be proud of because we do support our Veterans. He said the General that was in charge of all of the Veterans Courts in the state of Arizona said that Lake Havasu Veterans Court is the gold standard for all of the courts because of the things that we do and because we step out of the box to help the Veterans. He added that the V.A. representative that supports the court said that whenever he talks with anyone who may be interested in starting a Veterans Treatment Court, he refers them to Lake Havasu City because we have been able to lead in the state of Arizona. Judge Kalauli stated recently, through the Veterans Services Division of the Department of Economic Security, they have started a program that will push for Veterans Courts in other areas of the State because of what they have seen happen in Lake Havasu City. He said they have also received national attention at a recent conference where one of the presenters was asked about what can be done in rural areas and that presenter stated that they should talk to the Lake Havasu Veterans Court. Judge Kalauli introduced Mr. Michael Adams, a graduate of the Veterans Treatment Court. Mr. Adams addressed the Council and said the following: “I am a grateful graduate of Veterans Court. I tried to get out of it, I tried and tried and tried to get out of it but they kept pushing and pushing. One thing that his Honor forgot to tell you folks, I have done some research and this is the only Veterans Court in America that takes Veterans with no benefits. Every other Veterans Court requires Veterans benefits. I was in that little period in the 1980’s where you didn’t get any benefits and didn’t have a real successful military career but the judge kept telling me that you volunteered and that is good enough for him. The program is amazing, I am one of the longer ones that was in there and all I can say is I am grateful. I would like to thank Andrew Wetzel from the Veterans Resource Center and everybody. It has been amazing. When I came to Lake Havasu about 12 years ago, I think about 15 minutes after I got here I got a ticket and I couldn’t pay for the ticket so I have owed the City money forever. I have done thousands of hours of community service and somehow or another I still had a little tiny bit left and it was not community serviceable. Through the Veterans Court program, Judge Kalauli made it happen and I got down to about $200 to $300 and it all went away. You should have seen me when I graduated, I skipped, I was on cloud nine. The first time ever, it has changed my life, it has changed a lot of other people’s lives and I think that as we go along, the younger people that are really over there and seeing combat and everything else will benefit from this program, they deserve it. I appreciate everything that you all have done to make this program work. I know Mayor Mark, it was his Lake Havasu City Page 5 Printed on 11/25/2015 City Council Minutes - Final November 12, 2015 baby and he doesn’t take credit but he needs to get credit.” Judge Kalauli stated that one of the things that makes the Veterans Treatment Court successful is that they take the Veterans back to a time when they can be proud of who they were and what they were doing and make sure that they know that and understand that they have something they can be proud of and that is something that we owe them. He said what Mr. Adams did not say is that he contacted different businesses and created a coupon booklet that has different coupons from the community that Veterans can take advantage of. He added after Mr. Adams completed Veterans Treatment Court, that is something that he wanted to do himself. Mr. Troy Karlen, another graduate of the Veterans Treatment Court, stated “in 1987, September the 15th, I joined the United States Marine Corp and I couldn’t have been prouder. I remember how I felt and for many years I thought to myself, some gave all, all gave some. What does that mean, well beyond the obvious of what it means, there are a number of things that some gave all and all gave some. What we all gave, one element that I can think of, in war time standing behind a weapon protecting the oppressed from the oppressor. In peace, time standing behind a shovel filling a sandbag waiting for that impending hurricane. Even in peace time strolling down the street in uniform, out of uniform, they knew us, they knew us, they knew who we were and the reason was we gave them hope. The problem with that is that hope is a finite resource and we keep little for ourselves and so it is with no small amount of regret that I say, I have a bit of a criminal record, one that has followed me to this date. On May 31, 2014, I was rearrested for another crime and I was introduced into a program which I had no knowledge of, knew nothing about. Learned about it in jail, to be quite honest. I didn’t know what it was about. I didn’t know what they wanted from me. I didn’t know if they were anti-military and looking to besmirch my military career, my Marine Corp career. Heck was this the FEMA camps everybody was talking about, who knew. I remember standing tall before a judge and his first words to me were “thank you for your service”, I don’t even know what to say, how do you answer that. I had been stood tall before judges so many times before, I never heard those words. Thank you for anything. I completed the program, I did what they told me, and I was very happy to have graduated but one of the things that I realized was we all need hope, we all need hope, and while we are so busy giving it, we veterans, we need it given back to us when we lose it for ourselves, and that is exactly what this program did. I didn’t know what I was going to say when I came here, they said, well the Mayor and the Council they already know the numbers so speak from your heart. They want to look into the heart of a Veteran, an offending Veteran, one who lives a life of regret. I said okay I will do that for the sake of the rest of my brothers and my sisters, I will do that. So here I am, I continue to live my life of regret but it is okay because I also live a life of hope. Thank you your Honor.” Judge Kalauli stated this is a powerful program because we are talking about individual lives being changed. He said for himself it has been an honor to be a part of this project because he has the opportunity to see changes in their lives and have seen them become fantastic members of society. He said he does not think of it as a project anymore as it has taken a life on its own and has become Lake Havasu City Page 6 Printed on 11/25/2015 City Council Minutes - Final November 12, 2015 a program that will last and will affect the lives of the Veterans who have come into the justice system here in Lake Havasu City. Judge Kalauli reviewed the following Lake Havasu Veterans Treatment Court roadblocks for Council: No Case Management System Currently in Use • A Case Management System is needed to better Pre-screen and Track Veteran’s progress and compliance. • Creates issues with tracing the Veteran’s needs, progress in counseling and data retrieval. Very time Consuming! U/A Drug & Alcohol Testing • At least ½ of our Veterans cannot afford U/A testing, even with lower costs being provided and donated assistance. • Creates inconsistent testing, ability to catch substance abuse and establishing proper treatment plans. Transportation • At least 1/3 of our Veterans have transportation issues. • Creates issues for regular testing, counseling assessments and appointments and attending Veteran Court Hearings. Judge Kalauli reviewed the following future visions for a Regional Veterans Treatment Court: The Future Vision of the Regional Veterans Treatment Courts • Establish a Veterans Resource Team in adjoining cities • Regional administration • Efficient use of resources • Collaboration • Participation in Joint Outings (Family Day, Hikes) • Funding • Synergy Judge Kalauli thanked the Council for their support and for their support of the Veterans throughout the region and state of Arizona. Mayor Nexsen thanked the Veterans for completing the program and also thanked them for their service. He added the Council as a group is confident that we have the right judge to administer the program, being a veteran himself. Mayor Nexsen stated they do want to see the program regionalized throughout Mohave County in the not too distant future. Lake Havasu City Page 7 Printed on 11/25/2015 City Council Minutes - Final November 12, 2015 Councilmember Callahan thanked Judge Kalauli for making this program happen. He stated even though it was a coalition of a lot of groups and a lot of people, the Judge took the lead and obviously has made it work very successfully. Councilmember Brister reiterated what Councilmember Callahan stated and added that staff has put a lot of time into the program. She said the Council appreciates everything that staff does and all of the organizations that are involved. She said it has been wonderful to be a part of watching these gentlemen that we owe so much to. She thanked them for participating in the program and giving support to the other Veterans. 7.2 ID 15-0485 Announce Vacancies on Lake Havasu City Boards, Committees, and Commissions City Clerk Assistant Sacia Graber announced the current vacancies on various Lake Havasu City Boards, Committees, and Commissions. 7.3 ID 15-0483 City Manager's Report City Manager Charlie Cassens reported on the following: • Reviewed sales tax collections through September 2015. • Code Enforcement Updates. There are currently 41 active and open cases. • Building Permits since October 27, 2015 report. o Issued 17 more new residential single family homes this fiscal year than the same time last fiscal year (101 homes FY 2015/16 vs. 84 homes FY 2015/15). o Issued 7 more new commercial building permits this fiscal year than the same time last fiscal year. (10 buildings FY 2015/16 vs. 3 buildings FY 2014/15). o Performed 485 more plan reviews this fiscal year than the same time last fiscal year. (1,358 reviews FY 2015/16 vs. 874 reviews FY 2014/2015). o Performed 805 more inspections this fiscal year than the same time last fiscal year. (4,161 inspections FY 2015/16 vs. 3,356 inspections FY 2014/15). • The next Coffee with the Mayor is scheduled for Friday, December 4, at The Red Onion from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. 8. PUBLIC HEARINGS There were no public hearing items. 9. CURRENT EVENTS There were no council committee reports. 10. CALL TO THE PUBLIC There were no requests to address the Council. 11. FUTURE MEETINGS Lake Havasu City Page 8 Printed on 11/25/2015 City Council Minutes - Final November 12, 2015 Tuesday, November 24, 2015 @ 6:00 p.m. - Regular Meeting Tuesday, December 8, 2015 @ 6:00 p.m. - Regular Meeting 12. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS There were no requests for future agenda items. 13. ADJOURN Upon motion by Councilmember Callahan and seconded, the meeting adjourned at 6:52 p.m. CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing is a full and true copy of the Regular Meeting Minutes of the Lake Havasu City Council held on the 12th day of November, 2015. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and posted, and that a quorum was present. ____________________________________ Kelly Williams, City Clerk/CMC ____________________________________ Prepared By: Sacia G. Graber, Assistant City Clerk/CMC Lake Havasu City Page 9 Printed on 11/25/2015