[00:00:03]
OKAY, WELL IT IS THREE O'CLOCK ACCORDING TO MY COMPUTER.
[1. Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance/Moment of Silence]
LET'S CALL TO ORDER THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH, 2022 AT 3:00 PM WOULD YOU ALL RISE AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE? I PLEDGE.S PLEDGE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES AS AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC, ONE UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
AND NOW WE'LL HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
MADAME CLERK, WOULD YOU CALL A ROLE PLEASE? MAYOR MOI.
AND PLEASE REMEMBER TO SILENCE ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICES YOU HAVE DURING THE MEETING.
[3.a. AB 2884 Discussion/possible action regarding a Resolution approving the canvass of the City's General Election held on November 8, 2022.]
ITEM THREE IS SPECIAL BUSINESS AB 28 84.DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CANVAS OF THE CITY'S GENERAL ELECTION HELD ON NOVEMBER 8TH, 2022.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
UM, I DID GET THE RESULTS FROM BOTH COUNTIES AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BALLOTS CAST AT THE GENERAL ELECTION.
SAMIR ARMSTRONG RECEIVED 2,479 VOTES.
SCOTT JLO RECEIVED 3,244 VOTES BOTH FOR MAYOR
AND THEN I DO HAVE, UM, HELL, THE VOTES WERE ADDED AND CALCULATED FROM BOTH COUNTIES.
AND THEN I DO HAVE THE OTHER SUMMARY INFORMATION THAT WASN'T IN YOUR PACKET FROM COCONINO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, BUT I'LL JUST MAKE A NOTE THAT WE GOT THESE FINAL RESULTS FROM COCONINO COUNTY ABOUT AN HOUR AGO.
SO THIS IS WHY WE SCHEDULED THE MEETING FOR TODAY AT THREE
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? IS THERE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION? JT I MOVED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2020 2 38.
38, A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEDONA, ARIZONA, DECLARING AND ADOPTING THE RESULTS OF THE GENERAL ELECTION HELD ON NOVEMBER 8TH, 2022.
SECOND MOVE BY COUNSELOR THOMPSON SECOND BY COUNSELOR PUE.
[4. Public Forum/Recognition of Outgoing Councilors]
OKAY.SO THAT TAKES US TO THE PUBLIC FORUM AND WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS AS A RECOGNITION OF OUTGOING COUNSELORS IN THE MAYOR.
UH, SO DO WE HAVE CARDS? YOU DO? WE HAVE THREE.
AS YOU KNOW, PAUL, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
START WITH YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE PLEASE.
UH, MME. MAY, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS PAUL SHAL AND I'M A RESIDENT OF SEDONA.
I'M HERE TODAY TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO SEDONA FIRST.
YOU HAVE GIVEN US THE PEOPLE OF SEDONA, EIGHT YEARS OF CARING SERVICES MAYOR, AND MANY MORE IN OTHER CAPACITIES.
YOUR MARITAL LEADERSHIP, NOT ONLY AT COUNCIL MEETINGS, BUT AT NUMEROUS PUBLIC EVENTS AS WELL, CAN NEVER BE REPAID.
THANKS AS WELL TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL WHO ARE NOW LEAVING THE COUNCIL.
TOM JOHN, THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU HAVE GIVEN US TO HELP MAKE THIS A GREAT PLACE TO BE IS MUCH APPRECIATED.
[00:05:02]
AND THANK YOU TO OUR CITY MANAGER WHO IS DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF KEEPING OUR CITY OPERATING SUCCESSFULLY.OUR CITY MANAGER, KAREN, HAD A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW AND SHE HAS DONE IT VERY WELL.
WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS TO THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
GOOD EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW FROM A LONG LINE OF UNSELFISH AND CARING COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE YOU, SOME OF WHOM ARE STILL SERVING.
IF YOU DO YOUR MEETING PREPARATIONS WELL, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU WILL HELP KEEP SEDONA AS A GREAT PLACE TO BE.
AND NOW I WANT TO SAY A BIT ABOUT OUR NEWLY ELECTED MAYOR.
THERE, ONE, SCOTT JLO HANDILY SUCCEEDED IN WINNING A TOUGH, EXPENSIVE, AND SOMETIMES UNPLEASANT CAMPAIGN BY AN INCREDIBLY EXTRA 14% OF THE VOTE OVER HIS OPPONENT IN ELECTION WITH THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF VOTER TURNOUTS S HAS EVER HAD.
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, I HOPE WILL HELP SUPPORT THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE THEY ARE SUPPORTING US.
COUNSELORS, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PAST OR UPCOMING SERVICE.
NEXT SPEAKER IS JEN FARNSWORTH.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR TWO OUTGOING.
LET'S START WITH YOUR NAME PLEASE.
ON CITY OF RESIDENTS DEN FARNSWORTH SEDONA.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR TWO OUTGOING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR FOR THEIR SERVICE TO SEDONA.
WHILE, WHILE I IMAGINE YOUR COUNCIL SERVICE MAY SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE A THANKLESS JOB, AND YOU MIGHT WONDER, AM I MAKING A DIFFERENCE? I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE, I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO HEAR HOW EACH OF YOU HAVE HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON MY LIFE.
THANK YOU TOM LAMPKIN, FOR YOUR MANY MONTHS OF LISTENING TO THE CONCERNS FROM MYSELF AND OTHERS AROUND OUR REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ANALYSIS AND AN EVACUATION STUDY.
YOU ALWAYS TOOK THE TIME TO READ LENGTHY AND I SUSPECT VERY BORING TECHNICAL EMAILS ON THE SUBJECT.
AND YOU ALWAYS RESPONDED IN A THOUGHTFUL AND CONS CONSIDERED WAY.
YOU WERE CURIOUS AND YOU TOOK THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND OUR CONCERNS AND TO ANALYZE HOW AND IF THEY MADE SENSE FOR SEDONA.
YOU MET WITH MYSELF AND OTHERS AND YOU ALWAYS MADE SURE YOU HEARD AND UNDERSTAND AND UNDERSTOOD OUR POINTS OF VIEW.
AFTER MUCH THOUGHT AND CONSIDERATION, YOU ALONG WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, SUPPORTED THESE INITIATIVES AS WELL AS PRIORITIZING RESIDENT LIFE SAFETY AS A TOP PRIORITY.
YOU ARE CONTINUING YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS PROJECT THROUGH YOUR ONGOING SERVICE ON THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND EVACUATION STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE.
A COMMENT YOU MADE HAS IMPACTED MANY OF US WHO LIVE IN UPTOWN.
AND THAT WAS YOUR COMMENT THAT YOUR VOTE TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT VOTE YOU EVER TOOK AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
BECAUSE OF YOU, A GROUP OF UPTOWN RESIDENTS NEVER LOST HOPE.
IN THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, WE WERE INSPIRED TO HAVE OUR VOICES HEARD AND WE LEARNED MORE THAN WE EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
AND PARKING
PAUSE OVER A YEAR AGO, LED THE CITY TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
THE CRITICAL PAUSE THAT WE NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO FULLY EXAMINE THE ISSUES OF NEEDS, GOALS, LOCATION, AND MORE FOR THIS ENORMOUS CITY PROJECT HAPPENED IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF YOU.
I KNOW YOU'LL CONTINUE TO BE AN IMPORTANT VOICE IN THE PROCESS GOING FORWARD.
I IMAGINE IT IS MUCH EASIER TO LEAD A CITY IN GOOD TIMES, BUT IT TAKES A TRUE LEADER TO GUIDE A CITY THROUGH BAD TIMES.
YOU HAD THE ENORMOUS CHALLENGE OF MAKING SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISIONS EVER TO FACE TO DONOR.
AND YOUR CHOICES AND DECISIONS SAVE LIVES.
THERE'S NO HIGHER MEASURE OF A LEADER THAN THAT MASK MANDATES AND TEMPORARY BUSINESS CLOSURES DID SAVE LIVES.
I KNOW YOU FACED INCREDIBLE PRESSURE BEHIND THE SCENES AND ENORMOUS PUBLIC CRITICISM.
MANY DID NOT AGREE, BUT I DID THANK YOU FOR SAVING PERHAPS MY LIFE AND MY HUSBANDS WE'RE BOTH VERY GRATEFUL.
FINALLY, WELCOME AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW MAYOR, SCOTT JLO AND NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, MELISSA, PETE AND BRIAN.
IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE FILL OUT A CARD NOW.
I'M A RESIDENT OF WEST SEDONA.
I DON'T HAVE PREPARED REMARKS.
I JUST, UH, CAME TODAY TO SAY THANK
[00:10:01]
YOU TO OUTGOING COUNSELORS, LAMPKIN AND THOMPSON FOR ALL OF YOUR SERVICE.UH, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MAYOR SANDY.
YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN SUCH A GREAT SUPPORTER OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS, SEDONA XYZ THAT SUPPORTS ENTREPRENEURS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND PROFESSIONALS IN THE YOUNGER, UM, YOUNGER GENERATIONS IN TOWN.
UM, YOU'RE ALWAYS AT OUR MEETINGS.
YOU ALWAYS LISTEN TO OUR CONCERNS AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
UM, WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THE 10 YEAR COMMUNITY PLAN WORKING GROUP.
WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE NEXT GENERATIONS AND WE WON'T TAKE OUR POSITIONS LIGHTLY.
UM, BEST WISHES TO MAYOR ELECT JAB OUT.
THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING ZONA X, Y, Z AS WELL.
WE WISH YOU THE BEST AND BEST WISHES TO BRIAN AND MELISSA AND PETE AND GOOD LUCK ON YOUR TERM.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK? IF NOT, I'M GONNA BRING IT BACK TO THE MANAGER AND CITY COUNCIL FOR REMARKS.
KAREN, IF, IF, IF COUNCIL'S OKAY, I'D LIKE TO JUST GO AHEAD AND START AND ASK THAT, UH, MAYOR SANDY, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMPSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER LAMPKIN, JUST COME DOWN.
WE'VE GOT JUST A FEW SMALL TOKENS OR CAN WE STAY HERE UNTIL WE'RE READY? DO YOU WANT US TO DO THAT NOW? I SUPPOSE YOU CAN STAY THERE.
WELL LET'S YOU DO IT HOWEVER YOU LIKE.
LET'S, LET'S, I CAN BRING, I CAN BRING THE TOKENS TO YOU.
LET'S NO, LET'S HEAR FROM THE OTHER, FROM ALL THE COUNSELORS FIRST ABOUT ANYTHING YOU ALL WANNA SAY AND THEN WE'LL DO THAT.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO START? KATHY, THANK YOU.
THIS IS A HARD MEETING CUZ AS EXCITED WE ARE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING ON WHO HAVE STEPPED UP TO SHOW LEADERSHIP AND WELCOME AND THANK YOU ALL.
IT'S HARD TO SAY GOODBYE TO COLLEAGUES THAT YOU HAVE ENJOYED AND SOMETIMES BEEN FRUSTRATED WITH AND OTHER TIMES BEEN AMUSED BY AND HAVE ALWAYS ADMIRED AND RESPECTED.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, UM, TOM AND JT, YOU TWO HAVE NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM THE DEEP DIVES ON ISSUES.
YOU HAVE SERVED YOUR CONSTITUENTS WELL.
AND I REALLY, I AM GRATEFUL TO YOU.
I, I FEEL IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE WITH YOU.
YOU ARE THE EXAMPLE OF PUBLIC SERVICE THAT OTHERS SHOULD HOLD AND ASPIRE TO.
YOUR LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND YOUR LIST OF INVOLVEMENT IS LONGER THAN WE COULD HAVE EVEN IN A MARATHON, A SEVEN HOUR MEETING LIKE WE NORMALLY HAVE.
BUT I, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU.
I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU PERSONALLY.
YOU WERE SO KIND WHEN I HAD A PERSONAL LOSS IN MY LIFE AND YOU WERE SO UNDERSTANDING AT THAT TIME AND I APPRECIATED THAT SUPPORT.
SO PLEASE KNOW HOW MUCH I DO RESPECT YOU AND HOW MUCH, AGAIN, IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE WITH YOU.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS IS GONNA BE REALLY TOUGH FOR ME, EVEN THOUGH I'M BE MOVING OVER TO THE NEXT SEAT.
UH, WORKING WITH MAYOR SANDY HAS BEEN A GREAT PRIVILEGE FOR ME FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS WE STARTED TOGETHER AND, UH, I I LEARNED A LOT FROM SANDY AND APPRECIATE HER GUIDANCE AND REALLY DO APPRECIATE HER CARING FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
SHE HAS SHOWN NOTHING MORE THAN THE ULTIMATE CARE FOR SEDONA, AND I APPRECIATE THAT IMMENSELY.
JT JT AND I STARTED HERE AGAIN, EIGHT YEARS AND A LITTLE ON AND OFF FOR JT.
HE HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO TEACH ME A LOT ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT THAT I DIDN'T COME HERE WITH.
AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING I REALLY GREW TO APPRECIATE BACK IN NEW YORK, BUT I REALLY HAVE GROWN TO APPRECIATE IT AND RESPECT IT HERE BECAUSE OF JT AND HIS GUIDANCE.
AND I KNOW THAT HE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A PHONE CALL OR A TEXT AWAY IN CASE I EVER HAVE A QUESTION.
TOM LAMPKIN, HE'S ALWAYS KEPT US LAUGHING.
HIS, HIS KNOWLEDGE AND HIS FORETHOUGHT AND HIS KEEN UH, UNDERSTANDING OF FIGURES AND, AND NUMBERS.
HE OUTTA HE JUST JUST PULLS THE STUFF OUT OF HIS HEAD.
HE CAN JUST TAKE A LONG LIST OF NUMBERS AND JUST CALCULATE IT.
UH, BUT HIS, HIS CARING FOR THIS COMMUNITY ALSO REALLY SPEAKS A LOT.
EVERY DECISION HE MADE WAS FOR CARING OF THIS COMMUNITY AND IT REALLY SHOWED TO ME AS WELL.
AND I WILL REALLY MISS MY THREE, UH, CO COWORKERS HERE ON THE DAUS.
AND, UH, I'VE LEARNED, I THINK FROM ALL OF THEM, I'VE LEARNED A LOT AND I WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
YEAH, I HAVE, I THINK THIS IS JUST A GREAT COUNCIL.
I THINK THAT THIS COUNCIL, UM, WAS NOT AFRAID TO TAKE, MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS.
[00:15:01]
KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A HARD THING.
AND THEY'RE NOT IN IT FOR THE MONEY, BELIEVE ME.
UM, I WILL SAY ONE THING FOR ALL, FOR THE THREE THAT ARE OUTGOING.
AND IT DOESN'T MEAN TO EXCLUDE EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT THEY ARE FINE PEOPLE.
THEY ARE DECENT HUMAN BEINGS WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND WHO, WHO CARE AND WHO, WHO HAVE NO PERSONAL AGENDA.
THEY, THEY ARE HONEST, THEY ARE HONEST HUMAN BEINGS.
AND AND I HAVE BEEN REALLY PRIVILEGED TO, TO WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.
UM, THEY, EACH ONE, EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL HAS DIFFERENT STRENGTHS AND GO DIFFERENT WEAKNESSES.
BUT LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT THE STRENGTHS NOW.
UM, THEY ARE, THEY ARE, TOM AND, AND JT AND THE MAYOR ARE SMART PEOPLE.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE PACKETS, THEY UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED.
NONE OF THEM LOOKS AT ANYTHING AS JUST A SEPARATE THING TO BE DECIDED.
THEY LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE AND THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE AS POLICY, NOT MANAGING THE CITY.
SO I REALLY HAVE NOTHING BUT ADMIRATION FOR THE THREE OF THEM.
UM, I WILL SAY ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT MAYOR SANDY THAT I FIND THE MOST ADMIRABLE AND I THINK SOMETIMES IS NOT APPRECIATED AS MUCH AS IT MIGHT BE, IS YOU REALLY, SHE DOES, SHE, YOU ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOU STAND WITH SANDY.
SHE DOESN'T OBFUSCATE SHE DOESN'T CHANGE YOUR OPINION OR TRY AND GET YOU TO THINK.
SHE MIGHT THINK SOMETHING ELSE.
SHE'S VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD AND VERY DIRECT.
AND I THINK, I THINK THAT THAT IS REALLY AN HONOR ACTUALLY TO THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS WILLING TO JUST SORT OF PUT IT, PUT IT OUT THERE, HONESTLY.
AND, UM, I KNOW THAT SHE HAS RECEIVED CRITICISM A LOT OF TIMES FOR HAVING DONE THAT BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE DOESN'T JUST TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR.
SO I'M GONNA BE VERY SAD TO SEE THEM GO.
AND I THINK ALL OF THEM SHOULD BE VERY, VERY PROUD OF WHAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED AS PART OF THIS COUNCIL.
SO I'M LOSING MY TWO SEAT MATES.
I HAVE THE, I HAVE THE WORST EXPERIENCE HERE CUZ I HAVE TO LEARN NEW
UH, YOU KNOW, I, BECAUSE I SIT NEXT TO THEM, I WATCH TOM TAKE OUT HIS CALCULATOR AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY MEETING.
AND THERE ISN'T A TIME WHEN HE IS NOT, OF COURSE HE HAS LOTS OF NOTES, UH, BUT THERE ISN'T A TIME WHEN HE ISN'T SAYING, MM, HOW IS THIS AFFECTING US? HOW IS THIS FINANCIALLY AFFECTING US? AND HE'S, LIKE SCOTT SAID, HE'S CALCULATING COST BENEFIT.
HE'S ALWAYS CALCULATING SOMETHING AND YOU CAN RELY ON WHEN HE RAISES HIS HAND TO SPEAK THAT HE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT FISCAL IMPLICATIONS.
UH, AND HE IS REALLY, REALLY TALENTED.
UH, ACTUALLY BOTH OF MY COHORTS WORKED FOR THE SAME COMPANY WHEN THEY WERE, CAME, DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS THERE, BUT THEY BOTH WORKED FOR THE SAME COMPANY, ULTIMATELY.
HARD TO BELIEVE, ISN'T IT? YEAH, YEAH.
UH, BUT, UM, NOT ONLY IS TOM REALLY, SO I'LL START WITH TOM REALLY FOCUSED ON, ON FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS, BUT ALSO ON HIS SENSE OF HUMOR.
AND HE HAS AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE SENSE OF HUMOR AND MAKES US ALL LAUGH, LAUGH TO CRYING BECAUSE HE'S A RT.
SO YOU DON'T ALWAYS THINK ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO COMES FROM A FINANCIAL WORLD HAVING A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR, RIGHT? YOU THINK THEY'RE DRY ALL ABOUT NUMBERS.
TOM IS REALLY SPECIAL AND IT'S BEEN MY PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HIM VERY CLOSELY HERE, UH, FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
JT HE'S BECOME MY ADVISOR ON ALL THINGS HAVING TO DO WITH SUSTAINABILITY.
AND I'VE ALSO LEARNED SCOTT MORE AND JEN MORE ABOUT PARKING THAN I EVER
[00:20:01]
WANTED TO KNOW IN MY LIFE.JT HAVE OPENED MY EYES TO A LOT OF THINGS I THOUGHT I KNEW, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND HE AND I HAVE GONE ROUND AND ROUND.
UH, BUT WE'VE GONE ROUND AND ROUND ON VARIOUS AND ASUNDRY THINGS AND, UH, AND I HAVE APPRECIATED EVERY CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD.
SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN TOUGH, BUT I'VE APPRECIATED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REALLY FOR, FOR THAT.
AND SANDY, SANDY, YOU ARE, YOU'RE JUST INCREDIBLE.
I REMEMBER MY HUSBAND SAYING, WE HAVE TO VOTE FOR SANDY THIS WHEN YOU FIRST WERE THERE, BECAUSE SHE'S EVERYWHERE.
WE'RE, THIS WOMAN IS ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE.
YOU HAVE TIRELESSLY WORKED FOR SEDONA AND, AND SHOWN UP FOR EVERY EVENT, EVERY OPENING, EVERY MEETING, UH, THAT A MAYOR SHOULD BE THERE REPRESENTING US AND REPRESENTING US BEAUTIFULLY.
BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT YOU DO THAT ARE BEHIND THE SCENES WORKING WITH OUR COHORTS ACROSS THE VERDE VALLEY, WORKING WITH THE STATE, UM, LEAGUE OF CITIES AND TOWNS BEING A LEADER THERE, BEING ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, BEING THE LEADER OF ONE OF THE POLICY COMMITTEES FIGHTING FOR, FOR, UM, SHORT TERM RENTAL LEGISLATION, TESTIFYING, WORKING AND WORKING AND WORKING FOR THE BENEFIT OF SEDONA.
SO YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW MANY HOURS THIS WOMAN HAS PUT IN.
AND, AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU, WE WOULDN'T BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
WHO WANTS TO GO NEXT, JT? WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO THIS.
I WAS ONLY HERE FOR A YEAR AND A HALF
UM, OH NO, YOU WERE HERE LONGER THAN A YEAR AND A HALF.
UH, WELL, YEAH, BUT I GOT A, I GOT A NICE TOKEN FOR THOSE FOUR YEARS ALREADY.
AND, AND I MAKE MADE ALL YOU PEOPLE SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT ME TWICE
UM, ANYWAY, UM, I'LL, I'LL, I WANNA SAY THIS ABOUT, ABOUT TOM.
EVERYTHING THAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT HIM, UH, IT'S ALSO TRU THAT WE BOTH WORKED FOR IBM, ALTHOUGH I STILL CAN'T FIGURE THAT OUT.
UM, BUT FOR A FORMER SALESMAN, I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW HOW MUCH YOU CAN PACK INTO A MINUTE WHEN YOU TALK.
UM, WE SHOULD ALL LEARN A LESSON FROM YOU SHOULD WRITE.
I MEAN, WE SHOULD ALL LEARN A LESSON FROM HOW YOU CAN, UH, GET YOUR POINT MADE AND, UH, AND GET OUT AND BE DONE WITH IT.
SO, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I ALSO WANNA SAY, UH, FROM THE, THE STANDPOINT OF THE, THE VALUE SET THAT YOU BRING HERE, I KNOW WHERE THAT COMES FROM, BUDDY.
IT COMES FROM A GREAT PLACE AND, UH, AND IT'S, UH, IT'S A PLACE THAT WILL ALWAYS, UH, SERVE ALL OF US WELL.
IT'S BEEN GREAT WORKING, UH, WITH YOU.
AND, UH, SANDY, I DON'T BELIEVE I, I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M THE ONE WHO GETS TO MENTION THAT IT'S NOT JUST EIGHT YEARS AND FIVE ELECTIONS THAT YOU'VE SERVED, UM, BUT THAT YOU WERE HERE WHEN THE CITY BEGAN AND BEFORE THEN, I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYONE FOR AS LONG AS THIS CITY EXISTS.
UM, HAVING AS MUCH TIME PUT IN SERVING THE CITY, UH, AS SANDY, UM, AND LIKE ALL OF US, WE'VE HAD OUR DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT THINGS, BUT WE'VE WORKED THEM OUT.
AND, UM, MY RESPECT FOR YOU GOES DEEPLY VERY DEEP AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
AND I ALSO WANNA JUST ASK, I PREPARED A LITTLE STATEMENT THAT TALKS ABOUT A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.
IS THIS THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR THE LETTER? YOU WANT THE AGENDA? AND I'M, I'M SORRY TO HAVE WRITTEN THIS DOWN, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS IN YOUR INTEREST THAT I DO, BECAUSE WHEN I SPEAK EXTEMPORANEOUSLY, I GO ON AND ON AND ON.
SO I THINK IT HAS A FRONT AND A BACK.
YEAH, IT'S ONE AND A HALF PAGES.
UH, SO FIRST TO MY COUNCIL, ME A NAME OF ROSE.
I THINK I'M STILL JOHN THOMPSON AND I DEFINITELY LIVE HERE AND LOVE IT.
UM, FIRST TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UH, SANDY, SCOTT, JESSICA, HOLLY, KATHY, AND TOM, THANK YOU FOR APPOINTING ME TO THAT VACATED SEAT 20 MONTHS AGO.
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A VERY SPECIAL PRIVILEGE TO BE CHOSEN BY SEDONAS RESIDENTS TO REPRESENT THEM FROM 2014 TO 2018, IT WAS NO LESSON HONOR TO BE VOTED BACK BY YOU IN 2021.
[00:25:03]
AS OUR VOTING RECORD SHOWS, WE WERE IN AGREEMENT ON COUNCIL ISSUES AND DECISIONS FAR MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.SOME MIGHT SAY THAT WAS A PROBLEM, AND THAT CITY COUNCILS SHOULD REFLECT THE SAME IDEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES THAT POLARIZE OUR NATIONAL AND STATE LEGISLATURES.
BUT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE SAFETY, HEALTH, AND WELFARE OF OUR NEIGHBORS IS A NONPARTISAN RESPONSIBILITY.
AND THAT HERE IN THIS COUNCIL, OUR GUIDE IS A COMMUNITY PLAN, NOT A PARTY PLATFORM.
IT'S BEEN GREAT WORKING WITH YOU, AND I'LL ALWAYS VALUE YOUR TRUST AND FRIENDSHIP.
SECOND, IF ANY OF MY SEDONA NEIGHBORS ARE WATCHING WHO SIGNED MY REELECTION PETITION OR VOTED FOR ME IN THE AUGUST PRIMARY, I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
IF THERE WAS A SPECIFIC SKILL OR PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU APPRECIATED IN ME AND THAT YOU WERE HOPING I WOULD CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE AS YOUR COUNSELOR, I ASSURE YOU THAT I WILL STILL FIND WAYS TO USE THEM AS YOUR FORMER COUNSELOR TO ALL OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, TO OUR NEW COUNSELORS, PETE, BRIAN, AND MELISSA, THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO TAKE ON THIS NEW CHALLENGE AND CONGRATULATIONS FOR EARNING THE CONFIDENCE AND TRUST OF OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU CERTAINLY HAVE MY CONFIDENCE AND TRUST AS WELL.
YOU HAVE FOUR OUTSTANDING COLLEAGUES TO WORK WITH, AND YOU ARE SUPPORTED BY THE MOST TALENTED AND HARDWORKING PROFESSIONAL STAFF THAT ANY COUNCIL COULD WISH FOR.
YOU ALL HAVE MY SINCERE BEST WISHES FOR A TERM OF SERVICE THAT WILL BE JUST AS PERSONALLY REWARDING FOR YOU, AS I'M SURE IT WILL BE GREATLY BENEFICIAL FOR OUR CITY.
UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THEM AND FOR THEIR FAITH IN ME BY APPOINTING ME INTO THIS POSITION.
I'VE BEEN APPOINTED MORE TIMES TO THE COUNCIL THAN I WAS ELECTED.
SO IT'S KIND OF A WEIRD THING, BUT I HAVE ENJOYED EACH OF THE COUNCILS I'VE WORKED FOR.
AND JOHN, I'M SORRY TO SEE YOU GETTING OFF, BUT, UM, YOU'VE HAD A GREAT IMPACT ON ME IN SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, IT, IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU KEEP PLUGGING AWAY AND YOU FINALLY GET RESULTS, UM, AS THE MAGISTRATE MAY BE ABLE TO TELL IT, AND PEOPLE KEEP BUGGING A COURT.
FINALLY, YOU JUST SAY YES TO SHUT THE PERSON UP.
BUT I, I DIDN'T DO THAT IN THIS CASE.
I ACTUALLY AGREED WITH YOU AND LISTENED TO WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY, AND IT MADE SENSE.
AND THAT'S WHY THE CLIMATE CHANGE PLAN CAME ABOUT AND SUSTAINABILITY POSITIONS IN THE CITY.
SO, UH, KUDOS TO YOU FOR THAT.
YOU REALLY DO GIVE SOME, SOME THOUGHT TO WHAT YOU COME UP WITH AND, UH, HAS CHANGED MY MIND IN SOME TIME.
UH, AND MADAM MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
I MEAN, THE INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO LOSE LINE COUNCIL EXCEEDS THE TOTAL SUM OF ALL THE OTHER COUNSELORS COMBINED.
I THINK THAT YOU, WHAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE TIME YOU'VE BEEN IN SEDONA AND HOW YOU'VE CONTRIBUTED TO IT AND ALL THE 5 0 1 C THREE S YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH AND HELPED ORGANIZE.
YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY LOOKING TO, NOW THAT YOU HAVE MORE TIME TO THE BIGGEST EVER WINE FESTIVAL AND, UH, EVEN GREATER NOW THAT WE'RE VITICULTURE AREA THAN DESIGNATED.
SO, UH, ALL SORTS OF GREAT THINGS GOING ON.
BUT I WANNA THANK THE COUNSELORS WHO ARE CARRYING FORWARD, UH, BECAUSE, UH, AND THE NEW MAYOR AND THE VICE MAYOR, WHOEVER THAT WILL BE, UH, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE ELECTED, THEY'LL BE COMING IN BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF STUFF TO KEEP GOING FORWARD WITH.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO PAUSE ON EVERYTHING WE COULD NEED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
IT'S A GREAT, UH, AN HONOR TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS AS PARTICULAR BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO I'VE SPENT THE MOST TIME TALKING TO, ACTUALLY OVER TIME.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE INPUT THAT YOU TOOK THE TIME TO DO IT, UH, AND LET YOU KNOW THAT WHEN WE HAVE UNANIMOUS DECISIONS WITH SUCH A DIVERSE GROUP OF COUNSELORS, THERE MUST BE A REASON FOR IT.
SO, UH, SOMETIMES EVEN WHEN WE'RE ALL COMING AT IT FROM DIFFERENT APPROACHES, WHEN WE COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION, UH, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF TRUST THAT MAYBE THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.
WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE GET FROM THE BEST CITY STAFF IN THE COUNTRY, I WOULD SAY THE WORLD AS WELL.
UH, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE A GREAT CITY MANAGER.
WE'VE MADE GREAT PROGRESS UNDER HER DIRECTION AND WITH THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, WE HAVE THE FINEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THIS, IN THE, IN THE COUNTRY.
I MEAN, I, I, I'M AMAZED AT HOW THEY DON'T JUST SHOOT EVERYBODY.
THAT'S WHY I'M NOT A POLICE OFFICER.
I DON'T HAVE THE PATIENCE THEY HAVE, NOR THE, THE, UH, HUMBLING SERVICE ATTITUDE THAT THEY HAVE.
I THANK GOD FOR THEM EVERY DAY, AND I WISH THAT GOD WILL KEEP THEM SAFE.
UH, I WANT TO THANK THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
UH, OUR ENGINEERING WITH ANDY COMMUNICATIONS
[00:30:01]
THE PAST WITH LAUREN AND JUST EVERYBODY AND OUR CITY CLERK, UH, IS JOANNE'S DONE A GREAT JOB.I I'M JUST, EVERYBODY THAT I'VE, IT, EVERYBODY, OUR ATTORNEY, CITY COUNSELOR, THE GUY IS GREAT.
YOU KNOW, HE ACTUALLY PRESSES THINGS A LITTLE FURTHER THAN WE, YOU KNOW, HE UNDERSTANDS THE THOUGHT THAT, DON'T KEEP ME OUTTA JAIL.
SO LET'S GO TO THAT LINE AND PUSH WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THE CITIZENS OF SEDONA.
SO, I, I THINK WE'RE REALLY IN A GREAT PLACE.
UH, THE, THE TRADITION CONTINUES OF A GREAT COUNCIL.
UH, THE PEOPLE SPEAK AND THEY DO GET HEARD.
NOT EVERYBODY BELIEVES THAT AT TIMES, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT 80% OF THE TIME WE'RE HEARING YOU, UH, AND SOME OF THEM ARE HEARING YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
I'M JUST A LITTLE SLOWER THAN OTHERS.
BUT WE'VE GOT NEW PEOPLE COMING ON BOARD WHO ARE SMARTER THAN I AM.
AND I TRUST THAT THEY WILL DO THE RIGHT THING FOR YOU.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP TALKING TO THEM.
AND NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE MAYOR WHO I HAVE NO REASON TO UNDERSTAND HOW SHE'S EVER BEEN QUIET AND ALL OF OUR MEETINGS, AND ALWAYS WAITED UNTIL THE LAST TO SPEAK.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE, NO, WAIT A MINUTE, WAIT A MINUTE.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOUR PATIENCE, SANDY, IS WHAT SURPRISED ME THE MOST.
YOU MUST HAVE SOME KIND OF A MACHINE THAT STOPS YOU FROM TALKING OR SOMETHING UNTIL THE END.
THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE FUTURE AROUND TOWN.
SO, UH, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY.
I MEAN, IN ALL THE KIND WORDS, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO HEAR THAT.
BUT I HAVE OF COURSE, ALWAYS TRIED TO DO MY BEST FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
ALL OF ALL OF US AS A WHOLE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO, UH, AND I WANNA START FIRST BY THANKING TOM AND, AND JT, JOHN JT, WHICHEVER HE, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A ONE TIME WHEN WE HAD THREE JOHNS ON THE COUNCIL.
THERE'S ONE SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE, AND THERE WAS JT AND JOHN CURVIN.
AND LUCKILY, UH, THE ONE IN THE AUDIENCE WAS THE VICE MAYOR, SO I COULD CALL HIM VICE MAYOR
AND JT IS WILLING TO BE CALLED JT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF JOHNS IN THIS WORLD, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO, SO THAT SOLVED THAT PROBLEM.
BUT YES, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN JUST A PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH BOTH OF THEM.
AND AS THEY HAVE BOTH, BOTH POINTED OUT, THEY'VE BEEN APPOINTED A COUPLE OF TIMES BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT LATELY.
KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED, KNOCK ON WOOD.
WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD NO RESIGNATIONS FOR A WHILE, BUT FOR A WHILE THERE, IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY YEAR WE HAD A RESIGNATION.
AND, AND I AM JUST THANKFUL THAT WE HAD GOOD PEOPLE TO GO TO WHO COULD, YOU KNOW, HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE JOB, WHICH IS POLICY, FOLKS.
IT'S POLICY, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.
THAT'S OUR JOB UP HERE IS POLICY.
SO, AND WHAT EVERYBODY SAYS ABOUT TOM AND HIS SENSE OF HUMOR IS SO TRUE.
YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE DAY BEFORE ZOOM, WE USED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN OUR CARS DRIVING TO MEETINGS.
AND WHEN WE WERE RIDING WITH TOM, IT WAS ALWAYS A GREAT TIME BECAUSE HE KEPT US LAUGHING THE ENTIRE TIME.
UH, SO I PERSONALLY APPRECIATE THAT SPEAKING.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, I'M OLDER THAN DIRT, AND THE ONLY REASON I'VE GOTTEN AS FAR AS I HAVE IS MY SENSE OF HUMOR.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR, AND HE'S GOT THE BEST.
AND JT, THEY'RE BOTH JT AND TOM ARE REALLY POWERFUL THINKERS.
THEY'RE GREAT AT ANALYZING AND THINKING ABOUT THINGS AND THINKING THEM THROUGH, AND THEY EACH BRING A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW TO EVERY ISSUE.
AND IT'S REALLY CRITICAL THAT WE SEE ALL SIDES OF EVERY ISSUE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU WE NEVER SEE ALL SIDES OF EVERY ISSUE, BUT WE TRY, WE REALLY DO TRY.
AND IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO.
SO I HAVE REALLY APPRECIATED THEIR INTELLIGENCE AND THEIR GOOD WILL AND THEIR, UM, PROFESSIONALISM ON THE DIAS, YOU KNOW, SENSE OF HUMOR IS A PART OF IT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
SO, BUT, UH, BOTH OF THEM ARE EXTREMELY KIND PEOPLE AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT AS MUCH AS ANYTHING.
UH, TOM AND HIS WIFE ARE BOTH EXTREMELY KIND PEOPLE AND, UH, I DON'T THINK HE'LL FIND A KINDER PERSON ON EARTH.
SO, UM, SAME COULD BE SAID FOR JT AND HIS WIFE.
UH, EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE, AS JT SAID, THIS IS A NONPARTISAN BODY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
THE LEGISLATURE KEEPS TRYING TO CHANGE IT, BUT SO FAR WE'VE HUNG ONTO IT.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HANG ONTO IT BECAUSE TRULY, MOST CITY ISSUES ARE NOT
[00:35:01]
PARTISAN.AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS A CHANCE TO DO, TAKE, TAKE ACTION IN A WAY THAT OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT CAN'T.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T LET US DO IT VERY MUCH.
THEY CONSTRAIN US FAR TOO MUCH IN MY OPINION.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY'S OPINION, BUT, BUT, UH, WE DO WHAT WE CAN.
AND IT, IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE.
WE'RE SO BLESSED TO HAVE COUNSELORS.
ALL ALL OF THE COUNSELORS I'VE SERVED WITH HAVE BEEN JUST THE BEST REALLY GOOD THINKERS AND, AND WELL MEANING, AND ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS NEVER ANYTHING THAT EVERYBODY AGREES ON THERE.
YOU MAY THINK THERE IS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU,
AND IF, IF YOU'RE NOT READY FOR THAT, AND I HOPE ALL THE NEW COUNSELORS ARE, I THINK THEY'RE READY.
YOU'RE GONNA FIND OUT WHEN YOU START GETTING ALL EMAILS,
IT'S, IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB ALL THE TIME, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT JOB.
AND I, I KNOW THE NEW PEOPLE ARE GONNA CONTINUE, UH, WITH THE TRADITION OF COUNCILS THAT I HOPE MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.
AND IT WAS THE THING I HOPED FOR WHEN I GOT ELECTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO I DO WANNA SAY, UM, THAT IT HAS BEEN THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF A LIFETIME TO SERVE AS THE MAYOR OF CITY OF SEDONA, ALONGSIDE OF ALL MY WONDERFUL COLLEAGUES AND TWO OF THE BEST CITY MANAGERS ON THE PLANET IN THE MULTIVERSE, AND THE BEST STAFF IN THE MULTIVERSE.
NOT THE COUNTRY, NOT THE GLOBE, THE MULTIVERSE.
I I USED TO NAME ALL THE LEVELS, YOU KNOW, BUT I, I, I'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE I JUST SKIP RIGHT TO THE MULTIVERSE BECAUSE THEY REALLY ARE THE BEST.
AND, AND I JUST CAN'T TELL YOU, NONE OF US COULD DO OUR JOBS WITHOUT THEM.
WE, WE WOULDN'T STAND A CHANCE TRYING TO FIGURE THINGS OUT FOR OURSELVES WHEN WE GET ELECTED TO THIS JOB.
WE'RE NOT TRAINED PROFESSIONALS.
NOBODY TRAINS YOU TO BE A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
WELL, THE LEAGUE TRIES TO SOME EXTENT.
THEY GIVE US GUIDANCE, BUT, BUT THERE'S NO TRAINING REALLY.
AND SO WE RELY ON OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND THEY ARE THE BEST.
DON'T EVER LET ANYBODY TELL YOU DIFFERENT.
AND I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL BECAUSE I KNOW I COULD NOT HAVE DONE ANYTHING WITHOUT THEM.
AND THAT'S FROM ALL OF OUR STAFF, INCLUDING OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
AND I RELY ON THE CITY ATTORNEY.
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY TIMES WHEN I JUST, I HAVE TO CALL KURT AND SAY, OKAY, YOU GOTTA GIVE ME THE STRAIGHT SCOOP HERE.
CAN WE DO THIS? IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN DO THIS? YOU KNOW, I, I JUST COULDN'T GET ALONG WITHOUT THE MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY.
SO, UH, UH, I DEPEND ON BOTH OF THEM HEAVILY.
I WANNA, OH, I, I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD THE EXPRESSION, IT TAKES A VILLAGE.
NOBODY ON THIS COUNCIL DOES ANYTHING ALONE.
WE DO IT WITH OUR FELLOW COUNSELORS, AND WE DO IT WITH THE GUIDANCE HELP AND ASSISTANCE AND, AND GUIDANCE AND EDUCATION FROM THE STAFF, OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF.
AND, UM, I, I, I JUST, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SINCE I'VE BEEN THE MAYOR.
UH, AS JT MENTIONED, I DID
FIVE MONTHS TO PUT A CITY TOGETHER.
IT WAS A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE THAN IT IS TODAY.
TOTALLY DIFFERENT, BUT ALSO VERY ENJOYABLE.
UH, SO, AND I'M, I'M JUST REALLY PROUD THAT, THAT WE'VE DONE AS MUCH AS WE HAVE WITH THIS COUNCIL.
WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN EVERYTHING I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE GOTTEN DONE, DONE.
BUT IN SOME WAYS, WE'RE OFTEN CONSTRAINED BY THE STATE.
AND PEOPLE WILL SAY, YOU'RE ALWAYS SAYING, YOU ALWAYS SAY THAT.
I CAN TELL YOU IT IS NOT AN EXCUSE.
AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
TRYING TO CHANGE THE LEGISLATURE IS A DIFFICULT TASK.
SO I, I DO WANNA WISH THE NEW MAYOR AND COUNCIL THE BEST IN, IN CONTINUING TO SERVE THE CITY.
[00:40:01]
I AM AVAILABLE TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN.PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME IF I CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE.
I ALSO WANNA THANK MANY OTHERS ACROSS THE VERDE VALLEY THAT I'VE WORKED WITH OVER THE YEARS.
AND IT'S JUST BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH ALL OF THEM.
UM, IN THE VERDE VALLEY, WE DO THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN MOST OTHER AREAS IN THE STATE.
I'VE, I'VE OCCASIONALLY ASKED PEOPLE, I KNOW I ASK KURT WHEN HE CAME HERE, CUZ I LIKE TO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DO MEET REGIONALLY A LOT.
WE ALWAYS HAVE, WE'VE ALWAYS COLLABORATED.
AND, AND I SAID, THAT HAPPENED WHERE YOU CAME FROM.
AND I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE FROM EVEN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN PRESCOTT AND THAT AREA.
THEY DON'T GET ALONG VERY WELL TOGETHER OVER THERE IS WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD.
BUT WE GET ALONG, EVEN IF WE DISAGREE, WE ALL GET ALONG AND WE VALUE EACH OTHER'S COUNCIL, AND WE WORK TOGETHER CONTINUALLY BECAUSE WE'RE ALL SMALL CITIES.
AND SO WE, WE NEED TO BAND TOGETHER TO GET WHAT'S BEST FOR THE VERDE VALLEY AS A WHOLE.
AND, UH, I HAVE WORKED ACROSS THE VERDE VALLEY, THE, THE ENTIRE TIME I'VE BEEN IN SEDONA, WHICH IS COMING UP ON 51 YEARS IN JANUARY.
SO, UH, I DO HAVE, I AM OLDER THAN DIRT FOLKS.
I AM, I PROMISE, I PROMISE YOU.
UM, SO EVERYBODY, I, I JUST, THE, THE MAYORS, THE CITY AND TOWN MANAGERS, THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS, THEIR STAFFS, STATE AND NATIONAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEIR STAFFS, UH, THERE'S SO MANY OTHER AGENCIES WE WORK WITH, ESPECIALLY THE FOREST SERVICE AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THEY'RE BOTH TRUE PARTNERS WITH THE CITY OF SEDONA.
OUR CITY IS HALF FOREST SERVICE LAND.
WE HAVE NO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT DOESN'T BENEFIT ANY OF US TO THINK WE CAN DO THINGS ON OUR OWN.
NOW YOU, MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, HERE IT IS, GOVERNMENT MOVES AT THE PACE OF A NARCOLEPTIC SNAIL.
OUR JOB IS TO BE DELIBERATIVE.
WE DON'T JUST, OH, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA, LET'S TRY IT.
NO, THAT'S NOT THE WAY GOVERNMENT WORKS.
AND SO LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THE CLOSEST AND THE LEAST BUREAUCRATIC, BUT YEP.
BY THE TIME YOU GET TO THE FEDERAL LEVEL, IT'S A HALF DEAD SNAIL.
AND, AND AGAIN, IT'S FOR A REASON.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THEY HAVE TO ANSWER TO AND THEY'RE ACCOUNTABLE TO.
THAT'S THE REASON WE CAN'T DO THINGS QUICKLY.
GOVERNMENT IS MEANT TO BE NIMBLE.
THERE ARE MANY TIMES WE WISH WE COULD BE, BUT WE CAN'T.
UH, AND, AND SO IT JUST REALLY CRITICAL THAT WE WORK WITH ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND WE'VE DONE IT.
AND, AND I THINK WE'VE DONE IT AS SUCCESSFULLY AS ANYBODY IN THE STATE.
UM, SO I WANNA THANK, UM, ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE.
ALSO, WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST NONPROFITS IN THIS CITY AND THE, AND THE VICINITY OF ANY PLACE I'VE EVER SEEN.
UH, THEY DO SO MUCH FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND MY BELIEF IS THAT NONPROFITS ALLOW YOU TO PARTICIPATE AND IN A WAY THAT LETS YOU FOLLOW YOUR PASSION, YOU'LL PICK A NONPROFIT THAT'S SOMETHING YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT AND IT GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO FOLLOW YOUR PASSION.
AND I, THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE ALSO EXTREMELY VALUABLE AS ECONOMIC DRIVERS, NONPROFITS, SURPRISINGLY SO.
UM, SO, BUT THE FOREST SERVICE IN THE CHAMBER ARE OUR CLOSEST PARTNERS AND TO ALL OF OUR LOCAL ARTISTS, TAKE A LOOK AROUND THE ROOM.
THIS ROOM WOULD NOT BE THE SAME WITHOUT ALL OF THE ART WE'VE HAD IN THE CHAMBER OVER THE YEARS.
I'VE, I HAVE TOLD THEM SO MANY TIMES AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO THEM FOR THAT.
THEY HELP US LIVE UP TO OUR VISION STATEMENT, WHICH SAYS, WE ARE A COMMUNITY ANIMATED BY THE ARTS AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ALLOW US TO BE THAT.
SO A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF THE ARTISTS.
WE'VE HAD ARTWORK, NOT JUST IN THE CHAMBER, BUT SCULPTURE AROUND THE CAMPUS AND, AND ARTWORK ACROSS THE CAMPUS.
IT'S IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, IT'S IN THE T ROOM.
AND, AND THOSE SPACES ARE DIFFERENT WITHOUT THAT ART IN THEM, IT JUST FEELS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
AND IF, IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT, COME IN SOMETIME, COME IN WHEN THE CHANGE IS GOING ON.
CUZ WE CHANGE ABOUT EVERY FOUR MONTHS.
MAYBE WE DIDN'T DURING THE PANDEMIC, BUT EVERY, THE REST OF THE TIME IT'S ABOUT EVERY FOUR MONTHS.
AND WHEN THE WALLS ARE BARE, FEELS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, TOTALLY DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE.
SO, UM, I I FIND IT INSPIRING AS WELL AS BEAUTIFUL AND FRIENDLY.
IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF ATMOSPHERE ON OUR CAMPUS.
SO I'M SURE I'M LEAVING SOMEBODY OUT, BUT I CAN'T, I CAN'T NAME YOU ALL.
I'M SO GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU.
[00:45:01]
I DON'T DO MY JOB IN ISOLATION.THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT I DO HAVE, UH, EXCEPT RUNNING THE MEETINGS THAT THE POWER OF THE MAYOR IS MOSTLY RUNNING THE MEETINGS AS IT HAPPENED.
I HAPPENED TO BE IN OFFICE DURING A ONCE IN A LIFETIME PANDEMIC, WHICH CREATED THE ONLY EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION THE CITY'S EVER MADE.
AND, UH, I WAS HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
REALLY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
UM, I I I DIDN'T CONSIDER IT COURAGEOUS.
I CONSIDERED IT THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND I, AND I'D HAVE NO REGRETS WITH ABOUT WHAT I DID.
SO, BUT IT JUST, I'VE LEANED ON EVERYBODY.
I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM EVERYONE, I CAN'T TELL YOU.
AND WE, WE JUST HAVE HAD, LIKE I SAY, I, I, ESPECIALLY TO THE STAFF, I COULD NOT DO MY JOB WITHOUT THEM.
SO AGAIN, IT TRULY TAKES A VILLAGE AND THANK YOU ALL AND MAY PLEASE BE WITH YOU.
AND I WASN'T STANDING UP, SO I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN THAT I WASN'T STANDING UP, BUT I WAS STANDING UP.
A LOT OF TIMES I'LL SAY THAT I AM STANDING UP.
I KNOW FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE OUT THERE, CUZ ONCE IN A WHILE I'LL WATCH A MEETING ON, ON THE COMPUTER AND YOU LOOK ALONG THE COUNCIL AND IT KIND OF GOES
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU AGE PEOPLE, YOU SHRINK.
SO I THINK I'VE GOTTEN SHORTER IN THE EIGHT YEARS.
I KNOW I HAVE THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEIGHT AND STATURE.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW YOU HEAR, HEAR ME SAY, AND I, BUT I TRULY MEAN IT.
IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS DIFFICULT AS IT IS AT TIMES.
IT'S STILL AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE.
AND I ACTUALLY ENJOY IT, EVEN WHEN IT'S HARD.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME THAT PRIVILEGE.
OKAY, MAYOR, WE ARE NOT DONE CELEBRATING YOU YET.
UM, SEE THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I DIDN'T WANNA GO LAST BECAUSE HOW DO YOU FOLLOW ALL OF THAT? UM, WE DO HAVE SOME SMALL TOKENS FROM STAFF FOR THE THREE OF YOU.
AND ALTHOUGH THE TOKENS ARE SMALL, OUR APPRECIATION IS ENORMOUS, UM, FOR ALL THREE OF YOU.
SO, UH, I MIGHT JUST MAYBE START OFF BY JUST SAYING SOME THANKS TO EACH OF YOU.
I CAN'T POSSIBLY, UM, WELL, I WON'T REITERATE ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND YOUR COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY SAID ABOUT YOU.
BUT I AM VERY THANKFUL AND HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU.
UM, NOT JUST FOR MOST OF YOU FOR THE 10 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY, BUT THE LAST TWO WHERE I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK CLOSELY.
AND, AND I THINK SOME OF MY COMMENTS, UM, THIS IS NOT JUST FROM ME.
THIS IS FROM OUR ENTIRE STAFF WHO FEELS VERY THANKFUL AND APPRECIATIVE OF ALL OF THE SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN US.
UM, NOT EVERY COUNCIL IS APPRECIATIVE AND SUPPORTIVE AND, AND RECOGNIZES STAFF IN THE WAY THAT ALL THREE ALL OF YOU DO.
UM, BUT PARTICULARLY THE THREE OF YOU, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED NUMEROUS TIMES, COUNSELOR LAMPKIN, THAT YOU BRING A CERTAIN SHARP WIT AND SENSE OF HUMOR TO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
YOU HAVE HELPED US IN, IN DEALING WITH SERIOUS ISSUES.
NOT TO TAKE OURSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT AN ABSOLUTE KIND AND GENUINE AND WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING YOU ARE.
UM, IN HAVING BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
LIFE HAPPENS TO US, RIGHT? UM, WE HAVE THINGS THAT HAPPEN OUTSIDE OF WORK THAT ARE DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING.
AND YOU HAVE SHOWN ME KINDNESS AND MY FAMILY IN WAYS THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE EVER REALLY THANKED YOU FOR WHEN YOU WENT OUT OF OFFICE LAST TIME, YOU WROTE, I DON'T KNOW WHO, WHO ELSE YOU WROTE LETTERS TO.
I'M SURE IT WAS TO ALL OF OUR STAFF, BUT PERSONALIZED, KIND AND HEARTFELT LETTERS TO EACH OF US.
AND IT HAS MEANT A, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT TO ME AS YOU HAVE.
YOU'VE BEEN A STEADY STEADYING FORCE.
[00:50:01]
THINK FOR THE WHOLE COUNCIL AND FOR OUR TEAM AND YOU KNOW, HOW TO TAKE CHALLENGING ISSUES AND SOMEHOW SYNTHESIZE THEM DOWN TO THE MOST SALIENT POINTS.UM, YOU'VE ALSO HELPED US TO PUT IN PERSPECTIVE THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY ALL THE TIME.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE COUNSELOR THOMPSON.
YOU HAVE CHALLENGED ME IN WAYS THAT, UM, ALL THE BEST POSSIBLE WAYS.
I AM A BETTER MANAGER BECAUSE OF YOU.
UM, I THOUGHT I WAS A CRITICAL THINKER AND THEN I STARTED TO WORK WITH YOU
AND YOU HAVE NOT ONLY TAUGHT ME ABOUT THINGS THAT ADMITTEDLY I HAVE NO EXPERTISE IN WHATSOEVER.
AND I'M A BETTER, MORE CIVIC MINDED PERSON BECAUSE OF THOSE.
BUT YOU HAVE HELPED ME TO LOOK OUTSIDE THE PARADIGM, THINK ABOUT THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
AND THAT HAS MADE ME BETTER IN MANY WAYS.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
AND THANK YOU AS WELL FOR THE KINDNESS AND SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE SHOWN TO ALL OF OUR STAFF.
IT, IT MEANS SOMETHING, IT MEANS SOMETHING TO ALL OF US.
AND MAYOR SANDY
I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED, NOR DO I THINK I EVER WILL AGAIN, SOMEONE WHO IS AS COMMUNITY MINDED AS YOU ARE AND THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE DONE FAR BEYOND YOUR ROLE AS MAYOR.
UM, YOU KNOW, MANY THINGS HAVE BEEN MENTIONED.
THEY ARE TOO INNUMERABLE TO, TO IDENTIFY AT THIS POINT.
BUT THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, THE ENERGY THAT YOU HAVE, YOUR COMMITMENT WHEN IT IS OFTEN THANKLESS AND DIFFICULT, I ADMIRE YOU TREMENDOUSLY AND I'M HONORED TO, TO NOT JUST HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU AND, AND BEEN, I THINK, UM, SORT OF MY TEAMMATE IN MANY WAYS AS WE'VE NAVIGATED THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT ALSO AS MY FRIEND.
AND SO WE'VE GOT THESE, LIKE I SAID, ARE SMALL TOKENS.
WE HAVE SOMETHING ELSE FOR YOU AS WELL, SANDY, UM, A PEN SET.
AND, AND JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND DEDICATION.
OH, SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, OH, DO YOU WANNA, YOU MIGHT WANNA TAKE THE PICTURE WITH, WITH SANDY.
UM, BUT MAYOR SANDY'S FAMILY GOT HER A PERSONALIZED, UH, INSCRIPTED GAVEL THAT SHE HAS USED FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS IN OFFICE.
AND WE MOUNTED THE GAVEL, UM, JUST A SMALL PLAQUE THAT SAYS, AN APPRECIATION OF YOUR MANY YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE, DEVOTION AND COMMITMENT TO THE CITY OF SEDONA, NOVEMBER, 2014 TO NOVEMBER, 2022.
THEY GAVE MY FAMILY ALSO GAVE ME A TIA
IT'S IN A DRAWER, BUT I APPRE BUT I HAVE USED THE GAVEL AND I, I THOUGHT SOME OF CONTRIBUTING IT TO THE, WHAT IT, THE THING THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE TIME CAPSULE.
BUT I DIDN'T DO IT CUZ I WAS STILL USING IT.
SO, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND, UM, JUST THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, THE SUPPORT I'VE HAD FROM EVERYBODY OVER THE YEARS IS JUST, YOU ALLOW ME TO DO WHAT I LOVE TO DO AND, AND I TRULY DO.
I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT, AND I VOLUNTEERED A LOT, UH, THAT YOU ALWAYS GET BACK MORE THAN YOU GIVE.
AND IT'S TRUE OF THIS SERVICE AS WELL.
OKAY, SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SWEARING IN NEXT, AND THEN WE WILL
[00:55:01]
TAKE A BREAK.SO I AM GOING TO, WELL, I SHALL WE, WELL, WE'LL HAVE THE SWEARING IN AND THEN WE'LL DO THE CHANGEOVER IN PLACES.
[5. Swearing in of Newly Elected Council Members by Magistrate Judge Paul Schlegel]
PROCEED WITH THE SWEARING IN.ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO REPEAT AFTER ME WHEN I GET TO THE PART WHERE IT SAYS DUTIES OF THE OFFICE.
I, AND I'LL TURN TO YOU ALL AND SAY, COUNSELOR, AND THEN YOU CONTINUE TO REPEAT AFTER ME, RIGHT THIS CLOSER TO ME.
JUDGE, I'LL JUST COME OVER HERE.
WILL YOU RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND PLEASE? AND REPEAT AFTER ME? I STATE YOUR NAME.
SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE, THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA, THE CONSTITUTION, CONSTITUTION, AND LAWS OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
AND THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE.
AND ALLEGIANCE THROUGH THE SAME TO THE SAME.
AND DEFEND THEM AGAINST ALL ENEMIES.
DEFEND THEM AGAINST ALL ENEMIES.
AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY, I WILL FAITHFULLY AND IMPARTIALLY AND IMPARTIALLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES.
DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR, THE OFFICE OF MAYOR OF THE OFFICE OF COUNSELOR, OFFICE COUNSELOR, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
THANK THEY'RE GONNA DO THAT, JT, CONGRATULATIONS.
WELL, THEY WERE GONNA GET, THEY'LL GIVE IT TO YOU DURING THE BREAK.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK NOW AND DO THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL CHANGEOVER OF HAVE THE NEW PEOPLE ON THE DIAS AND THOSE OF US WHO ARE LEAVING, WE'LL BE IN THE AUDIENCE.
CAN I ASK EVERYBODY TO TAKE THEIR SEATS PLEASE? SO WE CAN CONTINUE WITH THE NEXT, YOU NEXT PART OF OUR MEETING.
[6. Roll Call]
JOANNE, CAN YOU CALL THE ROLL PLEASE? UM, JOANNE? YES.AB THAT'D BE GOOD IF I HAVE MY GLASSES ON.
[7.a. AB 2883 Discussion/possible action regarding the appointment of a Vice Mayor]
28 83 POSSIBLE, UH, DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT OF A VICE MAYOR.DO I HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS? YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE COUNSELOR HOLLY PUE AS VICE MAYOR.
AND I UNDERSTAND WE DON'T NEED A SECOND FOR THAT.
SO, UM, CAN I, I THINK WE HAVE TO DO A SHOW OF HANDS.
WELL, YOU NEED FURTHER NOMINATIONS.
YOU YOU TAKE WHAT? MAYOR? MAYOR AND COUNSELORS.
PER THE, PER THE RULES OF PROCEDURE.
AND THEN EVERYONE NOMINATED CAN SPEAK IF THEY'D LIKE TO.
UM, AND THEN THERE'LL BE A VOTE IN THE ORDER THAT THEY WERE NOMINATED.
SO WHOEVER'S NOMINATED FIRST WOULD GET VOTE FIRST AND THE FIRST, THE FIRST, UH, NOMINEE TO RECEIVE A MAJORITY OF VOTES WILL BE, UH, APPOINTED AS VICE MAYOR.
[01:00:01]
I READ THAT PORTION DIFFERENTLY, BUT, OKAY.DO I HAVE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? SEEING NO OTHERS? THEN WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ON COUNCIL PUE AS A VICE MAYOR.
I BELIEVE WE NEED A MOTION ON THAT.
I MOVED TO APPROVE COUNSELOR PUE AS VICE MAYOR.
YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME.
I THANK YOU FOR TAKING ON THE TASK AND I THINK, UH, WE'LL DO JUST FINE TOGETHER.
SO THEN IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, UH, THIS MEETING WILL BE ADJOURNED.