Sep 12, 2023 City Council

JOE, YOU READY?

[00:00:01]

[1. CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/MOMENT OF SILENCE]

I, WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

IT'S, UH, 4 31 AND, UH, PLEASE JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU.

AND, UM, PLEASE JOIN ME FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[2. ROLL CALL/MOMENT OF ART]

PRESENT VICE MAYOR PLU.

HERE.

COUNSELOR DUNN.

PRESENT.

COUNSELOR FOLTZ.

HERE.

COUNCILOR FURMAN.

PRESENT.

COUNSELOR KINSELLA.

HERE.

COUNCILOR WILLIAMSON HERE.

EXCELLENT, THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, UM, WE WILL START WITH ITEM TWO.

UH, MOMENT OF ART.

THIS SOMETHING WE DO FOR THE FIRST MEETING OF THE MONTH.

ULA TANZI.

YOU HAVE SOMEBODY, ANOTHER SPECIAL GUEST FOR US.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNSELORS.

AS YOU SEE, THERE'S A NEW EXHIBIT IN THE ROOM AND IN THE VOLT.

THIS WENT UP LAST TUESDAY AND COMES DOWN JANUARY 3RD.

IT'S THE WORK OF AMY ERNST AND THIS WAS PLANNED A YEAR AGO, SO IT'S LONG BEEN COMING AND EXCITED TO HAVE THIS.

UM, BECAUSE AMY IS IN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, EVERYTHING WAS QUICK.

SO WE HAD A VERY HUGE SUCCESS FOR THE RECEPTION ON THURSDAY EVENING.

AND, UM, TODAY SHE WILL BE DOING THE MOMENT OF ART AND SHE FLIES BACK TO NEW YORK TOMORROW.

WOW.

AND I WANNA THANK HER ASSISTANT.

PLEASE STAND UP.

SEAN COLSON IS AMAZING.

HE, UM, FLEW HERE FROM FLORIDA TO HELP PUT UP THE EXHIBIT AND HAS DONE SO MUCH WORK FOR THIS, UM, EVENT.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU, YOU'RE AWESOME.

UM, ANYWAY, IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN PURCHASE, SEAN IS THE ONE TO SEE OR SEE ME THROUGH SEAN, AND WE CAN ARRANGE THAT.

SO I WILL READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AMY.

COME ON UP.

AMY, HAVE A SEAT.

AMY ERNST RECEIVED A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN THEATER ARTS FROM EMERSON COLLEGE IN BOSTON, AND HER MASTER OF ARTS IN ARTS ADMINISTRATION FROM INDIANA UNIVERSITY.

SHE IS A FOURTH GENERATION ARTIST IN WHICH HISTORICAL ART, SPECIFICALLY THE MEDIEVAL RENAISSANCE AND SURREALISTIC PERIODS AND THEATER SET DESIGN BACKGROUND HAVE INSPIRED HER WORK.

AS A RESULT, SHE HAS CREATED HER OWN SIGNATURE BUILDING COLLAGE BO BOOKS, BOX CONSTRUCTIONS AND VARIOUS PRINTING TECHNIQUES USING MONOTYPE SOLAR PLATE AND STONE LITHOGRAPHY.

HER GRANDFATHER, WHICH I'M SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS.

MAX ERNST WAS THE PIONEER OF SURREALISM AND DADISM, AND HAD CAME TO SEDONA IN 1946 WITH HIS WIFE DOROTHY TANNING.

THEY BUILT A HOME NOW NAMED CAPRICORN HILL, WHICH IS OFF BREWER ROAD FOR SURREALISM.

IT STILL EXISTS AND IS AVAILABLE TO TOUR.

AMY KEEPS THE SAME CREATIVE AND SPIRITUAL ENERGIES THAT INSPIRED MAX AND TANNING ALIVE THROUGH HER CURRENT WORK.

ERNST HAS NUMEROUS EXI EXHIBITIONS IN THE US AS WELL AS MOROCCO, SPAIN, SWEDEN, AND FRANCE.

SHE'S CURRENTLY REPRESENTED BY ZHI GALLERY IN FRANKFURT, GERMANY.

PLEASE WELCOME AMY ERNST.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, BE HERE.

SO WHAT WE'LL DO THE SEQUENCE FOR THIS, AND WE'RE GONNA KEEP IT TO 10 , IS, UM, I WILL READ THE SLIDE AND THEN AMY WILL TELL, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EACH SLIDE.

SO THIS OPENING SLIDE IS A, IS A PHOTO OF AMY IN THE STUDIO, AND THE TITLE OF THIS, UM, EXHIBITION IS ELEMENTS OF COLLAGE FROM D GALLERY IN FRANKFURT, GERMANY.

THIS PIECE IS MINDSCAPE, WHICH IS AN OIL ON CANVAS COLLAGE.

IT'S 40 BY 40 AND IT'S ENTITLED THE PLACES I HAVE NEVER BEEN EXHIBIT, WHICH WAS IN 2008 IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK IN THE FLAMING HOOF GALLERY.

DID YOU WANNA SPEAK ABOUT THAT? UM, YES.

UM, WHEN I WAS TRAVELING AND, UM, I WAS

[00:05:01]

AND SO, UM, NOT BEING A LANDSCAPE PAINTER, UH, BUT I HAVE BEEN A PAINTER.

UM, IT'S JUST VERY HARD TO STORE ALL THE, ALL THE CANVASES.

SO, UM, I, UH, DID THESE PIECES IN NEW YORK ON THE, ON THE BASIS OF, UM, VISITING MONTSERRAT.

OKAY, THIS IS CALLED ROCK FORMATION PLACES I HAVE NEVER BEEN.

SAME EXHIBIT FROM THE FLOM HOF GALLERY IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK WITH THIS ONE, UM, WHICH IS ALSO OIL ON CANDACE.

AND I USED SAND AND COLLAGE ELEMENTS, UH, WITH THIS PIECE.

AND, AND OF COURSE, THESE ARE THE MOUNTAINS AS AS WELL IN, UM, IN SPAIN.

THIS PIECE IS ENTITLED PARIS IS CRYING.

IT'S A PHOTO MONTAGE TRANSFER AND HAND COLORED COLLAGE ON PAPER.

THIS WAS DONE IN AN EXHIBIT IN 2014 IN LAN'S, FRANCE.

UH, ANG, UM, IS, UM, UH, WHERE MY GRANDFATHER AND DOROTHY, UM, BUILT HER HOUSE AND LIVED FROM THE SIX 1960S UNTIL HIS PASSING.

AND THEN SHE MOVED TO NEW YORK, ACTUALLY NOT TOO FAR FROM ME.

AND, UM, I WENT THERE FOR MY 60TH BIRTHDAY, AND I HAD NOT BEEN TO ION SINCE I WAS ABOUT 16 YEARS OLD.

AND, UM, WAS ASKED TO EXHIBIT, UH, PARIS'S CRYING IS, UM, I LOVE PARIS.

AND SO WITH, WITH, UH, WITH ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED IN, IN THE PAST YEARS, I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY SORROW FOR ALL THE, UM, THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND SO I CAME UP WITH THIS.

THE NEXT PIECE IS WITHIN THE ANCIENT WALLS.

IT'S A SOLAR PLATE ETCHING, AND IT WAS ALSO IN THE SAME EXHIBIT IN 2014 WHEN I WENT TO ONG.

UM, THE FIRST THING I DID WAS PHOTOGRAPH, UH, THE WHOLE VILLAGE, WHICH ORIGINALLY HAD BEEN BUILT AROUND THE NINTH OR 10TH CENTURY.

AND, UM, AND THEN INCORPORATING SOLAR PLATE ETCHING, WHICH IS A, UH, PROCESS OF PHOTO TRANSFER ONTO LIGHT SENSITIVE PLATE AND HAND COLORING.

AND SO, UM, UM, AS A RESULT, I, UM, GOT THESE PIECES.

UM, AND IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY, UM, UH, THROUGH, UM, THE VIEWING, UM, THERE ARE ALSO A LITTLE, UM, UH, CARS THAT YOU CAN SEE.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S AN ANCIENT CITY, UH, YOU CAN'T REALLY DRIVE A REGULAR CAR THROUGH IT.

AND THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT OF .

AND, UM, UM, AND IT, IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO, TO GO TO PROVENCE, UM, IN THE, IN THE FALL, IT IS REALLY EXQUISITE.

THE NEXT PIECE IS BOYER HAND COLORED SOLAR PLATE ETCHING ON PAPER FROM THE SAME EXHIBIT.

THE TITLE OF THE EXHIBIT WAS CALLED VOYEUR.

AND, UM, AND APPARENTLY I FOUND OUT THERE WERE MANY, UM, MEANINGS TO THAT WORD BECAUSE I, MY FRENCH IS SOMEWHAT, UM, OKAY.

BUT, UM, AGAIN, I DO USE A LOT WITH MY EYES WITH, UM, UM, MY PIECES.

AND SO, UM, IT'S KIND OF LIKE I'M LOOKING INTO, UM, THE PAST AND LOOKING OUT TO YOU AND WONDERING WHAT DO YOU THINK THE NEXT PIECE IS ICARUS MONOTYPE PHOTO TRANSFER COLLAGE ON PAPER.

THE EXHIBIT WAS CALLED THE THIRD EYE IN 2017, AND IT WAS VIEWED AT THE ART CENTER IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA.

I'VE LIVED IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS, UM, WHERE MY, MY PARENTS LIVED AND SO ON THE SAME KEY FOR ABOUT 50 YEARS.

UM, AND SO, UM, I WAS ASKED TO DO AN EXHIBITION THERE.

AND, UM, SO I INCORPORATED, UH, PHOTO TRANSFERS AND COLLAGE ELEMENTS, AND I HAVE BEEN USING, UM, UM, UH, THE CIRCLE AS, UH, THE SIGN OF INFINITY AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW, HOW THIS PIECE CAME ABOUT.

[00:10:02]

IT'S A MONOTYPE COLLAGE DOUBLE OVERLAY FROM THE EXHIBIT WE HAVE HERE TODAY.

ELEMENTS OF COLLAGE.

THESE PIECES, UM, ARE VERY SPECIFIC FOR THIS EXHIBITION.

AND, UM, AND SO THE PRINTING PROCESS AND, AND HOW I CAME ABOUT IT, UM, WAS THAT I JUST CONTINUALLY, UM, UM, DID MY MONOTYPES UNTIL AND UNTIL I COULD, UM, SEE HOW THEY WERE ALL GOING TO BE PUT TOGETHER.

AND THEN I STARTED CUTTING INTO THEM AND ALLOWING THE UNDER SURFACE TO COME THROUGH, UH, TO THE FRONT.

SO IT, UH, SOME OF THESE LARGER PIECES ARE DOUBLE PIECES THAT ARE, UM, UH, COLLAGE TOGETHER TO, UH, INCORPORATE INTO ONE.

AND THE NEXT PIECE IS A GLIMMER OF HOPE, WHICH IS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

IT'S TWO MONOTYPES USED TOGETHER TO MAKE ONE COLLAGE.

WELL, I WAS IN A PRETTY GOOD MOOD WHEN I DID THIS PIECE .

AND, UM, UM, UM, IT WAS ACTUALLY CLOSE TO ONE OF THE LAST PIECES I DID.

AND A FRIEND, I JUST CELEBRATED MY 70TH BIRTHDAY, AND A FRIEND OF MINE SENT ME THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOUQUET OF FLOWERS, AND I HAD THOSE FLOWERS ON MY MIND.

AND SO, UM, UM, AND THIS IS WHAT, UH, THIS PIECE IS ALL ABOUT.

BUT OF COURSE, UM, SOME OF MY OTHER PIECES ARE ALSO ABOUT PEACE AND HARMONY, AND THIS ONE IS FOREST BEFORE THE TREES.

IT'S A MONOTYPE COLLAGE DOUBLE OVERLAY FROM THIS EXHIBIT.

WELL, I MEAN, IT, IT'S VERY MUCH LIKE, UM, UM, MOUNTAIN VIEW.

UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO, UM, THINK ABOUT WHAT, UH, SEDONA, UM, MEANS TO ME.

AND LOOKING AT THE ROCK FORMATIONS, IT HAD BEEN A YEAR AND A HALF, UH, SINCE I HAD BEEN HERE BEFORE.

AND SO, UM, INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT MY PHOTOGRAPHS, I LOOKED INSIDE MY HEART TO, UM, CREATE, UH, SOME OF THESE, UH, PIECES THAT ARE DOUBLE, DOUBLE OVERLAYS, FEATHERWEIGHT, TWO MONOTYPES FUSED TOGETHER TO MAKE ONE COLLAGE.

THIS IS, UM, I DON'T WANNA SAY IT'S A VERY STRANGE PIECE.

IT JUST CAME ABOUT ON ITS OWN, UH, BECAUSE, UH, , I, I HAD THIS FEATHER, UM, JUST POPPING IN AND OUT OF, UH, ONE OF MY BOXES AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT, .

AND I KEPT PLACING IT ON, ON PIECES OF PAPER AND, UM, AS THEY WERE ALMOST DONE, AND I'M GOING, NO, THAT'S NOT IT.

NO, THAT'S NOT, NO, THAT'S NOT IT.

AND THEN I CAME UP WITH THIS ONE AND I GLUED IT AND I CLOSED MY STUDIO DOOR AND WALKED IN THE NEXT DAY AND GAVE IT THE TITLE SOARING INTO THE LIGHT IS TWO MONOTYPES FUSED TOGETHER TO MAKE ONE COLLAGE.

UM, THE ACTUAL COLLAGE, UM, IS, UM, THIS CUT UP PAPER THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY, WHEN YOU GET, UM, WHEN YOU ORDER BOTTLED, UM, LIKE OLIVE OIL AND, UM, UM, AND SO, UH, I TAKE THE WRAPPING OFF AND I SAVE IT.

AND SO, UH, I ALSO LIKE INCORPORATING, UH, NATURAL OBJECTS INTO MY WORK.

AND, UM, AND AS I WAS COLLAGING IT, I, UM, I JUST LET THE COLLAGE FORM ITSELF AND AGAIN, I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE PEACE AND HARMONY, UM, UM, INTO THE WORK SO THAT THE VIEWER CAN FEEL THAT THAT HARMONY THEMSELVES.

AND THIS IS DREAM CATCHER FROM AN EXHIBIT IN 2017 IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA.

UM, I HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH THIS PIECE BECAUSE I LIKE INCORPORATING, UM, UH, LEGS INTO INANIMATE OBJECTS AS IF THEY'RE WALKING THEMSELVES.

AND SO, UM, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY ABOUT IT AS A, EXCEPT FOR, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, I WOULD SAY WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, IS THIS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE? IT'S ONE OF THEM BECAUSE IT MAKES ME HAPPY.

AND FINALLY, UM, IN THE EXHIBIT 2022, SURREALISM AND BEYOND INDEED GALLERY, FRANKFURT, GERMANY, THIS EXHIBIT FEATURED WORK BY MAX ERNST, JIMMY ERNST, UH, AMY'S DAD,

[00:15:01]

UH, AND WITH, UM, SORRY.

IT'S OKAY.

THAT WAS 10 MINUTES.

I'M JUST KIDDING.

GO AHEAD, FINISH YOUR, WAS YOUR THOUGHT, UM, UH, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.

SORRY.

NO, IT'S OKAY.

UM, ANYWAY, UH, MY FIRST EXHIBITION WITH PETER FEMUR AT D GALLERY AND, UM, UM, IT WAS REALLY WONDERFUL.

IT WAS A SUCCESS.

AND, UH, SINCE THEN, UM, HE'S SHOWN ME AT MAJOR EXHIBITIONS LIKE, UM, SEO, WHICH JUST FINISHED.

AND, UH, LAST YEAR IT WAS AT, UM, THE, UM, UH, ART, UH, COLOGNE AND, UH, ART BASEL.

SO, UM, I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO HIM, UH, FOR TAKING ME UNDER HIS WING.

THANK YOU, AMY.

AMY'S FLYING BACK, AS I SAID, TOMORROW TO NEW YORK, SO IT WAS FUN TO HAVE YOU HERE FOR A WEEK AND IN AND OUT .

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

JOANNE, YOU HAVE TWO CARDS? I HAVEN'T RECEIVED DENNY YET.

MAYOR.

OKAY.

MARY, YOU CAN BRING CONSENT ITEMS. OKAY.

YEAH.

BRING A CARD UP.

NO, YOU HAVE TO FILL OUT A CARD OR YOU COULD DO IT AFTER MARY, JUST, BUT IF YOU COULD, WANTS TO.

RIGHT.

HI, I'M MARY BYRD.

I'M THE CHAIR EMERITUS OF THE FINE ART MUSEUM OF SEDONA, AND GLAD TO BE HERE AGAIN AND SEE THE WONDERFUL ART ON THE WALLS.

IT'S SUCH A PLEASURE THAT YOU PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY BY DOING THIS, AND I'M GLAD THAT THIS TIME, IT'S AMY ERNST.

I MET HER IN 2018 IN MADRID, SPAIN AT THE DOROTHEA TANNING RETROSPECTIVE.

AND SHE SAID SHE HADN'T BEEN BACK TO SEDONA IN A LONG TIME.

AND I SAID, WELL, YOU MUST COME BACK AND SEE HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

SO SHE CAME BACK AND CONNECTED WITH NANCY, AND WITH THIS EXHIBITION, I REALIZED HOW MUCH WORK NANCY DOES TO PUT THESE THINGS ON.

SO I THANK NANCY VERY MUCH FOR ALL SHE DOES FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AMY HAS A LONGER TIME, HE HAD A LONGER TIME HERE THIS, THIS VISIT, AND, UH, WAS ABLE TO SEE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE.

SHE'S A GREAT SUPPORTER OF THE IDEA OF A MUSEUM, AN ART MUSEUM.

SHE LIVED IN SEDONA, SO WE HAVE SO MANY ARTISTS THAT HAVE LIVED AND WORKED IN SEDONA.

SHE'S A SUPPORTER OF THE CAPRICORN HILL CENTER FOR SURREALISM PROJECT.

I WAS INTERESTED TO SEE THAT A GLIMMER OF HOPE IS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

I HOPE THERE IS A GLIMMER OF HOPE NOW THAT WE HAVE THE CULTURAL PARK LAND THAT IS OWNED BY THE CITY OF SEDONA, THAT WE WILL INDEED NOW HAVE A CULTURAL CENTER OF ART, DANCE, MUSIC BESIDES HOUSING.

I HOPE IT CAN ALL COME TOGETHER ON ONE SPOT, BECAUSE CERTAINLY A CITY ANIMATED BY THE ARTS SHOULD SHOW THAT.

AND ALONG WITH THAT, THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IS HELPED BY THAT BECAUSE CULTURAL TOURISM STAY HERE LONGER AND ARE GOOD TOURIST.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MARY.

OKAY.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, NANCY, THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER GREAT, UH, EXPERIENCE.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

THE MOM OF ART.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

[3. CONSENT ITEMS]

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EITHER STAFF, THE PUBLIC OR THE COUNCIL TO PULL ANY ITEMS. UH, IS THERE ANYTHING, ANY INTEREST FROM THE COUNCIL? OKAY, SEEING NONE, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UM, CONSENT ITEMS THREE, A, B, AND C.

OKAY, DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

WE HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILOR FULTZ.

UH, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

AND THE OPPOSED.

OKAY.

UNANIMOUS APPOINTMENTS.

WE HAVE NONE.

[5. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS BY MAYOR/COUNCILORS/CITY MANAGER]

I HAVE ONE ITEM, BUT I'LL GO LAST.

ANYTHING FROM THE VICE MAYOR? HE GO GET IT.

YOU HAVE IT.

OKAY.

WE'RE BACK IN OUR SEASON WITH PARKS AND REC AND I WANNA CONGRATULATE A DAY IN THE WEST WHO TOOK THE CHAMPIONSHIP WITH A PERFECT 11 ZERO RECORD FOR THE SUMMER ADULT SOFTWARE SOFTBALL LEAGUE.

NOW, NOT TO BE UNDONE, THE DOGS ARE GOING TO BE HERE ON SATURDAY AT THE POSSE GROUNDS PAVILION FOR WAG FEST AND, UH, DOGGY VENDORS, DOGGY ACTIVITIES AND DOGGIES WILL BE THERE FROM NINE TO NOON.

AND, UM,

[00:20:01]

SO IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT GETTING MARRIED, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE WINTER FILLING UP AND YOU WANNA HAVE YOUR WEDDING THERE.

UH, DROP IN YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL IS TAKING PLACE BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 25TH, AND THERE'S FREE DROP IN CLINICS ON MONDAYS AT SUNSET PARK FROM FOUR TO FIVE 30 AND WEDNESDAY AT POSSE GROUNDS FROM FOUR TO FIVE 30 GREAT FOR KIDS OF ANY AGE WITH ALL SKILL LEVELS OF FOOTBALL.

UH, A Y S O SOCCER GAMES BEGIN ON SATURDAY.

PRACTICES ARE TAKING PLACE AT THE POSSE GROUNDS MULTI-USE FIELD DURING THE WEEK, AND GAMES ARE SATURDAY IN POSSE GROUNDS PARK AND AROUND THE VERDE VALLEY.

UH, RED DIRT CONCERTS ARE TAKING PLACE EACH FRIDAY EVENING WITH A LARGER CROWD, UH, THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE.

THERE WERE 350 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE LAST WEEK, AND THIS WEEK WE'RE HAVING THE LOCAL BAND HONEY, SO WE EXPECT TO HAVE EVEN MORE PARTICIPATION.

UH, THE SEDONA POOL IS THE HOST OF SEVERAL SWIM MEETS WITH RED ROCK HIGH SCHOOL SWIM TEAM IS HOSTED AND RACE PACE SWIM CLUB HOSTED A CLUB MEET THIS LAST WEEKEND.

SWORDFISH SWIM CLUB IS HOSTING A MASTER'S SWIM MEET ON A, ON SEPTEMBER 24TH.

AND THAT'S MY REPORT.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

VICE MAYOR.

ANYTHING ON MY LEFT ON THE RIGHT? OKAY.

UH, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, UH, DURING THE WEEK OF AUGUST 29TH, THE COUNCIL, MANY OF US WHO COULD ATTEND WERE DOWN IN TUCSON AT A LEAGUE CONFERENCE.

AND THE FIRST DAY, FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR ME AS THE, THE NEW MAYOR, I WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A RESOLUTION COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WAS, UH, ONE 30.

THE FIRST THING I SORT LIKE BASICALLY DROPPED MY LUGGAGE OFF AND GOT IN.

UH, THE IMPORTANCE ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW IS THREE OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED, THERE WERE MANY ITEMS DISCUSSED AND, AND APPROVED, BUT THE THREE THAT REALLY PERTAIN TO SEDONA THE MOST ALL PERTAIN TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS.

AND THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE THE LEAGUE DECIDES WHAT ITEMS THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD TO PRESENT TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

HOPEFULLY THE, UH, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE WILL MOVE THEM FORWARD.

UH, AS OPPOSED TO LAST YEAR, UH, THESE WERE, UH, UH, PUT FORWARD BY SCOTTSDALE.

AND THE FIRST ONE ALLOWS MISS MUNICIPALITIES TO SET, UH, CAPS ON A TOTAL NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

THE SECOND WAS ALLOW MUNICIPALITIES TO LIMIT THE DENSITY OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN SPECIFIC AREAS.

SO IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, YOU CAN ONLY HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT, UH, IN THAT DEVELOPMENT.

THE THIRD IS ALLOW MUNICIPALITIES TO ESTABLISH SEPARATION REQUIREMENTS AND, AND ENFORCE DISTANCE BETWEEN SHORT-TERM RENTALS.

SO YOU CAN'T HAVE THREE HOUSES AND ALL THREE B UH, SHORT-TERM RENTALS.

THESE WERE ALL APPROVED BY THE RESOLUTION COMMITTEE.

I, I'M VERY HAPPY THAT IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED, ALL THREE OF THEM, AND THEY WILL MOVE FORWARD TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE, TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, I GUESS THE NEXT SESSION.

SO IT WAS PRETTY EXCITING FOR ME TO PARTICIPATE AND, UH, IT'S A GOOD THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

SO MOVING FORWARD, MAYOR? MAYOR? YES.

JUST FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT, LAST YEAR, UH, THE CITY OF SEDONA, ALONG WITH OUR LEGISLATOR, SELENA BLISS, DR.

SELENA BLISS PROPOSED A CAP, UH, IN SHORT TERM RENTALS AND WAS PRESENTED TO THE LEGISLATURE.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH SCOTTSDALE ON ALL OF THESE INITIATIVES.

THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME ABOUT THAT.

OKAY.

ITEM SIX IS A PUBLIC FORUM.

DO WE HAVE CARDS FOR THE PUBLIC FORUM? NO, WE DO NOT.

THANK YOU.

PROCLAMATION,

[7.a. National Constitution Week Proclamation, September 17-23, 2023]

ARE YOU HERE? FOUR? WHERE THE CONSTITUTION.

OKAY.

I'D CALL HER DOWN, SO I APOLOGIZE.

OKAY, I'M GONNA READ THIS HERE AND THEN WE CAN, I'LL BRING IT DOWN TO THE, TO THE PODIUM, UH, CONSTITUTION WEEK, SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH, UH, THE 23RD, 2023.

WHEREAS SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2023 MARKS THE 236TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DRAFTING OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY THE CONSTITUTION CONVENTION.

AND WHEREAS IT IS FITTING AND PROPER TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE THIS MAGNIFICENT DOCUMENT AND THE ANNIVERSARY OF ITS CREATION, AND WHEREAS IT IS FITTING AND PROPER TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE THE PATRIOTIC

[00:25:01]

AND WHEREAS PUBLIC LAW NINE 15 GUARANTEES THE ISSUING OF A PROCLAMATION EACH YEAR BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD AS CONSTITUTION WEEK.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, SCOTT JALO, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SEDONA, ARIZONA, ON BEHALF OF THE SEDONA CITY COUNCIL, TO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD, 2023, TO BE CONSTITUTION WEEK IN SEDONA, ARIZONA, AND ASK ALL CITIZENS TO REAFFIRM THE IDEALS OF FRAMERS AND CONS OF THE CONSTITUTION.

HAD IN 1787, ISSUED THIS 12TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2023.

SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP, YOU LIKE TO SAY, WHY NOT? THAT'S YOUR CHOICE.

I HAD A FEW WORDS, BUT YOU PRETTY MUCH SAID EVERYTHING.

.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WELL, I, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, SOME OF MY WORDING HERE, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR HAVING ME HERE.

AND, UH, MY ORGANIZATION IS OAK CREEK CHAPTER, NATIONAL DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS A SAFEGUARD OF OUR LIBERTIES AND CHAMPION OF OUR FREEDOMS. THE PURPOSE OF OBSERVING AND CELEBRATING THE CONSTITUTION WEEK IS TO EMPHASIZE RESPONSIBILITIES AND PROTECTING AND DEFENDING THE CONSTITUTION, PRESERVING IT FOR PROSPERITY, UNDERSTANDING THAT ITS SIGNIFICANCE IS OUR WAY OF LIFE.

SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.

THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.

IF I WOULD, I'D ALSO LIKE TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SEPTEMBER 15TH TO THE 26TH, THERE WILL BE A DISPLAY IN THE, UH, COMMUNITY LIBRARY ON THE CONSTITUTION.

OH, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT.

THANK YOU, PETE.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

WHAT TIME? ANY PARTICULAR TIME DURING THE DAY? IT'S JUST OPEN.

YEAH, IT'S OPEN DISPLAY IN THE FRONT.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

OKAY, THEN MOVING ON TO

[8.a. AB 2992 Presentation/discussion regarding the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) activities, including roles, responsibilities, and advocacy programs and projects on behalf of the City of Sedona and other Northern AZ communities]

AND ALRIGHT, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS CHRIS FETZER.

I SERVE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT ACOG.

I'M BASED UP IN FLAGSTAFF, SO HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON.

APPRECIATE THE INVITATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH COUNSEL ABOUT THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WE OFFER.

I WILL PREFACE MY PRESENTATION BY LETTING YOU KNOW THAT I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF AND HE MY TIME.

SO I'M REALLY GONNA GIVE YOU KIND OF A FLYOVER OF NAAG TODAY.

AT ANY TIME IN THE FUTURE.

WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO COME BACK AND VISIT WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND TALK IN MORE DEPTH ABOUT THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WE OFFER.

I'M GONNA START WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT WHAT COGS ARE, IF SOME OF THE COUNCIL MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR.

BUT DATING BACK TO THE MID 1960S, MANY OF THE COGS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY WERE FORMED AS AN OUTGROWTH OF A LOT OF THE GREAT SOCIETY PROGRAMS DEVELOPED AT THE TIME, AND SOME OF THOSE WE CONTINUE TO OPERATE TODAY AT NAAG, LIKE THE HEAD START PROGRAM.

IN MANY RESPECTS, THEY'RE RECOGNIZED AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER SERVICES ON A REGIONAL SCALE, AS WELL AS CONDUCTING REGIONAL PLANNING AND COORDINATION ACTIVITIES.

HERE IN ARIZONA, WE HAVE SIX PLANNING REGIONS WHERE THE COGS ARE BASED.

THOSE WERE DEFINED BY AN EXECUTIVE ORDER BACK IN 1971.

SOME ARE SINGLE COUNTY, SOME ARE MULTI-COUNTY, AND WE GO BY QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT NAMES.

OBVIOUSLY YOU UNDERSTAND NAAG, SOME OF THEM IN THE STATE ALSO GO AS ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS OR A GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION.

AND OF OUR, UH, MORE THAN 500 PEERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY GO BY A VARIETY OF OTHER NAMES AS WELL.

IF YOU LOOKED AT THE PORTFOLIO OF JUST THE SIX THAT ARE IN ARIZONA, WE ALL HAVE SOME SIMILARITIES IN TERMS OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE OFFER, BUT WE'RE ALSO INDIVIDUAL AND DISTINCT IN OUR PORTFOLIOS.

UH, NCOS IS REALLY ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE IN THE STATE, ALONG WITH OUR PEER IN WESTERN ARIZONA.

I PUT THE FOOTNOTE AT THE BOTTOM THERE, YOU MIGHT SEE ON THE MAP MPOS.

THOSE ARE SPECIFIC TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN NCOS, FOUR COUNTIES THAT WE SERVE, THERE ARE TWO, ONE IN FLAGSTAFF, ONE IN THE GREATER PRESCOTT AREA.

THEY JUST FOCUS ON URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ISSUES.

NACOG IS STRUCTURED AS A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION TECHNICALLY, BUT BASED ON THE NATURE OF THE WORK THAT WE DO AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

[00:30:01]

UH, ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS THE FOUR COUNTIES.

WE HAVE TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF THE COUNTIES.

THOSE ARE TYPICALLY MEMBERS OF THE BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS.

PLUS WE HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS THAT ARE CALLED PRIVATE SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES, AND THEY ARE NAMED BY THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT SERVE ON THE BOARD.

THAT WAS A CONDITION MANY YEARS AGO OF ONE OF OUR GRANTS.

AND THEY REPRESENT THE PRIMARY ECONOMIC INTERESTS IN THE REGION, WHICH IS VERY BROADLY DEFINED AND INCLUDE SMALL BUSINESS UTILITIES, EDUCATION, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER INDUSTRIES.

UH, OUR BOARD MEETS EVERY TWO MONTHS AND MEETS ON A MONTHLY BASIS WITH THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES.

ONE OF OUR 10 STANDING COMMITTEES, AND MUCH LIKE THE P AND Z IS TO THE CITY COUNCIL HERE.

OUR STANDING COMMITTEES ARE THE SAME TO THE REGIONAL COUNCIL.

THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE WORK GETS DONE WITH THE STAFF THAT WORK IN THESE PROGRAMS AND RECEIVE INPUT FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS, WHICH INCLUDES REGIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

OUR CURRENT LEADERSHIP OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ARE THE THREE OFFICERS YOU SEE THERE.

AS YOU'LL NOTICE THEY'RE FROM THREE OF THE FOUR DIFFERENT COUNTIES.

OUR FOURTH, UM, COUNTY WOULD BE NAVAJO.

THAT'S NOT SHOWN THERE IS REPRESENTED BY OUR IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRS.

SO OUR NOMINATING COMMITTEE, WHEN THEY NOMINATE THESE OFFICERS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, THEY'RE MINDFUL OF TRYING TO HAVE THAT GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION FROM ACROSS THE FOUR COUNTIES.

WE SERVE, UH, FEW NUMBERS, NOT TOO IN DEPTH THOUGH.

THE FIRST THERE, OUR FINAL EXPENSES IN F Y 22 WERE ABOUT $33 MILLION.

YOU'LL SEE THAT ALMOST 60% WAS SPENT ON PEOPLE.

UH, WHEN WE'RE FULLY STAFFED, OUR TOTAL STAFF WILL BE UP ABOUT 400 THAT ARE AT SITES THROUGHOUT THE FOUR COUNTIES.

UH, BUT RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE RUN PAYROLL TOMORROW, WE'LL BE AT ABOUT 325 EMPLOYEES.

ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW IS LABOR FORCE, PARTICULARLY IN OUR HEAD START PROGRAM GOING INTO THE F Y 24 BUDGET.

WHEN WE PRESENTED TO OUR BOARD BACK IN JUNE, WE ESTIMATED ABOUT A $39 MILLION SPEND IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.

THAT'S HIGHER THAN NORMAL.

AND ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THERE IS THAT IT INCLUDES SOME ONE-TIME MONIES FROM RECOVERY PROGRAMS FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC, AS WELL AS ONE-TIME CAPITAL FUNDING FOR SOME INVESTMENTS IN OUR PROGRAMS. SO GOING BACK TO THAT $33 MILLION NUMBER, THAT'S MORE TYPICAL OF OUR ANNUAL SPEND.

AND THE STAFFING PERCENTAGE WOULD BE ABOUT 67%, UH, ON AVERAGE HISTORICALLY MENTIONED CENTRAL OFFICE AND FLAGSTAFF.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE, UH, SATELLITE OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE FOUR COUNTIES.

PICTURE AT THE BOTTOM THERE IS OUR PRESCOTT OFFICE AND THE TEAM IN THE AGING PROGRAM THAT WORKS FROM THAT LOCATION.

NOW I'M GONNA SHIFT INTO TALKING ABOUT THE PROGRAMS AND THEY'RE REALLY CATEGORIZED INTO TWO LARGE BUCKETS.

THE FIRST BEING, UH, CLIENT FOCUSED OR THE SERVICES THAT ARE DIRECTLY PROVIDED TO PEOPLE, HOUSEHOLDS, FAMILIES, AND THE LIKE.

I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT THEN ABOUT, UH, ONE PARTICULAR PARTNERSHIP LOCALLY THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US AS AN ORGANIZATION.

AND THEN I'LL SHIFT INTO THE REGIONAL AND COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS IN A FEW EXAMPLES OF SOME OF OUR CURRENT PROJECTS.

I'VE LISTED ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS HERE ALPHABETICALLY THAT WAY NONE OF OUR STAFF CAN ARGUE ABOUT WHICH ONE, UM, I THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT.

SO I'M TRYING TO, UH, KEEP IT NEUTRAL.

BUT FIRST IS OUR AREA AGENCY ON AGING.

UM, THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS TO OLDER ADULTS.

IN OUR PROGRAM, IT'S, UH, EXCUSE ME, DEFINED AS 60 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER.

AND MANY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE PROVIDE ARE BY OUR STAFF, WHICH ARE PREDOMINANTLY CASE MANAGERS, BUT WE ALSO PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES SUCH AS OMBUDSMAN.

THEY GO INTO FACILITIES TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF INDIVIDUALS THAT RESIDE THERE.

THE NUTRITION PROGRAMS THAT ARE OPERATED ACROSS THE REGION ARE FUNDED BY AN ACOG AS A PASS THROUGH ENTITY, BUT IN THOSE PROGRAMS WE DO NOT DIRECTLY PROVIDE SERVICES.

THAT'S WHERE THE PARTNERSHIP, I'LL MENTION IN A MOMENT, IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT.

WE ALSO THEN CONTRACT OUT WITH THIRD PARTY PROVIDERS WHO WILL GO IN AND PROVIDE IN-HOME SERVICES SUCH AS ATTENDANT CARE, HELP FOLKS WITH SHOWERING, ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING, AS WELL AS HOUSEKEEPING AND RESPITE FOR CAREGIVERS.

AND THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM OVERALL IS REALLY TO KEEP SENIORS LIVING IN THEIR HOMES INDEPENDENTLY AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, WHICH YOU FIND IS WHERE MANY OF THEM WOULD PREFER TO RESIDE BEFORE MOVING INTO AN INSTITUTIONAL CARE, UH, SETTING.

THAT PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT.

UH, MOVING ON TO COMMUNITY SERVICES, THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT I SHOULD POINT OUT IS ONLY OPERATED IN THREE OF THE FOUR COUNTIES IN NACO SERVICE AREA.

UH, THAT'S BECAUSE COCONINO COUNTY, WHICH HAS A HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT ALSO PROVIDES THIS SAME PORTFOLIO DIRECTLY.

WE DO IT ON BEHALF OF THE OTHER THREE.

THIS IS FOR LIMITED INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND IT PREDOMINANTLY PROVIDES SERVICES FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE, SO

[00:35:01]

WE ALSO CONTRACT WITH VENDORS TO PROVIDE FIREWOOD, UM, IN SOME OF THE MORE RURAL COMMUNITIES, IF THAT'S THEIR PRIMARY HOME HEATING SOURCE.

WE ALSO PROVIDE RENTAL ASSISTANCE, MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE FROM TIME TO TIME.

WE HAVE A NEW PROGRAM LAUNCHING NEXT MONTH, WHICH IS STATE FUNDED, SPECIFICALLY TARGETING SENIORS FOR RENTAL AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS FOOD AND TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE.

OUR HEAD START PROGRAM, I WILL NOTE, IS THE LARGEST ACROSS THE AGENCY.

SO THEY MAKE UP THE BULK OF THAT STAFF THAT I MENTIONED.

WE HAVE 31 DIFFERENT SITES ACROSS THE FOUR COUNTIES.

THEY CAN BE EITHER AN EARLY HEAD START SITE, WHICH SERVES A ZERO TO THREE POPULATION, UH, A HEAD START SITE, WHICH SERVES FOUR AND FIVE YEAR OLDS.

OR IT COULD BE BOTH IN ONE LOCATION.

UH, IN MANY CASES WE'RE PARTNERED LOCALLY WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

SO WE'RE ON CAMPUS.

YOU TALK WITH THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS.

THEY CAN TELL YOU VERY CLEARLY WHICH CHILDREN HAVE PARTICIPATED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS LIKE OURS BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF READINESS THEY COME TO THE CLASSROOM WITH.

UH, I ALSO OFTEN CHARACTERIZE THE HEAD START PROGRAM AS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ON STEROIDS.

AND THE REASON I MENTION THAT IS BECAUSE WE ALSO PROVIDE A ROBUST SET OF SERVICES TO SUPPORT FAMILIES WITH WHATEVER THEIR NEEDS MAY BE.

THE TWO PROGRAMS I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED, WE OFTEN WILL DO CROSS-REFERRALS.

WE HAVE A GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDKIDS PROGRAM, THE UTILITY AND OTHER TYPES OF ASSISTANCE TO HOUSEHOLDS WE REFER.

WE ALSO HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICE TO PROVIDE CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT FAMILIES.

MOVING ON TO OUR HOUSING AND WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM.

FIRST IS THE HOUSING REHAB.

UM, IT'S A BASIC PROGRAM THAT AIMS TO SERVE HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE THE GREATEST NEEDS TO REPAIR THEIR HOMES AND THE LEAST RESOURCES THAT'S DONE THROUGH CONTRACTORS AND A FOCUS ON HEALTH AND SAFETY, AS WELL AS BRINGING ALL OF THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS UP TO CURRENT CODE.

SO IN ANY OF THOSE GRANTS, WE MAY SPEND UPWARDS OF 60, $70,000 WITH CURRENT CONSTRUCTION COSTS, MAKING THOSE KINDS OF IMPROVEMENTS FOR HOMEOWNERS.

A LOT OF TIMES THAT WILL BE REPAIRS TO BATHROOMS OR AS WELL, UH, MAKING OTHER ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HOME, UH, TO ASSIST WITH MOBILITY.

UH, OUR WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM ON THE OTHER HAND IS SPECIFICALLY, UH, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FUNDED ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM, ALSO TARGETED TO LIMITED INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

IT'S, UH, NOT A REAL SEXY PROGRAM, BUT IT GOES IN AND BASICALLY TIGHTENS UP A HOME IN TERMS OF ENERGY LOSS.

SO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO IS UNSEEN IT'S INSULATION, IT'S SEALING THE DUCT WORK, WHICH OUR CREWS OFTEN FIND ARE NOT CONDUCTED TO REGISTERS.

AND SO WE'RE SEEING HOMES WHERE THEY'RE HEATING AND COOLING, UM, DEAD SPACE IN THE HOME.

ON AVERAGE, WE SEE ABOUT A 35% SAVINGS IN UTILITY COSTS FOR THESE HOUSEHOLDS, WHICH AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE FACT THAT EITHER LIMITED OR FIXED INCOME HOUSEHOLD, THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT, UM, AMOUNT OF HOUSEHOLD RESOURCES THAT CAN BE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

AND THEN FINALLY, ANOTHER NUANCED PROGRAM, WHICH IS ONE COUNTY ONLY OF THE FOUR COUNTIES, IS THE YAVAPAI COUNTY WORKFORCE INVESTMENT PROGRAM.

THAT'S FUNDED THROUGH WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITIES ACT, ANOTHER FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT'S SPECIFICALLY TO SUPPORT JOB SEEKERS AS WELL AS EMPLOYERS IN THE COMMUNITY WITH IDENTIFYING SPECIALIZED NEEDS OF TRAINING TO MEET THEIR LABOR FORCE NEEDS.

SO THE PARTNERSHIP THAT I MENTIONED THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF MANY.

AND AS I MENTIONED, WHEN I'M ORIENTING NEW BOARD MEMBERS, THERE'S HARDLY ANYTHING THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE OR WE'LL TALK ABOUT ON THE NEXT FEW THAT'S, THAT ARE DONE IN ISOLATION.

ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT WE DO REQUIRES PARTNERSHIP.

SO HERE LOCALLY WE CONTRACT WITH THE SEDONA COMMUNITY CENTER.

THEY ARE THE PROVIDER OF THE HOME DELIVERED MEALS PROGRAM, COMMONLY KNOWN AS MEALS ON WHEELS, AS WELL AS A CONGREGATE SETTING MEALS PROGRAM, UH, TO THE TUNE RIGHT NOW OF ABOUT $45,000 FOR AN ANNUAL CONTRACT.

THEY ALSO PROVIDE 10% MATCH.

AND IN MANY CASES, OUR PROVIDERS EXCEED THAT CONTRIBUTION WITH LOCAL FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS, UM, OR FUNDRAISING THAT THEY DO TO SUPPORT THEIR PROGRAMMING.

WE ALSO PARTNER CLOSELY AS A LOCATION TO BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH THE AGING POPULATION AND PROVIDE SERVICES.

SEDONA COMMUNITY CENTER HAS A GREAT NUMBER OF EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THIS THAT THEY DO DIRECTLY ON THEIR OWN, BUT THEY'RE A VENUE FOR OUR TEAM TO COME IN AND DO DIFFERENT CLASSES, UH, RELATED TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

SO IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE QUALITY PARTNERS LIKE THE COMMUNITY CENTER THROUGHOUT THE FOUR COUNTIES.

SO I'M GONNA SHIFT NOW, UM, AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE-CENTERED PROGRAMS AND TALK ABOUT REGIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES.

AND THEY'RE REALLY EXACTLY THAT THEY CAN HAPPEN ON A REGIONAL SCALE, WHICH IS HOW YOU WOULD DEFINE A LOT OF THE PLANNING ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE ENGAGED IN OR AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL.

AND THAT'LL, UM, BE HIGHLIGHTED WITH SOME OF THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS TO SEDONA THAT WE'LL MENTION.

I THINK THE COUNCIL'S PROBABLY PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH THE FIRST ONE HERE.

UH, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

[00:40:01]

THOSE ARE FOR VERY SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES IN SPECIFIC AREAS THAT ARE DEFINED AS LOW TO MODERATE INCOME.

UM, AGAIN, LIKE MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE TARGETED, TARGETED TO ASSIST SPECIFIC POPULATIONS.

A LOT OF THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT WE SEE FUNDED THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ARE TYPICALLY INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, SIDEWALKS, A D A IMPROVEMENTS, UM, ASSISTANCE TO PROGRAMS LIKE THE COMMUNITY CENTER WITH MAYBE COMMERCIAL KITCHENS.

THIS CITY CHOSE TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE INNOVATIVE, UM, WITH THE, UH, TRANSITIONAL PROJECT OR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROJECT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO FUND.

SO, UH, MY APPLAUSE TO THE THE COUNCIL FOR TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO IDENTIFYING YOUR PROJECTS.

UM, MOVING ON TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THIS IS A PROJECT, A PROGRAM THAT HAPPENS ON A REGIONAL SCALE.

AND THE PRODUCT OF IT IS EVERY FIVE YEARS.

WE PREPARE, UH, LONG RANGE PLAN, WHICH IS CALLED THE COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

IT'S IMPORTANT AS A CONDITION OF THE GRANT TO REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT ARE THE CORE INDUSTRIES.

THAT KIND OF GOES BACK TO THAT BOARD REPRESENTATION ITEM I MENTIONED EARLIER, BUT HOW CAN, AS A REGION WE WORK TO GROW THE ECONOMY IN THOSE SECTORS, UH, WITH INCOME GROWTH, JOB GROWTH, AND ALSO LOOKING AT WAYS TO MAKE OUR ECONOMIES MORE RESILIENT.

THAT'S A TOPIC THAT'S BECOME MUCH, MUCH MORE RELEVANT, UM, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, PARTICULARLY WITH ECONOMIES DISRUPTED BY WILDFIRE FLOODING AND THE LIKE WITH OTHER SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS.

THE COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY IS ALSO CALLED THE CS.

AND WHAT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR IS SERVING AS A GATEWAY TO FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION, WHICH FUNDS THIS PROGRAM ALSO FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT SUPPORT ECONOMIC GROWTH, BUT ALSO FOR OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS. ONE THAT WORKS CLOSELY WITH OUR CS OFTEN IS USDA'S RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, WHICH HAS A REALLY DIVERSE FUNDING PORTFOLIO TOO.

THEY'LL OFTEN REFERENCE OUR CSS AS JUSTIFICATION FOR FUNDING SOME OF THEIR PROJECT INVESTMENTS.

SO MOVING ON TO REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY PLANNING.

UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ELEMENTS HERE, INCLUDING INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.

WE HAVE DIRECT FUNDING SOURCES THAT ARE MANAGED AT THE COG LEVEL TO INVEST IN PROJECTS.

UH, SEDONA HAS AT LEAST ONE EXAMPLE IN OUR CURRENT TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT PLAN ON, UH, THUNDER MOUNTAIN ROAD.

WE ALSO WORK IN THE ARENA OF POLICY ADVOCACY THROUGH A SISTER ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS THE RURAL TRANSPORTATION ADVOCACY COUNCIL.

I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH TIME IT GETS DURING YOUR LOCAL BUDGET PROCESS, BUT NAG CHURCH, CHURCH TWO ASSESSMENTS TO OUR LOCAL MEMBERSHIP.

WE DON'T HAVE GENERAL DUES TO BELONG, BUT ONE OF THOSE IS FOR FUNDING NACOG SHARE OF THE RURAL TRANSPORTATION ADVOCACY COUNCIL.

THAT COUNCIL HAS ONE FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBER WHOSE PRIMARY PURPOSE IS ADVOCACY AT THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL LEVELS.

ONE OF THE PROJECTS THE COUNCIL'S BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND AGAIN FOR THE COMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN JANUARY, IS WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE REGIONAL PRIORITY PROJECTS LIST.

UH, THIS YEAR IT'LL BE A $400 MILLION PACKAGE OF LOCALLY IDENTIFIED PROJECTS WITHIN EACH OF THE PLANNING REGIONS THAT WE'RE SEEKING GENERAL FUND SURPLUS FUNDING SUPPORT OR APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE LEGISLATURE TO FUND SPECIFIC PROJECTS.

AND I'LL HIGHLIGHT THE, UH, THE SET ON A PROJECT HERE IN A MINUTE AND THEN JUST SOME SPECIAL PROJECTS THERE.

UH, A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON CURRENTLY IN THE REGION.

UM, THE FIRST PAGE THAT I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HERE IS THE REGIONAL PLANNING PAGE.

THIS IS A SUCCESSION OF GOING THROUGH, STARTING AT THE TOP LEFT.

THIS IS OUR REGIONAL PLANNING HOMEPAGE.

IF YOU CLICKED ON TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, THAT WOULD TAKE YOU TO THE BLUE PAGE.

AND THEN IF YOU CLICKED ON THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW TAB, IT WOULD TAKE YOU TO, UH, ANOTHER LINK FOR THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW FUNDING NAVIGATOR.

THIS IS A TOOL THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY NCOS PLANNING TEAM SPECIFICALLY TO SUPPORT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

IF YOU'VE EXPLORED AT ALL THE RANGE OF NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE IN THAT LAW AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, MANY OF WHICH ARE COMPETITIVE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO TRACK THERE.

SO OUR TEAM CREATED BASICALLY A ONE-STOP SHOP WITH ALL THE FUNDING AND OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE WITH THEIR ANNUAL APPLICATION CYCLES AND THE TECHNICAL INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED, NEEDED TO HOPEFULLY SUCCESSFULLY PURSUE THOSE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.

THEN I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO A COUPLE OF PLANNING PROJECTS.

GOING BACK TO THAT REGIONAL PRIORITY PROJECTS LIST.

THE UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER THERE IS THE FACT SHEET ON THE CITY OF SEDONA PROJECT, WHICH IS THE, UH, 89 A FOREST RANGER ROUNDABOUT PROJECT.

THAT'S A SIX AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS REQUEST.

IT HAPPENS TO BE THE FOURTH HIGHEST RANKED PROJECT ON OUR LIST OF 19 PROJECTS WE'RE SUBMITTING AS A REGION.

SO WE'RE HOPEFUL, UM, ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY I THINK THE COMPETITION

[00:45:01]

THE MAP THAT YOU SEE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS SLIDE, UM, THAT'S A PIN MAP OF COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR AN ONGOING REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY PLAN THAT, UH, WE'RE PREPARING WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A CONSULTANT.

THE THREE COLORS THERE INDICATE THAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMENTS OR CONCERNS THAT WERE NOTED RELATED TO DRIVERS, UH, BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS.

I THINK IT'S A PRETTY, UH, GOOD LEVEL OF INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC KNOWING THAT A LOT OF PUBLIC INPUT PROCESSES, UH, GENERALLY DON'T SEE A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT.

UM, THIS WAS AN ONLINE TOOL AND SO WE'RE REALLY PLEASED TO SEE WHAT THE INPUT THOSE PROVIDED LOCALLY HERE.

UH, OUR YAVAPAI PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION STUDY HAD AN UPDATE LAST YEAR IN 2022.

OUR PLANNING TEAM ALSO WORKS CLOSELY WITH YOUR PUBLIC TRANSIT STAFF HERE AT THE CITY ON IDENTIFYING ROUTE IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.

AND THEN THE LAST WAS ONE OF THOSE SPECIAL PROJECTS I MENTIONED THAT IS SPECIAL PROJECT FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.

AND IT'S LOOKING AT THE USE OF EITHER EFFLUENT OR STORMWATER FLOWS TO HELP SUPPORT THE BASE FLOWS OF THE VERDE RIVER.

THAT'S A PROJECT THAT'LL BE WRAPPING UP HERE LATER IN THE, UH, THE CALENDAR YEAR.

AND THE CITY STAFF HAS BEEN INTIMATELY INVOLVED.

I, I'D ALSO, UM, BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT BEING INVOLVED IN ACOG IS PARTICIPATING.

AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT YOUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES WITH COUNCILOR FOLTZ AND HIS PREDECESSORS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN STRONG PARTICIPANTS, ALWAYS PARTICIPATING IN ATTENDING OUR MEETINGS.

THE SAME GOES WITH YOUR CITY STAFF.

UM, CURRENTLY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER DICKEY, HE'S SERVING AS THE CHAIRMAN OF OUR TECHNICAL COMMITTEE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.

AND LIKEWISE, WE'VE HAD GREAT SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY STAFF OVER THE YEARS.

AND THEN FINALLY, UM, MOST IMPORTANT, KIND OF GOING BACK TO THAT FLYOVER COMMENT, ANY OF, YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO OUR PROGRAM DIRECTORS.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT ANY OF THE PROGRAMS I'VE TOUCHED ON TODAY, UH, WE'D ALSO BE HAPPY TO BRING ANY OF THEM BACK TO DIG DEEPER ON A SPECIFIC PROGRAM WITH THE COUNCIL, UM, AT A DATE OF YOUR CHOOSING.

AND THEN THE FINAL COMMENT I'LL MAKE, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, THE TWO INFORMATION AND REFERRAL NUMBERS THAT ARE THERE.

YOU CAN ALSO LEARN A WHOLE LOT ABOUT ALL THESE PROGRAMS ON NA CO'S WEBSITE, WHICH IS NACOG.ORG.

BUT IMPORTANTLY, THE TWO PHONE NUMBERS THERE ARE ANSWERED BY PEOPLE.

A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT OUR PROGRAMS SERVE ARE REACHING OUT TO US DURING TIMES OF CRISIS OR HIGH STRESS.

THEY LIKE TO TALK TO A PERSON.

AND FORTUNATELY, BOTH OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE ANSWERED BY PEOPLE.

IF THEY GET VOICEMAIL, THEY REACH OUT PROMPTLY, UH, TO PROVIDE SERVICE AND THE INFORMATION AND REFERRAL, THEY ARE 40 HOURS A WEEK.