Council Report

City Council Report
Date: October 26, 2026
To: City Council
Through: Mike Kennington, Deputy City Manager/Chief Financial Officer
From: Sheri Collins, Solid Waste Director
Subject: Resolution approving and authorizing the execution of an
Intergovernmental Agreement for Waste Collection and Transportation
Mutual Aid
Purpose and Recommendation
Staff recommends that City Council approve a resolution authorizing and directing the
City Manager or designee to execute an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for Waste
Collection and Transportation Mutual Aid among ten valley municipalities and the Salt
River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
The agreement establishes a framework for participating jurisdictions to voluntarily share
solid waste collection and transportation resources during emergencies, helping maintain
essential services when additional resources are needed.
Background/Discussion
Since 2016, the City of Mesa has participated in mutual aid agreements with
neighboring municipalities to provide and receive solid waste collection and
transportation assistance. These agreements have provided participating jurisdictions
with a coordinated process for accessing additional resources when needed.
The proposed IGA continues this cooperative arrangement among ten municipalities
and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. It establishes procedures for
requesting and providing assistance, including the temporary use of vehicles,
equipment, supplies and personnel during emergencies.
Participation is voluntary and each jurisdiction retains the discretion to determine
whether it has sufficient resources available to assist another jurisdiction. This ensures
that Mesa can prioritize its own operational needs before committing resources to
another community.
The agreement also establishes procedures for reimbursement of eligible costs and
assigns responsibility for equipment damage or loss. These provisions help provide

financial accountability and clarify the responsibilities of participating jurisdictions.
This proposed agreement would expire on June 30, 2031, with an option for a five-year
extension.
Alternatives
An alternative is to not approve the IGA. This alternative is not recommended because
the proposed continuation of providing mutual aid for waste collection and transportation
will not be met. In times of an emergency, there is usually not enough time to submit the
required information in a timely manner (i.e. submittal of vehicle information i.e. vin #’s,
make/model, value, insurance), however, an IGA streamlines the process for providing
mutual aid of resources amongst the municipalities.
Fiscal Impact
The IGA includes a section for reimbursement procedures for the cost of the supplied
Resources. The following is an excerpt of the IGA:
The Requesting Party shall reimburse the Aiding Party after receipt of an
itemized voucher and documentation of all allowable costs of labor, equipment,
and materials. The Parties will use equipment rates based on the Federal
Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Schedule of Equipment Rates unless
otherwise agreed in advance in writing.
To date, we have not experienced any reimbursement cost for any supplied resources.
Coordinated With
Staff worked with the Mesa City Attorney’s Office and the other parties to the Agreement,
Avondale, Glendale, Gilbert, Peoria, Phoenix, Queen Creek, Salt River Pima-Maricopa
Indian Community, Scottsdale, Surprise and Tempe.
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