HCAC_2026_1007_Minutes

TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE FOUNTAIN HILLS HISTORY AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION
October 7, 2026
A Regular Meeting of the Fountain Hills History and Culture Advisory Commission was
convened at 16705 E. Avenue of the Fountains in open and public session at 4:00 p.m.
Members Present: Chairperson Bob Burns; Vice Chairperson Toni LePoer;
Commissioner Peter Gallagher; Commissioner Bonnie Kline; Commissioner
Tiffany Titus
Members Absent: Commissioner Chandler Harper
Staff Present: Community Services Recreation Manager Ryan Preston;
Administrative Assistant Stormy Mazeikis

TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS
OCTOBER 7, 2026, HISTORY AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION
Post-Production File
Town of Fountain Hills
History and Culture Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes
October 7, 2026
Transcription Provided By:
eScribers, LLC
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Transcription is provided in order to facilitate communication accessibility and may not
be a totally verbatim record of the proceedings.
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CHAIR BURNS: It's 4:00, and we'll call this meeting for October 7th, the History and
Culture Committee for Town of Fountain Hills to order.
PRESTON: Is your microphone on?
CHAIR BURNS: Pledge of allegiance -- what?
PRESTON: Your microphone.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. There we go.
Do I need to repeat that? Okay.
MAZEIKIS: Just in case.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. It's 4:00. Let's call the meeting for the Town of Fountain Hills
History and Cultural Advisory Commission to order for October 7th, and begin with
Pledge of Allegiance.
ALL: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic
for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
LEPOER: Okay.
CHAIR BURNS: Can we get roll call, Stormy?
MAZEIKIS: Yes, Chair. Recreation Manager Ryan Preston.
PRESTON: Here.
MAZEIKIS: Chair Burns.
CHAIR BURNS: Here.
MAZEIKIS: Chair LePoer -- or Vice Chair LePoer.
LEPOER: Present.
MAZEIKIS: Commissioner Kline.
KLINE: Present.
MAZEIKIS: Commissioner Gallagher.
GALLAGHER: Here.
MAZEIKIS: Commissioner Chandler Harper.
Commissioner Titus.
TITUS: Present.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Statement of participation is there for anybody to read.
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I guess, proclamations, awards, and recognitions. I don't think we've got anything there.
So presentations.
Looks like Ryan has something for us today.
PRESTON: Yep. And I think I need to speak into the microphone because -- yeah. Okay.
I don't think that we need it.
So at our last meeting, it was recommended just kind of get an update where we are on
our kind of historic landmark designations and our points of interest. A lot of this
happened before, I believe, a lot of us were here on this commission.
So this is just giving an opportunity to see where we are, kind of why we're in a holding
pattern right now, and kind of what the next steps will eventually be on this.
So all this was created by the Commission earlier on. We've got a designation criteria
for what makes -- where we're choosing, what makes it significant, what makes it
historical. And again, this was put together by the commission.
What the designation is -- and we'll talk a bit about more about this later. Right now, it's
a small plaque affixed to the building identifying the nature of the designation. And this
part of the project is kind of giving us our biggest pause right now, as a lot of these
buildings that we eventually chose are privately owned.
So we're working through that, and that's kind of where we're stalled a little bit. And
then obviously the town takes over the costs of purchasing and installing these plaques.
There's a few documents here. You can jump in with any questions at any time, but
these are the -- so actually, let me go to this one first.
Sorry, I don't know how to go full screen with Word. But anyway -- and it's also in dark
mode, so it's a win-win. So when this was initially looked at, I believe this is the look --
the list the commission came up with.
However, we couldn't exactly do thirty things all on our first go. So we narrowed it
down to releasing five. And the question is still do we release all five at the same time,
or do we do one a year?
We know in the future, after we get this process rolling at the most, it'll be one a year
after that. Just given our age doing five a year, we're going to run out and pretty
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quickly. We'll be caught up to 2025 pretty quickly.
So this is in your packets. This is available. I'm not going to kind of read through what's
here verbatim. These were all the suggestions that the commissioners had made as to
what maybe -- might have a historical significance here in Fountain Hills. From there
was selected five. I'll zoom out for now just to see all five. Well you can't see all five.
Yep.
CHAIR BURNS: Tiffany, you have a question?
PRESTON: I'm sorry.
TITUS: Ryan presents his five.
PRESTON: Okay.
TITUS: Perfect. Thank you.
PRESTON: So the five that were selected, and voted on, and approved by this
commission were the Stone Dam on Emerald Wash in the Botanical Garden. The
developer sales reception center.
And I believe -- I'm trying to remember which ones are which. I believe the model home
center next, is that the -- the mortuary, right now, I believe. First residential home to be
occupied that is still standing. And then Little John's, which is currently Put a Handle on
Your Candle.
So of these one, two, three, four are privately owned, and only one is town controlled.
And so that's kind of where we're at right now of figuring out exactly how we're going to
approach that. And that'll bring me up. Sorry. Then -- go ahead. Tiffany, oh yeah.
I was going to move on so. No, you're good now.
TITUS: Perfect. I'd just like to mention thank you for including this in the packet, Ryan.
Because as new commissioners, it was interesting to see what the commission in the
past in 1993 came up with, not only for the designation process, but the list of
recommendations.
My thought after reading it prior to the meeting was that my -- the history is about
storytelling. In addition to our history, this list is a little bit not only outdated, but
wasn't very exciting. And back in 1993, I don't -- we don't know what the committee
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was thinking, but we know we're a new committee, and we have opinions on what we
would like to share with the future as historical relevance, and value. And I feel like it's
missing some significant and relevant items.
So I would like to propose that before you move forward and promote these four items,
five items that we're already having trouble with because they're on private property,
that we revisit this as a committee, to review the designation requirement if that's
approved by the town, and then revisit what we might want to consider for those first
five, recognizing that it's a very limited list.
PRESTON: Okay. And I will clarify. So I appreciate that. And we I will clarify however,
that that note about 1993 was the last time action was taken on actually putting
physical plaques up.
This list was actually between '23 and '24, 2023 and 2024, where these lists were
created within this current commission, the History and Culture Advisory Commission
only dates back to 2022, I believe, maybe 20 -- early -- late 2021. Somewhere in that
time. Apologize, I don't have that.
But yeah, I apologize. That is confusing, that footnote at the end there. That is -- that is
referring to the last time action was taken. For example, the plaque that we have at the
high school for Pebble Ranch., that was done back in 1993. That's why that note is on
there.
Anyway, so I wanted to update you guys on this. It is something that you're welcome to
look at again. However, this was voted on and approved by the commission about a
year ago, I believe, maybe two. We have looked at the five locations, and if it is
something we want to revisit, that's okay.
My other point of this update is to let you know we probably won't throw this back at
you guys yet. Right now Council objective and Council priority is the national landmark,
the National Register of Historic Places for the fountain. So until we can get a successful
bid through on that, or at least get another bid through we'll probably hold off on any
other major outside projects.
That'll probably be our focus, especially right now. We are down one commissioner, so
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we already do have a few work groups, so we probably wouldn't add a work group
that's pretty leg heavy until we finish the -- the National Register of Historic Places
promotion.
CHAIR BURNS: Do you have something else, Tiffany?
TITUS: Just as a follow on that, I just want to put it on the record, that it is interesting
and of note that the fountain isn't listed on this, nor is the Pony Express. And if the
fountain is that relevant and important to our town, I think it should be included.
PRESTON: Yeah. And so the fountain -- there's six markers at Fountain Park that talk all
about the fountain in its history. So there are six markers out at Fountain Park. And so
not specific to this landmark status, I guess is what we're looking for. And that's -- that's
a general term for the town.
None of these places that we are earmarking here are actually like national landmark
status. It's just local to the town.
CHAIR BURNS: Ryan had the work, regarding the fountain landmark status, begun when
this other committee was working? I can't recall.
PRESTON: Not to my knowledge, no. This was one of the first orders of business for this
commission. And this came before the Council had directed to start looking into the --
the National Register of Historic Places.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Bonnie. Yeah.
KLINE: So.
PRESTON: Your microphone.
KLINE: I remembered the green one. So I was wondering when you were putting
together these, the plans for these plaques, if you had worked into the design, the QR
codes that that are on the artwork throughout town?
PRESTON: Yeah. And that's -- that's the second part that I said I was going to come back
to. Basically once we do revisit this, having the workgroup look into kind of just
benchmarking what these plaques should actually look like. So that the town has an
idea of what similar communities are, several places have done, so that we can start
actually designing these plaques.
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We do have the verbiage already again, voted on by this commission, of what we want
written on those plaques. However, we don't really have a look for that yet. I know the
designation was to have a plaque that we actually affixed to the building. And so that's
what we will approach the businesses with. However, we're going to want a general
look of the plaque as well, to go with that.
KLINE: And also what about a map of the -- the landmarks that you identified?
PRESTON: Yeah. And so those are actually already live on one of our websites. You
can't actually go and scan anything physically at the locations, but the locations are
mapped out on one of our -- the same website we use for the public art.
I think they may have just taken them down from being public right now, based on
administrative decision, but as soon as we get back and we can get approval from the
private locations, we'll put that back live online.
And then each of those will eventually have a QR code that you can scan, and it'll help
you get to the next one. Things like that.
KLINE: Is that something that could be printed and put out at the Chamber of
Commerce, and the Visitor Center?
PRESTON: The maps. Yeah. As soon as we finish kind of our, the, the, I guess, for lack
of a better word, kind of the universe we're creating within these QR codes. We are
going to be pushing it out a lot more. Right now, there's nothing physical out just
because we don't have the physical QR codes out at every location yet that is in the
works.
Unfortunately, it took a pause when we got some turnover in our park superintendent
position, because that's the position that handles the rollout of all the actual physical
things that are going on, all the statues. And so we're kind of waiting for that position to
get back in before we can move on that.
KLINE: Could a map be printed out without the QR codes, in the short-term?
PRESTON: Yeah, we used to. I mean it's still available. You can go to the community
center and get basically a map of a lot of the locations. I don't know where they
currently have them. Their maps are also available, obviously, on our website under
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FountainHillsaz.gov/public art.
KLINE: Yeah.
PRESTON: So the maps are all there as well. The physical books are big, and I know they
had some, and I don't know when the last time they printed them, so I'll look into that.
KLINE: Yeah. It's great to have it on the website, but there's still a lot of people that
appreciate print --
PRESTON: Right.
KLINE: -- and pick up information --
PRESTON: Yeah.
KLINE: -- when they're touring our town.
PRESTON: Right. And it's one thing if we could put it on a front and back sheet, it's
another thing when the book is 56 pages long, to be able to get those printed and get
them back out and then have them for public consumption as well.
KLINE: Okay. Thank you.
PRESTON: Yeah. We have a lot of public art in this town, as I'm sure you're aware. I
think over 123 pieces now, somewhere in that ball field. Uh-huh.
CHAIR BURNS: Peter.
GALLAGHER: For clarification, are these five paragraphs at the top, the actual verbiage
that are going to go on to the plaques?
PRESTON: These ones here, I believe that's how it was designed and voted or -- not --
this isn't for the plaques. This will be pared down. So we do have a pared down version
of this. I don't have it attached here. That's something I can get you.
This was more the descriptor for the actual website. The plaques will be most likely
pared down. But these were what was written by the Commission and voted on to be
presented.
GALLAGHER: Okay.
PRESTON: And if it's something that when we make a workgroup, you guys want to
revisit, you absolutely can.
GALLAGHER: Thank you.
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CHAIR BURNS: Ryan, have you done outreach to the property owners?
PRESTON: Not yet. So that's kind of the stage we're in between right now. We haven't
really gotten direction on chicken, egg, cart, and horse on that. I think what we'd like to
do is have the look of the plaques so that when we do reach out to the property owners,
we could say this is exactly where it's going to go. This is exactly what it's going to look
like. So we can sell it to them that way.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay.
PRESTON: Uh-huh.
CHAIR BURNS: So you're waiting for what on that direction from --
PRESTON: So right now what we'll do is, like I said, eventually we'll make a workgroup
and you guys will help us benchmark other towns, cities, private entities. What have
they done on these plaques? What do they look like? What do our own go back and
look like? And then see what it is.
Then you guys can recommend based on that benchmarking, what you kind of want
ours to look like. You don't have to do any of the design work. You can just say these
are similar to what we want to do, and then we'll take care of the design work.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. You've got more there?
PRESTON: I've got nothing. Any questions? Any more questions?
Perfect. Yeah. Like I said, I just wanted to update you guys on where that is, because I
know a lot of us weren't on the commission when that took place.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Peter.
GALLAGHER: Yeah. Just one last question. That long list after all of this, are we still
looking at that as something to be considered?
PRESTON: You mean the list of that was all the places up through -- I think like -- yeah,
we will. That's something like I said, once we get this initial rollout, whenever that does
happen, we'll look at then designating an extra most likely one place a year --
GALLAGHER: Okay.
PRESTON: -- at it. And that list can be changed by you guys. So that's not a big deal.
You guys can look at that and decide if you want to pick a place off that list. If you're
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looking for different places, and that's something that would be voted on by you. And
then eventually this would go to Council to be approved by Council, as well.
GALLAGHER: Okay. Thanks.
CHAIR BURNS: Do you have something else, Bonnie?
KLINE: I think Peter asked the question that I was thinking about. I did wonder if we
could start working on an additional recommendation for this year?
PRESTON: We won't probably work on an official recommendation until we've rolled
out the first five. We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. Make my backlog
bigger for me, Bonnie. We got we got to keep it -- you know, stay -- get it out here in
steps for me.
KLINE: Okay. Thanks.
PRESTON: I appreciate it.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Consent agenda. Consideration and possible action for the
verbatim meeting minutes from September 9th, 2026. Anyone have any comment or
adjustments on those or anything? Can I get a motion?
LEPOER: I motion.
KLINE: I'll second that.
CHAIR BURNS: Second from Bonnie.
Okay. You got something, Ryan?
PRESTON: Yes. Thank you. If you want to redo the motion, just let them know that you
motion to approve.
LEPOER: Oh.
PRESTON: No problem.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. We have a motion and a second to approve the meeting minutes
from last -- September 9th. All those in favor?
ALL: Aye.
CHAIR BURNS: Any opposed? Okay. And now here past the minutes. Went too far.
Oh, okay. Is that where we're at? Art applications.
Ryan, anything there?
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PRESTON: Yes. We're moving to the regular agenda. Yep. Discussion of possible action
on public art applications.
I actually do have an update on this one. We don't actually have any applications as of
now. However, we'll most likely put something on the agenda as a -- maybe a mock or a
training on how to go through those applications. I know a lot of us have never even
looked at one or maybe seen one.
So look for that in the future of us maybe going through almost a mock public art
application, because we are expected to have some coming in soon. So just look ahead
to that and be prepared if you see that on there. Kind of a walk through on how that
works.
CHAIR BURNS: I was going to say it's my understanding there might be one forthcoming
within a month or two, I would assume.
Okay. And historic registry for the fountain. I'm going to let you bring us up to date on
that, Ryan, if you care -- if you want or --
PRESTON: Yeah, I can bring you up to date. So we've had a good bit of movement on
that. We've really, I think broken down what we're looking for specifically with it. I
think we've got a decent narrative in place. And at this point, I believe we're looking for
evidence to back up that narrative.
What we have is a lot of kind of either word of mouth or anecdotal evidence, which is --
some of it will actually work, but a lot of it needs that the documentation to back it up.
For example, Bob, recently our chairman Burns was able to find the original newspaper
article when they first said that the Phoenix should bring some sort of monument and
that it should be a giant fountain somewhere in the desert.
So he was able to locate that physical copy of that. We were able to find the original
plans for the building of the Fountain lake, the pump house and everything like that. So
we were able to close the loop on a couple of who constructed it where certain people
involved. So we were able to kind of close a few loops on that.
There was a still a few things outstanding. I think one of the biggest gaps we still have is
the production of the nozzle. So Zurich, Switzerland is where it's always been known to
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come from. There's some evidence on that, but we don't have any actual construction
documents. We don't have any invoices purchasing it from Switzerland. So that's kind
of where we're digging right now.
A lot of that is coming from our own archives. So we do have internal people working
on trying to dig up more of the construction -- early construction plans for that. And I
know our work groups got a list of a couple of things they're looking for. I know we're
working with MCO to try to locate a few things.
So that's kind of my status update on where we've landed on that. I don't know if either
Bob or -- or Peter, if you have anything additional.
CHAIR BURNS: Yeah. Yeah, and I know you know this, but there are photos of the
nozzle being tested actually in Switzerland. So and -- so yeah, I don't, I don't know
whether we'd find any of their plans or whatever. Or maybe, you know, the McCulloch
company had something here, but I'm not sure where we'd find that. So.
So -- and Toni, you have something?
LEPOER: Where are those photos? And. Ryan, do you have them?
CHAIR BURNS: Believe the museum has them. At least that's where I found them a
couple years ago, so.
LEPOER: Would that suffice to show that it was from Switzerland if the museum could
find those?
CHAIR BURNS: I'm sorry.
PRESTON: You got to let him --
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Ryan?
PRESTON: Thank you. That would be very helpful. I -- we -- I have not found those in
our archives. We have a lot of photos. We have photos of the nozzle being installed.
We have photos of the construction of the entire lake system. I do not I have not seen
actually the photo of the fountain being tested.
I've seen a photo of a similar nozzle being tested in Italy, which I know has been
mistakenly released online for Switzerland, but I have not found one actually in
Switzerland being tested. So it would be great if we can locate that.
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CHAIR BURNS: Okay I will -- I will go ahead and look into that, see if I can find that over
there. Because like I said, I found them a couple of years ago.
And Bonnie.
KLINE: So there's a -- there's a very nice display about C.V. Wood at the River of Time
Museum that will be opening soon. And there's a lot of information about him, but I
was wondering where that information came from, and if the C.V. Wood archives or
wherever that information came from would have information on the -- the nozzle and
the design. How, you know, it mentions that it's supposed to look like a lotus blossom.
And so I know there was some design work put into that by C.V. Wood.
CHAIR BURNS: Yeah, I went through that exhibit and did pass along some information
to Ryan there, which he may or may not have received due to my technical skills, but
yeah, we're aware of that. There have -- there is some stuff that in that exhibit that
would be useful to us. Some maps and things like that. So.
Ryan.
PRESTON: Yeah. Just to follow up on that note, yeah, we've looked into C.V. Wood
quite a bit. Just most of the, the documentation is falling with McCulloch properties, as
well. And so everything was done through McCulloch, and that -- the McCulloch
properties, specifically. And so that's what we've been diving into.
I've also had requests out to Kitchell Construction, who was supposed to have done the
concrete work for the lotus flower. So I do have a request for information into them. I
have not heard anything back from them and it's been a few weeks. I'll probably do a
follow up, as well.
So I did a couple requests. We also requested information from the County because this
wasn't in court. This was part of the County. When this was built, however they did,
they did say they got back to me that all the information was turned over to the town
during incorporation. That's why we're now going through our -- our internal archives
to try to find some of that information.
And as soon as I can get some of the original construction documents, we are hoping in
there, we can find some invoices or some -- some information of transporting the nozzle
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from Switzerland into Fountain Hills.
And as Bob mentioned, the museum has been helpful. They found we were looking for
a map, for example, that showed Chaparral Lake or Orem Lake, I believe.
CHAIR BURNS: Orem Lake.
PRESTON: Sorry, Orem Lake on it, because it was a feature that they were highlighting
for people to come move here before that was canceled. And so we did get some of
that information from them, as well.
CHAIR BURNS: Peter, your network group, do you have anything to add?
GALLAGHER: I don't really. I've contacted the museum, but they let me know that
they're working with you and Michael Gant to try to find the things I was going to look
for. A question comes to mind. Records, property records. Do we have all of the
property records leading up to building the fountain? You know, when McCulloch
bought all of that from the Pebar ranch?
PRESTON: Yes. So those are actually digital. We were able to find some property
records of the purchase from Pebar ranch. There were some discrepancies based on
price of what he actually paid. But yes, those documents we do have and those we
were able to find.
CHAIR BURNS: Yeah. Yeah. Discrepancies surrounding that are not surprising. Okay.
Anything else on that, Bonnie?
KLINE: What is the deadline when we need to get this completed to go to the next
meeting of whoever approves the registration? Is there a deadline that we're looking
at?
CHAIR BURNS: Yeah. I think we went into this without a deadline for the next objective.
I think the Committee for the State meets a couple times a year. And we just wanted to
take our time, make sure we found everything we needed to, and get it together.
So I wouldn't -- obviously it's not going to happen this year, but '27 I guess is a
possibility, but.
And Ryan.
PRESTON: Yeah. So pretty much exactly what Commissioner -- Chair Burns said, we're
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not going to rush this one. We rushed a little bit to try to get into the November last
year purely because we wanted to unveil it with the 250th celebration. Unfortunately
that didn't work out.
So we are taking kind of a -- a more nuanced approach this time in a kind of a, just
making sure all the I's and lowercase J's are dotted, T's are crossed, before we put in a
submission, because we're hoping this is our last submission. And I believe it's quarterly
that they meet. So November is their next one and -- I think February or March. So if
we can get in for the February March, that'd be great. If not we'll -- we'll get it in.
CHAIR BURNS: And Bonnie.
KLINE: Would it help to put out kind of a call to the public about early documents.
Maybe some of the early residents have brochures or publications that they use in their
sales material that would have information that you need?
CHAIR BURNS: And Ryan.
PRESTON: So we actually have our hands on quite a bit of the early brochures and
things like that. And -- and those work for some circumstances, you know, whether it
was the history of it being called Chaparral City or again, having the Orem Lake in those
brochures and what they were pushing. We do have that information.
It's more just the kind of nuts and bolts information that we're, we're missing. A lot of
it, what they're looking for is these planned development ties as well. So obviously we
have all the ties with C.V. Wood, and McCullough back to, you know, the London Bridge,
and Lake Havasu.
The Disney ties, they're interested in the Disney ties in the engineering, like the Hamill --
Jay's Hamill. We were able to finally get his name on a couple of things. There's one
more connection. So trying to tie all those connections together and change it again
from being anecdotal information to -- to hard information is kind of -- is what we're
doing now.
So we have a lot more, we have the brochures, we have kind of the story. And now it's
kind of getting proof to the stories as well as kind of where we're where we're at. And
there's a few specific things that I'll send out kind of we've narrowed down, and maybe
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I'll have a better update on those specific things we're looking for.
A few examples are who actually decided where the lake was going to go. Again,
anecdotally in the Keith McMahon article we have Schumacher and we have Hamill, I
believe were both discussed. I don't know if Hamill was discussed. But there's no
evidence of who actually said we should put the lake here.
So trying to find those missing pieces is what we're kind of diving into now.
CHAIR BURNS: And something I read, got the impression that the location of the lake
was kind of topographically obvious, but you know how that came about, who knows?
Yeah. And let's see. Toni lost track of who number four is.
LEPOER: Ryan, is that something that would be once it's written up for the -- to get the
designation? Is it something that will be posted somewhere so that people who live in
town can read the. I mean, because to me, it'd be kind of fascinating to have all that
stuff laid out so clearly. Especially connecting all the dots. Is that something that you'd
consider posting?
CHAIR BURNS: Oh, sorry.
Ryan.
PRESTON: Thank you. Yeah, absolutely. Something we would push out. I mean, the
applications technically already is already public. As soon as we submit it, it becomes
public.
It's part of a public hearing. But it is something that once we have a completed product,
once you have it, once we have an approval, it is something we'll definitely push out and
make available to the public and really try to you know -- we want to make it a -- it'll be
a big thing. So when it happens, we'll -- there'll be some -- there'll be some hoopla
around it for sure.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Anything else on that?
All right. Public art information. It's my understanding you might have something you
want to report. Is that you, Toni?
LEPOER: I actually, I think I'm going to let Tiffany talk.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Tiffany.
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TITUS: Thank you. Vice chair, Toni Lepore, Bonnie Kline, and I have been met during the
summer months to both maintain momentum of our public art working group, and to
further contemplate the art, history, and culture, work, and tourism with regard to with
regard to economic development and tourism of our town.
And we are preparing a working group report for this committee that we will present
prior to the deadline for next month's meeting. So that's the -- that's the update.
Basically, we have been meeting and we're excited to present a report.
Part 2 of that is we would love to recognize the work that of Ryan Preston, Kevin
Snipes, and their teams on the QR code project and the art information on the town
website. It's absolutely wonderful. We see the progress, and it's just been really fun for
us over the summer to be digging through this and seeing more of it.
And as we are reading the strategic plan of the town, but also the master public art plan
is listed on the town's website. So it's been, it's been nice to see that and review that.
And we did want to recognize your hard work, and thank you for that.
My last and final note is that Commissioner Kline had an opportunity to speak about
history and culture and art and the town at a museum event this last Saturday that was
very well attended.
So thank you for your presence there for that. That's all.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Bonnie.
KLINE: Thank you. Tiffany. So we talked about getting a publication out and so we'll get
some more details on that in the next meeting. But it is something that we're thinking
about, so.
And it was my pleasure to talk to people at that at that meeting, it was -- Bill Stasick, and
Joe Bill, and Mary Ellen Holter, who came out on the, the fly in by program. So I think
we could have talked another hour or two. But we only had one hour to reminisce
about the good old days.
And it was kind of -- I used to set up panels like that of the old timers. And so it was a
little bit of a surprised to find that I was now one of the old timers.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Anything else on the art?
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And next item, 40th anniversary of town incorporation.
Ryan, do you have something for us on that?
PRESTON: I believe this was an agenda item brought up by Commissioner Kline. So if
you have anything that you kind of want to discuss on there, kind of get us started, feel
free.
KLINE: Well, this is something that we can also present at the next meeting that needs a
little bit more polishing, and getting in shape for the proper agenda. But yeah, I do think
that a second publication is one of the items that we're -- we're talking about, and
identifying what would be important to be in that publication.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. So. Excuse me, expect to have something present next meeting
you said? Okay.
MAZEIKIS: Bob, when I press the left side, I guess I don't get to jump in the queue. I can
just jump in at any time. So the privileges of being the clerk. But -- but it's me. It's
Stormy.
And real quick, I just want to let you guys know. I send out the, an email to the chair a
week before -- no, two weeks before our meeting, so that we then I have a week to put
everything together to get on the agenda before. And it has to go through an approval
process. So just keep that noted.
I know that I had a conversation with -- or an email conversation with Tiffany. And so I
just want to make sure that you guys are aware of that still, and just circle back if you
can and read the procedures as well, if you guys need to. They're all online underneath.
HCAC.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay.
MAZEIKIS: Or if you have questions, let me know.
CHAIR BURNS: I apologize Stormy, I just kind of thought this is on the agenda now, and
it might be kind of one of the things that continues going forward. So it might not have
to be formally brought -- brought up, but --
PRESTON: Yeah, so if it's -- if it's on the agenda, we can obviously discuss it. I think what
she's mentioning, if you want to get a presentation, like actually do a presentation that
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has to be formally agendized any kind of presentation. And so just getting that to
Stormy two weeks ahead of time. That way we can make sure it's on the agenda, it's in
the packet, and then we can and then you can make your presentation.
CHAIR BURNS: Bonnie.
KLINE: So I just want to make sure I understand. We have to get it to Bob two weeks
before our next meeting. So that really only gives us two weeks from one meet -- the
current meeting. And we have two weeks to get it to Bob so that he can get it to you; is
that right?
MAZEIKIS: Yes. That's correct. And that's the exact same time that I have to process all
of y'all's meetings, because then the next two weeks I'm on CSAC, or the Community
Services Advisory Commission packets and stuff. So yeah.
KLINE: So you did mention it has to be approved. And I was wondering what's involved
in the approval process and who is approving things.
MAZEIKIS: Approving things that would be Ryan and -- and Kevin Snipes. And if it's
approved, then it'll be added to the agenda, and I'll have it already -- the presentation
already attached. So that way then when you guys come in, then I can have it set up for
you guys.
KLINE: Okay. And what kind of things are you looking for -- for the approval, make sure
that we do our -- do things correctly for you?
MAZEIKIS: This was y'all's agenda item. So I don't know what you guys have in store for
us. So the sky's the limits.
CHAIR BURNS: Yeah, I would imagine just anything you want to discuss on it, or would
propose that the Commission take action on. And unless there's an issue with that, as
far as I'm concerned, you can send it to staff at the same time you send it to me.
So you don't need to wait for my acknowledgment on it, but -- unless there's an issue
with that.
KLINE: Okay. Good to know.
CHAIR BURNS: Ryan.
PRESTON: Yeah. And the approval process is more just to make sure it's -- it's germane,
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right? That it's on topic and it's something the commission can tackle. So yeah, this is
already an approved agenda item.
So unless you're your presentation goes way off the rails, there shouldn't be -- there
shouldn't be any issues with approval, but we do have to look at everything before it
gets posted onto the agenda.
KLINE: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Anything else, sir?
Next. Am I missing something here?
And -- okay. I guess we're looking at the next meeting scheduled for -- I guess that's
Wednesday, November 4th, at 4:00, here.
And call to the public. I guess there's no one here to say anything.
MAZEIKIS: No, Chair. We -- I can confirm that we do not have any requests for the
public speaking.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. And I'm not sure how to handle this one. It seems kind of broad.
So would -- so could you comment on it for us, Ryan, or.
MAZEIKIS: What item number are we on?
CHAIR BURNS: Number 10.
MAZEIKIS: Can you announce the item number?
CHAIR BURNS: Number 10.
PRESTON: I don't know if Stormy wants to cover this one.
CHAIR BURNS: This one is advice to recreation manager.
PRESTON: Basically it's just this is different than requesting a future agenda item. I
think this is more pertains to -- it's a great question, how it differentiates from number
11. I'm going to defer to Stormy on that one.
MAZEIKIS: Okay. So item number 10, Commission discussion advice to the Recreation
Manager. So if there's anything that you guys have advice or anything that you guys
want to discuss with him this could even be like a circle back not going into like an
agenda item, but like where we're, I guess -- getting off track.
But so that way then if there's something towards the end of the meeting that needs to
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be discussed with Ryan or it's like a last minute any advice. That he can research or
anything? I mean, this is that time to go ahead and jump in there. I don't, and it's also a
time for Ryan to reiterate as well with you guys, vice versa.
So if there's any anything that needs to be on the record during this time, then you guys
have open floor.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Let's see. It looks like Tiffany.
TITUS: Thank you. I -- thank you, Chairman Burns. This might be an interesting place to
bring up. At least one of the items that we've been discussing over the summertime,
and specifically it was for the recreation department. And we were real curious about
the maintenance and repair of public art, and the schedule, and the funding of that.
And if we are in a good place and we weren't sure exactly where and when to ask those
questions, but this is a great one, a great time potentially to get it -- to allow us to bring
it up. Thank you.
CHAIR BURNS: Ryan.
PRESTON: Yeah. I'm sitting next to the person who schedules the cleaning of the public
art. So those, those do get cleaned. I believe it's an annual cleaning for the public art.
Maintenance is ongoing when needed.
For example, the statue. The Tin Man just needed a small repair and that was done just
this week. And so it is the park staff who handles the any minor repairs. Sometimes the
artists could be called out if it's something major, but we do get an outside company
that comes and cleans.
All the -- all the statues on town property. So the public statues on town property, we
have gotten requests for other locations that are off town property, but unfortunately
we don't have control over those. And so we don't participate in -- in any maintenance
or cleaning of anything that's not on town property. Did that answer some of that?
TITUS: Thank you. That's helpful to know.
CHAIR BURNS: Bonnie.
KLINE: So one piece of art that we we've been looking at, it looks like it needs a little
TLC, is the Walk Through Time along Shae. There's very little in the way of signage or a
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way to access it. I mean, there is a sidewalk running by, but it would could use some
additional access from the parking lot just to the north of that.
And it does look like there's some pieces that have disappeared over the last 30, 40
years. So if there's possibilities of replacing those or cleaning them up or at least some
signage that explains what it, what it's all about.
CHAIR BURNS: Yeah. Yeah, my recollection on that Bonnie is -- I mean, that was
probably the first piece of public art that was done in town. And I suspect that a lot of
the stuff that was embedded in the concrete out there is irreplaceable. I don't recall
what all it was.
I'd be surprised if Ryan and Stormy even knew that existed out there. But if you drive
along Shea there, just past the MCO office, there are some steel arch like structures
over the walkway and in the sidewalk, in there, there were some artifacts, if you will,
embedded in the concrete when it was put in there.
And like I said, I my recollection, it may have been the first piece of public art that the
town did. But anyway, that's -- that's kind of my explanation to you guys, what we're
talking about.
KLINE: It was put in there in honor of the incorporation, from what the information
says, and includes things like horse shoes, but there's also some town emblems and
memorabilia from different groups around town.
CHAIR BURNS: Right.
PRESTON: Yeah. So I'll bring that up in our next parks meeting and I'll see if there's --
we can check on that and what the status is, and I'll let you know.
KLINE: Okay. Thank you.
MAZEIKIS: And also, Bonnie, I can pull up last year's cleaning. The cleaning is usually
scheduled early March. So basically what the, what they do is they have to like heat up
the statues to a certain degree to be able to clean and polish them.
So we try not to do it during the summer. It has to be done -- and normally it's around
March, sometime in March when it's scheduled. And I can pull up that report and look
for the specific art piece and see what was done or if it, you know, even if it is on the list
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or not.
KLINE: Okay. Thanks, Stormy.
MAZEIKIS: You're welcome.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. All right. Ryan.
PRESTON: Yep. It's a good time for me too, to bring up. Just a reminder. It happens
occasionally with all of us. But just with email strings, the easiest way to break any kind
of a open meeting law is to reply all to any messages or include more than three.
So just a reminder to be careful with that. Never reply all or forward an email that does
have a workgroup on it because as soon as you forward it to a fourth person, that's a
quorum. And then we're violating some open meeting law.
So just keep that in mind as soon as four people get on a thread, that's -- that's violating
open meeting law. So just keep that in mind as you get emails and as we go back and
forth, just reply instead of reply all, and just make sure you're not forwarding anything
to a fourth person from a three person workgroup.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Do we have any thoughts for future agenda items? Toni?
LEPOER: Oh, actually, I was going to ask Ryan --
PRESTON: Okay.
LEPOER: -- a question.
Ryan, so my email to you, was that appropriately done or was I off base by just having a
one on one email to you, in regards to some questions that we had? Was that
appropriate?
CHAIR BURNS: Ryan.
PRESTON: Thanks. Yeah, that's absolutely fine. So one on one emails, it's when you get
more than four, or let's say you took that one on one email and then you, you can
forward that to your workgroup because that's still three of you. I don't count as part of
the quorum. But as soon as that string gets to four people is when we have an issue.
Uh-huh.
CHAIR BURNS: And let me clarify something with that. I could be mistaken, but it seems
to me that I saw some instruction with regard to sending stuff to the Chairman. And is
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that a problem? If it's -- all that would be a problem, I would think, if all the workgroup
gets it and it's sent to me. I'm just seeking clarification on that.
MAZEIKIS: So from my understanding, Bob, everything, like, is directed to you. And so
you kind of just from once the group sends it to you, then that's when you forward it to
us.
So you're not part of the workgroup, so you're not considered the fourth to make the
quorum.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay.
CHAIR BURNS: You're just transferring -- you know, you're just forwarding the
information to us. But we can definitely look into policy on that. But I know that that
the work group and work sessions and stuff like that, it can be also just sent to Ryan and
I, or just to Ryan. He'll get it to me. And if it's not in a timely fashion, then sorry. But
he's really good with -- with keeping us all in the loop. But as long as you're not getting
it and then sending it to the whole group again.
CHAIR BURNS: Yeah. Okay. So I guess I'm -- yeah, and that clarifies for me, I was just
going to repeat. So it sounds like the safe thing to do is if they put something together
as a work group, they want me to see it, that just one of them would send it to me.?
MAZEIKIS: Yes. That's correct.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay.
MAZEIKIS: Yes. So when you guys have a work group, maybe have somebody
designated to do like all the note taking or everybody who takes notes can get all of that
together, then type it up and then send it to Bob, one person. So that way then we can
just avoid that.
I would just hate for something to happen for us to be in violation. And -- and I
understand like sometimes when we get emails, and I don't want to call anybody out.
But when we get the emails to reply that you're going to be here, just don't do reply all.
But I know even on my phone, it's hard to tell which button you're even pushing. And
so it's like, oh my gosh, you accidentally did the reply all.
That's something that we just cross that bridge when we cross that bridge. But once
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we're doing the work groups and the work sessions, try to avoid it like 100 percent.
So -- but you guys are more than welcome to email me, call me, email Ryan, call me
anytime. We're here Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and we can help you
guys one on one. So that way then there's no open doors for something to happen.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Thank you for that input.
MAZEIKIS: You're welcome.
CHAIR BURNS: And -- all right. I guess there's nothing else.
We'll take a motion for adjournment.
MAZEIKIS: Bob, what about future agenda items? Item number 11?
CHAIR BURNS: I thought that's what I just covered.
MAZEIKIS: Is that what we were --
PRESTON: I believe we -- we took a quick step back for a question. So I think we're still
on number 11.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Still on number 11. Okay. Yeah. I'm sorry. Now I remember.
Okay. Anybody have anything for future agenda items?
Okay. Toni?
LEPOER: Well, I think that if we could forward on the-- if we could forward on the
agenda about the 40th incorporation, since we want to discuss it further at the next
meeting, would be great.
CHAIR BURNS: Okay. Do we need a couple others to agree to that?
MAZEIKIS: No, Chair, it's already an agenda item, and we'll just carry it over for the next
meeting. So hopefully please give me -- not hopefully, but please give me the
information so I can get it on there.
CHAIR BURNS: All right. Anyone else?
Okay. Not seeing anything now. Can we take a motion to adjourn?
Tiffany.
TITUS: I move to adjourn the meeting.
CHAIR BURNS: Bonnie.
KLINE: I'll second the motion to adjourn.
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CHAIR BURNS: Okay. We have a motion and a second for adjournment, at about 4:55.
All those in favor?
ALL: Aye.
CHAIR BURNS: Any opposed?
Okay. All right. I guess we're done. Thank you.
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Having no further business, Chairperson Burns adjourned the Regular Meeting of the
History and Culture Advisory Commission meeting held on October 7, 2026, at 4:55 PM.
TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS
________________________
Bob Burns, Chairperson
ATTEST AND PREPARED BY:
_________________________________
Stormy Mazeikis, Administrative Assistant
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the
minutes of the Regular Meeting held by the History and Culture Advisory
Commission of Fountain Hills in the Town Hall Council Chambers on the 7th of
October 2026. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and that a quorum
was present.
DATED this 4TH Day of November 2026.
_________________________________
Stormy Mazeikis, Administrative Assistant