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Special Meeting Minutes Monday, January 05, 2026 9:30 AM BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Maricopa County, Arizona (and the Boards of Directors of the Flood Control District, Library District, Improvement Districts and/or Board of Deposit) "The mission of Maricopa County is to provide regional leadership and fiscally responsible, necessary public services to its residents so they can enjoy living in healthy and safe communities” Board Members Thomas Galvin, Chairman, District 2 Kate Brophy McGee, Vice Chair, District 3 Mark Stewart, District 1 Debbie Lesko, District 4 Steve Gallardo, District 5 County Manager Jen Pokorski Clerk of the Board Juanita Garza Meeting Location Supervisors' Auditorium 205 W Jefferson Phoenix, AZ 85003 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Chairman Galvin called the meeting to order and asked the Clerk to call the roll. 1. ROLL CALL The Board of Supervisors of Maricopa County, Phoenix, Arizona, convened in Special Session at 9:30 AM on Monday, January 5, 2026, in the Supervisors’ Auditorium, 205 W. Jefferson, Phoenix, AZ 85003, with the following members present: Thomas Galvin, Chairman, District 2; Kate Brophy McGee, Vice Chair, District 3; Mark Stewart, Supervisor, District 1; Debbie Lesko, Supervisor, District 4; Steve Gallardo, Supervisor, District 5. Also present: Juanita Garza, Clerk; Mia Vargas, Minutes Coordinator (remote); Jen Pokorski, County Manager; Brooke Worcester, Legal Counsel. Chairman Galvin thanked former and current elected officials present and thanked them for coming. 2. INVOCATION Vice Chair Brophy McGee introduced her guest, Rabbi Levi Levertov to offer the invocation. 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Rabbi Levi Levertov led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Vice Chair Brophy McGee noted Rabbi Levertov’s leadership in the Jewish community and his accomplishments. 4. NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF THE 2026 CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS Chairman Galvin asked for a nomination for the 2026 Chairman of the Board. Supervisor Lesko nominated Kate Brophy McGee as Chair of the Board for 2026. Motion to approve by Supervisor Debbie Lesko, seconded by Supervisor Mark Stewart Ayes: Thomas Galvin, Kate Brophy McGee, Steve Gallardo, Mark Stewart, Debbie Lesko. Special Meeting Minutes Monday, January 05, 2026 Page 2 of 3 Chair Brophy McGee appointed Supervisor Debbie Lesko as the 2026 Vice Chair of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. Chair Brophy McGee presented former Chairman Galvin with a plaque to commemorate his term as the 2025 Chairman of the Board. Each Board member expressed their appreciation for Supervisor Galvin’s chairmanship and thanked him for his service. Supervisor Galvin expressed his thanks for all the Board members as they supported his agenda as Chairman and helped him achieve his goals. The Board stepped to the front of the dais for a photo opportunity. Chair Brophy McGee went to the podium to deliver the Chair’s Address. Chair Brophy McGee began by thanking and acknowledging the many people who have supported her to this point and said it was an honor to be elected as the Chair for the Board of Supervisors. She acknowledged former Governor Jan Brewer, former County Recorder Helen Purcell, and Councilwoman Debra Stark who were all in attendance this morning. She went on to say oftentimes politicians focus on the easy, quick partisan wins but that has never been her path. She said she would prefer taking on quality of life issues, properly defining the problem, identifying solutions that can be implemented, and forging coalitions to do so. She noted issues she wants to address as Chair in 2026. Public Safety Tax Chair Brophy McGee talked about placing a measure on the ballot for Maricopa County voters to consider renewing the *fifth of a cent* public safety tax. She said this tax has provided sustainable public safety funding for nearly three decades and it is her first priority as Chair. Accountability and Transparency Chair Brophy McGee spoke about full transparency in our public meetings. She said the Board will ensure the most impactful programs and services are prioritized and tax dollars aren’t wasted. She listed several issues the County is already addressing and are priorities she will continue as Chair: Keeping the property tax rate low; Following constitutionally mandated spending limits; and Making long-term investments that improve government service and promote community well-being. She said she firmly believes in the philosophy “hope for the best, plan for the worst”. She stated that is why Maricopa County is the largest county in the United States with no general obligation debt. She said her promise to the residents of Maricopa County is that the Board will maintain a strong fiscal position, protect taxpayers, and meet service demands, regardless of what comes our way. Evictions/Housing Chair Brophy McGee said there is an eviction crisis leading to more homelessness. She stated that Maricopa County will participate in a working group focused on eviction prevention. Special Meeting Minutes Monday, January 05, 2026 Page 3 of 3 (Seriously Mentally Ill) SMI Chair Brophy McGee noted there are many people in our community that face mental health challenges. Some of them are so severe and life-altering that they become subject to court-ordered evaluations and treatment. She stated this is a system that needs attention and reform. She explained some of the issues and said she will work with Presiding Judge Pamela Gates to improve efficiency and reduce delays. Infrastructure Chair Brophy McGee spoke about the County’s hyper growth and the development of infrastructure to meet the needs of growth especially in the west valley. She announced that County staff have come forward with recommendations that build on our zoning ordinance update. She said Infrastructure Readiness Assessment is going to be put into place so we can get early visibility into areas where capacity is lagging. We will make this information easier for the public to access with a Development Pipeline Dashboard. Melendres/Public Safety Chair Brophy McGee noted public safety is a priority for this Board. She noted the current Board has been working to end the federal judicial oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. In the years since the Melendres case was ruled on, the Sheriff’s Office has achieved 100% compliance and there have been zero new allegations. Elections Chair Brophy McGee made note of actions being taken to promote transparency, efficiency, and confidence in election outcomes. She mentioned the comprehensive review of the election processes including technology and chain of custody. She said the review is nearly complete. She stated she looks forward to sharing those findings at a public meeting in the coming months. Finally, Chair Brophy McGee said the County will again advocate for the state legislature and Governor to pass common sense reforms that would empower election departments to have 95% of all votes tabulated by the end of election night. Chair Brophy McGee noted that Maricopa County, the nation’s 4th most populous county, will have women as Chair and Vice Chair for the first time ever. MEETING ADJOURNED There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. ____________________________________ Kate Brophy McGee, Chair of the Board ATTEST: ____________________________ Juanita Garza, Clerk of the Board