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Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 9:30 AM BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Maricopa County, Arizona (and the Boards of Directors of the Flood Control District, Library District, Stadium 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 Jack Sellers, Chairman, District 1 Thomas Galvin, Vice Chairman, District 2 Bill Gates, District 3 Clint Hickman, 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 The Board of Supervisors of Maricopa County, Phoenix, Arizona, convened in an Informal Session at 9:30 AM on Monday, September 9, 2024, in the Supervisors’ Auditorium, 205 W Jefferson, Phoenix, AZ 85003, with the following members present: Jack Sellers, Chairman, District 1; Thomas Galvin, Vice Chairman, District 2; Bill Gates, Supervisor, District 3; Clint Hickman, Supervisor, District 4. Absent: Steve Gallardo, Supervisor, District 5. Also present: Juanita Garza, Clerk; Mia Vargas, Minutes Coordinator (remote); Jen Pokorski, County Manager; Brooke Worcester, Legal Counsel. PRESENTATION 1. ASU HEALTH PRESENTATION Dr. Michael M. Crow, President Dr. Sherine Gabriel, Executive Vice President of ASU Health (C-06-25-078-X-00) Chairman Sellers opened the meeting and welcomed Dr. Crow and Dr. Gabriel to the meeting. He thanked them for coming to give an update on Arizona State University (ASU) and their journey into healthcare and the positive impact it would have on our community. Dr. Crow gave some history of ASU and his involvement since he joined the University in July of 2002. He said his goal was to create a great University from which a great medical school could grow. Dr. Crow talked about the many accomplishments of ASU and becoming a leading innovator University of the future. He said ASU Health is headed into the future with the goal of enhancing the health and life outcomes of the people of Arizona. Dr. Crow talked about new ways the Engineering College along with technology has evolved to include the strengths of a variety of individuals. He talked about how Dr. Gabriel came from Rush Medical University in Chicago and her history in the various medical communities across the country. She has joined ASU in the quest to design a new kind of medical school at ASU. Chairman Sellers commented on the combining of technology with medical that seems so obvious and asked why it took so long to integrate the two? Dr. Crow responded that there is a British term, “filiopietistic”, he defined as “an adoration of tradition above all other things”, and that can hold back progress. He stated that he and Dr. Gabriel are not filiopietistic. Dr. Gabriel briefly introduced herself and echoed the comments of Dr. Crow. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 2 of 27 Dr. Gabriel outlined the slide above, ASU Health Charter. Dr. Gabriel reviewed the above slide. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 3 of 27 Dr. Gabriel talked about creating a new type of health professional, trained in engineering, and trained in technology including Artificial Intelligence (AI). Dr. Gabriel added that all the education elements combined with the humanistic framework can improve the health outcomes for all citizens. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 4 of 27 Dr. Gabriel continued by saying it involved a reworking of the system and training, not just adding, more students. Dr. Gabriel reviewed the numbers on the slide above. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 5 of 27 The above slide showed the health outcomes are in part determined by zip code and subgroups. Dr. Gabriel reviewed the slide above and reiterated the large number of Americans who are not literate in their own healthcare needs. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 6 of 27 Dr. Gabriel reviewed the above slide and talked about the different elements that would be incorporated to bring about this new wave in healthcare. Dr. Crow gave an example of how technology can play an important role in health outcomes, using an example of wearable devices (predictive analytics) that would potentially expedite care needed for certain individuals. Dr. Gabriel added that this concept requires a different mindset than previously used and can assist the health team in anticipating future care needed. She said that the interdependence of the ecosystem illustrated above is mandatory, and all elements need to come together at the same time. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 7 of 27 Chairman Sellers asked how they plan to attract people to the program? Dr. Crow said that ASU Health has a more challenging environment when it comes to funding for schools. He talked briefly about how other states get funding. He said he is confident there would be plenty of interest from potential students, they just need to figure out how to pay for it through sponsorships and scholarships, etc. Dr. Gabriel reviewed the above slide, saying there would be a blending of many disciplines. Dr. Gabriel explained the timeline seen above. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 8 of 27 Dr. Gabriel stated the goal and focus of the project. Dr. Gabriel said this new Public Health model will attract a different kind of student providing a different kind of education. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 9 of 27 Dr. Gabriel briefly touched on the slide above. Dr. Gabriel and Dr. Crow talked about the variety of programs within the Medical Master’s Institute that will be offered as seen on the slide above. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 10 of 27 Dr. Gabriel talked briefly about the increased need for nurses through the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation and the College of Health Solutions. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 11 of 27 Dr. Gabriel reviewed the slide above. Dr. Crow said the Health Observatory would help anticipate problems, leading to informed decisions and better outcomes. Dr. Gabriel talked about the variety of information sources that go into problem solving. That information is fed into the Decision Theater network, and with different variables, can give different results to consider. She referred to it as data rich decision making. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 12 of 27 Dr. Gabriel referred to the slide above and spoke about the three areas of focus for the ASU Health research. Dr. Gabriel reviewed the Clinics slide above, saying they will help improve access particularly in vulnerable communities. Supervisor Gates asked how would they decide on where to place the clinics? Dr. Gabriel said there have been “listening” sessions in the communities where the highest needs are and decision making follows. Nurse Practitioners will be central in this information gathering. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 13 of 27 Dr. Gabriel talked briefly about the above slide that lists the partnerships and she stated the importance of collaboration. Dr. Crow added that with the partnerships designed to be the hub of a wheel rather than an isolated medical school, working with a hospital, with the goal to be cutting edge. Supervisor Hickman asked about collaborations with other Arizona counties, universities, and the Public Health unit and are they all working together? Dr. Crow said the intent is to work with everyone who has an interest in healthcare and education. He elaborated on the history of interactions in this area and said alliances and partnerships are essential for success. Dr. Gabriel gave examples of collaborations, one with NAU, U of A, and other schools who have expressed interest. Vice Chair Galvin acknowledged the public institutions that are involved, and he asked about the private industry providers like Banner and Honor Health and are they participating? Dr. Crow said that all are plugging into the process in their specific way depending on their circumstance. Dr. Gabriel spoke at length about the individuals on the ASU Health Team who handle alliances and collaboration. Dr. Crow commented on financial support needed to accomplish these goals, adding there was no designated state appropriation. Vice Chair Galvin commented on funding, and asked where the funds might be coming from if not taxes. Dr. Crow responded, regarding income tax, and the two states, Florida and Texas, that do not rely on that funding for public health. He talked about the complexities of funding this type of project. Supervisor Gates thanked both doctors for their presentation. He asked about the prerequisites for the school of medical engineering and how they would differ from an engineering degree. Dr. Gabriel said they require STEM competencies vs prerequisites which are typically needed for undergraduate degrees. Dr. Crow talked about the classes and competencies that would be required to attend this medical school. Dr. Gabriel added that the students would graduate with two degrees. One Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 14 of 27 would be an MD (Doctor of Medicine) and the other would be a Master’s in Medical Engineering (engineering as applied to medicine). Chairman Sellers commented that the healthcare system in the country and state needs help and thanked them for their time and the presentation. Presentation only. No action taken on the item. 2. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM UPDATE Presentation from Local First regarding its Small Business Technical Assistance Program. Kimber Lanning, CEO of Local First Arizona (C-06-25-077-X-00) Chairman Sellers introduced the next item and presenter, Kimber Lanning, who came forward to present. Ms. Lanning thanked the Board for their time and said she was present to report to the Board on the investment that Maricopa County made in Small Businesses in 2022 and 2023. In reviewing the slide above, Ms. Lanning said she would give a high-level overview of what Local First accomplished during the COVID crisis. Their goal was to save as many small businesses as possible during the pandemic. She stated that creating Requests for Proposals (RFP) for food producers and restaurants that were at risk which would enable Local First to assist those impacted by COVID. She gave innovative examples of how that was accomplished. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 15 of 27 Ms. Lanning reviewed the above slide, giving statistics of the impact small businesses have in Arizona, highlighting small business growth at 9.88%. Ms. Lanning said the slide above gave statistics for at-risk small businesses that were Hispanic or Black owned. She expressed appreciation to the Board for the $1 million that was invested in Local First Arizona. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 16 of 27 Ms. Lanning said her goal for this meeting was to highlight the accomplishments and she reviewed the numbers on the slide and some of the details of the process. The above slide listed additional aspects that Local First addressed to assist in the recovery and success of the businesses. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 17 of 27 Ms. Lanning reviewed each section of the above slide, saying that these industries serve a primary as well as a secondary impact because they keep the dollars recirculating in the economy. Ms. Lanning referred to the above slide and said these were some of the services provided to small businesses with the investment dollars. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 18 of 27 The Return on Investment (ROI) for Maricopa County was discussed in the slide above. Ms. Lanning said it was important for the public and the Board to know that this was not a handout but a wise fiscal investment for Maricopa County. Additional ROI was reviewed on the slide above and the following slide. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 19 of 27 Ms. Lanning talked about the impact that these small businesses had on other local businesses. She added that with the success of these businesses, the ROI continues to grow as the years roll by. Diaspora Collective was reviewed as an example of one business that had success because of Local First Arizona. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 20 of 27 Ms. Lanning highlighted another business, Cesar Graphics, as an example of a business that succeeded because of Local First Arizona assistance. Ms. Lanning shared another success story, Phoenix Coqui, who participated in the different programs offered. Ms. Lanning thanked the Board for their partnership and for the opportunity to come back to share the impact of the investment with the Board. Supervisor Hickman thanked Ms. Lanning for coming and providing an update. He talked about her involvement in helping businesses during COVID, and suggested her work could serve as a model for other local communities and small businesses. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 21 of 27 Supervisor Gates thanked Ms. Lanning for her presentation and her emphasis on the importance of buying local and supporting the local economy. Presentation only. No action taken on the item. PRESENTATION AND ACTION 3. PRESENTATION AND ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION FOR THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION 1) Presentation on the November 2024 General Election. Zach Schira, Executive Director, Maricopa County Scott Jarrett, Elections Director 2) Adopt resolution for the use of Vote Centers, Emergency Vote Centers, and Drop Boxes for the 2024 November General Election. The list of vote centers and emergency voting centers and their hours of operation are on file with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and retained in accordance with LAPR approved retention schedule and are posted on Maricopa County Elections’ website. If a vote center established pursuant to this resolution becomes unavailable and there is not sufficient time for the Board of Supervisors to convene to approve an alternate location for that vote center, the Elections Director that oversees in-person voting is authorized to make changes to the approved vote center location and shall notify the public and the Board of Supervisors regarding the change as soon as practicable. The alternate vote center shall be as close in proximity to the approved vote center location as possible. The list of vote centers and emergency vote centers as of September 9, 2024, are listed in exhibits (A) and (B). The Board of Supervisors also authorized the use of drop boxes for the 2024 November General Election. The list of Drop Boxes is included in exhibit (C). The drop boxes will adhere to the security requirements established in the December 2023 Arizona Secretary of State’s Elections Procedures Manual and will be used to accept early ballots dropped off by voters in their early ballot affidavit envelope. The list of drop boxes and their hours of operation will be on file with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and posted on Maricopa County Election’s website. If a location authorized pursuant to this resolution becomes unavailable and there is not sufficient time for the Board of Supervisors to convene to approve an alternate location, the Elections Director that oversees in-person voting is authorized to designate an alternate drop box location and shall notify the public and the Board of Supervisors of the change as soon as practicable. The alternate drop location box shall be close in proximity to the approved drop box location and adhere to the security requirements established in the December 2023 Arizona Secretary of State’s Elections Procedures Manual. (C-21-25-009-X-00) Chairman Sellers asked Zach Schira and Scott Jarrett to come forward to give the presentation for the 2024 General Election. Mr. Schira said each election cycle, the Elections Department presents an Election Plan to the Board. He said this election will be slightly different from the others due to the two-full-page ballots that will be necessary. Mr. Schira said this size of ballot has not occurred since the 2006 General Election and the Elections Department wanted to make sure the Board and the public were well informed. Supervisor Hickman reiterated that this two-full-page ballot has not occurred since 2006. He asked if there were other counties that had two-page ballots? Mr. Schira said there were other counties with two-page ballots and said that information would be covered in a future slide. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 22 of 27 Chairman Sellers commented on the timeframe for counting a large ballot and that it takes longer to get results when there are so many contests. Mr. Jarrett said that would be covered in a future slide also. Mr. Jarrett began by discussing the electorate in Maricopa County, referring to the slide above and the trends over the last nine years. Mr. Jarrett talked about the numbers on the slide and compared the voter registration numbers from 2020 to 2024. He said the voter registration numbers are running a little higher compared to the same timeframe in 2020. Mr. Jarrett reviewed the slide above and explained the significance of the charted information and the Estimates column. He said as the population increased over time, the percentages remained very similar. Mr. Jarrett clarified that the Election Day number listed on the slide Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 23 of 27 reflects the voters who are checking in, receiving a ballot, and voting that ballot not those voters that are dropping off an early ballot on Election Day. Supervisor Hickman asked about the trendline seen on the 2024 General Election Voter Registration slide. He asked about the dip in voter registration in September 2021. Mr. Jarrett said the drop off in voter registration was a result of the census and resulting redistricting which caused an updating of the voter rolls and a drop in registered voter status. The slide above highlighted some items to help voters navigate on Election Day. Mr. Jarrett said 246 vote centers would be open on Election Day, which is a 41% increase from the 2020 election, and was necessary because of the two-page ballot. He said the ballot size could create more time spent voting on Election Day. He talked about some additional efforts that the Elections Department have made to assist with voting and to advise the voters it may take longer than usual to cast your vote in this election. Mr. Jarrett talked about the factors that have necessitated a two-page ballot and how the ballot is laid out according to state statute. Vice Chairman Galvin commented on “drop box number three” and asked about training for the poll workers on that issue. He also talked about the misinformation that was spread at the last election by the Chairman of the State GOP regarding drawer three. Mr. Jarrett talked about the increased training of the poll workers. Mr. Jarrett said that before every election, there is a Party briefing for the County Chairmen and this year it will also include the GOP State Chairman to ensure accurate information is being given. Mr. Schira said the option of drawer number three is the protocol and is used in many counties in Arizona. Supervisor Hickman commented on the political briefing meetings and that perhaps a court reporter should attend so it is clear what is said and what responses there are. The Board talked about paper weight, paper dimensions, paper volume, printers, toner supplies, and IT technicians that would be available. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 24 of 27 Mr. Jarrett explained how the two-page ballot will impact timing of results as seen on the slide above. He talked about how the two-page ballot and how it could impact the initial numbers of voters counted at polling locations. Chairman Sellers asked about the timeframe differences with other states in declaring a winner. Mr. Jarrett said Maricopa County has very close races and the actual winners of each contest will not be certain until the Canvass. He said in states where contests are not close, the networks have been known “to call” elections prior to the Canvass/Certification. Mr. Jarrett said the other factor that slows results are the large number of early ballots, in green envelopes, that are handed in at the polling place on election day. These ballots require a lengthy process to get them counted. He said not all states allow that option to drop off early ballots on voting day. Mr. Jarrett explained in detail the recount process that has a very specific timeframe as set out by Arizona laws. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 25 of 27 Mr. Schira reviewed the slide above, Communicating with Voters. He highlighted the Outreach Event, Univision Phone Bank, where there will be communication available to the Spanish speaking voters. Mr. Schira reminded voters to make a plan, as outlined on the slide. He said that the Elections Department is administering the Elections according to state law. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 26 of 27 Mr. Jarrett reviewed the Key Dates slide above. He highlighted the important dates and clarified how many drop boxes there would be and the different locations. Vice Chairman Galvin asked about mailing ballots through the US post office. Mr. Jarrett said ballots can be dropped off at the post office and recommends getting those ballots dropped off by October 29th to meet the deadline. Mr. Jarrett also clarified that citizens could use the drop boxes for their ballot and the ballots of their family members or if they are a caregiver, the ballot of a person in their care. Supervisor Hickman talked about sample ballots. Mr. Jarrett said the sample ballots are only sent out to voters that are not on the Active Early Voter list or requested a one-time early ballot. He recommended that if a voter would like to see an electronic sample ballot, go to BeBallotReady.vote. Supervisor Hickman also asked for an explanation of how propositions get on the ballot. Mr. Jarrett explained the different ways that propositions get to the ballot. A city council referral, the legislature, or a citizens’ initiative are the usual avenues. A majority (12 out of 15) of the current propositions are referred by the Legislature. Supervisor Gates clarified that one of the propositions originated from the Board of Supervisors. Vice Chairman Galvin asked a few hypothetical questions about the ballots, focusing on problems that might occur with a two page ballot. Mr. Jarrett said it is very important that voters are careful with their ballots. Motion to Adopt the Resolution for the 2024 General Election by Supervisor Thomas Galvin, seconded by Supervisor Bill Gates Ayes: Jack Sellers, Thomas Galvin, Bill Gates, Clint Hickman Absent: Steve Gallardo Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, September 09, 2024 Page 27 of 27 4. EXECUTIVE SESSION Vote to convene in Executive Session to consider the items on the Executive Agenda dated Monday, September 09, 2024, for Board of Supervisors and relevant Special Districts pursuant to the statutory authority listed for each item. Motion to approve by Supervisor Clint Hickman, seconded by Supervisor Thomas Galvin Ayes: Jack Sellers, Thomas Galvin, Bill Gates, Clint Hickman Absent: Steve Gallardo MEETING ADJOURNED After discussion of the items listed on the Executive Session agenda and there being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. _____________________________ Jack Sellers, Chairman of the Board ATTEST: ___________________________ Juanita Garza, Clerk of the Board