August 2, 2023 Draft Minutes
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DRAFT MINUTES CITY OF GLENDALE CITIZEN BOND ELECTION COMMITTEE CITY HALL 4th FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM 5850 W. GLENDALE AVE. GLENDALE, ARIZONA 85301 AUGUST 2, 2023 5:30 p.m. 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. 2. Roll Call Roll call was conducted. Members Present: Lisa Baker, Committee Chair Jim Brodnax, Committee Member Helena Johnson-Bodine, Committee Member Connie Kiser, Committee Member Sam McConnell, Committee Member Michael Socaciu, Committee Vice Chair Members Absent: Alicia Rubio, Committee Member Other Attendees: Vicki Rios, Assistant City Manager Levi D. Gibson, Director, Budget and Finance Michelle Woytenko, Director, Field Operations Chief Ryan Freeburg, Glendale Fire Department Assistant Chief Colby Brandt, Glendale Police Department Anne Steinmetz, Glendale Forensic Unit Shahid Abbas, Director, Transportation Purab Adabala, Deputy Director, Transportation Tom Carlson, RBC Capital Markets William DeHaan, Greenburg Traurig (via Zoom) 3. Citizen Comments Mr. James Ho, of the Cholla District, made the following comments: My name is James Ho and I am a resident of the Cholla district. I wanted to share information I recently learned about how the City selected the Public Safety and Streets projects that were presented to you in prior meetings. The City’s published budget book actually details the Council-approved CIP Project Prioritization Process on pages 260 and 261. The budget book describes how bond funded CIP projects are ranked using the following eight weighted criteria: Mandated Projects, Assessing Operational Costs, Aligning with Strategy, Protecting the Public, Leveraging External Funding, Quality of Life, Planning for the Future, and Generating Revenue (Attachment 1). This ranking process is very important because there will always be a greater need for projects than there is funding availability in any GO Bond program. Decisions have to be made by the City to ensure that the projects which are selected to receive bond funding reflect the highest priorities of the community, especially since the bond program will need to be approved by voters in November. I was personally impressed with the City’s process so I requested a copy of the prioritization matrix to see how it played out with the projects in the 2023 GO Bond program. I was very surprised to learn that there actually is no prioritization matrix for the 2023 GO Bond projects (Attachment 2). Instead, the City Manager made the decision to change that process which is described in attached email correspondence (Attachment 3). Although the City Manager certainly has the authority to make changes to internal processes, Minutes of the Citizen Bond Election Committee August 2, 2023 Page 2 I do think it’s necessary to explain to the public why there is such a large discrepancy between the process described in the published budget book and the actual process used by the City. The bond election will take place in just a few months and I believe that transparency is the key to winning voter support, especially after the unsuccessful 2020 GO Bond election. I am requesting that the City explain this discrepancy to the public in the “Questions and Answers” section of the 2023 GO Bond website. The City has so far declined this request (Attachment 4) which is why I am here today to ask the Bond Committee for consideration of my request. Ms. Stacy Obal, of the Cholla district, made the following comments: At the Citizen Bond Election Committee on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, the Public Safety GO Bond Funded Capital Projects Presentation, slide 13, Current Public Safety GO Bond Projects, the projects total $80,422,638. On slide 14, Additional Projects Requiring Authorization, the additional projects total $69.5 million. Together, these projects total $149,922,638. At the City Council Workshop on May 9, 2023, the Potential GO Bond Special Election 2023 presentation, slid 9, Remaining Bond Authority, Public Safety is shown to have remaining bond authority of $86,591,150 and an anticipated need of $158,505,201. If the remaining bond authority of $86,591,150 is added to the proposed Public Safety bond issuance of $78,000,000, the total is $164,591,150. Why is the City seeking bond authority for Public Safety that exceeds the 10-year CIP by over $14 million? At the Citizen Bond Election Committee on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, the Public Safety GO Bond Funded Capital Projects Presentation, slide 13, Current Public Safety GO Bond Projects, shows projects currently budgeted in the 10-year CIP. I assume slide 14, Additional Projects Requiring Authorization, shows the additional projects that would be added to the 10-year CIP should bond authority be granted by voters on November 7, 2023. Am I correct? The additional project ‘Police Forensics Lab’ seems to be at least a partial duplication of the current projects titled ‘Police Evidence Storage / Crime Lab. Please explain this. The additional project ‘Potential Fire Station 154 relocation’ seems to conflict with the current project ‘Fire Station #154 renovation.’ What is the cost of relocation the Fire Station #154. The additional project ‘Main Public Safety Building’ seems to conflict with the current project ‘Main Public Safety Building Renovation.’ Please explain the difference. I understand how having out own crime/forensics lab will accelerate and improve the overall justice process. What is the net cost of going forward with the ‘Police Evidence Storage / Crime Labe’ and/or ‘Police Forensics Lab’? Thank you. 4. Approval of June 6, 2023 Minutes A motion was made by Committee Member Connie Kiser, second by Committee Vice Chair Michael Socaciu, to approve the Citizen Bond Election Committee June 6, 2023 meeting minutes as written. Aye: Committee Chair Lisa Baker Committee Member Jim Brodnax Committee Member Connie Kiser Committee Member Sam McConnell Committee Vice Chair Michael Socaciu Other: Committee Vice Chair Alicia Rubio (ABSENT) Passed 5. Presentation on the City’s G.O. Bond Funded Public Safety and Facilities Capital Projects Presented by: Levi D. Gibson, Director, Budget and Finance Ms. Woytenko gave a presentation on Fire Station Design Concepts. Chief Freeburg gave a presentation on Firefighter Safety in the Fire Department. Assistant Chief Brandt gave a presentation on the Police Department projects and the benefits for the City. Minutes of the Citizen Bond Election Committee August 2, 2023 Page 3 Ms. Woytenko provided information on the list of Current Public Safety GO Bond Projects, totaling $80,422,638. Assistant Chief Brandt provided detailed information on the following Additional Projects Requiring Authorization: • Police Forensics Lab o The current lab is 40 years old and the technology has changed tremendously. Space is needed to grow and enhance the lab. The City is depending on the lab at the state’s Department of Public Safety, but the City’s needs have grown. What is a priority for Glendale may not be a priority at DPS and currently, victims in Glendale have to wait for results at processing at DPS. The new lab would be co-located with property and evidence. Current staff scientists could be trained on the new equipment. • Expand Training Capacity and Needs at GRPSTC o Due to growth in training needs, additional infrastructure is needed. • Main Public Safety Building o If the storage and lab is moved out of the building, an operational patrol can be brought back into the downtown building to serve the eastern part of the City. This would create visibility in the downtown area. Right now, all of the south side patrol command is out of Gateway. This would also reduce stress at the western station so that station could serve the western needs better. Chief Freeburg provided detailed information on the following Additional Projects Requiring Authorization: • Potential Fire Station 154 Relocation / New Fire Station – 101 Area o The four-minute polygon / response time map was displayed and explained. Station 154 is primarily in Phoenix. When Chief Freeburg saw Station 154 was up for renovation, he was also seeing the need for a Fire Station near the 101 by Glen Harbor. So, instead of renovating, it may be better to relocate the station. A consultant has been hired to conduct a feasibility study. This project will be brought back to management and Council. 6. Presentation on the City’s G.O. Bond Funded Streets Capital Projects Presented by: Levi D. Gibson, Director, Budget and Finance Presented by: Shahid Abbas, Director, Transportation Presented by: Purab Adabala, Deputy Director, Transportation Mr. Abbas gave a detailed presentation on the following: • Elements of a Capital Improvement Plan • Pavement Management Program o Crack seal and fog seal are non-capital o Mill and overlay, micro seal, and slurry seal are capital and eligible for bond funding o Pavement Deterioration and Life Cycle Costs o Pavement & Rating System o Pavement Condition & Funding • Arterial Reconstruction Program o Eligible for bond funding o Pavement, sidewalks, landscape, and other improvements o Project safety components • GO Bond Funded Streets Capital Projects o Projects requiring additional voter authorization o Streets GO Bond remaining voter authorization • 2020 GO Bond Election Minutes of the Citizen Bond Election Committee August 2, 2023 Page 4 o $81.5 million in additional voter authorization for Street Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Projects o Ballot Language o Planned Projects 7. Education and Public Outreach Presented by: Vicki Rios, Assistant City Manager Presented by: Levi D. Gibson, Director, Budget and Finance Mr. Gibson relayed the following methods of education and public outreach: o Specific bond election page on City’s website o Video regarding the bond election was shown o Public Outreach Community Meetings: September 19th, 21st, 27th o FAQs on the webpage and link to submit citizen comments and questions o The webpage is also available in Spanish. The videos haves Spanish subtitles. Comments and questions can be submitted in Spanish. o Inserts will go with the utility bills in August for election awareness. o Promotional posters are hung at City buildings in various locations throughout the City. o Promotions will be done on billboards along the Loop 101. Ms. Rios said there was a publicity pamphlet that will be mailed to all eligible households in Glendale with a registered voter, which will also be translated in Spanish. Mr. Rios distributed information on how to submit ‘for’ or ‘against’ arguments for the bond election. She said the statements are due by August 9th. Committee Member Johnson-Bodine asked if any of the public outreach was different from 2020. Ms. Rios said it may be a little different, in regards to modes of communication, but not more or less. Committee Vice Chair Socaciu requested highlighting the following question and answer in the FAQs: Are these bonds expected to result in a tax increase. He said it was probably what most people cared about. Ms. Rios said the FAQs were organized based on what the resident survey revealed. She said this could be looked at. Committee Vice Chair Socaciu asked if the webpage listed the projects in the 10-year plan that the City was hoping to fund if the bond was approved. Ms. Rios said this was currently in production, however, not completed yet. Committee Vice Chair Socaciu if the projects and timelines would be published. Ms. Rios said the projects would be listed, but not the timelines, as that gets cluttered. She said the timelines were available in the Budget Book. Committee Vice Chair Socaciu recalled he requested an average tax bill for each City district so that residents can see the impact is minimal in their specific district. He would like to be able to show this to people at the public meetings and have this on the webpage. Ms. Rios said she can consult with the bond attorney to see if this was appropriate and if so, could provide it. Committee Vice Chair Socaciu suggested having QR code stickers put on the posters as it would make it easier for people to get to the website. Ms. Rios said she will discuss this with Mr. Mike Harris of the media team. Chair Baker asked if any outreach meetings were set up with civic groups or organizations. Ms. Rios said there were some in the works, but could not confirm if they were arranged yet. Minutes of the Citizen Bond Election Committee August 2, 2023 Page 5 Chair Baker asked for the links to the presentations at the Bond Election Committee meetings could be put on the website. Ms. Rios will bring the suggestion to the media team. Committee Vice Chair Socaciu requested a copy of all of the questions asked and answered on the City website. Ms. Rios will find out if this can be done. He said this would help him prepare if a member of the public asked him a same question that was on the webpage. 8. Staff Report Mr. Gibson announced this meeting was a conclusion of the presentations. He asked if the Committee would like to have additional meetings. 9. Committee Comments and Suggestions Committee Member McConnell asked if he could talk about the bond election at his tractor club. Mr. DeHaan said that he could, but had to let it be known any opinion was his personal optional and he was advocating as a private citizen and not on behalf of the City or the Committee. Committee Vice Chair Socaciu commented he wanted to have another Committee meeting before the public meetings so he can ensure he has the responses to his questions at this meeting. Ms. Rios will coordinate a date. Committee Member Johnson-Bodine did not want to see mistakes from 2020 repeated and felt that the process was rushed. She asked if staff or the Committee were to respond to the public comments at the meeting. Ms. Rios said staff will review the questions and will respond as appropriately. Ms. Rios said if the Committee wanted to respond or address the comments, the matters can be placed on a future agenda so the Committee can formally respond. Committee Vice Chair Socaciu asked if the Committee was required to have the meeting available on Zoom for the public. Ms. Rios said it has now become more of an expectation, but was not required. Committee Vice Chair Socaciu said it became more of a hindrance today as the technology was problematic. Ms. Rios said it was more of an expectation than a requirement and expected the technology to be better at the next meeting at Council Chambers. 10. Adjournment A motion was made by Committee Member Sam McConnell, second by Committee Member Helena Johnson-Bodine to adjourn the meeting at 7:21 p.m. Aye: Committee Chair Lisa Baker Committee Member Jim Brodnax Committee Member Helena Johnson-Bodine Committee Member Connie Kiser Committee Member Sam McConnell Committee Vice Chair Michael Socaciu Other: Committee Member Alicia Rubio (ABSENT) Passed The Citizen Bond Election Committee meeting minutes of August 2, 2023 were submitted and approved this _______ Day of _____________. _______________________________ Levi D. Gibson Director, Budget and Finance Minutes of the Citizen Bond Election Committee August 2, 2023 Page 6