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MINUTES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, November 13, 2024 - 4:00 P.M. 155 N. TEGNER STREET WICKENBURG, ARIZONA 85390 A. CALL TO ORDER - Chair Zemp called the meeting to order at 4:00 PM B. ROLL CALL Present: Dwight Zemp, Chair Shawn Clark, Vice Chair Geri Fair, Member Jason Rovey, Member Peter Stachowicz, Member Robert Beacham, Alternate Member Craig Froeter, Alternate Member Brian Jones, Council Liaison Staff Present: Tim Suan, Deputy Town Manager Herschel Workman, Public Works Director Amy Brown, Town Clerk Kathleen Crutchfield, Grants Administrator C. CALL TO THE PUBLIC – None D. ITEMS OF BUSINESS 1. Chair Update - which may include matters related to economic development, transportation, special projects, and current events Chair Zemp reported that the election is mostly over and there are some openings on the committee, if anyone wants to put in their application. In addition, the committee has a strategic plan that will be reviewed at least two times per year and lists items in which the committee is working. 2. Staff Update - which may include matters related to economic development, transportation, special projects, and current events Tim Suan, Deputy Town Manager, reported that the town is in the process of updating the town website and will have an economic development web portal. There is a job fair on November 20th. The town was successful in helping ADOT Economic Development and Transportation Committee Minutes of November 3, 2024 Page 2 of 6 receive a $26,000,000 grant for US-93. The Fly-In and Classic Car Show will be on January 18th at the airport, if anyone wants to volunteer to help, they can contact Taylor Fischer. 3. Consideration and Action to Approve the Minutes of September 11 and 25 MOVED BY Member Fair to approve the minutes of September 11 and 25, 2024 SECONDED BY Member Stachowicz VOTE: 7 - 0 (Yes – Chair Zemp, Vice Chair Clark, Members Beacham, Fair, Froeter, Rovey, and Stachowicz) 4. Presentation and Discussion on Broadband and Technology Efforts in Wickenburg, the Surrounding Areas, and Statewide Erin Lorandos, Digital Equity Program Manager at the Arizona Commerce Authority, started her report regarding the Broadband, Equity, and Access Deployment (BEAD) program to bring fast and reliable internet to all residents with $993,000,000 in funding in Arizona. The goal is internet to all Arizona households and Community Anchor Institutions, which include public spaces such as schools, libraries, and hospitals. They have received approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and they have one year to figure out how the connection will work and how to get the internet to all areas, especially hard to reach rural areas. They will be working with Internet Service Providers (ISP) to determine unserved and underserved areas in the state. The goal is 100/20 speed. They are working with groups that will be able to apply for the subgrant program including private ISPs, non-profits, co-operatives, tribal entities, and others. The subgrantee applications will be open until May 24, 2025, with final proposal submission to NTIA on August 1, 2025. The next program Ms. Lorandos reviewed was the Digital Equity Program. The Digital Equity Act was authorized by Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which is the same legislation that created BEAD. The Digital Equity Act provides funding to ensure individuals and communities have the skills, technology and capacity to fully engage in the digital economy. Their goal is to close the digital divide and promote equity and digital inclusion. Some of the areas to help individuals is to have access to telehealth as well as digital literacy and skills. Overall more than 80% of Arizonans fall into one or more of the following categories that is disproportionally impacted by digital inequity: Individuals who live in covered households Aging individuals Incarcerated individuals, other than individuals who are incarcerated in a federal correctional facility Veterans Individuals with disabilities Economic Development and Transportation Committee Minutes of November 3, 2024 Page 3 of 6 Individuals with a language barrier, including individuals who: Are English learners, and have low levels of literacy Individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group Individuals who primarily reside in a rural area Sheena Conner, Manager of Government Affairs Market Expansion and Growth at Cox Communications, reported that they received a grant to update the internet in Wickenburg to bring 6,000 residents high speed internet with new fiber. To date they have expanded their fiber network to reach more than 11,000 previously underserved Arizonans. They have several projects in various stages of progress, including Cox fiber expansion to residents in Congress and Black Canyon City in partnership with Yavapai County. Cox is also bringing an innovation center to Wickenburg. Dom Papa, Chief Government Relations Officer for the Institute for Digital Inclusion Acceleration (IDEA), stated that they are a non-profit organization. By 2030, 90% of jobs will need some digital knowledge and connection. It is important to teach the kids about technology. They have a HIVE which are digital empowerment centers that they plan to bring to Wickenburg. They currently have five in Maricopa County. This is to serve people from kindergarten to seniors with workshops to spark their imagination. Chair Zemp asked if there was anything that the town can do to get this moving. Mr. Papa stated that this will include security and privacy for all involved. They will be looking for digital navigators in the community to teach in this program with jobs starting at $25 per hour. They have a $10 million grant and are Arizona based. Vice Chair Clark asked about other technologies to bring the high-speed internet to rural areas that might be isolated. Ms. Lorandos stated that they prefer fiber, but the second round of grants will look at other options to serve the areas still unserved or underserved. The last option is satellite, but it could be Starlink as they could pay for the device and a generator, in the event of loss of electricity. Vice Chair Clark asked about new owners of a home that might not be served. Ms. Lorandos stated that they will have to purchase the subscriptions from ISP’s. Some tribes are saying no to the internet coming in. If the next person coming in says they would like to connect, they will work with them. On the Arizona Commerce Authority website you can zoom into maps to look at planned services and gaps in the state for internet service. They have until 8/1/25 to get a list of areas that are unserved or underserved, then they will have to build the infrastructure which is planned to be done by 2028. Economic Development and Transportation Committee Minutes of November 3, 2024 Page 4 of 6 5. Consideration and Action to Recommend the Award of the Commercial Façade Grant and Discuss the Future Commercial Façade Grant Application Process Kathleen Crutchfield, Grants Administrator, stated that this is for the façade improvement grant with two applications received for this first year. The town has a total of $25,000 for this program with a maximum of $10,000 per business as they have to have a 50% match. The two applications are Kibbles Investments and D&A Investments. Peter and Jane Kibble, Kibbles Investments Inc., stated that the Pony Second Hand Store has been in business for fifteen years and just acquired the building in March 2024. They have already repaired potholes in the driveway and a roof leak. This is a building from 1952. They want to do work on the front of the building including replacing the pillars in the front. They will repaint the building and repair the outside lighting. Annette Roberts, D &A Investments, stated that they have a dance studio and universal drilling in the building. They plan to paint and stucco the outside of the building, fix the eves and lights as well as add signage to know which businesses are in the building. Grant Administrator Crutchfield stated that this is a reimbursable grant where they submit their receipts and work has to be complete by June 1. Member Beacham asked if they had to get approval from ADOT for the work on the front of the building. Grant Administrator Crutchfield stated that paint doesn’t require a permit, but they will have to be in compliance with any permits required for the work. Grant Administrator Crutchfield stated that in adding the scores Kibbles Investment received a score of 590 and D&A Investments received a score of 514. The recommendation is to have both move forward with Kibbles Investment receiving $6,950.00 and D&A Investments receiving $6,136.62. MOVED BY Vice Chair Clark to approve Kibbles Investment for $6,950.00 and D&A Investments for $6,136.62 SECONDED BY Member Fair VOTE: 7 - 0 (Yes – Chair Zemp, Vice Chair Clark, Members Beacham, Fair, Froeter, Rovey, and Stachowicz) 6. Presentation and Discussion from the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce Regarding an Overview of the Visitor Website Rhodee Bedke, Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce, reported on the community calendar that is on the visitwickenburg.com website. The Chamber has maintained this website for twenty years as the visitor website to market Economic Development and Transportation Committee Minutes of November 3, 2024 Page 5 of 6 Wickenburg. They have 10,000 followers who will reshare information on social media. Anyone can submit an event to be on the events calendar as the hope is that this will be a centralized platform for sharing events and activities. This is for tourism and local events. Anyone can submit the event with their contact information so that any clarifications can be made to the event prior to it going public. Staff will review each submitted event and then publish it to the events calendar. Vice Chair Clark asked if they are getting the word out about this since this is a new feature. Ms. Bedke stated that they have started pushing this out to businesses and organizations. This is open to anyone to submit as long as the event is in Wickenburg. Member Beacham asked if the Chamber has a map of restaurants and hotels for visitors. Ms. Bedke stated that they have their shopping and dining guide that lists those entities and has a map. 7. Discussion and Direction Regarding Airport Hangars Herschel Workman, Public Works Director, stated that there is a need for hangar space since there has been a waiting list with over 50 people on it for the past five years. Development of additional hangars is outlined in the Airports Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP). There were other high priority projects that had to be completed first including the midfield apron and the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS). There will be a new airport Master Plan in 2026. Below is the current designated areas for hangars. Economic Development and Transportation Committee Minutes of November 3, 2024 Page 6 of 6 The midfield apron area is designated for commercial aviation use. Options include retaining that area for future needs which will require establishing a process for approving leases or the town can also lease the commercial space for private use. Staff recommends retaining the commercial space for future needs, but the town has to create that evaluation process for commercial leases and develop an application, which he will be contacting members about volunteering to help with that process. If anyone is interested, they can email Director Workman as it will take a few hours a month for a few months. Member Rovey suggested executive hangars which might attract commercial users. He suggested looking at the Safford airport website for ideas. If someone has an executive hangar, they will usually spend money in the community and might even relocate to Wickenburg. But they won’t come if there aren’t hangars available. Director Workman stated that there is a hangar development area that will be built in the future which is planned to include executive hangars and t-hangars. E. NEXT MEETING DATE – January 15, 2025 F. ADJOURNMENT MOVED BY Member Froeter to adjourn at 5:12 PM SECONDED BY Member Fair VOTE: 7 - 0 (Yes – Chair Zemp, Vice Chair Clark, Members Beacham, Fair, Froeter, Rovey, and Stachowicz) Dwight Zemp, Chair Attest: Amy Brown, Town Clerk