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MINUTES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, May 14, 2025 - 4:00 P.M. 155 N. TEGNER STREET WICKENBURG, ARIZONA 85390 A. CALL TO ORDER - Chair Zemp called the meeting to order at 4:01 PM B. ROLL CALL Present: Dwight Zemp, Chair Peter Stachowicz, Vice Chair Robert Beacham, Member Craig Froeter, Member Steve Hamilton, Member Karla Mortimer, Alternate Member Kristy Bedoian, Council Liaison Absent: Geri Fair, Member Christal James, Member Vince Barringer, Alternate Member Staff Present: Tim Suan, Deputy Town Manager Amy Brown, Town Clerk C. CALL TO THE PUBLIC – • Paul Shulins, In-Town Resident, stated that the airport rotating beacon has been out since November and the AWOS system has been out 3-4 days. • Glen Floe, Out-of-Town Resident, asked if the committee has reviewed the airport budget or the bids for the airport. 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 there is a job fair on May 15, two free workforce development classes starting June 9, Member Froeter has been working on transportation issues, the town is seeking proposals for the Media Planning and Purchasing companies, he attended a town-hosted tourism meeting, the wayfinding plan is moving forward, and Tegner Street paving improvements will start June 27, 2025. Economic Development and Transportation Committee Minutes of May 14, 2025 Page 2 of 4 2. Staff Update - which may include matters related to economic development, transportation, special projects, and current events Tim Suan, Deputy Town Manager, reported that he met with businesses regarding the Small Business Development Center programs to help businesses, he has a draft of the economic development web portal, he will be sending an update on the digital marketing performance from Madden Media, and Out West Wellness won the Moonshot Pitch Competition in Wickenburg and will move on to the state finals in October. 3. Consideration and Action to Approve the Minutes of March 12, 2025 MOVED BY Member Froeter to approve the minutes of March 12, 2025 SECONDED BY Member Stachowicz VOTE: 6 - 0 (Yes – Chair Zemp, Vice Chair Stachowicz, Members Beacham, Froeter, Hamilton, and Mortimer) 4. Presentation by the Small Business Development Center Marie Platowski-Beals and Karen Eads presented information about the Small Business Development Center that is out of Yavapai College and funded by the Small Business Administration (SBA). They help businesses and entrepreneurs primarily in Yavapai County, but since Maricopa County doesn’t understand rural Arizona and part of Wickenburg is in Yavapai County, they service all of Wickenburg. They offer the following assistance: • Lender Readiness Preparation • Financial Review and Resiliency Assessment • Marketing Assessment and Planning • Pitch Deck Preparation • Buying/Selling a Business/Exit Strategies • Manufacturing • Technology-Commercialization • Export/International Trade • Government Contracting • Spanish Speaking Consulting Available Anyone in need of confidential business consulting can start by registering at www.yc.edu/sbdc. In 2024, they helped 107 businesses get started, 800 unique clients getting some type of assistance, and sales increased by $8.3M. In 2025 they have served 48 new businesses, 498 unique clients seeking assistance, and $9M in sales increases. Recently they helped businesses with their moonshot pitches. They have a class on social media in rural communities’ class that they will be holding soon to possibly help businesses during the tough summer months. Economic Development and Transportation Committee Minutes of May 14, 2025 Page 3 of 4 5. Presentation by the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) and Action Regarding Transportation Planning in Wickenburg Tim Strow, Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Maricopa County and Pinal County. MAG is responsible for carrying out the transportation planning and programming in the metropolitan area. With the passage of Proposition 479, MAG is in charge of managing those funds for transportation projects. In 2007, MAG completed a Hassayampa Framework study that looked at the effect of the proposed I-11. A Transportation Master Plan serves as a long-term roadmap for the Town of Wickenburg, guiding investments and policies to improve mobility, safety, and accessibility for all residents. MAG has agreed to complete the Transportation Master Plan for the town with MAG paying $275,000 and the town contributing $15,000. The master plan will include the following purposes: • Create a long-term vision for transportation • Improve multi-modal connectivity • Support economic growth and land use planning • Enhance safety and redundancy by reviewing the past five years of safety data • Manage congestion • Right-size roadway widths and lanes • Design for safer vehicle speeds • Design intersections to improve safety and enhance traffic operations • Support economic growth and land use planning MAG will conduct outreach to several groups through different methods: • Public meetings • Online Interactive comment map • Survey • Stakeholder meetings ✓ Town Staff ✓ Maricopa and Yavapai Counties ✓ Arizona State Land Department ✓ Bureau of Land Management ✓ Arizona Department of Transportation • Committee updates • Council updates Today is the start of this project, with hopeful approval by the Economic Development and Transportation Committee to recommend the Town Council move forward with this partnership to produce a Transportation Master Plan. This will then go to the Town Council in June and then the MAG Regional Council. If approved, the plan is to advertise for requests for proposals in July and kick-off the project in late August, with the first public meeting being held in the fall. A Technical Advisory Group consisting of Town Staff, MAG, ADOT, Maricopa, and Economic Development and Transportation Committee Minutes of May 14, 2025 Page 4 of 4 Yavapai Counties will be developed to oversee the study. Study updates will be provided at different stages of the study. Draft recommendations will be brought forward to the Economic Development and Transportation Advisory Committee and the Town Council for consideration. The Transportation Master Plan will be a twenty-year plan with cost estimates included. MOVED BY Member Froeter to approve moving forward with the Transportation Master Plan SECONDED BY Member Stachowicz VOTE: 5 - 1 (Yes – Chair Zemp, Vice Chair Stachowicz, Members Froeter, Hamilton, and Mortimer) (No - Members Beacham) E. NEXT MEETING DATE – July 9, 2025 F. ADJOURNMENT MOVED BY Member Froeter to adjourn at 4:49 PM SECONDED BY Member VOTE: 6 - 0 (Yes – Chair Zemp, Vice Chair Stachowicz, Members Beacham, Froeter, Hamilton, and Mortimer) Dwight Zemp, Chair Attest: Amy Brown, Town Clerk