Thank you for that introduction. Welcome to the Mesa City Council meeting for November 3rd, 2025. Uh, Council Member Adams is participating by Zoom. Other other council members are present. I want to remind everyone this is a business meeting and maintain proper decorum. Please refrain from clapping, cheering, or other disruptions. These interruptions make it difficult to move through the agenda to complete city business and for each speaker to be heard. If you engage in such conduct that disrupts the meeting, such as shouting, clapping, or any other loud noise, you may be removed. This is your warning. But before, as we get started here, I'd like to acknowledge our mayor's youth committee who is here with us today. Thank you for joining. Mayor's youth committee, could you please stand? [clears throat] >> All right. Thank [applause] you. You be seated. Thanks for being here. Uh with that uh we're going to begin with an invocation uh this evening by Reverend Wendy uh Atkin from the Red Mountain United Ma Methodist Church and then members of the youth committee were going to come up and lead us in the pledge of allegiance. Reverend, please come forward. Please stand. >> Good evening, Mayor Freeman, council members, and other city officials. Thank you for inviting me here this evening. Please join me in prayer according to your faith tradition. Mighty creator, source of all wisdom and understanding, I begin by offering gratitude on behalf of all who are gathered here. We thank you for life itself and for your many and abundant blessings. We thank you for religious freedom that allows us to pray together and to embrace you or reject you. Thank you for loving us from your boundless and gracious nature despite our choices and decisions. Loving and merciful one, bless those who hold office in our local government. Keep them safe from harm as they serve our community. I pray for Mayor Freeman, for the various levels of city officials, and for this assembled city council. Please grant them the following. a reminder of our common humanity as they serve our neighbors and strive to be good stewards of your creation. Open ears to listen attentively to one another. Open minds with clarity of thought and vision to discern what is right and just for all members of our community. open and softened hearts that move us from awareness into action in response to the welfare and needs of the vulnerable and those who have been furled and those lacking their full staff benefits. A spirit [snorts] of unity and mutual respect with an added dose of patience making room for harmony even and especially when there is honest disagreement. Strength and integrity to lead with courage and compassion. Wisdom and confidence to govern amid the conflicting interests and issues of our time. deep hunger for justice and righteousness and personal peace in their lives and joy in their tasks. I pray for the agenda set before this body. May this meeting reflect your love, grace, and humility. In your precious name we pray. Amen. >> Amen. >> Amen. Thank you, Reverend. >> Thank you. >> Uh those in the mayor's youth committee want to come forward and lead us in the pledge. just come up to the microphone there and >> let us know when you're ready to start. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you very much. >> [clears throat] >> As we continue to focus on building a strong, respectful, and connected community, November is recognized as Be Kind America Month in Mesa. It is a reminder that kindness and civility starts with each of us and to share more important words about this. I'd like to invite Council Member Spillsbury to say a few words. Council member, >> thank you so much. And I'm so excited that our mayor's youth committee is here tonight because you are our future leaders. Um, I'm so excited that this month is Be Kind America Month and here in Mesa, we are proud to declare November as kindness month. Kindness is something that I care deeply about. And that's why I started the Ash Mesa kindness campaign five years ago. I want to thank everyone who has been a part of it so far. Our residents, our city departments, and different organizations. Each of you has helped make kindness a real part of our community. Kindness has incredible power. I truly believe that it can change the world. One of my favorite quotes by Leo Toltoy says, "Nothing changes our lives or the lives of others more than perpetual kindness. It makes life more beautiful." And I see that truth every day here in Mesa. As we get ready for election day tomorrow, I think this message matters more than ever. We can do better. We have got to stop seeing people who disagree with us as our enemies. It's okay to disagree. That's how we learn. [clears throat] And that's how we grow. But we can do it with respect, with empathy, and with understanding. Kindness reminds us that no matter our differences, we share the same hopes for our families, our neighborhoods, and our future. And when we lead with kindness, we bring out the best in each other, and in our city. We are so lucky to have Jennifer and Amaria tonight here from the Be Kind People Project who are going to share with us a few words about the wonderful work they're doing in our community around kindness. We're good. Good evening everyone. My name is Amaria Davis. I serve as one of the school enrollment and engagement specialists at the Be Kind People Project. I am also a part of the Be Kind Crew, which is um our main kind of messengers for our Be Kind People Project. At the Be Kind People Project, if you don't know the organization, we are a nonprofit organization that is focusing on building a smarter, safer, and respectful community. We have been around since 2012 and we've worked with hundreds of schools across Arizona with a mission of providing relevant learning and youth development opportunities that inspire humanity. Me specifically working with the Be Kind People Project. I started off as a crew member. So I had the privilege of not only going into the schools but being a part of the performance crew and just building on those relationships with the kids and being in the schools and most specifically um since we are here today in Mesa, I had the privilege of going to Adams Elementary and a couple other schools in the district and just working with them and building on those relationships is why our organization continues to do what we do and just finding those um opportunities to really build on those connections. with one another. Um, most specifically, what makes our organization different is that we connect with kids through language, music, dance. So, we really try to make it relatable and um provide that message across the board. >> And I'm Jennifer Foley. I'm the chief marketing officer at the Be Kind People Project. Um, because of our experience building these positive and proactive relationships with students, the Be Kind People Project is honored to have been selected by the city of Mesa to receive opioid settlement dollars that are being used to launch an innovative program that builds awareness, education, and resilience so Mesa youth are better equipped to resist the pressures of drug and opioid use. Be aware, be strong, be healthy. Mesa emphasizes healthy habits, confidence, and resilience. protective factors shown to reduce the likelihood of future substance use. And we will begin delivering these messages later this month on our website behealthy mesa.org and in partnership with Mesa Public Schools in special recognition of Mesa's commitment to improving the lives of youth across the community. The Be Kind People Project is proud to designate the city of Mesa as an official Be Kind City. The be kind city is an extension of our vision to build a generation of respectful, responsible, healthy, and caring citizens and leaders. Cities with the designation are communities that are connected by kindness. Kindness is a force that goes to the heart of how people respect, love, honor, and treat one another. Kindness means acting intentionally to extend good to other people. It is a state of mind and a way of life. Actively choosing to be kind every day at home with family and friends or in the community with strangers. And it starts at the local level in communities like this one. On behalf of everyone at the Be Kind People Project, including our founder and CEO, Marcia Meyer, our board, and our staff, it is with great joy that we name the city of Mesa a 2025 Be Kind City. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. [applause] Ladies says, "Stay right there. We're going to come down and take a photo with you." We have the proclamation. Can you help me hold this? Thank you. >> You can take this with you. Okay. >> Take that. Keep it in the office. >> Okay. Thank you. Next is item one, which is the consent agenda. Uh, Mr. Christopher, you if you would take 6B off the consent, please. >> Yep. >> Good evening, mayor and council members. These are the items on the consent agenda. All items listed with an asterisk will be considered as a group by the city council and will be enacted with one motion. There will be no separate discussion unless a council member or citizen request in which event the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered as a separate item. Item two, approval of minutes of previous meetings is written. Item 3 A, act on liquor license application for Zong Smoke Shop, 1710 West Southern Avenue. Item 3 B, act on liquor license application for Main Burger, 161 West Main Street. Item 3 C, act on liquor license application for Crust Simply Italian, 233 East Main Street. Item 4 a approving contract for Greenfield Water Reclamation Project construction reliability improvements project. This project is being coordinated with towns of Gilbert and Queen Creek as partners in the Greenfield Water Reclamation Plant Intergovernmental Agreement and is funded by the Greenfield Water Reclamation Plant joint venture fund. Item 4 B approving contract for fire station 202 rebuild. This project is funded by 2022 public safety bonds. Item 4 C, approving dollar limit increase to the cooperative use term contract for Motorola and Kenwood radio equipment parts network and services for the Mesa Police Department. Item 4 D, approving three-year term contract with two-year renewal options for global street sweepers and sewer cleaner parts, repair, and warranty for the fleet services department. Item 4 E, approving three-year term contract with two-year renewal options for masonry, wall cleaning, painting, and repair services for the transportation department. Item 4F is for continuence to the November 17th city council meeting. This is for approving use of a cooperative term contract for furniture and related services for Sun Air for the community services department. Again, this is for continuence to the November 17th council meeting. Item 4G, approving a one-year term contract for excess workers compensation insurance and workers compensation self- insurance shity bond. Item 5 A, approving resolution enter into a grant agreement with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to accept Victims of Crime Act grant funds. The funding will be used for salaries and expenses to the Mesa Prosecutor's Office victim services unit for a one-year period. Item four, excuse me, item 5B, approving resolution to enter into an agreement to exchange real property with Sunshine Acres Children's Home to facilitate development of a new city sewer lift station. Item 6 A, approving resolution for general plan amendment 25-462 for approximately 60 acres located on the northeast corner of Warner Road and Haw Road. The major general plan amendment would change the place type from urban center to urban residential. And item 6B has been removed from the consent agenda. Mayor and council members, these are the items on the consent agenda. >> Thank you, Mr. Christopher. Do I have a motion? We'll wait for the computer. There we go. Motion by Miss Spillsberry, second by Mr. Heredia. Please cast your vote. >> I vote yes. >> Thank you. Mr. Adams is an I. Okay, it's unanimous. Thank you everyone. Next we'll move back to item 6B. I have one uh card to speak. Mr. Carrie Davis uh in support of 6B. Mr. Davis, you want to come forward? And thank you very much. >> Honorable mayor and city council. I would like to speak briefly on item 6B in support of this agenda item. I believe that single family ho housing is very beneficial to our community. I think it helps to strengthen communities and would also like to uh encourage more of the single family building and less of the multif multifamily highdensity building. So, thank you very much again supporting this item. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Davis. With that, we'll entertain a motion to approve item 6B. >> He still has two minutes. >> You have two minutes and 30 seconds, Mr. Davis. So, I don't know if we could just shut the There we go. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Summer. Second by Miss Spillsbury. Please cast your vote. Mr. Adams. >> I vote yes. >> Okay, Mr. Adams is a yes. Okay, it's unanimous. Thank you. >> With that, item seven is from uh item citizen present. Uh we have uh three that speaking. Mr. Win Stanley, if you want to come forward, please. Uh on deck is uh Florence Shamway. Miss Shamoi, you'll be after Mr. Win Stanley. >> Good evening, Mr. Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council, and Staff. My name is David Winstanley. I live in Encore at East Mark neighborhood in Southeast Ma Mesa District 6. Tonight, I would like to ask you to revisit the current Mesa climate action plan for three reasons. First, there's been a significant change in the consensus on climate change. This is most clearly visible, illustrated recently by Bill Gates statements to the world leaders prior to the United Nations COP30 climate summit which is coming up shortly. Mr. Gates has urged them to pivot. Mr. Gates comments align with another climate scientist named Bejorn Lombberg who I follow regularly. Both these gentlemen are indicating that a change in understanding of climate science is in in place. Both are stating that the climate change is real, is measurable, but much smaller than Al Gore claimed 20 years ago in the video, An Inconvenient Truth. More importantly, both Gates and Lomb and many others now make clear that climate change is not catastrophic. Rather, as Mr. Lomborg states, we are human and humans can adapt. As the title of Mr. Lomborg's book states, this is a false alarm. This is available in the library. Another indication of the changing consensus on climate change and our response to it is [snorts] the imminent repeal of the renewable energy standard and tariff rules or the rest rules by the Arizona Corporation Commission. We no longer need to force our utilities to rush to switch to costly renewables energy sources. The second reason I'm making this request is as I read the Mesa climate action plan, it is heavily based on expected federal grants and funding. I do not believe that that funding will materialize in the foreseeable future. So, let's spend our time and money on other projects that are useful to Mesa residents. Lastly, the Mesa climate action plan is based on the idea that even if Mesa can only make small changes, if many other cities and entities also make small changes, together they can have an impact. But honestly, it's more of a feel-good plan due to the elephant in the room. The elephant is China. According to carbon brief.org, China currently operates 1,100 cold fire power plants, has plans to build 40 more this year alone, and somewhere between 300 and 350 in the future. China's emissions from these cold fired power plants alone will overpower by several orders of magnitude anything that Mesa can accomplish. Again, let's spend our time and money doing something that we can actually accomplish. I know that you cannot respond tonight, but I'd love to have a different additional conversations with you and I thank you for your time and attention. >> Thank you, Mr. David [clears throat] Win Stanley. Miss Shamoy, you're up. >> Thank you, Miss Shamoy. >> Hello. Many of you, if not all, are being complicit in the rights of your citizens, being stripped away, and that includes you are not uh you reading the comments. Um, you're not helping. I don't know what you're why you're not reading those anymore. Um, you represent all Mesa citizens, jailed and not. Um, and if you can't even say no to those being imprisoned being racially profiled and wrongly having their sentences lengthened for no reason other than blatant racism, how can we trust you to stand for us? Oh, right. You're all too scared to answer questions when you know there's no there's no time to be vulnerable um when you know what you're actively doing is wrong. Right. Okay. Um, do you care about us, the people you represent? Right. Right. Right. No questions. So, uh, you're probably, um, a little distracted by your pay being 50 times the average of any Mesa citizen. Um, let me see here. Yeah. So, we're all having to deal with all the things that are going on with uh with everything going from ICE and everything. So, ICE, yes, we understand that it's not in our communities. It's with the Mesa PD and it's with the prisons. We we need to get them separated because we don't need them to have an agreement together. Um, so I've been here a few times. The first time I came to city hall meeting was October 6th. There was an opportunity for questions after the meeting. So after we finished our speeches, um, you all said you needed two whole hours to discuss business, adamantly trying to hurt us out. Then about 2 minutes after we left, the meeting was adjourned. You switched it up on the 20th. Um, doing your business first. Three minute speeches. Again, no reading of the comments. Thanks for that. Um, and when people had questions, you said that wasn't allowed. What changed, Mayor Freeman? I invite everyone to stay and see if they do this again today. I mean, I guess we had our our uh business already handled. Um, because it seems like you just don't care. like you just don't want to listen to us and you just don't want to do your job. This is supposed to be a city hall meeting. A meeting involves everyone participating, not whether whatever you've turned this into. In addition, I encourage the people of Mesa to send mail to the city council members with any comments about what can be done to make Mesa a better place for all all of its citizens because um our city council our city council needs to do better. Um, I also want to know if the audience agrees with this. Anybody? [applause] >> I appreciate the time that you've given me today. I wish that the rest of us could have more because our voices do need to be heard. All of them. Thank you. >> Thank you, Florence. [applause] Next, Tim Meyer. Mr. Meyer, if you want to come forward, please. That's all our blue cards. Good evening. May Good evening, mayor and councel. I just wanted to step up and say thank you for the 287G plan. Um, we I'm strongly support that and I'm glad that the city of Mesa supports it as well. It's only all I have to say. Thank you. >> Thank you, Tim. Okay, with that, Miss Mosley, is there anything that we've missed this evening? Anything you'd like to share? >> Um, I have no other blue cards, but we do have a lot of online comments that were submitted tonight. So, thank you for using that platform. Those comments will be posted online tomorrow on our web page. >> All right. Thank you. That uh I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you, Miss Goforth. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Mr. Adams. Okay. We're adjourned. Have a good evening. >> [music]