Others present:  City Manager Greg Clifton and City Attorney Sterling Solomon.

None

Senior Deputy City Manager Anderson briefly reviewed the report. She highlighted the Fire Department and Police Department’s accomplishments, provided an update on the Human Resources/Risk Management Director, updates on Parks and Recreation, Open Space, and Events Division, and city employee volunteer opportunities in the City Manager’s volunteer challenge. 

Interim Deputy City Manager and Economic Vitality Director Heidi Hansen provided an overview on the Economic Vitality report. 

Deputy IT Director Paul Santana provided an overview on the IT Monthly report.

Capital Improvements Project Manager Trevor Henry provided an update on Capital Improvements. 

Councilmember Shimoni asked about the Beulah project timeline, and Mr. Henry shared that construction plans will be ready by mid-to-late June, with a recommended early spring start. A cost-saving workshop is planned to address increased costs. Councilmember Shimoni noted the project was expected to return to Council due to budget concerns, and Mr. Henry stated staff is working on value engineering with the CMAR to reduce costs. Councilmember Shimoni also expressed concern about the number of lanes at Butler/Lonetree.

Community Development Director Dan Folke presented the monthly report, and Councilmember Salas acknowledged staff’s quick response to equipment issues at Elev8 hotel. Councilmember Shimoni also recognized the translation of online forms into Spanish.

Water Services Management Analyst Lisa Deem provided an update on Water Services reports.

Ms. Anderson acknowledged employee work anniversaries.

City Attorney Sterling Solomon recognized Prosecutor Brent Harris on his appointment as a Coconino County Superior Court judge.

Coordinator for Indigenous Initiatives Rose Toehe introduced Commissioners Kiara Weathersby, Meg Kabotie-Adakai, and Fawn Toya who did a ceremonial tea sharing and then introduced themselves and provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following: 

INTRODUCTIONS
COMMISSION AUTHORITY
INDIGENOUS COMMISSION MEMBERS
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS ACCEPTED BY CITY COUNCIL
COMMISSION MEETING OVERVIEW
QUARTER 1 – 2021
QUARTER 2 – 2021
QUARTER 3 – 2021
QUARTER 4 – 2021
QUARTER 1 – 2022
QUARTER 2 – 2022
FUTURE PLANNING

Councilmember House expressed her gratitude. She asked about the land acknowledgement and if it was a recommendation from the Commission to include it in all commission meetings. Ms. Toehe stated that the Commission on Diversity Awareness created the recommendation to include it in all meetings. Councilmember House asked about the Indigenous representation project. Ms. Toehe spoke of the Indigenous representation in art through the City and how they also want to promote other peoples of colors art as well. 

Councilmember Shimoni expressed his gratitude to the commission. 

Councilmember McCarthy commented that some of the most meaningful things he has done on Council in the last six years was meeting with Indigenous nations leaders. 

Mayor Deasy, Vice Mayor Sweet, and Councilmember Salas expressed their gratitude. 

Councilmember Aslan encouraged commissioners to run as a write-in candidate.

Tourism Commission Chairwoman Terry Madeksza and Discover Flagstaff Director Trace Ward provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following: 

TOURISM COMMISSION AUTHORITY
DISCOVER FLAGSTAFF + VISITOR CENTER
THE BED, BOARD AND BEVERAGE TAX
OUR PHILOSOPHY
DISCOVER FLAGSTAFF
DATAFY
TOOTREZ
TOURISM COMMISSION
COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE
SWOT ANALYSIS
DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
MARKETING RULE OF 5
PRE-PANDEMIC
TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS METRICS
BBB COLLECTION WAS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH
PANDEMIC
TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS METRICS
BBB COLLECTION TOOK A HIT
AS WE RECOVER FROM THE PANDEMIC
TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS METRICS
PROJECTED BBB COLLECTION FOR FY22
VIDEO
THE POWER OF SHOWING BY EXAMPLE
DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP
DISCOVER FLAGSTAFF LEANING IN
AWARDS
A LOOK FORWARD

Vice Mayor Sweet thanked Discover Flagstaff and the Tourism Commission and asked about the success of the Pledge to the Wild campaign. Mr. Ward reported a few thousand dollars raised and promised future updates. She also inquired about international visitors, and Mr. Ward noted increased leisure travel, particularly from France and Germany, though group travel has yet to recover.

Councilmember McCarthy shared insights from a meeting with the National Park Service, noting similarities between Flagstaff’s challenges and those of other gateway communities. He highlighted increasing search and rescue costs due to unprepared backcountry visitors, and Mr. Ward responded with details on Discover Flagstaff’s safety messaging efforts.

Councilmember Shimoni asked about outreach to tribal nations. Mr. Ward and Ms. Hansen explained ongoing collaboration and cultural representation in visitor guides. Councilmember Shimoni suggested tailoring ads more specifically to tribal cultures and encouraged a meeting between the Tourism and Indigenous Commissions.

Councilmember House asked how the Tourism Commission is engaging Flagstaff’s diverse communities. Mr. Ward and others described partnerships and promotional efforts supporting diverse festivals and events.

Councilmember Salas expressed appreciation for the benefits of the BBB tax and asked for more information on the Visitor Guide, which Mr. Ward explained. Mayor Deasy also expressed gratitude, especially for efforts tied to ecotourism.

Council took a break from 5:10 p.m. through 5:32 p.m. 

Project Manager Christine Cameron and Jason Carlaftes with WSP presented the findings of the Economic Impact Study, their PowerPoint presentation covered the following: 

AGENDA
ECONOMICS
ANTICIPATED CHANGES TO TRAFFIC BEHAVIOR
APPROACH
TRAFFIC IMPACTS
SPENDING IMPACTS
ECONOMIC IMPACTS
INTERSECTION ALTERNATIVES – ECONOMICS 
MITIGATION STRATEGIES
LONE TREE OVERPASS AND GENTRIFICATION RISKS

Vice Mayor Sweet asked if outreach had been done to businesses along the Beaver Street corridor. Staff confirmed it had not yet occurred, but future public meetings will include that engagement. Sweet encouraged outreach to local businesses.

Councilmember House asked about mitigation strategies related to natural adjustment. Mr. Carlaftes explained that the anticipated changes are not project-driven but reactive to existing trends, particularly affecting destination businesses like restaurants, bars, and hotels. He noted that while some businesses might lose pass-through traffic, they could adapt by becoming more destination-oriented or catering to increased bicycle and pedestrian traffic, potentially through features like outdoor dining. He added that both city support and business initiatives could help with the transition.

Councilmember House expressed concern that business owners had not yet been contacted. Mr. Carlaftes reiterated that outreach is part of the next project phase.

Councilmember Shimoni voiced support for emphasizing bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and Vice Mayor Sweet recommended advertising the corridor as bike- and pedestrian-friendly. Ms. Hansen said she would share those suggestions with the project team.

ELDEN CORRIDOR
PROJECT OVERVIEW
CORRIDOR HISTORY
SOUTHSIDE COMMUNITY PLAN
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
COMMUNITY CHALLENGES
TRAFFIC CALMING STRATEGIES
PROJECT IMPACTS

Jesse Sensibar addressed Council and stated that he owns one of the parcels where the overpass would be placed and that it would cut off access to the three businesses on the property. He added that if the Elden Corridor does not happen, they would be pushed into the Southside neighborhood to access the property.

David Hayward addressed Council and expressed skepticism about the purpose of a proposed street. He stated that its only function appears to be avoiding a difficult left turn for tenants on the adjacent property owned by the prior speaker. The road and overpass will be long-term infrastructure and should serve broader community needs. He urged the city to question the cost of building the road for the benefit of a single property owner, calling it a waste of city funds that could be better spent on higher priorities

Mike Tulloss addressed Council and praised the city for its leadership in thoughtfully developing the area. He noted that neglecting development can harm a neighborhood and emphasized the potential benefits, including improved utilities, streets, sidewalks, lighting, recreational amenities, bike lanes, trails, and better access to NAU, downtown, and other parts of Flagstaff. 

Vice Mayor Sweet asked about outreach to the Southside community regarding the Elden Corridor; Mr. Carlaftes confirmed outreach was done but no direct feedback was received.

Councilmember Aslan opposed the Elden Corridor project, agreeing with public concerns and questioning its value.

Councilmember McCarthy suggested a third option: building only a FUTS trail instead of a road, expressing concerns about cut-through traffic.

Councilmember House raised concerns about gentrification and asked if the corridor was included in the gentrification study. Mr. Carlaftes responded that local users would have minimal economic impact.

Councilmember Shimoni advocated for prioritizing bike/pedestrian infrastructure and basketball courts.

Mayor Deasy inquired about the corridor’s cost, staff stated that they would follow up. 

Councilmember Salas requested historical context and leaned toward using the area for civic space and a public park in line with the Southside Community Plan.

Ms. Cameron noted that the road may serve as a utility corridor, and the result might resemble a roadway with a FUTS trail.

Council agreed to revisit options for a FUTS trail and work with utility providers to explore pedestrian access.

Mr. Solomon clarified that the current agenda only allowed discussion of the road; FUTS discussion will need to be scheduled separately.

Council consensus was to not develop the corridor as a road, Ms. Cameron stated staff would return to Council on June 7 for further discussion on Lone Tree/Butler, and a public meeting is planned.

Deputy City Clerk Stacy Fobar provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following: 

FUTURE AGENDA ITEM REQUESTS (FAIR)
CURRENT FAIRS

Ms. Fobar initially clarified that an upcoming agenda item is not scheduled for full discussion, but rather to determine whether at least three councilmembers support moving it forward on the queue. 

Councilmember Aslan expressed that he may miss the June 7 meeting but trusts the Council will determine if there's support for advancing the item. He appreciated the clarification and suggested the item could wait another week if needed, allowing him to participate more meaningfully.

Councilmembers and staff discussed the purpose of the FAIR item list, emphasizing that it is not meant to reprioritize items during this meeting but to review and potentially remove outdated or no-longer-relevant items. 

Councilmember Shimoni noted the difficulty of publicly suggesting the removal of items submitted by colleagues and encouraged staff and item sponsors to proactively identify what could be delayed or removed. He also advocated for having a broader conversation about engineering priorities and transportation planning, saying it would help guide capital decisions and urged staff to elevate that discussion soon.

Mayor Deasy emphasized interest in the "Only Dig Once" policy, seeing it as a cost-saving measure in the face of rising infrastructure expenses. Mr. Clifton confirmed that staff tries to group related items together when possible and move FAIR items forward when opportunities arise. He noted that the current FAIR queue is manageable compared to past years and reaffirmed that staff will continue to monitor and integrate items as appropriate.

Mr. Solomon clarified for citizen’s petitions that while Council must address them within 30 days of submission, follow-up actions may still take time. He also corrected an earlier statement by acknowledging that councilmembers can change the order of the FAIR queue if at least four members agree to reprioritize items.

Finally, Mayor Deasy noted that different items in the FAIR queue often fall under different departments, so reordering them may not always be effective.

Deputy City Clerk Stacy Fobar and City Attorney Sterling Solomon gave a high-level overview on the duties and responsibilities of Council. The PowerPoint presentation covered the following:

CITY COUNCIL REFRESHERS
ROLE OF STAFF
COUNCIL MEETINGS
AGENDAS
TYPICAL MEETING AGENDAS
PUBLIC COMMENT/PARTICIPATION
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
APPOINTMENT PROCESS
WORKING CALENDAR
LEGAL SPHERE
CHARTER
CITY CODE
OPEN MEETING LAW
PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
RULES OF PROCEDURE
POLICY SPHERE
THE ROLE OF COUNCIL

Councilmember McCarthy asked if it is ok to listen to a discussion when you have a conflict of interest. Mr. Solomon stated that it is ok to listen but not to communicate. 

Councilmember McCarthy asked about accepting food and Mr. Solomon answered that in regards of public perception it could harm your credibility.

Celia Barotz addressed Council and stated that there has not been enough time for the public to review the Timber Sky Development Agreement. She is requesting the date be extended for one week for public to review and comment.

Vice Mayor Sweet shared that she will be attending the Taste of Flagstaff event the following day and plans to tour the Carpenter’s Union in Phoenix on Thursday. 

Councilmember Aslan had no updates but mentioned he would be absent for the June 7 meeting. 

Councilmember House reported attending a meet-and-greet with Elevate PreK, a tour of Haven Montessori School, and a Public Works tour in the Museum Flood area. She also plans to tour High Country Humane the next day. 

Councilmember McCarthy shared that he would be meeting with the Director of the National Park Service. 

Councilmember Salas also plans to attend Taste of Flagstaff and announced her election as Vice Chair of the Rural Transportation Council. 

Councilmember Shimoni gave updates on a site visit at the Fourth Street and Lockett intersection, expressed interest in delaying the Timber Sky Development Agreement (DA) discussion, mentioned attending a virtual justice event, and noted he would cohost a town hall at Pine Forest School.

Mayor Deasy and Councilmembers Shimoni and McCarthy all supported pushing back the Timber Sky DA discussion to allow more time for public engagement and information sharing. Mr. Clifton clarified that the DA is currently scheduled as an introduction item next week and slated for Council action in June. Mayor Deasy asked for a two-week delay in the timeline.

Mr. Clifton stated that staff is not currently planning a public meeting for the Fourth Street Roundabout, as there has not yet been support from at least four councilmembers. However, he agreed to reach out via email to assess Council interest. 

Mr. Solomon cautioned that mass emails among councilmembers could violate Arizona’s Open Meeting Law but confirmed individual councilmembers could make such a request independently.

Councilmember Shimoni inquired about quickly organizing a site visit. Mr. Clifton added that a site visit could be posted as a formal agenda item or arranged in separate groups to avoid a quorum. Mr. Solomon confirmed that more detailed discussion on logistics could take place during the next scheduled meeting.

The Special Work Session of the Flagstaff City Council held May 24, 2022, adjourned at 8:11 p.m.