Steven Brechner addressed Council and raised concerns about two large short-term rental properties in his neighborhood, causing noise and congestion. He requested the city to amend ordinances to address these issues.

Katherine Costa, Director of Nursing and Allied Health at Coconino Community College, addressed Council and announced that Flagstaff Medical Center was named CCC's Education Partner of the Year. She recognized FMC’s strong support for CCC nursing students through clinical training opportunities, flexible scheduling, and a welcoming environment that encourages long-term employment. She also praised the nurse residency program, which offers new graduates mentorship, training, and support during their first year, helping to reduce nurse turnover.

Tyffany Laurano, Chief Nursing Officer for Northern Arizona Healthcare, addressed Council and emphasized the vital role of the nurse residency program in supporting and retaining new nursing graduates. She highlighted how the program offers extra training, peer and educator feedback, and emotional support during the critical first year. The national first-year nurse attrition rate is 50%, but Northern Arizona Healthcare maintains a rate below 9%, showcasing the program’s success.

Indigenous Affairs Administrator Rose Toehe and Assistant Recreation Director Amy Hagin addressed Council and provided an update on the Indigenous Community Cultural Center. The city recently went through an RSOQ process which resulted in designating the Indigenous Circle of Flagstaff to participate in the process and develop a plan for the Center.

Matthew Dyer addressed Council and shared information about an upcoming fundraiser event put on by the Southside Tavern, for a 3-year-old that needs a new kidney. He shared that they do a number of fundraisers throughout the year to support great causes in the community.

Councilmember House read and presented the proclamation.

Councilmember Matthews reported that she attended the Jump Start conference with Airport leadership. They were able to meet with nine different airlines to talk about all the great reasons they should consider flying out of Flagstaff. She also attended the Indigenous Commission retreat where they discussed the upcoming Code Talkers Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations.

Councilmember Garcia shared that he attended the Parks and Recreation Commission, and they discussed a possible plan for an RC track, new park ranger, and HVAC installation at Hal Jensen Recreation Center.

Vice Mayor Sweet shared that she would be attending the upcoming Mountain Line Board meeting and that she was planning to speak at the State Transportation Board on behalf of Metro Plan regarding the City Smart application.

Councilmember House shared that she attended the National Apartment Association conference, which focused on housing needs and expanding affordable housing options. She also met with youth from the Boys and Girls Club, there were great conversations and many questions. A major topic of conversation was homelessness. It was a wonderful opportunity and hear what they hope for the future of their community.

Councilmember Spence reported on his tour of the Basin Fire which was located off of Highway 180. The lightning-caused fire was intentionally allowed to burn under controlled conditions, with approval from the National Forest Service. Local wildland firefighters, the Forest Service, and recreational agencies worked together to safely burn 9,000 acres of land that was already scheduled for future prescribed burns in just two days. The tour highlighted local collaboration in wildland fire management and provided valuable insight into effective fire management strategies.

Mayor Daggett shared that she attended the Flagstaff Housing Authority meeting where they received an update on the Rental Assistance Demonstration program, a federal initiative through HUD aimed at preserving and improving public housing. They also discussed the city taking over management of housing vouchers previously handled by the City of Williams. This would add approximately 50 additional vouchers that could also be used in Flagstaff. She also shared that the Commission on Inclusion and Adaptive Living would be meeting the following week which included an additional planning session to set their priorities for the year.

Councilmember Spence requested that Item 7D be pulled for discussion.

Moved by Councilmember Lori Matthews, seconded by Vice Mayor Miranda Sweet to approve the Consent Agenda, with the exception of Item 7D, as presented.

Vote: 6 - 0 - Unanimously

Councilmember Spence expressed support for the design contract and acknowledged the urgency of moving it forward through a cooperative contract to save time. However, he was concerned about bypassing the competitive bidding process for the design phase. He asked if the construction of the barn would go through a competitive bid process. Public Works Director Scott Overton clarified that the cooperative design process being used was competitive, as firms must apply and be selected through established agency procedures. The selected firm had previously delivered quality work for the city and was well-suited for designing the equipment facility. Once the design phase was complete, they would proceed with a competitive bidding process for the actual construction.

Moved by Councilmember David Spence, seconded by Councilmember Anthony Garcia to approve a cooperative contract with DLR Group to design the Public Works Streets equipment barn/transportation center for $402,237.00; and authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.

Vote: 6 - 0 - Unanimously

Mayor Daggett opened the public hearing.

Budget Director Heidi Derryberry provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following:

CITY OF FLAGSTAFF FY 2025-26 BUDGET AND PROPERTY TAXES
BUDGET TIMELINE
LEGAL SCHEDULE A
PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX
PROPERTY TAX RATE HISTORY
PROPERTY ASSESSED VALUES
CITY PROPERTY TAX IMPACT
RESIDENTIAL EXAMPLE
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE

There being no further comment Mayor Daggett closed the public hearing and convened a Special Meeting at 3:51 p.m.

Moved by Councilmember Khara House, seconded by Councilmember Lori Matthews to read Resolution No. 2025-35 by title only.

Vote: 6 - 0 - Unanimously

Moved by Councilmember Khara House, seconded by Vice Mayor Miranda Sweet to adopt Resolution No. 2025-35.

Vote: 6 - 0 - Unanimously

Mayor Dagget adjourned the Special Meeting and reconvened the Regular Meeting at 3:52 p.m.

Moved by Councilmember Anthony Garcia, seconded by Councilmember Khara House to read Ordinance No. 2025-13 by title only for the first time.

Vote: 6 - 0 - Unanimously

Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Events Director Rebecca Sayers addressed Council and stated that the IGA would continue the long-standing partnership with FUSD to provide out of school time programs, also known as FACTS.

Moved by Councilmember Anthony Garcia, seconded by Vice Mayor Miranda Sweet to read Resolution No. 2025-37 by title only.

Vote: 6 - 0 - Unanimously

Moved by Vice Mayor Miranda Sweet, seconded by Councilmember Khara House to adopt Resolution No. 2025-37.

Vote: 6 - 0 - Unanimously

Zoning Code Manager Tiffany Antol provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following:

ZONING CODE AMENDMENT CHAPTER 10-50.90 RESOURCE PROTECTION STANDARDS PZ-25-00088 FOREST RESOURCE PILOT PROGRAM
FOREST RESOURCE PILOT PROGRAM
CITY’S PROPOSED ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENT
OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED AMENDMENT
SECTION 10-50.90.10.A: PURPOSE (REVISED)
SECTION 10-50.90.10.B: GOALS (REVISED)
10-50.90.061 FOREST RESOURCE PILOT PROGRAM (NEW)
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
FLAGSTAFF REGIONAL PLAN 2030
10-YEAR HOUSING PLAN
CARBON NEUTRALITY PLAN
NOT DETRIMENTAL TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST, HEALTH, SAFETY, CONVENIENCE OR WELFARE OF THE CITY
INTERNALLY CONSISTENT WITH OTHER APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THIS ZONING CODE
RECOMMENDATION

Councilmember Matthews shared that she was excited about the program. She asked if it was just about resource protection or did the program include building standards. Ms. Antol explained that it applied only to the forest resource standards for preservation.

Councilmember House stated that she was also happy to see the program coming forward and appreciated how it not only focused on created continued resiliency for the community, but it acknowledged the interconnectedness of the different plans that they had to keep in mind when developing proposals such as this.

Councilmember Garcia noted that he initially felt apprehensive about changes to the Resource Protection Overlay. However, after gaining more understanding he now believed that the new approach would better protect valuable resources and address past issues with redundancy and misclassification. He felt that the changes were not a threat but a positive enhancement for the community.

Vice Mayor Sweet also expressed her appreciation for the program coming to fruition and praised the collaboration with the Fire Department.
 

Moved by Councilmember Khara House, seconded by Councilmember Lori Matthews to read Resolution No. 2025-32 by title only.

Vote: 6 - 0 - Unanimously

Moved by Councilmember Khara House, seconded by Vice Mayor Miranda Sweet to read Ordinance No. 2025-12 by title only for the first time.

Vote: 6 - 0 - Unanimously

Community Investment Director Dave McIntire and Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Amy Hagin provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following:

CITY OF FLAGSTAFF CIVIC SPACE
DOWNTOWN CONNECTION CENTER PHASING PLAN
SITE LOCATION
PUBLIC OUTREACH – THEMES
BUBBLE DIAGRAM
TREES
FUTS
PUBLIC ART
SPLASH PAD

Council discussed the splash pad feature. They noted that the space would be popular and would attract a diverse group of community members. There were questions about winterization and monsoon-related risks and staff shared that the design included a water recirculation system to prevent winter issues and that they were working with Risk Management to address lightning and monsoon concerns. Council also emphasized the importance of water conservation through its regenerative system.

PUBLIC RESTROOM / MECHANICAL
PHOTOGRAPHY VIEWPOINT
NATURALIZE PARK – FLOODWAY
FOOD TRUCKS
POP-UP STAGE
BUBBLE DIAGRAM – Q&A

Councilmember Spence asked about the floodway designation and if a flood event occurred would the floodway be in the Rio de Flag channel. Mr. McIntire explained that the Rio de Flag would move water underground however, there was still a floodway coming from the north of downtown that may have not been collected by the Rio de Flag yet and that would flow across the surface of the space, but hopefully at a much smaller level.

Councilmember Spence asked if the underground water conveyance was currently in place. Claire Eddleman Heath, consultant for Mountain Line, explained that the drawings showed the built condition of the Rio de Flag, and the project could not be built until the Rio de Flag project was completed. The floodway was a federal designation by FEMA, and it could not be lifted until a couple of years after the Rio de Flag was completed. That was what required them to build to the floodway condition.

Vice Mayor Sweet noted her appreciation for the creativity and asked that the programming included small businesses.

Councilmember House expressed excitement about the project. She felt that it was a great way to bring vibrancy to the area. She noted that the during the development of the Southside Neighborhood Plan, civic space was something that was very important. She asked if the concept plan had been presented to the Southside Neighborhood group. Ms. Hagin stated that the 30% design had not been presented to them but that she was happy to bring it forward. There was a lot of involvement and feedback from the public meetings that were held at the Murdoch Center, but it had been some time since then, so an update to the neighborhood group would be good.

Mayor Daggett asked about parking. Mr. McIntire explained that some of the existing parking would remain and there were plans for a city parking lot to the north following the Rio de Flag project completion with plans for a parking garage in the future.

Councilmember Garcia shared his excitement in getting to where they were. He recalled a presentation to the Beautification and Public Art Commission where the concept was floated, and it was great to see the outcomes and improvements that had been made since that time.

Moved by Vice Mayor Miranda Sweet, seconded by Councilmember Khara House to adopt the concept design for the future Civic Space at the Downtown Connection Center.

Vote: 6 - 0 - Unanimously

Mr. Clifton provided background on the Lived Black Experience program and explained that it had originated from a past City Council request. The program had been overseen by the City Manager’s Office and had been considered successful and well-received since its inception, with annual presentations to the Council and a consistent city funding contribution of around $50,000. Though not operated under a formal structure, it had been supported by neighborhood associations, primarily Southside and more recently Sunnyside. The current discussion would focus on elevating the program by establishing a formal structure and scope of work through a formal solicitation process.

Management Services Director Rick Tadder and Purchasing Director Patrick Brown provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following:

LIVED BLACK EXPERIENCE CONTRACT SCOPE OF WORK
LIVED BLACK EXPERIENCE PROCUREMENT
BACKGROUND
PURPOSE
SCOPE OF WORK
A. CAPACITY BUILDING – BOARD DEVELOPMENT
RECRUITMENT AND DIVERSITY
TRAINING AND EDUCATION
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
B. SOCIAL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
ADVOCACY AND POLICY CHANGE
COMMUNITY POLICING
LEGAL EDUCATION
C. REPRESENTATION AND PRESERVATION
CULTURAL PRESERVATION
MEDIA REPRESENTATION
D. BLACK YOUTH PERSPECTIVES AND CONCERNS
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS
SAFE SPACES
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
E. RACE, SPACE, AND SEGREGATION
HOUSING EQUITY
URBAN PLANNING
HISTORICAL SEGREGATION
H. HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE
HEALTH EDUCATION
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
HEALTH DISPARITIES
G. ECONOMIC INCLUSION AND IMPACT
EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
FINANCIAL LITERACY
ECONOMIC ADVOCACY
LIVED BLACK EXPERIENCE DELIVERABLES
EVALUATIVE CRITERIA
TERM OF CONTRACT

Councilmember Garcia expressed his support for an initial term of two years with three one-year extensions. He noted that it took time to develop and implement the program and that would provide them the time needed to implement as well as provide the city time to adjust if needed.

Councilmember House stated that the work had been going on for five years already, so she supported a one-year initial term with four one-year extensions. Many of the guidelines for the procurement process were coming from the scopes of work provided over the last four years and that gave her confidence that the selected entity could develop their program within that one-year initial term and then have four additional one-year extensions. Additionally, if there was a need to reevaluate, she would not want to give it two years before any action could be taken.

Council expressed their support for a one-year initial term with four one-year renewals.

PROJECTED TIMELINE

Councilmember Garcia encouraged everyone to read the existing strategic plan document. There was great information about the program and it showed the community collaboration that went into the development of the plan. He asked who compiled all of the information into the document.

Councilmember House shared that the initial group was developed with several leaders who wanted to bring community members together to have conversations about the events impacting the Black community in 2020. Through that conversation and the support of then Mayor Coral Evans, the Lived Black Experience program began. The Lived Black Experience Community Coalition was created. They were initially meeting at the Murdoch Center and then connected with the Southside and Sunnyside Community Associations. The coalition partnered with groups like the Coconino County African Diaspora Advisory Council, Flagstaff NAACP, and others, including state-level organizations. Town halls were held, along with smaller group meetings where information was shared and compiled into the 92-page strategic plan. Kim Robinson, the current Project Coordinator, had worked to expand the documentation of what the Lived Black Experience did, which included a newsletter, numerous community events, and expanded partnership opportunities to include organizations like the Flagstaff Unified School District.

Councilmember Matthews emphasized the importance of addressing the full spectrum of Flagstaff's housing needs, not just affordable housing. Middle-income earners like nurses, teachers, and firefighters, who fell within 80–120% of the area median income, often could not afford local housing, as building costs frequently exceeded $500,000, while their purchasing power ranged from $300,000 to $450,000. She highlighted the lack of available housing in that range, which caused a ripple effect that restricted mobility in the housing market. She would like to have a discussion about exploring incentives for builders to create more workforce housing options, such as condos or townhomes, to support essential workers and help them achieve homeownership.

There was requisite Council support to advance the item for a future discussion.

Councilmember Spence stated that the Council had previously approved a $2.1 million contract for sport court renovations at Bushmaster Park, which was currently underway. The project included eight new lighted pickleball courts, located as far as possible from nearby homes. However, the courts were still only about 325 feet from residential properties, well short of the 600-foot distance recommended by the American Pickleball Association for noise mitigation. The neighboring homes were primarily occupied by low- to moderate-income families. He would like to have a discussion about noise mitigation measures to be implemented after construction. The proposal included installing sound-dampening panels on the planned eight-foot chain link fences surrounding the courts as an equity consideration for affected residents.

There was requisite Council support to advance the item for a future discussion.

None

Councilmember Spence stated that the Indigenous Community Cultural Center information session was well attended with a lot of great food and vendors. Attendees were able to hear a vision for the project.

Vice Mayor Sweet extended appreciation to Council, leadership, and staff for attending the ribbon cutting for the Habitat for Humanity starter home project. She stated that she attended a pre-meeting for the visit for the Regional Water Supply project; it was very informative, and she was impressed by the partnerships that were forming. She also shared that she would be traveling to Colorado for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

Councilmember Garcia shared that there was an upcoming Coconino Plateau Water Advisory Committee discussion held at the Core Services Facility. He also thanked everyone who was able to attend the Cleo Murdoch Community Park ribbon cutting event.

Councilmember Matthews stated that she attended the information session about the future of the Indigenous Community Cultural Center and that she would be attending the Mountain Line meeting later that week.

Mayor Daggett thanked everyone who came out to Habitat of Humanity ribbon cutting and for all the partners who worked to make it a reality. She shared that the LASS/CAP Community Conversation was held the prior week. It was very well done, and she thanked staff for all the coordination and facilitation that went into it. She shared that the Indigenous Community Cultural Center was excellent, and that she, Indigenous Affairs Administrator Rose Toehe, and Assistant Recreation Director Amy Hagin continued to meet and talk with the Mayors Institute of Community Design about how they might be able to assist with the project. Lastly, she shared that she would be traveling to Tampa, Florida for the US Conference of Mayors annual meeting.

Deputy City Manager Joanne Keene took a moment to thank staff for their work and coordination of the LASS/CAP event. She recognized Interim Community Development Director Michelle McNulty, Zoning Code Manager Tiffany Antol, Housing Director Sarah Darr, Assistant Housing Director Justyna Costa, Climate Section Director Jenny Niemann, Housing Planning Manager Jen Mikelson, Sustainability Analyst Genevieve Pearthree, and Sustainability Director Nicole Antonopoulos. It was a great event that had a lot of community participation. She shared that the event was recorded and would be posted on the website if anyone would like to view it.

Mr. Clifton thanked everyone who attended the Human Resources/Risk Management Director meet and greet. They had reached a decision, and an announcement should be going out soon.

The Regular Meeting of the Flagstaff City Council held June 17, 2025, adjourned at 5:17 p.m.