Others present:  City Manager Barbara Goodrich; City Attorney Sterling Solomon.

Economic Vitality Director Heidi Hansen began a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following:
 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
GROW AND STRENGTHEN A MORE EQUITABLE AND RESILIENT ECONOMY
TOP THREE OBJECTIVES
NEW INVESTMENTS
WORK PROGRAM: ECONOMIC VITALITY
WORK PLAN: AIRPORT
WORK PLAN: COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
WORK PLAN: TOURISM
 
The Council discussed the need for quality education opportunities and investing in youth and making those connections with economic development. They also discussed the efforts of the Downtown Business Alliance in revitalizing downtown; they would like to see similar efforts in other areas of the city.
 
Housing Director Sarah Darr continued the presentation.
 
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT AND INCREASE THE INVENTORY OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY
TOP THREE OBJECTIVES
NEW INVESTMENTS
WORK PROGRAM
 
Council discussed the various funding mechanisms for housing and the desire to maximize those funds to provide more opportunities to get people into housing. They indicated that they would like to see more funding be allocated to the Employer Assisted Housing program as well as the revolving loan fund. The Council also discussed the need to look at emerging housing models to determine if there are programs that could be implemented in Flagstaff.
 
Communications Manager Jessica Drum continued the presentation.
 
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
ENHANCE PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY
TOP TWO OBJECTIVES
NEW INVESTMENTS
WORK PROGRAM
 
The Council discussed ideas about other types of outreach. They also discussed the need for additional staffing in the communications office.
 
Ms. Goodrich continued the presentation.
 
SOCIAL JUSTICE
ADVANCE SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE COMMUNITY
TOP THREE OBJECTIVES
NEW INVESTMENTS
WORK PROGRAM
 
A break was held from 10:16 a.m. through 10:29 a.m.
 
Deputy City Manager Shane Dille continued the presentation.
 
TOWN AND GOWN
ENHANCE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE CITY AND INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
TOP THREE OBJECTIVES
NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
 
Interim Assistant to the City Manager Cliff Bryson continued the presentation.
 
NEW INVESTMENTS
WORK PROGRAM
 
The Council discussed the possibility of attracting education and training institutions to Flagstaff as an economic driver. They also discussed the partnership with NAU for the Neighborhood Liaison position.
 
Management Services Director Rick Tadder continued the presentation.
 
DAY TO DAY OPERATIONAL NEEDS
NEW INVESTMENTS
ENHANCEMENT TO SERVICES
NEW INVESTMENTS
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
 
Monica Attridge addressed the Council about the needs of local service providers in response to the increased minimum wage. She encouraged the Council to provide funds to the State that could be matched and provided to the local service providers. This would allow them to stay operational.
 
The Council discussed the challenges with Ms. Attridge and expressed their frustration with the state not paying for the services they are supposed to be paying for. The State is funding less than 80% of the costs for service providers and there is an expectation that Flagstaff needs to make up the difference. Ms. Attridge encouraged the City to lobby the State to provide the 2/3 funding match to the funding provided by the City.
 
A break was held from 11:49 a.m. through 12:10 p.m.
 
At this time the Council and staff reviewed the “parking lot” of items identified for possible funding.

Moved by Mayor Coral Evans, seconded by Vice Mayor Adam Shimoni to recess into Executive Session for legal advice on the service provider funding.

Vote: 7 - 0 - Unanimously

The Council recessed into Executive Session at 12:38 p.m. and reconvened into Regular Session at 12:44 p.m.
 
After discussion, the Council approved the following “parking lot” items for funding:

• Disability Service Providers – $100,000 in addition to the $50,000 carryover from FY19.
• Half-day Christmas Eve Benefit – $30,000
• Climate and Energy Coordinator – $67,696
• Contribution to LAUNCH Flagstaff – $50,000
• Full Time Indigenous Coordinator – $40,000
• Affordable Housing – $270,000
• Full Time Code Compliance – Lighting Specialist – $36,000

The following items were not approved:

• .1% to .3% increase in compensation
• Permanent Community Steward Position
• Litter Clean Up
• E-Bike Fleet
• Emergency Exit
• Cash Parking Kiosks
• IT Security

Councilmember Odegaard thanked Council and staff for their work over the last two days. He expressed frustration with the challenges associated with the disability service provider funding that is the result of a voter approved initiative.
 
Councilmember Aslan offered that he learned a lot through the process, and he hopes to leverage the experience in the coming years.
 
Councilmember McCarthy stated that the budget process is challenging and while the Council does not always agree on everything, once decisions are made they can move onto the next item and come out at the end with a product that they can all be proud of.
 
Councilmember Whelan agreed and offered that she appreciates all the work by Ms. Goodrich and City staff.
 
Vice Mayor Shimoni thanked the Council and thanked staff. He indicated that the process is a great example of what good leadership looks like. He expressed frustration that there are never enough resources for all the things that the Council and staff would like to do.
 
Mayor Evans thanked the City Manager, staff, and the Council for the robust discussions and difficult decisions. It is unfortunate that there is not more money to spend on all the Council’s passions, but they did a great job in trying to meet the diverse needs of the community.

Paul Kulpinski addressed Council regarding early childhood education and the desire for the City of Flagstaff to be a funding partner for starting a program in Flagstaff.