| ITEM #: 8. DATE: 05/19/2025 AI #:2655 |
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CITY COUNCIL ACTION REPORT
| SUBJECT: | PROPOSALS TO TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION FOR 12% GAMING DISTRIBUTION GRANTS |
| STAFF PRESENTER(S): | Christina Panaitescu, Community Partnerships Program Manager |
SUMMARY
The Tohono O'odham Nation is seeking requests for funding proposals from Arizona cities and non-profit organizations for their 2025 12% Gaming Distribution grant program. Proposals must address one or more of the following priority areas: economic development, education, health care, public safety, child advocacy, economic development, or cultural and environmental development and protection. Responses are due no later than June 9, 2025.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
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RECOMMENDATION
ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2025-2466 AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION FOR 12% GAMING DISTRIBUTION FUNDS TO THE TOHONO O’ODHAM NATION, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS RELATING TO SAID APPLICATIONS, AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A GRANT AGREEMENT (IF GRANT FUNDS ARE AWARDED), AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE THE REQUIRED BUDGET TRANSFER (IF GRANT FUNDS ARE AWARDED). (Christina Panaitescu, Community Partnerships Program Manager)
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact at this time and there is no City match requirement for this grant. If awarded, budget amendments will be made to accommodate expenditures associated with the receipt of additional revenue from the Tohono O'odham Nation. Projects not fully funded through the grant process will be scaled back to meet the grant award amount. Other funding sources will then be reviewed for potential eligibility.
BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS ACTIONS
In 2002, Arizona voters approved Proposition 202, which implemented a new requirement that Tribal/State Gaming Compacts must include a provision that the compacting tribe would contribute a portion of its annual net gaming revenues (the "Annual Contribution") for the benefit of the general public. Pursuant to Proposition 202, each tribe may determine the recipients of 12 percent of its total annual contribution (the "State Shared Revenue grant program"). The Tohono O'odham Nation has announced a request for proposals from local governments and non-profit organizations for the distribution of the fiscal year 2025 payments. Responses are due no later than June 9, 2025. Funding determinations for the Tohono O'odham applications will be announced in late September 2025. Funds will be available in mid-November 2025, following the execution of a grant-in-aid agreement.
STAFF ANALYSIS
The city of Goodyear Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) has trained over 150 individuals throughout the West Valley to respond to widespread disasters and has an inventory of tools, materials and equipment that includes backpacks, hard hats, gloves, eye protection, fire extinguishers, cribbing materials and 12-inch prybars. Additional critical equipment such as two-way radios, generators, utility shutoff tools, folding tables and chairs, a canopy, and iPads are needed to fully equip the team to face potential threats such as wildfires, industrial accidents, or infrastructure failures.
To further support the CERT’s ability to bridge critical response gaps and assist neighboring jurisdictions, Goodyear recently invested in a larger response trailer -- a proactive investment in community safety, resilience, and preparedness, justified by the need to be ready for unpredictable emergencies, support mutual aid, maintain volunteer readiness, and align with best practices in emergency management-even in the absence of recent disasters. Additional investment is needed to support the interior build-out including shelving and secure compartments to organize medical supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), and rescue tools for rapid deployment.
Staff would like to submit an application requesting $19,500 to complete the interior build-out of the new CERT trailer and procure additional critical equipment, transforming it into a fully functional mobile response hub. By funding this proposal, the community will transform its 150 trained volunteers into a rapid, cohesive force capable of saving lives, reducing disaster impacts, and serving as a regional resilience asset. The entire community-including individuals, families, first responders, and neighboring jurisdictions-stands to benefit from this investment in local preparedness infrastructure. Resolution 2025-2466 is included as Attachment A.
To further support the CERT’s ability to bridge critical response gaps and assist neighboring jurisdictions, Goodyear recently invested in a larger response trailer -- a proactive investment in community safety, resilience, and preparedness, justified by the need to be ready for unpredictable emergencies, support mutual aid, maintain volunteer readiness, and align with best practices in emergency management-even in the absence of recent disasters. Additional investment is needed to support the interior build-out including shelving and secure compartments to organize medical supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), and rescue tools for rapid deployment.
Staff would like to submit an application requesting $19,500 to complete the interior build-out of the new CERT trailer and procure additional critical equipment, transforming it into a fully functional mobile response hub. By funding this proposal, the community will transform its 150 trained volunteers into a rapid, cohesive force capable of saving lives, reducing disaster impacts, and serving as a regional resilience asset. The entire community-including individuals, families, first responders, and neighboring jurisdictions-stands to benefit from this investment in local preparedness infrastructure. Resolution 2025-2466 is included as Attachment A.