Mayor Pizzillo called the Work Session to order at 5:00 p.m.

Jenna Goad, Strategic Planning & Organizational Performance Manager, introduced Erin Caldwell, Survey Research Principal with Polco, who presented the results of the 2025 Community Survey.

Ms. Caldwell provided an overview of the survey’s purpose, methodology, and key findings across various aspects of community life, along with comparisons to national benchmarks. Highlights included positive resident feedback on quality of life, city leadership, and the local economy, as well as opportunities for improvement in areas such as community design, housing, transportation, and infrastructure.

Ms. Goad noted that the survey results may help inform Council discussions during the Fall Retreat related to the city’s strategic planning efforts.

Council discussed the survey results as well as the city's growth, infrastructure, land use, and increasing education around housing and development. Council also expressed appreciation to staff for their leadership and ongoing efforts.

Wendy Bridges, Economic Development Director, introduced the strategic plan item on a sports and tourism strategy and introduced Joe Stewart, Senior Business Development Manager, to present current tourism efforts and the proposed strategy.

Mr. Stewart gave an overview of tourism in the city and noted staff’s goal of a unified approach to driving economic impact. He outlined five pillars to enhance tourism attraction, then turned the presentation over to David Seid, Interim Parks and Recreation Director, and Justin Fair, Deputy City Manager, to cover parks and recreation and the I-10 basins sports complex initiative.

Mr. Seid highlighted the first pillar, focusing on parks and recreation, and the expansion of multi-use sports facilities to support additional tournaments. Mr. Fair followed with an update on the I-10 basins initiative, sharing that several partnership opportunities emerged from the city’s request for information. He added that next steps include returning in the fall to discuss incorporating the project into the city's strategic plan.

Council expressed support for soccer fields and regional tournaments, discussed funding strategies and prioritizing future projects, opportunities for a public/private partnership and water availability for the site.

Mr. Seid and Mr. Stewart continued the presentation, outlining the remaining pillars: outdoor and nature-based recreation; arts and culture; shopping, dining, hospitality, and entertainment; and conferences, professional events, and meetings.

In response to Council inquiry, Mr. Seid noted that the Bullard Wash trail is currently in design, with construction anticipated in FY2027–2028.

Ms. Bridges added that a Request for Proposals is expected next fiscal year for the development of approximately 50 acres around the Goodyear Ballpark. Council noted that current density can now support retail opportunities in that area.

Ms. Bridges concluded with an overview of short- and long-term implementation strategies, noting that short-term proposals can be carried out with existing resources, while long-term initiatives will be considered during the strategic planning process.

Council expressed support for the Economic Development Department and the Office of Tourism, and clarified that no additional resources are needed to implement the division.

Jared Askelson, Finance Director and Secretary of the Audit Committee, provided an update on the city auditor recruitment process and shared findings from the recent payroll and timekeeping assessment.

Council expressed appreciation for the progress made in launching the audit program and the recruitment efforts.

In response to a Council question about the City Auditor reporting directly to Council, City Attorney Roric Massey explained that such a change would require a charter amendment and voter approval.

Mr. Askelson also summarized recent Audit Committee meetings, which included adopting bylaws, electing officers, and approving an interim audit plan. He explained that the plan includes a follow-up review of the Capital Improvement Program and a payroll and timekeeping assessment. The assessment was conducted by third-party consultant Protiviti, which provided a comprehensive review of payroll and timekeeping. He noted that the Capital Improvement Program update will be covered in the next agenda item. He then reviewed Protiviti’s recommendations, which focused on standardizing processes, automating systems, and optimizing the payroll system.

In response to Council inquiry, Mr. Askelson explained that citywide training on timekeeping and payroll processing will be provided at all levels to improve communication and resolve issues more quickly. He added that a needs assessment will be conducted with each department to evaluate specific requirements and explore opportunities to consolidate systems.

Kini Knudson, Deputy City Manager, introduced the item and provided an overview of CIP management, including a third-party evaluation of the program and the city’s actions in response. He reviewed the consultant’s recommendations from June 2023 and highlighted progress shown in the 2025 risk management and organizational maturity reassessment. He then turned the presentation over to Steve Scinto, Engineering Director/City Engineer, to review the 2025 recommendations.

Mr. Scinto outlined four key recommendation themes: manual data governance, job order contracting (JOC) procurement, inconsistent system use and reporting, and ongoing improvements to the project management manual. He noted that next steps include implementing the 2025 recommendations and following up with the third-party consultant in two years to reassess the city’s organizational maturity in the CIP program.