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HomeMy WebLinkAboutagendapacket__09-18-24_0730_621       NOTICE OF MEETING REGULAR MEETING SISTER CITIES ADVISORY COMMISSION      Chairman Bev Tall  Vice Chairman VACANT Commissioner Zarrin Caldwell Commissioner VACANT Commissioner VACANT Commissioner Lisa Ristuccia Commissioner VACANT    TIME:4:00 P.M. – REGULAR MEETING WHEN:WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2024 WHERE:FOUNTAIN HILLS COUNCIL CHAMBERS 16705 E. AVENUE OF THE FOUNTAINS, FOUNTAIN HILLS, AZ Commissioners of the Town of Fountain Hills will attend either in person or by telephone conference call; a quorum of the Town’s Council,  various Commission, Committee or Board members may be in attendance at the Commission meeting. Notice is hereby given that pursuant to A.R.S. §1-602.A.9, subject to certain specified statutory exceptions, parents have a right to consent before the State or any of its political subdivisions make a video or audio recording of a minor child. Meetings of the Commission are audio and/or video recorded and, as a result, proceedings in which children are present may be subject to such recording. Parents, in order to exercise their rights may either file written consent with the Town Clerk to such recording, or take personal action to ensure that their child or children are not present when a recording may be made. If a child is present at the time a recording is made, the Town will assume that the rights afforded parents pursuant to A.R.S. §1-602.A.9 have been waived.  REQUEST TO COMMENT   The public is welcome to participate in Commission meetings. TO SPEAK TO AN AGENDA ITEM, please complete a Request to Comment card, located in the back of the Council Chambers, and hand it to the Executive Assistant prior to discussion of that item, if possible. Include the agenda item on which you wish to comment. Speakers will be allowed three contiguous minutes to address the Commission. Verbal comments should be directed through the Presiding Officer and not to individual Commissioners. TO COMMENT ON AN AGENDA ITEM IN WRITING ONLY, please complete a Request to Comment card, indicating it is a written comment, and check the box on whether you are FOR or AGAINST and agenda item, and hand it to the Executive Assistant prior to discussion, if possible.     Sister Cities Advisory Commission Meeting of September 18, 2024 1 of 2            1.CALL TO ORDER – Chairman Tall     2.ROLL CALL – Chairman Tall     3.CALL TO THE PUBLIC Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.01(H), public comment is permitted (not required) on matters NOT listed on the agenda. Any such comment (i) must be within the jurisdiction of the Commission, and (ii) is subject to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions. The Commission will not discuss or take legal action on matters raised during Call to the Public unless the matters are properly noticed for discussion and legal action. At the conclusion of the Call to the Public, individual commissioners may (i) respond to criticism, (ii) ask staff to review a matter, or (iii) ask that the matter be placed on a future Commission agenda.     4.REPORTS BY COMMISSIONERS AND TOWN MANAGER     5.CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of January 16, 2024.     6.CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Sunset of the Sister Cities Advisory Commission.    7.ADJOURNMENT       CERTIFICATE OF POSTING OF NOTICE Dated this ______ day of ____________________, 2024. _____________________________________________  Angela Padgett-Espiritu, Acting Town Clerk   The Town of Fountain Hills endeavors to make all public meetings accessible to persons with disabilities. Please call 480-816-5199 (voice) or 1-800-367-8939 (TDD) 48 hours prior to the meeting to request a reasonable accommodation to participate in the meeting or to obtain agenda information in large print format. Supporting documentation and staff reports furnished the Commission with this agenda are available for review in the Town Manager's Office. Sister Cities Advisory Commission Meeting of September 18, 2024 2 of 2   ITEM 4. TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS STAFF REPORT    Meeting Date: 09/18/2024 Meeting Type: Sister Cities Advisory Commission Agenda Type:                   Submitting Department: Administration Prepared by: Angela Padgett-Espiritu, Executive Assistant to Manager, Mayor/Council Staff Contact Information: Request to Sister Cities Advisory Commission (Agenda Language):  REPORTS BY COMMISSIONERS AND TOWN MANAGER Staff Summary (Background) Form Review Form Started By: Angela Padgett-Espiritu Started On: 04/30/2024 02:31 PM Final Approval Date: 04/30/2024  ITEM 5. TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS STAFF REPORT    Meeting Date: 09/18/2024 Meeting Type: Sister Cities Advisory Commission Agenda Type:                   Submitting Department: Administration Prepared by: Angela Padgett-Espiritu, Executive Assistant to Manager, Mayor/Council Staff Contact Information: Request to Sister Cities Advisory Commission (Agenda Language):  CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of January 16, 2024. Staff Summary (Background) The intent of approving meeting minutes is to ensure an accurate account of the discussion and action that took place at the meeting for archival purposes. Approved minutes are placed on the town's website and maintained as permanent records in compliance with state law. Staff recommends the APPROVAL of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of January 16, 2024.. Attachments SUMMARY MINUTES  Form Review Form Started By: Angela Padgett-Espiritu Started On: 04/30/2024 02:31 PM Final Approval Date: 04/30/2024  TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE FOUNTAIN HILLS SISTER CITIES ADVISORY COMMISSION JANUARY 16, 2024 1. CALL TO ORDER – Chairman Tall Chairman Tall called to order the meeting of the Sister Cities Advisory Commission at 4:07 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL – Chairman Tall Present: Commissioner Lisa Ristuccia; Chairman Bev Tall; Commissioner Randy Crader Absent: Commissioner Zarrin Caldwell Staff Present: Town Manager Rachael Goodwin; Executive Assistant Angela Padgett-Espiritu 3. CALL TO THE PUBLIC Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.01(H), public comment is permitted (not required) on matters NOT listed on the agenda. Any such comment (i) must be within the jurisdiction of the Commission, and (ii) is subject to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions. The Commission will not discuss or take legal action on matters raised during Call to the Public unless the matters are properly noticed for discussion and legal action. At the conclusion of the Call to the Public, individual commissioners may (i) respond to criticism, (ii) ask staff to review a matter, or (iii) ask that the matter be placed on a future Commission agenda. No one from the public spoke. 4. UPDATE: New Commissioner New Commissioner Crader introduced himself and mentioned he recently moved to Fountain Hills from Chicago. Studied International Development and Economics in college. Interested in being involved in the town and giving back. 5. CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Appoint a Commission Chairman. MOVED BY Commissioner Lisa Ristuccia, SECONDED Commissioner Randy Crader to APPOINT Bev Tall as Commission Chairman. AYE: Chairman Bev Tall, Commissioner Lisa Ristuccia, Commissioner Randy Crader 6. CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Appoint a Commission Vice Chairman. MOVED BY Chairman Bev Tall, SECONDED Commissioner Randy Crader to APPOINT Lisa Ristuccia as Commission Vice Chairman. AYE: Chairman Bev Tall, Commissioner Lisa Ristuccia, Commissioner Randy Crader 7. REPORTS BY COMMISSIONERS AND TOWN MANAGER Town Manager's report: • Visit from the Mayor of Zamość, Poland. • Reception events for the mayor and other dignitaries. • Visit from German students; received town swag. Request for town swag for upcoming Polish student visitors: • Two Polish students coming end of February to early March. • Originated from a pen pal program between local private school and Polish students. Annual meeting recap: • Held at Desert Canyon Grill. • Approximately 45 attendees. • Successful event. Future student exchange plans: • Local students to visit Germany end of May to early June, with a stop in Amsterdam. • German students to host local students in Germany. Discussion of potential exchanges with sister cities: • Possible Fall exchange with Zamość, Poland. • Alternating yearly exchanges with Germany and Poland. • Decision against student exchanges with Ataco, El Salvador, due to past issues and focus on humanitarian aid instead. 8. CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Approval of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of January 18, 2023. MOVED BY Commissioner Lisa Ristuccia, SECONDED Commissioner Randy Crader to APPROVE the minutes of the January 18, 2023, Regular Meeting of the Sister Cities Advisory Commission. AYE: Chairman Bev Tall, Commissioner Lisa Ristuccia, Commissioner Randy Crader 9. CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Approval of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of September 20, 2023. MOVED BY Commissioner Lisa Ristuccia, SECONDED Commissioner Randy Crader to APPROVE the minutes of the September 20, 2023, Regular Meeting of the Sister Cities Advisory Commission. AYE: Chairman Bev Tall, Commissioner Lisa Ristuccia, Commissioner Randy Crader 10. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Selection of a New Sister City. New Sister City Discussion: Current Sister Cities Experience • Dierdorf, Germany and Zamość, Poland: Successful due to active local representatives. • Kasterlee, Belgium: Ending sister city status due to lack of interest from the new mayor. Criteria for New Sister City • Preferably in Europe to match local demographics. • Essential to have a dedicated local representative to maintain the relationship. Italian Sister City Proposal • Previously considered but voted against for unspecified reasons. • Discussion of reviving the idea with active involvement from local Italian community members. • Steve Baggio and Rosa are potential candidates to support the Italian sister city initiative. • Importance of having strong personal connections and regular interactions with the potential sister city. Potential Challenges and Considerations • Need to ensure sustained interest and involvement to avoid situations like with Kasterlee. • Exploration of multiple cities in Italy as potential sister cities. • Consideration of student and cultural exchanges, though some limitations may apply (e.g., school district restrictions). Community Involvement • Large Italian community in Fountain Hills with about 200 members, 30 of whom meet regularly. • Strong connections with Italian cities through personal relationships and frequent travel. Dark Sky Community Idea • Discussed potential of connecting with other international Dark Sky communities as sister cities. • Idea seen as complementary, not necessary, but could provide natural liaison points. • Need to research and identify Dark Sky communities internationally. • Japan has four Dark Sky communities, other countries to be investigated. 11. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Future Agenda Topics. No future agenda topics were mentioned. 12. NEXT MEETING DATE: Wednesday, May 15, 2024. 13. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Tall adjourned the meeting of the Sister Cities Advisory Commission at 4:38 p.m TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS __________________________ Bev Tall, Chairman ATTEST AND PREPARED BY: ___________________________________ Angela Padgett-Espiritu, Executive Assistant CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Meeting held by the Sister Cities Advisory Commission of Fountain Hills in the Town Hall Council Chambers on the 16th day of January 2024. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and that a quorum was present. DATED this 18th Day of September 2024. ___________________________________ Angela Padgett-Espiritu, Executive Assistant ITEM 6. TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS STAFF REPORT    Meeting Date: 09/18/2024 Meeting Type: Sister Cities Advisory Commission Agenda Type:                   Submitting Department: Administration Prepared by: Angela Padgett-Espiritu, Executive Assistant to Manager, Mayor/Council Staff Contact Information: Angela Padgett-Espiritu, Executive Assistant to Manager, Mayor/Council Request to Sister Cities Advisory Commission (Agenda Language):  CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Sunset of the Sister Cities Advisory Commission. Staff Summary (Background) The Mayor and Council of the Town of Fountain Hills (the "Town Council") previously created the Sister Cities Advisory Commission (SCAC), pursuant to Resolution No. 2016-01. SCAC was formed to advise the Town Council and Town Manager to act in an advisory capacity in support of the Fountain Hills Sister Cities Corporation in developing and promoting municipal partnerships between the Town and other similar jurisdiction in other nations. The Town Council has determined that the SCAC has accomplished the purpose for which it was created and now desires to sunset SCAC, pursuant to the Town Council Rules of Procedure, Amended and Restated 2023, Section 9.1(D) Sunset (the "Sunset Rule"). The Town Council hereby expresses its appreciation for the hard work and dedication of all who served the Town as members of the SCAC.   Attachments Section91.D  Form Review Form Started By: Angela Padgett-Espiritu Started On: 09/09/2024 01:17 PM Final Approval Date: 09/09/2024  Page 25 Rules of Procedure - 9/06/2023 Any person(s) who believes a council member, Board, or Commissioner has violated the Code of Ethics outlined in Section 8 of The Rules of Procedure may file a complaint. To file a complaint, a person(s) must request the complaint form from the Town Clerk and file the complaint within 90 days of the alleged occurrence or discovery of the alleged occurrence. See Section 10 of the Rules of Procedure. All members of the Council, boards, commissions, or committees shall acknowledge in writing, on a form provided by the Town Clerk, receipt of these provisions relating to ethics. SECTION 9. BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES The Fountain Hills' Council may create such boards, commissions, and committees as deemed necessary to assist in the conduct of the operation of Town government. The Council may authorize and direct the Town Manager to establish ad hoc committees as needed in order to provide additional flexibility with regard to conducting Town business. 9.1 REGULARLY SCHEDULED OR UNSCHEDULED BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES A. Classification. All boards, commissions, and committees of the Town shall be classified as regularly scheduled or unscheduled boards, commissions, and committees. Regularly scheduled boards, commissions, and committees are those that meet on a regularly- scheduled basis or may be quasi-judicial in nature. Unscheduled boards, commissions, and committees meet on an as-called basis. B. Regularly Scheduled. Regularly scheduled boards, commissions, and committees include: 1. Planning and Zoning Commission 2. Community Services Advisory Commission 3. McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission 4. Strategic Planning Advisory Commission 5. Sister Cities Advisory Commission 6. Municipal Property Corporation 7. Historic and Cultural Advisory Commission C. Unscheduled. Unscheduled boards, commissions, and committees: Page 26 Rules of Procedure - 9/06/2023 1. Ad Hoc Committees 2. Board of Adjustment D. Sunset. Except for the Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustment, any board, commission, or committee created shall cease to exist (1) upon the accomplishment of the special purpose for which it was created or (2) when abolished by a majority vote of the Council. 9.2 SELECTION OF BOARD, COMMISSION, OR COMMITTEE MEMBERS A. Call for Applications. The call for applications to fill vacant seats for boards, commissions and committees may include a request for: 1. The application that describes the applicant’s skills, experience, and educational background needed to ensure the successful filling of the vacancy. Applicants may submit a resume along with the application; however, not in lieu of filling out the application. 2. Responses to the supplemental questionnaire specific to a board, commission, or committee application, if such questionnaire is included. 3. The consent to executive session form. 4. If a member whose term will be expiring wishes to reapply for an additional term on the same board, commission or committee, such member is exempt from filing those items listed in Subsections 9.2 (A)(1-4 2). However, such member shall submit in writing, on a form provided by the Town Clerk that includes a request for the Council's consideration of reappointment in addition to the consent to executive session as listed in Subsection 9.2(A)(5). The member may include any new or additional information that is relevant to the original application already on file. B. Advertising/Timing and Location. The Town Clerk shall be responsible for advertising to fill vacant seats to boards, commissions, and committees for at least two weeks and no later than two months, prior to the expiration of the current board, commission, or committee member(s) term, via: 1. The Town's government access channel. 2. Newspaper advertising. 3. The Town website. 4. The Town's official posting sites as listed in Section 2-4-3 of the Fountain Hills