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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017.0227.TCSM.MinutesTOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE FOUNTAIN HILLS TOWN COUNCIL FEBRUARY 27, 2017 REGULAR SESSION * CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Mayor Kavanagh called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. in the Fountain Hills Town Council Chambers. Present for roll call were the following members of the Town Council: Mayor Linda Kavanagh, Vice Mayor Nick DePorter, Councilmember Alan Magazine, Councilmember Cecil Yates, Councilmember Dennis Brown, Councilmember Art Tolis, Councilmember Henry Leger. Town Manager Grady E. Miller, Town Attorney Andrew McGuire and Town Clerk Bevelyn Bender were also present. AGENDA ITEM #1 - DISCUSSION WITH POSSIBLE DIRECTION TO STAFF REGARDING THE 2017 FOUNTAIN HILLS STRATEGIC PLAN. Town Manager Miller gave introductory remarks and explained that revisions to the plan involved the creation of a business/work plan format and revising the content with help from Strategic Planning Advisory Commission (SPAC) Chairman Dana Saar. Mr. Miller noted that the names of the responsible staff leads who were assigned to the items in the SPAC draft plan (available on line or in the office of the Town Clerk) and he explained that project completion dates were not included for each task due to necessary budgetary actions at this time. Mr. Miller introduced SPAC Chairman Saar who explained the intention and future outcome the Commission planned to achieve by year 2020, to ensure a sustainable quality of life in Fountain Hills now and in the future. Mayor Kavanagh and Councilmember Leger expressed their support for the new Strategic Plan formatting that allowed for easy tracking of the objectives and tasks. Discussion ensued on the process and how tasks were determined, deemed necessary and doable by priority and analyzing the relevance of each task with a SWOT analysis allowing the elimination of those items as a wish instead of a need. Mayor Kavanagh stated Council would have an opportunity to discuss and give input on each goal, its objective and the tasks involved. Goal #1: Maximize Economic Development Opportunities in Fountain Hills Objective #1 - Town Council agreed on these tasks Objective #2 — Councilmember Magazine requested additional language be added to this objective as noted: Task #1 - Rezone undeveloped or developed commercial property to residential, where feasible Task #2 - Rezone unplatted or platted land for greater density and affordable family homes Task #3 - Adopt a text amendment that to allow (Mr. Miller indicated he would discuss language with staffi. Objective #3 — Town Council agreed on this task. Councilmember Tolis stated that Town Council had already been proactive in addressing Goal #1 and acknowledged the Town's recent Joint Session with the Fountain Hills Unified School District (FHUSD) Board Members. He commented they had discussed the vacant land that the District currently owned and how to achieve the highest and best use for the land. Councilmember Tolis added that the FHUSD Board had stated they were not ready to proceed with any action to sell their vacant properties and understood it required voter approval to sell the property. He also z:\council packets\2017\r170406\170227m.docx Page 1 of 4 requested support from the SPAC members to encourage the FHUSD to look at the Town's big picture and move forward to achieve voter approval to sell. Chairman Saar stressed that SPAC could do just so much, but agreed that the FHUSD should consider that their vacant land also held value to the community. Goal #2: Ensure that infrastructure in Fountain Hills is Well -Maintained and Safe Objective #1 — Councilmembers and Chairman Saar discussed the importance of protecting the consistency of Town's quality of life along with its infrastructure. Chairman Saar suggested it would be necessary to have a cost analysis done to bring the infrastructure up to standard. Councilmember Tolis questioned why certain staff members were assigned tasks as the lead and expressed that Mr. Miller should be the lead. Mr. Miller explained that it was understood that he would be the lead; but that this was the next step— assigning staff members who would help implement the goals. Councilmember Tolis requested that Director of Public Works Paul Mood present an update on. He suggested the use of local Town experts in the community and to possibly establish a task force to provide Council with direction on the Town's Pavement Management Programs style of "zoned" versus "spot" pavement priorities for consideration in the future. Objective #2 — Chairman Saar stated that in the future electric charging stations for electric vehicles would be needed in Town parking lots and advanced planning for the necessary infrastructure would be needed. Councilmember Yates added this was the future of automobiles and noted that private companies would fund the stations. Councilmember Magazine questioned if the category should be broaden so everyone could understand the goals and Chairman Saar explained these tasks represented all environmental issues. Councilmember Yates suggested inserting "sustainability" into the goal title and Councilmember Leger added that the original Strategic Plan the goal was titled "Environmental Stewardship". Mr. Miller suggested that Goal #2 be titled "Ensure that Infrastructure and Physical Environment in Fountain Hills is Well -Maintained and Safe" and suggested the additional language include tasks such as trails and other doable projects. Town Manager Miller also suggested that Objective #2 be changed to include "sustainability" and Councilmembers agreed to these revisions. Goal #3: Attract Families and Working Professionals to Fountain Hills Objective #1 — Mayor noted the Town was meeting with the State Trust Land Commission in March 2017. Objective #2 — Chairman Saar stressed that the tasks listed could be achieved in the near future and sustained in the long term with the help from market branding of Fountain Hills as "the Home Town" with collaboration from the community and local businesses the Town could work towards a balance in demographics. Vice Mayor DePorter requested that within the objectives acknowledging the FHUSD as an important close partner who was working with the Town on the same priorities. Goal #4: Ensure that Fountain Hills Finances are Stable and Sustainable Objective #1 — Councilmember Yates asked for SPAC and Vision Fountain Hills to share the responses they obtained during their meetings with the Town residents who attended and participated in the Strategic Plan discussions related to a voter approved primary property tax. Chairman Saar stressed that to complete the goals in the Strategic Plan would take more revenue than the Town currently had and noted it was time that the Town residents paid for its own infrastructure and added that in the past the infrastructure was funded by the developers. Chairman Saar acknowledged that the idea of a primary property tax was not popular, but noted it takes money to pay for and maintain the Town's quality of life and added it was imperative that the citizens be open to options to sustain their property values. Chairman Saar mentioned the recent Fountain Hills Vision work -shop where Town Manager Miller and staff did a great job of explaining the realities and conditions of the Town's revenues and expenses in order to explain why the additional revenues were necessary. Chairman Saar stated that the 100 people who attended the group workshop were convinced there was a need for additional revenue and it appeared the primary property tax was the Town's best option. Goal #5: Focus on Strengthening the Community and Improving Town's Quality of Life z:\council packets\2017\r170406\170227m.docx Page 2 of 4 Object #1 — Councilmembers agreed to these objectives. Object #2 — Mayor Kavanagh acknowledged the support received from the League of Cities and Towns. Object #3 — Chairman Saar stated the Town did a good job utilizing their volunteers, but cautioned over extending them and suggested making their volunteering time fun and worthwhile. Chairman Saar added that he understood it took resources to continue the volunteer program. Mayor Kavanagh expressed the Town's appreciation to the school district that required community services hours for students and hopefully would keep them continually involved. Mr. Miller requested opening the meeting up to members of Strategic Planning Advisory Commission, Vision Fountain Hills, and the public for comment. Councilmember Magazine expressed that many of the tasks listed in the plan's objectives appeared to be wish items instead of Town needs and commented it would be difficult to achieve and track the targets of the plan. Chairman Saar responded that the tasks were for measurement purposes only and stressed this plan was supported by Vision Fountain Hills as needs not wants. Mayor Kavanagh acknowledged Chairman Saar for the great job presenting the plan to Council and asked for SPAC members to speak. Gerard Bisceglia, SPAC Commission for three years, stated the Town lacked funding for the Town's infrastructure and that he understood no one wanted to pay taxes and mentioned the different scenarios that SPAC discussed over the last three years to achieve this plan. Commissioner Bisceglia also pointed out the lack of taxes Fountain Hills residents pay for the services they expect and receive including an infrastructure created by a third party who was gone leaving the residents' to pay for its upkeep. He stated the opinion that Town residents wanted to live in Fountain Hills because it was unique. John Craft, SPAC and Vision Fountain Hill's member, stated the Town's plan was focused on a reactive culture and there needed to be a proactive mindset with everyone collaborating towards a goal and a plan of action. Mayor Kavanagh requested members of Vision Fountain Hills to speak. Dori Witrig, a 32 year resident of Fountain Hills, expressed her thoughts that many Fountain Hills citizens wanted to take responsibility for the Town's finances and that during the May 7th work shop, choices were made on what the residents of Fountain Hills wanted for their Town, and 94% like the community and understood they needed to pay for their life style. Ms. Witrig acknowledged the Town Council and staff and their management of Town funds and asked that Town Council move forward with the help from Vision Fountain Hills to educate the community. She noted many residents understood the difference between a fee and tax; Councilmember Leger said he was not convinced that was true and agreed that education on this issue would be challenging and that it would take everyone to be involved and it would need to be 100% backed by the Council. Jerry Butler, full-time Fountain Hill's resident since 1999, had distributed a hand-out to Council listing strategic priorities in 2016 as a working document for his use only. Mr. Butler explained the steps since the original strategic plan were created in 2005 and how the residents became involved revising the plan to 2020 and that their focus was on goals that were doable and within the timeline and satisfaction of residents in a manageable list. Mayor Kavanagh requests public speakers. Ginny Dickey, a Fountain Hills resident since 1983, questioned if the plan had a vision statement and that the statement should include the five strategic goals of the Vision Fountain Hills. Ms. Dickey also pointed out that in meetings with citizens they were asked to list their best and deepest passion for Fountain Hills and it was determined as the following: Outdoor adventures; Small Town Charm; Views and Beauty and Quality of Life. Councilmember Magazine suggested Chairman Saar added a brief vision statement and included some of the items on the list of best and deepest passions for the Town. Mr. Miller noted that a narrative along with a vision statement and mission would be part of the final draft of the Strategic Plan. z:\council packets\2017\r170406\170227m.docx Page 3 of 4 Councilmember Leger stated the mission statement in the Town's budget (page 132) was a good stepping stone. Councilmember Tolis congratulated Vision Fountain Hills for their participation in this process and addressed the items in Mr. Butler's hand-out. Mr. Butler clarified that the hand-out was his personal working document and used for his information only and should not to be considered by Council. Mayor Kavanagh thanked Chairman Saar, the SPAC Commissioners' and Vision Fountain Hill's members for their presentation and input. Mr. Miller discussed the next steps in the process and expressed his appreciation for the great direction given during the meeting from Council and noted that a completed draft with the projected completion dates inserted and edits as directed would be returned to Council for official action after SPAC reviewed the document. Councilmember Tolis requested staff research and report back to Council on the necessary Legislature action and steps for the Town to create a Municipal Fire and Safety District, and research the pros and cons of the annexation of the McDowell Park property. Councilmember Yates suggested setting a meeting to discuss a primary property tax, facilities, roads and fire districts. Town Manager Miller explained that these items would come back to Council in April possibly in an Executive Session due to necessary legal advice; staff was considering a Special Session to discuss these issues and presenting a budget for the next 10 -years. Town Manager Miller explained that the annexation issue would be addressed separately. Mayor Kavanagh asked for a motion to adjourn. F.T" 010711 twu E;AIV.11 13r1111700V 1 WN y Councilmember Yates made a MOTION to adjourn the meeting and Vice Mayor DePorter SECONDED the motion, which CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY (7-0). The Special Session adjourned at 7:10 p.m. TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS Linda M. Kavanagh, Mayor ATTEST AND PREPARED BY: Bevelyn Bender, Town Clerk CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Special Session held by the Town Council of Fountain Hills in the Town Hall Council Chambers on the 27th day of February, 2017. 1 further certify that the meeting was duly called and that a quorum was present. DATED this 6th day of April, 2017. Bevelyn Bender, Town Clerk z:\council packets\2017\r170406\170227m.docx Page 4 of 4