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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022.0621.TCJMFHSDB.MinutesTOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS MINUTES OF THE JOINT MEETING OF THE FOUNTAIN HILLS TOWN COUNCIL AND THE FOUNTAIN HILLS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD JUNE 21, 2022 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Dickey called the Joint Meeting of June 21, 2022, to order at 6:56 p.m. ROLL CALL — Mayor Ginny Dickey Councilmembers Present: Mayor Ginny Dickey; Vice Mayor Gerry Friedel; Councilmembers David Spelich and Sharron Grzybowski Councilmembers Absent: Councilmembers Alan Magazine, Peggy McMahon, and Mike Scharnow Staff Present: Town Manager Grady E. Miller; Town Attorney Aaron D. Amson; Town Clerk Linda G. Mendenhall School Board Members Present: President Nadya Jenkins; Vice President Mrs. Judith Rutkowski; Board Members Dr. Wendy Barnard, Mrs. Jill Reed, Mr. Dana Saar School Board Members Absent: None School Staff Present: Interim School Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sweeney; Incoming School Superintendent Dr. Cain Jagodzinksi; Board Secretary Krista Andreae Mayor Dickey welcomed everyone to the joint meeting and mentioned the items on the agenda were for discussion only, and no action will be taken at this meeting. • DISCUSSION ITEMS OF INTEREST • DISCUSSION RELATED TO SAFETY AND SECURITY OF FOUNTAIN HILLS SCHOOLS AND CAMPUSES • Safe Routes to School — Possible Grant Opportunities Justin Weldy, Public Works Director, provided an overview of two grants awarded through collaboration with the schools. He mentions that the Safety Assessment Grant is relatively large, where 94 % of the funding is through MAG with matching funds from the Town of Fountain Hills. The grant is for a non -infrastructure assessment to determine how to make routes to school safer for the Fountain Hills elementary and middle school by evaluating routes, traffic calming, signage, and other items related to those safe routes to enhance the safety of K through H children. Mr. Weldy said the town would collaborate with the school on this process and provide updates. He mentions the selection for the engineering firm will go through MAG. Grady Miller, Town Manager, said that the town is aware there may be some decisions made in the future about the school district and school locations, and if there are any changes, those factors will be included in that study. Mr. Weldy reviewed the second grant awarded for non -infrastructure, mentioning that it will be available in the Fiscal Year 2024. He said this grant is funded at 94%, with the town matching the other portion, which is $882. The grant will support activities, education, and implement safe routes to school and supports the first grant. He mentions the grant may include wages for a school safe route coordinator, safety gear, helmets, vests, et cetera, and incentive prizes for the students as they participate. The grant will also provide funding for school crossing guard training, which is critical. • Flashing School Crossing Signs Justin Weldy, Public Works Director, presented on the installation of permanent flashing school zone signs. He mentions that this is a collaborative effort with the interim Superintendent, Dr. Sweeney, and the Transportation Director, John Flynn, and is supported by the town manager and town council. The design is being handled in-house by town staff, the town engineer, and the assistant town engineer. Mr. Weldy reviewed the placement of the flashing school crossing signs for the Fountain Hills Middle School, mentioning the traffic flows on North Fountain Hills Boulevard just before entering McDowell Mountain Road toward the north. He said the design for this area would factor in the southbound traffic on McDowell Mountain Road entering Fountain Hills Boulevard adjacent to this school. He states we will need an advanced warning sign on that corner alerting traffic. They will use a flashing sign to make them fully aware they are entering a school zone, giving them time to slow down. He said the second flashing sign would be a fifteen -mile - an -hour sign just north of the crosswalk and the marked yellow crosswalk. He mentions that going northbound, because of the adequate sight distance, there will not be an advanced flashing light; it will be the traditional reduced speed limit sign. Just before the crosswalk, there will be a flashing fifteen -mile -an -hour sign. He said that there would be two types of structures used on the projects indicating that they will be solar -powered and communicate with each other via radio. The timing coordination will be through himself and the transportation director, John Flynn, and will have the school calendar built into it. They would monitor it with support and collaboration from the school. He mentions this is a well -deserved, long-awaited improvement in this area. Board Member Dr. Barnard expressed her appreciation for the project and the use of solar panels. She mentions that people get very confused coming from Rio Verde, coming very fast with the turn, and not realizing a school is there. She said people also get confused about the actual start and stop. This will help the teacher who has crosswalk duty and help the students and families keep the road safe before and after school. Vice Mayor Friedel inquired when will this project be done. Mr. Weldy responded that the project would be done before the children returned in August. Board Member Reed expressed her appreciation for the project, stating it is a nice addition, and concurred with Dr. Barnard. She mentions that she is glad to see that people coming in from Rio Verde will have a sign giving some warning because folks do come in pretty quickly on that road, and anything to get them to slow down before they approach our students and crosswalk guards would be great. Councilmember Spelich inquired if Mr. Weldy would loop in Captain Kratzer and possibly, at times, have traffic control enforced by radar. Mr. Weldly responded, saying that he knows this area is patrolled nearly every school day during peak flow times. Board Member Reed expressed her appreciation for the Sheriffs Department stating they have done an excellent job of patrolling the school zones, especially the one on Fountain Hills Boulevard. She mentions that McDowell Mountain is more of a residential street and that people tend to drive slower. Fountain Hills Boulevard can become a speedway indicating that she has seen many speeders get pulled over coming out of the school zone. Mayor Dickey thanked Board Member Reed for her comments mentioning that her remarks go along with the statistics they saw between speeding this year and speeding from last year, showing an increase in numbers. Mayor Dickey mentioned that she's had residents reach out to her about the road rules, which side you ride your bike on, which side you walk on, etc. She recalled when the kids were at McDowell Mountain School; they'd get a handbook right away about that. She said there might be a way for the Town and the School District to partner on this handbook. Pedestrian Safety & Rules of the Road (Bikes, Skateboards, and Walkers) Bo Larsen, Community Relations Director, indicated that there has been discussion about this and that he has researched what other communities have done. He said he remembers those brochures addressing what side to ride on, how to cross the street properly, and who to respect as you go along. He said there's a lot of information from MAG, the City of Scottsdale, the US Department of Transportation, and the Arizona Department of Transportation for us to glean upon. He mentions that he would like to work with the school board or their designee to determine what is needed and in what order. He notes that the Mayor and Town Manager have asked him to help develop the collateral, do the social media and provide the Internet resources needed to share on multiple platforms, including the Town Cox Channel 11, to help get the momentum of communications out there. He said there's an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of not only the children understanding how to do things but the adults remembering how to do things as well. Board Member Dr. Barnard inquired if there were any plans to do anything at the high school with flashing lights. She addressed the topic of outreach and education; when kids push the button to make it flash so they can cross the street, people still drive through it; it is more of the older residents. When it is flashing, you must stop. In response to Dr. Barnard's question, Mayor Dickey indicated that the high school is not zoned as a school zone; it is a pedestrian crosswalk and is not a school zone. Mr. Miller replied in the affirmative. His understanding of the regulations governing schools is that the school is on a major arterial and not an interior road and is also based on the age of the kids going to the school. Board Member Reed concurred with Dr. Barnard regarding education on how to drive through a school zone. She mentions that even though it's a pedestrian crosswalk and not necessarily associated with the high school if the button is pushed and lights are flashing, it would be nice if people stopped because it is the law. She further explained the need for education because she noticed many people don't understand how to maneuver through a school zone; do they stop before the light, slow down before, or go all the way through and continue past the other signs? President Jenkins said that as an avid walker in the community, she often sees people walking on the wrong side of the road. She taught her children how to properly walk on the road and would appreciate any efforts to educate the students and more tenured citizens on how to be safe on the roadways. Mr. Larsen expressed his appreciation for the feedback. He said he looks forward to working with the school board regarding the proper level of communication, indicating a one -size doesn't fit all for the population we're talking about. • Other items of Interest Mayor Dickey stated that the superintendent received his Ph.D. in school safety and inquired if he had anything to communicate with the town or help convey. President Jenkins said that as Dr. Jagodzinski comes in, the School Board will have a retreat to collectively synchronize as a new body with the new superintendent. One of the priorities will be school safety. She mentions that it is an annual priority and that due to COVID, they have not been reviewed by Homeland Security in a couple of years to reassess the safety and security of their buildings. This is something they will want to revisit and prioritize. Based on that assessment, they can itemize what actions need to be taken and what budgetary dollars can be put towards that. Board Member Saar said the budget issues are an important aspect of what will be discussed later on regarding their facilities. Right now, with three facilities, we have to make sure that all three are safe, and we've invested a lot to keep them safer than they were back in his day. He said we might be down to two, which means we'll save some of that funding that we've been applying to McDowell Mountain, and we can apply that somewhere else, but safety is by far and away our most important aspect of what we do. Obviously, student success might be number one, but that doesn't work if you don't have a safe school environment. Board Member Reed asked Dr. Jagodzinski if he had anything he would like to bring to the council. Dr. Jagodzinski responded, no, school safety is a huge issue, and he has spent a lot of time researching it. He has a lot of ideas to share and looks forward to working collaboratively with the school leaders and the town. Interim Superintendent Dr. Sweeney thanked the town for their ongoing support of the SRO. He expressed his appreciation for their long history of great SROs and their excellent relationship with the Sheriffs Office. He said they have a good relationship with the kids and provide that presence and immediate response and reaction when needed. He hopes this continues. Mayor Dickey thanked Dr. Sweeney for his comments. PROPOSED TRANSPORTATION INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT Mr. Miller mentioned that this item was brought up approximately three to four years ago at one of the joint meetings. Since then, Dr. Sweeney has allowed the town to utilize the vans, and it is time to formalize something through an intergovernmental agreement. He states the use of the vans has been great and appreciated by staff. Staff would like to expand by including the use of the school buses and bus drivers during the summertime when there is off-peak use by the school district. The town could pay an hourly rate for bus drivers and bus use for a summer recreation program or one of the senior programs. Councilmember Grzybowski recalled a communication breakdown that occurred several years ago where some students were stranded because the bus or van never came to pick them up. She expressed the need for contact information for the bus driver since the events happen on Saturdays or after school hours. She doesn't want a group of 30 kids stranded and depressed because community services planned this super fun trip, and now they don't have a ride to it. Mr. Miller said that is a very good point; we must put together all types of contingencies from an operational standpoint. Those contingencies will not be included in the actual intergovernmental agreement. DISCUSSION RELATING TO INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS AND THE FOUNTAIN HILLS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT • Resolution 2003-68 — Intergovernmental Agreement relating to Channel 99 • Resolution 2007-01 — Intergovernmental Agreement relating to construction • Resolution 2007-26 — Intergovernmental Agreement relating to shared use of District and Town facilities Mr. Miller reviewed the IGA's with the School District and their purpose. The IGA relating to Channel 99 agreement through Cox Communications allows the town to make available an education channel for use by the School District. The IGA relating to construction covers any construction activity where the town does not charge a building or inspection fees in exchange for joint use of school district facilities. The IGA relates to the shared use of District and Town Facilities. The school district has used the amphitheater at Fountain Park for graduation, and the town has used the school gyms. He said as a small town and a small district, we really benefit from having a very good working relationship, a true partnership in the spirit of what a partnership is. Board Member Reed expressed her appreciation for the IGA for the shared facility, indicating it has become really popular with the school district using the community center. She mentioned when she was on the PTO; they held Gay Love, their large fundraiser for the year, at different resorts, sometimes close and sometimes not. Through this partnership, they are now using the community center, which helps to keep things local. She mentioned the Sports Teams are using the community center for team dinners instead of having it at someone's home, which keeps it local and keeps our kids in a space that isn't at someone's home. Board Member Dr. Barnard concurred with Board Member Reed's comments and stated that it is a great reciprocal relationship. Not everybody knows about the agreement that we share facilities. She said this needs to be made known to more groups, from athletics to everything else. She noted that it is the 15'h Anniversary of this agreement and encouraged revisiting it; even if the language stays the same, it keeps it fresh and a living document that people know about and use. Mr. Miller said he would work with staff on updates as there are probably some things that have changed related to risk management and insurance. Councilmember Grzybowski expressed concern by mentioning recent action taken at a council meeting regarding the new rules and pricing for the use of the community center. She said the town might hear feedback from residents that it's not fair charging them for their event. Board Member Saar commented on the wonderful arrangement between the school district and the town. He mentioned the award received from the State for having this relationship. He concurred with the review of the current IGA's and the possibility of more in the future. Mayor Dickey addressed Councilmember Grzybowski s concern, stating she understood what she was saying. She mentions that the same exact taxpayers pay for the school district. The amenities the town lacks and what the schools offer is good for both entities; it is a very natural partnership. We need to keep the big picture in mind whenever possible. Vice Mayor Friedel mentioned that the FHCCA may contact the school district and could work out some arrangements directly. POSSIBLE FUTURE USE OF THE FOUR PEAKS AND MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN SCHOOL SITES BY THE TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS Board Member Saar commented on the enrollment projections for the fall semester. He mentioned that all students enrolled could fit into one facility at the high school, and they would have room left over. He mentions that McDowell Mountain will be utilized this coming year again and that Four Peaks has been closed for their purposes for quite some time. The Four Peaks property is the oldest facility in the district, and discussions need to take place to determine the feasibility to reimage, use for another purpose, or be torn down. He indicated the same could be said regarding McDowell Mountain. He mentions the need for discussion regarding the properties and future needs. One thought is to work out an agreement with the town to reuse the land for a park, based on the need and the population. There is not a lot of extra space to develop parklands, and the lack of need for the parcels for educational purposes. He said that going forward, a discussion about the future use needs to take place been the school administrators and the school board, and the town. They need to come up with a solution that meets the needs of the entire community. Mayor Dickey said that we need to think in terms of what the legal uses are as well as educational plans the board may have. She said she looks forward to that conversation and what the two groups can accomplish together. Vice President Rutkowski said that the board would discuss this issue. Mayor Dickey inquired if there if anyone had anything for the good of the order, having no comments requested a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Spelich moved to adjourn; seconded by Councilmember Grzybowski. • ADJOURNMENT 7:33 p.m. TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS Ginn! Dickey, Mayor ATTEST AND PREPARED BY: Linda G. Mendenhall, Town Clerk CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Joint Meeting held by the Town Council of Fountain Hills in the Town Hall Council Chambers on the 21 s1 day of June 2022. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and that a quorum was present. DATED this 22nd Day of August 2022. Linda G. Mendenhall, Town Clerk