Jun 02, 2025 City Council Special Meeting 06/02/2025

[00:00:04]

GOOD EVENING.

I WANNA CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US ON

[ Call To Order/Roll Call]

UH, CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLE? MAYOR HARTKE.

PRESENT VICE MAYOR ELLIS.

HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER ENCINAS.

HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER POSTED.

PRESENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER ORLANDO.

HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS.

HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER HAWKINS HERE.

WE HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COUNCIL, WE'VE GOT, UH, A COUPLE ITEMS, UM, FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SPEAKER CARDS AND I WILL GO, LIKE WE HAVE DONE BEFORE IN TERMS OF US HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO, THERE'LL BE A PRESENTATION ON THESE ITEMS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS, UH, ALLOWING SPEAKER CARDS.

I WILL ASK OUR AUDIENCE THAT PLEASE DO NOT BE REDUNDANT.

YOU CAN SAY, I AGREE WITH SUCH AND SUCH, RATHER THAN ARTICULATING THE SAME THING, YOU WILL HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES.

SO IF YOU CHOOSE TO, YOU ARE WELCOME TO DO THAT.

BUT, UH, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE MEETING, UH, IF WHAT YOU, IF YOU FEEL WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS BEING COVERED, FEEL FREE TO ALSO SAY THAT AS WELL.

AND BEFORE WE GET INTO THESE, I, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, READ A COUPLE THINGS HERE.

SO, COUNCIL, AS MAYOR, I DO WANT US TO ADDRESS SOME IMPORTANT ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION TONIGHT.

THIS IS TO REVIEW AND CONSIDER A PATH FORWARD WITH POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO OUR CITY CHARTER.

IN PREPARATION FOR THE CHARTER ELECTION SCHEDULED IN NOVEMBER, 2025 AND BEYOND, THE CHANDLER CITY CHARTER OR CHARTER, ORIGINALLY ADOPTED BY VOTERS IN 1965, SERVES AS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR CITY GOVERNMENT.

IT IS AN ESSENCE CHANDLER'S CONSTITUTION, A DOCUMENT THAT DEFINES OUR STRUCTURE, OUR POWERS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND HOW WE OPERATE AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

AND LIKE ANY FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENT, IT MUST BE REGULARLY REVIEWED AND THOUGHTFULLY UPDATED TO REFLECT THE EVOLUTION, GROWTH, AND MODERN NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND OVER THE PAST SIX DECADES, CHANDLER HAS GROWN FROM A SMALL FORMING COMMUNITY THAT WAS BEGINNING TO URBANIZE INTO A DYNAMIC DIVERSE MODERN CITY OF NEARLY 300,000 RESIDENTS.

I THINK WE'RE 2 91 IS THE LAST I READ THIS WEEK.

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE EXPANDED.

TECHNOLOGY HAS ADVANCED, AND THE EXPECTATIONS OF A RESIDENCE HAS CERTAINLY EVOLVED OVER TIME.

AND YET MUCH OF THE CHARTER IS THE SAME LANGUAGE WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY ADOPTED.

SO IT'S TO BE EXPECTED THAT SOME OF THE LANGUAGE COULD BE OUTDATED OR AMBIGUOUS DUE TO MODERN CIRCUMSTANCES.

THIS IS VI WHY IT'S VITAL THAT WE AS A UNITED FORWARD-LOOKING COUNCIL TAKE ACTION TO ENSURE OUR CITY CHARTER CONTINUES TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF CHANDLER TODAY, AS WELL AS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

IT'S NOT ABOUT POLITICS, IT'S NOT ABOUT POLITICAL GAIN, REWRITING HISTORY, OR EVEN RUSHING CHANGE IS NOT A MOMENT TO ASSIGN BLAME FOR WHAT'S BEEN OUTDATED IN THE CHARTER OR FOR DELAYS IN ADDRESSING THESE MATTERS.

THE CURRENT LANGUAGE OF THE CHARTER IS A PRODUCT OF ITS TIME.

AND WE MUST APPROACH THIS TASK WITH THE SPIRIT OF ACCOUNTABILITY, NOT CRITICISM.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT TO DWELL IN THE PAST, BUT ENSURE THAT WE GIVE OUR CHANDLER VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER MEANINGFUL, WELL, WELL-VETTED CHANGES THAT ENHANCE TRANSPARENCY, EFFICIENCY, AND GOOD GOVERNANCE.

TO THAT END, I'M CALLING TONIGHT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CHARTER, UH, CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT RESIDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

WE WILL BE VOTING ON THAT AS WELL.

AND THIS NINE MEMBER COMMITTEE WILL CONSIST OF CHANDLER RESIDENTS WITH DIVERSE EXPECTATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES.

ITS ROLE WILL BE TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF OUR CITY CHARTER AND RECOMMEND FUTURE CHANGES THAT COUNCIL MAY CONSIDER PLACING ON A FUTURE BALLOT.

THIS IS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE DISCUSSION TONIGHT ON ANOTHER BALLOT, UH, SUGGESTION TO BE PLACED ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.

IT COMPLIMENTS THAT, NOT COMPETES.

AND I'VE INVITED EACH OF YOU COUNCIL TO RECOMMEND INDIVIDUALS AND, UH, WHO ARE ACTIVELY AND POSITIVELY ENGAGED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

CONSIDER THOSE WHO REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF CHANDLER'S RESIDENTS WHO BRING PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE, CIVIC INVOLVEMENT, AND A SHARED COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY'S LONG-TERM SUCCESS.

AND ANOTHER LANGUAGE THAT I JUST REFERRED TO IS TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE FOR OUR CHARTER AMENDMENT RELATED TO THE TERM OF FUTURE MAYORS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THIS CONSIDERS THIS PROPOSAL DESERVES CAREFUL ATTENTION.

IT'S WHY THAT IT WAS DELAYED TO HAVE BETTER ATTENTION AND COMMENTS FROM LAST MONDAY

[00:05:01]

I'M CONFIDENT THAT THROUGH CONSTRUCTIVE COLLABORATION AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP, WE WILL FULFILL THESE TASKS WITH INTEGRITY TONIGHT.

LET US ALSO REMEMBER THAT ANY CHANGES WE CONSIDER WILL ULTIMATELY BE DECIDED BY CHANDLER VOTERS, NOT US.

ANYTHING THAT IS REQUESTED TO BE PLACED ON A BALLOT IS BY VOTED ON BY CHANDLER VOTERS.

THIS BODY'S, UH, RESPONSIBILITY IS TONIGHT IS TO VOTE WHETHER TO ESTABLISH A, A CITIZEN CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE AND TO REFER SOMETHING TO THE BALLOT.

IF THE CH, IF THE CITIZEN CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE MAKES SUGGESTIONS, THOSE TWO WILL BE PLACED ON A FUTURE BALLOT.

THAT COMMITTEE WILL NEITHER NOR WILL COUNSEL BE MAKING CHARTER AMENDMENTS ONLY TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BALLOT.

OUR ROLE IS TO STEWARD THIS PROCESS WITH INTEGRITY AND ENSURE THAT WHAT REACHES THE BALLOT REFLECTS THOUGHTFUL INPUT, COMMUNITY VALUES, SOUND GOVERNANCE, AND KEEPING CHANDLER OUT OF THE NEWS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

SO LET'S MODEL THIS KIND OF RESPECTFUL FORWARD-THINKING GOVERNANCE THAT CHANDLER RESIDENTS EXPECT AND DESERVE.

AND BY WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN CONTINUE TO HONOR OUR PAST, ADDRESS OUR PRESENT, AND PREPARE CHANDLER FOR A STRONG AND RESPONSIVE FUTURE.

I WANNA THANK YOU COUNSEL FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO SERVING OUR CITY WITH WISDOM AND WITH CARE.

AND I WANT TO THANK OUR AUDIENCE WHO IS HERE BECAUSE YOU CARE AND YOU'RE INTERESTED IN OUR CITY.

YOU MIGHT NOT ALL HAVE THE SAME VIEW, BUT NONE OF US UP HERE DOUBTS THAT YOU ARE HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE INTEREST IN THE WELLBEING OF OUR CITY AND THE DIRECTION OF ITS FUTURE.

SO WITH THAT,

[1. Resolution No. 5913, Ordering and Calling a Special Election for the Submission of Proposed Amendments to the City Charter Clarifying Term Limits for Councilmembers and Mayor Move City Council pass and adopt Resolution No. 5913, ordering and calling a special election for November 4, 2025, for the submission of proposed amendments to Article II, Section 2.01 of the City Charter clarifying term limits for Councilmembers and Mayor; directing publications as required by law; designating the place and time to accept arguments for and against the question; establishing the conduct of elections including ballot tabulation requirements; authorizing an agreement for services with the County and payment of election expenditures; setting forth the voter registration deadline and Voter Rights Act requirements; designating the election as an all-mail ballot election; establishing canvassing and reporting requirements; and including a severability and ratification clause. ]

AND MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY FOR A, UH, A VIEWING AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT NOT ONLY THAT WE WILL SHARE, BUT OUR AUDIENCE, WE WILL THEN DISCUSS THIS AND THEN TAKE OUT, LISTEN TO OUR SPEAKER CARDS AND THEN VOTE AND THEN MOVE ON TO NUMBER TWO, CITY ATTORNEY.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UM, PLEASURE TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS.

AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR EXCUSING ME FROM THE LAST MEETING ON MAY 22ND AS I WANTED TO BE THERE IN PERSON FOR MY CHILD'S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND I'M VERY PROUD THAT I HAVE A CHANDLER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE NOW GOING TO A SU.

SO, UM, THANK YOU .

VERY PROUD.

SO, UM, WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT IS WE DO HAVE AN OLD CHARTER.

IT IS SIX YEARS OLD, UM, AND SOME OF THE LANGUAGE HAS EVOLVED AND NOT ALWAYS AS CLEAR AS WE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE.

AND SO I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH KIND OF THE HISTORY OF WHY WE'RE HERE AND THE PATH FORWARD AND THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE.

SO FIRST OF ALL, WE WANNA CLARIFY WHY THE CURRENT LANGUAGE IS VAGUE AND NEEDS UPDATING.

UM, WE, AT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, OUR OBLIGATION IS TO GIVE LEGAL ADVICE TO THE CITY THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THROUGH THE STAFF.

IT IS NOT TO ADVISE CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE CANDIDATES NEED TO OBTAIN THEIR OWN LEGAL ADVICE BEFORE THEY, UM, CHOOSE TO SUBMIT AND, AND RUN FOR OFFICE.

HOWEVER, WHEN INQUIRIES ARE MADE, THEN WE WILL FOLLOW UP.

SO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, AN INQUIRY WAS MADE AND WE WENT AND LOOKED AT THE CHARTER LANGUAGE AS TWO TERM LIMITS.

AND IT WAS, WE FOUND IT TO BE CONFUSING.

AND IF ANYONE'S BEEN AWARE OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THE MEDIA, BOTH IN THE PRINT AND IN, UM, INTERVIEWS, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS.

CLEARLY THE LANGUAGE IS AMBIGUOUS AND CONFUSING.

SO IT BENEFITS THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS TO HAVE MORE CLEAR LANGUAGE THAT LAYS OUT THE TERM LIMITS EXPLICITLY.

SO THERE IS NOT THAT CONFUSION AND DIFFERING OPINIONS.

SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR MAKING AND ADOPTING THE CHARTER AMENDMENT.

AND THEN OF COURSE, ULTIMATELY IT'S UP TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL IF THEY WANNA GO FORWARD AND PUT THIS AMENDMENT ON THE, UH, ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

AND THEN ULTIMATELY FOR THE VOTERS TO DECIDE WHETHER TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT OR NOT.

SO THE CITY CHARTER'S REALLY THE, UH, CITY'S GOVERNING DOCUMENT.

IT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE OUR LOCAL CONSTITUTION IS A GOOD WAY TO, TO, TO UM, STATE IT.

IT ORIGINALLY WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS AND IT GOVERNS HOW WE DO DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE CITY.

[00:10:01]

UM, IT WAS DRAFTED BEFORE THE INTERNET, BEFORE A LOT OF, UH, MODERN TECHNOLOGY.

AND WHEN WE HAVE LANGUAGE THAT IS VAGUE OR AMBIGUOUS, IT LEADS TO CONFUSION, INCONSISTENCY IN PUBLIC TRUST, SO THAT THEREFORE THERE'S A BENEFIT TO HAVING AN UPDATED CHARTER THAT PROMOTES TRANSPARENCY, FAIRNESS, AND TRUST IN OUR GOVERNMENT.

AND I WANNA SAY AT THIS POINT, THERE IS NO DETERMINATION OF ANY VIOLATIONS OF OUR CHARTER THERE.

WE THINK THAT, UM, THERE'S MISALIGNMENT.

THE LANGUAGE IS NOT CLEAR, AND IT HAS BEEN, IT IS TO OUR BENEFIT TO MAKE SURE THE LANGUAGE IS CLEAR AND WE ARE ON A, A CLEAR STREAM FORWARD, UH, THAT IS A GOOD, UM, PATH FOR, UH, A GOOD REASON TO REVISE LANGUAGE THAT IS OLD.

UM, BUT AGAIN, THERE'S BEEN NO VIOLATION, UM, FOUND OR, OR DETERMINED, UM, IN OUR CURRENT LANGUAGE.

I PUT IT UP FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE, AND I HIGHLIGHTED THE PROVISIONS THAT CAUSED THE CONFUSION.

SO WHEN WE WENT AND LOOKED AT THE LANGUAGE, WE AT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE WERE CONFUSED BY IT.

WE DID CONSULT WITH AN ELECTIONS LAW EXPERT WHO HAS BEEN ON, UH, CONTRACT WITH THE CITY FOR A FEW YEARS TO ANSWER AND ADDRESS ELECTION MATTERS WHERE WE MAY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR WHERE, UH, WE NEED AN EXPERTISE.

WE CONSULTED WITH THAT PERSON, THEY HAD AN OPINION.

UM, WE HAD OTHERS THAT HAD DIFFERING OPINIONS, AND THEREFORE WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE LANGUAGE IS VAGUE AND SHOULD BE CLEANED UP.

AND AGAIN, AS I TALKED ABOUT, UM, IN 1965 WHEN THE CHARTER WAS ADOPTED, IT DID NOT HAVE TERM LIMITS FOR COUNCIL OR MAYOR.

AND IN 1972, UM, IT WAS AMENDED BY THE VOTERS AND IT LIMITED ELECTION OFFICIALS TO TWO TERMS AS COUNCIL MEMBER, TWO TERMS AS MAYOR.

AND IT HAD THE LANGUAGE NOT TO EXCEED 12 CONSECUTIVE YEARS.

JUST A REMINDER, AT THAT TIME, THE MAYOR TERMS WERE TWO YEARS, COUNCIL TERMS WERE FOUR YEARS.

AND THEN FROM 96 TO 97, THERE WAS SOME SPECIAL ELECTION.

AND THAT GOT US TO THE CURRENT VERSION OF OUR TERM LANGUAGE.

AND IT TRIED TO COMBINE A NUMBER OF ISSUES INCLUDING TERM LIMITS, RESIGNATIONS, COMBINATIONS OF SERVICE AND TRANSITION PERIODS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE HAVE SOME, THE CONFUSION THAT HAS COME UP.

I THINK IT IS CLEAR AND CONSISTENT THAT HISTORICALLY THE CHARTER HAS BEEN INTERPRETED THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE LIMITED TO TWO TERMS AND THEN THEY NEED TO TAKE FOUR YEARS OFF BEFORE THEY RUN FOR COUNCIL.

AGAIN, MAYOR IS TWO TERMS, AND THEN THEY NEED TO TAKE FOUR YEARS OFF BEFORE THEY COULD RUN FOR MAYOR AGAIN.

AND THAT, UM, A PERSON WHO HAS RUN TWO TERMS FOR COUNCIL CAN RUN TWO TERMS FOR MAYOR BEFORE THEY HAVE TO TAKE THAT BREAK.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE HISTORY, THAT IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1966.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT MANY OF OUR TWO TERM COUNCIL MEMBERS TURNED AROUND AND RAN FOR TWO TERMS AS MAYOR.

UM, AND AGAIN, TERM LIMITS WERE IMPOSED IN 1972, INCLUDING OUR OWN CURRENT MAYOR WHO IS ON YOUR SECOND TERM AS MAYOR.

SO AGAIN, HOW DID WE GET HERE? UM, THE MAYOR EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN RUNNING FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER AFTER COMPLETING YOUR TWO TERMS. UM, WE DID A LEGAL REVIEW OF THE LANGUAGE AFTER INQUIRY WAS MADE AND WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LANGUAGE.

UM, AND AGAIN, AS I'VE SAID, IF ANYONE WHO'S READ IN THE, UM, ONLINE OR LISTENED TO TALK SHOWS, THERE'S A LOT OF OPINIONS OUT THERE, A LOT OF OPINIONS FROM ATTORNEYS, AND THEY DO NOT AGREE, WHICH SHOWS US THAT THIS IS, WE HAVE LANGUAGE THAT IS UNCLEAR.

SO THE GOAL NOW IS TO PROVIDE LANGUAGE THAT IS CLEAR AND NOT CONFUSING AND LAYS OUT LANGUAGE THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PRIOR INTERPRETATIONS OF THE CITY AND, AND THE HISTORY OF HOW OUR MAYORS HAVE BEEN ELECTED.

AND AGAIN, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE AMBIGUITY, THERE IS RES WE CAN HAVE LEGAL CHALLENGES AND BE IN COURT.

UM, IT IN, WE MAY HAVE INCONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT MISTRUST AND IT MAKES SUCCESSION PLANNING DIFFICULT.

UM, SO THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS IF APPROVED, WILL NOT CHANGE THE TERM LIMITS.

IT MERELY CLARIFIES WHAT CONSISTENT WITH THE PRIOR PRACTICE AND PRIOR INTERPRETATIONS, IT ALIGNS THE LANGUAGE WITH OUR LONGSTANDING PRACTICE AND IT STRENGTHENS TRANSPARENCY AND FAIRNESS.

SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THE DRAFT CHARTER AMENDMENT.

SOME ARE JUST A LITTLE CLEANUP.

UM, WE'VE REFERRED SOME PLACES, WE'VE REPLACED COUNCILMEN WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS,

[00:15:01]

SO THESE ARE JUST LITTLE CLEANUP TO TO MAKE THAT CONSISTENT.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, NOTHING CHANGES HERE.

UM, AND THIS IS IN, UH, SECTION, UH, 2.01 OF THE CHARTER.

AND THEN WHEN WE GET TO SECTION E, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING, UM, AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD TAKE OUT THIS LANGUAGE THAT COBBLED A BUNCH OF IDEAS TOGETHER AND SEPARATE THEM OUT INTO DIFFERENT SECTIONS TO MAKE IT MORE CLEAR.

SO WE PROPOSED DELETING THE ENTIRETY OF SECTION E AND REPLACING IT AS FOLLOWS.

AND THE FIRST PART IS CLARIFYING THAT NO PERSON SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO BE ELECTED TO THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER FOR MORE THAN TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS. AND THAT, UM, YOU CAN'T HOLD OFFICE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER AFTER YOU'VE SERVED YOUR TWO TERMS TILL YOU'VE SAT OUT AT LEAST FOUR YEARS.

AND WHERE IT SAYS, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 2.06 C, THAT IS RELATES TO FILLING OF VACANCIES BY COUNCIL.

AND THEN THE SECOND PART WOULD BE THE SAME LANGUAGE FOR THE MAYOR.

THE MAYOR CAN SERVE TWO TERMS, THEN NEEDS TO SIT OUT AT LEAST FOUR YEARS BEFORE THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO SERVE AS MAYOR AGAIN.

AND THEN WE GO TO SECTION THREE THAT, UH, SOMEBODY COULD SERVE TWO TERMS AS COUNCIL MEMBER, TWO TERMS AS MAYOR.

AND THEN AFTER SERVING THOSE 16 CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF COMBINED SERVICE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO SIT OUT FOR FOUR YEARS.

AND THEN, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE STAGGERED TERMS IN CHANDLER, MEANING SOME OF YOU ARE UP FOR ELECTION NEXT YEAR, SOME OF YOU ARE NOT UP FOR REELECTION FOR TWO MORE YEARS, UM, THAT CREATES A GAP.

'CAUSE THE MAYOR POSITION WILL BE UP FOR ELECTION IN 2026.

UM, AND THEN THERE ARE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO MAY WANNA RUN IN 2030.

SO WE, WE DO HAVE A GAP TIME.

SO WE ADDRESS THAT IN SECTION NUMBER FOUR.

FOR THE PERSON WHO SERVED TWO YEARS AS COUNCIL MEMBER HAS A BREAK IN SERVICE BECAUSE OF THE STAGGERED TERMS, THEN THEY COULD RUN FOR TWO TERMS AS MAYOR BEFORE THEY HAD TO SIT OUT FOR FOUR YEARS.

AND THAT IS THE CLARIFICATION THAT WAS DISCUSSED QUITE EXTENSIVELY AT THE LAST MEETING.

AND THEN FINALLY, UM, NUMBER FIVE, ANYONE WITH ELECTED OR APPOINTED TERMS OF LESS THAN FOUR YEARS, UM, THAT THOSE PARTIAL TERMS ARE NOT COUNTED IN THE ABOVE TIME LIMITATIONS.

AND THEN AGAIN, THE CLARIFYING LANGUAGE AND THEN TAKING OUT LANGUAGE REGARDING INCUMBENTS FROM 1997, THAT'S NO LONGER RELEVANT.

THAT IS THE, UH, DRAFT WE PROPOSE.

AND WHAT THAT DOES, IT CLARIFIES THE LANGUAGE AS I'VE JUST STATED BEFORE.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE CHART WHERE, UM, IT'S CLEAR SOMEBODY COULD DO TWO TERMS, COUNCIL MEMBER, TWO TERMS, MAYOR SIT OUT OR JUST TWO TERMS COUNCIL MEMBER SIT OUT, THEN COME BACK AND RUN FOR COUNCIL OR, OR LIKEWISE WITH MAYOR.

SO WE THINK THIS MAKES THIS, THAT LANGUAGE THAT WE'VE ADDED THERE MAKES IT CONSISTENT WITH, UM, THE PRACTICE, THE PRIOR INTERPRETATIONS.

AND I BELIEVE PROBABLY WHAT WAS INTENDED BY THE OLD LANGUAGE.

BUT AGAIN, UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S AS CLEAR AS IT COULD BE.

SO IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO REFER THIS MATTER TO THE VOTERS, UM, TONIGHT WOULD BE THE NIGHT TO, UM, CALL THE ELECTION FOR THIS ISSUE.

WE ALREADY HAVE AN ELECTION GOING IN NOVEMBER ON NOVEMBER 4TH.

UM, THERE WOULD BE TIME TO PREPARE THE PUBLICITY PAMPHLET.

PEOPLE CAN COM SUBMIT PRO, PRO AND CON ARGUMENTS FOR THE PUBLICITY PAMPHLET.

THAT PUBLICITY PAMPHLET GETS MAILED TO THE VOTERS FOR EDUCATION.

AND THEN IT'LL BE A SPECIAL ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025.

AND AS I RECALL, IT'S AN ALL MALE BALLOT ELECTION.

UM, SO THERE'LL BE DROP OFFS AND THERE'LL BE MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.

AND THEN IF APPROVED, THE AMENDMENT TAKES UPON EFFECT UPON THE CERTIFICATION OF THE ELECTION RESULTS AND APPROVAL BY THE GOVERNOR.

SO IN CHARTER ELECTIONS, WE HAVE TO GET APPROVAL BY THE GOVERNOR, AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN A GOVERNOR NOT APPROVE AND A CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTER.

SO I DON'T THINK THAT WILL BE A, A BIG HURDLE.

AND, UM, THINK WITH THAT I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU CITY ATTORNEY AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOU AND TON AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO SPENT A LONG WEEKEND AND A LONG WEEK WORKING ON THIS, GETTING THIS READY FOR TONIGHT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS? NONE ON MY LEFT.

NONE ON MY RIGHT.

SHALL WE GO TO SPEAKER CARDS? I AM, UH, GOING TO CALL THESE IN THE ORDER THAT THEY WERE GIVEN ALL OF THE SPEAKER CARDS AND LOOKED AT ALL THE COMMENT CARDS SEEM TO RESULT ALONG THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, NOT THE SECOND.

SO WITH THAT, FIRST UP IS BETH BRAZE.

UH, AND AGAIN, I WANNA ENCOURAGE OUR AUDIENCE, UH, UH,

[00:20:01]

YOU, YOU HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES, BUT, UH, IF YOU'VE GOT OTHERWISE, YOU CAN JUST SAY I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS BY SUCH AND SUCH.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

YOU HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES.

OKAY.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF.

MY NAME IS BETH AL AND I LIVE AT 61 30 WEST SHANNON STREET.

I HAVE LIVED AND VOTED AND PAID TAXES HERE FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS.

I AM HERE THIS EVENING TO ASK YOU TO VOTE YES ON RESOLUTION 59 13, ORDERING AND CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025 FOR THE SUBMISSION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY CHARTER CLARIFYING TERM LIMITS FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR.

I BELIEVE IT WAS MADE VERY CLEAR AT THE LAST, UH, MEETING ON MAY 22ND THAT THE MEMBERS THAT WERE HERE WANTED TO HAVE THIS CLARIFIED IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY MORE CONFUSION AS WELL AS TO STOP ANY MORE EXPENSIVE LITIGATION.

CHANDLER HAS A LONG HISTORY OF COUNCIL MEMBERS RUNNING FOR MAYOR I AND THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS VOTED FOR BOY DUNN J CHIP TRAINEE KEVIN HARKEY FOR MAYOR.

AFTER SERVING TWO TERMS ON CITY COUNCIL, I PERSONALLY BELIEVE IT'S VERY BENEFICIAL FOR OUR MAYOR TO HAVE HAD SERVED ON CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE BEFORE BEING ELECTED.

MAYOR CHANDLER VOTERS HAVE OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED KEEPING TERM LIMITS A TOTAL OF 16 YEARS, AND THIS RESOLUTION KEEPS THAT INTACT.

WE ALREADY HAVE A SPECIAL BOND ELECTION SET FOR NOVEMBER 4TH, SO ADDING THIS TO THE BALLOT IS BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.

WAITING UNTIL 2026 IS NOT GIVING THE VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE CHARTER CLARIFIED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

AGAIN, I AM ASKING THE COUNCIL TO VOTE YES ON 59 13 AND LET THE CHAND VOTERS DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THE CURRENT CITY CHARTER SHOULD BE AMENDED.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. BRAZEL.

I'M GOING TO TURN LEFT AND RIGHT.

IF NO COUNCIL MEMBER WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING, I WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT RAQUEL ARMSTRONG.

AND LET ME ALSO, UM, I WOULD, UH, LET'S LET EVERYONE SPEAK.

UM, THANK YOU FOR NOT CHEERING OR BOOING BETH.

LET'S KEEP UP THAT PRACTICE THROUGH THE REST OF THIS EVENING AND RESPECT OUR SPEAKERS AND, UM, ALLOW THEM TO SAY WHAT THEY WOULD SAY WITHOUT COMMENT, WITHOUT CHEERING OR WITHOUT BOOING.

RAQUEL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES? YES.

GOOD EVENING.

UH, RAQUEL ARMSTRONG.

I LIVE AT 2 2 2 WEST BOSTON STREET.

UM, THANK YOU MAYOR.

THANK YOU COUNSEL.

AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THIS WORK.

UM, I BELIEVE THAT THAT PRESENTATION REALLY ANSWERED MY CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT SO I DON'T TAKE UP MORE TIME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARSHA, WE, MARSHA, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

YOU HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES WHEN THE S GREAT.

THERE YOU GO.

, MAYOR HARKEY, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO TALK TO THE GROUP.

I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER A NO ON 59 13, AND I'M JUST ASKING THAT IF THE CITY, UH, ATTORNEY, BASED ON YOUR, WHAT YOUR FINDINGS ARE, THAT WE TAKE TIME TO LOOK AT THE ENTIRE CHARTER.

IF WE'VE NOT DONE ANYTHING IN VIOLATION, WHY ARE WE IN A RUSH TO GET THIS ON THE BALLOT? WHY DON'T WE JUST KEEP THE BALLOT CLEAN AND GIVE US TIME TO PROPERLY VET AND WRITE THIS THE WAY WE NEED IT TO BE? 'CAUSE I, I SEE NO END TERM.

THERE'S NO SET THAT YOU CAN'T GO BE, YOU CAN'T GO MORE THAN 16.

OR MAYBE MAYBE WE NEED TO GO LONGER.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT, BUT I JUST WOULD ASK US TO CONSIDER A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO THIS.

I'VE NOT HEARD WE FOUND A PROBLEM.

WHAT IS OUR SOLUTION MOVING FORWARD? I'M NOT HEARING ANY OF THAT, AND I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA SEE US GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN WITH ALL THE IN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF LITIGATION.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU TO, TO VOTE NO, TO TAKE THAT PAUSE AND TO RECONSIDER HOW WE WANT TO APPROACH THE ENTIRE CHARTER AS A CITY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

NEXT UP, RUTH JONES, PLEASE COME STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

YOU HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES.

RUTH JONES, 27 34 EAST BIRCHWOOD PLACE, CHANDLER, ARIZONA, 8 5 2 4 9.

I KEEP TRYING TO DO THAT FASTER.

UM, I'M UP HERE TONIGHT ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO.

THE REASON THAT THE CHARTER WAS CHANGED, AND THE REASON THAT THIS WAS SET UP THE WAY IT WAS, WAS BECAUSE THE VOTERS OF THIS CITY ALREADY WEIGHED IN.

THERE WAS ANOTHER VOTE WHERE THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE TERMS AND THEY SAID NO TO THAT.

NO ONE MAN OR GROUP SHOULD HOLD POWER FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

THAT'S HOW OUR GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN COMPRISED.

AND THE CITY OF CHANDLER MADE THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO BE SURE

[00:25:01]

IT SEEMS UNFAIR TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ON THE COUNCIL WHO ARE NEW.

ARE WE SAYING THAT A ONE TERM COUNCIL MEMBER DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE MAYOR? I'M SAYING TO YOU TONIGHT THAT PASSING THIS RESOLUTION IS SELF-SERVING.

IT IS ALLOWING US TO HAVE 16 YEARS AND THEN POSSIBLY AFTER TWO YEARS, ANOTHER 16 YEARS.

THAT IS NOT HOW OUR GOVERNMENT WAS EVER MEANT TO BE.

I SIT HERE TODAY AND LOOK AT OUR CITY AND WHAT THE VOTERS HAVE ALREADY WEIGHED IN ON.

THE OPTION TO INCREASE TERMS WAS PUT TO THE VOTERS AND IT WAS VOTED DOWN.

I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT TO REMEMBER THAT.

AND I'M ASKING YOU TO REMEMBER THAT EACH ONE OF YOU IS A SERVANT TO THIS CITY.

THIS ISN'T YOUR JOB, PER SE.

MOST OF YOU HAVE JOBS OUTSIDE OF THIS.

THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE CHANDLER.

AND THERE ARE MANY GOOD PEOPLE IN THIS CITY WHO COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THIS CITY.

BUT IF ONE GROUP OR PERSON HOLDS POWER FOR 16 YEARS, YOU TAKE THAT AWAY FROM OUR CITIZENS.

AND I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY WHEN YOU MAKE THIS CHOICE TONIGHT.

NOT YOUR OWN POLITICAL FUTURES OR YOUR OWN NEEDS.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE TWO TERMS AND TAKEN A BREAK, AND WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT NONE OF US IS THAT ESSENTIAL.

WE WORK TOGETHER AS A BODY FOR THE CITY, AND I'M ASKING YOU TO REMEMBER THAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

NEXT UP, UH, LES MKI, LESLIE MINKUS, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

YOU HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES.

LET'S MAKE US, UH, 33 72.

HE'S GEMINI COURT IN CHANDLER.

UM, I I BELIEVE THAT, UH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT WHY THEY'RE MAKING THE DECISION TO MAKE THIS VOTE.

I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOUR UH, POINT IS.

I USE AN ANALOGY.

UM, I'M, I'M IN A COURT, UH, AND I'M SAYING TO THE, UH, JUDGE, JUDGE, I KNOW THE SPEED LIMIT WAS POSTED, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT I WAS SPEEDING EVEN THOUGH I GOT A TICKET.

SO, UH, I'D LIKE YOU TO DISMISS THE CASE.

WE'VE GOT A CASE HERE RIGHT NOW WHERE WE'VE GOT AN ILLEGAL, UM, UH, WE'VE GOT AN LEGAL, UH, COUNCIL AND OR MAYOR, AND WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT NOW TO TAKE ANY STEPS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

SO I THINK THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE.

UH, AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S THINKING IS AS TO WHY WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING RIGHT NOW IN ORDER TO AFFECT A MORE LEGAL SITUATION.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

NEXT UP, UH, RICK CUMAN, DO I NEED TO GIVE YOU THE ADMONITION MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL STAFF, RICK CUMAN, 43 10 WEST DUBLIN STREET, GENERAL ARIZONA.

I WANT TO THANK THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND STAFF ARE WORKING ON THIS TO CLEAN UP THIS LANGUAGE.

I'VE HEARD FROM A COUPLE SPEAKERS JUST NOW THAT THIS IS ILLEGAL.

ALL THE KINDS OF THINGS.

THE LANGUAGE WAS CHANGED IN 97, AGAIN IN 2012.

THE LANGUAGE NEVER WAS INTENDED TO LIMIT ANYTHING OTHER THAN GOING FROM COUNCIL TO MAYOR OR IF YOU JUST WANTED TO BECOME MAYOR OF THE EIGHT YEARS.

SO I DO APPRECIATE THE WORK BEING DONE BY STAFF CLEANING UP THIS LANGUAGE.

I THINK THIS TAKES ALL THE, THE DOUBT OUT OF WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, THIS LEGAL, NOT LEGAL, THE INTENT OF THE LAST 50 YEARS OF COUNCIL AND MAYOR'S RACES, UH, JUST AS CLEANS US UP.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UH, NEXT UP, UM, I'M, I'M NOT QUITE SURE I CAN READ THE LAST NAME.

UM, JAN ANO ON SENATE CIRCLE.

SORRY, JAN.

HI.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

YOU HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.

HI THERE.

I'M LAN LAUR.

OH, AND I LIVE AT 1 0 6 9 EAST, UH, SENATE CIRCLE IN CHANDLER.

AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE MAYOR AND THE WHOLE COUNCIL AND THE STAFF FOR SPENDING TIME ON THIS AND MAKING IT, UM, CLEAR.

I JUST WANTED TO, I HAVE NOTHING NEW TO SAY.

I JUST WANTED TO SUPPORT WHAT BETH BRIL HAD SAID TO, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE CLARITY

[00:30:01]

AND THAT WAY THERE'S NO BACK AND FORTH AND IT'S STATED CLEARLY IN THE CHARTER THANK YOU LINE.

AND I APOLOGIZE FOR BUTCHERING YOUR NAME SO BADLY.

IT'S MY HANDWRITING.

SORRY, .

I WAS TRYING TO, I WAS TRYING TO RUSH IT IN.

THANK YOU.

UH, NEXT UP MARTIN SDA, MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, STAFF.

GOOD EVENING.

UH, 8 9 1 NORTH LANE CHANDLER 8 5 2 2 6.

I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THIS, UH, MEASURE.

UH, I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND.

THAT 19, UH, 97, UH, CHARTER CHANGE I INITIATED.

WE DID THAT FROM THE DIOCESE.

UH, WE PUT IT OUT TO THE VOTE AND TO THE VOTERS THE NEXT ELECTION OR THE, YEAH, THE NEXT ELECTION WE COULD, AND IT WAS PASSED NORMALLY, UH, AS A CITIZEN OF THIS CITY, OF THIS COUNTRY, I LIKE CITIZEN INPUT.

UH, BEING A MILITARY GUY, YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET THAT BASED ON TIMING.

BUT HAVING SAID THAT, UH, WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE.

AND AT THAT POINT, WITH THAT CHARTER CHANGE IN TERM LIMITS, IT WAS MERELY TO DO ONE THING.

IT WAS TO INCREASE THE MAYORAL TERM FROM FOUR OR FROM TWO, TWO YEAR TERMS TO A MATCH OF FOUR TO, UH, TWO YEAR TERMS. UH, AFTER I LEFT THE COUNCIL, UH, THE SUBSEQUENT COUNSEL CHANGED THAT TO TWO CONSECUTIVE FOUR YEAR TERMS FOR THE MAYOR.

WE NEVER CONTEMPLATED, UH, NOT HAVING A SITTING COUNCIL MEMBER, WHETHER IT WAS, WELL, IN THIS CASE IT'S TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS, EIGHT YEARS NOT BEING ELIGIBLE.

THAT WAS NEVER CONTEMPLATED, QUITE FRANKLY.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE PRECEDENTS, THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY, THAT WAS NEVER AN ISSUE.

SO I COULD SAY, GOSH, WHY THE POLITICS? WHY NOW? I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY OF THAT.

WHAT I CARE ABOUT IS GIVING YOU MY PERSPECTIVE WHY IT HAPPENED IN, UH, 1997 TO MAKE THIS SITTER CITY BETTER WITH A MAYOR WHO GETS TO DO ALL SORTS OF THINGS OUTSIDE THE COUNCIL REPRESENT, REPRESENT THE CITY FOR MORE THAN FOUR YEARS.

OKAY? AND THERE WAS NEVER AN INTENTION IN THAT, UH, DISCUSSION THAT ELECTION TO LIMIT THE TERM LIMITS OF THE, UH, I MEAN, LIMIT A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR, FOR TWO, FOUR YEAR CONSECUTIVE TERMS TO NOT BE ABLE RUN FOR MAYOR.

UH, AND THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY, YEAH, IT IS THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS CITY.

I GET IT.

OUR UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, IT DOESN'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR ANYTHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN.

SO FROM TIME TO TIME, WE DO GO OUT AND MAKE THESE CLARIFICATIONS AND WE SHOULD HAVE THAT SYSTEM INPUT AND WE HAVE IT HERE.

UH, MY PERSONAL BELIEF IS IT SHOULD GO FORWARD.

IT SHOULD PASS.

I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING ILLEGAL HAS HAPPENED HERE.

I THINK WE HAVE TO KEEP IT ON THAT LEVEL.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MR. OLA.

MAYOR COUNCILMAN HARRIS.

WANDA HONORABLE MARTIN.

MR. COUNCIL MEMBER.

GOTTA COME ON BACK UP.

NO, I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, UM, I HAD ASKED THE PREVIOUS, UH, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER RICK CUMAN, UM, WHAT WAS THE TIME, WHAT WAS THE TIME PERIOD IN WHICH YOU SERVED? AND IF YOU CAN JUST KIND OF GIVE MORE OF THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF WHY THAT CHANGE WAS NEEDED TO HAPPEN.

YOU SAID YOU INITIATED, BUT WHAT WAS IT THAT YOU GUYS WERE DISCUSSING AT THAT POINT IN HISTORY TO WANT TO BRING THIS FORWARD AND TWO, ESSENTIALLY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS DECIDING TO SAY YES, TO BRING IT TO THE VOTERS TO ALLOW THEM TO DECIDE.

GOOD QUESTION.

THANK YOU.

UH, COUNCILMAN HARRIS.

SO I SERVED FROM 96 TO 2000.

UH, I HAD TO TAKE A LITTLE TRIP AND I HAD A REPLACEMENT, UH, WHILE I WAS GONE.

YOUR MAYOR.

UH, AND I THINK THAT WORKED FINE.

IN FACT, THERE'S PROBABLY SOME, ANOTHER CHARTER AMENDMENT BASED ON THE, UH, VACANCY, RIGHT? UH, BUT THE CONTEXT OF THAT IS THIS, UH, CHANDLER WASN'T MORE THAN MAYBE 150,000 AT THAT TIME.

MM-HMM.

OKAY.

WE WERE GROWING, UH, EAST VALLEY PARTNERSHIP AND THE STUFF WAS DONE IN THE EAST FELLOW WAS VERY IMPORTANT.

AND WE NEED A VOICE.

COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GREAT ON THESE COMMISSIONS, THESE BOARDS, COMMISSIONS OUTSIDE THE CITY.

BUT GUESS WHAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS WANNA HEAR FROM THE MAYOR.

IF YOU HAVE A MAYOR THAT'S ONLY IN OFFICE FOR, AT THAT TIME, A MAX OF FOUR YEARS, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT, THAT, UM, ABILITY, LIKE SOME TEMPE, I DON'T THINK HAS TERM LIMITS.

PHOENIX HAS GOT EIGHT YEARS, WHATEVER.

YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY AS A MAYOR TO HAVE THE SAME STANDING IN THESE COMMITTEES TO REALLY MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, UH, FOR YOUR CITY AS THE OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS DO WITH MAYORAL TERMS BEING LONGER.

IN THAT CASE, IT WAS HER FUNDING HIGHWAY MONEY.

THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

THAT'S OUR LIFEBLOOD, RIGHT? MM-HMM.

UH, A LOT OF STUFF WE DID IN THE PRICE ROAD CORE, THIS EXPANSION YOU SEE TODAY, THAT HAPPENED PROBABLY 40 OR 50 YEARS AGO, BUT IT CAME TO FRUITION BECAUSE THESE MONIES THAT WERE ALLOCATED BECAUSE THE EAST VALLEY MAYORS FOUGHT FOR IT.

AND WE JUST WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THAT IF WE JUST HAD A MAYOR THAT'D BEEN IN OFFICE FOR, FOR, UH, FOUR YEARS BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE RISEN, UH, THROUGH THE RANKS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

SO THE LAST PART OF YOUR QUESTION IS I HAD TWO NON-CON CONSECUTIVE TERMS, QUITE FRANKLY.

I WAS, I WAS THROUGH AFTER MY FIRST TERM, UH, BUT

[00:35:01]

IT WAS, I TOOK FOUR YEARS OFF.

OKAY.

UH, 2000 QUESTION.

2004.

2004.

THERE YOU GO.

YEAH.

.

SO, UH, YEAH, SO I, I I JUST THOUGHT AT THAT POINT, AS DID THE COUNCIL, AND IT WAS A UNANIMOUS, UH, AGREEMENT.

IT WAS, IT WAS, UH, IT WAS FIVE TO TWO, AND I WON'T TELL YOU WHO THE TWO, THE CENTERS WERE, BUT IT DID GO THROUGH THIS, THIS BY THE TER WAS CITIZEN INPUT.

IT WAS VOTED ON, IT WAS PASSED AND TO A POINT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER.

YEAH, THERE'S BEEN OTHER ATTEMPTS TO INCREASE THE TERM LIMITS.

GUESS WHAT? CITIZENS HAVE TURNED 'EM DOWN.

SO I THINK I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION.

I THINK WE'RE ON SOLID GROUND TO MOVE FORWARD.

THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S GONNA PRECLUDE ME OR ANY OTHER CITIZEN IN THIS COMMUNITY FROM GIVING YOU OUR, OUR, OUR OPINION, OUR ADVICE, WHATEVER YOU WANNA TAKE, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

SO MAYOR, JUST ONE LAST THING.

SO JUST, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE IDEA WAS THAT STABILITY, THERE WAS STABILITY IN SOMEONE MOVING FROM A COUNCIL MEMBER INTO THE MAYOR ORAL ROLE AND ALLOWING THEIR TERMS TO BE SET FOR TWO TERMS, BEING UP TO EIGHT YEARS BECAUSE OF THE STABILITY AND WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE REGION DURING THAT TIME.

SO IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A MAYOR WHO CAN SERVE POTENTIALLY EIGHT YEARS VERSUS FOUR YEARS TOTAL.

YEAH.

SO VERY CANDIDLY, THERE WAS, THERE WASN'T THE STABILITY COMPONENT YOU TALKED ABOUT.

IT WASN'T A NEXUS BETWEEN, HEY, THIS PERSON'S IN THE COUNCIL FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW YOU CAN SERVE EIGHT YEARS AS, AS MAYOR.

THE, THE, THE LATTER IS, IS TRUE, BUT JUST PERTAIN TO THE MAYOR.

'CAUSE WE DIDN'T TOUCH THE COUNCIL TERMS THAT WAS LEFT AS IT WAS.

WE SIMPLY SAID THE MAYOR CAN SERVE UP TO FOUR, TWO YEAR TERMS. IT WAS JUST TWO, TWO YEAR TERMS FOR THE VERY REASON OF STABILITY TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE PRESENCE WE NEEDED IN THESE REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND EVEN THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

IT TAKES YOU ALL THE, YOU KNOW, TO KIND OF FLEET UP TO WHATEVER LEVEL OF LEADERSHIP YOU WANT FOR THE LEAGUE OF CITIES AND TOWNS NATIONALLY, UH, STATE, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.

SO IT ALLOWED US THAT OPPORTUNITY, AND I WOULD TELL YOU, UM, I STILL THINK IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER HAWKINS.

HI.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I DO HAVE ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION, UM, JUST FOR SHARING SOME INFORMATION AND, AND BACKGROUND ON THAT PIECE OF IT WHERE YOU SAID THAT, AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM AS FAR AS THAT THERE'S VALUE TO, UM, HAVE THAT THERE FOR THAT LENGTH OF TIME TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

UH, BUT CAN YOU TELL ME AT WHAT POINT WHERE WERE THE CITIZENS ENGAGEMENT? LIKE WHERE, WHAT PART DID IT PLAY IN THAT? WAS THAT BEFORE THAT, WAS THAT AFTER YOU GUYS DECIDED THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU WANTED IN THE DIRECTION TO GO? OR WHERE? WELL, SINCE I INITIATED IT ON THE DIOCESE, I HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE CALLING ME, UH, NAMES I HADN'T HEARD OF IN A LONG TIME.

BUT, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE INPUT WAS THERE.

AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THE VOTERS VOTED ON IT.

SO WE HAD A LOT OF TIME, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MONTHS WERE BE, BE BETWEEN THE TIME WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION TO DAIS AND IT WENT TO THE, THE VOTERS.

BUT THERE WAS INPUT.

I, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU I STILL GET GRIEF ABOUT THAT FROM CERTAIN PEOPLE.

UH, BUT AGAIN, ULTIMATELY, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ELECTED TO MAKE DECISIONS, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW BY NOW.

THEY'RE NOT ALL THESE EASY DECISIONS, BUT YOU GOTTA MAKE THEM.

MM-HMM.

SOMETHING ME, HAPPY SOMEBODY DON'T BE SO HAPPY.

BUT WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, WHEN YOU REFER SOMETHING, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO GIVE A ONE-ON-ONE CLASS HERE, WHEN YOU REFER SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED PUBLICLY AND, AND IN PRINT, AND WHETHER A MEDIUM YOU HAVE THE INPUT IS, IS IS THERE THE ABILITY TO HAVE INPUT IS THERE.

AND ULTIMATELY, IF, IF THE VOTERS DECIDE TO PASS IT, THEN THEY SPEAK AND IT ENDS UP BEING SOMETHING TERRIBLE, THEY'LL, THEY'LL ASK FOR TO HAVE IT REFERRED AGAIN.

BUT THE CLARITY, I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

I MEAN, I, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, UNTIL THIS CAME UP, NO ONE EVER THOUGHT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH BEING DISQUALIFIED BECAUSE YOU ARE ON THE COUNCIL FOR TWO TERMS, NEVER CROSSED ONE'S MIND THAT I'M AWARE OF.

RIGHT.

SO IF CLARITY IS WHAT WE NEED, THEN I THINK WE HAVE IT.

AND I THINK IT'S, UH, IT'S GOOD TO BE REFERRED.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SIR.

OUR NEXT PERSON IS SHERRY JOHNSON.

SHERRY, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

YOU HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

MY NAME IS SHERRY JOHNSON.

I LIVE AT 36 27 EAST AGAVE ROAD, AND I'M A COMMUNITY LEADER FOR LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 12, WHICH INCLUDES CHANDLER.

UM, I SPOKE AT THE LAST MEETING, SO I'M NOT GONNA REITERATE ALL OF THE REASONS THAT I SUPPORT RESOLUTION 59 13.

UM, EXCEPT TO SAY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TAKING JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO, UM, CONSIDER THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE.

UM, FOR THIS PARTICULAR SECTION OF THE CHARTER, I READ THE EXHIBIT, AND I THINK THAT THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE HONORS THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF CONSECUTIVE TERMS, THE WISHES OF CHANDLER VOTERS FOR TERM LIMITS AND ALSO, UH, PREVIOUS PRECEDENT.

UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS PORTION CLARIFIED NOW ON THE NOVEMBER

[00:40:01]

IT'S AMBIGUOUS AND OPENS THE CITY UP TO POTENTIAL LITIGATION.

IT MUST BE CLEARED UP IN NOVEMBER, 2025 TO ENSURE THE FAIR AND TRANSPARENT ELECTION IN 2026.

FOR THESE REASONS, I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

NEXT UP, UH, STEVEN VAN KLOPPENBURG.

STEVEN, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

YOU HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.

WILL DO.

STEVEN VAN KLEINBERG, 4 3 7 5 SOUTH MELODY, LONGTIME CHANDLER RESIDENT, PROUD TO BE HERE.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

UH, INTERNET DOESN'T REALLY CHANGE WORDS, BUT I UNDERSTAND IT MAY ADD ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, OPINIONS ON THINGS.

SO IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA TO, YOU KNOW, IF, IF CITY COUNCIL FIGURES THERE'S A AND LEGAL FIGURES, THERE'S SOME AMBIGUITY.

LET'S CLEAR IT UP.

SO FOR THAT REASON, I'M GONNA SAY LET'S GO AHEAD AND, YOU KNOW, VOTE YES ON THIS ONE.

I WONDER WHY NOW.

BUT IT'S NEVER TOO LATE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO CLARIFY SOMETHING.

UM, I, I DON'T THINK THAT THE PRIOR LANGUAGE WAS, HAD ANY INTENT FOR NEFARIOUS OR ILLEGAL ACTIVITY.

UM, YEAH, SO I AGREE WITH FORMER COUNSEL, RICK H AND, UH, I, I WOULD SAY YES TO THE, TO THE RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU.

MR. H.

NEXT UP, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HAWKINS.

UH, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

UH, CITY MANAGER, I KNOW YOU HAVE PROVIDED SOME, UM, INPUT PREVIOUSLY AS FAR AS THE LIST OF PROPOSED AMENDMENT CHANGES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT SO FAR.

CAN YOU GIMME AN IDEA ON QUANTITY? UM, SO FAR, JUST AT THAT QUICK FIRST LOOK.

YEAH, MR. MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HAWKINS, UM, THERE'S A NUMBER THROUGHOUT THE CODE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CHARTER, EXCUSE ME, THAT WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT IN THE PAST FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, UM, IT DEPENDS ON HOW FAR YOU WANT TO GO.

IF IT'S MERELY, UH, KIND OF TECHNICAL CLEANUP OR JUST SORT OF ADJUSTING LANGUAGE TO REFLECT MODERN TERMINOLOGY, THE LIST COULD BE QUITE A BIT LONGER.

IN TERMS OF SUBSTANTIVE ITEMS, THERE COULD BE MAYBE HALF A DOZEN IN THERE.

UM, SOME OF THEM WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH COUNSEL IN PREVIOUS WORK SESSIONS RELATED TO THE NUMBER OF READINGS OF, UH, ORDINANCES THAT ARE REQUIRED, WHICH CHANDLER DOES SOMEWHAT DIFFERENTLY THAN THE REST OF THE VALLEY.

UM, RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS IS THE OTHER ONE THAT COUNCIL'S DISCUSSED IN RECENT MONTHS.

SO THERE'S SOME THAT ARE, I WOULD SAY, MORE SUBSTANTIVE AND, AND A POLICY DECISION FOR THE COUNCIL AND THEN ULTIMATELY FOR THE VOTERS, UM, VERSUS MORE OF JUST CLEANUP OF THINGS THAT ARE INCONSISTENT BETWEEN OUR CHARTER AND SAY, UM, THE WAY THAT, UH, MODERN BUSINESS TAKES PLACE OR THE WAY THAT STATE LAW PRESCRIBES, WE SHOULD CONSIDER EVEN THOUGH WE, WE RETAIN SOME CONTROL OVER THAT.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHELLE, WHO LIVES AT 1710 EAST REDWOOD.

OH, OKAY.

HI.

SORRY MICHELLE COULDN'T CATCH YOUR LAST NAME THERE.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

YOU HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES.

HI, MY NAME'S MICHELLE DALEY.

I LIVE AT 1710 EAST REDWOOD PLACE.

UM, I WAS HERE THAT PREVIOUS MEETING AND I WAS REALLY CONCERNED BY ALL THE CONFUSION THAT THAT WAS A ROUGH, ROUGH MEETING.

AND I JUST WANNA SAY I'M REALLY PROUD TO SEE ALL THESE IMPROVEMENTS, THANK YOU TO STAFF AND ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.

UM, I JUST FEEL LIKE THIS HAS BEEN A VERY PROMPT AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSE.

I SUPPORT BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO THE VOTERS.

I FEEL THIS MAINTAINS THE INTENT THAT HAS SERVED US WELL.

WE NEVER FORESAW THESE LEGAL CHALLENGES PRIOR TO THIS YEAR FROM ANY CANDIDATES, THEIR OPPONENTS, ANY CITY ATTORNEYS, OR EVEN THE VOTERS THROUGH ALL THOSE MANY ELECTIONS.

SO I DO SUPPORT SENDING THIS TO THE VOTERS TO PREVENT THIS CURRENT INTERPRETATION THAT IT CONFLICTS WITH THE INTENT FROM AFFECTING ANY UPCOMING MAYOR OR COUNCIL RACES.

THANK YOU.

AND I'M A BIT EMBARRASSED WHEN TWO OF MY FRIENDS ARE IN THE AUDIENCE AND I CAN'T READ THEIR NAMES.

SO SORRY ABOUT THAT.

JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION.

UM, COUNSEL, THERE'S ALSO SEVEN OR EIGHT COMMENT CARDS.

WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ THESE OR JUST ENTER 'EM INTO THE RECORDS? YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE.

WHAT'S THAT? ENTER INTO THE RECORD.

ENTER INTO THE RECORDS, SIR.

I'VE GOT A COUPLE READS WE'LL GO AHEAD AND READ.

ALRIGHT.

FIRST IS SUSAN ELLSWORTH FROM 32 25 SOUTH DIAMOND DRIVE IN CHANDLER.

I'M GONNA TRY TO DO MY BEST TO READ, UM, IN SITUATIONS WHERE A CITY CHARTER IS,

[00:45:01]