HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/19-21/2025 Special Council Meeting Retreat Summary Minutes MARANA AZ
ESTABLISHED 1977
MARANA TOWN COUNCIL
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING/RETREAT
Crowne Plaza Resort, One North San Marcos Pl, Chandler, AZ 85225
February 19 - 21, 2025
Jon Post, Mayor
Roxanne Ziegler,Vice Mayor
Patrick Cavanaugh, Council Member
Patti Comerford, Council Member
Herb Kai, Council Member
Teri Murphy, Council Member
John Officer, Council Member
SUMMARY MINUTES
[Each item on the agenda was subject to presentation, discussion, and possible direction from
Council. All agendized times in the left column are approximates only. Actual times are
included in the body of the minutes.]
Wednesday,
February 19
at 3:00pm to
5:00pm
3:00PM - Call to Order/Roll Call
3:10PM
Mayor Post called the meeting to order at 3:06 PM and directed the Town
Clerk to call the roll. Council Member Murphy was absent. All other
Council Members were present, constituting a quorum. Staff present
included Town Manager Terry Rozema, Deputy Town Manager Erik
Montague, Assistant Town Manager Andrea De La Cruz, Town
Attorney Jane Fairall, Town Clerk/ Assistant Town Attorney David
Udall, Finance Director Yiannis Kalaitzidis, Public Works Director
Fausto Burruel, Development Services Director Jason Angell, and
Water Director Heidi Lasham. Also present for the first item was
Page 1 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke and City Manager Joshua Wright.
Present for the second item was Mr. Danny Court, Principal & Senior
Economist at Elliot D. Pollack & Company.
Welcome to City of Chandler
By:Mayor Kevin Hartke and City Manager Joshua Wright
Mayor Post welcomed Mayor Hartke and Mr. Wright.
Mayor Hartke welcomed everyone and said he was honored the Council
would choose to come to Chandler for the retreat. He said that he and
Mr. Wright attended the late Mayor Ed Honea's memorial services and
that his passing came as a shock.
Mayor Hartke said he believes Arizona is a desirable location. He said
Marana is a great place to live, well positioned in its location, had the
advantage of being a first-tier suburb, and was well positioned for
companies looking for better tax policies and favorable regulations. He
thanked Council Member Cavanaugh for attending Chandler's State of
the City recently.
Mayor Post thanked Mayor Hartke for the information he and Mr.
Wright provided regarding data centers during last year's Council
retreat. Mayor Post said the Town would have been woefully
unprepared without that information and that Town staff has since spent
time looking around the country and has established good development
guidelines related to data centers.He said that would not have happened
without the information provided last year. Discussion ensued related to
data centers, their competition with facilities that provide jobs, the large
amount of power they consume, and their attempts to creatively
circumvent code provisions intended to regulate their placement.
Mr.Wright said it was a joy to have the Town in Chandler and thanked
the Council and staff present for being there.He said he hopes it becomes
a new tradition. He said they are always happy to share the lessons
Chandler has learned and the resources they have and want to see
Marana be successful. He explained he started his career as a Marana
intern almost 20 years ago and looks to many in Marana as mentors and
advisors.
Page 2 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
Mr. Wright said Marana and Chandler share similar visions. He said
both Chandler and Marana know who they are and are proud to go their
own way, even when decisions may initially be unpopular. He said
Chandler has had a similar vision for many generations, and that many
initiatives currently in effect that make Chandler successful were set
forth many years ago and were unpopular at the time. He said that kind
of foresight pays dividends, even if we are not around to see it.
Clarifying questions were asked and answered during Mayor Hartke
and Mr. Wright's remarks, including regarding the state of the Intel
company and semiconductor manufacturing in Chandler.
Mr. Rozema and Mayor Post thanked Mayor Hartke and Mr. Wright.
3:10PM - State Financial Outlook: Overview of key trends and insights into
4:10PM fiscal health and economic projections
By: Danny Court, Principal & Senior Economist at Elliott D. Pollack &
Company
[Actual start time was 3:22 PM.]
Mr. Court presented on this item. A copy of the presentation slides is on
file with the Town Clerk's Office. Mr. Court first provided an overview
of the economic outlook in the United States generally, including the
following (note that several statistics, charts, and graphs related to the
following are available in the presentation slides):
• Whether the United States economy can still achieve a "soft
landing."
• Employment and unemployment trends.
• Labor force participation trends.
• Wage growth trends.
• Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Recession indicators.
• GDP growth versus deficit spending.
Mr. Court said that over the last three years, the national economy has
been built on a base of soft sand, and that massive deficit spending has
helped fuel the economy. He said it will take skillful management to
avoid problems going forward. Overall, 2025 is expected to be a solid
Page 3 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
year, but potentially choppy depending on government actions. He said
no recession was expected this year unless a "black swan" event occurs.
Mr. Court next provided an overview of the economic outlook in the
State of Arizona, including the following (note that several statistics,
charts, and graphs related to the following are available in the
presentation slides):
• Arizona is fifth in the nation when it comes to year-to-date job
growth in 2024 versus 2019.
• According to the Arizona Commerce Authority's Fiscal Year
Economic Development Results, Arizona has attracted companies
from across the United States and the world since 2021.
• Employment and unemployment trends.
• Population growth and population forecasts.
• Local housing (summary included below).
• Income and affordability.
• State finances (fiscal year 2024 revenues were S425 million above
what was forecast and sales tax revenue expected to grow 3.1% in
fiscal year 2025 and 3.7% in fiscal year 2026).
Mr. Court summarized the local housing market. He said that single
family housing is under pressure due to affordability issues coupled with
high interest rates. He said new home building is better than expected,
and that it was likely to continue (with smaller lots/homes going
forward). He said that existing home inventory remains low but is
increasing. He said declining affordability of homeownership is creating
a shift towards more renters.
Mr.Court said that in the near term,we could expect moderating interest
rates,modestly slower population growth, slower but solid employment
growth, more attached housing/small lot development, continued rate
buydowns for new home builders, and apartment rent growth slowing
due to higher supply coming into the market. He said the long-term
outlook for the Arizona greater Phoenix area is very good, and provided
supporting information as follows:
• Arizona will continue to grow more rapidly than the rest of the
country.
Page 4 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
• Water will hopefully be resolved as usage becomes more efficient,
especially for residential and industrial (with less usage in
agriculture and landscaping).
• Housing affordability will improve via interest rate relief and
density.
• Economic development activity will continue to thrive. Arizona
will create more jobs and employ more population inflow than
most places.
• Housing will cycle up. Mix of owners and renters is unknown.
• Arizona's growth prospects have always been good and have
become even better over the last several years.
Clarifying questions were asked and answered during the presentation.
For more detailed information, including statistics, graphs, tables, and
charts, please see the presentation slides.
Mayor Post and Council Members thanked Mr. Court for the
presentation. Mr. Court said Marana is well positioned. Mayor Post said
that Pinal County is anticipated to triple in size over the next 30 years
and is expected to surpass Pima County in population by 2050.
4:10PM - Preliminary financial outlook for FY 2026 and discussion regarding
5:00PM options and challenges for funding growth
By: Yiannis Kalaitzidis
[Actual start time was 4:14 PM.]
Mr. Rozema said Mr. Court was brought in to provide the big picture
and that now Mr.Kalaitzidis would zero-in on Marana. Mayor Post said
that tomorrow, needed projects in the Town would be discussed, and
that Mr. Court's presentation highlighted that significant growth was on
the horizon and the Town needs to be ready for it.
Mr. Kalaitzidis presented on the preliminary financial outlook for the
Town in the upcoming fiscal year, including the following:
• FY2026 budget preliminary outlook, which consisted of a 7.8%
positive change when considering changes in sales tax revenue,
shared income tax, and license, permit, and fee revenue.
Page 5 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
• There is projected $7.9 million of new ongoing revenue. When
adjusted for a Marana Aquatics and Recreation Center (MARC)
placeholder, health insurance and workman's compensation
increases, and performance pay adjustments, there is
approximately $3.6 million in new ongoing revenue leftover.
• The Town's current available reserve in the General Fund,
excluding $20.2 million in rainy day funding, consist of $66.1
million. When already earmarked projects are taken into account,
the available reserve leftover is$22 million of the $66.6 million.
• Current debt and debt paydown schedules (see the presentation
slides for graphical information).
A copy of the presentation slides is on file with the Town Clerk's Office.
Clarifying questions were asked and answered during the presentation.
For more detailed information, including statistics, graphs, and tables,
please see the presentation slides.
Mr. Rozema highlighted that one of the reasons the available reserves
portion of the presentation was important was due to the discussions that
would take place the following day. He said there are many needs in the
Town, and that the Council would get to participate in an exercise after
the following day's presentations, in which they would use maps to
consider projects the Town has on the horizon and identify the most
important projects to focus the Town's resources on.
Council Member Comerford said there were lots of ways we could
spend the new ongoing revenue. Mr. Rozema said that the MARC
placeholder did not factor in revenue generated from the MARC, which
would depend on the number of memberships, so the leftover new
ongoing revenue number could potentially be higher. Vice Mayor
Ziegler said she thought the MARC would be successful.
Council Member Comerford asked how the new position presentation
went. Mr. Rozema said 39 new positions were requested by departments
in total and that staff did a good job in presenting. Council Member
Comerford said she was not surprised at the rate the Town was growing.
Discussion ensued related to minimizing exposure to the General Fund,
impact fees and utility hook-up fees, water rates, anticipated settlement
monies from the PFAS litigation, and the limits to utilizing impact fees
Page 6 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
resulting from the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association
(SAHBA) litigation.
Mayor Post asked how much debt the Town could take on from an actual
payment standpoint. Mr. Kalaitzidis estimated around $50 million per
year if current projections remain unchanged. He said this assumes it
would come straight from the General Fund and that there would be no
department growth, raises, etc. He said this would also assume the
economy remains strong.
Discussion ensued related to the possibility of raising utility and/or
construction sales tax or finding other ways of funding infrastructure
needs so the Town does not face the same SAHBA impact fee scenario
again. Mayor Post said further discussion on this issue would need to be
had in the future.
Mayor Post asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting for the day.
Council Member Comerford so moved. Council Member Kai seconded the
motion. Motion passed, 6-0.
[The meeting adjourned for the day at 5:24 PM.]
Thursday
February
20 from
8:15am to
5:00pm
7:30AM-
8:15AM Breakfast at Hotel
Mayor Post welcomed new Council Member Teri Murphy.
8:15AM- Call to Order/Roll Call
9:OOAM
Mayor Post called the meeting to order at 8:22 AM and directed the Town
Clerk to call the roll. All Council Members were present, constituting a
quorum. Staff present included Town Manager Terry Rozema, Deputy
Town Manager Erik Montague, Assistant Town Manager Andrea De
La Cruz, Town Attorney Jane Fairall, Town Clerk / Assistant Town
Attorney David Udall, Finance Director Yiannis Kalaitzidis, Public
Works Director Fausto Burruel, Development Services Director Jason
Page 7 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
Angell, Economic Development Director Curt Woody, Parks and
Recreation Director Jim Conroy,Parks and Recreation Deputy Director
Wayne Barnett, Water Director Heidi Lasham, and Water Resources
Administrator Jerry Huerstel.
Private Development: Update and discussion regarding private
development projects throughout the Town
By:Jason Angell
Mr. Angell provided updates on private development projects
throughout the Town, including the following:
• Development in the southern portion of Marana, including
Amavia Marana, Solstice Living, the Alexander Apartments, and
the Summerstone development.
• Development in the central portion of Mama, including several
projects surrounding the Tucson Premium outlets, the Safford
Apartments, the Cascada development, American Homes for
Rent, and the Saguaro Bloom development.
• Development in the northern portion of Mama, including Dairy
Queen, KFC, Dunkin, Taco Bell, Pima Federal Credit Union,
Burger King, Valvoline, Tortolita Phases 1 and 2, the Monarch
development, the Stonegate development, the Mandarina
development, the Dove Mountain development, and
development projects along the Twin Peaks Corridor(Twin Peaks
Crossings,Enclave at Twin Peaks,Tavira at Twin Peaks,and Twin
Peaks Vista).
A copy of the presentation slides is on file with the Town Clerk's Office.
Discussion ensued related to particulars of some of the developments,
and clarifying questions were asked and answered during the
presentation. For more detailed information, including maps and
images, please see the presentation slides.
Mayor Post asked if the town had any development guidelines related
to odors. Ms. Fairall and Mr. Angell said the Town currently does not
have any regulations related to odor mitigation, but they could take a
look at the relevant specific plan(s) to see if such regulation existed there.
Page 8 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
Transportation Projects and Planning: Update and discussion of
9:00AM - current transportation projects and discussion regarding future
10:00AM projects
By: Fausto Burruel
Mr. Burruel said that at the end of the day, the Council would have the
opportunity to do a "Sim City" exercise to explore where development
should go along with the infrastructure needed to support it. He said
Public Works would begin providing the Council with quarterly updates
regarding the Town's infrastructure projects. He then provided updates
on current transportation projects throughout the Town and the need for
future projects, including the following:
• Major accomplishments, including the completion of the
Transportation Master Plan, the new Capital Improvement
Projects (CIP) Portal, grant funding applied for and/or received
for the Cortaro, Moore, and Marana interchange projects, and the
completion of several transportation projects, including:
o The Lon Adams reconstruction project.
o The Shared Use Path- CalPortland segment.
o ADA compliance project.
o Pavement assessment (for a graph showing the quality of
Marana's roads, please see the presentation slides).
o Pavement preservation.
• New road recommendations stemming from the Transportation
Master Plan (for details and a map, please see the presentation
slides).
• Major transportation projects underway, including the following:
o Twin Peaks/Rattlesnake Pass Widening (for more
information regarding the project, including a map and
images, please see the presentation slides).
o Tangerine Road Widening 2A (for more information
regarding the project, including a map and images, please
see the presentation slides).
o Tangerine Traffic Interchange Improvements (for more
information regarding the project, including a map and
images, please see the presentation slides).
o Dove Mountain Blvd. Signal project (for more information
regarding the project, please see the presentation slides).
Page 9 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
o Tangerine Farms Road Extension (for more information
regarding the project, including a map and images, please
see the presentation slides).
o Adonis Road Extension Phase II (for more information
regarding the project, please see the presentation slides).
Mr. Burruel then provided an update and presented on future traffic
interchange needs, including:
• The Cortaro Road interchange needs (the project is identified in
RTA Next-see presentation slides for details,but note the current
estimated construction cost has risen from $220 million to
approximately $300 million).
• The Tangerine Road interchange needs (the project is also
identified in RTA Next - see presentation slides for details, but
note that the current estimated construction cost has probably
risen from the estimated $158 million noted in the slides).
• The need for a Moore Road interchange (see presentation slides
for details).
A copy of the presentation slides is on file with the Town Clerk's Office.
Discussion ensued regarding the particulars of certain projects,including
project costs, funding, and scheduling. Clarifying questions were asked
and answered during the presentation. For more detailed information,
including maps and images, please see the presentation slides.
Mr. Burruel asked if these interchanges were still a priority and invited
discussion on that question and on the question of what to do if RTA
Next did not pass.
There was a consensus among the Council that these interchanges were
still a priority.
Mayor Post suggested that the discussion on RTA alternatives probably
could not be addressed in this meeting given the time constraints. Mr.
Rozema said that the City of Tucson has a vote related to raising funds
on its own in March, and that if its initiative does not pass, the City may
be willing to compromise at that point. Vice Mayor Ziegler
recommended that strong representation is needed at the PAG RTA
meetings to ensure Marana is getting its fair share of funding. She said
representation in the past has not allowed Marana to receive what it was
Page 10 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
entitle to. Mayor Post agreed and said the Town cannot keep letting that
happen. Vice Mayor Ziegler said another option is to establish an RTA
that does not include the City of Tucson. Mr. Rozema said these were
great points, but agreed with Mayor Post that there was not sufficient
time to discuss this issue in detail during this meeting.
Mayor Post recommended considering taking the Adonis Road
Extension project off of the books until the condemnation lawsuit with
Mandarina is resolved, since that project does not currently benefit the
Town. Mayor Post also recommended that, in light of vastly increasing
construction costs over time,when development agreements come to the
Town, the Town should no longer tie specific dollar amounts to
infrastructure the Town is requiring developers to build. He said that
instead, developers need to be required to pay for a percentage of
required projects so the Town does not eat the overages. Vice Mayor
Ziegler agreed. She said the Town used to be okay with doing this
because of the stability of the economy, but that the Town cannot afford
to do it anymore.
10:00AM -
10:15AM Morning Break
[Actual break time was from 10:18 AM until 10:30 AM.]
10:15AM - Drainage Planning and Projects: Discussion regarding planning for
11:15AM growth, challenges, drainage assets and maintenance, and related
topics
By: Fausto Burruel
Mr. Burruel said that drainage was a necessary evil - expensive
infrastructure not thought about until needed when rain events occur.
He said the Town is actively pursuing not taking on more drainage
infrastructure that it would be required to maintain. He presented on
drainage planning and projects, including the following:
• The addition of a new Stormwater Section to the Streets Division
that is devoted to maintaining drainage maintenance.
• Drainage accomplishments, including the MMC Drywells Project,
the Ina Road and Old Father Vegetation Removal Project, the
Sandy Desert Trail and Cortaro Farms Road Catch Basin Project,
and the receipt of herbicide certifications by Town staff.
Page 11 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
• Operation maintenance for drainage needs, including equipment
needs, staff, and costs.
• Current drainage assets throughout the Town, which the Town is
responsible for maintaining(for statistics and locations, please see
the presentation slides).
• The need for the following future major drainage projects: the
Barnett Channel and the Marana Channel (see the presentation
slides for additional information, including maps and concept
plans, the benefits, options, and and costs for each project, and
possible funding opportunities).
A copy of the presentation slides is on file with the Town Clerk's Office.
Discussion ensued related to the particulars of some of the Town's
drainage assets, including questions regarding what the Town owns,
strategies for mitigating the Town's expenses in maintaining it, and how
to fund it. Clarifying questions were asked and answered during the
presentation. For more detailed information, including maps and
images, please see the presentation slides.
Council Member Kai asked if inmate labor was being utilized to help
maintain drainage in the Town. Mr. Burruel said that was not an option
at the time.Vice Mayor Ziegler asked if drainage would need to be a line
item in the Town's budget. Mr. Burruel confirmed it would need to be,
and said how drainage was funded was a question for the Council to
consider. Mayor Post said,from a drainage design perspective,he would
not like the Town to have to maintain drainage architectural features.
Mr. Burruel invited feedback regarding the Barnett and Marana
Drainage Channels and asked whether the Town should make concerted
efforts towards these.Vice Mayor Ziegler said she is all in for the Barnett
Channel. Mr. Burruel said the Town could spend approximately
$700,000.00 for a design-concept report (DCR) to get the project to
approximately 30% design in order to determine what actual costs would
be for the Barnett Channel. He said Town staff was looking at doing this
in fiscal year 2026.
Vice Mayor Ziegler asked if the Town could require developers to build
the linear park associated with the Barnett Channel. Council Member
Officer said the Town missed the boat on many of the developers
because they have already developed. Mr. Burruel said the Town could
require such going forward, and that if a linear park is being considered,
Page 12 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
Pima County may also be willing to partner with the Town to help fund
the project.
Mayor Post said the most important thing right now is completing the
DCR so the Town can start shopping for funding. Mr. Rozema said that
is exactly right. Mr. Montague commented that rather than the dollars
driving the program, the program should drive the dollars.
Vice Mayor Zigler said a cost-benefit analysis would be good regarding
these large drainage projects. Mr. Burruel said these projects would
bring development in North Marana out of the floodplain and allow for
more developable space. Mr. Rozema said the Town likely lost Seargent
Control because these projects were not in place and there was too much
uncertainty regarding the expense of installing their own drainage.
Mayor Post said the Town is ten to 15 years behind on this and that the
designs need to be in our next budget. Vice Mayor Ziegler agreed that
we needed to get these projects going.
Mr.Burruel invited Council feedback regarding how drainage should be
funded in the Town. Mayor Post asked if there was a drainage impact
fee. Ms.Fairall said there currently was not. Mayor Post commented that
because much of the drainage cost was maintenance expense, it may be
better to have a utility fee rather than an impact fee. Mr. Burruel said
other options included creating a stormwater utility fee, funding from
the General Fund, grants, partnering with the Pima County Flood
Control District, and a special assessment. Please see the presentation
slides for additional details. Mayor Post said it was not a good idea for
the Town to create its own flood control district.
The Council complemented Mr. Burruel on his presentations.
11:15AM -
12:00PM Parks and Recreation: Update on Parks and Recreation projects and
discussion regarding future projects
By:Jim Conroy
[Actual start time was 11:21 AM.]
Mr. Conroy provided an update on Parks and Recreation projects,
including the following completed projects:
Page 13 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
• Honea Park Phase I.
• El Rio Preserve - Viewing Platform and CMID Connection.
• Gladden Farms Community Soccer Fields.
• Pole Barn Restoration Project.
• Gladden Farms Community Park Dog Park and Entrance.
• Loop improvement behind Amazon.
• Tortolita Preserve (new entrance, parking lot, and fencing).
• Gladden Farms Baseball Fields.
• Central Arizona Project (CAP) Trailhead off of Tangerine Road
and Interstate 10.
• Crossroads Loop Connection.
• Cal Portland Shared Use Path (SUP).
Mr. Conroy also provided updates on the following projects:
Projects Under Construction 2025:
• The MARC.
• Saguaro Bloom Park Phases I and II.
• El Rio Disc Golf Course and Parking Lot.
• Tangerine Sky Park Phase II and Splash Pad.
• Honea Heights Neighborhood Park Phase II.
Design 2025:
• Removal of Marana Pool Complex and Ora Mae Ham Park Master
Plan.
Design 2026:
• Heritage Park Shipping Container Food Court.
• Ora Mae Ham Park Expansion.
• Heritage House Rehabilitation.
Construction 2026:
• Ora Mae Ham Park Pool Removal.
• El Rio Lake Water Quality Project.
Construction 2027:
Page 14 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
• Gladden Farms Community Bike Park and Food Court Project.
A copy of the presentation slides is on file with the Town Clerk's Office.
Clarifying questions were asked and answered during the presentation.
For more detailed information, including maps, images, and statistics,
please see the presentation slides.
Vice Mayor Ziegler commented that the MARC is the first community
driven project. She said that the community survey results clearly
showed this is what the people wanted. Mayor Post recommended that
a good topic for the Council to discuss down the road would be the
possibility of utilizing the half-cent sales tax to fund future recreation
projects. Vice Mayor Ziegler and Council Member Kai said the Council
told the public they would be sunsetting the sales tax. Mayor Post said
he was not recommending that the Council not sunset the tax, but that
the Council keep this option in mind going forward. Mr. Rozema said it
was something to keep in mind since the Town has been able to
successfully employ it for large projects, and the Town has several large
projects, such as interchanges, in its future.
12:00PM - Lunch at Hotel
1:00PM
Water and Water Reclamation: Update and discussion regarding water
1:00PM - resources, water/water reclamation infrastructure long-range
2:30PM and system-wide planning, water quality issues, and funding
challenges
By:Heidi Lasham &Jerry Huerstel
[Actual start time was 1:02 PM.]
Mr. Huerstel provided information regarding how the Water
Department prepares for the Town's development, including through its
water resource endeavors, water and water reclamation infrastructure,
efforts to mitigate or eliminate water quality challenges, and efforts to
address funding challenges. He provided an update on the Town's water
resources, including:
Page 15 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
• An update on the state of the Colorado River. In 2025, Arizona
will remain in a Tier 1 Shortage.
• An update on the 2025 Marana Drought Stage, which is at Stage
One (Low).
• Information regarding the Town's 2024 Designation of Assured
Water Supply (DAWS) Modification, which was increased to
15,353 acre-feet per year. Mr.Huerstel also provided a breakdown
of the Town's use of groundwater, long-term storage credits,
reclaimed water, and CAP water. Please see the presentation
slides for details.
• Information regarding the past, current, and projected Central
Arizona Ground Water Replenishment District (CAGRD) rates.
Mr. Huerstel provided possible solutions to mitigate the Town's
reliance on CAGRD water, including leasing Bureau of
Reclamation (BOR) effluent, increasing the Marana Wastewater
Reclamation Facility (WRF) and recharge basins' capacity to
recharge more wastewater, and obtaining surface water from the
Cortaro-Marana Irrigation District (CMID). Please see the
presentation slides showing a concept DAWS Water Portfolio
with renewable alternatives for more details.
• An update regarding the Town's DAWS outlook. Please see the
presentation slides for detailed graphical information.
• Information regarding the Town's efforts to obtain an effluent
lease with the BOR and an associated Santa Cruz River Diversion
Project, together designed to increase the Town's renewable
portfolio.
Ms. Lasham presented on water and water reclamation infrastructure in
the Town, including the following:
• Long-range/system-wide planning, including finalizing the
Sewer Master Plan and starting a Water Master Plan.
• An update related to the Town's sewer capacity assurance (please
see the presentation slides for detailed graphical information).
• An update related to the current capacity of the WRF, its Phase II
expansion with an estimated completion date in Fiscal Year 2028,
and its future Phase III expansion.
• An update on the North Marana Sewer Interceptor Project
designed to provide additional sewage capacity to the North
Marana Sewer System.
Page 16 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
• An update on the Marana Park Reservoir/Well Project designed
to provide an additional water source and storage and pumping
capacity for domestic and fire flows.
Ms. Lasham also provided an update on water quality challenges in the
Town, including the following:
• An update related to PFAS detection before and after treatment
(see the presentation slides for relevant graphs).
• An update related to 1,4 Dioxane detection before and after
treatment (see the presentation slides for relevant graphs).
• Well systems impacted by PFAS,including the Marana Park Well,
the Gladden Farms Well,the Sandario Well,the Pioneer Well,and
the Heritage Park Well. Existing treated wells include the Airline
Lambert and Picture Rocks Wells.Wells taken offline due to PFAS
contamination include the Honea Park East Well and the Honea
Park West Well.
• A list of existing and proposed PFAS treatment sites, including
their prioritization for installation, related funding and
development timeline information and challenges, and
compliance schedules. Please see the presentation slides for
details.
A copy of the presentation slides is on file with the Town Clerk's Office.
Clarifying questions were asked and answered during the presentation.
For more detailed information, including maps, images, graphs, and
statistics, please see the presentation slides.
Council Member Comerford expressed dismay at the CAGRD rate
increases. Mayor Post said that CMID could provide the Town with
surface water that could be used anywhere in the Town much cheaper
than CAGRD. Vice Mayor Ziegler asked how much it would cost and
whether it would need to be another line item in the budget. Mayor Post
said he was not sure if the water could be transferred on paper or if it
would need to be transferred physically. He said the Arizona
Department of Water Resources (ADWR) says it can already do this, but
CMID is not confident enough to trust that alone and that is why a related
bill is being pushed in the Arizona State Legislature. Discussion ensued
regarding two water-related bills pending at the Legislature.
Page 17 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
Ms. Lasham asked if the Council would be okay with the Town
converting a public water feature at the WRF into an additional recharge
facility. Mayor Post said the water feature was not a smart idea to have
out there. Council Member Comerford concurred, recommending the
Town get rid of the water feature. There was a consensus among the
Council to proceed accordingly.
Mayor Post asked if at some point the outfalls from the water treatment
facility would need to be treated for PFAS. Mr. Huerstel said that would
likely happen at some point in time, but that because PFAS would be in
the aquifer for decades and centuries to come,it was high priority to treat
it there first to ensure the potable water supply was addressed. Mayor
Post asked if the Town could drill deeper and draw water that was not
affected by PFAS. Mr. Huerstel said that is possible, but that the deeper
one drills, the more likely the water supply would be contaminated by
arsenic. He explained there was a sweet spot for well depth- any higher
would risk nitrate contamination, lower risks arsenic. The problem is the
sweet spot is now contaminated with PFAS.
Ms. Lasham asked the Council how the Town should approach 1,4
Dioxane treatment since it currently is a non-mandatory health advisory.
She asked if the Town should treat for it in future treatment plant
construction when the health advisory reaches a determined level or if
the Town should wait until a maximum contaminant level (MCL)
number is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Mayor Post asked what the Town's target was for 1,4 Dioxane. Mr.
Huerstel said the Town's target was just below the health advisory.
Discussion ensued among Council Members and staff regarding funding
challenges. Mayor Post asked if the Department was including the PFAS
treatment plants in its recently initiated rate study. Ms. Lasham said the
Department did include the plants. Mr. Montague said the Town was
looking at ways to try and not have water customers bear the cost of the
treatment,since known bad actors were involved in causing the problem.
Mayor Post said that Tucson Water will probably include those costs in
its customers' rates. Mr. Montague said the Town was looking at what
would be appropriate to include and what would not be appropriate.
Vice Mayor Ziegler asked if Marana residents would pay for some of the
costs for PFAS mitigation, and Mr. Montague confirmed they would.
Page 18 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
2:30PM - Afternoon Break
2:45PM
[Actual break time was from 2:20 PM until approximately 2:35 PM.]
2:45PM - Development Priority Exercise: Interactive session with Town Council
5:00PM to identify key projects and priorities for development in North
Marana
By: Terry Rozema &Jason Angell
Mr. Rozema and Mr. Angell explained the Development Priority
Exercise to the Council. The Council was divided into two groups
consisting of Mayor Post, Council Member Murphy, Council Member
Cavanaugh, and Council Member Officer in the first group and Vice
Mayor Ziegler,Council Member Kai,and Council Member Comerford
in the second group. Each group was provided with a map of North
Marana and was instructed to imagine this area of the Town devoid of
any zoning entitlements or existing development. They were invited to
think creatively about how they would plan out North Marana based on
the information received at the retreat thus far. They were also instructed
that money was not an issue for purposes of this exercise.
Each group then spent time discussing and demarcating their maps in
accordance with the instructions provided. Afterward, each group
presented on their maps as follows:
• Council Member Murphy began presenting on behalf of the first
group. She said her group located a lot of commercial
development along the freeway. Other development included a
college and satellite campus, multi-use arena that could be
utilized as sports fields, for concerts, and other events, and a
mixture of high-density and low-density housing opportunities,
including low-income housing. Council Member Cavanaugh
said that Mayor Post came up with the idea of a convention center
and water park and said that they demarcated pedestrian areas to
connect to the Loop for walking and biking. He also said it would
be important to tie in roads toward high-density housing. Council
Member Officer said their group located restaurants in the area.
• Vice Mayor Ziegler began presenting on behalf of the second
group. She said their group located a cemetery on the map and
Page 19 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
crossed out the Moore Road interchange to put the money toward
the Barnett Channel. Council Member Kai said they demarcated
the Barnett and Marana Channels and said transportation was
important. Council Member Comerford said they included the
bike park introduced to the Council by the Town Manager at the
Council Retreat in the Fall. She said they also included affordable
housing, an event center, and restaurants.
A similar exercise was done by the Town's Executive Leadership Team
recently, and Mr. Angell said that the top recommended development
priorities recommended by Town staff resulting from that exercise were
the WRF expansion as number one and Moore Road Interchange as
number two.
Discussion about prioritizing development in North Marana then
ensued, a summary of which is as follows. Clarifying questions were
asked and answered during the discussion.
• Mayor Post commented as a result of this exercise that he realized
how much high density it takes to attract commercial businesses
in Marana. He cited the Fry's store at Gladden Farms as an
example. He recommended that this exercise be done again with
a bigger map of Marana, perhaps electronically with the Town's
GIS system.
• Vice Mayor Ziegler said she would now be vigorously
championing the Barnett Channel. Mayor Post agreed that such
drainage was important, but he said that at this point, by the time
the Barnett Channel is built, North Marana will be built out and
therefore the drainage would be unnecessary. He said that, even
now, developers in North Marana were coming in and building
their own drainage on their own properties and asked if the
Barnett Channel would ever become a reality. He said that, once
the Barnett Channel was built, all of the other drainage facilities
already constructed would be rendered obsolete. Mr. Rozema
said that Mayor Post made a good point, and said that the reason
for completing a DCR on this project sooner than later would
allow the Town to know what the cost would be and whether
Pima County would come to the table with funding. He said the
DCR would allow the Town to evaluate the benefits and feasibility
of the Barnett Channel to determine if it is worth it. He said it
Page 20 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
would also allow the Town to communicate with developers what
the cost is,what the plan is,whether the County would contribute,
and what developers would be required to contribute. Mr.
Rozema said the Barnett Channel would also provide North
Marana with a linear park, which is a benefit to the Town. Vice
Mayor Ziegler said the Town is growing fast whether the Channel
is constructed or not and that if the Town does not act on the
Channel now- even potentially getting a loan to front the money
to build it as soon as possible - that 26,000 homes are going to be
built and the Barnett Channel will not do the Town any good.
Council Member Officer said the Barnett Channel must be
constructed for development in North Marana. Mr. Rozema said
the Barnett Channel affects the whole northern area and removes
it from the floodplain. Mayor Post agreed. Mr. Burruel said the
Barnett Channel would also need to be constructed prior to the
Marana Channel for the system to work. Council Member Ziegler
asked if she was putting too much emphasis on the Barnett
Channel, and a consensus of the Council was that she was not.
Vice Mayor Ziegler said the Town should then start finding
money for the Channel. Ms. Fairall said that is why the Town is
doing the DCR, which will determine the cost. Mr. Burruel said
the DCR will also provide details regarding what the project will
look like. Vice Mayor Ziegler said the Town needs to do the DCR
as soon as possible. Mr. Rozema said it would start next
Thursday.
• Mayor Post asked Ms.Lasham how the Town was planning to get
water from certain contaminated wells to centralized treatment
plants. Ms. Lasham said the Department has not designed plans
for that yet, but one possibility would be to send the pipes
underneath pavement within the Towri s already existing right-
of-way. Mayor Post said that would be expensive and Council
Member Comerford said that would be a mess.
• Mayor Post asked how the Town can tell developers that a
product it may be bringing is not what the Town wants. He said
the Town has not really done that yet. Mr. Rozema and Ms.
Fairall said the Town can do that to a degree,but if the developer
already has zoning entitlements, then the Town likely cannot say
no. The Town can say it does not like a product in that scenario,
but it cannot deny it if it already has zoning entitlements. Mr.
Page 21 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
Angell and Mr. Rozema said it will not be an issue for developers
if the Town is wanting more high density. Mr. Angell said one of
the topics for the next day was how to diversify housing in
Marana beyond single family homes and apartment complexes -
such as town homes,duplexes,etc.He said it the Town should ask
developers what else they have to offer, since many offer several
other housing products in other parts of the country. Mr. Rozema
agreed and said many of them don't have a good answer for why
they are not building their other products here. Vice Mayor
Ziegler asked if the Town could require developers to bring other
products through regulation. Mayor Post said that zoning
entitlements normally do not call out building aesthetics. Ms.
Fairall said zoning typically requires developers to comply with
the Town's building code standards in place at the time they
actually build. Mayor Post said the Town then needs to change its
code. Mr. Angell said staff are currently looking at that. Mayor
Post said the Town needs to start telling developers the Town
needs a middle-ground product (not homes or apartment
complexes). Council Member Cavanaugh recommended tiny
homes clustered together, and Mayor Post recommended they be
labeled casitas instead of tiny homes. Mayor Post said casitas
should not be spread all over town though and should be
concentrated downtown. He said other housing products could
then be located outside a radius of high-density downtown living.
Mayor Post asked if the Town could do percentages - meaning
the Town would allow, for example, 25% of a development to be
a certain density. Mr. Angell said many communities have
density bonuses. For example, if a developer does something the
city or town requests, the developer will then receive a certain
percentage of density allowance in its development.
• Mr. Rozema said the approach outlined in the bullet immediately
above is a departure from what the Town has told developers in
the past. In the past, high density was discouraged by the Council
and large lots were encouraged. Now, the Council is considering
encouraging high-density housing products in certain locations in
the Town. Vice Mayor Ziegler said that the Town had a certain
vision over the last 20 years, and that now was the time to re-
educate developers on the Town's visions going forward. Council
Member Comerford agreed that times have changed. Council
Member Officer said he was in favor of a diversity of different
Page 22 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
housing options to provide to the families in Marana. He said he
liked Mayor Post's percentage idea. Mr. Angell and Vice Mayor
Ziegler said that when the Town engages with developers,
specific products should be inquired about because different
communities in the Town have different housing needs and
desires. Discussion ensued related to housing needs changing
with life expectations as people's circumstances change. Mayor
Post said the Town has not been providing options to the
community,and that needed to change. Council Member Officer
and Mayor Post commented that higher density was needed to
support businesses and restaurants, and that currently, not
enough people were living in the Town to provide the necessary
support for what is desired.
• Mr. Angell asked how the Town could position itself to be
proactively ready for growth rather than reactive. He provided as
an example of a reactive approach the issues of congestion now
facing the Tangerine Interchange. He asked how the Town could
get out in front of development and guide development. Mayor
Post asked how the City of Chandler pays for major infrastructure
projects. Mr. Montague said the City has a property tax. Mayor
Post said he was willing to invest in the Towri s future by building
strategic infrastructure to attract development and tap into its
reserve fund to do so. He asked how quick the return on
investment would be.
• Vice Mayor Ziegler said that, in the past, the Council's
philosophy was that developers needed to pay their own way.She
said that,when she was a new Council Member,her mindset was,
"If you build it,they will come," but the Council did not want that
approach at that time. Council Member Comerford said that in
the past, it was very difficult for the Town to get money out of
development and that the Town did not have the reserves that it
has now. Council Member Kai said Marana was spoiled because
developers in the past built major roads (such as Tangerine Road
and Dove Mountain Boulevard) before they constructed homes,
etc. Vice Mayor Ziegler said the Town now had the funds to
invest. Mayor Post said this was a fantastic conversation for the
Council to have: Should the Town fundamentally change the way
it does business by investing strategically in certain things to
attract development in certain areas?:
Page 23 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
o There was a consensus among the Council to do so.
Council Member Comerford reiterated that times are
changing. She said it was now time for the Town to
strategically invest in the community. Mr. Montague
provided Twin Peaks Road as an example. He said
development happened quickly in that area once the road
was put in by the Town.
• Mr. Angell recommended that the Council develop a list of its
most important investment projects. He said that if another
project came along, the Council could then ask itself whether one
of the priority projects was worth moving down the priority list.
Mayor Post asked those in the room what two projects they would
choose as investment priorities in North Marana:
o Mayor Post,Council Member Officer,Mr. Montague,and
Mr. Rozema said their first project would be the Tangerine
Farms Road Extension followed by the Barnett Channel.
Mayor Post said the Barnett Channel makes the top of the
list for him because of what the Town is wanting to do with
its downtown project.
o Council Member Murphy, Ms. Fairall, Mr. Burruel, and
Council Member Cavanaugh said their first project was
the Barnett Channel followed by the Tangerine Farms Road
Extension.
o Council Member Kai said his priority project would be the
Main Street Extension.
o Vice Mayor Ziegler said her first project would be a data
center north of North Marana and an associated Luckett
Road connection followed by the Barnett Channel.She later
said the Barnett Channel should be first priority.
o Council Member Comerford said her first project would
be the Tangerine Farms Road Extension and drainage.
o Ms. Lasham said her priority project would be the Clark
Farms Sewer project.
o Mr.Woody and Mr. Udall said their first project would be
Tangerine Farms Road Extension followed by the Marana
Main Street Extension for downtown connectivity.
Page 24 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
• Mr. Woody said it was very important for the Town to get
wastewater onto the east side of the freeway. Mayor Post asked if
the Town needed to send sewer lines under the freeway again to
make this happen and asked if the pipes on the west side of the
freeway had enough capacity to receive the additional flows. Ms.
Lasham confirmed that was the plan and said it was likely the
Town would need to upsize its existing infrastructure to receive
the flows. Mr. Montague said the previous sewer master plan
only focused on portions likely to be developed, and the Town is
now looking at the whole system to address the issue, including
downstream sizing conveyance requirements. Mayor Post asked
if the Town could install a package sewer plant on the east side of
the freeway instead. He said conveying flows under the freeway
sounded expensive at this point. He asked what the savings to the
Town would be if it installed a package plant on the east side of
the freeway instead of sending the flows under the freeway to the
west-side sewer system. Mr. Rozema said that was a good
question, and Mayor Post said the Town should take a look into
it. Mayor Post said that, similar to the drainage issues, this issue
should have been addressed ten to 15 years ago, and that if the
Town didn't act soon, the only option left would be for the Town
to go under the freeway again. Mr. Montague said part of the
calculation here was the water credits available from recharging
the wastewater at the Town's recharge basins on the west side.
Mayor Post asked if the Town could construct another recharge
basin on the east side, and Mr. Montague said the Town's
consultant could look into it.
• Mr.Angell said that one approach the Town could take was to act
as the bank - meaning it would front certain infrastructure costs
and to require developers to pay the Town on the back end once
they are constructed. He said the Town is now a midsized
community and not a small community anymore. He said that
development pressures are now in North Marana. Another benefit
the Town has now is that the Town owns all of the utilities in the
North Marana area, which was not the case when development
occurred in other areas of the Town. Council Member Comerford
liked the idea of the Town fronting infrastructure costs and then
having developers write the Town a check afterward. Mayor Post
said that with this approach, developers would know what the
ultimate price would be, which provides developers with
Page 25 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
certainty in cost projections that may not exist under the current
approach.
Mr. Rozema said this discussion was incredibly helpful. He said he
sensed a real change in the direction and mindset of the Council when it
comes to approaching certain infrastructure projects. He said the Council
provided a strong consensus on the idea of strategic investment. He
thanked everyone for participating.
[The meeting adjourned for the day at 5:16 PM.]
Friday,
February 21
from 8:15am
to 1:00pm
7:30AM -
8:15AM Breakfast at Hotel
8:15AM -
9:15AM Call to Order/Roll Call
Mayor Post called the meeting to order at 8:19 AM and directed the Town
Clerk to call the roll. All Council Members were present, constituting a
quorum. Staff present included Town Manager Terry Rozema, Deputy
Town Manager Erik Montague, Assistant Town Manager Andrea De
La Cruz, Town Attorney Jane Fairall, Town Clerk/ Assistant Town
Attorney David Udall, Finance Director Yiannis Kalaitzidis, Public
Works Director Fausto Burruel, Development Services Director Jason
Angell,and Economic Development Director Curt Woody.
Airport: Update and discussion regarding airport related projects,
including conceptual plan of Air Commerce Park
By: Fausto Burruel & Curt Woody
Mr. Burruel provided a history of the Marana Regional Airport and an
overview of current Airport operations and administration. He also
provided an update on various projects, including the east apron
reconstruction and the Airport tower projects. Mr. Woody then
presented on the Air Commerce Business Park development outside of
Page 26 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
the Airport fence. He provided options regarding a monument sign and
conceptual plans for the business park for the Council to consider and
give feedback on. Clarifying questions were asked and answered
throughout the presentation. A copy of the presentation slides is on file
with the Town Clerk's Office. For more detailed information, including
maps and images, please see the presentation slides.
There was a consensus among the Council to proceed with concept C for
the monument design options for the Air Commerce Business Park.
There was a consensus among the Council to proceed with option D,
without a roundabout, for the Air Commerce Business Park concept
plan.
Affordable Housing: Update and discussion regarding recently
9:15AM - completed housing needs assessment and discussion regarding
10:15AM housing related strategies
By:Jason Angell
[Actual start time was approximately 9:11 AM.]
Mr. Angell thanked the Council for the discussion related to this topic
from the previous afternoon. He provided a summary of the Towri s
housing study, as presented at the February 11, 2025, Council Study
Session. He also explained current Legislative efforts to regulate housing
in Arizona and provided examples of what other jurisdictions are doing.
Discussion ensued regarding the Legislative efforts and options the
Town has. Mr. Angell showed depictions of housing products in other
communities that would provide a diversity of housing at more
affordable prices. He said it was imperative for the Town to take the
initiative to bring options into our community or risk the state forcing
options the Town may not like. Clarifying questions were asked and
answered during the presentation. For more detailed information,
including graphs and concept art, please see the presentation slides.
10:15AM -
10:45AM Morning Break
[Actual break time was from 9:32 AM until 9:49 AM.]
Page 27 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
[Note that Mayor Post swapped the order of the remaining two items as
reflected below. Lunch was also canceled and is therefore not reflected in these
minutes.]
Employee Benefits:Discussion regarding possibility of adding a nurse
10:45AM - practitioner to the Town as an employee benefit; including review of
11:45AM Nurse Practitioner Employee Survey results, possible options, and
advantages and disadvantages
By: Terry Rozema
[Actual start time was 9:49 AM.]
Mr. Rozema explained that at the September 10, 2024, Special
Meeting/Retreat, former Mayor Honea brought up the possibility of the
Town hiring a Nurse Practitioner similar to how Northwest Fire District
had hired an in-house Nurse Practitioner. He said that during that
retreat, there was a consensus among the Council for the Town to look
into this possibility further.
Mr.Rozema said the position has now been looked into further.A survey
of Town staff found that our of 92 respondents, roughly 75 employees
said it would be beneficial to have a Nurse Practitioner at the Town. The
Towri s consultant highly recommended that the Town not hire a Nurse
Practitioner for liability reasons. The consultant recommended that if the
Town does hire a Nurse Practitioner, that it outsource the position to a
third party and do the evaluations off-site (due to patient-client privilege
concerns, etc.). Mr. Rozema said the cost of outsourcing would be
approximately$575,000.00. He said the Town has some of the best health
benefits whereas Northwest Fire did not. He said a small percentage of
the total amount of employees want a Nurse Practitioner, and he said he
had concerns about the Town getting into the medical business and
spending a lot of money when great coverage is already being provided.
Clarifying questions were asked and answered during the presentation.
Council Member Officer said Northwest Fire already has trained
medical professionals on staff and that he tried to explain that to former
Mayor Honea. Mayor Post said one of the reasons this approach works
for Northwest Fire was due to their need to have regular medical check-
ups. He said he is all about providing incentives to employees, but that
Page 28 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
this was not one of them. Vice Mayor Ziegler said she was not in favor
of it, and Council Member Cavanaugh said he was not either.
There was a consensus among the Council to not add a Nurse
Practitioner position.
Mayor and Council Salary: Discussion regarding the current Mayor
and Councilmembers' salaries, including a comparison with other
similar jurisdictions, and an overview of the process for modifying
salaries
By: Terry Rozema
[Actual start time was 10:07 AM.]
Mr. Rozema and Ms. Fairall explained that Section 2-1-8 of the Marana
Town Code allows the Council's compensation to be set by resolution,
but that Article 4, Part 2, Section 17 of the Arizona Constitution requires
that any salary increase for the Council go into effect after the next
election and seating of the new Council in November of 2026 (including
the Mayor salary, since there will be a special election for the Mayor
position in 2026). A table was shown listing 23 jurisdictions (including
Marana) and their respective salaries. Clarifying questions were asked
and answered during the presentation. For more detailed information,
please see the presentation slides.
Vice Mayor Ziegler said that if the Council's salaries had been raised by
a three-percent cost of living adjustment for each year since 2007, the
resulting increase now would be approximately $31,000.00 per year. She
said that might be a little high compared to some other jurisdictions, but
that the Council was doing a lot more than back in 2007. Council
Member Cavanaugh said he did not run for office for the money and that
the other jurisdictions shown were all over the place regarding salaries.
He said people think the Council's salaries are low and that they
probably wouldn't mind if they were bumped up a little bit. Council
Member Comerford said higher salaries may provide an opportunity for
more people to decide to run for office. Mr. Rozema commented that
most people don't realize how much money it takes to run a campaign.
Mayor Post agreed. Discussion then ensued regarding specific
compensation amounts.
Page 29 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
There was a consensus among the Council to raise Council Member
salaries to$31,000.00 per year and the Mayor salary to$37,000.00 per year
with phone allowances to remain as they currently are and vehicle
allowances to be raised to $350.00 for Council Members, $400.00 for the
Vice Mayor,and$500.00 for the Mayor. Ms.Fairall said a resolution with
the specifics could be brought before the Council at an upcoming Council
meeting.
Mayor Post said this was the absolute best retreat he has ever attended. He thanked the
Council for being supportive of him in his new roll as Mayor,and he said he hoped they
were okay with the job he was doing. He said he thought this Council made an amazing
team and said it was a perfect choice to appoint Council Member Murphy. Mayor Post
also thanked Mr. Rozema and his team.
Mr. Rozema thanked the Council for the great discussion,especially the discussion that
occurred following the development exercise the previous day.He said it was extremely
helpful for Town staff to hear such discussion and he said staff now has clear direction
on a shifted focus and approach to development in the Town.
Vice Mayor Zigler thanked Mayor Post. She said she has been to many Council
Retreats, and this was the best one she had attended. She said a lot of it had to do with
Mayor Post and the environment he provided. Council Member Cavanaugh thanked
Mayor Post as well.
Mayor Post said the Town needs to be more aggressive and change the way it is doing
business, and that it has all of the tools in place to do that- a good Council, trust, great
staff, master planning, etc. Vice Mayor Ziegler said the Town needs to project
confidence coming from a position of strength going forward.
Mayor Post asked for a motion to adjourn the Special Meeting/Retreat.
Council Member Cavanaugh so moved. Council Member Officer seconded the motion.
Motion passed, 7-0. Meeting adjourned at 10:49 AM on February 21,2025.
Page 30 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the foregoing are the true and correct minutes of the special Town
Council meeting/retreat held on February 19 - 21, 2025. I further certify that a quorum
was present.
L. U all,Town Clerk
Ae<Seks,
MARANAA
ESTABLISHED 1N1 r
Page 31 of 31
Special Council Meeting/Retreat Summary Minutes
February 19-21,2025