City Hall

City of Maricopa

39700 W. Civic Center

Plaza

Maricopa, AZ 85138

Ph: (520) 568-9098

Fx: (520) 568-9120

www.maricopa-az.gov

Meeting Minutes - Final

City Council Regular Meeting

Mayor Nancy Smith

Vice-Mayor Henry Wade

Councilmember Eric Goettl

Councilmember AnnaMarie Knorr

Councilmember Amber Liermann

Councilmember Vincent Manfredi

Councilmember Bob Marsh

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

6:00 PM

Council Chambers

Call to Order

Mayor Smith called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. An invocation was given by

Pastor Kevin Teeling, from The Door Church of Maricopa, which was followed by the

Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilmember Marsh.

Roll Call

7 -

Present:

Mayor Nancy Smith, Vice Mayor Henry Wade, Councilmember Eric Goettl,

Councilmember AnnaMarie Knorr, Councilmember Amber Liermann,

Councilmember Vincent Manfredi and Councilmember Bob Marsh

Proclamations, Acknowledgements, Awards and Presentations

No proclamations, acknowledgements, or awards were given.

Report from the Mayor

Councilmember Marsh reported attending a lunch and learn at the Maricopa Senior

Center on July 17. He also reported participating in a ribbon cutting for Baskin

Robbins on July 19 with other council members. Next, Councilmember Marsh shared

that he had attended the Senior Advisory Committee meeting on July 21. On July 24,

he chaired a session of the Pinal County Board of Adjustment in Florence, noting there

was still no update on the zoning code. Additionally, he shared about joining an online

Pinal Partnership Breakfast Meeting on August 1 focused on economic development in

Pinal County. Lastly, on August 4, he reported joining Mayor Smith and

Councilmember Liermann for a tour of the Maricopa Express Transit fixed loop bus

route, noting the bus runs free hourly on a one-hour loop until 4:30 p.m. and suggested

the state redesign and incorporate an east loop route to accommodate Maricopa's

growth.

Councilmember Liermann thanked everyone for attending and reminded citizens about

two alert systems: the Maricopa Community Alert Network for city alerts, which can be

accessed on the city website under the enrichment department, and the Pinal

Emergency Notification System for county alerts including State Route 347

information. She also announced that applications for the third cycle of city art grants

would open in the next week.

Councilmember Knorr thanked the Copper Sky staff, Maricopa Police, and Maricopa

Fire for the water safety demonstration held on National Drowning Prevention Day,

which was July 26. She described how they conducted a drowning simulation with

Banner Air and Air Methods flying in helicopters to demonstrate emergency response.

She noted that many community resources were available in the wet room at Cooper

Sky Aquatic Center providing information about drowning prevention and water safety.

Councilmember Knorr also shared that she attended Lowe’s grand opening board

cutting ceremony.

Councilmember Manfredi shared the importance of new businesses opening in

Maricopa, specifically mentioning Baskin Robbins and Lowe's. He emphasized that

retail jobs provide important opportunities for teenagers, college students, and

residents who want to avoid commuting on State Route 347. Additionally,

Councilmember Manfredi noted that 98% of employees at these new businesses are

Maricopa residents. He also reported on his attendance at a Rural Transportation

Advisory Committee meeting where he advocated for continued funding for State Route

347 improvements, the Sonoran Desert Parkway, and other transportation needs.

Lastly, Councilmember Manfredi stressed that while funding for State Route 347 has

been promised, it is not yet secured, and further legislative action will be needed next

year.

Vice Mayor Wade reported attending Lowe’s grand opening ceremony and noted that

they had a large contingent of military veterans among their employees who wore

camouflage vests. Next, he also shared that he attended a ribbon cutting for S.Y.N.

Game Card. Lastly, Vice Mayor Wade expressed satisfaction that the first day of

school had proceeded smoothly with no major transportation issues.

Mayor Smith shared that she had attended Lowe’s grand opening, noting that the store

manager had started as a cashier and worked her way up to management. She

reported that 98% of Lowe's staff are Maricopa residents, including some who left

professional jobs in the Valley to work closer to home. Mayor Smith also shared that

while attending the grand opening of Baskin Robins, the manager shared with her that

Maricopa was chosen because Maricopa knew how to love their small businesses and

make them successful. Mayor Smith announced upcoming events to celebrate

progress on State Route 347, including a free swim day and family fun event at Copper

Sky on Saturday, August 9, from 12-5 PM, and a potluck for residents 55 and older on

August 12, from 11 AM - 1 PM. She explained that while ground has not yet been

broken, the funding milestone after 14 years of effort deserves celebration, and boards

will be available to educate residents about the project.

Report from the City Manager

City Manager Ben Bitter announced that the City of Maricopa will host an intern through

Arizona State University's Marvin Andrews Fellowship/Jane Morris Scholarship

program. He noted that the university’s M.P.A program is ranked second in the

country, and this fellowship program helps develop the next generation of leaders in the

state. He added that the intern coming from the program is from Nevada and

completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Tennessee, where she was on

the rowing team and participated in global outreach, including helping a Parks and

Recreation Department in the Philippines. Lastly, Mr. Bitter shared that she will begin

working with the city on August 18 and will be with them for approximately two years.

Call to the Public

Kennith Alexander introduced himself as a recent resident who moved to Maricopa with

his wife about two years ago. He identified himself as a producer, songwriter, touring

musician, and musical director for mainstream artists since 2002, with his own

production company called Drum Major Entertainment. He proposed a multi-genre

concert series featuring local and mainstream artists in an intimate venue. Mr.

Alexander explained that the program would mentor youth by involving them in sound,

lighting, staging, filming, marketing through social media, and even performances. He

requested city support for this initiative and provided his email for further contact.

Ocean Kent shared information about an upcoming cancer walk called "Boots on the

Ground, 10 Toes Down" scheduled for November 15. She explained that the walk has

several sponsors, including Silk Press Express, UPS Store, JP Rentals, and Maricopa

Lifestyle Magazine. Ms. Kent stated they are looking for a local organization to receive

funds raised by the event and need additional sponsorships to secure Copper Sky as

the venue. Lastly, she encouraged community participation and directed interested

parties to flyers with a QR code for registration.

Rich Vitiello, County Supervisor, provided an update on the zoning code mentioned by

Councilmember Marsh, stating that a committee would be formed around November

with 5-10 people from each district to finalize the code. He also informed residents that

he has a meeting room available for public use at no charge between 9 AM and 4:30

PM at the Pinal County Government Offices in Maricopa. Additionally, he announced

that the county recently released a free title protection service that notifies property

owners if someone attempts to tamper with their property title. Residents can sign up

for this service at the county building in Maricopa with a driver's license or state ID.

Consent Agenda

Approval of the Consent Agenda

A motion was made by Councilmember Vincent Manfredi, seconded by

Councilmember AnnaMarie Knorr, to Adopt the Consent Agenda. The motion

carried unanimously.

7.1

7.2

7.3

7.4

A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Maricopa, Arizona, accepting

public improvements and maintenance responsibility for all local internal streets within

the El Rancho Santa Rosa Parcel 4, into the City Street/Road Maintenance System.

Discussion and Action.

This Resolution was Approved.

A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Maricopa, Arizona, accepting

public improvements and maintenance responsibility for all local internal streets within

the El Rancho Santa Rosa Parcel 6, into the City Street/Road Maintenance System.

Discussion and Action.

This Resolution was Approved.

The Mayor and City Council shall discuss and take action on recommending approval

to the Arizona Department of Liquor License and Control regarding an application

submitted on behalf of Say Sushi which is located at 21101 N. John Wayne Parkway,

Suite 103. Discussion and Action.

This Liquor License was Approved.

A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Maricopa, Arizona, approving

and adopting the First Amendment to the amended and restated development

agreement between the City of Maricopa and Vestar Arizona XLIX, LLC, an Arizona

Limited Liability Company in compliance with A.R.S. §9-500.05. Discussion and

Action.

This Resolution was Approved.

7.5

7.6

MISC 25-19

MIN 25-48

The Mayor and City Council shall discuss and take action to approve the 2025 updated

Title VI Non-Discrimination Implementation Plan, which is related to Section 5307

transit funding. Discussion and Action.

This Miscellaneous Item was Approved

Approval of Minutes from the July 15, 2025 City Council Regular meeting. Discussion

and Action.

These Minutes were Approved.

Regular Agenda and/or Public Hearings

8.1

PRES 25-15

The Council shall hear a presentation from the Community Enrichment Department

providing a summary recap of the 2025 Wild West Music Fest. Discussion only.

Quinn Konold, Community Enrichment Director, presented a comprehensive summary

of the 2025 Wild West Music Fest. He opened by highlighting how Maricopa's rapid

growth has integrated quality of life enhancements, including event tourism, into

significant city discussions. Mr. Konold referenced the strategic priorities identified

during the February 2023 Futures Planning meeting, specifically focusing on objective

5.1, which aims to attract visitors through sports and event tourism, and objective 5.2,

which aims to celebrate 20 years as a city with a world-class event. He elaborated that

the initial plan was to revive Stagecoach Days, but that name posed challenges in

partnership negotiations, leading the city to reserve it for a city-owned event. Instead,

Mr. Konold and his staff launched the Wild West Music Fest as a new tourism

initiative.

Mr. Konold outlined a detailed timeline: In March 2023, the city issued an invitation for

bid seeking a partner to produce the event. By May 2023, the invitation for bid was

awarded to Steve LeVine Entertainment and Public Relations, and the first Wild West

Music Fest took place in October 2023, celebrating the city's 20th anniversary. He

detailed the continuity into April 2025, when the second Wild West Music Fest was

held, and by May, the Council updated its strategic priorities. He ended by sharing that

these now emphasize using bed tax funds to minimize local taxpayer impact while

bolstering local business and enhancing Maricopa's regional profile.

Next, Mr. Konold compared the inaugural and subsequent events: the 2023 fest

attracted an estimated 15,000 attendees over three days, with a city investment of

$350,000. The event's total expenses reached approximately $1.1 million, generating

approximately $826,000 in revenue, resulting in a net deficit of approximately $251,000,

which Steve LeVine Entertainment absorbed. By 2025, attendance approximated

9,500, with a city investment reduced to $265,000. He added that total expenses were

approximately $463,000, and revenue reached approximately $466,000, yielding a net

profit of around $2,315.

Next, he presented a detailed economic impact study, which the City partnered with

Implan to complete. He shared that the event generated about $2.84 million in total

economic impact for the area. In addition, Mr. Konold shared that demographic data

indicated that 74% of attendees were Maricopa residents, with the remaining 26%

visiting from other cities or out of state.

Mayor Smith cited the Chandler Ostrich Festival as a comparative example, which

required seven years to achieve profitability. She stressed that the $2.84 million

economic benefit to local businesses was significant relative to the city's $250,000

investment. She noted that approximately 7,000 Maricopa residents, around 10% of the

community—attended, showcasing solid local interest despite it being a paid event.

Councilmember Knorr raised concerns about the full accounting of the city's

investment, emphasizing that Steve LeVine Entertainment does not pay facility rental

fees, which Mr. Konold estimated at $39,420. There was general discussion regarding

the overtime and in-kind costs being incorporated into future event costs to increase

transparency in the total costs of similar events.

Mayor Smith emphasized the distinction between the Wild West Music Fest as a

tourism event and other city recreational programs, underscoring its primary aim to

increase local business revenue through tourism. She reiterated that this event is part

of a strategic initiative to draw visitors to Maricopa, thereby supporting local commerce

and community growth. She shared that this approach is aimed at circulating more

money within the city, ultimately benefiting local businesses and residents. Mayor

Smith also highlighted the significant $2.84 million economic benefit achieved through

the festival, considering it a noteworthy return on the city’s $250,000 investment and

illustrating solid local and regional interest.

Councilmember Goettl strongly advocated establishing well-defined, clear benchmarks

like economic impact, local business revenue generated, and other traceable metrics

to comprehensively evaluate the promoter, Steve Levine Entertainment's, performance

in a critical and consistent manner, measuring their success against specific

expectations. He emphasized that these benchmarks should not only be precise but

also cover a broad spectrum of measurable outcomes.There was general discussion

regarding establishing such benchmarks would be crucial in evaluating whether the

economic and promotional objectives of the Wild West Music Fest were being met.

Vice Mayor Wade, along with Councilmembers Knorr and Goettl, suggested the

inclusion of other organizations in future tourism events. There was general discussion

regarding the potential for the city to open bid processes, allowing for a diverse range

of partners to participate in event production, which would ensure not only the growth

and enhancement of tourism but also promote fairness and inclusivity.

Councilmember Manfredi highlighted the economic multiplier effect, elaborating that

the $2.84 million impact from the Wild West Music Fest could potentially expand to as

much as $14 million as the money continues to circulate within the local economy. He

explained that when employees, especially those working in food and beverage

sectors, earn wages from such events, they tend to spend those earnings on various

incidentals within Maricopa, which further boosts the local economy. Councilmember

Manfredi advocated strongly for both entertainment and sports tourism, emphasizing

that drawing external funds into Maricopa through such avenues would not only

enhance local commerce but also reduce the necessity for residents to spend outside

the city. He projected enthusiasm for the continued growth and potential of Maricopa,

citing the importance of both unique events like the Wild West Music Fest and more

frequent attractions, such as live performances at local venues. Councilmember

Manfredi concluded by expressing his eagerness to see Maricopa thrive as a

destination city, where both entertainment and sports tourism play a crucial role in

retaining local spending and fostering economic growth.

Mr. Konold shared that the contract with Steve LeVine Entertainment extends through

2027, with the need for annual renewals to continue each event year. He mentioned

that the city is currently in the process of negotiating the terms for the third-year

contract. He emphasized that these discussions remain on analyzing and strategizing

based on the economic impact trends of the event, which have shown promising

outcomes like a significant swing from an approximate $251,000 deficit in the first year

to an approximate $2,315 profit in the second year. Lastly, Mr. Konold shared that this

economic focus aligns with the city's broader goals to enhance local business revenue

and Maricopa's regional profile through event tourism.

The Presentation was heard.