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 Special Meeting

Mayor Nancy Smith

Vice-Mayor Vincent Manfredi

Councilmember Eric Goettl

Councilmember AnnaMarie Knorr

Councilmember Amber Liermann

Councilmember Bob Marsh

Councilmember Henry Wade

Thursday, January 22, 2026

8:00 AM

Maricopa Public Library and Cultural Center

18160 N. Maya Angelou Dr

Call to Order

Roll Call

The meeting was called to order at 8:37 a.m.

7 -

Present,

Mayor Smith, Councilmember Goettl, Councilmember Knorr,

Councilmember Liermann, Councilmember Marsh, Vice Mayor Manfredi,

and Councilmember Wade

Agenda Items

SP 26-01

3.1

The purpose of this meeting is for the City Council and City Staff to review and discuss

the Future Planning of the City as well as City processes and practices.

City Manager Ben began the meeting by providing an overview of the transformational

accomplishments of 2025, emphasizing the gravity and capabilities of the team and

community when working together. Key accomplishments highlighted included: Getting

State Route 347 fully funded for widening, with construction starting within months,

Moving forward with ambulance service, with vehicles ordered and federal funding

potentially secured, Field House at Copper Sky under construction, Iconic Park

planning with a contractor on board for feasibility and site planning, Completed union

negotiations with both police and fire unions, Completed classification compensation

study, Enhanced advisory committees to improve community participation, Drafted the

general plan (currently under 60-day review), Approved a partnership strategy to

leverage community assets, Updated city code to include public art requirements for

large facilities, Launched "Things to Do in Maricopa" magazine to address community

concerns, Brought back Stagecoach Days to celebrate city heritage, Acquired the

Smith home through a partnership with the Historical Society, Developed the Mike

Ingram Heritage Park, which is nearing completion, Completed the Veterans Memorial,

Reestablished the Maricopa Youth Council, Signed an agreement with Cabot for a new

educational facility, Pedestrian overpass project underway, Approved trails plan,

Updated rental rates and policies, Initiated a traffic strike force to address

transportation concerns, Completed Smith-Enke/347 intersection improvements,

Completed the business park master plan, Implemented a new phone system to

increase efficiency and decrease costs, Published the capital improvement plan online

through ClearGov for transparency, Started a Business Watch program, Implemented

economic and tourism tracking software, Created a facility rental brochure and website

and Moving forward with design for the city hall annex.

Next, Management Intern, Natalia Loram, presented a proposal for implementing a

resident survey to gain broader community insights beyond social media feedback.

The Council provided feedback on the survey proposal. Mayor Smith encouraged staff

to proceed with implementing a citizen survey. Councilmember Goetll asked if the City

Council could be more involved in the survey. He also inquired as to why we are using

a third party to conduct the survey and added that he preferred that it be done internally

by staff. City Manager Bitter stated that having a third party send it out keeps it

unbiased. He also stated that they have additional tools that staff do not have.

Councilmember Knorr stated that she was excited but agreed that it should be done in

house. Councilmember Marsh suggested a survey of the month with 12 topics per

year.

Next, Deputy City Manager Matt Kozlowski presented an update on the half-cent sales

tax fund which was implemented to address transportation infrastructure needs. He

explained that the Communications team had developed a simple, accessible online

dashboard that would allow residents to track revenues and expenditures in real-time.

Mayor Smith emphasized the importance of showing not just dollar amounts but also

specific projects being funded. City Manager Ben Bitter emphasized that the

dashboard represents the city's commitment to transparency, directly responding to

public input received during open houses about ensuring dedicated tax dollars are

used as intended.

Mr. Kozlowski detailed the upcoming timeline for financing the $30 million payment due

to ADOT on June 1st. He stated that the city plans to bring all necessary

documentation to Council on March 3rd for approval to obtain a $30 million revenue

bond. He added that bond proceeds are anticipated to be available by approximately

April 15th, with Pinal County contributing an additional $20 million by May 1st. He

stated that a combined $50 million will fund the State Route 347 widening project.

Mayor Smith asked about the impact on the operating budget. Mr. Kozlowski

confirmed there would be zero impact, as the tax revenues collected would offset the

annual debt service payments of approximately $2.5 million.

Council discussed the strategic decision of whether to pay down principal more

aggressively or build up the fund balance for future projects, with Mr. Kozlowski noting

this would be addressed through annual budget conversations. Mayor Smith noted that

the city has been conservative throughout its 22-year history, allowing it to remain

financially sustainable despite having significantly less revenue than comparable

cities.

Next, City Manager Ben Bitter provided several updates on the SR 347 widening

project, including that ADOT had hired a contractor with extensive roadway project

experience. He shared that design improvements include a flyover at 347 and I-10

allowing northbound traffic to avoid traffic signals, and the addition of two left turn

lanes on Casablanca onto southbound 347, which could potentially reduce red light

time significantly. He noted that overpasses at Riggs Road and Cement

Plant/Mammoth Way would mean that after Casablanca, northbound drivers wouldn't

hit another traffic signal until reaching Phoenix.

Regarding Interstate 11, Mr. Bitter explained it was currently delayed by a lawsuit

concerning the southern portion near Tucson. He stated that the city was working with

federal and state partners to separate these issues so the rest of I-11 could proceed

with environmental studies. He emphasized I-11's importance for diverting heavy

vehicles from city streets and creating economic development opportunities along the

interstate corridor.

Mr. Bitter also discussed the Green Road project, currently at 30% design, with

development impact fees being collected. He noted that even before connecting to

Gila River Indian Community land, Green Road could serve as a valuable reliever by

connecting to McDavid or Edwards Avenue, providing an alternative to John Wayne

Parkway for north-south travel.

Additional projects mentioned by Mr. Bitter included I-10 widening (split into three

segments from 2026-2029), which would include improvements at various interchanges

affecting Maricopa, including Coley Road, Seed Farm Road, Sonoran Desert Parkway,

State Route 238 widening, and reconfiguration of Casablanca Road and the 587

bridge.

Next, Parks and Recreation Director Rocky Brown presented on the need for a Parks

and Recreation Master Plan, noting the last adopted plan was from 2008. He explained

that the plan would establish baseline data about park acreages and amenities,

conduct public outreach through various methods, and help prioritize future park

development. Mr. Brown detailed the importance of gathering accurate inventory data

as a foundation for planning, emphasizing the need for a GIS consultant to precisely

measure park acreage and catalog all amenities like bathrooms, splash pads, and

playground equipment. Mr. Brown also mentioned the value of a policy review by

consultants who have experience with multiple cities and could identify unusual policies

or gaps, such as e-bike policies. The final deliverable would be an executive summary

highlighting highest priorities based on all research and outreach.

Council members provided feedback, with Councilmember Knorr expressing support

for the project and suggesting that data from this plan should inform the Iconic Park

planning. Councilmember Liermann indicated she would prioritize trails, rodeo grounds,

and equestrian facilities, noting that she would like to see an equestrian center

included in the survey. Mayor Smith appreciated the random survey approach and the

policy review component and inquired how this survey would connect with previous city

surveys.

City Manager Bitter then provided an overview of economic development projects

throughout the city, including Aldi in the Southbridge area, development along

Maricopa Casa Grande Highway at the Wells featuring Starbucks, Wendy's,

Sunburrows, Panda Express, and others, Legacy on Porter with Goodwill and Chipotle,

Copper Sky area with hospital and family entertainment center development, Vestar

commercial development along Sonoran Desert Parkway, Seven Ranches area with

County Credit Union, Clean Freak Car Wash, Zeke's Pizza, and others, San Travasa

retail with Fry's grocery store and additional pad space, West Bridge with 7-11, 5 Oil

Change, and potential car wash, various infill projects along John Wayne Parkway

including Black Rock Coffee, Ono Hawaiian, and Mattress Firm, Quick Trip at Porter

Road and Smith-Enke and Terrible's gas stations at multiple locations

Council members inquired about economic development strategies and what council

could do to support these efforts. Bitter explained that they employ multiple

approaches from relationships to cold calls, and that the upcoming economic

development strategic plan would provide further direction.

After the lunch break, Assistant City Manager Jennifer Brown provided a

comprehensive update on the partnership policy development process. She explained

that the city had spent over a year working toward getting a partnership policy in place,

communicating with advisory committees and receiving feedback from council

members before finalizing the policy.

Ms. Brown detailed that the committee had taken a very targeted approach, focusing

on three specific areas: teens, seniors, and arts. She stated that they created surveys

for these respective areas to get community feedback on what residents wanted in

these areas. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC) was furthest

along in the process and would be meeting the following Wednesday to review their

first results. The Cultural Affairs and Arts Committee (CAAC) and the Senior Advisory

Committee would receive their first look at results at their February meetings.

Ms. Brown noted they had received over 100 responses from the senior info expo the

previous week. She mentioned that some early teen survey results showed requests

for more sports programming, which was interesting since the city already offered many

sports programs. This led to discussion about using the youth council as a focus

group to better understand what teens meant by certain responses.

Councilmember Amber Liermann asked about creating multiple pathways to

partnership beyond just the RFP process, suggesting an application process that

could go to appropriate committees for review. She expressed concern that RFPs were

limiting and that creative ideas might exist outside the RFP process.

Ms. Brown clarified that the partnership strategy was designed to target specific

identified needs, but noted that people could always come forward with ideas to

committees or staff.

Councilmember Henry Wade emphasized the importance of having dialogue with the

right people within organizations to ensure information could be properly disseminated,

specifically mentioning working with Brenda Campbell from the Community Enrichment

department for youth council coordination.

Mayor Smith appreciated the update and supported the concept of having an

application form that could be reviewed by committees. She suggested making it

simple and one-page to provide residents with an easy way to submit ideas.

Mayor Smith transitioned to discussing teen center needs, separating the conversation

into programming versus facilities. She acknowledged the financial reality discussed

earlier in the meeting and asked whether council was comfortable waiting for the

partnership process to finish in 2-3 months to understand teen priorities through RFPs,

or if they wanted to pursue something immediately.

Councilmember Henry Wade expressed his long-standing support for a teen center,

emphasizing his desire for teens to have a physical space that "belongs to them"

rather than just borrowing space from other organizations. He described his vision

including physical activities like basketball, volleyball, and pickleball in a gymnasium

setting, though he agreed to separate facilities discussion from programming

discussion.

Councilmember Liermann strongly supported the need for designated space for teens,

particularly those who might not be athletes and don't easily make friends at school.

She noted the strategic location of the Fieldhouse near the high school’s 2,000

students and middle school’s 1,000 students that could be within walking distance for

3,000 kids. She emphasized this was about providing space rather than city-funded

programming.

Councilmember AnnMarie Knorr agreed there was an overwhelming need for a teen

center and supported starting with dedicated space a few days per week, even if it

meant beginning at existing facilities like the Fieldhouse or Copper Sky.

Councilmember Knorr emphasized the need to have a plan ready whether or not teen

programming emerged from the PRAC process.

Councilmember Eric Goettl mentioned the importance of providing information to

residents about existing teen services and suggested creating a clearinghouse on the

city website listing all organizations that serve teens in Maricopa.

Mayor Smith expressed caution about moving forward given the financial changes

within the city, suggesting a slower approach starting with perhaps one or two days per

week to test usage. She advocated waiting for the RFP process results to understand

what needs would be met through partnerships before determining additional city-led

programming needs.

Ms. Brown confirmed that council could issue an RFP for teen programming even if it

wasn't the top priority from PRAC, and noted the city could provide space while having

another organization oversee programming.

The consensus appeared to support waiting for the 2-3 month partnership process

while simultaneously identifying potential space for future teen programming needs.

Next, Mayor Smith introduced discussion about city designations such as

dementia-friendly, Alzheimer's-friendly, Purple Heart City, and autism-friendly city

designations, noting that Maricopa was already designated as a Purple Heart City. She

explained that these designations typically come with requirements from organizations

and suggested developing a policy framework before pursuing specific designations.

Councilmember Goettl supported developing a policy to remove roadblocks for local

organizations and groups working in these areas, making them more visible in the

community.

City Manager Ben Bitter agreed to work on a draft framework and noted the importance

of setting community standards to ensure groups that come forward align with

organizational and community values.

Mayor Smith outlined several policy considerations based on financial constraints:

requiring nonprofit leadership rather than city management, having fundraising be the

responsibility of the requesting organization for any required funding, establishing

community standards, and determining signage policies to avoid excessive entrance

signage.

Next, Councilmember Goettl requested an update on the Commerce Park

development, expressing concern about apparent delays and asking about low-hanging

fruit that could accelerate progress. He specifically mentioned utilities, rezoning, and

flood zone issues as areas needing attention.

City Manager Bitter provided a comprehensive update, explaining that they were

working with a master developer and the main challenge was moving the floodplain

solution from 30 percent to 100 percent engineered plans. He noted they expected to

have 100 percent plans by the end of the year, which would enable them to move

toward construction of the regional flood solution. Mr. Bitter explained that portions of

the property not currently in the floodplain could develop immediately, but infrastructure

improvements would make the land more valuable. The sale process was still ongoing,

and once closed, the new property owner would begin investing in site development.

Regarding utilities, Mr. Bitter noted that ED3 was already available on-site, but water

and sewer from Global Water would require 12-18 months for permitting, particularly for

boring under Union Pacific's right-of-way.

Next, Councilmember Knorr expressed concerns about the 347 expansion potentially

creating backups at Cobblestone if the Green Road loop wasn't completed. She

emphasized the importance of focusing on completing the Green Road loop to help

alleviate traffic coming off 347.

Mr. Bitter confirmed their commitment to the Green Road overpass, which was within

their control, and explained their ongoing work with Gila River on the broader loop,

noting monthly or bimonthly meetings to advance the project. He emphasized the need

to respect Gila River's sovereignty while continuing to pursue the designation of

right-of-way.

Mayor Smith noted that even the three-lane expansion alone would provide value by

increasing capacity and offering alternatives during accidents, providing better traffic

movement overall.

Next, Councilmember Knorr requested discussion about developing a strategic

framework dedicated to public safety, noting that other cities had independent

documents outlining their vision and strategy for police and fire departments over 5, 10,

and 15-year periods.

Fire Chief Brad Pitassi responded, noting the significant growth in commercial

development since 2020 and explaining that the last fire station was built in 2013. He

emphasized the importance of understanding call volume demographics and target

hazards, and supported creating a document that clearly outlined their 1, 5, 10, and

20-year plans.

Police Chief Mark Goodman agreed on the value of strategic planning but suggested a

3, 5, 10-year timeline rather than extending to 20 years for practical purposes. He

emphasized the importance of considering concurrency of calls, noting that over the

past two years, there had been a 19 percent increase in handling two calls

simultaneously, around 30 percent increase in handling three calls at once, and 38

percent increase in handling four calls simultaneously.

Next, Chief Goodman provided an update on the new business watch program, which

featured common branding across window stickers, signs, and programming for all

businesses. The program included a comprehensive workbook (20-25 pages) available

on the city website that walked businesses through safety measures and provided

guidance for reporting crimes and emergency contact information.He added that the

program would launch with outreach in February or March, offering businesses signs

and materials in exchange for updated emergency information and permission for

police to check their businesses when closed.

Councilmember Liermann thanked Chief Goodman for his work on the program and

encouraged him to present to business organizations like the Greater Maricopa

Alliance and Black Chamber.

Next, Councilmembers Liermann and Knorr presented a request to strengthen the

city's arts grant program. Councilmember Liermann explained that 2-3 years ago, the

city began awarding two grants to artists in the community, which had been successful

in encouraging and supporting the arts community.

She stated that currently, the program awarded $1,500 and $3,000 grants, and they

requested increasing these to $3,000 and $5,000 respectively. She added that staff

confirmed that approximately $20,000 was available annually (10 percent of bed tax),

with additional funds potentially available from previous years.

Mayor Smith supported the increases but requested adding matching fund

requirements and transferring decision-making to the Cultural Affairs and Arts

Committee (CAAC). Councilmember Liermann agreed to matching funds for the larger

grant but suggested the smaller grant remain without matching requirements since it

targeted startup artists and college students. They agreed that matching funds could

be considered favorably in the application process rather than being strictly required.

Next, Mayor Smith presented six potential facilities for council consideration:

conference center, kiosks, swimming pool, teen center (facility), senior center, and

arts center. She explained that given budget constraints heard earlier in the meeting,

council needed to provide direction on priorities for CIP and budget planning.

Councilmember Liermann clarified that the kiosk concept (approximately $10,000) was

significantly different in scope from the million-dollar facilities, designed to support

small business entrepreneurs at locations like the Fieldhouse or Copper Sky during

events.

Council members completed priority ranking forms and all six items received at least

four votes, requiring staff to develop estimates for all items during the CIP and budget

review process.

Next, Matt Klyszeiko from Michael Baker International provided a comprehensive

update on the General Plan process. He explained they were currently in the 60-day

public review period, a state-mandated timeframe ending February 6th where the plan

was shared with adjacent municipalities, state agencies, and the public for comment.

Mr. Klyszeiko emphasized that unlike other planning documents, the General Plan

must be ratified by voters, not just approved by council, making public engagement

critical. He added that the plan addressed required elements based on community

size, and Maricopa had been visionary in including all elements in their 2016 plan even

when not required, providing a strong framework to build upon. He stated that the plan

was organized around chapters covering different elements, with consistent

organization including general discussions, frameworks (maps), and goals and policies

for decision-making guidance. He went on to state that public outreach included three

community workshops, a robust project website, a general plan advisory committee

with diverse community representation, and pop-up booths at city events, resulting in

over 600 survey responses.

Mayor Smith raised questions about land use designations along the future I-11

corridor, expressing concern about creating more bedroom community development

versus employment and commercial opportunities. Mr. Klyszeiko explained the

balance between being progressive versus aggressive in planning, noting the need to

consider existing county entitlements and community input.

Councilmember Liermann submitted feedback emphasizing the importance of

designated spaces for youth and arts communities, and Mr. Klyszeiko confirmed that

residents had expressed strong interest in arts and cultural facilities.

Next, Assistant City Manager Jennifer Brown reviewed updated strategic priorities,

focusing on areas with changes based on accomplishments and new initiatives.

Transportation priorities were updated to reflect the approved half-cent sales tax for

leveraging local funds and included the new traffic strike force team initiative for

identifying and solving high-priority traffic problems.

Job Creation and Business Development priorities remained unchanged, continuing

focus on the business park development and educational partnerships.

Smart Growth replaced the previous housing-focused priority, emphasizing thoughtful,

responsible planning for sustainable community development. Council discussed

clarifying the term "smart growth" to better communicate the concept to residents.

Quality of Life priorities included updates to Copper Sky recreational opportunities and

continued focus on the iconic park, trail system, cultural vitality, and partnerships for

underserved groups.

Becoming a Destination City priorities remained unchanged, focusing on regional

appeal events, economic impact analysis, and sports tourism through the Parks

Master Plan.

Public Safety priorities remained largely unchanged but would include additions for

emergency management based on Councilmember Goettl's feedback, continuing

emphasis on data-driven deployment, community policing, fire station construction,

hazmat team development, and ambulance service implementation.

Ms. Brown concluded by noting these priorities would return to council for formal

approval after incorporating feedback from the discussion.

City Manager Bitter concluded the meeting by thanking all participants, including

council members, staff, public, and press, for their time and engagement in the

futures planning process. He referenced the opening quote about lighting a single

candle versus cursing the darkness, emphasizing that the day's collaborative effort

represented a single act that would elevate and energize the community's vision

moving forward.

Mayor Smith endorsed this message, encouraging all participants to focus on being

positive forces in community discussions rather than dwelling on past challenges,

suggesting this approach could improve public dialogue and even social media

discourse about city matters.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:46 p.m.

Certification of Minutes

I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the

minutes of the special meeting of the City Council of Maricopa, Arizona, held

on the 22nd day of January, 2026. I further certify that the meeting was duly

called and held and that a quorum was present.

Dated this 3rd day of March, 2026.

__________________________

Vanessa Bueras

City Clerk