Maricopa City Hall  
39700 W. Civic Center  
Plaza  
City of Maricopa  
Maricopa, AZ 85138  
Ph: (520) 568-9098  
Fx: (520) 568-9120  
www.maricopa-az.gov  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Parks and Recreation Advisory  
Committee  
Committee Chair Kevin McDill  
Committee Secretary Priscilla Behnke  
Committee Member Tholin Johnson  
Committee Member Adam Leach  
Committee Member James Liggins  
Committee Member Kenneth Longman  
Committee Member Devin Pitcher  
Wednesday, January 28, 2026  
6:00 PM  
City Hall Cotton Conference Room  
1.  
2.  
Call To Order  
Meeting was called to order at 6:00PM.  
Roll Call  
7 -  
Present;  
Committee Member Devin Pitcher,Committee Member Adam  
Leach,Secretary Priscilla Behnke,Committee Member James Liggins,Chair  
Kevin McDill,Committee Member Kenneth Longman, and Tholin Johnson  
3.  
Minutes  
3.1  
MIN 26-07  
The Committee will approve the minutes from the September 24, 2025 and November  
19, 2025 meetings. Discussion and Action.  
A motion was made by Committee Member Longman, seconded by Committee  
Member Liggins, that the minutes from the January 28, 2026 meeting be  
approved. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.  
4.  
Call to the Public  
There was no call to the public.  
5.  
Agenda Items  
PRAC 26-01  
5.1  
The Committee will hear reports from the chair and committee members. Discussion  
Only.  
Committee members reported on recent outreach efforts, including participation in a  
community event where survey outreach was conducted.  
•Approximately 40–50 attendees scanned the survey QR code, with about 35  
completed responses shortly after the event.  
•Feedback emphasized continued need for youth-focused activities, including sports,  
outdoor recreation, esports/electronics, and general engagement opportunities for  
youth and teens.  
An update was also provided regarding the County Archery Park planned north of the  
Box Canyon Shooting Range. The project is estimated at approximately $20 million, to  
be completed in phases. The Committee requested updated renderings if available.  
(This is a county project).  
Committee discussion included concerns and suggestions regarding Copper Sky  
facility reservation policies, particularly the current 30-day online booking window.  
Members discussed the possibility of allowing limited advance reservations while  
maintaining equitable access and addressing deposit and damage concerns.  
Discussed  
The Committee will hear report from the Council Liaison. Discussion Only.  
5.2  
5.3  
PRAC 26-02  
PRAC 26-03  
The Council Liaison attended the meeting and participated in discussion. No formal  
report was presented.  
Discussed  
The Committee will hear updates from city staff regarding the partnership strategy.  
Discussion Only.  
City staff provided an update on the Youth and Teen Program Needs Survey:  
•163 responses received at the time of the meeting, with additional distribution planned  
through schools and community channels.  
•Respondents included both parents/caregivers and youth.  
•Key needs identified:  
Sports and recreation  
Arts, music, and performance  
Academic tutoring and college preparation  
Job training and life skills  
Social events and hangout spaces  
•Teen-specific responses showed increased interest in job training, life skills, and  
unstructured social spaces.  
Staff noted some ambiguity in survey wording related to age responses and plans to  
refine future surveys.  
Discussion included:  
•The value of focus groups, particularly with the Youth Council, to clarify what teens  
mean by “hangout spaces.”  
•Interest in partnerships with local businesses for career exposure, job shadowing, and  
apprenticeships.  
•Updates on a future career and technical education center (CAVOT) anticipated to  
open in approximately two years.  
•The importance of survey data in supporting public-private partnerships and  
compliance with Arizona’s Gift Clause requirements.  
Staff indicated intent to develop and release a Request for Proposals (RFP) in spring  
2026.  
Discussed  
5.4  
PRAC 26-04  
The Committee will hear updates from city staff regarding park projects. Discussion  
Only.  
Staff provided updates on multiple park projects:  
Shade Structures: Recently installed at fields; expected lifespan of fabric  
approximately 10 years, with poles designed for long-term use.  
Heritage Park:  
Grand Opening scheduled for February 24, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.  
Field House  
Construction progressing; roof completed.  
Anticipated opening remains September 2026.  
Committee members encouraged to tour facility ahead of upcoming fee discussions.  
Lakeview Park Phase 2  
Design Kickoff completed; J2 Engineering selected.  
Plans include additional fields, expanded parking, evaluation of restroom capacity.  
Constraints include WAPA easements and on-site stormwater retention requirements.  
Parks and Recreation Master Plan  
Last adopted in 2008  
Staff outlined plans for a comprehensive update, including public engagement, GIS  
mapping, statistically valid survey, and benchmarking against national standards.  
Examples from other cities demonstrated how master planning supported significant  
capital investment.  
Discussed  
5.5  
PRAC 26-05  
The Committee will discuss and decide their participation in the upcoming Copa  
Cultural Night Market. Discussion and Action.  
The Committee discussed participating in the upcoming Copa Cultural Night Market as  
an outreach opportunity and survey distribution effort.  
Members emphasized the need for improved event readiness, including a standardized  
committee outreach kit (banner, QR signage, renderings).  
Volunteers identified included Ken, James, and Adam. Staff will coordinate logistics  
through Marlene.  
Motion was made by Committee member Liggins, seconded by Committee member  
Leach for the committee to participate in Cope Cultural Night Market. Motion passed  
by unanimous vote.  
Approved  
The Committee will appoint a new Vice Chair. Discussion and Action.  
5.6  
5.7  
PRAC 26-07  
PRAC 26-06  
Motion made by committee member Leach, seconded by committee member  
Longman to appoint James Liggins as Vice Chair.  
The Committee voted unanimously to appoint James Liggins as Vice Chair.  
The Committee will discuss future agenda items and next meeting date. Discussion  
and Recommendation.  
The Committee discussed future agenda items and coordination with the Youth  
Council.  
•Next Meeting February 25, 2026  
Joint discussion with Youth Council beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers.  
•Future agenda items include:  
Youth Council feedback on survey results  
Discussion of quarterly coordination with other advisory committees  
Continued updates on park projects and Field House fee structure  
Discussed  
6.  
Adjournment  
Meeting was adjourned at 7:31PM.  
Adjourn