Hello and welcome to the Glendale City Council meeting. As a courtesy to others, please silence all phones. The citizens of Glendale are represented by a seven-member council. Mayor Jerry Wires.
Vice Mayor Ian Hugh of the Cactus District. Councilmember Gary Sherwood of the Soworo District. Councilmember Samuel Tavira of the Yucca District. Councilmember Jamie Aldama of the Occatio District. Councilmember Lauren Tomachof of the Choya District.
Councilmember Bart Turner of the Barrel District. Agendas, speaker cards and printed guidelines for citizen comments are located on a table at the back of the room.
If you would like to address the council on a matter which is on the agenda for this evening, please complete a gold speaker card. Comments will be limited to five minutes in length.
If you would like to address the council on a matter which is not on the agenda for this evening, please complete a blue speaker card. Comments will be limited to three minutes in length.
After you have completed the speaker cards, please place it in the basket located on the table. If you prefer, you may give it to the security officer or police officer standing near the area.
The officer will bring all speaker cards to the city clerk. The speaker's name will then be called at the appropriate time.
Please refer to the printed guidelines for citizen comments. These guidelines have been approved by the council and will be followed in receiving comments.
Thank you for your interest and your participation in the City of Glendale.
Good evening. Welcome to the City of Glendale Council Special Meeting of June 10, 2015.
This meeting is called the order. If everyone is able if you please stand join with me in the pledge of allegiance. Gentlemen, if you are in hats, please remove them.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.
One nation under God, the indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you.
If you'd stand, please remain standing. Reverend Mopin, if you'd come up and give her an occasion, please.
Understood, sir. There you go.
Let us pray. Almighty God, we come into your presence this afternoon asking you to be with the people and the leadership of Glendale.
God, we give you thanks for this country. We give you thanks for our law enforcement officers and our first responders and all that seek to serve the people.
And God, we thank you for this democracy, for a chance for the public to participate and for leaders to listen.
We ask you to guide their hands as they lead our city and do what's best for the people, the least and those most in need.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, your son, our Savior. Amen. Amen. Thank you.
Okay. With that, the first thing we're going to do is citizens' comments. First on the agenda is the citizens' comments.
Council makes this opportunity available to citizens to bring information and business before the council.
Okay. Listen carefully now that it is not on the print agenda.
The council can only act on the matters that are on the print agenda but may refer the matter to the city manager for follow-up.
I only have one blue card that is not on the agenda.
So that's Arthur Leroy, Thurston, Arthur, come on up here.
And then we'll get everybody else's comments once we get to that point. Thank you.
My name is Arthur Leroy Thurston. I reside in the cactus district.
If the vice mayor here is our council member.
We had the pledge of allegiance. We had the opening of the meeting and we had a prayer.
And very nice when it's at and I really appreciate all those activities.
When I came today is just to say that we have a new council for this year.
We have some old faces here tonight and we have some new faces here tonight.
And I want to say that I ask and I'm sure that you people will be welcome to our town of the city of Glendale in all respects.
And we were treat you the utmost business and fair play across the board and complete an absolute transparency in everything that we do.
And that I think is one of the the feelings of the city council that's here tonight.
And I want to ask the people that are here to respond accordingly and act accordingly.
And I would like to be the person I didn't pray with the prayer. I didn't play I pledge allegiance with allegiance.
But I would like to be the person that welcomes you all and may you enjoy your evening.
Thank you sir.
Okay. With that if you do want to speak again once we get to that point we're not there yet but once we get to that point.
Please fill out a card but we're not going to be taking and calling your name by cards. We're going to have everybody get into a line and we'll start at one hour at that point. So make sure you fill out a card if you plan on speaking tonight.
Okay. New business. Mr. Bauer is going to introduce a number one in place.
Mayor.
If I may.
You may.
Thank you may.
You don't have to holler but I can hear you.
Thank you. Mayor.
Mayor. I'd like to make a motion tonight before we get started.
Mayor.
I'll entertain your motion.
Thank you. Mayor. I appreciate it. Mayor.
I motion that that we table this item for a period no longer than two weeks.
And that we authorized staff to put together a team that can reach out to the coyotes organization mayor.
And come to a resolution for no longer than two weeks.
And that I asked and that we asked staff to immediately take charge of that as early as tonight.
And as early as tomorrow morning.
Mayor that is my motion.
And Mayor and I'm also willing to forego.
Conversation on that until the entire meeting is heard so long as my motion is considered and voted on prior to anything else.
Mayor.
Thank you.
Okay we do have a motion and we have a second any discussion on that motion.
Seeing none.
If you're in favor of that motion please vote aye.
Aye.
If you're opposed that motion please vote nay.
No.
Okay.
The chair is undecided if you are in favor of that motion please hold your hands up.
We have a phone.
Is there anyone on the phone?
Mr. Sherwood.
Are you on the phone?
Okay.
You can put your hands down.
All opposed to that motion please hold your hands up.
Okay.
The decision is your motion.
Failure.
Thank you.
Okay.
What's that Mr. Bauer?
Could you please introduce item number one.
Yes.
Mayor members of the council.
Item number one is 15 dash four seven zero.
It's discussion and possible action to direct the city manager and city attorney to cancel the professional.
The management services and arena lease agreement between the city of Glendale and ice
Arizona manager company LLC and ice Arizona hockey company LLC pursuant to Arizona revised statutes section
38 dash 511 and to pursue any and all other legal actions and remedies necessary to effectuate cancellation or termination of the agreement.
Thank you Mr. Bauer.
Thank you Mayor and council members.
You've asked me for a summary this evening of the the key legal points regarding the possible termination of the contract between the city of Glendale and the
Eres on the coyotes.
Sometimes the best way to approach a complicated issue such as this is to simply read directly from the statute.
And the language that is contained in the statute is an ambiguous and I'd like to read it for you.
The state it's political subdivisions or any department or agency of either may.
Within three years after its execution cancel any contract without penalty or further obligation made by the state it's political subdivisions or any of the departments or agencies of either.
If any person significantly involved in initiating negotiating, securing, drafting or creating the contract on behalf of the state.
It's political subdivisions or any of the departments or agencies of either is at any time while the contract.
Or any extension of the contract is in effect an employee or an agent of any other party to the contract in any capacity or a consultant to any other party of the contract with respect to the subject matter of the contract.
My office has sought opinions and counsel from numerous experts on the language and interpretation of this statute.
It has been a thorough examination of the lie in the facts.
The facts support a conclusion should you make it this evening that this state law was violated when former employees who now work for the coyotes also heavily influenced and quietly assisted in the final negotiations of the contract.
That is the reason why you're here tonight.
As elected members of the council whose obligation and duties to protect the Glendale citizens and taxpayers, you have the right to terminate this contract.
If you believe the former employees violated the public trust and the result was a contract that is opposite of the usual goal and a public private partnership.
Normally these partnerships are weighted so that they are both a win win for the private entity as well as the taxpayers.
While this issue regarding former employees behavior just recently came to our attention, you are also aware that the city has persistently requested a renegotiation of the agreement terms.
Glendale under the existing deal is obligated to pay the coyotes $15 million a year.
That money is supposed to be allocated for a renegagement.
It is not supposed to be used for ownership's debt retirement.
The city has challenged the use of those funds and the team claims to have made budget and financing adjustments to meet our requirements.
Glendale has a proven record as an exceptional public partner for projects that benefit the growth and the quality of life here.
Among other events the city and the city has and continues to be honored as the host of two super bulls,
bull championships series and the municipal host to the Arizona Cardinals.
This particular partnership in the opinion of many experts has benefited only one partner the Arizona coyotes.
For many reasons however the city is trying to secure a new contract with the team because for you the issues are not about hockey or winning seasons.
The real issue is about the protection of the citizens, taxpayers and other city corporate partners.
If they can simply simply its face value that an employee may not be involved with initiating negotiating, securing, drafting or creating the contract on behalf of the state.
If that employee is, and I'm quoting the statute, an employer agent of any other party to the contract in any capacity or a consultant to any other party.
Bottom line the law was designed to protect taxpayers from an employee who may have a dual relationship from negotiating contracts.
Our office is determined that you do have a right to vote on this issue because the state law is very clear.
It was put in place to prevent a dishonest business deal.
It is your decision about this particular contract.
Your decision depends on your interpretation of the law, your evaluation of the evidence and your fiduciary responsibility to the citizens of Glendale.
I'm available for questions.
Thank you, Mr. Bailey.
Weichner.
Mayor, I'd like to make a motion.
I move to direct the city manager and city attorney to counsel the professional management services and
arena lease agreement between the city of Glendale and I sir is on a managing company LLC and I sir is on a hockey company LLC.
I assume to Arizona revise statutes 38-511 and to pursue any and all other legal actions and remedies necessary to
fluctuate cancellation or termination of the agreement.
I have a motion from the vice mayor of second from Councilmember Kerner discussion on that motion.
Well, we do have several people here that would like to speak.
So what I would ask everyone to do if you would like to speak on this issue.
Formaline right here.
One single line we're going to start with Mr. Wood's, Nick Wood's representing the coyotes franchise and then immediately after him.
We're going to ask Anthony little block to speak and then from there.
I'll give it up to all the citizens that would like to speak again.
If you hear something said that you were going to say, so everybody has an opportunity to have a voice and we get as much information as possible.
If you feel someone else that said what you're going to say then maybe you at your choice, you can stand down and let someone else speak.
Maybe they have something to add to it.
So Mr. Wood's, if you would please.
Mr. Mayor, members of the Council, my name is Nick Wood, I'm with a law from a snow and warmer.
My address is one Arizona Center Phoenix.
Better.
It's one Arizona Center Phoenix and I represent the Phoenix coyotes.
A little more than 24 hours ago, my client was given notice of this hearing.
Five minutes later, he called me and I'm on vacation.
So I was not in my office and I had less than 24 hours to try and be prepared for this hearing.
To try and get my arms around what you're trying to do, the rationale behind what you're trying to do,
and whether or not my client has any risk and what the potential risk is.
For the city of Glendale. So I'll do the best that I can in trying to explain that. Then hopefully you'll step away from the cliff tonight and not take the action that was just moved and seconded.
Almost two years ago to the day, I spent an entire month of June and entire month of July negotiating this deal.
Mr. Bowers and I got to know each other a lot better than we ever thought or hoped we would, as well as Mr. Gary Brumbaum.
We were talking to each other sometimes multiple times a day. We had meetings more often than I can count.
And from June 2nd until July 2nd, we were talking to each other sometimes in the middle of night and Dick was in part in California.
And I felt bad, bothering him, but we worked our tails off to put an agreement together to present to this council.
And this council approved that agreement by a vote of 4 to 3.
Then we spent the entire month of July actually reducing that agreement to written form.
We had been negotiating in the document itself, but of course we had to put the final items on it and close the deal.
So there was a lot of effort that went into it, particularly with respect to the negotiations.
And I was very proud of that agreement because I believe that it was fair.
It was entered into through fair and equitable negotiations.
And it was an agreement where nobody received everything that they wanted.
But everybody won, including the City Glendale, including the Glendale taxpayers,
including the folks at Westgate, including my client.
And when Anthony told me about this hearing tonight, I just scratched my head.
I'll be very honest with you.
I've been very relaxed, surprised and disturbed by what you're trying to do.
When you make promises, you keep your promises.
My parents raised me that way.
And that's what we did.
We negotiated these things.
We negotiated these things in good faith.
And for life of me, I don't understand why the city has been trying
for some time now to avoid those promises.
You know, Phil Lieberman, a former council member.
And I don't know how much affiliation he had with the city when he did this,
but he filed a bar complaint against Craig Tinto.
Because Craig Tinto left the employment of the city in early 2013.
And suddenly to a severance agreement,
that was negotiated between Craig Tinto and the city Glendale.
But he was gone. He was no longer employee.
So there's a bar complaint filed against him playing
that there's rules of violations of the rules of ethics, violations of the rules of conflicts, etc.
A state bar association looked at that situation and found that there was no merit to the claim.
There's no wrongdoing.
Then, not too long ago, the city accused several council members on the view here tonight
of violating open meeting loss.
And of course the AG did an investigation.
The AG found that there was no wrongdoing.
And again, it was an attempt by this council to try and undo
that agreement that was negotiated in good faith.
And now, here we are.
With a claim that I'm scratching my head.
I don't know where your legal advice is coming from.
You hire your own lawyers.
By the time I'm here tonight, I'm going to suggest you get another opinion before you take this vote.
Because you have no claim.
I mean, think about it.
I think to invoke ARS 38511, the cancel of professional management service agreements.
And you're ignoring the language of the statute.
You know, Craig Tindall was not an employee of the city of Glendale
when he sent this infamous email to three of the council members.
And he sent it June 26.
Now, we've already negotiated a hundred-page document
and it was approved by this council five days later.
So it's a suggest that he violated statute number one.
Ignore the fact that he wasn't an employee of the city of Glendale.
Ignore the fact that he certainly didn't have substantial participation in anything
even if he had been an employee.
All right.
So that fact alone makes me wonder why you would want to put
the city at risk for what would happen or what will happen tomorrow.
If in fact, this motion is approved.
The other thing is, you ignore your own legal advice
and the service agreement.
In the seventh agreement, the paragraph six page two, the city wave
all conflicts of interest against Craig Tindall.
So not a claim that somehow Craig Tindall is violated
some conflict of interest statutes, some conflict of interest rule,
is outrageous.
Absolutely outrageous, particularly since you waived it.
And now that's what you're glowing onto in an attempt to set aside this contract.
It is an abusive discretion on your part if you do this.
And, you know, what's the motivation?
I don't understand.
The reputation of the city of Glendale has been
that you don't treat your partners as partners.
You are aggressive.
You deal with them aggressively.
And this is just a typical example.
There are no deficiencies in the contract.
There are none.
Again, negotiating good faith.
And yet, you're going to vilify a man who many people respect.
You are assassinating his character.
And you're using a character assassination as a means for
walking away from a legal obligation that you as a city have.
You as a city agreed to.
And you as a city signed on to.
Promises made.
Promises kept.
So what happens, right?
If you act on this tonight, right?
Tomorrow, the litigators go to work.
There will be claims against a city in excess of $200 million.
And that's just under the contract.
In addition to that, the damage to the reputation and the brand
of the things coyotes will be irreparable.
The damage to the brand and reputation of the NHL
will be irreparable.
They're not going to simply stand badly by and allow that to happen.
So the basis for your claim is spacious and best.
It's laughable.
There is no basis for it.
If you really believe in your heart that a judge is going to
basically kill a deal.
All right, this two years old.
That's 13 years remaining on it.
That requires a $15 million year payment for an NHL franchise
to play in an arena that was built for when we negotiated
based upon an email from a former employee
the three council members giving them some information
of all deals.
Then, you know, you're making the terrible, terrible mistake.
And there's no coming back from that prank.
Absolutely no coming back from that prank.
So if you decide tonight to go forward.
You will lose.
You will lose this case.
And it's going to cost the taxpayers with this city.
Hundreds of millions of dollars to get through it.
And what about the reputation for the city of Glundale?
You know, my firm, we represent Fortune 500 companies.
I can tell you, all right, that I've received calls from a number of them
telling me that, is this real?
Okay?
Because I've seen my name in the paper today.
Is this real?
Is this city actually going to enter into an agreement with one of its most
importance corporate citizens?
And basically, renegade agreement.
Based upon some illusory email from some former employee.
Okay?
I mean, why would any major company want to do business with Glundale ever again?
Okay?
You wouldn't.
I mean, if you're going to do business with someone who walks away from deals like that.
Based upon nothing more than, you know, an allegation.
A personal attack on an individual.
You wouldn't do business with them.
Okay?
Not now.
Not ever.
The other thing is, and lastly, I don't want to wrap up.
What about the time?
You know, you all knew that Craig Tindall was hired by the coyotes as a general counsel and
September of 2013.
Okay?
That was 18 months ago.
Yet, you sat on it.
You didn't do anything.
You didn't take any action.
It decided to let the coyotes go ahead and you sit back and see how they performed.
Okay?
We're going to sit back and say, okay?
We're not going to bring this up.
You know, we may or may not have a claim, but, you know, you knew you didn't.
And then you figured, well, boy, this year we lost six million dollars.
Well, one of the things that bothers me about the six million dollar number.
Aside from the fact that you sat on this for 18 months and didn't do anything.
But, you know, you never talked about the fact that the RFP is that you accepted just before we negotiated
this agreement from several respondents to the RFP.
We're going to charge the city anywhere from six million to seven million dollars to manage that arena.
Of course, they wouldn't bring 41 game nights because, you know, the coyotes would not have been there.
But, you don't factor that into your calculus.
So, when you say that you're losing six million dollars, that's just the fallacy.
Okay?
It's a joke, because you would also have written a check, okay, for six million dollars,
to whatever this perver was, and you would have not have had the team nights in the income and all the other things
that are in this particular agreement.
And then what happens to our friends at Westgate?
When we negotiate in this deal, we heard and you heard, those of you who are on the council at the time,
from all of those people, scared the death that they're going to go out of business.
And, and if you don't think that that is a very likely possibility, it is.
So, again, thank you for the time.
I apologize for my long-winded response.
I only had 24 hours to try and figure out how to respond to this.
But, but I implore you.
And, and without the respect I warn you, this will be one of the,
if not the biggest mistake, one of the, if not one of the biggest mistake,
the biggest mistake that you ever make as a member of this council,
if you decide to go forward with this action tonight.
I truly recommend you get a second opinion.
I truly recommend that you sleep on this because if you go forward,
there is no turning back because the damage will have been done.
There is no sitting down later to try and renegotiate the deal,
because the damage to the brand damage to the NHL,
okay, is it will be irreversible.
So, if your idea is, yeah, we're going to take this action,
and then we'll force them to the tables.
We can renegotiate this deal, not going to happen.
It's not going to happen because it can't happen.
So, is that again, thank you for your time.
Thank you, Mr. Roy.
It's my client, Mr. Libon.
Mr. Libon.
There we go.
Thank you Mr. Libon.
Thank you Mr. Mayor.
Thank you, members of council.
Good evening.
I come here with candid feedback for you,
and for the taxpayers of the lovely city of Guandell.
This council has started a process
that has already had significance,
negative impact on the business of the Arizona coyotes.
And the action you are contemplating that you've just said in
Demotion tonight is, as my council indicated to you,
it will not prevail in court.
It certainly is not ethical in the court of public opinion,
and it is not helpful to the cause of a partnership
that is less than two years old.
Mayor Wires, I heard you earlier today.
You said you want the coyotes to stay.
But in a way that is beneficial to both the coyotes and the city.
If you would allow yourself and all members of council allow yourself
to view the facts realistically,
you will see that the current situation is already more beneficial
to the city of Guandell than original projections
in forecasts of less than two years ago.
We ask yourselves, member of council,
and the good taxpayers of the city of Guandell,
to focus purely on the empirical facts,
not on the, and I say this with all due respect,
political, grandstanding, we are now witnessing.
The city receives a tremendous amount of revenues from the coyotes,
and our arena operation currently,
for the first nine months of the current fiscal year,
nine months, not a full fiscal year we're talking about,
the cities receive the following revenues from the coyotes,
nine hundred and five thousand dollars from parking,
five hundred thousand dollars from rent,
three hundred and fifty thousand from your portion of the naming rights agreement,
we recently struck with the heel of river Indian tribe.
Next year that goes up to four hundred and twenty thousand
because it will be a full year, this year is pro-rated,
and there is a possibility to go as high as six hundred thousand,
as we have discussed within administration last year.
Five hundred and twenty two thousand for reimburse public safety,
two point eight million dollars from ticket surcharges,
one point five million dollars from direct sales tax from the coyotes,
and as a side note, sales tax revenue is never included
in disclosure from the city regarding revenues with the coyotes.
Someone akin to a waiter who doesn't disclose the revenue
from his or her tips to the IRS.
These all add up to more than six point five million dollars
in direct revenues from the coyotes,
and this does not include the final quarter that we are in now,
which includes multiple concerts.
This also does not include the increase in sales taxes
from the Westgate entertainment district.
Based upon the six hundred thousand people that come to the arena every year,
we estimate very conservatively to bring in an additional two point five million
dollars in revenue to the city via sales taxes from Westgate patrons
that otherwise would not be visiting Westgate.
Bringing the total benefit to the city of over nine million dollars
this year from the coyotes to the city with a quarter left to go.
So far during this fiscal year,
which as I said ends at the end of this month.
We are already $1 million greater in revenue, additional revenues, back to the city of Glendale, compared
to the last fiscal year. And this is occurred in the season, and I say this with all due respect
to our general manager, Don Maloney, who's in the room, wasn't our best year on the ice.
And therefore didn't get the full revenues we had hoped to get from the hockey operations.
Therefore, today, while we continue to grow our business with one full quarter left to finish
in regards to reporting, the net cost to the city to operate the arena is less than $6 million per year,
which is less than the city had budgeted two years ago as my council indicated.
Mayor Wires, members of council, how is this not beneficial today to the city of Glendale?
This also does not include the capital expenditures into the arena that comes directly from ownership.
Last year, we spent over $2 million in improvements to our food and beverage offerings,
and improvements to our clubs, not to mention improvements to our locker room in hockey areas.
This offseason, we will spend an additional $2 million plus in technology expenditures, including Wi-Fi in the arena,
for all guests to enjoy beginning this coming season, enhancing the experience of the arena.
We explained these numbers to everyone and most importantly to the taxpayers of the city of Glendale,
because it is important for everyone to understand that the coyotes are a positive economic driver for the city's economy.
The actions of this council over the past 48 hours have been highly detrimental to the business we are operating.
We have been advised by several of our partners that they wish to understand their options based upon the uncertainty that has been set in motion exclusively because of this body.
One example, I just want to outline one example to you, is our potential to host an internationalized hockey Federation world junior championship in 2018.
We have been working very closely with USA hockey and our partners regarding a bid that the coyotes are putting together.
We have represented this from some of the Westgate hotels here this evening, whom we have been planning hundreds of hotel rooms for two weeks and December of 2017,
and weeks of first week of January 18, just for the participating teams.
This does not include the thousands and thousands of visitors that would have come to the region for the tournament.
While we are not guaranteed that we would have landed the tournament, we were working very closely with our partners,
we felt our chances were substantial.
This council's actions have unfortunately guaranteed us that we will not host that tournament.
An opportunity, an opportunity worth several million dollars for the team, but tens of millions of dollars for the city of Glendale.
It's disappeared before it was even an opportunity.
The city's actions have severely tarnished the image of this community to any outside group to potential sponsors, customers, or business partners.
The city of Glendale signed a 15-year agreement less than two years ago and is now trying strong arm threats and tactics to forces to renegotiate.
This is unfortunate due to the realities I've earlier explained regarding the positive impacts to the city and the benefits from their relationship.
Now specifically, Mayor Wires, Vice Mayor Hugh, City Attorney Bailey, City Manager Bowers.
We had a candid discussion 48 hours ago, 48 hours ago.
You asked us to renegotiate the lease, just a point of order off my script.
There's a statement today that says we have been working for months to renegotiate the lease.
It's not correct.
That meeting two days ago was the first time that the city asked us to renegotiate the lease.
We replied as any commercial organization would, due to the fact we're less than two years into a 15-year commercial relationship, we declined.
You warned us in that meeting that you felt you had legal options at your disposal.
We asked you to explain those, you declined to do so.
You indicated you would get back to us.
24 hours later, you decided to call an emergency meeting to terminate the lease within an additional 24 hours tonight.
Your method chosen to claim legal breach is to tarnish the reputation of a good man who is a good and honest public servant for this city for many, many years.
And then today via the media, you advised us you would be happy to discuss a renegotiation.
Members of Council with all due respect, this is not how you conduct business in the real world.
In the past 24 hours alone, you would put the coyotes in a situation whereby we were exposed to the loss of tens of millions of dollars in revenue unnecessarily.
These are significant damages.
And if you continue down the path you're going down tonight, the damage is just beginning folks.
Everyone will lose and no one more than the good taxpayers of the city of Glendale.
Please be realistic.
Look at the facts, understand the economics, and put the political grandstanding aside.
Regardless of the fact we feel there has been an unnecessary lens on the coyotes, especially due to the fact that our finances represent less than one and a half percent of the entire Glendale budget.
The coyotes are committed to Glendale for the long term.
And we are committed to ensuring our partnership with the City of Glendale Frives.
It is already beneficial to both of us.
Thank you for your time to see.
Thank you, Mr. Wont.
How much time do we have left?
We have 39 minutes left for the public.
Who's in line, who wants to speak?
Okay. Again, if you'd please form a line over on this side, we'll bring you up first.
You'll have three minutes, what I'd like you to do is introduce yourself.
Your name, if you're from the City of Glendale, the district that you're from.
You have not the city that you represent.
Certainly.
Then you might pull up. There you go. Perfect.
Thank you, Mayor. Council members.
My name is B. Y. And I'm from Cave Creek.
I'm not a Glendale resident. However, I do represent Desert Hockey Development, which is a charity that operates within the City of Glendale.
Offering free youth hockey to your children.
I just wanted to say today, one of the, some of the points that have already been brought up, unfortunately, or fortunately.
Just, I pulled something from the City of Glendale's website.
It's previously related, previously related council actions.
And it gives a timeline of the.
Coyote's deal.
It said in March 26, 2013, the council voted to ratify and train into agreement with Beacon Sports.
That's for the RFP to get the quotes to run the arena.
That was March 26.
We all know April 1st with Miss was Mr. Tendale's last day with the City of Glendale.
He was kind of forced to resign with the help of the mayor and some council members.
And he was given a waiver in his separation documents that said the city.
With informed consent from its attorneys.
Care by waves any conflict of employee.
Conflict of interest waiver.
It was said tonight that Mr. Burmbaum, Gary Burmbaum, outside council, and Mr. Bowers,
worked throughout the month of June and July creating negotiations to write this agreement with the City of Glendale and the Coyotes.
Mr. Tendale was no longer an employee.
At that time, Mr. Tendale could only provide information on past city deals and not able to provide legal advice.
That's also an separation agreement.
He was not able to give the council legal advice.
So anything he provided to you was not legal advice.
Just information on previous deals.
One of the things that says in 38, 5, 11, is that any person having significant involvement in the initiation negotiations negotiation,
securing drafting or creating the contract.
As we just ran through, Mr. Tendale was not an employee of the City of Glendale.
During the period of time that the contract was created.
And so therefore, could not have significant contribution.
The city Glendale benefits greatly from having the Coyotes here.
Mr. LeBlanc just ran through some things.
But there's other things that he didn't run through, such as the city park that got improvements from playground that the Coyotes built over $100,000.
That's important because it was built in Bonsel Park right down the street here in the Yucca district.
Yucca district. Yucca district.
Yucca district.
I'm so sorry. Again, I'm not a resident of Glendale.
But it was something that they built and we assisted them in doing so.
Please, truly consider what you're doing.
This is a huge deal.
I've already are saying the city of Glendale.
Why would anyone want to do business with you?
If you're reading it on your contracts, if you back out of your contracts, thank you very much.
Thank you.
More up for.
Hello, I'm James Dipler.
I came from Phoenix, Arizona.
I currently go to school at Arizona State University West.
And I know the city of Glendale cannot afford the Coyotes because every year when the city sign a radio management deal,
the Arizona Coyotes broke the law by one of the cities employees was engaging with the Coyotes hiking team.
And a couple of months later, he quit the job.
And Glendale was dying to intensify again about this guy.
But he was in the illegal dealings with with with with Arizona Coyotes in the city of Glendale,
trying to get every man to make deal.
The reason I against the wing is men to jail because to the city of Glendale cannot afford it.
The city should use the taxpayer money to fund homeless people.
We pay up for pay grounds.
We pay the roads.
And the stand for library hours.
My friend, Joey Healey, currently disabled on his wheelchair.
And he is on as a high, he's barely making it by himself.
But he live near Glendale Community College.
And please work again.
And please work to terminate the Coyotes deals because it's no good with the taxpayer for the city in Glendale.
And I don't like to see the Arizona Coyotes moving down to Phoenix because they have more businesses.
They have more shots and they have more invent that the mayor of Phoenix Grace stands.
It will be happy to have in the downs on Phoenix.
Thanks, James.
Come up, sir.
Hello, my name is Reginald Martinez.
I live at 6609 West Turquoise Avenue.
Glendale is going to build this right.
Good afternoon, Marin Council.
I'm here today.
I'm not a frequent speaker, but I am a community activist and I did run for city council.
And as I walked, I made a promise to the people who supported me,
that over 2,000 people that voted for me or signed my petition and helped me walk.
The things that I told that were important to me in Glendale was Westgate.
That I supported Westgate.
That I supported the coyotes that I supported the white socks.
Though I didn't agree with the contracts made that was something that the pass council had done.
Recently, in the last 6 months we have a new council, a new city manager.
And that was a big change losing the city manager.
I thought she did some great things and she saved the city a lot of money.
I'm not, you know, I'm not privy to the information you have.
I don't see what's going on in the future.
But what I do have to say tonight is that we made a commitment.
And we've always talked about renegotiating contracts and stuff like that.
But there's a penalty to pay.
And I'm not sure we can afford that penalty because you know what?
We may win the battle tonight, but there's a war waiting down the road for the city of Glendale.
And I'm not sure we can win that war.
So tonight I ask you to really consider how you vote tonight because from what I understand when this was all taken into place.
I talked to a former council member.
The gave me some information that there was a 20 year plan that they did this with the coyotes and building Westgate.
So hopefully you know something that we don't know.
And that you, you, you have a plan that's going to get us through the next 20 years.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir.
Sure.
Hi, my name is Jesse Hurley.
Right, raise it up.
It's comfortable for you.
There we go.
And I actually live kind of on the edge of Phoenix.
It's like an awkward little division there because anyways,
it's really close to Glendale.
It's been a long time, Lendale.
Let me to say that.
I basically live at Hila River Arena.
I've lived there pretty much since the coyotes came to town.
To me, and I think for a lot of fans, this is like watching two parents have a fight.
And the father is tearing the wife's arm off.
And things are shredding.
The muscle, the tissue, the bone is shredding.
Right now, you guys are thinking about doing.
And from what I've heard of the decisions already made.
It better not be.
Because then you haven't really in your hearts heard of what we had to say.
Because there's going to be a lot of people talking tonight.
So I hope you got a lot of popcorn.
Let me say this.
You guys are shredding this city.
And you're doing it too.
Our guys.
These are our guys.
This is our team.
Guess who hired you.
Guess who pays the taxes here.
It's us.
You guys won't be here much longer than this conversation.
I'm telling you right now.
If the NHL is very powerful, obviously, we all know that.
But you know who's more powerful and who's more pissed us.
All of us.
Well, these are most of us.
Sorry, guys.
If you're not pissed.
I'm pissed.
But the guy's not pissed.
If you're pissed, you're pissed.
I'm telling you right now.
I run a small little blog.
To get about 9,000 hits every post I make. Okay? I'm telling you right now, it's not just us, and I'm
San Jose, Chicago, Florida, every city in the national hockey league hates having their teams move. And I'm telling you right now, the money will be flowing for lawsuits, not from just the NHL, but from the citizens.
It's sick and tired to be in jerked around by you guys all of the time every single couple of years. Please make a commitment and keep it just like you were in a marriage that you signed off of in front of all of us.
Do that for the city and do that for the taxpayers and do that for the people that voted you in here. Thank you. Thank you.
No, no, not black. No, we're not going to do that. Good evening. Mayor, vice mayor members of the council.
Do we have councilman Sherwood with us this evening? I think he's on the phone.
Do we have council members Sherwood with us this evening? Mr. Sherwood, are you on the line?
Okay, go ahead, sir. Yes. Again, I run at for the record. Station name in the city.
Living. Gary Hirsch, I live in the cactus district in the city of Glendale.
Go ahead. Thank you, Mayor.
Great irony that the self declared author architect of this horrific deal isn't here this evening to defend his position.
And I remember when that voter occurred and the acting city manager cautioned the council at that time that this contract had unreasonable degree of risk.
And I believe that that was the language used unreasonable level of risk.
And now that we've had a year and a half, almost two years of this contract in operation, we see that we are, in fact, at a unacceptable level of risk.
Members of the council, this deal isn't working. It was ill conceived.
And thankfully you found an opportunity to legally disconnect from this.
Perhaps the organization, the coyotes, would like to rent our facility that the taxpayers own, like any other tenant would.
You know, life owned both commercial and residential property over the years, it's been my good fortune to do that.
And I've never had a situation where I paid the remedy to live in my house.
So I don't believe that this was in the best interest.
It was legally flawed.
There's a statute language, which is apparently explicit.
And so far, what I've heard this evening, other than a few of the local fans from legal counsel and ownership of the coyotes, it's rats and intimidation.
And tonight is the night council members for statesmen, like behavior.
Vote, yes, to in this. I have every confidence.
There's any number of professional management organizations out there that would be very happy to come in and work this arena.
Get this thing turned around, let Glendale take control of its own fate.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir.
Okay, next.
Good evening, Mayor council. My name's Chris Houser.
I am a Glendale resident.
A little bit hard to hear you, sir.
I am a Glendale resident.
Very good.
And part of one of the reasons I moved to Glendale because I thought it'd be a great place to live.
And there's a lot of things that we have that we can take pride in.
Our sports facilities, the teams, the coyotes, the cardinals, the spring training.
It's a great thing to have in the community.
And when I see things like this, it embarrasses me.
And I'm ashamed that it has come to this.
I find this to be a bit as a nine that we are.
We're here trying to work out an agreement.
Or trying to go back on an agreement, whether we think he could have been better terms at the time.
None of us were there negotiating it.
I just, I'm not going to waste three minutes of your time.
But I just wanted to share that part of the reason why I love Glendale is because of the things that it offers.
And it seems like you're trying to take one of those away.
Thank you, sir.
Come on.
Good evening, Mayor.
Vice Mayor and council members.
My name is Julie Done.
I reside in Litchfield Park, just fordering on Glendale.
But my husband and I spend a lot of money in Glendale because of the coyotes.
My first concern is I'm a bit curious what evidence you have that Mr. Bailey says supports this statute.
Mr. Mayor, where's has said that he wants transparency in these proceedings.
So where's the transparency when you are not providing us with the evidence?
Not providing the public with the reported evidence in support of the statute.
Based on what the public knows, which is limited to what you want us to know is I've just set forth.
It appears that you're using the statute to try to get out of a deal.
But not for the proper purpose that the statute was in enacted.
The statute was enacted so that people in a political position wouldn't take advantage of that position.
And then benefit from it in a quick pro quo later by being hired by another party.
I don't see any evidence of that here based on the timelines that Mr. Tindall worked with Glendale and then now works with the coyotes.
I also find the 18 month delay in asking for this cancellation suspicious and also not in support of the way you're using the statute.
The explicit damage from this cancellation will obviously be the coyotes leaving an empty arena.
But the collateral damage goes far beyond that.
Not only will the businesses at Westgate suffer, but this cancellation will hunt the city of Glendale for all in all future business dealings.
You know, business beware if you want to do business with Glendale because if they want to get out of a business deal, they're going to find a statute or a loophole to do it.
Is that really what you want your reputation to be based on a 24 hour process of notifying the coyotes that you want cancellation to deal.
I urge you to think about it a little bit longer, especially when council members sure would as present.
Thank you.
Good evening, sir.
Good evening, Mayor.
Vice Mayor, council members.
Mr. Bowers.
As you know, I'm the development manager representing ownership of Westgate entertainment district.
There's a lot to talk about Westgate.
I think it's important to hear from us directly.
To understand it, I'm disappointed to find that we're here revisiting this topic two years after you prove the contract.
You're bringing unnecessary self-inflicted and negative attention onto yourself and onto the ears on a coyotes franchise.
A franchise in which hundreds of millions of dollars of private capital have been invested in the last couple years on the basis of its contract with the city of Glendale.
I want to address two things tonight.
One being choices are false choices and one being economic development.
There's a lot of talk about $15 million and unfortunately we'll hear lots of references to $15 million.
As you know, $15 million is a misnomer.
The deal does not cost you $15 million.
The net cost of the city is in the neighborhood of seven.
But it's not a choice between seven and zero.
It's a choice between seven and what would you do with the empty arena.
You put it out to bed as the counsel to the coyotes noted you had bids that required the city would be obligated to take 100% of the cost of operating
and the capital expenses of the arena which were estimated at $6 to $7 million.
Those comparisons of seven to seven show a net effect to the city a basically nothing.
And that's before the consideration of economic development activity outside the four walls of the arena
and ignoring that is frankly absurd.
So let me turn my attention to economic development activity.
By any reasonable objective measure, there's been substantial development activity at Westgate in the last three years.
We built 10 drought less Westgate in 2012.
In 2014 we expanded it.
Under way right now we're building Davenbusters.
The city of Glendale has a pending application for another hotel in the city of Glendale.
Electively that development in the last three years represents over $100 million in sales revenue upon which the city gets sales taxes.
Hundreds upon hundreds of thousand dollars of building permit fees to the city of Glendale.
And a thousand or more permanent jobs in the city of Glendale.
It is real, it is tangible economic benefit.
I ask you, do you think it would be the same without the coyotes?
So before you invoke tonight, I would ask you to consider not just the damage you've already done to the businesses around the coyotes to the coyotes themselves by calling this meeting.
But the further damage you'll do to the relationships to them with private business owners and to real estate owners, all at cost to the city of taxpayers.
Thank you.
Thank you Mr. Faisal.
I'm not sure.
Wow, I can't believe I'm here. But since I am here.
I'm from Seattle. I moved here to Arizona about a year ago.
And I met Jeff T. Sullivan and open up a restaurant in Glendale next to Buffalo.
Well, it means called the Belibria Cafe.
I've got about $700,000 invested in that business.
And I know to you guys, it probably means absolutely nothing.
But a little bit about what I'm going to talk about right now is common sense.
What you guys are doing really should really evaluate your common sense about what you're going to do to all these businesses because you're going to devastate them whole.
Not only the businesses, the employees, their families, their children, everybody that's going to suffer from there because the business is well close.
They will shut down because of the revenue.
I came to Glendale because of the coyotes.
And you guys can look at me and listen to me and you can probably care less about what I have to say.
But all these people out here that have money invested, they do care.
And you should really think about it because this is nonsense.
Really, really is.
It's common sense.
And you guys looking at me are probably going to who's this idiot.
The bottom line is as I will lose money so everybody else.
You guys are adults.
You guys are educated people.
Get your groups together.
Communicate, compromise.
Get it done and move on.
Otherwise there's going to be a lot of people suffering.
But it won't affect your pocketbook.
Thanks.
Thank you, sir.
My name is Marianne Bailey and I am a Glendale resident.
Barrel district and I have been since 1995.
And all I want to start off saying is, I think that you all should be ashamed of yourself for even considering this.
This is terrible.
The coyotes organization is a wonderful organization and it is given back to the community in so many ways.
And you guys are not even looking at that.
There is absolutely no reason for you to try and find a loophole to get out of this contract that you guys don't like.
They are here.
They support our area and you should be thankful that they're here.
And you are devastating not only the coyotes organization if you go through with this but all the businesses like all the other people have said.
Our other businesses going to come to Glendale and say, oh yeah we really want to do business with them when you can turn around in less than a three year period and say oh well we don't like it anymore.
No they're not going to do it.
You need to start thinking about that because you're you're putting a terrible mark on the city of Glendale and I'm really ashamed at this point of even being in the city of Glendale anymore.
You know think about what you're doing.
You know you've got a great organization that gives back but then on the other hand you're looking at building a casino and in a backyard when they broke the promise.
To not live or build within a community and it's right across from a high school where are your priorities.
What are you thinking about and I'm just I'm absolutely appalled by you guys even thinking of doing this to the coyotes because they're a good organization and they're going to help us here.
Because you don't like the deal you're trying to renew and I think it's terrible and I wanted to just make my comments and opinions known.
So hopefully you'll get some common sense and change your minds because I think you've already got it made.
Thank you ma'am.
Mayor Howria.
I just don't care.
Hello my name is John Mendeblas.
I reside in Phoenix and I have property and Mr. Charlie it is district yaka.
My yaki gonna be from yaka pretty soon.
There you go.
I'm a former mayor of a small community and I'm native so the casino is your kind of, that's my blood a little bit.
But you know, this is not the issue of us versus them.
This is an issue of you as a community.
You know, you need to work to each other and work with each other.
To attack your council which you elected.
Right.
Why did you elect them?
Right.
I just talked to the proponents of the coyotes and their morning willing to negotiate renegotiate.
But they must understand if the city's paying 15 million and only getting six or seven back.
It's on your back that that money's coming from.
Money that's not going to recreation.
Money that's not going to parks or to libraries or to your public safety.
That's your money.
Your taxes.
Now is that what you want to say no to?
Be a community together. Work with each other. You get more to compromise and understanding than you do with vinegar and salt.
That is what this is about. As a veteran, I can say this. As a veteran who poured blood for this community, I can say this.
I don't believe my country the way it is right now. I don't believe how you will not look at the needs of your community.
Versus for the needs of professional sports. Every state in this state has been born and built by taxpayers.
By your taxes, not by the professional sports, by your taxes. And that's God's truth.
In this particular instance, then they have built the whole thing. So it's just like, you know, green bay, it's your arena. You own it.
But I think these are honorable gentlemen, Mr. Wood and Mr. LeBlanc. As I do this honorable council, this council I know well and it's very honorable.
And to say other than that, conceives are cloud upon yourself as people from Glenda, which I soon will be.
I would hope, and I would pray, as Americans, as individuals, as the best country in this year earth, that you have the ability to be open to negotiate.
Not to, not to settle lines that you will have to cross. No, let's don't do anything but make an adversary.
But to come together as a community. Because remember, if it doesn't add up to what is supposed to add up, you pay the cost. It comes out of your taxes.
All right. And right now, Glenda is not in the good boat budget wise.
So you want more taxes. Because if you do tell the council, though, I'm going to put more taxes if you want it.
You know, but it's up to you as a community. You know, attacking each other, that is you're no good. Work with one another.
Thank you, Mayor.
Sir, your next. How many?
Okay. We have enough for four more people.
You need to cancel. I'm daughter of an olden. I'm coming out of good year Arizona.
And I'm representing all the businesses. We didn't hear your name.
Sure.
Don't have an olden.
Okay. Very good. Thank you.
And I'm representing all the businesses of restaurants, the Westgate.
And I just want to speak on behalf of the businesses that we rely on the business during the week or the hockey games and the foot traffic that they bring through.
And in order to keep our revenue up, I think it's a mistake to go ahead and follow through with this deal.
We have a great work environment with our fans, the coyotes, the working staff of the coyotes.
And I just want to.
I just want to say that I think this would be a mistake.
Thank you so much.
Sure.
Hello, my name is Larry Feiner from the Swarrow District.
I have some Glendale chops. I've lived here over a decade.
I've worked here over a decade.
I manage a real estate office with over 540 real estate agents.
I'm a commissioner for the City of Glendale on the Board of Adjustments.
I'm a founding board member of Desert Hockey Development, which is dedicated to making sports affordable for the children of Glendale.
I care about Glendale.
I've got a couple of questions that need answering.
In 2013, there was studies done on how much the arena would cost with and without the coyotes in the arena.
Has that been considered this time?
Do we have a plan A, a plan B and a plan C?
Without a plan B and a C, how can you even consider this vote?
I have a problem with this vote in the first place.
It's timing seems a little scrupulous to me.
This emergency meeting was called when it was known that council member Sherwood would be in Salt Lake City for a transportation meeting.
That's not fair pool. That's dirty pool.
I'm not very happy with this council.
I'll have to say right now.
Okay.
The people that are in line, we're going to let all you speak no one else pass the lady behind.
We'll go a little over the hour, but we'll allow those people to speak.
Go ahead, ma'am.
Okay. One second. Don't start the time yet.
Council member Sherwood, you are on the phone.
I have been online. I would just offer a couple minutes.
We were trying to watch it on video. There was a delay.
Okay. All right. So that takes sure the last comment.
Okay. Good. I'm glad to have you here.
My name's Joy Dunn. I've lived in the Glendell area for the last 34 years now.
I have watched my neighborhood around me change drastically since, you know, the crash and all with the housing market.
What I don't appreciate with the arenas and all the other things that we do put out money for.
As I'm watching my strip malls in the area, just deplete down to hardly anybody.
And then we end up with, you know, smoke shops and hooka shops and vapor shops and all.
And I'm very aware of what is going on in my neighborhood.
There's been a couple killings take place. The Nile hooka shop last year.
They're out of business now. Thank God. They're science taken down.
And the cast of block on Pioria and 43rd area.
I am very upset about this.
It gets just thrown up in the media and then taken down immediately.
Because, you know, follow up and say,
Did you find the person that killed that other individual?
Well, believe me, I've gotten no nosy to find out what's happening.
Talking to the shop owners in the area, there is a lone wolf weapon tree there in that shopping center also.
With two, well, the pipe or the smoke shop that I'm aware of was selling spice and salts in there.
And I talk to the police and I get no response about what they're going to do about the situation.
I have seen and reported young people walking down the street that are totally out of their gold with their, you know,
Bridges half down and all and report it that.
If you want to look into it, go ahead and call DPS and I get, you know, some smart person on the phone.
I'm worried about my neighborhoods.
I'm worried about what you people aren't accomplishing with the connection of your police departments.
And all, we had three killings just yesterday evening off of 67th and in Canto area.
What in the world is going on with our area?
The shops I'm very aware.
I'm around the corner on 67th and camel back area, or not camel back, but 67th and cactus area.
I know who bought into there.
They were Russian and all.
And I want to know what's going on with my area.
How this property is just turning and turning.
You people better get on top of this.
We're being taken over and it's pissing me off.
Okay.
The next speaker.
And if we could, please, let's keep the comments towards the coyotes issue here.
I'll be very brief.
My name is Jennifer Delprenzope.
I live in surprise, but I am a second year season ticket holder now with me has been in our two kids.
And we spent an incredible time in the Westgate area.
Cabela's the whole Westgate corridor.
But in good money both with the coyotes and in our in and around that area.
Our son plays hockey.
We moved up here from Tucson.
We don't have ice rinks in hockey.
In Tucson anymore.
You have to come to Phoenix to do that.
And the things that my son has been able to at a young age accomplish because of the outreach programs and the community programs with the coyote organization.
The Paw Patrol and Arizona coyotes foundation have set up our immeasurable throughout our entire community above and beyond what they accomplish here in Glendale.
So please, I urge you guys to sit on this.
Take note of everything that's been said, whether it's from a legal standpoint or a fan standpoint.
These coyotes have brought so much to Phoenix to Glendale to Arizona and the outline communities.
It would be a shame and also shame to lose them within our communities because the good that they bring will lose it if it's gone.
Go ahead, huh?
My name is Joey and I'm going to.
Go coyotes.
Okay.
All right.
Thank you very much.
Good evening.
My name is Veronica Balutnini.
I'm in 5815 Westmorten Avenue, Glendale, Arcatio District.
And I've lived in Glendale close to 30 years now.
So my major concern is that as taxpayers of the Lendale, which is a mid-sized city,
236,000 people live here, and that includes children.
I just feel that we don't have the tax space to subsidize the coyotes.
We're not Toronto.
We're not LA.
We're not Ontario.
We're just mid-sized window.
And what happens is, like the previous speaker said, we're losing out on the amenities of a city.
We're losing out on parks and recreations on libraries.
Up in the hours of cut, we should have a new library.
83rd Avenue, and Bethany, and that hasn't happened.
And in the meantime, we're staying money subsidizing a team.
National hockey league team.
I think they're great team, but I just don't see how a mid-sized city with our tax space can afford them.
And in plus, we are in the valley.
Our city taxes are the highest.
We pay 2.9% in city taxes.
We pay higher than Scottsdale.
We pay higher than Phoenix.
And then those taxes are not going away in your future from what I understand.
So I'm just really upset that our city has been caught in a trap.
And if Scottsdale and Phoenix, and let's feel park wants to help, hey, that would be awesome.
They can help pay the arena management.
We'll go for that.
But not just good old blindel.
So thank you.
Thank you.
Hi. I'm Sherry, and I live in North Phoenix.
I've always lived right on the edge of Glendale.
I live at 43rd Avenue in Happy Valley.
Bell in 43rd Avenue before that.
And I just want to start by saying, I'm completely embarrassed by the behavior of the council
and trying to reinigound this deal.
We are the laughing stock of the valley right now.
And you know, I'm proud to be from the west side, but this doesn't do it for me.
When we have a kind of cooling off period for a couple of weeks, get some people together, talk about it.
We don't need the escalation because to me it sounds like you guys are the ones being the bullies, not the coyotes.
I'm also to speak something that ladies said, I'm from Buffalo, New York, originally.
We have the sabers.
Yeah, our tax base is much smaller than that is out here.
And we can support the sabers and the bills without any problem.
Something that Michael Bailey said about being a good partner with the Cardinals.
Not what I heard.
I've listened to Michael Bedwell.
Lamb based the city council of Glendale during the.
Super Bowl because.
All the other events had to be in Scottsdale in Phoenix because you guys wouldn't buy into this.
We want to be a world class city and attract people from all over the country to come here.
This is not how we go about it.
I've, you know, I've been listening to the whole conflict of interest with attorney Tindale.
It sounds like you're kind of splitting hairs and he was gone before the crux of the deal was struck.
So I'm I'm kind of puzzled in that.
If we're so if Glendale so strapped for cash, why are you willing to let this go to.
Litigation.
Why can't we just get behind the coyotes.
Help them be successful within our community.
And as the team improves your your money will come.
I, I'm just.
You know, I've never gone to a city council meeting, never gone to any political meeting at all.
And I'm just.
I'm embarrassed. I'm just totally embarrassed. I think we need to quit act. You guys need to quit acting like school children who, you don't like the deal that was struck by the previous administration. You know, it's really too bad. Let's make the best of it. I mean, splitting hairs and making us look like morons in this part of the valley is just, you know, I love the West Valley. Like I said, I've lived in the West Valley my entire time out here in Phoenix.
Let's see what my last little thing was.
When people come to coyotes games, you bring people in from other parts of the valley who would never step foot in the West side.
So if you put a good foot forward, I mean, Westgate's nice. We've got the, you guys have the place down on northern, that has like,
where all these pizza and stuff, that's nice. Why don't you want to showcase that?
I mean, people, the East side people, they're coming here except for coyotes game or cardinals game. So why don't we show them what we have to offer and then maybe we can improve our image.
Hi, my name's Rhonda Pearson. I reside in North Phoenix and mainly this is directed at you, Mayor Wires.
I'm curious because I go to all coyotes games because I've been a season ticket holder for several years now, both season, not a half season, not a partial season, both season.
I've seen you at game, so many games. A number of times sporting a jersey that looks just like this one with mayor on the back and the number one on the back.
How much did you pay for your jersey? How much did you pay for your tickets for those games? Because I know I paid a hell of a lot more than you did.
I support this team. You don't. You don't show up to games and pay for your tickets. None of you do. Why, why are you at the Super Bowl? Because you didn't buy a ticket. Someone gave you tickets.
What happened to all the events that comes with the Super Bowl? The NFL moved him to Scottsdale because of you.
Look at all these people who showed up supporting this team last minute. I hope, but down the road, please don't give me a speeding ticket officer.
I hope, but to get here so I can speak my mind. Because I support this team. It's you that doesn't support any sport in this city, not football and certainly not hockey.
What you're doing is childish. It's pathetic and it's disrespectful to the citizens who voted you in office and for all of us that spent so much time and energy supporting this team when you never did.
Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you.
Reverend Mocking.
Mary Council.
No stranger before you on on this issue.
I've been here every time it's come before you.
And my opinion then.
And my opinion now. I'm not this similar, but I'm going to ask you to do this community a favor and I think to do the right thing in this situation.
And I think that's clearly based on on your actions tonight. You have shown that you can bring folks to the table. Everyone that's required to be around the table.
And no matter what you do, whether you do it tonight or the do it a week from tonight, you'll still be able to get this done.
I would humbly request that that one of you join.
Three of your other colleagues.
Not saying yes to the contract.
Not saying no to ice here is on.
But just saying okay to having a dialogue.
I'm going to ask you to put this off until the 17th of June.
And give folks like yourselves and like Mr. Wood and Mr. LeBlanc.
And third party folk. I said I'm willing to do it.
I know there's others that are willing to do it to see if we can't just sit down at the table.
One week, what's a week.
And work through some of these issues.
Let's have a conversation about it.
Let's talk about it.
Let's lay bare the facts.
Let's have a debate. You know, you've met before.
Let's let's meet.
And again, I recommend having some third party folks in the room.
So you can cut through some of the vitriol and the opinions.
And deal just with the facts.
And then if on the 17th, you feel the same way.
Have the vote you're having tonight.
I'm by all means.
I'm not saying stop doing what you're doing.
You've got the power right now.
It comes woman Tomachoff.
Vice Mayor Hugh Mayor Wires.
Mr. Turner, you've got it.
You hold the Trump card.
Give us a week.
Give the people a week.
Give the third party folks a week.
And you've tried all you can.
I hear it.
I hear it. I hear it.
But before the lawyer start getting paid.
Because they're the ones that are going to make out like bandits.
Will you give the third party folks?
Folks like me.
Like Art Hamilton, like Ruth McGregor,
Outstanding Citizens, Mr. Collangelo,
Others.
They can get everybody around the table.
Give us a week to see what we can do.
And then if we can't do anything.
Have the vote.
You're going to have tonight.
But give us a week.
Give us a week.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Okay.
Please.
No applause.
Good afternoon.
Okay.
We have a discussion from our council.
Yes, Mayor.
Council member Tabita.
Well, I'm going to start off folks.
I am.
I want to thank each and every one of you for being here tonight,
whether you're pro, whether you're con.
I had some remarks prepared.
I'm going to speak for my heart.
We all know where I voted on July 2nd, 2013.
And we all know how I voted.
And I was a swing vote.
But kept the coyotes here.
But you know, this was never about the coyotes.
It never has been, I never will be.
Mr. LeBlanc and I have that conversation,
I don't know what I mean.
I'm sure they're working on it, but I don't know what I mean.
I don't know what I mean.
I'm sure they don't know what I mean.
And I told them that this wasn't a good deal.
But it was the best deal at the time.
2013, July 2nd.
We were on the verge of bankruptcy.
We were going through our assets, to sell our assets, to see how we could get money.
is that when the merchants reached out to me, a Westgate,
when the citizens of my district reached out to me,
and that's who I responded to.
Come here, Carriwater, I'm in that decision.
And to this day, I will stick by it.
And I will always stick by the citizens, the employees,
and the rules special caveat to the merchants of Westgate.
I have met with my dear friend from risky roles.
I'm sorry if I can't give you all a plug.
But they all know me.
And the thing is, at the end of the day,
I ask you to pray for my colleagues up here,
to open their hearts, to open their minds.
And this is bigger than us.
Because when they go back to their districts,
I got a stare at mine.
And the reason why I did this is because I wanted
to keep Westgate alive.
Sports came here way before we did.
This obligation was made way before we were here.
Folks, have you ever heard the phrase or coined the phrase,
playing the cars you were dealt?
Well, I did that.
And I will always stay stand fast.
I won't let you down.
And right now, unless you have a crystal ball,
like it was mentioned before, one of my constituents
commented in, we're talking about assurances.
And he was pretty candid because you know what I'm saying?
We're not even sure if we're going to make it here tomorrow.
Be it tomorrow, wake up.
And I go, you know what?
You're right.
But we can go off past practices and best practices,
or practices that keep us afloat.
This deal was a life reserve.
It wasn't pretty, but it kept Westgate alive.
We're no longer on life support.
We're no longer in a wheelchair.
But we certainly are walking straight
tall with leg braces.
We cannot take those off folks who fall flat on our faces.
And another thing with the bat with the best practices,
going from 2013 to now, look who we're at, folks.
We had a negative credit rating.
It's been upgraded to a stable.
It's been upgraded from a stable to a positive.
And we're not too far off from getting that.
And I hope I'm saying this right, A3 and A3 rating.
So if those aren't indicators, this isn't working.
Like I said, it's not the best, you know, the cars run it.
But we're going to make it there.
But if you can honestly look at what's being brought to the table right now,
and you have a chance, is that that $15 million that we're supposed to pay.
That's in the budget right now in our balance budget right now.
If you can assure me that we're not going to have litigation,
it's going to turn those $15 million into an interest payment of $50 million.
I don't have that crystal ball.
I can't tell you, but if my colleagues can assure you, then we're in a good place.
But I can assure you that this worked up until now.
Thank you, Mayor.
Thank you.
Other council members?
Any other council members have any discussion?
We said that.
I did, sir.
Go ahead.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mayor.
And thank you to all of you who've come here today on both sides of the issue to show your thoughts
with us.
It's very much appreciated.
And sometimes the public speaking is not the easiest thing.
So the courage you show when you get up and speak to us from your hearts is very much appreciated.
When very powerful people are threatening to sue you, it makes one reluctant to speak
out loud and in detail.
Trust me on that.
My job here is the City Council member is to do what I think through contemplation is in the
best interest, the long-term interest of the Citizens of the Glendale.
And that's also involves protecting the legal interest of the Citizens of the Glendale.
And to that it does make me reluctant because of the threats to speak too candidly.
So I will be brief.
A couple of the members who commented, or individuals who commented tonight and other comments
we've heard over, say, radio or such have called this re-nigging on a contract or finding
a loophole.
I want to assure you that it does not that.
This is a provision in the contract.
It's on page 96.
It's provision number 24.13.2.
It's a fully disclosed provision on the contract that both parties agreed to and signed on
to when the contract was signed.
This is not the least for me, I'll speak for myself, an attempt to force the coyotes out of Glendale
by any stretch of the imagination.
So far as I'm concerned, the coyotes are welcome to play next season, the season after
and every season after that, provided that we have an agreement that works for both parties
and works in the best interest of the Citizens of the Glendale.
The agreement that's in place now does not do that, and we have an obligation.
I know I feel an obligation to the Citizens of our City to act in there behalf to make
the best to move towards the best possible agreement.
Now I know that the coyotes were given the opportunity to renegotiate this contract
and they refused repeatedly.
That's what's brought us here tonight, nothing else, that's what's brought us here tonight.
We're here as a result of their refusal to renegotiate this contract, so let us look forward
to perhaps in good faith within integrity negotiating a new contract.
The City of Glendale are not the one threatening legal action, lawsuits, attorneys, fees
and all of that, that's coming from the coyotes, that will be their choice if they choose
to do it.
It's not necessary.
If this could be renegotiate, if the existing contract could be renegotiated to avoid
that, a new contract could be agreed on, they would avoid that as well.
I think that's all I need to say at the time, Mayor.
Thank you.
Mayor.
That's been a real drama.
Mayor, I want to explain the reason why I cast it emotion earlier.
Isn't my district know that I'm a pro-business, a community member and a council member?
Those in my district that know me, no, I'm always pro-business, I'm not against business.
My district, large portion of my district is business owners, a lot of them don't live in
Glendale, I'm not living in the district, but they pay taxes in Glendale and therefore I truly
believe in businesses and I truly believe that extending to all the branches of the right thing
to do tonight.
The right thing to do tonight was to send our staff back to a room with the other organization
and talk about it and find a resolution because I truly, truly believe we could have reached
a resolution.
Folks at the end of the day, I have a position to ensure the highest ethical standards of the
city of Glendale and the highest integrity that we can possibly deliver to business owners
and to our citizens.
And frankly, I will utilize that integrity to cast the vote today.
I am considerably disappointed that the rest of the council didn't support send this back
for two weeks and it wasn't going to take two weeks to do that.
We could have done that tonight, we could have done that tomorrow morning and we could have
called for a special meeting, but it was truly my attempt to extend the olive branch to
an organization, to work together, to come to resolution, unfortunately that failed and I will
cast the vote today based on that highest ethical standards and the integrity of the city.
So thank you very much for being here.
I appreciate each and every one of you guys.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mayor. I'd also like to thank everyone for coming out tonight. And I do support businesses. I support the taxpayers. I was elected to make tough decisions. And the provisions in the contract at the city executes with every contract that we do that 38-11 is in there to protect you, the taxpayers.
There's a talented pool of people to hire in this valley that don't work for the city of Lundell.
And that is to protect taxpayers, why it's in the contract. And if you don't mind, I'd like to ask Mr. Bowers.
Did anybody from the county's management reach out to you to avoid this meeting this evening?
Mayor, members of the Council of Council of Council, Donald Trump, not specifically, but we've had discussions within the last several days, including with the mayor.
Thank you.
Not specifically.
Briefage?
Okay.
Council member Sherry, are you still there?
Yes, I am.
Okay, you have any comments?
I do. I, again, I appreciate the testimonies from the audience tonight.
Especially Mr. Wood, Mr. LeBlanc, Councilman, Shabita.
You took a lot of my words away two years ago. This was a very difficult decision.
The saga had been going on for five years. We weren't in the best position.
But again, it was pointed out. The city was in a financial free fall.
And I've always been of the opinion that you have to have hockey in that arena to continue the build-up of Westgate on the surrounding area.
That was true before the downturn when we had all that development that was to take place south of the stadium.
That was all funded and preliminary platter proof that went by the wayside again during the downturn.
And many of those went into receivership and some just pull back. Those are slowly coming back.
Slowly coming back into into the fold.
I was really disappointed in our meeting yesterday that we couldn't have taken this more private for a week or so.
And gone to the organization and let them know the feelings of the council that we had to do this in public.
The forces can be very nasty. Neither organization can really afford legal expenses right now.
But that seems like that's what this could turn into.
That's money better well spent on getting the Senate city healthy and for their priorities to continue their health.
And again, I'm very disappointed.
And actually a little Paul Gold on this on his there's on a statue on on how this can even come into play and I guess we'll learn.
We'll learn more on that as time goes on, but this is as we've heard testimony, especially from Mr. Chitzel.
That, you know, it seemed like the coyote's organization was going to be a little bit better this year than what they were last year.
And then possibly the third year was going to be great even get to down to the 6 million that we had originally budget budget for arena management and what those RFPs were coming in for a non hockey owner managed arena.
And you know, we just had to give some time.
We believe and I don't have this firsthand by any means that the new ownership of the coyotes came on later than sooner.
And you know, whatever held that process up where Mr. Bearway didn't come into the fold to the very last day of December.
That kept them from probably improving the product on the ice at that point.
And I know that's their goal for this upcoming season. So again, I'm just very disappointed. It is a bit of an embarrassment to the city that we're airing this out publicly.
And I'm disappointed in it. I, as you everyone knows, I've been for this deal again probably not certainly not the best for the city, but the best that we could get at the time.
Many, you know, as Mr. Savita said, we came in with the cards that were already dealt with us and we made the best of it. So I guess I don't need to say anything more.
I'm not for going forward with breaking this contract. Thank you.
I just have a quick comment, but what I'm looking at here tonight is the statute 3511. That's what I'm voting on.
Is an agreement that needs to be an agreement that meets our state law. That's why that's written into the agreement. It's not about hockey. It is about the integrity of the process.
Mayor. I would support if I may. Thank you, Mayor. The question I'd like to ask of our city attorney.
It's, it's my understanding that at the request of direction of the council that the mayor of the vice mayor, the city manager and yourself met on Monday with Mr. Barroway.
Mr. LeBlanc and express that among other things in the conversation, but as a significant point of the conversation that the city felt that we had legal grounds to cancel this contract.
And they were asked several times if they were interested in willing to renegotiate the contract and my understanding is the response was no. That's never going to happen.
Is that an accurate description of the situation and is my understanding of the questioning and response accurate thing.
Mayor and council member Turner that is correct. Thank you, Mayor.
Okay, if there's no other discussion, we're going to conduct a roll call vote. We do have a motion in a second.
Starting with council member. Hold down. How do you vote? Aye.
Council member Chaveta, how do you vote?
Mayor, can you ask a question again, Mayor? Please, for me.
Council member Chaveta, how do you vote?
I am not in favor of what we're doing today.
And so your vote would be cashed. I or nay. My vote be cast.
Why guess it is name for this deal?
Council member Sherwood.
May.
Council member Tom Chav.
Aye.
Council member Turner. Aye.
Vice Mayor. Aye.
Okay, and I'm going to explain my vote because I've been pretty silent on this.
We've all taken a beating here tonight and I think most of it's been unjust because I think most of the fans don't understand the complexity of this issue.
I'm not insulting you. I'm not speaking to you. I'm speaking.
Okay, folks, we're not going there. If this starts, I'll have you removed tonight. So please allow me the opportunity to explain my vote.
Thank you.
The complexity of this issue is the fact that you don't have all the information.
The information comes out, I think, more and more.
You might have a better understanding.
At the same time, I understand your passion.
I don't know if any fans, more than hockey, that really get into their sport.
And I applaud you for that.
And the comment made earlier about me not showing up and up.
Participate. That's not true.
That's that's your opinion and everybody has opinions.
The fact is, I believe, as the majority of this council does, that there was a violation of Arizona State revised statutes.
And those were put there specifically to protect the taxpayers, the citizens of our city, the citizens of Arizona.
And I believe that they were violated.
And I don't care how good of a deal it is.
If you break the law, you're breaking a law.
There is no exception.
If you're breaking a law, it's wrong.
It's wrong.
And we believe that we have legal firm ground.
I have to tell you, I hope and pray that there's some solution to keep in the coyotes here.
And I express that.
But if not, then I guess we'll figure out what happens in the future.
I can't tell the future.
I certainly want the coyotes to stay here.
I'm very proud of the team.
I think that they have an opportunity later.
But as of right now, Arizona revised statutes.
We're here.
We all hold our right hand up and we swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States.
And some of you may not care about that.
I take that very seriously.
So with that, I do vote.
I, the motion does carry.
And with that, we're going to move on to council, comments and suggestions.
I will start with council member Eldama.
Yes, Mayor.
Thank you.
I'm going to go into our residence.
I don't want my vote to be misconstrued as anti-business because I'm not.
And again, I'll just repeat those who know me know that I'm four business owners.
But I'm also a council member who will hold up the letter of the law.
And at this point, I'll serve this committee and serve them well.
And ensure that we're doing the right thing for our citizens.
And that's what I feel I've done tonight.
And so I wanted to make sure that my vote is not misconstrued as anti-business because I'm not.
But Mayor, before I end on a different subject, I like to take this opportunity.
Mayor, to recognize, but hey, catch them.
But hey, catch them is the Navajo Kotaku who passed away on Monday.
United States Marine and Congressional Silver Medal of Honor.
I'm not a Marine and never been a soldier, but my brother was and still is.
And if he was here today, Bura, Mr. catch them.
And thank you so much for your services to this country.
Thank you, Mayor.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mayor.
Once again, I want to just thank all of you for being here today.
And I'm just going to reaffirm my commitment to the citizens of Glendale.
I'm going to reaffirm my commitment to the Employees of Glendale.
And I'm especially going to reaffirm my commitment to the merchants of Westgate.
Thank you.
I'll never sure would.
Thank you, Mayor.
I was head off in the very beginning.
But I guess I'm disappointed that we kept a cap on the time for our audience to speak.
I've been a council for two and a half years.
I hadn't seen that before.
I know we sometimes gone from a five minute time frame to a three minute on agenda items.
But I was disappointed that we didn't get to hear all those that came tonight to speak.
But I think the message is loud and clear that there's a lot of disappointment out there.
Thank you.
That's never done much.
Nothing, Mayor.
That's never done.
Mayor, the only thing.
Excuse me, the only common I would have is that to the best of my knowledge and observation.
And unfortunately, Mr. Sher would not being president is unable to see the room.
But to the best of my observation, everybody who wanted to speak got this chance to speak.
And I had a full three minute time frame in which to do so.
So thank you.
Thank you.
Vice Mayor.
Nothing, Mayor.
Thank you.
Okay.
And what's sad is that there's nothing else from the council that does conclude our business with no objection.
Meetings adjourned.
Thank you.