[0:00] Here today.

[0:00] Our mayor, city council and officials

[0:04] grant them clarity of mind.

[0:06] Patience of spirit and a deep commitment

[0:09] to the common good of all people.

[0:14] Make each of us instruments

[0:16] of peace and goodwill.

[0:19] Bless.

[0:19] We pray this city of surprise

[0:22] hits neighborhoods and homes.

[0:26] May we each be reminded this evening

[0:29] of the responsibility which is ours to bear,

[0:33] that this city be a place where goodness is nurtured

[0:37] and love is made visible in all that we do.

[0:42] Amen.

[0:44] And thank you, Reverend.

[0:45] Madam clerk, please call the roll.

[0:48] Mayor Sartor present.

[0:49] Vice mayor Greenburg here.

[0:52] Councilman Haney here.

[0:53] Councilman Duffy here.

[0:55] Councilman Melton.

[0:56] Present. Councilman Hastings here. Councilman.

[0:58] Jet here. Thank you. Mayor. We have quorum.

[1:01] All right.

[1:01] Thank you.

[1:01] So tonight, we have a special group

[1:03] to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

[1:04] We have the Dysart

[1:05] High School Skills USA and broadcasting team.

[1:09] Here is, is was Mr.

[1:12] Yoder at stand here?

[1:14] Oh, in the back. Okay.

[1:16] So if you could help

[1:17] lead us in the pledge, I would appreciate it.

[1:25] I cannot.

[1:29] I pledge

[1:29] allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

[1:34] And to the Republic for which it stands.

[1:37] One nation under God, indivisible,

[1:40] with liberty and justice for all.

[1:44] Thank.

[1:45] Right.

[1:48] So, did you have something you wanted to say?

[1:50] So we have a proclamation to.

[1:51] So you go ahead and we'll do the proclamation.

[1:58] Good evening, Mayor and Council.

[2:00] My name is Grace

[2:00] Brennan, and I am a senior at Desert High School

[2:03] and the president of our skills USA chapter.

[2:05] Skills USA is a career and technical student

[2:08] organization that empowers its members to become world

[2:11] class leaders, workers, and responsible citizens.

[2:15] We are also a part of the Desert Student Broadcasting Program,

[2:17] a program

[2:18] that is student led and student driven and student produced.

[2:21] We broadcast academic and sporting

[2:23] events live to our school's YouTube channel for any and all

[2:25] to join us throughout the 2025 2026 school year.

[2:29] Our in film,

[2:29] desert, film and TV

[2:30] gave back to our community in ways

[2:32] I could have never imagined we'd achieve

[2:34] as a two time, hopefully going on

[2:36] three goal chapter distinction.

[2:38] We are proud to share

[2:39] some of our accomplishments over the last year

[2:41] working in Desert Student Broadcasting.

[2:43] We have worked closely with surprise TV

[2:45] to cover events such as the Veterans Day Parade,

[2:47] the SciTech Festival,

[2:49] and with other events like Partnership Day coming up.

[2:52] We have participated in multiple street

[2:53] cleanups for a street in Glendale

[2:55] and have collected

[2:56] over 160 pounds of trash, and we are still counting.

[3:00] Additionally, we held our second annual toys for tots

[3:03] drive raising nearly 240 toys for children in need.

[3:07] In just a few weeks, 38 of our members will be headed

[3:09] to the Glendale Community College

[3:11] to compete in the annual region

[3:13] five Leadership in Skills Conference.

[3:15] Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share

[3:17] more about our accomplishments and contributions

[3:19] to the City of El Mirage, Glendale and surprise!

[3:22] Thank you.

[3:41] All right, so we got a two for tonight.

[3:43] We have the pledge, which is led by, skills USA.

[3:47] And we get a proclamation about skills USA.

[3:48] So let me do this.

[3:51] All right.

[3:51] So proclamation from the office of the mayor.

[3:54] Whereas February 2nd through February 6th, 2026

[3:57] has been designated by the skills USA, National Association

[4:00] as Skills USA week.

[4:02] And Whereas Career and Technical Education provide students

[4:05] with a school to career connection

[4:08] and is the backbone of a strong and educated workforce

[4:11] that fosters productivity in business and industry

[4:14] and contributes to leadership

[4:16] in the national and global economies.

[4:19] And Whereas,

[4:20] Career and Technical Education and Skills USA gives high school

[4:23] students empowering experiences and the meaningful

[4:26] application of skills such as reading,

[4:28] writing and mathematics,

[4:29] as well as the development of skill USA framework skills,

[4:32] including personal skills,

[4:34] workplace skills and technical skills grounded in academics,

[4:37] thus improving the quality of their education,

[4:40] providing increased motivation to learn,

[4:42] and giving all students leadership opportunities

[4:44] and their career fields, schools and communities.

[4:47] And Whereas, career and technical education

[4:50] offer students opportunities to learn skills

[4:52] and have career experiences that may lead to further education

[4:56] or meaningful employment.

[4:57] And Whereas, the cooperative efforts

[5:00] of career and technical educators

[5:01] working with business and industry

[5:03] stimulates the vitality of our nation's economy

[5:06] by preparing graduates for careers, forecast

[5:09] to experience the large, largest growth within the next decade.

[5:13] And Whereas skills USA is the number one workforce

[5:16] development organization for students preparing

[5:20] middle school, high school and college post-secondary

[5:22] students, and technical skills

[5:24] and career programs to be high performing workers.

[5:28] Now, therefore, I, Kevin Sartor, mayor of the City of Surprise,

[5:31] to hereby proclaim February 6th

[5:33] and February 2nd through February 6th, 2026 as skills

[5:37] USA week and urge all citizens

[5:39] to acquaint themselves with the mission of skills USA

[5:42] and to give support to the members who are working hard

[5:44] to achieve the goals that will make them outstanding,

[5:47] skilled workers in our community.

[5:54] You mind if we get a picture?

[5:55] I can I can give this to you, counselor.

[5:57] You want to join us for that?

[6:03] Thank you.

[6:03] Are you taking anything here?

[6:07] I'm just going

[6:09] to here.

[6:12] Yeah.

[6:14] Jonathan. You could.

[6:16] You knew that was which

[6:18] we looked at.

[6:19] And so I don't, you know, like.

[6:21] Oh, I know.

[6:28] All right.

[6:29] Thank you.

[6:30] Did you come?

[6:35] With you one.

[6:38] Hey, way to represent skills, you guys.

[6:39] Good job.

[6:40] Good job guys. Thank you.

[6:42] Appreciate it. Now

[6:45] thanks a bunch.

[6:46] Yeah.

[6:50] Absolutely. Yes.

[6:51] You got it. You.

[6:55] Here.

[6:55] Just sharing a few words.

[6:58] Perfect.

[7:00] It is with great honor to accept this on behalf

[7:03] of my personal chapter, as well as skills USA as a whole.

[7:06] As a student leader, I always question

[7:07] how can I empower my fellow peers?

[7:10] How can I convince them that they too can be a leader?

[7:12] I'm sure many of you are curious as to what skills USA is,

[7:15] and I'm here to explain how this program alone

[7:17] is the answer to my two previous questions.

[7:20] Skills USA is the number one youth workforce development

[7:22] organization with over 444,000 members nationally.

[7:27] As mentioned, the purpose of this organization

[7:29] is to ensure students are prepared

[7:30] for careers in trade, technical and skills service operations.

[7:33] Their mission is to, quote,

[7:35] empower students to become skilled professionals,

[7:38] career ready leaders, and responsible

[7:40] community members, unquote.

[7:41] If I told you that a year ago, I refuse to use my voice

[7:44] and I wouldn't dare speak up for the good of my school,

[7:46] would it be hard to believe me?

[7:48] To help you all understand,

[7:49] I'd like to begin by recognizing the previously

[7:51] mentioned achievements of my film

[7:52] and TV program within this past year.

[7:54] Personally, I understood what my sole purpose was.

[7:56] A senior chapter president,

[7:58] I knew I needed

[7:58] to give back to my computer

[8:00] community that has invested so much into us.

[8:03] And I knew I was going to utilize

[8:04] every opportunity that came across me,

[8:06] not just for me, but for my advisor,

[8:08] my beloved peers, and the school in which I spent more time out

[8:11] than my own home.

[8:13] Now I stand here before you, overwhelmed

[8:15] with pride for what we have accomplished.

[8:16] I would like to ask again,

[8:17] would you believe me if I told you that I would dare

[8:20] not speak up for the good of my school?

[8:22] A year prior to now?

[8:24] I'm sure at this moment, most,

[8:25] if not all of you are asking yourself

[8:27] what was my turning point?

[8:29] My change only truly began once I took part in skills USA.

[8:32] This organization has taught me that I too can be a leader

[8:35] and take that next step

[8:36] and that any voice, no matter how proudly spoken or nervously

[8:40] whispered, is a voice that is deserved to be heard.

[8:43] Finally, as I end here, I would like to express

[8:45] the importance of teamwork, diversity and involvement with a

[8:49] not only a career and technical education program

[8:51] such as ours,

[8:52] but within everything practice in our lives,

[8:54] within our schools, cities and communities.

[8:57] Skills USA in CTE allows every student

[8:59] from any background to become a leader. Thank you.

[9:05] Thank.

[9:08] You. Well, young

[9:10] lady, I was going to give you one of my coins

[9:11] because you did such a great job. I owe you one.

[9:14] I don't have one of my my coins, but great job presenting.

[9:17] Oh, wait. Karina has one. You got to.

[9:20] You got to appreciate that. Okay.

[9:21] One sack.

[9:29] Is going down.

[9:33] 16. That's kind of Mr.

[9:34] Omar.

[9:35] He put a bunch of us.

[9:43] I wanted that, but that's okay.

[9:45] Here we go.

[9:47] So you need a visor in the,

[9:50] You can't find it on the challenge coin,

[9:53] and I don't give them up for various reasons,

[9:56] so you have to wait for them

[9:58] right in front of the council for all these people.

[10:01] Amazing. Yes, certainly.

[10:02] For us on here says these not words.

[10:05] It's something that I love.

[10:06] I said talking about it could be anybody.

[10:08] That's how you are in school. That's leadership.

[10:10] Congratulations. And Cheering okay

[10:14] I. Mrs.

[10:33] Davis do you have a city manager report.

[10:36] Thank you mayor Council members no reports tonight.

[10:39] The item that is Agendize will be rescheduled

[10:42] for the February 17th meeting. Okay. Thank you.

[10:45] Thank you.

[10:46] There are three items on the consent agenda.

[10:47] Would any of the council members

[10:49] like to pull in for clarification?

[10:53] Hearing none.

[10:54] I will entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda.

[10:58] Motion to approve consent agenda.

[11:00] I can't.

[11:01] It's been moved and seconded.

[11:02] Please cast your vote.

[11:09] That's a unanimous vote, mayor.

[11:11] Thank you.

[11:11] Please read. Item four.

[11:14] Item four Arizona Corporation

[11:17] Commission update. Is.

[11:25] Good evening, mayor and Council.

[11:27] Today I have with me Arizona Corporation Commissioner

[11:31] Kevin Thompson, who's going to provide an update

[11:34] of what the SEC does, how they approach rate cases,

[11:38] some of their recent wins over the last year

[11:40] because they've had several

[11:42] they're a lot of people don't know about.

[11:43] So I'm going to pull up

[11:44] his presentation and call him down. And.

[11:48] Have him share the good news with all of you.

[11:51] And Judy, thank you for coordinating this.

[11:53] Yeah. You're welcome.

[11:55] This is something that we haven't done in the past,

[11:57] but thanks to you,

[12:00] everyone will have the same update now.

[12:04] Thank you.

[12:05] Just a little spread.

[12:07] Yeah.

[12:09] Good evening.

[12:09] Sir. How are you?

[12:12] We broke it.

[12:13] Oh. Oh, you got this better a moment ago.

[12:15] You got to wing it, but I think it's.

[12:19] Okay.

[12:20] Okay.

[12:22] Good evening, mayor and council.

[12:24] Thank you for inviting me to come

[12:27] and speak about the Arizona Corporation Commission.

[12:30] The Arizona Corporation Commission

[12:31] is one of those entities that was founded.

[12:34] It was founded at statehood.

[12:37] Constitutionally, so we don't report to the governor. We

[12:41] don't report to the legislature or the attorney general.

[12:45] We report to the citizens that elected us,

[12:48] statewide to represent them.

[12:51] The main, focus of the Arizona Corporation Commission is,

[12:56] really to regulate the non munic

[13:01] Our primary function is, is that that's about 98%

[13:04] of what we do appears to be, you know, Source Energy,

[13:08] Southwest Gas, and about 220 or so private water

[13:11] wastewater, companies across Arizona.

[13:15] We also have a securities department

[13:16] where we investigate securities fraud.

[13:19] We also have pipeline and railroad safety.

[13:22] Division.

[13:23] So we inspect every inch of rail line,

[13:25] across the entire state of Arizona.

[13:27] We're responsible for all of the crossings at grade crossings

[13:31] to make sure

[13:32] that the lights are flashing, that the arms come down

[13:35] when the train's coming, and so forth.

[13:36] And then we also have a incorporations division.

[13:40] So if you're an entrepreneur

[13:41] and you want to start your business,

[13:43] we will help, you, fill out your paperwork to become an LLC.

[13:47] We don't regulate business.

[13:49] We're only the filing, agency for that.

[13:53] So the corporation commission, our mission is to power

[13:56] Arizona's future.

[13:58] As simple as that.

[13:59] We we try to protect, ratepayers, during rate,

[14:04] when when the utilities come in for a rate cases.

[14:07] That's our primary responsibility is to ensure

[14:11] that we have a reliable grid and the grid is both water, gas

[14:14] and electric at the lowest possible price.

[14:17] And we do, we take our job very, very seriously

[14:21] at the commission to ensure that we're keeping our,

[14:23] prices as low as possible.

[14:28] Arizona right now is ranked

[14:29] nationally seventh in reliability in the U.S.

[14:33] compared to other states.

[14:36] The, the Energy

[14:39] Information administration.gov is the one that they're a big,

[14:43] government entity in DC that, is kind of like the watchdog

[14:47] and they, look at all the states and compare states.

[14:51] And Arizona, as I said, was, ranked seventh nationally.

[14:56] Over the last three years, we have had, no

[14:59] major outages other than, well, we've had six major outages,

[15:03] which is well below the, national average.

[15:06] California, for example, had 145

[15:09] major outages, Texas had 210, and Nevada had six.

[15:14] And so, nationally, we're doing very, very good.

[15:21] The nationwide average

[15:24] for retail residential prices rose, nationally from,

[15:29] roughly six points, or increased by 6.5% nationally.

[15:34] In Arizona,

[15:35] our rates over that same period only increased by 1.7%.

[15:40] So we're doing our job to put the utilities

[15:42] back in their lane, ensuring that,

[15:45] that, we're holding our utilities accountable

[15:48] and we're not letting them, spend frivolously on projects.

[15:54] Their job is to produce power,

[15:56] but the power in the,

[15:56] in the transmission and distribution lines

[15:59] and serve the ratepayers.

[16:01] And that's what

[16:02] we're trying to get the utilities back to doing.

[16:06] Arizona ranked seventh for population growth

[16:08] from from prior years, and the state's population

[16:11] is projected to increase by 102% between 2000 and 2030.

[16:17] Our infrastructure is aging.

[16:19] And so,

[16:20] with a aging infrastructure, as you know, with your water

[16:23] and sewer lines,

[16:24] you have to start replacing aging infrastructure.

[16:28] Our rates,

[16:30] previously were outdated.

[16:32] They didn't really reflect the actual cost

[16:34] of providing service.

[16:36] And so,

[16:37] we're working with our utilities to make sure

[16:39] that they're updating their utility grid.

[16:41] They're updating water, lines.

[16:43] We have private water companies in Arizona,

[16:46] some that have never been in for a rate for rate case,

[16:49] which tells us that they're not investing in their utility.

[16:53] We have some water companies that haven't

[16:55] been in for a rate case in over 30 years.

[16:57] So they're not really investing in their in their utility

[17:01] to provide potable, safe drinking water.

[17:09] Arizona's

[17:10] generation is a diverse mix, primarily natural gas,

[17:14] that fuels

[17:15] most of our electricity across Arizona, with a roughly 46%

[17:20] nuclear power is, out at Palo Verde.

[17:22] That's about 27%.

[17:24] Solar is about 10 to 13%, along with coal,

[17:28] which is 7 to 8%, and renewable hydro wind, which is around 5%.

[17:34] It's worth noting that both SRP and Tucson

[17:38] Electric Power,

[17:38] as well as APS, plan on converting some of their

[17:41] existing coal plants.

[17:43] There's three left in the in Arizona.

[17:45] They're looking to convert those coal plants to natural gas,

[17:49] so that we can keep those plants open and functional

[17:51] for another 25 years.

[17:56] We're

[17:56] also, supportive of all of the above.

[17:59] We believe that every electron that we can put into the grid

[18:03] is what's going to help us keep the lights on in Arizona

[18:06] during our summers.

[18:07] And very few people know this last summer,

[18:10] in Arizona, all of our utilities,

[18:13] all three of our utilities SRP, DPI, and APS

[18:16] hit back to back to back record days with the heat.

[18:20] So they,

[18:22] when it was 120 degrees here in the Valley,

[18:25] every single day, the utility was breaking new records

[18:29] and our lights never flickered, our power never went out,

[18:32] and we were able to keep the air

[18:33] conditioning on across Arizona.

[18:37] This past year,

[18:39] we did repeal the rest rules.

[18:42] Those are the renewable energy standards and tariffs.

[18:45] Those are rules that were put in place,

[18:48] around 15 years ago that have cost our ratepayers,

[18:52] to this point in time, over $3.2 billion.

[18:55] Those were the mandates

[18:56] that said the utilities had to produce a certain

[18:59] percentage of their power using renewables.

[19:02] What's happened over time is that our commission

[19:05] has forgotten

[19:06] about baseload generation and relied on renewables,

[19:09] and the renewables have not, kept up,

[19:13] with that baseload generation.

[19:15] And so you're seeing our

[19:16] utilities now to back, back off a lot of their commitments

[19:19] on renewables.

[19:20] And they're starting to reinvest in natural gas generation

[19:24] to help keep the lights on.

[19:26] We also are supporting our,

[19:29] supporting consolidation of the water companies.

[19:31] As I said, we have some companies

[19:33] that haven't been in for 30 years,

[19:35] to renew their or for a rate case,

[19:38] which means they aren't investing in their utility.

[19:41] Their, their leakage is is 30 plus percent leakage.

[19:45] And that's water that the that the ratepayers

[19:47] have paid for that's going right back into the ground.

[19:50] And so, we're very supportive of supportive of consolidation

[19:54] where you have a larger utility that will come in and purchase

[19:58] the smaller utilities,

[19:59] and they're reinvesting in those utilities,

[20:01] bringing them up to, the standard for the day.

[20:06] We've also eliminated a lot of the special interest

[20:08] incentives and ratepayer subsidies.

[20:10] Again, we believe that ratepayers that if you want

[20:14] rooftop solar, you can have rooftop solar.

[20:17] Don't make me pay for your rooftop solar.

[20:20] And so, so we're eliminating a lot of the mandates

[20:22] and a lot of the subsidies that have cost our ratepayers

[20:26] hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars.

[20:28] And, letting those utilities down on the on their own merits.

[20:36] Data centers and large load customers

[20:38] have become the topic of the day,

[20:40] and it's no different for us at the commission.

[20:43] We strive every day

[20:45] to make sure that our lights stay on amongst all of this

[20:49] high load, factors that are coming in.

[20:53] We don't discriminate against projects.

[20:56] So whenever we're looking

[20:57] at, contracts, for example, we approved the Project

[21:01] Blue, which was down in, Tucson in the Marana area.

[21:05] We approved that project not too long ago.

[21:08] That project was a data center.

[21:10] We did not look at the data center.

[21:13] The project itself.

[21:14] That's your job as the local government

[21:17] to deal with the ordinances and the land use issues.

[21:19] All we look at is the electric piece,

[21:22] whether it's a generation tie or whether it's a contract.

[21:25] And, what we do is we verify and make sure that the contracts

[21:30] that the utilities are putting in place

[21:32] aren't going to impact our residential consumers.

[21:34] And so we take that job very, very seriously.

[21:37] We don't want to interfere with what your job is as

[21:41] local government, because you are the government

[21:43] that's closest to the people.

[21:45] And our job is to really manage the power grid,

[21:49] to keep an eye on that.

[21:53] Renewables.

[21:54] The commission,

[21:56] it's something to note that a lot of people think

[21:59] that the commission has authority over renewables.

[22:02] The only authority that we have is on the generation

[22:05] tie itself.

[22:06] The, Arizona revised statute, title 40, gives us authority

[22:10] and authority, as well as title or, Arizona Constitution.

[22:15] Section 15, our authority, stops at thermal and hydro.

[22:20] We do not have any, authority over, over non thermal.

[22:24] So all of renewables, wind, solar.

[22:26] We have zero authority over that other than the generation

[22:30] tie itself where it ties

[22:31] into the transmission lines coming into the valley.

[22:34] A lot of people feel that or think that we have

[22:37] that authority, that we can stop projects and we simply cannot.

[22:40] That's again,

[22:41] it goes back to local jurisdictions and your ability,

[22:45] to to manage your projects and,

[22:48] manage your ordinances and your city.

[22:51] So with that, if you have any questions, I'll

[22:53] be happy to answer.

[22:56] Thank you.

[22:57] Council. Any questions?

[22:59] Councilman Hastings.

[23:02] Thank you. Mayor.

[23:03] Well, thanks for coming out and appreciate you.

[23:05] I mean, you got your start on it. Was it?

[23:07] The Mesa City Council

[23:08] spent eight years on the Mesa City Council.

[23:10] I've never heard a statewide elected official say that.

[23:13] You know, you guys are a local government,

[23:14] and you should be making decisions.

[23:15] I think that's the first time.

[23:16] But thank you for all you're doing.

[23:17] I think that, sometimes, like, we overlook,

[23:20] you know, the utilities and supposedly

[23:22] the offensive lineman in a sense,

[23:23] like you ever notice

[23:24] when they're doing a good job, you only kind of

[23:25] see them on the news if something happens.

[23:27] And maybe that's kind of like it for all officials.

[23:29] But I appreciate your work

[23:30] and thanks so much for coming out here

[23:31] and especially talking about the data center piece,

[23:33] because I think that is new.

[23:34] So is that considered is data considered a utility now

[23:39] like in your umbrella that like what she regulator or

[23:42] where where's that at.

[23:42] It's not mayor council

[23:45] council member Hastings.

[23:46] It's not.

[23:47] Again we we don't look at the project itself.

[23:51] We try to do our best to manage.

[23:55] You know, we've said

[23:56] from the dais that development has to pay for itself.

[24:00] So we're not going to put, the cost to serve a data center

[24:03] onto the backs of our residential, ratepayers.

[24:06] We've made that commitment,

[24:08] and we're working hard to to live up to that.

[24:10] But we don't manage.

[24:12] I we don't manage data centers.

[24:16] I know

[24:16] there's a lot of legislation that's being ran this, this,

[24:20] this cycle,

[24:22] or this session where they are trying

[24:25] to put regulations in place to manage AI.

[24:28] Somebody out there needs to,

[24:31] but it's not the corporation commission. Absolutely.

[24:33] Well, you sure know how to go to draw a crowd to as well.

[24:37] So I say you have a good night.

[24:39] Thank you. Sir. Yeah. Thank you.

[24:40] Yeah. Jokester over there.

[24:42] And vice mayor. You were serious now?

[24:44] Councilman. Free Ramos.

[24:46] Vice. Councilman Milton.

[24:50] Thank you.

[24:51] Mayor.

[24:52] Commissioner Thompson, thanks for

[24:53] thanks for coming out to see us.

[24:55] You're obviously your job is

[24:57] the commission has a has a tough has a tough role.

[25:00] As you as you pointed out, Arizona is doing

[25:02] everything we can to keep up with our demand curves.

[25:06] And it's, and you have to balance all of these things.

[25:09] And I will tell you that

[25:10] having, being observer of the ACC

[25:13] all these years, I'm very impressed

[25:15] with what you guys are doing.

[25:16] I know that you're doing every tool you have,

[25:20] to keep up that demand curve to be respectful

[25:22] to the ratepayers.

[25:23] But, having watching you, you know, promoting securitization,

[25:28] promoting permitting reform, repealing these,

[25:32] mandates, with the rules, the rest rules,

[25:35] you know, doing what you can for energy conversion.

[25:39] I really appreciate

[25:41] I know what it's,

[25:41] you know, on city council, we're doing everything

[25:43] we can just to keep up with infrastructure.

[25:45] Every tool we have, we are trying to we're trying to use.

[25:49] And you guys are kind of similar

[25:50] to every tool you have, how you're supposed to,

[25:53] to keep up with our demand curves.

[25:55] And I really appreciate it.

[25:56] Everything you guys do at DCC, and I really appreciate

[25:58] you guys coming down and and briefing on the committee.

[26:01] So thank you.

[26:02] Thank you. Mayor and council. Thank you.

[26:04] Council member Melton.

[26:06] It hasn't been easy.

[26:08] It, it was, you know, when we first got into office

[26:12] in January 23rd, the commission was in disarray, and,

[26:17] we were dead last in the nation for regulatory stability.

[26:21] That showed up in our rates because our utilities,

[26:25] if you think about,

[26:26] regulatory stability and the ability for our utilities to,

[26:31] to go out and get capital for these capital intensive

[26:34] programs, replacing poles,

[26:35] replacing wires and so forth, and equipment,

[26:38] transformers, pipelines, all of that takes capital.

[26:42] And because our credit ratings were in the gutters,

[26:46] our utilities were paying, higher interest rates.

[26:51] It's no different than a consumer.

[26:53] If you have bad credit,

[26:53] you're going to pay a higher interest rate.

[26:55] Our utilities were paying higher interest rates

[26:58] a lot of people say so what?

[27:00] Well, that interest rate is a pass through cost

[27:02] onto our consumers.

[27:03] And so, while you're paying 7% interest on, on several

[27:08] hundreds of millions of dollars, that interest is compounding.

[27:13] And our utilities, our ratepayers are paying that

[27:16] by stabilizing our regulatory environment in Arizona,

[27:19] we've actually opened up access to capital.

[27:22] So now our utilities have access to cheaper capital

[27:25] where they're only paying 2

[27:26] to 3%

[27:27] interest on, on the on those hundreds

[27:29] of millions of dollars of capital,

[27:31] which means it helps reduce our cost as ratepayers.

[27:35] And at the end of the day, I'm

[27:36] a ratepayer just like you're a ratepayer.

[27:38] So I don't want my rates to go up.

[27:39] My wife don't want my rates, our rates to go up.

[27:42] She makes sure she reminds me of that all the time.

[27:45] And so, again, we're working hard.

[27:47] We've cut, since we were sworn into office in January 23.

[27:51] We've got over $1 billion of waste out of our utilities.

[27:55] That's a big deal.

[27:56] That a lot of people don't talk about.

[27:58] But $1 billion in waste that our utilities have been spending.

[28:03] We've cut that out.

[28:04] And hopefully that's going to show up as our, in our rates,

[28:08] in the future.

[28:09] Again, we use a test here in Arizona.

[28:12] So the money that we're the rates that are set today

[28:16] is money that the utility spent two years ago,

[28:19] and they're just now starting to recover, that

[28:21] hopefully we can minimize

[28:23] these stranded assets that might be possible.

[28:25] So yeah. Yeah. Exactly.

[28:27] So, so again, thank you all for allowing me to be here tonight.

[28:30] Thank you.

[28:32] I'm going to thank you.

[28:33] Thank you.

[28:37] Madam clerk, please read item number five.

[28:39] Thank you.

[28:39] Item five presentation and discussion

[28:41] pertaining to the f y 2027 budget kickoff.

[28:50] Good evening, Mayor and Council.

[28:52] Good evening, Mayor Simmons.

[28:52] How are you doing?

[29:02] You guys are stuck with me

[29:04] for three presentations, I apologize.

[29:08] All right.

[29:08] It's important stuff for the budget.

[29:10] We're looking forward to. Okay.

[29:12] All right.

[29:14] So we are here for our annual budget kickoff.

[29:18] So what is the city budget?

[29:19] This is where we take

[29:20] limited resources and allocate them to maintain

[29:24] our service levels.

[29:25] We consider the budget to be all four of these items

[29:29] financial plan, communications

[29:30] device operating guide, and a policy document.

[29:35] Everyone here at the city participates

[29:37] in the budget process, and one way or another,

[29:40] through the strategic plan that you guys help initiate

[29:43] all the way through our staff.

[29:48] Asking for their

[29:48] needs and expressing those needs

[29:53] and developing the budget.

[29:54] We utilize council's strategic plan to ensure

[29:57] we are maintaining service levels, but also

[30:02] to ensure that we are able to expand or

[30:04] create new programs and services as needed.

[30:07] We are constantly evaluating operational demands

[30:10] and reviewing and prioritizing needs versus wants to ensure

[30:14] that we are in line with council goals and meeting

[30:17] safety, compliance and contractual obligations

[30:22] while prioritizing.

[30:23] We recognize that everything we want to do is important,

[30:27] while accepting that we have to allocate limited resources

[30:30] to those needs and wants.

[30:34] Something that we must be able to do is keep up with growth.

[30:37] But what does that mean?

[30:39] Increased population doesn't just equate to increased

[30:42] revenue.

[30:43] It also equates to an increase in demand on services,

[30:47] which in turn means an increase to our expenses,

[30:50] which isn't always 1 to 1.

[30:52] Our top priority is to maintain

[30:55] our current service levels.

[30:58] So everything I just told you

[31:00] has to fit in within our state requirements.

[31:04] We have to follow Arizona Revised Statute title

[31:06] 42 to ensure that we meet specific deadlines by posting

[31:10] forms and publishing documents accordingly.

[31:14] The state forum is one of the most important forms

[31:17] that is utilized in communicating

[31:19] and publishing our tentative and final budget.

[31:22] And here, this is just a quick outline of,

[31:26] some of the rules we have to follow.

[31:30] We also have very strict rules

[31:32] when it comes to publishing the truth

[31:33] and taxation notice for property tax.

[31:36] This is a quick picture of what that posting looks like.

[31:41] Again, with some rules that we have to adhere to.

[31:45] Following state requirements,

[31:47] we have to ensure that we are creating a balanced budget

[31:51] that is structurally balanced

[31:52] with our sources and our uses.

[31:56] We do this by identifying what are one time versus

[31:59] ongoing or in other words, consistent versus inconsistent.

[32:03] For example, we know we will always have

[32:05] personnel costs and local sales tax to pay for them.

[32:08] While construction sales tax can be volatile.

[32:12] Our capital projects are considered one time in nature.

[32:16] Here is a high level

[32:17] look at how we start and proceed through our budget process.

[32:21] We do.

[32:22] We start with continuous monitoring

[32:24] our budget versus actuals, and we continue that through

[32:27] every cycle of the process.

[32:31] So now that I have explained the what the why in the how,

[32:34] I want to remind everyone how the FY 26 budget is laid out.

[32:40] Here is a summary of what is in our budget book.

[32:43] Pages 26 through 29.

[32:46] Our total 986 million and uses.

[32:50] For the purpose of this slide,

[32:52] we focus on the operating of 395 million.

[32:56] And you can see those can be broken out

[32:58] by category and fund type accordingly.

[33:01] We also have capital debt contingency and transfers

[33:04] out that we, monitor and maintain.

[33:10] Taking the numbers a step further

[33:12] to include capital and funding types.

[33:14] This is how each set of funds are budgeted for a total of 788

[33:18] million, not including contingency and transfers.

[33:24] You can see that our enterprise funds

[33:27] are 160.5 million.

[33:29] Those include our water,

[33:31] our wastewater, our stormwater, and our sanitation.

[33:34] Our special revenue funds, grants, municipal court,

[33:37] streetlight improvement districts,

[33:39] highway user revenue funds, donations,

[33:42] sports, entertainment and culture.

[33:44] Those all are in our special Revenue fund, among others.

[33:49] Our internal service funds are our employee health care,

[33:51] work comp and risk management and our capital project funds.

[33:56] Include transportation, public safety and asset replacement

[33:59] to name a few.

[34:03] Of that 788 million.

[34:05] This is how we are investing into our functional areas.

[34:07] Again, this is citywide.

[34:09] This includes incorporating the support service functions

[34:12] of HR, finance, I.T., communications, etc.

[34:16] and to each one of these functional areas,

[34:19] they're pretty well evenly spaced out with community

[34:23] and economic development at 7%

[34:27] and community services at 15%,

[34:29] and so forth, so on.

[34:33] What revenues support our citywide functions?

[34:35] Almost 300

[34:36] million are from taxes, local, state and property, and almost

[34:40] 200 million are from licenses, fees and charges for services.

[34:44] The citywide charges for services category does

[34:48] include our enterprise funds

[34:51] along with our permitting,

[34:53] engineering, parks, programs, etc..

[34:56] Our next set of slides will break down

[34:58] the general fund revenue and expenses.

[35:02] The general fund makes up 29% of our total budget,

[35:05] but it is within this area

[35:06] that the majority of the city operates.

[35:09] That is, since all the other funds

[35:11] are restricted for a specific use.

[35:14] Of the 231 million of general fund expenditures.

[35:18] We are investing almost 60% into public safety,

[35:21] and the remaining 40% is divided pretty equally across our

[35:24] other functional areas.

[35:27] Again, this

[35:28] depicts, our internal support services of H.R..

[35:33] IT, communications, finance, etc..

[35:37] Again, how are the general fund items funded?

[35:40] The majority of them are funded by taxes.

[35:42] And in order for us to offer many of our community services,

[35:45] we also have charges for services.

[35:48] So you can see our local sales tax,

[35:51] our state shared sales tax, income tax

[35:53] and other intergovernmental and our property tax.

[35:56] Those are the taxes. And then our charges

[35:59] for services make up a good chunk of that.

[36:03] The charges for services category

[36:05] help offset a lot of the costs to have those programs,

[36:08] the fees charged and the number of customers, participants

[36:12] are the main drivers for this revenue category.

[36:17] And economic outlook.

[36:19] Where do we go from here?

[36:20] What are we looking at for FY 27?

[36:22] At this time it is still too early to tell.

[36:25] There are approximately 500 bills

[36:27] that may have an impact

[36:28] to cities that are actively being looked at by our staff.

[36:31] We are patiently waiting for further updates

[36:33] from the state and legislation at this time.

[36:39] Our budget calendar.

[36:42] We have tonight our budget kickoff on April 7th.

[36:46] We will be back.

[36:48] For our department and operating capital overview,

[36:51] kind of our recommended budget and May

[36:54] 5th will be our tentative adopted budget.

[36:58] Any questions or comments?

[37:00] All right.

[37:00] Thank you for your presentation.

[37:01] Council.

[37:04] Councilman Haney.

[37:06] Thank you. Mayor.

[37:07] Any thank you for your presentation.

[37:08] I, I know we're going to have you out

[37:09] in some of my community meetings just because

[37:12] I think, especially in northwest

[37:14] surprise, we deal with a lot with roads.

[37:16] And, we severely underestimate just how much it costs

[37:21] for certain things.

[37:22] And I and I was one of those folks

[37:24] where I thought a road was a lot

[37:26] cheaper than it was the traffic signal.

[37:27] Everything has a cost.

[37:28] And so having, the opportunity to break down the budget

[37:32] for folks to see where, where is the city spending your money?

[37:34] I believe that we exist as a service organization,

[37:37] but those services cost money.

[37:39] And I really appreciated you.

[37:42] Kind of making the point.

[37:43] A lot of folks say, hey,

[37:44] we we're growing at a rapid rate,

[37:46] which if you go in my district, you can see that.

[37:49] But that doesn't necessarily mean that all of that growth

[37:52] is just paying for itself, service wise.

[37:54] And so I always tell folks that although we are growing

[37:58] and you think, you know, the city's just,

[38:00] hey, let's have the growth.

[38:02] We are responsible providing services for those residents.

[38:05] And those services cost money.

[38:06] Public safety is very expensive, but it's critical

[38:10] to keeping our community safe and so,

[38:12] I appreciate

[38:13] I know we're just starting this whole kickoff,

[38:15] but my hope is that we continue to have presentations like this

[38:17] that will give easily digestible

[38:19] information for our folks so they can see exactly

[38:22] where their money is going.

[38:23] What are we prioritizing as a city

[38:25] and how does our budget reflect that?

[38:26] So I know it's a lot of information.

[38:28] So I appreciate you,

[38:29] condensing it down in a way that that folks can understand it.

[38:31] And I look forward to our future conversations.

[38:34] Thanks, mayor.

[38:35] Well said. Thank you.

[38:36] Seeing no other comments or questions.

[38:38] Thank you. Okay,

[38:40] so, Madam Clerk, please read item number six.

[38:44] Item six presentation and discussion

[38:46] pertaining to proposed updates

[38:47] to the comprehensive citywide fee schedule.

[38:52] All right.

[38:54] Moving on to the next pack.

[39:01] Okay.

[39:03] Our citywide

[39:04] fee schedule is something that we look at annually.

[39:07] The purpose of our fee schedule is to recover the costs

[39:10] associated with city programs and services.

[39:13] We need these fees to help offset operating costs

[39:16] with a balance of affordability versus sustainability.

[39:19] They are examined and updated annually.

[39:22] We adhere to statutes and policies to get us there.

[39:25] I want to mention that our fees cover the entire city,

[39:28] and that the majority of them

[39:29] are cost recovery for our time and services.

[39:32] For example, charges for services

[39:34] are based on community versus individual benefit.

[39:37] High individual benefit equals low general fund

[39:40] subsidy to offset programs.

[39:43] Parks and rec.

[39:44] But not all Parks and Rec is supported by fees.

[39:47] It is also subsidized by our taxes.

[39:50] Not all programs are 100% cost recovery.

[39:53] And Holly will be up here joining me

[39:55] for our next presentation to go over our park programs

[39:58] development services growth pays for growth.

[40:01] Fees are a direct correlation of our costs for service

[40:06] in compliance with state statute.

[40:07] We have to issue a public notice for any new or increase fees.

[40:11] A public notice is not required for lowering or eliminating

[40:14] a fee or any text changes to that fee.

[40:17] There are fees that are exempt

[40:19] that won't be on our fee schedule.

[40:22] Tonight, I am here to go over some of the updates that we will

[40:24] be issuing the public notice for tomorrow, actually.

[40:29] CDD has three new fees and amending

[40:32] seven biomedical amending two

[40:35] human services.

[40:36] Community vitality has 16 new and amending for parks,

[40:41] 12 new, 12 removed amending two

[40:45] and our water resource management

[40:48] are removing ten.

[40:50] But they're just going to the the rate schedule,

[40:53] which is posted on their website.

[40:56] I'm going to highlight what some of these updates

[40:57] are on the next few slides.

[41:01] One of the new fees for community

[41:02] development is to allow applicants

[41:04] to request an expedited plan review,

[41:07] if they have a history of compliance.

[41:09] This fees to recover administrative

[41:11] and operational costs

[41:12] that are associated with that expedited review.

[41:15] This fee is being brought forth to align with Arizona

[41:18] House Bill 2447.

[41:22] Human Services and Community Vitality is implementing

[41:25] a new program fee for the planned outings

[41:28] and trips for senior center members and nonmembers.

[41:32] One of park's updates to their fees is increasing tennis

[41:36] court rentals to both residents and nonresidents.

[41:41] Parks

[41:41] is removing fees associated with group tennis

[41:44] court rentals after 4 p.m., sticking with a single rate

[41:48] per court regardless of time of day.

[41:52] And community development is also making

[41:54] updates to the name of two of their fees

[41:56] to better align with their operations.

[42:00] With that, the timeline.

[42:01] Tomorrow we will post a public notice

[42:03] with the new and updated fees,

[42:05] and I will be back on April 7th for

[42:06] you guys to take action on the updates of the fee schedule.

[42:11] Any questions or comments?

[42:13] Council

[42:15] Councilman Hastings.

[42:20] Thank you.

[42:20] Mayor.

[42:20] Could you go back to the side with the, chart on it?

[42:23] I think it was towards the beginning.

[42:26] Awesome. Thank you.

[42:26] So I know, like, when I first start in this role,

[42:30] you know, we would do this kind of every year

[42:31] and you know, obviously fees,

[42:33] you know, go up and it's not exciting.

[42:35] But at the end of the day someone has to pay for it.

[42:38] Right?

[42:38] So if the person isn't paying

[42:39] for the service, right, then we're subsidizing it.

[42:41] And so especially when someone's paying for something

[42:44] like club Swim,

[42:45] which is beyond the recreation

[42:47] swim or beyond swim lessons, it's just different program.

[42:50] But you know, I, you know, a few years ago, I know last year

[42:53] we took a look, I was like, okay,

[42:54] if we're going to raise some, can we at least,

[42:56] you know, go through and eliminate some too.

[42:58] And so I think we eliminated

[42:59] nine last year and this year's is 22.

[43:03] And that's awesome

[43:04] because even though on here you see

[43:05] three for community development those are fees for developers.

[43:09] And then as far as you know eight

[43:11] if you're wondering what HSC,

[43:12] the it's human services community vitality department,

[43:15] we have a new resource center.

[43:16] So that's just a

[43:17] brand new building that doesn't have any fee schedule at all.

[43:21] So we're kind of implementing that for the first time.

[43:23] And then yeah, you know Parks and Rec is has 12

[43:26] but they're getting rid of 12.

[43:27] And then you know is you know a little different.

[43:28] So I'm really glad the city is, you know, trying to work.

[43:32] And so we're trying to,

[43:33] you know, make life more affordable for residents.

[43:35] Obviously we've been going on.

[43:36] And so thank you for your guys's work on this.

[43:38] I know I've,

[43:39] you know, with fees I've,

[43:40] I make a few calls and ask questions,

[43:42] but it really seems like you guys have

[43:44] you guys have done your due diligence and

[43:46] and people are kind of getting what they're paying for.

[43:48] So thank you. Thank you.

[43:51] All right.

[43:52] Thank you all said

[43:55] thanks.

[43:56] Okay.

[43:59] Madam clerk, please read item number seven.

[44:02] Item seven presentation and discussion

[44:04] pertaining to Parks and recreation programs.

[44:06] Do you want to spend

[44:09] all you want to do?

[44:12] You need to stand the whole time.

[44:13] Okay.

[44:16] I'm going to sit.

[44:17] Please do.

[44:18] Sandy has a brief 45 slide

[44:21] presentation on Parks and Rec.

[44:24] Sorry.

[44:25] Good evening, Mayor and Council.

[44:26] Good evening, Mrs. Osborne. How are you?

[44:28] I'm wonderful. Good, good.

[44:30] And so, just before you start, what one of the things I talked

[44:33] to the city manager about, Miss Davis, is that,

[44:36] you know, we have these programs and and we implement things.

[44:39] And I don't think there was ever.

[44:40] And I know the staff

[44:41] does the review,

[44:42] but it never really came to council as far as

[44:44] is this program effective?

[44:45] Are we gonna continue it I think for me or.

[44:49] But I'm not gonna speak for the council.

[44:51] But it's important that we review these programs

[44:52] to make sure

[44:52] that we're putting the money where,

[44:55] you know,

[44:55] where the residents want us to put money

[44:57] and where the programs that they need

[44:58] based on usage, all those different things. So,

[45:01] Miss Osborne, I appreciate

[45:02] you being the first one

[45:03] to present,

[45:04] but it's important that we do our residents

[45:06] so that we do review all of our programs every year

[45:08] through the budget process and, and,

[45:11] make cuts where we have to.

[45:14] Yes. Well,

[45:14] that doesn't mean I'm

[45:15] the first department to get cut it

[45:16] just all right in the first department.

[45:18] So wanted to make sure that was clear.

[45:21] But we're going to go in just to talk about our budget

[45:24] and go over our revenues, our expenses

[45:27] and what we allocate those expenses for.

[45:29] And, to council.

[45:31] And Hastings Point is,

[45:32] how do we come up with our fees and what is our balance.

[45:35] So we'll go through that.

[45:36] I'll be as fast as possible.

[45:39] But also get my point across.

[45:40] Okay. Here we go.

[45:42] I'm going to start off with the budget.

[45:44] So a FY 26 general fund expense

[45:47] budget for Parks and Recreation is $17 million.

[45:51] That budget is, broken out.

[45:54] As you can see, park maintenance is our biggest portion, 32%.

[46:00] There is very little cost recovery there, if at all.

[46:05] And then we have our

[46:05] aquatics and our recreation programs as such.

[46:09] And Holly

[46:09] will go into more detail on each one of these programs.

[46:14] But this is

[46:15] how the budget is broken out

[46:18] and then charges for services.

[46:20] Budget is 3.5 million.

[46:22] So going back you see 17 million.

[46:25] And we budgeted for 3.5 million cost recovery for them

[46:29] this year.

[46:30] And of that 3.5 million, 60% of that is within

[46:35] their recreation programs.

[46:37] And with that, I'm going to pass it over to Holly.

[46:39] So what does that mean for Parks and Recreation?

[46:42] We will never be able to move out of our parents basement.

[46:44] We will always rely on the general fund for funding,

[46:49] unless we start charging for each

[46:50] one of these different amenities and we'll go through

[46:53] and kind of talk about that,

[46:54] but how we end up doing our charges for services,

[46:57] we notice them

[46:58] because if we're charging a service and city government

[47:00] is charging, it's essentially a tax, right.

[47:04] So we try to use our general

[47:06] fund subsidies to benefit the greatest amount of people.

[47:10] But then as we shrink into more of those special interests,

[47:13] like we had talked about clubs swimming, then we go into,

[47:16] okay, now you have to pay for 100% of those direct cost.

[47:20] So case in point, a city park.

[47:22] We get 0% recovery on the scale of the 3.5.

[47:26] But adult sports you don't have to play adult sports.

[47:29] It is a niche.

[47:31] So they pay 100%.

[47:33] And I do say direct costs so they don't pay the indirect

[47:36] as far as like that staffing in that.

[47:38] But they do pay all of the direct costs.

[47:40] And we do go through our budgets every year and we try them up.

[47:44] We try to bring

[47:45] if we can bring in more money, that's good for us

[47:47] because then we can expend more money.

[47:49] We try to be as self-sufficient as possible, but again,

[47:52] we never will.

[47:53] Aquatics is another one where we we do bring in some money

[47:57] more than our park services.

[47:59] But open swim is something

[48:01] that with especially with our new pool,

[48:02] our numbers are 85,000 people go to our pools,

[48:06] but our swim teams, we have like 400 our swim lessons.

[48:10] We just try to cover our staff costs.

[48:12] We'll try to get 30 to 50%.

[48:14] So we do have a cost recovery model based on that.

[48:17] So parks is 0%.

[48:18] Then you have the greater good. Like our adaptive.

[48:20] We try to make

[48:21] some our swim lessons just to cover a little bit.

[48:25] But it's never going to be 100% recoverable.

[48:27] And we could make it that.

[48:28] But your fees are going to be a lot.

[48:31] But then you go into youth sports,

[48:32] which is 50 to 75%, but then you go into adults

[48:35] and rentals and that's 100% recoverable.

[48:37] So that makes sense.

[48:39] I will always look a quick while we're on this slide.

[48:42] The park maintenance of 5% revenue here,

[48:45] that is, for the maintenance of Marley Park.

[48:48] So it is just it's like

[48:51] less than $300,000, $211,000.

[48:55] And it's the owner for the Marley Park CFDs.

[48:57] So we can only spend on maintenance

[48:59] and we can't spend it on staff.

[49:01] So it's only for supplies and services.

[49:04] Very fun facts.

[49:05] So speaking of park maintenance,

[49:09] we support over 700 field rentals a year.

[49:12] These are just little fun facts.

[49:13] You know how I love fun facts?

[49:15] Our parks do playground maintenance remodels.

[49:18] We to our lake quality.

[49:20] We take care of, fish, animals, stock the lake with fish.

[49:24] We have dog park maintenance, all of the turf maintenance,

[49:28] the mowing, field repairs of all sorts. So,

[49:33] of our parks, these are a snippet of all of them.

[49:37] Our newest baby is McMeekin.

[49:38] It used to be Oasis, but, we we gave you this one.

[49:43] But kind of going into how we allocate these

[49:46] and what this looks like.

[49:47] This may be my favorite slide that I put in here.

[49:50] We wouldn't have been able to get this data without our place

[49:53] or AI software, so we're pretty new into this.

[49:56] But you can see that surprise community Park

[49:59] gets over a million visitors a year.

[50:01] Like I said, it's

[50:02] one of the top ten most popular parks in Arizona,

[50:05] and that is up there with the Grand Canyon.

[50:07] So we're doing something right there.

[50:10] So 40% pretty close to the Grand Canyon.

[50:14] Marley Park Heritage Park is,

[50:18] second.

[50:18] Then we have Dick McComb, then fields at countryside.

[50:21] That's our newest one.

[50:22] And then a sante.

[50:24] It's very popular park and then Oasis Swim Center,

[50:27] our newest one, and this is based on 25 data from placer.

[50:33] There's some things that,

[50:35] two Councilman's Judd's looking at me.

[50:37] I wanted to talk about mCMC, and just for a nanosecond,

[50:41] with getting the placer I.

[50:43] Because the area mass is so big, because you did

[50:46] such a wonderful job

[50:47] of securing 3500 acres for the city and its residents,

[50:50] we haven't narrowed down those parameters of the heat maps.

[50:55] So we're getting permission from those.

[50:56] So I do have an asterisk just to know that it is low,

[50:59] but it's not that low.

[51:00] That's just a certain percentage

[51:01] that we could get the geo fencing around.

[51:04] But that should increase.

[51:05] So we'll we'll get that one.

[51:07] But I did want to

[51:08] put it on there because it is one of our newest facilities.

[51:11] But this kind of goes to show of all of this

[51:14] to almost 3 million visitors a year.

[51:16] They're not unique.

[51:17] These could be

[51:18] they go to the pool and then they go to the park,

[51:20] and then they go to the tennis center.

[51:22] But this is just total

[51:23] based on our placer I and our heat map.

[51:25] So, just kind of give you a snippet

[51:28] of our 165,000 residents that we have here.

[51:32] They do enjoy our parks.

[51:34] And it's evident in this, that we don't charge money for. So,

[51:40] another thing that we have very low to

[51:42] minimal cost is our special events

[51:44] that are also very highly attended.

[51:46] Backyard Bash is our newest one

[51:48] that is our 90s throwback this Friday.

[51:52] It's going to be 80 degrees and we're going to add

[51:54] the other ten degrees and coolness.

[51:58] That's a weather joke for you.

[52:00] Because I have a tendency to rain out events.

[52:03] That was just shameless, I know, oh, I have just one.

[52:06] I have a debate in my house is a 90s, like,

[52:08] fluorescent 90s or 90s like alternative 90s.

[52:10] We're trying to figure out which.

[52:12] And it could be 90s hip hop.

[52:13] Like it depends on or grunge, like, who were you in the 90s?

[52:17] There's no we're not 90s country.

[52:19] Probably the best era of country ever.

[52:22] I think people agree with me back here.

[52:24] So we're it's it's a variety.

[52:26] We're going to that's why we did a DJ instead of a band.

[52:29] So we can get four non blonds and Tim McGraw playing

[52:32] in the same four hours, but you can't get that in a band.

[52:36] So saying you an interesting.

[52:39] Okay. Back to 4th of July.

[52:41] America's 250th birthday.

[52:44] 4th of July is one of our heavily attended events.

[52:46] This year.

[52:47] We have bigger, better fireworks.

[52:50] Something really special if I can pull it off.

[52:54] Which I hope I can, I might lose my job.

[52:55] But Fiesta Grande is our fall fest with about 9000

[53:00] Veterans Day, 8000 prize party,

[53:03] 14,000 per day, which is Friday Saturday.

[53:07] So almost 30,000 collectively over that two day weekend.

[53:10] And then sparkling surprise the month of December,

[53:13] not including the surprise party weekend.

[53:16] We had over 32,000 visitors at the community park.

[53:20] So again, we don't charge a lot of revenue for those,

[53:24] but those would things that would be easily cut

[53:28] should you look at a budget.

[53:30] But looking at the numbers, that's how we tried to

[53:33] the cost benefit.

[53:34] So it's Osborne? Yes, sir.

[53:37] Hastings. Other question. Yes, sir.

[53:39] No. I'm sorry.

[53:39] I remember when Donna came up here.

[53:41] I think when I first got on the council,

[53:42] I think she might have showed us that,

[53:44] you know, how do you measure recovery?

[53:46] And we all say like.

[53:46] Like we like to run government like a business.

[53:48] But there are certain things that are a service, right?

[53:50] We're not in the, you know, trash business to, to,

[53:53] to make money or to take money from residents.

[53:55] We're trying to offer that service.

[53:57] And so the way it was described

[53:58] me then, and I think what you're saying is,

[54:00] you know, obviously there's certain things like,

[54:03] Councilman, he's done a great job with helping kids

[54:06] get some lessons. Right.

[54:08] It's a huge benefit to the community

[54:10] that we do try to, you know, I guess you could say subsidized

[54:12] may cheaper because it's a it's a safety thing, you know, or,

[54:16] you know, surprise party sparkling

[54:18] surprise that the benefit there is just so much to me

[54:21] that this kind of where it's measured.

[54:22] Now, obviously, if you get back on the other side,

[54:23] we talked about Club Swim

[54:25] or this is sports and tourism, but VIP seats at the concert

[54:29] versus like, you know, regular ones,

[54:31] that is less benefit to the community,

[54:33] less benefits to any member of the individual.

[54:35] And so you would require for that a higher cost recovery.

[54:38] And so I know I've, I've seen that in the past.

[54:40] And so, we we appreciate the work you do.

[54:43] And, you know,

[54:44] if we were making money at the public pool,

[54:47] we'd probably be charging a lot more.

[54:49] So definitely.

[54:50] But, yeah,

[54:50] people can use the pool, but, you know,

[54:52] you want to rent a room for,

[54:53] you know, a birthday rental, something like that.

[54:55] That's a little bit different, right? Right.

[54:56] Absolutely awesome.

[54:57] And for those of you guys who haven't been to a

[55:00] sparkling surprise or surprise party next holiday season,

[55:03] you guys should definitely come check it out.

[55:05] You know, as I always say, my favorite title,

[55:06] but I say that about so many things

[55:08] that my team laughs at me all the time.

[55:10] But that was my favorite. But the pools are my favorite.

[55:12] But the Christmas is my favorite.

[55:14] Puppies are my favorite.

[55:15] I could go on.

[55:16] I have lots of favorites.

[55:18] So speaking of favorites, youth and adult sports,

[55:21] I would say that this is a community favorite.

[55:24] We have 16 different youth sports programs

[55:27] which go into that's

[55:28] two seasons, a baseball, two seasons,

[55:30] a softball, two seasons, a basketball.

[55:32] But in all those seasons combined, we have over

[55:34] 15,000 kids that are in our youth sports program,

[55:39] where we talk

[55:39] about trying to maximize our facilities.

[55:42] We our team does an amazing job of trying to make sure

[55:46] we can get as many kids in for as little fees as possible.

[55:51] So to, Councilman's Hastings Point,

[55:54] when you get into the club level,

[55:56] you're spending a lot of money now.

[55:58] So our volleyball program is $80 for eight weeks.

[56:01] I'm not going to tell you

[56:02] what I spend on my kids club

[56:04] volleyball and mayor, I'm

[56:05] not going to ask you what you spend on

[56:06] your daughter's club volleyball, but it's a lot more than that.

[56:09] But when you're paying for the coaches

[56:10] and you're paying for the fields and you're paying for that,

[56:13] the travel, that's where your fees go in.

[56:15] Our job in recreation is the city is exposure

[56:19] to give kids the ability to learn new skills,

[56:22] to make new friends, to learn teamwork, to get along.

[56:26] Those are social skills

[56:27] that they don't always get in school

[56:28] and to find their niche and find their sport.

[56:31] So, our youth sports is huge and our staff does amazing.

[56:34] We used to have, council member

[56:36] that was a wonderful red shirt is what we call them.

[56:39] Back in the day.

[56:40] So, our youth camps and clinics are growing in popularity.

[56:44] So summertime is good.

[56:45] We have clinics on getting ready for school sports or tryouts,

[56:49] refreshers, skills developments.

[56:52] Then we have teen tournaments which are growing.

[56:54] We have a wiffle ball tournament coming up.

[56:56] We started doing a beach

[56:57] volleyball tournament for teens, which is sold out.

[57:00] And then our adult sports.

[57:01] So you can see

[57:02] we have 5000, 5000 people compared to 15,000 people.

[57:06] You can see the difference of,

[57:08] where we're putting our finances.

[57:09] So we subsidize more for the youth, but not for the adults.

[57:13] I'll just try to go faster.

[57:15] Racket sports.

[57:16] We have over 800 total programs of our tennis and classes,

[57:20] so we racket ball is pickleball racket.

[57:23] And then we also have pickleball

[57:24] tournaments and tennis tournaments. So,

[57:28] it's a little bit interesting because sports and tourism

[57:31] does some of the tournaments.

[57:32] And then we do the classes.

[57:35] We're probably going to change that model.

[57:37] If I haven't talked to you, we can talk after class

[57:39] or maybe tomorrow.

[57:41] But we have 17 pickleball tournaments

[57:43] a year at our tennis facility where we have 25 courts.

[57:47] So pickleball is all the rage.

[57:49] It's huge, but tennis is still thriving.

[57:51] And racket ball, those courts are full all the time, too.

[57:55] Then our other side is youth, teen and adaptive.

[57:57] So we have our summer camp break camp.

[57:59] Those programs are 100% recoverable preschool program,

[58:03] 100% recoverable special, and two classes the same.

[58:07] Special programs or not teen programs.

[58:09] We subsidize and adaptive programs.

[58:11] We subsidize. So,

[58:14] going into that

[58:15] aquatics and then that's another one of my favorite children,

[58:19] swim.

[58:19] I was a lifeguard when I was 16,

[58:21] so I have to caveat it's my home, my right.

[58:23] We have this.

[58:24] So swim lessons.

[58:25] We have almost

[58:26] 4000 kids in our swim lessons, which is a very big deal.

[58:30] And thank you to mayor and council for making that happen.

[58:33] We were at 1500 with almost 3000 on the waitlist

[58:36] before we opened our new pool.

[58:37] So, we definitely have made an impact on that.

[58:41] We have over 500 participants in swim team, 8500 people

[58:46] coming to our pools, our three pools that we have,

[58:50] and then our special interest classes, 350.

[58:53] So special interest classes, something

[58:54] that's 100% recoverable.

[58:56] Open swim is subsidized.

[58:58] You can see the difference.

[58:59] 5085 what did I say? Million.

[59:02] And I said 85.

[59:03] I meant 85 million thousand to

[59:06] get that one okay.

[59:08] Questions I was fast I talked fast.

[59:10] Did I do okay?

[59:12] 85,000,085 million people are here in surprise every day.

[59:17] Or thousand. Which zeros are hard?

[59:19] Oh, I almost

[59:20] I just want to say thank you to you, your entire team.

[59:23] What you provide for the city

[59:24] is just an incredible thing for our residents.

[59:26] I hear nothing but good things from all the events.

[59:30] All of it.

[59:30] And it's just, it's a treat to have it here in the city.

[59:33] It's because of your effort

[59:34] and your team's effort, and I am grateful for that.

[59:37] So thank you.

[59:38] Thank you.

[59:39] Councilman, any

[59:41] thank you.

[59:41] Mayor Holley,

[59:42] I do have a question and I have a comment.

[59:43] So my question is and I apologize if I missed it.

[59:47] Are we still getting a pretty

[59:48] decent amount of attendance in those special

[59:50] interest classes that we used to offer?

[59:52] Are we still offering?

[59:53] We're holding steady. Yeah, those ones are 100% recoverable.

[59:56] Mine for the direct costs. Yeah. And yeah.

[59:58] Look at it.

[59:58] What? Where are we at?

[59:59] It's on there somewhere. I skimmed past it.

[1:00:01] Oh, there it is. 700 programs and 5000.

[1:00:04] So it was similar to adult sports,

[1:00:05] but we have more classes, so we'll have like a dance class

[1:00:08] that only has like 12 kids, because you can only handle

[1:00:11] so many three and four year olds at it to get it.

[1:00:13] So and can you give us like a just a few examples of,

[1:00:17] special interest classes?

[1:00:18] I know you said dance, but there's a wide variety, right?

[1:00:21] Anything you could think of that's not

[1:00:23] involving a ball, really?

[1:00:25] We have skateboards,

[1:00:26] we have dance classes, we have tumbling is a huge one.

[1:00:30] Cheer

[1:00:33] martial arts.

[1:00:35] Keep going.

[1:00:35] Aqua aerobics. There's going to throw.

[1:00:37] There's something for everybody.

[1:00:39] Zumba dance.

[1:00:40] We have a

[1:00:40] I think we have a 90s or some new,

[1:00:42] like 40 year old women that are awesome dance class

[1:00:46] that like,

[1:00:47] we can go back into the 90s hip hop

[1:00:49] and without our kids around making fun of us

[1:00:51] and like really jam out like we used to

[1:00:53] so that skating in popularity to the 90s are back.

[1:00:56] I would have been good to know

[1:00:57] a few weeks ago I would have taken that

[1:01:00] weekend. Yeah.

[1:01:02] Thank you. Thank you for your presentation.

[1:01:03] I, you know, we're a multigenerational city,

[1:01:06] and I think it's so important that we're investing in these

[1:01:10] programs, obviously, aquatics.

[1:01:12] You know, Jack

[1:01:12] and I got our start in aquatics, as you did.

[1:01:14] And, but it's something that's super, super important.

[1:01:17] We talk public safety, but we also have to talk about

[1:01:19] making sure that we're keeping our kids safe.

[1:01:21] And I don't want to get on my

[1:01:22] soapbox about drowning and drowning prevention,

[1:01:24] but a lot of the work that you guys do helps, helps with that.

[1:01:27] And I'm so appreciative.

[1:01:28] I mean, just

[1:01:28] every time I hear that number, I just

[1:01:30] I watched the video over

[1:01:31] and over and over again because I still can't

[1:01:32] believe you guys were able to accomplish that.

[1:01:35] And I did have to

[1:01:35] I had to

[1:01:36] if I had to cast someone for a Parks and Recreation director,

[1:01:40] I don't think you could find any better than Holly Osborne

[1:01:42] here. So,

[1:01:44] thank you for your part.

[1:01:45] I mean, it's it's reflective on

[1:01:47] not only

[1:01:47] how hard your team works to put on all these events,

[1:01:49] but we're really kind of the tip of the spear

[1:01:51] on some of these major events

[1:01:53] where we're getting folks from all across the state

[1:01:55] to come to our city and experience,

[1:01:58] just what, what we all love about it.

[1:02:00] It's a reason why so many of us call it home.

[1:02:01] And so thank you for your work.

[1:02:03] Thank you for your passion that you inject

[1:02:04] into these programs, because it wouldn't

[1:02:06] be the same without you.

[1:02:07] So we appreciate you.

[1:02:10] And she was my old boss, so I had to get that in there.

[1:02:12] So I'm not anymore though. But he did have to say that.

[1:02:15] And Vice Mayor Greenberg.

[1:02:17] Oh, thank you, mayor. I only have one thing.

[1:02:19] Thank you for taking advantage of AI to give us better data,

[1:02:23] because just better data we have, the better decisions

[1:02:25] we can make. And that's

[1:02:28] all I got to say.

[1:02:29] Thank you.

[1:02:30] Councilman Joe.

[1:02:32] Thank you mayor.

[1:02:33] Thank you. Holly, this is great.

[1:02:34] So I love the parties.

[1:02:36] I love the events that you put on.

[1:02:38] And I love that we have nearly 3 million

[1:02:40] people visiting our parks.

[1:02:41] I mean, this really is this is all about quality of life.

[1:02:44] And I think you're doing

[1:02:45] a great job of subsidizing the ones that need subsidize

[1:02:48] for the little guys running around

[1:02:49] and then making the adults that still want

[1:02:50] to throw a ball around, you know, pay their way.

[1:02:54] As this is a budget meeting and we're working towards

[1:02:57] what we're going to do next year with our budget money.

[1:03:00] What do you have planned for McMeekin?

[1:03:03] Do you have budget money in there?

[1:03:05] What kind of things can we look?

[1:03:06] I mean, one of the reasons the number is so small

[1:03:08] is it's a space that needs to be activated.

[1:03:10] So what's our plan? That. That's a hard.

[1:03:13] Thank you, Councilman Judd.

[1:03:14] I'm stalling to give Sandy

[1:03:16] some time to think of a better answer.

[1:03:18] I mean, not to throw under the bus.

[1:03:19] We have a lot of things planned,

[1:03:21] but it depends on how financially we end up.

[1:03:24] So we have we have money to start the design process.

[1:03:27] As you know, we're going through our Parks

[1:03:29] and Recreation master plan right now.

[1:03:31] That does encompass make and dam.

[1:03:33] Once we figure out

[1:03:34] we have a couple of geographical locations

[1:03:36] where we're looking at budget permitting, we want to start

[1:03:39] at least a 30% design to get us to the point, where

[1:03:43] we could do a programable park and then also know the, the geo.

[1:03:47] What is the type of topography?

[1:03:49] Is that the word,

[1:03:50] the topography of the land,

[1:03:52] while we're doing our master plan

[1:03:53] to figure out the most advantageous

[1:03:54] and where we can actually do programable parks within that.

[1:03:59] So that would be the design phase.

[1:04:01] With McMeekin dam, we have a lot of it.

[1:04:04] Is our park rangers coming up.

[1:04:05] We would like to eventually start

[1:04:07] more of an outdoor program,

[1:04:09] but right now we currently are in the enforcement

[1:04:12] and education as opposed to the luxury side of things.

[1:04:16] Yeah.

[1:04:17] And I think the idea I mean, we, I expect it to be a long time

[1:04:20] before we can actually afford to build

[1:04:21] a, build a proper programable park out there.

[1:04:24] They're not cheap, they're hard to do.

[1:04:26] And we're going to want

[1:04:26] a lot of community input before we do that.

[1:04:29] But it is a nice conservation area.

[1:04:31] We'd like

[1:04:31] to see some great outdoor, skills type things out there,

[1:04:35] hopefully an archery range

[1:04:36] on the outside of town over there,

[1:04:38] so we don't have to go all the way

[1:04:39] to Ben Avery for that stuff.

[1:04:40] But really just some outdoor

[1:04:42] focused nature type things would be great.

[1:04:43] And again, it's

[1:04:45] the the main goal of this is, is a conservation area.

[1:04:49] So just giving people a chance

[1:04:51] to get outdoors right next to the white tanks

[1:04:53] and maybe even join up for the white thanks there

[1:04:55] through Andy's property.

[1:04:57] Yes, that is our plan.

[1:04:59] Thank you. Timing and money.

[1:05:02] Any other council members hearing?

[1:05:04] None I appreciate thank you very much.

[1:05:07] And thanks everyone for showing up for our parks presentation.

[1:05:16] So we're going to move on

[1:05:17] to the call to the public, portion of this meeting.

[1:05:20] I have a brief statement I want to read.

[1:05:25] I to here we go.

[1:05:27] So before I open the call, the public,

[1:05:29] I just want to thank everyone for being here.

[1:05:32] I know many of you signed up to speak,

[1:05:34] and I want you to know

[1:05:35] that this council is here to listen to you.

[1:05:37] So, hearing from residents is what really our our job is.

[1:05:42] Listen here you

[1:05:44] it's what makes our community incredibly strong. It.

[1:05:47] If you haven't

[1:05:48] filled out a request to speak, there's one in the back.

[1:05:51] I encourage you to do so.

[1:05:52] And then you just give that to our city clerk.

[1:05:54] That way you can put you on the list to speak.

[1:05:59] We want

[1:05:59] everybody to feel heard and respected

[1:06:02] and ask to remain kind and courteous to everybody

[1:06:06] and follow the rules of decorum in this chamber

[1:06:09] and throughout the entire process.

[1:06:11] I understand that many of you are here

[1:06:12] this evening to talk about

[1:06:13] the recent purchase of the building and surprise

[1:06:16] by the Department of Homeland Security,

[1:06:17] and because there are

[1:06:18] limitations on the council's ability to respond.

[1:06:21] During the public comment, I want to share some information

[1:06:24] just to have some clarity on on our stance

[1:06:27] for the city was not aware of the

[1:06:30] that the efforts were under way to purchase a building

[1:06:33] that was secured by the Department of Homeland Security,

[1:06:35] was not notified

[1:06:36] of the transaction by any of the parties involved.

[1:06:40] It's important to note that federal projects

[1:06:41] are not subject to local regulation, such as zoning,

[1:06:45] and although the

[1:06:45] city cannot regulate the Homeland Security's purchase

[1:06:49] or the use of the building, the council is

[1:06:51] genuinely committed to hearing your thoughts and your concerns.

[1:06:55] And so we're going to hear from people on both sides of this.

[1:06:58] And I ask that you respect one another.

[1:07:01] I don't want to hear cheering or clapping.

[1:07:04] I know we're passionate about it,

[1:07:05] but I don't want one person

[1:07:06] to feel intimidated

[1:07:07] regardless of what side of the aisle

[1:07:08] you're on, we're going to listen to you.

[1:07:11] And I think we just need to lower the temperature

[1:07:13] and respect each other in this chamber.

[1:07:14] And I appreciate that of you.

[1:07:17] And we're here to listen and and I appreciate you,

[1:07:21] Madam Clerk.

[1:07:24] Thank you.

[1:07:25] Mayor.

[1:07:26] To make this go as smoothly as possible,

[1:07:29] I am going to read out five names at a time.

[1:07:32] So if I call your name and you're in this room,

[1:07:34] if you would make your way to the center

[1:07:36] aisle in the order that I call you,

[1:07:38] and the same for the other room,

[1:07:40] they will send those speakers forward,

[1:07:43] and we'll just have to be a little bit patient.

[1:07:47] The first five are Brant Peak,

[1:07:50] Sarah Helgeson,

[1:07:53] Catherine Faber, Hagen,

[1:07:56] Alex, Chris

[1:07:58] and Stephen Quebec.

[1:08:02] If you could make your way to the center

[1:08:04] when you get to the podium, please

[1:08:06] state your name and cross streets for the record

[1:08:09] window.

[1:08:10] Good evening sir.

[1:08:14] Mayor and Council members, thank you

[1:08:16] for the opportunity to speak.

[1:08:17] My name is Brant Peak.

[1:08:19] I'm co-chair of Northwest Valley Indivisible.

[1:08:22] I am not a resident of surprise,

[1:08:24] but our organization includes many surprise residents.

[1:08:27] And over the past year,

[1:08:29] we have

[1:08:30] held many peaceful protests and other events here in town.

[1:08:33] Tonight, I want to be very clear about who we are

[1:08:36] and how we show up.

[1:08:38] Northwest Valley indivisible is made up entirely

[1:08:41] of unpaid volunteers, including myself.

[1:08:44] No one is paid to attend our

[1:08:46] events, organize our actions, or speak on our behalf.

[1:08:50] We show up on our own time at our own expense,

[1:08:52] because we care about the Northwest Valley

[1:08:54] and the issues that affect it.

[1:08:57] I share this paraphrased sentiment

[1:08:59] with one Minnesota protester, who recently said,

[1:09:02] I got to get up in the morning just like everybody else.

[1:09:04] I'm just here to stand up for community.

[1:09:07] Northwest Valley Indivisible is firmly committed to peaceful,

[1:09:10] nonviolent, weapons free protest.

[1:09:13] That commitment is rooted

[1:09:14] in the National Indivisible Movement's

[1:09:16] nonviolence policy, and it is non-negotiable for us.

[1:09:20] We plan with de-escalation in mind.

[1:09:22] We set clear expectations for participants,

[1:09:25] and we do not tolerate intimidation, threats

[1:09:27] or weapons from our participants at our events.

[1:09:31] Tonight, I want to clarify why we oppose

[1:09:33] the proposed Ice facility here in surprise.

[1:09:36] We support holding people accountable for their crimes,

[1:09:38] whether they are citizens or immigrants.

[1:09:40] We do not want to excuse or allow criminal behavior.

[1:09:43] Our concern is that Ice cannot be trusted

[1:09:46] to exercise their authority responsibly,

[1:09:48] whether on the streets or in a detention center.

[1:09:51] We do not trust Ice to distinguish between criminals

[1:09:54] and non criminals,

[1:09:55] between a violent offense or a misdemeanor.

[1:09:58] We do not trust them to reliably uphold

[1:10:00] the constitutional rights of citizens,

[1:10:02] much less immigrants, documented or not.

[1:10:05] And we do not trust Ice to respond to peaceful protests

[1:10:07] like ours

[1:10:08] with the professionalism and respect

[1:10:10] that we have consistently experienced

[1:10:12] from the surprise police department.

[1:10:15] Based on ICE's recent conduct, we believe that

[1:10:17] allowing this facility in surprise risks introducing

[1:10:20] chaos and cruelty into a community that has worked

[1:10:23] hard to maintain peace and safety for its residents.

[1:10:27] But please know this

[1:10:29] as Northwest Valley Indivisible responds to this situation,

[1:10:32] we will continue to hold

[1:10:34] to our standards of peaceful, nonviolent, weapons free protest

[1:10:39] interest in this facility is tremendous,

[1:10:41] and outside groups are already here to take action

[1:10:44] if any plan to do so.

[1:10:45] If any of those planned to do so in coordination with us,

[1:10:48] they will be expected to follow the same principles

[1:10:50] we do peaceful protest, nonviolence, no weapons.

[1:10:53] And if they are unwilling to do that,

[1:10:55] we will not partner with them.

[1:10:57] We value our relationship with the city of Surprise

[1:10:59] and the surprise police department.

[1:11:01] We will continue to coordinate the surprise with surprise

[1:11:04] PD in advance.

[1:11:05] We will communicate clearly,

[1:11:07] and we will express our appreciation

[1:11:08] for the department's

[1:11:09] consistent focus on safety and professionalism

[1:11:13] as residents exercise their First Amendment rights.

[1:11:16] We will continue being the kind of civic partner

[1:11:18] this city has come to expect from us. Thank you sir.

[1:11:25] Thank you Mayor.

[1:11:28] Thank you mayor.

[1:11:30] Vice mayor, Council members, thank you so much

[1:11:34] for allowing us to come here.

[1:11:36] I appreciate this council

[1:11:38] of how you guys always hear what we have to say.

[1:11:43] And I appreciate my fellow surprise.

[1:11:45] The ants and those from, neighboring,

[1:11:50] communities as well, that have come out

[1:11:52] taking their time to come out here and express

[1:11:56] our passion to you as well.

[1:11:59] Mayor, I'm here to support our fellow law enforcement

[1:12:04] who daily put on the uniform,

[1:12:08] whether it's our police, our medical, our fire,

[1:12:13] our nurses, our doctors, and yes,

[1:12:16] even Customs and Immigration force, I support them.

[1:12:20] They do a hard job and I am not going to impede on their job.

[1:12:27] A well funded, a

[1:12:30] well trained and a well supported law enforcement

[1:12:35] is an essential part of our republic.

[1:12:39] Whether it's our nation, our state,

[1:12:43] or even right here in surprise.

[1:12:46] And I've gotten to know the chiefs of both.

[1:12:49] And they are professional and they are great.

[1:12:53] And I appreciate the hard work that these men and women

[1:12:56] who wake up every day, take up these shifts

[1:13:00] and say, I will protect you.

[1:13:03] And my prayer for them is that they go safely and return

[1:13:07] safely back to their families, that I can support them as well.

[1:13:12] I want to thank everyone that has come out here.

[1:13:15] From what we've seen on YouTube and different,

[1:13:19] news media, this isn't anything like that.

[1:13:22] They have been very respectful from both sides.

[1:13:26] They have been here and saying, I will support

[1:13:30] whether this cause or that cause in a very respectful manner,

[1:13:36] and I hope that this is going to be

[1:13:38] the way it should be for all communities.

[1:13:42] Mayor,

[1:13:43] vice mayor, council members.

[1:13:46] This is a great republic, and I hope

[1:13:48] that we can continue another 250 years.

[1:13:52] Thank you very much.

[1:13:53] Thank you sir.

[1:13:56] Before you start, I'm going to read the next five.

[1:14:00] The next five are Lisa Everett,

[1:14:03] Michael Chester, Kelly.

[1:14:06] Vote.

[1:14:08] Bhavani I

[1:14:10] I Connie, I hope I said that right.

[1:14:13] Ricky. Hi, Tara.

[1:14:15] Okay, you can begin.

[1:14:16] Thank you.

[1:14:18] Good evening, Mr. Mayor.

[1:14:20] Men and women of the council

[1:14:22] and any distinguished guests who have left out.

[1:14:26] Thank you for the time to talk about this controversial topic.

[1:14:29] The ice warehouse.

[1:14:32] I support the police and ice.

[1:14:35] These men and women have a job to do to protect us.

[1:14:39] They, like all of us,

[1:14:42] want to go home and see their families after work

[1:14:46] in the last four months.

[1:14:47] Here is an example of a few states

[1:14:50] and the number of illegal aliens who were deported.

[1:14:53] Texas 17,000.

[1:14:55] Louisiana 7000.

[1:14:57] California 6000.

[1:15:00] Florida 4000, Georgia 4000.

[1:15:03] West Virginia 650.

[1:15:05] And Maine 200.

[1:15:07] I bring these numbers up because while they are

[1:15:10] all substantial, all are without incident

[1:15:16] because people living there and the local police

[1:15:20] worked with ice and ice, went in,

[1:15:24] arrested them and left.

[1:15:27] My hope is

[1:15:29] we are all neighbors here in surprise, and

[1:15:33] I hope we would work with Ice and with our local police.

[1:15:38] So they can do their job.

[1:15:41] To my knowledge, we do not know yet

[1:15:44] if this facility is to store their equipment

[1:15:48] or to temporarily house

[1:15:51] or to temporarily house illegals

[1:15:53] before deportation.

[1:15:56] But either way,

[1:15:58] why are some people against it?

[1:16:00] I can't answer that question.

[1:16:02] We can.

[1:16:04] One second, sir.

[1:16:05] I asked at the beginning of this.

[1:16:07] We're going to respect each other.

[1:16:08] I know that we have we have passion about it.

[1:16:11] I know we got some claps, but we need to really respect it.

[1:16:13] Give this man his time.

[1:16:14] Like we're going to get you your time

[1:16:16] and we're going to respect each other

[1:16:18] and the way that we approach this.

[1:16:19] So I appreciate your candor

[1:16:21] and letting everybody

[1:16:22] speak their piece and and letting everybody say

[1:16:25] what they need to say.

[1:16:26] So so I'm going to give you we'll go ahead and continue.

[1:16:28] We pass the time.

[1:16:29] Thank you, Mr.

[1:16:29] Mayor. But.

[1:16:36] It's actually a great location.

[1:16:38] It's not interrupting our daily lives.

[1:16:40] It's not in the middle of our city.

[1:16:43] I fear that the reason for this anti-choice sentiment

[1:16:46] is because many protesters have the attitude.

[1:16:50] These people are our neighbors, but are they?

[1:16:54] The minute they come across the border

[1:16:56] and step foot in our country, they're illegal.

[1:17:00] In fact, the current administration

[1:17:02] has offered them to leave now voluntarily,

[1:17:06] and they have a chance to return.

[1:17:09] In closing,

[1:17:11] I am a God fearing man.

[1:17:13] I will pray for the mayor

[1:17:15] and for the council members

[1:17:18] to do the right thing for our community.

[1:17:20] I will also pray for Ice to get their job done

[1:17:24] and go home safely,

[1:17:25] so we can all go back to our lives here in Arizona.

[1:17:29] God bless you all again.

[1:17:38] Good evening mayor.

[1:17:40] Council,

[1:17:41] thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight.

[1:17:44] I appreciate the time

[1:17:46] you've set aside for residents to voice their concerns

[1:17:50] about the proposed 1500 bed Ice detention

[1:17:53] facility, planned near nine schools.

[1:17:58] I understand and want to acknowledge

[1:18:01] this project is not under your jurisdiction,

[1:18:05] but this is still something.

[1:18:09] Is this is an appropriate place for us?

[1:18:12] For it?

[1:18:13] Is it a place that we want to put a detention center?

[1:18:18] This is not a Democrat or Republican issue.

[1:18:21] It is an issue about human dignity.

[1:18:25] I stand for the dignity of life

[1:18:28] in all of its forms the unborn victims of crime,

[1:18:33] those on death row and immigrants.

[1:18:36] Dignity does not depend on someone's legal status,

[1:18:40] political affiliation or where they were born.

[1:18:44] It is either value that we hold consistently

[1:18:48] or it is not a value at all.

[1:18:51] Immigration and Ice enforcement

[1:18:53] have become deeply polarizing topics.

[1:18:57] The media often pushes people towards

[1:18:59] the most extreme positions as if there are only two sides.

[1:19:04] But most Americans do not reside in the extremes.

[1:19:08] Most people are in the middle.

[1:19:11] I believe in borders and laws and they believe,

[1:19:17] and I believe in basic humanity and decency.

[1:19:21] I respect the First Amendment right of all of those

[1:19:24] who protest and I also recognize that Ice agents are doing

[1:19:28] the job that they signed up to do under federal law.

[1:19:33] Two things can be true at the same time.

[1:19:39] I have legitimate concerns

[1:19:41] about this building being in surprise.

[1:19:46] It's going to have a negative effect

[1:19:49] on our community, as it already has this evening.

[1:19:52] I have heard there are

[1:19:54] hundreds and hundreds of people outside of this room.

[1:19:58] It concerns me that undue

[1:20:00] attention is being brought to our city.

[1:20:04] My prayer is simple that people take their concerns to those

[1:20:08] who actually have the power to make a change, right?

[1:20:11] Your members of Congress, right where US Congress, Senator,

[1:20:16] let them know that you are not okay with this.

[1:20:21] But more importantly, we need to pass the Dignity Act.

[1:20:26] The Dignity Act is in committee right now,

[1:20:30] and if that were to be passed, this would be a moot point.

[1:20:34] We want our country to return to being that shining

[1:20:38] city on the hill.

[1:20:39] One that enforces laws, protects communities,

[1:20:42] and never forgets the dignity of every human life.

[1:20:46] Thank you ma'am, thank you.

[1:20:51] The next five speakers

[1:20:52] Samantha Hooley, Shannon Rayburn,

[1:20:57] Sonia Ramirez.

[1:21:02] Lynn Peters,

[1:21:04] Christopher Grams.

[1:21:10] Do we know if they're coming from the overflow room?

[1:21:12] I'm checking.

[1:21:15] I'll read the next five.

[1:21:16] And if they come in, we'll know.

[1:21:18] There.

[1:21:19] Colleen Pullman,

[1:21:22] Diane Eden Giordano,

[1:21:26] Alexandria in.

[1:21:30] Stephanie Boehm.

[1:21:36] Anybody?

[1:21:38] Okay, we might have two coming.

[1:21:40] Okay.

[1:21:42] And if you have somebody sitting next to you that stepped out

[1:21:44] for whatever reason and they come back,

[1:21:46] we can put them in line as well.

[1:21:48] If they call their name.

[1:21:51] Can we keep reading?

[1:21:52] So I'm going to continue.

[1:21:55] Carrie.

[1:21:56] I'm sorry, is there someone,

[1:22:00] please state your name when you get to the podium.

[1:22:02] Okay?

[1:22:03] Okay. Hey.

[1:22:06] Christopher Grams.

[1:22:08] Good evening sir.

[1:22:10] There. Councilwoman. Mayor.

[1:22:12] Good. Here.

[1:22:13] Tonight

[1:22:14] I come to you to speak

[1:22:15] about the current and concerning situation regarding the $70

[1:22:18] million purchase of a facility down by DHS and Ice

[1:22:22] as American citizens,

[1:22:24] whether you were born here or come here, does that matter?

[1:22:27] As citizens of the USA, we have to demand

[1:22:29] expect complete transparency from our elected officials.

[1:22:33] We deserve to know what plans are for this facility,

[1:22:36] how it will affect not just the price, but all of Arizona.

[1:22:40] I urge you to work in the best interest of everyone

[1:22:45] and not just here, but also the rest of you in those states.

[1:22:48] Our neighbors, queens and friends who come here

[1:22:50] and hope to come and deserve a better life in the United States

[1:22:55] that's welcoming to all and for everyone.

[1:22:59] I would like to end with this quote from the Constitution.

[1:23:02] We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men

[1:23:06] are created equal.

[1:23:14] Thank you sir.

[1:23:16] Next, next.

[1:23:17] I have names Erin Jones, Alexandra Sullivan,

[1:23:23] Lawrence, Julian,

[1:23:26] Christina Dunham,

[1:23:29] Alexa Poulter.

[1:23:32] Please state your name when you get to the podium.

[1:23:34] Good evening.

[1:23:38] Good evening.

[1:23:39] My name is Alexandria mullin, and I'm here to speak about

[1:23:42] the new Ice detention center on Desert in Sweetwater,

[1:23:45] purchased from the Rockefeller Group

[1:23:47] for $70 million in cash on January 23rd.

[1:23:51] The new center is a warehouse facility

[1:23:52] being turned into a center with 1500 beds.

[1:23:55] Just a second drive from Dysart High School, my alma mater,

[1:24:00] and a minutes drive from right here.

[1:24:03] The City of Surprise said they were unaware

[1:24:05] of a new facility being built in our city.

[1:24:07] And meanwhile, DHS says they expect it to be up

[1:24:10] and running by April 2nd months to convert a warehouse

[1:24:15] with no infrastructure to a death camp

[1:24:17] a camp I believe will have at least double the 1500 beds

[1:24:21] we were informed of

[1:24:23] based on the pictures of facilities across the nation.

[1:24:26] How will they manage to convert a building meant

[1:24:28] for laborers to a building housing over a thousand?

[1:24:31] That is a major difference in sewage lighting

[1:24:33] and especially air conditioning

[1:24:35] in these upcoming summer months.

[1:24:37] Not only does this new facility pose a moral dilemma

[1:24:40] for some of the citizens here who have watched our brothers,

[1:24:42] sisters, friends and neighbors be stolen away,

[1:24:45] but it causes a multitude of issues for those who live close,

[1:24:49] one resident said.

[1:24:49] When interviewed by 12 news.

[1:24:51] They dread the crowds of protesters.

[1:24:54] I imagine they would also dread the sounds of trucks in and out

[1:24:57] day and night, and the sounds of detainees

[1:24:59] screaming for help like we've seen in

[1:25:01] so many detention centers, including in Eloy, Arizona.

[1:25:05] I'm terrified that the detention center

[1:25:07] will begin to target

[1:25:08] the 60% Hispanic population at Dysart High School.

[1:25:11] Once again, my alma mater,

[1:25:13] and the children are terrified as well.

[1:25:15] Last week,

[1:25:16] over 40 schools in the valley

[1:25:17] stood up to show their solidarity

[1:25:19] for those abused and kidnaped by Ice,

[1:25:21] not only here but across the nation.

[1:25:23] These children are smart, fiery and our duty to protect.

[1:25:27] We can protect them from increased profiling,

[1:25:31] increased police presence

[1:25:32] and heartache by stopping this when we have the chance.

[1:25:36] Does the council not wish to have known of this camp

[1:25:39] before it was purchased? Does the council not wish

[1:25:42] to know of the plans for their land?

[1:25:44] Please show the community your strength and solidarity

[1:25:48] and stop this.

[1:25:49] Thank you.

[1:25:57] Thank you again.

[1:26:00] I need to ask you to not

[1:26:01] clap or cheer or boo or whatever it may be.

[1:26:04] I know that you want to,

[1:26:06] but I don't want anybody to feel intimidated, regardless

[1:26:08] of the side of the issue that you're on.

[1:26:09] Everybody needs a chance to be heard

[1:26:12] without fear of intimidation.

[1:26:14] Ma'am.

[1:26:15] Good evening.

[1:26:16] Good evening, mayor and council members.

[1:26:18] My name is Alexa Colter, and I've been a resident

[1:26:20] of surprise for the past 26 years.

[1:26:22] I currently live near Grand Avenue and Rheims Road.

[1:26:24] I'm here tonight to speak about my grave concern

[1:26:26] for our community,

[1:26:27] as Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently purchased

[1:26:29] their massive warehouse space last week

[1:26:31] near the intersection of Dysart and Cactus Roads.

[1:26:33] According to its recent statement,

[1:26:35] the City of Surprise was not aware

[1:26:36] that there were efforts underway to purchase this building

[1:26:39] and given the current context

[1:26:40] of other cities such as Portland, LA,

[1:26:42] Chicago or Minneapolis, it is wildly irresponsible

[1:26:45] that the city failed to work

[1:26:46] either on its own or in coordination

[1:26:48] with other nearby governmental agencies,

[1:26:50] to strategically plan for our community's needs.

[1:26:52] Given the current agenda of this presidential administration,

[1:26:56] Ice is above the rule of law.

[1:26:58] Vice President Vance has publicly stated

[1:26:59] that Ice agents have federal immunity,

[1:27:01] meaning their actions go without consequence.

[1:27:03] There is documentation of Ice

[1:27:05] aggressively and violently approaching

[1:27:06] people in every area of their communities

[1:27:09] cars, homes, schools and businesses.

[1:27:11] There is also documented evidence of retaliatory

[1:27:13] violence against Americans who are peacefully protesting

[1:27:16] and organizing in their communities

[1:27:18] to protect vulnerable populations,

[1:27:19] and this is not political conjecture,

[1:27:22] inflammatory platforming, or alarmist rhetoric.

[1:27:24] There is qualitative data from the federal government

[1:27:27] that affirm these realities.

[1:27:28] Federal judge

[1:27:29] Judge Patrick Schultz wrote in a January ruling

[1:27:31] that Ice had violated

[1:27:32] conservatively 96 court orders in January alone

[1:27:36] regarding the release of detainees,

[1:27:38] federal Judge Fred Bieri wrote in a January order

[1:27:40] that in his specific case, observing human behavior confirm

[1:27:43] that for some of us, perfidious lust for unbridled power

[1:27:46] and the imposition of cruelty in this quest knew no bounds

[1:27:50] and are bereft of human decency and the rule of law be damned.

[1:27:54] And yet,

[1:27:54] despite this evidence of authoritarian power,

[1:27:56] it is possible for even the most local forms of government

[1:27:58] to take a stand in the name of the people.

[1:28:00] In January, the Kansas City City Council passed an ordinance

[1:28:03] banning non municipal detention centers for five years

[1:28:05] to protect their city from this exact situation,

[1:28:08] our city found its best course of action

[1:28:10] was to have no course at all

[1:28:12] to simply folded hands and say, how could we have known?

[1:28:14] But it was your job to know and it was your job to plan.

[1:28:18] Our community will forever be altered by this course.

[1:28:20] I currently have no call to action or

[1:28:22] recommendation of the council.

[1:28:24] It did feel

[1:28:24] vitally important though, and in America, and a surprise

[1:28:27] that are very clearly for some

[1:28:28] and not all, that I use my privilege

[1:28:30] to hold this Council accountable for this failure.

[1:28:32] Each of you ran for public office

[1:28:34] to serve every human being in your jurisdiction.

[1:28:36] As public servants, you do not get to selectively choose

[1:28:39] who to serve.

[1:28:40] Depending on your personal politics or platforms,

[1:28:43] you have a moral and ethical obligation

[1:28:44] to defend every life in our city.

[1:28:47] And the reality is that people under your care

[1:28:49] are now incredibly scared and incredibly unsafe.

[1:28:51] For people

[1:28:52] who are most vulnerable

[1:28:53] to the actions of Ice,

[1:28:54] I want to be sure they know there are people

[1:28:56] in their community

[1:28:56] who will use their privileges to advocate for their lives

[1:28:58] and the dignity and compassion they deserve as human beings,

[1:29:02] as a group of people with a great amount of power

[1:29:03] and privilege as leaders of this city,

[1:29:06] I implore you to catch up and do the same.

[1:29:08] The lives of people in our city

[1:29:09] will literally now depend upon it. Thank you.

[1:29:12] Thank you.

[1:29:20] So do

[1:29:21] you state your name when you get to the podium?

[1:29:25] Good evening.

[1:29:25] My name is Samantha Cooley and I do not live in surprise,

[1:29:28] but I am a resident of Phoenix and I am a rapid responder.

[1:29:33] When the community reports that they've seen Ice activity,

[1:29:37] I go out and I try and videotape and record and report

[1:29:42] what's happening. It's upsetting.

[1:29:44] It's awful.

[1:29:45] They treat people horribly.

[1:29:47] One of my own family members was detained by Ice.

[1:29:50] He was here on a visa

[1:29:52] and also had a permit to travel anywhere in the United States.

[1:29:57] I took him and detained him for three days.

[1:30:00] He was taken to the field office.

[1:30:02] It was supposed to be a 12 hour hold,

[1:30:04] and instead of using the field

[1:30:06] office as that 12 hour hold, they kept him for three days.

[1:30:10] They knew he had a visa.

[1:30:11] They fed him occasionally a bean burrito,

[1:30:17] maybe twice, sometimes three times a day.

[1:30:19] They are deplorable conditions

[1:30:21] that no one should have to live in.

[1:30:23] They're keeping people in these temporary holding facilities

[1:30:27] for up to 43 days with no showers,

[1:30:30] no brushing their teeth, no beds, and the fact

[1:30:33] that they want to build a 1500 bed

[1:30:37] property here, it's disgusting.

[1:30:40] I am helping a family right now. Who?

[1:30:43] The father is taken on Christmas Day.

[1:30:45] I met the daughter at the field office

[1:30:47] when she was looking for her father.

[1:30:49] She's 16 years old.

[1:30:51] He's HIV positive,

[1:30:52] and he takes medication that he has to take every day.

[1:30:55] ISIS would held his medication for seven day periods,

[1:31:00] and when we finally are able to get him his medication,

[1:31:03] they'll give it to him

[1:31:04] for 30 days and then they withhold it again.

[1:31:07] This man has no signs of HIV yet.

[1:31:11] When they don't let him take his medication, he gets signs of

[1:31:15] he can get the symptoms. I also am

[1:31:18] working with the family of Yori who has leukemia.

[1:31:21] Ice has given her Advil instead of giving her

[1:31:26] the chemotherapy treatment she needs.

[1:31:29] I have a

[1:31:30] list here of 50 people that have died in Ice custody,

[1:31:34] most of which is because of the lack of care.

[1:31:37] And I would hope

[1:31:38] the city is surprised, does not want to have

[1:31:40] this kind of blood on their hands,

[1:31:42] and would actually say no to this and figure out a way

[1:31:46] to stop this facility from being built.

[1:31:50] Thank you.

[1:31:51] Thank you.

[1:31:57] Madam clerk, can you call a few more names, please?

[1:31:59] Yes, I'm going to call five more Kendall Strobel,

[1:32:04] Vince, Manjula, Jennifer Woods,

[1:32:08] Donna Bruns e John.

[1:32:10] Manila.

[1:32:12] Weiser. State your name, please.

[1:32:14] I'm John Manila.

[1:32:15] I live 15 minutes south of here, right down Dicer.

[1:32:18] Mayor and city council, thank you for

[1:32:20] having public comment tonight.

[1:32:21] I appreciate that.

[1:32:23] DHS says that Ice is going after the worst of the worst.

[1:32:27] This is their words, right?

[1:32:29] The worst of the worst.

[1:32:30] Pedophiles, murderers, gang bangers, psychopaths.

[1:32:33] The absolute worst of the worst.

[1:32:35] So I ask you, why are you allowing them to houses?

[1:32:38] Worst of the worst. Right next to Dysart High School.

[1:32:40] There's a building, right, bordering this facility

[1:32:44] that has, cheerleading studio where little girls go to learn

[1:32:48] how to do cheerleading and tumbling.

[1:32:50] You're allowing the so-called worst of the worst to be housed

[1:32:53] right there.

[1:32:53] I do say allow, because other cities

[1:32:55] are successfully fighting back against these facilities.

[1:32:58] So I ask you, either

[1:33:01] they really are the worst of the worst,

[1:33:03] and you're doing a disservice to the children of surprise

[1:33:06] by allowing them to be right next to them.

[1:33:09] Or DHS is lying.

[1:33:11] And either way, we shouldn't have a jail right here.

[1:33:14] Not in my backyard.

[1:33:15] And I would certainly not.

[1:33:17] I think you need to do something.

[1:33:19] There's plenty of things that you can try,

[1:33:21] such as getting an environmental review.

[1:33:23] You can petition our representative.

[1:33:25] You can go to our senators, ask them for an inquiry.

[1:33:29] You can fight back.

[1:33:30] You can do something instead of just sitting here and saying,

[1:33:33] no, I imagine if this was a homeless shelter

[1:33:36] or a mental health center, you would find a way to stop it.

[1:33:39] He would pull out all the stops.

[1:33:41] He would go to the tomes of English common law,

[1:33:46] dust them off and try to find

[1:33:48] some appendix in there to make sure that you didn't

[1:33:50] have to build this building.

[1:33:51] Well, just pretend that it's that and put a stop to it.

[1:33:55] Thank you very much.

[1:33:57] Hey. Good evening ma'am.

[1:34:05] Good evening, mayor and council members.

[1:34:07] My name is Jackie Salas.

[1:34:09] I'm a proud Latina American, a parent, and a long time

[1:34:12] resident of surprise, Arizona.

[1:34:14] I believe in our community,

[1:34:15] and I'm here tonight to respectfully ask

[1:34:17] that the City of Surprise not allow an Ice detention

[1:34:20] center to be built or operated in our community.

[1:34:24] My family and I choose surprise because it's a place

[1:34:27] that values safety, family, and opportunity.

[1:34:31] It's where we're raising our children,

[1:34:33] building our lives, and investing in our future.

[1:34:36] As a parent, I think deeply about the kind

[1:34:38] of community my kids are growing up

[1:34:40] and, and one of the main reasons

[1:34:41] we live in this city and chose it,

[1:34:44] not just what it looks like today, but what it stands for.

[1:34:47] An Ice detention center does not reflect

[1:34:49] the values that brought many of us here.

[1:34:53] These facilities are not just buildings, they are.

[1:34:56] They impact real people and real families.

[1:34:59] Across the country,

[1:35:00] detention centers have raised serious concerns

[1:35:02] about conditions, medical care, prolonged

[1:35:04] detention of individuals without clear timelines,

[1:35:09] regardless of political views.

[1:35:11] Because this is not about politics.

[1:35:17] Human dignity should always come first.

[1:35:19] As a Latino American, immigration is personal for me,

[1:35:23] but as a parent and a resident, this affects everyone.

[1:35:27] Facilities like these create fear

[1:35:29] and communities fear that keeps parents

[1:35:30] from attending school events, neighbors from reporting crimes,

[1:35:34] and families from fully participating in civic life.

[1:35:37] That park and surprise that we spent so much money

[1:35:40] and that you guys just talked about

[1:35:42] how much money is spent there will no longer be full.

[1:35:45] None of us will feel safe.

[1:35:47] None of our children feel safe here.

[1:35:50] That fear does not make surprise safer.

[1:35:52] It weakens the trust that strong communities depend on.

[1:35:55] And many of us choose surprise

[1:35:57] because of the sense of community

[1:35:59] that we feel as we walk through the streets

[1:36:01] with our children and play in the playgrounds.

[1:36:05] I am also concerned about the message,

[1:36:07] the sense to our children.

[1:36:08] What are we teaching them?

[1:36:10] If we normalize the detention of families

[1:36:12] as an acceptable form of development?

[1:36:14] Surprise should be a city that invest in projects

[1:36:17] that bring people together, strengthen

[1:36:19] our economy, and reflect compassion and responsibility.

[1:36:22] I urge you to not only listen to me tonight,

[1:36:25] but everybody that has signed up to speak

[1:36:27] and all the people that are peacefully protesting outside.

[1:36:31] I urge you not only to listen to that,

[1:36:33] but also you need to deeply care about the generations

[1:36:37] to come in this city.

[1:36:38] Please choose development that aligns

[1:36:40] with our shared values, our safety, our unity

[1:36:43] and respect for all families who call surprise home.

[1:36:47] I want to thank you for your time

[1:36:48] and thank you for listening.

[1:36:49] But most of all, we are begging you to hear us

[1:36:54] to not allow this to happen to the city

[1:36:57] that we are also proud to live in. Thank you. Thank you.

[1:37:03] Just one moment, ma'am.

[1:37:04] Before you start, I'm going to call a couple more names. Okay?

[1:37:07] Just one moment.

[1:37:08] Randy Carnet,

[1:37:10] Olivia Lozano, Lisa Brinkman,

[1:37:15] Nancy Stevens, Matthew royster.

[1:37:20] Okay. Please state your name.

[1:37:21] Good evening, mayor and council.

[1:37:23] Jennifer Woods.

[1:37:24] I live at, resident Cactus and Rams.

[1:37:27] I want to be very clear.

[1:37:29] I'm not a paid protester.

[1:37:30] I'm not a shell.

[1:37:32] I'm a daughter, mother, wife, a neighbor, a small business

[1:37:35] owner here in surprise and a disabled veteran.

[1:37:38] My family and I first moved to surprise in 2005.

[1:37:41] We followed my sister,

[1:37:42] who moved here in 2000 because it was a beautiful city.

[1:37:45] City had a lot to offer. It was up and coming.

[1:37:48] They entice us with families.

[1:37:49] Families move here.

[1:37:51] It was booming, full of promise.

[1:37:52] Spring training tickets were still $5 for grass seats

[1:37:56] and like many of us, we were sold on the vision of prasada.

[1:37:58] Even back then.

[1:38:00] The vision faded for a while,

[1:38:01] but we stayed and we stayed and stayed.

[1:38:04] We built a life here.

[1:38:05] Multiple Goodwill's, Burger Kings and finally Prasada.

[1:38:08] And I do have a bone to pick eventually with somebody

[1:38:10] who planned the parking lot that isn't there.

[1:38:15] Mayor, I

[1:38:15] met you and your wife at Home Goods right before the election.

[1:38:19] We even had a sign in our yard for you.

[1:38:22] You looked me in the eye at that time,

[1:38:23] and you said you would listen to all sides.

[1:38:26] Both sides.

[1:38:27] Didn't matter which side anybody came from,

[1:38:30] that you would make informed decisions and you would do

[1:38:32] what's right. You would do what's right for the city.

[1:38:35] You said you would be out and about in the community,

[1:38:38] talking to people and hearing everything

[1:38:40] that we had to say, regardless of what side we were on.

[1:38:43] And here we all are.

[1:38:44] We are here coming to you.

[1:38:46] The building of cactus and desert.

[1:38:48] It's a inhumane operation.

[1:38:51] It's about

[1:38:51] to put surprise on the map and not for spring training,

[1:38:55] not for the beautiful year round the weather,

[1:38:57] for this, for this blemish on our city.

[1:39:01] And who's standing up here for desert?

[1:39:03] I'm sorry for El Mirage,

[1:39:05] because this is just as much

[1:39:07] in their backyard as it is, and ours.

[1:39:09] Our kids are scared, our neighbors are scared,

[1:39:12] and our community is divided even more now than before.

[1:39:16] This will be the history that our grandchildren learn.

[1:39:19] Your names will be attached to it.

[1:39:21] Mayor Schaefer, she would be absolutely appalled.

[1:39:26] She worked tirelessly so families will feel safe here

[1:39:30] through community projects, diversity, inclusion

[1:39:34] and connection, not fear and not division.

[1:39:39] You may think this moment will pass quietly, but it won't.

[1:39:43] Mayor Schaefer has been gone for many years,

[1:39:45] and I still stand here

[1:39:47] speaking on behalf of her name with absolute respect,

[1:39:51] because she was a true community leader.

[1:39:53] People remember her and they will always remember this.

[1:39:57] We have fallen as a nation when we allowed this

[1:39:59] to happen in our cities, in our own backyards,

[1:40:02] we have neighbors who complain about the HOA fees,

[1:40:04] but yet they are welcoming ice with open arms.

[1:40:07] Not me.

[1:40:08] And I refuse to look away with the rest of my time.

[1:40:11] I would like to honor the men and women

[1:40:13] who have lost their life,

[1:40:14] their lives to Ice, people killed over power trips,

[1:40:17] rage and unchecked authority.

[1:40:19] I will be watching and I like to think surprised

[1:40:21] is a pretty good place to raise families and live.

[1:40:25] Thank you. Thank you.

[1:40:30] Can I ask?

[1:40:33] Good evening.

[1:40:34] Council members, city staff and neighbors.

[1:40:36] My name is Kendall Strobel.

[1:40:37] I'm in the fourth district.

[1:40:39] Before I begin,

[1:40:40] I want to be honest about something

[1:40:41] I am terrified of public speaking.

[1:40:44] I don't seek out microphones or podiums, but standing here

[1:40:47] tonight is far outside my comfort zone.

[1:40:50] This issue is too important, too

[1:40:53] urgent for me to let my own discomfort get in the way.

[1:40:56] I am here because this proposal is not just another line item,

[1:40:59] it is a direct threat to the well-being

[1:41:01] of our families, our neighbors, and the future of surprise.

[1:41:04] The plan to build an Ice detention center on West

[1:41:07] Sweetwater is something I cannot

[1:41:08] and will not stay silent about.

[1:41:10] Not as a resident,

[1:41:11] not as a mother,

[1:41:12] and not as someone

[1:41:13] who has seen firsthand the cost of human detention centers.

[1:41:17] I do not want to raise my children

[1:41:19] ten minutes away from a facility that brings trauma, fear,

[1:41:22] and heartbreak into the communities around it.

[1:41:25] I refuse to normalize the idea that suffering is something

[1:41:28] our kids should grow up watching from their backyards.

[1:41:32] That is not the world I want for my family,

[1:41:34] and that is not the world this city should be building.

[1:41:37] And the concerns here are not hypothetical.

[1:41:40] They are documented,

[1:41:41] they are measurable, and they are real.

[1:41:42] National data shows detention centers bring increased traffic,

[1:41:46] increased enforcement activity, an increased strain

[1:41:49] on emergency services, often without compensation,

[1:41:52] that matches the burden placed on the local systems.

[1:41:55] Studies also have shown that property values within a one

[1:41:58] mile radius between have dropped between 6 and 10%.

[1:42:02] That affects

[1:42:03] our local homeowners, families

[1:42:05] and the long term economic health of our city.

[1:42:08] Detention centers do not make communities safer.

[1:42:11] There is no evidence that placing a detention

[1:42:13] facility near neighborhoods reduces crime

[1:42:16] because the people detained are not local offenders,

[1:42:18] many are asylum seekers or individuals awaiting hearings.

[1:42:22] So the question becomes why should surprise absorb the risk,

[1:42:26] the cost and the consequences

[1:42:28] of a facility that offers us nothing in return?

[1:42:31] I grew up in a

[1:42:32] diverse community shaped by incredible immigrant families.

[1:42:35] When we moved to

[1:42:36] from a small town in Washington to surprise Arizona,

[1:42:39] it was because I wanted my children

[1:42:41] to grow up with the same richness,

[1:42:43] surrounded by people

[1:42:44] from different backgrounds, cultures, and stories.

[1:42:47] And I know the human reality behind these centers.

[1:42:50] My uncle is an immigration lawyer.

[1:42:52] I watched him spent years fighting for people seeking

[1:42:54] asylum,

[1:42:55] people working tirelessly for a better life for their children.

[1:42:59] These were not criminals.

[1:43:00] These were family

[1:43:01] parents who would give anything to protect their children.

[1:43:05] So when I hear that a detention center

[1:43:07] is being proposed in the heart of our community, near homes,

[1:43:10] schools, small businesses, I can't accept it.

[1:43:13] And I know I'm not alone.

[1:43:15] Look around this room. We are here because we care.

[1:43:17] We are here because we see what's at stake.

[1:43:20] We are here because this is our city.

[1:43:21] And we will not let the federal

[1:43:23] detention facility redefine who we are.

[1:43:26] If this proposal moves forward in any form,

[1:43:29] the Council has a responsibility to use every tool available

[1:43:32] to protect its residents.

[1:43:34] That means refusing to partner with or fund private

[1:43:37] detention operations operators through the city contracts.

[1:43:42] Can I finish my little.

[1:43:43] Thank you, ma'am?

[1:43:43] Okay.

[1:43:51] Good evening.

[1:43:53] Good evening, Mayor and Council.

[1:43:54] My name is Donna Brodsky and I live near the intersection

[1:43:57] of Bell and Rhames.

[1:44:00] First, I want to thank you for accommodating

[1:44:02] on the speakers tonight.

[1:44:04] It's a long night for everyone, but

[1:44:07] everybody needs a chance to be able to be heard

[1:44:10] tonight.

[1:44:11] I'm here because I'd like to.

[1:44:14] I'd like to urge you to oppose the proposed facility.

[1:44:18] And because I believe we share the same goal

[1:44:21] to protect the character and safety of surprise.

[1:44:25] This facility is planned within two miles of at least six

[1:44:29] public and private schools, and maybe more, because you

[1:44:32] you get different information when you Google it.

[1:44:36] This isn't just a federal policy issue.

[1:44:39] It's a land use and public safety issue that directly

[1:44:42] impacts our students and our neighborhoods.

[1:44:46] Well, I understand

[1:44:48] the federal Supremacy Clause issue exists.

[1:44:51] I believe this council can be

[1:44:53] our strongest advocate, and I'm asking you to stand

[1:44:57] with us by exploring every tool in the municipal toolbox.

[1:45:01] For example, a few possible tools

[1:45:04] might be lead with transparency.

[1:45:07] Use your platform to demand that the Ice provides full

[1:45:11] operational plans for residents, aren't left in the dark

[1:45:15] to strict oversight.

[1:45:18] Require

[1:45:18] rigorous environmental traffic infrastructure impact reviews

[1:45:22] anything that would help us know what they're going to do.

[1:45:26] That's a that was designed as a warehouse, not as a

[1:45:29] housing facility.

[1:45:32] A roads and public safety resources

[1:45:34] belong to this community, and we must know how

[1:45:36] this facility will train them, will strain them

[1:45:40] and principal partnership,

[1:45:43] commit to not using any city contracts

[1:45:46] or local tax dollars to subsidize the facility

[1:45:49] and the operation of this detention center.

[1:45:53] Lastly, we are not alone in this.

[1:45:56] Other jurisdictions around the country

[1:45:59] country are investigating ways

[1:46:00] to reject the Ice facilities in their jurisdictions.

[1:46:04] According to the El Paso Herald Post, on February 2nd,

[1:46:09] the City of Orlando, the State of New Mexico,

[1:46:11] Kansas City and Oklahoma City are all researching and

[1:46:15] or attempting various actions to bypass the Supremacy Clause

[1:46:18] and to stop potential Ice detention facilities.

[1:46:22] Perhaps surprise could collaborate with

[1:46:24] some of these jurisdictions.

[1:46:28] We know you weren't given a seat at the table

[1:46:31] when this project was planned, but you have the power

[1:46:35] to pull up a chair right now.

[1:46:37] Let's work together to ensure

[1:46:40] that the safety of our schools and the integrity

[1:46:44] of our neighborhoods remain your top priority.

[1:46:47] Thank you.

[1:46:48] Thank you for.

[1:46:53] Where you begin, I'm going to call for.

[1:46:54] Hold on one state.

[1:46:54] Ma'am, can you get Karina in the back?

[1:46:58] I'd like to meet with you, please.

[1:46:59] After an a day or two. I've got it.

[1:47:01] Okay, okay, okay.

[1:47:03] Thank you.

[1:47:03] Thank you

[1:47:04] for the next five.

[1:47:07] Names are Linda Landry, Gail

[1:47:10] Manahan, Natalie artista,

[1:47:14] Cassandra Harbin, Stacy Jones.

[1:47:18] Thank you. Please state your name.

[1:47:20] My name is Yolanda Rose.

[1:47:23] I'm from Buckeye, but I show up here and surprise me.

[1:47:26] Ma'am, please don't normalize by hate

[1:47:29] and violence against innocent human beings.

[1:47:32] Don't put detention centers in our community.

[1:47:36] What we are witnessing today is not law and order.

[1:47:39] It is a violation of it.

[1:47:41] Over 40 innocent people have been killed

[1:47:44] by Ice agents across our nation,

[1:47:47] kidnaping and detaining innocent human beings

[1:47:50] from their homes, cars, cars, schools and workplaces

[1:47:54] based solely on how they look is illegal.

[1:47:57] It violates existing federal and state laws,

[1:48:01] and it violates the United States Constitution.

[1:48:04] Racial profiling

[1:48:05] has no place in a nation that claims to value justice.

[1:48:10] Immigration laws were created

[1:48:11] during the era of chattel slavery,

[1:48:14] when only free white persons were allowed to become U.S.

[1:48:17] citizens.

[1:48:18] For more than 200 years, immigration policy

[1:48:22] has been shaped by racism designed to endanger, exploited,

[1:48:27] criminalized, and exclude nonwhite innocent human beings.

[1:48:31] The Constitution is clear.

[1:48:33] The 14th Amendment,

[1:48:35] section one, guarantees equal protection under the law.

[1:48:39] The Supreme Court affirms this in equal versus Hopkins

[1:48:43] ruling that any person, whether present

[1:48:47] any person, lawful or unlawful, temporary or permanent,

[1:48:51] is entitled to constitutional protection.

[1:48:55] Marginalized communities are labeled as criminals

[1:48:59] when the true worst of the worst are rarely held accountable.

[1:49:03] The worst of the worst are the masked men and women

[1:49:06] roaming the streets shooting innocent people, doing the mall

[1:49:09] time, billionaires dirty work, mass deportation.

[1:49:13] It's not about safety.

[1:49:15] It's about racism, ethnic cleansing,

[1:49:18] profit for the greedy investors in Geo group and core civic.

[1:49:23] The most dangerous criminals in our society

[1:49:26] are the extreme wealthy and powerful

[1:49:29] that Epstein class of multi billionaires

[1:49:32] who exploit people with near-total impunity.

[1:49:36] Their power allow them to influence

[1:49:39] legislation, manipulate the judicial system

[1:49:43] and dominate the news media and social media.

[1:49:45] They shape public narratives while avoiding

[1:49:48] responsibility for immense harm.

[1:49:51] Justice cannot exist when the Epstein class

[1:49:55] of the most powerful billionaires are in control.

[1:49:58] Some laws are unjust

[1:50:01] and just as the man's not blind obedience to them,

[1:50:05] but the courage to change them in pursuit of a better future.

[1:50:09] Abolish Ice.

[1:50:11] Thank you very.

[1:50:17] Touched him.

[1:50:19] He says. Interesting stuff.

[1:50:21] Yeah.

[1:50:21] Madam clerk, we're going to take a recess

[1:50:23] now for the last time and for about ten minutes.

[1:50:25] Okay.

[1:50:27] Before you call more names, you got it.

[1:50:31] Please state good, sir. Yes, sir.

[1:50:33] Good evening. My name is Matthew Reisner.

[1:50:35] I appreciate your time here tonight.

[1:50:38] We're not talking about normal law enforcement.

[1:50:41] Normal law enforcement follows the rules of the United States,

[1:50:44] the Constitution, and is accountable.

[1:50:47] We're talking about the creation of a police force

[1:50:51] similar to what Nazi Germany had in the 1930s,

[1:50:55] with its total disregard to the citizens of the country

[1:50:59] that they're supposedly protecting.

[1:51:06] Surprise is about to become an experience,

[1:51:09] the biggest public safety crisis in its history.

[1:51:13] You're going to become the epicenter

[1:51:15] across the southwest and further of huge protests,

[1:51:19] thousands of people opposed to the violence

[1:51:21] that Ice is using against people and the disregard

[1:51:24] for the constitutional rights of all people

[1:51:27] living in this country, both citizens and non citizens.

[1:51:32] It will likely spark violent clashes.

[1:51:36] Anon citizens, I'm sorry, I apologize.

[1:51:39] It will likely spark violent clashes and more potential

[1:51:44] killings, murders and detentions of innocent people

[1:51:49] trying just to exercise their constitutional rights.

[1:51:54] While it may be the case, possibly that there is nothing

[1:51:58] that you can do to hold off

[1:52:01] federal.

[1:52:04] Agency wanting to come in,

[1:52:06] what you can do, and there must be something

[1:52:09] you can do to slow down the process

[1:52:11] and put some impediments in that pathway.

[1:52:16] At the very least, what you can also do

[1:52:19] is to pass a resolution stating on record

[1:52:23] that you all oppose this facility

[1:52:26] that is proposed for the town of surprise.

[1:52:31] What I lastly do want to say though,

[1:52:33] this detention prison center does not belong in

[1:52:38] anybody's backyard, any place in the United States.

[1:52:42] I should be disbanded.

[1:52:44] And anything this board does in support of this,

[1:52:48] or not doing anything to impede Ice

[1:52:51] is supporting them by your silence.

[1:52:55] Thank you. Thank you sir.

[1:53:01] Okay,

[1:53:01] mayor and members of the council, I'm Eugene Hunt.

[1:53:05] I'm a resident of surprise.

[1:53:08] I live in a son village.

[1:53:10] Bell and son village.

[1:53:13] I'm an architect and a planner.

[1:53:16] I have an active practice, and I have a past experience

[1:53:19] in correctional facilities, and my,

[1:53:22] want to address you tonight because I think this is an

[1:53:25] inappropriate location for this type facility.

[1:53:29] They're talking about

[1:53:30] one of the busiest intersections in the city.

[1:53:32] A surprise.

[1:53:34] It it's also a building that wasn't designed for this

[1:53:37] purpose.

[1:53:38] It's an industrial warehouse building.

[1:53:41] I think

[1:53:42] if they were going to locate here,

[1:53:44] they should have done some planning rather

[1:53:45] than just buy a first building on the street.

[1:53:48] It's an inappropriate location.

[1:53:50] I think it's going to be a disaster for

[1:53:52] those that are going to be incarcerated there.

[1:53:54] So I would ask your favor in not approving this location.

[1:53:58] Thank you. Thank you sir.

[1:54:04] Good evening.

[1:54:05] Good evening mayor, Council.

[1:54:06] Missus Davis, my name is William Cunningham.

[1:54:08] I have lived near Litchfield Waddell for 17 years.

[1:54:11] I'm here today

[1:54:12] to voice my strong opposition to the federal purchase

[1:54:14] of the warehouse on Sweetwater Avenue,

[1:54:16] but approached

[1:54:16] from a slightly different approach

[1:54:17] than in many others here, but similar to,

[1:54:20] the gentleman architect.

[1:54:22] While I understand the legal complexities

[1:54:23] regarding federal authority,

[1:54:25] it's deeply disappointing

[1:54:26] to see the federal government

[1:54:27] abandon the good neighbor policies

[1:54:29] that have traditionally defined these relations.

[1:54:31] Historically, even when federal agencies

[1:54:33] had the legal right to bypass local zoning,

[1:54:35] they work closely with cities to ensure

[1:54:37] project wouldn't overwhelm local infrastructure.

[1:54:40] This property was marketed as a class

[1:54:41] A distribution facility, premium asset designed to attract

[1:54:44] high quality corporate tenants and jobs to surprise.

[1:54:47] Its original design included less than 20 500ft² of office

[1:54:50] space with plumbing intended for a standard warehouse staff

[1:54:53] retrofitting the same shell to house

[1:54:55] 1500 people creates an immediate,

[1:54:57] unplanned for load on our city's water and sewer lines.

[1:55:00] By bypassing our planning department,

[1:55:02] the federal government is forcing a massive utility

[1:55:04] burden onto our local system

[1:55:05] without a single public impact study.

[1:55:08] Furthermore, we must consider the long term scars

[1:55:10] this leaves on our industrial corridor

[1:55:12] by installing specialized plumbing

[1:55:14] and high security reinforcements.

[1:55:15] They're effectively ruining the buildings for resale value.

[1:55:18] No CEO is going to move their company into a facility

[1:55:21] that requires millions of dollars to remediate.

[1:55:23] Just a strip of detention cells and hundreds of floor drains.

[1:55:26] They will simply move those jobs

[1:55:27] to a clean site in a neighboring city.

[1:55:29] Finally, we must look at the exit strategy

[1:55:32] when this site is eventually vacated

[1:55:34] federal law under title five of the Mckinney-vento act.

[1:55:38] But you guys writing this down

[1:55:39] requires that surplus federal property be offered to

[1:55:42] regional homeless shelter providers at no cost

[1:55:45] before it can be sold to a private developer,

[1:55:48] because this building will have already

[1:55:51] will already have the massive plumbing

[1:55:52] and bed capacity for 1500 people.

[1:55:54] It will be flagged as a perfect candidate for a permanent

[1:55:57] large scale regional homeless shelter.

[1:56:01] By allowing this build out

[1:56:03] now, we are essentially letting the federal government

[1:56:05] repackage a prime industrial site into a permanent

[1:56:08] non-tax generating shelter hub.

[1:56:11] I urge this council to use every utility

[1:56:14] and legal lever available to protect our city's vision.

[1:56:17] Surprise deserves a future built on economic growth,

[1:56:21] not a permanent zombie building

[1:56:22] forced on us by federal overreach.

[1:56:24] We deserve development that contributes

[1:56:26] to our local economy

[1:56:27] and aligns with the long term vision

[1:56:28] of the people who actually live here. Thank you.

[1:56:31] Thank you.

[1:56:36] Mr. Murray,

[1:56:38] Mr. Murray, can you, sir,

[1:56:41] you're speaking out of turn.

[1:56:43] Thank you,

[1:56:45] Mr. Murray.

[1:56:45] Can you do research on the Mckinney-vento act,

[1:56:48] please, and brief us?

[1:56:52] Ma'am, I.

[1:56:56] Hi, my name is Lisa

[1:56:57] Brinkman and I live over at Cotton Lane and Waddell Road.

[1:57:01] And I've lived in surprise for about ten years now.

[1:57:04] I'm also not a professional public speaker.

[1:57:07] My interest, is in the humane treatment of people

[1:57:10] that would potentially be at this facility,

[1:57:13] because we all know that that facility

[1:57:15] is going to be targeted as a detention center.

[1:57:17] It's a very personal to me.

[1:57:19] My husband is from Guatemala and he works for the US,

[1:57:23] United States Postal Service, and he's in our neighborhoods

[1:57:26] all the time.

[1:57:27] I make him carry his U.S passport card with him

[1:57:30] because I'm scared to death

[1:57:31] they're going to grab him off the street,

[1:57:33] and I'm not going to know when or where he's going.

[1:57:37] But what I'd like to talk to you about,

[1:57:38] which I think that it would be more interesting

[1:57:40] for you, is how you can fight back.

[1:57:44] Leavenworth, Kansas.

[1:57:46] There are situation is a little bit different.

[1:57:49] They have a private,

[1:57:53] profit prison system that's coming in to try

[1:57:55] to reactivate a shut down prison

[1:57:57] in their community as a detention center.

[1:58:00] And so they are using land use rights to fight back against Ice

[1:58:05] taking over that facility for that purpose.

[1:58:08] And the way they're doing that is they're,

[1:58:11] pushing for.

[1:58:13] Let's see.

[1:58:14] Sorry, I wrote it down.

[1:58:21] Oh, they're,

[1:58:21] requiring a public review process.

[1:58:25] Which is

[1:58:28] required for a special use permit.

[1:58:30] So because that facility wasn't intended for that purpose,

[1:58:35] and their jurisdiction, it requires a special

[1:58:38] use permit, which then opens up that process for public review.

[1:58:42] So it's put forward in front of the residents.

[1:58:44] That way the residents get to decide

[1:58:46] whether or not that facility is going forward.

[1:58:49] And it's currently in,

[1:58:51] a legal process with the US Department of Justice

[1:58:54] who is trying to back that private prison

[1:58:56] and the use of that prison as a detention center.

[1:59:01] So, that's also an avenue for us.

[1:59:04] The ACLU is supporting their efforts in that,

[1:59:08] legal process with the Department of Justice,

[1:59:11] providing support with documentation

[1:59:13] of the inhumane treatment of people,

[1:59:15] the safety issues, understaffing,

[1:59:17] management problems in these facilities

[1:59:19] and the fact that the

[1:59:20] warehouse here is also not zoned for residential use.

[1:59:24] You can use that to stop them from taking over that facility.

[1:59:28] So as the woman before me said, we do have options available

[1:59:32] for us to fight back against the federal government.

[1:59:35] And I implore you to please use every means you can to do so

[1:59:39] for our community, for our residents.

[1:59:41] Anybody that's affected in our community affects everyone.

[1:59:45] And I please, please urge you to take care of all of us.

[1:59:48] Thank you so much. Thank you.

[1:59:55] Good evening.

[1:59:56] Good evening, mayor and council members.

[1:59:59] My name is Natalie Batiste.

[2:00:01] I'm a registered nurse.

[2:00:02] I'm a volunteer community outreach specialist,

[2:00:05] and for over a decade, I've been a resident of the City

[2:00:08] of Surprise, specifically Greenway Road and Cotton Lane.

[2:00:13] I'm here to speak about this

[2:00:14] building purchased last month by Ice,

[2:00:16] and why the City of Surprise should not allow them

[2:00:18] to set up operations in our community.

[2:00:21] I've heard the argument that this facility would make

[2:00:24] our community safer from an immigration standpoint.

[2:00:27] I want to respectfully but firmly challenge that claim

[2:00:30] because it does not reflect

[2:00:32] what actually ends up happening on the ground.

[2:00:35] I've seen with my own eyes what it looks like

[2:00:38] when Ice expands its operations into a community

[2:00:41] such as in Portland, where I've been doing what I can to help.

[2:00:46] What follows is not increased safety.

[2:00:49] It is fear.

[2:00:50] Families, both immigrant and U.S.

[2:00:52] citizens, become afraid to leave their homes.

[2:00:56] Parents stop taking children to school, stop taking them

[2:00:59] to their activities, and even to doctor appointments.

[2:01:02] Victims stop calling the police because trust is lost

[2:01:06] when they witness local law enforcement working with Ice

[2:01:10] communities go into hiding, local businesses suffer.

[2:01:14] That is not public safety.

[2:01:16] That is destabilization.

[2:01:19] Facilities like this bring increased surveillance,

[2:01:22] militarized activity and trauma into surrounding neighborhoods.

[2:01:27] They disproportionately impact people of color, mixed status

[2:01:30] families and U.S.

[2:01:32] citizens who are mistakenly detained.

[2:01:35] The ripple effects harm

[2:01:36] the entire community, not just immigrants.

[2:01:40] Surprise is a city that prides itself on being

[2:01:42] family oriented, welcoming, and safe to approving.

[2:01:47] This facility will move us in the opposite direction.

[2:01:51] It would tie our city's name and resources to,

[2:01:55] system agencies that have documented

[2:01:57] history of constitutional rights violations,

[2:02:00] a lack of accountability

[2:02:02] and violence towards both immigrants and U.S.

[2:02:05] citizens.

[2:02:08] I ask you to please,

[2:02:09] look at and listen to the lived experiences of the communities

[2:02:13] that have already been through this, such as Portland,

[2:02:16] Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, and so many more.

[2:02:20] Look at

[2:02:21] inviting ice into the community has done to those communities.

[2:02:26] Do not allow Ice or any of these federal agencies

[2:02:29] to set up operations in our beautiful city of surprise.

[2:02:32] Thank you.

[2:02:39] Mayor and Congress or

[2:02:42] the members of the board here.

[2:02:46] My name is Linda Landry.

[2:02:48] I've been in surprise for 25 years.

[2:02:51] Homeowner I worked at Palo Verde for 25 years.

[2:02:55] And, that came to surprise because it's a nice community.

[2:02:59] Lots of changes have occurred in this community,

[2:03:03] a lot of growth.

[2:03:04] And I've seen a lot of it.

[2:03:06] And I like surprise.

[2:03:07] And I don't want it to be,

[2:03:10] place that has

[2:03:11] a, some facility that is not appropriate.

[2:03:15] I object to the DHS and Ice creating

[2:03:19] 1500 bed detention facilities.

[2:03:22] Few things I want you to, consider.

[2:03:25] And then I have some background in utility.

[2:03:28] So one of the things is where is the power coming from?

[2:03:32] We have a limited amount of power.

[2:03:34] It's not, unlimited.

[2:03:36] And we have to create it.

[2:03:38] It has to be created somewhere.

[2:03:39] And Palo Verde produces quite a bit of power,

[2:03:42] but not all of it.

[2:03:44] Another thing is huge water requirements.

[2:03:47] Where's our water coming from?

[2:03:49] You know I do.

[2:03:50] You you are responsible for making sure

[2:03:53] that your residents have plenty of water.

[2:03:55] There's drinking water, cooking showers, toilets, sewage.

[2:04:00] Another thing, sewage increase.

[2:04:02] We have a limited capacity.

[2:04:04] Buckeye has a huge facility for sewer, but it's not unlimited.

[2:04:10] These are

[2:04:11] impacts that I hope that you consider.

[2:04:14] And these impacts are important because,

[2:04:17] you know,

[2:04:17] we don't want to run out of water or power or sewage

[2:04:21] and fire and rescue is another thing.

[2:04:23] Do we have a plan and,

[2:04:25] evacuation plans for getting these people out?

[2:04:28] An event in an event of the, huge fire.

[2:04:31] If they're

[2:04:32] detained and locked up, we could have a huge disaster.

[2:04:36] Do we want that in our community?

[2:04:38] I don't think so.

[2:04:39] Medical impacts.

[2:04:40] What about, fire?

[2:04:43] People rescue in hospitals.

[2:04:45] If that's 1500 people, they have to go somewhere.

[2:04:48] If in the event that there's an outbreak of disease,

[2:04:53] medical impact, summer heat,

[2:04:56] a warehouse is not designed for summer heat.

[2:05:00] It is. Insulation is not adequate.

[2:05:02] And its air conditioning, facilities are not adequate.

[2:05:06] So they the

[2:05:07] they can't take care of people, create a lot of heat.

[2:05:10] And you have a lot of people in a small area,

[2:05:12] and then all of a sudden you have too much heat.

[2:05:15] Deaths could occur.

[2:05:16] Do we want that to happen? And surprise.

[2:05:19] I don't think so.

[2:05:21] I just want to make sure that you,

[2:05:23] consider these impacts on the city of Surprise.

[2:05:27] And they're not alone in that, in that detention center.

[2:05:31] They're not they're not an island.

[2:05:33] They have to have all of these infrastructures in place.

[2:05:37] And you are all responsible for them

[2:05:40] having those, facilities available to them.

[2:05:43] Thank you for your your considerations. Thank you.

[2:05:51] Sir. Honorable mayor and will.

[2:05:54] Deputy mayor

[2:05:55] and honorable members of the City Council,

[2:05:57] thank you for the opportunity to come and speak about the Ice

[2:06:00] detention facility.

[2:06:01] My name is Casey Jones.

[2:06:03] I live in district one.

[2:06:04] In Arizona. Traditions.

[2:06:06] I'd like to make four points about the Ice detention

[2:06:10] facility.

[2:06:11] First, Ice is recklessly

[2:06:14] and incompetently pursuing its mission.

[2:06:17] One example you may not know about, but

[2:06:19] you'll recall from the news this last spring, 252

[2:06:25] Venezuelans were forcibly deported to San Salvador,

[2:06:30] El Salvador, and they were incarcerated,

[2:06:32] going to the secret detention center.

[2:06:36] Now there's a group called Human Rights Watch,

[2:06:40] a private

[2:06:40] nonprofit organization, and they had access to Ice data.

[2:06:44] And they found the following

[2:06:47] half of those people that were deported had no record

[2:06:50] whatsoever in the United States for a criminal conviction

[2:06:53] or a conviction of any kind.

[2:06:55] There were another one fourth of those people

[2:06:59] who had pending charges

[2:07:02] but undecided charges.

[2:07:04] So there were no convictions among those people.

[2:07:06] They were in the process of being adjudicated.

[2:07:10] There were only

[2:07:11] a third and, pardon me, a 3%,

[2:07:15] of the people had been convicted of a previous

[2:07:18] violent crime or a crime that could be violent,

[2:07:22] and the rest of the people had minor convictions for

[2:07:26] really misdemeanor type things, very minor kinds of things.

[2:07:30] So a great proportion of those people, contrary

[2:07:33] to what was publicized, we're not criminals.

[2:07:36] We're not the worst.

[2:07:38] So it counterpoints

[2:07:41] the argument that ice is going

[2:07:43] after the most serious criminals.

[2:07:46] The other thing is Minneapolis.

[2:07:48] And that speaks for itself.

[2:07:49] I'm not going to repeat all the horror we've seen there.

[2:07:52] My second main point is that that warehouse

[2:07:56] where this is intended to be

[2:07:59] was never designed to be a housing,

[2:08:02] for and for human beings.

[2:08:06] And I do know this there was a

[2:08:09] permit issued by the City of Surprise on December 23rd

[2:08:14] to construct some tenant improvements.

[2:08:18] This was issued to Rockefeller Group,

[2:08:20] the group that sold this property to Ice.

[2:08:23] So that was put into place before anybody knew

[2:08:26] that Ice was coming.

[2:08:30] Better hurry and wrap this up.

[2:08:32] I would commend you to have your permit,

[2:08:34] and your inspectors inspect that facility to make sure

[2:08:37] that it is decently habitable for human beings.

[2:08:41] Another point

[2:08:42] is that's very close to schools, as people have mentioned,

[2:08:45] but also to the Dysart Community Center.

[2:08:48] Urge ice to leave that community alone.

[2:08:51] It serves a large Hispanic community.

[2:08:54] And finally,

[2:08:55] I would commend you

[2:08:55] to pass a five year moratorium like the city of Saint Louis.

[2:08:59] Did I have a copy of the ordinance right here?

[2:09:01] And it was attached to my request to speak.

[2:09:03] Thank you sir.

[2:09:11] Good evening.

[2:09:13] Good evening.

[2:09:14] My name is Claudia Nolasco.

[2:09:16] I'm an American citizen, born and raised in Arizona.

[2:09:19] And I stand before you tonight asking that respectfully

[2:09:22] and urgently, that you listen to the voices of our community.

[2:09:25] For many of us, having Mexican heritage

[2:09:27] in this moment feels incredibly heavy.

[2:09:30] The constant weigh of fear, fear of leaving our homes,

[2:09:33] taking our children to school, or fear of going to work,

[2:09:37] and fear of carrying out the most basic task.

[2:09:42] This is not a way.

[2:09:43] This is not any way a family should have to live.

[2:09:46] I am a United States

[2:09:47] citizen, an American with Hispanic heritage and I.

[2:09:51] And yet I live in fear every day.

[2:09:54] If this is my reality, I cannot express the pain

[2:09:57] and anxiety experienced

[2:09:58] by those who are here and who are here legally under DACA,

[2:10:04] permanent residency, or any kind of work visa.

[2:10:07] The issue is far greater than political differences.

[2:10:09] It's about humanity, compassion, and it's about dignity.

[2:10:13] Our Mexican and Latino communities are not outsiders.

[2:10:17] They're they are essentials.

[2:10:18] They're workers, parents,

[2:10:20] caregivers, business owners, and our neighbors.

[2:10:24] They're a vital part of what truly makes this country strong.

[2:10:27] I ask you this tonight, what steps do you plan

[2:10:30] to ensure the safety of our Latino community members?

[2:10:34] My children are still very young,

[2:10:37] yet they're already live in fear

[2:10:40] that they may come home one day and not find their parents,

[2:10:43] their

[2:10:44] no child should ever have to carry that fear at their age.

[2:10:48] They should be focused on learning, dreaming and growing,

[2:10:52] not worried about family separation.

[2:10:57] Our children

[2:10:57] should be happy and proud to be Hispanic.

[2:11:02] Not taught to fear it.

[2:11:05] With that in mind, I respectfully urge you

[2:11:08] to reconsider the establishment of the Ice facility.

[2:11:12] Its presence does not bring any safety to our community.

[2:11:15] It brings fear, trauma, and division.

[2:11:18] We should not allow policies that that place the families

[2:11:21] at risk and undermine

[2:11:22] the sense of security every resident deserves.

[2:11:25] No person should ever be detained,

[2:11:27] targeted or locked away simply for being Hispanic.

[2:11:30] Our identities are not a crime.

[2:11:32] Our culture is not a threat

[2:11:34] and our existence deserves dignity and protection,

[2:11:37] not punishment.

[2:11:38] Thank you for your time and I ask you to use compassion,

[2:11:41] courage and humanity in your decision.

[2:11:50] Okay.

[2:11:50] Thank you.

[2:11:51] The time is now 812.

[2:11:53] We'll take a ten minute recess and reconvene at 822.

[2:12:06] The. Opening.

[2:20:11] Oh. Oh.

[2:20:13] Oh, yeah.

[2:20:15] Oh, yeah.

[2:20:18] Oh, yeah. I.

[2:20:33] Oh oh, yeah.

[2:20:36] Oh oh.

[2:20:44] I I. I.

[2:21:09] Oh, yeah,

[2:21:11] oh yeah.

[2:21:13] Oh yeah I.

[2:21:29] Oh oh yeah. Oh.

[2:21:52] I 000 yeah.

[2:21:56] Oh oh yeah oh oh

[2:22:00] yeah I.

[2:23:06] City council meeting.

[2:23:07] Madam clerk, can you please call

[2:23:09] additional public speakers?

[2:23:12] Yes, sir.

[2:23:13] Next five is Maureen Miller, Greg Bearman,

[2:23:18] Ian Henderson, Christy Nielsen,

[2:23:21] Marney Caldwell.

[2:23:26] Ellen.

[2:23:30] I'm going to go ahead and call five more.

[2:23:32] You just come on up.

[2:23:33] Sir, if you could state your name

[2:23:34] and cross roads for the record, please.

[2:23:37] My name is Greg Ehrmann.

[2:23:39] I live in Vermont area, so yes, I'm a resident of district,

[2:23:42] where you see, he's he's he's not here right now.

[2:23:45] We're six. No, it's district six.

[2:23:47] Switch to somewhere else. Okay.

[2:23:49] I'm, have been here for five and a half years.

[2:23:52] I'm a, was a former science instructor for 45 years.

[2:23:56] So I'm used to, doing practice on hands on research.

[2:24:00] So I deal with facts.

[2:24:02] So that's my.

[2:24:03] My lines are things like you.

[2:24:06] If from the research, it says that if you're going to increase

[2:24:10] ice presence at all, you're going to increase the number of,

[2:24:14] convicted felons and criminals in this neighborhood.

[2:24:18] So that's what we're inviting.

[2:24:20] If you're if you're inviting ice at all,

[2:24:23] fact to there's already been mentioned

[2:24:25] property values you're going to drop.

[2:24:27] I heard

[2:24:27] someone said something before, but I've come anywhere from 1

[2:24:30] to 20%.

[2:24:31] So here our property values are going to go down.

[2:24:34] Chris. There goes taxes.

[2:24:36] The safety of schools already been mentioned.

[2:24:38] We already know that, Ice has been known to use, pick up kids

[2:24:43] and use them as bait to bring people out,

[2:24:47] which, again,

[2:24:49] the safety of this community is going into the dumpster.

[2:24:52] In that particular case,

[2:24:54] another fact, you're going to have more people carrying guns.

[2:24:57] And the more guns that are carried,

[2:24:59] the more likelihood that someone's

[2:25:00] going to have an accident.

[2:25:02] So there's, you know, the fear factors of that

[2:25:05] all the way around.

[2:25:09] The economy is going to be suffering.

[2:25:12] Therefore the tax is going to be going up.

[2:25:14] You may some people think it's a great idea

[2:25:16] to have more people come in.

[2:25:18] Well, the Calgary, the quality of the types of people

[2:25:21] that you're going to be attracting are different story.

[2:25:24] Having 1500,

[2:25:26] a 1500 bed facility means you're

[2:25:28] probably going to have somewhere between fact, 1500

[2:25:31] to 3000 Ice agents coming into the facility area.

[2:25:37] Besides,

[2:25:38] can we

[2:25:40] take care of that many people?

[2:25:41] As far as transportation is concerned,

[2:25:44] all the, utilities that you're talking about,

[2:25:47] you just look through your budget

[2:25:48] and said something to the effect of, well,

[2:25:50] we need to work on our roads. Noise.

[2:25:53] Roads are costing more than before.

[2:25:55] How are you going to be able to support the facility with that?

[2:25:57] With the the lack of road, the infrastructure area?

[2:26:01] Sad fact

[2:26:02] that I think you should all realize is that

[2:26:05] the United States has more people in detention facilities

[2:26:10] and in criminal facilities

[2:26:12] than any other percentage than any other country in the world.

[2:26:16] When is that going to turn around?

[2:26:18] When we stop spending money on criminal facilities

[2:26:22] and put it towards more social activities,

[2:26:25] social events, which you would you were, you know,

[2:26:28] presenting early on that I good luck.

[2:26:32] Thank you sir.

[2:26:39] Good evening ma'am.

[2:26:41] Mayor, city council I'm Christy Nielsen.

[2:26:44] I live in district two and I've lived in surprise

[2:26:48] for 28 years and love my community.

[2:26:52] But we do not want an Ice detention center.

[2:26:55] And surprise, there are neighborhoods,

[2:26:59] schools, shops and businesses.

[2:27:02] It is a warehouse

[2:27:05] meant to be for merchandise, not humans.

[2:27:09] Ice does not follow due process

[2:27:12] and that's something under the Constitution we're all

[2:27:16] supposed to be granted.

[2:27:19] And so they're arrested.

[2:27:22] They don't have to,

[2:27:25] have a warrant to go into people's houses

[2:27:28] and take parents away from their children.

[2:27:33] I did not seek out

[2:27:34] the proper permits from our city for this.

[2:27:37] We especially do not want masked Ice agents

[2:27:41] having rounded up victims in and out of our city,

[2:27:45] frightening our residents and especially our children.

[2:27:49] And that's all I have to say.

[2:27:52] Thank you.

[2:27:53] Thank you ma'am.

[2:27:56] Thank you, Madam clerk,

[2:27:57] can you call a few more speakers, please?

[2:28:01] Yes, mayor.

[2:28:01] The next five, Janet Amini's David Kwan Smith?

[2:28:06] Nicholas asked, making up a list.

[2:28:09] I'm sorry if I butchered that Cynthia fuck and more.

[2:28:13] Angelina Torres.

[2:28:16] Good evening ma'am.

[2:28:17] Hello, my name is Maureen Miller

[2:28:20] and I live in Desert Oasis.

[2:28:23] Boy, I have a lot to say.

[2:28:25] As I was leading up to this, event, I was thinking to myself,

[2:28:29] I have so much that I want to say, so much that I need to say,

[2:28:33] and three minutes isn't enough time.

[2:28:36] The other thing I'd like to say, so many of my friends here

[2:28:38] tonight have been so eloquent on what they want to say,

[2:28:40] and I can't possibly compete with them, but I, in good

[2:28:43] faith, cannot sit back and not say my $0.02.

[2:28:47] First thing I want to let you know

[2:28:49] is that I've recently retired,

[2:28:50] and I did not expect that I would need to spend

[2:28:52] so much time standing up for common decency.

[2:28:55] I am fortunate to have extra time

[2:28:57] moving forward, to continue to do so against hateful policies.

[2:29:01] I was so disappointed when I learned about the recent

[2:29:03] DHS building purchase and surprise.

[2:29:06] Over the last couple of days, I learned of other communities

[2:29:08] who are pushing back

[2:29:10] and passing ordinances in order to reject Ice facilities.

[2:29:14] I expected to learn that surprise

[2:29:15] would be mentioned as a resistor to an Ice prison,

[2:29:18] but that has not been the case.

[2:29:20] Not yet.

[2:29:22] We must show that we have learned from our country's

[2:29:24] history.

[2:29:26] Portions of our history are ugly, and we cannot rewrite it.

[2:29:29] But we can show that we learn from it and continue to learn.

[2:29:32] We must pay attention.

[2:29:35] Building an Ice concentration camp is in

[2:29:37] no way, in no way, will protect us.

[2:29:41] Our friends, neighbors, and fellow humans.

[2:29:45] No ice and no ice camps.

[2:29:48] If we do not stand up, we lose bragging rights.

[2:29:51] And what a great city this is.

[2:29:54] The last thing that I wanted

[2:29:55] to point out that I found kind of ironic

[2:29:57] is the name of this building in question

[2:29:59] is the Surprise Point Commerce Center.

[2:30:02] If we take this on,

[2:30:03] we are in the commerce of having illegal facilities.

[2:30:07] Thank you.

[2:30:12] Thank you ma'am.

[2:30:14] Any sir.

[2:30:19] Hello, my name is Ian Henderson.

[2:30:21] I'm here

[2:30:21] to speak about the warehouse recently

[2:30:22] purchased by DHS to be turned into a concentration camp.

[2:30:25] As far as I understood prior to this evening, which you.

[2:30:28] One of you confirmed?

[2:30:29] The city has no ability to stop

[2:30:31] such a purchase by the federal government.

[2:30:33] And even if you did have the ability,

[2:30:34] and I don't believe you would do anything if you could.

[2:30:36] So I'm here to tell people what they can do.

[2:30:38] And I'm sure everybody who's listening and would agree,

[2:30:42] you guys all love jury duty, right?

[2:30:45] But did you know that as a member of a trial jury,

[2:30:48] you are not required to give a guilty verdict?

[2:30:50] Even if prosecutors have proven without a reason

[2:30:53] within reasonable doubt that a person is guilty.

[2:30:55] This is called a jury nullification.

[2:30:57] We have the power to render a not guilty verdict in defiance.

[2:31:01] Here's a hypothetical to help everybody understand

[2:31:04] if a hypothetical warehouse were to be hypothetically

[2:31:07] burned down in order to stop a hypothetical concentration

[2:31:11] camp from being built, hypothetically,

[2:31:14] and the

[2:31:14] alleged person was hypothetically caught.

[2:31:18] The arson is a journey edification.

[2:31:20] We as that we, as a jury in a criminal trial

[2:31:23] can declare the hypothetical as arson is innocent

[2:31:27] regardless of evidence that would be sent free.

[2:31:31] Nobody could be recharged again due to deputy laws.

[2:31:34] And jurors cannot be punished for this.

[2:31:35] We have a responsibility to defend

[2:31:37] any hypothetical person in this way,

[2:31:40] because why would anybody allow

[2:31:41] a concentration camp to be built?

[2:31:43] And why would anybody

[2:31:44] allow a hypothetical hero to be punished for this?

[2:31:47] People are being violated

[2:31:49] with their first, fourth and Fifth Amendment rights.

[2:31:52] Ice guards are murdering detainees.

[2:31:53] There have been tens of thousands of reported rapes

[2:31:56] at the hands of Ice guards, let alone the unreported.

[2:31:58] And the concentration camp in Pennsylvania

[2:32:01] just recently argued in court last month

[2:32:03] that their guards are not liable for the rapes they commit.

[2:32:06] This cannot be allowed.

[2:32:08] I do have some time left.

[2:32:10] I want to use this remaining time to say that the same

[2:32:13] tactics and methods of terror and eye tracking

[2:32:17] that Ice and DHS are using were all perfected in Palestine.

[2:32:21] Elise. Ice.

[2:32:22] They were all trained with the terrorist, genocidal

[2:32:25] ethno colony known as Israel.

[2:32:27] And all of these tactics and technologies

[2:32:29] are coming back to be used on us

[2:32:30] and what is called the Imperial boomerang.

[2:32:33] This is why a free Palestine is intrinsically linked

[2:32:35] to our struggles here today.

[2:32:37] Because unless we stop the atrocities

[2:32:39] the US empire is committing in Palestine, we,

[2:32:43] Well, well, we also need to end the U.S.

[2:32:46] bipartisan policy of not a violent colonial imperialism.

[2:32:51] Because no one will be set free until Palestine is free,

[2:32:54] until the Congo is free, until Sudan is free.

[2:32:57] Power to the working class.

[2:32:59] Fuck ice and fuck fuck Israel.

[2:33:07] Before

[2:33:07] you start me, I'm going to call five more names, please.

[2:33:11] Good evening councilmembers.

[2:33:12] My name is Janet Jimenez.

[2:33:14] I speak today

[2:33:15] as a proud daughter of hard working immigrants

[2:33:17] and as an esteemed member of this community,

[2:33:20] it is disheartening that the first time

[2:33:22] our small town makes national news,

[2:33:24] it is not for who we are,

[2:33:25] but for something

[2:33:26] that threatens the dignity and safety of our own people.

[2:33:29] Immigrants are not numbers to tally.

[2:33:31] We are human beings with histories, families and dreams.

[2:33:34] We contribute,

[2:33:35] we work relentlessly and we belong with the approval

[2:33:38] for a new Ice detention center in surprise,

[2:33:41] what we have seen unfold across the country,

[2:33:43] what once felt distant, has now knocked on the door of the city

[2:33:47] I call home.

[2:33:48] The dehumanizing treatment of immigrants, detention

[2:33:51] without due process.

[2:33:52] Discrimination based solely on the color of one's

[2:33:55] skin is coming to a neighborhood near you.

[2:33:57] Surprise is the only home

[2:33:59] I have ever known it is where I learned

[2:34:01] the meaning of community, of peace, of belonging.

[2:34:04] It is where my family planted roots and now families

[2:34:07] are being asked to wonder, will this city still feel safe?

[2:34:11] For people who look like me?

[2:34:13] A detention center does not just change a building,

[2:34:16] it changes the soul of a city.

[2:34:18] It alters the rhythm of neighborhoods,

[2:34:20] the laughter in playgrounds, the confidence of children

[2:34:24] walking to school.

[2:34:25] It turns familiarity into fear, neighbors

[2:34:28] into strangers, safety into uncertainty.

[2:34:31] Our community deserves more than statements

[2:34:33] that protect the city's liability.

[2:34:35] We deserve action.

[2:34:37] We deserve accountability.

[2:34:38] What concrete steps

[2:34:39] will be taken to ensure that residents are not profiled,

[2:34:43] targeted, or made to feel unsafe in their own homes?

[2:34:46] Transparency after the fact is not enough.

[2:34:48] Silence is not enough.

[2:34:50] We need real commitments, commitments

[2:34:52] that protect the dignity

[2:34:53] and safety of the people who call surprise home.

[2:34:56] Our neighbors, our friends, our families.

[2:34:58] The heart of this city is in its people.

[2:35:01] We cannot let silence and blind compliance decide who belongs.

[2:35:04] Thank you. Thank you.

[2:35:09] Ma'am, before you start, I'm going to call a few more names.

[2:35:11] Okay.

[2:35:13] Next I have Tina mollica,

[2:35:16] Milton Moreau, Christina Unter,

[2:35:20] Rosalind Melling, Dorota,

[2:35:22] Alyssa Eastview.

[2:35:26] Good evening ma'am.

[2:35:27] Good evening, mayor and council members.

[2:35:31] I don't have my glasses, so I'm going to have to hold this one.

[2:35:35] I can alone you. So. Yeah, yeah.

[2:35:38] Thank you.

[2:35:38] My name is Cynthia Fox and I'm a resident of surprise.

[2:35:43] I stand here tonight speaking from a place of deep

[2:35:47] moral alarm.

[2:35:50] We understand that this council cannot overrule ISIS

[2:35:53] federal authority.

[2:35:54] We're not asking you to do what you legally cannot do.

[2:35:58] But what you can do and what you must do is refuse

[2:36:02] silence, refuse complicity, and refuse to look away.

[2:36:07] The Department of Homeland Security quiet, quietly

[2:36:11] purchased property in our city to build the 1500 person

[2:36:16] detention center.

[2:36:17] And neither the council nor the people who live here

[2:36:20] knew about it.

[2:36:21] Just over a week ago.

[2:36:23] That should stop every one of us cold.

[2:36:29] Because this

[2:36:29] is not just another development project.

[2:36:32] This is not a warehouse.

[2:36:34] This is not housing.

[2:36:36] This is a place where human beings will be confined.

[2:36:40] We've all seen reports coming out of Florida.

[2:36:43] People held in overcrowded, degrading conditions,

[2:36:47] people denied basic medical care,

[2:36:50] including the current outbreak of measles.

[2:36:55] Families torn apart. Arrests

[2:36:57] carried out with brutality that shocks the conscience.

[2:37:01] These are not abstract policy debates.

[2:37:04] These are real

[2:37:05] human experiences, and they're happening right now.

[2:37:09] And now our community is being asked without warning,

[2:37:14] without consent, to host

[2:37:17] the next chapter of that story.

[2:37:20] Whether someone supports strict immigration enforcement or not,

[2:37:23] there must be a line.

[2:37:25] There must be a point where we say this

[2:37:28] violates our shared humanity.

[2:37:32] Human dignity is not partizan.

[2:37:34] Decency is not radical, and morality does not stop

[2:37:38] at jurisdictional boundaries.

[2:37:42] If our city becomes home to a facility like this, then

[2:37:46] our city's name becomes attached to what happens inside it.

[2:37:49] We cannot say it's not our responsibility.

[2:37:54] You may not control Ice, but you do control

[2:37:57] whether this city stands up and says.

[2:37:59] It says not without scrutiny, not without accountability.

[2:38:05] Said it.

[2:38:06] Oh, not without

[2:38:09] our voices being heard.

[2:38:10] We are asking you to speak publicly

[2:38:13] and clearly against inhumane detention practices.

[2:38:17] I demand transparency from Ice and federal partners,

[2:38:21] use every lawful tool available to slow, review

[2:38:26] and challenge this project, and most importantly,

[2:38:30] to stand on the side of human dignity.

[2:38:39] Thank you ma'am.

[2:38:41] Good evening.

[2:38:46] Hello.

[2:38:46] My name is David Klingon Smith.

[2:38:49] I've lived here in surprise for, five years now,

[2:38:53] and I'm here to express my serious concerns as well

[2:38:58] about the this Department of Homeland Security occupying a

[2:39:02] this massive warehouse facility down on Sweetwater Avenue.

[2:39:06] Surprise prides itself on being a desirable

[2:39:09] residential community

[2:39:10] built around families and schools and churches

[2:39:14] and small businesses and long term neighborhood investment

[2:39:17] and a large DHS operational presence,

[2:39:21] especially one housed in a warehouse like this, is

[2:39:24] fundamentally incompatible with the character,

[2:39:27] the planning priorities,

[2:39:29] and the expectations of this community.

[2:39:32] I share many of the other speakers concerns

[2:39:34] about the the total lack of transparency.

[2:39:38] From DHS

[2:39:40] in the whole purchase of this building.

[2:39:43] And, I agree with the other speakers that,

[2:39:47] I would encourage you to do everything

[2:39:50] possible to to have as much oversight

[2:39:53] of this facility as this is possible.

[2:39:56] I share the concerns about,

[2:39:59] safety and traffic and infrastructure issues

[2:40:01] that many other folks have mentioned.

[2:40:05] I think that Ice has proved in many ways

[2:40:07] that it is an out of control organization.

[2:40:11] And I think a DHS facility of this scale,

[2:40:14] in addition to bringing things like vehicle traffic,

[2:40:17] has also concerns of things like,

[2:40:21] security, perimeter surveillance activity,

[2:40:24] and all kinds of other operational risks

[2:40:26] that were never meant to be part of a zoning,

[2:40:32] intent for that particular area.

[2:40:35] And I think that,

[2:40:36] as other speakers

[2:40:37] have mentioned, that our roads and utilities and emergency

[2:40:40] services were not designed to support a facility like this.

[2:40:48] So I'm going to

[2:40:49] kind of just say that I agree with many of the other speakers.

[2:40:53] And I want to add, though, at the end here, that, I'm also a,

[2:40:58] Christian clergy person,

[2:41:00] minister in the United Church of Christ denomination.

[2:41:03] And I would remind all who claim to be followers of Jesus

[2:41:07] that the actions taken by Ice are incompatible

[2:41:12] with Jesus teachings,

[2:41:14] that we are to love our neighbor

[2:41:15] and the immigrant is our neighbor.

[2:41:18] And Scripture

[2:41:19] tells us to treat the immigrant as one of our own. And,

[2:41:23] I'm one of those people that also believes that that,

[2:41:27] unless you're a Native American here,

[2:41:30] we're all immigrants.

[2:41:32] So I will just end with that.

[2:41:34] Thank you.

[2:41:40] Thank you. Sir.

[2:41:40] I'm going to call a few more names.

[2:41:43] Elaine Burke.

[2:41:45] Zach m Nolan,

[2:41:48] Christian Gutierrez, Zane Gordon, Sophie borowski.

[2:41:53] Thank you.

[2:41:54] Good evening, ma'am.

[2:41:55] Good evening. Mayor, councilmen.

[2:41:57] My name is Tina mollica.

[2:41:58] I'm a 25 year resident of surprise.

[2:42:01] My husband and I have raised two children in this city.

[2:42:05] One a district graduate, one still in school.

[2:42:08] I live in Marley Park. I've lived there for nine years.

[2:42:10] Mr. judge, you are my councilman. Hello.

[2:42:13] My home is 2.8 miles from this warehouse.

[2:42:18] There are many parks where children live

[2:42:21] and nine schools within three miles of this warehouse.

[2:42:25] A high school, a middle school, and five elementary schools.

[2:42:29] All of them are title one schools

[2:42:32] who serve our minority and low income communities.

[2:42:36] This location is not a coincidence.

[2:42:41] Ice agents have been kidnaping children,

[2:42:43] families, even off duty police officers.

[2:42:46] I'm holding one of them in front of you right now.

[2:42:49] A five year old boy, Liam Ramos.

[2:42:52] This facility

[2:42:52] puts our citizens, our children, at risk of violence.

[2:42:55] It will put a strain on our police department

[2:42:57] and our emergency response teams.

[2:43:00] Lower our property values

[2:43:01] and strain our water and sewage systems.

[2:43:05] Experience shows that they are not arresting violent criminals.

[2:43:09] But as someone else mentioned,

[2:43:10] even if they were, why would we want that here?

[2:43:14] This community deserves transparency and action.

[2:43:17] Other communities like Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City, San

[2:43:21] Antonio, Kansas City were able to stop such sales to DHS.

[2:43:27] Somehow, no one in this city knew

[2:43:30] anything was happening.

[2:43:33] What is the plan

[2:43:34] now to protect our neighborhoods and our schools?

[2:43:37] When I come, because they're coming

[2:43:39] and we've seen what they do.

[2:43:43] We've seen them take children and parents from pick up lines.

[2:43:46] I've already signed up to get training

[2:43:48] so that I can watch and record

[2:43:50] when they

[2:43:50] start taking our children, because that's my sign

[2:43:53] says without due process, it's kidnaping.

[2:43:59] Councilman Judd, I'm going to

[2:44:00] implore you that leaders do not say our hands are tied.

[2:44:04] I'm asking all of you to untie your hands.

[2:44:07] Leaders work with their community members.

[2:44:09] The businesses, their police,

[2:44:12] their school districts, the people in this room.

[2:44:16] We work together, and we find something to do

[2:44:19] to protect our children and our community members.

[2:44:22] The government cannot force municipalities, municipalities.

[2:44:26] Excuse me.

[2:44:27] To build roads and utilities.

[2:44:29] Construction permits

[2:44:30] will be required for toilets, showers, dining facilities.

[2:44:34] So what you can do is refuse to partner with or fund private

[2:44:37] detention operators through city contracts.

[2:44:40] You can demand environmental traffic, public safety

[2:44:42] and infrastructure impact reviews.

[2:44:45] You can require transparency about how this facility

[2:44:48] will operate and affect our community.

[2:44:50] To ever occur to you

[2:44:51] and to everyone in the room, I ask that

[2:44:53] we do not let this end tonight.

[2:44:55] I ask that we work together,

[2:44:57] contact our senators, our representatives,

[2:45:00] our attorney general, whoever we need, and we are asking

[2:45:04] for you to do it with us.

[2:45:12] Thank you ma'am.

[2:45:15] Good evening.

[2:45:19] This is.

[2:45:22] Good evening mayor Council.

[2:45:25] Good evening, mayor and council.

[2:45:27] My name is Alyssa Maria

[2:45:28] and I was born here in Arizona and raised in surprise.

[2:45:31] I grew up in the original town site.

[2:45:33] I've been here for 36 years, and my family has deep roots

[2:45:37] here, not only in surprise, but also in Mirage,

[2:45:39] where my grandparents

[2:45:40] have lived in both cities for over 60 years.

[2:45:43] I am a true local I, and I'm proud

[2:45:46] to say I'm a native of surprise from before.

[2:45:48] Surprise even became a city.

[2:45:50] I am a third generation resident whose family has grown

[2:45:53] here, worked here, and invested in this community for decades.

[2:45:57] Both my father and my stepmother, Christy, who

[2:46:00] some of you know well,

[2:46:01] dedicated over 20 years of service to the City of Surprise

[2:46:05] and retired after a lifetime of public service.

[2:46:08] I also work for the City of Surprise

[2:46:10] as a resource specialist

[2:46:12] and a case manager, supporting vulnerable

[2:46:14] individuals and families within our community.

[2:46:17] I know well what the city stands for,

[2:46:19] and this city is known for its diversity.

[2:46:22] Growing up, I remember surprise when it was full of fields,

[2:46:24] orchards and farmland.

[2:46:26] I remember driving by and seeing Hispanic families

[2:46:29] and immigrants working hard in those fields,

[2:46:31] helping put food on our tables,

[2:46:32] supporting the economy and contributing to the culture

[2:46:35] of this area.

[2:46:36] The Hispanic community has always

[2:46:38] been a huge part of surprise in our marriage,

[2:46:40] and it is impossible

[2:46:41] to separate the success of this region

[2:46:44] from the contributions of immigrants.

[2:46:46] This is where we went to school.

[2:46:47] This is where we played sports.

[2:46:49] This is where we were raised

[2:46:51] and where we are now raising our children.

[2:46:53] Today, surprise is no longer a small town.

[2:46:56] It's a growing city.

[2:46:57] But with the decision to bring a detention center

[2:47:00] into our community right in our backyard

[2:47:02] on the borderline of El Mirage,

[2:47:04] many families who live here are now living in fear.

[2:47:07] There are children who go to school

[2:47:09] with my children, who are scared to attend class

[2:47:11] because they don't know if their parents

[2:47:13] will still be home at the end of the day.

[2:47:15] Parents are afraid to go to work.

[2:47:17] Families are afraid to shop for groceries, attend church,

[2:47:20] or even take their kids to sports and city parks.

[2:47:23] This is not what a safe community looks like.

[2:47:26] I truly believe

[2:47:27] bringing a detention center into our city

[2:47:29] will not bring peace or stability.

[2:47:30] It will bring chaos, fear, division and trauma.

[2:47:33] It increases the risk of harassment,

[2:47:35] discrimination and racial profiling.

[2:47:37] It will create tension in neighborhoods

[2:47:38] and could impact public safety, not improve it.

[2:47:41] I do not want to live in a city where residents are forced

[2:47:43] to watch ice activity near our homes,

[2:47:45] schools, parks or everyday public spaces.

[2:47:47] I don't want families to be afraid to exist

[2:47:49] in the same place they call home for years.

[2:47:51] That is not the city of surprise I grew up in,

[2:47:53] and it is not the future I want for my children.

[2:47:56] Citizens and immigrants in this community

[2:47:58] are not a political stunt.

[2:47:59] These are real human beings mothers, fathers, workers,

[2:48:02] grandparents and children who are here to build

[2:48:04] better lives and raise families

[2:48:05] who will grow up and contribute to this community.

[2:48:07] Right now, this center is already causing

[2:48:10] harm, not just do feel, but online as well.

[2:48:12] There are hundreds, if not thousands of people

[2:48:14] discussing this facility

[2:48:16] and the comments are filled with hate, ignorance and cruelty.

[2:48:19] That should be deeply concerning to all of us,

[2:48:21] because the tone of a community matters.

[2:48:23] The message we send matters and bringing

[2:48:25] a detention facility here

[2:48:26] sends a message that surprises

[2:48:28] becoming a national political stage

[2:48:30] instead of the family centered community we claim to be.

[2:48:33] I am asking our city leaders to make the right decision

[2:48:36] and take action immediately to stop the detention center

[2:48:39] from operating in surprise.

[2:48:40] This is not what residents want.

[2:48:42] It does not represent the value of our city.

[2:48:44] We should be a community

[2:48:45] built on safety, dignity and humanity, not fear.

[2:48:49] Thank you for your time. Hey.

[2:48:54] You. I'm going

[2:48:57] to call a few more names before you start, ma'am.

[2:49:00] Yeah. Hello.

[2:49:01] Okay, I'm going to click up. Yep.

[2:49:03] Okay. Five more names.

[2:49:04] Michael O'Shea, Candice Dietsch, Stephen Cramer,

[2:49:10] Daniel Quigley, Alan klein.

[2:49:13] Thank you. Thanks.

[2:49:14] Good evening. Ma'am. Hi.

[2:49:16] My name is Rosalyn Melling Derosier.

[2:49:18] I've lived at Cactus and Rams in Rancho Gabriela for 22 years.

[2:49:23] My home is three miles from both the proposed

[2:49:25] Ice detention center and a data center power plant.

[2:49:29] My kids are now 21, 16 and 15.

[2:49:32] When they were little,

[2:49:33] we rode our bikes through the fields

[2:49:34] where these facilities are being proposed.

[2:49:37] Beautiful flowers and cotton grew all around here.

[2:49:41] I've loved

[2:49:41] being a tiny part of the growth and progress in this town.

[2:49:46] I've been involved but never felt compelled

[2:49:48] to speak in front of the council until now.

[2:49:51] Normally I'm good with background organizing

[2:49:53] and holding signs.

[2:49:54] I've stood on street

[2:49:55] corners to get school bonds and overrides passed.

[2:49:59] I volunteered as the vice president

[2:50:01] for the Marlay Park PTA for many years,

[2:50:03] before my kids moved up to high school.

[2:50:05] I have a small community pantry at my house,

[2:50:08] where friends can drop off

[2:50:09] and pick up food to reduce waste and grocery costs.

[2:50:12] I do little things because I feel a responsibility

[2:50:15] to my community and my neighbors.

[2:50:17] I don't know what to do now.

[2:50:20] Mayor.

[2:50:21] Council members, neighbors.

[2:50:23] I need your help.

[2:50:25] These proposed facilities cannot be

[2:50:27] allowed to operate in our community.

[2:50:30] The drain on our resources, the additional congestion

[2:50:33] on our streets.

[2:50:34] The negative press about our town.

[2:50:36] I mean, do you want to buy a house

[2:50:37] next door to alligator Alcatraz right now?

[2:50:40] Nobody will want to live in surprise.

[2:50:43] Those are selfish reasons for surprise residents

[2:50:45] to oppose these facilities, but they are valid.

[2:50:49] There are also more important reasons to oppose as well.

[2:50:53] The data center is not good for the environment

[2:50:55] as far as power and water consumption.

[2:50:58] Sound pollution in residential neighborhoods.

[2:51:00] Interference with Luke air Force Base and more.

[2:51:03] The ice facilities

[2:51:06] that were documented on

[2:51:07] 60 minutes showed that laws are being broken.

[2:51:11] Human rights trampled,

[2:51:12] and people are getting hurt and killed in these places.

[2:51:15] We cannot live next door to that.

[2:51:18] The people of surprise, this community,

[2:51:21] and specifically this suburban mom, need you to represent us

[2:51:25] and do whatever you can do to stop the data center

[2:51:27] and detention center from moving forward.

[2:51:30] Please refuse to partner with or fund

[2:51:34] detention center operations through any city contracts.

[2:51:38] Also, we need you to demand environmental

[2:51:41] traffic and public safety impact reviews immediately.

[2:51:45] These proposed facilities are within two miles of each other.

[2:51:49] Slow them down before there is irreversible damage done here.

[2:51:52] Thank you.

[2:51:59] Thank you.

[2:51:59] Ma'am. Good evening. Good evening.

[2:52:01] Thank you for your time.

[2:52:03] My name is Zach Miller.

[2:52:04] I just recently moved to surprise.

[2:52:06] But we need to call this Ice facility out for what it truly

[2:52:09] is going to be a for profit concentration warehouse.

[2:52:14] Well, surprise.

[2:52:14] Local officials have access to make sure

[2:52:17] the conditions of the facility are humane and sanitary.

[2:52:21] Will you all have DHS provide a full environmental

[2:52:24] impact statement?

[2:52:26] We have seen with our very own eyes

[2:52:28] what these Call of Duty

[2:52:29] cosplaying white supremacists, ice terrorists will do in broad

[2:52:33] daylight with cameras filming them, such as executing U.S.

[2:52:37] citizens.

[2:52:39] So what do we think they are going to do

[2:52:41] in that concentration

[2:52:42] warehouse behind brick walls, with the public not watching?

[2:52:48] Some of these

[2:52:49] terrorists have been trained by the IDF.

[2:52:52] We see what kind of morals they put on display

[2:52:56] and Ice have pedophile enablers and puppy killers

[2:53:00] as some of their leaders, such as Kristi Noem,

[2:53:04] who is staying at the Arizona Grand Resort right now.

[2:53:09] Even if they were getting the so-called worst of the worst.

[2:53:12] Do we, as a surprise,

[2:53:13] really want that to be a part of our backyard?

[2:53:17] Will these so-called ice agents be held accountable

[2:53:21] and arrested if they violate the laws of surprise?

[2:53:26] I love that the city talks about being proactive,

[2:53:30] but this is truly the time to walk the walk

[2:53:32] and to decide if you will stand on the side of the people,

[2:53:36] and if you will stand with the good and stand up to the evil

[2:53:41] and and come up with a proactive plan

[2:53:44] to keep the people in the community safe

[2:53:46] from these federal domestic terrorists.

[2:53:49] Immigration enforcement is important,

[2:53:51] but the way this current form of

[2:53:53] Ice is going about, it is pure evil and needs to be abolished.

[2:53:58] This concentration warehouse most certainly will leave a

[2:54:01] blood stain

[2:54:02] on the city of Surprise forever if something is not done

[2:54:06] about it.

[2:54:07] Thank you.

[2:54:14] Thank you sir.

[2:54:15] Go ahead.

[2:54:16] No one said.

[2:54:17] Madam clerk, can you call for more names, please?

[2:54:20] Yes, sir. Five more.

[2:54:21] Carol Gondo, Jerry Perez, Timothy Woolard,

[2:54:27] Claudio Carillo, Nancy Martin.

[2:54:32] Good evening.

[2:54:33] I'm doctor Stephen Kramer.

[2:54:35] I'm a resident of Sun Village for 14 years.

[2:54:38] And I thank, in Johnny's district.

[2:54:41] And I thank the, mayor and city council for my.

[2:54:44] Allow me the opportunity to raise the issue

[2:54:47] of grave concern about the DHS decision

[2:54:51] to site a detention center here in the City of surprise,

[2:54:55] but especially at the Sweetwater Avenue location.

[2:54:59] That location is less than a mile from Desert High School,

[2:55:03] and less than 2000ft from the nearest children's playground.

[2:55:08] This poses

[2:55:09] the greatest threat

[2:55:10] to the children and residents of Desert Cactus community.

[2:55:13] Based on the planned detention of the worst of the worst

[2:55:17] brutal criminals and rapists, they plan to housed

[2:55:19] in an insecure warehouse there.

[2:55:23] I thank the city for making us aware that federal

[2:55:27] jurisdiction takes precedence over local regulations.

[2:55:31] However, states rights do take precedence over federal,

[2:55:37] federal federal unless

[2:55:40] expressly permitted by law.

[2:55:44] It is a state's rights right and obligation

[2:55:47] to ensure the safety and security of its citizens.

[2:55:51] Citizens.

[2:55:52] Therefore, Your Honors, I ask, what has the Council

[2:55:56] and the mayor done to take steps to to?

[2:56:00] What steps have you taken to make Governor Hobbs and A.G.

[2:56:04] Hayes, aware of this critical safety and security risk?

[2:56:09] This detention center poses to our community

[2:56:11] and the need to prevent the potential disaster,

[2:56:15] for our community.

[2:56:18] Finally, what will be the impact of the unplanned, major

[2:56:22] increase in demand for potable water and sewers and the

[2:56:26] detention center on surprise and its planned expansion

[2:56:30] of working and taxpaying families?

[2:56:34] Housing that can be.

[2:56:37] And that you can refuse to grant

[2:56:40] this request to increase for that facility.

[2:56:43] I thank you for your time and look forward to your response.

[2:56:52] Thank you sir.

[2:56:54] Good evening.

[2:56:57] Good evening, Mayor Sartor.

[2:56:59] Members of the city council and city attorney.

[2:57:01] Larry. My name is Alan Klein.

[2:57:05] I've been a resident of surprise for well over 20 years.

[2:57:10] I've called surprise home.

[2:57:12] I've got this prepared speech,

[2:57:15] and I'm going to go through that because a few other

[2:57:17] things came up while I was in the audience.

[2:57:21] So, yeah, we've

[2:57:22] we've gone through all the buying the warehouse

[2:57:25] and the federal agency and breakdown

[2:57:28] in intergovernmental transparency and all that

[2:57:31] in the warehouse of people, the concentration camp,

[2:57:36] the lousy location,

[2:57:38] the tax to our infrastructure.

[2:57:41] And I hope, I implore you, I hope you'll study all that

[2:57:44] and slow this thing down as much as you can

[2:57:46] and do what you can.

[2:57:49] All the studies and all that.

[2:57:50] And, you know,

[2:57:52] I'm going to go off my prepared speech

[2:57:55] because I'm speaking from the heart,

[2:57:57] because I spoke with

[2:57:59] some of the people

[2:58:00] in the audience,

[2:58:01] and they told me they have to carry their passport

[2:58:04] because they're in fear and they're American citizens.

[2:58:08] This is not America. And.

[2:58:11] And I saw what happened to Rene.

[2:58:13] Good.

[2:58:14] I have family and friends in Minneapolis,

[2:58:17] and we hear it's worse than what you see in the news.

[2:58:22] And I woke up one morning, and I'm an avid cyclist

[2:58:25] to go mountain biking.

[2:58:27] And I saw Alex Prentiss picture on a mountain bike.

[2:58:31] And I went to a protest this week,

[2:58:33] and I've gone to multiple protests,

[2:58:35] and I did a memorial bike ride for Alex.

[2:58:37] Pretty nice. This is not America.

[2:58:41] Surprise.

[2:58:42] Arizona, all of you.

[2:58:45] You have an opportunity to show the rest of the country

[2:58:50] and the rest of the world how to stand up

[2:58:53] to the federal government.

[2:58:55] And I'm going to ask you a question.

[2:58:57] I want to know what are you going to do?

[2:59:01] And I want to see it.

[2:59:02] I want there was no transparency in what the federal government

[2:59:07] did when they acquired that property.

[2:59:10] I want I'm asking you for transparency.

[2:59:13] I want to know what you're going to do.

[2:59:15] And I want to hear what you going to do publicly.

[2:59:18] I want to see it.

[2:59:20] So I implore you, I hope you will do that.

[2:59:22] And don't let this facility ruin surprise.

[2:59:26] Arizona.

[2:59:27] Thank you.

[2:59:35] Good evening.

[2:59:35] Carol Goncalo. Grand and reams.

[2:59:37] I was deeply disappointed by the statement

[2:59:39] of the City of Surprise released on January

[2:59:41] 30th. It essentially told residents

[2:59:43] that there is nothing you can do.

[2:59:45] And from where we sit, you're not even going to try.

[2:59:48] That's unacceptable.

[2:59:50] If you truly don't know how to push back,

[2:59:52] then look to those cities

[2:59:53] whose leaders are standing up for the residents

[2:59:55] and pushing back and stopping it.

[2:59:57] Hanover City, Virginia.

[2:59:59] Durant, Oklahoma.

[3:00:00] San Antonio, Texas, Merrimack, New Hampshire.

[3:00:04] Social circle, Georgia, Roxbury, new Jersey,

[3:00:07] Kansas City, Missouri, to name a few.

[3:00:10] These communities don't hide behind federal language.

[3:00:13] They use every tool available to make it clear

[3:00:15] that detention centers are not welcome here.

[3:00:17] Right now, surprise is doing the opposite by staying quiet.

[3:00:20] If you allow this to move forward

[3:00:21] without resistance, our city will be remembered

[3:00:24] for one thing.

[3:00:25] Standing by while detention center was ushered in,

[3:00:28] we will be known as a city that is complicit.

[3:00:31] A city that signaled it was friendly to a system

[3:00:34] that harms children, tears families apart

[3:00:37] and detains people who are here illegally.

[3:00:39] We expect you to act and we expect you to fight.

[3:00:43] We expect you to show the same courage

[3:00:45] that other leaders and other cities have shown. Thank you.

[3:00:55] Hello.

[3:00:56] My name is Claudio Cirillo.

[3:00:57] I live in Tempe, but I grew up right here

[3:01:00] and went to school in surprise and El Mirage.

[3:01:03] My family lives on Dishearten Cactus, just a stone's

[3:01:06] throw from where this facility is.

[3:01:10] And where it was sold under the people's noses.

[3:01:12] Here.

[3:01:13] Since the news broke, I've truly never felt

[3:01:17] more ashamed to call this place home.

[3:01:20] I really I can't accept

[3:01:23] the fact that if this goes through

[3:01:25] while we shop, while we go to school,

[3:01:27] while we spend time with our family, less than a mile away,

[3:01:30] there will be men, women, children kept in cages.

[3:01:34] It's a it will be a failing of the city

[3:01:37] to allow this kind of violence to take root here.

[3:01:41] We all, we know all about the similar facilities

[3:01:44] across the United States.

[3:01:46] Like alligator Alcatraz.

[3:01:48] We know so little of what is actually going on in there,

[3:01:50] but what does come out is truly horrifying.

[3:01:54] We see daily violations of human rights,

[3:01:57] including disappearances of way too many.

[3:02:01] That's the future that awaits.

[3:02:03] Surprise.

[3:02:04] Unless this is fully halted in its tracks.

[3:02:07] This facility will be a stain on this that will never fade.

[3:02:11] I want to be clear that what's needed in this moment

[3:02:13] is not a push for more oversight of the facility,

[3:02:16] or more training for those that will staff it.

[3:02:20] This building cannot be allowed

[3:02:21] to be operational in any capacity.

[3:02:24] To the council members,

[3:02:26] it is up to you to do the utmost to prevent this.

[3:02:29] This building will require municipal utilities.

[3:02:32] It will require frequent contact with public safety workers.

[3:02:36] Police. All of this.

[3:02:38] If it's allowed to happen, it's nothing more than collaboration

[3:02:42] with what is a fascist enterprise.

[3:02:46] So use your imagination.

[3:02:47] If if that fails, I'm sure the people of surprise can vote

[3:02:51] in someone with more creativity and backbone to the people.

[3:02:55] We cannot let the results of this room

[3:02:57] dictate the course of action going forward.

[3:03:00] Our collective imagination

[3:03:02] needs to stretch beyond the four walls of this room.

[3:03:06] This facility cannot become operational.

[3:03:08] There is a moral imperative

[3:03:10] to prevent this by any means necessary.

[3:03:12] Thank you.

[3:03:13] Okay.

[3:03:17] I'm going to call a few more names before you start.

[3:03:19] Hello, sir.

[3:03:20] Sir. One second.

[3:03:21] I'm going to call a few more names before you start.

[3:03:24] Mary Bank, Stephanie Medrano,

[3:03:27] Alexis Young, Sarah Hartman, Susan Anderson.

[3:03:32] Thank you, sir.

[3:03:34] Thank you. Good evening sir.

[3:03:35] My name is Tim Willard, and I live at, Rheims in Tacoma area.

[3:03:41] 69 years old.

[3:03:42] Never spoke before.

[3:03:44] More than about ten people in one place at any time.

[3:03:49] Never been an activist.

[3:03:50] And until about ten months ago, I was never a protester.

[3:03:54] So kind of nervous.

[3:03:58] I just want you to know that I object

[3:04:00] to the lack of transparency that,

[3:04:03] our current federal government.

[3:04:06] They gave us no prior notice.

[3:04:09] They gave you no prior notice, as I understand it.

[3:04:15] This deal was made

[3:04:16] and closed in total secrecy.

[3:04:21] I object to the inhumane

[3:04:23] separation of families,

[3:04:27] often without due process, without reason.

[3:04:31] Other than what?

[3:04:33] Color of skin.

[3:04:35] They don't look American.

[3:04:37] They don't speak American.

[3:04:40] They don't sound American.

[3:04:42] Suspected

[3:04:44] of possible fraud.

[3:04:46] So the fraudster in chief.

[3:04:51] Even Native Americans have been caught up in this.

[3:04:57] I object

[3:04:58] on the grounds that our community infrastructure,

[3:05:01] our water, our sewer,

[3:05:02] our emergency services will likely be strained.

[3:05:06] Let's for a moment imagine

[3:05:10] that, what the so-called president

[3:05:13] and the so-called officials and and cabinet people and

[3:05:18] and his other bureaucrats,

[3:05:21] are telling us is true.

[3:05:24] That the worst of the worst is going to be

[3:05:27] put in this facility.

[3:05:32] This doesn't make any sense to house them, right?

[3:05:37] In a highly populated neighborhood in our community.

[3:05:41] I think not, and I object, and I hope

[3:05:44] and pray that you all object also.

[3:05:49] I urge you, each and individually

[3:05:53] to make your views known on this matter,

[3:05:57] because it's important to know what side of history

[3:06:01] you are on.

[3:06:03] I also urge and demand the each

[3:06:08] and together.

[3:06:11] You move,

[3:06:13] to take any action possible to slow down,

[3:06:17] impede this facility from opening in our community.

[3:06:24] I love surprise.

[3:06:26] I love Arizona.

[3:06:27] I love the USA.

[3:06:30] And in closing.

[3:06:32] No kings, no tyrants, no fascist USA.

[3:06:34] Thank you very much.

[3:06:41] Good evening ma'am.

[3:06:42] Hi, mayor. Council.

[3:06:45] I'm going to just keep this very simple.

[3:06:47] I been a resident of, surprise since 2009.

[3:06:51] Live in Sun City Grand.

[3:06:53] And I just.

[3:06:54] I beg you to try to do something to stop this,

[3:06:57] you know, DHS detention, center.

[3:07:01] The plan to create a concentration camp,

[3:07:03] as far as I'm concerned,

[3:07:04] would would disrupt learning at the dice schools,

[3:07:08] and and it would terrorize the neighborhoods nearby and even

[3:07:13] either beyond and surprise and put fear in surprise.

[3:07:16] We should not have to live in fear.

[3:07:19] I heard I sat through this whole meeting and heard

[3:07:22] that your biggest budget is,

[3:07:25] is safety in this community?

[3:07:27] Please show that that is the case.

[3:07:30] And please try to do something to stop this detention center.

[3:07:34] Thank you.

[3:07:35] Thank you.

[3:07:35] Ma'am, can I have your name, please, ma'am?

[3:07:38] Yeah. Can I have your name, please?

[3:07:40] For the record, it's Nancy Martin.

[3:07:42] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[3:07:45] Good evening.

[3:07:46] Ma'am. Hello.

[3:07:47] Hear me.

[3:07:49] Okay.

[3:07:49] Good evening, mayor and council members.

[3:07:52] My name is Stephanie Medrano.

[3:07:54] I am a lifelong Arizona resident.

[3:07:57] A former elementary school teacher and the daughter

[3:08:00] of a first generation migrant farm worker.

[3:08:04] I'm here tonight because this decision

[3:08:06] is not just about a warehouse.

[3:08:08] It's about who we choose to be as a city and as human beings.

[3:08:13] My father

[3:08:13] worked in the fields of Arizona so that others could eat.

[3:08:17] As a child, he attended a school in Tolleson

[3:08:20] that was legally segregated until the federal court

[3:08:24] ruling of Gonzalez racially forced Arizona to confront

[3:08:28] its discrimination against Mexican-American children.

[3:08:32] He grew up in a system that taught him through law and

[3:08:34] policy.

[3:08:35] His life and his future would be of less significance,

[3:08:38] but he proved them wrong by becoming an educator.

[3:08:42] That history matters today

[3:08:44] because what's being proposed here is not new.

[3:08:47] It's the same injustice repackaged today.

[3:08:51] Instead of segregated schools, they're building

[3:08:53] detention centers instead of open discriminatory laws.

[3:08:57] They hide behind dehumanizing terms like illegal

[3:09:00] aliens and domestic terrorists, which are saturated.

[3:09:03] The media, by this current administration.

[3:09:06] But the outcome is the same.

[3:09:08] The communities of color are criminalized.

[3:09:10] Families are separated, and suffering is turned into profit.

[3:09:16] The Rockefeller group made $70 million in taxpayers

[3:09:20] money are money by facilitating immigrant detention.

[3:09:24] This isn't economic development.

[3:09:26] It's profiting from human pain.

[3:09:29] Any corporation that profits from Ice detention

[3:09:32] is complicit in the harm.

[3:09:34] And any city that allows it shares that responsibility.

[3:09:38] As a former elementary school teacher, I'm

[3:09:41] especially disturbed

[3:09:42] that this facility is so close to the nearby schools.

[3:09:46] As a teacher who has experienced lockdown situations,

[3:09:49] you're giving a set of keys to keep your children safe.

[3:09:53] Children

[3:09:53] deserve safety, stability and freedom to learn,

[3:09:56] not a constant 24 hour ice presence in the neighborhoods.

[3:10:00] No child should fear carry fear into the classroom.

[3:10:06] We know what is.

[3:10:07] Attention brings

[3:10:08] wrongful arrest, abuse, death,

[3:10:10] and total lack of accountability.

[3:10:12] A permanent Ice presence does not make our community safer.

[3:10:16] And no one is safe with this ice.

[3:10:17] And surprise.

[3:10:20] If this facility does move forward,

[3:10:22] it will place an unfair and dangerous burden

[3:10:24] on our local fire, police and EMS departments.

[3:10:28] These are civil servants who chose to serve this community.

[3:10:32] Our neighbors, children and elders not to support

[3:10:35] a federal detention operation designed for profit.

[3:10:39] A 24 over seven detention center will require

[3:10:42] emergency responses that pull resources away

[3:10:45] from surprise residents in crisis and put lives at risk.

[3:10:49] It also

[3:10:50] places civil servants in a compromising position,

[3:10:53] forcing them to choose between their duty

[3:10:55] to their community and involvement

[3:10:57] in a system that causes harm.

[3:10:59] Thank you ma'am.

[3:11:05] I'm going to call a few more names before you begin.

[3:11:07] Collier, Baca, Jonathan,

[3:11:11] Sarah.

[3:11:11] Hartman, Walter.

[3:11:13] Thorndyke, Rich. Manolis.

[3:11:16] Thank you.

[3:11:18] Hello.

[3:11:18] My name is Alexis Courtney Greenway.

[3:11:20] Let's talk to you guys a couple weeks ago.

[3:11:22] I'm here to state clearly, and for the public record,

[3:11:24] this community does not consent

[3:11:26] to an ice concentration camp in the City of Surprise.

[3:11:29] We've all seen the atrocities being carried out by ice.

[3:11:32] The senseless violent violence,

[3:11:34] inhumane practices, and complete disregard for due process.

[3:11:38] These preventable tragedies are happening before our eyes,

[3:11:41] and many more are doubtlessly

[3:11:42] being carried out behind fences and locked doors.

[3:11:46] Federal funding does

[3:11:47] not erase local responsibility.

[3:11:51] The city Council cannot shift

[3:11:53] the consequences of this project on to the federal government.

[3:11:56] The impacts will be felt on a local level.

[3:11:58] We will see increased traffic,

[3:12:00] emergency services and water use.

[3:12:03] The trust broken will be immediate and lasting.

[3:12:06] Residents will be fearful to call for help, report crimes,

[3:12:09] attend schools and participate in local events.

[3:12:13] That fear undermines public safety for everyone.

[3:12:15] But let's be very clear who this harms.

[3:12:18] Most people of color and immigrants

[3:12:21] and migrant families

[3:12:22] are a beautiful and essential part of our community.

[3:12:25] They are our friends, our neighbors, our classmates,

[3:12:28] our coworkers, our small business owners,

[3:12:31] our caregivers, our faith leaders.

[3:12:33] They bring resilience,

[3:12:34] culture, food, music, labor, and love to surprise.

[3:12:38] They strengthen our schools, our economy,

[3:12:41] and our everyday lives.

[3:12:43] A concentration camp sends a message

[3:12:46] that these families are a threat instead of a gift.

[3:12:49] And that message is both false and deeply damaging.

[3:12:53] A city that claims to value families cannot knowingly

[3:12:56] introduce

[3:12:56] a facility that makes families feel unsafe in their own homes.

[3:13:01] We are demanding that this council uses its authority

[3:13:03] to block this project by any means at your disposal,

[3:13:06] and place the opposition of residents clearly

[3:13:08] and unmistakably on the public record.

[3:13:12] No Ice concentration camps in surprise.

[3:13:16] Let me be clear

[3:13:17] this council will not outlast the community on this issue.

[3:13:21] We are organizing.

[3:13:22] We are paying attention.

[3:13:23] We are documenting every vote, every statement, every decision,

[3:13:28] and every attempt to quietly move this forward.

[3:13:32] You answer to us, the people of surprise.

[3:13:35] We are here.

[3:13:36] We are watching. We will continue to show up.

[3:13:39] We will continue to apply pressure

[3:13:41] not only for surprise, but for all of Arizona.

[3:13:44] Do your duty.

[3:13:44] Use your authority.

[3:13:46] Stop this Ice concentration camp.

[3:13:48] All power to the people. Abolish Ice.

[3:13:57] Burning, sir.

[3:13:58] Hey. My name is Jonathan Cook.

[3:14:00] I live off of Grand in Deer Valley.

[3:14:03] Just recently purchased my home.

[3:14:05] Not next to a nice warehouse.

[3:14:07] And it's very disappointing to find that

[3:14:10] that is the future plans for surprise.

[3:14:13] And, my neighborhood is a new.

[3:14:16] The up and coming neighborhood they're building.

[3:14:18] And, I often wake up in the morning to see

[3:14:22] people building houses next to me.

[3:14:24] And, you know, they're not, like, most of us

[3:14:27] here are up there sitting on their, on the chairs.

[3:14:31] We're

[3:14:32] white skinned.

[3:14:34] We don't have to worry about

[3:14:35] getting picked up just because we look a little bit different.

[3:14:38] But, you know,

[3:14:39] when I look outside, my window every morning and seven days

[3:14:43] a week and see who's building my community,

[3:14:48] it's often people who have different color skin.

[3:14:52] And to think that our city is going to be

[3:14:56] the hot spot for a warehouse to store them all

[3:15:01] in, or whatever the plan is for it.

[3:15:05] It's very upsetting to know that that is the future

[3:15:08] of my community.

[3:15:12] The street I live on

[3:15:14] has all families of all

[3:15:17] colors, all backgrounds, and we all get along

[3:15:21] just fine.

[3:15:27] I am very, against

[3:15:31] the the warehouse being used for that.

[3:15:33] And I hope that

[3:15:35] all of you that have a voice that can use it to speak up,

[3:15:40] just like the community

[3:15:41] that is coming here tonight to tell you their concerns

[3:15:45] that you can take your voices to,

[3:15:49] voice your concerns and make something happen,

[3:15:53] whether it slows it down.

[3:15:57] We we need to think about

[3:15:58] the future of surprise and where we're going ahead.

[3:16:01] What's our what's the goal?

[3:16:06] Thank you for your time.

[3:16:11] I'd like to call a few more names.

[3:16:14] Adriana Garcia,

[3:16:16] Andrea Cervantes, Rebecca Murray,

[3:16:20] Connie Adams, William Murphy.

[3:16:23] Thank you, sir.

[3:16:27] Evening, Walter Thorndyke.

[3:16:30] Mister mayor Council.

[3:16:33] I'm a resident of Phoenix.

[3:16:34] And as your neighbor, I'd like to share a story,

[3:16:37] from a local paper in cold water, Michigan,

[3:16:40] dated to the 9th of April, 1945.

[3:16:45] It tells how the U.S.

[3:16:47] Army, under General Patton, the U.S.

[3:16:49] Third Army, came on to what you might call

[3:16:51] a detention center

[3:16:53] just outside the village of Order of Germany.

[3:16:57] The U.S.

[3:16:57] Army brought the leading citizens of order

[3:17:00] to tour the facility,

[3:17:01] which turned out to be part of the book

[3:17:03] and world network of concentration camps.

[3:17:07] A U.S.

[3:17:07] Army colonel told the German civilians, who viewed the scenes

[3:17:11] without muttering a word that they were to blame.

[3:17:16] One of the Germans replied that what happened in the camp was,

[3:17:20] quote, done by a few people, and you cannot blame us all.

[3:17:25] And the American,

[3:17:26] who could have been any one of our grandfathers, said

[3:17:30] this was done by those that the German people chose

[3:17:34] to lead them, and all are responsible.

[3:17:39] The morning after the tour,

[3:17:41] the mayor of Order of killed himself,

[3:17:45] and maybe he did not know

[3:17:47] the full extent of the outrages

[3:17:49] that were committed in his community, but he knew enough.

[3:17:55] And we don't know exactly how Ice will use this warehouse.

[3:17:59] But we know enough.

[3:18:03] I ask you to consider

[3:18:04] what the mayor of Order of might have thought before he died.

[3:18:09] Maybe he felt like a victim.

[3:18:12] He might have thought.

[3:18:13] How is this my fault? I had no jurisdiction over this site.

[3:18:17] Maybe he

[3:18:18] would have said this site was not subject to local zoning.

[3:18:21] What could I do?

[3:18:23] But I think when he reflected

[3:18:26] on the suffering that occurred at this camp

[3:18:29] just outside of town, that those words would have sounded

[3:18:32] hollow even to him,

[3:18:35] because in his heart he knew as we do,

[3:18:38] that we are all responsible for what happens in our community.

[3:18:42] And I urge the council to take action, to stop

[3:18:45] or stall, or at the barest minimum,

[3:18:48] to think creatively

[3:18:49] about how to exercise oversight over

[3:18:51] this proposed Ice facility.

[3:18:53] Thank you. Sir.

[3:19:03] Good evening.

[3:19:05] Mayor and council members.

[3:19:07] My name is Richmond Ellis.

[3:19:09] I live near the intersection of Grand and Sunrise,

[3:19:13] and I'm here to talk briefly about my concerns

[3:19:16] about this Ice facility and to do my best

[3:19:19] to increase your motivation to do whatever is necessary.

[3:19:23] As me, my previous speakers have said to find a way

[3:19:28] to get rid of this,

[3:19:30] construction.

[3:19:31] It's an immoral,

[3:19:33] unAmerican.

[3:19:35] I see, Trump two as focused.

[3:19:39] It's it's methods.

[3:19:41] By disrespecting the rule of law

[3:19:44] and, which is terrible and even more terrible.

[3:19:48] Big treat humans, with no compassion.

[3:19:51] No, no humanity, even if they're no matter if they're

[3:19:55] members of of, of our of our citizenry or immigrants.

[3:19:59] This is this is unacceptable because it's un-American.

[3:20:03] And so,

[3:20:05] you know, all I can say to you is that do your best.

[3:20:08] Go beyond what you think you could do.

[3:20:11] Find a way to to,

[3:20:14] decrease the probability or eliminate

[3:20:17] the building of this institution.

[3:20:20] You know, a comment I learned later on in early life

[3:20:24] where there's a will, there's a way.

[3:20:27] I hope you have the will find a way.

[3:20:30] And even citizens could help you form committees if necessary.

[3:20:34] Gather evidence. We gotta.

[3:20:37] We gotta get rid of this.

[3:20:39] Thank you very much for your time.

[3:20:47] I'd like to call a few more names before we start again.

[3:20:49] Tammy Hall,

[3:20:51] Dana Strickland,

[3:20:54] Mary Hendrick, Sarah Cleveland.

[3:20:57] Jason went.

[3:20:59] Thank you.

[3:21:01] Hello.

[3:21:01] Mayor, council and city staff.

[3:21:04] My name is Adriana Garcia,

[3:21:06] and I'm a longtime resident of the West Valley

[3:21:08] and a member of Organized Power in Numbers.

[3:21:11] I watched in horror, like many of us.

[3:21:15] The constant violence that Ice has inflicted on communities

[3:21:18] and on people, regardless of their immigration status.

[3:21:21] The recent murder of Alex Brady, an ICU nurse,

[3:21:25] is a clear result of escalating violence.

[3:21:28] Let's be clear

[3:21:30] the only ones who win by having this concentration

[3:21:32] camp in our community are mega-corporations

[3:21:35] that the administration has given sweetheart deals to.

[3:21:38] Like the Rockefeller Group, they received 70,000,070 million

[3:21:43] of our taxpayer dollars with no transparency.

[3:21:46] The federal government is telling

[3:21:48] the residents a surprise and this governing body

[3:21:51] that they don't care what this community actually needs.

[3:21:54] The federal government

[3:21:55] then not consult with you nor give you notice of its plans.

[3:21:59] The mayor and council should know

[3:22:00] and have a say on what happens in the city.

[3:22:03] That is what you were elected to do.

[3:22:06] You know better than Washington

[3:22:07] what's happening here and what's good for your city.

[3:22:11] Bringing that attention to the detention center,

[3:22:14] to the doorstep

[3:22:14] doorstep of students and residents

[3:22:17] is a danger to this community.

[3:22:19] I doubt that the young people,

[3:22:21] like the ones who presented today,

[3:22:23] in the nearby high schools, want a detention center

[3:22:26] that might hold their friends or family members in it.

[3:22:29] Mayor, council and city manager.

[3:22:31] You all have a moral responsibility

[3:22:33] and a fiduciary duty

[3:22:35] to not allow this detention center in your city.

[3:22:38] The federal government's property will be tax exempt,

[3:22:41] will be costly to your city

[3:22:42] through the infrastructure changes needed,

[3:22:45] and will be a drain on resources,

[3:22:46] including fire and police cities across the country.

[3:22:50] Both Republican and Democrat led

[3:22:53] are recognizing the danger of these detention facilities

[3:22:56] and barring them from opening up and denying, permitting

[3:22:59] and utilities surprised can take action to,

[3:23:02] like other folks here have said, a thousand people,

[3:23:07] not just the folks in the chambers,

[3:23:08] but the people who are in overflow.

[3:23:10] And all the people protesting

[3:23:11] outside came out against this on very short notice.

[3:23:16] We aren't going anywhere, and we will continue to demand

[3:23:19] that you shut down this plan. Thank you for your time.

[3:23:28] Good evening or good evening.

[3:23:30] Hello, mayor, Council and city staff.

[3:23:33] My name is Andrea

[3:23:33] Luna and I'm a member with organized power in numbers.

[3:23:37] I'm here tonight with working

[3:23:38] people who keep our cities running.

[3:23:40] People from different backgrounds are gathered

[3:23:42] here in the City of Surprise to deliver one clear message.

[3:23:46] This facility must never be used as a detention center.

[3:23:50] The Rockefeller group is cashing in $70 million,

[3:23:54] leaving our community to deal with the consequences.

[3:23:57] This isn't just another real estate deal.

[3:23:59] It's a deliberate choice

[3:24:01] to bring a permanent

[3:24:02] federal detention center into our backyard.

[3:24:05] And to add insult to injury.

[3:24:06] It's our own taxpayer

[3:24:08] funds that are funding this human suffering.

[3:24:12] If this detention center is built, that would mean

[3:24:15] 1500 people who live, work, worship

[3:24:18] and raise families in Arizona could be held here out of sight,

[3:24:22] behind walls, under an agency with a record of abuse,

[3:24:26] neglect and wrongful detention.

[3:24:29] When corporations profit from ISIS violence,

[3:24:32] they are complicit in what follows.

[3:24:34] Shame on you,

[3:24:35] Rockefeller Group, for putting people in danger

[3:24:38] just to make money off our backs.

[3:24:40] And let's talk about what happens for supplies.

[3:24:43] What does this mean for us?

[3:24:44] This warehouse

[3:24:45] is close to our high school and nearby elementary schools.

[3:24:49] Having ice presence will create fear and disrupt living.

[3:24:52] And really drawback,

[3:24:53] you know, the usage

[3:24:54] of those parks and events you all just shared.

[3:24:57] It will also strain city resources

[3:24:59] when we should be investing in our community.

[3:25:01] No one is safer

[3:25:03] because the detention center moves next door.

[3:25:06] And this is a question of local governance.

[3:25:08] If the federal government can override surprise laws,

[3:25:11] what does that mean for local control?

[3:25:13] You're going to let the federal government just do that to you.

[3:25:16] It is

[3:25:17] not enough for you to say that this is out of your control.

[3:25:20] Your residents deserve a clear position from this council.

[3:25:23] Your responsibility is to the people of surprise.

[3:25:26] You must publicly denounce

[3:25:28] the use of this facility for immigrant detention.

[3:25:31] Maryland just passed a bill to prohibit using structure

[3:25:34] from operating as an immigration detention facility.

[3:25:37] If it was not meant for people.

[3:25:39] Let's follow in their footsteps.

[3:25:41] Working people built this city.

[3:25:44] We won't allow it to become a site of detention

[3:25:46] and trauma for someone else's profit.

[3:25:49] We must put people over profit

[3:25:52] workers over billionaires.

[3:25:55] Thank you.

[3:26:02] Thank you.

[3:26:03] Good evening sir. Good evening mayor.

[3:26:05] City Council may begin by saying my name is William Murphree.

[3:26:10] I reside with my wife at 15626 North 159th Lane.

[3:26:15] Surprised. Arizona.

[3:26:17] That is in Congressional District nine.

[3:26:21] Legislative district 29.

[3:26:24] City of surprised.

[3:26:25] District Council five.

[3:26:27] Not the biggest, just the best.

[3:26:28] Jack. So,

[3:26:32] your staff

[3:26:34] came here tonight to say.

[3:26:36] Mayor like you, I took an oath of office many, many years ago.

[3:26:42] You see about this globe and anchor that I have on my hat.

[3:26:45] Nobody has

[3:26:47] removed me from that oath of office.

[3:26:51] In my lifetime, I have dealt with most.

[3:26:54] I've been around and introduced to most police agencies

[3:26:58] across the country, including Secret Service.

[3:27:02] What I have never had to deal with.

[3:27:05] Well, let me just pause for a moment

[3:27:07] and say, when I came to the City Hall tonight,

[3:27:10] surprise police department was on the front door.

[3:27:12] How did I know that

[3:27:14] they had their badges?

[3:27:15] Big smiles. Blue uniforms.

[3:27:17] Come on in.

[3:27:18] Welcome to Democracy in Action.

[3:27:22] But what I have never had to deal with

[3:27:25] was a black SUV pulling up beside me.

[3:27:28] Somebody.

[3:27:29] And something that looked like that was a Halloween outfit.

[3:27:33] Jump out and say I'm a law enforcement officer.

[3:27:37] I say, oh yeah, where's your badge?

[3:27:40] He doesn't have one.

[3:27:42] So the city of Surprised does not need

[3:27:44] nor want.

[3:27:47] Ice in this community.

[3:27:49] We don't need them.

[3:27:50] We have a fine police department.

[3:27:52] We have federal partners.

[3:27:55] I'm really disappointed at the

[3:27:57] lack of transparency from our federal partners.

[3:28:01] And I live in, as I told you, condensed Congressional District

[3:28:04] nine, I have contacted my representative

[3:28:08] and got no answer.

[3:28:10] Frustration, frustration, frustration.

[3:28:13] And it

[3:28:15] just appalling to have.

[3:28:18] Honorable Purple Heart

[3:28:21] discharge veterans, purple Heart recipients.

[3:28:25] Honorable D.D.

[3:28:26] 2014 snatched up and deported.

[3:28:29] Now that don't bother me.

[3:28:31] You know I'm mad.

[3:28:31] They won't do that to me.

[3:28:34] But this last answer that happened in Minnesota.

[3:28:37] And I'll be brief, Mr., mayor,

[3:28:41] caused me to pause and say,

[3:28:44] what would I do if I saw something like that happen?

[3:28:47] I've been known to get involved when I get involved again.

[3:28:51] So I have a quick question and I'll sit down.

[3:28:54] You guys, are you folks on that panel?

[3:28:56] And city staff know your job?

[3:28:57] I don't have to tell you what it is.

[3:28:59] My question to you is, what can we do to help?

[3:29:01] What can we do to help you make sure

[3:29:04] the word goes out of this place tonight?

[3:29:07] Not here, not now, not ever. Ice.

[3:29:11] No ice. Detention. No Gestapo.

[3:29:14] None of that B.S.

[3:29:16] in the city is the price.

[3:29:21] Because.

[3:29:25] I'd like to call a few more names before you start.

[3:29:27] Hold on one second. Chris, you.

[3:29:28] Thank you for your service, sir.

[3:29:34] Sir, thank you for your service.

[3:29:37] Thank you. Mayor.

[3:29:38] Thank each and everyone who served.

[3:29:39] Thank you.

[3:29:45] Little Rudolph, a couple names, please.

[3:29:47] She's already some names.

[3:29:48] Go ahead.

[3:29:50] Ronald.

[3:29:50] Feltner, Tony Rosenberger, Shelley Smith,

[3:29:56] Sebastian de Portillo, Evelyn Castillo.

[3:30:00] Thank you. Thank you.

[3:30:04] Good evening.

[3:30:04] Mayor. And council members.

[3:30:06] My name is Rebecca Murray.

[3:30:08] I do not live in surprise,

[3:30:09] but I am very close to the water,

[3:30:11] so I feel that this directly impacts me as well.

[3:30:14] Additionally, I am a Arizona local.

[3:30:17] I've lived here for all 41 years of my life

[3:30:19] in the Phoenix metro area, and I take great pride in that.

[3:30:23] I am here to urge you to do everything that you possibly can

[3:30:27] in your power to stop ice from setting up and operating.

[3:30:31] There are 1500 bed prison camp in our communities.

[3:30:35] Not only will it disrupt

[3:30:36] the safety and unity of our neighborhoods.

[3:30:38] It will also send the message

[3:30:40] that the city supports the separation of families

[3:30:43] and the unlawful detention of our communities.

[3:30:48] As I've watched the horror unfold in Minnesota, I think

[3:30:50] I'm in good company stating we are all horror struck by.

[3:30:55] Excuse me, I'm so sorry.

[3:30:57] By the large loss of life that we're seeing at ISIS hands.

[3:31:01] I also feel confident that if we do nothing to stop

[3:31:04] this detention center

[3:31:05] being created

[3:31:06] and stop the increased presence of officers in our communities,

[3:31:09] we will soon mirror the chaos, terror

[3:31:12] and danger that is ever present in our citizens lives.

[3:31:15] Now is a perfect time to take a stand

[3:31:17] and show communities you support,

[3:31:19] that you truly support their best interest and safety,

[3:31:23] that you won't idly

[3:31:23] stand by as fascism digs its claws deeper into our society,

[3:31:27] and that you will do everything in your power

[3:31:29] to protect the people who have entrusted you with this power.

[3:31:33] If nothing else moves you, remember the economic hit

[3:31:36] Arizona took after ten b SB 1070.

[3:31:39] This will be much worse.

[3:31:41] Yeah, I respectfully ask that you consider the long term

[3:31:44] consequences and how history will undoubtedly view you

[3:31:48] when everyone is against this. Thank you for your time.

[3:31:56] Good evening ma'am.

[3:32:01] Good evening,

[3:32:02] mayor, council members and fellow residents.

[3:32:06] My name is Cammy Hall, and my cross streets are grand

[3:32:09] and Remes.

[3:32:11] I have lived in our community for about seven years.

[3:32:15] I'm here tonight because I care deeply

[3:32:16] about the future of our city

[3:32:18] and the quality of life for everyone who calls it home.

[3:32:22] I'm here to address the proposed Ice detention center.

[3:32:25] My family and I do not want a detention facility.

[3:32:28] And surprise.

[3:32:30] Every day, families and children navigate these areas.

[3:32:34] And without proper

[3:32:35] safety measures, we're putting them at unnecessary risk.

[3:32:39] I am concerned about the lack of water and sewer capacity

[3:32:42] to transform a warehouse into a detention site.

[3:32:46] We need to require transparency about how this facility

[3:32:49] will operate and affect our community.

[3:32:52] I demand that we

[3:32:54] have impact reviews for the environment, traffic,

[3:32:58] public safety and infrastructure.

[3:33:02] This city has been growing beautifully.

[3:33:04] I have been proud to live here

[3:33:06] and proud to invite others to enjoy and experience

[3:33:09] what this community has to offer.

[3:33:12] I a detention center is not a business

[3:33:15] that will stay and help our community.

[3:33:17] It is not a business that will respect our rights as citizens.

[3:33:21] It will not bring people

[3:33:22] to help our community grow and better itself.

[3:33:25] This type of business will only bring us down

[3:33:28] with negative views

[3:33:30] and policies that breed violence and tear families apart.

[3:33:34] This is not a business with a positive future.

[3:33:37] The type of business,

[3:33:38] this type of business has a terrible track record.

[3:33:41] The ACLU American Civil Liberties Union

[3:33:45] report that detained immigrants, detailed physical abuse,

[3:33:49] sexual abuse, medical neglect and intimidation to self-deport.

[3:33:54] Deaths are reported at these facilities.

[3:33:57] Can we support a business?

[3:33:59] And yes, it is a big business.

[3:34:02] $70 million business.

[3:34:04] Where were people?

[3:34:05] Where people are caged.

[3:34:07] Literally caged in our backyard cages.

[3:34:13] Surprise can refuse to fund or partner

[3:34:17] with private detention operators for city contracts.

[3:34:20] We can deter this facility from going forward with building

[3:34:23] permits and regulations.

[3:34:26] Can we require,

[3:34:29] adequate, adequate food, adequate water,

[3:34:31] adequate medical care, mental health care?

[3:34:35] They should.

[3:34:37] They should be allowed religious counsel.

[3:34:39] We should require citizen representatives to have access

[3:34:42] to the detainees to assure their needs are met as humans.

[3:34:48] Detainees should be allowed access to lawyers and family.

[3:34:51] They should be allowed phone calls

[3:34:52] at the time of detention and of release.

[3:34:54] They just dump people out on the street.

[3:34:56] Could be 120.

[3:35:00] They should be allowed phone calls.

[3:35:02] They should be allowed work release

[3:35:03] if they're in for more than 72 hours.

[3:35:05] No call, no show.

[3:35:07] You get fired.

[3:35:08] Your family doesn't have an income.

[3:35:11] They need to be accounted for.

[3:35:13] No disappearances.

[3:35:15] I believe the federal government is putting our community

[3:35:18] at risk of physical, emotional, and financial harm.

[3:35:21] I believe our local government

[3:35:22] has a responsibility to act in every way.

[3:35:26] They have available authority.

[3:35:29] According to the national news reports, members of communities

[3:35:32] are being erroneously detained.

[3:35:34] People with citizenship.

[3:35:35] And thank you very much.

[3:35:37] I believe we can do better.

[3:35:39] Ma'am, can I have your name, please, ma'am?

[3:35:42] Can I have your name, please? Cammy Hall.

[3:35:43] Thank you.

[3:35:45] Thank

[3:35:47] Christ.

[3:35:48] Good evening, ma'am. Evening.

[3:35:50] Good name.

[3:35:50] Good evening, mayor and council members.

[3:35:53] My name is Mary Hendricks.

[3:35:55] I've lived in surprise for eight years.

[3:36:01] This is hard.

[3:36:05] And I don't know what to do with this.

[3:36:08] This makes me terrified every day.

[3:36:10] And I.

[3:36:13] Listening to everybody else

[3:36:14] speak so eloquently.

[3:36:18] It's been very, very good point.

[3:36:21] And please listen to them.

[3:36:24] Do anything and everything you can to not bring this

[3:36:27] to our community.

[3:36:37] Sorry.

[3:36:37] Excuse me.

[3:36:38] It is absolutely terrifying.

[3:36:43] Even going to work.

[3:36:45] Seen a dark vehicle

[3:36:47] blacked out.

[3:36:50] I work in

[3:36:52] areas where there's high

[3:36:55] populations of

[3:36:58] all kinds of immigrants.

[3:37:00] They all make this country beautiful.

[3:37:08] I'm just terrified.

[3:37:09] And I don't know what to do anymore.

[3:37:11] Please do anything and everything you can

[3:37:14] to not bring this to our community.

[3:37:15] We won't survive it.

[3:37:18] It's not good for us.

[3:37:21] Thank you.

[3:37:22] Thank you.

[3:37:27] I'd like to call a few more names.

[3:37:29] Okay.

[3:37:31] I'm Clara with

[3:37:32] Gary Allison, Anthony Robinson,

[3:37:36] Nancy blazing came Jacqueline Jimenez.

[3:37:39] Thank you.

[3:37:41] Good evening, ma'am. Thank you, Mr.

[3:37:42] Mayor and council members. Thank you for your time.

[3:37:44] My name is Shelley Smith.

[3:37:46] I'm a ten year resident of Grand near Sunrise and Bell.

[3:37:50] I'm here tonight due to the recent purchase,

[3:37:52] by DHS of the where? Warehouse on die.

[3:37:54] Of course,

[3:37:55] while I understand that our corrupt federal government

[3:37:57] chose not to communicate

[3:37:59] with local government about this purchase,

[3:38:01] and that the Supremacy Clause in the Constitution may apply.

[3:38:04] I also believe that

[3:38:05] now is not the time to rapidly raise our hands in the air

[3:38:08] and surrender.

[3:38:09] And that's kind of how I took your statement

[3:38:11] from the city as a big surrender.

[3:38:13] We can't stand by and let the ice thuggery into our community.

[3:38:17] So the city must take all action

[3:38:21] The city has full control

[3:38:23] over providing sewer services and can withhold those services.

[3:38:27] They can't operate a facility without sewer.

[3:38:29] What about environmental impacts?

[3:38:31] Has a study been completed?

[3:38:33] It's time to be creative and to be leaders.

[3:38:36] Does the city have leverage over vendor contracts

[3:38:39] for private agencies

[3:38:40] that may be contracted to run the facility?

[3:38:43] You all know better than I do.

[3:38:45] What your areas of leverage are.

[3:38:47] And I ask you to use those.

[3:38:49] The bottom line, please stand behind your citizens.

[3:38:52] We don't want this in our community.

[3:38:54] And as a city council, if you don't do everything

[3:38:56] in your power to stop it, you're all complicit

[3:38:59] in supporting the Trump regime's violent deportation processes.

[3:39:03] They are not just detaining violent criminals.

[3:39:07] They are detaining many hard citizens who live and work

[3:39:10] amongst us and have no criminal records.

[3:39:13] A felon president is behind the violence and murder of U.S.

[3:39:17] citizens by Ice agents.

[3:39:19] And this facility puts us all in danger,

[3:39:21] including the students in the nearby schools.

[3:39:25] So I have just a moment more,

[3:39:27] and I just want to thank the local,

[3:39:29] surprise police department for helping us

[3:39:31] stay safe during the protests on Saturday.

[3:39:33] Thank you very much.

[3:39:40] Good evening, sir.

[3:39:42] Good evening, Mayor and council.

[3:39:45] Thank you for allowing this space to happen on hearing

[3:39:48] from your constituents.

[3:39:49] My name is, Sarah Sanders Portillo.

[3:39:52] An organizer with organized power and numbers.

[3:39:54] We have members all over the valley,

[3:39:56] including a lot of members here in surprise, members

[3:39:59] who are appalled that this this warehouse will be used as,

[3:40:04] an actual concentration camp for working families who are

[3:40:07] being scapegoated and targeted by this fascist administration.

[3:40:12] This council right here has the responsibility

[3:40:14] to do everything in its power,

[3:40:17] so that this concentration camp does not open.

[3:40:20] Working class

[3:40:21] immigrant families

[3:40:22] are being kidnaped, brutalized, and they're being killed.

[3:40:26] Also that companies can profit from the system.

[3:40:29] The billionaire class is the real beneficiary

[3:40:33] from these state sanctioned killings, these abductions,

[3:40:37] these assaults all over the country.

[3:40:39] That's why there were over

[3:40:40] a thousand people here today protesting outside.

[3:40:44] Really enraged.

[3:40:45] And they're speaking to you,

[3:40:47] and they're speaking out right now.

[3:40:49] The seller of this warehouse, Rockefeller Group,

[3:40:52] sold it for a whopping $70 million.

[3:40:55] They got a cash payment from DHS.

[3:40:59] That was our money.

[3:41:01] Our money is being used.

[3:41:03] Let's really think about this.

[3:41:04] To imprison innocent working people.

[3:41:06] Not to mention

[3:41:07] all the tens of millions of dollars

[3:41:08] that are going to go to the contractors

[3:41:10] to run this, this concentration camp.

[3:41:13] There is no public process, no public input,

[3:41:16] no consideration with the residents.

[3:41:18] Obviously, on this project.

[3:41:21] It's going to be a huge cost to the city and its resources,

[3:41:24] and it's going to allow and allowing this to move forward

[3:41:28] will just put residents at risk, not only because it's going to

[3:41:32] suck up resources,

[3:41:34] increase wait times for first first responders

[3:41:37] and emergencies, but also all the shit that Ice

[3:41:41] is going to create in the community.

[3:41:43] It's only a matter of time until Ice residents

[3:41:46] here are brutalized by ice.

[3:41:49] All of us here have had to bear witness to all of the murders

[3:41:53] online, which have been horrible for all of us to watch.

[3:41:56] This agency should be nowhere near communities.

[3:42:00] Nowhere near our youth and our children.

[3:42:02] And in fact, that shouldn't exist at all.

[3:42:05] So the demands are pretty clear.

[3:42:08] You need to publicly denounce

[3:42:10] the use of this concentration camp.

[3:42:13] The City of surprise,

[3:42:15] and its attorney must outline their position

[3:42:17] regarding whether the federal government

[3:42:19] has the authority to override city zoning laws.

[3:42:22] And while you may not have all been involved in the purchase,

[3:42:25] not doing anything about this will make you complicit in sets

[3:42:29] and facilitating this

[3:42:30] unimaginable cruelty that's going to go on there.

[3:42:33] So in the most literal way right

[3:42:34] now, doing something to stop that, to stop this is up to you.

[3:42:38] Thank you.

[3:42:44] Good evening.

[3:42:45] Good evening, mayor and city council members.

[3:42:48] My name is Evelyn Castillo.

[3:42:49] I'm also an organizer with organized power numbers.

[3:42:53] We have many members who are rooted in this community.

[3:42:55] And they,

[3:42:56] along with their neighbors, are deeply alarmed and outraged

[3:42:59] by what is happening here.

[3:43:00] And surprise,

[3:43:01] the sale of this warehouse to Ice for immigrant detention

[3:43:04] is not a neutral business decision.

[3:43:07] It is an immoral one, and it sends a clear message

[3:43:10] that profit is being placed above human dignity

[3:43:13] and above the well-being of this community.

[3:43:16] Like you've heard numerous times,

[3:43:18] this facility is dangerously close

[3:43:20] to a local high school and nearby elementary schools.

[3:43:23] Children should be thinking about their dreams and future,

[3:43:26] not growing up in the shadow of a detention center.

[3:43:30] A permanent Ice presence threatens students safety and

[3:43:33] disrupts learning, and exposes children to the traumatic

[3:43:36] a potentially violent ice encounters.

[3:43:39] That alone should make this development unacceptable.

[3:43:43] Community members are already struggling.

[3:43:45] They are worried about the lack of housing,

[3:43:47] rising rents, inaccessible health care

[3:43:50] and the daily reality of economic hardship.

[3:43:53] Adding an Ice detention center does nothing to address

[3:43:57] these needs and problems.

[3:43:58] It deepens them.

[3:44:00] It diverts public attention and resources towards incarceration

[3:44:05] while our community's real needs go unmet.

[3:44:08] If you allow this to proceed, you are choosing complicity.

[3:44:12] We demand that this council

[3:44:13] publicly denounce immigrant detention

[3:44:16] and that you stand

[3:44:17] with the people of surprise, not corporations, not Ice.

[3:44:21] I'm sure we're all exhausted and tired,

[3:44:23] but it doesn't matter, because if nothing is done,

[3:44:27] we will be back and we will continue to show up.

[3:44:30] So choose people over profit and the billionaires.

[3:44:39] Good evening sir.

[3:44:40] Thank you for this opportunity and your attention.

[3:44:46] My name is Tony Rosenberger.

[3:44:49] I've enjoyed retiring.

[3:44:50] And. Surprise.

[3:44:52] Close to the cross streets, North Stadium

[3:44:54] way and Bell.

[3:44:57] What Putin does with despotism.

[3:45:01] Trump does with corruption.

[3:45:04] We don't want his corrupt ice.

[3:45:07] We don't want his detention.

[3:45:09] Gulag.

[3:45:12] Surprise!

[3:45:14] I retire to pickleball courts,

[3:45:17] swimming pools and a gulag next.

[3:45:27] Good evening ma'am.

[3:45:28] Good evening.

[3:45:30] My name is Dana Strickland.

[3:45:31] I've lived in surprise since 2009.

[3:45:33] I'm a disabled veteran, a mental health

[3:45:35] professional, and a two small businesses.

[3:45:39] I'm speaking today with an urgency and conviction

[3:45:42] that all of you oppose the proposed.

[3:45:46] I concentration camp because that's what it is,

[3:45:50] not just because of the proximity to schools,

[3:45:52] parks, children's activities

[3:45:55] and all of the things that defin

[3:45:59] with our families,

[3:46:01] because across the country is facilities,

[3:46:04] very loose air, quotes and enforcement actions

[3:46:06] have not been isolated policy decisions.

[3:46:10] They've produced documented deaths,

[3:46:12] egregious human rights violations and trauma

[3:46:15] to the people in custody

[3:46:16] and the families that they're being torn away from

[3:46:20] in 2025, more than 30 people that we know of.

[3:46:24] And I attached a PDF with their names

[3:46:26] and the circumstances of their deaths

[3:46:27] and my request to speak.

[3:46:29] So you have it.

[3:46:31] So more than 30 people that we know of

[3:46:34] died in these camps, and that doesn't include

[3:46:38] the people who were kidnaped and taken to Alligator Alcatraz

[3:46:42] because we don't have that information.

[3:46:46] So these are the known deaths.

[3:46:47] Just in 2025, it was the deadliest year for ice on record

[3:46:51] in at least a decade.

[3:46:54] These deaths are tied to systemic racism,

[3:46:57] abuse and neglect, inadequate medical care, poor

[3:47:00] inhumane conditions, and lack of transparency.

[3:47:03] These are not accidents

[3:47:05] in any way, shape or form in multiple cities.

[3:47:09] Ice operations, including horizon raids and enforcement

[3:47:13] near schools and homes, have fractured.

[3:47:16] The sense of safety

[3:47:17] that education play in communities should provide.

[3:47:20] Schools are supposed to be safe havens.

[3:47:24] These policies

[3:47:27] and just the outright fascist actions

[3:47:32] of the government.

[3:47:35] Are upending our communities.

[3:47:39] People are fearful of going to school,

[3:47:42] of going to work, of going to school

[3:47:45] just in the community and living their lives

[3:47:47] and they shouldn't have to be.

[3:47:49] Educators and mental health professionals have reported

[3:47:53] that immigration enforcement centers near the schools creates

[3:47:56] anxiety, depression, disrupted learning for students

[3:47:59] whose families live in fear of detention and separation.

[3:48:03] Communities that have lived in detention centers nearby

[3:48:05] describe a chilling psychological effect,

[3:48:07] with constant reminders of families being ripped apart.

[3:48:11] Fears of being killed in the streets.

[3:48:14] And it should not happen.

[3:48:18] I have more, but what I will say

[3:48:19] is that not just for the sake of our children,

[3:48:21] our communities and our families,

[3:48:23] but for the moral integrity of this city in this state.

[3:48:27] I am strongly urging you to outright reject this proposal,

[3:48:31] to stop it from happening, and to use

[3:48:32] every bit of your power and privilege to do it.

[3:48:34] I know that we're paying attention,

[3:48:36] and that ultimately, you will all be held accountable

[3:48:39] for what side of history you choose to be on.

[3:48:46] Before you start, ma'am, I'm going to cost more names, okay.

[3:48:49] Thank you for your service as well, ma'am.

[3:48:51] Elaina Thomas, Jeffrey.

[3:48:54] Smith. Brittany Burback.

[3:48:56] Jemison. Holley. Roxanna Catlett.

[3:48:59] Thank you.

[3:49:01] Good evening.

[3:49:03] I know you must be tired, and I appreciate you listening

[3:49:07] to the mayor, the vice mayor and the city council members.

[3:49:13] I just recently retired from teaching,

[3:49:16] and my husband and I, he taught high school

[3:49:20] English and speech and debate, and I taught kindergarten.

[3:49:23] And in June, we moved away from Bullhead City

[3:49:26] in the Mojave Desert to live where we believed

[3:49:29] we could experience a beautiful garden city.

[3:49:34] We crawled out of the dust in the scorching wind,

[3:49:37] hot moon to live in Paradise.

[3:49:41] And now we have this Trump Army

[3:49:44] concentration camp built in our Paradise.

[3:49:49] It reminds me of a cattle slaughterhouse

[3:49:52] that was being considered

[3:49:54] in Junction City, Kansas, another beautiful garden city,

[3:49:57] and the people fought against it

[3:49:59] because they knew if they didn't, they would reek

[3:50:02] like the cattle yards of Fort Worth and Dodge City.

[3:50:06] And it reminds me of Auschwitz, quite frankly.

[3:50:10] We are all very kind people.

[3:50:12] We're all very considerate.

[3:50:14] We help our communities. We love each other.

[3:50:17] We've been listening to people after people express

[3:50:20] their love for each other and for this community

[3:50:23] and the people of this tiny Polish city called,

[3:50:26] I can't pronounce it.

[3:50:28] Oh, why yes I am.

[3:50:32] They loved their parks and recreation, too.

[3:50:35] And in 1939 it was annexed by the Nazi Germany

[3:50:38] and its name was changed to Auschwitz.

[3:50:43] Those people, although they were aware

[3:50:45] of the network of concentration camps

[3:50:47] being built close by and in their town,

[3:50:49] and they saw the smoke

[3:50:50] every single day they choose to look away.

[3:50:53] And after 7 million Jews and others deemed unwanted

[3:50:58] and marginalized and different were confined and disappeared,

[3:51:03] the people of that beautiful garden city were forced

[3:51:06] to look at what they had ignored.

[3:51:09] I had a very good friend named Eva Schloss,

[3:51:12] who's survived Birkenau, and she was the stepsister

[3:51:16] of Anne Frank, and she spent her life

[3:51:18] warning the world that this could happen again.

[3:51:21] And it's happening again.

[3:51:23] I will not ignore this detention center and this camp

[3:51:26] that is going to sit in our garden city and kill it.

[3:51:31] The city Council gave doesn't have to give them water.

[3:51:34] You don't have to give them electricity

[3:51:36] or air conditioning or sewage.

[3:51:38] Just make it a hot box that no one can work in

[3:51:41] and they'll go away.

[3:51:43] If the current Adminis Space Station administration,

[3:51:46] excuse me,

[3:51:47] needs a large building to contain people

[3:51:49] and separate them from their loved ones.

[3:51:50] They've got a huge $400 million ball room to put them in.

[3:51:59] They bought

[3:52:00] they bought this trench Trump concentration camp,

[3:52:04] not for $70 million, but for 30 pieces of silver.

[3:52:08] Thank you ma'am.

[3:52:09] Thank you ma'am, can I have your name, please, ma'am?

[3:52:13] Ma'am, can I have your name, please?

[3:52:15] Clara woods. Okay. Thank you.

[3:52:17] Sure. Can.

[3:52:18] Claro w I fell Rome and,

[3:52:22] my stadium went all right.

[3:52:25] And she.

[3:52:28] Good evening, sir.

[3:52:29] Good evening.

[3:52:30] Mayor and and, city council members.

[3:52:36] I've been watching,

[3:52:39] these speakers and, so far, I've noticed

[3:52:42] there were only two that

[3:52:44] that were for this facility.

[3:52:48] So that should tell you something.

[3:52:53] This warehouse was purchased by the Department

[3:52:55] of Homeland Security on January 23rd

[3:52:59] for $1,770 million, at the expense of taxpayers,

[3:53:04] without informing the city of this transaction.

[3:53:07] This lawless federal government made this purchase in secret

[3:53:11] in order to avoid public scrutiny.

[3:53:15] This is a prison like processing center with schools and parks

[3:53:20] nearby placed in residential area.

[3:53:23] No public hearing until now

[3:53:26] after the purchase has already been made.

[3:53:29] If this goes through, it will reduce property values.

[3:53:32] Local businesses will suffer

[3:53:34] and children will stay home from school for fear of them

[3:53:37] and their parents being arrested and separated and detained

[3:53:41] or deported.

[3:53:43] We have

[3:53:43] all been seeing the lawlessness and arrests with no due process

[3:53:47] in other states by these masked, wearing thugs

[3:53:52] smashing windows and pulling innocent American civilians

[3:53:55] out of their cars with impunity, terrorizing cities

[3:53:59] with rubber bullets and tear gas if not already.

[3:54:03] We are becoming a county under siege and authoritarian rule,

[3:54:09] especially right now in Minnesota for the past

[3:54:12] three months.

[3:54:13] My heart goes out to the families and friends of Rene.

[3:54:16] Good. And Alex.

[3:54:17] Pretty, who are gunned down by Ice agents

[3:54:20] who somehow think they have special immunity.

[3:54:24] This is what we're up against this year.

[3:54:28] This year, through 3800 children

[3:54:31] have been abducted across the country and detained.

[3:54:35] No more funds for DHS has impeached

[3:54:38] Christie. No.

[3:54:44] These are excerpts from a speech

[3:54:47] by Chase ionize, an attorney of the Lakota tribe.

[3:54:50] Speaking during a hearing.

[3:54:53] The impact that the impact of ice on Minnesota,

[3:54:57] what was described by Senator Dibble was, I declare

[3:55:00] declaration of war on American people, American families.

[3:55:05] What we are facing

[3:55:06] is an attempt to overthrow of constitutional order.

[3:55:09] The integrity and sanctity

[3:55:11] of the United States Constitution is being overrun

[3:55:14] outside the scope of the law, outside the scope of

[3:55:17] constitutional authority.

[3:55:19] The good people of Minnesota and the whole country

[3:55:22] deserve better.

[3:55:23] This is this is the gravity of the weight

[3:55:26] and the magnitude of a very live controversy,

[3:55:30] a constitutional crisis

[3:55:31] that is disturbing the peace of all Minnesotans.

[3:55:35] Right now, this is no small matter.

[3:55:37] Thank you.

[3:55:37] This is a seizure of constitutional order.

[3:55:41] Where can I have your name, please?

[3:55:43] Thank you.

[3:55:44] So you have your name, please.

[3:55:45] Can you say your name, please?

[3:55:46] I'm sorry.

[3:55:47] Have your name, please. Gary. Allison. Okay.

[3:55:49] Thank you.

[3:55:50] Thank you.

[3:55:54] Good evening.

[3:55:55] Good evening.

[3:55:56] My name is Jacqueline Jimenez.

[3:55:58] I live in district five.

[3:56:00] First of all,

[3:56:01] I want to thank you all for your time

[3:56:02] and your attentiveness and engagement.

[3:56:05] This issue is critical for my community.

[3:56:07] My statement will echo

[3:56:09] the sentiments of the room, but I need to add my voice.

[3:56:13] My parents moved us to surprise over 20 years ago,

[3:56:17] because they believed that this was the best place

[3:56:19] to raise a family.

[3:56:20] Since then, my siblings and I have started our own families

[3:56:23] here to.

[3:56:28] Whom we own property

[3:56:31] and we're small business owners where we work as a family.

[3:56:36] Proudly serving our communities for the past 15 years.

[3:56:39] We have deep roots here,

[3:56:42] and surprise has changed so much in the last 20 years,

[3:56:46] with expansion of retail and housing replacing

[3:56:48] so many of the crop yields which immigrants picked, which

[3:56:51] if you still drive by, you can still see them today.

[3:56:55] Today, our small city has the spotlight

[3:56:58] for wrong reasons and all the eyes are on you.

[3:57:02] You can tell us you weren't consulted

[3:57:03] or notified about the Ice facility, but now you know.

[3:57:07] Now we all know and it's time for action.

[3:57:10] You can't just say that there is nothing you can do.

[3:57:13] It's your duty to protect our community and use

[3:57:16] any and all means necessary, available to you to fight

[3:57:20] for our rights and for the peace of our community.

[3:57:23] Many great suggestions were offered tonight.

[3:57:26] The impact this will have will be devastating

[3:57:28] and our community will forever be changed.

[3:57:31] No federal agency should be allowed

[3:57:33] to operate in secrecy, especially not in our backyards.

[3:57:37] You can't just say that there is nothing you can do.

[3:57:40] We will all be looking to you for deeds, not words

[3:57:45] from everyone.

[3:57:50] What I do take comfort is

[3:57:53] seeing the turnout today.

[3:57:58] Unanimous vote. Oh!

[3:58:12] And. And all the support of my neighbors

[3:58:14] opposing this facility and.

[3:58:16] And backing people who look like me.

[3:58:21] Thank you.

[3:58:22] Thank you.

[3:58:30] Madam clerk, are there any more names to read?

[3:58:34] Yes. Let me read a few more, please.

[3:58:36] Alexia. Isaiah's.

[3:58:39] Danya Duran.

[3:58:41] Thomas.

[3:58:41] Skipper Vince Mendez,

[3:58:44] Amanda Kaminski is Yvette Servin.

[3:58:48] Thank you.

[3:58:51] Good evening ma'am. Go ahead.

[3:58:52] Good evening. Hello, mayor and council.

[3:58:54] My name is Brittany Burback.

[3:58:55] I'm a lifelong Arizonan, West Valley resident.

[3:58:59] I'm live in Peoria.

[3:59:01] But my children attend Woodlands Elite Cheer gym.

[3:59:04] That's directly within 500ft of this concentration camp.

[3:59:10] And I am here with a lot of other moms,

[3:59:14] to not only voice my opposition for this facility in general,

[3:59:18] but to also bring your attention to the severe and foreseeable

[3:59:22] risk that this facility poses to our children.

[3:59:26] Not to mention the schools that are all directly around there.

[3:59:29] But again, we are within 500ft.

[3:59:32] We walk out our door and there's the building right there.

[3:59:35] And we know that that base on the rest of the

[3:59:41] nation, ISIS tactics.

[3:59:43] We know that they deploy tear gas and pepper spray

[3:59:47] and long range acoustic devices that can permanently damage

[3:59:50] hearing.

[3:59:51] Though our children are directly within,

[3:59:54] we are not in a safe zone.

[3:59:55] So if Ice gets into a scrap with some, with a protester,

[4:00:00] with whomever they deem unsafe,

[4:00:03] our children are directly.

[4:00:05] This is a direct

[4:00:06] and foreseeable risk that the city has an obligation

[4:00:09] to protect against.

[4:00:10] You should be ashamed of yourselves

[4:00:13] to not be able to provide answers to us today,

[4:00:16] to your constituents,

[4:00:18] as to what this facility is being used for,

[4:00:21] that we don't know what it's going to be used for

[4:00:24] is unacceptable.

[4:00:25] Tell me that the mayor of the price

[4:00:27] cannot get someone from DHS on the phone

[4:00:29] to say what this facility is going to be used for,

[4:00:31] and to issue an appropriate statement.

[4:00:34] I'm calling on this council

[4:00:36] to do everything in your power, including zoning and land use

[4:00:41] authority, emergency police

[4:00:42] powers, emergency city ordinance ordinances,

[4:00:47] any kind of risk mitigation, anything that you can do

[4:00:50] to prevent this facility from moving forward.

[4:00:53] There's our entire community is at risk,

[4:00:56] citizens, immigrants alike.

[4:00:58] And this is unacceptable and despicable.

[4:01:01] And history will remember

[4:01:03] where you stood, what you did and what you didn't do.

[4:01:07] This isn't about politics.

[4:01:09] This isn't about this is about basic human

[4:01:12] decency, morals, and especially we listen to a prayer

[4:01:16] at the beginning of this council meeting

[4:01:18] that to me, to sit up here and say that,

[4:01:22] you know,

[4:01:22] you're going to follow

[4:01:23] Christ's teachings or you're a Christian,

[4:01:25] and this is how we're going to treat people.

[4:01:27] I don't care where you're from.

[4:01:28] I don't care how you came here.

[4:01:31] I don't care any of that is deplorable.

[4:01:34] And it is your duty.

[4:01:36] You swore an oath when you took office

[4:01:39] to the Constitution, to uphold the Constitution.

[4:01:42] And we know that ice is actively violating the Constitution.

[4:01:45] They said the constitution, the Fourth Amendment doesn't

[4:01:48] apply. So

[4:01:50] in Arizona, in general,

[4:01:52] the Fourth Amendment wouldn't apply to

[4:01:55] over half of the citizens here because they look like

[4:01:58] they might be here illegally.

[4:01:59] I'm asking you to take a stand and take.

[4:02:07] Thank you.

[4:02:08] Good evening ma'am.

[4:02:09] Good evening, mayor and members of the city Council.

[4:02:11] My name is Janessa Holley Roebuck.

[4:02:13] I'm here as an indigenous American from Minnesota

[4:02:16] and a proud member of the white Earth nation of Ojibwe.

[4:02:19] I'm a parent, a new resident of surprise,

[4:02:21] and someone who chose this city very intentionally.

[4:02:25] As an Indigenous American, I do have to say I find it rich

[4:02:28] that we just sat

[4:02:29] and listened to budget and the AC telling us

[4:02:31] about our aging energy infrastructure.

[4:02:34] For a city that is now set to allow a facility to operate

[4:02:37] here, where we treat people without human dignity

[4:02:41] and further strain that infrastructure in the process.

[4:02:44] My mother still lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota,

[4:02:47] and she's now staying with me indefinitely because her home

[4:02:50] now feels too unsafe thanks to Ice agents.

[4:02:54] My family recently moved here because surprise has a

[4:02:56] reputation for being safe, family focused, and transparent.

[4:03:02] We chose this community specifically

[4:03:04] because it felt like a place where children can grow up

[4:03:06] without fear,

[4:03:07] where parents feel confident

[4:03:08] dropping their kids off at a school and sports

[4:03:11] like my child's chair gym right next door, Woodlands Elite.

[4:03:15] That's why the recent purchase

[4:03:16] by ice of this large warehouse is so alarming.

[4:03:19] This facility is located

[4:03:20] close to homes, schools and youth spaces,

[4:03:23] and yet residents were not informed, consulted

[4:03:26] or given the opportunity before this

[4:03:28] to voice our concerns for the purchase was made.

[4:03:31] A decision of this magnitude

[4:03:32] should never happen without community input.

[4:03:35] For families like mine, this isn't an abstract.

[4:03:38] This is about the daily sense of safety

[4:03:40] we feel driving our kids to practice

[4:03:42] walking our neighborhoods and putting down our roots here.

[4:03:45] Introducing a large

[4:03:46] federal detention operation so close to children's spaces

[4:03:49] fundamentally changes how the area feels, and that matters.

[4:03:53] So tonight I'm asking for action.

[4:03:56] I respectfully urge this council to formally request full

[4:03:59] transparency from Ice

[4:04:01] regarding the intended use of this facility.

[4:04:03] Further, immediately stop the implementation

[4:04:06] of whatever it is that they have planned.

[4:04:08] Because I can tell you right now,

[4:04:10] our community does not have room for the fear, hate

[4:04:13] and division

[4:04:13] that this concentration camp will undoubtably bring.

[4:04:17] Leadership means standing up

[4:04:18] for the families who trusted this city

[4:04:20] to protect their quality of life.

[4:04:22] I moved here because I believe.

[4:04:24] Surprise! Put safety first.

[4:04:26] I'm asking you tonight to prove that trust was well placed

[4:04:29] by standing with residents, with parents,

[4:04:31] and with our children.

[4:04:33] Please stand on the right side of history.

[4:04:35] Thank you.

[4:04:40] I'd like to call a few more names before you start.

[4:04:43] Michael Roe, Diane Bernick

[4:04:48] or Ben. Rick I apologize.

[4:04:50] Natalie. Mendez. Hernandez.

[4:04:53] Mark. Come on. Come. Irina.

[4:04:56] William. Earlier.

[4:04:58] Thank you.

[4:04:59] Good evening.

[4:05:01] Hello. My name is Alexia. Jesus.

[4:05:03] I am a history teacher,

[4:05:05] a proud Mexican-American

[4:05:06] and a member of the party for Socialism Liberation.

[4:05:09] I'm standing here today in pride and,

[4:05:12] in my identity in the face of concentration

[4:05:14] camps being built in our backyards.

[4:05:17] And I want to point out something that this meeting

[4:05:19] for the first hour was run as business as usual.

[4:05:22] And this is not a business as usual kind of meeting.

[4:05:26] So it was not not the right thing to do.

[4:05:31] We were joking about music and hanging out at the pool

[4:05:33] and other items for about an hour.

[4:05:36] It's like what

[4:05:36] I tell my students time and place or read the room

[4:05:41] as we speak.

[4:05:42] More than 400 protesters were outside of these chambers

[4:05:45] chanting against ice in the proposed facility.

[4:05:48] And we already know by now

[4:05:49] how many millions were spent on this facility.

[4:05:52] And to make it run is going to cost even more.

[4:05:55] What about building schools?

[4:05:56] What about making sure that my students have pens and pencils,

[4:06:00] and the things

[4:06:01] that they need to be able to actually go about their day?

[4:06:04] They don't have those things.

[4:06:06] Why was my last school shut down?

[4:06:08] Why are we trying to build ice facilities in the face

[4:06:10] of our crumbling infrastructure,

[4:06:12] in the face of crumbling education

[4:06:14] and every other thing that we have

[4:06:16] that people need to survive in this community?

[4:06:19] This body should be concerned with those types of things.

[4:06:22] It should be standing with its constituents,

[4:06:24] fighting back

[4:06:25] against this parasitic regime that is violating our rights,

[4:06:28] and against billionaires who are dividing us with lies

[4:06:30] that immigrants are why grocery prices are high,

[4:06:33] why hospitals are shutting down, why schools are shutting down

[4:06:36] when that's not the case.

[4:06:37] It's these rich people who are making those decisions.

[4:06:42] These are our neighbors.

[4:06:43] Some of my own family fears going to grocery stores.

[4:06:47] And if we get any say in it, the mothers, the fathers,

[4:06:49] the students, the stakeholders of this community in this room,

[4:06:52] we will not allow our community or any community

[4:06:55] to be turned into this warped reality

[4:06:57] of terror, death, destruction and chaos in our streets.

[4:07:00] We have to fight back

[4:07:02] against Ice and the Trump administration.

[4:07:05] There shouldn't

[4:07:05] even be consideration to allow people to be dragged

[4:07:08] through the streets, shot in the face,

[4:07:10] not on our dime and not without a fight.

[4:07:13] Just a few days ago,

[4:07:14] tens of thousands of Phoenix residents marched

[4:07:16] through the streets of the Arizona State Capitol.

[4:07:18] There were so many people, it was hard to keep

[4:07:21] track of just how many were coming through.

[4:07:23] We chanted ice off our streets.

[4:07:26] We chanted on and on and on.

[4:07:28] There was a diversity of people.

[4:07:30] I've seen a diversity of people here today, young,

[4:07:33] old people who are teachers, people who have different,

[4:07:36] you know, who are in different professions.

[4:07:39] That is something that is that I look at

[4:07:42] as a as hope and optimistic as an optimistic point.

[4:07:46] And if you imagine a facility built here,

[4:07:48] expect the chance of those tens of thousands

[4:07:50] to be echoing through the walls of these

[4:07:51] very council chambers, to be hundreds, to be thousands.

[4:07:55] Because if you don't stand up to ice, we will.

[4:07:58] The energy is here and is one that I fear,

[4:08:02] has to be talked about and has to be, expressed.

[4:08:06] So before I go, I just want to chant real quick

[4:08:09] with the rest of the audience.

[4:08:10] Thank you ma'am. We want justice.

[4:08:12] We want peace.

[4:08:13] We want prosperity.

[4:08:16] We want ice off our streets.

[4:08:18] Thank you. Ma'am. Hi. Oh, I.

[4:08:21] Whoa!

[4:08:26] Breathing.

[4:08:27] Hello, everyone.

[4:08:28] My name is Dania.

[4:08:29] I'm also a member of the party for Socialism and Liberation.

[4:08:32] I hiki forgot what I was going to say,

[4:08:34] so I'm just going to speak from the heart.

[4:08:36] I was out

[4:08:37] here with the 500 people that were outside

[4:08:40] and chanting over and over and over and over again.

[4:08:44] Ice off our streets.

[4:08:45] Ice out of Arizona.

[4:08:47] The people here today are here for one reason alone.

[4:08:50] To say this surprise will not be bought and sold.

[4:08:56] Surprise is not going to let this detention center happen

[4:08:59] here.

[4:09:00] Surprise is not going to allow the data centers,

[4:09:02] the project Makara, that is also,

[4:09:05] threatening to be built here

[4:09:06] as well.

[4:09:07] The workers here of surprise are not going

[4:09:09] to let this happen.

[4:09:10] We as a community

[4:09:11] are going to stand up and rise up and fight back.

[4:09:14] And we are not going to let this happen.

[4:09:16] We are turning to you guys to be in defense of our community.

[4:09:20] We're all looking at you guys here to be a part of history.

[4:09:23] To be on the right side to prevent this concentration

[4:09:27] camp from being built here in surprise.

[4:09:30] The fact that $70 million were spent here is a

[4:09:34] waste of our taxpayer dollars, and a waste of our labor.

[4:09:39] Alex, you just mentioned

[4:09:41] on the West Side all over,

[4:09:42] we've been seeing schools being shut down.

[4:09:44] The Isaac School District just shut down

[4:09:47] because it was in a $30 million deficit.

[4:09:49] That's a little bit under half of what this,

[4:09:53] what was spent to build this detention center.

[4:09:57] And so we can imagine all the benefit that $70 million

[4:10:01] could be able to do to actually uplift

[4:10:03] the residents of surprise

[4:10:04] instead of threaten them with kidnapings,

[4:10:07] instead of threatening with murders,

[4:10:09] instead of threatening with this state sanctioned violence.

[4:10:13] Surprise deserves better than this.

[4:10:15] And the surprise community here is saying no today.

[4:10:19] Thank you.

[4:10:24] I call a few more names.

[4:10:26] Cordy dead. Decker.

[4:10:29] Brianna. Adams, Taylor.

[4:10:31] Warren one.

[4:10:33] Makiya and Kayla Walsham.

[4:10:37] Thank you. Good evening sir.

[4:10:40] Good evening, Council mayor.

[4:10:42] I'm sure you're very tired,

[4:10:43] so I'd like to give your eyes a break

[4:10:45] as I'm going to turn and face audience.

[4:10:46] I'd like to speak to the people, if you don't mind.

[4:10:51] Good evening, everybody, and thank you so much for being here

[4:10:53] and taking the time to really stand for what's right.

[4:10:57] My name is Thomas.

[4:10:58] My last name is skipper.

[4:11:00] In Spanish, that roughly translates to Thomas El Capitan,

[4:11:04] which is ironic since I'm afraid of the ocean.

[4:11:08] I digress.

[4:11:10] My family has been here so long

[4:11:13] that my mom, who just celebrated her 73rd

[4:11:16] birthday, was a graduate from Dysart High School.

[4:11:21] To be clear,

[4:11:23] I stand with all of you here tonight.

[4:11:26] I have a different opinion of immigrants and who they

[4:11:28] are as people.

[4:11:31] When I was without a home

[4:11:32] in my 20s, it was an immigrant who invited me into theirs

[4:11:36] and provided me with clothing, housing and food.

[4:11:39] Something we should be doing for them.

[4:11:43] The purpose of the government

[4:11:44] and councils like this is to

[4:11:47] serve the people and promote prosperity,

[4:11:50] not cages them in a warehouse.

[4:11:54] The voice of the people is their vote.

[4:11:56] I didn't vote for this.

[4:11:59] I know you didn't.

[4:12:02] To allow $7 million

[4:12:03] spent without public support strips us of the choice

[4:12:08] and sets a much different tone

[4:12:10] for our country, for our cities.

[4:12:14] We must reject that

[4:12:17] council respectfully.

[4:12:18] We don't want to hear that you can't do anything.

[4:12:20] Because if you don't, we will see whether in

[4:12:26] Phoenix is not just our capital.

[4:12:27] It's a bird of fire, a symbol of resurrection and renewal.

[4:12:31] Residents, the surprise and Arizona

[4:12:34] were no stranger to traffic here.

[4:12:37] I can barely get to work

[4:12:38] the morning, and I live maybe six miles away.

[4:12:40] It takes me an hour.

[4:12:42] If and when Ice detention starts up,

[4:12:44] may I suggest a Sunday drive around that block, a Monday

[4:12:48] drive, a Tuesday drive or an everyday drive?

[4:12:53] The time has come.

[4:12:53] Regardless of your imaginary

[4:12:55] city lines to rise like the Phoenix.

[4:12:58] Have passion and fire in your heart, not ice.

[4:13:08] What do you mean, sir?

[4:13:12] Good evening, mayor, city council and city staff.

[4:13:15] My name is Mark Camarena.

[4:13:17] I'm a a neighbor from the city of Phoenix.

[4:13:20] I'm also a son of immigrants.

[4:13:22] So this issue is quite personal to me.

[4:13:26] I think everyone has really shared

[4:13:30] how they truly feel about this detention center.

[4:13:33] And, you know, most of the folks here

[4:13:37] clearly care so much about their community here.

[4:13:39] Surprise. They don't want to see

[4:13:40] a detention center being built here.

[4:13:42] A detention center

[4:13:43] that will only bring chaos, will only bring suffering here

[4:13:47] to a community that has shown their pride

[4:13:50] and has shown how beautiful their parks are.

[4:13:53] You guys should be proud

[4:13:54] of what you've been able to accomplish

[4:13:55] in building in this city a surprise.

[4:13:57] You don't

[4:13:58] want to tarnish your legacy by putting a detention center

[4:14:02] that threatens our community, that threatens

[4:14:05] Dysart High School.

[4:14:07] Many, many mothers are enrolling their kids

[4:14:10] into these recreational programs at your parks.

[4:14:13] The last thing you guys would want

[4:14:14] is for mothers

[4:14:15] to pull their kids out, because they don't feel safe

[4:14:18] sending their kids to the park,

[4:14:19] because ice is roaming around, because these ice thugs

[4:14:22] are roaming around in the streets.

[4:14:25] You know, Council member Jack Hastings spoke about

[4:14:27] he lauded the Arizona Corporate Commission for not overstepping

[4:14:32] and, letting local government do their job.

[4:14:35] Well, I implore you, sir, and everyone here to do your job

[4:14:39] and to actually fight back, to take a stand.

[4:14:41] To riddle the Department of Homeland Security

[4:14:44] with as much paperwork as possible.

[4:14:46] And to really take a, a, a line, a hard stance,

[4:14:50] because history has already drawn the lines.

[4:14:53] You guys had the choice of where you want to stand in that,

[4:14:56] and you have you are responsible for your own legacy

[4:14:58] that you are leaving here in surprise.

[4:15:01] Arizona remembers very clearly the stain

[4:15:04] that was left by the Japanese internment camps

[4:15:07] in the Gila River and passed on.

[4:15:09] We don't want to repeat that history here in Arizona anymore.

[4:15:12] We are better than that.

[4:15:15] And I know the people here understand that.

[4:15:17] In fact, how many of you raise your hands,

[4:15:21] are in favor of ice being out of surprise,

[4:15:25] folks.

[4:15:26] That is people power right there.

[4:15:28] That is the power of your constituents.

[4:15:29] And more people are coming to that realization

[4:15:31] that they do have power

[4:15:32] if they come together and bend together.

[4:15:34] Whether y'all choose to recognize it or not,

[4:15:36] it's up to you. But it's happening.

[4:15:39] And the people of surprise have the power to shut it down

[4:15:43] and to start the city back up, because it's the workers,

[4:15:45] it's the people, the city that actually make this run.

[4:15:48] Thank you so much.

[4:15:53] You. I'd like to call a few more names, please.

[4:15:56] Sean McKeever.

[4:16:00] Oh, what a what?

[4:16:01] Blanch Brampton.

[4:16:05] Joanne Miller.

[4:16:07] Joshua. Oh.

[4:16:09] Thank you. Good evening.

[4:16:12] Okay. Hello.

[4:16:13] My name is Juan here, and I'm from Phoenix.

[4:16:15] It is very concerning

[4:16:16] that such a detention center is being built near me.

[4:16:19] So let me speak about my opinions on it.

[4:16:21] So the City of Surprised said

[4:16:23] that they put out a statement saying that federal projects

[4:16:25] do not have to abide by local zoning laws.

[4:16:27] To me,

[4:16:27] it sounds like the City of Surprise is not willing

[4:16:30] to protect its residents when the federal government

[4:16:32] does something that violates human rights.

[4:16:34] We have seen the deaths of Alex Prairie.

[4:16:37] Rene. Good.

[4:16:38] We have seen a five year old girl.

[4:16:39] Even though she's a citizen,

[4:16:40] be deported to Honduras at the hands of ice.

[4:16:43] Ice may be a federal agency.

[4:16:45] But is it okay to allow them to do whatever they want

[4:16:47] just because they're a federal agency?

[4:16:49] The ACLU that is American civil, like a Civil Liberties

[4:16:53] Union, has documented various human rights violations.

[4:16:56] I can't I camp East Montana Ice detention center

[4:17:00] near Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.

[4:17:02] They interviewed 45 people who gave their testimonies.

[4:17:05] You've heard similar testimonies today

[4:17:09] about people who are live in cramped, squalid pods.

[4:17:12] They're not given adequate nutrition or medical care.

[4:17:15] They've been physically and sexually abused by Ice agents

[4:17:18] in the last six weeks.

[4:17:19] Three people have died at Fort Bliss.

[4:17:22] Is this what you want? Surprise!

[4:17:24] This warehouse is near Dysart and some other schools.

[4:17:27] And you are putting children at risk for local ice terror.

[4:17:31] I implore the City Council to investigate what can be done.

[4:17:34] And as we've heard many times tonight, Kansas City, many

[4:17:37] other places are trying their best to deter them.

[4:17:40] So even if we can't legally deter them,

[4:17:44] I implore you to speak your voice, denounce ice evil,

[4:17:48] and show the show what the moral character

[4:17:51] and type of surprise is all about. Thank you.

[4:17:58] Good evening.

[4:18:00] Good evening.

[4:18:01] My name is Kayla Basham.

[4:18:03] I've lived in Surprise

[4:18:04] Farms community since I was the age of

[4:18:06] eight years old, so almost 22 years ago.

[4:18:09] I love surprises so much.

[4:18:10] I am deciding to raise my daughter

[4:18:11] and surprise with my husband, who has also been

[4:18:14] a resident of surprise for 15 years.

[4:18:16] We have roots in this community.

[4:18:18] We were raised in this community.

[4:18:20] We did not decide to raise our daughter here

[4:18:22] with the anticipation that there would be

[4:18:23] a detention center right around the corner from us.

[4:18:27] This is not the place to introduce the violence

[4:18:29] and vengeance that follows Ice and DHS agents surprises

[4:18:33] a multitude of communities

[4:18:35] blended together with families from all walks of life.

[4:18:39] This will disrupt our community

[4:18:40] and turn our community into something that it's not.

[4:18:42] We need to prioritize

[4:18:45] making surprise and surrounding areas sanctuary

[4:18:47] sanctuary cities so that we can keep surprise

[4:18:50] family oriented, not fear oriented.

[4:18:53] As a school based therapies to five years,

[4:18:56] I am seeing the impact

[4:18:57] of the current administration, including Ice and DHS,

[4:19:00] has had on children and adolescents,

[4:19:03] including anxiety and depression.

[4:19:05] From the immense fear and hopelessness

[4:19:08] for themselves, their families,

[4:19:09] and their respective communities.

[4:19:11] Even as citizens of the United States.

[4:19:15] Intense fear and hopelessness regarding being detained,

[4:19:19] harassed or deported

[4:19:20] based solely on how they and their families look or talk.

[4:19:24] These detention facilities do not belong in surprise

[4:19:27] or anywhere, especially their elementary and high schools.

[4:19:31] We have seen firsthand that the protests can become

[4:19:34] violent and lives can be lost.

[4:19:36] We can expect protests outside of these detention facilities,

[4:19:40] and if there were to be gun violence that transpires,

[4:19:43] as we have seen in Minnesota by agents,

[4:19:46] we will see a disruption of a school day

[4:19:48] when schools go into lockdown.

[4:19:50] We will see children

[4:19:51] who are already afraid to go to school,

[4:19:53] not knowing if there will be gun violence.

[4:19:56] And now, sorry.

[4:19:59] Gun violence and now being detained

[4:20:01] declined going to school.

[4:20:03] And when we don't have students

[4:20:04] in our schools, what happens to those schools?

[4:20:06] There is a long list of not what ifs,

[4:20:08] but went to consider as a result of this detention center.

[4:20:13] I am also asking, in addition to making surprise,

[4:20:15] a sanctuary city, that if we are not able

[4:20:18] to stop these warehouses from becoming detention centers,

[4:20:21] that surprise takes extra care

[4:20:23] to make sure that these facilities

[4:20:24] are meeting requirements for regulation.

[4:20:27] As there have been several media reports

[4:20:29] stating that

[4:20:29] some detention facilities do not have running water

[4:20:32] and are not properly conditioned or heated,

[4:20:35] among other concerns.

[4:20:37] I am asking you to hold DHS

[4:20:39] and Ice accountable to treat those detained

[4:20:41] with dignity and respect as the humans that they are.

[4:20:44] Just like you, me, people that lean right and lean left.

[4:20:48] Doctor Martin Luther King Jr said it best.

[4:20:50] Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

[4:20:53] I am asking you whom we have voted for in the best

[4:20:56] interest of surprise.

[4:20:57] Please do what you can to prevent

[4:20:59] this detention facility being placed in our backyards.

[4:21:03] Thank you for letting me take the time to do to speak.

[4:21:06] Immigrants make America great.

[4:21:13] Good evening.

[4:21:14] Good evening, and thank you for greeting us all.

[4:21:17] Dozens of us. Almost 200.

[4:21:19] There's a lot of us.

[4:21:20] And I hope you've heard us.

[4:21:22] And continue to hear us.

[4:21:24] Thank you for being here this late.

[4:21:26] Almost tomorrow.

[4:21:29] My name is Taylor Warren.

[4:21:31] I'm a constituent of district one.

[4:21:34] My cross streets are 1/47 and Happy Valley.

[4:21:37] I'm a small business owner.

[4:21:39] I am born and raised in Arizona.

[4:21:43] And I'm a homeowner.

[4:21:45] I think those are my relevant qualifications.

[4:21:52] I thank you for listening,

[4:21:53] but I want to do it again because I really appreciate it.

[4:21:55] You've made eye contact.

[4:21:58] I haven't seen

[4:21:59] you shaking your head at certain people or thumbs up.

[4:22:03] And others like you've really given us a chance to speak.

[4:22:05] Thank you.

[4:22:09] And I don't envy your position.

[4:22:12] You've had a lot to listen to, and I'm grateful that

[4:22:16] what I would consider to be the most important points

[4:22:18] or points that you have heard again and again and again.

[4:22:22] And what I ask you to do is to remember them and remember us.

[4:22:28] Because if you're like me, you'll go home and get on line

[4:22:31] before you go to bed and scroll through your phone,

[4:22:32] and you might see the post from the City of Surprise

[4:22:36] that I saw before I came here,

[4:22:37] and the post that launched me here,

[4:22:39] because I saw

[4:22:40] a long list of people saying, yeah, let's have this facility.

[4:22:44] This is great, this is awesome, let's do this.

[4:22:47] But that's not what I'm hearing here

[4:22:48] from the people who are showing up

[4:22:51] and the people who are present,

[4:22:53] and the people who will continue to be present and show up.

[4:23:04] I hope

[4:23:06] that you will carry the words tonight with you moving forward.

[4:23:11] Because this is just the beginning,

[4:23:14] and I.

[4:23:17] Again, don't envy the pressure that you're under.

[4:23:20] And I want you to hear not only the true words from

[4:23:24] the people that have spoken before me and will speak after,

[4:23:28] but also here that we're here for you.

[4:23:31] We're here to help.

[4:23:32] We're here to stop this together.

[4:23:34] This facility that is being proposed. And,

[4:23:38] in, building that is completely inappropriate

[4:23:42] for that.

[4:23:46] I wrote something down

[4:23:47] that has already been said a bunch of times.

[4:23:49] So here's what I will say.

[4:23:51] Some of the things that you have or your background

[4:23:53] in public safety.

[4:23:55] You know, we can do better than this.

[4:23:57] And, there are lots of experts who are ready to speak up

[4:24:00] and help you come up with ideas.

[4:24:03] You have media platforms.

[4:24:05] You have your positions within government

[4:24:06] that we don't have to talk to people and to make change.

[4:24:10] You have that power, whether you recognize it or not.

[4:24:14] And so we are very happy to hear our people in leadership

[4:24:20] ask for help from the people who put you in office,

[4:24:24] because we want to help make surprise safe.

[4:24:27] Thank you.

[4:24:33] I'd like to call a couple more names.

[4:24:35] Kelly. Great.

[4:24:37] Donna horn, Sean.

[4:24:40] Salazar.

[4:24:43] That one doesn't have a name for coming.

[4:24:44] More names to a hill.

[4:24:47] Have about 20.

[4:24:49] Can you just read them all, please?

[4:24:51] Sure.

[4:24:53] Stephanie Rios,

[4:24:56] Erin Flores, you can sit down as we move.

[4:24:58] For as deadline gets shorter, you can move up.

[4:25:01] You have to stand up right now.

[4:25:02] Jeffrey Haller or Holland, possibly

[4:25:07] Caleb Brown,

[4:25:09] Eva Osuna,

[4:25:12] Vince Mendez,

[4:25:15] Richard McFarlane.

[4:25:19] We just. Oh, funny.

[4:25:20] Connie Adams.

[4:25:23] Sylvia Asta

[4:25:24] Rico or our senator Lorraine.

[4:25:28] Luke.

[4:25:29] John Bachman.

[4:25:34] In, without a last name.

[4:25:38] Mark Graham.

[4:25:39] Sharon Rodriguez.

[4:25:42] Cameron Klein.

[4:25:44] Josiah's last initial f Mary Elena.

[4:25:49] Aguirre,

[4:25:51] Sofia Rios,

[4:25:53] Isaac.

[4:25:53] Barrio and Jean.

[4:25:56] I think it's a roll list.

[4:25:57] And I have one that doesn't have a name on it.

[4:25:59] Or if I didn't call your name.

[4:26:01] When we get towards the end, please raise your hand.

[4:26:04] Thank you.

[4:26:07] Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

[4:26:09] I am I am here to represent myself and my deceased husband

[4:26:14] who served 30 years in the United States Air Force

[4:26:17] and, taught me and my children more about

[4:26:20] patriotism and community,

[4:26:23] than anybody else.

[4:26:24] He taught us there was no color or religion in a foxhole.

[4:26:28] That was his favorite, saying.

[4:26:31] Anyway, if he had seen what was going on

[4:26:33] in this country right now, he would be beside himself.

[4:26:37] So I'm here to speak for him as well.

[4:26:39] His last deployment was at Luke Air Force Base,

[4:26:41] and that's what made us choose surprise as a place to retire.

[4:26:45] We thought this was a safe, beautiful community,

[4:26:48] and he loved to play golf

[4:26:50] and everything was here

[4:26:51] that we were going to need in retirement.

[4:26:52] We loved it so much that we convinced our children

[4:26:55] and our grandchildren to move here,

[4:26:56] because this was going to be a safe place to raise children.

[4:27:00] That's changed, and it's all

[4:27:01] changed in a very, very short time.

[4:27:05] I watched and followed a lot of these detention

[4:27:07] camp places that were trying to be built in

[4:27:09] Oklahoma and Maryland and Virginia and San Antonio,

[4:27:13] and those communities knew that they were coming in

[4:27:15] to buy these properties before they were bought.

[4:27:18] They put pressure on the realtors.

[4:27:20] They put pressure on the development companies.

[4:27:22] I find it strange that nobody here knew

[4:27:24] this was going to happen.

[4:27:26] We just wake up one day and find out they've spent

[4:27:28] $78 million on a facility in surprise.

[4:27:33] That's shocking.

[4:27:34] And then there's a letter from the City of Surprise saying,

[4:27:37] we really can't do anything about it.

[4:27:38] It's federal, like your police force is there.

[4:27:41] Well, our police force has always been here.

[4:27:42] Our police force has been great.

[4:27:44] We've had great, great public servants in this city.

[4:27:48] It's been a wonderful place to live.

[4:27:50] It's not going to be that anywhere if that continues

[4:27:53] to happen.

[4:27:54] I'm not a politician and I'm not an attorney,

[4:27:57] but you guys are all connected one way or another.

[4:28:01] There's got to be a loophole.

[4:28:03] There's got to be a zoning ordinance.

[4:28:05] There's got to be a contract that can be withheld.

[4:28:07] There's got to be something that can be done

[4:28:09] to stop this from happening in this community.

[4:28:13] It's up to

[4:28:13] you, but we're all behind you, and we'll all support you.

[4:28:17] And we'll all do anything we can to help.

[4:28:20] But you've got to lead the way,

[4:28:21] and I'm going to leave it at your doorstep to lead the way.

[4:28:25] Thank you for your time. Thank you.

[4:28:26] Ma'am, can I have your name, please, ma'am?

[4:28:28] Ma'am? Ma'am.

[4:28:30] Your name, please, Blanch Branton.

[4:28:31] Okay. Thank you. Ma'am.

[4:28:34] One. One second.

[4:28:35] Sir, I know we call a lot of names.

[4:28:36] If you wanted to sit down.

[4:28:37] And then as the line is shorter, you can move up.

[4:28:39] I don't want to have you stand for the next 30 minutes.

[4:28:43] Good evening, sir. Yep.

[4:28:43] Good evening.

[4:28:45] Thanks for giving me the time to speak tonight.

[4:28:48] I wanted to say all of your names

[4:28:49] because I want to call all of you to action.

[4:28:53] Andrea Davis,

[4:28:55] Jeff Murray, Jack Hastings, Nick Haney, Earl Greenburg,

[4:29:00] Kevin Sartor, Chris Judge, Patrick Duffy, Johnny Melton.

[4:29:05] You've heard everybody say that we need action,

[4:29:07] and it's great that you're here to listen to our words,

[4:29:10] and we truly appreciate that.

[4:29:12] But we must have action.

[4:29:16] Just like a lot of people said.

[4:29:17] I read what was put out as a press release from my city,

[4:29:21] and it was very disheartening.

[4:29:24] So action is the key.

[4:29:27] My name is Sean McKeever and I am angry

[4:29:29] you might be able to tell that.

[4:29:30] And some of that anger is actually now directed to you,

[4:29:34] but it's a positive anger is an anger meant to make change.

[4:29:38] That's what we need.

[4:29:40] Our family has lived in surprise for over 20 years.

[4:29:44] We're close to Cactus in Litchfield.

[4:29:47] We raised two amazing children here.

[4:29:49] They went to all desert public schools.

[4:29:51] They were amazing.

[4:29:53] They're amazing adults.

[4:29:55] During that time, those 20 years surprise population

[4:29:58] went from 80,000 humans to 160,000.

[4:30:01] Humans doubled and that's awesome, right?

[4:30:04] And I will say that overall, we feel like the surprise

[4:30:08] leaders have done a really good job.

[4:30:10] You've done a good job providing great services,

[4:30:13] to all the surprise humans, good education,

[4:30:16] many things are moving in amazing directions.

[4:30:19] So the past has been good.

[4:30:21] But right now you all the names that I read,

[4:30:25] you are the leaders of surprise.

[4:30:26] You have the biggest challenge in front of you right now.

[4:30:28] This is the biggest challenge I can remember the whole time

[4:30:30] I've been here,

[4:30:31] and it's up to you to decide how to deal with it.

[4:30:34] How will you respond to our federal government

[4:30:37] opening the Trump ice prison in our city?

[4:30:40] Because that's what it is.

[4:30:42] How will you respond to the federal government

[4:30:44] opening the Trump Ice prison in our city?

[4:30:49] Mr. mayor, I disagree with the statement you read.

[4:30:52] That's the city of surprises, powerless because of the rules

[4:30:56] that the federal government can override the local zoning laws.

[4:31:00] As many people have said, other cities have done this.

[4:31:02] We can do it too.

[4:31:03] We can do it as well.

[4:31:04] Together, we are here to work with you.

[4:31:07] All these people want to support your efforts.

[4:31:08] That's what we want.

[4:31:10] But we need you to take a stand.

[4:31:13] We need all of you to take a stand.

[4:31:15] Please.

[4:31:16] Obviously, the building is not meant for this.

[4:31:18] The zoning isn't meant for that.

[4:31:20] We know that we will not accept this Trump Ice prison.

[4:31:24] We will not accept it.

[4:31:26] So I think what you have before you is a chance to take action.

[4:31:30] Positive action,

[4:31:32] you know, to support us and we are here for you.

[4:31:35] But we need that action and we need it now.

[4:31:38] I'll just end with a quote from Margaret

[4:31:40] Mead, one of my favorite people.

[4:31:42] Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,

[4:31:44] committed individuals can change the world.

[4:31:46] Indeed, they are the only ones that ever do.

[4:31:56] If we could please pause for one second.

[4:31:58] I missed called Catherine's

[4:31:59] name a little while ago, and I would like to

[4:32:01] get her a chance to come.

[4:32:03] Oh, Katherine, if you want to come up.

[4:32:04] Because I missed called your name, you can go now.

[4:32:08] Okay?

[4:32:08] Okay.

[4:32:12] Good evening.

[4:32:13] Hello. Hi, my name is Catherine Saber again.

[4:32:15] I'm a resident of Phoenix.

[4:32:17] I've been here for nearly 50 years.

[4:32:21] I have been,

[4:32:23] I watched the Trump administration turn into,

[4:32:27] a despicable regime, an authoritarian regime.

[4:32:31] And they are poisoning this country with their behavior.

[4:32:36] The process

[4:32:37] of creating detention centers in the state of Arizona.

[4:32:41] And now, one in surprise, Arizona

[4:32:44] disgusts me.

[4:32:48] I could not be more angry,

[4:32:50] more disgusted, or more,

[4:32:54] fed up

[4:32:55] with the United States government treating its people

[4:32:59] like they are chattel.

[4:33:05] I urge you,

[4:33:07] all of you, to do your utmost to stop this.

[4:33:12] We need to stand up to this government

[4:33:15] and allowing them to create

[4:33:20] the kind of detention facility

[4:33:23] which is more like.

[4:33:28] It's not even a detention facility.

[4:33:31] It's a disgusting way to house people for no good reason.

[4:33:37] And we should not allow it.

[4:33:40] It is nowhere in Arizona.

[4:33:44] The the Eloy Detention facility houses.

[4:33:48] I don't know how many thousand people

[4:33:49] they have a measles outbreak now because they don't provide

[4:33:53] health care.

[4:33:54] They don't provide any kind of reasonable health care.

[4:33:58] They had peop for people,

[4:34:00] got measles, and now the entire place

[4:34:02] is shut down because it's an epidemic.

[4:34:04] How much longer is it going to be before that spreads out?

[4:34:09] You shouldn't allow this in your city.

[4:34:11] I apologize,

[4:34:13] for my anger.

[4:34:16] And I hope that you will take every effort

[4:34:18] you can to stop this.

[4:34:20] Stand up for yourselves.

[4:34:21] Stand up for your state and for your city.

[4:34:24] Stand up for your constituents.

[4:34:26] We all have to stand up and oppose this nonsense,

[4:34:30] because if we do not, it will spread

[4:34:33] like wildfire throughout the rest of the country.

[4:34:36] We need to be active and and forceful

[4:34:41] in our opposition to what's going on

[4:34:44] in the federal government and it starts at our local level.

[4:34:49] And I appreciate your time, and I appreciate everything

[4:34:51] you're going to do, because I know you will do something.

[4:35:00] Good evening.

[4:35:01] Good evening, and thank you, mayor, vice

[4:35:03] mayor, mayor and council members.

[4:35:07] My name is Donna Horne.

[4:35:08] And when you look in that picture,

[4:35:09] you're going to see where I live.

[4:35:10] Right there on the other side of the university.

[4:35:16] We are a nation of immigrants.

[4:35:19] Many came here to find a better way of life,

[4:35:22] many to pursue the American dream.

[4:35:25] Some may have come after hearing her invitation.

[4:35:29] Give me your tired, your poor,

[4:35:32] your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

[4:35:37] 73 years ago, my dad was in the military,

[4:35:41] stationed just down the road at Luke Air Force Base.

[4:35:45] My sister and I were born there, and we spent most of our youth

[4:35:49] and teenage years in this valley of the sun.

[4:35:53] Back then, I remember this

[4:35:55] area was mostly farmland with acres of citrus

[4:36:00] trees, vegetables and cotton fields.

[4:36:04] An internet search of the history of surprise reads.

[4:36:09] The cotton industry relied heavily on migrant workers,

[4:36:14] especially from Mexico, who lived in labor camps

[4:36:18] during the 1920s to 1940s.

[4:36:22] Think about it.

[4:36:24] Isn't it possible some of

[4:36:26] those migrants from Mexico were undocumented?

[4:36:30] At any rate, those workers

[4:36:33] contributed to the economic growth and success

[4:36:37] of our City of Surprise that we love

[4:36:40] and enjoy today.

[4:36:45] This planned Ice detention facility,

[4:36:49] which, by the way, is located in a neighborhood with family

[4:36:52] homes, small businesses and a high school.

[4:36:57] And ironically.

[4:37:01] Within earshot of passing trains

[4:37:06] is to me a hard no.

[4:37:10] I urge our elected officials to instead

[4:37:13] spend money on legal and administrative policies

[4:37:18] that will lead immigration, immigrants

[4:37:20] on a path to America, American citizenship.

[4:37:25] I believe history will not be kind

[4:37:28] to this administration's immigration policies.

[4:37:32] If we allow this Ice detention facility to operate in surprise,

[4:37:37] the shame of these policies will become a stain

[4:37:42] on our great city's history.

[4:37:45] Thank you. Thank you.

[4:37:54] Good evening, good evening, good night.

[4:37:55] Actually, my name is Estefany Rios.

[4:37:58] My cross streets are Litchfield and Greenway.

[4:38:01] I'm district four.

[4:38:03] And I'm here today as a proud, daughter of immigrants

[4:38:08] who came to this country, worked hard and chose surprise

[4:38:12] as their city to live, and raised me and my sister

[4:38:15] because they felt

[4:38:16] like it was going to be a place where we would be safe.

[4:38:18] And I personally have also chosen

[4:38:20] to stay in the City of Surprise because I too believe

[4:38:24] that this is going to be a place of lots of growth.

[4:38:26] As you know, it's continued to grow recently,

[4:38:31] and continue to provide safety

[4:38:32] for me and my future family.

[4:38:36] But recently, with the news of this warehouse,

[4:38:39] being purchased here, right between

[4:38:42] Desert and Sweetwater Drive,

[4:38:46] it's unfortunate that our city

[4:38:48] has been getting negative media.

[4:38:52] That outshines all the good work that you guys have

[4:38:54] all put together in those before you.

[4:38:58] I will be brief, as many of my constituents

[4:39:00] have been voicing the stats and all the facts

[4:39:04] and all the great information that you all also have

[4:39:07] at the touch of your fingertips on the phone.

[4:39:10] Via Google.

[4:39:11] Don't use I,

[4:39:14] I would like to just say that

[4:39:16] if you are to uphold what surprises for

[4:39:21] I ask of you to please continue to not just stand

[4:39:25] by and say, well, we can't do anything about it.

[4:39:28] Sorry, it's not in our jurisdiction.

[4:39:30] And actually be proactive

[4:39:32] the way that my constituents have been today.

[4:39:35] And I'm so proud of.

[4:39:44] That I would hate

[4:39:46] for surprised to pick up a place.

[4:39:51] You got this.

[4:39:53] I would hate for surprises

[4:39:55] to be a place where,

[4:39:59] The stain of of

[4:40:04] what's going on in Minneapolis

[4:40:06] would play out here as well,

[4:40:08] because that would mean

[4:40:12] the number one.

[4:40:15] This current administration is continuing to win.

[4:40:18] And their agenda and number two,

[4:40:20] that you guys have technically failed us as citizens.

[4:40:24] Thank you for your time.

[4:40:33] Good evening.

[4:40:35] All right.

[4:40:35] Good evening, mayor and city council members.

[4:40:37] Thank you for your time.

[4:40:38] First off, I want to thank all of you for being here.

[4:40:40] This is amazing. So many of you showed up.

[4:40:42] So we'll give you guys a round of applause.

[4:40:45] Okay.

[4:40:45] My name is ironic if I didn't know this.

[4:40:47] Flores, I am a resident

[4:40:48] of the City of Surprise and live off of Happy Valley

[4:40:51] and the 303.

[4:40:52] I am also a member and organizer for the Phoenix Metro DSA

[4:40:55] or Democratic Socialists of America.

[4:40:57] I am here to make demands and speak against ISIS.

[4:40:59] Plan to use the warehouse located here in surprise

[4:41:01] as a concentration,

[4:41:02] concentration camp, because that's what it is.

[4:41:05] My demands are that one,

[4:41:06] the city of Surprise, and the City Council stops

[4:41:09] this warehouse from being used

[4:41:10] and developed into a concentration camp.

[4:41:12] Two that the City of Surprise attorney outlines their position

[4:41:14] on whether the federal government

[4:41:16] has the authority to override city zoning laws,

[4:41:19] and lastly,

[4:41:20] that city officials denounce the use of this facility

[4:41:22] to illegally detain and hold any and all persons,

[4:41:25] especially those who are vulnerable, such as immigrants.

[4:41:29] I said, this administration are not here

[4:41:30] to detain criminals as they claim.

[4:41:32] They are here to silence those who oppose their fascist

[4:41:34] regime and target the most vulnerable people

[4:41:36] in our communities.

[4:41:37] Across Arizona,

[4:41:39] we all saw with our own ears and eyes the murder of Alex Brady.

[4:41:42] If the Trump administration and Ice are willing

[4:41:44] to murder a white man,

[4:41:45] then they have absolutely no problem

[4:41:46] murdering the rest of us, including those in city council.

[4:41:48] That's right. None of us are safe.

[4:41:52] It's shameful that this city council

[4:41:53] officially stated

[4:41:54] that they were not aware of the efforts being made by Ice

[4:41:56] to purchase a warehouse in our backyard,

[4:41:58] as well as stating that local police are unable

[4:42:00] to protect their own taxpayers

[4:42:01] from being kidnaped and trafficked by Ice.

[4:42:04] This was reminiscent of the Nuremberg trials,

[4:42:06] where they excuse use by Nazis trying to rinse their bloody

[4:42:08] and guilty hands was I was just following orders.

[4:42:12] If this city council decides to continue to be complicit

[4:42:14] and does not take actionable steps

[4:42:15] to stop these unidentified, unaccountable mass thugs

[4:42:18] from terrorizing our communities,

[4:42:20] then we the people will hold you all completely accountable

[4:42:23] for the human atrocities,

[4:42:25] the human rights atrocities that Ice will commit

[4:42:27] under your watch, inside the $7 million concentration camp.

[4:42:32] I was going to say something to you earlier, mayor,

[4:42:34] because you seemed uncomfortable with us

[4:42:35] clapping for us, standing up for what's right.

[4:42:37] But I'll let it go this time

[4:42:38] because you've been giving this time.

[4:42:39] So that's all I have to say. And I really appreciate

[4:42:41] everyone's time and for being here.

[4:42:49] Good evening.

[4:42:50] Good night.

[4:42:51] My name is Sharon Rodriguez.

[4:42:53] I'm a Goodyear resident, so I'm in 44th.

[4:42:56] I've an Indian school, but I'm always here,

[4:43:00] because you have the best parks.

[4:43:02] You have such great libraries.

[4:43:04] I love the Goodyear library, too.

[4:43:07] And I have my baby girl, and I see the effort and I see

[4:43:14] all that you've accomplished in your beautiful city.

[4:43:16] But what happens in surprise?

[4:43:18] Well, for Goodyear, Waddell

[4:43:20] affects everybody in Litchfield as well and beyond.

[4:43:23] And I've seen Parks and Rec.

[4:43:26] I know your jobs are really hard, but I do.

[4:43:31] I do recognize that our

[4:43:34] our federal government has collapsed essentially,

[4:43:37] especially with the Epstein files that just drop.

[4:43:40] We just see that the federal government

[4:43:43] has no regard for the people and just uses us for money.

[4:43:47] So really, your government and we're all here

[4:43:50] with our hands and our hearts asking you to

[4:43:54] be the government that we need you to be

[4:43:57] because the federal government

[4:43:58] no longer has laws, they're no longer

[4:44:02] accountable to anyone, Democrat or Republican,

[4:44:05] white House or Supreme Court.

[4:44:06] Everybody has failed us.

[4:44:08] You're the only one standing in the way.

[4:44:10] And if you don't assist us in assisting you

[4:44:14] in getting rid of this or stopping this

[4:44:16] or preventing this Ice facility,

[4:44:19] things are going to get really violent.

[4:44:20] Just like in L.A., just like in Minnesota,

[4:44:23] just like in Gaza, just like in every single place

[4:44:27] where once the government fails, it's up to us.

[4:44:31] Just like Governor

[4:44:32] Tim Walz shrugged his hands and said, just use mutual aid.

[4:44:36] Just reach out to your neighbors.

[4:44:38] We can do that.

[4:44:39] But we elected you guys

[4:44:43] to represent us,

[4:44:45] and I really appreciate all that you've done,

[4:44:47] and I appreciate

[4:44:47] that you've been here so late,

[4:44:49] and I appreciate you listening to us.

[4:44:51] And I hope and I pray that when you go to sleep tonight,

[4:44:55] wake up tomorrow with the new fire under your feet.

[4:44:58] Thank you and God bless. You.

[4:45:05] Good evening.

[4:45:06] Good evening.

[4:45:12] Mr. mayor,

[4:45:14] city council.

[4:45:16] To my fellow friends

[4:45:18] and Americans.

[4:45:21] And if there's anybody freezing their butts off outside.

[4:45:24] God bless you.

[4:45:27] My name is Mark Graham.

[4:45:29] I'm a resident of Sun City.

[4:45:33] I'm a mechanic.

[4:45:34] An aircraft mechanic.

[4:45:36] I'm the Democratic candidate for LD 28.

[4:45:40] The district for this state right next door.

[4:45:43] And my people have concerns.

[4:45:47] I'd like to state a few truths, and I'd like to ask

[4:45:50] a few questions that you may or may not answer in the future.

[4:45:55] Here's the truth.

[4:45:57] Nobody.

[4:45:58] Nobody is illegal in stolen land.

[4:46:01] Nobody.

[4:46:03] Here's the truth.

[4:46:05] Every single person that's a living, breathing human

[4:46:09] being on the earth

[4:46:10] has the same

[4:46:11] constitutional rights as the president of the United States.

[4:46:15] Every person that's going to be living in this facility,

[4:46:18] you are their representatives, whether you like it or not.

[4:46:23] They are your constituents.

[4:46:25] If they are only there for one night,

[4:46:27] you have personal responsibility for the

[4:46:32] a few questions,

[4:46:34] because I think this is a time for questions.

[4:46:37] Madam City Manager, I don't know your schedule,

[4:46:41] but I'll bet tomorrow

[4:46:42] you're going to have a big discussion

[4:46:44] of how much money you need to claw back

[4:46:45] from all these great programs for special police operations

[4:46:49] because of a because of the ice plant,

[4:46:52] the ice plant, the concentration camp.

[4:46:56] Mr. City attorney, I sure hope

[4:46:58] you have a huge civil rights division in your office

[4:47:02] because you are going to be filing or fighting lawsuits,

[4:47:05] both legitimate

[4:47:08] and trivial, for the next several years.

[4:47:13] I don't have much more to say here

[4:47:14] than anybody else has to say, but I'll tell you this I am

[4:47:18] completely and unequivocally opposed to this.

[4:47:22] More questions for you right now.

[4:47:25] Are you cooperating with Ice?

[4:47:28] Are you allowing the ice to use our police facilities?

[4:47:31] Are you allowing them to use our video cameras?

[4:47:35] Are you working with them right now?

[4:47:38] I don't expect an answer, but I just like people to know

[4:47:42] that we should really be looking at

[4:47:45] practical, real solutions for this.

[4:47:48] And we will be looking for those solutions from you.

[4:47:52] Thank you so much for your time.

[4:47:53] And, Mr.

[4:47:54] Mayor,

[4:47:54] you could have sent us out of here at any time this night.

[4:47:57] Nobody expected you to let us talk for 4 or 5 hours.

[4:48:01] I thank you so much for your grace and patience.

[4:48:06] Thank you.

[4:48:15] Good evening.

[4:48:17] Good evening to everyone.

[4:48:18] Mr. mayor, the city council,

[4:48:21] the clerks, the officers, the cameramen.

[4:48:25] Thank you for your time.

[4:48:27] And the people here with me.

[4:48:29] Thank you for your time as well.

[4:48:31] I have come, unfortunately, not to talk about ice.

[4:48:34] I have a different matter that I think is just as important.

[4:48:38] I hope you guys know by name.

[4:48:41] Flock. Safety flock, incorporated.

[4:48:44] Flock. Whatever. Camera.

[4:48:47] Personally, I well,

[4:48:50] like, before I go on a tangent and lose time.

[4:48:54] I Jeffrey holler.

[4:48:56] Do not consent to the installation of flock cameras.

[4:49:00] Flock programs flock software flock.

[4:49:03] Anything in the state or in the state of Arizona,

[4:49:07] in the United States, or in surprise.

[4:49:10] I do not want it.

[4:49:11] I understand that there is a greater good,

[4:49:14] and I can play devil's advocate.

[4:49:16] I have talked to police officers in Tempe

[4:49:21] and Peoria and Scottsdale and now here

[4:49:25] today, and I have had a few say that with it.

[4:49:29] They have definitely gone through cases a lot faster, a

[4:49:33] lot more completely, a lot more certainly because of flock.

[4:49:37] However, I fully believe that they

[4:49:40] are a price that we as citizens cannot pay.

[4:49:44] And I hope that the issue is that you guys have been

[4:49:50] almost lied to by flock because flock, the CEO,

[4:49:55] is mostly just a liar

[4:49:58] and I don't want to just throw around the word.

[4:50:01] But he has committed multiple felonies among privacy

[4:50:05] and among for these guys.

[4:50:08] He his company has helped out Ice despite it

[4:50:11] being a felony for,

[4:50:14] deportation services to use flock services.

[4:50:19] So really,

[4:50:21] all I can say is that I do not want them here.

[4:50:25] And I have been scrambled from all of my thoughts,

[4:50:28] from listening to 132 people talk.

[4:50:32] And I'm sure it's hard for everyone else too.

[4:50:35] And I would be happy to come back with

[4:50:39] some more sleep, really, and

[4:50:42] and come back and more clearly state my opinions, facts,

[4:50:46] and properly discuss what I could hope to be a discussion.

[4:50:50] I appreciate everyone's time here,

[4:50:53] especially you, camera guy.

[4:50:55] I know how tough it is.

[4:50:57] Have a good night.

[4:51:01] Sir. We have a meeting on the

[4:51:03] first and third Tuesday of every month,

[4:51:05] and we have a call to the public every meeting.

[4:51:07] So you're more than welcome to come back.

[4:51:09] Thank you. Mayor.

[4:51:10] I have two additional speakers.

[4:51:12] Add, Gary Nixon and Kelly Overs.

[4:51:16] You want to go ahead and wrap?

[4:51:18] Thank you.

[4:51:19] Good evening.

[4:51:20] Good evening.

[4:51:21] Hello, mayor and council.

[4:51:23] My name is Sophia Rios, and I fall under Mr.

[4:51:27] Melton's district.

[4:51:28] And I was a student at Vista while Mr.

[4:51:31] Hazy as an educator.

[4:51:34] I am an American citizen

[4:51:36] and also a proud daughter of immigrants.

[4:51:41] My husband, proud United States

[4:51:44] Navy servicemember, is also a son of immigrants.

[4:51:49] Our parents were fortunate enough to get citizenship

[4:51:53] through amnesty.

[4:51:54] And I share this with you. So you understand

[4:51:56] just how deeply personal this issue is to me.

[4:52:02] Just this past week,

[4:52:04] my husband returned home from a larger wave.

[4:52:09] My first phone call to him was to tell him

[4:52:14] that less than two miles away

[4:52:17] from my childhood homes,

[4:52:21] an ice warehouse was being built.

[4:52:26] News like

[4:52:27] this does not land quietly

[4:52:30] in a household like ours.

[4:52:33] He was deeply disturbed.

[4:52:35] And now, in addition to serving his country,

[4:52:39] he carries the weight of worry about the safety

[4:52:42] and well-being of our family.

[4:52:46] Even though we hold

[4:52:48] citizenship and permanent residency,

[4:52:51] that fear is not unfounded.

[4:52:53] History

[4:52:55] and lived experience have taught us our communities

[4:52:58] that proximity to detention centers brings harm,

[4:53:02] trauma, and instability, not safety.

[4:53:06] I am standing you and I am standing here today

[4:53:10] and sharing my story

[4:53:11] so that no one in this room can say they did not know

[4:53:15] so, but personally affected by this decision.

[4:53:20] I am your constituent.

[4:53:22] I am your neighbor and I am part of this community.

[4:53:26] Thank you.

[4:53:29] It. Is.

[4:53:44] Good evening everyone.

[4:53:45] First of all,

[4:53:46] I would like to

[4:53:46] thank all of the community members

[4:53:48] and that have come to both

[4:53:49] to speak in here and to stand outside

[4:53:51] to make their voices heard tonight.

[4:53:53] My name is Cam Klein,

[4:53:54] and I'm a long time resident of surprise, Arizona.

[4:53:58] I attended every year of my

[4:53:59] first through 12th grade education here in surprise.

[4:54:02] I resided in surprise while I attended my alma mater,

[4:54:05] Arizona State University.

[4:54:07] So, I would say that I have a pretty good grasp on

[4:54:10] both the character of this state and the character of the city.

[4:54:14] And, a word on my own character.

[4:54:16] Anyone who would know me in real life would say that

[4:54:18] I am pretty even tempered and not quick to get upset.

[4:54:21] So I do not take it lightly when I say

[4:54:25] that the presence of ice in our community

[4:54:27] is nothing short of an attack and an insult.

[4:54:30] This agency has shown time

[4:54:31] and time again, both since its inception

[4:54:34] and especially in the last few weeks and months,

[4:54:36] that it does not have respect for our community,

[4:54:38] its members, or general human dignity

[4:54:41] to stand by and allow this facility to be unimpeded

[4:54:44] would be nothing short of cowardice.

[4:54:47] To wring our hands and say there is nothing that can be

[4:54:49] done is not just an abdication of our responsibility

[4:54:52] as citizens, but also our own human morality.

[4:54:55] My fellow community members

[4:54:57] have spoken at length about the multitude of ways

[4:54:59] that the council can oppose this facility,

[4:55:02] and anything less than a complete

[4:55:03] and total opposition to this project is, in my eyes,

[4:55:06] a failure of the biggest magnitude.

[4:55:09] I am a proud descendant of Jewish immigrants

[4:55:11] to this country.

[4:55:13] Through my life I have heard these

[4:55:14] words stated so many times.

[4:55:16] Never again.

[4:55:18] And when I look at the state of this country as it is right

[4:55:21] now, those were all those words feel a bit hollow, which is why

[4:55:25] we demand that they be respected and upheld for all peoples.

[4:55:29] Never again means to keep ice out.

[4:55:33] When?

[4:55:34] When all

[4:55:35] when all of this is said and done, I hope that all of you

[4:55:38] city council members do the right thing.

[4:55:40] And, take actions that allow you to sleep at night

[4:55:43] with a clear conscience.

[4:55:45] Thank you.

[4:55:51] Good evening.

[4:55:54] Hi, my name is Josias Michelle Flores.

[4:55:56] You can call me Josiah.

[4:55:57] Joe Jojo, I don't know.

[4:55:59] You're probably never going to see me again after today.

[4:56:01] I'm not from around here.

[4:56:02] I'm from Mesa, Arizona, 21 years.

[4:56:05] Born and raised.

[4:56:06] I am first generation.

[4:56:08] My parents are both from Mexico.

[4:56:10] They are immigrants.

[4:56:11] My family, they are all Hispanic.

[4:56:15] We live every day with fear of being stomped

[4:56:19] and being ridiculed by your officers.

[4:56:22] And you're making a detention facility or a warehouse.

[4:56:25] I don't know what it is,

[4:56:26] but I don't want it anywhere near this state.

[4:56:29] I want that to be clear, I hate this.

[4:56:33] I see that flag and I don't see freedom.

[4:56:37] I see a swastika.

[4:56:39] I see prejudice.

[4:56:42] I see an excuse for hatred.

[4:56:44] I can never respect that flag.

[4:56:46] I am a dual citizen.

[4:56:48] I am a citizen of America.

[4:56:49] But I'm also a citizen of Mexico.

[4:56:51] And I would be

[4:56:51] more than happy to leave here if this place becomes like

[4:56:55] World War two. Nazi Germany.

[4:56:58] It's crazy that we are

[4:57:00] always talking about these kinds of things.

[4:57:02] Concentration camps.

[4:57:03] Why are we so obsessed with them?

[4:57:06] All of us can agree that they don't do anything.

[4:57:09] Where are these people going?

[4:57:10] You know how many people are missing

[4:57:12] from these detention facilities?

[4:57:14] We don't know where they go.

[4:57:16] The people that have died in their care.

[4:57:18] That's blood on your hands.

[4:57:21] If you pass this, you are on my radar.

[4:57:24] I will never forget your names or faces.

[4:57:27] And I will make sure you will never forget mine.

[4:57:30] Sorry if this makes me a little bit emotional.

[4:57:32] It keeps me up at night, and it kind of makes me mad

[4:57:36] that you guys are being thanked for doing your jobs.

[4:57:40] You guys are sitting there just listening.

[4:57:41] I would love to do that.

[4:57:43] I would love to get paid

[4:57:44] to just stare at random people all day

[4:57:47] and just listen to what they have to say.

[4:57:48] I'm sure some of you guys are good people,

[4:57:51] but I've been watching every single one of you

[4:57:53] and the amount of care that you are even putting into

[4:57:56] just listening is pathetic.

[4:57:59] I have no respect for any of you.

[4:58:02] I have no respect for authority or government.

[4:58:05] I respect democracy.

[4:58:06] I believe in democracy.

[4:58:08] I don't believe in America's system because it is corrupt.

[4:58:12] It is awful and is evil.

[4:58:14] If you want an example, look at our president

[4:58:17] and his friends.

[4:58:18] Look at Bill gates.

[4:58:19] Look at Jeffrey Epstein. Look at.

[4:58:23] Oh, there's so many Mark

[4:58:25] Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos all in cahoots.

[4:58:29] The billionaires are all together.

[4:58:31] And that should scare you, because the amount of power

[4:58:33] they hold right now, the wealth disparity

[4:58:35] should be affecting you,

[4:58:37] and you should be seeing it in your everyday life.

[4:58:41] You need to be taking this more seriously because I'm young.

[4:58:45] This is my future. How old are all of you?

[4:58:47] What is the average age on this board?

[4:58:49] If it's above 30, then that's kind of disappointing.

[4:58:56] I think I'm good.

[4:58:58] Thank you.

[4:59:07] Good evening sir.

[4:59:09] Good evening.

[4:59:11] Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

[4:59:12] And the City Council and all the city staff

[4:59:15] that have stuck around.

[4:59:16] I do appreciate you keeping the floor

[4:59:18] open to let everybody speak.

[4:59:20] I attended today just to be a silent partner

[4:59:23] in supporting my community.

[4:59:26] And I feel like I just have to put my name on the record.

[4:59:29] My name is Jean rolls, and I'm a retired military officer.

[4:59:32] I've lived in the Phoenix area since 2001.

[4:59:36] We chose to retire in the Grand.

[4:59:38] Our cross streets are bell and cotton.

[4:59:43] And it is so unfortunate how this has played out.

[4:59:47] And I think it's going to tarnish what what many people

[4:59:50] have.

[4:59:52] Tried to say surprised is good about I think surprise.

[4:59:56] I remember as a small town when the target was built

[4:59:59] at Bell and Grand.

[5:00:00] That was a big deal.

[5:00:02] We are 60,000 people.

[5:00:04] We're going to get an Applebee's in town.

[5:00:07] So the growth that the city has managed over these 25 years

[5:00:12] has been remarkable.

[5:00:13] We chose to retire here because it is a great place to live.

[5:00:17] You know, I didn't think as a retiree

[5:00:21] I would attend so many protests in the last year

[5:00:25] that I've attended more than in my entire life.

[5:00:28] I'd like to give a shout out to this.

[5:00:30] The police department here.

[5:00:32] I think they do a wonderful job

[5:00:34] managing the protests that are happening.

[5:00:38] Every Saturday they're world class.

[5:00:41] If this Ice detention facility comes into our community,

[5:00:45] they're going to be overstressed

[5:00:46] and their reputation is going to be tarnished

[5:00:49] because it won't be peaceful like it is

[5:00:51] every day on Saturday. Okay.

[5:00:55] This Ice detention facility and

[5:00:58] the policies and executive actions of our

[5:01:01] leadership are very divisive for our community

[5:01:05] and for our nation.

[5:01:06] And as a result of that,

[5:01:08] violence will percolate to the surface.

[5:01:11] And we won't have these conversations

[5:01:14] like we're having now.

[5:01:17] I know the city council can stand up,

[5:01:20] because in October, you passed a resolution saying you were not

[5:01:23] in support of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.

[5:01:27] Head up and Waddell at a minimum.

[5:01:31] I think that should come out of the city council

[5:01:34] in the next week or

[5:01:35] two to say that we do not want this facility here.

[5:01:40] If we have no legal

[5:01:43] avenues to go against the federal government,

[5:01:46] we have to, as a local community,

[5:01:48] try to stop this overreach of the federal government

[5:01:52] skirting the issue of localities

[5:01:55] and running much of the federal

[5:01:58] purse based off executive orders coming out of the white House.

[5:02:03] We may disagree on politics, but that's not

[5:02:06] how democracy is supposed to work in America.

[5:02:09] We have three branches of government.

[5:02:11] Congress controls the purse.

[5:02:13] The executive branch executes the law.

[5:02:17] Thank you sir.

[5:02:17] Thank you.

[5:02:24] Good evening.

[5:02:28] Good evening, Mayor Sartor and council members.

[5:02:31] My name is Maria Leonardi Foster

[5:02:33] and I am a resident of surprise, living near Peoria and raised.

[5:02:37] I am a full time behavioral health professional

[5:02:40] and a full time addiction study and public policy student.

[5:02:43] I do not come here with new data, innovative talking points,

[5:02:46] or unique legal arguments regarding

[5:02:48] the new confirmed Ice facility now planned in our city.

[5:02:52] Having done my research on each of your policies, public

[5:02:55] comments, and initiatives,

[5:02:57] I am confident that reminding you of the emotional weight

[5:03:00] and the mental toll that this news has on

[5:03:02] our community members will not sway your position

[5:03:06] even worse.

[5:03:06] As incredible as the messages

[5:03:08] have been this evening, I fear many of you do not care

[5:03:12] regardless of where you stand.

[5:03:14] For being here and listening to the members of the community.

[5:03:16] You have my respect.

[5:03:19] Mayor. Our tour.

[5:03:20] You said at the start that you wish

[5:03:21] to remind the people about the lack of power

[5:03:24] that surprised City Council has on this issue.

[5:03:27] I, and every person inside and outside of this building,

[5:03:30] are here to remind you of what power looks like.

[5:03:33] Yes, the federal government

[5:03:34] has authority over immigration law and federal facilities.

[5:03:37] And as you have said,

[5:03:39] the city does not have the power

[5:03:40] to interrupt or prevent Ice operations directly

[5:03:43] under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

[5:03:45] Federal projects are not subject to local zoning laws,

[5:03:48] and the city

[5:03:49] was not even notified prior to the proper purchase.

[5:03:52] You, the surprise City Council, do have real

[5:03:55] and meaningful power when it comes to demanding

[5:03:58] transparency from federal agencies.

[5:04:01] The community deserves clear public information

[5:04:04] about the intended information

[5:04:06] about the intended use of the facility,

[5:04:08] the number of people

[5:04:08] it will hold, protocols for oversight,

[5:04:11] and how the city will be informed about changes.

[5:04:14] It is these policies that ensure safe and humane

[5:04:16] treatment of human beings

[5:04:18] when transparency ceases to exist,

[5:04:20] when overreach of power takes place, lives are lost.

[5:04:23] We have seen it.

[5:04:25] I formally request that the City of Surprise pass

[5:04:27] a resolution demanding DHS and Ice publicly disclose

[5:04:30] operating operational plans, community impact assessments,

[5:04:34] and clear points of contact for ongoing communication.

[5:04:37] While you cannot stop federal enforcement.

[5:04:39] You can act to protect municipal resources.

[5:04:42] That includes insisting on assurances

[5:04:44] that federal operations will not drain city emergency services,

[5:04:47] create jobs and public safety, or endanger any persons life.

[5:04:52] You do have the power to limit cooperation

[5:04:54] between city

[5:04:54] law enforcement and federal immigration

[5:04:56] enforcement beyond what the law requires,

[5:04:59] such as implementing policies

[5:05:00] restricting local involvement in immigration, arrests

[5:05:03] detainees, or information shared unless required by law.

[5:05:06] Many cities have done this.

[5:05:08] Now it is your turn as a third generation Hispanic immigrant.

[5:05:11] I've seen how these practices affect my family, our neighbors,

[5:05:14] and our sense of safety and equity.

[5:05:16] I stand here asking you, as the elected officials charged

[5:05:19] with providing safety

[5:05:21] and equitable care for all residents,

[5:05:22] to listen to the voices of your constituents,

[5:05:26] to use the power you do have,

[5:05:27] and to act in ways that protect our community,

[5:05:30] uphold human rights and demand accountability.

[5:05:32] Thank you.

[5:05:39] Good evening.

[5:05:40] Good evening to you, mayor and the council.

[5:05:42] My name is Kelly Oubre.

[5:05:43] I live on Bullard and Cactus.

[5:05:45] And I can see this detention center

[5:05:46] from points in my neighborhood.

[5:05:48] I can see this building from my school.

[5:05:50] That being said, I'm a current student

[5:05:52] at Desert High School in the student body.

[5:05:54] Vice president.

[5:05:55] The GPA of GPA of 4.3 before anyone passes me off

[5:05:59] as young and dumb.

[5:06:00] I would like to speak on behalf of my school

[5:06:02] and represent it like my position calls me to.

[5:06:05] In this past week,

[5:06:06] we have had students organize three anti ice protest.

[5:06:10] We have gotten online threats and comments for these protest.

[5:06:12] One asking if they're allowed to run us over children

[5:06:16] ice in this administration has created

[5:06:19] hatred within their supporters

[5:06:20] that is now affecting

[5:06:21] our community as students at this school.

[5:06:24] This detention center is a scary reality

[5:06:26] we all had to deal with,

[5:06:27] but we will not stay silent about it.

[5:06:29] At my school, it is well known that we have

[5:06:31] a predominantly Hispanic population.

[5:06:33] Our minority is a majority there.

[5:06:35] We as students are going to be heavily affected

[5:06:38] as this detention center is right down our road.

[5:06:40] These children and their families

[5:06:42] are not the violent criminals the government says they are.

[5:06:45] I get a pit in my stomach

[5:06:46] when I think about how in a few months

[5:06:47] I have to go to school, knowing humans are screaming for help

[5:06:50] and not getting the rights they are.

[5:06:52] It hurts me to know that my peers

[5:06:54] are undoubtably going to be hurt.

[5:06:56] The immigrant families that I've first handedly seen

[5:06:58] build these students up to be hardworking and successful

[5:07:01] may not be able to celebrate with them as they walk

[5:07:03] the stage.

[5:07:04] Students are at risk to come home with no family,

[5:07:07] and have to take care of themselves who are dealing with

[5:07:09] not knowing what is happening

[5:07:10] to their families in this detention center.

[5:07:12] If we can all agree on one thing,

[5:07:14] no child should have to live

[5:07:15] through these traumatic experiences

[5:07:17] and be ripped away from their family.

[5:07:19] We have all seen the damage and physical harm Ice

[5:07:22] has done on peaceful protesters, citizens and immigrants.

[5:07:25] Who's to say

[5:07:25] they won't harm the students of Surprise and El Mirage?

[5:07:29] Who's to say that they won't come after my school?

[5:07:31] That's supposed to be a safe place for all.

[5:07:33] If any of you care to protect

[5:07:34] the students and children who are the future of the city,

[5:07:37] then you will find a way to either contain this.

[5:07:39] Ensure everyone is safe, or get this out of our city

[5:07:42] by working with our Senators and Representatives.

[5:07:45] Do not let

[5:07:45] what happened in Germany during the 40s come back to us.

[5:07:48] I pray to God that everybody will listen

[5:07:50] to the voice of the children and future. And one last thing.

[5:07:53] No one will ever be illegal on stolen land.

[5:07:55] Thank you.

[5:08:05] Good evening.

[5:08:05] As you're still awake.

[5:08:08] Hello. My name is Iverson.

[5:08:09] I live in Peoria, just a few miles away from here.

[5:08:13] I'm speaking because the proposed 1500 bed

[5:08:15] detention facility will have impacts that extend the region.

[5:08:19] The north side of the facility is less than three quarters

[5:08:21] of a mile from Primrose School of Surprise.

[5:08:24] And its proximity to other nearby schools

[5:08:26] raises concerns for children and families.

[5:08:29] Large detention centers also placed

[5:08:31] demands on shared infrastructure.

[5:08:33] It's been it's been spoken about all through this meeting,

[5:08:37] including water, sewer, emergency services

[5:08:39] and major roads used by commuters

[5:08:41] throughout Peoria, Glendale, Elmira, Johnson City

[5:08:44] traffic, emergency response and neighborhood safety concerns

[5:08:47] do not stop at surprised city limits,

[5:08:49] making regional oversight critical.

[5:08:52] That means it's going to reach my city.

[5:08:56] While the city cannot prevent Ice from operating

[5:08:59] as a federal agency, it has established

[5:09:01] legal and ethical processes to ensure that

[5:09:03] any facility operates in a way that protects the community

[5:09:07] through zoning and building fire and life safety codes.

[5:09:10] The city can guide and coordinate compliance

[5:09:12] to ensure that infrastructure, safety

[5:09:14] and neighborhood concerns are fully addressed

[5:09:16] under the National Environmental Policy Act, or Nepa,

[5:09:20] Ice is required to evaluate the environmental impacts

[5:09:24] of converting the warehouse.

[5:09:25] This includes traffic safety, land use, and effects

[5:09:29] on surrounding neighborhoods and school

[5:09:30] before final decisions are made.

[5:09:32] Nepa also mandates meaningful public participation,

[5:09:36] which ensures comments like ours are considerate in the review.

[5:09:41] This shows the importance of public oversight

[5:09:43] and local review.

[5:09:44] While Nepa does not guarantee a specific outcome, it requires

[5:09:48] the potential impacts or that potential impacts

[5:09:52] are assessed and alternatives eternities are evaluated.

[5:09:56] I urge you, council, mayor and council to stay focused, strong.

[5:10:01] Exercise all the available local authority

[5:10:04] authority that you have.

[5:10:05] Ensure Nepa processes are fully followed,

[5:10:08] and give our community a real voice in decisions

[5:10:10] that will affect both surprise and the surrounding West Valley.

[5:10:13] This is not just about surprise, it is about protecting

[5:10:16] children, families and shared resources across the region.

[5:10:19] And what I want to say

[5:10:20] is that I hope you recognize in your constituency the power,

[5:10:25] the courage and the wisdom that you have in your city.

[5:10:29] In the city of

[5:10:30] Peoria, we had a group of,

[5:10:33] citizens that stood up for something

[5:10:36] that they did not want in Peoria, and they won.

[5:10:39] So constituents know that you can stand up

[5:10:42] and you can fight for stuff.

[5:10:48] Okay.

[5:10:50] Good evening. Good evening.

[5:10:51] Excuse me. My voice is raspy.

[5:10:53] I was among the thousand others protesting outside.

[5:10:56] My name is Isaac Barrio and I live on Greenway in the 303.

[5:10:59] I'm here to urge you, like the many others,

[5:11:01] to do everything in your power

[5:11:02] to stop this facility. And that includes

[5:11:04] ending the contract with Fox safety cameras.

[5:11:07] These systems don't just capture license plates,

[5:11:09] they enable mass warrantless surveillance.

[5:11:12] People going to work, school, church, doctor's appointments

[5:11:16] all tracked without their consent and or suspicion.

[5:11:20] That's not what public safety looks like

[5:11:23] in a free society.

[5:11:25] What makes what makes this

[5:11:26] especially dangerous is how the data is used.

[5:11:28] Multiple independent

[5:11:29] studies have found that these cameras are unencrypted,

[5:11:32] easy to hack, and use by federal agencies like Ice and DHS,

[5:11:36] which have documented history

[5:11:37] of using surveillance tools to target, track and intimidate

[5:11:41] immigrant communities and political dissent.

[5:11:44] This turns our city infrastructure into a pipeline

[5:11:46] for surveillance and abuse, often without transparency,

[5:11:49] oversight, or meaningful accountability.

[5:11:52] Privacy is not a luxury is a constitutional right

[5:11:55] with the government, the surprise government,

[5:11:58] collecting and sharing this data on innocent people,

[5:12:00] it chills free movement, free association and free speech

[5:12:04] can mean these become afraid, not safer.

[5:12:06] Surprise to invest in safety measures

[5:12:07] that respect civil liberties

[5:12:09] not technologies that normalize

[5:12:10] constant monitoring and federal overreach.

[5:12:13] Ending this kind of contract with is a clear statement

[5:12:16] that the city values our rights, dignity, trust over fear,

[5:12:19] and it stands up to this concentration camp

[5:12:21] and the technocracy.

[5:12:23] This is something you can act upon now.

[5:12:25] Will you act?

[5:12:28] Thank you.

[5:12:34] Good evening.

[5:12:37] Good evening. Oh.

[5:12:38] Oh, there you go.

[5:12:39] Good evening. My name is Scotty Nixon.

[5:12:41] 25. I've lived in surprise my entire life.

[5:12:44] I've had the privilege

[5:12:45] of really seeing the change in this city.

[5:12:48] I saw a lot of people grow through these changes.

[5:12:50] And instead of separating, we all came together.

[5:12:53] And I especially got to see that in 2020.

[5:12:56] I led one of the first protests out here.

[5:12:59] I don't know if we remember BLM surprise.

[5:13:01] We fought a lot of perspectives, negative ones.

[5:13:05] I had a lot of uncomfortable conversations with people

[5:13:07] throwing slurs my way.

[5:13:09] A lot of people who lacked, true idea of a bigger perspective.

[5:13:14] And that's one thing we did back

[5:13:16] then was spread a lot of good perspective.

[5:13:18] We brought people together and showed

[5:13:20] what a city really looks like, that cares

[5:13:22] about their community, that cares about one another.

[5:13:24] In all your neighbors, especially tonight, it's 1114.

[5:13:29] When did this start? At six?

[5:13:31] I don't know if there's

[5:13:31] still people out of sight, but I hope you guys understand.

[5:13:34] I know the power that the people have.

[5:13:38] I know the power that one person has to make big change.

[5:13:42] And if you guys don't do that, we will.

[5:13:45] And I hope you have our back in that process as well.

[5:13:48] I really believe Jack Hastings.

[5:13:52] Awesome.

[5:13:53] I believe for you.

[5:13:53] I saw you fall asleep laughing over there with Mr.

[5:13:56] City Attorney.

[5:13:57] I don't know what's so funny right now.

[5:13:59] This is not a laughing matter.

[5:14:01] I understand. It's been a long day.

[5:14:04] I've seen you since 2020.

[5:14:06] I haven't seen shown one more ounce of care

[5:14:09] for anything.

[5:14:12] Come on.

[5:14:14] I know you're up for reelection this year to

[5:14:18] Nick Haney. You as well.

[5:14:19] You guys are the youngest members on this council.

[5:14:22] Speak up, speak out.

[5:14:25] Do something.

[5:14:26] I know you guys don't have a lot of power

[5:14:29] against the federal government, but you have a voice as well.

[5:14:32] You are a party of the people.

[5:14:33] You know that, right?

[5:14:34] Help us or we will help ourselves.

[5:14:37] And that's not a threat.

[5:14:38] We just want to feel safe and we will keep ourselves safe.

[5:14:42] Thank you.

[5:14:49] I just came to you.

[5:14:51] I want to thank every. That's that's everybody. Correct.

[5:14:54] I just want to make sure that there's

[5:14:56] not anyone else whose name that I didn't call.

[5:14:59] Okay?

[5:15:00] So I want to thank everybody for coming in here.

[5:15:02] We hear you.

[5:15:03] I want to consider

[5:15:05] your voice as impactful and as powerful.

[5:15:10] As our other future agenda items

[5:15:11] or business the council members want to bring forward.

[5:15:15] No council reports.

[5:15:17] No, no.

[5:15:18] Okay,

[5:15:20] I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

[5:15:22] Moved to adjourn. Second.

[5:15:23] All in favor, say aye. Opposed or adjourned.

Regular City Council Meeting

Transcript