[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6639667,"mediaKeyId","3445594-1f2ec22465c8279f930b281236936cd5","parentId",3445594,"title","Resident asks Queen Creek council to help preserve historic 'big gin' venue","audioSeconds",185,"startMs",2859000,"endMs",3044000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3445594-1f2ec22465c8279f930b281236936cd5&start=2859&end=3044","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3445594-1f2ec22465c8279f930b281236936cd5/thumbnail_2859000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6639667/Queen-Creek/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Resident-asks-Queen-Creek-council-to-help-preserve-historic-big-gin-venue","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6639667-fa366c7e9f701e0c4329805adad7bb8e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172573&Signature=XFFtlyoTM8tYnOSffzXR7CDobZ2L~ROjpANXIE1eKKDsuWM8gXUGwlgn7m4p1~KHak~V2pIU4gUborZIMrRLyU5ZHaSStf-jFsFX1eywnBkaC6Nk~cxQqfBgwY08Z25YnBRDvOprz56ZepcclVD9XBisQxK7UpjVxwg29~LpEM~uVsnfwY14sghKlr-M2Cyh-X2ORCq2MSzTL3~wKJsaSF4fop2tYH-2XjbST1cVnZJoQsnq~HArgCP3Mllr6gHU5WwuvBOfc5m85f5wtCPhcZpbFmvbOjX05w1aYyK4VEo7lTQLb5W2pMTsp23u8IXhkXNGcChsqh3~um-e4VXPzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Queen Creek","date","2025-05-21T00:00:00Z","article","During the public-comment portion of the May 22, 2025, Town Council meeting, resident Tori Coben (Coben provided the address 21067 East Pickett Street for the record) asked the council to help preserve the Big 10 Cotton Gin, a local event venue.

Coben told the council the gin is \"a piece of Queen Creek's heart\" and described it as a place where residents have held weddings, quincea\u001aneras, baby showers and celebrations of life. She said the gin stayed open during the COVID-19 pandemic to host celebrations of life when other venues were closed, and urged the council to \"support preservation efforts, open up a dialogue and help explore alternatives that allow this special place to stay a part of Queen Creek's history.\" The speaker said she chose to live in Queen Creek because of the town's \"small town charm\" and expressed concern that continued replacement of landmarks with commercial development could erode that character.

Mayor Wheatley acknowledged the comment and said the council had taken note. Under Arizona law the council did not discuss or take action during the public-comment period.

No council action on the gin preservation was taken at the May 22 meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Queen Creek - Town Council Regular Session - May 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A resident urged the council to support preservation efforts for the Big 10 Cotton Gin, describing it as a community landmark used for weddings, quincea\u001aneras and memorials and asking the town to open dialogue on preservation.","taxTitle","Queen Creek, Maricopa County, Arizona","taxId",2212,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6639671,"Queen Creek council adopts $628 million final FY26 budget; council reduces tentative total by $55 million",45,6851000,6896000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3445594-1f2ec22465c8279f930b281236936cd5&start=6851&end=6896","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3445594-1f2ec22465c8279f930b281236936cd5/thumbnail_6851000.jpg","/articles/6639671/Queen-Creek/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Queen-Creek-council-adopts-628-million-final-FY26-budget-council-reduces-tentative-total-by-55-million","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6639671-87f9519b973dd366d438b6c4c7b1be70/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172573&Signature=VUiabqIpl661rzxEb4aQqmPMNeQ04w3kY4df4ddCLRdpNhjJ~s7DUxZmC93QuFgbym4CnLVOq4kHiQMYU2V-xRKzKR4qLN~L5c9EHyZABsjwdRYjRWIofzZQ0pJSyI4eZ8vQoHKNIMWN8xHpo~uSsgh7c5DZ3BpsHHAobZVpKTWA3tkdwbDfi1nvzVbtaSdV8ZoOwpUTsjP7gb~oK2aShb2Em0jfch-P0nz98nwkK2A4ICfROT-HKs1Tzz~vgUA82zd-~-WZcv3n6Rp4uVt1y605R8W5Twwl-mBbp1euCI-jaQWAiLrGDdy0M~qIt2X6RdZ86G48OluNRqkH2gSdyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Queen Creek Town Council held a public hearing on May 22, 2025, and then convened a special meeting to adopt the town's fiscal year 2026 final budget. The council voted unanimously to approve the final budget in the special session.

Council staff said the tentative budget approved at an earlier meeting was $682,700,000. During the finalization of the budget the council reduced that tentative total by $55,000,000, citing the timing of two capital transactions: the town's purchase of Harquahala water assets (closed the same day) and acquisition of land for a future park (referred to in the meeting as the Bridal land purchase). After those adjustments staff described the final budget as about $628,000,000 and said the reduction represented roughly a 13% decrease from the prior tentative figure.

Deputy Town Manager/CFO Scott McCarty and Town Manager Bruce Gardner presented the budget overview and tied the final budget to the recently adopted corporate strategic plan. Staff highlighted that roughly half of the budget is for capital and infrastructure (just over $300 million), and that the operating budget is approximately $187 million. McCarty noted that the tentative-to-final change reflects items on the capital improvement plan (CIP) side of the ledger.

The presentation detailed personnel and program changes planned for FY26: staff said the total budget includes 37 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions (most in the operating budget), with four new FTEs to establish an initial town attorney's office and other incremental additions in police, fire and transportation. Councilmember Brown clarified during the meeting that the cited 48% figure for FTEs applies to the operating budget, not to the total budget.

The budget package as presented preserves a property tax freeze and reflects updated impact fees that began May 12, 2025. Staff also said the town will conduct fee and rate studies for water, wastewater, solid waste and recycling during the upcoming year.

Council discussion included several points of emphasis and disagreement. Councilmember Padilla reiterated objections to the town's historical level of parks spending and said she continues to support eliminating the town's food sales tax. Councilmembers McClure and Vice Mayor Martineau praised the staff and the council's collaborative process. Several councilmembers stressed the importance of maintaining a 25% reserve policy and of forward-looking five-year planning for large capital projects such as a future police headquarters, parking garage and fleet maintenance facility.

The council completed the statutory two-step budget process required under Arizona law: the public hearing followed by adjournment to a special meeting where the final budget resolution was adopted.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda (minus item B2): motion by Councilmember McClure, second Vice Mayor Martineau; result: approved unanimously.

- Consent agenda item B2 (separated for discussion): motion by Councilmember Benning, second Councilmember Oliphant; result: approved 5-2 (tally reported by mayor; individual yes/no votes not read into the record at the time of the tally).

- Corporate strategic plan (final action item, addressed earlier in the meeting): motion by Councilmember Oliphant, second Councilmember Benning; result: approved unanimously.

- Resolution 16 30 nine-twenty 5 (adopting the FY26 final town budget): motion by Councilmember Brown, second Councilmember Benning; result: approved unanimously in the special meeting.

Staff said departments will convert the plan and the adopted budget into department-level workplans and implement the projects and studies cited in the presentation.","After a public hearing and special session on May 22, 2025, the Queen Creek Town Council adopted a final FY26 budget the council described as approximately $628 million, a reduction from the previously approved tentative budget. Council also approved consent items during the meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6639677,"Queen Creek council unanimously adopts FY26 corporate strategic plan",869,3097000,3966000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3445594-1f2ec22465c8279f930b281236936cd5&start=3097&end=3966","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3445594-1f2ec22465c8279f930b281236936cd5/thumbnail_3097000.jpg","/articles/6639677/Queen-Creek/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Queen-Creek-council-unanimously-adopts-FY26-corporate-strategic-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6639677-4b1467c44de7611e0199ed18f4b3a4ef/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172573&Signature=LLh0NTVxGwKPcxKS6dNp0BpP6fiqSMPUd08lQu7UC9Rl43LFcba6bgGKlhlIauH33RYIHGetLF-4uRcyPzuYOI2h3bGlUsKkdYMpwx3KfPkD9ap8Sj48kWespGabHq54esxjzpkGwFwZ5koPRtYzufe5eKO7POYLp5TG9wBSgi8W0liaYc3HAGHi8G4z5zCwFnuj-VsyuXHRfaRrDo1lpU7cBissRmsmnrqurVrBHolklf49JVPhGSYP8Wj-EaTNso0RWwJ3yR9SSxvqcweuVNScIxs81AtbVqnkendc5nfbC1IxC5LAe1TedpVwXk3jPH8YsZsgtYeCyB-EDKl~8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Queen Creek Town Council on May 22, 2025, voted unanimously to adopt the town's fiscal year 2026 corporate strategic plan following a presentation by Deputy Town Manager and CFO Scott McCarty.

The plan sets five strategic priorities ' effective government; a safe community; a secure future (economic and utilities); superior infrastructure; and quality of lifestyle ' and adds or updates goals within those priorities, including efforts on a real-time information center for public safety, expanded police outreach, trail and multi-use pathway connectivity and targeted transportation planning.

Scott McCarty, who presented the plan, said the document \"goes hand in glove with the budget\" and that the plan narrows specific goals departments will focus on in the coming year. He described the priorities as the top of a pyramid that funnels into department work plans and budget requests.

Councilmembers who spoke praised the document as both forward-looking and a record of recent accomplishments. Councilmember Brown said the plan is useful \"because it's setting up what we're going to do\" and appreciated the presentation noting past accomplishments alongside future goals. Mayor Wheatley said the plan is a \"guiding document\" for the town and observed that staff and council should continue aligning operations and budget choices to the plan's priorities.

The plan contains several updates and new goals referenced in the council presentation: a focus on operationalizing a police department real-time information center; improved community outreach and transparency for police; a dedicated parks and recreation team program to support youth skill-building and leadership; use of data-driven asset management for transportation infrastructure; and continued work on the town's transportation master plan. McCarty also drew attention to specific infrastructure projects the town is prioritizing, including construction of Power Road from Chandler Heights to Riggs and spending of funds received from Pinal County for infrastructure on state trust lands.

No formal amendments to the strategic plan were made during the meeting. The motion to approve the corporate strategic plan carried unanimously.

Council and staff said the strategic plan will guide department-level priorities in the coming year and will be tied to line items in the forthcoming budget.","The Queen Creek Town Council approved its fiscal year 2026 corporate strategic plan, reaffirming five priorities and adding several targeted goals tied to public safety, infrastructure, parks and trails and government effectiveness.","actionData","errors"]

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Resident asks Queen Creek council to help preserve historic 'big gin' venue

Queen Creek council adopts $628 million final FY26 budget; council reduces tentative total by $55 million

Queen Creek council unanimously adopts FY26 corporate strategic plan