[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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",6199687,"mediaKeyId","3824371-2a53f162dd4b311f31bad18be3a6c7bd","parentId",3824371,"title","Council debates length of Visit Mesa contract after governance reforms; 3‑year agreement recommended by staff","audioSeconds",630,"startMs",924000,"endMs",1554000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3824371-2a53f162dd4b311f31bad18be3a6c7bd&start=924&end=1554","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3824371-2a53f162dd4b311f31bad18be3a6c7bd/thumbnail_924000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6199687/Mesa/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Council-debates-length-of-Visit-Mesa-contract-after-governance-reforms-3year-agreement-recommended-by-staff","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6199687-f06c0c93abcc4281268253b2054f1386/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191403&Signature=EIrXHa-yPc8YXeSmxXAUt3GIf9cWVdcKwgOha-qr3WDO-lFv~ZQA~ypFXrXKf1dlc5rhW1RMgW-J3Le4Izv6IfcZ6PQgYEeIuSK5r5bUTeTDdbC3sklaHWeZB-Yo-6vbk-phBRDaSCVxcULTISZJnCpCZYB8uLfctY~sUsRDZ~LIfsCBxA4joGlw98~PqtQ~TTvRai37Mjp1-vQ3U2UtkAoMmSpYgm~6IOiH7T2ImaGxeOq8vxLUYU2GGOaMOLsWa3nUh5VGgH8BP0G1oN1ozai3Tz9L-2LraZR1ya7Js6yAdcLSTyqXTPzuMU3cuhGhfZaYgrI7Tj0yQrarsB5kvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mesa City, AZ ","date","2025-06-12T20:51:00Z","article","City staff and representatives from Visit Mesa presented the proposed contract term and recent governance changes for the city’s destination marketing organization during Thursday’s study session, and council members discussed whether a three‑year agreement provides the right level of oversight after prior concerns.

Assistant city staff and the city’s negotiating team told the council Visit Mesa met the conditions in a prior one‑year agreement and had adopted recommended governance changes following consultant reviews. Council Member Mike Adams said he remained cautious about moving directly from one‑year renewals to a three‑year term because of the organization’s earlier governance and audit questions and suggested a two‑year compromise. Assistant city staff said there is an out clause in the proposed contract language that allows the city to terminate the agreement with notice if problems recur.

Dennis Kavanaugh, Visit Mesa board chair, summarized board reforms, conflict‑of‑interest policy alignment with city requirements and the organization’s success in delivering promised tourism and marketing results. A Visit Mesa speaker said the organization has separated private and public funds, worked with a CPA firm and delivered the contract performance metrics requested under the one‑year agreement.

City staff recommended a three‑year contract as a compromise between the prior five‑year agreements the city historically used and the recent one‑year term. Multiple council members said they wanted to hear Visit Mesa leadership in person before a final vote; staff said Visit Mesa representatives will attend the upcoming council meeting and the item is scheduled for council consideration.

No final action was taken at the study session; council members asked for presentation materials, audit clarifications and explicit language about audit access and conflict‑of‑interest enforcement to appear in the final contract package.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are: Dennis Kavanaugh, board chair, Visit Mesa; and city staff (unnamed in transcript excerpts).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Council Study Session - 6/12/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Mesa city staff and Visit Mesa representatives told the council Thursday that Visit Mesa has adopted governance and financial reforms and recommended a three‑year contract to provide stability for destination marketing and event sales.","taxTitle","Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona","taxId",2210,"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},6199697,"Arizona Museum of Natural History presents options: $84M renovation or $170M new building to expand exhibits and revenue",1952,4277000,6229000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3824371-2a53f162dd4b311f31bad18be3a6c7bd&start=4277&end=6229","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3824371-2a53f162dd4b311f31bad18be3a6c7bd/thumbnail_4277000.jpg","/articles/6199697/Mesa/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Arizona-Museum-of-Natural-History-presents-options-84M-renovation-or-170M-new-building-to-expand-exhibits-and-revenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6199697-5f2997f677b14ce142794dab8fe59029/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191403&Signature=CsjtWXypoig69Aqn3bQdqzKXzHV4scW3wycAdy1bZC~OqRRWX1RO~d1wC-ES8jOkxpiToGRmwwjnVGGhJTfSSyDydnXX~s7l6s8h8en2ApxXtQFlWXE17Vnicbdvza~-c0X58BVN4jcGSefSSZeZ3g4MBQt0kbVWv1~nuExdspZUOQzWQUDzxCkIQZ80DTQPsWju5zL8-ZO4N6IkKiAAbnzcYC6B2pfQwYlVlnaoOB2Axd536qfZeKDhAfm7TXDoM4DyUGntIHZHpU7zVSCAP4ogsJv1HqReSJw-5oG4haBwcoTsnrfkOc8N9NczfCGmZ0LJbYbHwGmOqTrDmpsnag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Leaders of the Arizona Museum of Natural History and a museum design consultant presented a two‑path plan Thursday for the museum: a substantial renovation estimated at about $84 million or a new, larger building estimated at about $170 million.

Simon Tiffany Adams, the museum director, said the facility’s current footprint and configuration limit the museum’s ability to serve Mesa residents and attract tourists. Consultant Spencer (Spence) Downey of Gallagher Design and Associates summarized a benchmarking study of 32 natural history and science museums and concluded Arizona’s museum underperforms peers in visitation and earned revenue because it lacks typical visitor amenities such as a permanent café, private‑event spaces and up‑charge experiences.

The consultant said the museum currently allocates roughly 60% of its building to exhibit space, leaving too little room for visitor amenities and back‑of‑house collections, research and education functions. The renovation option, Downey said, would reorganize and modernize the existing building but would shrink exhibit footprint and remain constrained by the 60,000‑square‑foot site; cost was estimated in the study at about $84 million (about $1,100 per square foot). The new building option would preserve exhibit capacity while adding event, food and beverage and expanded collections and education space; the study estimated an all‑in cost near $170 million (about $1,300 per square foot).

Downey said the museum misses earned‑revenue opportunities common elsewhere: among the 32 comparable institutions the team reviewed, the Arizona museum is one of only a few that do not offer a permanent food‑and‑beverage service, up‑charge interactive experiences or dedicated private‑event rental space. Those lines of business commonly increase earned revenue and support long‑term financial sustainability, the consultant said.

Adams and Downey urged the council to approve a next phase of work: concept and program design and a full economic‑impact and funding analysis. They said the next phase would cost roughly $600,000; museum representatives reported about $340,000 of private funding already secured and asked the city to consider the remaining roughly $260,000 from one‑time general‑fund resources to complete the design and economic work.

Council members and the presenters discussed key details: whether a new building would be built on the existing site (the consultants said the downtown site could accommodate a taller vertical building and that the historic territorial jail structure would be evaluated for preservation), how the museum could operate outreach or satellite programs during any multi‑year construction, and possible funding approaches combining public bonds with private philanthropy and corporate sponsorships.

Adams stressed the museum’s unique local and scientific assets — the museum’s collections on Arizona’s deep geological and cultural history — and argued that a larger, modernized museum would produce greater economic impact, more jobs and deeper engagement with residents and tourists. Council members signaled support for proceeding to the next study phase and asked for more detail on likely funding stacks, naming/sponsorship tradeoffs and a time line for the concept/design work that could lead to a bond measure in a future cycle.

The presenters said the planning schedule would be aggressive: an RFP for concept work in late summer, consultant work through early next year, and a concept and funding package for council consideration in spring 2026 that could inform a bond proposal thereafter.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are: Simon Tiffany Adams, director, Arizona Museum of Natural History; Spencer Downey (consultant), Gallagher Design and Associates.","Museum leaders and a museum design consultant presented the Mesa City Council with two options Thursday — an $84 million renovation or a $170 million new building — to address the Arizona Museum of Natural History’s space, revenue and audience limitations.",{"_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},6199701,"Mesa staff outline proposed Medina Station development agreement, $6.36 million tax reimbursement for anchors and restaurant row",1455,2787000,4242000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3824371-2a53f162dd4b311f31bad18be3a6c7bd&start=2787&end=4242","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3824371-2a53f162dd4b311f31bad18be3a6c7bd/thumbnail_2787000.jpg","/articles/6199701/Mesa/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Mesa-staff-outline-proposed-Medina-Station-development-agreement-636-million-tax-reimbursement-for-anchors-and-restaurant-row","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6199701-d3eb0f35c8459ace6ed6f4d8ece124a3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191403&Signature=AcjgDRZE~z6XW7XLR~d2l962V5yzDLPR7xzb0jXaBxEkCYAslKYDZ818sqnTjl0J7tJjJoAPuPyj3A-suLjWYXJKDmZZGTiEbkSbw3gadhrBW-ZXgX8pmA8bFP9v3zj4q1wcbYY1XdjZNizhX8olF2jExAkKYkEHghWR17YqwjYKNxa1AP0GTxM48usXJfJUN6fXc2LWdRzebZ77niRcO6Q43p6EHWu8KTm-bKyb-tdvHA6Teuu7txA3Rbc-h7dwH~ubDlVK22St6MWCr23BxYCQI1vX2yJA2ZEADnZh~bjowzLU1qAbA~AiL6nkn-h-qbs0avxKVEaqBz6vS8AvkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff told the Mesa City Council study session Thursday that a proposed development agreement for the Medina Station commercial project would reimburse up to $6,360,000 of city sales tax revenue to the developer for public infrastructure if a set of milestones are met.

The agreement would apply only to the roughly 40‑acre commercial portion of a larger 64‑acre Medina Station site north of U.S. 60 and south of East Southern Avenue at Signal Butte Road. Jay O’Donnell, Mesa’s economic development director, said the commercial build‑out envisions about 328,425 square feet of retail including anchors such as Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Boot Barn, roughly 33,000 square feet of full‑service restaurant space and additional inline and pad retail.

City Attorney Deputy Kelly Whittemore said the reimbursement is split into two types. A one‑time construction sales‑tax reimbursement would return 100% of the city’s non‑dedicated 1.2% sales‑tax share collected from the project from the DA effective date through 60 days after Dick’s opens, provided the developer meets five conditions precedent. Separately, a retail sales‑tax incentive would return 50% of that non‑dedicated 1.2% for up to a 10‑year incentive period for the retail anchors and the restaurant row, again only after the conditions are satisfied.

The five conditions Whittemore listed are: execution of the development agreement; building permits for public infrastructure obtained within six months of the DA effective date; design, bidding and construction of public infrastructure to applicable law within roughly a year; dedication of infrastructure to the city and to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) where required; and opening Dick’s Sporting Goods to the public within 48 months.

Whittemore and staff explained one of the eligible infrastructure components would be grading on ADOT‑owned property needed for drainage. Because part of that grading serves the residential portion of the larger project as well as the commercial portion, staff said only 60% of the ADOT grading cost would be treated as eligible for reimbursement. Whittemore said the developer must obtain the necessary ADOT encroachment/permit approvals and leave that area under ADOT ownership and control when work is complete to qualify for reimbursement.

City staff and the developer, represented by Josh Simon of SimonCRE, said anchors and restaurant commitments were central to the city’s retail strategy for East Mesa. Whittemore noted the agreement borrows industry definitions from a retail consultant: to qualify for the expanded construction tax bucket tied to restaurant row the restaurants must be higher‑end mid‑ or contemporary‑casual brands and not have multiple locations within a 10‑mile radius in Mesa (with an exception for a restaurant already at Mesa Gateway Airport).

An independent economist’s analysis—required under state law for retail sales‑tax incentive agreements—will be provided to council before final action, Whittemore said. Staff summarized Applied Economics’ draft findings on the slide deck: the city’s projected revenues from the development over the 10‑year incentive period were shown on the summary slide at roughly $26.9 million versus the proposed $6.36 million cap on reimbursements.

No final agreement was approved during the study session; staff said a “notice of intent” to consider the DA would go on the council’s June 16 regular meeting agenda and the resolution and final DA would be scheduled for the July 1 council meeting. Whittemore and O’Donnell said the July 1 package would include the independent economist’s report and the full DA terms.

What officials said matters: the DA ties public reimbursements to specific performance triggers (permits, public infrastructure completion, anchor openings); it limits reimbursement for ADOT grading to the commercial share; and it requires the developer to deliver specific restaurant brands to qualify for a larger reimbursement pool. Council members asked for typical timing and whether ADOT had been engaged; staff said the developer must secure ADOT approvals and that construction is anticipated to start in mid‑August with a 12–15 month primary construction window for the roadwork and grading.

The council will consider a notice of intent June 16 and formal adoption items July 1, including the statutory findings and the independent economic review.

Acknowledging the process: the development agreement remains subject to the city’s approval steps, required statutory findings for retail incentives and the developer’s ability to meet the listed conditions.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are: Jay O’Donnell, economic development director; Kelly Whittemore, deputy city attorney; and Josh Simon, developer with SimonCRE.","City staff told the Mesa City Council study session Thursday that a proposed development agreement for the Medina Station commercial project would reimburse up to $6,360,000 of city sales tax revenue to the developer for public infrastructure if a set of milestones are met.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6199692,"Council asked for more study after staff outline safety and code differences for park‑model RVs and manufactured homes as ADUs",151,4439000,4590000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3824371-2a53f162dd4b311f31bad18be3a6c7bd&start=4439&end=4590","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3824371-2a53f162dd4b311f31bad18be3a6c7bd/thumbnail_4439000.jpg","/articles/6199692/Mesa/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Council-asked-for-more-study-after-staff-outline-safety-and-code-differences-for-parkmodel-RVs-and-manufactured-homes-as-ADUs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6199692-a21d5ac97a8ed9a21920b29194d6d99a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191403&Signature=FfgOT-daUyienh8FqQU35FCFXdUGssByLHVj5AXBCxCjk6uyPkBixi-obzWp7Jc7phbXnOx7c7YcJ7ieeXOyz2MxS4RbmLpv23-XC4~6fdNVVXxvUaa9vMt5PX0RecPAzq8FEX~pv-5w4j3ZUBnEqUWXQpei6bh05f5tqyNNEYiwa9biFUCn90HaSvbkQ2SlXsImRLyVCYlAMKTNMhjLM5poZzGvxHb2UDi~zItf2bp09LaT5vy85aBUWNSCffzCMyaUA-4AveBC5QJy9q992l5imSCZ10sjsG3wpmABWmYy~WvAzvsgR3VjqYlymZlDbsX-0x~-FnUtzgzZJdug5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mesa staff told the council Thursday that the different building standards and fire‑safety features for park‑model recreational vehicles, manufactured homes and conventional construction create technical issues that require further study before the city changes its code to allow park‑model RVs as accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

Rachel Phillips, assistant planning director, said the city already permits conventional (site‑built) ADUs and factory‑built dwellings that meet the International Residential Code or HUD manufactured‑home standards. The staff presentation asked whether park‑model RVs — factory‑built units built to American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recreational‑vehicle standards and titled through the state motor‑vehicle department — should also qualify as ADUs.

Fire Marshal Sean Alexander said his office reviewed national standards and literature and did not find large‑scale laboratory testing directly comparing park‑model RVs and HUD‑certified manufactured homes. He said the primary regulatory distinction is that park‑model RVs are designed for temporary or seasonal occupancy and are engineered to a lighter construction standard so they can be transported: that leads to different smoke‑alarm, exit and surface‑material requirements in RV ANSI codes compared with HUD rules or the residential code.

Alexander described some differences: ANSI RV standards typically require fewer smoke alarms (one per vehicle rather than alarms outside every sleeping area), permit different exit configurations (roof hatches or windows may qualify as exits), and rely on lighter interior finishes to meet vehicle weight and transport requirements. He said manufacturers must provide a written notice at sale that ANSI park‑model RVs are designed for recreational — not permanent — occupancy; that notice is part of the federal HUD/ANSI regulatory framework that permits RVs to remain outside HUD manufactured‑home standards.

Because some park‑model RVs use propane or other fuel systems with different venting and clearance requirements, Alexander said permanent residential use of those units raises questions about ventilation, egress and fire‑safety performance that the RV standards do not address at the same level as HUD or the residential code. He said he had not found authoritative laboratory studies showing that one construction type is definitively more hazardous in typical residential usage but recommended city staff research and legal review before adopting code changes.

Council members asked for more time and for the city to consult members not present at the study session; several council members also said they wanted staff to provide comparisons of actual construction materials, examples of permitted uses in other jurisdictions, the practical experience of local parks and subdivisions where park‑model units are currently used, and an explicit legal assessment of municipal liability if the city permits park‑model RVs as ADUs.

City staff said they would return with additional analysis and that, because two council members were absent, more deliberation would be scheduled before any code change is proposed.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are: Rachel Phillips, assistant planning director; Sean Alexander, fire marshal; and John Scheffer, deputy director of development services and chief building official.","City planning, building and fire officials described technical differences between park‑model recreational vehicles, manufactured homes and conventionally built accessory dwelling units. Officials said park‑model RVs are built to RV (ANSI) standards and are designed for temporary or seasonal use, while manufactured homes follow HUD standards and",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6199682,"Mesa explains ambulance IGA with Scottsdale; council questions move‑up policy and response impacts for Southeast Mesa",112,2030000,2142000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3824371-2a53f162dd4b311f31bad18be3a6c7bd&start=2030&end=2142","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3824371-2a53f162dd4b311f31bad18be3a6c7bd/thumbnail_2030000.jpg","/articles/6199682/Mesa/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Mesa-explains-ambulance-IGA-with-Scottsdale-council-questions-moveup-policy-and-response-impacts-for-Southeast-Mesa","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6199682-1f55e2c14fd34cdd5af9bff47650dbf3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191403&Signature=N9uOJYeeRHw~vFMsgUNSv67Fi1v3O3wPa7hiUesb3M9TIu9H5MfOUtt7xLqdufpx2ZW0P2et9Qd57eXWNIFJ1aGZtkxLdkEdgELrAY1BlswWEczkBdzJnZqMcOR4Qj71qyF5ZxtojOs4cVjLjyBZGnIlUgcwMX-ZRH0ZeRgzPjo2sK9P~frG6vovXxrfJFm-HZL66KMdZU~jRB93ytugsRzF1V0LT~w1fQVaHRHOUO6WhKNtyHIIAtFAnFQu~n2IW84it4oz6jUUHHClmisiEBNc6N6befJ~hdw9vooB4C5GwoORJlq2zatdj1bjlhADgrPLgt-bV6XdL9CQTeFMRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mesa fire and emergency services staff briefed the council Thursday on a proposed intergovernmental agreement with Scottsdale to ensure cross‑jurisdictional ambulance backup and to comply with state Certificate of Necessity (CON) rules.

City staff said Mesa obtained its own ambulance CON and routinely enters IGAs with neighboring jurisdictions so ambulances can cross borders when needed for mutual aid, disaster response or when units are temporarily shifted. A fire‑department representative explained the state‑level CON rules mean an ambulance from one jurisdiction must have cross‑border agreements in place to respond outside its assigned area.

Vice Mayor Summers and other council members expressed concern that when Metro‑area demand intensifies, resources may be pulled toward central or busy areas, which could degrade response times in more peripheral parts of Mesa such as Southeast Mesa. Staff said the department has a “move‑up” policy designed to reposition apparatus when units are dispatched away from their primary areas and that the department will monitor dispatch data and provide requested usage reports to the vice mayor.

No vote was taken on the IGA during the study session; staff said the full IGA would be brought to council for approval, and that Mesa already has similar agreements with other valley cities. Council members asked staff to provide the requested deployment and response‑time data before formal action.

Speakers referenced in this article are the Mesa fire chief (Chief Cameli, surname used in session) and Vice Mayor Summers (questioning deployment impacts).","Mesa officials presented an intergovernmental agreement with Scottsdale to allow cross‑jurisdictional ambulance backup and to comply with state Certificate of Necessity (CON) rules. Fire and emergency management staff said such IGAs are common across valley jurisdictions and allow ambulances to cross borders when needed; the vice mayor asked for","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council debates length of Visit Mesa contract after governance reforms; 3‑year agreement recommended by staff

Arizona Museum of Natural History presents options: $84M renovation or $170M new building to expand exhibits and revenue

Mesa staff outline proposed Medina Station development agreement, $6.36 million tax reimbursement for anchors and restaurant row

Council asked for more study after staff outline safety and code differences for park‑model RVs and manufactured homes as ADUs

Mesa explains ambulance IGA with Scottsdale; council questions move‑up policy and response impacts for Southeast Mesa