[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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],{"_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",6188238,"mediaKeyId","5063896-7ecac2d48e4c0e51bb238de7eeea7438","parentId",5063896,"title","Flagstaff Airport after-action: exercise showed strong interagency response but flagged staffing, patient-tracking and radio gaps","audioSeconds",1142,"startMs",2426090,"endMs",3568970,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5063896-7ecac2d48e4c0e51bb238de7eeea7438&start=2426&end=3568","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5063896-7ecac2d48e4c0e51bb238de7eeea7438/thumbnail_2426090.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6188238/Flagstaff-City/Coconino-County/Arizona/Flagstaff-Airport-after-action-exercise-showed-strong-interagency-response-but-flagged-staffing-patient-tracking-and-radio-gaps","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188238-b35b3f495928be7ecad4fd62769fa11a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775733995&Signature=QUxyVaPZmnAKIVfxPTnEvc-W4GVMlh43TDClQ8WPCKgwu0PVB9KiklH9jSyKl5771hbGHkAw9u9Xzpm4jFLmAJ~Y4QU6Q-VzrQraSkJo~ZUtd3fUF3ot0CwPW5JTBOZO6Yq1EuNjIvAWrAyTeh9cE~2xyBU--njF-834EiwkxPqsMV3Z6O8UwnZ34COF~N8sexMxFT6J2UMxWhinV2iJ8k5kgBOigvUuRyd4raMrtOxcM6xH0cKWFdi9XBYAzDm3d0o2WnLlpOQ91m3QRaKhImaLNxAKhxGQg1eFZG~lnu6akKxqyQuU1PyAedDtrpkCggWTRcxSscW2RLndNtVH~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Flagstaff, AZ","date","2025-06-25T04:07:54Z","article","Flagstaff emergency management, airport and public-safety staff presented the after-action report and improvement plan for the airport’s 2024 triennial full-scale exercise, Operation Ready Flag, which simulated an alert‑3 aircraft incident with mass casualties. Council and staff described the drill as one of the largest-scale exercises in the state since 2018.

Stacy Brecklenecks, emergency management director, and Brian Gull, airport director, led the briefing. Gull explained the Flagstaff Airport must meet Federal Aviation Administration requirements under 14 CFR part 139, which include a full-scale emergency exercise at least once every three years. The 2024 scenario included an aircraft crash on the de-icing pad, heavy smoke from a simulated wildfire and a surge of patients transported to Flagstaff Medical Center by ground and air.

Daniel Kelly, the city’s emergency program manager, said exercise planners measured performance against nine core capabilities from FEMA’s National Preparedness Goal, including fire operations, mass casualty incident (MCI) handling, incident command and interoperable communications. He said strengths included a successful transfer of command and robust mutual-aid response by regional fire services; Flagstaff Medical Center’s surge plan also performed well.

But the exercise exposed several shortcomings staff listed in the improvement plan. Brian Gull and others said airport operations are currently combined with aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) duties. On the day of the exercise, a concurrent wildlife (coyote) response required an ARFF crew member to leave the station in an operations vehicle, delaying the second ARFF apparatus and creating a gap versus FAA response expectations. Gull described a longer-term remedy of splitting operations and ARFF duties into separate teams; the airport estimated that would require about seven additional positions to provide broader coverage across shifts, but staff have not yet identified a funding source.

Fire department leaders and hospital staff also highlighted patient-tracking and communications challenges. Deputy Chief Chris Fallon said field crews were overwhelmed early on and that triage tags were applied late, causing patients to be triaged multiple times. Radio traffic on a single operating frequency became congested; Fallon said evaluators recommended predefining incident communication channels and expanding interoperable radio training.

Flagstaff Medical Center managers reported difficulties managing helicopter patient flow and maintaining an internal security perimeter during the surge; they plan to update standard operating procedures for victim staging and to study alternate security staffing models. County emergency management noted logistics staffing was strained and that training on the state’s transition from WebEOC to Teams was still needed.

Staff gave timelines for corrective actions ranging from months to a year. Council members who observed the exercise praised the realism of the training and the transparency of the report; some asked for clearer timelines on the most critical fixes. Staff said the after-action report is available electronically and that some corrective steps have already begun.

What’s next: staff will track implementation of the improvement plan, continue interagency work on communications and patient tracking, and pursue longer-term staffing changes for the airport’s ARFF and operations functions pending funding decisions.

(Reporting note: Direct quotes are from presenters identified in the transcript and are cited in the provenance.)","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Flagstaff City Council Work Session - June 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Flagstaff emergency management, airport and public-safety staff presented findings from the airport’s 2024 full-scale emergency exercise, noting strong multiagency coordination but identifying staffing, patient-tracking and radio-communications gaps.","taxTitle","Flagstaff City, Coconino County, Arizona","taxId",4650,"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},6188227,"Council gives staff direction on regional plan implementability; rejects map-level resort overlay, asks for PUD option and trails clarifications",6820,4144075,10964307,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5063896-7ecac2d48e4c0e51bb238de7eeea7438&start=4144&end=10964","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5063896-7ecac2d48e4c0e51bb238de7eeea7438/thumbnail_4144075.jpg","/articles/6188227/Flagstaff-City/Coconino-County/Arizona/Council-gives-staff-direction-on-regional-plan-implementability-rejects-map-level-resort-overlay-asks-for-PUD-option-and-trails-clarifications","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188227-a9aeb497f9067fe1fc82302644621b0c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775733995&Signature=a5UCz8Tv1jATrZZcAbXR1wOYBhCuRFaa2WHXLWhejiN~Dil3cOF8eCS-kGUoysHw7ka2RGsWTxCGJld5wqw8SZWTa28O01U5TENCftNwN3XLMVEgXeEumYBBe~bISp9tM7a9GqyAwGSWMF1akTzD82VTYaXXQk4BX20aUcETrOCb5drcDCfMjvmHcCiSCXkuZmY~5O9cb5IJkE-Om66CdaC1zYuwd2-GPWy5wlRjBX3xrvJTjWJhawWazyPQbyY7F3LiXwSZqu1Qx8SkbrcqhebNcBSt~WLsDKdHMBg-~Dda2z~uAPYqEX8gi8JMwK3YvOlRDa8N~MtLGIR-mJ~6yQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City planning staff walked Council through detailed changes to the draft regional plan that would make it easier to implement at the front counter — including a simpler approach to land-use categories, a table linking future place types to compatible zoning, and proposed edits to the plan’s trails map.

Sarah Ducker, comprehensive and neighborhood planning manager, emphasized that the city must reconcile the plan (policy) with the city’s zoning and development code (implementation). Staff proposed four simpler density bands (low: 0–4 du/acre; medium: 5–14; medium-high: 15–30; high: 31+) and a compatibility table that would allow an applicant to use an existing compatible zoning category or meet the plan’s “future desired density/intensity.” Ducker and staff said the intent was to make front-counter decisions more predictable and to shorten staff reports for straightforward requests while reserving more extensive analysis for amendments that change plan categories.

A late-arriving and contentious topic was whether to include a map-level “resort community” (RC) overlay at the request of owners of the Little America property. Staff reported on what other jurisdictions do (Phoenix uses a resort/hospitality overlay and the county has a “resort community” zone) and explained the technical differences between a map designation and the zoning code tools (for example, a planned-unit development or planned-area development).

Council and the public debated the overlay. Several public commenters and civic groups urged caution: they said an RC overlay on hundreds of acres could reduce land available for housing and undermine the plan’s housing and climate priorities. City staff and Little America representatives said the RC approach is intended to allow flexible resort/hospitality development — including units that can be used as permanent homes in some models — and to avoid triggering a major general-plan amendment for future master planning. Little America’s representatives told Council they wanted flexibility to explore mixed outcomes on their property and asked the city to preserve pathways for a master-planned approach.

After extensive public comment and council discussion, Council directed staff not to add a map-level resort-community overlay to the future-growth illustration. Instead Council asked staff to:

- Proceed with the existing density-category approach and compatibility table as presented (the “or” approach: applicants may rezone to a compatible zoning category or meet the future desired density and guidelines),
- Add an explicit action item in chapter 5 to create or modernize a planned-unit-development / planned-area-development (PUD/PAD) zoning tool in the city code as a vehicle that would allow master-planned flexibility (including hospitality/resort-type models) to be reviewed through the normal public process, and
- Adopt the revised trails map symbology staff proposed (planned trails with/without property rights and a generalized depiction for parcels larger than 400 acres), while directing staff to prepare GIS data thoughtfully so staff do not publish navigable trail lines for paths that are not yet secured by property-rights agreements.

Staff told Council some items — especially any PAD/PUD code work and discussions about resort-style zoning or alternates — would be followed by code amendments or a separate staff project; any zoning changes would come through the normal notice and hearing process and could trigger voter requirements where property- or finance-related legal thresholds apply. Council asked staff to return with the code work and to coordinate closely with the county on cross-jurisdictional matters.

What’s next: staff will finalize the draft regional plan for public hearings using the clarified compatibility approach, include the PUD/PAD action item in chapter 5, adopt the revised trails map symbology and begin work on the PUD/PAD code option and other follow-up items for Council review.

(Reporting note: direct quotes attributable to Sarah Ducker and multiple public commenters and Little America representatives are reflected in the provenance.)","City staff proposed changes to the draft regional plan to ease implementation; Council directed staff to keep the plan’s density/compatibility approach, rejected a map-level resort overlay, asked staff to add a PUD/PAD zoning tool action item, and accepted revised trails symbology.",{"_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},6188232,"Council opens path to explore city role in preserving Orpheum Theatre; staff to appraise building and study acquisition models",7931,2882390,10813505,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5063896-7ecac2d48e4c0e51bb238de7eeea7438&start=2882&end=10813","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5063896-7ecac2d48e4c0e51bb238de7eeea7438/thumbnail_2882390.jpg","/articles/6188232/Flagstaff-City/Coconino-County/Arizona/Council-opens-path-to-explore-city-role-in-preserving-Orpheum-Theatre-staff-to-appraise-building-and-study-acquisition-models","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188232-ab5aabfdaebe59f517adf163d1230336/orig.mp4?Expires=1775733995&Signature=Qk3tdL12SH3QpTxVqIgoZ8NJv1jF4~LL2xDFKEEp2n9nzSneERd7jaArag7-qr9bCmrwmM5ICcrIu3u9GySE7pk69kSZKvwo8Hn60Ehy0FmhuQkJMHoGll4cAYOEOMD8GTjkUuSXaNVD3FqP~UhAcxY7n2QFgJMrVrmRVum1XdEvmjpxKwxir-ffyUHSfnS55D0dzQsltk9O2PZQ0rnpA--LlYCuvkFUyA44VGBNSci4QnV3HBu9NyNXZvY9kRVEeEAGmUoag4blqBBqoIYcMOU8DgQWEbHLCqNocaOJ22Mlya9Oiaw7stTi10Rrp7s~FhIyTZtmgWU~zhEFExyCkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Flagstaff City Council at its June 24 work session heard hours of testimony and a staff briefing about options for preserving the Orpheum Theatre as a community asset. The owners, operators and numerous community speakers urged the city to help keep the downtown venue locally owned and available as performance and event space.

Deputy City Manager Joanne Keene introduced the staff briefing and turned the presentation over to Lauren Clementino, the city’s historic preservation officer, and Dave McIntyre, community investment director. Staff outlined three scenarios for the Orpheum should the current owners choose to exit: (1) city acquisition with public management through a competitive manager selection, (2) city acquisition with creation of a special district (an arts district or community facilities district) that could oversee multiple venues and eventually transition management to nonprofit partners, and (3) no city acquisition, allowing the owners to sell on the open market.

Owners Charles Smith and Chris Scully attended and addressed the council. Scully and Smith described the theater’s local history and operations and told council they are open to exploring options. Members of the public — including musicians, longtime Flagstaff residents and arts advocates — urged council to preserve the venue, citing the Orpheum’s role in downtown life, tourism and local arts development.

Key staff points and constraints included:

- Financing and legal limits: Keene and McIntyre reminded council that if a city purchase price exceeded $3 million, Arizona charter rules would likely require voter approval; staff said larger capital or bonding decisions would likely involve the voters. McIntyre also noted past development agreements and incentives tied to the theater, including a government property lease excise tax incentive used earlier to maintain the venue.

- Due diligence: Staff said next steps — should council want to continue exploring a city role — would include a commercial appraisal, a facility condition assessment and drafting possible governance/management models. City staff estimated an appraisal could be completed in roughly 60–90 days and asked for direction to proceed with that due diligence.

- Management models: Staff described precedents where cities or counties own venues while nonprofits or private managers program them (examples cited: Theatricos, Creative Flagstaff at the Center for the Arts, Pepsi Amphitheater). The district model (scenario 2) would allow multiple venues and organizations to operate under a single governance umbrella and could include the Indigenous Community Cultural Center (ICCC) in a coordinated strategy.

Council discussion: Vice Mayor Sweet, who had helped initiate staff conversations, argued for protecting the Orpheum and tying preservation efforts to other community priorities, particularly the Indigenous Community Cultural Center. Multiple council members expressed support for exploring a model that packages the Orpheum and the ICCC together, while noting the need for clear financial plans and likely voter involvement for significant purchases. Council member Matthews said the ICCC must be included if the city pursues acquisition: \"The ICCC has to be included in this,\" he said, adding concern about timeline and total costs.

Public comment was extensive: musicians, long-term residents and local business leaders spoke in favor of city involvement; owners and operators thanked council for engaging and said they would work with staff. After discussion, Council directed staff to proceed with due diligence (appraisal and facility assessment), to prepare governance/management options (including a PUD/PAD or an arts-district governance model), and to return with the findings and recommended next steps. Staff estimated an appraisal would take approximately 60–90 days.

What’s next: Staff will order a commercial appraisal and facility assessment, prepare potential management/governance options (including an arts-district approach), and report back to council. Staff warned that a voter measure would likely be required if purchase or bonding needs exceed charter thresholds; council members said they want the Indigenous Community Cultural Center considered in any package.

(Reporting note: direct quotations in this article are attributable to Vice Mayor Sweet and City staff; full transcript excerpts are included in provenance.)","Flagstaff City Council heard owners, arts advocates and staff briefings and directed staff to perform due diligence — including a commercial appraisal and facility condition assessment — to explore a city role in preserving the Orpheum Theatre.",{"_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},6188242,"Flagstaff staff to send letter opposing federal provision to sell public lands; council signals support",239,1633000,1872000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5063896-7ecac2d48e4c0e51bb238de7eeea7438&start=1633&end=1872","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5063896-7ecac2d48e4c0e51bb238de7eeea7438/thumbnail_1633000.jpg","/articles/6188242/Flagstaff-City/Coconino-County/Arizona/Flagstaff-staff-to-send-letter-opposing-federal-provision-to-sell-public-lands-council-signals-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188242-4b01143e366e0cc2fc1b93b9e41560d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775733995&Signature=ZCJOore3-JsA8wk~~9DMzD~mG8h3xJdFUuk3XpkBMwL9G1K16B~Zwv~CJIgrOMa4Qkx7bNxgFbyDz9Kr~RhKbWEs~xmmy2OJaA1r3QlQHvzSDkJdUoqEGuTbusdfnZ5mx19GWD~tuVwlT8QRtb2wCDCyjyiheZ0B46frp3RaxV9lZfkSpVQvx7I2thzysRWo0Q1vUQN2UebMASXVfLDs0JKG47NZT432B0e0kKe3YF-h~hlKlXIL5zKdk5yl2nmABNmVb8kPxnC-1kZZ2BdrBQrfIp0LEloTjWxk7lTu-C5V0BLBU52bdgOCtQWWRaTCtHJCdo~BrpI86FmeR4uSkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Staff presented a draft letter for Flagstaff City Council to send to the city’s congressional delegation opposing a provision in the budget reconciliation package that would allow sale of large tracts of federal public lands.

Sarah Ducker, comprehensive and neighborhood planning manager, told the council that the provision — introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Lee — would have allowed “over 2,000,000, I’ve heard also 3,000,000 acres of public land” to be sold in Western states, though the Senate parliamentarian had ruled the provision could not remain in the reconciliation vehicle. Ducker said Senator Lee tweeted he plans to try again under a different legislative path that would require 60 votes in the Senate.

“This provision was introduced by Utah senator Mike Lee, who is the chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee,” Ducker said. The staff memo included local concerns about Flagstaff’s surrounding public lands, their importance to the local economy and identity, and possible impacts to natural resources and infrastructure.

Council members voiced unanimous support to have staff send the draft letter to the city’s U.S. senators immediately and to bring the item back on a consent agenda for retroactive approval. City staff said they would also be prepared to revise the letter if the provision reappears in a different form.

City Manager’s Office staff and the deputy city manager noted the timing and that the city would keep the letter flexible to accommodate any future reintroduction of similar provisions. No formal vote was recorded; council provided direction to staff to proceed.

The council discussion also included public input during the meeting from speakers who urged broad opposition to proposals that would transfer public lands to private control. The city will deliver the letter to the senators and, per staff, place the item on a future consent agenda for ratification if needed.

What’s next: staff said they will send the letter to the city’s senators immediately, monitor subsequent federal activity on the provision and return the item to council for ratification or revision if the proposal resurfaces.

(Reporting note: Direct quotes above are from Sarah Ducker, comprehensive and neighborhood planning manager; full transcript excerpts supporting this article are listed in provenance.)","City staff presented a draft letter opposing a provision in a budget reconciliation package that would permit large-scale sales of federal public lands. Council directed staff to send the letter to the city’s U.S. senators and return with the item on consent for retroactive ratification if needed.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Flagstaff Airport after-action: exercise showed strong interagency response but flagged staffing, patient-tracking and radio gaps

Council gives staff direction on regional plan implementability; rejects map-level resort overlay, asks for PUD option and trails clarifications

Council opens path to explore city role in preserving Orpheum Theatre; staff to appraise building and study acquisition models

Flagstaff staff to send letter opposing federal provision to sell public lands; council signals support