Council directs design of Municipal Operations Complex phase 1 after review of $93.5 million estimate

City staff presented a three-phase Municipal Operations Complex (MOC) concept to the Goodyear City Council on Sept. 15, 2025, and council members gave direction to begin design for phase 1 of the project, staff said.

Staff described the MOC as a "central purpose built campus for the people who keep Goodyear running," intended to colocate field crews, fleet mechanics and equipment, reduce travel and double-handling, improve safety and create capacity for future growth. "An MOC is a central purpose built campus for the people who keep Goodyear running," Deputy Public Works Director Tony Manna said during the presentation.

Why it matters: Consolidating field operations and establishing a dedicated household hazardous waste (HHW) drop-off site would address operational constraints flagged by staff: limited indoor storage at existing facilities, crews operating from a 21-year-old trailer and a canopy HHW collection site that staff described as over capacity and potentially hazardous, particularly for lithium batteries.

Council direction and budget context: - Staff sought guidance to initiate design of phase 1 (HHW/solid waste operational yard, consolidated field facility and improvements to 150 Ninth Avenue). City staff said roughly $4 million for design is available in the capital improvement program and that beginning design would not commit the city to construction. - Staff estimated phase 1 costs at about $93,500,000 (the presentation broke this into $35,000,000 for the HHW/solid waste facility, $53,800,000 for the consolidated field facility, and $4,700,000 for 150 Ninth Avenue site improvements). Phase 2 was estimated at $90,900,000 and phase 3 at $17,300,000, a multi-decade plan staff said would address growth through 2046 and beyond.

Operational and safety concerns: - Staff highlighted that the current HHW canopy was never intended as permanent storage and that lithium batteries are a growing fire hazard; the presentation included a photo of a lithium fire in a solid-waste truck. Councilmembers pressed for immediate attention: one asked the fire marshal to evaluate current HHW collection conditions and for interim steps to reduce hazard exposure.

Council discussion focused on funding and phasing. Several councilmembers said the project should be evaluated alongside other capital priorities at the council retreat; others emphasized pursuing grant or other funding sources and keeping shovel-ready plans to qualify for grants. Staff noted that water and wastewater facilities are not part of this MOC proposal and would be funded through enterprise funds; solid waste and the field facility would be split between enterprise and general funds, staff said.

Ending: Councilmembers signaled support for starting the design phase while reserving final construction decisions for later budget discussions. Staff said they would return with refined cost estimates and funding options after completing design work.