Council delays 25-year Ken Lindley Park lease after councilmember cites charter notice requirement

Prescott City Council on Sept. 23 voted 4-2 to postpone action on a proposed 25-year lease of Ken Lindley Park (city contract 2026-114) to allow additional public notice and contract revisions requested by Councilwoman Freeworth. Freeworth said she supports the project, which proposes upgrading Ken Lindley’s athletic field to a higher-standard soccer facility, but objected to moving from a study session directly into a voting meeting without more time for contract refinements and public review. She cited Section 11 of the city charter requiring that “prior to the approval and execution of any such lease … the city shall publish a notice of intent … at least one time per week for two weeks,” and said the notice published that week and the prior Sunday did not meet her interpretation of the charter’s two-week notice requirement. “I would like to pull this and actually table it for a consent ordinance item 2 weeks from now,” Freeworth said. Council members discussed the next available meeting date and the public comment period. Resident Kathy Rusing told council she supports the project and thanked the donor for the proposed improvements. Council voted to postpone the item; the motion passed 4-2. Staff noted the next available regular council meeting could be Nov. 4 if the item is tabled until a date certain, but council discussed and indicated they would schedule the item earlier if possible. Freeworth and other supporters asked staff to use the postponement interval to finalize contract language and to allow wider public input.