Tempe council authorizes drink-spiking subcommittee; receives subcommittee updates on worker heat safety, youth disability advocacy and Town Lake revitalization

The Tempe City Council authorized a new subcommittee on drink-spiking education and prevention and heard status updates on several standing subcommittees at its April 24 work study session.

Councilmember Keating and Vice Mayor Garland proposed the new subcommittee to develop public education, industry training and city-industry partnerships on preventing drink spiking. "We would like to propose a subcommittee on drink spiking education and prevention," Keating said. The council authorized the subcommittee to proceed; staff and the sponsoring members will develop scope and membership and pursue public outreach.

Councilmember Keating also reported on the Heat Safety for Tempe and Contract Workers Council Subcommittee: the group has a draft ordinance and plans a public comment period. Keating said the draft is "quite robust" and intended to protect workers, including contract employees, and thanked staff and stakeholder participants for their work. Councilmember Hodge reported the Increased Advocacy for Tempe Youth with Disabilities subcommittee will meet on April 25. Vice Mayor Garland said the nuisance ordinance subcommittee will have a second reading on May 1.

On Revitalization of Tempe Town Lake, Councilmember Amberg said the subcommittee received briefings from Community Services Director Craig Hayden, City Engineer Mark Weber and Principal Engineer Greg Kent on RFPs and RFQs soon to be issued and noted further meetings will await those contracting outcomes. "We are going to await the outcome of the RFP and the RFQs, so we probably aren't going to meet again until early fall," she said.

No formal votes were recorded beyond the procedural authorization to form the drink-spiking subcommittee; for items such as the heat-safety draft ordinance staff said the next steps will include public comment and further council consideration.