Show Low council approves helipad parking pads contract, hires architect for business incubator, funds dam study and adopts FY2026 budget

The Show Low City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved four major items: a construction contract for large helicopter parking pads at Show Low Regional Airport, a professional services agreement to design a business incubator, an Arizona Department of Water Resources-funded dam safety study for Jaques Dam, and the city's final fiscal year 2026 budget.

Council action moved the airport helipad project toward construction and committed design work for a downtown business incubator while the city accepted ADWR grant funding and a study contract that staff said is the next step to secure construction funding for spillway upgrades.

Airport helipad: Staff recommended awarding the contract for the large helicopter parking pads to Show Low Construction Inc. City project consultant Lochner presented bid results and recommended awarding schedules 1 and 2 plus selected alternates for a total contract of $906,096.22, noting the full set of schedules and alternatives equaled $1,197,296.22. Lochner and staff said the city will submit a revised grant application seeking a 95% FAA share through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Airport Infrastructure Grants program and that the award is contingent on obtaining FAA concurrence and an FAA grant agreement.

The motion to award the contract passed unanimously. "The bid appears to be responsive," a city presenter said during the council packet summary. Council members asked whether large helicopters land on the runway; staff replied that those helicopters typically land on the runway, taxi to the pads and the pads provide additional parking capacity for the larger firefighting helicopters used each summer.

Business incubator design: The council approved a professional services agreement with 4 Line Studios (also referenced as FloorLine Studios in packet materials) for architectural services to design a business incubator in a vacant single-story school building on City Campus at 760 West McNeil. Staff said the building is roughly 20,000 square feet and the grant budget covers 75% of plans and specifications; remaining design work will wait until construction funding is available. The contract was approved for an amount not to exceed $96,264.

Dam safety study and engineering contract: The council adopted Resolution R2025-22 to accept ADWR's offer to reimburse 100% of a dam safety study cost up to $535,000 for Jaques Dam at Show Low Lake. Staff said the study is the next step toward securing construction funds for future spillway upgrades. City staff solicited qualifications and selected Tetra Tech; the council approved a professional services contract for the Jaques Dam Safety Study (City project FM-4125) to Tetra Tech in an amount not to exceed $535,000.

Final FY2026 budget adoption: Finance staff reviewed the budget presentation before a public hearing. In that presentation staff described the fiscal year 2026 budget as a $133.1 million budget with total revenues of $152,980,266 and noted capital comprised roughly 47.9% of planned expenditures. After closing the public hearing, the council adopted Resolution R2025-20 adopting the final budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. The motion recorded on the transcript included a numeric figure that appears garbled in the audio record; the budget figures presented by staff earlier in the meeting were the $133.1 million budget and $152.98 million in total revenues cited in the staff presentation.

Votes at a glance: - Award contract to Show Low Construction Inc. for large helicopter parking pads (schedules 1 and 2 and alternates 1a, 1c, 2a, 2c). Motion: award contract contingent on FAA concurrence and grant agreement and authorize budget transfers and city manager signature. Second: Councilman Adams. Outcome: passed unanimously. - Approve professional services agreement with 4 Line Studios for business incubator design, amount not to exceed $96,264. Motion: approve agreement. Second: Councilman Judd. Outcome: passed unanimously. - Adopt Resolution R2025-22 (intergovernmental agreement with Arizona Department of Water Resources) and approve professional services contract to Tetra Tech for Jaques Dam Safety Study (City project FM-4125), amount not to exceed $535,000. Motion(s): adopt IGA; approve contract. Outcome: both motions passed unanimously. - Adopt Resolution R2025-20 adopting the final FY2026 budget. Motion: adopt final budget resolution (motion text in the record contains a garbled numeric amount). Outcome: passed unanimously.

Other meeting business: The council recognized retiring Public Works employee Matt Armijo in a ceremonial presentation and heard a public comment from Doug Roberts thanking the city for support of the annual car show. Staff and council members also reviewed upcoming community events including Fourth of July activities, a free family fishing day and an old-stuff sale.

The council did not discuss or act on items raised during the public comment period beyond appreciation and congratulations to event organizers.

The council indicated the helipad contract award, the incubator design contract and the dam study contract are contingent on the expected grant and program approvals called out in staff recommendations; staff said those approvals remain pending (FAA concurrence for the airport project and the ADWR grant agreement for the dam study).