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Council rebukes use of city‑affiliated name; El Mirage Cares program to continue under city oversight while nonprofit renames
Summary
Council members sharply criticized a council colleague’s private trademark and nonprofit filings using the El Mirage Cares name. The council reaffirmed the program as a city initiative, asked the nonprofit board to withdraw the city‑affiliated name, and directed staff to review procedures and consider next steps.
The Common Council debated the future of the El Mirage Cares program on May 6 after council members raised concerns about use of the city‑affiliated name and filings by a councilmember to register the name privately.
Mayor Alexis Armacillo opened the item by saying the city would keep El Mirage Cares as a municipal initiative but urged greater oversight and clarified concerns about the use of city intellectual property and staff resources without prior council authorization. Mayor Armacillo said he had asked staff to review internal procedures to “ensure that this does not happen again.”
Vice Mayor Parsons, Councilmember Winston and other members described the filings and coordination as a breach of trust. Councilmember Winston said councilmember Norton McDaniel filed trademark and nonprofit paperwork before the city had discussed or approved such an arrangement, which councilmembers said created confusion about whether El Mirage Cares was an independent nonprofit or a city program. Winston asked that registrations be cancelled if the nonprofit board would not voluntarily withdraw the El Mirage Cares name.
Councilmember Norton McDaniel said she had informed the city attorney and city manager of her plans and that the nonprofit’s board had decided to rename the organization. She told the council her nonprofit would continue related community work under a new name and that the board preferred the new name; she said no city staff resources or funding were taken for the nonprofit work. Norton said the nonprofit would continue collaborating with city staff and community partners.
Several council members demanded clarity and a formal response. The council requested that the nonprofit board confirm it will remove the El Mirage Cares trademarks/registrations; the mayor and other members asked staff to be prepared to take further legal steps if the registrations are not withdrawn. The council also directed staff to review policies for handling city program names, trademark and branding use, and to clarify when outside organizations can use city‑affiliated names.
No formal punitive action was taken at the meeting; the council sought to reassert city control of El Mirage Cares, requested the nonprofit board reconsider its filings and asked staff to return with options if the board does not withdraw the registrations.
