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El Mirage council confronts 'El Mirage Cares' branding and governance after nonprofit registration
Summary
Council members raised concerns that a council member registered a trademark and nonprofit using the city initiative name without council notice; the council asked the nonprofit board to relinquish the name or the city will consider legal steps; the council directed staff to review internal procedures and oversight for city-affiliated programs.
A prolonged council discussion on May 6 focused on governance, use of city-affiliated names and staff resources after members raised concerns that a city initiative name — “El Mirage Cares” — was registered as a nonprofit and trademark by an elected official.
Mayor and several council members said the council was not notified before the name registration and that the use of the city-associated name and related materials created confusion about whether the nonprofit was formally affiliated with the city. “That behavior doesn’t belong here,” Council Member Winston said during the discussion, describing the registration and parallel nonprofit filings as a unilateral action that “undermines the trust we need to govern together.” Council members also noted the city has used staff time and printed materials to support El Mirage Cares activities in the past.
Council members expressed two central concerns: (1) use of a city-affiliated name and city intellectual property without council approval and (2) the appearance of using city staff resources or public funds without a formal agreement or council direction. Vice Mayor Parsons said the trademark registration should be cancelled; the mayor directed staff to review internal procedures to avoid recurrence and to clarify roles when community programs use the city name.
Council member Norton McDaniel, who had been associated with the El Mirage Cares effort, said her nonprofit board decided not to keep the El Mirage Cares name and that the board would consider the request to relinquish the trademark/registration. “My board has said, no. We do not want that name,” she said during the meeting, adding the nonprofit will continue community work under a different name.
Council members requested the city attorney and city staff follow up on the status of any trademark or corporate registration and report back. One council member said if the registration had not been withdrawn before the next council meeting, the city attorney should pursue whatever legal steps are necessary.
The discussion included references to long-running community programs and partnerships with the Dysart Community Center, local schools and county partners; several council members urged that the underlying services and outreach continue regardless of the naming dispute. The mayor said staff will review procedures and report back to ensure city-affiliated names, logos and staff involvement are governed consistently going forward.
