Council Workshop — Buckeye, AZ
Date: 2026-02-18

CITY OF BUCKEYE
 COUNCIL WORKSHOP
 FEBRUARY 17, 2026
 MINUTES

City Hall - 1st Floor / Executive Conference Room
530 East Monroe Avenue
Buckeye, AZ 85326
4:00 p.m.

1. Call to Order/Roll Call
Mayor Orsborn called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.

Members Present: Councilmember Youngker, Councilmember Berry, Councilmember HagEstad,
Councilmember Beard, Councilmember Heustis, Vice Mayor Goodman, and Mayor Orsborn.

Members Absent: None.

Departments Present: City Manager Doug Sandstrom, Deputy City Manager Javier Setovich,
Deputy City Manager Dave Roderique, Deputy City Manager Jared Askelson, City Attorney Tosca
Henry, Deputy City Clerk Summer Stewart, Director of Program Management Office James Shano,
Water Resources Director Terry Lowe, Aviation Director Scott Gray, Community Services Director
Miranda Gomez, Police Chief Robert Sanders, and Fire Chief Jake Rhoades.

2. Workshop Items

2.A Presentation and discussion of the City's Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
 Staff Liaison: James Shano, Director of Program Management Office

Mr. Shano provided an overview of the City's Capital Improvement Program (CIP), highlighting its
development and implementation over the past two years. He discussed the establishment of the
Program Management Office (PMO) and its four vital programs: transportation, real estate,
administration, and capital improvement. Jim emphasized the importance of standardizing the
CIP process, which now includes a monthly project submission and evaluation cycle, replacing
the previous annual process. He also mentioned the financial performance goals, noting
significant improvements in expenditure rates from 26 percent in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 to 70
percent in FY 2025. Continuous improvement items such as the cost recovery ordinance and the
Sensei IQ platform for project management and reporting were also discussed. Jim concluded by
outlining the timeline and key milestones of the CIP, including the involvement of LJA
Engineering and the establishment of the PMO. Mayor Orsborn requested clarification regarding
the financial performance and expenditure rates, specifically comparing the actual expenditure to
the budgeted amount. Mr. Shano explained that in FY24, the actual expenditure rate was 26
percent, and the goal was to increase it to 40 percent in FY25. The actual rate achieved in FY25
was 70%, showing significant improvement. Mayor Orsborn inquired about the cost recovery
ordinance and how it would work. Mr. Shano explained that the ordinance would establish a
framework for recovering costs from developers for street improvements made by the City ahead
of adjacent development. Mr. Quinlan discussed various aspects of the Capital Improvement
Program and highlighted specific projects. He mentioned the progress on public safety facilities,
including the design and construction of fire stations 706 and 709, and the planning for the public


February 17, 2026 Council Workshop Minutes
safety headquarters and training facilities. Mr. Quinlan also provided updates on road projects,
such as the recent opening of McDowell Road, the upcoming construction on Jackrabbit Trail,
and the improvements on Verrado Way and Yuma Road. He emphasized coordination with other
entities like the City of Goodyear and the Department of Transportation to ensure efficient
infrastructure development. Additionally, he highlighted the construction of communication
towers, and the implementation of high-intensity activated crosswalks (HAWK) to enhance
pedestrian safety. He concluded by mentioning the completion of several projects, including Miller
Road improvements and the installation of new traffic signals, and provided an overview of the
bond projects funded in the first phase, focusing on public safety and transportation
enhancements. Councilmember Heustis raised a concern about the visibility of a HAWK signal
near a high school in the downtown area. Mr. Quinlan stated the current interim HAWK would be
replaced with a more visible one that meets Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
standards. Councilmember Youngker asked about the plan for addressing areas where payment
in lieu had been collected but no improvements had been made. Mr. Shano explained that the
City would incorporate those funds into future capital improvement projects and work with
developers to ensure the necessary improvements are made.

2.B Presentation and discussion of the Buckeye Police Department's responsible use of
 public safety technology.
 Staff Liaison: Robert Sanders, Chief of Police

Chief Sanders discussed the responsible use of public safety technology, focusing on public safety,
privacy and civil liberties, and accountability. He highlighted the deployment of technologies like
body cameras, license plate readers, traffic cameras, city cameras in buildings and parks, and
drones, which act as workforce multipliers to enhance community safety and aid in criminal
investigations. The data collected is strictly for law enforcement purposes, such as locating stolen
vehicles and missing persons, and investigating crimes. The data is protected through encryption,
dual authentication, and strict access controls, with a 30-day retention period for license plate reads.
Internal audits and best practice policies ensure citizen privacy. Chief Sanders addressed
community concerns by clarifying that the cameras only capture license plates and vehicle details,
with no facial recognition or personal data collection, and the data is not shared with non-law
enforcement entities or sold. He provided examples of successful use cases, such as locating
missing persons and preventing potential crimes, demonstrating the effectiveness of these
technologies in enhancing public safety while respecting privacy and civil liberties. Mayor Orsborn
inquired about the system's ability to capture only specific data, such as license plates and vehicle
details, and whether this could be unfiltered. Chief Sanders clarified that the system is designed to
capture only license plates and vehicle details, with no capability for facial recognition or seeing
inside vehicles. He assured that the filters cannot be removed and that the data is used strictly for
law enforcement purposes. Councilmember Heustis asked about the speed at which the system
processes and alerts officers to hits on license plates. Chief Sanders responded that the system
typically takes about two seconds to alert officers to a hit, allowing for quick response times.

3. Adjournment.
There being no further business to discuss, Mayor Orsborn adjourned the meeting at 5:23 p.m.

 ______________________________________
 Eric W. Orsborn, Mayor

ATTEST:

_____________________________________
Lucinda J. Aja, City Clerk



February 17, 2026 Council Workshop Minutes
I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the Council Workshop held
on February 17, 2026. I further certify that a quorum was present.

_____________________________________
Lucinda J. Aja, City Clerk




February 17, 2026 Council Workshop Minutes