I’d like to give you an update on some of the issues and projects that will soon be before us.
On Dec. 17, Councilmembers Anthony Garcia and David Spence were sworn in and joined the Flagstaff City Council and, as the highest vote getter, Miranda Sweet was selected as Vice Mayor. I’m eager to get to know our new councilmembers better and look forward to continuing to work well together as a City Council.
I’d like to give you an update on some of the issues and projects that will soon be before us. At our first meeting in 2025, we’ll be discussing our state and federal legislative priorities. These guide council and staff when discussing our priorities and needs with our state and federal elected officials. These priorities always include water, forest health, transportation, clean energy, affordable housing, and regulating Short Term Rentals (STRs).
We aggressively advocate and seek funding for many of the city’s needs such as flood mitigation, forest health, transportation, low-income housing tax credits, and housing grants of all kinds. Each year we visit with our legislators to describe what STR proliferation has done to some of our neighborhoods and to request more local control and authority over STRs. The city is a member of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns and I’m part of the Greater Arizona Mayors Association, and both prioritize local control of STRs…