The Town Council retreat included some discussion regarding the operational and strategic objectives of staff and council members.

There was talk regarding the status of citizen advisory commissions, focusing on the consolidation of four groups into the Community Services Advisory Commission.

Community Services Director Mark Mayer said the group has held a couple of meetings thus far, is organized and focused on new objectives.

That group includes the former Parks and Recreation Commission, Senior Services Advisory Commission and Community Center Advisory Commission.

There are currently 12 members, which will be reduced by attrition as terms expire.

The McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission is slated to be absorbed into that group in 2017.

The council also discussed the possibility of dissolving the Public Safety Advisory Commission.

Town Manager Ken Buchanan said the question is whether the group had run its course and was still viable.

He said that two commission members had resigned and three terms expired as of Dec. 31, effectively leaving no members.

Buchanan said task forces could be assigned to look into activities or issues as they might arise.

The council agreed to consider dissolution of the PSAC at a future meeting.

Council members also decided to consider the possibility of leaving the palm trees and Palo Verde trees along the Avenue of the Fountains wrapped with lights year around.

Staff had prepared some estimates for options that include the use of standard or LED lights and keeping lights in both the palms and Palo Verdes or just the palms.

That item will also be on the agenda for a future regular council session.

Fountain times

Vice Mayor Cecil Yates proposed that the town look at revising run times for the Fountain. He devised a schedule that would have the Fountain running longer at more optimum visitor times, including continuously for 12 hours on weekend days.

Yates said the schedule works around SRP power discount times and reduces the number of motor start-ups when the power use is higher. He believes there would be no increase in power costs.

Councilman Henry Leger noted there would be additional expenses, not insignificant for reprograming the timer and changing signs that inform visitors when the Fountain goes up.

“We have a hard enough time explaining to people when it runs now,” Leger said.

Councilwoman Cassie Hansen also said that some of the fun of seeing the Fountain is watching it go up.

This discussion will also continue on future business agenda.

Yates also asked the council to consider making zoning and General Plan adjustments on a piece of town-owned property to make it more attractive for development.

That is a roughly 15-acre site that begins west of the Target plaza with some Shea Boulevard frontage west of the auto parts store.

The parcel stretches over a hill and back along an alley to Technology Drive behind the old Walgreen’s location.

Yates said the site has potential for a big box retailer, and he wants the General Plan and zoning amended, abandonment of a hillside protection easement, abandon a vehicular non-access easement, a waiver on cut-and-fill standards and a waiver of hillside disturbance standards.

Leger said there might be some legal issues related to those changes based on the fact that the parcel was deeded to the town as part of the deal for development of the Target plaza. It was to provide open space to compensate for property considerations similar to what Yates is talking about.

Yates said he would do all the leg work and research on what it would take and bring a proposal to the council.

The council also discussed the use of trail- blazing signage in the town leading visitors to the Fountain and downtown area as well as other facilities.

Buchanan said there are currently four different programs with varying degrees of effectiveness. He would like to see a single program that might prove more effective.

Staff will also look at a digital sign at Saguaro and Shea boulevards to advertise local events.