The Watchdog Report: November 2020 Financials - Cloudy with a lack of transparency

 

The November financials for the Community Center and Golf are posted and they continue to be cloudy. Due to a lack of transparency, it is difficult to completely analyze the report. I asked the Town Manager why the reporting format has changed from prior years. She responded that this is the way the contractor wishes to report.

The Town Manager and the Council apparently don’t understand that the golf management company works for the Town and will report whatever the Town requires them to report. Is the Town Council happy being left in the dark?

As a result of the lack of transparency I have submitted a records request as follows:

“Stop the lack of transparency in the Town’s financials. Please forward the cost of the utilities for the Community Center Fund, the total member revenues (Dues and Cart Fees), total revenues from non-member play (including any cart fees), the cost of water for golf (taken from each pond), the number of free (comp) rounds, for July 2020, Aug 2020, Sept 2020, Oct 2020, and Nov 2020.

In the future you can expect a request like this monthly until it becomes part of the Council’s financial attachments.”

Here is what we know
• Golf lost $22,094 in November 2020 (which is great) bringing the total losses to date as $658,349.

• Golf was originally forecasted to lose $922,245 in FY 2020/21, but that has been updated to $991,280.

• The Town reported an all-time high of 279 members. (Golf is up 30% nationwide, one of the positive results of the pandemic.) They also reported 3,891 non-member rounds on 36 holes.

For comparison, one public course nearby reported 3,570 rounds of play on 18 holes. Another course nearby reported member and non-member rounds as 6,971 on 18 holes, while the Town reported 7,545 combined rounds on 36 holes. Although our rounds are up, they still do not come close to what other courses are doing.

• The Community Center Fund shows a positive balance of $102,909 for the five months ending November 2020 and is forecasted to lose $45,749 by the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2021). Your sales tax revenues have contributed $1,090,173 from July 1 through November 30, 2020.

Pusch Ridge Course
An agreement for the El Conquistador resort (HSL Properties) to lease the Pusch Ridge course was supposed to take place by the end of January. As of January 22nd, HSL had shown no indication that this will be accomplished.

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Mike Zinkin and his wife have lived in Oro Valley since 1998. He served on the Oro Valley Development Review Board from 2005-2009, the Board of Adjustment from 2011-2012, and the Town Council from 2012-2016. He was named a Fellow for the National League of Cities. He was a member of the NLC Steering Committee for Community and Economic Development and a member of the Arizona League of Cities Budget and Economic Development Committee. He was an Air Traffic Controller for 30 years. Mike has a Bachelor’s degree in history and government from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education from California State University, Northridge.

Guest View: Mike Zinkin ~ More General Fund money for the “Turn-Key” operation

The budget for FY 2020/21 has passed and the stench of the Hiremath regime still permeates the air. The Chamber of Commerce still gets $40,000, Sun Corridor still gets $10,000, Visit Tucson still gets over $200,000, there is $10,000 for employee service awards (an average of $300/employee), the Children’s Museum still gets $75,000, and there is over $2.9 million for outside services. All this in a period when our revenue stream is uncertain due to the pandemic.

Pay-as-you-go?
There is $1.1 million budgeted for golf course irrigation improvements. Awhile back, the Council voted that all improvements to the golf courses would proceed on a “pay as you go” model. We have over 5 years of history on the performance of the Community Center Fund (CCF) and it has never had a positive balance of $1 million. In fact, according to page 6 of the Town Manager’s Recommended Budget, the CCF is forecasted to end the 2021 budget with a deficit of $214,212.

The approved budget also allows for $750,000 to be spent toward ADA compliance of the Community Center. (ADA upgrades were supposed to have been completed by FY 2018/19 according to the rosy projections and promises of the Hiremath council.  See below.) 

From the Town's December 2014 Power Point Presentation

I asked the Town where all this money was coming from. The Town confirmed to me that the $1.1 million for the irrigation project was coming from the CCF. But can we be confident that the Town Manager will respect the Council wishes of pay-as-you-go and not spend the $1.1 million unless and until the CCF has the money as a positive balance? Are you confident that this will happen?

A Capital Fund Smokescreen
When I inquired where the funding was coming from for the $750,000 to correct ADA issues, the Town replied that it was coming from the Capital Fund. I believed this response to be a smokescreen so I continued the conversation and inquired, “What is the difference between the Capital Fund and the General Fund?” The Town responded: “Generally speaking, in most instances projects budgeted in the Capital Fund can be assumed to be funded with General Fund resources. Exceptions would be projects that have associated grant or intergovernmental funding or outside contributions associated with them.”

$3.3 million in General Fund withdrawals for a “turn-key” operation
Remember, we have already withdrawn $1 million from the General Fund in 2014 to purchase the property, another $1.2 million in 2015 to initiate the CCF, another $350,000 in 2017 to supplement the CCF, and now an additional $750,000 in 2020 for ADA upgrades for the Hiremath “turn-key” Community Center.. This adds up to $3.3 million in General Fund withdrawals for this purchase (of which only $360,000 has been returned back to the General Fund -- despite a promise from the Hiremath council to have paid back $600,000 by May 2020).

And don’t forget that between 2015-2020, you have also donated over $10 million of your sales tax dollars towards this “turn-key” operation.

And the Hiremath stench continues.

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Mike Zinkin and his wife have lived in Oro Valley since 1998. He served on the Oro Valley Development Review Board from 2005-2009, the Board of Adjustment from 2011-2012, and the Town Council from 2012-2016. He was named a Fellow for the National League of Cities. He was a member of the NLC Steering Committee for Community and Economic Development and a member of the Arizona League of Cities Budget and Economic Development Committee. He was an Air Traffic Controller for 30 years. Mike has a Bachelor’s degree in history and government from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education from California State University, Northridge.

Guest View-George Lindsay: One Must Consider The Impact Of The Pandemic On Community Center Financial Results

Tuesday, LOVE posted a Guest View on the financial results of the Community Center through April. This prompted Oro Valley resident George Lindsay to provide us his view on how to interpret the results. The following are Mr. Lindsay's thoughts:
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The Oro Valley Community Center was closed much of April ... due to the COVID-19 virus. At the end of March the fund balance was a positive $478,709, erasing a $17,223 starting deficit,. Then the center closed and membership fees were suspended.

True. The Community Center Fund is supported by the 1/2 cent sales tax; however, all parks and recreation facilities receive tax supported funding.

The Community Center was hit by the pandemic, as were all the businesses in the town.
To imply that the Center operations were not meeting budget projections is a little misleading.  My hope that since the Center and its amenities have broad support from the community it will return to operating in the black as it was before the pandemic.

As for the golf course operations, the pandemic has had a negative effect on play
Statistics cited [in LOVE's Tuesday guest view] refer to rounds played based at a nearby course that has an 8 minute tee time interval (max. capacity 9450) vs. a 12 minute interval (max. capacity 6300) enacted at the Town owned courses to help keep golfers safe during the pandemic. Considering the concern for public safety and the mandates imposed by the Mayor and government officials, the decision to keep residents safe during the pandemic was wise.

As for golf members (“all 260 of them”), that number reflects memberships of which there are 372 members. During April, only 36 holes, not 45 were open. The Pusch Ridge course was closed due to the COVID.

Recent posts have been divisive in nature and certainly not the rhetoric that brings a community together. How sad for the entire community.

The Watchdog Report: Community Center Financials through November 2019

There has been no new information regarding Town’s finances since August. When I brought this to the Town Manager’s attention (via an email) the Council agenda was then amended to show the finances through November 2019. Apparently, the Finance Department was “strapped” and did not have the time to prepare the financial information.

It’s my impression that, until it was brought to the Town Manager’s attention, Ms. Jacobs had no priority to relinquish the Town’s financials. One wonders if this was due to the Town Council not making it a priority or if it was simply not a priority of Ms. Jacobs.

There is no good news to report
In the past, the one area where we were doing well was with the Town’s portion of the Community Center. However, through November 2019, The Town’s operations (fitness, recreation programs, non-Aquatic Center swimming) lost $34,827. For comparison, at this same time in fiscal 2018/19, the Town had profited $7,650.

YOUR sales tax revenues amounted to $956,766 which is $47,303 more than last year. The money spent for capital improvements remains at $20,835, without a penny being spent on ADA compliance. The transfers out remain at $148,810 which is to pay for an Energy Efficiency Bond.

Another shell game
The $148,810 transfer is interesting. The Town Manager reported to the Council that there was no debt service concerning the Community Center Fund (CCF). When I asked her what the $148,810 was for, she replied that it was a transfer to the “debt service fund” to pay for the bond allocated to the CCF. It seems that she wants the Council to believe that there are no bonds associated with the CCF, when in fact, there is one.

Troon Golf and Overlook Restaurant
Troon Golf has lost $1,031,624. (Revenues of $1,084,403 minus expenses of $2,116,027). The golf revenues (non-member play) were $353,357. This is $71,621 less than FY 2018/19. Non-member play allowed for 2,755 rounds on 45 holes of golf. The public course within 5 miles had 3,211 rounds on just 18 holes. That’s 456 more rounds. Why aren’t we doing better? After all, according to the members, the courses are in the “finest condition ever.” So why hasn’t Troon improved on these numbers?

Nov. 2019 YTD Financials
(Click to Enlarge)

Through 42% of the fiscal year, the CCF is $279,469 in the red. It doesn’t help that the Overlook lost another $3,519 bringing its total year-to-date losses to $57,942.

The Town is searching for a new golf operations management firm
The only good news is that the Town has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) in an effort to find a new contractor to manage the Town’s golf operations. According to the RFP:

“The successful contractor will provide comprehensive services to improve the operation, maintenance, and financial performance of the Town’s two 18-hole golf courses, including food and beverage operations.”

LOVE will report a bit more on this Friday.
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Mike Zinkin has a Bachelor’s degree in history and government from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education from California State University, Northridge. He was a commissioned ensign in the United States Navy Reserve. He was an Air Traffic Controller for 30 years. He and his wife moved to Oro Valley in 1998. Mike served on the Oro Valley Development Review Board from 2005-2009 and the Board of Adjustment from 2011-2012. He served on the Town Council from 2012-2016 during which time he was named a Fellow for the National League of Cities University, he was a member of the National League of Cities Steering Committee for Community and Economic Development, and a member of the Arizona League of Cities Budget and Economic Development Committee.

Oro Valley Bonded For Golf Improvements In 2016

The town has borrowed to pay for golf improvements
During the recent discussions on the “pay as you go” status of the golf courses, staff presented their forecasts for the next five fiscal years. The forecast shows no debt service. In reality, however, former Mayor Hiremath and his council did borrow for this facility.

Transfers out of the CCF pay for the debt
An inquiry was made by former council member and Oro Valley resident Mike Zinkin as to whether the forecasted “transfers out” of the community center fund ("CCF") included the $120,000 transfer to the General Fund to pay back the initial $1.2 million "loan" from that fund. The answer from Town Manager Mary Jacobs was that the $120,000 was included.

A follow up communication asked about the additional $148,810 forecasted transfer out. The response was that the $148,810 was the debt service for an "Energy Efficiency Bond". That borrowing was used to pay for a new pump on the El Conquistador Course and for an HVAC for the clubhouse that is now the community center.

The bond was issued in the amount of $2million in 2016. They are payable semi-annually from now until 2032.

This manner of reporting the debt service buries the fact that the town has borrowed to pay for golf and community center improvements
LOVE did not previously detect this because of the way the town accounts for the debt service on this bond. Rather than show it as "debt service" in the forecast, it is shown as a  “transfer out.”

According to Town Manager Jacobs, in response to Zinkin's inquiry: “We use fund accounting references in the budget. 'Transfers Out' accurately reflects the accounting of the dollars being transferred to the Debt Service Fund, then applied to the specific expenditure as noted…. The debt service payment for the energy efficiency bonds is then accurately reported in the Debt Service Fund, as the payment is made from that fund and not the Community Center Fund.”

This is not the first time we've been confused in the manner the town is reporting financial information. Check our posting entitled: "Jacobs Presents A Tricky Budget." There we report that the town changed the way things were reported so that readers could not easily compare this past year's budget to prior years.

The Watchdog Report: August 2019 financials

The evidence continues to mount that the 36-hole option is not sustainable without additional financing.
The financials for August 2019 are posted and Troon lost $422,049. The Community portion of our investment made $27,508. Of interest is that there was a capital outlay of $2,347 for benches on the tennis courts.

The total rounds of non-member golf for August 2018 were 1,774 on 36 holes of available golf. For comparison, a public course within 5 miles of the Town-owned courses had 2,626 rounds of play on 18 holes, which is 67% higher than what Troon could provide.

Keep in mind that the goal is for 40,000 rounds of play for each course (or 80,000 rounds total for both 18-hole courses.) To accomplish this, there needs to be an average of 3,333 rounds of golf played per course per month or 6,666 total rounds per month for both courses. In fiscal year 2018/19, there was a total of only 33,914 rounds of outside play. This is more proof that an 18-hole option can be sustainable, but a 36-hole option is not.

Golf membership expectations have declined
Another goal that has been established is for the golf membership to reach 275. This has been revised from the goal of 318 members that was set in 2015. As of the end of August 2019, there were still only 237 members.

Only $106,500 budgeted for capital improvements for the entire year What is troubling is that the Town Manager has budgeted only $106,500 for capital outlay for the entire fiscal year. There are NO plans to make the facility ADA compliant. The “scheduled” capital improvements are for:

• more benches for the tennis courts
• replace existing strength machines
• replacing some mats and weights
• purchasing outdoor chairs and benches
• and $90,000 for tennis court improvements

Ms. Jacobs would like to close the Overlook (which lost $13,378 in August 2019) and move it downstairs, and fix the irrigation problems on the courses, along with other needed improvements. How will all of this be accomplished with $106,500?

Town leans towards financing over pay-as-you-go
This is why Jacobs cannot allow for the “pay as you go” option that Mayor Winfield proposed at the October 2nd meeting. In a 4-3 vote (with Councilmember Jones-Ivey voting along with Solomon, Rodman, and Pina) the “pay as you go” plan was removed, and staff was instructed to come back with options for financing the capital improvements. The term “financing” implies that one has to borrow to pay for the needed improvements. We will wait and see what financial options Ms. Jacobs brings to the table (Bonding? Borrowing from the General Fund?) and whether the Council will allow for her options to become reality.

Right now, the golf investment is counting on $125,000 from the HOA’s that align the courses because the investment cannot stand on its own merit. Don’t be surprised if Ms. Jacobs tries to combine the Community Center Fund into the General Fund, like she tried to do earlier this year. Moving the CCF into the General Fund will remove all transparency and hide its financial status.

Community Center Fund - August 2019

Troon Cash Flow

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Mike Zinkin has a Bachelor’s degree in history and government from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education from California State University, Northridge. He was a commissioned ensign in the United States Navy Reserve. He was an Air Traffic Controller for 30 years. He and his wife moved to Oro Valley in 1998. Mike served on the Oro Valley Development Review Board from 2005-2009 and the Board of Adjustment from 2011-2012. He served on the Town Council from 2012-2016 during which time he was named a Fellow for the National League of Cities University, he was a member of the National League of Cities Steering Committee for Community and Economic Development, and a member of the Arizona League of Cities Budget and Economic Development Committee.

The Watchdog Report: 2017 Mid-Year Community Center Financials

The December financials mark the mid-year point of the fiscal year (July 1 through June 30). Although the Council and staff want you to believe that everything is rosy, quite the opposite is true.

The Community Center Fund (CCF) has LOST $283,948 for the first 6 months of the fiscal year, and this takes into account that the Town has collected $1,061,203 in revenue from the increased sales tax which is dedicated to the Community Center.

The shell game continues
The CCF is forecasted to end the fiscal year $55,762 IN THE RED. However, without the $350,000 that the Council withdrew from the General Fund to meet expenses and pay back their $120,000 loan obligation, the fund would actually be forecasted to end the year an additional $230,000 IN THE RED. ($350,000 minus $120,000). Therefore, without the shell game, the actual forecast for the Community Center Fund would be to end the year $285,762 IN THE RED ($55,762 plus $230,000).

So as you can see, claiming that they will end the fiscal year at $55,762 in the red is just more Town Staff and Town Council smoke and mirrors.

Troon Financials (Golf plus Food and Beverage)
Half-way through the year, golf revenues are 44% of what was budgeted, member dues are at 41%, and food and beverage is at 45%. All three categories are short of expectations as they should be at 50% at the half-way point of the fiscal year.

Meanwhile, Operations and Maintenance expenditures are over budget at 57.4%.

The Overlook Restaurant was budgeted to make $1,550, but actually lost another $7,602 (a $9,152 miscalculation). In the first six months of the fiscal year, the Overlook has LOST $65,782.

Town Financials (Recreation Center, Member Dues, Swim and Tennis, etc.)
The truth is that the Town's revenues and expenditures are doing very well. Revenues are at 56.3% and expenditures are right on budget at 50%.

The whole truth is that the reason they are on budget is because they have not spent what they promised on capital improvements (facility restoration, ADA compliance, etc.)

When they purchased the property in 2015, they projected to spend $596,000 in capital improvements in Fiscal Year 2017/18 but when the time came, they budgeted for only $94,250. We’re now half-way through the fiscal year and they’ve spent only $29,464.

Something’s fishy
Something very strange occurred during the Staff Report regarding the December financials. The staff specialist that gave the report mentioned that part of the Troon/Golf losses for December were due to increased water usage. However, the Troon report shows that in December 2017, they spent $67,753 on utilities compared to December 2016 when the utility expense was $177,277.

Troon's report continues to be suspect as it also shows utility expenses for TWO MONTHS (November and December 2017) to total $154,032 which is $27,325 less than the utility expense for ONE MONTH (October 2017).

Remember, Staff controls the message and manipulates it to meet the desires of the Town Manager and Town Council. Can you trust what the staff says when the Town's own documents say otherwise? The Council never questions staff to verify the numbers even when the discrepancies are right in front of them.

What a deal
The Town is now marketing a "special summer program for golf.” From May 26 - September 9 you can purchase unlimited golf for $499 plus tax. This will allow you unlimited rounds as long as you play after 9 AM Monday-Friday or after 11 AM on weekends. Just think, for $499 you can play in the heat of summer while the members play during the coolest part of the day. If you want to play golf while it is cooler outside, you’ll need to play elsewhere.

The Watchdog Report: August 2017 Community Center Financials

The Community Center financials are now posted for August 2017. The good news is that we are doing better than last August. Unfortunately, the numbers are still nothing to celebrate.

End of month balance
The Community Center Fund (CCF), the fund that was set up to collect ALL the revenues and pay ALL the expenses, ended the month with a NEGATIVE balance of -$94,456. This negative balance takes into consideration the cumulative sales tax revenues of $341,949 collected so far this fiscal year (July 1 through August 31, 2017).

Sometime during this fiscal year, this fund must also pay the $120,000 annual loan payment to the General Fund. The fund has also budgeted another $77,680 in capital outlay. Apparently making the facility ADA compliant is not in the cards for this fiscal year either because that will cost about $400,000. So this is another year where the Town's disabled citizens must utilize the loading dock to enter the Community Center. This continued lack of ADA compliance should be an embarrassment to the Town.

Revenues, Expenses, and Losses
Total revenues through August 2017 are $127,803 higher than at the same time last year, BUT the total expenses are also higher at $88,324. Even with this trend, the total losses in the CCF are $176,433 for July and August. If it were not for these losses, we could build out Naranja Park without asking for a bond and secondary property tax.

Total losses attributed to golf for August 2017 are $239,805, which is more than the cost of a Little League field. The total losses attributed to food and beverage (the Overlook Restaurant) through August 2017 are $25,701, which is equal to the cost of some playground equipment or a ramada. (Items the citizens requested in the June 2014 Parks and Recreation survey).

Show me the money

The Town’s contracted Golf Study recommended that the Town spend $7 million dollars to transition the Pusch Ridge course to a 12-hole par three course and transition the remaining 36 holes of golf to 27 holes.

With the continued negative balance in the Community Center Fund, where is this money going to come from? Where is the money needed to make the Community Center ADA compliant going to come from? Where is the mandated $120,000 annual pay back to the General Fund going to come from?

The “Cohesive” Council needs to make a decision
So as you can see, even though the numbers are better this August than last August, there is little reason to rejoice. As a result of the very unwise vote by 4 members of the current Council to purchase the Community Center and Golf Courses, the existing Council has to make some tough decisions and they need to do so ASAP. Pushing a Property Tax on the homeowners of Oro Valley is not the answer, and as we’ve stated previously on LOVE, it amounts to punishing the taxpayer for the sins of the council.

Mike Zinkin has a Bachelor’s degree in history and government from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education from California State University, Northridge. He was a commissioned ensign in the United States Navy Reserve in 1969. He worked as an Air Traffic Controller for 30 years. He and his wife moved to Oro Valley after retiring in 1998. Mike served on the Oro Valley Development Review Board from 2005-2009, the Board of Adjustment from 2011-2012, and the Town Council from 2012-2016. During his time on council, he was named as one of 23 Leadership Fellows for the National League of Cities University, he was a member of the National League of Cities Steering Committee for Community and Economic Development, and a member of the Arizona League of Cities Budget and Economic Development Committee.

The Watchdog Report: By Mike Zinkin

February Community Center Financials
Late on Tuesday, April 18th, the Town finally published the financials for February…one day prior to the April 19th council meeting. Historically, the Town publishes these numbers one week prior to the council meeting.

The Community and Recreation Center Fund (CRC Fund) ended January $514,403 in the red. The good news is that the balance at the end of February was only $477,986 in the red. So although the fund remains in a negative balance, the difference from January to February was a positive $36,417. Of course it will take a lot of $36,417 gains to completely wipe out the $477,000 negative balance.

As an aside, the CRC Fund still owes the General Fund $120,000 from last year (when the council decided not to make the scheduled reimbursement payment). They will owe an additional $120,000 back to the General Fund before the end of this fiscal year (June 30th).

Dedicated sales tax still not covering the losses (currently at $1.7 million)
The Town's portion of the CRC (fitness, swimming, tennis, etc.) show a loss of $122,704 through February. This is acceptable as there was never an issue with the Community Center concept.

However, Troon's losses (golf, some tennis, food, beverage, and merchandise) continues to be unacceptable. Through February, Troon's losses total $1,731,948. The dedicated sales tax revenues through February are $1,452,073. This hardly covers the losses.

Additionally, Troon continues to be off on their forecasts. They forecasted $32,158 in golf losses in February, but actually lost $110,264 (a $78,106 miscalculation). Troon forecasted to make $12,354 in food and beverage (primarily the Overlook), but actually made only $5,533 (a $6,821 miscalculation). The total losses for food and beverage are now $90,501.

How is golf trending?

To hear Councilmember Steve Solomon tell it, “The expenditures for the community center, particularly this year, are down and our revenues are up. Now that’s the kind of trend that you want and it’s been trending that way for awhile now.” [April 19th council meeting.] Here’s what he didn’t say: In February 2016, golf lost $61,294. In February 2017, golf lost $110,264. This is a 55% increase in losses.

Although February has been the best month of the fiscal year which began on July 1st, the fact remains that without the golf and restaurant losses, Oro Valley could start putting money into ball fields and other improvements at Naranja Park without looking for a secondary property tax to fund it.

Bed Tax Revenues are under budget
The Bed Tax Fund is now estimated to come in under budget by $45,000. We are in the prime time of year for bed tax (hotel) revenues. Is it that the HSL property (Hilton) is not performing as forecasted, or is it that the revenues that were expected from golf, swimming, and tennis tournaments have not come to fruition?

Why is this important? On June 20, 2012, town staff requested that Council allow for a withdrawal of $1,169,000 from the General Fund Contingency to allow the Aquatic Center facility to function as intended for both competition and recreational purposes. If the needed elements were not added at that time, they couldn’t be added later without incurring significant costs and operational down-time.

Of this additional $1 million withdrawal, $524,000 was to be paid back from the Bed Tax Fund over a 15 year period. In other words, we need $35,000 per year from the Bed Tax Fund in order to meet the obligation to reimburse the General Fund Contingency.

Mike Zinkin has a Bachelor’s degree in History and Government from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education from California State University, Northridge. He was a commissioned ensign in the United States Navy Reserve in 1969. He worked as an Air Traffic Controller for 30 years. He and his wife moved to Oro Valley after retiring in 1998. Mike served on the Oro Valley Development Review Board from 2005-2009, the Board of Adjustment from 2011-2012, and the Town Council from 2012-2016. During his time on council, he was named as one of 23 Leadership Fellows for the National League of Cities University, he was a member of the National League of Cities Steering Committee for Community and Economic Development, and a member of the Arizona League of Cities Budget and Economic Development Committee.