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Scottsdale City Clerk Carolyn Jagger has announced her retirement from the city on Dec. 31 when her contract expires.
Ms. Jagger is the longest tenured city clerk Scottsdale has employed, and is the longest tenured full-time, council-appointed Charter officer. She has served in her role since September 2003.
The announcement is a part of a Thursday, July 2, Scottsdale City Council meeting agenda, in which the Charter officers are expected to go through their annual review.
City Council has three 5 p.m. meetings scheduled this week --- June 30, July 1, and July 2 --- as they prepare for their summer break.
In a June 25 letter, Ms. Jagger thanked the City Council and Mayor Jim Lane for her time with the city.
“It has been a privilege and an honor to serve our beloved city and its citizens for the past 17 years, and throughout your respective terms on the City Council,” Ms. Jagger said in her letter. “There are not enough words to thank you for your continued support and for the opportunity to serve as Scottsdale’s City Clerk.”
Ms. Jagger says she alerted the council to her retirement as early as last year. She says she is looking forward to sharing retirement with her husband of 43 years, and more time with her family.
“Please know that my dreams of the future are bittersweet as I say goodbye to the organization that I love with all my heart and the wonderful people who mean so much to me,” she stated.
Ms. Jagger’s letter is a part of an annual report for the past fiscal year, in which she lists several career highlights.
Ms. Jagger says she attended more than 600 council meetings, producing over 1,100 set of meeting minutes. Only one study session meeting was missed due to a family death, she said.
She also is credited with conducting 20 municipal elections, in addition to the two upcoming elections this year.
Scottsdale City Treasurer Jeff Nichols announced his plans to retire earlier this month, and has been named acting city treasurer until a replacement is found.
On July 2, the council is expected to discuss recruitment plans for both Charter positions.
A busy week for City Council
In addition to the Charter officer annual reviews, the City Council has two other full agendas, including adopting ordinances to assess property tax levies and accepting federal CARES Act funds.
A citizen petition seeking the resignation of Scottsdale City Councilman Guy Phillips is also expected to be presented by resident Mike Norton at this week’s meetings.
On June 30, City Council items to be approved include:
A non-major General Plan amendment for the Greater Airpark Character Area Plan future land use map to change the designation from Airpark Mixed Use to Airpark Mixed Use-residential on a 3.4 acre site; and authorize a development agreement for “TCC - Raintree Development Plan”;
A Paiute Park Splash Pad Capital Project;
A destination marketing plan with Experience Scottsdale;
Fiscal year 2020-21 property tax levies; and
Fiscal year 2020-21 streetlight improvement district property tax levy.
On July 1, the agenda includes approving a Scottsdale drive-in concert series and the CARES Act funding.
The city is to accept $29.6 million from the AZCares Fund, which is part of the federal CARES Act.
Funds are outlined to go to vulnerable citizens; residential utility assistance programs; community facilities safety upgrades; arts and culture programs; public health communication; business assistance programs; city building safety retrofits; telework expenses; personal protective equipment and sanitation; emergency response; and future COVID-19 resurgence preparation.
Additionally, Mr. Noton’s citizen petition is expected to be turned into the City Council on June 30, seeking the resignation of Councilman Phillips.
Mr. Norton says the citizen petition will include thousands of signatures from two change.org petitions supporting the call for Mr. Phillips’ resignation.
“However, many signatures we have, we’ll present them to City Council at the June 30 meeting,” Mr. Norton said in an email to Independent Newsmedia.
As of Monday, June 29, the online petitions have more than 13,500 signatures.
Meanwhile, the city’s communications office posted a press release online June 28, stating the City Council does not have the authority to remove a councilmember from office unless that person is convicted of a crime involving “moral turpitude” --- a term applied generally to felony crimes.
“The power to select, retain or remove City Council members lies with the voters of Scottsdale through the election and recall process,” the online press release states. “Each City Council member must be elected (or re-elected) during the primary and general election process that occurs in even numbered years.”
Members of Scottsdale City Council, the local Chamber of Commerce, Experience Scottsdale and the NAACP have issued official statements in response to Mr. Phillips saying “I can’t breathe,” which is becoming a rallying cry for those protesting police brutality, during an anti-mask rally on June 24.
A well-known phrase attributed first to Eric Garner --- and most recently George Floyd --- who died in police custody after an officer knelt on his neck, “I can’t breathe” has ignited national protests in all 50 states fighting for the Black Lives Matter movement since May.
Mr. Phillips uttered the phrase twice prior to removing his face mask in front of Scottsdale City Hall on June 24 during a rally he organized protesting the city’s face mask mandate to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Later that day, Mr. Phillips issued an emailed apology saying he wasn’t trying to make light of what happened to Mr. Floyd.
Since the resignation petitions have been created, a third petition seeking to support Mr. Phillips and keep him in office was created. It has more than 400 signatures.
Mr. Phillips is currently running for re-election in the Aug. 4 primary election.
Melissa Rosequist Managing Editor | East Valley @mrosequist_
I first started my journalism portfolio at the age of 15 while in high school before going on to study at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Being in the journalism field is the only professional avenue I was ever interested in, and have worked hard covering topics from school boards to hard news while working for the Independent, where I have been awarded for my reporting.
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