The meeting was held at the San Tan Valley County Complex at 31505 N. Schnepf Road, where the council approved leasing office space within the building, establishing the town's first dedicated municipal workspace.
First office space approved inside county complex
Council approved Resolution 2026-01, authorizing a lease agreement with Pinal County for municipal office space at the county complex.
Town Manager Brent Billingsley told council the space is located west of the Bronze Room area, with an expected move-in around early February.
State-shared revenues and population certification process begin
Billingsley also reported that the Arizona Department of Revenue has approved a method for distributing funds to the new town — meaning San Tan Valley will begin receiving multiple categories of revenue that municipalities rely on to operate.
He said the town will begin receiving vehicle license tax (VLT) funding, highway-related funding, and state shared revenues as a town.
Separately, Billingsley said the town received an invoice from the U.S. Census Bureau for population certification and planned to pay it immediately to get that process underway. The certified population figure is used to help determine portions of state-shared funding allocations.
Town hiring starts with six job postings
Billingsley announced the town has posted six positions as it builds a basic staff structure. Applicants can find those openings through the League of Arizona Cities and Towns employment listings.
First proclamation signed: January recognized as Anti-Human Trafficking Month
Mayor Daren Schnepf signed the town's first-ever proclamation, recognizing January as Anti-Human Trafficking Month and declaring "Not In Our City."
Representatives connected to the Not In Our City effort addressed council, thanked the town for taking a public stand, and invited residents to a community event, Night of Hope, scheduled for Feb. 22, 2026, at Pure Heart Church in Glendale.
"This is our first proclamation that we have done as a town," Schnepf said during the presentation, calling it a meaningful way to mark an issue he described as important to the community.
Three key "startup government" actions approved unanimously
In addition to the lease and proclamation, council voted unanimously on several foundational operational items:
Budget presentation previews major decisions ahead
Council also received an informational budget overview from the town's finance consultant outlining how Arizona municipal budgeting works - including revenue categories (like sales tax), fund structure, and statutory deadlines.
A significant topic was expenditure limitation, including how newly incorporated towns operate under state limits in the near term and how alternative options (such as "home rule") are typically handled through future elections.
A separate, more detailed presentation related to transaction privilege tax (sales tax) was referenced for a future meeting.
Billingsley confirmed upcoming agenda presentations from Pinal County departments:
Public comments push traffic safety, rezoning notifications, and town identity
During call to the public, residents urged the town to address two themes early in its life as a municipality:
The mayor indicated interest in placing town identity and traffic safety discussions on a future agenda.
Executive session held for town clerk candidate discussion
Council voted to enter executive session to discuss matters related to a town clerk candidate. No additional public agenda items were scheduled after executive session.