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Joyce Clark Unfiltered

For "the rest of the story"

Jul 26

6

Just how much is a Bart Turner endorsement worth?

Posted by Joyce Clark on July 6, 2026
Posted in Barrell District • City issue and actions • City of Glendale • Downtown Glendale • Glendale elected officials • Glendale election 2026 • Glendale primary election July 2026  | Tagged With: , , , , , , | No Comments yet, please leave one

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

First, on a very personal note, my family and I thank those of you who reached out to us by phone, email, card, comment or in person to offer condolences on the death in June of my husband. We appreciate it and are grateful for all of the prayers offered for the repose of his soul. We are healing. Thank you.

Turner’s endorsement is not worth much. His character and actions seem to have been questionable for quite some time. Many view him as arrogant and pompous with a kind of ‘I’m smarter than you’ attitude.

The use of his city ProCard (credit card) has been concerning. He submitted for reimbursement by the city in the amount of $22,555.61 for which documentation and/or proof of a business relationship to the city was not provided (my blog posted on July 10, 2025, entitled Reposting Councilmember Bart Turner and his use of his ProCard, Part 4).

On April 24, 2024, Councilmember Turner was notified by the city that his ProCard limits were set to zero and his card was inactivated. Throughout 2024, city staff made repeated requests for backup information regarding his ProCard expenditures. These requests were either ignored or his back up material was nonresponsive to the request. (my blog posted on July 10, 2025, entitled Reposting Councilmember Bart Turner and his use of his ProCard, Part 3).

If you would like more information on Councilmember Turner’s use of your money, not his, please read my 4-part series entitled Reposting Councilmember Bart Turner and his use of his ProCard which I posted on July 10, 2025.

Even more troubling is a heated email exchange between Turner and former Glendale Chamber President and CEO Robert Heidt between February 5 and 10, 2020.

Some background is in order. This exchange first circulated in 2020 was known by many people including myself for the past 6 years. Both Lily DeBlieux, former Superintendent of the Prendergast School District and William Toops, former owner of the Glendale Star, were copied on the email by both Turner and Heidt. Heidt also stated that he would take this issue to the Chamber board. There were many people who knew about this public email exchange.

On February 5, 2020, at 5:58 PM Turner’s email questioned Heidt because he did not receive an event invitation to a business located in the Barrell district. The tone of his questions can be considered to be acidic and condescending.

Robert Heidt in his email dated February 10, 2026, offered a long response with, among other things, this troubling comment, “Furthermore, I have a number of members who have brought concerns to me regarding their encounters with you. This has great concern for me as the leader of the Glendale Chamber – I have also been a direct recipient of your forward advances, so I’ll put it right out here – – No, I will not sit on your lap and rotate. I’ve done by (sic) best to try and move past this, as it is embarrassing for me to be spoken to in the manner by you, a sitting councilmember and to have had two others hear this comment. Additionally, there are several others who have brought their concerns forward – I can no longer remain silent, I’m just as guilty and should have spoken out sooner. It is also concerning to be fully aware of internal staff members of the city who also have issues with your sexual advances, shouldn’t go to your home alone, etc. – this has to stop, you are opening yourself and the city up to legal action.” (Upon individual requests only, I will share the entirety of this email exchange. Please email clarkjv@aol.com to make your request.)

This is a person who seems to play fast and loose with your money, taxpayer money. He has not been responsive to the many city staff requests for backup information regarding his ProCard expenditures.

His character does not seem to be above reproach. Robert Heidt and city staff members certainly didn’t think so

He has demonstrated that his focus is downtown Glendale and not the Barrell district.

Turner’s focus and interests lie with downtown Glendale despite his being the Barrell district councilmember.

He has endorsed Lisa Baker, who appears to share his focus and interest in downtown Glendale, not the Barrell district.

Her business is located downtown, and she is part of what I call the disgruntled downtown clique. If you want someone whose major focus is other than a Barrell neighborhood, then I suppose she would be your choice. Many of you have indicated that you prefer to vote for someone who will represent your interests, those of the Barrell district.

There’s an old adage, Birds of a feather flock together.

Many voters have received their mail-in ballots but have not yet voted. I urge you to vote for Michael Calles as the next Barrell district councilmember. He is an excellent choice, and you will be well served.

© Joyce Clark, 2026   

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

May 26

31

Who are Lupe Conchas puppet masters?

Posted by Joyce Clark on May 31, 2026
Posted in Cactus District • City Council Actions • City issue and actions • City of Glendale • Glendale elected officials • VAI Resort • Worker Power Super PAC  | Tagged With: , , | No Comments yet, please leave one

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

Lupe Conchas was removed from Glendale City Council on May 28, 2026. For those readers who have not been following my blog, council found him in violation of the Glendale city charter. The charter disqualifies from a Glendale city council position anyone who holds a second public office for which compensation is received. Conchas is seated as a board member of the SRP agricultural improvement and water district, a public office for which compensation is received.

A recent SRP election saw a slate of climate advocates win control of the SRP power board. Conchas was one of two “clean energy” candidates who flipped board seats, helping to secure a single-seat majority for the climate team, in a surprise result. Conchas faces tremendous pressure to remain on the SRP board. He only offered to resign if city council retained him as a councilmember knowing that probably would not happen.

Granted Conchas is politically ambitious and may one day seek a congressional office, but he can’t do it without help…a lot of financial help.

The day Conchas was removed from city council he immediately filed a civil lawsuit (CV2026-022080) against the city seeking an emergency temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction. According to an Arizona Republic story of May 29, 2026, “The complaint says Conchas suffers ‘irreparable harm’ because he is unable to serve his constituents and is being illegally denied his councilmember salary and benefits. The annual salary of a councilmember is $34,000.”

When Conchas says it’s not about the money, you can see in his filing it is about the money.

His attorney is Austin C. Yost, a partner of Coppersmith Brockelman, PLC. One of Yost’s specialties is political law. This lawsuit will not be cheap.

Conchas apparently does not have the money to pursue this action. This is where the puppet masters come in. Who are they? Unions. There are 137 unions in Arizona such as the Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Many of these unions contributed to Conchas’ political campaign for his council seat. The major supporter of Conchas has been and continues to be Worker Power.

Worker Power first appeared in Glendale with its attempt to unionize hotel workers, specifically at the VAI Resort. Having failed at that initiative several times, they turned their attention to Conchas, a radical, Socialist Democrat. Their victories include Conchas’ election to the Glendale city council and the SRP Agricultural Improvement and Water District Board. They are committed to keeping Conchas on both.

The Worker Power PAC is organized as an unaffiliated “super PAC” that is allowed to spend unlimited amounts of funds in support of candidates via independent expenditures. The PAC describes itself as “dedicated to delivering wins for progressive political candidates.” In 2020, the PAC focused its spending on Arizona elections. In 2022, the PAC “conducted a massive independent expenditure field canvass that provided the margin of victory for numerous progressive candidates…” The Worker Power PAC is closely affiliated with Unite Here Local 11, an Arizona-based local chapter of the national left-of-center hotel and hospitality employees PAC Unite Here.

Organizations that have funded the Worker Power PAC include the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the American Federation of Teachers, the Arizona AFL-CIO, and the United Food and Commercial Workers.

I happened upon an article by the Arizona Independent News Network that published an article about Conchas’ removal from the city council. You can read the full article by clicking on this link: https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2026/05/28/democrat-city-councilman-in-glendale-attempted-to-bribe-his-way-out-of-expulsion/

Here are a few excerpts from the article.

  • “Jose ‘Lupe’ Conchas, Jr. made a last-ditch effort to retain his seat on the Glendale City Council by laying down an offer he thought the council couldn’t refuse, per a source. ‘They were all stunned’, one city staffer told the Arizona Daily Independent on the condition of anonymity. ‘He basically said, ‘If you illegally keep me on, I promise to not run for mayor.’ Did he really think they would buy that? Did he really think any of them were as unethical as him?”
  • “Conchas is a political animal who wants to make a living being a politician, so he runs for everything to accumulate power. He makes others nervous because he’s slimy, but openly so, like he has no shame and thinks it’s the most natural thing in the world. So breaking the law and trying to hold more offices than the law allows is very Conchas,’ one political consultant told the Arizona Daily Independent. ‘Conchas is always running for something, he probably wants to be governor or in Congress someday, so he’s always climbing the political ladder trying to run for more offices and higher offices. It isn’t about service or issues, he’s just incredibly ambitious.”

Damning assessments from others but also accurate.

So now we wait to see the results of the Conchas‘ lawsuit.

© Joyce Clark, 2026   

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

May 26

14

ALERT…STONEHAVEN RESIDENTS

Posted by Joyce Clark on May 14, 2026
Posted in City Council Actions • City issue and actions • City of Glendale • Glendale elected officials • Glendale zoning issues • Yucca district  | No Comments yet, please leave one

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

Beyond Foodmart is asking the City of Glendale to allow a convenience store and gas station at the southeast corner of 91st Avenue and Cardinals Way. It is a commercial corner as there are already several shops there.

The applicant proposes a 7,000 square foot convenience store and 8 gas pumps. This use is incompatible with the surrounding homes. This use is different and more intense than the shops and restaurants in that commercial area.

It may decrease your property value especially if you are adjacent to or near this proposed use.

A meeting is scheduled with the applicant on

Monday, May 18, 2026 at 6:00 PM at

Sunset Ridge Elementary School Cafeteria

8490 W. Missouri Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85305

The number of attendees does matter. Please try to attend in person to voice your opinion about this proposed use.

Here are the applicant’s graphics of the proposed use and site:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If 

 

If you cannot attend but still wish to make your opinion known please email the persons listed below:

I urge you to attend in person but if you cannot attend please email the persons above.

This proposed use does not belong at this location.

© Joyce Clark, 2026   

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

May 26

13

Conchas is now serving two masters

Posted by Joyce Clark on May 13, 2026
Posted in Cactus District • City Council Actions • City issue and actions • City of Glendale • Glendale elected officials  | Tagged With: , , | No Comments yet, please leave one

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

On Monday May 4, 2026, Glendale Councilmember Lupe Conchas took the oath of office as a Boardmember for District 4 of The Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District.

He is in violation of the Glendale City Charter, Article II, Section 5, Qualifications.

“The mayor shall be at least twenty-five (25) years of age on the date of his election or appointment; the mayor and council members shall be qualified electors of the city at the  time of election; shall hold no other public office for which they receive compensation except that of a notary public or member of the national guard or naval of military reserve; and shall have resided in said city for one (1) year next preceding the date of such election or appointment. If the mayor or any councilman shall cease to possess any of these qualifications or shall be convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude, his office shall immediately become vacant.”

Lupe Conchas is now holding a second public office for which he receives compensation requiring his seat to be vacated immediately.

Legally, compensation is commonly associated with Workman’s Compensation. However, there is a second legal definition, “Compensation refers to all forms of payment or benefits that an employee receives for their work. This includes not only wages and salaries but also bonuses, health insurance, retirement plans, and other perks provided by the employer.”

In addition to receiving payment every time Conchas attends a meeting, he also receives insurance, which legally is compensation as stated in the Glendale City Charter.

He is in violation of the Glendale City Charter and should have been already removed.

We know there was an executive session council meeting on Friday, May 1st. It was not a public meeting and all discussions are confidential. I think we can assume it was a discussion involving Conchas.

I am aware that Conchas has legal representation and that a letter from his legal counsel was sent to the mayor and all councilmembers. I had submitted a Public Information Request for that letter and today I received the letter in question.

His attorney, Sambo Dui of Coppersmith Brockleman, PLC., contends that Conchas is not receiving compensation from Salt River Project and therefore is not in violation of our city charter. The very fact that Salt River Project publicly states that the office holder receives compensation per meeting plus health coverage was known to Conchas. His attorney made a lot of assertions that frankly have to be adjudicated in a court of law.

Remember legally, compensation is defined as payments or benefits. Conchas is receiving $60 for each meeting attended as well as the benefit of insurance coverage.

It appears that his attorney’s assertions are flawed. Conchas legally still receives his salary. His attorney leaves the legal door open with regard to defining ‘compensation’ by opining, “even assuming the City Charter’s reference to ‘compensation’ is broader than ‘salary,…”

His attorney states that Conchas will waive his salary. Whether Conchas accepts it or not is a moot point. Legally, this public office offers compensation, no matter who has the office. It is the fact that Conchas ran knowing this was a public office that was compensated. His intent was clear.

Now that he has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, he thinks he can make it go away by saying he won’t take the money, but he continues to receive insurance coverage, which is also legal compensation.

It seems that a lot of pressure had been placed on Conchas to stay on the SRP board by radical democrats whose aim was to gain control of SRP. Now that the radical Democrats are the majority on this board expect to see rate increases as they push their “Green Agenda.” No wonder they want to keep Conchas on at all costs. It appears that they will cover any legal fees he may have.

In addition to receiving two salaries, there is also the question of a conflict of interest. The city does a lot of business with SRP. Having a sitting city councilmember on their board could affect that relationship.

What has been our city attorney’s or council’s response to date? Crickets…nada…nothing. It seems that our council is in dereliction of their duty to uphold Glendale’s city charter. It seems we have an ineffectual city council in fear of removing Conchas without getting some kind of legal cover to do so.

If I were still a sitting councilmember I would have already called for a public vote to remove Conchas. Let each councilmember go on record with regard to upholding our city charter. If Conchas were to sue the city it would require a court of law to settle the issue. It would be expensive for Conchas to sue but have no fear. I suspect that Worker Power would foot the bill.

It time Glendale citizens asked their councilmembers to act. If you would like to send any or all an email expressing your opinion, here are their email addresses:

Why is Lupe Conchas still serving as a Glendale city councilmember?

© Joyce Clark, 2026   

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Apr 26

27

Glendale councilmember Lupe Conchas…A whole lot of foot dragging going on

Posted by Joyce Clark on April 27, 2026
Posted in Cactus District • City Council Actions • City issue and actions • City of Glendale • Glendale elected officials  | Tagged With: , , , , | No Comments yet, please leave one

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

It seems that Glendale councilmember Lupe Conchas is in violation of the Glendale City Charter and Arizona Revised Statute 38-296.

He filed for nomination to the Salt River District Board of Directors (District 4) on or prior to Friday, February 6, 2026 (deadline for filing), in the second year of his term (not the last year of his term as councilmember as required by Arizona law). He had 10 days to resign as councilmember and if he failed to do so, he lost his council seat within 10 days automatically. He allegedly has violated Arizona’s Resign-to-Run law.

He is also allegedly in violation of Glendale’s City Charter by running for a public office that receives compensation. According to the city charter, his office shall immediately become vacant.

So, why is he still on Glendale City Council? Why hasn’t the council immediately removed him from office? Why is the city still paying him a salary paid for by your tax dollars? Foot dragging?

It’s time for a deeper dive into this whole mess.

Jose “Lupe” Conchas, Jr., ran as a candidate for “Boardmember for District 4 of The Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District.” Note that he ran for the Agricultural Improvement and Power District, not the Water District. This is important because the Agricultural Improvement district is a public entity and the Water District is not.

SRP is a governmental-owned or public body under Arizona Law, Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District (the “District”): This is the electricity provider and is formally a political subdivision of the State of Arizona (an agricultural improvement district formed in 1937). As a government-owned corporation or public body under Arizona law:

  • It can issue tax-exempt municipal bonds
  • Its board is elected (by landowners in the service area, with voting often tied to land ownership
  • It is generally not regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission for rates and investments in the same way as private utilities. The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) does not regulate Salt River Project (SRP) for rates, rules, service standards, or day-to-day operations because SRP is structured as a political subdivision of the State of Arizona, not a private or investor-owned “public service corporation” under the ACC’s jurisdiction.
  • It is subject to Arizona’s Public Records Law as a public body and is often described as a public power utility or governmental entity

A lawsuit was filed on April 17, 2026, requesting an expedited hearing to occur on or before April 28, 2026. Ten days later, April 27, 2026, and no court date has been assigned. Foot dragging??

Gabrielle E. Schifferer, Trustee of the Jelle Trust,

A Qualified Elector and Landowner in the Salt River Project Agricultural

Improvement and Power District,

Plaintiff/Contestant,

Vs.

Jose “Lupe” Conchas, Ir., District 4 Boardmember-elect for District 4 of

The Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District,

and John M. Feley, in his official capacity as Corporate Secretary of The Salt River Project

Agricultural Improvement and Power District,

Defendants/Contestee( s ).

Case No.: CV 2026-01 6 0 4 0

Why is Conchas still on Glendale’s city council?

Lots of scuttlebutt swirling. One is the mayor and several councilmembers are waiting for the result of the aforementioned lawsuit. To provide cover for any action? The city charter is clear. The minute Conchas was elected to another public body with compensation on April 7, 2026, according to the city charter he is removed immediately. Not taking any action to date could be publicly perceived as dereliction of duty. Dereliction of duty is defined as “a person’s purposeful or accidental failure to perform an obligation without a valid excuse, especially an obligation attached to their job.” This is considered to be crime.

Another piece of scuttlebutt is that Conchas may resign his position with SRP. I suppose he thinks this will save his councilmember seat. That does not appear to be a correct interpretation.  It appears the very minute he was elected to the SRP board he was in violation of the city charter. That seems to be when he violated the city charter and resigning after the fact will not save him. Conchas may also have to face another charge, that of unjust enrichment by holding two publicly compensated offices.

Yet another scuttlebutt is that the mayor and vice mayor will be meeting with Conchas this week to tell him to resign or he will be voted out of office by city council.

Lastly, what have been the actions or inactions of our City Attorney, Michael Bailey? He is the council’s and city’s attorney. He knows the law. There is a body of law that confirms that SRP’s agricultural district is a public body. What did he advise this council to do? And when?

It’s way past time for Lupe Conchas to vacate his seat as the Glendale councilmember representing the Cactus district.

© Joyce Clark, 2026   

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Apr 26

21

Is Lupe Conchas still a Glendale councilmember??

Posted by Joyce Clark on April 21, 2026
Posted in Cactus District • City Council Actions • City issue and actions • City of Glendale • Glendale elected officials  | Tagged With: , , , , | No Comments yet, please leave one

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

Perhaps not. Let me share the Arizona’s Revised Statute on its resign-to- run law, Chapter 38-296. Limitation on filing for election by incumbent of elective office.

  • “A. Except during the final year of the term being served, no incumbent of a salaried elective office, whether holding by election or appointment, may offer himself for nomination or election to any salaried local, state or federal office.”
  • “C. The resignation of the incumbent elective officer duly filed in writing with the officer, board or commission having jurisdiction of the office, if not accepted within ten days, shall be deemed to have become effective as of the date of filing.”

Let me also share our Glendale City Charter, Article II, Section 5, Qualifications.

“The mayor shall be at least twenty-five (25) years of age on the date of his election or appointment; the mayor and council members shall be qualified electors of the city at the time of election; shall hold no other public office for which they receive compensation except that of a notary public or member of the national guard or naval of military reserve; and shall have resided in said city for one (1) year next preceding the date of such election or appointment. If the mayor or any councilman shall cease to possess any of these qualifications or shall be convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude, his office shall immediately become vacant.”

Lupe Conchas was an elected Glendale city councilmember whose term did not expire until 2028. He filed for nomination to the Salt River District Board of Directors (District 4) on or prior to Friday, February 6, 2026 (deadline), in the second year of his term (not the last year of his term as councilmember as required by law) in violation of A.R.S. 38-296, A.

Mr. Conchas receives compensation for every SRP meeting and additional compensation for any committee meeting.  He also receives health and insurance coverage. Lupe Conchas is in violation of the Glendale City Charter as he receives compensation from SRP.

He was elected to the SRP District Board of Directors on April 7,2026 and the canvass of votes (verifying his election) occurred on April 13, 2026.

Whether it’s 10 days or immediately, the Cactus city council seat became vacant between February 6, 2026, and  April 7, 2026.

Who knew about this situation? I am guessing but here is a list of possibles:

  • Lupe Conchas. He cannot plead ignorance as ignorance is no defense in the eyes of the law.
  • City Attorney Michael Bailey. He may not have known but as Glendale’s City Attorney it would be incumbent upon him to be aware of the City’s Charter requirements as well as ARS 38-296. If he did not know he is failing his duties as Glendale’s City Attorney. If he did know, did he advise the City Manager and the mayor and councilmembers? He would have been compelled to ask for Conchas’ resignation certainly by April 7, 2026.
  • City Manager Banger. The question hanging out there is, did the City Attorney advise him?
  • Mayor Weiers. He is a very astute politician and it seems plausible that he may have known.
  • Some may have known and others not. I suspect there is at least one councilmember that did know.

If any or all of these people knew, why did no one take any action?

The bottom line is this. Lupe Conchas appears to have violated Arizona Revised Statutes as well as Glendale’s City Charter. It also calls into question any votes he made as a councilmember.

The media needs to investigate and I suspect lawsuits, if not filed, will be.

Follow up: The law is clear that at the time Conchas filed, not his election or taking office, is the relevant issue.

© Joyce Clark, 2026   

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Mar 26

23

VAI Resort…like no other

Posted by Joyce Clark on March 23, 2026
Posted in City issue and actions • City of Glendale • Former Councilmember Joyce Clark • Glendale Economic Development • Glendale elected officials • Mattel Adventure Park • VAI Resort • Yucca district  | Tagged With: , , , , , | No Comments yet, please leave one

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

Two weeks ago, Glendale’s Vice Mayor Ray Malnar and I had the opportunity to tour VAI Resort with its CEO Grant Fisher. There are not enough adjectives to describe VAI. It’s incredible, amazing, and unique. When it opens it will blow minds. It will be THE PLACE to stay in the Valley. I am sure it will draw visitors from all over the world.

We learned a great deal and here are a few of the highlights:

  • They have added a Barbie hotel, 22 stories, 227

    site of Barbie hotel

    feet tall. It will be Barbie themed throughout using traditional Barbie colors.

  • Main hotel

    With the addition of the Barbie Hotel, VAI will host 1400 rooms, making it the largest hotel complex in the southwest.

  • The original parking lot on the west side of the Mattel area will be used to add additional rides.
  • Parking will be a breeze. Guests can park in the parking garage at 93rd Avenue and Bethany Home Road. They will use self-driving vehicles that will take them directly to the Resort and then will automatically return to the garage for another trip.
  • The Resort contains a mile of underground tunnels large enough to accommodate carts and small trucks. Employees will use these tunnels exclusively to move around the complex.
  • There are 55 different uniforms planned for staff. For example, chefs, valets, cleaning crew, maintenance crew, front desk, etc., will have their own distinct uniforms.
  • Every employee will check in at the main office across the street from the complex. Once clocked in, they will proceed to the basement level. There, they will use an autonomous system to get their uniforms. Uniform cleaning and pressing are all automated. There is a long, rectangular glass door. Adjacent to it is a card reader. The employee will use the card reader and retrieve their uniform from the glass door to the left.
  • Each hotel is themed and the main hotel is musically themed.
  • The amphitheater is in-the-round and has 37 feet tall LED screens, also in-the-round. Concert attendees will be able to enjoy the performers from any viewpoint.
  • There will be seating for approximately 15,000 concert goers who are not staying at one

    Spaces for concert attendees

    of the hotels.

  • Suite patio overlooking the amphitheater

    Those rooms that face the amphitheater have balconies for private viewing of the concert. But what if a guest has a room on the off-side? There are private lounges facing the amphitheater for guests whose rooms do not face it.

  • The conference area is 120,000 square feet and is about the size of the Renaissance conference area.
  • Each hotel entry portico will be unique and there will be abundant landscaping using desert and exotic plantings.

The cost of construction has been said to be about $1.2 billion. With the addition of the Barbie hotel, expansion of the Mattel portion and the addition of the conference area, the cost is estimated to be about $2 billion. The Fishers are self-funding the entire complex. There are no other investors and no debt. This is undoubtedly the largest, private, self-funded project in the southwest and perhaps the country.

The sixty-four-thousand-dollar question is, when will it open? With the addition of new elements, I expect a phased-in opening in 2028. Patience is a virtue and just like everyone else I will have to be patient.

There have always been two projects that are on my mind daily and for which I have strongly advocated. One is VAI and the other is Heroes Park Recreation and Aquatic Center. I am 84 years old and I plan to attend the opening of both. I am excited about each and I hope you will join me in the celebrations.

© Joyce Clark, 2026   

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Feb 26

20

Farewell to Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps

Posted by Joyce Clark on February 20, 2026
Posted in City Council Actions • City issue and actions • City of Glendale • Glendale Economic Development • Glendale elected officials • Glendale finances  | Tagged With: , , , | No Comments yet, please leave one

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

It’s February 2026, and City Manager Kevin Phelps has departed as Glendale’s city manager.   The Business Journal named Phelps as one of the Most Admired Leaders in 2024. Due to Phelps’ focus on employee culture, Glendale also received the Best Place to Work, 2025, in the extra-large category from the Business Journal and was named Best City for Business in AZ by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce in 2025.

When Kevin Phelps was first hired by Glendale in 2015, Glendale’s finances were a mess, and the Wall Street Journal said Glendale was in “worse financial straits than any city except Detroit.”

Among Kevin’s many accomplishments as Glendale’s city manager, two stand out for me. The first is Glendale’s thriving economy. Phelps took a city in financial trouble to a city whose bond ratings are outstanding. Property taxes have not gone up in eleven years. The city’s economic base is diversified. The Bell Road corridor is a retail powerhouse. Westgate is known as an experiential entertainment district. The Loop 303 corridor has become a prime submarket for industrial, distribution and manufacturing facilities. This economic triangle provides financial stability for Glendale for many years to come.

Instead of the traditional role of a city as a regulator, it has become a facilitator for businesses. Now city departments focus on working together to support our businesses. All city departments seek ways to ensure that this community thrives, from small businesses to the largest.

The second area of note is the employee environment. Employees are financially recognized by their peers annually for their unique contributions to the organization. Department heads are encouraged to assist one another. Employees annually learn the ‘why’ of current city goals. Employees are encouraged to take risks and to innovate. The culture of the organization has improved dramatically.

During my twenty-four years of service, I have worked with many city managers. Only two have earned my admiration and respect. When I first became a councilmember, I worked with Dr. Martin Vanacour. He stood out for his financial acumen and his support for city employees. Kevin Phelps has done the same. Both have been exceptional leaders of Glendale.

Despite our mutual respect there were policy issues with which Kevin and I disagreed. Two that stood out are the city’s current logo and the placement of council offices in the renovated city hall. I abhor the current city logo. It will always be the Google logo to me. It conveys nothing and delivers no message about what Glendale is. As for council offices, placing them in the former basement of city hall has never been appropriate and symbolically devalues the city council. We agreed to disagree and remain respectful of one another. Make no mistake. Kevin Phelps’ departure as Glendale’s city manager is a profound loss.

Former Gilbert City Manager Patrick Banger has assumed the position. I wish him good luck for he certainly has enormous shoes to fill.

© Joyce Clark, 2026   

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Jan 26

25

Braggin’ on Glendale

Posted by Joyce Clark on January 25, 2026
Posted in City Council Actions • City issue and actions • City of Glendale • Glendale Economic Development • Glendale elected officials • Glendale finances • Glendale zoning issues • Luke Air Force Base • VAI Resort • Westgate • Yucca district  | Tagged With: , , | No Comments yet, please leave one

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

When I first began serving as a Glendale city councilmember in 1992, its population was 159,023 and its square miles were 52.2. In 2025, its population exploded to 265,599, an increase of over 100,000. Its square miles increased to 67.2, an increase of 15 square miles.

In 2019, Glendale’s city council adopted its vision for the Loop 303 corridor. It rejected the concept of adding more residential and instead chose to earmark that area for manufacturing and industrial development.  In 6 short years, the Loop 303 corridor has become the premier site for such development.

In December of 2025, recent news from many trade publications highlighted Glendale, Arizona, as a leader in economic growth and investments across multiple sectors. Did you know that Glendale leads all U.S. submarkets in industrial sales volume, surpassing $1 billion this year alone, driven by major deals like Walmart’s $152 million purchase of a 1.28 million-square-foot warehouse near Luke Air Force Base?

This reflects the city’s booming industrial sector along the Loop 303 corridor, where developments like a 2.4 million-square-foot industrial park by Lincoln Property Company are attracting logistics and manufacturing firms. Additionally, Glendale was named Arizona’s Best City for Business in June 2025 by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, citing its pro-growth policies, job creation (nearly 13,000 jobs added in six years), and over $1.5 billion in ongoing investment projects, primarily in the Sports and Entertainment District.

This includes high-profile developments around Westgate Entertainment District, such as hotels, retail, and entertainment venues tied to attractions like State Farm Stadium.

Key projects contributing to these figures include:

  • The $1 billion VAI Resort, a 70-acre complex with a Mattel Adventure Park, hotels, and entertainment features, approved for construction and expected to boost tourism.
  • Nestlé USA’s $675 million beverage factory, which opened in early 2025 and created over 350 jobs.
  • Mark Anthony Brewing’s $250 million facility for White Claw and other products, operational since 2020.
  • Walmart acquired a 1.28 million square-foot building near Luke Air Force Base.

The $152 million purchase is Phoenix’s second-largest industrial building sale ever recorded.

These investments have helped Glendale diversify beyond sports and events (e.g., Super Bowl economic impacts exceeding $1 billion in regional activity), positioning it as a top West Valley hub for business and development.

Businesses in the Loop 303 Corridor, Glendale, AZThe Loop 303 corridor in Glendale, Arizona, has seen significant industrial and commercial development, attracting various companies focused on manufacturing, distribution, and logistics. Below is a compiled list of businesses located in this area (not all inclusive as I may have missed some), based on available information from economic development reports, real estate listings, and news articles. The list includes details of their operations where available:

  • Red Bull

             Manufacturing facility (first in North America, over $280 million investment,

             750,000 sq ft)

             Reems and Peoria Roads

  • Amazon

             Distribution operations; leased industrial building

             VT303; also surrounding The Cubes

  • REI

             Warehouse complex (400,000 sq ft)

              Loop 303 corridor

  • Williams Sonoma

              Distribution or warehousing

             The Cubes at Glendale

  • S. Merchants

             Distribution or warehousing

             The Cubes at Glendale

  • White Claw

              Production facility

              Surrounding The Cubes at Glendale

  • Ball Corporation

             Manufacturing (food storage and aluminum cans; supplies Red Bull)

             Surrounding The Cubes; Loop 303 corridor

  • Walmart

             Distribution center (1.25 million sq ft)

             Park303 Phase 1

  • FedEx

             Distribution or logistics

             Surrounding The Cubes at Glendale

  • Sub-Zero

             Manufacturing center (nearly 700,000 sq ft, luxury appliances)

             Loop 303 corridor (opened 2011, expanded 2016)

  • Dick’s Sporting Goods

             Distribution center (624,000 sq ft, high-tech)

             Loop 303 corridor (opened 2013)

  • Chewy

             Online pet products distributor

             Loop 303 corridor

  • UPS

             Distribution operations

             Loop 303 corridor

  • Bimbo Bakeries

             Distribution operations

             Loop 303 corridor

  • Dollar Tree

             Regional distribution facility (1.3 million sq ft)

             Park303 Phase 2 Building C

  • Logisticus Group

             Third-party logistics (550,000 sq ft lease)

             Park303 Phase 2

  • Axle on Demand

             Logistics specialist (126,075 sq ft pre-lease)

             Echo Park 303

Several developments like VT303 North, Bethany Bay, and Latitude 303 Logistics are under construction or recently completed as of 2025 but do not have publicly announced tenants yet. The area continues to grow with speculative industrial projects attracting e-commerce, manufacturing, and logistics firms.

There is no doubt that Glendale has become a powerhouse in the Valley. Thirty years ago, it was a small town with an economy that was unremarkable. With the advent of the Bell Road corridor, the growth of Luke Air Force Base, the development of the Westgate area and the Loop 303 corridor, it has become a vibrant community with a diversified economic base.

It’s braggin’ time! If you are a manufacturing, logistics or distribution facility and need to grow where the weather is perfect year-round with a great roadway system and an abundant labor force, welcome to Glendale, Arizona!

© Joyce Clark, 2026   

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law

and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have

not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic,

scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted

material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Dec 25

20

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones

Posted by Joyce Clark on December 20, 2025
Posted in 2026 general election • Barrell District • Cactus District • City Council Actions • City issue and actions • City of Glendale • Glendale elected officials • Glendale finances  | Tagged With: , , , | No Comments yet, please leave one

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

On December 10, 2025, Councilmember Lupe Conchas gave a TV interview on ABC with Adam Mintzer regarding his opposition to councilmember stipends. Here are some quotes from that TV story.

In 2022 an administrative policy was initiated giving councilmembers $900 per month for incidental costs and $450 monthly for car allowances. The allowances are intended to cover personal incidental expenses, including home-office costs, internet, technology, office supplies, incidental meals, mileage and repairs. 

 In August of 2025, Councilmember Lupe Conchas brought the issue to a council workshop and called the policy “a slush fund.” Yet at one time he had no objection to it and accepted the stipend for the first 6 months of his term. Then someone whispered in his ear that this might make for a good campaign issue.

His mentor, Councilmember Bart Turner, supports Conchas’ position. He characterizes the policy as a potential conflict with existing city expense systems. “There is no data to back this policy up,” Turner said. “Feels to me like it would be double dipping to take this…and for the record, I never have.” He may not have double-dipped, but he appears to have been very cavalier in his use of taxpayer dollars for his many trips.

A majority, four of the other six councilmembers and the mayor expressed support for maintaining the current policy during that August meeting.

Councilmember Ray Malnar defended the allowances, saying he spends significant money on home-office expenses. “We are being reimbursed for legitimate business expenses,” Malnar said. “I spend a lot of money on printers. I print a lot of things at home.”

Mayor Jerry Weiers said the numbers are justified for active councilmembers. “If you work for it. If you put in time. Your mileage…I find it entirely justifiable,” Weiers said.

Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff disagreed with characterizing the policy negatively. “I don’t think our residents expect us to behave like martyrs,” Tolmachoff said.

The City of Tempe has a $12,000 stipend for councilmembers’ cars and other expenses that don’t require them to submit receipts. So, Glendale is not the only city with such a policy.

A week later, December 17, 2025, the Phoenix New Times reported that the very same Councilmember, Lupe Conchas, directly asked the public in October 2025, to send him money through ApplePay and Zelle for his personal home repairs. He says he received $650 but he expects us to take his word for it.

People who give money directly to a politician, with no transparency as to who gave how much creates an appearance problem. It could also evade campaign finance requirements. Conchas admits that he did not think about a perception problem. He appears to be either very stupid or very arrogant. In essence, he used his official position to obtain money for personal use.

He did not consult with the City Attorney. Why? Perhaps because he knew that if he had the City Attorney would have advised against it whether it was legal to do so or not.

Then there is Councilmember Turner’s support of Conchas on this issue. I wrote a series of 4 blog posts on Turner’s fast and loose use of his City ProCard (city credit card). Turner talks about the need for data but often, after repeated staff requests, never supplied the requisite information or receipts to back up expenditures incurred on his many trips using city funds. Many of his trips to the same events attended by other councilmembers cost more than that of any other councilmember. He even asked the city to cover his Renaissance Weekend trips which were purely personal enrichment events.

Clearly, neither of these two councilmembers can legitimately question stipends when they appear to have financially sinned. Conchas deliberately used his elected position to solicit money from the public for personal expenses and Turner has a very questionable history with his use of the city ProCard.

A majority, five councilmembers, support and defend this policy, as do I. For 20 years of my 24 years of service as a councilmember, I paid personally for the very items the stipend covers. In my last 4 years of service, I was grateful that there was a stipend to cover the very expenses I had personally incurred and paid for over many years.

Why did these two men bring this forward? This is an election year. Conchas is supporting Rory Goree who is running against the incumbent, Councilmember Leandro Baldenegro. Turner, who has decided not to run again (perhaps because of his questionable use of the ProCard) has endorsed Lisa Baker. They need to help their chosen candidates and what better way than ginning this up an election issue. Just watch, both of these candidates will use stipends as a campaign issue. After all, if they were to run on their merit, both candidates lose.

© Joyce Clark, 2025   

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

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