With no discussion, the Snowflake Town Council approved the $7,872,384 budget for fiscal year 2015-16, a decrease of $1,585,589 from the previous year’s budget.
A public hearing was held prior to the approval, but no public comments were offered.
In other business at the July 14 meeting, the council approved a second lease agreement with Navajo County for an office at the court building.
Town Manager Brian Richards explained that recently notice was given by Mark Foree of Farmer’s Insurance that he was moving his office. This lease is for that space at a cost of $1,000 per month.
The previous agreement allowed the sheriff’s office to lease what was the garage of the building.
The council also approved an intergovernmental agreement between the Snowflake-Taylor Police Department and the Northeastern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy, which takes place at the Northern Arizona Training Center in Taylor and provides certified Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training.
This agreement allows the STPD to send recruits for police officers to a local academy at a cost of $240, waiving the $2,412 tuition fee, and upon successful completion of the academy, the district reimburses the town $1,000 to cover ammunition and other fees associated with the recruit while in the academy.
The council ratified approval of a one-day liquor license for the White Mountain Base Submarine Veterans Golf Tournament. The tourney is held annually at the Snowflake Golf Course, and the request for a one-day liquor license is also made annually.
Navajo County Supervisor Jason Whiting was in attendance at the meeting, and Mayor Tom Poscharsky asked if he had any comments.
“I just stopped by to see what’s going on,” said Whiting. “I don’t have anything to report.”
He noted that he had voted in favor of a marijuana grow facility in the Snowflake area that morning. He said it was a difficult decision, but stated, “I didn’t see that we had teeth or the ability to fight this fight. We can either fight them on this and go to court…using taxpayer money, or we can work with them. They were agreeable to working with us.” Whiting said he appreciated their partnership, recognizing that he did not agree with it, but, “As it stands right now, when I took my oath of office I swore to uphold the laws of the land.” He further noted that this is not a place that will sell marijuana; there is already one in Taylor. This will be a place where marijuana will be grown for the Taylor facility, rather than them having to purchase elsewhere. “Quite frankly, I felt it was a financial decision,” he said.
Councilman Cory Johnson spoke during reports on the excellent rodeo in Taylor on July 4, and said he is excited for Snowflake’s Pioneer Day Rodeo.
Councilman Byron Lewis said in reports that he, Vice Mayor Kerry Ballard and Taylor Councilman David Smith travelled to Holbrook together to attend the Holbrook Council’s recent meet and greet. He said it was a good experience, giving him an opportunity to get better acquainted with the Taylor councilman, and they were able to see Holbrook’s new splash park, which is very nice.
