During the March 28 Holbrook City Council meeting, Interim City Manager Randy Sullivan told the council that a judge’s order was received to tear down a dilapidated residence located at 405 W. Arizona St. “This is something we’ve been working on for a long time and has cost a lot of money, so we’ll be remedying that house over there,” said Sullivan.
He noted that the bathrooms at Lisitzky Park, the work at the ball field at the park and the street work on Eleventh Street were finished last week.
Holbrook Police Chief Mark Jackson informed the council that two new trucks are now on the road, and were assigned to Officer Josh Para and Sgt. Jed Koons. He noted that funds were received from the insurance company to replace the truck that was wrecked when struck by a civilian, but that it would take several months before it was outfitted for the road.
Jackson also said that one of the new trucks has a new Dell touch screen in-car computer installed. This will allow immediate access to records and the Internet. “This is test phase for this one car. We’ll get feedback and maybe expand on that,” he said.
The council approved the membership of the economic development committee organized by Mayor Bobby Tyler, including Paul Ortega, owner of West End Liquor; Beulah Pennypacker, financial aid director at Northland Pioneer College; Sandra Lewis, pastor of St. Johns Baptist Church; Tony Espitia, a manager at Tate’s Auto Group in Holbrook; Paula Garcia of Navajo County Child Support Services; Casey Scott, manager of TA Travel Plaza; and Jerry Barela of United Parcel Service.
This group will review the Economic Development Plan currently in place for Holbrook and the 2006 economic development survey produced by Arizona Public Service Co., and update the plan as needed.
Mayor Tyler noted that he attended the Navajo County Board of Supervisors meeting earlier in the day, and expressed concern regarding the closure of the Navajo County Juvenile Detention facility and the Child Support Services Division, causing not only services to leave Navajo County, but the loss of 31 jobs.
“There was also talk of some other cost cutting measures throughout the county. This will create a domino effect on our community and other cities in Navajo County,” he predicted.
Vice Mayor Wade Carlisle, who sits on the Rural Transportation Advisory Council, said that a state initiative to put a gas tax on the ballot has failed. Another initiative to restore the Local Transportation Assistance Fund also failed. Those funds were used to offset the cost of street maintenance before they were swept by the state in 2008.
Carlisle also reported that a bill to help offset the $108 million to fund the Department of Public Safety through alternative fuels fees and transportation reinvestment zone and other means never made it out of committee, leaving those expenses to trickle down and affect small towns.
“As is typical of our legislature, all those things that would remedy this situation failed to move forward and we’re still in the same situation. This year, of course, we have fewer dollars left over and of course schools compete heavily against municipalities for these dollars,” stated Carlisle.
In other business, the council:
* Approved an expenditure of $12,800 to Fireworks Production for the annual Fourth of July fireworks display.
* Authorized a 30’ easement to NARBHA Institute, Inc. for land located on East Hermosa Drive.
* Approved an expenditure of $11,956.98 for the purchase of five sets of turnout gear for the Holbrook Volunteer Fire Department.
* Approved an agreement with Luke Wahlstrom to provide personal trainer services at the fitness center in the amount of $25 per month, with Wahlstrom to provide his own insurance.
* Approved the renewal of an agreement with Patricia Weatherford to provide Mexican dance lessons at the Holbrook Community Building at a cost of $25 per month, with Weatherford to provide her own insurance.
* Approved the renewal of an agreement with Misty Hatch to provide essential oil services at the Holbrook Community Building at a cost of $25 per month, with Hatch to provide her own insurance.
