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The City of Winslow is in the midst of its budget planning process and as a part of that process, the city staff will form its five-year capital improvements plan funded in part by the one percent sales tax collected in the city. City staff invited the residents of Winslow to an input meeting last week.
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Winslow is currently working on capital improvements for its fiscal year 2019 but will soon form the plan that will extend until fiscal year 2024. Major projects already underway include Renaissance 6, an improvement project on the east side of Winslow. Renaissance 6, according to City of Winslow Engineer Mark Woodson will consist of sidewalk repair, street lighting and other infrastructure fixes between Cassandra Lane and Snider Avenue. The project, funded in part by an Arizona Department of Transportation grant in the amount of $737,500 is already underway.
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Another infrastructure improvement underway is the Apache Parallel and Bypass projects, set to repair and replace the main sewer lines through Winslow.
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During the input session, City Manager John Barkley said, “This is an opportunity for our citizens to engage with what the city is doing operationally, as well as construction-wise, financially and every other aspect of what we do. We set this meeting up to hear from you, rather than dictate to the citizens and the business community; we would like to listen first.”
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Most of the citizens who offered their input spoke on recreation and parks issues. Resident Patti Hardy said, “I would like to see some shaded playgrounds around town, specifically the one near Vargas Field. I would also like to see a rock-climbing wall or slides at both the indoor and outdoor pools, so that the kids have something to do while they are there.”
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Rayna Castillo and Erin Echoles, both Winslow residents, expressed their desire to see a splash pad in Winslow. Castillo said, “We drive to Holbrook to use theirs in the summer. We have to pay for gas and we eat while we are there. Having our own would keep the dollars in Winslow.”
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Recreation Department Manager Sandra Knight added, “A lot of comments that I hear are about our kids not having things to do. It is great we are trying to get more people to come here but I also think we need to look at keeping our kids safe and happy. From our standpoint, if we had a recreation center, we could have after school programs, basketball practices, there is a wide range of things we could offer that we currently cannot. I would really like to see that.”
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Mayor Tom McCauley responded to Knight by explaining his thoughts on using the Bashas building, located at 1500 N. Park Drive as a recreation center. “That building is not in use and it is leased by the Catholic Diocese of Gallup. I have been in some heated conversations with them about that building. I have been saying this building is sitting here in ruins, let us use it, we will maintain it and turn it in to a recreation center for the entire town. That is not an idea that is not farfetched.”
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Other concerned citizens brought up the need for more and brighter street lights throughout Winslow.
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McCauley said, “We are currently in conversations with Arizona Public Service (APS) about this issue. What happened a few years ago is the city went under what is called a Dark Skies initiative. We keep our skies at a certain darkness so as not to compete with what is going on with our observatory at Homolovi. So we need to find a nice balance. The LED lights are efficient, but the lumens are not adequate to light the neighborhoods. You know as well as I do that every crook in the country likes the darkness, our petty theft has gone through the roof.
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“What we have discussed with APS is bringing in a white light instead of the yellow, which will still be compliant with the Dark Sky ordinance, but will give us more light. We are working with them to get that done and to put in lighting all the way down Mike’s Pike Blvd. It is going to take us a bit to get those budget numbers but we will get it done.”
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Councilwoman Samantha Crisp also pointed out that her constituents expressed a desire for more public art in Winslow. “We want kinetic sculptures, we want more murals. This will cause more people to stop and take pictures and entice them to stay and to explore our town.”
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The next phase of developing the capital improvements five-year plan is to incorporate the citizen suggestions, the city staff suggestions and the improvements already budgeted. Barkley said, “Your input is appreciated and will be taken into consideration as we move forward to the staff level.”
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He then invited residents to follow the budget process by attending city council meetings, which are held at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month in the council chambers, located at 115 E. Second St. Citizens are also encouraged to visit the city website at www.winslowaz.gov or City Hall, located at 21 N. Williamson Avenue.
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