By Tammy Gray To date, no public discussion has been held by the Holbrook City Council regarding ordinances that affect citizens, but they are scheduled to take a final vote on the matter at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 22, at city hall. The meeting is open to the public and citizens will be afforded an opportunity to speak, provided they fill out a form requesting to do so. Four ordinances are actually being considered by the council. An election ordinance would extend the terms of current council members and the mayor, and change election dates based on a law that has been ruled unconstitutional by the Arizona Supreme Court. More information on that proposed ordinance appears on page 1. The creation of a business license by the city is proposed in another ordinance. Since there has been no public discussion, the council has not officially addressed concerns raised by citizens regarding the ordinance. Those concerns include timing of the ordinance while businesses are struggling as a result of the pandemic, the provision giving city staff to change the cost of the business license at any time for any reason, a complete lack of penalties within the ordinance for failing to comply with the license requirement, who within the city will enforce it, how long it will take the city to issue business licenses given the inspections required by the ordinance, how the city will fund enforcement of the license, the issue of duplication of state services provided to the city for free under the state business licensing requirements, and whether or not the city attorney has had any involvement in the process of creating or reviewing the ordinance. Provisions for the use, testing, and sale of marijuana within the city is the focus of another ordinance. No public discussion has been held by the council, and many of the same questions remain unanswered as to enforcement, penalties, whether the ordinance complies with state law, how the requirement regarding filtering within homes will apply, and whether or not the city attorney has had any knowledge of involvement in preparation of this ordinance. A final ordinance authorizes the sale of city property to an individual. The bid process was completed as required for the sale, and an ordinance is required by the city charter in order to sell the property.
