The Holbrook City Council held a meeting Thursday, Oct. 13, during which Jeff Koon spoke during call to the public, addressing an article by The Tribune pertaining to the previous city council meeting which touched on the council’s response to the understaffing and lack of competitive salaries of officers in the police department.
Koon, who spoke before the council as a citizen, is also a lieutenant at the Holbrook Police Department. He addressed specific statements by Councilman Earl Kester, who stated that if everyone is doing their job there’s no problem. “My comment to you is: how do you know we are understaffed or not? Besides last week, when is the last time you walked into the PD and asked how we’re doing?”
Koon explained he has about 10 jobs at the PD and that as a result, “some take priority over others so other jobs don’t get done.
Koon noted that his officers sometimes work 48 to 60 hour weeks. “Due to low staffing, everyone is doing more than just their assigned job. This can be overwhelming, tiring and dangerous.” He also noted that he has a surgery that he has had to put off because there would be no one to provide readily available backup. “This could result in someone, the officer or the suspect, getting killed.”
Koon also expressed his disappointment in Councilman Tim Dixon. “I am highly disappointed in you that you think we are okay. You retired from my department as a criminal investigator. Do you have any idea that we do not have a Criminal Investigation Division right now? The room where your office was is now a storage room because there’s nobody to even put in there.”
Koon also mentioned his grievance that Dixon has never entered the police department as a councilmember, while City Manager Ted Soltis has only visited a couple of times. “You’ve worked for the citizens of this city and not the city manager. You have every right as a councilman to go and talk to citizens or city employees.” Koon had more to state but call to the public has a three minute time limit, so he stated he would return for the next meeting to finish.
Although council cannot engage in the comments made during call to the public, members did take advantage of the time at the end of the meeting designated for reporting on current events to address Koon’s statements.
Vice Mayor Francie Payne started by stating that the council has always supported the Holbrook Police Department and noted that City Manager Soltis increased the department’s pay by 10% last year, with plans to increase yearly. She also mentioned a $9 million deficit that was owed to the public safety retirement fund, which has been reduced by a third thanks to Soltis. “I don’t know what more we can do. If you’ve got ideas of what we can do to attract more police officers, I don’t think anybody would be averse to hearing,” Payne stated.
Councilmember Tim Dixon agreed with Vice Mayor Payne, stating “We do, as council, support the police department, we don’t need to walk into the police department,” calling staff shortages among police departments common. Dixon stated that he personally helped protect the police department from further dissolvement by putting a vote to Holbrook citizens to change the charter. He also accused The Tribune of “spinning things in a way that’s not favorable to us,” referring to the council.
Councilman Mike Nilsson also stated that he supports the police department. “One of the reasons I got on the council was because I was upset that we were going to go and give the police department to the county. There’s no greater friend to the police department than the council.”
Councilmember Earl Kester apologized for what he said in the previous meeting in regards to the police department. “After it came out in the paper, I went to Chief (Nathan) Christensen and I asked him what the problem was with the police department and we had a really good discussion that we are down at least four officers. Problem being that it’s hard to get officers, especially when other departments or other branches like the sheriff’s department pay more.”
Kester suggested perhaps starting something at the high school to get students interested in law enforcement or maybe enticing people from areas where the weather may not be as appealing. “Finding out we had four officers down I was really shocked.”
As the sole item on the agenda for consideration, the council approved the purchase of three vehicles for the Holbrook Police Department from Show Low Ford, which came in at the lowest bid totaling in the amount of $138,342. The fitting out of the vehicles by Airwave Communications totaling $63,404 was also approved.
Addressing current events, Mayor Kathleen Smith announced that Real AZ, which is comprised from representatives from a majority of the communities in Navajo and Apache counties and with a focus on economic development in Navajo County, asked her to sit on their website committee to help rebrand the organization and internet presence. “It’ll be great to be a part of that process and make sure Holbrook’s represented on their site.”
Smith also reminded citizens that BNSF railroad crossing closure will commence Oct. 22 and end on the 25th. The closure will mean now traffic will be able to cross into town from Highway 77 and no traffic will be able to cross the tracks heading south. The road closure will be on the same weekend as Old West Fest, which is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22
“I did want to do a big thank you to our Holbrook Police Department, along with the Navajo County Sheriff’s Department, DPS, EMS, and others for their quick and efficient response to the scam call that came to Holbrook High School about a week and a half ago. It ended up being a great emergency response exercise.” Smith stated, also thanking Superintendent Dr. Rob Koerperich for his follow up and work with those entities. The unknown caller called the HPD and claimed a school shooting that was taking place and that students had been shot. A number of other school districts had allegedly received the same call.
City Manager Soltis gave an update on budget goals. “As you know, the staff received at least a 6.5% increase in July. Further adjustments remain to bring employees in line with similar sized communities.” Soltis also stated that over the next two years, wage increase payroll costs will rise between $250,000-$300,000, due to anticipated high inflation and voter approval, which is included in the budget.
Soltis also stated the grant funded Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) taxiway pavement perseveration at the airport has begun and will hopefully be completed within the following weekend.
“Budget in the Lodging Fund starting July 1, Navajo County Fairgrounds, Navajo County Historic Society and the Chamber of Commerce are each receiving a budget increase from $44,000, which was last year to $50,000 this year.” Soltis added the Lodging Fund is financing to stabilize the Bucket of Blood buildings.
The Streets Department will begin their near annual crack sealing project as the weather begins to cool as well.
Soltis also mentioned that an estimated $50,000 worth of anticipated repairs on an old vacuum truck in the wastewater department were complete by staff. “So, we fixed up the old truck so that we’ll have a backup and then soon hopefully, we’ll have a new vacuum truck.”
At the Holbrook Cemetery, a broken wall was repaired and scheduled to be painted next spring. “Staff this fall will soon be starting out on doing some of the stucco work and marble work on the mausoleum,” Soltis concluded.
