The Winslow City Council’s recent meeting revealed important dates and agenda items affecting the community. The City of Winslow has scheduled its primary election for Aug. 6, to nominate candidates for the office of the mayor and three council member positions.
The council members whose terms are expiring are Peter Cake, Jim MacLean, and Melissa Nelson, all of whom have served four-year terms. The deadline for voter registration for the primary election is set for July 8, and for the general election, it is Oct. 7. Prospective candidates are required to file their nomination papers with the city clerk’s office by 4 p.m. on April 8.
City Manager David Coolidge brought to the council’s attention the need to evaluate and rank various community development projects. In December, staff presented four projects, but no additional proposals were received from the public. Kevin Goss from the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) explained that the funding could be allocated to multiple projects, provided they are in adjacent neighborhoods. The proposed projects include improvements in curb, gutter, and sidewalk in three areas: Southside, Coopertown, and the Winslow neighborhood of Aspinwall and Alfred avenues. Additionally, an all-inclusive playground compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act has been proposed. This playground would feature equipment like jungle gyms and swings, accessible to children with physical disabilities, including those in wheelchairs.
Goss clarified that the sidewalk projects would require a door-to-door survey in the respective neighborhoods to ensure compliance with income level requirements for grant eligibility. However, the playground project, benefiting the entire community and situated in a city area below the income maximums for the grant, would be automatically accepted without a survey. Councilmember Nelson raised concerns about potential challenges in conducting the neighborhood surveys.
During the discussion of project prioritization, Mayor Birdie Cano presented a ranking list, suggesting the sidewalk improvements on Alfred Street as the top priority, followed by the playground, and then improvements in Southside and Coopertown. Councilmember Darcey McKee, however, pointed out that the Alfred Avenue sidewalk might not directly benefit many houses, advocating for prioritizing the park above other projects. Despite this, the council voted in alignment with Mayor Cano’s initial suggestion. Goss indicated that the application process for these projects is expected to continue until May, after which project implementation can commence.
The council meeting also included a call to the public, where community members expressed their concerns and suggestions. Heather Pruitt, a member of the board of adjustment, emphasized the need to update city codes, particularly to grandfather older buildings, thus avoiding repetitive adjustments. She also highlighted issues regarding utility and gas lines, often crossing neighboring properties, suggesting that with new developments and increased home buying, it is an opportune time to address these concerns.
Debra Lopez, in her comment, referred to the city’s draft of its general plan. She corrected the naming of the “multi-purpose field” in the plan, noting that it was renamed in July 2017 in honor of her father, Valentine Lopez Jr., in recognition of his dedication to the American Youth Soccer Organization program in Winslow. She urged the council to change the wording of all official city documents to reflect the name change that was adopted by council in 2017.
In other business, the council:
* Reappointed Ken Evans to the Public Safety Personnel retirement Board.
*Approved a notice of intent to add new voucher fees and increase current fees for use of the transfer station.
The next meeting of the Winslow City Council will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13, in the meeting room located at 523 West Second St.
