The Holbrook City Council last week approved a partial privatization of the city-owned fitness center and will be co-operated by Specialized Exercise Professionals, LLC. Owner Dr. Morgan Black who also owns In Motion Physical Therapy in Holbrook plans on keeping the prices the same as they are currently and offering more options for classes and physical training.
After months of growing usage and complaints about overcrowding and maintenance, the council voted to turn over day-to-day operations of the city fitness center to the private operator under a one-year agreement. City Manager Randy Sullivan told council members the facility had reached a point where staff could no longer keep up. “For city staff, the fitness center has outgrown itself in our capabilities,” Sullivan said, framing the move not as a cost-cutting measure but as a response to rising demand.
Under the agreement, the city will split revenues and expenses with the Black’s while maintaining ownership of the building and equipment. Membership fees will remain at $20 per month, at least initially, while Black will be allowed to introduce additional services such as classes to generate new revenue.
Council members described the current situation as unsustainable, with reports of worn equipment, lack of supervision and heavy use particularly after hours. Black told the council that the goal is not simply to run the gym but “to improve overall community health.”
The agreement reflects a calculated risk: the city will give up some direct revenue in exchange for improved service and potential growth. Mayor Kathleen Smith said that the city took in $50,000 from fees at the fitness center and that could go down to $25,000 with the revenue split. Sullivan made clear the first year will function as a trial period, with frequent check-ins to evaluate performance and adjust operations.
The council heard a presentation from Rikki and Corey Johnson from the “Giving Machine” initiative announced that local donations during the holiday season generated more than $16,000 for the Holbrook Emergency Food Bank but emphasized that the real impact is measured in meals, supplies and basic necessities delivered to families.
Rather than presenting a single check, the group detailed how contributions translated into tangible aid, from hundreds of meal kits to tens of thousands of bottles of drinking water. The scale of support underscored both the generosity of the community and the ongoing need.
“Holbrook brought in $16,040 for the charity,” Corey said, drawing applause from the room. He described the program as a way to connect donors directly with outcomes, allowing people to purchase specific items like food packages or household staples that are then distributed locally. In sharing stories from the effort, they highlighted moments of quiet gratitude from recipients, reinforcing how deeply the donations are felt in the community.
The presentation served as a reminder of the role local organizations play in filling gaps particularly in rural areas where access to consistent food resources can be limited.
Later in the meeting, council members began working through a proposed ordinance aimed at closing a gap in the city’s animal control laws. The proposed change would expand the definition of a dog attack to include incidents where no skin is broken something animal control officers say is critical for addressing repeat aggressive behavior before it escalates.
Currently, officers have limited options in those situations, often issuing only minor citations even in cases where residents are chased or knocked down. Smigiel told the council that those limitations have led to frustration for both victims and enforcement.
“You don’t know you have a problem until it happens,” Animal Control Supervisor Brandon Smigiel, said, describing a series of recent incidents that exposed the shortcomings of the existing ordinance. In one case, a resident was pulled off a bicycle and bitten but because the skin was not broken, the response was limited to a fine. In others, individuals were chased for blocks with no meaningful consequences for the dog’s owner.
The proposed ordinance would allow those cases to be treated more seriously, potentially requiring court appearances and giving judges more authority to intervene. Smigiel argued that the change would help prevent more severe attacks by addressing warning signs earlier.
At the same time, council members carefully debated how to balance enforcement with fairness, raising concerns about situations where dogs might be provoked or acting defensively. Smigiel emphasized that enforcement would still rely on context and officer discretion.
“A reasonable person would feel threatened by that,” Smigiel said, explaining how the new language is designed to account for real-world situations without criminalizing normal behavior.
The ordinance received its first reading, with additional revisions, potentially including language addressing provocation, expected before a final next month’s regular meeting vote.
The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office had its annual presentation before the council to highlight both the scale of its operations and the increasing reliance on specialized tools and partnerships to keep pace with crime across the region. Chief Deputy Randy Moffett, who delivered most of the presentation, outlined a year that included roughly 15,000 dispatch events, more than 34,000 calls for service and major drug seizures, including more than 533,000 fentanyl pills.
He pointed to the growing impact of the department’s aviation unit, describing a recent case where a suspect who fled into the forest was located within minutes once a helicopter was deployed, a search that would have otherwise taken hours. Sheriff David Clouse also spoke and framed those efforts within the broader relationship between county and local agencies, emphasizing that deputies routinely back up Holbrook officers during overnight hours and collaborate through shared services like dispatch and records systems.
The council also heard a presentation from Navajo County Public Health District Deputy Director Cierra Hensley who encouraged residents to participate in the county’s 2026 Community Health Needs Assessment Survey, describing it as a foundational tool for directing resources and shaping long-term policy.
The survey, conducted every three years, gathers input on issues such as mental health, substance use, access to care and social factors like housing and transportation. Hensley said the results are used not only to identify priorities but also to strengthen grant applications and fulfill requirements for local hospitals, making community participation essential to securing funding and services. She emphasized that the data ultimately guides coordinated efforts among public health agencies, healthcare providers and local governments, with the goal of improving both quality of life and economic stability across the county.
During the meeting the board also appointed Administrative Assistant Jacquelyn Dewyer as deputy city clerk as Clerk Lisa Hunt nears retirement.
Holbrook resident Twyla Taylor spoke during call to the public and updated the council on efforts to promote the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Route 66. Taylor told the council she is working to have a large bench with a Route 66 shield on the back and an arch over the top that says ‘Holbrook, Arizona’ with a sign next to it stating “Come sit on the corner of Route 66 with us” to be placed at Gillespie Park. She indicated that she believed this would be a big tourist draw. “There would be no cost to the city, NPC (Northland Pioneer College) has 4×4’s and it will be metal with metal posts.” She noted that the bench would be metal frame with a wooden seat and back. Sandy Johnson went before the council to inform those present regarding her position with Healthy Families, working to educate pregnant women and moms until their children are five. A monthly class will be set up for moms at the Holbrook Senior Citizens Center, teaching moms how to do massage and bonding. All services are at no cost.
The meeting concluded with the council going into executive session with Attorney David Brown, as well as discussion pertaining to a lawsuit, Kristin Mayes vs. Fondomonte Arizona, LLC., pertaining to water rights issues. No action was taken on the matters.
In other business, the council:
*Approved proclamation in support of fair housing and declaring April as Happy Holbrook Month.
*Reauthorized multi-agency agreement to allow Holbrook Police, Fire and EMS Departments to coordinate with other local emergency response groups including Joseph City Fire District, Winslow Fire Department, Winslow Police Department, Action Medical, Sun Valley Fire Department, Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, Navajo County Emergency Management, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Safety, Arizona State Fire Marshal, Guardian Air, Native Air, Tri R Towing, Puerco Valley Fire District and Blue Ridge Fire District.
*Approved intergovernmental agreement with White Mountain Search and Rescue to share mutual aid resources at an annual cost of $3,500.
*Approved a fog seal for the golf course road at a cost of $19,905.
