By Talaina Kor During the Holbrook City Council meeting on Feb. 11, the council held a public hearing in regards to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application, where they formally selected Sun Valley’s Water District’s request for a new well. The council received two project proposals for the grant, those being the Sun Valley water improvement project and Bread of Life Mission building rehabilitation. The grant is in the amount of approximately $269,817. No one was present and no one addressed the council regarding the matter during the hearing. “Considering both, I have to think of the city first and where the best use for these funds are and that’s why I’m voting in favor of the resolution,” stated Councilman Tim Dixon regarding the motion to use the money for the Sun Valley project. Councilman Adam Marsh was in agreement stating, “These are the tough decisions. This is quite a chunk of change and they are very valid and needing proposed uses for them… I am hoping we can distribute these monies affectively and get some help out to those who are in Sun Valley who can’t get reliable water.” The project was proposed by Randy Sullivan with the city’s water department on behalf of the Sun Valley Water District during the previous council meeting. The proposal is for a new well to be drilled for the community to improve the water quality and rehabilitate two existing tanks. The CDBG was awarded to the city by NACOG (Northern Arizona Council of Governments). The council discussed a resolution regarding the increase of facility use fees. Councilman Dixon stated he believes that the proposed increase of $5 per day for Gillespie Park vendor electricity use, which is part of the resolution, is too low. “I would ask for the council to consider $20 to $25 a day for this fee,” he stated. City Mayor Merrill Young added that he believed they should increase all fees more, “but we don’t want to publicly execute ourselves,” as he voiced his agreement with Councilman Dixon for the electrical fee increase. Councilman Marsh disagreed. “I think going from zero dollars a day to $5 a day is already a jump,” stated Marsh, “I think it might be important to institute one change and see how that may or may not affect youth,” referencing the Native American youth that earn money dancing in the park during the summer. City Manager Ted Soltis clarified that the 30 and 50-amp service in question is newly added and specifically for vendors and not youth groups, so it would not affect them. Vice Mayor Francie Payne also added that she believed that the proposed increase of $20-$25 was too high and thought $5 or $10 would be more adequate. Ted added that the cost of equipment to make this possible was $600. After considering the matter, the council voted charge $20 for the use and the resolution passed with all council members voting in favor. Jack Young, the owner of Young’s Corral, addressed the council regarding the liquor license for the business. His plan is to maintain the liquor license for the establishment until it is sold. The council approved the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control Owner Transfer for The Corral. In other matters, Soltis noted that he applied for grants for picnic tables, a shelter at the east end dog park, and for city hall and police department computer servers.
