Following an executive session last week, the Winslow City Council announced that Assistant City Manager David Coolidge will be serving as interim city manager following the immediate resignation of City Manager John Barkley after nearly four years of employment. Barkley submitted his letter of resignation on July 6, announcing he had taken a management position in West Virginia.
The City of Winslow will begin the process of hiring a replacement for Barkley who will serve his last day on Aug. 5. A public reception in his honor will be held at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 26, at the Winslow Chamber of Commerce, located at 523 W. Second St.
During the regular meeting, Barkley provided information on Winslow’s general plan. He explained, “The general plan is a document that is regulated by the State of Arizona having to do with local jurisdictions and their planning efforts. Recently, we stumbled upon the fact that our general plan had not been updated since 2002. Per statute, we are supposed to update the plan every 10 years.
“Updating the general plan is a public process that is participatory and will carry through at least a year or so. The elements we need to update in the plan are many. They include providing guidance for our overall plan for land use, growth, transportation, environmental features and other things. These are to guide the city from a planning standpoint but not as specific as a zoning document.”
The process, according to City Attorney Trish Stuhan is required to include several public hearings in which citizens are invited to provide their input on the overall general plan for Winslow.
She said, “The general plan is our major planning tool. We hope to have an updated version in front of council within the next year.”
Dan Lutzick, a Winslow citizen and representative of La Posada Hotel also spoke during the call to the public and said, “I have a couple of questions that have been brought to my attention. First, is the city considering a significant change to parking downtown? I have heard different things including the closing of Second Street to turn it in to a park. Also, is the council or city considering altering the Route 66 live/work overlay zoning that covers most of downtown so that live/work is no longer an option? What I would ask the council to do is release a statement from the city addressing these things to put a lot of these concerns to rest.”
The council is not permitted to comment on the call to the public, but Mayor Roberta Cano did instruct city staff to follow up with Lutzick to address his concerns.
In other business, the council:
* Heard a quarterly report from Winslow Justice of the Peace BJ Little. In it, Little mentioned parking violations had increased at McHood Park, where day passes are required for all cars parking in the parking lot. The fine for ignoring the requirement is $112.
* Heard a quarterly report from Old Trails Museum Director Ann-Mary Lutzick. She reminded the council and public of the High Desert Fly In scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 17, and the need for volunteers at the museum, located at 212 Kinsley Ave.
* Heard the monthly financial report for May in which citywide revenues were $1.8 million, bringing the year-to-date total to $18.3 million. Citywide expenditures for May were $1.8 million bringing the year-to-date total to $17.4 million.
* Approved the appointment of Denise O’Quinn Thompson to the Agriculture Commission until Dec. 31.
* Approved an inspection services agreement between the Arizona Department of Housing and the City of Winslow and an increase in fees related to inspection in the 2023 fiscal year. The increase reflects an overall increase in costs. The impact on the budget is $1,000 per year.
* Approved amendments to the Winslow City Code as they pertain to the transition between a planning and zoning commission and a Planning and Zoning Hearing Officer as previously approved.
The next meeting of the Winslow City Council will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 26, in the Hubbell Building, located at 523 W. Second St.
