The Holbrook City Council met on Dec. 13, with all members present, including Councilman Tim Dixon via Skype and Mayor Bobby Tyler available for a portion of the meeting over the phone.
Among the matters addressed was the final approval to apply fees to commercial and residential water usage for those who live within city limits and those who use city owned water outside of the city limits.
Those include a fee of $1 per month for users of one to 99 units of water (a unit is equal to 1,000 gallons of water), and $2 per month for 100 units or greater. Proceeds from the increases will be placed into a separate fund specifically for water adjudication and water rights claims.
A capital improvement fee of $5 monthly will also be assessed to all users, with the proceeds to be placed in a separate fund for capital improvements to water and wastewater development.
The decision to move forward with those fees was unanimous. The fees go into effect on Jan. 13. The new fees will be included in the bill users receive at the end of January.
The council also discussed how to move forward with the process of selecting a permanent city manager.
Vice Mayor Wade Carlisle presented the item, saying he would like to see requests for proposals (RFP) from a number of firms that recruit management for public entities. Those he listed included Slavin Management Consultants, Colin Baenziger & Associates, Bob Murray & Associates, The Mercer Group, Mike Letcher, Waters & Company, and Interim Public Management.
“These were groups recommended by the League (of Arizona Cities and Towns). We don’t need someone until May or June since we have an interim, so we’re not in a rush. I’d like to have each of them come up and present an RFP, and talk to us about what they can offer and the fees involved,” stated Carlisle.
Councilman Richard Peterson noted that with the coming city election there could be a change of philosophy. “What we want may not meet with the other council’s needs. I suggest we have as much of the recruitment process after the election,” he said.
Dixon agreed that the council should not be too hasty in its decision.
It was agreed that having the firms come before the council and explain their services would not impact any decisions if there is a change in the council, and to provide all council candidates with the RFP information and invite them to hear the presentations.
Chief of Police Mark Jackson reported that two new patrol vehicles have been painted and striped, and one is still in the shop. He also said that the police department collected 1,800 pieces for the food drive from the Joseph City Schools and that along with other food collected so far in the area, there were three truckloads. “We’ll be going to the Holbrook schools next and all the food collected will be taken to the Catholic Charities food bank,” explained Jackson.
The council authorized abandonment of an existing right of way of property to Calvary Chapel located on West Hopi Drive.
Interim City Manager Randy Sullivan explained that the property in question is the parking lot of the church leading right up to the building.
“This is just allowing this to go back to the original owner,” stated Carlisle.
The council approved a resolution prescribing to the standard of financial disclosures for local elected officials.
A request to allow HPD to expend funds in an amount not to exceed $25,575.10 to outfit three new patrol vehicles with the necessary equipment specific to law enforcement vehicles was approved contingent upon the availability of funds. “We don’t have to pay the bill until after the cars are outfitted. It’ll be February before we get them back,” stated Sullivan. “We’ve already gained quite a bit of cash flow in December.”
The council also approved a request by the Holbrook Volunteer Fire Department to purchase seven self-contained breathing apparatuses in an amount not to exceed $47,659, contingent on the availability of cash.
In the requests by the police department and the fire department, it was reiterated by Sullivan that state funding was below what had been anticipated, leaving no expenditure funds for purchases and projects. “We have money in the budget, but not in the bank,” he said.
“We are about $100,000 short and another $100,000 has been added to that because of the shoulder work done at the airport,” Sullivan continued. The anticipated funds are reimbursements for the first of three grant projects outlined for the airport, including the fog seal asphalt surface, the clearing and cinder landscaping along the runway shoulder, and improvements to the fuel farm. “We had 24’ of shoulder cleared with new cinders put on it and when it’s lit up, it looks really nice,” he concluded.
