During the Sept. 26 meeting of the Holbrook City Council, the council approved a memorandum of understanding with the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce, providing the chamber with $25,420 for the 2017-18 fiscal year from the lodgers tax.
“They will do the Festival of Trees… and the Man and Woman of the Year. If you were here during budget talks, then you know that they are no longer going to do Wild West Days and the city is going to do that,” stated City Manager Randy Sullivan. The delay in presenting the document was due to discussions regarding the events that the chamber would be doing that would determine the amount of funding.
In other business, Sullivan reported that the auditors were at the city last week to conduct the annual audit.
Regarding city projects he said, “I’ve been working on the soccer field, we started another (golf) cart hangar out at the golf course, and this week Stantec is meeting with us onsite down there at the fishing pond.” Stantec is the engineering firm that is offering its services at no cost to assist with the development of the pond at the west end of Buffalo Street.
Councilman CJ Wischmann said that he, “met with 20 of the residents up on the 300 block of Anita and Encanto Drive. We’re in the process of forming a watch for our neighborhood. We’ve had an extreme increase in vandalism and an extreme increase in graffiti.”
While eating in Winslow at the restaurant across from Standin on the Corner Park, Councilwoman Francie Payne met some ladies from Dallas, Texas. She learned that they were on their annual Route 66 trip and were interested in Holbrook’s the city’s Route 66 Festival and Car Show, and the areas of the Petrified Forest that were open that day only. “We can keep these things at the forefront through the Internet for our visitors and potential visitors,” said Payne.
An ordinance requesting an easement from the city to the Northern Arizona Regional Behavioral Health Authority for property on East Hermosa Drive was tabled due to a typo in the document.
After some discussion, the council agreed to meet with Jason Foutz for a strategic planning session from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18.
During the call to the public, Rick Taylor told the council how grateful he was for the Holbrook golf course. Taylor said, “I want to thank the council and the citizens of Holbrook for the golf course. It’s a jewel beyond measure. When I see someone I don’t recognize, I ask where they are from, and see many, many, people from Winslow, Snowflake and Prescott.”
Barbara O’Lear of the United Methodist Church thanked the city council for the support given to the church’s activities.
Also during call to the public, Jessica Berman spoke to the council regarding the Swiss film company she is a part of that is staying in Holbrook while filming on the Navajo Nation. She said she was grateful to be a part of the community and they would begin shooting the film this week. “We are trying to bring industry to town… we’re trying to use local resources as much as possible. We have about 30 people staying at Motel 6,” she said, adding that they have attended events and met with local people. She also noted that she is working with another organization, The Reel Deal, to see about future projects coming to the state.
The council also approved payment of $139.30 to The Tribune-News.
