Majority Of Holbrook Council Back Alley On Water-Wastewater Merger

Alley explained the move, saying, “Per the city charter, I am tasked with running the city to the best of my ability. With that in mind, the council has approved for the last six years my goal of creating a Public Works resource pool in which to cross-train employees. That has been one of my highest priorities to accomplish. I am planning to combine the water and wastewater departments.

“I feel that more people who are cross-trained in the city will be better for the city in the long run. If you have eight people who can do all of the jobs rather than three people who can do one job and five who can do another, then it just makes more sense,” he said. “As it was in the past, we used to have these departments combined, and it worked before.”

Alley noted that the merger of the departments will eliminate the water department superintendent position while providing an opportunity for the individual to transfer to the city’s newly created recreation director role, a position which was also approved by the council Tuesday.

Alley further explained that, approximately three months ago, he combined all of the wastewater duties into the wastewater treatment department responsibilities, transferring employees to operate what now collectively covers water distribution, wastewater collection and wastewater treatment, which stands alone itself as a specialized role.

“In my judgment, approximately 70 percent of the work involved in the water department field is related to wastewater. In the last three months we’ve made big strides, in my opinion, repairing and improving operations the way I feel things need to be done versus simply bandaging problems,” he said.

Alley concluded, “When I’m gone, I want to leave the assets of the city at the best they can be, and I feel that that is what’s being accomplished.”

During the meeting’s call to the audience, attorney Eduardo Coronado spoke on behalf of Water Department Superintendent Louis Baldonado to express to the council his disagreement with and requests against the decision.

“Mr. Louis Baldonado requests that the council table this matter for a later date so that the council has more time to review and consider re-merging the city’s water and wastewater departments. We believe that to make an informed decision with more information, more input from workers of the department, who do not believe that it is in the city’s best interest to merge the two departments,” said Coronado.

“Mr. Baldonado asked me to speak to the council because he has been told by the city manager that he is going to be moved as the water department head. He believes that it is not in the city’s best interest because he has been in the department for many years as its head, both when the departments were combined and as they are now. He understands the work that needs to be done, he works well with everybody who is under him and everyone he needs to work with, and believes he is the person who is best qualified to continue that job.

“Mr. Baldonado understands that, as of the merger, he will no longer be the head of the water department. It is Mr. Baldonado’s understanding that the person proposed to head the merged department is Mr. Lance Spencer, who apparently–and this is not a surprise to anybody, from what Mr. Baldonado tells me–is thinking very seriously of retiring. Mr. Baldonado questions why the city would benefit from placing someone as the head of a department who is already thinking of leaving.”

Noting to the council Baldonado’s final point of contention with Spencer’s proposed Public Works appointment, Coronado distributed hard copies of a six-year-old news article published in The Arizona Republic which headlined an Environmental Protection Agency violation the city received under in 2009 for “almost two years’ worth of missing reports related to wastewater treatment and disposal.” At the time, Armondo Aguilera was a supervisor at the facility and Spencer was chief operator at the plant.

Members of the council expressed divided views on the reorganization strategy.

“When you look at what you’re doing here right now, companies across the U.S. are doing the same thing. Employees are more valuable having more than one skill. It makes that person more valuable, because, whether he stays with a company or he wants to move on, he has that behind him. I like the Public Works pool, and I think we’re going in the right direction,” Mayor Bobby Tyler said of the plan.

Councilman C.J. Wischmann said to Alley, “I don’t question that you have the authority to make a decision like this, and I think it’s the right thing to do, but I don’t know that it’s the right thing to do now. With the process of getting someone else on board, I would like to see us postpone this until after the first of the year to see where everybody is going. If this is going to be a process of determining who is going to be best suited for the position, I don’t know that this is the best way to do that. I’d like to see the possibility of where the current employees are going to be in three months versus. I don’t object to doing this, I just think that it’s a little premature, from my eye,” he said.

Councilman Richard Peterson weighed in, responding to Alley, “The citizens of Holbrook chose the form of government that we currently have, so you misspoke when you stated that you’re recommending this change to the council, which you’re not. You have the authority under our charter to do this, and are required to inform us, which you’ve just done. I agree that sometimes things move a little slowly, and you’ve been working on this for a lot of years, and I trust your judgment.”

Wischmann added, “I agree that we should also have an individual opinion. Every time we bring something up about where an issue is going to go or what is going to be done, we get a lecture about how things used to be. I think we are a body of seven, and that four out of the seven votes should rule. But I don’t think that we should be told. We don’t have a say-so. To ask for three months to deliberate, I don’t think is out of the question when we have an individual who is going to retire. Why is it only one person who gets to make all the decisions? Is it the charter? Then why do we meet?”

Councilman Tim Dixon questioned Alley on whether Alley was knowledgeable of the history behind the water departments being separated previously, which predated his tenure as city manager, and Alley confirmed he was not.

The council ultimately moved in support of the proposed combination of the departments, with Councilmen Wischmann and Dixon opposed.

The city’s attorney, Samuel Coffman, commented “I think Councilman Peterson’s motion makes sense. You may wish to add to the motion any related employment decision that is also part of the discussion. I believe that the description of the city’s charter is correct. I also think that it’s appropriate for the council to support the decision based on the analysis provided by Manager Alley to fully protect the revenues and assets.”

In other action Nov. 10, the council:

* Approved Ordinance 15-08, authorizing the purchase of five parcels of property from Navajo County located in the Perkins Addition of Holbrook. The properties are slated by the city for conversion to open-area recreation facilities.

* Awarded a $46,646.55 contract for an automated card lock system to replace dated keyed access the city’s public works buildings and critical facilities to Benson Systems.

* Tabled possible action regarding bid results for lease of the clubhouse restaurant space at Hidden Cove Golf Course.

Alley will provide the council with an estimate of costs to provide needed repairs and projected operating expenses.

* Approved adding the position and job description of a recreation director to the city’s Classification and Compensation Plan, to be employed from the current roster of city employees.

* Approved expenditure of funds to Precision Electric in an amount not to exceed $6,949.14 for repairs to the wastewater pump located at Romero Street and McLaws Road.

* Heard a report from Alley regarding updates on repair of damaged safety fencing at the Apache Avenue railroad crossing.

An update was given on street repairs stemming from a water leak on Iowa Street at the intersection with Navajo Blvd.

A public works update was given regarding animal enclosure expansion at the Holbrook Animal Care, Control and Shelter.

An update was given regarding the repair of street light outages. Forty-four identified bulb outages are currently being resolved by Arizona Public Service Co.

An update was given to the council regarding Arizona Department of Transportation logo signage rental, proposed to be offered through the city to local establishments to promote tourism. Pricing is $120 per month, excluding structural signage and installation. The city will coordinate with the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce to evaluate the feasibility of the proposal.

* Received an update from Finance Director Randy Sullivan on progress of the city’s 2015 financial audit. Final approved financial statements are slated for receipt by Nov. 20.

* Received an update from Police Chief Mark Jackson regarding a grant being sought to purchase and install automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in all city buildings. Updates were also received on current facility renovations at the Holbrook Police Station, and installation progress on LED solar-powered speed limit signage at the Little Colorado River bridge.

* Approved cancellation of the Nov. 24 and Dec. 22 regular council meetings due to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Vice Mayor Wade Carlisle and Councilman Wischmann opposed the measure.

* Heard comments from Holbrook resident Jim Hudgens regarding his complaints stemming from public safety, street lighting, and storm water drainage issues on Mission Lane.

Hudgens urged the council and city manager to utilize city tax revenues and enlist a civil engineer to resolve the issues, which he claimed should have received ongoing maintenance by the city since the neighborhood was annexed by Holbrook in 1988.

* Approved the consent agenda, including payment of claims for Oct. 22 through Nov. 4 in the amount of $222,485.65.

* Approved payment of claims to Walt’s Hardware in the amount of $2,026.09.

* Approved payment of claims to The Tribune-News in the amount of $77.26.

The council will hold its next regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 8.