Police Chief Larry Scarber was introduced at the Sept. 3 Taylor Town Council meeting. Chief Scarber said he was grateful for the opportunity to be back in the Snowflake-Taylor area. “I’m not a native, but the best years of my life were spent here,” he said, adding that they were the best years until he met his wife.
The new chief, who graduated from Snowflake High School, stated, “It made me a better person. The example and assistance I received from this community made me a better person.”
Scarber has many years of police experience, beginning his career as an officer at Brigham Young University and then moving to the Provo Police Department in Utah. He was with the Arizona Department of Public Safety for 28 years before taking the Snowflake-Taylor post.
“I felt like I had more to offer,” the chief said, noting that when the position opened here, he applied.
Scarber told the council he has very good people to work with here, noting, “It will be my goal to help them become even better.”
In other business, the council held the first reading of Ordinance 02015-02, repealing and adopting Chapter 14, Floodplain Management.
“This is basically just a clean up of old work that hadn’t been done,” said Building Official Allen Davis, explaining that in 2010, the town received a letter recommending the adoption of a newer ordinance for floodplain management. “This just gets us more in line with the national flood insurance requirements.”
The second reading of the ordinance will be held at the council’s next meeting and, if adopted, it will take effect 30 days later.
An amendment to the fiscal policy was approved by the council.
Town Manager Gus Lundberg explained that the present policy requires staff to secure written, sealed bids for any items costing more than $50,000. He asked that that there be an exception provided for road construction projects. He noted that any such project would have been approved by the town council for a certain amount, and it did not save money to have sealed bids and bring it back to the council for approval.
A motion to approve amending the fiscal policy allowing items up to $150,000 without seeking written, sealed bids passed unanimously. Lundberg noted that the policy still requires three bids, but they need not be sealed.
Lundberg reminded the council that in February, the town received a notice of violation from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality for issues relating to land application of bio solids from the wastewater treatment plant. They have stopped that process since the notice and have been pumping solids into the treatment lagoons.
“We’re not out of compliance, but we need to find a long term solution,” said Lundberg.
The consent order names the violations and sets a timetable. Lundberg asked that he be authorized to sign the ADEQ consent order.
The council approved a motion giving him authority to sign the order.
The council also ratified the Show Low Construction contract for the Love Lake Road maintenance project.
Lundberg explained that the Arizona Department of Transportation project on Love Lake Road was shortened 2,000 feet because of the lack of funds, but the bids came in low. Because that portion had been taken out, it could not be added to the original contract. Since Show Low Construction was contracted, the town manager asked permission to have the firm continue the project to the second cattle guard on Love Lake Road. He noted that they are on site and working with ADOT, and ADOT has agreed to help out, which will save the town money. Lundberg said that there was an emergency clause in the fiscal policy and under the direction of the mayor, he could execute the $80,000 for the project, which he did.
The council then ratified the new contract.
