No damage to water shed anticipated after Tinder Fire

“The effects of the Tinder Fire to our water shed and Clear Creek in general will be an issue for quite a few years to come,” Councilman Tom Chacon Sr. said. “Let’s keep an eye on it.”

Also on the council agenda were a public hearing and the adoption of the tentative budget for the City of Winslow for fiscal year 2018-2019. The council previously approved a preliminary budget with projected revenues of $23.8 million. Approximately 15 percent of that revenue is credited to grants not yet obtained. “We just budget what we think we are going to get in grants and you’ll see this money reflected on the expenditure side as well,” Finance Director Elias Jouen explained. In his presentation he also said, “In 2018-2019, we are projecting again a deficit, but it’s not a projected ongoing expense. Mainly, this is because we budgeted for some grants in the police department, so there is an increase in spending for PD of $571,000 but again, this is due to grants that we budgeted but may not be awarded.”

Jouen added, “The other impact that triggered the projected deficit is the transit system this year and that is about $522,000. It is important to analyze our fund balance because if we continue this trend of deficit spending, or if it’s caused by ongoing expenses, we are on the road to insolvency.”

During the public hearing, newly elected Tom McCauley spoke. “The budget is not due until the third Monday of July, according to state law,” he said. “I understand why we need to adopt as soon as we can, but if you would so much as appease those of us that will be sitting on the council beginning next month, we would like to have some interjection in that.”

He went on to explain his concern for the Winslow Police Department’s projected budget of $4.1 million, over 40 percent of the total budget for the city. “Our police department sees much more than our population of 9,600 people. I would ask that in this budget that we look at FTE (full time employee) funding for our police department and I’m saying to increase our FTE there by 4.0. That is $300,000 at $75,000 apiece to put four more police officers on our streets.”

Mayor Robin Boyd interjected, “Well, we still have the final budget to approve.” To which McCauley replied, “The problem with that is that the law requires that if the budget is passed with a dollar amount, we cannot exceed that dollar amount when the final budget is passed.”

Boyd said, “My concern is, trying to increase the budget now after spending three or four months working on it is that we have been very fiscally responsible and I am concerned about spending money when we are already tight. We don’t want to cut in to staff.”

Pauken responded, “The recommendation that has been forwarded would create a situation where we would have to cut money someplace else. We spent a great deal of money basically rebuilding the police department from the top down and the ground up and we got a very thorough report that made specific recommendations about how we should proceed in the future.”

According to Pauken there is no definitive proof that more patrol officers are needed in Winslow. “The data just doesn’t reflect that. Our process has included speaking with each and every department head, including police and fire to find out exactly what their needs were. We arrived at a consensus about how to proceed. The cost of a police officer is not $75,000, it’s more. When you factor everything in the true cost of an officer is at least $100,000.”

McCauley said, “I would like to see those numbers. My recommendations all come from the PERF (Police Executive Research Forum).” Pauken interrupted, “Well, this is a public hearing, not a debate and I was asked to answer questions and this is still my time. There will always be a lot to do, but we learn to live within our means.”

The motion to adopt the tentative budget passed six to one, with Councilwoman Judy Howell entering the only opposing vote. The entire tentative budget is available to view at City Hall located at 21 N. Williamson Ave.

Following a mail in ballot conducted this month in Winslow the city council approved the canvassing of votes and election returns last week. The election landed Tom McCauley as mayor and Rickey Jackson, Samantha Crisp and Robin Boyd as council members. The three council seats replace outgoing members, Tom Chacon Sr., Curtis Hardy and Harold Soehner.

In other business, the council:

* Approved a resolution authorizing the city manager to apply for a Clean Water Revolving Fund Loan from the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona in the amount of $5.1 million. The loan will help cover the cost of the Apache Bypass sewer line project including disinfection systems, manhole rehabilitation and various pieces of heavy equipment.

* Failed to pass a motion to increase the number of voting members on the Winslow Arts Council. Councilman Bob Schlesinger asked that the motion be sent back to the city attorney for further clarification of the roles of youth members.

* Approved the reappointed of Tess Kenna and Sondra Purcell to the Historic Preservation Commission with terms ending April 30, 2021.

* Approved the monthly finance report showing revenues and expenditures for the month of April at $1.5 million. Major expenses for the period included $147,502 for upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant and $39,436 for improvements at the Route 66 Plaza on Second Street.

* Declared May 20-26 as Emergency Medical Services week, recognizing members of the emergency medical teams, fire and police departments.

The next meeting of the Winslow City Council will be a special meeting for the swearing in of the new mayor and city council members, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5, in the council chambers, located at 115 E. Second St.