The Taylor Town Council was presented with updates on cemetery improvements, consideration for speed limit signs and construction bids for the wastewater treatment plan during their April 5 meeting.
In December of 2017, the council approved an authorization for funding of $2 million in upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant and the replacement of a more than 60-year-old water tank located in Rolling Hills. The wastewater treatment plant improvements went out for bid in March and the town received three bids for the project.
There was such a vast difference in the bids that a closer look was taken at the details of the bid request. “We feel it would be best to have you reject these bids and we will re-advertise this project because we saw some disparity and we do not feel like everyone was fitting with the same understanding,” said Town Manager Gus Lundberg. The council voted to reject the bids as recommended. Clarifications to the bid and specifications will be made and the project will be put out for bid again on April 25. Lundberg hopes to present the bids and have the council approve a contract at the next meeting on May 3.
Other improvements that Lundberg reported on were the planting of 100 trees at the Reed Hatch Memorial Cemetery and the expansion of the parking area at Freeman Park. New drainage culverts are being completed, fencing will be added and additional parking near the soccer fields will be completed over the next few months.
Snowflake-Taylor Police Chief Larry Scarber addressed the council with a proposed traffic calming measure. Lundberg approached Scarber a few months ago wanting ideas to help with speeders in the areas near schools particularly near Taylor Elementary School. “We have had concerns from citizens about speed in that area,” said Scarber.
Scarber obtained bids for LED speed display signs that log data such as time of day and speed of vehicles. These signs are not photo radar signs. They simply flash a vehicles speed as it passes by. It was proposed that initially two signs will be purchased at a cost of $4,946, plus tax and be placed on Willow Street East of Main Street near Taylor Elementary School. This will be to evaluate the success of this program before adding similar signs to other areas. The signs coupled with police traffic enforcement close to the school will hopefully help with the issue. “Willow is like a drag strip,” said Scarber. The council approved the project.
Snowflake Town Councilman Byron Lewis addressed the council on behalf of First Things First. Lewis is chairman of First Things First Navajo/Apache Partnership Council. First Things First is Arizona’s only public funding source dedicated exclusively to early childhood, birth to five years of age.
Lewis presented a proclamation to the Taylor Council declaring April 16-21 Week of the Young Child to help bring awareness and interest to First Things First and the needs of early childhood. The mayor and council signed the proclamation.
Navajo County Deputy Director of Emergency Management Catrina Jenkins was in attendance to discuss the statewide Ready, Set, Go program. The program helps citizens and visitors to be ready for emergencies.
The next regularly scheduled monthly town council meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, at the Taylor Town Hall, located at 425 Paper Mill Road.
