Winslow Police Chief Dan Brown gave a status update on his department during the Winslow City Council meeting last week.
In the update, Brown mentioned the active recruiting the police department is doing. He noted that not only are they in need of patrol officers, but also need to fill the positions of sergeant, previously certified officers, a police dispatcher and a police communications supervisor.
The job descriptions for each are available on the city website, www.winslowaz.gov. To apply, visit the City of Winslow Human Resources Department at 21 Williamson Ave.
Chief Brown also informed the council of the promotion of veteran patrol officer Ernie Cano from sergeant to lieutenant and Officer Alicia Lopez to detective. Officer Marlita Jones will be the Winslow officer assigned to the GIITEM (Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission), a partnership with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and other law enforcement entities.
The chief thanked the council for approving the lease to purchase agreement for nine vehicles to be put into the fleet for the police department and animal control. The vehicles will be put into use as soon as the first week of October for K-9 trucks and the animal control truck, and mid-November for the patrol cars.
A status report was given by City Manager Steve Pauken. He gave accolades to the Winslow Public Library, the Old Trails Museum, Wiseman Aviation, the Winslow Chamber of Commerce and the Helldorado Girls for their help in organizing and executing the Fly In held Sept. 15-16 at the Winslow-Lindbergh Regional Airport. “We really focus on bringing community involvement,” Pauken said, “and I think the community responds positively to that.” Pauken noted that there are plans already in the works for next year’s event.
Financial director Elias Jouen presented his monthly financial report for August. In it he explained, “Citywide revenues for the month of August totaled just over $1 million, or eight percent of the budget, bringing year to date total revenues (since July 1) to just over $1.8 million.” According to Jouen, the city is right where it should be this time of year. His report read, “Expenditures for the period were nearly $1.5 million, bringing year to date expenditures to $2.5 million for the entire city.”
Also presented by Jouen was a request for the council to approve the final payment for the refurbishing of the fire department’s 1998 Pierce Sabre Pumper truck. In September of last year, a contract was entered into between the city and Firetrucks Unlimited for the project in the total amount of $248,596. The term of the contract required a 50 percent deposit in the amount of $124,298 and final payment upon completion, which occurred in May. The final payment and the $4,900 change order were approved by the council.
In other business Sept. 26, the council:
* Approved a proclamation honoring Marie LaMar, recognizing her work as a longtime Winslow community volunteer.
* Authorized the Winslow Public Library to join the Navajo-Gila County Information Educational Technology Consortium. According to the motion, “The intent of this agreement is to allow members to have access to information technology services and cost effective broadband Internet access that would not otherwise be accessible to them without cost sharing and cooperative purchasing amongst the organizations.” Winslow Public Library joins 17 other entities, including schools and libraries across Navajo and Gila counties, in the consortium.
* Approved the naming of the Maple Street multi-purpose field in honor of Valentine “Val” Lopez Jr.
The next meeting of the council will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10, in council chambers, located at 115 E. Second St.
