Members of the Globe City Council: Mayor Al Gameros, Vice Mayor Mike Stapleton (District 4), and Council members Freddy Rios (District 1), Mike Pastor (District 2), Jesse Leetham (District 3), Mariano Gonzalez (District 5), and Fernando Shipley (District 6). All members were in attendance at this meeting except Councilman Leetham.

NOTE: The March 28, 2023, City Council meeting has been cancelled due to many Councilmen being in Washington D.C. that week. 

Murals Coming to the Cottonwood Bridge Underpass

I Art Globe will be adding ten murals to the Cottonwood Underpass as part of the Stairizona Trail. The I Art Globe organization will donate the murals to the City of Globe. 

Thea Wilshire and Regina Ortega of I Art Globe explained that ten murals by five local muralists will cover the area under and around the bridge. The project will require a road closure for eight days. 

Council, the City Manager, and the representatives from I Art Globe and the mural project engaged in a lengthy discussion about the logistics of the special event permit that will be required, including the insurance requirement and safety issues.

Liquor License Approved for Marathon Gas

Council approved a Series 9 liquor license for the Marathon Gas and Convenience Store, located at 2398 E. Highway 60, Globe. Series 9 licenses include beer, wine, and liquor. The location is next to the Walmart, and the store is owned by Khalsa Oil LLC, dba STAR K #2398.

According to the liquor code, an establishment with a Series 9 liquor license must be located at least 300 feet from a school. This location is 424 feet from the high school’s fence and 925 feet from the school building.

Before approving the permit, Council opened up a public hearing. Jepson said the City received no communications from the public before the meeting, and no one appeared to comment during the hearing tonight. There were no phone or email comments for tonight’s hearing.

New Faces in Public Works and Finance

John Angulo introduced Globe’s new City Engineer, Luis Chavez-Flores, and the new Construction/Utilities Inspector for the Engineering Department, Lon Beckett. Chavez-Flores has over 25 years of experience working with many ADOT districts as well as experience in construction. Beckett has been in construction, including working as a foreman in Wyoming. He goes by the name Kenny.

“I’m here to do my best to keep Globe growing and to make it a good place live for future generations.” City Engineer Luis Chavez-Flores

Jerry Barnes continues to work for the City as he transitions to retirement.

Tina Allen is a financial consultant assisting the City with preparing and passing the FY2023-2024 financial budget. She is working for the City through a consultant who has worked for Globe for several years. Allen is retired after 31 years with Maricopa County. She lives in Phoenix.

City Partners Externally and Internally

City Manger Paul Jepson described some of the City’s partnerships with other organizations as well as partnerships among City of Globe departments. These include:

• A partnership with the Mexican consulate to help Globe residents complete paperwork such as for visas.
• Public Works works with IT, for example, recently helping move Finance into its new offices.
• The Fire Department and Police Department often partner, such as for serious accidents.
• Imminent Hazard meetings include Code, Building, Zoning, Police, the Fire Marshal, and a representative of APS to ensure the City is aware of any issues arising that need an enhanced process to preserve public safety.

Public Comments

Kyle Nowak commented that there is a Youth Center for the youth and Active Adult Center for older people, but there’s a lack of activities for adults between those ages. He pointed out that there are First Fridays and other local events, but he suggested having additional activities and events that would pull people into Globe, such as concerts and festivals.

Greg (last name inaudible) commented from a compassionate point of view about the homeless in Globe. He pointed out the temperatures at night have sometimes been well below freezing recently. He said Payson has a shelter, but Globe doesn’t, and Globe is the county seat. He said his proposition is in general to help the homeless and to consider opening a shelter.

Jepson said City staff would follow up with both commenters.

Motions approved

Council also approved motions for the following:

• Accounts payable in the amount of $1,505,815.69. The amount is high this month because of some large projects, such as the sewer project leading to the Boys and Girls Club and engineering for one of the bridge projects. Councilman Rios pointed out that these are budgeted amounts and represent money being put to use.
• A letter of agreement between the City of Globe by and through Besh Ba Gowah Archaeological Park and Museum, and the Act One Culture Pass Program, a partnership with Arizona libraries, for program passes.
• Designating the City Manager as the City’s Chief Fiscal Officer for the purposes of submitting the FY2022 and FY2023 Annual Expenditure Limitation Report to the Arizona Auditor General. Shelly Salazar explained that this item is a “touch-up” having to do with changes in responsibilities in the Finance Department. Jepson said this will be temporary until the City finds a long-term permanent Finance Director.
• Submission of a grant by the Fire Department to the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in the amount of $16,928 for the purchase of four “Rugged 2-in-1” laptops to be used for patient documentation. Fire Chief David Bejarano explained that new computer equipment is required for the platform being used for electronic record keeping. If awarded, the grant will return to Council for acceptance.
• A contract with Rodriguez Construction Inc. in the amount of $44,760 for the Library Outdoor Space Renovation Project. Rayel Starling, Library Manager, explained that this project was initiated in 2021, during the pandemic, to give people a place to meet outdoors, and the library has finally obtained a contract with Rodrigez to do the work.
• Purchase of Hurst extrication equipment from Municipal Emergency Services in the amount of $35,497.27. Funding was approved as part of the CIP budget adoption on July 19, 2022. Chief Bejarano explained that the FD’s current tools are aging and their battery systems are failing. The new equipment will also provide greater capabilities and lead to better outcomes for patients, he said.
• A contract with Empire Caterpillar in the amount of $174,437.85 for the purchase of a 420 backhoe loader with cab. Funding was approved as part of the CIP budget adoption on July 19, 2022. Public Works Director John Angulo explained that the new backhoe is needed because during the repairs to a main water break in December 2021, an almost new backhoe rolled over. There were no injuries but the backhoe was totaled. The new backhoe would be delivered in June.
• Awarding a contract to ASR Construction Group, in the amount of $67,238.20, for maintenance of the oxidation ditch at the wastewater treatment plant. The contract amount includes a 15% contingency. Vince Mariscal, Globe’s Water/Wastewater Facility Manager, explained that this project is part of warranty work related to a new blower installed in 2020.

To view this meeting online, visit. The recording has February 28, 2023 in the title but is the March 14 meeting.

To view documents related to this meeting, click here. 

Full minutes can be found by going to the City Hall website. 

The Globe City Council meets every second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. The meetings are currently open to the public at 50% capacity. Members of the public are requested to wear a mask except when seated. Seating is limited to allow for social distancing.

Members of the public can also participate in City of Globe public meetings by viewing the meeting live on YouTube. 

To speak to agenda items before or during the meeting, call or text (928) 200-0154 or email council@globeaz.gov. If you desire to speak to the Council during an agenda item.