Globe Miami Times Connecting you to the Pulse of Globe Miami
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 Vice Mayor Stapleton.
Veterans Park selected to receive CDBG funding
Council held a public hearing regarding the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and made a final selection of the Veterans Park upgrades project to receive the funding.
The City of Globe expects to receive approximately $179,879 in FY2021 Federal CDBG funds from the Arizona Department of Housing Regional Account. CDBG funds must be used to benefit low-income persons and areas, alleviate slums and blight, or address urgent needs. After the deduction of administrative fees, the City would actually receive somewhat less than the full $179,879 amount.
City staff had previously selected several potential projects based on citizen input and local and state planning objectives. Council selected the final project from the following list:
- Sidewalk upgrades plus demolition to include the Silver King and Rogue buildings
- Veterans Park upgrades to include lighting, sidewalks, and ramadas
- Expansion of North Broad Street parking to include the demolition of the Silver King Building
However, City Manager Paul Jepson pointed out that the City doesn’t have solid cost estimates for the demolition, and the scope of the parking project might change. Hence, Council was choosing only between the sidewalk upgrades and the park upgrades, both not including any demolition. New projects could not be added to the list at this point.
Andrea Robles, Executive Director of Central Arizona Governments, said that earlier this year, the Veterans Park project had been selected and the City planned to install playground equipment with the CDBG funds. However, the City received other funding and has already installed the playground equipment. Therefore, the City needs to select another project for the CDBG funding.
Lorinda Aouita, Administrative & Special Projects Coordinator for the CDBG program, facilitated selection of the project.
Public Works Director John Angulo described both projects. He said the sidewalk project could take place in any part of Broad Street, and the City has retained a consultant to do a study of the downtown area. As an example of how much the the CDBG funding amount would pay for, Angulo said it would cover work from Sycamore to Oak Street on one side of Broad Street.
At Veterans Park, Angulo said lighting upgrades are already budgeted for and under way, and the CDBG funds could be used for concrete work and to add a new ramada with benches, and to bring the City Hall area in compliance with ADA. He said shade structures could also be installed over the playground equipment.
Mayor Gameros commented that since the CDBG funds could only cover one block of sidewalk upgrades, he favors choosing the Veterans Park project because it would have a greater impact on quality of life for City residents.
“Some of the comments I’ve heard from residents is they’re here [at Veterans Park] to watch their kids, but there’s no shade area for them to actually sit there and watch their kids – so that would be an amazing upgrade.” Mayor Al Gameros
Angulo said the City is looking at putting benches closer to the playground equipment at Veterans Park so parents can sit nearby, right at the edge of the play area, while their children play.
There were no comments from the public during the public hearing.
New signage to come to former NAPA location
Council considered a request for a 17.5-foot-tall monument sign to be located at 1100 N. Broad Street, the former NAPA building. This sign height would be in excess of the City’s 16-foot maximum height limitation. Monument signs are free-standing signs, in contrast to wall-mounted signs.
The applicant plans to remove the two existing pole-mounted signs and replace them with an attractive free-standing multi-tenant sign made of aluminum and stone, with landscaping at the base.
Planning and Zoning Administrator Dana Burkhardt said the P&Z Commission unanimously recommended approval. Councilman Shipley pointed out that currently the signage interferes with drivers’ view of oncoming traffic around the curve, and Burkhardt said he would speak to the applicant about pulling the sign back to improve traffic safety.
The contractor for the sign was in attendance at the meeting and said he believed the owner would be willing to reposition the sign for traffic and pedestrian safety. He said the sign had been designed to allow high visibility at the bottom because the owner was aware that traffic along the road moves quickly and can be hazardous.
The request will come back before Council for final approval.
Public comments
Richard Armijo, at 699 N. Cochise Street, said his road has not been paved in 25 years. He’s noticed that many people get their road paved every few years, and he feels he has waited too long. He said he had made a request through his councilman but nothing has been done. Jepson said the City is in communication with Mr. Armijo and will inform all members of Council about the current schedule for street treatments and paving.
Rita Fye, GM of the new cow ranch coming to Globe, said the ranch will open sometime in late October or mid November and will be bringing between 30 and 40 jobs to Globe. Fye said she plans to become very involved in the community and asked for people to reach out to her with projects she could assist with.
Motions approved
Council also approved motions for the following:
- Accounts payable in the amount of $662,635.82
- Appointment of Cecil Anthony Hernandez to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Hernandez is a graduate of the second Citizens Academy, and Councilman Rios pointed out that his appointment is proof of how the Citizens Academy can encourage more people to contribute to City government.
- Replacement of upper-level windows and other exterior improvements to the building located at 201 N. Broad Street
- A letter of support to the Globe-Miami Regional Chamber of Commerce supporting a grant application for T-Mobile’s Hometown Grant
- Moving forward with the advertisement for the invitation for bids for Upper Pinal Creek Bridge and Roadway Alternatives, for the replacement of Upper Pinal Creek Bridge (Connie’s Bridge). City Engineer Jerry Barnes said the contract had been put out to bid previously but the City did not receive any plausible bids. Barnes is hoping to start construction in January.
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To view documents related to this meeting, click here.
Full minutes can be found by going to the City Hall website at https://www.globeaz.gov/government and clicking on Agendas/Minutes in the bottom left-hand corner.
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 view the Council meeting live stream, go to the City of Globe’s YouTube channel (search for City of Globe Arizona). Or click on the “Live Stream on YouTube” link at the top of www.globeaz.gov.
To speak to agenda items before or during the meeting, you can call or text (928) 200-0154 or send an email to council@globeaz.gov. If you desire to speak to the Council during an agenda item.
Patricia Sanders lived in Globe from 2004 to 2008 and at Reevis Mountain School, in the Tonto National Forest, from 2008 to 2014. She has been a writer and editor for GMT since 2015. She currently lives on Santa Maria island in the Azores.
