Council approves Hill Street School loan at busy April 25 meeting

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.

Council approves loan to support Hill Street School project

The City will be entering into a memorandum of understanding with the Southern Gila County Economic Development Corporation to provide a $400,000 loan to support the Gorman USA Affordable Senior Living Project at the old Hill Street School.

City Manager Paul Jepson explained that the City pledged to make the $400,000 loan to Gorman if the company successfully obtained certain funds on its own. Gorman did receive those funds, so the City is moving ahead with the loan.

However, City staff discovered they couldn’t make a long-term loan of this kind, so the SGCEDC is stepping in to facilitate. The funds will be used for operational costs, and the loan has a term of 35 years.

“Before too long, we’re going to start to see the resurrection of Hill Street School. It’s going to be a live building – it’s going to come to life.” Councilman Freddy Rios

The MOU includes the transfer of $400,000 to the SGCEDC, with funds coming from Globe’s America Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) money, and delegates Pat Walker to oversee the fund transfer.

Rezoning approved for the area west of 60

Council held a public hearing on a request to rezone specific residential properties located on the west side of Highway 60. Fifty-nine parcels are affected, all located between W. Evans Street and W. Silver Street, and to the west of commercial buildings in that area. The parcels are currently zoned C-3 Central Commercial Zoning District.

Zoning Administrator Dana Burkhardt pointed out that this is a corrective rezoning because residential houses exist on parcels currently zoned for commercial. Burkhardt says the need to rezone was brought to his attention when one of the homeowners wanted to build an extension on his home, and it would have encroached on the setback that’s required in commercial districts. Transitional residential zoning has a smaller setback requirement.

The homeowners for the parcels will benefit from the rezoning, Burkhardt said, because it will make it easier for them to renovate or reconstruct their home if necessary and could also make it easier for them to sell their homes. Mortgage companies can require residential zoning. The rezoning also will protect the existing residences from future commercial use, although commercial development seems unlikely in that particular area.

Transitional zoning is intended to be a buffer between residential and commercial districts. TR zoning does allow for home-based business activities, as does regular residential zoning. TR zoning also allows office uses and daycare facilities, as well as some other commercial uses, Burkhardt said. Commercial zoning requires landscaping in frontages, but TR zoning does not. 

A citizen review meeting was held in early April, and a public hearing was held before the P&Z Commission on April 19. There were no comments from the public this evening.

Globe to hire full-time victim advocate for Copper Hills Advocacy Center

Council approved a contract with Natalie McAnerny for victim advocate services to be provided at the Copper Hills Advocacy Center. 

Commander Haines from the PD explained that an outside entity had been providing family advocacy services for the CHAC, but that entity is pulling out of Globe. The CHAC is the sole family advocacy center for the entire county, and it would be a huge detriment to Globe and surrounding communities if it could not provide services, Haines said. 

The CHAC served over 350 victims of crime in 2022, and Shelley Soroka-Spence, the Advocacy Director, personally performed over 130 forensic interviews, Haines said. 

The previous entity only worked with children, but the new victim advocate will be able to work with both adults and children.

“What Ms. McAnerny does is a vital piece of what we do at our advocacy center for familes and children and individuals who come to us at a time that is very difficult for them.” Shelley Soroka-Spence, CHAC Executive Director

McAnerny will be a contractual employee working directly for the CHAC. She is currently an employee of the entity that is leaving the area and is a resident of Gila County.

The contract amount is not to exceed $33,680. It will be funded through a grant from the National Children’s Alliance in the amount of $23,450 and will be contingent on receiving additional grant funds in the amount of $10,230 from the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs. 

Citizens Academy graduates Spring 2023 class

Mayor Gameros presented graduation certificates to the 2023 Spring Citizens Academy Class members.

Mr. Arborn spoke as a representative from the participants of the Citizens Academy. He said the department heads did a great job of explaining their departments in great detail but in an understandable way.

“It was great to meet the many people who try their hardest to make Globe, Arizona a better place to live. Although our country is clearly divided, this particular council has shown me how any town, any city, any state, any country should be run for the people.” (Citizens Academy participant)

Another Citizens Academy will be held starting in September, and anyone who is interested in attending can contact the City Clerk’s office.

City hires new Finance Director.

City Manager Paul Jepson announced that the City has selected a new, permanent Finance Director. His name is George Unruh, and he will start on May 1.

Lieutenant Charles Haines recognized Police Lieutenant Steve Williams for five years of service. Lt. Williams came to Globe with nearly 20 years of experience in police work and took on leadership roles almost immediately. He is currently Lieutenant over the Patrol division.

Public comments

Kyle Nowack, who also spoke at the April 11 Council meeting, spoke again about the need for events for young adults and the importance of connections. He described a trip to Europe he took with a group of other high school students, where he learned how living in a small geographical space causes people to develop more social connections and build respect for each other. Nowack suggested that during Citizens Academy, the participants should have more opportunities to speak and for City staff to learn what they can offer.

Motions approved

Council also approved motions for the following:

• Accounts payable in the amount of $1,771,870.06. Councilman Rios pointed out that the accounts payable amount is all budgeted money, and the amount is being driven by the community pool at over $500,000, the sewer project near the swimming pool at $800,000, and the Cottonwood bridge replacement, all of which will benefit the City for decades to come.
• Appointment of Vincent Macias to the Library Committee
• Issuing an invitation for bid for the Fourth Street Waterline Replacement and moving forward with advertisement. Water/Wastewater Facilities Manager Vince Mariscal explained that the project will take place on Fourth Street between the highway and Maple. Mariscal said there have been four water breaks in that area in the past year. The project includes removing and replacing 480 feet of two-inch water line, eight services, and a two-inch overlay of asphalt. The project will come back before Council for approval after a bid is selected.
• Purchase of new computers for the Police Department and Fire Department. The purchase includes 26 Getac rugged computers and tablets and eight Getac semi-rugged computers for the Police Department plus four computer and two tablets for the Fire Department, for a total amount of $129,720.45. The computers will be purchased from Code 3 Technology utilizing a five-year lease purchase option through NCL Government Capital. The annual amount for 2022-2023 would be $29,713.67. Chief Dale Walters said the PD is in the process of moving its records management systems, which will require Windows-based systems. Walters said the new computer will allow the FD to share information readily with the hospital, such as cardiac data, and it will make reporting easier for the PD.
• An intergovernmental agreement with Gila County to employ four summer interns with the City of Globe through the 2023 Summer Youth Program. City Clerk Shelly Salazar said the interns will be employed in Public Works and at the library, and it’s a six-week program. The City and the County will each pay for two interns.
• Writing off uncollectable water debt in the amount of $4,947.16 for FY2022. This debt has already been deemed uncollectable and was previously discussed at the April 11 Council meeting. The motion removes the debt as assets of the City of Globe.
• An intergovernmental agreement with Globe Unified School District to pay the City of Globe 50% of the salary and benefits for a Special Resource Officer, in the annual amount of $63,839.80, for a three-year term. The term is to continue through the 2024-2025 school year.
• A lease agreement with Tom Thompson for office space on the second floor of the Amster Building, located at 102 N. Broad Street
• A contract for the purchase of a bar screen for the wastewater treatment plant from Hydro-Dyne Engineering, in the amount of $189,150. Vince Mariscal explained that this is part of upgrades Public Works has been doing at the wastewater plant. He said PW uses a home-made bar screen, but a lot of debris passes through it and clogs pumps and filters, causing the system to close down. The new bar screen will filter out that debris.

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To view documents related to this meeting, click here.

Full minutes can be found by visiting 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.

Public members can also participate in the 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 the City of Globe Arizona). Or click the “Live Stream on YouTube” link at the top of www.globeaz.gov.

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.