At their June 9 meeting, Globe City Council heard an update on flood mitigation work in Pinal Creek, set to start on June 10, and approved an agreement with the Town of Miami and Gila County for long-term flood mitigation planning. Council also heard reports on activities at the community pool and the April Clean and Beautiful Community Cleanup.
Major flood recovery work is set to begin immediately in Upper Pinal Creek after the council approved a nearly $4 million construction contract for sediment removal.
Mike Garrison, general superintendent for Tiffany Construction, said crews were prepared to start work as soon as the contract received final approval, with construction equipment already staged. He expects to complete the work in approximately 40 days.
Three separate crews will work simultaneously along the creek corridor. One large crew is equipped with excavators, dozers and haul trucks, while two smaller crews will focus on bridges, culverts and other areas large equipment can't reach.
The large crew will start near the intersection of Mesquite Street and Highway 60 and move toward Connie’s Bridge, and the smaller crews will work from Connie's Bridge south to the barbecue restaurant.
Garrison said no trees will be removed.
Residents who have questions as construction progresses should contact city staff for information rather than approach construction crews directly. Weekly updates will be shared to help residents understand where work is occurring and what impacts they can expect.
The federal Natural Resources Conservation Service is expected to reimburse 75% of the $4 million project cost. A waiver request has been submitted that could allow the project to be funded entirely through federal assistance.
Public Works Director John Angulo pointed out city crews are also working in tributaries, cutting brush back.
Council approved an intergovernmental agreement with Gila County and the Town of Miami to start developing a long-term regional flood mitigation plan. Assistant City Manager Linda Oddonetto said this is the first step in a years-long effort to reduce flood risks across the area.
Mayor Al Gameros said establishing the partnership now is essential for pursuing future state and federal funding opportunities and coordinating projects that cross jurisdictional boundaries.
Miami Mayor Gil Madrid and Mayor Gameros both thanked Freeport-McMoRan for helping bring the partners together. Madrid pointed out that with this agreement in place, the governments can work together on other issues besides flood mitigation in the future.
Oddonetto noted that developing a comprehensive mitigation strategy will require significant financial resources and long-term planning.
“This is laying the groundwork for the next 20 to 30 years,” Oddonetto said.
She pointed out that Flagstaff and Coconino County have pursued large-scale flood mitigation efforts over many years through a combination of local, state and federal funding.
Kathleen Vega, manager of the community pool, reported that the pool has had approximately 4,700 visitors since opening for the summer season on May 22, with about 250 guests per day.
Fridays and Saturdays continue to be the busiest days, particularly at midday. The pool offers open swim, lap swim, water aerobics, toddler time, private rentals, swim lessons and the new Friday Family Fun Splash evenings, with the pool open until 8 p.m. on those days. It also hosts the Piranha swim team.
The pool is closed on Mondays for maintenance, including filtration system cleaning, water treatment, facility upkeep and monthly lifeguard training.
The pool has 40 employees, including 36 certified lifeguards and four cashiers.
Code Compliance Manager Tony Manfredi reported that the annual Clean and Beautiful spring cleanup event in April collected nearly 100 tons of debris and hundreds of discarded tires.
Residents disposed of 98.37 tons of debris and 477 tires during the event. In addition, an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 pounds of metal were diverted from the landfill and recycled or reused by local scrap collectors.
Beyond the cleanup itself, Manfredi emphasized the community-building aspect of the event. Neighbors frequently help one another transport debris, assist elderly residents with cleanup projects, and gather at collection sites throughout the weekend.
"These are social events,” Manfredi said. “It's not just taking your trash to the dumpster.”
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