First Friday reboot, police accreditation announced at Globe City Council meeting

“First Friday was created for COVID, and things have changed since then, and they’re going to continue changing. And we hope to continue changing the event to meet the needs of our community.””

Melissa Steele

Economic development manager Melissa Steele and recreation and special events manager Kathleen Vega outlined plans for First Friday and holiday programming during the Nov. 18 council meeting. 

December events will proceed as scheduled, including First Friday and the Light Parade. First Friday will serve as the kickoff for a new month-long series of events called “Hope for the Holidays,” developed in partnership with the Globe Downtown Association, the Chamber of Commerce, Cobre Valley Center for the Arts, the United Fund, Love Where You Live, and the Globe Fire Department.

“First Friday was created for COVID, and things have changed since then, and they’re going to continue changing. And we hope to continue changing the event to meet the needs of our community.” Melissa Steele

Steele said the city is marketing December’s programming as a tourism draw, hoping visitors will stay overnight after First Friday for the Tip-A-Hero fundraiser and Festival of Lights the following day. 

New December features include a reindeer run, a lighting of the tree, and donated professional holiday décor for downtown.

Beginning in 2026, First Friday will be redesigned with a more adaptive, business-focused schedule:

• January–February: indoor, business-centered activities without street closures
• March–May: full outdoor events, including the Easter Egg Hunt and Poppy Fest kickoff
• June–August: business-focused indoor events due to heat and monsoon risks
• September–December: regular, full outdoor format, weather permitting, with a Dia de los Muertos theme in November and Hometown Holiday in December

Steele and Vega said winter and summer heat-related incidents, as well as lessons from this year’s flooding, have shaped the new planning approach. They stressed that First Friday is not going away, but is being adjusted to improve safety, support local businesses and ensure long-term sustainability. 

Police department earns state accreditation

Police Chief Dale Walters delivered a long-awaited update on the department’s Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ALEAP) recognition. Globe Police Department achieved full accreditation in September 2025 after a multi-year process that involved submitting more than 585 documented proofs of compliance with state best practices. Chief Walters credited Lieutenant AJ Casteneda and Officer Chad Drexler for leading the effort. 

Walters emphasized that the foundation of training and preparedness that underpinned the department's accreditation qualification directly contributed to its strong performance during the Sept. 26 flood. 

He said maintaining the accreditation would be the best way for police chiefs who follow him to ensure the department is providing best practices to the community and keeping up to date, due to the checks and balances involved.

Walters said his next step will be to bring in an outside firm to re-evaluate the department and document its progress since 2015.

Walters also introduced the department’s first-ever police aide, Hayden Van Haren.

City joins statewide emergency management agreement

The council approved a resolution ratifying the city’s participation in a broad mutual aid agreement called the Arizona Mutual Aid Compact, which allows cities to share personnel, equipment and emergency management resources during disasters. This agreement will also involve Globe in the Nationwide Mutual Aid Compact, which will allow the city to bring in resources from across the country during larger incidents.

Fire Chief Gary Robinson said the agreement was used extensively during the recent flood, enabling cities such as Avondale, Glendale, Superior and Tolleson to provide essential support.

Chief Robinson said City Attorney Bill Sims identified significant concerns with indemnification of personnel and with workers’ compensation coverage in the state’s agreement. Chief Robinson and City Manager Paul Jepson said Globe will push for amendments and will be more cautious when accepting certain kinds of outside assistance until the agreement is revised.

Downtown property owner gives update on buildings

During the Call to the Public, downtown property owner David Barry provided an update on ongoing flood recovery work at several buildings he manages. 

• Both 410 and 424 North Broad Street have been changed from green tag to red tag. 
• The Globe Antique Mall at 438 N. Broad Street is pushing toward reopening by Christmas and is seeking volunteers. 
• At 428 North Broad Street, Barry is working with the owner of 430 to work together to repair both buildings, which were some of the hardest hit. 
• At 470 North Broad Street, Barry is asking that the fencing be removed or shifted to restore parking for La Casita and avoid a traffic hazard. He said he has done all the work that the structural engineers have required and has cleaned the building in front and boarded it up.

Barry also said the need for more parking downtown should be addressed, and that a number of people had spoken with him about desiring more transparency from the United Fund.

Motions approved

Council also approved motions for the following:

• Accounts payable in the amount of $1,358,110.52. Mayor Gameros explained that the unusually high total includes a previously approved Peoria Ford vehicle purchase of approximately $430,000, a $200,000 disbursement to the United Fund to support flood-affected Globe businesses, and about $153,000 in Blue Cross Blue Shield benefits premiums. He also pointed out that this accounts payable report covers three weeks instead of two.
• Ratifying a contract with Just In Time Heating & Cooling, in the amount of $754, to make air-conditioning repairs at the fire station.
• Ratifying a letter of support signed by Mayor Gameros to the Arizona Department of Transportation in support of the Town of Miami’s 2025 Section 5339 grant application for the Copper Mountain Transit service.
• Ratifying a contract with EarthQuest Plumbing and Pumping LLC in the amount of $24,637.60 for emergency water and sewer infrastructure repairs necessitated by the Sept. 26 flood event.
• Approving a payment of $65,125 to Axon Inc. for the fifth year of the city’s multi-year contract for tasers and body-worn cameras. The city will also pay a negotiated settlement of $19,958.40 that addresses past billing errors by the company. Police Commander Charles Haines noted that Axon’s contract provides periodic equipment upgrades and that body cameras have significantly reduced complaints and clarified incident reviews.
• Withdrawing from a $1,038,243 construction grant from the Arizona Department of Transportation for the Broad Street Sidewalks project. Jepson explained that the city intends to reapply in a future funding cycle for a larger grant that will cover full sidewalk replacement rather than limited ADA ramp work. Jepson said updated design work and flood-related damage will increase the cost by roughly $300,000 to $400,000 beyond the current award. ADOT has advised Globe to withdraw now and seek full construction funding in the next cycle. Public Works Director John Angulo added that post-flood cracking and separation in downtown sidewalks underscored the need for more comprehensive replacement rather than piecemeal ramp upgrades.
• Approving a change order with Willdan Engineering, in an amount not to exceed $16,126, to provide additional flood inspections and structural assessments of affected commercial and residential properties, as well as civil surveys of known drainage problem areas, that Willdan performed following the Sept. 26 flood. Community Development Director Tony Manfredi explained that some structures initially given rapid “green tag” assessments later showed new cracking, separation, or settlement as conditions evolved, and drone imagery revealed additional problems.
• Accepting two grant awards from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, in the amounts of $10,282 and $12,604, to support DUI task force operations and traffic enforcement, respectively. Commander Haines explained that these are recurring grants the city applies for annually, and that the funds will be used to staff a DUI task force over the holidays and to purchase related equipment.
• Approving a funding agreement with Resolution Copper for a contribution of $100,000 toward the city’s purchase of a 100-foot aerial articulating ladder fire truck. Grants Manager Connie Callaway explained that the money will be treated as a grant with standard reporting requirements and will be forwarded to the fire truck manufacturer as part of the city’s payment schedule.

To view this meeting online, go to the City of Globe’s YouTube channel or click on the “Live Stream on YouTube” link at the top of www.globeaz.gov.