For the fourth consecutive year, Globe Mayor Al Gameros led a delegation to Washington to talk to legislators about funding for existing and emergency projects as the city continues recovery efforts from the flooding of 2025.
The group included Councilmembers Jesse Leetham and Fernando Shipley, as well as City Manager Paul Jepson.
“I think it was a productive and positive visit,” Gameros says. “At the federal level our leaders have hard decisions to make, and we understand there is not enough federal funding for all of our damages to our infrastructure as a result of our flood, but our delegation aggressively lobbied for much needed funding for the City of Globe.”
The agenda included meetings with Reps. Greg Stanton, Juan Ciscomani and Eli Crane, and Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly.
Conversations with legislators covered a spectrum of issues, including proposed infrastructure projects, a new aerial apparatus for the Globe Fire Department, police cars for Globe Police Department, the Business Incubator Project at the Michaelson Building, the McCormack Wash Project and ongoing recovery from the flooding event involving National Resource Conservation Service funds.
The group also stressed the importance of securing an emergency declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which was denied by the federal government on December 23. Governor Katie Hobbs is currently appealing that decision.
In January, NRCS approved $24 million for cleanup along Pinal Creek that must be accomplished 220 days from January 30. Grant funding will cover 75% of the costs, but the city must provide $5.5 million for its share, equivalent to one-quarter of Globe's annual budget. While the city can bill NRCS monthly for expenditures along the way, Gameros says some of the discussions that took place were devoted to waiving or reducing the 25% Globe will have to pay.
The first phase of that work includes low-level flyover mapping to compare the current state of the creek bed with historical data to determine how much sediment accumulated and how the channel has been altered by the floods.
The city requested permission from about 84 private landowners to access properties to survey damage and prepare for sediment removal. Extensive testing of the soil is also needed in preparation for the Herculean task of moving tons of sediment to clear out and bring the channel back to its historic depths.
Enough progress has been made with the NRCS program that city staff are exploring the possibility of a time extension in case it is necessary as the deadline draws near.
“We had a good response from landowners,” Gameros says. “I think they realize we have to do something to protect both property and city infrastructure.”
Leetham called the meetings “productive and encouraging,” and was impressed with the level of engagement from representatives and their knowledge of the challenges the region is facing.
“What stood out most was how informed they were about the unique challenges Globe and the surrounding areas are facing,” Leetham says. “Each of them demonstrated a clear understanding of the severity of the flooding impacts and expressed a willingness to help advocate for solutions.”
He added that the emergency declaration is critical, as it would “significantly reduce the local match requirement and open up critical federal assistance for residents who lost everything, providing access to recovery resources that many currently cannot reach.”
“My biggest takeaway from the trip is that there is strong awareness and willingness to help at the federal level, but translating that into timely action remains the critical challenge,” Leetham says. “We will continue to advocate aggressively to ensure our community is not left behind.”
Thanks to the council’s efforts, Crane and FEMA Associate Administrator Greg Phillips have made multiple trips to Globe to survey the damage in response to the city's assertions that more help is needed.
In addition to funding discussions, Shipley, a longtime insurance agent, spoke to legislators about what can be done to help homeowners who find themselves unable to purchase insurance in the wake of years' worth of fires and flooding in the region.
“One of the problems we have here is the way companies evaluate their data,” he says. “We've had three major forest fires in the past eight or nine years, so when a fire insurance company looks at the data, they think, 'this is a really bad place to do insurance.’”
Shipley says legislators are looking at legal options to minimize the negative economic effects on home ownership and buyers' ability to borrow money and insure property.
Given his decades of service to Globe as both mayor and councilmember, Shipley fully supports the current council’s nonpartisan approach to governing and its continued efforts over the past decade to bring municipal operations into the 21st century. Those efforts include annual advocacy trips to Washington and the strategic use of a lobbyist to stay informed and connected within the halls of Congress.
“A lot of people have a negative perception of lobbyists, and it’s easy to fall into that thinking,” Shipley said. “But in reality, they serve as our eyes and ears on the ground. They understand the process, know who is involved in decision-making, and help ensure our community is part of those conversations. That insight is incredibly valuable.”
Closer to home, Globe Fire Chief Gary Robinson spoke about the need for funding to pay the remaining $1.2 million balance for the ladder truck and for the fire station proposed to be built on East Ash Street on property the city owns.
“We continue to seek funding opportunities to assist the city with this important acquisition, and are moving forward in putting in place the necessary temporary facility to house this truck until completion of the new station,” Robinson says. “As far as the fire station is concerned, we continue to work through the budget process to make certain we identify our best avenue for funding.”
Robinson adds that while council seeks the funding, important groundwork is ongoing in preparation for the day they will be able to start the project.
“We have been working through a site feasibility study with the goal of identifying as many of the site challenges as possible that will permit us to move forward into the process to provide a full design and construction estimate,” he said.
While the path to recovery and growth is complex and often uncertain, Globe’s leadership continues to push forward on behalf of the community. From federal advocacy to local groundwork, each step reflects a commitment to not just rebuilding what was lost, but preparing for what comes next.
As the council continues to form strategic partnerships to ensure progress, Globe leadership is working to turn challenges into opportunities and ensure its future remains as resilient as its citizens.
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