Miami flood recovery, HVAC project updates

Miami officials are aiming for yet another completion date for the delayed HVAC project at the town's police station after Mayor Gil Madrid likened conditions inside the building to getting a heatstroke.

At the June 22 Town Council meeting, Madrid noted that three people had died from heat-related illness in the Phoenix area before recalling nearly suffering heatstroke himself while helping build the trail to M Hill.

"The temperatures in there are similar to getting a heatstroke," Madrid said of the police station. "How do we expedite this project?"

The town is now targeting July 6 to complete the electrical portion of the HVAC project. The project has been discussed repeatedly at council meetings throughout the year. Town Manager Alexis Rivera previously said electrical work was expected to begin the week of May 25, with mechanical work targeted for completion by mid-June.

Rivera told the council the town was still waiting on a quote for the mechanical portion of the project. He said the contractor expected to have a quote ready the following morning, when Rivera, Madrid and the contractor planned to meet.

Earlier this month, Madrid addressed another issue at the police department. He and his wife Susan bought six new office chairs for the station, replacing chairs that he and police staff said had become dangerous to sit on.

In other business, flood mitigation work in Bloody Tanks Wash is underway as Tiffany Construction begins removing sediment from the wash. Loaders, trucks and other vehicles have been at work near the Reppy Avenue and Forest Avenue bridges. For future phases of the work, Rivera said right of entry to Latham Basin had been approved, and that the town was awaiting a finalized right of entry to Adonis Basin.

The council also held a public hearing on the town's final budget for fiscal year 2026-27; there were no comments from the public. The council then voted to approve the budget of approximately $135.4 million, with one change. Vice Mayor Sammy Gonzales pointed out an increase in revenues from the Gila County Library District, raising the county grant from $62,900 to $64,800. Town Finance Director Maria Arreguin said she would subtract the difference from the general fund and add it to library grant funds.

The council postponed action for a third time on Councilman Dan Moat's proposal to require speaker request cards during the town's call to the public. The proposal had already been tabled twice. At Rivera's recommendation, Gonzales moved to refer the proposal to a future work session. The motion passed unanimously. 

During that session’s call to the public, Miami Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Richard Ramos invited council members to a July 15 artificial intelligence summit hosted by the district. Ramos said the event had 130 local participants signed up so far from Globe, Hayden, Miami,Ray, San Carlos and Superior. The summit, with keynote speakers from around Arizona, will be held at the Miami Jr./Sr. High School auditorium, starting at 9 a.m.

Rivera said the town's facade program had received eight applicants, though one application was incomplete. He said letters of receipt would be sent before June 26, and that the program would have a second round after the first applicants are finalized.