State of the City is stable as flood cleanup efforts enter work phase

Throughout his fifth State of the City address on April 23, Globe Mayor Al Gameros focused on the hard work city council and staff have put in every day since one of the worst disasters in Globe's history, and ongoing efforts to mitigate the damage while still providing services to residents.

Ultimately though, his message was one of hope for the future, even as the wreckage is being cleared from the catastrophic flooding of September 2025.

“We saw fear, we saw uncertainty, but more importantly we saw something else,” he said. “We saw neighbors helping neighbors. We saw first responders working around the clock. We saw volunteers showing up, not for recognition, but because people needed help. We saw the true spirit of Globe.”

While the community came together in mutual support, the fiscal realities came fast and furious. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs was quick to declare a state of emergency, but federal funds have been denied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, although the state is appealing that decision.

Despite the FEMA denial, Gameros spoke about the council's trip to Washington to advocate for Globe and seek out funding to address flood damage, continue vital ongoing projects and prepare for future disasters as best as possible.

“Everything we have done over the past seven months since the devastating flood has been about something bigger than recovery alone: It’s about readiness, it’s about resilience,” Gameros said. “It’s about preparing for the future. While we may not be able to prevent a disaster of this magnitude from happening again, we can be better prepared to face it. We can plan, and we can adapt.”

Infrastructure damage is estimated at $96 million, with the sewer system alone accounting for $36 million of that total.

The most pressing aspect of the cleanup, though, is the estimated $24 million needed to clear out sediment left by the floods and mitigation work necessary for a 2.8-mile section of Pinal Creek within city limits that channeled a tidal wave into downtown Globe.

Fortunately, both Connie’s Bridge and the Cottonwood Bridge were rebuilt prior to the floods, which reduced the amount of damage that could have happened if the old structures had still been in place.

The cost of cleanup has been eased by a grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, although the city must come up with matching dollars, $5.5 million of the total. Gameros says one of the goals of the Washington trip was to seek a waiver for the city's portion of the grant.

One of the conditions of the NRCS grant is that the work must be done within 220 days, beginning January 29, in order to collect funds.

To accomplish this, the city has contracted with CivilTec, a California-based engineering firm, and Tiffany Construction, a 100-year-old Camp Verde-based company that specializes in large-scale industrial flood mitigation.

Before the work can begin, hopefully by the end of May, there are several phases of design and regulatory work to be done, as well as permission needed from 130 or so residents to access property and allow construction.

“We are still in the process of working with our partners, of getting the clearances that we need to begin the work,” says Civiltec's Chris Dusza. “Everything's moving on a parallel path with the design and the permitting and the clearances, but we're hoping as soon as possible to get Tiffany out there with their equipment and start removing sediment from the creek.”

The pre-work included biological assessments through Arizona Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as cultural clearances through the State Historic Preservation Office and various Indigenous tribes.

Mike Garrison, general superintendent for Tiffany, says there could be as much as 100,000 cubic yards of sediment and debris — enough to cover a football field with 47-feet of dirt, or 10,000 dump truck loads — but as soon as Tiffany gets the green light, his crews will be working up to 14 hours a day, seven days a week to accomplish the goal within the timeline set by NRCS.

“The big thing for all of us is we treat it as if it's our property — how would we want somebody to respond to our home, our wives, children, grandchildren — and we've all taken that philosophy,” Garrison says. “We're a company that's known for working a lot of hours, a lot of long days to get things done and responding to this. We have a great team with CivilTec, Mr. Dusza and his team, going through and giving us the designs and getting us to where we can get in and build something for Globe.”

The work will also provide an economic boost for the region too, as construction crews will be in the Globe-Miami area for several months, staying in local motels and Airbnbs, and spending money in restaurants and stores. Garrison says they will also hire local contractors when possible.

“We're setting up and getting to enjoy the City of Globe, learning quite a bit about it and invading rather quickly at this stage,” he says. “Everybody that we've been interacting with has been great. So it is a great place to be. The first thing my wife did was look up to see if she could buy a house here.”

Garrison says at some point there could be as many as 50 trucks at a time on local roads, but Tiffany will minimize disruptions as much as possible.

Updates on construction can be found at the city website on the flood information page or on the city's app, which can be downloaded through Apple or Google Play.

Globe's 5th District Councilman Mariano Gonzalez, who spent decades in emergency management for Gila County and the State of Arizona, says he is glad to have CivilTec and Tiffany doing the work, as both companies have stellar reputations and a long history of success in similar projects.

He also gives praise to previous councils for the work that predated current leadership and helped pave the way for recent progress.

“We got here because of a lot of hard work by previous councils, and also through our Strategic Action Plan for the last five years now,” Gonzalez says. “I want the public to know that we're ready and we're prepared for the future. I feel good about it. I really do.”

At the outset of his State of the City address, Gameros expressed gratitude to the people who stepped up to volunteer to help their neighbors in the wake of the storms and commended the spirit of community that was on display throughout the crisis.

In the end, though, he said the story of the floods of 2025 will be a message of hope for current and future residents.

“The story of this city is defined by resilience, by results, and by the people who continue to believe in a better future,” he said. “We have been tested, but we did not falter. We stepped up, we came together, and we kept moving forward. We are not just recovering, together we are building a city that works today and is ready for tomorrow.”