Members of the Gila County Board of Supervisors: Chair Steve Christensen (District 1), Vice Chair Woody Cline (District 3), Supervisor Tim R. Humphrey (District 2). All members were present at this meeting.
At their October 21 meeting, the Gila County Board of Supervisors heard a comprehensive presentation about RVs and discussed the possibility of creating a new ordinance for them. They also approved a long list of motions, including one that revises benefits for County employees in light of the recent flood emergency.
During a work session, the supervisors discussed recreational vehicles in Gila County with an eye toward establishing an ordinance for RVs. Community Development Director Randy Pluimer presented at length on the topic, covering numerous considerations.
State law (ARS 33-2102) defines RVs as wheeled vehicles designed for temporary living, such as motorhomes, travel trailers, and campers. Pluimer emphasized that RVs are not built to residential standards and lack the egress, wiring, and fire safety features required of permanent homes.
Under current County zoning, RVs are not permitted as primary or accessory dwellings except within approved parks that hold a “T” overlay, Pluimer said.
“I will tell, with you our current staff, we can't track all the RVs and tell you that this one's only here for three months, this one's here for six months. We can't do that at this point.” Randy Pluimer
Health and sanitation issues related to RVs include wastewater dumping and contamination of local waterways. Pluimer reported that the County has documented multiple incidents of blackwater discharge in washes, roadsides, and streams. He also raised problems involving aesthetics, property values, and tax fairness.
Pluimer suggested the supervisors consider imposing certain rules on RVs, including:
Supervisor Humphrey said the issue has become increasingly urgent as rural communities in the county have grown. He suggested creating a renewable six-month permit, requiring septic systems and basic infrastructure, and added that existing RV properties could be given a grace period—possibly up to 18 months—to comply with any new septic or utility requirements.
Supervisor Cline took a more cautious view, warning against overregulation. He questioned whether state law actually prohibits living in RVs, and suggested the county should align with state law. He pointed out positive aspects of RV use, such as providing affordable housing for people who are unable to purchase a house or are saving to build on a piece of land. However, he agreed that hookups are important.
“I’d like to think we still live in a free enough area to park an RV at our home.” —Supervisor Christensen
Supervisor Christensen echoed the need for balance. “Let’s talk about how much freedom we can give people to use an RV before it becomes offensive or an abuse of our ordinances,” he said. He said this is a complicated issue that won’t have quick answers.
Pluimer said he would draft a proposal reflecting the Board’s direction, and there will be further discussions before any ordinance is finalized.
The supervisors adopted revisions to County policies for employee attendance, holidays, and leave and for overtime pay and compensatory leave. The annual leave cap was raised from 240 to 320 hours, and the changes in overtime and compensatory leave now allow exempt (salaried) employees to receive straight-time pay or comp time for hours worked beyond 40 per week during officially declared emergencies.
The changes were prompted by recent emergencies that limited staff’s ability to take time off, and will be effective retroactively to September 25, 2025—the date of the recent flood declaration.
Human Resources Director Rick Husk said the previous leave cap was among the lowest in Arizona and caused employees to lose earned time during peak workloads or emergencies. The higher cap provides a “medium range” comparable to other counties, some of which allow up to 400 hours.
“It kind of behooves us as employees … that we need to have a break. And that's what's intended, is to recharge, rejuvenate, and help us to be better employees.” —HR Director Rick Husk
Husk pointed out that in an emergency, the county has the option of waiving the 320-hour limitation or increasing the maximum so people who need to work during the emergency don’t lose their time.
Under the prior policy for overtime and compensatory leave, exempt staff were ineligible for any additional pay or time off even when they were working extended hours in disaster response. Husk clarified that non-exempt workers will continue to receive time-and-a-half pay for overtime, while exempt staff will now be eligible for straight-time compensation or comp time during declared emergencies.
Husk confirmed that the recently increased 120-hour cap for comp time will remain in place.
The supervisors recognized 15 Public Works employees for exceptional performance, through the County’s Spotlight on Employees Program. The Public Works employees were praised for taking the initiative to make rapid, hands-on fixes at the Russell Gulch Landfill after design and staffing issues left the site barely operable.
Supervisor Humphrey described how traffic and design constraints threatened service, particularly over Labor Day weekend, until staff pooled equipment, mechanics, and operators to stabilize operations and prepare for the transition toward the 3B expansion.
Humphrey said, “Had these people not come together and got things done… that dump would have been closed,” and that the team effectively “self-engineered” a temporary solution to keep services open.
Humphrey mentioned specific contributions including short-staff coverage by James Green and Preston James, scale operations by Joe Kellis, and material moves by Mike Wicks while also overseeing a Buckhead Mesa repair, as well as coordinated redesigns, hauling, and traffic control by supervisors and operators across divisions. The recognized employees received gift cards.
County Manager Menlove introduced Christine Smith as Gila County’s new Public Works Director, highlighting her extensive background in municipal management and infrastructure operations. Smith previously held leadership positions with the City of Phoenix, where she worked at Sky Harbor International Airport, as well as serving as Public Works Director for the City of Goodyear and most recently for the Town of Payson.
Smith expressed gratitude and enthusiasm for the role, sharing that she has maintained a home in Gila County for more than 20 years. “I love Gila County,” she said. “I see this as a wonderful opportunity for me to bring my skill sets and hopefully help all of our citizens here, and also to help make sure that this organization is successful.”
To view this meeting online, visit Gila County BOS Meeting.
To view documents related to this meeting, click here.
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