At its Aug. 4 meeting, The Gila County Board of Supervisors heard public concern over fears about the potential closure of the Pleasant Valley Veterans Retreat and possible new zoning regulations in Young.
The board also approved funding for public health, criminal justice, and other programs, and heard an update on NRCS flood recovery projects.
Veterans retreat and zoning fears largely unfounded
Concerns over the future of the Pleasant Valley Veterans Retreat and possible new regulations in the Young area led to extensive discussion during the Gila County Board of Supervisors’ Aug. 4 meeting.
The subjects came up during the regular call to the public section of the meeting, when veteran Linda Merlin asked what the county’s intentions are for the Pleasant Valley Retreat property.
Merlin recently became more active in veterans advocacy through the Elks Lodge, where she now serves as veteran chair. She praised the retreat as a place that helps veterans meet others and reduce their isolation, saying, “It serves a public need.”
The board is not allowed to respond directly to people’s comments during the call to the public, but Supervisor Humphrey said the issue could be placed on a future agenda.
Next, Young resident Sean Backer discussed the effects of county permitting and inspection requirements on Young. The community receives very little in terms of services from the county and relies heavily on residents and volunteers, with a strong culture of self-reliance and independence, Backer said.
“Young is a paradise, and we take care of our own,” he said.
When inspections are required, private inspectors can charge residents three or four times the usual rate because of travel costs, and inspections can take weeks to arrange, according to Backer.
Backer also spoke in support of the veterans center, saying it provides important, healing experiences for veterans, and said if the Board decides to close it, they would have to go “toe to toe” with him.
Supervisor Steve Christensen said he had received numerous calls and emails from residents who may have misunderstood the board’s intentions about the retreat and about zoning in the Young area. He said the county is discussing legal issues related to the retreat, and is only undertaking a normal “ordinance rewrite” that includes examining the zoning situation in Young.
“We’re not anywhere near discussing shutting anything down or imposing zoning that’s not wanted,” Christensen said.
Supervisor Woody Cline said nearly 200 people attended a recent community meeting in Young where zoning, permitting, and the retreat were discussed. Potential advantages and disadvantages of zoning were listed, but when he asked who in the audience supported zoning, no one raised a hand. However, Cline acknowledged that some zoning supporters might have been reluctant to identify themselves in a large crowd.
Cline also held a lengthy meeting with County Manager Michael O’Driscoll about the retreat, its proposed licensing agreement, and potential county funding.
Cline advocates continuing and expanding the retreat, saying, “The vet center means a lot to me, as it should to this county. … If it weren’t for vets, we wouldn’t be here today.”
Chairman Tim Humphrey said he received about 28 emails and more than 35 telephone calls after the meeting in Young. He emphasized that the zoning work is countywide and is not specially focused on Young or Pleasant Valley.
He feels many are reacting out of a lack of information, and said people are welcome to come to his public meetings to get answers about the retreat, zoning, and other subjects from him, O’Driscoll, or other county officials.
Humphrey requested a public work session in Payson in the near future, allowing residents, veterans, supervisors, and staff to discuss the retreat’s past and possible future, as well as zoning issues.
Supervisor Cline also requested a work session on the retreat, including the licensing agreement, with the county attorney attending. He also asked for a work session on zoning in Pleasant Valley and the permitting process in Young. Dates have not yet been set.
After the regular meeting, the supervisors and O’Driscoll went into executive session to discuss the retreat and other matters with legal counsel.
However, Cline said he wants issues to be discussed publicly whenever possible. “I don’t like discussing things behind closed doors that don’t need to be behind closed doors,” he said.
The board unanimously approved a new five-year Rural Health Transformation agreement supporting disease prevention and management programs through Gila County Public Health and Community Services.
The program, with a total value of $408,366.20, will fund a health program coordinator, two communicable disease specialists, and temporary medical billing and community health positions. Approximately 230 at-home colorectal cancer screening tests will be distributed, and people who receive abnormal results will be connected with follow-up care.
The program will also expand nutrition and physical-activity education in schools, libraries, senior programs, and communities, provide breastfeeding education, and offer education, outreach, testing, and treatment to help prevent congenital syphilis. Two large health fairs will be held annually, one in northern Gila County and one in southern Gila County.
The supervisors also voted to continue two other public-health programs: An annual $24,367 emergency-preparedness agreement with Arizona DHS supports infectious-disease response, public guidance during outbreaks, emergency exercises, and coordination during fires and floods. The Healthy People Healthy Arizona program includes teen pregnancy prevention, tobacco-free environments, review of data on suicides, and other broad public-health initiatives. That renewal lasts for five years and is in the amount of $495,076.20.
Matt Rencher, the county’s director of Public Works, reported that five federally supported flood-recovery projects are on track to finish within the required 220-day period and under the maximum price guaranteed by the contractor.
Russell Gulch is 95% complete, with only minor issues remaining, including the installation of a backflow gate on a pipe running from the county lot into the wash. The other projects include Six Shooter Canyon at 84% complete, Ice House Canyon at 85%, Copper Hills Road at 67.5%, and the hospital wall project at 45%, but moving quickly.
The board accepted a $340,404 Drug, Gang, and Violent Crime Control grant from the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, which will support about 2½ positions on the county’s task force. The supervisors also approved $157,000 in state assistance for 911 infrastructure, including phone lines, equipment, and software.
A contract for leachate-evaporation pond liner work at the Russell Gulch and Buckhead Mesa landfills was awarded. Heavy equipment damaged the Russell Gulch liner beyond repair, and the Buckhead Mesa liner needs a smaller repair. The county is also considering fence work to keep cattle, elk, deer, and javelina away from the liners.
In a public hearing, possible uses for $187,208 in 2026 Community Development Block Grant funding were discussed, including housing rehabilitation and weatherization, park improvements, ADA compliance projects, blight removal, roads, traffic signs, and water or wastewater infrastructure.
A team including county officials and the executive director of Central Arizona Governments, Andrea Robles, will develop specific proposals and vet them to ensure eligibility, and the supervisors will select one of the proposals at a public hearing on Sept. 1. To be selected, a project must benefit low- and moderate-income residents, address slum and blight, or address an urgent need.
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