NOVEMBER 2015
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY OF GLOBE MAYOR AND COUNCIL
Tuesday October 10, 2015 6:00 PM
City Council Chambers Pine Street
The City of Globe is a winner. At last night's Regular
Meeting of the mayor and council, the Arizona Chapter of
the American Planning Association, whose motto is “Making
Great Communities Happen”, bestowed its 2015 award on
Globe for the Best General Plan.
Brent Billingsley receives Planning Award
Director of Planning and Zoning, Chris Collopy, told the
Council that the city has received a grant for signage on
Round Mountain from Arizona Watchable Wildlife to
promote eco-tourism. He thanked former councilmember
Ann Uhl for helping to secure it.
Collopy brought another issue to the Council's attention: the
need for regulation of donation boxes. He said some are just
for private profit and none are regulated, adding that there
have been fires in some of them. The Council agreed to
consider such regulation and authorized Collopy to draft it.
It sounds like Globe will be getting a free face-lift. Jason
Donofrio, Director of Development for Taliesin, the Frank
Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, the oldest
continuously running institution of its kind in the world,
made a presentation to the Council. He's planning to bring
students to Globe to work on improving decaying buildings
as part of an educational project. Molly Cornwell, a
supporter of the program along with the late Kip Culver, and
Culver's replacement Paul Tunis were on hand to add
encouragement for the effort. All Donofrio is asking in
return is a letter of support from the Mayor and Council.
The request will be added to the next agenda as an action
item for vote and will undoubtedly be passed.
There's a problem with the Highway 60 waterline project.
Unforeseen difficulties in installation will require an
additional $68,000 and will push the project completion date
into January. Worse yet, work performed after December
31st will not be paid by WIFA funds.
The Council agreed to take bids for repair services on Well
#4, which has been down for four months due to a blockage
of some sort. WIFA funds will not cover the work.
Director of finances Joe Jarvis suggested a comprehensive
study of the unfunded liabilities owed to the state's Public
Service Retirement System. Money for the study was voted
down unanimously.
Jarvis also brought up a suggestion from the League of
Cities and Towns, that Globe prepay 2016 retirement
contributions for employees in January. The amount would
be approximately $1 million. No one on the Council made a
motion to approve it. Then there's the matter of the $10
million outstanding for retirement contributions. The cash
reserves Globe has in the bank are less than that at $8
million. Jarvis told the Council he'd bring them options on
how to fund the overdue amount and the current obligation.
There are several. Doing nothing is not one of them. The
Council voiced determination to address and rectify the issue.
Resolution 1730 passed, enabling City Manager Brent
Billingsley to negotiate a license agreement with broadband
provider TMCI, Triplet Mountain Communications, Inc, to
offer services in the area.
Amy Stanton, the new branch executive for the Boys and
Girls Club, presented certificates to the Mayors Members of
the Month. Shelby Shows & Kandice Mahsill were the July
winners. Elijah Lopez and Jasmine Weaver took the August
honors, and Tessa Tober and Logan Damron were recognized
for September.
Mike Stapleton reminded area residents that Santa will be in
Globe at the Train Depot Thanksgiving weekend on
Saturday November 28th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Shelby Shows
Jasmine Weaver
Elijah Lopez
BILLINGSLEY RESIGNS!
According to Globe City Councilmember James Haley
writing on Facebook, Globe City Manager Brent Billingsley
announced his resignation. Billingsley will become the
Town of Florence Manager effective December 28th.
Billingsley began his term with the City in December of
2012. He worked with the Mayor and Council to deliver
three balanced budgets to the City, oversaw significant city
infrastructure development including strategic planning and
economic development locates, and recently contributed to
the Best General Plan for Cities Less Than 50,000 in
Population from the Arizona Chapter of the American
Planning Association.
Billingsley’s leadership efforts included the City’s annual
Capital Improvement Program, 2013 Water and Sewer Rate
study, 2015 Police Department Audit, 2015 Compensation
Study Audit, 2013/2015 Council Strategic Plans, Regional
Aquatic Center Analysis, Floodplain Management
Guidelines, and 2025 General Plan Update. As an advocate
of on-going education for City staff, multiple City
employees have earned degrees, certifications, and
registrations under Billingsley’s leadership.
Globe will begin the search for a new manager immediately.
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
TOWN OF MIAMI MAYOR AND COUNCIL
Monday November 23, 2015 6:30 PM
Town Council Chambers – Sullivan Street
Phase two of the beleaguered sewer project has hit a
bump—a big one, as revealed during Monday night’s
Special Meeting of the Town of Miami Mayor and Council.
The Mackie Camp line may need to be replaced, totally or in
large part, and it is estimated the repairs could run as much
as $400,000, which is not covered by the USDA grant and
not on hand in town coffers, which contain a fraction of that
amount, $50,000, in a contingency fund for the project. The
Council was visibly overwhelmed by the prospect and the
item was tabled until a special meeting can be convened to
address the matter.
On a happier note, Jason Donofrio presented his plan for
master students and professors from Taliesen, the Frank
Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, along with visiting
world-renowned architects, to beautify the US 60 corridor.
Existing streets and buildings, particularly empty structures
and vacant spaces will be repurposed to revitalize the area
from Miami through Globe. The Council unanimously gave
their support. Donofrio is not asking for tax dollars to fund
the effort, but he will be looking for grant money and
donations. Linda Gross representing the United Fund of
Globe-Miami pledged $100,000 a year for the four year
project.
Tom Foster director of the Bullion Plaza Museum gave a
presentation and report on the restoration of Miami’s cannon.
The Prussian made WW1 artillery cannon was brought to
Arizona by Governor Hunt and dedicated in 1927. It has
been neglected for decades, resulting in deterioration and
rust. Foster says the renovation is almost complete, though
there are no plans to test it. He estimates the remaining
work will run about $10,000 and says he is not requesting
funds from the Town. Foster told KQSS that the mines have
committed partial sums and he anticipates other donations as
well. The renovated parts include new custom-made wheels,
which are currently housed at Ray Webb’s property. He’s
planning on talking with the Taliesen group to see if a
pavilion in front of Bullion Plaza can be built to house it.
Councilmember Mike Black presented a sign donated by the
Globe-Miami VFW post made by the county through a grant
from the Wounded Warrior program. It designates a
dedicated parking space near Veterans’ Park downtown for
combat wounded veterans.
And it was announced that Miami’s Fiscal year 2014-15
audit begins next month.
REGULAR MEETING CITY OF GLOBE
MAYOR AND COUNCIL
Tuesday November 24, 2015 6:00 PM
City Hall – Pine Street
City Manager Brent Billingsley has resigned. He’s taking
the same post for the city of Florence, effective December
28th. His resignation was not mentioned during last night’s
Regular Meeting of the City of Globe Mayor and Council,
but was handled in the Executive Session held afterwards.
During the meeting, Billingsley put rumors about the fate of
the Redbridge project to rest when he announced that full
completion is anticipated by the summer of 2017. The
California-based land development firm is currently working
on funding to complete the purchase of the former Hollis
Drive-In property. They anticipate having the first phase, the
construction of storage units, done by summer 2016.
Billingsley also announced that Greyhound bus service is
now running through town. Globe-Miami is a stop on the
Phoenix to El Paso route, with busses arriving from Phoenix
around 10:40 in the morning, and departing for Phoenix at
around 1:30 in the afternoon.
Globe residents will be getting a survey in the mail. It will
ask a very invasive question—how much money you
make—but the answers will be completely anonymous and
confidential. CAG, the Central Arizona Governments
association needs the information to apply for federal grant
money to benefit Globe. Presently, they’re looking to fund a
new fire truck. Should you have any questions, contact
Alan Urban at CAG, or Globe Fire Chief Al Gameros.
Finance Director Joe Jarvis donned his IT Manager hat to
present his plan to dump the current email service used by
the city, which runs $90 a hour for customer support. After
spending $3,000 last year on getting answers to basic
questions, he’s come up with three possible alternatives for a
new cloud based server.
An executive session was held to deal with, among other
things, the ongoing dispute with Arizona Water. No details
were publicly announced. But water was discussed. In
addition to the problems with Well #4 which have not yet
resolved and will not be funded by WIFA to correct, Well #3
has developed issues. The good news is that WIFA funds
will cover those repairs, but the council unanimously agreed
not to tackle them until Well #4 is back on track.
Globe is a winner twice over. The city’s workers’ comp
program received an award for excellence, and Fire K-9 Evo
got a 100% test score for his recent training.
Bobbi Ravencamp of the Globe Lions club announced that
the club will continue its K-9 Frank’s Christmas Cheer Drive
for local nursing homes.
And Kalen Trimble, an officer with the Globe Police
Department retired and was given a watch for his 20 years of
service.
The Council accepted a $20,000 economic development
grant from Gila County for the benefit of the local Meals on
Wheels program, and agreed to spend up to $400 for lights
on the city’s entry in the Christmas Light Parade.
Linda Oddonetto, head of the United Fund of Globe Miami
announced the recipients for this year’s donations. They
include the Boys & Girls Club, Gila House, the 4-H Club,
Boy Scouts, Salvation Army, High Desert Humane Society,
Bullion Plaza, Cobre Valley Centre for the Arts, Old
Dominion Park, the local food bank, PMFHE the Pinal
Mountain Foundation for Higher Education, and Taliesen.
Like Miami, Globe gave their support to the Taliesen project
to beautify the area. Resolution 1731 was passed
unanimously. In attendance to support the effort were
Molly Cornwel, Paul Tunis, Jason Donofrio and Linda Gross.
Independent film producer Robert Conway is coming to
shoot in Globe and wants to use some locations owned by
the city. The council agreed. It wasn’t mentioned, but
Conway’s genre is horror.
NOMINEES ANNOUNCED FOR
ARIZONA SUPREME COURT
The Commission on Appellate Court Appointments has
recommended seven nominees to Governor Doug Ducey for
the opening on the Arizona Supreme Court created by the
retirement of Justice Rebecca White Berch. Of the original
nine lawyers in consideration, Globe’s Daisy Flores and
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Timothy J.
Thomason were not on the final list.
The seven recommended to Gov. Ducey, who will appoint
the new justice, are Clint D. Bolick (Independent), Vice
President for Litigation at the Goldwater Institute, and six
judges for Division I of the Arizona Court Appeals,
including Michael J. Brown (Democrat), Kent E. Cattani
(Republican), Andrew W. Gould (Republican), Maurice
Portley (Democrat), Samuel A. Thumma (Republican), and
Lawrence F. Winthrop (Republican).