MINUTES OF MEETING
OF THE
THATCHER TOWN
COUNCIL
February 10, 2010
Present: Mayor Rivera, Vice Mayor Mulleneaux, Councilman
Donald Innes, Eric Merriman, Charles Morris, Wayne Griffin, Ken Larson
Staff Present: Terry Hinton Town Manager, Heath Brown Engineer.
Dudley Welker Town Attorney, Chief Mike Payne Fire Department, Lona Duncan Town
Clerk
Visitors: Aimee Staten, Pat Rowan, Aaron Allen,
AGENDA
Mayor Rivera called the meeting to order at 7:03pm stating
there was a quorum. The Mayor said God bless our Troops where ever they are God
bless their families and America.
Pledge of Allegiance lead by Dudley Welker
Roll Call.
OPEN CALL TO THE PUBLIC:
Willis Haas stood and addressed
Council. He said he lives on Robinson Rand Road and would like to ask the
Council about the status of the annexation of the Robinson Ranch area. I am a supporter of that I think it would be a
great idea and I would like to see the City push that through. Mayor Rivera
said we didn’t get enough information from your area we did from the Central
area they did not want it so we pulled back. Mayor said if you want it annexed
and you could be the driver and generate interest or maybe a petition going we
could look at it again. Terry said at the time we were just not sure what your
area wanted it was positive but not overwhelming positive. Terry said he could
just a citizen petition stating this is what they would like. Mr. Haas asked does
the Council in general support the annexation is it good for Thatcher. I live
in that island and I can’t come to meetings and speak because I don’t belong to
Thatcher. In terms of law enforcement there is not a lot going on out there but
we do have a speeding problem and the sheriff just doesn’t have the resources. I
can’t speak for neighbors I think it would be good for Robinson Ranch and the
City you would have more tax base. I will ask my neighbors. I understand you
don’t collect property taxes but our numbers should help with state revenue. I
just want you to know I offer my support. I have two more issues I would like to hit on
real quick. The intersection of Robinson Ranch Rd and 8th street it
really needs a street light it is dark there. Mayor Rivera suggested talking to
Supervisor Jim Palmer. The other thing is the section of 8th Street
between 1st and 20th is there any plan to widen and make
a walking path. I drive that every day there are a lot of people walking it or
riding bikes. There is no shoulder and I know what kind of money we are talking
about but I feel for safety it is important. Terry said we have the pipe in
stock for that project but I can not gain the right a way from the farmers. Mr. Haas said I had to walk that road one day
and it is a miserable road to walk on. Councilman Innes said that is an old
farm road and by default has become a very busy street. Mayor Rivera said we
are very aware of that situation and would like to correct it. Terry said I
check on that land every so often hoping to get right a way.
PUBLIC APPEARANCES:
CONSENT AGENDA:
A.
Approve minutes of the January 20, 2010
Regular Council Meeting.
B.
Planning and Zoning Monthly Report.
C.
Police Monthly Report.
D.
Approval of Invoices.
E. Financial Reports.
Councilman Innes made motion to approve minutes and reports.
Councilman Morris seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous.
OLD BUSINESS:
None
NEW
BUSINESS:
A. RESOLUTION NO.
562-2010: A
RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF THATCHER, ARIZONA, ADOPTING
THATCHER’S IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION AND MITIGATION PROGRAM IN COMPLIANCE WITH
THE FAIR AND ACCURATE CREDIT TRANSACTIONS ACT OF 2003 ("FACTACT").
Terry said new Fed Regulation require us to have a program in place to
deal with identity theft because we have personal information. Nothing has to happen
unless someone tells us they have had identity stolen then there is a process we
need to follow.
Councilman Morris made motion to approve Resolution NO. 562-2010.
Councilman Merriman seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous
B. RESOLUTION
NO. 563-2010: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF
THATCHER, GRAHAM COUNTY, ARIZONA, PERTAINING TO THE SUBMISSION OF PROJECTS FOR
CONSIDERATION IN ARIZONA’S 2010 HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN.
Terry said this has to be done in order to apply for Governor Highway
Safety grant. It is normally done is June but they wanted it early.
Councilman Innes made the motion to approve Resolution No 563-2010.
Councilman Griffin seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous
EXECUTIVE
SESSION: Pursuant to A.R.S. Section 38-431.03
(A)(7) the Council may go into Executive Session to
consult with the Town Attorney for legal advise.
Terry asked that Dudley Welker, Heath Brown, Lona Duncan
and myself stay for Executive Session.
Councilman Morris made motion to go into executive
session. Councilman Innes seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous time 8:00pm
A. Decision on Executive Session.
None
INFORMATIONAL
ITEMS:
A. Town
Manager’s Report:
Terry said you will find on the financial report and item
under volley ball program some rather large charges but if you will look at the
revenue there is 32 thousand in and only 16 thousand going out .We are helping
out with the sponsorship of Club Volleyball. We will make a few dollars on it
and it doesn’t cost us anything all we have to do is make a check now and then.
We are just a pass through it helps them out and there are kids from the whole
valley that are included. We are trying to talk them into having a tournament
here but we will have to see on that.
The 1st street and Reay Lane intersection will be open in
the morning. We had a culvert collapse there so we fixed it and put in a water
line for one of the farmers to utilize that drip system. In the intersection we
found the gas line had 3 pin hole leaks
and found a shut off value they didn’t know they had and water the same way there was a value that had been
covered up for years so it took us longer than planned. It is really nice now. We will now go back to Daley Estates to the
sidewalk project again. Seago notified us that our environmental revision to
the plan had clearance so the pedestrian bridge is now a go.
I have heard back from Mr. Cade on the Safford Library he
gave me a list of some 1300 or 1400 patrons from our area. We are going to
verify the address to our utility records. Mr. Kincaid and I are going to discuss
ways to make it a little simpler maybe a voucher system or something if Council
chooses or wants to support the library so with that information we will move
forward.
We are doing some major renovation down at the park. The bathrooms are getting new fixtures,
painting the floors and the ceiling and new door closures. It will be like new
in about two weeks.
There are about 861 more feet of right a way that we need
for the traffic signal if you look that has been staked out. I have been
talking with Mr. Ticer for a little corner of the sidewalk there is a fire
hydrant they need space to put the pole that holds the traffic signal and he
seems to think it is a good idea. I dropped off papers to him today to look at.
We may have to spend a small amount but we need that right a way in our
possession prior to going to the Feds for bids so there will be less red tape. Councilman
Morris asked what side of the street and answer was the service station side. Terry
said most of that 861 ft is about half in sidewalks so there are 3 or 4 hundred
square feet of actual dirt there that we need to get right a way for. Vice
Mayor Mulleneaux ask the estimated time line which Terry said a year and a half
to two years as soon as it went into federal money it added eighteen months. Terry
said if it had been ready we may have gotten it into round two of the stimulus
money. They are beginning a second round of the projects like what we have on
Reay Lane that went to bid. It started in Feb and will close in March and work
in April or May. The next around they say the projects have to be ready to bid
in 90 days so unless it is already done that is impossible to do so we don’t
have a project ready for that but the last thing I heard was they are going to
split it in two’s they will authorize fifty percent now and fifty percent
later. Heath and I are working on a couple of different projects to get them
ready and if we don’t get them in that then we want them in the SEAGO pipeline.
One project is the overlay from the highway and the improvement we are going to
get the right a way on the ditch move. The other project is to take Hoopes Ave
from Golf Course to Valley View. Since
ADOT is talking about a bypass going south of us then Hoopes would be one area
they would probably want to connect to that by pass. We don’t want to have all
the through traffic going through residential and we have a lot of right a way.
I would propose that we build a two lane road up next to the fence and where they
met take some of that and put a sidewalk in the middle and separate it from the
current road and make what is there now a frontage road. We would control the
access probably at Brinkerhoff and Valley View and blocking it at the three way
entrance so we could separate the through traffic from the residential traffic.
It will be years down the road but we are going to try and get ready for it if
something comes available.
I have an update on
the EAC pool. They painted the pool and you don’t see the black in there it is
crystal clear and working great. They
plan on having it open just like last year. I ask them if they weren’t going to
offer a swim team or swim lessons to please let me know and we would be glad to
sponsor those kinds of activities. We also talked about the land over by the
school and they have given the idea to their Board about selling some of that
land for us to put our complex on. I believe their offer was cost plus 10 and
they paid in the 20’s for that land. That is a starting point if Council some
where down the line wants to utilize that land closer to the high school. I
have not talked to the school recently to see if they might have money to put into
the project. One of the possibilities is if we use that land maybe putting the
school library and ours together giving them an extra class room and help share
the cost of operations. Again I haven’t talked to the school these are just my
ideas. Councilman Innes said I have heard some talk that goes along with the
library that we can maybe incorporate some performing arts and phrase that in
and maybe if EAC wants to be involved with the land they would have some usage
of the performing arts area or class rooms.
Mayor Rivera asked Terry about the status of the Cota bankrupt
building. Terry said we had the mediation and it didn’t go anywhere. Lexon
Insurance Company was to have to me an offer for the Town of Thatcher right a
way and that hasn’t happen yet. Out instructions to the attorney is press
forward with the summary judgment and get it before a Judge and let’s get it
done. Lexon is doing very thing they can to get out of the performance bond.
Dudley Welker said that he has seen insurance companies sit on the money just
so they can earn the interest. Terry said I have not received an answer back as
to when the Judge will hear the summary judgment.
Councilman Innes asked
how we are doing on the follow up on the notices of cleanup projects. Terry
said it is an ongoing process we have Gary looking at a place on Main Street
and a trailer on Church Street that has pasted their time limit and another is
across from Councilman Morris that has cleaned up. Councilman Innes said the
old cars look bad. Terry said we do go out and look and there are some that
still have open letters but we are working them. Councilman Merriman asked
about the electric meters. Terry said that is still in process we have about 3
or 4 hundred smart meters and about 150 more to put in. There are about 3 or 4
collector meters which will read the meters and transmit the signal somewhere
else so we can turn meters on and off and read them. We have about1500 meters
out there and we are only able to buy a few at a time it is an ongoing project.
When we finally finish you can get online to see your usage or pay your bill
that will be through a link on our web site. We will have a company read the
meters and Jan can from the office turn them on, off and read. It will have pre
pay option which they can come in and buy what you want and when it runs out it
automatically shuts off. I would suggest anyone who has been on the turn off list
or have been delinquent that they are required to be on the pre pay system. I
also think we need to offer something for the College kids and renters like if
they sign up for pre pay they don’t have to put down a utility deposit. It will
also save us on meter reading. Councilman Innes ask if there was a study done on
the buy back time for this system and the answer was no. He also asked are they
going into the new buildings. Terry said we have a few on hand and if the meter
needs to be changed out we use those meters.
The draw back is some of the meters we are taking out are still good so
we are trying to find someone to buy them so we won’t be out so much. Councilman
Merriman asked about the voltage regulator. Terry said they are being rebuilt
and we have swapped two out already and we bought a spare so we have two new
one in and we are waiting on the third one and there is a bad switch that has
been ordered they should be here in 2 months and then we will have to shut the whole
town down for about 2 hours to install them.
B. Fire
Department Report.
Chief Payne said we had elections and I was elected Chief
again Rue Mattice Asst Chief we have four captain and they are Chris Allen,
Duane Elders, Brian Merriman and Kevin Blake. We have a good group. The burning
of the house is the 20th of this month it will be good training.
We have also invited a couple of other fire departments around here. There
should be about 50 fire fighters starting at about 8:00. There will be a lot
done inside that people won’t see that will take about 2 or 3 hours. Then we
will let it burn and that will go fast. The walls are block and the owner is
responsible to clean up the mess. Just for your information we are up to about
three fourths of our groups have their Classification 2. A problem we will run
into for further training is the Fire Marshall Office for training no longer exists
so the AFSI will pick up training and certification. The AFSI is made up of the
Metro Chiefs, Arizona Fire Chief, Volunteer Fire Fighters, Professional Fire
Fighters and Fire District Association all will come together and have a
representative to do the training. We will continue through the college to do
training and encourage all our guys to go. It takes about 240 hours which when
competed they are reimbursed. Information on the Ladder truck we will have
to go out there in March or April and complete a certification test. We have
had a few fire calls but the weather is helping us out. Terry said there has
been some talk that in the next few years that all analog radios will be obsolete
by a federal man date. Terry said Mike got some information from the County
will try to get a County wide grant to replace all the radio so we are in the
process of getting an inventory of our models and numbers so we can submit to
the County. Mike told me today that the grant he put in for doesn’t look like
it will go through so we are hoping the County’s grant will.
C. Police
Department Report.
Terry said Chief Stevens has been very sick so he is not
here tonight
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
A. Safe House- Councilman Griffin said
they will have their quarterly meeting next month. They are doing a fund raiser
in about a week they will be selling Krispy Cream donuts just get a hold of
them if you are interested.
B. Chamber of Commerce- Councilman Merriman
said on February 23 we will have another breakfast and have the candidates
running for City of Safford Mayor to give presentation. On March 5th
we have the Governor coming here at EAC from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
just to visit with the County also John McClain
will be on Monday February 15th at 1:00pm. We had a presentation from Springbok
about the Golf Course and the 50 year lease. They are hoping by 2011 to start selling
homes and lots which will go on for a seven to eight year period they are looking
at 2400 homes around the golf course. He said the homes will be around 210
thousand and up all at ground level and you have to be 50 years of age or above
to purchase. We also had Art Sanders there who is the Mayor of Queen Creek is
also on board with the project. Councilman Merriman said that EAC is doing very
good with the Nursing Facility the block is up and windows are going in. Also Kimball
Hansen is leaving the area so the Chamber Board is looking at a lady from Freeport
to fill the position.
C. SEAGO- Mayor Rivera said we have on Feb
20th a regular business meeting.
D. Arizona Foundation.- Councilman Larson
said we are in the process of creating the Graham County Foundation as part of
the Arizona Foundation in order to generation more money and grants. Next
Tuesday there will be another meeting and we are hoping this will happen. They
have tried in the past and it didn’t work but everyone is on board with it so
we believe it will. Councilman Larson said we gave out 23,000 to local
organizations to help with their projects the Food Bank and Boys & Girls
Club just to name a few. Mayor Rivera
asked if they were looking at doing fund raisers to get money built up answer
was yes we are looking at that. Money that people give can be ear marked just
for Graham County their donation will stay here.
E. Library Committee. - Councilman Morris
said we meet after all the presentations were completed everyone seemed
agreeable but the timing and economy is bad. The County is looking at going to the vote of the
people about 2012.In the mean time we will be working on more information, how
to set it up and details for the public presentations.
ADJOURNMENT
Councilman Morris made motion to adjourn
meeting Councilman Innes seconded the motion. Vote was unanimous Meeting
adjourned at 9:05 pm.
ATTEST:
APPROVED:
___________________________ ___________________________
Lona Duncan, Town
Clerk Robert
Rivera, Mayor
CERTIFICATION
I hereby
certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes
of the regular/special meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Thatcher held
on the 10th day of February 2010. I further certify that the meeting was duly
called and held and that a quorum was present.
___________________________
Lona Duncan, Town Clerk