Council HQ

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council approved an update to the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport Master Plan.

The master plan establishes recommendations for airport development that will best meet the site’s anticipated demands. It outlines development objectives and provides for a 20-year planning period that looks at airfield configuration, facility development, land use recommendations, and support facilities.

The plan also makes high-level recommendations for improvements, including a suggested timeframe, but does not require specific actions or projects. Instead, it serves as a strategic tool for establishing airport improvement priorities and obtaining funding.

Grant funding for airport improvements through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can only be obtained by placing projects in the five-year Airport Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP), which is reviewed yearly by the FAA and Arizona Department of Transportation. A project cannot be placed on the ACIP for funding consideration if it does not first appear on the Airport Layout Plan, which is developed based on the recommendations of this master plan.

However, even though projects and timelines have been identified by the master plan, airport activity levels and needs will ultimately influence development priorities and timeframes. Furthermore, the approval has no budget appropriation. Instead, funding will be based on the availability of grants or through City Council’s annual budget process.

In other business:

• Mayor Clea McCaa presented the City’s procurement team with a 2025 Excellence in Procurement Award on behalf of the National Procurement Institute. This prestigious recognition is given to organizations demonstrating outstanding achievements in procurement and supply management. This is the third year in a row that the City of Sierra Vista has earned the award.
• Council accepted a construction grant and a design grant from the FAA for apron and taxi lane reconstruction and design reimbursement for improvements to the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport.
• Council accepted deeds from Castle & Cooks for roadways including E. Buffalo Soldier Trail, Ben Franklin Boulevard, and Francis Lewis Street, plus a deed for the conveyance of properties to the City from Castle & Cooke.
• Council approved granting a water easement to Arizona Water Company.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council approved a property tax levy for Fiscal Year 2026.

The property tax levy rate is set at $0.1018 per $100 of assessed value. The percentage rate was decreased from last year’s rate of $0.1033, meaning that while home values have increased, amount paid by residents will remain the same as the amount paid in FY25.

The tax is estimated to generate $394,973 this fiscal year. This is a slight increase from $387,167 in FY25 and $382,261 in FY24. The slight increase in total property tax revenue is due to new construction.

In other business:

• Mayor Pro Tem Carolyn Umphrey and the Neighborhood Commission presented an Award of Excellence to Cochise Serving Veterans. The nonprofit received the award for helping veterans with home maintenance they were unable to do themselves. The Neighborhood Commission Award of Excellence recognizes the effort, impact, or contributions of individuals or organizations that go above and beyond in serving our neighborhoods.
• Mayor Clea McCaa and Sports & Aquatics Supervisor John Healy awarded Sierra Vista Little League a Certificate of Appreciation for their ongoing partnership with the City and their generous donation to fund the new scoreboard, its installation, and new fencing at Stone Complex.
• Council approved a resolution to codify already approved ordinances into the Code of Ordinances. Since the ordinances had prior Council approval, the action is administrative in nature.
• Council accepted the resignation of Douglas Phillips from the Tourism Commission and the resignation of Karen Flynn from the Environmental Stewardship Commission.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council appointed Ken Kilmurray to fill the vacant council seat left by David Jones’ resignation.

Kilmurray is a retired United States Air Force officer and former senior manager at Northrop Grumman in Sierra Vista, who has extensive experience managing large organizations and programs. During his career, he gained valuable insight into government planning, budgeting, and execution.

“Now that I’m fully retired, I can refocus on my commitment to public service,” Kilmurray says.

His primary concern is blight and the maintenance of public spaces, like parks and roadside areas. In his letter of interest, Kilmurray noted that before considering new facilities with increased sustainment costs, the City’s budget should focus on maintaining current infrastructure like roadways, right of ways, and playgrounds.

Kilmurray will be seated at the next council meeting and his term will run through Dec. 31, 2026. While Mr. Jones’ term did not expire until 2028, Arizona State Statute limits council appointments to the next regularly scheduled council election and the seating of the new council members.

In other business:

• Council approved the updated 2025 Plan for Prosperity, an economic development framework that outlines objectives and corresponding priorities to position the City for growth and advancement through the next five years.
• Council declared a 30-day public record on the codification of Code of Ordinances, which is an administrative process that incorporates the ordinances into the permanent record of the City.
• Council, with the exception of Mayor Clea McCaa who abstained due to a conflict of interest, voted to appoint Theresa Malone, Leigh Morgan Muckey, and Ramona McCaa to the Industrial Development Authority.
• Council approved the dissolution of the Transportation Commission.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council appointed Brian Miers to fill the vacant council seat left by William Benning’s resignation.

Miers was born and raised in Texas but has lived in Sierra Vista for a total of 24 years and considers it his home. He first came to the area in 1988 while serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Huachuca and was stationed here again in 1993. In 2011, he made Sierra Vista his permanent home.

As a veteran and retired federal agent, Miers brings a wealth of experience to his council position. He’s a 12-year military intelligence veteran with close ties to Fort Huachuca and has over 20 years of experience as a federal agent for both the Department of Justice and Homeland Security.

“I am both humbled and honored to be appointed to fill the remainder of William Benning’s term on the Sierra Vista City Council,” Miers says. “I am excited to give back to a city that gave me the proving grounds to live an abundant life with so many rich opportunities.”

Miers was sworn in as a council member after the meeting. He will finish William Benning’s term, which concludes on Dec. 31, 2026.

In other business:

• The Avengers Inclusion Organization presented Certificates of Appreciation to Police Chief Hiser and the Sierra Vista Police Department; Fire Chief Brian Jones, including one for Fire Marshall Don Foster; Mayor Clea McCaa; and Council Member Mark Rodriguez for their participation in the 9th Annual First Responders Game and continual support of the organization.

• Baker Tilly U.S. presented the Fiscal Year 2024 audit as required by Arizona Revised Statute.

• Sierra Vista Chief Financial Officer David Felix presented on compliance with Arizona Revised Statute §41-1494.

• Council approved the Program Year 2025 Community Development Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan, which includes funding for Phase I construction of Henry Jones Legacy Park, site improvements for Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona’s transitional housing, parking lot rehabilitation at St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, Better Bucks of Sierra Vista’s Better Work and Community Connect Program, and United Way of Sierra Vista and Cochise County’s Emergency Crisis Fund.

• Council approved the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Tentative Budget. While aspects of the budget may change, approval of the tentative budget caps the FY 2025-2026 budget at $129,244,638.

• Council approved an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Sierra Vista, Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, and Cochise Community College District for the continued partnership to operate the Southeast Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy.

• Council approved amendments to the Intergovernmental Agreement with Cochise County establishing changes to the Southeastern Arizona Communications Center Joint Powers Authority that shift fiscal agency back to Cochise County and incorporate the acknowledgement that some employees elected to remain City employees instead of transitioning to County employees.

• Council approved amendments to the Sierra Vista Metropolitan Planning Organization (SVMPO) Intergovernmental Agreement, changing it from a hosting agreement to one where the City agrees to act as the fiscal agent and provide support services to the SVMPO. This reflects the SVMPO’s decision to move its offices out of the Pedro Castro Maintenance Center and into new office space.

• Council approved amendments to the City attorney’s contract which adjusts the annual pay basis to correlate with annual salary increases received by other City employees.

• Council accepted $3,364,244 in federal funding towards Phase I of the Buffalo Soldier Trail Reconstruction project. The first phase will cover reconstruction of the roadway from 7th Street to Woodcutter’s Canyon Wash.

• Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Arizona Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education for the Youth Council, which was formerly the Sierra Vista Youth Commission.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council voted to dedicate the City property located at the southeast corner of Fab Avenue and Fry Boulevard as the Henry Jones Legacy Park in honor of former Buffalo Soldier and West End night watchman Henry Jones.

The Sierra Vista Historical Society presented the nomination with support from Jones’ descendants, the Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers, and St. Andrews the Apostle Catholic Church, which Jones’ family was instrumental in establishing.

SVHS noted that not only was Jones a former Buffalo Soldier and a veteran of two world wars, but after Fort Huachuca closed in 1947, Jones took it upon himself to patrol the community each night. At the time, there was no local law enforcement and Jones patrolled the community from 7^th Street to the gates of the fort until Sierra Vista was incorporated in 1956. Since the Fab Avenue property is located in the heart of the historic West End that Jones patrolled, SVHS said it was an ideal place to honor his legacy.

“I’m honored that Council voted to dedicate the property in honor of my grandfather,” Jones’ descendant Marta Messmer says. “It’s very humbling.”

The property, which is located on the corner of Fab Avenue and Fry Boulevard, is slated to become an urban park. The City is in the process of allocating over $300,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds towards on-site improvements and has received a grant for $365,346 to install curbs, gutters, and sidewalks.

In other business:

• Council approved Development Code amendments pertaining to definitions, temporary uses, signs, landscaping, and the matrix of use permissions and zoning district regulations.
• Council approved amendments to the Personnel Rules and Regulations in the general provisions, performance evaluation, and employment records, and added a section to describe the procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable persons.
• Council accepted the resignation of Sherron Driver from the Commission on Disability Issues.
• Council authorized an Industrial Development Authority (IDA) bond for Wake Preparatory Academy in an amount not to exceed $135,000,000. The bond does not have any financial liability for the City or the IDA.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council approved sewer and refuse rate increases to cover the cost of maintenance and operation of those services.

At the Council work session on March 22, City staff gave a presentation on the financial status of the Sewer and Refuse Funds, and recommended a 15% sewer rate increase, a 2.25 times sewer connection fee increase, and a 10% residential refuse rate increase effective July 1, 2025, and an additional sewer rate increase of 15% and refuse rate increase of 10% effective July 1, 2026.

The Sewer and Refuse Funds are run as Enterprise Funds, meaning that the costs of running those services need to be paid by the fees collected for those services and not through other City funds. Due to upcoming maintenance and expansion costs at the sewer plant, projected sewer line replacement costs, and increasing operational costs, sewer rates need to be increased to account for those costs and to bring the sewer fund up from a negative balance.

Increased costs for the maintenance and replacement of refuse trucks, plus increased operational costs, also make it necessary to increase fees for refuse service. Financial information on the Sewer and Refuse Funds is available on the City’s website.

In other business:

• Council approved a transfer of funds from the Capital Improvements Fund to the Police and Fire Development Fee Funds, the Park Development Fee Fund to the Capital Improvements Fund, and the Infrastructure Development Fee Fund to the Highway User Revenue Fund.

• Council approved an indefinite suspension on the collection of development fees.

• Council approved a Series 12 Liquor License for Jimmy Balenzuela for Piccola Casa Italiana and PCI Pasta at the Mall at Sierra Vista.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council declared a 30-day public comment period for proposed Development Code amendments.

The Community Development Department regularly reviews current code provisions and procedures to identify ways in which the staff and the City can improve efficiencies, clarify requirements, and help residents and business owners move through the system more easily. The proposed amendments pertain to definitions, temporary uses, signs, landscaping, and the matrix of use permissions and zoning district regulations. The amendments, which are now open to public comment for 30 days, will provide flexibility that reduces unnecessary regulations and clarifies existing code language.

One amendment adds Staging Areas with Temporary Field Office to the definitions, allowing construction companies to temporarily store equipment on vacant land during an active construction site. Meanwhile, others add more flexibility to sign standards; landscaping, walls, screening, and buffer; conversions from commercial to multi-family residence; and attached car ports and covered patios in manufactured home parks.

Residents can review the amendments and offer input at Engage.SierraVistaAZ.gov.

In other business:

• Mayor Clea McCaa declared April 28 through May 2 as National Small Business Week.
• The Economic Development Commission recognized Franco’s Barber Shop as the Small Business of the Year.
• Council authorized Sierra Vista Fire & Medical Services to submit for reimbursable grants from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for consideration by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
• Council approved a conditional use permit for True Vine Ministries to operate at 100 S. 2^nd Street.
• Council reappointed Rebecca Dailous, Gwen Calhoun, Judy Wand, and Carolyn Cruz to the Arts, Humanities, and Cultural Diversity Commission.
• Council reappointed Julia McCaa and Angela Givens to the Neighborhoods Commission.
• Council accepted the resignation of Iris Allison and reappointed Sherron Driver and Verna Williams to the Commission on Disability Issues.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council, City staff, and members of the public bid farewell to Council Member William Benning.

Benning, who is stepping away to move closer to his daughter and new granddaughter, has served on City Council since 2018. At last night’s meeting, council members, City staff, and the public lauded Benning for his commitment and service to the City.

Mayor Clea McCaa presented Council Member Benning with a certificate of appreciation and a key to the City, while the rest of City Council shared their appreciation for his public service and fond memories of working with him. City Manager Chuck Potucek thanked Benning on behalf of City staff, noting his service and leadership. Then, during the call to the public, Industrial Development Authority President Demetry Simonton also presented Benning with a certificate of appreciation and former council member Marta Messmer spoke to the honor and privilege of working with him.

With Benning’s resignation, residents are invited to apply to fill the remainder of his term that is due to end on Dec. 31, 2026. A letter of interest and other support materials can be submitted in person at City Hall or sent via email to City Clerk Jill Adams at Jill.Adams@SierraVistaAZ.gov. Applications will be accepted until Thursday, May 1, 2025.

The letters must contain the following information:

• The applicant’s name, address, and telephone number;
• A statement of what the applicant considers to be their qualifications for serving on City Council;
• Reasons why they would like to serve on City Council; and
• A notarized statement attesting that they are a qualified elector of the City and have lived in the City continuously for a one-year period prior to the date of application. A form for this statement is available from the City Clerk upon request.

For more information, please visit SierraVistaAZ.gov.

In other business:

• Mayor Clea McCaa proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
• Mayor Clea McCaa proclaimed May 3, 2025, as International Astronomy Day.
• Council approved the FY 2026-2027 Strategic Plan framework.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council approved an amended conditional use permit for Catholic Community Services (CCS) to build domestic crisis transitional housing for victims of domestic violence.

The vote amended a conditional use permit from 2006 granting the property approval for an addition on the east side of Good Neighbor Alliance for a residential facility for women and children. However, the addition was never constructed.

Now, CCS plans to add four tiny homes on the property to house victims of domestic violence for up to 12 months while CCS helps them transition into a new life. There will be three two-bed, one-bath homes and one one-bed, one-bath home that face a shared courtyard. CCS was able to secure a large private donation to fund its domestic crisis housing initiative, which will pay for the homes and help subsidize rent. CCS is also pursuing Community Development Block Grant funding for improvements to the courtyard.

Some of the permit conditions include limiting construction to four dwellings and yard improvements, limiting each dwelling to house only one family, and setting a minimum lease term of 30 days.

In other business:

• Mayor Clea McCaa proclaimed the Month of April as Water Awareness Month; April 12, 2025, as Celebrate the San Pedro Day; April as Fair Housing Month; and the week of April 5 through 11, 2025, as Week of the Young Child.
• Council voted to amend the Vista 2030 General Plan and to rezone two properties on N. 1^st Street, changing them from Commercial to High Density Residential. The request came from the Cochise College Foundation, on behalf of the college’s Residential Construction training program which plans to build two single-family homes on the properties.
• Council approved a conditional use permit for a 100-foot communications tower on E. Fry Boulevard.
• Council approved a conditional use permit for First Baptist Church of Tombstone to locate a place of worship within a General Commercial Zoning District.
• Council voted to add Public Safety Personnel Retirement System and Arizona State Retirement System 457 Deferred Compensation Plans as an option for City employees.
• Council reaffirmed the City’s commitment to fair housing in Sierra Vista in alignment with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
• Council reappointed Alfred “Joe” Spurgeon to the Transportation Commission.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council considered Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding requests during a public hearing held at the meeting.

The City anticipates receiving about $250,000 in CDBG funding for Program Year 2025, which according to grant guidelines must benefit low and moderate income persons; prevent or eliminate slum and blight; or meet an urgent need.

The Neighborhood Commission reviewed applications for funding, ranking a request from Catholic Community Services for money to fund sidewalks, a concrete pad, outdoor seating, a grill, and lighting for a series of tiny homes for families surviving domestic violence as the highest priority. A request from the City of Sierra Vista to refurbish the splash pad surface at Len Roberts Park was ranked second, and another City request to rehabilitate the Len Roberts fitness loop and one from St. Vincent DePaul to rehabilitate the thrift store parking lot tied for third in priority.

Regarding a request from Cochise Western Model Railroad Organization for improvements to Fort Avenue, the Neighborhood Commission suggested the project would be a better candidate for the next round of Federal Transit Administration accessibility grants given the cost of the project and relatively isolated community benefit.

The Neighborhood Commission also recommended unanimously that 70% of the funding available for public services go to Better Bucks of Sierra Vista to support its Better Work Program as a new applicant and relatively new nonprofit. They recommended the remaining balance be allocated to the United Way of Sierra Vista and Cochise County’s Emergency Crisis Fund. Public services are capped at 15% of the overall CDBG grant amount, which would be $37,500 of the anticipated $250,000.

They also recommended that $188,179 in positive funds from last year’s CDBG funding, due to lower than anticipated costs for the Montebello Fire Safety Improvement project, be spent developing a park on City land located on Fab Avenue.

Organizations presented their request for Council consideration at yesterday’s meeting. The City will host two more public hearings to discuss funding requests and Council will vote on CDBG funding allocations at a future meeting.

In other business:

• Mayor Clea McCaa proclaimed March 9 through 15 as Girl Scout Week in Sierra Vista.
• Council adopted a notice of intent for the increase of sewer fees. The sewer fund is an Enterprise Fund where the fees for the service need to cover operations of the system. A public notice will be posted for 60 days before a public hearing is held.
• Council accepted the resignation of Karen LeMay and appointed Karen Flynn and reappointed Joelle Buffa to the Environmental Stewardship Commission.
• Council reappointed Anthony Isom to the Transportation Commission.
• Council reappointed Ana Smith, Douglas Phillips, Aaron Hennequin, and Rebecca Smith to the Tourism Commission.