Council appoints Brian Miers to fill vacant seat
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.
