Council HQ

The Sierra Vista City Council appointed several citizens to the recently reformed Council advisory commissions at its meeting on Thursday.

Members were appointed to the Tourism; Neighborhoods; Transportation; Environmental Stewardship; Youth; and Arts, Humanities, and Cultural Diversity commissions; as well as the Commission on Disability Issues. The appointees’ terms will expire April 30, 2025.

There are still openings for additional members on many commissions. Vacancies and an application can be found online at SierraVistaAZ.gov.

New business items also approved included:

• Approval of revised City Board and Commission Guidelines
• Approval of revised City Council Policy and Procedure Guidelines, to require Council members to submit trip reports when traveling and using taxpayer funds
• Approval of an intergovernmental agreement between the City, Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, and Cochise County Community College district to operate the Southeastern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy on the Cochise College campus
• Acceptance of a grant from the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to fund Operation Stonegarden, which contributes to border and regional security efforts
• Approval of an intergovernmental agreement with Fort Huachuca to provide fire suppression systems inspection, maintenance, and repair services via a third party contractor
• Dedication of the tennis courts at Veterans Memorial Park Sports Complex to Steven Bokowski, a long-time youth tennis coach

Public hearing items included:

• Approval of a Series 12 liquor license for Tacomaki Restaurant
• Hearing of the draft project year 2023 Community Development Block Grant Program Annual Action Plan

The 2023 Water Wise Youth Poster content winners were recognized at the meeting, April was proclaimed as Water Awareness Month in Sierra Vista, and Patrick Jones, a long-time volunteer with the Sierra Vista Fire & Medical Services Department, was recognized for his support and dedication.

The Sierra Vista City Council approved the adoption of a series of amendments to the City’s development code at its regular meeting on Thursday.

The amendments were approved for a 30-day public comment period on Feb. 23 and no comments were received. They were recommended for adoption by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

The changes adopted on Thursday include:

· Establishing permit requirements for unattended donation containers to mitigate potential public nuisance impacts if they are not properly maintained.

· Establishing a tiered development review process with more clearly defined thresholds that better guide applicants on the permitting process. This would clearly delineate the levels of review and submittal requirements associated with site plan review to be in relative proportion to the impact on the community.

· Changes to setbacks for single-family homes to provide more flexibility and accommodate current housing trends.

· Reducing the front and side yard setbacks on multi-family parcels in the Urban Infill Overlay District to allow for design flexibility, pedestrian-orientated development, and a more diverse and attractive streetscape.

The City Council also approved the adoption of an ordinance to allow the City to assess the costs associated with the collection of delinquent refuse fees by a third-party collection agency to the delinquent customer. The only public comment received on this proposed change was in favor of it.

In other business, the City Council approved a resolution restating the City’s commitment to Fair Housing in Sierra Vista.

More information from Thursday’s City Council meeting is available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, April 6, City Council meeting. They can be accessed via the City’s website at www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-documents.

City Council meetings can be streamed live and past meetings can be viewed on YouTube. The meetings are also aired on Cox Channel 12. Learn more at  www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-meetings or on this page.

The City Council approved the donation of surplus sports field lights and lighting accessories to the Sierra Vista Unified School District at its regular meeting on Thursday.

The lights were replaced in 2019 with dark sky-friendly, low-energy LED lighting as part of the City’s phase one energy initiative with Schneider Electric and the old lights have not been in use since. The current value of the equipment is about $62,500. The surplus items include 11 light bar assemblies, 78 light head fixtures with bulbs, three switch boxes, miscellaneous loose bulbs, and 33 power boxes.

SVUSD expressed interest in using the lighting equipment on its practice ballfields. The donation benefits the district’s athletic programs and saves taxpayer dollars the district would need to spend to purchase new lights. SVUSD and the City have a long history of partnership and cooperative agreements for the betterment of the community.

In other business the City Council voted 5-2 against a resolution to direct the city manager to negotiate a draft memorandum of understanding with the Professional Fire Fighters of Sierra Vista, IAFF L4492 for City Council consideration.

The council also recognized the Sierra Vista Fire & Medical Services employees of the year. The winners are:

• 2022 Firefighter of the Year Thomas Wiedemann
• 2022 Paramedic of the Year Muriel Adams
• the 2022 EMT of the Year Philip Wechsler
• the 2022 Special Achievement recipient Joshua Meeker.

More information from Thursday’s City Council meeting is available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, March 23, City Council meeting. They can be accessed via the City’s website at www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-documents.

City Council meetings can be streamed live and past meetings can be viewed on YouTube. The meetings are also aired on Cox Channel 12. Learn more at  www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-meetings or on this page.

The City Council approved a series of changes to City commissions resulting from an evaluation of how to reinvigorate and update the commissions, which was the focus of three prior discussions by the council in 2022 and 2023.

The changes approved Thursday transition most commissions from being non-regulatory departmental advisory commissions to being council advisory commissions. This places appointment of commission members back under the City Council’s purview, instead of having members appointed by the City manager. In addition, some commissions were combined into broader areas of focus as it has been difficult to field enough members to meet quorum requirements needed to host meetings.

Under the new structure, the Arts & Humanities, Cultural Diversity, and Library Commissions have been combined into a single Arts, Humanities, & Cultural Diversity Commission. The West End Commission was replaced by a Neighborhoods Commission, the Airport Commission was replaced by a Transportation Commission, and the Environmental Affairs Commission was replaced by an Environmental Stewardship Commission.

The scopes and names of the Parks & Recreation Commission, Youth Commission, Commission on Disability Issues, and Tourism Commission remain unchanged.

Based on input from its members, the newly formed Economic Development Commission will remain a departmental commission with members appointed by the City Manager. This is the only commission that remains a departmental advisory commission.

Council considers CDBG proposals

The City Council heard proposals for how to use the City’s next allocation of Community Development Block Grant funds, anticipated to be about $250,075.

Under federal regulations, 15% of the funds can be used for public services (about $37,500), 20% for administration (about $50,000), and the remainder (about $162,575) for eligible projects. CDBG-funded activities must benefit low to moderate income persons, aid in the prevention of slums and blight, or meet other urgent community needs such as disaster relief.

Staff proposed dedicating $162,575 to install fire hydrants in the Montebello subdivision that was annexed into the City in 2010. The subdivision does not meet requirements for fire hydrants in a residential area, which poses problems with emergency response and increases the possibility of increased loss due to a fire.

Three area nonprofit organizations presented proposals seeking to use the CDBG funding dedicated for public services. The United Way of Sierra Vista and Cochise County and the Cochise County Family Advocacy Center each requested $37,500, while Southern Arizona Legal Aid requested $5,734.

The council expressed interest in dividing the available funds to support all three service organizations.

Based on input received on Thursday, staff will prepare the City’s draft annual action plan, which will come before the City Council at a public hearing during its first meeting in April. This will initiate a 30-day public comment period and then the plan will return to council for final consideration at its first meeting in May.

In other business, the City Council authorized staff to submit an application for a WaterSMART Environmental Water Resources Project Grant through the Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation to support construction of the Riverstone Recharge Project.

More information from Thursday’s City Council meeting is available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, March 9, City Council meeting. They can be accessed via the City’s website at www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-documents.

City Council meetings can be streamed live and past meetings can be viewed on YouTube. The meetings are also aired on Cox Channel 12. Learn more at  www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-meetings or in the “Council HQ” page at engage.sierravistaaz.gov.

The Sierra Vista City Council approved the adoption of the Cochise County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan at its regular meeting on Thursday.

The adoption of the plan completes a year-long effort to update the previous plan. Cochise County completed the update with the help of participating agencies throughout the county, which provided input to identify natural hazards, rate the severity of those hazards within their own jurisdictions, and identify mitigation capacity and strategies. A draft of the plan was posted on each agency’s website with a link for the public to provide comments.

The plan is a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirement for participation in its grant programs. Cochise County and cities that contribute to and adopt the final plan are eligible to receive federal funding from FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs.

A copy of the final plan is available at https://www.cochise.az.gov/853/Multi-Jurisdiction-Hazard-Mitigation-Pla.

In other business:

• The City Council moved forward a resolution for public comment regarding collection of delinquent refuse fees. The change would enable the City to assess the costs associated with collection of those fees by a third-party collection agency to the delinquent customer. Currently the City must pay those collection costs. To review the proposed code change and submit your input before they return to the City Council for final consideration, head to Engage.SierraVistaAZ.gov.
• The City Council approved an intergovernmental agreement with Pima Community College to allow Sierra Vista Fire & Medical Services to send employees, who so wish, to attend paramedic training through Pima Community College.
• The City Council approved the extension of an Inspections Services Agreement with the Arizona Department of Housing and Building Division. The City has been performing inspections and permitting through the ISA program for the past 16 years.
• Mayor Clea McCaa proclaimed the month of February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month in and for the City of Sierra Vista.

More information from Thursday’s City Council meeting is available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, Feb. 9, City Council meeting. They can be accessed via the City’s website at www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-documents.

City Council meetings can be streamed live and past meetings can be viewed on YouTube. The meetings are also aired on Cox Channel 12. Learn more at  www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-meetings or on this page.

On Thursday, at its first meeting in 2023, the Sierra Vista City Council moved forward code amendments recommended by the Parks and Recreation Commission. The amendments are now open for public comment before they return to the City Council for final consideration.

The amendments would change the City code concerning electronic bicycles and scooters on multi-use paths and park trails. Instead of limiting vehicles to a speed limit of 15 mph, the proposed change would mirror state law by removing the speed limit restriction and specifying that class 3 e-bikes and scooters are not permitted on City paths or trails. Class 3 vehicles can reach higher speeds than class 1 and 2 vehicles.

The proposed amendments also update definitions of athletic fields/courts and types of parks within the City’s parks system. They also update code to better reflect the City’s process for sanctioning events.

The City Council approved the resolution, which begins a 30-day public comment period on the proposed changes. To review the code amendments and submit your input before they return to the City Council for final consideration, head to Engage.SierraVistaAZ.gov.

City welcomes new Mayor and Council

Newly elected Mayor Clea McCaa and reelected Council Members Carolyn Umphrey, Mark Rodriguez, and William Benning were ceremonially sworn in at a reception prior to Thursday’s City Council meeting. Hosted in the Sierra Vista Public Library’s meeting room, the reception drew a large, excited crowd.

Former Mayor Rick Mueller presented McCaa with his gavel and said, “May you only have to use it when you need to.”

McCaa in turn presented Mueller a gavel and plaque in recognition of his 22-year tenure on City Council, including three terms as mayor. He thanked Mueller for his tutelage and for his leadership to the City.

Later, at the City Council meeting, McCaa remarked, “It is a great day. I’ve been here for 42 years, moved here in 1980, and I love this City. We’re going to work for you. We’re going to work for the people of Sierra Vista.”

The City Council also approved the appointment of Carolyn Umphrey to serve as mayor pro tem.

“I’m also very proud to be a part of this team up here,” Mayor Pro Tem Umphrey said. “It’s an honor and I’m deeply grateful to be selected as the mayor pro tem by the new mayor and receive the support of my colleagues”

The Sierra Vista City Council approved a contract with Justice of the Peace, Precinct V Judge Kenneth Curfman for magistrate court services at its regular meeting on Thursday, Dec. 22.

The proposed agreement came before Council on Dec. 8 and was tabled. After removing it from the table on Wednesday, City Council approved the proposed agreement with a 4-3 vote, placing Curfman in the position of City Magistrate until December 31, 2024. The agreement may automatically renew for an additional two-year period.

In 2020, the City of Sierra Vista entered into an intergovernmental agreement with Cochise County for court co-location and operations, establishing via ordinance that the Justice of the Peace, Precinct V, shall be the City’s magistrate. Curfman was re-elected to that position in the November 2022 general election.

No other business was brought before Council.

More information from Thursday’s City Council meeting is available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, Dec. 22, City Council meeting, available on the City’s website at www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-documents.

City Council meetings can be streamed live and past meetings can be viewed on YouTube. The meetings are also aired on Cox Channel 12. Learn more at  www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-meetings or in the “Council HQ” page at engage.sierravistaaz.gov.

The Sierra Vista City Council approved the canvass of the Nov. 8 General Election results at a special meeting on Tuesday.

The City Council is required to canvass the results no less than six days and no more than 20 days after the election. The canvass affirms that the City Clerk and City Council have found the election was run and processed by the Cochise County Elections Department according to law.

Of the three candidates running for mayor, Clea McCaa received the highest number of votes and will take office effective Jan. 1, 2023. Of the four candidates running for the three open City Council member seats, William Benning, Mark Rodriguez, and Carolyn Umphrey received the most votes and have been reelected to the council, with new terms starting Jan. 1, 2023.

More information from Thursday’s City Council meeting is available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, Nov. 23, City Council meeting. They can be accessed via the City’s website at www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-documents.

City Council meetings can be streamed live and past meetings can be viewed on YouTube. The meetings are also aired on Cox Channel 12. Learn more at  www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-meetings or in the “Council HQ” page at engage.sierravistaaz.gov.

The Sierra Vista City Council approved the acceptance of $350,000 from the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs border security funds to upgrade the City’s VHF radio system at its regular meeting today.

This system is used as a backup for the Sierra Vista Police Department and is the primary radio system used by Sierra Vista Fire & Medical Services. The upgrade will ensure SVPD can transition to a reliable VHF system if its primary system goes down. It will also provide improved reliability for SVPD to communication with SVF&MS personnel during critical incidents.

There are no matching dollars from the City required for these funds.

In other business, the City Council tabled an intergovernmental agreement with Patagonia Union High School to provide Commercial Driver’s License training and exam licensure.

More information from Thursday’s City Council meeting is available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, Nov. 10, City Council meeting. They can be accessed via the City’s website at www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-documents.

City Council meetings can be streamed live and past meetings can be viewed on YouTube. The meetings are also aired on Cox Channel 12. Learn more at  www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-meetings.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council approved an intergovernmental agreement with Cochise College for the college to construct a driver’s safety course on a 10-acre piece of City-owned land located east of Fire Station 3.

The driver’s safety course is part of a First Responders Academy Cochise College plans to construct in Sierra Vista. The paved driver’s safety course will enable the college to conduct public safety and other driver’s training and certification programs, including CDL certification. It will be used for training recruits in the Southeast Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy.

In exchange for the land improvements, Cochise College will receive priority usage of the course at no cost. The City will receive the next priority use, followed by general public use. When the property is not being used by the college, the City may use it for driver’s training, certification courses, activities, event overflow parking and other public uses.

In other business:

• The City Council approved a resolution supporting a $17,000 grant awarded to Sierra Vista Fire & Medical Services by the Tohono O’odham Nation for a Medical Chest Compression Device.
• The City Council approved a resolution stating the City’s intent to reimburse itself for capital expenditures it makes, if those expenditures take place before related financing is in place. This complies with Federal Treasury regulations.
• The City Council approved the renewal of an intergovernmental agreement with the Whetstone Fire District to provide ambulance billings services. This IGA was originally established in 2017.

More information from Thursday’s City Council meeting is available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, Oct. 27, City Council meeting. They can be accessed via the City’s website at www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-documents.

City Council meetings can be streamed live and past meetings can be viewed on YouTube. The meetings are also aired on Cox Channel 12. Learn more at  www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-meetings or in the “Council HQ” page at engage.sierravistaaz.gov.