Council HQ

At the regular City Council meeting on Thursday, lifeguards Nathan Gluck, Briana Kellie, and Jocelyn Hite were presented with national awards on behalf of the American Red Cross.

On Sept. 25, 2025, a seven-year-old girl had a medical emergency in the water during swim practice. A team of lifeguards both on duty and off quickly came together along with a bystander to pull the victim out of the water and begin CPR, reviving her within 45 seconds and continuing to administer care until EMS professionals arrived.

In honor of their courageous actions in helping to save the girl’s life, Hite was awarded the American Red Cross Lifesaving Award for Professionals and Gluck and Kellie were awarded the Red Cross Certificate of Merit.

The Lifesaving Award for Professionals is given by the Red Cross to an individual, or team of individuals, who save or sustain a life outside of a medical setting as part of their employment or while on duty.

The Red Cross Certificate of Merit is the highest award given by the Red Cross and is presented to an individual or team who saves or sustains a life by using skills and knowledge learned in an American Red Cross Preparedness and Health and Safety Services course. Gluck and Kellie, who both received this training as part of their employment at The Cove, garnered this recognition because they were both off duty at the time of the incident but assisted anyway.

Mayor Clea McCaa and Sports and Aquatics Supervisor John Healy presented the awards to Kellie, Hite, and Gluck at Thursday’s City Council meeting. Gluck, who enlisted as a Combat Medic Specialist in the U.S. Army, participated virtually while his father and brothers accepted the award on his behalf.

In other business:

• Mayor Clea McCaa proclaimed the week of Sept. as Minority-Owned Business Week in and for the City of Sierra Vista.
• The Economic Development Commission presented a Business Recognition Award to Juan’s Barber Shop for earning Minority-Owned Business of the Year. More information can be found on the City’s website at www.SierraVistaAZ.gov.
• Mayor McCaa presented the City’s Procurement Division with an Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award on behalf of the National Procurement Institute.
• Mayor McCaa presented Chief Procurement Officer Helen Lee with the 2026 Procurement Manager of the Year Award on behalf of the Copper Chapter of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing.
• Council approved Development Code amendments that allow small contractor yards as a principal use within the General Commercial and Light Industrial zoning districts.
• Council approved Development Code amendments that consolidate interceptor standards into a single Design Manual to eliminate duplicate rules, streamline permitting, and simplify future engineering updates.
• Council approved Development Code amendments that relocate water conservation codes to Residential, Plumbing, and Mechanical Codes to consolidate building-code related standards within a single regulatory framework.
• Council approved Building Code updates that adopt building, mechanical, plumbing, energy, conservation, fire, fuel, gas, residential, existing building, swimming pool and accessibility, and fire codes regulating and governing the construction conditions and maintenance of all property, buildings, and structures in the City.
• Council approved submission of the 2025 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER) to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Caper describes the Community Development Block Grant funding projects, activities, and accomplishments over the last year.
• Council approved a Series 10 Liquor License for B&S Oriental Market.
• Council approved a change of agent for a multi-license acquisition of a Control Liquor License for Walgreens.
• Council authorized the Industrial Development Authority to issue a charter school bond for the Casa Academy Project.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council dedicated a multi-use path segment to Stuart “Stu” Carter.

Honoring Carter’s lifetime of service to the nation, the City of Sierra Vista, and the veteran and cycling communities, the segment of multi-use path from the intersection of Highway 92 and Buffalo Soldier Trail (BST) heading northwest along BST to Fry Boulevard will now be the Stu Carter Memorial Bikeway.

After moving to Sierra Vista in 2006, Carter devoted many years to volunteer service, particularly in support of veterans and bicycling initiatives. As a United States Air Force veteran, Carter continued to serve his fellow veterans in leadership roles across a multitude of veteran organizations.

He was also a former president of the Cochise Bicycle Advocates, helped advance Sierra Vista’s designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community, and played a key role in organizing local cycling events and bringing El Tour de Zona to Sierra Vista.

Combining his love of cycling with his desire to help fellow veterans, Carter founded VeloVets Sierra Vista in 2017. The organization supports the physical and mental well-being of veterans through a welcoming cycling community and has grown from just a few cyclists to over 130 members in the last nine years.

Carter was also highly instrumental in identifying areas of need to build multi-use paths throughout the City, increasing connectivity, multi-model transportation, and access, especially for our elderly and disabled communities.

“Stu Carter’s service and commitment touched nearly every part of this community,” Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa says. “This memorial bikeway ensures his name and legacy will remain a lasting part of Sierra Vista.”

In other business:

• Mayor McCaa proclaimed September 2026 as STEAM Month in and for the City of Sierra Vista.
• Mayor McCaa, along with Fire Chief Brad Dever and Police Chief Chris Hiser, presented Wayne Smith and Staff Sergeant Dakota Wallace with a Sentinel of Life Award for initiating life-saving CPR on a colleague who suffered a cardiac arrest at the Black Tower area on Fort Huachuca. Because of their actions in this remote area, their colleague is alive and doing well.
• Mayor McCaa presented City Tourism Program Manager Lauren Healy with a Rising Star Award on behalf of Arizona Governor’s Southern Region Tourism.
• Council approved a Series 12 Liquor License for The Bit.
• Council approved a Series 13 Liquor License for Feel’n Meady.
• Council adopted the Bella Vista Neighborhood Sector Examination Supplemental Plan.
• Council approved changing the name of a portion of Monsanto Drive to Thunder Mountain Way.
• Council adopted amendments to Personnel Rules and Regulations Rule 4 Classification and Compensation and Rule 10 Leave of Absence.
• Council accepted a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for apron sealing at the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport.

More information from Thursday’s City Council meeting is available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, Sept. 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 or on this page.

At a special meeting on Tuesday, the Sierra Vista City Council adopted the final Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Budget. The final budget of $140,710,916 remains unchanged from the Tentative Budget approved on June 25.

Council will meet on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 5 p.m. to set the FY 2026-2027 primary property tax levy. The recommended tax rate of $0.0993 per $100 of assessed valuation has been adjusted lower than last year so that residents will not see an increase in the amount they pay for City property taxes. The overall property tax revenue estimate at this rate equals $399,527.

At the regular City Council meeting on Thursday, Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa presented the Public Works Department with a Bronze-level Environmental Stewardship Award on behalf of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).

The award honors organizations in the Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Program (VESP) that have a good history of environmental compliance and that strive to go beyond what is legally required to protect public health and the environment. The City’s Public Works Department earned it in recognition of the Environmental Operations Park (EOP), the City’s wastewater treatment facility.

To qualify for a Bronze-level ADEQ award, a regulated facility must not have any violations on record with any environmental regulatory agency within the past three years and must maintain compliance while a member of VESP.

In other business:

• Mayor Clea McCaa presented Employee of the Year awards to Parks, Recreation, and Library Department staff.
• Council adopted the 2026 Transit Title VI Plan.
• Council approved amendments to the City Attorney’s contract to increase the base salary in correlation to annual salary increases received by other City employees.
• Council reappointed Lana Tompkins-Stutzman to the Commission on Disability Issues and accepted the resignation of Kurt Schoemaker from the Parks and Recreation Commission.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council approved over $138,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for the Warrior Healing Center.

The resolution, which authorizes the City to submit the Project Year 2026 CDBG Annual Action Plan, included substantial funding to replace the Warrior Healing Center’s roof and HVAC system. It also included funding for Fry Townsite fire safety improvements, Henry Jones Legacy Park enhancements, United Way emergency assistance, Boys & Girls Club scholarships, and the Echoing Hope Ranch Growing Independence Program.

The City receives annual Community Development Block Grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The total amount awarded was almost $250,000.

In other business:

• Mayor Clea McCaa, Police Chief Chris Hiser, and Fire Marshall Don Foster presented Raymond Rivera with a Sentinel of Life Award for actions to rescue a semi-truck driver whose arm was pinned underneath his vehicle.
• Council approved two Industrial Development Authority facility revenue bonds. One for Eduprize Schools and another for Paideia Academies.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, Sierra Vista City Council approved Development Code amendments that will eliminate the use of temporary materials in permanent commercial signage.

The amendments require that permanent signs shall be constructed of durable, weather-resistant materials designed to withstand long-term exposure to sun, wind, dust, and moisture, and give current and new businesses up to one year to comply.

These changes aim to remove blight caused by degrading temporary signage while also recognizing high start-up costs and allowing time for compliance to support the City’s goal of having a business-friendly environment.

In other business:

• Mayor Clea McCaa presented Sierra Vista Chief Financial Officer David Felix an award of Financial Reporting Achievement on behalf of the Government Finance Officers Association. 2026 is the 37^th consecutive year that the City has earned this award.
• Council approved a Bingo License for the Friends of the Sierra Vista Area Association.
• Council approved the updated Regional SWAT team intergovernmental agreement with Cochise County.
• Council heard a presentation on the fiscal year 2025 audit of City financial statements and of the City’s compliance with Arizona Revised Statute §41-1494 and designated CFO David Felix as the person authorized to sign and submit the City’s Annual Expenditure Limitation Report for FY 27.
• Council agreed to have the City act as a pass-through agent for possible grant funding in support of Echoing Hope Ranch.

At the regular meeting on Thursday, the Cochise County Food Network recognized Sierra Vista as City Hall Countywide Food Drive Champions and the Sierra Vista Police Department as the 2026 Law Enforcement Countywide Food Drive Champions.

In March, as the Cochise County Food Network was gearing up for its annual food drive, SVPD Chief Chris Hiser challenged law enforcement agencies citywide to see who could garner the most donations. SVPD even challenged our community to fill the truck bed of the department’s first vehicle, a 1955 Ford F100. And the community stepped up!

“Chief Hiser just blew everybody out of the water,” Cochise County Food Network Coordinator Wendee Carolan-Grinde said on Thursday.

With the support of the community, SVPD was able to collect 1,562 pounds of food. Cochise County has a poverty rate of 16.3%, and these donations go directly to local food banks to provide hope and dignity to our neighbors. Sierra Vista City Hall chipped in another 84 pounds to the effort through its donation box.

In this food drive, the Cochise County Food Network raised more than 9,000 pounds of food.

In other business:

• Mayor Clea McCaa and the Sierra Vista Economic Development Commission recognized 143 Street Tacos as the 2026 Small Business of the Year. Learn more at www.SierraVistaAZ.gov and on the “City of Sierra Vista” Facebook page.
• Mayor McCaa proclaimed May 3-9 as Small Business Week.
• Mayor McCaa proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month
• Staff presented the draft Project Year 2026 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plan to Council.
• Council reappointed Allyne R. McFalls to the Arts, Humanities, and Cultural Diversity Commission, and appointed Martauza Fleeks to the Environmental Stewardship Commission.

More information from Thursday’s City Council meeting is available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, April 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.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the City of Willcox to provide building inspection and plan review services on a short-term basis.

The Willcox building inspector/plan reviewer recently gave notice of accepting another job, leaving the City of Willcox without anyone to provide those services while they hire and train a new building inspector. Meanwhile, the City of Sierra Vista’s building services team currently has the capacity to assist Willcox.

As part of the IGA, Willcox will be billed at the employees’ full salary plus burden rate and for the cost of travel to Willcox and a small administrative fee. The term for the agreement is one year, with automatic renewals for one year thereafter unless either city notifies the other to discontinue the IGA.

In other business:

• Mayor Clea McCaa proclaimed April as Water Wise Awareness Month, Autism Awareness Month, and Fair Housing Month in and for the City of Sierra Vista.
• Council approved Development Code amendments related to conditional use permitting for mobile medical units.
• Council approved the donation of a 2014 Ford Explorer police vehicle to the Southeastern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy.
• Council approved a resolution restating the City’s commitment to fair housing in Sierra Vista.
• Council approved a Bingo License for the Cochise Chapter of the WeServ Real Wishes Foundation.
• Council accepted the resignation of Ana Smith from the Tourism Commission.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council approved an intergovernmental agreement for a regional SWAT team in partnership with the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office.

The agreement formalizes SWAT operation coordination between the Sierra Vista Police Department and CCSO, both of which adopted a common policy manual this past February. The joint manual established common standards for team recruitment, selection, retention, deployment status, training requirements, and leadership positions.

While SVPD and CCSO SWAT teams have assisted each other in operations for over 20 years, they began training together full time a couple of years ago to operate more cohesively and explore the feasibility of a regional SWAT team. The closer coordination has improved efficiency, safety, and service delivery to our community while minimizing or eliminating staffing challenges and tactical differences. It also increased the number of resources responding to incidents, including tactical support resources that normally were not available to SVPD like explosive breaching and air unit support.

In other business:

• Council appointed Dakota Martin to the Environmental Stewardship Commission and reappointed Rosie Mackey, Wendee Grinde, and Roger Hunter to the Neighborhoods Commission.
• Council hosted a public hearing on Project Year 2026 Community Development Block Grant funding requests and Annual Action Plan priorities.
• Council declared a 30-day public comment period on a Development Code amendment for business signs, which includes giving owners up to one year to replace temporary signs with permanent ones.
• Council approved the Vista Transit Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan 2026.
• Council approved amendments to the Personnel Rules and Regulations to include standard operating procedures that address presumptive cancer diagnosis in firefighters, fire inspectors, and peace officers.
• Council approved an intergovernmental agreement with Cochise County for the disbursement of opioid settlement funds that are required to be used to address the opioid crisis.
• Council approved an intergovernmental agreement between the Sierra Vista Metropolitan Organization and the City of Sierra Vista for the Signal Preemption Equipment Project.
• Council approved entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, which would make the City the municipal project sponsor and fiscal agent for the receipt and administration of federal funds for a micro community development.
• Council approved an Industrial Development Authority bond for Champion Schools.
• Council amended the effective date for sewer and sanitation rate increases from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2026.

More information from Thursday’s City Council meeting is available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, Mar. 26, 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.

At a special meeting on Tuesday, the Sierra Vista City Council approved a cooperative agreement with Arizona Land and Water Trust (ALWT), for the distribution of Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Challenge Program funding.

In Fiscal Year 2025, the City of Sierra Vista in partnership with Cochise County, and supported by Fort Huachuca, was awarded REPI Challenge Program funding in the amount of $1,807,185 to create an endowment for long-term management of natural resource projects. The REPI Program was created in 2002 to preserve military missions by supporting cost-sharing agreements to address environmental restrictions that limit military activities.

In accepting the agreement, the City is acting as the fiscal agent for the Adaptive Management Committee representing the interests of the Bureau of Land Management San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA) Memorandum of Understanding cooperative monitoring and management signatories. As a direct recipient of federal funds through a separate cooperative agreement with Fort Huachuca, ALWT is able to act as the intermediary to distribute funds from the fort to the City.

The funding serves as seed money to establish a permanent endowment dedicated to the long-term management of regional natural resources, including maintenance and ongoing monitoring expenses. This endowment will provide a sustainable solution for post-construction costs that are vital to conservation work that supports responsible resource management and secures a resilient future for the region’s water and other natural resources.

In other business:

• Mayor Clea McCaa proclaimed Wednesday, March 11, 2026, as Mentally Ill Kids in Distress (M.I.K.I.D.) day.