-Mayor Walter presented Rumdoul In, also known as “Pip” (pictured above with family), with an Outstanding Employee Recognition Award for her outstanding contributions to the Town of Florence. The outstanding employee award program is based on employee nominations and each employee recognized receives a $75.00 gift certificate to a local business of their choosing. Reading from Pip’s nomination letter, Mayor Walter added “Pip has worked for the fire department for 14 years. She stepped into the Public Education / Community Risk Reduction role and has identified many areas that needed improvement over the years”. In particular, Pip has been instrumental in coordinating the Fire Department’s Open House events. Great job Pip!

-Councilmember Buccellato led a presentation regarding the 7th Annual Michelle Gallagher Co-Ed Softball Tournament being held on March 25, 2023. Following the discussion, it was decided the Town will be registering 1 to 2 teams, depending on how many staff members would like to participate. Both staff and Council are excited to join the fun and help support the Michelle Gallagher foundation!

-Communications & Intergovernmental Relations Manager, Jeff Graves, shared a presentation outlining the town’s new Legislative Platform and provided an update on this year’s legislative session. The town’s revised legislative priorities include: 1) preserving local decision-making; 2) protecting shared revenues; 3) opposing cost and liability shifting; 4) protecting local water rights & resources; 5) promoting transportation projects in the Florence region; and 6) promoting efficient and effective governance. Graves also discussed the legislation the town is tracking, including two bills seeking state funding to widen Hunt Highway (House Bills 2299 & 2543). If you’d like to support these bills, visit florenceaz.gov/townofflorencestatelegislators/ to find and contact your legislators.

-Planner, Maricella Benitez, requested authorization to proceed with the annexation of parcels 200-24-009H and adjacent rights-of-way, generally located at the NW corner of Hunt Highway & Attaway Road. If successfully annexed, this property would allow one residential unit per 1.25 acres. The applicants intend to annex the property, combine it with an adjacent parcel, and develop a higher-density residential community, which would require rezoning. Council unanimously approved for staff to initiate the annexing of this property and will consider the applicant’s request to rezone this area in the future.

-Public Works Director, Chris Salas, recommended the approval of a professional services contract with AJP Electric to complete the Heritage Park Lighting Project, which will enhance the park’s safety and visibility by adding LED lighting throughout. The contract totals $686,550 and staff’s goal is to complete the project before the end of 2023, if possible. This item was unanimously approved by Council.

-Public Works Director, Chris Salas, recommended the approval of a cooperative use contract with SJ Anderson to complete various safety-related renovations within the Town Hall building. Work will include adding a customer service window to the left side of the lobby for Administration staff (utilizing American Rescue Plan Act funding) as well as adding handrails to the wings of the Town Hall stage (utilizing town funding). Together, these projects will total $155,863 and were approved by Council.

-Finally, in light of recent cost increases and upcoming contract changes, Deputy Finance Director, Carl Dudding, presented a financial review of the town’s residential sanitation services outlining the services we provide, current challenges, key cost drivers, and recommendations for reducing costs. Overall, Mr. Dudding found that high-volume landfill users (those visiting the landfill 7-13+ times annually) were causing the bulk of the cost increases because the town is charged a minimum amount for each visit, regardless of how much trash is deposited. In response to this and other findings, Mr. Dudding recommended negotiating with local landfills to offer a discounted rate for residents, discontinuing service pauses or charging $30 to place trash services on hold, adding a one-time account establishment fee for new trash-only accounts, and/or establishing a $5 late fee of on past due accounts. Council discussed these options, shared their preferences, and directed staff to prepare a final set of options based on their feedback in the weeks ahead.

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If you’d like to support the transportation bills mentioned below, visit https://www.florenceaz.gov/townofflorencestatelegislators/ to find and contact your legislators.

To watch this meeting, visit the Town's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TownOfFlorence

And to view the agendas for this or future meetings, visit: https://www.florenceaz.gov/town-council/