Police Efforts Praised By Grateful Council

At the City Council meeting held Tuesday, October 9, Winslow Police Chief Stephen Garnett was thanked repeatedly for the police departments efforts during the Standin’ On The Corner Celebration and for helping the City budget by acquiring a federal grant.

Garnett was present to answer any question the Council or public had about the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant the police force received. The block grant of $23,300, plus the city’s match of $2,600, will be used to pay officers overtime and purchase new equipment. He was encouraged to continue finding more grants to help fund the police department.

One condition of the grant requires the city to hold a public hearing to discuss the proposed expenditures. When the hearing was opened at the meeting, no questions were asked and no comments were made.

Several times throughout the meeting, Chief Garnett was congratulated and thanked for the “outstanding” job police officers’ did in keeping the Standin’ On The Corner Celebration safe and incident free. Councilman Robert Beamish pointed out that during the celebration, he kept noticing kids surrounding the bike-riding officers. He added that seeing the kids responding so positively to the officers “speaks very well” of the Winslow Police Department.

Issuing a proclamation, the council declared Friday, October 12 as Native American Day. Representatives of the Native American Parent Advisory Committee were present to accept the proclamation and participants in the Miss Winslow Native American contest were presented to the Council.

The council issued a second proclamation making the month of October 2001 Disability Awareness Month. The proclamation established an annual award to the employer who has made the greatest disability awareness contribution. The award to the Employer of the Year, along with the school out-reach program and disability awareness posters, will be given out at the Council’s next meeting on Monday, October 22.

The board approved the Verde Company to oversee the excavation of soil at the city property located at Colorado Avenue and Fourth Street. The property was donated to the United People Who Care organization for the site of their new center. The soil has to be tested for contamination before the kids’ center can move onto the site.

The distribution of $75,000 received from Waste Management’s franchise fee was tabled until the council could decide how to allocate the money.

A new General Plan Steering Committee was created to help a consultant, Community Sciences Corporation, revise the City’s General Plan.

The boards ten members will be appointed at the next Council meeting and will consist of one member of the Planning Commission, one member of the Board of Adjustments, one member of the Historic Preservation Commission, six members of the general public, which will be appointed by each council member and one council member to be appointed by the mayor.

On the consent calendar, the board approved the transfer of $1,600 from the General Fund to cover their out-of-pocket expenses for the West’s Best Rodeo. The money covered the cost of keeping the arena’s sand watered down to keep dust from rising and graded to keep the sand soft. The funds also paid for the trash collection and insurance to cover the City’s liability.

They also approved the transfer of $1,860 from the General Fund to cover the cost of a new gas furnace for the Roxanne Whipple Memorial Library. Due to the furnace being an older model, parts to fix the inoperative furnace cannot be found. Steve Montano Enterprises was awarded the bid and will replace the furnace.

The board approved payment for legal services in conjunction with the City’s water rights.

Councilman Beamish, who also serves as Chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission, spoke about the commission’s annual report. He said that a walking tour brochure of historic downtown Winslow had been created and sent to the State Historic Preservation Organization to be approved.

Beamish reported the commission had not used a grant to do the brochure because they could design and print the brochure cheaper than the $300 the City would be required to pay if the grant was used.

The council adopted Ordinance number 867, which renewed the lease of the Hubbell Building by the Affiliation of Arizona Indian Centers. The building is in need of some repairs, so it was included in the lease agreement that the renters may have to leave the building for a number of days. The days they are vacant from the building will be added to the year-long lease.

The council had the first reading of Ordinance number 869, which will reduce the solid waste rates by $1.11 per month for both residential and commercial accounts. Winslow Mayor Jim Boles pointed out the reduction will keep Winslow’s trash rates lower than surrounding areas that have pick-up once a week and smaller containers.

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