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by Bill Bennett
Department heads reported on a lot of
activity for their respective departments. The reports
presented many issues of which the citizens of Tombstone should
be aware.
City Building Official Jim Boutte reported
permit activity since the beginning of the year was $1,566,000
in value for permit revenue of $11,300. So far in April there
have been four permits issued and for March there was $849,000
in value for permit revenue of $5,249.
Boutte also reported discrepancies between
the 2005 City Code Book and the 2003 City Code Book. He cited
specifically the code defining R-1 residential and the Animal
Chapter. The Animal Chapter in the 2003 code book is three
pages and in the 2005 code book is eleven pages. Boutte stated
that it is unclear if the additional pages are actual
modifications made by council or if they just
“appeared” when the code book was last codified. He
asked that council make an agenda item to officially adopt one
of the two code books being used as the official code book.
Mayor DeJournett stated that former city
attorney Randall Bayes was charged with the task of codifying
the City Code book and it took almost three years to complete.
City Attorney Ed Matchett elaborated that codifying the city
code is a daunting task and in order for council to confirm
which additions to the 2005 Code Book are correct, there would
have to be in-depth research into council meetings to find out.
Councilman Bill Barlow added that a lot of the work on the code
book was “farmed out” to high school students to
complete. Matchett then added that unless the process was very
strictly overseen, there could be errors.
Public Works Director Alex Gradillas
stated that we pumped 4,409,000 gallons of water last month;
700,000 gallons came from the springs. Gradillas said that
there was not enough snowfall this winter to feed the springs.
Gradillas also reported that signs
identifying the Tombstone Aqueduct from the springs are being
placed, especially in the Hereford area where most of the
construction is happening. He said they are working because the
department has had several phone calls for Blue Stake on the
aqueduct.
Gradillas then told the council that there
must be action taken on the security of the water storage
tanks. The owner of the property has confronted city workers
about work being done to connect well #1 to the storage tanks
and that the gates to the storage tank compound have been
opened repeatedly by the owner. Gradillas cited concern from a
Homeland Security standpoint because someone could contaminate
the city’s water supply and force a shutdown for testing.
He said that this happened in Willcox a while back and the city
water was shut down for several days while they awaited the
results of tests. Gradillas said that the locks on the gates
were changed as of the day of the council meeting and asked
what could be done if the owner cut off the locks. Attorney
Matchett said that since the city has a lifetime lease on the
property, any entrance by the owner without prior permission
should be treated as criminal trespass and the Marshal’s
Department should be contacted.
Additionally, Gradillas reported that Well
#1 is connected to the storage tanks and the arsenic levels are
at 6 parts/billion, which is well below the standards that have
been set. Well #3 has been lost because the arsenic levels are
too high. Gradillas asked if Dale Turner has been contacted
about the use of his well and volunteered to do that if council
wanted him to.
The garbage trucks are repaired and
working well, however, there are still problems with people
putting illegal items in their trash, and people are also
putting trash in dumpsters that do not belong to them. With
regard to the agenda item increasing collection fees, Gradillas
stated that the landfill charge will increase $1/ton starting
on July 1 and the increase will continue for the next four
years.
In her report, Acting City Clerk Brenda
Ikirt, reported that the City Financial Consultant Ruben Villa
has reported that the inventory at Boot Hill has not been
completed, but when it is he will give a full report to the
council. Villa will be setting up meetings with all of the
department heads next week to begin preparing the budget for
next fiscal year.
Ikirt also reported that Tombstone will be
hosting April’s Mayor/Manager meeting this month and that
a Charette has been scheduled for April 27th to report on the
city’s Historic Landmark Status and the work that is
being done. The Charette is open to the public.
City Marshal Jay Smith reported that
everything is going well at the Marshal’s Office. Morale
is high and changes are being well accepted. He has talked with
citizens and merchants downtown and stated that department
contact is good. He still has some conduct issues that need to
be addressed, but he is working on that.
Smith also said that he has implemented
more internal controls on reports, equipment, evidence, etc.
and it is working well. The deputies have also accepted a 4
day, 10 hours/day workweek. He said that this scheduling is
providing 24-hour coverage and there is a two-hour overlap from
10 p.m. until midnight where there are two officers on duty.
Smith has still not chosen a second in
command. He wants to make the position somewhat competitive and
will base his choice on academics, experience, an ability to
lead and other factors. He will also be accepting applications
for the position from outside the Marshal’s Office.
The marshal’s department responded
to 610 incidents over 117 days, which averages to a little more
than five calls per day. There were two incidents recently that
are being investigated. Near Apache Market two drivers, on
separate occasions, had one of their windows shot out. This
happened over a two-day period and the last incident was two
weeks ago. The Marshal’s Department suspects that it was
some kids with a pellet gun or a low-powered rifle, but has
little to go on.
Smith also stated that we could be losing
a couple of deputies. He would like to find experienced
officers, perhaps retired from another department, to fill the
vacancies rather than hiring people who will need to attend the
training academy. Mayor DeJournett said that there was supposed
to be an agreement with any of the new hires that had to attend
the academy that they would serve for two years or reimburse
the city for their training prorated on the length of time
served. City Clerk Ikirt said that the agreement had been
changed when Lance Crossthwait was Marshal and that council had
approved the change. She stated that there was no agreement of
this nature that was signed by any of the recruits. Smith also
said that he has been unable to find any signed agreements that
pertain to the officers who will be leaving.
Chris Townsend reported for the Fire
Department that the by-laws and NIMS procedures have been put
in place since they were approved at the last council meeting.
The fire department responded to 24 medical calls, one
structure fire and five vehicle fires in March, which averages
1 call every 1.04 days.
Townsend also reported that the fire
danger is at an all-time high and stressed that homeowners
should clear the area around their houses to provide a 30-foot
clearance between their house and surrounding brush.
Ben Traywick, City Historian, reported
that he has been busy with several interviews and calls about
Tombstone and talked with several groups.
Bill Pakinkis reported that the Historic
District Commission is very much in support of the dirt that
has been put on Allen Street. He also reminded residents that
if they are planning any exterior renovations to their homes or
businesses in the Historic District that they need to complete
the proper paperwork before the work starts.
The City Grant Writer Marylynn Johnson
reported that the city has received a $6,500 grant to purchase
25 certified helmets for the fire department and $16,000 for
vehicle extrication equipment for the fire department. She also
reported that grant applications have been submitted for three
in-dash video cameras for marshal’s vehicles and one for
a fire department vehicle.