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SIERRA VISTA — The city’s final budget was approved but could be faced with about $500,000 or more in takes from the state.
A final budget of about $87 million was approved by the council at their meeting Thursday.
Both a $238,000 cut from the city’s Highway User Revenue Funds and a possible $8,900 fee for DPS Crime Lab services had been expected shortly after the state’s budget was approved but it seems more money may be headed back to the state, Assistant City Manager Mary Jacobs said.
The crime lab fee may now be $200,000, not $8,900.
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“There’s a question as to which is the right number,” Jacobs said.
Sierra Vista may also be asked to make additional contributions to cover state budget shortfalls.
According to the League of Arizona Cities and Towns newsletter, the state budget calls for a “suspicious $29M ‘contribution to the general fund’ that it requires from cities, towns and counties.”
“The League is going to be challenging that this year,” Jacobs said.
A conditional-use permit for a 60-foot cell tower was also approved by the council. The Verizon Wireless telecommunications tower will be located at the former Ball Fore Driving Range, 1950 S. Highway 92.
A Sprint cell tower also on the site was made to look like one of the posts that had held up the driving range net. Once the driving range closed, however, the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission felt a “monopine” or tower made to look like a pine tree, would better conceal the tower.
Verizon also agreed to placing additional landscaping, including three live pine trees, to give the tower a more natural appearance. A block wall will also be built around the tower’s equipment shelter, said Jim Herrewig, director of community development.
Councilwoman Hank Huisking asked whether the existing pole’s appearance could also be changed, but because the pole is owned by another company, Verizon representative Randy Downing of Reliable Land Services could not say.
Downing added that the monopine pole will be able to have another 10-foot extension, if approved by city staff, for Verizon or another company to expand service in the area, as opposed to adding an additional pole elsewhere.
Councilman Tom Reardon praised the collaboration between Verizon and the Planning & Zoning Commission to include the option for the extension to help minimize the need for another tower in the area.
The council also approved recommendation for a liquor license for the future Sam’s Club planned near Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and the Highway 90 Bypass.
Though the store’s building plans have not yet been approved, the store had to act quickly because the license became available, City Clerk Jill Adams said.
The council also gave support for a grant application for Arizona Department of Transportation funding of four multi-use path projects.
A public hearing on the city’s property tax rate decrease to $0.1258 per $100 of assessed value was also held, though no comments from the public were received. The proposed decrease will be brought to council for approval on Aug. 14.
Mayor Bob Strain presented former commissioners John Beech and Susan McCathern with certificates of appreciation for their service.
Beech served on the Youth Commission and resigned because he will be attending Northern Arizona University this fall.
McCathern served on the West End Commission, formerly the Downtown Neighborhood Commission, since 2002 and was one of the creators of the West End Block Party.
Although the limitations to what the commission could do were sometimes frustrating, she enjoyed the community support, said McCathern, who served as chairwoman of the commission. She wanted to leave to allow someone new to serve, she said.
“I’m not gone. I’m ad hoc now,” McCathern said.
A representative from Phoenix Greyhound Racing Foundation also presented a donation of $1,000 to the Good Neighbor Alliance at the meeting. Such donations and grants are the sole funding for the emergency homeless shelter, said organization director Kathy Calabrese.
Awards were also given to the first, second and third place winners from the city’s Youth Talent Show in each of the five age groups.
Video of the City Council meetings will now be available online at ci.sierra-vista.az.us. The Web site was down because of storms Wednesday and Thursday but should be back up soon, Jacobs said.
LAURA ORY can be reached at 515-4683 or laura.ory@svherald.com.
Maybe wrote on Jul 25, 2008 3:34 PM: