June 11, 2025
There were no respondents to Call to Public, nor any changes to the minutes of the previous meeting.
Mayor Andy Wood reminded those present that the Fire Department’s Steak Fry would be on Saturday, June 28, centered on the Gazebo in the Town’s park, and generously advertised by posters around the town.
Mayor Wood was appointed as the Town Council’s member on the Patagonia Volunteer Fire and Rescue’s Board of Directors, serving for one year. Council member Steve Finch had previously held the position.
Mayor and Council approved a Management Agreement for the Patagonia Senior Center/Community Center for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
A proposal to approve the amended Patagonia Library Director position was tabled after Councilor Michael Stabile pointed to a few areas where the description of the position needed clarification.
Town Manager Ron Robinson was approved to sign a proposal from Exerplay Playground Equipment for a new slide and rock-climbing wall for Richardson Park. The contract amount of $87,990.09 will have $65,379.00 funded by South32, with another $21,840.00 to come from an accidental permit overcharge to South32. The balance of $771.09 is to be charged to Capital Outlay–Equipment, of the Fiscal Year 2026 Parks budget, Line Item 10-64-54.
In answer to a question about the safety of the new climbing wall, and thus about the Town’s potential liability, Manager Robinson explained that it was a replacement of an existing wall, which has 12” of manufactured wood chips on the ground, which successfully cushions falls.
Regarding future agenda items: the Library Director job description can “come off the table” when a new description is prepared; the Town’s Code Chapter 11, on Traffic, needs writing improvements; the modification of Forest Lane as Town water tank access; and a Memorandum of Understanding with the Patagonia Volunteer Fire and Rescue group.
The last two items are expected at the next meeting.
June 25, 2025
There were no respondents to Call to Public, nor any changes to the minutes of the previous meeting.
As a report item, Mayor Wood mentioned that T-Mobile was working on clarifying certain portions of the writing of their proposal for a communications tower in Patagonia, and will bring it to a future Council meeting.
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality community liaison Aaron Tews presented the Town with a bronze-level award for environmental leadership and quality of the Town’s Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Under Old Business, the amended Library Director position description was approved.
New business began with a Public Hearing session to hear architect Arturo Vazquez’s presentation of a revised plan for two housing units on Smelter Ave. on behalf of owner Jose Delgado. Approval of the revised plan had been recommended by the Planning and Development Committee.
The revised plan features a frame-and-stucco duplex building of 22 feet maximum height, and four off-street parking spaces. There will be no commercial spaces, and residents would be Mr. Delgado and his son, with no Airbnb or other rental space offered. In addition there would be no removal of trees, with only minimal pruning as needed near property lines. The plan includes management of surface water drainage. Yard setbacks would be the required five feet on the three affected sides. As part of the discussion of vehicle issues on a dead end alley, adjoining neighbor Philip Brister raised the suggestion that, beyond this immediate project, the town should seriously study problems with alley parking and vehicle use through the whole community. The proposal’s new features, and the architect’s answers to neighbor and counci questions, answered previous objections sufficiently that when the Public Hearing ended and regular Council meeting reconvened the plan was approved. This led to the adoption of Town Resolution 2025-09, approving Use Permit 2025-106-010B, for construction of a duplex at 273 Smelter Av.
The Town adopted Resolution no 2025-08, which designates the Town’s Chief Fiscal Officer as the Town official to submit the Fiscal Year 2026 Expenditure Limitation Report to the Arizona Auditor General.
After some discussion about which residents of the region are or are not officially covered for emergency services, Council approved the 2025-2026 Fire Protection and Emergency Services Agreement with Patagonia Volunteer Fire & Rescue.
The Trail Riders of Southern Arizona’s annual trail riding weekend in Patagonia will be on November 21-22. They’ll use the gazebo in the Park and rent the Town’s five-acre property on Harshaw Ave. for camping. As a 501c3 organization the Trail Riders are electing to raise money for the community’s Food Bank, and will pay the Town $100.00 administrative fee and $275.00 for land rental. Without objections, the Special Event Permit was granted.
Town Manager Robinson was approved to sign a funding agreement with the Friends of the Library for $21,000 for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, and to sign a Licensing Agreement with Valley Telecom for their installation of fiber optics cables within Town’s Rights of Way.