The “Early-Action Community Investment Agreement” with South32 that Patagonia’s Town Council will be discussing and possibly voting on at a hastily called special meeting Wednesday evening would see the mining company fund up to $2.3 million in projects in Patagonia over the next 12 months.
The draft agreement arrives in advance of the U.S. Forest Service’s publication of its Final Environmental Impact Statement for South32’s Hermosa project on Friday, March 6, beginning a new 60-day period of public review.
According to the 17-page draft of the investment agreement published online Tuesday afternoon, South32 has agreed to fund the following Patagonia-based projects over the next 12 months:
- Expand fire and EMS, infrastructure: up to $630,000
- Designs to expand Patagonia main office to create a space for the local Marshall’s Office: up to $300,000
- Patagonia Flood Control Study Phase II (Facilitated by County): up to $380,000
- Design for expansion of clinic for imaging, ER, and crisis counseling: up to $500,000
- Design and concept drawings for Patagonia daycare birth to 5: up to $150,000
- Design and engineering for Affordable Housing Project: up to $350,000
For context, the Town of Patagonia’s budget for Fiscal Year 2026, adopted last May, is $4.3 million.
Besides South32 and the Town of Patagonia, the investment agreement’s signatories are Santa Cruz County and the City of Nogales. According to the draft agreement, South32 has agreed to fund the following Santa Cruz County-centered projects over the next 12 months:
- Protections Roadmap: up to $300,000
- Independent Emergency Services Audit: assess the readiness, gaps, and coordination capabilities of emergency services in the region: up to $200,000
- Support to Mariposa mobile clinic for remote and underserved areas. (Includes equipment and possibly staffing): up to $200,000
- Purchase County Mobile Health Vehicle/Clinic to increase convenient access to primary care, immunizations, screenings, and health education: up to $100,000
- Housing Project study and design for Mariposa residency program (Countywide): up to $150,000
- Vehicle purchase for Mariposa Clinic transportation programs: up to $220,000
- Create a strategic childcare plan for the entire County. Work toward solutions for capacity, affordability, and quality. Will look for partnerships from private business, government, and nonprofits: up to $150,000
- County wide parks, recreation, and open space master plan. This covers parks, birding, trails (horse, hiking, walking), cycling, sports facilities, natural open spaces, and recreation programming. Includes inventory and needs assessment, economic impact, possible impacts from growth, environmental considerations, and a strategic plan with a CIP: up to $150,000
- Update current Santa Cruz County Housing Strategy 22-27 and create an implementation strategy which includes regulatory changes, affordable housing projects, environmental considerations, and infrastructure expansion with CIP. Would emphasize housing for middle income professions such as teachers: up to $150,000
Click here to read/download the entire draft agreement.
The governments of the Town, City and County are scheduled to conduct near-simultaneous meetings Wednesday evening to discuss and take possible action on the draft agreement with the mining company.
The County Supervisors’ meeting will be held Wednesday at 5:30 pm at the
Santa Cruz County Complex (2150 N. Congress Drive, Room 120) in Nogales. The meeting will livestream at youtube.com/@santacruzcountyarizona/live. Information on how members of the public can participate in this meeting is in the meeting agenda document, available here.
The Patagonia Town Council meeting will be held Wednesday at 6:00 pm in Council chambers at Patagonia Town Hall. Space inside the Council chambers is limited to 47 people. Zoom access is available via MEETING I.D. 957-511-4862 and PASSCODE 338501.