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.
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 funded by South32, with another $21,840 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.
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 council questions, answered previous objections sufficiently that when the Public Hearing ended and the regular Council meeting reconvened the plan was approved.
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 Food Bank, and will pay the Town $100 administrative fee and $275 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.
July 9, 2025
In Call to Public, two speakers discussed item 9 on the Agenda, regarding a proposal for a new sidewalk along the south side (the park side) of SR 82, between Third and Fourth Avenues. Victor Romo questioned the need for a sidewalk, saying it takes away from some of the old and comfortable feeling of Patagonia to have everything paved and with curbs. He added that there already is a sidewalk running the full length of the park. Robert Gay suggested that the walkway curve around the unique mesquite whose branches have grown into the ground, and that in finalizing the design, the Town look for connecting shapes at either end.
Fire Chief Hartigan gave a report from his Department, starting with a review that both parts of the Fourth of July event—parade and fireworks—had gone smoothly and according to plan. Six of the staff, he mentioned, are in training courses offered in the State Fire School, and he himself is looking to complete the EMT certification process.
New Business began with Carolyn Shafer’s summary of the recent process by Patagonia Area Resource Alliance to coordinate organizational review of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Hermosa Minerals Project. Shafer spoke largely from a ten-slide show she had also presented to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on July 2.
The second and last item of New Business was the approval of Manager Robinson’s signing of a design-and-construction proposal by CPE Consultants for a new sidewalk along the south side of SR 82. The Arizona state legislation supporting this project was SB 162, and has been signed by Governor Hobbs. The work would be covered by funds remaining from an ongoing STBG grant, with a total fee of $34,315.
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Under Mayor and Committee reports, Manager Robinson mentioned that the roadwork and resurfacing on Rothrock Alley would be completed within a week by the application of a coat of chip-seal.
Under New Business, Breanna Delaney-Schreiber was approved to become the Town’s Record Officer. The designation will be made by Manager Robinson, and the position’s duties will include communication on behalf of the Town with the Arizona State Library Archives and Public Records.
Town Manager Robinson was approved to sign a proposal for Robert Ollerton to provide six emergency handheld radios and one emergency radio, to be installed in the Town’s pickup truck. This equipment and its placement is in compliance with the Town-Council-approved Emergency Operations plan, approved on March 26, 2025. The supplier is La Rue Communications, and payment will be $2,708.88.
The Mayor and Council adopted ordinance 25-01, which amends the Town Code’s Section 3-2-1 by adding a new section listing the Town Manager’s current duties.