May 13, 2026 – Regular Meeting
• During the call to the public, Carolyn Shafer praised the Sonoita-Elgin Fire Department and Patagonia Volunteer Fire and Rescue for the rapid and coordinated response to a Patagonia house fire. The comments were made in regard to an agenda item on the mutual aid agreement between SEFD and PVFR.
• Mayor Andrea Wood and the Town Council approved Resolution 2026-04, a tentative town budget for the fiscal year 2026-2027 and the scheduling of a public hearing on the budget.
• The mayor and council approved Resolution 2026-05, which involves a Nature Conservancy donation of approximately five acres of land to the town. Council member Steve Finch explained that the piece of land in question runs between State Route 82 and Sonoita Creek, already partly in use by the town, and the donation repairs a recently discovered survey error.
• The mayor and council approved Resolution 2026-06, an “automatic mutual aid agreement” between the PVFR and SEFD. PVFR Chief Zay Hartigan and SEFD Chief Mark Meredith explained that the agreement solidifies the current highly cooperative arrangement between the two agencies. Being “automatic” means that 911 dispatchers and other agencies requesting resources from either fire department will automatically contact both. Improving response rates, Meredith said, could positively affect homeowner fire insurance rates.
• The mayor and council approved a job description for the new court administrator.
• The mayor and council approved the drafts of three conservation easements granted to the town by: Borderlands Restoration Network; Susan Burnett; and Mark Byrum and Susan Stratman. Together, the easements are called Sonoita Creek Wildlife Corridor Conservation Easements and create permanent restrictions to development, lot splitting and public access, and preserve undeveloped area for wildlife movement. The current owners retain possession. Final versions of the easements will come
to the mayor and council later for approval.
May 27, 2026 – Regular Meeting
• The mayor and council approved an annual contract services agreement with Michaela De la Ossa for cleaning of town of Patagonia buildings and public restrooms.
• Town Ordinance 2026-03 was approved, creating several small changes to the town code in accordance with statutory requirements pertaining to subdivisions. They include procedural changes to processes of subdivision plat approvals; updating requirements for preliminary and final plat approvals; amending Article 15-5 to update subdivision assurances to include third-party trust agreements; repealing a previous article and replacing it with an article establishes administrative review of lot splits; and other changes made for clarity throughout.
• Town Resolution 2026-07 was approved, finalizing the schedule of administrative fees for reviewing and approving subdivisions plats and lot splits.
• The mayor and council approved a memorandum of understanding with mining company South32 for minor road repairs, which are not to exceed $100,000 per project.
• The mayor and council agreed to recommend approval of a special event liquor license that PVFR has requested from the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control for PVFR’s annual fundraiser, a steak fry held in the Town Park’s gazebo area. The steak fry will be held Saturday, June 27, from 4-11 p.m.