February 12, 2025
Town Manager Ron Robinson was approved by council to sign a legally binding Contribution Agreement with South32 to fund a new Community Specialist position at a salary of $50,000 per year. The job description includes working on a plan and grant funding for affordable housing and other infrastructure projects. The position will also support administration of various regulatory procedures and record-keeping for the Town.
The Specialist will also conduct safety meetings and inspections, manage the Town’s recycling program, work with the Sky Island Tourist Association (SITA) to develop marketing for the town and arrange brochure stocking and six-day-a-week staffing for the Visitors’ Center and promote Town job opportunities at the annual Career Day in the schools.
The Contribution Agreement is currently in draft form, and proposes to be effective for five years. Project tasks will be defined and budgeted a year at a time, as part of the Town’s budget process. The Town will then submit monthly Project Statements to South32 for payment.
The Town Manager may assign various other tasks, and will be the Town official the Specialist works directly with. South 32 may ask for a report on the activities of the Community Specialist at any time, and may act as advisor on the economic development aspects of the work, but does not control the activities of the Community Specialist.
Once the contract is signed, the Town will post the position, with application requirements, first year’s Scope of Work and timeline for the hiring decision.
A Special Event Liquor License was approved for Community Homes of Patagonia’s February 14 fundraiser to benefit their Gopher Field project on Third Avenue.
The Council voted unanimously to approve two contracts with CPE Consultants. The first would provide concept design for five affordable housing units to be placed on one acre of Town property on the north side of Harshaw Avenue. The design package is $4,795, plus reimbursables. The second contract is for $5,500 for CPE to design and load calculations for new rest stop gazebos at Beaty Lane, at the western end of the Town’s park strip.
February 26, 2025
In Call to the Public, Cassina Farley spoke as the director of the Patagonia Creative Arts Association, located at 304 Naugle in the Tin Shed Theater building. Responding to an agenda item, Farley offered strong support for Town regulation of food trucks. She said that In the roughly year and a half that the Elisa’s Tacos and Tamales food truck has been in operation at the corner of Third Ave and SR82, next to the Creative Arts Center, food truck customers have been illegally parking in the Center’s loading zone, that food truck customers have been parking semi-trailers and other vehicles in the middle lane of SR82 at the Center, creating a public safety hazard, and that food truck customers routinely loiter and eat directly in front of the Center.
Farley recommended that since the previous use of the corner property was Charlie Montoy’s gas station, the conversion of the space to a food truck/outdoor cafe business use justified a Use Permit process, and this particular use should be denied.
Manager Robinson responded that the Town is aware of the issues and is planning to add parking-restriction signage in the area of the Arts Center and corner of Third Ave, and boldly mark the Loading Zone, with County Sheriff to provide enforcement.
Mayor Wood requested that Farley and any other interested residents get comments on food truck regulation in writing to the Planning and Development Committee (P&D).
Councilor Finch said that state regulations exempt mobile food trucks from local regulation, other than meeting local Health Departments’ requirements.
The Mayor will help set up a joint Study Session with P&D on the subject, probably in April, including an opportunity for the public to participate in the discussion. The Town will hold an open workshop on March 5 to review the Site Plan and building layout for duplex units on an acre of Town-owned property on Harshaw Ave.
Council approved transferring $34,285, for a project to pave and otherwise improve Duquesne Ave parking at the Town’s Library.
Council approved a request from Destination Trails to rent, for $500, Town-owned land at 580-588 Harshaw Ave from March 30 to April 13 for an event called the Arizona Monster 300, a multi-day foot race to begin in Superior AZ and to finish at Harshaw Ave. This approval follows the Town’s denial of approval for an earlier request to use the Town’s park for 14 days.
Councilor Finch reminded Council that the next P & D meeting has been rescheduled to Thursday, March 6.
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