Desert Messenger

August 17, 2022 ww.DesertMessenger.com 7 Quartzsite Council meetings recap July 26 Regular and Special Council Meeting recap Monica Timberlake announced the Quartzsite Elementary School Dis- trict had been awarded $4 million in grant funds from the AZ School Facilities Board to refurbish the school buildings in Quartzsite The work will take about a year to com- plete. Mayor Norm Simpson read a Proc- lamation declaring August 2022 as Child Support Awareness Month. The Arizona Department of Eco- nomic Security Division of Child Support Services is strongly com- mitted to putting Arizona's children first and is a strong advocate for shared parenting responsibilities. Council approved consent agenda items Ledger of Accounts paid in the total amount of $174,688.42, minutes of the Special meeting of July 6, 2022 and Regular meet- ing of July 12, 2022. The financial consulting services contract with Heinfeld, Meech & Co. was also renewed. The services contract amount is $15,000. Council voted to recommend ap- proval of the Horney Toad Saloon & Grille, Series 7 Beer and Wine Li- quor License application to the AZ Department of Liquor Licenses and Control The business is located at 960 W. Main Street. Council voted to recommend ap- proval of the Horney Toad Saloon & Grill, Series 12 Restaurant Liquor License application to the AZ De- partment of Liquor Licenses and Control The business is located at 960 W. Main Street. Council voted to adopt Resolution No. 22-13 opting out of the Social Se- curity Section 218 system for those employees eligible to enroll in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) with the Town of Quartzsite. Quartzsite Police Department em- ployees do not contribute to the So- cial Security due to their participa- tion in the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System. Council voted to adopt Resolution 22014 terminating the Town's Vol- untary 4-1)k) Retirement Plan with the Newport Trust Company. The Town will no longer contribute to the Plan due to joining the ASRS program. Council voted to adopt Resolution No. 22-15 authorizing an Agreement between the Town and the Arizona State Retirement System and desig- nating the Town manager as the au- thorized agent for the Town. Town Council members are not eligible to join the ASRS. Council made no changes to the current COVID-19 protocols. Council held a Special Meeting to adopt the Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2022-2023. August 9 Regular Council Meeting recap Presentation by Project Consultant Cliff O'Neill on preliminary design status of the Town Park Splash Pad. The Town has been awarded a Heritage Local, Regional, State Parks (LRSP) Grant by the Arizona State Parks Board in the amount of $485,654. This is the match amount for a second application to the fed- eral land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for the same amount. This application has been reviewed by the National Park Service (NPS) regional office and believe we have provided all the information needed. State Parks is saying the grant fund- ing may be available in September. The Quartzsite Town Park Improve- ment Project proposes to upgrade and make significant improvements to the Town Park. Starting with a new 2,500 sq. ft. recirculating splash pad and restroom, the im- provement project will enhance ex- isting park facilities with perimeter fencing, rubberized mulch, tables, bench seating and shade structures. Safety and security of two parking areas will be improved by the instal- lation of new LED parking lot light- ing and an RV host site. While the LWCF application is be- ing processed, the Town has con- tracted with Rick Engineering to conduct the project design. The design team has held two planning sessions. Council discussed two op- tions and directed staff to move for- ward with design. Council approved consent agenda items Ledger of Accounts paid in the total amount of $148,914.13, minutes of Regular meeting of July 26, 2022 and Special Meeting of July 26, 2022. Council voted to recommend ap- proval of the Outback Pizza, Series 12 Restaurant Liquor License ap- plication to the AZ Department of Liquor Licenses and Control The business is located at 1170 W. Main Street Suite B. Council approved the 2022 West- ern Arizona Council of Govern- ments (WACOG) Transit Contract with the Town of Quartzsite and au- thorized Town manager Jim Fergu- son to sign the contract. Every year in July, the contract between the Town of Quartzsite Camel Express and WACOG is renewed. The pro- vision of this contract is to provide clean, accessible, dependable, and safe transportation to those 60 and over or disabled through the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) funding. The contract is based on a round trip cost of $17.00 per unit with a maxi- mum of 2,183 unites. There is a pro- vider match required of $1,454.00 which has been budgeted. Council approved Resolutions at the 2022 League Resolutions Com- mittee Meeting. BFED-1 Remove the statutory requirement to ad- journ a regular meeting to gavel into a special meeting for adopt- ing a budget. GAHRE-1 Allow mu- nicipalities above 2,500 and under 10,000, whose existing general plan was approved by voters, to submit a new general plan for approval at the next regularly scheduled mu- nicipal election or special election. GAHRE-3 Permit cities and towns to post public notices and ordinanc- es on either the municipality's web- site, in a local newspaper, or both. GAHRE-4 Amend statute to no lon- ger require exhibits to be published if the exhibit's location is listed within the adopted ordinance and is accessible to the public. GAHRE- 5 Clarify statute to require contract information on political signs not directly affiliated with a campaign committee or candidate. NSQL- 1 Support state appropriations to the Housing Trust Fund. NSQL-2 Amend statute to provide the Dept. of Liquor & License Control the au- thority to grant local governments an extension of time to review and act on liquor license applications. Resolutions will be considered at the League's annual conference. Council approved the first Amend- ment to the Lease Agreement be- tween the Town of Quartzsite and Eve's Place through September 30, 2023. Council approved to enter into a Ground Lease Agreement between the Town of Quartzsite and Educa- tional Options Foundation through June 30, 2025. Council made no changes to the current COVID-19 protocols. Quartzsite Town Council meets the 2nd & 4th Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm. 465 N. Plymouth Ave., Quartzsite, AZ 85346. Meetings are streamed LIVE on Facebook at https://www.facebook. com/Quartzsite. For more infor- mation call 928-927-4333 or visit www.QuartzsiteAZ.org. CONTACT COUNCIL MEMBERS NORM SIMPSON - MAYOR norm.simpson@quartzsiteaz.org LORETTA WARNER - VICE MAYOR loretta.warner@quartzsiteaz.org STARR BEARCAT starr.bearcat@quartzsiteaz.org STEVE SCHUE steve.schue@quartzsiteaz.org KAREY AMON karey.amon@quartzsiteaz.org LYNDA GOLDBERG lynda.goldberg@quartzsiteaz.org SAM SAXTON sam.saxton@quartzsiteaz.org

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