John Johnson Photo/Gila Herald: Pima Mayor Brian Paul (left) and Deputy Mayor Cheryl Teeter (right) prepare for the ribbon-cutting at Pima City Hall on Tuesday night.

by John Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

Pima – Local dignitaries past and present came to Pima on Tuesday night to join the town’s residents in celebrating the ribbon-cutting of Pima City Hall at 110 West Center Street.

The new City Hall is located on the site of the former Peace District 2 Judge’s Building. Graham County demolished this building earlier this year after consolidating No. 1 and No. 2 Precincts into the Graham County Court No. 1 Precinct building in Safford. The move will reportedly save the county $120,000 annually.

With the building empty, Pima chose to move the town hall to a larger facility. Pima Public Works Director Jimmy Lofgreen and other town officials renovated the courtroom for use as a meeting space for the Pima Town Council, Pima Town Planning and Zoning Commission, and others. They also remodeled the entryway and repurposed a former judge’s bench as a countertop. Other existing offices have been renovated for town officials, including Pima Mayor Vernon Batty and town clerk Cody Marshall.

The Old Town Hall could be used by the Pima Police Department, whose main facilities are directly behind the building.

The ribbon cutting was hosted by the Graham County Chamber of Commerce and featured a variety of delicious cupcakes from Cum’s Cakes & Bakes to entertain attendees.

The town also handed out raffle tickets to raffle lovely town memorabilia such as water bottles, hats and hoodies with the town’s trademark.

Ahead of the ribbon cutting, Graham County Superintendent Paul David offered his thoughts on the town’s upward trend.

“What a blessing,” he said. “The Pima are growing beautifully .

Safford City Councilor Arnold Lopez said the new building would serve the town through collaboration with other government agencies and officials.

“I care a lot about Pima and would love to partner with you so that we can all work together, and that is what is happening here,” Lopez said. rice field.

Graham County Superintendent John Howard’s constituency includes the Pima area, and he is often seen at town council meetings. He said he was amazed at how much the town had grown in such a short time since he took office.

“Your enthusiasm is second to none,” Howard said. “I just see good things happening.”