Oro Valley’s town council has to make some decisions about how to spend the remaining $5.4 million in coronavirus relief money.

This final tranche of funds for the American Rescue Plan comes with a string of more than the $10 million previously spent under the heading “Replacement of Earnings.”

Oro Valley Town staff have identified capital improvements in tourism, storms, reclaimed water and drinking water as ways to use the cash. They’re looking at the capital needed to get the chance to spend federal dollars.

For tourism, the town is considering using it. COVID Money to pay for part of the expected $6 million spend at Steam Pump Ranch. He also has $442,000 in golf needs (seriously?) identified in the long-term capital plan.

Sierra Wash and corresponding culvert improvements may qualify for COVID cash, with a need of $1.2 million.

Then there is the Northwest Recovery and Recharge Delivery System (a joint venture with the town of Marana) that could benefit from the required funds. A $5.5 million investment is required, according to people familiar with the matter.

The town also has a $3.3 million fiber project that it hoped would be funded through grants, but it didn’t get funded. Part of the problem is that the COVID Relief Rules make a pretty strong case for broadband funding being given to underserved communities.

I’m trying to find a place in the Oro Valley that could be considered an “underserved community”. Is it like a left-handed golfer being forced to rent a right-handed one?

Town officials aren’t sure if the fiber project is appropriate, but they’re considering it.

All of this is money from Washington that can be used for projects in Oro Valley so the locals don’t need it.

I haven’t seen many towns in republican areas give money back for all the talk that the $1.9 trillion COVID package is causing inflation. It doesn’t mean there is.

But COVID money is buying all sorts of things for taxpayers across the Tucson area and there is no organized opposition to it.

contractual obligations

Marana Town Manager Terry Rosema is ready for a new contract to be approved by the city council this week.

It is not yet known if it will be a one-year contract or a multi-year contract. Rozema’s salary is literally a blank line in a resolution prepared for elected officials to fill out.

Here’s the problem.

The reason for Arizona’s public assembly law is to give people at least 24 hours’ notice of what action the government will take.

I admit I am a purist on this matter.

It’s one thing to tell the public, “I’m going to approve the deal.” Saying “I approve the contract, but its duration and costs are undetermined” does not really give people advance notice of the contract.

It is not a contract without price or duration. It’s a rough idea.

All other contracts approved by local governments define both costs and timeframes.

now, Marana He’s not the only or worst offender when it comes to violating the public’s right to know about deals made with management. It happens all the time.

Just to be clear, I don’t think the CEO’s pay, even if it seems high, is scandalous. Rozema earns $200,000 a year to run Marana’s business. That’s probably a little more than three times his average pro. Also, a good town manager will find it very easy to find ways to save that much money from the budget.

It’s not the compensation that bothers me. When it comes to his dog, the head of the local government, officials and elected leaders squeak at numbers. Public information, folks. Pima County’s minimum government minimum wage wages are subject to public scrutiny.

Also, if an amount is attached to the recommended budget, the elected leader is free to change the reward amount from the recommendation. If left blank, nothing will be achieved.

I just think the deal should be finalized, posted for public review for the required period of time, and then voted on. plug. I know I don’t

Don’t just say, “I’m going to vote on the deal. I’ll decide on the specifics by midnight.”

There is also marana 2 big rezoning on the agenda. If approved, they will be integrated into over 1,500 homes.

One of them is planned for the road area of ​​Marana and Guria, where 750 homes will be built on what has long been agricultural land.

The other will build up to 777 homes on 164 acres of land near Interstate 10 and Adonis Road.

This is part of a larger Stonegate master plan to develop the wider community.

It is surrounded by farmland and is what city planners call a “transport corridor.”

This is exactly where we should hope for new growth. It’s flat land that’s already negatively impacting the environment. We don’t want to grade hillside or blade-sensitive riverbank land.

In a global sense, losing farmland is not great, but Marana and Tucson will grow somewhere else.

grant block

the city of South Tucson Vote on a number of contracts during Tuesday’s meeting.

One of them will allow Pima County to manage it. Community Development Block Grant program.

Known as CDBGs, these are federal grants given to local governments to spend money on various actions. It gives local governments the flexibility to adjust federal funding to meet ground-level needs.

It’s easy?

error. they pass through the states and Government Pima Association And all require specific plans and needs. County has the expertise to process these block grants.

For years, people have complained that South Tucson outsources to other governments many programs that would normally be handled by its own staff. Given how wealthier, dare I say, more white communities boasted about how they incorporated to recoup more state tax revenues and signed contracts with counties to handle many services. I think it’s lame.

As an example, consider Queen Creek and Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

The county also wants city residents to seek city services from city governments. Federal funding for South Tucson is oddly serving the county’s purpose. Pima County, with its large unincorporated population, likes to hype it up, but its leaders are well aware that they are not legally set up to serve those communities.

Continuation in Santa Cruz

If Pima County functions as counties are designed to function by statute: Santa Cruz County.

There, oversight boards handle mostly minor matters, with the exception of prisons, medical services, or mines to start a business in a secluded area.

The biggest on their agenda looks like this:

Approval of $2,000,000 Lease Purchase Agreement No. 1000149293 with JP Morgan Chase Bank, NA for Computer Hardware, IT Security Equipment, Vehicles, and Other Equipment and to enable Administrative Services Director to sign additional documents discussion/possible actions

do you know what that is? exactly. Boring as hell.

In the event of an emergency, the county is supposed to ensure that it remains operational. So in computers, vehicles and communication equipment he would have to buy $2 million. So we signed a lease-to-own deal with JPMorgan Chase to finance that.

Santa Cruz County does not offer universal day care or attempt to resolve income inequality.

The county is also seeking approval to hire a deputy mayor and chief deputy sheriff.

what do you think they did? They included estimated salaries for both positions. As Deputy Mayor he is $96,000 and as Chief Deputy Commissioner he is $85,000.

of Flowing Wells Unified School District Hold a light meeting with a fairly heavy purpose.

They are voting to fire unspecified employees for reasons the board will identify during Wednesday’s meeting.