Washington, DC Trip

For the first time in the history of the Globe City Council, members of the council attended the 2023 National League of Cities conference in Washington, DC from March 25 through March 29. Those attending were Mayor Al Gameros and Councilmembers Freddie Rios, Fernando Shipley, Jesse Leetham and Mariano Gonzalez. Also attending the conference were City Manager Paul Jepson and Economic Director Linda Oddonetto. The conference this year provided vital information and procedures to access the millions of dollars of infrastructure funding available.

With the coordination of the city’s Washington lobbyist, personal meetings were arranged on the final day with Senator Sinema, Senator Kelly, Congressman Crane, Congressman Stanton, Congressman Gallegos, the Army Corps of Engineers and the USDA. During these meetings, we were able to make personal presentations in their offices on seven pending city projects that require millions of dollars to complete. The Legislators were very thankful for these presentations as they move forward to finalizing their budgets. We want to thank our amazing staff who prepared the documents that were used in our presentations.

Future Water Security

At the request of the City Council, the staff made a presentation on the city’s water history, supply and infrastructure, and a recommendation for the security of our future water supply. The presentation included a breakdown of all of the city wells and gallons used on a daily and annual basis. Information was also presented on the amount of storage capacity in the city and the miles of water line in our system. It was concerning to hear about the amount of water loss that occurs in our system annually through leakage, water breaks and evaporation. The reason for the presentation is to begin the discussion and planning to address water losses and conservation for the future. There are many ideas that can be implemented by the city and all of our residents as we work together for our city’s future. These discussions need to begin now as we are accelerating our plans for some limited growth in our city.

Library Outdoor Space

At the March 14 meeting, Council approved a contract with Rodriguez Construction for the Library Outdoor Space renovation project. This project is scheduled to begin in May. The total amount for the completion of this project is $44,760. The awarded grant will cover $21,400 of this amount and the city will contribute $23,360. The project encompasses the outdoor space to the north of the library but does not include any upgrades to the teepee.

The New City of Globe Brand

Council approved the new City of Globe branding as presented by staff and Local First. It was time for a new and refreshed brand that will replace the 2018 approved city brand that featured Arizona to the Core. It is a much simpler rendering that gives a welcome message, with the Pinal Mountains and their sunsets and sunrises. It also features GLOBE in large letters as the centerpiece and the date of incorporation indicating its history. The process was made possible by funding from Local First Arizona and included public meetings for community input. It is always a good idea to refresh a brand to fit the present times.

FEMA Re-Mapping

A presentation was made to Council by FEMA representative Michael Bishop regarding the flood plain re-mapping project in Globe and throughout Gila County. This project will review the current mapping flood plans to see if they are correct or will need to be adjusted. There are various phases of the project that could take up to four years to complete. The process includes analyzing 815 miles of land, 16 miles of streams and 64 structures, and a hydrology review of the water. Phase 1 is anticipated to be completed in February 2025.

Cottonwood Bridge Project

The City of Globe was notified that we have been awarded a $2,822,565 grant for the replacement of the Cottonwood Bridge from the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). The funds awarded are part of the federal funding that is allocated to Arizona for special infrastructure projects. This bridge was another one that was identified as needing replacement during inspections. We want to thank our staff for their hard work and persistence to help secure these funds.

Community Center Pool Update

On April 21, City Council and staff were given a tour of the pool now that there is water in it, and saw where we are now with completion. I was amazed at the size and entire layout of the pool and recreation site. It is truly a top-notch facility that our entire Globe-Miami community will enjoy and be proud of. It is a site for all ages to enjoy recreation and events, and an amazing competition swimming area. There are still some projects that need to be completed prior to opening. These include the chlorination system, fencing, some concrete work, and the completion of the interior of the shower and bathroom entrance. The contractor Structural is pushing hard for a completion date around the latter part of May. Once the shower-bathroom building is complete on the interior, it will be close to opening.

Recovering Poppy Plant Seedpods

Our community has seen an amazing super bloom of poppies this year, which has brought many visitors to the area to see them. We would like to capture as many of the drying seedpods when the time is right so we can bag them and spread them even more throughout the community for next year. The big question is when is the right time to cut the poppies. This varies from year to year, based on how recently they received rain and how robust the plants are. This important time frame could occur in the latter part of May. If we all work together, we can recover and spread the seedpods even further, making next year even more amazing. My request is that all organizations that work along the highway work together to accomplish this task including ADOT, City of Globe, Freeport McMoRan, Allegiant, Trash Mob and families that have an Adopt a Mile.

First Fridays

First Fridays have become a monthly signature event and continue to grow each month with more participation from downtown businesses, vendors and cruisers. Everyone is invited to participate in the downtown cruise that begins at 5:30 p.m. We invite the community to come downtown and support the participating businesses and enjoy live music, food trucks and vendors. Anyone wishing to set up a vendor booth during any First Friday event may do so at no cost by contacting Linda Oddonetto or Melissa Steele at 425-7146. Our next First Friday is scheduled for May 5 with the celebration of Cinco De Mayo. Some of the activities scheduled are as follows: There will be music by Neto Vasquez and Imagine at the food court, Mariachi Band from Tucson on Oak Street, DJ Elevated Entertainment at Art Row at the entrance to the Pascoe Stairway, 4-H Shooting Club will have a trailer to target practice on Oak Street for all ages, downtown cruise, and the Fire Department will be providing shuttle rides on their old engine.