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MINUTES
WICKENBURG COMMON COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
Monday, March 17, 2025 - 5:30 P.M.
155 N. TEGNER - COUNCIL CHAMBERS
WICKENBURG, ARIZONA 85390
A. CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Bratcher called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM
B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - Led by Councilmember Rebecca Rovey
C. INVOCATION - Led by Pastor Jeffrey Hull, Faith Baptist Church
D. ROLL CALL
Present:
Mayor BG Bratcher
Vice Mayor Brian Jones
Councilmember Kristy Bedoian
Councilmember Shawn Clark
Councilmember Margaret Nyberg
Councilmember Rebecca Rovey
Absent:
Councilmember Art Rubash
Staff Present:
Troy Smith, Interim Town Manager
Trish Stuhan, Town Attorney
Tim Suan, Deputy Town Manager/Economic Development
Steve Boyle, Community Development Director
Amy Brown, Town Clerk
Les Brown, Police Chief
Robert Martinez, Finance Director
Tarah Mayerhofer, Human Resources Director
Ed Temerowski, Fire Chief
Herschel Workman, Public Works Director
E. MAYOR & COUNCILMEMBERS REPORT ON CURRENT EVENTS
• Mayor BG Bratcher started with a moment of silence in memory of Everett
Sickles, who passed away on Saturday. Services will be on April 18th at
Wickenburg Funeral Home. Mr. Sickles was on the Council from December 2014
until May 2016 and served as Mayor from December 2016 until May 2019.
• Councilmember Margaret Nyberg attended the Community Rodeo Association of
Wickenburg (CRAW) fundraiser and Foundation for Senior Living (FSL) meeting.
Town Council Minutes of March 17, 2025
Page 2 of 7
• Councilmember Shawn Clark attended a basketball tournament in Ohio with the
Wickenburg Christian Academy and the Guys Who Grill event put on by the Del
E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts.
• Councilmember Kristy Bedoian paid tribute to Everett Sickles, as he was the
main reason she ran for Council.
• Mayor BG Bratcher attended a BNSF Railroad meeting, Friends of Transit
meeting, CRAW fundraiser, and met with Yavapai County Supervisor Brooks
Compton.
• PROCLAMATION – First Responder’s Appreciation Day – April 5, 2025
F. TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT
• Troy Smith, Interim Town Manager, started with the Years of Services awards for
employees and recognized Taylor for five years of service and Brandon Dalley
and Corina Carrasco for fifteen years of service.
• Interim Town Manager Troy Smith reported that the town received the zoning
code from the consultants and will be reviewing the information. The town also
received the first batch of title reports for the Lewis Addition Road area with 12 of
the 56 received. The issue now is that there needs to be a release from the
lender also, if they have a mortgage company. Council asked for an update on
the timing at the next Council meeting. SB1229 is called the starter home act but
takes away local control on housing, with no guarantees that the homes will be
affordable. SB1013 and SCR1008 will prohibit cities and towns from increasing
any assessment, tax or fee without a 2/3 vote of the Council. HB2222 requires
any settlement of $500,000 or more to be reported to the state 90 days prior to
signing the settlement agreement, which will delay settlements.
• Upcoming events include: Town Talk on 03/18, Beer Fest on 03/22, West Fest
on 04/04, Dump Days on 04/04 and 04/05, Make a Difference Day is 04/12,
Rural Pitch competition is 04/17, swim team and summer camp signups start
04/01, on June 9th a class to receive a Home Health Aide Certification will start
and also on June 9th there will be a class for an Electronic Health Records
Management Certification.
• Interim Town Manager Troy Smith reported on two events for the police
department to highlight the great job they are doing. On Saturday night, an officer
encountered a wrong way driver at 163rd and US-60 and eventually stopped the
vehicle to avoid any collisions, with the driver highly intoxicated. On Sunday
night, there was a stolen vehicle with a pursuit in which officers deployed stop
sticks and apprehended one of the suspects.
G. FINAL CALL for Request to Speak Cards to be turned into the Town Clerk.
H. CALL TO THE PUBLIC
• Vern Correa, Out-of-Town Resident, reported that the football teams need a field
prior to five years in the future.
Town Council Minutes of March 17, 2025
Page 3 of 7
I. NEW BUSINESS
1. Action on the Consent Agenda -
MOVED BY Vice Mayor Brian Jones to approve items a, b, and c of the consent
agenda
SECONDED BY Councilmember Rebecca Rovey
VOTE: 6 – 0 (Yes – Mayor Bratcher, Vice Mayor Jones, Councilmembers
Bedoian, Clark, Nyberg, and Rovey)
a. Consideration and Action to Approve the Minutes of the Special Meeting of
February 24, 2025 and the Regular Meeting of March 3, 2025
By a 7-0 vote under the Consent Agenda, Council moved to approve the
minutes of February 24, 2025 and March 3, 2025.
b. Consideration and Action Approving an Agreement for Architectural /
Engineering Services with Consor North America, Inc. for Engineering and
Design Services for the Headworks Improvement Project in an Amount Not to
Exceed $196,653.00
Hershel Workman, Public Works Director, reported in his Council routing form
that the Town of Wickenburg has recognized the need for critical
improvements to the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) headworks and
grit removal systems, which are essential components of the overall treatment
process. The existing systems, including the strainer, auger, and
comminutor have reached the end of their service life, and ongoing
maintenance and repair are becoming increasingly unsustainable. These
systems play a pivotal role in protecting downstream mechanical
components and contribute to reducing wear on physical infrastructure. The
headworks system currently operates at approximately 80% of its designed
capacity, and its lack of redundancy and performance under peak flow
conditions have contributed to degraded system efficiency.
Similarly, the existing grit removal system, which includes an aerated vault, is
operating at approximately 90% of its designed capacity. The system has also
been assessed to be in poor condition, with components expected to fail
within the next 5 years or less. Like the headworks system, the grit removal
system is critical to protecting downstream infrastructure and ensuring the
efficient operation of the WWTP. The lack of redundancy and
underperformance during peak flow conditions have further exacerbated
operational inefficiencies and maintenance challenges.
The proposed agreement will enable Consor to provide design services,
permitting support, and limited post-design services during construction
(SDS), including bid support, shop drawing review, testing and inspection
Town Council Minutes of March 17, 2025
Page 4 of 7
review and approval of construction application support, observation of
structural formwork, reinforcement and concrete placement, equipment
placement, equipment demonstration and commissioning, limited training,
development of operations and maintenance (O&M) manuals and record
documents, and support the final regulatory approval and Project close-out
effort.
The approval of this agreement with Consor North America will allow the town
to proceed with critical infrastructure improvements that are essential for
maintaining reliable wastewater treatment and meeting regulatory
requirements.
By a 7-0 vote under the Consent Agenda, Council moved to approve the
agreement for architectural/engineering services with Consor North America,
Inc. for the Headworks Improvement Project, for an amount not to exceed
$196,653.00.
c. Consideration and Action on the Sale of Real Property Consisting of an
Approximately 0.5-Acre Triangular Portion of a Larger 48-Acre Parcel,
Situated at the Northwest Corner of North Industrial Drive and Sabin Brown
Road through Bid 25-01 to Benner-Nawman Inc.
Tim Suan, Deputy Town Manager, reported in his Council routing form that at
the February 24, 2024, council meeting, the Council directed staff to solicit
bids for town-owned property adjacent to Benner Nawman in response to a
letter of interest from the company, which sought to purchase the land for an
expansion project. To facilitate the bidding process, Benner Nawman covered
the costs of the required surveys and appraisal. The town then solicited
sealed bids through Bid 25-01, receiving a single bid from Benner Nawman
Inc.
The subject property is an approximately 0.5-acre triangular portion of a
larger 48-acre parcel, located at the northwest corner of N. Industrial Drive
and Sabin Brown Road, identified as Maricopa County Assessor’s Parcel No.
505-41-008R, 3410 West Wickenburg Way, Wickenburg, AZ 85390.
The purpose of this item is for the Council to now consider whether to accept
or reject the highest bid. The Council has the option to reject all bids if it
determines not to proceed with the sale. If the bid is awarded, the property
will enter escrow and is expected to close within 30 days.
By a 7-0 vote under the Consent Agenda, Council moved to approve the sale
of an approximately 0.5-acre triangular portion of a larger 48-acre parcel,
located at the northwest corner of N. Industrial Drive and Sabin Brown Road,
to the highest qualified bidder through Bid 25-01 and authorize the Mayor,
Town Manager, and Town Attorney to take all necessary steps to complete
Town Council Minutes of March 17, 2025
Page 5 of 7
the sale in accordance with the bid documents, with the cost of the survey
and appraisal, up to $2,925, applied toward the purchase of the property.
2. Presentation as Required by the Arizona Auditor General Regarding the Audit
Results for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2024
Robert Martinez, Finance Director, introduced Richard Gillespie from CWDL, the
town’s audit firm.
Richard Gillespie, CWDL Certified Public Accountants, reported that their firm
comes in to review a lot of documents. Staff are very cooperative and helpful in
providing all the information for the audit. Their company then puts together all
the documents to provide final information to the Town Council. There are
several documents that they have included in their audit and provided to the
town, including the following:
• Annual Comprehensive Financial Report – This report starts with the
introductory section with the transmittal letter and organizational chart. The
second part is the financial section with the independent auditor’s report being
3 pages with reasonable assurance about the financial statements being
accurate, since they test a certain percentage of the transactions, but it is not
an absolute assurance since not all transactions are tested. The last section
is the statistical section with financial trends, revenue capacity, dept capacity,
economic information, and operating information.
• Single Audit Report – This is to confirm that the town is following uniform
guidance for federal grants. There were no deficiencies or non-compliance
issues.
• The Government Auditing Report looks at the controls, disbursements and
payroll. There were 2 findings and 1 significant finding. The two findings were
for material weaknesses related to the year end closing and bank
reconciliation process. The significant finding was that payroll was not always
reviewed prior to payday.
• Highway User Fund (HURF) Report – This report looks at the HURF funds to
make sure the expenditures are what is allowed, with no findings.
• Annual Expenditure Limitation Report – This compiles the information and
then tests the final limit, which the town is under the limit.
• Governance Compliance Letter – This lists the significant audit findings as
well as looks at risks. There are significant risks, but they are the risks that
are standard for all towns. There were no disagreements with management
on the audit.
3. Consideration and Action to Ratify the Emergency Change Order in the Amount
of $150,961.00 for Aquavida LLC dba Aquavida Pools for the Pool Remodeling
Project and Authorize $150,961.00 from General Fund Contingency
Herschel Workman, Public Works Director, reported that the municipal pool
resurfacing project is currently underway, with the goal of enhancing the facility
Town Council Minutes of March 17, 2025
Page 6 of 7
and preparing it for the upcoming summer season. During the course of the
resurfacing work, it was discovered that the sand filters, valves, and pumps
located in the pool's equipment room are failing and leaking. This discovery was
not entirely unexpected, as the equipment is over 20 years old, and the
replacement of these components had already been identified as a priority for
next year's budget.
Given the critical role these systems play in the proper functioning of the pool,
immediate replacement is necessary to ensure the pool's operation.
Unfortunately, because of the age and condition of the equipment, waiting until
the next fiscal year to address this issue is no longer feasible.
The equipment failure requires the renovation of the equipment room and the
replacement of the sand filters, pumps, and valves. The estimated cost for these
repairs and upgrades is $150,961. Additionally, due to long lead times for
procurement, particularly for the sand filters, we face a window of approximately
10-12 weeks for delivery and installation. This means that any delays in securing
the necessary equipment could result in missing the scheduled opening of the
pool on May 26th, which coincides with Memorial Day.
In light of these urgent circumstances, an emergency change order was
requested to proceed with the necessary repairs and equipment replacement.
This change order ensures that the pool can open on time for the summer
season and avoid potential disruptions to the community's use of the facility.
Approval of this change order is essential to move forward with the repairs and
ensure the pool is operational by the planned opening date. Since this was not a
budgeted item, the use of contingency funds is needed.
MOVED BY Councilmember Rebecca Rovey to approve and ratify the contract
with Aquavida LLC dba Aquavida Pools and the emergency PO expenditure in
the amount of $150,961.00 to complete the Pool Remodeling Project and
authorize the use of $150,961.00 from General Fund Contingency
SECONDED BY Councilmember Margaret Nyberg
VOTE: 6 – 0 (Yes – Mayor Bratcher, Vice Mayor Jones, Councilmembers
Bedoian, Clark, Nyberg, and Rovey)
J. EXECUTIVE SESSION - (Council May Vote to Go Into Executive Session Pursuant
to A.R.S §38-431.03(A)(3) to Receive Legal Advice from the Town Attorney on Any
of the Above Agenda Items.)
1. An executive session pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-431.03(A)(3) and (A)(7) for legal
advice and discussion or consultation with the Town Attorney regarding the
Town's position regarding Development of Commercial Hangars at the Town of
Wickenburg Municipal Airport.
Town Council Minutes of March 17, 2025
Page 7 of 7
MOVED BY Councilmember Rebecca Rovey to adjourn into executive session at
6:16 PM
SECONDED BY Councilmember Margaret Nyberg
VOTE: 6 – 0 (Yes – Mayor Bratcher, Vice Mayor Jones, Councilmembers
Bedoian, Clark, Nyberg, and Rovey)
The meeting was reconvened at 6:34 PM.
K. SCHEDULING OF FUTURE COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS - None
L. ADJOURNMENT
MOVED BY Councilmember Kristy Bedoian to adjourn at approximately 6:34 PM
SECONDED BY Councilmember Rebecca Rovey
VOTE: 6 – 0 (Yes – Mayor Bratcher, Vice Mayor Jones, Councilmembers Bedoian,
Clark, Nyberg, and Rovey)
BG Bratcher, Mayor
ATTEST:
Amy Brown, Town Clerk
CERTIFICATION
I, Amy Brown, the duly appointed and qualified Town Clerk of the Town of Wickenburg,
do hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes
of the regular meeting of the Town Council of Wickenburg, Arizona held on March 17,
2025. I further certify the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was
present.
Amy Brown, MMC
Town Clerk