Council approves participation in water and ecological conservation Memorandum of Understanding

At its regular meeting on Thursday, Sept. 9, the Sierra Vista City Council authorized City Manager Chuck Potucek to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on behalf of the City in support of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Resource Management Plan.

Several years in the making, the MOU is an agreement between the BLM, Cochise County, Fort Huachuca, and the City, which reaffirms the partners’ commitment to water and ecological conservation of the San Pedro River and the Sierra Vista subwatershed area.

The MOU also provides a plan to ensure the achievement of mutual goals, including: a healthy San Pedro River and ecologically viable San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA); adequate long-term water supplies for residents, property owners, and the SPRNCA; more opportunities for continued economic growth and development within Cochise County; and an operationally secure Fort Huachuca that can accomplish national defense missions, have a safe and adequate water supply, and comply with all obligations under the Endangered Species Act.

In other business:

The City Council approved an increase in City sewer connection fees. The fee increase will affect new construction and will not impact current commercial and residential properties.
The City Council approved an application for a liquor license for Urban Axe Yard, a new business venture. With Council’s approval, the license is forwarded to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control for final approval.
The City Council approved a resolution to permit reimbursement to itself for capital expenditures if they occur before related financing is in place, as required by the Federal Treasury. The requirement covers vehicles, equipment, and land purchases noted in the FY2021-2022 City budget, Schedule C. The budget can be viewed on the City’s website, SierraVistaAZ.gov, under the City Departments menu (select Finance).
The City Council designated the City as the official Destination Marketing Organization for Sierra Vista. Although the City has been performing promotional duties for three decades, the official action enables the City to continue to apply for state and federal dollars to aid tourism marketing efforts.

Details on the council meeting items are available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, Sept. 9, City Council meeting. They can be accessed via the “City Council” folder on the City’s document server at docserve.sierravistaaz.gov/.

City Council meetings can be streamed live and past meetings can be viewed on YouTube. The meetings are also aired live on Cox Channel 12. Learn more at SierraVistaAZ.gov/your-government/mayor-council/council-meetings/ or in the “Council HQ” page at engage.sierravistaaz.gov.