Good news and bad news today. First the good news....I'm very excited to share the City's first podcast episode! If you haven't already listened to Episode 1 of "Let's Talk Sierra Vista" please check it out and give it a listen.
Episode Highlights:
Discussion of Thrasher’s reaction to George Floyd’s death and local protests (1:20)
The benefits of pursuing and maintaining international accreditation (5:37)
How the department’s Service with Honor Program informs its culture (9:40)
Why learning about your local public safety agencies is important, especially now (14:45)
Now the bad news, today the Arizona Department of Health Services announced that they are reporting a record number of positive cases. "As of today June 16, 2020, our daily case increase of positive cases was 2,392, bringing our total positive cases to 39,097. Today, we're reporting an additional 25 deaths, bringing our total number of COVID-19 deaths to 1,219."
Please do your part to help slow the spread:
↔️Maintain physical distancing
🧼Thoroughly wash your hands
😷Wear a face covering when out in public
🤧Cover your cough or sneeze
🏠Stay home when sick
Work Session on June 9, 2020:
Agenda and supporting documents for this Work Session can be downloaded here.
Agenda with timestamps: 1. Call to order - 3:04 p.m. [4:26]
2. Presentation and Discussion:
June 11, 2020 Council Meeting Agenda Items:
Item 1 Acceptance of the Agenda
City Manager’s Report: Upcoming Meetings, Bid Openings and Bid Awards [9:19]
Public Hearing
Item 2 Land Use Assumptions and Infrastructure Improvement Plan for the updated Development Fees
New Business
Item 3 Resolution 2020-029, Designation of David Felix as Authorized Agent for Arizona Department of Emergency and Medical Affairs (DEMA) Reimbursements
Item 4 Approval of the City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of May 28, 2020
Item 5 Resolution 2020-030, Amendment of City Board & Commission Guidelines
Item 6 Resolution 2020-031, Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Sierra Vista, the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cochise County Community College District to operate the Southeastern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy (SEALETA)
b. Report on Recent Trips, Meetings and Future Meetings
c. Future Discussion Items and Council Requests
d.Council Discussion (COVID-19 Status)
3. Adjourn
City Council Meeting on June 11, 2020:
There is a video of the meeting but because the sound quality is so shoddy I recommend listening to the meeting through the audio file on the City website.
Agenda and supporting documents for this Council Meeting can be downloaded here.
Agenda:
Call to Order Roll Call
Invocation
Pledge of Allegiance
Item 1 Acceptance of the Agenda
City Manager’s Report: Upcoming Meetings, Bid Openings and Bid Awards
Public Hearing
Item 2 Land Use Assumptions and Infrastructure Improvement Plan for the updated Development Fees
New Business
Item 3 Resolution 2020-029, Designation of David Felix as Authorized Agent for Arizona Department of Emergency and Medical Affairs (DEMA) Reimbursements
Item 4 Approval of the City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of May 28, 2020
Item 5 Resolution 2020-030, Amendment of City Board & Commission Guidelines
Item 6 Resolution 2020-031, Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Sierra Vista, the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cochise County Community College District to operate the Southeastern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy (SEALETA)
Call to the Public
Comments and Requests of the Council
Adjournment
Following this meeting, the Herald/Review published an article that attempted to summarize closing statements made by Council. While I understand the author’s need for brevity, the article’s two or three-sentence summaries failed to fairly represent the key points made by the Mayor and Council. For that reason, I am posting my statement below, which was also entered into the public record.
"I would like to start by saying what an honor and privilege it is to serve this community, especially as we face local, state, and national challenges that require collaboration and informed leadership. Whether those challenges be novel, like the spread of COVID-19, or widespread and continuous like the near-constant reports of police brutality and excessive force that has led to the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and numerous others individuals who have died at the hands of those who swore to protect them. My heart goes out to their families, friends, and communities. What happened to George Floyd and Breonna Taylor is inexcusable and as a country, we need to demand better because as a nation we are better. During our last council meeting, I resisted the urge to speak at all on any of this. Mainly because at that time I felt what I really needed to do was listen. Listen and learn. I have held the belief that SVPD is the best police force, and should serve as a model to other Police Departments. After the past couple of weeks, I have had that belief reaffirmed. There have been a number of events here in Sierra Vista, online and in the streets. And I am grateful and proud of our community in exercising their right to peacefully assemble and march. I am also incredibly proud of the involvement in these activities by our Mayor and City Council, our Police Department, local businesses, and community partners, like the NAACP. I am tremendously thankful to Chief Thrasher, who not only continues to be an exemplary leader, and took to the time to answer all of Council’s questions in a timely and professional manner and to also write a column that addresses and validates the pain, shares in the responsibility of his fellow officers, demands better, and informs our community about what steps they have taken and will continue to take to cement your trust in a column titled “We must be better.” I am also grateful to Council Member Wolfe for her request to have a discussion on our own police procedures. Whether or not I agree that changes need to be made to our current policy, I find right now the council’s willingness to open up a dialogue and hold a work session on the matter is completely appropriate and honorable. Because even though we could say, “that’s not my city, that’s not our department that did those things”, we are still in a position, as Americans, to own and address the underlying causes of George Floyd’s death and lack of justice. And for us on Council and in the City this means an opportunity to carefully listen, learn and consider ways to, as Chief Thrasher said, “be better.”
Today, the Council will be meeting at 3 o'clock for our first Budget Work Session in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Should the Council need more time, we will also be meeting at 3 PM tomorrow and possibly Thursday as well.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, comments, or concerns. I love hearing from you!
Your Council Member,
