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Benson City Council
THELMA GRIMES
News-Sun
Pending approval from the Benson Schools Governing Board, the City Council has approved an $8,000 lease agreement to lease a city-owned building on the corner of 7th and Huachuca streets to the school district.
The building, formerly used as the Benson Youth Center, will soon be home to the San Pedro Valley Charter School. The Benson Public School District created the charter school, currently registering students for the fall.
According to the one-year lease agreement approved on June 21, the school will pay the city $8,000 a year and will share the building with the Benson Food Bank.
The school board will vote on the proposed lease on Tuesday, July 13.
Along with approving the 2004-05, $12,056,045 tentative budget, the council also approved a contract with the Arizona Municipal Risk Retention Pool for $141,323 in general liability insurance.
City officials said they are paying the same amount for the insurance, but the policy doubled from $5 million in coverage to $10 million. The city has retained the services of Jones-Wilson Insurance and Investment Inc. in the past.
With approval of the tentative budget, the City Council is now seeking public input. The first public hearing will be held on Monday, July 12, at 6 p.m. The final budget for the coming fiscal year is set to be approved on July 19.
In other city business the council unanimously approved the termination of an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the city and the State of Arizona Office of Building and Fire Safety and the Department of Manufactured Housing.
Building Official Mike Lockett requested the termination. Currently, Lockett said the IGA requires city officials to perform manufactured homes installation and set-up inspections for $150, a price set by the state.
"Until recently, the city has participated in this non-revenue generating IGA because it afforded us the opportunity to have some control over what happens in city limits," Lockett said. "It seems as though that control no longer exists."
Lockett said now that the council has abolished the "10-year rule" for manufactured homes, the IGA is no longer needed and the state should perform its own inspections.
Before April, any manufactured home one day over 10 years was not allowed within city limits. After complaints from some manufactured home owners, the council decided it was unfair and changed the regulation to state any manufactured home built after June 1976 is permitted.
"The city should cancel the IGA with the state of Arizona," Lockett said. "This IGA is not in the best interest of the city. It would free up our inspectors' time and resources by having the state perform its own inspections on manufactured homes. If we cancel the IGA, the only administrative obligation for the city would be site-plan approval."
Lockett said the state would inspect the homes, eliminating city liability, while noting the state can't issue a building permit until the city approves all site plans.
Further, Lockett said the June 18 resignation of Planning and Zoning Coordinator Bryan Smith has the building department "spread too thin" and he could use some help.
The City Council unanimously approved a parking and landscape lease of property between the city and Tom Richards of Los Dos L.L.C., an Arizona liability company.
Richards purchased the vacant lot on 4th Street located on the east side of the Safeway Plaza, with plans to build a shopping center.
City Attorney Ann Roberts said Richards requested a 40-foot easement along 4th Street from the city for additional landscaping and parking.
As a stipulation in the lease, Roberts said the city can regain control of the property if "we ever need to widen 4th Street."
In other business, the City Council approved annexing 34 acres of property into city limits. The property owned by Robert and Shella Brubaker is located in southeast Benson near Turquoise Hills Family Golf Center.
The council also appointed Steve Sacco to the Planning and Zoning Commission and reappointed Walt Schmidt to another two-year term.
Sacco, appointed in a 5-1 council vote, replaces Morgan "Dick" Jones, whose application for reappointment was not approved by the council.
Councilwoman Kathy Suagee voted against appointing Sacco, with Councilman Toney King absent from the Monday night meeting.
News-Sun
Pending approval from the Benson Schools Governing Board, the City Council has approved an $8,000 lease agreement to lease a city-owned building on the corner of 7th and Huachuca streets to the school district.
The building, formerly used as the Benson Youth Center, will soon be home to the San Pedro Valley Charter School. The Benson Public School District created the charter school, currently registering students for the fall.
According to the one-year lease agreement approved on June 21, the school will pay the city $8,000 a year and will share the building with the Benson Food Bank.
The school board will vote on the proposed lease on Tuesday, July 13.
Along with approving the 2004-05, $12,056,045 tentative budget, the council also approved a contract with the Arizona Municipal Risk Retention Pool for $141,323 in general liability insurance.
City officials said they are paying the same amount for the insurance, but the policy doubled from $5 million in coverage to $10 million. The city has retained the services of Jones-Wilson Insurance and Investment Inc. in the past.
With approval of the tentative budget, the City Council is now seeking public input. The first public hearing will be held on Monday, July 12, at 6 p.m. The final budget for the coming fiscal year is set to be approved on July 19.
In other city business the council unanimously approved the termination of an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the city and the State of Arizona Office of Building and Fire Safety and the Department of Manufactured Housing.
Building Official Mike Lockett requested the termination. Currently, Lockett said the IGA requires city officials to perform manufactured homes installation and set-up inspections for $150, a price set by the state.
"Until recently, the city has participated in this non-revenue generating IGA because it afforded us the opportunity to have some control over what happens in city limits," Lockett said. "It seems as though that control no longer exists."
Lockett said now that the council has abolished the "10-year rule" for manufactured homes, the IGA is no longer needed and the state should perform its own inspections.
Before April, any manufactured home one day over 10 years was not allowed within city limits. After complaints from some manufactured home owners, the council decided it was unfair and changed the regulation to state any manufactured home built after June 1976 is permitted.
"The city should cancel the IGA with the state of Arizona," Lockett said. "This IGA is not in the best interest of the city. It would free up our inspectors' time and resources by having the state perform its own inspections on manufactured homes. If we cancel the IGA, the only administrative obligation for the city would be site-plan approval."
Lockett said the state would inspect the homes, eliminating city liability, while noting the state can't issue a building permit until the city approves all site plans.
Further, Lockett said the June 18 resignation of Planning and Zoning Coordinator Bryan Smith has the building department "spread too thin" and he could use some help.
The City Council unanimously approved a parking and landscape lease of property between the city and Tom Richards of Los Dos L.L.C., an Arizona liability company.
Richards purchased the vacant lot on 4th Street located on the east side of the Safeway Plaza, with plans to build a shopping center.
City Attorney Ann Roberts said Richards requested a 40-foot easement along 4th Street from the city for additional landscaping and parking.
As a stipulation in the lease, Roberts said the city can regain control of the property if "we ever need to widen 4th Street."
In other business, the City Council approved annexing 34 acres of property into city limits. The property owned by Robert and Shella Brubaker is located in southeast Benson near Turquoise Hills Family Golf Center.
The council also appointed Steve Sacco to the Planning and Zoning Commission and reappointed Walt Schmidt to another two-year term.
Sacco, appointed in a 5-1 council vote, replaces Morgan "Dick" Jones, whose application for reappointment was not approved by the council.
Councilwoman Kathy Suagee voted against appointing Sacco, with Councilman Toney King absent from the Monday night meeting.
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