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Homeland Security grant to help move police
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
The Willcox Department of Public Safety was recently awarded $83,000 in grant funding that will be used for both police and fire.
The Willcox City Council unanimously approved the acceptance of a $75,000 Homeland Security grant to relocate communications equipment and transporters (antennae towers) to the proposed new police facility.
City Manager Mike Leighton indicated that the city "may be within the eight-month range of getting it completed."
Jake Weaver, the city's chief of police, said the Arizona Office of Homeland Security (AOHS) has approved a conditional grant award for interoperable communications.
He asked council to accept the grant and the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the Arizona Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) and Pima County, on behalf of the City of Willcox.
The council also voted unanimously to accept a Rural Fire Assistance grant agreement from the Arizona State Land Department for the Willcox Fire Department, not to exceed $8,510.
These funds are used to provide wildland fire personal protective equipment, fire wise programs, wildland fire training courses, and to clear vegetation, Weaver said.
In other business, City Council voted unanimously to write off $36,773.64 in bad debts from utility accounts.
"We're trying to bring our collections up to snuff," said Ruth Graham, the city's finance director.
Graham recommended writing off uncollectible, terminated utility accounts for the years 1999-2003, with unpaid balances totaling $36,214, as well as accounts terminated in 2004 and 2005 with an unpaid balance of less than $50, totaling $559.65.
"In the event that a utility customer with an unpaid balance opens a new utility account with the city, a previous unpaid balance will be added to the new account," she said.
Graham said that an analysis of utility revenue 1999-2005 reflects that the write-offs average .25 percent of total utility revenues for the period.
"That's a relatively small amount," she told the council.
The city pursues collection efforts on terminated accounts for 60 days. If payment it not made within 60 days, accounts with unpaid balances in excess of $50 are sent to collections, she said.
"Uncollectible accounts and accounts with an unpaid balance of less than $50 will periodically be presented to the council for write-off," said Graham, adding that the finance department is actively pursuing collections in a timely manner to maximize collection of monies owed to the city.
Graham said collections on accounts with unpaid balances more than three years old are unlikely; and the pursuit of small balance accounts more than a year old requires costs in excess of anticipated collections.
Prior to the vote, Councilman Phil Rodriguez asked Graham to present a quarterly report to the council on the collections.
In other business, the council voted to authorize city staff to sign an agreement with the state allowing the city to enforce installation standards for manufactured homes and factory-built buildings.
Dave Bonner, the city's administrator of development services, said the city has had an agreement with the State Office of Manufactured Housing for the past five years.
"The agreement allows us to issue permits and inspect the installation of manufactured houses and factory-built buildings," said Bonner, adding that, periodically, the state requests information regarding the number of permits issued for these types of structures.
The agreement also allows city residents "to acquire permits locally thereby not forced to deal with traveling to Tucson to acquire the permit. This provides for better customer service as well as gives us the ability to ensure the quality of installations," he said.
The lone nay vote was cast by Councilman Phil Stratton.
The Willcox City Council unanimously approved the acceptance of a $75,000 Homeland Security grant to relocate communications equipment and transporters (antennae towers) to the proposed new police facility.
City Manager Mike Leighton indicated that the city "may be within the eight-month range of getting it completed."
Jake Weaver, the city's chief of police, said the Arizona Office of Homeland Security (AOHS) has approved a conditional grant award for interoperable communications.
He asked council to accept the grant and the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the Arizona Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) and Pima County, on behalf of the City of Willcox.
The council also voted unanimously to accept a Rural Fire Assistance grant agreement from the Arizona State Land Department for the Willcox Fire Department, not to exceed $8,510.
These funds are used to provide wildland fire personal protective equipment, fire wise programs, wildland fire training courses, and to clear vegetation, Weaver said.
In other business, City Council voted unanimously to write off $36,773.64 in bad debts from utility accounts.
"We're trying to bring our collections up to snuff," said Ruth Graham, the city's finance director.
Graham recommended writing off uncollectible, terminated utility accounts for the years 1999-2003, with unpaid balances totaling $36,214, as well as accounts terminated in 2004 and 2005 with an unpaid balance of less than $50, totaling $559.65.
"In the event that a utility customer with an unpaid balance opens a new utility account with the city, a previous unpaid balance will be added to the new account," she said.
Graham said that an analysis of utility revenue 1999-2005 reflects that the write-offs average .25 percent of total utility revenues for the period.
"That's a relatively small amount," she told the council.
The city pursues collection efforts on terminated accounts for 60 days. If payment it not made within 60 days, accounts with unpaid balances in excess of $50 are sent to collections, she said.
"Uncollectible accounts and accounts with an unpaid balance of less than $50 will periodically be presented to the council for write-off," said Graham, adding that the finance department is actively pursuing collections in a timely manner to maximize collection of monies owed to the city.
Graham said collections on accounts with unpaid balances more than three years old are unlikely; and the pursuit of small balance accounts more than a year old requires costs in excess of anticipated collections.
Prior to the vote, Councilman Phil Rodriguez asked Graham to present a quarterly report to the council on the collections.
In other business, the council voted to authorize city staff to sign an agreement with the state allowing the city to enforce installation standards for manufactured homes and factory-built buildings.
Dave Bonner, the city's administrator of development services, said the city has had an agreement with the State Office of Manufactured Housing for the past five years.
"The agreement allows us to issue permits and inspect the installation of manufactured houses and factory-built buildings," said Bonner, adding that, periodically, the state requests information regarding the number of permits issued for these types of structures.
The agreement also allows city residents "to acquire permits locally thereby not forced to deal with traveling to Tucson to acquire the permit. This provides for better customer service as well as gives us the ability to ensure the quality of installations," he said.
The lone nay vote was cast by Councilman Phil Stratton.
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