Category Archives: City

Council approves site for Save-MTR

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SMTR-140517WILLIAMS – At the City Council meeting on Thursday, the Council approved a the site on Ellen Way for the future home of the Save-MTR shelter after a presentation by Robyn Eckels. Robyn explained that several groups and businesses, such as Home Depot in Flagstaff, were interested in building the structure, but they needed the approval of the site from the city to proceed. The city approved the site on city property for the shelter, but will have to approve any lease agreements in the future.

The Council also considered the request of Andy and Danielle Worthington of Iron Horse Homes to approve issue of building permits in the area of the golf course with concessions. The concession was to install cisterns in the properties to provide water and approve a hook up at a later date.

The City of Williams is currently in Level 4 water restrictions which prohibits new building permits and hook ups to city water.

Councilman Dent expressed several concerns. He pointed out that whatever the council decided in this case they would have to do for others in the future. He also questioned whether or not the builder would be required to pay water hook up fees up front to be hooked up at a later date.

The council made a motion for Iron Horse Homes and the City Attorney to hold meetings to see if an agreement could be reached on the matter. The council would have to approve any agreement at a future date.

Councilmen Dent, McNally and Payne voted against the measure with the rest of the council and Mayor John Moore voting for the motion.

The Council also approved a recommendation to the AZ Department of Liquor Licenses and Control for a Series #10 liquor license to be issued to the Love’s Travel Stop nearing completion. This license allows them to sell beer and wine. They recommended approval for a Series #12 restaurant license for the Elk Ridge Ski Area. The Ski Area had a Series #7 license as a package store which they sold to a Flagstaff concern. This license will not allow them to sell bottles and other packaged liquors.

City Clerk Susan Kerley reported that both had posted notices for the required twenty-days with no response.

Scott Olson found deceased

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scott-01FLAGSTAFF – Lost hiker Scott Olson was found deceased at about 10:50 a.m. this morning on the north-west side of Humpries Peak. A search team assigned to that area spotted recent dog tracks and followed the tracks to where Faith, his dog, remained in close proximity to his master.

Mr. Olson’s body was located at an elevation greater than 10,000 feed downslope from a landmark know as Philomeno Spring. The cause of death was not readily apparen. Inestigators found no signs of foul play.

Faith was in good condition and taken down the mountain and returned to a member of the Scott family.

On Tuesday, November 11, 2014 Scott Olson left his cabin located in the Hart Prairie area and told his neighbors he was going for a hike in the meadow with his mixed breed dog “Faith.” That was the last time that his friends or family members saw or heard from him. Scott’s relatives reported him as a missing person on Wednesday afternoon.

The Sheriff’s Office initiated a ground and air search late Wednesday evening with searchers on foot and in vehicles looking for Mr. Olson all night.

Early Thursday morning a day time search was initiated that include searchers on foot, in vehicles, with scent dogs and in aircraft. Once again the search continued throughout the night.

On Friday morning the search group consisted of more than 50 individuals serving as searchers or support staff and air support provided by the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Department thanked the many friends and relatives of Mr. Olson who assisted in the search or provided valuable information and support.

Scott Olson served as a volunteer in the Coconino County Detention Facility for five years beginning October of 2009 providing ministry services for hundreds of inmates. His dedication and strong sense of community service was greatly appreciated by jail staff and the inmates he served. The investigation will be continued by Sheriff’s Detectives and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Northern Arizona Gazette extends our condolences to the family of Olson Scott.

Show Low Second Municipality in State to Complete Work on ADEQ’s Small Communities Compliance Assistance Plan

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ADEQ-2PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality officials announced today that the City of Show Low in Navajo County has become the second municipality in the state to complete a Small Communities Environmental Protection Plan (SCEPP) to help communities and special water and wastewater districts comply with state and federal environmental regulations.

With a plan in place, Show Low is now positioned to identify potential environmental concerns or issues, disclose identified violations and request compliance assistance if needed. The district is eligible for up to a 100 percent penalty reduction if it has future environmental violations.

ADEQ’s Small Communities Environmental Compliance Assistance project assists small towns and special water and wastewater districts in compliance with state and federal environmental laws and reducing the number of violations and enforcement actions.

“We congratulate the City of Show Low for being among the leaders in the state on environmental cooperation and sustainability,” said ADEQ Director Henry Darwin. “Small communities in the state have limited financial resources and we are committed to helping them comply with environmental laws and be good green stewards.”

ADEQ will present the city with a certificate of achievement at the next Show Low City Council meeting next Tuesday, Nov. 18. The Town of Eagar, Pinetop-Lakeside Sanitary District and Naco Sanitary District are the only three other governmental entities to complete the SCEPP process in Arizona.

Guidance materials, including a comprehensive manual, have been prepared to train small communities and water and wastewater districts on environmental requirements and help with SCEPP development. For more information about the program: http://www.azdeq.gov/function/compliance/smallcomm.html.

Male Subject Found Deceased Near Jolly Sink, North Kaibab Forest

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coco-sheriff-300pxFREDONIA – On September 13, 2014 deputies of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Northern District received a report of a suspicious abandoned vehicle near the Jolly Sink area on the North Kaibab National Forest. A deputy from the Fredonia Substation responded and with the help of a local rancher located a deceased male subject at the bottom of a nearby cliff near the vehicle. The Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division responded to investigate the scene. The male subject was identified as a white male in his mid-fifties from out of state. Release of the identity of the male is pending notification of family members. The incident is currently under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office as well as the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Work continues on State Route 87 north of Sunflower

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Crews continue to make progress on a safety improvement project on State Route 87 between Payson and Phoenix, approximately seven miles north of Sunflower. For the next two months, drivers need to be aware of daytime and nighttime restrictions between mileposts 221 and 228.

Northbound traffic on SR 87 will be narrowed to one lane and a 10-foot width restriction will be in effect until project completion in mid-May 2015.

In addition, northbound SR 87 will be closed through the work zone between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m. Sunday night through Friday mornings for the next two months. Northbound drivers will be shifted to southbound SR 87, which will become a two-way roadway with one lane in each direction. Drivers will be guided through the work zone with the aid of a pilot car with delays of up to 30 minutes.

Some intermittent lane restrictions are possible on southbound SR 87 during daytime work hours. Minimal delays expected.

Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and allow extra time to reach their destinations. The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage. ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

Lane restrictions on State Route 260 east of Cottonwood for drainage repair

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PRESCOTT – Motorists traveling on westbound State Route 260, approximately four miles east of Cottonwood at Wilbur Canyon, need to be aware that crews will begin repairs on embankments along the roadway due to recent erosion at between mileposts 209 to 210.

Work is expected to begin on Monday, Nov. 17 and will require a single lane restriction westbound only for the next three months. Work hours are Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

The speed limit through the work zones will be reduced to 45 mph during work hours.

The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage. ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

Adopt a Highway program continues to keep Arizona beautiful

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PHOENIX – Nearly 7,000 miles of Arizona highways take motorists on a journey through a variety of environments, from desert landscapes to snow-covered highlands to bustling urban settings. Keeping this wide-ranging system of roadways free of litter is no easy task, yet more than 12,000 volunteers and hundreds of sponsor groups beautify Arizona’s roadways and support the efficient use of state transportation system resources.

Since its inception in 1988, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Adopt a Highway program has offered an opportunity for individuals, organizations and businesses to perform litter clean-up activities on two-mile sections of the state’s highway system.

Each year, Adopt a Highway volunteers typically collect around 63 tons of litter and provide ADOT with a current statewide labor value of $2.3 million. The Adopt a Highway program is active in all 15 counties in the state along approximately 2,000 miles of roadway.

More than 1,500 volunteer groups and several hundred sponsor groups collect litter. In rural areas, volunteer groups are asked to clean up their designated section of highway at least twice a year. An ADOT acknowledgement sign recognizes the volunteer group’s section after their first cleanup. In the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas, sponsor group organizations pay an ADOT-approved professional landscaping company to remove litter on a section of freeway.

The cost to taxpayers for the program is minimal. ADOT’s costs include vests and trash bags for the volunteers, and the production of the acknowledgement signs. A single ADOT staff member is responsible for managing the statewide program with operational and permitting support by ADOT field offices.

“The Adopt a Highway program promotes civic responsibility and community engagement,” said Patricia Powers-Zermeño, Adopt a Highway program manager. “Picking up litter is a way for someone to have a positive impact on the appearance of their community with just a few hours of effort.”

It is community spirit that attracts volunteers to the Adopt a Highway program in appreciation of Arizona’s natural beauty. Ron Curtis and his family volunteer on a section of the Arizona State Highway System in the Navajo Nation. “It’s a tradition,” said Curtis. “The earth is our mother and nowadays it is up to us to take care of mother earth. It brings us together and we send a message out.”

Richard Martin rides a motorcycle and says it’s important for him to give back. “We use these highways all the time. I encourage motorcyclists to participate,” said Martin.

Barbara Ricca is a 10-year volunteer in southeastern Arizona. She likes being outdoors and began participating in the Adopt a Highway program to introduce her family to community service. “My girls are grown now, but the satisfaction of working in the community is still strong,” said Ricca. “Right before my daughter Amanda moved to Scotland last year, I asked her what she wanted to do and she said volunteer with the Adopt a Highway program one more time.”

Not only do volunteers feel a sense of satisfaction cleaning up the environment, periodically they also find some entertainment in the things they pick up along Arizona’s roadways: a metal sculpture of a roosting bat, articles of clothing from head to toe, cans of food, geocache items and sometimes small bills or coins.

North Kaibab Ranger District Personal-Use Fuelwood Cutting Season Ends Nov. 30

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FREDONIA – The North Kaibab Ranger District would like to remind residents that the 2014 Personal Use Fuelwood Cutting Season ends on November 30, 2014. All unused fuelwood cutting permits will not be valid afterward.

Permits are issued for dead and down (dead standing and downed trees) fuelwood cutting for all species. Permits are $5 per cord, with a four-cord minimum and 10-cord maximum purchase, and are available for purchase from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the North Kaibab Ranger District Office located at 430 S. Main St., Fredonia, AZ. 86022.

The district will resume the sale of wood cutting permits for the 2015 season in May 2015, pending appropriate weather conditions. Additional information on fuelwood permits is available by contacting the North Kaibab Ranger District office at (928) 643-7395.

Coconino County Sheriff seeks information on lost person

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scott-01FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information regarding the whereabouts of 63 year old Scott Olson. Scott was last known to be at his cabin in the Hart Prairie area on Tuesday 11/11/14.

Oldon told family/friends he was going for a hike in the meadow. Scott would have taken his dog with him but has not been seen or heard from since. Scott’s car is at his cabin and his cell phone appears to be turned off.

Scott is a white male, 6′ 3″, 195 pound with blue eyes and grey hair.

Anyone who has seen Scott Olson or has information regarding the disappearance or whereabouts of him and his dog is urged to call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 774-4523 or 800-338-7888.

Early opportunity to preview 4FRI final environmental impact statement and draft record of decision

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350-4friFLAGSTAFF – The Forest Service is providing the public with an early opportunity to preview the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and draft Record of Decision (DROD) for Phase 1 of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI).  The FEIS and DROD for the first analysis area on the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests will be available by November 21, 2014 at the 4FRI website.

In order to allow additional time for public consideration of these extensive documents, online access to the FEIS and DROD is being made available prior to the official start of the formal objection period.

“This environemntal analysis and the subsequent decision will help shape restoration action on almost a million acres for a decade,” said Kaibab National Forest Supervisor, Mike Williams. “An early preview will give the public extra time to review, understand, and ask questions about a significant step forward for our landscape.”

The FEIS analyzes about one million acres on the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests in northern Arizona. The Coconino and Kaibab National Forests are proposing 586,110 acres of restoration activities with approximately 355,708 acres on the Flagstaff, Mogollon, and Red Rock districts of the Coconino NF and 230,402 acres on the Williams and Tusayan districts of the Kaibab NF. The completed environmental analysis and a subsequent final ROD for Phase 1, provide the legal authority to accelerate restoration activities.

“The FEIS and DROD incorporate years of stakeholder and public input including key concerns such as the protection of large and old trees. Meaningful collaboration continues to be essential to our success on this project,” added Williams.

In accordance with federal regulations, the Forest Service will offer a 45-day formal objection period on the FEIS, which will begin with the publication of the Notice of Availability (NOA) in the Federal Register.  The NOA is expected to be published in early December 2014.