Council changes retreat site
The venue for the Yuma City Council retreat has been officially changed. Officials confirmed after the Wednesday meeting that the council had given City Administrator Greg Wilkinson direction to make the necessary arrangements and that a formal motion was not necessary to change the retreat venue.
The council will meet for its annual retreat next week at the newly renovated Arizona Western College Law Enforcement Training Academy facility at the Ray Kroc Complex, located at 1280 W. Desert Sun Drive. The retreat, which is open to the public, will take place from 1-5 p.m. Monday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
Initially the retreat was to take place at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground. However, some citizens had pointed out that the location and security requirements might prove challenging to some citizens who might want to attend. Among the concerns were the 30-minute drive from City Hall and that visitors to the military base must check in at the entrance and present their driver’s license, car registration and proof of insurance.
Citizens pointed out that a city council cannot require members of the public to sign an attendance sheet to attend a meeting, which is what they believed citizens would be doing by having to present ID at the base entrance.
Some citizens also pointed out that open meeting law indicates that public bodies must provide public access to public meetings. They noted that the isolated location might inhibit attendance by citizens.
During discussion at the Tuesday work session, Councilman Mike Shelton referenced the concerns and asked whether the retreat could be moved to the renovated academy facility.
Mayor Doug Nicholls, Deputy Mayor Gary Knight and Councilman
Edward Thomas readily expressed willingness to change the venue. Wilkinson agreed that it would be a “good idea.” He noted that all the council needed to do was give the direction and staff would change the venue.
The purpose of the retreat is to “allow for highly detailed, back-and-forth discussion between staff and the council” on various issues, city spokesman Dave Nash told the Yuma Sun.
The issues will include the status of the services the city provides its customers, trends affecting the cost or delivery of those services, and changes the councilors may wish to see, “so that the staff can construct a budget for the upcoming fiscal year that reflects council priorities within the constraints of costs and revenue limitations,” Nash said.
In other discussion, Shelton asked whether customers of Family Dry Cleaners, which suddenly closed its three locations in the city last week, could file police reports over their inability to retrieve their personal items.
Wilkinson said that officials have been looking into the situation and that it wasn’t considered a criminal action yet because the notice posted on the door said the landlord was willing to make arrangements for customers to pick up their items.
However, Wilkinson said that the landlord or representatives had not shown up at a time arranged with some customers. He said the city is “working on it,” but didn’t yet have a date when the landlord will allow retrieval of items. Wilkinson said customers can call the building owner’s attorney, Lance Broberg, at 602-255-6061 or 602-255-6039 to claim items. In other action, the council voted on appointments for 2019. Deputy Mayor Gary Knight will continue in that role and was also appointed to a seat on the Greater Yuma Port Authority. In addition, the citizen’s appointment to this board went to Terry W. Frydenlund. Mayor Doug Nicholls was appointed to the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corp. Executive Board, and Councilwoman Leslie McClendon to the GYEDC Board of Directors. Councilwoman Karen Watts was appointed to the Western Arizona Council of Governments Executive Board, Council on Aging and Yuma County Advisory Board. Knight and Councilors Jacob Miller and Edward Thomas received appointments for the Yuma Metropolitan Planning Organization Executive Board. Shelton was appointed to the Yuma Fire Public Safety Board and Yuma Public Safety Police Board.