$3.3M grant for improved COVID-19 testing on Yuma County board agenda
Supervisors also to consider solid waste operations, heavy equipment purchase
The Yuma County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday will consider accepting a $3.3 million grant from the Arizona Department of Health Services that would support improved COVID-19 testing in the county.
If the board approves the agreement between ADHS and the Yuma County Public Health Services District, the district would acquire additional testing equipment, testing kits and laboratory services and implement public health interventions and tools in schools, nursing facilities, businesses and other agencies.
The district also agrees to raise awareness of safety measures through a data dashboard and public messaging and share information with the public regarding infectious disease surveillance and prevention strategies as well as enhance collaborations between the hospital and clinical labs.
In other action, Public Works staff will provide a presentation of solid waste operations, including an overview of the types of waste accepted, budget and expenditures, facility usage and opportunities for future planning. The presentation will be followed by discussion and possible direction to staff.
As part of the consent calendar, the Public Works director will ask for permission to trade in a 2001 Caterpillar 140H motor grader and one 2003 Caterpillar 140H motor grader to Empire Southwest for a credit of $99,200 to be applied toward the purchase of new equipment. The director wants to buy two new Caterpillar 140-15 motor graders from Empire Southwest at a cost not exceeding $540,518.
The supervisors will also hold hearings on several planning and zoning items. Two requests do not have staff’s recommendation, in disagreement with the Planning Commission. Chrystal Rose Farms has requested the land use designation be changed from Agriculture/Rural Preservation to Agriculture/Rural Development and rezoned from Rural Area-40 Acre Minimum to Rural Area5 Acre Minimum for 10 acres located in the vicinity of County 10th Street and Avenue E in Yuma.
A report indicates that staff does not recommend changing the land use designation because it’s not consistent with the existing character of the Yuma Valley Planning Area, it’s not considered an overall improvement to the plan and is solely for the good or benefit of this particular owner. Staff also noted that the amendment does not address an oversight, inconsistency, or other land use related inequity.
Staff also does not recommend the rezoning because the proposal is not consistent with the existing character of the Yuma Valley Planning Area and the proposed density is not the same nor similar to the existing density in the surrounding vicinity.
In addition, the board will hold a rezoning reversion hearing for a 43-acre parcel located on Sierra Sands Drive near County 15th Street in Yuma. Staff recommends reverting to the original zoning because the deadline to comply with the development schedule has passed and the development has not been completed nor have any of the property owners contacted planning staff to request an extension or time to comply with the schedule.
View the full agenda and staff reports at https://tinyurl.com/ y6bekslx.
Anyone concerned with COVID-19 who does not want to attend the meeting in person but wishes to participate in the call to the public can submit an email with the subject line “Call to the Public” and a statement to: publiccomment@yumacountyaz.gov.
Public comment emails will be accepted until 8 a.m. the morning of the meeting and read aloud during the meeting that starts at 9 a.m. in the BOS Auditorium located at 198 S. Main St. in Yuma.