County will continue mask rule discussion
The Yuma County Board of Supervisors will continue the discussion on the proclamation requiring face coverings to help slow the spread of COVID-19 on Monday.
Chairman Tony Reyes told the Yuma Sun he requested the agenda item because he signed the proclamation on Thursday without input from fellow supervisors because quick action was needed but he still wants their input.
The board will meet at 9 a.m. at 198 S. Main St. Anyone who is concerned about COVID-19 and does not want to attend the meeting in person can still participate by submitting an email with the subject line “Call to the Public” and a statement to: publiccomment@yumacountyaz.gov.
These email forms will be accepted until 8 a.m. the morning of the meeting. All public comments will be read aloud during the meeting.
Additionally, the county will hold a combined budget and Truth in Taxation hearing and potentially adopt the final budget of $288.9 million, a 2.56% increase over the previous year. The budget as presented incorporates changes directed by the supervisors at the June 1 meeting.
The proposed budget includes a property tax levy at a combined tax rate of $3.6638, which is a reduction of $0.0206 from 2019-2020. The county would collect a tax levy of $32.3 million, an increase of $828,532.
The one budget-related action remaining after adopting the budget is that of setting the property tax rates and improvement district assessment rates, which will occur at the Aug. 17 board meeting.
The board will also consider the following agenda items:
• 2021 operating budget for the Yuma County Housing Department’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program in the amount of $3.2 million.
• Yuma County Housing Department’s Fiscal Year 2020-2021 operating budget in the amount of $2 million.
• Letter opposing the transfer of fourth-priority Colorado River Water from GSC Farm LLC to Queen Creek.
• Acceptance of the Arizona Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding in the amount of $433,275 from the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission and $7 million in AZCARES grant funding.
• Award a 48% commissions contract for the provision of commissary services to the Keefe Group of Tucson for the Yuma County Detention Center .
• Contract for the provision of food services for the Yuma County Detention Center to Trinity Services Group of Phoenix for the following prices: Adult $1.22, Juveniles $1.99, Religious $1.25.
To view the complete agenda and read staff reports, go to https://tinyurl.com/y97s3puq.