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City of Globe makes progress in 2022, rides momentum into 2023

By David Abbott

The City of Globe made considerable progress toward its goals in 2022 and is poised to build on those successes as the calendar turns to 2023.

In addition to strengthening its ability to provide services to residents by increasing the civic workforce, Globe has invested in aging infrastructure and laid the groundwork for more improvements in basic services. City leaders have also worked to build important relationships to help provide funding – and political heft – in the future.

“Obviously, one of the things we will continue to do is to build stronger relationships and partnerships, not only locally but statewide,” says Globe Mayor Al Gameros. “We would not be able to accomplish many of these projects without those relationships. One of our key goals is to leverage this collaboration and advance as a key rural region in Arizona.”

Through efforts including strengthening ties with Gila County and other local stakeholders, seeking funding opportunities with federal agencies, and engaging a lobbyist in Washington DC, the City has picked up momentum that will serve residents well into 2023 and beyond.

Laying groundwork for the future

Highlights of the past year include establishing several large-scale projects, such as senior affordable housing at the former Hill Street School site, the Northeast Corridor Sewer Expansion Plan, the Community Center Pool rehabilitation project, and the upcoming replacement of Connie’s Bridge.

The City has utilized funds from the recently established 1% sales tax to ensure it can continue to improve services to residents and maintain major infrastructure improvements without raising property taxes or going into debt through municipal bonds.

The revenues will also help the City hire and retain employees. Initial hiring is targeted for the Public Works Department to provide more efficient service and in preparation for the major expansion in recreational amenities. The City has also hired its first Grants Manager, who will coordinate with all departments and identify funding opportunities, and a Building Official, tasked with modernizing internal and external processes and updating building codes in preparation for upcoming residential and commercial development.

One of the main projects targeted for the new revenue stream is the replacement of Globe’s fire station, a building that is more than 100 years old and is in dire need of replacement. With the help of a USDA loan the City hopes to procure, the $10 million to $13 million project is expected to make big gains this year. Once built, the new station will be an asset to the City for decades to come.

“The 1% sales tax increase will provide the vital resources for the City to best serve our current residents and best prepare for the growth and development that is coming,” Gameros says. “To provide the quality service that is expected of a modern city, we must invest in our staff, which is one of our greatest assets. If they don’t do the work, it doesn’t get done.”

Gameros added that in order to grow the local workforce, the city must work to address a housing shortage that leaves many workers with no option but to commute from the Valley.

To that end, the 2022-2023 budget helps lay the groundwork for future growth, from modernizing water and sewer systems to preparing for development in one of the few places in the region amenable to construction, the Northeast Corridor.

“When we have employee leakage, so many people that work here in the mines and other professions don’t live here because housing is unavailable,” Gameros says. “If we don’t start addressing our aging infrastructure, which includes housing stock, we’re going to run into a situation like other cities that constantly have these issues.”

Partnerships and successes

Globe’s leadership has forged many partnerships in its efforts to revitalize the community, including with local mines, the US Forest Service, Gila County, the Eastern Arizona College Small Business Development Center, the Department of Homeland Security, USDA, and the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA).

The City of Globe has been a major driver in the Cobre Valley Wastershed Partnership efforts for the past several years, under a grant from the University of Arizona. The group includes vested stakeholders working to create and implement a Watershed Restoration and Action Plan throughout the region.

“Bettering our community is about being involved at every level, listening to constituents, industry, and business leaders, and then making the best decisions as a Council for our City,” Gameros says. “Working with a dedicated lobbying firm in Washington has already provided a return for the City. With the lobbyists’ assistance, we were able to secure $100,000 in funding for the study for the McCormick Wash Diversion Project that directly impacts the safety and sustainability of our historic downtown commercial corridor. We are looking forward to going to Washington in March, because not only do you need the lobbyists, but it’s absolutely necessary to have one-on-one dialogue with our legislators, to discuss our priorities and issues so that they will remember our faces when they make decisions that directly impact our hometown.”

The Economic and Community Development Department (ECD) had a banner year in 2022, as it led the way on projects intended to bring more tourism dollars to the City and stimulate future economic development.

The success of Globe’s First Friday has created a signature regional event that increases traffic for downtown businesses and vendors and acts as a magnet for residents, visitors, and classic car aficionados who participate in the downtown cruise.

ECD Director Linda Oddonetto has assembled a growing team of dedicated employees and volunteers to plan and staff the event, but that’s only one of the department’s recent successes.

In December 2022, ECD received notification that thanks to the bipartisan Build Back Better Bill, the City will receive $750,000 to invest in the Michaelson Building Incubator Workforce Development Project in downtown Globe.

The project to rehabilitate the building that was once a location for Gila County offices has been in the planning stage for three years. Federal funds will go toward the renovation of the historic structure to create an innovation hub for local entrepreneurs and provide much-needed office space for post-Covid remote workers who are moving to Globe.

“After months of work with mayors, law enforcement, and local leaders, these new investments will go directly to Arizona communities,” says Senator Mark Kelly of the bill, which will allocate $132 million statewide. “Whether it’s providing critical resources for our police officers, improving high-speed internet access for rural Arizonans, or upgrading water infrastructure during this drought, these projects are going to improve people’s lives across the state.”

Senator Sinema says she and her colleagues have “secured resources that empower our local communities and tribes with resources to provide critical services for public safety, health, education, water infrastructure, transportation, and more.”

The incubator project is expected to begin this year and represents a major accomplishment for the City of Globe.

“The Michaelson Building Incubator Workforce Development Project is going to be a catalyst for the Globe downtown renaissance,” Oddonetto says. “Thanks to the work of our elected leaders in Washington and our partnership with Gila County, this modern concept of the 21st-century center for innovation and workplace is coming to fruition.”

In the coming year, Gameros expects the momentum to continue. City Council will have its annual planning facilitation in February and will continue with the far-reaching planning that it hopes to put in place for the future of all residents of Globe.

“We’re going to continue to refresh plans, evolve, and keep moving forward not only this year, but like always, we have to have the vision for five, ten, and twenty years down the road,” Gameros concluded. “We are committed to building a strong, vibrant, sustainable community for the generations to come.”

Globe Mayor Al Gameros

SUPERIOR MAYOR’S MINUTE

BY MAYOR MILA BESIC

Greetings of the New Year! The holidays have come and gone too quickly it seems, and hopefully by now, we are all settling into 2023!

Our Town achieved many major milestones in 2022, including the purchase of the original high school; the groundbreaking of the wastewater treatment plant renovations, and by the end of this fiscal year, we will have administered almost 16 million dollars in grant funds.

At Town Hall, we are excited to begin this New Year with a new Public Works Director, Manuel The Americorp Fireteam 1 will be working to build fire breaks around Superior. Courtesy Photo. Castillo, who previously served as Superior’s Building Official. Manuel applied for and was promoted to this critically important position, and we warmly welcome him as a member of our senior management team. As many of you know, Manuel brings many years of municipal experience to the job.

Also in 2023, renovations will continue at the original Superior High School; funding is in place to build the elevator that will allow full accessibility to the campus. The Superior Enterprise Center will likely be the first program to fully move into the facility once the electrical work is completed. Once the electrical is upgraded, the welding units can be installed, and we are eager to begin offering welding and other job training courses at the Superior Enterprise Center.

The Town is anticipating finalizing the purchase of the land exchange parcels, comprised of 546 acres on the west side of town including our Superior Municipal Airport. This transaction is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023. Purchasing the land from the federal government is just the first step to expanding our economic and community development opportunities. Just as important is the need to shift our focus to infrastructure development in that area. This of course will require time and attention, but we will be kicking off that body of work this year and creating plans to ensure that Superior can grow sustainably.

It was disappointing to close out 2022 still waiting for the Resolution Copper Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to be re-released by the federal government. It will be imperative for the Town and all community leaders to increase our advocacy to the federal government to re-release the FEIS. In March, it will be two years since the document was put into bureaucratic purgatory, and every day that we wait for this document to be released our community is disenfranchised.

This month we will once again welcome an AmeriCorps Crew to live and work in our community. We are fortunate to have them stay in our community through March. The eightmember team will be building fire breaks around Superior and assisting with invasive species removal. They will also be volunteering with other community organizations and getting to know what life is like in our community. Their work provides benefits to our community, including substantial savings for important town projects, which helps us stretch grant dollars that we have received to conduct these projects.

Throughout 2022, we have read the reports on water and drought conditions across Arizona and the west. Our Town leadership, in partnership with Resolution Copper and the Arizona Water Company, have been laser-focused on the immediate and long-term water needs for Superior. The release of water into Queen Creek to replenish our aquifer is slated for 2023. We will be working on creating a rainwater garden to help with drainage on upper Main Street. This project will likely kick off a longer-term plan to address drainage issues across town and making repairs that will also improve our aquifers. Every little bit helps when it comes to water sustainability. I encourage you to visit the Superior Sustainability Elevated page and follow them on Facebook to learn more about what we can all do to save water: https:// sustainabilityelevated.com

One upcoming opportunity that I am most excited about is our Youth Council making a trip to our Nation’s Capital in March to attend the National League of Cities Conference. Five of our local youth leaders will make the trip along with chaperones to learn more about community service and experience first-hand the business of our country in Washington D.C. This trip is well deserved for these incredible young leaders who have devoted the past 5 years of their school careers to serving on the Town of Superior Youth Council.

We have much to be proud of in our community. While much work remains to be done, I am proud of our staff, Town Council, and the countless volunteers who help make Superior a shining example for rural community development across the nation.

Wishing you the very best of life in 2023!

15th Annual Superior Home Tour & Antique Show Scheduled for January 28-29, 2023

Superior, Arizona — The 15th Annual Superior Home Tour & Antique Show will take place on January 28th and 29th in the historic mining town of Superior, Arizona. Hosted by the Superior Chamber of Commerce, the event offers ticket holders a chance to explore several unique homes in the historic community. This year’s tour includes “The Surprise House,” a brick home built in the 1920s that has been fully restored. The home has retained much of its original character, including in the kitchen, which features the original cabinets from a bygone era. The home is one of several in the area that housed the mine supervisors from Magma Copper Mine and were company owned until the 1970s.

The antique show will take place at the Magma Club, a beautifully restored 100+ year old building in downtown Superior. The building once hosted dinners, dancing, and boxing matches for Magma Mine workers. Attendees can browse quality antiques or relax and listen to live music on the veranda while taking in the mountain views.

Both days begin with a pancake breakfast. Throughout the day, attendees can explore at their own pace, while also taking part in guided hikes, or listening to dynamic speakers. Attendees will hear stories of Superior’s history and the legends who once roamed there, including Mattie Blaylock, Wyatt Earp’s common-law wife, who is buried in the Pinal Cemetery just outside of town. This year’s speakers include Wyatt Earp, a descendant of the western lawman. In addition, the Tour will feature handmade pottery for sale from the Mexican village of Mata Ortiz and a chance to browse the various shops in downtown Superior.

Tickets are $20 on the day of the event or $17 presale. All ticket holders receive 2-for-1 tickets to the Renaissance Festival and Boyce Thompson Arboretum. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.superiorazhometour.com.

Hotel | Restaurant | Tea Room HISTORIC HOTEL MAGMA

From a 109 Year Old Boarding House to a Cozy Boutique Hotel

•21 Very Stylish Bedrooms •Beautifully Landscaped Courtyard •A Welcoming Lobby •Exquisite Dining Room •Cozy Tea Room and Bar •Roof-top Patio •Second Floor Veranda