Weekly Update with Mayor Goode of Prescott | March 25

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Hello, I’m Mayor Phil Goode with your weekly update. It’s great to be back after being off last week.

• Easter Closures
• Flood Hazard Maps
• YavaLine Regional Transit System
• Rodeo Grounds Master Plan
• City Manager
• Free Brush and Vegetation Debris Drop-off
• Recycling Reminders
• City Council Meetings
• St. Patrick’s Day Patrols

Next Sunday, March 31st, is Easter, and the Prescott Public Library will be closed

The library will reopen on Monday at 9 am. In the meantime, please watch for upcoming information about events celebrating National Library Week which is April 7th-13th.

The City of Prescott and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been working on an update of the City’s flood hazard maps

The City remapped the floodplain for about nine linear miles of streams using the latest flood modeling approaches and digital mapping technologies, along with updated data. These updated flood maps provide detailed, property-specific flood risk data. This data helps residents and business owners better understand their risk of flooding and guide building and flood insurance decisions.

More information about the mapping project, and a link to view the updated maps, can be found on our website. Property owners are encouraged to look up their property to see if it is in the remapped area, and if so, how it is affected. Changes in flood risk can mean changes in building and flood insurance requirements.

A public Flood Risk Open House is also being held on April 1, 2024, from 4-7 pm at the Rowle B. Simmons Community Center on Rosser Street to allow the public to review and discuss the preliminary flood maps in person. Property owners will be able to look up their addresses to see how their flood risk may have changed. Mapping and flood insurance specialists, as well as city representatives, will be available to answer questions. There will be no formal presentation.

I am pleased to announce that we have a new expanded public transportation option for residents in Prescott

The YavaLine Regional Transit System, “YAV” for short, has added a new service area to include a portion of the City of Prescott. The new service is administered by the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization ( also known as CYMPO), and trips may be scheduled by phone call or through the YAV Connect mobile app. Rides cost $2 each way, anywhere within the zone, there are no bus stops.

The YAV’s service schedule is Monday – Friday, 6 am – 8 pm.

The new Prescott service area includes downtown Prescott, Dignity Health YRMC hospital and medical offices, places of higher education, the Northern Arizona VA, and several shopping centers. Boundaries are roughly Iron Springs Road to the west, SR 69/SR89 interchange to the east, Gail Gardner Way to the north, and Copper Basin Road to the south. All vehicles utilized are small vans equipped with ramps for wheelchair access and all trip purposes are allowed.

The YAV is an independent operation and is not affiliated with the City of Prescott.

The City of Prescott has posted documents related to the Prescott Rodeo Grounds rezoning and master plan on the City’s website

Citizens can go to our city website and scroll down to the Rodeo Grounds Master Plan.

Community Development Director Chelsea Walton has issued a memo clarifying the documents, the timing, and some of the next steps in the review and approval process.

That memo:

On April 9, 2024, the City Council will hold a Study Session to review the master plan and receive information on the rezoning process and proposal. The public is welcome to attend.

Last Thursday, more than 100 members of the public attended a Meet and Greet with three finalists for the City Manager position

J. Dallin Kimble, the county administrator from Mariposa County, California; Andrea Phillips last served as the Town Manager for two communities in southwest Colorado; and Scotty Douglass was most recently the town manager in Cottonwood.

On Friday, Council met with each of the applicants for an interview with our City Council.

Further information regarding a new City Manager will be released soon.

To promote Fire Safety, the City of Prescott is offering a free brush and vegetation debris drop-off event for its residential trash customers

This event runs every Saturday in April from 7 am to 3 pm at the City of Prescott Transfer Station, located at 2800 Sundog Ranch Rd. Proof of City of Prescott residency in the form of a driver’s license or utility bill is required.

Please do not bag the brush or vegetation debris, and do not include other trash. Remember to cover and contain all loads while transporting.

In additional news from the Public Works Department, we are asking that you please be careful with your recycling materials

Right now, we are facing a contamination issue with the city-wide recycling program. You can help by ensuring that you only put the appropriate items in your recycling trash can.

Public Works asks us to remember, “We can make a difference when we Recycle Right!”

Tomorrow, during the Executive Session, the Council will receive legal advice and counsel regarding ongoing discussions between the City and the Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe regarding water and related issues

During the Study Session at 1 pm, we will receive a Departmental Overview from the Prescott Police and Fire Departments.

Finally, during our 3 p.m. voting Meeting, we will receive a presentation regarding recommendations from the Workforce Housing Committee. We will also consider a property exchange between the Prescott Fire Department and the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority (also known as CAFMA). In this exchange, CAFMA would get the Fire Station on Iron Springs and Williamson Valley Road, and the City of Prescott would receive the Fire Station on 6th Street, plus an additional $550,000 to be placed into the General Fund.

The Amended 2022 Water Management Policy will be considered for approval as well as additional recommendations from the Mayor’s Commission on Water Policy Review & Monitoring.

Finally, we will hear a presentation regarding an Appeal of the Prescott Preservation Commission’s Denial of a 55-room hotel on Whiskey Row.

Our General Plan Review Committee will meet on Wednesday, March 27th at 2 PM in the Council Chambers

There will be a joint Fire and Police Public Safety Retirement Board meeting on Thursday at 1 PM in the Executive Conference Room at City Hall.

Also on Thursday, at 1:30 PM there will be a Civic Enhancement Committee meeting in Council Chambers.

Information regarding City meetings can be found at the link.

On St. Patrick’s Day, local law enforcement agencies participated in DUI saturation patrols

The officers made a total of 147 traffic stops resulting in the arrest of 3 drivers for misdemeanor DUI charges, including 1 extreme DUI charge with a blood alcohol over .150, and one driver for driving under the influence of drugs.

Also during this detail, officers contacted 21 designated drivers who were providing safe rides to family and friends. Additionally, through participation in the “Know Your Limit” detail, officers were able to educate 40 potential drivers on their impairment level in hopes of preventing impaired drivers from making the choice to drive home impaired.

We ask that you always drive sober, designate a driver, or call for a ride to stay safe.

I am Mayor Phil Goode, and I will update you again next week. Thank you for watching.

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