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By Sam Hosler, Kearny Mayor
Next Monday, November 17, at 7:30 p.m. the Kearny Town Council will hold its regular meeting, and Nancy Hinojos will be sworn into office as a Council Member. She will be a welcome addition. She has deep love for Kearny and the whole Copper Basin, and has been very active in community affairs.
Earlier this year, David Herrera was appointed to fill out an unexpired term of office, so he and Nancy are our newest members.
Both Nancy and David will soon be attending a conference designed for them. Offered by the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, it is two days of immersion into the intricacies of municipal government, including such things as conduct of meetings, the Open Meeting law, ethics in government, and financial affairs.
It was less than three years ago when I went to the conference, and I still make use of the thick binder and many other materials from the gathering. I am thankful that the annual gathering of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns provides continuing education for the mayors and council members of Arizona.
The swearing-in will be one the first items on the agenda, and Nancy will immediately take her place on the Town Council.
There will be a full agenda on Monday, much of it having to do with engineering and financial issues surrounding our aging water delivery infrastructure. Our interim Chief of Police, Chris Vasquez, will be on hand to make his first public safety report to the town.
No matter how full the agenda, one of this first things is always the Call to the Public. This is the time for town residents to make inquiries about town affairs which are not already on the agenda, to suggest a possible course of action, or simply to seek an answer to a question. At its best, the Call to the Public can serve to stimulate new and helpful ideas as well as improve the flow of communication.
I hope many people will be present at Nancy’s swearing-in and will witness the rest of the meeting as well. The best government is that which is closest to the people.
A final note: I will miss the wise counsel of Neil Gambell, who completed his second term on Town Council last month. He was always a patient and constructive influence, and his engineering knowledge helped us on many occasions. Thank you, Neil.
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