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By Mila Besich Lira
Copper Basin News
The Hayden Town Council approved the purchase of a professional Geographic Information Systems (GIS) services. The cost for the services is $60,000. The vote to approve the purchase was not unanimous with 5-1 vote. Councilmember Ruiz voted no on the item. The funds to purchase the services are coming from remaining CDBG funds that were not used in the previous year’s funding. The GIS services will allow for layering of information critical for the further development of Hayden, these services are not being paid for with general fund dollars.
The GIS services will create a data base of address points, residential completions, employers, land ownership, land use including open space, municipal properties, parks and recreation, subdivision boundaries, town council districts and will also allow for the Town of Hayden zoning laws to be included in the data bases and maps.
GIS is used in many communities throughout Arizona and the country. The planning process will create layers of information that can be used by the town to identify areas for growth, employment and preservation.
In addition to this business item the council also voted to change the regular meeting dates for January and February to the third Tuesdays due to the Martin Luther King and Presidents’ Day holidays. They also approved that Town Hall will close from noon to 12:30 p.m. each work day starting in January. This scheduled close will allow staff to have their lunch break.
The council also approved new board contacts. Mayor Vega will be the contact for the senior center and administration; Vice Mayor Munoz, administration and police; Councilmember Lopez, fire and senior center; Councilmember Ruiz, library and public works; Councilmember Cooper, public works and magistrate; and Councilmember Smith, police and library.
The next Hayden Town Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 16, 2013 at 5:30 p.m.
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