by 
San Manuel Miner
Things are still very much up in the air about the Mammoth Police Department. Should the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office take over? Are there other options?
Mammoth Mayor Don Jones late last month voiced some of these concerns at a meeting with the other council members.
Jones spoke about the Council still trying to resolve the issue with the Mammoth Police Department. The numbers are not adding up at this time for the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office to take over. Paul Babeu, Pinal County Sheriff, has offered to take over the department at a cost of $320,000. The town can only budget $250,000, which has set everything at a bit of an impasse.
Jones said the council is looking at the Arizona Department of Public Safety coming in temporarily to take over the department for 90 days and see what is needed and ways to improve the force. The Town of Kearny has twice in the past year used DPS to temporarily head up its police department.
Recalls
Also at the Aug. 20 meeting, the Mammoth Council voted 4 to 2 to amend Town Ordinance 196, Recall and Removal of Office. The amendment adding section 2.12.030 says “A recalled Council member who has been removed from office shall thereafter be ineligible to serve or hold town office for a period of the lesser of four Town Council election cycles or a period of eight years or be eligible to serve as an appointed town council member.” A previous version of the ordinance said that a person recalled could never again hold office. Council members Pete Gallego and Rogina Medina voted against the measure.
In other business, the council:
• Made plans to install a sign on Hwy. 77 directing people to the “Mammoth Aquatics Center.”
• Approved renovation of the Little League baseball field. Six inches of dirt will be removed from the field.
• Discussed plans to build a front porch in front of the Town Hall. The work will be done by Public Works.
• Discussed and approved charging service fees for water meter disconnects, re-connects and re-reads. Charges will be $100 for a new meter and $100 for a shut off valve. A meter re-read will cost $15. A shut off service charge will be $15 during normal work hours and $45 after hours or on weekends. The Town will give a 60-day notice to the public before implementing the charges.
• Approved a measure to assess a $100 non-refundable fine and $15 per day fine for property owners that fail to do property clean up after being warned by Planning & Zoning. A $30 service fee will be charged property owners for vegetation/brush pick-up for the clean up program associated with vacant property.
• Approved an end of summer celebration at the Mammoth swimming pool. The celebration will be on Sept. 12. It will be a free fun day with the Lions Club and Mammoth Volunteer Fire Department providing hot dogs and drinks.
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
by by