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John Paul Perez. Photo Courtesy Todd Pryor
John Paul Perez, a lifelong resident of Superior and a 20-year veteran of the Superior Fire Department, has been hired as the town’s Fire Chief. He succeeds Todd Pryor, who moved up to Superior Town Manager last April.
Perez was officially hired by the Superior Town Council following an executive session held during the Aug. 11 Council meeting. He was selected from among several applicants for the Fire Chief position.
Under terms of his hiring, Perez will work as Fire Chief 16 hours a week, thus allowing him to continue in his second job at Empire Machinery in Mesa. His salary is tied to the hours worked.
On being hired, Perez was praised by Council members for his previous work with the Superior Fire Department, where he rose to the position of Fire Captain. On accepting the position, Perez promised to do his best to serve the town where he has lived his entire life.
Prior to being hired by the Superior Fire Department in 1996, Perez received his training as a firefighter at Central Arizona College.
In other business at the August Council meeting, a motion by Councilman John Tameron to return to two scheduled Council meeting per month failed when the other four council members present failed to make a motion for further consideration.
Tameron argued that going back to holding meetings on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month would allow the Council to resolve public and governmental issues in a timelier manner. Currently if a problem is brought up at one Council meeting, one has to wait a month for it to be acted upon and resolved, he noted.
Tameron added that doubling the number of Council meetings would cost Superior only $3,600 more annually.
But Councilman Michael Alonzo objected, noting that Superior went to one Council meeting per month so that the Council could fit in more work sessions where town problems and other issues are actually debated and solutions drafted. Emergency Council sessions can always be called for pressing issues, he added.
Councilman Stephen Estatico agreed with Alonzo, adding that it was hard enough getting all seven Council members to one meeting a month.
The motion died for lack of being brought to a vote.
Later during the public comment period at the end of the meeting, Henry Munoz, who served on the Superior Town Council in 1989-99, scolded Council members, saying the with two meetings a month, citizens become better informed while town issues are solved quicker.
“You create a more open environment for debate and problem solving,” Munoz said, adding that the towns of Globe and Miami still have two council meetings each month.
Earlier in the meeting, Council members unanimously voted to confirm that property tax levy in Superior for the upcoming fiscal year will remain the same as it was in the current year. This was a formality as the town budget was approved at the July meeting. The current levy is expected to be sufficient to raise $579,015 by June 30, 2017.
A policy statement to govern the future use of electronic recording devices (cameras worn on duty by policemen) by the Superior Police Department was tabled by the Council pending additional work.
Also tabled by the Council was a motion to seek a grant from Firehouse Subs to upgrade the Superior Fire Department. The Fire Truck Restoration Committee asked for more time to redraft its grant request to first seek grant money for updating the equipment used by firefighters on the job while postponing to the second year grant money to replace one of Superior’s fire engines.
James J. Hodl is a career journalist who has worked for newspapers, magazines and trade journals. A graduate of Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism, Hodl began his career as a reporter with the Palatine (IL) Herald and the Morton Grove (IL) Review before becoming editor of the trade publication Appliance Service News. In recent years, Hodl has had articles published in Consumers Digest, Good Housekeeping, Home Remodeling, Kitchens & Baths and Salute; and has contributed to trade publications serving the home furnishings, restaurant and casino markets. A native of Chicago, Hodl relocated to San Tan Valley in 2013.
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