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By Mayor Sam Hosler, Town of Kearny
Monday, December 19, is the regular meeting of the Town Council. But it won’t be “regular” because a special, significant thing will happen. Debra Sommers will be sworn in as Mayor of Kearny, and she will be joined by Council Members Samantha Misita and Rose Bradford. I will turn the gavel over to Mayor Sommers and join retiring Council Members Rudy Flores and David Herrera in leaving our roles.
I hope that many of us will come to the meeting to experience the work of the Mayor and Town Council and witness this solemn event. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m.
This has been a productive year for our town. The happiest event in my estimation is the successful reconfiguration of the water filtration plant on Upton. Now we are blessed with clear water after many years of metal particulates and obnoxious smells.
Well, maybe the happiest event was the reopening of the town pool, newly restored and fully compliant with all codes. This was a true community effort involving the giving of funds and volunteer time and expertise. This couldn’t have happened without the support of Kearny residents.
Then again, I was pleased with all the paving of town roads. Upton, Tilbury, and blocks of Essex, Fairhaven, and Greenwich received a new surface, and I am especially pleased that the heavily-deteriorated Mountain View Drive was given a new surface.
Mayor Sam Hosler and some young people enjoy sitting at the new picnic tables at Hubbard Park in Kearny.
I’m also happy that Mike Kotraba and the people of the ASARCO Ray Mine have been so helpful to Kearny. This fall ASARCO employees spent a full day in Hubbard Park, painting the old teen center, the Town Hall, and the park ramadas. Mike then announced that ASARCO would present the town with new metal tables for the park ramadas, and they were installed last month. Go have a look. They are great.
The work of the Journey for a Clean Kearny campaign has been highly visible. A mew group has been formed at Ray High School to volunteer their labors, the Science Club did a cleanup along the Gila River, and many yards were cleaned by group members. This is a totally volunteer group using no town funds, so the donation of tools and other equipment has been much appreciated.
I’m leaving out work and improvements at the Town Library, the water treatment plant, the Griffin pump station, the water tanks, the manhole replacement, and the installation of sixteen new fire hydrants… I’m out of room. I’ll be back next week with my last column. Thank you, Kearny!
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