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Things were downright somber on February 11 when compared to two previous meetings as the Superior Town Council spent much time building a beneficial relationship with Resolution Copper.
Council members first approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Resolution Copper, then approved an Emergency Services Agreement with the mining company.
The only mention of the accusations and ongoing criminal investigation into Superior Mayor Jayme Valenzuela on his alleged misuse of a town debit card came during the Public Comments segment when only two citizens weighed in on the matter. The situation had prompted heated debate among council members and citizens in attendance at the December and January meetings.
During the main part of the meeting, the Council voted unanimously to accept two agreements with Resolution Copper, which for several years has been assembling a high-tech mining operation near Superior adjacent to the old Magma Mine. The new operation, which will mine copper using the block cave mining technique, is expected to generate $61 billion over its lifetime and bring 1,400 direct jobs to the area, according to Resolution officials.
The Memorandum of Understanding establishes a basic agreement under which Superior and Resolution Copper will build a mutually-beneficial relationship. It includes a code of conduct directing both parties on how to communicate with each other, talk to the public, and otherwise work together.
On approving the Emergency Services Agreement with Resolution Copper, Superior will provide police, firefighting and related emergency services in the mining company’s property outside town boundaries through February 28, 2021, in return for $1.65 million in payments spread out over the five-year duration of the agreement. These services will be provided only above ground with Resolution handling any below ground emergencies on its own. Some of the payments will be front-loaded to enable Superior’s police and fire departments to upgrade equipment. Town and Resolution officials will meet to determine if any new equipment germane for emergencies on mining properties should be acquired by the Superior agencies.
Both agreements resulted from 18 months of negotiations between Superior and Resolution executives. The Emergency Services Agreement replaces an earlier less encompassing pact that was set to expire on February 29.
Before council members could vote, they first had to examine the legalities of who on the council could vote on the two agreements.
Under Arizona statutes, elected officials are barred from voting on matters in which they have a conflict of interest. And according to Town Attorney Stephen R. Cooper, four council members have ties to Resolution Copper that could disqualify them from voting, with the remaining three unable to form the necessary quorum to vote.
These conflicts, Cooper noted, covered Vice Mayor Olga Lopez, whose son was employed by Resolution; and Mayor Jayme Valenzuela, because his daughter was married to Lopez’s son. Also with conflicts were John Tameron and Gilbert Aguilar, who work for companies that do substantial work for Resolution. Although Steve Estatico and Mila Besich-Lira also did work for entities providing services to Resolution, Estatico didn’t do any work on a Resolution project for his employer while Besich-Lira earned less than 3% of her annual income providing IT computer services for a firm providing other services to Resolution. Only Michael Alonzo had no connections to the mining firm.
Cooper explained that Arizona law also takes into account that small towns with dominant businesses might not be able to get anything done if council members either work directly or indirectly for that business. Thus it allows all council members to vote on issues affecting the dominant business provided they state they have a conflict of interest before voting.
And that was what Lopez, Valenzuela, Tameron and Aguilar did before voting on the two agreements related to Resolution Copper.
In other actions taken during the meeting, council members approved a proposal to assist the Superior Fire Department in applying for a $23,583 grant to purchase new protective equipment wore by firefighters while fighting blazes to replace older equipment that was worn out. Members also voted to form a select committee to select an engineering firm for a local sewer plant project. And they approved the application for a liquor license requested by the Buckboard Restaurant at 1111 W. U.S. Highway 60, which is planning to add dinner service to the current breakfast and lunch-only operation.
As after the January meeting, Margaret Gaston resigned as Superior town manager, Fire Chief Todd Pryor filled that position at the meeting on what he described as an “interim interim basis” until the town can select an interim town manager from an agency that provides such services. Pryor is assisted in these duties by Police Chief David Neuss. The Council approved advertising for a new town manager at the January meeting.
Acting on two complaints about stray dogs marauding through parts of town, council members okayed an Inter-Government Agreement with Pinal County Animal Control (PCAC) to conduct two sweeps for stray dogs this year. PCAC also will send a mobile veterinarian clinic into Superior twice this year to offer free rabies vaccinations and to microchip pets so they can be returned to the owners should they get out of their yards. PCAC also will offer discounted spaying of dogs in Superior provided owners sign up a minimum of 45 canines for the service.
The only public comments of the Valenzuela investigation were offered by two former Superior government officers.
David Romero, who resigned as Financial Director shortly after Gaston, paraphrased his letter to the editor in the February 10 Superior Sun in which he sided with the Mayor on his use and reimbursement of debit card funds. He accused former Town Clerk Rachelle Sanchez of creating a hostile work environment during her tenure. He also complained that because of the allegations, his reputation was unfairly blemished, especially since it was he who got the town tax records in shape for filing before the Arizona Department of Transportation cut off funding to Superior.
He was followed by Sanchez, who said the town hall working environment was already hostile when she arrived. She argued that Mayor Valenzuela wouldn’t have paid back the $2,300 in funds he acquired through the town debit card until it became public, so doesn’t deserve to be congratulated for doing right on the matter.
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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