Council Hears Outline Of Plans For Annual Sweet Corn Festival

By Naomi Hatch
   “Growing Together Through the yEars” will be the theme for this year’s Taylor Sweet Corn Festival, Carole Owens advised the Taylor Town Council June 24.
   She reported that this year they will not have the Arizona association barbecue event, but she is talking to officials of the Kansas City Association. She said there will be other activities to fill in and noted, “We had a good festival without the barbecue. We’re hoping to get a good response from churches and businesses for the parade. It’s small, but mighty, and we want to keep it.”
   Owens continued, “I realize we have a recession going on and know the Town of Taylor is struggling like everybody else,” explaining that the arts and crafts, parade entry fees and charge for the rodeo will offset a little of the problem. She said that Mark Muder, manager of Bashas’, said their sales increase approximately $60,000 over the Labor Day weekend, “so it brings in a little revenue for the town.”
   Owens then said that she hears about the tourism funds and didn’t know if that could be discussed with the council. She said she feels they need the town on board for the Sweet Corn Festival, and expressed concern with a recent comment that the 4th of July is Taylor’s only important event and that is where the obligation lies.
   She then asked Jason Gibson, who is in charge of the Ranch Rodeo, to provide more information, because she was requesting $6,500 over the $3,500 allotted for the Sweet Corn Festival to go toward the Ranch Rodeo.
   Gibson told the council, “In the past we had most of the cattle donated, which can’t happen every year,” noting that most of the donated cattle belonged to Eddie Hancock. “When Eddie Hancock stands up and talks, people better listen.”
   Gibson continued, “If we don’t have the money, tell us straight up front and we’ll go camping for the weekend.”
   Mayor John Cole explained that the council needed figures, including requirements for prizes and stock.
   Gibson didn’t have those numbers, and felt he would need to know an amount before he would know what they could order.
   Mayor Cole said, “I appreciate your situation, and the fact that in order to make this grow and expand the way you want it to, you need some funding. Please understand that our revenues are down and we’re cutting in all departments. It’s a serious challenge to try to figure this out.”
   “If you don’t have it we don’t have it and we’ll can it,” responded Gibson, who went on to say that last year they had four horse races and a cow ride that were outstanding.
   Eddie Hancock said on behalf of the Special Days Committee that he knew for years they had put money into the White Mountain Development with the hopes of economic development in Taylor.
   “We’d like to know what is in the tourism category, not that we want to manage the committee,” said Hancock. “If we’ve got money in the tourism account, which we are led to believe, those three events are the only events that I know that will fill the motels, gas stations and the restaurants.”
   Treavor Allen, a member of the Tourism Committee, suggested these are the kind of things tourism would like to help with. He invited them to attend the meeting in July and to bring a detailed budget, adding, “This is unofficial, I’m not speaking for the Tourism Committee, but as a member, those are the things we would like to hear and take a look and see if there is some way we can help,” suggesting they could help with marketing possibly.
   Ron Bish suggested that at the last meeting it was noted that a large amount of money was to go toward the airport. He said, “It seems to me we don’t need the money at the airport right now,” and suggested it go to Owens.
   Mayor Cole explained that the money Bishreferred to is federal stimulus money that has been designated for airports.
   Town Engineer Stu Spaulding explained, “If we don’t take money for the taxiway, we lose the money for the runway that’s all torn up.”
   Town Manager Eric Duthie explained that the Tourism Committee is a sub-committee of the Snowflake-Taylor Chamber of Commerce and said, “Just so you are aware and the public is aware, the funds for the Tourism Committee are 100 percent generated by a bed tax in Snowflake that Taylor does not have.”
   It was decided that the council would hold a work session to see if they could come up with money.
   In other action June 24, the council:
   * Approved as part of the consent agenda a resolution in support of abolishment of the federal Black Liquor Tax Credit, which has put the Catalyst Paper Mill at a disadvantage in competing in the market.
   * Acting as the Board of Adjustment, held a public hearing to discuss a request for a zone change from AG-2 to AG-1 for property located at 338 N. 100 East, which is owned by Jeff & Mary Miller. Mary was present representing them, and said she split the property, thinking it was zoned differently because there are a variety of parcel sizes along that street. This went before the Taylor Planning and Zoning Commission April 21, which recommended approval. No one spoke during the public hearing. The council unanimously approved the zone change.
   * Discussed names suggested by residents for the new town if the consolidation of Taylor and Snowflake is put to a vote and passes. Among the approximately 35 names submitted, Taylor was suggested most.
   Mayor Cole said, “Personally, I think if we were to approve a resolution asking for an election we would obviously have to have some viable names. I’m not interested in wasting our time with a name that’s not going to be acceptable to either town.” He went on to say several people suggested Silver Creek, Snowflake-Taylor and Taylor-Snowflake. He asked for council suggestions and there were none.
   This was not an action item, but suggestions will be added to the resolution if the council approves one.
   * Unanimously approved the final town budget of $9.2 million.
   Finance Director Gus Lundberg explained the process and said, “I would just again reiterate, by setting a budget you are no way obligating yourselves to make any of these budget expenditures.”
   Duthie said, “I want to point out the difference between we don’t have the revenues and we’re cutting the budgets. If revenues don’t come in, we can’t spend what we don’t have and that’s the rule, you just can’t spend what you don’t have.” He further explained that staff members, including department heads, went through a process of prioritizing services that will be continued and services that are recommended not to continue until things get better. “We’re hopeful that revenues pick up, but the reality is, we have to suffer through. If we have to cut staff, cut services and programs, we have no choice,” noting Taylor is not the only town with financial problems.
   The council asked to meet with department heads to be able to understand the priorities that have been set. A meeting will be scheduled.
   Also due to budget constraints, it was agreed by the council that new Councilmen Jordy Fuentes and Jared Hatch will attend the Arizona League of Cities and Towns Conference in August.
   * Entered executive session to receive legal advice regarding negotiations for the purchase, sale or lease of real property, and to receive legal advice concerning litigation.
   Upon returning to regular session, a motion to table the settlement negotiations and ask staff to initiate the process of correcting the zoning in the business park passed unanimously. This item will be on a future agenda.
   A motion to table action on Hunt vs. Town of Taylor, which includes approval of the acquisition of real property, passed unanimously, as did a motion to table action regarding an appeal of Planning and Zoning Commission approval for TBS Waste Inc. to operate a recycle center located on Pinedale Road.