Payson Town Council Regular Meeting - September 25, 2024

The Payson Town Council convened a regular meeting on September 25, 2024, at 4:04 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers. The meeting featured a detailed presentation on pavement preservation and the Airport Road Project, approval of the consent agenda, several proclamations, and public comments. Two council members participated electronically, and two left early due to technical difficulties; the meeting adjourned at approximately 5:14 p.m.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Nina Grabiel questioned why the town’s main phone line and council phone numbers were not accepting messages, and urged the town to address fire hazards near cluster mailboxes. She expressed frustration with limited communication access and locked doors. Mayor Higgins offered his cellphone number to her.
• Janice Chesser, president of Friends of Parks and Recreation, encouraged community membership in the organization and promoted an upcoming annual meeting with a presentation, 50/50 drawing, and free food.
• Roy Sandoval praised the success of the Arizona State Fiddle Championship and Food Truck Festival coordinated by the town, noting large crowds from across the state. He commended Parks and Recreation staff, especially Kaitlin Henning, and highlighted a public art project created during the event.

Discussion Items

• Town Manager’s Report: Troy Smith summarized the September 25, 2024 Town Manager Report, which included a community workshop on Rumsey Park redevelopment concepts and the Payson Libraries calendar.
• Proclamations:
  • Constitution Week (September 17-23, 2024) read by Council Member Flaherty and accepted by Marleen Jockers of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
  • Fire Prevention Week (October 6-12, 2024) read by Council Member Mona and accepted by Captain Anthony Michelizzi, who emphasized smoke alarm safety.
  • Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October 2024) read by Council Member Nossek and accepted by Michael Patch, Executive Director of Time Out, Inc., who invited the community to the Lanterns on the Lake event. The proclamation cited 123 shelter residents, 5,001 bed nights, and 11,551 volunteer hours in the prior fiscal year.
• Pavement Preservation and Airport Road Project Presentation (Item D.4): Town Engineer Larry Halberstadt, at Town Manager Troy Smith’s request, presented an overview of the town’s pavement management challenges. Key points:
  • The 2021 Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for the overall network was 61 (scale 1-100), with a backlog (poor/very poor roads) of 11.1%.
  • Treatment costs: non-structural surface treatments $7–$15/sq yd; overlay $50–$60/sq yd; full-depth replacement $160–$200/sq yd.
  • Many streets were built before incorporation (51 years ago) with inadequate base; current standard requires a minimum of 3 inches asphalt and 6 inches gravel base.
  • ADOT estimates a 40% increase in construction costs since 2020; the town struggles to attract contractors due to market consolidation and lack of local capacity.
  • The 2011 Payson Transportation Study identified 23 short-term projects; only 3 have been completed.
  • The current budget includes $3,000,000 for pavement preservation. Four full-depth replacement segments planned: Manzanita St (north of 260), Bonita St (Ash to Beeline), Frontier St (in front of post office), and Airport Road (McLean to airport entrance).
  • Airport Road rehabilitation (including ADA improvements) is estimated at $2,000,000. Existing aggregate base is only 3–4 inches vs. the designed 12 inches. Detour routes are limited due to poor conditions of alternate roads.
  • Construction is expected to begin late October to November; Airport Road will be done in half-road closures with flaggers and temporary signals, causing significant inconvenience. Council Member Mona noted the disruption will be significant but agreed it is best to start before costs escalate.
• Council Questions:
  • Granite Dells Road reopening: 80% by end of October, the last section by Thanksgiving.
  • Cost escalation was not factored into earlier budget projections; Council Member Mona suggested updating the long-term plan with realistic escalation.
  • Vice Mayor Underwood confirmed that new subdivisions are inspected to meet standards; roads are prioritized by traffic volume and budget constraints.
  • Council Member Nossek asked about the town acquiring its own equipment; Halberstadt noted ARS restrictions on projects over $280,000 and that equipment and staffing costs would be prohibitive. Smith added that leasing equipment would require debt.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda Approved: Motion carried 7-0 to approve minutes of the Special Meetings on August 20, 21, and September 3, and the Regular Meeting on September 11, 2024. (Council Members Schinstock and Tubbs voted via text due to technical difficulties.)
• Proclamations: All three proclamations were read and accepted; no vote required.
• Presentation: No formal action was taken; the presentation was informational. The council discussed future steps, including continuing to work with ADOT on bundling projects to attract contractors and considering updated cost escalation in the pavement management plan.