The Yuma City Council will not be putting a sales tax increase question on the November ballot.
However, a lodging tax is once again will be put before the voters.
The city recently held a survey gauging the public’s thoughts about the Police, Fire, Ambulance and Streets departments — along with potential support of a 1.5-percent sales tax increase with the funds going toward those departments.
Representatives from Magellan, the firm that did the survey, presented the findings during last week’s regular council meeting. Mayor Tim McClung was present, along with council members Terri Frame, Jerome Benish, Zach Diaz, Marc Shay and Vanessa Dischner. Councilman Dan Baucke was absent.
The Magellan reps told the council that they conducted 157 interviews, saying they were hoping for more but it does represent about 10 percent of registered voters living in Yuma.
The survey showed high approval for fire, police and ambulance, but low for the Street Department. Eighty-six percent agreed street conditions have deteriorated in recent years.
In regards to the sales tax increase, 66 percent would support it for fire, 56 percent for ambulance, 46 percent for street, and 41 percent for police. Overall, 55 percent would support a sales tax increase. The survey had a 7.48 percent margin of error.
The top priority among those surveyed was improving the streets.
McClung noted that passing of a sales tax increase would be a toss-up.
Later in the meeting, a resolution came before the council calling for a special election and a ballot issue regarding a sales tax increase.
There was a motion, but it died for a lack of a second, which means that is the end of that for now.
The council did unanimously approve a ballot question for a lodging tax.
First, City Manager Scott Moore presented options. A 5-percent lodging tax probably would raise about $104,000, so it was recommended the “not to exceed” figure on the ballot question should be $150,000. A 7-percent lodging tax would raise about $145,000, so the recommended “not to exceed” figure should be $200,000.
City electors twice before have voted down a lodging tax ballot question, in 2016 and 2020. McClung said he doesn’t understand the lack of support until people are just purely anti-tax. A lodging tax would be applied to hotel bills and such. Dischner noted people pay lodging tax all the time when they spend the night elsewhere without much of a complaint.
The council eventually approved a motion for a 5.5-percent lodging tax question to be put on the November ballot, with the “not to exceed” set at $200,000.
Police complaints
The meeting agenda a presentation of complaints against the Yuma Police Department by a gentleman named Robert Martinez. However, he was not present.
McClung instead made a statement. He said Martinez had made several verbal complaints and wanted to air it out with Police Chief’s supervisor. However, McClung said he told him that the council as a whole is the chief’s supervisor, and invited him to speak at a council meeting. McClung said Martinez wanted the conversation in private, but McClung said he told him that was not allowed by law.
He then went on state to let the record show Martinez did not show up, or give any written complains or any verifying documents.
Considering all that, it was stated the city does not believe there are any merits to the complaints. McClung said Martinez still is invite to visit with the council and provide documentation at any future meeting.
Spring and fall clean up
Moore presented some proposals to the council in regards to spring and fall clean-up efforts. He said it costs the city $20,000 per year.
He proposed that instead of city crews going round picking up allowable rubbish, the city have a site where residents take their items to for drop-off. It would require a staff member be there full-time during the week during business hours. Moore said it would lower the cost to about $11,000. He noted the figures are estimates.
Another alternative was to conduct one of the clean ups like done now, and then the other time utilize the drop-off site. Another alternative not to do it at all.
It was suggested to maybe conduct just one clean-up per year instead of two.
More meeting
• It was reported that someone had donated $10,000 for a new slide at the Yuma Swimming Pool. A renovation project is set to begin this fall, with the pool to reopen in 2025.
• Moore said the city has received a $170,000 grant for trees, following the May hailstorm. He said there will be more information available at the next meeting.
• Speaking of that storm, it did a job on the police vehicles. Chief Jerry Thompson he still working on final numbers to replace as many as possible.
• The council unanimously approved the city applying for an Animal Assistance Grant, which city has received every year since 2018. It pays for the trap-neuter-release program for feral cats.
• Application for a Pro Housing Grant also was approved. Moore said there is up to $7 million available for “obtainable” housing, not “affordable.” He said the city has been told it has a good chance to get some of the funds. It is a no-match fund.
• Applying for a Safe Routes to Schools Grant also was approved. Moore said the hope is it would be applicable to installing a sidewalk at the railroad tracks on Main St. The federal grant is for up to $1 million, and no match is required.
• The council approved moving forward with a survey of street and drainage in Village Park East, which includes Centennial Road and Homestead Trail.
• Moore reported that a party is interested in purchasing some city property that is not being used. He said he will visit more with the party and report back.