[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6610943,"mediaKeyId","2901068-3fc0640dc822b6dec6ece4aff5809ae8","parentId",2901068,"title","Cochise County supervisors approve proclamations, grants, vote-center plan, bridge scoping and public-health contract","audioSeconds",41,"startMs",2030000,"endMs",2071000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2901068-3fc0640dc822b6dec6ece4aff5809ae8&start=2030&end=2071","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2901068-3fc0640dc822b6dec6ece4aff5809ae8/thumbnail_2030000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6610943/Cochise-County/Arizona/Cochise-County-supervisors-approve-proclamations-grants-vote-center-plan-bridge-scoping-and-public-health-contract","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610943-1ca0d3b50c0e11ddf85b2871f2a863df/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452832&Signature=ED6asLW8PKikF-~I4E4lbqSbE4AkS0u6SWBq0khMLnWIxUGMsyqcf1DJc5nOHqee858mn7RJXHvfz~PhQLShKoZQU1fTydP2U11UIYoJz68HOFtDDTYvS1pZUi4-bowzaQTBwA07rca1faP~0cWeskCwJakNBKAjEMLmOoT~mXTHr02f3fsT2ig8jXOJ4DKE7ad1ysPvXqUWvuPV3pGimkeSkLx2fc99HNVfubeDW89Z64LyrAoPPI3n0MBj1rnPOoQKZARq7NOgUb5fJ5qetDtGpTM1vhP7INu0UCV7XEwfBS-CvHQXxdsHjsJHYEPCTPROXEqSt3KDF7n2Q8NB6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cochise County","date","2025-04-08T19:05:02.097Z","article","The Cochise County Board of Supervisors on April 1 approved multiple routine and substantive items, voting 3-0 on a consent agenda and a set of separate motions that included a proclamation recognizing early childhood education week, an invocation-policy resolution, two grant awards to the county school superintendent's office, designation of three vote centers for a special congressional election, an intergovernmental agreement to scope a bridge replacement, and an amendment to a state overdose-prevention contract.

Why it matters: The approvals include funding and operational decisions that affect county education programs, the administration of an upcoming special election, road and bridge planning and the county’s public-health overdose-prevention work. Several items will require follow-up actions from county departments and outside agencies.

The board approved the consent agenda without discussion. It then unanimously adopted a proclamation declaring April 5–11, 2025, as the Week of the Young Child in Cochise County and adopted Resolution 25-07, establishing an invocation policy and procedure for regular meetings. The board also approved two grant awards from Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative to the Cochise County School Superintendent’s Office: $20,000 for a Community Share digital platform and $19,993 for the Student Advisory Council. County staff said the grants will support a countywide outreach platform and student leadership activities.

On election administration, the board adopted Resolution 25-06 to designate three vote centers — Bisbee, Douglas and Palominas — for the 2025 special primary and general elections in Congressional District 7; the board authorized the elections director to substitute centers if necessary. County election staff provided dates and deadlines for the special elections and said early voting and vote-center operations will be published on the county website.

The board approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Arizona Department of Transportation to scope replacement work for the Whitewater Draw bridge (Structure No. 08109) at a state-funded amount of $127,305 with a local match of $7,635; county staff described the bridge as a single-lane, timber-deck structure built in 1937 with a current 5-ton weight limit and said the long-term replacement will be concrete. Finally, the board approved Amendment 2 to CTR063847, the Arizona Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention Program IGA with the Arizona Department of Health Services, in the amount of $247,270 (effective through Sept. 30, 2024), which adds 2.6 full-time-equivalent positions and continues naloxone distribution, linkages-to-care work and related training and fatality review activities.

Votes at a glance:
- Consent agenda (items 1–4): approved, vote 3-0.
- Proclamation: April 5–11, 2025, Week of the Young Child: approved, vote 3-0.
- Resolution 25-07 (invocation policy and procedure): approved, vote 3-0.
- Grant: Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative → Cochise County School Superintendent (Community Share): $20,000 — approved, vote 3-0.
- Grant: Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative → Cochise County School Superintendent (Student Advisory Council): $19,993 — approved, vote 3-0.
- Resolution 25-06 (three vote centers for CD7 special primary and general): approved, vote 3-0.
- Intergovernmental Agreement (Whitewater Draw bridge, Structure No. 08109, ADOT): $127,305 with $7,635 local match — approved, vote 3-0.
- CTR063847 Amendment 2 (Arizona Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention Program): $247,270 — approved, vote 3-0.

Board comments and next steps: Supervisors said the vote-center approval responds to the special election schedule for Congressional District 7 and urged voter participation. County staff said the Whitewater Draw work is currently a scoping grant that will lead to a replacement project. Health department staff said the overdose-prevention amendment maintains current deliverables while adding staff capacity.

Meeting context: The board met in the Supervisor’s Hearing Room in Bisbee. The meeting included two public commenters who raised concerns about an earlier county resolution addressing elections and about a draft update to the county administrator’s role; those public comments did not alter the board’s votes at this meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","20250408 Regular Board of Supervisors Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Cochise County Board of Supervisors on April 1 approved a range of resolutions, grants and interagency agreements affecting elections, education, roads and public health.","taxTitle","Cochise County, Arizona","taxId",27859,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6610934,"Resident questions proposed clarification of county administrator role, raises free-speech and lobbying concerns",154,353000,507000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2901068-3fc0640dc822b6dec6ece4aff5809ae8&start=353&end=507","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2901068-3fc0640dc822b6dec6ece4aff5809ae8/thumbnail_353000.jpg","/articles/6610934/Cochise-County/Arizona/Resident-questions-proposed-clarification-of-county-administrator-role-raises-free-speech-and-lobbying-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610934-abbcfb2e0b26b06f2d555b893ecc6519/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452832&Signature=YxngZactxuv5Qf-8ZSuPEnuidZxoVvpZTBZ6H2vxyIrbPnSlDCSoqbu3X9KWjSTqtZ8V5ciZnQUqQshyTN~AHryNY40n-YcPZgyvq6a95cVMwk7f1~NG3UxWyLpRdg-7k6Kv~cRjQbMTx4QH-gcft9uRvXHpcBjD3tcyyzIxKzQ6fl-wpmf6HEbGeKDPNxaR-qLkoK4pO7zYk13d6AYSDpwoLZbRYR1HIExjwzKEN8LKkG8ZVJmfQRvNR2TPCgliAbKdZktjSVNLCq-VqdyxS6SHTnhSOlTcbdUJ4TG06Nd168RNc28DHLhW52mfMy-7t6qRiNgEMCQ9~ZAVJwtzTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tricia Jaradette, a Sierra Vista resident, addressed the Cochise County Board of Supervisors during public comment to ask questions about a draft resolution the board discussed in executive session that would clarify the role of the county administrator.

Jaradette said she supported updating the administrator's role but raised concerns about specific draft provisions. She referred to item 3 of the draft, which she read as relating to the employment contract, and said she thought any contract changes such as pay adjustments should be explicitly called out if intended. She also highlighted item 6, which she said addressed the administrator “representing themselves on their free time,” and asked whether the language could be construed to restrict the administrator’s private free speech.

Finally, Jaradette noted item 23, which designates the administrator as the county’s public lobbyist. She observed that the county has at times hired outside lobbying firms and asked how the administrator would hand off lobbying authority if professionals were engaged to do that work. She requested clarity on these points and invited the board to respond; a board member offered that Jaradette submit those questions by email so staff could provide answers.

No changes to the draft were made at the meeting; the items Jaradette referenced were described in the meeting agenda as matters related to the administrator’s role and employment contract and were under consideration during the board’s executive-session work on a draft.

","A Sierra Vista resident asked supervisors to clarify whether a draft update to the county administrator's role would limit private speech and how designating the administrator as a public lobbyist would interact with outside lobbying contracts.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":78,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6610939,"Voter urges supervisors to correct claims in county resolution on ballot returns, proposes expanded drop-box access",170000,324000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2901068-3fc0640dc822b6dec6ece4aff5809ae8&start=170&end=324","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2901068-3fc0640dc822b6dec6ece4aff5809ae8/thumbnail_170000.jpg","/articles/6610939/Cochise-County/Arizona/Voter-urges-supervisors-to-correct-claims-in-county-resolution-on-ballot-returns-proposes-expanded-drop-box-access","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610939-51312e257acd2b4343b6bbffcb7b7e5d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452832&Signature=hCNXczMeU4CIlU1MSoThaqMiGAZ3cxhuxOzqfXO-oMy9VR5GDqZgtKsd~C1TVMKIAyXis2BU9XcmnM-in7L9jl~d6Yt~0mjXMSNCrKaQf5gAhmd4RoXMn51uIyv78g8njhgGLDUuHrCaH4o66wn3uwkKhC7pywxOcTjKRwJbaw1GYaVP42LliEH~xIx-Q9Xiu5gx8ON5dzgBnBc4xNHeeFV3DOWunHHWZ4RuZ1lqounJCusDSCMpMG4pSiO3995tOsi~rLhUDnBscUV0craaHb6aLVh5fYTcvTGvU3xABO0S8XR-R8JuflV9lOLB9419CxM35kSir96rTy~onKYLSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the public-comment period at the Cochise County Board of Supervisors’ April 1 meeting, Allison Morse, identifying herself as an active voter from Portal, said the board’s recently adopted Resolution 25-02 misstated facts about early ballot returns and election timelines and urged the county to expand ballot-drop options.

Morse said the county’s resolution asserted that early-ballot drop-offs “cut in front of the line” on election day; she said that is inaccurate because, she quoted, “people who are dropping off early ballots need not wait in line.” She told supervisors that early-ballot return figures cited in the resolution were overstated: the resolution stated that 20% of mail ballots were returned on election day, but Morse said the actual figure for the 2024 general election in Cochise County was less than 6% and was less than 8% statewide.

Morse also challenged the board’s statements about how long voters have to return mail ballots, saying ballots are mailed less than four weeks before election day and that, in practice, voters typically have closer to three weeks to return them. She noted the county faced operational issues during the 2024 election — a two-page ballot, a bomb threat, power outages and machine malfunctions — but said Cochise County finalized results four days before the statutory deadline despite those challenges.

To improve access, Morse urged the board to add more drop boxes at existing ballot locations, extend hours of operation and make drop boxes available on weekends so working people and families could return early ballots without being forced to choose between work and voting.

No formal action was taken in response to Morse’s remarks; a board member invited her to follow up by email for staff clarification.

","An election critic told the Cochise County Board of Supervisors that Resolution 25-02 contains inaccurate claims about early ballot returns and urged the county to add and extend ballot drop-off locations and hours to improve access.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Cochise County supervisors approve proclamations, grants, vote-center plan, bridge scoping and public-health contract

Resident questions proposed clarification of county administrator role, raises free-speech and lobbying concerns

Voter urges supervisors to correct claims in county resolution on ballot returns, proposes expanded drop-box access