[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6655967,"mediaKeyId","5353775-025ff0ead2026ac0a545deb12905f5e1","parentId",5353775,"title","Votes at a glance: Payson council approves FAA airport grant, a radio agreement and other routine items","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",9686000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5353775-025ff0ead2026ac0a545deb12905f5e1&start=9686&end=9686","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5353775-025ff0ead2026ac0a545deb12905f5e1/thumbnail_9686000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6655967/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Votes-at-a-glance-Payson-council-approves-FAA-airport-grant-a-radio-agreement-and-other-routine-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655967-c72a2a326b675e404ecdf75e0ee06970/orig.mp4?Expires=1770812617&Signature=QMg0b3zTBnEd2WSWgfU5qrJyimDrSWHNy0Wd-kjbM~yvAXe7rm~x2zm7Hb1Z-gpb2NcPKEJIdeZN73~GjIGoYbde5ZRxFKEsFncwEKtO81uCEs704MhMWlErfYdOl5GmyLYMdOrRFgT1kW93E2Oa7Z~Mseavf~bDxngmM17sBUNdsWxt0KobSPDv4QDDsMlVNWVPC6nrnuLE1R3sXWdyVMaNF8qlQ-~VgzX-aOEVG1vUZNZRjicCSvoH5cdIKfnyeEQ-jVsBd2RJhCcypG-DvsVzFwj2HQI505ElLXfVVMxVWrbOO55ai7gx98o4PF-~tdMCMB~W5PPdj00jqcmvPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Payson","date","2025-07-09T00:00:00Z","article","The Payson Common Council recorded several formal actions July 9, including accepting a Federal Aviation Administration grant for airport pavement design work and approving an intergovernmental agreement to cooperatively pursue radio communication upgrades with the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Key votes and actions taken at the meeting:

- Consent agenda (minutes): Council approved minutes of prior meetings (05/14/2025, 06/11/2025, a work study and special meeting of 06/03/2025). Vote: 7-0 to approve.

- Resolution 3456 — FAA grant acceptance: The council accepted an FAA grant to fund design and engineering for Taxiway Alpha and apron pavements (Bravo and Charlie) at Payson Airport and authorized the mayor or town manager to execute the grant agreement (contract AIP3-04-0027-030-2025). Meeting materials list FAA share as $461,738, with ADOT and the town each contributing $12,151 as their shares. The motion to accept the grant passed 7-0.

- Resolution 3457 — Intergovernmental agreement for radio communications: The council approved an IGA authorizing the town manager to execute site-specific agreements and work cooperatively with Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) on potential 800 MHz system use while maintaining town VHF capabilities for specialized operations. Staff emphasized testing of the AZDPS 800 MHz system and that the town would retain a local VHF system for hazard-zone and other needs. The motion passed 7-0.

- Cancellation of July 23 regular meeting: Council voted to cancel the July 23, 2025, regular council meeting to allow town staff to attend the Arizona Municipal Clerks Association conference and elections training. The recorded vote was six in favor, zero opposed and one abstention.

- Executive session motions: The council voted to move into executive session to receive legal advice and to discuss network security upgrades and related matters; the motion passed 7-0.

Motions that required no immediate council action (presentations) included a development agreement request for the Payson Golf Club project and updates on the Aquatic Center and other town business. For items that passed unanimously, councilmembers recorded the votes verbally; meeting minutes will record the formal roll call and authorization language.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Payson - Payson Town Council - Regular - Jul 09, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Payson Common Council on July 9 approved several resolutions and routine items including acceptance of an FAA airport design grant and an intergovernmental agreement with Arizona Department of Public Safety for radio communications. The meeting also approved cancellation of the July 23 council meeting and authorized executive sessions.","taxTitle","Payson, Gila County, Arizona","taxId",60910,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6655970,"Developer seeks agreement for 125-unit condo project and nine-hole redesign at Payson Golf Club; no council decision",537,2972000,3509000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5353775-025ff0ead2026ac0a545deb12905f5e1&start=2972&end=3509","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5353775-025ff0ead2026ac0a545deb12905f5e1/thumbnail_2972000.jpg","/articles/6655970/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Developer-seeks-agreement-for-125-unit-condo-project-and-nine-hole-redesign-at-Payson-Golf-Club-no-council-decision","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655970-ad94eb229ea9b72b6d21ca154767fd6a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770812617&Signature=oh9QkvH3i5Os1fd0k5CfAECnmtDYovmpD0AE4Vv02AuK4rA6MoQpdECCYM8Iy29hpitFsOGagVnMd3YLMjCCWmLE08qkwx8HxYtg-0bvwYMSBEeTTPWjTB1ExNS97toJOBDE7330rG8MVLVKBAempkFgy3n7J84AaZmS5zleBHjqv9EtPG6LW7W2gZ-vpSDPNRbZivmVftLbnJF-hI4i7uxc9uq27Yi6Sp~VQBI2v3-6NrXnwJLrryuiMDzc4uvG0tUiTC1dUO5~w61mI-3gt~YE8spR~uKHYol~qXNaU2lqpTRWr09eQzGDN7RBRp-VWXcQlGWPi3QodMVjREsaJA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Payson Common Council received a presentation July 9 on a proposed residential condominium project on land currently occupied by the Payson Golf Club. The developer is requesting a development agreement to secure code deviations and design certainty before investing in final engineering.

Donnie Wilbanks, Community Development Director, and Nathan Larson of Bowman Consulting presented the proposal and described requested modifications to town road standards and internal private street sections. The application proposes 125 condominium units with private gated streets, a large amenity area, and a reconfiguration of the golf course to a nine-hole public course. The development team showed conceptual unit renderings, internal street cross sections and traffic and pavement reports.

Key technical points discussed include proposed roadway widths: County Club Drive and Doll Baby Ranch Road would be widened to 28 feet in the project area (with no on-street parking), Vista Road tie-ins, and a detached 10-foot multiuse trail for bikes and pedestrians. The developer stated the off-site road improvements would include an asphalt overlay on sections of Doll Baby Ranch Road and reconstruction where required. The team said ADOT standards suggest no left-turn lane was warranted for the adjacent minor arterials based on projected traffic volumes.

Parking was described as three spaces per unit (two in a garage/carport and one in each driveway) plus designated guest parking bays in end-cap locations. The developer indicated an intent to market units as for-sale, not as a rental or short-term vacation property, and mentioned modular construction as a possibility with stem foundations to meet town codes.

Council members asked about emergency vehicle access, guest parking, phasing and likely market demand; fire access requirements were confirmed (20-foot clear width) and the developer said private streets would be 28 feet, greater than the 20-foot fire requirement. The developer and representatives from the Payson Golf Club said club members had initially expressed concern about moving from an 18- to nine-hole layout but had come to accept the redesign as a path to a sustainable public golf course.

Staff stressed that the item was informational; no action or final decision on the development agreement occurred at the meeting. If the applicant pursues the agreement, next steps would include submitting a preliminary plat, civil improvement plans and a final plat for formal review and approvals.

","A developer presented a request for a development agreement for a 125-unit condominium project that would redevelop part of the Payson Golf Club into a nine-hole course; the council heard technical and access details and staff said no decision would be made at the meeting.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6655975,"Town staff outlines Aquatic Center plan, cost ranges and timeline; council presses for clearer cover estimates",1770,4049000,5819000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5353775-025ff0ead2026ac0a545deb12905f5e1&start=4049&end=5819","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5353775-025ff0ead2026ac0a545deb12905f5e1/thumbnail_4049000.jpg","/articles/6655975/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Town-staff-outlines-Aquatic-Center-plan-cost-ranges-and-timeline-council-presses-for-clearer-cover-estimates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655975-8e1b780daf05c1c2517385cdded66b4c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770812617&Signature=QRkuJDsHAaTfuKcBlRxp-9S0Ync3ZymENBcTFmbQ4x9p9IRYh-xkRZQBV34WyCf0jWB2eVuL~xktYUhYI9uYEZpkPM-peBcX-i1ps8OhC7YUiPjX76k-nyGtw4Dg5p4tO~Zyd~jbBqq1ZFxtP~UJPpaiOfaFWRwLEOXGxFe8HElcmTb5~Pd30acAJuU32XJ768JCpHZ1v0CRGtwX0li8wi6JcGCv3QchQqCDUvdpEiW2JwF2GZX6Fc1JBmf~ns2TqFcCNU4XIkH0JFlzb60oxlSB6mq3UCUsbMxfWa4qXH9jvZFKy591TuqIx-7hG36fyi-PBU-92BPYAEnTvuJeGQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Town staff on July 9 presented an update on the proposed Payson Aquatic Center project, including design details, options for a pool enclosure and an updated cost framework as the town moves toward a potential bond measure.

Rod Buchanan, interim PMO manager, told the Common Council that the current design calls for a single, multiuse body of water with six lanes, a deep end of 6 feet 6 inches, and a recreation/lesson area with zero-depth entry plus a three-foot therapeutic/recreation current pool. The building is roughly 3,700 square feet. The plan reduces the construction footprint from an earlier 7 acres to about 3 acres and retains as much existing landscape as feasible, staff said.

Buchanan said staff has been value-engineering the project; eliminating steel in the building structure, using masonry and wood, and other design shifts have reduced costs. Staff also recommended using recycled asphalt millings for about two-thirds of the parking area, with paved asphalt for the primary accessible parking rows and ADA spaces. Bus loading for two to three buses, bleachers, and a service area for food trucks were included in the site plan.

A major topic in the presentation and council discussion was the pool cover, which the town has previously explored as either a permanent “hard-shell” natatorium or a sliding/expandable structure. Buchanan said recent vetting found a sliding-span cover option that would save about $1 million compared with earlier sliding/rigid configurations; staff estimated a cover price in the range of $3.8 million for the option under active study. He recommended procuring the cover as a separate, phased contract after the pool is accepted to reduce contractor markup and inflation exposure.

Buchanan said the town previously presented a worst-case project estimate of $16 million for the pool and related site work (a figure used for bond planning). With the value-engineering completed to date, he said the project appears to be trending lower and staff currently estimates needing about $15 million for the core project, leaving roughly $1 million of the $16 million bond that could be applied to a cover if council chose. Buchanan said a schematic design and higher-confidence cost estimate would be available after a July 22 schematic deadline and that the town expects a preliminary geotechnical report in about 30 days.

Council members repeatedly asked for more precise line-item costs for site development (earthwork, utilities, capacity fees), and Buchanan replied that staff will provide a full breakdown once construction documents are further developed. He said earlier borings reached about 14 feet without encountering significant resistance at the proposed location, but additional borings will be required to confirm subsurface conditions across the smaller, 3-acre footprint.

Several council members emphasized the political importance of providing a covered pool option in voter materials, and asked whether early procurement of a cover or outside fundraising could allow a cover to be in place “day one” if a bond passes. Buchanan said firms can provide firm pricing as soon as the town decides on a cover option; he estimated a separate procurement and early ordering strategy could secure a price and reduce inflation risk.

Staff outlined a construction timeline that would allow pool construction (without the cover) to finish on schedule, with cover installation possible in a separate phase soon after acceptance. The town will continue to value engineer and refine cost estimates, develop construction documents and complete cultural and geotechnical studies.

","Town staff presented updated plans for the proposed Payson Aquatic Center, describing a one-body-of-water pool, a 3,700-square-foot building, options for a retractable cover and revised cost estimates tied to a possible $16 million bond. Council members asked for more precise cost breakdowns and a geotechnical schedule.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6655981,"Payson council approves final design contract for McLean/Longhorn roundabout after years of planning",3028,7732000,10760000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5353775-025ff0ead2026ac0a545deb12905f5e1&start=7732&end=10760","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5353775-025ff0ead2026ac0a545deb12905f5e1/thumbnail_7732000.jpg","/articles/6655981/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Payson-council-approves-final-design-contract-for-McLeanLonghorn-roundabout-after-years-of-planning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6655981-23cb7cc8339697195f4d28416ed31fa6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770812617&Signature=LUne6fH0GXCwB9tBAfotJuQVVZ3Tc0IdoXBuSmqoE-TK9USci9M1~4sDdqHZaplM8oUIlOsodUC4qKvynz4XVz9mDWnlEx8JskiAZcIH3NFT0zo4eCFV~gdEwL36U6irweSB4SNlYLpBII7MaF9Uk8BopbZJ1May8pPx3BD5jO5tgCRCivi56qzuLzabSWurc9xlvv9zgP5UK~p4Ifzk3vSQ1qXQt1AA8QVzIY4jxud23Ta9-az2fQYZ34gjuQsxsNDM8EWFjUignP~7QrmEiUGTPje6hAvMxHGWsH2jAN3DznuTVtKHt6z2GcTOaIhzk-2E0YKHhO1wwUa1rbIpcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Payson Common Council on July 9 unanimously approved a $158,602 contract with CEC Inc. to complete final design and construction documents for a roundabout at McLean Road and Longhorn Road.

The council authorized town staff to sign the agreement after a months-long presentation and public comment period that emphasized safety at the intersection near Payson High School and projected traffic increases from planned nearby housing developments. The motion passed 7-0.

The agreement directs CEC to complete the remaining engineering tasks needed to produce 100% construction-ready plans, help manage right-of-way acquisition and support construction administration and bidding through the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). The town will pay CEC for the final design work and use existing state funds previously appropriated for the project.

The roundabout project dates to 2013 and received design work paid by Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds; ADOT later advanced the design to roughly 95 percent. In 2024 the Arizona Legislature appropriated $1.5 million specifically for the McLean/Longhorn roundabout; that money must be used on this intersection or return to the state if unused, staff told the council. ADOT will conduct construction bidding while the town funds and manages the final design and right-of-way work.

Public comments at the July 9 meeting strongly supported the roundabout. Several Payson residents, including Pam Chittenden and Tom Dunning, cited safety research and national evidence that roundabouts reduce fatal and injury crashes and improve traffic flow near schools. Resident Joel Mona, a licensed Arizona engineer, told the council he reviewed the 95% drawings and said the submitted geometry and truck-turn accommodations matched design standards.

Council members and staff discussed next steps, including completion of right-of-way acquisitions (four small parcels were identified in the 95% drawings), finalizing any design changes, and scheduling construction to avoid heavy school traffic. Staff estimated that, beyond the $158,602 design contract, the town would need additional funds for right-of-way services and eventual construction; an earlier 2014 construction estimate of about $800,000 had been adjusted by staff to approximately $1.6 million when escalated to present-day dollars.

If the council had chosen not to move forward, ADOT officials told staff the $1.5 million legislative appropriation would revert to the state. Staff also said the engineering firm that originally prepared the 95% drawings is now working for CEC and will pick up the design where it left off, reducing duplication of effort.

Council members said they weighed constituent concerns about students and pedestrian safety against the cost of abandoning the appropriation. With the contract approved, staff will finish final designs, proceed with right-of-way acquisition and prepare the project for ADOT-led bidding; construction timing will aim to minimize disruption during school sessions and large events.

Votes at the meeting recorded on the roundabout item were unanimous in favor of the contract authorization. The council directed staff to return with any major adjustments during the construction phase.

","After more than a decade of planning, the Payson Common Council unanimously approved a $158,602 contract for final engineering and construction documents for a roundabout at McLean Road and Longhorn Road, following public comment and staff presentations about safety and future traffic growth.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Payson council approves FAA airport grant, a radio agreement and other routine items

Developer seeks agreement for 125-unit condo project and nine-hole redesign at Payson Golf Club; no council decision

Town staff outlines Aquatic Center plan, cost ranges and timeline; council presses for clearer cover estimates

Payson council approves final design contract for McLean/Longhorn roundabout after years of planning