Sierra Vista council approves MOU with Cultivate Cochise to support Youth Council, rescinds prior SNAP-Ed agreement

The Sierra Vista City Council voted Sept. 25 to rescind a previously approved memorandum of understanding with the University of Arizona SNAP-Ed program and to establish a new MOU with Cultivate Cochise to provide administrative support for the city’s Youth Council. The actions were presented during the council’s regular meeting and approved after staff described the change in partnership.

The rescission followed staff’s report that University of Arizona SNAP-Ed could not execute the earlier MOU because the program lost federal funding. Michelle Landis, the city’s grants administrator, and other staff described efforts to find a local partner. Councilmember Angelica Landry moved to rescind the earlier resolution; the motion was seconded and passed by the council.

The newly approved memorandum with Cultivate Cochise permits the city to provide support and resources for Youth Council activities, including marketing, up to $2,000 per year to pay for up to five participants to attend the Arizona League of Cities and the National League of Cities conferences, use of city vehicles with the city providing liability insurance for such trips, and use of city facilities at no cost for activities directly supporting the Youth Council. In return, Cultivate Cochise will provide quarterly reports to the mayor and council, in-person briefings on request, and guidance while overseeing the youth participants.

City staff said the MOU also allows transportation to and from airports for national conferences and other logistical support. Councilmember Mark Rodriguez thanked previous partners and volunteers and noted local organizations and individuals who helped sustain the program while the city sought a new host.

The council approved both the rescission and the new MOU by voice vote; the meeting record shows the motions passed. Staff indicated the MOU to Cultivate Cochise is included in the council packet and would be executed following council approval.

Why it matters: The agreement preserves the Youth Council’s programming and continuity by shifting oversight from a state university program that lost funding to a local nonprofit. The MOU formalizes city support while making the nonprofit responsible for quarterly reporting and direct supervision of participants.

Details from the meeting: Staff said the city will allocate up to $2,000 annually for conference attendance for up to five participants; will provide city vehicles and liability insurance for those travel activities; and will allow use of city facilities at no cost for Youth Council activities. The staff memo cited the prior council action to dissolve the youth commission earlier in 2025 and the 06/26/2025 MOU attempt with U of A SNAP-Ed that could not be executed.

The council’s action does not appropriate additional ongoing general-fund dollars beyond the $2,000-per-year conference allocation described in the MOU language presented at the meeting.

Local partners and acknowledgements mentioned in the meeting include Cultivate Cochise and Peaches Pantry, which the council said had served as a 501(c)(3) backbone for some youth leadership funding.

No additional deadlines or implementation dates beyond the allocation and reporting requirements appeared in the staff presentation.