At-a-glance: Town of Florence council actions June 17 — liquor license, levies, contracts, equipment purchases approved

The Town Council of Florence voted on multiple ordinances, contract awards and purchases at its June 17 meeting. Below is a concise listing of each formal action, mover/second when recorded, and the outcome as stated in the meeting record.

1) Series 7 (beer & wine) liquor license — Barrels and Beans (231 N. Main St., Suite B) - Action: Forward a recommendation for a Series 7 beer and wine bar license application for Barrels and Beans (applicant Vicki Rambo/Vicki Rambos). - Presenter/applicant: Vicki (owner) and George (operational manager). - Motion/Outcome: Motion to forward the recommendation to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control; motion made and seconded; council voted "Aye" and the recommendation was forwarded.

2) Contract: Casa Grande Pumping Service — sludge hauling - Action: Authorize a contract with Casa Grande Pumping Service for sludge hauling services at town wastewater treatment plants for an amount not to exceed $113,625 over five years (Consent Agenda Item 11A). - Presenter: Tim Wainscott (utilities/staff). - Motion/Outcome: Motion to approve consent item A (mover recorded on transcript); motion seconded; council voted "Aye" and authorized the contract.

3) Ordinances — Merrill Ranch Community Facilities District (CFD) levies (CFD 1 and CFD 2) - CFD 1: Ordinance (as read) levying a geo-bond debt service of 2.25 and an operations & maintenance levy of 0.3, combined 2.55 per $100 of net assessed value. - CFD 2: Ordinance (as read) levying debt service 2.671 and administration 0.3, combined 2.971 per $100 of net assessed value. - Motion/Outcome: Both CFD ordinances were adopted following roll-call votes; council recorded yes votes for each member (unanimous in the roll calls shown).

4) Minutes — Merrill Ranch CFD 1 and CFD 2 minutes approval - Action: Approval of draft minutes for CFD meetings (June 3, 2025). - Outcome: Approved by voice vote as part of the CFD business.

5) Town property tax levy (FY2026) — General municipal levy - Action: Adopt property tax ordinance (advertised options; council adopted the higher advertised option identified as Option 2 during the meeting). - Motion/Outcome: Motion to adopt the selected option and ordinance; roll-call vote recorded as unanimous.

6) Streetlight Improvement Districts (SLIDs) levies - Action: Adopt ordinance levying assessed valuation for multiple SLIDs (districts 1–9 referenced in the ordinance text; two districts had $0 attributed for next year per staff). - Motion/Outcome: Motion to adopt ordinance (audio record provided): motion seconded; council approved by voice vote.

7) Professional services contract: Arcadis — environmental consulting support (wastewater) - Action: Authorize agreement with Arcadis to provide environmental consulting support for the South and North Wastewater Treatment Plants and El Dorado development in an amount not to exceed $326,996. - Motion/Outcome: Motion made and seconded; council voted "Aye" and approved the agreement.

8) Professional services contract: Gary L. Johnson & Associates — health & wellness benefits consulting - Action: Approve a benefits consultant contract for an initial three-year term with one optional two-year extension, $32,000 per year (total contract not to exceed $160,000). - Motion/Outcome: Motion made and seconded; council approved by voice vote.

9) PSPRS (Public Safety Personnel Retirement System) unfunded liability payment - Action: Authorize payment to PSPRS for the town’s unfunded liability in the amount of $2,024,994. - Motion/Outcome: Motion made and seconded; council approved by voice vote.

10) Equipment purchase: Florence Fire & Medical — three LifePak 35 cardiac monitors (Stryker Sales LLC) - Action: Approve purchase of three LifePak 35 monitors in an amount not to exceed $191,111.63 (trade-in of older monitors included in procurement discussion). - Motion/Outcome: Motion made and seconded; council approved by voice vote.

11) Construction/cooperative-use contract: Core Construction — police department communications center remodel - Action: Enter into cooperative-use contract with Core Construction for remodel of the police dispatch/communications center in an amount not to exceed $558,946.30 (funded by two grants to the police department for upgraded radio/dispatch equipment). - Motion/Outcome: Motion made and seconded; council approved by voice vote.

12) Other consent items approved (consent agenda items b–g) - Included routine items approved en bloc by motion and voice vote. The council pulled item 11A (sludge hauling) for brief discussion prior to approving it; remaining consent items passed as presented.

Why it matters: Taken together, these approvals finalize tax levies, advance wastewater and public-safety capital and operating plans, authorize consultant support and benefits administration, and move small-business liquor licensing forward to the state. Several items were routine or funded through existing budgets or grants; a few (wastewater, PSPRS payment) affect multi-year fiscal commitments.

Speakers and first references in the transcript for items summarized here include Vicki (applicant, Barrels and Beans); Tim Wainscott (utilities); Carl Dudding/Dunning (finance/CDF presentations); Catherine Wilson (HR); Chief Snyder (Fire & Medical); Commander Ricomini (Police); and various councilmembers who moved and seconded motions. Specific motions and recorded roll-call votes for CFD levies and the property tax ordinance were taken from the meeting record.