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

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.