Florence leaders highlight road projects, wastewater upgrades and a multi‑year reserve

Mayor Keith Eaton and Council member Tony Bensina used the State of the Town to outline this year’s infrastructure and fiscal priorities, saying the town is balancing near‑term construction work with longer‑term planning.

Bensina described transportation projects he said would ease congestion: the Hunt Highway and Attaway intersection improvement — selected from multiple options to add turn lanes in all directions — is under construction and expected to be completed before summer; a widening of Hunt Highway north of Franklin Road is expected to begin in July 2026 and run about two years in partnership with Pinal County. “Construction is now underway and will be completed before summer,” Bensina said of the intersection improvement.

On utilities, Vice Mayor Kathy Adam and staff described upgrades at the south wastewater treatment plant, including replacement of key disinfection components and rehabilitation of major structures; the town reported no townwide water outages during 2025 after those repairs and equipment improvements. Eaton emphasized the projects are intended as long‑term investments rather than short fixes.

Bensina also summarized recent grant success and fiscal preparation: the town secured a $611,000 federal grant for new portable and mobile radios, more than $136,000 in targeted grants for public safety, technology and trail improvements, and said ongoing state and federal programs provided more than $1.3 million for transportation, public safety and community services. He said the town has roughly three years of reserves in place and estimated the reserve position would allow Florence to absorb an estimated $1,500,000 revenue reduction without disrupting services.

The council said it will engage residents in discussions about long‑term transportation funding, including potential adjustments to local sales tax rates, and will hold additional work sessions to gather input.