Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Quartzsite council praises Buck Connors festival, raises urgent concern about people living in desert heat
Summary
Council members lauded this year’s Buck Connors festival and regional partnerships while also raising urgent concerns about people living in the desert during extreme heat and discussing cooling centers, BLM coordination, and transportation gaps.
Quartzsite town leaders used their regular meeting to both celebrate the recent Buck Connors festival and to press for action to protect people living outdoors during extreme heat.
The mayor reported that Buck Connors days drew vendors and children’s activities despite very hot weather. “We had the Buck Connors days this last weekend. I attended that, both days… We had a lot of vendors there,” the mayor said, adding disappointment at the absence of an ice‑cream vendor but praise for volunteer and organizational support.
Council members described strong youth participation — “probably 20, young people, cub scouts, boy scouts, girl scouts, and 4‑H” — and described heat‑mitigation efforts at the event, including a tent with misters the council called a ‘human car wash.’ One member said the Yukon Experience children’s initiative, sponsored by the Holt group and the Quartzsite Women’s Club, engaged many attendees and strengthened regional ties with Parker, Blythe, Bouse, and Salome.
Public‑safety concerns surfaced when a council member asked how the town can help people living in the desert “in this heat” and asked what could be done “before they die.” The town manager said the Bureau of Land Management has increased activity in the area and that the town is preparing by staffing cooling centers: “We can't always count on volunteers. We need to make sure that they're open, these cooling centers… So we've jumped on them and, we'll be in good shape, I think, this year,” the manager said, while also noting transportation is an obstacle for people without cars.
The meeting also included a brief social‑service update: an Isaiah 58 representative said the food portion of the program will close at the end of the month to encourage movement, but the organization will continue to offer free showers, clothing, and a food bank on Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon.
The council did not adopt new policy or allocate budget during this meeting on these items. Council members asked staff and the manager to continue coordination with BLM and community partners and to consider transportation and staffing plans for cooling centers ahead of further heat events.
