Cochise County supervisor briefs Douglas council on screwworm center, port study and hospital feasibility

Cochise County Supervisor Kathleen Gomez provided council with a county and regional update on April 8 covering agriculture, economic development and healthcare planning.

Gomez said county and partner letters of support have been gathered and submitted to congressional leaders and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for placement of a screwworm sterile distribution center at Douglas Bisbee International Airport; she described the project as likely to advance because the screwworm pest remains about 178 miles from the region. The supervisor also reported two firms — Nelson Dell Group (California) and Morat McCloud (Oregon) — have been shortlisted to produce an economic development strategic roadmap for the Port of Douglas and Cochise County, a study that will include a feasibility analysis for a hospital in Douglas and assess broader economic impacts.

Gomez said the Arizona Commerce Authority summit made clear Douglas qualifies as a deeply distressed Opportunity Zone, which can offer enhanced tax incentives to investors, and that a housing summit is planned for May to discuss affordable and senior housing investments. She also said the county expects to invest in marketing the Cochise County Fair and is exploring internet connectivity improvements for the fairgrounds; she encouraged the city to consider contributing to that infrastructure. Gomez reported assurances that Douglas’s monthly HURF allocation (about $153,500) would not be affected by a proposed holiday gas tax that was defeated in the House but could resurface in a strike‑budget vehicle.

Gomez invited use of county facilities for Douglas’s 125th anniversary displays and encouraged council attendance at regional events.