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Gila Bend council unanimously adopts tentative FY 2026–27 budget, approves WIFA loan and contract extensions
Summary
At a May 26 special meeting, the Gila Bend Town Council unanimously adopted the tentative Fiscal Year 2026–2027 budget, approved a $600,634.65 WIFA loan for wastewater compliance upgrades and extended a contract with Willdan Engineering; a cooperation agreement with Maricopa County on CDBG/HOME/ESG programs was also approved.
GILA BEND — The Gila Bend Town Council unanimously adopted the tentative Fiscal Year 2026–2027 budget and approved several financing and contract measures at a special meeting on May 26, town minutes show.
Councilmember Will Sipes moved to adopt the tentative FY 2026–27 budget; Councilmember Fernando Fernandez seconded. The motion carried with six ayes; Councilmember Donny Young was absent.
Vice‑Mayor Chris Riggs moved to authorize a Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) loan of $600,634.65 for wastewater compliance upgrades, with the town contributing $31,612.35 toward a total project cost of $632,247.00. Councilmember Will Sipes seconded; the motion passed unanimously. The council record does not include a repayment schedule or timeline for the project.
Also on the agenda, the council approved a contract extension with Willdan Engineering for on‑call inspection and permitting services for FY26–FY27. Councilmember Sipes moved the contract extension; Councilmember Fernandez seconded and the measure passed unanimously.
The council approved a cooperation agreement with Maricopa County covering the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement program, the HOME Investment Partnerships program (HOME) and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) for fiscal years 2026–2029. Vice‑Mayor Riggs moved the cooperation agreement; Councilmember Sipes seconded and the vote was unanimous.
The meeting included an executive session called under Arizona law for legal advice. Councilmember Fernando Fernandez moved to convene the executive session to consult with the town attorney regarding litigation involving Aluminum Dynamics, Inc., and issues related to non‑disclosure agreements; no action was taken during the closed session. The council reconvened at 7:18 p.m. and adjourned at 7:19 p.m.
Town minutes record the motions and universal council support for the items above but provide limited detail about budget line items, the WIFA loan repayment terms, or the scope and duration of the Willdan Engineering contract extension. Those specifics were not stated in the minutes and were recorded as not specified in the public record of the special meeting.
