Several board elections set to be canceled
The Yuma County elections department is seeking to cancel several governing board elections that have not drawn enough candidates to field a competitive race.
In canceling the elections for several school and advisory boards, which would have appeared on the November ballot, the county board of supervisors agrees to directly appoint the candidates that did submit nomination paperwork. The supervisors will consider the item at their meeting on Wednesday.
The boards include:
Yuma Union High School District (three open seats, three candidates); Yuma Elementary School District (three open seats, two candidates); Gadsden Elementary School District (two open seats, two candidates); Hyder Elementary School District (three open seats, three candidates); Wellton Elementary School District (two open seats, no candidates); Arizona Western College community college district (one open seat, one candidate); pest abatement governing board (five open seats, five candidates); hospital district (three open seats, three candidates) and Martinez Lake (two open seats, no candidates).
State law allows county supervisors to cancel elections if the number of people who file nominating positions is less than or equal to the number of available positions.
Also on the agenda:
• The results of last week's primary election will be canvassed, or made official.
• Additional grant money has been made available to hire another part-time instructor to help county library users find job opportunities.
The Broadband Technology Opportunity Program II grant, a stimulus project, will fund the instructor for about $9,800. The instructor will help with resumes, job searches, employment applications, starting a business and continuing education opportunities.
• The county engineering division seeks to appoint two members to the Flood Control Advisory Board.
The seven-member board reviews the actions of the Flood Control District and makes recommendations to the board of directors about the annual budget, capital improvements and needs assessments. Five of the members are area residents; the other two, who are ex-officio members, are the Yuma city engineer and the Yuma County manager of major irrigation.
The supervisors may allow for Yuma resident Craig Colvin, an engineer and surveyor with professional expertise in floodplain studies, survey and land development, to join the advisory board. They may also reappoint Foothills resident Gerald Jones, who has been on the flood board since 1997, or bring in Courtney Arviso, a Foothills engineer with knowledge of land development and geotechnical testing.
Visit www.yumacountyaz.gov/boardofsupervisors to view the agenda and supporting documents.
Hillary Davis can be reached at hdavis@yumasun.com or 539-6857. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/YSHillaryDavis or on Twitter at @YSHillaryDavis.
