Interim post on council agenda

When the Yuma City Council meets Wednesday, it could determine who will be the interim city manager while a search is conducted for a permanent new administrator.

Whoever is named to the temporary position will have to get up to speed quickly as March 26 is the last day for Mark Watson, who resigned earlier this month as city administrator.

The potential appointment of an interim city administrator is near the end of the agenda for Wednesday's meeting to be held at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers at Yuma City Hall, One City Plaza.

Also on Wednesday's agenda is a proposal for the city to lease the Yuma Territorial Prison State Park from Arizona State Parks. A companion measure seeks authorization for the city administrator to convey to the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area the responsibility to operate the prison without city funding.

In January, the State Parks Board approved closing the prison and 12 other state parks due to Arizona's budget crisis. Since then, the Heritage Area has coordinated a community fundraising campaign to help keep the prison open under local management.

There also is a resolution on the agenda to establish a policy regarding city council meeting procedures and public input guidelines.

The council will have a busy week as it also will hold a special work session and a regular work session, both on Tuesday. Both are open to the public but no public comment will be taken.

The special work session will be begin at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Conference Room 190.

The agenda includes discussion regarding the budgets for both the current fiscal year that ends June 30 and the upcoming 2010-11 fiscal year budget.

Staff will provide a briefing on existing funds, projected revenues, prioritization of city services, programs and activities, outside agency funding, proposed new revenue sources, staff furloughs and specialty pay.

The briefing will be followed by council discussion on outside agency funding, new revenue sources such as a proposed trash collection fee, staff furloughs and specialty pay for bilingual staffing, special assignments and standby as well as vehicle allowances.

From the special work session, the council will move on to the regular work session at 5 p.m. in the council chambers.

Craig Williams, Yuma International Airport director, will present an overview of current activities at the airport.

His presentation will be followed by a briefing on the recruitment process for the city administrator by Jack Dodd, human resources director.