MIAMI – After spending some time debating whether a cleaning deposit is waiting in the wings for the Bullion Plaza Gym earlier this month, the Miami Town Council chose to avoid the issue last week.

In a resolution to approve renewal of the management contract with the non-profit, volunteer organization, Miami Genesis, the council simply ignored the rate structure and removed it from the agenda.

Town Manager Joseph Heatherly told the council that he would like the opportunity to look at all of the rates and see what similar venues charge. “We’re not looking at this to be any kind of generator of revenue for the town,” Heatherly told the council. He went on to say that the gym should at least pay for itself.

The Council spent time at their last meeting listening to why coaches and organizers of youth sports don’t want to have to pay a cleaning deposit for their members and patrons to use the gym. Some of the council members are involved with the youth sports and made it clear they did not support a cleaning fee.

Heatherly countered that some terrible messes have been made in the gym while the youth are using it. He described a couple of situations where feces had been smeared on the bathroom walls.

In other business, the struggle continues to try to make people pay their garbage and sewer bills. One of the contingencies imposed by USDA to obtain money for the new sewer project was that the waste water and sewer system be able to support itself.

Miami Utility Coordinator Tashiana Jerrols reported that she has been successful in setting up contracts with some people to pay their bills in installments. There are others, especially those on fixed income, who could probably use more time than the six months currently allowed to bring their accounts up to date.

“We definitely want these people to be successful,” Jerrols commented.

Councilwoman Rosemary Castaneda agreed that the time should be extended. 

Heatherly said if the contract time is extended for those who need to catch up on payments, there needs to be a way of limiting it so everyone is not demanding an extended period of time.

Heatherly also announced that after months of negotiations with Arizona Water, the company has agreed to help with sewer bill enforcement. Heatherly said anyone who does not pay their sewer bill to the point where they are disconnected from the system, the water company will follow suit and turn the water off.   

After years of being at the mercy of young people who have wreaked havoc on the town’s parks and public restrooms, Miami is preparing to bring back the curfew.

Heatherly said he would like to see anyone under the age of 18 affected by the curfew. There was even talk of reactivating a horn that used to blow to warn young people that they needed to be home at that time.

Heatherly’s suggestion was to make the curfew at 10 p.m. every night.

Councilman Sammy Gonzales suggested a 9 p.m. curfew on school nights and 10 p.m. on other nights. He said the curfew could be revisited during vacations and possibly extended. 

Although no one had any ideas about what the consequences would be for violating curfew, there is evidence that a law from 1918 required that a $15 fine be imposed.

Heatherly said he “definitely” wants to go after the parents or guardians of offending youth. Minors will be given a choice of a fine or community service and the parents or guardians could be included in the community service. Heatherly said it is time people were held responsible. “We’re going to look at everything,” he told the council.

Heatherly also reported on progress being made to celebrate Miami’s Centennial which occurs on March 5, 2018. He said a committee has been formed and members are in the process of deciding what the main theme will be. He said he is expected it to be mining and the cultures who settled in this area. Heatherly predicted that decisions will be made regarding the date or dates and the duration of the celebration during the committee’s October meeting.