The Newspaper of Record since 1878
On the 125th anniversary of the Spanish-American War, Miami will soon have a monument in memory of the conflict. At their Oct. 9 meeting, Miami Town Council approved a proposal by Tom Foster, of the Bullion Plaza Museum and Cultural Center, and Avery Frantz, of the Buckey O’Neill Camp No. 175 of Sons of Spanish-American War Veterans of Arizona, to locate a small column in the garden area between Bullion Plaza Museum and the Gymnasium building. The spot was chosen to provide visitors a contemplative setting.
Among those honored by the monument will be the Woman’s Relief Corps and all the local veterans who served in the war, including three of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. The Territory of Arizona supported the war with three troops of the famous Rough Riders and three companies of infantry.
The intention of this memorial is to recognize these veterans’ valor, sacrifice and unwavering dedication to the community, as well as the contributions of local women of the area.
Primarily through the efforts of Frantz, the memorial will be funded by the Sons of Spanish-American War Veterans of Arizona. No public funds will be required. Design was provided by RAM Construction.
The council also approved the proclamation of October 15 thru 21 as Cities and Towns Week. The recognition was backed by the Arizona League of Cities and Towns.
Town Manager Alexis Rivera requested that a proposal to purchase and install air conditioning units for the police department and transit authority be tabled to allow the town time to request more detailed quotes. Council approved Rivera’s request.
During the Call to the Public, Gila County Supervisor Tim Humprey expressed his concern about blighted properties in the area and his desire to change property records in Gila County (and to convince other counties) to include the name of the entity/person paying taxes on properties and to make the taxpayer responsible for maintaining the property. Currently, the property owner can be deceased or in default, someone else can pay the taxes, and no one is answerable for maintenance.
Also speaking during the Call to the Public, resident and business owner Ray Web announced an invitation-only meeting for those in the Miami area who own property with boundaries that may be contested by another property owner. Webb discussed the situation in greater detail at the September 11 meeting.
During Reports, a recent waterline break was discussed. Public Works Manager Josh Derhammer said that the problem was due to three valves failing. Council Member Don Reiman commended the town employees for their handling of the situation.
