Mid-summer is finding City leaders and officials caught up in major activity.
City budget — Councilmembers approved a tentative budget of $238.4 million on June 8. That’s an increase of $10 million from the original $228.4 million that had been suggested. Additional funds are to provide contingency funding to cover possible future state and federal grants, said Budget and Finance Director Mark Woodfill.
New City Hall — Escrow closed on June 10 on the $7.55 million National Bank building that will become the new Prescott City Hall. Human Resources staff has begun the move to the new location at 201 N. Montezuma. The new 30,600-square-foot building has approximately one-third more space than the current City Hall on Goodwin Street.
New police chief — City Manager Michael Lamarr named Amy Bonney as the City’s new police chief June 28. She had been the interim chief since Debora Black resigned from the position in February. Bonney was chosen as her successor after a national search.
A Prescott native, Bonney has worked for the Prescott Police Department for 23 years and had been deputy chief since 2016.
“Together we will continue to lead the way in serving our community and working collaboratively with our public safety and city partners to keep Prescott a safe and wonderful place to live, work and visit,” she said.
Resignation — City Attorney Jon Paladini resigned his position effective July 31, saying he had accepted a position with Pierce Coleman, a Scottsdale-Mesa based law firm. Paladini had been employed by the City since January 2013. Prescott Mayor Greg Mengarelli praised Paladini, saying he had served the City capably.
Changes at annex — The City Annex on 218 S. Marina is now home for the Center for the Future (CFF). CFF President and Director Jon Haass said the 501(c)(3) corporation is an incubator for new jobs and high-tech industries that locate in the Prescott area. Haass, also a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said several start-up companies already had moved into the building.
