The annual Yuma City Council Retreat

The annual Yuma City Council Retreat took place today at 9am to 5pm and will continue tomorrow at the Sonoran Pueblo Club on Marine Corps Air Station Yuma.

It was an opportunity for Yuma city staff to brief council on upcoming and continuing issues within in the city and have the council be informed before going into discussion of approval for the upcoming budget that will happen in the next few months. It was apparent that the three major issues were roadway funding to fix our roads, that of which we still don’t have a sufficient amount of money for, the minimum wage increase and the recent plan to install cameras around town. City spokesperson Dave Nash explains.

“The project that’s in the planning stages and in fact we have a contract for these units to be installed on top of city street lights for the upcoming year. It’s a piece of high tech equipment that’s going to have a whole bunch of applications including the ability to provide improved WIFI networks. One of the other things it can do is take pictures. If there is a crash at an intersection, the cameras are gonna be focused on that intersection and it will be available to be used by law enforcement,” said Nash.

Another topic of discussion, hard to fill job positions in our area. Police officers, dispatchers and treatment plant operation supervisors were the three top position that the city is having a tough time filling. Due to competitive salary wages in other areas and the lack of people in Yuma that meet the certification criteria. The Retreat will conclude tomorrow. if you are interested in attending, you still may be able to go by contacting the City Administration at (928) 373-5011