Town of Pima seats new mayor, councilors

By Jon Johnson
Assistant Editor

New Pima Mayor Russell Woods, left, confers with his fellow newly-elected board members Carter McEuen, center, and Tom Claridge during their first board meeting together. Photo by Jon Johnson

The peaceful transition of power from one administration to the next is a hallmark of a democratic society. That characteristic was on full display Tuesday night when the new members of the Pima Town Council were sworn in.

Outgoing members of the council, Mayor Tony Goodman and Councilor Larry Morris, were presented with plaques of appreciation for their years of service.

The new councilors, Russell Woods, Carter McEuen and Tom Claridge, were then sworn in by Town Manager Gerald Schmidt, and the council unanimously voted Woods to be mayor. Vice Mayor George Lemon was asked to retain his title with a unanimous vote as well.

When asked to comment on being selected mayor, Woods said he was “scared to death” of his new position.

Woods received the highest number of votes in Pima’s September election and began serving on the council in October to fill former Councilor Ryan Cluff’s vacant seat. Cluff, who was appointed to fill Vaughn Grant’s seat after he resigned in February, resigned in August due to health issues.

Councilors McEuen and Claridge said they were excited to be a part of the council.

“I don’t have any particular hidden agenda of any kind,” Claridge said. “I’m just excited to be a part of it and work for all the voters.”

In other council news:

• Pima Fire Department Secretary/Treas-urer Adam Hoopes gave a report to the council and said the department raised more than $5,000 at its recent chicken dinner fund-raiser. Hoopes said he believed some of the money will be used to update the radios in the department’s vehicles.

Hoopes made the presentation due to the absence of acting Fire Chief Manny Talavera, who could not make the meeting due to an emergency. Talavera was made acting chief after former Pima Fire Chief Marvin Nuttall resigned Nov. 4. The department will vote for a permanent chief during its elections in January.

• The council unanimously voted to approve hiring the engineering and surveying company PLS Group Inc. of Thatcher to survey the land where the town plans to build its new police station. PLS Group Inc. was the lowest bidder for the project at $1,850.

• Town Manager Gerald Schmidt inform-ed the council the Town Magistrate Court will drop from full-time to a part-time court beginning Dec. 11. Schmidt said Town Magistrate Judge Linda Norton told him the court was handling only four cases per week and could not justify running the court full-time.