Happy New Year

JANUARY 2018 HAPPY SERVING THE MOUNTAIN EMPIRE COMMUNITIES NEW OF CANELO, ELGIN, PATAGONIAYEAR AND SONOITA VOL. 8, ISSUE 1 By Bob Brandt and Marion Vendituoli moving out of the area and A state legislator who represents parts of Pima keeping the community’s and Pinal Counties has filed a complaint against the school enrollment up, an town of Patagonia in response to the ‘heavy truck issue he is especially close traffic’ ordinance passed at the November 29 Town to as he currently serves Council meeting. as president of the school The Patagonia Town Council voted to approve board. ordinance 17-01 to regulate heavy truck traffic The complaint was within the town limits. Mayor Ike Isakson cast the filed on December 18 by lone dissenting vote, stating that that the ordinance State Representative Vince failed to meet the three basic tests he believes are Leach, who lives north of required for adoption. Those tests, he maintained, Tucson and represents are, “Is it fair, is it legal and is it enforceable?” Town LD 11. He is requesting Attorney Michael Massee had, at the November 8 that the Attorney General work session, expressed his opinion that the ordi- investigate whether the nance meets the test of legality. town had violated Arizona During the discussion that followed Vice Mayor state law by “adopting Andy Wood’s motion to approve the ordinance, an ordinance restricting Carolyn Shafer made the case in support of the the total number of trips ordinance, as she had in the study session three made by a ‘heavy duty weeks prior, urging the council members to regulate truck.’” heavy truck traffic as part of a more comprehensive In the complaint, he strategy to protect the town’s present quality of life. argues that “the ordinance Another voice in favor of the ordinance was Roy is unlawful because the Lee, a Patagonia resident who grew up here and re- Town’s restrictions exceed cently moved back to town after pursuing his busi- the authority granted to Photo by Bob Brandt ness career elsewhere for over 30 years. Although it under Arizona law,” and Carolyn Shafer speaks at the town council meeting on November 29, he agrees the town can’t regulate the mining activ- that “the ordinance was urging passage of the heavy truck traffic ordinance. ities, Lee said the town council has a responsibility unlawfully deliberated in ordinance was legal and let it stand, he could rule to protect the quality of life for its citizens. violation of Arizona’s open meeting laws.” that it is illegal and withhold state funds until the Joining the opposition to the proposed ordinance Under law SB 1487, any legislator may file a com- ordinance is rescinded, or he could rule that the were Irma and Fred Sang, owners of the Patagonia plaint against a county, city or town that enacts an case must go to the state Supreme Court for adju- Market, who asserted that the ordinance targets ordinance, regulation or order that he or she feels dication. Attorney General Mark Brnovich has thirty one business. “What are we going to do, pass an violates state law or the constitution of Arizona. This days to respond to the complaint. ordinance every time a new business wants to come law, passed in February 2016, punishes local gov- If he determines that the case will go to the into town?” Fred Sang asked. He also voiced his ernments by withholding state funds if the Attorney Supreme Court, the town may not be in a financial concern about driving away potential jobs that are General finds in favor of the complainant. position to argue its case for the ordinance, accord- crucial to the town’s ability to keep families from There are three possible outcomes to this com- ing to Mayor Ike Isakson. “We can’t afford to go to plaint. The Attorney General could rule that the See CHALLENGE / Page 3 2017 COMMUNITY VeTeRaNS’ ReTReaT WIld hORSe SalOON CONTRIBUTORS: OpeNS IN SONOITa OpeN fOR BUSINeSS Page 3 Honoring Our Medical Page 9 First Responders Page 2 PRT 2017 COMMUNITY MISSION STATEMENT To publish a nonprofit CONTRIBUTORS community newspaper which serves the Mountain Empire communities of Santa Cruz County, There are many people in this community who donate their time and skills to helping others, build- including Canelo, Elgin, ing community resources, and improving our quality of life. This year, the Patagonia Regional Times Patagonia, and Sonoita, and would like to acknowledge our dedicated medical first responders at the Sonoita Elgin Fire Station which is open to all views, high- and at the Patagonia Fire Department. lighting local issues and empha- sizing the contributions of local talent. Our First Responders WHO WE ARE Always There When We Need Them We are a nonprofit organization, funded by paid advertising, do- nations and grants. PRT is a free monthly publication distributed to news stands and local merchants in The Mountain Empire. Managing Editor: Marion Vendituoli Assistant Editor: Laura Wenzel Advertising Manager: Janie Trafton Contributing Writers & Staff: Bob Brandt Alison Bunting Cate Drown Cassina Farley Robert Gay Contributed Photo Patra Kelly SEFD medical personnel tend to an injured person at one of the 550 call outs the station responded to in 2017. Martin Levowitz Cynie Murray The PRT would like to honor the and an elderly cow stuck in the mud Department get reimbursed for EMT Vince Pinto men and women who work so hard to this year, according to SEFD adminis- training, according to Fire Chief Ike keep us safe and well in this corner of trative assistant Katie Goodwin. Isakson. Mark Meredith is Medical Distribution: Santa Cruz County, the EMTs and para- At SEFD, all volunteers must go Captain of the department. “We’ve Judy Mills medics who work out of the Sonoita through an orientation process, run by always been a kind of training center Les Corum Elgin Fire Department (SEFD) and the Battalion Chief Mark Bennett. The EMS for all kinds of people,” Isakson said. Patagonia Fire Department. Virtually director at SEFD is Laura Sink, who “We like to find young guys with jobs Board of Directors: every resident here has benefited from oversees quality control certification who can leave the job to go on calls. Bob Brandt their training, their commitment and and document review. The people they work for have to be their professionalism in one way or The department does not offer, or understanding.” Lynn Davison another. pay for, EMT training. After completing Isakson estimates that the cost of Dave Ellis The majority of medical first re- the orientation process, which takes EMT training is approximately $2400. Cassina Farley sponders in the area are volunteer. In two to three months, the volunteers EMT students currently have to travel Jac Heiss Patagonia, the five EMTs, who are all are then recruits. It takes another six to Pima Community college, or take Donna Lee volunteer, make an average of 15 to months to a year for them to become the course at a private company in Kathryn Schrag 20 runs per month, 90% of which are full members of the department and Tucson. “It’s hard to get instructors to Phillip Sullivan medical calls. In Sonoita, 29 of the 35 be assigned a call number. come down here. They want 20 – 24 paramedics and EMTs are volunteers. The process for becoming an EMT students in the class,” he said. “I’d They made approximately 550 runs in entails successfully completing 140 love to see an EMT class at the High Contact us at: 2017. In the last fiscal year, medical hours of class time, passing both School.” [email protected] personnel logged more than 770 hours written and practical tests, and passing Isakson and Bennet both praised his PO Box 1073, Patagonia, in ambulance runs alone. a national certification exam. Becom- volunteer medical personnel. “They AZ 85624 Many of the EMTs and paramed- ing a paramedic requires additional are necessary, and I think they do a ics are cross trained as firefighters, training. SEFD does not reimburse great job,” Isakson said. “It’s a good and respond to a host of situations, EMTs for their training, but does offer situation right now.” “85% of our calls To Place an ad: including medical calls, motor vehicle a small stipend for their work at the are medical,” Bennett said. “As far as [email protected] collisions, structure and wildland fires, station. There are three paid firefight- I’m concerned, they’re the backbone lift assistance calls, snake removal calls, ers and one volunteer at the station at of our EMS response.” Online edition: hazmat calls and vehicle fires. They all times. patagoniaregionaltimes.org even helped a sheep stuck in a gate Volunteers at the Patagonia Fire PAGE 2 PATAGONIA REGIONAL TIMES JANUARY 2018 mental wellness for combat veterans, in 2013. Since Challenge Veterans’ opening, they have hosted Continued from Page 1 3000 combat veterans and Retreat their families. The non-profit court,” he said. There is a provision in organization is funded by do- the law that requires a bond be post- nations, and all services are ed by the town equal to the amount Opens In provided free of charge. of six months of state funding distrib- Boulder Crest has de- uted to the town. This requirement Sonoita veloped an 18-month-long could be waived, as it was in a recent By Marion Vendituoli combat stress recovery case involving the city of Tucson. program, which they call Attorney fees, however, might The grand opening of Boulder Crest PATHH (progressive and al- make it impossible for the town to Retreat Arizona at Apache Springs ternative training for healing pursue the case, as the town’s risk Ranch, on November 30, can only be heroes.) They do not refer to management insurance does not described as inspiring, emotional, and, Post Traumatic Stress at the cover legal fees incurred by policy at times, overwhelming.

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