[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6522090,"mediaKeyId","5075346-78e0cb09c9e0c25f234a336175877926","parentId",5075346,"title","Payson council appoints Darren Caldwell as town manager after executive session","audioSeconds",198,"startMs",5801000,"endMs",5999000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5075346-78e0cb09c9e0c25f234a336175877926&start=5801&end=5999","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5075346-78e0cb09c9e0c25f234a336175877926/thumbnail_5801000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6522090/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Payson-council-appoints-Darren-Caldwell-as-town-manager-after-executive-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522090-9be389d7ca277cd70f70f347d2bbec0d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770893801&Signature=gP3Q0wo~cNCTEuk3gHXjlHzSujNALIQE-gYfvX1lDP6EKeGUo4QIyZdO8IM5hjXHMbKummpX3FQkeMQl5rwroHPyieC2EB4l0mD3pleRi2-xvGZiOIFmaFMrLqR4fVZRP417CnPJ0T~E3WBViww0CpIoU3cYZ1jpE8~EJ4qR7IjkV3IZ~~LBvXn9Gtwwn0~0prFivnzKM09cdcC7gsXAYIE-XKiWrTMrBHI3PB9HJq~6t5C2EqDUouGii0afsxp8h6ZJM8HebGnbhRBwwLJHEVid4DHvy~v037we2QfrMGOMTvfBvH67eo1ze4t6W8o6dv7fMYeNQCTYB1uZ8g4RaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Payson","date","2025-06-25T00:00:00Z","article","After recessing to executive session, the Payson Common Council returned to open session on June 25 and approved an employment agreement appointing Darren Caldwell as town manager.

The council met in executive session under provisions cited on the agenda. On returning to public session, a councilmember moved to approve the contract as discussed in executive session and to appoint Darren Caldwell as town manager. The motion was seconded and the chair announced the motion passed \"7 to nothing.\" No employment contract text or employment start date was read into the public record during the meeting.

Mayor Steven Otto and other council members welcomed the appointment during the meeting's closing; the council directed staff to finalize any required documentation. The transcript does not include the employment-agreement terms or effective date; council members said the appointment followed the executive-session discussion and that action would be formalized by the clerk.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Payson - Payson Town Council - Regular - Jun 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Following an executive session, the Payson Common Council approved the employment agreement and appointed Darren Caldwell as town manager; the vote was unanimous 7-0.","taxTitle","Payson, Gila County, Arizona","taxId",60910,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6522096,"Payson council renews 9-1-1 intergovernmental agreement with Gila County to keep grant funding flowing",245,1769000,2014000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5075346-78e0cb09c9e0c25f234a336175877926&start=1769&end=2014","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5075346-78e0cb09c9e0c25f234a336175877926/thumbnail_1769000.jpg","/articles/6522096/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Payson-council-renews-9-1-1-intergovernmental-agreement-with-Gila-County-to-keep-grant-funding-flowing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522096-b873c727b8acea6ae159bb23fc95d70b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770893801&Signature=IZX5N5~DFXQjqVeYEjm8b8cKoV~x71lOxQIsG4FTcw-Zh~NKiBW8DNgSEIUcdk9t0N8i6u-GuBxpby52yfChJMFXHl9BX64yEucKnf4aXmllFFqDktc3V-zZ521DQsJ4IJaxMb965nrPNc8pGENsTwAD7YEx2IMud6hCwYSQr1jZh8lRmUVHKkluGtC7E2-F5sJ8MuRyPMnpdOv-hnaNRoEfHvdPZxTc6eLgQm8gF2ApM-ofxSdW9WOLbawQ1OnyREAy0H4QmQuUurQsaNPbv6Pyhz1xgQGzha9doq9h-I4fBjI~cl1tIknrjayKB1F~pyY~1tdmSC5oIl3I3wzRcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Payson Common Council unanimously approved Resolution 3454 on June 25, renewing an intergovernmental agreement with Gila County to coordinate public-safety answering point (PSAP) services and centralized administration of Arizona Department of Administration 9-1-1 grant funds.

The IGA preserves Payson's participation in county-coordinated grant administration that funds services such as text-to-911, enhanced location services, IP-based call routing, GIS support and call recording, Commander Haines told the council. He said the current agreement expires June 30 and that the renewed agreement includes limited language changes and allows two successive one-year automatic renewals unless canceled by either party. He also noted updated insurance and workers' compensation language requested by legal counsel.

\"This agreement allows us to coordinate 911 services with the Gila County Sheriff's Office,\" Commander Haines said. \"Passage of this resolution will allow the 911 center to continue receiving funding from the Arizona Department of Administration.\"

After a brief question-and-answer period about the scope of calls routed through the center (both emergency and non-emergency calls for police and fire), the council approved the resolution. Councilmember Scott moved the resolution; the mayor called the vote and the clerk announced \"consent agenda passes 7 to 0\" earlier and the specific resolution was recorded as passing 7-0.

The renewed IGA is primarily administrative: it maintains Payson's access to county-administered 9-1-1 grant funds and technical assistance and clarifies renewal and insurance terms. The council did not identify any changes to service delivery or local dispatch operations in the public presentation.","The council approved Resolution 3454, renewing an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Gila County for centralized management of 9-1-1 grant funds; motion passed 7-0.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6522100,"Payson council debates cutting 1% sales tax; no final vote after heated exchange",1801,4018000,5819000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5075346-78e0cb09c9e0c25f234a336175877926&start=4018&end=5819","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5075346-78e0cb09c9e0c25f234a336175877926/thumbnail_4018000.jpg","/articles/6522100/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Payson-council-debates-cutting-1-sales-tax-no-final-vote-after-heated-exchange","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522100-9cc92ef9a401824d922eb33b7c2e2c1b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770893801&Signature=SV-FxJhUcR5TTwiK3mh1KG6MhNBYiTm3jHybKhCmBCoFXY6p5PpVX6B2fDpoU~B63vV26dAYHdWwH9iNI01P6NuEzJLgB-gUW6INVEnC0uE4X3WPxdgTAg608zLduQJQNH9sYx7dioba2dO4A6h2b5R6KqX4PpA5KrbeFMfFnR2GctbTvr5opzADgTVYbgpNwb0V5F5YHzRb6ABB4DiOkx6YusbRXoxOH3GHere5kGkTyLay6CS~4n6p2S-w1YfvyEOYXdYCJ06-pCYyjWwd5MXbkzBOyRgrHnz9OXm~ez~YZM~Gc3NdxBeJLPO3TeMmcKy2Vn~TPUO0YCOlO3gEKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilmembers on June 25 debated a proposal to reduce Payson's temporary 1% sales tax by 0.5 percentage points but took no final action before recessing to other business.

The discussion matters because the 1% tax was enacted after a bond vote and is being used in part for capital projects and maintenance; cutting it would alter available funding for those projects or require equivalent cuts elsewhere in the operating budget.

Councilmember Charlie Bell introduced the proposal, saying he wanted a vote on reducing the tax. \"I'm recommending that we do a 0.5% reduction on the TPT and that next year that we do another 0.5,\" Bell said. Finance staff provided revenue context: \"Based on our projections for next year's TPT revenue, we projected like 22,460,000 and 1 percent of that would be 5.7, 5,800,000,\" Dana Ohansian, the finance director, told council.

Councilmembers who opposed an immediate reduction said the town should wait for the incoming town manager and produce a specific plan showing where roughly $2.7 million in ongoing revenue savings would be cut. Councilmember Tubbs urged caution, saying staff and a new manager should have input and the council should identify concrete cuts before approving a tax rollback. Councilmember Moser and others noted parts of the 1% were intended for ongoing maintenance of future capital projects.

A motion was made to table the reduction until the town produces a financial plan and the new town manager can weigh in; the substitute motion to table was put to a voice vote and failed. Councilmembers continued discussion but did not make a final vote to reduce the tax before moving on to other agenda items and an executive session. No ordinance or formal change to the tax rate was enacted at this meeting.

Councilmembers outlined rough project numbers discussed during the meeting: event center design ($1,500,000), pool construction documents ($1,480,000) and the Green Valley Parkway extension (approximately $2,500,000), a combined approximate total of $5,500,000. Several councilmembers said that if the tax were reduced, the town would need to identify offsetting operating or capital-fund reductions.","Councilmembers debated a proposal to reduce the town's temporary 1% sales tax by 0.5 percentage points; members discussed project commitments, revenue projections and operating impacts, but the council did not adopt a reduction at the meeting.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6522105,"Payson council adopts PSPRS funding policy, adds $600,000 payment to target full funding by 2036",1975,2074000,4049000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5075346-78e0cb09c9e0c25f234a336175877926&start=2074&end=4049","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5075346-78e0cb09c9e0c25f234a336175877926/thumbnail_2074000.jpg","/articles/6522105/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Payson-council-adopts-PSPRS-funding-policy-adds-600000-payment-to-target-full-funding-by-2036","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522105-5f9071c509d558f5fa02aae90b0d905e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770893801&Signature=cVdctJ7EV3brdU1dZIlLFfb5TEz-dTtJg3TZsqyMZYmv5W1hLQo96kgp03bxtTP99z4uCQu0a-hgeSUaaTo2NKKlDdYCr3gI6pg9d0Z9jIeJp4QRp9Diko5TASSWQO3xJOTbwifsT-bgxZO34WPKPGCtFRTjeAGvna3~FCtaRr7GQ-HWrYUvbtjytsbLwjC6ROTu~CCfF8H7tuucrDAY9DLbsbvTZVsPLvM4pnzL~2HynrbH~vUR-4TcsTRpck51ebcdEfPgwGugevzjfiG~xQKzOkY0lFjzg5JEZ~skPiy0kYSAINl0rMNGfUJ7nmgBbh5hGKRBEJoZQsVAoD01tg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Payson Common Council on June 25 adopted an annual pension funding policy for the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) that accepts the system's actuarial valuation, sets a target of 100% funding by June 30, 2036, and includes an extra $600,000 payment for fiscal year 2026.

The policy matters because PSPRS liabilities drive a large and growing portion of the town's personnel costs; the council's $600,000 supplemental payment is intended to reduce the town's unfunded liability and slow increases in the town's annual required contribution (ARC).

Dana Ohansian, Payson's finance director, told the council the town formally accepts PSPRS's actuarial figures for the year and described the recommended policy. \"This agenda item is an annual funding policy that's brought before the council regarding the PSPRS retirement fund,\" Ohansian said, summarizing the state requirement and the town's plan. Ohansian told the council the actuarial valuation lists the town's assets at about $28,200,000 and liabilities at about $47,200,000, leaving an unfunded liability of roughly $19,000,000. He said the voluntary $600,000 payment would be made in FY26 to help reach full funding by 2036.

Councilmember Charlie Bell said he planned to vote against the measure, arguing the town's past supplemental payments had not reduced the liability quickly enough. \"I want I'm gonna vote against it because we've been paying this amount... we've been slipping backwards,\" Bell said. Other council members and staff explained how PSPRS structures ARC calculations and how additional one-time payments reduce principal and can lower future ARC rates.

After discussion, a motion to approve the pension funding policy and authorize posting it to the town website passed 6-1. The council did not record individual roll-call votes in the public transcript; the chair announced \"Motion passes 6 to 1.\" The policy document sets the formal funded-ratio goal (100% by 06/30/2036) and records the town's acceptance of the actuarial numbers.

Council members outlined ways to accelerate progress outside this vote, including applying one-time revenues to principal and paying ARC for vacant public-safety positions when feasible. Ohansian and other staff noted the ARC itself is recalculated annually and that salary increases or added staffing can raise the town's annual contribution even as principal is paid down.

The council's packet materials attached the actuarial valuation and an explanatory schedule; the transcript records the presentation, debate and the final motion. The council instructed staff to post the adopted policy to the town website as required by state law.","The Payson Common Council approved an annual pension funding policy for the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System that accepts the town's actuarial valuation, sets a 100% funded-ratio target by June 30, 2036, and directs a $600,000 additional payment for FY26; vote was 6-1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Payson council appoints Darren Caldwell as town manager after executive session

Payson council renews 9-1-1 intergovernmental agreement with Gila County to keep grant funding flowing

Payson council debates cutting 1% sales tax; no final vote after heated exchange

Payson council adopts PSPRS funding policy, adds $600,000 payment to target full funding by 2036