Small Town News

CPA hired to handle town finances, Gomez receives recognition for years of firefighting service

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Recent personnel actions taken at Superior Town Hall seem positive steps in aiding the smooth operation of the town's financial system.

Town finances have been the center of attention recently what with employee changes and the hacking into the town's financial computers by unknown persons in, it is believed, Eastern Europe.

The hacking case is currently under investigation by the FBI.

Town Manager Melanie Oliver announced at the Nov. 19 Superior Town Council meeting that Mesa-based Certified Public Accountant Duane A. Mauldin has been hired as Superior's new finance director.

"It's a challenge for me," Mauldin said about the position when introduced to the council and members of the public in attendance at the meeting. "I'm looking forward to it and I'm confidant that I can give you what you are looking for," he said.

He gave a brief update on the town finances but said that at this point he just wants to "get into the office and see where we're at." He said he was scheduling meetings with auditors and as they present reports to the council on a monthly basis, the council can be assured that the reports are accurate.

Oliver also told the council that Public Safety Director/Police Chief Lou Digirolamo is temporarily assisting her with the town manager duties so that she can spend more time assisting with the finances.

A personnel change of a different sort was the presentation at the meeting of a "retirement axe" to retired Fire Chief Angel Gomez.

Presenting the axe to the appreciative applause of all present was Fire Operations Chief Todd Pryor. He said that Gomez had served Superior for more than 30 years and "over those years his volunteer service has touched just about every family in Superior."

When Gomez had begun his, service, Pryor said, firefighting was considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the U.S. and firefighting was "a matter of bravery and endurance." Things had changed since that time, he said, "and at the Superior Fire Department, Chief Gomez helped guide Superior Fire through many of those changes. He watched the department move from a district to a municipal department and he watched it morph from a volunteer department into a full-time department. Chief Gomez was instrumental in the design and completion of the new station." In other business, the council approved the first reading of an ordinance amending the zoning map for a previously approved rezone of the Harding School property from Rl-6toC-2.

The council also approved a number of motions relating to town real estate properties for sale, minimum bids and performance bonds.



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