Camp Verde Magistrate Court Judge Harry Cipriano sworn in the new Camp Verde Town Council last week at its regular June 1 meeting with the seating of new members Alan Buchanan and Bruce George.
Carol German, who had previously been appointed to the council to fill a vacancy, won her seat in the last election and was also sworn in.
Most council members serve for four years, but the mayor serves for two. Mayor Bob Burnside also won a second term and was sworn in by Cipriano.
The new council also gave its appreciation for the service of outgoing Councilwoman Norma Garrison, who served a full four-year term, and Councilman Pete Roulette, who was elected to serve out the remainder of a term vacated by a previous council member.
The council also appointed Councilman Bob Kovacovich to continue serving as vice mayor, but the members were divided on the issue.
Burnside nominated Kovacovich as soon as the issue was brought to the table.
“This was my first term, and Bob Kovacovich has helped me out tremendously,” Burnside said. “He’s always to the point.”
Councilwoman Robin Whatley seconded the nomination.
German nominated Councilwoman Jackie Baker to fill the position, with a second from Buchanan.
German, Buchanan and George voted for Baker, but it wasn’t enough when Baker decided to vote for Kovacovich instead of herself.
Town Clerk Debbie Barber said new rules approved by council will take effect later this year extending the vice mayor’s term from one year to two years, to keep more in line with the mayor’s term.
The vice mayor’s primary responsibilities are to fill in for and run meetings when the mayor is unavailable.
Finally, council assigned committee responsibilities to individual members. Aside from guiding town policy, council members have a wide range of responsibilities working with other agencies around the region and state.
German was appointed to serve with the Camp Verde Schools Education Foundation and the Camp Verde Unified School District’s Superintendent’s Advisory Council.
Buchanan will serve as the council’s liaison to the Camp Verde Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors as well as the Yavapai County Water Advisory Board.
George volunteered to be the new liaison to the Yavapai-Apache Nation and the Verde Valley Transportation Organization.
Mayor Burnside said he wanted to continue serving on the Northern Arizona Council of Governments Regional Council, an organization that looks out for the interests of municipalities and other local government entities in Northern Arizona. Burnside also volunteered for a spot on the League of Arizona Cities and Towns Resolutions Committee.
Whatley, who works as a school teacher and can’t attend many committees that meet in the daytime, volunteered to serve as the town’s liaison to the Camp Verde Sanitary District.
Kovacovich is going to be working with groups that deal with water issues, the Verde Valley Water Users and the Yavapai County Local Drought Impact Group.
