News

This would be the first Veterans' Memorial Park established on the Southern portion of Yuma County

On March 3, 2015, the City of Somerton Council declined to approve the Veterans’ Memorial Park project proposed by the Regional Center for Border Health, Inc., (RCBH) to recognize military veterans of Somerton and the Cocopah Indian Tribe.

The City of Somerton Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed and unanimously approved the project during January 21, 2015 meeting. City staff’s recommendation of Perricone Park was the selected site for this Memorial. The Parks and Recreation Commission then recommended the City Council to discuss and approve the proposal at the March 3^rd Council meeting.

Detailed presentations were made by Mr. Louie Galaviz, Somerton Parks and Recreation Department Director; Mr. Frank Atondo, Somerton Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman; Mr. Chris Thompson, architect in charge of the project; and Ms. Amanda Aguirre, President and CEO of the RCBH.

Mayor Martin Porchas stated he would not give the City Council a recommendation to discuss any project proposed by RCBH due to a pending lawsuit RCBH filed against the City of Somerton, regarding a parking and access issue related to the construction of the proposed new City Hall on the north side of the RCBH building, that would materially and negatively impact the access to RCBH’s building.

The Veterans’ Memorial has nothing to do with the parking/access litigation, and should not be leveraged for such a purpose. The RCBH is very disappointed that the City Council has apparently now decided to use the Veterans’ Memorial as a “negotiation chip” in an attempt to force concessions from RCBH on the City’s proposed new City Hall.  

The Regional Center for Border Health, Inc., a non-profit organization which has positively impacted the City of Somerton from more than two decades, sponsoring free medical screenings and vaccination campaigns, health fairs and community initiatives such as “A Healthy Somerton” launched recently on April 2014, with the sole goal to improve the quality of life of Somerton and the surrounding communities. RCBH feels a Veterans’ Memorial honoring the names and stories of those Somerton and Cocopah Tribal military veterans is long overdue. Since October 2014, RCBH has been working with City of Somerton staff on this proposal. The RCBH also has been working with Mr. Sergio Sarabia, Veterans benefit Counselor, with the Arizona Department of Veterans Services.

This would be the first Veterans’ Memorial Park established on the Southern portion of Yuma County.

RCBH has allocated $60,000 to improve the Perricone Park for the Veterans’ Memorial.

For more information regarding the project please contact Mariajose Almazan, Executive Assistant to the President and CEO of the Regional Center for Border Health, Inc. by calling (928) 627-9222 or by eMail at mrincon@rcfbh.org.