SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Ariz. (KGUN) — Patagonia's mayor and town council voted to approve an early actions funding agreement with South32, the company behind the Hermosa mine project in the area, that could bring up to $300 million in community investments to the town, Santa Cruz County, and the City of Nogales.
The agreement covers a range of projects, including emergency services, community health, recreational areas, early education, and middle-class housing.
Emergency services improvements are among the priorities outlined in the agreement, including expanded fire and EMS infrastructure and a marshal's office.
Patagonia Town Manager Ron Robinson said conversations with South32 began in September and that the company's investment would help address the town's financial challenges.
"Let's develop a relationship but let's first make sure that we're protected," Robinson commented about the conversation with South32. "I thought, what a heck of a deal. I mean, come on man. We all join in. Everybody works together to make it happen," Robinson said.
The agreement also includes funding for community health initiatives, such as a mobile health vehicle, an emergency room, and crisis counseling services.
South32 said in a statement that “Our purpose is to improve lives for generations to come by providing shared value and uplifting the community." The company also said it has partnerships with Santa Cruz County focused on developing the workforce and economy.
Reactions among Patagonia residents are mixed. Some said the projects will benefit the town, while others said they want more input in the process.
"The projects that the town has identified are the key projects,” said Carolyn Shafer, who lives in Patagonia.
Anna Darian, executive director of the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance, said transparency and community involvement are essential as the agreement moves forward.
"It's really important for us to be able to view what is included in this agreement to be able to actually comment and bring people together," Darian said. "I'm interested in a confirmation that there will be some sort of community engagement process going forward."
South32 said they have gathered community input on various aspects of the project in the past few years and also have a community advisory committee that addressed water usage.
Robinson said there is currently no set timeline for when the projects will begin or end.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Andrew Christiansen is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before joining the team, Andrew reported in Corpus Christi, Texas for KRIS6 News, Action 10 News and guest reported in Spanish for Telemundo Corpus Christi. Share your story ideas with Andrew by emailing andrew.christiansen@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
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