Sierra Vista Receives Clean Financial Audit for FY 2024

Chuck Potucek has served as City Manager for nearly 30 years

SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (SVL) — The City of Sierra Vista has once again demonstrated strong financial stewardship, receiving an unmodified opinion in its annual audit for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2024. The independent auditors completed their review and issued the final report on June 2, 2025, confirming that the city’s financial statements are free from material misstatements and are in full compliance with accounting principles.

The audit, conducted in accordance with Government Auditing Standards, found no instances of noncompliance or fraud, no material weaknesses in internal controls, and no significant control deficiencies. In addition to reviewing the city’s overall financial health, the auditors performed a Single Audit of the city’s major federal programs, which included the Community Development Block Grants/Entitlement Grants and the Federal Transit Formula Grants. No findings were reported in either program.

The audit report reviews that the city’s accounting policies, financial disclosures, and internal controls with no findings. Auditors noted that they encountered no significant difficulties during the review, had no disagreements with financial management, identified no known or suspected fraud, and no findings with unusual transactions.

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The City Council has approved the Program Year 2025 Community Development Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan which includes the Henry Jones Legacy Park, site improvements for Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona’s transitional tiny homes, parking lot rehabilitation at St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, Better Bucks of Sierra Vista’s Better Work and Community Connect Program, and United Way of Sierra Vista and Cochise County’s Emergency Crisis Fund.

In April, City Council approved a permit for Catholic Community Services (CCS) to build domestic crisis transitional housing for victims of domestic violence for women and children. CCS plans to build four tiny homes while they help victims transition into a new life. The location will offer a two-bed, one-bath and one one-bed, one-bath homes that face a shared courtyard. CCS secured a private donation to fund its domestic crisis housing initiative, which will pay for the homes and help subsidize rent.

The city continues working on plans and securing funding for the new Henry Jones Legacy Park, located at the corner Fab Ave and Fry Blvd. Funding from a Federal Transportation Administration grant will help start the project this year with curbs, sidewalks, landscape islands, and parking. CDBG funding will support Phase 1 for the park which will face Fry Blvd.

The city has accepted $3.36 million of federal funding for Phase 1 of the Buffalo Soldier Reconstruction Project that starts at the intersection of 7th Street and runs north approximately 3,000 feet. The next step will be to accept bids before the project can start. The entire portion of road between 7th St and Highway 90 Bypass will be completed in six phases with funding for each phase anticipated to be secured over multiple fiscal years.

The Garden Ave street scape project is continuing with an estimated completion timeframe of December.

The Sierra Vista City Council appointed Brian Miers to the City Council this week to fill the vacant seat left by William Benning. Miers, a Texas native, has lived in Sierra Vista for a total of 24 years and first came to the area in 1988 while serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Huachuca. He was stationed at Fort Huachuca again in 1993 and made Sierra Vista his permanent home in 2011.

Miers is a 12-year military intelligence veteran and has over 20 years of experience as a federal agent for both the Department of Justice and Homeland Security. He will finish William Benning’s term on Dec. 31, 2026.