The board of directors for the Community Food Bank, the main supplier of food to the Tombstone Food Bank, agreed to step in and help the city run the newly
reacquired food bank per the mayor's request.

Though the Community Food Bank agreed to help the city, the nature of the aid remained unspecified.

Bill Carnegie, CEO of the Community Food Bank, went before the board of directors asking to use grant money to either hire an employee to run the Tombstone Food Bank or give the money to the city to hire its own employee.

"We had a twist," Carnegie said. "Because of the funding that we received, we cannot give it to the city."

Carnegie explained that restrictions on the grant prevent the Community Food Bank from giving the money to the city to hire an employee.

Carnegie returned to the board, asking for the Community Food Bank to hire an employee to run the Tombstone Food bank in partnership with the city.

"It's unfortunate that we found out (about the restrictions) after that passed," Carnegie said. "But we're trying to move ahead as quickly as we can."

The board has yet to make a formal decision on whether Carnegie can begin process of hiring an employee.

The grant, funded by the Southeastern Arizona Governments Organization, is worth about $20,000, according to Carnegie.

He said the funding should cover the cost of a part-time employee for six months and some operating expenses.

"Things are kind of in flux," Carnegie said. "I need permission from my board, however they want to structure it, before I can really sit down with the city."

It is still unclear how the transition between the current and new management of the Tombstone Food Bank will progress.

"We just want to make sure that (the transition is) done right," Carnegie said, "and that everyone who needs food in that community has access to it."

Carnegie said during the transition of management, in the worst-case scenario, the Tombstone Food Bank may close temporarily – though food would still be distributed – while the new food bank employee is hired and trained.

"People certainly wouldn't be going without food," Carnegie said, "but there may be some time when that facility (the Tombstone Food Bank) may not be open. That's the worst case scenario, we really want to avoid that as much as possible."

Carnegie said the Tombstone City Council wants the Community Food Bank to manage the Tombstone branch because of demonstrated experience.

"I have the feeling that the city just really wants to have somebody new come in," he said.

"They would love for us to come in and do it, because we would do it right," Carnegie said.