By Cathy Rymer, Chandler Water Conservation Coordinator

In 2012, 199 Chandler water audit participants saved over 10 million gallons of water after following advice from the city’s water conservation staff. That’s a lot of water and it also means hundreds of dollars saved by residents.

A water audit is simply a free on-site evaluation of water-using fixtures, hardware, equipment, landscaping, and management practices to determine the efficiency of your home’s water use. Once an audit is requested a Chandler Water Conservation Specialist will tour the property to show how you can locate leaks and learn practical ways to repair them.  You’ll even receive money-saving rebate and incentive information. Best of all, your appointment can be conveniently scheduled M-F between 6:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.

This citywide program is offered free-of-charge to Chandler water customers. A separate program for HOA’s and commercial properties also is available and includes preparation of a water budget to help determine landscape water efficiency. The results of eight water budgets tracked in 2012 resulted in estimated savings of 7,963,000 gallons.  Conservation programs such as water audits recently garnered Chandler recognition from NerdWallet, a consumer advocacy website out of San Francisco (http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/2013/cities-with-innovative-green-initiatives).

Other water-saving programs include high water use notification post cards sent to residents who used more than twice as much water as the month before. This proactive approach helps catch leaks as soon as possible.  In 2012 more than 1.5 million gallons were saved due to this program.  The landscape conversion rebate program provided rebates for the removal of unused grass areas replaced with desert adapted plants.  Residents saw a 25 percent reduction in their landscape water use due to conversions in 2012 or a total of 1.3 million gallons. Non-residential conversions had an estimated savings of 472,700 gallons in 2012.

The use of smart irrigation controllers also produces significant water savings.  Besides receiving a rebate of up to $250, non-residential customers saved an average of 717,872 gallons per year. Residents also saw reductions in their water use with average annual savings of 31,681 gallons.

Dog Fancy Cover

Dog Fancy Article

Dog Fancy Magazine named the city of Glendale regional runner-up in the Southwest in its 2013 DogTown USA ranking. With a dog population of 43,000, the city prides itself on offering dog-friendly businesses, attractions and amenities.

The article highlights Glendale’s four-legged community features such as two special dog parks that offer agility equipment;  an annual Dog Days of Summer event, sponsored by the Glendale Convention & Visitors Bureau and downtown merchants; dining experiences for pet owners at various restaurants with patio seating and city dogs who work for various programs in the community. For example, the Glendale Library has a reading dog program, called Read with Jessie, the loveable Golden Retriever, at Foothills Library in which children can practice reading to a dog, helping them become more comfortable reading. The next sessions are Sept. 11 and Sept. 25 for children 5 years and older. To reserve a spot, call 623.930.3837.

The Glendale Fire Department has two working dogs; Gizzi accompanies Fire’s public education manager to schools to teach children fire safety measures, and Topaz serves as a crisis response dog, helping those impacted by traumatic situations. In addition, Glendale Fire carries special FIDO pet rescue bags, supported by community donations. The FIDO bag, created by a Glendale firefighter, are medical bags containing customized oxygen masks and other medical supplies specifically made to care for animals in emergency situations. The bags were placed on Glendale fire trucks in 2007 after the Sun Valley Animal Shelter made a generous donation of $4,000 to fund the FIDO bag program.  Glendale firefighters, having saved numerous animals using the FIDO bag equipment, believe the bags are a necessity since 70% of households have pets.

Projects and activities for local dogs are not the only reason that Glendale was selected by the magazine, as part of the process included evaluating whether Glendale serves as an optimal pet destination.

Approximately 58 percent of pet owners now travel with their pets, and dogs lead the pack as the most popular pet travel companion, according to Petsweekly.com.

“This information reflects an emerging travel trend, showing the importance of outreaching to visitors who travel with their favorite canine companion. For example, 78 percent of pet owners choose a hotel due to its pet-friendly policies and the Glendale CVB offers a list of pet-friendly hotels in the area,” said Lorraine Pino, Glendale CVB manager.

By Donyelle Kesler, Digital Information Specialist

When Recreation Division’s Customer Service Coordinator Marianne Fulton isn’t at her desk at the Queen Creek Library Recreation Annex entrance, the children attending pre-school, sports and recreation classes take notice.

“’Where’s Ms. Marianne?’ the kids will all ask,” Recreation Technician Rachel Thornton said. “They miss her if she’s not there to greet them.”

Despite having numerous responsibilities including handling class registration, answering phones, assisting with special events and other administrative responsibilities, Fulton has built a close rapport with all Recreation Annex visitors. “That’s my favorite part,” Fulton said. “I enjoy welcoming our students and families and getting to know everyone. I’ve always been in customer service and always try to ensure that people have a positive experience with us.”

A Queen Creek resident for the last 13 years, Fulton’s service has gone beyond recreation customers, she also works closely with class instructors to solve issues, helps schedule their classes and offers support. Her hard work also helps recreation’s major, annual events, like Trunk or Treat and Passport to Discovery, run smoothly.

Fulton says that the family-oriented, community feel of Queen Creek is what she and the recreation staff emulate through their services.

“The activities offered through our division are important for Queen Creek families,” Fulton said. “Recreation provides opportunities for children to learn build self-esteem and create life-long healthy habits. I also always encourage adults to take time for themselves and take the adult classes we offer, too. We like to see the successes that come from the programs we offer.”

“Our Recreation Division strives to provide the community with the highest quality recreational activities by promoting social interactions through safe, fun and affordable special interest classes and events,” Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney said. “Marianne and the entire recreation staff deliver exceptional services to support the health and happiness of our residents. The environment they have created, has continuously kept residents active in the services offered through the Town’s recreation program.”

El Mirage is among the first communities in Arizona to be formally designated a Vietnam War Commemorative Partner under an initiative observing the 50th anniversary of the conflict’s beginning. The Commemorative Partner Program, commissioned by the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense, is a national effort to recognize and pay tribute to the more than three million men and women who bravely served the U.S. in a war a world away, including more than 58,000 who gave their lives and more than 1,600 who are still missing in action.

As a Commemorative Partner, El Mirage has promised to carry out at least two events annually for the next four years to honor Vietnam veterans and their families in a manner consistent with the highest traditions of dignity and respect. Upon learning of the City’s selection as a Commemorative Partner, Mayor Lana Mook noted, “The sacrifices of our country in Vietnam continue to resonate with generations of Americans. The Commemorative Partner Program is a very fitting way for us to publicly recognize the immense importance of these sacrifices.”

When the new Goodyear branch of the Maricopa County Library system is completed near the end of this year, it could include space for the business leaders of tomorrow to work and brainstorm through a partnership in an incubator program with Arizona State University.

During the Goodyear City Council work session on July 8, Tracy Lea, Venture Manager at Arizona State University’s SkySong incubator center unveiled its Alexandria Model, a program that is planned inside an approximate 1,000-square-foot room in the new Goodyear branch library to serve as an entrepreneur and innovation center for those pursuing ideas and business projects.

City leaders were excited to see the presentation for the program, which will help to provide entrepreneurs the tools, resources and mentors to get on the pathway of development. Goodyear City Council will vote on finalizing the agreement with ASU and the county for the center sometime after it returns from its summer break next month.

“We appreciate SkySong because we know of its successes,” Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord said. “I’ve heard of and seen the successes there, and we look forward to having our successes here.”

Having a business “incubator” in Goodyear is one of City Council’s initiatives and the city’s Economic Development Department has been working with SkySong in south Scottsdale to make center a reality in Goodyear for six months.

SkySong’s Tracy Lea said the center also could have a military focus.  Luke expects to see $260 million of construction over the next decade and other support businesses are expected to open with the arrival of the F-35A fighter pilot training program next year.

During the meeting, Lea said, “The Alexandria Concept will create a wonderful pipeline for development.  “It’s been extraordinary working with this group of people in this city, and I believe this is such a rich environment for this to take flight. The West Valley has some amazing growth right now. Goodyear is creating a terrific growth pattern in and of itself.”

The library, budgeted at $1 million, will include 9,600-square-feet that will feature a 1,600-square-foot multi-purpose room in addition to the 8,000-square-feet of library space.

The library will replace the current one at North Litchfield Road and Van Buren Street.  Design work for the new library is on schedule to be completed by the end of July and construction beginning as early as August.

Florence Mayor Tom J. Rankin was voted in at the Wednesday, June 19th Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Regional Council meeting as the newest member to MAG’s Transportation Policy Committee (TPC).  The vote was unanimous. Congratulations to Mayor Tom J. Rankin!

You can find more about Mayor Rankin’s new position below:

http://www.florenceaz.gov/index.php?option=com_acymailing&ctrl=archive&task=view&mailid=515&key=6908a5fbaec078dd9169d0bf8620051d&subid=201-a68755507547037c79ff6975bdc65886

The Valley Metro and Valley Metro Rail transit boards have chosen new officers for fiscal-year 2013-14.

The regional public transportation authority for Phoenix, Valley Metro elected as its board chairman Scott Somers, who is a Council member for Mesa, AZ. Also elected were Chandler Council Member Trinity Donovan as vice chairman and Avondale Council Member Jim McDonald as treasurer.

Valley Metro Rail, which operates, maintains and expands the light-rail system in the greater Phoenix area, has elected Shana Ellis chairman and Dennis Kavanaugh, vice chairman. Shana Ellis serves on the Tempe Council and Kavanaugh, on the Mesa Council.

Read more about The Valley Metro and Valley Metro Rail transit’s new officers here:

http://tempe.gov/index.aspx?page=31&recordid=1668&returnURL=%2findex.aspx%3fpage%3d185

Arizona Cities and Towns work year-round to produce events that bring together both residents and visitors alike to celebrate everything from major holidays to small-scale celebrations. Events are an important component of prosperous and viable communities: they attract tourism, enhance economic growth and create positive quality-of-life for residents. Throughout the next several months, cities and towns across Arizona will be hosting unique and exciting events. Here are a few you won’t want to miss: 

Sierra Vista – Hummingbird Banding

Hold tiny hummingbirds in your hands in Sierra Vista! From April through October, more than 10 species of hummingbirds migrate through Southern Arizona while en route from their tropical winter retreats or northern nesting grounds. Known as the “Hummingbird Capital of the United States,” Sierra Vista is home to two hummingbird banding sites, giving visitors an up-close and hands-on experience as researchers capture, band, record vital statistics, then release these brilliantly colored birds. Find a schedule and learn more at                          www.VisitSierraVista.com

Phoenix- Night Flight Golf

Grab your glow-in-the-dark golf clubs and head down to Palo Verde Golf Course. The Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department is offering golfers a unique way to escape the daytime heat this summer with night golf at the city’s Palo Verde 9-hole course. The course will be lined with glow lights and players will receive a glow necklace and glow ball. Each event will run in a tournament format as a four-person scramble and include fun prizes and a goodie bag for each player. For a full schedule of upcoming night golf outings and to register, visit www.phoenix.gov/golf.

Tempe – Healing Field

To remember and honor the nearly 3,000 victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, Tempe will hold the annual Healing Field Tribute at Tempe Beach Park. The public is invited to view the display of American flags representing the victims of that terrible day. A moving display of patriotism and unity, Tempe’s Healing Field Memorial is the nation’s longest consecutive running event.
Flags will be placed at Tempe Beach Park Tuesday, Sept. 10 through Saturday, Sept. 14. A memorial ceremony will be held at 5:40 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11 and a candlelight vigil will be held at 7 p.m. that evening. For more information, visit www.Tempe.gov/HealingField

Avondale- Tres Rios Festival

The city of Avondale took one of its natural resources and turned it into an outdoor community celebration. The Tres Rios Nature Festival is one-of-a-kind, focusing on the rich diversity of wildlife, habitat, history and ecology of the Gila, Salt and Agua Fria Rivers. The festival, which began 10 years ago, is an exciting opportunity for the Avondale community and visitors to learn and embrace amazing wildlife habitat and history of these systems. Attendees can participate in boating, paddleboarding, fishing, archery, hiking and wildlife viewing. The Tres Rios Nature Fall Festival will be held on Oct. 26. Find out more at                                                                         http://www.TresRiosNatureFestival.com

July is National Park and Recreation Month! The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) wants you and your community to celebrate parks and recreation! NRPA is encouraging the public to show how much fun parks and recreation are, while learning about the many benefits they bring to the community. There are several national initiatives planned to help accomplish that. Visit NRPA’s website below and tell them what you love about parks and recreation.

http://www.nrpa.org/july/?utm_source=Homepage&utm_medium=Coverflow&utm_content=ParkRecMo560x204&utm_campaign=Homepage_Coverflow_2013

In support of NRPA’s effort, AZ Cities @ Work is featuring Arizona’s cities and towns that help their communities stay active this summer. Read these articles to see why parks and recreation are so vital for our lives!

Find out how Tucson was recognized with rankings in two national top ten lists for bicycle friendliness! Great job Tucson!

http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/announcement/tucson-ranks-top-10

Mesa Moving Forward: Mayor Scott Smith highlights the unique partnership between the City of Mesa and Mesa Public Schools

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3D1YgrM2zk&feature=youtu.be

Vote for your park! The search for America’s Favorite Park is on, and your votes could make the difference.

https://parks.livepositively.com/parks/index.html#findpark?searchterm=arizona

Flagstaff’s Recreation Department brings you Touch -A- Truck

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=644636342232902&l=b4f21175b2

By Donyelle Kesler, Digital Information Specialist

When Engineering Technician Salamatullah Sayeed looks at Queen Creek, he said he sees a community with enormous potential for growth and development. Those were things he also said he saw for himself with the opportunity to work with the town’s Development Services department.

“Queen Creek is a community growing at a very fast pace. With my academic background and experience, I felt I had a lot to offer and saw a great opportunity to be part of that expansion,” Sayeed said.

Since joining the town staff in January 2013, Sayeed has taken on a number of responsibilities. He reviews engineering plans and retention basins, issues encroachment permits, and works with custom home and general subdivision developments issuing permits throughout the construction phases. He works closely with Engineer Marc Palichuk, Senior Inspector Todd Sautter and other divisions to ensure operations run smoothly.

Sayeed received his bachelor’s degree in engineering in 2008 from Arizona State University. His previous work experience in the private sector and with the city of Tempe’s Public Works Engineering Division make him instrumental in the town’s efforts to be responsive to customers, according to Development Services Director Chris Anaradian.

“Sayeed is part of our next generation of technical specialists who will help us increase the quality of life for all in Queen Creek as the town experiences the next leap of growth and development,” Anaradian said. “He is providing the kind of added value that prevents problems from happening when they are on paper, before becoming costly delays on a construction site. Everyone benefits from that kind of assistance.”

“Having professional individuals like Sayeed working for our community makes us stronger as a town and a more appealing place for developers to build quality projects,” said Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney. “We’re fortunate to have such qualified staff whose attention to detail is unwavering.”

Sayeed says the biggest challenge he’s faced since starting with the town was beginning work on a number of subdivision projects already in progress while still becoming familiar with the layout of the town. He says he is also looking forward to future projects he will have the opportunity to assist on, including working towards town plans for a possible hotel and public transportation.

“There’s lots of variety with my job that I really enjoy,” Sayeed said. “I like being able to take on multiple tasks and no two are the same, so I’m constantly interacting with different people. It keeps my job from being repetitive.”

Settling into his new position, Sayeed said one thing he has observed and enjoyed most about being part of the town staff is the dynamic among employees and their ability to work closely as a team no matter which department they belong to.

“With every department in one building and working so closely together I think it has a positive impact on the town,” Sayeed said. “It seems that everyone shares the same vision of where we want Queen Creek to be five, 10 years from now. We have people who have come from other places and know the challenges growing communities encounter and how to best deal with them and then there are people who have been here for a long time that really understand the community and can share their knowledge.”