From smart intersections to fail-proof infrastructure, Gilbert is preparing for the technology of the future and new deputy town manager, Laurie Buzcek, is leading the way. Laurie joined the Town of Gilbert as the new Deputy Town Manager over innovation in early January 2018. She is providing leadership to the Innovation Hub which comprises of the Office of Digital Government, Information Technology, Human Resources and the Office of Management and Budget.

Prior to coming to Gilbert, Laurie spent 17 years at Intel where she was most recently the Global Director of Customer Experience, focusing on delivering a differentiated experience for Intel’s customers and partners.

“We are a forward-thinking community,” said Gilbert Mayor Jenn Daniels. “We are intent on making sure that Gilbert is ready for the future and just like years ago people prepared for streets and sidewalks and streetlights, we now have to prepare for the technology innovations that are coming forward. And we need an expert in the field to guide us.”

Four months into the job, Laurie is already looking at ways to enhance innovation within the organization and community.

“For us, innovation is talking about how we continue to deliver the best life possible for our citizens, and thinking about things in new ways, new processes, new methods, new services and new technologies in order to be able to do that,” said Buzcek.

Gilbert’s open data portal launched in December 2017 and is a project that will continue to develop in the innovation hub. The open data portal and its avatar, Alex, is the first step in making the Town’s data more accessible. Town data is being added on a monthly basis allowing for staff, businesses and the community to collaborate and innovate to find ways to improve citizens’ lives.

Buzcek is currently developing an Innovation Roadmap.

To learn more about Gilbert’s Open Data Portal, visit https://alex.gilbertaz.gov.

Built in 1921 at a cost of $135,000, a Spanish Colonial structure, affectionately known as “Old Main,” served as the Casa Grande district’s only high school for 76 years, Casa Grande Union High School. The building included a gymnasium, added in 1936, which is the only known adobe gymnasium in the state.  Construction of the adobe structure was done using on-site earth to make 30,000 adobe bricks, and the manufacturing of the gym walls created much-needed jobs in Casa Grande’s deflated economy during the Depression years.

In 1997, the city stepped forward to find a new use for the building when plans were made to move the school to a different site. The structure was rehabilitated with a modern interior while restoring the original exterior with the assistance of a Heritage Fund Grant.  The acquisition, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse of the high school for a new city hall was completed at the cost of over $4 million.

The building now houses several key city departments, including the city manager’s office, city attorney’s office, the planning and zoning department, and the city clerk’s office. The building originally used for Casa Grande’s City Hall prior to its current site is now utilized as the Casa Grande Main Library.

The town hall for the Town of Patagonia is actually the former railroad station! The railroad served in the Town of Patagonia until it was abandoned in 1962. The railroad was abandoned and the rails removed, but the building remained in-tact. Spearheaded by the efforts of the Rotary Club, the railroad right-of-way was conveyed to the town where it serves as a park running through the middle of the town. The station was moved from its original site adjacent to the present location and then connected to the town hall.

The New Mexico and Arizona Railroad connected the southern Arizona area to Mexico with the Benson-to-Nogales Railway and passed through Patagonia. Eventually a direct rail line that extended from Tucson to Nogales, Sonora, in addition to a decline in mining activity and population in the area, led to the abandonment of the rail line. The station grounds were donated to the town and made into a town park. The depot was originally sold to a local businessman and the town eventually purchased the building that now serves as the town hall.

It’s Arizona Cities and Towns Week! Help us celebrate!

Arizona Cities and Towns Week is set aside each year to recognize the services cities and towns provide, as well as honor those elected officials, staff and volunteers who serve in municipal government. This is the 16th Annual Arizona Cities and Towns Week.

We are excited to have so many of our Arizona cities and towns participating this year, including: Chino Valley, Florence, Gilbert, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Sierra Vista, Surprise, Tempe and many others!

Find out how your city or town is celebrating and participate in Arizona Cities & Towns Week by using the hashtag #AZCityWeek on social media.

City of Tempe Vice Mayor Robin Arredondo-Savage has been honored with the 2017 Service Award as part of the third annual Mesa Community College (MCC) Hall of Fame. The Service Award is given to a community member who has provided exemplary service to the community.

“I am honored to receive this award and to be recognized by such a dedicated group of educators,” Arredondo-Savage said. “I remain committed to working towards better education, more economic opportunities and improved care for veterans across our city.”

Vice Mayor Arredondo-Savage was recognized for her years of service to the City of Tempe, the State of Arizona and our country.  She is a U.S. Army veteran and served on the Tempe Union High School District Governing Board for eight years, including two years as President of the Board. She has also been serving on the Tempe City Council since 2010.

As an advocate for veterans’ services, Vice Mayor Arredondo-Savage was instrumental in securing Valor on 8^th, Tempe’s first affordable housing community designed for veterans with families.  She also started Tempe’s College Connect program which helps students to apply and find the resources they need to go to college.  Vice Mayor Arredondo-Savage remains committed to serving the community by focusing on education, jobs and programs that help veterans.

This is the third year of the MCC Hall of Fame awards, which recognizes alumni, community members and MCC employees whose personal and professional accomplishments have made positive contributions to the college and the community. Other awards include Alumni Achievement, Outstanding Athletes and Excellence in Teaching.

A reception and awards program to recognize this year’s awards recipients will be held on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. at the Mesa Community College Theatre. Click here for more information.

MEDIA CONTACT: Melissa Quillard, 480-350-8808, Melissa_quillard@tempe.gov

Arizona Forward awarded its prestigious Governor’s Award for Arizona’s Future to the City of Phoenix on Saturday for its landmark 2017 agreement with the Gila River Indian Community to preserve endangered Colorado River water in Lake Mead. In all, Phoenix received nine awards at Arizona Forward’s 37th Annual Environmental Excellence Awards, including four Crescordia Awards, the highest honor in each category.

Mayor Greg Stanton and Phoenix City Council unanimously approved the Colorado River Conservation Agreement in June in partnership with the Gila River Indian Community, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Walton Family Foundation. Under the agreement, Phoenix works with the Tribe to preserves 13 billion gallons of its yearly portion of Colorado River water in Lake Mead, which helps preserve water levels in the dangerously over-allocated reservoir.

“To ensure a long-term water supply for our city and state, Phoenix must lead by working with tribes and other communities on creative solutions and smart policies,” Mayor Stanton said. “Arizona Forward’s recognition for this landmark agreement – as well as for our other innovative sustainability efforts at the City – means the world because it shows that Arizonans get it and are committed to climate resilience.”

“Through partnerships, Phoenix has been able to leverage innovative ways to improve our sustainability efforts,” said Councilwoman Thelda Williams, chair, Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee.  “We’re grateful to our many partners, stakeholders and staff who have worked hard to achieve outstanding results.”

“I was thrilled to be present at this wonderful annual event to celebrate all of the hard work and innovation that the city of Phoenix continues to accomplish,” said Phoenix District 3 Councilwoman Debra Stark.

CRESCORDIA AWARDS

Governor’s Award for Arizona’s Future:

– Colorado River Conservation Agreement (City of Phoenix Water Services Department)

Healthy Communities (Sustainable Communities):

– Pueblo Viejo Fields and Food Hub (City of Phoenix and a partnership with Quincea-Green on Purpose Alliance)

Healthy Communities (Public Policy/Plans):

– City of Phoenix Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction Program (City of Phoenix Office of Environmental Programs, Office of Sustainability)

Site Development (Parks & Trails):

– Desert Hills Trailhead (City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department; J2 Engineering and Environmental Design, LLC)

AWARDS OF MERIT

Healthy Communities (Sustainable Workplaces):

– Phoenix Green Business Leader Program (City of Phoenix Public Works Department)

Site Development (Public Sector):

– 27th Avenue Phoenix Compost Facility (City of Phoenix Public Works Department)

Art in Public Places:

– Bloomcanopy Gimme Shelter Shade for Pierce Street (City of Phoenix Office of Arts & Culture)

– Passage, Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park Public Art Project (City of Phoenix Office of Arts & Culture)

Environmental Education & Communication:

– Student Council Sustainability Officers Initiative (City of Phoenix, Office of Sustainability)

Since its inception in 1969 as Valley Forward and expanding statewide in 2013, Arizona Forward has brought business and civic leaders together to convene thoughtful public dialogue on regional issues in an effort to improve the sustainability of communities in the state.

For more information about Arizona Forward or the awards, call 602-240-2408 or visit arizonaforward.org.

Water professionals from all over the country were on hand Sept. 12 when the city of Goodyear’s Vadose Well Injection Project was selected as the 2017 Project of the Year Award by the national Water Reuse Association.

The project consists of wells that take treated water from the city’s reclamation facility and directly pump it into the ground. This allows the city to ‘bank’ water for use during times of need.

The award comes with the water industry’s acknowledgment of the significant contributions the city of Goodyear continues to make to advance water reuse. Another award-winning city water reuse program is the ‘Brine Wetland Feasibility Project’ which takes otherwise unusable water and proved it can help nourish native vegetation, therefore creating natural wetlands.

“We know that ensuring a sustainable and reliable supply of water for the city’s future growth is essential,” said Mark Holmes, water resources manager for the city of Goodyear. “That’s why we continuously focus on how to maximize the water we have. Water reuse is a huge part of our efforts, along with conservation and partnerships.”

The city of Goodyear, ranked as the fourteenth fastest growing city in 2015 by the U.S. Census Bureau, recently announced a historic agreement with Salt River Project that, for the first time, will bring surface water to the far West Valley further expanding and diversifying the city’s water portfolio. For more information about the city’s water initiatives, visit www.goodyearaz.gov/h2o365.

WateReuse is an organization dedicated to educating and advocating for water reuse. Members include water utilities, businesses, government agencies and not-for-profit organizations dedicated to recycling water to ensure communities have a safe, reliable and cost-effective supply of water. More information is available at watereuse.org.

Below is an excerpt from Tucson  Councilmember Paul Cunningham’s newsletter about rainwater harvesting in Tucson:

July 14, 2017:

As a native Tucsonan, the monsoon season is my favorite time of year. There is nothing more magical than rain in the desert, with the drop in temperature, the smell of creosote, and the flowing arroyos. Most people I know in Tucson make it through the oven like heat of June with hopes of a good monsoon season.

Well, our hopes, prayers and good thoughts have been rewarded. Here at the Ward 2 office we have received well over 2 inches this past week and for a variety of reasons, this is good news. As I’ve mentioned before, we make extensive use of rainwater harvesting. The rain that hits the asphalt runs off to water our Palo Verde trees that shade the west side of our parking lot while the rest of our landscaping is watered by harvested rainwater that flows into basins and collects in our cistern from the roof. Given the area of our building, we have collected over 2000 gallons of water that is now saved in our cistern and ready to irrigate when needed.

Monsoon season is a good time to talk about water harvesting and how we can encourage more Tucsonans to utilize this ancient and basic technology in our neighborhoods. Rainwater harvesting made human settlement possible in Southern Arizona 3,500 years ago. The Hohokam Indians captured rainwater with rock dams and built sizable storage tanks. The Tohono O’Odham still store rainwater in earthen tanks for cattle. Here in Tucson, any chance we can use rainwater instead of potable water, we make an investment in our future.

To that end, the Mayor and Council recently directed staff to institute a program using water conservation funds to provide grants to neighborhoods and community groups in the City of Tucson. These funds are available to facilitate the installation of storm water harvesting features in their neighborhoods. The aim of these grants is to provide neighborhoods with appropriate resources to plan and implement neighborhood scale storm water harvesting projects in publicly owned areas or a homeowner association’s common area such as a right-of-way, park or other open space

Taking storm water off our streets is a good thing. Runoff causes potholes and, more importantly, causes flooding, property damage and potential loss of life. Putting that water to beneficial use is even better. One of those uses is to increase our tree canopy. By planting more trees and shading the asphalt and concrete we reduce the heat island effect (therefore reducing temperatures,). Additionally, trees absorb CO2 (helping to improve air quality and mitigate climate change) tree lined streets help calm traffic, provide habitat for birds and lizards, improve aesthetics while increasing property values.

Read the councilmember’s full article here:  https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/ward2/newsletters/Newsletter_071417.pdf

Congratulations to Sandy McGeorge! The Town of Queen Creek recently recognized Sandy for her dedicated service to the town, commemorating her 20th anniversary. 

The town has experienced many changes since Sandy McGeorge started in 1997. Initially serving as the Town Clerk, Sandy transitioned to the role of grant writer in 1999. As a young community, Sandy was instrumental in securing grants to help develop programs and services, particularly in the area of Parks and Recreation. She also assisted the communications area by coordinating community outreach events and the Citizen Leadership Institute. 

In 2007, Sandy began working on real estate matters on the Town’s behalf in addition to her other duties. In 2010, she became a Management Assistant II, focusing solely on real estate, where she is essential to the success of road improvement projects and economic development efforts. In 2012, she received the Senior Right-of-Way Agent distinction from the International Right-of-Way Association, the most prestigious professional designation granted to right-of-way professionals.

“Sandy plays an integral role within our organization,” stated Public Works Director Troy White. “Not only does she have a vast amount of knowledge related to real estate activities, her knowledge of Town history is invaluable.”

Learn more about Sandy, Queen Creek and read the full story by clicking here.

Congratulations to Arizona city and town police officers on commendable efforts that were recently recognized!

Officer Wes Kelley of Apache Junction Police Department (Photo Courtesy of City of Apache Junction)

Apache Junction Police Department Officer Wesley Kelley was recently named the Officer of the Year by the local American Legion.

Kelley was given the honor on April 9 by American Legion Post 27.

American Legion posts nationwide name officers of the year. The American Legion then annually selects a National Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award. It is awarded to a well-rounded law enforcement officer who has exceeded the duty requirements expected of his or her position and has demonstrated a distinct pattern of community service coupled with professional achievement, according to the American Legion website.

“It is always an honor to have one of our officers recognized by one of armed service organizations,” said Police Chief Thomas E. Kelly. “It is especially humbling as these are the same people that have previously placed themselves in harm’s way in defending our country.  Officer Kelley is one of those officers that requires minimum supervision and is respected by his peers. He presents himself well and treats all with dignity and respect as stated in the Apache Junction Police Department’s mission statement. Very proud of the recognition.”

Prescott Valley Police Department Officer of the Year Cozens (Photo Courtesy of Town of Prescott Valley)

The Prescott Valley Police Department also held its annual police recognition awards. The Officer of the Year was announced as Officer Caleb Cozens.

Officer Cozens started his career with the Prescott Valley Police Department in June 2015, laterally transferring from Chino Valley.  He demonstrates a positive, upbeat attitude and is known for his professionalism, representing the Prescott Valley Police Department and the Town of Prescott Valley with pride.

A team player, Officer Cozens consistently produces a high quality of work, especially in the handling of drug investigations. He is a leader within the department in drug arrests and is always willing to take on extra work. Over the last year Officer Cozens has written 83 citations/warnings, written 262 reports and supplements, and made 131 arrests.

The Town of Prescott Valley also honored other officers with awards:

Prescott Valley Police Department Rookie of the Year Officer Loughmiller (Photo Courtesy of Town of Prescott Valley)

2016 Rookie of the Year – Cameron Loughmiller

2016 Community Policing Ribbon – Officer Tyler Brown

2016 Unit of the Year – Community Services Unit

2016 Civilian of the Year – Jerry Ferguson

2016 Volunteer of the Year – Dave Demski