New Website
This week, Maricopa County launched our newly-designed website,
Maricopa.gov. This improved functionality of our site focuses on providing easy
to find county services to our more than 4-million residents. The launch date
of February 14 coincided with the 146th anniversary of the founding of Maricopa
County.
Check out the new website here at Maricopa.gov.
New Year
This year our Board welcomed new and returning county
elected officials. The Board chose a new
chairman, Denny Barney, and thanked Clint Hickman for his leadership last
year. We also welcomed our newest
member, Bill Gates. I am honored to start another
term as your county supervisor. Everything we were able to do the past four
years was because of you. I am confident we can accomplish even more
together. I look forward to continuing
to work with you to ensure Maricopa County remains one of the best run counties
in the nation
First meeting of 2017
Goldwater
Air National Guard Base
I joined the men and women of the 161st Air
Refueling Wing for the name dedication ceremony of the Goldwater Air National
Guard Base. What an amazing ceremony to honor Barry Goldwater, a founding
member of Arizona's Air Guard. Congratulations also for winning the Outstanding
Unit Award.
Goldwater Air National Guard
Crumb Rubber Manufacturers (CRM)
Tour
CRM
is North America’s largest crumb rubber manufacturer, specializing in materials
for rubberized asphalt, sports fields, landscapes, and playgrounds. I visited
their location in Mesa. Thank you to the Regional Manager of CRM, Dawn Helms
& Maricopa County Director of Waste Resources and Recycling, Brian Kehoe for a very informative tour. HB 2065 is currently moving through the
legislature and would renew the
Waste Tire Program in Arizona for another 10 years. The existing Waste
Tire Program is a statewide program managed with fees charged at point of
purchase. The fees, after an administrative retention by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), are
distributed by the state to the counties for management of their waste tire
programs. CRM is involved with the recycling of waste tires into
beneficial use products.
Pictured with Brian Kehoe & Dawn Helms
Maricopa County Industrial
Development Authority wins award
Congratulations
to the Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority for receiving the
Excellence in Development Finance Award from the Council of Development Finance
Agencies (CDFA). This is quite an honor
as the CDFA is comprised of the nation’s leading and most knowledgeable members
of the development finance community.
Cradles to Crayons
Maricopa
County’s Cradles to Crayons program is aimed at helping children younger than three
years old progress through the foster-care system more quickly while focusing greater
attention on their developmental needs and the rehabilitation of their parents
or if needed, adoption. We just received
the results from a five year study monitoring 8,398 infants and toddlers
involved in the system. There was a 35%
increase in the number of permanencies achieved within 12 months and a decrease
in the median time to permanency for reunification and adoption. Last year, Maricopa
County finalized 263 adoptions on National Adoption Day in November. This is a collective effort to raise
awareness of more than 100,000 children in foster care waiting to find
permanent, loving families. This is one of our most rewarding events of the
year. Thank you to all of the families
who offered loving homes to these children.
Do
you have 10 minutes for a Vet?
I was proud to be a part of the Vets' Community
Connection (VCC) Launch - Maricopa County. We are pleased to be supporters of 2-1-1
Arizona, a new resource available to all Maricopa County military veterans and
their families.
Through VCC, a Veteran, active duty service
member or spouse can be connected one on one with community members within
Maricopa County to answer any questions or connect them with the appropriate
resource they may need. Call 2-1-1 or
1-844-VETCONX. Or if you would like to be part of this community based
initiative sign up at: www.vetscommunityconnections.org/
|
Speaking at the Vets' Community Connection Launch
Phoenix
Rescue Mission – Changing Lives Center
I had the privilege to meet Jay Cory, President and CEO of the Phoenix
Rescue Mission. The Phoenix Rescue Mission is involved in the rescue,
recovery, and re-entry process for men and women facing homelessness and
addiction. We toured their Changing Lives Center along with one of their
Board Members, Paul Senseman. Please visit their website to see for
yourself what the Changing Lives Center does every day for women and children
in need.
From left: Paul Senseman, Supervisor Steve Chucri, Jay Cory, President and CEO of the Phoenix Rescue Mission
The Bridge Forum
I
was pleased to welcome The Bridge Forum to Scottsdale. Their mission to
foster community engagement with police professionalism is admirable. I look
forward to continuing to work with them.
|
|
|
Ashbrook Wash Drainage Improvement
Project Now Complete
The Flood
Control District of Maricopa County and the Town of Fountain Hills partnered
together on this project. The small projects program within the Flood Control
District is an example of local government collaboration in the best interest
of our shared constituents. I am pleased this improvement will protect property
and residents in the area. Learn more about the Ashbrook Wash Drainage Improvement Project.
Ashbrook Wash Drainage Improvement Project
First Place
Last month, I participated in the First Place AZ - Phoenix groundbreaking. A big thank you to Maricopa County’s IDA and the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian
Community for helping to fund this impressive and important
project. First Place offers temporary living arrangements for adults with
autism and other special abilities to live integrated and independent lives. It
was exciting to see this finally come to fruition and to be a part of this
wonderful event. Please watch the video
highlighting this special day.
First Place, Phoenix groundbreaking
Circle
Lofts Scottsdale - new $9 Million Net Zero Energy Condominium Community
I attended
the groundbreaking ceremony for a new $9 Million net energy condominium
community in Scottsdale, AZ. The new
20-unit, environmentally sustainable condominium project will infuse
game-changing technology innovations such as Apple/Google integration, incredible
amenities and designer finishes for a residential lifestyle unique in Arizona. Maricopa County is increasingly being recognized as a leader in the
nexus of technology, wise energy use and economic growth. This latest project
by Caliber Development is an example of how they've become one of the nation's
fastest growing companies -- by developing a project which will provide housing
in Scottsdale's business corridor using state of the art energy saving
technology.
|
From left: Chris Loeffler (CEO of Caliber), Jim Lane (Scottsdale Mayor) , Steve Chucri, Ed Gorman of MODUS Development, Roy Bade of Caliber Development.
Goodwill of
Central Arizona Tour
I
had the opportunity to tour the Goodwill of Central Arizona career center and
warehouse. It was great to hear the stories of lives that have been
transformed by the assistance of Goodwill. In addition, it was very
interesting to hear everything Goodwill offers to our community. Their mission is to
empower individuals, strengthen families, and help build stronger
communities. Maricopa County looks forward to strengthening our
partnership with Goodwill.
Kim Hall, Director of Community Engagement for Goodwill of Central Arizona
Maricopa County Animal Care & Control - Dogs Playing for Life
Last month, Maricopa
County Animal Care & Control adopted a new program called Dogs Playing
for Life. The program allows dogs to get out of their kennels and play outside
in a group setting with other dogs. This
allows potential adoptees to watch the dogs play and interact with others and gives dogs the opportunity to get out of their kennel to release energy and
play. The adoption play group sessions
will be open to observers. Maricopa County is the first shelter in Arizona to
go through this program.
|