|
 January 2023
Happy New Year District 3 Neighbors!
First and foremost, I would like to offer my sincere gratitude for your participation and contributions to the Annual District 3 Toy Drive benefiting Banner Children's Hospital. We presented donations to Banner last December. I'm overly excited to share that we collected over $15K worth of donations and toys combined. This was definitely a joint effort and I'm humbled by the sense of community surrounding this noble cause.
I hope your holiday season was full of blessings and good moments with family and friends. As we begin this new year, I'm ready to tackle new initiatives that will improve your quality of life, one of those initiatives is having Little Free Libraries in parks within District 3. Scroll down to learn more about this initiative and other exciting news in Mesa!
As always, please contact my office if you need any assistance: District3@mesaaz.gov or 480-644-6275.
~Councilmember Francisco Heredia
|
|
Mesa Celebrates the Swearing-in of Newly Elected Councilmembers
On Wednesday, January 4, community leaders and residents gathered at the Mesa Arts Center's (MAC) Virginia G. Piper Theater to witness the swearing-in of Mesa's newly elected City Councilmembers. Councilmembers Jenn Duff, Alicia Goforth, and Scott Somers representing Districts 4, 5, and 6, respectively were elected to serve four-year terms.
Please join me in congratulating them! I look forward to working together in the Mesa City Council as we continue with efforts to ensure our city is the best place to live, work, and play.
|
|
Joins us for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street Dedication, Parade and Festival
The City of Mesa and the Mesa-East Valley MLK Committee invite the community to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy on Monday, Jan. 16.
As part of the 25th anniversary, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street will be dedicated during a ceremony that day at 8:30 a.m. at the Mesa Arts Center. The honorary street signs will be placed along Center Street between Brown Road and First Avenue to honor Mesa's historic Washington-Escobedo Heritage Neighborhood, which had its roots during a time of segregation in the early 20th century. The signs will also celebrate Dr. King's accomplishments as a civil rights icon.
This year's 25th-anniversary celebration theme is "What Are You Doing For Others?" The festivities in downtown Mesa include a parade, starting at 11 a.m., of community groups and organizations, businesses, churches, marching bands and east valley cities. The MLK Community Festival from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Plaza at Mesa City Center, 56 E. Main St. offers food, vendors, entertainment and a Kids Unity Corner with activities and crafts.
Organizers of the parade are currently recruiting volunteers to participate in the parade. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. The deadline to register is Jan. 10.
Mesa's annual MLK celebrations were created after residents, in 1996, voted to establish a citywide holiday recognizing the leadership of Dr. King.
|
|
It's Official: Little Free Libraries in Public Parks!
I'm proud to announce that I have partnered with Mesa Parks and Recreation to bring Little Free Libraries to three of our neighborhood parks: Carriage Lane, Freedom, and Woodglen.
Residents are invited to take and leave books at their leisure. Volunteers are needed to help maintain and monitor the new structures! Responsibilities may include checking on an assigned public park little library at least once a week and following established protocols if issues arise; ensuring the condition of the box is optimal and the contents are exclusively books and magazines; and providing weekly updates to the City of Mesa via Microsoft SharePoint form.
If you are interested in donating books, please contact my office at 480-644-6275 or District3@MesaAZ.gov. If you would like to sign up to be a volunteer, click the link below!
|
|
Register for Mesa Parks and Recreation Spring Programs
Although cooler weather prevails, spring will be here soon. Registration begins Monday, Jan. 9 at 8 a.m. for Mesa residents and Monday, Jan. 16 at 8 a.m. for non-Mesa residents for the City of Mesa's Parks and Recreation spring programs.
Youth Sports programs include swim lessons, basketball, T-ball and spring break camps. Dancing, junior judo and karate classes are also available for kids. For adults, Mesa offers softball, volleyball, kickball, flag football, tennis, pickleball and recess for adults. There will also be adaptive programs, lifeguard training and special interest classes such as dog manners, dance, Kangoo Jumps and Lego Roboteering available for youth and adults.
There are four ways to register:
- Online
- Email a completed registration form to ParksRecInfo@MesaAZ.gov
- Mail a completed registration form to: Mesa Parks and RecreationO. Box 1466 Mail Stop 7010 Mesa, AZ 8522
- Visit the Mesa Parks and Recreation office at 708 W. Baseline to fill out and submit a registration form
Registration forms are available in English and Spanish. For questions, call (480) 644-PLAY (7529)
Financial assistance is available for all youth and adaptive recreation programs. The Mesa Recreation Scholarship is funded by a federal grant from the American Rescue Plan Act to cover 50 percent of the registration fees for qualified participants.
|
|
Recycle Your Christmas Tree in Mesa
Mesa residents can keep their Christmas trees out of the landfill this year by recycling them free at one of five drop-off locations across Mesa. Drop-off sites are available 24 hours a day at the locations listed below until Jan. 16, 2023.
To avoid damaging recycling equipment, all nails, stands, tinsel, lights and ornaments must be removed from trees. Trees flocked with artificial snow, wreaths and trees from commercial vendors will not be accepted. The Christmas "Treecycling" program is provided for resident use only. Tree lot vendors are not eligible to use this program and should call 480-644-6789 for alternative recycling options.
Tree recycling drop-off locations:
• Fitch Park: 651 N. Center St.
• East Mesa Service Center: 6935 E. Decatur St.
• Superstition Springs Police and Fire Substation: 2430 S. Ellsworth Road
• Mountain View Park: 845 N. Lindsay Road
• Dobson Ranch Park: 2363 S. Dobson Road
|
|
Check out Andrew's Fine Violins!
Last month, I had the pleasure of visiting Andrew's shop. Andrew is originally from Poland. His career restoring string instruments began in 1995 when he moved to New York. He eventually moved to AZ, where his passion for restoration excelled. In 2009 he and his father in-law opened Andrew's Fine Violins in the Valley, and in 2012, they moved to District 3 in Mesa (Dobson and Baseline).
Andrew is very passionate about his work - and very knowledgeable! I encourage you to visit his shop!
|
|
Student Public Policy Forum. I had the privilege to participate in a panel discussion for the Student Public Policy Forum (SPPF) hosted by Maricopa Community Colleges. This academic program gives students an overview of local, state and national public policy making and citizen influence and involvement. A focus is placed on experiential learning and leadership development through actual engagement in the current public policy process. This was an inspiring experience and I'm grateful for the opportunity!
|
Andrew's Fine Violins. Andrew is originally from Poland. His career restoring string instruments began in 1995 when he moved to New York. He eventually moved to AZ, where his passion for restoration excelled. In 2009 he and his father in-law opened Andrew's Fine Violins in the Valley, and in 2012, they moved to Mesa District 3. Andrew is very passionate about his work - and very knowledgeable! I had the opportunity to visit with him and learn about his story. I encourage you to visit his shop!
|
Annual D3 Toy Drive. Donations were presented to Banner Children's at Desert last month. Thank you to all the residents, business partners, and staff for making this event possible. We collected over $15,000 worth of donations and toys combined, including a $10,000 check donation from AT&T. Special thanks to East Valley Firefighter Charities and the Dobson Ranch Golf Course for their continued support each year. Let's do this again next year!
|
Workforce Center @ Mesa. We celebrated the official opening of the Workforce Center @ Mesa located at 635 E Broadway. The City partnered with A New Leaf Workforce Services and Maricopa County ARIZONA@WORK to maximize resources and help residents land meaningful careers. The Workforce Center will help any adult resident in Mesa looking for assistance, including lower-income households. More details here!
|
|
|
|
January 11 - Mesa Fire and Medical Monthly Immunization Clinic
Free immunizations to eligible children from birth to age 18, second Wednesday of the Month 5:00pm - 7:00pm. Visit the immunization page for additional details and eligibility requirements. The clinic location within the mall is subject to change, please text the mall concierge service at (480) 409-7900 or speak with a mall representative at (480) 924-5050 to get an exact location before arrival.
January 16 - Martin Luther King Jr. Festivities
Join us for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Honorary Street Sign dedication and unveiling reception in the Piper Theater at the Mesa Arts Center from 8:30am to 10:00am. Visit Together Mesa to learn more about the Honorary Street Signs and contact the Office of Diversity with any questions. After the reception, enjoy the MLK parade at 11:00am hosted by the Mesa-East Valley MLK Committee, followed by a community festival at The Plaza at Mesa City Center. More details here!
January 21 - LEGO® Club at the Dobson Ranch Library
Come explore your creative side at the library with LEGO® at the Dobson Ranch Library Meeting Room - 1:00pm to 2:00pm. Children can either follow a monthly theme or build from their imaginations. LEGO® and DUPLO® blocks will be provided.
January 28 - 2023 Annual Regional Unity Walk
In a walk in celebration of cultural diversity and community, Mesa will join Chandler, Gilbert, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Guadalupe, and host city Tempe in the 19th Annual Regional Unity Walk and Festival Saturday, January 28 from 4:30PM until 7PM.
The walk will begin with a festival beginning at 4:30PM at Tempe Beach Park. It will include refreshments and entertainment. The one-mile candlelight walk will start at 6PM. Families, community organizations, scout groups, school clubs and church groups are all welcome to participate. Mesa walkers are encouraged to wear turquoise or teal-colored shirts. Free t-shirts will be available on a first-come basis.
|
|
|
The Mesa City Council holds two Council meetings a month, in addition to weekly study sessions. City Council and advisory board meetings will operate on a hybrid system. Public participation will be available using either blue comment cards found in the City Council chambers or by submitting an online comment card through the video and audio-conferencing platform Zoom. The process for citizens to participate in the meetings can be found here.
Mesa will also continue to broadcast its council and study session meetings live on Mesa Channel 11's YouTube page and Facebook.
The agendas are available here.
January Council Meetings
Monday, January 9 - 5:45 p.m.
Monday, January 23 - 5:45 p.m.
January Study Sessions
Monday, January 9 - 5:15 p.m.
Thursday, January 12 - 7:30 a.m. *Strategic Planning Session
Thursday, January 19 - 7:30 a.m.
Monday, January 23 - 5:15 p.m.
Thursday, January 26 - 7:30 a.m.
*- Meetings subject to start time changes
|
|
|
|
|
