Your Community Engagement Newsletter for May 2024

Volunteer Reading Tutors Needed!

AARP Experience Corps is gearing up for the 2024-2025 school year, and we need your help! Experience Corps provides a meaningful volunteer experience for adults over 50 by training them to be reading tutors for at-risk elementary students in Mesa Public Schools. By volunteering just a few hours a week, volunteers have a life-long impact on the students they tutor. No experience or special skills necessary. Take the first step by signing up for an information session today—spots are limited, so sign up now! Click here to sign up for information session near you.

Summer Reading is Coming

Registration for Summer Reading is open! Read at least 20 minutes every day this summer, from June 1 to Aug. 1, and keep track of your minutes with a printed or online tracker until you reach 1,000 points. The Library will be hosting fun and educational events and giving away prizes along the way, including food coupons, Arizona State Parks passes, Phoenix Mercury tickets, and more! For all ages.

Mesa College Promise is Now Accepting Applications

Mesa College Promise applications are now being accepted online for the 24-25 academic year for eligible 2024 Mesa high school graduates and newly eligible adults. Priority deadline is May 15th and final deadline is July 15th. Find more information about this program and other helpful resources in the Education and Workforce Office webpage.

Emergency Rehabilitation Program

The Emergency Rehabilitation Program is available to help Mesa homeowners with emergency repairs for those issues that affect the home's habitability such as:

• AC/heater, roof, or water heater replacement
• Severe electrical or plumbing issues
• Accessibility accommodations for the elderly or disabled

Please review the program guidelines and eligibility requirements by calling 480-644-3208 or visiting the Emergency Rehabilitation Program webpage at https://www.mesaaz.gov/residents/community-development/repair-my-home.

Trade Your Grass for a Water-Thrifty Landscape

Converting your grass into an attractive Xeriscape landscape is one of the best ways to conserve water and energy, save money on your water bill and reduce maintenance. In addition, there are hundreds of attractive low-water-use plants to choose from that can replace your water-thirsty grass. The good news is that the City offers an incentive of up to $1,100 to residential customers for future conversion projects. Learn more about Mesa’s Grass-to-Xeriscape Landscape Conversion Program and find out if you qualify.

Help make Mesa's roads safer for everyone

Neighbors, help make Mesa's streets safer! The City is creating a plan to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries. Share your concerns and ideas on the City of Mesa Comprehensive Safety Action Survey and enter to win a $100 gift card when you share your email address. Please note this survey will close on May 31, 2024.

Celebrate Historic Preservation Month

Saturday, May 4
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Studios at Mesa City Center (59 E First St)

This event includes a student art exhibit and award ceremony, a mayoral proclamation declaring May Historic Preservation Month, the opportunity to go on a van or walking tour to see some of Mesa’s historic signs, and an ice cream social. The van tour has limited seating, please RSVP.

Help us tell the neigbhorhood story!

The Historic Preservation Office is creating a digital, multi-media "story map" of two neighborhoods to showcase their extraordinar pasts.

Join us to share ideas, stories and artifacts that will bring their remarkable history to life! Staff will be scanning photos and recording oral histories onsite from those who wish to share.

Washington-Escobedo Heritage Neighborhood
Wednesday, May 8, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Escobedo at Verde Vista Apartments, Heritage Room (435 N Hibbert.)

Lehi Heritage Neighborhood
Thursday, May 9, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
at Mesa Historical Museum (2345 N Horne.)

Take Me to the Water Festival and Mural Project

Saturday, May 18
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Plaza at Mesa City Center (56 E Main St)

The Take Me To Water Festival Celebration will rejoice in what water means to the community of the Washington-Escobedo Neighborhood. There will be food trucks, visual artists, singers, story tellers, drummers and dancers, the unveiling of the first thematic art piece and a performance about the Mexican Folktale “La Llorona”. This event is sponsored by SRP, City Of Mesa, Visit Mesa, Rail CDC, Arizona Fair Housing Center and Zen Nights.

Did you know you might own a natural gas line?

Mesa owns, operates, and maintains the gas piping systems up to and including the meter outside homes and businesses. Piping from the meter to every gas appliance, indoors and out, belongs to the property owner and is the owner’s responsibility to maintain, much like plumbing and electrical systems. This piping should periodically be checked for signs of leaks, corrosion, and rust. Contact a licensed professional for assistance if you suspect an unsafe condition and need repairs. Remember, if you are planning a digging project, call Arizona811 before you start, and be sure to hand dig when working near any buried piping.

Time to maintain and trim your trees

From June to September, dry heat, heavy rain, and monsoon season kick in every year. Taking the appropriate steps to protect your plants and trees during the monsoon season can help prevent damage to your property caused by heavy winds. Maintain and trim your trees now to:

• Stake your younger trees so that they are secure
• Get rid of broken or weak branches that can fall or bring other branches down
• Keep trees and branches clear of your windows and roof

Overgrown branches near power lines are a safety hazard. If you need to trim your trees, don't do it yourself. Take a moment to learn about the safety considerations for the task . Consult a professional arborist or call SRP at 602-236-8366 or City of Mesa at 480-644-4444 to discuss your options and get advice from your energy provider.

Remember to remove dead trees and call Transportation (480-644-2160) to report trees blocking roadways and sidewalks. Use the Recycle Right Wizard to learn about your options for disposing of branches or trees.

Congratulations to the 2024 Graduates! We wish you a fun and safe beginning to summer vacation. We celebrate your achievement by featuring the colors of High Schools in Mesa: Mesa (purple and gold), Westwood (blue and orange), Mountain View (blue and scarlet), Dobson (blue and silver), Desert Ridge (red and black), Red Mountain (black and cardinal), Skyline (gold and forest green), Superstition (marron and gold) and East Valley Academy (blue and gold.)