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 Community Engagement Newsletter
FEBRUARY 2025
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 Resident’s Guide to Mesa Now on Demand
The Resident’s Guide to Mesa is a series of free classes designed to provide helpful information for residents looking to improve their neighborhoods. In addition to in-person classes, we have introduced special topic webinars to enhance accessibility. You can watch them live or watch the recording.
Introducing a collection of on-demand classes: This curated selection includes mini-classes about services and programs such as Neighborhood Registration and Tool Lending, and shortened versions of our most popular webinars that you can view anytime and anywhere.
We would like to hear what you think about them and what topics you would like to see in the future. Feel free to browse the collection!
 Mastering Board Meetings: From Monthly to Annual, In-Person to Virtual. Learn strategies to conduct productive and legal one-hour board meetings. Tuesday, February 18, 2025. From 11:00 a.m. to noon. Registration open.
Safeguarding the Association: The 4-1-1 on Reserve Funds, Insurance and Preventing Fraud and Embezzlement. Learn how to foster a culture of transparency, accountability, and financial integrity within your association's leadership. Tuesday, March 18, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to noon. Registration open.
HOA/Condo Vendor Relations: From Hiring to Firing. Discover effective strategies for bidding, contracting, and selecting high-quality service providers, including management companies. We will also discuss how to gracefully end vendor relationships when necessary. Tuesday, April 15, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to noon. Registration open.
 Registered Neighborhoods Participate in the 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
Shout out to the Registered Neighborhoods participating in the 2025 Mesa-East Valley Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade! This annual event honors Dr. King’s legacy by highlighting the power of unity and community growth. A total of 16 residents walked in the parade representing their Registered Neighborhoods. This group featured the Westside-Clark Addition, which is a local historic neighborhood and home of the Millet House Art Collective. Along with the Mesa Mobile Estates Neighborhood, a 55+ senior community whose mission is to build bridges between neighbors, cultivate a sense of belonging, and celebrate the unique contributions of seniors.
The Neighborhood Registration program connects you with various programs, services, and resources. It helps you become more involved in decisions that affect your neighborhood and promotes collaboration and better communication with city staff. Check if your neighborhood is registered on the map and consider becoming a neighborhood contact!
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Thank you, Volunteers!
The 2025 East Valley-Mesa Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade was a huge success, in large part due to the incredible volunteers who showed up and got right to work. We had 92 volunteers supporting the parade and festival. Volunteers supported the staging area, parade route, de-staging, as well as festival set-up and tear-down. The volunteers were eager to work hard, bringing enthusiasm and a positive attitude to each task.
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The Mesa Community showed up wonderfully, preparing cold weather kits to distribute during the Point in Time Homeless Count on January 28. Volunteers from the Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix put together more than 150 bags with donations from Dave & Busters, GUD Community Management, St. Luke Lutheran Church and the families of City of Mesa employees.
There are always many ways to give back and support our neighbors. Keep an eye on the available volunteer opportunities or subscribe to the Volunteers Newsletter to receive these opportunities in your inbox.
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Connect with Mayor and Council
Welcome, Mayor Mark Freeman, who was sworn in as Mesa’s 41st Mayor on January 7. Councilmember Rich Adams took the oath of office as the new representative for District 1, and Julie Spilsbury (D2) and Francisco Heredia (D3) were also sworn in to continue representing their districts. Councilmembers Jenn Duff (D4), Alicia Goforth (D5), and Scott Somers (D6) were not up for election in this cycle and will continue to serve their districts.
Learn who represents you in Council by visiting the Explore Mesa map or the “Where I Live” tab in the MesaNow app. Visit the Mayor and City Council online to connect with your Councilmember.
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Mesa Reads: A City That Reads, Succeeds!
Did you know that reading just 15 min a day can reduce stress and improve your sleep? Whether you're reading for fun or personal growth, every minute makes a difference! Join Mesa Reads in 2025 and track your reading time with the free Beanstack app. As part of this year-long celebration of reading, you can enter monthly raffles for a chance to win exciting prizes.
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Grass-to-Xeriscape: Sustainable, Water-Smart Landscaping (Free Workshop)
Are you ready to replace your grass and water-thirsty plants with a Xeriscape? This approach creates a beautiful and practical landscape that reduces water usage, provides cooling shade, and is much easier to maintain. Join our landscape expert, Noelle Johnson (aka AZ Plant Lady), to learn about options for grass removal and design concepts for new landscapes and find out how to qualify for Mesa’s incentives of up to $1,100 for future grass removal projects. All attendees will be entered to win one of Noell’s desert landscape books or a $50 gift card to a local nursery. Meet us at Mesa Main Library, Sahuaro Room, on Tuesday, February 25, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
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Valentine Cards for Mesa Seniors
Come create Valentine’s Day cards for seniors in assisted living facilities in Mesa. Supplies will be provided, or you can bring your own.
You can also use your own supplies to create cards and drop them off at your convenience at the Main, Dobson Ranch, or Red Mountain libraries by February 8. Thank you for helping us spread kindness!
Tuesday, February 4, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Red Mountain Library (7110 E McKellips Rd)
Wednesday, February 5, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Dobson Ranch (2425 S Dobson Rd)
Thursday, February 6, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Main Library (64 E 1st St)
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Come Out and Get Your Hands Dirty: Community Tree Planting at Sherwood Park
Saturday, February 22, 2025
8 a.m. to Noon
Sherwood Park (1453 S Horne)
February is Love Our Parks month! Share your love by joining Mesa, the Arizona Sustainability Alliance Tree Stewards, and other community volunteers to plant up to 100 trees at Sherwood Park. You’ll also have a chance to get a sneak peek at MORE (Mesa Outdoor Recreation Experience), the new mobile outdoor educational unit of the Mesa Parks and Recreation team.
New to planting? This breaks down a planting event.
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Learning and Fun: Literacy Lane at I Love Mesa Day
Saturday, March 1, 2025
4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Downtown Mesa (1 N Macdonald)
Join over twenty Read On Mesa partners for an unforgettable day of fun and learning. Literacy Lane is the perfect place for families to discover the joy of reading—come enjoy free books, learn about literacy resources, and participate in interactive story times. Whether you're looking to build your home library, enhance your child's love of learning, or learn about how Read On Mesa is working to support early literacy, there's something for everyone at Literacy Lane.
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Mask Alive! Festival of Masks
Sunday, March 2, 2025
2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Pioneer Park (526 E Main St)
Celebrate the masked traditions of cultures from around the world in this FREE community favorite, with performances of colorful characters, a joyous atmosphere, food, music and fun for everyone.
MABEL will be there, featuring the local artist Jo K W Ho and her additive bird sculpture. We will also be there to provide information, resources, and activities. Find our booth and say hi!
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Employment, Resource and Recovery Event
Find resources for employment, housing, medical services and more. No appointment is required. Visit Community Medical Services, 2940 E Main Street, on Thursday, March 6, from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, email kristen.deramus@cmsgiveshope.com.
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Ensuring Safety and Reliability: The Importance of Natural Gas Pipelines
Natural gas pipelines are a safe and reliable way to transport energy to homes and businesses in our communities. Since most natural gas pipelines are buried underground, you may not know that you live or work close to one. Yellow pipeline markers are used to help identify their presence. These markers display the name of the pipeline operator, the material being transported, and emergency contact information. Knowing the location of buried facilities is the simplest and easiest way to keep everyone safe and protect the vital utilities we rely on.
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One of the most distinctive traits of Mesa residents is their kindness. We invite you to celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day with your neighbors on February 17. A small gesture goes a long way!
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