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January 2025
Happy New Year, District 3 Neighbors!
As we begin 2025, I’m filled with excitement for the opportunities and challenges ahead. It’s been an incredible honor to serve as your City Council representative, and I’m looking forward to continuing to work together over the next four years. Recently, I had the honor of taking the oath for my final term, and I’m committed to working hard over the next four years to make a meaningful impact on our community.
One of the highlights of the holiday season was the success of our Annual District 3 Toy Drive. Special thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, we raised over $7,000 in toys and donations for children at Banner Children’s at Desert Medical Center. Your kindness continues to make this tradition a success, and I’m grateful for the support from our residents, business partners, and staff.
Looking ahead, I'm excited for what’s to come and look forward to working alongside you all in 2025!
As always, If you need assistance or have any questions, feel free to contact my office at District3@mesaaz.gov or call 480-644-3003.
Best,
Vice Mayor Francisco Heredia
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Honored to Begin My Final Term on the Council
I’m deeply honored to have taken the oath for my final term representing Mesa’s District 3 on the City Council. Serving this community has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, and I’m ready to keep working hard over the next four years. Together, we’ll continue making a difference and delivering results that improve the quality of life for all residents. I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for the opportunity to serve you once again.
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 Mensho Ramen
A Special Stop with Mayor John Giles! Our final restaurant visit together as Mayor and Vice Mayor took us to Mensho Ramen — a Michelin-starred, farm-to-table ramen shop founded in Tokyo. Mesa is their top location in volume sales and quality control worldwide! From house-made noodles and sauces to fresh ingredients straight from Japan, every detail is perfection.
We enjoyed Signature Ramen, Duck Matcha, Spicy Yuzu Vegan Ramen, Takoyaki, and more! Chef David Vu and the team deliver an unmatched farm-to-bowl experience.
If you haven’t tried Mensho, you’re missing out on a Mesa gem!
805 N Dobson Rd #115, Mesa, AZ 85201
🍜
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Join us as we come together to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with our signature parade and festival!
Under the theme "Building Bridges: Cultivating our Community," this event will honor Dr. King’s legacy by highlighting the power of unity, inclusion, and community growth. We invite you to be part of this important day of celebration and reflection.
Do you or someone you know have a group that would like to participate in the parade? The application is now open! Participating in the parade offers a great opportunity to engage with the Mesa community and to showcase your community group, church, business, dance troupe, or band. Apply online today!
Monday, January 20, 2025
11:00 p.m. - 04:00 p.m.
The parade runs down Center St. and the festival is at the Plaza at Mesa City Center.
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Christmas Tree Recycling is here!
From December 26 - January 20, our annual tree recycling event will be open to Mesa residents! Stop by one of five sites and drop off your tree — we'll give it a second life!
All lights, ornaments, tree stands and nails must removed. Artificial trees, trees flocked with artificial snow, wreathes and trees from commercial vendors are prohibited.
Drop-off Locations:
- Dobson Ranch Library: 2363 S. Dobson Rd. Mesa, AZ 85202
- Fitch Park: 651 N. Center St. Mesa, AZ 85201
- Mountain View Park: 845 N. Lindsay Rd. Mesa, AZ 85213
- East Mesa Service Center: 6935 E. Decatur St. Mesa, AZ 85207
- Superstition Springs Substation: 2430 S. Ellsworth Rd. Mesa, AZ 85209
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Mesa Gateway Airport Authority Board Votes to Rename Airport, Reflecting Regional Growth and Identity
The Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority Board recently voted to rename the airport to Mesa Gateway Airport, marking a significant milestone in the facility's evolution and reflecting its role in serving the dynamic East Valley region. The name change follows Phoenix's withdrawal from the board and better aligns with the airports strategic vision for the future.
The decision comes at a time of unprecedented growth for the airport, which served nearly 2 million passengers in FY23. Earlier this year, Mesa Gateway Airport expanded its facilities with a new 30,000-square-foot concourse featuring five additional gates, demonstrating its commitment to meeting increasing demand.
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Start the Year Safe: Know the Signs of a Gas Leak
Kick Off the New Year with Safety! Make sure your family knows how to detect and respond to a gas leak. If you smell a rotten egg odor, see any unusual changes to vegetation, or hear an unusual blowing or hissing sound from a natural gas pipeline, leave immediately and call 911 and our gas emergency hotline at 480-644-4277 to report it. Knowing how to recognize and respond to a gas leak is crucial in keeping everyone safe.
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Councilmember Julie Spilsbury and I toured the new Child Crisis Arizona Center for Child & Family Wellness in Mesa—a 38,000-square-foot, net-zero campus providing vital support for low-income children and families. From counseling and parenting classes to foster care, adoption services, and creative therapies, this center offers a wide range of essential programs. I’m inspired by the positive impact it will have on our community and encourage continued support for organizations like Child Crisis Arizona that make a real difference in Mesa!
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This year’s Annual District 3 Toy Drive was a resounding success, raising over $7,000 in toys and donations for young patients at Banner Children’s at Desert Medical Center. A heartfelt thanks to our residents, business partners, and staff for their generosity, and a special shoutout to East Valley Firefighter Charities and Dobson Ranch Golf Course for their unwavering support. Your kindness keeps this cherished tradition thriving!
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Mayor John Giles and I wrapped up our final restaurant visit together at Mensho Ramen, a Mesa gem known for being the top location worldwide for volume sales and quality control. From house-made noodles to fresh ingredients straight from Japan, every dish is crafted to perfection. We enjoyed delicious offerings like Signature Ramen, Duck Matcha, Spicy Yuzu Vegan Ramen, and more. Kudos to Chef David Vu and the team for delivering an exceptional farm-to-bowl experience—don’t miss out!
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I’m excited to step into the role of Chair for our City of Mesa Education and Workforce Development Roundtable! At our latest quarterly meeting, we took the opportunity to celebrate and honor Mayor Giles for his outstanding leadership and commitment to shaping education and workforce initiatives in our community.
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January 11 - Mesa Reads Kick-Off - Dobson Ranch Library
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Join us in 2025 for a year-long celebration of books and reading! The Dobson Ranch Library will kick off Mesa Reads! Swap your good condition books for something new to read. Kids Need to Read will be here with new copies of books to choose from for prereader through high school. Mesa Public Library will provide gently used books for adults to choose from.
January 20 - MLK Parade & Festival
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Join us as we come together to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with our signature parade and festival! Under the theme "Building Bridges: Cultivating our Community," this event will honor Dr. King’s legacy by highlighting the power of unity, inclusion, and community growth. The parade runs down Center St. and the festival is at the Plaza at Mesa City Center.
January 21 - Resident's Guide to HOAs Webinar: 2025 Hot Topics
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Kick off the new year with a look at the hottest topics shaping Arizona HOAs/condos in 2025! This session will provide the latest updates on federal and state laws that impact HOAs and Condos. Register for the webinar today!
January 24 - Cops and Bobbers at Riverview Park
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Join our Mesa Park Rangers and Mesa PD for a free fun day of fishing education and instruction. We provide the poles, the bait and the instruction at no cost to you. You may also bring your own poles as we will have limited supply. Questions? Contact parkrangers@mesaaz.gov or 480-644-4145.
January 25 - Regional Unity Walk
4:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
In celebration of cultural diversity and community, Mesa will join Chandler, Gilbert, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Guadalupe, and host city Tempe in the Annual Regional Unity Walk and Festival at Tempe Beach Park. The one-mile candlelight walk will start at 6:00 p.m. 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.
January 28 - 2025 Point-In-Time Homeless Count
5:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
The Point-in-Time (PIT) Homelessness Count is an annual street and shelter count to determine the number of people experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County during a given point in time. For volunteer opportunities and donations, contact Katie Pollack at katie.pollak@mesaaz.gov.
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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 13 - 5:45 p.m.
Monday, January 27 - 5:45 p.m.
January Study Sessions
Thursday, January 9 - 7:30 a.m.
Monday, January 13 - 5:15 p.m.
Thursday, January 23 - 7:30 a.m.
Monday, January 27 - 5:15 p.m.
Thursday, January 30 - 7:30 a.m.
*- Meetings subject to start time changes
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