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Friends,
November has been a busy month for so many of us. I’m looking forward to the Thanksgiving festivities this week, and another opportunity to spend time with family and reflect on everything I have to be grateful for this year. And there is a lot on that list.
Speaking of gratitude, I want to express my deep appreciation to everyone who filled in that bubble next to my name and gave me the opportunity to continue serving the residents of the City of Tucson for four more years. I’m truly humbled. If you didn’t fill in the bubble next to my name, I will still be working hard for you, just like I have been over the past four years. We’re all in this together.
I also want to thank everyone who supported the idea that Mayor & Council should be fairly compensated for the time, effort, and value brought to these challenging roles. You deserve a lot from your Mayor & Council, and this is a huge step in enabling us to deliver more value to the local government and the community.
 I hope all of our military veterans across Tucson had a wonderful Veterans Day. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with some of our City of Tucson veterans during the 3rd annual Veterans Day Employee Resource Group (ERG) event. I am honored to have launched the ERG, and grateful to continue supporting as the Executive Sponsor with the Board running the show. I’m also just happy to participate in the ERG as a veteran who likes to hang out with her comrades. 
 In closing, I know that the holidays can be filled with joy, and also deep sadness. I want you to know that you are not alone. Here are two links for resources if you might be looking for some support over the holiday season: Resources available for struggling families during the holiday season & A giant list of mental health resources in Tucson
Be Well,
Military Employer of Choice
I brought forward my annual Veterans Day item at the November 14th meeting to give us an opportunity to review our progress in the past year. I’m excited about how much progress we’ll make between now and our next annual Veterans Day Mayor & Council update.
 
Thanksgiving Dinner Boxes
   
La Estancia
Thank you to the La Estancia Neighborhood for inviting me to their annual neighborhood meeting. It was a wonderful opportunity to hear from the residents and share updates on the Prop 407 investments coming to their area, including the new Robert Price Park and Southeast Police Annex.
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Corbett Fall Festival
 The Ward 4 and Ward 6 Corbett Neighborhood Association became active again in 2022, and this year they held their first neighborhood Fall Festival event. 
 I’m so proud of the neighbors for reviving this Neighborhood Association and bringing folks together to strengthen connections in the area. I’m grateful for Martha (from our Ward 4 team) for working so hard to support the neighbors over many years and helping us get us to this point.
 There was live music, food, neighborhood resources, and even the Ready, Set, Rec! Van with games for kids of all ages.
 We look forward to building a stronger Corbett neighborhood together, and we are excited for next year’s gathering and all the great stuff that will happen between now and then.
Important Dates:
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Tuesday, November 21st 4pm: Special Canvass of Elections - City Council Meeting. Click here and go to "Mayor & Council Meeting Live" to watch! (To watch past meetings, visit the City of Tucson YouTube page. )
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Tuesday, November 28th: City Council Meeting. Click here and go to "Mayor & Council Meeting Live" to watch! (To watch past meetings, visit the City of Tucson YouTube page. )
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Sunday, December 3rd 2-5pm: Join 29th St Thrive and Ward 4 for an Ice Cream Social at Swan Park (1700 S Swan). This free and kid-friendly event is an opportunity to share ideas about your neighborhood to inform upcoming funding decisions.
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Monday, December 4th 10am: Join us for the City of Tucson Mayor & Council Inauguration & Mayor Romero’s annual report. We look forward to seeing you at the Tucson Convention Center Ballroom (260 S. Church Ave).
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Saturday, December 9th: Join 29th St Thrive and Ward 4 for a Story and Stroll at Meyers-Ganoung School (5000 E Andrew). This free and kid-friendly event is an opportunity to share ideas about your neighborhood to inform upcoming funding decisions.
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Tuesday, December 12th: City Council Meeting. Click here and go to "Mayor & Council Meeting Live" to watch! (To watch past meetings, visit the City of Tucson YouTube page. )
November 14th Mayor and Council Highlights
PFAS Monitoring and Management: Director John Kmiec presented the latest update to the Mayor and Council regarding ongoing PFAS management projects. Tucson Water remains vigilant in monitoring our water supplies for PFAS contamination. The City's concerns about contamination in the Southside of Tucson have been communicated to the EPA and ADEQ, urging accountability from responsible parties. Mayor and Council continue to advocate for funding to aid in the cleaning of our aquifer.
Pilot Program for Small-Scale Urban Agriculture – Community Garden Rates: Mayor and Council have initiated a one-year pilot program tailored for small-scale agriculture growers. This program offers a specialized Community Garden rate for eligible growers who meet the City's criteria and adhere to specified program requirements, emphasizing water conservation practices. The outcomes of this pilot will be reviewed by City staff after one year.
Commercial Rainwater Harvesting Ordinance: An update from PDSD Director Kristina Swallow highlighted the Commercial Rainwater Harvesting Ordinance (CRWHO). The process has evolved to mandate new commercial buildings to utilize storm water capture for their landscaping water. PDSD has completed the hiring of positions authorized by the Mayor and Council to oversee CRWHO compliance. To date, 137 Commercial Rainwater Harvesting Plans have been approved, marking significant progress, with approximately 75-80% of required water for planting sourced from rainwater harvesting. PDSD and Tucson Water aim to further enhance the existing ordinance and set new standards for city development.
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