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 City of Tucson Vice Mayor Kevin Dahl speaking during the inauguration.
This week I was honored that my colleagues elected me to serve as Tucson’s Vice Mayor for a one year term.
Up to now, the Vice Mayor position has been largely routine, running the council meeting or signing documents when the Mayor is absent from Tucson.
This past year, Council Members Lane Santa Cruz and Nikki Lee recently led the council in redefining this position to encompass more responsibilities. I look forward to building on this vision, taking a larger role in representing the city, working on priority projects and supporting the Mayor in her capacity as she sees fit.
 Co-chair of the Coalición de Derechos Humanos Isabel Garcia, District 5 Supervisor Adelita Grijalva, Sunnyside Foundation CEO Liz Soltero, and Vice Mayor Kevin Dahl.
The selection of Vice Mayor was a small part of a celebration of the re-election of the Mayor and Council Members Paul Cunningham, Nikki Lee, and Lane Santa Cruz. Almost 500 enjoyed the Inauguration, which took place at the Tucson Convention Center’s ballroom.
The Mayor’s “Report to Tucsonans” was a highlight of the event. Most of her presentation reviewed all we have accomplished this past year. For me, the most important part was her list of what she (and I, as Vice Mayor) will focus on in 2024:
- Building Safe and Vibrant Neighborhoods
- Fighting Climate Change
- Creating Affordable Housing for Everyone
- Improving Our Quality of Live through Our Parks, Roads, and Infrastructure
- Securing Safe, Clean water
- Attracting Good Jobs with Good Pay For All
You can read the Mayor’s speech at https://tinyurl.com/2a7v8fv5 and view the entire Inauguration at https://tinyurl.com/4svrup45.
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This Holiday season the Ward 3 office would like to help bring a little bit of joy to all the residents of Wildcat and Amazon. We are still accepting donations of stocking stuffers! Please consider picking up a few extra items the next time you are out running errands. Small, non-gendered items would be great, for example: handheld games, puzzles, fidget toys, etc. Please help us celebrate the Holidays and the joy of giving! We have 3 areas of need before mid December!
 Photographs of former Wildcat Inn residents that have achieved housing.
We need the following NEW DONATIONS:
- Stocking Stuffers for the 83 Kids
- Children's socks and underwear
- Gender neutral slippers
- Coloring books/crayons/colored pencils
- Books for all reading levels
- Lip balm
- Lotion
- Hand held games and puzzles
 Stockings needing to be stuffed.
We also are collecting 178 seasonal plants or wreaths for each of the rooms (poinsettias, Christmas cactus, wreathes, small evergreens etc.)
Lastly, we need gift cards in $25 increments from Fry’s, Safeway or Visa.
 Ward 3 Chief of Staff Katie Bolger, Council Aide Marlene Avelino, and Community Services Manager Allison Chappell at the Wildcat Inn.
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 The tipping floor of the Material Recovery Facility.
This past Halloween, the Environmental and General Services Department (EGSD) hosted a public tour of the Material Recovery Facility and Los Reales Sustainability Campus. Ward 3 staff joined the tour to deepen our knowledge of the city’s waste management.
The first thing to know about the Material Recovery Facility is that people call it the MRF (pronounced “merf”). We got to see firsthand everything that arrives in the blue recycling bins as it makes its way to the tipping floor. Huge machines connecting conveyor belts and pulleys filled the space, with workers sorting through the materials 24 hours a day. The city of Tucson uses what is known as single stream recycling, meaning that most recyclable materials are collected in the blue bins, and sorted out at the MRF. Paper, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, cardboard, etc, all get sorted into their distinct piles to be sent elsewhere for processing. Two notable exceptions to this stream are glass and non-recyclable plastics.
 Marklan Harris, bale dresser at the MRF.
As many readers will recall, a few years ago, faced with a budgetary shortfall, Environmental Services moved glass recycling from the blue bins to their own separate drop-off sites. Rather than collecting glass as part of that single stream, customers were instead asked to bring their glass to one of 21 large purple dumpsters located around the city. While this approach did save some on the cost of recycling, 3 years of data has now shown that it didn’t save as much as the city had hoped. We learned on the tour that the department is currently devising a plan to bring glass back to the blue bins to be picked up at the curb.
One reason the shift from blue bin to purple dumpster didn’t save as much as hoped is that these drop-off sites require daily cleaning. Not only do people routinely break glass on the ground outside the dumpsters, but an unfortunately large number of residents end up using the sites to drop off every kind of trash and unwanted furniture. Every day, Environmental Services and contracted custodians haul away beds, couches, and all sorts of trash that was never meant to be collected at these sites. This misuse has proven very costly, and has been one of the factors leading the move back to the blue bins for glass.
Another very large factor is that participation in glass recycling was drastically reduced when we moved glass from curbside pick up to recycling centers around the city. People simply don’t recycle nearly as much of their glass if they are required to drive it somewhere as they did when it was included in the blue bins. That said, we learned on the tour that if people do put glass in the blue bins, even though the official policy is currently not to accept it, that glass does get recycled just as it did when that was the policy. That glass gets sent to a company in Phoenix called Strategic Materials, which reuses the glass. So, even though the policy has not changed yet, if you won’t take glass to the purple dumpsters, and you’re deciding between the green trash bin and the blue recycling bin, please choose the blue bin and it will be recycled.
 Bales of cardboard, aluminum, and various recyclable materials.
The other major material that is outside the “single stream” is so-called non-recyclable plastic. Of the many kinds of plastics, only a couple types are recyclable in the usual sense. As many already know, Ward 6 Council Member Steve Kozachik initiated a pilot this year with ByFusion, a company that makes building blocks out of non-recyclable plastics. Plastic bottles are still best placed in the blue bins, but most of the other plastics—especially plastic bags and films—are now best dropped off at the Ward 6 office, where ByFusion will collect them and turn them into ByBlocks.
Interestingly, plastic bags are one of the worst things you can put in the blue bins. Because of the way the tipping floor is constructed—with many different conveyor belts helping sort out the cans, paper, plastic bottles, etc—plastic bags are terrible for this set up. The thin bags get caught in the gears and can slow or even break the machines that do the sorting. So please be mindful of what you put in the blue bins. If you’re ever in doubt, here is a list of what can and can’t go in the blue bins: https://tinyurl.com/2u7cf92e
The next free public tour of the Material Recovery Facility and Los Reales Sustainability Campus will be on Valentine’s Day.
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 City of Tucson Parks Director Lara Hamwey, Vice Mayor Kevin Dahl, Marlene Avelino along with CJ Boyd (with an early morning smile) meeting at Mansfield Park.
The Ward 3 office has regularly scheduled meetings with different City departments. Depending on the department, we may meet quarterly, every other month or more frequently. Parks and Recreation is a department we meet with monthly - and we keep in contact between those meetings too. Director Lara Hamwey and Deputy Director Greg are very gracious with all of our questions, ideas, and input. There’s a lot going in Ward 3 parks!
At our last meeting, we met at the Ramada on the south side of Mansfield Park. It was a beautiful morning and I happened to have my seven-year-old daughter with me because her school was closed for a professional development day.
Departments usually have an agenda to go over: anything coming up at a Mayor and Council meeting, ongoing development or improvement projects, and items the office has highlighted.
At our November 22nd meeting we started with items from the ward office. Due to complaints, we’ve received about unsheltered individuals using the privacy of the greenway path that leads through Sugar Hill from the south to the park as a bathroom we have decided to test out a portapotty at the south end of the park. The portopotty will be cleaned twice a week and this pilot program will go on for three months. We are still waiting to hear a start date but are excited to test out this pilot. As one of my kids’ favorite books reminds us: Everybody Poops. For those without housing, this daily need becomes a criminal activity they must navigate. We hope that by providing a bathroom for three months we see a complete reduction of defecation on the path and once again prove that providing for people’s basic needs reduces the negative impact on surrounding housed neighbors.
 Fleeta (Marlene's daughter) climbing the blue wall on the south side of the park while waiting for the meeting to end.
We discussed concerns about criminal activity at Keeling Desert Park. We learned there are bond funds allocated to the park and it makes sense to host a community meeting to discuss options on how to alleviate the criminal element at the park and how to best use those bond funds.
On the department’s agenda were proposed fee increases that are set to go before the Mayor and Council for approval at the Dec 12th meeting. The fees proposed for the increase are mostly around Ramada rentals, lighting and field reservations, and tennis courts. Due to a recent hire of a very experienced aquatics manager, they are developing a program to entice swim teams in colder climates to train in our warmer climate. Lane, pool, and programming will soon be available for a fee during our least used months. This will also allow for our lifeguards to have extended seasons and hopefully contribute to higher retention numbers.
I learned that while the zoo and some golf parks are run by other entities, the city sets its maximum allowed fee schedule. The Mayor and Council will discuss next week a proposal to raise those caps.
These meetings are an opportunity to ask more detailed questions, get a real understanding of items going before the Mayor and Council that are city-wide as well as dig into our Ward 3 issues and projects. Thanks, Park and Rec!
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 LEO /ID# A785709
Age: 3 years
Qualities:
Lovely Leo is a hidden gem! This happy boy has done well with cats, dogs of all sizes, and children in his previous homes. Leo recently returned from a foster stay, where the kind person who took him home for a few days over the Thanksgiving holiday said that he wished he could keep this "good, good, good boy!"
Fee:
Leo has a $0 adoption fee. A $20 license fee applies to adult dogs. Adoption includes spay or neuter, age-appropriate vaccinations, microchip, and a free vet visit.
Contact:
Pima Animal Care Center, 4000 N. Silverbell Rd.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 12pm - 7pm.
Wednesday 1:30-7pm. Saturday and Sunday 10am - 5pm.
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Balboa Heights Neighborhood Association
Tuesday 12/12, 5:30 pm - 7 pm
Marty Birdman Center
2536 N Castro Ave
Dodge Flower Neighborhood Association
Wednesday 12/13, 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Georgetown Apartments
2510 n. Winstel Blvd.
Jefferson Park Neighborhood Association
Wednesday 12/13, 6 pm - 7 pm
Ward 3 Community Room
1510 E. Grant Rd.
Sugar Hill Neighborhood Association
Wednesday 12/13, 6:00 pm– 7:00 pm
Donna R. Liggins Recreation Center
2160 N. 6th Ave.
The Ward 3 office is open open at 1510 E. Grant Rd. from
9 am -1 pm, Monday through Friday. Staff will answer phone messages, emails and requests for meetings by the next business day. Leave your message at 520-791-4711 or email ward3@tucsonaz.gov.
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La Madera Neighborhood Meeting Saturday December 9 at 10 am
CATALYST Holiday Open House Saturday, December 9 from 12pm - 5pm
Join CATALYST for an afternoon celebrating all of the creative partners, artists, and non-profits that make up CATALYST Creative Collective! Featuring live music and dance, crafting, free kids activities, raffle, hot beverages, snacks, and more. We invite you to come and celebrate the arts at CATALYST Creative Collective at the Tucson Mall. Happy holidays!
CATALYST Creative Collective 4500 N Oracle Rd Suite 110 Tucson, AZ 85705
Winterhaven Festival of Lights December 9 -25
 The 74th annual Winterhaven Festival of Lights begins on Saturday, Dec. 9, and runs through Monday, Dec. 25, from 6 - 10 p.m. nightly. This holiday celebration is also a major fundraiser for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. For more information such as where to park please visit the Winterhaven guidance page.
Cookies with Santa at the Marty Birdman Center December 22
at 5 pm.
New Gallery Space For BICAS!
Come on by and check out our art gallery for a preview of our annual art auction! All art is bicycle-themed and either created with bike parts or inspired by bikes. From metal art to illustrative work, all art is either donated by local artists or created by BICAS staff. Gallery space is located in the back of BICAS, and will be open until January.
More about the BICAS Art: https://bicas.org/art
Email: art@bicas.org
BICAS on IG @bicastucson @bicasart @bicas_wtf @bicasyouth @teambicas
BICAS on FB @bicastucson @bicasart @bicaswtf
BICAS Art Auction: https://bicas.org/art/auction/
 BICAS Art Auction Dec. 8th-9th 5-9pm
Auction will be held at Splinter!
https://bicas.org/art/auction/
2001 n. 7th ave | tucson, az 85705 | 520-628-7950
art@bicas.org | www.bicas.org/art | facebook | instagram
Tucson's Community Safety, Health and Wellness Program Survey to Help develop a Climate Pollution Reduction Plan
The City of Tucson's Community Safety, Health and Wellness program is partnering with the Pima County's Department of Environmental Quality to seek resident input on priorities that can effectively reduce green houses gasses while also addressing environmental injustices in disadvantaged communities. Please take this survey to help the county develop its Climate Pollution Reduction Plan.
Encuesta Para El programa de Seguridad, Salud y Bienestar Comunitario de la Ciudad de Tucson Para Ayudar a Desarrollar un Plan de Reducción de la Contaminación Climática
El programa de Seguridad, Salud y Bienestar Comunitario de la Ciudad de Tucson se está asociando con el Departamento de Calidad Ambiental del Condado de Pima para buscar opiniones de los residentes sobre las prioridades que pueden reducir efectivamente los gases de efecto invernadero y al mismo tiempo abordar las injusticias ambientales en las comunidades desfavorecidas. Complete esta encuesta para ayudar al condado a desarrollar su Plan de Reducción de la Contaminación Climática.
Slow Down... And Get Your Yard Sign!
The Ward 3 office has free yard signs available as part of the Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility (DTM)'s SLOW DOWN Program, which is designed to inform drivers that they're traveling on a 25 mph neighborhood street and to remind them that slowing down saves lives.
Ward 3 Is Accepting Donations for the Iskashitaa Refugee Network!
The Ward 3 office is currently accepting donations of art supplies and canning supplies on behalf of the Iskashitaa Refugee Network. We are ONLY accepting jelly jars, Kerr, Mason, or Ball jars for preserving/ canning, with or without canning rings. Feel free to drop by 1510 E. Grant Rd. during our office hours (9 am to 1 pm Monday through Friday) if you'd like to support the work of this wonderful non-profit with a donation.
Prince Food Pantry 7-8:30 am the First Friday of Every Month
Yoga in the Garden Every Wednesday at 8 am
Grocery Sharing at Tucson Food Share - 2500 N. Stone Ave.
 Groceries are shared Mondays 4:30- 6:00 pm,
Thursdays 6:00 - 7:30 pm, and Saturdays from 8am-9:30am.
https://tucsonfoodshare.org/ has more information about volunteering, donating, or requesting delivery.
Ready, Set, REC! in November
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