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Today marks one week until my last day at the Ward 3 office. I’ve been asked to reflect on my roughly three years working as a Council Aide and share those reflections with you, dear reader.
In particular, I was asked what I thought the job would be and how that contrasted or coincided with what the job actually has been.
 Council Aide CJ Boyd and Vice Mayor Kevin Dahl.
Honestly, what I thought it would be was mostly gleaned from watching one of my favorite TV shows, Parks & Recreation. There certainly have been times that my interactions with constituents felt very much like they could have been on that show. I recall talking to a constituent who insisted the City had designed her neighborhood so that more monsoon rainfall flowed down her street than any other street in the City, I assured her was not the case, and had staff from the Department of Transportation and Mobility confirm. But she was convinced there had been a conspiracy against her for some unknown reason.
And while our City Council meetings never featured anyone throwing frisbees at the council members, there have been so many bizarre and unexpected experiences at those meetings. One highlight that comes to mind is when the former owners of a local bar had problems getting their liquor license renewed due recent DUIs, which they got on their way home from their establishment. One of them had gotten drunk enough to sideswipe a police car on the way home. The lawyer for the business owners showed up to the hearing demanding that his clients had done nothing wrong. Two members of the council who rarely agreed on much were in total agreement that this guy was way out of line and that the business owners hadn’t done themselves any favors hiring this counsel.
 The Ward 3 staff doing a happy dance with Kevin a few years go on the Vice Mayor's birthday. Pictured from left to right: Vice Mayor Kevin Dahl, Council Aide Marlene Avelino, Council Aide, C.J. Boyd, and Office Administrator Shannon Jenkins.
On the less entertaining side and probably the hardest thing about working in the Ward 3 office is that I have had to work with people who, as my dear colleague Marlene likes to say, “sit in different places along the empathy spectrum.” This is a kind way of describing the wide range of responses we encounter with regard to the housing crisis and the rising number of people who have been evicted in the last 3 years, leading to a huge spike in houselessness.
On the one hand, we get calls and walk-ins from people who are experiencing the housing crisis first hand, and our job is to help them get connected to shelter, a social worker, and any other resources we can muster. On the other hand, we are the office that people call when they have simply witnessed someone else experiencing houselessness, and those folks range from extremely empathetic to not empathetic at all. I never really could adjust to the dehumanizing language that some residents use about their unhoused neighbors. Over the first few months, I was able to learn how to listen to someone who has no empathy for those experiencing these heart-breaking situations. At times, I was able to move the conversation toward actual solutions rather than just a desire to punish and diminish the most vulnerable folks in our city.
 The Ward 3 Staff during their annual retreat. From left to right: Office Administrator Shannon Jenkins, Council Aide C.J. Boyd, Community Liaison Mike Edmonds, Council Aide Marlene Avelino, Vice Mayor Kevin Dahl, and Communications Manager Arnie Bermudez.
To end on a high note, easily my favorite part about working in this amazing office for the last 3 years has been the camaraderie of the Ward 3 staff. Shannon Jenkins and Marlene Avelino were both friends before we worked together, but we became much closer through problem solving and helping people together. I had met Vice Mayor Dahl and our Chief of Staff Katie Bolger on Kevin’s campaign trail in 2021, but I couldn’t have dreamt how well we’d get to know each other working side by side. Arnie Bermudez, Mike Edmonds, and Bennett Bernal are fantastic humans I met through my work in the office and look forward to knowing for life. The newest addition to the Ward 3 team, Naomi Lee, will be taking my place as I exit the office, and I already know she’ll make a great part of the team. I love this team, and can’t wait to see what else they do going forward.
Mansfield Park is located in the Sugar Hill neighborhood, just south of Grant Road between 6th Ave. and 4th Ave. The 20 acres of land were donated by Monte Mansfield in the 1960s. Long time residents like Jack Anderson share stories of when the park was just a "patch of dirt" and he and other Black residents had to fight and organize for a recreation building, for sports equipment, and other basic services. The Donna Liggins Center, located at Mansfield Park, boasts several murals and other art installations in recognition of these community efforts.
 Doris J Thompson's graduation photo.
Jack Anderson is now President of the Sugar Hill Neighborhood Association and together with Sadie Shaw, President of the Sugar Hill Land Trust and community member Harvey Thompson II, have officially begun the process of changing the name from Mansfield Park to Doris J. Thompson Park in an effort to continue to honor neighborhood leaders. Harvey is Doris’ son and has been heartened by the support for the proposal. "Being able to hear the testimonies of so many people brought tears of joy, to know that my mom was so instrumental in their life,” Thompson shared with the Az Daily Star.
 Mansfield Park during the Poolooza event two summers ago.
In the letter submitted to Parks and Recreation at the end of July, the trio shared, “Doris Thompson would organize youth and adult activities and was the tireless advocate for those who would frequent the center, mentoring countless youth, teaching etiquette, hygiene, study skills, cooking, nutrition and more.”
 Doris J. Thompson
In regards to why Mansfield should no longer be honored with this park the trio included in their letter, “The current name, Mansfield Park, reflects historical associations with racially discriminatory restrictions on property deeds, which are now illegal under the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The majority owner of the El Cortez Subdivision, Monte Mansfield, gifted 20.8 acres of his land to the City of Tucson which later became Mansfield Park. These owners agreed to the CCRs (Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions) listed on the deeds of this area, including the code which excluded those of 'African or Negroid descent; and for the purposes of this restriction, any person of more than one-fourth African or Negroid blood...except such persons as may be employed thereon as domestic servants by the owners or tenants of any lot...”
The process to name or rename a park is fairly straightforward. Interested parties can send a letter to Parks and Recreation detailing the significance of the new name, if named after a person, how they’ve contributed to the park, how the old name no longer serves the community, and ten thousand dollars to cover signage changes. The proposal is then announced to the public and a 45 day public comment period ensues. The proposal and comments then go before the Parks and Recreation Commission (TPRC) who issue a recommendation to Mayor and Council. You can find all the details here: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Donations-and-Memorials#section-4
The public comment period for renaming Mansfield Park is now closed but Vice Mayor Dahl is open to hearing comments through the month of November. The renaming proposal is scheduled to go before the TPRC on December 3. The commission meetings are public and virtual at 3:30 pm on the 4th Wednesday of the month. For agenda and additional meeting information see here: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Clerks/Boards-Committees-Commissions/Boards-Commissions?board=63
This week our office held the 2nd Annual spooky Ping-Pong Pizza Party for employees of the City of Tucson. The Ward 3 office holds this event and invites all employees to dress up and enjoy a slice of pizza while mingling and/or taking part in a game of ping-pong.
The Ward 3 invite to City employees.
 Ward 3 Office Administrator Shannon Jenkins and Isabel Alvarez from Parks and Recreation.
 Vice Mayor Dahl teaching City Attorney Chris Avery (dressed in costume as a City Attorney) the finer points of Ping-Pong.
 Left to right, all from Code Enforcement except the Vice Mayor: Felix Morales, Robert Gonzalez, Kevin Dahl, and Sergio Oropesa.
 Halloween Ping Pong Pizza Party Photo Collage
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