CAC chooses site for local campus
City of Maricopa leadership has been working with Central Arizona College for more than two years on potential sites for a local campus. Currently, CAC leases space at a storefront facility on John Wayne Parkway which is at full capacity.
Last week in a giant step forward, the governing board of Central Arizona College (CAC) voted unanimously to purchase 217 acres of land in Maricopa. The site is located south of Bowlin Road and west of White-Parker Road and will house the college’s fourth campus. At complete buildout, the Maricopa campus will be large enough to serve up to 15,000 students.
“The CAC Governing Board and staff are elated to take a huge step forward in becoming a true community partner in the Maricopa area,” said Dennis Jenkins, president and CEO of Central Arizona College. “We look forward to continuing to develop solutions to issues of interest to the community, the college and the county. We intend to build a college campus that the community views as their college and a great asset for the area.”
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City’s lobbying efforts yielding encouraging results for transportation enhancements
On July 29th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5850, the fiscal year 2011 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations bill. The bill includes a $1 million appropriation for the City of Maricopa’s State Route 347 Grade Separation Project. The City is very appreciative of the support from our congressional sponsors Representatives Raul Grijalva and Ed Pastor, whose efforts helped to make this appropriation a reality.
For the last two years, the Maricopa City Council has been working with our federally-elected officials in Washington D.C. to advocate for this project. The grade separation project will reroute traffic either over or under the Union Pacific rail line and is one of the top traffic safety concerns of our citizens. The City’s persistence and lobbying efforts have yielded the first results of these intense efforts.
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Applications now being accepted for new Maricopa Youth Council
The City of Maricopa has announced a new and exciting opportunity for high school students.
The City of Maricopa Youth Council will provide youth an opportunity to increase their knowledge of civic education through practical hands on experience. The Youth Council will be comprised of students, ages 14 through 18, who will be charged with representing youth in Maricopa.
Members of the Youth Council will attend monthly meetings, be asked to complete an assignment assigned by the City Council, enhance civic education, and help increase communication between youth and adults.
Youth Council members will graduate from the program only by earning a total of 300 points. All graduating members will be honored at a Graduation Ceremony.
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Melvin named president of national organization
Maricopa’s Assistant City Manager, Patrick Melvin has assumed the duties of national president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). Melvin, who previously served as first vice president, was installed in his new position during NOBLE’s 34th Annual Training Conference and Exhibition held in Baltimore the week of July 10th.
Melvin said as president he plans to focus on three new areas of concentration – two dealing with safety and the third aimed at enhancing NOBLE’s financial health.
“I want to do all I can to encourage seatbelt usage nationally for the communities we serve, our law enforcement colleagues, family members and friends,” said Melvin, a former motorcycle officer who witnessed first hand the results of not buckling-up. “NOBLE will provide recommendations for policy initiatives aimed at avoiding injuries and deaths related to non-seatbelt usage.”
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Maricopa swears in new Fire Chief
Although he’s been filling the role for the past two years or so, it’s now official. On Wednesday evening, the Maricopa Fire Department welcomed Wade Brannon as its new Fire Chief!
Brannon came to MFD in July, 2005 from the Gila River Fire Department where he had served as Captain and Acting Deputy Chief, and brings 20 years public safety experience to the job. He started his career with American Ambulance in 1990 as a Emergency Medical Technician, and is well-versed in the emergency medical and fire services.
Born in Phoenix, Brannon is a third generation Arizonan. He has been married for 13 years to his wife Jennifer, a native to New York City. The Brannons have two children, 12 year-old Jacob and 9 year-old Riley Ann, and two beagles. The family have been residents of Maricopa since 2006.
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Maricopa celebrates America’s independence at the 2010 Great American Barbeque
Under a clear sky with triple-digit temperatures, Maricopans flocked to the city’s 5th annual Great American Barbeque in Pacana Park to enjoy the 4th of July.
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New City Council takes office
The Maricopa City Council has a new look, though not as major of a change as took place two years ago.
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New Council to take office on Tuesday
The June 1st meeting of the Maricopa City Council will introduce a new Council to the community.
The meeting, which starts at 7:00 pm in the Maricopa Unified School District Board Room, will begin with the adoption of the results of the May 18th general election. After that, the Honorable Judge Scott Scully will administer the oath of office to Councilmembers-elect Alan Marchione and Julia Romero-Gusse. They will then begin their service on the Council.
The MUSD Administration Center is located at 44150 West Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. The meeting can also be viewed on Maricopa20 for customers of Orbitel Communications and Maricopa Broadband, or streamed live over the internet at Maricopa20.tv.
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Marchione, Gusse to join Farrell on Council
After almost a week’s wait, final results are now in for the March 18th municipal elections in Maricopa.
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Maricopa ED Director appointed to state economic board
Danielle Casey, CEcD, EDFP, Economic Development Director for the City of Maricopa, was recently voted to the Arizona Association of Economic Development (AAED) Board of Directors by the membership as a non-metro community representative for a two-year term. Danielle was appointed during the AAED Spring Conference held in Flagstaff earlier this month.
In addition to her board appointment, Danielle has served as co-chair of the Business Retention and Expansion Committee. In 2009, the committee completed the first-ever statewide analysis report of business retention interview data and provided recommendations for local, regional and statewide ways in which retention and expansion efforts can be advanced. The committee recently gave a presentation overview of the report to the Governor’s Council on Small Business.
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