Desert Peaks Awards 2001

Desert Peaks Award Recipients Selected Regionalism Honored in Awards Ceremony

PHOENIX (June 22, 2001) – Individuals and partnerships representing the best in regional cooperation across the Valley were honored last night at the Fourth Annual Maricopa Association of Governments 2001 Desert Peaks Awards. Honorees included two domestic violence programs, a group of police officers who "clown around" to teach kids safety lessons, a recycling partnership, and three individuals recognized for their singular efforts in advancing the principles of regionalism.

Awards were distributed in five categories: Public Partnership, Public-Private Partnership, Distinguished Service, Regional Partnership and Regional Excellence. Recipients included:

Category: Public Partnership
Recipient: New Life Center
The Public Partnership award is presented to the group or project that has demonstrated a commitment to regionalism through public sector or public/non-profit partnership.

New Life Center: The New Life Center is a recently-constructed 50-bed facility that provides emergency shelter services for victims of domestic violence and their children. The shelter operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With the West Valley growing at an unprecedented rate, the New Life Center was constructed to provide better access to transportation, housing and supportive services across the valley. The new 50-bed facility provides a 60-percent increase in the number of beds available for victims and their children. The center was constructed with help from the City of Phoenix, The Arizona Republic, and the State of Arizona, as well as many foundations, corporations and individual donors.

Category: Public-Private Partnership
Recipients (2): MAG Domestic Violence Council; Safety Magic in Law Enforcement (S.M.I.L.E.)
The Public-Private Partnership award is presented to the group or project that has demonstrated a commitment to regionalism through a public-private partnership.

MAG Domestic Violence Council: Last year, domestic violence was responsible for claiming the lives of more than 100 people in the Valley. The devastating effects have far-reaching consequences apart from the shattered lives left behind – from tremendous expenditures of resources by local governments to billions of dollars in lost productivity and other costs for American businesses. The Council works to provide a comprehensive, coordinated community response to domestic violence through training, education, support, and provision of resources. The Council is made up of representatives from law enforcement, prosecution, business, elected officials, state agency officials, healthcare, social service providers and advocates. In the past year, the council has focused on implementing three key initiatives to combat domestic abuse – workplace policies to address domestic violence; the creation of local coordinating councils; and development of crisis response teams. This public-private partnership represents one of the largest regional planning efforts on domestic violence in the country.

Safety Magic in Law Enforcement – S.M.I.L.E. was created in 1997 as a way to teach children about safety in a unique way – through clowns, magic, skits, and fun entertainment. Police officers from Scottsdale, Glendale and Mesa, together with talented volunteers and funding from the Arizona Public Service Company, take their acts to preschools, elementary schools, religious organizations, block watches, and park events. The kids stay focused while learning about topics such as Stranger Danger, Water Safety, Gun Safety, Bicycle Safety, Self-Esteem, and more. Police agencies indicate that children participating in the S.M.I.L.E. program retain ninety percent of the safety messages, compared to 25 percent taught through the "traditional police uniform way."

Category: Distinguished Service
Recipients (2): The Honorable John Keegan, Mayor, City of Peoria; Jim Wortham, Computer Aided Dispatch Administrator (Retired)
The Distinguished Service Award is presented to the individual who has contributed significant time and effort to regionalism through program or committee involvement.

Mayor John Keegan: Peoria Mayor John Keegan has been an active leader and advocate for the West Valley since his election in 1997. This leadership was recently demonstrated in the West Valley effort to obtain a multi-purpose professional football stadium. Mayor Keegan organized and led the West Valley Coalition, which made a strong bid for the site and was runner-up in the final decision. Even though the proposed site for the stadium was outside Peoria and would not have a direct benefit for his city, Mayor Keegan undertook the leadership of the regional stadium coalition because of its potential for the West Valley as a whole. Although the stadium will not have West Valley home, the effort helped unite and energize cities and businesses and showcased the resources, spirit and pride of the West Valley.

Jim Wortham: Jim Wortham has been the champion of the region's 9-1-1 system since its beginning in 1977. He was a driving force in securing funding and support for the establishment of an emergency 9-1-1 telephone system in the Maricopa region. Mr. Wortham's technical and management expertise have contributed greatly to the ongoing success of the system. Mr. Wortham has served as Administrator for the 9-1-1 Emergency Telephone System, as Chair of the MAG 9-1-1 Primary Public Safety Answering Point Managers Technical Subcommittee, and he provided ongoing assistance to the MAG 9-1-1 Oversight Team. Mr. Wortham helped implement and guide the system's capacity to accommodate the explosive growth within the countywide emergency telephone system. Not only was Mr. Wortham the key technical advisor for the Valley's 9-1-1 system, but he has lent his expertise to the rest of the state in helping other areas establishing their own emergency systems.

Category: Regional Partnership
Recipient: Valleywide Recycling Partnership
This award honors local governments that have demonstrated a commitment to regionalism through cooperative efforts.

Valleywide Recycling Partnership: Educating residents regarding solid waste programs has historically been locally driven – each municipality left to devise its own methods. In early 2000, the cities of Chandler, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Tempe, Tolleson, and the Town of Gilbert came together to discuss working together to address solid waste management concerns that affect all Valley communities. The discussion resulted in the Valleywide Recycling Partnership, allowing participants to combine resources, reach a greater number of residents, and promote common messages. The Partnership focuses on raising awareness of the benefits of recycling, with the potential of reaching 2.8 million people across the Valley. The broad-based education campaign has a multigenerational, multicultural approach, and the "People Who Care Recycle" theme sends the message that recycling benefits all Valley residents.

Category: Regional Excellence
Recipient: The Honorable Frank X. Gordon,Jr., Chief Justice, Arizona Supreme Court (Retired)
The Regional Excellence award is presented to the single individual who has demonstrated exemplary commitment to the spirit of regionalism.

Justice Frank X. Gordon: Frank Gordon is the retired Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, whose leadership and understanding of homelessness have helped bring numerous interests to the table in addressing homelessness in Maricopa County. Justice Gordon has served as President and Chairman of the Board of the United Methodist Outreach Ministries, Inc., a transitional housing program for homeless families. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Homeless Legal Assistance Project of the Arizona State University School of Law, and he has served on a homeless committee of the Arizona Community Foundation. In October 1999, Justice Gordon assumed chairmanship of a new regional effort to focus on strategies to end homelessness. The MAG Continuum of Care Regional Committee on Homelessness assumed responsibility for a coordinated annual funding application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and determined to develop regional solutions to the prevention of homelessness. Under Justice Gordon's leadership, the Committee's first grant submission in 2000 resulted in the highest dollar amount awarded to the region in five years.

For more information about the Desert Peaks Awards, please contact Kelly Taft at 602-254-6300.

View Winners from the 2000 Desert Peaks Awards

View Winners from the 1999 Desert Peaks Awards

View Winners from the 1998 Desert Peaks Awards