Regional Council Activity Report
June 21, 2001

The best in regional cooperation was showcased once again during the Fourth Annual Desert Peaks Awards June 21, 2001. I hope those of you who were among the 300-plus people who attended felt the same sense of pride that I did to see so many great partnerships being carried out across the region.

The awards recognize regional excellence in five categories: Public Partnership, Public-Private Partnership, Distinguished Service, Regional Partnership and Regional Excellence. A description of the recipients in each category follows.

The New Life Center, a 50-bed domestic violence facility constructed in the West Valley, took home the Public Partnership award.

There were two recipients selected for the Public-Private Partnership award. The MAG Domestic Violence Council, which is working to establish a coordinated, community response to Domestic Violence was one of the recipients, and Safety Magic In Law Enforcement (S.M.I.L.E.), a program in which police officers use clowns and magic to teach children safety messages, was also selected.

The judges also selected two recipients for the Distinguished Service Award. Mayor John Keegan was selected in part for his work in organizing the West Valley effort to obtain a multi-purpose professional football stadium. The second recipient was Jim Wortham, who was a driving force in securing funding and support for the establishment of an emergency 9-1-1 telephone system in the Maricopa region.

The Regional Partnership award went to the Valleywide Recycling Partnership, which allows cities to combine resources in a campaign to encourage recycling and address mutual solid waste concerns.

Finally, in the category of Regional Excellence, the Honorable Frank X. Gordon, Jr., former Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, was selected for his leadership and understanding of homeless issues.

Truly we are fortunate to live in a region where so many dedicated people are working together to make great things happen. The many people and individuals involved in these projects should be proud of the contributions they are making to improve our regional community. I hope the Desert Peaks Awards help us demonstrate that these efforts are championed and appreciated.

Regional Council Meeting Report for June 21, 2001

Regional Council Holds Annual Meeting; Elects Officers
The MAG Regional Council held its Annual Meeting in conjunction with the Desert Peaks Awards June 21, 2001. The Council elected a slate of officers for FY 2002. Elected were:

• Chairman, Mayor Skip Rimsza, Phoenix
• Vice Chairman, Mayor John Keegan, Peoria
• Treasurer, Mayor Jay Tibshraeny, Chandler
• At-Large Member, Mayor William Arnold, Goodyear
• At-Large Member, Mayor Keno Hawker, Mesa

For more information contact James M. Bourey, Executive Director, (602) 254-6300.

Council Approves Changes to Regional Freeway Program
The MAG Regional Council has approved a request by the Arizona Department of Transportation for changes to the Regional Freeway Program. The changes include three schedule changes, some new, small projects and some cost changes. The schedule changes include moving the road design and construction funds for the South Mountain freeway to allow for the completion of an Environmental Impact Statement. A landscape project in the Pima Freeway corridor is also being delayed one year since water is not yet available along one section.

Projects being added include several landscaping projects; projects to incorporate local participation of communities for enhancement and other city-related needs; and an archaeology study in the Red Mountain corridor. In approving the request, the Council noted that the project changes can be incorporated without impacting the scheduled completion of any Regional Freeway System projects.
For more information contact Eric Anderson, MAG Transportation Manager, (602) 254-6300.

Information Items

State of the Region Address Focuses on Where We Are, What’s Ahead
MAG Chairman and Phoenix Mayor Skip Rimsza outlined a number of successes and challenges facing the region during the annual “State of the Region Address,” which was delivered during the Desert Peaks Awards ceremony June 21st. Chairman Rimsza used recently released Census figures to help paint a picture of the region, and he summarized many of the trends that have emerged during forums held as part of the development of a new Regional Transportation Plan.

Some of these trends include a population that is increasing at a rate faster than state projections, creating the need to examine how we will deal with that growth when it comes to issues such as transportation, affordable housing, employment, environmental resources and land use, as well as many others. The mayor said that challenges ahead will include gaining an extension of the half-cent sales tax, which expires in 2005, and dealing with proposed changes in the area of regional governance.

For the complete text of Chairman Rimsza’s State of the Region address, click here.
For more information contact Kelly Taft, MAG Communications Manager, (602) 254-6300.

Upcoming Events

Input Wanted at Joint Agency Open House and Public Hearing
Citizens who want to respond to regional transportation plans are invited to participate in an Open House and Public Hearing, Tuesday, July 3, 2001.

The Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), and Regional Public Transportation Authority (RPTA) will co-host the events at the MAG offices, 302 North 1st Avenue, Phoenix. The open house will be held from 4:00-5:30 p.m., with the public hearing to follow at 5:30 p.m. Both events will be held in the Saguaro Room on the second floor.

At the open house, displays will be presented that show the regional plans for different types of transportation, the projects to be funded over the next five years, and how these plans and projects affect air quality. During the public hearing, citizens will be asked to provide comments on the following transportation documents:

• Draft 2001 MAG Conformity Analysis
• Draft FY 2001 Summary and Update of the MAG Long Range Transportation Plan
• Draft FY 2002-2006 MAG Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which includes the ADOT Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program, the FY 2001-2007 MAG Area Life Cycle Program for the MAG Regional Freeway System, and the RPTA Short Range Transit Plan.

For more information contact Jason Stephens, MAG Public Involvement Planner, (602) 254-6300.

Next Regional Council Meeting
The next Regional Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 25, 2001 at 5:00 p.m. at the MAG offices, 302 N. 1st Ave., Suite 200. Agenda items are expected to include recommended approval for the FY 2002-2006 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP); Long Rang Transportation Plan and 2001 Update (Plan); Finding of Conformity for the TIP and Plan; FY 2001 Final Phase Input Opportunity Report; 9-1-1 Equipment Request; MAG 208 Water Quality Plan Amendment for the Buckeye Sundance Wastewater Treatment Plant; Consultant Selection for the MAG East/West Mobility Study; and the Enhancement Funds Working Group Round 9 Recommendations.
For more information contact Dennis Smith, MAG Assistant Director, (602) 254-6300.