City Manager's Update


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City Manager's Update

Date:	August 10, 2007
To:	Mayor and City Council
From:	Christopher J. Brady, City Manager

Council and Advisory Board meeting calendar

Here is my update on City news. Please let me know if you need more information about any of these items:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Falcon Field Airport

Champlin Museum Buildings
The City and DJC, LLC have signed the lease for the east World War II hangar. DJC is currently in lease negotiations with a commercial aviation business to occupy the space and is also planning to lease space for private aircraft storage.

LIBRARY

Teen Summer of Service Volunteers
In 2006, Volunteer Coordinator, Kathee Herbstreit, created the Teen Summer of Service (SOS) Program. The program benefits both the teens and the library by offering Mesa’s teen population a safe, constructive and productive environment in which they earn service hours during the summer months. Library patrons also benefited in the SOS program as teens completed numerous projects designed to make the three libraries more attractive, efficient and orderly for customers. Additionally, the projects completed by the teen volunteers saved staff time.

During the first year, 196 teens participated, contributing 849 hours of service to the library. This year, 439 teens volunteered and the library received 1,162.5 hours of work. Over a six-week period, the equivalent of 4.8 full-time employees were free to provide direct customer service, improving customer relations.

POLICE

Mesa Police Department Represented at Statewide Victim Assistance Conferences
For the fourth year in a row, Karen Stegenga, Crime Prevention Officer was invited to teach "Crimes Against the Elderly" at the Arizona Victim Assistance Academy (AVAA) in Flagstaff. Approximately 50 victim advocates from around the state attended the Flagstaff academy.

Stegenga, recognized statewide for her expertise on elder abuse covered the impact on crime against the elderly, including types of abuse and the warning signs, the role of Adult Protective Service/State statues covering elder abuse and available community resources. Additionally, Amy Martinez, Victim Services Volunteer Coordinator and Gina McAlister from Victim Services Unit attended the academy.

Sponsored by the Arizona Coalition for Victim Services through grants and contributions by local law enforcement agencies, Stegenga, a 10-year City of Mesa employee will be teaching the August class at the Arizona Coalition conference in Phoenix

MPD Officer’s Daughter to be a Congressional Page
Christen Brown, the daughter of Mesa Police Officer Robert Brown, has been selected to serve as a Congressional Page in the U.S. House of Representatives during the upcoming fall semester. Since 1839, the United States Congress has employed young people as pages who serve as messengers and perform administrative tasks. In the past the House of Representatives is normal staffed with 76 pages, however budget reductions reduced the number to 24, creating fierce competition between the candidates.

Impressively, Christen was selected to serve. Pages are high-school juniors from around the country and are sponsored by member of Congress. Christen is sponsored by Arizona Congressman Trent Franks. She will also be attending school at the Library of Congress, while working in her new assignment. She is a student at the Northwest Christian School in Phoenix and is involved in student government currently serving as Junior Class President. She plans to pursue a career in public service.

TRANSPORTATION

Crossing Guard Training Workshops
The Transportation Department participated in the August 3 West Valley School Crossing Guard training workshop and is hosting the August 10 training program in Mesa. The regional training program is sponsored by MAG with instructors from various organizations throughout the valley.