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HomeMy WebLinkAboutState of the Town 2007 Marana State of the Town Address Ed Honea, Mayor April 19, 2007 Before I begin, I want to recognize and thank a few special partners who helped make the State of the Town address a reality. · The Pines Golf Club at Marana for its signature sponsorship as well as our other outstanding community partners who sponsored this event · The Marana Chamber of Commerce Board and President/CEO Ed Stolmaker · The Marana Foundation and its President, Rick McAtee · Comcast, in particular Kelle Maslyn, for media support · Town Manager Mike Reuwsaat and the staff ofthe Town for their leadership and hard work . My wife, Jan I am happy to report that the state of our community is good and getting even better. I stand here today, with friends and supporters of this great community, to highlight some of our accomplishments. We have achieved so much this past year and today is a celebration of that fact. I also want to announce a bold vision for our future. I will be seeking the support of the Town Council to achieve it. This year, we are celebrating Marana's 30th birthday - a milestone for any community. Getting to this point was not easy. I remember what it was like 30 years ago - boy, do I remember. Marana's beginnings were by no means a walk in the park. With a $40,000 budget, three employees, and no equipment, the Town's founders took a leap of faith to start this community. Those were the days. Though we struggled through monumental challenges, we prospered in ways I can barely describe. We started with very little but created something of tremendous value - that value has been the friendships and the family that is known as Marana. The successes that followed from those meager beginnings happened because of the hard work of the many pioneers and the visionaries who followed in their footsteps. Before I highlight some of our successes, I want to take a moment to recognize and thank the six members of the Town Council: Vice Mayor Herb Kai, Councilmember Bob Allen, Councilmember Jim Blake, Councilmember Patti Comerford, Councilmember Tim Escobedo and Councilmember Carol McGorray. These folks work incredibly hard every day for this community. They take on difficult issues, make decisions on behalf of the citizens and represent Marana well. I am honored to serve with these outstanding leaders and I hope this community sees the hard work they are doing. Please join me in thanking them for their service. This past year has been an amazing one for Marana. Here are just a few of the exciting things that happened in our community. . . Last printed 4/23/2007 @ 12:05:20 PM 1 · Accenture World Match Play Golf Toumament · Ritz Carlton and the Saguaro Ranch Resort · We welcomed another 2,500 residents to the Marana community . 809 homes were built · 32 commercial structures were built · The Town annexed 440 acres in Pinal County, one of the nation's fastest-growing small counties · The Chamber of Commerce is nearing its sooth member · The Marana School District received the 2006 Spotlight on Success A ward for Collaborative Leadership (this is the first school district in the state to receive this award) · Marana High School had the top teacher of the year for the state Marana has come a long way in 30 years. We have grown into a full-fledged community prepared for the next 30 years and beyond. We are a regional player leading the way with great plans, bold actions and a sincere commitment to the individual Marana citizen. Today, I am excited to announce a strategic plan for the future. By announcing this plan, I am committed to making a difference for our community by focusing our resources into a prioritized set of goals that will need the support and dedication of our Town Council, staff and community. As most of you know, I love and appreciate Marana's heritage and all of us want to preserve as much of our past as possible. Over the past few years, we have promoted the Marana Heritage Park - a wonderful project that will bring together elements of our proud and colorful past. Located along the Santa Cruz River in Gladden Farms, this park will feature an operational farm, a history museum and a passenger train. Community history is something we must hold onto and this project will help us do that. Building Marana's Downtown IfI said to you, "Let's meet in downtown Marana," I would get several different responses, including Circle K, Ina Road or Cortaro Road. We must dedicate as much of our resources and efforts to encourage the development and creation of a true downtown for this community. I want everyone to be able to enjoy downtown Marana. IfI-lO had been built further to the east in the 1 960s, Marana's original downtown would be a thriving place full of shops, diners and places to spend time. We pledge today to begin the process to recreate that original place of central commerce. Building a true downtown will not be easy - it will take strong partnerships with the private sector and entrepreneurs who are willing to make investments. We must create incentives and encourage businesses and families to locate there. I hope to see many types of restaurants, cafes, clubs, retail shops, offices and public gathering places. Last printed 4/23/2007 @ 12:05:20 PM 2 Our downtown will be one ofthe greatest legacies we can give this community. Marana needs to bring together all the neighborhoods and communities in the outlying areas. We need an identity that will bring us together as one. Downtown Marana will be that place. Cemetery Anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm an enthusiastic person. While the subject of establishing a cemetery in our town isn't exactly upbeat, the reality is that we are losing a part of our history by not having a final resting place for our citizens. Think of what we have lost over the years with our family and friends being laid to rest in other communities far from their homes. Generations of human history that helped build, farm, tend and reap from this fertile land were not able to stay with us. I will be working with the Council and staff to develop possible cemetery sites. I seek the support and creativity of our land owners and those who have an interest in developing a Memorial Park to join me in efforts to add this valuable community asset. Newspaper The written word can serve as a powerful tool of communication and a record of a community's history. One of our town's great shortcomings has been its lack of a weekly newspaper that is dedicated to covering just Marana. That is about to change. Starting May 2, Tucson West Publishing will begin producing the Marana Weekly News, a paper that will be solely dedicated to covering the life and times of this generation of Maranans and those who follow. Tucson West has been part of our community through the publication ofthe Monument News. Now, the owners are making an even larger commitment by going to a weekly schedule. Marana businesses need a newspaper to advertise and recruit. Our schools need a newspaper to promote and educate the community about all the good they are doing. Our civic organizations need a newspaper to share in the benefits they provide. Our citizens need a newspaper to inform them. We are proud to have the Marana Weekly News on board. TortoIita Fan Protecting the environment has consistently been a top priority ofthis Council and we pledge to take it even further. We want to challenge our community to find a way to protect the undeveloped portions of the Tortolita Fan. The area east ofI-1O and the Central Arizona Canal and north of Tangerine into Pinal County is prime habitat for a number of animal and plant species. We want the Town of Marana to be known as a leader in environmental protection by securing approximately 18,000 acres ofland in the Tortolita Fan. This will send a clear message that we are serious about responsible development that will preserve the environment for future generations. Last printed 4/23/2007 @ 12:05:20 PM 3 General Government Weare going to continue raising the bar on the delivery of our municipal services. We want Marana to be known as the best possible local government in a medium-sized community. We value customer service and want every citizen and guest in our community to be treated with the utmost respect. To help guide development throughout Marana, we are undertaking a major amendment to the general plan. The General Plan is our vision of how this community should be organized and built. The amendment process will involve many public presentations and opportunities for citizens to participate. This Council will seek input from any residents who want a better roadmap for the future. In addition, the Town is rewriting its land development code. This is a set of Town ordinances outlining the development process - it was adopted a number of years ago and will undergo a major overhaul. The land development code must reflect our attitude toward excellent customer service and our progressive stance on quality development. Speaking of customer service, the Town is preparing to mail a survey to all its residents. This survey will give Town Council and management a clear picture of the things that are being done well and the areas where the Town must improve. I encourage any of you who receive this survey to fill it out and make your voice heard. Finally, we are excited to announce that we are working to improve our development services process. This means quicker reviews, better processing response and a more organized approach to development in Marana. By raising the bar to provide better service, we understand that our citizens, business owners and developers will be able to invest their time making their projects more successful. Economic Development A very important job of this Council will be to ensure positive economic growth for this community. The creation of high-wage jobs, corporate investment, and employment sectors will be vital to our long-term sustainability. We need to make sure that families and individuals have the opportunity to earn a living and be a part of our great community. The Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities organization has announced a plan to partner with the Town of Marana to develop Marana's economic blueprint. This plan will outline the steps and critical issues that our community must address to continue our economic growth. This economic blueprint will tie into our general plan and our Capital Improvement Program so that we maximize our overall planning effort. As our community grows, our need for excellent medical care will become even more important. This Council will be working to ensure the development of a Northwest Last printed 4/23/2007 @ 12:05:20 PM 4 Medical Center in the shortest time possible. The hospital will not only serve the medical needs of our residents, it will create good jobs and help other industries thrive in the Marana area, including our local Marana Health Center, which has been a community partner to us for some time. Apart from jobs, we need obtainable, quality housing that fits any income level. We cannot ignore the importance of housing and the impact it will have on economic development. We will continue to develop innovative approaches to meet our housing needs. Community Safety Building this community without ensuring that it is safe for residents and visitors is something we cannot afford to risk. Our goal as a community should be to make this the safest community in the state. To reach that goal, we are developing an innovative community policing program. Our officers must be visible, approachable and responsive to the needs ofthis community. We will continue our educational outreach effort through the school resource officer program - protecting our children is one of the most important things we can do as a community. Finally, our officers need to be well equipped and fairly compensated for the work they perform. Today, I have announced several exciting initiatives - from building a downtown to addressing a number of important community needs, including a cemetery, newspaper and hospital. The road ahead will have its obstacles, but I know that as a unified community we can accomplish anything. We have excellent leadership on this Council, a highly talented and professional staff and citizens who care for and want the best for their community. I see great things ahead for Marana. I am honored to serve another four years as your Mayor and will do the best job I can for this community. I know that the Town Council shares my feelings about this community and these men and women also will give their best to make Marana one of the best communities in the state. Thank you for this opportunity and may each of you continue to help make Marana even better. Thank you and have a great afternoon. Last printed 4/23/2007 @ 12:05:20 PM 5