Marlborough Mesa

MARCH 2003

Mar 07, 2003

3rd ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT and COMMUNITY PICNIC

by Linda Murphy

If you live within the boundaries of Alma School Road and Extension ... Guadalupe Road and the Chandler border ?– this is Marlborough Mesa and you are invited!!!

The event will be held on Saturday, April 5 at 10:00 am at our park. Like last year, help from the Mesa United Way will help purchase food, drinks and a prize for every child. To add to the fun please bring your favorite dessert to share with your neighbors.

The ages for the egg hunt are as follows and will be held one at a time:

4 years and under
5 to 7 years
8 to 11 years.

We can still use 3 young people and adults to help ?– before, during and after the event. If you are interested please contact me at 480-820-5742 or ASUFAN2002@yahoo.com. Things we still need at a good price or donated are:
* Yellow or light green wrapping paper
* Yellow or light green ribbon.
* Easter candy or chocolate bunnies
* Six packs of soda or water
* Bags of Potato Chips or Doritos
* Ketchup, mustard and relish
* Hot dogs
* Charcoal (2-10# bags)

All donations can be dropped off at our home at 3048 S. Spruce Street or at Alma Jones. If you do want to help in any way, please TRY to volunteer no later than March 15th.

We would like to thank Jeepers for donating a number of Jeepers Passes and helping us purchase the small items for the giveaway bags.

Things to remember:
*A parent MUST accompany all children.
*All parents are responsible for ?“going thru?” the bags and baskets of what their children may receive.
*You may want to consider bringing a chair, field games for children, etc. IF you do, please remember to put your name on those items.
* In case of lots of rain ?– this event will be rescheduled.



EVENING OF FINE DINING FOR EDUCATION

By Sandy Scully

Frost Elementary parent and chef Tony Hamati, co-owner of Bravo! Bistro in Scottsdale, is contributing his considerable skills to a Frost fundraiser dinner.

The event takes place Thursday, March 13 at Frost Elementary Multipurpose room from 5:00-6:30 PM.

Chef Hamati is graciously donating the food and his culinary talents for the benefit of education.

The menu is: sausage/peppers, chicken with a four-cheese sauce, penne pasta, spaghetti (for the children), bread, salad, tiramisu and ice cream (for the children).

The cost is $5 per adult (7th grade & older), and $3 per child (6th grade and younger). Tickets are on sale outside of the school office March 5-12th from 7:30-8:00 a.m., and a half hour after school is dismissed.

Tickets will not be sold on Friday, March 7th. Tickets will not be sold at the door.

Please buy your tickets early to give us an accurate count and avoid long lines.

CHEF Hamati?’s Restaurant,
Bravo! Bistro, has a Mediterranean-Italian style cuisine. Bravo! Bistro is ranked in the "Top 20 Restaurants" of Phoenix metro area. Chef Hamati was a chef for the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Tomaso's, and is now co-owner of Bravo! Bistro in Scottsdale.



MAKE YOUR CAR
TOUGH TO STEAL

Mesa Police Auto Theft Detectives will be distributing FREE steering wheel locks when you sign up for the ?“Watch Your Car Program.?” Officers will also be available to etch a vehicle identification number (VIN) on vehicle windows on Thursday, March 13 from 4 to 7 p.m. at central police substation, 120 N. Robson St.

For more information, please contact Holly Hosac, crime prevention specialist, at 480-644-2033, or www.cityofmesa.org/police/clubs.asp.

You may even register online at the above location then stop by the Police Department and pick up your locking ?“club?”. They will mail you the stickers to place on your vehicle.



DISTRICT 3
PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Vice-Mayor Dennis Kavanaugh will host the breakfast and our fire fighters will cook it.

Bring the whole family for pancakes and eggs Saturday, March 15 from 8-10:30 AM to Fire Station 207, 2505 S. Dobson Road.

The little ones are always fascinated with the fire engines, thereby giving you a perfect time to get answers on your questions about what's happening in Mesa. No waiting for returned calls or emails. Immediate answers.



MM NEIGHBORS PLAN AREA GARAGE SALE

Thanks to those of you who took time to vote over the internet on the date you wanted for the yearly Marlborough Mesa neighborhood-wide garage sale. The votes were nearly 2 to 1 in favor of Saturday, March 22. Democracy reigns.

Now we NEED a volunteer to post ?“Community Yard Sale?” signs at the entrances (contact Alma Jones 831-1525 or jnajones@cybertrails.com). Four signs will be at 1031 W. Posada and need to be placed at entrances late Friday night or very early Saturday morning.

We know there will be much more traffic than usual so watching our children will be an even greater challenge. Expect a lot of browsers and buyers.



CLEAN SWEEP JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Getting ready for spring-cleaning? Marlborough Mesa and the City of Mesa want to help, but they also need your help.

Sponsors are needed to ?“host?” the dumpsters on their individual streets. Tentative plans call for dumpsters to be placed on Mondays, April 7, 14, 21 and 28. For more information, please contact Kristine and Tim at 491-9957 or malcohouse@cableaz.com.

We should have the complete schedule and locations in the April Newsletter and online.



BE ALERT?–
CHILD SAFETY CLASSES

The Mesa Police Crime Prevention Unit is offering child safety presentations using magic, puppets and props to teach safety to children kindergarten through fourth grade (ages 5 - 11) and their parents. Topics Include:

Abduction Safety
911 Emergencies
Helmet Safety
Self Esteem
Team Building
Honesty.

The following dates and locations are available by reservation only:

March 17 ?– Noon-1:00 pm Main Library
March 20 ?– Noon-1:00 pm Main Library
April 1 ?– 6 ?– 7 pm Mesa Police Station
April 23 ?– 6 ?– 7 pm Jefferson Gym
May 13 ?– 6 ?– 7 pm Dobson Library
May 29 ?– 6 ?– 7 pm Mesa Police Station

Please contact Crime Prevention Specialist Jerry Quarles at: 480-644-2539 for more information about the program and to reserve your seats. (Space is limited)



THIS IS YOUR NEWSLETTER, so?…

If you have an article of interest to our neighborhood and would like to submit it, the DEADLINE is the 25th of each month. Send your article to either:
Kelly Wendel at kellywendel@yahoo.com
491-9659
Sandy Scully at sscully@peoplepc.com
345-9823
Alma Jones at jnajones@cybertrails.com
831-1525



NEIGHBORHOOD DAY AT THE CAPITOL

By Alma Jones

Every year Arizona sponsors Neighborhood Day at the capitol grounds. This year it was held on February 19. Leaders from all over Arizona were there. Sean McLaughlin of Channel 12 was the program MC. Among the speakers was Governor Janet Napolitano.

In the 2003 Legislative Agenda, one BIG item we ALL need to keep our eyes upon is the PROTECTION of STATE SHARED REVENUES. This is something that will affect you and I. As funds are needed - they must come from somewhere. We want to protect and preserve state shared revenues that are used to maintain and improve the quality of life residents experience in our cities and towns.

The Clean Sweep Program is being watched and possibly may be terminated this year. Right now it will continue through May. After that, no one is certain how long it will last. The PRIDE Grants that fund our many projects and activities may also be in jeopardy. Both programs come from state shared revenues.

If you have an opportunity to ?“have your say?” in any of this, please make your voice heard to any and ALL of our Legislators.

Our legislator spoke and then turned it over to Councilmember Claudia Walters who fielded questions from the small groups. We were extremely impressed with her knowledge on virtually every subject. This was indeed a live history lesson! From idea ... to bill ... to law - we learned how difficult it is to get bills introduced and passed in the legislature.

There was a small window for leisure time and somewhere in there we squeezed in lunch, which was provided for everyone.

If you would like to read more about the upcoming agenda, go to our neighborhood website and click on the AZ state website link.



TREASURER'S REPORT
By Kristine Malcolm

Our quarterly statement as of 12-31-03 has a balance of $2,607.38 remaining in our neighborhood funds.



THOSE UNWANTED WEEDS

By Angela Duncan,
Code Compliance Office of the City of Mesa

With the recent much-needed rain, Mesa?’s neighborhoods have seen a surge in the growth of pesky, unwanted weeds. Overgrown weeds are not just unsightly; they can also be fire and safety hazards. When the weather starts to warm up, overgrown weeds and other vegetation can become dead and dry. Tall weeds can also harbor vermin, insects, and other pests.

Mesa City Code says that properties must be kept free of weeds and grass more than 9 inches tall. Sidewalks, alleys and other public places bordering your property should also be kept clear of overgrown weeds. The City of Mesa CC office encourages residents to maintain their properties in compliance with all city codes, including cutting or removing weeds before they become too tall. Please address any weed problem you may have on your property prior to Code Compliance?’s involvement. To help with yard and landscape cleanups, Code Compliance?’s tool lending program offers tools free of charge to groups and community organizations.

Maintaining a neatly kept home and yard positively impacts property values and neighborhood appearance, as well as encourages others in the neighborhood to maintain their property. Code Compliance has a free brochure available which explains the most common neighborhood nuisance and blight issues. To request a copy, report a violation, or obtain more information, call Code Compliance at 644-2061 or send e-mail: codecomp.info@cityofmesa.org.



NEIGHBORHOOD NOTES:

Greg and Vanessa Hess are now delivering the newsletters on Olla. Debbie and Don Glick have faithfully delivered the newsletters since it's
inception. Thanks for your dedication and time.

Pampa will need a new Blockwatch Leader PLUS an Ambassador, as Becky Trudgeon (our Welcome Basket lady) and her new husband Ken, along with daughter Marissa, will be moving sometime this summer once their new home is completed. Becky has done MM a tremendous service using her talents in making up all of our Welcome Baskets for new residents. She will continue making them until they move.

Plata will also need a new Ambassador to take Elaine Duford's place. She will be leaving Marlborough for a smaller place that is more manageable for her as a single lady. When a new resident moved in near Elaine ?– she is the first to call and say ?“I need another Welcome Basket.?”

If you are interested in helping in any of the above capacities, please contact: Sandy Scully, 345-9823/sscully@peoplepc.com or Alma Jones, 831-1525/jnajones@cybertrails.com.

Naomi Mills is retiring from placing the Crime Stat numbers on our website which she has updated monthly for well over a year now. Her replacement came quickly though in Jerri Pennington on Wycliff. Jerri had said several months ago that she could help whenever something became available for her to do. Naomi will continue in passing out newsletters on Posada. Thank you Naomi for all that you do and have done and welcome Jerri.

Our VOLUNTEERS are very SPECIAL people. They are indeed the ?“heart?” of Marlborough Mesa! Without them, we would have ?–

- no PRIDE Grants
- no entrance signs
- no painted perimeter fence walls
- no entrance renovations
- no curb numbering
- no communications on a regular basis
- no liaison for cable companies
- no liaison for the City of Mesa
- no newsletter delivery
- no Ambassadors
- no welcome baskets to newcomers
- no organized clean sweeps
- no fund raisers
- no speed humps
- no planned events (Easter/Christmas)
- no Blockwatch
- no Directory of Services
- no Treasurers/Financial Committee
- no Media Manager

Thank you all for your tireless efforts and con-
tributions in making MM a great place to live.



WHEN YOU VISIT OUR WEBSITE ...

Get Crime Stats, Want Ads & More!

Need to sell something? Want to buy something?
List your stuff. Things you wanna?’ sell. Things you wanna?’ buy.

Email Sheri Powers at: slp@azlawfirm.com
with the description, price and your phone
number/email.

Check out the ?“Talk About It?” Section also.