Marlborough Mesa
NOVEMBER 2003
Nov 30, 2003
MARLBOROUGH MESA SHARES WITH CARE
By Sandra Fischer
Now is the season to show how much we care and is ready to do exactly that with a blow out party. We will also be collecting unwrapped gifts for the East Valley Child Crisis Center so that the kids who stay there will have a better Christmas.
Santa will be there to find out what the kids want for Christmas and have their pictures taken. There will be lots of food and games for the kids to play such as kick ball, toss across, a water balloon relay and egg carry game. Please plan on joining us at the park to show how much you care for your neighborhood and your community. We are having subs and a cake again this year, which will be provided by the neighborhood.
However, we will need you to provide the soda, water, snack chips, ice, plates and plastic dinnerware. Contact Ellen Bretzke at 755-8618 or ellenbretske@hotmail.com if you can donate any of the above food items. We always need lots of food, as we encourage more neighbors to join us each year. We also need 19 volunteers to assist us on that day. We need help with the following areas: (1) set up, (2) help Santa and our photographer with the photos, (3) assistance with the games and (4) a cleaning crew before and after this event. None of these tasks will take much of your time, nor require special skills, just enthusiasm. Please contact Velda Burton at 345-9978 or velda@cableaz.com if you can assist us with any of the above tasks.
Just a reminder, the annual Marlborough Mesa Christmas Toy Drive and Party is scheduled for Saturday, December 13, 2003 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. We look forward to seeing as many of you there as we can. Thank you in advance for all of your support.
Update From Meeting With Crucial City Departments
By Linda Murphy
We had about 20 Marlborough Mesa residents attend the October 10th meeting with the different city departments. From the city we had representatives from Mesa Police, Dobson Ranch Substation, Mesa Police CAT Team, Code Compliance and Neighborhood Outreach. We are hoping to do this twice a year so the different city departments can update us on current activities go on in the neighborhood.
Below is a list of contacts, phone numbers and brief responsibilities.
Mesa Police, Non-Emergency 644-2211
Contact with issues like loud parties, abandon vehicles on the street or
suspicious actives.
CAT Officer, Randie Beaird 644-5634
Contact when an on going issue is not being resolved.
Code Compliance, Amelia Alvarado 644-2949
Contact with issues about the maintenance and upkeep of private property.
This includes RV?’s, inoperable vehicles and boats.
Neighborhood Outreach, Debbie Driscol 644-5434
Contact when you don?’t know who to contact.
Just in Time for Christmas
The neighborhood has received a few more computers that will go to some lucky homeowners in Marlborough Mesa.
Paul Simpson is working diligently to have those FREE computers ready in time for Christmas Presents.
Three criteria that must be met are:
?• You must be a MM homeowner
?• You do not already have a computer
?• You are willing to get internet access, including e-mail.
Please drop off your name, address and phone number at Jim and Alma Jones?’ home at 1031 W. Posada by November 30.
There will be a drawing Luminaries Night on Spruce and Posada with Paul Simpson drawing the lucky winners ?– AND ?– you do not have to be present to win.
A New Email Address
Sandy Scully, your website coordinator has a new email address. You can reach her at:
runscully@msn.com regarding any neighborhood matter.
If you have a new email address contact : Sandy Scully via email or by phone at 345-9823 or Alma Jones at jnajones@cybertrails.com or at 831-1525.
The Power of a Community
By Jason Hawk and Debbie Driscol
In a community we find strength. As individuals, we all have moments of weakness in which others will ?– in their strength ?– support us. Likewise, when they are weak, we will support them.
Remember the recent group of Coal Miners who were trapped underground in freezing water? Well, upon their interview after being rescued, they shared that they decided they were ALL getting out safely.
Experts predicted their death by hypothermia after several hours of entrapment. But these men huddled together with the coldest men in the middle and as others became cold, they shifted that person to the middle to be kept warmer and as a community, they survived.
Frost Elementary Fundraiser
By Sandy Scully
The Frost P.T.O. has planned a fundraiser on Wednesday, Nov. 12th from 5 to 8 p.m. at Arby?’s near the corner of Alma School Road and Guadalupe. A percentage of the sales will be donated to the school. So take a night off from cooking and while supporting Frost too.
Treasurer?’s Report
By Kristine Malcolm
As of 11/1/03, the amount in the account is $2,617.47 in our neighborhood funds.
Know the Code - Inoperable Vehicles
From ?“Across the Back Fence?”
Inoperable vehicles being restored or repaired for longer than 10 days must be stored safely within a lawfully enclosed building or structure or screened by a lawful fence so as not to be visible beyond the property boundaries. Car covers or tarps are not acceptable methods of screening.
Contact the Code Office at (480)644-2061 for inoperable vehicles on private property and call the Mesa Police Department at (480) 644-2211 to report an inoperable vehicle parked in the street.
The Code Enforcement Process....
1. A violation is reported. Within 48 hours a code officer investigates the call.
2. If there is a violation the reisident is given 14 days to correct the violation.
3. A re-inspection is done on day 15. If the violation is still present, a second notice is given providing 10 more days to comply with the Code.
4. Another re-inspection occurs after day 10. If the violation is still present, a citation is issued and compliance is requested immediately. If the resident wishes, they can request a hearing and fight the citation. If they choose this path the process begins to lengthen significantly. Our longest case stretched over two years, and ending up in city court where the judge issued a notice to comply with the city Ordinance and clean up the junk. thank goodness these fights are rare.
CHECK THE STATUS OF A CODE VIOLATION ON-LINE!
To make things easier for you to know the status of a complaint, you can go online to www.cityofmesa.org/codecomp and click on "Check the status of a complaint". You will need to type in the address, then you can see how the case is progressing, or if it closed and deemed to be in compliance with city code. Give it a try!
Neighborhood Notes
Debbie Glick is the new Newsletter Distributor on Osage Ave. Debbie and her daughters are members of the Easter Egg Hunt committee. Debbie and her husband Don have participated in many of the projects in the neighborhood.
Denise Jones is the new Newsletter Distributor for 800-900 block of Plata. Denise is also the Ambassador for her street and Co-Blockwatch Captain.
Teresa Weiland is the new Newsletter Distributor and Ambassador for the 800-900 block of Obispo. Teresa is an Aide at Frost Elementary school.
**** Newsletter Distributors are needed for the 1100 block of Obispo & 2900 block of Spruce along with the 1000-1100 of Plata & Wycliff & Mollera.
Since no one has volunteered for these blocks, they will need to read the newsletter online on our website. ****
U.S. Student Ambassadors to Europe?
Becky Borg and Kara Gregory would like to go as U.S. Student Ambassadors to Europe this summer. To earn the funds needed for this trip the girls would like to babysit kids ages 1 to 10. Call Becky Borg at 897-7749 to schedule their services.
Mesa Public Schools Honor Gold Cards
MesAgenda 9/26 Newsletter
The Gold Card Club is the Mesa Public
Schools way of thanking senior citizens for their support of public education. Membership entitles residents who are 62 years of age, or over, to free or reduced-priced admission to plays, concerts and sporting events sponsored by Mesa Public Schools.
Spouses of members are also eligible for Gold Cards. Gold Card guidelines are available at the:
1) Curriculum Services Center, lobby, Bldg. #2, 549 N. Stapley Drive
2) Student Services Center lobby, 1025 N. Country Club Drive.
3) Administrative Services Center, 4th floor, 63 E. Main St.
Mesa?’s New Arts Center
By Kelly Wendel
Although long known as a sleepy bedroom community with a reputation for rolling up the sidewalks after dusk, city of Mesa officials are hoping a massive new arts center in the city core will spark a renaissance in downtown Mesa.
Construction on the $94 million project started in May 2002, with crews from Layton Construction, along with excavation contractor Buesing Corp. starting earthwork to move a total of 50,000 cu. yds. The 178,000-sq.-ft. center includes four theatres, with seating for 1,600, 550, 200 people, and a studio theatre, an arts education facility and an art galleries.
?“This project will really transform the area and help spark the transformation of downtown Mesa,?” said Michael Tingley, a principal with Portland, Ore.-based design architects BOORA Architects Inc., the design consultant for Phoenix-based DWL Architects. ?“We sincerely believe this project will help change the image of a bedroom community and add up to a transformation in the area?’s economic climate and create an attractive place to live.?”
Because Mesa?’s downtown lacks many large buildings, and in keeping with the city?’s urban planning, designers chose to break up the facilities into five different buildings clustered around a ?“shadow walk.?” The conceptual plan organizes the five buildings around a shady walkway defined by rows of trees and a waterway that mimics a monsoon?’s flash flood. High fabric canopies hung from the theaters punctuate the shadow walk, creating patterns of sun and shade to create an outdoor space useable year round. All of the theaters provide different venues.
?“Each theater is designed for a different purpose,?” said Layton Construction vice manager Jeff Beecher. In the lyric theater that seats 1,600 there will be major performances and Broadway acts. The middle theater is more for plays and the children?’s theater is much smaller. The smallest is a black box theater.?”
Because the theaters and arts components are used at different times and days of the week, architects sited the buildings according to their frequency and type of usage. Arts classrooms and a below-grade art gallery are located on the project?’s most prominent corner to draw pedestrians in from the street. The theaters, which are more destination-specific, sit farther back in the project in the middle of the block.
The art studios that run along the street feature a total of nearly 50,000 sq. ft. of space, with plans calling for 14 studios for pottery, lapidary and other crafts, as well as space for dance and drama. Designers chose to submerge the 20,000-sq.-ft., future home of the Mesa Art Gallery below grade, creating space for a future sculpture park on the street level.
?“We?’ve built some big theaters, but there is really nothing like this out there,?” said Beecher. ?“It?’s very complex to layout and execute the concrete work, because really, you have five different projects here on an 8-acre site.?”
MM CLASSIFIEDS
Please remember that Sheri Powers handles the CLASSIFIEDS online at our website:
www.neighborhoodlink.com/marlborough/mesa/
If you are interested in placing an ad there, send it to Sheri at slp@azlawfirm.com.
Be sure to give the description, price, your phone number and email. ALSO please REMEMBER to email Sheri once your articles have been SOLD so she can remove them.
AND ?– remember not only to PLACE those ads ?– but to look there for PURCHASING as well.
____________________
HOUSE FOR RENT at 2902 S. Mollera in November. 1 year or more lease. 3 Bedroom, 2 bath, family room, dining room, newly painted and landscaped. Tile in hallways, kitchen and baths. Contact Jim or Alma Jones for details at 480-831-1525 for details and showing. Rent negotiable if background checks, credit checks and references are excellent.
Neighborhood Website Address:
http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/mesa/marlborough
For info concerning this newsletter, please contact the editors/publishers: Jim and Alma Jones 1031 W. Posada
jnajones@cybertrails.com/ 480-831-1525 or 602-321-1139
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
