It's hard to believe that the holiday season is here again. 2004 has flown by; our accomplishments in District 5 and throughout the city of Phoenix give us much to celebrate. On behalf of Pat, Rebecca, Edward, Michelle, Matt and me, thanks to all of you who have worked with us to make District 5 a better place to live, work and raise a family. We appreciate your efforts and support, and look forward to a prosperous 2005.
Here's wishing a happy and safe Holiday to you and your families from District 5.
Happy Holidays from Councilman Mattox and the District 5 staff (left to right) Rebecca Woods, Edward Olaya, Claude Mattox, Michelle Pishkur, Pat Severance and Matt Rihs.
The West Phoenix Revitalization Program is underway. The boundaries of the project are Dunlap Road to Van Buren Street and from 19th to 91st avenues. It is a comprehensive, long-term program to evaluate city services in the community, and identify short, medium and long-term plans of action to improve services and effect change in the community. The project is divided into three phases:
Phase One: Study all city services in the west Phoenix community and issue a draft report with immediate service enhancement recommendations.
Phase Two: Define target areas, community priorities and medium-term improvements for the next budget cycle.
Phase Three: Develop and evaluate long-term revitalization projects requiring substantial resources through grants and bond programs.
The City Council voted on November 23 to proceed with the Phase One service delivery recommendations. This includes an allocation of $380,000 in General Fund contingencies; $497,000 in Solid Waste funds; $144,00 in Development Services funds and $80,000 in AHUR funds. It also approves 13 new staff positions.
Community forums will be scheduled in early 2005 to receive community input on the program. If you have any questions, please feel free to call my office at 602-262-7446.
Proposition 400 - the Regional Transportation Plan - was approved by voters on Nov. 2. The comprehensive plan extends the current half-cent sales tax for transportation and lays out 20 years of transportation improvements. In the West Valley, these improvements include:
New Loop 303 Freeway (Estrella Freeway), linking communities throughout the West Valley.
New Freeway (I-10 Reliever), which will provide a major route parallel to I-10.
Add new lanes to Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) and add high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes.
Add new lanes to I-17 (Black Canyon Freeway) from Peoria Avenue to New River Road. Add HOV lanes from Loop 101 to Anthem Way.
Add new lanes and improve U.S. 60 (Grand Avenue) from Central Phoenix to Loop 303.
New Freeway (South Mountain Freeway/Loop 202) from I-10 in West Phoenix to the Santan Freeway/I-10.
Upgrade Northern Avenue to a parkway from Grand Avenue to Loop 303.
Light rail extension from downtown Phoenix along the I-10 corridor to 79th Avenue.
New or enhanced express bus/bus rapid transit and regional bus service.
Enhanced transit security, additional bus pullouts and other passenger amenities.
For a complete list of improvements and more information about the Regional Transportation Plan, please visit the Maricopa Association of Governments Web site at www.LetsKeepMoving.com. For questions about light rail or bus services, please contact Maria Hyatt at 602-261-8897.
It's that time again! Neighborhood associations and Block Watch groups are eligible to receive grants for programs that fight crime and improve quality of life. Applications for the 2005 Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Program will be available Jan. 3, 2005 at Phoenix Police Department Headquarters, 620 W. Washington St., at all police precincts and on the Internet at www.phoenix.gov/POLICE/nbwgrant.html. Applications are due no later than 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, 2005.
In 2004, the city distributed $1.2 million to 158 Phoenix neighborhood groups. For more information, call 602-262-6543.
Recently, drought and its impact on Arizona have received daily news coverage. As you probably are aware, I have been very involved in the planning of Phoenix's drought response. As we continue to experience the tenth year of drought on the Salt and Verde rivers and the fifth year of drought on the Colorado, Phoenix is looking beyond just conservation programs. The city is enhancing its drought response plan.
What's the difference between conservation and drought response? Conservation is a lifestyle; it is activities, mechanical and environmental changes that are incorporated in our day-to-day lives, such as changing out plumbing to low flow fixtures, planting drought tolerant plants, sweeping instead of washing down sidewalks and much more. Drought response is immediate, aggressive changes and restrictions in how you use water during the drought.
The city currently is restructuring its drought response plan. Should the drought continue, the improved plan likely will be adopted this winter and implemented in the spring. Examples of the restrictions could include limiting the amount of water used for lawns and landscaping, restricting the time of day we water, prohibiting residential over seeding of winter lawns and prohibiting draining and refilling pools.
The initial drought response plan will be educational. Violators will be contacted by the city and educated on the proper use of water. Our goal is to prepare you in the event that mandatory restrictions are required. Phoenix will continue to plan effectively for water to be delivered to your tap. For now, we ask that you take it upon yourself to Think About Water and Use it Responsibly. Thank you for your support and cooperation for our water conservation progress and helping us get through this drought.
In November, the Phoenix City Council approved its 2005 Legislative Agenda. The city's top priorities for the upcoming legislative session include the protection of state shared revenues, the establishment of a university medical school in Phoenix and the creation of local
economic development tools. Other areas of legislative focus include liquor law revisions to help neighborhoods address problem bars, provisions for swimming pool barrier requirements, supporting the limitation of sex offender clustering, and addressing the cruising problem. Future newsletters will provide information on legislative actions impacting the city of Phoenix and District 5.
The City Council recently approved some changes to the Neighborhood Block Watch Grant Program for the 2005-2006 grant cycle. These changes include:
There is now a maximum cap of $480 a year for cellular phone charges.
New banking requirements will be implemented for all grantees. In 2004, all grantees, except schools and non-profit organizations, were required to deposit block watch grant funds into a separate checking account with a city of Phoenix representative as a signatory on the account. In 2005, the exception for schools and non-profits will be eliminated. All grant recipients must deposit funds into a centralized financial institution (Chase in 2005) and allow a city representative to be a signer on the account.
Scoring criteria has been expanded to include an ongoing commitment to crime prevention efforts as a part of the criteria.
Procedures for handling groups and individuals who do not comply with grant requirements have been adopted. The procedures allow the Oversight Committee to place non-compliant groups on one or two-year probations, depending upon the type of violation. During the probation period, groups would be ineligible to apply for grant funds. Individuals who are responsible for not complying with requirements could be permanently banned from participating in the program. The Oversight Committee will act as the hearing board for all decisions concerning probations and permanent bans.
The equipment policy has been updated. Three years after the grant year in which equipment is purchased, the city may transfer ownership of the equipment to the group that purchased it. If the group does not want the equipment, it can be transferred to another group or returned to the city. If the equipment is determined to have little or no value, it may be disposed of by the group. If you have any questions or need more information about the Neighborhood Block Watch
Grant Programs, call 602-262-6543 or e-mail nbw.grants.ppd@phoenix.gov.
More than 450 residents, community partners, youth groups from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and city staff took to the neighborhoods to provide cleanup, house painting, landscape and other services to residents living along 51st Avenue between Camelback and Indian School roads on Saturday, Nov. 20.
This is a great example of how residents in District 5, working with local businesses, church youth groups, and the city, can pull together and really make a difference. The cleanup event was very gratifying; the recipients really needed the help, and you could just see how
happy they were as people showed up to help.
City staff closed the northbound curb lane of 51st Avenue so that backhoes and other equipment could get access to homes. The city also loaned out cleanup tools to volunteers.
Dozens of residences received repair and rehabilitation. Paint, landscaping and other supplies
were purchased by Maryvale U.N.I.T.E. through the Neighborhood Services Department's Curb Appeal Program. In addition, each residence received a Mayor's Bench and a Thanksgiving turkey donated
by John F. Long.
Councilman Mattox and a youth group take a quick break during the Maryvale clean-up.
Between January and December 2004, the District 5 office opened 1,650 constituent cases and closed 1,500 cases. As always, our office is ready to help you with any of your neighborhood issues. Feel free to call us any time we can be of assistance to you at 602-262-7446, or send an e-mail to council.district.5@phoenix.gov.
"West Side Story" is posted on the city's Web site at www.phoenix.gov/DISTRICT5. For alternative format/reasonable accommodations, call 602-262-7176 or TTY/TDD 602-534-5500.
Your comments, suggestions and story ideas are welcome by calling Councilman Mattox at 602-262-7446, e-mail council.district.5@phoenix.gov or mail to City of Phoenix, 200 W. Washington St., 11th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85003.
Message from Councilman Claude Mattox 
Recently, drought and its impact on Arizona have received daily news coverage. As you probably are aware, I have been very involved in the planning of Phoenix's drought response. As we continue to experience the tenth year of drought on the Salt and Verde rivers and the fifth year of drought on the Colorado, Phoenix is looking beyond just conservation programs. The city is enhancing its drought response plan. 
More than 450 residents, community partners, youth groups from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and city staff took to the neighborhoods to provide cleanup, house painting, landscape and other services to residents living along 51st Avenue between Camelback and Indian School roads on Saturday, Nov. 20.
