District 1 Newsletter - February 2017

The City of Mesa's website, MesaAz.gov, has many pages that provide important information for residents and business owners. I want to highlight a few of these links in each issue to make sure that all of you know where you can find info you may not even know you needed.

This edition's highlighted links are:

Utility Rate Report
This document explains how the City of Mesa determined the Utility Rates for the year.

Year End Report for 2015/16
This document is the financial breakdown for the City of Mesa and explains how the City spends it's money.

Is there a document you would like to see highlighted?Send your submissions to Randy.Policar@mesaaz.gov.

Thank You Dave Richins

I would like to personally thank Dave Richins for the more than eight years of service he provided the City of Mesa while representing District 1 on the Mesa City Council. The dedication he showed to his neighbors and the City at large during his time in office is much appreciated, and he will be missed in the office.

He has left me some very large shoes to fill and I will do my best to live up to the legacy he left. I hope Dave enjoys his time as a regular citizen now and I hope he won't be a stranger to City of Mesa events.

Thank you Dave!

Join an Advisory Board or Committee

Are you passionate about open space and would like to help shape Mesa's next great park? Do you have ideas on how to provide greater transportation options for Mesa residents? If so, soon you can apply to be a member of one of our advisory boards and committees. Expertise from the community is needed for a host of positions opening up on the Parks and Recreation Board and Transportation Advisory Board, just to name a few.

Mesa residents are invited to participate in the process of City of Mesa government by serving on one of the City's 25 citizen advisory boards and committees. Through this service, civic-minded citizens become involved in their local government and make recommendations to the Mesa City Council. The City, in turn, benefits from the knowledge, experience and expertise of citizens.

Each June, as board and committee members end their terms, new members are needed to take their places. For information about advisory board and committee openings, along with meeting information and application forms, visit www.mesaaz.gov/city-hall/advisory-boards-committees. If you are interested in serving and have questions about a specific board or committee, contact Ian Linssen at 480-644-3002 or via email at ian.linssen@mesaaz.gov.

Prospective board and committee members must complete and application form, which can be filled out and emailed online or printed and mailed. Mail completed forms to the Mayor's Office, P.O. Box 1466, Mesa, AZ 85211 or fax them to 480-644-2175. All appointments to the boards are recommended by the Mayor and approved by the City Council.

City Council Meetings City of Mesa Logo

City Council meetings are typically held the first and third Mondays of each month,

beginning at 5:45pm. All agendas are available on-line at www.mesaaz.gov.

Study sessions are held most Thursday mornings at 7:30am in the lower level council chambers. Check the city's website for details.

City Council Chambers

57 E. First Street

Mesa, AZ 85201

Greetings my fellow District 1 Neighbors!

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mark Freeman and I am your newly elected Councilmember for District 1. It is my distinct pleasure to represent all of you on the Mesa City Council.

In order for you to get to know me better, I wanted to give you some background on my history. My family's history is intertwined with Mesa's history. I am related to Charles Crismon, who was one of the founding fathers of Mesa. My family has been farming this land since 1878, a tradition I continue today. I also spent 31 years as a member of the Mesa Fire Department as a Captain Paramedic. My wife and I have very deep roots in this community and I want to help keep it the wonderful place it is to live.

It truly is an honor to serve as your Councilmember and I look forward to doing all I can for all of you.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Mark Freeman
District 1

Contact Information

As I settle into my new role on Council, I think it is important to know what the needs and issues of our residents are. So if there is anything you feel I should know about, if you have questions or you want some information, please feel free to call or email me and I will make every effort to get in touch with you as soon as I can.

I can be reached the following ways:

EMAIL: District1@mesaaz.gov or Councilmember.Freeman@mesaaz.gov

TELEPHONE: 480-644-4002

You can also contact my Council Assistant, Alicia White. She can be reached at Alicia.White@mesaaz.gov or by phone at 480-644-5296.

Social Media

One of the best ways to get information about what's going on in the City of Mesa and District 1 is through my social media pages. So please follow me on Twitter and like my FaceBook page to keep up-to-date with all the happenings around the city. Just click the logos below.

Facebook.com/CouncilmemberMarkFreeman

@MesaDistrict1

Gilbert Road Light Rail Extension Update

The Gilbert Road extension of the Light Rail track through Downtown Mesa broke ground in late 2016. This extension will provide better access to the downtown area from the Loop 202, the US 60 as well as central and east Mesa. It will also provide the opportunity for redevelopment along the route.

The extension will add 1.9 miles on Main Street from Mesa Drive to Gilbert Road. The project is expected to be complete in May of 2019.

The extension project will have no new net cost to the City General Fund and is budgeted at approximately $152.7 million, with funding coming from federal and local funds.

Spring Training Is Almost Here

The 2017 Cactus League Spring Training season is nearly upon us, and what a spring it will be! The City of Mesa will kick off Spring Training by welcoming back to Mesa the 2017 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs with a Championship Rally on February 24th from Noon to 4 pm. Members of the Cubs team will speak to the crowd, present the World Series Trophy and then fans can line up to have their picture taken with the trophy. Photos are limited and it will be a first come, first served basis.

The games will begin on February 25, as the Oakland Athletics and Chicago Cubs will begin their Cactus League schedule at Sloan Park. Spring Training in Mesa will run through March 29.