• In response to a Notice of Claim submitted by Supervisor Cavanaugh against Pinal County and the Recorder, the four other Supervisors voted to waive attorney-client confidentiality privilege to permit the County Attorney to report on investigative capacity/conclusions surrounding allegations contained in the claim dated March 18, 2024, concerning the Election's Director. (Item 1)

• The Board voted to continue until May 1st, without public hearing, an item requesting approval of a Special Use Permit to operate a wireless communication facility, on a portion of a 24.00± acre parcel on the west side of North Highway 79, south of Florence. A large number of local residents spoke against the proposal during the public hearing. (Item 15)

• The Board approved the FFY24-28 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Consolidated Plan, the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, the FFY2024 Annual Action Plan and authorized the Chairman to sign the application documents once final allocations are provided by HUD. The match is estimated at $300,000. This grant will be used by the Office of Budget and Finance to complete a variety of projects, including housing rehabilitation, public facility improvements, affordable housing, administrative expenses including salaries for department staff, and projects within partnering communities Eloy and Maricopa.  (Items 16)

• The Board approved two planning and zoning items to allow the development of a wedding and event venue located approximately 350 feet east of N Burris Rd and south of West Camino Ledezma in Pinal County Supervisor District 3. (Item 13/14)

• The Board approved two proclamations. Firstly, they recognized the second week of April 2024 as National "Animal Care and Control Officers Appreciation Week." Director Audra Michael and several members of her team are pictured below left with Supervisors McClure, Serdy and Miller. Secondly, they recognized the week of April 6, 2024, through April 12, 2024, as "Week of the Young Child." The proclamation was read into the record by Katrina DeVinny, Pinal Regional Director of First Things First. Katrina is pictured below right with two of her Board members, Jan Vidimos and Florence Mayor Tara Walter, along with the three Supervisors. (Items 6/7)

• In the Supervisor District Updates item, District 5 Supervisor Jeff Serdy played a video about the creation of Superstition Basin, a stormwater retention area that will help reduce the impacts of flooding events in downtown Apache Junction. The County is working jointly with the City on the project. Click below left to video the video. District 3 Supervisor Steve Miller let the public know that he will be holding a Town Hall Meeting on April 17th, click here for more info. He played a video providing an update on improvements taking place in Randolph. Click below center to view the video. Finally, District 4 Supervisor Jeffrey McClure played a video about a recent groundbreaking by Ascent Aviation at the Pinal County-owned Pinal Airpark, located just north of Marana. They will be constructing two new wide-body aircraft hangers which will allow them to carry out passenger to freighter conversions of aircraft, creating more than 300 new jobs. Click below right to view the video. (Item 5)

• The Board approved Supervisor Cavanaugh's appointment of Constance Jean Jackson, Maricopa, AZ 85138, to the Merit System Commission to serve out the term from April 4, 2024, through December 19, 2025, due to a current vacancy. Supervisor Cavanaugh joined the meeting telephonically, so his District Administrator Joshua Franklin presented a certificate to Ms. Jackson. (Item 10D)

• In the County Manager's report, Deputy County Manager Himanshu Patel, standing in for Leo Lew, who was attending an LGES event with Chairman Goodman (see info below), told the Board that April 1st through the 7th is National Public Health Week. He also provided a reminder that Country Thunder will be taking place in Florence next week. Finally, he played a video to highlight International Dark Skies Week, April 2nd through the 8th. On Monday, for thirty minutes from 8:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., the County is encouraging residents to join in observing a thirty-minute 'Dark Skies Lights Out' Event across Pinal County, turning off all unnecessary lighting indoors and outdoors, in order to reduce light pollution and to enjoy the beauty of the night sky and the wonders of our universe. Click below left to watch the video and below right to see a list of events taking place in Pinal County. (Item 4)

• The Board recognized two employees for length of service to Pinal County. Brian Messing, a Sworn Sergeant with the Pinal County Sheriff's Office, has reached the 30-year milestone. Meanwhile, Ruth Ramirez, an Environmental Health Program Manager with Public Health, is celebrating 25 years. Ruth is pictured below with Chris Reimus, Deputy Director of Public Health, Vice-Chair McClure, and Supervisors Miller and Serdy. (Item 3)

Time References

Item 1: 02:58

Item 2: 20:11

Item 3: 53:14

Item 15: 58:04

Item 6: 02:06:20

Item 7: 02:15:56

Item 4: 02:22:25

Item 5: 02:29:54

Item 8: 02:45:21

Item 9: 02:45:38

Item 10: 02:50:48

Item 11: 03:16:23

Items 13/14: 03:19:00

Item 16: 03:26:24

Item 17: 03:57:38

Item 18: 04:00:08

Item 19: 04:01:09

Click Below to View the Meeting

Arizona’s newest Future48 Workforce Accelerator will launch in Pinal County in support of the region’s growing battery manufacturing industry, it was announced today.

Launched in partnership with Central Arizona College, LG Energy Solution, the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., Design Systems Inc. (DSI) and Architekton Architects, the Pinal County Accelerator will offer workforce training focused on the manufacturing process of cylindrical lithium-ion batteries, used for electric vehicles and other technology applications. The accelerator will also provide hands-on process training for LGES manufacturing equipment and safety processes and incorporate virtual reality and simulation technology for personnel training.

The partnership will include construction of a new 19,850-square-foot building on Central Arizona College’s Superstition Mountain Campus in Apache Junction. The project is expected to be completed in December 2024. Once operational, the Accelerator will train hundreds of students at a time for careers in battery manufacturing.

The announcement was made by Governor Hobbs at an event hosted by LG Energy Solution, where the company provided progress updates on its $5.5 billion stand-alone battery manufacturing complex in Queen Creek.

“Arizona’s job growth has been non-stop, and this new partnership is another sign we have no intention of taking our foot off the gas,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “Our community colleges are critical institutions to the success of our state, and I am excited for the students at Central Arizona College to take advantage of this exciting new opportunity. I want to thank LG Energy Solution for partnering with us and for continuing to support our efforts to strengthen Arizona’s workforce.”

“We recognize the need to create training opportunities to support these innovative new roles in the battery industry, so we are excited to be partnering with Central Arizona College on the creation of the Future48 Workforce Accelerator at the Superstition Mountain Campus in Apache Junction,” said Mike Goodman, Supervisor-District 2 and Chairman of the Pinal County Board of Supervisors. “This high-tech training center will allow our workforce to learn the cutting-edge science needed to meet the needs of these high-technology advanced manufacturing jobs."

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