Just One of The Why I Live Here in Downtown Mesa: The Mayor Is Such A Goof

OK. This is a short feature; who's wants to play tag? Take a look - it's less than two minutes, and uploaded today by the City-owned and operated Mesa YouTube Channel featuring Hizzoner John Giles in a 2-minute "Quickee" meandering around Pioneer Park on a Saturday.

It opens up with no people in the background. Nice to see the mayor working on a Saturday and shopping for the family. 
Where's Johnny-On-The-Spot in this promo for the Mesa Farmers Market & Flea: lovely Pioneer Park where $12,900,000 was spent on a tract of land across Main Street from the Mormon Temple. The re-do on the project originally started with a budget of $6.9M and somehow escalated to the higher amount. 
John Giles does his do-round a couple of food trucks, a juice vendor, two organic farms that he breezes by quickly, and stops by Proof Bakery where he says his wife is "a Raspberry Person" only to be told that he's looking at are blackberries. So much fun!

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It's hasn't been 'a people's park' for years even though the neighborhood on the north side of Main Street around the park is filled mostly with high-density multi-family housing. The Farmers Market has been downtown for years, on N Center Street and in a parking lot next to City Hall on Fridays when City Hall was closed. Not a good day when most people are working (except for those who work inside City Hall). Local home-based food producers have always been welcome participants in the annual October-April DTMesa Festival of The Arts

Mesa City Council Study Session TODAY Thu 25 April 2019

Surprise!
More "Face-Time" for MARK FREEMAN, the new District 1 Councilmember is right there sitting in the mayor's seat  this morning @ 07:30 in the Lower Chambers. What's up with that? Let's get down to business; this could be a long session for 4 Proposed City Department Budgets for next fiscal year. 
It's the usual council procedure to have the Vice-Mayor, David Luna, preside over these public hearings when the mayor is absent. He is responding "telegenically", according to what Freeman states at the start. This meeting has a duration of 2:01:07 and can be viewed in its entirety farther down in a streaming video uploaded to YouTube today.
There was a post here on this blog yesterday with inserts of links to the Meeting Details, as well as some excerpts and comments.
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Blogger Note: The Final Meeting Agenda was just published yesterday - one day in advance of this "Study Session".
There are 4 City Department Budgets up for presentation.
Budgets are complex and complicated.
Is one day really enough time for the public - or any six members of the Mesa City Council or the mayor - to find out about the four city department budgets on the agenda for this public meeting ahead of time: a 24-Hour Notice??? .
Readers of this blog might like to pay attention and see, absent the mayor except for participation "telegenically" - how the presentations are made and what comments and/or questions councilmembers have to say - or ask - in the discussions.
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We can see the presentation for four department budgets.

• Code Compliance
• Transportation
• Transit Services
• Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities [PRCF] 

They all look different and are prepared by each of the city departments. These are ongoing annual budget reviews that will continue until the end of May. . . so get used to them, or at least pay attention.
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What is A BUDGET HEARING?

A meeting that is usually open to the general public to discuss a business or government budget. People can ask questions and get answers from elected or salaried city employees.

You have the right-to-know - and judge for yourselves if the City of Mesa Government - the people you elected as your representatives on the City Council - are doing their job to represent your interests. If you don't communicate with your district member, they can always listen to "special-interest" groups that might not be the same as  the public interest . Your government has the duty and responsibility to be open, transparent and accountable.

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Looks like most people are heavy into suits-and-ties this morning.

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Fast-Acting Feds Execute Raids, Seizures, and Warrants In Baltomore Mayor's Home + Offices in City

Whow! Whoever said the feds can't act fast when the time is right. This is a story with a lot of twists-and-turns
"There's a *ton* happening in the Baltimore area right now that merits news coverage even if City Hall, the mayor's two homes and multiple other locations hadn't been raided by the FBI and IRS today. Whew! "
That's the latest breaking news from crime reporter Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton)
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Blogger Note: There's been a *ton + more* that's been going on Baltimore for more than the last two years, starting with that Freddy Gray Beat-up in the back of a police van . . .
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A team of reporters worked on this news-flash filled with on-the-spot filming by television crews. It chock-filled with details

FBI, IRS search Baltimore Mayor Pugh's home, City Hall, more

Gov. Larry Hogan: 'For the good of the city, Mayor Pugh must resign'

Updated: 7:33 PM EDT Apr 25, 2019

WBAL TV

BALTIMORE —

"The FBI and IRS executed search warrants Thursday at several locations in Baltimore, including Mayor Catherine Pugh's homes and City Hall.
Pugh's attorney, Steven Silverman, said the mayor is not lucid and that she still suffers from pneumonia and has since developed bronchitis.
The searches began around 6:30 a.m. Thursday and include the following locations:

• Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh's two homes in northwest Baltimore
• Baltimore City Hall
• Pugh's lawyers' office
• Offices of a nonprofit Pugh founded, and the home of the organization's executive director
• Home of former mayoral aide Gary Brown Jr.

Several agents from the Baltimore Office of the FBI and the Criminal Division of the IRS executed a search warrant approved several days ago by a federal judge. The agents searched Pugh's home on Ellamont Road in northwest Baltimore, which she purchased apparently with cash in December 2016 for $117,000 without a mortgage.

The agents were seen entering and exiting the home, as well as garages that may belong to the home or a neighboring home. Agents retrieved a large boxes from the property, some labeled "Healthy Holly books".
> Pugh drew scrutiny after it was learned that she purchased the home during the same time period that the University of Maryland Medical System paid her nearly $250,000 through her Healthy Holly LLC for tens of thousands of children's books. The 11 News I-Team has learned the deal has little public accounting.
> Pugh's LLC received $100,000 from the medical system in the 2014-2015 fiscal year, and in the 2016-2017 fiscal year, according to state filings.

Agents search several locations linked to Pugh

> Around the corner from the Ellamont house, agents served a search warrant at the home Pugh has owned since 1988 that she uses for her business address. Neighbors said they have not seen Pugh at the home for about five weeks.

> Another set of agents executed a search warrant at 4910 Park Heights Ave., which is used by the nonprofit Maryland Center for Adult Training, which has ties to Pugh.

On its board were three top aides to the mayor, who have subsequently been fired by Ex-Officio Mayor Jack Young.

> The FBI also executed a search warrant at the home of Gary Brown Jr., one Pugh's aides who was fired Wednesday. Brown was prosecuted by state prosecutors in 2016 for illegal campaign contributions to the Pugh campaign in 2016.
> Nearly two dozen agents were also at City Hall, where they were seen removing boxes of potential evidence related to Pugh.
> The FBI/IRS also executed a search warrant at the offices of lawyers representing Pugh, a source familiar told the 11 News I-Team. It is very unusual for a lawyer's office to get searched, and there is a very high bar for agents to cross to get a judge to authorize such a search because lawyers have many clients who are all protected by confidentiality provision.

Renewed calls for mayor to resign

The developments Thursday have further increased calls for Pugh to resign, including from the governor.

Pugh Attorney Steve Silverman says she is not lucid. She still suffers from pneumonia and now has developed bronchitis. He says she’s not focused enough to make a rational decision.

Community Input For ASU @ Mesa City Center + Studios @ Mesa City Center

Better late than never, or after the fact of making the sales pitch to Mesa taxpayers to approve about $175,000,000 to pay for this or that, huh?
A COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP
Sure sounds real nice . . . Who's on that "Building Design Team"??
The Studios @ Mesa City Center will go into the existing 1970's old City IT Building and the new three-or-four-or-multi story 115,000 sq ft will get squeezed in right next on the back side in that parking lot at the NWC Pepper Place/Centennial?

. . . Could get very interesting

 

City of Mesa: Open, Transparent & Accountable. NOPE

Here's a flashback from almost four years ago:
What Works Cities initiative

Post Date:08/05/2015 8:32 AM

"Mayor John Giles announced today that Mesa is one of the first cities selected to participate in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ What Works Cities, a $42 million initiative to help 100 mid-sized American cities enhance their use of data and evidence to improve the lives of residents.

John Giles, Alex Deshuk and Jeff McVay

Mesa is one of eight cities that will receive expert on-the-ground support and peer-to-peer learning opportunities to make local government more effective. Since the launch of the What Works Cities initiative in April 2015, mayors from every region of the country have expressed their desire for assistance to address local challenges using data and evidence and within the first six weeks alone, 112 U.S. cities across 41 states applied. . . "

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WHAT HAPPENED

. . .and then this more than two years later:

08 December 2017

Mesa City Council Study Session > OPEN DATA PORTAL = A Failure So Far

New Administrator named for the not-so-successful Mesa Open Data Portal > Evan Allred.

Presentation of the 'new' platform BUT PLEASE READ THE ORIGINAL HYPE FOR WHAT WHATWORKSMESA was supposed to do two years ago

THE GOAL =?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Discussion of Open Data Portal introduced by Mayor John Giles - the portal has been "in a trial basis" for the last two years - the contract is ending and a new contractor is announced in 6 months April 2018

What Works City Feature: Mesa, AZ 

Data and evidence as the building blocks in the foundation of the new NextMesa   

Source: https://whatworkscities.bloomberg.org/works-city-feature-mesa-az/

Setting the Stage

_________________________________________________________________________

October 2015

The city’s Open Data Management Policy, which was signed by City Manager Chris Brady last October, affirms Mesa’s commitment to joining the open data movement. Meeting the majority of Sunlight’s open data policy guidelines, it firmly establishes

• processes for the collection and release of quality data,
• takes major steps to ensure that data release is timely
• is prioritized based on city priorities and public feedback.
• It also mandates an annual open data report and review process — an activity that will be fundamental in the effort to achieve the policy’s ultimate goals.

[City Manager Chris Brady is shown in the image to the right signing the Open Data agreement]

Here's a excerpt from the article from The Sunlight Foundation :

Mesa is streamlining cross-departmental data sharing by "eating their own dog food" 

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The Certification program launched in April 2017, and U.S. cities with populations of 30,000 and higher are eligible to participate.

 

TODAY 24 April 2019

Bloomberg Philanthropies Announces the American Cities Best at Using Data to Improve Residents’ Lives in 2019

Second Annual What Works Cities Certification Recognizes Seven New or Advancing Cities that Are Using Data and Evidence to Solve Local Issues and Prepare for Future Challenges

Thirteen Cities Have Received Certification Since 2018

New York, NY – Today, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced the seven cities to achieve 2019 What Works Cities Certification, a national standard of excellence in city governance. What Works Cities Certification rates how well cities are managed by measuring the extent to which city leaders incorporate data and evidence in their decision-making. This year, the Certification recognizes Arlington, TX; Kansas City, MO; Louisville, KY; Memphis, TN; Philadelphia, PA; Scottsdale, AZ; and Washington, DC.
“Data helps city leaders understand problems and measure success, and it helps citizens hold government accountable for meeting public needs on all the big challenges we face – from promoting health and safety to fighting climate change,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term Mayor of New York City. 
Three cities (Kansas City, MO; Louisville, KY; and Washington, DC) achieved Certification at the gold level, moving up from silver in 2018.
Four cities (Arlington, TX; Memphis, TN; Philadelphia, PA; and Scottsdale, AZ) are newly certified and achieved the silver level.
Additional accomplishments can be found here. No city achieved platinum in 2019, the highest level of Certification.
To date, a total of thirteen cities have achieved Certification:
Arlington, TX (2019 Silver), Boston, MA (2018 Silver), Kansas City, MO (2019 Gold, 2018 Silver), Los Angeles, CA (2018 Gold), Louisville, KY (2019 Gold, 2018 Silver), Memphis, TN (2019 Silver), New Orleans, LA (2018 Silver), Philadelphia, PA (2019 Silver), San Diego, CA (2018 Silver), San Francisco (2018 Silver), Scottsdale, AZ (2019 Silver), Seattle, WA (2018 Silver), and Washington, DC (2019 Gold, 2018 Silver)



 

Mesa City Council Study Session Thu 25 April 2019: Hear More Budget Presentations

The Final Meeting Agenda was just published yesterday - one day in advance of this "Study Session".
Is that really enough time for the public - or any member of the Mesa City Council - to find out about this public meeting ahead of time: a 24-Hour Notice??? . Four city department budgets to hear the presentations and to discuss and to provide direction on? All done in an hour-and-a-half?

We can see the presentation for four department budgets.
That's 4 City Department budgets
all at the same time in the allotted time
07:30 - 09:00 a.m

• Code Compliance
• Transportation
• Transit Services
• Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities [PRCF]

_________________________________________________________________________

What is BUDGET HEARING?

A meeting that is usually open to the general public to discuss a business or government budget.
Individuals from the community can openly
ask questions
and they will be answered by the business or government representative.

_________________________________________________________________________
It is Item 1-a 19-0407 with links to four attachments farther down. Here are extracts from the four Power Point slides provided in the presentations by the different departments

CODE COMPLIANCE

_________________________________________________________________________

FY 2019/20 PROPOSED BUDGET APRIL 25, 2019

Presented by: Lt. Ryan A. Russell, Code Compliance Administrator

_____________________________________________________
Budget
FY 17/18 Actuals

FY 18/19 Current Budget

FY 18/19 Year End Estimate

FY 19/20 Proposed Budget Development Services Code Compliance

$1.2 M $1.6 M $1.5 M $1.6 M

*In Millions and for all funds

 

• Code Compliance is 100% staffed.

• 12 Code Officers, 2 Code Supervisors and 1 Administrator.

TRANSPORTATION
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FY19/20 Transportation Budget Presentation

RJ Zeder, Transportation Director

Erik Guderian, Deputy Transportation Director

April 25, 2019

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BLOGGER NOTE: Please take the time to take a closer look at these - all of them

Smart Cities Initiatives
1. Adaptive Traffic Signal Control –Traffic signal timing dynamically changes based on real-world traffic conditions in the Fiesta District and Superstition Springs Mall areas
2. Traffic Signal Systems Network –Dedicated fiber optic and radio network for Mesa’s Intelligent Transportation System connected to all 466 traffic signals and 16 pump stations
3. Pilot Global Positioning System (GPS) Emergency Signal Preemption with Mesa Fire and Medical Department –Use of GPS preemption emitter technology (rather than traffic light strobes) on emergency vehicles to preempt traffic signals during emergency calls
4. Streetlight Master Plan –Review of citywide lighting levels, dimming schedules, technology and LED conversion costs
5. Smart Irrigation Controller–Cloud-based controllers that allow wireless access and monitoring, 12% converted

FY19/20 Proposed Budget by Funding Source 
Local Streets Fund (LSF) $18.7M
Highway User Revenue Fund (HURF) $21.1M
Environmental Compliance Fee (ECF) $  4.5M
Enterprise $  0.6M All Others $  0.3M Total $45.2

PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES
________________________________________________________________________

Operational Overview and Budget Discussion

Marc Heirshberg, Director
April 25, 2019
_____________________________________
> PERFORMANCE MEASURES PARTICIPATION NUMBERS FOR RECREATION PROGRAMMING BY SEASON

> DOBSON RANCH GOLF COURSE CURRENT FINANCIAL PICTURE

Over the last 4 fiscal years City expenses have ranged from $1.9M-$2.5M 

• Current forecast estimates a loss to the City of  $684,000 in FY19 
• Fy20-23 forecasts a total combined loss of $3.8M

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO BUDGET
Additional funding support
Cemetery landscape renovation project from previous storm damage 
Geographical Information Systems Specialist to help manage PRCF Data 
Parks Trees Facilities Automated Building Energy Management Systems

14

 

TRANSIT SERVICES
__________________________________________________________________
FY 19/20 Budget
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
APRIL 25, 2019
_________________________________
Gilbert Road Extension Grand Opening

• Saturday, May 18 9am –noon
• Gilbert Road Park and Ride
• Community event featuring carnival style games and activities
• Food from local businesses

Light Rail Ridership [15] Ridership numbers are down

Valley Metro Provided Services

12

Numbers are net funding amounts. 

Estimated fares and other revenues have been deducted.
Transit Financial Summary

Light Rail $6.9 M $8.5 M $8.5 M $12.4 M

NOTE:50% Increase for next year

__________________________________________________________________________________

File #:

19-0407

Type:

Presentation

Status:

Agenda Ready

In control:

City Council Study Session

On agenda:

4/25/2019

Title:

Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on the following department budgets: 1. Code Compliance 2. Transportation 3. Transit Services 4. Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities

Attachments:

1. Code Compliance 2. Transportation 3. Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities 4. Transit Services

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