Message from Supervisor Galvin
Summer has ended and autumn is here but it’s still hot outside. However, the days are getting shorter and the nights are cooler. We are all looking forward to the Valley’s pleasant autumn weather, it’s just around the corner!
Maricopa County is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. My family joins all of you in celebrating the richness and contributions of Hispanic culture. Ronald Reagan honored Hispanic Heritage Month by noting how the importance of honoring family is essential for a strong country and how that tradition is a “bedrock of Hispanic culture.”
The General election takes place on November 8, 2022. The deadline to register to vote in that election is Tuesday, October 11. Informational pamphlets are being mailed out and early voting ballots will be sent out in early October. Election season is an exciting time! Your vote counts and I sincerely hope that you will participate and cast a ballot, either by mail or in person. And, as you debate the merits of the issues and the candidates, please do so with civility and decorum. Even though we may not always agree, we are all in this together! Thank you.
Comments on the Death of individual in District 2 2022-09-14
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell Reports
Rachel Mitchell was appointed Maricopa County Attorney, earlier this year. She hit the ground running and is already accomplishing a lot by turning around an office that was plagued with many problems. County Attorney Mitchell took the time last week to provide an update to the Board of Supervisors on the improvements and achievements of her office so far. Maricopa County is safer and better off now that Rachel Mitchell is County Attorney.
Her report covered three main areas which are:
- Building Trust with Crime Victims
- Building Trust with Law Enforcement
- Building Trust with Community and County Government
For comments made at the Board Formal meeting
For the Complete Report click here or on the video link in the photo
Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center Tour
I had a great time visiting the amazing Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center (SWCC). The center quietly makes a difference in the community and in the lives of the animals they care for. Thank you to Linda Searles and Mike Nolan for hosting me. Thank you to Jeff Schwartz and Kim Alexis, great residents of District 2, who invited me to learn more about this great animal sanctuary.
SWCC rescues native wild animals that have lost their homes to development, or are found injured, orphaned, or abandoned. They provide these animals with a safe place to recover and grow; a place where their wildness is nurtured and encouraged. When possible, the animals are rehabilitated and released — healthy and wild — back to where they belong. Those that cannot survive in the wild are able to live out their lives at the accredited sanctuary.
I encourage all of you to visit SWCC or make a financial contribution to them here…
Wildlife rescue|wildlife sanctuary|Scottsdale Arizona (southwestwildlife.org)
Click the video link below for recent comments.
MACC Tour
My staff and I took a tour of the Maricopa County Animal Control Center (MCACC). We were impressed at the caring and professionalism of ACC leadership and staff, and we are fortunate to have them working for the benefit of the County. Click on the video link to the left to hear comments shared at a formal board meeting earlier this month.
Here is a quick summary of what is happening at MCACC from Jan 1st through August 31st.
- Total Intake: 13,313 animals
- Adoptions: 8,271 animals
- Return To Owner: 1,870 animals
- Save Rate: 97%!!!!!!
As the MCACC leadership and staff continue to find ways to improve what they are doing they share the following with us.
As you can see from the numbers above, the Care and Control centers are overpopulated. They did a Facebook Live earlier to describe our current shelter situation. Here’s the link. Please share: MCACC is over capacity!
Empty the Shelters Event Oct. 1 – Oct. 8, 2022 – All Adoption Fees at MCACC are waived.
Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15 to October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month! Our country celebrates the contributions and achievements of Hispanic Americans. Go to the following link to see what the County Library District has available to help celebrate.
Maricopa County Library District
See Video Link for Comments on Hispanic Heritage Month
Maricopa County Forms Elections Command Center to Share Info with Voters, Combat Disinformation
Six elected officials and a team of elections and communications professionals are working together in preparation of the 2022 November General Election in Maricopa County. Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates and Recorder Stephen Richer established the “2022 Elections Command Center” which will serve as a central hub of information for the weeks leading up to and following the Nov. 8 General Election. See Video Link for comments on the Election Command Center
The November 2022 Election Has Officially Started!
- #BeBallotReady – Visit BeBallotReady.Vote to view your personalized voter dashboard where you can check your voter status, see what’s on your ballot, find a voting location, obtain your Digital voter ID Card and more. The last day to register to vote for the 2022 General Election is October 11.
- Out of Town? – If you will be out of town for the General Election, you can request a one-time ballot be sent directly to any U.S. address.
Ballot Deadlines for the November 2022 Election
Get in touch here or visit Maricopa.Vote to make your ballot request. The November 8, 2022, General Election is right around the corner. Here are some upcoming important dates to keep in mind:
- September 24 – Military and Overseas Ballots Sent
- October 11 – Voter Registration Deadline
- October 12 – Early Ballots Mailed, Voting Locations & Drop Boxes Available
- October 28 – Last Day to Request a Ballot in the Mail
- November 1 – Last Day to Mail Back Your Ballot
- November 8 – Election Day
Rio Verde Foothills Water Statement
The Rio Verde Foothills is a beautiful community in the northeastern part of District 2. The residents are passionate and fiercely protective of their lifestyle; dirt roads, horses and notions of limited government are common themes. A main component of that lifestyle is that most residents have private wells on their property from which they draw water. The remaining property owners rely on hauled water sourced from a standpipe located in neighboring Scottsdale. Unfortunately, the City of Scottsdale notified the Rio Verde Foothills residents that as of January 1, 2023, they will no longer have access to the standpipe and, could no longer rely on hauled water to fill their home water tanks, water their horses, or fill their swimming pools. The notification was provided before my appointment last December.
Several community members who rely on hauled water actively sought a solution to the impending water issue by proposing to form a domestic water improvement district (DWID). Those residents were instrumental in the effort to bring a water solution to the Rio Verde Foothills community. Their dogged and persistent efforts were not in vain. The Rio Verde Foothills community owes them a debt of gratitude.
Several months of careful consideration, due diligence, and the information provided to the Board as part of the hearing led me to decide that the DWID proposal was not the best proposal for the whole community.
Below is an outline of the key points on why I believe the proposed DWID would NOT promote the public convenience, necessity, or welfare of the Rio Verde Foothills community if it was established:
- The non-contiguous DWID proposed here would not represent the entire community
- Liens would be placed on the member properties subjecting them to substantial obligations and liabilities
- Running and managing a water utility would be a massive undertaking and I have concerns about the long-term viability of the DWID and its Board of Directors
- I have not been satisfied that the questions regarding costs have been fully answered despite the good faith efforts of the petitioners for the DWID to answer those questions
- A new governmental entity would be disruptive to the rural, independent, lifestyle and spirit of the community.
In contrast, a private water utility corporation that can address these water needs has greater support from the Rio Verde Foothills community.
You can watch the full statement by clicking here or on the video link above.
