May 2, 2012 • Vol. 10, No.19
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Anthem • Black Canyon City • Carefree • Cave Creek • Desert Hills • New River • N. Phoenix • Tramonto
Anthem seeks public input on purchase of building MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
Marc Buckhout/The Foothills Focus
The Anthem Community Council is seeking public opinion on the proposed purchase of the building at 3701 W. Anthem Way. The building would not only serve Anthem staff, but would be open to the community for a wide array of social and business related activities. The price tag on the building is $2.3 million.
The opinion of Anthem community members will be sought during the course of the next two plus months as the Anthem Community Council will look to vote on the purchase of 3701 W. Anthem Way at the June 27th council meeting. In January the council directed Anthem staff to negotiate the purchase of one of three available buildings, between 3701 W. Anthem Way, where staff currently rents office space, 3715 W. Anthem Way, a building Anthem previously
considered purchasing, and 41810 Venture Court. After attempting to negotiate deals on all three properties Community Executive Officer Jennifer Kollings said the owners of 3701 W. Anthem Way were the only group that showed any real interest. By unanimous vote of the newly seated board Anthem will have up to 90 days to consider the offer, a purchase agreement for $2.3 million, down from the $2.85 million original asking price. With Anthem’s lease on the office space at 3701 W. Anthem Way set to expire in May of 2013 the purchase of the building
would solidify space for staff moving forward, but also would serve a variety of other long-sought amenities for Anthem residents. While the current rental space is approximately 4,400 square feet, the entire building is approximately eight times that size at 36,500 square feet. Plans for the remaining space include a host of items that have been targeted by Anthem residents going back to the SIMP report in 2009 and more recently the Swaback Report.
BUILDING
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New traffic safety technology put to test in Anthem MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
Technology that could eventually improve safety for motorists world-wide was on display Thursday in Anthem. With representatives from a variety of involved organizations on hand, civic leaders got a first-hand look at some of the applications of the technology initially designed to make emergency responders safer in getting to and from emergency calls. While the belief is the SMARTDrive Program can drastically cut down on vehiclerelated incidents, which a recent study shows account for nearly 13 percent of all firefighter and police officer on duty deaths, the applications go significantly
Inside:
beyond first responders. “It’s the dawn of a new era in transportation,” John Hauskins, the director of the Maricopa County Department of Transportation said. Engineers with MCDOT have worked in conjunction with staff at the University of Arizona to develop technology that will allow equipment on board emergency vehicles to communicate with roadside equipment mounted to traffic signals. Emergency vehicles currently use infrared light to pre-empt traffic signals, which acts like a remote control. The old technology didn’t account for two emergency vehicles approaching an intersection from two
different directions, leading to some accidents. The presentation on Thursday included media members and civic leaders getting the opportunity to ride on a City of Phoenix as particpants were shown the technology holding a light green a bit longer than normal so the bus could get through the intersection. They also witnessed how an emergency vehicle would trump a transit vehicle, as an off-duty fire fighter drove south bound through an intersection thanks to its higher priority than the west-bound bus, which was forced to stop for a red light. Based on the speed the vehicle is travelling the software calculates the time it will take
CONSTRUCTION:
SPORTS:
Repaving projects under way in New River, Desert Hills
Boulder Creek sports squads bow out in state tournament
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Marc Buckhout/The Foothills Focus
Anthem is a test site for new technology on-board vehicles as well as at intersections for emergency vehicles that will allow for quicker and safer response time to emergency calls. The technology is being tested along Daisy Mountain Drive.
it to reach the intersection and is then able to send a request to the software located at the intersection asking for priority. The software at the intersection then considers the request and prioritizes them. Once the vehicle clears the intersection it sends a message
GOVERNMENT:
to the road side unit and the signal returns to normal operation or continues serving other active requests. The technology will be used on lights along a stretch
TECHNOLOGY
continued on page 13
OTHER :
New Anthem council board selects leadership
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