August 3, 2011 • Vol. 09, No. 35
POSTAL PATRON CAVE CREEK
www.thefoothillsfocus.com
ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ
Anthem • Black Canyon City • Carefree • Cave Creek • Desert Hills • New River • N. Phoenix • Tramonto
Anthem Council brings end to Freedom Way MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
In a spirited debate that had more turns than those needed to flip through Freedom Way’s 48-pages the Anthem Community Council decided, at the July 27 meeting, that the December issues will be the final print edition of the magazine. Board Vice President Bob Copen asked how quickly staff could transition away from the magazine, which has been produced in its current form since 2006. “Do we have the ability to make the change in the next five months and get away from this?” he asked. “If that’s the case I say we move forward with
our marketing plan. If this is costing us money and keeping our staff from doing other, more productive things, let’s stop it.” After providing a 24 page report to the council the Economic Development and Marketing Committee, which was tasked with evaluating the effectiveness and value of Freedom Way, came back with eight possible options. Their recommended option would have seen a slow faze out of the magazine that would have extended the printing of the magazine through 2012, reducing the page count from 48 pages through the rest of 2011, to a 16-page advertising free publication printed 10 times in 2012.
The committee and staff suggested the gradual phase out most notably so staff would have time to build up as complete of a data bank as possible of email addresses in order to send out email blasts encouraging residents to view the online version of Freedom Way. Instead it was the third motion of the evening, one made by Copen, which finally passed. by a 4-2 vote from the council, which was minus an absent Jeff Pointer. Copen’s long-standing effort to get an answer to constituents concern about the cost of Freedom Way was part of the
FREEDOM WAY
continued on page 5
Marc Buckhout/The Foothills Focus
The Anthem Community Council voted to discontinue of Freedom Way come 2012. The move was made redirect staff’s time to marketing Anthem outside the The magazine will continue in a scaled down onlineatanthem.com.
the printing primarily to community. format at
County expects improved road maintenance with New River facility MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
Marc Buckhout/The Foothills Focus
The New River Maintenance Facility, which opened in July, sits on 7.5 acres of land and has a variety of construction vehicles used to maintain North Valley roads. The $2.3 million facility has already allowed for increased productivity as county employees are no longer driving from a central Phoenix location each day.
Inside:
MUSIC:
Roy Arnold finally has time to stop and smell the popcorn from the old style popcorn maker that sits in his office. The field supervisor is one of 24 people working out of Maricopa County Department of Transportation’s newest office, located at 41835 N. New River Road, in New River. Prior to the completion of the $2.3 million facility, located 5 miles west of I-17 off of New River Road, county employees responsible for road maintenance made a daily commute from 29th Ave. and Durango each morning. “You had 24 guys spending 2.5 hours a day just getting
FUNDRAISING:
to and from the job site,” Arnold said. With the new building, county employees assigned a myriad of tasks ranging from dirt road grading, shoulder grading, pothole repairs, minor pavement repairs, storm damage cleanup, street sweeping and bridge and guardrail maintenance among others begin their day at a facility that is in the heart of the 2,000 square miles in the North Valley they are assigned to serve. “I would say a lot of the work we do is less than 30 minutes away from our new office,” Arnold said. Construction on the 4,000 square foot building, located on 7.5 acres of land began in May of 2010. Once APS was able to supply power to the building day-to-day
SPORTS:
operations began last month. Along with various front end loaders, scoops, and dump trucks on site, there is also a fuel pump, used not only to fuel construction vehicles, but is also used my Maricopa Sheriffs office vehicles, which previously had to be taken to Cave Creek for fueling. The building has a couple of offices along with a main meeting room with computers, where assignments are doled out each morning as calls come in for service. “We have projects that we’re working on, but we also respond to calls that come into the main dispatch,” Maintenance Supervisor Myron Richards
FACILITY
continued on page 8
OTHER :
ProMusica participates in 9-11 remembrance concert
Anthem dentist participates in hike to support dental health
Arizona Cardinals fans flock to Flagstaff for training camp
• Editorial Page
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Page 7
Page 13
• Classified Ads
16
• Service Directory 17 22