Fountain Hills is about to say goodbye to a couple who has lived in the community more than three decades and has given much in their energy and enthusiasm toward their love of the town.

Julie and Rino Ghetti both work for the Town of Fountain Hills and have announced their retirements to begin early next year.

Rino, who will leave as events coordinator at the Community Center, concludes his service in January.

Julie was hired as the town’s first accountant in 1990 soon after incorporation. She will retire in March as deputy town manager and finance director.

The Ghettis arrived in Fountain Hills in summer 1980. Rino remembers the population was 2,400, roughly one-tenth of today’s population.

“We were able to walk our kids to school,” Rino said. “It seemed like everybody in town was there for the first day of school each year. It was really enjoyable.”

When she first arrived Julie went to work for The Times as a receptionist and later worked for a local developer at Club Mirage.

Rino was working in commercial real estate out of Phoenix after they first arrived in the Valley. He later worked with the Fountain Hills School District before going to work for the town in 2002.

While working for the town Julie expanded her education, earning her CPA certification and her master’s degree in public administration.

Her leadership in the finance area has resulted in the town earning the highest recognition in budget reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association for a dozen consecutive years.

The GFOA has also recognized the town for its budget presentations under Ghetti’s leadership.

“The past few years have been very challenging for cities and towns across the country as the economic recession lingered and erased almost 30 percent of Fountain Hills’ General Fund revenues,” Julie said.

“I am proud to have helped guide the community through the recession while maintaining the same level of service to the citizens and without the use of reserve funds.

“The town has maintained an excellent credit rating with the credit rating agencies as a result.

“All of staff should be proud of that.”

Ghetti said it has been a challenge to communicate to the public that they have a good government in Fountain Hills with a dedicated staff and a Town Council committed to the high quality of life that the residents value.

Rino said he will miss the challenge of being the “go to” person for the many activities that occur at the Community Center.

“I enjoy the diversity in all the different types of events,” he said. “Every day is a new challenge.”

He said he will miss the many friends he has made of the people who visit the center, particularly the senior activity center on a regular basis.

Julie and Rino have a new home now under construction in the San Tan Valley in the far southeast area of the Phoenix Metro area. It is nearly an hour from Fountain Hills.

“We have lived (here) for almost 34 years and Fountain Hills will always be a special place in our hearts,” Julie said.

“What attracted us to San Tan Valley was the concept of the ‘resort community’ that offered so many amenities and activities for us to choose in our retirement years.”

Julie said she plans to look for volunteer opportunities where she can continue to learn new things and hopefully bring value to another organization.

Rino is making plans to get on his motorcycle and travel Route 66 between Winslow and Chicago, Ill. with two of his close friends.

He said he will also be volunteering and together they will enjoy visits to grandchildren in Washington State.