Our Fountain Hills History Lesson for this week is on the events of 1987.

Probably the two most controversial stories of the year dealt with the question of the operation of the Fountain Hills Library and the attorney general’s office order for Road District trustees to abrogate their 1974 Joint Powers Agreement and cease operating as a joint board.

The library problems surfaced in January after officials of the Maricopa County Library System announced a major reorganization of its operations.

Local Library Association members saw the changes as unnecessary and took issue with directives from the newly-formed County Library District under library district director Kamala Stillwell.

Tempers flared at a public meeting at the library between county officials and local residents.

The controversy continued into the early fall months until the local association signed a new lease agreement for the operation of the local library. Caught in the middle of the turmoil was Fountain Hills Librarian Glen Doering. He had filled that position for 10 years.

After reportedly receiving a transfer to Phoenix library operations, Doering elected to take an “early retirement.”

New county personnel were brought in to oversee the local library operations.

Overall construction activity showed well in 1987, however, the annual building valuation total was short of the record year of 1986.

GM Development made a major impact on building activity in the community during 1987. The company purchased the Fountain Hills Swim and Racquet Club.

After a million-dollar renovation, the facility was re-opened as Club Mirage.

Also during the year, the firm began construction on a second phase of its Lakeside Resort Casitas project bringing the total units to 115, built 30 units at Center Court Villas and started 48 units at The Villas at Club Mirage.

GM moved all of its administrative and support offices into Building B of the MCO Properties complex on Palisades Boulevard in December. GM President, Gary Martinson, also announced that the firm was in negotiations with MCO at years-end on the purchase of the Village Bazaar and two residential parcels near Fountain Park. However, those properties were never developed by GM.

Two church congregations were formed during the year. St. Anthony on the Desert Episcopal Church announced plans to build at 130th Street and Shea and the Fountain Hills United Methodist Church began services in the Fountain View offices building at the end of the year.

The 91st Psalm Church opened the Fountain Hills Christian School. Classes began in September.

The Mayo Clinic opening in June in Northeast Scottsdale was a gala event with many Fountain Hills residents in attendance. Local business and service club members invited clinic employees to Fountain Hills in October for a day of entertainment and socializing in the Fountain Park.

There were some changes at the Fountain Hills Family Health Center. Longtime physician and center director, Dr. Joseph Sandor, accepted a position at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. New doctors at the local facility were Dr. William O’Brien and Dr. William Reedy.

Several other major personnel announcements made in 1987 included Mike Snodgrass as head of Fountain Hills operations for MCO and Terry Saverson as manager of the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce.

Among other news stories in 1987 were the installation of traffic signals at the intersection of Shea and Fountain Hills boulevards and four-way stop signs at intervals on Fountain Hills Boulevard and at the intersection of Palisades and Saguaro boulevards.

Residents using the Phoenix Transit bus system protested to officials after word came out that service to and from Fountain Hills may be eliminated. Service was not curtailed and even improved as larger buses were put into service.

The community’s overall tax rate was placed at $13.26 per $100 of assessed valuation. That total was up 12 cents over the previous year.