As your mayor I work closely with Council and the town manager to develop strategies and provide policy direction, and working with staff on the day-to-day implementation of many special and routine needs. As of late, we all know the routine has been interrupted.

This past month mayor and Council, along with the town manager have been on almost daily conference calls with other local and national leaders, the governor’s office, and a variety of private and public sector organizations about this pandemic. Conversations are sometimes blunt, but very informative; everyone wants to help. As town leaders, we owe you that kind of effort to stay abreast of what is being done to mitigate this threat in order to identify the best solutions for Fountain Hills.

I continually advocate at all levels for a response focused on our community health first and foremost – whether by reducing chances to contract the virus, addressing needs of affected people, or protecting first responders and health care professionals on the front line. Our community must take seriously and follow directives that are identified by health professionals. At the direction of the town manager, your local government is responsible to safely address Fountain Hills’ needs by following the Governor’s Executive Orders and Fountain Hills Proclamations of Emergency, the latest of which we issued on April 8, 2020.

In order to focus on safety, we have re-managed town facilities and services, conducting meetings using technology options and coordinating efforts with police and fire/safety personnel. It’s not an easy environment to maneuver, but it is necessary to protect residents, visitors and businesses from significant negative health effects. Everyone at Town Hall and our independent contractors are working diligently and selflessly to continue to serve you during these times. Mostly working remotely, Council and staff address immediate needs and have several important issues still to address. Watch for updates on the Town Website, fh.az.gov, The Times, on social media and Channel11

Town business must continue. We are obligated to carry out important routines. No doubt, some things can be delayed, but some projects, finance and daily efforts must remain. For instance, we are maintaining our parks, handling trash, managing landscaping and irrigation, filling potholes, and adding cleaning and sanitation services where and when needed. Community Services and our volunteer coordinator provide needed assistance such as Give a Lift and Home Delivered Meals to our residents requiring some extra help. And we’ve addressed remaining responsibilities: upgrades to 15-year-old Town Hall technology; a contract to replace lighting of our world-famous Fountain; remodeling of the Town’s library and preparation of the FY 20-21 budget.

As the Town plans for the eventual reopening of the business community, our Economic Development Director will serve as a liaison to employers, owners and staff to identify and provide important assistance in partnership with the Chamber and AzSBA. Finally, there is an all-mail election to administer on May 19.

Meanwhile, large construction projects, the Fountain Hills Medical Center and Keystone apartments, have broken ground. The Town Council approved contracts to spend the remaining FY 19-20 road funding for improvements in our downtown area and other streets throughout the community. We’re also completing additional drainage projects at Golden Eagle Park. We’re replacing a failed major drainage pipeline on Panorama. And staff just submitted 13 transportation project recommendations to MAG for consideration as the region approaches the extension of the Proposition 400 county-wide transportation tax.

Back to the immediate health issue, we all must remember that Fountains Hills residents average about 58 years old, a significant senior population. We do not have a hospital yet. Our demographics mirror those who are negatively affected by this pandemic worldwide. Therefore, we take that into account with our directives and recommendations. We must take it upon ourselves to protect self, family and friends – and community – with or without any mandates. To that end, you should follow the directives of Governor Ducey and healthcare professionals and be sure to take advantage of Federal and State government programs designed to bridge the health and economic gap. It is important we all work together to mitigate this crisis as we near Arizona’s peak.

Finally, know that your mayor and Council, staff, and first responders will do everything we can to provide a healthy environment and address urgent needs. April 30 is the initial target date to #flattenthecurve. We ask and expect our neighbors to join us. By doing so, we help effectively manage treatment and supply emergencies. I’m hopeful that by then we will have a clearer picture of next steps, as new directives are made at many levels. With the guidance of state, county and national leaders, I promise that we will do our best to support everyone moving forward toward recovery.