Zippia.com, a job services website, has ranked Fountain Hills one of the top 10 most successful municipalities in Arizona and Mayor Linda Kavanagh used her State of the Town address last week to elaborate on that point.

She made her address to an audience of about 100 at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting on Feb. 16.

Kavanagh pointed to a long list of accomplishments over the past year – many routine projects like laying down 200,000 square yards of asphalt for street maintenance, or one-time joint efforts like Ashbrook Wash crossing upgrades in conjunction with the Maricopa County Flood Control District.

She noted the town is looking ahead in executing the relocation of Fire Station #2 with design completion this fiscal year and construction planned for next fiscal year on the $3 million project.

Relocation of the facility is expected to reduce emergency response times and better balance call loads between the two fire stations.

New development projects were coming out of the ground at a pace not seen in nearly 15 years for Fountain Hills. MCO Properties completed infrastructure construction in Adero Canyon, with homebuilders now opening lots for new homeowners.

In Adero Canyon, Toll Brothers is building 61 single family homes in the subdivision and Camelot Homes has models for 44 new Villa units.

In FireRock Country Club, Toll Brothers has a project for 64 new luxury condominiums under construction with models open.

The downtown is coming to life with the completion of the MorningStar assisted living facility. New residents started moving in before Christmas last year.

Fronting the Avenue of the Fountains, N-Shea Development, which built MorningStar, has begun construction on a $100 million mixed use commercial and residential complex.

The completion of Phase I at Park Place will provide 35,000 square-feet of new commercial and 230 residential apartments.

“This is bringing a new, higher level of vibrancy to the downtown,” Kavanagh said. “We have great hopes for the future of the downtown.”

She also noted the plans for an additional residential and assisted living project in the downtown area as CopperRidge is expected to begin construction later this year, just a block up the street from Park Place.

Kavanagh also touted other new ventures in town over the past year including the opening of a medical dialysis facility, the return of Bealls department store to town, and Brokers’ Alliance, a professional services company with plans to add up to 80 jobs over the next four years.

Kavanagh had high praise for staff and efforts to boost tourism in town by organizing and attracting visitors to the community with special events ranging from foot and bicycle races to flying kites, as well as the staple arts and crafts shows.

Kavanagh noted the tourism success is enriched by the cooperation of financial assistance from the town’s neighbors at the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community.

Kavanagh also had high praise for the town’s hundreds of steady volunteers always ready to lend a hand without a paycheck, saving potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“I am the proudest mayor in our country with such awesome residents,” Kavanagh said.

Kavanagh’s entire presentation can be viewed on Facebook and the Town’s website at fh.az.gov.