The Town of Marana is seeking qualified citizens for open positions on the Marana Utilities Board

The Board consists of the Town water director or water department employee designated by the water director, three council-appointed members who are either Town residents or utility customers of the Town, two Town employees appointed by the town manager, and the Town finance director. The council shall choose the chair of the utilities board from among its membership. The Board is tasked with providing recommendations on the direction of the Water Department, including the use of one megawatt allocation of hydropower from the Parker-Davis Dam on municipal electric needs.

Terms are for three years. The Utilities Board meets at the Marana Operations Center twice a year.

The application process is open until November 10, 2016. All applications will remain active for one year from the date of receipt. 

Applications are available at http://marana.seamlessdocs.com/f/boards and can be submitted online.  Call 382-1960 for more information.

Posted:  October 11, 2016

Marana Regional Airport Open House Gives Residents Voice in Master Plan

Marana, Arizona (Oct. 11, 2016) – The Town of Marana will host an Airport Master Plan Open House for airport users and community members on Wednesday, October 26, 2016, from 5:00pm – 7:00 pm at the Tucson Aeroservice Center (11700 W. Avra Valley Road) located at the Marana Regional Airport. The event will allow users and residents to review the Airport Master Plan update, which began in May 2015. Attendees can learn about proposed development and give feedback on the findings. Airport and consultant staff will be on‐hand to answer questions.

“I encourage our Town residents and airport users to attend the Open House in order to see some of the exciting planned future development for the Airport,” said Steve Miller, the Airport Director. He added, “This is an opportunity for the public to also participate in the master plan process as it nears completion.”

Attendees at the open house can learn about the recommended development for the airport, which includes:

• New airfield layouts
• Hangars
• Aircraft and auto parking
• A potential air traffic control tower, and
• A corporate complex on the east side of the airport.

The proposed changes at Marana Regional Airport came after a review of the airfield and facility conditions. Input from the Town and the Planning and Technical Advisory Committees were also important. These committees met three times during the project.

For more information on the Marana Regional Airport Master Plan, visit the airport’s website at www.flymarana.com.

Marana Water News: The Real Field of Dreams

This weekend is the Annual Marana Cotton Festival. On October 15, at the Marana Heritage Park, attendees can see rodeo events, grab something to eat from food trucks, take a walk through the petting zoo, and much more. According to Special Events Coordinator Monique Meza “The cotton festival is just a celebration of fall and Marana. It is a chance for the community to come out and celebrate the culture and heritage and is also celebrates the season.”

The farming culture is a large part of the history of Marana, and water is an integral part of that history. Irrigation, or water use for agriculture/growing crops, is one of the most important uses of water throughout the world. Through irrigation places like California and Israel are able to harness water from lakes and rivers to grow crops where it might not otherwise be possible. According to the U.S. Geological Society, in 2005 total irrigation water was 37% of total freshwater withdrawals most from surface water sources like rivers and lakes. Of this 37%, Arizona used 4% of that irrigation water.

In Marana, irrigation water is pumped through wells connected to our groundwater aquifer. Irrigation Districts like the Cortaro-Marana Irrigation District (CMID) have a specific set of groundwater rights. These grandfathered rights stem from the water use prior to the 1980 Groundwater Management Act. There are three types of these rights:

1.       Irrigation grandfathered rights

2.       Type 1 non-irrigation grandfathered rights

3.       Type 2 non-irrigation grandfathered rights

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Map of irrigation districts in Arizona

Irrigation grandfathered rights are given to those entities that were using irrigation water between 1975 and 1980, who can then  use groundwater for irrigation of land that is two or more acres to produce plants for sale or consumption or as livestock feed. Type 1 rights are given to lands that are permanently retired from farming and converted to a non-irrigation use, and Type 2 rights are only used for non-irrigation purposes. By adhering to these specific types of rights, Arizona irrigation water uses can help preserve our groundwater resources.

While Texas is the largest U.S. producer of cotton, China is the largest cotton producer in the world. Marana has a long history of cotton farming, and will be a highlight at the Cotton Festival this weekend. The event planners will have several areas dedicated to the cotton and agricultural heritage of the Town for guests to enjoy. There is even a small cotton farm in the rear of the park that attendees can walk through. For more information on the Cotton Festival, check out the Town’s event page here.

While Marana Water does not provide irrigation water in the way an irrigation district does, we understand the history of the water in our area. A reminder of the history and heritage of the Town is a great way to welcome the Fall season.

Marana Kicks Off Fall Pavement Preservation Program

Marana's fall pavement preservation will continue in 2016 in Continental Ranch, Ironwood Reserve, and Silverbell Place. Click here to find out when the Marana Public Works Department will be completing this work on streets in each of these neighborhoods. 

Town of Marana invites public input for new Town logo

The Town of Marana celebrates 40 years of incorporation in 2017, and in recognition of the milestone, we will be introducing a new Town logo to replace the current logo and seal. The public is invited to be a part of the selection process, and can vote on their favorite of five proposed designs until October 31. The results will be presented to Town Council, who will then make the final selection. 

Above: Current logo (left) and seal (right)

Marana has developed an evolving brand that places the highest priority on tremendous customer service to residents from all Town departments. Our logo is the central mark that invokes the quality of service which the Town always seeks to uphold. 

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Above: The five proposed logo redesigns. One design will be selected to replace the current logo and seal. Click to enlarge.

The final logo redesign will be the result of a year-long project involving months of research, drafts, and staff and public input. Marana's communication and design team worked with University of Arizona graphic design student Michael Hauri to research best practices and gather sketches and designs inspired by the current logo and seal, as well as the community's natural environment. Initial design drafts were presented to Town staff, and the feedback collected was used to develop the final designs. Black and white versions of the proposed logos were presented to Town Council on September 13, and under Town Council direction, colorized versions were created in the Town's signature teal and copper colors. 

Public voting on the five proposed logos will last until the end of October, with Council selecting the final logo in November. Community members will begin seeing the new logo around the community beginning in early 2017. In tandem with this effort, the Town will also update Marana's graphic standards, which provide guidelines for appropriate use of the logo. This mark will be used in a variety of applications, from vehicle branding to letterheads to T-shirt designs. The graphic standards will spell the specific requirements for using the brand in each of these settings.

Marana Town Council appoints four magistrates pro tempore for Marana Municipal Court

This week, Marana Town Council appointed four magistrates pro tempore for the Marana Municipal Court. These appointees will serve as needed when Town of Marana Magistrate Laine Sklar is unavailable for court, and were selected after an open process call for applications. 

"All possess the required skill and character to perform the duties of a judge pro tempore," Judge Sklar said of the appointees in her recommendation. 

The terms for their employment would run through September 30, 2017, to coincide with Judge Sklar's contracted term with the Town of Marana.

Maria S. Davila

Davila received her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Arizona.  Her previous experience includes working as a sole practitioner at Davila Law Office, PC, and serving as Assistant United States Attorney in Tucson, Arizona.

Michael Aaron

Aaron received his Bachelors degree from Southern University, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Montana. Previous experience includes serving as pro tempore in Missoula County for Montana Justice Court, and serving as President of the Board of Directors on the Arizona Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. 

Ronald J. Newman

Newman received his Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona, and his Bachelors Degree in Economics from Pennsylvania Military College. During his legal career, Newman practiced before all federal and state courts in Arizona, with experience in both criminal and complex civil matters. He has served as judge pro tempore for both the Pima County Consolidated Justice Court, and the Pima County Superior Court, Juvenile Court.

Alfred McDonald

McDonald received his Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Nevada, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona. He has been a criminal defense attorney for over twenty years.  Previous experience includes working as a sole practitioner for The McDonald Law Firm, PC, and as a trial attorney for The Law Office of Trezza & McDonald, PC. 

Marana Water News: What's Happening, Water Industry?

This week we take a look at some of the news around the water world. There are a lot of organizations that keep track of industry trends, new technologies and treatment methods, and much more. The links below will take you to some of the leading news stories and organizations both locally and nationally highlighting our greatest resource.

Water Resources Research Center

This long-standing group affiliated with the University of Arizona is starting a stronger research effort into groundwater awareness. There are two new research to highlight the "invisible" resource. Click here to read more about it.

Just last month, the WRRC launched a Desert Landscaping Website. The site has plant trivia, a plant selector, and links to additional resources. Click here to check it out.

Arizona Town Hall

Each year delegates from across the state come together to discuss an issue facing the future of Arizona. For the 107th Town Hall, held in November 2015, had the delegates discuss "Keeping Arizona's Water Glass Full." The end result of the three day session is a list of recommendations from the participants. Our own water director, John Kmiec, participated last year. To find the final report click here.

American Water Works Association

Marana Water is a member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA). This membership gives our staff access to industry journals, professional development opportunities, certification study guides, and much more. This month's issue of the OpFlow journal published an article on maximizing energy efficiency in water and wastewater operations. From using new energy sources to every-changing technologies, this article expands on how water utilities are making the most of their operations. Click here to find the full article.

Central Arizona Project

The Central Arizona Project (CAP) has been mentioned several times in our news stories over the past few months. They are typically mentioned in relation to water resources or management of our water portfolio. However, this time we are highlighting CAP's focus on research and grant opportunities for innovation. In July of this year, several grant awardees were selected to receive varying grants from CAP. Projects come from Pima, Pinal, and Maricopa counties. Non-profits focusing on water and environmental education are awarded. Check out list of awardees by clicking here.

Marana Water News: Becoming A Water Operator

The Arizona Administrative Code Title 18 chapters 5 and 9 lays the foundation for the certification program for water operators. Managed by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, this certification program sets the guidelines to ensure that only water professionals are operating our water systems. The training and certification exams safeguard the public health in the Marana community.

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To gain a certification, operators must pass an exam in the area in which they specialize. There are four categories of certification; water distribution, water treatment, collections, and wastewater. Within each of these categories are four grades of increasing complexity from Grade 1 to Grade 4. Operators sit for the exam at the grade and category after registering and studying. The exam is computer based, and the test-taker has three hours to answer 100 questions. The infogram to the right gives an overview of the steps to take to register and pass these exams.

Once a passing score has been achieved, professional education hours are required to maintain the certification. Distribution safety, sampling techniques, project management, and many other training programs meet these continuing education hours, and the Marana Water staff find new ways to learn and expand our knowledge about water systems through these continuing education programs, many of which are offered at no charge.

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Certified operators are the backbone of the Marana Water department. The specialized knowledge gained through this certificate program, enable our staff to properly meet all requirements for water reliability, safe drinking water, and maintaining equipment and processes to operate our water systems. Almost 90% of Marana Water staff have at least one operator certificate, and eleven members of our staff have multiple across all the categories. The chart to the left shows the number of each grade in each category. Overall, Marana Water staff has 43 distinct certifications and continuing to gain more each year. We work very hard to provide the best possible expertise and service for our customers.

Our staff are dedicated to all the skills necessary to be a successful water operator: mathematics, mechanics, treatment techniques, reporting, and safety. Keeping our water systems running safely and efficiently is part of the mission we strive to meet each day.

Traffic Enforcement Detail, Tangerine Road, 9/27-9/30

The Marana Police Department will be conducting a traffic enforcement detail on Tangerine Road between Dove Mountain Blvd. and Thornydale Road.  This area is currently part of a widening project, which is under construction.

The Marana Police Motor Unit will be working in this area from Tuesday, September 27th through Friday, September 30th.  Enforcement will be conducted throughout the day during construction hours to enforce speeding and other related traffic violations.

Future enforcement details will be scheduled until the project is completed.

New Town award honors the critical role young people play in Marana

Every year, Marana recognizes outstanding adults who make their mark on the Town and who build on Marana’s legacy of community spirit. This year, the Town will add the Youth Legacy Award to these honors in order to acknowledge a wider array of contributions to our community. On Tuesday night, Marana Town Council unanimously approved this new award as a testament to the critical role young people play in Marana.

That role became especially apparent several months ago when a delegation of students from Marana represented Marana in Denver at the All-America City competition. As a finalist for this prestigious honor, Marana tasked these students with demonstrating the wide array of programs across the Town which address foundational youth needs—programs which support heart, body, and mind. The youth delegates discussed the Positive Behavior Intervention System, a program that encourages and reinforces constructive decision-making. They shared MUSD’s Marana Cares Mobile, a retired school bus which the District converted to a mobile cafeteria that provides meals during school vacations. They highlighted the Career and Technical Education programs offered at Marana High that are preparing students for a wide variety of professions, from early childhood education to welding. Each of these activities demonstrates Marana’s commitment to supporting all youth physically, intellectually, and emotionally. You can learn more about the Marana Delegation here. 

Inspired by the spirit of these students, the Town of Marana has created this award to acknowledge youth in the community who make Marana a better place for everyone. This spring, Marana will honor the students as the first recipients of the Marana Youth Legacy Award. The following year, Marana will begin accepting nominations for youth who embody the values demonstrated by the Town’s All-America City delegation. The successful nominee’s efforts will benefit others in the community by promoting a healthy and safe environment, provide clothing, food, or shelter, or offering educational opportunities.

The Marana Youth Legacy Award will be presented along with the Marana Crystal Legacy Award and the Marana Branding Iron Awards at the 2017 Founders Day event celebration at Ora Mae Harn Park. Community members will be able to nominate youths for consideration during a nomination period leading up to the event. 

Tangerine Road Update: Nightly Utility Work Begins 9/25 Through Early October

Beginning Sunday night, September 25th from 8 pm to 5 am through early October, crews from Tangerine Corridor Constructors will begin working on utility crossings on Tangerine Road from Camino de Manana to Thornydale Road. The traveling public can anticipate the following impacts: 

• There will be intermittent lane restrictions on Tangerine Road between Camino de Manana and Thornydale Road. Traffic will be guided through the impacted work area one side at a time. Flaggers will be on site to direct traffic through the work area.
• The speed limit will be reduced 25 mph.
• Expect delays.

Work is anticipated to continue for the next few weeks; however, no work will occur on the weekends. Daytime activities will continue to occur in concurrence with the night work. 

Please ensure that dogs, horses and other animals are not in the construction zone - for the safety of all. 

If you have further questions, please contact Kristi Shepherd at (520) 623-3073 or info@tangerineroad.info.

Wildlife corridors to be built beneath Tangerine Road

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Pictured above: 2012 footage provided by Arizona Game of Fish of the wildlife corridors on Twin Peaks Road. 

This week, Marana Town Council approved funding for five wildlife corridors beneath the Tangerine Road expansion project between Dove Mountain Boulevard and La Cañada Drive.  The project will involve the installation of five medium-sized mammal crossings that will accommodate animals such as bobcats and mountain lions. A report from the Arizona Game and Fish Department identified recommended locations for these crossings based on open space connectivity, existing and future development, and hydraulic design.

The Council designated these funds through the Wildlife Linkages Amendment to the Intergovernmental Transportation Funding agreement between the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and the Town of Marana.

“These corridors serve several purposes,” said Town of Marana Environmental Projects Manager Janine Spencer. “They provide a safe alternative route for wildlife crossings, and they serve as drainage conveyances for flooding prevention.”

The Tortolita Mountains north of Tangerine Road has been a critical area for wildlife linkages, and the Tangerine Road wildlife corridors are important for maintaining access between the Tortolita and the Tucson Mountains. Development of the corridors included a technical team of planners, engineers, biologists, hydrologists, and construction professionals due to the project’s challenges involving new roadway elevation and traffic management.

“This project has been a true partnering effort between Town of Marana, Town of Oro Valley, Pima County, Arizona Game and Fish Department, two design firms, two joint venture contractors, multiple utilities, and numerous businesses and residents,” Town of Marana CIP Project Manager Tom Houle said of the process.

The impact of these wildlife corridors is significant for animals and humans alike. The Arizona Game and Fish Department reported road-kill numbers of over one thousand animals per month between May and September in 2010.  Arizona Game and Fish Department counted a total of 88 species, including the desert tortoise, which is listed as Wildlife of Special Concern in Arizona.  Other species identified as road kill include badgers, grey fox, javelina, mule deer and Gila monsters. Motorist collisions with mule deer and javelina could also lead to serious accidents involving injury and damage.

With this week’s Town Council vote, Marana will construct five wildlife crossings beneath Tangerine Road, ranging between 6 and 9 feet in height. Full details of the construction can be found in the Wildlife Linkages Project Funding Proposal.

The Tangerine Road Corridor Project broke ground on March 8 this year, and is a collaborative effort involving Marana, Pima County, Oro Valley, and the Regional Transportation Authority to accommodate the current traffic demands and the increasingly rapid growth and development in the area. Over the next several years, construction crews will widen and flatten the road to create a seamless corridor that extends ten miles from Interstate 10 to La Cañada Drive and increases the safety of both drivers and wildlife. Improvements will also be constructed on Thornydale Road, La Cholla Blvd, and Camino de Mañana. The Phase I portion of the project is expected to be completed in two years. Learn more about the Tangerine Road Corridor Project here.

Town of Marana Pavement Preservation Program - STREET CLOSURE

Over the next several months, Marana Public Works will continue its Pavement Preservation Program. The streets which will be affected are included at the end of this article. This program employs a proactive maintenance philosophy to improve and preserve the high standards of our roads. Due to the type of work being performed, you will experience temporary road closures while work is taking place.

Holbrook Asphalt has been contracted to perform the street maintenance project in your area. The work involves seal coating of streets within your subdivision. The seal coat is anticipated to take place from October 10 to October 19. During this time, please be aware of the following restrictions and advisories:

• Affected roads will be unavailable for travel on certain days from October 10 to October 19. The contractor will offer a shuttle service to get you to and from your residence and vehicle. The service will run from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for the homes on the streets being treated. To contact the shuttle, please call (480) 338-3254. Please refer to the attached map to determine what day your address is affected.
• The type of treatment that will be applied to affected roads requires a 12 hour period of no traffic. All vehicles must be parked off the street. Please park your vehicle in adjacent areas that are not receiving treatment. If the owner of a vehicle parked on the street is unable to be located, the vehicle is subject to towing. Please see maps below for closure areas and dates.
• Sprinklers may not be used one full day before or after your road has been treated.  Because treatments cannot be applied to wet roadways, delays may occur if moisture is present 24 hours before or after treatment has been applied. Damage due to sprinklers will result in repair costs charged to the resident.
• Trash/recycle containers should be placed behind the curb and must be kept off the street. If pickup is scheduled during construction hours, your trash will be serviced at the next scheduled pick-up date. In the case of a life-threatening emergency, public safety vehicles will be allowed to drive on the treated surface.
• Work cannot be performed in inclement weather. You will be notified of additional closures if the work cannot be performed on the planned date.

We understand there will be some inconvenience during this project. If we work together, we can minimize problems and finish in a timely manner with satisfying results.  Marana’s infrastructure is a point of pride in this community, and in order to maintain our high quality roads, projects like this one are periodically necessary.  As we work to complete this project efficiently and effectively, we are actively seeking input from our community members.  Please contact the Town of Marana at (520) 382-2505 with any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding this project.

 Stay up-to-date on Town of Marana news, projects, and events. Visit MaranaAZ.gov, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

Marana Water News: 2,336 acre-feet - Marana's New CAP Allocation

UPDATE ON LAST WEEK'S STORY

How did you celebrate Imagine a Day Without Water last week? Some students from the Marana Youth Enrichment program, offered by Marana Parks and Recreation, created some beautiful artwork. Check them out in the gallery below. The students talked about how hard it would be to go a full day without water. Some mentioned how hard it would be on their families and pets. They also shared how important water is for emergency services. We are elated that these students were able to have fun while learning about the importance of water in all aspects of their lives.

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In Arizona, water resources are primarily managed by the Groundwater Management Act passed in 1980. This act establishes the rules for who can access groundwater, how much groundwater can be pumped, and who is going to regulate the use of groundwater. It also created Active Management Areas (AMAs) throughout the state, which are regulated by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR). One of the major responsibilities of ADWR is to manage the use of water across the state. Marana Water reports to ADWR how we meet our customer water demand and the mixture of water sources we use. For more information on our reporting requirements, check out our Annual Report story here.

Marana Water customer demand for 2015 was approximately 1,960 acre feet. To meet this demand, we have to combine several types of water resources. The primary source is the 1,528 acre feet of permanent allocation of Central Arizona Project (CAP) water. The rest comes from purchased long-term storage credits from other water providers and groundwater. To ensure that Marana Water can meet demand regardless of CAP credits, long-term storage credit availability, or allowable groundwater availability, we are a member of the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District (CAGRD). Marana Water purchases each of these sources at a set rate for that year. To keep customer rates as low as possible, Marana Water works to gather resources to meet the demand and ADWR requirements in the most cost effective manner.

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The permanent CAP allocation is the most cost effective option available to Marana Water, so when the opportunity to get an additional allocation of 808 acre feet from Avra Water Co-op in 2015, we jumped at the chance to expand this portion of our portfolio. Beginning in 2015, with Resolution 2015-107, Town Council directed staff to pursue the transfer and purchase of this additional CAP allocation. Staff worked over a year to develop the agreements, permits, financing, and all other requirements to add this 808 acre feet to meet our demand.

On August 2, 2016, the Town Council approved the two agreements required to begin the transfer of these acre feet. These two agreements, one with Avra Water and one with CAP, then needed to be approved by the CAP Board of Directors. This approval came at the Board meeting held on September 1, 2016 bringing Marana’s new permanent allocation of CAP water to 2,336 and a surplus supply of water.

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Through this 808 acre feet purchase, Marana Water is in a solid position for the next decade of Town growth. With the addition of recharge effluent, there is likely to be a water surplus until 2026. This means that there is less chance of having to purchase more expensive water from another water provider or from the CAGRD.

Marana Water works to make responsible and sustainable choices for current and future water customers. The ability to purchase these additional permanent acre feet provides great opportunity for planned growth and water reliability.

N. Costco Dr. construction between Home Depot and Naughtons to resume Sept. 13

Construction in the roadway is scheduled to take place beginning Tuesday, September 13, with a 9:00 pm lane closure in front of 3936 N. Costco Dr. between Home Depot and Naughtons. When work is completed, trench plates will be placed and road will be open to restricted traffic by 6:00 am Wednesday morning, September 14. On September 15 and September 16, starting each day at 9:00 am, this same location will again be closed for the next stage of roadwork. Trench plates will be removed as we complete each lane and open to traffic each day at 4:00pm.

Temporary striping will take place at night and moratorium mill and fill to be scheduled at a later date.

For your safety and that of the contractor’s personnel, please comply with all traffic control devices, flagging personnel, and/or detour signs. Travel time through the project area may increase during construction so please adjust your schedule accordingly. Construction may restrict traffic lanes and create congestion. Taking alternate routes is suggested.

If inclement weather or other events cause delays, the work may be rescheduled without further notice.

Stay up-to-date on Town of Marana news, projects, and events. Visit MaranaAZ.gov, like us on Facebook, and follow us on twitter.

Town of Marana Welcomes Tourism and Marketing Manager Laura Cortelyou

Across Arizona, the state is starting to see the annual uptick in tourism that comes with cooler fall temperatures. To greet this growing demand, Marana is welcoming Laura Cortelyou as the Town’s new Tourism and Marketing Manager. In this role, Laura will oversee Marana’s efforts to position itself as the premier destination in Southern Arizona for visitors seeking all kinds of adventures.

Laura joins the Town of Marana from the Tucson Museum of Art, where she was Director of Marketing and Public Relations. She holds a master's degree from Fielding Graduate University in Human and Organizational Development and a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara in the History of Art and Architecture. Previously, she directed marketing for Forester Media, Inc., a publisher of civil and environmental engineering journals, and ABC-CLIO, an academic history publisher. She is currently the president of the Southern Arizona Attractions Alliance and a board member of Visit Tucson.

“Marana is a place with so much going on, and I’m incredibly excited to share this vibrant community with a wider audience,” says Laura about her recent appointment.

Last year, Marana launched www.DiscoverMarana.org, an artfully designed website that allows visitors to learn more about the Gateway to Southern Arizona. Since then, the site has welcomed thousands of visitors and even won the 2016 Governor’s Tourism Award for Interactive Technology.  

In addition to this new web presence, Marana’s tourism efforts include advertising in publications across Arizona and northern Mexico, a partnership with Perimeter Cycling to host a segment of El Tour de Tucson in Marana, and collaboration with local hotels and retail centers to produce joint promotional materials. This work all contributes to Marana’s efforts to stimulate an active, dynamic local economy.

“Our goal is to promote our beautiful corner of the Sonoran Desert,” explains Laura. “Fortunately, Marana has so much to offer that our focus is about of all of the great amenities we have.”

Marana Water News: Imagine a Day Without Water - September 15, 2016

September 15, 2016 is Imagine a Day Without Water. This national campaign is intended to highlight the importance of access to clean water through investment in reliable infrastructure to bring water to homes and businesses. As you can imagine, water is vital to all aspects of our lives. From a daily coffee or tea to water required in manufacturing and energy production, a day without water would prove difficult for most of us. Marana Water joins, the City of Avondale, the Central Arizona Project, Community Water Company, the Town of Gilbert, Pima County Water Reclamation, the City of Mesa, Tucson Water, and the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association participating in the campaign in Arizona. There are many more water providers and other entities participating around the country.

Marana Town Council issues a proclamation of support for Imagine a Day Without Water on September 6, 2016

When working with our staff on how to best promote this campaign, there were plenty of ideas tossed around. We discussed several options to limit water use for the day, including forgoing morning coffee. At the end of the day, we did not want our level of service to suffer due to lack of caffeine or have our staff not properly hydrated, showing us how vital water is to our everyday lives. This national campaign works to bring these issues forward and remind us all of how important ready access to water is. The lack of water affects not just small things in our lives, but also would halt all firefighting capabilities, agriculture work, and hospital functions. Water connects us all in so many ways.

An ongoing joke among water providers is that we bury our best work. Water professionals put water and sewer lines in the ground, bury them, and then work diligently to maintain them. These lines are intended to last until well after they were installed, and materials are used to best meet this goal. However, there are many areas around the county where this infrastructure is dramatically aged and in desperate need of repair or replacement to avoid a disastrous loss of water. American Water, a water provider across the county, created a video about the importance of maintaining aging infrastructure. It gives a nice overview of the problems and some solutions out there.

Here at Marana Water our infrastructure is not as old as other cities, but the maintenance of these lines, tanks, and pumps is just as important. We work on keeping our system running as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Days like this one remind everyone how important this maintenance is to keep the level of service our customers have come to expect.

The ability to turn a faucet to get an unlimited amount of water at any time is one of the greatest values of water. Americans, on average, use about 64,240 gallons of water a year, and 39% of these users rely in groundwater like we do here in Southern Arizona. According to the World Health Organization, around the world 1 in 10 people lack access to safe water and 1 in 3 people lack access to a toilet. Imagine a Day Without Water also reminds us that there are plenty of instances where access to water and sewer facilities are nonexistent.

Could you imagine not brushing your teeth, doing laundry, or giving your pet their water bowl? We hope that our customers, and those reading this, take a few minutes to think about how you value water, and particularly on September 15. You can use the hashtag #ValueWater to be a part of the conversation this week on social media. Send us your stories at MaranaWater@maranaaz.gov.

Southwest Gas Removing Natural Gas Pipeline Facilities in Marana Neighborhoods

For the remainder of 2016, Southwest Gas will be removing certain natural gas pipeline facilities from service that exist at various sites across Marana.  This utility work will have no effect on service. 

Many of these sites are at homes located in Continental Ranch. Residents will also receive door hangers notifying them of this work 1-2 weeks before it is scheduled to occur. Please ensure access to your meter location is provided. Landscape or concrete disturbed during this process will be restored as close as possible to that which currently exists.

If you have any questions, please contact Project Coordinator Gregory Augenstein at (520) 289-1259. To speak with a representative from the Town of Marana regarding this work, please contact Daniel Silva at (520) 382-2682. Thank you for your patience as we work to expedite this activity.

Marana Honored with Two Savvy Awards at 3CMA Annual Conference

On Thursday night, the Town of Marana was honored by the City/County Communications and Marketing Association (3CMA) with two of its annual Savvy Awards. One award recognized the Town’s overall website, while the second lauded Marana’s citizen engagement efforts to solicit input on the design of the new Tangerine Sky Community Park.

The Savvy Awards, held in conjunction with 3CMA’s Annual Conference, recognize outstanding local government achievements in communications, public-sector marketing, and citizen-government relationships. The Savvies salute skilled and effective city, county, agency, or district professionals who have creatively planned and carried out successful innovations in communications and marketing. 3CMA accommodates local government organizations of all sizes and budget classes by judging entries in several different population groups.

In summer 2015, Marana rolled out its new website, adopting a sleek, modern design that allows for a more user-friendly experience. Using engaging graphics, an interface which is compatible with both mobile and desktop users, and informative content through the Marana Newsroom, the Town has capitalized on the potential to connect with citizens through the web.

The Town’s second Savvy award honors Marana’s efforts to learn what neighbors of a forthcoming park want to see at this new facility. Using a blended campaign of printed flyers sent through the mail and an online survey, Marana achieved a response rate considerably higher than previous efforts. A cornerstone of this campaign was a humorous postcard which announced that a “Dinosaur breeding facility coming to your neighborhood.” On the back of the post card, recipients then read, “Oh, that’s not what you want in your new community park? Tell us what you do want. Complete the park survey.”

This engaging approach to public engagement generated excited not only around the idea of filling out a survey, but about the park in general. Since the original postcard went out to residents, the Town has received numerous suggestions for the park. Soon, many of those suggestions will become reality when the park is completed this spring.

“When we think about communications and marketing in Marana, we always try to craft a message that’s specific to our target audience,” says Communications Manager Vickie Hathaway. “Sometimes that means we can be funny, while other times we try to strike a more serious tone. No matter what, though, we focus on delivering a straightforward, informative message.”

The 3CMA Annual Conference, at which the Savvy Awards are announced, provides Town staff with the opportunity to learn from jurisdictions across the country. The conference included sessions on emergency management and social media, gamification for citizen engagement, and community branding. Ideas garned from sessions like these will allow staff to design thoughtful and effective communications and marketing efforts throughout the year ahead.

Temporary closure of Crossroads Trail to begin September 11th

Crossroads Trail between the west side of the I-10 frontage road and Tangerine Farms Road will be closed to all traffic from 4 p.m. Sunday, 9/11/2016 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, 9/14/2016. The temporary closure is occurring in conjunction with the Town of Marana’s Tangerine/Downtown Sewer Conveyance System project. The project contractor, Kinkaid Civil Construction, will be installing a new sewer pipe across Crossroads Trail.

Tangerine Farms Road and Moore Road will be used as the detour route. Directional signs and traffic control devices will be set up to guide vehicles around the Crossroads Trail closure and along the detour route.

For your safety and that of the contractor’s personnel, please comply with all traffic control devices, flagging personnel, and/or detour signs. Travel time through the project area may increase during construction so please adjust your schedule accordingly. Construction may restrict traffic lanes and create congestion. Taking alternate routes is suggested.

If inclement weather or other events cause delays, the work may be rescheduled without further notice.

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