Manager's Message: Enjoy the summertime in Marana

Marana Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta provided this Manager’s Message to the Marana News and Explorer News.

Free music is a feature of the Star Spangled Spectacular.

School is out, the temperature is rising and summer is upon us! At the Town of Marana, we look forward to the summer months because there is so much to do in our community. 

Celebrate our nation’s birthday this Fourth of July at Marana’s Star Spangled Spectacular. This annual event at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park (7548 N. Silverbell Road) has become a regional draw, attracting thousands of people from around the community and beyond. 

Because of the large crowds, we have been working hard to create a safe environment for everyone. This year, the entirety of the park will be fenced, and members of the public will enter through designated entrances. With the exception of diaper bags, a clear bag rule has been instated, and bag checks will be conducted upon entry. 

We are excited about our line-up of entertainment. Our musical acts span a wide variety of genres, including country, pop, ’90s alternative, grunge and classic rock. To learn more about our musical attractions and much more, visit our website at MaranaEvents.com. 

In addition to our signature events, we love providing smaller community experiences to our residents. We have three free movie showings throughout the summer, including “A Wrinkle in Time” this Saturday, June 15, and “A Dog’s Way Home” on July 20. Both events will be held at the Ora Mae Harn Park pool (13250 N. Lon Adams Road). On Aug. 17, we move from the pool to the Marana Heritage River Park Splash Pad (12375 N. Heritage Park Drive) for a showing of “Hotel Transylvania.” 

The pool at Ora Mae Harn Park, the Marana Heritage River Park Splash Pad and the Crossroads at Silverbell District Park Splash Pad are open every day for the summer, and all three amenities are free of charge. 

Our events aren’t just about entertainment. We also encourage civic engagement. On June 19 and 20, we will hold our “Make Marana 2040 General Plan Update” community open houses. These open houses provide opportunities for the public to review the draft of the Make Marana 2040 General Plan and provide feedback. Community input is an essential part of developing a plan that serves our community. To learn more, visit MakeMarana2040.com

Our Animal Services Division has much to offer during these summer months, including free microchip clinics. We are partnering with No Kill Pima County for a free microchip clinic on Saturday, June 23 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Marana Community Center (13250 N. Lon Adams Road.) 

Sports Camps for kids are new this summer.

Marana Parks and Recreation has a wide variety of programs for every age and interest. There are several camp options, including art camps, horse camps and sports camps. Teens looking for something to do during the day should check out our “Teen Extreme Day Camp Adventures.” Participants get to attend trips to a Diamondbacks game, Big Surf Waterpark, and Arizona Zipline Adventures. 

We have day trips for our seniors as well. There are two trips left to Mt. Lemmon, and a steamboat trip on Canyon Lake. Our senior center has a wide variety of activities, including games, physical fitness classes and arts and crafts. 

Are sports your thing? We have open gym for basketball and pickleball, with our pickleball league starting up in July. For our youngest residents we have the “Tots & Me Story Art” classes and the “Nature to You: Youth Garden Education Series.” 

To learn more about all our recreation programs, visit MaranaAZ.gov/recreation.

It may be hot, but that doesn’t mean you have to hide inside! There is something for everyone in our community. Whether you want to hone your skills, attend a festival, or participate in civic engagement, Marana has plenty of options for you. 

Jamsheed Mehta is the Marana Town Manager.

Marana In The Media: Preparing for 2019 monsoon

Photo Courtesy of the Marana News

The Marana News did a story on how Pima County and local communities are preparing for the monsoons. The Town of Marana was featured prominently. 
 
Aside from Pima County, local towns like Marana are readying and restructuring their “storm preparedness plans” after last year’s downpour. 

“We’re a pretty big town, so we try to make sure we spread our staff and resources out evenly,” said Daniel Silva, street supervisor for Marana’s Public Works Department. 

The Public Works Department arranges Marana into four districts to better manage equally spreading support during monsoons. These district divisions are one of the main changes in this year’s storm preparedness plan. 

During a monsoon on July 10, 2018, a Union Pacific train derailed between Avra Valley and Twin Peaks roads, scattering 27 rail cars across the train tracks and surrounding area. Whereas public works previously organized its support systems in east and west directions, during the derailment and subsequent cleanup, the department realized it would be more efficient to organize from north to south. 

“Last year was quite a test,” Silva said. “But we came together as a town and managed to get through it.” 

Read the full story at the Marana News

Tangerine Corridor Project wins the Timothy M. Ahrens Partnering Award

2019 Timothy M. Ahrens Partnering Award.

Accolades have been pouring in in for the Tangerine Road Corridor Project since its completion in 2018. Now, this joint Town of Marana, Oro Valley, and Pima County project can add the 2019 Timothy M. Ahrens Partnering Award from the Pima Association of Governments and the Regional Transportation Authority to its list.

The success of the project was demonstrated in the following areas: achieving a common goal, embracing regional stakeholders, resolving conflict, improving communication on the project with all audiences, incorporating team-building activities, delivery of a quality product, finding innovative funding solutions, and perpetuating the spirit of cooperation.

The Town of Marana partnered with the Town of Oro Valley, Pima County, the Psomas Design Team and contractor Tangerine Corridor Constructors (TCC) - a Granite Construction/Borderland Construction on the project, to improve a five-mile segment of Tangerine Road from Dove Mountain Boulevard/Twin Peaks Road to La Cañada Drive.

The newly constructed roadway delivered to the public:

• A four-lane roadway with landscaped medians 

• The elimination of dip crossings and upgraded culverts to provide 100-year flood access

• Pedestrian and bicycle facilities

• The installation of additional turn lanes and signalization at key intersections

• Wildlife linkages for wildlife corridors along this stretch of roadway

Tom Houle served as the Project Manager for the Town of Marana.

The Tangerine Road Corridor Project was selected as one of Public Works Projects of the Year by the American Public Works Association’s for 2019 in the category of Transportation - $25 million to $75 million. In addition, it was also named as the Southern Arizona Branch of the American Public Works Association also named it Project of the Year, Transportation, $25M-$75M category. 

Additional awards include the 2019 IPI Partnered Project of the Year Award from the International Partnering Institute, and the 2018 Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Award.

Marana looking for artist for roundabout

Deer statues on Tangerine Road.

The Town of Marana has been awarded grant funding through the Pima Association of Governments (PAG) Transportation Art by Youth (TABY) program to fund a public art project for the Downtown Marana/Marana Main Street Gateway. The Town is soliciting qualifications from artist for the design, construction, and installation of the public art project. The Artist will work with the Town’s representative to develop the design and construction of the art to be installed at the Marana Road roundabout.

As the future location of the Town’s planned Downtown Marana and Marana Main Street area, this public art will feature a modern design in a simultaneous effort to acts as a visual centerpiece and gateway to the Town’s Downtown/Main Street area.

The intended design should incorporate the following:

• Be clean and forward-looking in design

• If possible, refer to aspects of Marana’s heritage and natural environment

• Be conscious of the surrounding area’s overall vision for downtown Marana

• Be mindful of sight distances for traffic safety reasons

• Take advantage of the concentric nature of the roundabout, potentially utilizing a 360 degree view

• Complement the established materials board used for the landscape architecture piece included in the roundabout – See separate Attachment ‘A’ Landscape Materials Board.

• Take into consideration Downtown Marana Overlay District guidelines – See separate Attachment ‘B’ Marana Overlay District Guidelines

• Serve as a welcoming presence, acting as a gateway to Downtown Marana/Main Street.

Upon selection of the qualified artist by the Town, a design concept shall be developed in collaboration with Town Staff representatives, the selected artist, pre-selected local students, the local instructor, and Town of Marana Citizens’ Forum members, or any combination thereof.

The Town anticipates that the timeframe between artist submission of design proposals and award of contract may be lengthy, based upon the schedule of grant disbursement. The PAG TABY grant was awarded and disbursed in February 2019.

The Town anticipates that the timeframe for artist recruitment, concept design, construction, and installation to be as follows: artist recruitment phase - May 2019, design phase – June – July 2019, construction phase – August – September 2019, and the installation phase – September – October 2019. These timeframes are subject to change.

To learn more please read the full CALL FOR ARTISTS/REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)

National Building Safety Month: Week 5 Innovations in building safety

Science and technology are leading the way for designing and constructing safe, efficient and resilient homes and buildings. Up-to-date building safety codes and standards enable technology to be incorporated into buildings while ensuring safety for lives, properties and investments.

The International Codes (I-Codes), developed by the International Code Council, are the most widely used and adopted set of building safety codes in the world and use the latest technology for energy and water savings for homeowners and businesses. The Town of Marana recently adopted the latest edition of these codes in an effort to stay on top of the latest innovations in building.

The building safety industry is on the cutting edge of technology and building science. From green construction and resiliency to product evaluation, certification, and codification, the ICC Family of Companies is part of this technological transformation to make our buildings safer and our industry more advanced.

 Visit the International Code Council’s Website for more information on:

• Green construction

• Code compliant building products

• Accreditation of entities that support code compliance

• Building department codification

• Resilience benchmarking

Orange Grove Road off-ramp re-opens

Westbound Interstate 10/Orange Grove Road ramp opens to traffic

Ina Road lane closures end between I-10 and Camino de las Capas

The Arizona Department of Transportation has reopened the exit ramp from westbound Interstate 10 to Orange Grove Road. The ramp was closed as part of the Ina Road interchange project to improve safety for vehicles during peak travel times.

In addition, crews have opened Ina Road to four lanes between I-10 and Camino de las Capas. Lane restrictions on Ina Road west of I-10 will lessen over the next few weeks as crews complete final work in that area.

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call the ADOT Bilingual Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or go to azdot.gov/contact and select Projects from the drop-down menu. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT's Traveler Information Site at�www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

Run for the Wall visits Marana

Motorcyclists participating in the annual Run for the Wall visited Marana on My 16.

On Thursday, May 16, there was more morning traffic than usual at the Marana Road Exit. Six-hundred and eighteen motorcycles, to be exact! Their purpose? A brief pitstop on their way across the country.
 
Their final destination? The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC as part of the "Run for the Wall". Every May, motorcyclists ride together to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to honor those that have passed, welcome home the participating veterans and provide an opportunity for reflection.

Marana Road exit is one of the annual stops for the riders, and businesses in Marana welcomed the motorists with signs, parking areas (while all 618 where getting fueled up), and gas donations from Circle K. There were many honks during these 2 hours as onlookers waved and gave thumbs up as they passed, and a number of families came out to support the bikers.

This event is the largest and longest organized cross-country motorcycle run in the world, and has participants from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and more.

This year, the ride started on May 15 and they will reach Washington D.C. on May 24. There are four different routes crossing the country in different regions. The southern route began in Ontario, California and made a pit stop in Marana on Thursday morning.

While in Marana, there was a brief ceremony with the Golder Ranch Fire Fighters Pipes and Drums Local 3832 playing and presenting colors, local school children performing the Pledge of Allegiance, and Amber Simons O’Neill singing a version of  Hallelujah.

One of the pillars of the Run to the Wall is to always strive for safety, and they accomplish this by working with local public safety officers to ensure safety for participants, traffic, sightseers, and other stake holders. Marana Police Department and Northwest Fire were a couple safety agencies present.  

To view their live progress through GPS Signal visit here: https://rftw352.findmyscout.com/scouts/map

May 19-25 is National Public Works Week in Marana

National Public Works Week is observed each year during the third full week of May. National Public Works Week is a celebration of the tens of thousands of men and women in North America who provide and maintain the infrastructure and services collectively known as "public works". The week seeks to raise awareness of public works employees who are dedicated to improving the quality of life for present and future generations.

At the Town of Marana the Public Works is made up of the departments and divisions of Streets, Traffic, Facilities, Fleet, Engineering, Water, Wastewater, and Parks.

Special highlights of National Public Works Week include a United States Senate resolution affirming the first National Public Works Week in 1960, letters of acknowledgment from Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Lyndon Johnson, and a Presidential Proclamation signed by John F. Kennedy in 1962.

The Marana Town Council proclaimed  May 19-25 as National Public Works Week at their May 7th meeting.  

This year’s theme is "It Starts Here." This theme represents the many facets of modern civilization that grow out of the efforts put forth by the public works professionals across North America. What starts here? Infrastructure starts with public works... Growth and innovation starts with public works... Mobility starts with public works... Security starts with public works... Healthy communities start with public works... The bottom line is that citizens' quality of life starts with public works.

During the work week from May 20 to May 24, the Public Works Department will set up displays in the Marana Municipal Complex lobby. Public Works will display this year’s Town Council Proclamation, National Public Works Week Poster, a traffic signal, LED solar stop sign with radar, asphalt and concrete coring machine and core samples.

Please stop by and view the displays.   

National Building Safety Month: Week 4 Construction professionals and homeowners: Partners in safety

Whether you are going through a minor remodeling job or major construction, the code official wants your project to be a success. Building safety professionals play a major role in keeping the public safe. They can also help avoid potential problems that could put you at risk and cost you time and money.

Before you begin any work that involves construction, visit the Town of Marana’s Development Services Division. They will explain the process, which may include getting a building permit, plan review and inspection. This  is also an opportunity to discuss incorporating mitigation measures to further protect your home from natural hazards. The process is designed to protect the home or building owner and the occupants. 

Code officials ensure that all buildings, including homes, businesses and places of public assembly are built to required building safety codes, which address structural stability, fire safety, exits, sanitation, electricity, energy efficiency, flood protection and more. These building safety professionals are responsible for protecting public health, safety and welfare through effective code enforcement.

What are Building Codes?

Building codes and regulations have protected the public for thousands of years. The earliest known code of law—the Code of Hammurabi, king of the Babylonian Empire, written circa 2200 B.C.—assessed severe penalties, including death, if a building was not constructed safely. Regulation of building construction in the United States dates back to the 1700s. In the late 1800s major cities began to adopt and enforce building codes in response to large fires in densely populated urban areas. The primary intent of early building codes was to reduce fire risk, but over time, their scope has broadened. Today, building codes are sets of regulations that address structural integrity, fire resistance, safe exits, lighting, ventilation, construction materials, and flood, wind, and earthquake protection. They specify the minimum requirements to safeguard the health, safety and general welfare of building occupants.

To learn more about building codes, check out the Code Council's Introduction to Building Codes. 

Rad more about Building Codes and how Building Codes protect your investment at the International Code Council’s website.

Groundbreaking ceremony held for new senior living facility

Sun Corridor Inc. held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Dove Mountain Senior Living.

On Tuesday, May 14, Sun Corridor Inc. held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Dove Mountain Senior Living facility being constructed in Marana.

The Dove Mountain Senior Living facility will consist of three buildings, totaling approximately 151,000 square feet. The facility will feature 142 total units,  consisting of independent living, assisted living, and memory care.

“This is a great introduction to a renewed and stronger partnership between the Town of Marana and Sun Corridor Inc.,” said Town of Marana Director of Economic Development Curt Woody.

The project has a capital expenditure of $35 million, and will bring  70 new jobs for the Town of Marana, the majority of which are in the healthcare industry. Construction is projected to end in June of 2020, with a tentative grand opening  the following July.

“This project not only creates jobs and investment into the Town itself, but provides an integral service to senior citizens in our community,” said Town of Marana Mayor Ed Honea.

Rendering of the new Dove Mountain Senior Living facility.

Economic Development Specialist wins award

On Thursday, May 2, Town of Marana Economic/Downtown Development Specialist Heath Vescovi-Chiordi received the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) Economic Development Distinguished by Excellence (EDDE) Award for Member of the Year 2019.

This honor is awarded to an individual out of the entire AAED membership of approximately 450, which includes economic development practitioners, service providers, and private developers throughout the entire state.

“It’s an honor to receive this award from AAED,” said Vescovi-Chiordi. “Thank you to everyone who’s played a role in my professional and personal development.”

The winner demonstrates excellence in participation in AAED Events, committees, leadership, etc., while maintaining exceptional performance in their economic development profession.

Just two weeks prior, Vescovi-Chirodi was elected to the 2019-2020 AAED Board. He was also a featured speaker at the 2019 Marana State of the Town Luncheon.

Vescovi-Chiordi is a member of the Town of Marana’s Department of Economic Development, with an emphasis on trying to bring businesses to the Downtown Marana/Marana Mainstreet area of North Marana.

Heath Vescovi-Chiordi

National Building Safety Month: Week 3 Securing clean, abundant water for all communities

Clean water is the world’s most precious commodity. The World Health Organization estimates 844 million people lack basic drinking-water service. Building, plumbing and green codes help guard this precious commodity for future generations through proper construction, conservation and safe disposal.

Code officials are vigilant protectors of our water supply. Because of their dedicated service, you can turn on the tap in your home and draw sufficient, clean water. They take nothing for granted, so you can.

As a homeowner or renter, you need to pay attention to the water supply to your home even if your community offers water and sewage treatment. If there are faulty or no backflow protectors in your home, cross-contamination can happen even while residents are filling their backyard swimming pools, drawing some of the pool’s chlorine into the home.

The Town of Marana takes clean water and water conservation seriously. The Marana Water page has tons of information on water quality as well as water conservation tips and a while lot more.

Pool and Spa Safety Tips

Water Conservation Info from the International Code Council

Water Conservation Tips From Marana Water

Traffic Alert: Marana Interchange Bridge Painting

AO Painting will be performing bridge painting of the I-10 Interchange at Marana Road beginning the night of Monday, May 13th and concluding on Friday, May 17th. Traffic may be delayed for a short period of time due to lane closures. All work will take place overnight between the hours of 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.. 

For your safety and that of the contractor’s personnel, please comply with 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. 

Marana Town Talk Episode 9: Summer Fun, Macro Machines

Town of Marana has released its ninth episode of "Marana Town Talk", a local government podcast that balances education and entertainment with thoughtful commentary on local current events. 

Communications Manager Vic Hathaway and Communications Specialist Brad Allis kick off the episode with a double Summer Preview. First we interview Marana Parks & Recreation’s D. Tyrell McGirt and Corey Larriva (1:00) to get all the details about the great summer programs Parks and Recreation has for kids this summer. Next Special Events Coordinator Monique Hagberg (13:30) gives us a preview of the Fourth of July Star Spangled Spectacular as well as the Free Movies and Music series that the Town is hosting this summer. Finally, we look back at the Marana Macro Machines event (25:00) and get some on location interviews with Public Works Deputy Director Fausto Burrell and Parks Superintendent Dave Herman, who both helped make the event so much fun.

Resources on this episode’s content:

• Marana Parks and Recreation Website

• Marana Parks and Recreation Summer Program Guide

• MaranaEvents.com

• Star Spangled Spectacular
  

Re-planted Saguaros decorate Shared Use Path

Marana Parks and Recreation has worked with local developers and other Town departments to re-purpose cacti and other desert plants to decorate the new section of the Shared Use Path (SUP) in north Marana.

This past week they moved Ocotillos and Saguaros from in front of businesses and construction on Cortaro and Serius Stra and re-planted them next to the SUP. Due to a new turn bay being added at that location on Cortaro Road these Saguaros and Ocotillos had to be moved because they were a visual obstruction.

The project had to be coordinated between Marana Parks and Recreation, Engineering, and Public works.

“They are a nice addition to our nodes on the new section of Shared Use Path,” said Marana Parks and Recreation Director Jim Conroy. “I appreciate the on-going, good coordination of efforts, between our department and other departments and divisions within the Town. It was good Town of Marana teamwork and environmental awareness between Engineering, Public Works and Parks and Recreation.”

The Saguaros weighted between 1500 – 2000 pounds each and due to their position, traffic control was necessary, but was next to no problem thanks to the efforts of Donna Chambers and Nathan Jansky of Marana Parks and Recreation.

Marana Parks Superintendent Dave Herman said their efforts were vital in making the project safe, cost effective, and lessening the impact on motorists. He noted that similar traffic control in other jurisdictions could have run at least $1,000.

Signs and Markings Technician Rich Jacinto was able to temporarily remove a road sign, allowing crews safer access to one of the Saguaros, then replaced the sign as soon as it was safe.

May 5-11 is Municipal Clerks Week

On Tuesday, May 7 the Marana Town Council official recognized May 5-11 as Municipal Clerks Week with an official proclamation.

The Municipal Clerk is the oldest of public servants in local government, along with the tax collector. The profession traces back before Biblical times. The origins of the Municipal Clerk stems from a time before widespread use of written language, and early keepers of archives were required to use their memory to serve as the public record .

In modern Hebrew, the term “Town Clerk” is Mazkir Ha'ir which literally translated, means “city or town reminder”.

This May, Municipal Clerks Week will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary, initiated in 1969 by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks and is endorsed by all of its members throughout the United States, Canada and 15 other countries. In 1984 and in 1994, Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, respectively, signed a Proclamation officially declaring Municipal Clerks Week the first full week of May and recognizing the essential role Municipal Clerks play in local government.

Although many of Marana’s clerks are not certified municipal clerks, they equally contribute to the organization by attending various educational opportunities, and are considered a municipal clerk.

Town of Marana Clerk Office

            Cherry Lawson, CMC, Town Clerk
            Hilary Hiser, CMC, Deputy Town Clerk
            Suzanne Sutherland, CMC, Executive Assistant
            Nolette Hernandez, Records Clerk (pending later this year)
            Emily Noeth, Records Clerk

Community Conversation Videos - Finance, Planning, Engineering

Principal Planner Steven Cheslak

The Town of Marana frequently hosts Community Conversation events where staff members interact with residents. These events allow staff to speak to the public about their area of expertise and answer any questions they may have.

This spring the Town of Marana hosted a trio of Community Conversations with talks by the Finance, Planning and Engineering. Here is video from the three presentations.

Finance Director Yiannis Kalaitzidis discussed the process the Town goes through to create the budget for the 2020 fiscal year as well as taking a detailed look at the numbers.

Principal Planner Steven Cheslak discussed the new businesses and building projects coming to Marana. Among the projects he covered were new businesses coming to North Marana, Cortaro, and near Marana Center and the Premium Outlets.

The Town of Marana's Assistant Director of Engineering Jennifer Christelman discussed a number of the Town's infrastructure projects. She went into detail on the Tangerine Corridor, Ina Road, and upcoming projects at Adonis Road and Lon Adams.

National Building Safety Month: Week 2 Ensuring a safer future through training and education

May is National Building Safety Month and all this month the Town of Marana will be focusing on the importance of building safety to the community. The second week’s theme is “Ensuring a safer future through training and education” and we look at how proper training and and further education ensure safe buildings and structures.

Week 2: Ensuring a safer future through training and education

Well-trained, motivated building safety professionals are key to creating and maintaining a successful built environment. Training is important because it helps code officials avoid mistakes and accidents and properly enforce the code. The building safety field encompasses a wide gamut of specialties and offers many excellent career opportunities that contribute to the safety of the built environment. Here are just a sampling:

• A building inspector inspects structures to determine compliance with the various building codes and standards adopted by the jurisdiction.

• A building official manages the development, administration, interpretation, application and enforcement of the codes adopted by their jurisdiction.

• A special inspector provides a specialized inspection of structural material fabrication and placement, such as poured concrete, structural steel installation and fasteners, etc.

• A permit technician assists in the issuance of construction and development permits to ensure compliance with the provisions of a jurisdiction’s adopted regulations and codes.

• A fire marshal develops and delivers fire prevention and implements public fire safety programs that provide for inspections of occupancies for life safety and fire issues in accordance with codes and standards adopted by their jurisdiction.

• A plumbing inspector inspects the installation, maintenance and alteration of plumbing systems complete with their fixtures, equipment, accessories, and appliances.

The Town of Marana makes sure all of that all of their building inspectors and officials not only have the proper credentials for the job, but are also continuing their education to keep up to date on the latest information in their fields.

Building Careers for Today’s Generation

The building industry will experience a loss of 80 percent of the existing skilled workforce over a 15 year period, according to a survey conducted by the National Institute of Building Sciences in 2014. In fact, the entire building industry, including code officials, is looking at a severe workforce shortage of qualified candidates. This is a tremendous opportunity for job seekers!

The Town of Marana has been proactive in trying to make sure young people today are considering building careers. Town staff works closely with programs like Pima County’s Joint Technological Education District (JTED) and often present at events like SkillsUSA CTE kids competition and Construction Career Days.

The Code Council has developed Safety 2.0 to welcome a new generation of members and leaders to the building safety profession. Programs include our High School and College Technical Training Programs and our Military Families Career Path Program — which promotes building safety careers for military personnel after service. If you’re a student or professional looking for a new career, check out the Building Safety Career Path.

Ina Road Celebration Weekend video and photo gallery

Marana Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta. Photo courtesy JD Fitzgerald.

On Saturday, May 4 the Town of Marana, the Marana Chamber of Commerce, the Regional Transportation Authority, and and a collection of Ina Road businesses came together for the Ina Road Celebration Weekend. The event was a celebration of the completion of three major road projects on Ina Road.

The weekend began with a business expo and cake cutting ceremony that included speeches by Marana Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta, ADOT District Engineer Rod Lane, Marana Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Audra Winters, RTA Chair Mike Hammond, and Marana Mayor Ed Honea.

The rest of the weekend saw local businesses host a variety of events, including block parties, concerts, pony rides, and Kentucky Derby Parties.

The Ina Road Interchange project is in its final stages. The bridge that extends Ina over I-10 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks is completed and the on and off ramps are open. Additionally the Town of Marana and the RTA teamed up to expand Ina west of the freeway to four lanes, which included building two new bridges over the Santa Cruz River. The Town of Marana has also completed the bulk of the work on the Ina Road Beautification Project, which completely milled and repaved Ina Road, added new sidewalks and ADA safety improvements, and added improved landscaping.

Photo Gallery

Photos courtesy JD Fitzgerald Photography

A large crowd was on hand to listen to the speeches and celebrate the opening of Ina Road.

Local businesses used a variety of promotions to advertise.

Northwest Fire brought out a few of their vehicles to the Ina Road Business Expo.

Mayor Ed Honea was interviewed by a local television station.

Marana Mayor Ed Honea.

Marana Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Audra Winters.

Ina Road Celebration Weekend.

PRESS RELEASE: Governor’s Office of Highway Safety awards Marana Police Department three grants for FFY2019

Marana Police Department earns three grants worth $85,000 in overtime funding.

MARANA – For Federal Fiscal Year 2019, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) has awarded the Marana Police Department three grants that total $85,000 in overtime funding.

DUI/Impaired Driving Enforcement Grant – GOHS has awarded the Marana Police Department with $30,000 in grant funding to conduct DUI enforcement throughout the Town of Marana.  The goal of the funding is to reduce alcohol and drug-related driving, fatalities, and injuries through enforcement, education, and public awareness. 

Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Grant – GOHS has awarded the Marana Police Department with $20,000 in grant funding to conduct speed and traffic enforcement throughout the Town of Marana.  The goal of this grant is to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries resulting from speeding, aggressive driving, red light running and other forms of risky driving behavior through enforcement, education, and public awareness. 

DUI Abatement/Warrant Detail Grant – GOHS has awarded the Marana Police Department with $35,000 in grant funding through the Oversight Council on Driving or Operating Under the Influence Abatement. With this grant, officers will conduct high profile warrant sweeps as well as participate in impaired driving/DUI activities including DUI Task Force details. The goals of this program are to reduce incidences of alcohol/drug related driving fatalities or injuries through enforcement, education, and public awareness.

The Marana Police Department would like to thank the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for continuing to help make the Town of Marana a safe place for citizens to live, work, and shop.