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Opinion

Pizzillo: Goodyear to prioritize jobs, traffic and water issues during term

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I am both honored and privileged to have been appointed by my fellow Goodyear council members to fulfill the remainder of the term of our late Mayor Georgia Lord. She was a tremendous leader for our city and our region, and it is my intention to honor her legacy by continuing to grow Goodyear as a quality city. I want this jewel of the Southwest to be a great place for our residents to work, enjoy leisure time and raise their families.

Residents and visitors alike frequently comment on the visual appeal of Goodyear. Our streets are nicely landscaped and we have ordinances to keep signage from overwhelming our roadways. The general appearance is that of a well-maintained city. I want to be sure we continue to enjoy that aesthetic by ensuring our code enforcement team has the resources they need to address concerns that may surface.

I am committed to creating opportunities for good-paying jobs, adding more retail options and attracting additional restaurants and entertainment activities. These developments take time, and both council and staff are well aware that our residents have been patiently waiting for these amenities. Our economic development team actively pursues new businesses based on the biennial Goodyear Retail Survey, and the results from the most recent responses are driving their recruitment efforts.

Another issue I will be prioritizing is improving traffic flow throughout the city. It is no surprise to anyone that we are experiencing challenges common to growing cities. More jobs mean more people and increased traffic on roadways. Our traffic engineers are working hard to upgrade systems, monitor traffic patterns and optimize vehicle flow within our city. We will continue to make adjustments in order to maximize the safety, efficiency and quality of travel on our roadway system.

A less noticeable, but extremely important improvement in our city, is the recent opening of our surface water treatment facility as part of our robust water management plan. This facility enables us to diversify our resources and ensure a reliable water supply for our growing community. This is a significant demonstration of our commitment to improving our infrastructure in anticipation of future development. We will continue to seek ways to ensure sustainable growth in Goodyear.

The Goodyear Recreation Campus has proven to be a huge success. We have had some wonderful community events take place over the past six months, and I am looking forward to a full season of activities there this year. So many are making great use of this facility, and we are excited to be able to offer this amenity that is fostering a special sense of community among our residents.

Our most anticipated development is the opening of the Goodyear Civic Square at GSQ, which will include our long-awaited city hall, a new library, a 2-acre park and an adjacent Class A office building. This new heart of Goodyear is already attracting a great deal of interest for development of the surrounding area, which will create a very walkable central district for shopping, dining and entertainment. We anticipate many exciting announcements in the restaurant/retail/entertainment sector in the coming year.

Seemingly endless possibilities exist for Goodyear, and I am very excited about all that is ahead for us. I welcome the engagement of our residents as we celebrate our growing, vibrant city while maintaining a close-knit community charm.