For nearly 40 years, the nation has celebrated Park and Recreation Month in July to promote building strong, vibrant, and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation.
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Opinions
Chris Judd: District 6 Newsletter — July 2024
Posted
Surprise District 6 City Councilmember Chris Judd.
City of Surprise
Surprise City Council District 6 map.
City of Surprise
By Chris Judd
For nearly 40 years, the nation has celebrated Park and Recreation Month in July to promote building strong, vibrant, and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. This month is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating our full and part-time employees in the City of Surprise Parks and Recreation Department.
Inside This Issue:
News & Updates
Voting Information
Surprise 2040 General Plan
Safe Speeds Save Lives
Reems Rd and Olive Ave Closure
Current Events
Summer Reading Program
City Council Meetings
Surprise Day of Service
City Hall Art Gallery
Fishing at Surprise Lake
June Highlights
Surprise Youth Council
Monsoon Season
FY2025 Budget
2024 Library Card Design Winners
Save the Date
Community Meeting
NEWS & UPDATES
Voting Information
Find important voting information, like where to vote and important dates to remember for the upcoming election! Ballots for the Primary Election will be mailed beginning Wednesday, July 3. In-person early voting will begin July 3 in the City Hall Community Room and will continue through Election Day, July 30.
Surprise 2040 General Plan
Residents will vote to ratify the Surprise 2040 General Plan during the upcoming Primary Election on Tuesday, July 30. If approved, the 2040 General Plan will serve as a roadmap for the City in the coming years. Overall, the plan acknowledges which places are experiencing growth pressure, which areas best support future growth and which areas need thoughtful reinvestment; each helping Surprise continually improve for residents now and in the future. Learn more and read the whole document at surpriseaz.gov/GeneralPlan2040.
Safe Speeds Saves Lives
Creating safer streets starts with addressing speed, which is the largest cause of injury and death in traffic collisions. The “Safe Speeds Save Lives” campaign is delivering high-visibility traffic enforcement with a zero-tolerance approach towards speeding and aggressive driving on West Valley roadways. The enforcement mobilization is in effect through July 31, 2024.
CURRENT EVENTS
Summer Reading Program
It’s not too late to get signed up for the Summer Reading Program! Surprise Public Library System is excited to join more than 60 libraries across the county for Summer Reading. The theme of this year’s program is “Adventure Begins at Your Library,” reminding us that an adventure is just a library card away. The journey to read and earn prizes runs through August 1.
City Council does not hold City Council Work Sessions or Regular Meetings in July. Councilmember Community Meetings are also canceled for the month of July. Meetings will resume in August.
Join us to assist with sorting bulk food items, creating food baskets and loading food into vehicles; helping in the process of providing food for families in need. Registration is required. For questions, please call 623.222.1647.
Wednesday, July 17, at 7:15 a.m., 9:45 a.m. or Noon
St. Mary’s Food Bank
13050 W. Elm St.
City Hall Art Gallery
The City has many ways you can enjoy the arts and culture scene in our community. One of these is by visiting rotating art exhibits at City Hall.
Chuck Kyle Photography Exhibit | Runs through July 26
16000 N. Civic Center Plz. • 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday
Due to extreme heat conditions every summer, our local lake does not stock fish between June 25 and September 15. Please visit azgfd.gov to learn more about fishing around the state.
JUNE HIGHLIGHT
Meeting with Surprise Youth Council
We had the best time with our Surprise Youth Council. It was great to hear the student's questions and interest in learning about park land planning, higher education in the modern world, UK and USA forms of government, workforce development and City government. Thank you to our Economic Development Team for putting this meeting together!
Monsoon Season
Monsoon season is typically observed from June 15 - September 30, and Monsoon Awareness Week was proclaimed during the City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 18. Residents are encouraged to be prepared in the event of an emergency, as monsoon season typically brings thunderstorms, lightning, high winds, dust storms and flash floods. Check out our safety tips at surpriseaz.gov/Monsoon.
FY2025 Budget
Council approved the Fiscal Year 2025 Final Budget, maintaining its commitment to public safety, quality community services and transportation. For details, visit surpriseaz.gov/Budget.
2024 Library Card Design Winners
This year’s Library Card Design winners were announced during the last City Council meeting. The new cards will be available at all three Surprise Public Library System locations beginning this summer! To see the winning designs, visit surprisepubliclibrary.gov/LibraryCard.
SAVE THE DATE
Community Meeting
My next community meeting will be on Saturday, August 3, at 9 a.m. at Total Wine & More, 13440 N. Prasada Pkwy. See you there!
Let's discuss the latest City issues and answer any questions you may have. Please check my webpage at surpriseaz.gov/District6 for updates to my meeting schedule.