On Monday, April 3, we joined local business owners, Mike and Megan Abeyta, for a ribbon cutting celebrating the opening of their store, Tile Dynamics LLC in Surprise! We are so excited to welcome this fantastic new addition to our community!
Surprise Seeking Public Comment
Now through May 31, community members can provide public comment and commendation regarding the Surprise Police Department’s quality of service or other performance information relevant to the department’s accreditation process to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).
The Surprise Police Department is committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and providing the community with exceptional police services. As part of that commitment, the Surprise Police Department has been accredited by CALEA since 2007.
We celebrated two outstanding Ottawa University teams at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 4. The OUAZ Men's Basketball team won the Golden State Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament for the second year in a row and made a magical run through the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Basketball Tournament, marching all the way to the Final Four. They are the youngest collegiate program in the 85 years of the NAIA tournament history to make it to the semi-final stage. This amazing team is led by Coach Matt Keeley, who was named the National Christian College Athletic Association Coach of the Year.
The OUAZ Women’s Wrestling team, led by Head Coach Ed Cruz and Assistant Coach Julia Mata, took home the West Coast Conference Championship for the third year in a row, won the National Dual Team Championship for the second year in row and went on to win the National Collegiate Wrestling Association National Championship! Congratulations to these amazing students and coaches!
Surprise Day of Service
Thank you to the nearly 200 people who showed community pride and volunteered their time at the 6th Annual Bean Bag Day on Saturday, April 22. In Celebration of National Volunteer Week, Seeds of Hope International Ministries purchased 6,000 pounds of dry pinto beans that were bagged into individual packages for those in need through the Valley View Community Food Bank. During the event, Women4Women of Surprise packaged over 200 female hygiene bags in support of local woman in need.
Surprise Retail Survey
Do you have a favorite restaurant you’d like to see open in Surprise? What about a unique shopping experience you want added to your hometown? Which Surprise business and restaurant is your favorite? Now is your chance to tell us in our 2023 Surprise Retail Survey! It's important to the Surprise Economic Development team that they attract businesses you want. Plus, the money you spend here, stays here! The survey runs through Sunday, May 14 and is available online at surpriseaz.gov/retailsurvey. At the end of the survey, you’ll also get the chance to enter to win a gift card!
WeRide Ribbon Cutting
Thursday, April 13, the City held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to launch WeRIDE Surprise, the newest way for our residents and visitors to get around the city! WeRIDE Surprise provides on-demand shared rides at an affordable price. Now through May 31, riders are encouraged to try this new service for FREE!
Starting June 1, the regular adult fare is $2 per ride. Seniors 60+, veterans and persons with a disability pay a reduced fare of $1 per ride. Click hereto learn more about this incredible program.
EoS Fitness Ribbon Cutting
Wednesday, April 19, we joined Regional Vice President of Operations, Katy O'Neil, and Regional Vice President of Fitness, Sean Cooper, for the grand opening of the new EōS Fitness in Surprise! We are so pumped for this outstanding addition to our community!
Library Advisory Commission & Other Commission Vacancies
At the City Council meeting on April 18, Council approved the formation of a seven-member volunteer Library Advisory Commission, and Surprise residents may now apply. This commission will work directly with the City’s Arts, Culture & Library Department, which also works with the existing Arts and Cultural Advisory Commission on the City’s arts and cultural programs. For more information, please email kathryn.smithyman@surpriseaz.gov or call 623.222.1036. To learn more about the Surprise Public Library System, please visit surpriseaz.gov/Library.
In addition, the City of Surprise is accepting applications for the following boards and commissions. All board/commission positions are voluntary.
Arts & Cultural Advisory Commission
Parks & Recreation Services Commission
Personnel Appeals Board
Planning & Zoning Commission
Veterans, Disability and Human Services Commission
Applications are available online at surpriseaz.gov/boards or at the City Clerk’s Office at Surprise City Hall, 16000 N. Civic Center Plz. during business hours, Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Completed applications may be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office in-person or to sherry.aguilar@surpriseaz.gov. For questions, please contact clerk@surpriseaz.gov or 623.222.1200.
Blood Drive
The City of Surprise is partnering with Vitalant Blood Donation to host a blood drive on May 23 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. The event will take place inside the City Hall Community Room located near City Council Chambers in the east wing of City Hall - 16000 N. Civic Center Plz. Community members wanting to participate are encouraged to make an appointment through the Vitalant website. Although walk-ins are welcomed, those with an appointment will be given priority.
As a local non-profit, donations through Vitalant stay in the community to help our neighbors. On average, Vitalant needs to collect about 5,500 blood donations every day to meet patient needs, so this is an opportunity to transform your life and the lives of so many others!
New Legend Awards Program
The City of Surprise Veterans, Disability & Human Services (VDHS) Commission created a new Surprise Community Legend Awards Program to celebrate the actions of those making a difference in Surprise. The commission is now accepting nominations for individuals and groups who have contributed to improving the quality of life of others by:
Measurably improving the lives of vulnerable Surprise residents through grassroots efforts.
Promoting quality of life, accessibility and equity for all residents of Surprise.
Linking residents to programs that offer the support needed for a fuller, safer lifestyle.
All applications must be received by June 30, 2023, at 5 p.m. If you have any questions about the application and process, please contact Danielle Osborne at 623.222.1034 or danielle.osborne@surpriseaz.gov. More information and the online nomination form can be found at surpriseaz.gov/CommunityLegend.
Poetry, Art and More!
Are you ready to discover arts and culture events in Surprise? From theater performances, gallery tours, poetry readings and more, make sure to mark your calendar to attend!
May Events
May 18 • 10 - 11 a.m.
Public Art Tour of City Hall
May 23 • 11 - 12 p.m.
AZ Speaks - “Why Arizona Dark Skies Matter”
June Event
June 16 • 6 - 8 p.m.
Poetry Slam at WHAM
All dates and times are subject to change. All events are free unless otherwise stated. To register for Public Art Tours and AZ Speaks presented by Arizona Humanities, head to surpriseaz.gov/artssignup. To learn more about Poetry Slam, contact WHAM at 623.584.8311 or visit wham-art.org/poetry. Want to see what else is on the 2022-2023 arts & culture calendar? All events are listed online at surpriseaz.gov/arts.
Council Meetings and Agenda
The next regularly scheduled City Council Meeting will take place on May 16 at 6 p.m. and will be open to the public for in-person attendance. You can also watch live at surpriseaz.gov/surprisetv or the Surprise City Gov Facebook page at facebook.com/cityofsurprise. Cox channel 11 also carries the meetings live. Agendas are always posted online at a minimum of two days prior.
If you see something on the agenda that concerns you, please reach out before the meeting so I have time to address your concern. I may even ask your questions during the City Council presentation. The best way to reach me is chris.judd@surpriseaz.gov.
Community Meeting
Join me for the D6 Community Meeting on May 17 at 6 p.m. at Tap House Sports Grill, located at 13699 N. Litchfield Rd. Let's discuss the latest City issues and answer any questions you might have.
