Surprise City Councilmember Johnny V. Melton
Courtesy city of Surprise
By Johnny V. Melton
Thank you to those who attended this year's State of the City event. It was a wonderful experience and great to see everyone with their loved ones, coming together to celebrate our city. Please take a moment to read the upcoming events that are occurring within our city.
CURRENT EVENTS
Community Meeting
There will be no District 4 Community Meetings over the summer, they will resume in the fall. You can find the Community Meeting schedule online at surpriseaz.gov/District4 when they return.
City Council Meetings
The next City Council Meeting is on May 20 at 6 p.m. The public is welcome to attend in person, or you can tune in on surpriseaz.gov/SurpriseTV, the City of Surprise Government Facebook page at facebook.com/CityOfSurprise or on Cox channel 11.
City of Surprise Hosts HOA Summit
If you are a Homeowners Association (HOA) community member, condominium board member or property manager in Surprise, you are encouraged to attend the HOA Summit on Wednesday, May 21, from 6 - 8 p.m. inside the Community Room at City Hall, 16000 N. Civic Center Plz.
Attendees have an opportunity to learn about community resources and hear expert presentations geared specifically for HOA board members, property management teams and homeowners.
Representatives from several City departments will discuss programs for HOA communities and any changes to local regulations that might affect them. Then, attorneys from the Mulcahy Law Firm will lead an informative presentation on new changes in HOA Rules and Regulations. There will also be time for Q&A at the end of the class.
Registration is required. Please visit surpriseaz.gov/HOASummit to register for the event.
Details:
- 5:30 p.m. Check-in and light refreshments
- 6 p.m. Presentation by City of Surprise departments
- 7 p.m. Presentation by Mulcahy Law Firm
This event is presented by the City of Surprise Human Services & Community Vitality Department and Mulcahy Law Firm, P.C. For event information, please contact kara.poling@surpriseaz.gov or call 623.222.1647.
NEWS & UPDATES
2025 Recreation Swim and Dive Team Registration
The 2025 Recreation Swim and Dive Team registration is now open for returning participants.
Registration can be completed in person at the Parks & Recreation Office, located at 15960 N. Bullard Ave., or by calling 623.222.2000.
New participants are welcome but must attend a tryout prior to registration. Tryouts will be held at Oasis Swim Center (12361 N. Perryville Rd.) and Surprise Aquatic Center (15831 N. Bullard Ave.) on the following dates:
- Saturday, May 10 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. (Oasis Swim Center only)
- Monday - Thursday, May 12 - June 5 | 5 - 7 p.m. (Oasis Swim Center & Surprise Aquatic Center)
The 2025 Rec Swim and Dive Team season officially begins with practices starting on May 26. Parent meetings will be held on May 27, to provide important details and to answer any questions. Specific meeting times will be given upon registration, based on team and practice time placement.
For more information about swim teams, practice times and other Parks & Recreation programs, check out RecTimes in Surprise Progress Magazine at surpriseaz.gov/ProgressMag.
Surprise Fire-Medical Summer Camp Opportunity
The Surprise Fire-Medical Department is excited to offer a one-week program for high school girls, aged 14-18, providing a unique opportunity to learn directly from female firefighter mentors.
Camp Ignite was developed to help teen girls learn and practice skills to help them respond in emergency situations. They will also take away life skills that will instill confidence, leadership and the ability to act under pressure. This program aims to empower girls to discover their inner strength, accomplish hard things and learn they are stronger than they believe and tougher than they ever imagined.
Participants can:
- Receive CPR/First Aid/AED certification
- Workout in firefighter gear
- Learn firefighting skills
- Work on team-building skills and interpersonal skills
Camp Details: Camp will take place on June 23 - 26 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Fire Station 304, 24550 N. 163rd Ave. On June 27, camp will run from 8 a.m. - noon, and an awards ceremony will occur that evening. Participants will also need to attend Orientation Day on June 22 anytime between noon and 5 p.m. to get fitted for turnouts, pick up camp t-shirts and meet camp leaders.
The deadline to apply is May 16. Camp is limited to only 20 participants, so apply early to secure your spot. Selected applicants will be notified by June 1.
For more information and the application, please visit surpriseaz.gov/CampIgnite
Community Legend Award Nominations Now Open
The City of Surprise Veterans, Disability & Human Services Commission invites our community to nominate individuals and groups making a difference in the City for the Surprise Community Legend Awards Program.
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.
Nominees must fall into one or more of the following four categories:
- Individual Legend (Must be a Surprise resident for at least two years)
- Outstanding Youth (Must be age 18 or younger)
- Volunteer of the Year (Organizational affiliation must be in the application)
- Organization of the Year (Private, non-profit or faith-based)
More information on the Community Legend Awards program, including the online nomination form, can be found at surpriseaz.gov/CommunityLegend.
All applications must be received by June 27, at 5 p.m. If you have any questions about the application and process, please contact surprisecares@surpriseaz.gov..
APRIL HIGHLIGHTS
Water Awareness Month Proclamation
During the April 1 Surprise City Council Meeting, Mayor Kevin Sartor proclaimed April as Water Awareness Month and announced the City's participation in the Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation.
This is the 6th year Surprise has joined cities across the nation in asking residents to pledge to use water more efficiently, reduce pollution and save energy.
National Fair Housing Proclamation
During the April 1 Surprise City Council Meeting, Mayor Kevin Sartor proclaimed April to be National Fair Housing month in Surprise, showing the City recognizes and values the efforts of those who seek to identify and eliminate barriers to full and fair housing opportunity.
Surprise Fire-Medical Award
Banner Health presented the Surprise Fire-Medical Department and City Council with a $75,000 check on April 15. These grant funds will go towards a community paramedicine program that will provide free non-emergency care and connections to resources that will help keep our community healthy at home. Thanks to Banner Health for supporting this important program!
Target Ribbon Cutting
Mayor Kevin Sartor and councilmembers Earle Greenberg, Patrick Duffy and Chris Judd were joined by Store Director Kolt McKinney and District Senior Director Paul McGee to celebrate the opening of this great, new Surprise business! Congratulations to the whole Target team located at 14101 N. Prasada Pkwy., and welcome to the city of Surprise!
State of the City
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year’s State of the City event! It was wonderful to see so many members of our community come together to celebrate all the great things happening in Surprise. Being able to share the progress we’ve made and the exciting opportunities ahead is truly one of the highlights of the year.
If you missed it, you can check out photos and watch the State of the City replay at surpriseaz.gov/SOTC.
SAVE THE DATE
Fire First Fridays
The Surprise Fire-Medical Department is offering free life-saving knowledge and training. These classes aim to provide attendees with basic emergency response training in a comfortable and stress-free environment so community members will know how to start helping while waiting for emergency crews. Please note the registration forms below are only open two weeks before the class date.
Stop the Bleed & Narcan Classes – Participants will learn the basic skills needed to save someone in the event of a deep-penetrating injury and the proper technique needed to deliver Narcan. Classes are on the first Friday of each odd-numbered month. The next class is July 11 (due to the Fourth of July holiday).
CPR Classes – Take a free non-certifying CPR class. Participants will learn the basics of CPR, including chest compressions, AED use and rescue breathing. Classes are on the first Friday of each even-numbered month. The next class is June 6.
To register and get more information, please visit surpriseaz.gov/FireFirstFridays.
The maximum class size is 40 people for each session. Participants must be 12 years old or older, and a registered adult must accompany attendees aged 12-17.
Paper Shredding Event
Take advantage of this free paper shredding event at the Public Works North Yard, 17274 N. Litchfield Rd., on June 25, 26 and 28 from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. to help you safely dispose of sensitive documents.
Surprise residents can bring up to three banker's boxes (15 in x 12 in x 10 in) of paper to be shredded. City staff will be there to oversee lockable bins for residents to place their paper into, and then the bins will be taken by our vendor to be shredded off-site.
