InMaricopa
Maricopa City Council: clockwise from top left: Councilmember Bob Marsh, Councilmember Vincent Manfredi, Councilmember Henry Wade, Councilmember Rich Vitiello, Vice Mayor Nancy Smith, Mayor Christian Price and Councilmember Amber Liermann. (City of Maricopa photo)
The issue of legalized recreational marijuana in Maricopa has ignited passions on many fronts. To find out where our city leaders stand on the issue, InMaricopa reached out to the mayor, vice mayor and all five members of Maricopa city council to get responses to three clarifying questions about recreational marijuana and a related ordinance passed by the council in a 6-1 vote on Feb. 16. Councilmember Vincent Manfredi voted against.
InMaricopa I feel my primary job
is to create an environment where everyone can succeed, whether that’s a single parent or a church or small business or a big business or a developer, says Maricopa City Manager Rick Horst. I don’t want to create the city of Maricopa’s wealth, I want to create the
community’s wealth.”
If there is such a thing as a practical visionary who can survive in government, Rick Horst may be that “unicorn.”
On his arrival as city manager in 2018, he set about to build a city without creating debt.
That economic development philosophy was honed over a 30-year career in public administration. And it led him to this city in the desert with plenty of open land to
InMaricopa
Image credits: Ken Bosma and Phil Scoville via Flicker (CC BY 2.0)
The City of Maricopa will hold two community information sessions regarding the opening of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) on Monday, Feb. 22 at noon and Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 10 a.m. in city council chambers. Councilmember Henry Wade and Gayle Randolph of the NID Housing Counseling Agency will host the sessions to inform residents of the program.
The sessions are intended to provide residents with the opportunity to learn about the scope and benefits of ERAP and access to the technology needed to apply for ERAP benefits through the Department of Economic Security’s designated portals.
InMaricopa
MUSD Superintendent Tracey Lopeman
The Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board voted unanimously Wednesday night to reject its superintendent’s recommendation to extend Winter Break.
School will resume after the holidays on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, as previously scheduled. Discussion revolved around keeping a consistent schedule for both students and their families.
The board also voted to hold a special session on Thursday, Dec. 17, to determine whether to return to classes in person, via distance learning or leave the option to the parents, COVID-19 protocols permitting. That meeting will be held in place of the regularly scheduled board meeting that had been slated for Jan. 7, 2021.