This was presented to Council during the last meeting of the year by our Town Manager Carrie Dyrek.:
Town of Cave Creek 2019 Annual Year in Review
Ended 2018 calendar year having entered into the FIRST Intergovernmental agreement between the Town and City of Phoenix which resolved the problem of the Town serving customers in the PHX water service area, but allowed the development of commercial properties with the Town of Cave Creek along Cave Creek Road and along the south side of Carefree Hwy. That development this year includes:
1.
Dutch Bros
– opened
, Sun Devil Auto
is under construction,
Sprouts
will open in early 2020; other businesses located in the commercial area with Sprouts will be
Chipotle, ModPizza, Chase Bank and the Hart Dental
office
.
Jiffy Lube
and
Dunn Edwards Paint
opened on the north side of Carefree Hwy
2.
The Council entered into a 2
nd
IGA between the City of Phoenix and the Town of Cave Creek regarding water service and infrastructure in July.
Under the IGA:
·
Phoenix
will
construct new water lines
and upon completion will take over providing water service to properties located south of Carefree Highway.
· The Engineering Design is underway for the Phoenix water line construction project.
· The agreement allows for an interconnect with Phoenix water lines, giving the Town an option to have Phoenix treat and deliver a portion of our CAP water, and greatly improve system reliability.
· The agreement also allows the Town to work with Phoenix to bank a portion of our unused CAP water allocation, and allows for delivery of water from Phoenix in the event of an emergency.
3.
The project to improve the four (4) booster pump station on Town’s 12-mile CAP water delivery pipeline began this year. We have selected the sites and have begun the purchasing process to acquire the land.
4.
New temporary Pall Water Membrane units started operation in November to supplement the existing treatment units at the Town’s CAP Water Treatment Plant.
The water membranes:
· Provided an immediate solution for the plant despite constraint/space issues.
Allow the utilities department to conduct a thorough engineering study to determine the best long-term solution for the Town’s water treatment needs.
5.
Kicked-off the Water Treatment and Supply Optimization Study, which should be completed by August 2020.
The study will assess:
· Existing Trident filter equipment at Town’s water treatment plant and consider the 20-year operational, maintenance and capital costs associated with proposed improvements.
· It will also determine the best way to make a connection with the City of Phoenix water system as outlined in the recently approved IGA between the Town and Phoenix.
6.
The design phase of the SCADA upgrade project was completed. The project will also provide new enhancements to assist the utilities department into moving towards more proactive maintenance of the system.
7.
The Rancho Manana Lift Station Improvement work is currently ongoing. This ensures reliable wastewater service in the Town Core.
8.
The Joy Ranch Well was put back into production – This well is part of the Desert Hills water system.
This is the Town’s largest production well and to took almost two months to clean the well casing and install a new pump and motor at the site.
9.
Entered into a long-term contract to repair, replace and maintain air release valves on the Town’s water and wastewater lines. These valves are required for the efficient operation of the lines.
10.
Over nearly a year the Utility Director
has put together a excellent team of employees with many years of experience, knowledge and professional certifications to assist him with these critical projects and to provide continuous improvement of the water and wastewater utility systems.
FINANCIAL
1. The Town earned a
Certificate of Achievement for Excellence
in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association for Cave Creek’s fiscal year
2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
2. The Town’s financial status is healthy with $13.2 million unassigned/unrestricted funds in our General Fund. The Town has contracted with a
financial advisor
to work with the Town to assist us with establishing a financial plan to ensure there is adequate funding for our vital projects.
3. Our
Wage and Benefit Study
for all Town positions is also under way. The study results are important to ensure our position wages and benefits are in line with the market to ensure we are competitive to attract and retain top talent.
DEVELOPMENT
Zoning
1.
The Planning Department had to overcome the unexpected and sudden departure of the Director.
With the retirement of Ian Cordwell after more than 22 years of service to the Town of Cave Creek due to health issues
, Luke Kautzman was hired as the Planning Director.
2.
Michael Baker International
has been selected as the Town’s consultant for the
General Plan Update –
the website for General Plan update has been launched
(cavecreekgp.com).
3.
Proposed Zoning Ordinance and Town Code amendments related to SIGNAGE to
achieve content neutral regulation per the Supreme Court ruling in the Reed vs Gilbert case.
4.
Proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments for Community Residences which align with state and federal fair housing legislation. Coming to Council in early 2020
5.
MICRO Hospital
– Another development possible due to the 2 IGA’s with Phoenix-Processed a Zone Change and Site Plan for a Micro-Hospital providing emergency medical services west of the intersection of Cave Creek Road and Carefree Highway. They have already applied for permits with construction starting in 2020.
Building
6.
Permit valuations
in Town totaled $33,448,776 through November this year, up 18% over 2018 including 47 new homes
.
7.
The Town entered into
a long-term agreement with the Cave Creek Rodeo Committee
that provides benefits to both the Town and Committee to ensure the success of the annual PRCA rodeo; providing for needed upgrades to the rodeo grounds and facilities and identifying the responsibilities for the Town and Committee
:
Upgrades and improvements to the town’s rodeo grounds, include:
· Reconfigured the timed end of the main arena.
· Added a return alley to the arena, making the facility more user friendly for roping events.
· Upgraded arena lights to be more energy efficient and enhance visibility.
8. Other Town Sponsored Special events held this year include the
Wild West Days
one hundred horse ride; the Town produced yet another successful
Taste of Cave Creek
and this year hosted a new event-the
Health and Wellness Fair
-all very well done
PUBLIC WORKS
1.
Public Works Dept and Town Marshal’s office addressed safety issues in the Town Core by having
CROSSWALKS
improved and/or installed
. Speed radar signs
were also installed in Town
.
2.
Spur Cross Road Overlay Improvements
were completed in June, paving and sealing approximately 3 miles of road, starting at the intersection with Cave Creek Road to Fleming Springs. And roadway north of Honda Bow Road.
TOWN STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION
1.
AND This fall the Mayor and Council along with the Town Manager and Department Directors worked with a facilitator to develop the Town of Cave Creek Mission, Vision, and Goals that sets the direction for the Town and how we do business.
We will roll this out in the new year and will be incorporating this plan into the development of the budget and the functions of each department.
I am pleased that the voters allow me to continue being a part of the forward
movement of the Town. Thank You!
