It is common for people living with Alzheimer’s Disease to wander, or become lost or confused about their location. Alzheimer’s disease causes people to lose their ability to recognize familiar places and faces. This can happen at any stage of the disease. You can read more about dementia related wandering here.

Caregivers or kin to those with diminished cognitive abilities should consider an identification bracelet for aging relatives. An ID bracelet can assist first responders in reconnecting wandering individuals with their caregivers. With the Valley heat just beginning, please consider this and other services that will assist first responders to safely return your elderly loved ones who may wander.

On June 15th Officer Steve Chavira received a welfare check call in the 6900 block of East Hummingbird Lane. The caller advised that an elderly man on a scooter was in her driveway, and appeared lost and confused. The temperature at the time of the call was 115 degrees.

When Officer Chavira arrived on the scene, he noticed the male was disoriented due to being in the heat so he requested paramedics. The 74-year-old male was identified and was staying at the Plaza Resort with his caregiver. The caregiver left the individual in the room while he ran some errands. The male decided to go for a joy run on his scooter. Due the extreme temperature, the elderly man quickly became disoriented and overheated.

The paramedics arrived on the scene, and once the individual’s core body temperature went down, the paramedic allowed him to return to his room. Officers Chavira and Dennis Sutton, Corporal Mark Garrity, and Sergeant Williams, along with Phoenix Fire, provided the individual with a police escort back to the resort, emergency lights and all. Once he was back in his room, Steve made sure that he had plenty of water and then contacted the caregiver and explained what had happened.

Our second story happened on June 14th. Officer Steve Tubbs was dispatched to assist an elderly female sitting inside a Paradise Valley resort. Upon arrival he found the disoriented woman sitting in the lobby who was not a guest of the resort. 

After quickly determining that she was medically fine, Officer Tubbs was able to contact the elderly female’s son. The son told Officer Tubbs that the woman lived in Scottsdale and would have been driving. The woman’s car was not at the resort, so Officer Tubbs provided the woman with a courtesy ride to her residence, where he met the son and left the woman in his care.

The level of care exemplified by Officers Chavira and Tubbs in these two examples is indicative of the extra mile our PVPD officers are always willing to go.

The total tentative budget is comprised as illustrated below for a total of $57,139,540, or 11% less than FY2021. The primary reason for the spending decrease is the completion of major capital improvement projects and a prior issuance of excise tax proceeds to hedge cash flows for a development agreement where the Town fronts cash and then is reimbursed for capital improvements.

The Town’s “Operating Fund” accounts for financial resources that provide governmental services, including development services, police and public works. 

The “Department budgets” are $580,002 or 2.6% more than last year’s budget, including:

The tentative budget for FY2022 continues to be cautious to not over extend the Town’s obligations, and recommends continuing to ease into programs that were on hold or deferred in FY2021. 

On May 27th, the Council adopted the "tentative" budget which set maximum spending for the FY2022 and is available on the Town's website. It was also published in the Scottsdale Republic on June 11th and today, June 18th. A public hearing will be held during the June 24th Council meeting which is set to begin at 3:00 pm via Zoom.

During the public hearing, the Council will call for public comments. Once comments are heard, the Council can make modifications to different budget categories, but cannot adjust the maximum spend that was established when the tentative budget was adopted in May. The final step is for the Council to vote to adopt the final budget.

If you would like to attend the public hearing, it will be held on June 24th starting at 3:00 pm via Zoom. This item is likely to be heard after 3:15 or later. You can join the Zoom meeting using one of the following options:

Option 1. Join by Computer: https://zoom.us/j/6678902153

May require software download. Allow extra time before the meeting to test connection, camera, and microphone. See attached slide on Dos and Don’ts of video conferencing.

Option 2. Join by smart phone: +16699006833,,6678902153#

There is also a Zoom app available for smart phones and tablets. Search Zoom US in the App Store / Play Store

Option 3. Join by telephone: 1 669 900 6833 Meeting ID: 667 890 2153

You my comment during the public hearing by following one of these methods:

Every year, Paradise Valley celebrates those employees who have reached milestones in their years of service to the Town. This last week, we recognized those employees who reached such a milestone in the first half of 2021.

Thank you for all your dedication and hard work for these past 5, 15, or 20 years! Please help us in celebrating the following employees:

Top Row: Diane Wayland, Town Attorney's Office - 20 years(!), Jerry Cooper, Public Works - 15 years, Amy McGhee, PVPD - 5 years, John Fisk, PVPD - 5 years, Raja Karim, PVPD - 5 years

Bottom Row: Bob Lee, Building/Fire Marshal - 15 years, Tina Brindley, Code Compliance - 15 years, Steven Larsen, PVPD - 5 years, Brandi Ramirez, Court - 5 years, Chris Hadley, PVPD - 5 years

June 24th - Council Meeting, 3:00 pm via Zoom

July 5th - Independence Day Holiday Observed (Town Offices Closed)

July 7th - Coffee with a Cop, 7:30 am via Zoom

July 7th - Board of Adjustment, 5:30 pm via Zoom

July 14th - Hillside Building Committee, 8:00 am via Zoom