A Community Grows into the Future
Economic Development Department sees victories in aiding businesses
Part II in a series on Apache Junction city government for fiscal year 2007-2008
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
   When Caroline Naylor of Razzle Dazzle Flowers and Gifts attended a “Chamber Chat at Noon” featuring the city’s Economic Development Director Stephen Filipowicz, she was startled to learn there are potentially $1.9 million in floral sales per year in the Apache Junction market area. Right now, only $600,000 of those sales are being purchased from within the area which includes Gold Canyon and parts of eastern Maricopa County, west to Signal Butte Road.
   “There’s a lot of market share out there to capture,” Naylor said. “We’re losing tax revenue and support to the local economy.”
   Those figures are from the Retail Leakage Analysis Report, compiled information about each of the Apache Junction sub-markets — Apache Trail “downtown” corridor and U.S. Highway 60 (Superstition Highway) corridor. The report is one of the fiscal year 2007-2008 victories for the city’s Economic Development department and the City Council.
   “They have used the Leakage Analysis to say there’s $600,000 worth of flowers or more being sold in this area. We know there’s an opportunity for us to grow our business,” Filipowicz said. “’Identifying that opportunity has helped us take stock of our business plan and of our targeted market.’ They’re trying to do more to raise their profile. For example, they took a presence at the opening of the (Loop) 202.”

See A-1 and see Future, page A-3

Desert Shadows Campus Transformed
Beautiful new campus has new energy and life— Dedication held on July 31, 2008
   Nearly 100 people attended a dedication ceremony last week that marked the completion of a new eight-classroom/ learning community building at Desert Shadows Middle School (DSMS) and celebrated the culmination of a six-year project of reconstruction and remodeling that has transformed the school.
   Gone is the dark center courtyard filled with overgrown pine trees and beatup metal lockers. In its place is a bright focal point filled with picnic tables, benches and shades inviting students to sit and visit or enjoy outdoors classes. A cramped media center and classrooms nearly 30 years old have been replaced with a bright and enlarged new media center and new learning community classroom buildings featuring center computer malls.
   At the July 31 event, architect Carl Jordan of W.H. Pacific spoke of the project giving the DSMS campus “new energy and life.” Principal Dottie Hunt said the new look and facilities will be a great rallying point for increased school spirit and student pride. She cited the new campus configuration as emphasizing the community aspect of education and she invited the entire community of Apache Junction to get involved in the educational process.

See A-1

Recall Group Sues County Recorder Over Recall
Wants petition vetting process hurried so recall election can be included on November ballot
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
   FLORENCE- Two members of a group that filed recall petitions on five Apache Junction City Council members on July 2, 2008, have now filed suit against Pinal County Recorder Laura Dean-Lytle and Apache Junction City Clerk Kathleen Connelly. The suit claims the County Recorder and City Clerk are delaying the completion of verification of the recall petition signatures.
   Calling themselves the “Committee for Honest Government” the group filed their law suit on Thursday, July 31, and a hearing has been set for Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008, at 2 p.m. in the court of Pinal County Superior Court Judge William O’Neil.
   County Recorder Laura Dean-Lytle said she is happy to have her day in court. “I’m delighted to go to court and let them know what we’ve been doing here,” she said. “We have nine initiatives from the secretary of state’s office that we’ve been working on and there’s two on their way now. Those have a very short turnaround time compared to their recall.”
   The statute reads that the initiatives have a 15-day turnaround, compared to the recall’s 60 days, Dean-Lytle explained.

See A-1 and see Recall Suit, A-5

Boot Camp Girls
Four ladies from Apache Junction, Beth Lewis, Jacquie Smith, Kim McCune and Mimi Judah, train together for the Adventure Xstream Sprint Triathlon in Vail
By Chuck Baker
The News
   They say that if you survive Boot Camp and are fortunate enough to graduate, it’s all downhill from there. But for four Apache Junction women, ranging in ages 34 to 53, they might not ever graduate from Boot Camp because they are simply having too much fun.
   Meet the “Arizona Trackers” as they call themselves – Mimi Judah, age 53, Beth Lewis and Jacquie Smith, both 48, and Kim McCune, the baby of the group at 34 – four ladies who met at the Boot Camp fitness class taught by Lewis at the City of Apache Junction’s Multi- Generational Center.
   Mimi, a physical education teacher at Thunder Mountain Middle School, was one of the four original class participants when Beth, a personal fitness trainer, first starting teaching nearly three years ago. Jacquie, who works for the Arizona Water Company, joined shortly after and Kim, a licensed massage therapist, has been a Boot Camp member for two years now.
   The Boot Camp class meets three days a week, on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and has become a popular fitness program at the MGC, thanks mostly to Lewis, whom the other three ladies say is a “great instructor and an even better motivator.”
   The four women became acquaintances through the fitness class and then friends. Two of them lost 16 pounds through the class and according to Mimi, they have all gotten in “awesome shape.”

See C-1 and see Girls, page C-6