Police Chief Spells Out Strategic Plan
Document presented to City Council has three main goals
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
Apache Junction Police Chief Jerald Monahan outlined his department’s new Strategic Plan during the February 3 regular City Council meeting and called upon citizens to make comments and suggestions about the Plan.
   Monahan said when he came on board last summer, one of the things he wanted to review was an existing planning document that would give him a picture of where the department had been and where it was going. A number of documents existed, but he didn’t find a comprehensive one that looked at where the AJPD had been and how that office can measure its successes and weaknesses.
   “The decision was made that we did, in fact, need a comprehensive strategic plan that would spell it out for us,” Monahan told the council.
   The new Strategic Plan’s mission statement is simple: In partnership with the community, it is the mission of the Apache Junction Police Department to provide professional and courteous public safety services to all people.
   “The words were chosen on purpose,” Monahan said. With the word “partnership,” the department makes it clear that it cannot accomplish its goals alone. The “community” is responsible for aiding in the prevention of crime and disorder. And “professional” gives the expectation that police officers and other personnel will do their jobs correctly.

See A-1 and See City Council, A-3

Algonquin Appeals GC Sewer Rate Reduction
Lower fee in effect until court decides
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
Algonquin Water Services, which runs Gold Canyon Sewer Co., has appealed directly to the Arizona Court of Appeals the December decision by the Arizona Corporation Commission to reduce the rate it can charge its residential customers from $60.67 to $52 per month, officials said.
   “It is not necessarily standard but it is a part of the standard process that is available to the company,” said Greg Sorensen, director of operations, Western Utility Group, Algonquin Water Services.
   “The rates that were approved in the December order from the commission (were) in effect starting January 1 (2009).” now awaiting a court date from the Court of Appeals. At the Gold Canyon Sewer rehearing December 22, 2008, the Arizona Corporate Commission reiterated and continued the rate reduction set at the previous hearing at around $52.40 per month and ordered it to take affect January 1, 2009.
   “I was disappointed to hear that Algonquin filed their Notice of Direct Appeal for this decision but I am not surprised,” said Pat Prince, founder of the Gold Canyon Community Associations United.
   “Many of Arizona’s residential utility consumers do not realize that Arizona is one of only six states in the United States with four levels of government rather than three; in addition to the Executive, Legislative and Judicial, we have the Arizona Corporation Commission.

See A-1 and See GC SEWER, A-8

Credit Union Robbed
Police seek help to I.D. suspect
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
Apache Junction Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying a man who robbed Arizona Federal Credit Union, in the 3100 block of West Apache Trail, on Tuesday, February 3.
   At approximately 2 p.m., a white male in his early 40s walked into the facility and demanded all the cash in the teller’s drawer, said Sgt. Jeff Robinson, the department’s public information officer.
   The suspect was carrying a black tote bag with straps. White wiring could be seen protruding from the bag. The bank teller believed it was connected to a bomb, however, Robinson said the robber did not have a bomb. The suspect made no threats nor displayed any type of weapon. The suspect left the area with an undisclosed amount of money, he said.
   Robinson explained the suspect departed the area in a white Chevy Silverado, four-door pick-up truck, with black trim around the wheel wells and a black tool box extended across the bed of the truck behind the driver’s compartment.
   The suspect is additionally described as approximately 5-feet 7-inches to 5-feet 9-inches tall, 170 to 180 pounds, wearing a long-sleeved blue plaid shirt, white pants, a blue visor cap with what appears to be a white colored bandana underneath. He has what appears to be a beard with a mustache.
   Any information should be forwarded to Capt. Thomas E. Kelly or Det. James Trout of the Apache Junction Police Department Criminal Investigation Division at (480) 982-8260.
   Individuals should not approach or attempt to apprehend this suspect as he is considered to be dangerous.

See A-1 and see Robbery, A-5

‘Signings’ Of Things To Come
Three Prospector football players ink “letters of intent”
By Chuck Baker
The News
Last Wednesday was National Letter of Intent Day and three Prospector senior football players, Justin Ferman, Shane McCullen and Rusty Fernando, were on hand with pen in hand.
   Ferman, a fullback and linebacker, and Fernando, a defensive end, officially signed letters of intent with Glendale Community College, while running back/ safety McCullen signed on with Arizona State University.
   In two and a half varsity seasons, Ferman rushed for 534 yards and 10 touchdowns on offense and totaled 294 tackles and three interceptions from his linebacker position.
   Ferman may best be remembered for the Prospectors 20-19 win over Queen Creek in 2007 where, as a fullback, he scored the go-ahead touchdown with 2:12 left in the game and then, after Queen Creek scored a touchdown with just 57 seconds left to play, Ferman came up with a game-clinching interception in the end zone from his linebacker spot on a two-point attempt.
   McCullen is the school record-holder at Apache Junction with 4,340 career rushing yards and 47 touchdowns scored in his three seasons of varsity football. Add to that the 2,128 yards he rushed for on the 9-0 AJHS freshmen team in 2005, and Shane totaled 6,468 rushing yards in four years.
   Shane also holds the record for rushing yards in a single season (1,947 in 2006) and touchdowns in a single season (22, also from 2006). During that 2006 season, McCullen was chosen to the 4A All- State squad.

See B-1 and see Signs, page B-2