SPEAKER
Posted by Robert Homann on Feb 22, 2017
Today's speaker was Jeff Serdy, the newly-elected mayor of Apache Junction.
One of Jeff's goals is to explore ways in which the various communities surrounding Apache Junction might cooperate to the mutual benefit of all of them. He listed Gold Canyon, Lost Dutchman Heights, Superstition Foothills and the Museum/Mining Camp/Goldfield Ghost Town areas that surround AJ but are all independent. What are the pros and cons of trying to be more integrated? We have a potential community of 50,000 which would make us the same size as Yuma or Flagstaff and give us more political and economic clout. And the surrounding communities would benefit from more localized AJ police and fire protection, sewer system, water system and trash removal. Pinetop-Lakeside is an example of two communities benefitting from common governmental services but retaining their own identities.
AJ is trying to re-interest developers in the Superstition Vistas property south of US 60. It will likely be developed in stages via smaller purchases of land than was originally envisioned. Jeff thinks we could use a larger Conference Center-Resort to bring in more conferences. Southern Avenue could be run through to get a second route of access to Gold Canyon. The proposed bypass is long in the future.
Bryant and Jeff spoke of the opening of the Lost Dutchman Park for which the club provided a $10,000 grant. The grand opening will be on April 22nd.
