CITY OF TUCSON WARD 5 COUNCIL OFFICE

February/March Volume 1, Issue 1

4300 South Park, Tucson AZ 85714

(520) 791-4231
http://www.tucsonaz.gov/wardfive.html

Ward 5 Newsletter
http://tucsonward5.blogspot.com

Ward 5 Happenings
Mental Health Court Saved Thank You
• QuikTrip Opens at 2435 E. Irvington.

• CareMore Center Opens.
• National Salute to Veterans at the
VA Hospital.
• Pima County Health Dept. TB Clinic
Opens.
• Literacy for Life Sunnyside
Neighborhood Launch.
• Fifth Annual LULAC/NAACP Rosa
Parks Dinner.
• Sunnyside Unified School District
Digital Advantage.
At the February 9, Tucson
Mayor and Council meeting,
Councilmember Richard
Fimbres brought to the
agenda Tucson’s Mental
Health Court (MHC) issue.
MHC was run by the City of
Tucson and the Community
Partnership of Southern
Arizona (CPSA). Founded
in 2000, this program has
helped more than 7,000
mentally ill Tucsonans who
were in court due to alleged
offenses. Some were guilty,
A decision by city staff to cut
the remaining City funding
would have resulted in the
end of MHC. CPSA had tried
to talk to city officials about
other ways to keep the pro-
gram going, especially since
ending it, the City could have
been responsible for paying
for state mental health com-
petency exams, ranging up to
$40,000 per person, and this
past fiscal year, the program
dealt with more than 80 indi-
viduals a month.
I want to thank everyone who
came out to the Ward 5 Com-
munity Dialogue that was held
at the Council Office Over the
next few months, I will be at-
tending the Ward 5 neighbor-
hood association meetings in
my effort to L.E.A.D. (Listen,
Educate and be educated, Ad-
vocate and Deliver) for Ward 5
and Tucson.

• 85th Tucson Rodeo Parade.

• Black History Celebration.
• Goodwill Industries Grand Opening.
Ward 5 Furlough Days
Per the Mayor and Council on
January 12, for additional
furlough days for all city em-
ployees to help offset the
budget deficit. The Ward 5
Council Office will be closed
on the following dates:
Friday - March 5,
Friday - April 2,
Friday - April 23,
Friday - May 7 and
Friday - May 28.
April 2 (Good Friday) and
May 28, were the remaining
two of the five days by Mayor
and Council action in 2009.
others were acting out be-
cause of their unfortunate
circumstances. The City Attorney announced
Street Car Rolls!
at the Council meeting that GREAT NEWS! The City of Tuc-
they had found funding to son has been awarded $63 mil-
Tucson’s MHC had saved continue the program. Thanks lion by the U.S. Department of
the City of Tucson millions in to Councilmember Richard Transportation through the TI-
jail costs alone, having them Fimbres, Neal Cash and Kate GER Discretionary Grant Pro-
incarcerated for on average Lawson of CPSA, those in gram for the Tucson Modern
of six days before getting need will continue to get treat-
into treatment. The average ment and the City govern-
Streetcar Project. Under a new
Recovery Act program, up to
stay for an individual ment will save millions of dol- $1.5 billion was made available
charged with a crime in the lars and most importantly, through September 30, 2011, for
City of Tucson is 26 days. In society benefits. the Secretary of Transportation
2009, this program saved to make grants on a competitive
$1.2 million in (jail) housing E-mail: basis for capital investments in
costs. ward5@tucsonaz.gov surface transportation infrastruc-
ture projects.
Ward 5 Council Office Staff:
Barbara Jordan (Executive Assistant),
Abe Marques (Council Aide), Melinda
Jacobs (Council Aide), Mark Kerr
(Council Aide).
It does
count to
take part!
 Page 2 Ward 5 Newsletter

Tours Starting! F-35 Update

The Ward 5 Council Office is in the
process of setting up tours of the Los
Reales Landfill/Recycle America and
Tucson Water. If interested, please call
the Ward 5 Council Office, 791-4231 or
E-mail us at ward5@tucsonaz.gov, sub-
ject line “tour.”
The U.S. Air Force is holding public
open house scoping meetings to solicit
comments on the potential beddown of
F-35A Joint Strike Fighter training air-
craft. Public input helps the air force in
making more informed decisions. Two
of these forums will be in Tucson.

How to Contact Ward 5

If you need to speak with Councilmem-
ber Fimbres or need to make an appoint-
ment with him or his staff, call Barbara
Jordan and the Ward 5 Council Office,
791-4231. The office, located at 4300
South Park, is open from 8:00 AM to
7:00 PM daily (except on furlough days).
Monday, March 1, 6 - 9 p.m., Sunny-
side High School, Library, 1725 East
Bilby Road.
Friday March 5, 2010 - 6 - 9
p.m. Roskruge Elementary, Audito-
rium, 501 East Sixth Street.
Walk to Help The Community Food The next Tucson Mayor and Council

Bank, March 13 meeting will take place Tuesday, March

Marachi Los Changitos Open House
Mariachi Los Changuitos Feos is holding
an open house for new students on Tues-
day, March 16 from 7 to 8:30 pm at San
Miguel High School, 6601 S. San Fer-
nando Road, Tucson. Contact Jo Ann
Davenport at loschanguitos@yahoo.com
for more information.
More than 200 people came out for the
grand opening of Goodwill Industries new
location at 22nd Street and Swan, provid-
ing many new jobs for Ward 5.
9 at the Mayor and Council Chambers,
Saturday, March 13, 8:00 am the Com-
munity Food Bank is asking all Tucson- 255 West Alameda. The Study Session
ans to lace up their sneakers at come
on out to Sam Lena Park, 2805 E. Ajo
Meeting starts at 2:00 pm and the
way for the Community Food Bank
Regular Meeting begins at 5:00 pm.
hunger walk.
To learn more and to register log onto
www.communityfoodbank.org or call
The 21st Annual Southern Arizona
(520) 622-0525 extension 469.
LULAC Youth Leadership Conference
will take place March 15-16. For more
City of Tucson Website:
information, call (520) 508-6554 or E-
http://www.tucsonaz.gov
mail: lulacyoungadults@gmail.com.

Race for the Cure, Sunday April 11
Join me and Vice Mayor Rodney Glass-
man for Race for the Cure, Sunday,
April 11, at Reid Park. To register and
join Vice Mayor Rodney Glassman and
myself as members of TEAM TUCSON,
please visit our TEAM TUCSON website
by pasting the ENTIRE URL web-
address below into your internet
browser. The link will allow you to reg-
ister as a TEAM TUCSON member and
make your donation of $30 to Susan G.
Komen For The Cure to participate in
the 5K non-competitive walk/run. (Cut
and paste link in your browser to sign
up). http://
sazraceforthecure.kintera.org/faf/
search/searchTeamPart.asp?
ievent=333453&lis=1&kntae333453=86
A73E59F12848BBA1E1264EB0B8555B&t
eam=3653347
Going for the Gold!
I want to express my congratulations to
all the senior athletes who participated
in this year’s Senior Olympics. In the
spirit of congratulations, I want to espe-
cially congratulate those senior athletes
from the El Pueblo Senior Center who
was the biggest contingent, taking part
in the competition, winning most of the
Gold Medals!