Building the Future of Public Safety SURPRISEAZ.GOV/PROGRESSMAG • SPRING 2025 Oasis Swim Center grand opening details! P. 6-7 P. 8-11 +CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS Held at: Surprise City Council Chambers, Surprise City Hall, 16000 N. Civic Center Plz. When: First and third Tuesday of the month•6 p.m. Work Sessions•4 p.m. Call: 623.222.1200•surpriseaz.gov/CityCalendar PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION Held at: Surprise City Council Chambers When: First and third Thursday of the month•6 p.m. Call: 623.222.3154•surpriseaz.gov/PZ-Commission P&Z COMMISSION MEMBERS VETERANS, DISABILITY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION Held at: Surprise City Council Chambers When: Second Wednesday of the month•6 p.m. Meeting playbacks are available with Closed Captioning surpriseaz.gov/SurpriseTV Call: 623.222.3243 •TTY: 623.222.1002 PARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION 623.222.2240 ARTS & CULTURAL ADVISORY COMMISSION 623.222.1329 LIBRARY ADVISORY COMMISSION • 623.222.2902 Surprise Progress is published by the City of Surprise Marketing & Communications Department. Read it online at surpriseaz.gov/ProgressMag. Comments? Call 623.222.1431 or email us at communications@surpriseaz.gov. SPRING 2025 | Volume 25 | No. 2 DISTRICT 1 Nick Haney DISTRICT 2 Earle Greenberg DISTRICT 3 Patrick Duffy DISTRICT 4 Johnny V. Melton VICE MAYOR, DISTRICT 5 Jack Hastings DISTRICT 6 Chris Judd MAYOR Kevin Sartor CITY MANAGER Bob Wingenroth - 623.222.1100 Jared Holland Ken Chapman Kevin Perry Anthony Spata CITY COUNCIL - 623.222.1300 Dennis Bash Matthew Keating Jay Leonard LIVE TELEVISED MEETINGS YOU CAN WATCH ON surpriseaz.gov/SurpriseTV/CityOfSurprise Printed on paper with a portion of post-consumer waste. PRINTED WITH SOY INKS Amanda Steele Nichole Wiley WRITER | EDITOR Ambria Brown Lorena Cano Muriel M. Sawicki GRAPHIC DESIGN | PHOTOGRAPHY Virginia Mungovan CHIEF EDITOR 2 surpriseaz.gov | Spring 2025 SUMMER READING PROGRAM! A new reading challenge will begin this summer. Unleash your creativity with the Surprise Public Library System’s Summer Reading Program! This year's theme, "Color Our World," celebrates arts, performances, STEAM and the boundless creativity found within literature. June 1 - August 1 with a goal of 1,000 minutes read. Kick off the challenge at Surprise Regional Library with an event on Saturday, May 31! There will also be a variety of specialty programs designed to ignite your imagination and spark your curiosity throughout June and July at all three Surprise libraries. Check out SurprisePublicLibrary.gov for more information and to register, beginning May 1. Let's make this a summer filled with color, creativity and unforgettable stories! Our community came together in a remarkable display of literacy and enthusiasm for this year’s challenge. Congratulations to Paradise Honors Elementary on winning the coveted Traveling Trophy for the most readers to complete the program! And a special shout-out to the fourth-grade classes at Rancho Gabriela Elementary School who won a pizza party for the highest number of registered readers! Mayor's Literacy Challenge Was a Success! An astounding 1,125,022 1,682 were collectively read minutes readers registered Spring into creativity at Asante Library! Join Art Facilitator Tiesha Harrison on April 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., for "Expressions in Full Bloom," a unique art workshop where your emotions blossom into vibrant masterpieces. Enjoy live music from Rosewax Vinyl Club while contributing to this special project to be showcased at Asante Library in fall 2025. No experience is necessary—just bring your imagination! This free, all-ages event (youth must be accompanied by an adult) requires registration at surpriseaz.gov/ArtsSignUp. "EXPRESSIONS IN FULL BLOOM" Unleash Your Inner Artist at Spring 2025 | surpriseaz.gov 3Warmer weather is here, and that means it's time to enjoy the refreshing pool! Before you dive in, remember, never leave children unattended near water. Other ways to stay safe are making sure everyone knows how to swim and consider learning CPR. Surprise Fire-Medical offers life-saving classes monthly. Details at surpriseaz. gov/FireFirstFridays. The City's also committed to keeping our community water-safe with our annual Safety Splash event! Join us at the new Oasis Swim Center for demonstrations, information and fun activities focused on summer safety. Details on page 7. Let’s save lives together by being vigilant around water! I hosted two district meetings in February on personal cybersecurity because many people value health, assets and family. I can't help with your health or family, but I can with assets. Cyber crimes continue to rise and there are a few things you can do to protect yourself. Freeze your credit reports with credit bureaus. Use unique long passwords for each account or use a password manager. Use two factor authentication whenever possible. Check your financial statements regularly. I will present on various important topics at my community meetings, so I hope to see you! Details are on my webpage. Cheers. I am thrilled that District 3 has welcomed Fire Station 309 at Cactus and Perryville roads. It’s a state-of- the-art facility designed to serve our rapidly growing community and enhance emergency response capabilities in our area. With the city's continued expansion, we have a need for skilled first responders, so Surprise Fire-Medical is actively engaging aspiring firefighters through programs like the Cadet and On Deck programs, providing valuable training and mentorship to the next generation! Check out details on how to get signed up on page 9. Spring is an excellent time to gather outside and celebrate our vibrant community as neighbors. This feeling was very strong at the Original Townsite Surprise Founder’s Day event. For a second year, this fantastic event brought together our community to celebrate our City’s history, diversity, spirit and heritage. As we reflect and honor our past, I also want to keep an eye on our future. This quarter, I will be placing a significant focus on working to establish ordinances that I believe will better serve our community and enhance our overall quality of life. As we plan for the next fiscal year, I’m working hard to ensure that our City practices strong budgetary responsibility. I know our decisions have a direct impact on you and your families, and I want to keep the needs of our residents at the fore- front of our decisions. I remain com- mitted to keeping rates and taxes as low as possible while still providing strong support for our public safety teams to ensure they can deliver the highest levels of service to our community. You can follow along as we build the fiscal year 2026 budget. See page 16 for details. April is Water Awareness Month, and I’m proud of the work our City is doing to promote wise water resource man- agement. We’ve expanded our water rebate programs to more residents, which has led to six times the number of rebates processed compared to last fiscal year. I’m also excited to see our City again participating in the Wyland National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation. This is an excellent opportunity for residents to find new ways to help save water. Supporting those efforts, our water conservation team is offering several workshops this spring to help save water with land- scaping. Learn more on pages 14-15. D 1 D 2 D 3 D 4 D 5 D 6 surpriseaz.gov/District1surpriseaz.gov/District2surpriseaz.gov/District3 surpriseaz.gov/District4surpriseaz.gov/District5surpriseaz.gov/District6 Jack Hastings Vice Mayor Johnny V. Melton Chris Judd Earle Greenberg Nick Haney Patrick Duffy 4 surpriseaz.gov | Spring 2025 PARTICIPATE IN OUR community survey! THE SURVEY LINK AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT SURPRISEAZ.GOV/NCS. Every two years, the City conducts a community survey to get feedback from residents about our current performance so we can identify areas in which we are doing well and where there is opportunity to improve. The survey is conducted by a third party – Polco/ National Research Center, that benchmarks our scores with other cities across the United States. 2025 is a survey year, and we want to hear from you! In March, 3,000 paper surveys were mailed to a representative selection of households across Surprise, creating a scientific sample of our community. The survey contains a series of questions to help us identify how well we are serving you and what services are most valuable to you. This information will help us prioritize funding for projects and programs. Topics range from traffic flow, park amenities, police, fire-medical services and more! Final survey results are expected later in the summer. surpriseaz.gov/ Mayor S pring is here and that signals new beginnings. City Coun- cil has been working on a strategic plan that will bring new beginnings to Surprise through a refreshed vision and restructured priorities. You will see your City Council focused on Public Safety, Transportation, Com- munity Experience, Fiscal Responsibil- ity, Economic Development, Govern- ment Transparency and Water. We will seek to align our decisions with the community’s vision within these important areas. I will expand on the ways we are forward focused and how you can get involved at my State of the City event on April 24. I would love for you to join me at City Hall for a video presenta- tion at 6 p.m. and appetizers and music from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. April 21 - May 5, the City will open an online survey that asks residents to rate how we are doing in a variety of areas. This is an opportunity for you to provide valuable input that we can use to shape future priorities. I hope you will take some time to share your thoughts. Learn more below. As we move into May, the City will celebrate the opening of Oasis Swim Center – a new aquatic center that will expand our offerings for open swim, swim lessons, swim meets and more. A grand opening celebration is planned for May 9, and you can find out more on pages 6-7. This facility brings another resource for gathering community, enhanc- ing water safety and inviting play. It’s these types of city amenities that create a sense of place, and color who we are as a community. As your Mayor, I am always looking to grow and enhance these types of op- portunities to better serve you. I am here to champion your ideas and take action to resolve your con- cerns, so please do not hesitate to reach out to me anytime. Wishing you a beautiful spring season! Mayor Kevin Sartor THE COUNCIL UPDATE Scan the code with your smartphone and enter your address to find out what district you live in. surpriseaz.gov/MySurpriseAddress There is also an opportunity for people who weren’t mailed a paper survey to take the survey online from April 21 - May 5! Spring 2025 | surpriseaz.gov 5Oasis Swim Center Aquatic Adventures Await The brand-new, state-of-the-art Oasis Swim Center brings an unparalleled recreational experience for people of all ages. This incredible complex isn't just a pool; it's a complete destination for summer fun right in our own backyard! There are six exhilarating slides, a heated competition pool and a versatile warm-up/dive pool. Adjacent to the pool, a one-of-a-kind park offers a playground, splash pad, basketball court and a sand volleyball court. Little ones will love the various play features, including climbing structures, slides and spring riders. Three shaded ramadas provide the perfect spot for picnics and gatherings. Oasis Swim Center truly has something for everyone! Location: 12361 N. Perryville Rd. (Cactus & Perryville roads) Hours of Fun • Pool: Open swim from noon to 6 p.m. (May 24 - July) • Park: 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily (Opens May 10) • Soak Station 309 Splash Pad: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. (May 10 - October) 6 surpriseaz.gov | Spring 2025 Summer Fun Starts Memorial Day Weekend! Splash Await Join us for Safety Splash and get a sneak peak of Surprise's brand-new pool, park and fire station. This family-friendly event focuses on water and summer safety and will include open swim, rescue demos, emergency vehicles, games, raffles, prizes and swim evaluations. Friday, May 9 | 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Oasis Swim Center, 12361 N. Perryville Rd. Registration required at surpriseaz.gov/SurpriseRec Food provided by Surprise Firefighter Charities! (While supplies last.) ALL CITY POOLS WILL OPEN FOR THE SEASON ON MAY 24 FOR OPEN SWIM HOURS, CHECK PAGE 22 OF THIS MAGAZINE. Don't wait to enjoy the fun! Splash pads at Dick McComb & Marley parks are open now through October. Spring 2025 | surpriseaz.gov 7Expanding fire-medical services Surprise Fire Station 309 officially welcomed its inaugural crew and began taking calls for service in February 2025. Strategically located on the north side of Cactus Road at Perryville Road, it will best support the needs of our city’s growing southern region. This state-of-the-art facility marks Surprise’s ninth fire station and features: »Four apparatus bays » A decontamination room » A turn-out gear locker room »Storage space for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) equipment » A n EMS room for medical supplies and equipment »10 dorms and a dedicated workstation area It also includes the Surprise Incident Command Center. This specialized facility is designed to enhance the skills of fire service personnel in managing complex emergency incidents. The center provides realistic training simulations of high-pressure situations that enable firefighters and incident commanders to practice critical decision-making, communication and coordination in a controlled environ- ment. Tour Fire Station 309 on May 9 during a fun community safety event where you can also enjoy the new Oasis Swim Center, Rescue Oasis Park and Soak Station 309 splash pad, located on the same campus. See page 7 for details. Planning for the future In February, the City was also excited to close on approxi- mately 27 acres of land near 185th Avenue and Deer Valley Road for our future Fire Station 310 and accompanying public safety facilities. Residents' approval of the 2023 City Bond Election made this land purchase possible and ensured the City could maintain public safety service levels. Providing top-tier services In March, the Surprise Fire-Medical Department received reaccreditation through the Commission on Fire Accredi- tation International (CFAI). This accreditation is based on the department’s continuous quality improvement and enhancement of service delivery to our community. Surprise Fire-Medical is one of about 250 agencies that have achieved Internationally Accredited Agency status with the CFAI and the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc. ANSWERING THE CALL NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE 8 surpriseaz.gov | Spring 2025 High School EMT Program In May, a select group of high school seniors will graduate with their di- plomas and receive their Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certifica- tion. These newly trained EMTs can go directly into the field with a public or private ambulance service, filling a huge nationwide shortage of profes- sionals in the industry. The increasing need for EMTs in our rapidly growing city was a catalyst for Dysart Schools and the City of Surprise to develop this new Career Technical Education program at Val- ley Vista High School. To help make this program a reality, a Surprise Fire- Medical Department staff member is teaching these classes. The program will be available to incoming seniors attending any Dysart school in the 2025-26 school year. The City is currently working to ex- pand the program to create a path- way for these students to continue their education toward careers in fire-medical, nursing or other medical professions. On Deck Program The On Deck Program offers aspiring firefighters over the age of 18 a no- pressure way to learn more about a career in the fire service, gain insights into the testing process and get a great workout. Held as an open com- munity meeting on the third Thursday of each month from 6 - 8 p.m. at Fire Station 308, 13771 W. Cactus Rd., this program offers participants a chance to meet, interact and even train with Surprise Fire-Medical Department members. Program Details: The meetings are meant to be casual and interactive. Participants can expect a short presentation that provides insights into a fire service career and how to best prepare for testing. After the presentation, partici- pants can ask questions and interact directly with current firefighters. This is followed by a workout, so partici- pants should wear athletic clothes and be ready to learn the physical fitness skills needed for a successful career. Learn more at surpriseaz.gov/OnDeck Fire Cadet Program The Fire Cadet Program is a volun- teer preparation program designed for adults looking to start a career as a firefighter. The program can run up to 24 months and is designed to help prepare participants for the fire service by building good character, teaching the responsibilities of active citizenship and developing mental acuity and physical fitness. Program Details: Participants must apply and be accepted into the program. This includes being able to pass a sports physical, a criminal background check and obtain an Emergency Medical Technician Certification within one year of starting the pro- gram. During the program, cadets are required to attend quarterly evening meetings plus put in a minimum of 16 hours per month on training, ride- alongs and community service. Learn more at surpriseaz.gov/FireCadet "On Deck” is a common term in the fire service for a fire crew waiting for an assignment on an incident. BUILDING A PIPELINE OF HOME-GROWN FIRE-MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS Spring 2025 | surpriseaz.gov 9Next >