Coming Up

Arts in the Park & Cafe Lunch

1^st Saturday of every month
Saturday, February 4
10am – 4pm
Lunch in the SC Café
12 - 1:30 pm $7 pp
Residents, please pre-register for lunch!

“Village Arts in the Park” has become “Arts in the Park” and is now located in the Union Center Entrance the first Saturday of each and every month from October through April. The location change is part of their on-going effort to make this a convenient, welcoming Craft Sale.

The craft sale is growing. We are averaging between 20-30 booths with some very interesting and unique offerings. As marketing efforts improve and word gets out that this will happen the first Saturday of each month during our “high season” we fully expect to see more and more vendors participate.

To complement “Arts in the Park” the Lifestyle department began offering a $7 lunch in the Café between noon and 1:30pm. A typical menu for this event will be a sandwich, chips, side salad, dessert and beverage. Last month, 28 residents, vendors and shoppers enjoyed the lunch and we expect it will grow as word gets out. We do ask that residents PRE-REGISTER for the lunch so we are able to plan for enough food. There will be some guess work in planning for non-residents who stop by to shop and decide to enjoy lunch which is why we need residents to help us by registering ahead of time.

The next “Arts in the Park” is March 3! Mark your calendars now!

“Sweets for the Sweetest”
Valentine’s Dance
Tuesday, February 14
7:00-10:00pm
LAST DAY TO REGISTER – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10
Randy Lee - DJ

Here’s another excuse to dance! Valentine’s Day falls on Tuesday this year so make plans now to attend our Valentine’s Dance on Tuesday, February 14. Music by DJ Randy Lee will guarantee that “your kind of music” is ready to play.

We’re planning dance contests in Rock & Roll, Swing, Country couples dancing and Line Dancing. But if you have your own special dance category there will be a freestyle dance contest where any style qualifies. Prizes will be awarded in each category.

Bring along your favorite beverage and we’ll have an array of desserts that will please everyone. We’ll provide plenty of ice, iced tea and water for your convenience.

Tickets are $12 if purchased by Monday, February 6^th and $14.00 if purchased after February 6^th.

Volunteers Extraordinaire!

Remember the 80's TV show MacGyver where Richard Dean Anderson played Angus MacGyver, a different kind of hero: he didn't use weapons, and he was an expert at making complicated machines out of ordinary things. Well, Vicki D'Elia is our very own 21st Century female MacGyver! Her forte may not be machinery, but she really could survive in the desert for days with just a toothpick and a glue gun! Recently Vicki has put her talents to the task of developing ideas for a number of events including Del Webb Goes Pink, Caribbean Night, Halloween, USO Show and she is currently working diligently with eleven other devoted volunteers to ensure that "A Royal Affair" will provide a dazzling evening to those attending our New Year's Eve Party.

Vicki's enthusiasm and energy also spills over to her home. On any given day you can find her putting up a back splash, adding a light fixture, installing cabinets or painting a couple rooms! To most of us, that's a lot of work, but to Vicki, it's just Tuesday...

Thank you Vicki for being our MacGyver!

ACC rules Johnson Utilities must lower rates

By By Zach Richter Today Publications

August 27, 2010

ACC rules Johnson Utilities must lower rates

By Zach Richter Today Publications

After years of legal dispute, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) has finally issued a decision regarding Pinal County's own Johnson Utilities' water rates. According to ACC Decision 71854, the average residential water customer can expect to see their bill decrease approximately 30 percent and the average wastewater customer will see a decrease of approximately 14 percent.

The decision defines average usage as 6,931 gallons per month. It goes on to note that a residential customer with average usage on a 3/4 inch meter can expect to see a bill of just under $30.00. Likewise average usage wastewater customers with a 3/4 inch meter will see bills around $33.00.

The ACC's decision affects all of John Utilities' nearly 18,000 residential water customers and all 21,500 wastewater customers. What's more, the new rates are effective for all services rendered on and after June 1, 2010. Customers should receive notification of the rate decrease with their next bill.

The Decision also stripped Johnson Utilities of its ability to collect hook-up fees for both its water and wastewater divisions.

In recent weeks community members have been more vocal regarding their dissatisfaction with Johnson Utilities and have created www.JohnsonsWaterStinks.com. The members have requested to remain anonymous “in an effort to maintain an issue-driven mindset and provide a public service for the communities.”

“While today is a tremendous victory for anyone who must deal with Johnson Utilities – this story is far from over. In the absence of a municipality regulating its vendors – like we are here in San Tan Valley – it is up to watchdog groups like www.johnsonswaterstinks.com to look out for the little guy.” The web site creator went on to state that there have been more than 500 visits to the site since its launch in the last two weeks and 76 complaints received.

Today Publications has contacted Johnson Utilities and the ACC for comment and we will have a more in-depth article available in the September 15, 2010 issue of the San Tan Valley Today and Pinal County Today.

The full ACC Decision is available here search for docket item number 08-0180. To read more about the history of this process click here: http://www.azruco.gov/pc_johnson_rates_2008.htm