December 2018Volume 12 Number 12

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Youngtown held its Municipal Election on August 28th, 2018. This election resulted in the re-election of Councilmembers Margaret Chittenden and June Miller, as well as the election of first time candidate Karen Haney Duncan claiming the seat being vacated by long time Councilmember Judy Johnson. Mayor Michael LeVault was also re-elected for another term in office.

At the Council Meeting held on November 15th, 2018, the winners of the election were sworn in at the beginning of the meeting by Town Clerk Mary Reynolds. Following the seating of Councilmembers, the nomination of Charles “Chuck” Vickers was made for another term as Vice Mayor.

We congratulate the Mayor, Vice Mayor and all of the Councilmembers, and wish you all the best.

Youngtown Municipal Election Results

Left to Right: Councilmembers Margaret Chittenden and June Miller, Mayor Michael LeVault and Councilmember Karen Haney Duncan.

2 Youngtown Village Reporter DECEMBER 2018

Youngtown Village ReporterPublished monthly by the Town of Youngtown • Jamie Boyett, Publishing Supervisor

12030 Clubhouse Square, Youngtown, AZ 85363 • Phone 623-933-8286 | Fax 623-933-5951 | TDD 623-974-3665 • www.youngtownaz.org

The Youngtown Village Reporter (YVR) is the official newsletter of the Town of Youngtown. The primary objective of the YVR is to support the Town of Youngtown by promoting, informing and educating Youngtown residents about public policy issues and public services that the Town provides. The Town of Youngtown collects and prepares all editorial content for the YVR and has the sole discretion to accept or reject material.

The Town of Youngtown derives no income from this publication and the appearance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement by the Town of Youngtown.

The Youngtown Village Report is published exclusively by Pueblo Publishers, Inc., a private commercial firm in no way connected with the Town of Youngtown. All production and distribution is the responsibility of Pueblo Publishers, Inc., 7122 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85301-2436, 623-842-6000.

Council Meeting5:30 p.m. Thur., Dec. 6th Youngtown Council Chambers

Youngtown Winter Miracle5 – 8 p.m. Sat., Dec. 8thGreer Park

Citizens’ Dog Park of Youngtown Meeting9 a.m. Sat., Dec. 15th United Methodist Church

Community Events

Letter from the Mayor

Town of Youngtown Council Actions Regular MeetingDATE: November 15, 2018TIME: 5:30 P.M.PLACE: Town Clubhouse Council Chambers 12033 N. Clubhouse Square

A. Selection of Charles Vickers as Vice MayorB. Approval of a contract with ACE Asphalt of AZ, Inc for the Fiscal Year 2018/2019 Street Resurfacing

Merry Christmas To All!As 2018 winds down, I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year!Take time to count blessings and thank God for them. Reach out to your neighbors and friends who are less fortunate than

you. Bring good cheer into the lives of those around you who may be feeling despondent; wish them good cheer and brighten their day.

Let this be a time for families, for reflection and for renewal. As 2018 winds down, look forward to 2019 with hope, anticipation and optimism. We stand on the cusp of a bright new year filled with great promise and unlimited potential.

May you and your families be safe and secure and may your futures be blessedly prosperous and filled with satisfaction, peace and tranquility.

So, as we wind down 2018, I say: “…Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!”

Youngtown Village ReporterDECEMBER 2018 3

Each year the Town of Youngtown works hard to bring quality community events to the residents of the Town. On October 27th, we held our annual G.A.I.N. event (Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods) to share public safety resources from MCSO (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office) and Sun City Fire & Medical District. We also provided Trunk or Treat as part

of the festivities, so children have a safe place to trick or treat for Halloween. We provided ice cream for all who attended from Mighty Moo right here in Youngtown and our own DJ RichERich provided

great entertainment and was our emcee. Below are a few of the pictures from the event.

It’s All About Community

Clerk Mary Reynolds and her daughter Morgan

Community Development Manager

Gregory Arrington’s grandson Dom!

4 Youngtown Village Reporter DECEMBER 2018

Youngtown Public Library News

Friends of the Youngtown Library - Big Bag Sale $3.00Happy Holidays, everyone! It’s very cold outside so it is a great time to come and take advantage of our huge book sale.

Fill a large bag for just $3.00 for good quality books to read. We have many popular authors for your reading enjoyment. All proceeds benefit the library.

The Library will be closed December 22nd – January 1st, in observance of Christmas and New Year’s.

December CelebrationsOther December celebrations include: • December 8: National Brownie Day• December 10: Human Rights Day• December 24: National Chocolate Day

Author Visit

On Monday, December 10th at 10:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers, featuring the novel “Murder in the Crooked Eye Brewery” by J. C. Eaton (the pseudonym of Ann Goldfarb and James E. Clapp).

RaffleWe have an afghan donated by a patron

that we are raffling off. Raffle tickets are $1.00 each or six for $5.00.

The Youngtown Public Library offers many services, including:

The Library offers a large selection of large print books, magazines, movies, and the following:• FREE WI-FI • FREE use of 6 Public Computers • FREE DVD rental – over 1,100 to choose

from• FREE Resume’ Assistance• FREE Tax Forms• FREE Chilton Auto Repair Manuals• FREE Legal Forms

• FREE Career Information• FREE Genealogy/Ancestry resources• FREE National Geographic• Copies $ .15 each

Book Club:Come join the Book Club every third Friday

of the month. The next meeting is Friday, December 21st from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. in the Library. We will be discussing the novel “Holly and Ivy”, by Robyn Carr.

Storytime:Storytime will be held on Tuesdays at 10:30

a.m. All ages are welcome!

Craft Corner:The Craft Corner meets every Monday

night from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the Youngtown Clubhouse. Bring any craft or hobby and join

the fun.

Library Hours:Regular Library hours are Monday –

Wednesday, and Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Location:Both the Library and Museum are located

in Town Square, between Alabama and Youngtown Avenues, just west of 112th Avenue.

For additional information about the Library, Museum, or history of Youngtown, check us out on the Youngtown website, www.youngtownaz.org, under “Our Services,” or call 623-974-3401.

Angelique Aaliyah Story Time attendee, Gabby, wearing a hat knitted by her mom

Coloring Contest Winners:

Youngtown Village ReporterDECEMBER 2018 5

sponsored by YOUR GOVERNMENT

WORKS

LearnHOW YOUR GOVERNMENT

WORKSand how you can get involved!

Town of Youngtown Citizens’ Academy

West Valley Genealogical SocietyMonthly Meeting

The West Valley Genealogical Society & Library’s next monthly meeting will be held on December

10th at 1 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 12225 N. 103rd Avenue, Sun City. The meeting is free and open to the public.

This month’s featured speaker is Kathleen Stewart Goodrich, M.Ed. Kathleen will be discussing “Everything I Know About My Family’s History I Learned From Nancy Drew”.

Kathleen Stewart Goodrich earned a Master of Education degree from Northern Arizona University and has taught all ages in three different states. Her strong teaching emphasis is evident throughout her entertaining classes and lectures. Kathleen’s hands-on style

encourages audience participation by giving everyone opportunities to problem-solve and practice new skills. She was a volunteer for many years at the recently closed Buckeye, Arizona

Family History Center, and is currently a member of the Utah Genealogical Association.

When Kathleen was sixteen years old her father handed her the family Bible, then dropped her off at the Los Angeles Family History Library. Sitting at a microfilm reader for hours and scanning the census effectively inoculated her against the genealogy bug for years. That all changed dramatically when she accidentally found her grandmother’s wedding ring. She vowed once and for all to learn the truth about her family’s tradition of gold mines and racehorses.

The research journey into her grandmother’s past was not only successful, but life-altering. Kathleen now dedicates her time to helping others discover the hidden lives of their ancestors. She is a frequent presenter at genealogy conferences and workshops in

Arizona. Kathleen is currently writing two

memoirs. Emergency Rations is the story of how her father survived WWII as a young tail gunner on a B17 bomber. She also shares her own story of endurance in the autobiographical, I am my Jewish Mother.

Upcoming Classes • Getting the Most from Ancestry.com, Connie Sheets, Saturday, 10a.m. - 12:30 p.m., December 8th

• Novice Genealogy, Barbara Stenberg, Saturday, 1 - 3:30 p.m., December 15th

To register for a class, upcoming event, or to learn more about the Society, visit www.azwvgs.org or call 623-933-4945.

KATHLEEN STEWART GOODRICHM.Ed.

The Youngtown Citizens’ Academy is a program designed to educate residents and infuse an interest in local issues, present information about important questions facing the Town, provide an avenue for residents to help plan the community’s future, and develop a pool of informed residents who would be willing to serve as local leaders on boards, c o m m i s s i o n s and among their neighbors. In addition to guest speakers, sessions feature group discussions, activities and other topic-related exercises. Participants who complete the seminar series, including attending at least seven of the nine sessions, one Town Council meeting, one Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, are recognized by the Town Council upon graduation. The 2019 Academy will begin in February. Anyone who lives or works in the Youngtown area is welcome to attend. Most Town committees require residency in the Town limits in order to qualify for appointment. However, there are always opportunities to be engaged. Anyone interested in attending

the Citizens’ Academy may register with Nicole Smart at 623-933-8286 or nsmart@youngtownaz.org

The nine sessions will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday and fourth Monday of each month at the Youngtown Town Council Chambers.

February 12 Orientation

February 25 Local Government/ Youth Government

March 12 Community Development Public Works/Town Engineer

March 25 Courts/Prosecutor

April 9 Code Enforcement/MCSO

April 22 Town Clerk/Library/Finance

May 7 APS/EPCOR/Parks & Sons

May 28 Sun City Fire and Medical District

June 4 Leadership/Graduation

There is no cost to participate in the Academy.

6 Youngtown Village Reporter DECEMBER 2018

Citizens’ Dog Park of Youngtown

Margaret Chittenden and friends having some R & R in Rocky Point!

News You Can Use Canine Happenings at the Dog Park!!!

CITIZENS’ DOG PARKOF YOUNGTOWNHours of Operation6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.NW Corner of Alabama & 113th

AvenuesFor Information & Donations623-974-9756

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened”.

--Anatole France

The weather is changing, and Winter is almost here! Now is a good time to check your four-

legged furry friend’s identification tags and to keep their Maricopa County Licenses up to date. For the cooler morning and evening walks, a chip is always a great way to locate a lost dog should they for some reason go astray. If you use one of the dog toys at the Park, please be sure to pick it up and place it in the container provided.

We are very grateful for all of the donations we have received! You may

continue to drop off your donations at the following locations: Koppy’s Body Shop, Town Tobacco, the Youngtown Library, and Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Town Hall Office.

Once again, just a friendly reminder to make sure your pet is wearing a collar and identification tag that is up-to-date and visible at all times. Be sure to identify a neighbor or friend who could help you and your pets in case of an emergency!

Thanks for picking up after your pets. This helps to keep a clean and safe area for all our furry friends to enjoy. If you brush your dog in the park, please pick up the fur. Thank you for using the Park and being respectful of the Rules and Regulations.

The Youngtown Citizens’ Dog Park meetings are open to all. Our next meetings are scheduled for December 15th and we will meet again in the New Year on January 19th at 9:00 a.m. at United Methodist Church at 113th Avenue and Alabama. We hope to see you there!

HAVE A SAFE ANDHAPPY NEW YEAR!

New Year’s Eve is celebrated at evening social gatherings, where many people dance, eat,

and watch or light fireworks to ring in the New Year. However, learn how to celebrate the New Year and make sure you are aware of local firework regulations in your area. Don’t get confused with the fact that you can purchase fireworks or where they can be legally used.

Here’s a look at Youngtown’s ordinance Sec. 9.04.010 It is unlawful for any person within Town limits to blast or use gun powder, fireworks, or other explosive devices unless authorized by

the Town Council. The Big fireworks that explode and go

up in the air are still illegal to purchase and use in Arizona at ANY time such as bottle rockets, firecrackers, roman candles, etc.

The following Federally deregulated novelty items like snappers, party poppers, snap caps, glow worms, snakes, toy smoke devices, sparklers, and wheels are all great to use during this celebration.

If you have any questions, please contact Youngtown Code Enforcement at 623-933-8286.

Youngtown Village ReporterDECEMBER 2018 7

In The WorksStreets: We would like to express our gratitude to the residents who endured the street resurfacing project. This year, for budgetary reasons, the project needed to be completed by January 1st instead of the usual date of June 30th. You have probably heard that the wheels of government turn slowly. Before I was employed by the government, I joined in on the criticism of the government being so slow to accomplish seemingly anything. Now that I’m employed by the government, I have a better understanding of why the wheels of government turn so slowly. In a word, it’s diligence. Diligence in spending tax payer dollars is a very involved process. I won’t go into the process in this article. If you would like to learn about the process, I encourage you to sign up for the Citizens’ Academy class which will be held in February. You can contact Town Hall for more information and to sign up.

December is an inconvenient time to perform street work. As a result of doing due diligence, December turned out to be the only time to perform the street work. Although inconvenient, the inconvenience was greatly worth the end result as asphalt resurfacing will extend the life of the streets, negating the need for extensive and often cost prohibitive milling/overlay or removal/replacement. Aesthetic value is an additional benefit as the pavement receives a new wearing surface of uniform color and texture, potentially increasing property values. The streets from Greer Avenue, south to Peoria Avenue will be resurfaced in the May/June 2020 timeframe.

Maricopa Lake: Around the walking path perimeter of Maricopa Lake, a concrete curb was installed. The steel border that it replaced had become an unsafe trip hazard, necessitating the removal. The

concrete curbing acts as granite retention from the hillside and is an aesthetic enhancement to the area. The next project for the lake is a top coat of granite along the east side and new granite along the lake perimeter walking path.

Weeds: The weeds in all the Town rights-of-ways were sprayed at the end of summer and again just recently. The alley rights-of-ways behind Town homes are the residents’ responsibility to maintain, including weed removal. The weeds were sprayed as a courtesy; however, many residents did receive notices of violation for weeds in the alleys behind their homes. Going forward, the Town plans to phase out the courtesy weed spraying and will enforce the code that requires residents to maintain the alleys behind their homes.

Vandalism: “action involving

deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property”. The term also includes criminal damage such as graffiti and defacement directed towards any property without permission of the owner. Graffiti is the most common type of property vandalism (35%) according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. How can Youngtown citizens help to stop vandalism?

Get to know your neighbors. It is important that you know the people around you and in your community. This makes it much easier to spot someone that doesn’t belong and may be there to simply cause problems. If you live next to one of the Town’s parks, please be observant for potential vandalism. If you observe someone damaging something in the park, place a phone call to the MCSO office at 602-876-1011. The residents are the eyes and ears of the community. It’s your community, don’t let someone destroy it.

AARP BoardMEET: 3rd Tuesday of the month4:30 p.m.Jay Lickus – 623-734-5438

AARP CHAPTER 1MEET: 1st Friday of the month5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.Jay Lickus – 623-734-5438

AGUA FRIA RANCH HOAMEET: 2nd Wednesday of the month7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.OFF: AugustOgden & Company/Jackie Monty 623-628-4708

BOOK DISCUSSION CLUBMEET: 3rd Friday of the month 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.Meets in the Youngtown LibraryHeidi Speed – 623-974-3401

CRAFT CORNERMEET: Every Monday6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.Betty Trollen – 623-974-9130

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARYMEET: Every Other Month on the 3rd Friday9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.OFF: June, July and AugustTeresa Felton – 760-415-5446

OPEN PAINTINGALL MEDIUMS WELCOMEMEET: every Monday9:00 a.m. - NoonBeverly Meers – 972-5145

WOOD CARVERS CLUBMEET: every Tuesday of the month8:00 a.m. - NoonTerry Damato – 623-933-2426

YOUNGTOWN ART COMMISSIONMEET: 4th Wednesday of the month6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.OFF: June, July and AugustVal Wilson – 623-810-3137

YOUNGTOWN COMMUNITY FUNDMEET: 4th Wednesday of the month8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.Madelon Jeffreys – 623-977-4661

YOUNGTOWN WOMEN’SBIBLE STUDYMEET: Every Wednesday of the month10:30 a.m. - NoonOFF: June, July, AugustMadelon Jeffreys – 623-583-8047

All clubs meet in the Clubhouse unless otherwise noted.

Clubs and Organizations

MARTY MOSBRUCKERPublic Works

Manager

AARP Historic Chapter #1 cordially invites you to participate in the 8th Annual Health, Safety and Pet Festival which will be held on Saturday, February 16, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Greer Park, 12030 N. Clubhouse Square (112th Avenue and Alabama Avenue).

THE EVENT IS FREE TO ALL VENDORS AND EXHIBIITORS. Please Contact Sandy Marshall at 623-972-4202 or azsandy123@cox.net or Charlene McGarvey at 623-363-4608 or cmcgarvey@youngtownaz.org.

AARP 8th Annual Health, Safety and Pet Festival

8 Youngtown Village Reporter DECEMBER 2018