Let's Talk Sierra Vista Podcast

Revitalizing the West End

In this episode of Let’s Talk Sierra Vista, we kick off our fall season with Community Development Director Matt McLachlan and delve into longstanding efforts to revitalize the West End. With major improvements now underway along Fry Boulevard, we discuss just how long this type of project has been the subject of public input and community planning. We also cover numerous other projects and initiatives that are helping transform the West End in step with the Fry and Garden Avenue Improvement Project. We share how it’s exciting to see so many long-sought ideas result in actions that are now making meaningful changes. And there is still much to be done together with the community to create an inviting entertainment district that feels like a downtown, while also expanding opportunities to enhance West End neighborhoods.

Highlights

• Interview with Matt McLachlan begins (1:08)
• How did public input help lead to this project and what does the City hope to accomplish with it? (1:13)
• What are the next steps for streetscape improvements once this phase wraps up in January? (9:33)
• How does the property the City acquired at the corner of Fab Avenue and Fry Boulevard tie into these plans? (11:12)
• Can you share some background on the West Sierra Vista Partnership program that the City launched in 2018 and describe its impacts so far? (14:15)
• What are some other initiatives the City is working on to bolster revitalization in the West End? (19:33)
• I’d like to close by reminding folks to support our local businesses in the West End during construction. (31:42)
• I know you’ve been out in the area working with the business owners. What have you been hearing from them? (32:48)

Local citizens are encouraged to join the conversation by asking questions, offering comments, and suggesting future topics. To share your thoughts, email Pod@SierraVistaAZ.gov.

Summer Break & Spotlight Breakfast Preview

We're taking a summer break in July, but you can look forward to the next full episode of Let's Talk Sierra Vista in August. In the meantime, why not take this opportunity to catch up on some of our recent episodes?

In this short episode, Public Information Officer Adam Curtis provides a brief preview of this year's Spotlight Breakfast, which we're pleased to announce will take place in-person at the Sierra Vista campus of Cochise College on the morning of Tuesday, August 10. Reserve your seat today!

We'll talk again in August.

Breaking Down the FY 21-22 Budget

City budgets can be tricky to understand and even harder to explain. But it's worth the effort! Amid the many moving pieces are important decisions, projects, and stories that matter to our community. This week we dive into the City’s Tentative Budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 with Assistant City Manager Victoria Yarbrough to share how the budget process works and talk about the highlights in plain language. We cover the latest news on exciting projects like upcoming improvements on West Fry Boulevard and other key items included in the Tentative Budget. We also put everything in context, so citizens can understand how the City’s conservative fiscal philosophy, especially in good times, has helped it weather difficult economic times better than most.

Highlights:

• Budget 101, clearing up a sometimes counterintuitive process (0:59)
• The tentative budget totals more then $115 million, which is much higher than last year’s budget of $86.7 million. Find out what accounts for the increase and why a simple budget total comparison often offers a misleading picture. (7:30)
• Discussing how the increased cost of construction materials has impacted City projects, while sharing some good news the West Fry Boulevard Improvement Project. (13:03)
• How the City’s conservative budgeting philosophy even in good times helps The City get through the difficult times. (29:21)
• Describing how the City continues to take a proactive approach to handle the costs associated with the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System. (34:43)

Local citizens are encouraged to join the conversation by asking questions, offering comments, and suggesting future topics. To share your thoughts, email Pod@SierraVistaAZ.gov. 

Celebrate the Summer with Your Local Library

In-person activities are back and the library is open to serve the community. Libraries are beloved centers of learning and enrich our lives by providing access to knowledge, technology, and community activities. In this episode, we are joined by Youth Services Librarian Erica Merritt and Arts, Culture, and Education Division Manager Emily Duchon to discuss how the library is still adapting to serve customers today. We talk about the lessons they learned from serving patrons despite restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Summer Reading Program is up and running with a variety of events and activities as we celebrate the animal kingdom with this year’s theme of Tails and Tales. Find everything you need to know to participate, from winning weekly prizes to community events and much more.  

Highlights:  

• Information about this year’s Summer Reading Program (1:12) 
• What is the mission for the Summer Reading Program and why is it offered for all ages? (5:00) 
• Events people can look forward for this year’s Summer Reading Program (8:20)  
• What was it like to adapt library services to the COVID-19 pandemic? (10:15) 
• Learn about artwork popping up in the library’s botanical garden (17:42) 
• The Cultural Diversity Commission and Youth Commission are seeking members (22:06) 
• What does the library have to offer besides books? (23:43) 

Boots, Bikes, and Birds: Boosting Sierra Vista’s Reputation

Today we talk with Marketing & Communications Manager Judy Hector and Economic Development Manager Tony Boone about recent news, events, and the City’s approach to economic development and tourism. The City tackles these areas as a team, executing a tailor-made strategy that leverages Sierra Vista’s unique assets. With an ideal climate, nearby mountain trails, blossoming events, growing sports tourism efforts, and an extraordinary variety of birds that attract birders from around the world, Sierra Vista’s reputation as a destination for outdoor recreation is expanding. This was recently bolstered by a declaration making Sierra Vista the official Hummingbird Capital of Arizona, signed just this month by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, and the renewal of the City’s status as a bicycle-friendly community. We learn how Sierra Vista is growing from Arizona’s best-kept secret to an up-and-coming destination for people who love the outdoors. 

Highlights:  

• How do the City’s signature Sips and Skies events tie into the city’s overall marketing strategy? (1:30) 

• Tony talks about the process of working with Perimeter Bicycling to bring the El Tour de Zona to Sierra Vista and what that will bring to the community. (3:57) 

• The City has made major headway to improve facilities to attract sports tournaments to Sierra Vista in partnership with local sports organizations. What does that mean in terms of dollars and how does it tie in with economic development? (15:30) 

• What unique challenges and opportunities set the stage for the City’s economic development strategy? (22:48) 

• Judy tells us about the recent declaration making Sierra Vista the “Hummingbird Capital of Arizona”. Will we pursue this declaration nationally and just how big is the birding tourism market? (31:44) 

• Learn about the King’s Court property sale just ratified by council on Thursday, May 27. (38:48) 

Local citizens are encouraged to join the conversation by asking questions, offering comments, and suggesting future topics. To share your thoughts, email Pod@SierraVistaAZ.gov. 

 

Covering Police Week and SVPD News with Chief Thrasher

This week we are bringing back Chief Thrasher for Police Week. Since 1881, 29 law enforcement professionals have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty in our county. We talk about the importance of honoring those who take the risk and put on the uniform to serve and protect their community.  

And if you’ve ever wanted an inside look into the Sierra Vista Police Department, this podcast is a great start! We share how SVPD has earned a CALEA accreditation for another four years, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to excellence. We also discuss the SVPD’s efforts to maintain this high level of service, Chief Thrasher’s career as a police officer, and how now is a great time for those who wish to be police officers themselves to take that leap in Sierra Vista.  

Highlights:  

• What does police week mean to law enforcement officers and their families? (1:13) 
• What do new recruits go through to train and become police officers and how does the SouthEastern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy (SEALETA) help SVPD and make this career path more accessible? (4:30) 

• The SVPD just received a CALEA accreditation for another four years, can you explain why this is important for the department and the community? (11:33) 
• This week the project to expand SVPD’s women’s locker room is getting underway. We’ll learn why this is needed. (15:03) 
• Learn about the Citizen Police Academy and how to apply. (19:45) 

Local citizens are encouraged to join the conversation by asking questions, offering comments, and suggesting future topics. To share your thoughts, email Pod@SierraVistaAZ.gov. 

Paul Cimino Talks Wildfire Safety, Reflects on 40-year Career

In our second episode of season 2, longtime Sierra Vista Fire Marshal Paul Cimino reminds us how to keep our properties and community safe from wildfires. As the City’s longest tenured employee, Paul also reflects on his 40 years working for Sierra Vista Fire & Medical Services. Paul will retire later this year and it was a joy to discuss some of the highlights of his time working for the City. Podcast host Adam Curtis joins Paul in recalling the Monument Fire in 2011. That crisis reminds us all why it is vital to be fire safe, especially during Sierra Vista’s windy and dry spring season. It also brought out the best in our community and demonstrated how Sierra Vistans have each other’s backs when it matters most.

Highlights: 

• How can homeowners protect their property from fire hazards and wildfires? (1:51)

• Why you should have an evacuation plan. (5:18)

• Reminder of local laws pertaining to fireworks and common sense safety. (7:09)

• Discussing the Monument Fire, the efforts to control it, and more. (11:03)

• Some of Paul's most memorable moments as a fire safety professional. (24:38) 

• Paul talks about his 40 years supporting the department's Christmas Toy Drive.  (28:47)

• What kept Paul in Sierra Vista's Fire Department for so many years? (34:60)

Local citizens are encouraged to join the conversation by asking questions, offering comments, and suggesting future topics. To share your thoughts, email Pod@SierraVistaAZ.gov. 

Protecting Our Neighborhoods With Kindness and Persistence

We are excited to welcome you back for season 2 of the podcast! Today we are joined by code enforcement officers Jessica Vannoy and Gilbert Fuentes. We discuss how their team works with Sierra Vista residents to ensure properties meet our community’s standards, which protects the character of our neighborhoods and ensures they remain safe for everyone. We also get to know Jessica and Gilbert as they share how a history of public service continues to shape who they are today. Code enforcement requires a delicate balance of compassion, cooperation, and, as a last resort, enforcement. Jessica and Gilbert take pride in keeping Sierra Vista clean and share how local residents can help too, by joining Sierra Vista’s Adopt an Area program.  

Highlights:  

• Gilbert’s experience as a police officer and how it translates to serving residents today (1:57) 
• Jessica’s story of how she was “almost born” in city hall and how her parents’ careers in public service influenced her to serve (4:04) 
• How does the code enforcement process work? (6:49) 
• How does their work give people pride their community? (10:36) 

• Learn how residents can get involved keep Sierra Vista clean. (14:59) 
• Gilbert and Jessica share how a job means more when its in service to the community you call home. (18:51) 

Local citizens are encouraged to join the conversation by asking questions, offering comments, and suggesting future topics. To share your thoughts, email Pod@SierraVistaAZ.gov. 

Breathing Life into Fry Pioneer Cemetery

With Fry Pioneer Cemetery reopening on Monday, Nov. 2, we reflect on the hard work done in the last two years to improve and preserve this National Historic Landmark. Sierra Vista Historical Society President Tim Doyle and Fry Pioneer Cemetery Restoration Committee Co-Chair Marta Messmer join us to share how the City and historical society partnered to expand the site beyond the Fry family’s plot, marking about additional 200 graves. Messmer’s father Nacho Valenzuela had marked these graves years ago and was able to join his daughter to help honor those buried there once again.

Highlights:

• Why is the Fry Pioneer Cemetery Project important to the Historical Society? (1:34)
• Learn about recent work to improve and preserve the cemetery (3:55)
• The process to identify and mark the graves (8:03)
• What was it like for Marta to see the project come together? (10:55)
• What led to Marta joining the historical society as vice president (18:30)
• How the project was awarded a Governor's Heritage Preservation Honor Award (21:33)

Local citizens are encouraged to join the conversation by asking questions, offering comments, and suggesting future topics. To share your thoughts, email Pod@SierraVistaAZ.gov.

Sierra Vista Sports Then and Now

Henry F. Hauser Museum Curator Elizabeth Wrozek and Recreation Program Supervisor John Healy join us in this episode to discuss the new Sports Through the Ages exhibit, hosted at the City of Sierra Vista Sports Division. This exhibit highlights the growth and expansion of programs that have served our community throughout the years. Wrozek shares how the City will also host Discovering Exoplanets, a national traveling exhibit developed by the Space Science Institute’s National Center for Interactive Learning in partnership with NASA’s Universe of Learning. We talk about local sports happening today and much more! 

Highlights: 

• How John and Elizabeth teamed up to create the Sierra Vista Sports Through the Ages exhibit (2:05) 
• John’s involvement in local sports and his experience digging through the artifacts (5:15) 
• Elizabeth’s approach to showcasing local history (8:58)  
• Sierra Vista will host the Discovering Exoplanets national traveling exhibit (10:55) 
• Partnering with the Patterson Observatory and local amateur astronomers (12:20) 
• The current state of sports in Sierra Vista (16:14)