Archive for September, 2009
Resigned or Fired
) Surprise Finance Director Robert Nilles announced his resignation Tuesday, after 12 years of service to the city.
City News
) The Surprise Water Conservation Division of Public Works is bringing back the popular free Water Wise Landscape classes starting in October.
October 3: “Landscape Watering by the Numbers,” 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
October 28: “Water Wise Landscaping,” 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (free CD Rom included)
November 19: “Landscape Watering by the Numbers,” 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
If you have old bills and other documents containing personal information, protect your identity by properly shredding these items at the Shred-A-Thon, going on during the Surprise Going Green Fair, Saturday, October 17, from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
The Shred-A-Thon will be located in the parking lot of the Maricopa County Courthouse, 14264 W. Tierra Buena Lane. Drivers can enter the lot from Tierra Buena Lane, southeast of the Surprise City Hall complex.
Flu season is approaching and the City of Surprise is committed to educating residents about seasonal flu and H1N1 flu prevention through the city Web site and television station- Surprise 11.
On the homepage of www.surpriseaz.com you will see the headline “H1N1 Flu Resource Page.” The page is filled with links connecting to federal, state and county flu sources. You will find information on how to prevent getting flu and ways to avoid spreading the disease if you get sick.
Responce
To Razenkn: newszap.com
Razenkn
Bless you, you must get your information and marching order’s from Mayor Lyn Truitt.
It’ your choice to swim with the sharks.
Crisis
| Posted: Sun Oct 26th, 2008 07:53 pm |
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| We had the savings and loan debacle a few years ago, now we are in the midst of a financial crisis. They were caused by bad management. no oversight and greed. | ||||||||||
Stimulus Money
1) My questions to the city
How much Stimulus (ARRA) money has the City of Surprise received so far?
A: Surprise has been awarded $3,185,120 directly from the various ARRA-funded grant opportunities. This total includes funds for the Neighborhood Services Program, Community Development Block Grant, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, Congregate Meal Program and 2 Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grants. Several of these programs are reimbursement style grants, thus funds are reimbursed when the City reports the allowed expenditures to the appropriate federal agency.
2) Do we have an approximate idea how much we will receive?
A: In addition to the $3,185,120 referenced above, we have also applied for an additional $9,000,000 in ARRA funds for projects. These additional applications are to finance continuance of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, the Economic Development Administration grant to finance updates to the TechCelerator Complex (old City Hall) and the Assistance to Firefighters Station Construction Grant to finance construction for a permanent Station #304. We anticipate other opportunities for applying for ARRA funds in the near future as well and have staff continually monitoring opportunities that would fit the projects that Surprise has in a “shovel ready” status, which also have the local funds available for the required fund matches under the ARRA program.
3) When you vote to build these projects, are they identified as being sourced thru the ARRA or Federal money?
A: Under ARRA and appropriate federal guidelines, our Budget Department and all City Departments that are in receipt of ARRA funds for a project utilize a separate accounting code for each individual ARRA funded project. By doing so, we will be able to clearly identify how the funds are being spent, how funds are designated for usage and be able to submit our expenditure reports with ease on a quarterly basis. In addition to the requirement of submitting quarterly reports to the federal government for ARRA funded projects, our City follows the OMB A-133 requirement for local government agencies, which requires an independent auditor to complete an annual audit of our budgets and expenditures. A copy of the annual A-133 report is submitted to the federal government and to the State to ensure full compliance on the usage of federal funds, regardless of if they are ARRA or non-ARRA federal funds.
News in Surprise
The reason that the City of Surprise bought new furniture that was not needed for the new city hall was so that with the free rent at the old city hall, offices come completely furnished.
What happened to Mr. Robert Niles who as of 9/15/09 was listed as the Finance/Budget Director? Is Robert Niles still with the City of Surprise?
Budget short fall $4.5M
I don’t understand the problem; the next year’s budget is generally made up in January or February, six months in advance.
Requiring that estimates for the revenue and expenditures are made for the fund balance and in this economy (like in no other) they under estimated the revenues that the city would receive at the end of the fiscal year.
If I heard them right they do not receive this money until approx. one or two months after our fiscal year, and they relied on the information that they received from the state and county, give me a break.
Surprise Today
We might be in big financial trouble:
Why is it that City Manager Randy Oliver of Surprise, Az. is only now finding these problems.
When Mayor Lyn Truitt was first elected I had lunch with him, gave him some papers, out lining what I thought might be troubling, because of the lack of the over sight on what the council voted on. Never heard anymore from him, unless I asked him a question.
When I told Council members things were not looking good, none would pay any attention. Appearing before them at Council Meetings was a waste of time, they were not obliviouslyn aware as to what was happening.
Heard Museum Building
On Aug. 27, 2009 council transferred $46,000 from the Arts Commission to the Public Works Dept.
Nothing is said about the Arts Commission money being replaced.This amount anticipates that the city will operate the facility for a period of ten months.
Does anyone know how the City Of Surprise will operate or use this building?
Where was the transparency that Lyn Truitt promised us, when the free rent for the furnished office’s in the old city hall was decided, and by whom?
The City Manager or staff could not do this on their own.
Going Green Fair, Saturday, October 17, at the beautiful new Surprise City Hall!
Discover your eco-friendly side and have some fun at the second annual Going Green Fair, Saturday, October 17, at the beautiful new Surprise City Hall!
Stop by to learn how you can make Surprise sustainable and conserve precious resources, from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Local solar outlook is worldly, TREO tells visiting journalists
There’s enough noonday sunlight striking the University of Arizona campus to produce 1.5 gigawatts of electricity and power all of Tucson.
For additional information on tennis classes or programs offered at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex, please contact Chris Brewer at chris.brewer@surpriseaz.com or call 623.222.2400.
The 8th Annual Surprise Party is the city’s premier winter celebration event, the evening of December 4 and during the day on December 5! And there is still time to register as a vendor or to participate in the Classic Car Show!
Arts and craft vendors may apply for booth space to show off their wares on December 5, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., at the Surprise Recreation Campus, 15850 N. Bullard Avenue.
The vendor fee is $80 for a 10’ x 10’ space. Tents and electricity are available for an extra fee. Vendors will be chosen on a first come first served basis. Applications are due by November 13.
Interested? Call Marla Babb at 623.222.2258 or visit www.surpriseaz.com/specialevents to download an application.
) Surprise 11, the city of Surprise owned and operated cable TV channel, has been nominated for two Rocky Mountain Emmy awards, competing with commercial stations in Arizona, Utah and New Mexico.
) Surprise 11, the city of Surprise owned and operated cable TV channel, has been nominated for two Rocky Mountain Emmy awards, competing with commercial stations in Arizona, Utah and New Mexico.
) Sophomores, juniors and seniors from Surprise and the Dysart Unified School District looking to grow their leadership skills are encouraged to register for the Second Annual Surprise Community Youth Leadership Summit for Teens.
The free one-day event is planned for Saturday, October 3, 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., at the new Communiversity @ Surprise, 15950 W. Civic Center Plaza.
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