1. Maricopa’s New Courthouse: Justice Served on a Budget
January
Maricopa’s first stand-alone municipal courthouse officially opened its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the beginning of the year. Located adjacent to City Hall at 39700 W. Civic Center, the $5.87 million building is complete with a 2,000-square-foot courtroom and a range of amenities, including jury rooms and holding cells. The best part? The entire project came in about $320,000 under budget—something City Manager Rick Horst proudly pointed out, drawing laughs from the crowd.
The facility provides a much-needed upgrade from the previous setup, where the city court shared space with Pinal County Justice Court and the council chambers. New features like standing desks for clerks and windows that allow residents to pay traffic citations from the outside are a sign that Maricopa is moving into the future with efficiency in mind.
With multiple offices for judges and court administrators, the new courthouse promises to keep the wheels of justice running smoothly. And for those worried about safety, a metal detector at the entrance and a small holding cell next to the courtroom should offer some peace of mind. While it’s only been open for a few months, Maricopa’s new courthouse is already showing that it’s built to handle the demands of a growing city.
2. Police station opens, boasting new gadgets
July
Maricopa’s police department moved into its new digs at 18135 N. Park Plaza after cutting the ribbon on a spacious 32,200-square-foot station in late July. The new facility, more than double the size of the old one, will better support the growing city’s law enforcement needs. Mayor Nancy Smith celebrated the milestone by recalling how far the city’s police force has come since hiring its first chief of police just 15 years ago. The old station will be repurposed into a theater and incubator space for local businesses.
The new station boasts state-of-the-art features, including a VIRTRA simulator to train officers in force scenarios. The simulator, once off-site at Central Arizona College’s Maricopa campus, is now fully integrated into the building. This will allow officers to train more efficiently and review their performance in real-time. The station also includes a sallyport, allowing officers to thoroughly search vehicles in a secure, climate-controlled environment—ideal for processing evidence without the rush of a parking lot.
With police staff set to move in by the end of this week, the dispatchers won’t be far behind. Chief Mark Goodman is especially excited to have the dispatch team in-house, eliminating the need to commute to the Copper Sky substation. “This new space will allow us to serve the community better than we already do,” Goodman said. The station’s modern upgrades are not only a win for the department but also for Maricopa residents.
3. Mike Ingram’s Legacy: Maricopa’s New History Walk Honors a Visionary
September
Maricopa unveiled its new history walk in September at Heritage Park, dedicated to none other than Mike Ingram, the developer who helped shape the city’s landscape. Ingram, founder of El Dorado Holdings, was honored for his pivotal role in developing Rancho El Dorado and other major Maricopa subdivisions. The walk features plaques outlining Maricopa’s colorful past, a reminder of the city’s humble beginnings and Ingram’s vision. Ingram also donated $100,000, much of which went into improving the park now named in his honor.
The history walk highlights key moments in Maricopa’s growth, including the expansion of the Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway (State Route 347), which Ingram helped make a reality. City Manager Ben Bitter praised Ingram’s lasting impact, noting that the highway’s design was partly shaped by Ingram’s push in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Ingram’s work was instrumental in transforming Maricopa from a small town into the thriving community it is today.
Ingram, who faced plenty of skepticism in the early days, shared stories of the difficulties he encountered, including challenges with local utilities and securing land for development. Yet, his persistence paid off. Maricopa’s current leadership, which Ingram credited for making significant safety improvements to roads like SR 347, continues to build on the foundation he helped lay. With the history walk, residents now have a permanent reminder of the visionary who believed in Maricopa’s potential long before others did.
4. Smith’s kids donate $707K Villages estate to city
October
In a gesture that could easily make anyone’s heart swell, the children of late Maricopa pioneer John Smith announced in October that their family’s iconic estate, located at 20864 N. Smith Farms Road, will be donated to the city. The 2.5-acre property, which includes the farmhouse built in 1955, will become a historical facility. The announcement came during Smith’s celebration of life at the University of Arizona Maricopa Agricultural Center, just weeks after he passed away on September 1.
The farmhouse, long a gathering place for local friends, family, and neighbors, will continue to serve as a spot for the community. According to daughter Lisa Balcer, “That house was a gathering place for probably everybody in this room at some time or another, and we want it to be a gathering place for Maricopa.” Jack Smith echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the importance of the home as a community hub. The Smiths hope to ensure that the legacy of their father, a man who made such an impact on the area, endures for future generations.
The family’s donation is a generous one, with the estate valued at $707,300 according to the Pinal County Assessor’s Office. The property, located in The Villages at Rancho El Dorado, will now be a city-run public gathering place, ensuring that the Smith legacy is forever etched into Maricopa’s history. While it’s unclear exactly how the city will utilize the space, it’s clear the community will have a new venue to honor its roots.
#review #Top #government #stories
Leave a Reply