The towns of Oro Valley and Marana are each in the beginning stages of conducting employee market surveys that will compare the compensation of staff to surrounding communities – a process both municipalities hope will help with employee attraction and retention.

The Town of Oro Valley has selected attorney Kelly Schwab to take over the seat of interim town attorney Tobin Sidles.

MARANA TOWN COUNCIL

By a 2-to-1 margin, Marana voters approved the Home Rule Option in the May 21 General Election. It was an all mail election for the second time.

The Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce will receive $30,000 in funding from the town after the fiscal year 2013-2014 budget was adopted by council in a 5-2 vote on May 15.

By a 2-to-1 margin, Marana voters approved the Home Rule Option in Tuesday's night's election. It was an all mail election for the second time.

Marana voters have until May 21 to decide whether or not they will support a solo ballot measure relating to the town’s home rule option.

Last month, Marana voters received a ballot in the mail with just one question on it. But it’s a question that has a huge impact on how our local government serves residents and business owners over the next four years.

During the annual State of the Town Address on April 26, Marana Mayor Ed Honea said Marana will continue to stay true to its core mission, which is devoted to strong public infrastructure, public safety and public services.

After a March election that demonstrated overwhelming support for a town-owned wastewater treatment facility, members of the Marana Citizen’s Forum are looking at the next logical step forward for this session’s topic – the development of North Marana.

In a unanimous vote on Wednesday, the Oro Valley Town Council made official the annexation of 107 acres in the northwest area of Ina and Oracle roads. The three-year process came to a close earlier this month after the town secured more than the required support of 50 percent of the area property owners, representing more than 50 percent of the assessed property valuation.

The Town of Marana is fortunate to have residents and business owners who care about the community. We can always find people who want to volunteer to improve the quality of life we all enjoy here.

Despite a struggling national economy, the 2013-2014 fiscal year budgets are looking optimistic for the northwest towns of Oro Valley and Marana.

One of the rites of spring in Marana is our State of the Town luncheon. It’s an event I look forward to each year because it gives me an opportunity to share a positive message with the community about where our Town is headed.

Members of the Marana Citizens’ Forum have chosen planning for growth in North Marana as their topic this session. The group started meeting last week and will conclude its discussions in early June.

Everyone loves a good community event complete with arts and crafts, entertainment and activities for people of all ages. The first Marana Main Street Festival April 5-7 promises to deliver all that and more.

Marana voters spoke loud and clear in the town’s March 12 Primary Election.

With the unofficial election results flowing in for the Town of Marana's all-mail election.

I am a member of the recently formed Continental Ranch Committee for Recall, which has grown to a fairly substantial grassroots effort.  Our goal is to recall the entire board which consist of:  John Lambert, Peggy Bracken, Marilyn Stimpson, Connie DeLarge, Robert Volbrecht, Karie Westphal and Roxanne Ziegler (who also serves on the town council in the Town of Marana).

Beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, teachers across Arizona will begin adhering to the Arizona Common Core Standards (ACCS), a new set of mandated academic standards in English language arts and mathematics.

The Town of Marana’s election season has officially arrived. Beginning last Thursday, the Pima County Recorder’s Office began to mail out ballots to approximately 20,000 registered voters in town. 

The Town of Marana has hosted a pair of open houses — the most recent last week at Wheeler Taft Abbett Sr. Library on N. Schisler Drive, to help educate the public about the town’s pursuit of a wastewater system.

When Marana Mayor Ed Honea reaches the top of a ridge – often after hiking upwards of 10 miles – he takes a seat, peers out at the world below, and life falls into perspective. 

MOVIES

Unless an appeal is filed, the Town of Marana will become the latest Community Health Analysis Area in the Tucson region to house a medical marijuana dispensary.