Table of Contents

• COMMITTEE REPORTS
  • MEMBERSHIP REPORT
  • SOCIAL REPORT
  • SPEAKER COORDINATOR REPORT
  • TREASURER REPORT
• LEADS
• NOTABLE MENTIONS
• MIGHTY MINUTE
• QUESTION OF THE DAY
• MAIN SPEAKER

Committee Reports

Membership Report
(Click here to go to the Membership page)

No report.

SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS

Tom Savage Savage Air Conditioning Sponsoring Member: Bill LaLonde Part 1 of Application: Completed Visited Group:  Part 2 of Application: Status: IN PROCESS Lin Schmelzer Design Lin Advertising Sponsoring Member: Ralph Cunningham Part 1 of Application: Completed Visited Group:  Part 2 of Application: Status: IN PROCESS Steve Ching RPM Const. Inc. Sponsoring Member: Gus Dekavallas Part 1 of Application: Completed Visited Group:  Part 2 of Application: Status: UNKNOWN

Social Report
(Click here to go to the Social Event page)

Our new social chair wasted no time getting started in her new position.  Althea Bussert has already planned a hike and is requesting feedback on an overnight trip down south.

The hike is  a 1.6 mile trail on Wind Cave at Usery Mountain.  The original start time was at 10am on April 3rd.  But the group is considering starting earlier to beat the heat. It will take approximately 4 hours to go up and down - allowing time for rest and pictures.  You can also sign up to have lunch after the hike at Falcon Field.

Althea would also like to put together a trip to a quaint bed-and-breakfast-lunch-dinner in Winkelman (near Tucson).  Carol's Inn sits on 300,000 acres of beautiful desert.  Included in the package is 3 gourmet-style meals.  The event would be June 25-26.  Space will be limited.

Speaker Coordinator Report
(Click here to go to the Speaker Schedule)

• 03/19/04     Robert Busch
• 03/26/04     Fred Kent
• 04/02/04    
• 04/09/04     Phil Passante

Treasurer Report

No report.

Leads Report

46-29, 08-43, 20-23, 20-31, 20-11, 37-48, 23-22, 32-40, 41-19, 12-42, 12-48 (x2), 12-10, 10-15, 07-13, 07-17, 07-19, 30-41, 30-22, 21-13, 21-48, 13-14, 13-26, 11-25, 34-07, 34-30, 34-27, 22-23, 22-42, 40-42, 40-32, 40-28, 25-23, 19-31.

Notable Mentions

Andy Jensen would like to assure people that things are OK.  The stock market has been going up over the past 12-15 months and corrections are to be expected.

Phil Passante told members that now is the time to fix those chips in your windshields.  The summer heat will cause them to expand.

MABE shirts are available for purchase in either navy or white.  The cost is $24.65 + tax.  Please pay Mike Whalen directly.

The board has decided to bring back the morning greeter.  Two members will be enlisted for each meeting so even if one can't make the meeting, we will have at least one friendly face to greet us at the door.  Next week's greeters are:  Dave Spiess and Mike Whalen.

Members are encouraged to get out and visit other member's at their place of business. 

The board agreed to start up three committees:

• Facilities Committee - Headed by Don Ellis, this committee will discuss way to improve seating at our meetings to accommodate our growing membership.

• Social Committee - Headed by Althea Bussert, this committee will help organize events by making phone calls, generating ideas and putting together packages.  Spouses of members are encouraged to volunteer.

• Mentoring Committee - Headed by Bill LaLonde, this committee will help new members that come into the group.  The sponsoring member will automatically become part of this team.  Among other things, this group will give new members an idea of what they can expect from the group and what the group expects from them.

Mighty Minute

None.

Question of the Day

Bob Busch is considering getting Cox high speed and phones...Any comments?

Gus Dekavallas - We have all three of their services and it has worked great for us.

Ralph Cunningham - They are much faster than DSL.  You will notice the difference.

East Valley Partnership - Let's Keep Moving!
Roc Arnett

Roc Arnett is President and CEO of the East Valley Partnership.  This group consists of business owners, educators and generally interested people that want to improve the quality of life in the east valley.  Areas of improvement include economic development, technology, aviation, transportation, etc.

The Regional Transportation Plan

What are the challenges in transportation?

• Maricopa county has grown 45% each decade since 1960.

• Travel increases faster than the population.

• The region will continue to grow double-plus in the next 40 years.

Roc showed us many slides including those reflecting planned development areas and expected population density changes.  Growth is to be expected almost everywhere from the southeast valley to the far north. 

Growth and increased travel will require improvements in all modes...

• Freeways

  • Build New Ones

  • Add HOV Lanes

  • Improvements

• Transit
  • Light Rail
  • Commuter Express Service
  • Additional Bus Routes
• Streets
  • New Lanes
  • Improved Intersections
  • Reduced Bottlenecks
  • Improve Continuity
• Other
  • Safety and Technology
  • Regional Bike Path Systems
  • Improve Pedestrian Connections

Percent of funding by mode (Funding from extended half-cent sales tax and other discretionary funds)...

• 59% Freeways
• 8% Streets
• 17% Bus Transit
• 14% Rail Transit
• 2% Other

Where is the work being done?

• Freeways/Highways
  • New Freeways (L303, South Mountain, 1-10 relief, Williams Gateway)
  • Improvements (1-17, 1-10, L101, L202, SR51, US60, Grand)
    Improvements include new lanes, adding HOV lanes, etc.
• Streets
  • Power Road
  • Higley Road
• Local Bus and Commuter Transit
  • Increase bus service region-wide 3X
  • 1300 van pools
  • 800+ dial rides
  • 27.5 miles light rail extension
  • And more...

Q&A

Q.  Why do they make 3 lanes when they have room for 6?  They end up coming back later to add additional lanes at additional cost.

A.  They had vision but no concept.  It is easy for us to look back and question the limitations.  Once they have plans in place, they are audited and adjusted accordingly every 5 years.

Q. Why is Mesa so stubborn on both?

A. Voters have to approve the plans.  East valley residents have been voting against them.  It is a very difficult planning process.  We thought we had a beautiful plan where the east valley had 35% of the budget.  It almost died in legislature.

Q. What are you doing to encourage the use of mass transportation?

A. We are selling the gospel of "If you are going to build a transit plan, build one that will succeed."  And then we go sell it.  Mesa Community College was considering a 60 billion dollar parking garage.  We told them about how Salt Lake City saved money by giving student and employees frequenting their downtown area annual bus passes.  Not only did it save them money but mass transit usage more than doubled.

Q. What is intelligent transportation system?

A. You know those cameras over the freeways that you see on the local news...That is part of the intelligent transportation system.