Former Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon

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Phoenix has made public portions of the logs that former Mayor Phil Gordon's security-detail once maintained to track how they spent their time.

Though much anticipated, the documents hardly read like declassified top-secret Pentagon documents. Partly because their release comes more than two years after they were originally requested.

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Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton

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Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton posted on his Facebook yesterday that "heaven has another angel today," referring to his mother, Mary Ann Stanton.

He writes:

My dear mother, Mary Ann Stanton, passed away peacefully in her sleep this morning. She committed her life to her family and serving others, especially those less fortunate. She inspired me every day to do more to help the people of our city. My father. Fred, was her constant companion and, for the last few years, her caretaker, as she dealt with Alzheimers and cancer. My siblings, Suzanna, Paul, Maria and I are saddened but know she is laughing and trading puns with the Saints. Hug your loved ones today.

Stanton made his parents part of his campaign for mayor -- telling audiences across the city that his father was a faithful bus rider and that his mother was his inspiration for his own spirit of service to the community.

Funeral services have not yet been scheduled, but are expected to be open to the public.

OneCommunityAZ.com

Trino Sandoval

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Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton is one step closer to completing his team of advisors with the appointment of Phoenix College faculty member Trino Sandoval as Senior Policy Advisor on Education.

Sandoval, who is "on loan" from Phoenix College, will take the lead on the Mayor's education agenda, which includes strengthening pre-school programs, expanding after-school programs, improving collaboration between high schools and colleges and seeking a greater university presence in Phoenix.

He will spend about two-thirds of his time in the Mayor's Office and continue teaching at Phoenix College. His salary will continue to be paid by Phoenix College. By borrowing experts in various fields, Stanton will be able to stack his team with advocates while remaining within his budget.

The Mayor's Office is still working on filling three positions -- a public information officer dedicated to the mayor and senior policy advisors who will serve as advocates for small business and the homeless. (The Mayor's Office previously had 19 staff positions, but is now down to 11 slots.)

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After the inauguration ceremony, audience members made their way into Phoenix City Hall for a reception, which included offering a 2012 wish for Phoenix and its elected officials.

​Greg Stanton took the stage as Phoenix's 52nd mayor and delivered an inauguration speech earlier today that, in part, announced his plans to develop a second bio-medical campus in north Phoenix with the Mayo Clinic and creation of a "Mayors' Futures Forum on Education," a way for Arizona mayors to champion local schools.

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, Flagstaff Mayor Sara Presler, and Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild already signed up for the forum on education.

Stanton says he hopes partnering with the Mayo Clinic, Arizona State University, and the private sector to develop the Desert Ridge Bio-science and Technology Collaborative on 600 acres in north Phoenix will create a major employment center.

He told the crowd of more than 1,500 people that the Mayo campus in Rochester, Minnesota, has created 50,000 quality jobs ... and so will the new one in Phoenix.


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Next mayor of Phoenix: Wes Gullet or Greg Stanton?

​Following yesterday's election, it appears the keys to Phoenix City Hall will soon belong to either Greg Stanton or Wes Gullett (insert South Park "turd sandwich" "giant douche" reference here).

Unofficial results show that Stanton scooped up about 38 percent of the vote, while Gullett came away with about 21 percent.

To become mayor, a candidate must receive 50-percent of the total vote. With neither candidate achieving that number, the two will square off in the first run-off election for Phoenix mayor in at least 60 years.

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Art Olivas

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his pick in the District 7 City Council race, Art "El Tudy" Olivas.

​Art "El Tudy" Olivas hates New Times.

He's picketed in front of our building, scolded us for our coverage of former TV pitchman J.D. Hayworth's unsuccessful candidacy in last year's U.S. Senate primary, and called us communists. That said, and despite Art's inability to successfully spell "communist" on his protest signs, we still consider him good people.

Now, he's running for Phoenix City Council, and apparently has the full support of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

"I saw him, he came up to my truck and said 'Art, you're running? You can use my name however you want [to help in your candidacy]," Olivas tells New Times.

Art has interpreted that as a political endorsement.

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Collin DeWitt, Gilbert Town Manager, stands behind his city's decision to create a shorter work week and says the "four-10" schedule will save money and help customers.

DeWitt returned our phone message from yesterday, (which we left after an assistant town manager failed to get back to us), to answer questions we'd had for an earlier blog post.

It turns out that although many city offices will be closed Friday as of next week, only one department is losing weekend hours -- the police records department. Although the town's Web site stated that the Public Works department also served customers during Saturdays, town officials say now that the Web site had incorrect info.

Going to the four-day work week with extended hours on those days (7 a.m. to 6 p.m.) should give city visitors, whether applying for permits or seeking other municipal services, more convenient options, DeWitt says.

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A Gilbert town official recently sent us an e-mail with a "signature" at the bottom that read:

"Beginning July 11, 2011, Gilbert will offer extended customer service hours for most Town services, of 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday - Thursday..."

In government-speak, though, "extended" hours also means a lot a fewer hours -- on Fridays or weekends, anyway.

Gilbert's one of many U.S. cities adopting a "four-10" work week in an effort to save money. The town's council voted unanimously in January for the new schedule. Some offices are already working the shorter week.

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Veolia has to answer a federal complaint over unfair labor practices.

​For nearly a year, Phoenix city-bus drivers have been going to work without an official contract with Veolia Transportation, the French company awarded a $385 million contract to operate those buses.

The drivers' contract expired on June 30, 2010, and while there have been a few contract extensions, the on again, off again negotiations between employees' union reps and corporate executives have gone nowhere.

The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1433, which represents those bus drivers, blames Veolia officials, claiming they are dragging their feet and not dealing fairly with the union.

A series of charges the ATU filed with the National Labor Relations Board were credible enough to prompt the federal agency, which is charged with protecting employees' rights, to file its own complaint against the transit giant.

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Bryan Jeffries

​The Phoenix City Council appointed Bryan Jeffries today as an interim representative for District 2. He fills the seat left vacant by Councilwoman Peggy Neely, who resigned to run for mayor.

Jeffries was one of four candidates vying for the interim appointment, and has indicated that he does plan to run in the August 30 election to fill that seat permanently. He faces six other candidates in the race for the District 2 seat.

Jeffries, a Mesa firefighter since 1995, has a master's degree in Legal and Ethical Studies from the University of Baltimore. 

A master's in Ethical Studies? Hmm.

That's gonna be a nice/interesting addition to the Phoenix City Council.
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