[{"_1":2,"_108":-5,"_109":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6595494,"mediaKeyId","3032481-1b3507cba8ba7855e8b1f788b16e3297","parentId",3032481,"title","Public works previews transportation master plan, notes arterial upgrades and East-West capacity needs","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",11400000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3032481-1b3507cba8ba7855e8b1f788b16e3297&start=11400&end=11400","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3032481-1b3507cba8ba7855e8b1f788b16e3297/thumbnail_11400000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6595494/Queen-Creek/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Public-works-previews-transportation-master-plan-notes-arterial-upgrades-and-East-West-capacity-needs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595494-4c6da72508e40e374033bcdf868db8b5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441675&Signature=KT6SU7WpYFUyU2t4g~se9s9CfIvpyz7T9-r0qPaw0VLdFzxClBZMC2Vra5JOjfjhnUpBSfn82V9DETi79S9XX~IoATe1-GFjHz7L1fB9-MCZLt4KKD6AQvum-yUEQOYXXUtJV3YGR76pakNr~-Z0gEi1ft1xKWFgdPZdVhjt4jrtX7Sjm30Ew4~0hOWWfgatrmq5oiHo0tdAbLEIiZuzozndRuQgcqZ3inDeGM~Y-mSYn5fDh2oJVVgqozsbFNH4ZK~cXazysWswl~dw3ABg3DBI7um9V-yTW3xQVqo9eED1AWvFf~SNMysyKjew1XuyWuyxwc7kdmwYR1u1gtGYMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Queen Creek","date","2025-04-16T00:00:00Z","article","Public Works Director Mohammed Yousef briefed council on transportation capital projects and a draft transportation master plan as part of the budget discussion on April 8. He said the town has invested more than $300 million over the past decade to upgrade arterial roads and intersections, and staff are preparing an updated master plan that will guide future project prioritization.

Yousef said the department solicited public input through an online survey and that respondents consistently asked for improved signal timing, expanded turn lanes, more separated bike lanes and additional pedestrian sidewalks. The draft plan maps projected population growth through buildout and shows increasing congestion in the northeast and eastern corridors; the plan identifies Ironwood Road and Meridian Road as high-priority corridors for capacity and safety improvements and lists Bauer Road as a south-side corridor with near-term projects already under construction.

Yousef said staff will finalize the plan over the summer and return to council with recommended project lists and schedules. He told the council that a contingent $50 million construction reserve in the budget is held in the streets fund as a flexible source of capital for opportunistic purchases, partner projects such as Pinal County ARPA-funded work and unplanned needs, but staff will return with more historical detail on that contingency and options for a policy tied to the overall capital portfolio.

No council action was taken at the April 8 session; staff said the transportation master plan will be before council later this year for adoption and project programming.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Queen Creek - Town Council Budget Meeting - Apr 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Public Works Director Mohammed Yousef reviewed a decade of arterial improvements and previewed a transportation master plan that highlights east-west connectivity, Meridian/Ironwood and Bauer Road as priority corridors and calls for more active-transportation facilities.","taxTitle","Queen Creek, Maricopa County, Arizona","taxId",2212,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6595498,"Queen Creek Fire highlights station needs and requests inspectors, training support",450,9300000,9750000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3032481-1b3507cba8ba7855e8b1f788b16e3297&start=9300&end=9750","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3032481-1b3507cba8ba7855e8b1f788b16e3297/thumbnail_9300000.jpg","/articles/6595498/Queen-Creek/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Queen-Creek-Fire-highlights-station-needs-and-requests-inspectors-training-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595498-413af005bb0946ed94e5e31c8d8e853c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441675&Signature=OEo84gJT08I53Bm9NE~~nNYbUvpnC0hyFiZkHmlxrdZJIEVcyj5Oqa1wiblJtQJxUDA9pWFZZzFu0IW4FQHigG666VniDF~iqjxYG16bjoHNiAtLTB3W-3abi~dFs27O9IqSp1OfBFlhb5DUprpdy-tKq-SVb8bTs6CzmTBfjtSO0viwTaybxI1FWOe6sM1Lw68gFNnapULky4tPIfa3xpmQmEjbfi4gcsiuvGOYKDjdXIzRfJvoag7PNcmTeHNDolwUey-SHT2fdPgtGvUdxedVGxy067bD3me9uWlwKPYHkYcXf1FKWRtNWy0v10z~D7JPzSmJR1Ax9kc9QX1E9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fire Chief Vance Gray told council the department is planning for station expansion and additional personnel to preserve response-time goals as the town grows. Gray said the department's fire master plan identified an eventual need for additional stations; staff proposed Fire Station 6 (Ellsworth/Riggs area) as the next build priority, with design activity expected within the five-year horizon and a target opening tied to projected call-volume growth.

Gray said the town is monitoring travel-time and coverage metrics used to locate new stations; the department's goal is to have apparatus en route and arriving within target response-time windows cited in the master plan. He reported call-volume increases of about 3% to 4% annually in the most active response areas.

To meet both inspection and operations needs, Gray asked for two additional fire-inspector positions to handle new-construction plan review and annual inspections and to reduce the need to pull operations staff off other duties. The department also proposed hiring a full-time (40-hour) fire engineer as an in-house trainer and driver-certification instructor; Gray said he plans a mid-year budget request for that position rather than adding it to the FY26 base.

Gray noted the town's continuing work for the Queen Creek County Island Fire District (outlying unincorporated areas) and said the island contract provides revenue and extends service coverage. He said much of the department's near-term capital spending will support station design and pieces of apparatus already ordered. The council did not act on these personnel requests during the April 8 session; they were included in the manager's recommended budget for further review.","Fire Chief Vance Gray outlined planned stations and staffing needs tied to response times — including design work on a new station for the Ellsworth/Riggs area and requests for fire inspectors and a 40-hour engineer to centralize training.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6595503,"Queen Creek Police seek additional officers amid rising calls and traffic incidents",994,9046000,10040000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3032481-1b3507cba8ba7855e8b1f788b16e3297&start=9046&end=10040","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3032481-1b3507cba8ba7855e8b1f788b16e3297/thumbnail_9046000.jpg","/articles/6595503/Queen-Creek/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Queen-Creek-Police-seek-additional-officers-amid-rising-calls-and-traffic-incidents","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595503-ea7b8eb09c53de521dec6b42a857f2d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441675&Signature=oLiWQWkMOrYB5Sa4RgWGqZcZv4mRowoLKQeCfx7z7hFVvb~aKa1MELR-mUoVYeEVA-X2AeMx9GAOWrXKX1U4CuhZGqIiraxSZVmVR88ZGfKDnm4GYRHbkDUh2krqorlybwvw4mk7NW-3v39jEsown88bUgiR6JjVVHlhnkfSwvOfqSHAGCYXHCOFndRTPRo-Rg1Q3UUHJkTWO0NHNSgHSd6oG-iG91ikjuR6YL1~-6wnmhg~4IKT-rN7hLgWmKrWzNZzV07-yvp4d3iYGyv~--AZ~QuH00hRpvUNl42LvlZSXEUjxaefGH-Q48lS6v4hZ5iRhrlWzo0rfzaJVDY-1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Police Chief Randy Bryce presented public-safety data and staffing requests to the council during the April 8 budget session, saying the department has seen large increases in 9-1-1 calls, traffic enforcement needs and investigative workload.

Bryce said 9-1-1 calls rose roughly 402% when comparing his department's first six months in 2022 with the end of 2024, and that officer-initiated activity and nonemergency calls also climbed substantially. He presented a series of crime and traffic statistics showing increases in non-injury crashes, drug- and alcohol-related enforcement work and a general rise in records and investigative workload.

To respond, the police budget request included staffing and unit changes: additional patrol officers to complete a full nighttime squad, new positions in special operations (including a dedicated night traffic team), an expanded youth-engagement unit, detective staffing for fraud and internet-crimes-against-children work, records supervisors to handle rising public-records requests and administrative supervisory positions to improve span of control. Chief Bryce said some specialized grants have supported work now funded as part of the base request.

Bryce said specialized traffic enforcement and training are central to the department's strategy to reduce serious crashes and fatalities. He described recent declines in motor-vehicle thefts and burglaries while noting continued pressure from vehicle and youth-related incidents. The council discussed constitutional and operational questions about checkpoints, roadside stops and enforcement tools, and staff characterized DUI enforcement as resource-intensive because of training and booking-time requirements.

No formal council votes were taken on police staffing at the April 8 session; staff said the requests would be included in the draft budget and returned for council consideration as part of the budget process.","Chief Randy Bryce told council the police department's activity and workload have increased sharply since 2022; staff requested multiple new sworn and civilian positions to sustain response and specialized units.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":42,"_43":101,"_45":101,"_46":102,"_48":103,"_50":104,"_52":105,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":106,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":107,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6595508,"Queen Creek presents $682.7 million recommended budget, emphasizes infrastructure and tax relief",231000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3032481-1b3507cba8ba7855e8b1f788b16e3297&start=231&end=231","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3032481-1b3507cba8ba7855e8b1f788b16e3297/thumbnail_231000.jpg","/articles/6595508/Queen-Creek/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Queen-Creek-presents-6827-million-recommended-budget-emphasizes-infrastructure-and-tax-relief","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595508-0c3b1c7ee3756ee59c15e3fc8f479ae1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441675&Signature=I2YggQPD06pH4hlec812FIxRE5diaH9JpFDXF70of5URxGD8KhAhxmCEOtLFW26Dk4oEwUckuWR-RiduoN1vGivfIJV~IpviykCyJaOOc685CQTxmmiAqkjzH5OAqucydzbkQf4NPzwiksnZK7XTQYOdTGs9LEeGmjSaL9KT8Gx7mzFsEQbW4CqQNdcEk0zhaVTkR1bUI8lX9kSB85~vxkXNYfn44KgcFhf1ViEWiNQoj~r54NS1TDoQooihMKNkXUf2E8IWTvubC2r23eYmE7~EfwnRyGPgsi1sMkYpsliPYdQqdQ5KIvIreGCXI2PUIQp1ONLq5hGfFh1yFJ1wAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Town Manager Bruce Gardner and Chief Financial Officer Scott McCarty presented the town manager's recommended fiscal year 2025-26 budget to the Queen Creek Town Council on April 8, proposing a $682,700,000 budget that the presentation says is balanced \"as required by state statute.\" The recommended plan dedicates just over 52% of the total to infrastructure, with the largest shares assigned to transportation, public safety, and water and wastewater projects.

McCarty told the council the budget continues the council's policy of a property-tax freeze for a third consecutive year and incorporates the full reduction from a sales-tax measure the council repealed last year. He said the recommended total is approximately 6% lower than the prior year and that staff took a conservative approach because of economic uncertainty, changes in state tax policy and an unresolved assured-water-supply issue affecting single-family housing growth.

The administration highlighted several financial priorities that shaped the document: maintaining credit ratings (targeting double-A-plus with a long-term aim of triple-A), continuing pension funding, sustaining a 25% operating reserve policy and managing growth in personnel costs driven largely by public safety. McCarty said the town expects to carry roughly $131 million in total fund balance at the end of the budget year, of which about $107 million will be reserved for the council's policies and $23.2 million will remain available for one-time uses.

Staff flagged two revenue effects that reduce the amount of new recurring dollars available this cycle: a multi-year slowdown in single-family home permits because of assured-water-supply constraints, and a lower share of state income-tax distributions after changes enacted at the state level. Those items together reduced recurring revenue available for ongoing services by several million dollars compared with earlier forecasts, McCarty said.

The recommended budget also continues the town's \"pay-as-you-go\" infrastructure discipline and applies a policy to hold construction-sales-tax receipts above $10 million as a reserve rather than adding the full amount to ongoing operations. McCarty said the town will continue work this summer on water and wastewater rates, including a previously approved 15% rate increase that will return to council with a public hearing.

Mayor Wheatley and the council had no final action on the budget at this meeting; staff said additional memos will summarize follow-up items before the council considers a tentative budget on May 7.

Votes at the meeting: the council voted to approve the minutes of the April 8, 2024 budget meeting earlier in the session. The motion, made by Councilmember McClure and seconded by Councilmember Brown, passed 5-0 (members on the line were recorded as present).","Town manager and finance staff presented a balanced $682.7 million recommended budget that keeps the property-tax freeze, directs more than half of spending to infrastructure and holds a $50 million contingency for new projects and opportunities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public works previews transportation master plan, notes arterial upgrades and East-West capacity needs

Queen Creek Fire highlights station needs and requests inspectors, training support

Queen Creek Police seek additional officers amid rising calls and traffic incidents

Queen Creek presents $682.7 million recommended budget, emphasizes infrastructure and tax relief