REVISED AGREEMENT Take a look here at the First Amendment to the Estrella Development and Fire Services Agreement. In June 2016, we were tipped that the City's agreement with local developers had lapsed. Our sources told us the agreement was "allowed to expire" and that funding for a second fire station was not in place. At the June 27, 2016 meeting, City Manager Brian Dalke publicly stated he spoke with a Newland representative just that week. His specific words were... And talking to Bill Olsen this week, there has been an understanding that the bones of an agreement are in place. It can be argued some of those elements may or may not apply. The fact of the matter is one of the partners - if you will - back to the earlier agreement is no longer there. So CantaMia for example - is AV Homes - will be part of any discussions.” ~GOODYEAR CITY MANAGER BRIAN DALKE, JUNE 27, 2016 Let's emphasize "WILL BE PART OF ANY DISCUSSIONS." Future tense. Whether talks had been in the works for years prior or not... It appears from public commentary that the real push to update the agreement was prompted last summer. The amended resolution dated January 24, 2017 now shown in a snapshot states: 
 PRIORITIES SHIFTED In March 2016, Goodyear City Council participated in a work session to discuss the FY17-26 Capital Improvement Program. About half way through the meeting, the presentation turned to "General Funded Programs - Projects Requests." City staff initially recommends fire stations be listed on deferral for future impact fees. We added fire stations to your list simply because of your recent conversations just to put it up here and let you know it’s on our radar… but that we know the study is pending and we’ll wait for that project. ~Lauri Wingenroth, Budget and Research Manager
This document - Goodyear's Capital Improvement Plan for FY16-25 - shows funding for a Fire Station at Harrison and Citrus for FY22 and a Fire Station in Estrella in FY22. An additional Fire apparatus wasn't in the plans till FY23. FY16 and FY17 funding totaling $66,366,257 was slated for:
We have NEVER stated the City had "no priorities for" nor "didn't care" for fire service as we've been accused throughout various social media threads. I'm personally aware that our City Council and Mayor support public safety as shown by their previous actions over the years. This has been a process in the works since December 2015, (and most likely sooner than that), and these things do take time to work out. The fact is, the priorities for the Estrella station were moved up after 2016 Council meetings and the fire station study this past year. I'm not sure why this is being made out to be a bad thing by social media followers as it's really good news for Estrella and Goodyear residents. Many of us - and myself included - are thrilled about Council's decision to listen to the people to make this happen. Their ability to collaborate with other leaders and the developer to move up the construction timeline is a win for everyone. 2017 AND BEYOND It should be noted again that Goodyear has several fire station needs and projects in the near future. In December 2016, we also read over the entire tax payer funded, 210 page fire station study to see all needs for fire service in Goodyear. It also recommended "building a new fire station in west Goodyear and having it operational by the year 2022. The optimal location is at Citrus and Yuma. An additional engine company would be expected to operate from there. This station would have a workload similarly modeled to other stations in the city." Operational by 2022 means funding for this station needs to be moved up, as well. Tomorrow night, as it turns out, Goodyear City Council will hold a Special Meeting with the City Attorney and City Manager "to provide instruction/direction to City Attorney and City Manager regarding City's position in connection with contractual negotiations associated with West Goodyear development agreements." This meeting is private and we can't be 100% sure this is related to fire service. But, we're hoping to find out more regarding a west Goodyear fire station this spring. We'll keep you posted. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2017 5:30PM Special Meeting 6PM Regular Meeting Location: 14455 W. Van Buren Street, Suite B-101, Goodyear, Arizona 85338 Meeting agendas and to Watch Online Here
Estrella Mountain Residents is happy to report an agreement is now in place to locate and build Estrella's much needed second fire station. This comes after more than a year of reporting on City work sessions and council meetings regarding demands for fire service in our community... and after a devastating house fire leaving one Estrella family homeless on Easter morning 2016. THE BACKSTORY IN A NUTSHELL The City of Goodyear, Newland, and then partner "Tousa" agreed to develop a second fire station in Estrella which was to be built and running by 2009. The economy tanked and the station was never built. It was to be constructed at Willis and Rainbow Valley Roads. The City of Goodyear actually still owns that land. In 2015, Fire Chief Luizzi addressed council about growing fire service demands throughout the City of Goodyear... and in Estrella. Over the next few months, he explained to council City triggers and thresholds which would cause the construction of an additional fire station in Estrella. I think it's important to remind our readers that when the Fire Chief was to present in January 2016, his presentation was interrupted so many times that he was unable to finish. We asked that the City give him the opportunity to address Council once again with a full report. He was given that opportunity and fully explained the triggers and thresholds criteria - a good read if you want to fully understand what's happening in Estrella. EASTER MORNING FIRE Tragically, an Estrella family found themselves the victims of a house fire on Easter morning. Their dog, Daisy, lost her life. The Estrella community pulled together raising over $20,000 in money and donations for the family. Estrella Mountain Residents studied the response times for the house fire and reported on what really happened here. And the results left us asking... "What can we afford? We hope it's not lives."  At the Estrella house fire on March 27, 2016 - 9 minutes into the alarm - just 5 fire people were at the scene. Goodyear was first to respond at 8 minutes and 10 seconds. The national standard recommended 15 people weren’t on scene until 14 minutes and 58 seconds into the alarm. That’s 5 minutes and 58 seconds later than the NFPA 1710 standard. THE AGREEMENT In June 2016, we were tipped that the City's agreement with local developers had lapsed. Our sources told us the agreement was "allowed to expire" and that funding for a second fire station was not in place. Report here. At the June 27, 2016 meeting, City Manager Brian Dalke revealed he spoke with a Newland representative just that week. And talking to Bill Olsen this week, there has been an understanding that the bones of an agreement are in place. It can be argued some of those elements may or may not apply. The fact of the matter is one of the partners - if you will - back to the earlier agreement is no longer there. So CantaMia for example - is AV Homes - will be part of any discussions.” ~GOODYEAR CITY MANAGER BRIAN DALKE, JUNE 27, 2016 During all of this, City lawmakers continued to approve building permits in the Estrella community.
A RESIDENT PETITION In June, Estrella Mountain Residents started a petition. The residents of Estrella in Goodyear, Arizona respectfully request the City of Goodyear prioritize funding for Fire Station 186 sooner than the current timeline." ~iPETITIONS, JUNE 2016 Our goal was 250 signatures in a short time prior to a Goodyear City Council meeting. We surpassed 300 signatures and delivered it to Council. Residents chimed in.... The city manager along with the city council should save 65,000 dollars of our citizens tax dollars and allow the IAFF get the free study done and put that money to use for other more critical needs of the city. Please build Fire Station 186 city of Goodyear for the protection you want your tax paying citizens pay for. Amen! Overdue for 2nd fire station in Estrella. Safety for the residents of Esteella should come long before the proposed park. Let's roll!! We are definitely in need of another fire station in Estrella. The study has already been done, new homes are being started everyday. Please do not make someone lose their life or their home before we "git ur done"!!! Goodyear is constantly growing and if the trucks out there are on other calls when an emergency arises, the trucks in my area (Yuma and Sarival) would have to respond, leaving us unattended. TAXPAYER FUNDED STUDY
SEEING IS BELIEVING The taxpayer funded fire study reports the optimal location for a second Estrella fire station would not be at the current designation of Willis and Rainbow Valley Roads... but rather near Estrella Parkway and Willis Road. So, the 3 party agreement covers Capital Contributions, as well.
NOW WE WAIT The City of Goodyear must give a 180 day notice of intent to begin design with Capital Contributions. Because the action item was not on last night's meeting, the City was unable to give that notice. In fact, the City Attorney signaled it could be a couple more months before that action was taken... possibly around budget discussions. Members of the Council expressed desire to move up that timeline. Councilmember Stipp said, "June is too long to wait." It does appear the Council wants to get the construction of Estrella's second fire station going sooner rather than later. RESIDENTS ARE PART OF THE "TEAM" I was stunned to hear Council say, "Leadership made it happen." Council members patted themselves, staff, and developers on the back for making this agreement come together. However, it was Mayor Lord who acknowledged the citizens of this All-America City had an impact, as well. .. and also I want to compliment the citizens. They weighed in on this, made a little noise, told us how important it is, and that helps council make decisions, too. It’s a team effort and thank you very much." ~MAYOR GEORGIA LORD, January 23, 2017 THE VOTE A vote for a first Amendment to Development and Fire Service Agreement between the City of Goodyear, NNP III-Estrella Mountain Ranch, LLC and AV Homes of Arizona passed 7-0. In Attendance: Mayor Georgia Lord Vice Mayor Sheri Lauritano Councilmember Pizzillo Councilmember Campbell Councilmember Hohman Attending by Phone: Councilmember Stipp Councilmember Osborne Jen's Two Cents: This past year of reporting on this issue has been well worth the effort. I've learned a lot about the process... and I've learned a lot about the people who make the laws in our city. I stand behind all of my reporting despite public criticism and push back by two city leaders. Estrella needs a voice to make positive change. I'll continue to monitor fire service in Estrella as it's a moral obligation for our elected leaders to provide this basic service for us... and for generations to come. ~Jen Barber/Estrella Resident
Blog and opinion piece by: Jen Barber, Estrella Resident When a child is found at the bottom of a pool... seconds count. When a loved one is in cardiac arrest... seconds count. When you're having trouble breathing after a bee sting... seconds count. Odds of survival increase when a patient has quick care. That quick care can be dependent on response times by fire departments and EMS crews. For the past year, I've been following fire service demands and concerns being presented at Goodyear City Council meetings. Media resources have dwindled in the west Valley and I feel it important to hold our lawmakers accountable. Tragically, a friend's home burned down on Easter morning in Estrella which sparked my closer attention. And all the while, city council continues to approve construction in the Estrella community.
Portions of Estrella currently may not have the same luxury. Goodyear's own data show fire/EMS crews can exceed national standard response times to the Montecito and CantaMia communities in Estrella. By national standards, the response times to the Easter morning house fire in Estrella was more than 3 minutes too late, as well. That's not acceptable. After a series of work sessions and in an effort to determine when to build new stations and where they should be located, the City of Goodyear hired a foreign company, ORH, out of England to study local fire service demands.  I've read the 210 page report and believe it's important for residents to understand what's in it. Below is a brief synopsis. While long, it's an eye opening report. I'm most fascinated by the amount of growth about to occur in the southern portion of our All-America City. That expansive growth will create new and unique demands on city services. The results of this study leave me wondering if it would it be better to build now and grow into the stations rather than wait another 8-10 years as recommended by ORH fire study. But, that decision now falls in the hands of our lawmakers. Note: The Goodyear City Council will learn more about this fire station study during a work session on Monday, December 12th. You can attend the meeting or watch it online beginning at 4pm. ABOUT ORH - A FOREIGN COMPANY STUDYING LOCAL NEEDS  ORH is the organization the City of Goodyear hired to conduct the study. It's a management consulting agency located in the United Kingdom. ORH is the trading name of Operational Research in Health Limited and registered as a company in England. Its website states, “We are committed to getting it right, for the good of our clients and the people who rely on their services.” Regarding ORH, the City of Goodyear states: ORH, Inc. began their work on the Goodyear Fire Station Study in late August 2016. They collected incident data; analyzed current demand; reviewed historical trends; made site visits and assessed other factors to formulate the recommendations found in the 2016 Fire Station Study. The report was finalized on the afternoon of Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016. This company is no stranger to Arizona. In 2015, ORH completed its first USA contract for the Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department. They looked at the distribution of fire stations. The 10-year plan resulted in recommending splitting an existing fire station into two new sites, adding a station in an area with high demand and development, and relocating stations “at the end of their functional viability.” THE COST TO TAXPAYERS - YOU PAID FOR IT Goodyear taxpayers spent roughly $53,000 as reported by KJZZ and reporter Mattew Casey. If you recall, I reported through this Estrella Mountain Residents blog in July, city staff estimated the fire study would be completed by October and presented to council. But, if you look at our reporting, the need for a fire study was first discussed in February, 2016. And the discussion over whether Estrella was in need of a second fire station was presented in January 2016. Council had a rough idea of where two new stations should be placed. So the questions was "why" hire someone to tell the city what it may have already known. This spring, Councilmember Bill Stipp asked Fire Chief Paul Luizzi what the real purpose would be of conducting a study. To establish the proper location for stations. To establish the proper response and trigger threshold for construction of new stations. And really what we should be using now as our current response time, goals, benchmarks, and baselines, as we start to move forward and kinda see the city in a light of the way it’s being constructed now.” ~Goodyear Fire Chief Paul Luizzi So, if we’ve already identified twice now what the locations are based on the projected growth… I’m having a difficult time seeing what a third study is going to tell us that we don’t already know regarding the location of the stations.” Councilmember Bill Stipp Chief Luizzi defended the reason for the study. Is it valuable looking at the current station locations and are they in the right spots? And our future plan’s growth - are we currently going in the right areas?” ~Goodyear Fire Chief Paul Luizzi ESTRELLA FIRE STATION HISTORY Estrella's Fire Station 182 - the station just near Estrella Mountain Church - started out as a temporary awning in the mid-1990s and was formally constructed and completed in 2003. This additional station was originally planned for 2008.
With pressure on response times throughout the city, a work session held with Goodyear City Council in JANUARY 2016 - 11 months ago - was put on the agenda to again discuss the construction of a second fire station in Estrella... Fire Station 186.
EASTER MORNING HOUSE FIRE  Who could have predicted last spring - while council discussed the need for fire stations - what would eventually happen on Easter morning? A devastating house fire burned down a local family’s Estrella home and killed their pet dog, Daisy. In June, we analyzed response times to the Easter house fire in Estrella and compared the numbers to the national standards. The Easter morning fire in Estrella was within the current Estrella fire station’s boundaries. The Estrella house fire alarm was called at 2:10:21am on March 27, 2016. At the 5 minute mark, no one was on scene. In fact, the first personnel arrived at 8 minutes and 10 seconds after the alarm. According to the NFPA 1710 standard, that’s 3 minutes and 10 seconds late. You can read more about that fire here. Estrella Mountain Residents led the effort to pull the Estrella community together. Quickly the effort raised more than $20,000 in funds and donations for the Estrella family. They now wait for their home to be rebuilt. MORE ROOFTOPS. MORE DEMANDS ON CALL VOLUME. Despite the Estrella house fire and continued work session discussions, construction in Estrella has continued and been given the green light by council on more than one occasion.  Twice this summer, Goodyear City Council approved more rooftops to be built in Estrella despite concerns about fire service. On August 18th, Goodyear City Council voted to approve a Preliminary Plat adding 44 homes on Estrella Parkway south of Polaris Drive. They say it was an administrative obligation and they had no other reason to reject it. June 27th, Goodyear City Council approved the Lucero development going up near Star Tower. I attended the meeting and asked for a stipulation authorizing the construction of a fire station prior to approving this community to build. The request was rejected. TRIGGERS, THRESHOLDS, AND FIRE SERVICE DEMANDS In a blog, I requested the fire chief be given a second chance to discuss fire station needs after a debacle of a meeting in January. In February he got a second chance. Goodyear’s Chief Paul Luizzi, thoroughly explained the triggers and thresholds for building new fire stations through the city. He also discussed where the need currently is for improved fire service. In 2015, 58% of the calls to Montecito and CantaMia communities were reportedly MORE than 8 minutes from Fire Station 182. Calls increased 34% from 2014 to 2015 with a total number of calls to these southern villages being 147 annually. More than half of those calls were for EMS, not fire. Additionally, Buckeye Valley Fire District responded to 24 of these calls with a response time of 9 minutes and 58 seconds.  As shown here, the ORH fire study delivered to council this week backs up those numbers showing "hot spots" for response times.  This map shows current response times to portions of Montecito and CantaMia are over 11 minutes. HOT SPOTS - WHERE THE DEMAND IS The needs and types of calls vary throughout the city. Fire incidents take place more often in the central area of Goodyear, whereas EMS incidents are more common in the north. Hazmat has relatively few calls. And service calls are apparently high on W Indian School Road near the PebbleCreek Parkway.  Additional findings: MOST RESPONSES: STATION 184 BUSIEST STATIONS: 181 AND 183 Now, take a close look at this next blue graphic we found within the ORH fire study. In the south portion of Goodyear, average Effective Response Force or response times within 9 minutes are at 0%. The average ERF fire response time in the total area is at 17 minutes and 51 seconds.  The report states, "While the performance impacts are notable city-wide, the local effects can be more substantial. As the city grows to the west and the south, 'new' incidents in these areas would receive the longest response times." HOW THE RESULTS WERE FORMED You can download the entire report here.
ORH, the company which conducted the fire study, visited with the Goodyear Fire Department in the first week of the study. Our local fire department provided a "number of data sources for incident and response data." Then, ORH completed "a data cleansing exercise and discussed appropriate assumptions" with the Goodyear Fire Department. ORH calibrated travel times against actual journeys and worked to ensure the simulation model was "reflective of the real-life behavior of" Goodyear Fire's vehicles. ORH also reports it completed "sensitivity modeling" around station locations taking into account future demand rates and automatic aid. In fact, ORH "assessed the responses by GFD vehicles into neighboring departments and vice-versa." KEY FINDINGS Key findings for Goodyear Fire Service city-wide are as follows:
These changes would deliver substantial improvements to response performance compared to a 'do nothing' position. ~ORH ORH writes, "The demand increase is primarily associated with medical incidents, however Hazmat and Good Intent calls also increased." Service calls actually has decreased. The peak demand for service is reportedly between 10am and 10pm, with .85-.95 calls per hour. Incidents occuring at night are higher on weekends. SOUTH GOODYEAR WILL EXPLODE IN GROWTH ORH turned to MAG (Maricopa Association of Governments) data to project the future resident population. ... the resident population in Goodyear is expected to more than double from 2015 (77,800) to 2035 (167,360) ... The expected increases to population vary significantly between the reporting areas," ~ORH  MAG projections also show the number of people over age 65 will have tripled by the year 2035. Currently 15% of Goodyear's residents are over 65. In 2035, 21% of the population will be 65+. Why does this matter? Because this population has higher demands for EMS service. By 2035, "it is expected EMS demand in the South reporting area will have nearly reached the same level as the North..." CHANGES TO CURRENT STATIONS Fire Station 181 is located on the northwest corner of Yuma and Litchfield Roads in Goodyear. Because of environmental concerns, the building has been closed. Given the building condition of Station 181, GFD identified a pressing need to evaluate potential options for relocating the station. ~ORH Interestingly, Station 181 has the quickest average Crew Response time to all incidents in Goodyear. One option for Station 181 includes just redistributing this station's vehicles to other stations.
Recommended: Relocating Fire Station 181 to Litchfield and Van Buren and have it operational by the year 2019. The optimal location is Litchfield and Van Buren Roads. BUILDING OF NEW FIRE STATIONS IN WEST AND SOUTH GOODYEAR In terms of planning, ORH assessed different options requiring the following changes to the station configuration:
The new sites in West and South Goodyear would provide substantial improvements to response times in their respective local areas." ~ORH Fire Study OPTIMAL LOCATION FOR ESTRELLA'S FUTURE STATIONThis optimal location actually moves the future station east of what Goodyear originally had projected. Remember, Goodyear planned on placing it at Willis and Rainbow Valley Roads. Now, it's being recommended for building at Willis along the Estrella Parkway.   SHOW ME THE MONEY What’s been most disappointing is to find out the agreement to help fund a second fire station in Estrella was, as reported by our source, “Allowed to Expire.” On June 27th, the Goodyear city manager mentioned the city was in negotiations with Newland and AV Homes to re-negotiate the developer agreement to get funding for station 186 in the works.... and it appears fire stations may be in the FY18 budget. And talking to Bill Olsen [Newland Communities] this week, there has been an understanding that the bones of an agreement are in place. It can be argued some of those elements may or may not apply. The fact of the matter is one of the partners - if you will - back to the earlier agreement is no longer there. So CantaMia for example - is AV Homes - will be part of any discussions.” ~Brian Dalke, Goodyear City Manager, June 27, 2016 Of course, speculation on funding came before the results of this study. This study says to wait for a station in Estrella. What will lawmakers do? THE PEOPLE WANT PARKS In March, Goodyear City Council participated in a work session to discuss the FY17-26 Capital Improvement Program. About half way through the meeting, the presentation turned to "General Funded Programs - Projects Requests." City staff initially recommends fire stations be listed on deferral for future impact fees. We added fire stations to your list simply because of your recent conversations just to put it up here and let you know it’s on our radar… but that we know the study is pending and we’ll wait for that project. ~Lauri Wingenroth, Budget and Research Manager Priorities ahead of fire stations, listed at that meeting, included a recreation center and aquatics facility and ANOTHER STUDY TO THE TUNE OF $100,000 to find out where to place the train park. CITY'S NEXT STEPS REGARDING FIRE SERVICE THE CITY OF GOODYEAR SPELLS OUT NEXT STEPS AS: Monday, Dec. 12 – Staff and consultant will present to City Council the results of the study at the Goodyear Municipal Complex Justice Center, 14455 W. Van Buren Street, in a public work session beginning at 4 p.m. City Council will discuss the study, options, and next steps related to this data analysis. The 2016 Fire Station study is one of several pieces of data that will be considered through the capital improvement planning process to ensure that the short and long-term needs of the city are met through responsible planning and prioritization of all capital projects and new services. Oct. – Dec. 2016
JEN'S TWO CENTS Estrella's next fire station appears to be on hold for quite some time if this study's recommendation is taken into consideration. However, it's difficult to overlook response times, the projected growth patterns, and average age of future residents in south Goodyear. Is it prudent to wait?
Finally, candidate nomination papers for the Goodyear City Council 2017 spring election are due on November 14th. I previously advocated for more residents to run for council who live south of I-10. But, the fact is, all council members are to advocate for residents in all neighborhoods of the city. I do not give my vote to candidates simply based on where they live. All council members should be involved and concerned about what's happening throughout the city. *My vote also will be based on who's been attending meetings and their knowledge base on important issues such as this. The budget will be discussed during the spring election season. It will be several years before our city is split into districts. Goodyear's City Charter states: When the population reaches 150,000 as certified by a Decennial Census or a special census conducted for the purpose of determining the population of the City, the Mayor and Council shall divide the City into six (6) electoral districts not less than six (6) months after the certification of such census. Each electoral district shall be compact and contiguous, but shall be as nearly equal in population as possible. I am hoping Monday night's presentation to council will be well run. If the presenter can get through the information without interruption, it would be easiest to understand and follow.
We'll be watching.
PREVIOUS REPORTS Make no mistake about it, the West Valley is no longer getting the local government coverage it once had. This concerns us. And that's why we feel we have a responsibility to keep Estrella residents informed. To get up to speed on what we've covered so far, please visit these links: Waiting Game: July 11, 2016 CantaMia Growth and Fire Service Demands: July 10, 2016 Estrella House Fire Response Times: June 29, 2016 Goodyear Under Fire: June 28, 2016 Fire Station Funding: March 17, 2016 Triggers, Thresholds, and Fire Service Demands: March 10, 2016 Saving Lives, City Budgets, and Growth in Estrella: January 26, 2016 Community Paramedicine: December 2015 You will not find this extensive coverage anywhere else. SEPTEMBER 2016 UPDATEInfo from staff notes here. Goals of the paramedicine program are: The pilot project staff goals are; reducing the burden on the 911 system, creating more fiscal responsibility with tax payer dollars, decreasing unnecessary emergency room visits, opportunities for regional collaboration to maximize resources and creating a public/private partnership. New info: On June 1, 2016 the department was notified it received a service agreement for a regional pilot project for $120,000. Fiscal Analysis for 1 calendar year: The pilot project is supplied by Phoenix Health Plan Inc. who is owned by Tenet Healthcare and requires no match by the city. The grant will fund the development of training programs, provider training and the actual process of meeting with patients in the different cities. Salary costs and other associated equipment costs will be covered under the grant for all of the participating cities. THE COST PER CALL IS $270 USING A FOUR-PERSON RESPONSE CREW. See the city work session and review meeting minutes here.       ESTRELLA FIRE STATION UPDATE
COUNCIL RETREAT These issues will be discussed at the Goodyear City Council annual retreat. The public is welcome to attend to listen. OCTOBER 21 - 22, 2016 Goodyear Justice Center JEN'S TAKE Mayor Lord is doing a great job allowing the fire chief give his full presentations before council members start asking questions and interrupting. These meetings are so much easier to follow and understand.
We sincerely ask local media outlets to start paying attention and reporting on these issues. Resident tax dollars and livelihoods are on the line. ~jen
We added fire stations to your list simply because of your recent conversations just to put it up here and let you know it’s on our radar… but that we know the study is pending and we’ll wait for that project. ~Lauri Wingenroth, Budget and Research Manager The reality? The city is going to spend an anticipated $65,000 on a study to determine when new fire stations should be built... including Estrella's next facility... even though the fire chief has demonstrated current demands for services. On the list of funding, fire stations fall to a "gathering place" (rec center and aquatics facility) in bond priorities. Council members agree a recreational gathering place needs to move forward. (Council and staff discussed opening various stages of the park in phases through 2020.) City Hall gets pushed back. And.... ANOTHER $100,000 STUDY is planned to figure out where the train park should be relocated. Again. Here's some history on the historic train station. Speechless.
Note: I am a resident of Estrella. I am not an expert in fire protection. In 2010, Goodyear fire fighters responded to an arson fire at my home in Estrella. This is what I was able to pull together from last night's Goodyear City Council work session. Yes, my opinion is interjected in this article. ~Jen
The chief is in a difficult position. He's got a union behind him saying, 'We need more people.' He's got a city manager who says, 'Holy smokes, we can't spend all of our money on fire protection.' We have a community that says, 'We want parks, we want this... we can't put all of our money in fire stations.' And, oh by the way, we got a police chief who's gonna sit there and say, 'Hey, what about us?' ... It's all a balance, but we need to have the information to make the right decision. And right now, saying this is a 'requirement' and this is how it lays out, we need to understand the foundation for the information. And right now, for me, it's a wobbly ground. ~Councilmember Bill Stipp Estrella is made up of three villages. Mountain Ranch, which opened in 1988, is the northern most area of Estrella. Mountain Ranch is 74% built out and has nearly 4,700 lots being developed. The next two villages are south of the Ray Road alignment. The first is Montecito. Opened in 2007, it began construction south of the Ray Road alignment. The next is CantaMia which began construction in 2009. As of November 2015, 647 homes had been built south of the Ray Road alignment. It's anticipated the land south of the Ray Road alignment will have 4,000 rooftops.  The Ray Road alignment - marked in a dashed blue line - marks the growth area headed south and the subject of the work session considering fire service delivery demands in our community. The Ray Road alignment is where Calistoga Road is today. Over the past nine years, the City has issued an average of 9 new single-family home permits a month south of the Ray Rd. alignment; in the last three years the City has issued an average of 14 new single-family home permits a month. ~Goodyear Staff Report CURRENT FIRE SERVICE DELIVERY TO MONTECITO & CANTAMIA Estrella's Fire Station 182 - the station just near Estrella Mountain Church - started out as a temporary awning in the mid-1990s and was formally constructed and completed in 2003. This work session was put on the agenda to again discuss the construction of a second fire station in Estrella... Fire Station 186, previously called 804. The 2006 DA originally contemplated that the fire station would be completed by 2008 and fully manned in 2009. However, due to the downturn in the economy, the construction of the station was put on hold in 2008. ~Goodyear Staff Report This map shows miles and minutes for Estrella's current fire station - Fire Station 182 - to currently service the area south of the Ray Road alignment.  THE COST TO MOVE FORWARD Council members discussed conservative ways to improve services to homes south of the Ray Road alignment. But, it appears going conservative may not be the answer. What would be the cost to add... a truck... or add additional personnel to the station we have? ~Vice Mayor Sheri Lauritano & Estrella Resident This is what we were able to compile during what was a very choppy back-and-forth discussion:
When I did come to you in 2014, you specifically said from the council that, "Don't think that you have to have all three triggers hit in order for you to come back to us.' ~Goodyear Fire Chief Paul Luizzi In the effort to find cost cutting measures, Council member Campbell also asked what it would cost to add just a two man "medical" crew at the current Estrella fire station. The responses are worth taking note. We could do something smaller or different, could we not? ~Wally Campbell, City Councilmember From a station standpoint, I don't know that you want to build a small one because eventually you're going to have to add on as the population starts to grow, the call volume starts to grow, and that you're adding on additional costs in later years to a station. My standpoint is prudent to build one station once and build it as we currently build our fire stations with three bays. ~Fire Chief Paul Luizzi This proposed fire station is designated as being a battalion station. At some point we'll have a battalion chief in Estrella. Why? Most of Goodyear's growth will happen SOUTH of the Gila River. THE REAL COST? LIVES. Adding just a two-man crew to the current station would be a "clock stopper" move. They'd be first to arrive. Because they'd be medical... they wouldn't be able to help on a structure fire at all. "So you're still waiting the time for additional support to come," states Fire Chief Luizzi. Even if you just put in a two-man crew, you still have a time and distance issue south of Ray Road. ~Fire Chief Luizzi Council member Bill Stipp has a great deal of knowledge on this topic and provided some thoughtful input that seemingly put this discussion on track. We know based on years and years of study that a two-person EMS companies are not nearly as effective as four-person EMS companies. So when we're talking about delivering service, what we're really talking about is just getting somebody there. That's it... Let's ask ourselves, 'What level of service do we want to provide?' If we want to provide just band-aids and a rub on the shoulder or rub your back, then two people is the way to go. If we want to provide advance life support, we need to be all in. ~Councilmember Bill Stipp
Fire Chief Luizzi maintains the council told him to come back with information as the demand for a station began apparent. While the next station... don't hit all of them, [triggers], there are some of them... The response time is greater than 8 minutes. ~Fire Chief Luizzi Also note, some of the development south of Ray Road is creeping towards 6 miles away. "The area is certainly starting to develop and grow," Fire Chief Luizzi tells council. NATIONAL STANDARDS VS. ESTRELLA STANDARDS Council member Stipp reminded participants that the city previously had a discussion on triggers for a new station and how did the city come up with its own standards. His statements and input should be noted by residents: A response time greater than 8 minutes for 30% of the time exceeds all of the national standards. National standards are 4-6 minutes. So we're doubling the national standard by saying we're okay with 8 minutes. ~Councilmember Bill Stipp Council member Stipp goes on to say, "The Insurance Services Organization which rates insurance companies that sets our insurance rates says, 'The stations should have a geographic response area of a one-and-a-half circle.' The industry says, 'If you were to take a two-and-a-half mile polygon... and lay it in the same place, you're going to have to cover about the same area, but it's about two-and-a-half miles." So even if we were to apply both of those standards, 6 miles is still well outside of that." ~Councilmember Stipp BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME. BUT, IS GOODYEAR READY? City council approves a lot of things. They've approved rooftops. But, what about approving the safety mechanisms for those lives? An ah-ha moment was had... My fellow council members, we are pretty darn close. [Meaning close to hitting all the triggers for a new fire station.]~Councilmember Stipp So, we're dealing with sprawl. ~Mayor Georgia Lord We are doing this to ourselves.... That's another sprawl scenario that we keep approving households in. ~Councilmember Stipp This triggers and thresholds was provided to us in the staff report as ‘requiring’ this [construction of a new station in Estrella]. This is a self imposed restriction. And ‘we’ as a collective council don’t have the ability to overcome that. The staff report says, ‘This is what’s required.’ Well it’s not required. It’s recommended. And we need to have a discussion about 8 minutes, 6 minutes, 4 minutes, a hundred fire stations or five fire stations. What level of service do we want? ~Councilmember Bill Stipp DEVELOPER DEALS & WHAT'S IN PLACE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN According to a 2006 city council action form, "... representatives of Newland Communities and City Staff have been negotiating a Development and Fire Services Agreement to satisfy the zoning stipulation requiring a second fire station in Estrella Mountain Ranch with the 501st building permit south of Ray Road." Again, from what we've been able to piece together in a choppy discussion, this is what we believe to be the facts:
Because of a lack of organization and time... this conversation was put on hold. Here's my opinion. And it's just that. I feel the fire chief is trying to tell council it's time to build a station. I feel Councilmember Stipp is questioning why the city isn't gunning for top notch fire protection. And I feel other council members are advocating for conservative measures despite the current need. Let's hope this topic gets put back on the agenda and is discussed all the way through without a time limit. We need our city leaders to come to a conclusion on this. And the people need an answer. Jen's Opinion: Work sessions have been historically hard to follow. The presenters come into these meetings with a thoughtfully laid-out presentation. However, council members interrupt with questions and take the conversation off the beaten path. Questions that could be answered in a thoughtfully presented manner could be answered... and lead to better discussions. I beg of council to let the presenters give their presentations then open up for discussion. This topic needs more discussion and has now delayed the important issue at hand... "When will Estrella get a new fire station?" Our fire chief was forced to hurry up his presentation and the topic was cut short due to the regular council meeting about to begin. This is not a good way to represent residents when lives are potentially at stake. When questioning the staff report, various members of the council said they did not have the information. We were easily able to find the information on the city's website in the agenda for this meeting. In fact, we've pulled some quotes directly from those reports. We're posting the agenda here for anyone who would like to review the documents. When sending out agendas to council, I recommend staff follow up with each council member to make sure they have all they need BEFORE a council meeting... even if it means pointing out where to find all the documents.
Additionally, the correct pronunciation of Estrella is Es-Tray-Uh. Double ll's in Spanish are silent. This community is growing. And it's a disservice to the history of this land to keep pronouncing it improperly. Finally, thank goodness for Bill Stipp. He provided the most eye-opening material and we are fortunate to have his expertise on this. Having a diverse council with various backgrounds is incredibly important... and this meeting is a great example of why voters should be paying attention to who they're voting for. Saving money is important. Saving lives is more important. You never need a fire truck... until you need a fire truck. What are YOUR thoughts? Discuss on the Estrella Mountain Residents Facebook page here.
 Estrella and the West Valley look much different than when my family moved here more than 10 years ago. I've been fortunate enough to learn a lot about the area's humble beginnings and understand what's being done now to prepare for future growth. In all the hurry and distraction of the holiday, we pause to point out a few of the many things we have to be grateful for here... and to say, "THANK YOU." 10. A HOME FOR VETERANS This past summer, Goodyear, Arizona was ranked one of the top cities in the United States for veterans by NerdWallet.com, "Veterans in Goodyear have an unemployment rate of 1.5%, the lowest on our top 10 list." Our city leaders, community colleges, and local non profits continually find ways to support those who protect our freedoms. We thank all those who sacrifice - and their families - for serving our country. 9. COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS This year, Estrella saw new social events at the Starpointe Residents Club - such as "Pickin' on the Patio" - and a fabulous Happy Hour introduced at the Golf Club of Estrella. (The Ice Cream Social and karaoke were a huge hit, too.) These ideas were brought about by caring residents who were willing to go the extra mile to encourage more activities in Estrella. To all of those who step up to "Be the Solution" in our community, "thank you." (My personal "thanks" to resident HOA board members and volunteers who work so hard and take so much heat. You do an incredible job. Thank you.) 8. GOODYEAR CITY COUNCIL We're not Glendale. By that, I mean we're very fortunate to have city council members who can work together to find nonpartisan solutions for our city. They may disagree at times... but they move on and continue to work together. By the way, Mayor Georgia Lord is one of the most motivating people I've ever met. You may not realize it, but we're incredibly lucky to have her serving our city. The woman works dawn to dusk... with a motivated attitude to grow our city. (This also is a good place to mention our City Water Resources Manager, Mark Holmes. With a few national awards under his leadership, our water is improving and our future residents have him to thank.) 7. YOUTH SPORTS Full disclosure, I manage the social media for Estrella Youth Sports. That said, I think we're pretty fortunate having a nonprofit in our community which is able to provide a wide variety of "active activities" to children in our community. Estrella Youth Sports brings out involved, volunteering parents who serve as coaches, caring businesses who donate to help the organization grow, and children who are motivated to give it their all on the field and court. Estrella also is home to the Junior Wolves football team and, of course, many of our kids participate in Goodyear Rec programs. 6. PICKLEBALL I don't play pickleball. And, quite frankly, I don't think anyone would ever pick me to be their playing partner. But, Jo does play. And I can tell she loves it. One player recently told me the game is "addictive." The Estrella Mountain Pickleball Club appears to be a fun group of movers and shakers who've brought this rapidly growing sport to Estrella... and represent Estrella well at local competitions. The sport started in 1965 and is played with a paddle and plastic ball. 5. LOCAL SCHOOLS Not many Arizona communities have it as good as we do in the West Valley. Even though the recent Liberty Elementary School District override failed this election season, we DO have many caring teachers and parent volunteers who are able to keep our schools running smoothly. From PTO's, community volunteer programs, and tax credits, we all have several ways to "be a part of the solution" moving forward. 4. GOODYEAR POLICE AND FIRE Not only does Goodyear have a low crime rate, we're fortunate to have truly caring people serve in our police and fire departments. These folks don't make a lot of money, but you wouldn't know it by the good deeds they do in our communities. Remember, a lot of these folks will be keeping us safe while we're home eating lots of turkey and dressing with our families and friends. 3. MOTHER NATURE It's a tie between sunrises, sunsets, and sunny days. Growing up the mid-west is reason enough to call Arizona "home." Gorgeous winter weather combined with the random rain storm is a unique combination which I'll always cherish. As the saying goes, "You can't shovel the sunshine." 2. CHARITY SPONSORS When Jo and I started this page, we took lots of criticism. Lots. One resident accused us of starting the page to raise money for our own endeavors. That was never the case and the criticism motivated us to start up the Estrella Mountain Residents charity program. In our first year - actually, since May - our membership raised over $2000 to give back to local nonprofits and a deserving family. That's pretty incredible. We're humbled. 1. NEIGHBORS WHO STEP UP Sometimes you just need a lending hand. Estrella has no shortage of caring residents who step up to help each other out. Whether it be giving a left over finger print card to someone who needs one, a fundraiser for a family in need, or taking care of a lost pet till its owner is found, Estrella truly is a great community of people. ~WE WISH YOU ALL A HEALTHY AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING~ Admins,
Jo and Jen |
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jennifer Barber is a Goodyear resident resident of almost 20 years and a retired broadcast news journalist. Involved in various nonprofit and city organizations since 2008, Barber has a unique view of what's happening in the West Valley of Arizona. 
Archives
March 2022
Categories
All
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
RSS Feed
