Mayor's Corner

Dear Friends, 

As we adjust to a new normal after living through a pandemic for 2 years, our office has participated in several community events this past month. I am looking forward to connecting with our community members and attending upcoming events this Spring. 

During Career Week, I spoke to the children at St Andrews Preschool about what I do as a mayor and what I do for our community. Several questions were asked by the children, and we had a great discussion about what they wanted to be when they grew up, their dreams and ambitions, favorite hobbies, colors, and school subjects. 

"I enjoyed talking to the children about what they wanted to be, their hopes and aspirations, and their favorite hobbies, colors, and subjects at school. It was a pleasure to have visited the future of our community and be able to spend some time with them.”  

After a long two years, I recently visited Casitas Santa Cruz. Covid had prevented visitors from entering the facility. Being able to visit all the residents and spend some time with them was a wonderful experience. Now that COVID cases have decreased and we can take better precautions, we will be able to hold our holiday activities and visit more often. 

On Saturday, January 29th, I read a proclamation in honor of Buffalo Soldier Days. A weekend each year will be designated for flying banners in recognition of the soldiers. Donna Jackson Houston, a descendant of Lucius Jackson, founded the Buffalo Soldier Event. After discovering that her grandfather had served as a Buffalo Soldier, she founded the Nogales Buffalo Soldiers Legacy Association last year. Donna Jackson Houston and Faith Posey of the historical society began working on the exhibit after connecting with Richard Jackson, a descendant of Lucius Jackson.  In addition to making history in our community, this event also brought our community together. We are continuously working on making Nogales a better place to live.  

Dear Friends, 

 The City of Nogales received a loan from the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) for approximately $15,000,000.00.  This loan historically is the first opportunity to prioritize comprehensive repairs and maintenance on water and sewer lines.   The funding will enable the city to work on approximately 24 water and 14 wastewater projects. The design work started in October 2021. We expect to start construction by late summer of 2022 with an estimated completion date by the end of 2023.

Streets that are currently being paved or repaired to receive a surface treatment in the Monte Carlo Subdivision are: Calle Angelina, Calle Culiacan, Call Piedras Negras, Calle Colimo, Calle Durango, Calle Chihuahua, Placita Socorro, Plaze Karina, Calle Empalme, Calle Nogales, Calle Carbo, Placita Melody, Calle Tampico, Cale Caborca, MonteCarlo Place, Madero Way, Calle Arizpe, Calle Trinidad, Placita Chihuahua, y Placita Carmen. In a similar manner, Kino Street and Manila Drive will also receive a surface treatment. Noon Street is currently under construction and scheduled to be paved in February 2022.

Many projects are underway, new sidewalks along Grand Avenue, Camino Del Sol Water/Sewer, and Paving, Old Tucson Road, Industrial Park Drive, Frank Reed Road, among other projects. We are continuously working on making Nogales a better place to live.  

Dear Friends, 

"In order to be successful in the new year, stay focused, develop a positive attitude and be passionate with your dreams," said Bamigboye Olurotimi
As the New Year begins, we reflect on the tremendous goodwill found throughout our community. The thoughtfulness and compassion of so many in and around Nogales have been wonderful. Great people make a great community and Nogales is a shining example.
Despite our challenges, we have worked hard to create the kind of city we want to live in, work in, and visit. Despite some setbacks from the ongoing pandemic, I remain optimistic that 2022 will be a better year for everyone in Nogales.
A great community is built and maintained on the spirit and pride of its residents, fostering community volunteering and contributing to the greater good. When people feel connected to something good that they believe in, they engage in it, invest in it, thrive in it, nurture it, contribute to it, protect it, and encourage its growth. This is what we have accomplished in Nogales. We will continue to build a safe and welcoming community with your continued support and our clear 2022 vision.
I hope that the New Year brings more prosperity, happiness, love, hope, healing, and peace to the families and friends of Nogales. Please continue to do your part to help flatten the COVID curve. If we continue to get vaccinated, wear face masks, practice social distancing, and avoid large gatherings, our family and loved ones will remain safe and healthy. 

 At six o'clock in the evening on Saturday, December 4, 2021, the City of Nogales held their 2021 Christmas Light Parade. The theme for the Christmas Light Parade was “Together this Christmas.” This year’s Grand Marshall was Eladio Pereira, M.D. from Mariposa Community Health Center. This year's Christmas Light Parade judges were occupied picking the winners as there were so many unique entries. Aissa Huerta, Mark Dittmar, Jaime Paz y Puente, and Even Kory served as the judges.

Several local businesses, schools, and community organizations participated in the parade. At this year's event, 46 organizations displayed unique floats and lighting for their cars. There were three winners of the parade competition for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. The winners will be announced at the Jan. 5 meeting of Nogales City Council. 

  Dear Friends,

The holidays are a festive time of year when we share special moments with our family, friends, and loved ones, and look ahead to a new year filled with promise and opportunity. We reflect upon our many blessings and everything we are grateful for.

During this season of hope and joy, I offer my sincere thanks to all residents for your continued collaboration, cooperation, and support. You are the foundation of Nogales, don’t forget that your participation and input contributes significantly to the progress and advancement of our city.

I ask you all to please continue supporting local businesses. I encourage you all to keep purchases local and to support small businesses whenever possible. Our small businesses are a critical part of our community as they provide employment and are essential in helping our city grow and thrive.

I also want to express my appreciation to the members of the Nogales City Council and all City of Nogales employees for your dedication, commitment and service to our community. The outstanding work you perform each and every day meeting the needs of our residents enhances quality of life for us all.

As we look forward to new and exciting opportunities that lie ahead, we remain committed to helping all residents, and we remain passionate about working cooperatively with all of you to make Nogales the best place to live, work, play, visit, and raise a family.

My warmest wishes to you and your loved ones for a very Merry Christmas and happy, healthy, and successful New Year.

May God bless you and your families, and our great City of Nogales.

Hello my friends,

These past couple of months have been very busy and exciting for Nogales and its residents. We held many different types of events for the community.

We started the fun on Thursday, September 9th with the Nogales Night Out. This was a fun evening of crime prevention awareness, there was also an outdoor movie, many free giveaways, and free food. The many different local law enforcement agencies that participated enjoyed the fun activities and enjoyed providing educational materials to the children and parents alike.

I am looking forward to the many fun events planned for the rest of the year including Dia de Muertos event in late October, the Christmas Casitas in late November, and the Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 4th. If you are interested in decorating a Christmas Casita or are interested in participating in the Christmas parade please contact my office at 285.5602. Our theme for the Christmas Parade this year is “Together This Christmas.” We chose this theme because we weren’t able to be together with our friends and family last year, but thankfully it will be different this year. We hope everyone comes out to enjoy all the fun holiday events we are planning, so that we can all be together.

On another note, I would like to wish you all a joyous and peaceful Thanksgiving. We have a great deal to be thankful for. Let us care for, share, and give in the spirit of kindness. Stay safe and God bless.

Dear Friends,

 On Saturday, September 11th we held a remembrance ceremony in honor of the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001. It is very important to me that every year we remember to hold in our hearts those who lost their lives that day, including the many first responders, the citizen heroes and the innocent victims.We honored our Mexican heritage on Saturday, September 18th with the Fiestas Patrias Celebration that took place in downtown Morley Avenue. We held live music with many different performers including mariachi, there was baile folklorico groups, food vendors, and along with the Mexican Consulate we held the traditional Grito de Independencia. I was very happy to see so many people there partaking in the celebration.We ended the month of September with the State of the City Address at the VFW on Tuesday, September 28th. I provided a complete report on the many projects completed by the hard-working City of Nogales employees. I was especially excited to speak about the future goals and projects we are currently working on, including the dog park, Teyechea park renovations, and annexation to name a few. We are continuously working hard to ensure we do all we can to provide growth and opportunities for our residents.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Nogales City Council and staff for their unwavering dedication to providing the highest service to the community. Especially, the fire and police departments, who do everything possible to keep us safe.

We have a wonderful community in Nogales. I’m very proud to call this city home and every day I witness the support and kindness of our residents. Now more than ever it’s important to be safe and take care of each other. As COVID cases are rising again I want to remind everyone to please continue following CDC guidelines especially the following: wear a face covering while out in public or around other people; stay at least six (6) feet away from other people; stay home if you feel sick; and last but not least, please avoid large gatherings. I realize it seems very difficult to do this, especially during the holidays, but the only way we can ensure that our loved ones stay safe, especially the most vulnerable, is by avoiding large gatherings. I appreciate the effort everyone is making and by taking care of yourself, your family and your community.

On behalf of myself and city council, I extend my warmest wishes to everyone in our community. May God’s blessings and the spirit of this wonderful season be with you and your loved ones during this Christmas season and may you have a prosperous and happy New Year. Stay safe!

 Hello my friends,

September will be a very busy and exciting month for the City of Nogales and its residents. We have been hard at work planning many fun and free events and activities for everybody. 

We start the fun on Thursday, September 9th with an evening of crime prevention awareness, an outdoor movie, free hot dogs, free giveaways, and more at the Nogales Night Out. Many different local law enforcement agencies gather that night to provide information and fun activities for people of all ages. 

On Saturday, September 11th we will be holding a remembrance ceremony in honor of the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001. We will have guest speakers, a multi-agency honor guard, and a moment of silence. 

We honor our Mexican heritage on Saturday, September 18th with the Fiestas Patrias Celebration that will take place in downtown Morley Avenue. There will be live music, dancing, food vendors, and the traditional Grito de Independencia. 

We will end the month with the State of the City Address on Tuesday, September 28th at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). I will be presenting information on all the work completed and pending completion for the City of Nogales. This will include all departments from Police and Fire, to Public Works. 

All these events are completely free and for people of all ages. Please go to the City of Nogales website, www.nogalesaz.gov or contact my office at 285.5602 for additional information. We look forward to seeing you there. 

  Hello my friends,

This past month has been a very busy one at City Hall. In early July, the City of Nogales hosted a meeting with Senator Mark Kelly and other local elected officials. We held a roundtable discussion on many topics including infrastructure, the economy, the IOI, and the border travel restrictions. The meeting went very well, it was nice to sit with the Senator and voice our concerns directly with him and his staff. I feel he will do his best to help our residents and community.

Even though we weren’t able to hold our traditional annual 4th of July festivities this year, we still held a fireworks spectacular on Fleischer Park. Many gathered in different areas of Nogales, including the field at the park, to watch the 30 minute show. With the amount of people in our community currently vaccinated, we’re planning on having our traditional large annual 4th of July celebration next year.

We’re currently planning other community events for this year, including our annual Christmas Light Parade. Stay tuned for additional information.

 Hello my friends,

I am happy to report that many paving projects have been completed and are close to completion thanks to the wonderful job done by the City of Nogales Public Works Street Department. So far this year, the following streets have been either paved or repaired: Mariposa Ranch Road, Via Coronado, Calle Sonora, Baffert Drive, Mi Casa Drive, Bitache Drive, Target Range, and Western Avenue. Streets that are currently being paved or repaired are: Valle Verde Drive, Larrimore Street, and Vista del Cielo. Many more projects are slated to begin soon, including brand new sidewalks along Grand Avenue. We’re continuously working on making Nogales a better place to live.

On another note, I am very pleased with the number of people in our community that have received their COVID vaccine. Over 70% of the population has been fully vaccinated, we’re the highest fully vaccinated county in the entire state. This would not have been possible without the combined efforts of all the organizations involved. Thank you for doing your part to keep our community safe.

In June I, along with other Nogales and Santa Cruz County stakeholders, held a roundtable discussion with Governor Doug Ducey. The economy, the pandemic, and border travel restrictions were some of the topics we discussed. It’s always a pleasure to sit down with local business leaders and the Governor to talk about continuing to work progressively together to resolve issues affecting our community.

Hello my friends,

  I’m happy to report that COVID cases in our area have been declining for the past month. I believe this is attributed, in part, to the high number of people that have already received their COVID vaccine(s). As of the third week of March more than 22,000 adult Santa Cruz County residents have received a vaccine. More than 13,500 have received their first vaccine, and over 8,700 have received both vaccines. This is wonderful news!

This would not be possible without the collaboration between the City of Nogales, the Santa Cruz County Health Department, the Mariposa Community Health Center and the State of Arizona. Thank you to these organizations, their employees, and a special thank you as well to the many volunteers who are donating their time every day. We truly appreciate everything you do for our city and county.

On this note, I want to remind you all to please continue supporting local businesses. Our small businesses are a critical part of our community as they provide employment and are essential in helping our city grow and thrive. I encourage you all to try and keep as many purchases as you can local and to support Nogales businesses as much as possible.

Together we will get through this. Thank you!

Hello my friends,

The City of Nogales was recently presented with a Gold Certificate of Appreciation by the United States Census Bureau for helping complete a successful census in Nogales and the county, with over 96% of households reported. This would not have been possible without the hard work of all Census employees and without the cooperation of everybody that participated.

Thank you to all the Census workers and the community. You all played an important role  in the 2020 Census and because of you, our community will benefit from much needed funding.

On another note, infrastructure and paving projects are well underway in the city, thanks to the wonderful work of our Street Department personnel. The foundation for the paving of Mariposa Ranch Road has been completed and paving will be completed by February 27th. Vista Del Cielo is undergoing road maintenance. Sunland Asphalt was contracted for the scope of work. The entire street will be crack sealed, chip sealed, fog sealed and finished off with new striping. Another paving project that has already begun is in the Via Coronado neighborhood. The streets there will be crack sealed, coated, and re-striped. Many more projects are slated to begin soon, including brand new sidewalks on some major streets. I cannot thank city employees enough for their hard work and dedication. We’re continuously working on making Nogales a better place to live.

  Hello my friends,

I am here to let you know of all the exciting things planned for 2021 in Nogales. Many infrastructure projects will be completed this year, beginning with Mariposa Ranch Road. 12 additional streets are included in the 2021 infrastructure projects for this year. Those streets are: Mastick Way, Coronado Subdivision, Camino Vista del Cielo, Gold Hill Road, Western Avenue, Baffert Drive, Target Range Road, Calle Sonora, Morley Avenue, Hohokam Drive and Walnut Street. These streets will be crack filled, fog sealed and will have striping work done.

Another exciting project in the works for 2021 is a new dog park on the former Palo Duro golf course on Country Club Drive. Soon you'll be able to have fun with your four legged friends in an enclosed, secure area. The dog park will include separate fenced in areas for large and small dogs. The dog park will also have drinking fountains for both pets and their owners, and benches. Walking trails with exercise stations will also be installed around the area, with further amenities being planned as well.

These are just a few of the projects that we’re currently working on. Stay tuned for additional project information.