---------------------------------------~==~-----------------------~-'--------'------------------------------------
<br />·-. Imitation: That's the greatest form.of flattery
<br />').1--1-?1-. .
<br />By KIMBERLY SIMKO
<br />Paradise Valley Independent
<br />Residents on both sides of the
<br />fence that separates the
<br />incorporated Town of Paradise
<br />Valley. from the section of
<br />Northeast Phoenix dubbed
<br />"Paradise Valley" say they often
<br />must clarify which is which.
<br />"Paradise Valley,'' and the
<br />homeowners association left the
<br />"Town of ... " off the beginning of
<br />its name.
<br />Boulevard on the north, Scottsdale
<br />Road on the east, Chaparral Road
<br />on the south and 40th Street on the
<br />west -was incorporated in May
<br />1961.
<br />letter writer was correct in
<br />recognizing the need for a
<br />distinction.
<br />McDonald Drive Phase II
<br />If you want to· shop at the
<br />Paradise Valley Mall, go to
<br />Phoenix.
<br />But if you need to contact the
<br />Paradise Valley police, don't call
<br />Phoenix, call the Town of
<br />Paradise Valley.
<br />However, don't call the Town of
<br />Paradise Valley if the information
<br />you're after is had by the Greater
<br />Para.dise Valley Chamber of
<br />Commerce -which actually is in
<br />Phoenix.
<br />And contrary to what their
<br />names suggest, Paradise Valley
<br />High School and Paradise Valley
<br />Community College are not in the
<br />Town of Paradise Valley, but in
<br />Phoenix.
<br />Finally, if you have a question
<br />for the Paradise Valley
<br />Homeowners Association, don't
<br />look to Phoenix, ask someone in
<br />Paradise Valley.
<br />The Town of Paradise Valley,
<br />that is.
<br />Confused?
<br />You're not alone.
<br />"I get calls from the Paradise
<br />Valley Mall when they have a new
<br />shop opening.
<br />"They'll ask me to come cut a
<br />ribbon. I remind them that we're
<br />the Town of Paradise Valley, and
<br />tell them to call (Phoenix Mayor)
<br />Paul Johnson," said Kent Wick,
<br />mayor of the Town of Paradise
<br />Valley.
<br />The Paradise Valley Mall, after
<br />all, is in the city of Phoenix.
<br />Mayor Wick said he prefers to
<br />be addressed as the mayor of the
<br />Town of Paradise Valley, instead
<br />of the mayor of Paradise Valley.
<br />"I guess to be totally accurate,
<br />you should say 'Town of Paradise ·
<br />Valley,' " he said.
<br />However, that means some
<br />aspects of the town are not
<br />referred to accurately.
<br />The town seal, for example,
<br />only says "Paradise Valley."
<br />Badges worn by town police say
<br />~·· .... ··-~ ... --. __ ,_ ..
<br />"My guess is they didn't want a
<br />title that was excessively long,"
<br />said Janece Kline, president of the
<br />Paradise Valley Homeowners
<br />Association, which is comprised
<br />of Town of Paradise Valley
<br />residents only.
<br />In spite of its name, the Greater
<br />Paradise Valley Chamber of
<br />Commerce, formed in 1963, is not
<br />associated with the town, and
<br />does not cater to its residents.
<br />Instead, it serves residents and
<br />businesses in the area of
<br />Northeast Phoenix bordered by
<br />the mountains and the Town of
<br />Paradise Valley to the south, the
<br />communities of Cave Creek and
<br />Carefree to the north, Scottsdale
<br />Road to the east and 7th street to
<br />the west
<br />Residents in that area may
<br />claim to live in Paradise Valley.
<br />However, according to Mayor
<br />Wick, that is incorrect
<br />"They live in Phoenix," he said.
<br />The Town of Paradise Valley -
<br />bordered roughly by Shea
<br />· Longtime residents say residents
<br />-living in what were county islands
<br />30 years ago wanted to control
<br />their own destiny, and formed the
<br />town.
<br />Holding true to tradition, its
<br />current resid~nts and political
<br />leaders are staunchly independent,
<br />striving to retain local control.
<br />And some don't like being
<br />confused with the portion of
<br />Northeast Phoenix that bears an
<br />almost Identical name.
<br />"I firmly believe that if the
<br />Town of Paradise Valley wants to
<br />regain and ~etain its identity.
<br />"And if the residents within the
<br />Town of Paradise Valley wish to
<br />identify this fact, then all
<br />references pertaining to the Town
<br />of Paradise Valley should be read
<br />as . such, not short-cutted to
<br />'Paradise~ Valley,"' said . one
<br />resident, who asked not to be
<br />identified.
<br />Town of Paradise Valley
<br />Attorney Charles <?~inger said the
<br />He defined "Paradise Valley" as
<br />a "geographic, geologic feature"
<br />spanning the Northeast Phoenix
<br />region.
<br />Mr. Ollinger's definition is
<br />supported by Arizona historians,
<br />who refer to "Paradise Valley" as a
<br />vast, grassy area that was popular
<br />with sheepherders . and cattle
<br />ranchers more than 100 years ago.
<br />Sheepherders are said to have
<br />brought more than 30,000-sheep
<br />from Flagstaff to Paradise Valley
<br />in 1890, to set up sheep-shearing .
<br />camps.
<br />And cattle ranchers drove their
<br />livestock through Paradise Valley -
<br />specifically near the western end ·
<br />of Camelback Mountain, which is
<br />now home to the Paradise Valley
<br />Country Club.
<br />Mayor Wick said some
<br />Northeast Phoenix residents may
<br />associate themselves with the
<br />Town of Paradise Valley because
<br />of its proximity.
<br />"Being copied is certainly a
<br />form of flattery,'' he added.
<br />Northeast Phoenicians agree.
<br />petition still circulating
<br />J,d-I-J _ '2-. ?Yl>U D
<br />Editor: -9 any amount of paint ever correct
<br />Th.e petition and defense fund
<br />opposing the widening· of
<br />McDonald Drive in Phase II are
<br />both well and growing, despite the
<br />article in the Jan. 1 edition of the
<br />Independent, "McDonald Drive
<br />Phase II still'hot topic in '92."
<br />The McDonald Preservation
<br />Committee petition submission to
<br />halt the addition of a third lane will
<br />be made at the town council
<br />meeting to approve Phase II's
<br />construction contract. The date has
<br />not yet been scheduled.
<br />Town-wide, the recognition and
<br />opposition to the council's plan to
<br />convert orir streets into arterials is
<br />growing. An example of the
<br />council's plan to open up Paradise
<br />Valley as a pass-through is the sub-
<br />rosa preparation of McDonald and
<br />. Invergordon for a traffic signal. All
<br />in the face of a council vote and
<br />vocal residential oppos~tion. Can
<br />the eight-way confusion now at that
<br />intersection? Hopefully, a new
<br />· committe9 town council will return
<br />that intersection-to the promised
<br />four-way stop, and iri perpetuity;
<br />At present, residents along
<br />McDonald Phase II are assessing
<br />the roadway's widening impact
<br />upon their existing fences, hedges,
<br />lighting, gates, driveways and
<br />septic systems. .
<br />As with the design specifics of the
<br />Invergordon · intersection, the
<br />drawings were withheld for over
<br />nine months. Phase II's "right-of-
<br />way" details and impacts were not
<br />·communicated.
<br />Your petition signature and
<br />financial support can make
<br />representative government work in
<br />our town.
<br />The MCDONALD
<br />PRESERVATION COMMITTEE ,.. ..
<br />i 1 0=:£ear report highlights Paradhls~ V alllley Ip>((J)llfite~ Ip>Jr((J)giress . >l£~f/tt$LI e . . _ _ · . • By Mar~ery Rose-Ciapp~ o _Q --7 ment and has impleme~ted pro-1.988, to p~o~ide ext;a compen~a-
<br />' Staff wnter C. tf · L~ grams to reduce the cnme rate, tlon to ehgible officers; an m-
<br />PARADISE VALLEY -The Prinszesaid. creased number of crimes solved;
<br />, hiring of more officers and clerical The 13-page report also claims a improved resp·onse times; de-
<br />; workers, updating of communica-40 percent traffic accident reduc-cre~sed burglary, ~heft and motor
<br />f, tions equipment and the use of tion from 411 in 1987 to 239 in vehicle theft; and Improved. recov-
<br />1' photo radar have helped create a 1990 that it says is due to photo ery of stolen pro~erty. :· · ff' t d · d d b h d The report said only 41 of 299 1 more e ICien epartment, says a ra ar, use y t e epartment b 1 . 'tt d · 1980 ' t 1 d b th p d' · 0 b 1987 urg anes commi e m were 1 repor re ease y e ara ISe smce cto er . 1 d h'l 47 f 224 · i Valley Police Department. There were 4,338 officer-issued s1°99v0e ' w I e 1 °d Th caf~es m · Th rt "T y f p . . . · were so ve . e Igures .. --· .~ r~~o , e~ ears o rog-traffic ?Itatwns Issued in 1990 and "compare favorably" with the na-t?~"' ''.a~ compiled by Onno 10,455 ISSl.).ed by photo radar. tional average of 15 percent, the .l:'nns;e. director o~ the. ~~part-The report said a high-frequency document said.
<br />ment s Support Servic.es DlVlsiOn. radio system, installed about a Crimes of violence, including
<br />The doc~ment discusses the year ago, has improved communi-murder, sexual and aggravated d~partment s growth and progress cations, and addition of a computer assault, and robbery, increased,.
<br />between 1980 and 1990, and a~-system has aided dispatching du-but the town's statistics were
<br />. dresse.s goals set by to:wn ?o~ncil-ties report writing and the storing lower per capita than other Valley
<br />men m 1987 for mamtammg a d' 11 f · fi t' municipalities and the nation the · h· 1 · · h an reca o m orma wn. , hig evel of pohce service to t e Th t 'd th d t-report said. 't d · t ff' · e repor sm e epar commum y, re ucmg ra Ic acci-, h . . 1 · Eight sexual assaults have oc-·dents . modifving driver behavior ment s orne mspectlon, a arm d . th t. . th t ' J • 't · · 1 t k · curre m e own m e pas 'and controlling speeders. mom. ormg, commercia rue m-three years, while one homicide
<br />The department compiles an spectwn, ~lock Watch a~d Drug was recorded in 1987 and one in
<br />· annual report, but Prinsze said Abuse Resistance . EducatiOn ~ro-1989. Although not included in the
<br />: that he felt a 10-year report was grams ~lso have Improv~d cnme report, there were two in 1991.
<br />needed to show trends. P.reventwn and commumty rela-An Intoxilyzer machine, ac-
<br />In 10 years the department has tlons efforts. quired in January 1982, helped
<br />i grown from a satellite of the Other improvements cited in the increase drunken driving arrests .
<br />: Maricopa County Sheriffs Office report include a career enhance-by 250 percent by late 1990.
<br />. into a full-fledged police pepart-ment program, implemented in Mayor Kent Wick said he is
<br />File photo
<br />A 1 0-year progress report says the use of photo radar by the Paradise Valley Police Department helped bring a 40 percent reduction in traffic accidents in the town between 1987 and 1990.
<br />pleased with the Police Depart-
<br />ment's efforts.
<br />"We have a very competent and
<br />skilled police force, but we don't
<br />want to just rest on our laurels,"
<br />Wick said, adding that continuing
<br />efforts would be made to study all
<br />aspects of town government for
<br />possible improvement.
|