Chandler links roundup - May 12

Today's roundup of news and views focusing on Chandler, culled from the East Valley Trib, Chandler Connection and AZCentral. Links relate to Chandler City Council politics, Harry Mitchell's candidacy, one of Precinct 134's neighborhood business (Air Products and Chemicals Inc.), city planning, the Chandler Symphony and the Williams-Gateway Airport. Hope you folks are looking forward to a pleasant weekend!

1. Candidate forum gets up close and personal (No permalink.)

Three City Council candidates tackled a plethora of community-related topics in a 90-minute forum but one issue may get them elected into office: who will hire back former City Manager Mark Pentz? The forum, hosted by the Chandler Conn-ection on April 26, covered a wide-variety of subjects including the city’s financial health, transportation, public safety, economic development and how they would bring peace to a divided council.

2. Recall organizers are pleased with progress (No permalink.)

Days after the city clerk’s office green-lighted a political action committee’s request to recall councilmember’s Matt Orlando and Martin Sepulveda for their role in the ouster of former City Manager Mark Pentz, the group’s organizer said the effort is going full throttle. “We’re getting quite a response,” said Bette Phillips, the Chandler resident who is chairing the recall. “I believe at this pace it won’t be a problem getting our signatures for November. And if we don’t get it for November, then we’ve still got March (2007).”

3. State Dems respond to Hayworth camp on poll

Hayworth carried 60 percent of the vote in his is last re-election campaign.

If I were his campaign director, I can’t say I’d be happy with 50 percent showing against a challenger so popular with voters in his district that they’ve already erected a 36-foot statue of him.

Certainly we’re pleased that, after less than a month of campaigning, Mitchell is within the margin of error.

4. Chandler Symphony's name home at last

A 16-year feud between two 76-year-old Valley maestros has blocked Chandler's symphony orchestra from using the city name - until now. On Sunday, the former San Marcos Symphony will officially become the Chandler Symphony, thanks to an alert violinist and a quick claim with the Arizona Secretary of State.

5. Chandler district plans new bond vote

A third bond election since 2002 appears to be a lock in the fall for the Chandler Unified School District, but the price tag remains a question mark.

6. Precinct 134 business: Air Products and Chemicals Inc. - Gas plant pumps up city's high-tech - supplies semiconductor industry

A Chandler company celebrating its 25th birthday this year has survived literally by pulling products out of thin air.

From its highly visible location immediately east of Chandler Fashion Center, Air Products and Chemicals Inc. compresses, cools and distills air and separates it into gases that are piped to semiconductor companies in the Phoenix area and trucked to mines and other businesses throughout the Southwest.

7. Chandler, industry grew together - City leaders worked out plan to build houses close to jobs

You may have noticed that Chandler not only has a lot of industry - including Intel Corp. with about 10,700 employees - but that the companies are mixed in with housing areas. The huge Intel plant in south Chandler, for example, is close to the Ocotillo area where houses are priced up to several million dollars.

That's how the city leaders planned it, starting in the late 1970s. They wanted to create jobs to keep the city from becoming only a bedroom community and to put homes near jobs to cut down on commute times. They demanded large landscaped buffers around the plants.

8. Planners envision urban housing core - Ariz. Ave. to be residential gateway

A half-mile stretch of Arizona Avenue between downtown and the Santan Freeway is poised to become Chandler's new urban housing core. The strip, now a mix of vacant lots, small businesses and gathering spots for day laborers, is an ideal place for four- and five-story apartments and condos to house more than 1,000 people who prefer an urban lifestyle, say city planners and consultants hired to help with the transformation.

On Wednesday, four members of the Design Review Board met with RNL Design consultants to mull the area's appearance and potential regulations on building materials, parking, signs and landscaping.

9. Chandler backs off E.V. airport board seat

Chandler won’t likely push for a seat on the Williams Gateway Airport Authority this time around. “The timing doesn’t work out,” said Councilman Martin Sepulveda, who has been one of at least three council members pushing for the city to join the authority that oversees operations at the East Valley airport. “I’m not going to push to join.”

10. Gateway opportunity fails to take flight (No permalink.)

An inquiry whether or not Chandler should take a participating role on the Williams Gateway Airport Authority (WGAA) has been temporarily grounded. Municipal leaders were ready to possibly vote on the matter at Thursday’s City Council meeting. However, an earlier summit in the week with WGAA officials has revealed the issue won’t take flight with the current elected body.