Chandler news and views roundup - Jun 23

Several political links for you today related to Chandler, Arizona:

1. City wants hotel done

Construction on the high-rise hotel just south of Chandler Fashion Center has been silent for two months.

City staff is voicing concerns about the construction schedule and the security of the abandoned shell that sits southwest of Frye Road and Loop 101.

2. Council likely to delay decision on lucrative police towing bid

A decision on which towing company gets the lucrative Chandler police contract is headed for a logistical breakdown.

The City Council was to have voted tonight to give the contract to low bidder Auto Citi Towing, ending a seven-year relationship with Cactus Towing. But police officials say that vote will likely be delayed.

Cactus, which was recently sold and now operates under the name All-City Towing, is asking the council to reject Auto Citi's bid and give them the business.

3. City task force takes aim on blight
Chandler group to present ideas to City Council

Chandler's Code Review and Rental Housing Task Force has some new ideas for addressing blight.

The group, which has been muddled in governmental process since its inception nearly a year ago, is one step closer to helping community activists combat slums in their neighborhoods.

4. Pentz returning to lingering council tensions

Mark Pentz will be back in the Chandler city manager's office July 17, and Mayor Boyd Dunn said it's time to heal and move on. But judging from heated discussions about the manager's new contract, tension remains on the City Council.

The 5-2 vote to give Pentz his job back came after 11 p.m. Thursday and followed a failed effort by the manager's council detractors - Matt Orlando and Martin Sepulveda - to cut some of the financial benefits. Although all seven members appeared ready to re-hire him, the two balked at paying the manager's legal fees and lost retirement credits and at extending a severance provision from six to nine months.

5. Chandler reaches out to Park Manor

At the kickoff of Chandler's newest neighborhoods outreach program, Wanda Bales asked the city to ensure prosperity in her Park Manor neighborhood within the next five years.

Bales, a longtime resident of one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, said she had seen her community lag while newer southeast Chandler areas enjoyed progress.

6. Superintendent decision expected

The Kyrene School Board once again plans to pick a new superintendent at its next meeting - this time on Tuesday - but it's unsure exactly how many finalists will be vying for the job. The board, which will meet at 7 p.m. at the district office, 8700 S. Kyrene Road in Tempe, is under somewhat of a time crunch.

Kyrene Elementary School District Superintendent Maria Menconi plans to retire next Friday. And once the board makes its choice from two or three finalists, it must still make the finalist a formal offer and approve a contract before that person could start the job.

7. Ousted city manager gets job back

Ousted former Chandler City Manager Mark Pentz got his job back Thursday.

The new City Council voted 5-2 to rehire him two months after Pentz accepted a former council's buyout.

His new contract requires him to give up more than $240,000 promised in the separation agreement, but he gets to keep a 4 percent raise and will be paid $169,811 annually.