Front row (left to right): Oro Valley Council members Bill Rodman, Rhonda Pina; Back row: Commission members Jim Galligan, Bruce Hale, Sheila Clarkin, Jo Ann Ellison (chairwoman), Ann Adams, Joan Elder, Jim Hagedon, and David Bull (Photo by Bob Koblewski)
David R. Bull
Council members Rhonda Pina and Bill Rodman, along with Jessica Hynd, constituent services coordinator from the Town Manager’s Office, were guests of the SaddleBrooke Public Affairs Commission on March 11, 2020. Besides commission members, SaddleBrooke One administration, several board members, and local residents attended.
A number of current issues of interest were discussed, including the state of the golf course/community center. It was reported that upon retiring after 20 years, Police Chief Daniel Sharp has been replaced by Kara Riley. Chief Riley has been an Oro Valley police officer for many years and is the first female chief in the area.
One major development affecting the town, as well as SaddleBrooke residents who shop there, is the recent purchase of the Oro Valley Marketplace by Town West. The new name will be Oro Valley Village Center and a series of public meetings are planned to introduce residents to some new concepts coming to traditional shopping centers.
The theme will be “live/work/play,” with the vision of becoming a public gathering place. There will be a central park, pedestrian friendly layout, two apartment complexes and two hotels, appealing to young professionals, retirees, families, and visitors. Plans might be finalized by year end.
Oro Valley communicates with its residents and neighbors via daily and weekly newspaper articles and advertisements, its website, Facebook, etc. Council meetings also help get the word out, and it was noted that the council does listen to non-residents’ comments, including those from SaddleBrooke.
The largest employer is Roche (about 1,700 employees). The U of A Veterinary School was recently accredited and is up and running with 100 students. Innovation Park continues to be built out with not much space left. Out of the town’s 36 square miles, only 15% remains to be developed.
The condition of Oracle Road continues to receive complaints and it was reported that repaving is planned, first from River Road to Calle Caliente, then further to Tangerine Road by 2024. The La Cholla Road project is almost completed.
The SaddleBrooke Public Affairs Commission is chartered by SaddleBrooke One as a conduit between our community and governmental authorities, with a view of identifying areas of concern that could affect SaddleBrooke. Residents of both SaddleBrooke One and SaddleBrooke TWO are eligible to be members.
If you are interested in applying, contact chairperson Jo Ann Ellison at [email protected]. More information can be found on the commission’s webpage on the SaddleBrooke One website. Take a look!