Maricopa Celebrates First Year as City

Happy first birthday, Maricopa! Our Founder’s Day celebration was held Saturday at The Duke from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in honor of Maricopa’s incorporation on October 15, 2003. Maricopa is Arizona’s 88th and fastest growing city. It is the first new Arizona city to be incorporated in ten years and the first new city in Pinal County in 25 years.

Parks, Recreation, and Libraries Director Martin McDonald, speaking to a crowd of 376 people, said, “The goal of this event is to create community through people, parks, and programs.” He recognized the other members of the Founder’s Day committee, Betsy Rice-Miller, Dawn Madden and Sandra Baker-Probasco. Mr. McDonald also thanked the following sponsors: The Duke for hosting the event, Bombs Away Party Rentals for providing the dragon Bounce-a-lot, Stage Stop Country Store for the face-painting clown, Wells Fargo, Sunstate Bank, Water and Ice, CORE Construction, Standard Motor Products, Shamrock Dairy Farms and Hickman’s Egg Ranch. Members of the Maricopa High School Spirit Line handed out goodie bags to those in attendance.

Following the national anthem and a performance by the children from the Maricopa Schools’ Enrichment Program, Maricopa’s first mayor, Councilman Edward Farrell, spoke on the beginnings of the incorporation process that took place 20 years ago when he first met Mike Ingram and Monty Ortman. Mr. Farrell recalled that in 1995 the five lanes of SR347 opened with fences to keep the wild horses off the road. Rancho El Dorado broke ground in 1999, and 2000 homes were sold in less than two years. As the project grew, Mr. Farrell realized the necessity of incorporating. “Incorporation gave us self-control, self-identity, and the ability to create a master plan.”

Mayor Kelly Anderson highlighted some of Maricopa’s accomplishments over the past year. He mentioned the proposed 20-acre park presently being negotiated. “As we grow, the Parks and Recreation Program is becoming more and more important. When Fry’s and Walgreen’s break ground, we will have four pharmacies at one intersection. Who could believe it?” Mayor Anderson mentioned three on-going projects. They are the preparation of the city’s general plan, a regional traffic analysis, and the need to vote ‘yes’ on proposition 400 to set the permanent base adjustment expenditure limit for Maricopa. He told the crowd, “You made a choice to be here. Stay involved in this truly growing community.”

Governor Janet Napolitano’s Chief of Staff Alan Stephens delivered a special Founder’s Day proclamation. “Maricopa has a tradition of raising families with respect, honor and pride,” said Mr. Stephens. He congratulated the city for the transitioning of agricultural lands to homes. “You are doing development the right way.”

Founder’s Day will be an annual event sponsored by the City of Maricopa’s PRL Department and supported by local businesses.