Maricopa to have its first Business Appreciation Week

Maricopa, like all of Pinal County, is looking to attract commercial, retail and light industry in order to provide services and jobs for its growing number of residents. One of the steps being taken to achieve this goal is a Maricopa first, a business retention and expansion program through the creation of Business Appreciation Week, October 16-20.

Dr. Ioanna Morfessis, the city’s senior economic consultant, explained plans for the week, timed to coincide with the Founders Day celebration. According to the staff report, “Business Appreciation Week activities will strengthen the city’s credibility in terms of its ‘business friendly’ philosophy.” City staffers and representatives of the Maricopa Chamber of Commerce will be making approximately 50 personal survey visits to local business owners as well as contacting businesses here, who are part of a national firm or company.

The surveys should result in “important information about the perception of Maricopa’s business climate and other important business location attributes, as well as to strengthen existing and establish new relationships with the enterprises that have invested in Maricopa,” explained the staff report.

“Maricopa is presently a growing economy comprised primarily of small businesses,” noted Morfessis during her presentation at the last City Council meeting. She explained that the three areas of business to be surveyed would be business retention, start-up businesses and attracting new businesses.

City Management Assistant Danielle Casey will analyze the resultant information from the personal visit surveys in order to provide an improved understanding of Maricopa as a business location. With that key data in hand, the city will then “move forward with its branding initiative,” explained Morfessis.

“Your brand is what people say about you when you are not around,” notes the report. The branding initiative, according to Morfessis, will be a very public process, involving local stakeholders, businesses and residents. A consulting firm will be selected to manage the solicitation of input for the initiative.

Mayor Kelly Anderson issued a proclamation declaring the week of October 15-21 as Arizona Cities and Towns Week. Its purpose is to open up lines of communication among the citizenry, community leaders and local government officials regarding services provided by the City of Maricopa and their funding. Maricopa and its fellow municipalities throughout the state will observe this week, sponsored by the League of Arizona Cities and Towns.