Eastmark residents and partners gathered at The ‘Mark on the morning of Oct. 11 for “Java with Giles,” an event hosted by the Mesa Chamber of Commerce. Attendees had the chance to grab a cup of joe and chat with Mesa Mayor John Giles and District 6 Councilmember Kevin Thompson about news and happenings around our city. The Barraza Trade Company was also on hand to serve up freshly-brewed java and delish pastries. Don’t worry if you couldn’t make it; we’ve pulled together some highlights from the discussion:

• The City of Mesa continues to grow, and quickly. Mesa is currently issuing more building permits than Gilbert and Queen Creek.
• Mesa’s rapid growth also creates challenges, such as funding shortages for essential services like police and fire. Keep an eye out for “Question 1” on the November ballot, which if approved will increase Mesa’s sales tax by 0.4%; a portion of the revenue is slated for Mesa police, fire and medical services.
• Eastmark is located in District 6 which is 77 square miles, one of the largest districts in Mesa. There is one police substation for all of District 6, in comparison to the Town of Gilbert which has an entire police force patrolling 72 square miles.
• The City of Mesa is working with Maricopa County on improvements to Elliott Road between Ellsworth and Signal Butte roads to help attract future business to the area.
• The extension of State Route 24 to Ironwood Road is about five to seven years out.
• A desert-themed regional park (with hiking trails!) is planned to wrap around the new water treatment facility that’s now under construction on the northeast corner of Signal Butte and Elliott roads.
• Mesa small business owners are encouraged to work with the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, the LaunchPoint Mesa Technology Accelerator in conjunction with Arizona State University, and HeatSync Labs, for resources and support.
• The City’s economic development experts are in continual talks with potential commercial businesses interested in the area.

Want to stay in-the-know? Follow Mayor Giles (@MayorGiles) and Councilmember Thompson (@MesaDistrict6) on Twitter for a daily dose of Mesa news.