Councilmember Peterson resigns

Councilmember PetersonWith plans to move out of state, Councilmember Karl Peterson resigned from the Casa Grande City Council Monday night. Peterson began his tenure on the Casa Grande City Council in the spring of 2004, most recently serving as the Mayor Pro Tem, a position now filled by long-time Councilmember Dick Powell. As dictated by the City's Charter, the City of Casa Grande will be accepting applications for the vacant Council seat left by Peterson.
Channel 98 is now Channel 11

CASA GRANDE, AZ – Casa Grande’s channel 98 is movin’ on up the Cox cable lineup to channel 11. The change comes as a result of Cox’s recent upgrade to provide digital programming in Casa Grande.

 

The City’s government access channel has been on the air since February 2005 and is broadcast from City Hall. The City is excited about the move as it will allow more viewers to experience all that Casa Grande 11 has to offer.

 

"We have been anticipating this move into the basic cable channel lineup for some time and are excited that the day has finally arrived," said Betsy Rice, the city’s Public Information Officer who also oversees operation of Casa Grande 11. "We’ve been very pleased with the citizen response to our channel over the last three years and look forward to continuing to grow with the community."

 

Information about City events, activities and services is broadcast on Casa Grande 11 throughout the day. In addition, the City airs a variety of programs ranging from children’s shows to outdoor adventure and history. The channel has also been utilized for local Amber Alerts and other emergency situations to keep citizens informed.

 

With the move to channel 11, the City is also adding more local programming. Viewers can now enjoy shows produced by Pinal County Government TV in Florence that focus on local news and information. The City is also in the process of upgrading equipment to broadcast City Council meetings and hopes to begin doing so in 2009.

 

A complete program guide for Casa Grande 11 is available on the City’s website at www.casagrandeaz.gov.

Finance Director Rains promoted to newly-created Deputy City Manager role

           

CASA GRANDE, AZ – In a continuing effort to meet the needs of a growing community, Casa Grande City Manager Jim Thompson announced Thursday morning the promotion of Finance Director Larry Rains to Deputy City Manager, effective March 16.

 

The position was established in 2005 and funds were allocated in both the 2006 and 2007 City budgets, but the role remained unfilled until now. Citing the City’s growth, Thompson stated that he felt it was time to move forward with filling the position.

 

“The number of City employees has nearly doubled in the last five years to almost 450 today,” Thompson stated. “I want to ensure that the City Manager’s Office is able to provide comprehensive support and guidance for all City staff. This will result in improvements to our service delivery for citizens. Larry has a proven history of success within our organization. He has worked hard to build a solid financial foundation, bring new technology to the organization and community and provide quality customer service to both internal and external customers.”

 

Serving as the City’s Finance and Information Technology Director since May 2002, Rains is looking forward to assuming his new role in the City Manager’s Office.

 

“I am honored that Jim Thompson has entrusted me with this position. While I understand that there will be many new challenges, I am excited about the opportunity,” Rains said. “I am proud of the accomplishments we have made in the Finance and Information Technology Department. I intend to utilize the same principles and values that have assisted me in being an effective governmental leader for the past 20 years. I am eager to take on the new responsibilities and look forward to assisting the City of Casa Grande in providing the services and programs that our citizens expect.”

 

Prior to coming to Casa Grande, Rains served as the City Manager for Willcox, Arizona. He will continue to oversee the City’s Finance and Information Technology Department until a successor is named.