Scottsdale is expanding its efforts to improve food security by increasing the Scottsdale Food Bank’s weekly capacity to 120 households. This initiative is supported by fresh food donations from local grocers and 120 emergency food boxes provided by St. Mary’s Food Bank. The city’s Human Services department is working to broaden distribution through satellite locations at Paiute Neighborhood Center, Granite Reef Senior Center, Vista del Camino, and Via Linda Senior Center. Community donations are funding the retrofit of a new refrigerated box truck to safely transport perishable food. Blue Zones Project Scottsdale, HonorHealth, and the Scottsdale Firefighters Association have contributed a total of $29,652 toward this effort.
Scottsdale has also received national recognition for its street safety measures. At a City Council work study session on November 3, staff described how the Traffic Management Center (TMC) and photo enforcement program work together to reduce crashes and improve traffic flow. The TMC manages 307 signalized intersections, uses 243 live-feed cameras, and operates over 226 miles of fiber-optic cable for real-time adjustments during congestion or major events. Police, fire, and communications teams coordinate with the TMC during large gatherings to keep traffic moving safely. Scottsdale uses just 15 photo enforcement cameras—the lowest density in the Valley—but reports show significant safety improvements: a 12% reduction in crashes at enforced intersections in 2023, nearly a 50% decrease in severe and fatal collisions, and more than a 40% drop in red-light crashes.
The city is starting design work on Main Street improvements in Old Town Scottsdale between 69th Street and Scottsdale Road. Planned upgrades include new sidewalks, improved lighting, and updated landscaping aimed at making walking safer and more comfortable. A community meeting will be held Wednesday morning at Scottsdale’s Museum of the West for residents to view preliminary plans and provide feedback.
Several public meetings are scheduled for the week of November 17th covering topics such as city council sessions, budget reviews, tourism development, economic development subcommittees, bond oversight committees, and parks commission matters.
Upcoming events include Scottsdazzle—a month-long holiday celebration beginning November 29 with the Jingle & Jazz Tree Lighting Spectacular—and regular Thursday evening ArtWalks featuring local galleries.
In other programs and services:
– Steve Ziomek, a United States Coast Guard veteran living in Scottsdale who flew rescue helicopters for over ten years before transitioning to civilian life, continues his efforts to preserve Thunderbird II Field’s WWII history.
– An educational seminar on avoiding common Medicare mistakes will be presented by Allison Lubenow from Senior Advisors on November 20 at Appaloosa Library.
– “Government 202: Behind the Scenes with Scottsdale Water” will take place November 20 at Community Design Studio where experts will discuss water treatment innovations.
Additional updates include:
– The Scottsdale Trolley will not operate on Thanksgiving Day but will resume service on Friday.
– The deadline for Sustainable Scottsdale Awards nominations has been extended until November 21; these awards recognize sustainability achievements that enhance quality of life locally.
– Design work continues on a new public parking structure in northeast Old Town; residents can review concepts online and provide feedback through November.
– A new community survey developed with Zencity invites randomly selected residents to share opinions about public safety, housing affordability, transportation, education—aiming to refine city programs based on resident input.
– Applications are open for Recreation Leader II – Adaptive Recreation positions focused on inclusive programming for individuals with disabilities.
Recent highlights posted online include coverage of Veterans Day commemorations at City Hall Memorial Lawn honoring military service members; an introduction to Andrew—Scottsdale’s first data scientist whose work supports city operations; information about library borrowing limits; and an explanation from Parks Maintenance Worker Joe distinguishing palm trees from other tree species.
Residents can access resources such as reporting tools via Scottsdale EZ or contact the City Call Center at 480-312-3111 for assistance.
