Inside Glendale - Mid-May 2026

WELCOME BACK TO CITY HALL After years of construction and planning, many of our employees have officially moved into the City Hall complex, as of May 18, 2026.

The beautiful, modern facility, located just north of Glendale Avenue between 58th and 59th avenues, reunites employees who had been temporarily dispersed across various city buildings during construction. City employees had relocated from the old City Hall in 2022 to facilitate the Downtown Campus Reinvestment Project (DCRP). Many spaces were remodeled or otherwise enhanced to offer seamless, onestop-shop services to our community.

Important: Parking & Access Changes for anyone visiting or working in the new facility, please note the following: The parking garage is accessible only from 59th Avenue and Glenn Drive — there is no longer a Glendale Avenue entrance.

The main entrance to City Hall is now on the southwest side of the building.

Building tours are coming soon for employees.

Please watch for a sign-up opportunity soon.

BRINGING THE CITY TOGETHER EMPLOYEES EXPLORE BENEFITS AT FUN-FILLED FAIR

Enthusiasm was high as employees picked up creative office goodies, entered a raffle contest, indulged in chair massages, mingled with their colleagues over lunch and got the scoop on the city’s many benefits at a popular event on May 7 at the Civic Center. The Benefits and Wellness Fair drew more than 600 employees, who learned about health insurance, continuing education, wellness programs, committees and more. There were 15 raffle prizes given to lucky employees.

Our Human Resources and Risk Management Department, with support from many other departments, did a great job of creating a fun atmosphere with a patriotic theme!

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR HELP YOUR TEEN DRIVE SMART Employees are invited to enroll their teenagers (ages 15–19) in Alive at 25, a free four-hour driver awareness course covering the risks and consequences of unsafe driving. The class is led

by Traffic Education Program Manager Cassandra Johnston on June 23, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Foothills Recreation and Aquatics Center (FRAC).

Learn more about the Alive at 25 driver safety program and other ways our city promotes road safety on this Traffic Education Programs webpage.

Each student will receive a certificate of completion that may be presented to their insurance company for a potential discount!

Space is limited to 60 students — register your teen today!

EXPLORE HAWAII VIRTUALLY There is still time to enjoy a virtual tour of the Hawaiian Islands and participate in the Move More Department Challenge.

The department that averages the most steps per day throughout the challenge will win the competition and receive the Golden Shoe. This race for the Golden Shoe Trophy continues through May 26. Log minutes of activity or daily steps using a pedometer, fitness device or smartphone app. If you have taken at least 7,000 steps per day during the challenge, which started April 15, you will earn 5,000 bonus points towards the annual wellness incentive.

You may register for the challenge on the Personify Health website.

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR COMMUNITY SERVICES EASING BACK-TO-SCHOOL STRAIN Would you like to make a difference in the lives of children and teens? Our city’s Back to School Supply Drive will be held from June 15 to July 17, thanks to our Community Services Department! All employees are encouraged to donate a variety of supplies for students in grades K-3 and grades 4-8.

Our Community Services Department is reaching out to community partners to help Glendale students start school on the right foot! Employees are asking these partners to donate new shoes to students in the Glendale Elementary School District.

They are collecting shoes for children entering kindergarten through 8th grades who need support.

Thank you to our Community Services employees and community organizations that are helping create a smooth, successful school year for children!

The K-3 students need the following items: Pencils Crayons Composition Notebooks (for primary grades) Pencil Pouches Scissors Erasers Markers Students in grades 4-8 need these supplies: Pencils Pencil Pouches Colored Pencils Erasers Spiral Notebooks Rulers Loose-Leaf Paper Markers You may drop off donations at these sites: Glendale Adult Center Main Library Velma Teague Library Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center (GRPSTC) Field Operations (A-Building) Glendale Media Center (1st Floor) Civic Center Annex Gateway Police Precinct Bead Museum Would you like to help but don’t have time to shop?

Reach out to Michelle Yates at myates@glendaleaz.com.

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ENRICHING ACTIVITIES MAKE A SPLASH, STAY SAFE It’s hot outside and that means it’s almost time for our Parks and Recreation Department to open our city’s pools and splash pads.

Our Fire Department Community Risk Reduction Manager Ashley Christman, along with our Councilmember Lupe Conchas, will help Glendale Firefighters Charities host a Water Safety Day from 1 to 5 p.m. on June 13 at Rose Lane Aquatics Center. There will be CPR instruction, a helicopter landing and SRP gift giveaway.

Our Foothills Recreation and Aquatics Center and Rose Lane Aquatics Center will open on May 23.

Recreational swimming is offered from 1 to 5 p.m. every day the first week of the season. Then after May 30, the pools will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays the same hours, and closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Little ones can cool off at our splash pads at Heroes Regional Park, Greenway Granada Park, O’Neil Park, Sycamore Grove Park and Sunset Palms Park, also starting on May 23. The splash pads will be open from noon to 7 p.m. Mondays through Sundays and from Aug. 1 to Labor Day, Sept. 7. Learn more about our aquatics centers and splash pads by visiting Glendale’s Aquatics webpage.

READ, ATTEND LIBRARY EVENTS AND EARN PRIZES

Our city’s Public Library is one of 65 library systems across the county gearing up for Summer Reading as Maricopa County Reads opens on June 1. There’s a community goal of 110 million minutes being read during the program, which runs through July 20.

Participants of all ages earn one point per minute for reading physical or electronic books or listening to audiobooks. Additional points are earned for attending in-person and virtual events that librarians and local performers host, completing summer reading challenges and engaging in community experiences to find secret codes while exploring Maricopa County. Glendale readers will receive prizes when they reach 100, 250, 500 and 750 points. Those who reach 1,000 points may choose a free book or make a donation to help an organization that aids youths. To learn more about the program, visit the Maricopa County Reads website in English or in Spanish.

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COMING UP IN THE CITY PATRIOTIC CONCERTS TO MARK USA’S MILESTONE The United States turns 250 this year and our city will continue to celebrate this momentous occasion with more FREE performances in our Main Library’s Auditorium.

Our Economic Development Department presented a performance last weekend and will facilitate the following: June 4 at 6 p.m.: C & K Productions will perform patriotic vocal favorite songs June 25 at 6:30 p.m.: Sounds and Stories of the Jazz Age - classic, American jazz hits June 27 at 2 p.m.: Pick & Holler Band will play early American folk songs July 11 at 2 p.m.: Secret Harbor Music will deliver U.S. Naval songs July 23 at 6 p.m.: Sugar Thieves will perform blues-roots sounds July 30 at 2 p.m.: Driftwood Quintet will play classical American songs August 6 at 2 p.m.: Citizen Tom Paine will perform a live historical reenactment (not music) There will be commemorative flags given away at these events.

GIVE BACK AND DONATE BLOOD Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood and the good news is our city is once again doing something to help.

Our next City of Glendale Blood Drive will be held from 8 a.m. to noon outside of the Glendale Adult Center on May 21. Blood donors will earn 500 points towards the Wellness Incentive.

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If you would like to donate blood, you may visit the Vitalant website at donors.vitalant.org or contact our Wellness Program Manager Ali Waelchli-Brooks at 623-930-2467. To register through the website, use sponsor code “Glendale.”

GIVING THANKS IN GLENDALE COMMUNITY SERVICES TEAM CHANNELS 1950s AT LUNCH

Our Community Services Department took some time to “shake, rattle and roll” at a 1950s-themed employee appreciation lunch at the Glendale Elementary School District (GESD) System of Care Center on May 6.

Employees wore poodle skirts, “greaser” style shirts, pink jackets and diner-type uniforms popular in that decade as music played and four employees cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for attendees.

Several of the “cool cats” in Community Services took part in a contest to see who could twirl hula hoops the longest. The winner was Maria Gonzales, who impressed everyone with her twirling over many minutes. A costume contest gave employees a chance to twist and show off their eclectic outfits as they danced like they were at a sock hop. Laura Post, dressed in a pink dress and scarf, paired with an apron and a curly wig like a diner waitress won the prize for best costume. Smiles were easy to spot among employees, who enjoyed this special treat to thank them for their hard work.

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GREATNESS IN GLENDALE TRANSPORTATION, POLICE TEAM UP TO TEACH SAFETY What began as a community's response to tragedy became one of Glendale's most far-reaching youth safety initiatives. When a teen bicyclist was struck at 67th Avenue and Hillcrest on the first day of school last August, city leaders refused to let the moment pass without meaningful change.

Led by Traffic Education Program Manager Cassandra Johnston and Glendale Police Traffic Officer Brian Schlingman, the Transportation Traffic Education Division, Glendale Police Department, School Resource Officers, and school partners quickly united to develop a comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian safety program.

Grounded in real-world enforcement experience and transportation expertise, the initiative delivered engaging, practical presentations helping students recognize risks and make safer choices, while also addressing the city's newly adopted e-bike and escooter ordinances.

Expanding the program citywide required an exceptional team effort. Transportation Education Specialist Tom Holzschuh and Police Officer Charles Beauchamp kept momentum going through dynamic presentations and filmed educational content that extended the program's reach beyond the classroom. School Resource Officers were instrumental in coordinating campus logistics, reinforcing safety messaging and integrating the program into all nine Glendale high schools. Across the board, team members consistently went beyond their normal duties to ensure students received timely, impactful safety education.

By May 2026, the initiative had reached thousands of freshman students across the city, turning a single tragic event into a lasting model for how Glendale protects and serves its youth.

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EMPLOYEES EXCELING FIRE DEPARTMENT CAPTAIN, FIREFIGHTER EARN HONORS Two members of our Fire Department are receiving well-deserved kudos for their great commitment to serving residents.

Captain John McGee

Firefighter Peter Baroldy

Banner Thunderbird Medical Center’s Emergency Department recently selected Captain John McGee and firefighter Peter Baroldy for the 2026 Paramedic of the Year Award. The Banner department selects individuals who its employees have enjoyed working with the most over the past year. It submits nominations and then the award winners are chosen based on their performance within the emergency department and their level of customer services.

COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR TALKS STRATEGY AT CONFERENCE Last week, Rachel Dickman, PR and Communications Advisor in our Communications Department, presented at the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) Annual Conference in San Diego. This conference draws nearly 1,000 public-sector communications professionals from across the country and beyond.

She joined veteran communicators from the City of Folsom, Santa Barbara County Public Works Department, DeGrave Communications and Sacramento Area Sewer District for a well-attended session, “Surf, Sand & Strategy: From Research to Results – A Beach Fire Pit Chat.” The discussion explored how communications strategy unfolds within public agencies, from research and goal-setting to execution under pressure, as well as measuring impact.

Originally founded in California, CAPIO has grown into a nationally recognized organization. Glendale’s participation highlights the city’s continued commitment to leadership and excellence in public-sector communications.

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EXPANDING EMPLOYEES’ MINDS DANG! GROUP EXPLORES BENEFITS OF DATA, TACKLES TRIVIA Glendale's data enthusiasts gathered at the Civic Center on May 14 for the latest Glendale Data Analyst Networking Group (DANG!) meeting, hosted by the Organizational Performance Department.

Director Jenny Durda, Business Intelligence and Analytics Officer Stephen Gushue and Organizational Performance Officer Jeff Bratcher kicked off the event with a trivia game exploring the instincts and reasoning behind data-driven decision-making.

Business Intelligence Developer Paul Padilla Jr. shared his municipal data experience, Town of Gilbert Core Performance Manager Aimee Ashworth offered an outside perspective on how neighboring communities use data, and civic facilitator Matt Lehrman discussed his consulting work with Glendale's city leadership. Interested in joining the conversation? Learn more on the DANG! page on the Employee Portal.

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