This fall, voters have an opportunity to invest in Pima County’s future. The seven Pima County Bond propositions are essential components of a comprehensive and balanced economic development strategy that creates jobs and opportunity for all residents.

 

A YES vote on this bond investment strategy will build and repair critical infrastructure, provide affordable housing, protect public safety, encourage tourism, conserve open space and improve community health and knowledge.

 

Pima County’s population is expected to grow by 11 percent over the next decade. Additional investments are needed to meet the needs of both current and future residents.  If we put off making these investments now, essential infrastructure such as roads will continue to decay and cost more to address later.

 

Voter approval of the bond package will create thousands of new construction jobs; even more when combined with the private sector investment. Additionally, other sectors will realize significant economic benefits. 

Pima County lost thousands of construction, tourism, and other jobs during the Great Recession. While improving, our economy has yet to recover fully. That makes it even more essential that the 2015 Bond package be approved. Make your vote count – YES on all seven bond propositions!!

 

 

Tom is Vice President and Regional Manager of Psomas, a leading consulting firm offering professional services in civil engineering, environmental, construction management and land surveying.  He has been with the company since its inception in 1985 as McGovern, MacVittie, Lodge & Associates (MMLA), through its merger with Psomas in 2004.  He is a registered civil engineer and land surveyor.  Tom has been actively involved in both the community and his profession.  He is the current Chairman of the Board of the Tucson Metro Chamber, and he is a board member of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, where he serves as co-chair of the Infrastructure Focus Area. His most current volunteer effort is as a co-chair of the Yes on Pima County Bonds campaign committee.  Tom is a native Tucsonan.

 

 

When I sit down for lunch at our Rotary meetings, I always enjoy the opportunity to find out more about the person sitting next to me. However, for some reason this week, I was in a situation where we were able to share across the table. This is not often the case, as usually the background noise does not allow cross table conversations. But this meeting was an exception, and I found my time visiting this week to also be an exceptionally enjoyable experience!

 

Birthday’s are always special (though my wife may beg to differ with me!), and we celebrated three birthdays this week. A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY shout-out to NANCY PURDIN and STACIA DECKER! And a VERY SPECIAL HAPPY BIRTHDAY to BILL GILKINSON for celebrating the beginning of his 9^th decade!

 

TED KIRACOFE provided another excellent introduction to our program, this time announcing Kristian Richardson, Director of the U.S. Commercial Service in Arizona. I have to give TED credit, as he initially resisted the temptation to promote that other AZ school he attended when announcing that Kristian also attended ASU. However, the crowd showed less self-control so TED had to respond a comment or two regarding which university, in his opinion, was superior. Of course I think we all know which side of the aisle TED stands on…

 

The program was again very interesting. If you are a small business owner or manager and you are thinking of exporting outside the U.S., you really need to contact the U.S. Commercial Service. Many services and programs are offered at no charge or at a very reasonable fee. I was surprised to find out they will provide in-country services if you need assistance within your target export country. You can learn more at www.export.gov. And one interesting statistic you may like to learn: Mexico is rapidly growing the middle class and according to recent estimates, will likely be the 5^th largest economy in the world by 2050. If you are considering establishing exports to Mexico, now may be the time to get the process started.

 

In closing, I will leave you with a joke compliments of TED KIRACOFE. “Why did the chicken cross the playground?? To get to the other slide!!” Ba Dum!

 

Previously, you read about the relaxed attendance standards, and the reasoning behind the movement, from RI through to the local level. At one time, make-ups were hard to come by and diligently pursued, not so much for the intrinsic value as for a way to keep out of the red zone of “sub-par” attendance. If hitting a percentage mark is less of a mandate than in the past, why should you make up? There’s the obvious case of maintaining your goal of 100% attendance, but are there other benefits? Give it a bit of thought, and you can come up with several.

 

> If you are in business, you are pretty much constantly on the lookout for new customers. Visit the clubs in your market area and make your presence known.

 

> Whether you are in business or retired, you periodically need to acquire goods and services. Meeting fellow Rotarians at other clubs introduces you to new suppliers. Everyone has a greater comfort level buying from someone they know, let alone someone they have a reason to trust from the start, that reason being membership in Rotary.

 

> Other local clubs feature presentations on topics you might need or want to know more about. You can typically converse with the presenters at those meetings.

 

> Rotary e-clubs give you the choice of topic in completing your make-up. Whether it’s more about a program or initiative within the Rotary world, or even a personal growth presentation, your ability to choose the topic of your “attendance” at an e-club meeting, provides a two-fer – you gain that knowledge and simultaneously earn a make-up.

 

> When you travel to an unfamiliar area, a make-up early in your trip introduces you to knowledgeable locals who clue you in to both the must-sees and the waste-of-time activities. Occasionally, you gain access to experiences not otherwise attainable to the everyday tourist.

 

> Do your part to improve international relations by visiting clubs in other countries. Bit by bit, you can impact the world view of the USA while helping you to understand other cultures.

 

> Making up internally, via RCOT committee meetings and events, is a perfect way to advance the efforts of the organization you joined for all the right reasons. Even though you couldn’t come to last Wednesday’s meeting, helping at this Saturday’s work project or next Tuesday’s Car Show meeting means you make a difference in improving the lives of our beneficiaries.

 

The pressure to do make-ups may be reduced in the modern Rotary world; make up anyway – because you want to.

 

 

Proposed Member:  Chris Cuffaro

 

Classification:  Finance:  Credit Union

 

Sponsor:  Jason Grabosch

Please welcome the following new member into the Rotary Club of Tucson.  He will be introduced to the club at a meeting in the near future.

 

New Member:  Tom Willis

 

Classification:  Accounting & Financial Services:  CPA Private Practice

 

Sponsor:  Dale Berg