HEADLINE NEWS

Scottsdale City Manager Greg Caton has officially appointed Jeff Walther as assistant city manager and Joe LeDuc as police chief. Both leaders have been serving in their respective interim roles and bring decades of dedication, experience and service to the city. Caton praised the appointments as examples of Scottsdale’s strong internal talent and commitment to promoting from within.

Chief Joe LeDuc brings more than 33 years of experience with the Scottsdale Police Department to his new role. He became a police officer in 1991 and served as a patrol officer, property crimes and homicide detective, and member of the DEA Task Force. He has risen through the ranks—supervising the Special Victims Unit, working in Internal Affairs, and leading two police districts and the municipal jail as a commander.

Promoted to Assistant Chief of Police in 2021, LeDuc has worked alongside Jeff Walther to shape the department’s strategic direction, while collaborating with city departments and regional partners.

Jeff Walther, who now joins the City Manager’s Office as a permanent assistant city manager, is a 30-year Scottsdale Police Department veteran who has served as police chief since 2020. Recognized as Arizona’s “Chief of the Year” in 2022 and recipient of the 2024 City of Scottsdale Bill Donaldson Award, Walther is known for his strategic leadership and unwavering commitment to community service.

Learn more.

The City Council will discuss Budget Review Commission recommendations Tuesday. The commission submitted a report to the City Council with recommendations to improve budget transparency, capital project management and long-term financial sustainability. Key suggestions include prioritizing high-impact capital projects, forming a “Tiger Team” to improve project delivery and developing a 20-year roads program with higher pavement condition goals.

Additional proposals focus on evaluating vacant positions, improving cost recovery for services, enhancing fund balance reporting and adding financial impact statements to all Council agenda items. The full report will be presented to City Council during a work-study session at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, in the Scottsdale City Hall Kiva, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd. View the agenda.

Splashpad, indoor playground coming to Scottsdale’s railroad park this summer. Scottsdale’s McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with exciting new attractions aimed at boosting summer attendance.

A 10,000-square-foot building, the Roundhouse, is scheduled to open in July with a focus on train-themed play. The building will include an indoor play structure in the shape of a locomotive engine and multipurpose room.

A 5,000-square-foot splashpad play area is also on track to open in July. The addition of a splashpad has been the most requested enhancement over the past several years and was identified during the master planning process as a key addition that will increase use and provide recreation opportunities in the summer.

Learn more.

Four of Scottsdale Water’s employees were honored last week during the 98th Annual Arizona Water Conference and Exhibition at the Phoenix Convention Center. David Walby, Craig Craddock, Gary Tuning and Joe Maldonado each received individual awards for their work in 2024 during the conference which is held each year as a three-day program designed to provide professional development, continuing education and technology transfer for professionals in the water industry.

• Walby, who currently serves as Scottsdale Water’s director of water services was honored Thursday with the Water Environment Federation Hatfield Award.
• Craddock, Scottsdale Water’s wastewater collection manager, was honored with the Nathan Burbank Environmental Educator Award.
• Tuning, Scottsdale Water’s wastewater treatment manager, was named the Operations Leader of the Year.
• Maldonado, wastewater operations supervisor, was named the Supervisor of the Year for Arizona.

Learn more about the employees and their awards.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Get a head start learning about city issues, projects and activities by attending or listening in on the many public meetings we host.

Week of April 21:

• City Council Regular and Work Study Meeting: 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 22
• Industrial Development Authority Regular Meeting: 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 23
• Neighborhood Advisory Commission Regular Meeting: 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 23
• Human Services Advisory Commission Regular Meeting: 5 p.m. Thursday, April 24

Learn about the responsibilities of city Boards and Commissions and how you can serve.

Find more public meetings.

THINGS TO DO

Enjoy senior talent at Entertainment Extravaganza. This free event features senior citizens singing, dancing, doing magic and performing comedy acts.

• 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St.  
  

Shop a wide variety of organic produce and seasonal specialties at the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market. The market features more than 100 Arizona growers.

• Old Town Scottsdale - 3806 N. Brown Ave.
• 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• FREE admission
• Event details

Ongoing:

• Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts: Attend exciting, diverse events throughout the year.
• Find McDowell Sonoran Conservancy events.
• Discover Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West activities.
• Get Scottsdale Sister Cities events.

Get more events information.

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Water safety class. Water safety is important for all ages, but especially for toddlers. Drowning is the leading cause of injury death in children 1-4 years old. Young children can drown in as little as an inch or two of water, and it can happen quickly and silently. Join our free class and learn how to create layers of protection to keep your family safe and reduce drowning risk.

• 10 – 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 30, at the Paiute Neighborhood Center, 6535 E. Osborn Road, Building 7.
  

Scottsdale Senior Services is seeking donations for its annual program that provides homebound, in-need seniors with necessary items for summer relief. Donations can be dropped off 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, through May 17, at Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda. Critical items needed:

• Water bottles
• Brita water pitchers with filters
• Nutritional drinks

Find a full list of items needed (PDF).

FYI

Tennis courts at Comanche Park repaired and upgraded after storm damage. The two courts, which suffered significant damage from a microburst, have been rebuilt and are now open to the public.

Rather than opting for temporary repairs, the city took the opportunity to enhance the courts with post-tension concrete, which minimizes cracks and extends the lifespan of the courts beyond 25 years. The project also included upgraded LED lighting, new fencing and windscreens, replacement of park signage and repairs to a damaged backstop.

The renovation was funded through a combination of insurance claim dollars, the city’s annual court repair budget and park amenity capital improvement funds.

Learn more.

Job of the Week: Locksmith. In this role, you'll apply your expertise to keep our public spaces safe, secure, and accessible, from libraries and community centers to fire stations and city offices. Your duties will include installing, repairing, and maintaining commercial lockable hardware and conducting key audits to ensure proper key control and prevent unauthorized access.

City employees enjoy competitive benefits while working in a supportive, high-performance organization focused on delivering on our mission – Simply Better Service for a World-Class Community. Learn more and apply.  

QUICK LINKS

• City Call Center - 480-312-3111
• Report things that need to be fixed, or submit other requests via Scottsdale EZ
• Traffic Restrictions Map
• Stay in the loop, subscribe to ADOT Loop 101 construction updates .
• Brush and Bulk Schedule
• Scottsdale Weather