This is the final Fountain Hills History Lesson on 1986.
The Fountain Hills Sanitary District had its biggest year in terms of growth during 1986 — a fact it wrestled with all year.
Early in fall, its waste-water treatment plant expansion project came online, doubling the district’s capacity to treat sewage.
But startup and change-over problems caused harsh odors to waft across nearby neighborhoods.
Steps were taken to better contain odors and complaints dropped off dramatically.
Directors, anticipating the need to expand the facility again in a few years, commissioned an engineering firm to prepare a master plan for the district.
The Fountain Hills Road Districts were able to keep pace with the community’s growth in 1986 through an upgraded maintenance program, however, many political and legal obstacles prevented a major paving program.
A sealing program was instituted in the northeast section of the community. A striper was purchased, and most major streets then had proper striping on them.
With the aid of Maricopa County, a large number of traffic-control signs were installed by the district throughout the community, including much needed “stop” signs at key intersections.
The Fire District Board approved the installation for a second fire station in Fountain Hills.
Two firefighters, along with a pumper truck and possibly a fire attack truck, were stationed at the new facility. The Fire District also recently agreed to hire two additional captains who were used on alternating shifts for Rural/Metro.
The year had been mostly a waiting game for the two committees in Fountain Hills whose chairmen had differing philosophies on what was best for the future government of the community.
The Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce membership in late summer voted 2-1 in favor of supporting incorporation.
Also, the Incorporation Committee sponsored a canvass of registered voters in Fountain Hills. Results showed that 73 percent of those polled favored the eventual incorporation of Fountain Hills.
New facilities, and a greatly expanded student enrollment, were the main news happenings of the Fountain Hills School District.
District officials had been anticipating the use of at least some of the classrooms in the new McDowell Mountain Elementary School for the fall semester.
In other school news, the district was close to adopting a master development plan at year’s end. The plan served as a guideline for future construction and site needs to meet the district’s burgeoning enrollment.
A district administration building was nearing completion at year’s end on Calaveras Avenue.
The district brought in the YMCA to coordinate summer and latchkey programs for youngsters.
Academically, Jason Yocum won the Robert Hendrix Memorial Award for the highest academic achievement at the annual eighth grade graduation ceremonies in May. The largest graduating class ever, 68 students, received certificates that evening.
Marcy Koepnick was named the school’s top athlete. Teams from the school did quite well in the Superstition Athletic League, winning many titles.
LaKenya Brown won the 1985/86 district spelling bee in January. The 1986/87 bee was held in December with Christine Marchese winning at Four Peaks Elementary and Mary Weathers spelling her way to the title at McDowell Mountain Elementary.
As usual, there were a number of special events held in Fountain Hills during 1986. Space would not allow us to review all of them, but highlights included the following:
Channel 8’s Great Fair was held in February with more than 100,000 people attending activities during its two-day run. As it turned out, this was to be the last of the events sponsored by the Public Broadcasting System station. Station officials announced in the fall that they were eliminating the event from its budget.
Shortly after that announcement, the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce said that it would start its own version of the Great Fair in March 1987.
Another large crowd was in the community in April for the Chamber’s annual White Castle hamburger event (which would also be the last event of that kind) and the Carson & Barnes Circus, brought to the community by the Sunset Kiwanis.
The Fountain Mountain Triathlon attracted more than 900 athletes to compete here in October. The test of endurance included bicycling, running and swimming.
November was highlighted by the annual Fountain Festival of Arts and Crafts sponsored by the Chamber and the Women’s Club House Walk and Bazaar.
Tim Yoder was named recipient of the Oliver Johnson Citizen of the Year award, presented annually by the Noon Kiwanis. He was very active in the community, serving on the Fire District Board, the Committee of Architecture and was active as a coach and sponsor of the Fountain Hills Little League and Women’s Softball League.
Stacy Strong received the top academic honors at the Fountain Hills Christian Academy in May.
Although not technically an award, Leslie Franklin was honored by being named drum major of the award-winning Coronado High School band.
Well, that wraps up this overview of 1986 in Fountain Hills.
