A crowd estimated between 5,000 and 10,000 gathered at Fountain Park Saturday morning to cheer on their hero and leading Republican Presidential candidate, Donald Trump.

People waited in a line that extended across the north side of the park and back into the center along Saguaro Boulevard. They passed through metal detectors and were subject to a search by TSA personnel before entering the area designated for those with tickets.

According to TSA, 700 ticketed people entered into the fenced area in front of the speaker platform.

After they got in the wait was another two hours in the warm Arizona sun before Trump arrived just before noon. Several people wilted in the heat and were seen being helped out of the crowd to receive medical treatment.

Protesters blocking Shea Boulevard near the Beeline Highway delayed Trump’s arrival while police cleared the road. Three people were arrested according to Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was with the motorcade and introduced Trump once the program began (see separate story).

Trump’s speech lasted about 30 minutes and focused on immigration, the economy, military strength and debt.

“Our country is not winning anymore,” Trump said.

“I will have us winning again all the time. I will not let you down.”

Trump comments

Trump said his wife and daughter were urging him to be “more presidential” with his speeches, and indeed his comment were more of a standard campaign stump speech.

He promised to end Common Core and return control of education to the local level. He said he would end Obamacare and replace it with a great healthcare plan that would cost less.

“We are going to be smart, vigilant, we are going to know what we are doing,” Trump said.

“We will be proud of our country again.”

He said he would make the military bigger, stronger and better.

“No one is going to mess with us anymore,” he said.

“Everywhere we go we have these massive crowds. [Our campaign] is winning. Our country is not winning anymore. I will have us winning again all the time.”

Town impact

Town customer service representative Patty Toal may have been the first person in town to have an inkling that the Donald Trump campaign was coming to Fountain Hills for the rally March 19.

Toal was forwarded a call from another employee about an inquiry for rental in Fountain Park. She began her routine of questions to make the reservation, asking about the event, whether it was a birthday party or picnic.

Toal said she was somewhat surprised when told it would be a political rally for Trump. She looked over her shoulder expecting to see fellow employees laughing at a prank they had played on her. No one was there.

Toal passed the call on to Recreation Supervisor Rachael Goodwin, who handles bigger events.

In spite of other media and Facebook reports, Toal said Fountain Park was the only venue requested. Community Services Director Mark Mayer said although it was reported the Community Center would be the location for the event, that was never an option. It is not large enough, and it was already booked.

Mayer said the Trump campaign is paying the town’s fee rate for the park.

Town Manager Grady Miller sent an email to a concerned citizen, which was forwarded to The Times.

“The Trump campaign staff signed a rental contract for Fountain Park, which includes agreeing to pay $2,300 in park fees (includes the Fountain), which is based on the town’s fee schedule for this type of event,” Miller said.

The campaign also paid a $5,000 damage deposit, naming the town as an additional insured on a million dollar general liability insurance policy.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said additional law enforcement services did not cost the town. He said as county sheriff, this is part of the job that they do. Additional manpower was on hand as well as volunteer armed posse members, according to Arpaio.

Additional security included the MCSO helicopter in the area and a boat was requested for Fountain Lake.

Miller added in his email that, “if there are direct and indirect costs not absorbed by the MDSO organization, MCSO will bill the Trump National Campaign for law enforcement services.”

The Secret Service was responsible for security at the rally site and protecting Trump. The Secret Service was also responsible for screening people going into the ticketed rally area. TSA personnel were used for this purpose.

The Trump campaign committee paid for and handled all of the other costs such as fence rentals, stage, sound systems, portable toilets and other similar items.