When a big storm hits the East Valley, Queen Creek's streets crews could borrow wheel loaders, excavators, vacuum trucks, dump trucks and bulldozers from West Valley cities that were spared, under a mutual aid agreement on the Town Council's Oct. 21 agenda.
The intergovernmental agreement is listed on the consent agenda, where items are usually approved together in a single vote unless a council member pulls one for discussion.
Who is in it
The pact links 11 governments: Avondale, Glendale, Gilbert, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, Surprise, Tempe and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Avondale manages it. Queen Creek first signed on in 2016 and renewed in 2021, so this would be its third version, according to a memo from interim Public Works Director Kenny Stimson.
The agreement is written around solid waste collection, but the memo says the town's main interest is the heavy equipment the other members' trash departments can supply. Queen Creek contracts with Waste Connections for trash pickup, and that company is already required to provide emergency collection and disposal, so the town does not expect to need garbage trucks.
How it works
A member asking for help must describe what it needs, which resources and for how long. Other members have 48 hours to respond and can say no based on their own needs, and they can pull help back with 24 hours' notice. Queen Creek would not be required to send equipment elsewhere unless it has the capacity.
