Opinion

Patrick Duffy: Surprise City Council District 3 — August Newsletter

Posted
By Patrick Duffy | Surprise City Councilmember

OPINION — Thank you for taking the time to stay connected with what's happening in Surprise. I hope this newsletter helps you make the most of the City opportunities we have to offer. Wishing you a safe, enjoyable back to school season.

Thank you for reading!

CURRENT EVENTS

City Council Meetings

Since we had only one meeting in August, the next City Council Meetings are September 1 & 15 at 6 p.m. The public is welcome to attend in person, or you can tune in on surpriseaz.gov/SurpriseTV, the City of Surprise Government Facebook page at facebook.com/CityOfSurprise or on Cox channel 11. 

Landscape & Water Efficiency Workshops

Water conservation classes are being offered to help residents understand desert adaptive plants and how to properly take care of them. Classes are held at the Surprise Water Education Center, 16126 N. Civic Center Plz. unless otherwise noted. 

Registration is required to attend. For more information visit surpriseaz.gov/WaterConservation.

  • Aug 6 | Vegetable Gardening in the Low Desert – Hydrate Series | 6 p.m.
  • Aug 8 | Eye-Catching Plants for the Desert Garden | 9 a.m.
  • Aug 29 | Landscape Design for Reduced Maintenance | 9 a.m.
  • Sep 5 | Troubleshooting Common Home Water Leaks | 9 a.m.
  • Sep 19 | Growing Roses in the Desert | 9 a.m.
  • Sep 26 | Irrigation Maintenance, Troubleshooting, & Repair | 9 a.m.

Surprise Arts 2026 - 2027 Season Announcement

The City of Surprise invites the community to the 2026 - 2027 Surprise Arts Presents season, launching this fall at The Vista Center for the Arts. The lineup brings a range of live performances to Surprise, offering opportunities to experience music, comedy, dance and theater close to home.

Surprise Arts features professional touring artists beginning in September and continuing through May. 

2026 - 2027 Season Lineup
 The full season includes a mix of nationally recognized performers and unique live experiences:

  • Sons of Serendip - September 26
  • Jason Bishop: Straight Up Magic - October 17
  • Ambrosia - October 24
  • Greg Fitzsimmons: Comedy - November 6
  • Cirque Kalabanté: Afrique en Cirque - November 7
  • Mariachi Herencia de México: A Mariachi Christmas - December 19
  • Alfreda Sings: Divas of Soul with the West Valley Symphony - January 16
  • The Little Mermen and the Princess Pals - February 13
  • The Odd Couple: Produced by Arizona Frontline Theater - February 13 - 14
  • Good Times Bad Times: The Led Zeppelin Experience - February 27
  • Andy Woodhull: Comedy - April 16
  • Convergence Ballet Company - April 17
  • Good Co. - May 1

Get tickets at surprisearts.com!

Fire First Fridays

The Surprise Fire-Medical Department is offering free life-saving knowledge and training. These classes aim to provide attendees with basic emergency response training in a comfortable and stress-free environment so community members will know how to start helping while waiting for emergency crews. 

CPR Classes – Take a free non-certifying CPR class. Participants will learn the basics of CPR, including chest compressions, AED use and rescue breathing. Classes are on the first Friday of each even-numbered month. The next session will be on August 7.

Stop the Bleed & Narcan Classes – Participants will learn the basic skills needed to save someone in the event of a deep-penetrating injury and the proper technique needed to deliver Narcan. Classes are on the first Friday of each odd-numbered month. The next class is on September 4.

To register and get more information, visit surpriseaz.gov/FireFirstFridays. Please note, registration forms open two weeks before the class date. The maximum class size is 40 people for each session. Participants must be 12 years old or older, and a registered adult must accompany attendees aged 12 - 17.

NEWS & UPDATES

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

The City of Surprise offers Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection for residents to help protect the environment by properly disposing of items that may contain harmful chemicals. 

You can request an appointment for HHW collection pickups right from your driveway. Pickups are scheduled from February through November.

The collection of materials is split into two types and scheduled separately. One pick-up is for electronic HHW, and another is for all other HHW. Please review the list of acceptable and unacceptable items before scheduling your collection date at surpriseaz.gov/HHW.

Upcoming Pickup Periods

  • Aug. 10 - 13, 2026
  • Sept. 14 - 17, 2026
  • Oct. 12 - 15, 2026
  • Nov. 2 - 5, 2026
  • Feb. 8 - 11, 2027
  • Mar. 8 - 11, 2027
  • Apr. 5 - 8, 2027
  • May 10 - 13, 2027
  • Jun. 7 - 10, 2027

Other options to dispose of household hazardous waste and latex paint

  • Motor oil – Please contact your local auto parts store or shop. Typically, these establishments will dispose of your used oil free of charge.
  • Propane tanks (grill) – You can drop them off at most propane refill or exchange locations. 
  • Latex paint – Properly dispose of small quantities of latex paint by removing the lid and letting it dry. When you are sure it's dry, place it in a bag and discard it with your regular household trash.
  • Lithium-ion and rechargeable batteries (power tools, laptop batteries, etc.) – These are accepted for drop off at most big box hardware stores for no charge. A list of locations can be found at batterysafetynow.org.

JULY HIGHLIGHTS

Independence Day Celebration

The City of Surprise invited the community to celebrate Independence Day at Surprise Community Park and Mark Coronado Park with an evening of food, music and fireworks!

In honor of America's 250th anniversary, guests were entertained with a fireworks display that was bigger and better than ever.

Thank you to our Parks & Recreation team for putting on another successful Fourth of July event for our residents!

Colorful holiday light display featuring illuminated red and blue stars, a fan-shaped light sculpture, and palm trees lit in green at night.

SAVE THE DATE

Surprise Day of Service

Join us August 12 at St. Mary’s Food Bank to assist with sorting and packing food, assisting clients and packing Kid's Cafe meals. Volunteer opportunities start at 7:15 a.m., 9:45 a.m. and noon. Youth ages 12 and over are invited to participate, however all participants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Registration is required through St. Mary’s Foodbank; this process will require you to create an account on their website first. For questions about this event or volunteer opportunities, please call 623.222.1612.