New business license fees and charges for services provided in connection with those licenses will go into effect Friday, Feb. 19.

Town Business License Coordinator Sarah Pratte said the new fees, approved by the Town of Buckeye Council last month, will be applied to all businesses operating in the town.

Businesses currently holding a license affected by the changes must comply with those changes when submitting their request for license renewal. Pratte outlined the new fees for four business licenses:
• Mobile vending - $100 per year or $50 per month
• Mobile food vending - $150 per year or $50 per month
• Soliciting with a Buckeye business location - $100 per year
• Soliciting without a Buckeye business location - $250 per year

Pratte added that applicants for those four business licenses must be fingerprinted and pay that $15 fee, as well as a $50 fee for a background check, to comply with the new regulations.

If a business fails to send in a renewal notice or notify the town of termination of its license by the expiration date, it will be charged a $25 late fee, Pratte said. That $25 fee will also be assessed to any business requesting a license replacement.

The business license changes are listed in the revised Town code that is available on the town’s official website, www.buckeyeaz.gov.

For further information, contact Pratte at 623-349-6244 or spratte@buckeyeaz.gov.

The Town of Buckeye’s passport services and the Human Resources Department are now located in Town Hall in historic downtown Buckeye.

The move from the Alice Charman Municipal Building on Ash Avenue to the new three-story facility at 530 E. Monroe Ave. is effective Monday, Feb. 1.

Passport services will be located on the first floor of Town Hall, where job information and applications will also be available.

Passport applications are processed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday – appointments are recommended and can be made by calling 623-349-6254.

Passport book fees are $75 for age 16 and older and $60 for age 15 and under. Passport card fees are $20 for age 16 and older and $10 for age 15 and under. Checks or money orders should be made out to the U. S. Department of State for those fees.

The Town of Buckeye’s processing fee is $25, with payment by cash or money order.

The deadline for registration for the Town of Buckeye spring youth sports leagues is Feb. 11.

The leagues consist of coed basketball ages five through 13; coed flag football ages six through 11, and girls cheerleading ages six through 11. League play runs from March 13 through May 8.

Games will be scheduled on Saturday mornings at Earl Edgar Recreational Facility and local Buckeye schools. Practice times, dates and locations will be determined by the volunteer coaches.

Early Bird registration through Feb. 3 is $40 for Buckeye residents and $50 for non-residents. After Feb. 3, registration is $50 for residents and $60 for non-residents.

The registration fee includes seven games, practices, team jersey, shorts (cheer only), mouth guard (football only) and a participation award.

Registrations will be accepted at the Dr. Saide Recreation Center, 1003 E. Eason Ave. A copy of the youth’s birth certificate is required.

Anyone interested in volunteering to be a coach is asked to visit the town’s website, www.buckeyeaz.gov or call Randy Babchuk, 623-349-6358.

The Town of Buckeye’s Community Services Department is sponsoring another yard sale from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, at Heritage Park, 809 N. First St.

Ten-foot by 20-foot spaces can be reserved at a cost of $20 each by contacting Lindsay Yanko, 623-349-6602 or lyanko@buckeyeaz.gov. Applications are also available on the town’s website, www.buckeyeaz.gov, or can be picked up at Town Hall, 530 E. Monroe Ave.

Firearms, weapons or alcohol cannot be sold at the yard sale.

All proceeds from the sale of vendor spaces will go toward the design and construction of Heritage Park.

Town of Buckeye voters in three Town Council districts will have races in each district to consider when they participate in the town’s first all-mail primary election March 9.

In District 4, incumbent David Hardesty, 54, of 23461 W. Hopi St., is running for re-election to a second four-year term against Ray Strauss, 38, of 26107 W. Potter Dr.

Candidates seeking the District 5 Council seat being vacated by Councilman Dr. Robert Doster, who is not running for re-election, are Craig Heustis, 66, of 22879 W. Kalena Ct., and Larry Miller, 69, of 22578 W. Antelope Trail.

Two candidates will square off on the ballot for the District 6 seat, incumbent Dave Rioux, 46, of 23400 W. Galpin, and Eric Orsborn, 38, of 20636 W. Grandview Dr.

All-mail elections are conducted using the same process as early voting, but the major difference is that a voter does not have to request a ballot mailed to them. The Maricopa County Election Department uses the active voter registration list to send a mailer packet to all registered voters in each district.

Voter registration for the primary election March 9 ends Feb. 8. The general election is scheduled for May 18; voter registration for that election ends April 19.

If registered voters have changed their last name or their address since registering previously, they must register with the new name or address to receive the all-mail ballot.

For more elections information, call Town Clerk Lucinda Aja, 623-349-6911, or Deputy Clerk Deb Harrell, 623-349-6914.

Organizers of Buckeye’s popular Spring Celebration are now accepting applications from craft vendors and local businesses to participate in the Business Meet and Greet area during the celebration.

The 12th annual Spring Celebration will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 27, at Earl Edgar Recreational Facility, 500 S. Miller Rd.

The annual celebration includes an egg hunt, an opportunity to meet Mr. and Mrs. Bunny at the Bunny Photo Patch, the Business Meet and Greet area, a craft vendor area, as well as entertainment, food and games.

Despite cold and rainy weather last year, more than 1,000 west Valley residents and their families turned out for the festivities. As the event’s popularity grows, employees in the town’s Community Services Department, which sponsors the annual event, expect even greater attendance this year.

Applications for a 10-foot by 10-foot space, at a cost of $25 each, are available at Town Hall, 530 E. Monroe Ave., on the Buckeye website at Community Services/Upcoming Events, or by contacting Brian Guinn at 623-349-6354 or bguinn@buckeyeaz.gov.

Applications for spaces will be accepted until March 11.

For more information, call Guinn or contact Lindsay Yanko at 623-349-6602 or lyanko@buckeyeaz.gov.

“Bulldog Saves the Day” will be featured during the 43rd Annual Melodrama at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 26 - 27.

The performance by members of the Buckeye Actors Guild will be held in the Buckeye Union High School Performing Arts Center, 902 E. Eason Ave. The melodrama delivers a villain, a hero, a sign girl and lots of laughs.

The intermission will include Olio acts, and refreshments will be available. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at the event, or in advance at the Buckeye Pubic Library, 310 N. Sixth St.

For more information, contact Lindsay Yanko, 623-349-6602, or by email at lyanko@buckeyeaz.gov.