>> THOSE WHO WORKED FOR HIM CALLED HIM A GEM AND A TREASURE.

HE WORKED AS AN AMBASSADOR, HELPING PEOPLE NAVIGATE DOWNTOWN PHOENIX.

JIM SMALL, WELCOME BACK.

BIG SURPRISE TO BOTH OF US, THE MARICOPA COUNTY SUPERVISOR WILL RESIGN AFTER RECORDINGS EMERGED OF HIM CRITICIZING.

>> THEY WERE MADE IN JANUARY AND IT WAS DURING THE FIGHT OVER THE SUBPOENAS.

WHAT YOU HAD WAS SHOOTING HIS MOUTH, INDICATING HE HE WAS WILLING TO COOPERATE, BUT THE REST OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WASN'T, AND STEVE CAME AROUND TO JOIN IN THE FEELINGS OF THE DISDAIN FOR THE SENATE EFFORT.

BUT AT THE TIME HE LASHED OUT AT THEM, AND THERE WERE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTION AND LOTS AND LOTS OF DEAD PEOPLE VOTING WHICH HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN.

HE HINTED THAT A COUPLE OF HIS COLLEAGUES WERE WORRIED BECAUSE THEY WERE IN CLOSE RACES, AND THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT ANY KIND OF DIGGING INTO THE RACES MIGHT END UP WITH THEM LOSING, THERE IS NO INDICATION TO THINK THIS THOSE RESULTS ARE SUSPECT, AND THEN HE MADE SOME REALLY UNFLATTERING COMMENTS ABOUT ADRIAN, WHO HAD BEEN THE COUNTY RECORDER AT THE TIME OF ELECTION WAS HELD, WHO IS A DEMOCRAT.

>> LET'S GO BACK TO THE RECORDINGS.

IS THIS A SIGN THAT WE KEEP SEEING IN THE WAKE OF THE AUDIT, YOU NEVER SURE WHEN YOU'RE RECORDED, AND YOU SHOULD PICK YOUR AUDIENCE MORE CORRECTLY.

HE STILL LIKES AND RESPECTS HIS COLLEAGUES OF SUPERVISORS, BUT WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THOSE WHO IS MORE TO THE RIGHT THAN HE IS, I SORT OF JUMPED ON BOARD WITH THEM.

>> THESE ARE REALLY SELF-INFLICTED, UNFORCED ERRORS.

WHAT WAS BAFFLING TO ME WAS THAT STEVE IS MAKING THESE COMMENTS TO PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT HIS POLITICAL ALLY.

THEY'RE TRYING TO RECALL HIM, GETTING HIM KICKED OUT OF HIS OFFICE AS WELL AS THE OTHER SUPERVISORS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THEY CANVASSED ELECTION, AND THEY WOULDN'T SUPPORT THE SENATE'S AUDIT.

HE WAS SPEAKING IN A SURPRISINGLY CANDID MANNER.

I COULDN'T REALLY SPECULATE AS TO WHY HE WAS DOING THAT.

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS ASSUME YOU'RE BEING RECORDED, AND B, NOT BE SO UNGUARDED IF YOU'RE SPEAKING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE OSTENSIBLY YOUR POLITICAL ENEMIES.

>> IF WE GO BACK TO POLITICAL SCIENCE DESIGNATIONS, MAYBE HE STRADDLED A LITTLE BIT BUT LEANED MORE TOWARDS WALL STREET, AND HE SEEMED MOST OF HIS REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES AND SUPERVISORS WERE IN THE SAME BOAT.

ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW THESE VOTES WITH THAT PARTICULAR PANEL GOING FORWARD, WHICH FRANKLY DOES NOT GET A LOT OF ATTENTION, BUT WAS THRUST FORWARD BECAUSE OF THE SENATE AUDIT.

>> I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE WE'LL SEE UPHEAVAL AT THE COUNT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.

THEY'RE ON STAGGERED FOUR-YEAR TERMS.

WE HAVE A COUPLE WHO COME UP IN 2022.

WE'LL SEE HOW THAT WORKS OUT.

I DO THINK THAT THERE--THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, PARTICULARLY THE FOUR REPUBLICANS ALL TOOK THE STEPS THEY DID IN DEFENDING THE ELECTION.

THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL POLITICAL RISK TO IT, AND THAT RISK HAS ONLY GROWN AS THIS IDEA THAT THESE LIES ABOUT THE ELECTION FRAUD HAS REALLY METASTASIZED IN A LARGE SECTION OF THE REPUBLICAN VOTERS.

I THINK THOSE COUNTY SUPERVISORS, IF THEY GET CHALLENGED BY SOMEONE WHO BASICALLY GOES UP AGAINST THEM, AND MAKES THE CAMPAIGN ABOUT THAT--ABOUT THE AUDIT, AND THE 2020 ELECTION, IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE YOU COULD SEE MULTIPLE PRIMARY CHALLENGES TO THOSE SUPERVISORS.

I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING YET ABOUT WHO MIGHT BE LOOKING TO RUN IN THOSE RACES, BUT I WOULD BE SHOCKED IF YOU DIDN'T SEE REALLY PEOPLE TRYING TO OUTRANK THEM ON THE RIGHT, AND PEOPLE RUNNING ON THE IDEA THAT THESE ARE REPUBLICANS WHO ARE ESSENTIALLY TRAITORS BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T STEP IN AND STOP THE QUOTE/UNQUOTE ELECTION FRAUD.

>> YOU MENTIONED REACTION BY THE COLLEAGUES.

>> THERE WAS SURPRISE AND DISMAY.

I THINK--I'M SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN THEIR LIFE HAS SAID UNFLATTERING THINGS IN WHAT THEY THOUGHT WERE PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS IN WHO OTHERWISE WERE FRIENDS AND YOU'RE JUST COMPLAINING WAS GOING ON.

THEY HANDLED IT VERY DIPLOMATICALLY AND SAID THAT THEY WISHED HE HASN'T SAID THOSE THINGS, BUT THEY BASICALLY--THEY STILL LIKED HIM, AND THEY STILL VIEWED HIM AS A FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE.

>> AND IN THE COUNTY RECORDER, YOU MENTIONED HIM AS WELL.

HE WAS LESS POLITE IN HIS REACTION.

BUT WHEN HE WAS COUNTY RERECORDER, HE HAD SOME OF HIS POWERS STRIPPED AWAY FROM THE BOARD.

>> HE CLASHED WITH THAT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

THE IDEA THAT THERE IS NO LOVE LOST IS NO SURPRISE.

HE ROUTINELY WORKED TO PUSH THE LIPS, UNDER THE MANTRA BETTER TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS THAN PERMISSION, AND THAT WAS THE WAY HE APPROACHED A LOT OF ISSUES.

AND THAT LED TO CONFLICT WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

YOU'RE RIGHT, IN THE 2018 ELECTION THEY PULLED BACK SOME OF THE AUTHORITY FOR THE RECORDER OFFICE TO RUN THE ELECTIONS AND ESTABLISHED ITS OWN ELECTIONS DIRECTOR THAT REPORTED TO THEM AND BASICALLY HANDLED ALL OF THE MECHANICS OF PULLING THE ELECTION OFF.

BUT TO YOUR ADDITIONAL POINT.

ADRIAN'S REACTION BEING CALMED A SCUM BAG WAS BASICALLY TO SAY YEAH, I DON'T LIKE HIM EITHER, AND HIS QUOTE WAS HE CAN GO TO.

THERE IS NO LOVE LOST THERE.

AND I THINK THAT'S A RESPONSE BY ADRIAN-- >> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT, HOW ONE CHARITABLE TRUST HAS MADE A HUGE IMPACT ON ARIZONA NON-PROFITS.

>> THE CHARITABLE TRUST AWARDED $123 MILLION IN SURPRISE GRANTS TO 27 ARIZONA NON-PROFITS.

THE LARGEST GRANT INITIATIVE IN ARIZONA'S HISTORY.

THE PRESIDENT CEO OF TRUST TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE GRANT AND HOW IT WILL AFFECT ORGANIZATIONS.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME.

IT'S A PLEASURE.

>> THIS WAS A LOT OF MONEY THAT THE PIPER TRUST GAVE OUT.

HOW DOES THE BOARD DECIDE TO DO THIS.

>> IT WAS SUCH AN INTERESTING PROCESS.

WE RECOGNIZED WE HAD AN EXTRAORDINARILY POSITIVE YEAR THEY LOOKED AT THAT AND THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO WOULD BE.

EVENTUALLY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION, AND I THINK JUST OPENING THEMSELVES TO POSSIBILITY HERE HEARING WHAT COULD HAPPEN, DECIDED THE ENTIRE AMOUNT SHOULD BE SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE NOW IS THE MOMENT AFTER ALL OF THIS HIDEOUS PANDEMIC AND OTHER TROUBLES WE'VE LIVE THERE HAD.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH A GROUND-BREAKING DECISION TO HAVE DONE THIS.

HOW UNIQUE IS THIS IN THE WORLD OF PHILANTHROPY.

>> IT IS UNIQUE.

I'VE NEVER HEARD OF ANOTHER LARGE FOUNDATION DOING IT.

>> HOPEFULLY IT WILL GET THINGS STARTED IN THAT DIRECTION.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS THEMSELVES WITHOUT BRINGING UP SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.

WERE THEY QUITE SURPRISED?

>> OH, YES, WE DID PULL UP A BIG SURPRISE.

THEY WERE ALL INVITED TO COME TO A THANK YOU MEETING WITH THE TRUSTEES SAYING THAT THE TRUSTEES WERE SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL THEIR WORK DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND THEIR COMMITMENT, AND DEDICATION THAT THEY WANTED TO PERSONALLY SAY HELLO AND THANK YOU.

THAT WOULD BE JUST A 10- OR 15-MINUTE MEETING.

THEY SCHEDULED MEETINGS THAT DAY, AND EVERYONE WAS BLOWN AWAY.

>> AND HOW MUCH WAS DISTRIBUTED TO EACH GROUP WHAT WAS THE MINIMUM AMOUNT.

>> THE MINIMUM MOUND WAS 1--THE MINIMUM AMOUNT WAS $100,000.

AND THE LARGEST AMOUNT, $700,000.

>> ARE THERE CHECK-IN AT ANY POINT?

THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE GROUP IS FAMILIAR WITH.

WILL YOU CHECK IN AND SEE WHAT THE MONEY IS BEING USED FOR?

>> O ABSOLUTELY.

IN FACT, TRADITIONALLY GRANTS ARE GIVEN WITH SPECIFIC PURPOSE WITH MADE-OUT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

HOWEVER, WITH THE PANDEMIC, PIPER DECIDED NOT TO REQUIRE LONG REPORTS BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING SO HARD ON OTHER THINGS AND THEY NEEDED TO CONCENTRATE ON THOSE THINGS.

THESE GRANTS FOR THE MOST PART ARE COMPLETELY UNRESTRICTED, BUT WE WILL BE TRYING TO LEARN WHAT WE SHOULD BE LEARNING ABOUT THIS.

BY GATHERING ANECDOTAL INFORMATION AND OTHER INFORMATION OVER THE NECK YEAR OR TWO.

>> THE PIPER TRUST, AND PEOPLE WATCHING DON'T KNOW THIS, VIRGINIA PIPER KNOWN FOR HER PHILANTHROPY OVER THE YEARS ESPECIALLY IN ARIZONA.

HOW DID THE TRUST GET STARTED AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VIRGINIA PIPER.

>> VIRGINIA PIPER WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY HUMAN BEING.

SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL AND THAT EMANATED FROM INSIDE.

SHE BEGAN HER PHILANTHROPY, AND SHE TOOK IT SO SERIOUSLY AND BEAUTIFULLY.

SHE REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A GRACE GIVEN TO HER BY GOD AND BY PAUL.

AND IT MADE HER MORE HUMBLE TO HAVE ALL THAT MONEY.

SHE WAS A ROLE MODEL TO MANY PEOPLE INCLUDING ME, LUCKILY.

>> HOW IS THAT IMPACTED ARIZONA OVER THE DECADES?

IN TERMS OF THE STEPS THAT IT IS--WE'VE DISCUSSED OVER THE YEARS ABOUT HOW ARIZONA NOT NECESSARILY HAS AS MANY CORPORATIONS AS OTHER STATES, BUT THAT'S WHEN AN ORGANIZATION LIKE PIPER TRUST CAN STEP IN.

>> VIRGINIA ENDOWED THE TRUST WITH ALMOST $600 MILLION WHEN SHE DIED.

THE TRUST HAS GRANTED OUT $660 MILLION, I THINK.

I'M NOT SURE, IT WILL BE AROUND 500.

I THINK THE IMPACT OF ALL THIS GIVING HAS CREATED JOBS, HAS CREATED HOPE, HAS PROVIDED RICH CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE AS WELL AS OF COURSE CARING FOR THE NEEDY.

>> SO LET'S GO BACK TO HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE DISCUSSED THAT WAS RECENTLY GIVE OUT.

OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE TRUST WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH, BUT HOW IS IT DECIDED THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS WOULD BE THE ONES?

WAS THAT DIFFICULT AT ALL?

>> OF COURSE.

IT IS.

IT IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT.

THE TRUSTEES WERE THE ONES THAT DROVE THIS PROCESS.

THEY REVIEWED WHO HAD BEEN GRANTED IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, LOOKED AT THEIR BUDGETS, AND THE ONES THEY FELT REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH, THAT THEY KNEW BECAUSE PART OF THE IDEA HERE WAS TO GET IT DONE QUICKLY, AND NOT WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE FALL NOT KNOWING HOW THINGS WOULD.

THAT MEANT WE DIDN'T DO ANY NORMAL DUE DILIGENCE.

IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE TRUSTEES TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS.

THEY DID, AND THEY'RE REALLY PLEASED.

>> THE PANDEMIC HAS SHAKEN UP EVERYONE'S LIVES AND IT HAS AFFECTED NON-PROFIT COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS.

THE TIME COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER.

>> I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, AND THAT DROVE THE DECISION.

>> LET ME ASK YOU HAVING BEEN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR AS LONG AS YOU HAVE, AND YOU MENTIONED HOW VIRGINIA PIPER INFLUENCED YOU.

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WORK FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT MAKES YOU SMILE PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY THAT YOU'RE THERE?

>> IT'S INDESCRIBABLE.

IT'S HUMBLING, EXCITING, YOU PINCH YOURSELF THAT YOU'RE SO LUCKY JOB.

IT'S ONE THAT WE TAKE REALLY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE IT AFFECTS SO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES.

>> THERE CAN BE NO NEXT STEP OUT OF A MAJOR DISTRIBUTION LIKE THIS, BUT IN THE LAST MINUTE OR SO THAT WE HAVE LIFT, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK COULD BE NEXT?

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF GOING FORWARD?

>> WHAT I THINK THIS REALLY IS GREAT THIS DOES NOT SIGNAL THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE DOING NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY GRAND MAKING AS WE'VE BEEN DOING.

WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS WE'LL KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD AFTER THE PANDEMIC.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> IT'S LIBRARY CARD SIGN UP MONTH.

WE'LL TAKE YOU TO ONE LIBRARY THAT HAS BEEN RENOVATED DUE TO THE BOND VOTED BY THE VOTERS.

WE HAVE MORE ON WHAT'S IN THIS LIBRARY.

>> THE PUBLIC LIBRARY GOT A MAKEOVER DEDICATED TO CHILDREN.

IT HAD NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 1998, AND NOW IT'S NEW TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGNS ARE DRAWING PEOPLE IN.

>> WE LIVE TEN MINUTES AWAY FROM HERE, SO IT IS WONDERFUL.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO COME TO OUR MAIN LIBRARY AND HAVE IT BE SO EXPENSIVE AND NEW AND IT'S REFRESHED.

IT'S WONDERFUL.

>> SMITH HAS BROUGHT HER CHILDREN TO THE STORIY TIME FOR YEARS.

BUT SHE HAS NEVER SEEN IT LIKE BEFORE.

HER SON ENJOYS THE NEW AMENITIES.

>> I LIKE PLAYING GAMES AND GAMES BOOKS.

>> HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT HE ENJOYS AT THE LIBRARY.

ANOTHER GUEST, KIMBERLY, CAN'T DECIDE.

>> I LIKE EVERYTHING.

I LIKE THE CRAYONS, THE BOOKS.

>> THIS RENOVATION BEGAN WITH A MASTER PLAN STARTING IN 2015 TO REDO THE CHILDREN'S SPACE.

THE BOND WAS APPROVED BY MESA VOTERS TO HELP FUND THE PROJECT.

WHILE THE MAIN LIBRARY WAS CLOSED DURING A PORTION OF THE PANDEMIC, THEY USED THAT TIME TO REDESIGN IT.

>> WE WERE ABLE TO REIMAGINE THE SPACE AND UPDATE IT FOR OUR KIDS TODAY.

BEFORE IT WAS UNDERWATER, UNDERSEA THEM THEME, AND IT WAS FANTASTIC.

THIS TIME AROUND WE WANTED TO PUT KIDS IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY LIVE IN NOW, SO ARIZONA GEOGRAPHY IS THE THEME OF OUR CURRENT CHILDREN'S ROOM.

>> THE LIBRARY INCLUDES A ROCK FORMATION FOR CHILDREN TO ENTER INTO THE SPACE.

THE ANIMATION ABOVE THAT GIDEON ENJOYS.

>> WATER.

IT SOUNDS LIKE WATER.

>> THE NEW SPACES WILL HAS A STORY TIME STAGE.

AN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AREA AND AN EVENT ROOM, READING NOOKS, AND OTHER GAMES.

ALONG WITH MURALS.

ARIZONA GAME AND FISH CONTRIBUTED WILDLIFE IMAGES.

AND THE LIBRARY ALSO HAS DIFFERENT ZONES SEPARATED FOR EACH AGE GROUP THAT MAKES IT EASY FOR SMITH TO COME WITH HER KIDS WHO RANGE IN AGES.

>> I REALLY LIKE HOW THE OLDER KIDS AREAS IS MIGRATED TOWARDS THE OTHER SIDE, BUT IT IS STILL PART OF THE CHILDREN'S WING.

I GOT LIKE KIDS RANGING FROM 10 TO 2, SO TO BE IN THE SAME SPACE, AND ABLE TO HAVE MY OLDER GIRL GO OVER WHERE IT IS MORE QUIET, HAVE A LITTLE NOOK FOR READING IS JUST WONDERFUL.

IT'S WONDERFUL FOR SO MANY KIDS TO HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT AVENUES TO GO TO.

>> ALTHOUGH THE LIBRARY IS HOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, COVID HAS BROUGHT SOME CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY.

BUT IT ENABLED THE LIBRARY TO CREATE VIRTUAL PROGRAMS FOR THOSE WHO STILL FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE AT HOME.

>> IT'S A COMMUNITY SPACE, AND RELATIONSHIPS DO MATTER IN OUR TIME OF BEING SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BECAUSE OF COVID THAT REALLY--IT TOOK A LOT FOR PEOPLE TO BE I BELIEVE TO COME BACK TO THE LIBRARY AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AROUND OTHERS, TO HAVE A COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE, TO MEET LIBRARIANS WHO MAY GIVE YOU RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEW BOOKS TO TRY AND MEANS A LOT, AND IT'S FOSTERS THE LOVE OF READING.

>> FOR THOSE WHO STILL COME TO THE BUILDING, THE LIBRARY ENCOURAGES VISITORS TO WEAR MASKS, THEY UTILIZE A SPECIAL AIR FILTRATION SYSTEM CALLED AIR PLASMA.

>> TO KEEP HEALTHY, STRONG, INTEGRATED CHILDREN BECAUSE YOU KNOW, CAN'T KEEP THEM AT HOME ALL DAY AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO.

>> THERE'S MORE THAN BOOKS.

THERE IS AT VENTURES, THERE ARE FREE THINGS, POTENTIAL FRIENDS YOU CAN MEET.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS HERE.

>> ALTHOUGH IT'S MORE THAN JUST BOOKS, AND THERE ARE MANY NEW THINGS TO EXPLORE WHILE YOU'RE HERE.

KIMBERLY WILL STILL ENJOY READING HER FAVORITE BOOK ♪ OLD McDONALD HAD A FARM ♪ ♪ ON THIS FARM HE HAD A HORSE ♪ ♪ AND NEIGH, NEIGH, NEIGH HERE ♪ ♪ AND A NEIGH, NEIGH THERE ♪ ♪ AND A NEIGH, NEIGH EVERYWHERE ♪ >> YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR A LIBRARY CARD AT THE LOCATION OR ONLINE.

FOR MORE ON LIBRARY HOURS VISIT MESA LIBRARY.ORG .

>> THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

HERE FOR TED SIMONS, I'M STEVE GOLDSTEIN, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.