Welcome to the latest episode of Inside Pima County, where today’s conversation highlights one of the County’s most far-reaching and community-centered departments: Parks and Recreation. Joining in this conversation is Vic Pereira, the department’s director, whose path to this role is grounded in service, leadership, and a deep connection to the community he now helps shape.

Pereira’s journey to Pima County began with a distinguished 31-year career as an Air Force officer, culminating in his assignment as Deputy Commander at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. In that role, he was responsible for community engagement, forging relationships with civic leaders across Tucson. As he approached retirement, a family decision to remain in the area created an opportunity for a new chapter. That led Pereira, first, to the Health Department, where he served as Deputy Director, and later to Parks and Recreation, a position he assumed in 2022.

Today, Pereira oversees a department whose footprint stretches across Pima County’s 9,200 square miles, touching nearly every community and every age group. The Parks and Recreation Department is made-up of 42 urban parks, 12 community centers, nine pools, a shooting sports complex, a golf course, and the iconic Chuck Huckleberry Loop. But Pereira emphasizes that beyond the parks, pools, and programs, the department’s true strength lies in its people: the hundreds of dedicated professionals and seasonal staff who maintain facilities, teach children, support families, and often go above and beyond in moments that matter most.

In this episode, Pereira shares some stories of staff, outlines the departments newly completed master plan, discusses priorities for rural and fast-growing communities like Vail and Catalina, and offers a look at upcoming initiatives—from a countywide e-bike study to future accreditation. He also highlights beloved programs such as youth aquatics, adult fitness opportunities, seasonal community events, and the critical role of the Parklands Foundation in supporting Parks and Recreation.

Through the conversation, one theme stands out: Parks and Recreation is not only about infrastructure and amenities; it’s about enriching lives. Pereira’s leadership reflects that belief, and his team’s work demonstrates it daily. This episode offers a closer look at the department’s mission, its people, and its plans for a future that continues to serve Pima County residents with excellence, accessibility, and heart.

Today’s guest brings decades of expertise in air quality, water protection, solid waste, and climate planning. We are glad to be joined by Scott DiBiase, Director of the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality. Director DiBiase’s professional journey spans several states, agencies, and roles, all of which shaped the deep technical and leadership experience he now brings to Pima County. After earning his degree in atmospheric sciences from the University of Arizona in 1991, he began his career in Connecticut in 1993, working in the state’s air monitoring program. He then returned to Arizona to work for the Maricopa Association of Governments, focusing on air quality modeling and state implementation planning. That technical foundation led him to Pinal County in 2004, where he grew from planning manager to deputy director, eventually serving as interim director of their air quality program before joining Pima County DEQ in 2023.

Today, Director DiBiase leads a department of about 40 professionals across a broad range of programs including air, water, waste, climate planning, and community outreach. DEQ’s responsibilities stretch from air monitoring, permitting, and enforcement, to water system inspections, septic reviews, pool and spa permitting, hazardous waste oversight, and management of the county’s landfill and transfer stations. The department also plays a major role in stormwater inspections, landfill closure maintenance, and regional climate planning efforts. These programs, though diverse, share a common goal: safeguarding the air residents breathe, the water residents drink, and the environmental quality of Pima County as a whole.

Director DiBiase explains how DEQ’s air program is the largest and most technical component of the department, requiring daily fieldwork, precise monitoring, rulemaking, and enforcement. He outlines the county’s stormwater inspections, water sampling responsibilities, and the complexities of maintaining closed landfills for three decades. He also discusses recycling services at county transfer stations, the challenges of expanding those services in unincorporated areas, and the realities of tracking septic system use across the region. The Director also shares updates on the county’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, a four‑year EPA planning effort that has produced both a Priority Climate Action Plan and a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan in collaboration with regional partners. He highlights workforce development efforts with the University of Arizona’s Drachman Institute, aimed at preparing residents for jobs in home energy auditing and weatherization that support both household savings and regional emissions reductions.

Finally, Director DiBiase touches on one of the most important roles the Department plays, managing the concerns of the public while ensuring environmental protection. Learn more about the types of complaints DEQ receives from the public, how residents can report concerns, and ongoing outreach programs including the state’s “No Drive Day” and Lawn and Garden equipment exchange grants.

It’s a wide‑ranging conversation that sheds light on the daily work required to maintain environmental quality across a large, diverse county. We’re grateful to Director DiBiase for sharing his insight, and grateful to all of you for tuning in to Inside Pima County.

In this latest episode of Inside Pima County with Supervisor Rex Scott, we shine a spotlight on a department whose work often happens behind the scenes but makes an enormous impact on how Pima County can serve its residents: the Grants Management and Innovation Department, known as GMI. Joining the podcast is GMI’s director, Ken Walker, along with Dorothee Harmon, who manages the division responsible for countywide grant development. Both bring decades of experience in nonprofit and governmental work, and both play critical roles in ensuring that Pima County can identify, secure, manage, and monitor the grant funding that supports so many essential public services.

We discuss the mechanics of grant development, grant compliance, and the partnerships that make these funds possible. Learn how Ken’s and Dorothee’s backgrounds help shape the County’s grant strategy, how GMI supports departments large and small, and how their roles connect directly to the public good. We explore what makes federal and state grant opportunities so complex, why indirect cost recovery matters, and how GMI’s partnerships with dozens of nonprofit subrecipients strengthen the countywide network of services residents rely upon. You’ll also hear about recent grants that have benefited District 1 and Pima County as a whole, from FEMA-funded improvements to flood control infrastructure to innovative water conservation upgrades at Arthur Pack Park, as well as the essential human services delivered by organizations like Interfaith Community Services and IMPACT.