Bartle: City Council botches great opportunity

In the midst of Tuesday’s City Council meeting, I sat in the packed room at host Global Water, with a rare feeling when it comes to our city government: I was thrilled!

The room was jam-packed with people, impassioned county residents speaking their mind about annexation and, most notably, many engaged residents applying to serve our city in important volunteer positions. The Council appointed 10 people to serve on City Council, Planning & Zoning Commission and the Parks, Recreation & Libraries Advisory Committee and, for the first time I recall, there were choices – wonderful choices – to make with each group as there were many more candidates than positions.

This really made me proud because it showcased the commitment many residents have to Maricopa, and because the caliber of the candidates, by and large, was outstanding. We didn’t just have willing volunteers, we had experience to boot.

I have to admit, I also took pleasure knowing that our Council members would be forced to make a decision instead of just appointing whoever applied or whoever showed up to the meeting.

Eight candidates were seeking three available positions on the Planning & Zoning Commission. Many of them had incredible credentials specific to the job required. Many of them are residents who have not previously offered their talents to the city.

Check out the credentials of one, Henry Wade, as listed on his application:
• Broker and owner of 11-year-old homebuilding company
• President and chief appraiser of 14-year-old real estate appraisal company
• Past president of Arizona Association of Real Estate Brokers
• Member of Phoenix Association of Realtors Ethics Committee
• U.S. Air Force retiree

And Marvin Brown:
• Administrator assistant to Detroit’s chief of police
• Director of Mayor’s Committee for Human Development (Detroit)
• Director of urban affairs for Comac Company (company owned 21 banks and the Pittsburgh Penguins)
• Director of urban investment for the State of Michigan Financial Intuition Bureau
• Development director for the city of Highland Park (Michigan)
• Member of New Detroit Task Force of Transportation and Housing
• Member of Bank of Lansing (Michigan) board of directors
• Chairman of the United Metropolitan Methodist Church Board of Trustees
• Chairman of a professional unemployment association

Despite the impressive resumes, neither Wade nor Brown were appointed. In fact, their credentials did not even prompt the Council to discuss them as potential commissioners.

Tom Bradbury was nominated by Councilman Will Dunn and subsequently appointed. Bradbury listed his experience and education as “Currently a Real Estate Agent serving Maricopa.”

Councilman Edward Farrell nominated Courtny Tyler, who was also appointed to a three-year term on the Commission. Tyler’s experience, as noted on her application, is that she has been an insurance agent since 2005 and president of the Maricopa Chamber of Commerce.

So in the seconds between the candidates’ introductions and the Council’s votes, all the excitement and pride I was feeling turned to disappointment and, quite frankly, embarrassment.

Despite having more qualified candidates than positions and despite the opportunity to cultivate the apparent insurgence of new people with new ideas and talents seeking to contribute to our city government, our Council took the easy way out.

It became little more than a race to nominate. Even when Vice-Mayor Brent Murphree’s motion to appoint Marvin Brown died for lack of a second and Councilman Estes’ motion to appoint Carl Shaver failed, no one said a word as to why.

It is my sincere hope that in the new year, all Maricopa public officials pledge to ask themselves “What is best for the city of Maricopa and its taxpayers?” before each decision they make; not “Who can do I a favor for?” or “Whose feelings do I not want to hurt?” or “Who is competing for my position?”

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