Maricopa hires child advocate as intergovernmental affairs director

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Dale Wiebush

Following voters’ recent approval of the city’s new General Plan, Maricopa also welcomed a new intergovernmental affairs director this week.

Monday, after 10 years lobbying as a senior legislative associate at the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, Dale Wiebush assumed his new role with the city. He hopes to aid in developing the community and establishing the city as a power player at the state level.

Wiebush, a native Minnesotan, began his carrier in social services, where eventually his passions led him to move toward the lobbying profession.

“I worked in mental health treatment, with abused children,” Wiebush said. “Then I eventually got into the public policy side of that, and advocated on their behalf at the state capitol.”

For the past 19 years Wiebush has been living in Arizona representing domestic violence groups and local governments at the state Legislature.

Wiebush was first introduced to Maricopa through his position at the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, where he got to know Mayor Christian Price and former Intergovernmental Affairs Director Paul Jepson. It was those relationships that first offered Wiebush a taste of the community. However, it was a personal appreciation for Maricopa’s somewhat isolated nature and steady growing economy that drew him in.

“I looked at it as an opportunity to go into an area that was growing,” Wiebush said. “There are similarities between Maricopa and my hometown [Moorhead, Minnesota]; similarities in size and also the geographical distance from other communities.”

When considering the unique characteristics of Maricopa, Wiebush believes the city is poised to do great things.

“It’s big enough to have an impact on politics at the state level,” Wiebush said. “But it’s small enough to still be mobile.”

Though he’s not yet willing to provide exact details on his plans, Wiebush feels that a smart and balanced approach is fundamental in the development process, and that the new General Plan does well in outlining that growth.

Wiebush has an affinity for the outdoors and playing the guitar. He holds a bachelor of science degree in psychology from Gustavus Adolphus College.

The salary for his position is $110,000.

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