Longtime staffers look back on city’s first decade

This year marks the city’s 10-year anniversary and those who have watched Maricopa grow over the past decade say it’s easy to see the changes.

“It’s completely changed,” said City Clerk Vanessa Bueras.

Bueras has served in city hall longer than any other employee. 

She was the second employee hired by the city in 2004. She was an administrative assistant and deputy city clerk before becoming the city clerk in 2006. In 2008, she briefly served as the interim city manager. 

Ten years ago, Bueras said, there were no traffic lights, no Bashas’ or Fry’s grocery stores and no shopping centers. 

When the traffic light at Smith-Enke Road and State Route 347 was installed, Bueras said, “We went out to take pictures.” 

And when Bashas’ opened — an event Eddie Basha Jr. came out to celebrate — “it was a gathering place” for residents.

“It was our first store, our first shopping center,” Bueras said. 

In July 2003, there were 4,281 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By 2005, that number more than doubled to 10,500. 

The population boom really hit in 2006 with 30,370 residents. The numbers continued to climb until 2008 when 44,866 people were living in the young city.

Danielle Casey, former assistant city manager and the city’s 11th employee, said the growth wasn’t totally unexpected. (The city now has more than 200 employees). Casey is now the economic development director in Scottsdale.

“When I was hired (in 2005), the expectation was that we were going to grow quickly,” Casey said. 

When the housing market crashed, some people left and the upward climb reversed a bit.