Former write-in candidate issues ‘SOS’ challenge

The Synergy of Sustainability for Maricopa provides a conceptual framework to organize relevant issues facing Maricopa now and in the future. While there is a growing Science of Sustainability, it is a unifying concept and theme to address the above relevant issues that are most pressing for Maricopa.

The scope of sustainable development is such that the goals and objectives cannot be reached by single departments within the city government or groups within the city. It is a collective recognition that the whole will be much greater than the sum of the parts to provide synergies and opportunities not previously recognized.

The impacts of growth and development, within a framework of Economic, Community and Environmental, need to be distributed broadly and equitably for Maricopa to have a sustainable future. Sustainability promotes the interrelation of Infrastructure, Economic Development, Revenue Resources, Health & Recreation, Societal Values, Smart Growth, Pollution and Carbon Neutral Objectives elements within the framework.

To this end we must make a consorted effort to organize and manage the human and material assets and resources within our community that could be brought to bear in a more coherent and organized manner. Each initiative would be inclusive creating a synergy for achieving Sustainability.

How Do We Begin?
Sustainability means many things to many people. This has advantages and disadvantages. In the past the sustainability paradigm was often cast as anti-development. Now, it is more commonly used as an adjective with development, emphasizing that in fact sustainability is not necessarily in conflict with meeting the needs of human societies.

Due to its rather generic definition and meaning, it allows us to develop our own concepts within a broad framework while defining our own mission, vision, and goals. Our city government needs to become a part of sustainability development for Maricopa.

There is very little use of the word sustainability in local government communication and there is somewhat vague co-ordination across the departments within the city operations. This has limited the development of a strong program in sustainability and has lead to missed opportunities to work together toward a greater good.

Sustainability cuts across three important elements: Economic, Community and Environmental that are basic foundations of any municipality and must be supported by citizens, governmental jurisdictions, coalitions and community stakeholders. These could be an important unifying theme for many disparate parts of our community.

Vision Statement
There is a trend among sustainability enthusiasts to develop hybrid programs to address emerging sustainable topics in community growth, development and social needs The trend is in response to a growing recognition that societal relevant issues cross-cut traditional disciplinary boundaries and cannot be addressed by “business as usual” practices.

A sustainable development team would create new knowledge and information in tandem with technological advances, while at the same time fostering and supporting wise decision-making at all levels of government. The team would be a major focus for education and training for the next generation of leaders and citizens for Maricopa.

Goals and Objectives
To achieve the ideals of sustainable development, the resources and assets would need to be managed in new and more synergistic ways. One such method would be to capitalize upon historic strengths and bring together communities that have not traditionally worked together. Such recognition of the whole being much greater than the sum of the parts would provide synergy and opportunities not previously recognized. A sustainability team would organize and create resources, capitalize on historic strengths, encourage partnerships, provide focus, and create synergy.

Actions
To accomplish the goals of sustainability, it will be necessary to create and empower a Sustainability Advisory Commission composed of diverse cultures with the flexibility to organize and operate in innovative ways.

It is conceivable to develop a Center for Sustainable Development that could be coordinate by SAC facilitating a wide-range of sustainability programs across the community and encourage partnerships and improve communication.

The CSD could provide information for building professionals and municipal planning officials on conventional and innovative technologies that support low impact development. It also suggests amendments to existing development codes to facilitate use of new environmental technologies.

SAC could assist developers with infrastructure savings and a way to respond to increasingly stringent environmental regulations. Sustainability elements could help contain burgeoning street and storm water management costs. For community residents, sustainability encourages local environmental stewardship.

Status
Stepping out of the mayoral race was NOT something that I wanted to do. However, a previous medical history, aggravated by the pressure and stress of the campaign, was becoming much greater than I anticipated and beginning to take its toll. I knew from the start that being in the race would be demanding, but knowing that and living through it are very different.

One of the platform agendas was “making Maricopa a better place” by becoming a change-agent for a sustainable, healthy community and to make it much better than it is. It’s about sustainability. It is a part of me that wants to fix things, and I like having a role in shaping our culture, since culture plays a major role in shaping how we think and act.

Sustainability is huge for me. It begins with my own potential to learn, and the belief that change is necessary. Sustainability is “meeting the needs of present generations, while not compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Maricopa is at the stage where there is everything to win, and everything to lose. Turning points like this are rare; we must not hesitate to take the right steps!

We have a local responsibility to apply our imaginations and our talent in solving one of Maricopa’s greatest challenges – Sustainability – which has been applied to everything from economics to food to energy. In our case, it applies to the work/life/community balance that must exist for each citizen of Maricopa. These ideals were paramount reasons for me to enter the mayoral race.

As a citizen, with a sense of belonging, a concern for the whole, and a moral bond with Maricopa whose life is at stake, I will continue to be motivated and active for the citizens to sound out choices for our community, persuading others through valid information and logic, and to enable the societal well-being of current and future citizens of Maricopa. That aside, it is still my responsibility, as a citizen, to question complicity and to speak up for what I believe to be right for Maricopa.

It is imperative that our community makes a shift occur in our thinking – a shift driven by an awakening of our hearts. From my “walk around the city,” citizens have talked about the problems caused by dependence on foreign oil, the increasing costs of fossil fuels, and the deterioration of our atmosphere from emissions and waste that adversely affect our health and climate.

There is simply no higher priority to our community’s well-being, both present and future, than to promote healthy, sustainable alternatives.

We must awaken to the reality that we can create a world guided by love of community and grounded in heart-based wisdom. After all, we are Maricopa, “The City with a Heart!”

Jim Hull is a former write-in candidate for the office of mayor and a resident of Province.

File photo