Six people are running for three seats on Maricopa City Council – Linette Caroselli, Julia Gusse, Andre LaFond, Amber Liermann, Bob Marsh and Nancy Smith. InMaricopa asked each their take on a short series of questions. Learn more about all the candidates here.
NANCY SMITH
What makes you the best candidate for council?
I feel that I am the best candidate for city council because I have a proven record for going above and beyond what I am responsible for as a city council member. I believe as a city council member I’ve been a leader in preparing Maricopa for exciting things to come in the areas of economic development, transportation, quality of life and responsible budgeting and finance. I’m in the community almost daily meeting with small businesses who have questions and needs, participating in nonprofit events and needs, serving on economic development boards and ensuring that Maricopa’s needs are heard in Pinal and Maricopa County. I want to serve a role in continuing to expand these opportunities for our community. Simply said, ‘I GET THINGS DONE’ and I have a track record to prove it.
What is the current council doing well?
The city’s major needs include safety, transportation, economic development, floodplain, a hospital and responsible budgeting. I believe that the current city council does well on all of these needs. Maricopa is the 4th (depending on which poll you look at) safest city in Arizona. Our major transportation corridors (SR347 improvements, Maricopa/Casa Grande Highway, East/West Corridor, and I-11) are all in various planning stages and the city council is in full support of working with the major partners on all of these projects. I and many other city council members are in discussions with many businesses regarding high paying jobs, more retail, a hospital and other economic development elements. I have joined with other city council members to travel to Washington DC to gain support from our house of representative members and senators on our transportation programs and our floodplain needs. City council works closely with the city’s efforts to work with developers and others on solutions for the floodplain. Lastly, the ability of the city to financially support our citizen’s safety and services needs within our budget and still maintain a healthy reserve is well done by the current city council. Many of these important elements take a long time and a significant amount of funds to acquire and accomplish, but citizens should be aware that significant effort and progress is being made on each of them.
What is the current council not doing well?
The current council is providing for our senior citizens with the future senior living facility and senior citizen center. With the addition of senior lunch and learn sessions and other senior programs, city council should start looking at ways to meet the needs of the youth and art communities. The art community can be a significant economic driver for a city if supported correctly. Our city’s young people can be better supported by working with a group such as the Boys and Girls Club of America to provide a variety of programming for youth of all ages. I am currently serving on a community board to bring our first Boys and Girls club to Maricopa. The first club will start in the communities east of City Hall (Tortosa, Rancho Mirage, etc.)
What is your biggest concern about Maricopa’s future and why?
My biggest concern for Maricopa’s future is that we have a city council, city manager and staff that understands the importance of being the best at acquiring high paying jobs to Maricopa, improving transportation in/out and within Maricopa, achieving a solution for our floodplain concerns so that maximum economic development can take place and a hospital. Maricopa, in my opinion, has the best City Manager. Under the City Manager’s leadership, we have a staff that is working hard on all of these important elements. We need to elect a city council that will work hard and support these important elements. I am the right person for the job!
How has COVID-19 affected your campaign?
COVID-19 and the limitations on gatherings makes it challenging to meet with residents. However, I am using social media to stay as connected as possible. I have also spent a lot of my time helping to meet the needs of senior citizens and families in need by leading the CopaCares2020 team.
6 run for 3 seats on city council
Meet the candidates: Why these 6 are running for city council
Andre LaFond goes live with InMaricopa
Julia Gusse goes live with InMaricopa
Meet the candidate: Linette Caroselli
Meet the candidate: Julia Gusse
Meet the candidate: Andre LaFond
Meet the candidate: Amber Liermann
Meet the candidate: Bob Marsh
This item appears in the May issue of InMaricopa.
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