Meet your new city council members

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The citizens of Maricopa have spoken after casting a whopping 11,869 votes in the May 18 election. Candidates Alan Marchione and Julia Romero-Gusse joined incumbent Edward Farrell on the Maricopa City Council.

Who are they and what do they stand for? Here’s a brief Q&A with the newest members of the council.

What did you learn about yourself on this long campaign?
Alan Marchione
: I learned that the success of a campaign isn’t about only the candidate, but is based upon the group of individuals that come together to make it happen. I have a 5-year-old daughter and a 5-monthold son, and I could never have accomplished this task without the support of my wife, Misty. I think at times she felt like a single parent, but she knew how passionate I was. It’s one thing to believe in yourself, but it’s incredibly humbling when others believe in you enough to mark your name on a ballot. I’ve come to realize the great deal of trust and responsibility that has been placed in my hands by my fellow residents. I shall not let them down.
Julia Romero-Gusse: I am very thankful that through this long process I did away with my shyness and developed much confidence. I am a resilient woman and I thank God for the strength and the thick skin.

What do you want to tell the citizens who did not support you in this election?
Marchione
: I realize no two people will see everything eye to eye on every issue affecting our community, so I would extend my hand out to those in our community that I’ve not been successful in reaching. There are many issues affecting Maricopa’s immediate and long-term future. I’d offer to meet with any of them, at their convenience, to discuss matters that are important to our community. It’s my hope, that by opening the channels of communication, we can build a bridge to better understanding what’s best for Maricopa’s future. I can’t guarantee that we’ll always agree, but I’m open to understanding that we can agree to disagree. It’s my hope, that through a mutually respectful and constructive conversation, we’ll find common ground that will help us to better understand one another.
Romero-Gusse: I am just disappointed in the evil words of naysayers that did not take the time to get to know the real me. For all of those individuals, we now have four years to make up for lost time.

What can we expect from you as a member of the Maricopa City Council?
Marchione: For the first couple of months, I’ll need to familiarize myself with the staff, their current projects and learning more about the philosophies of my fellow council members. I’ll remain focused on my goal of helping to make Maricopa economically self sustainable, bring home new job opportunities, make the city more appealing to prospective developers and business, and remain focused on our need for a community center for senior and youth activities.
Romero-Gusse: You can expect me to keep my word because at the end of the day, all we have is our word. I never made any promises, but I did give my word to doing away with favoritism and inequality in this city. It has been the city’s unwritten policy that the rules and regulations that apply to some do not apply to all. I am determined to change that, starting with the police department and city management. I am also going to keep my word in doing all   can to make Maricopa the best place to live, work, shop and play.

(A version of this story appears in the June issue of InMaricopa News.)