Hello, goodbye from incoming, outgoing city council

Some are saying hello, while others are saying goodbye.

InMaricopa asked the newly elected mayor and council members asking them to highlight their achievements and what advice they might have for incoming council members.

We also asked current council members, including Marvin Brown, who was re-elected, for their thoughts on service to the city and what advice they have for the new council.

Outgoing Mayor
Anthony Smith

Years in Maricopa? Nine.

Years on council? Four (Two terms).

What motivated you to run for office? To put actions to my words. I believed that my professional expertise in planning and management would be a beneficial ingredient to help lead the community through the recession and into sustained growth.

Of what achievements are you most proud? The greatest achievement was successfully completing a land transfer that closed a very large feedlot along the Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway and re-purposed the land into a future employment center. This land transfer improved air quality and made it possible to build important projects such as the Central Arizona College campus and the Banner healthcare facility.

What are the greatest lessons you learned? Government should not be considered the answer for all problems. In local government, when a problem or need is identified, find a viable community partner to come alongside with an understanding that community partner must soon fulfill the need independent of the city so that city can move on to help solve the next community need.

Where do you see Maricopa in 10 years? Maricopa has made the transition from being a bedroom community into being a sustainable community. The community has its own job base, has an adequate road system connecting it to metro Phoenix and Pinal County and has a quality of life that makes it a very desirable and attractive community to live.

What is your advice to those new on the council? Learn as much as possible about your community. Be assessable and attend as many events as possible to gain a strong working knowledge of the issues and the people you represent.

What would you like to say to Maricopa residents as you leave office? It has been a privilege and honor to serve you these last four years. Not very many people get an opportunity to represent, or be the face of their community. I am one of the lucky ones. For those of you who have been an encouragement or have prayed for the city and me during these years, I am especially thankful. This is an exceptional community that is made special because of you and your efforts.

Incoming Mayor
Christian Price

Years in Maricopa? Nearly eight years.

On what city committees/boards have you served? I’ve been through the Citizen's Leadership Academy and I was on my HOA board (Maricopa Meadows) as president for the past several years. I was also the vice-chairman of Maricopa’s first Board of Adjustments. For the past several years I have attended every City Council meeting, budget retreat, strategic planning meeting, and I have done my best to go to as many of the different committee meetings (Planning and Zoning, Merit Board, Heritage District, Parks, Recreation and Libraries, Pinal Partnership, etc.) as my schedule would allow.

What motivated you to run for office? To get involved. For me, it got to the point that simply being an audience member in all of those meetings wasn’t sufficient. Knowing well what was happening, I wanted to have a voice in the way my city was being or would be run. I wanted to be an integral part of the city’s growth and its future. I longed to bring my ideas and voice to the table, and I really wanted the opportunity to share it.

On what committees do you plan to serve? This will depend on my conversations with the other current, as well as incoming, city council members — to see where their current or changing interests lie, and what they might like to do moving forward. However, I feel there are some committees the mayor should be a part of, such as the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) as well as the council liaison to the Native American communities and others. I will do my best to attend all the various committee assignments in addition to as many citizen committees as my schedule allows for.

What are your top three priorities? 1. Economic development. Attracting businesses and jobs to Maricopa. 2. State Route 347 grade separation/ Amtrak station move. 3. Flood control mitigation, so that more growth and economic development can happen within the city limits without being in a flood plain.

How will you manage your time — balancing job and family, with service to the council? Essentially I’ve already been doing this for past several years … with great support from my wife and family, I have already been attending most of these city meetings, HOA meetings, work, running a business, etc. I also take one day a week just for my family, and we spend it together. I believe finding a balance in life is the key.

What have you learned from the outgoing council? They’ve put in a lot of hard work, tireless hours of thankless service and extreme dedication to the city of Maricopa. There are so many challenges to overcome and to me that is what I find exciting, but our current council and past councils deserve our unfettered thanks for their selfless service and sacrifice. Thank you.

Where do you see Maricopa in 10 years? I hope to see a Maricopa that has returned to blossoming in a very diversified fashion: With a return to our housing successes, the flourishing of businesses of all kinds, resolved transportation issues, increased relations with our regional partners and neighbors, and simply becoming a general regional powerhouse, destination and attraction for the greater Phoenix area.