The town of Marana will hold its primary election Aug. 28, with four seats up for grabs.
While the position of mayor is not being contested this year, the office of vice mayor will be. After the election, current council members will convene to choose who will fill the position for a two-year term.
Current members Patti Comerford, Herb Kai, Jon Post and John Officer are seeking to return to the council for another four years. They will be challenged by Jeff Gray, Mace Bravin and Jack Neubeck.
The Arizona Daily Star reached out to each candidate and asked them about the town’s most pressing issue, what their plans are for Marana’s future and what makes them want to run for office.
The answers have been edited for length and clarity.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING?
Bravin: As a Marana resident, I have seen wonderful growth in our city. However, I see some need for new leadership on the Marana Town Council. As a schoolteacher, I think about how our decisions impact education, and how education impacts Marana. The two go hand in hand, but many don’t see how. As an educator, I bring that needed viewpoint.
Comerford: I want to continue the success that’s vital to a beautiful, safe, well-planned community and want to keep it going in that direction. I want to keep us on the track that it seems most people are very happy with.
Gray: I am running to be an independent voice for the residents of Marana on the Town Council.
Kai: I think our council, including myself, have done a great job of moving the town forward, to everyone’s benefit. We have a strategic plan — in fact we are going through our second edition of our strategic plan. … And I would like to get back on the council to make sure we continue that strategic plan.
Neubeck: As rewarding as it has been to be part of Marana’s growth, from a 1986 budget of $440,000, to 2018 budget of $141.7 million, it is concerning to me, as a Marana taxpayer, that the current elected council, with a combined tenure of over 100 years, has yet to implement many of the plans that have been in place for decades. It is time for a new voice and new ideas.
Officer: I want to stay involved in the town’s future controlled growth and community involvement.
Post: I want to run to continue the success the town has had in the last number of years. There are a couple of things I’d like to see worked on, and so I felt like I needed to run again.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE FACING THE TOWN?
Bravin: The biggest issue facing Marana today is we have room to grow, but not enough plans to implement the growth. We need to focus on how to continue to grow well to attract high quality jobs to the Marana area.
Comerford: For the next term, it is going to be that we keep a well-planned growth. The necessities of our growth, for example roads and utilities and everything that comes with that growth. To keep up and make sure we are providing the quality of service we have been fortunate to provide.
Gray: I believe the biggest issue facing the town of Marana is nepotism on the council. Our most recent appointed member is not only a neighbor, but also a longtime friend of the mayor. Additionally, one candidate’s committee is being chaired by a current council member. We don’t have Russia, but we do have our own Town Council interfering in this election.
Kai: I think we need to do a better job of economic development. We have our own economic development staffing person, and I think it’s going to require more council input. You have to have the infrastructure there before you can attract the bigger businesses. … With council input we can fine-tune that.
Neubeck: As with any jurisdiction that relies so heavily on sales tax, continued quality economic development is essential. To accomplish this, Marana must treat all potential users, whether big or small, in the same manner. Small businesses are one of the keystones to building a community and must be treated the same way as a big box store.
Officer: We need to get more commercial and retail facilities to join into our growth.
Post: Some of the more temporary ones are the drainage study we are doing. ... The water quality issue at Saguaro Bloom and townwide, those are current issues that need to be dealt with quickly. Some of the more long-term issues are continued smart growth, development that continues to make this town that we all want to live in.
WHAT ARE YOUR
PLANS IF ELECTED?
Bravin: I have eight goals for Marana, among them are lowering the sales tax when the police station is finished, encouraging businesses to look at Marana, fully utilizing the Marana airport, utilizing solar shade in parks, and supporting citizens who bring ideas to the council.
Comerford: I’m really proud of the type of growth we’ve had. So, my particular vision would be to see that we get started on our downtown area. We are starting to pick up some things and I’d like to see it come to fruition.
Gray: My focus as a council member would be to make sure our public safety departments, such as, police and fire are fully funded. To make sure our infrastructure including water, sewer and roads are being maintained while also planning for future growth. I would also work on attracting businesses to the town promoting growth and providing jobs for our residents.
Kai: Economic development is, I think, most important. Which means more jobs to our residents, for their kids and their families.
Neubeck: Communication with the taxpayers, surveying the public on important issues, will be the hallmark of my tenure if elected. Additionally, managing the taxpayer’s money and using different vehicles, such as empowerment zones, matching grants, industrial development authorities to get the most bang for the taxpayers’ buck.
Officer: Keep our residents informed as to what and why things/projects/growth are in the works.
Post: If elected. my focus would be to see the finish of the drainage study and implementation. To come up with a plan for water quality issues and then implement that.
