"Centennial Honoree" for the Arizona Cooperative Extension Centennial

The County Extension Program in Greenlee County is a vital part of the rural lifestyle we all live here for. It has always had a special place in my heart.  

At the Centennial Celebration of the Arizona Cooperative Extension, I was given the honor of being chosen as one of four people in Greenlee County who made extraordinary contributions in the first 100 years of it's existence. I have included a copy of the published article. Click on the photo to read the article.

Some of the Things I Got Done as Supervisor

Many people know you are a county supervisor, but they don't often know exactly what you have done for the county.  I just wanted to share a list of the things I have done.  Some are more visible and tangible, others are not so easy to see unless I tell you about them.

During my tenure, the Duncan Little League fields became maintained by the county.  The looks of the field and buildings have improved immensely since then.

Budgeting for this new playground was done while I was in office.

Many improvements were done to improve the fair grounds, including budgeting to give the fair grounds a face lift.

A few years ago, the state decided to close our Department of Motor Vehicle office at Three Way.  I successfully lobbied the state to keep our DMV here.  

I testified numerous times on behalf of the county for Arizona Department of Transportation projects in the county i.e. paving, highways, bridges, etc.

 I helped develop the most lenient travel management program in the United States for our forest as a pilot program.

I also helped mediate a plan between the Forest Service and a rancher.

I was an advocate for the University of Arizona County Extension program and worked to keep that program healthy in Greenlee County.

I pursued many avenues for good family housing in the southern part of the county, and was instrumental in freeing up the land near the fair grounds for development.

I have been very active in the water rights issues of Greenlee County.

I advocated and supported several erosion and conservation projects in the county.

I successfully lobbied to get millions of dollars back into Greenlee County that the state was trying to take away from us. 

I was a key player in the Four Forest Restoration Initiative which was to bring back logging into our forests and help protect our forests from the devastating wild fires. 

I was active in securing damage mitigation for those involved in the Wallow Fire.

I was one of ten people to write the National Association of Counties Public Lands policies.  

The state wanted to remove Department of Economic Security offices from Greenlee County.  I successfully lobbied to keep them here.

I was an advocate for Fish and Wildlife Services in the county.

Because of my efforts, horse racing stayed in Greenlee County two years longer than any other county in Arizona.

I worked to ensure that a local mining company could haul it's ore to be processed.

I developed a happy work environment for county employees.

These are some of the main things I accomplished.  There are more that aren't as easily illustrated. 

Meeting with Corporation Commission Candidates

 Last week Tom Chabin and Bill Mundell, candidates for the Arizona Corporation Commission, asked for some of my thoughts about the utility industry in Arizona.  

Deborah Mendelson, of the Simpson Hotel, allowed us to hold the meeting there in her lovely bed and breakfast where Tom and Bill were staying. It was a great meeting.  We talked about an hour and fifteen minutes, covering many issues facing Arizona.  

I told them how much I believe in the cooperative model and how it has served the people of rural Arizona well.  What is any conversation without a couple of laughs?

FFA Banquet 2016

 We love the Future Farmers of America.  

That organization has done so much for our children and the other youth of our community. 

 It has taught them leadership, public speaking and job skills.

Every year we sponsor one of the awards.  

This evening we were able to give the Small Animal Production Award to 

Weston Skinner.

We have been so blessed to have a Vocational Agriculture program in our school.  We have also had great FFA advisers.  FFA has been an asset not only to myself and my children, but to many others in our community.  This is why I have been an advocate for the FFA.