Our Son Returns from Japan

We recently welcomed our son, Tony, home from a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He served two years in the Japan Tokyo South Mission.  We are so happy to see him again.  He is working this summer and then studying engineering at Eastern Arizona College .this fall

"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.

Javalina Chase Cycling Event

 This past weekend I had the opportunity to help at the Javalina Chase Cycling Event.  This was a successful economic development event for our county.  It just keeps getting bigger and bigger.  It brought money into our area for food, gas, and hotels.  The cyclists saw our charming little town and loved it.  

I was asked to be the Master of Ceremonies for the awards ceremonies and other activities throughout the day.

  At the beginning there was a 5K run/walk.
Here I am with the Hupps after the race.

 There were several disabled veterans who participated.
This gentleman let me try out his bicycle.

 Included in the day's activities was the regional finals for collegiate racing.
Here were a few of the collegiate racers.

 Helping with the awards was our own Greenlee County Rodeo Royalty.

 An awards ceremony was held after the Saturday events.

We had a large group of racers from Nogales.  There were also other teams from other towns.  They all seemed to have a good time.

A big thank you goes out to John and Pam Lieberenz who planned and organized this event.  They did months of planning to put this all together.  There were also many, many others who made this possible working at different locations throughout the race.

Way to go Greenlee County!!

How Small Counties Get a Say in State and National Issues

          As a small county official, you might wonder if we get a say in issues on the state and national level.  

          On the state level the county supervisors meet each month with supervisors from all over the state of Arizona in an organization called Arizona County Supervisor's Association.  Within this organization are three smaller groups - the small counties, medium counties and large counties.  We are part of the small counties group.  We work together on issues facing small counties. By working with other small counties we actually have the power to get legislation passed that benefits our county.  I earned the trust of my fellow county supervisors and became one of the Vice Presidents of the Arizona County Supervisor's Association.  

          The National Association of Counties is the group that works for counties on a national level.  This group meets several times a year to address issues that face the counties on a national level.  I was appointed to the Public Lands Committee.  Nine other supervisors and I were given the task of re-writing Public Lands policies for the nation. That was a position of great trust. To be able to make national policies when you are from a small county in Arizona is a huge thing.

          You don't get appointed to these leadership positions unless you win the respect and trust of the other county supervisors in the state and in the nation.  Serving with these groups was an honor.  I plan to continue to work with the other supervisors from our state and our nation to promote policies that benefit Greenlee County.