The first 100 days, water conservation & lessons learned
By Terrance Thornton | Digital Free Press
At the Tuesday, Nov. 8, General Election either Pamela Carter or Barry Graham will be elected to the final vacant seat at Scottsdale City Council.
To get into this political position, both Ms. Carter and Mr. Graham emerged from a field of seven candidates whereas at the Scottsdale primary election last month both incumbents on the ballot — Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield and Solange Whitehead — were elected outright.
For Mr. Graham, if elected he says mission critical day No. 1 of his first 100 days will be focused on putting municipal mechanism in place to ensure residents have a voice every step of the development way.
“My ‘Residents First’ campaign is committed to residents having more say in Scottsdale’s future,” he told the Scottsdale Daily Beat. “Some early goals would be reforming the development ‘open house’ process by doubling the notification radius to neighbors and prohibiting dangerous meeting conditions (e.g., outside in 115°).”
Mr. Graham also says a paramount endeavor, if elected, is to require any applicant of any development project disclose the amount of water to be used and where it will be coming from.
“Another goal is to strengthen transparency by requiring applicants to disclose the source and volume of water that their projects will consume,” he said.
“Scottsdale is more vulnerable to the drought because of how much the city relies on water from the Colorado River. It’s unfair to ask residents to cut back while trying to squeeze in thousands more apartment units that increase the population. Serving current residents should be a priority, and proposed developments should disclose projected water consumption and their source.”
The Digital Free Press is hosting a moderated debate between the final two candidates from noon to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
The forum will focus on key issues facing the municipality and where these candidates stand on those issues. The live debate will provide an opportunity for Scottsdale voters a glimpse into who could fill the last renaming seat at City Council.
As the fall legislation session looms both locally and atop the Arizona capitol, Mr. Graham says pending regulatory control of short-term rentals have his attention.
“The Arizona Legislature should return more regulatory control of short-term rentals to cities,” he pointed out. “STR bad actors are menacing neighborhoods by converting nice homes into raucous, unstaffed mini-hotels that affect residents’ property values and quality of life.”
1ON1 with Scottsdale City Council candidate Barry Graham:
*What do you think of the current economic state of things and how is Scottsdale positioned to weather any significant downturns that could come?
Our city is in a strong position because of the resiliency of our local businesses and our low taxes. Scottsdale must continue to spend tax dollars wisely, keep taxes low, and minimize regulatory measures.
*What has running this campaign meant to you as a person and resident of Scottsdale?
Scottsdale residents deserve the highest quality representation from councilmembers who should study the issues and respond to residents. My “Residents First” campaign has provided me with valuable opportunities to learn about the issues concerning residents and hear their solutions. It’s an opportunity like no other.
*What do you think you learned along the way?
What I’ve learned is directly matched by who I’ve met. Scottsdale has an abundance of talented and engaged residents, and many are concerned that their voices are being ignored. They want a strong economy, high-quality services, and to feel safe. They want more say about preserving the character of their community and they want to trust that who they elect will keep their word.
