Gilbert leaders were tested in 2025

By Tom Blodgett
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From growth pressures to governance challenges, 2025 was a year that tested Gilbert’s infrastructure, leadership and long-term planning.  

The Gilbert Independent identified these as the top 10 stories that most shaped the town over the past year, counting down to the most consequential local story of 2025. 

Banner Wellness Center opens 

The opening of the Banner Wellness Center in January brought national attention to Gilbert, tied to its feature on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The center, built in collaboration with homebuilder Taylor Morrison and designed as an extension of the nearby homes used for long-term patient stays in Banner's "Home Away from Home" program, aims to create a supportive environment that prioritizes physical and emotional well-being.  

The leadership team at Banner Gateway Medical Center and Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center-Gilbert stand in front of the new Banner Wellness Center. From left are George Figueroa, a chief medical officer at Banner Health; Kelley Kieffer, chief nursing officer; Ana Barraza, chief financial officer; Darren McCollem, CEO; Brittany Hviding, human resources senior director; and Mike Herring, vice …

Courtesy Banner Health

Adora Trails cows 

Concerns over cattle wandering into the Adora Trails area and grazing on landscaping sparked community discussion and public attention. The issue underscored the ongoing tension between Gilbert’s agricultural past and the realities of residential development continuing to push outward. Installation of a new fence along the community’s southern border, completed ahead of schedule by LandCom, the neighborhood’s landscaping company, improved the problem greatly. 

Cattle in the Adora Trails neighborhood have been a hazard for drivers and pedestrians and done damage to landscaping.

Courtesy Town of Gilbert

American Legion Post 39 

American Legion Post 39 remained a prominent part of Gilbert’s civic landscape, serving veterans and hosting community events, but plans for a realignment of Ash Street behind the post threatened access for older or disabled veterans. Conversations surrounding the post reflected broader questions about historic preservation, land use and redevelopment in older parts of town. 

Members of American Legion Post 39 hope they can remain in their building in Gilbert's Heritage District.

Independent Newsmedia/Tom Blodgett

Heritage Park groundbreaking 

A ceremonial groundbreaking in May for Heritage Park marked a long-awaited milestone for a major community project that will serve as the north anchor to the Heritage District. The event signaled progress on plans to enhance recreational amenities and public gathering spaces near downtown Gilbert. 

Heritage Park, shown here in a rendering, will expand the Heritage District and act as the district's north anchor.

Courtesy Creation

Public records 

Public records access emerged repeatedly as an issue in 2025, drawing attention to transparency and responsiveness within local government. Many records request fulfillments are delayed months under the deluge of requests, and growing costs are a concern expressed by council members. The discussions prompted greater scrutiny of how records requests are handled and the balance between administrative workload and public access. 

Town Clerk Chaveli Herrera addresses Gilbert Town Council about public-records requests while Town Attorney Chris Payne looks on.

Independent Newsmedia/Tom Blodgett

Sales tax and ‘quality of life’ projects 

A half-cent sales tax increase, meant to fund “quality of life” projects for parks and recreation and public safety, took effect Jan. 1, but debate over the revenues and the importance of the projects continued throughout the year. Town leaders weighed how best to allocate funding among infrastructure needs, parks, recreation and other amenities tied to growth and livability. 

Local sales tax went up one-half cent Jan. 1 in Gilbert.

Independent Newsmedia/Tom Blodgett

Teen engagement efforts

Efforts to improve teen engagement, made as a result of community concerns on teen violence, gained traction. The initiatives reflected broader concerns about providing positive outlets, structure and support for young residents. However, problems continued, particularly with Morrison Ranch youth. 

Mayor Scott Anderson and Gilbert Police Youth Community Engagement Officer Emily King participate in a listening session at Higley High School. (Independent Newsmedia/Tom Blodgett)

Independent Newsmedia/Tom Blodgett

Leadership turnover 

Leadership changes affected both town government and local school districts in 2025. A longtime face, Scott Anderson, became mayor in January while Monte Lyons and Kenny Buckland joined Gilbert Town Council. In October, longtime Town Manager Patrick Banger was hired away by Glendale, with his separation effective Jan. 2. Meanwhile, Gilbert Public Schools Superintendent Shane McCord and Chandler Unified School District Superintendent Frank Narducci announced last spring their retirements at the end of this school year while Higley Unified School District hired David Loutzenheiser as its new superintendent starting July 1, replacing the retiring Sherry Richards. 

Patrick Banger, left, gives some remarks after a proclamation about his service as town manager is read while Mayor Scott Anderson looks on.

Screen capture from YouTube

Higley override fails 

Voters rejected a 15% maintenance and operations budget override renewal request from the Higley Unified School District, forcing district leaders to confront financial shortfalls. The outcome raised concerns about potential impacts on staffing, academic programs and extracurricular offerings. 

The Higley Unified School District district office was a ballot dropoff site for the November election, which included two measures from the district.

Courtesy Higley Unified School District

Utility woes 

Residents and business groaned under the strain of sharp increases in the water and wastewaster portions of their utility bills. The town has struggled financially against rising costs, increased regulation and the need for additional or upgraded infrastructure in the form of the North Water Treatment Plant reconstruction, replacement of deteriorating wastewater pipes and the drilling of additional wells to serve as a buffer against losses of water from drought on the Colorado River plateau. But customers said the increases were too much as they struggled with effects on their pocketbooks. 

The reconstruction of the North Water Treatment Plant is one driver of Gilbert's utility rates but not the only one.

Courtesy Town of Gilbert

Taken together, the top stories of 2025 painted a picture of a town grappling with growth, transition and the strain placed on systems built for a smaller community. As Gilbert looks ahead, the issues that defined the past year are likely to continue shaping decisions well beyond it. 

Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines. Tom Blodgett can be reached by email at tblodgett@iniusa.org or follow him @sp_blodgett on X. 

Tom Blodgett
Senior News Editor | Gilbert

tblodgett@iniusa.org

Meet Tom
Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.

Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.

Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism. 

Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.  

Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).