Seven candidates vying for six seats on Cave Creek Town Council

By Jeff Wendt
Mail

Seven candidates, four incumbents and three newcomers, are vying for the six seats up for grabs on the Cave Creek Town Council.

Current council members Tom Augherton, Cynthia Driskell, Joe Freedman and Tom McGuire are joined by Kathleen Abaie, David Ackerman and Patricia Murphy for the upcoming primary election.

Here’s a look at the seven candidates running for Town Council:

Kathleen Abaie

Courtesy of Cave Creek Informed Voters website

Kathleen Abaie

My family moved to Arizona in 2007 and immediately fell in love with Cave Creek and the surrounding area. We looked elsewhere in the Valley but gravitated back to the Cave Creek/Desert Hills area. It is unique and beautiful. I have lived in both communities, Cave Creek roughly 12-13 years ago, Desert Hills for a number of years and moved back to Cave Creek a few years ago where my heart belongs. Throughout it all, I have followed the activities and challenges that face Cave Creek.

I am a wife to an amazing man for 44 years, mother to awesome adult children and wonderful grandchildren. I assisted my husband with his business for 28 years until he retired. I enjoy staying active. I have a small business as a bookkeeper with multiple clients in various markets. I love numbers and reading between the lines. Numbers tell a story. I’ve had five quarter horses at one time in the past but only one today. He is a senior and happily retired.

We have challenges ahead of us. It is my goal to keep unity in Cave Creek, to secure our open space lands, to protect us as the impending growth moves closer, to keep us viable as a Town; safe, protected, aid in finding water solutions, be fiscally responsible and find solutions to our challenges.

David Ackerman

Courtesy of David Ackerman

David Ackerman

Ackerman moved to Cave Creek in 2023. Ackerman was born in Van Nuys, Calif. Ackerman obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Managerial Economics at the University of California at Davis in 1997. Ackerman is married to his wife Christina and have two daughters.

Ackerman was on the Ad Hoc Open Space Committee, Cave Creek Museum Board, Cave Creek Museum Finance Committee Chair, and the Kiwanis Chamber of Commerce.

Ackerman is the CEO & Founder of CalNutri, Inc., a company that helps Consumer Product Goods Brands convert their ideation to commercialization.

Ackerman’s bio said: “Given my professional and personal experience, I would bring a fresh perspective and a diverse set of business skills to the Town Council, if elected. Cave Creek is a very special place…one that I want to call home for the rest of my life and help preserve our town’s open space to the best of my ability.”

Tom Augherton

Courtesy of Tom Augherton

Tom Augherton

In Cave Creek, Augherton served previously on the Town Council, Planning & Zoning Commission and the Board of Adjustment during 1991-1999 and was the first voter-elected Town mayor in 1996. He was the Town’s Regional Council member at the Maricopa County Association of Governments (MAG). He returned to serve as a member of the Town Council in December, 2022.

Augherton is a career government affairs and legislative advocacy liaison at the Federal and Arizona state governments, in the public and private sectors. Originally a native of Washington, D.C. he worked on Capitol Hill, at the White House Office of Management & Budget, and in the Legislative Affairs office of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he produced a daily radio program called “Washington Dial.” in the 1970’s.

Augherton is a graduate of: George Washington University, BA Journalism, the University of Arizona, MA Journalism, and Arizona State University, with a PhD and a DPA in Public Administration (ABD). He has two CPMs (certificates in public management) from ASU and U of A. Augherton was a 1998 National Toll Fellow for the Council of State Governments (CSG) representing Arizona, and completed the Executive Leadership Training Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

A Cave Creek resident for 43 years, Augherton is a former Arizona Town Hall delegate, Valley Leadership Class X graduate, a Superior Court appointee to the Maricopa County Judiciary Advisory Council, and graduate of the Strategic Leadership for State Executives program, at Duke University’s Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy. In 2021-23, Augherton served on the CSG National Center for Interstate Compacts Technical Assistance panel funded by the DOD.

Cynthia Driskell

Courtesy of Cynthia Driskell

Cynthia Driskell

Driskell moved to Cave Creek in 1985 to enjoy the rural lifestyle, desert vistas and opportunity to raise a family and build a business. She enthusiastically supported and contributed to the incorporation of Cave Creek and served on a Citizen’s Advisory Committee developing the initial ordinances and footprint for a general plan.

Growing up in rural Missouri, Driskell graduated with degrees in Biology from Drury University and Health Science–Physical Therapy from the University of Missouri–Columbia.

Driskell is the founder and owner of Carefree Physical Therapy, serving the Desert Foothills area since 1987. She is a founding member and principal of Physical Therapy Preferred Providers of Arizona, a statewide network of private physical therapy offices with local, county, state and national contracts.

Active in the physical therapy profession, Driskell has held numerous appointed and elected positions of leadership at the state and national level. She gained regulatory experience as an appointee to the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy and as State Legislative Chair for the Arizona Physical Therapy Association.

Participating in many facets of Cave Creek life, Driskell has been a youth coach and referee with Desert Foothills Athletic Club, and active supporter of CCUSD PTOs, Soroptimist International, Desert Foothills Land Trust, and Foothills Caring Corps.

Driskell served on the Cave Creek Planning Commission from 2021-2024 prior to being appointed to fill a vacancy on the Town Council on September 9, 2024 and being elected to the Town Council for the term starting December 2024.

Driskell and Walt Murphy have a blended family of 5 children, all CCUSD and Arizona university graduates, enjoying time with them and our five grandchildren.

Joe Freedman

Courtesy of Joe Freedman

Joe Freedman

Freedman moved to AZ in 1981 from Detroit after being laid off from Pontiac Motors where Freedman worked on the assembly line pulling pistons through motors for a few years. This job plus where Freedman grew up laid the foundation of who Freedman is today. A graduate of Arizona State University, Freedman and spent most of his career in sports marketing.

Freedman has lived in Cave Creek since 2001 with his wife, Linda and 3 dogs. Freedman’s son Jacob, who recently turned 22, has lived in Cave Creek his entire life and attended Black Mountain Elementary, Sonoran Trails and graduated from Cactus Shadows High School. He is attending Arizona State University and graduates in May with a degree in business.

The top of Freedman’s platform: The water situation (alternative potential sources in addition to our CAP allotment, creating potential partnerships with Phoenix and/or other partners). Acquisition of 4005 acres of open space for preservation (This was at the top of Freedman’s list when he ran in 2024. Now it’s time to finish the job. This was dormant for 15 years and Freedman promised he would jump start the efforts and did). Parking solutions in the town core (Must be resolved. Cut and dry. Potential land for town core parking will be gone soon unless we act now.) Keeping Cave Creek financially secure. Fire safety. Road improvements.

Tom McGuire

Courtesy of Tom McGuire

Tom McGuire

McGuire has volunteered in Cave Creek for many years at the Museum, the Library, the Land Trust and on the Town Council. He received a 2026 award for his service at the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area.

McGuire has a close working relationship with town staff. ”In spite of my scientific background, I’m just one person. I draw heavily on the expertise of our highly qualified and dedicated town staff. As they help us set policies, they perform the services upon which we depend,” McGuire said.

Clearly our most immediate issue is municipal water. Cave Creek is almost totally dependent on the Colorado River. We are now using about 90% of our allotment, with two housing developments, both of which have guaranteed water, still to be built. The federal government will soon set water reductions due to reduced flow in the Colorado River. Cutbacks could range from 20-50%. This will limit growth.

Cave Creek will not run out of water. Although our local aquifer is limited, the Town is now activating wells used before the town received Colorado River water. We also have banked groundwater. But we will need to rethink our use of water, especially outside our homes.

McGuire supports the acquisition of 4,005 acres of open space. With his support, joining the Phoenix valley-wide fire protection system was a major safety advancement, as is our Phoenix water interconnect. Strong sales tax from local businesses support essential services. Even with no town property tax, our economic viability is strong.

Patricia Murphy

Attempts were made by Independent Newsmedia to reach out to Murphy, but was unable to get her bio for the story.

Jeff Wendt
Reporter | Phoenix/Cave Creek

jwendt@iniusa.org

Meet Jeff
Jeff Wendt started at Independent Newsmedia in January 2023, after 25 years working for Gannett and The Arizona Republic. Started as a high school sports scoretaker, worked up to reporting high school sports and then became an associate high school sports editor in 2002. Also worked in the Design Studio as a copy editor.

Community: Jeff serves on the Board of Elders at his local church.

Education: Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication

Random fact: Attended Game 2 of the 2001 World Series.

Hobbies: Playing video games (yes still the kid in me), watching reality TV, playing poker.