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Five Queen Creek residents have filed petitions to run for three seats on the Town Council.
They are: Robin Benning, Jeremy Benson, Jeff Brown, Jason Gad and Leah Martineau.
The seats of three members of council --- Mr. Benning, Mr. Brown and Councilmember Jake Hoffman --- all who were elected in 2016, are up for re-election. Mr. Hoffman is not running as he is seeking office at the Arizona House of Representatives.
Candidate packets for the Queen Creek Aug. 4 primary election and Nov. 3 general election were to be turned in to the town clerk’s office between March 9 and 5 p.m. April 6.
Register to vote at Servicearizona.com or request a form from Maricopa County at 602-506-1511 (maricopa.gov) or Pinal County at 520-866-7100 (pinalcountyaz.gov). The deadline to register to vote in the primary election is July 6.
For more information, contact the town clerk’s office at 480-358-3211.
Independent Newsmedia reached out to each council candidate seeking answers to a variety of questions, which will be detailed at yourvalley.net/queen-creek-independent in the coming weeks. Below are their answers on what their top three campaign issues are and why.
Top 3 issues
Council candidate Mr. Benning did not respond to e-mails sent March 31 and April 10.
Queen Creek’s roads, local businesses and being fiscally conservative with the town’s tax monies are top priorities, Mr. Benson, 37, said.
“I will support the continued improvements of our roads to ensure safe and efficient travel in and through town. I will support local business owners and entrepreneurs. I will support fiscally conservative actions as a steward of the resident’s hard-earned tax dollars,” he said.
Mr. Benson owns iFixem Phone Repairs in Queen Creek Marketplace; and Light Your Garage.
Boards and commissions include Queen Creek Planning and Zoning Commission --- 2018-20; Queen Creek Board of Adjustment board member --- 2017-18; and attended and graduated from the Queen Creek Leadership Institute --- 2016-17.
Mr. Brown, 53, has four top priorities --- public safety, local economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, transportation and ensuring a water supply.
“Public safety: it’s job one for me as a representative. QC residents and stakeholders demand and deserve to be safe in our community. I have a proven track record historically as residents will see as they observe the current expansion of our fire department and my recent ‘Yes’ vote to create a municipal Town of Queen Creek Police Department. Our residents’ trust in me to not let them down is appreciated and respected,” he said.
“Finance/economic recovery: The Town of QC today is under Gov. Ducey’s ‘stay at home’ executive order in the wake of coronavirus. The number of businesses and people impacted is unprecedented in the 31 years since Queen Creek incorporated. The fallout economically will be significant,” Mr. Brown said.
“Our town can be of great assistance in helping to make sure the recovery afterward is robust. Indeed, I envision much economic opportunity for Queen Creek and an explosion of positive activity once USA has mitigated health concerns of COVID-19. We’ll need steady leadership to help on the front end and then manage on the back end of the recovery,” he said.
Road-infrastructure improvements including the extension of State Route 24 and transportation are a priority, Mr. Brown said.
“Transportation is key to our ability to prosper and to move people and goods. Anyone who’s looked around lately and seen the many road-infrastructure improvements underway knows that this town is investing heavily to make sure people can get where they need to go,” he said.
“It’s certainly painful in the short term to have the delays, but all roads are leading to 2022 when SR-24 is opened eastward from Ellsworth to Ironwood Road and when the town will have connected new north/south roads --- Signal Butte, Meridian --- to the extended SR-24. Every road-improvement project under construction or design in our town today has been voted on by me and the other current council members. My ‘Yes’ votes on $200 million worth of road improvements are some of my very proudest moments on Town Council. I look forward to seeing them through to fruition as the 10-year CIP goes through 2024,” he said of capital improvement projects.
Water for the future is his fourth priority.
“Ensuring our long-term water supply. I believe it’s important from a sustainability standpoint to minimize reliance on groundwater and secure generational, renewable water sources,” Mr. Brown said.
He is self-employed in consultant services --- since 2007.
Boards and commissions include:
Queen Creek Town Council --- currently.
Economic Development Commission --- currently
Arizona League of Cities/Towns’ General Administration, Human Resources and Elections Committee --- 2015 to present.
Arizona League of Cities/Towns’ Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee --- 2015 to present.
Arizona League of Cities/Towns’ Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Works Committee --- 2015 to present.
East Valley Partnership Transportation Advisory Committee --- 2015 to present;
Queen Creek Town Council vice mayor --- January 2017 to January 2018.
Town of Queen Creek Budget Committee --- multiple years;
Queen Creek Planning and Zoning Commission --- 2006-08;
Community Emergency Response Team, as squad leader for the Southeast Queen Creek CERT sector, since 2008.
Ensuring Queen Creek is a safe and secure community to live in, responsible and smart economic growth for the town’s future and keeping Queen Creek family friendly are priorities for Mr. Gad, 46.
“We are entering an exciting and critical time in Queen Creek as we have grown to a medium-sized town with forecasts showing even more population growth into the next decade. The rapid growth we have seen in just the last few years requires us to be very proactive and strategic in how we manage this town we call home,” he said.
“We must stay ahead of the needs of our community in expanding essential protective services such as our fire and emergency personnel and stations, and we must be razor-focused on a successful transition and roll out of our new Queen Creek Police Department,” Mr. Gad said.
“As our population booms, we need Town Council members that prioritize attracting the right type of businesses to serve the growing needs of our residents both in services but also employment opportunities,” he said.
Keeping what makes Queen Creek unique and special is important, he said.
“Finally, with such rapid growth it is important that we not lose sight of what makes Queen Creek unique and special --- our people. As a Town Council we can expand our support and partnership with our local public and charter school districts, and continue to support and expand upon our community-wide events, celebrations and activities,” he said.
“It is essential for our residents to be represented by leaders on our Town Council who have experience, knowledge and understanding of our community and who are able to stay strategically focused on the positive decisions that will impact our residents’ lives now and also deliver our long-term future success,” Mr. Gad said.
He works as a strategic supply chain manager in the financial services industry.
Boards and commissions include:
Queen Creek Town Council member --- 2012-14;
Queen Creek Planning and Zoning Commissioner --- 2010-12;
Queen Creek Town Center Committee, chairman --- 2010-12;
Queen Creek Town Center Committee --- 2008-10;
Queen Creek Disaster Preparedness Committee --- 2008; and
Queen Creek Citizen Leadership Institute --- 2007.
Town residents have one overriding priority, Ms. Martineau, 38, said when asked what her top three priorities are.
“A bit tongue in cheek, I want to answer road, roads and roads because that is hands down the most common feedback I receive from our residents in terms of the highest priority for Queen Creek,” she said.
“In fact, in the most recent citizen survey roads, traffic congestion and commute times were three out of four of the most received, open-ended responses. I commend the current Town Council for their recent large investments in better roadway infrastructure, but we can do more --- we have to do more --- and we have to do it more quickly,” Ms. Martineau said.
She teaches 11th and 12th grade government and economics at East Valley High School. She previously taught preschool, kindergarten and first grade for 13 years combined.
Ms. Martineau has been active in many community events and charities for the past 15 years, including O.U.R Rescue, fighting against human trafficking, where she is on the volunteer leadership team in Arizona.
Boards and commissions include: precinct committeeman for LD16 and LD12; and HOA Board --- 2009-11.
Richard Dyer Managing Editor | East Valley @RHDyer
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia, Inc.. USA, since 1987.
Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
He also is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows
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