By Richard Dyer
Twitter: @RHDyer

Queen Creek residents Alex Matheson, Troy Young, and Lea Spall have been reappointed to serve on the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission and Carson Brown was reappointed to the Greater Phoenix Economic Council Board of Directors.

The Queen Creek Town Council on Aug. 5 voted unanimously to approve the appointments in a consent agenda with other items. On the dais were Mayor Gail Barney, Vice Mayor Julia Wheatley and Councilmembers Jake Hoffman and Emilena Turley. Meeting by WebEx were Councilmembers Robin Benning, Jeff Brown and Dawn Oliphant.

Planning Commission members

The term of service on the Queen Creek Planning and Zoning Commission is three years, and members may be reappointed at the discretion of the council. Appointments are reviewed on an annual basis.

The terms for Mr. Matheson, Mr. Young and Ms. Spall are due to expire on Aug. 31, Development Services Director Brett Burningham and Senior Planner/Project Manager Sarah Clark said in a memo to the council,

“Staff is recommending the reappointment of Alex Matheson, Troy Young and Lea Spall to the Planning Commission. Commissioners Matheson, Young, and Spall have had good attendance records and have been active participants in the deliberations of the commission,” they said in the memo.

Mr. Matheson is a dentist in the Town of Queen Creek. He has served on the Planning Commission since 2010 and is its chairman.

Mr. Young owns and operates an at-home assisted living facility, and also has experience in the construction and landscaping business. He is a 2017 graduate of the Queen Creek Citizen Leadership Institute, has served on the Planning Commission since 2017 and is its vice chairman.

Ms. Spall has worked as a real estate broker for more than 20 years, conducting much of her work in the southeast Valley. She owns a real estate business, which includes 13 other real-estate agents. Ms. Spall has served as an ambassador to the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce and is a graduate of the Queen Creek Citizen Leadership Institute. She has served on the Planning Commission since 2018.

The Queen Creek Planning and Zoning Commission advises the Town Council in decisions pertaining to amendments to the General Plan, the Zoning Ordinance and applications for development. The commission is charged with developing and maintaining the General Plan and submitting the plan and its elements to the Town Council, according to queencreek.org.

The commission also reviews and makes recommendations regarding changes to the General Plan land use map. The Planning Commission hears, reviews and makes recommendations regarding all applications for subdivision site plans, specific plans and phased and conditional use permit applications, according to the town’s website.

GPEC board member

Queen Creek is entitled to one seat on the GPEC Board of Directors. The term for new and/or reappointed directors is one year, which will commence at the board meeting on Sept. 17, Economic Development Director Doreen Cott said in a memo to the council.

“Staff recommends approval of the reappointment of Carson Brown to the Greater Phoenix Economic Council Board of Directors for fiscal year 2020-21,” she said.

“Representatives on the board work to support and assess GPEC’s CEO, ensure effective organizational strategic planning and assess GPEC’s performance. Board members service in leadership positions, follow economic development trends, participate at board meetings and special events and participate in fundraising,” Ms. Cott said.

The GPEC Board of Directors meet four times annually during the months of September, January, March and May. The GPEC directors are also encouraged to participate on leadership councils, advisory teams and events in their areas of interest and expertise.

“Carson Brown has served as Queen Creek’s GPEC board representative for one year and has actively participated in the meetings representing Queen Creek. Carson also serves as a liaison (non-voting) member of the Economic Development Commission and has been involved in many developments in Queen Creek over the past several years. If reappointed to the GPEC board, Carson will continue to serve on the EDC as a non-voting member as the GPEC board liaison,” Ms. Cott said in the memo.

Established in 1989, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council actively works to attract and grow quality businesses and advocate for the competitiveness of greater Phoenix. As the regional economic development organization, GPEC works with 22 member communities, Maricopa County and more than 160 private investors to accomplish its mission, and serve as a strategic partner to companies across the world as they expand or relocate, according to gpec.org.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley
@RHDyer

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: 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. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.