Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney was released from the hospital last week and is recovering at home, according to  Constance  Halonen-Wilson, communications and marketing director for the town of Queen Creek.

"Mayor Barney continues to express his appreciation for the well wishes.," Halonen-Wilson wrote in an email.  

 Barney  was reported hospitalized with a lung infection unrelated to COVID-19 on Monday, May 9.  

During Barney's absence Vice Mayor Jeff Brown assisted with mayoral duties.

Barney is not running for reelection.

Current Queen Creek Council Member Julia Wheatley is the only candidate who has filed to run for mayor. This virtually ensures that she will be the new mayor of Queen Creek starting next year.

According to the town’s website, Barney was appointed to fill a vacancy on the town council in January 2002 and has served as mayor since he was elected in June 2010. He served on the Planning & Zoning Commission from 1998 to 2002. 

Barney represents Queen Creek on the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Regional Council and Transportation Policy Committee and serves on the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority Board of Directors, the Maricopa/Pinal Gateway Alliance, the Arizona Municipal Tax Code Commission, the League of Arizona Cities and Towns Executive Committee, and represents the town council on the Queen Creek Public Safety Retirement Boards for Fire and Police.