Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Arizona’s Christmas City. The holiday season here in Prescott is truly one of the greatest times of the year and provides an excellent opportunity to appreciate all that we have to be thankful for.
2019 has been an outstanding year for our community and we have much to be proud of. Throughout the year, city staff and our partners in the community have worked diligently on revitalizations in and around downtown, including enhancements to the Granite Creek Corridor and ongoing work at the future site of the Hilton Garden Inn. In the Whiskey Row Alley ongoing beautification efforts, upgraded lighting and safety features and a new mural will be showcased at the Dec. 13 unveiling ceremony. This project has been a true labor of love for staff and our citizens, with all of the funding for the mural coming from private contributions. Enhancements to Whiskey Row Alley will make what is already a precious and historic part of our town even better and be beneficial for businesses, residents and visitors – reflecting so much of what is unique and wonderful about Prescott.
Prescott Regional Airport (PRC) continues to operate direct flights to Los Angeles and Denver, making regional access to Everybody’s Hometown easier than ever before. This year marked the first full year of service with United Express, operated by SkyWest Airlines, and in reaching more than 25,000 enplanements (boardings) in 2019, PRC has secured its position as a premier regional airport. In fact, United Express has announced additional flights to Denver starting in March. While this enhanced service has been exciting for our community, PRC’s regional accessibility and our second-to-none quality of life have caught the eye of renowned aviation company Eviation. Eviation has selected Prescott as the home of the innovative and industry first all-electric aircraft, Alice. This truly puts Prescott on the map and offers an opportunity for Embry-Riddle and Yavapai College students to participate in groundbreaking work that will change the way people travel regionally.
These notable accomplishments, along with so many other things about Prescott, have made me incredibly proud to serve as mayor and to be entrusted with another term after a successful campaign in the 2019 election. It is something that I am grateful for. It is an honor to be able to continue to serve our community. This year’s election results also marked the turning of a new chapter as we welcome back Councilmembers Billie Orr and Steve Sischka and new Councilmember Cathey Rusing. Councilman Jim Lamerson served our community with passion and dedication for 16 years and I am truly appreciative of the opportunity I had to work with him, learn from him and witness his institutional knowledge firsthand. Mr. Lamerson will be missed on Council.
2019 is a year to be proud of as we celebrate the Christmas season, and we should all be excited to see what 2020 holds. QCBN
By Greg Mengarelli
Greg L. Mengarelli is the mayor of the City of Prescott.
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