City of Prescott Mayor Greg Mengarelli infused his Jan. 17 State of the City address to the Prescott Chamber of Commerce with a call to action from Ancient Greece: “Society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
Having become a grandfather last fall and pondering that marvel, Mengarelli asserted that “the best legacy is to sacrifice today to ensure the prosperity of tomorrow. So, that is the question I ask each one of you: What legacy will you leave behind; what trees are you planting today? What sacrifices are you making today that will benefit those who come behind you?”
His challenge augmented last year’s achievements by the city, Chamber and allied organizations. Serving Prescott since 1938, the Chamber currently boasts 108 years of combined staff experience and more than 10,000 volunteers, saving upwards of $100,000 annually. Many volunteers staff the Visitor Information Center, which last year managed 1,595 conference packets; 26,467 walk-ins; 16,677 phone calls; 1,090 walking tours; and 619 relocation and visitor packets.
“You are the hardest working people I know,” Mengarelli said. “You are the reason I have hope in our local economy and I am grateful for all you do for our community and local charities.”
The mayor reinforced three strategies he identified in 2018 to maintain the Prescott that citizens know and love: 1) A government mindset that promotes free enterprise; 2) Controlling the future through strategic partnerships; and 3) Thinking about the next generation.
Among related success stories for 2018, Mengarelli cited the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) sales tax-funded debt pay down from $86 million to $69 million; new regional jet service by United Express/SkyWest Airlines surpassing a milestone 10,000 enplanements and thus qualifying for additional critical federal funding; downtown redevelopment of the city-owned Granite Creek Corridor at Montezuma and Sheldon streets earmarked for a Hilton Garden Inn; open space preservation featuring the Granite Dells; and water conservation and management, including a current audit of the city’s water portfolio.
“Prop 443 passed because community leaders ran an effective information campaign and the business community provided financial support for that campaign,” he said of the voter-led initiative to reduce the PSPRS debt. “This was a courageous and bold move by our community to address this problem up front and not kick the debt down the road to burden future generations. Our generation created that debt and we have taken on the responsibility of paying that debt off.”
For decades, Prescott “has struggled with establishing reliable, affordable and modern air service at the airport,” Mengarelli said. “How did all this progress happen so quickly, when we had failed so many times before? It was because of great staff leadership, strategic partnerships with you in the business community, regional partnerships with local municipalities and the county, and, finally, with Embry-Riddle [Aeronautical] University. Our team at City Hall had a plan, but it required our partners in the community and region to be successful.”
SkyWest Airlines reported that the startup service in Prescott broke records as the most successful launch in the company’s history. Ongoing planning is underway to add more flights and destinations to current air service and a new terminal is anticipated to open in summer 2020.
The revitalization of the Granite Creek Corridor represents one of the largest private investments in downtown Prescott in the past 20 years, he noted, adding that “the new Hilton Garden Inn will be the anchor for a wonderful park setting along Granite Creek, the use of the Sam Hill Warehouse for conferences and the historic train trestle, [which] will be the centerpiece of it all. This project is an example of innovative cooperation between city government and the private sector, and generations to come will benefit from its amenities.”
Regarding land preservation, Mengarelli explained that “our breathtaking landscapes are one of the hallmarks of the Prescott lifestyle, particularly the Point of Rocks and other prominent rock features in the Granite Dells.
One year ago, he stated, the city bought 160 acres of the Granite Dells, bringing its total Dells ownership to 578 acres, excluding Watson and Willow Lakes.
“As controversial as [the Arizona Eco Development (AED) project] seems to many in our community, we cannot lose sight of the fact that this is a once-in-a-life-time opportunity for the city to acquire this privately-owned property,” he said. “It is our job to find a workable development agreement that maximizes preservation of this open space, while still providing the developer with the proper incentive to proceed with the annexation. If a suitable agreement can be reached with AED, this acquisition will be a landmark deal and become a tremendous legacy gift for future generations to enjoy.”
As for water, Prescott’s supply comes from the Little Chino Aquifer and not the Central Arizona Project, so the associated state drought contingency plan will not apply locally. Water usage since 2014 has declined about two percent a year, he noted. Still, he suggested, much more needs to be achieved through conservation.
“When we put others ahead of ourselves, we will accomplish great things,” Mengarelli concluded. “I ask and challenge each of you to help make Prescott a better place today and, more importantly, a better place for my grandson and your grandchildren.” QCBN
By Sue Marceau, QCBN
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