It’s no exaggeration to say that Randy Garrison’s identity has been defined by the Verde Valley.
As a fifth-generation local, the Cottonwood City Council member and Yavapai County Supervisor District 3 candidate is well aware of how one family can shape the history of a community.
Garrison’s great-great-grandfather came to the Cottonwood area in 1879 — a mere 14 years after the establishment of Yavapai County itself. He went on to establish the area’s first water company, Cottonwood Water Works.
“Our family’s been very invested in the county and community since they got here,” Garrison said, adding that this spirit of community participation was passed down from generation to generation. Garrison’s grandparents donated considerable land to the city of Cottonwood, including that which stands under Verde Valley Medical Center, the fairgrounds, Garrison Park and the former county buildings.
Garrison said he is indebted to his ancestors for fostering a hard work ethic and a willingness to serve, saying, “My grandparents really instilled the idea of community. My parents taught me the value of a dollar.”
In 1983, he began working for Cottonwood Water Works, beginning a career that spanned nearly three decades before the water company’s sale to the city nine years ago. From there, he established and helped grow personal businesses, served on the Mingus Union High School and Cottonwood-Oak Creek School district governing boards, spent a decade on the Cottonwood Economic Development Council and was elected to City Council.
According to Garrison, service in the community development, municipal government and education sectors — not to mention his family’s history in agriculture — has made him a qualified candidate for county supervisor. Touting his “instrumental” role in establishing the Verde Valley as a prime spot for the wine industry, Garrison argued for agriculture as a top priority when discussing sustainable growth.
“The wine industry has been a huge success,” Garrison said, but also noted the demands that all agriculture places on natural resources.
This, of course, is where he believes his experience in the water resource industry comes into play. “We need someone who understands smart growth …. You’re not going to find a person who understands water resources and hydrology like me.”
In Garrison’s opinion, business acumen is sadly lacking in local politics. According to him, it is this gap in experience that he wishes to fill. “I’m not just a cheerleader. I’m going to be on the field, making plays. I come ready to work. I’m not going to have to learn on the job …. We need to be putting money in education and bringing industry in.”
Education is a key priority, Garrison explained. As a member of the Yavapai College Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee, he has been both vocal supporter of the Verde Valley and an outspoken critic of what he and many others perceive to be a lack of support from the college.
The Southwest Wine Center at Yavapai College, he added, is a perfect example. He lamented recent decisions by the college’s governing board to treat the center as “just a classroom” — as opposed to a viable revenue stream for the college as well as an instructional facility.
“If it’s run correctly, it can be both at once,” Garrison said. “And sometimes you have to be brutally honest to fix the problem.”
