With the 2018 election in full swing, those vying for seats on the Camp Verde Town Council were asked a variety of questions pertaining to issues facing the town — both today and in the future. Bruce George is running for election to the Camp Verde Town Council.
Q: What makes you qualified for a position on Town Council?
The obvious answer is because I have already been on council for more than five years and did an outstanding job, as evidenced by being selected as vice mayor partway through my term. Our council dealt with many issues and resolved many of them to the benefit of our residents.
Q: What makes Camp Verde great?
The people who choose to live here and contribute to our town are Camp Verde’s greatest asset. We have some great historic attractions like Fort Verde and Montezuma Castle, as well as more recent venues like Out of Africa. I think the Verde River is such a wonderful thing to have running through our town and it is under-appreciated. I worry about the future of water remaining in the river and have been on the Verde River Basin Partnership board to try to educate people of the importance of our river and all the benefits that it brings to not only our community, but all the towns in the Verde Valley.
Q: What would be different if you were on the Town Council?
Not really different, but we would keep moving forward with intelligent progress. We have needed more playgrounds for our children for years, and I want to see our new Sports Complex completed. When I was on council, we built the library and now the entire Verde Valley looks up to us and what we accomplished. This is the type of thing that can be done when I am on council and we look forward.
Q: What will you do to keep Camp Verde affordable for its residents?
The key is a range of housing options including single-family homes, apartments and other types of affordable housing. We need to attract more interest in housing development in the Verde Valley to keep up with the demand for houses, and to keep up with employment growth. With my position on the Planning and Zoning Commission, I have been able to see firsthand the need for expanded housing options in Camp Verde. Recently, I was a part of the zoning approval for manufactured homes in a residential development. This was a win-win for the town, our local economy and the people who will now be able to afford to live there.
Q: How do you hope to bring in business to Camp Verde?
When I was on council, we hired Retail Strategies with a three-year contract to chart the demographics in our area and then based on that, analysis target the retailers most likely to prosper here. I think they are actively promoting Camp Verde and we should be seeing results soon. Our economic director Steve Ayers has just taken advantage of a new tax law that presents “opportunity zones” with tax incentives and he is already getting inquiries about that.
