The years-long effort to build a new road between State Route 260 and Beaverhead Flat Road — dubbed Verde Connect — has been a controversial project in the Verde Valley, to the point of becoming hotly debated in this year’s elections for the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors.
Though both District 2 Supervisor Tom Thurman [who is retiring this year] and District 3 Supervisor Randy Garrison have pushed for the project, and voted in favor of it moving forward when it has come before the board of supervisors, candidates who seek to replace them on the county board have expressed opposition.
James Gregory, who is running unopposed on Nov. 3 for Thurman’s seat after winning the Republican primary in August, expressed opposition to the road, as has Donna Michaels, who is running against Garrison in November.
But even a change in the political winds might not be enough to stop the project. The board of supervisors on Aug. 19 approved by a 4-1 vote the grant agreement from the U.S. Department of Transportation for construction of the project and opened up a request for proposals. According to Yavapai County Public Works Director Dan Cherry, proposals from contractors are expected by Oct. 29, with the approval of one of the bids for at least Phase 1 [building the bridge across the Verde River and connecting SR 260 to Middle Verde Road] set for November.
With the winners of November’s elections not being seated until the new year, this means that even if both Thurman or Garrison are set to be replaced with successors who oppose the project, they will be the ones to decide on its fate. “We have every intent of having the contract for Phase 1 at the very least awarded in November, before the current board leaves office, we expect,” Cherry said. “It would be up to them as a whole to ask the public works department in January or sometime in 2021 to backtrack on a contract that would already be in place at this point.”
Garrison is clear that even if he loses re-election, he does not expect to change his mind on the project.
“The decision was made months ago and we have already accepted and budgeted the federal monies as well as the county contribution for this project,” Garrison wrote in an email. “We will be receiving plans and bids at the end of this month, and expect to select a contractor and bid before the end of November, and break ground early January. This has been a very open and transparent process, and we have been following a very strict timeline. The election does not change long-term planning.”
Michaels said that should she win and the board approve a bid for the project anyway, she would try to reverse the decision upon taking office.
“If elected I will seek to undo the contract through appropriate processes,” Michaels wrote in an email. “I will work to ensure all options regarding the termination of this contract are reviewed and considered in a transparent and accountable manner. Importantly, I will do this in concert with the impacted communities and residents who are now or seek to be engaged, informed and supportive of this action.”
Gregory did not respond to a request to comment for this story.
Cherry noted that while he did not expect notable financial problems for the county from backing out on an already-approved bid, it could have other consequences for the county.
“Any time the county considers backing out of an already approved contract, it casts a shadow on how the county does business,” Cherry said. “It could affect the county, maybe not financially, but it could cause some doubts for the federal government to want to work with the county in the future.”
Assistant Public Works Director Roger McCormick added that pulling out of the contract could damage the county’s ability to secure construction contracts in the future. Even if voters resoundingly reject the Verde Connect plan, it looks like it will be difficult to stop it.
“If I had a magic wand I would have changed the timing,” Michaels wrote. “Alas, as only a candidate it is still important to state my position and to the best of my ability do the right thing.”
