Marney Babbitt-Pierce is running unopposed for one of three seats on the Clarkdale Town Council.
What makes you qualified for council?
I have been a participatory citizen my whole life. I have served on the Clarkdale Parks and Recreation commission since 2017, where I have been active in the remediation and master planning of our town parks. I am an active and informed citizen who attends all Clarkdale public meetings including the recent Town Manager Forums, ASU Project Cities presentations and the meetings of the General Plan.
What would be different if you were not on the council?
My involvement in the Clarkdale government and the future of our town will not be deterred if I am not elected. I will continue to serve our community.
How will you help Clarkdale to recover from the coronavirus and economic slump?
Recovering from COVID- 19 will require hard work, difficult conversations and intentional decision making. We must protect the health of our citizens and the public while we capitalize on innovative and flexible solutions to solve our budget deficit.
How do you hope to keep Clarkdale affordable to residents?
I do not believe that Clarkdale is currently affordable. For many Arizona residents, Clarkdale is out of reach. Our high taxes, shortage of attain- able housing and limited employment opportunities present challenges that we must address.
CANDIDATE ESSAY:
I am a proud fourth generation Arizonan. My family of entrepreneurs moved to Arizona in 1886. My roots in Clarkdale run deep. My great-grandfather, Charles Kuzell, was the superintendent of the United Verde Smelter. He made Clarkdale his home raising four children here. This history provides me with a background and familiarity with people and places. My passion for future sustainability, commitment to research, and community involvement make me an excellent candidate for the Clarkdale Town Council.
I earned my Bachelor of Arts from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas and my Master of Education from the University of South Carolina. I have observed the many ways in which communities grow and change living outside of Arizona. Returning to Arizona in 2014, I moved to Clarkdale in 2017. We selected Clarkdale with the intention of starting our family in a tight knit community. Michael and I are active in building a community with strong values and opportunities for our children to grow and thrive.
Professionally, I have held a number of positions in higher education. Most recently, I served 5 years as the Council Director of Girls on the Run of Northern Arizona growing the program from fourteen teams in two counties, to over 40 teams in five counties. Desiring to spend more time in Clarkdale, I now work remotely as a health coach.
Serving on the Clarkdale Parks and Rec Commission for three years has given me the knowledge to address the challenges facing Clarkdale. My strong financial background from serving on a number of non-profit boards including writing grants for over $60,000 equips me to help strengthen the Town’s financial outlook. I am a certified Dare to Lead ™ facilitator which will help me bring strong leadership to the town.
Clarkdale has done an excellent job of protecting our natural resources, especially the Verde River. As a member of the Clarkdale Town Council I will ensure that these sustainability efforts continue, while we work to provide for the economic needs of our community. The town’s budget is not sustainable for the long-term. The limited town staff work tirelessly for the citizens and do an excellent job, and they must have the budget needed to do their jobs well.
It is the role of the Town Council to plan for and support the development of additional economic opportunities to provide a tax base for our community. These growth opportunities must be well vetted to ensure they meet the needs of our community while protecting our way of life. Raising property taxes to cover needed improvements should be a last resort as the voters told us in 2018. Bringing high wage jobs to Clarkdale is important to me to build diversIty in our community.
I care deeply for the Clarkdale community and I want to serve my neighbors. I will be a strong voice for planning and collective decision making for the future of our community.
