Star Valley mayoral candidate Randy White and council candidates Paty Henderson and Chris Benjamin debated the issues at a lively forum while the incumbents chose not to attend.
Council candidates square off in lively forum
By Matt Brabb
Mogollon Connection Editor
Three candidates running for Star Valley government positions took part in a debate open to the public held at the Baptist church in Star Valley on Feb. 9. The Mogollon Connection, the Rim Country Gazette Blog, and KRIM-FM sponsored the debate.
Those participating included council candidates Chris Benjamin and Paty Henderson, along with Randy White who is running for mayor. After making their opening remarks, they were each asked identical questions in random order.
The first question dealt with the photo radar system in Star Valley. The system, though controversial, has seemingly made the stretch of Hwy 260 in Star Valley a safer place to drive. There haven’t been any fatalities on the road between the radar detectors since the cameras went up. In years past, that stretch of road averaged three fatalities a year.
Benjamin called the cameras a bittersweet subject, noting that they have been responsible for huge revenues for the town, but adding that it appears that Governor Jane Brewer may take steps next year to bring the cameras down throughout the state.
“Everything indicates that the governor is going in that direction,” agreed Henderson.
White was on the town council when the cameras were initially approved, and he voted against the measure. He stated that at the time he wanted the town to go the traditional route of enforcing speed limit laws by using patrol officers rather than go with cameras. He was also concerned about the towns image should the cameras go up.
“None of us wants the town to be made fun of,” he said.
However, if elected White said “I have no plans to try and get them out of here.”
The next question posed concerned the potential intergovernmental agreement currently being considered by the town councils of Payson and Star Valley.
When asked which of the four goals called out for in the resolution would be the toughest to accomplish, they all agreed that it would be putting a number on how much water Payson can safely pump from the Tower Well without harming Star Valley’s watershed.
Benjamin noted that in the past when the two towns tried to come to an agreement, Payson had always refused to define harm.
“They wanted to enter a contract, but they wouldn’t define harm,” he said. “Tempers flared up and nothing got accomplished.”
When questioned about the best way to go about developing Star Valley and creating jobs, the candidates offered a wide variety of ideas.
Noting that small businesses were the backbone of the community, Henderson advocated creating a friendly environment for business, with no new taxes.
Benjamin said that clean, light industry is the way to go, and that saving the highway frontage for attractive businesses was important. He also mentioned looking into going after forest service land. Land that the town would not be able to sell, but could lease.
White warned that the town should be aware of taking on difficult projects. He called Star Valley a “bedroom community” saying that it was important that new business be the right fit for the community. He went on to say that the town could possibly benefit from the new four-year college that may be coming to Payson in the near future.
The candidates were next asked to cite an example of a town council decision that they had disapproved of in the past, and how they would have liked to see the situation resolved.
Benjamin said that he is unhappy with a matter the current council appears to be well on the way of adopting, replacing Star Valley’s existing hydrology firm with the same one that Payson uses for a number of its projects.
He said that the town had struggled to find a company that would not have a conflict of interest with Payson should the two towns one day wind up in court over the Tower Well.
Benjamin fears that the company Star Valley is considering going with will have substantially larger financial contracts with Payson compared to Star Valley.
“It’s a clear conflict of interest,” he said.
Henderson did not cite a specific example of a decision that she had disagreed with, but she did mention that it was a real eye-opener to her when the council was unable to repeal a 2% rent tax.
White claimed that the biggest mistake the town ever made was not acquiring a water company for the town.
“Everything possible should have been done to get one,” he said.
He noted that this was a major stumbling block in getting the town’s share of 500 acre-feet of water that has been set aside for small communities in Rim Country that will eventually be delivered by the CC Cragin pipeline.
“We still have no standing,” he said. “We should have bit the bullet in the first place.”
When asked about his thoughts about how to get Star Valley’s share of Cragin water, Benjamin agreed with White, and advocated trying to acquire Brooke Utilities, the company that currently holds the CCN for the town.
The last question posed to the candidates was what principle that you hold are you absolutely unwilling to compromise.
Henderson said the adhering to the constitution at all times was the first thing that came to mind.
Benjamin agreed, but also said that maintaining and protecting the town’s finite resource of water was also a principle he would not concede.
White said that along with water, that good government, one that was open and honest was very important.
"I would keep this town within its budget, without putting undue burdens on the people,” he said.
“Caring for public money is a sacred trust,” he added.
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