Feb. 24, 1999

CAVE CREEK — Growth.

A simple answer that candidate after candidate for the Cave Creek Town Council and mayor said is one of the most important issues facing the rustic town.

And at only about 20 percent of capacity, Cave Creek has room to grow.

But with many locals publicly casting a shadow on even a mention of development proposals and in the wake of the Spur Cross Ranch purchase aggreement, candidates were quick to tout their preservationist philosophies.

While the three incumbent council candidates stood by their voting records, four hopefuls running for one of six open seats bolstered desires to preserve the community they were first drawn to.

Many candidates — both incumbents and hopefuls alike — pointed to their dedication to saving Spur Cross, a 2150-block of riparian land north of Cave Creek once slated for development.

All three mayoral candidates, including one incumbent councilman, said preservation of natural areas of town is imperative and must not be overshadowed.

Like most booming towns, growth is not the only issue facing Cave Creek, its residents and the people elected to run the community into the 21st Century.

Stocking enough water and traffic control will be high on the list of council priorities for the next term, both candidates and incumbents said.

Individually, council and mayoral candidates for the March 9 primary told The Republic about their reasons for running for office and their plans for a place once known as “The Town Too Tough to Govern.”

Howell “Hal” Conant: “I’m the only candidate for mayor that’s a new comer as a whole and I think my positions are uniquely different.” As a political newcomer, mayoral hopeful Conant said his fresh-faced ideas will unite Town Hall and attract greater citizen participation. Disenchanted Cave Creekers have become apathetic, he said, and apathy has allowed current leaders to run roughshod over budget issues. “The feeling that I get from my constituents are that these seven people will do just whatever they want,” he said. Conant, a former town marshal, said Cave Creek needs a line-item budget that prohibits expenditure shifts to other areas without referendum. “I think the major components are what I find to be fiscal irresponsibility,” he said. “Rather than spend $2 million on a town hall we don’t need, we should be putting money toward more common interests.”

Vincent Francia: “I can move in different groups and think I can help find a solution.” After four years on the Town Council, Francia said it’s a natural progression to bid for the mayor’s seat. A victory would allow him to continue working to preserve more desert areas like Spur Cross and build upon past success, he added. “Everything in Cave Creek will always come back to the desert and native-habitat preservation,” Francia said. Part of preservation, he said, is examining the future of the town’s water supply, which could include buying the Cave Creek Water Company. “If we are to control our own future, you have to have control of the water,” Francia said. “(The water supply) is depleting and we’re going to have to address that.”

Jim Grubb: “I’m running because I think I can contribute something that makes a difference.” Running a second time for mayor, former Cave Creek councilman Grubb proposed putting together a citizens committee to examine growth and provide input to town officials. “We need to see development from a broad-based citizens point of view not just an elected officials point of view,” said Grubb, a councilman from 1993 to 1997. “The fundamental issue in Cave Creek all along has been preservation versus intensity of development.” Officials also need to take another look at the town’s criminal and civil code to clarify what have been confusing issues, he said. “We need the clarity to focus on a few issues,” said Grubb, who lost out in the last mayoral race to outgoing mayor Tom Augherton. “In the past we’ve tended to be a bit scattered in terms of the number of things we’ve had to do so the results haven’t come in.”

Dean Brewer: “I’ve been a part of one of the better councils that has accomplished quite a bit.” Hoping for his second council term, Brewer said his work on the annexation and preservation of Spur Cross and vote for $1,300 in developer impact fees are proof of his commitment to managing growth. The current council, he added worked well together on tough issues that divided many in the community. “Rather than name calling and things like that they work the issues, not the people,” he said. With things like securing more water, adopting a plan for dealing with sewage and cementing of zoning ordinances waiting in the wings, Brewer hopes to continue working the issues. “It seems like it went by pretty fast but I’m ready to do it again,” he said.

Laura J. Cox: “I kind of know how things work and how to behave to get things done.” With seven years of council experience beginning in the late 1980s, Cox said her knowledge of Cave Creek politics translates to more efficiency and a better understanding of the people. Cox, who didn’t seek re-election in 1997 but was appointed in November to fill a vacancy, proposed making downtown more pedestrian friendly. “Not that sidewalks are something I want to see in Cave Creek,” she said. “Nevertheless, we have a lot of people who want to move from one of our interesting places to another but they can’t do that safely right now.” She added that annexing more land to the north is essential in maintaining the rustic character of the town. “I think there are a couple of things we need to do to protect Cave Creek,” she said.

Dan Dahlquist: “I’d like to see the town doing more things for the citizens and business community of Cave Creek.” After 16 years of living in Cave Creek, Dahlquist has witnessed city slickers come, spend a bundle in town and head on back to the crowds of the Valley. Unlike some of his neighbors, he wants to keep the tourists coming and have them bring their friends. “The Town Council should work with (business) people ... to sponsor festivals and things that will bring people out to the town, people who have a lot of money to spend,” he said. “Once you bring them out to a festival, they’ll come back two or three weeks later to go to the restaurant across the street.” Bringing more sales taxes into Cave Creek coffers would provide enough money for the town to preserve 15- and 20-acre undeveloped parcels of land, he said. “I’d like to see the town remain in existence,” he said.

Gilbert Lopez: “I just wanted to do my part.” As a 66-year-old native Arizonan, Lopez remembers the days in the Valley when lizards and saguaros outnumbered houses and cars. Those days are gone, he said, but don’t have to be completely forgotten. “I’m not anti-growth,” he said. “I’m just saying we need to manage the growth so we don’t end up like downtown Scottsdale.” Lopez questioned whether developers were allowed to much leeway under the current council and pledged to provide more discipline and enforcement in the zoning arena. “We don’t want developers top dictate to the citizens as to how they’re going to do things outside of the ordinances,” he said. “Play by the rules, that’s really what I’m about.”

Grace Meeth: “I just want Cave Creek to stay a nice place to live.” As incumbent vice mayor, Meeth said she has worked to control growth by maintaining strict zoning controls over any new plans for developent. If re-elected, she said she will continue to examine projects with an eye on preserving pristine areas and managing growth. “As much as we get factions on the council ... , the one thing we all share is that there’s no such thing as upzoning in residential,” she said. You just don’t do it.” With growth management, however, is the inevitable rise in population. And more people means more traffic and more traffic means more roads. “At build out at 18,000 (residents) we’re going to be in gridlock,” she said. “It’s a real fine line and something we need to bring up in the immediate future.”

Ralph S. Mozilo: “I believe I have the background, based on my business experience and life experiences, to provide to the community the necessary expertise.” Having helped efforts to preserve Spur Cross and being a former resident of Los Angeles until his move to Cave Creek three years ago, Mozilo said he knows what nearly unfettered growth can do to a community. “I want to make sure that the community does maintain that small-town atmosphere but still allow some growth to occur,” he said. Ironically, that came from the same mouth that has approved real estate financing as a profession for the past 28 years. But he’s not too close to developers, he said, and he’s resigning in April. “I’m not beholden to anyone,” he said. “It gives me a better understanding of what’s involved.”

Jerry Whitmore: “I think I can bring something to the table.” Whitmore said his experience as a certified public accountant is much needed in Cave Creek and would be put to good use. Budget management, he said, is nearly as important as growth management. “The city could obviously use some help in its financial management,” Whitmore said. If elected, Whitmore said revamping the town’s criminal code and controlling faster steps toward build-out will dot his agenda. “There is ample opportunity to keep the population density within manageable standards,” he said. “Some councils have given into that kind of pressure. I’m not willing to back up a sixteenth of an inch on that issue.”