December 2014
The holidays are in full swing and as such there is a
prevailing spirit of reflection, hope,
and gratitude. Another year comes to
a close; there is the horizon of a new year upon us, and there is an
overwhelming appreciation for the abundance and blessings in our lives.
Reflection: A Year and Chairmanship in Review
I began 2014 as Chairman of the Maricopa County Board of
Supervisors with the commitment to bring meaningful and tangible leadership to the
county. My vision consisted of five
objectives which defined my Chairmanship.
1. Regulatory Reform
In
2014 the County initiated ad hoc committees to review regulation and processes
within five departments: Planning and Development, Flood Control, Department of
Transportation, Environmental Services and Animal Care and Control. The committees included 116 volunteer
stakeholders resulting in 59 improvements approved by the Board of Supervisors.
2. Fiscal Responsibility
Six
county departments prepared zero-based budgets for 2015, which has never been
done before! With over 50 departments in
the county, this monumental task is being approached incrementally. The first six departments include: County
Attorney, Public Defense, Justice Courts, Office of Enterprise Technology,
Human Services, and Flood Control District.
3. Economic Development
We
prioritized removing unnecessary regulations as well as streamlining permit processes
to make the county a more attractive place to do business. Additionally, I
served as a GPEC (Greater Phoenix Economic Council) Board Member with valley
Mayors and business leaders to position the region as a competitive place for
businesses to locate and thrive.
4. Transparency
Transparency
has been one of the Board of Supervisors’ priorities and also one of my key
initiatives as Chairman. In
2014 video of Maricopa County Board of Supervisor meetings became available
online to constituents; a tangible progression in transparency. See the full press release and link to
meetings here.
5. Strategic Planning
In
2014, we led an effort to produce a five-year strategic plan with the
collaboration of all 11 elected county officers. This will be the roadmap for the
implementation of the vision for the county in the next half-decade.
Hope: 2015 is a Promising Year
2014 has been a prosperous year and 2015 holds the promise
of continued success. Even though my
Chairmanship is ending, I will continue to devote my time to priorities that
best serve the taxpayers of Maricopa County.
Although the upcoming year will have its challenges, particularly
with respect to the budget, the county is equipped with dedicated leaders,
responsible partners, an engaged citizenry, and competent and committed
employees. 2015 is going to be a great
year!
Gratitude: We can’t do it without you
The Board has worked together successfully to be good
stewards of County policies and resources over the last two years. But this affirmation would be remiss without
the acknowledgement of the residents and employees of Maricopa County, without whom
the Supervisors would be unable to serve. I am grateful. And so for all the
support, feedback, challenges, and successes – Thank You.
“God gave you a gift of 84,600 seconds today. Have you used one of them to say thank you?”
~ William Arthur Ward
Gilbert’s Annual Turkey Trot
(Thank you Gilbert Daily PRSS for the video footage)
Click image or here for Marc Grand Opening Video
I wish you and yours a safe and joyful holiday season!
Denny Barney, District 1
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors
www.maricopa.gov/dist1/
602-506-1776
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