Gilbert election: Town Council candidates bound for runoff talk commuter rail, water, leadership

Bobbi Buchli and Bill Spence are vying for the final open seat on the Gilbert Town Council in a runoff election on Nov. 8.

Gilbert voters settled most of the council races in August, giving outright wins to Yung Koprowski, Chuck Bongiovanni and Jim Torgeson.

Spence finished 628 votes head of Buchli in the primary election, but short of the threshold for an outright win. Now the two will square off in the general election.

Spence is a retired Naval lieutenant commander and nuclear engineering officer and Buchli is a real estate broker.

Gilbert voters must be registered to vote by Oct. 11 to participate in the Nov. 8 election. Residents can register or check their status at the Maricopa County Election Department's website. 

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Early ballots will be mailed starting Oct. 12 for those who choose to vote by mail. Early voters should return their ballot in the mail by Nov. 1 or place it in a ballot drop-off location or voting location by 7 p.m. Nov. 8.

The Arizona Republic asked candidates about key local issues ahead of the August election. The two runoff candidates responded to another round of questions.

Some responses were edited to meet the 150 word limit.

Top 2 issues in Gilbert

What do you see as the town’s two most critical challenges and how would you help solve them?

Buchli: "The explosive apartment growth by adding too many, too fast and not properly managing the growth. This will cause traffic issues, additional needs for water and services, backlog of park services for children, parking issues and more. … Proper growth can be managed by adding affordable single-family homes, which adds good tax revenue … and less apartments (for) more controlled and managed growth to maintain the quality of life in Gilbert.

“The town must also be mindful of what will bring in the most revenue to sustain the town once buildout happens, which could come sooner than later if we continue the current level of growth. The town must be forward planning, updating, and looking to add businesses, large corporations and … companies that will bring in good revenue for the town once built out. I would like to see ‘no more down zoning’ of commercial property to multifamily."

Spence: "One critical challenge is to find value engineering solutions that will mitigate the impact of construction inflation on capital improvement and infrastructure projects. Soaring material costs and supply chain issues will require the town to prioritize work and revisit production timelines. However, there are several items that cannot wait; the work on the northern water treatment plant is critical to our town, as are the traffic mitigation and roadway improvement projects. Every effort must be made to ensure that the town gets a quality product, completed on-time and at the best price.

"Another challenge is the recruitment, training, and retention of our Gilbert workforce. Employee shortages are affecting every facet of our town. Police, fire, schools and businesses throughout Gilbert are struggling to meet staffing requirements. We must find ways to collaborate with local businesses and business organizations to develop and entice skilled workers to seek employment opportunities in Gilbert."

Gilbert by rail

Residents have been vocal over light rail and commuter rail. Should either of those projects come to Gilbert? Why or why not?

Buchli: "The residents of Gilbert have overwhelmingly expressed their opinions of "not" wanting any type of transit rail or stop/drop stations in Gilbert and especially not in the Heritage District area and I am with them.

"Looking at the history of transit rail in other cities shows it brings an aftermath of crime, panhandling and homelessness, with rare exceptions.

"It is a massive cost to build and to maintain and operate upwards of $90,000 a month, ridership is very low and it will increase residents' taxes. Even the ridership on buses is low and does not cover the cost of maintenance and operation."

Spence: "I am opposed to light rail and commuter rail in Gilbert. Additionally, I am opposed to taxpayer funds being used to perform a feasibility study for rail stations in Cooley Station or downtown Gilbert.

"I have read numerous regional transportation studies and fully understand the information that was referenced by opponents of rail systems in Gilbert. While crime and vagrancy are reasons to oppose light rail, my opposition is based on the excessively high construction cost and possibility of subsidies that may be required to sustain operation.

"Additionally, I don't believe that we will have the population density to make it a viable transportation option for Gilbert. While commuter rail may pass through Gilbert, with or without support from our town, I do not believe that it is in the best interest of our town to pursue having a commuter rail stop in Gilbert."

Managing Gilbert's water

The federal government recently announced cuts to Arizona’s water supply from the Colorado River. What does Gilbert need to do to manage the town's water supply in the ongoing drought that could lead to steeper cuts?

Buchli: "Gilbert has always been mindful of water conservation and secured water from different sources to ensure enough water for residents and growth and to be able to manage water in a drought situation. Sources of water for Gilbert are Colorado River, ground and surface water, Verde River and Salt River.

"Gilbert has multiple water conservation programs for residential and non-residential and advocates to use water wisely and track your water usage. Gilbert should continue with water saving programs, monitoring as needed and adjusting as necessary."

Spence: "Gilbert has a very robust water conservation program and is already prepared for the Tier 2A reductions set to go into effect in January 2023. While these actions do not impact Gilbert's ability to meet the water needs of our community, we must be proactive in determining new beneficial use criteria and eliminate wasteful water use practices.

"Water for landscape is one of our heaviest uses. A simple and inexpensive upgrade to a smart irrigation controller can save 30,000 gallons/year per home, and HOAs can save up to 25% on their irrigation costs. Water efficiency checkups are provided free by the Town of Gilbert and have proven to be extremely effective in reducing water waste.

"Town code identifies water conservation requirements for new developments and should be reviewed to ensure compliance with newly established state guidelines.

"More information can be found at www.gilbertaz.gov/waterconservation. Schedule your free water efficiency checkup."

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Leadership

What perspective and voice will you bring to the Town Council?

Buchli: "As a Gilbert resident and a businesswoman for over 20 years, with a strong financial background and some land development, I care about our town ... I am proud to say I am from Gilbert and I want to continue to say this. Over the years, I have watched Gilbert grow and thrive with properly managed growth into a thriving town.

"I have concerns with the current rapid growth, transit rail considerations, the downzoning of commercial land for other uses and how our growth is being managed. I am also concerned about the future of our beautiful town after building out. We must be able to sustain our town …

"The residents of Gilbert deserve a dedicated council member with a strong, honest and competent voice. I am that person and that voice. I will represent the residents of Gilbert with a passion to serve and to serve with integrity."

Spence: "As a retired Navy lieutenant commander nuclear engineering officer, I bring decades of proven leadership, technical knowledge and large-scale project management experience to the council. Additionally, I would be the only veteran voice on council to represent the tens of thousands of veterans and their families, all of whom call Gilbert home. I helped create Gilbert's Veterans Advisory Board and intend to expand their mission into no-cost, regional collaborative efforts designed to support veteran employment and business development.

"Lastly, I'm an East Valley native and truly understand what 'responsible growth' and 'maintaining a small-town feel' means to the residents of Gilbert. I have witnessed the successes and failures of our neighboring municipalities. We must learn from these examples and make well-informed decisions that will allow for us to maintain our economic prosperity, protect our quality of life, and preserve the character of Gilbert. Please visit VoteSpence.com for more information."

Reporter Maritza Dominguez covers Mesa and Gilbert and can be reached at maritza.dominguez@arizonarepublic.com or 480-271-0646. Follow her on Twitter @maritzacdom.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Gilbert election: Q&A with council hopefuls Bill Spence, Bobbi Buchli