Mayoral Candidates
Paul Vincent Reilly - Supports the Tribes, opposes wastewater snowmaking
Joe Donaldson (current Mayor) - wants wastewater snowmaking

City Council Candidates
Rick Swanson - Supports the Tribes, opposes wastewater snowmaking
Scott Overton - wants wastewater snowmaking
Libby Silva - wants wastewater snowmaking
Joseph Haughey - wants wastewater snowmaking

www.flagstaff.az.gov
"The City of Flagstaff will hold a Mail Ballot
General Election on May 16, 2006. You do
not need to request a mail ballot. Election
materials will be automatically mailed to you
about thirty days prior to Election Day.
Because the 2006 General Election is a mail
ballot election, there will be no polling places.

2006 – Important Dates to Remember
The City of Flagstaff will hold a Mail Ballot
General Election on May 16, 2006.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006
GENERAL ELECTION DAY and Last
Day to Return Voted Ballots in Person

Click to play the 7min 45sec clip of the
Native American's for Comunity Action Candidate Forum
Quicktime / 9MB

Snow-making plan dominates forum

By RACHEL PETERSON
Sun Staff Reporter
Thursday, May 11, 2006 11:18 AM CDT

Only two of six candidates for Flagstaff City Council and mayor were applauded Wednesday in the final candidate forum, hosted by Native Americans for Community Action, where issues most pertinent to the Navajo and Hopi were addressed.

Council candidate Rick Swanson and mayoral candidate Paul Reilly were each applauded after taking a stance opposed to the sale of reclaimed water to Snowbowl for snow making.
The tribes have taken issue with the contract between the city and the ski area, which is now in court because of potential environmental implications and the sacredness with which the tribes view the San Francisco Peaks, where Snowbowl is located.
"You understand this issue better than me or anyone else," Reilly told the audience about the water conservation and viewing the environment as sacred. "The environmental implications (of using reclaimed water for making snow) are so far reaching."

Reilly's support put incumbent mayor Joe Donaldson on edge for the tribal vote.

"I support it," he said, adding that the majority of voters also supported the sale. "It's not right to make comments as an elected official on something that's in the courts."

Swanson said ignoring the stance of the tribes in the deal was a bad move in a community where 10 percent of the population is American Indian.

"It's clear to me the use of reclaimed water for making snow is offensive to the Native American people," he said.

Council incumbent Libby Silva said he supported selling reclaimed water to Snowbowl because of the other benefits, such as improved fire protection on the west side of town.

"It wasn't a knee-jerk reaction," he said. "It was a well-thought-out plan."

Council incumbent Joe Haughey said he also continues to support the sale, but wants to look at ways of improving relations with the tribes. "How do we bring people together, rather than separate them? ...We need to create a community where we all get along."

Council candidate Scott Overton agreed.

"I find it disheartening that there's a divide (but) it's not an easy answer," he said. "I hope it does not continue to divide the community."

But even with Swanson and Reilly opposed in the forum, it's questionable if there's much they can do as elected officials because of the legally binding contract.

Swanson was also later commended for his understanding of the tax impact of people who travel from the reservation to Flagstaff to shop. While the impact of a few extra ski days on the economy is debatable, "Native Americans are here shopping 24/7, 365 days a year," he said. "Tourism depends largely on Native American culture."

Another issue of importance brought up by NACA is that of health care and the Urban Indian Health Program, which might lose its federal funding.

Incumbent Mayor Joe Donaldson might have won back some of the vote with his understanding of the need for this service.

"The difference between NACA and North Country (Flagstaff's current community health center) is in the traditional way they serve," he said. "Faith ... is part of the healing."

Swanson, who works for North Country Community Health Center said there needs to be a "win-win situation" if the NACA health clinic is lost through sharing overhead costs or contracts.

"I don't think the federal government would approve two community health centers in a community this size," he said.

Rachel Peterson can be reached at rpeterson@azdailysun.com or 556-2253.

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