D3 Supervisor candidate Patricia Nyberg skipped by forum

• Hector Acuna hector.acuna@myheraldreview.com

  • Jul 14, 2024

BENSON – Patricia Nyberg is running for Cochise County Board of Supervisors in District 3, and like all of the candidates she’s facing, getting the word out about her campaign is imperative.

Nyberg is running as an independent in a crowded race seeking the District 3 seat being vacated by Peggy Judd.

Frank Antenori, Joy Banks, Sonia Gasho, Jacob Kartchner, Kathleen Anne Miller, and Nancy Olmstead are in the D3 race, the largest district in the county with just over 40,000 residents. It includes the cities of Huachuca City, Benson, St. David, Pearce/Sunsites, and Willcox.

An opportunity arose to do some high-visibility campaigning. A forum was announced and hosted by Benson Chamber and Southeast Arizona Economic Development Group which intended to bring all the D3 candidates together for questions on June 26.

The Chamber publicized the event, and they also held a similar forum for the Benson city council and mayoral candidates the previous week. The forums were held at the Benson City Council chambers.

The forum of local Benson candidates went well, with all the candidates in attendance before a full audience and the forum was streamed on Facebook.

But when the supervisor’s forum began, Nyberg was notably absent. She says she was never invited, and only heard of the forum when an acquaintance asked about her absence.

“We sent at least two if not, three emails to the candidates. We sent an initial invitation along with the follow up email which included all the questions that were going to be asked. But yes, it was also publicized online as well,” Kirsten Smith said, She's Event and Membership Coordinator, at the Benson Chamber and SAEDG.

The Herald/Review contacted Nyberg to ask about the absence and to give her an opportunity to answer the forum questions. The event was not a debate, so candidates were not pitted against each other.

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Q: What are the three most important concerns in Cochise County?

A: Groundwater, transparency and accountability and opportunities. I believe the most important issue we are facing in our county, as are other Arizona counties, is the groundwater crisis. I say crisis because our main aquifers in the Sulphur Spring Valley and San Pedro Valley are being drawn down 4 times more than they are being replenished. We cannot continue to have unrestricted well drilling and pumping of our most precious resource.

The residential homeowner must be protected from unregulated water use by the largest cooperate water users. We must devise a comprehensive plan that protects this precious resource for both homeowners, family farmers and ranchers. I am committed to working with state and local officials to spearhead a groundwater conservation plan, which gives control locally.

My family has lived in this valley for 15 years without a well. We haul water from the Sunsites well and catch rainwater. We understand how precious water is to our life. We know how many gallons one shower, one laundry wash, one garden watering and dishwashing uses. Conservation of water is our daily activity. Although we do not have a well to worry about going dry, we do haul water from the town well. We treat the town well as if it was our own well with mindful conservative use. As more homeowner’s wells are going dry and we see more and more folks hauling water, we see the future is now and water inequity is real. The talk must become action.

I believe it is imperative that our supervisor is someone who understands and is experienced with water issues and conservation and understands the urgency of this crisis. Our rural area needs someone who recognizes that and can work, effectively, with others to draft and implement plans.

Accountability goes hand and hand with transparency. All County departments need to be accountable for the jobs they were elected or hired to do.

Records should be kept and updated and easily accessible when supervisors or public information is requested.

All department Rules and regulations need review and updating as necessary with changing standards, and community growth. and updated State laws.

Staff should have continuing education within their department to ensure they have the skills and information needed to fulfill their job requirements. Guessing is not problem solving and is not a substitute for solid research. Instead, the ability to say, ‘I don't know, but I will find out’ is a sign of honesty and integrity needed to build trust in our communities.

​Opportunities for now and future generations. When we speak of growth, we need to ensure that any expansion or introduction of new projects, business and communities are sustainable with our current resources; most importantly our ground water usage. We must ensure public input and discourse and improve communications of these plans. Community and resource impact reports need to be disclosed in a timely manner and be accessible to all residents.

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Q: What are your expectations of a county manager?

A: Administering operations of all county departments is a position of great importance to our county running smoothly. I believe that filling this position would need careful consideration by the board members. The candidate for County Manager should demonstrate experience to develop long term planning and direction for future development with the increase in public services necessary with population growth.

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Q: What role do county supervisors play in elections?

A: County supervisors create or change election precincts, appoint inspectors and judges of elections, canvas election returns, declare election results and issue certificates.

I believe in a strong, fair, and transparent election system. A ballot tracking system to be available in all counties as well as clean and accurate voter rolls.

Increasing the number of trained bipartisan signature verifier teams, and directly working with the political parties to ensure party observers are at polling stations.

New training of election workers and security protocols and a chain of command in place to secure ballots. Regular review of voter rolls for accuracy.

 

​Q: Why were you inspired to run?

A: I am asked that question a lot. A retired teacher with a thriving real estate business...what is the motivation. I suppose that drive to serve others and make things better has always been the motivation of every job I have taken on.

I feel we need someone who has no political affiliations. We need someone with a strong mind and backbone who owes nothing to special interest groups. A diplomat who can speak to anyone, someone who can bring people together. A creative thinker who can see solutions to problems others might not. With my experience and skills, I believe I am that person.

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Q: What is your first priority as a supervisor?

A: Transparency and accountability public information shouldn't be a secret. Information should be easily found on the county website, not buried behind tens of pages, accessible to only the talented, tech savvy researcher.

Taxpayers should be given clear information where their tax dollars are being spent. Officials need to act openly, keeping the citizens informed of the decisions the decisions are making

Each department of government needs to update their systems of reporting. An information protocol for all departments establishes multiple ways of communication with the public. Not all citizens subscribe to social media. We can all do better to be open, honest and transparent.

I believe it is time for a new up to date County website and system of protocols to update information regularly along with department wide delivery of news to the public.

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Q: What role does the supervisor play in the county’s water issue?

​A: County supervisors are responsible for the wellbeing of the citizens of the county. The goal of a supervisor is to enhance the quality of life for all residents.

Water is obviously paramount to health and wellbeing. So, that being said, I believe supervisors should be working with other county supervisors and State Legislature towards securing our most precious resource.

Our government has protective measures for technology, why not for water? It is the "elephant in the room" for sure and anyone elected for Supervisor needs to become involved with legislation.

I have reached out to Holly Irwin of La Paz County where the small farms and residential homes are experiencing wells going dry like here in the Sulphur Springs Valley from massive unrestricted pumping. She is working with supervisors in Coconino and Yavapai counties to propose monitoring and conservation laws. We must work together.