Executive Committee Spotlight:
Mayor Rob Adams, Sedona
Name, title & city/town
Robert (Rob) Adams
Mayor
Sedona, Arizona
Year elected to office
Appointed to City Council in 2006
Elected as Mayor 2008
Re-elected 2010
Years served on Executive Committee
2.5
Hometown
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Why did you pursue a career in local government?
I served on numerous non-profit boards prior to being appointed to City Councilor. I was lucky
enough to serve with motivated people that wanted to get something accomplished during their
term. I was involved with creating a Boys and Girls Club, a new senior center facility, a fire
station, a community park and several other projects. The Mayor of Sedona solicited me to
apply for a Council position. At first, I refused because I have never had an interest in serving
in the political arena. I finally agreed and was appointed.
What are the biggest challenges facing your city or town today?
Obviously, the economic challenges have been at the forefront for all cities during the last two
years. We have aggressively cut our overall expenditures by 30%. We have also created new
revenue opportunities and have shown a 12% increase in revenues year to date over last year.
We have also amassed a reserve account that amounts to 110% of our operating budget.
Sedona does not have the opportunities for economic diversification that many cities have.
We are surrounded by national forest and we are 80% built out. We must rise to the top of the
food chain as a tourist destination by providing a world-class level of visitor experience. We are
evolving toward a strategy to achieve this goal.
What opportunities do you see for your community?
We are working on several ideas. We need to create a boutique conference center that will
attract smaller conventions that would like to experience our world-class natural environment
during their stay. We also need to create an outdoor event venue where signature events like
Jazz on the Rocks can take place. We are also working on a concept to bring in world-renowned
educators of the arts to hold multi-day forums that will attract people from all over the world.
What are you most proud of during your tenure on the Executive Committee?
I initiated the idea of bringing the AZ Town Hall and the Yavapai County Methamphetamine
Task Force to make presentations at the 2010 League conference. Both presentations were
very successful. I also have been a strong advocate for State Trust Land reform.
Why is the League important to cities and towns in Arizona?
The League is the primary voice of the cities and towns in the State Legislature. It is our watchdog
and our advocate. The League is able to monitor and interpret legislation that is being proposed and
provide the cities and towns time to respond to legislation that is going to be detrimental to our
common welfare. Additionally, the staff does a great job in creating a sense of balance in the
competing interests of the membership.
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