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Executive Committee Member Spotlight
Name, title & city/town:
Sharon Wolcott, Mayor, City of Surprise
Year elected to office: 2012
Years served as mayor: One
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Years on Executive Committee: Joined February 2013
City of Surprise
Incorporated: 1960
Population: 117,517 (2010 Census)
Elevation: 1,130 ft.
County: Maricopa
Area within Limits: 76 sq. mi.
Why did you decide to serve in local government?
Public service has been my passion for the past 20+ years. I began an unexpected career in Minnesota, first serving as a member of the
Newport City Council and deputy mayor, followed by 12 years in the state legislature serving in both the House and Senate. But local
government has always been my first love. On vacation in Arizona I felt certain that Surprise would one day be my home. Surprise is a
city with so much promise, and it felt like a natural fit to put my years of experience to work for my new home. There is nothing more
fulfilling than making an impact on the community you serve. Taking on the role of mayor has provided me the opportunity to express my
vision, and collaborate closely with the residents of Surprise.
What are the biggest challenges facing your city today?
Currently, the city's biggest challenge is addressing our city finances and restoring not only our fiscal resiliency, but our credibility
in the market. Surprise was part of the housing boom that defined a decade of expansion in Arizona. But just as we experienced those
record breaking highs, we suffered an enormous financial burden when the overheated housing market crashed. As a young city that had to
grow up fast, we made some strategic errors in allocating resources, and over planning assets for growth that did not materialize.
Getting Surprise on the right track meant taking a stand and making tough decisions. With the unanimous support of the city council, we
instituted an aggressive budget approach to our fiscal challenges including resetting our priorities, taking stock of our basic needs,
streamlining development processes, building relationships with one another and our regional partners and reining in bureaucracy. That
strategy is paying off.
What opportunities do you see for your community?
As the 10th largest city in Arizona, I see the opportunity for the city of Surprise to be more engaged at the local, state and federal levels.
We must "come to the table" and take every opportunity to advocate for Surprise. In our efforts to do so, we must strategically leverage not
only our physical assets, but our welcoming and personal approach to helping businesses locate in our city. We understand the partnerships
that define our regional approach to success are in the region's interest as well as our own. Our future development strategy will not only
focus on the new 303 corridor, but revisit the best way to revitalize one of the most studied and underperforming corridors in the state. The
Grand Avenue connects 9 "city" centers from Phoenix to Wickenburg, and represents a distinctly unique opportunity to partner for the betterment
of the entire Northwest Valley. We are already seeing interest in both the 303 and Grand Avenue corridors. A new corridor, the I-11 promises
to bring a diversity of economic activity not only to west valley cities like Surprise, but to the entire region and state.
It's my belief that the task of building a city must never ignore its heritage, its culture and its spirit. We are actively pursuing redevelopment
opportunities that recognize our cultural heritage while reviving the overall vibrancy of the original town site. We strive to make Surprise a
community of all ages by focusing on programming needs of every resident, including the opportunity to pursue the education and training that
match the needs of our residents. We strive to bring head of household jobs that can support an array of lifestyle choices to our community.
That commitment to building a quality community from the ground up is turning heads.
What are you most proud of during your time in office?
I am most proud of my council and their willingness to make tough decisions regarding our city finances. We took an aggressive approach to fix
the problem with a two year budget plan to build financial resiliency throughout our budget and management practices. We committed to making
our city whole, without diminishing the quality of city services. Our plan is working.
During my tenure we established strong partnerships with local schools and we have re-tooled our para transit service for those most in need
while saving taxpayer dollars. We have attracted big and small businesses with new sustainable industries and have leveraged our non-profit
connections to serve our resident's human service needs. We have grown jobs and created efficiencies that help grow businesses and revenues
that accrue to the bottom line.
Why is the League important to cities and towns in Arizona?
I have focused on getting the city of Surprise to the table where the vote counts. The League of Arizona Cities and Towns is one of the most
influential organizations, providing around the clock information, education and advocacy. This year's legislative activity on the transaction
privilege tax was fast and furious. I am impressed by the League's ability to engage city officials from across the state and unify them with
one collective response that considers the diverse needs of cities and towns both large and small.
As a newly elected board member, I look forward to working with the League to advocate for my city, region and state.
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League of Arizona Cities and Towns
1820 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: 602-258-5786
Fax: 602-253-3874
http://www.azleague.org
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