Mayor of Holbrook
As conversations about future development and water use continue across Navajo County, I want the residents of Holbrook to know one thing clearly: we hear your concerns, we share your desire to protect our community and its resources, and we take these questions seriously.
Holbrook has opportunities ahead of us. We need new jobs, housing, businesses and investment. We want our children and grandchildren to have opportunities to build their lives here. But growth should not simply happen to a community. It should be approached thoughtfully and responsibly, with a clear understanding of both the benefits and the potential long-term impacts.
For the City of Holbrook, that means focusing on good governance and smart growth.
Good governance does not mean automatically saying yes to development, nor does it mean automatically saying no. It means doing our homework, listening to our citizens, following the law, respecting private property rights and making decisions based on the best information available.
Water is an especially important part of that responsibility.
Navajo County has proposed developing an independent groundwater model to better understand conditions in the Coconino Aquifer in the vicinity of Holbrook and Winslow and evaluate the potential impacts of current and future water users. The City of Holbrook supports this effort.
The purpose of this study is not to predetermine an outcome. It is to give local leaders better information so we can make better decisions. The County’s proposal calls for an independent groundwater modeling firm working with available information from the U.S. Geological Survey and Arizona Department of Water Resources.
This is important because the City must operate within the authority provided to us under Arizona law. We must respect the rights of private property owners while also carrying out our responsibility to protect the health, safety and long-term interests of our community.
Where we have authority, our citizens should expect us to exercise it carefully and responsibly.
Before making significant decisions involving developments that could place substantial demands on our water resources, we should understand as much as reasonably possible about our aquifer, existing water use and the potential effects of additional demand.
Importantly, the County’s proposed approach is intended to help evaluate all types of large water users, rather than focusing solely on one particular industry or development. That is an important distinction and one Holbrook supports.
We also believe this conversation must extend beyond our city limits.
Water does not recognize municipal boundaries, and neither do many of the economic opportunities and challenges facing our region. Holbrook wants to continue working closely with Navajo County and our neighboring communities through the Little Colorado Coalition, including Joseph City and Winslow.
Our communities share transportation corridors, workforce needs, infrastructure, economic opportunities and, importantly, water resources. The County’s planning identifies the Holbrook-Joseph City-Winslow corridor as an area of significant development interest because transportation, telecommunications, electrical and major municipal infrastructure are concentrated here.
Rather than approaching these issues independently, we have an opportunity to work together on water information, infrastructure planning, workforce development and responsible economic growth.
Ultimately, being open to economic development and being protective of our natural resources are not opposing ideas.
We can do both.
We can respect private property rights while recognizing our responsibility to the community as a whole. We can welcome responsible investment while asking appropriate questions about water and infrastructure. We can pursue economic opportunities while insisting that decisions are made legally, transparently and with reliable information. And we can acknowledge when we don’t yet have all the answers.
To those who have expressed concerns about our water and future development: we are listening. Asking questions and seeking reliable information about our water supply is not standing in the way of progress. It is part of responsibly planning for our future.
Holbrook’s goal should not simply be growth. It should be smart growth—growth that strengthens our community, respects private property rights, responsibly manages our natural resources and leaves Holbrook stronger for the generations that follow us.
That requires good information, good governance and strong partnerships.
And that is the standard we intend to work toward.
