Six candidates to vie for Holbrook Council seats

During my time on the Council, we faced a variety of challenges both internal and external, from the COVID-19 pandemic, to unfunded PSPRS debt, to the coming closure of the Cholla Plant. There is no denying that our City faces obstacles, including blighted properties and a shortage of housing. However, it is extremely important to be patient with the often legal and financial processes involved in addressing these problems.

I am excited about the opportunities that our working budget affords the City; we finally are able to re-invest in Holbrook in ways previously unavailable to us. I am excited about businesses looking to Holbrook and what that means for our community. If re-elected, I will continue to provide an example of respect, understanding, cooperation, and duty for the City of Holbrook.

Arcenia Pacheco

In 2008 I became a resident of Holbrook and I knew I was home. My two daughters, who are both in high school keep us busy with sports, academics and extracurricular activities. Both myself and my fiancé, who is also from Holbrook have a very strong passion for youth and community events.

I chose to run for City Council simply for the fact that, I love Holbrook. Holbrook already has so many wonderful attributes of its own, we must continue to be proactive and seek ways to capitalize on them! I feel that we need to start with transparency; transparency from our local government to the public, so that both parties can have a better understanding of challenges that are being faced.

Although there are many changes to our infrastructure that need to be addressed, we can’t ignore the physical state of our town. Trash on the side of the road, dilapidated buildings and unmaintained property shouldn’t be the first impression of our town. By networking with our community, utilizing our resources and teaming up with other entities – we can begin tackling some of these issues. It takes everyone’s participation to make something great!

I want Holbrook to be “home”, not just to us who live here, but for those traveling through. I want families who have moved away, to have a sense of pride and enjoy their visit when they return to their hometown. Rather than grieve what Holbrook once was. I want to get to know businesses and business owners personally, to understand how they define success and gain a better understanding of what it takes to sustain a business in a small town. I intend to provide my time, opinions, and best effort to be the voice for my community so we can achieve this goal together.

Barbara Blythe

My name is Barbara Blythe. I moved from Kingman two years ago with my husband to Holbrook to be close to our son who has lived in Holbrook for five years. Prior to retiring three years ago, I worked for Mohave County Government for 25 years as a grants specialist. I wrote and managed grants for the entire Mohave County; everything from community development, vehicles, fire stations, rehabilitation of housing for low income and disabled residents and developing affordable housing for veterans. My last project was a joint sewer project with the city and worked closely with the council and board of supervisors.

I began volunteering at the Bread of Life Mission as a case manager and became employed there last July. I attend Calvary Chapel and am also involved with youth and overseas ministries.

My husband passed away in February, which now leaves me additional free time to pursue other interests. I would like to get involved in the community and assist where I can. I have a lot of experience in local government and feel I would be an asset to the community and the council.

Kingman was a lot like Holbrook years ago as far as the downtown area being run down and the lack of employment and substandard housing. We need to start building on the future of Holbrook and bringing in more employment opportunities and affordable housing, as well as revitalizing the downtown area. Our downtown area needs to be healthy and is vital to the future of Holbrook.

I would like to encourage the community to come to the council meetings and share your visions and ideas for our community. What needs are important to you? Let’s find a cohesive way to work together.

Karina Lewis Pack

My name is Karina Lewis Pack. I am running for City Council. I was raised in Holbrook and I am currently raising my family here. I graduated from Holbrook High School. I left for a time to attend college and then on to live in Michigan and Oregon for further schooling for my husband. I came back to Holbrook seven years ago. I am self-employed and have a business that provides jobs to the people here.

Having had time away from Holbrook, I have been able to experience what other places have to offer. Holbrook is unique, the cultural diversity is a gift it offers to its residents. The people here are genuine and are good. Holbrook schools have been better than other schools that my children have attended. As a long-time resident, I am invested in Holbrook and want to see it progress as a community and as a people.

I want more businesses and work to be available to its residents. I want the town to be attractive to those who come through. I want better roads and sidewalks. These seem like simple things, but by simple things bigger things are accomplished. Thanks for your consideration.

Kristie Patterson

My name is Kristie Patterson and I’m running for city council. Here is a little something about myself and why I want to sit on a council seat. I was raised and graduated from Holbrook High School in 2001. Moved away like most graduates do, for 10 years. I got married in 2007 to Ray Patterson who also was raised and graduated from Holbrook. We lived in Tennessee for three years where he finished up his Army career. We decided we wanted to raise our kids in Holbrook like we did because we both had an amazing childhood in a beautiful small town.

I have sat on the Little League board for several years and still assist with coaching some youth teams. I have worked with Navajo County for six years.

My family has told me about how Holbrook used to be a bustling town with many attractions and stores for people to go. Through the years I have seen the stores dwindle down and businesses leave the city for some reason or another. The buildings sit vacant and are eye sore to the town.

As a city councilwoman I would like to see if there is anything we can do to promote our little city and attract new businesses. I see that we have a lot to offer and would like to help move our little city into the future and try to make it a beautiful place to live again; attempt to make us prosperous once again. I would also like to see the city and city council step up and support the youth of the community and try to provide more options for them to keep them out of trouble.

Robert Black

My wife and I have lived in Holbrook most of our adult lives. We’ve thought about moving several times since we’ve both retired and the more we have looked elsewhere the better we like Holbrook. There was a magazine article that described Holbrook as the worst small town in Arizona with the best people. This concept of Holbrook needs to change.

Holbrook has been and is the hub of the White Mountains, there is so much about, and around us that has never been advertised. We need an economic development director that can make this happen. We need a person researching what grants are available to small cities like ours and procuring them for us.

Let’s face it, we need help and we need to go in a different direction than we have been going in the past. It can be done, look at Winslow, they were in the same shape we are in and look at what they are doing now. This was done by hiring people that knew what they were doing and supporting them. I see the same thing everyone else sees in Holbrook, the blight, the rundown unoccupied buildings, no jobs for our children, the horrible streets. I see the City Manager patting himself on the back because our budget is in the black and that’s great, but we’ve neglected so many things this town severely needs.

My platform is simply this, I love Holbrook and I will do whatever I can to help us get out of the rut we are in and get moving forward. It will not happen overnight, but with the right people in the right places we will put the Happy back in Holbrook and make it a much better place to live and raise our families. I’d appreciate your vote.