Doreen Garlid wants to reinforce a Culture of Service on the Tempe City Council.

Doreen Garlid wants to reinforce a Culture of Service on the Tempe City Council.

Doreen Garlid wants to bring bipartisan consensus to the Tempe City Council as a new councilmember in the spring of 2020.

A candidate that has devoted considerable time to public service as a volunteer on causes including education, local charities, affordable housing, health, and civic engagement, Mrs. Garlid, if elected, would bring a spirit of public service to the council.

Garlid wants to work with all sides (Democrats, Republicans, and Independents) to solve issues in Tempe, saying:

“Roads, housing and supporting our schools are not Democrat, Republican, or Independent issues. They’re people issues.”

 Her campaign team includes people from the three major political groups.

Her candidacy, philosophy, the composition of her campaign team, and reputation in the volunteer sector, has earned bipartisan praise and endorsements.

Mrs. Garlid graciously sat down at the Press Café across from the Tempe Arts Center to discuss her reasons for running for the City Council and her ideas she would like to put in place if elected.

• Please tell the reader what are at least two qualifications that make you ideal for the Tempe City Council.

“Foremost, I believe my leadership record is one of my greatest assets. Over the past 30 years, I’ve led dozens of grassroots efforts in Tempe. I’ve served in many leadership roles in various organizations, including the Chair of the Tempe Neighborhood Advisory Commission, President of the Buena Vista Ranchos Homeowners Association, President of the East Valley National Charity League, and President of the parent-teacher organizations at my children’s schools. While serving in these roles, I’ve developed the necessary leadership skills to bring diverse people together around a common cause, organize our efforts and achieve meaningful results. I’m also a graduate of Tempe Leadership Class XXXIV which gave me a depth and breadth of knowledge about Tempe that will equip me to serve our city more effectively.”

 “Second, I am a relationship builder who puts people first. I am a connector, an organizer, a team builder and a doer who isn’t afraid to take the first step in creating positive change for our community. Caring about people and supporting them to achieve their best quality of life is one of my most deeply held core values. I care about the people of Tempe and I have a heart for serving my neighbors in need, regardless of their background or political party. I want to elevate a culture of service in Tempe, something that I believe transcends politics. I love nothing more than tapping into my amazing network of friends to tackle a tough situation, organize our efforts and take action to change lives for the better. It is important we all work together to make Tempe a better place. “

• In your opinion, what are three strengths of the City of Tempe?

 “Tempe is one of the most progressive cities in the valley and the state and I believe that puts us at the forefront when it comes to trying unique and innovative solutions to complex problems. With that said, I believe Tempe is really leading the way when it comes to environmental sustainability measures such as our WaterSmart program, countering heat island effects through our Urban Forestry Master Plan, and encouraging public mass transit through the development of light rail and the Orbit system.”

 “Second, I believe Tempe is a very diverse and welcoming city for all and it’s one of our greatest strengths. By being proactive in letting people know we are a diversity-friendly city, it boosts our economy through a more diverse workforce, supports tourism, and brings cultural enrichment to our neighborhoods, businesses and schools. I consider myself a pro-equality candidate, I support passage of the Equality Act and I have signed the ONE Community UNITY Pledge on behalf of my campaign.”

 “Lastly, I really love how Tempe has made a commitment to support and care for the most vulnerable in our community, ultimately improving the quality of life for all Tempe residents. This is not the case in all valley cities. Tempe stands out in how it involves citizen volunteers in the human services funding allocation process. I am a huge proponent of citizen input and involvement in council decisions and I believe Tempe really sets the example in that respect by the way we fund and deliver our city’s human services.”

• In your opinion, what are three areas that warrant improvement in the City of Tempe?

“First, as the current Chair of Tempe’s Neighborhood Advisory Commission, I’m on the front lines of the successes and challenges we face in Tempe’s neighborhoods every day. Each neighborhood is so unique and diverse and reflects its residents in a way that is unique to that part of Tempe, and each neighborhood has its own specific issues. I also believe each neighborhood has its own “voice” that needs to be heard an included in council decisions. I believe our greatest potential lies in empowering the people in Tempe’s neighborhoods to speak up for their community and holding our city leaders accountable to really listen and act on those recommendations. I believe the neighbors and residents should be driving council decisions and not the other way around and I know this sentiment this is not unique to the Neighborhood Advisory Commission. I’d like to see all of the city’s boards and commissions more resident-driven.”

 “Second, we simply cannot ignore the pressing issues caused by our current lack of affordable and workforce housing. I know our city leaders are working on it, but I believe this must be an absolute priority for our landlocked city. I’ve heard too many stories of professionals who couldn’t find a place to live in Tempe because there was nothing available that they could afford. I believe a city is not operating at its full potential when your teachers, police officers and service workers cannot afford to live there and are forced to commute in daily from other surrounding cities. Our city needs to accommodate people of all ages, backgrounds and income levels to really function at its best. If we’re not, then we’re operating in a state of imbalance, and you’ll see that in the form of increased traffic, parking problems and difficulty finding employees for a variety of businesses. I envision a Tempe where people who work in the city live in the city, and that would make the community so much stronger.”

 “Finally, I believe we need some attention to our city’s aging infrastructure, specifically in our streets and buildings. Ideally, I’d like to see aging and outdated infrastructure rebuilt or replaced with greener and more efficient technologies, which is in line with Tempe’s policy on sustainability.” 

 

• As a councilmember, what are the three most important issues that you would want the Tempe City Council and Mayoral staff to address?

“As I mentioned above, I think our top priority needs to be addressing the lack of affordable and workforce housing.”

 “Second, I believe small and locally owned businesses are the backbone of our community. I’ve heard many stories from business owners who’ve chosen to relocate to another city or avoid Tempe altogether because of the time and hassle they face in opening their business here. We need to do what we can to remove the red tape and barriers to opening and supporting our local businesses.”

 “Last, I’d like to see Tempe put more resources into its efforts to address the needs of our homeless population. I know the root causes of homelessness are complex. We do not have a bricks and mortar homeless shelter in Tempe (Phoenix and Mesa have them,) so we need to be even more creative in using what resources we have in the most efficient way possible to get folks off the streets. There are churches that take turns offering nightly shelter through a wonderful program called I-Help, but I believe something more permanent is needed.  I’m most encouraged by the Housing First approach and I’d like to see Tempe explore more possibilities with that. I’d also like us to continue to share and expand partnerships with other cities in addressing this as a regional issue.”

• What are at least three (one each) plans you would like to implement to make Tempe a better place for:

1. Tempe’s Residents

“I would like to revisit the Park Ranger program.  When families feel safe, they’re more likely to utilize our city parks, get out and ride their bikes, play on our playgrounds, enjoy an afternoon picnic and the like. This is a quality of life issue and I believe positive public safety in our parks makes Tempe a better city of all of us.”

2. Tempe’s Commercial Interests

“Commercial growth and development are important for our city’s economic health, but I think we need to be smart and thoughtful about it and work within the guidelines of our Character Areas so we don’t lose the unique sense of place we feel within our city’s neighborhoods. I believe the residents’ wishes should be our top priority when making decisions about commercial interests in our city.”

3. Tempe’s Cultural and Educational Centers

“Tempe has a fantastic sense of culture, supported by our local businesses, our visual and performing arts, our music scene, and more. I would wholeheartedly support all of Tempe’s rich and diverse cultural assets, in addition to encouraging local historic preservation efforts. I also believe we need to continue our strong partnerships and collaborations with ASU and local school districts to address community needs. Recently, I helped to create a brand new music program for the students of Tempe Union’s Compadre Academy as part of Tempe Leadership Class XXXIV and we had the City of Tempe’s full support. It is school-city partnerships such as this that create positive change for our children and their families at a very personal level and I see tremendous potential there. As a board member of the Tempe Impacts Education Foundation, I’ve also seen the effects of food insecurity on our young students and their families. It’s hard to learn when you’re hungry. I’d like to encourage programs, such as the TIE Foundation’s Beans & Rice program, that ensures each and every child has food while they’re away from school so they don’t need to worry about going hungry at home. I’m also a firm believer in the importance of early childhood education and would advocate for the sustainability of the Tempe Pre K program.”

• Is there anything you would like the voter to know about you that was not addressed in the first five questions.

“As your councilmember, my only job and number one priority would be serving the people of Tempe. I do not have bigger political aspirations beyond the city of Tempe or an outside job that would take up much of my time. I have the leadership experience and the time to work hard for Tempe residents and make our city the very best place to live, work and play.”

Doreen Garlid brings a consensus-building perspective that is vital for a well functioning public service sector.

Her ability to bring all sides together on her campaign and experience as a volunteer demonstrates that she will try to steer policy that addresses the concerns of all stakeholders.

She is a candidate Tempe Residents should study and consider when voting for the Tempe City Council on March 2020.

For more information on Mrs. Garlid and her candidacy, please click on her website here and her Facebook Page here.