water was going
to be an issue'
Paty Henderson is a longtime resident of Star Valley, having lived in the community for 24 years. She has been married to husband fred Henderson for 32 years and has five children.
Henderson graduated from Arizona State University in 1971 with a BA in Interdisciplinary Humanities. In 2007 she retired from the Payson Unified School District after a 15 year career, primarily working with at-risk students.
The following year she became the volunteer head librarian at the Northern Gila County Genealogical Society and in 2008 got involved with the media and began writing for the Rim Country Gazette. She was the assistant editor of the paper when it ended its print edition in 2009.
Over the past several years, Henderson has been involved in a number of civic ativities, including serving as president of the 4-H Community Club and the Library Friends of Payson. She has also been a judge and clerk for Gila County elections, a board member of the Agriculture Education Foundation, a precinct committeeperson, a voter registrar, a member of the Star Valley Architectural Review Committee, and the department chair for the Northern Gila County Fair.
Henderson feels that she is qualified to serve on the Star Valley Town Council because she is able to work with a wide variety of people both professionally and privately. She added that she has strong public relations skills, a broad knowledge base, is task oriented, and is able to analyze and project probable outcomes. She also says she is able to withstand stress in the workplace, establish a rapport quickly with others, and is a self-starter who enjoys learning and helping others.
She recently sat down for an interview with the Mogollon Connection:
Star Valley and Payson may soon enter into a historic agreement regarding water rights; could you comment on that?
For a long time it was just ranchers around here. If you didn’t help out your neighbors, you didn’t survive. In the water business it comes down to this: is water a commodity or a right? It’s essentially the same question about healthcare. But you can’t get by without water. Yes we want growth, but I want balanced growth.
What do you believe is the biggest challenge facing Star Valley today?
There are several different challenges. But, if they (Star Valley) want to grow they need to address infrastructure; sewer, water, jobs, growth…. all of that stuff. The economy is another issue. Four businesses have closed in Star Valley during the past year because of the economy.
What do you believe is the biggest asset that you bring to the council?
My practicality and common sense. I don’t spend more than I make and I don’t spend needlessly. And as a long time Star Valley resident, I genuinely care about the town and the community. I have the town’s best interest at heart.
What is your vision for the future of Star Valley?
We moved to Star Valley because my husband grew up on a ranch and didn’t want to live in a bigger town. I want to keep the rural character of Star Valley while providing services that are needed for the community. Here again, it’s a balance thing.
How do you best think we can promote and encourage development in Star Valley if in fact you think that is a good idea?
We need some way to develop jobs, because there aren’t any. A lot of our kids go away and come back 10 years later. If we are going to keep them here and keep the talent here we have to have jobs. So, what makes a good community? We need good economics. We need culture and a good education for our kids.
Why in this tough environment do you want to be a councilperson?
I come from a long tradition of family service. My dad was the Gila County Supervisor for two terms and served on the sanitary district. I believe in giving back to the community. I was brought up to give back. There is no such thing as a free lunch. If you don’t do your part it all falls apart.
What is your view on growth in Star Valley as far as business, industry, housing and population?
Again, it comes down to proper balance. Do we have enough water to grow? We don’t want to outgrow our water. And, quite frankly, if you’re going to put four houses to an acre you’re not going to retain that rural flavor. I strongly encourage that. We can have quantity or have quality, and I’m opting for quality. We need to have jobs. That and light industry would be a good option. But to do that we have got to have a well educated work force.
Do you have any ideas on how to get small business and industry to come to SV or how to keep businesses in town?
I would think that we have to actively set a goal and decide what we want to attract. What kind of industry do we need? We would have to figure that out and aggressively pursue some of those options. We can have an economic council for development, which would probably help us decide how to get the jobs here.
When you hear the words “Tower Well” what thoughts come to mind?
I remember my dad’s involvement with water disputes and treaty violations and I knew, as a kid, that water was going to be an issue. It is a big issue. You can’t keep water from people who need it. I think it is a wonderful thing that they (Payson and Star Valley) have decided to talk.
What message would you like to convey on behalf of your campaign?
I’m just a common person. I don’t represent any special interest. I would like to be a conduit for the people, and a voice of the people, and someone who will listen to their concerns.
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