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By Sam Hosler
Mayor, Town of Kearny
Eighteen years ago, when my wife and I were considering moving to Kearny, we were impressed with the layout of the town. Kearny was built at the same time that many subdivisions came about in the Valley of the Sun. But, unlike the flat landscapes of Phoenix, Kearny’s homes were arranged on curving streets, cascading down the elevated areas to the Gila River land below. As a result, the pitch provides most of the homes with a view of the mountains and the Gila River basin.
We have been thankful ever since for the beauty of Kearny, which is in the best part of the Sonoran Desert. Most of the homes are modest and well-built. Over the years, remodelings have changed the cookie-cutter layout of the houses resulting in charming variations of our rather typical ranch-style residences. The engineers of the town provided four main arteries down the slope, and chose to use a v-shaped top surface to provide good drainage for the town. This has worked well, and except for a few problem areas (notably in our Uptown and in the mixed-use area across the railroad tracks), flooding has not been a problem.
I have been thinking about these things before Thanksgiving Day. This town has “good bones.” It has served us well, and will continue to do so for a long time.
I also have been thinking about the “good bones” of the people who live here, hard-working families, retirees, and our winter residents too. I am thankful for the people who give of their time and substance to make Kearny a great place to live. Just for a minute, join me in giving thanks for our volunteer fire department, our ambulance corps, and our police department. They have been making many changes to streamline and improve their work. Did you know that this year our Emergency Medical Services team has managed to cut its response time by several minutes? You may be aware that, early this coming year, arrangements are being made for another fire truck and, as a result, our fire insurance rating will be upgraded. Our police department now has more full-time officers, and soon we will have a new Chief of Police.
In recent time, the Copper Basin Health Care Foundation (which owns and operates the old hospital basin) worked in coordination with the hospital in Globe to provide our fine clinic. At the same time, the helipad was built and Kearny is a center for emergency air response. The Copper Basin Health volunteers, who run the Hand Me Up shop, have provided many thousands of dollars to provide training for medical workers and to help the Health Care Foundation maintain the hospital building.
Yes, I wish our economy could be stronger. Let’s take our “good bones” and flesh them out in the months and years ahead. All in all, I thank God for who and what we are.
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
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