Senior Plans Examiner
City of Chandler Planning and Development Department

None of us enjoyed getting our homework returned by the teacher tattooed with red ink, but sometimes it was warranted.  This scenario is repeated numerous times in the adult world of construction plan review and Jim Dawson is the guy wielding the red pen.

As a building plans examiner, Jim pours over the construction plans of developers and builders to ensure they are designed in accordance with the International Building Code, fire code, mechanical code, plumbing code, energy conservation code, National Electric Code, residential code, and the accessibility design access guidelines that developed out of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Builders sometimes take issue with corrections being requested, but Jim’s grasp of the subject matter and reasoned demeanor usually wins out. And sometimes Jim doesn’t have to say a word, like the time a design consultant was upset with several ADA requirements and insisted on meeting personally with Jim. The consultant’s objections evaporated when Jim rolled his wheelchair into the lobby to greet him.

Jim has been paralyzed from the chest down and confined to a wheelchair since 2001 following a fall he took while on vacation in Canada. With his injury has come limited mobility and a greater reliance on others, especially his wife of 34 years, Tina. He credits Tina with being his lifesaver and speaks of the many sacrifices she has made to keep him going.

Before the accident, Jim was an active outdoorsman and travelled frequently while holding numerous jobs both in the United States and Canada. He was born in Kingston, Ontario and grew up helping his father who was a plumbing contractor. He also worked as a carpenter and later became a building inspector and plan reviewer for an agency of the Canadian Government similar to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Jim even spent a year as a building trades instructor in a Canadian penitentiary.  He shakes his head and smiles when recalling some of the crazy things he witnessed, including the time inmates were caught fermenting a concoction beneath some lockers in his office.

Other government jobs followed, including a high level job with Canada’s Department of Indian and Northern Affairs overseeing the infrastructure, housing and social service needs of numerous Indian communities in northern Alberta, Canada. He later owned his own construction company in his hometown of Kingston.

The appeal of warmer climates led Jim and his wife to Arizona in the mid-90’s where he held jobs with Scottsdale and Gilbert, went into the home inspection business, and even operated a restaurant and bar in Mesa. He joined Chandler nine years ago and says he’s grateful to be working alongside many wonderful coworkers.

And when asked about his life philosophy, Jim smiles and says, “I make a conscious mental decision each day to make it the best day I can possibly make it.”

Sounds like something we should all write down in big red letters.

Management Analyst
City of Sierra Vista

Local governments are home to hard-working employees who care passionately about the field in which they work. They inspire individuals to continue on a path of public service.

Pam Weir is one of those individuals whose passion for service has been an inspiration from a young age and continues to propel her in a public management career.

Having grown up in Scottsdale, Pam developed a passion for public service while attending Chaparral High School. She dreamt of working in government as a way to use privilege to make communities more inclusive and supportive.

Recognizing her dream, she travelled east to Northampton, Massachusetts to earn a bachelor’s degree in government from Smith College. To continue her education in public management and escape the snow, Pam moved back to Arizona to attend Arizona State University for her Master in Public Administration, where she was one of a prestigious few to become a Marvin Andrews Fellow.

Pam once again traded in a life of sunshine for a life of snow when she took a one-year management internship position in Fort Collins, Colorado. The position was a perfect introduction to full-time local government management work and she loved working for such an innovative community.

But as home often does, Arizona called Pam back and she returned to the Grand Canyon State to work for the City of Sierra Vista. While in graduate school, Pam had learned about the city organization when she shadowed the assistant city manager for a day to learn about the city’s response to the 2011 Monument Fire. The management analyst position for the city was exactly what Pam was looking for: an opportunity to gain further experience in the city manager’s office, focusing on budgeting, strategic planning, working with city council and helping operational departments to deliver outstanding services. It was an added bonus that the community offered stunning mountain views, unique community partnerships and an excellent team of professional managers.

Pam’s main role at Sierra Vista is to serve as the city’s budget officer. She manages the process by which all the department directors and city leaders work together to create a balanced proposed budget. Throughout the year, she works with city departments to analyze revenue and spending projections, develop priorities for future budget years, present process updates to the city council, and create the budget book document that is shared with the community once it has been passed. Like many individuals in small-town professional management, Pam wears many hats, as she also works on special projects ranging from community engagement to performance measurement initiatives.

And like many small-town professional managers, Pam realizes the importance of local government. Having wanted to work in public service since high school, her original aspirations led her to the federal level of government. However, after working in Washington, D.C. during college as both a Congressional intern and a policy advocate for a nonprofit agency, she felt that progress was very slow and often frustrating.

“I wanted to have a more direct impact on quality of life and issues of community safety and equity,” said Pam. “Local government management is the perfect place for me to use my skills and bring about tangible change to improve lives.”

Pam also loves the variety of the position, as in just one day she might work with public works, the library and finance. City management requires constant learning and creating new ways of doing things. Cities and towns are also collaborating with one another to share best practices and tackle complex challenges with municipalities from across the country.

“I believe that as communities, we can accomplish more together than separately, and the role of the city manager is to lead many different people and interests together toward the common goal of prosperity,” said Weir

As she continues to live out her passion and make her mark in the field of local government management, Pam will strive to ensure she’s using her skills to make a difference every day.

Fire Chief
City of Phoenix Fire Department

At 16 years old, most teenagers have three things on their minds: fun, friends and finding freedom. What they’re going to do for a living isn’t always at the top of the list. But for Kara Kalkbrenner, it was.

She was a student at Maryvale High School in the 1980s, working at Malcolm’s Department Store selling home furnishings. One day, Mrs. Mallow, one of her regular customers told Kara about her son who was a Phoenix firefighter, who at that time was dating the first female firefighter to work for the City of Phoenix.  She had a sense of Kara’s kind demeanor and caring personality, and suggested that she look into the fire service.

Kara didn’t know that women were just starting to become firefighters. She had plans of following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother who were both nurses. Her mom worked in the emergency room. Kara knew about what doctors and nurses did for critical patients, but wanted to know more about what firefighters did to help save lives before they made it to the hospital.

Within the year, Kara volunteered to be a Phoenix Fire Cadet, learning the ropes at the fire stations. She finished high school and enrolled in fire science classes and eventually got her degree. By the age of 19, she graduated from an intense academy. At the time, there were only 20 female firefighters at the department, and she was one of the youngest. Fast forward more than 30 years later. Not only are there now more than 85 female firefighters in Phoenix, but that young and eager cadet is now the first female fire chief of the sixth largest city in the nation!

“I have been extremely fortunate to have served alongside some of the bravest and most interesting people on the planet.  Firefighters by nature are unique,” said Kara.   “To be given the training and tools to now lead the Phoenix Fire Department is an honor and privilege.”

She isn’t the kind of chief who manages from behind closed doors. At a three alarm hazardous material fire this year in south Phoenix, Kara was quickly on scene providing support with her team of command officers. Some of Kara’s most rewarding work with the department has come from riding in the backseat of a fire truck, responding to fires and helping sick people.

The chief is married to Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Kalkbrenner, who manages the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in Phoenix. Not only is he a tremendous support, Kara’s mother and grandmother were there as well, supporting her decision to enter a male-dominated profession.

Kara is one of a handful of women in the nation who manage major metropolitan fire departments. After a national and competitive recruitment, she was sworn in as fire chief in late 2014. She leads a robust organization that operates around the clock, consisting of nearly 2,000 diverse employees, and manages a $306 million budget.

Recently, Kara ran into Mrs. Mallow and thanked her for the talk they had 30 years ago at Malcolm’s. Not only did that ambitious young woman become a firefighter, she became fire chief.

“With the right inspiration, skills and knowledge, you can do anything.”

Councilmember
City of Douglas

The La Forge brothers will always remember mom and dad’s love and hard work raising five boys, on a Phelps Dodge Smelter payroll, in the 1940-1950’s. While attending elementary school, poverty was prevalent, but the boys were comfortable wearing patched hand-me-down coveralls and the thought of being materialistic never entered their minds. Nothing at home seemed out of place.

Later during their school years, the war efforts in Korea found Councilmember Ben La Forge’s older brothers, William and Edward Jr., feeling a need to leave high school and enlist in the army to join the war efforts in Korea. LaForge was saddened by their departure, realizing that pride and prejudice is found in every war. Although the family was proud and overjoyed when brother Bill came home unharmed, they were extremely saddened when brother Edward fell as a casualty of war. While basic needs were never lacking, the frugal ways of La Forge’s mother and father enabled them to save money and further their children’s educations. La Forge’s brother Bill chose New Mexico University, brother John went on to Northern Arizona University, and  Ben enrolled at Arizona State University with his sister Camille.

Following college, he found employment with the City of Douglas and retired as Public Works Director in 1996 after 34years of service. During his career, La Forge served intermittently as president and member of the DouglasUnified School District board for 14 years. Having this elected position instilled in him the desire to serve in an even greater capacity, as city councilmember.

“I turned out to be the only non-educator in the family,”says Councilmember La Forge.  “However, my political science major served me well.”

As a retired city administrator he could help further develop and design purposeful quality of life issues needed within the city. Being an open-minded individual, he realized his biggest resource would be constituents and the people in the community. His dedication and conscientious efforts are apparent in the awards that he has received during his tenure, which he notes are “equally shared.”

Governor Bruce Babbitt appointed the councilmember to the Arizona Department of Transportation Advisory Board and the city was also bestowed with his award for energy conservation. Governor Castro bestowed his gratitude during a tumultuous time for Councilmember La Forge’s efforts in renaming the most historical park in Douglas in his honor. Governor Janet Napolitano recognized his public service efforts and even proclaimed January 24, 2008 as “Ben La Forge Day.”In addition, the League of Arizona Cities and Towns presented the councilmember with a service award, a significant highlight to his career.

Councilmember La Forge says that as an elected official, he has been very fortuitous to have found common ground and support from his colleagues. In relationship with his colleagues, they renewed interest in improving city properties, a $15 million dollar Advanced Center of Technology, a call center, was created and now employs 350 people. On Main Street, the former Phelps Dodge Mercantile building was purchased, renovated and remodeled and is now occupied by Cochise County serving as their local government center. Through joint efforts by the Douglas Unified School District and the City of Douglas, a modern facility, The Douglas Aquatic Center, was also realized.

Councilmember La Forge said, “Even though I find myself in a position to be term-limited by the Douglas City Charter that restricts me from holding office third time, I will find myself deterred from continuing to serve the fine City of Douglas that I’m so proud of.”

Streets Supervisor
City of Flagstaff Public Works

When you think about some of the toughest jobs in Arizona’s cities and towns, snow plow driver probably isn’t the first image conjured up within the sunny state. But for Mike Stress and other members of the Flagstaff streets team, they understand that snow has a real presence in our state and it’s up to them to keep the streets free and clear so that residents can get home safely.

A hometown boy, Mike was born and raised in Flagstaff and attended Coconino High School where he showed his strengths on the ball field. Right out of high school, he had the opportunity to try out with the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team.

He started with the City of Flagstaff in 1990 as a temporary employee in the parks department where he cleaned sidewalks at night and worked on the softball fields during the day. As he worked his way through the city, Mike has spent time in several departments, including a year in the city cemetery.

Once he transferred into the street operations as a heavy equipment operator, Mike found where he belonged. He worked his way through the ranks before being promoted to a supervisor in 2008.

Mike is responsible for scheduling the work of the Flagstaff streets crew on a daily basis. He also trains employees on various pieces of equipment and is involved with the fleet shop, communicating with mechanics to ensure equipment is ready and working properly when needed.

When Mike’s job really gets interesting is when the snow falls. A typical snow day for the Flagstaff streets crew includes the deployment of 32 pieces of equipment on a big storm. During an event, the crews communicate between two shifts to ensure that all main and critical routes are being attended to, as well as managing all citizen complaints and any issues that may pop up.

Mike recalls a particular incident in 2010 when Flagstaff received five feet of snow in a 48-hour period.

“The snow was so heavy that the streets crew could not keep up with the snow fall amounts,” he says.

Mike was tasked with looking for outside help from private contractors to help plow the routes so the public could get out. They had to help haul off the snow from the downtown as well as all the cul-de-sacs around the Flagstaff area.

In his 25 years with the City of Flagstaff, Mike has shown his capabilities as a streets supervisor. In 2012, he was selected to be a member of the Arizona state incident management team as equipment inspector.

In rain, sleet, snow, hail or sunshine, Mike and the Flagstaff streets team are working to ensure the roadways are safe for travelers.

While Mike enjoys the ability to start a project and oversee it to the end, he truly loves his job because of his capability to contribute to his hometown community of Flagstaff.