On January 3, two new Benson City Council members were sworn in by Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dunnells at a special legislative session.
Both Levi Johnson and Seth Judd say they look forward to working with the mayor and city council as they strive to bring about positive change in their communities. In her Q&A below, she briefly introduces each council member and touches on what she hopes to accomplish in her new role as a council member.
Levi Johnson
Introduction: “I have a wife, a son and two daughters. We are originally from the Tucson, Arizona area. I hurt my back while I was there.I was injured and medically isolated.After working in Europe for 5 years I was offered a job at Fort Huachuca.I am looking for a house near the fort. When we came across Benson, we decided to make it our home. We used to live in Benson. It’s a choice.”
Herald/Review: What inspired you to run for City Council? What do you hope to bring to the City Council?
Levi Johnson: “Being involved in local government and higher levels of government is becoming more and more attractive to me. People are not interested in talking to each other or hearing the other side of a story. , rekindling the spirit of compromise and speaking in politics.
“I want to represent people and help make a positive difference for our residents. I also want to bring young people back to Benson and find more jobs for this amazing community.” .”
human resources: What is your position on growth at Benson?
LJ: “The real question is how much Benson should grow and at what pace.
“Benson is growing and we need to work on how to control that growth. Growth affects everything we do – taxes, water, food, space. We need to work on how the city plans.
“Encouraging new businesses to come to Benson that provide good jobs and community support is vital to the future of Benson. We plan to encourage the company to consider Benson as a potential location for work.”
human resources: What is Benson’s strongest or most desirable asset in your opinion?
LJ: “I have never met Benson or its neighbors who are unwilling to help those in need. That is one of Benson’s strengths.
“Benson’s location is another key asset. We feel that Benson’s proximity to I-10 and easy access to surrounding communities has great potential for the city’s future growth and development. I’m here.
“Benson Unified School District’s quality education is another asset to our community. I have three children who attend Benson school, where my wife is a preschool teacher. The recent “A” rank Benson area schools received from the state shows that despite Arizona’s lack of teachers, the district provides the best education for its children. It’s always nice to see a school ranked high. A quality school is a key attraction for any community and Benson certainly delivers. ”
human resources: Which improvement do you think would benefit the community the most regarding the Lions Park development project and why?
LJ: “All the sports at Lions Park are experiencing higher numbers each year and due to the insufficient number of playing fields the park is unable to meet the demand. sports programs will work better.
“I currently help lead the program for the Arizona Youth Soccer Organization in Benson. , says it wants more areas for its sports program and I feel it should be a priority for Lions Park as it considers future development projects.”
human resources: What are the key challenges facing Benson that need to be addressed?
LJ: “Critical issues include the epidemic and substance abuse. I have.”
human resources: Now that you have been elected to the Council, how do you plan to address Benson’s immediate challenges?
LJ: “Council and community can work together to address Benson’s most pressing challenges. We don’t have the answers, but we can work together to find them.
“I feel I bring a lot to the city council with my experience and knowledge.The military helps develop skills such as strategic thinking, commitment, sound judgment and integrity. Voices are important to my passion to help this community.My volunteer work AYSO allows me to speak to multiple people within the community and hear the issues and concerns of the city.”
Seth Judd
Introduction: “I am a 5th generation Benson resident. My family has been here since the area was settled. My wife and I got married in January 2014, lived in Tucson for about a year, then moved to Idaho, where I attended school, spent a year in southern Utah after graduation, and moved to I got a job opportunity and moved back to Benson.I have 3 daughters ages 7, 3 and 1.I am currently working as an accountant for the Arizona G&T Cooperative and have a master’s degree in accounting. My wife was hesitant to move to Benson, but we now agree that it couldn’t be better for our family.
“I am excited to work with the mayor and other city council members to make a positive difference in our communities.”
Herald/Review: What inspired you to run for City Council? What do you hope to bring to the City Council?
Seth Judd: “I want Benson to be a better place for my family to grow up. I want to bring the perspective of young families to the council and I have ideas that will attract other young families to Benson.”
human resources: What is your position on growth at Benson?
SJ: “These trends will inevitably make people this way because the state-wide population is growing and people are looking for affordable housing. I think Benson makes it special.” We want to see controlled growth to help keep us going.If we can bring the community together and control the pace, I think we can keep it going.”
human resources: What is Benson’s strongest or most desirable asset in your opinion?
SJ: “I think there are a lot of positive things going on in Benson. One is the school system. Our school’s small classes are a great way to get a better education without having a lot of problems in a big city. Helps provide for children.
“Another advantage is the location. As the gateway to Cochise County, Benson is close to the Sierra Vista and Tucson, with three major highways serving the area. That’s a big advantage for our city. .
“Last but not least, Benson’s strong sense of community. Benson is known as a community that reaches out and helps neighbors and strangers alike. We gather around our members and lift each other up in times of need.We really are a remarkable place.”
human resources: Which improvement do you think would benefit the community the most regarding the Lions Park development project and why?
SJ: “From a parent’s point of view with young children, a new water playground is the number one goal of a park. I would love to see new playground equipment there if possible. Also replace the existing ones. I am loved
“Another priority is building new baseball and soccer fields. Existing fields are overcrowded and there is not enough space for more children, limiting youth programs. The additional stadium opens up opportunities for Benson to host tournaments and brings people in. Lions Park is the heart of Benson and most community events such as 4th of July are held there.Young and old Everyone benefits from this park.”
human resources: What are the key challenges facing Benson that need to be addressed?
SJ: “First, on infrastructure. Our roads need some help. We must commit to investing in the improvement of
“Next is the financial issue. The city had a difficult time financially a few years ago. The previous mayor and council were able to solve many problems and put us in a better place. The current mayor is doing a good job of maintaining it, but we need to take the necessary steps to ensure our children have a secure future in this town and stay strong.
“It’s also important to live in a clean community. I think we need to work with community members to keep Benson clean. I think we need to clean up.”
human resources: Now that you have been elected to the Council, how do you plan to address Benson’s immediate challenges?
SJ: “I think it’s important to work with other council members as a team and understand that they may have different opinions and ideas, but we all share a common goal of making Benson better. We’re working towards that goal, and I think it’s important to listen to people and do that, and work with the community outside of city council meetings to identify needs, put proposals back on the agenda, We looked at ways to improve the lives of people in Benson.”