“As with any job, serving on Scottsdale City Council — a public, four-year gig — comes with challenges from a busy schedule to long meetings, stressful situations and everything in between. In this week’s City Council Q&A, the Scottsdale candidates are asked about intricacies of the job.”
— Melissa Rosequist, Scottsdale Independent
If elected, your term will be 2021-24. As we all know, the future is unpredictable, and 2024 could be a vastly different world — or at least a different Scottsdale. Do you have the diverse skill set to lead Scottsdale through an unpredictable future?
I’m a Scottsdale homeowner, business owner and parent of three children in our local schools. I’m active in civic groups, my faith community and have built relationships with our citizens all across the city. I served three years on the Development Review Board overseeing the quality of development in our city. I understand our standards and guidelines and character area plans. I know the city staff, business community and property owners, attorneys and physicians, civic groups and concerned citizens. I have a bachelor’s degree in economics and an MBA, and I’m a fellow with the Flinn Brown Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, which brings together a network of policy experts and leaders from all over the state.
As the Chair of SCOTT (Scottsdale Coalition of Today and Tomorrow) I gather every week with a diverse group of civic and business leaders, educators and concerned citizens from all over our community to discuss issues important to our city. In order for our city to recover, it’s imperative that our leaders have a broad and deep network, and can work collaboratively with our citizens and business leaders across our community.
For the past 20 years, I have owned and operated a company that provides electrical materials for commercial construction projects. I keep large projects like the renovation of Terminal 3 at Sky Harbor Airport and ASU’s Sun Devil Stadium on time and in budget. Every day presents challenging situations. I have to coordinate multiple global supply chains, continually changing conditions in the field, deadlines and a myriad of product details. I also have to be able to pivot to different sectors during recessions in order to remain in business and remain successful. The ability to stay flexible, nimble and continually readjust to changing conditions is a skill I have nearly perfected, and one that will be invaluable leading Scottsdale through changing economic conditions.
How do you deal with stress?
I make time to exercise every day. I do my best thinking in the gym or on a run in our Preserve. I also make time every day to enjoy my family — nothing is better than a hug from my precious daughters or my beloved husband — I am grateful for their love and support. I have a large network of friends and mentors who bring out the best in me and make me laugh.
Most importantly, I work in a high-stress job where critical problems arise every day. I successfully manage my company, my employees, my children, my position as chair of a civic board, involvement in my temple and various other roles and responsibilities every day; if you want something done, give it to a busy person! I have learned to thrive under stress — a skill set that will be extremely useful as a member of our city council, managing a billion dollar budget and continually evolving issues.
From what you know of the job, what do you believe will be the most challenging part of serving on the Scottsdale City Council? What are you most looking forward to?
The biggest challenge will be managing the interests and interactions of the many different groups who are all vested in our city: residents, city staff, business and education groups, civic leaders, and fellow council members, all with different perspectives, experiences and personalities. It will be important to balance the details and keep a big picture perspective of how the parts fit into the whole, maintaining quality of life and continued success for Scottsdale. I’ve spent many years preparing for this challenge: I am motivated, energized, and ready to take it on!
If I have the honor to serve on our City Council, I am most looking forward to bringing people together. I want to set a positive example as a leader of a golden rule city, and a role model for our children and others.
