12/28/2004 7:00:00 AM Springer's primary concern is growth
Yavapai County is not going to resolve its growing pains quickly or easily. In fact, Supervisor-elect Carol Springer is ready to tackle the issues that are the byproducts of the county's exploding growth. Carol Springer Springer said the county's population is likely to double within the next five to 10 years and the board must decide which issues are most pressing. According to Springer, those issues include a new jail in the Prescott area; a new juvenile detention center and major road projects. "We have to accommodate what undoubtedly will be the growth in terms of all of the justice system," she said. That includes the county attorney's office, public defender's office and the court system itself, said Springer. "We're bursting at the seams now in terms of space enough for judges," she said. "That whole segment from public safety through the justice and detention issues have to be dealt with." Springer said working with the Arizona Department of Transportation on highways 89/89A, as well as work on Highway 69 are high on the priority list. "We're still faced with the fact that we have some real bottlenecks," she said. "Obviously as we grow we're going to need more. We know that we have traffic problems." All the roadwork means the county must work with other cities more than ever. "Simply because now we're no longer separated with big county spaces in between," she said. Other issues on which the board is focusing, Springer said, is working with the newly incorporated community of DeweyHumboldt. Springer said the board is going to help the interim town council with their transportation and public safety needs. Another area of interest for Springer is Williamson Valley. Springer said the corridor, which is in her district, is now an urbanized area. "We have to deal with things like the traffic needs there and the issue of commercial (businesses)," she said. Springer said she wants to help the corridor develop a community development plan. "Certainly we don't want to come in as the board of supervisors and develop a community plan for them and try to shove it down their throat." She said. "That's not the idea of a community plan." Contact the reporter at jsoifer@prescottaz.com
