An interview with Councilor Dan Surber

SEDONA, AZ (January 14, 2010) – In Sedona, passions, emotions, and political rhetoric run high. 

Whether it's our town's unparalleled beauty that lures in a certain type of person or a magnetic vortex created by the iron ore in our red rocks, political storms often rage, at least for those swept up in local issues like lights on 89A, a National Scenic Area designation, affordable housing, and the city's challenging financial situation.

In the center of that storm stands Sedona Councilor Dan Surber who is running for a second 2 year term on Sedona's City Council.  As most know, the eye of a storm is the calmest place around and that describes Dan Surber.

Level-headed and even-keeled, Councilor Surber goes about his business on council without much fan-fare. 

Give him an opportunity to open up, however, and you'll find a caring, involved, family man with a successful architecture business who wants to give back to the community.

I had an opportunity to sit down with Dan as part of our video interview series with all 9 City Council candidates.  Our interview lasted 25 minutes, one of the longest interviews we did.  Who knew that Dan Surber was a chatter-box? 

We learned many other things, too.

Dan says he and his wife have lived in Sedona for 24 years and are very involved in the school and local sporting events, having raised 4 girls here.  He's an Arizona native and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Architecture from the University of Arizona and has continued his education and training in sustainable and green practices, smart growth concepts and Form Base codes.

He credits working with local architect and "guru" Don Woods for six years for introducing him to community service and the city process.  For the past 18 years Dan has had his own architecture business.  In the early years he focused on residential construction but recently has shifted the mix equally between residential/commercial.

He is currently the American Youth Soccer Organization Commissioner for Sedona which recruits about 1,000 kids from the Verde Valley each year, and he says that youth soccer is one of the family's passions. He has been involved in AYSO for about 20 years.

Other passions include a family project called Project Esperanza that helps orphaned children in Mexico.

To have a "good community and a good experience you have to get in there and volunteer," he says.

Being an architect, Dan is focused on sustainable/green building practices, and was a past Sedona Housing Commission member for 3 years, and he is currently the City Council liaison to the Housing Commission.  He says he supports affordable housing in Sedona and Accessory Dwelling Units (separate rentable guest houses), although ADUs are just one 'tool in the tool box.'

Dan says he has no political agenda behind his desire to run again for council.  Said Dan, "As a city council person there's not one specific issue that we look at, it's many issues. I think I have a good perspective and I'm fair and I'm logical, and I'm willing to educate myself on all the issues...You're an advocate for some issues...you look for compromise, you look for discussion, you look for public input...but in the end you look at the data and make the best decision for the community.  Sometimes you have to make the tough decision...one that is fair and logical."

When asked about the toughest issues facing Sedona, Dan said it's three integral parts:  sustaining the economy, environment and community. Dan says the top issue is the economy. "We need to continue to reduce spending above and beyond the $2 million we have already cut from the budget. Our economy is still driven by tourism and we need to look at ways to promote and sustain that revenue."

He says that the City is going to continue to look at ways to cut spending.  He also supports getting the wastewater enterprise fund self-sustaining by raising sewer rates over a 10 year period, and looking at ways to generate revenue from the effluent.

He also believes in a healthy balance between Sedona's economy and environment.  Said Dan, "We have to provide a balance between these things.  If we don't have balance, we risk losing families or businesses." This balance includes preserving and protecting Sedona’s natural beauty through continued protection of our Forest Lands and strengthening our GREEN and sustainable building practices.”

Lights on 89A

Dan said that the issue evolved out of a safety issue.  It was ADOT's responsibility to do something about safety.  "It's about continuous medians or lighting.  It's either or...[ADOT] has a certain amount of money they're willing to put into the project...If we do medians that's looking at putting a number on the City of $5-$10 million that at this point there's no way that we could handle that financially.  We brought forth the best plan that provided safety for our community and a plan that was fiscally responsible. The safety plan includes seven of the pedestrian safety committee recommendations along with dark sky compliant lighting . All of the lighting selected is accepted by The International Dark Sky Association, a worldwide leader in protecting our night skies”

National Scenic Area Designation

Said Dan, "The concept of 'no land trades,' I'm for that all the way and we've supported that through the Coconino Forest Service Plan, Amendment 12, for the past 15 years. If this Bill was just to stop land trades for private development, it would be great, but through the process we saw that it was much more than just a one page Bill.  It just grew.  It's not just about land trades.  The sale of the Chapel, bug protection, limits on fighting forest fires…were all in the legislative bill. Six council members worked three hours and all six of us continued to share more concern beyond our unanimous support of NO LAND TRADES. We sent our recommendations to Congresswomen Kirkpatrick.

I as one councilmember wasn't willing to compromise the future of Sedona by handing it over to the federal government when we have the protection of Amendment 12 and the overriding fact that no land trade has taken place in the last 20 years!.

Being Respectful, and Promoting Diversity, & Sustainability

When asked what he hopes to achieve on council, Dan said he expects council to work together with respectful and civil discourse.  "I'm going to continue to be respectful, and do my homework.  I know I can be fair," says Dan.