Front row (left to right): Laura Kaino and Joe Pizzillo, both Goodyear City Council; Sue Harrison, PCRC Vice President; Georgia Lord, Goodyear Mayor; Lori M Gary CEcD, City of Goodyear Economic Development Director and speaker; Bari Cavallo, PCRC President; On stairs: Joanne Osborne, AZ House of Representatives; Wally Campbell, Goodyear City Council; Bill Stipp, Goodyear Vice Mayor and City Council; and Doug Krause, PCRC Treasurer.
Liz Gibson
The PebbleCreek Republican Club had a banner evening on Thursday, Sept. 5, with an outstanding turnout for September, with 183 in attendance, including 18 new members since the last meeting.
Social time began at 6:30 p.m. with a cash bar, and the meeting followed at 7 p.m. Everyone seemed to like the new addition of a 15-minute break between the official meeting and the speakers, with a chance to mingle and have coffee and snacks.
U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko hadn’t left for Washington yet and asked if she could attend and say a few words. Her update on what is happening with the Democrat-held House and her role on the committees on which she serves was fascinating. She spoke about her three committees that are controlled by democrats and the “crazy” ideas they are trying to pass or the legislation from Republicans that they block. She is on the Homeland Security Committee, Judiciary Committee, and the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee oversees new bills before they can go onto the House floor for debate and voting and have the power to completely rewrite bills. She is to be commended for her frequent email updates on DC, Arizona, and her activities.
Michael Siegel, popular radio talk show host, thanked Bari Cavallo for her service as PebbleCreek Republican Club president after her husband’s recent death, and then spoke about the Democratic party’s negative ideas and behavior against the state of Israel.
The evening’s “don’t miss” speaker was City of Goodyear Economic Development Director Lori M. Gary, CEcD. She spoke about the work that she does and the successes the City of Goodyear has had in getting businesses and restaurants to come to Goodyear, which helps with job creation and the city’s tax base. There are many new businesses still in the works for the future. Goodyear has not had any readily available office space and the new “City Square,” where city hall and a park will be located, will have the first office space building with restaurants and retail mixed in. If successful, a second office building will be installed. This should help bring other future business to help create daytime.
Patriotic items were for sale at the meeting, as well as tickets for the veterans dinner on Thursday, Nov. 7, and will again be offered at the next meeting on Thursday, Oct. 3. Mary McMahon, social chair, can also be contacted at 623-824-2091 if you wish to purchase tickets for the dinner. If you are interested in signing up for Professor Nick Damask’s lecture series starting Wednesday, Oct. 23, contact Bari Cavallo at 720-201-2993 or [email protected]. More information on all of these events can be found at www.pebblecreekrepublicanclub.com.
The meeting ran late, but many stayed to have one-on-one conversations with Lori Gary and many of the officials. Snacks and coffee were still served, and everyone agreed it was an outstanding and informative evening.