Meet Our New Council: Melanie Barrett

Goal: To do what's right for Oro Valley
There's one thing for sure that we came away with from our recent conversation with Melanie Barrett. Melanie is determined to do the right thing for the residents of Oro Valley.

"I hope that the residents of Oro Valley will find me fair. That I will give everyone a fair hearing. Fairness is very important to me. It always has been since I was very young. I'm going to hear everyone out from both sides. Then, I'm going to make the right decision. Everything I do is going to be motivated based on what I think is the right thing to do for the community."

Thus continues the term of service to Oro Valley by this resident, wife, mother of four, law school graduate and four year member of Oro Valley's Planning and Zoning Commission.

Melanie's "can do" attitude
Melanie will be true to the community as she sets out on this new venture. "My parents inspired me. They always really believed in me. Anything I set out to do they said, 'You're going to do this.''

She continued: "I remember the first time I went into a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting where I was going to oppose something... I felt nervous about it. But, it was like I could hear my Dad's voice in my head saying 'You can do this.'" She carries that attitude in to everything she does.

A Planning and Zoning Commission Natural
Nick, Melanie's husband, got Melanie to consider serving the community. He identified a position for her on Oro Valley's Planning and Zoning Commission. He told her: "You need to apply for this." She did. Oro Valley took her up on her offer. After all, Melanie was exceptionally qualified to serve on Planning and Zoning Commission. "When I was in Law School I took a planning and zoning class." She beamed: "I got the highest grade in the class! I received an award for it."

Put the people back in charge
Melanie decided to seek a council seat because she felt that the people of Oro Valley need to be put back in charge.  "I want to see Oro Valley go in the direction that the people want it to go. I want the people to be back in charge... have good citizen input... improve transparency of the government ... stay a high quality community with good schools and good views."

We have no doubt that anything will deter Melanie from this goal.
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