Gilbert’s turbulent seven-member Town Council is set to have a shake-up, with two new council members to be elected in July’s primary elections.
The Town Council has faced controversy and met with intense scrutiny over the past several years. The community's hope that the council could work in harmony has fallen flat following ethics probes, hourlong debates and in the wake of the "Gilbert Goons," who were recently officially designated as a criminal gang.
Early on in the election cycle, Gilbert resident and politically connected Mike Webb filed signature challenges against two candidates, stating some signatures were invalid and that it would disqualify the two men from being on the ballot.
The challenges failed.
Voters will have four candidates to choose from to replace the two outgoing council members, Scott Anderson and Kathy Tilque. The candidates include Aaron Accurso, Kenny Buckland, Monte Lyons and Noah Mundt.
Arizona local elections:Read our full coverage of the Gilbert council race
New names and faces on the Gilbert council have been the norm in recent years. Some council members resigned to seek higher office and others have chosen to step away from elected positions while others lost bids for a second term.
Early voting began July 3. Voters can check on the status of their mailed-in ballot on Maricopa County’s website at https://elections.maricopa.gov/voting/voter-dashboard-login. Thosewho choose to voteby mail areadvised to mailtheir ballotbyJuly 23 or drop it off at aballot drop-off location or voting location by July 30.
Who is running for Gilbert Town Council?
Accurso has lived in Gilbert for 17 years and is a devout Catholic. He named Pope and St. John Paul II as the person he admired most. He works as a construction manager for a local pool company. He told The Arizona Republic he chose to run because he feels the current council is “getting further away from the will of the people.” For him, that in part means more strictly following Gilbert's general plan, a long-term planning document that sets forth land uses and development standards.
He has been active in the Legislative District 14 Republican precinct.
Buckland is a former commander of the Gilbert Police Department and retired from the town in 2016. He previously owned a small business and currently works as a sales director for a consulting company. He moved to Gilbert after he retired.
He’s running for council because he said he felt it was time to “get off the sidelines” and bring “civility and respect back to the council.”
Lyons is an Air Force veteran and comes from a military family. His parents retired in Arizona and he moved to Gilbert five years ago. After retiring from the Air Force, he went into the aerospace industry and currently works as global director of facilities for Honeywell.
Lyons was the only candidate who did not respond to The Republic’s questionnaire.
Mundt is the chair of Gilbert’s Planning Commission and professionally works as an engineer for the Salt River Project. He said he’s running for council to serve the community during a “crucial time in Gilbert’s development.”
What are Gilbert candidates' stances on 'Goons,' public safety?
Gilbert’s Police Department has been at the center of controversy after the uncovering of the Gilbert Goons, a group of 20 or more teens and young adults who engaged in blitz-style attacks that went unchecked for more than a year. The Goons were recently officially categorized as a criminal gang.
Accurso and Buckland both said it was too soon to pass judgment on the department’s handling of its investigations of the numerous assaults.
Accurso told The Republic the Police Department’s leadership has work to do to restore its trust with the community.
Buckland said a “complete after-action investigation and report to accurately rate their performance in handling these cases” is needed.
Lyons has said on his campaign website he would have a proactive and reactive approach to public safety. He would accomplish that with “increased policing, public engagement, and stiff penalties for violation of the law.”
Mundt said the teen violence investigations highlight “the need for some adjustments in our police protocols and oversight.” He also said he supports the town's proposed advocacy center for victims of crimes, saying many of the ongoing community issues could be addressed in that facility.
How will candidates bring harmony to the Gilbert council?
All four candidates echoed their desire to bring harmony and civility after infighting and ethics probes have plagued the Town Council.
Accurso said it’s his hope to build healthier relationships with the other council members and the public.
Buckland said he wants to make “Gilbert politics boring again.” Seeing the division in the council led him to run for office, he told the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce.
Mundt told The Republic the council needs to address the issues surrounding ethics by “increasing transparency and improving the process for handling ethics complaints to ensure they are used constructively rather than as political tools.”
Lyons said in a questionnaire from the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce he will engage with each member to “find out what is their vision and interests related to the town's direction especially their perspective on our strengths and weaknesses.”
Where do the Gilbert council hopefuls stand on business issues?
Gilbert could fully build out within a decade and max out at a population of about 320,000 people. How the town develops its remaining vacant land and redevelops aging areas has been a topic this election.
Buckland, Lyons and Mundt received a “pro-business designation” from the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce, a business advocacy organization.
The designation gives the candidates a business-friendly stamp of approval from the chamber.
Accurso was left off the list.
Accurso has stated his top priority is to refocus the council and Planning Commission on the general plan, saying too often the town rezones land that contradicts the long-term document voted on by residents.
One of Buckland’s four pillars of his campaign includes a focus on fostering opportunities for small businesses to grow in the town. In his interview with the Chamber of Commerce, Buckland mentioned losing the business he ran with his father-in-law during the pandemic. Owning a business helped him shape his view on a "business balance" between small and big box companies.
He also said he’s open to discussions on giving business incentives if it’s a “win-win” situation.
Mundt has a focus on supporting “environmentally aligned policies that ensure sustainable water use and transition to renewable energy sources.” He touts his role on the Planning Commission and firsthand knowledge of town development as a factor that sets him aside from other candidates.
Lyons said in an interview with the Chamber of Commerce he wants to diversify the business in Gilbert to have the town be a “self-sustainable community” and shave the bedroom community stereotype. He said creating a place that helps put that into motion is “critical” for the town.
Reporter Maritza Dominguez covers Mesa, Gilbert and Queen Creek andcan be reached atmaritza.dominguez@arizonarepublic.comor 480-271-0646. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter:@maritzacdom.
