Here is a compilation of all the answers Cheryl Packham submitted to the “Council Candidate Q&A” series that the Surprise Independent ran over the last two months. Ms. Packham is an official write-in candidate for the Aug. 4 primary election.

Why should voters trust you to serve?

A voter’s trust is a delicate thing. It is something that must be earned and not something I can dictate through a line of text. I am choosing to serve because I am a citizen who believes that the government must have proper oversight and be held accountable for their actions. I want to help build our community to be inclusive for all its citizens. I desire to be a part of ensuring our growth is responsible, sustainable, and provides for diverse opportunities for citizens to earn a livelihood.  

Rank your top three issues for Surprise voters:

1. Public Safety and Health — We need to ensure our community has a properly equipped and trained public safety department. Our city must remain one of the safest cities in the country, and to do that we need to ensure that our first responders and community health organizations have what they need to make that happen. We must include mental health in our public health and safety plan and ensure that we do more to provide resources to those who are experiencing a mental illness.

2. Economic Development — There is a great divide between those who want growth and expansion and those who want a quiet bedroom community. We must work diligently to ensure that we do not lose our small-town feel while ensuring there are enough jobs and infrastructure to maintain the amenities we all enjoy.

3. Transparency — The city government must have checks and balances. Proper policy implementation will ensure that the people of Surprise understand the goals of the city and the metrics used to measure successes. We must be able to quickly identify how our tax dollars are being spent and how that impacts our community.

How do you keep a balanced budget with the uncertainties of COVID-19?

The COVID-19 pandemic has already had a long-range impact. The city will feel the effects of the loss of revenue and will need to take extraordinary measures to ensure that we continue to provide the level of service that Surprise residents expect and deserve. We can do this by becoming innovative with our outreach, evaluating city-ran programs and encouraging private/public partnerships. In developing a balanced budget, we must have short-term and long-term goals to ensure that we are meeting the needs of the city of Surprise and learn to do more with less as we have asked our citizens to do in recent months. 

How will Surprise stay as a tourist destination in a time of COVID-19?

The city of Surprise will need to adjust quickly to provide new and unique offerings to ensure that we become a destination location for those looking to escape the larger cities.  We will need to embrace the remote work lifestyle and provide activities that align with smaller groups.  Surprise has a lot of opportunities to provide a unique experience for tourists by working with the resources we already have. 

What is the top issue facing the city specifically?

In the last few months, we have experienced a pandemic. We have mourned losses due to injustices, domestic violence, and suicides. We have felt the pain of shutting down schools, closing businesses, and job losses. We have many who walk the streets without a roof over their head or basic needs. Our city is hurting, and we do not know where to turn. The biggest issue our city faces is we must do a better job providing information and support to those who are going through difficult times. We must recognize that mental health is part of public health and we must do more. 

What is Surprise’s biggest recent missed opportunity?

The city of Surprise has missed an opportunity by not effectively and efficiently promoting the incentives to attract development and businesses into the Surprise Heritage District (a designated Opportunity Zone). I believe, had this be done, there could be much development underway creating a unique and walkable part of the city that could focus on our culture and history, while making a wonderful destination in the city that would create a community-driven atmosphere that would be great for both locals and tourists.

What is Surprise’s single biggest need?

Surprise’s single biggest need is the appropriate oversight of city operations. Our city is too large not to have appropriate policies that are driven by the citizens to ensure our city is growing and building in the way that the citizens desire. Without policies in place and metrics to ensure the city is meeting critical goals, the public is left wondering what is happening. It is vital to have established benchmarks and metrics in place so that citizens of Surprise can quickly and easily determine if their tax dollars are being spent appropriately.

What’s the best thing about Surprise?

The best thing about Surprise is the people. Surprise was founded on the idea of making the impossible, possible. Surprise was hit hard during the last recession and will likely face some substantial challenges during the current situation; however, I know that we will persevere as a community and come out stronger and more vibrant than ever before. The people of this city provide me a great amount of hope as I have seen so many who have put others ahead of themselves and strive to make this community a better place.