Pinal County Supervisor Jeff Serdy with Kearny Magistrate Judge David Orzell.
On Dec. 10, 2025, at its regular meeting, the Pinal County Board of Supervisors recognized five individuals for “making a positive difference in the community.”
Among these for District 5 is Kearny Magistrate Judge David Orzell.
Since arriving in Kearny in 1977, Dave Orzell has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to service, leadership, and community well-being. Dave’s career in education, public service, environmental stewardship, and emergency response has made a lasting impact on the Copper Basin region.
Dave began his community service as a 4th-grade teacher and high school coach, influencing generations of local students through football, wrestling, and baseball. While teaching, he earned his master’s in educational leadership from Arizona State University through a specialized cadre program supporting minority and rural educators. He became principal of Ray Primary School in 1993 and Ray High School in 2001. During his tenure at the high school, Dave was instrumental in the transition from aging, unsafe structures to the newly constructed school facilities that serve the community today.
After retiring from the district in 2005, Dave continued his service as a member of the school board and was appointed Kearny Town Magistrate. He completed training through the Arizona Supreme Court Judicial College and has served as magistrate ever since, in addition to working as a pro tem judge for Pinal County. His expertise in school law has been a valuable asset throughout his judicial work.
Dave’s civic involvement also includes more than three decades of dedication to the Keep Arizona Beautiful initiative. Beginning in 1993, he helped establish Kearny’s monthly “Free Dump Day,” providing residents with a responsible option for waste disposal and substantially reducing illegal dumping. He continues to volunteer each month, overseeing operations, coordinating disposal and recycling services, maintaining compliance records, and assisting with EPA inspections.
As a longtime board member and past president of the Copper Basin Health Care Foundation, Dave was central to maintaining local healthcare access after the closure of the Kearny hospital. His collaboration with Cobre Valley Regional Medical Center leadership ultimately secured stable management for the community clinic. Dave also authored the grant that funded asbestos and lead abatement of the former clinic building. Working with local and state partners, he helped secure a Brownfields award that enabled demolition of the unsafe facility, leading to the opening of Kearny’s new community clinic this year.
During regional wildfire emergencies, Dave has served as a key public liaison, coordinating with incident command, arranging for the use of school facilities by firefighting teams, and ensuring timely communication with residents.
Through decades of consistent, hands-on service, Dave Orzell has enriched the community, strengthened essential services, and set a powerful example of civic responsibility. His dedication makes him an outstanding candidate for the Pinal County District 5 Civic Engagement Award.
Thank you, Dave, for all you do for our community.