Mila Besich, Mayor of Superior, AZ
What a summer it has been in Superior! We have had a robust schedule of activities and events to enjoy when our students go back to school. That is one sign that the heat of the summer is almost over. For me, the end of summer begins with the aroma of the Hatch Green Chiles roasting at Save Money Market, the taste of the sweet and tart of prickly pear syrup the sounds of the football team practicing, and a safe-to-touch car steering wheel that does not not burn you! Fall is truly my favorite time of year!
Our Town Council took a summer break in August and gave our staff a reprieve from our monthly meetings. Even without a formal Council meeting, we were very busy planning and preparing for the last quarter of 2025. There are many positive developments on the horizon for Superior! In addition, I accepted an invitation to speak at the Mayor’s Plenary Session at the National Brownfields Conference in Chicago. It was an invaluable opportunity to position our town nationally and share our stories of transformation in Superior as well as throughout the Copper Corridor by utilizing brownfields funding and working together!
Vice Mayor Michael Alonzo and I both received our 12 years of service awards at the annual Arizona League of Cities and Towns Conference in Scottsdale. These 12 years have flown by! Also at the League conference, I served my first year as Vice President of the League in preparation to accept the presidency in August of 2026. We are fortunate to have a strong league of cities and towns organization to ensure that local control remains intact within Arizona state laws.
During our September meeting, our council voted to approve hiring an appraiser under the guidance of the Tonto National Forest to help expedite the Town’s purchase of 546 acres of land that will occur when the Final Record of Decision is issued. This has been a long-awaited and critical step in this process.
Access to energy is important, and as Arizona continues to grow, Superior is capitalizing on a unique opportunity to join the energy generation system. Council approved a Request for Proposals for the development of a battery storage facility. While this is just in the early stages; when this project moves forward, it will significantly improve our local tax base and, most importantly, will provide much-needed energy sustainability for Superior and throughout the State of Arizona.
Council also approved a police department policy on how we will address issues with unhoused individuals residing on or near our trails and parks. With compassion and humanity in mind, this policy gives our police authority to notify those not in compliance and give them a reasonable time to vacate as well as information on accessing resources.
While we were anticipating the Resolution Copper Land Exchange to be completed in August, another administrative delay in the courts has held up the finalization of the land exchange and final record of decision. This is frustrating for the town, especially when our story and the impacts of these delays on the town are never factored into these decisions. We will continue to advocate for this mining project and its positive impacts on Superior and the Copper Corridor!
As fall arrives, getting outdoors becomes much easier. I encourage you to make the time to head outdoors and enjoy one of our segments of the LOST trail and definitely schedule a time to visit the Boyce Thompson Arboretum to see the Glass in Flight exhibit!
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Fall season! ‘Til next time . . .
Together, We are Superior!
/s/ Mayor Mila Besich