Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Government Appointment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Maricopa County supervisors unanimously appoint Cody Rye to fill Legislative District 3 vacancy
Summary
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to appoint Cody Rye as the state representative for Legislative District 3 following a nomination by Supervisor Galvin, who cited Rye’s leadership during the Rio Verde Foothills water crisis and concerns about Colorado River water cutbacks.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors unanimously appointed Cody Rye to represent Legislative District 3 in a special meeting, approving the nomination by Supervisor Galvin in a 5-0 roll-call vote.
Supervisor Galvin moved to appoint Cody Rye and prefaced his motion with an extended statement about Rye’s community leadership. "He was a bridge builder and a consensus maker," Galvin said, describing Rye’s role in responding to the Rio Verde Foothills water crisis and noting his advocacy on water infrastructure. Galvin read passages from Rye’s application, quoting in part: "Currently, our state is facing catastrophic cuts in our access to Colorado River water via the CAP system..." and saying Rye had worked on solutions for the community.
The nomination was seconded (the transcript does not identify who seconded it). During discussion, Supervisor Gallardo thanked Supervisor Galvin for his diligence in reviewing candidates and said the choice was difficult because three qualified nominees had been forwarded by precinct committeemen. Chair Brophy McGee asked whether one candidate had been intended as a placeholder; Galvin replied he had carefully considered all applicants and chose Rye based on merit.
Madam Clerk conducted a roll-call vote. Supervisors Gallardo, Stewart, Brophy McGee, Galvin and Vice Chair Lesko each voted yes, and the motion "carried unanimously," appointing Cody Rye to the Legislative District 3 seat.
After the vote, Galvin offered congratulations to Rye and advised him about the pressures of legislative service. He closed his remarks with an Irish blessing: "May your joys be as deep as the oceans, your troubles as light as its foam, and may you find sweet peace of mind wherever you may roam." The board adjourned following the appointment.
Why it matters: The appointment fills a vacancy in LD3 and places a local community leader who, according to Galvin’s account, has advocated for water infrastructure and raised concerns about projected Colorado River cutbacks and unregulated subdivision development. The vote follows customary county practice giving some deference to the supervisor whose district contains the majority of a legislative district’s precincts.
What was said and what remains unverified: The meeting record contains Supervisor Galvin’s statements about Rye’s role in resolving the Rio Verde Foothills water crisis and quotes from Rye’s application describing CAP cutbacks and "wildcat subdivisions." Those claims were presented as part of Galvin’s nomination; the board took formal action to appoint Rye but did not, in this meeting, provide documentary proof of the claims quoted from the application.
