Campaign Phone
9282420362
Public Policy Priorities
Financial Stability and a Balanced Budget, Infrastructure and Public Safety, Community Connection and Accessible Leadership, Smart Planning for a Stronger Future.
Qualifications and Experience
I have spent my career serving others through public service, leadership, and community involvement. I currently serve as Assistant Chief of Operations for Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District, where I oversee emergency operations, personnel, budgeting, strategic planning, and interagency partnerships. My responsibilities require making sound decisions, managing public resources responsibly, and working collaboratively to solve complex challenges. I currently serve on the Pinetop-Lakeside Town Council, giving me firsthand experience with municipal budgeting, infrastructure planning, land use, and local policy. That experience has reinforced the importance of transparency, fiscal responsibility, and thoughtful long-term planning. In addition to my public service, I own a local small business and hold a master's degree in leadership. These experiences have strengthened my understanding of budgeting, accountability, and the importance of listening to residents when making decisions.
Memberships & Affiliations
I currently serve on the Pinetop-Lakeside Town Council, as Secretary of the Northeastern Arizona Fire Chiefs Association, and as a member of the Pinetop-Lakeside Chamber of Commerce. I am also a member of the Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona and the International Association of Fire Fighters, and a Firefighters First Credit Union Advocate. Previously, I served as Vice President of the White Mountain Firefighters Association, as a Board Member of the Arizona Stroke Collaborative, and as a Commissioner on the Navajo County Planning & Zoning Commission.
Endorsements
I am honored to have earned the endorsement of current and former elected officials, public safety professionals, local business owners, and community leaders throughout Pinetop-Lakeside and the White Mountains. I am especially grateful for the support of many current and retired firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical professionals, and respected community members who have placed their trust in my leadership. A complete list of endorsements is available on my campaign website.
Community Service
My family, neighbors, and I have organized and funded Christmas on Evergreen for more than 14 years. We have also participated in Muscular Dystrophy Association Fill the Boot campaigns, White Mountain Firefighters Christmas for Kids, Guns & Hoses Charity Basketball, community cleanups, cemetery restoration projects, and Make-A-Wish community projects. In addition, we have volunteered at the senior center and community center, supported local events, helped families in need with firewood, and sponsored numerous community organizations and events. I believe serving our community means showing up, working together, and giving back whenever possible.
Education
I hold a Master of Science in Leadership with an emphasis in Homeland Security, a Bachelor of Science in Public Safety and Emergency Services Management, and Associate of Applied Science degrees in Fire Science and Paramedicine. My education has provided a strong foundation in leadership, public administration, emergency management, and fiscal responsibility, complementing my years of public service and community leadership.
Economic opportunity and preserving the character of Pinetop-Lakeside should go hand in hand. I support responsible economic development that strengthens our local economy while protecting what makes our community a special place to live.
Growth should be guided by long-term planning and supported by adequate infrastructure, public safety, traffic capacity, water availability, and fiscal responsibility. We should invest in well-maintained roads, public infrastructure, and attractive public spaces while pursuing grants and partnerships that reduce costs for taxpayers.
Supporting existing businesses is just as important as attracting new investment. By listening to business owners, encouraging thoughtful redevelopment, and promoting entrepreneurship, we can strengthen our economy while preserving our small-town character for future generations.
A budget should reflect the community's priorities. My first priority is funding core services that residents rely on every day, including public safety, roads, water infrastructure, and the maintenance of existing public facilities and parks. Protecting these essential services is the foundation of responsible local government.
I also believe in maintaining healthy financial reserves and using long-term financial planning to avoid shifting costs to future taxpayers. Housing, economic development, and community programs are important and should be supported through thoughtful planning, strategic partnerships, and grant opportunities whenever practical.
Every budget decision should be guided by transparency, measurable community benefit, and long-term sustainability. My goal is to ensure every taxpayer dollar is invested where it delivers the greatest value to our residents.
Transparency begins with open communication and accessible government. Residents deserve timely information, clear explanations of decisions, and meaningful opportunities to participate before major decisions are made, not after.
Ethical governance requires accountability, respect for the law, and decisions based on facts rather than personal or political interests. I believe elected officials should conduct themselves with honesty, integrity, and respect for differing viewpoints.
I will encourage public participation through open meetings, community forums, and respectful dialogue while ensuring residents have meaningful opportunities to provide input throughout the decision-making process. Public trust is earned through consistency, transparency, and a willingness to listen.
Throughout my career and my service on the Town Council, I have worked with residents, neighboring communities, public safety agencies, state and federal partners, local organizations, and businesses to address shared challenges. Whether it's infrastructure, public safety, economic development, grants, or long-term water planning, I have found the best solutions come from collaboration.
I have built strong working relationships by listening, communicating openly, and focusing on shared goals. Many of the challenges facing Pinetop-Lakeside extend beyond our town boundaries and require regional cooperation.
As Mayor, I will continue building those partnerships while ensuring residents have a meaningful voice in the process. By working together, we can strengthen our community, secure additional resources, and prepare Pinetop-Lakeside for the future.
The issues that will have the greatest impact on Pinetop-Lakeside's future are maintaining our financial stability, investing in infrastructure, protecting public safety, preserving our small-town character, and planning responsibly for future growth.
Addressing these challenges requires thoughtful leadership and long-term planning. We must maintain strong financial reserves, invest in roads, water infrastructure, parks, and public facilities, support our police and fire departments, and make land use decisions that respect our community's values while ensuring growth is sustainable and supported by available infrastructure and water resources.
Above all, I believe our responsibility is to leave Pinetop-Lakeside stronger than we found it by making informed, transparent decisions that serve both today's residents and future generations.
Public Policy Priorities
1. 1. All my answers are written by Harry Turner without using AI. A Mayor should be able to use his mind instead of reading AI generated answers. My highest priority is to work with our partners to restore the water level in Woodland Lake, 2.Work to restore public trust in local government by community engagement, soliciting and including public input in major decisions, creating an informal monthly meeting between the public and the Mayor (Let's Chat with the Mayor), 3. Demanding fiscal responsibility, 4. Continue to support both Fire Districts in our efforts to maintain Wildfire Resiliency and Survivability, and 5. I'm retired. I will devote 100% of my time to being a full-time mayor with a published daily schedule to ensure citizens can call or visit me. I will have a very well-established open-door policy.
Qualifications and Experience
4. I was reared in a humble environment that valued integrity, education, hard work, honesty, and personal responsibility. My parents emphasized the importance of doing what is right, even when no one is observing. These values are the foundation of my perspective and solidified my commitment to serving our community with compassion and understanding. I retired after a thirty-two-year career as an executive of General Motors, Detroit, Michigan. Most of my career was spent performing managerial responsibilities related to strategic planning and long-range business planning. I’ve been a part of designing new cars and trucks which have been awarded the Motor Trend Car of the Year. I’ve had great success in designing and racing cars and trucks in motorsport events in North America and Europe. I managed small groups, and large groups that ranged from two hundred to seven hundred employees. I’ve also managed hundreds of millions of dollars learning the meaning of fiscal responsibiilitity.
Memberships & Affiliations
I am an active member, and past President, of the Rotary Club of the White Mountains. I am currently a member of the Board of Directors at the White Mountain Community Center (the Senior Center). I am an advisor to the Board of Directors of the Pinetop-Lakeside Chamber of Commerce. I attend the Show Low Chamber of Commerce member meetings. I attend the White Mountain Business Owners Round Table meetings. I attend the Board of Directors Meetings at the Nature Center that are open to the public. Due to Arizona State Law I had to resign from the Pinetop-Lakeside Town Council to run for mayor but I still attend the meetings.
Community Service
I'd like to share my civic experience since I became a Pinetop-Lakeside resident seven years ago. I was the foreperson for US District Court, District of Arizona, Grand Jury #21-3 for 13 months. Also in 2022, I was appointed by the Town Council to be a member of the P-L Planning and Zoning Commission. A year later I was voted by my peers to be the P&Z Chairman. In 2024, I was elected to the P-L Town Council. I am an active member and a past president of the Rotary Club of the White Mountains. I was part of forming and developing the new Chamber of Commerce for P-L. I am a member of the Board of Directors at the White Mountains Community Center (Senior Center). I attend the Timber Mesa and the Pinetop Fire District Board of Director meetings. 5365 W. Glenn Abbey Trail Lakeside, AZ 85929.
Education
Bachelor's Degree, Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois. Master's Degree, MBA, Oakland University.
There are many residents, including myself, who want to maintain our small-town atmosphere but our town has many great attributes that will continue to attract new residents. Some growth is to be expected, but I will work with our Town Manager and the Planning & Zoning Commission to only present proposals that support quality growth in our town. I would also solicit public input from the our citizens. The scarcity of water has to be considered in all proposals. There is a major issue with having adequate water pressure for fire suppression, so scrutiny and approval by both the Pinetop and Timber Mesa Fire Districts is required for any proposal to be approved. One thing that hasn't been evaluated adequately in the past is traffic flow. Of course, ADOT approval is required but the leadership of our town needs to strongly consider population/traffic density during the approval process. Public inclusion in our decision-making process will ensure that this is not overlooked.
. 1. I want to review the pay structure of our Police officers because we must ensure that they are being compensated as well as, or better than, officers in the surrounding cities, towns and communities. I also think that our town needs to hire at least two more officers to maintain our safety and to control the speed on the only road (260) that passes through our town. This may require additional patrol vehicles. 2. We must submit grant applications to increase attainable housing for our workforce. 3. A water availability analysis/review is required. We must pursue State and Federal assistance along with Town budget allocations to offset the costs for our water needs. 4. Enhanced meetings with ADOT and the County for road resurfacing and traffic flow solutions. 5. Analyze the use of past revenue streams and the effectiveness of our projects and programs to ensure they satisfy the wants and needs of our citizens and enhancing tourism, one of our major sources of revenue.
Communication with our citizens must be improved. I am dedicated to working within the community to restore its trust in Pinetop-Lakeside’s governing leaders. I will work to reduce the need for Executive Sessions and replace them with more public discussions to prove we operate transparently. We need to improve the process for the notification of public meetings and the publication of decisions. I will initiate a monthly informal event. “Let’s Talk with the Mayor”. This additional event will give our citizens another opportunity to express their thoughts. I will insist on soliciting public input on all proposals from the Planning & Zoning Commission. We need community committees to open public communication and streamline processes. We need a mayor who is present. Not only in meetings, but working with staff on strategic plans and alignment with priorities. The office of Mayor for Pinetop-Lakeside requires more time than attending two meetings a month. It is a full-time resonsibilty.
As said in the previous question, I will have the Planning & Zoning Commission include public input in all proposals brought forward for approval and I will initiate an informal monthly meeting with the mayor (I've already started weekly meetings, like these, during my campaign). I will continue my work as an advisor to the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Pinetop-Lakeside and I will continue my attendance at the Show Low Chamber of Commerce meetings and also my attendance at the White Mountain Business Owners Round Table meetings. I currently interface with the Show Low Mayor at these meetings and I will develop a strong communication link with him. I will ask the Arizona State Representation for our District, Walt Blackman, for a regular dialog. I will attend the public Navajo County Board of Supervisors meetings in Holbrook.
1. Preserving and protecting water is the issue with the highest priority in Pinetop-Lakeside. 2. The health of Woodland Lake is critical for public recreation and tourism. The first step to restoring the water level will be to meet with the Show Low, Pinetop, Woodland Irrigation Company and build a strong working relationship with open communication. 2a. The dam at Woodland Lake will need maintenance. 3. Tourism is a vital part of our revenue stream. Programs and activities to maintain a strong level of tourism will be reviewed. 4. Preserving revenue streams, pursuing new revenue streams, and more thoughtful spending by the Staff will be managed by enhanced reviews. 5. Wildfire prevention and water planning will be improved with more direct and open communication with both Fire Districts, Forestry, the County, and our Citizens to continue the learning and awareness procedures. 6. We have a talented and highly paid Staff that must minimize the use of AI generated communications.
