The Interview

Continued from page 45

GRANDE LIVING: Any last things you want to say before we talk about Craig McFarland, the guy?

Mayor Craig McFarland: If I had one thing that I’m going to be critical of myself is, we still have a lot of buildings that need attention. There’s the Kmart building and Casa Grande Mall.

Finally getting the auto mall built because people see the old Sam’s Club and they say, “Can’t we get Sam’s Club back?” I said, “Nope, because it’s been sold. “And can we get a Costco?" "Nope." Because Sam’s Club won’t let Costco use the building.

Can we get the Target back? Well, Target owns the building, and that’s a business decision on their part. And have you recently looked at big box stores and how well they’re doing? Not very. Look at the Chandler Fashion Center. What did they do to the whole Macy’s building? It’s now an entertainment center. They’re building a massive indoor roller coaster...

GRANDE LIVING: Along those lines, when it comes to buildings, there’s a deficit in the realization that this is America. It’s free enterprise, business goes where business goes. It has nothing to do with the city.

Mayor Craig McFarland: True, it is all about free enterprise and up to business to build and develop. But, I will say that the city can make it easier for businesses to do business. And, I always say...cities and towns are where the rubber meets the road.

GRANDE LIVING: I know you don’t want to have this conversation, but there’s a horizon to your term in office and on that day, many politicians find it hard to let go. They find it hard to not be a part of the game, a part of the solution, a part of the conversation. You’re faced with either letting that go and golfing more and buying that RV or running for some other office. Your thoughts?

Mayor Craig McFarland: I’m still mulling it over. I’ve got about six months or so before I may need to make a hard decision. I like being involved. And I guess that the allure of what you speak is that you feel that you’re needed, and everybody wants to be needed.

And I certainly feel like I can give more. I’m not worn out, I’m not tired. I’m not tired of people enough to not try and do something else.

But can I do it from a volunteer, charitable direction? Probably, because I know most nonprofits will scoop up anybody who wants to volunteer. And there’s certainly a lot of worthy programs around Casa Grande that you could have an impact on.

Would I like to run possibly for state House or Senate? Maybe. But I like being in local government because you have more of an impact on people in your community.

GRANDE LIVING: What about county level?

Mayor Craig McFarland: County is a possibility. It depends on what Supervisor Steve Miller’s going to do.

GRANDE LIVING: OK, now let’s talk about Craig McFarland, the man. I have to say that I don’t have many role models, but you’d be right up there on many different fronts.

But looking at what’s on your horizon, let’s talk about golf and Hawaii and RVs and European river cruises. You’re not getting any younger.

Mayor Craig McFarland: In fact, I’ll turn 70 in my last year in office.

GRANDE LIVING: Might a solution be a little more leisure and a little less direct involvement, but still some involvement?

Mayor Craig McFarland: Yeah, I would think so. I think whether I’m elected or not I’d like to be in some position of being able to maybe still influence what goes on in the City. Obviously I won’t be involved in all of the boards that I’m involved in today; like the Arizona Mayors’ Education Roundtable, which I am now chairman. CAG, being part of Central Arizona Governments, being the chair of the Pinal Regional Transportation Authority…

GRANDE LIVING: But you failed on that one, didn’t you? As far as Prop 469 being defeated last year?

Mayor Craig McFarland: I did, yeah.

GRANDE LIVING: So golf, Hawaii, come on. Skiing, Colorado.

Mayor Craig McFarland: Obviously it’ll give me some more opportunities to travel.

GRANDE LIVING: Show Low, Pinetop. Grandchildren, greatgrandchildren.

Mayor Craig McFarland: Grandkids, for sure. But Rock, I can’t sit still. The problem with me is if I get involved in something, it’s not a part-time deal. I don’t work that way; it’s not how I’m wired. I’m either all in or I’m not.

GRANDE LIVING: OK, can you cap this off with a heartfelt, genuine statement about your time in office and what you like; community, you, your family, whatever?

Mayor Craig McFarland: Some of the fun part is when I go to an event and my grandkids are there and they get to introduce their papi as the mayor. So that’s some of the heartwarming part. Or when somebody sends me a note and says, “Thanks for doing a great job.”

And the little girl that came up to me today, shook my hand and handed me four little chocolates and said, “Are you the mayor?” And I said, “Yes, I am.” And she ran away, talking to her mother. And then she came back and says, “I was born in St. Louis.” And I say, “Well, I used to live in St. Louis.” She goes, “I know.” And she ran away again.

Or when I go to the mayor’s reading program with kindergartners or first-graders, and the teacher introduces me as the mayor and they always look at me and go, “You’re really the mayor? Is that like the president?”

GRANDE LIVING: OK, last statement?

Mayor Craig McFarland: It’s been a good ride. We, as in the Council and the staff, have accomplished a lot in the last six years. It’s been a really good run and I hope we can continue it.

I hope that we can find somebody who is going to put as much time into it as I put into it. I just hope we find the right person. This shouldn’t be a popularity or partisan contest. It should be: Who’s going to do the best for the city?

GRANDE LIVING: Well, for what it’s worth, speaking for my constituency, I agree with everything you just said about the job you’ve done and what it takes. Kumbaya.

Mayor Craig McFarland: It’s a lot of work. Hope somebody’s prepared.