Supervisor Andy Kunasek has been elected as chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors for 2013 and vowed to work on giving greater flexibility and transparency to the county’s regulatory system to encourage economic growth.
Kunasek also suggested the county follow the lead of the city of Phoenix and encourage “adaptive reuse,” the renovation of old buildings for new uses. Kunasek has been chairman four other times as a supervisor, the last time in 2011. He has been a supervisor since 1997.
Recently elected Supervisors Denny Barney and Steve Chucri were also officially sworn in. Both are Republicans and East Valley residents. Chucri, a Mesa resident, represents District 2 and Barney, from Gilbert, will represent District 1.
Returning board members, besides Kunasek, are District 4 Supervisor Max Wilson, of Litchfield Park, and Mary Rose Wilcox, of Phoenix, District 5.
Wilson, who served as chairman in 2012, thanked his staff and county employees for working to make county government more transparent and easier for industry to do business. Wilcox is beginning her fifth four-year term on the board and her 31st year in elective office. She is a former Phoenix City Council member.
