What a year it’s been! 2021 brought about some landmark achievements in the journey toward our goal of protecting Prescott’s Granite Dells from development forever as a regional park & preserve. As our fifth year of community conservation advocacy comes to a close, we can proudly say that:

1. 473.7 core acres of Granite Dells open space have been successfully transferred into public ownership as part of the Arizona Eco Development (AED) Annexation,

2. a Letter of Intent (LOI) for purchase of 300 more acres of private Dells land has been approved, thanks to Recreation Director Joe Baynes and the generosity of conservation-minded land owners, and

3. Prescott voters showed that Cathey Rusing’s landslide election was only the beginning, electing a new mayor and two new city council members endorsed by Save the Dells for their commitment to sustainable growth and water management, open space conservation, and transparency in decision-making.

These historic wins have contributed to something even greater and more enduring— for the first time in a long time, citizens from Prescott and beyond are feeling empowered to take an active role in building the future they want for their communities. As one supporter put it, there is a feeling of “entering a new era” with this shift in the culture of local leadership toward greater transparency and public participation.

Save the Dells has an important role to play in ensuring that this momentum continues to build in the new year. You can read more about the unique abilities and impacts of Political Action Committees (PACs) like Save the Dells here. Some of the most important priorities for in 2022 include:

1. monitoring the AED Annexation process to ensure it proceeds in accordance with the terms of the Development Agreement,

2. continuing the progress toward a Granite Dells Regional Park & Preserve in order to ensure the permanent protection of the Granite Dells,

3. collaborating with regional groups to acquire even more natural open space and protected wildlife corridors, and

4. continuing to support and empower the public to engage in the issues YOU care about: water conservation, integrity and transparency of city leadership, sustainable growth, and quality of life at a local and regional level.

We need your help to keep this legacy going strong into 2022 and beyond. Will you support us with a year-end contribution to ensure this can happen?

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season, and a safe and happy New Year! Thank you again for your support!
 

In partnership,

Your friends at Save the Dells