BISBEE — Could the enlarged Port of Entry in Douglas breathe new life into the Bisbee-Douglas International Airport?

That was one of the questions posed to the three candidates for the District 2 Board of Supervisors seat. Though the port is the second largest in the state and is responsible for over $1 billion in trade, the area lacks warehousing and other subsidiary industries to support the truck traffic and goods, according to a recent report by the University of Arizona. It also found that road infrastructure within the county needs improvement.

The available land at BDI could provide warehousing and other industrial companies a location with good access to the border, which would bring new jobs.

When asked about the subject, Republican candidate Harvey Allen replied, “I see very little use for the airport as an airport, but do see it as an area for warehousing. Look at Nogales’ small airport and its many warehouses.”

As for the roads leading to and from the port, he stated, “The truck traffic on our roads needs to be addressed — now. The roads heading out of Douglas are not the best. ADOT is not ready.”

The port will provide more jobs in Douglas, at the port and in the warehouses, he added.

Matt Cook, the independent candidate, stated, “I don’t see the new Port of Douglas as necessarily causing growth in the use of Bisbee-Douglas International Airport. The reason for the new port has more to do with the current traffic flow pattern which has commercial vehicles, going into the port having to cross the lanes of often congested traffic waiting to come through the customs lanes for cars entering the U.S. In the design proposed to be opened in 2012, the truck route from Mexico’s Highway 2 would move about a quarter mile to the west, well clear of the non-commercial and pedestrian traffic, with a truck corridor paralleling the Mexican railroad right of way. The new port will also be expanded to have 40 truck docks.

“For years Nogales has been one of the busiest ports of entry into the U.S., especially for winter produce. The new Douglas Port of Entry may well encourage some trucking which would otherwise have to wait many hours or days to cross in Nogales, especially when Nogales is at its busiest. If Douglas were only to get a small fraction of that business, it could bring much money and opportunity to the eastern end of the County.”

Ann English, Democratic candidate commented, “I have always thought there was economic development potential for the BDI Airport. It has a lot of land, good water and it certainly is near enough to the Douglas Port if or when shipping by air becomes economically feasible. For many years the county has tried to maintain some of the runways to keep them from deteriorating completely.

“If it is not utilized as an airport, there is still economic development potential for warehousing, etc.. The expanded port and additional traffic from agricultural imports will certainly have an impact on the area. Products coming in have to be inspected, stored and shipped from facilities that do not exist now and by people who are not employed in this capacity now.

“Economic development spreads the tax burden of running government to a larger group of people and lowers the burden on the individual homeowner. This is good and why we need new development.”

Water conservation throughout the county is a big issue and residents in District 2 have voiced concerns over the aquifers that lie beneath the Sulphur Springs Valley. In response to a question about conservation and the possibility of establishing a water conservation district like the Sierra Vista Watershed District, the candidates all suggest that the county needs to be serious about water usage.

Cook replied, “Watershed districts are a resource management board or agency that monitor and regulate water use in the natural basin of a water source. From my responsibilities to inspect and approve well sitings on fewer than five-acre plots in my area of jurisdiction, I’ve been watching the water levels dropping over the years. There is cause for concern, especially when the needs of farmers, ranchers and new residents coming into the valley are considered together.

“If this question were to come to me as County Supervisor, I’d first want to know who has what local, state and federal jurisdiction about the water in the valley. I’d want to find what local resources we have about water law on county staff. Then I’d ask my staff to form a study group to include public members to determine if a watershed district was needed, and if so, prepare an agenda item to present to the Board of Supervisors to consider the matter for approval and funding.”

English, who lives in the valley, stated, “The question of water utilization will always be with us desert dwellers. We have been in a drought for several years and the water table dropped some. Many farmers went out of business because of the cost of lifting water and others have scaled back and use water saving methods. This year the water table has risen in some areas because of the good rains. There will always be fluctuations in the water table.

“The Arizona Department of Water Resources will be an important contact for this continuing information from test wells. I cannot believe the county will ever again approve of developments that have lakes drawn from the underground water source.I would have to study the watershed district idea in greater depth before I could make an intelligent decision on the possible formation of another government body.”

Allen, who is a rancher and owns a well drilling company said, “As more people move in the water usage will increase. In areas where there is no farming, the static water level is holding about the same. Where there is farming, the static water level goes down in the summer and comes back up in the wintertime.

“Water conservation should be practiced at all times. The rain that fell in the Rucker area this year has already helped the water table in the Sulphur Springs Valley District. I see no need, at this time to have a watershed district as the Sulphur Springs Valley is already in a management area by the Arizona Department of Water Resources.”

All three candidates have heard complaints about unresponsiveness of the current district supervisor Paul Newman and commented on the way they would run their office.

English says, “The district has certainly been under-represented because many of the residents feel they could get no response from our supervisor when they called the office. Others say the supervisor would not follow-up or follow through on problems they brought to him.”

Allen noted, “There has been no representation. I will be available by phone or cell phone five days a week. I will respect the people of Cochise County and return calls.”

Cook said, “The people of District 2 haven’t really been represented the past few years. Ask the citizens in Naco about speed bumps and other promises from our county supervisor that never materialized. Ask the people of Pirtleville about the sheriff’s deputy station they were promised.

“In my job as a county health inspector, I frequently hear from citizens complaining they called the county supervisor, even multiple times, and never got a return call.

“As supervisor, I will be easy to get in touch with, just as I am now. Long before it became policy, I gave out my cell number regularly. And, when a problem required my attention nights, weekends, or when I’m on vacation, I’ve always given all my personal contact numbers. I’ve taken being a public servant seriously. If I’ve got the authority in the name of the county to affect your life, health or business, then I feel I’ve got the responsibility to be there for you when you’ve taken care of the violations or situations we’ve cited you for.”

Lastly, the candidates were asked to comment on what they have heard from residents as the biggest issue.

Allen said, “The state of the economy has come to the forefront, while planning and zoning issues have slowed down. They still talk about the condition of the roads.”

Cook explained, “By far, the biggest issue I hear from the public as I go about my job is the difficulty of working with the county departments and, also, the lack of transparency in our government, at all levels. I built my platform as a response to what I’ve been hearing for 14 years: justice and dignity for the people who work for our county; responsiveness to the public who come to the county for services; transparency in county government, so you can know what’s coming up, and you can be heard before it has been voted upon; and weekly meetings around District 2, so you can hear from and be heard by your county supervisor in an open public forum.”

English offered, “The main issue is planning and zoning restrictions in the rural areas of the district. The second issue is the inability to upgrade roads and put them in the county maintenance system.”