Hobbs dismisses AZ-Mexico Commission
The Arizona-Mexico Commission, which works to promote business and well-being on both sides of the border, currently consists of one person: Gov. Katie Hobbs, after she dismissed all other 31 board members on Feb. 17.
It was a surprising move, and one that suggested the newly elected Democrat wanted to do some housecleaning.
The letter landed in commissioner's inboxes as Hobbs was in Mexico for an unannounced meeting with officials, including Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Sonora Gov. Alfonso Durazo.
The commission, which is more than six decades old, is the first of the hundreds of state boards and commissions that Hobbs has turned her attention to. She told reporters Thursday that she wants to make sure the direction of the Arizona-Mexico Commission, as well as other boards, aligns with her goals.
"We’ll look to put folks in that we think are best for carrying out our vision," she said.
Hobbs' press secretary, Josselyn Berry, told reporters that departing Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, made five last-minute appointments to the board before he left office in early January.
Some had a political feel, including now former House Speaker Rusty Bowers, a Republican, and former GOP gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson, she said.
Berry also noted that all of the commissioners serve at the pleasure of the governor.
Hobbs to dismissed members: Reapply to commission, if you want to
Some of the future appointees might be familiar faces; in the letter she sent earlier this month, Hobbs invited the
commissioners to reapply for their positions.
As of Friday, at least two already had. But Jessica Pacheco, who has served as the board's president since 2015, said it's time for her to move on after more than a dozen years working with the commission.
One of the commissioners hoping to return is Jaime Chamberlain, whose family-run company in Nogales distributes Mexican fruits and vegetables across the U.S.
“It was kind of a shock," said Chamberlain, president of Chamberlain Distributing, of the initial letter. "I sort of felt like I got fired.”
He was surprised to see the entire board let go all at once, noting some members have served for three or four decades.
But, he added, he is taking the invitation to reapply to heart. He wants to continue the work, which he sees as a benefit not only to his hometown of Nogales, but also Arizona and Sonora.
Work continues without commission
The commission oversees 16 committees that focus on issues from transportation and health care to commerce and technology.
Chamberlain said that work won't slow down even if a board is not in place. Their work is long term and not dependent on daily decisions from the commission.
Just recently, he met with Jennifer Toth, who earlier this week was confirmed as the new director of the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Julie Engel, president and CEO of the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation, took her dismissal letter in stride.
"The email and the correspondence I've received seems kind of just procedural," she said Friday. "I was expecting as much, with a new governor, that we would start from scratch."
Engel already has reapplied, using the form that was included in her dismissal letter.