Northeast Valley Natterings

IN PARADISE VALLEY . . . recent Paradise Valley Mayors have had an unspoken tradition of serving two terms then passing the baton.  In a community of the competent this type of voluntary term limits is novel and refreshing.  With Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner expected to follow suit, Paradise Valley’s next center dais sitter will likely be elected in just over a year.  Current speculation has Town Councilwoman Julie Pace expected to face off against often embattled and long-serving Councilman Paul Dembow.  Pace was the top vote-getter just two years ago while Dembow limped to re-election in 2018.  The contrasts and fireworks would likely be significant should these two forge a run.  Pace would begin as the heavy favorite, perhaps with odds besting even Floyd Mayweather’s last night against Logan Paul.

IN SCOTTSDALE . . . three City Council seats will be up for grabs in 2022.  Incumbents Solange Whitehead and Kathy Littlefield are expected to run again and will be decisive favorites.  Linda Milhaven is term-limited leaving just one open seat.  Though strange things often happen in Scottsdale council races – think Guy Phillips and masks, and years ago how Tony Nelssen shocked the field – we think Littlefield and Whitehead are close to locks. That will leave some combination of impressive challengers like Christian Serena, Paula Sturgeon , Tim Stratton and perhaps others to battle it out for the remaining slot.