At their Feb. 17 meeting, the Gila County Board of Supervisors heard a presentation about the Discover Gila County tourism program, which is said to support thousands of jobs in the county. The supervisors also approved a grant for Western-themed education and honored county employees for years of service.
In a work session presentation, Cameron and Chaz Davis from Discover Gila County presented an overview of the tourism initiative’s accomplishments since launching its marketing plan and digital platform.
Cameron Davis said the program focuses on “legendary experiences” that turn visitor trips into stories that circulate online and drive interest in the county. He gave examples, including a women’s retreat that generated about 150 new social media followers, a father and 6-year-old son fishing at Roosevelt Lake, and a family from Germany that planned a weeklong visit in Gila County to see the world’s oldest continuous rodeo.
“Why are we doing tourism? It offsets each household $1,280 in annual taxes. Tourism ultimately reduces the tax burdens on residents while funding essential services and sustaining local businesses.” — Cameron Davis, Discover Gila County
Davis highlighted several milestones in the program, including the public launch in 2019, 23% growth in tourism during COVID, and major increases in web and social media traffic. He reported that the website had over 500,000 visitors in 2024, and a TV ad was showcased during the Super Bowl and has been seen by over two million people.
Discover Gila County has won multiple state and national awards, including the AZ Office of Tourism Rural Marketing Program of the Year.
Davis provided data for the county from the Arizona Office of Tourism including:
Chaz discussed strategy on the digital side, including search engine optimization and a newer Google ads strategy that aims at reaching “high intent” travelers actively searching for weekend trips and outdoor recreation.
He pointed out that Gila County competes with larger Arizona destinations and said Discover Gila County has increasingly become the region’s primary trip-planning tool.
The Board of Supervisors approved a $20,000 economic development agreement with Brownsville Western Heritage Inc. to support its agricultural and Western heritage education programs for youth and adults across Gila County.
Funding coordinators Billy Minape and Kathy Manning explained that the nonprofit has been serving local schools since 2009. This year alone, the organization has reached more than 300 students through 52 classroom sessions held throughout the county.
The program focuses on teaching students from Payson and surrounding communities about the region’s agricultural and rural foundations. Classes are offered in the areas of dairy, mining, cotton, citrus and ranching.
A highlight of the year is “Ag Daze,” a two-day event held at the H4 Ranch (Brownsville) arena. During the event, fourth- and fifth-grade students rotate through hands-on stations that include branding demonstrations, stick-horse riding, roping activities, animal care in a petting zoo, and guided museum visits.
One year, Navy SEALs contributed a presentation on the importance of ranching.
“To see the looks on the kids’ faces and even the Navy SEALs faces, to open that world to them, is amazing.” — Supervisor Tim Humphrey
The event is supported by Payson High School, the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, the Plant Fair nursery and many volunteers. This year, high school students will assist with ranching instruction and earn community service hours as part of the program.
Ag Daze costs approximately $10,000 to host over two days, covering labor, lunches for volunteers and chaperones, T-shirts for participants, musical entertainment and supplies. Individual classroom programs cost about $2,000 each.
In past years, funding support came through the Natural Resources Conservation District, but that funding was not available this year.
The supervisors opened the meeting with a recognition ceremony honoring Gila County employees who reached milestone years of service in 2025. Employees marking five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 40 years with the county, including people from both Globe and Payson, were called forward to receive awards.
Employees recognized for five years of service included:
Employees marking 10 years included:
County Manager James Menlove opened by recognizing the public works team for completing safety-related improvements at the county complex, including the parking lot area and Monroe Street. He said the projects were finished within budget, and noted that the Monroe Street work took additional time, but is now complete. He also thanked Board Chairman Steve Christensen for participating in the County Supervisors Association’s Legislative Policy Committee. He said the committee is tracking several issues that could negatively affect counties.
Menlove said he plans to travel to Washington, D.C. for meetings on technology and cybersecurity, as well as a national legislative conference. He also has upcoming meetings connected to the Government Finance Officers Association.
He also told the board the county has begun assembling proposals for congressionally directed spending initiatives, with coordination being led by Deputy County Manager Michael O’Driscoll. Menlove said the county will use upcoming D.C. meetings with Arizona’s U.S. senators to discuss potential project funding requests, including improvements for the 512 Road, electrical upgrades at the fairgrounds and the county complex, and possible flood-related needs, depending on the outcome of a FEMA emergency declaration for southern Gila County.
Supervisor Tim Humphrey reported holding a Tonto Basin community meeting on Feb. 3 and a Roosevelt community meeting on Feb. 9. He also testified at the Capitol on Feb. 4 in support of House Bill 2070, seeking $25 million in state flood relief funding, carried by Rep. Walt Blackman. Humphrey also said he met with county management and staff to review projects underway in District 2 and discuss next steps.
Supervisor Humphrey recently appeared on KQSS radio to discuss legislation and plans to testify in the Senate in support of a blight-related bill carried by Sen. Wendy Rogers, which he said would benefit Gila County.
Vice Chairman Woody Cline reported that Senate Bill 700, related to the conveyance of the Eastern Arizona Veterans’ Memorial Ranch, passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 4. He said the bill needs to advance to the Senate floor for approval and then will go to the President’s desk.
He had a recent meeting in Young with the project architect working on the design for a meeting room addition and ADA-related improvements. He planned to attend an ECO meeting by Zoom and to travel to Washington, D.C., with public lands meetings scheduled over the weekend and congressional visits planned.
He noted that the Center for Biological Diversity recently filed a lawsuit involving eight grazing allotments in Gila County tied to Forest Service oversight, focusing on riparian conditions. He said the Forest Service will respond to the litigation, and it is unclear how the matter will proceed.
Board Chairman Steve Christensen had appeared on KMOG the day before, which he does monthly. He also attended the Chamber of Commerce’s Community and Business Awards banquet, where Gila County received the “Collaborator of the Year” award.
Discussing the legislative policy committee meeting coming up, Supervisor Christensen also noted the heavy volume of state legislation this session, with more than 4,000 bills drafted — a new record. He mentioned Senate Bill 1067, which is a proposed tool for counties to address blighted properties by allowing cleanup costs to be added to a property’s tax lien when no responsible owner can be cited.
He said he spoke at the Arizona legislature in support of House Bill 2070 and that it passed unanimously with bipartisan support. It still needs to go to the governor’s desk for her signature. He also mentioned that he sits on the Rural Water Committee, and pointed out that a lot of water is being pulled out of rural counties to go to Maricopa.
Gov. Katie Hobbs was scheduled to visit Payson on Feb. 25 for a luncheon at Mazatzal Casino. The county helped sponsor the event and Chair Christensen would be introducing the governor.
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