Melanie Barrett will be sworn in as Oro Valley's next mayor after eight years as vice mayor, edging opponent Mark Napier by more than 2,000 votes in a July nonpartisan election centered on public safety, fiscal growth and sustainability.

Former Mayor Joe Winfield was term-limited out after serving eight years in the seat. For Barrett, the former vice mayor, serving the residents of Oro Valley is an "honor" she carries with her into her new office.

Barrett told Tucson Spotlight she's "excited and enthusiastic" heading into her four-year term as mayor.

"I hope that (the residents) can continue to love the community and feel as positively about it as I do," Barrett said. "I would love it if we would all work together to speak well of our community, to embrace the wonderful things about it that we have going for it. Our public safety, our views, our parks, our high quality of life."

Barrett began her public service career on the Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission before serving as vice mayor for eight years, where she worked on projects including the Naranja Park expansion and revitalizing the Oro Valley Community Center.

Her time on the commission motivated her to run a campaign funded entirely by herself and town residents, saying she did not prioritize seeking outside endorsements to avoid a "quid pro quo."

"I really learned while I was on the planning and zoning commission how important it was to me to be representing the residents first and foremost," she said. "That's how I got involved in running for council in the first place, because I was seeing all of these large zoning applications come forward that were worth millions of dollars. And then I was seeing town council members who had their campaigns funded by those same developers."

As mayor, she hopes to continue to work on the annexation of the area on Ina and Oracle, building out and supporting a recently purchased police station facility.

During her time as vice mayor, she joined the rest of the council in approving a $145,887 lease for Flock Safety drones, automated surveillance drones that provide data to law enforcement using license plate recognition.

Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have concerns about privacy violations, with some worrying about the use of Flock's data during immigration raids. Flock's website says it does not work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Barrett said the program's long-term future depends on how the drones perform and what funding becomes available.

"Every trail, every park system, is based on that foundational idea that we're a safe place to live and be," Barrett said. "That's critically important for the members of our community."

She declined to weigh in on the ongoing deployment of federal immigration enforcement officers in surrounding areas, saying she will support Oro Valley's public safety officers.

Barrett says she's opposed to AI data centers in and near Oro Valley, adding that the issue was a concern for many residents she talked to during her campaign.

"When you look at the balance of what (data centers) take versus what it would cost or bring in, I don't think it makes sense for Oro Valley," she said. She included the water and energy used by data centers as part of those costs.

She said that despite potential drops in Colorado River allocation, Oro Valley residents will continue to have access to water for the next 100 years. The cut will more so affect the amount of water the town will be able to store.

"We've been really good water stewards. We're very well positioned," Barrett said. "I do feel confident in the future."

Looking to her upcoming term, she looks forward to continuing to work on projects like the annexation of the Ina and Oracle corridor and the new Oro Valley Police Department Headquarters.

She also voiced her support for the Oro Valley General Plan, which will be on voters' November ballot.

As she looks ahead to her first term leading the town she's served for years, Barrett said she's grateful for the opportunity voters have given her.

"It's a real honor to be able to be elected mayor, and I really appreciate the trust that (the residents) have had in me," Barrett said. "I will do my very best to fulfill my responsibilities to the best of my ability. I think we have a bright future ahead."

Allison Kuester is a student at Northwestern University and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at allisonkuester2029@u.northwestern.edu.

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