By Brooke Curley
brooke@gilavalleycentral.net
THATCHER – Replacing former Thatcher Town Councilman Donald Innes, Heston Welker is the new interim councilman on the scene.
At its Monday night meeting, the Thatcher Town Council voted to appoint Welker to replace former council member Donald Innes, who had to forgo the rest of his term because he chose to take a position in Morenci.
The deliberations were tough but after nearly two hours of interviews, the Thatcher Town Council chose to bring Welker to the table. Welker has lived in Thatcher for 24 years and has Masters degree in Taxation, and a Bachelor of Science in Finance. Currently, Welker is the Director/Controller in Fiscal Control at Eastern Arizona College. In his interview with Gila Valley Central, Welker said he intends to use his experience and education to the benefit of the town.
“I have a finance background and have been working specifically in government finance for almost 10 years now,” Welker said. “I am also a Certified Government Financial Manager and have a good understanding of the financial issues facing governments. I hope to bring some of that knowledge to the council to help in the decisions we will need to make. I have a great love for this community, and I want our fellow community members and my own family to continue to be able to enjoy the many opportunities that are available here.”
Welker later told Gila Valley Central that he had considered running for the Thatcher Town Council for several years and that it was time to give back to the community that had given him so much.
“I’ve been considering running for the council the last few years and this just seemed like a great opportunity to act on that,” Welker said. “I feel like this community has provided my family, friends, and myself so many great opportunities, and I feel like this is a way I can give back.”
When asked what he wanted to achieve while serving on the council, Welker seemed enthusiastic toward working with his co-councilors. Also, Welker told Gila Valley Central that he wanted to be part of the future improvements of the town.
“I believe we have had excellent councils in the past, and the current council is no exception,” he said. “I hope to be a team player in making decisions that will continue to improve our town and community. There are always opportunities for improvement, and I hope I can be a part of the team that can bring those improvements to pass for our constituents.”
The next Thatcher Town Council meeting will be Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. at Thatcher Town Hall.
