On October 4th, the Town of Sahuarita said goodbye to its Assistant Town Manager, Farhad Moghimi, who was named the Executive Director of the Pima Association of Governments and the Regional Transportation Authority.
Moghimi joined the Town in 2008 as the Public Works Director, and later became the Assistant Town Manager. During his time with Sahuarita, Moghimi was able to work with stakeholders to streamline government processes, facilitate greater partnerships, and create a culture of collaboration and efficiency with his team.
By expanding relationships, Moghimi was instrumental in the development of the Sahuarita Main Street, the Early Childhood Center and Copper View Elementary School. He was also key in advancing the Sahuarita WINS! Initiative with Dr. Valenzuela, Superintendent of the Sahuarita Unified School District.
Moghimi reflected about his time at the Town, “There are so many fond memories, and if I were to pick only one, I would say the ribbon cutting for the Copper View Elementary School. We had over 500 students participate in the parade celebrating the new school and the adjacent streets that was made possible by a fantastic collaboration among so many partners.” He continued, “That day and that moment when all the students released over 500 balloons during the celebration, the joy and the look in their eyes is something that I will never forget.”
Moghimi also encouraged a new level of conversation between the school district and the Town. Valenzuela commented, “Farhad has been a model of excellence, service, and integrity. He has made many contributions to our school community through his professional knowledge and spirit of genuine cooperation.”
In addition to his work with the school district, Moghimi challenged the status quo and created business friendly processes at the Town. He encouraged collaboration between the private and public sector, and conveyed that collaboration and partnership is necessary to progress.
Vice Mayor Bill Bracco agrees: “Farhad is a rare individual who had both public and private sector experience. He knew how to get things done within the system. He is a do’er! We will miss him greatly in the Town.”
“Today, creating a great place to live requires a partnership and a collaborative relationship with the Town of Sahuarita. Many of the successes we have seen in the past two years are due to Farhad’s ability to work with his council and team to convey the benefits of a win-win partnership,” said Jeremy Sharpe, Vice President of Community Development for Rancho Sahuarita. “We will miss him, but we are confident his legacy of collaboration and partnership will continue at the Town.”
Farhad concludes, “As a team we have accomplished a lot, but it’s not how many projects or which important projects we were able to complete, it’s how we have been able to highlight the importance of collaboration in everything we do and promote a culture of teamwork. It’s been a great honor working for the Town and all of the residents and businesses that make this community a great place to live.”