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TOMBSTONE — Both candidates battling it out for mayor of Tombstone, Dustin “Dusty” Escapule and incumbent Don Aiton, have a lot of ideas about how they want to run this historic city.
A fourth-generation Tombstone native, Escapule served as mayor of the town from 2000 to 2004.
When asked about the impact of the country’s economic slump on the city’s tourism, Escapule said things in Tombstone aren’t any different than other parts of the country. “We’re feeling the economic slowdown, just like everywhere else,” he said. Since tourism is the city’s life blood, Escapule would like to see an aggressive marketing strategy in place to attract tourists from within the state. “I’d like to market an area within a 200 mile radius of Tombstone,” he said. With gas prices the way they are, more families are considering vacation destinations closer to home, he added, and Tombstone should take advantage of that window of opportunity.
“When traveling to other parts of the state, I’ll tell people I’m from Tombstone, and I’ve actually had people seem surprised there really is such a place,” Escapule said. “I’m always amazed by that. I tell them about the daily gunfight re-enactments, the stage coach rides and the mine tours.”
  
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Aiton agrees that Tombstone is feeling the economic pinch, and says he’s looking forward to the huge boost the city will experience this weekend during the annual Helldorado Days celebration.
“We’ve been targeting the state of Arizona in our marketing efforts,” Aiton added. “And we’re marketing in Europe, as well. Tombstone is popular with European tourists, so we’re taking advantage of that. We’ve made a few improvements throughout the town that make it more appealing for tourists. On the marketing side, we’ve made the Tombstone Chamber of Commerce operators of Boothill Graveyard, which helps the city’s marketing ability.” Within the past six months, Boothill has added handicapped accessible restrooms, Aiton said. “It’s not only an important improvement, but it brings Boothill into compliance with disability law.”
When asked about the kinds of improvements they would like to see for the city in general, both candidates had a number of recommendations.
“Our residents with homes outside the historic area have been neglected for several years now,” said Escapule. “We have huge pot holes in the streets in the outlying areas, so we need to get our streets in better shape. As I drive around I see weeds that need to be cut and fire hydrants that need to be fixed.”
Escapule is concerned about flooding that occurs in Tombstone’s outlying areas. “People came in and started building without taking into account water flow issues, so now we have a flooding problem that needs to be addressed,” he said. “I fully intend to come in and get these people some assistance and do what it takes to get the problem resolved.”
Escapule says the water lines from the Huachuca Mountains that serve as the city’s water supply need to be maintained. “And we need to fight to guarantee our water rights,” he added. “These aqueducts are something Tombstone has had since the 1800s.”
Aiton, who touched on some of the improvements that have been implemented during his tenure as mayor, also talked about changes he would like to see in the future.
Aiton says that the city’s neighborhood streets have been budgeted for resurfacing and repairs, pointing that Camino San Rafael is one street that has already been done. In addition, Tomstone recently instituted a clean-up policy, where residents can have such eye sores as old cars and appliances removed from their yards at no cost. “It’s a totally free removal service,” Aiton said. “All they have to do is call and request it.”
Aiton is pleased about a recent $1 million Arizona Department of Transportation grant, slated to be used for the restoration of Fremont Street, which is part of state Highway 80 where it goes through the city. He sees the restoration project as “another boost to the town’s tourism.”
“Part of the grant is going to be used to repave Fremont Street. We’re putting up authentic looking old-fashioned street lights, and porches and overhangs on some of the buildings,” Aiton said. “I think these improvements are going to do a lot to help draw more tourists to the town. People driving through will like the old-fashioned look and stop to see more.”
To ensure historic authenticity, the grant projects are carried out after meetings with town historians, the Arizona Historic Society and ADOT, the mayor said.
“With money collected through visitor donations at Boothill, Schieffelin Hall has had new windows and doors installed,” Aiton said. “The foyer has been painted and curtains have been refurbished.”
Aiton also spoke of the city’s water supply from the Huachuca Mountains.
“Preservation of the aqueducts from the Huachuca’s is a big issue for this town,” he said. “We’ve made some progress. We’ve surveyed the water lines and have made repairs where pipes were broken. We’ve sent out notices to people who were infringing on the water lines by building on them and continue to monitor the situation.”
The town soon will be opening a new food bank, built with grant money. It’s another project that Aiton sees as a progressive move for Tombstone. The building, which is just off San Diego Street, has a huge walk-in refrigerator and freezer and is affiliated with the Tucson food bank, Aiton said.
“Another big accomplishment, is we’ve stabilized the dirt on Allen Street,” Aiton said. “It’s called Rhino Snot, a product used in Iraq for landing strips. So we have our authentic looking Old West dirt street without the dust that merchants were complaining about.”
There seems to be a difference of opinion between the two candidates when it comes to City Hall and where city officials are now doing business.
“I would like to take City Hall and move it back to City Hall,” Escapule said. “The current administration leased the old brewery building and put $18,000 into it. They’ve now committed to another $18,000 in lease payments and have transformed the brewery building into the new City Hall. And now there’s an additional $10,000 in miscellaneous expenses that they’re pouring into this project. If you’re going to put nearly $50,000 of taxpayers money into a building, then spend it on buildings that actually belong to the city. If there had been a way for me to stop this, I would have stopped it before it ever got off the ground.”
Aiton says that the city offices had to move out of the old City Hall building because of a bee and bat infestation, which has since been resolved. “We’re now seeking grant money to completely refurbish the old City Hall building so we can make it into another historical site for tourists,” Aiton said.
In response to a question about how the city’s marshal handled a recent brawl involving a group of motorcyclists at the Crystal Palace, Escapule and Aiton offered the following answers.
“First of all, the marshal’s office had been informed by the motorcycle club’s sergeant of arms that there would be 300 motorcyclists in town, and they should probably bring in more law enforcement to protect the town,” Escapule said. “The error was that the marshal’s office didn’t listen. They should have contacted the county Sheriff’s Office for backup, and they should have had off duty officers on standby, as well as other law enforcement to help keep the peace. But none of that happened, so we didn’t have enough law enforcement to handle the problem, which escalated out of control.”
When asked the same question, Aiton responded with, “I think the town marshal was appropriate in their response, for what they had to work with. That same motorcycle group has told the town they were coming in the past, and then didn’t show with nearly the numbers they claimed would be there. So, the marshal’s office wasn’t ready. There was no backup available, which has since been remedied. This weekend for Helldorado, we’re going to have support from the Sierra Vista Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office.”
The motorcycle group, Aiton added, has been permanently banned from the American Legion in Tombstone, as well as the Crystal Palace Saloon.
Camdidate profiles
Don Aiton, incumbent
• Age: 65
• Resident of area or state since: 1990
• Family: One daughter and four grandchildren.
• Education and/or military service: Bachelor of science degree in sociology, University of the State of New York, Albany; bachelor of science degree in computer science, Roosevelt University, Honolulu, Hawaii; Served in the U.S. Navy from 1962 to 1982, retired senior chief fire controlman.
• Employment background: Worked for Department of Defense contractors from 1982 until 2004, retired from Joint Interoperability Test Command on Fort Huachuca as a senior unmanned air vehicle systems analyst.
• Community affiliations: Four-term commander of Tombstone American Legion, presently, adjutant/service officer.
• Previous political offices held: Former two-term council member, mayor pro tem, assumed the job of mayor upon the death of our mayor, Tom Wright, on March 16, 2007.
• How to contact: Don Aiton, P.O. Box 344, Tombstone AZ 85638; 457-2393 (home); 255-5009 (cell); or e-mail aitond@c2i2.com.
Dustin Escapule
Age: 60
• Resident of area or state since: Lifetime resident
• Family: Wife, Cheri, six children, 16 grandchildren and a great-grandson.
• Education and/or military service: High School, three years college and law enforcement training.
• Employment background: Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, self-employed in the mining business, saloon business and retail sales.
• Community affiliations: Charter member of Sons Of The American Legion Post 24.
• Previous political offices held: Two years councilman for Ward I and four years as mayor of Tombstone.
• How to contact: By e-mail to dusty@oldtombstone.net; 457-3018 (home)
Herald/Review reporter Dana Cole can be reached at 515-4618.
Tombstonian wrote on Oct 15, 2008 2:49 PM: