GVCCC celebrates 35 years of service

The Green Valley Community Coordinating Council — this community’s closest thing to local government — celebrated its 35th anniversary Monday afternoon with punch and cake, a proclamation and letters of congratulations.

Since Green Valley is not an incorporated city or town, it has no mayor and council and no city departments as does nearby Sahuarita.

Sahuarita’s Mayor Lynne Skelton read a proclamation recognizing GVCCC for being “the catalyst” for solving issues pertaining to the Green Valley area and for serving as an effective conduit to Pima County.

About 25 people, including council President Russ Symes, celebrated the event.

Symes joked that unlike most Green Valley residents, GVCCC has had only two addresses, one in Continental Shopping Plaza and its current location in Green Valley Mall.

Symes said, “Green Valley residents generally move three times” during their stay here.

The organization started as a committee then changed to a council as its operations expanded, said Symes.

County Supervisor Ray Carroll also sent his congratulations.

He said “on behalf of the Board of Supervisors of Pima County, it is my distinct pleasure to wish the Green Valley Community Coordinating Council a happy 35th anniversary.”

Carroll said that in 1973, the date of GVCCC’s founding, there were 335,000 people in Pima County and 3,400 in Green Valley.

He added, “Today Pima County has more than a million residents and Green Valley has more than 32,000 residents.

“As your community has grown, so have your responsibilities and achievements.”

Congratulations also came from State Senate President Tim Bee, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl.

Giffords’ letter said, “The success of the GVCCC speaks to the strength that comes from collaboration.”

Green Valley started in 1964 with a collection of 1,150 rental properties, that were all vacant until the project was complete.

Two housing developments, Fairways I and Fairways II were built about the same time.

The two joined to form a Fairways Homeowners’ Association.

Where Green Valley started like a membership of friends, expansion soon outran that kind of community.

An attempt to create an incorporated city failed, and as one history puts it, “The years 1967 through 1972 were a confusing struggle for Green Valley’s self determination as a retirement community.

“It was no longer a group of close friends and neighbors discussing relatively simple problems.”

There were more and more homeowner associations.

Rather than opt for incorporation, some residents felt a coordinating committee would cost less and could represent the community.

The Green Valley Coordinating Committee was formed Feb. 25, 1969.

It was incorporated in June 1973 and in July 1978 the name was changed from committee to council.

By now the council has 66 separate homeowner associations representing more than 90 percent of the residents and also has as members 20 local organizations and businesses.

jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749