City of Flagstaff Sustainability Specialist Mckenzie Jones is the winner of the 2013 Tom Moody Award for her role in the purchase and preservation of Picture Canyon and Observatory Mesa as open space.Bond initiatives for open space acquisition were passed in 2004, but for nearly a decade inflation in land prices and complications at the state level left the city with little hope that it could make good on its promise to voters.
A window of opportunity emerged in 2011 with falling land prices and new leadership at the Arizona State Land Department. Fortunately, the city hired the perfect person to take advantage of it.
McKenzie Jones quickly demonstrated that she had the skills and energy necessary to navigate productively through historically sensitive relationships. Hitting every mark and taking every setback in stride, Jones successfully secured a total of $7.9 million in additional grant monies that made possible the purchases of 479 acres at Picture Canyon in 2012 and an extraordinary 2,251 acres on Observatory Mesa in 2013.
Ms. Jones’ award commemorates Tom Moody, the co-founder and co-owner of Flagstaff’s Natural Channel Design. Tom was tragically lost to our community in 2009 in a plane crash. His work in stream rehabilitation, stream channel restoration and community planning inspired Friends of the Rio de Flag to honor community members working in, volunteering for, and directing efforts in the fields Tom chose for his life’s work. Friends of the Rio is proud to provide this award in Tom’s memory.
Friends of the Rio de Flag is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the Rio de Flag’s natural stream system as a unique and valuable natural resource, an asset, and amenity to the City of Flagstaff and the surrounding community.
