A new group is forming in Page. Its goals are not to complain and attack but to work toward consensus, a collaboration between business, citizens and the city: a think tank. Page Forward is the name of the organization. Director Erik Stanfield said “Page” doubles as an acronym for Promoting Aesthetics, Growth and Entertainment. Stanfield has filed articles of incorporation with the Arizona Corporation Commission. The next step is setting up a bank account and filing for nonprofit tax status.

Stanfield is senior anthropologist for the Navajo Nation Heritage and Historic Preservation Department, a Grand Canyon Outdoor Academy (GCOA) governing board member, and chair of the Page Economic Development Board.

Currently, about 25 people have shown an interest in the group either directly or peripherally, with around five participating actively. “In terms of people, we're still trying to figure out what the structure [is] going to look like,” said Stanfield. “Is it going to be like a board? And then you have a director and then you have a treasurer, a secretary and that sort of thing. It's kind of an ad hoc organizational structure at this moment. And I'm trying to figure out who we're going to be, the kind of leaders within it.”

Good ideas need good plans. Stanfield envisions the group as sort of an Athenian democracy where every member can contribute ideas, as long as they’re presented clearly and convincingly to the group for consideration. In other words, the idea itself isn’t enough. It must be, to some degree, thought-out, planned and illustrated. From there, the plan would be ready for fine tuning and a more detailed presentation prepared for the city’s consideration.

“So, having been in education and even having been a teacher in the past, one of the ways that I like to filter that is I want you to bring me a tangible idea,” said Stanfield. “I want you to have it written down. I want you to have a drawing. I want you to really show us your vision and that you've put some thought into this. I don't necessarily want to hear people come and just spit out an idea.”

“That’s the kind of ethic I have about it. Write that down, bring me some facts and show me why this actually works. Do the math - like, ‘Are those parking spots big enough?’ Even if it's not that you are an engineer and you're going to use CAD drawings and all that; we don’t expect that. I just want you to help us see what your vision is. You need to be able to communicate. Even if you've drawn a cartoon of it. It doesn't have to be perfect, professional or beautiful. We just need your idea to come across.”

Former Page City Council member Dugan Warner is part of Page Forward. Warner was on the Council when the Streetscape project began taking shape. He was on  Council Feb. 26, 2020, when they voted unanimously to award J2 Engineering & Environmental Design a $219,408 design contract. Warner’s business experience helped steer the City of Page toward financial stability, including creating an emergency reserve fund. Currently the reserve is at $12 million and requires a super-majority Council vote to access the funds. Warner played a role in developing the Horseshoe Bend parking facility and was on the Council that opted out of renewing Michael Celaya’s city manager contract July 25, 2019. Celaya lasted one year. Ultimately, Darren Coldwell was chosen to replace Celaya and began work Nov. 12, 2019. Under Coldwell’s management through the pandemic years, the reserve fund remained untouched. Page is one of the few cities in the U.S. that operates in the black.

At the Feb. 26, 2020 Council meeting, before making a motion to approve the J2 Streetscape contract, Warner said, “You can’t just do the plan, you’ve got to do the job. We’ve got to get back on track with that concept and we can't lose years in that process. You go from study to initial plan to design to construction. If there's not a train in that lineup and if we're not moving, then these are wasted dollars. I just want to see this continually move forward with appropriating year-to-year for the proper sequence of events that it takes to make this a reality.”

The Chronicle spoke with Warner on Thursday. A lot has happened since the Feb.  2020 council meeting. The Council’s 2020 vision was clouded by 2024’s misinformation, petitions and failed lawsuits against the city. Only one, Vice Mayor John Kocjan, served on the 2020 Council with Warner when they voted unanimously to begin with Streetscape.

“We've had a few meetings with some key people and discussed goals and what we would try to [do],” said Warner, speaking of Page Forward. “I think the big thing, overall, it's not just about the streetscape. It's more about just not being so negative. You know, personally, I'm sick and tired of all the negativity.

 “Instead of just complaining all the time, it's a positive approach to assist and aid and try to help guide good growth. And whether that be a change in the way we see and do our downtown and develop some of the property adjacent to our streets and stuff, well, that's a big improvement or a big start. I think that's really what it comes down to. This group is more of a positive outlook group, looking to help wherever they can. We're looking at doing some improvements, showing the city what it could do without impeding traffic or changing lanes or doing all that. If that's what everybody's all riled up about, well, we can still do some things downtown to make it better.”

Warner has already presented a plan to the group for Block 17 improvements that won’t affect Lake Powell traffic or reduce parking spaces for businesses. He believes it’s a small step toward a walkable community. When Council began working toward revitalizing uptown Page after the Navajo Generating Station closing was certain, Warner visited other towns that had already taken revitalization steps. He continues to explore small towns as he travels the continent. Warner was on a road trip when he spoke to the Chronicle Thursday.

“We're going to put 12,000 miles on this trip,” said Warner. “We have driven through some just beautiful little towns that have great personality to them. And there's one common denominator that I keep seeing every time we go through a town that we say, ‘Wow, let's stop here, browse around’ versus the towns where we just drive on through, is you're down to two lanes and you have to slow down and look. When there's five lanes, you don't even hardly look. All you're looking at is the traffic ahead. You just keep going. You might look on the side, see a store as you drive by or whatever, but the towns where we have had to slow down and go through have character. I think that people that can't see that need to get out of town and go travel; they need to go to other places and see what they look like in order to visualize what that Streetscape plan can do for Page.”

Stanfield and Warner are aware and like-minded when it comes to Streetscape. The size of the undertaking may have been too much at once; better to take small steps, section by section. They also understand all affected businesses need to be involved and onboard with any new plans. The group’s goal is to ensure this happens before presenting their projects to the city.

Page Forward Mission Statement:

Page Forward is dedicated to identifying, planning, and advocating for strategic revitalization projects that will drive sustainable growth, enhance the quality of life, and create a vibrant downtown community. We work collaboratively to support initiatives that align with the broader goals of the city government and Chamber of Commerce, ensuring that our efforts enhance rather than duplicate their work.

Vision Statement:

To lead the planning and advocacy for revitalization projects in Page, transforming our downtown into a thriving, livable area that seamlessly blends its natural beauty, unique history, and vibrant culture with modern amenities, while complementing the efforts of city government and local businesses and organizations.

If interested in getting involved, contact Page Forward at Pagerevitalize@gmail.com.