Mayor Bill Diak came in on a low note and is leaving on a high note. When first elected, Page was struggling and in the red financially. He’s leaving with the city in the best financial shape it’s ever been in, despite the loss of the town’s biggest employer, the Navajo Generating Station, and the economic consequences of a global pandemic.

On Nov. 13, 2024, Mayor Diak presides over his last City Council meeting, assuming there are no snags in the General Election. He will hand the reins over to Mayor-Elect Steven Kidman.

This election, Arizona has a longer, two-page ballot. This could delay voting results by 10 or more days.

“I have a meeting on the 13th, and that could possibly be my last meeting if they get the canvas finished and declare the election,” said Mayor Diak. “Otherwise, we will have a special meeting after that date, which would be just strictly to accept the vote and change the officers.”

Mayor Diak was first elected as a council member in May 2009 when Page had springtime elections. A year later he was elected mayor and took office May 26, 2011, holding the position until defeated by Levi Tapan in 2018. Two years later, Diak ran again, defeated Tappan and regained his seat.

The Chronicle asked Mayor Diak why he cut his term short as councilor to run for mayor. “I figured I needed some time on council to learn the ropes. I would have been happy to serve out that four years and then run for mayor. But what I felt was the fact that if you're not the lead horse or mule pulling the train, you don't have the ability to direct the direction that may be moving it. And that's why I did it.

“Council usually follows the mayor, not always, but if the mayor is making logical decisions and stuff like that, he's leading the agenda, he's leading the meeting. And council, unless they feel the mayor's stepping outside their areas of responsibility or flat not doing something that's correct, they let them know by voting. If a mayor gets a couple of times where he's got something he's pushing along and he gets a ‘no’ vote, then a smart mayor will say, you know what, maybe I need to rethink my direction. I've never had to do that. But that's why I short termed and decided to run for mayor just so I could have more ability to help the direction move where I think -- we were kind of stalemated at the time -- I think we weren't being progressive. Everybody was trying to be safe because, during that period of time, for one thing, we didn't have a lot of money.”

Newly elected Steven Kidman is stepping into a difficult time with residents sharply divided over how to run the city. In 2011, newly elected Mayor Diak also stepped into a difficult situation. Page was deep in debt.

“Matter of fact, one of the first things I had to do as mayor was lay off seven directors because we had an unfunded debt that was taken out many years before by a council and a payment plan was never put in place to make any debt payments. All they did for nearly 12 years was pay interest-only payments and the balloon payment came due when I was mayor. And in order to start making those payments, we had to reflow the loan. We didn't have the income coming in. So, it was when you looked at having to lay off 38 hourly employees or seven directors to make up what that loan payment was going to be, which was about $1.2 million annually. So, Council at that time, with a lot of discussion, decided that we didn't want to decimate staff that deeply by getting rid of 38 people to come up with the money. So, we did directors and then what we did do is ask the seconds in place to step up and take over the directors’ jobs. And they did that, and they did it superbly. So, most of those directors that you see now were a part of that process.”

Good city managers are hard to come by for small towns. The city had to improvise in the past. For a while, Page Utility Enterprises Manager Bryan Hill shared city management duties with the city attorney. Hill also stepped up to the plate when Council chose not to renew City Manager Michael Celaya’s contract after serving only a year. Eventually, the current city manager, Darren Coldwell, was hired.

“We kind of struggled with city managers there for a short period of time, trying to find a good fit,” said Mayor Diak. “And we certainly have a good fit right now. And I certainly hope that Council, the incoming Council, sees how constructive and well [Coldwell] has done. I have a fear that maybe they might not, depending on the council that's elected.”

While Mayor Diak may not agree with Page Action Committee (PAC) candidates, he’ll support them if they’re elected. “Just because I'm not necessarily going to be sitting in a chair on council or mayor's position at this time doesn't mean that I'm not supporting the city. I will continue to work and see the city progress. I'm not one that can kind of sit back on their laurels and bite my chum.”

The Chronicle asked the mayor, “What is the most important thing you’ve learned that you would pass on to the new mayor and incoming council members?”

“Be well aware of your budget and stay within your budget and make sure that it's realistic and that you're not spending pipe dreams,” said Mayor Diak.

The Chronicle spoke with Page City Manager Darren Coldwell Friday about Mayor Diak’s retirement. “I have worked with two different administrations in county managers positions, three different administrations and mayorships, and I think that Bill is the best leader that I've ever worked with,” said Coldwell. “He's not only focused on the community and making sure that they're happy and that improvements are made, but he also sincerely cares for the staff that work for him. He's always asking, ‘How's your day going? How are things? How are the kids, what's going on?’ And so, he, compared to a lot of elected officials that sometimes just focus on their position and improving, he actually spends the time to get to know us, the workers.

“Not to say that Bill and I haven't had our quarrels because he's slammed his fist down on the table at me and everything else, but we always walked out shaking hands, that's for darn sure. I'm sure that he was a little leery walking in to work with me. He actually told me that. But now, I consider Bill a really good friend and Pat (Mrs. Diak) as well. We've gotten to know them, and we've just grown pretty close over the last five years. So, he's going to be missed sitting in that big office in the corner, that's for sure.”