Adams, a Yuma native and son of local small-business owners, walked attendees through a 100-day plan at the event held under a ramada in 95-degree heat. He framed his campaign around three pillars; transparency, opportunity and community, and said his priorities are intended to strengthen ties between City Hall and residents.
“I'm running for the community of Yuma and I stand on 3 pillars, transparency, opportunity and community,” Adams told the crowd.
Residents who attended said they were motivated to vote and voiced concerns about health care access, jobs, education support and trust in local government. Kevin Binale, who emphasized voter turnout in small-town races, said every ballot matters.
“Certainly in a small town, every single vote counts. We’re not electoral college for local votes, so a lot of the races are decided by single digit numbers. So if you care about the community you need to get out and vote,” Binale said.
Supporters at the park included Luis Diaz, who said he plans to vote for Adams because of his perceived positive impact on youth, and Mari Grogan, who called for more local jobs and stronger support for small businesses to keep money in the community.
“I’m definitely gonna get out and vote, Carlos Adams means well for the community, he’s a big impact for the youth right now,” Diaz said. “More jobs, promoting more local businesses, bringing money back into the community instead of going out of the community,” Grogan added.
Parents raised concerns about special-needs services in local schools. Esmeralda Sanchez, who has a child with special needs, urged more one-on-one attention and interaction for students.
“I do have a special needs kids, and I know that they are not getting enough one by one in their class. I would like more interaction and time for the kids,” Sanchez said.
Several residents called for greater transparency and responsiveness from city officials. Binale said the relationship between City Hall and the community has been disconnected and needs repair. Another attendee, who identified herself only as Maria, asked for honesty from elected leaders and for officials to listen, specifically mentioning Kennedy Pool as an issue she wants addressed. “For too long I don’t think the city has listened to the community. To improve the city is a partnership between City Hall and the community, and for too long it’s been a disconnect,” Binale said. “I want them to be truthful and stand behind what they are telling us. And Kennedy Pool… and to actually listen,” Maria said.
Mayor Dough Nichols, the incumbent and a longstanding presence at council meetings and public events, has overseen a period of growth in Yuma. Adams’ campaign marks a notable challenge from a newcomer without prior political experience. The issues raised at Kennedy Park; education support, healthcare access, local jobs and trust in government mirror broader concerns likely to shape the upcoming election.
