Public Information — Verify Before Citing
Leadership Positions on Fire Service
This page separates documented public actions from campaign positions. The Rural Metro agreement vote is listed as a matter of public record. Any position on a future fire district should be confirmed directly from each official or candidate before being characterized as support or opposition.
Policy Direction: A Choice Between Two Models
Every council member, every candidate, and every voter is choosing between continuing the current subscription model or moving toward a public fire district. The two paths produce very different outcomes for residents, businesses, and emergency services planning.
Subscription & Renewal
- Renew Rural Metro contracts every few years
- Coverage remains optional and individually purchased
- Non-subscribers continue to face post-incident billing
- No public budget process for fire service
- No elected fire-service oversight
- Long-term planning constrained by subscription revenue
This is the path the 3-year Rural Metro agreement extends.
Public Fire District
- Universal coverage for every property in the district
- Stable, predictable, tax-based funding
- No surprise post-incident response bills for district residents
- Public budget process and open meetings
- Elected board accountable to residents
- Multi-year planning for stations, staffing, and apparatus
This is the path a formal fire district establishes.
2026 Town Council Candidates
The official candidate listing for the 2026 San Tan Valley Town Council primary. The December 17, 2025 Rural Metro agreement vote is included where the candidate was seated on the council at the time of the vote.
| Candidate | Status | 12/17/2025 Vote Rural Metro Agreement |
Fire District Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diane Combes | Candidate | Not on Council Not on council at time of vote |
No Position Stated |
| Tyler Hudgins | Current Vice Mayor / Candidate | For Voted for agreement 12/17/2025 |
Minutes 12/17/2025 |
| Daniel Oakes | Current Councilmember / Candidate | For Voted for agreement 12/17/2025 |
Minutes 12/17/2025 |
| Daren Schnepf | Current Mayor / Candidate | For Voted for agreement 12/17/2025 |
Minutes 12/17/2025 |
| Jean E. Stockton | Candidate | Not on Council Not on council at time of vote |
No Position Stated |
| Alex Stovall | Candidate | Not on Council Not on council at time of vote |
No Position Stated |
| Brian Tyler | Current Councilmember / Candidate | For Voted for agreement 12/17/2025 |
Minutes 12/17/2025 |
| Rupert Wolfert | Current Councilmember / Candidate | For Voted for agreement 12/17/2025 |
Minutes 12/17/2025 |
Current Town Council and Rural Metro Agreement
The San Tan Valley Town Council approved a three-year fire protection services agreement with Rural Metro on December 17, 2025. Based on available public reporting, that approval was unanimous.
| Name | Current Role | 12/17/2025 Vote Rural Metro Agreement |
Fire District Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daren Schnepf | Mayor | For | Minutes 12/17/2025 |
| Tyler Hudgins | Vice Mayor | For | Minutes 12/17/2025 |
| Bryan Hunt | Councilmember | For | No Position Stated |
| Gia Jenkins | Councilmember | For | No Position Stated |
| Daniel Oakes | Councilmember | For | Minutes 12/17/2025 |
| Brian Tyler | Councilmember | For | Minutes 12/17/2025 |
| Rupert Wolfert | Councilmember | For | Minutes 12/17/2025 |