Pete Shearer has devoted his life to the betterment of Tusayan. In addition to being Tusayan’s first Mayor, he has served on the local fire district, the sanitary district, the school board, and much more.

Mayor Clarinda Vail, who has worked with Pete on numerous projects, honored him for more than five decades of service. The ceremony took place at the December 10th Town Council meeting. Members of the Town Council, the community, the Grand Canyon School Board, the Sanitary District and former Fire Chief Robert Evans stepped up to thank Pete for his years of service. Attendees, in person and on Zoom, also included Shearer’s adult children.

Mayor Vail said, “Pete and I have been partners in protection for the Grand Canyon itself, our school, and Tusayan for many years. We’ve driven thousands of miles together for legislation, spent eight years to acquire 80 acres of land in Tusayan for our school, and served on advisory committees and boards too numerous to name…. I want to thank him and his entire family for his many years of service and dedication to our community…we all owe you so very much.”

Shearer, who has always been a driving force in Tusayan despite being such a soft spoken man, offered up some rare comments, “It’s been a great run, 55 years, building the pipeline in the Canyon, working on all kinds of projects…I was only fulfilling a promise I made to Bill Thurston, Bob Slayton and Joe Babbitt , they all asked me to keep an eye on the town and don’t mess up what they got started.”

Other honorees at the year end ceremony included Robert Petzel for more than three decades of service at the Tusayan Sanitary District, and Coconino County Sheriff’s Lt. Brian Tozer.

Mayor Vail, along with Councilmembers Greg Brush,  Kathryn Kanallakan, and Andrew Aldaz were also sworn in at the December 10the meeting having been re elected.