Berry, a future Buckeye City Councilmember, would ask his father who was responsible for the sidewalks. When his father told him it was up to the city council members to make these decisions, his future unfolded before him.                                                                             

“When I grow up, I’m going to be a council member because I’m going to fix these sidewalks,” Berry said.

Years after making that promise, the dream of local involvement became a reality. Berry, a fourth-generation Buckeye resident, was elected to represent District 2 on the Buckeye City Council in November 2024.

Berry has lived in Old Town Buckeye his entire life and believes that his deep roots within the community will shape his approach to leadership and development in one of Arizona's fastest-growing cities.

“When I heard that the councilmember before me was going to retire, I decided I would run,” Berry said. “The other candidates running weren’t from Buckeye, and I felt like if you’re going to represent that district, you should be from there.”

Buckeye is currently seeing rapid growth, which has created a flood of new development, business opportunities and people moving into the area. Berry knows the challenge of balancing Buckeye’s growth while maintaining the original essence of the community he grew up in.

“Growth is going to happen,” Berry said. “We just have to make sure we grow responsibly and keep in mind the elderly, the children and the neighborhoods that make Buckeye special.”

Another of Berry's top priorities is to place greater emphasis on promoting Old Town Buckeye. The historic heart of Buckeye is where Berry spent most of his youth.

“Old Town Buckeye sometimes gets overlooked because everyone’s looking at what’s new,” Berry said. “But we need to focus on the heartbeat of the city. That’s where it all started.”

Genevieve Martin Del Campo, Council Assistant of the city of Buckeye, said she can see Berry's dedication to the community through his approach to working with the city.

"It has been a pleasure getting to know him," Martin Del Campo said. “He is genuinely in this role for the people and his community.”

Some residents of Buckeye say Berry's ties to the community are evident in his approach to working on their behalf.

Buckeye resident Brandon Barajas stated that he closely follows the development in Old Town due to his grandmother still living in the area. 

Barajas said he likes Berry and agrees with his vision for District 2. "I like Berry," Barajas said. “I’ve seen what he stands for and how he wants to benefit District 2.”

Berry has said he is committed to helping Buckeye grow while maintaining the community spirit longtime residents cherish.

“People still wave at each other here,” Berry said. “We still look out for each other, and that sense of community is something you don’t find in every city.”

With the expansion of Buckeye, Berry stated he is hopeful that the spirit of the community will remain in the city’s future.