Mayor Barrett was first elected to the City Council representing the Ironwood District in 2001 and was reelected to a second term in 2004. A resident of Peoria since 1993, Mayor Barrett served in the US Army and was awarded the Bronze Star in Vietnam in 1971. He graduated with honors from Arizona State University with a degree in Mass Communications-Journalism and worked for the Arizona Republic for more than 20 years as a magazine writer, reporter and editor.  He currently works in the Communications Department of Central Arizona Project. Mayor Barrett received the Meritorious Service Medal from the Army National Guard in 2001 for his work as the Media Relations Coordinator for the International Workshop for Emergency Response.  He is currently a member of the Peoria Sunrise Lions Club and is a Melvin Jones Fellow.