A spokesman for Hudbay Minerals lavished praise on Sahuarita Town Manager Shane Dille last February during a town council meeting at the same time Dille’s contract was under review.
“Throughout all of our interactions, Shane has been consistently fair, professional and impartial,” Jerry Bustamante, Hudbay Manager of Public Affairs, told the council during the ‘call to the public’ at the Feb. 23 town council meeting.
Jerry Bustamante, Hudbay Public Affairs
“We value the professionalism of the town manager and the relationship that we have developed with him and we look forward to that continued collaboration,” Bustamante said. “Thank you, Shane.”
A month later, on March 23, the council increased Dille’s salary by $39,000 to $228,032, plus benefits.
Dille’s employment evaluation came at the same time Dille was choosing not to present information to the council and public about how Copper World could benefit from construction of the Santa Rita Connection power line project.
Hudbay Manager of Public Affairs Jerry Bustamante’s comments to the Sahuarita Town Council on Feb 23, 2026:
“I noticed that the town manager is going through an evaluation process and just wanted to share some comments with respect to that.
“The first comment is on early engagement. You know, from the very beginning of his tenure, Shane made it a priority to engage with us and learn about the Copper World project. Rather than waiting for issues to land on his desk, he took the initiative to understand the complexities of the project. And it is a complex project with a lot of moving parts. He did that early on. So that proactive approach is exactly what a growing community like Sahuarita needs in leadership.
“The second point I want to make is his first-hand understanding. We appreciate the time that Shane has invested in touring the Copper World site personally. It is one thing to read about the project, read briefly, it’s another to stand and see the project first hand. His willingness to visit the site and see for himself what we are doing demonstrates a commitment to deep understanding and informed decision making.
“Finally, fairness and impartiality. Throughout all of our interactions, Shane has been consistently fair, professional and impartial. In fact, he does ask all the tough questions, and the necessary questions. But he does so with a spirit of transparency and with sincere interest to understand.
“So, we feel that we have been treated with a level of objectivity that ensures the interest of the town and the project are both being weighed carefully, which we appreciate. So, we value the professionalism of the town manager and the relationship that we have developed with him and we look forward to that continued collaboration.
“Thank you, Shane.”
It is just as important to listen to the home owners as it is to listen to politicians. Please consider the home owners who will have to suffer the consequences from the Hudbay mining company.