Sedona AZ (May 1, 2015) – The following is a letter to the SedonaEye.com editor:
May 1, 2015
Airport Road needs good decision by Council.
Sedona city view
Almost every home in Sedona looks out on other buildings — other homes, stores or offices. Those near any vacant space can expect that buildings may eventually appear in their view. The area near the Airport Road intersection is no exception. Those residents now have a clear choice between Plan A and Plan B.
” Plan A” is the product of many months of compromise between the developers for the CVS drug store, neighbors, and City officials. It dedicates much of the property to permanent natural unspoiled open space, and the sole building has been designed — not to CVS corporate standards, but more in harmony with the natural values of Sedona.
“Plan B” is the developer’s fall-back position if the neighbors can’t agree on Plan A. That proposal puts the drug store on the acre that is now zoned commercial, and the remaining acreage will be sold for development as a number of homes. Plan B is nobody’s favorite idea. In either case, at least one building will appear on the property, because CVS now owns it.
Plan A is by far the best — but with one fatal flaw. It calls for another left turn across traffic, only a few yards below the Airport Road intersection. This would be one more hazard in the heavy traffic we must live with on West 89A. And it serves no real purpose. The equivalent Walgreen store on Sunset Drive has worked just fine for years without an extra left turn across traffic.
The City Council must now apply not only their Land Development regulations, but hopefully some plain common sense. Approve Plan A without the extra left turn across traffic. Let’s hope they do.
James W. Eaton
Sedona, AZ 86336
Read www.SedonaEye.com for daily news and interactive views!
WOONSOCKET, R.I., May 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — CVS
First Quarter Year-over-year Highlights:
Net revenues increased 11.1% to $36.3 billion
Operating profit increased 5.3% to $2.1 billion
Adjusted EPS of $1.14, an increase of 12.2%; GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations of $1.07
Generated free cash flow of approximately $1.6 billion; cash flow from operations of approximately $2.0 billion
2015 Guidance:
Full year Adjusted EPS narrowed to $5.08 to $5.19; GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations narrowed to $4.80 to $4.91
Provided second quarter Adjusted EPS guidance of $1.17 to $1.20 and GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations guidance of $1.10 to $1.13
Confirmed full year free cash flow of $5.9 to $6.2 billion; cash flow from operations of $7.6 to $7.9 billion
CVS Health Corporation (NYSE: CVS) today announced operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2015.
Revenues
Net revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2015, increased 11.1%, or $3.6 billion, to $36.3 billion compared to the three months ended March 31, 2014.
Revenues in the Pharmacy Services Segment increased 18.2%, or $3.7 billion, to $23.9 billion in the three months ended March 31, 2015. The increase was primarily driven by growth in specialty pharmacy and pharmacy network claims. Pharmacy network claims processed during the three months ended March 31, 2015, increased 11.0% to 230.8 million compared to 208.0 million in the prior year. The increase in the pharmacy network claim volume was primarily due to net new business as well as growth in Managed Medicaid and public exchanges. Mail choice claims processed during the three months ended March 31, 2015, increased 2.7% to 20.3 million, compared to 19.8 million in the prior year. The increase in mail choice claims was driven by specialty claim volume and increased claims associated with the continued adoption of our Maintenance Choice® offerings.
Revenues in the Retail Pharmacy Segment increased 2.9%, or $471 million, to $17.0 billion in the three months ended March 31, 2015. Same store sales increased 1.2% over the first quarter of last year, with pharmacy same store sales up 4.2% and front store same store sales down 6.1%. On a comparable basis, front store same store sales would have been approximately 800 basis points higher if tobacco and the estimated associated basket sales were excluded from the three months ended March 31, 2014. Front stores same store sales were impacted by softer customer traffic, partially offset by an increase in basket size. Pharmacy same store prescription volumes rose 5.1% on a 30-day equivalent basis, partially driven by strong seasonal volume. Pharmacy same store sales were negatively impacted by approximately 280 basis points from recent generic drug introductions and by approximately 190 basis points from the implementation of Specialty Connect®. The implementation of Specialty Connect had a greater effect on revenues than prescription volumes due to the higher dollar value of specialty products.
For the three months ended March 31, 2015, the generic dispensing rate increased approximately 150 basis points from the prior year in both segments, rising to 83.5% in the Pharmacy Services Segment and 84.4% in the Retail Pharmacy Segment.
Net Income
Net income for the three months ended March 31, 2015, increased 8.1%, or $92 million, to $1.2 billion, compared with approximately$1.1 billion during the three months ended March 31, 2014. The Pharmacy Services and Retail Pharmacy segments both benefited from the impact of increased generic drugs dispensed. The Pharmacy Services Segment was positively impacted by growth in specialty pharmacy as well as favorable purchasing and rebate economics, partially offset by price compression. The Retail Pharmacy Segment was positively impacted by increased sales, an improved front store margin rate largely driven by the removal of tobacco products and favorable purchasing economics, partially offset by reimbursement pressure. Adjusted earnings per share (Adjusted EPS) for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, was $1.14 and $1.02, respectively, an increase of 12.2%. Adjusted EPS in the three months ended March 31, excludes $129 million and $131 million in 2015 and 2014, respectively, of intangible asset amortization related to acquisition activity. GAAP earnings per diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, was $1.07 and $0.95, respectively, an increase of 12.7%.
President and Chief Executive Officer Larry Merlo stated, “We delivered better-than-expected results this quarter, primarily driven by stronger-than-expected prescription volumes as well as favorable purchasing and rebate economics in the PBM. Adjusted EPS increased 12.2%, to $1.14, five cents above the high end of our guidance range, with operating profit in the retail business in line with our expectations and operating profit in the PBM exceeding our expectations. We also generated approximately $1.6 billion in free cash flow, and we continued to return significant value to our shareholders through our disciplined capital allocation practices.”
The Company raised the low end of its EPS guidance range for the full year 2015. The Company now expects to deliver Adjusted EPS of $5.08 to $5.19, up from $5.05 to $5.19, and GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations of $4.80 to $4.91, up from $4.77 to $4.91 in 2015. The Company also continues to expect to deliver 2015 free cash flow of $5.9 billion to $6.2 billion, and 2015 cash flow from operations of $7.6 billion to $7.9 billion. The Company expects to deliver Adjusted EPS of $1.17 to $1.20 and GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations of $1.10 to $1.13 in the second quarter of 2015.
Real Estate Program
During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company opened 38 new retail drugstores and closed 10 retail drugstores. In addition, the Company relocated 12 retail drugstores. As of March 31, 2015, the Company operated 8,006 locations in 47 states, theDistrict of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Brazil. These locations included 7,850 retail drugstores, 17 onsite pharmacies, 24 retail specialty pharmacy stores, 11 specialty mail order pharmacies, four mail service dispensing pharmacies, and 86 branches for infusion and enteral services, including approximately 70 ambulatory infusion suites and six centers of excellence…
I mistakenly posted all of my comments under the CVS Maddock article when I meant majority of it for here. I’ve pasted it here now. Please allow a second comment in the right place. Very much appreciate your doing so because Eaton’s letter response is in wrong place. I’ll be grateful, more careful too in future.
I read the posted CVS financials. Everybody should. Now ask why so little CVS stores opened and why so many of them were closed? Why would CVS want to be in the Sedona market when it’s not lucrative except to provide it with a paper spreadsheet of distribution costs offset by Cottonwood and Phoenix and Flagstaff? Did Chamber of Commerce inflate their numbers to attract business? What happens when CVS finds that out? Who gets sued? ADOT has done traffic counts that dispute Chamber of Commerce numbers! The Grand Canyon advertises less visitors annually than the Chamber of Commerce in Sedona! What about that doesn’t smack of corruption or deceit? Council, CVS doesn’t need or want Sedona EXCEPT when medical marijuana becomes legal. Then the market is theirs and Walgreens. Let them go on by. We don’t need or want them. We don’t need more druggies hanging around waving medical marijuana cards and lifestyles. We have enough losers here already. Council, did you pick a Colorado city manager for his state and local medical marijuana business experience? If Walgreens leaves us, the city can offer its location. We’ve gone commercial enough already. You’re trading the cachet of Sedona acre by precious and few acres. You let Baskins Robbins in, you let Chipotle in, you’re not keeping the commercial district in tact while allowing random commercial placements. Short sighted planning. Lousy oversight. A Council killing Sedona slowly and surely. We and Sedona deserve better. We deserve to save Sedona scenic beauty not sell it off to global corporations. The same reason uranium mining in the Grand Canyon isn’t worth it neither is Sedona fast foods and fast pharmas. Grow up Councilors. Move on to Plan Cojones.
Didn’t someone report, on this site, that Medicare or Obama Care Required scripts to be filled only at CVS? Seem to remember that person saying she had to drive to Cottonwood in order to do so and that was the single basis of wanting CVS in Sedona? Wouldn’t this little known piece of information cause CVS’s Revenue to go up? And, how can the government dictate which store one is required to shop at? Thought this was not Russia, etc!
As I read the Real Estate Program numbers it looks like CVS opened a net of 28 stores in the first 3 months of 2015 – not a small number of retail drugstores. So, I’m thinking that CVS has enough money and ego driven attitudes to try to scare the hell out of us with their Plan B since the 2 Council Members and the nearby residents cuckolded them from getting their way….oh, poor CVS!
Jim Eaton should know better than to say a Council makes decisions based on common sense. It is Council’s job to adhere to all laws and ordinances….even those that call for a Super Majority!
Plan B calls for a very large drugstore and necessary adequate parking on 1 acre – given the terrain – I wish them the best and ask them to get over themselves and stop their bully attacks on our citizens by asking some to remove their names from the existing petitions that caused the Super Majority vote.
One other thing running through my mind is how many of those sweet and sought after sewer hook-ups will they be using and who do they take those away from?
P.S. Mr Eaton,
CVS issue is NOT about Airport Road and that is your ploy to mix the issues.
The real issue is our sweet little town that already has 3 pharmacies, small town character, residents rights and bully tactics and perhaps City looking for revenues and freebies?
Plan A
Tell CVS no. Sedonans take to the streets and organize a picket. News cover the picket. Call TV. Council just say no. What aren’t you understanding folks? Corporate philosophy and mission. If it’s a good investment they will do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING but kill to be there because it’s bottom line driven. THINK. ACT ACCORDINGLY.
Get a grip, folks. CVS is going to build. Spend more time on what’s important like picketing the regional Chamber of Commerce and City Hall for the absurd waste of money being spent there.
I’m with Al. Plan A.
why wont sedona organize enterprise zones to protect residential & scenic beauty? rezone acreage now near residential areas to restricted businesses with minimal impact & traffic. business is welcome not corporate grabs. zone areas non industrial and non corporate by designating corporate & heavy commercial zones. it’s done all the time in other states. it doesnt discourage business it enhances business. my g-d even local hoa’s do it better than the city.
restrict development to redeveloping vacant storefronts. we have dozens. we can do by claiming water and sewer connection restrictions. ask williams/flagstaff/scottsdale & telluride & sonoma & austin how they do it. they have a no build & limited impact restrictions zoning now. council zoning has developed pockets of eyesores with vacant storefronts. no build until vacant for sale sites occupied.
Smart growth is an oxymoron. Enterprise zones aren’t bad idea & ought to look in to it. George Moores building works on that site because its low impact with limited hours and no need for neon signs. We ask for no less with across the street.
@Ray, Sedona
you make great points about geo moores property and that’s exactly what Plan 1 is all about; Low impact because it won’t look anything like a normal cvs & it will be down into the ground a few feet. Neon signs and long hours a concern to you, not so with Plan 1
If we have to swallow Plan 2 you will have nothing but high impact with a 24 hours business, a dull looking building plus neon signs
Havent any of you watched the show on the Wi-Fi?
I’m tired of the bullying from CVS and from the Council or is it Chamber? NO WE DO NOT HAVE TO ACCEPT ANYTHING LESS THAN WHAT WE WANT IN SEDONA. NADA. NOTHING. NO. There are plenty of street corners if CVS is a street walker.
You weak bellied sniveling (deleted by editor) on P&Z and Council and Chamber need to do your jobs. That’s protect Sedona, protect Sedona businesses, hold the bar high for those to come.
Former Council took on McDonalds. CVS is small potatoes compared to that time and place. If CVS wants to bully its way here, send it packing. It’s a harbinger of worst to come from them. Send them to Cottonwood or Flagstaff, towns with issues we don’t need or want.
Give me an A.
@John – oh how I love reading posts by people who actually get it! Your term of “street walker” never occurred to me and you nailed them with that! I remember when the council flat out told McDonalds they could come to town BUT without their normal big golden arches! Sedona won a sweet victory back then.
To the rest of you: Please stop being frightened by the big gun of CVS!!! Their bully tactics are just garbage as they attempt to diminish the intelligence of all our residents only in order to get their big ego/elitist way.
Lest we forget: The population in Sedona is not growing by any stretch of anyone’s imagination……in fact it is going south. So, we already have 3 pharmacies in town and we need another one because —– WHY?
Trust me – there are big problems with CVS trying to drop their building and needed parking on the 1 commercial acre……….that same acre with the big ditch flowing through it.
@Ray,Sedona & @Haven’t you been listening: Thanks for your realistic approaches and sound thinking. Same uproar raged when George Moore proposed his plans and now the end result is low profile, tasteful projects. Much nicer than the new restaurant down the road with all vents and operating equipment facing northbound traffic as you drive down Cook’s hill. If for no other reason than the negative pounding for sure I will be happy to shop at CVS.
It better look right. Most of us give a damn when it’s not right. Remember that politicians.
Dear Sedona City Council,
I am incredibly disappointed in the choices that you have made with regards of our city, our land and our culture. I was born in Sedona, raised here as well. My famil had a home on Soldiers Pass. I watched Bashas being built. I watched Safeway being built. I watched New Frontiers being built. I watched Cinedona being built. I watched Walgreens, Harkins and Natural Grociers. You get my point. You have ruined Sedona and all it once was. Why not add CVS to one of the last pieces of the Sedona strip that you so poorly have created. Not to mention the horrendous montrosity up on cooks hill. I appreciate the fact that you have allowed this montrosity to bypass the laws in Sedona to not hook up to the city Sewer. I am assuming this happened due to the fact that it made much more sense to put in a SEPTIC
So my question would be. Will CVS get to bypass the law as well and be on Septic? Again, love what you have made Sedona into.
Planning and Zoning, as well as the Sedona City Council, did not require the monstrous Mariposa Restaurant to be on the sewer system due to the high wastewater rates Lisa Dahl would have had to cough up. According to City Hall, Septic is not against the law. Cronyism is the name of the game here.
I think the funniest thing I’ve ever heard in this town is that Geo Moore and his Wife Claudine are juxtaposed from each other on the CVS issue!!! And they exposed themselves at the Council meeting of 5/12.15!!!
That could be one reason for one Very huge Divorce … or they are just playing with the rest of us. ????
It’s always been know that Gorge has peddled his wants and scraped the very bottom of the barrel only in order to get his projects through. So now Claudine disagrees with him? Funny as I’m thinking she really has control of purse strings.
@Alarmed
Please check your facts, your wrong about Mariposa not being on sewer.
I heard the same thing several times, that Mariposa put in their own system. How do we find out? Who would we call? txs
To clear the air, I sent the following to Audree Juhlin, Director, Community Development:
Hi Audree:
This will be the third e-mail I’ve attempted to send you (my computer’s telling me it’s worn out and I apologize for bothering you with this question.)
Is Lisa Dahl’s new restaurant (Mariposa?) on the city sewer or was on-site system approved? There’s a conflict of comments on Sedona Eye, as in “what’s else is new.”
Thanks,
Eddie
Audree’s response:
Hi Eddie, you are too funny! I got this email, but of course none of the others! Yes, Mariposa, Lisa Dahl’s new restaurant is connected to the City’s sewer system and paid associated fees a few months ago. Hope this helps. I appreciate your taking the time to learn the facts! Take care, Audree
@Sharlett
Wow, you didn’t let any moss grow on this topic did you>
So you think that the moores scrapes the very bottom of the barrel??? Ya those beautiful buildings on 89A look like the bottom of some barrel. The moores were true trail blazers by being one of the first to install solar panels on their buildings. They have invested big money into our town and yet again, when it’s a resident doing the building they make it look great. Sharlett, why don’t you try to impress all of us with your investments in this town?
@ Eddie
Thank you once again for tracking down and reporting the real facts. You always raise the bar to a better and higher level.
FYI – Oh Really?
Check out the approved SITE PLAN for the Mariposa Restaurant posted on the Planning and Zoning Commission’s web pages.
Circled #9 shows the Septic Leach Field Area.
This is on Parcel 401-46-124B which states “No vehicles allowed on leach field.”
@JeanJ
Sounds like someone was doing half of the job. Obviously if you want to get the full “Monty” you’ll check with Eddie she didn’t seem to have any difficulty. Or do what she did, ASK THE FOLKS AT CITY HALL!
@ Oh Really
WTF? I DID TALK TO CITY HALL! In February Councilor Martinez told me Mariposa Restaurant was putting in a Septic System.
Donna Varney commented (May 13th) how she “heard the same thing several times, that Mariposa put in their own system.” Alarmed commented similarly.
It’s troubling that Planning and Zoning’s records aren’t accurate on this.They are part of the City’s Official Public Record and, apparently, aren’t worth their salt.
Answers from the City depend upon whom is giving them. Last year I had to ask four high-level City Hall individuals why there weren’t Wastewater Development Impact Fees. In the end, the Community Development Director, who didn’t know, referred me to the City Manager’s Office.
@ JeanJ
Your first mistake was asking a councilor. After all it’s not their job to know that it’s the employee’s. What director did you ask? I guess that Eddie has better connections. So far, the facts written by Eddie are way more accurate then yours or Ms Bakery Buns.
Jean J
Maybe they are tired of your nonsense and BS so they give you the run around for fun…Who could blame them, all you do is complain..
Rumors, name calling and bullying really need to be stopped.
Thank you JeanJ and Eddie for speaking up and doing so under your real names.
I am sure Councilor Martinez gave JeanJ the correct answer at that time. Things change over time. Getting to the facts is most important.
Anyone with an attitude of discrimination towards a citizen, business owner, councilor or city staff clearly show their colors especially when they take pot shots under a bogus name.
My experience over 14 years has been that most Councilors are just as reliable as City staff, with few exceptions. Many read their Council Packets, know about issues, and don’t succumb to City Hall spin. Further, Community Development’s SITE PLAN for the Mariposa Restaurant–part of the Official Public Record and before P & Z as well as the City Council–shows a Septic System for the Mariposa.
I continue to receive comments in my In-Box from locals who thought Lisa Dahl put in her own sewer system. City Hall disclosure has been a screw-up (as in “what else is new?”).
I admire @JeanJ and @DonnaVarney and others who take the high road when red rocks are hurled their way by those who would silence them. Count me as one of the Sedona Eye and comments fanclub. I admire rational and reasonable voices like JeanJ and Eddie Maddock and Donna Varney. Haven’t met them but their words are worth reading even when I don’t agree with a position they take. Keep up the conversation and don’t let the bullies like @sameoldsameold and @ohreally take you down. Seeing disgusting bullies words give support for what you do. It’s hard to be heard when your voices are disagreed with!!! So Pats on back to all you. It’s a tough (deleted by editor) panel of sideline experts and the ones offering factsVopinion and question authority are worth it. You might not like JeanJ positions but JeanJ gets it right mostly. So here’s to you JeanJ and others !!! This guy appreciates you. To be clear, BS IS the same old same old !!! Smack ’em down with reason the rest of you talking here!!!
Yea to the Kevins ——worth getting my joe & reading here this morning—– wrestlemania comes to Sedona —- who’s right about that restaurant, somebody doing a sewer septic sniff test to see where the (editor deleted) rolls?
Because of the confusion I again contacted Audree Juhlin and received this additional information. Permission to post as a comment on Sedona Eye was received via a phone call from Carrie in Community Development, speaking on behalf of Audree who is not in the office today (5/15):
——-Original Message——-
From: Audree Juhlin
Date: 5/14/2015 12:59:55 PM
To: Eddie Maddock
Subject: Re: IT NEVER ENDS
Good afternoon Eddie!
In response to your latest email question I offer the following: At the time that the Mariposa Restaurant was going through the Planning and Zoning Commission/City Council review and approval process, the parcel of land it sat on was not within the City’s Sewer Service Area. This is the area that the City has determined can be served by the existing capacity of the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Being outside of this area, any development on that property would not have been permitted to connect to the City’s wastewater system and would have had to provide an on-site (septic system). Therefore, Mariposa reserved a leech field/septic area, the area on the plans.
However, at the same time that Mariposa was going through the approval process, the City was conducting a separate study to determine if there was additional capacity available at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. This study determined that there was additional capacity available, which the City made available to properties outside of the Sewer Service Area on a First-Come, First-Serve Basis. One of the conditions to obtain that service was the requirement that new properties would be required to pay for sewer line extensions to their property. Mariposa took advantage of this additional capacity (as did the Marriott Hotel), paid to extend the existing sewer lines to their property and paid the required capacity fees for a restaurant. Since the restaurant will now be connected to the City sewer, the area shown as a leech field on the original plans is no longer needed for that purpose.
If you have additional questions or need further clarification, please let me know!
Have a great day! Audree
To JeanJ
I take acceptation when you say ” City Hall disclosure has been a screw-up (as in “what else is new?”
Judging from what I have been reading it was the posters on this site that have screwed up by not digging deeper to get the answers they wanted not city hall as you elude to. I agree that different things happened, which I may add is common in any government but after reading Ms Juhlin answer, it’s very clear to me.
I could see you saying that city hall screwed up if Ms Juhlin gave the wrong answers to Mrs Maddock question but she gave the facts. I also must thank Mrs Maddock for her fact checking skills. It appears that Maddock would make a good employee in our police station.
No citizen should not have to ask the City staff person in charge more than once about an issue.
Most definitely City Hall disclosure has been, and is, a screw-up. Currently, 16 active work groups meet in secret under CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT.
But, Jean J., as Donna Varney mentioned, the information you received from Councilor John Martinez in February was no doubt correct then but changed since that time so why blame anyone for the confusion? The point is the new restaurant is on city sewer so why continue to hammer away at staff? The second e-mail from Audree was issued at the request of Mrs. Maddock for clarification. However (Again Jean J) I do agree with your assessment of the Citizen Engagement program. Bad deal. Too much secrecy and control by manipulators which remains the biggest problem with Sedona government IMO. Control by chamber of commerce in every aspect. Must be stopped but how?
Hi JeanJ
Oh my, in SECRET YOU SAY!!!???!!!??? CALL OUT THE NATIONAL GUARD!!
I really don’t care. I voted in my candidates who are doing a great job IMO!
I have more important things to worry about such as if it’s raining out tomorrow I won’t be able to hike with my grandkids for the last day of their visit.
I’ve been told that anyone who gives a ding dong about one of those groups just needs to call Ms Brown and simply ASK HER, what a concept sure beats those stuffy commissions. If you want to know about secrets just look at the AZ state legislature, they don’t have to abide by any open meeting statues.
You really need to get a life or at least get out of the house once in a while, breath the fresh northern Arizona fresh air and learn not to be so angry.
It would be wonderful to have an up to date online “project” and “CEP” status report were everyone can go and see the latest. That would remove confusion and rumors. It would also make any and all projects transparent. This would move us all forward in a positive way. Citizens can look up things first and not feel like they are hindering our City management by asking them questions. I love it when I can find the information online. I be willing to help. I put together something similar in the private sector. It was positive, transparent, and enabled everyone to be educated together ~ united.
The Power of Union is Strength, Working together as a team.
Love this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jop2I5u2F3U
Donna Joy Varney
Jean J Did you also heatr that the U.S. government is gonna invade Texas and that Sedona city government has landed a man on Mars ??!!
Plan A
SHUT UP SAME OLD (deleted by editor). IGNORE THIS TRASH. On to better.
Been bothering me about something and came across it again. Here’s the thing. It’s from the above statement by CVS:
President and Chief Executive Officer Larry Merlo stated, “We delivered better-than-expected results this quarter, primarily driven by stronger-than-expected prescription volumes as well as favorable purchasing and rebate economics in the PBM.
REBATE ECONOMICS? What’s that shadow speak for?
AL
Cool your jets…..
You talk but nothing of substance comes out
Take your own advice
Interest rates are low and, as many are aware, the City Council is planning to increase its sales tax bond debt, possibly before the end of June. WTF? Operating under Home Rule for the last 19 years, Sedona has already achieved the 7th highest per capita bond debt ranking of AZ’s 91 cities.
According to the Arizona Department of Revenue’s “FY 2013/14 Report of Bonded Indebtedness,” Sedona’s per capita bond debt is $4,649.62, while the average for Arizona cities and towns with outstanding bond debt is $1,765.98.
I agree with Donna Varney. A [reliable] online CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM Status Report would be a method to disclose public information citizens have the right to know and do not receive until such time CEP matters are a done deal and get before the City Council for a vote. Why did the CEP Budget Work Group, for one example, produce a FY 2015-2016 Budget Proposal that’s 11% higher than the current year? Also, how come draining of reserves and fund balance net is still ongoing? 2015-2016 estimated revenues are $30,679,511; budgeted expenditures are $42,456,470
BTW, Councilor LeFevre asked during a not-too-recent City Council Meeting that a certain resident be made a CEP Assessment Work Group participant. Ms. Brown mentioned the word “extreme” to get around having someone with different views from City Hall’s get included in assessing the CEP.
@JeanJ Have you ever applied for one of those citizens groups to try to actually get involved to help? You seem to have your own facts and spin on every topic, why don’t you get out of your house and participate?
@Just Sayin’
Contrary to your lofty and self defined beliefs – None of us Have To apply to one of the elite city citizens groups in order to make a huge difference Or understand the crap we are being spoon fed!
Seems to me that Jean J has done far more research with a much higher level of fact finding than you comprehend!
Question to you @Just Sayin’ – just what are you doing to participate?
Well Sharlett, until I retired to Sedona from Washington DC about 3 years ago I volunteered my time at my local senior citizen center. I did that for about 20 years. I felt that by trying to put a smile on some seniors faces and for those that could, drive them to local events, it was my way of giving back to my community.
So tell me Sharlett, what have you done and then you can explain to me what JeanJ has done to give back except to second guess anything and everything that she doesn’t like in this town.
Thank you @JeanJ. I am the one labeled “extreme”. What an honor. Since the cards are on the table, I will accept that wonderful title and move forward with it in a positive way. Just as I have taken Steve Segner’s negative slanderous posts about me and my business to make something positive from that. Extreme = Tremendous, Intense,Great ,Passionate ,Strong, Concentrated, Special. Thank you.
Just so that I am transparent, I’ll LOVE Involvement and Engagement Programs IF they are done well. I do have firsthand experience. I am professionally educated in it, in order to implement and teach it in the private sector. Citizens engagement is a spinoff of Total Quality Management. TQM is quite complex with many elements to it, not just involvement. One of the most important elements to it is to understand what you are (products and or services), explore the hidden assets you have and enable continuous improvement. Everything must be completely transparent for the program to work. Everyone, regardless of status, nationality, and or education are welcome to participate in any way they feel comfortable contributing. No one is discarded, labeled or excluded. Every suggestion or idea is carefully reviewed and evaluated. No personal benefits are permitted, fairness is a critical factor. Performances and projects are put into neutral measureable guidelines. Measurements are posted and tracked for everyone to see. By doing so, anyone trying to manipulate becomes obvious and is stopped. Tracking, graphing, and measuring shows you the areas where you need to improve, unprejudiced. Checks and balances. I LOVE TQM. I have seen incredible things happen under the TQM umbrella.
@JeanJ without a doubt you are educated and have a degree or two. One I believe in economics. I greatly appreciate you. Thank you for speaking up. Sedona is blessed to have you here.
Sedona is a melting pot, we should welcome everyone. Those of us that our residents and businesses in the foot printed city district are vested partners. We have one common interest, the incorporated City of Sedona. Together. One team. Please watch this cute video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jop2I5u2F3U
Limiting participation limits change, growth and communication. Limiting and excluding is oppressive. Enabling participation enables innovation and continuous improvement for that one common cause. In my opinion.
Sincerely,
Donna Joy Varney
@Just Sayin’
Glad to learn that before you moved here you really did do some good in your community! So what have you done since then?
Me? Too much to list and it really doesn’t matter – and that is simply not the point.
Let’s remember – it’s not about my donations to my community – it’s about the facts posted on this site and for Sure – our gal Jean J spends the time to do that!
You? or are you just playing a game of self serving negativity and having fun with you opposition to anything posts?