SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie S. Maddock
Sedona AZ – At a Special Sedona City Council Meeting, 3:00 Wednesday afternoon on January 11, 2017, after three long years of a contentious destination marketing agreement with the Sedona Chamber of Commerce, the City will again revisit the issue. We can only hope the negotiations will prove to be less controversial, fairer, and, in turn, result in acceptable transparency which will dismiss suspicion and mistrust of City Hall dealings. That might very well have been the case had the original commitment for Requests for Proposals (RFPs) as well as certified outside audits been upheld as proposed during the initial negotiations. Ignoring both valid concerns was a disservice to everyone.
Five options will be discussed at this meeting as follows:
Option 1: Move forward with the negotiations of a new contract with the Chamber of Commerce.
Option 2: Issue an RFP for tourism promotion services.
Option 3: Create a stand-alone destination marketing organization (DMO) without ties to the Chamber of Commerce.
Option 4: Create a City Department to handle tourism promotion.
Option 5: Issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a travel industry consultancy to assess the current structure, funding relationships, etc. and provide recommendations to the city.
Pros and cons of each option will be discussed at length, such as concerns RFPs will include bids from for-profit agencies. That brings up several questions. Without an official outside audit from a qualified source, how do they know the Chamber has not been making a profit? How many employees have they hired? What has been the cost of improvement to its own facilities, etc? And what is the source of funding for those operating expenses?
And will the City acknowledge the Chamber currently offers its own RFPs for specific services, realistically reducing it to a mere middle-agency, acting on behalf of the City of Sedona?
And how do they justify the extended branding of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce that has occurred within the past three years? What has been the source of that promotional funding for the Chamber instead of the City?
By creating a stand-alone destination marketing organization, the City could avoid real or perceived conflicts between tourism promotion services and the various other functions of the Chamber of Commerce. Although they specify… it is unclear how local and regional partners would react… why should that concern the City? Should their focus at long last be redirected to the residents of incorporated Sedona? They are the people who created the City in the first place, clearly, and with the knowledge it attracted tourists.
Sure, a stand-alone destination marketing organization would result in the re-creation of an already established and successful local agency. However the extent of success of the present local agency has never been undisputedly proven. The source of increased revenue after the great recession coupled with a reduction in gasoline prices has never factually been factored into the increased tourism and resulting upswing in revenue. Nor has it been determined to what extent advertising monies have merely resulted in excessive daytripping, which the City’s infrastructure clearly cannot handle.
As for the suggestion for Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a travel industry consultancy to assess and monitor the current structure, would that be nothing more than a babysitter for the contract with the Chamber of Commerce? Should the City have been serving that function for the past three years?
It has frequently been said the City could not afford to operate their stand-alone department. And how would they know? With a Chamber of Commerce now providing funding for USFS trail maintenance, contributing money back to the City for their traffic study, and other generous but questionably frivolous expenditures, most recently to propose purchasing property on behalf of the City with what appears to be leftover funds from the bed tax rebate, how can they make that determination without a precise and reliable audit from an authentic source? They cannot. Is there any reasonable explanation why the City should not take responsibility for allocating the bed tax revenue – all of it – including over and above destination marketing?
And the perfect opportunity to establish a genuine Sedona Visitors Center has been ignored by not including such a service at the Western Gateway. How long will this City tolerate discrimination of their own legitimate licensed, tax collecting businesses within City Limits unless they are forced to be members of what clearly is a regional Chamber of Commerce? And the practice of paid referrals is common, but should the City be involved by financing the activity with public funds and further discriminating against in-city businesses?
Molly Spangler recently hired by the city of Sedona AZ as its Economic Development Director.
With the recent hiring of a professional, Molly Spangler, to serve as Economic Development Director, there is really no need to burden our busy Chamber of Commerce with more additional duties besides servicing its members, which is the purpose of its non-profit organization.
Since when was the Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau deemed the “Destination Marketing & Management Organization in Sedona for 65 years?” Up until just a few years ago was it not the Oak Creek Canyon Sedona Chamber of Commerce, then changed to Sedona Chamber of Commerce, and most recently “& Tourism Bureau” was tacked on? This elaborate extension of creating yet another illusion that simply does not exist is pretty much over the top. Wouldn’t you agree? Dumb question.
There is already a campaign in motion to “Make America Great Again.” How about a local endeavor to “Make Sedona Respectable Again”? Meet and greet our visitors with an authentic Sedona Visitors Center and related advertising?
Don’t we deserve it like other places?
Flagstaff (AZ) and Park City (UT) are but two examples that offer proof they survive very well without financial support to their respective Chambers of Commerce.
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You have the wrong person. I am a male living over by the city hall. I won’t go to city meetings for I want to live in peace. Money is the motivator here. We had better services under the county with no BS.
Ms Baer:
Perhaps you missed the council meeting or the RRN Editorial that just dealt with the options of RFP, RFQ and other ideas. Each option was discussed and disqualified or approved. As for various types of measurements if you watch the council meeting you will see that measurements by the chamber in public meetings have been done twice a year for all of us to watch and that will continue. Very transparent I may say.
Aww…come on, Sedona does not need The normal Request for Proposals (RFP’s) or Competitive bidding. If you are a member of the in group, the City Council has you covered.
The fact that the citizens are not a member of the in group does not bother Chris Graham of the Red Rock News. The Red Rock News gets about $30,500 per year in revenue from the City. The Sedona Film Festival run by the Red Rock News publishers brother in law gets about $27,500 per year, in a grant, no bid, no contract.
Scammers, you can find them regularly in and around city hall. If you think the Red Rock news is going to report about anything that takes away from the corruption they profit from, you don’t know corruption.
Shut down the City of Sedona. It’s the only way to be sure.
RFP Request for proposal.
I imagine the city council did not think it a large enough amount to get competitive bids, RFP, as most cities do for every large expense to avoid the appearance of conflict of interest. After all, according to the City of Sedona, the City has only paid the chamber $5,994,109 over the past 5 years. I got the amount from the Sedona City Clerk this past Thursday.
If it was your 6 million you would not bother trying to get the best deal, would you? Petty cash , Right?
Dis-incorporate, now.
You should ask (deleted by editor) why she uses her name every once in a while and then switches to many and I mean many other aliases.
I never said that you were a despicable person quite the contrary I enjoy many of your comments. I do get tired of your bashing the chamber ad nauseum no matter how wrong you have been proven. Why don’t we all just move along for the new year?
oh why don’t you use your own name of your taht smart?
Your link to the chamber funding. dirtbag.
@ Nancy Thank you I loved your comment. it was delightful to see a clear and innovative suggestion to move this time warped town into this century. I just love hearing that’s the way we do it in slowdona.!!!!! They think of that 30 years from now.
Just one year ago, public meetings were set in motion to discuss the proposal of city-wide control of our garbage hauling service. The meetings were well attended with Sedona voters speaking up primarily against the concept. Those people brave enough to speak were essentially snubbed and labeled a “vocal minority” and owners of a competing business were publicly harassed and embarrassed for having exercised their right to notify their customers in a well written, informative letter of the potential change in service. The ultimate conclusion after having pursued the process of ROI’s was quite simple. The benefits did not meet anticipation. This concept would not fulfill the anticipated outcome which clearly was for this City of Sedona to arrive at another means to garner a new source of revenue from the convenience of monthly billing for the service to legitimate residents within Sedona City Limits. Was that an early message from Karma?
In 2009, not that long ago, the huge controversy of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) roared its ugly head in Sedona. After several exceptionally well attended public meetings, and having attended four of them personally, there was a clear consensus of community opposition. Did it matter? Of course not. The ordinance sailed through only to have recently been rescinded due to a conflict with a recently implemented state law – namely statewide legalization of short term/vacation rentals. Did Karma speak again?
Therefore, with all the hoop-de-do about the current turn of events, how many did or didn’t attend the meeting, didn’t matter. The 30-40 or so that turned out because of the Chamber-Lodging e-blast surprisingly weren’t deemed the dirty “vocal minority” but were, instead, rewarded with applause (a no-no at most meetings) as well as unanimous City Council approval to move forward to negotiate a renewal of the city contract for service for destination marketing (or whatever) with the regional but so-called Sedona Chamber of Commerce. So be it.
History repeats one way or another and it’s only a matter of time Karma will have the final say. Wait and see.
Eddie Maddock
Why rent a room when you can get the whole house for 200 a night?
Look at what you get
House, 2 story, Built in 1989
2 queen beds, 2 twin beds
2.25 bathrooms
Sleeps 6, 6 dining seats, 2 car garage
1989 square feet
I’ll be putting my kids up there instead of renting a three hotel rooms for them. It will save me money and we will get a lot of use from it.
Geez Sedona give it a rest. Just sit back and see how the vacation rentals will impact the area.
why don’t you use your own name?
Thank you, N. Baer, for taking time to comment. It seems when people make suggestions that really make sense and result in immediate attacks it’s a sure sign they’ve done a good job. Don’t make waves is the game played in Sedona and has been for quite a while. Just take pleasure in knowing you did a good job.
I stand corrected and your name is??????
OK – ya’ll sucked me in – so I checked out that council meeting. Very interesting how most (if not all) council members had obviously already prepared their closing remarks. And just because the world “love” was bantered about didn’t mean this meeting was anything other than gang rule. Rule by gang? Please someone – straighten me out. Heaven forbid we are anything but politically correct when trying to figure out the bizarre workings of Sedona City Hall.
No not Robert O’Donnell!
To Eddie Maddock, It’s nice that N Baer made her comment but to say that her suggestion really make sense right after several other posters above and a city council meeting and the Red Rock News addressed Baer’s Sense making comments is ridiculous and very misleading. Unless you just want to stir the pot a bit more???? Ms Maddock, the topic has run it’s course so just let it lie.
Blah Blah @ R O”Donnell
just because you say??????
who cares what you think? not me blah blah
And what’s wrong with saying something kind about a comment @R O’Donnell? Just because you disagree with another’s opinion on Eye that someone else thought was OK – why the blast? Oh – wait – could it be your first name is Rosie? If that’s the case, aren’t you well known for a famous nickname beginning with the letter “P”? If so say no more. We understand, poor girl.
Hey, Rosie – so you think for this city council & staff to set an agenda to discuss 6 options for destination marketing and then so blatantly ignore 5 of them makes sense? The entire meeting was a farce, a set-up in motion.The only thing that would make sense in this cockeyed place would be to remove the designation of “city” and rejoin our respective counties. And that would also legalize the function of this regional chamber of commerce.
Oh God
ESM is very much a bore…..she complains about people who don’t use real name to post……but she’s at the other end of the spectrum…….She LOVES to see her name mentioned over and over and over ad naseum… Come on ESM. You ain’t important at all… Get a life and go rake your leaves… or at the very least….attend a council meeting and properly voice your opinions…..
Better yet why not run for council next time…..you seem to have all the answers ad nauesum…. you can’t accomplish anything sitting behind your computer all day thinking of newer and better things to find fault with
Yup!
Blatantly ignoring the choices that don’t pencil out make exact sense. If you don’t agree (BTW there were only 4 choices) watch the video, what part don’t you agree with/???
Oh my @West sedona resident so much anger and jealousy is really unhealthy. There are many places that can help you with that. I loved Hot Yoga. It really works for me.
I hope you try it out. I go there quite often.
@West sedona resident
Speaking of finding fault, look in the mirror. Both you and the soon to reappear Steve Segner will divert and tell any lie to keep the facts from coming to light.
Shame on you both. Karma is coming.
It’s rewarding to learn the new year continues to bestow the gracious readership of our beloved West Sedona Resident aka WSR, Wsr etal. To learn this person, too ashamed to bare a legitimate name, has time to read Sedona Eye and it must be a painful departure from appearing on Phoenix network news. Chasing rabid bobcats surely must be more profitable. Best of luck with that one.
@Jessica
Time for you to fade away into the sunset. Go was that glitter out of your hair. It’s clouding your brain.
@ESM
Happy to know also that we can all look forward to your rantings that amount to ZERO as you sit behind your computer pointing fingers…. Good To know, particularly for the 8-10 here who follow your complaining like mindless lemmings…”to the sea lemmings to the sea”.
Not sure about this women your talking about regarding the bobcats, but my guess is that she’s a “doer” and that intimidates you and tarnishes your fragile ego..
Also ESM is intials for Eddie Maddox. Just the same WSR or Wsr is short for West Sedona Resident….But there you go again….taking a non issue, putting it through your nonsensical mind and finding a problem….
I
And the beat goes on…….ad naseum
Persons hung up on who uses “real” names and who doesn’t may want to read this lengthy article on the subject: https://blog.coralproject.net/the-real-name-fallacy/
So at least one overpaid non-profit, Main Street, is disbanding. Surely this isn’t out of the goodness of their hearts. Could it possibly be due to their close connection with the notorious ripoff regional chamber of commerce and their over inflated draining of city coffers? Including but not limited to the chamber visitors center which the city claims to be officially that of Sedona. Nah! Of course not. Even tho only Chamber members, many not even Sedona city tax collectors get top billing. The stench in Sedona (city) is worse than the sewer plant.
Hey SE
Why didn’t you post my last comment… You getting selective!? You got J Rick working on your staff now…..What’s Up…. people should know that your being selective and not posting comments that think you contributors like ESM have over inflated egos…
Good point @The Real Name Fallacy. This is true and also goes to City partication, council meetings. They use intimidation tactics, bullying, name calling ,as a way to protect themselves and their agendas.
Sad n true
Count me as an Eddie fan and you @WSR, Wsr are an emotional AND intellectual fool
forget it. new tablet thingy. hate it. better than current BS comment maybe? if this works will life be worth living?
Having watched the Presidential Inauguration it was refreshing to know God has been restored in our federal government. Maybe even better, though, is the emphasis President Trump placed on we, the people, deserving better than a government run and controlled by the handful of DC elitists. If he keeps his word and represents the will of the people, there will be hope for this country. Too bad the city council doesn’t take a page or two from his book, get off their high horses, drop the I, I, I, – Me, Me, Me, – I think – we think. We know what’s best. That isn’t what you were elected for. You are supposed to represent “us” within incorporated Sedona and not oppress and treat us like slime.
Great idea @Bill, Chapel area.
I Vote for Eddie. Honest and transparent unlike WSR, city employees and the rotten CC.
@WSR
The only attention you get since getting booted off city council is on sedona eye.
Go wash the gliitter out of your hair. Cry yourself to sleep,Loser.
Not to worry JJ or Jean J, it’s about time you stepped out of the house for a change.
Ms. Maddock, you are well respected. Forget the naysayers. You are THE go-to for locals. Believe it. People are informed because of you & the SedonaEye writers & comments!! Thank you, keep writing for the rest of us. Keep us up to date on what’s going on!! We are your fans!!
WSR times 2 is lying. I have posted time and again that JJ and Jean J are not the same individual.
BTW, the median age in Sedona has risen from 50.5 in 2009 to 58.0 in 2016 while the population for the period has decreased from 11,436 to 10,388 (2016 CAFR).
Sperling’s Best Places states “Compared to the rest of the country, Sedona’s cost of living is 37.80% Higher than the U.S. average.”
It’s great to see that some respect Eddie it’s just a shame that there is no such person as Lori Ann Stweartson living in Sedona or the Verde. Except for a close match of (deleted by editor) who uses many many aliases to make false “facts” in her rants. (Deleted by editor) but NO MORE!
Interesting that these women are marching in sedona and don’t stand up for their rghts as citizens. When it comes to city politics they are all oblivious.The only people that are involved are the takers of city funding.They march in the rain and snow for national womens rights when all the while they are getting screwed by the city ofn sedona. Literally!
You write: “Interesting that these women are marching in sedona and don’t stand up for their rghts as citizens. When it comes to city politics they are all oblivious”
No different than national action now marching and protesting against President Trump. Many didn’t even get out and vote. And most likely the majority of those marching don’t live in Sedona. More extension of Sedona City government and control. Today the Verde Valley – tomorrow Washington, DC. Too bad our state legislators appear to be aiding and abetting this type of behavior as in how to cover their tails for violating state laws.
Not to be confused with ROBERT O’DONNELL!!
@ JJ – Very presumptive of you don’t you think???
How do you know that those women who chose to march in the streets to voice their opinions about issues are oblivious about city politics? Perhaps they’re not oblivious at all? Perhaps they are happy with city politics! Using your standard of measurement above then why didn’t you and all those who are against the city politics come out in mass at the city council meeting that discussed the chamber contract????
It really seems to me that there are only about 5 people who choose to write under many different aliases that are against city politics and the CoC.
jjenks Me thinks thou doest protest too much.
@@Lori Stweartson The pot calling the kettle black. You are an alias senorita.
Life is change. Sedona is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It will be a good place for residents again. Pray and believe it.
The cool thing about people that think they get away with doing something wrong is Karma always gets them. Always.
Maybe it is because you spelled her name wrong. I goggled it and found her in sedona.
I searched for the name posted by her; Lori Ann Stewartson. So maybe she forgot how to spell her name. Or maybe Google got it wrong. Yeah like that’s possible.
I think that the real reason that I couldn’t find the right name is because it’s spelled (deleted by editor).
Those who keep harping about why people don’t rally at council meetings need only think back to one year ago when that, in fact, did happen. The issue being city control of our garbage collection. The rude treatment by council and, yes, staff was appalling. Who wants to go and be publicly humiliated? And for the same reason many are not willing to provide their names when they post opposition to city policy. Retaliation in Sedona is rampant.
@JJ
So what if you don’t care the City of Sedona’s cost of living is a steep 37.8 percent Higher than the U.S. average. You don’t even live in the City limits.
There appears to be 2 JJs here.
That’s fun.
“Get Real” told it exactly the way it is. This city government is a joke but only to those on the take. They (powers in charge) don’t give a hoot about any of us except their in-crowd clique. Decisions are pre-arranged before issues even go public. The one that backfired for them was the garbage issue. As it turned out there wasn’t enough alleged savings to offer the mandatory subscribers in order for the city to increase monthly bills to us. Funny they didn’t do it to us anyway because they do not care – only the few that are treated like royalty at council meetings where even applause is allowed by the mayor.
This week the council will be discussing plans for the Schnebly Hill Community Focus Area. Wonder if that will include liability for flooding as they continue to insist on a creek walk/park. Just wait until all this new snow begins to thaw. Oak Creek is already raging and a warm rain might – just might – wake them up to reality. But don’t plan on it. They think they are the supreme beings.
“This city government is a joke but only to those on the take”. That’s a rather serious accusation to make. I’m surprised that SedonaEye would allow that statement without any actual facts to support the charge. Please elaborate.
“They (powers in charge) don’t give a hoot about any of us except their in-crowd clique.” Please elaborate.
“Decisions are pre-arranged before issues even go public.” Wow that’s the most egregious of all, saying that anything was pre-arranged is actually libelous if you had attached someones name to it. I guess that’s why you didn’t give your real name for fear that you’d get in trouble. Again, I’m surprised that it was printed here. Please elaborate.
“The one that backfired for them was the garbage issue. As it turned out there wasn’t enough alleged savings to offer the mandatory subscribers in order for the city to increase monthly bills to us.” That sounds more like an opinion vs fact. I watched the videos of the town meeting and it looked like there was an issue of interest and the council did their research and due diligence and saw that it didn’t work as planned and dropped the issue. Smart move town council thanks for trying to do something new and different.
“where even applause is allowed by the mayor.” I believe that you’re wrong on that one, the Mayor forbids applause and rightfully so. Town council meetings aren’t sports events or Broadway plays that need to have applause for a warm and fuzzy appreciation it’s a place where the people that I elected conduct town business. I actually applaud the Mayor for holding good meetings that aren’t sports events.