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Eddie S. Maddock: For the Record

SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie S. Maddock expresses appreciation to Arizona elected representatives Burges, Thorpe, Barton and Allen for going on the record to protect Sedona from questionable associations of its City Hall, local print news, Lodging Council and Chamber of Commerce, conjoined with perceived attempts to influence election outcomes by illegally disqualifying a citizens ballot initiative, touting untrue losses of city services if a NO vote on Home Rule prevails, and other biased influences and inferences.

Sedona AZ (August 20, 2018) – The decision to go public with a recent communication to Senator Judy Burges has been made after intense thought, deliberation, and soul searching. Plowing through those processes, the answer lies within the words being written here.

Yes, for whatever it’s worth (if anything), there is another side to the story of the turn of events which led to the opening of an investigation here in Sedona by the Arizona State Attorney General’s Office. And, for certain, among those many reasons the intent to influence the outcome of an election was NOT one of them.

On a lighter note, the person responsible for providing me with an annual subscription for the Sedona Red Rock News is, indeed, a very dear friend of mine, unlike what was jokingly suggested in the communication with Senator Burges.

And so, without further adieu, the following email from me was sent to Sen. Burges , cc’’d to Senator Sylvia Allen and State Representatives Bob Thorpe and Brenda Barton. And, more for the record, –the contents herein, including this introduction as well as the email to Senator Burges,  are intended to represent my personal opinion.

Freedom of Speech, to be specific:

From: Eddie M.
Date: 8/17/2018 8:41:29 PM
To: JBurges@azleg.gov
Cc: Bthorpe@azleg.gov; Bbarton@azleg.gov; Sallen@azleg.gov

Subject: SEDONA

Senator Burges:

The only reason I receive the Sedona Red Rock News is because someone I know has paid for a subscription to be delivered to me. Kindly notice – I didn’t identify the person as “a friend” since I’m unable to ascertain if that is the case. Reason? Because the SRRN has long ago been identified as being biased and partial. Sound familiar? And, in fact, has served at the 11th hour of voting day to provide scathing editorials that most likely have influenced the outcome of elections!

At any rate, as I opened today’s issue – Friday, August 17, my heart skipped a beat when I read the headline “Senator Terminates 1487 Complaint.” The upside was a very lovely picture of you on the front page. However, as I attempted to compose myself and read the entire article, it became clear you quite possibly have taken a step above and beyond the call of duty to serve those residents in Sedona who have been expressing concerns for several years now about questionable decisions being made by our local elected officials.

As previously I’d sent e-mails to you and our designated representatives, this is to further enhance my appreciation that one or more of you have taken the concerns expressed by myself and other residents of Sedona seriously. Because the SRRN together with officials at City Hall have implied the recent SB 1487 filing (now withdrawn) by the AG’s office was timely in order to influence the outcome of the pending election, it became relevant to let you know some of us have been seeking such an investigation since perhaps 2013, at the time the City Council entered into the no-bid contract with the local Chamber of Commerce. Therefore I’ve taken the liberty of forwarding to you my Certified Letter to the Attorney General (8/2/15) and follow-up communication to B. Diaz of the AG’s office dated 11/1/15. So you and your colleagues brace yourselves for the feeble attempt by the Sedona Red Rock News and Sedona City Hall to use these recent activities as a means to make accusations reflecting an attempt to influence the outcome of an election.

The following is a quote from Sedona City Attorney Robert Pickels in the referenced SRRN article: “While the timing of the 1487 complaint was suspect, this latest maneuver seems an obvious and desperate attempt to influence the outcome of a local election in a jurisdiction where the complaining party has no business meddling,’ Pickels said. “This is the kind of dirty politics that makes honest and dedicated public servants leave government.”

This from a city attorney where the city manager has recently spoken before an unknown number of private groups and associations, allegedly explaining the pros and cons of Home Rule while at the same time taking the opportunity to apply scare tactics relating to “city services” that will no longer be available should voters fail to approve Home Rule. Maybe the contract with the Sedona Chamber of Commerce? Wishful thinking, but certainly no service to voting residents of Sedona and/or City of Sedona licensed businesses unless, perhaps, they are members of the Chamber of Commerce.

As a resident of Sedona for 41 years it’s heart-breaking how control of this beautiful area, one of Arizona’s prize possessions, has fallen into the hands of opportunists and greed mongers without regard to the reason Sedona incorporated in the first place – to implement city codes and restrictions in order to retain the small town atmosphere and protect our resources. The exact opposite has happened. Neither my late husband nor myself were supporters of incorporation and unfortunately our reasons have surfaced over and above what even the most dreaded predictions envisioned.

Apologizing for the length of this, it became important to relate people in Sedona didn’t just seek for a complaint to be filed to a higher authority based on an attempt to “influence the outcome of an election.” Had that been the case, the effort would probably have been implemented long before now.

With deepest thanks and gratitude from the bottom of my heart, I thank you, Senator Burges, and Reps. Thorpe, Barton and Sen. Allen for what I suspect might have been a collaborated effort to address the concerns of some of us who live in Sedona. Bless all of you who assisted in making this happen.

Best wishes,

(Ms) Eddie S. Maddock
Sedona, AZ 86336

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53 Comments

  1. @NEVER MIND says:

    Not sure why you didn’t leave it, I found it myself.
    Here it is everyone. Great site, nothing competing with Sedona eye.

    It is great time to stop buying the Red RockNews. Their website sucks but they will make sure the trash they are promoting is up to date so you can check there for opposite stories. Opposite of facts. Opposite of integrity.

    http://sedonacity.com
    When do we get the update on the donations to segners pac?

  2. Panther Blackwell - Florida Goes Trump & Republican says:

    Opinion? More fact than fiction.

    The state of Florida that loves to elect Democrats and Republicans elected DeSantis, a Trump favorite and they were right to do it. Bill Nelson will be overturned in November by now Gov. Scott and should be, Nelson has a lackluster been snoozing in his chair all these years legacy of do-nothingness in the Senate and he’s been supported by Florida Democratic pockets of pseudo progressives who mouthpiece liberal Democrat at social events and who split vote Democrat/Republican in the ballot booth…progressives who value wallets and economic security first, their businesses and secure jobs second. Call them quietly educated Democrats who acknowledge the abject failure of their socialist Venezuela-ego sized party but are afraid to lose friends. Voting is quiet at its best, friendless at its worst.

    In 2018 Floridians have stopped being fools for the Democratic party: Typical Democratic voters know when it’s best to vote for the party that brought prosperity to their pocketbooks and supersized business success to their estates and state. Guns are an issue but no law abiding American (almost all of us) will give up the right to bear arms for the psychotic and mentally ill few who shouldn’t have been given or able to purchase in the first place. Fix mental health issues is the mantra of the educated Floridian polled voter when questioned during this primary but media reporters (no journalists left) and their advertising outlets tremble to be the first to Truth while groupthink rules. Fix access to guns. Fix the gang problem. Floridians remember Fast and Furious. The rest of the nation should remember what Floridians say but their media won’t write, that Florida kids with big mouths and no life experience except upper income entitlements aren’t barometers of reality, that the kids who’ve been parented and schooled by elitist progressives pretending to be in-touch with the common man’s needs and desires are self-involved narcissists usually on the government and public job circuit in need of causes to feel satisfied. After all their kids are jerks, they are jerks, and life is an annual holiday cruise and send the kids to summer camp agenda……Check please.

  3. Richard Saunders says:

    I guess the people have spoken..

    Home rule passes yet again
    Tony T loses by a 2-1 margin

    (Deleted by editor)

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