SedonaEye.com columnist, Eddie S. Maddock
Sedona AZ (May 22, 2013) – Sedona’s fabulous sunset for the month of May 2013 will take its final bow in just a few short days. As we turn a calendar page to a new month, will it be viewed with anticipation of happy events or the pervasive doom and gloom that is so prevalent in ongoing daily news sensationalism? So rarely is anything pleasant headlined that it’s little wonder morale remains low, and a general sadness continues to hover.
As has been the case for many weeks now, ominous winds continue to prevail day after day perhaps as a not so subtle reminder that mere mortals do not have ultimate control.
How much more clearly can that be evidenced than the devastation bestowed in Moore, Oklahoma, by the ravaging twisters that so totally took charge of land and lives? Where was our government in time of need to “prevent” such a thing from occurring? Well, obviously, “they” were either sleeping or, factually, “they” could do nothing about it!
The point being is that government at all levels has the power and authority to make many varieties of decisions, invoke rules, laws, ordinances, codes, etc. …decisions that, too frequently, reflect what “they” believe is best…choices which are not necessarily in keeping with the direction those they were elected to represent would prefer to go. Clearly though, “they” ultimately are NOT in control!
As we prepare to observe our national recognition of Memorial Day, which was changed from the traditional date of May 30 to the last Monday in May, it becomes a time to reflect and honor not only those who served in the armed forces but the loss of our own families and loved ones who deserve to be memorialized as well. In a way, this special holiday really serves to remind us of our own inevitable mortality. Yes, all of us are headed in that same direction. All of us!
Because of that, does it not sometimes become frustrating to think why, once elected, politicians appear to have transcended into a sphere unknown to those of us who thought we knew them before their ascent to stardom? Not all of them, mind you, have taken flight. Historically, it seems it merely takes some longer than others to reach that level.
But, once in a while, we do have the pleasure to actually bear witness to the occasional lone voice hesitating on a decision based on inability to finance certain projects that have been earmarked as demand performances. Unfortunately, however, that one single voice will not prevail. Thank you anyway, Mike Ward!
And so, reflecting on the here, the now, and the what will be, why do those empowered resist in cleaning up the messes they themselves inherited and instead opt to create new ones for future leaders to either solve or ignore? Aha, maybe that’s the answer. Could it be the ‘easy way out’ is to approve more unaffordable projects (which will ultimately cause major disasters?) than to deal with inherited deficiencies — included but not limited to — insufficient drainage, traffic control, neglected city streets, and other infrastructure demands which should be and remain top priority until appropriate solutions are soundly in place? Not so.
Sedona’s proposed capital improvement recommendations and related budget will be decided very soon. The choice of direction is already apparent: More money to the Sedona Chamber of Commerce to promote “Destination Tourism” (although no one takes time to address that Sedona is substantially already endowed with such critters labeled more appropriately “Time Share Owners”); revival of the defunct Cultural Park; more parks; a pathway along Oak Creek; extensive recreation development at the Sewer Plant; and a multitude of other costly nonessentials as designated in the new Parks & Recreation Master Plan which goes on and on…ad infinitum!
Enter delusions of grandeur! Because “They Can” our elected officials will assess residents with taxes in any way, shape, or form legally allowed. They will continue to disregard that Sedona essentially has a population of slightly less than 10,000 people but count in the questionable Time Share property deed owners, a.k.a. “Destination Tourists”, it’s very likely, realistically, that the population most of the time is doubled. (Ever wonder about the source of all that traffic?)
And so be it. As we are all held hostages by the vote of seven people, most refusing to acknowledge what is “right” about Sedona and continuing to harp on what Sedona is lacking; “needs” that cannot ultimately avert acts of Mother Nature resulting in national disasters such as in Moore, Oklahoma. Take heed, Masters. The true voice of authority is screaming at you on a daily basis.
As we sit in tinder dry surroundings, winds howling incessantly, monsoon season with its lightening and thunder (and hopefully adequate rain) just around the corner, our fearless leaders will sit upon their thrones powerless to stop the process which, in too many instances, includes uncontrolled flooding as a result of mistakes made by fearless leaders of the past.
Memorialize indeed!
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Eddie,
You have just described our current crop of local politicos with great verity. Maybe you’ve observed the same thing I have, or maybe not, which is that once a well-meaning public office seeker is actually elected, one of two powerful behavioral requisites overwhelms original good intentions, namely, either the newly acquired sense of power or the quest to create a legacy. Or, God forbid, both, even if we are a tiny town of only 9,800! Surely these office holders have loftier political goals, wouldn’t you think?
“Management” wants To Spend More, But The Population Dropped By 131 Over 10 Years. Anyone Asking Why?
More Sedona Blunders:
* Kentucky Fried Chicken, long established and successful Sedona business gives up smokin’ location to re-establish in low visibility “hole-in-the-ground.”
* Taco Bell ventures into Sedona City Limits and opens up in same “hole-in-the-ground” as KFC. (Negative Vortex?) They both “went under.”
* ARCO: Weren’t they questioned from the get-go about manipulations of sewer connections (about 12 years ago?). Oh well, ARCO is presently zipped up but it lasted longer than the other two mentioned above. Karma maybe?
Yes, just another day in the life.
PARTIAL AGENDA, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, TUESDAY, MAY 28, 20113, 4:30 PM, COUNCIL:
#9 Regular Business
b. AB 1586. Discussion/possible action regarding a request from Sedona Arts and Culture Collaboration (SACC) for $20,000 in funding for destination marketing activities to promote Sedona as a center for arts and culture education.
c. AB 1592. Discussion/possible action regarding a request from the Chamber of Commerce for $80,000 in destination marketing funds to be used by the Chamber of Commerce and the Tourism Bureau.
d. AB 1601. Discussion/possible direction regarding possible purchase of vacant property adjacent to City Hall, located at 20 Roadrunner Drive and further identified as Assessor’s Parcel Number 408-12-117.
e. AB 1604. Public Hearing/discussion/possible action regarding approval of the tentative City budget for fiscal year 2013/2014.
This council meeting will be available on Cable Channel 4 for those who are interested in watching our local government at work.
Mike S. a question…131? How do you know that & where did you find it? Link to look at?
what’s it take to get a decent gas station in sedona? tourist stop a rip off & jeep place near harkins a rip off & now we’re forced to buy gas there! hell ill drive to cottonwood or voc before buying a penny from them & this what’s that mayor of ours can do, get us decent cheap gas!! cranky George
EDDIE,
VERY GOOD. THIS IS ONE OF YOUR BEST. HOPE YOUR HOLIDAY IS GOOD ALSO.
JOHN
Another great article….Wally would have been very proud of you as would Barbara.
LUV, M
That comment about being held hostage by seven voters is a good one . The only agenda item worth supporting above is the purchase of the parcel next to city hall because it makes future sense .
Thanks, Marilyn, for the reminder about Wally and Barbara Parks. When they lived in Sedona Wally came up with the brilliant bumper stickers which became popular very quickly:
“Keep Sedona Beautiful ~ When You Leave Take Someone With You.”
That wouldn’t have made him too popular with today’s new but not necessarily improved Sedona Chamber of Commerce. However, Wally would have most likely redeemed himself by staging one of his “WERT” (World’s Edsel Racing Team) events on SR 89A in West Sedona!
BTW, this C of C is presently seeking from the city a substantial increase in funding to “market” Sedona (rise up Wally), using comparisons such as Napa Valley and Santa Barbara (CA) and Scottsdale (AZ) all of which I do believe have considerably larger populations? (The C of C here apparently isn’t aware that Sedona in the last census dropped to 10,000 or slightly less since C of C uses 11,000 in their most recent solicitation.)
Me-oh-my, wonder what kind of slogan Wally might think up now if he were still with us? Hmmm . . . maybe he’d jumped on the band wagon and with the C of C blessing bring his whole dang NHRA operation into Sedona for a demand performance by destination tourists.
Blessed are happy memories from happier times.
Suggested new slogan for Sedona: ” A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT; A LOUSY PLACE TO CALL HOME”
Hope this goes viral and it will have cost the city ZERO $$$$$$$.
Eddie,
Thanks for Council Meeting update items where money is spent, spent and more spending. Really appreciate your diligence and helping us stay informed.
You caused me to go to the City website; found “Special Meeting” 5/28/13 at 3:00 and noticed “amended” agenda calling for “Reconsideration” Vote on the purchase of vacant land East of City Hall.
That’s interesting and something to carefully watch. Question: why does the City need to own more land costing all of us? OR, have they decided to spend our money on lands making them landowners none of them could afford?
What future advantage do they gain by owing any more land in Sedona?
Wednesday, May 29, 2013 Council holds yet another “Special Meeting”: item AB 1531 “regarding approval of Amendment #2 to the Design of A+ Upgrades Contract with Carollo Engineers in the amount of $345,588.00 at the WWRP.”.
Translation of WWRP = Waste Water Reclamation Plant, a relatively new green term. Be still my heart – might these dollars actually be spent to upgrade the Waste Water Treatment Plant, which is the actual name of out Plant – Whoopee!
There’s a big difference in terms of Reclamation, Recreation and Wastewater Treatment.
For those interested in the WasteWater Treatment Plant Capacity issues: City packet dated 5/29/13; “The WWRP currently experiences an annual average daily flow of approximately 1.1 mgd (million gallons per day). Current sewer commitments are estimated at 1.54 mgd, which includes current connections and those that are not yet connected but have sewer available. However, due to an observed increase in wastewater strength characteristics over the last decade, the nutrient treatment capacity of the WWRP has been reduced to approximately 1.4 mgd.”
In other words the plant can’t process the “stuff” it takes in which they thought the old wetlands would take care of it? Remember the old wetlands failed? Now we’ve newer and more expensive wetlands/duck ponds on virtually the exact same spot of land and these are somehow going to drain correctly?
Let’s get this right: When Sedona told the State back in the 90’s our plant could hold 2 million gallons per day and the State agreed by not shutting our little town down, allowing us to continue on, all because the plant could hold 2 Million Gallons Per Day – yet we are actually down to a number between 1.1 and 1.4?? What happened??? And who didn’t keep the City in a forward motion of task and fix relations with the Waste Water Treatment Plant?
So, short story?
Easy: the City has over sold, acknowledge and granted hook-ups for “those not yet connected but have sewer available”. Translation: Council’s gave approvals to several projects – which includes sewer hook-ups worth $$$ – to developers who have no vested interest in Sedona – other than their profits…and none have produced a development – yet they “banked” their sewer hook-ups.
At a recent meeting our Mayor talked about buying water rights which causes me to think next he’ll start wanting see how much can he sell sewer hookups for as he takes them from developments that are a no go!
Pay attention to the details folks…cuz they will come back to bite all of us….as in all the vast sums of money needed to just get the waste water treatment plant (VS – waste water reclamation plant) back on track to meet the State requirements of many years ago!
Please do stay on top of what our Council is doing as it will best benefit all of us.
While I do tend to agree with J. Rick Normand on the Bond issue and China —- I’m thinking our biggest adversary is our Council and our Waste Water Treatment Plant that’s continuously been pushed off in order to not spending money on that “necessity”. Council spends our money on studies, domes, duck ponds and picnic benches right next to our effluent ponds… and far too many of their dream list wishes.
J Rick is correct to be concerned about our little town’s ability to Bond and the ratings…..but seems to me the first task is getting our elected to try finding some modicum of Reality and realization of “get over yourselves” and just spend as a populous of under 10,000 should!
Now they want to raid the Waste Water Enterprise funds, by 50%, to pay for streets and drainage – or will that money be spent buying new properties for the city or new wish items?!
Totally Agree with Jean that the Wastewater Enterprise funds have but one place to be spent = the waste water treatment Plant.
Didn’t the City Manger tell our Mayor that “we don’t have the money” for wish list items? How many damn times do the Mayor and Council need to hear from the City Manager that “We Don’t Have the Money?”
Sharlett
PS: let me please remind you all: this is really not a Waste Water Recreation plant – as well as it is not a Reclamation plant! This is a plant that simply treats our effluent!
Yet another reason why Sedona’s population has gone down, vacancies abound, and small businesses and residents on fixed incomes are hurting:
“Compared to the rest of the country, Sedona’s cost of living is 26.30% higher than the U.S. average.”
http://www.bestplaces.net/cost_of_living/city/arizona/sedona
Apparently, 26.30% is not high enough for our Mayor and Councilors. There is talk about increasing the City sales tax — requested by the Chamber and the Lodging Council — as well as putting GO-Bonds on the Nov. 2014 ballot to pay for non-WW capital projects. Also, in hot pursuit of their spending craziness, our City Council is pilfering 50% of the WW Enterprise Fund Reserves to pay for non-WW capital projects such as streets and drainage.
Happy Memorial Day!
how about this one for bumper stickers.. KEEP SEDONA BEAUTIFUL – DISINCORPORATE
“Sedona AZ, Residents NOT Welcome”
You have a way with words that cut to the chase!
The Lodging Council is currently collecting signatures of business owners and their employees on a form letter addressed “Dear Mayor and City Council.” The letter supports the Lodging Council’s proposal to increase the City Sales Tax by .5% and to increase the Bed Tax by .5%.
The Chamber’s address is given for returning signed letters.
The Bed Tax increase is to be allocated to the Chamber of Horrors for destination marketing and product development, while the Sales Tax increase will go to our bloated, big-spending City government.
Among other absurdities, these rip-off tax increases are described as a win for the City, a win for the Sedona residents, a win for the business community, and a win for Sedona visitors.
seems to me there were many business owners who attended a meeting with the mayor and were against increased taxes! wonder if the lodging group and chamber will give those folks a convenient form letters to fill out and return to mayor & council? ANOTHER idiotic loaded sedona mission on the way to blast off
“Just Wondering” calls it like it is! Most business owners I know would rather, and do, pay for their own advertising vs. give their funds to the Chamber or Lodging Council in order to not be placed in some vast pool of advertising that doesn’t promote anyone other than the Chamber..OMG.
Jean brings up a rather scary point that “employees” are being asked to sign off on the Chamber/Lodging Council letter!
So all those employed will feel a threat if they don’t sign the letter? Hum, that tactic reminds me of several governments who threatened and then just ran over all who disagreed with the government – or Leaders – wants. Thought those days were well behind us.
Sharlett
About the Chamber needing funding increase to market Sedona to more tourists, that has to be a joke. Traffic on Sunday afternoon was backed up from Sedona to Bell Rock trail in VOC. Over one hr. is what it took us to drive into Sedona from VOC.
After reading this article I am in mind to send a note to the mayor and council demanding that the Chamber and groups wanting tourist promotion dollars take an across the board cut of 10%. Based on information out there, we can’t expect the Chamber to increase tourists because they don’t intend to come here let alone Arizona. Even international tourists and national tourism is cars v airlines with cars winning the regions. Here’s proof, go read it yourself, in the AZ Republic.
The AZ Republic did an article this weekend about expected state tourism, if you want to read it yourself, it’s in the A section Page 1 and 14, called Summer Travel. I suggest reading it all.
Here goes and pay attention Chamber of Commerce, the AZ Republic and Triple A and the airlines did your work for you down in Phoenix. And other Chambers and tourist bureaus.
The number of Arizonans who traveled 50 miles or more over the holiday weekend, most of them by car. This year’s total is a forecast….
(2006 was 762,722) (2007 was 756,439) (2008 was 675,630) (2009 was 626,442) (2010 was 708,310) (2011 was 696,325) (2012 was 704,206) (2013 is forecast to be 701,282) (Source AAA Arizona)
They headlined another chart Nationwide Summer Travel that says passenger volume on US airlines from June-August. This year’s total is a forecast….
(2007 was 217.6 million) (2008 was 210.2 mil) (2009 was 200.3 mil) (2010 was 203.1 mil) (2011 was 206.1 mil) (2012 was 206.6 mil) (2013 is forecast to be 208.7 mil) and lists the source as Airline for America.
The article says Arizonans will drive to local resorts, the mountains, Disneyland, Las Vegas and southern California beaches. AAA said travel over Memorial weekend was down from 2012 and nationally. It projects an 8% decline in airline travel nationally and 6/3 percent decline in AZ. Reason? Poor economy.
Computer keyboards are not my strong suit. Read the article yourself. I’m tired of typing. Forgot to say it’s in the Friday May 24 paper. I think the best that the Chamber should do is advertise within the state and region before blowing dollars on nonexistent travelers.
Thanks, Paul
Editor, I made a mistake and ask that you correct it. The decline in AZ airline travel is 6.3% not 6/3 as I wrote. (second to last paragraph) Thanks, Paul
On June 11, 2013 at 8:00 a.m. in the Wayside Chapel’s Jordan Hall, the City of Sedona in conjunction with Peak Engineering will facilitate the second of three public meetings regarding the repaving of 89A in Uptown and other possible future improvements.
Design concepts for pedestrian improvements along Schnebly Road, Forest Road and Mesquite Avenue; a concept striping plan for parking along Highway 89A; and a striping with bike lane configuration on Jordan Road will be presented. The concepts are based on many of the ideas heard at the first public meeting held on May 9, 2013.
The intent is to discuss opportunities and constraints for the proposed concepts and to solicit feedback on the concepts from the business community. We will also estimate total project cost for each area for preliminary reactions and budgeting purposes.
For questions, please contact Karen Daines at 928-203-5067 or at kdaines@SedonaAZ.gov.
Time to close up. Sick trying to pull rabbits out of a town attracting the wrong elements on its streets and business, see the losers hanging out here now wanting free? Sewer rates be damned. Let Dahl and Spector and Others carry this place on their backs. Time for some of those fly on the walls at all those off the record business meetings to spill some beans. What’s being done about some of those med withdrawal clinics that keep rich kids hanging out in Sedona looking to score? NVM wouldn’t get honest answer.