Eye on Sedona article written by Councilor Mike Ward and submitted by the City of Sedona.
Sedona AZ (January 22, 2013) – This past year the City of Sedona initiated its first Pre-Monsoon storm drainage cleanup initiative. While the city had always monitored and cleaned up public right-of-way drainages, for the first time the city inspected storm drainages on private property and notified the owners of problems that needed to be addressed. The city sent letters to approximately 400 property owners requesting to be allowed access on their property to conduct the inspections. The positive response was noteworthy.
During monsoon storms, yard waste and trash that collect in private washes are often washed downstream causing storm water blockages that can cause flooding, thus affecting other property owners. The cooperation of so many of our residents made a difference. The city paid to have the debris hauled away that was collected by residents from their property. Over 990 cubic feet, or 5 dumpster loads, of debris was removed. The cost of this pre-monsoon project including costs of cleaning the public right-of-way drainages was $53,944.
Everyone is reminded that they should not dump brush or trash in washes. Please also be aware that animal waste, chemicals, and other hazardous materials dumped into washes will find its way in to the protected waters of Oak Creek causing environmental damage.
1993 Sedona Oak Creek flood photo view of Sheri Graham home
Sedona lies at the confluence of five major watershed drainages that lead into Oak Creek. In 2003, it was recognized that the increasing urbanization of Sedona has resulted in increased runoff from homes, driveways, and parking lots. Water draining off of these hard surfaces was radically increasing the amount of storm water directed into the hundreds of small and large drainages that flow through the city into Oak Creek.
In 2005, the City of Sedona completed a study that identified and prioritized improvements to major washes to limit flood damage caused by 25 year storms. The resulting storm water drainage master plan was estimated to cost the city $15 million dollars and take 15 years to implement. Protection from 100 year storms was deemed cost prohibitive.
Although the current recession slowed the start of the project, many major improvements to storm water drainage have been completed. Through FY 2011, phases 1, 2, and 3 of the Harmony-Windsong project between SR 89A and Lyric Drive in the Dry Creek watershed, was completed at a cost of $3.85 million. Also, approximately $2 million of the 2007 $17.9 million Excise Tax Bond revenue, of which $9.3 million was for sewering the Chapel area, was spent on storm water to reduce costs by consolidating the two projects.
Last year, the City Council directed staff to accelerate both street maintenance repairs and storm water projects by using $6 million of capital and general fund reserves. The city’s FY 2011-2012 budget was increased from $30 million to $36 million (20%). This accelerated schedule allowed for both the completion of the Harmony project between Lyric Drive and Thunder Mountain Drive and addressed a major flow restriction in the AAA Industrial Park area affecting the Coffee Pot watershed drainage.
The design and construction cost of Phase 4 of the Harmony-Windsong project is $1.5 million. The design, easement acquisition and utility relocation costs for the AAA project are estimated at over $500,000. The construction costs are estimated at $1.7 million.
The City’s capital reserves currently stand at $11 million. However, once this year’s accelerated storm water and other capital projects are completed, that figure will be reduced to $5 million. After the completion of the Harmony-Windsong and Chapel drainage projects, many major storm water projects remain to be completed. The city is currently planning a storm water mitigation project in the lower Soldier Wash area that affects the historic Hart store and Tlaquepaque.
The current projected total cost of the 2005 City Storm Water Master Plan has risen from $15 million to more than $30 million, a massive project even by Phoenix standards. The remaining $5 million in the Capital reserve budget at the end of this fiscal year will fund the proposed storm water improvements for the coming FY 2014.
A looming question will be how to fund the continuation of the storm water master plan to mitigate flooding for residents in the other drainage areas while continuing to address the other capital infrastructure needs of the city.
This Eye on Sedona City Storm Water Master Plan and Capital Reserves was written by Councilor Mike Ward and submitted by the City of Sedona with the following disclaimer by Councilor Ward: The views that I am expressing are my personal opinions and not necessarily the opinion or position of the City of Sedona or the City Council.
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For starters how about the city cease and desist giving free money to special interests. Then abandon such nonsense as purchasing property for a creek/walk/park. If reading Mr. Ward’s article here doesn’t convince the city planners that potential flooding for such a bad idea isn’t the real deal then nothing will. High and mighty spend, spend, spend visions should immediately be tabled until adequate funding is available to take care of what should have been top priority from the get go, infrastructure demands to accomodate health, safety, and welfare of Sedona residents and tourists. Minimize funding to the chamber of commerce and that uptown group who will soon be stringing banners across the highway at the city’s expense. Don’t cry blues about lack of funding unless you can justify disgraceful waste of money on foolish projects.
@Jim, uptown – I agree with you but the thing is this: Council actually thinks the money they waste on the Chamber and other beggar groups, eyesores like road banners and etc., “grows the economy” and therefore the City’s tax revenue. They actually think they are venture capitalists. They actually think they are capable of “growing the economy.” They actually think that’s their job.
As an example, see my Sedona Eye article, “Sedona City Council Gives $28K to Mayor’s Committee.” Mayor Adumbs actually thinks wasting $28K on already failed “art” project is going to bring in money.
As another example, I just recently saw an email one of the councilor members sent to a constituent. In the email he talks about how ‘if the City can grow the economy by 5% they’ll have $600 million more in revenue.’ The key word of course is “if”…and the key point I am making is that this guy actually thinks “growing the economy” is something they are capable of doing and is part of their job description. The hubris, the ego trip displayed by such an attitude is staggering.
Sorry but I simply cannot resist. Even sitting on my hands didn’t work, so here goes.
It seems that not all properties received the 16 page tabloid describing the THREE proposed visions for future Sedona. Of course, a combination of 1, 2, or 3 is offered as an amicable solution should that be indicated from citizen response to the questionnaire, which is also available online at http://www.SedonaAZ.gov/PlanUpdate.
However, and admittedly I’ve only read the plan emphasizing on “Environment,” the suggestions offered include spending money which makes previous city expenditures pale in comparison.
In particular, “The Sedona Land Trust” pretty much takes center stage whereby it’s suggested that such an entity “acquires” creek-side undeveloped property as well as “undeveloped properties along 179” and secure a substantial amount of undeveloped land in the vicinity of the Medical Center. Included, of course, with regards to the Old Cultural Park area, “The new Sedona Land Trust has purchased the site or facilitated a transfer of development rights to land in the growing town center.”
Growing town center? And just where will that be located?
Maybe at Coffee Pot & 89A where plans for “A new natural history museum anchors diverse uses that surround the green, and line the pedestrian ways that link this area together.” Or, possibly, from the “Y” to Oak Creek Bridge area where “a creek-side park anchors this area” whereby a “landscaped transit hub drops off residents and visitors for a stroll on one of the hiking loops” etc., etc., etc. as in so said the King of Siam in a well-known old movie.
At some point within this “tabloid” it will be interesting if recommendations for sources of funding are made available, as in taxes, taxes, and more taxes.
Mind you, I’ve not read the next two chapters dealing with “Tourism” and “Community” but, since the questionnaire isn’t due until January 31, it’s essential at least for me to take a breather and prepare for the next episode. It’s only 11:35 AM as I’m writing this and my immediate thought is “it must be 5:00 PM someplace in the world.” Oh my . . . on second thought, my head is already spinning enough. :-)
Will City Hall’s “spend, spend, spend” tune ever end?
The City’s filing with the Arizona Auditor General regarding the Home Rule Election of March 2012 estimated the total amount of revenue received from federal, state and local sources for the current fiscal year at $32,005,977.
Yet in May 2012 the City Council approved apending $4.47 million more by adopting a budget of $36,469,809.
Then on November 30, 2012 the City Manager issued a memo stating the City is experiencing increasing demands for new and expanded programs and services. The memo said “The current forecast of ongoing revenue barely supports the ongoing operational need of the City” and claimed “other funding sources must be pursued” to address capital projects.
Some of City Hall’s $$$$ wish/want list involves: (1) Giving away more pork to non-profits and other groups begging for handouts; (2) Expanding normal City operating expenditures; (3) Spending around $8 million annually to pursue the non-prioritized projects listed on its 10-year Capital Improvement Plan.
Recall the City’s “Facts on Home Rule and City Finances” flyer. It stated: “Since 1996, the City has built savings for any adverse future economic times and other unexpected emergencies.” Not only are these savings under siege right now, but new funding sources and/or debt financing for future capital “needs” are wanted. As economists will tell you, as a city’s budget increases so will its future taxes and fees.
Today as I walked out to pick up the morning paper it was an instant OMG as I stopped dead in my tracks. The scenery was so overwhelmingly beautiful I could do nothing more but stand in tearful amazement, most assuredly vigilant of the reason for having struggled to remain in Sedona for the past 36 years.
The rising sun dazzled the landscape, amazingly and artfully bejeweled with Mother Nature’s frosting, outlining the natural landscape further enhanced by Sedona’s fabulous red rocks, truly an example of what money cannot buy if ever I saw one.
To think that we have a government in this unique environment who have the audacity to imagine they are capable of doing a better job than what we see before us is, indeed, an outstanding display of arrogance of power.
Having now had the questionable pleasure to read “Imagine Sedona 2020 and Beyond” in its entirety, my suggestion is for those responsible for the production is to take their three specific examples for the Community Plan revision and “stick them where the sun don’t shine.”