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Sedona Times September Newspaper Breaks Village Weed Control Story

Weeds in Arizona Hwy 179 Medians – North view – Exclusive SedonaEye.com Photo c2010

Sedona AZ (November 19, 2010)Over a year ago, I became involved in the process of awarding the landscape maintenance bid for the highway because I realized most people were unaware of the extensive data on the health hazards of pesticides and wanted to share what I’d learned as a member of the NAU Faculty Senate committee to eliminate herbicides. As a result of my advocacy, there was an outpouring of support for non-toxic methods.

In the bidding process, each company submitted a bid using traditional toxic pesticides and another using non-toxic alternatives.  District Supervisor Chip Davis invited me to attend the pre-award meeting.

When I saw the selected company’s non-toxic bid used only a line-trimmer (i.e. weed-whacker), I expressed concerns it was inadequate and advocated for a non-toxic bid that would provide satisfactory aesthetic results. Supervisor Davis disagreed.

The Board of Supervisors (BOS) awarded the contract to the weed-whacker bid with no standards for appearance. The monsoons gave us bountiful rain and the weeds grew wildly. The landscaping company did not even keep the weeds adequately cut with a line trimmer, which generated many complaints.

Knowing the landscape contract expired November 2010, I emailed the county Special Districts Coordinator (SDC) in April asking to be kept informed. The SDC informed me in August that she was requesting an extension of the current contract through June 2013, without any changes. When the item appeared on the BOS meeting agenda for September 7, and then disappeared from the agenda, I emailed the SDC asking what happened. She replied only that she had pulled it from the agenda.

When the item was re-posted for the September 20 meeting, I was alarmed to see mention of a one-time toxic weed treatment. I immediately emailed the SDC and District Supervisors saying toxic treatment violated the spirit of the contract and that the problem was due to the landscape company’s lack of attentiveness. There was no reply.

Overgrown weeds along Red Rock Scenic Highway in Village of Oak Creek - Photo by Brent Geer Maupin

Overgrown weeds along Red Rock Scenic Highway in Village of Oak Creek Sedona AZ – Exclusive SedonaEye.com Photo c2010

On September 24, an audio of the BOS meeting was posted, and I was shocked to hear that the SDC was asking not only for a one-time toxic spraying, but to change the entire contract to toxic methods. There was no mention of this in the agenda item. How could the SDC fail to inform me of this important fact after all my previous emails? Then I heard the Chairman of the All-American Road Committee and the President of the Village of Oak Creek Association speak in support of toxic spraying.

How was it that they knew the true nature of the agenda item and nothing was mentioned to me?

I emailed all of the Supervisors requesting an immediate halt to the contract renewal process until a fair hearing could be held to review the facts. No reply.

On September 26, I emailed Supervisor Davis and the SDC proposing that, since weed control accounted for only 13% of the contract, it could be removed from the contract extension and put out for independent bid as a non-toxic service with performance criteria to ensure a satisfactory job.

It was then I received a reply from Supervisor Davis saying they had already approved the contract extension.

I cannot express my deep disappointment in our so-called democratic process. Not long ago, Supervisor Davis wrote an inspiring article for our neighborhood newsletter on the meaning of democracy. I hoped that our rural community, free of the influence of big corporations, might have a truly democratic process in which all present their views and decisions are made for the greater good.

Unfortunately, we are indeed a microcosm of the larger political malaise. For the public to be heard, it takes a herculean effort on the part of ordinary citizens to raise awareness, write letters, gather petitions, prepare statements and attend meetings. But for the powerful few, it takes only a phone call. How can the public have the chance of mounting a herculean effort if we are not even aware of what is going on in the inner circle? Is this the meaning of democracy?

Hundreds of scientific studies link pesticides to increased risk of cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, birth defects and other diseases. For the privilege of using our transportation corridor, we will be exposed to those toxins for the next three years. Those with debilitating sensitivity to pesticides may not even be able to use the sidewalks and highway. This is not fiction. Real tragedy lies behind the beauty of our All-American Road.

Paul Gazda
Sedona AZ

 

(SedonaEye.com editor: The Sedona Times Publishing Newspaper received this submission from Mr. Gazda and, after creating the post, Mr. Gazda was advised that another local news outlet demanded exclusivity or it would not print his information, so we withheld the story at Mr. Gazda’s request until it was no longer “exclusive.” The SedonaEye.com does not demand “exclusivity” of contributors opinions or comments. We support free speech and open public access.)

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For the best in Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

2 Comments

  1. Pat O. says:

    Have no idea who these “other or others” are but this is the first time we read about this new contract – we did see weed control after the Maupen story so “others” are keeping the lid on about how it was done, eh?

  2. Norman T. says:

    chemicals cause diseases and kill so there is no reason that this had to be the outcome of the unwillingness of the county to control the weed growth after collecting our money

    government run amuck

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