SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie Maddock

Sedona AZ (March 23, 2016) – SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie Maddock shares an email sent to the City of Sedona City Council members:

From: Eddie Maddock

Date: 3/22/2016 7:33:13 PM

To: undisclosed-recipients

Subject:  SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 23, 2016

TO: SEDONA CITY COUNCIL – March 22, 2016

RE: CITY CONTROL OF RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE REMOVAL

Chances of this additional writing at this late date were slim to none as most likely the possibility of it being read are even more remote.

However, having briefly reviewed the expanded agenda information to be presented at the meeting tomorrow afternoon, 3/23/16 at 3:00 PM, Council Chambers, certain elements are very distressing.

First, it seems quite disingenuous for you to claim concern for saving the earth when conditions in Sedona continue to degenerate on a daily basis. If such a concept were true, you would have long ago obtained fair RFP’s for other service contracts and made more efficient demands on the effectiveness of the service being provided. Case in point: How much has the recent contract with the Chamber of Commerce for “Destination Marketing” contributed to the ever-growing and obvious number of day-trippers that have for years become an increasing problem due to inadequate infrastructure to accommodate the vast numbers.

In fact, that hindrance is the main reason I’’ll not attend tomorrow’’s meeting. In order to get out of my subdivision onto SR179 just for shopping to accommodate needs for the entire Easter weekend, it was necessary for me to do so in the early morning hours and be home by noon. Traffic backup will be prohibitive this Wednesday afternoon to reach City Hall at 3:00 in the afternoon, especially considering this is the week before Easter Sunday.

The obvious poor planning with the expansion of Tlaquepaque will exacerbate this already congested situation once completed. This is just one example of an active demonstration of realistically failing to practice what you preach: Conservation and sustainability of resources.

The focus of the witch-hunt in Staff’’s presentation is clearly directed at Taylor Waste for having done such a shameful thing as to notify their customers of the potential change in arrangement of Sedona’’s trash hauling. To put the blame on a company for displaying a competent business practice and then further insinuate it is only their customers opposing the proposal is unfounded and unfair.

Attempting to blame garbage trucks for damaging our roads is absurd. And to further imply that tourists, jeep tours, ATV’s, motor homes, moving and construction trucks do not invade our neighborhoods is simply not true. Garbage trucks, realistically, are among the least intrusive.

And you will save us money? Try to convince those of us within the estimated 85% who presently recycle that we will not be paying more for dragging out two bins weekly or biweekly, especially when we currently have efficient means to either support Sedona Recycles with assistance from their volunteers or in person.

Have you considered the effort it takes for those of us with dual hip replacements or other physical nuisances to drag one bin out and in every week let alone the added effort to do so with two?

What about those who leave Sedona for three or four months during the summer to vacation with families who will be denied the fairness of dropping the service during that period of time after the city takes over controlling garbage hauling? And no opt-out options?

But, of course, these questions were all raised during the public meetings and the answers remain void.

Some of us will never have need for bulk hauling, which is presently available through private enterprises on a needs basis.

Clearly it is your determination to force this on us, but kindly refrain from rationalizing and making inaccurate assumptions that objections are solely the result of the letters from Chris Taylor and being made by the customers of Taylor Waste. Going on record for not the first time here, it makes no difference to me who it is would get the bid. Denying the option to have a choice, the same as I had with getting service to my automobile this week, is insulting if not potentially damaging.

This has nothing to do with being “uneducated” or “ignorant” because we do not know the facts. Wake up. We see the writing on the wall. You are not practicing what you attempt to preach when you continue to approve for the demise and living conditions in Sedona, for both residents and tourists.

It obviously doesn’t matter to you how many residents move out of Sedona since you do little if anything to enhance our quality of life. I will no longer walk my dog in our neighborhood because of the filthy, ugly, almost dangerous patched roads, and heavy tourist traffic –- yes – within the neighborhood. No blame on garbage trucks is justifiable for this. Where is your great concern for protecting the environment? Selective and self-serving clearly is the answer to that.

Realizing none of this will make a difference because of your determination to manipulate the results of your public outreach to suit your desires, it really is sad that you are so insensitive and determined to take matters into your own hands with little to no regard for those of us paying the price in more ways than one. And by the way, weren’t you elected to represent our preferences even when they were not in sync with your own?

You will be making a decision affecting the lives of thousands of people for years to come such as was set in motion by a previous council when they entered into multiple year service contracts with yet to be determined valid statistics on the wisdom of those decisions. Of course this time when you opt to move forward it will be only $75,000 of public money –for something again we do not wish to have. But that will also be disputed by the use of your magical manipulative methods which are really far more transparent than you must realize.

Your choice will be either to serve the will of the people – and not the will determined by voodoo methods –or by using the option at your discretion of abuse of power – as in “this is what I think is best for the community.”

Sedona roads are designed for slow scenic views and sharing the road drives and maintenance caused by rushing waters, shifting ground, and mountainous terrain contribute to transportation issues.

As time goes on and remembering how much my late husband loved Sedona, the one thing for which I’’m grateful is he isn’’t here to witness the demise of what we struggled so long and hard for – to make a living and remain here for so many years. To work for and promote the Chamber of Commerce, Library, Humane Society, Elks Club – and now for what? Everything we left big cities for has now consumed our once small town for powerful big city politics that will tell us what’’s best for us? Chuck, my dear husband, you missed only heartache by not living long enough to retire here.

With profound sadness that it became necessary to convey this, but the upside is I’’m in no position to play God and make choices for a bunch of stupid, ignorant people that can no longer think for themselves. How lucky for you to have that option and the arrogance of power to exercise it. Good luck and even better luck to future city councils that will inherent the ongoing questionable decisions being made in Sedona on a daily basis.

Need proof? Take a drive around town.

Eddie S. Maddock
39 Year Anniversary will be March 31

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