Sedona AZ (February 13, 2013) – The following is a Letter to the SedonaEye.com editor written by a City of Sedona taxpayer concerned about the City potential fiscal cliff if it proceeds with its requested Capital Improvement Plan projects:
Isn’t it great City Hall is spending down reserves/savings amassed since incorporation and will only have enough for the next year or two before it runs out of funding for capital project needs? And that soon General Fund operating finances are going to be in hot water also?
Why, according to the City Manager in his November 30, 2012, memo to the Mayor and Council concerning the upcoming budget: “The current forecast of ongoing revenue barely supports the ongoing operational needs of the City.” In addition, January’s “Sedona Storm Water Plan Incomplete After Spending Millions” article by Councilor Ward states the current cost of the City Storm Water Master Plan has risen from $15 million to more than $30 million.
If this overwhelming financial mess isn’t enough, the City has come up with a wholly unrealistic 10-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) with 4 pages of ”wish-list” projects totaling $64.85M — $16.98M for next fiscal year alone (Ref. CIP FY2014 column). $8M of the $16.98M includes $3.92M for the “Creek Access/Creek Park” and a $4M “blank check” to Community Development for “Property Acquisition – Misc Sites.”
Will the lion’s share of the $4M be used to purchase “misc sites” for the Creek Walk somewhere along the way?
Looking back to January 2006: Marie Brown, the then-Director of Community Services, sent out a “Dear Resident” Survey TO EVERY RESIDENT asking what was wanted from the City by way of parks and recreation. As I clearly recollect, those returning Marie’s survey wanted more parking at trail heads and some bike lanes. They were happy with the Forest Service amenities in our area, and did not want more parks.
At present the City is busy fast-tracking its proposed 10-Year CIP, implausible FY2014 $16.98M “wish list” and all, through four so-called public meetings this month. The General Public Meeting will be held on February 19th. Aren’t these meetings a prelude to the City shoehorning its $16.98M “wish list” into the FY 2013/14 Budget EN MASSE the date of its adoption (probably in June 2013)?
The City is spending down reserves entirely and failing to keep any funds for its capital needs beyond FY 2014/15. Except for drainage projects, what’s the urgency of the others listed in the FY2014 column? Are all necessary? Have they been prioritized? The Waste Water Plant is financially self-sufficient IF no new projects are undertaken.
Common sense tells us the vast majority of projects must either be moved to later years or deleted altogether.
By the way, with no mention of the City’s limited financial resources, the Planning and Zoning Commissioners were informed at their January 31st Work Session that the “2014 projects have been appropriated” [NOT TRUE] and that the City is planning to spend on them all. Nevertheless, the 2014 projects must not be crammed into the FY 2013/14 Budget the minute it is adopted. They must come up before the City Council and the Public for consideration and full review ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS before receiving Council approval and getting into the budget.
Sadly, the economy is in the toilet and businesses and residents are hurting. Still, the City is pursuing an unbelievably wasteful CIP and looking for “new revenue sources” in order to spend more.
Contrary to what the Council has been brainwashed to believe, when sewer fees are added in with sales tax revenues, residents — not tourists — are paying the largest percentage of the City’s bills. Instead of being addicted to increasing fees and taxes, or adding to the City’s enormous bond debt, our Mayor and City Councilors must exercise due diligence and ensure the City lives within its means.
In other words, they have to rein in spending.
See https://www.sedonaaz.gov/Sedonacms/modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=18435 for the CIP.
Sincerely, Jean Jenks Sedona AZ
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I am of the opinion that the elected ones in the City of Sedona have their priorities scewed. Where is the interest in beautifyiing/improving living conditions in two areas in the city? Windsong Trailer Park has been an eyesore for more than the 20 years I have lived here. Yet the city does not force the owner of the property to improve the conditions of the homes and property. The city should be ashamed to allow that property to continue to exist in such a shameful condition. Have you ever gone down the hill into the other trailer park, Oak Creek, that is just past the Hillside property on Hwy 179. It is at least as bad as Windsong. The city seems to ignore the awful living conditions at both sites. It is a disgrace that the owners get away with collecting all of the rental income. Certainly I understand that the rentals are all many low income people can afford. Humans, both adults and children NEED TO COME FIRST!!
God bless sane people. Why can’t we have more people in government who understand that you CANNOT keep raising taxes and spending. Eventually, everyone runs out of money and the system fails. Good stuff, Jean.
Thank you, Jean, for yet another heads-up to the fast-track spending spree this current administration has opted to ram down our throats. Many things appear to have bypassed protocol and I’m hoping with all my might that if my opinion is accurate they will be exposed prior to the point of no return, which I’m afraid is looming in the very near future.
Jean THE HAMMER Jenks nails it once again.
The City Council has failed to hold Public Hearings and take Public Comments on the “Creek Access/Creek Park” or the “Banners for Uptown.” Instead, these and several other capital projects were included in last year’s CIP project list. After adoption of that CIP, all such projects were fast-tracked into the FY 2012-13 Budget. So now there are after-the-fact public meetings and hearings to sanitize this possibly illegal deed and to legitimize the City’s new, confusing, treacherous M.O.
Currently, additional capital projects such as “Property Acquisition-Misc Sites,” $4 million, are in the process of being fast-tracked into the FY 2013-14 Budget via the current CIP.
I hope citizens are aware of how badly they are getting screwed by our City Council. No taxpayer funds should be appropriated for CIP-listed projects BEFORE Council approval on a CASE BY CASE basis. Public Hearings must be held and Public Comments taken first.
BTW, the City Manager’s Office states the CIP is intended to identify “capital needs within the fiscal capabilities and limitations of the City.” So why did our City Council ask the Budget Oversight Commission to evaluate possible sources of new fees and taxes needed for future capital improvement projects (Ref. BOC Dec and Jan mtg audios)? Why do capital project “needs” suddenly require public outreach and “education?”
Sedona City Council must rein in spending.
Amen…. Let us pray.
I received word from Assistant City Manager Daines yesterday that the Official Public Notice concerning the [so-called] Public Input period was not posted correctly. In other words, the public meeting noticed for Jan 19th went AWOL. A new public meeting is TENTATIVELY being set for March 5th.
I sincerely hope this has not inconvenienced anyone.
—– Original Message —–
From: Karen Daines
To: jeankjenks
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 8:31 AM
Subject: Re: GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING ON THE 10-YEAR CIP
Ms. Jenks, we are in the process of posting a cancellation for this meeting. My apologies, the official public notice was not posted correctly, and therefore we must reschedule the meeting. I am tentatively rescheduling for Tuesday March 5th, two weeks from today, from 4:30 – 6:30 in the Vultee Conference Room here at City Hall. Once that meeting is confirmed I will send you the posting directly. Again, my most sincere apologies for this error. Thank you, Karen
Karen Daines
Assistant City Manager
102 Roadrunner Drive
Sedona, AZ 86336
(o) 928 203 5067
(f) 928 282 5671
kdaines@sedonaaz.gov
>>> “jeankjenks” 2/16/2013 5:37 AM >>>
Dear Ms. Daines,
Please advise when and where the General Public Meeting on February 19th will be held. Also I’d appreciate a link to the Agenda.
REF http://www.sedonaaz.gov/Sedonacms/index.aspx?page=473&recordid=1567
Thank you,
Jean Jenks
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear to be bright until you hear them speak. Good luck with your batch of politicians.