SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie S. Maddock
Sedona AZ – At a Special Sedona City Council Meeting, 3:00 Wednesday afternoon on January 11, 2017, after three long years of a contentious destination marketing agreement with the Sedona Chamber of Commerce, the City will again revisit the issue. We can only hope the negotiations will prove to be less controversial, fairer, and, in turn, result in acceptable transparency which will dismiss suspicion and mistrust of City Hall dealings. That might very well have been the case had the original commitment for Requests for Proposals (RFPs) as well as certified outside audits been upheld as proposed during the initial negotiations. Ignoring both valid concerns was a disservice to everyone.
Five options will be discussed at this meeting as follows:
Option 1: Move forward with the negotiations of a new contract with the Chamber of Commerce.
Option 2: Issue an RFP for tourism promotion services.
Option 3: Create a stand-alone destination marketing organization (DMO) without ties to the Chamber of Commerce.
Option 4: Create a City Department to handle tourism promotion.
Option 5: Issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a travel industry consultancy to assess the current structure, funding relationships, etc. and provide recommendations to the city.
Pros and cons of each option will be discussed at length, such as concerns RFPs will include bids from for-profit agencies. That brings up several questions. Without an official outside audit from a qualified source, how do they know the Chamber has not been making a profit? How many employees have they hired? What has been the cost of improvement to its own facilities, etc? And what is the source of funding for those operating expenses?
And will the City acknowledge the Chamber currently offers its own RFPs for specific services, realistically reducing it to a mere middle-agency, acting on behalf of the City of Sedona?
And how do they justify the extended branding of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce that has occurred within the past three years? What has been the source of that promotional funding for the Chamber instead of the City?
By creating a stand-alone destination marketing organization, the City could avoid real or perceived conflicts between tourism promotion services and the various other functions of the Chamber of Commerce. Although they specify… it is unclear how local and regional partners would react… why should that concern the City? Should their focus at long last be redirected to the residents of incorporated Sedona? They are the people who created the City in the first place, clearly, and with the knowledge it attracted tourists.
Sure, a stand-alone destination marketing organization would result in the re-creation of an already established and successful local agency. However the extent of success of the present local agency has never been undisputedly proven. The source of increased revenue after the great recession coupled with a reduction in gasoline prices has never factually been factored into the increased tourism and resulting upswing in revenue. Nor has it been determined to what extent advertising monies have merely resulted in excessive daytripping, which the City’s infrastructure clearly cannot handle.
As for the suggestion for Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a travel industry consultancy to assess and monitor the current structure, would that be nothing more than a babysitter for the contract with the Chamber of Commerce? Should the City have been serving that function for the past three years?
It has frequently been said the City could not afford to operate their stand-alone department. And how would they know? With a Chamber of Commerce now providing funding for USFS trail maintenance, contributing money back to the City for their traffic study, and other generous but questionably frivolous expenditures, most recently to propose purchasing property on behalf of the City with what appears to be leftover funds from the bed tax rebate, how can they make that determination without a precise and reliable audit from an authentic source? They cannot. Is there any reasonable explanation why the City should not take responsibility for allocating the bed tax revenue – all of it – including over and above destination marketing?
And the perfect opportunity to establish a genuine Sedona Visitors Center has been ignored by not including such a service at the Western Gateway. How long will this City tolerate discrimination of their own legitimate licensed, tax collecting businesses within City Limits unless they are forced to be members of what clearly is a regional Chamber of Commerce? And the practice of paid referrals is common, but should the City be involved by financing the activity with public funds and further discriminating against in-city businesses?
Molly Spangler recently hired by the city of Sedona AZ as its Economic Development Director.
With the recent hiring of a professional, Molly Spangler, to serve as Economic Development Director, there is really no need to burden our busy Chamber of Commerce with more additional duties besides servicing its members, which is the purpose of its non-profit organization.
Since when was the Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau deemed the “Destination Marketing & Management Organization in Sedona for 65 years?” Up until just a few years ago was it not the Oak Creek Canyon Sedona Chamber of Commerce, then changed to Sedona Chamber of Commerce, and most recently “& Tourism Bureau” was tacked on? This elaborate extension of creating yet another illusion that simply does not exist is pretty much over the top. Wouldn’t you agree? Dumb question.
There is already a campaign in motion to “Make America Great Again.” How about a local endeavor to “Make Sedona Respectable Again”? Meet and greet our visitors with an authentic Sedona Visitors Center and related advertising?
Don’t we deserve it like other places?
Flagstaff (AZ) and Park City (UT) are but two examples that offer proof they survive very well without financial support to their respective Chambers of Commerce.
Read www.SedonaEye.com for daily news and interactive views!
Thank you!
Bravo!!!!
Bravo Eddie! You really hit the nail on the head.
According to the local pulp newspaper, John Martinez stated each member of council has been contacted by residents requesting that an RFP be conducted (COUNCIL TO TALK TOURISM DEAL, January 4, 2017).
” ‘I’m not sure if these individuals have something against the chamber or if they simply don’t want Sedona to be promoted at all,’ he said.” Consider this. Several individuals have told Vice Mayor Martinez in detail exactly why an RFP is needed, some writing the Council directly. Is bias and refusal to listen what John has to offer?
F.Y.I. about promotion. Fodor, the world’s largest producer of English language travel and tourism information–and a professional producer of travel guidebooks–has extensive coverage of Sedona as well as expert information on hotels, restaurants, Pink Jeep Tours, hiking, etc. Ditto Frommer, one of America’s foremost budget travel authorities since the 1950s, who states “Sedona is the most popular destination in the Southwest….Nowhere…in the entire country…will you find a town or city in a more beautiful setting,” etc. And AirBnB in Sedona indicates it has 300+ rentals in Sedona [with a sizable range of prices and pictures galore].
Is there hope? Could there be light at the end of the tunnel? Or did I overlook something? In the 12 page “2016 Annual Community Report” mailed by the city, conspicuous by absence was NO mention of the Chamber of Commerce – not under accomplishments or objectives for 2017. To my recollection this is a first in who knows how long this regional Chamber of Commerce hasn’t received undue accolades from this city government, be it for their ability to scam funds, the marathon, Holiday Central, or a myriad of other activities that occurred in Sedona for years prior to their overwhelming control and overstepping. If this is a sign of policy change, then at long last many of us might respond with “thank you – it’s about time”. However I’ll not be holding my breath.
Jerry, resident (Sedona City Limits)
Heads up! Check out what happened in Arkansas: http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2015/01/10/ruling-on-tax-money-for-chambers-of-commerce-gets-statewide-notice
“Pierce ruled that the Arkansas Constitution prohibits municipal payments to private corporations and that the cities’ effort to call the money service contracts was an artifice — lipstick on a pig in his memorable words.”
It is a big game with the City mismanagement at the core of the issue.
It is easy for the city to outsource to their friends at the Chamber than be accountable, responsible and fair.
The report by the city is biased the only solution is to cut off ALL ties to the Chamber. Between (deleted by editor)and (deleted by editor) the chamber will get inside information so that they will get the contract anyway.
CUT ALL TIES to the REGIONAL Chamber.
Source, Wikipedia:
“A chamber of commerce (or board of trade) is a form of business network, for example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community. Local businesses are members, and they elect a board of directors or executive council to set policy for the chamber. The board or council then hires a President, CEO or Executive Director, plus staffing appropriate to size, to run the organization.
As a non-governmental institution, a chamber of commerce has no direct role in the writing and passage of laws and regulations that affect businesses. It may however, lobby in an attempt to get laws passed that are favorable to businesses.
JJ said Fodor, the world’s largest producer of English language travel and tourism information–and a professional producer of travel guidebooks–has extensive coverage of Sedona as well as expert information on hotels, restaurants, Pink Jeep Tours, hiking, etc. Ditto Frommer, f
yes jean the writers of both Frommers and fodor travel writers have stayed in town and at El portal over the years thanks to the chamber making arrangements , booking all the side trips and taking them around town……
thanks Jean for making my point
Sedona is a single industry town. It would be a terrible idea to have a City Department that handles tourism promotion. The residents would be financially liable should tourism go south due to world chaos and the City face insolvency.
Does the City truly need to spend millions on marketing Sedona? Isn’t this unproven? I like Eddie’s idea to Make Sedona Respectable Again. Dirty politics, freewheeling, conflicts of interest, discrimination against non-member City businesses, scamming the taxpayers, lying with statistics, day-trippers clogging our streets, quality of life issues, etc., have become a way of life. The last I heard membership in the Chamber cost $400 annually, and the vast majority of its members were located outside incorporated Sedona.
Heads up! Check out what happened in Arkansas: http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2015/01/10/ruling-on-tax-money-for-chambers-of-commerce-gets-statewide-notice
Some other great Arkansas laws
The Arkansas River can rise no higher than to the Main Street bridge in Little Rock.
A law provides that school teachers who bob their hair will not get a raise.
A man can legally beat his wife, but not more than once a month.
Oral sex is considered to be sodomy.
Alligators may not be kept in bathtubs.
wow , good state to pick Heads up. perhaps you should move (low taxes no tourists)
wonder why….
Given enough rope, people will hang themselves. Without going through hundreds of comments on Sedona Eye, even though it probably wouldn’t be that difficult to locate, time and time again S. Segner has posted a proclamation that he receives nothing from the money the Chamber receives from the city.
However, he now writes: “yes jean the writers of both Frommers and fodor travel writers have stayed in town and at El portal over the years thanks to the chamber making arrangements , booking all the side trips and taking them around town……
thanks Jean for making my point.”
And why in the world would the Chamber, of all the lodging facilities in Sedona, just happen to refer El Portal, which is owned by Steve Segner, number one promoter and spokesperson at council meetings promoting the destination marketing contract for the Chamber? Of course that in no way, shape, or form implies a conflict of interest. Right?
By the same manner these mysterious events continue to surface, please don’t be shocked if at the Wednesday meeting the council selects Option 2 and solicits RFP’s. And don’t be further surprised, or disappointed it that’s the case, if by some miracle the end result just happens to indicate guess what? The Chamber of Commerce submitted the lowest bid.
Love, love, the link provided describing the Arkansas ruling which prohibits municipal payments to private corporations that cities try to cover up as service contracts. Considering the current decision is under appeal, maybe the judge in the Appeals Court would be interested in the three-year plus horror story of Sedona, Arizona. In fact, maybe our own Arizona State Legislators should be advised of the sensible approach Arkansas is presently dealing with their similar issues. “Lipstick on a pig.” Indeed.
Here’s another one, maybe trite but true: “If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas.” Translated: If you become involved with bad company, there will be negative consequences.
Looks like the City forgot Option # 6, which would be to get out of the business of supporting business altogether.
Thank you, Mr. Segner, for pointing out that at least Arkansas got the most important thing correct:
LIPSTICK ON PIGS
When the shoe fits, wear it.
I challenge the Chamber of Commerce members and Steve and that city Council to set aside one month in summer and one mo th in winter as eco-friendly bus riders for the city —– lead us all by your example of what you expect us to do you will do
Even if the chamber is not awarded another bogus contract how do the citizens get reimbursed for the millions that have already been stolen.
You bring up an excellent point, Mr. Byrne. This council is so hypocritical it stinks. They claim to strive for sustainability and yet by virtue (or lack thereof) everything they do associated with the chamber of commerce is just the opposite. Think about it.
@WSR, Wsr, west Sedona Resident, Anonymous (all of which you’ve admitting to being), wherever you are;
In President Obama’s televised interview Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” with George Stephanopoulos, the President (reflecting on his legacy) claimed that he inspired the TEA PARTY movement which helped to “invigorate” the grass roots. “I gather I’m the father of the Tea Party,” Obama said, followed by the statement, “Um, I invigorated the grassroots in the Republican Party as well as the Democratic Party.
Don’t believe me? Below is the video link to Obama’s interview with Stephanopoulos where you, and the public, can see and hear it for yourself. I think this video evidence proves conclusively, once and for all, that you WSR, Wsr, west Sedona Resident/Anonymous have never known what you were talking about in any of your posts at this site. And, that’s in light of the fact that you’ve already proved that you can’t be trusted when you got caught up in your own lies about your identity on Dec 6 in this blog exchange with J. Rick:
J. Rick Normand says:
December 6, 2016 at 9:21 am
@West sedona Resident, WSR, Wsr, & Anonymous,
Do you realize that you’ve just admitted that YOU’RE ALL FOUR OF THESE HANDLES while accusing me of being two handles with no evidence or confirmation of any kind? Can’t you ever do anything right?
JRN
>>>>>>
West sedona resident says:
December 6, 2016 at 2:16 pm
JRN
So what….
Wsr WSR west sedona resident. Yeah it’s all me …I repeat so what….there’s all the same…. I’m not pretending to be JRN. And the Thought Proctologist… what’s your point…..Or as in most of your posts….”there is no point”. Just a lot of huffing and hot air
Nevertheless, here’s the video of Obama’ admittance regarding the Tea Party-
”http://www.infowars.com/video-obama-claims-to-be-the-father-of-the-tea-party/
Eddie Maddock
Your dissatisfaction with the CoC and the city council contract is so obvious that one would think that your comments here would get across to both groups. You say that you have the ear of each council member and yet, they don’t listen to you. That’s so unacceptable! Do they know that you are a voice to be reckoned with!!
May I suggest that you, J Rick Normand, JeanJ, JJ and the rest who seem to know more then any of us go to that meeting take your 5 minutes of fame and speak your peace.
I was surprised when another poster suggested that with the trash proposal and not one of you showed up.
Mr. R. O’Donnell, if you are attempting to pass yourself off as the gentleman that previously ran for a position on the Sedona City Council and whom, incidentally, I’ve never met, I will not buy into your charade. Your comments are way out of line.
Where, exactly has it been said or written I “have the ear of each council member?”
My suggestion to you is either qualify the source of your information or obtain legal advice.
The balance of your input was snide and sooo unprofessional it isn’t even worth acknowledging.
Your time will be better spent in studying the latest e-blast sent out by the Chamber of Commerce and rehearsing your speech for the council meeting tomorrow afternoon.
Eddie Maddock
Eddie,
You are right, whomever wrote that statement with the name R O’Donnell, was not me, in fact, I have ALWAYS written comments with my full name. I appreciate your ability to recognize something that was not from me. It might also be an assumption that R stands for a male name. I would hope Sedona eye could do something to stop bogus statements and by people who are trying to slander someone’s reputation. There are other O’Donnells in the world too.
@ R O’Donnell,
I find it most interesting that you evidence the very same problem with homophones as Steve Segner. He often reveals this problem such as mistaking the word “peace” for “piece” as you do in your post. The real Robert O’Donnell is extraordinarily literate and I don’t believe would commit this linguistic oversight.
Meanwhile, if any of you readers care to research Steve Segner’s many posts relative to his oft repeated complaint “May I suggest that you, J Rick Normand, JeanJ, JJ and the rest who seem to know more then any of us go to that meeting take your 5 minutes of fame and speak your peace” and “I was surprised when another poster suggested that with the trash proposal and not one of you showed up,” you will find that they read almost identically to this complaint in this post.
Finally, in the past, the real Robert O’Donnell has always used his full name. Steve Segner has no compunction whatsoever about using false handles meant to appear to me other real people.
In light of all that I’ve stated above, I believe this post was submitted by Steve Segner.
JRN
And why is it so many people recognize this Chamber/Sedona Lodging scam except those that are forking out millions of $$$ to them. Namely: Sedona City Council & Staff? Which comes first, amazing or stupid?
Eddie Maddock:
You know what they say about ASSUMING anything.
I never used Mr. or even eluded to my sex.
I forgot about the Robert O’Donnell in Sedona who ran a lacking campaign for town council and I want to eliminate any confusion as I am not him. I still stand by my original posting.
I don’t have to seek legal advise nor to I have to take the time to quality my source. If you wish to take the time to search SE and while it may not have been those exact words, YOU SAID IT in one of your postings!
Concerning post of January 9, 2011 at 11.58 a.m. from Steve Segner. Once again I have to tell the f****ng nudnik that JJ and Jean are not the same individual.
Definitely I agree 100% with JRN that the post by R O’Donnell was written and submitted by Steve Segner. Please don’t buy any of Steve’s tourism statistics either.
In light of all that I’ve stated above, I believe this post was submitted by Steve Segner.
no me I will alway use my name no fear…. see you all tonight
It’s easy to spot desperation. R O’Donnell is a prime example. Why would anyone subject themselves to embarrassment by going before a hostile crowd at a public meeting, only to be humiliated? We saw enough of that during the garbage hauling issue. R. O’Donnell doesn’t seem to get it. It’s the chamber/lodging council that has the ears, eyes, bodies and souls of this city council. So quit whining and trying to skew the facts.
It’s 3:22 PM – council meeting delayed starting promptly @ 3:00. City Manager introduced options under consideration. No point in watching or continuing with meeting for that matter since the City Manager already gave such a glowing review of the chamber of commerce this entire procedure is no more than a joke.
Get on with it city council. Cut to the chase. Renew the contract with the chamber – no accountability and a bunch of lies about your ROI (return on investment) if, in fact, any exists.
Sick, sick, sick – you people represent everyone except those unfortunate enough to live in city limits. Sure – move out will be a response to that. How about those that disregard the reason for incorporation pack up your overblown egos and get the heck out of here yourselves.
Without outside intervention nothing will stop the stalking of the wolves or the sharks circling this sinking ship Sedona.
Ha Rick showed good for him the rest of you are all losers
You could have taken several hours out of you TV watching and told the council your courcens.
No point, to late in day, all your great comment never said….. you just showed once agean the you have no political power . Influcance comes from getting evolved . Donna will keep it up I am sure and you will all agree but it will make no difference the council got the real numbers ha,
So sorry that you didn’t like the outcome of the town meeting. I was there and spoke in favor of renewing the Chamber contract along with many others WHERE WERE YOU oh yeah I guess home baking a cake or maybe tea biscuits!
Of course J Ricky was there spewing his opinion and if he spoke a bit faster he could have actually made his point for the 10 of you on SE. Not surprising that Eddie, JeanJ, JJ and DJV, none of you naysayers felt that your opinions were important enough to speak your peace.
What if the city attorney and city council didn’t have assurance from Arizona State Legislators this issue wasn’t under the jurisdiction of SB 1487? Would they have been so brazen as to blatantly thumb their noses at other options and the number of e-mails and concerns expressed by mere tax-paying residents and abused in -city businesses? Doubt it. Set up from the get go. Regret my vote for three new council members and, especially, State reps. that clearly jumped on the band wagon to corruption.
Revel in your victory. Nothing last forever.
stop whining if this whole chamber issue meant that much to you why didn’t you show your face and speak up for the reduced 2 minutes allowed?
regret your vote for the newly elected council folk, too bad, maybe they did their job heard the facts and voted with true belief instead closed minds.
With unanimous approval to proceed with re-applying “lipstick on the pig” this means it’s super-great to use city tax money to improve USFS trails, return money to city if and when chamber feels it appropriate, blah, blah, blah.
Wonder if the chamber will be that generous when new methods for moving traffic are put in motion – such as funding for new roads, etc. etc. etc. There isn’t enough money now to maintain what we have (City owned roads in subdivisions) let alone build new ones. So, when the demand comes for improvement taxing districts or even city property taxes, keep in mind how these public funds are presently being frittered away. See how far you get by begging from the chamber. Only members need apply. Woo hoo – who’s in this driver’s seat? NOT Sedona residents.
@ Segner
Round one. It doesn’t do any good to go to city council meetings when you losers have the council in your back pocket. He who laughs last laughs best. See you on the other side souphead!
After last night meeting and the outcome, and the no shows from the sedona Eye,I will no longer need to follow all the crazy talk signing off no more posts.
If you see a steve segner it will be a phony posting been fun so long ss
Code of ethics
Those claims may be consistent with the emergence of the council-manager form of government: a system in which political leadership and professional leadership are blended and public policy decisions are made by elected officials on the basis of professional recommendations and advice using the objective standards of cost, efficiency, measurable outcomes and optimum service to the citizens rather than because of political influence, cronyism, nepotism, favoritism, or dishonesty
http://www.azleague.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/199
Ah hah,
Code of Ethics = Donna Joy (deleted by editor). All mouth, no guts.
And why would ANYONE post a comment using the name “Steve Segner?” (or Steve segner; steve Segner)? Wishful thinking?
Oh Donna what’s the point????
Possibly against my better judgment, I will comment here, primarily to confirm once and for all to the nit-wit that inferred I had “the ear” of City Council members how wrong he/she was.
However, since so many of you are anxious to rub it in to those who maybe had higher expectations of this City Council than to slam-dunk the Chamber contract six months in advance, look at it this way. Done deal. So let us move on to other things.
For one, this day I had no less than ten phone calls from this number: 1-844-308-6817, identified as a “toll free number.” Because I do not answer unfamiliar calls, two messages were left advising me I hadn’t paid something or other (recorded message was so unclear, even having received it twice I remain clueless as to what I allegedly hadn’t paid) and unless I called the toll-free number “all services would be disconnected.”
Well, because of having a scanner here for the past 35 years (not that I pay that much attention anymore) I did, however, pick up on a call someone had placed wanting to report what sounded like the same fraud going on here.
Much later in the day, after having received even more calls from this same number which, however, I intervened simply by picking up the phone receiver and slamming it down, no more messages were left but I did call the Sedona Police Dept. to let them know about these ongoing incidents.
A report was made when an officer/detective called me back and the incident(s) were efficiently made official and, with gratitude expressed from both parties, we terminated the conversation.
Point being – most assuredly I do not have “the ears” of the City Council but the two people with whom I spoke at the police department displayed not only professional but genuine personal interest in the nature of my call.
I thank them very much and, in particular, will take this opportunity to welcome the new Chief of Police, David McGill. Having only caught a portion of his swearing in ceremony at the council meeting, it was an instant positive instinct that conveyed he is a splendid edition to Sedona. Of course, when he displayed the courage to post a prior announcement on Sedona Eye that he was our new Chief of Police, there was no need for further convincing than that single act of bravery by entering into this den of lions.
Thank you, Sir, from the bottom of my heart. In my opinion, you are a first class act – remaining unmatched in this neck of the woods.
Eddie Maddock
Great Editorial in the 1/13/17 Red Rock News where you pain painstakingly listed each option for the CoC along with the good, bad and the ugly choices that the city council can make while debunking every naysayer on this blog site. I was always opposed to the city giving away money to the CoC because of what I read on the Eye by posters Rick Normand, Eddie Maddock and a slew of others and now, I understand and have changed my views. Talk about blowing the wind out of their sails Mr. Graham a job well done.
Segner has posted that before. hahahahahahahaha
It won’t take him long to post if he hasn’t already.
He can’t help himself he has (deleted by editor) syndrome. He can’t function without the taxpayers paying for his ads. Greedy and cheap. Subsidised by government.
Scared cause their operations aren’t sustainable. Guess they can’t stand on their own income since the state allows vacation rentals and those that use outfit like AirBnB you won’t be paying into the City bed tax you. Poor poor evie little old guy will have to lower his rates to get anyone to stay at that tiny BnB.
Why stay at an overpriced BnB like steves when you can rent the whole house?
Beggars. They can’t earn their own money.
“objective standards of cost, efficiency, measurable outcomes and optimum service to the citizens rather than because of political influence, cronyism, nepotism, favoritism, or dishonesty”
Are you kidding? In Sedona? No way they are above the law. Time to disincorporate.
To bad Sedona is the most corrupt city in Arizona. Could this be why the city has been shrinking while others surrounding cities are growing?
Chris is one of the takers. He takes grant money from the city along with paid ads for ads the city posts on that rag of cxax.
The then again just go to any of the local parties and when chris appears you have the real answers. flying high
And why, “Chris Graham, you opened my eyes -WIDE!” as long standing members of the Chamber of Commerce would anyone be surprised about the glowing review by the current editor of the Red Rock News? And even though the Chamber CEO’s husband’s name no longer appears as a partner at the bottom of the home page of the web edition of the RRN, does that mean he no longer is affiliated in that endeavor? Same old, same old – sleep with dogs – wake up with fleas. Keep on scratching.
“Sedona is above the law”???? Reilly DJV why because they support improving and bettering the city FOR EVERYONE.
“To bad Sedona is the most corrupt city in Arizona” corrupt is a serious word Donna Joy. If you feel that is true why not tell someone in authority or stop your postings for good.
If you felt that way why didn’t you speak up at Tuesdays council meeting? You didn’t so stop complaining.
Come on Eddie:
For you to say:
“are anxious to rub it in to those who maybe had higher expectations of this City Council than to slam-dunk the Chamber contract six months in advance, look at it this way. Done deal.”
I know that you watched the meeting video, how can you possibly have higher expectations? I’m proud of the way the council folk voted those 2 news councilors that I voted for did exactly what they promised. They read the facts and made smart choices. You are well known for being anti-growth and anti anything Sedona especially anything related to the Chamber. No matter how often you and your friend Donna complain because of her personal vendetta, things improve (except for traffic of course) Did you notice how tax revenue is up by over $2M this past year? Most well run businesses are thriving except of course for that bakery in W. Sedona but that had nothing to do with the chamber.
Eddie why don’t you just stick to those feel good dog stories and leave DJV politics out of SE
So you want to move on to other things Eddie that’s fine with me but in a year remember that.
BTW, I’m not interested in your story about phone scammers. You didn’t get scammed because you’re a smart gal be happy with that.
It’s been clear to me for about 15 years that the City should issue an RFP for advertising and promotion. Within that document there should be reporting times when various types of measurements with date for when they would be due to be reported. We are missing out on being creative in a highly competitive market, but creative marketplace. You would think our brilliant citizens would have already considered this to be the case.
Come on Ms Bear I guess you didn’t watch or attend the council meeting why they rejected an RFP was very transparent. As for reporting measurements, you missed that also because the CoC comes in front of the Council twice a year to do just what yo9u are asking.
Stick to what you do best, protect us from smart meters.
To the wonderful unnamed person that anonymously took pleasure in taking me to task, I have one question. If you are so proud and certain about the credibility of your statements then why is it you will not proudly identify yourself? Even in defeat and being such a despicable person as you portray me, I have no problem in revealing my true identity. So, in spite of your claims of honesty, wisdom, and virtue, why do you refuse to substantiate them by happily advertising your name? You should be proud to do so as you claim victory in this most recent Sedona battle.
And if you find my comments so boring, then why in the world do you waste your time reading them?
To the person that so criticized Mrs. Maddock for suggesting the victory of the chamber of commerce and their allies would generate the reaction of taking glee in rubbing in to the losers, (Mrs. Maddock being among them) – don’t you realize that is exactly what you did in your comment – therefore proving once again that she told it just the way it is. Gloat, you fools. You earned it and by the stroke of apparently some very good advice you pulled it off. However, don’t forget ultimately cheaters never win and Karma works in mysterious ways.