SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie Maddock provides a forum for Sedona mayoral candidate, Kurt Gehlbach, to provide his perspective on the March 2020 City Council decision to approve the purchase of 430 Forest Road (Uptown) for over its appraised value, and encumbering more than $11 million in new debt for city taxpayers if projected tourism parking meter income fails to service the debt.
Sedona AZ – Although earth as an orb continues its normal rotation, global inhabitants have been thrown into an alien orbit which is NOT in outer space. The seriousness of the deadly coronavirus is reality in the truest form. Isn’t it somewhat stunning to become shell-shocked and forced to face the fact that mere mortals really don’t have a great deal of control?
However and in spite of the turmoil, it is an election year and survivors of the pandemic will have the privilege of casting votes in Sedona for candidates vying for Sedona Mayor and rotating seats on the Sedona City Council.
The two mayoral contenders remain Mayor Sandy Moriarty, opting for yet another term, and a new name on the slate, Kurt Gehlbach.
Because the coronavirus conflict quite likely will obstruct the opportunity for city council candidate forums prior to the primary vote in August, Mr. Gehlbach contacted me inquiring about the possibility for Sedona Eye to feature some information about him. Therefore, this resulting article has been derived solely from e-mail communication obliging the mandate for no private meetings, consultations, or even phone calls.
Mr. Gehlbach opted to focus on his own perspective relating to the city council’s recent approval at the council meeting on March 24, 2020:
- AB 2570 Approval of a Resolution authorizing a Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement for the City of Sedona to purchase the property located at 430 Forest Road (APN 401-160-71) located in Coconino County, City of Sedona, Arizona, for the sum of $480,000 for use as a parking structure.
Due to recent global events creating such an upheaval and uncertain economic predictions, Kurt Gehlbach maintains this premise:
Sedona AZ uptown tourist traffic. The city plans to build parking garages for 500 additional vehicles in Uptown to encourage shopping. [Photo courtesy The Arizona Republic]
He continues: “With regards to real estate, I personally have 24 years as a licensed residential Real Estate Agent and Developer, always successful through every negotiation. Why? Experience, research, knowledge and always emotionally prepared to negotiate.
Considering all circumstances I would never move forward with the purchase of any property during an election year and certainly not when we know there’s the possibility for another financial recession.
When moving forward within favorable conditions I first request a current appraisal to be accomplished by the property owner. While waiting for the appraisal, I personally research all comparative properties in order to compare to the appraisal. When the appraisal comes in, I scrutinize the hell out of it making sure everything is accurate and up to date. When negotiations begin, I never offer appraised value, starting the negotiation below appraisal, especially when it’s a cash transaction.”
Questioning the wisdom of the city having paid $100,000 OVER appraised value at the recommendation of the city manager, Mr. Gehlbach stated: “The people of Sedona have now been ripped off through pure ignorance!”
His conclusion is the city of Sedona has now set a precedent for any FUTURE land acquisitions to be overvalued, questioning the premise of “property is only worth what the Buyer is willing to pay.” Is that true when the investment was overpriced to begin with?
Regarding future Uptown parking, here’s what Kurt Gehlbach has to say:
A recent ADOT traffic study found the majority of Sedona tourist traffic backs up miles just to drive through the Sedona city limits without stopping before continuing along SR 89A to reach their northern destinations.
“$11.5 million to place 300 automobiles in the center of uptown, and that’s one of two parking structures, totaling roughly an additional 500 automobiles in Uptown Sedona. Add another $500,000 or more for the “ledge work” they will find digging down at least 2 floors or 30 feet (??)”
Kurt continues: “Not long ago our Mayor, Sandy Moriarty, was headstrong to be part of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, designed to cut emissions, basically decreasing Sedona’s carbon footprint within the next three years. Does this make sense to anyone?”
Regarding Sedona residents, Kurt Gehlbach relates:
“Prior to lockdown, I spent days and many hours walking door to door throughout our city gathering 200 signatures myself while sharing in conversation.
The emotions are all over the place, and many of our residents are very angry. I’m truly, truly worried about the future of Sedona so I believe the conversation needs to be about Sedona herself and our residents, to include their mixed levels of anger toward this government. We, as a city, must now come together to create change through a government that will listen, respond, inform, create and prosper with and for the Residents of Sedona. How about grasping the opportunity for such a collaboration giving new life and hope for Sedona’s survival?”
End of input from city of Sedona mayoral candidate Kurt Gehlbach. Read, study, ask questions and by all means plan to vote in August. Life in Sedona continues and be grateful each and every day for what we have and consider by way of your own judgment what will be the best way to preserve and protect this special corner of the world.
Over and Out. Cheers. Be Safe. Stay Well.
Oh so sensitive… you poor thing you
Won’t the real moment of truth be determined the next time city tax revenue is tallied? When the well runs dry and there’s no money left to hand over to that busy director of the chamber what will happen? Who will pay for all the time she spends down in the valley and elsewhere?
Or even more pitiful upheavals? How can city staff afford to keep up with the style of living to which they’ve become accustomed? Maybe the chamber members who allegedly foot the bill for that $12,000/mo. director’s stint will pitch in and ante up for the cause? What an opportunity for them to display their sincerity to uphold their own current mission to work towards “sustainability” than beginning with the folks at city hall?
Or better yet, maybe the greed mongers will choke because of their own voracious appetites? We can only hope . . .
Sandy Moriarty is not going to change. She has been doing the same thing for years and years, along with the rest of the city council, and nothing will change until we vote new people into City Hall.
Really, it doesn’t even matter what any of the candidates say, it is simply time to vote out the incumbents and vote in different people. Is there a chance the new people won’t be that different from the current council members? Yes. But, for sure, we know that if we keep the same people in their positions they are just going to do more than the same.
One thing that strikes me every time I think about the way Sedona has morphed from a once-genuine community that hosted visitors into solely a tourist town of big hotel chains and trinket shops is that no one on the city council or on the city staff even pretended to try to answer the concerns so many of us have had for so long. Not even a gesture, a minor reduction in chamber funding, or an effort to better understand our concerns at a deeper level. Just kept doing more to appease the Lodging Council and support the big hotel chains. If you think the Hyatt and Marriott and Best Western corporate boards give a d*mn what happens to our town, you are very naive. If the pandemic doesn’t shake out in such a way to result in dividends for shareholders, they’ll depart. Might come back again when things are better, if the foolish city council keeps them happy, but then again, maybe not. They don’t care about Sedona.
Taking advantage of the decline in tourist hordes, I drove on 89A through Uptown this week. And the overwhelming impression I got from the road “improvements” that have been made is that Uptown is now even less like a Main Street than it ever was. Drive it and you will see. The fence in the middle and the roundabout at Jordan Road have turned Uptown into just another divided highway designed to move people efficiently through Oak Creek Canyon. I tried to keep an open mind on it, but drive it and you will agree with me. What a huge mistake. Another huge mistake by our gullible city council.
There is only one way to get change. And that is to change the people who are on city council. Don’t worry about who says what, or who calls someone else a name. Just. Vote. For. Change.
ditto@timeforchange There’s but one way to get change and that’s to change the people on city council every single city election. No special skills required (look at the backgrounds of the ones on council to see that) except an ear for listening to Sedona.
Just. Vote. For. Change.
Guess why the DNCC sent out the tweet about Trump that had no basis in truth that Democrats were ordered to mass social network because the breaking story tonight was to be about Biden. The Larry King show found the 1993 tape on his show. This newly unearthed footage reportedly shows Tara Reade’s mom calling Larry King to discuss her daughter’s sexual assault by Joe Biden in 1993. This is the corroborating evidence the media NEVER had in the Kavanaugh case. The DNCC is panicked and shows what networks and newspapers it owns. It shows if you believed and repeated the Lysol and disinfectant sham that you are incapable of intelligent political decisions and that you are a tool.
I will continue to vote for Mayor Sandy no matter what. No other city council has ever had to deal with such a situation and I’m hoping that no one ever has to for another 100 years. I think that Mayor Sandy really did her job! Sedona has always been a tourist town and I’m betting my business on the fact that it will snap back really quickly because of Mayor Sandy.
Thank you Sedona Eye for providing information about mayoral candidate Kurt Gehlbach’s position pertaining to the purchase of the Forest Road property. It’s also wonderful to know there’s still someone out there who acknowledges residents still do exist in Sedona.
However may we offer one suggestion? This is April and the primary election isn’t until August. And with the very frightening threat with coronavirus it seems logical that not too many people will be focused on an event four months away. In other words would it be possible your efforts might maintain increased attention from voters at a later date?
We support change and simply do not want to witness lost opportunity due to conflicting national and global issues. Timing is everything!
BTW we do not understand the reason for the comment from “Grant?” Since his remarks had nothing to do with the subject of the article, was it merely meant as a diversion for, maybe, political reasons? In Sedona nothing surprises us the lengths some people will go to when they feel threatened.
Something else to think about while under unofficial house arrest. Life is good in spite of it all!
@timeforchangenot wrote “I will continue to vote for Mayor Sandy no matter what. No other city council has ever had to deal with such a situation and I’m hoping that no one ever has to for another 100 years.”
Could you be specific? What did she or the council or the city staff do but go home and collect our taxpayer funded checks and tell us to suck it up until they get the tourists back next year? There were no new initiatives by her. There were no independent decisions by her. There were no decisions period made by this city except to copycat the directions of the state and other county and town and city jurisdictions. If it’s too challenging a question, we get why there’ll be no reply to this serious question.
I’m glad Mayor Sandy is on record making the wrong choice and doing nothing. Our Sedona leadership, council and staff has been doing nothing but feathering their own nests for years. It’s so nice to have no traffic for awhile.
George, you are correct. The mayor and the city manager have not done one thing during the pandemic, other than appear with the chamber of commerce CEO in a Phoenix newspaper to assure tourists there that they would be welcomed back “with open arms” when this troublesome virus is quelled.
The only thing the city manager has done was to assure the city council during a meeting about a week ago that he was prepared to cut services to residents and to protect city jobs. His own words!! This guy doesn’t understand what his true priorities are supposed to be: serving residents and protecting services, not guaranteeing continued paychecks for city employees.
You are correct that the only thing the city has done is parrot actions guided by the state and counties, and to make sure that city employees continue to be paid for doing nothing while staying at home. About a week before he told the city council that he was prepared to cut services in order to save jobs, the city manager was telling the council that the city would be fine until this virus thing blew over. He is incapable of understanding the big picture or taking any action or coming up with any idea that deviates from the Simple Simon mantra of “we have a tourist economy.”
The mayor and the rest of city council have been asleep at the wheel for many, many years and have never, not once, made an honest attempt to address the many voices in this community who are dismayed by the unrelenting push for more tourism and sole focus on “supporting” tourism.
Think of all the money that has been given to the chamber of commerce, the CEO’s salary, parking “improvements” and city “events” that are designed mostly for tourists. What if that money had been used instead for expanded services, fee reductions, programs for residents, paving roads and giving REAL support to help small businesses, real, local, small businesses owned by community members that serve our residents, instead of funding a chamber whose only service is giving members an “opportunity” to buy advertising from the chamber of commerce?
Just a few days ago, the chamber CEO was in the Sedona newspaper AGAIN gushing about how she will be ready to welcome back tourists when this pandemic is over.
The blind ignorance of this attitude is beyond belief. And the mayor and city council do nothing about it. Not only that, they don’t even PRETEND to be willing to consider changing what they do. It is time for new blood on the city council, new blood in the mayor’s office, new blood in City Hall. We need people who are willing to listen and change.
Our vote will go to anyone with the integrity to review ALL non-profits presently receiving public funds. Keep in mind, please, that both the Sedona Library and Sedona Humane Society existed prior to incorporation! (animal control being a state mandate if memory serves correctly)
And money to contract with the Chamber of Commerce for advertising Sedona? Absurd! Of course the state AG already determined that which is why presently there is not a “contract.” However did that stop the city from giving the Chamber money or even reduce the funding? Of course not! They now receive millions of $$$$ to teach us all about “sustainability”. Now isn’t that weird? Something like preaching to the choir?
As for the Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center (and “tourism bureau”) that belong to THEM – and NOT City of Sedona. Unless and until the sign reflects differently, then isn’t the claim by the city, that the Chamber visitors center, is anything else – well, isn’t that a false statement? AKA blatant lie?
Enough! What happened to the concept of integrity?
Definition of integrity
1: firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : INCORRUPTIBILITY
You had a chance for change the last election and voters bought the lies the library, humane society, Sedona recycles and meals on wheels would close.
Voters blew a good chance last election.
YOU DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH NEW VOICES RUNNING FOR COUNCIL THIS ELECTION TO CHANGE ANYTHING !!
You can move to shut the city down through dis incorporation, or run for office in two years and suck it up until then.
IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO WINS FOR COUNCIL THIS ELECTION, THEY WILL NOT HAVE THE VOTES TO CHANGE ANYTHING !!
Voters blew it so badly last election that no opposition candidates even bothered to run this time. Gehlbach has not even stated his position on chamber funding, so much for change.
There are parasites in control of Sedona. Until we’re able to get rid of our internal parasites who rule over us, we won’t be able to tackle other parasites.
You won’t vote your way out fo this.
Whaddya mean Sandy et al have done nothing? Those amber signs around town telling us what do have had a huge impact. I am certain countless, untold lives have been saved on account of those. I, for example, would not have known what to do had I not seen those signs. I am so grateful for those signs and those who had the vision, leadership and courage to put them there. Without them I’d be lost and people would be dying.
That’s a good one – incorruptibility! Definitely NOT a word in city hall code of ethics if any such thing exists. And if it doesn’t, then maybe now is not only a good time and opportunity to elect new people but also establish a REAL CODE OF ETHICS that has meaning.
This Corona-Virus should be a heads-up to the obvious power and control those presently in power think they have. And when push comes to shove, those phony big heads are really reduced to their true value: AIR HEADS. That, of course, is just one guy’s opinion.
Kurt G, some of us will be rooting for you but will it be enough? Is there another behind the scenes group stalking in the background, waiting to bring in another third candidate for Sedona mayor in order to split the vote and re-elect Sandy?
That’s exactly what that Arizona Liberty did last election but the name of their victim was Tony Tonsich! Hope you have better luck. You will need it.
Remember the mayor in northwest that said don’t come here, we don’t have the hospitals for you or the health care system to take care of you. That would have been the right answer if she wanted but she babysat nervous chamber maid. What a nose ring.
I have been waiting for an answer to my question on 4/22 from Mr. Gehlbach and so far, goose eggs. One can only wonder why Ms Maddock would even bother posting any information about him for us to review when it’s obvious that he’s not going to validate his position on anything. Like someone above has said, we don’t even know how he feels about the CoC. But no matter of which way he feels about the CoC if he can’t even reply to several questions on this site he’ll be the same if elected.
Nothing new. Gehlbach was asked specific questions in the comments of another article here — one to which he posted — some months ago and he blew off replying despite being asked repeatedly to do so. Too lame, IMO.
Is there another behind the scenes group stalking in the background, waiting to bring in another third candidate for Sedona mayor in order to split the vote and re-elect Sandy?
Applications with signatures to run for sedona public office was two weeks ago people doing a little research
With reference to April 25 comment @ 5:10 pm from ??? for Mr. Gehlbach:
As explained, the information in the above article was not derived from a one-on-one, face-to-face meeting with Mr. Gehlbach. Therefore it wasn’t a result of a Q and A type interview.
By email he requested the opportunity to have his opinion regarding the city’s purchase of the Forest Road property related in an article on Sedona Eye, to which I agreed. Therefore the resulting article was specific to that subject but did include other comments he offered about his desire to represent the voting residents of Sedona.
Being neither his campaign manager nor a member on his campaign committee, if one exists, my position here isn’t to answer specific questions to Mr. Gehlbach on his behalf.
What happened in the last election doesn’t matter. Statements to the Sedona Eye don’t matter. If you want change, vote for every and any candidate who is not an incumbent. If, after the first election, the newly elected city council members don’t change city policy on tourism and chamber spending, vote them out in the next election.
I guarantee you that voting for change, any change, regardless of the candidate’s position, will get the attention of the city council members and make them realize they need to start sincerely listening to residents. You may be surprised how quickly it can happen, but you must show them you are serious, and you can only do that by voting for change. Once that message of change is in progress, you may also see new candidates who are willing to run for office because they will see that there is a possibility to break the current lock the Lodging Council has on the city.
If we keep the same people in office, we will get the same results. Doesn’t matter how much you might like a current city council member personally (or not) and it doesn’t matter how much you complain online or even how much you complain directly to the city council members right now. The current city council members have demonstrated, time and time again, that they are not willing to change.
If you want change, you must change the people who are on the city council and in the mayor’s office.
Just. Vote. For. Change.
Vote for change, Bull !!! That’s Gehlbach, no positions, the same policies under a different name. You vote in national elections for the Red team or the Blue Team, they all promise less spending, ending wars, nothing changes.
Change begins at home, Sedona is our home. It’s time to shut the city down.
You have NO candidates promising change this election. You’re being played.
Maybe you like living in a tourist trap. Enjoy your traffic, noisy off road vehicles and trinkets.
A reminder: There’s always the option for “recall” – a process by which citizens can actually oust elected officials! Of course it requires unification and collaborative effort, but it will work as was proven even here in Sedona.
http://lf.sedonaaz.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?dbid=0&id=1305&page=1&cr=1
A reminder: There’s always the option for “recall” – a process by which citizens can actually oust elected officials! Of course it requires unification and collaborative effort, but it will work as was proven even here in Sedona.
http://lf.sedonaaz.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?dbid=0&id=1305&page=1&cr=1
Voting for change works so well in the national elections, NOT !
But it will work in Sedona. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Red Rockin’ : Sedona Is Trying to Entice Visitors to Linger by Offering More Than Just Its Majestic Rocks
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-04-12-tr-96-story.html
By CHRISTOPHER REYNOLDS
APRIL 12, 199212 AM
TIMES TRAVEL WRITER
SEDONA, Ariz. — When the day wanes out here, the red rocks get up to their tricks. Their hues deepen. Their shapes shift in the creeping shade. And once the sun falls from view, they harden into jagged silhouettes. Some of these rocks are half a mile high. It’s a tough act to follow.
But Sedona is trying.
Eager to lure visitors for longer and to stand apart from Phoenix, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon, Sedona is raising man-made attractions left and right. Perhaps because the area’s inherited gifts are so conspicuous–the rocks, the oak and sycamore that congregate in the canyons, the Anasazi ruins that lie a few miles away, the waters that rush through the panoramic scenery of nearby Oak Creek Canyon–the Sedonans have been thinking big.
In and around a city of just 7,720 residents, you can now see the landscape via Jeep (six companies, at last count), plane (two companies), balloon (three companies), horse (one company), helicopter (two companies) or mountain bike (two companies).
How many tourists visit Sedona?
3 million tourists
But once its unsurpassed natural beauty came to national attention through the motion picture industry, the sleepy little farming town was transformed into a world-famous travel destination visited by nearly 3 million tourists each year.
Vote for change? says:
April 26, 2020 at 8:51 am
Vote for change,
Just what is it you want ? spell it out and then run for office Sedona was a visitor center before most you arrived.
How many tourists visit Sedona?
3 million tourists
But once its unsurpassed natural beauty came to national attention through the motion picture industry, the sleepy little farming town was transformed into a world-famous travel destination visited by nearly 3 million tourists each year.
no turning back
Nice suggestion about recall @Nora & Saul but in Sedona it’s hard enough to convince people to even vote. But it’s enlightening to know that at least at one time people were willing to take action.
All they like to do now is complain to each other but really won’t be bothered to do anything meaningful to correct current conditions. That’s why the Chamber of Commerce is now controlling City Hall and our quality of life. Blame the residents who allow it to continue.
Moral of story / If you don’t vote don’t complain!
Finally a sensible contribution to prove what most of us already know. And what iS that, you might ask?
It’s from a “steve Segner” (small “s” capital “S”) finally sending proof that Sedona is already famous – has been long before any of us were here – and the money given to the chamber of commerce (or even a professional advertising agency for that matter) is a WASTE! There it is folks –
“But once its unsurpassed natural beauty came to national attention through the motion picture industry, the sleepy little farming town was transformed into a world-famous travel destination visited by nearly 3 million tourists each year.”
What more proof is needed after this coming from a man who lobbies for millions of dollars to bring in even more tourists? Why not just drop all that money from one of the airplanes sitting atop Airport Mesa? Considering the current waste of money to the C of C surely it would be a better investment. How could it be worse?
Sedona cannot handle the tourists already coming here! That money should be spent to maintain infrastructure within our local subdivisions because it’s the drive through lookie loos who cause all the damage. DUH!
@Fred S. you’re wrong!
Of course the chamber of commerce needs millions of city tax dollars. How else could they maintain at least two offices (one uptown; one West Sedona) and the number of employees who man them? And the money for the $12 grand a month to the chamber CEO – it has to come from someplace! And let’s not forget the chamber’s commitment to promote their members outside city limits who contribute zip to Sedona sales and bed tax.
Oops – that CEO salary supposedly comes from chamber membership dues!! But has the City of Sedona ever bothered to verify the source of the chamber’s operating expenses?
Maybe with the projected loss in tax revenue they will be forced to reevaluate their trend of supporting this nonsensical attachment to an supposedly nonprofit member driven organization? Wanna bet they’ll figure out a way to tax residents before that will ever happen would be my guess.
But never forget. Karma lives!
@Lance Johnson, shucks! Are you trying to expose a perceived rigged shell game? Does anyone else wonder how much do-re-mi is tucked away in that alleged slush fund the city manager referred to under another name or something? Interesting times in spite of the extremely serious and dangerous threat of coronavirus.
But have no fear! The Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau (or whatever) will save us all – provided – – the City of Sedona will finance their obnoxious and ineffective offerings – oh yeah – in my opinion !
Interesting that @steve Segner makes reference to an article indicting Sedona as a community : In and around a city of just 7,720 residents, when according to my recollection the last census indicated a population of approximately 10,000! Good job, Segner, Lodging Council & Chamber of Commerce! You managed to drive out 3,000 residents in favor of tourist mentality. City Council & Staff, need increased funding? Go to the Chamber of Commerce. Would be interested to know what mayoral candidate Kurt Gehlbach thinks about this known fact. If public forums are off the table, then how do we know what his position is? Just asking.
Good Morning Sedonans! I’d like to first thank you all for participating in Sedona’s future! I’ve been reading and hearing every word that is being shared, while also being attentive to emotions. It’s important for me to respond in a way that is respectful as I want to include the voice of the residents of Sedona. I have been letting everyone’s words resonate within me and am considering what has been shared for the overall vision and betterment of Sedona.
My desire is for us all to converse in a way that is respectful to/with each other without the need for ‘lashing out’ or using offensive language. Sedonans are brilliant and there is a way for us to use our energy cooperatively through compassionate communication. We together, bring Sedona into her future by using our brilliant minds and skill-sets collaboratively.
Everyone is curious – Who is this Kurt Gehlbach?
Because my mission is rooted in the evolution and sustainability of Sedona, every business vision that is created is meant to serve the entire Sedona population, residents, business owners, workers and tourists, alike. There are some very clear issues that need more collaborative conversations. Managing traffic issues and tourism are certainly hot topics for our citizens. The goal is to devise a plan that not only manages these issues, but also increases revenue for the city. One of the best solutions we can provide for our city is to place all tourism traffic outside of the city and use a Park and Ride System offering hop-on hop-off transportation for sight-seeing which you can learn more in the Facebook group that I have shared below.
I am committed to creating solutions for Sedona that serve the people and the land. Our current leadership model requires us to think beyond two years, instead thinking of how Sedona will evolve over decades of time. I am also committed to working in tandem with you all as citizens of Sedona and those whom are in office including City Council.
Look for my website that will be launching very soon, http://www.KurtForSedona.com. For updates on the website launch, please follow “Sedonans for Sedona” page on Facebook. There is some content there that includes evolutionary ideas that may lead us in the direction of solutions for Sedona. We will soon be creating a group for more forum topics that allows for citizen engagement, conversation, and connection.
Thank you again for all these comments! I look forward to more conversations that think critically about our city and her growth. We are all a part of that change.
Here is a 1996 NBC Segment featuring your legendary Dad, Bob Bradshaw!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79I2cd4uTI0&feature=youtu.be
When this was made in 1996 there were 8,500 people living here – with 3 million tourists each year!
Before most of you arrived 3 Million visitors
Again, you ignore the direct questions put to you. Instead you waste our time with a lot of BS. Lame, very lame.
Mr. Gehlbach:
This blog site can be daunting at times, there have been several direct questions to you and you continue to ignore them. It says a lot about who you are, I don’t need to read your website at all.
“Because my mission is rooted in the evolution and sustainability of Sedona, every business vision that is created is meant to serve the entire Sedona population, residents, business owners, workers and tourists, alike. ”
True politician, my goal is to make everyone happy. Not possible.
He has been asked many time is he will continue the chamber funding. I guess if he is making everyone happy that includes the chamber.
Thank you, Thank you steve Segner for providing factual proof why it’s so utterly stupid for the city to be funding the Chamber of Commerce to promote Sedona.
For once you got it right!
I’ve been instructed by my campaign manager and campaign committee not to respond as I would like. In other words they critiqued everything. So with that said, how would all of you like to communicate?
I did have the rooms at the library reserved which hold 130 people yet that was canceled and put on hold until further notice. Zoom is acceptable these days and I believe many people at one time can tune in. Would that be a solution for all of you?.
Who says they can’t talk because the campaign manager and supporters have to critique and fix your comments other than Adam Schiff but he needs a lawyer because he’s going to jail for lying to Congress ?! WTF. Is that your role model for politicking? List the names of your campaign manager and treasurer here but not to worry about the others. Your committee will be sycophants’ so no need to see them listed here because we’ll see them on your first filing because they will be your only donations and I’ll be sure to send their names as a comment. Buddy you had a chance for my vote but that answer was f***** up?!?!?!?!?!
What’s your position on medical marijuana in the city and vape shops?
vAmy, uptown says:
April 27, 2020 at 12:06 pm
What’s your position on medical marijuana in the city and vape shops? Amy, good question and city council does have the power in most cases to limit what goes into a building…. just and FYI… Code issue…. never makes it to city council or Mayors office.
Debate between him and Mayor Sandy would be laughable and she would take him down or at best said he would take himself down with ignorant statements. Sounds like a stage would be too crowded with all his people up there with their pause and re-record buttons and red crayons ant teleprompter note passing for the mayor to even find a seat. Mayor, don’t worry. Reading that last comment sounds like his people wrote it while at the usual Sedona WooHoo drum circle style gathering walking a labyrinth. I bet they’re all outside with flowers in their hair wondering who left the cake in the rain telling each other they can win.
My bet is Gehlbach was just a spoiler in case Mayor Sandy had any serious opposition.
Nobody who wanted to win would be a vague as Gehlbach.
Thanks @ stevesegner
“I’ve been instructed by my campaign manager and campaign committee not to respond as I would like. In other words they critiqued everything. So with that said, how would all of you like to communicate?”
REALLY???!!! That’s your answer???!!!
Dude, you are PATHETIC! Actually, BEYOND PATHETIC. Gelded.
I can’t vote for Sandy. She’s awful. But I sure as hell cannot vote for you, either, Geldedbach. Looks like I’ll be sitting this one out.
There it is! The lions are roaring because a stranger dared to walk into their den. This is only the beginning – the election isn’t even until August and by then Gehlbach and his campaign committee will have been chewed up, regurgitated, and the process repeated several times.
That’s how it’s done in Sedona. Ask Tony Tonsich, although it was alleged allies who wanted change that bumped him when they brought in a third party. Before Tony? Ask Cliff Hamilton, same story with the 11th hour editorial in a local print rag likely what ripped him to shreds.
And that, Folks, is why people are hesitant to run for mayor and/or city council. It’s a pity the voters can’t see how the system works in Sedona. Wonder if their stupidity has had anything to do with the reason the population in Sedona dropped approximately 3,000 since the last census?
Wunder Y here wondering why no one has commented about the subject of the article. Do hundreds more vehicles in Uptown Sedona make sense?
Come on a bit of debating about the real issue here might be a refreshing change from the status quo from the quacks squawking about competition for their “shoe in.”
No reaction about the decision for the city to spend $100,000 over appraisal for a piece of property when the economy is in a downward spiral?
What the??? The control freaks ignore facts in favor of frivolous arguments to maintain their arrogance of power? City Manager should be freaking out at this nonsense if unable to convey a message to those who hired him to avert such a pending disaster. One might think so anyway.
Mr. Gehlbach:
Why do you need to run your thoughts and opinions past anyone? If you were to win the position for mayor, would you have to ask those same people how to govern? Dude, you just lost any hope of my vote and I will be sending your posting to all of my friends.
Gehlbach:
You may as well not bother, that is the lamest excuse I have heard on SE, EVER!
Do hundreds more vehicles in Uptown make sense for the city of Sedona?