SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie S. Maddock suggests the Sedona mayor know the limits of Sedona as he steps into the Council role.
Sedona AZ – Two major political parties have dominated election policies since shortly after establishing the “republic” of the United States. Since the 1850’s they have been known as the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Social, cultural, and economic changes over the years have altered positions of the two parties which increases ongoing opinionated verbal battles. While this stands as, perhaps, common and acceptable practice on a national level is it appropriate and in the best interest of incorporated Sedona to apply it locally?
On Tuesday, November 8, 2022, Sedona voters elected present city council member and currently appointed Vice Mayor Scott Jablow to serve as the Mayor of Sedona for the next two-year term. A resident of Sedona since 2010, Mr. Jablow was a member of the board of directors for the Sedona Oak Creek Fire District as well as the Sedona City Planning & Zoning Commission and Personnel Board. He was first elected as a member of the Sedona City Council in 2014, and appointed to serve as Vice Mayor by other council members in 2020.
Because of his past affiliation with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Mr. Jablow was instrumental – and essentially made it possible – for Sedona to permanently showcase the 3000 lb. Girder 9/11 Memorial display located in front of our Sedona Fire District Station #6.
Clearly Mr. Jablow is a dedicated Sedona resident, informed and knowledgeable about city government policies and operational proceedings and well qualified to serve as the leader of the incorporated city of Sedona.
“Incorporated.” Therein resides the operative word because “incorporated” Sedona does not encompass the same geographical boundaries of the Sedona Oak Creek Unified School “District” and/or the Sedona Fire “District.” Similar to both the fire and school “districts” the local Chamber of Commerce is not an operational function of the “City” of Sedona.
An ADOT traffic study found the majority of Sedona traffic backs up miles just to drive through Sedona city limits and Oak Creek canyon in order to reach destinations beyond.
In fact and akin to the school and fire districts, the alleged “Sedona” Chamber of Commerce (Sedona in name only) does NOT perform as an official department of incorporated Sedona. In fact, how could that be possible when so many of its dues-paying members are not even located within Sedona City Limits and thus do not collect city sales tax? The Chamber continues to promote only its “members” at THEIR uptown Visitor’s Center – again NOT officially that of the city of Sedona.
So why does the City of Sedona continue to come up with lame excuses for annually funding the Chamber with public revenue?
Of course this is old news, but perhaps worthy enough to remind local businesses presently struggling to keep afloat during these difficult economic times that their competitors – outside of City Limits – who are members of the Chamber of Commerce and NOT collecting Sedona sales taxes receive priority promotion from the Sedona city financed Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center located uptown. Discrimination?
The purpose of bringing this up time and time again is as a reminder of the perceived impropriety of legitimately operating an incorporated city without honoring the boundaries of the area. (Ref: “Sedona City Limits 101” July 15, 2015) Frequently we have had elected officials who either don’t seem to know the difference — or else they just plain don’t care! And why is that? Might there be reasons unknown to the public?
November 8, 2022 Sedona Arizona voters within city limits elected candidate Scott Jablow to the position of city mayor.
An easy solution to this situation would be for our newly elected mayor, Scott Jablow, to set the record straight. And how so? When and if people outside “his” jurisdiction attempt to use the politics of Sedona for any reason, politely inform those people that in order to accommodate their requests they must go through the legal process to “annex” into the incorporated area and thus become an official part of the solution instead of just another persistent problem.
Why has Sedona resorted to a two-party partisan system, exemplified by the recent mayoral run-off, and confuse what previously was a relatively easy process? Realistically aren’t we all just “people” identified primarily by first and last names, attempting to survive in today’s world of turmoil?
Maybe Mr. Scott Jablow might consider championing an effort to terminate funding the Chamber of Commerce for any reason, including as a “tourism bureau.” There are numerous examples of how promoting tourism can fairly be accomplished without controversy.
Please – stop this ongoing battle. Hasn’t it gone on far too long already? Why not take the opportunity to not only make Sedona beautiful again, but also respectable by limiting “Democrat” and “Republican” labels to national politics?
Good grief
Absolutely incredibly ludicrous idea!
You at city can’t justify the purchase except using Wikipedia? Cottonwood isn’t comparable to Sedona. One is perched on a flyboy hilltop and one is in high desert flat. Next? Before you answer, read comments and then Google Sedona airport accidents and count the dead who wouldn’t have died if they landed 5 minutes away in Cottonwood. You’re ignorant yuppies.
go ahead cause city to go (deleted by editor) bankrupt then raise taxes for nada prove residents don’t care
@george
ditto
Maybe it’s a good thing the city is purchasing the Cultural Park for allegedly “affordable housing.” They better plan on building a vast extension of them for Sedona city and the region in general since they don’t seem to understand the concept of City Limits.
If increased sales tax and other methods of taxing residents are imposed many of us current residents with the possible exception of the city council and their wealthy backers might financially be forced out. Inflation is currently problematic in case you aren’t aware.
Traffic was so bad last week before Thanksgiving it took 45 minutes to get from Airport Road to the Y intersection at SR179.
This incorporated city should discontinue funding the chamber of commerce for the purpose of destination marketing or any other foolish purposes.
The chamber is driven by members who pay dues and should NOT receive public funding for ANY reason including the Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center uptown. Period!!
Day Trippers have taken charge so it seems. Chances are that many destination tourists are contracting accommodations with private short-term rentals no thanks to Gov Ducey for declaring them legitimate. However if the city continues to dump funding with the chamber of commerce to promote destination visitors or any other phony reason isn’t it pretty obvious it’s a waste of revenue?
Due to current inflation many people are struggling financially and even if city revenue is abundant enough to continue to invest in real estate how do they know when that bubble will burst?
Is the current policy to spend public tax money so recklessly prudent for legitimate Sedona residents who could very well end up being financially obligated victims if this nonsense doesn’t cease and desist?
Are current City Council decisions solutions to Sedona’s problems or do they continue to add to our problems? Think about that as you wait in traffic to get beyond Tlaquepaque in either direction.
Sedona gets Cultural Park and the other properties is equivalent in reality to us getting a basketball star arrested for violating drug laws and Russia getting back a worldwide terror arms dealer known for killing many Americans and orchestrating terror events and war crimes and arms deals globally.
Sedona should get more parks and scenic protection however it is like Russia to keep a man imprisoned illegally for years. And Biden refuses to discuss this man’s release with Putin? Is this woke racist politics like black vs white again? Or Woke LBGT+ against Jew again? This was an outrage even though your TV and local news anchors don’t tell you about it or how to think because you are incapable of thinking for yourselves about what should be and what is. Try and discern a backstory or the fact you can’t. Sedona reeks with your inability to do that.
Signage MUST BE mandatory at points of vehicle entries on 17 179 89A each day traffic exceeds normal
at 5 minute delay, police need to come to ground and be moving it at every intersection because Police work for us
Does anyone know why incorporated Sedona doesn’t use some of the acreage by their wastewater treatment plant to promote “affordable” housing? Wouldn’t that be serving the entire Verde Valley? This “city” is already engrossed in sticking their noses in “regional” issues. So, why not do something positive?
And, of course, the failure to enforce resort/lodging/timeshare building permits to conditionally provide a certain number of “work force” housing units increased the need. It works in so many other areas – Park City, Colorado resort areas, etc.
Is it the greed of developers which continues to choke the charm out of Sedona? Live with it or demand changes. Voters have the voice but clearly it isn’t loud enough.
People coming Like border need to be legal. I was. Good news
The wastewater plant area is not a good address for people building it and not wanting affordables to live in it because if they build in town it’ll be for high end buyers.
With all due respect @Mars the pursuit for housing in Sedona is to accommodate workers including employees of the City of Sedona. Why shouldn’t they be considered high end buyers? But also keep in mind the status of their financial capabilities.
A beautiful subdivision of attractive homes offering scenic views of Sedona is possible in areas outside city limits – to my recollection it had been under consideration many years ago.
As someone else pointed out many people in other places also cannot afford to live in some places. Belle Air California is just one example. Those areas never pursued work force housing in order to accommodate good people who needed more affordable places to live. Does that classify them as low end buyers?
What in gods name are you trying to say? Workforce housing is for the rich? Whos buying anything? The city controls those buildings for the next 50 years.
Maybe keep off the holiday cocktails before you post?
Julianna has good idea!!!!!! Get on it councilors.
we understood the man, Sedona workforce housing always lined the pockets of the rich or wanting to be rich here, check it out
Sedona mayor and council’s doesn’t need good ideas they want your tax money and federal government and state funds and grants and gravy train. Pay up Sedona and shut up or move out.
1966 · The Freedom of Information Act
Is a federal law that requires that full or partial disclosure of all previously unreleased government documents or information to be given upon request.
Pay attention, Sedona!
BINGO @Sedona Charles!! You said it all: “Pay up Sedona (residents) and shut up or move out.”
@Earth to Mars, how many more employees will the city require to control “those buildings” for the next 50 years?
If the city controls those (let’s laugh together) ADUs the same way they did Nepenthe also earmarked to have been affordables for the help (laugh again) then the writing’s on the wall. More skimscam lip service and hype promotion for the profit of developers and investors?
who gives a rats ass how many people it takes? Need a job, sign up. They are addressing a huge problem were low wage people are in short supply!
Bet you complain at your favorite restaurant because your water glass don’t get filled up fast enough! Get a life.
Man you people are something else, we have a problem. City is addressing it and you complain! Give it a rest or just move out, complainer! No one wants you, no one wants to hear you groaning!
Flagstaff and its huge community
Cottonwood
Camp Verde
Cornville
Page Springs
Oak Creek Canyon
Rimrock
Munds Park
and others not listed here are all desirables and quick commutes and affordable and better quality of life for elderly and families.
FIND THE FACTS BEFORE YOU BELIEVE THE VERBIAGE THAT LOW WAGE PEOPLE ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY IN SEDONA. THEY TRY TO DISTRACT WITH FAKE UNPROVEN UNSUBSTANTIATED UNSUPPORTED WORDS.
HERES MY READ ON THE NUMBERS AND MY BELIEF ABOUT THE GAME PLAYED WITH OUR MONEY. IMO ITS A FAKE VIRTUAL PROBLEM CREATED BY SEDONA ELITES AND PARTISAN POLITICIANS TO KEEP GOVERNMENT FUNDS FLOWING AND THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS IN SEDONA EXCEPT THOSE OF STAFF AND COUNCIL FAKE MEETINGS AND FAKE AGENDAS TO JUSTIFY MARKETING AND PROFIT GIFTING AND INFLATING SALARIES AND PROMOTING SELF IMPORTANCE BECAUSE MOST BUSINESSES DON’T BOTHER LIVING HERE PREFERRING NEW MEXICO OR CALIFORNIA USING ARIZONA FOR TAX BREAKS. THE BITCOIN BILLIONS THAT VANISHED CAN HAPPEN HERE TOO.
Maddock writes worthwhile opinion news in this city because she has the historical view and the Sedona want of a better future. Chamber of Commerce missions are exactly opposite preservation and historical views and after a foothold in the government, they see the sky is the limit yo push their missions for tourism and development. Both aren’t bad by themselves if management growth but no one here has the expertise to manage themselves out of a covid pandemic let alone a post covid recession. For godssake they don’t believe we’re in a recession because their politicians treat them like sheep because they act like sheep. Taxpayers need to turn off the money.
Largest numbers of people here aren’t full timers.
Politics never improves a life, it ruins it.
Choose kindness compassion love.
Bill Safire said it and we agree that Sedona City Hall employees and officials are “nattering nabobs of negativism”.
Talk about “same old same old” Eddie Madock has been writing the same stuff with DJV’s input for so many years it’s just so old. IMO This all sounds like sour grapes because their candidate lost an election that she had no qualifications for.
To Wally in West Sedona:
If you find my contributions so offensive then why do you waste time reading them?
As for “DJV’s input” this is to advise you that as in independent agent the information provided in my contributions is derived from my own extensive files, some dating back to 1977 when my late husband and I moved to Sedona.
It’s my understanding “DJV” has her own online source of news data of which I absolutely am not a participant.
As for “their candidate lost an election” again except for my signature appearing on an ad with several hundred others, I extended no other endeavors to campaign or contribute financing to any recent candidates running for office. To this date I have never met Ms. Armstrong, the alternate choice for mayor prior to Mr. Scott Jablow’s victory.
May it be suggested you take time to justify your own accusations prior to pointing fingers? Also FYI my contributions to Sedona Eye, formerly Sedona Times, came about because I had been invited by the prevailing editor back then to do so.
Respectfully submitted,
Eddie S. Maddock
@wally sedona get your own
Good comment @Nuts. People such as @wally sedona based on Sedona history would be good candidates for city council.
Isn’t it people with his(?) attitude who generally end up seated before Sedona voters and generally base decisions on what they think is best? F the voters! In other words to hell with public opinion as they treat legitimate Sedona residents input with kiss my elected superior ass attitudes.
Christmas crazies and Hanukkah crazies your Religions suck bc every religion zaps brains
@donna. just when you think the season brings out the best, a bat escapes the belfry.
Well maybe the Chamber of Commerce/Sedona takeover will soon be official since a “special city council meeting” is scheduled for Jan. 11, 1:00 PM. And guess where it will take place? The Courtyard by Marriott “Sedona Meeting Room” not that far away from a structure bearing the foolish identity as “Sedona City Hall.”
Oh, it will be all about (big surprise) “presentation/discussion/possible direction as part of the annual joint planning meeting between City of Sedona and the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau.”
Will this extravagant event amount to anything other than more wasted words and idle chit-chat relating to future plans (plots?) between the two not so reputable(?) groups about future contracted services and the amount of Sedona city taxes to be assigned for the alleged “service.”
Any bets about whether or not the subject of return on investment(s) of the millions of public $$$$ previously forked over to this ongoing dog and pony show will come up? Any discussion about taking this “contract” out for bids from authentic professional marketing enterprises?
Ha – very funny but who’s laughing except those profiting financially from this ongoing and seemingly inefficient activity. Increased Sedona “day trippers” since the absurd contract has been in place is offered as one example of the perceived effectiveness of the ridiculous, ongoing, and questionable annual contract.
Wouldn’t an easy solution be to simply withdraw that discretionary .05% bed tax which set this entire shell game(?) into motion not that many years ago? Sedona City creates their own OFFICIAL Visitor’s Center either at the existing City Hall or erect a new one on a portion of the former Cultural Park property?
Let the C of C stand on its own two feet and represent their “members” in a respectable manner as they did during all those many years before Sedona became a “city.”
Respectfully submitted,
Eddie S. Maddock
What the heck does a Chamber of Commerce have to do with municipal government? Or any government for that matter? Covering as a bureau of tourism was, in our opinions, a method used by former administration to push through this questionable government association with a member-driven social group.
Move away from it, Sedona. Just for once how about trying to make a decision using integrity and honor and not blatant favoritism for whatever purpose(?).
Right on, Nora & Saul! Well said!
What’s it costing taxpayers to have it at the Non government site vs city hall and how much tax does the courtyard by Marriott pay the city that even qualifies them for special treatment over other taxpayer properties? City hall costs us millions and they write checks to friends and family for meetings?????
Applause applause
Morning Sedona got updates on Border hoppers coming to town, rumors say couple busses headed Camp Verde Sedona Williams
bed tax needs a sunset – hurts businesses and taxpayers
https://youtube.com/shorts/Hg1GmNTk95Q?feature=share
And they want statehood for 2 Democrat Senators like this (deleted by editor) stupid (deleted by editor)
Another Biden smug racist revealed.
Raid on Biden office produced top secret and classified documents in the hands of regular employees and folks. Excuse me, missspoke, there was no “raid” just a my goodness I didn’t know I had those since being Obama’s Vice President and now President and thanks for checking.
This is America and Biden needs to be removed from office and not allowed to run like they said about Trump. At least Trump had them under lock and key and gave them back when asked, that was before Biden wanted to keep him off the ballot and sent in thugs with guns and media for a very big show for the ones not processed yet. Biden is a very scary demagogue wisher. Those Biden BOXES were found in November 2022 six days before the election!!! and they kept it quiet before the election also known as colluding with media and government officials? Start educating yourself about this Justice Dept who abuses Trump and protects Biden. One must be a puppet.
This morning the FAA shut down every airport in the nation. Can’t blame Southwest this time.
Sedona pay attention and save that bed tax money for bad times. And forget that fools idea of owning the airport.
What are you talking about? Raid? No raids on Biden, no raids on Trump. Are you all their? Your a complete joke and a lair! Bet you call yourself a Christian also? Its people like you that is making us a worse place….Now go get your facts, and apologize! Your a hack!
@primetime? hope you’re not in charge of anything at city hall or influencing it in any way because somebody needs to fire and ostracize you
What’re you thinking America? President Biden facing a DOJ Garland Special Counsel investigation because his office at Penn had classified and top secret documents from his days as Obama’s Vice President and as President, a place that received multi millions of dollars of Chinese government donations – and then the FBI found box(es) of documents in his Rehoboth Beach mansion garage (not to worry said Biden it was a locked garage with the box(es) near his photo op car) and there’re more documents in other locations. Thank you, government leakers. BTW did any of you see his photo op visit at the Border? How did they clear out the illegals to get those photos LMAO Only someone with a job in DC for 50 plus years on the government dole falls for that fake news. He should have brought his bad self on up to Saydonah and taken some pictures with our illegally here folks in front of our red rocks. (Fire the chamber folks for not making that happen! Fire the mayor for not throwing the president a key to the city event!) Damn those lost ops.
Simon says: How about enrolling in an English course and study spelling and sentence structure? Its people such as you who reveal the inept education training in this country. Shameful.
Nora/Saul Moving away from then Chamber? Have you met this mayor and council and staff salary and perks?