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Eddie Maddock: Sedona Waste Not, Want Not

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SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie S. Maddock discusses Sedona Sustainability and Home Rule and encourages city voters to sustain the voice of their power by voting August 2, 2022 in the Primary.

Sedona AZ – Recently there’s been considerable discussion and emphasis placed on the subject of “sustainability” which is not a new concept. For example, is anyone still around who might recall having parents who instructed their children to “Clean up your plates. There are starving children in the world and so do not waste food when it’s put before you?” Another and perhaps the original version of that concept dates from 1576 and is seldom heard these days, “Willful waste makes woeful want.”

Unfortunately when “sustainability” is carelessly allowed to run amok resulting in uncontrollable consequences, logical solutions for “retrofitting solutions” generally do not work. It is appropriate to suggest certain previous decisions made by elected city council members – as a result of advice from Sedona city staff – frequently are fair game to cite as examples:

Number one is traffic which, obviously, has exceeded the “sustainability” concept: Entering into the much discussed contract with the Sedona Chamber of Commerce for the purpose of supporting its “destination marketing” has never been a factually held accounting of how many additional cars were added to our traffic backups, increasing already overcrowded primary state routes accessing Sedona automobile traffic! There were no alternate routes suggested for alleviating our traffic problem simply because none are feasible.

USFS land, fortunately, prohibits further invasion and intrusion into the areas that appeal to and enhances pleasure for visitors’ enjoyment, essentially freedom from the big city aspects they usually are attempting to escape!

An ADOT traffic study found the majority of Sedona traffic backs up miles just to drive through the Sedona city limits and Oak Creek canyon in order to reach other destinations such as Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon causing adverse impacts on air quality, traffic and local resources.

Another wasted opportunity is the lack of “workforce” housing which went by the wayside largely when exceptions were made that ignored initial requirements for resorts to provide a fair amount of accommodations. Now, after the fact, City Hall attempts to retrofit bad decisions with, quite possibly, even more disastrous results by purchasing vast acreage of prime view properties  – in an effort to construct multistory housing to rectify a horrible decision in the first place!

And how brilliant is the idea of a four story parking garage? More concrete to heat up during these blistering summer days of temperatures reaching more than 100 degrees? How will such an edifice be comfortably cooled to tolerable temperatures in order for patrons to remain conscious enough to stagger aboard the also proposed open-air shuttles to move them from one 100 degree hot area to another? 

Serious decisions remain on the drawing board for Sedona and in just a few short days, August 2, the opportunity for a potential change in direction is at hand. This is a Primary election and, unless any one candidate receives at least 50% of the vote, there will be a runoff in November.

However, what will be decided on August 2 is a ballot issue, that of Home Rule. 

Home Rule has been discussed time and time again and, perhaps, primarily due to the application of “scare tactics” Sedona voters have been convinced to approve the measure, however threats such as “there will be no Library and/or Humane Society” are utter nonsense and simply not true!

sustainable sustainability sustain flood construction

@SedonaEye.com Archives Exclusive – In 2008, Ron Verniesoni hoped to alert the community of danger posed to Oak Creek by recent flooding and construction. In 2020, Oak Creek issues remain with the increased environmental impact of tourism compounding sustainability, flooding and construction issues.

THE FACTS ARE that the Library and Humane Society were established and functioned effortlessly prior to the incorporation of Sedona and will continue to do the same with or without Home Rule. This information is NOT being provided in an attempt to influence the vote one way or another; the purpose is simply to correct misinformation and offer a realistic viewpoint of what Home Rule on our August 2 ballot means.

In the event opt to vote “NO” on Home Rule prevails, Arizona state regulations will be applied which allows for ANY issue of extremely significant importance to be placed on a ballet for a fair and equitable decision by VOTERS. Do you think Sedona residents would have voted yes for the exclusive no bid “Destination Marketing” contract with the Chamber of Commerce?

Realistically isn’t this an opportunity for residents to make informed decisions on issues truly important to them instead of allowing seven individuals to ignore the will of the people and, instead, approve what THEY think is best?

Vote August 2, 2022.

Sustain the power of the voice of the people. Waste not, want not.

167 Comments

  1. Dave, VOC says:

    gonna be broke as potato chips and asses hotter then a billy goat’s in a pepper patch

  2. Ken says:

    Sustainability’s been a way of life for centuries and no one needed to spend money on several budgeted positions to be sustainable. Sedona recycled because it was profitable and made sense. We use trash barrels, avoid plastics and chemical sprays with fluorocarbons and DDT, treat sewage and water, import food to grocery stores that we cant grow in order not to starve of malnutrition. I challenge local governments to get off the demolition trains and get on the defensible trains of protecting limited resources. Now go to church, Sedona, and or go for a long walk and be thankful.

  3. Stan says:

    They don’t care what you think people.

  4. Sherry says:

    @Dtan
    Your wrong Stan they do care. Perhaps not so much about Sedona Eye comments. It’s hard to take you serious when all one does is bitch and moan about EVERYTHING.

    The majority of smart Sedona made there voices heard with their vote. Just because your on the wrong side of every issue and your way of thinking (complaining) gets tiresome ..

  5. Kanaday May says:

    @sherry. Boo Hoo you don’t like the truth? People like you CAUSE problems because you DO things wrong expecting us to ignore it.

  6. GoodlyEU says:

    EdieM explained homerule important +voted Kurk disappointed loss +next time better

  7. Lane, Sedona says:

    Want advice? Fools answers are found right under their noses. Sedona issues can be addressed by good citizens because angry people don’t think clearly. Citizens can’t be expected to pay attention to problems that never ever get resolved. Boring! Solve something!

  8. Sherry says:

    @kan(whatever)
    Yea yea. I know the truth hurts.. continue with you stupid anger and WRONG thinking.. It’s gotten you so far(not)

  9. Pat says:

    Marry beauty to utility. Do what nature does and leave the rest unturned, make beautiful what you have and do not scar what came before. Preservation, nothing else

  10. Dot says:

    Sedona has more to it then tourism. Figure it out.

  11. Hi Greenwood says:

    It’s time to face the elephant in this place and it isn’t overly complicated and why the mayor was displaced while unfortunately voters didn’t grasp the mayor was the tip of the elitist iceberg here. The fear of new representatives is a story created by local entrenched politicians and their sidekicks. That should be the initiative working on for next election cycle and not waiting until months before it. Get working on it now and have petitions going at the November election polls.

  12. Stan says:

    Saying it again they don’t care and they’ll keep tearing you down here to bring you to heel because they want you gone to keep them a success with no dissenting voices heard. You should know that by now and don’t be intimidated by small minds and weak people. Stand up!

  13. Sunset Daze. says:

    @higreenwoods. good morning. ditto.

  14. Adleigh Gillian, Williams AZ says:

    LUV SEDONA VORTEXES

  15. MShobert says:

    “Now that I am here; – close the gate! – Blah-blah-blah.” Sedona is not about YOU!

  16. Dave, west Sedona says:

    @mshobert or (deleted by editor) you really are at city hall ————— it’s not about gates, it’s about cesspools, E. coli streams, litter abatement, covid spreading, food and medical supplies, infrastructure damages and challenges, flooding, wild fires and policing. The gates fell down a long time ago and the cattle are free roaming and (deleted by editor) our land. Their (deleted by editor) is fouling our pure air. It’s about that nothing else.

  17. Ken, Sedona says:

    “I know that my plainness of speech makes them hate me, and what is their hatred but a proof that I am speaking the truth?” SOCRATES

    Thank you, Eddie Maddock. The slings and arrows of losers like MShobert, Scott Jablow and Sedona ignorants need challenging and you do a very good job. Keep on educating the masses.

  18. Ricky says:

    What are you going to do for budget money when California turns off its last gas pilot? No mas weekenders or one week vacays from there.

    By 2035 California passed a new law that no gas cars can be in the state and there’s no way the grid will sustain their acid brained schemes. Newsom is a joke and that includes Pelosi and the rest.

    California law says people will have to buy $50K and higher EV cars and saying no homes unless packed on boxes like Tokyo or Beijing or Moscow slums. Mom and pop gas stations will disappear, mechanic jobs disappear, travel beyond a couple hundred mile range disappears.

    Wait until your ambulance or fire trucks need charges and there’s no grid power like what happens today. It won’t be better in 2035 because government won’t make it better and never does and the stupid Californians that passed this law will have died off or been removed from power.

    Sedona relies on people able to free travel and earn money working not for government handouts and that is disappearing before our eyes. Biden forgave debt for university graduates with degrees that will earn more than the poor people without college degrees or take on debt they have no intention to repay. But the rest of us are being told to repay it. And Biden put together an arm of IRS power hungry to take it from us to pay off their debt.

    How’s that working out for you and your kids?

  19. Calvin Luthier, Big Park says:

    It makes one tired, world keeps going & people need to be lead.

  20. Ellen says:

    ?lead by example?

  21. Sedona Keith says:

    Save Sedona Means Saving Arizona Vote Red To Save Both

  22. Wyan Evering, CV says:

    Opinions matter.Sedona needs days filled with monsoon rains or find a godawful bad winter with wildfire dangers because area moisture levels simply low.Burn scars, mud flows, poor civil engineering on roads and parking areas, unsightly land needs recovery time before tourists back. Night.

  23. Roz, Jordan Rd says:

    Roads through city are not county or state maintained.

  24. PC, West Sedona says:

    At golf club lunch and big laughs when councilor talking about his mandate and almost a full chorus he got told WHAT MANDATE?! No mandate when barely nobody voted for the pack and challengers nearly won if it weren’t for GIFTS council passes out. Come November there won’t be a Democrat elected for dog catchers and Biden owes every one of us money for gas and lost wages and that lying inflation act that funded thousands of IRS agents armed with guns will be hunting you down for their gas money.

  25. Betsy Ortiz, Rain soaked Flagstaff says:

    Hello Sedona Arizona one of the land of the free and brave. We need an All Republican November. City hall and state and federal officials because they know how to support proper budget practices, keep gas and grocery prices down and guarantee citizens good lives. Do you know anybody happy with how it is today because we don’t and that’s every party and every color. Sick of past two years of soaring prices and a stock market in the S(deleted by editor)can, out with Joe and the (deleted by editor).

  26. MP says:

    KSB or Sierra club even local HOAs and BLM and Park Service can sue the city and both counties to prevent the destruction of Sedona protected rocks and where’s the USFS complicity in all this. Call the EPA and ask for a study and report, call counties and demand studies and demand ADOT does too. Use state and local tools because Sedona is sacred Indian land and the Yavapai nation can interfere in bad use of lands or the Hopi and Navajo.

  27. Lawrence G. says:

    Isn’t it going to be so very exciting to witness the extension of Forest Road to connect to W89?

    OMG – this “city” has yet to do even one little thing that has had positive results. Need an example? Well here are a couple of the more obvious. Uptown revision to 89 of the portion the “city” took control of and, of course, the awful traffic tie-up by Tlaquepaque due to the pedestrian crossing.

    That annex to Tlaquepaque should NEVER have been approved. But then realistically wasn’t the entire decision to “incorporate” Sedona into a city a disaster from the get-go?

    Me thinks Y E S !!!

  28. Kim says:

    No more asses in November @ray. Sedona and DC Dumb Asses about destroyed our city and country. Sedona DORRs are bray bray Brandons.

  29. Sedona Duane says:

    Sedona history is to pound sand.

  30. Jim, West Sedona says:

    Arizona has one of the highest state mandatory hourly wages. Let the tourists come.

  31. Bill, West Sedona says:

    baloney

  32. Tarifa, Big Park says:

    ridiculous traffic

  33. Jennifer Gonenow says:

    Simply put sustainability isn’t a Chamber priority or the city’s because the mere term would disallow the parking garage and blowing up rocks to build unneeded roads.

    They won’t put an underground walking tunnel or above ground pedestrian bridge but they’ll build on land overvalued from owners without putting up for sale signs on to see if it’s worth what they paid. If you believe we don’t have inflation and we’re better off than during the Trump administration than you’re pro blasting and paving and parking and that isn’t sustainability. LOSERS.

  34. Arts & Crafts Voters says:

    Biden Build Sedona Back Better Plan Blows Up Red Rock Country For Democrats Privileged

  35. Valarie says:

    Sedona is the next Martha’s Vineyard and guess who’ll never get elected ever again.

  36. Harmony says:

    Change Sedona name. White woman settler family steals Lands from indigenous people / return it to original people.

  37. Jess Wundrin says:

    When making a decision about voting for candidate(s) does anyone else have a feeling it’s based primarily on voting “against” the worst people vying for office?

    It becomes quite a challenge when an overbearing existing elected official becomes an option for a younger inexperienced unknown with apparently an overblown ego and challenges the runoff for Sedona mayor.

    What’s to lose? It still takes a quorum of four on the city council to approve change. Actually doesn’t the “title” of “Mayor” in reality have insignificant meaning other than inflating the ego of the “named” person?

    Based on that FACT my decision for sure will be to go for a new name and face. How about you?

  38. Jim, Sedona VOC says:

    Rename Sedona suggestions? Golf tennis club (27) suggests 1) Slide Rock 2)CocoPai 3) High Mesa City
    1) 11 registered won’t vote for Democrat incumbents 2) 3 will 3) 2 undecided 4) rest won’t tell anybody squat for fears nobody agrees

  39. @Jess Wundrin says:

    “a younger inexperienced unknown with apparently an overblown ego”

    You have obviously never met her.

    And what’s “experience” have to do with it? “Experience” is now a liability in case you didn’t notice , or unless of course you want the ‘experienced’ status quo.

  40. @ Jess says:

    I have met her, a wonderful woman….But she is clueless on what she thinks she can do….Hell she just signed up for citizens academy to learn how small government works! Maybe understanding small government and all its moving parts would make being mayor better after you finish the class?…..LOL

    Bests of luck to her, and I promise everyone she has little to know power if elected….now thats what I find hilarious…To bad home rule went through, those city council meetings would be one notch above grass growing!….LOL

  41. Yvette & friends says:

    Hi Sedona we love it

  42. Vincent says:

    What a lie inflation is easing. Sedona politicians better make progress with cutting the budget and lowering sales tax. Sedona policies are ignorance unchecked. Change! We need to stop Sedona spending!!! If locals know people here are cutting out buying food items tell Ignorant city council?!

  43. Jhvati Horsted says:

    Sedona be prepared sanctuary city because they say bus will come.

    Kamala went to Texas to fundraiser far from border & won’t go to border because it’s secure and she’s not needed there as border czar. WTF Fire up the Q for Kamala in Texas and that ain’t IQ, she missed that line.

    “Kamala [Harris] accuses Republicans of ‘dereliction of duty’ on the border that she hasn’t even visited as the actual BORDER CZAR. This is like OJ calling you a bad husband.” —Jimmy Failla

  44. Minister Priest Rabbi Teacher says:

    It’s Sunday in Sedona and here’s your message for introspection “ Matthew 11:12 …The kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” This bible verse is relevant today and reflected in the liberal Left’s persistent attacks on Judaism and Christianity and the promotion of false gods. The faithless Left is gaslighting our children and us about not needing Yahweh God’s guidance and instead encourages our children and you to look up to its liberal leaders as our compasses and standard bearers.

    You are responsible for you and others. Go and be a decent human being who is an example to all and begin by standing up for the unborn today. Adopt an unwanted child, feed the hungry and neglected children, protect every man woman and child and do not murder the innocent. It’s simple and it’s clear.

    May the Lord bless you and give you peace and the courage to be light in darkness.

    Be not afraid.

  45. @ your no Rabbi says:

    Well there just a heads up nowhere in your silly bible is abortion even mentioned! And second of all its not against the Jewish religion either!

    https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/legal-terms-of-abortion-in-israel. So (deleted by editor) lies….But I agree in helping anyone and everyone. But I dont need any silly religion to tell me right from wrong, and that helping is good.

  46. Diane says:

    @@your(sic)no rabbi
    Your reference to Israeli law has no basis for
    conversation about American Judaism which is quite different across the board.

  47. @Jhvati says:

    It is time for you to step up and do your part to save America from the Radical Left!

  48. @@JessWundrin says:

    Chuckled reading the experience reply – yes we do not need more experienced status quo or entitled enlists like AOC who went to the Senate as a former barmaid and hasn’t improved her resume with the new job. If that brainless twit gets on tv applauded for her stupidness than we have nothing in Sedona to fear but fear and more experienced Democrats.

  49. Cliff, West Sedona says:

    At the start of his Presidency, Biden promised a better America under his leadership. After 2 yrs, do you think America’s better off?

    72% of America answered this poll question with no. The other 28% must live in Sedona and keep on electing Biden admin clones. Couldn’t we put the 28% on a bus and swap them for illegals at the Border? God you got to love this ST site.

  50. Marilyn says:

    Kudos to New York Times finally confessing that polls show ONLY 5% CARE ABOUT ABORTION AS A PRIMARY ISSUE because people know that abortion rights remain the same and can be changed locally giving the American people more power not less. Citizens know that abortion rights haven’t been impacted and remain accessible to all.

    Media and nonprofit lies have caught up with them because it was always about their wallets, not female rights. It sold newspapers and television and internet ads. It was naked sensationalism and it was disgusting.

    Medical conversations need to remain between doctors and patients with legal guidelines determined by citizens supporting laws in their jurisdictions.

    Thank you Supreme Court for allowing the people to decide and not the government.

    BTW I’m still waiting for that Ohio Indiana doctor and hospital yahoos to face federal charges in addition to state charges for lying about the 10 yr old girl not able to get an abortion. Sedona, we need to find quality representation because we don’t have it in offices here.

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