SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie S. Maddock offers Sedona the best of times and the worst of times in the ongoing dispute between the Chamber of Commerce destination marketing program and its local government control in a tale of one city.
Sedona AZ – The following phrase suggesting radical opposites is from the opening paragraph of the famous Charles Dickens’ novel, “A Tale of Two Cities:”
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity …”
Considering the number of ongoing disputes here in Sedona (perhaps beginning, but most assuredly not the ending) was the idea of becoming an incorporated city. Of course that argument was settled by the voters, and the City of Sedona designation became official.
However one ongoing tug of war has existed and continues to this day and it is the extent, if any, to which the Sedona Chamber of Commerce has controlled local government. Logically it stands to reason that a member-driven, non-profit organization should not be playing the role of acting as a tail wagging the dog (City of Sedona)… especially since its primary function is to serve Chamber of Commerce members, many located outside the “city limits” and thus are unauthorized to vote, charge Sedona city sales tax, or allegedly make viable decisions within incorporated Sedona boundaries. Old news? Of course.
However a huge mistake occurred at the time Sedona was seeking a source for a “destination marketing” contract and, instead of following the guidelines set forth to obtain bids by way of RFP (Requests for Proposals) and under intense opposition, a contract was approved with what realistically was the “regional” Chamber of Commerce and war, figuratively speaking, was declared.
This conflict quite possibly has recently been resolved by the Chamber of Commerce giving written notice they would not be renewing its contract as Sedona’s official Designated Management Organization (DMO).
Sedona has newcomers on the City Council. They are smart. They are asking a lot of questions. They are astute. But perhaps best of all, they recognize Sedona residents and respect City Limits as their jurisdiction. They have also expressed interest and intent to cooperate with regards to the spirit of regional communication and indicate willingness to seek and share ideas with other Verde Valley communities, but at the same time always to respect the limitations of their jurisdiction.
At recent meetings, the Sedona City Council has graciously spoken well of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce while at the same time maintaining their position relating to the current differences of opinion existing regarding goals and direction of a DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) under which the Sedona Chamber of Commerce had been under contract. That apparently was the basis by which the C of C made their decision to not renew the contract with Sedona.
Conflicts between Sedona Arizona residents and its city councils began after a council awarded a destination marketing contract to a local non-profit membership-driven organization tasked with promoting its paid members businesses and commercial interests, the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. The contract’s negative impact on city residents quality of life issues before, during and after the pandemic, resulted in contentious local elections and city council meetings. In 2023, after newly elected city council members joined existing, the Chamber program was agendized for discussion, review and action.
Recently the following was on a city council agenda:
3.a. AB 2930 Discussion/possible direction/action regarding next steps towards the development of a municipal destination marketing and management program, including a Resolution designating the City of Sedona as the official Destination Marketing Organization.
Because as it appears the transition of a DMO will revert to where many think it should have been in the first place, City Hall, a great deal of thought and logical strategy is being considered, particularly from the newer faces on City Council beginning, but not ending with hiring a professional consultant for direction.
City Council members display a sincere desire to support the premise that tourism needs to have a positive result. The majority of the city council members favor taking a slower approach, while the mayor stated that he “Can’t support waiting.”
Was expressing the need to work for “all Sedona residents and businesses” in fact a confirmed admission that during years gone by residents have, indeed, been shunned and perceivably treated like irrelevant nuisances? Is it fair to relate the overblown credit bestowed upon the Chamber of Commerce and Lodging Council as being the direct source of Sedona’s tax revenue? Has overextended and, perhaps, unprofessional pursuits actually been the cause resulting in out of control tourism creating overuse and disintegration of our most spectacular attraction, Sedona’s beauty, as well as local quality of life being shunned in the process?
Is it the obligation of Sedona government to promote businesses? No. Tourism should have positive results. Hasn’t too much time already been wasted on a “messy relationship” with the Chamber of Commerce? Yes.
It was suggested and agreed upon that most likely it will be good for the Chamber to do their own thing because, among other reasons, their vision is not the same as that of incorporated Sedona, which as presently stated is to “work for Sedona residents and businesses.” Residents, as stakeholders, should no longer be shunned and treated like second-class citizens or flatlanders.
With the task of tackling the logical decision to relocate the official DMO under the roof at Sedona City Hall, a new focus will be directed on the beauty of the area with a realistic approach and recognition of its capacity and thus indicating the need to include a method of educating our visitors. “Brand Sedona” and allow the Chamber of Commerce to deal with commercialization to benefit its members? The suggestion of an Advisory Board consisting of both residential and business participation to work in conjunction with the proposed hiring of a consultant was well received.
Newer members on the Sedona City Council were prudent in inquiring about return on investments. To-date nothing has been made available to speak to the success or failure of the contract with the Chamber of Commerce. For example, was the end result merely the extensive miles of backed up traffic? Who knows? What about success, failure, return on investment, use and participation of the newly created Sedona Transit System?
But all things considered, it seems logical to accept that certain changes, no matter what they are, will result in perhaps “the best of times” for some while for others they will, from their perspective, complain about suffering through “the worst of times.”
However, when seeking an answer about Sedona’s investment in the transit system, most assuredly not a profit producer, perhaps the answer will not be known unless transparency is practiced.
By establishing an appropriate Sedona City Designated Management Organization and, to include an “official” City of Sedona Visitors Center to rightfully represent ALL Sedona licensed businesses, then . . . at that time . . . won’t the City of Sedona finally revert to being the “dog” who rightfully takes control of wagging its own “tail”?
The best of times?
Trending on social media and news: “ARIZONA WOMAN HELPED NORTH KOREA SCAM 300 U.S. COMPANIES
Christina Chapman of Arizona pleaded guilty to running a laptop farm that helped North Korean IT workers pose as Americans, landing remote jobs at over 300 U.S. companies.
The scheme funneled millions to Pyongyang while unsuspecting firms thought they were hiring local talent.
Chapman, operating from her home, now faces at least eight years in prison.
The Justice Department warns this should be a wake-up call for businesses hiring remote workers.
Source: CBS”
wow
GoDaddy successful cuz they hire America
hear you @Ukraine peace means Russia can’t benefit from warmongering and support of Hamas after murdering millions of innocent babies, women, children, babas and tatas including Europeans including Americans that were there. Russia must pay a severe price for peace economically and socially. It must rebuild Ukraine out of its pockets not Europe, it must hold trials for Korean, Chinese and hired conscripts murdering for it IMO and common sense says Ukraine gets Crimea that Obama gave Russia.
Billions of dollars clawed back from thieves and incompetents and bureaucracy by Dept of Gvt Efficiency & whose screaming but thieves and incompetents!!!!!!!!! People know President Trump and Elon Musk are on a caring for America team. Happy Valentines Day America, we finally have people loving US.
Happy Valentines Day Sedona.
OK got it the IRS should stop auditing taxpayers if it’s such a bad idea
Saw this on X (offsite)
DOGE SEC
@DOGE_SEC
DOGE is seeking help from the public! Please DM this account with insights on finding and fixing waste, fraud and abuse relating to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Anybody else think Schumer is a con artist?
DNCC cut out of trust after firing staffers and not paying them cause Biden Harris took all the money and Buttigieg was the worst overseer almost in EVER. Costello needs firing or job reassignment. NO FAA controllers were even disciplined or fired since Trump admin formed. Blame Democrats for everything that’s wrong with FAA now like they blame Canada.
Kash Patel needs your support to get confirmed by the Senate. Call and demand AZ Senators support Patel or be racist and tell Arizona Hobbs she’s out of touch with her woke pro illegal agenda views and if she doesn’t remove illegals on state voter polls, she needs to be recalled.
editors?What’s status of paper ballots as rule of land?Computer experts in government agencies and private sectors say computers way easily hacked with past evidence as proof
Schumer power crazy _him dancing with Pakistan flags after news Pakistan hotel got millions for putting up illegals but NYC veterans moved in shelters broadcast corruption of NY politicians. Never stop following where money cashed out _publish Epstein list
Sure right your President’s cabinet best in decades +++++ Sedona
I got a bridge I wanna sell ya lol
hearing Kash Patel faces massive corruption inside his new agency
disappointment hearing government is badly corrupted
clean it up fast
Listen to reasonable arguments, Sedona thinkers.
They call border security racist. They call free speech hate. They call government efficiency dangerous. It’s like they thrive on poison. Democrat party is contaminated and unAmerican. #walkaway
noooooooo fundraisers for democrats in Arizona
This Tale wagging Sedona dogs, Eddie Maddock? Knowing 28K homes across America with investor rent to own models not working because tenants not good and facts suppressed by last government media? Ring a bell at city council and chamber? We see it here, we know its here, but city gives us charities??!!!! Do some homework before you pass tax money around. We don’t give you permission to spend tax money, we want necessities called infrastructure.
I’m a Democrat . I heard you . But won’t tolerate Democrats and we’re taking names who stands up to shout down in disrespect . And who whistles. Get your asses in gear for a long time , sit down Democrats we might vote for you almost never .
The Democrats not standing for First Lady is unconscionable!
1 in 36 kids have autism in America
It was 1 in 10,000 years ago
MAHA
Expansion time America
100$$$Billions added this month in America’s treasury chest Team Trump!
abortion groups they sell baby body parts and baby body fluids for profit, they sell babies parts for profit
@JudicialWatch
REVEALED: Our lawsuit against Health and Human Services uncovered 115 pages (with more coming) showing the Biden administration’s shocking post-Dobbs plans. They considered declaring a “public health emergency” to continue abortions AND using federal lands as abortion sites! These lands should preserve natural resources and wildlife—not become leftist venues for ending unborn lives. @TomFitten
Az Rep. Raul Grivalja died of cancer Thursday. RIP sir.
Dittos
We love Sedona! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
What insanity does MY Democrat Party applaud Hamas terrorists not being deported or Venezuelan Gang members not being deported ?? Woke psychos need to be deported to join those they support in Gaza and Venezuela. Gas is down 42 cents since February and eggs 47% since January and reciprocal tariffs are proven a great tool. Grow up whiners.
Appoint Kristen Sinama in that seat, she’s far superior at every single level or Kari Lake another superior both known vote getters with style and power.
Musk’s an American Dream. American youth wrong to despise Mr. Musk.
Police must stop lack of respect on campuses.
Thank you for good speech.
D.O.G.E. found if social security cuts out 15 million people over 120 years old
Collecting checks are cut out of those people illegally getting and cashing those checks, we collecting social security can get a raise. Dems shut up.
use wallet power to rid city of democrats businesses
Secretary Noem says Don’t EFFING COME TO THIS COUNTRY EVER AND WE WILL DEPORT YOU, cage the animals up
Get Jobs
If one local joins anti Musk Tesla actions we wish you horrible consequences in your life and wallets and arrests and if you own businesses your business deserve to be targeted like Tesla and if you work for a business you deserve to get fired. Bad karma to you and yours.
DOGE found the government will be insolvent in 3 years. The tax money won’t matter if it’s not spent wisely to protect Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid now and we are racing toward insolvency.
Taxes paid billions of dollars to fund a National Park Online Survey of 10 Questions asking if you liked or visited national parks. DOGE member and Airbnb founder said on news it should have cost a few hundred dollars, like contact lists. Secondly every single response was not useful because it didn’t matter as the data was never useful or used or shared. Find out what DOGE has discovered and why they’re being threatened by people like Elizabeth Warren. Follow the money. Give DOGE full support.
How many County and City online and paper surveys are feel goods not do goods while betting money city and county uses money to “pay” for them and who gets money? Waste fraud abuse? Duh. Fire unnecessary employees, hire smarter workers, get AI engineers to replace paper processors and staffs.
Ate breakfast out when dollar egg surcharge for Eggs appeared on check without comment .. like no notice .. even when giving order that it would appear. Notice to (deleted by editor) we’ll spread the ripoff news because we know what costs are, Find local egg growers happy to sell priced same as last years Biden Harris super inflation prices. Turn your tvs off CNN, their awful ratings prove lack of credibility, even airport doesn’t keep on. Notice to younger people, hair dye is out of vogue.
Tails wagging dogs like politicians ? Question for Congress and Interior or Park service or whatever states groups we gifted a billion dollars for pretend Park service jobs and upkeep/ phony ways to rob us and pay Tom, dick and harry to not provide it to the parks or its workers but channeled thru to keep bureaucrats pushing paper for nothing?
How did DC and state and local politicians and their cronies benefit from this money fraud abuse heist ngo climate scams? Demand payouts be traced and publish reports on who what where why how when received every cent of our tax money because rangers we know say Biden-Harris-Obama-DEI-inflation has clogged toilets, overfilled trash cans, reduced number of jobs, allowed illegal camping, trespassing, dangerous trails, burned trees, closed water for E. coli, caused deaths for inadequate maintenance and sanitation, allowed drugs, homelessness, signs posted can’t be read by illegally here illiterates no matter what language they speak, and entitled people without morals or virtues or ethics run the paper show from state and federal offices? F***Me
@merrills DITTO
@Sharyn DITTO
My daughter’s English teacher gave a class assignment with “The world has embraced transsexuals from the beginning of written word. Shakespeare was a transsexual and promoted it on stage and in his writings. What transsexuals do you know and why are you impressed by their bravery in America’s racist society?” Several of us are getting lawyers to demand the removal of this unintelligent person and a review of its administration qualifications in a class action lawsuit and two civil suits with notes to sue and demands to get back to qualified teachers and demands on student performance.
Time to give Canada a taste of its own pill. Let’s Go tariffs. Auto dealerships saying tariffs will have no impact on their prices.
Trump in office for two months, but he’s supposed to have a magic wand and correct four years of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s economic policies?
Sen. Schumer lost the ability to be a decent person pretending he doesn’t know Kamala Harris got more support from more billionaires and from Wall Street and from Legacy Media than Trump or that Elon Musk provided to Trump’s campaign. The nation has spoken. Our astronauts were rescued from impending death by SpaceX and you better teach your kids what a blessing Musk has been to space travel and electric vehicles. AZ politician Mark Kelly doesn’t have decency about this gigantic leap of tech that NASA couldn’t do or Boeing. Shameful Schumer and shameful Kelly.
Let me ask you Democrats why is it that electric bills never decrease even after switching out to LED bulbs, energy star appliances, soil destroying solar farms and bird killing wind farms? I see no future usable food producing fields, no flocks of birds, and can’t read the damn print on a book or food. Just sayin.
A person damages Teslas gets federal charges for domestic terrorism. Yippee skippee
Let me guess because your an idiot? Or how about your GOP run corporate committee has no problem allowing them to raise are rates!
How you liking ding dong donnys tarrifs. Stock market crash, and layoffs started already.
Have you ever thought about getting your news and information from real news sites? or do you like to sound like uneducated fools since Reagan?
I will be here rubbing your face it, day after day!
We watched news Argentina agreed to drop their rates to zero and President Trump’s tarrif team dropped tarrifs on Argentina. Keep it up! Our fave Malbec wines come from Argentina and we’ll stock up lots when price drops. Pay attention local stores, we know you’re paying less now.
go Doge with Dr. Oz given medicaire and medicaid corruption to fix
STOP VOTING FOR DEMOCRATS