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Eddie Maddock: To Buy or Not To Buy

SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie Maddock reports on the Sedona closed to the public March 24, 2020 City Council Meeting.

Sedona AZ – Due to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic mandate requiring individuals to remain socially distanced by at least ten feet, the Sedona City Council meeting on March 24, 2020 was, perhaps as an understatement, peculiar if not downright eerie. In center seat at the dais as usual was Mayor Sandy Moriarty flanked by City Councilwoman Jessica Williams in her typical end seat far to the Mayor’s left and Councilman John Currivan seated at the opposite end. Vice Mayor John Martinez and remaining Council members, Bill Chisholm and Scott Jablow, were strategically located in seats generally occupied by Sedona residents. At the onset of the meeting Mayor Moriarty acknowledged that in conforming to the proclamation of March 18, 2020, this City Council Meeting would not be open to the public in compliance with Coronavirus restrictions.

In order to address some public concerns, Councilman Currivan made the request for more discussion relating to consent agenda 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. Specifically he cited concerns relating to a possible scope of unknown results, particularly with regard to the potential for economic decline and even a recession.

With current lodging occupancy dropping 70% to 75%, essentially shuttered restaurants except for takeout or delivery and other businesses slipping toward the brink of closing and, with Sedona’s primary source of revenue, its sales tax obviously in jeopardy, wasn’t Councilman Currivan’s question exceptionally timely and appropriate?

City Manager Justin Clifford, however, offered assurance that necessary funds could safely be transferred from Uptown parking meter proceeds and purchasing the property at this time would preserve the ability to maintain progress on a long term project: Providing Sedona with a much needed parking structure.

Sedona AZ Forest Road viewpoint – Exclusive SedonaEye.com photo credit Eddie S. Maddock 2019

A stipulation in the 430 Forest Road Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement between the City of Sedona, Buyer, and Daniel E. Saunders, Trustee of the Daniel Saunders Revocable Trust, Seller, included agreement that no commissions shall be paid and Buyer (City) agrees to leaseback the Property to Seller at no cost for a period of up to nine (9) months from the date of the Agreement. Both parties agreed to employ Empire West Title Company as the Escrow, and enhanced the affirmation that neither party has contracted with, retained or otherwise employed a real estate broker relative to this Agreement.

Motion to approve was unanimous by Sedona City Council.

Therefore, the second of two transactions to create an Uptown parking facility is now in progress. The first, of course, is the land presently owned by the Sedona Chamber of Commerce, allegedly to be deeded to the City of Sedona at some future date.

Is that not a catchy phrase? “At some future date” who will be seated on the Sedona City Council? Who will be the City Manager? Sedona has been advertising for another City Attorney, and likewise there will be a turnover of other staff members.

Will this well-meaning transaction ultimately be justified, or down the road stifled with redirection for purposes unrelated to the stated cause for which it was purchased?

Or eventually will that questionable acquisition slip through the cracks and become a permanent, but unwarranted asset of a Chamber of Commerce, obligated to serve only their members, many outside Sedona City Limits and not contributing to the city tax base.

But most of all, when and if Sedona merchants including the lodging industry fail to produce adequate revenue to maintain even the barest essentials at City Hall, what will be the source of funding?

Sedona residents sit back and consume a breath of fresh air and sigh with relief. We do NOT have a Sedona property tax. You see in the darkest of times there is always something for which to be grateful, and in Sedona one really needn’t look too far.

635 Comments

  1. Eddie S. Maddock says:

    Yippee! Sedona Eye is back? Oh happy day – maybe one of the most positive factors of life as we presently know it?

    Just asking as I delve into my dusty, moth eaten notes from city council meetings since – when? – March? And has anything changed? Probably not except the C of C is asking for even more money? Maybe now $3 mil to reinvent Sedona’s “branding” in order to attract people with money? (versus the flow of unwanted intruders who simply showed up for fresh air and hiking in the U. S. Forest Service hiking trails)

    Stand by. Time will tell. June is budget-setting time for next fiscal year.

  2. Dear Joan says:

    Do you ever get tired of beating a dead horse?

    https://tourism.az.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Arizona-Bed-Tax-Rates-A-Z-June-2019.pdf

    Every town in all of Arizona that has a hote,l has a bed tax…..Im sure you know that you just ignore the FACT!

    Even if Sedona abolished its bed tax, they would still have to take in the tax for the State and County…..No different than our sales tax…..You complain about the city, but ignore that the State takes far more out of that tax….

    Some day I wish you would learn how small governments works….Hek how about running for a position in the city…..Im sure your views would change when you actually saw how things work?

  3. @george says:

    Ain’t it funny how people BLAME others, Institutions and government for their own Unhappiness.

  4. @Joan says:

    When will YOU stop posting the same bad information?

    The city is paying the regional chamber a percentage of BED TAX, not a property tax. That is money collected from the tourists that stay in hotels and other lodging establishments not from residents.

    YOU know this. It has been explained to YOU time after time after time.

    Why don’t you do us all a favor and set your sights on the NAH and the loss of our emergency room?

  5. Marty Sedona says:

    @@Joan – you are absolutely correct. The percentage of the increased BED TAX most assuredly should go to CITY OF SEDONA lodging owners – those collecting SEDONA CITY taxes.

    However, the fallacy of your assessment is because it’s awarded to a “regional” chamber of commerce (NOT exclusively representing licensed City of Sedona businesses.) C of C responsibility is to THEIR MEMBERS – many of whom do NOT have Sedona City business licenses because they are NOT located within city limits and therefore DO NOT COLLECT CITY OF SEDONA TAXES.

    Legitimate City of Sedona businesses who by choice are NOT members of the misnamed “Sedona” chamber of commerce do NOT even benefit by referrals from the also City funded “local” Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center – not as misrepresented as officially being that of the “city” of Sedona.

    It’s a sham IMO and perhaps one of the best things that could happen to “incorporated” City of Sedona would be to replace our retiring city attorney as well as future city staff members with individuals who have the integrity to appropriately acknowledge this blatant disrespect to SEDONA CITY LICENSED BUSINESSES who have the decency to refrain from becoming a member of an organization merely to attain status on a bogus referral list!

    Again IMO this local chamber of commerce is out of control by being allowed to become professionals at swindling municipality funds to promote their own members, many of whom do NOT collect one penny of Sedona city taxes because they are located outside Sedona City Limits!

  6. @ Marty says:

    Like you keep saying, IMO IN MY OPINION But your opinion doesn’t seem to mean all that much does it.

    You continue to say this same rant at nauseam and yet, life hasn’t changed.
    You and your band of haters went to the AG’s office, and life hasn’t changed.
    You seem to think that your opinion means something and obviously it doesn’t.

    You are a non-lodging business owner within the city limits and hate the chamber because for what, lodging outside Sedona don’t pay the lodging tax??? I fail to see why that is your business. The AG didn’t come down on the city because THERE’S NOTHING TO SEE HERE!.

    Again, set your sights on something useful for a change and take a hard look at the Northern AZ Health Care for what they’re doing to our ER.

  7. @@Joan says:

    When will YOU stop posting the same bad information?

    The Sedona bed tax does NOT have to go to the Greater Sedona Chamber of Commerce.

    Some of the bed tax can be spent on mitigatiing tourist impacts. It does not have to be spent on sustainability, or tourist advertising. The Greater Sedona Chamber is a scam.

    YOU know this. It has been explained to YOU time after time after time.

  8. Fact says:

    To those who make fun of comments based on opinions here’s something to chew on.

    Many of us who work for businesses outside Sedona (including Cottonwood and even Camp Verde) are LOAO because we KNOW the mockery made of the Sedona city/chamber of commerce connection and how much business we get because of them. Camp Verde has NO chamber of commerce. Why should they when the get referrals from Sedona?

    It’s hilarious, really, and if you follow the chamber Pres/CEO and listen to her preaching much of it has to do with alliances outside Sedona City Limits!! And that, folks, is a fact.

  9. @@ Marty says:

    When will YOU stop posting the same bad information?

    The attorney Generals office made the City of Sedona stop paying the Greater Sedona Chamber for tourist advertising. That is why our captured city council fools and staff decided to gift the Greater Sedona Chamber the same approximately $2.5 MILLION DOLLARS to teach residents about sustainability.

    YOU know this. It has been explained to YOU time after time after time.

    Just like the Current Mayor Sandy owning the Wine Fest, wait, that’s wrong, she owns Sedona Faire, which puts on the wine fest. And It’s a non profit, she is just doing it for the good of Sedona. Sureeeee.

  10. Tony Tonsich says:

    Shall we all give a cheer for these brave anonymous posters?

    I’m sure none of them have an ulterior motive or are somehow on the receiving end of city, meaning taxpayer funds.

    All you Karen’s, Jen’s and other takers, please use you true name. It’s not like we don’t know who you are anyway.

    Remember Karma, she ‘s mad and coming to get you !

  11. Paul & Bev T. says:

    Having worked hard all our lives we earned and now enjoy a second home in Sedona. We’re appalled at the city government there (don’t understand the designation of “city” for Sedona). However, because of the lack of good sense for Sedona city tax distribution – any of it – to be given back to a “chamber of commerce” is insane! In reading comments we are under the impression the Sedona C of C is attempting to pass itself off as a “DMO?” (Destination Marketing Organization) If that’s the case, it’s total BS! Comparing Sedona to Scottsdale and other places that function with a REAL “DMO” the effort to use a member-driven organization (Sedona C of C) as anything other than that amounts to fraud! Yes – ninnies waiting to attack – that IS an opinion.

    Not to worry. When we have the pleasure of visiting our home-away-from-home in Sedona which, incidentally, we do NOT use as a vacation rental scam our option is to check out NON-CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERS – and……………….that’s where we spend our money!!Big deal? Probably not! Rest assured that in all probability we are NOT the only former visitors to Sedona now property owners who have witnessed the obsession a jerky “city” government has with it’s “chamber of commerce.” Go figure!

    And yea, for the record most incorporated cities give NOTHING to the local Chamber of Commerce. Flagstaff is one example. And, Jen Wesslehoffman (sp?) CEO Sedona Chamber of Commerce, that goes for Park City, UT!! They advertise via the State of Utah and a legitimate DMO. And how do we know that? Because our home away from Sedona is: PARK CITY, UTAH!

  12. Wm. D. says:

    Wow an example of smoke, mirrors and spin-the-bottle? Check out on line for confirmation the following:

    “Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon Chamber of Commerce Admin Center, 45 S. Sunset Dr., Sedona, AZ 86335, (928) 282-8492”

    “Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau. We are the Destination Marketing Organization for the Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon area in Northern Arizona. We provide marketing tools such as tour travel planners, slides, videos, posters, brochures, itinerary assistance and information on the entire area.”

    Sedona Visitor Information Center
    331 Forest Road
    Sedona, AZ 86336
    Call (800) 288-7336 or (928) 282-7722

    Actual sign on building @331 Forest Road: Sedona Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information

    And maybe best of all, this confusing multiple-named outfit is “non-profit” albeit NOT as tax-deductible.

    Wonder which branch of this confusing organization foots the bill for the slightly less than $12,000 monthly salary to the Pres/CEO of this member-driven multifaceted organization? Maybe the unnamed location @102 Roadrunner Drive? Just asking…………..hmm (scratch head)

  13. Walter Jones says:

    Hay Tonsich:

    You don’t live here anymore so what’s your ulterior motive?

    FYI I don’t care who those Karen’s Jen’s etc are, they make good points.

  14. Redstone Dr Resident says:

    Oh Tony just give it up. You made a mess of our neighborhood so your opinion doesn’t hold water to me.

  15. Tony Tonsich says:

    Ahhh, the anonymous attacks. Not that your juvenile attacks deserve a response, they don’t.

    For the rest of our dear readers, If the city of Sedona can fund a Greater Sedona Chamber of Commerce, if city employees can live outside the city limits, if Sedona Recycles can place bins throughout the Verde Valley, a resident that has escaped the grasping tax feeders of Sedona yet still reside in the Verde Valley may rightfully comment.

  16. @ Tony Tonsich says:

    Ha! Good point, Tony! Excellent.

  17. Jerry Uptown says:

    @Walter Jones, what difference does it make where Tony Tonsich or anyone else lives who comments here? With a city staff and city council awarding literally millions of dollars to a “regional” chamber of commerce to promote ONLY their members? Many if not a majority also reside outside Sedona City Limits and contribute NOTHING to incorporated Sedona city tax base.

    But Karma lives. Heard a brief news report that certain states are no longer allowing visitors from other states with excessive coronavirus infections. And guess what? Arizona is among them. Sorry to not have more details but will go to Phoenix news @10:00 to listen more closely. (Man – yet another reason to increase funding to the “regional” C of C? So they can justify the millions of day trippers they manage to attract with Sedona city tax $$$$$)

    Hey – as the saying goes “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings” And maybe that person is KARMA??

  18. Bob in W. Sedona says:

    Not one darn thing is going to change, not one, unless we vote OUT the mayor and other incumbent city council members who continue to ignore the cries and complaints of Sedona residents. One look at the services and benefits the residents of Cottonwood and Flagstaff receive (while still getting plenty of revenue from tourism) shows just how much money the mayor, city manager and council members of Sedona have wasted on gifts and graft to the chamber CEO, Lodging Council and greedy tourism operators.

    If, over these many years, they had chosen to invest in community-oriented small businesses and programs and facilities and maintenance designed to benefit RESIDENTS instead of tourism operators, we would have a much, much better town. Somehow, they just don’t understand that all the problems they yak about, such AirBNB, affordable housing, small businesses, etc., exist because THEY chose to give huge chunks of city revenues to the chamber for more and more and more tourism instead of investing in our community by adding services, facilities, programs, help for real small business owners who want to serve something other than tourism and … here’s a genius idea … buying land or facilitating land deals that support housing instead of parking lots and parking garages for tourism.

  19. Jim Poole says:

    Nice to see you are still around Tony. You sure do scare the cronies.

    You must have pretty powerful information to scare them into the stupid posts they make. Hope your doing well.

  20. Sedona City Residents says:

    Let’s not forget. Wasn’t it the City Manager who just recently took it upon himself to allow the chamber of commerce to continue receiving the HUGE amount from the city budget for the next EIGHT years? Contract or no contract. Such authority! Arrogance of power?

    The big decision will be made at the council meeting this coming Tuesday. Will everyone be enshrouded in masks or will only the members of the C of C be the exception because they are so pure and don’t carry germs or viruses?

    Time for Sedona voters to rise up. in fact – long overdue Wake up wimps! Take YOUR CITY back from the current low life control freaks or forever sit in silence and learn to love the abuse.

  21. steve Segner says:

    Not one darn thing is going to change, not one, unless we vote OUT the mayor and other incumbent city council members who continue to ignore the cries and complaints of Sedona residents
    Really, funny no one at a meeting protesting and council elections candidates running un apposed and Sandy is a shoo-in……. so much for outrage

  22. @steve says:

    I know Steve….an outrage of two. Lol

  23. Gosh darn, I don’t get my way wah wah wah

    No one at the city listens to me wah wah wah

    I hate the chamber because they won’t do what I want them to do wah wah wah

    I have some great ideas….Well let’s see oh I know….. Tonsich for Mayor… oh that didn’t work (deleted by editor) wah wah wah

    Ok well, how about NO ON HOME RULE? oh shoot that didn’t work either wah wah wah

    Ok, I have THE BEST IDEA; Mark Brnovich the big bad chamber and city aren’t doing what I want so can you go after them? Nope, that didn’t work either.

    Years and years have gone by and you bunch of misfits are still complaining about the same thing and yet until the Covert 19 hitting, the city was stronger than ever, our merchants were kicking butt oh and let us not forget, the Chamber was rockin’ it. Jenn W was even appointed by Ducey to a tourism committee.

    You’re in your golden years now why not kick back and enjoy the red rocks.

  24. Mike Campbell says:

    I hate to say it but Segner is right. Until people decide to run for office with nothing to gain but making a better home, Sedona is condemned to its future as a tourist trap.

    It’s small minded city staff gives taxpayer money for a “friendship” or perhaps something else. Since city council blindly believes the “professional” city management. City management that only cares about how much they can grow staff and increase salaries, mostly their own.

    Nothing last forever, Sedona the quaint spiritual town has gone.

  25. @steve S says:

    I know Steve but I watched the meeting online. My only Contribution to Sedona is my whining iSedona eye

  26. Jamie Eagle says:

    Here = politicians love power

  27. Mae Lee says:

    Scalliwags

  28. Doris W. says:

    In case anyone’s interested city council approved the acquisition of the subject property. Isn’t it remarkable this little “city” of Sedona, in spite of global economic crisis, is still able to enter into the multi-million dollar engagement with our regional chamber of commerce and also continue to purchase more real estate property. It might be of further interest to learn names of the realtor(s) who profit from these transactions.

    And some of us wonder why the “city” streets in our subdivisions continue to crumble or, at best, every few years are patched with ugly snake-like tar patches. Actually aren’t real deal snakes more attractive? Especially the rattlers. And they warms us in advance when they’re ready to strike.

  29. John Daniels W Sedona says:

    “Isn’t it remarkable this little “city” of Sedona, in spite of global economic crisis, is still able to enter into the multi-million dollar engagement with our regional chamber of commerce and also continue to purchase more real estate property.

    Remarkable, I think that it’s amazing!!!! It sounds like great stewardship and planning!

  30. Sadie T. says:

    Well, the mayor apparently surprised the other council members last night with a pre-planned proclamation to require masks in public. I don’t disagree with the masks, they are needed because of the pandemic. (By the way, a certain vocal but largely illiterate member of the Lodging Council who is frequently rude to people on this site was spotted in the grocery store last week without a mask. Typical selfish behavior on his part).

    What’s worth noting is that this was a surprise to the other council members. Why? Because the mayor is nothing more than a lackey to the city manager who told her this is the thing to do and went ahead and drew up the paperwork in advance. For too many years, our current mayor has done nothing to respond to us, the residents, and instead has simply gone along with the Lodging Council and city managers whose past experience was in Hooterville.

    It is time for a new mayor in Sedona, one who will listen to us. Vote for change in August.

  31. haha says:

    Wear your masks sheeple!!

  32. Basement Kid says:

    Either vote or run for office or forget about it. Simple.

  33. @HA HA says:

    It’s people with you self important selfishness that’s causing the rise covid 19. You a moron

  34. Arrogance of Power says:

    Arrogance of power times two = Mayor Sandy Moriarty; City Manager Justin Clifton.
    Another decision made behind closed doors prior to a public meeting?
    Transparency? Gone but not forgotten.
    It will only get worse unless VOTERS make the change.

  35. @ John Daniels Of Mars says:

    It will be so fun to quote you on “great stewardship and planning ” when the inevitable huge city budget deficit becomes public.

    Karma.

  36. @Karma says:

    “when the inevitable huge city budget deficit becomes public” @@John Daniels of Mars.

    And just who do you suppose “they” will go after to fund that huge deficit? Sedona City Residents, of course. And most likely at the recommendation of Justin, and his “buds” Jen & Stevie!

    Sit back, fools, who continue to allow this to happen. Another $3 million just on the table for Jen and her gang at the C of C to allegedly put in motion endeavors for new “branding” and target marketing for “higher end & more upscale” Sedona visitors! Yep – that’s what Jen said at her recent sale’s pitch special meeting and the city council, of course, literally bought into it. Marketing for “higher end & more upscale” Sedona visitors!
    (versus the type of of visitors presently coming to Sedona)

    In other words, unless you have buckets of bucks, you are NOT welcome in Sedona. Stay home.

    As for going after California patrons (specifically San Diego and LA as target markets) isn’t that primarily who already visit here year after year? DUH!

    Check out the meetings on the city web site if you think this is made up stuff. The sickness apparently controlling Sedona isn’t the coronavirus pandemic. At least a vaccine is being researched for that deadly disease. The malady in Sedona can only be corrected by Sedona voters which to date hasn’t worked. (obviously).

    Nuf’ said?

  37. Sadie T. says:

    There is no “great stewardship” here and it is ridiculous for anyone to imply otherwise. The fact is that the city has been giving millions to the chamber of commerce and lodging council for years instead of spending it on infrastructure, programs and facilities to benefit residents. Then there was the money they sat on because no one on the city council or in the city manager’s office has the creativity, experience or professional skills to come up with a vision and then carry it out.

    That’s why we are here today. Broken pavement on our neighborhood roads, minimum programs, no community center, run down facilities at the parks that do exist, a new “park” that is an eyesore on Brewer Road despite “plans” that are talked about but never acted on, ever-increasing costs for sewer service, tourist traffic headaches and tourist trash left on our streets and trails, city employees who accomplish very little (including an “assistant city manager” who rents a room to the so-called “objective journalist” who work for the local rag newspaper), and “services” that are not provided by the city but by nonprofits who are then threatened with losing funding in order to illegally influence an election.

    For years the city has given the graft to the chamber of commerce and the lodging council to the exclusion of all the other things it should have been doing for residents. They now reap what they have sown as the tourist economy crashes and don’t deserve one ounce of “credit” now for taking even more of our money to give to the chamber to “recover” and spending the rest to make sure that they don’t have to layoff employees who were hired to manage the stresses put on our infrastructure by the hordes of tourists they continually advertised for … and are now doing very little.

  38. Who coulda node says:

    With Sedona shut down for months for Corona, and a forecast of another shutdown in coming months. Who could have forecast declines in tax revenues? Not the Sedona city council and “professional staff”.

    It’s already happened, and they will say ” No one could have seen this coming !”

    A moron could plan better.

  39. steve Segner says:

    John Daniels Of Mars says: budget deficit becomes public.
    John Cities under state law can not run a deficit, they just adjust budgets for the next year to match projected income.
    Sedona has been saving for years and has a rainy day fund. Sedona also had money put aside for project years in advance.I sure the city council will cut back on some projects. hope that helps

  40. Michael Schroeder says:

    I have placed this on several responses on Sedona Biz. Some people actually did some math at the Phoenix Business Journal on June 26th.

    The article was photocopied and presented as a ,pdf. Credit for the article is to the Phoenix Business Journal, and it may be read and downloaded here for you convenience.

    It appears that the reporting on the increase in the virus in Arizona and the number of beds in hospitals that are occupied is not all as it seams.

    Read the article here.

    https://www.arizonaliberty.us/AZ_coronavirus_numbers.html

  41. Wm. D. says:

    So a “chamber employee” has tested positive for COVID-19. That unidentified employee is reported by Chamber of Commerce Pres/CEO as working in “OUR visitor’s center” (not the alleged “official” visitor’s center for the City of Sedona).

    Truth eventually comes out – and City Hall – you just can’t have it both ways! You pay millions of tax revenue to support this sham. Now where’s your challenge to dispute you finance the Visitor’s Center to exclusively promote only the dues-paying members of a private club? Or just possibly if you intend to maintain your claim – that the Sedona Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Center is officially that of the City of Sedona, then what’s to prevent that “chamber employee” or any one else who might be tested positive for COVID-19 to file a law suit against the City of Sedona?

    Remember that saying “Can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear?” Well, isn’t the story of Sedona a different version? Translation: Sedona was a silk purse now turned into a sow’s ear since being incorporated as a city.

  42. Sedona Virus says:

    Who tested positive? Names should always be published so we can report our contact with the people! I want to know if they affected me or my family.

  43. @ Sedona Virus says:

    Right, nothing like public shaming I always say. Don’t forget shunning, too.

    You are obviously an idiot TV watcher.

  44. Lauren Thompson says:

    Having followed on-line links of city council meetings IMO the absurd connection with this chamber of commerce is much worse that the coronvavirus. It’s absurd, insulting, and furthermore even more dangerous! And to think the CEO of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce is on the board of directors of Northern Arizona Healthcare? OMG TRULY THE INMATES ARE RUNNING THE ASYLUM!!

  45. steve Segner says:

    Having followed on-line links of city council meetings IMO the absurd connection with this chamber of commerce is much worse that the coronvavirus.
    This comment says nothing please, lay out the facts let us all see the evel you see and the laws that are being broken.

  46. John Daniels W Sedona says:

    It’s a good thing that we have freedom of speech in this great country:

    Lauren Thompson, an absurd connection you say???? I think it’s great that we have such a group as the Chamber to bring tourists to our tourist town. We just don’t need any more people here for the time being and guess what, the chamber is NOT advertising anywhere until this virus is gone.

  47. John Daniels of Mars says:

    Ah yes the city of Sedona, with jobs ranging from useless to pointless to hopelessly corrupt and inimical to the real common good. The continued con of the Greater Sedona Chamber, a continuing scam of no benefit to the ever fewer residents of our once fair town.

    The good news for those on the take is, residents keep dying off to be replaced by Air B&B. Soon everyone will be on the take and no one will be left to complain.

    Unfortunately that never works out in the long run.

  48. Lauren Thompson says:

    @John Daniels W Sedona, “Chamber NOT advertising anywhere until this virus is gone?” Then pray tell what was all the “hype” about “branding” and target marketing in L.A. & San Diego? “High end income” and those presently visiting in Sedona “not the type of market they’re seeking.” Just under THREE MILLION DOLLARS to extract such profound observations? WOW!

    Perhaps you might review the meeting yourself, JD W Sedona, in case you didn’t witness the meeting first hand.

    Shame on the city council for approving one penny to a group with so many members located outside Sedona City Limits who stand to benefit more than city-based businesses who choose to NOT be chamber members. Do you suppose they might be willing to pitch in financially when Sedona continues to only get undesirable tourists as was blatantly indicated during that meeting and goes broke? Hope “they” don’t intend to scheme how to go after residents to foot the bill for their champagne taste on a beer budget. Sheesh! Unbelievable.

    Chamber, Chamber let us count the ways you manipulate and maneuver pulling municipal funding strings for what is easily perceived as BS nonsense.

  49. @steve Segner says:

    You can tell Segner and those using his name the facts 1000 times and they will still claim they have not heard any facts. Funny how money will blind some people. You can’t take it with you and Karma always wins.

    The people who turned Sedona from a spiritual center to a tourist trap broke many hearts, including mine. The universe demands a price will be paid.

  50. @John Daniels W Sedona says:

    Sometimes less is more. What has changed? We did fine without the chamber. Sedona went from a luxury resort to a tourist trap packed with traffic. One time visit.

    Think it through Karen. Who’s really making money?

    https://sedonachamber.com/sedona-safe-clean-ready/

    Cut the 0.5% bed tax. ZERO funding let the businesses do their own marketing. You don’t need to pad their pockets. SS has what 4 houses now. They can afford to pay their own way.

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