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.
Who gives a rats tail, you ask? Probably Sedonans who are disgusted with the incestuous relationship between the City and the Chamber of Commerce, not to mention citizens who disapprove of City Councils violating the State of Arizona “Gift” Tax Law.
Yea it’s great having Air bnb’s as my Neighbors on both sides of my house. Cars and I know people in and out in and out every couple days. If you think you’re not changing the nature of the neighborhood you’re selfish and blind which I suspect to be true.
Visiting here during Labor Day weekend. We have been here before. Much has changed. Hiking @ Back of Beyond trail traffic backup on roadway. Unimpressed. Overhyped. No social distancing. Will not be back. Will not recommend. Awaiting smart ass response from those individuals lurking in the background just waiting to do so. Little doubt they represent the movers, shakers, exploiters, selfish pigs who’ve taken over Sedona and ruined the place. Very sad you elected greedy control freaks who choked out what little charm is left in Sedona. GOODBYE!!
@Nevada Visitors you summed things up neatly. Just one thing missing in your review in our opinion as residents.
You neglected to mention the decline in quality of Sedona treasures(?) presently on display and for sale in whatever shops are left open. Such a shame. Cheap imports from elsewhere are marketed for what and why? more profit?
However, at least you apparently had the opportunity to visit prior to the degradation of almost everything that once made Sedona so special. Fortunately more USFS land trades have been blocked. Maybe that’s the ONLY upside event here worth mentioning.
I’m pro Sedona. Olde Sedona. Like Relics and Olde Sedona Bar and Grille days. You go to Prescott and can still belly up to the bar that Wyatt Earp and others did. It kept its history! It is a lost gold mine here in New Sedona and it’s still mined in Prescott and Bisbee and Tucson. Better local government.
Great don’t come back…… thats two less Air b n b tourists wreaking the nature of Neighborhoods!!!!! Bye bye now.
We have, through our sloth and inaction, allowed the degradation of the structures of our once charming city. We have allowed the parasites in the City of Sedona to take control, just as a homeowner allows mice and termites to silently destroy their home. The president of the Sedona Chamber has taken flight, like a rat leaving a sinking ship.
The only solution is to shut the city down. You don’t leave a few mice or termites in your home. There are no good mice or termites. There are no good government parasites.
Shut the city down.
Calvin says: you go to Prescott and can still belly up to the bar that Wyatt Earp and others did. It kept its history!
It kept its history ok so Sedona was an apple orchard, on the way up 89a, 179 was a dirt road for cattle trucks and west Sedona was called grasshopper flats for a reason. Sedona is famous for its rocks and people come to see them get over it, Sedona was and still is a crossroad, hamlets turn into villages that turn into communities that turn into cities.
Oh yeah like visitors from Navada know about this site, give it a rest.
Sedona City Council Meeting – Consent Agenda – 9/8/2020
https://www.sedonaaz.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=42048
AB 2551 Approval of a Resolution authorizing two (2) separate Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreements for the City of Sedona to purchase the properties located at 215 W. State Route 89A (APN 401-38-001L), 65 Brewer Rd. (APN 401-38-002B), a portion of 121 Brewer Rd. (APN 401-38- 013E) and a privately owned section of the Brewer Rd. right-of-way, all located in Coconino County, City of Sedona, Arizona, for the combined sum of $947,500 for potential use as a roadway connection, transit hub, or other suitable public purpose..
Keep in mind, an increase in Sedona city sales tax has also been under discussion. All this going on during an economic down-turn and uncertain future? Apparently not in Sedona!
Sedona’s leadership is a collection of septuagenarians and octogenarians. Nursing homes have more vitality. Their underlings were selected for their graft and stupidity, so they would never be a threat.
This is what you get when you don’t pay attention to who you vote for.
@@Navada Visitors – And where pray tell is “Navada”? As for not knowing about this web site from “Navada” or not all one need do is Google Sedona, Arizona and it’s amazing what pops up.
Shut the city down ???
How about you stop renting your air b n b out every 2-3 days Degrading the neighborhood structure!!!!
Look no further than yourself as far as our city being done…
What is this about buying and condemning Brewer area and 89a property for more road and busses ????? I live near there and you better not screw up my property values with your cheap hustle at city hall ! WTF. We don’t want or need this! This isn’t Sedona!
I’m calling a Flagstaff and Phoenix lawyers and asking if I can get a petition for Sedona neighbors and sue this city group. Who do they think they are destroying our quiet and views for their trashy shoppers!! I’m so mad I could spit on this page.
I don’t own an air B&B. I am against destroying my neighborhood. There would not be a demand if not for excessive chamber advertising. Even the president of the Sedona chamber is moving, she contributed to ruining the small town nature of Sedona and is now moving to greener pastures. Sedona would have been better off if there had never been a city. It will be hard to undo the damage, but ending the city is a start.
What? Turning the Brewer Road area into a regional transit hub? And without consideration of the numbers of cars that will attract in addition to the current out-of-control existing traffic? What are these people thinking to even consider such a stupid thing?
They continue to put Sedona residents and visitors in jeopardy. We are sitting in the middle of potential fire disaster and they persist in catering to the chamber of commerce and their lodging council to accommodate their hair-brain (= brain-dead) ideas. It might be interesting to know who the owners of those properties are and who will be recipients of that million $$$$ price tag the “city” will be paying for them!
To hell with preserving the beautiful scenic red-rocks which, as steve segner says, is what attracts people to Sedona in the first place. Not for much longer! The only thing that could be worse here is maybe erecting two huge buildings like they did on the highway (SR179) in the VOC recently! OMG they are HORRIBLE.
Contact Coconino County Supervisor Matt Ryan mryan@coconino.az.gov and plead with him and the other supervisors to deny Coconino County’s participation in promoting and assisting with financial aid to make this pending disaster become reality
Next step: Class action law suit to stop endangering our lives by putting us in obvious peril.
ENOUGH!
GO FOR IT!
I’m glad to hear that you’re going to foot the bill to hire an attorney to set up a petition. That’s great news. Sorry but I’m on a fixed income pension but I appreciate you doing this.
You know Mike…. you actually make sense …..point taken! I was just tired of the BS artists and complaineS and liars here on SE spouting the same ole same for years now. As I said Mike point taken…
Sedona deserves better than she is getting.
Let me ask you people a simple question.
How’s this election adding up for you?
My reply is that Biden Harris are a betrayal to America and the election system. Biden is obviously incapacitated and unable to survive even a year or two in office (by plan) and Harris is an obviously bought and paid for (cheaply) progressive racist who once said marrying white was her “Calpol ticket.” What does that really mean and what does it mean for their characters and what does it mean if we vote for them? I’m out.
Give the man his due because Trump has done an incredible job with the economy and the pandemic all the time being undermined and blocked from success by Democrats every second while they sit in hair salons and hold fake investigations. Now they are paying for riots. When I saw Biden Harris campaign was paying for the rioters bail and fundraising then I couldn’t fathom why. There is no Joe Biden, he’s lost it if he ever had it. My respect for him was tenuous because he never did anything on his own worth crowing about. He flips and flops and kisses tush which is why President Obama didn’t back him for election and went with a Clinton. Joe Biden might be the cause of the destruction of America. I’m out and ask others not to vote for Biden Harris. I’d like to thank President Trump for not panicking us about the virus because no one knew what to expect or what was the cause or cure and we needed to stand and fight until we did. We do the Democrats has been supportive instead of fighting against closing our borders and flights from China, thousands more would have been saved worldwide. It is funny to watch the Democrat commercials trying to blame Trump for spreading the virus when they did it. They and China. Say it loud and clear – Democrats and Chinese obstruction caused more to die.
Own it.
My family heritage is pro America by honoring and respecting (my paternal grandfather waited 9 years to legally cross border and get citizenship) and I’m not destroying his faith and his two son’s proud military service to America. America gave us a doctor in this family who would have been a day laborer in Mexico. What would you have been in the old countries?
Democrats want a kid arrested for going to class rather than staying virtual. Can you (deleted by editor) believe it????? Go Republicans!
Biden, is obviously incapacitated and unable to survive even a year or two in office (by plan) ?
Obviously? you say and you know? How. Trump is morbidly obese and has had mine strokes? can’t read and lied about the Pandemic to get re-elected. Trump said in his own words that covet19 was way worse than the flue way worse, and then he held a rally of his own supporters and told them to not wear a mask. Trump is a criminal.
You say Trump has done an incredible job with the economy? and the pandemic? 180,000 dead millions out of work and the U.S. is in a recession.
@steve segner You are wrong about Trump and the ONLY reason you publicly support Biden is to cover up that you will vote Trump. Good for you as that’s the right vote. Some of us talk one way and intend to vote the other . . .
It’s so entertaining to see stevie attempt to write in the English language. To think, he is the voice of the Sedona Chamber. As Bugs Bunny would say, what a maroon.
The planneddemic? That flu according to a recent CDC report has only killed about 10,000 people. That is if you don’t count those over 80 with comorbidities, or those who die in a motorcycle accident who happened to test positive for corona. I have a piece of incredible news for you stevie, once you enter a rest home the average life expectancy is 6 months. No one gets out alive stevie.
stevie, it’s the Democratic leadership that has shut down cities and schools. Even people who voted democrat in past elections are now voting for Trump. Burning democratic run cities while the police were told to stand down woke up democrat voters.
Keep writing stevie, we always appreciate a good laugh !
Trump has done an incredible job REALLY???
I was a Trump voter and after the lies that are proven, I am so sorry and will be voting for anyone but Trump now.
Mexico is going to build the wall, Nope they didn’t.
I’m going to train the swamp (one of the biggest reasons that I did vote for him) Trump had more of his staff found guilty of crimes then most presidents before him.
Those disparaging comments about our military, that was the last straw for me.
Please explain how anyone can support Trump after hearing his own words about sitting on FACTS, telling people that it’s ok to send our kids to school WHEN HE KNEW THE COVID WAS DEADLY TO EVEN OUR KIDS.
All of you Trump supporters are living in a cult and are just too blind to admit you were duped.
You don’t have to like anything about Biden and neither do I but when Trump speaks I just reverse everything he says and then I know the true facts.
If you don’t like what his own neice had to say, listen to what his own sister, a retired federal judge has to say.
NO ONE KNEW. But Trump shut down Chinese mass exportation of the virus to the US against the Democrats of Pelosi (she’s made millions with China) Biden Obama Schiff Nadler THE WHOLE GROUP and those bozos turned the country from flourishing to a flatline.
Yeah President Trump. You have been the David of the congressional band of weak and stupid. Keep it up!
Heads up. All those protesters (rioters) and property destroyers in Oregon and California. Is their reward evacuation in time to escape out-of-control wildfires? Your efforts might have been better spent getting paying jobs instead of sucking up funds from the system and causing senseless havoc.
Back to Sedona. What’s new on plans for affordable housing (a joke) and regaining the reputation of “the most beautiful on place on earth”? Maybe Jen will take that slogan with her to Park City, Utah? And if so will Sedona’s previous reputation automatically be restored? More likely is the slogan “Buy Sedona – Best Place for AirBnB Rentals!” Mass exodus here of full-time residents thanks to Gov. Loser Ducey!
Out with those elected and employed by this farce of “a city”. Most horrible thing that ever happened here. Mother Nature and Karma are, indeed, paying attention although the egomaniacs apparently are NOT! Segler? (or whatever) Actually, it’s remarkable the Governor is working against you. Too little too late.
You weren’t ever a Trump voter @@ jimenezgoren. Your diatribe sounds like the handbook from Zinn Reader the pro communist anarchist book crammed down all our throats in colleges across America by Democrats and Socialists. I sat in a Tucson meeting with a rabid anti America university professor. He was bitter that his poor parents from the old country had to work hard at “beneath them” jobs when they “escaped.” I had to laugh at him. In one generation he was a professor and his parents were comfortably retired in Phoenix. Thanks America! Build that wall and keep ungrateful progressives out. The worst ungrateful ones are here in Sedona because they had the promised land and sold it for 30 pieces of silver. Thanks Sedona Eye for being open minded.
The incorporation of Sedona was an invitation for opportunists to move in and do their jobs. And the results are evident.
Flaunting the face of a pandemic are miles and miles of cars, clogged traffic, cheap souvenirs, and next to follow a staging area for the masses.
A pretty sight? NOT! They don’t care if there’s a pandemic or COVID if they get their registers to ring. Thanks to the stupid people who supported incorporation, our current Mayor Sandy being one of the pack leaders.
Just pray we escape without a horrible fire during this ongoing drought with intense winds – day after day and no rain predicted in the foreseen future!
Karma? Mother Nature? Messing with them might come with a high price. Have you not heard the expression you can’t fool Mother Nature? Want proof? Check out the smoke day after day from the ruthless California wild fires. Can’t happen here?
Funniest of all perhaps is the number of people transplanted from California. They are the very ones who leave there because of what it’s become and then as Sedona residents they want to do the same thing here. Go figure. Can’t fix stupid.
Steve, local Democrats like you never mention Harris?! Even you can’t stomach her for office,
becuz she’s unworthy and you know she will claw her way over Biden’s grave and take you out of the game white boy.
A friend reminded me that last night the NFL did not honor any 9/11 first responders but they did honor a rapist. NFL gets new owners and players then I’ll watch again. This is a progressive movement to discredit football and undermine a national game. News to Biden Harris – you lost my vote this week.
lets hope so, going to be a fun next 8 years with the distruction of the republican party.
Thump if not in jail will start a third party…. thre republicans are toast.
@tony dumped our cards tix & not another dime!
@steve no tourists until after coronavirus / shut down the city for safety until 2011 or 2012 vaccine released !
No in-class school until 2011 or 2012 ! Kids should not be allowed to gather at all & colleges should close or be virtual ! No public schools or private open until 2011 or 2012 ! Dismiss school boards & close School districts like Jill Biden recommends to help alleviate coronavirus !
Raise taxes on those making more than $35k a year like AOC says ! Nobody needs more
then that to live on each year & distribute the rest to state to dispense as needed !
Nobody needs to own their own home ! The state should own all housing stock and assign families to housing using a lottery like Kamala Harris proposed ! Excess housing can be used by the government as needed !
No car ownership to save fresh air & get off fossil fuels & the state can give bikes to people to use instead like Kamala Harris’ California proposal based on what China and India does. Climate control first & people need to be made to obey or go to jail. Nobody needs to travel by car or plane like AOC proposal or they pay big fines and go to jail & made to take classes to be educated properly ! No more democracy that let’s people decide ! Vote Democrats for social justice and equality !
Mark Kelly I’m not your friend, stop begging for money, not voting for you, get a job
After rereading some of the above comments, we remained confused(?)
References to ” No in-class school until 2011 or 2012 ! Kids should not be allowed to gather at all & colleges should close or be virtual ! No public schools or private open until 2011 or 2012 ! ”
Huh? Isn’t this year 2020? Are these typos or is it those posting comments on Sedona Eye are in some sort of twilight zone? Or are we? Please explain? (if, in fact, there’s a reasonable justification for this confusion)
Thank you.
@steve no tourists until after coronavirus / shut down the city for safety until 2011 or 2012 vaccine released !? really 2012 . 10,000 people in Sedona need to make a living and you just want to hide out, sorry you lose…. people need to eat and pay rent unless you want the government to give $100,000 to every household for two years? Just like after ww2 America is going The republicans have run up the nation’s debt so we will need to cut the armed forces and spend more on health care and of course raise taxes across the board to live free cost $
Ahhhh it’s 2021 and 2022!!
@steve segner is finally a trumper
@Segnar You and your pals want to CUT defense after China just murdered us in cold blood along with most of the people who died on the planet since August 2019 when China admitted to UN they had their first virus case?
You want to REWARD China for withholding PPE and buying up most of what they manufactured before announcing the virus was killing people? They’ve been contaminating drugs and products like adding plastic to milk under President Obama’s administration aided by pro-China Biden and Pelosi. We Democrats need to own our mistakes and complacency too. It’s not all Republicans fault.
Remember when China killed animals with contaminated foods and people around the world with bad medicines. I remember getting sick from a bad Chinese produced batch and Our doctor switched me to an India manufacturer.
None of the above is acceptable in my America.
Segnar, people will ask if you are a Chinese communist party paid lackey in the near future. China admitted to the UN that the party pays almost 100,000 students and scientists and government employees in America to infiltrate our lives and government and report back. It’s what all governments do to protect their interests. We should expect it and defend against it because that’s in our interest.
It doesn’t make me a racist to know my enemy, it makes me less a victim.
Don’t you give a damn? Biden NEVER stood up to China or Russia or Iran or any country, and he won’t and can’t. He’s not in good health and shouldn’t be running for any office. He’s not all there and we know it.
I see signs saying Hiding with Biden around here and it’s a raw truth. We need our media to stop lying to us and buying our votes by social engineering. America doesn’t need a mole, we need a toad and guess what toad is doing a good job.
We need to face the real enemy and it isn’t the toad and it isn’t the police and it isn’t each other if we are decent honorable good people. Americans are known worldwide as being an inclusive society because 99.9% of the rest of the world isn’t. If we occasionally have issues with our social fabric, Americans tackle it lawfully and with openness. A democracy is transparent of its good and bad and its citizens are responsible for fixing it during elections. Americans do not fix things by destroying each other or each others livelihoods or property.
We may need the toad to keep the nation together because the moles are destroying its moorings. Let’s get to work saving America and stop denigrating all of us in nasty and ignorant disagreements that can be resolved civilly and properly in the courts.
The toad did more for incarcerated minorities than any president and President Obama threw people under the minority rights bus. That’s fact.
The Chinese have our killing fields mapped out. Stop with the ignorant xenophobia that isn’t reality and pull America back together. We need each other. We need the toad and not the mole to get it done.
@Sean
best comment on election read to date appreciate the effort
Ditto
Sedona lost her charm.
VRBO has banned one night rentals in Arizona. Could you morons get it in your head that nothing about rentals are carved in stone and the Governor and state legislators are on the side of you and not big hotel business.
Who (what?) is VRBO?
And FYI, the three houses to the east of our property (outside our designated subdivision) have part-time “visitors” constantly. Can’t keep count of the number of strangers heading for the hiking trail on a daily basis. Sickening and disgusting.
Almost every week another home in this are is on the market because people are sick of it. It’s against our CC&R’ s but the properties are outside – not that it would make a difference.
City Ordinance was against it but Dumb Ducey ignored that and did his thing. Well, our “thing” will be to vote for anyone but him – providing we haven’t sold our house by the time he’s up for election again. Out with the bums – including those on our own city council.
Kamala Harris is the most liberal U.S. senator, according to a 2019 GovTrack analysis followed in second place by Bernie.
Vacation Rentals are bigger than air b, look at vrbo.com
Read this by Christian Britschski and agree it’s time to tell the teachers to get back to work. Send the kids to school. We can stop advertising for people to visit north AZ and that’s right to do to help keep us well up here and we have to send kids to school to learn. Here’s what I found. Love working and kids love school. Here’s that paste. Thanks Sedona editors.
A federal judge on Monday has ruled that lockdown restrictions imposed by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D), including a ban on large gatherings and the closure of “non-life sustaining businesses,” are unconstitutional.
While those restrictions were “well-intentioned,” wrote U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV, “good intentions toward a laudable end are not alone enough to uphold governmental action against a constitutional challenge. Indeed, the greatest threats to our system of constitutional liberties may arise when the ends are laudable and the intent is good—especially in time of emergency.”
I’m laughing at a commercial from the Harris camp blaming all the COVID deaths and business failures since it and the Antifa riots on President Trump.
Give it up Democrats because none of it is true and we’re not stupid.
I got an email asking me what I wanted the Democrats to do to destroy (their words) Donald Trump. Seriously. I’m out. You goons lost me and my vote.
Your riding with Biden equals KKK riding against blacks and whites who didn’t go the Democrats way. Remember KKK was all Democrat. I find riding with Biden offensive language and want it canceled.
Kamala Harris is the most liberal U.S. senator, according to a 2019 GovTrack analysis followed in second place by Bernie. Great she will make a great president with the republican party distroyed by trump learn how to say social democracy.
You give it up!!! Trumps a one term president.. as a matter of fact AZ will have twodemocratic senators. Far as your other statements to ridiculous to even respond to. You’ll be crying soon