Home » City Council, Community » Eye on Sedona City Budget Now and Future

Eye on Sedona City Budget Now and Future

This article submitted by the City of Sedona AZ

This article submitted by the City of Sedona AZ

Sedona AZ (May 27, 2014) – The most important duty of the City Council is to work with staff in the management of the City budget. The annual budget retreat for fiscal year 2014/2015 was completed on May 1, 2014, and was the ninth annual budget that I have participated in.

I was appointed to City Council in 2006 during the peak of the economic boom, was elected as Mayor when the country entered the economic recession in 2008, and will leave office in November as the economy moves toward an economic recovery. I can tell you from experience; it is much more pleasurable to participate in budget discussions during prosperity than in recession.

Even though the recession was extremely painful and challenging, I viewed it as an opportunity to cut non-essential expenditures and funding that would have been politically difficult to achieve in prosperous years. I am pleased to announce that in the last six years, the City has reduced its total debt obligations 30.5%, from a $72 million outstanding debt in 2008 to $52 million in 2014. Additionally, we have significantly reduced our annual budget. In 2008, our total annual budget was $60.5 million. Currently, it is $36.1 million, which is a 40% overall reduction.

City of Sedona Mayor Rob Adams

City of Sedona Mayor Rob Adams

I have often talked about the excellent job that the Council and staff have done in managing the budget during difficult economic times. There have been many lessons that have been learned. Perhaps the most important lesson is that Sedona’s economy is very vulnerable to economic downturns. Tourism is dependent on discretionary income, which is the first expense that people reduce or eliminate during difficult times and is the slowest to recover. For that reason, I believe that Sedona must make economic development and diversity top priorities for our city in future Council discussions in order to achieve a more sustainable economy.

To that end, there are several entities in Sedona that are in the early stages of working with the city to examine the possibility of expansion in our community. Each one of these entities provides an exciting opportunity for economic development, job creation, and revenue generation.

The administration of Yavapai College is initiating public outreach efforts to determine programs that would be in alignment with, and supported by, the community of Sedona. One idea that is presently being considered is a Culinary and Hospitality program.

Sedona City Council

Sedona City Council

The owners of the former Cultural Park have hired a planning team to “vision” opportunities for development. This team is working with the City’s Community and Economic Development department to create a public “roll out” of these visions. The Cultural Park owners are also working with Yavapai College in discussing ideas on how the visions of these two entities could “cross pollinate” in their development plans.

The administration of the Verde Valley Medical Center is considering development opportunities on 30 acres that is adjacent to the Sedona campus. A state of the art cancer center already exists on the main campus.

The City is forming a land planning group to investigate development opportunities at the City-owned wetland area west of Sedona. Some of the uses that I have personally been suggesting are: (1) relocating the Cultural Park concept to the wetlands area, (2) creating an agri-business that would provide produce and fruits for the region, and (3) creating algae ponds to produce bio-fuels and other products.

The City must take an aggressive and proactive role in fostering and facilitating the discussions surrounding these development concepts. This is an opportunity to work with existing organizations and resources to create “green industry” in Sedona that is in alignment with our core values as a community.

I will be leaving office with a sense of satisfaction that the City is on sound financial ground. I urge future Councils to not be complacent. Plan now for our future economic security. Be visionary…there are many “low hanging fruit” that are ripe for the picking.

This SedonaEye.com article was written by Mayor Rob Adams and submitted by staff with the following disclaimer: The ideas, statements, and opinions that I have made in this article do not necessarily reflect the positions of the City of Sedona or the City Council.

For the best Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

For the best Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

10 Comments

  1. Liked this article on Facebook.

  2. Tony Tonsich says:

    Rob,

    One time capital expenditures are not the same as normal annual budget items. Yes Rob, you did not build a new sewer plant or buy a city hall in the last couple of years.

    Cash and cash equivalents ending June 30,2008 : $37,039,624
    Page 38, 2008 Sedona Budget document

    In the 2013-14 303 page budget document I could not find cash and cash equivalents.

    On page 298 of the 2013-14 budget I could find total all funds year end of $2,598,454

    Seems to me the City spent down our cash by about $34,500,000 over Rob’s tenure. Good job Rob.

    They also included account #6009 Employee appreciation pay of $160,080 on page 84 of the 2013-14 budget. Six figure salaries just aren’t enough.

    NO real cuts that I could see. But don’t take my word for it, take a look at the 303 page budget for yourself at http://www.sedonaaz.gov.

    Or just vote no on the alternative expenditure limitation/home rule.

  3. Joe T says:

    Tony why not compare Sedona’s budget to Jerome.. You know like you use to do with the Fire budgets… Then throw in some nonsense so called facts and figures to legitimize your misinformation.. You know like you do when you trying to sound a lot smarter then you actually are..

  4. Please join and let’s get a Fire Ban in Red Rock Country: https://m.facebook.com/?_rdr#!/groups/1413414482276651

  5. R Koch says:

    Worst Mayor Sedona ever had. Fleecing of sedona citizens and businesses was the only economic increase during his tenure. The only economic benefits were to the Mayor’s friends.

    No on Home Rule

  6. REMINDER says:

    Coconino County yellow voting notices have been mailed. DO NOT IGNORE.

    If you are not registered with a national party affiliation you will not receive a ballot for the Primary Election unless you complete and return the “Ballot Request” section of the yellow notice or request a ballot online at http://www.coconino.az.gov/elections. Being registered as “Independent” doesn’t count. You must also check a box on the yellow form in order to receive the Sedona City Council/Mayor election and Home Rule ballot issue.

    If you are not already on the “Early Voting List” you will not receive a ballot because the physical election will be just that, at a polling place. If you intend to be away during the month of August, please, please request an early ballot. Much is at stake here. The next four years of Sedona’s future will be reflected to a large degree on the outcome of this election on August 26, 2014.

    Early ballots will be mailed on July 31, 2014. Make certain you are not cheated out of one of the few opportunities we have for our voices to be heard. Your vote can make a difference. In an election a short time ago wasn’t it Mayor Rob Adams who defeated Pud Colquitt by a mere four votes?

  7. Roger says:

    Confession. I was caught up in comments and just now read article. Well, laugh or cry are the choices here.

    Opportunities for development of cultural park property? Negotiations with present owner? Development opportunities at wet lands? (Relocating Cultural Park; “agri-business,” “algae ponds.”) Adams writes of “green industry” after having just approved $270,000 for water wasting “splash pad?” (Did I get it right?) All of these suggested “visions” being offered for consideration by newly elected council in just a couple of months? Puleese! (Unless back-room negotiations have already been given a thumbs-up?)

    For one thing all the “visionary plans” at wet lands are outside city limits which is probably a good thing. Maybe Yapapai County will display better sense relating to zoning regulations by laughing their whatevers off at the suggestion of some of these grandiose pie-in-the sky notions. Clearly the confines of Sedona City Limits were a hindrance to Adams but, of course, that didn’t stop him from approving millions in funding chamber of commerce to promote competing, non-tax collecting businesses outside Sedona.

    He neglects to write about means to pay for this latest dream-wish-list that he so generously shares as what he actually believes is sage advice for the newcomers. Oh, don’t confuse the issue with nonsense like who will pay for what. Of course, it’s the poor fools unfortunate to be connected to the sewer who have been deemed “responsible for paying their fair share.” For what? A small detail that has conveniently been omitted from the pitiful discourse from a lame-duck mayor. Adieu, Mr. Mayor. That door can’t slam soon enough for me. However, I must thank you for one thing. You have given me valid, solid, irrefutable reasons to vote NO to Home Rule and I thank you for that.

    (Maybe in the future I’ll read the articles before the comments but not to plan on it.)

  8. R Walters says:

    I for one am going to personally pay for an add in the Red Rock News for a vote NO on Home Rule. I encourage others to do the same.

  9. @R. Walters: Who are you? Another of the “Toms” or a sales agent for the RRNews? You suggest for us to spend money for ads opposing Home Rule in that rag?

    May I suggest you check archives for past editions and look for editorials in that paper expressing the virtues of Home Rule and all the reasons to vote “Yes.” That paper’s connection with Jennifer Wesselhoff, the Chamber of Commerce, and her husband Rick (a partner in the RRNews online edition) should give you another clue about how meaningful your ad (except for $$$ revenue) will mean to them as they laugh all the way to the bank.

    Even your idea for people to spend money running ads opposing the Home Rule option is cause for a surge of ads supporting a YES vote. Who will win besides those who want unlimited spending? The Red Rock News, of course. And you have the audacity to use Sedona Eye to solicit ads for a competitor? (and an enemy at that) Just when you think you’ve seen it all.

  10. Confused1 says:

    Rob writes “In 2008, our total annual budget was $60.5 million. Currently, it is $36.1 million, which is a 40% overall reduction.” In my opinion, this is misleading and confusing at best.

    According to EYE ON SEDONA FINANCES WITH COUNCILOR MIKE WARD (June 27, 2012), “In the past the city budget was set artificially high. For example, the FY 2008 budget was approved at $61 million while only $28 million was actually expended. Under our new City Manager…..our city budget much more realistically reflects the real anticipated costs of running the city every year.”

    Great news about the tentative budget for next fiscal year coming in at $38,385,154. This apparently reflects the real anticipated cost of running the city in 2014-15.

Leave a Reply

Copyright © 2008-2017 · Sedona Eye · All Rights Reserved · Posts · Comments · Facebook · Twitter ·