We can hardly wait to find out if the rumor is true that former councilman John Martinez is considering running for Sedona Mayor. Will we see his cheerleading for the Chamber funding resurface or will it haunt him?

Bravo to Mike Ward. It’s a shame that it seems we haven’t had anyone since him with backbone enough to go against the big-time control freaks, Chamber and Lodging Council.

Karma lives.

Sedona residents – WAKE UP!

The Sedona Chamber of Commerce serves a useful purpose for those who pay to be members. As has been mentioned time and time again Chamber members extend BEYOND the jurisdiction of incorporated Sedona.

The Chamber did a fine job over the years to fulfill their purpose up until certain people were able to influence the Sedona City Council to enter into what some felt then and still believe was a ?set-up? deal to spend literally millions of dollars for questionable reasons – said to be for the purpose of destination marketing. The results of that spending spree were never proven to be positively effective because tourists have ALWAYS flocked to Sedona even BEFORE it incorporated.

Maybe now under new leadership within the C of C and at Sedona City Hall the nature of the purpose of a chamber of commerce may be restored and result in a quality for which Sedona residents and tourists as well will regard as a respected and honorable organization as it was in the past – prior to Sedona city and their questionable former contract with them.

In particular we remember Mike Ward as a member of the Sedona City Council who stressed the importance of TRANSPARENCY. We believe that too many decisions, in particular relating to Chamber/Lodging Council influence, were made in advance behind closed doors before they even went public at a city council meeting. We sincerely hope at least four of the new people elected will respect those of us who live here and will continue to honor their duty and respect our quality of life and not allow decisions to be controlled by the Chamber/Lodging folks.

We welcome tourists and especially appreciate the ones who show respect to residents. Frequently they treat us better than city council members of the past and we hope the trend will shift towards a better balance for those of us who live here.

It’s pretty amazing how until recently nothing much has changed since 2014 although four present council members rejected the most recent city/chamber “partnership?” proposal. Maybe – oh – just maybe there’s still hope for Sedona?

Thank you Vice Mayor Holli Ploog and Council Members (NOT councilors) Melissa Dunn, Brian Fultz, and Kathy Kinsella for doing something that should never have happened in the first place. That being to allow a chamber of commerce to be treated as a department of a city/town government.

Referring to the comment from J. Rick Normand, that apparently you opted to ignore responding to him, how about considering the following in case anybody else is so bold as to ask you questions you prefer to avoid:

“Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies,” a commonly know quotation attributed to an Irish playwright named Oliver goldsmith (1728-1774). It means that if you don’t ask me a question, then I won’t have to lie to answer you!

Respectfully,

Eddie Maddock

Little wonder they so far refuse to take a stand on “touchy” issues regardless of the importance to the people who will be responsible for electing them.

Therefore it isn’t up to the seven people sitting on that City Council now or in the future to regain sanity to Sedona City government. It’s time for the Sedona registered voters to rally and do the job our elected officials continue to refuse to do.

Vote “NO” on Home Rule (Alternative Expenditure Limitation), a step in the right direction.

Therefore, what are the options? Three will be elected to city council, one as mayor, but nothing will change?

That’s a good challenge of course, it means something IF any of those people check in on this site.

Just sayin’