Article submitted by the city of Sedona.
Sedona AZ – To protect citizens and city staff from the spread of COVID-19, the city of Sedona is extending its policy to close in-person access to city facilities and continue with virtual and phone services until April 5, 2020.
Until April 5, 2020, essential functions and services by the City of Sedona Police Department, city maintenance and wastewater departments will continue.
Other non-essential, but important services such as building and development services are reduced.
All nonessential services and programs such as general inquiries, onsite meetings, and billing functions are postponed. Other nonessential services and programs may be subject to limitations as determined.
City Council business is reduced to essential items, but the public is not permitted to attend meetings. In accordance to the Open Meeting Law, citizens may watch online here and the city is exploring alternative options for public participation.
Volunteer rangers will be on hiatus until the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Residents and visitors will be expected to observe the Stop the Spread of COVID-19 restrictions.
City parks remain open, but all organized recreation activities including the Sedona Parks and Recreation Department programs and classes and facility rentals are cancelled.
City Municipal Courts services are reduced and/or rescheduled, but staff is available for initial appearances, filing an order of protection, and hearing time arrangement.
Volunteer Park Rangers have suspended all operations and will not have a daily presence in Uptown.
Events
As a reminder, the city of Sedona cancelled all city sponsored and city permitted large gatherings or events, and private gatherings or events on city properties until May 9, 2020.
To read the most up to date information on this evolving situation, including community and business resources, go to www.sedonaaz.gov/covid19.
Other resources
The city, in coordination with Coconino and Yavapai counties, is monitoring the situation daily and following the guidelines set forth by the federal, state and county government and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Look to the following CDC, state and county resources for more information on COVID-19:
The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America.
Coconino County Health and Human Services COVID-19 hotline: 928-679-7300 and website.
Yavapai County Health Services hotline: 928-442-5103 and website.
Coconino County COVID-19 testing information.
Statewide hotline on all COVID-19-related issues: Dial 211.
CDC website on coronavirus.
Tips on coronavirus prevention and 10 ways to manage respiratory symptoms at home.
Arizona Department of Health and Human Services information.
CDC’s travel notices.
Chamber needs to shut down & workers laid off. Join the real world or lose the next election cycle when its used to judge your performance that you were shown the money and who gave it to you.
Stay virtual
Stay virtual
Stay virtual
Now, shut the City of Sedona down permanently.
No one that is not on the city dole will miss it.
The city has and will continue to be useless during the pandemic, and the counties appear to be stepping up, further highlighting that Sedona really would be fine under county control. And no more rampant advertising for more tourists. Sedona had, and will continue to have, tourism without advertising.
The Chamber argues two things, both of which are dishonest arguments.
(1) They argue on one hand that they are not responsible for the crush of tourists, and that “we would have them anyway” without advertising. Then, they argue that if we taxpayers forced the city council to reduce the amount of money it gives to the chamber, that would hurt tourist-oriented business owners. Sorry, chamber, you cannot make both arguments. Just a couple of years ago, CEO Jennifer Wesselhoff was talking about “putting on the brakes” of advertising to reduce tourism impacts. Seems to me that’s a pretty direct admission that the chamber believes advertising does drive tourism.
(2) The chamber argues that what they REALLY do is “manage” tourism, not promote it. Well, if you weren’t promoting tourism and continually driving the numbers up for the Lodging Council, you would need a million dollars a year to “manage the impacts” of tourism.
When the pandemic has subsided (and it will be awhile), I sure hope voters will remember just how much Sedona suffered economically because ignorant city council members and the city manager continued to lick the boots of the Lodging Council and mindlessly handed over far too many tax dollars to the chamber of commerce to spend on tourism “management.” We should also remember just how nice it has been to be able to enjoy the peace and quiet of Sedona without the normal crush of springtime tourists. Too bad it took a pandemic to make it happen.
Liz says: Chamber needs to shut down & workers laid off. Join the real world or lose the next election cycle when its used to judge your performance that you were shown the money and who gave it to you. Liz if you are going to run for city council you have till April 15, get going
10,000 workers make there living in Sedona , and you do what hide out all day
I do not understand why you moved to a tourist town. The chamber is not advertising, 80% of taxes come from tourists and thousands of people pay bills with jobs in the tourism industry.
Steve, go talk to Wesselhoff because we’ve been told many times and you’ve been told your numbers are wrong. Where’s that money for your employees coming from? City? Big Daddy’s Wallet? Either way you get the money back because of Donald Trump.
Thank those Republicans for it, Steve, because the Democrats don’t have the wherewithal to fill a paper bag with Monopoly money. A good businessman knows who supports his efforts or he’s a gamer. Maybe you game the city and vote Republican in the privacy of the ballet? Good for you if you do, Steve. Democrat me will shut up and vote Republican this time around and any smart citizen should do the same. Democrats have ruined our party and until it’s cleaned out, I’m not playing in that self destruct the country sandbox. I thought I’d never say that but there it is. Keep friends and family close and happy says Confucius if you dine at the public table because it’s the little things that will out you. Use Joe Biden as a source about how life at the public trough comes back to haunt you. There’s a reason Obama has never endorsed Joe for President but Barack endorsed Trudeau of Canada (meddling in other countries politics, eh? Barack hates England, maybe he’s hoping Canada fails?) and yet he won’t touch Joe with a ten foot pole. Democrats all know why he wouldn’t endorse Joe, we hoped the Republicans didn’t know but they do. Now the world sees why and it’s the Democrats fault. Yours and mine and ours, man. Own it.
People You live in a Tourist town, you have no special rights, when someone drives through or stays in town they are just like you. Cities do not offer or grant citizenship to people that live ot pay taxes in town, if that were the case visitors would be in charge.So stop the us verses them crap. 10,000 people make a living in Sedona from visitors,,,, then the_is is over it will be back to normal……. Do you never go to other towns or travel ? One world. NIMBY’s
If 80% of tourists pay our taxes we’re F***** by the council & chamber for loading us with monster debt to service.
NO we don’t live in a tourist town.
We DO live in a small mountain town that other people like to visit.
We DO own the properties that make this town a town or it would be vacant land.
We DO have property rights here that usurp visitor rights because WE get to make the rules for those that access our land and impact it.
It is OUR land. Not theirs. They get the view, the right to traverse trailheads we build and maintain, and if they are taxpayers then they have rights to say what USFS ought to be doing with CNF and state parks. WE live in a DEMOCRACY. YOU live in an AUTOCRACY.
This is not 17 century England with the landed gentry living here gives you no special rights our city Council is elected to represent all the people with visitors the renters and the people who live here full-time and part-time this town is going to come back strong count on it or leave. Look up the definition of a tourist town idiot
Sorry Steve, Sedona belongs to residents. Tourists, the Mariott and chamber members who live outside on Sedona are not allowed to vote. Even someone as dense as you should be able to understand that. The fact that we have idiots on the city council that listen to you and the chamber does not change facts. Residents can take the city back. Tourists don’t get a vote Steve, get it?
They CHEAT those that live outside the city 99% use their business address to vote on city issues. (deleted by editor) The city only listens to the chamber. Time for the business to have their own voice. Jennifer is only worried about her 12K a month. imo
Petrified Forest National Park closed Wednesday following federal, state and local guidance to promote social distancing and slow the spread of the Wuhan virus. We The Park will notify the public when it resumes full operations.