By: Eddie Maddock

Eddie Maddock — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:58:58 +0000

Your words are brutally frank and accurate. However, in Sedona government I’ve always had the feeling it is the Department of Community Development that functions as the “strong” link. More often than not, when change of command on the city council occurs every two years, new members are inexperienced to the point they are unable to challenge many staff recommendations and thus acquiesce to staff on development plans which may NOT ultimately be in the best interest of the community in general.

One challenge to this process remains ignored. Whenever the Community Plan is scheduled for updating subject to public vote, it never seems to fail that approval is gleaned by broken promises made for changes to be forthcoming for tightening up loop holes enabling staff to justify unsuitable projects which are inappropriate for the very reasons Sedona incorporated in the first place.

Unless and until the Community Plan is revised to disengage the process, it’s my opinion that city employees, many of whom have been in their positions much longer than some council members have even lived in Sedona, will continue to pull the strings and remain in command.

A candidate for city council who would uphold a strong mandate for making changes to the Community Plan PRIOR to a public vote most assuredly would set a new trend. I don’t see how that could lead to anything other than a win/win situation for all concerned.

By: Terry Nash

Terry Nash — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:34:57 +0000

If Mussolini was alive he wouldn’t waste his time in Sedona.
As you will recall, Mussolini and his family were torn limb-from-limb
at War’s end pursuing AXIS OF EVIL, World Domination,
Totalitarianism, and all other ideas to enslave the thoughts, actions,
and dreams of mankind.
Here, the masses are already enslaved. Apathy gave way along
time ago to the ‘BIG YAWN’ in little old Sedona. How else could
a paper like the Red Rock News exist? Most people in Sedona
are more concerned about hip replacements, milder laxatives,
and flushing their colonoscopy bags than actually caring how
their government operates. Oh, and don’t forget Coupon Thursday
at Safeway.
The economics and increasingly the landscape is resembling
a third-world chicken farm, although it is hard to imagine how
a third-world chicken farm could incur $76 million dollars in debt.
As a friend who visited me from Aspen recently said, “geese
this is really a cheesy tourist town,” to which I replied “Don’t you
want to buy a t-shirt before you leave” to which he retorted,
“So that I can wear it where?”
Lastly, the only hope for Sedona is that a shiek from Dubai
buys our debt and the entire City and turns it back into the
place it was at the time of filming of “3.10 to Yuma”. Then at
least it had beauty – and cattle. Now the beauty is in rapid descent,
stupidity and apathy reign supreme, and the ‘powers that be’
are actually fighting over spoils. I guess whoever wins the
war gets the debt. And don’t forget the ‘third world chicken farm’
that comes with it.

Comments on: Weak or Strong Mayor

By: Eddie Maddock

By: Terry Nash