Carefree Truth

Issue #244, May 5, 2013

 

 

 

Upon completion of the budget overview discussions among the Council members and staff, Councilman Mike Farrar said he was fearful that the big dollar capital projects may not have the hoped for economic impact, and suggested that an expert third party be hired to perform a study.  Mr. Farrar felt the Town may not have established targets, and asked if they were the right targets.  As per his request, $5,000 was added to the proposed budget to pay for a study, should any of the projects proceed. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6xSuWnThis

 

 

 

 

Mayor Schwan began the discussion about the 10 Year Streets Plan by explaining it is an ongoing process that looks 10 years into the future.  It specifies what streets need what and when they need it.  Many streets required maintenance during the first part of the plan.  Although there is a science to it, it is also somewhat subjective, and different people may assign different rating numbers to various deficiencies.  About 1/2 of the streets were done in this fiscal year and the other half are budgeted for 2013/2014.

 

 

 

When Vice Mayor Melissa Price questioned why some of the street work was being accelerated if it meant they would have to be done again sooner in the future, Mayor Schwan explained that the Town found that it was more efficient and cost effective to do a larger project all at once than to do smaller ones each year, due to the staging costs of bringing the equipment to Carefree.  Staff members looked at the streets and determined that some could wait 1-3 years, but if all the remaining streets are completed at once in the coming fiscal year, those that could have waited haven't been brought very far forward, and all the streets will have been serviced.  This not only saves money but also averts citizen concerns that the street behind them was done and theirs was not.

 

 

 

Councilman Marty Saltzman summarized this by saying that while we may have to do some of them sooner in the future, we're saving enough money by doing them all now that we are still ahead of the game.  Councilman Glenn Miller pointed out that the longer we let the streets go, the worse they get and the more expensive they are to fix, and concluded that every year the streets will continue to be inspected and graded for maintenance/repair issues.

 

 

 

Mayor Schwan pointed out that some streets are on better foundations than others, and some get less traffic.  Those on the better foundations, or that get less traffic, require less ongoing maintenance.  Also, some of the streets that would have been scheduled during the 2009/2010 fiscal year were deferred because of the economic realities at that time, so there is a combination of accelerating and playing catch-up.

 

 

 

Gary Neiss said that maintaining the streets is a continuous effort.  When localized problems occur, they must be addressed the following fiscal year in order to prevent structural damage.  The process evolves over time, and the projects depend on the condition of the streets.  The Street Master Plan gives explanations from A-Z.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xnniyAmTCI

 

 

 

 

Mayor Schwan said that he was on the Council for eight years during which time Carefree made contributions to local non-profits, and that it is difficult to determine which particular services should be supported.  There are approximately twenty highly valued 501(c)3 organizations in the Desert Foothills Area.  After David Court gave his presentation on behalf of the Library, numerous emails were sent by those seeking donations for other deserving entities, should the Library receive one.   When government says, "These few are the winners, what does that say to the losers?"   The Mayor explained that it's a moot point, since the money is not there this coming fiscal year. 

 

 

 

He felt that citizens could choose what they want to support, and can donate directly.  He said his philosophy has changed over time, and that he feels the Town should find ways to support the social service programs in ways other than financial, such as granting use of Town owned facilities like the Desert Gardens and the amphitheater for fundraising and educational programs.

 

 

 

Councilman Marty Saltzman said it's the age old problem of Big Government vs. Small Government, and asked what that really means.  "Do you want the money to come into us, the government, go through our administrative hands and then out to the social programs, as opposed to people who believe in the social program?"  Councilman Mike Farrar agreed.  Mr. Saltzman said, "There's really no good answer."  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s0BF9QNpw4

 

 

Lyn Hitchon

 

 

 

Prepared by Carefree Truth

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