Carefree Truth

Issue #376, February 17 , 2015

 

 

 

Councilman John Crane said they are very fortunate to have two Council people to consider for the office of Mayor.  "Both bring a lot to the party."  But situations arise where you need to have the right person at the right time.  Today, there is a revitalization opportunity with Butte Companies, to encourage them to come back to the table and talk about a solution.  There are opportunities with the Heard Museum, Desert Foothills Theater, and boutique hotels.  Melissa Price has developed strong relations with landlords and business owners, and can move the opportunities forward.  He believes she is the right choice.

 

 

 

Councilman Mike Farrar agreed that the right person is needed at the right time to lead the town into the future with a balanced and conservative view, someone who hears all parties, weighs decisions carefully, doesn't take unnecessary risks, and is not influenced, as it seems in this case, by a private for-profit developer.  None on the current Council has had this experience before.  He has spoken with people on other City Councils who agree this is a significant risk to the Town.  He has seen communities that hang their hat on a single vision that doesn't work.  There is no mitigating the risk.  Three years later, Fountain Hills is picking up the tab for their cultural center.  In Carefree, a  developer is looking to immediately sell 25% of his Phase I project that would be bought with taxpayer dollars, for unknown programming.  

 

 

 

Melissa Price had stated that she created the economic development plan.  Mr. Farrar was somewhat concerned about that, as he felt she does not possess the academic or background experience to do something with such far reaching consequences for the community.  He initiated approaching the Urban Land Institute to craft an economic development study, and encouraged the Town to put out RFPs to hire someone like Baker to create a sound and sensible plan done by experts.  He quoted Bertrand Russell, "Only fools and fanatics are so certain.  Wiser people have doubts."  He sees Les Peterson as that wiser person.  He is balanced, fair, concerned, and conservative enough, values Mr. Farrar feels mirror the values of the majority of Carefree's citizens.  

 

 

 

In his 15 years as a commercial Broker, Mr. Farrar said he has attended many city council meetings and has listened to developers threaten to leave and take their 80 jobs with them unless the community pays for off site improvements.  Communities need to weigh these types of risks and know what the deliverables are before they commit exclusively to a private developer and use taxpayer money to fund a project. 

 

 

 

Mr. Farrar pointed out that Ed Lewis contends he needs the Cultural Center to drive his retail and condo sales.  6 months ago, Mr. Lewis said he didn't care where the Cultural Center was located, as long as it was in downtown Carefree along Easy Street.  It must now be located on his property.  Mr. Farrar asked Mr. Lewis if he would be willing to accept "phase funding" for the Cultural Center, with half being paid upon completion of Phase I, and the other half being paid upon completion of Phase II.  Mr. Lewis wouldn't commit to building Phase II at this time.  Mr. Farrar, felt that if Mr. Lewis lacked that degree of confidence in his project, he shouldn't expect the Town to make that commitment.

 

 

 

Mr. Farrar said Vice Mayor Peterson is espousing the  more conservative and cautious approach.  Neither he nor the Vice Mayor are opposed to a cultural center in Carefree, but it is the duty of the Council to debate and discuss other options. To ignore that is to lose all negotiating power with a private developer who wants it all, who wants to mitigate his risk but not the Town's, other than to make promises using a 20 year model which is making huge assumptions.              

 

 

 

Councilman Marty Saltzman noted this is a sad day, the replacement of our friend David Schwan.  He asked that it not become politicized.  The evening shouldn't be a referendum for one particular project or item.  There are many things involved in running this town.  How you feel about one issue is not a good base on which to appoint a mayor.  This issue is one of the most important things, but it is not the only thing.  Disagreement is fine and healthy, but in terms of attracting businesses, the best way to discourage someone is to have politics going on, an atmosphere with a sense of discord.  We have an opportunity to handle this with dignity, class, and respect for one another.  Most people will be looking at how the Council members comport themselves, rather than who voted for whom.  

 

 

 

Mr. Saltzman was surprised by the timing of the Butte Companies' letter that happened to come right at the time the Council had to chose a new mayor.  "I will say no more about that other than to leave that to your own good judgement as to what they had with their motive as to the timing of that.  I don't like it."  Council members agree to disagree on issues from time to time, but Mr. Saltzman felt Vice Mayor Peterson is probably the best qualified to be Mayor.  

 

 

 

Vice Mayor Peterson asked for a roll call vote.  Councilman Glenn Miller, Councilman John Crane, and Councilwoman Melissa Price voted for Melissa Price.  Councilman Mike Farrar, Councilman Marty Saltzman, and Vice Mayor Les Peterson voted for Les Peterson, producing a tie.  Vice Mayor Peterson asked Town Attorney Mike Wright how to proceed. 

 

 

 

Mr. Wright said that since neither nomination succeeded, the Vice Mayor would continue to serve as Mayor until the next election.  Mr. Miller asked him to repeat that.  Mr. Wright said the Vice Mayor serves as Mayor as long as there is no Mayor, and at this point, we don't have a Mayor.  Mr. Miller said he had called the League of Towns and Cities to ask what to do in this situation, because he knew it was going to be 3/3. They suggested talking some more and taking a second vote.  If no solution were reached, wait until the vacancy is filled for a tie breaker.  Mr. Wright clarified that he didn't mean they couldn't take a second vote, he was just saying what the status is with no successful candidate.  

 

 

 

 

Mr. Saltzman thought that there was an elevated notion of the power of the Mayor as opposed to Council members.  It is a more impressive title, and carries some weight, but it doesn't give carte blanche to push forward that person's agenda.  The Mayor is governed by lots and lots of rules.  There are many rules that apply to Council members, but "step into those shoes and you've got a whole other book to read."  He again asked everyone to act with dignity, class, and respect for one another.  "Don't make more out of this than it has to be."  

 

 

 

 

Mr. Crane asked if going forward Vice Mayor Peterson would be the Mayor until the next election.  Mr. Wright replied, "Under 222 of the Town Code, 'The Vice Mayor shall perform the duties of the Mayor during his disability.'  And that's where we are."  He explained that there is a Vice Mayor for a reason.  That Vice Mayor has stepped up.  There is not a consensus that someone else should serve as Mayor.

 

 

 

Mr. Miller pointed out that there is not a full Council to provide a tie breaker.  Mr. Wright said it doesn't say that you can't come back for another vote in the future.  Mr. Miller replied that was how Mr. Wright had made it sound.  Mr. Wright repeated that 222 says the Vice Mayor shall perform the duties of Mayor during his disability.  Mr. Miller said that they will fill the vacancy and take another vote.

 

 

 

Mayor Peterson asked if he is now the "acting" Mayor, or the Mayor, and if they should appoint an "acting" Vice Mayor. Mr. Wright answered that they could appoint a Vice Mayor, since Mr. Peterson is no longer the Vice Mayor, but is the Mayor, under the statute.  Mayor Peterson suggested stepping back and giving some thought to what tasks are ahead, rather than doing anything rash that evening, and that the Council members come back with their thoughts at the March meeting. Mr. Saltzman said that sounded like a very rational approach.

 

 

 

Mr. Miller asked what was coming back at the March meeting.  Mayor Peterson said they would discuss what major tasks are ahead, and would receive each member's nomination for Vice Mayor.  Ms. Price asked if they would be bringing another person onto the Council eventually, and would then have another vote for Mayor, or if this is the end of it.  Mr. Farrar replied that Mr. Wright had made it clear it's up to the Council to come back with another vote, but as of tonight, Les is the Mayor.  Ms. Price responded, "I think we need to check with the League of Cities and Towns."  Mr. Crane said that when there is a seventh Council member, the vote for Mayor can be revisited and they can choose a Vice Mayor.  Mayor Peterson felt it was unfair to anyone to have to vote for Mayor at their first meeting, and that the new member should be given at least a month to get a bit more experience.

 

https://vimeo.com/user18676056/review/119620586/dd495b7add

 

 

Lyn Hitchon

 

 

 

Prepared by Carefree Truth

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