Carefree Truth

Issue #405, June 30, 2015

 

 

 

Mayor Les Peterson began to call on those who had submitted slips to speak.  Lana Hinchey is the mother of young daughters, and was formerly in charge of the Carefree/Cave Creek Stay At Home Mothers group, which consisted of approximately 140 members.  She said there are so many families in the area.  They tried to do play dates in Carefree, but after 20 minutes of playing on the Gila Monster slide, the kids wanted more to do and there was nothing child oriented, so they started going to Desert Ridge, Anthem, and Fountain Hills.  "Water play is our culture here in Arizona when you have small children."  Without a splash pad, a couple of fireplaces and some misters won't bring all of her friends and their kids to Carefree to spend money. 

 

 

 

Mr. and Mrs. Hinchey throw a big party every year during the Christmas Festival.  She hears over and over that this is the only time of year the people they invite come to Carefree because it is not family oriented at other times.  This town is "so cool and so special", which is why she and her husband moved her 5 years ago.  A splash pad to bring families "would be amazing". 

 

 

 

When I spoke to Mrs. Hinchey outside of the meeting, she pointed out that if people congregated in Carefree for the amenities, desired businesses would see people and would be interested in opening here.  Without people, businesses are hesitant to commit.  She and her friends want to patronize local businesses.

 

 

 

Vickie Orrico said she and Michelle Miller are opening the Easy Street Galleria in September, located in the 100 Easy Street building.  It will feature affordable fine arts and crafts, boutique clothing and accessories, and will offer art classes for adults and children.  Carefree needs to revitalize by attracting a younger demographic to sustain existing businesses and to attract new businesses.  She and Mrs. Miller fully support a splash pad, and LOVE the attention drawing, unique, and artistic scorpion idea.  

 

 

 

Vice Mayor John Crane called in from Mexico City, and was put on speaker phone.

 

 

 

Al Swanson, from Venues Cafe, said he and Katherine are very much in favor of economic development in the Town of Carefree.  It is a keystone for their business and for the entire town.  He applauded Mayor Peterson and Gary Neiss for such fine presentations, and said they are very appreciative of the economic development efforts being made by the Council.  

 

 

 

I spoke next.  Herbert and I have always supported a splash pad in the Garden.  Herbert has done Memorial Day videos 2 years in a row of children playing on the playground equipment that was installed in the Garden a few years ago.  Here is the one from this year.  https://vimeo.com/user18676056/review/128840478/416e21c280

 

One of the mothers there both times is part of the group to which Mrs. Hinchey referred.  The first year, I mentioned the possibility of a splash pad in the future and she was thrilled.  Splash pads are important to them, and they would all love to have one available close-by.  

 

 

 

When Councilwoman Melissa Price first broached the idea, Herbert and I went to Fountain Hills and filmed their splash pad, along with her presentation at the budget meeting. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwCqif9ZDUM.  There were many families there, with children of all ages, enjoying the splash pad.  It is quite large and has numerous vertical water features.  Herbert was in love with the snake, and swore if Carefree got one with a snake, he'd pay for the snake.  We were there for over an hour, and we saw nothing hazardous occur, to address Mr. Farrar's understandable concern, just a lot of people having fun.  

 

 

 

I pointed out that Mr. Traynor sent out a dedicated very incendiary, one sided email to his extensive email newsletter list, calling for his readers to send negative responses to him and to Town Hall, and to attend the meeting to speak in opposition to the splash pad.  This email generated only 12 negative responses sent to Mr. Traynor.  Town Hall received only 4 negative responses, possibly repeating some sent to Mr. Traynor.  This is conjecture, as names were not shared. 

 

 

 

John Traynor "thanked" Gary Neiss for using the words "property tax" for "probably the 99th time".  He said it was "reasonably clear to even the dullest among us that the Council has already decided in which manner they will go".  Mr. Traynor said there would be 1,600 square feet of concrete in the Garden that does not exist there today.  Water on wet concrete in the sun evaporates quickly.  The Baker Study, which was well done, keeps getting mentioned.  The survey respondents didn't mention wanting a splash pad or fire places.  

 

 

 

He said Gary talked about fire protection and what residents save when they no longer have to pay for a subscription.  Mr. Traynor said not all residents subscribed, and that Rural/Metro was getting more money from the town-wide contract than they did under the individual subscription program.  Mr. Miller clarified that the subscription rate had been 75%. 

 

 

 

Mr. Traynor then asserted that money for a splash pad could never be regained, and that no where did the Baker Study make mention of a splash pad or a water feature.  (Page 41, f, ii in the Baker Master Plan notes, "activity fountain/splash pad", as has been mentioned on several occasions and was included in the slide presentation earlier in the meeting.)  He looked at the bids, calling them "night and day", and said there was a reason the first bid was higher.  "As in many cases in the past, things are approved at a certain dollar value, and then sometime thereafter, additional funds are required to complete the project."  He expressed concern that $130,000 would become $330,000 in a year, and was "willing to bet" that provisions were being made with the low bid to expand the facility.  

 

 

 

Mr. Miller interjected that Mr. Traynor was not part of the process, and doesn't know what it takes to build anything or put out for bids.  Mr. Traynor asked how Mr. Miller would know that about him, and disagreed.  Mr. Miller said Mr. Traynor didn't know what was in the bids, and that he has been a consistent naysayer, a CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) person, against every project ever done by the Town.  Mr. Miller explained that Miracle Playground did not listen to what the Town wanted; they were putting in what they wanted, "building a Lamborghini".  That was one reason the price was high, and they would not get the job.  Mr. Miller pointed out that not one project has ever gone over budget in all the time he's been on the Council.  "Not one."  He said he "gets more for free than anything".  "So, don't put all those little buzz things out there that aren't true."  

 

 

 

Lou Matusiak congratulated Mr. Farrar on being a first time grandfather.  Mr. Matusiak's grandchildren live in Costa Rico, but recently visited him for 2 months.  He brought them to the Garden to play, which they enjoyed.  But then he took them to a park with a splash pad, after which they no longer wanted to play in Carefree; they wanted splash pads.  He thought a splash pad would be a wonderful addition to the already beautiful Garden.  He did a "survey" of his grandchildren, who voted yes unanimously.  

 

 

 

Irmagard Hayward said that over 90% of Carefree residents didn't care about a splash pad.  Her grandchildren are too old to play in one.  It will bring children to play, but not to spend money.  She drives 8 miles from Carefree for lunch.  She wishes she could have lunch here.  Good food is what brings people, but you can't get it in Carefree.  Her grocery store is 12 miles away.  She can't buy groceries locally, but does buy vitamins locally.  I approached the podium to say that I eat lunch out daily, and mostly in Carefree.  We have a lot of really good restaurants in town.  Mrs. Hayward responded, "That's what you look like." 

 

 

 

Former Councilman Gary Hayward said he is not a naysayer, and hopes he is wrong, but he doesn't think a splash pad will help with what Carefree wants.  It may bring people will small children, but where will they spend their money?  What else are they going to do?  He complimented the staff and Council for looking at economic development, but noted that the Baker survey showed a splash pad as a low priority.  He felt the Council needs to prioritize spending, and that a splash pad was not the best "bang for the buck to get revenue".  People don't use the amenities in the Garden.  What good are they?

 

 

 

Councilman Mike Farrar asked why the splash pad would be shaded.  Mr. Neiss explained that when the children are out of the water, it protects them from excessive sun exposure which can cause future skin cancers.  The playground equipment is shaded for that reason.  More and more splash pads are being placed in shade now.  Ms. Price said the splash pads at Scottsdale Quarter and Desert Ridge are surrounded by large palm trees that supply shade.  Mr. Farrar felt they were too tall to provide much shade.  Councilman Bob Gearhart said the palms provide 80-90% shade.  Mr. Farrar disagreed. 

 

 

 

Mr. Farrar said he was "conflicted".  He didn't think the splash pad would provide revenue, in isolation, and was not an economic development priority, but that "there is a place for it as a community".  It would be a place to congregate, and it will pull from the surrounding communities.  There might be an indirect advantage to that, as people have a chance to see what Carefree has to offer.

 

 

 

The Council voted 7-0 to contract with Splash Zone to build a splash pad. 

 

https://vimeo.com/user18676056/review/131273493/97ca3b1ca4

 

 

Lyn Hitchon

 

 

 

Prepared by Carefree Truth

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