CAREFREE TRUTH
Letters from Readers & Events: 10/15/14
(Lyn's note: Please feel free to send us any pictures you'd like included. If your photos are for sale, let us know and we will put them under that category. We have a special section for that purpose, and have just added some art as well. If anyone would like to buy a print of any of Herbert's photos, all profits will be donated to one of the local non-profit organizations.) Here's the link to this week's Pictures of the Week.
http://carefreetruth.com/Carefree_Truth/Photos_10-13-14.html
Desert Foothills Chronicle link:
http://www.desertfoothillschronicle.org/
City Sun Times link:
Lyn, I didn't think Alberto's was open any more.
Sandra
(Lyn's note: Alberto's is still there, and is fabulous. Sandra is not the first to realize it is open from seeing it in our ads. She is new to our email list, so we are happy that another person has rediscovered this great Italian restaurant in Carefree. Herbert just finished doing a video for Alberto, which is in our ad and which I included below. Alberto has an amazing background.
Alberto Ristorante
"This video is about Alberto Ristorante."
Dear Mayor and Members of the Carefree Town Council:
I sat through 1½ hours of Monday’s meeting, but could not stay to the end.
As I watched and listened, a couple of thoughts crossed my mind.
I wanted to ask for a definition of “economic stakeholder”. I consider myself one, along with anyone else who owns property in Carefree and it does not have only to be commercial property.
From a personal viewpoint, I like ‘cash reserves’. For years, for my lifestyle, I have tried to maintain one-year of household expenses in cash reserves to pay for my mortgage, utilities, insurance (house, cars and health), food on the table, something to wash it down with, and a little extra to pay for the lifestyle to which I have become accustomed. I think that the Town should have adequate and reasonable cash reserves, in an amount to be determined by people who know more about these things than I. As an “economic stakeholder”, I consider some of the cash reserves to be mine and that the Town is simply a fiduciary with check-signing powers over my money and the monies of other Carefree residents.
In the past, I supported paying off the mortgage on the Town Hall building, Fire Station #1, and the fire engine. It made good economic sense.
I have no objections if the Town determines that it makes better economic sense to own, rather than rent, its own Council Chambers. If this involves a loan, now is a good time with interests rates as low as they are. Vacating the space next to the old court’s offices may also provide the building’s landlord with better leasing opportunities.
The idea of a building for the Desert Foothills Theater sounds good. It already has a nearby audience. I believe it would increase activity in downtown Carefree. But, does the plan make good economic sense?
I believe it is the Town’s responsibility to make Carefree a great place for people to want to live, work and play. I do not believe that it is the Town’s responsibility to do marketing for the Town’s merchants, except the efforts already in place using funds related to permits from events. In my 40-years in the hospitality industry and 15 years as an independent contractor/business consultant, I never looked to any City, Town, or municipality, to do my marketing for me.
The biggest unanswered question should possibly be directed at Ed Lewis and Butte Development. I hope that the Town has asked it. If the planned development is as good as it sounds, with demand for downtown living and 17 new businesses, all generating new tax revenues, one would have to assume that it is economically viable. If that is the case, there should be many banks and financial institutions lining up with offers to provide financing regardless of what the Town may do as far as new Council Chambers, Desert Foothills Theater, ASU, Heard Museum, or any other activity.
I would not like the Town to become involved in building a Taj Mahal and have it turn into a white elephant.
Being familiar with the Open Meeting Laws, I am not looking for any responses. The purpose is only to share my thoughts with all of you.
Arthur Gimson
Year-round Carefree resident
Former Member Carefree Town Council
and Economic Stakeholder
(Lyn's note: Re: Props 488 & 489)
(Lyn's note: Below is Arthur Gimson's response to an email sent out by the Coadys that was written by Jim Van Allen. Mr. Gimson's responses are in blue.)
Dear neighbors in Carefree, Bob Coady asked me to share my views with you on the two Carefree Propositions on the 2014 Election Ballot. I’m honored to do so.
Like you I treasure the privilege and the civic duty to vote. In our town it is so easy, with mail-in ballots. It will only take about 10 minutes to complete. Be very sure to VOTE NO on the two Carefree Propositions. [Response/Comment] We can agree to disagree. VOTE “YES” on both propositions. While it may take 10 minutes to complete the ballot, I have probably already taken several hours to read a variety of pamphlets related to the upcoming election. While I have seen very little on the Carefree propositions, I submitted arguments “For”, or in support of both, and hope that Carefree Truth readers will consider them favorably.
We do not want career politics in our town anymore.[Response/Comment] “Career” politicians is often used to describe those in office that have done so for many years with high levels of compensation and benefits. Council Members in Carefree, including the Mayor and all on various commissions, serve without pay. Many do not even submit invoices for reimbursement of mileage expenses incurred while travelling in their personal vehicles on the Town’s business. All give countless hours to the Town. Two years are just right to judge if they are doing the job we expected. If they are not doing that job we can vote them out. Don't be fooled by the argument that it takes most of the first year to get started. If a council member is doing their job, doing the research and talking to the residents...they can hit the street running. If they pledge to be conservative, only to then join the "spend it 'til it's gone crowd" we then can get rid of them in short order.[Response/Comment] If someone is not doing the job, after six months in office, we can start a recall petition, just like the one that failed a few years ago. As a former Council Member, who served a full two-year term, I hit the ground running after the February primary election. After two years, I was still not fully up to speed with all of the historical information, which is critical in the decision making process. At last week’s Economic development Forum, we heard about 6 or more years that may be needed to fully determine if an ASU Museum may be beneficial for the Town.
Nothing about 4 year terms will lead to more efficiency or better plans to keep 'Carefree as Carefree'. Extended terms would only lead to a very small click of people changing the total fabric of our town, if they were to continue bad practices. Consider the lack of transparency we are now seeing from the present Town Hall...who knows what is happening in the back rooms and secret meetings?? This past Monday evening during the Economic Development status meeting stakeholders and residents got a taste of how town leadership is failing us. [Response/Comment] We can agree to disagree. We need to keep elected officials accountable to us every two years. [Response/Comment] Ninety-five percent (95%) of Arizona Cities, Town and municipalities have 4-year terms. Carefree is one of the minority. It is time for Carefree to move into the 21st century.
Friends, like me, VOTE AND VOTE NO on Propositions 488 & 489 for the sake of Carefree. [Response/Comment] Jim, I know you, I respect your opinion, but you are wrong on this as you have been wrong in the past on other issues. But I consider you as someone I know, but do not put you on my list of ‘friends’. Your past criticism of the accounting of the Christmas Festival was unwarranted. On the other hand, you are to be commended for resigning as a Member of the Town Council following the questions related to violations of Arizona’s Open Meetings Law. Vote “YES” on Propositions 488 and 489 to ensure a potential of continuity of knowledgeable elected volunteer Mayor and Members of the Carefree Town Council.
Jim Van Allen,
A conservative Carefree resident and former Councilman
Emails from the Coadys are not, and have never been, sent to either Lyn or me. The Coadys refused to include us on their email list for Carefree Matters despite our request, as they failed to include many others they disliked. Contrary to Mr. Coady's claim, he did not represent all the people of Carefree. He forever turned a deaf and very rude ear to all those who had ever disagreed with him on even the smallest point.
I have attended and filmed all the Carefree Council meetings for years. I read the line written by Mr. Van Allen, "Don't be fooled by the argument that it takes most of the first year to get started. If a council member is doing their job, doing the research and talking to the residents...they can hit the street running." During Jim Van Allen's time on the Carefree Council, I observed a man who not only did not "hit the street running", but who appeared far out of his depth from the start. He appeared increasingly confused and disconnected, eventually resigning. But he certainly has a lot of opinions on how the town should be run now. An good example of the disconnect is his repeated insistence on the addition of awnings for shade, although the buildings in the retail areas have large overhangs covering the sidewalks that provide shade.
Jim Van Allen is one of the partners of the PAC telling voters to vote against Props. 488 & 489. That PAC generated the skunk poster.
Herbert Hitchon
Well written responses from all of your readers.
Sara Vannucci, Esq.
(Lyn's note: Re: leaf blowers ban)
I don't mean to shoot the messenger but as a Breast Cancer Survivor, Sandra is off base and this is misinformation. See below.
Eileen Crowley
Deaths from Breast Cancer by State
Rates of dying from breast cancer also vary from state to state.
Female Breast Cancer
Death Rates* by State, 2011†
Color on Map
Interval
States
Light green
12.4 to 19.9
Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Vermont
Medium green
20.0 to 21.4
Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin
Medium blue
21.5 to 22.8
Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming
Dark blue
22.9 to 26.3
District of Columbia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia
*Rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population.
†Source: U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2011 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2014. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.
(Lyn's note: Mrs. Walzer took the CT statement from pages 3-4 of her packet. Below is Mrs. Crowley's response to that.)
As a 40 year health care professional, I use CDC data. As a breast cancer survivor it is inappropriate and libelous to give false and misleading information to the public. Dr. Boyd does not have his facts correct either. Connecticut, as expected, with a highly educated and affluent state, has one of the lowest rates in the country.
I have provided The Mayor and the council with the facts.
Cheers!
Eileen
I congratulate Mrs. Walzer and thank her for bringing this before the Town Council. I have "thought" of doing this for years, but never followed thru. I HATE it when our neighbors' gardeners use them, not only for the noise, but the polluted dust that goes into the air and spreads to our house! They are a terrible nuisance for our community and hopefully our Council members will agree.
Nancy Fulcher
Lyn,
Guess she never heard of “wind” which does the same thing—although not always with the noise! Guess you have to have something to champion.
Tom Surrency
Thanks, an issue I can support.
Sara Vannucci, Esq.
GIMME A BREAK ---------PLEASE!!!!! PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO NOISE DOES DAMAGE, NOT 15-20 MINUTES. GAS POWERED ENGINES IN A CLOSED GARAGE COULD BE PROBLEMATIC. OUR YEARLY DUST STORMS ARE THE REAL PROBLEM, NOT AN OCCASSIONAL DUST BLOWER. ARE YOU READY TO PAY EXTRA FOR YOUR GARDNER TO HAND RAKE YOUR PROPERTY? IT WOULD BE AN EMBARASSING ABSURDITY FOR CAREFREE TO LEAD THIS SILLY ENDEAVOR.
JOE INTENZO
JUST A PRACTICAL RESIDENT THAT SURVIVED 50 YEARS OF LEAFBLOWING
Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion Grand Opening Events
October 18th, 7:00pm - 9:00pm and October 19th, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Come enjoy the magnificent improvements to the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion.
Refreshments to be served!
Saturday, October 18th, 7:00pm – Classic Movie “Mary Poppins”
Sunday, October 19th, 1:00pm - Vocal performance by Johnnie Martini – Dean Martin Tribute
2:00pm – Vocal performance by Kevin Glenn
Important Community Workshop – October 22nd
5:00pm to 7:00pm at Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion
Economic and Planning Consultants are working with the Town to facilitate a revitalization master plan for the downtown area.
On Wednesday, October 22nd, in the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion from 5:00pm to 7:00pm all interests are invited to attend a community workshop to discuss summary of data collection, hear ideas from neighbors, and share their own thoughts on how to enhance the future of the Carefree Village Center.
(Excerpted from COINS)
