(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.  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 is the link to this week's Pictures of the Week. Enjoy!)

http://carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-week-122815.html

Photo by Sara Vannucci 

 

 

The 2016 Carefree Desert Garden calendars are now available at Carefree Town Hall, 8 Sundial Circle, Carefree, and they are gorgeous! If you like to take pictures, visit the Gardens.  Our entry period for the Carefree Desert Gardens Photo Contest is January.  Your picture could be in the 2017 calendar.

 

 

 

Desert Foothills Chronicle link:

http://www.desertfoothillschronicle.org/

CITYSunTimes link:

http://news.citysuntimes.com/

 

 

(Lyn's note: This is the direct link for making donations to Binka's page on the David's Team "ALS Walk" fundraiser website. Donations will continue to be accepted through January, 2016.  http://web.alsa.org/site/TR/Walks/Arizona?px=6972161&pg=personal&fr_id=10960#.VezY7HgXzFI. Let's show our appreciation of former Mayor David Schwan, and let's help find a cure for ALS!)

 

I love the lights. They make the area so inviting.

Laurie P. 

 

Seems like all they need is Melissa Price to say something is needed vs required or someone else on the Council and the idea gets approved… that’s not a majority of the residents!

Things like the lights, splash pool, entrances, etc, that are really marketing vs safety should be approved by a vote of the Carefree citizens. We have the technology to do so using email notifications and modifying the Carefree website to validate and accept the votes. A real majority representing the citizens would be significantly more accurate vs political approvals. Just how many documented requests did the City receive to extend the lights? How many residents came to sit before the fireplaces… someone counting or guessing?  Seems like words representing randomness/generalizations are used versus statistics like number requesting and percent of Carefree residents, etc.

Thanks for the reporting Lynn and Happy New Year to your family and you.

Bob Brenner

(Lyn's note: I sent Bob's questions and suggestion to Kandace French, the Carefree Town Clerk.  Part of her job responsibility is handling elections.  Below is her response.  The question of citizen voting on any number of issues has often been raised before, so I thought it good to share the legality with everyone when it was addressed to Carefree Truth.)

Lyn:

An Arizona municipality cannot hold a vote on any matter independent of state supervision and regulation. Voting policies are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems and more, dictate the conditions under which citizens cast their ballots while A.R.S. Title 38 and A.R.S. 41 direct various statutory requirements for the Town Clerk. Even a matter such as that reference below, would require the Town staff to follow all the rules for elections in Arizona in order to send the matter for citizen voting.  For example, as a Certified State Election Official, there is a substantial calendar of election deadlines I am required to follow for the upcoming 2016 election. This does not include the dates I follow for the supervision or review of finance reporting.

The Town of Carefree is an All Mail Ballot municipality. We do not hold our elections in a vacuum but do so with the assistance and supervision at the state level, including the voting machine verification, issuance and auditing. Any voting held in Carefree has to follow a consolidated election timeline with the rest of the state, including adding it to the state list of issues for a vote, a primary, a general election, etc. The votes would be counted at the state level and reported state-wide. Ultimately, the cost of a special election for such an issue would run at least 4 times the cost of the project.

For this, and many other reasons, matters such as these are addressed by the Town Administrator and municipal employees. The maintenance and regular upgrades of town property are an administrative act that do not require a vote of the citizens. The issues falling under these areas are noticed and presented in public meetings for transparency and to allow for public comment. The matters are reviewed and voted on by the Town Council, who were elected by the Carefree citizens to act on their behalf and the best interest of the Town and its residents.

I hope this helps.

Kandace French - Town Clerk/Treasurer

Email: Kandace@carefree.org

Phone: 480.488.3686  Fax: 480.488.3845

PO Box 740, 8 Sundial Circle, Carefree, AZ 85377