(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's the link to this week's Pictures of the Week.

http://www.carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-the-week-22315.html

 

 

 

The 2015 Carefree Gardens calendars are now available at Carefree Town Hall, 8 Sundial Circle, Carefree.  They they cost $17 including tax for 1, or if you buy more than 1, they are $13 including tax.  They are gorgeous!

 

 

 

Desert Foothills Chronicle link:

http://www.desertfoothillschronicle.org/

City Sun Times link:

http://news.citysuntimes.com/

 

 

Lyn,

Please extend a thank you to Herb from the SkyRanch community. His work will become a part of our history.

Best,

Wayne Fischer

(Lyn's note: We attended the Air Show at the Carefree Sky Ranch Airport last Saturday, and as always, Herbert had camera in hand.  He compiled the best photos he took into a video and sent it to Wayne.  The link is below.  There were many really cool planes and cars at the show.  Enjoy!)

https://vimeo.com/user18676056/review/121108095/058847f590

 

 

 

Hello Lyn!

What a pleasure meeting you last week! I'm so glad you enjoyed Guido Garcias! And what an honor to meet your Angel. She is truly noble and beautiful. How lucky you are to have her and she to have you!

 

I am attaching photos of you and her with your friends for your issue.

 

 

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your support! We have a short window to succeed before snowbirds go home! And it is just Troy and I, along with our daughter Sarah (16). So if we make it, it will be quite a story to tell...if my heart holds out!

 

Good news is folks love the food and the atmosphere so I am hopeful!

 

Grazie & Gracias!

You and Angel always have a seat at:

Guido Garcias

Ristorante/Cantina

7212 East Ho Road

Carefree, AZ 85377

phone: 480-488-7000

www.guidogarcias.net

Like us on Facebook! GUIDO GARCIAS

THE TORTOISE KNOWS HOW TO LIVE LIFE WELL!

 

THERE’S A NEW TORTOISE IN TOWN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Lyn

The following is a short note to Carefree Council members.

Dear Council members.  In light of current events, I have a modest suggestion as to how the Council might approach the "problem" of increasing the viability of the town's businesses.  First, make a substantial reduction on sales taxes for a pre-determined time period, say two years.  At the same time urge all property owners and renters to make a substantial reduction on all rents for the same period of time.   Certainly most owners would rather have some rents than none at all.  If the latter will not cooperate, then nothing is lost, and the matter perhaps can be usefully publicized.

Risking a small portion of Carefree's substantial cash reserves in such a way will show good faith to all parties.  If these measures do not stabilize and, indeed, improve the financials of our present businesses, then it will show everyone that the previously planned "redevelopment" project was, indeed, too risky.  For more businesses will not necessarily mean a greater success rate.   

Respectfully,

Robert Wilson

 

 

 

Lyn:

Receiving Carefree Truth is a wonderful service that you and Dr. Herbie provide, thank you.

It was a surprise that the most recent issue, dated 2/25/2015, had no comments related to downtown Carefree, Butte Development, ASU, and the theater.  I hope it doesn’t mean that citizen-residents of Carefree are no longer engaged.  Ongoing dialog and exchanges of ideas should result in the best of decisions.   Over the weeks, I have asked myself, “Should I write?”  In the past I made my thoughts known via Carefree Truth and hope that they were considered, especially by the Members of the Town Council who will ultimately be making the decisions on which way to go.

While I do not want to get ahead of my thinking, perhaps “ultimately” isn’t the correct word.  Ultimately, thanks to the referendum process, it will be the citizen-voters of Carefree who will have the final decision if they do not like any decision that Council makes.

Let me take this opportunity to re-state my thoughts written weeks ago.  Much as I like the idea of the concept for ASU, the theater, the Butte Developments in-town condo plans, since all would revitalize the Town’s center, I am a realistic capitalist at heart.  If any of these ideas, individually or collectively, are financially sound for the long term, financing would be available from traditional lending sources without the need to use the Town’s cash reserves.  I was not overly happy to read that a “5-year” out was thrown into the mix of the potential deal.  All that did was to remind me of the situation in Glendale.  I think most people know that I am a Coyotes fan.  I followed the saga of where should they play, either Scottsdale (Los Arcos) or Glendale.  While I personally would have preferred Scottsdale, I was not unhappy that Glendale made their pitch.  Sadly, for Glendale, it now has a $160 million area (Gila River Arena, formerly Jobing.com Arena) and the huge debt service that goes along with it, regardless of whether there is a hockey team playing or concerts being performed.  On a brighter note, I think that the current Coyotes’ ownership has indicated that they will stay, even though they have a “5-year” out clause if they are losing too much money.  I know that we are not talking about a mega arena, but it is a similar concept.

While on Council, we made major decisions to use cash reserves to pay off the mortgage on the Town Hall and the fire truck because the numbers made good economic sense.  I would whole-heartedly support an expansion of the current Town Hall to include new Council Chambers if the plan shows that it is better to own a capital improvement instead of paying rent to a landlord.  I do not support using the Town’s cash reserves to make a contribution towards a private developer’s plans for downtown condos even though I like the concept.  The same holds true for any cultural venue, whether it be related to ASU or to any theatrical entity.

Arthur Gimson

 

Hi Lyn,

Was in the Post Office and was told about a rumor that there are a handful of DUMB people who are considering a recall? Now that makes no sense. If they want to see if there view is shared by the Townspeople they should canvas the Town and see what the Town wants. Does the Town want to really give $4 mill to a developer?

Ask the Town to vote for it or get a realistic majority of peoples' opinions, but a Recall???

Maybe they should take the time to re-read the Developer's Open Letter of Feb. 10, 2015 to the Mayor & the Council, timed perfectly to be read at the Council mtg to the public by Councilman Glenn saying basically, "Butte is withdrawing from the ASU/Butte proposal immediately". 

 

Just a few items(not all) of interest:

 

Relating to the Resolution Blank which our legal Council said should not be signed, t he quote from the developer was "a legally binding commitment which Butte did not intend"   Really? 25 years in business?

On the land to build the Cultural Ctr, Quote " Carefree to begin discussions of the details and structure of a $1 per year lease".   England did that with China with a 100 year lease. So who owns Hong Kong now.

When this Project started it was a $90 million development with a North/South with concessions granted based on that premise. Now it's only South. BTW- The North side included underground parking. So now instead of 78(not sure) condo units there will be 34-38(not sure) condo units with some retail(not sure) and approx $40 million.

Toll Brothers is building approx 30 high end housing units in Carefree and is seeking additional land, and as far as I know the only thing that they've asked for is a Bldg Permit.

Building the Cultural Ctr at cost - I don't remember which Councilman (I think it was Les) reminded the developer that he said he would be at cost but Architects, Engineers & the General Contractor would definitely have their O&P. Costs in the construction industry needs very careful review.

The developer noted in his letter that Butte had done $250 million in the last 25 years. In Butte's current public on-line presentation the # quoted is 220 million. That's approx $8.8 to 10 million per average year.  In reference to the on-line presentation as well as this 2/10/15 letter the developer of record will be Butte Carefree Condos LLC. Look up LLC.

I do not fault the efforts of the developer in putting together his proposals to enrich and increase the image of the Town & his proposed Easy Street complex, but in the end it's the Townspeople's decision. 

And to the Naysayers who are misleading the public to believe the Sky is Falling & the Town's dying, we need Butte more than Butte needs us, is all not true.

For all the people who attended the public council mtg on 2/10/15  - The Town is Not dying - The Town will be here and thriving when everyone in that room are long gone including me.

Joe DeVito

 

 

Good job detectives Lyn and Herbert.   Scary it was up here in our beautiful community where we all feel so safe.  Once again you have made us more informed of what is going on.  Great  Pictures!!!!!

Thank you,

Nancy Totten

(Lyn's note: Nancy is referring to the police teams called in to remove the home invader who was resisting arrest.)

 

 

 

This is confusing.  I thought David resigned as Mayor effective immediately.  Was he speaking as a past Mayor or was he running the meeting?

Marie Christensen

(Lyn's note: If you noticed the subject line, it says Jan. 6th.  The Cox representative made his presentation at the January regular Council meeting.  My Carefree Truth issue had been written for over a month, but there have been more important meetings with issues that needed prompt attention, so this item waited.  The one that went out on Monday of this week was from the regular February meeting, in which Cave Creek Museum Director Evelyn Johnson talks about Carefree memorabilia being added to the Arizona Memory Project, courtesy of and hosted by the Museum.  Mayor Schwan was still mayor then, and ran that meeting too.) 

 

The ads are sooo pretty and the photography...beautiful!!!!!

Guido Garcias

Ristorante/Cantina