(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://carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-the-week--41315.html

 

 

 

 

 

The 2015 Carefree Gardens calendars are now available at Carefree Town Hall, 8 Sundial Circle, Carefree.  They are gorgeous!

 

 

 

Desert Foothills Chronicle link:

http://www.desertfoothillschronicle.org/

City Sun Times link:

http://news.citysuntimes.com/

 

 

 

Lyn,

Thanks for the extensive discussion of the recent conflict of interest matter regarding the Carefree Town Council. We can now put this matter behind us and move forward.

Les Peterson

 

 

 

 

Lyn, thank you publishing Bill Sims legal opinion in your newsletter. I knew I had followed conflict of interest laws and recused myself as required. I had been counseled by our Town Attorney, Mike Wright, when this issue surfaced many months ago and was shocked and surprised by Councilman Miller and Councilwoman Price's accusations against me. Nevertheless, Councilman Miller publicly apologized and I accepted. I am looking forward to putting this matter behind us, and working with my fellow council-members for the betterment of Carefree moving forward. 

Thank you again,

Mike Farrar

 

 

 

I love that Glenn Miller. A true gentleman and an honorable Councilman. We are all grateful for his faithful service.

Patty Schiano

 

 

 

Hi Lyn,

My friends, Krysti and Joseph adopted 2 dogs, and the female happened to be pregnant. They are looking for homes for the puppies. They found for some of them but they still have 2 needs a home.  The mom is a terrier mix (being held by Joseph on the picture). Their contact # 623.703.0457.

Could you please pass this email along?

Thank you so much for your help.

Yani

 

 

 

To underscore the goals of this campaign, while I was at the Carefree Festival last Friday, I happened to overhear a couple of people commenting to each other about what a nice location the Gardens are for such events.  The reply was something to the effect that it was indeed a beautiful setting.  It sounded like this was their first visit. 

Kathy Riemer

Full Circle Communications AZ,LLC

 

 

Lyn, there are several points the marketing people make that we do not agree with. First the cost seems to be excessive. Secondly we don't believe the merchants get a benefit from all the foot traffic when there are tents placed in front of their places of business. Lastly the constant use of all the space and the excess traffic erodes the beauty and sustainability of the Carefree Gardens.

June and Tim Reilly

 

Dear Lyn Hitchon,

Having read a number of these Carefree Truth letters to subscribers that are relevant to the town's marketing efforts, there emanates within me the idea of a relationship between Einstein's definition of insanity and the report from Carefree's marketing woman, that is, a person who is "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  I would humbly suggest that what the marketing woman is suggesting has not resulted in new businesses (perhaps one or two restaurants are the exception, but I understand that one of them is already dying) coming to town nor increased foot traffic to existing businesses.

As I see the situation, there are two issues that must be addressed:  One is that I don't know what Carefree is supposed to convey to non-resident personnel.  The town has no identity.  And two, the town is simply miss-located, that is, if a business wants to succeed, the prime factor involved in success is location, location, location (this is a truism around the world).  Carefree is invisible from any local main roadway and offers poor access for the visitor, and the only retail businesses that appear to stick around (save for a couple of restaurants) are those that cater to the tourist and offer articles relevant to the Indian lore of old.  Carefree, I would imagine, does not want to be a "me-too" to Cave Creek.  So why so much Indian lore?  And there really are no tourists of which to speak, except for those that come to the few festivals.  But then parking for the permanent businesses is corrupted by all the tents and most of the existing businesses are not even viewable, or noticeable, to the visitor because of the festival tents and activities.

The town is simply too small in permanent population and with an inadequate self-promotion budget to ever be a serious attraction for small businesses and for masses of tourists.  Doing the same old marketing hustles is not a solution but, rather, a complete waste of money.  And councilman Miller's compliment of the marketing woman's presentation is that of a simple-minded person.  The town pays the marketing woman for results, not for making good presentations.

Thank you for the always informative Carefree situational reports.

Maitland