(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.  Enjoy!

http://www.carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-the-week--51115.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's note: Arthur Gimson sent the letter last week about his experience seeing the Honor Flight while visiting Washington, D.C.) 

 

I salute Arthur and I'm honored to have him as an American.

What an excellent addition to our Country.

Patty Schiano

 

Hi Lyn and Arthur: 

I especially like the Will Rogers quote.

Best regards,

John Crane

How great is that? Wonderful that he is so patriotic.

Peggy Owen

 

Would indeed have been a thrill to see those old, true heroes.

Kathy Riemer 

 

 

WHEN IS BRUNCH????      I WANT TO GO NOW!!!!!!!!

Laurie Palace

(Lyn's note: The new brunch at Carefree  Bistro will be served on Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 1 PM, but they will extend it to 4 PM if patrons desire to order off the brunch menu, as opposed to the lunch menu.  Lunch starts on the weekends at 1 PM.)

 

Thanks Lyn.  Now I have the correct address.  I appreciate you J  (I’d volunteer to help paint – I’m pretty darned good!)

(Lyn's note: In last week's Letters, Jackie asked about getting the 100 Easy Street building, which houses the Carefree Post Office and the Council Chambers, painted.  She asked me to pass her email along to the Carefree Council, which I did, with a copy to her.)

 

Dear Ms. McDermott,

Thank you for your letter.

As background, for years the Town of Carefree has been working with landlords and business owners in the downtown Carefree area to encourage them to make their buildings and store fronts as attractive as possible as one component of making the downtown Carefree area more vibrant and a point of pride for all of our residents and visitors.

We think that it makes good business sense for all of us, including both the downtown Carefree property owners and the Town of Carefree, to work together to help make the downtown area as vibrant and active as possible. Many of our landlords and merchants have done just that, and we are receiving many positive comments from residents and visitors.

But, beyond encouragement of local business owners and landlords to fix up and lease out their properties, the Town cannot compel them to do so. They are independent property owners and there is no Town or State ordinance or statute requiring painting or other “fix up” activity – unless, of course, there is a safety hazard. Since there is no inherent safety concern that we are aware of, and there are no applicable State or Town statutes, there would be no basis to make this an Agenda item for possible action at an upcoming Town Council meeting.

In the case of the Carefree Post Office building at 100 Easy Street, it is owned by a private individual and leased out to a business which operates a postal sub-station to service Carefree and the 85377 zip code. While 100 Easy Street may appear to be a Town of Carefree government building housing a Federal government entity, in reality it is neither. The owner of that building is currently in the process of filling some of the vacant spaces and “sprucing up” portions of the building as his budget permits, and for those efforts we thank him. Hopefully, the condition of the exterior paint will also be addressed and resolved in the near future.

Best regards,

Mayor Les Peterson

Town of Carefree, Arizona

480 488-3686 (Carefree Town Hall)

 

Thank you so much for addressing my concern, and explaining the ownership of the building.  I appreciate you going into such detail.  The perception certainly is that it is a government and/or Town of Carefree facility.

Maybe the Town Council should deny the property owner any further permits (like liquor) until the exterior is painted?  Just thinking out loud.

Maybe we could get a painting bid and see how much it would cost to paint.  Then we can write a Petition and stand in front of the Post Office and get signatures of people who would like to “contribute” to the cause.  Then do you think the owner of the building would let it be painted?  Or . . . maybe the Town of Carefree could offer to pay for the paint job.

There must be some sort of solution . . .

Or maybe somebody could contact a few Carefree local artists?  How cool would it be to see the side facing the Carefree Gardens painted with some brilliant and fun art?

You might consider sending your email to the local newspapers . . . then maybe we would get some action . . . but if nothing else it will tell the readership that the Council has no control over the ugly building.

Thanks for listening.

 

Commercial leases refer to the structural integrity of the building.  In this case, this is an aesthetical issue and not structural.

The permits must be directly correlated to the subject matter otherwise it can be construed that the Town acted in an arbitrary and capricious fashion.  The courts our not sympathetic to such governmental actions in the state of Arizona; therefore, the manner in which the Town addresses the situation is a lot different than how a private homeowner’s association can address the situation as it relates to paint.  Imagine if the Town (government in general) had the power to demand all private property owners (including our residents) how and when they painted their homes/buildings.  No one wants any level of government managing their decisions or business.

Indeed, we need to sensitively address these issues and we are trying to work with the property owner to address the situation.

Gary Neiss, Town Administrator

Town of Carefree

 

(Lyn's note: I sent the following to Jackie: This addresses your idea about denying permits.  That's a big no-no, for the very valid reasons Gary states.  If it's a choice between a bad paint job and Big Brother, I think we'd all rather live with the bad paint job, although it sure would be nice if the building owner did repaint soon.

I have become friends with Karen Keilt, who sent a letter into Carefree Truth a few months ago with her story.  She and her second husband are Carefree residents. She is American, but was born and raised in Brazil.  She wrote a book about her horrific story, with names and dates changed to protect people.  It's called "Parrot's Perch" and they have a couple copies at the Desert Foothills Library.  It is also available on Amazon.  I finished reading it in 2 days.  She has been working with Amnesty International and other groups, trying to get the law reversed that protects government torturers from prosecution in Brazil.  She has gone quite public about it all now. 

Last week, Karen and I had lunch with another friend of mine who spent some of her childhood in the same part of Brazil.  My friend's family lived near a police station.  As a child she was frequently awakened at night hearing the screams of those being tortured.  Her mother warned her to NEVER say anything about it or their family would all disappear, and the screams heard would be theirs.  When she realized who Karen is, she was literally scared to be near her, and immediately went silent.  Nothing scares Vera, and she is normally very outgoing.  Above all, her reaction drove it home to me. 

That is government out of control.  Most Americans have no idea just how good we have it.  Small and hands off works for me!  Frankly, our own federal government has gotten too out of control for my comfort.  But it doesn't come close to a lot of governments around the world.  Karen's book was particularly creepy because I could put a real face to it.  Only a few details were changed because she was advised when she wrote it a few years ago that they could reach across borders.)

 

Hey Lyn – I agree.  I got a little carried away.  Its just frustrating to me.  But yet, compared to anywhere else in the world, I’d rather live in Carefree, in THE UNITES STATES OF AMERICA.  I’ll probably just put that in my head when I go to the Post Office and all will be well.  It’s good Karen made her way here safely, and found you as well.   xox

Jackie McDermott

 

I keep wondering why the Chamber is located at the end of the street and stuck back in a corner where most people can't see it.  Why don't they set up shop in one of the front stores of the Courtyard Shops?  It's in the middle of town and very visible.  If the rent is more, it might well be worth the investment.

I see we have lost two more shops and could in the near future also lose the Wild Holly Gallery.  There are too many empty buildings already in Carefree to even consider building another commercial building.

Sandra