CAREFREE TRUTH

Carefree candidates’ forum focuses on drawing business to town

MARC BUCKHOUT ~ MANAGING EDITOR~ 2/13/2013

The tone of the Carefree Candidate Forum Monday was reflective of what has largely been a cohesive council over the last two years.
Crediting conservative, budgeted, controlled spending for the town’s financial health was the refrain of the six incumbents; Vice Mayor Melissa Price, Mike Farrar, Glenn Miller, Marty Saltzman and John Crane, along with Mayor David Schwan, who is running unopposed.
Even challengers Michael Krahe and Les Peterson were complimentary of the financial discretion the current council has taken in the expenditures of the town’s funds.
The evening’s discussion, which took place in front of more than 100 residents at Carefree Resort, centered on the ability of the council to maintain the small town character of Carefree, while helping to bring more businesses to the community to improve the sales tax revenue base.
The discussion covered micro issues such as signage and finding the balance between allowing businesses to be seen versus keeping signs from being an upsetting eye sore to residents. They also covered macro level issues such as coming up with ways to bring new businesses to the community and marketing efforts to draw tourists. The consensus was bringing new businesses to the community is a top priority for the new council.
Price said she has seen the business community shrink during her time in Carefree.
“I started a business here eight years ago when it was starting to look like a ghost town,” she said. “Right now we’ve got 40 some empty store fronts. I am a 10 (on the scale of 1 to 10) in wanting to see the store fronts filled. I would spend money to bring businesses here because I think it’s so important for the health of Carefree that we not become a ghost town.”
Crane, who was named to the council after Jim Van Allen stepped down in July, said he’d like to get more input from the business owners in the area.
“Our economic viability depends on filling those store fronts,” he said. “We have to talk to the merchants. They know what it takes to bring people into their stores. They know their customers.”
Peterson said that the town needs to evaluate what types of businesses it can draw as well as what type of businesses would be supported.
“I think it’s a critical issue,” said Peterson, who said his 30 years in marketing would be an asset to the town. “We’ve got to analyze the problem. One of the big ones is the lack of density here. You can’t get big businesses here even if you want them. So you have to figure out the kind of retailers we’d like to see. We should actively go out and try and find these retailers.”
Farrar said his time as a commercial real estate broker gives him an idea of what Carefree can attract.
“Carefree is unique,” he said. “We don’t have the demographics to get national chains up here. And sometimes, like now, we’re facing economics issue as a constraint. We’ve got to create a business friendly environment through our public works projects as well as the events and festivities that get people to visit our town.”
A number of council members discussed the upgrades to the town square through the garden, the gas lights to illuminate the town square as well as the upgrades to the amphitheater. The possibility of a splash pad also was mentioned as a possible amenity for grandparents to bring grandchildren to enjoy. In their view those amenities are laying the groundwork to make the town more attractive to potential businesses.
Miller explained, “I’m of the opinions you build the roads and the people will come,” he said. “Our festivals bring a lot of people to town, but we need even more ways of getting people here. This year we need to work on economic development. There are lots of facets, but we’ve got to get our sales tax revenue up.”
Saltzman said the town’s marketing budget is designed to help give Carefree an identity.
“We want people to know why they’re coming to Carefree, making it a destination,” he said. “The more people that are exposed to the town the more likely they are to come back. It’s all about branding and then waiting for the market to come back a little.”
Saltzman suggested that while Cave Creek has made itself know as a destination for motorcyclists he wouldn’t mind if Carefree tried to tie its identity to high end car shows that are already common in town.”
Krahe cautioned that the marketing effort to draw tourists to town is great, but if there isn’t a thriving business community for those visitors to enjoy they won’t return.
“I think we have to put the hammer down on both pedals,” he said. “Both marketing and business development need to go hand and hand. And we need a plan. Hope is not a plan. Trying is not a plan. I desire to create a plan together with the council, with the citizens, with the businesses that we already have here. I’ve got skin in the game. I have a business here.”
Miller was asked if he’d seen a difference since Carefree hired the town’s new marketing agency, Owens Harkey and Associates, in June 2012.
“Not really, but that’s something that takes a couple years to really get your message out there,” he said.
Schwan said while some land lords in Carefree have understood and adjusted to the economic down turn others have stubbornly refused to adapt.
“Some landlords would rather let stores sit empty than take less money than what they made in 2005,” he said.
Schwan said he believes the general plan for 2030 gives the town a good road map to reach their objectives.
When asked about Ed Lewis’ long delayed development plan, Shcwan said no change in imminent. The plan approved by the council in 2006 would have brought luxury condominiums and retail to Carefree’s Town Center. Schwan said his understanding is that Lewis, who was scheduled to break ground in 2008, is still waiting for economic conditions to bounce back before he would consider moving ahead with that project.
Miller suggested it might be time to speak with Lewis again and find out if he remains committed to the project. If that isn’t the case Miller suggested perhaps looking for another developer might make sense.
The Carefree primary election is set for March 12. While Schwan is running unopposed, voters will have the option of picking six of the remaining seven candidates to round out the seven member council.

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