Carefree Truth
Issue #631, March 19, 2018
Mayor Les Peterson introduced Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) Captain Rich Johnson, who was recently promoted and assigned to Carefree. Sheriff Penzone and one of his Chiefs was in Carefree to talk to the Mayor a couple of weeks before the Council meeting. Both were very complimentary when speaking about Captain Johnson.
Captain Johnson thanked the Mayor for sharing that, saying they don't often hear compliments. The Captain said he's been with MCSO since 1996. He started in police technology. Although he has come up through the ranks working patrols, investigations, computer crimes, organized crime, and officer training, he has spent much of his career downtown doing administration and internal affairs/ professional standards. He places a high value on integrity and accountability. Captain Johnson's last assignment was in Fountain Hills, before receiving his promotion and transfer. He covers Carefree, Cave Creek, Anthem, New River, Desert Hills and the surrounding areas.
His priority is engagement with the community, not just governmental groups. He is here to serve and to help, and wants to know what the community sees as issues. "Policing is based on the Power of We." It takes the entire community working together to police the community. With this in mind, he is planning activities. After leaving the Council meeting, he was heading over to Anthem for Oreo Cookies and Milk with the residents, a fun change from the traditional Coffee with a Cop.
Captain Johnson said Carefree has the luxury of a traffic enforcement car. He introduced Deputy J.J. Cosme. Deputy Cosme said he's been with MCSO for 16 years. He was assigned to Carefree in 2003, then worked in narcotics for 10 years. Councilman Steve Hatcher asked if the Deputy covers several towns or just Carefree. Captain Johnson replied that Deputy Cosme's focus is on Carefree traffic issues, but if a critical issue like an officer in need of assistance arises, he would respond. If citizens are concerned about a certain location like an intersection or a crosswalk, they should report it. It gets filtered to the Captain and put on a priority list.
Councilman Mike Farrar said he had done a ride-along and learned a lot. He added that MCSO does a phenomenal job. Captain Johnson said MCSO has a Citizen Observer Program offering ride-alongs to see what the Deputies do. Mayor Les Peterson said Sheriff Penzone invited Mayors to take a tour of the County jail. It was an eye opening experience. An opportunity for Council members and citizens to visit the jail might be put together. He thanked the Captain and the Deputy for attending the meeting.
https://vimeo.com/259504761
During Call to the Public, Tom Fiedler, a resident of Canyon Creek Estates, addressed the Council about speeding on the 1 mile strip of Cave Creek Road north of Carefree Highway. He noted that the speed limit there is 10 miles per hour higher than on the other roads leading into Carefree, and said the recent addition of bike lanes created more safety concerns. There are no traffic safety controls such as stop signs, stop lights, roundabouts or street lights. The increase in residences has increased traffic entering and exiting along this stretch of road. Maturing plantings in the medians has reduced the line of sight. The speed creates a violation of the noise ordinance.
Mr. Fiedler met with the Mayor several times. He was told that a 2008 traffic study cited possible problems posed by reducing the speed limit by increasing the variations in speed between the vehicles driving at the former speed limit and those observing a new lower one. More comply if LED radar control trailers are seen, but the trailers cost approximately $50,000 each. He knows no one wants to get rid of the vegetation in the medians, which he agreed is lovely, and the residents don't want street lights ruining the dark skies. Roundabouts and street lights are cost prohibitive, and have little effect. But he didn't believe that a 10 year old traffic study accurately reflects the current traffic and development. He thinks drivers can be educated, and has found several commercial quality options online for under $4,000. He can't see a downside to reducing the speed limit in this area. Mr. Fielder has talked to others who also find it a concern, and he hoped the Council will discuss it in the near future.
Mayor Peterson asked Mr. Fiedler to leave the literature he had brought and it would be reviewed. Mr. Hatcher asked if it was only that strip and Mr. Fiedler said yes. The Mayor said he would have Kandace French send the emails that were exchanged over the last year, so that everyone on the Council would be up to speed.
https://vimeo.com/25926904
Mayor Peterson said there had been many discussions on safety, particularly in regard to a nighttime Christmas Festival parade, given the street configurations and the dark skies. MCSO and Rural/Metro Chief John Kraetz had expressed concern. Some changes were made.
MCSO Captain Johnson said he was not here for either the nighttime or the daytime parades, so he was looking at it from the outside from strictly a safety perspective. He noticed how dark it is here as soon as the sun goes down. The residents enjoy the dark skies and don't want city lights. But a dark community does pose a few security risks. The parade is highly attended and there are concerns with children's safety. Children come first.
The Captain has attended the Phoenix Christmas parade many times. Phoenix has very large streets with lighting and infrastructure. People sit very far away from the vehicles and floats in the parade. In Carefree, people sit in close proximity to the parade, and many kids attend. Captain Johnson has 3 kids, and he knows how hard it is to keep an eye on all 3 at once. If kids see shiny things, they take off to look. Kids separated from their parents are a major concern at these events. It is far easier for parents to see their children in the daytime.
There are also parking and traffic congestion issues. Downtown Carefree can't support the crowds that show up for the parade. Other streets absorb the parking. Combined with the darkness and lots of folks parked where cars aren't normally parked, there is a potential for both adults and kids to be hit by a car. Daylight provides visibility to see hazards.
Mr. Farrar asked Captain Johnson if he were talking about the Christmas Festival in general or specifically about the parade. The Captain replied he had been talking about the parade. Mr. Farrar felt the same set of specs applied to the Pumpkin Festival, which he said is mostly held at night. It's crowded, people park everywhere, and there are kids all over. He assumed they paralleled. Captain Johnson replied that there are some of the same issues, but the Pumpkin Festival doesn't have large apparatuses coming down the road and kids running out.
Councilwoman Cheryl Kroyer pointed out that with the parade, everyone is here at the same time, whereas the Pumpkin Festival is spread out over 2 weeks. Mr. Farrar responded that the Pumpkin Festival is pretty packed at night. It is lit up, so that is the most desirable time to come. He recalled families leaving both festivals with a baby stroller and 2 other kids. It is so dark and they can be difficult to see. The Town has added some street lighting which he hopes mitigates that somewhat. Mayor Peterson said that's what gave rise to the concerns. The Town can't light all the streets. Captain Johnson said MCSO is here to support the Town and will come up with the best solution for whatever decision the Council makes.
Gary Neiss noted that the big difference between the Pumpkin Festival and the Christmas parade is that the parade occupies the parking areas and the Pumpkin Festival does not. People attending the Pumpkin Festival park along Easy Street because it is accessible. There is no parking along Easy Street during the parade, which forces the capacity to Tom Darlington Drive and to Cave Creek Road. That's the issue with the parade. People park a mile down both roads, presenting issues with traffic on those roads. That is not typically seen with the Pumpkin Festival, which does not have a peak of 18,000 people attending at once. There might be 1,000 people attending the Pumpkin Festival at night. The town center has the parking capacity to absorb those people. Mr. Neiss said he's been here every night of the both the Pumpkin Festivals and the Christmas Festivals, and has not seen the same safety issues with the Pumpkin Festival. He has talked to the Deputies and the Commanders who have helped monitor the respective events. The parade vs. the other nights of the events are apples and oranges.
Mr. Farrar disagreed. He continued to feel that it is a question of the dark streets. Both festivals are held at night and are highly attended by children. He said the likelihood of an occurrence is still valid for both events. Mayor Peterson disagreed with Mr. Farrar about the Pumpkin Festival vs. the parade. On a non parade night, he said the festivals were comparable, but the arrival of 18,000 people changes it.
Mr. Farrar disagreed with the Mayor, continuing to insist that the festivals were equivalent. While he agreed that the parade adds another layer, there have been no injuries of which he was aware, but it is the fear that something may happen. People sat on the curb very close to the parade grounds, but they did at the daytime parade too. His concern was about events held at night, and he felt that both were equally at risk of having something happen. Lighting and parking were concerns. People park on the arterial streets at every event held, including the art festivals. Councilman Steve Hatcher asked if there were any lighting options. Mayor Peterson replied that with dollars you can solve anything. The Mayor thanked Captain Johnson for attending the meeting and giving his viewpoint.
https://vimeo.com/259434464
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.
Issue #631, March 19, 2018
Mayor Les Peterson introduced Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) Captain Rich Johnson, who was recently promoted and assigned to Carefree. Sheriff Penzone and one of his Chiefs was in Carefree to talk to the Mayor a couple of weeks before the Council meeting. Both were very complimentary when speaking about Captain Johnson.
Captain Johnson thanked the Mayor for sharing that, saying they don't often hear compliments. The Captain said he's been with MCSO since 1996. He started in police technology. Although he has come up through the ranks working patrols, investigations, computer crimes, organized crime, and officer training, he has spent much of his career downtown doing administration and internal affairs/ professional standards. He places a high value on integrity and accountability. Captain Johnson's last assignment was in Fountain Hills, before receiving his promotion and transfer. He covers Carefree, Cave Creek, Anthem, New River, Desert Hills and the surrounding areas.
His priority is engagement with the community, not just governmental groups. He is here to serve and to help, and wants to know what the community sees as issues. "Policing is based on the Power of We." It takes the entire community working together to police the community. With this in mind, he is planning activities. After leaving the Council meeting, he was heading over to Anthem for Oreo Cookies and Milk with the residents, a fun change from the traditional Coffee with a Cop.
Captain Johnson said Carefree has the luxury of a traffic enforcement car. He introduced Deputy J.J. Cosme. Deputy Cosme said he's been with MCSO for 16 years. He was assigned to Carefree in 2003, then worked in narcotics for 10 years. Councilman Steve Hatcher asked if the Deputy covers several towns or just Carefree. Captain Johnson replied that Deputy Cosme's focus is on Carefree traffic issues, but if a critical issue like an officer in need of assistance arises, he would respond. If citizens are concerned about a certain location like an intersection or a crosswalk, they should report it. It gets filtered to the Captain and put on a priority list.
Councilman Mike Farrar said he had done a ride-along and learned a lot. He added that MCSO does a phenomenal job. Captain Johnson said MCSO has a Citizen Observer Program offering ride-alongs to see what the Deputies do. Mayor Les Peterson said Sheriff Penzone invited Mayors to take a tour of the County jail. It was an eye opening experience. An opportunity for Council members and citizens to visit the jail might be put together. He thanked the Captain and the Deputy for attending the meeting.
https://vimeo.com/259504761
During Call to the Public, Tom Fiedler, a resident of Canyon Creek Estates, addressed the Council about speeding on the 1 mile strip of Cave Creek Road north of Carefree Highway. He noted that the speed limit there is 10 miles per hour higher than on the other roads leading into Carefree, and said the recent addition of bike lanes created more safety concerns. There are no traffic safety controls such as stop signs, stop lights, roundabouts or street lights. The increase in residences has increased traffic entering and exiting along this stretch of road. Maturing plantings in the medians has reduced the line of sight. The speed creates a violation of the noise ordinance.
Mr. Fiedler met with the Mayor several times. He was told that a 2008 traffic study cited possible problems posed by reducing the speed limit by increasing the variations in speed between the vehicles driving at the former speed limit and those observing a new lower one. More comply if LED radar control trailers are seen, but the trailers cost approximately $50,000 each. He knows no one wants to get rid of the vegetation in the medians, which he agreed is lovely, and the residents don't want street lights ruining the dark skies. Roundabouts and street lights are cost prohibitive, and have little effect. But he didn't believe that a 10 year old traffic study accurately reflects the current traffic and development. He thinks drivers can be educated, and has found several commercial quality options online for under $4,000. He can't see a downside to reducing the speed limit in this area. Mr. Fielder has talked to others who also find it a concern, and he hoped the Council will discuss it in the near future.
Mayor Peterson asked Mr. Fiedler to leave the literature he had brought and it would be reviewed. Mr. Hatcher asked if it was only that strip and Mr. Fiedler said yes. The Mayor said he would have Kandace French send the emails that were exchanged over the last year, so that everyone on the Council would be up to speed.
https://vimeo.com/25926904
Mayor Peterson said there had been many discussions on safety, particularly in regard to a nighttime Christmas Festival parade, given the street configurations and the dark skies. MCSO and Rural/Metro Chief John Kraetz had expressed concern. Some changes were made.
MCSO Captain Johnson said he was not here for either the nighttime or the daytime parades, so he was looking at it from the outside from strictly a safety perspective. He noticed how dark it is here as soon as the sun goes down. The residents enjoy the dark skies and don't want city lights. But a dark community does pose a few security risks. The parade is highly attended and there are concerns with children's safety. Children come first.
The Captain has attended the Phoenix Christmas parade many times. Phoenix has very large streets with lighting and infrastructure. People sit very far away from the vehicles and floats in the parade. In Carefree, people sit in close proximity to the parade, and many kids attend. Captain Johnson has 3 kids, and he knows how hard it is to keep an eye on all 3 at once. If kids see shiny things, they take off to look. Kids separated from their parents are a major concern at these events. It is far easier for parents to see their children in the daytime.
There are also parking and traffic congestion issues. Downtown Carefree can't support the crowds that show up for the parade. Other streets absorb the parking. Combined with the darkness and lots of folks parked where cars aren't normally parked, there is a potential for both adults and kids to be hit by a car. Daylight provides visibility to see hazards.
Mr. Farrar asked Captain Johnson if he were talking about the Christmas Festival in general or specifically about the parade. The Captain replied he had been talking about the parade. Mr. Farrar felt the same set of specs applied to the Pumpkin Festival, which he said is mostly held at night. It's crowded, people park everywhere, and there are kids all over. He assumed they paralleled. Captain Johnson replied that there are some of the same issues, but the Pumpkin Festival doesn't have large apparatuses coming down the road and kids running out.
Councilwoman Cheryl Kroyer pointed out that with the parade, everyone is here at the same time, whereas the Pumpkin Festival is spread out over 2 weeks. Mr. Farrar responded that the Pumpkin Festival is pretty packed at night. It is lit up, so that is the most desirable time to come. He recalled families leaving both festivals with a baby stroller and 2 other kids. It is so dark and they can be difficult to see. The Town has added some street lighting which he hopes mitigates that somewhat. Mayor Peterson said that's what gave rise to the concerns. The Town can't light all the streets. Captain Johnson said MCSO is here to support the Town and will come up with the best solution for whatever decision the Council makes.
Gary Neiss noted that the big difference between the Pumpkin Festival and the Christmas parade is that the parade occupies the parking areas and the Pumpkin Festival does not. People attending the Pumpkin Festival park along Easy Street because it is accessible. There is no parking along Easy Street during the parade, which forces the capacity to Tom Darlington Drive and to Cave Creek Road. That's the issue with the parade. People park a mile down both roads, presenting issues with traffic on those roads. That is not typically seen with the Pumpkin Festival, which does not have a peak of 18,000 people attending at once. There might be 1,000 people attending the Pumpkin Festival at night. The town center has the parking capacity to absorb those people. Mr. Neiss said he's been here every night of the both the Pumpkin Festivals and the Christmas Festivals, and has not seen the same safety issues with the Pumpkin Festival. He has talked to the Deputies and the Commanders who have helped monitor the respective events. The parade vs. the other nights of the events are apples and oranges.
Mr. Farrar disagreed. He continued to feel that it is a question of the dark streets. Both festivals are held at night and are highly attended by children. He said the likelihood of an occurrence is still valid for both events. Mayor Peterson disagreed with Mr. Farrar about the Pumpkin Festival vs. the parade. On a non parade night, he said the festivals were comparable, but the arrival of 18,000 people changes it.
Mr. Farrar disagreed with the Mayor, continuing to insist that the festivals were equivalent. While he agreed that the parade adds another layer, there have been no injuries of which he was aware, but it is the fear that something may happen. People sat on the curb very close to the parade grounds, but they did at the daytime parade too. His concern was about events held at night, and he felt that both were equally at risk of having something happen. Lighting and parking were concerns. People park on the arterial streets at every event held, including the art festivals. Councilman Steve Hatcher asked if there were any lighting options. Mayor Peterson replied that with dollars you can solve anything. The Mayor thanked Captain Johnson for attending the meeting and giving his viewpoint.
https://vimeo.com/259434464
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.