Lyn's note: Please feel free to send us any pictures you'd like included.  Here is the link to this week's Pictures of the Week.
http://carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-the-week-43018.html

Mexican Hat in Colorado
Photo by Hazel Vaughn

Here are your bonus rounds from Herbert.
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/42818-am.html

http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/42918-am-bird--cactus.html

Photos by Herbert Hitchon


Town of Carefree Marketing newsletter
http://www.carefree.org/336/IN-THE-NEWS

CITYSunTimes link:
http://news.citysuntimes.com/



Lyn,

I just read the letter written to the Sonoran News by Councilman Farrar. I was one of the few citizens in attendance at the budget meeting mentioned in his letter and I think it is important to set the record straight.

Gary Neiss did not refer to Councilman Farrar as a rogue councilman. What he said was that it is difficult for Town Staff to do what is asked of them in planning events when people do not follow the Town's adopted procedures for setting up the event and go rogue. There is a difference. In no way were Gary’s comments a personal attack on Councilman Farrar. Mr. Neiss is a consummate professional who is constantly put in the situation of being stuck between the rock and the hard place by people like Councilman Farrar. The Town of Carefree and its citizens are fortunate to have a Town Administrator the caliber of Mr. Neiss.

All that said, the fact is Councilman Farrar DID GO ROGUE at the budget meeting by the following actions:

1) Constantly interrupted the presentation by town marketing director, Gina Kaegi.

2) By taking the discussion away from the marketing budget to a town marketing philosophy that multiple other Council members had to remind him were inappropriate for the discussion at hand.

3) By criticizing the work done by the Town Marketing Director relative to online media work done in conjunction with re-branded Civana resort and contradicting information she presented as representing the resort's feelings about the Town’s cooperation.

4) By grandstanding and focusing on himself and the two “pet” events he has an interest in.

The Town of Carefree is at a critical crossroads. We are transitioning from our growth mode where we could depend on construction sales taxes to fund our budget to a mature, built out community. The current Mayor has led a strategy, that Ms. Kaegi is developing and implementing, of re-branding the Town and promoting our festivals and life style. The Mayor has also led the charge in developing our sales tax base, making sure our water and sewer infrastructure and roads are adequate and in the proper position for the long term, and doing what can be done to keep the quality of life we enjoy in Carefree. All without a local property tax. The purpose of the budget meeting and presentation was to outline the tools that would be required to fund the vision.

What I saw from Councilman Farrar at the budget meeting was self serving and did not show a grasp of the big issues impacting our Town and how the budget would drive the Town’s objectives. It came across as an outburst centered around a personal agenda that was neither civil nor promoting any kind of unity on the Council. It was a disappointing performance.

Tony Geiger




Gina is doing an outstanding job. You are lucky to have her.

Laurie Palace


Hi Lyn,
I wanted to let you and Herbie know that the world renowned Anglican Pastor, Father Michael Lapsley, will be visiting the Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree from South Africa. He is the founder of the Institute for Healing of Memories (www.healing-memories.org ) and creator of the Healing of Memories Workshop that we do for veterans.

He will be giving an presentation on his observations as he travels the world on the division that seems to be occurring in many areas (political, economic, religion, ...) He will talk about what why this is happening and what we as individuals, communities and countries can do to address the division. He will engage the audience in a discussion on this. The presentation will be held on Thursday, May 10 with a meet and greet reception at 6:30pm and a talk at 7pm. See attached flier.

I want to extend a personal invitation to you and Herbie to attend since you have been so supportive of us.

I am taking registrations for our Healing of Memories Workshop for All Veterans to be held on May 11-13, 2018 at the Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree.  Please help me get the word out to the vets in the Carefree area.  Thank you.

It is truly a labor of love. I was fortunate to be able to come back from my military experience as an officer on a ship off the coast of Vietnam but so many others came back in need of healing. I am thankful that God allows me to do this.

Peace,

Mike

Mike Wold
Regional Coordinator Arizona
Institute for Healing of Memories North America
michael_w_wold@msn.com
651-687-9767
www.healingmemoriesna.org

(Lyn's note: For full information on all of this, see our Non profit Events & Info email blast.  The full brochure for the workshop is attached to it.)