"Thomas Jefferson said a democracy is dependent on an informed citizenry. I don't care whether it sounds corny or not. It's the truth." -Jim Lehrer
Carefree Truth
Issue #837, June 29, 2020
Issue #837, June 29, 2020
The early voting mail-in ballots will be sent out by Maricopa County on July 8th, and they are due back to the County by August 4th. Carefree elections are all mail-in voting. Ballots are not forwarded by the Post Office, so if you will not be here, but are registered to vote in Carefree, have someone pick up your mail and send your ballot to you. The deadline for registering to vote is July 6th.
There will be no physical polling locations but there will be a box at Carefree Town Hall where ballots can be dropped off if you prefer that to mailing them. Candidates receiving at least 50% plus one vote will be elected in August. Any candidates not receiving this minimum will proceed on to the election in November.
The 7 candidates Herbert and I feel are the best and most qualified to guide our town into the future are Mayor Les Peterson, Vice Mayor John Crane, Councilman Vince D'Aliesio, new candidate Tony Geiger, Councilman Stephen Hatcher, Councilman Mike Krahe, and Councilwoman Cheryl Kroyer. We know all of these individuals personally. They have shown the leadership skills, dedication, and personal ethics that we feel are vital to maintain Carefree's goals and lifestyle. Their statements are included below. Click on the video links below for their position statements.
For Mayor
For Council
Re-Elect John Crane from Herbert Hitchon on Vimeo.
I’m Vince D’Aliesio. I’m proud to serve this community, and I’m seeking reelection as a member of your Town Council. The past two years I have been privileged to be a part of some key policy-making for our community: water, property re-zoning for very strategic commercial development, and redevelopment of our town core. Each carries with it specific opportunities, and each will benefit our town upon completion.
I am married with three children who I am very proud of, and who have all attended schools in the Cave Creek Unified School District since pre-school. All three are in high school now.
I’ve worked in private industry as well as the government sector and schools, in broadcasting, and I am a public address announcer. I serve on the Board of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns Budget and Finance Committee.
I am very proud of the honor that I have to currently serve as the President of the Cave Creek Museum Board of Directors. My goal is to grow the footprint of the museum in our communities and to use it as a tool to continue uniting all of the Desert Foothills so that we can showcase our wonderful history to the rest of the country, as well as the beauty of this region that we all share.
I would be honored to have your vote on August 4th. Please be sure to look for your ballot in the mail the week of July 6th.
Best wishes!
Vince
TONY GEIGER FOR CAREFREE COUNCIL
WHY I AM RUNNING FOR TOWN COUNCIL:
Since becoming involved in various Town issues the past 8 years I have seen the critical need for qualified and dedicated people to step forward to ensure our community thrives, prospers and is sustainable into the future. I feel that I have the experience, skill set and dedication to serve our community and help move our Town towards these goals.
PERSONAL:
My wife Jane and I along with our two daughters moved to our home in Carefree in December 2000. Both our daughters are graduates of Cactus Shadow High School and are now married and own homes in Arizona.
PROFESSIONAL:
I spent my entire 35-year career working for major manufacturers of equipment used in water and sewer systems. This included 11 years of senior management experience. Retired December 2017
Worked with municipalities, engineering firms, contractors and distributors in the design, construction, commissioning and maintenance of water and waste water infrastructure.
Developed skills in management, leadership, engineering, finance and business law
COMMUNITY INVOLVMENT:
2013-2017 - Member of the Cave Creek Water Advisory Committee (Chairman 2016-2017)
2016-2017 - Member of Carefree Mayor’s task force on the closing of the Boulders waste water treatment plant.
2018-current- Working with the Mayor, Council and Town Staff on bringing the 1000 Carefree residents currently on Cave Creek Water into the Carefree system.
Developed strong working relationships with current Town staff as well the Mayor and several Council members thru my work on Carefree infrastructure issues. Up to date on Town budgets, economic development strategies and major health, safety and welfare issues impacting our Town. I am ready to hit the ground running as a member of the Carefree Town Council.
Having worked with the Mayors and Councils of both Carefree and Cave Creek I have had the opportunity to see first-hand what attributes make an effective Council member.
The most effective members of a Town Council put in the time to do the required homework. This involves studying the agendas and back up documents, seeking input from citizens and local businesses, looking at other communities to better understand best practices and asking questions of staff before issues come to a vote at a council meeting. Lastly, they are not driven by ego so when new information becomes available they are willing to alter their positions and policies.
The two best examples of Council members who embody these attributes that I have seen are Carefree Council member Cheryl Kroyer and Vice Mayor John Crane.
MAJOR PLATFORM ISSUES:
I will work for the long-term water security for all Carefree residents.
Pursue quality economic development that allows Carefree to fund Town budgets without the levy of a primary property tax, while at the same time respects existing residents and businesses so that we can maintain and enhance the Town’s character.
Protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Carefree. This includes supporting crosswalk safety enhancements, managing the growth and negative impacts of Bike Week and taking on whatever threats that arise.
It would be an honor to serve our community as a member of the Town Council.
Contact me at 480-229-6364, Email: tgeiger4@cox.net
Stephen Hatcher
Carefree Town Council Re-Election 2020
What have we done for our town of Carefree
Water acquisition process and the town of Cave Creek:
The town staff and council have been working very hard for almost two years to complete the acquisition of the water system located within Carefree and currently owned and managed by the town of Cave Creek. Not only are we working to meet the water needs of all our residents but to ensure they are properly represented. The town of Cave Creek has not properly maintained the water system and water resources this is in part demonstrated by their failure to consistently manage their water resources and provide safe quality water which complies with Federal Standards. There are approximately 1000 Carefree residents that are impacted by this issue. Numerous meetings with the town’s water company, the engineering firm that performed our comprehensive analysis of the water system, and the capital markets firm that will structure the financing for its acquisition and capital improvements. Drawing on my experience as an engineer and finance instructor we prepared a rebuttal analysis of the Cave Creek’s Water System Valuation. This analysis illustrates the significant deficiencies in their assumptions and valuation techniques.
Crosswalks
This council has received numerous requests from our residents to improve the safety of the crosswalks near the Town Center. The council has embraced this challenge by retaining a traffic engineer firm to perform a study and develop recommendations to resolve this issue. The Town will be working with the Engineer to refine the crosswalks and seek grants through the Maricopa Association of Governments.
Economic Development
Over the past few years the town has support numerous events to raise tax revenue for the town and drive business to our local merchants. We all know the events; Thunderbird Arts Festival, Pumpkin Festival, , Farmer’s Markets, and Sights & Sounds in the Garden to name a few. Some of these events will not be returning for 2020. As times change so has our approach to drive economic growth and this is illustrated with the comprehensive approval of a small Hampton Inn and a new 30 unit condominium complex. It is our vision that these new enterprises will bring in revenue and an abundance of new activity to our town.
Town Signage
Another task we have all embraced has been the revision of old signage guidelines that did not effectively support our local merchants. This council listened to our merchants and aggressively revised the guidelines to provide greater flexibility to our merchants in marketing their establishments. Furthermore, we are developing a series of kiosks that will guide and inform our visitors of all our talented merchants.
Emergency Fire Plan
Over the past few weeks we have all seen the devastation wildfires can bring to our beautiful town and surroundings. The council worked with the town staff and the mayor to review the emergency management procedures and to ensure the safety of our residents. Working with the Maricopa County and Rural Metro Emergency Management teams and Department of Forestry we continue to share information which provides insights as to what we all can do in and around our homes to mitigate fire risk, evacuation procedures, and maintain safety. Furthermore, there are numerous emergency resources on our web site and in our lobby.
These are just a few of the accomplishments our current town council has achieved over the last two years. It has been my privilege to work with them and continuing to represent my fellow neighbors and residents. With my in-depth understanding of the issues facing our town, my extensive background in engineering and finance I am uniquely qualified to meet the challenges facing our town over the next few years. I ask for your continued support as we enter into the August election.
Respectfully,
Stephen Hatcher
Town councilman - Carefree
Board member - Carefree Water Company
Board member – White Lion Tea Company
Chairman Patron’s Group – Theresa’s Fund
Ambassador – National Marine Raiders Foundation
SVP Investment Officer – Hatcher Financial Strategies Group
Wells Fargo Advisors
Carefree Town Council Re-Election 2020
What have we done for our town of Carefree
Water acquisition process and the town of Cave Creek:
The town staff and council have been working very hard for almost two years to complete the acquisition of the water system located within Carefree and currently owned and managed by the town of Cave Creek. Not only are we working to meet the water needs of all our residents but to ensure they are properly represented. The town of Cave Creek has not properly maintained the water system and water resources this is in part demonstrated by their failure to consistently manage their water resources and provide safe quality water which complies with Federal Standards. There are approximately 1000 Carefree residents that are impacted by this issue. Numerous meetings with the town’s water company, the engineering firm that performed our comprehensive analysis of the water system, and the capital markets firm that will structure the financing for its acquisition and capital improvements. Drawing on my experience as an engineer and finance instructor we prepared a rebuttal analysis of the Cave Creek’s Water System Valuation. This analysis illustrates the significant deficiencies in their assumptions and valuation techniques.
Crosswalks
This council has received numerous requests from our residents to improve the safety of the crosswalks near the Town Center. The council has embraced this challenge by retaining a traffic engineer firm to perform a study and develop recommendations to resolve this issue. The Town will be working with the Engineer to refine the crosswalks and seek grants through the Maricopa Association of Governments.
Economic Development
Over the past few years the town has support numerous events to raise tax revenue for the town and drive business to our local merchants. We all know the events; Thunderbird Arts Festival, Pumpkin Festival, , Farmer’s Markets, and Sights & Sounds in the Garden to name a few. Some of these events will not be returning for 2020. As times change so has our approach to drive economic growth and this is illustrated with the comprehensive approval of a small Hampton Inn and a new 30 unit condominium complex. It is our vision that these new enterprises will bring in revenue and an abundance of new activity to our town.
Town Signage
Another task we have all embraced has been the revision of old signage guidelines that did not effectively support our local merchants. This council listened to our merchants and aggressively revised the guidelines to provide greater flexibility to our merchants in marketing their establishments. Furthermore, we are developing a series of kiosks that will guide and inform our visitors of all our talented merchants.
Emergency Fire Plan
Over the past few weeks we have all seen the devastation wildfires can bring to our beautiful town and surroundings. The council worked with the town staff and the mayor to review the emergency management procedures and to ensure the safety of our residents. Working with the Maricopa County and Rural Metro Emergency Management teams and Department of Forestry we continue to share information which provides insights as to what we all can do in and around our homes to mitigate fire risk, evacuation procedures, and maintain safety. Furthermore, there are numerous emergency resources on our web site and in our lobby.
These are just a few of the accomplishments our current town council has achieved over the last two years. It has been my privilege to work with them and continuing to represent my fellow neighbors and residents. With my in-depth understanding of the issues facing our town, my extensive background in engineering and finance I am uniquely qualified to meet the challenges facing our town over the next few years. I ask for your continued support as we enter into the August election.
Respectfully,
Stephen Hatcher
Town councilman - Carefree
Board member - Carefree Water Company
Board member – White Lion Tea Company
Chairman Patron’s Group – Theresa’s Fund
Ambassador – National Marine Raiders Foundation
SVP Investment Officer – Hatcher Financial Strategies Group
Wells Fargo Advisors
Re-Elect Cheryl Kroyer from Herbert Hitchon on Vimeo.
Lyn & Herbert Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Copyrighted
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.
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Copyrighted
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.