"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 #840, July 6, 2020
Issue #840, July 6, 2020
Mike Sloane
Mike Sloan is new to the Carefree political landscape. Most of what we know about him was gleaned from his campaign poster in the Carefree Post Office, so we will address those bullet points.
1. Make water available to all Carefree residents
All Carefree residents currently have water. What those in the Carefree Service Area (CSA) of the Cave Creek Water Company (CCW) desire is clean, safe water. Even after new filters were added to Cave Creek's treatment plant to eliminate the existing health hazards, CCW customers frequently experience dirt and debris in their water, and wildly fluctuating water pressure.
Carefree customers also desire water service that is dependable in the long term, whereas the Cave Creek system currently servicing them is totally dependent on Central Arizona Project (CAP) water, which is delivered to our area by an aging 12 mile long pipe coming up Cave Creek Road from the Deer Valley CAP location, over ground that has sunken in various locations, providing no support to the pipe. It is moved along the pipe via 3 decrepit, corroded pumping stations. Due to the prolonged drought, CAP is reducing allocations, with plans to further reduce them should the drought continue, a scenario that is considered likely to occur.
The fire hydrants in the CCW system have never been properly maintained. Maintenance done recently, inspired by complaints, did not meet the normal standards. Some still remain half buried in dirt. We have had numerous bad fires in our area over the past 2 summers. Fully functional fire hydrants are vital to safety.
Mr. Sloan makes no mention of moving those Carefree residents and businesses serviced by CCW over to the Carefree Water Company.
2. Economic development is mission critical
Over half of Carefree's income is generated by local sales tax revenue. This helps keep a local property tax at bay. An economic development position on the Town staff was created in January, and has been filled.
4. No property tax
Mr. Sloan's bullet points 2 and 4 are supported by all of the candidates.
3. Full time sheriff patrols
Mr. Sloan is apparently unaware that Carefree already has full time sheriff patrols provided by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO). Each beat consists of 5 deputies who incrementally cover Carefree. The deputies can be called out to cover nearby areas if needed, but at least one deputy is always within Carefree's borders 24/7.
5. No wasteful spending
Carefree is well known to be fiscally conservative, which is why there is in excess of $10,000,000 (10 million dollars) in the Reserve account this fiscal year, and no debt, even with the expenses of the ongoing street maintenance project and the process of moving those in the CSA of CCW over to the Carefree Water Company.
6. No "secret" executive sessions
Executive Session Law and Legal Definition | USLegal, Inc.
Executive session is a secret meeting that only the members and invited nonmembers may attend. The term originated in the United States Senate, which until 1929 sat behind closed doors when it advised the President about executive business.
Executive session in American English a session, as of a legislative body, commission , etc., that is not open to the public Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition.
Executive Session Meetings - Davis-Stirling
Executive sessions of the board of directors are provided by statute so boards can address issues involving privileged information and matters of a private nature. As a result, members do not have a right to attend executive sessions.
Violation of Confidentiality. Directors who violate the confidential nature of information gained in executive session are subject to censure, and personal liability for their behavior.
Open Meetings, Closed Sessions: Executive Session as a Tool Executive sessions are intended to protect the innocent and assure confidentiality about sensitive matters. The time spent in executive session is not for formal voting, rather time spent sorting things out privately. Board members don’t take any parliamentary action during executive session.
We attend all of the Council meetings to video record and write reports on the meetings. Herbert and I have done so for over 10 years. I have been attending meetings since 1997. Most meetings are sparsely attended, and the faces of the attendees tend to be familiar. Neither we, nor anyone know, has ever seen Mr. Sloan at a Council meeting, which explains his ignorance of even the most basic knowledge of how the Town works. In our opinion, this does not make him a viable candidate to run for office in Carefree.
Lyn & Herbert Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Copyrighted
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