"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 #885, January 22, 2021
Issue #885, January 22, 2021
Lyn,
A small group of residents of the Boulders has been spreading misinformation to other Boulders residents regarding the potential placement of a medium sized (300,000 gallon) water storage reservoir in the Boulders open space along Tom Darlington Drive. This water storage reservoir is absolutely necessary to meet established fire flow standards throughout all of Carefree once the remaining Carefree residents currently receiving their water service through Cave Creek are integrated into the Carefree Water Company system.
To make this water storage reservoir as unobjectionable as possible, Carefree had been working with the Boulders Homeowners Association to place the water storage reservoir underground and cover it with soil and native desert vegetation. This was not satisfactory to a small group of Boulders residents, who wanted it anywhere except in any portion of the Boulders, and they have been communicating misstatements loudly, and often seeking to gain support.
Because the Town of Carefree and the legal entity which owns the Carefree Water Company, the Carefree Unified Consolidated Facilities District, have been heavily involved in litigation with both Cave Creek seeking to solidify the acquisition of the water assets used to service Carefree residents living in proximity to Black Mountain, and a suit initiated by a Boulders resident seeking to have the Court direct Carefree to place the water storage unit anywhere in Carefree except in the Boulders, our attorneys have strongly advised us to say nothing with regards to this subject lest it be misinterpreted and used against the interests of Carefree residents.
Both litigations are nearing their respective decision points, and Carefree is now free to start communicating with all Carefree residents. In the following is our recent (1/12/21) communication to Boulders residents seeking to address this subject and dispel some of the numerous false statements and misconceptions which have developed during this period when Carefree was not free to communicate openly.
In the following is the Response which was recently sent to Boulders residents to address their questions and misconceptions.
Les Peterson
Mary Roberts
President, Boulders Homeowners Association
Nate Hyde
Vice President, Boulders Homeowners Association
Dear Mary and Nate,
There have been considerable miscommunications to Boulders residents over the past 6 – 12 months regarding the current acquisition of the Cave Creek water assets servicing over 530 Carefree residences and the integration of these assets into the Carefree Water Company system, and the impact upon Boulders residents.
The attachments to this note are to address some of the more misconceptions and questions that I have heard or been asked, and to provide factual responses..
We hope that this summary is helpful. We would look forward to discussing it further with you and the BHOA Board if you thought that might be productive.
Mayor Les Peterson
Town of Carefree, Arizona
480 488-3686 (Carefree Town Hall)
A small group of residents of the Boulders has been spreading misinformation to other Boulders residents regarding the potential placement of a medium sized (300,000 gallon) water storage reservoir in the Boulders open space along Tom Darlington Drive. This water storage reservoir is absolutely necessary to meet established fire flow standards throughout all of Carefree once the remaining Carefree residents currently receiving their water service through Cave Creek are integrated into the Carefree Water Company system.
To make this water storage reservoir as unobjectionable as possible, Carefree had been working with the Boulders Homeowners Association to place the water storage reservoir underground and cover it with soil and native desert vegetation. This was not satisfactory to a small group of Boulders residents, who wanted it anywhere except in any portion of the Boulders, and they have been communicating misstatements loudly, and often seeking to gain support.
Because the Town of Carefree and the legal entity which owns the Carefree Water Company, the Carefree Unified Consolidated Facilities District, have been heavily involved in litigation with both Cave Creek seeking to solidify the acquisition of the water assets used to service Carefree residents living in proximity to Black Mountain, and a suit initiated by a Boulders resident seeking to have the Court direct Carefree to place the water storage unit anywhere in Carefree except in the Boulders, our attorneys have strongly advised us to say nothing with regards to this subject lest it be misinterpreted and used against the interests of Carefree residents.
Both litigations are nearing their respective decision points, and Carefree is now free to start communicating with all Carefree residents. In the following is our recent (1/12/21) communication to Boulders residents seeking to address this subject and dispel some of the numerous false statements and misconceptions which have developed during this period when Carefree was not free to communicate openly.
In the following is the Response which was recently sent to Boulders residents to address their questions and misconceptions.
Les Peterson
Mary Roberts
President, Boulders Homeowners Association
Nate Hyde
Vice President, Boulders Homeowners Association
Dear Mary and Nate,
There have been considerable miscommunications to Boulders residents over the past 6 – 12 months regarding the current acquisition of the Cave Creek water assets servicing over 530 Carefree residences and the integration of these assets into the Carefree Water Company system, and the impact upon Boulders residents.
The attachments to this note are to address some of the more misconceptions and questions that I have heard or been asked, and to provide factual responses..
We hope that this summary is helpful. We would look forward to discussing it further with you and the BHOA Board if you thought that might be productive.
Mayor Les Peterson
Town of Carefree, Arizona
480 488-3686 (Carefree Town Hall)
Frequently Encountered Misconceptions and Questions from Boulders Residents
Note: For simplicity, we will refer to the Town of Carefree, the Carefree Water Company and/or the Carefree Unified Community Facilities District (UCFD) as Carefree.
- The water service problems of the Carefree residents currently serviced by the Cave Creek Water system are not so severe that they should cause Carefree to take on costly actions to address their problems
Response: These problems are very severe, and would likely continue for an extended time period if these accounts were not integrated into the Carefree Water Company system. See the photos of the drinking water currently being delivered and the written warning required by ADEQ to all recipients of water through the Cave Creek Water Company system (in Exhibit 1) and photos of near in-operable fire hydrants in this same area (in Exhibit 2). Without intervention, there was considerable evidence that these untenable situations would likely continue.
- Why is an additional Water Storage Reservoir (WSR) needed? Why doesn’t Carefree just connect water lines to the new accounts and let everything else remain as is?
Response: The Carefree Water Company can’t just hook up a few additional water lines and have the water system work properly. The water system needs to be properly balanced to account for changes in elevations, changes in water flow requirements by day and time of day, sudden dramatic increases such as fire flow requirements and the addition of the new accounts.
All of these requirements require “orchestration” and coordination. It isn’t just a simple matter of connecting water lines. Another WSR in Carefree was specified by the professional engineers designing the re-configured system, Coe and Van Loo (CVL), as necessary to balance the water flow in the multiple water zones impacted by the change and to meet minimum fire flow requirements throughout the system.
All of these requirements require “orchestration” and coordination. It isn’t just a simple matter of connecting water lines. Another WSR in Carefree was specified by the professional engineers designing the re-configured system, Coe and Van Loo (CVL), as necessary to balance the water flow in the multiple water zones impacted by the change and to meet minimum fire flow requirements throughout the system.
Why propose to locate the WSR in Boulders open space property, when Boulders residents won’t be directly served with water from it?
- Doesn’t Carefree have other viable alternative sites outside of the Boulders for the required WSR?
- Doesn’t Carefree have other viable alternative sites outside of the Boulders for the required WSR?
Response: CVL identified 32 potential sites in Carefree which were evaluated against selection criteria identified to facilitate the proper functioning and balancing of the Carefree water system. Cost and feasibility of construction were also included in this evaluation. The selection criteria included: 1) Site elevation, 2) Vacant land, 3) Proximity to an existing 10” water line, 4) Topographical and geological challenges and 5) Non-residential access and waterline construction.
CVL determined that only one potential site, the site in the Boulders Open Space, on the border of the Boulders and immediately adjacent to Tom Darlington Drive filled all of the established criteria. There was a 10” water main line already in place in that location, and this location was at the proper elevation to enable gravity feed of the areas served. No costly booster pump station (typically costing $700,000 - $800,000 each, including installing a water main to the booster pump, access roads, potentially more rock to dig, etc., plus annual upkeep and maintenance), would be required.
In contrast, both of the alternative locations being prominently mentioned by those who don’t want the WSR in the Boulders, the NW corner of Tom Darlington and Carefree Highway, and the NE Corner of Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road, are among the lowest elevations within Carefree and would require a booster pump station to function properly.
CVL determined that only one potential site, the site in the Boulders Open Space, on the border of the Boulders and immediately adjacent to Tom Darlington Drive filled all of the established criteria. There was a 10” water main line already in place in that location, and this location was at the proper elevation to enable gravity feed of the areas served. No costly booster pump station (typically costing $700,000 - $800,000 each, including installing a water main to the booster pump, access roads, potentially more rock to dig, etc., plus annual upkeep and maintenance), would be required.
In contrast, both of the alternative locations being prominently mentioned by those who don’t want the WSR in the Boulders, the NW corner of Tom Darlington and Carefree Highway, and the NE Corner of Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road, are among the lowest elevations within Carefree and would require a booster pump station to function properly.
- The Boulders is a pristine area. Why doesn’t the Town protect the Boulders community and open space, and put the WSR in some other neighborhood? Why not put the WSR in a location where the water stored in it will be used?
Response: Many sections of the Boulders are “pristine,” but so are most of the alternative locations evaluated in Carefree. In fact, the Carefree portion of the Boulders has some of the most densely developed property in all of Carefree. It frequently has high density housing adjacent to open space property, with some of these open space properties being quite large. Many of the other locations evaluated would have required placement of the WSR in far closer proximity to an existing residence than the 160 feet that would be the case using the proposed location in the Boulders.
In reference, however, to the comments we received that Carefree should keep the Boulders a “pristine desert,” please recognize that over 40% of the Boulders acreage has already been excavated and developed for over 700 houses (including driveways and patio areas for each), paved roadways throughout the property, two golf courses and Resort and Club properties (including asphalt parking lots, tennis courts, etc.). In addition, there is a septic tank and leach fields in the open space next to the community manager’s office in the Boulders on the west side of the intersection of Stagecoach Pass and Boulder Pass.
The large open space property in the Boulders currently under discussion for the location of the new WSR is immediately adjacent to Tom Darlington Drive, facilitating non-residential access, 160 feet from the nearest home on Staghorn Drive, with a 10 inch water main already running through it, and the property has an existing easement for underground utility facilities (specifically including water) already specified in the Plat for the land and in the BHOA CC&Rs.
While all of Carefree warrants careful protection of the environment, quality water service to all Carefree residents is also at the top of the list of “must do” initiatives we must satisfy. Certainly, the Boulders is pristine and all want to preserve and protect it, but so is most of the balance of Carefree. The residents of other communities in Carefree also feel as passionate about their neighborhoods as do Boulders residents. No area in Carefree warrants special protection in preference to others.
In reference, however, to the comments we received that Carefree should keep the Boulders a “pristine desert,” please recognize that over 40% of the Boulders acreage has already been excavated and developed for over 700 houses (including driveways and patio areas for each), paved roadways throughout the property, two golf courses and Resort and Club properties (including asphalt parking lots, tennis courts, etc.). In addition, there is a septic tank and leach fields in the open space next to the community manager’s office in the Boulders on the west side of the intersection of Stagecoach Pass and Boulder Pass.
The large open space property in the Boulders currently under discussion for the location of the new WSR is immediately adjacent to Tom Darlington Drive, facilitating non-residential access, 160 feet from the nearest home on Staghorn Drive, with a 10 inch water main already running through it, and the property has an existing easement for underground utility facilities (specifically including water) already specified in the Plat for the land and in the BHOA CC&Rs.
While all of Carefree warrants careful protection of the environment, quality water service to all Carefree residents is also at the top of the list of “must do” initiatives we must satisfy. Certainly, the Boulders is pristine and all want to preserve and protect it, but so is most of the balance of Carefree. The residents of other communities in Carefree also feel as passionate about their neighborhoods as do Boulders residents. No area in Carefree warrants special protection in preference to others.
Specific Visuals and WSR Placement
- Some have mentioned that the WSR will be unsightly and above ground.
Response: That is Incorrect. The WSR (measuring 65 feet in diameter and holding 12 feet of water) will be buried so that the average elevation of the ground, including 2 – 3 feet of soil which will be placed over the WSR, will be about 6 feet higher than what exists today. The entire WSR will be covered over with native soil and landscaped with native vegetation so that it blends in with the surrounding desert. See the photos developed by CVL in Exhibit 3 for realistic depictions of how the site looks now from the Ryan’s home on Staghorn Lane (“Before”) and how it will look after installation of the WSR is completed (“After”)..
- Is the proposed placement for the WSR immediately adjacent to the Main Gate entry? Won’t this ruin the entry visuals into the Boulders?
Response: The WSR won’t be visible from the Main Gate entry. The closest portion of the WSR to the Main Entry Gate will be 1,125 feet (just less than ¼ of a mile) away, north of Hole # 3 on the South Golf Course. And, as mentioned previously, the WSR will be buried and landscaped, and it will be located as close to Tom Darlington Road as safely possible.
Won’t the proposed site, along Tom Darlington Drive and close to the entry into the Town of Carefree, ruin the entry vista when entering the Town?
Response: Carefree is very alert to prevent visually impairing one of the primary entries into Carefree. We will take every precaution to prevent this from occurring.
We would note in passing that one of the entrances into Carefree, on the NE corner of the intersection of Pima Road and Stagecoach Pass, already has a 1 million gallon Carefree WSR (over three times the size of the WSR under discussion for placement in the Boulders open space) buried within it and covered over with soil. In addition, we would also like to mention that driving north from Scottsdale along either Scottsdale Road and Pima Road, there are 6 WSRs immediately adjacent to these roads. Water is a necessity and WSR’s, when blended in and camouflaged as the WSR under consideration will be, are an accepted portion of the landscape of many residential neighborhoods.
We would note in passing that one of the entrances into Carefree, on the NE corner of the intersection of Pima Road and Stagecoach Pass, already has a 1 million gallon Carefree WSR (over three times the size of the WSR under discussion for placement in the Boulders open space) buried within it and covered over with soil. In addition, we would also like to mention that driving north from Scottsdale along either Scottsdale Road and Pima Road, there are 6 WSRs immediately adjacent to these roads. Water is a necessity and WSR’s, when blended in and camouflaged as the WSR under consideration will be, are an accepted portion of the landscape of many residential neighborhoods.
- Won’t this proposed WSR ruin the view corridors of Black Mountain from the homes along Staghorn Lane?
Response: The views of Black Mountain from the homes on Staghorn Drive will not be impacted. The highest point of the ground covering the WSR will be eight feet above the existing ground and will be a minimum of 160 feet from these residences. The area will be completely revegetated with native landscaping. Please see the “Before” and “After” views in Exhibit 3.
Could this WSR Potentially Cause Medical Issues to
Boulders Residents?
Boulders Residents?
- Some people questioned whether the excavation required for this proposed WSR could disturb microbes and bacteria in the soil which might be detrimental to Boulders residents.
Response: Every excavation carries with it some risk for disturbing microbes and/or bacteria already in the soil. The contractor selected for the entire water system construction project, Achen-Gardner, has assured us that they will take every precaution to minimize soil disturbance and dust.
As a point of reference, excavations for over 700 homes, each of roughly the same footprint size as the WSR under discussion, have already been constructed within the Boulders, and the recent excavation and trenching down Tom Darlington for a multi-mile stretch required to remove the Wastewater Treatment Plant from the Boulders was a construction project of roughly 4 1/2 times the magnitude of the proposed WSR.
As a point of reference, excavations for over 700 homes, each of roughly the same footprint size as the WSR under discussion, have already been constructed within the Boulders, and the recent excavation and trenching down Tom Darlington for a multi-mile stretch required to remove the Wastewater Treatment Plant from the Boulders was a construction project of roughly 4 1/2 times the magnitude of the proposed WSR.
- Some questioned whether there would be chlorine gas needed to keep the water in the WSR fresh and pure, and whether leakage of this gas could asphyxiate Boulders residents.
Response: The chlorine which will be inserted into the water in the WSR to help keep it fresh will be in tablet form, and the insertion unit will be comparable to that used for a residential swimming pool. The chlorination system has been thoroughly vetted by CVL.
Lack of Communications
- Why hasn’t Carefree communicated with Boulders residents on this matter?
Response: We did, both in a Boulders community meeting in November of 2019 and a follow-up showing of the graphics in Exhibit 3 the following Spring. But then the situation changed. Carefree became actively engaged in aggressive litigation with Cave Creek and Dr. Ryan immediately after these early communications.
During these litigations, and particularly during the discovery phases of each, the attorneys for Carefree strongly cautioned us to severely limit and preferably not communicate to anyone any information which could be of benefit to our opponents. Information which we provided early on seeking to assure those allied with Dr. Ryan that we would work with them and the BHOA to minimize the impact of the WSR was distorted and used against us. At that time, we stopped all communications.
The litigation with both Cave Creek and Dr. Ryan should be nearing an end in the near future, and we are re-starting providing information to all Carefree residents regarding the changes to the water system. One of these forums is this note, and the next communications forum will be at a Zoom meeting of the Directors of the UCFD which is scheduled for February 2nd. This will be a “Bigger Picture” meeting to update everyone regarding the changes which will be taking place and the reasons for them. This meeting will be followed by another Zoom meeting on February 9th dealing with specific aspects of the changes, including the WSR proposed to be located in the Boulders open space.
During these litigations, and particularly during the discovery phases of each, the attorneys for Carefree strongly cautioned us to severely limit and preferably not communicate to anyone any information which could be of benefit to our opponents. Information which we provided early on seeking to assure those allied with Dr. Ryan that we would work with them and the BHOA to minimize the impact of the WSR was distorted and used against us. At that time, we stopped all communications.
The litigation with both Cave Creek and Dr. Ryan should be nearing an end in the near future, and we are re-starting providing information to all Carefree residents regarding the changes to the water system. One of these forums is this note, and the next communications forum will be at a Zoom meeting of the Directors of the UCFD which is scheduled for February 2nd. This will be a “Bigger Picture” meeting to update everyone regarding the changes which will be taking place and the reasons for them. This meeting will be followed by another Zoom meeting on February 9th dealing with specific aspects of the changes, including the WSR proposed to be located in the Boulders open space.
Won’t the costs to provide water service to the 1,000 remaining Carefree residents be prohibitively expensive?
- Why, again, is Carefree doing all of these changes to the Carefree water system? Shouldn’t Carefree just cancel the project, and thus not have to put a WSR in the Boulders?
Response: This consolidation will provide significant benefits to Carefree residents. Certainly to the 1,000+ Carefree residents new to the water system, but current users will also benefit as considerable funds have been built in to the financial plan to address problems in the existing system as well.
Costs will be shared and communicated at a Zoom meeting of the UCFD Board of Directors on February 9th. Carefree has been carefully monitoring cost estimates as this project has been developing, and the calculations from our utility rate consultants will be shared. The cost estimates we have developed are indicating that future annual increases in water billings should be in line with historical increases.
Costs will be shared and communicated at a Zoom meeting of the UCFD Board of Directors on February 9th. Carefree has been carefully monitoring cost estimates as this project has been developing, and the calculations from our utility rate consultants will be shared. The cost estimates we have developed are indicating that future annual increases in water billings should be in line with historical increases.
- Why should we, Boulders residents, pay for improvements to the water system serving other areas of Carefree?
Response: Improvements and maintenance to any portion of a public utility system are typically shared equally among all of the users of that system.
For example, when the Wastewater Treatment Plant in the Boulders was decommissioned and removed, and new larger lines were installed enhancing the system’s flow capabilities into the Scottsdale system, all system users within Carefree shared in that cost equally. Even though Boulders households are approximately 15% of the total number of households within Carefree, and an estimated 90% of the benefits of the Plant decommissioning primarily benefited Boulders residents, all Carefree households shared equally in the cost.
In the case of the properties currently served water by Cave Creek, there will likely be a surcharge placed on them in order to help pay for the cost of integrating them into the Carefree Water Company system. No such surcharge exists on the current Boulders residents.
For example, when the Wastewater Treatment Plant in the Boulders was decommissioned and removed, and new larger lines were installed enhancing the system’s flow capabilities into the Scottsdale system, all system users within Carefree shared in that cost equally. Even though Boulders households are approximately 15% of the total number of households within Carefree, and an estimated 90% of the benefits of the Plant decommissioning primarily benefited Boulders residents, all Carefree households shared equally in the cost.
In the case of the properties currently served water by Cave Creek, there will likely be a surcharge placed on them in order to help pay for the cost of integrating them into the Carefree Water Company system. No such surcharge exists on the current Boulders residents.
What is the situation and rationale for Carefree to even consider condemnation?
- Why does Carefree think that condemnation is necessary? How does Carefree respond to comments that it is trying to bully the Boulders residents into accepting the WSR? Why doesn’t Carefree just work with the Boulders in a cooperative fashion?
Response: Carefree started this project working cooperatively with the Boulders Homeowners Association (BHOA),with both of us trying to do what was best for our respective constituencies.
The BHOA was caught in the midst of a dilemma, because they were aware of the “public good” nature of Carefree’s request to locate a WSR in the Boulders open space and that it would be considerably more costly to locate it somewhere else. At the same time, the BHOA wanted to protect the interests of the North Boulders residents. We discussed ways to make a WSR as unobtrusive as possible. The subject of condemnation was never brought forward by Carefree or threatened.
At that point, these constructive efforts were essentially “hijacked” by other group(s) of Boulders individuals. This vocal group of Boulders individuals effectively put a halt to these discussions and cooperative efforts with the BHOA. Their objective was to stop a WSR from being placed anywhere in the Boulders open space, and they were not open to any design modifications, including burying the WSR and putting native landscaping over it.
Carefree essentially put this issue aside at that time until it could reach an endpoint of its legal actions with Cave Creek. Meanwhile, Dr. Ryan initiated legal actions seeking to prevent Carefree from ever constructing a WSR in the Boulders open space. Communications from some of these individuals, many without any factual basis, continued during this interim time trying to persuade others to their viewpoint. The legal action between Carefree and Cave Creek is now nearing a close, and Carefree is now ready to move forward in earnest to consolidate water resources for all Carefree residents.
In recent communications, some of these individuals have openly stated that if Dr. Ryan’s suit fails they will initiate successive legal actions one after another to delay any construction of the WSR in the Boulders open space until construction timing requires that Carefree seek another site. This would be detrimental and expensive to all Carefree users of this system who would both 1) have to bear the additional legal and construction delay costs, as well as 2) potentially bear the substantial incremental costs required in moving the WSR from the most advantageous location in the Boulders open space to a secondary location where a booster pump station would be required.
After this disclosure, Carefree assessed its options, and, not wanting to burden all Carefree households on the Carefree Water system with significant additional costs to address the demands of the few individuals, decided to move condemnation to the forefront of its thinking. Condemnation is a primary way to end this endless charade of legal actions and proceed forward with the construction of an optimum system in an expedient fashion.
Carefree was prepared to work cooperatively with the BHOA Board of Directors to make a WSR in the Boulders open space as minimal of an impact as possible, but the current and threatened future legal actions by these few individuals eliminated any possible cooperation. We find it to be very regrettable that condemnation is the only option left open to us, but we need to safeguard the interests of all Carefree residents.
The BHOA was caught in the midst of a dilemma, because they were aware of the “public good” nature of Carefree’s request to locate a WSR in the Boulders open space and that it would be considerably more costly to locate it somewhere else. At the same time, the BHOA wanted to protect the interests of the North Boulders residents. We discussed ways to make a WSR as unobtrusive as possible. The subject of condemnation was never brought forward by Carefree or threatened.
At that point, these constructive efforts were essentially “hijacked” by other group(s) of Boulders individuals. This vocal group of Boulders individuals effectively put a halt to these discussions and cooperative efforts with the BHOA. Their objective was to stop a WSR from being placed anywhere in the Boulders open space, and they were not open to any design modifications, including burying the WSR and putting native landscaping over it.
Carefree essentially put this issue aside at that time until it could reach an endpoint of its legal actions with Cave Creek. Meanwhile, Dr. Ryan initiated legal actions seeking to prevent Carefree from ever constructing a WSR in the Boulders open space. Communications from some of these individuals, many without any factual basis, continued during this interim time trying to persuade others to their viewpoint. The legal action between Carefree and Cave Creek is now nearing a close, and Carefree is now ready to move forward in earnest to consolidate water resources for all Carefree residents.
In recent communications, some of these individuals have openly stated that if Dr. Ryan’s suit fails they will initiate successive legal actions one after another to delay any construction of the WSR in the Boulders open space until construction timing requires that Carefree seek another site. This would be detrimental and expensive to all Carefree users of this system who would both 1) have to bear the additional legal and construction delay costs, as well as 2) potentially bear the substantial incremental costs required in moving the WSR from the most advantageous location in the Boulders open space to a secondary location where a booster pump station would be required.
After this disclosure, Carefree assessed its options, and, not wanting to burden all Carefree households on the Carefree Water system with significant additional costs to address the demands of the few individuals, decided to move condemnation to the forefront of its thinking. Condemnation is a primary way to end this endless charade of legal actions and proceed forward with the construction of an optimum system in an expedient fashion.
Carefree was prepared to work cooperatively with the BHOA Board of Directors to make a WSR in the Boulders open space as minimal of an impact as possible, but the current and threatened future legal actions by these few individuals eliminated any possible cooperation. We find it to be very regrettable that condemnation is the only option left open to us, but we need to safeguard the interests of all Carefree residents.
- Will the WSR reduce the values of all homes within the Boulders?
Response: We are not aware of any evidence verifying or even suggesting that this claim would be valid. The WSR will be essentially invisible to the Boulders community. No diminishment of property values will occur because of the WSR. If we were to even hypothetically consider this claim for a moment, any diminishing of value, however slight, would likely have been more than offset by an increase in value from the decommissioning and removal of the wastewater treatment plant from the Boulders.
Other
- Don’t the Oaths of Office of the Carefree Council members require them to oppose this action in the Boulders?
Response: No. Quite to the contrary. In fact, the overriding fiduciary responsibility of the UCFD Board of Directors and the Carefree Town Council is to provide for the health, safety and welfare of Carefree residents. To do otherwise, and to respond positively to the wishes of a few individuals with different priorities, would be contrary to the Oaths taken.