(Lyn's note: Please feel free to send us any pictures you'd like included. Here's the link to this week's Pictures of the Week.) (Keep checking this week's link. Tina is sending more cute baby pics that we will add to it!)
http://carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-the-week-10720.html
http://carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-the-week-10720.html
Baby Paulette in a wig
Photo by Tina Hagio Fuller
Here are your bonus rounds from Herbert.
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/9520-sunset.html
Photo by Tina Hagio Fuller
Here are your bonus rounds from Herbert.
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/9520-sunset.html
The Holland Community Center at night
Photos by Herbert Hitchon
Here is your bonus video from Herbert
Wine tasting at Alberto Ristorante with Alberto and Dario, his wine distributor
Photos by Herbert Hitchon
Here is your bonus video from Herbert
Wine tasting at Alberto Ristorante with Alberto and Dario, his wine distributor
Here is the link to the Maricopa County & Rural/Metro emergency
preparedness presentation from 6/27/19. This is good info to keep saved
on your computer.
Emergency Preparedness Presentation by R/M & County: 6/27/19
http://carefreetruth2.com/carefree-truth-763.html
Town of Carefree Marketing newsletter
https://www.carefree.org/345/Town-Newsletters
Don't forget about the Census!! Its easy and you can do it online. It's important that you report, so we can qualify for $$ and services based on our population. Please pass this info on to any Carefree neighbors that you know. Thanks!
THE 2020 CENSUS IS COMING – GET COUNTED!
ONLINE OR BY PHONE BY SEPTEMBER 30, 2020
2020CENSUS.GOV
Confluence
Brief Restaurant Closure
As much as we wish that we were taking the week off to do some fishing unfortunately that's not the case.
Chef Brandon will be taking the week off for some rest and recovery after a small medical procedure. All is well, we just wanted to keep our family in the loop. We also wanted to mention how much we value your continued support and are truly blessed to have the amazing guests that we do. We plan to take this time to add some new menu items, make adjustments to our wine list and give the restaurant a nice deep clean. We're excited and hopeful for a wonderful busy season here in Carefree and cant wait to welcome all your smiling faces back to the restaurant when we reopen on October 14th !!
Hi Lyn:
When we spoke Monday I mentioned that arrangements have been made to present the Boy Scouts who installed the flag at the Veterans Memorial certificates of appreciation for their participation in placing the flagpole at the Veterans Memorial. There will be a presentation ceremony at 1:30 this Sunday, October 11 at the Sanderson Pavilion. The certificates will be presented by Les Peterson and me. The Scouts will be there with their families. Also in attendance will be Kelsie and Dan of AT&T Veterans and several of the vets who designed and managed the project.
The program will last no more than an hour.
Best regards,
John Crane
General Election Info:
Is in-person voting being held in Carefree on November 3rd?
Thank you.
Maryann Kolb
(Lyn's note: Mail-in ballots can be dropped off at Carefree Town Hall. I believe the drop box will be placed there on or about October 8th. Because Carefree Town Hall is small and cannot accommodate social distancing requirements, the local in-person November 3rd General Election polling place will be located within the Cave Creek Town Hall complex of buildings, which was where it was located during the primary election in August.
Hi Lyn,
Question? Will ballots be mailed automatically in Carefree, as in the past, or do we need to request? I keep getting mailers telling me to request a ballot?
Pam DiPietro(Lyn's note: If you are already signed up to receive your ballot by mail, you don't have to request it again. If you don't want to mail it back, you can drop it off in the drop box at Carefree Town Hall, which is what we always do. I suspect the USPS will be somewhat overwhelmed this election period with ballots from those who are afraid to vote at the polls.)
From COINS:
Upcoming November 3rd General Election
Arizona's Voter Registration deadline has been extended until 5:00 pm on October 23, 2020, pending further appeal.
U.S. District Judge Steven Logan has ruled that the ability to register to vote was restricted due to COVID-19. Following this ruling, Arizona Voter Registration has been extended until 5:00 p.m. on October 23rd pending further appeal.
Maricopa County will begin mailing ballots October 7th. Allow a week to receive your mail-in ballot. You can check the status of your ballot, request a new ballot, add yourself to the permanent early voting list for a mail-in ballot, or for other questions, go to https://recorder.maricopa.gov/elections/
Ballot Drop Box
Did You Know – Your Mail-In ballot can be dropped off at any official drop box or in-person polling location?
There will be a ballot drop box at Carefree Town Hall located at 8 Sundial Circle, Carefree, from October 16th through November 3rd. Ballots are picked up by the certified Maricopa County Election staff daily.
In-Person Voting
Two local in-person voting locations are:
The Cave Creek Council Center, 37622 N Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek, AZ 85331. This location will be available for in-person voting from October 21st through November 3rd with hours indicated below:
10/22/20 thru 10/31/20: Monday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
11/2/20: Monday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
11/3/20: Tuesday (Election day) 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
The Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center, 7415 E. Elbow Bend Road in Carefree. This location will be available for in-person voting on:
11/2 (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) and 11/3 (6 a.m. – 7 p.m.).
You do not have to wait until November 3rd to vote in person. You can vote any time in person from October 21st through November 3rd. You ballot will be counted and processed.
Residents can vote in-person at any location. Residents are not restricted to assigned polling locations this year.
If you have any questions regarding the status of your ballot, go online to https://recorder.maricopa.gov/elections/ or call 602-506-3535
Dear Lyn:
If your readers are not already convinced to vote against Proposition 207 for what I call “wreckreational Marijuana” because the implementation of a commercial industry to push more drugs to more people will bring more harm than good, perhaps they will reject it because it is a massive power grab.
With Prop 207 the Marijuana Industry Elites grab power from town governments that will not be able to prohibit, or easily regulate, the cultivation, processing, advertising or sale of recreational weed.
Voters need to know that the language in the proposition takes the decision making power away from duly elected municipal officials on whether the sale of recreational marijuana should be allowed or prohibited in their jurisdiction. The language in Prop 207 does not allow towns or counties in Arizona to adopt any ordinance, rule or regulation that would limit recreational marijuana businesses or marijuana testing facilities, that “is more restrictive than a comparable ordinance, regulation or rule that applies to non-profit medical marijuana dispensaries” in that county or town. (Proposed ARS Section 36-2857 (C)(1), which appears on Page 10 of 17 of the Initiative, contains this prohibition.)
If a town like Cave Creek already has a nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary it would have to close that facility with some successful legal action and then adopt an ordinance prohibiting such dispensaries in the locality. Arguably that would prove to be an impossible task. If a town like Carefree has never made a rule against medical marijuana the door is open to the sale of weed for whatever.
In Colorado, after the amendment of the State constitution to legalize marijuana, many jurisdictions decided not to allow for the merchandizing of cannabis. “As of April 2017, 176 of Colorado's 272 municipalities had opted to prohibit retail marijuana activity within their boundaries”("Municipal Retail Marijuana Status". Colorado Municipal League. April 2017). And today, only 6 of 63 counties in Colorado allow the sale of recreational marijuana. With Prop 207 towns won’t have a choice.
Because Proposition 207 is a voter initiative the law will be almost impossible to amend or change to adapt as necessary for local circumstances. Any changes to the law, including a change to allow towns to opt out can only be made with a two-thirds majority vote in both the Arizona State House and Senate and even then only if the change “advances the purpose of the measure.” Otherwise, it can only be changed by another voter initiative or referendum. If recreational Marijuana brings more petty theft, violent crime, homelessness, traffic accidents, and youth use to our Desert Foothills Community, as it tends to do, our duly elected officials’ hands will be tied if they try to regulate it.
With Prop 207 the Marijuana Industry Elites grab power from Home Owner Associations (HOAs). If Prop 207 passes, HOAs will have to contend with a new law that establishes a legal right to smoke marijuana in how they draft their CC&R’s to protect those downwind. The legal burden will be on the HOA. Prop 207 also gives people a right to home grow up to twelve plants with two people over 21 in the household. They can also give the weed away up to one ounce. In other states like Colorado foreign drug cartels have moved into expensive neighborhoods to avoid suspicion, and because it is legal to grow, the police do not have probable cause to investigate any wrongdoing. The illegal growers destroy homes from the inside out with mold, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides; they leave behind a toxic house that becomes blight. (Search “illegal, grow, house, Colorado” for some scary stories) With home grows legal the black market for weed proliferates and some try to distill down the THC into “wax”. This process requires volatile chemicals and some people blow their houses up. This happened in my Father-in-law’s golf community in Grass Valley, California where a stay at home dad blew his house off the foundation and died of third degree burns. (Search “home, explosion, marijuana, oils” for more scary stories or read: “Odd Byproduct of Legal Marijuana: Homes That Blow Up” in the New York Times; 01-18-2015).
Let towns and HOAs decide for their own constituents how best to deal with the dealing of weed. Vote “NO” on Prop 207.
Steven Dart
Sewer Rate Hike Info:
Hi Lyn,
Thank you for responding to my previous email; I re-read the original Carefree Truth (851) but I thought there had been a much more recent one (tho I have checked all subsequent ones and don't find it) wherein it stated how to contact RUCO and John Crane. At least I felt it was worth letting them know how one feels about the issue. Does this strike a bell with you? And I thought the hearing date had been changed from Sept 16 to mid or late Oct?
Thanks for your help on this.
Sue Oelman
(Lyn's note: Hi Sue. #851 was the latest I did on the sewer issue. I am passing your email along to John.)
Hello Sue:
Thank you for your interest in the Liberty Utilities sewer rate case and willingness to express your thoughts. Written comments will be accepted by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) by US mail or email until November 10. Comments should be mailed to:
Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC)
Customer Services: Docket Control No. SW-02361A-19-0139
1200 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Emails should be sent to: UtilitiesDiv@azcc.gov In the subject line, please reference Docket Control No. SW-02361A-19-0139.
If you have questions or would like to discuss the Liberty Utilities sewer rate case, I'd be glad to speak with you.
Best regards,John Crane
Liberty Utilities Ratepayers: Beware A Hike is Coming…
Liberty Utilities / Black Mountain Sewer Corporation provides sewer service to much of Carefree and portions of north Scottsdale. Liberty Utilities has filed an application with the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) to increase our monthly residential sewer bill of $77.14 to $104.94. Including the surcharge, our monthly bills will increase to $109.20. This rate case is now scheduled, after a recently approved Liberty Utilities requested schedule change, to be heard before the ACC beginning November 10.
Liberty Water claims the basis for this rate increase is the closure and removal of the wastewater treatment plant that was located in the Boulders, site remediation and rerouting of flow to Scottsdale for treatment. Today Liberty Utilities does not own a wastewater management plant. They simply own the sewer lines and pumping stations that service their customers. These lines flow to the City of Scottsdale for treatment. Liberty pays Scottsdale a treatment fee.
Very highly qualified Financial Staff members of the ACC and the Resident Utility Consumer Office (RUCO) have a taken point by point opposition to Liberty Utilities rate increase. In contrast to the Liberty Utilities 41+% proposed monthly increase, ACC Staff and RUCO Staff have recommended the following adjustments to sewer rates:
ACC Staff: -0.57 percent
RUCO Staff: -3.29 percent
Note: These are net percentages and do not include the rate case expense surcharge of $4.26/ month which would increase the percentage to gross.
Making the Liberty Utilities arguments suspect, the ACC staff written testimony noted that, “During Staff’s review of the Company’s (Liberty’s) support (documents), Staff found there was a lack of compliance with basic accounting principles…” Further, “ACC Staff would characterize the Company’s books and records as overly complex and convoluted.” And further, Staff stated, “The Company failed to provide the requested reports, records, and documentation for the costs the Company seeks to recover in this rate case.”
In addition, both the Town of Carefree and the City of Scottsdale have passed formal Resolutions opposing this proposed Liberty Rate increase. While Carefree, Scottsdale and other local communities have raised opposition to this increase, it would also be helpful if customers express their opposition directly to the ACC through letters or email. Letters should be mailed to:
Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC)
Customer Services: Docket Control No. SW-02361A-19-0139
1200 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Emails should be sent to: UtilitiesDiv@azcc.gov In the subject line, please reference Docket Control No. SW-02361A-19-0139
The hearing date is November 10. Please send your letter or email prior to November 10. A sample letter is attached. History has shown that correspondence to the ACC can make a difference. Taking 30 minutes to write and send a letter or email, will save you $30 a month every month for the foreseeable future.
Bob Moore
ramco4032@gmail.com
Sample letter to send to the ACC:
Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC)
Customer Services: Docket Control No. SW-02361A-19-0139
1200 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007 Date ____________
Dear Commissioners:
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the request by Liberty Utilities to raise my monthly sewer charge to an extraordinary $109.20 from $79.40 per month; about a 41.7% increase! Our monthly sewer charges are already nearly the highest in the State of Arizona.
Liberty’s justification is totally unacceptable as the Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO) has determined, by examination of Liberty’s formal Annual Reports, that Liberty earned over 2x the ACC authorized rate of return in 2016 and 2018 … and 3.4x in 2017.
ACC’s own professional Financial Staff determined within Liberty’s financial presentations to the ACC, “there was a lack of compliance with basic accounting principles.” ACC Staff also “would characterize Liberty’s books and records as overly complex and convoluted.”
Liberty Utilities now confirms, “all closure cost estimates it provided the ACC were made without engineering bids or knowledge of actual on-site conditions or municipal requirements.” Their president revealed in his ACC testimony, “their cost estimates were, “at best, guesstimates.” And then he said, “people should not expect the estimates to be “exactly” the same as actual costs.”
Please, Commissioners, how does the term “exactly” equate to a Seven Million Dollar difference between the ACC project closure cost CAP and the actual expense Liberty proposed to charge?
Your own ACC Staff recommends a rate decrease of 0.57%; and RUCO recommends a decrease of 3.29% in our rates! We all rely upon the ACC to represent our captive consumer/ ratepayers’ interests to assure us, per your mission statement, “a balance between affordable rates and a fair profit for the utilities.”
Thank you in advance for your consideration and REJECTION of this inappropriate request. Given, Liberty Utilities excessive rate of return and their undocumented closure cost estimates leading into this dishevelment; we urge you to vote to confirm the findings of your own ACC Staff and RUCO!
Respectfully,
Name
_____________________________
Address
__________________________________________
General Letters:
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Lyn:John Crane could not have been more accurate when saying that Mr. Vardakis took care of the Foothills Caring Corps. For many years, the FCC used overly cramped space at the Anglican Church thanks to Father Stephen Dart on of the founders of the Caring Corps. When office space was needed, Mr. Vardakis arranged for space in one of his buildings at 7225 Easy Street, across from the post office at rents that the Caring Corps could afford.
As we all know, the population in this area has its share of seniors, many of whom need services that enhance their quality of life, whether it be medical transportation, mobile meals, caregiver relief, the van program, Mr. Fixit, etc.
Despite having retired in 2005, I still have to pay Arizona Income Tax, and each year I pay $800 (married filing jointly) to the Foothills Caring Corps and receive a direct credit from the State against my Arizona taxes. I encourage anyone paying Arizona income tax to do the same, even if you do not meet the $400 per person maximum amount. With the Covid-19 pandemic, fund-raising for the Caring Corps is more challenging. Thanks to the dedicated staff (both volunteers, full-timers and part-timers) the Caring Corps provides fantastic programs and is deserving of your support. Even if you only have to pay $150 in State income taxes, I believe the money is better spent by the Caring Corps than the state government. That is not a criticism of the government, who I believe provides a decent bang-for-the buck than many of the states.
Thank you,
Arthur Gimson
I listened with great interest to the Council discussion during the visioning workshop and the ensuing SWOT discussion. I thought every Council member had some good points to present. My comments as a long time Carefree resident, (since 1994) and as a Scottsdale resident (1965-1994) are as follows:
(Lyn's note: I agree with all you are saying, John. The problem has been getting people to show interest. Most, as you point out, have busy lives, whether or not they are retired. The Town puts out COINS, but people have to proactively sign up for it and read it. The meetings are announced and open to the public. Almost no one shows up, and even when they don't have to leave home now with the meetings being held via Zoom, almost no one signs in to listen. The Town has, for years, been trying to figure out how to communicate with the residents. Even when surveys have been offered, the response rate has been low. It's very frustrating, but I think is a common problem everywhere, not something unique to Carefree.
On the positive side, Carefree is in the good financial shape it is in because, as you pointed out, we have had the good fortune to have residents who were and are exceptional, and who volunteered their time and expertise to serve on the Council and P&Z. We have had some truly amazing individuals serving in the past, and the incoming Council consists of exceptional individuals, all of whom care deeply about preserving the Carefree lifestyle while creating the economic opportunities to continue it.
I just wish that more Carefree residents realized how important it is to support the Carefree businesses, and I fear that most don't. They are what keep a local property tax at bay.)
Thank you Lyn!
Mike Wold
(Lyn's note: Mike organizes the wonderful Healing of Memories workshops held at the Spirit in the Desert retreat in Carefree.)
So great to see all the activities and events going on locally, especially the First Thursday Carefree Art Walk, which I didn’t know about! Looks like things are beginning to open up.
Thank you for compiling such a comprehensive and informative newsletter for us!
Natalie Baxter
(Lyn's note: There are also concerts in the Carefree amphitheater every Friday and Saturday night now.)
preparedness presentation from 6/27/19. This is good info to keep saved
on your computer.
Emergency Preparedness Presentation by R/M & County: 6/27/19
http://carefreetruth2.com/carefree-truth-763.html
Town of Carefree Marketing newsletter
https://www.carefree.org/345/Town-Newsletters
Don't forget about the Census!! Its easy and you can do it online. It's important that you report, so we can qualify for $$ and services based on our population. Please pass this info on to any Carefree neighbors that you know. Thanks!
THE 2020 CENSUS IS COMING – GET COUNTED!
ONLINE OR BY PHONE BY SEPTEMBER 30, 2020
2020CENSUS.GOV
Confluence
Brief Restaurant Closure
As much as we wish that we were taking the week off to do some fishing unfortunately that's not the case.
Chef Brandon will be taking the week off for some rest and recovery after a small medical procedure. All is well, we just wanted to keep our family in the loop. We also wanted to mention how much we value your continued support and are truly blessed to have the amazing guests that we do. We plan to take this time to add some new menu items, make adjustments to our wine list and give the restaurant a nice deep clean. We're excited and hopeful for a wonderful busy season here in Carefree and cant wait to welcome all your smiling faces back to the restaurant when we reopen on October 14th !!
Hi Lyn:
When we spoke Monday I mentioned that arrangements have been made to present the Boy Scouts who installed the flag at the Veterans Memorial certificates of appreciation for their participation in placing the flagpole at the Veterans Memorial. There will be a presentation ceremony at 1:30 this Sunday, October 11 at the Sanderson Pavilion. The certificates will be presented by Les Peterson and me. The Scouts will be there with their families. Also in attendance will be Kelsie and Dan of AT&T Veterans and several of the vets who designed and managed the project.
The program will last no more than an hour.
Best regards,
John Crane
General Election Info:
Is in-person voting being held in Carefree on November 3rd?
Thank you.
Maryann Kolb
(Lyn's note: Mail-in ballots can be dropped off at Carefree Town Hall. I believe the drop box will be placed there on or about October 8th. Because Carefree Town Hall is small and cannot accommodate social distancing requirements, the local in-person November 3rd General Election polling place will be located within the Cave Creek Town Hall complex of buildings, which was where it was located during the primary election in August.
Hi Lyn,
Question? Will ballots be mailed automatically in Carefree, as in the past, or do we need to request? I keep getting mailers telling me to request a ballot?
Pam DiPietro(Lyn's note: If you are already signed up to receive your ballot by mail, you don't have to request it again. If you don't want to mail it back, you can drop it off in the drop box at Carefree Town Hall, which is what we always do. I suspect the USPS will be somewhat overwhelmed this election period with ballots from those who are afraid to vote at the polls.)
From COINS:
Upcoming November 3rd General Election
Arizona's Voter Registration deadline has been extended until 5:00 pm on October 23, 2020, pending further appeal.
U.S. District Judge Steven Logan has ruled that the ability to register to vote was restricted due to COVID-19. Following this ruling, Arizona Voter Registration has been extended until 5:00 p.m. on October 23rd pending further appeal.
Maricopa County will begin mailing ballots October 7th. Allow a week to receive your mail-in ballot. You can check the status of your ballot, request a new ballot, add yourself to the permanent early voting list for a mail-in ballot, or for other questions, go to https://recorder.maricopa.gov/elections/
Ballot Drop Box
Did You Know – Your Mail-In ballot can be dropped off at any official drop box or in-person polling location?
There will be a ballot drop box at Carefree Town Hall located at 8 Sundial Circle, Carefree, from October 16th through November 3rd. Ballots are picked up by the certified Maricopa County Election staff daily.
In-Person Voting
Two local in-person voting locations are:
The Cave Creek Council Center, 37622 N Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek, AZ 85331. This location will be available for in-person voting from October 21st through November 3rd with hours indicated below:
10/22/20 thru 10/31/20: Monday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
11/2/20: Monday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
11/3/20: Tuesday (Election day) 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
The Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center, 7415 E. Elbow Bend Road in Carefree. This location will be available for in-person voting on:
11/2 (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) and 11/3 (6 a.m. – 7 p.m.).
You do not have to wait until November 3rd to vote in person. You can vote any time in person from October 21st through November 3rd. You ballot will be counted and processed.
Residents can vote in-person at any location. Residents are not restricted to assigned polling locations this year.
If you have any questions regarding the status of your ballot, go online to https://recorder.maricopa.gov/elections/ or call 602-506-3535
Dear Lyn:
If your readers are not already convinced to vote against Proposition 207 for what I call “wreckreational Marijuana” because the implementation of a commercial industry to push more drugs to more people will bring more harm than good, perhaps they will reject it because it is a massive power grab.
With Prop 207 the Marijuana Industry Elites grab power from town governments that will not be able to prohibit, or easily regulate, the cultivation, processing, advertising or sale of recreational weed.
Voters need to know that the language in the proposition takes the decision making power away from duly elected municipal officials on whether the sale of recreational marijuana should be allowed or prohibited in their jurisdiction. The language in Prop 207 does not allow towns or counties in Arizona to adopt any ordinance, rule or regulation that would limit recreational marijuana businesses or marijuana testing facilities, that “is more restrictive than a comparable ordinance, regulation or rule that applies to non-profit medical marijuana dispensaries” in that county or town. (Proposed ARS Section 36-2857 (C)(1), which appears on Page 10 of 17 of the Initiative, contains this prohibition.)
If a town like Cave Creek already has a nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary it would have to close that facility with some successful legal action and then adopt an ordinance prohibiting such dispensaries in the locality. Arguably that would prove to be an impossible task. If a town like Carefree has never made a rule against medical marijuana the door is open to the sale of weed for whatever.
In Colorado, after the amendment of the State constitution to legalize marijuana, many jurisdictions decided not to allow for the merchandizing of cannabis. “As of April 2017, 176 of Colorado's 272 municipalities had opted to prohibit retail marijuana activity within their boundaries”("Municipal Retail Marijuana Status". Colorado Municipal League. April 2017). And today, only 6 of 63 counties in Colorado allow the sale of recreational marijuana. With Prop 207 towns won’t have a choice.
Because Proposition 207 is a voter initiative the law will be almost impossible to amend or change to adapt as necessary for local circumstances. Any changes to the law, including a change to allow towns to opt out can only be made with a two-thirds majority vote in both the Arizona State House and Senate and even then only if the change “advances the purpose of the measure.” Otherwise, it can only be changed by another voter initiative or referendum. If recreational Marijuana brings more petty theft, violent crime, homelessness, traffic accidents, and youth use to our Desert Foothills Community, as it tends to do, our duly elected officials’ hands will be tied if they try to regulate it.
With Prop 207 the Marijuana Industry Elites grab power from Home Owner Associations (HOAs). If Prop 207 passes, HOAs will have to contend with a new law that establishes a legal right to smoke marijuana in how they draft their CC&R’s to protect those downwind. The legal burden will be on the HOA. Prop 207 also gives people a right to home grow up to twelve plants with two people over 21 in the household. They can also give the weed away up to one ounce. In other states like Colorado foreign drug cartels have moved into expensive neighborhoods to avoid suspicion, and because it is legal to grow, the police do not have probable cause to investigate any wrongdoing. The illegal growers destroy homes from the inside out with mold, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides; they leave behind a toxic house that becomes blight. (Search “illegal, grow, house, Colorado” for some scary stories) With home grows legal the black market for weed proliferates and some try to distill down the THC into “wax”. This process requires volatile chemicals and some people blow their houses up. This happened in my Father-in-law’s golf community in Grass Valley, California where a stay at home dad blew his house off the foundation and died of third degree burns. (Search “home, explosion, marijuana, oils” for more scary stories or read: “Odd Byproduct of Legal Marijuana: Homes That Blow Up” in the New York Times; 01-18-2015).
Let towns and HOAs decide for their own constituents how best to deal with the dealing of weed. Vote “NO” on Prop 207.
Steven Dart
Sewer Rate Hike Info:
Hi Lyn,
Thank you for responding to my previous email; I re-read the original Carefree Truth (851) but I thought there had been a much more recent one (tho I have checked all subsequent ones and don't find it) wherein it stated how to contact RUCO and John Crane. At least I felt it was worth letting them know how one feels about the issue. Does this strike a bell with you? And I thought the hearing date had been changed from Sept 16 to mid or late Oct?
Thanks for your help on this.
Sue Oelman
(Lyn's note: Hi Sue. #851 was the latest I did on the sewer issue. I am passing your email along to John.)
Hello Sue:
Thank you for your interest in the Liberty Utilities sewer rate case and willingness to express your thoughts. Written comments will be accepted by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) by US mail or email until November 10. Comments should be mailed to:
Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC)
Customer Services: Docket Control No. SW-02361A-19-0139
1200 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Emails should be sent to: UtilitiesDiv@azcc.gov In the subject line, please reference Docket Control No. SW-02361A-19-0139.
If you have questions or would like to discuss the Liberty Utilities sewer rate case, I'd be glad to speak with you.
Best regards,John Crane
Liberty Utilities Ratepayers: Beware A Hike is Coming…
Liberty Utilities / Black Mountain Sewer Corporation provides sewer service to much of Carefree and portions of north Scottsdale. Liberty Utilities has filed an application with the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) to increase our monthly residential sewer bill of $77.14 to $104.94. Including the surcharge, our monthly bills will increase to $109.20. This rate case is now scheduled, after a recently approved Liberty Utilities requested schedule change, to be heard before the ACC beginning November 10.
Liberty Water claims the basis for this rate increase is the closure and removal of the wastewater treatment plant that was located in the Boulders, site remediation and rerouting of flow to Scottsdale for treatment. Today Liberty Utilities does not own a wastewater management plant. They simply own the sewer lines and pumping stations that service their customers. These lines flow to the City of Scottsdale for treatment. Liberty pays Scottsdale a treatment fee.
Very highly qualified Financial Staff members of the ACC and the Resident Utility Consumer Office (RUCO) have a taken point by point opposition to Liberty Utilities rate increase. In contrast to the Liberty Utilities 41+% proposed monthly increase, ACC Staff and RUCO Staff have recommended the following adjustments to sewer rates:
ACC Staff: -0.57 percent
RUCO Staff: -3.29 percent
Note: These are net percentages and do not include the rate case expense surcharge of $4.26/ month which would increase the percentage to gross.
Making the Liberty Utilities arguments suspect, the ACC staff written testimony noted that, “During Staff’s review of the Company’s (Liberty’s) support (documents), Staff found there was a lack of compliance with basic accounting principles…” Further, “ACC Staff would characterize the Company’s books and records as overly complex and convoluted.” And further, Staff stated, “The Company failed to provide the requested reports, records, and documentation for the costs the Company seeks to recover in this rate case.”
In addition, both the Town of Carefree and the City of Scottsdale have passed formal Resolutions opposing this proposed Liberty Rate increase. While Carefree, Scottsdale and other local communities have raised opposition to this increase, it would also be helpful if customers express their opposition directly to the ACC through letters or email. Letters should be mailed to:
Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC)
Customer Services: Docket Control No. SW-02361A-19-0139
1200 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Emails should be sent to: UtilitiesDiv@azcc.gov In the subject line, please reference Docket Control No. SW-02361A-19-0139
The hearing date is November 10. Please send your letter or email prior to November 10. A sample letter is attached. History has shown that correspondence to the ACC can make a difference. Taking 30 minutes to write and send a letter or email, will save you $30 a month every month for the foreseeable future.
Bob Moore
ramco4032@gmail.com
Sample letter to send to the ACC:
Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC)
Customer Services: Docket Control No. SW-02361A-19-0139
1200 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007 Date ____________
Dear Commissioners:
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the request by Liberty Utilities to raise my monthly sewer charge to an extraordinary $109.20 from $79.40 per month; about a 41.7% increase! Our monthly sewer charges are already nearly the highest in the State of Arizona.
Liberty’s justification is totally unacceptable as the Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO) has determined, by examination of Liberty’s formal Annual Reports, that Liberty earned over 2x the ACC authorized rate of return in 2016 and 2018 … and 3.4x in 2017.
ACC’s own professional Financial Staff determined within Liberty’s financial presentations to the ACC, “there was a lack of compliance with basic accounting principles.” ACC Staff also “would characterize Liberty’s books and records as overly complex and convoluted.”
Liberty Utilities now confirms, “all closure cost estimates it provided the ACC were made without engineering bids or knowledge of actual on-site conditions or municipal requirements.” Their president revealed in his ACC testimony, “their cost estimates were, “at best, guesstimates.” And then he said, “people should not expect the estimates to be “exactly” the same as actual costs.”
Please, Commissioners, how does the term “exactly” equate to a Seven Million Dollar difference between the ACC project closure cost CAP and the actual expense Liberty proposed to charge?
Your own ACC Staff recommends a rate decrease of 0.57%; and RUCO recommends a decrease of 3.29% in our rates! We all rely upon the ACC to represent our captive consumer/ ratepayers’ interests to assure us, per your mission statement, “a balance between affordable rates and a fair profit for the utilities.”
Thank you in advance for your consideration and REJECTION of this inappropriate request. Given, Liberty Utilities excessive rate of return and their undocumented closure cost estimates leading into this dishevelment; we urge you to vote to confirm the findings of your own ACC Staff and RUCO!
Respectfully,
Name
_____________________________
Address
__________________________________________
General Letters:
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Lyn:John Crane could not have been more accurate when saying that Mr. Vardakis took care of the Foothills Caring Corps. For many years, the FCC used overly cramped space at the Anglican Church thanks to Father Stephen Dart on of the founders of the Caring Corps. When office space was needed, Mr. Vardakis arranged for space in one of his buildings at 7225 Easy Street, across from the post office at rents that the Caring Corps could afford.
As we all know, the population in this area has its share of seniors, many of whom need services that enhance their quality of life, whether it be medical transportation, mobile meals, caregiver relief, the van program, Mr. Fixit, etc.
Despite having retired in 2005, I still have to pay Arizona Income Tax, and each year I pay $800 (married filing jointly) to the Foothills Caring Corps and receive a direct credit from the State against my Arizona taxes. I encourage anyone paying Arizona income tax to do the same, even if you do not meet the $400 per person maximum amount. With the Covid-19 pandemic, fund-raising for the Caring Corps is more challenging. Thanks to the dedicated staff (both volunteers, full-timers and part-timers) the Caring Corps provides fantastic programs and is deserving of your support. Even if you only have to pay $150 in State income taxes, I believe the money is better spent by the Caring Corps than the state government. That is not a criticism of the government, who I believe provides a decent bang-for-the buck than many of the states.
Thank you,
Arthur Gimson
I listened with great interest to the Council discussion during the visioning workshop and the ensuing SWOT discussion. I thought every Council member had some good points to present. My comments as a long time Carefree resident, (since 1994) and as a Scottsdale resident (1965-1994) are as follows:
- The majority of Carefree residents live in Carefree because of lifestyle. Many have the financial wherewithal to live anywhere and chose Carefree because of its unique characteristics and proximity to nature as well as recreational and leisure amenities.
- Carefree is limited in its options for economic development given that the “commercial center” is the town core with limiting physical barriers, meaning that there are few “street corners” or other locations within Carefree proper that lend themselves to commercial development outside of the Carefree town core.
- Carefree residents are a strength as well as a weakness. They are a strength in that many of the residents have varied backgrounds in business, as leaders and as entrepreneurs. They are a weakness because many of these same residents have professional or personal obligations that extend beyond Carefree, thus resulting in competing focus. That being said they are a untapped resource for ideas.
- Communication with Carefree residents has been an ongoing issue. Your newsletter helps but is not enough. The Town Council must not only improve communications but also find a way to better encourage resident involvement in community affairs that goes beyond attendance and encourages resident involvement in the determining the future of Carefree. As I stated previously, lifestyle is what brought many if not all of us to Carefree. Any initiatives for Carefree, long or short-term, must not materially affect the perception of the “Carefree lifestyle”. Therefore, a vision for Carefree ten, twenty , thirty years from now will be a balancing act between initiatives to maintain and improve the economic vitality of the community with out significantly negatively impacting the lifestyle that is Carefree.
(Lyn's note: I agree with all you are saying, John. The problem has been getting people to show interest. Most, as you point out, have busy lives, whether or not they are retired. The Town puts out COINS, but people have to proactively sign up for it and read it. The meetings are announced and open to the public. Almost no one shows up, and even when they don't have to leave home now with the meetings being held via Zoom, almost no one signs in to listen. The Town has, for years, been trying to figure out how to communicate with the residents. Even when surveys have been offered, the response rate has been low. It's very frustrating, but I think is a common problem everywhere, not something unique to Carefree.
On the positive side, Carefree is in the good financial shape it is in because, as you pointed out, we have had the good fortune to have residents who were and are exceptional, and who volunteered their time and expertise to serve on the Council and P&Z. We have had some truly amazing individuals serving in the past, and the incoming Council consists of exceptional individuals, all of whom care deeply about preserving the Carefree lifestyle while creating the economic opportunities to continue it.
I just wish that more Carefree residents realized how important it is to support the Carefree businesses, and I fear that most don't. They are what keep a local property tax at bay.)
Thank you Lyn!
Mike Wold
(Lyn's note: Mike organizes the wonderful Healing of Memories workshops held at the Spirit in the Desert retreat in Carefree.)
So great to see all the activities and events going on locally, especially the First Thursday Carefree Art Walk, which I didn’t know about! Looks like things are beginning to open up.
Thank you for compiling such a comprehensive and informative newsletter for us!
Natalie Baxter
(Lyn's note: There are also concerts in the Carefree amphitheater every Friday and Saturday night now.)