(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.)
http://carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-the-week-62420.html
There are 3 Western Screech Owls in the photo. Can you find all 3?
(*See the answer at the bottom of the page)
http://carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-the-week-62420.html
There are 3 Western Screech Owls in the photo. Can you find all 3?
(*See the answer at the bottom of the page)
Photo by Anita Evers
Here are your bonus rounds from Herbert.
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/41920-sunset.html
Here are your bonus rounds from Herbert.
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/41920-sunset.html
Angel
Ryder
Photos by Herbert Hitchon
Here is your bonus video from Herbert.
Photos by Herbert Hitchon
Here is your bonus video from Herbert.
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
THE 2020 CENSUS IS COMING – GET COUNTED!
ONLINE OR BY PHONE BY APRIL, 2020
2020CENSUS.GOV
A Request of Carefree Residents Regarding Personal Fireworks
Almost everyone loves fireworks. Fireworks typically are used to celebrate a special outdoor event, or a special holiday. They remind us of good times with family and friends. They are part of Americana.
But fireworks also have a downside. While the vivid display they produce is exciting to view, a firework is essentially a missile, with chemicals contained in the tip that explode into brightly colored lights and light streams as they burn. Sometimes these burning chemicals have not totally been extinguished when they hit the ground.
It should not be a surprise to anyone that the Desert Foothills in which we live is in the midst of a long term drought. And new non-native vegetation which is particularly combustible has recently become established in our community. The total vegetation load throughout the Foothills is tinder dry and highly combustible, and the slightest spark or burning ember could set it ablaze. Witness the four recent wild fires which have been in the Desert Foothills area, and we are just beginning the primary fire season.
The State of Arizona has very lax laws or regulations regulating the sale or use of fireworks. Carefree, as a subdivision of the State, cannot enact Regulations which are any more restrictive that those of the State. But we can appeal to the reasoning powers and good judgement of our residents and visitors to help address this potential problem.
So, here is our request:
Please refrain from the use of personal fireworks within our Desert Foothills communities this July 4th and throughout the summer. If you want to view fireworks, we request that you go to one of the fireworks displays where a municipality is sponsoring the event. Typically, these municipalities hire professionals which launch the fireworks above ground that does not have any combustible materials located on it, or above water (e.g., the Tempe Town Lake).
Thank you for working with us on this important request.
Carefree Mayor Les Peterson
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!
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
Photos by Herbert Hitchon
So happy to have someone of Tony Geiger’s caliber running for Carefree Town Council. He has the experience, integrity and energy to help lead Carefree. I will be voting for Tony on August 4th and I hope you all will as well.
Cheryl Kroyer
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE CAREFREE ASSETS?
In the May 20 edition of the Sonoran News there were two articles laying out vastly different values for the portion of the Cave Creek Water system that serves Carefree. The final value will be determined by an arbitration panel that will be hearing the case some time later this summer.
Cave Creek purchased the entire Cave Creek Water Company for $19.5 million back in 2007 or just under $8,000 per meter. Included in the purchase were approximately 2500 metered connections as well as a water treatment plant, 11-mile CAP pipeline and 4 CAP pump stations. This was after their own appraisal they commissioned in January of 2006 valued the complete system at $11 million. The Carefree portion represents approximately 530 metered connections and does not include any treatment plant or CAP pipeline and pump station assets. Roughly 50% of Cave Creek Water Company’s assets are treatment plant and CAP pipeline/pump station related.
Cave Creek’s current valuation for the assets and severance costs for the portion of the system serving Carefree recently came in at $17.4 million while Carefree’s appraisal was $1.47 million. To put these numbers in some context, of the water systems purchased in AZ between 2004 -2018, the average purchase price was $3,763 per meter and included all treatment plant and water transmission pipeline assets. Cave Creek is asking for something in the neighborhood of $33,000 per meter when all their “damages” are included. Carefree has offered approximately $2,800 per meter.
At this point to try and guess at the final price tag and what the impact will be on Carefree and its rate payers is idle speculation. The process is nearing completion and needs to play out.
What is not speculation is that there are 1000 Carefree residents who are subjected to water service that does not meet the standards enjoyed by the rest of the Town’s residents. This includes poor water quality, lack of industry standard fire hydrant maintenance, continued issues with water pressure both high and low and the reliance on a system that has not been properly maintained. Worst of all they have no political voice in the management and oversight of their most critical resource in the arid southwest. This was not the case when many of us purchased our homes. What is now Cave Creek Water was owned by a private utility, Global Water, and the AZ Corporation Commission provided oversight and a venue for citizens to take their concerns. Carefree agreed to work with Cave Creek on their condemnation of Global Water with the idea that the IGA they entered into would protect its citizens and allow for the integration of the 1000 Carefree residents served by Cave Creek Water into the Carefree Water Company if they desired to do so at a future date. It was to be an “amicable” separation if and when Carefree chose to exercise its rights agreed to in the IGA.
What is also not speculation is that Cave Creek has lagged in the maintenance of the water system. Cave Creek has not had a rate increase in over 10 years. Most water utilities have small increases in rates every couple of years to keep up with inflation and fund required capital expenditures. The necessary ongoing capital requirements are typically spelled out in 5-year documents called a Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs). Cave Creek has not done this. There have been voices calling for both long term CIP’s and rate increases since at least 2014, but only since Cave Creek started their legal battle with Carefree in early 2018 have they begun to seriously pursue these processes.
Don’t take my word for it, a review of the public record is quite informative. Keep in mind these are quotes from approved Cave Creek:
Town Council meeting minutes that the Mayor and Council review, have the opportunity to correct and must sign off on for accuracy.
1) Cave Creek Council Meeting June 18, 2018 Approved Meeting Minutes Agenda Item 6 – Adaption of Tentative Budget for 2018-2019
It is worth reading the entire minutes of this agenda item (pages 26-42) as it is quite illuminating as to how the Cave Creek Water Company had been run the 11 years since its purchase in 2007.
The first quote is from former Utilities Director Kaylor relative to maintenance done on the Town’s CAP pipeline/pump stations providing the Town’s ONLY SOURCE FOR WATER and is found on page 31:
Kaylor: “If you look at the CAP pump stations, they’re 33 years old. Not a drop of actual maintenance has occurred, so that is a high priority item. It’s the highest priority item that, its, it’s the only dog we have in the show we have right now to get water from the CAP canal into our CAP treatment plant”
The next quote is from Mayor Bunch found on page 35 and is in response to a Council member Wright questioning a $3,000,000 increase in the budget and commenting that it is substantial.
Mayor Bunch: “It certainly is, because, cause we’ve ignored a lot of stuff for a lot of years and that, I think, because we didn’t think we had the money or the, or the, the um, desire to do more in the way of maintenance and, and, uh, improvements, hasn’t actually been there, where this Council is actually showing that desire. Yeah, its, its up. There is no doubt about it and we’re gonna look bad, there’s no doubt about it, but we have, have not done the best job in, in the, historically that, uh, that we should have been doing, I don’t think”
2) Cave Creek Council Meeting June 3, 2019, Approved Meeting Minutes – Agenda item 3 – Possible Adoption of Tentative 2019-2020 Budget:
PG 11- Discussion by Finance Director Weddigen to clarify that the budget went from $21.4 million (not $18 million), to $30.4 million in response to comments from Councilman Morris:
“The overall answer to Mr. Morris’ question is that there was a lot of foregone maintenance relative to the system, coming out of the recession and the pent-up demand for maintenance and repair, as well as establishing and maintaining routine maintenance and repair structure so that failures don’t happen, all that benefits the customers for a safer and reliable drinking water system.”
With the above quotes gleaned from the public record it should be of concern to all customers of the Cave Creek Water Company as to how the system has been managed. It is interesting to note, having been part of the Water Advisory Committee from 2013-2017, working with a talented group of people, pointing out all the deficiencies for years and serving on the Cave Creek Town Managers Rate Committee in 2016-17, we could not get the Mayor and Council to take corrective action. It has not been until Carefree exercised its rights granted to them in the 2007 IGA to acquire the assets within our Town and provide proper water service to the 1000 impacted residents, that we now see Cave Creek attempting to try and correct 12 years of poor management. Cave Creek Water has identified somewhere in the range of $20 million dollars of critical projects in a 5 year CIP, not including the unbudgeted $2 million spent on special water treatment plant filters last year. However, the Mayor and Council only approved the first year of projects, have not provided firm time lines for completion of critical projects, the means to fund the projects or the impact on rates. It appears they have a lot of catching up to do.
Tony Geiger - Carefree
Lyn,
Maybe someone would join Kiwanis to be able to work with these kids. This is a great program for the kids. Could you please run this in your NEWSLETTER.
Thanks,
John Skarda
Requesting SLP Committee Member
SLP Committee is looking to gather a larger committee. As our Service Leadership Program grows into each one of the CCUSD schools, we are looking to gather at least one committee member per school. This would consist of the committee member being in contact with a teacher advisor helping with the following:
School Club Schedule, Club Board Election, Club Events and Kiwanis of Carefree Representation. This is a role in which you can help guide the Teacher advisor and the school club on how to create a club. These clubs are student lead. Our role is to guide and advise. Please click on the link below to find out more about each club type.
This is your opportunity as a Kiwanis Carefree Club Member to help guide and teach our young community leadership and service.
K-Kids – Elementary - https://kiwaniskids.org/en/KKids/Home.aspx
Builders Club – Middle School - https://www.buildersclub.org/Home.aspx
Key Club – High School - https://www.keyclub.org/ - (Assigned Committee Member
Already)
Below are the schools that we are looking to have a Kiwanis SLP Committee Member for:
Black Mountain Elementary
33606 N 60th St
Scottsdale Az 85266
Desert Sun Academy
27880 N 64th St
Scottsdale Az 85262
Desert Willow Elementary
4322 E Desert Willow Pkwy
Cave Creek Az 85331
Horseshoe Trails Elementary
5405 East Pinnacle Vista Drive
Phoenix, Az 85085
Lone Mountain Elementary
5250 E Montgomery Rd
Cave Creek, Az 85331
Sonoran Trails Middle School
5555 E Pinnacle Vista Dr
Cave Creek, Az 85331
As one of our fellow Kiwanians Pete Carpenter so well put it “We help so many organizations in our community but let us remember that “charity begins at home”. First let us give major support to OUR Kiwanis Kids and inspire them as I have and many of you been inspired.”
Please contact Kimberly Jack at 480-228-9885 or email her at KimberlyMarieJack@gmail.com with questions and or to put your name in the hat.
I hope all is well,
Kimberly Marie Jack
480-228-9885
Greetings, friends! My name is Vince D'Aliesio, and I'm proud to serve as your President of the Cave Creek Museum. I am writing to you because I first wanted to introduce myself, but also to request that you put us on the radar for a visit this fall!
We have been a fixture in the town of Cave Creek for 50 years, and we will be working to expand our footprint in the desert foothills to kick off our next 50 years with some exciting programming, designed to celebrate our amazing history! My goal as your museum president is to expand our reach throughout this region and get your ideas! I would appreciate getting to know you and finding out how we can continue to spotlight all that is amazing about all of the Desert Foothills!! YOU ARE ALL A PART OF OUR HISTORY!
I'm excited to serve in this role and look forward to meeting you. We are currently undergoing remodeling, and have used this shutdown to brainstorm with the amazing staff of the museum, led by our Executive Director, Karrie Porter Brace, our newly named Development Director, Becca Bober, and Administrative Assistant Remington Pettus. You will meet each as they continue to outreach into our community. Suzanne Johnson serves as our Vice President and heads up our Fundraising Committee as well.
We look forward to continuing to celebrate our history. Stay Tuned!!
...In the meantime, please check us out on facebook and youtube! https://www.youtube.com/user/cavecreekmuseum
Regards,
Vince D'Aliesio
Thank you, Pam. We shall do!!!
Jane Ceasor
(Lyn's note: Jane's response to the Foothills Food Bank request in Carefree Truth non profit info.)
Hi Lyn:
It's Mark Kaegi - Wanted to ask about putting in the comment to the reader letter response from Brittany. Brittany in her comment stated "Short term rentals actually elevate property value" Can she please provide or show actual numbers or financial proof of that? As a 21 year Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser I have yet to find a situation where having a property as a short term rental elevates property value.
Sincerely,
Mark Kaegi
On-The-Mark Appraisal
*The 3rd Screech Owl is poking its head up out of the ceramic cow sconce on the wall.
Photos by Herbert Hitchon
So happy to have someone of Tony Geiger’s caliber running for Carefree Town Council. He has the experience, integrity and energy to help lead Carefree. I will be voting for Tony on August 4th and I hope you all will as well.
Cheryl Kroyer
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE CAREFREE ASSETS?
In the May 20 edition of the Sonoran News there were two articles laying out vastly different values for the portion of the Cave Creek Water system that serves Carefree. The final value will be determined by an arbitration panel that will be hearing the case some time later this summer.
Cave Creek purchased the entire Cave Creek Water Company for $19.5 million back in 2007 or just under $8,000 per meter. Included in the purchase were approximately 2500 metered connections as well as a water treatment plant, 11-mile CAP pipeline and 4 CAP pump stations. This was after their own appraisal they commissioned in January of 2006 valued the complete system at $11 million. The Carefree portion represents approximately 530 metered connections and does not include any treatment plant or CAP pipeline and pump station assets. Roughly 50% of Cave Creek Water Company’s assets are treatment plant and CAP pipeline/pump station related.
Cave Creek’s current valuation for the assets and severance costs for the portion of the system serving Carefree recently came in at $17.4 million while Carefree’s appraisal was $1.47 million. To put these numbers in some context, of the water systems purchased in AZ between 2004 -2018, the average purchase price was $3,763 per meter and included all treatment plant and water transmission pipeline assets. Cave Creek is asking for something in the neighborhood of $33,000 per meter when all their “damages” are included. Carefree has offered approximately $2,800 per meter.
At this point to try and guess at the final price tag and what the impact will be on Carefree and its rate payers is idle speculation. The process is nearing completion and needs to play out.
What is not speculation is that there are 1000 Carefree residents who are subjected to water service that does not meet the standards enjoyed by the rest of the Town’s residents. This includes poor water quality, lack of industry standard fire hydrant maintenance, continued issues with water pressure both high and low and the reliance on a system that has not been properly maintained. Worst of all they have no political voice in the management and oversight of their most critical resource in the arid southwest. This was not the case when many of us purchased our homes. What is now Cave Creek Water was owned by a private utility, Global Water, and the AZ Corporation Commission provided oversight and a venue for citizens to take their concerns. Carefree agreed to work with Cave Creek on their condemnation of Global Water with the idea that the IGA they entered into would protect its citizens and allow for the integration of the 1000 Carefree residents served by Cave Creek Water into the Carefree Water Company if they desired to do so at a future date. It was to be an “amicable” separation if and when Carefree chose to exercise its rights agreed to in the IGA.
What is also not speculation is that Cave Creek has lagged in the maintenance of the water system. Cave Creek has not had a rate increase in over 10 years. Most water utilities have small increases in rates every couple of years to keep up with inflation and fund required capital expenditures. The necessary ongoing capital requirements are typically spelled out in 5-year documents called a Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs). Cave Creek has not done this. There have been voices calling for both long term CIP’s and rate increases since at least 2014, but only since Cave Creek started their legal battle with Carefree in early 2018 have they begun to seriously pursue these processes.
Don’t take my word for it, a review of the public record is quite informative. Keep in mind these are quotes from approved Cave Creek:
Town Council meeting minutes that the Mayor and Council review, have the opportunity to correct and must sign off on for accuracy.
1) Cave Creek Council Meeting June 18, 2018 Approved Meeting Minutes Agenda Item 6 – Adaption of Tentative Budget for 2018-2019
It is worth reading the entire minutes of this agenda item (pages 26-42) as it is quite illuminating as to how the Cave Creek Water Company had been run the 11 years since its purchase in 2007.
The first quote is from former Utilities Director Kaylor relative to maintenance done on the Town’s CAP pipeline/pump stations providing the Town’s ONLY SOURCE FOR WATER and is found on page 31:
Kaylor: “If you look at the CAP pump stations, they’re 33 years old. Not a drop of actual maintenance has occurred, so that is a high priority item. It’s the highest priority item that, its, it’s the only dog we have in the show we have right now to get water from the CAP canal into our CAP treatment plant”
The next quote is from Mayor Bunch found on page 35 and is in response to a Council member Wright questioning a $3,000,000 increase in the budget and commenting that it is substantial.
Mayor Bunch: “It certainly is, because, cause we’ve ignored a lot of stuff for a lot of years and that, I think, because we didn’t think we had the money or the, or the, the um, desire to do more in the way of maintenance and, and, uh, improvements, hasn’t actually been there, where this Council is actually showing that desire. Yeah, its, its up. There is no doubt about it and we’re gonna look bad, there’s no doubt about it, but we have, have not done the best job in, in the, historically that, uh, that we should have been doing, I don’t think”
2) Cave Creek Council Meeting June 3, 2019, Approved Meeting Minutes – Agenda item 3 – Possible Adoption of Tentative 2019-2020 Budget:
PG 11- Discussion by Finance Director Weddigen to clarify that the budget went from $21.4 million (not $18 million), to $30.4 million in response to comments from Councilman Morris:
“The overall answer to Mr. Morris’ question is that there was a lot of foregone maintenance relative to the system, coming out of the recession and the pent-up demand for maintenance and repair, as well as establishing and maintaining routine maintenance and repair structure so that failures don’t happen, all that benefits the customers for a safer and reliable drinking water system.”
With the above quotes gleaned from the public record it should be of concern to all customers of the Cave Creek Water Company as to how the system has been managed. It is interesting to note, having been part of the Water Advisory Committee from 2013-2017, working with a talented group of people, pointing out all the deficiencies for years and serving on the Cave Creek Town Managers Rate Committee in 2016-17, we could not get the Mayor and Council to take corrective action. It has not been until Carefree exercised its rights granted to them in the 2007 IGA to acquire the assets within our Town and provide proper water service to the 1000 impacted residents, that we now see Cave Creek attempting to try and correct 12 years of poor management. Cave Creek Water has identified somewhere in the range of $20 million dollars of critical projects in a 5 year CIP, not including the unbudgeted $2 million spent on special water treatment plant filters last year. However, the Mayor and Council only approved the first year of projects, have not provided firm time lines for completion of critical projects, the means to fund the projects or the impact on rates. It appears they have a lot of catching up to do.
Tony Geiger - Carefree
Lyn,
Maybe someone would join Kiwanis to be able to work with these kids. This is a great program for the kids. Could you please run this in your NEWSLETTER.
Thanks,
John Skarda
Requesting SLP Committee Member
SLP Committee is looking to gather a larger committee. As our Service Leadership Program grows into each one of the CCUSD schools, we are looking to gather at least one committee member per school. This would consist of the committee member being in contact with a teacher advisor helping with the following:
School Club Schedule, Club Board Election, Club Events and Kiwanis of Carefree Representation. This is a role in which you can help guide the Teacher advisor and the school club on how to create a club. These clubs are student lead. Our role is to guide and advise. Please click on the link below to find out more about each club type.
This is your opportunity as a Kiwanis Carefree Club Member to help guide and teach our young community leadership and service.
K-Kids – Elementary - https://kiwaniskids.org/en/KKids/Home.aspx
Builders Club – Middle School - https://www.buildersclub.org/Home.aspx
Key Club – High School - https://www.keyclub.org/ - (Assigned Committee Member
Already)
Below are the schools that we are looking to have a Kiwanis SLP Committee Member for:
Black Mountain Elementary
33606 N 60th St
Scottsdale Az 85266
Desert Sun Academy
27880 N 64th St
Scottsdale Az 85262
Desert Willow Elementary
4322 E Desert Willow Pkwy
Cave Creek Az 85331
Horseshoe Trails Elementary
5405 East Pinnacle Vista Drive
Phoenix, Az 85085
Lone Mountain Elementary
5250 E Montgomery Rd
Cave Creek, Az 85331
Sonoran Trails Middle School
5555 E Pinnacle Vista Dr
Cave Creek, Az 85331
As one of our fellow Kiwanians Pete Carpenter so well put it “We help so many organizations in our community but let us remember that “charity begins at home”. First let us give major support to OUR Kiwanis Kids and inspire them as I have and many of you been inspired.”
Please contact Kimberly Jack at 480-228-9885 or email her at KimberlyMarieJack@gmail.com with questions and or to put your name in the hat.
I hope all is well,
Kimberly Marie Jack
480-228-9885
Greetings, friends! My name is Vince D'Aliesio, and I'm proud to serve as your President of the Cave Creek Museum. I am writing to you because I first wanted to introduce myself, but also to request that you put us on the radar for a visit this fall!
We have been a fixture in the town of Cave Creek for 50 years, and we will be working to expand our footprint in the desert foothills to kick off our next 50 years with some exciting programming, designed to celebrate our amazing history! My goal as your museum president is to expand our reach throughout this region and get your ideas! I would appreciate getting to know you and finding out how we can continue to spotlight all that is amazing about all of the Desert Foothills!! YOU ARE ALL A PART OF OUR HISTORY!
I'm excited to serve in this role and look forward to meeting you. We are currently undergoing remodeling, and have used this shutdown to brainstorm with the amazing staff of the museum, led by our Executive Director, Karrie Porter Brace, our newly named Development Director, Becca Bober, and Administrative Assistant Remington Pettus. You will meet each as they continue to outreach into our community. Suzanne Johnson serves as our Vice President and heads up our Fundraising Committee as well.
We look forward to continuing to celebrate our history. Stay Tuned!!
...In the meantime, please check us out on facebook and youtube! https://www.youtube.com/user/cavecreekmuseum
Regards,
Vince D'Aliesio
Thank you, Pam. We shall do!!!
Jane Ceasor
(Lyn's note: Jane's response to the Foothills Food Bank request in Carefree Truth non profit info.)
Hi Lyn:
It's Mark Kaegi - Wanted to ask about putting in the comment to the reader letter response from Brittany. Brittany in her comment stated "Short term rentals actually elevate property value" Can she please provide or show actual numbers or financial proof of that? As a 21 year Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser I have yet to find a situation where having a property as a short term rental elevates property value.
Sincerely,
Mark Kaegi
On-The-Mark Appraisal
*The 3rd Screech Owl is poking its head up out of the ceramic cow sconce on the wall.