"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
(Lyn's note: resize the above endorsements for Vince D'Aliesio or expand the page by pulling it to the side with your arrow, since the lettering comes out too small to read when I send it.)
Recently a piece of pure fear propaganda by OURCAREFREE was send out, by John Traynor and Bob Shenkel. I do not know a better way of summing this up but utter B.S. Let's look at Traynor's work history (given in prior letter). I would not let him run a lemonade stand, let alone dictate how to run our town.
The General Plan was unanimously approved by the Council at the July 2nd meeting, placing it on the November 2024 ballot. Failure of the voters to pass the General Plan in November will require the General Plan to be delayed for a vote until November of 2025. There have been many restrictions placed in the SPA on the N.W. corner. Carefree needs the revenue. We are losing ACE Hardware at the end of this year because they need a bigger space. CVS was closed by the chain, in their effort to consolidate, due to low performance.
Herbert Hitchon
Attending or watching Carefree Town Council and Planning & Zoning meetings makes it impossible not to notice that we have several residents repeatedly telling our public officials that their job is to listen to what they tell them people want, and to deliver on those things.
But I think we all know that is not really how public service should work. Of course our Council members have a duty to listen to the public, but people speaking in town meetings really can’t speak for all the community’s residents. Even if they could, the Council may conclude that giving everyone what they think they want is not really the best way to serve them. Our elected Carefree Town Council members have a duty to check the public mood; but they also have a higher duty to act according to the real needs of the community. If they conclude the residents will be best served by a vote that does not seem popular, they have a duty both to take the less popular path and to explain their actions.
Among the candidates, our two incumbents have already passed that test. Stephen Hatcher and Vince D’Aliesio have cast some difficult votes on water consolidation and on both special planning areas in the past, explaining their actions before during and after voting.
Most of our other candidates have platforms that promise things that sound good but have either not explained how they would achieve those things or have not made the case that they are necessary. Only one has demonstrated that she will analyze issues carefully and act accordingly. Only one has demonstrated a willingness to change her position when the facts dictate that she should. That candidate is Colleen Rose-Scurti.
You can want what you want of course, but I believe the three candidates you can count on to do what you need them to do are Stephen Hatcher, Vince D’Aliesio and Colleen Rose-Scurti.
Anton Wilke
Carefree Resident
Carefree, like many municipalities, has for decades had a relatively small group of disgruntled residents who regularly challenge the Town Government on many matters, often those of particular importance to them. The group has frequently attempted to change the Town dynamics, but have generally been unsuccessful, for example in electing members of their loose coalition to Town government positions.
Though the group composition changes slightly from year to year, in the current election we are seeing another such attempt. They now tend to communicate their positions and plans through OurCarefree, a website email generator and Political Action Committee. Their dishonest “Trust Must be Earned” attack ad in the June 19th Sonoran News openly calls for the removal of many Town staff members and makes clear their plan this election cycle is to take control of the Town government by co-opting the Mayor and electing three sympathetic candidates, much as the Boulders dissidents did with their HOA Board in 2021. Their ‘sympathetic candidates’ seem to have been Diane Roth, Lon Johnson, and Colleen Rose-Scurti.
Diane Roth is a veteran of the Boulders ‘water tank’ wars. She was appointed to the north Boulders Board in 2021 and was an enthusiastic supporter of the numerous and ultimately futile legal actions brought against the Town by the HOA. The following year she positioned herself in support of Boulders residents and as opposed to Carefree government, but HOA members apparently had enough of the scorched-earth tactics and voted her out of office. Having failed to convince her closest neighbors, she is now auditioning on a bigger stage with a platform that still includes hostility toward the Town government including the Council, but especially through frequent and unsupportable attacks on Town staff.
Lon Johnson has supported most or all the dissident group priorities since the start of his candidacy. He was a minority vote on the Planning & Zoning Commission to eliminate the Special Planning Area near the corner of Carefree Highway and Tom Darlington, which would effectively cancel an agreement negotiated with neighboring residents by the Council and Town staff only a few years ago. After advocating for greater Council control of Town staff in the recent Candidate Forum, a Carefree resident asked him if it was fair to conclude from his remarks that he “wanted to clean house among Carefree Town staff.” He responded that was indeed his desire.
In contrast, Colleen Rose-Scurti has turned out to be an open-minded candidate who has worked hard with Town staff and other Council members to understand how the Town is governed. Despite her original alignment with the dissident community, she now seems to me to be an excellent candidate, more interested in good government than in unceasing opposition. She has evolved on some issues, and I personally believe she could develop into an excellent Council member.
I encourage residents to reject the message of the dissidents and vote against the two ‘captured’ candidates. Colleen Rose-Scurti, Steve Hatcher, and Vince D’Aliesio are all more likely to think independently and act for the best interests of the Town, especially when that means standing up to pressure.
Nate Hyde
Boulders Resident
Thank you Lyn for providing the facts that some were unaware of. Nothing can be more disheartening to Diane Roth than the truth and I’m confident the voters will recognize her ongoing assault on the town and staff.
Jim Northcutt
As someone who lives in Ms. Hitchon's neighborhood, I have had many interactions with her. While true she may be headstrong and have her own opinions, I have seldom found her wrong on any issue with which she takes umbrage. She is very well informed and never afraid to take a stand. If your feelings got hurt because she didn’t agree with you or labeled you a name, I’m willing to bet she has many facts behind her. If you are indeed hurt, perhaps you shouldn’t be involved in political matters. When Ms. Hitchon ran our HOA there was seldom if ever any lingering problems, and she always responded very quickly if she was contacted. Any disparaging remarks towards her are a reflection upon yourself
Marc Menton
Proud to be in Lyn’s neighborhood
(Lyn's note: Thanks Marc. I appreciate it. I have very thick skin, and have been dealing with these newer people, and ones like them, before for many years. But it's always nice to hear compliments instead of getting darts hurled at me.)
Dear Les,
Thank you for your comments. They are very well stated.
And, I was here through your tenure. They were good and growing years.
Sincerely,
Pam DiPietro
Good to hear from him!
Marweb
(Lyn's note: re Les Peterson)
Vince,
I wish you luck in your election and I note that you mentioned my name favorably. It has always been my pleasure to work with Carefree, as our communities share many objectives.
Cave Creek Councilman and candidate Tom McGuire
(Lyn's note: reprinted with permission from Tom)
Unfortunate to read Bob Jenkin’s comments directed at anyone from California. Very shallow and weak.
I had respected Bob as a veteran and business owner but never expected such an ignorant statement from him.
As a native Californian I still consider parts of California among the most beautiful locations in the world. Yosemite, Monterey Bay, & Shasta Lake.
However with the large pockets of liberalism primarily in the Bay Area and L.A. basin I lost any desire to continue the fight against ignorant governing and elected to move. We chose Carefree because of the people and the distance from Phoenix which is also a pocket of ill advised liberalism.
Just another example that hatred and ignorance is widespread. Sorry Bob, you lost me.
Jim Northcutt
(Lyn's note: I know Bob well. I don't think Bob's comments were directed at everyone from California, any more than mine were. Like mine, I think they were directed at those from California who moved here and are stirring up trouble again, like the "missionaries" that they are.)
I suspect you are correct if you know him but that’s not what he wrote. I know several individuals that are equally conservative from California and I’m sure they’ll support my take. I don’t know Bob other than an occasional greeting and while I respect all veterans I find this type of slander of no value unless it empowers him somehow.
Regardless, let’s continue to work together to protect the town!
Jim
(Lyn's note: I guarantee that's what Bob meant by what he wrote. He was pointing at the ones who move to other states and continue to cause trouble. Bob does not dislike all Californians. Bob is a good guy and feels completely empowered just as he is. But yes, let's keep working together to protect our town from those who would tear it apart!)
Since I started my campaign, I have been fortunate to receive several endorsements. Webster defines endorsement as “an act of giving one’s public approval or support to someone or something”. Some of the endorsements have not only been for me they have grouped several candidates. That brings me to my next definition. Slate “a list of candidates, officers etc. to be considered for nomination, appointment, election” It is important to know these definitions when there are multiple candidates all running for the same position. In Carefree we have 6 candidates running for 3 open town council seats. I have been endorsed/slated with various combinations of all six candidates.
To be clear, I am running independently. I have met and had discussions with other council candidates and have agreed and disagreed on various topics. However, at no point have I formed a slated team to run in unison. I have an established position paper focusing on specific Carefree topics, which can be found on my website: LonJohnson4Carefree.org
As I have found over the last several months, running for office is similar to the telegraph or telephone game we played as children. You start with a short story or statement and whisper it to the person next to you. By the time the story has passed through a dozen people, it has a completely different meaning.
As we draw nearer to the election, I felt it was important to restate my initial policies and positions. I am running for council to use my experience and knowledge in a positive way. When elected I will put the residents first and operate transparently. I have a firm belief that “transparency builds trust and confidence”.
Lon Johnson
Candidate for Carefree Town Council
(Lyn's note: Lon Johnson is endorsed by John Traynor and Bob Schenkel, along with Ms. Roth and Ms. Azizi, as their slate. Ms. Roth and Mr. Johnson strongly advocate the firing of many Town staffers and severely cutting the salaries of those who are left. Ms. Azizi's idea of funding the town is to get what she views as the "rich residents" to donate the money for fire, police, street maintenance, staff salaries, etc., as opposed to increasing Carefree's commercial development beyond the small town center and the N.E. corner. She is a proud political activist who refuses to say the Pledge of Allegiance.)
Recently a piece of pure fear propaganda by OURCAREFREE was send out, by John Traynor and Bob Shenkel. I do not know a better way of summing this up but utter B.S. Let's look at Traynor's work history (given in prior letter). I would not let him run a lemonade stand, let alone dictate how to run our town.
The General Plan was unanimously approved by the Council at the July 2nd meeting, placing it on the November 2024 ballot. Failure of the voters to pass the General Plan in November will require the General Plan to be delayed for a vote until November of 2025. There have been many restrictions placed in the SPA on the N.W. corner. Carefree needs the revenue. We are losing ACE Hardware at the end of this year because they need a bigger space. CVS was closed by the chain, in their effort to consolidate, due to low performance.
Herbert Hitchon
Attending or watching Carefree Town Council and Planning & Zoning meetings makes it impossible not to notice that we have several residents repeatedly telling our public officials that their job is to listen to what they tell them people want, and to deliver on those things.
But I think we all know that is not really how public service should work. Of course our Council members have a duty to listen to the public, but people speaking in town meetings really can’t speak for all the community’s residents. Even if they could, the Council may conclude that giving everyone what they think they want is not really the best way to serve them. Our elected Carefree Town Council members have a duty to check the public mood; but they also have a higher duty to act according to the real needs of the community. If they conclude the residents will be best served by a vote that does not seem popular, they have a duty both to take the less popular path and to explain their actions.
Among the candidates, our two incumbents have already passed that test. Stephen Hatcher and Vince D’Aliesio have cast some difficult votes on water consolidation and on both special planning areas in the past, explaining their actions before during and after voting.
Most of our other candidates have platforms that promise things that sound good but have either not explained how they would achieve those things or have not made the case that they are necessary. Only one has demonstrated that she will analyze issues carefully and act accordingly. Only one has demonstrated a willingness to change her position when the facts dictate that she should. That candidate is Colleen Rose-Scurti.
You can want what you want of course, but I believe the three candidates you can count on to do what you need them to do are Stephen Hatcher, Vince D’Aliesio and Colleen Rose-Scurti.
Anton Wilke
Carefree Resident
Carefree, like many municipalities, has for decades had a relatively small group of disgruntled residents who regularly challenge the Town Government on many matters, often those of particular importance to them. The group has frequently attempted to change the Town dynamics, but have generally been unsuccessful, for example in electing members of their loose coalition to Town government positions.
Though the group composition changes slightly from year to year, in the current election we are seeing another such attempt. They now tend to communicate their positions and plans through OurCarefree, a website email generator and Political Action Committee. Their dishonest “Trust Must be Earned” attack ad in the June 19th Sonoran News openly calls for the removal of many Town staff members and makes clear their plan this election cycle is to take control of the Town government by co-opting the Mayor and electing three sympathetic candidates, much as the Boulders dissidents did with their HOA Board in 2021. Their ‘sympathetic candidates’ seem to have been Diane Roth, Lon Johnson, and Colleen Rose-Scurti.
Diane Roth is a veteran of the Boulders ‘water tank’ wars. She was appointed to the north Boulders Board in 2021 and was an enthusiastic supporter of the numerous and ultimately futile legal actions brought against the Town by the HOA. The following year she positioned herself in support of Boulders residents and as opposed to Carefree government, but HOA members apparently had enough of the scorched-earth tactics and voted her out of office. Having failed to convince her closest neighbors, she is now auditioning on a bigger stage with a platform that still includes hostility toward the Town government including the Council, but especially through frequent and unsupportable attacks on Town staff.
Lon Johnson has supported most or all the dissident group priorities since the start of his candidacy. He was a minority vote on the Planning & Zoning Commission to eliminate the Special Planning Area near the corner of Carefree Highway and Tom Darlington, which would effectively cancel an agreement negotiated with neighboring residents by the Council and Town staff only a few years ago. After advocating for greater Council control of Town staff in the recent Candidate Forum, a Carefree resident asked him if it was fair to conclude from his remarks that he “wanted to clean house among Carefree Town staff.” He responded that was indeed his desire.
In contrast, Colleen Rose-Scurti has turned out to be an open-minded candidate who has worked hard with Town staff and other Council members to understand how the Town is governed. Despite her original alignment with the dissident community, she now seems to me to be an excellent candidate, more interested in good government than in unceasing opposition. She has evolved on some issues, and I personally believe she could develop into an excellent Council member.
I encourage residents to reject the message of the dissidents and vote against the two ‘captured’ candidates. Colleen Rose-Scurti, Steve Hatcher, and Vince D’Aliesio are all more likely to think independently and act for the best interests of the Town, especially when that means standing up to pressure.
Nate Hyde
Boulders Resident
Thank you Lyn for providing the facts that some were unaware of. Nothing can be more disheartening to Diane Roth than the truth and I’m confident the voters will recognize her ongoing assault on the town and staff.
Jim Northcutt
As someone who lives in Ms. Hitchon's neighborhood, I have had many interactions with her. While true she may be headstrong and have her own opinions, I have seldom found her wrong on any issue with which she takes umbrage. She is very well informed and never afraid to take a stand. If your feelings got hurt because she didn’t agree with you or labeled you a name, I’m willing to bet she has many facts behind her. If you are indeed hurt, perhaps you shouldn’t be involved in political matters. When Ms. Hitchon ran our HOA there was seldom if ever any lingering problems, and she always responded very quickly if she was contacted. Any disparaging remarks towards her are a reflection upon yourself
Marc Menton
Proud to be in Lyn’s neighborhood
(Lyn's note: Thanks Marc. I appreciate it. I have very thick skin, and have been dealing with these newer people, and ones like them, before for many years. But it's always nice to hear compliments instead of getting darts hurled at me.)
Dear Les,
Thank you for your comments. They are very well stated.
And, I was here through your tenure. They were good and growing years.
Sincerely,
Pam DiPietro
Good to hear from him!
Marweb
(Lyn's note: re Les Peterson)
Vince,
I wish you luck in your election and I note that you mentioned my name favorably. It has always been my pleasure to work with Carefree, as our communities share many objectives.
Cave Creek Councilman and candidate Tom McGuire
(Lyn's note: reprinted with permission from Tom)
Unfortunate to read Bob Jenkin’s comments directed at anyone from California. Very shallow and weak.
I had respected Bob as a veteran and business owner but never expected such an ignorant statement from him.
As a native Californian I still consider parts of California among the most beautiful locations in the world. Yosemite, Monterey Bay, & Shasta Lake.
However with the large pockets of liberalism primarily in the Bay Area and L.A. basin I lost any desire to continue the fight against ignorant governing and elected to move. We chose Carefree because of the people and the distance from Phoenix which is also a pocket of ill advised liberalism.
Just another example that hatred and ignorance is widespread. Sorry Bob, you lost me.
Jim Northcutt
(Lyn's note: I know Bob well. I don't think Bob's comments were directed at everyone from California, any more than mine were. Like mine, I think they were directed at those from California who moved here and are stirring up trouble again, like the "missionaries" that they are.)
I suspect you are correct if you know him but that’s not what he wrote. I know several individuals that are equally conservative from California and I’m sure they’ll support my take. I don’t know Bob other than an occasional greeting and while I respect all veterans I find this type of slander of no value unless it empowers him somehow.
Regardless, let’s continue to work together to protect the town!
Jim
(Lyn's note: I guarantee that's what Bob meant by what he wrote. He was pointing at the ones who move to other states and continue to cause trouble. Bob does not dislike all Californians. Bob is a good guy and feels completely empowered just as he is. But yes, let's keep working together to protect our town from those who would tear it apart!)
Since I started my campaign, I have been fortunate to receive several endorsements. Webster defines endorsement as “an act of giving one’s public approval or support to someone or something”. Some of the endorsements have not only been for me they have grouped several candidates. That brings me to my next definition. Slate “a list of candidates, officers etc. to be considered for nomination, appointment, election” It is important to know these definitions when there are multiple candidates all running for the same position. In Carefree we have 6 candidates running for 3 open town council seats. I have been endorsed/slated with various combinations of all six candidates.
To be clear, I am running independently. I have met and had discussions with other council candidates and have agreed and disagreed on various topics. However, at no point have I formed a slated team to run in unison. I have an established position paper focusing on specific Carefree topics, which can be found on my website: LonJohnson4Carefree.org
As I have found over the last several months, running for office is similar to the telegraph or telephone game we played as children. You start with a short story or statement and whisper it to the person next to you. By the time the story has passed through a dozen people, it has a completely different meaning.
As we draw nearer to the election, I felt it was important to restate my initial policies and positions. I am running for council to use my experience and knowledge in a positive way. When elected I will put the residents first and operate transparently. I have a firm belief that “transparency builds trust and confidence”.
Lon Johnson
Candidate for Carefree Town Council
(Lyn's note: Lon Johnson is endorsed by John Traynor and Bob Schenkel, along with Ms. Roth and Ms. Azizi, as their slate. Ms. Roth and Mr. Johnson strongly advocate the firing of many Town staffers and severely cutting the salaries of those who are left. Ms. Azizi's idea of funding the town is to get what she views as the "rich residents" to donate the money for fire, police, street maintenance, staff salaries, etc., as opposed to increasing Carefree's commercial development beyond the small town center and the N.E. corner. She is a proud political activist who refuses to say the Pledge of Allegiance.)