(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-81920.html
http://carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-the-week-81920.html
Irmgard Hayward's 85th birthday celebration. She baked all of the items in this spread, even the bread for the sandwiches.
Photo by Lilian Weiland
Here are your bonus rounds from Herbert.
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/81320-afternoon.html
Photo by Lilian Weiland
Here are your bonus rounds from Herbert.
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/81320-afternoon.html
Photos by Herbert Hitchon
Here is your bonus video from Herbert.
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
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 $$ and services based on our population. Please pass this info on to any Carefree neighbors that you know. Thanks!
THE 2020 CENSUS IS COMING – GET COUNTED!
ONLINE OR BY PHONE BY SEPTEMBER 30, 2020
2020CENSUS.GOV
Please click on the 2 videos below.
This video shows why it's important to complete the census, and is fun to watch.
preparedness presentation from 6/27/19. This is good info to keep saved
on your computer.
Emergency Preparedness Presentation by R/M & County: 6/27/19
http://carefreetruth2.com/carefree-truth-763.html
Town of Carefree Marketing newsletter
https://www.carefree.org/345/Town-Newsletters
Don't forget about the Census!! Its easy and you can do it online. It's important that you report, so we can qualify for $$ 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
Please click on the 2 videos below.
This video shows why it's important to complete the census, and is fun to watch.
This video shows how to fill out the census online. It's easy to do!
2020CENSUS.GOV from Herbert Hitchon on Vimeo.
Hi Lyn and Gail,
Thank you for the information.
Lyn, as you know Carefree just passed new regulations in its Town Code to address STRs as the State of Arizona will allow. We do require a business license which has a $40 fee and have a rental registration form; however, the Town does not charge properties to file one as we legally cannot at this point.
Michigan may be ahead of Arizona in terms of laws that allow for managing occupancy and inspecting properties for safety. These rentals in Arizona must comply with all relevant building codes and nuisance laws, however.
Feel free to send us what you have; there is pending legislation in Arizona that may allow for occupancy limits, but that has not been passed at this point in time.
Regards,
Stacey
Stacey Bridge-Denzak, Planning Director
Town of Carefree
(Lyn's note: This is Stacey's response to Gail's letter last week about limitations on short term rentals where she has another home.)
Lyn:
Sorry to say that with every passing year my recollection of events gets a little dimmer, but many things haven’t changed. Under Arizona Corporation Commission rules, utility companies that fall under their jurisdiction are permitted a fair rate of return on their investments. However that does not permit them to stack their costs and expenses, which is where RUCO comes in.
At the last rate case, Les Peterson organized a bus for Carefree residents to go down to the hearing room. Les had his hands full working on the decommissioning of the Boulders pumping station. I provided a short testimony on behalf of our HOA. At that time, Black Mountain Sewer Company (now Liberty) was owned by a Canadian entity who sole interest was earning a rate of return for its customers. They have little or no real incentive to operate their entities in an efficient manner. Having spent over 40 years working in the corporate world, we were taught that the worst four letter word was LOSS! In addition to Black Mountain Sewer Company, Liberty had also acquired other Arizona utilities in the Gold Canyon area. It has been many years since I did any digging to learn about Liberty, but doubt that their mission has changed.
All of us need to be guided by the Town and respond to any suggestions that we write to the Corporation Commission (RUCO). They read letters, that is their mission. When Patti and I first moved into Canyon Creek Estates in 1983, our monthly sewer charge was $38.00. Today, it is $77.20 and that rate came down (from $79.85) as Liberty had to adjust its rates due to the Trump Tax Reform that reduced corporate taxes. Not counting the tax adjustment, that is a rate increase of over 110% in 17 years or 6.5% PER YEAR average increase! Wouldn’t we all like to have an annual increase in our income of over 6% per year, per year, per year!
Yes, Liberty has incurred operational costs, which can include the removal of the Boulders pumping station and normal business activities, but they also need to act as a responsible business and take steps to minimize expenses for its shareholders and customers.
My ever-greying memory cells also remind me that the Winfield subdivision (Scottsdale Road and Westland) is also a Liberty Utilities customer. We should get them involved. Winfield has over 500 homes.
Arthur Gimson
Thank you for the information.
Lyn, as you know Carefree just passed new regulations in its Town Code to address STRs as the State of Arizona will allow. We do require a business license which has a $40 fee and have a rental registration form; however, the Town does not charge properties to file one as we legally cannot at this point.
Michigan may be ahead of Arizona in terms of laws that allow for managing occupancy and inspecting properties for safety. These rentals in Arizona must comply with all relevant building codes and nuisance laws, however.
Feel free to send us what you have; there is pending legislation in Arizona that may allow for occupancy limits, but that has not been passed at this point in time.
Regards,
Stacey
Stacey Bridge-Denzak, Planning Director
Town of Carefree
(Lyn's note: This is Stacey's response to Gail's letter last week about limitations on short term rentals where she has another home.)
Lyn:
Sorry to say that with every passing year my recollection of events gets a little dimmer, but many things haven’t changed. Under Arizona Corporation Commission rules, utility companies that fall under their jurisdiction are permitted a fair rate of return on their investments. However that does not permit them to stack their costs and expenses, which is where RUCO comes in.
At the last rate case, Les Peterson organized a bus for Carefree residents to go down to the hearing room. Les had his hands full working on the decommissioning of the Boulders pumping station. I provided a short testimony on behalf of our HOA. At that time, Black Mountain Sewer Company (now Liberty) was owned by a Canadian entity who sole interest was earning a rate of return for its customers. They have little or no real incentive to operate their entities in an efficient manner. Having spent over 40 years working in the corporate world, we were taught that the worst four letter word was LOSS! In addition to Black Mountain Sewer Company, Liberty had also acquired other Arizona utilities in the Gold Canyon area. It has been many years since I did any digging to learn about Liberty, but doubt that their mission has changed.
All of us need to be guided by the Town and respond to any suggestions that we write to the Corporation Commission (RUCO). They read letters, that is their mission. When Patti and I first moved into Canyon Creek Estates in 1983, our monthly sewer charge was $38.00. Today, it is $77.20 and that rate came down (from $79.85) as Liberty had to adjust its rates due to the Trump Tax Reform that reduced corporate taxes. Not counting the tax adjustment, that is a rate increase of over 110% in 17 years or 6.5% PER YEAR average increase! Wouldn’t we all like to have an annual increase in our income of over 6% per year, per year, per year!
Yes, Liberty has incurred operational costs, which can include the removal of the Boulders pumping station and normal business activities, but they also need to act as a responsible business and take steps to minimize expenses for its shareholders and customers.
My ever-greying memory cells also remind me that the Winfield subdivision (Scottsdale Road and Westland) is also a Liberty Utilities customer. We should get them involved. Winfield has over 500 homes.
Arthur Gimson
Non profit info:
When it looked as if the decades-old annual Celebration of Art Exhibit and Awards ceremony would not take place this year, creative minds joined together to come up with an alternative for students in the desert foothills. Here’s the story, below and attached.
Vickilyn Hussey / Education & Community Services, CCUSD
Media contact only: trendlab@cox.net / 602-402-5713 cell/text
EDUCATION & COMMUNITY SERVICES, CCUSD
in partnership with
SONORAN ARTS LEAGUE
CELEBRATION OF ART AGAINST THE ODDS
For student artists, the school year was supposed to conclude with well-deserved award recognition and an enthusiastic celebration with the 41st Annual Jeff Cross Memorial Award Ceremony and the 24th Sonoran Arts League Art Incentive Award at the Cactus Shadows Fine Arts Center. Visual art teachers had chosen students to receive the award. The Sonoran Arts League’s Youth Art Committee had purchased the art supplies traditionally presented to the participants. And the Harmony Hollow Metal Works had sent the Jeff Cross Memorial Bell for the honoree, and funds to cover the Certificates and Ribbons.
However, due to Coronavirus restrictions which limited interactions and required physical distancing, the Celebration of Art Exhibit and Awards ceremony on April 16, 2020 was cancelled. "But the story isn’t over yet! It has a miraculous ending because of innovative thinking and generous contributions from our community,” said event organizer Elaine Adrian, Special Projects, Education and Community Services.
Celebration of Art is one of only a few events in the desert foothills with a long history. It was started in 1979 by the Cross family in honor of Cave Creek artist Jeff Cross. The Cross family gave the Cave Creek Craft Counsel, a precursor to Sonoran Arts League (SAL), the responsibility of choosing an outstanding art student from the area to receive the award. Education and Community Services, an independent department of the Cave Creek Unified School District (CCUSD) that provides year-round child care, classes, camps and extracurricular activities, joined in years later to provide the Cactus Shadows Fine Arts Center as the exhibition and award ceremony venue.
"Members of the Youth Art Committee and ECS really missed the Celebration of Art art exhibition and awards ceremony, especially the opportunity to give these awards to the gifted student artists,” explained Robin Ray of the Youth Arts Committee. “They hoped the awards ceremony could be rescheduled. But eventually, they faced the real possibility of canceling the entire event and prepared to store the art supplies and certificates until next year. However, canceling this long-established awards ceremony was unthinkable!” And they came up with a solution.
"Since the supplies had already been purchased, Youth Art Committee member Sarah Burns came up with the idea of mailing the art supplies to the student’s. The committee thought this was a great way to save the celebration,” Ray said, describing how the committee saved the day. "Sarah personally purchased boxes, Jim and Judy Bruce delivered the art supplies to Sarah’s home and Sarah enlisted her home bound college kids. And they filled 109 boxes!"
"In the meantime, other Youth Art members were busy, collecting the names and mailing addresses of the students and producing a postcard for the art teachers to write to each of their students. The award boxes also contained a personalized folder with several inspiring messages, including a personal note from their art teacher, a list of all of the award winners, a letter from the Sonoran Arts League Youth Art Committee’s Judy Bruce, a note from ECS Director Gina Durbin, a certificate of excellence and a ribbon from the Jeff Cross Memorial, plus a note from CCUSD Superintendent Debbi Burdick.
Included in each folder was a list of free Sonoran Arts League art classes sponsored by Kiwanis.” And that’s not all, according to Ray, "The Youth Art Committee worked with Mike, our local UPS Store owner, and together they donated the cost of shipping the supplies directly to the student’s home, a donation of $1,200!”
“While the Celebration of Art awards ceremony may not have been the extensive art exhibition and celebration that we have had in the past, students were honored according to the new normal of the coronavirus regulations,” said Adrian. "We hope to be back to normal next year!”
Cave Creek Unified School District
The #1 School District for Student Achievement in Maricopa County
Inspire Excellence!
Education & Community Services, 33016 N. 60th Street, Scottsdale AZ 85266 480-575-2440
KIWANIS CLUB OF CAREFREE LOOKING TO FUND MAJOR PROJECTS
The Kiwanis Club of Carefree is currently investigating new project possibilities to fund. They are asking organizations, businesses, and individuals to submit a request to fund projects of $25,000 up to $1M. The Project/Funds Committee has been formed to evaluate these requests. The request form can be found online with the only requirement that the project meets the mission of serving the kids in our Cave Creek/Carefree Community. The deadline is October 1, 2020.
President Mike Poppenwimer adds, “Kiwanis is looking for your help to find what is needed to benefit the children in this community.”
The Kiwanis Club of Carefree is one of the largest Kiwanis clubs in the world, with roughly 150 members. Our focus is on helping children recognize and develop their potential. We support post-secondary scholarships, summer art programs, special needs support, youth service organizations and more.
To fill out the application visit https://kiwaniscarefree.org/community-project-request/ or to find out more about Kiwanis Club of Carefree visit kiwaniscarefree.org
