Saturday Special: Bank Robber Sought

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ORO VALLEY, Ariz. ( May 18, 2013) - On May 17, 2013 at approximately 5 PM hours Oro Valley Police Department responded to the Bank of America in the 12000 block of north Rancho Vistoso in reference to a bank robbery. The suspect entered the bank and demanded money from a teller. No weapon seen or implied. The suspect is described as a hispanic or white male, unknown age, approximately 6'0 feet in height, medium build, wearing a dark bandana over his face, olive green floppy hat, dark sunglasses, long sleeve green shirt, blue jeans and brown hiking boots. After the suspect took an undisclosed amount of money he left the bank in a north bound direction, unknown if there is any vehicle associated with him at this time. An extensive search was conducted with no suspects located.


OVPD is asking for the public's assistance in this case. If anyone has any information on the suspect, please call 911, 88-crime or the OVPD at (520) 229-4900.

Click To Enlarge

Source: The Oro Valley Police Department Press Release
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Bits and Pieces

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The following is from an email message we received:

""Streetcar Named Tucson's Fiasco"" "Interesting piece in today's Az Star about Strretcar delays, and consultants fees. It seems our former Mayor Loomis will be paid almost $400,000 for his consulting work!! How is this possible, why are the citizens of Tucson Metro so apathetic. Don't we all realize the money for these consultants come right out of our pockets?? This Streetcar situation is disgusting, and hopefully we will have answers as to how this situation got so out of control."
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Town Of Oro Valley is seeking a consultant to drive the communications aspect of the 2015 General Plan update.  Click here to view the bid solicitation.  The bidders conference is May 30, 2013 at 11:00 AM in the Town of Oro Valley Administration's Kachina Conference Room
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Click here to read year-to-date Oro Valley Police Department crime and safety statistics.
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This is from another email message we received:

""We are house hunting in AZ. Property taxes in OV are double what the property tax is in Scottsdale - Desert Mountain. Why is this? It certainly impacts our thouight process on where to seriously house hunt. Further, it really hurts current OV property owners who are hoping to sell to out of state retirees. I note OV is hoping to impose a property tax over and above the county's , is this true? If so, how much more?"

We informed the writer that Oro Valley does not have a property tax.

Let's hope it stays that way forever.
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Council Meeting humor:  Joe Hornat's: "One question... five parts."
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Planning and Zoning Commission Votes To Approve U-Haul Facility

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The Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission voted last week to approve a UHaul facility for the Ace Hardware located at Tangerine and First Avenue. Their approval occured even though there is no provision in the code for truck rental. There is one for auto rental.

Oro Valley planner David Williams noted, at the hearing, that an automobile and/or car are the same as a truck for code purpose; therefore, the Oro Valley Code for car rental facility also apply to a truck rental facility. William's interpretation is considered to be an administrative decisions that can be challenged at the Board Of Adjustments.  Generally, it is the applicant who makes the challenge.

"If the code was intended to include truck rentals the code would have used vehicles as the Use Category and included Trucks and other vehicle type within the “Specific Use Types”", writes resident John Musolf.  He continues: "I rented hundreds of car rentals and never once called a car rental facility to rent a truck. I also rented a number of UHaul trucks to help relatives move and always called a Truck Rental Facility to obtain a truck. They are not the same."

Does town staff interpret town code so as to find and loosely match a use that will conform to the applicant’s request?  For example, Mr. Williams  recently inrecommending a use for the Desert Sky/Oracle memory care facility as a “skilled nursing facility" so a conditional use permit could be granted on that basis. His basis for doing so was the it looks like a skilled nursing facility on the outside.

The town had recommended granting the permit with the provision of an 8' wall to screen residential view of the trucks. The applicant rejected the idea. The Planning and Zoning Commission helped out the applicant by amending the permit to include trees, hedges, or some method of vegetation as the screening requirement instead of wall modification.  Exactly, we ask, how is this going to be enforced? Who is going to maintain this vegetation?

Next step:  The Oro Valley Town Council will hear this item at a future session.
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(John Musolf contributed to this posting)

Removing The Police Department From Oro Valley Politics (Part 2)

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Yesterday's post gave the history behind why Chief of Police Sharp reports to the seven member town council and not to the town manager.

As we have heard so often from Council Member Mary Snider, we are Oro Valley and we are unique when it comes to our police.

Yes. We are unique when it comes to our police.  In most Arizona communities, the chief reports to the town manager for budget and evaluation purposes.  In some, the town manager can hire and fire the chief.

But, not in Oro Valley.  Instead, there is a situation in which the police have extraordinary influence and power. A situation in which they are able to assert major influence over politicians and elections.  They are able to do this because no one is responsible for monitoring and evaluating their operations or, in the present case, their spending.

Mayor Hiremath's position is that the council should not "get into the weeds", when it comes to the 2013-14 town manager recommended budget.  We ask: Who, exactly, challenges the police budget, Mr. Mayor, if you don't; because it is not Mr. Caton's responsibility to do so?  You must get "into the weeds"on the police budget, Mr. Mayor.  In 2011, you voted for that to be so.
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Today, there is no oversight of the police budget.  It is not Town Manager Caton's job.  He has no authority to do anything that involves the police because the department does not report to him.  It is of no benefit for him to get involved without that authority. In fact, it would be political suicide.

There are only 3 members of council who have challenged the 2013-14 police budget.  That is too few to make an impact because a vote of 4 would be required.

At the May 1 council meeting, Council Member Zinkin offered some challenge to the police budget.   Council Member Garner discussed the need for greater efficiency in police spending.

Council Member Burns recommended that the council consider changing the reporting relationship of the police chief back to the the town manager, so that some significant oversight would occur.  He noted four reasons to return to the town manager police and evaluation model, a model that appears to be relatively common among Arizona communties:

1. The Council does not adequately provide the professional oversight required;
2. This change in the reporting relationship would remove the police department from being the political "football" that it has become;
3. The town is being run by professionals, as Mayor Hiremath has so often noted. These professionals should oversee the police department; and
4. Oversight by the town manager would increase the synergy, for example, resource sharing, among town departments and town resources.

Council Member Zinkin, having surveyed the reporting relationships in a number of cities and towns, agrees with Brendan.  "I intend to make it an agenda item in a future meeting."

Council Member Joe Hornat said that he is open to listening to a discussion of the pros and cons.  Hornat also voiced confidence in the management abilities of current Town Manager Caton.

Former Council Member Barry Gillaspie, the lone vote in 2011 against removing the town manager from police oversight, continues to agree with his stated position: "I still stand by the statement," Barry said during our talk with him last week.  He noted that the current set-up allows the police department to play a game of "divide and conquer" among the 7 "bosses."  Please 4 and you win!  The police department budget deserves scrutiny.  It gets no scrutiny now.
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We don't know if the council will discuss the situation. We don't know when they will discuss it. We don't know if the council will seek to change the situation. We do know, however, that it is a worthwhile conversation because the size of the police budget and its fast growth rate deserve scrutiny on behalf of the people of Oro Valley.
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Removing The Police Department From Oro Valley Politics (Part 1)

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On May 1, Council Member Brendan Burns recommended that the town have the Chief of Police report to the town manager, not to the town council, as is currently the case.

This change would return the reporting structure to what it was before March 9, 2011.  Prior to that time, the Chief was appointed and terminated by the Council; however, the daily oversight and performance evaluations were completed by the Town Manager. (Source)

There is history behind why the current reporting relationship is "as it is today."

Town Manager David Andrew's had tendered a forced resignation September 2009:

On September 28, 2009, Art wrote: "It is a fact, readily admitted by the Oro Valley police, that their union representatives wanted David out. Why, you ask? For no other reason than they think---and, at this point, they damn well may be right---that they run Oro Valley. Remember, David, working for the best interests of the people of Oro Valley believed the police who have by far the biggest budget---about the same as every other department cumulatively, fought "tooth & nail" so as to not allow even one of their own to be cut back, even though other departments had to do so."

The Oro Valley Town Council held a special session on March 9, 2011.   Council Member Snider, with the seconding of Council Member Hornat, motioned to approve ordinance 11-10 of Oro Valley code section 3-2-3.

The case for making the change was presented by Council Member Mary Snider (02:59).  Sndier claimed that there was a conflict between the code and the Chief's contract. Rather than simply amending the Chief's contract to be consistent with the code, she chose to champion removing the town manager from the equation.

"Vice Mayor Snider stated that from a public policy standpoint, there is a conflict between the Code and the Chief's contract.. The Code states that the Town Council appoints the position of the Town Manager, Chief of Police and Town Attorney. She stated that in Section 3-2, the Chief of Police is appointed by and may be terminated by Town Council pursuant to employment agreement. The new language that was added in 2007 stated "daily oversight and performance evaluation shall be completed by the Town Manager." There is a conflict with the current agreement.  From a policy standpoint, the Town Code states that the Chief of Police is hired or fired by the Town Council, but is not responsible for evaluating performance.  Discrepancy is that Council is responsible for hiring but not for performance."

The change in the code resulted in assigning all responsibilities for oversight and evaluation to the 7 member council as a body.  The motion carried 6-1.

Council Member Barry Gillaspie voted "no."

"I intend to vote no on the motion. I believe that it is in the best interest of the Town Of Oro Valley for the Police Chief to report to the manager and I believe that it is workable to amend the contract of the police chief or use it as stated; so that the town council can provide policy direction both through the town manager and to the police chief. I think that [the change] overly politicizes the position. Town Councils come and go but we want stability in our police department."

So, rather than changing the Chief's contract, as Council Member Gillaspie suggested, the council opted to change the code, removing all Town Manager oversight.  Presently, the police submit their budget through the town manager. The town manager has no role in reviewing or critiquing it.

So how's it working out?

The police budget has grown from $12.1 million in FY2011-12 to a "recommended" $13.8 million in FY 2013-14.  This is an increase of 14%.  During this same time period, the rest of the general fund spending has grown 1.4%.
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Bits and Pieces

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If you get a call from the The Oro Valley Police Department claiming that you are a recipient of a large sum of money, don't believe it.  (KVOA).  It is a carryover from a scam taking place in the county (Pima County press release).

Here's the scam:"OVPD's Criminal Investigations Unit is investigating a case where an individual called the victim claiming to be a detective with the Oro Valley Police Department. The suspect told the victim she was the recipient of a large sum of money as a result of an insurance settlement with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and she needed to send money to ensure the delivery of her claim. The phone number the suspect called from indicated it was from the Oro Valley Police Department; however, no such calls were made." (Sourc: Oro Valley Police Department press release)
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Tip from one of our bloggers: There is a "red out house (portapotty) on Tangerine across fr Mandarin Lane where the cops hide to catch speeders"
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"For the third consecutive year, the Town of Oro Valley has earned the "Playful City USA" designation from national non-profit KaBOOM!"  (Source: Oro Valley Press Release) Oro Valley is one of 213 cities to receive the honor (see list) Other Arizona communities on the list include Buckeye, Casa Grande, Chandler,  Coolidge, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Maricopa, Mesa, Tempe and Tucson.
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"The Town of Oro Valley has been nominated for the 2013 PetSafe Bark for Your Park contest, and we need the community's help. From now through May 31, participants can log in and vote twice per day-once on the PetSafe contest website and once on Facebook. Based on the total number of votes, 15 finalists will be announced on June 5, when they will be asked to produce a video and continue barking for their park. The finalist city with the most votes will receive $100,000 to build a PetSafe dog park. Three runners-up and the city with the highest percentage of votes to its population will each receive $25,000. Winners will be announced on July 31." (Source: Oro Valley Press Release)
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Oro Valley celebrates Mothers' Day Weekend:

Visit historic Steam Pump Ranch
Saturday, May 11, 2013 10901 N. Oracle Road
11 a.m. - Noon Tour the ranch
Noon - 1 p.m.
Create a unique gift of bath salts for mom. Event is free for the whole family; refreshments are included.

Free admission for moms at the Aquatic Center
Sunday, May 12, 2013
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Moms will also receive a beautiful flower.
(Source: Oro Valley press release)
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Thursday Special: Zinkin Did Nothing Wrong...The "Explorer" Did

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Generally, we don't post on a Thursday nor do we ever refer to "Explorer" articles. Today, however, we are going to make an exception. This is because yesterday, the "Explorer" got it wrong and we plan to set the record straight.

The Explorer headline screams: "Mayor Hiremath accuses Councilman Zinkin  of fiscal mismanagement in Oro Valley."  The headline is a mark of sloppy journalism.  The headline in no way reflects the Mayor's remarks.

Watch and listen the Mayor Hiremath's remarks.

The Mayor comments on a budget recommendation that Zinkin made regarding asking the employees to have some accountability for their own medical premiums; a practice that is common amongst most businesses today.

The Mayor then diverts the discussion to comment on Zinkin's use of town funds for two activities:  One is a trip to a major convention where Zinkin represented the Town; the other is trip to Gilbert to study how another town, similar to Oro Valley, operates.

Here are the facts that the Explorer failed to research and report:

Council Member Zinkin sought and received input from Kevin Burke, assistant to the Oro Valley town manager.  He asked if it was proper for him to use his Council Member travel funds for a trip to Washington DC to attend a meeting the National Leagues of Cities and Towns. On February 5, Zinkin received the following reply :

"Historically, NLC participation has been a positive way for the Town to contribute to the national dialogue regarding municipal governance. Participation in this organization is a legitimate use of Council travel and training funds and has not raised concerns from the community in the past."  

Town Manager Greg Caton and Town Finance Director Stacey Lemos were copied on this message.  They had ample opportunity to opine if they disagreed. They did not.

Zinkin had felt conflicted about spending funds on this meeting.  He had written to Burke: "I have been really torn and conflicted about my appointment to the League's Committee on Community and Economic Policy and Advocacy. On one hand I guess I should be honored to be selected, on the other hand, it is a lot of money."  He concluded, after receiving this communication from Burke and after discussing with the League, that attending the conference was a proper to use of his travel allowance.   Zinkin did nothing wrong.  In fact, he did everything right!

In deference to Mayor Hiremath, we will not surmise the intent of his comments. We have concluded that the Mayor did not do his homework.  Instead, Mayor Hiremath chose to "shoot from the hip."

Regarding the Gilbert trip, which most certainly cost next to nothing, Council Member Zinkin and Council Member Garner invested their time to travel to Gilbert.  Their goal was to identify areas of Gilbert town operation that could be useful to Oro Valley.  They were looking for best practices on the wise assumption that Oro Valley doesn't know everything.

The Explorer got it wrong. Mayor Hiremath did not accuse Council Member Zinkin of fiscal mismanagement.

Mayor Hiremath got it wrong.  Zinkin obtained counsel from Oro Valley town professionals before attending the National League meeting.  Both he and another council member visited Gilbert on Oro Valley-related learning.

Neither the Explorer nor Mayor Hiremath did their homework. They both "shot from the hip."

So, we did their homework for them.
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