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Press Release: Oro Valley Seeking Community Input
ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (May 25, 2012)
In an effort to increase tourism and spark community development, the Town of Oro Valley is in the process of identifying its strengths and unique characteristics to develop a cohesive brand and message. The success of this process relies on the input of those who live, work and play in the community.
To better understand public perception, we invite you to participate in an online survey, where you will have the opportunity to share your thoughts on Oro Valley’s residents, environment, history, culture, resources, key offerings, growth opportunities, challenges and the essence of the community.
The online survey is located at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ovsurvey. It will be available May 25 – June 8, 2012.
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Friday, May 25, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Thank You, Barry
Generally, we don't comment about articles in the "Explorer." However, one of our bloggers wrote the following:
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"I wanted to express my disgust at the photo of Solomon & Hiremath in this weeks Explorer "OV Councilmen honored" on page 6.
Barry gives 8 ELECTED years; Solomon was poo-pointed, failed to get elected, has treated the public with disrespect and is given prime ink space by the weekly rag!
A perfect example of the lousy journalism we have in this country!
I feel better now, thank you for "listening" to me:))))"
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The article to which the writer refers is online. However, there is no picture. We agree: Barry's "body of work" over the 8 years was significant. He always respected his constituents. He always brought value to every meeting. And, yes, he did his homework. So we will say to Barry what the Mayor really should have said: "Thank you Barry for a job well done!"
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"I wanted to express my disgust at the photo of Solomon & Hiremath in this weeks Explorer "OV Councilmen honored" on page 6.
Barry gives 8 ELECTED years; Solomon was poo-pointed, failed to get elected, has treated the public with disrespect and is given prime ink space by the weekly rag!
A perfect example of the lousy journalism we have in this country!
I feel better now, thank you for "listening" to me:))))"
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The article to which the writer refers is online. However, there is no picture. We agree: Barry's "body of work" over the 8 years was significant. He always respected his constituents. He always brought value to every meeting. And, yes, he did his homework. So we will say to Barry what the Mayor really should have said: "Thank you Barry for a job well done!"
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Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Editorial: Naranja Town Park and Beyond
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Oro Valley is growing. There were more young families living here than ever before. The town's desire to increase employment through its economic development efforts are a statement to young families that Oro Valley wants them to not only live here and but also to work here.
Jobs are one half the equation of a successful town. Jobs enable people to work here. The other half of the equation for the town to have great parks and recreational facilities.
The Oro Valley Parks and Recreation Department ("Parks and Recs") maintains the Oro Valley recreational facilities. The renovation of the Kreigh Park Aquatic facility is their responsibility. The new archery facility is also the responsibility. The eventual paving of the unpaid portion of the CDO Wash Trail schedule for 2013 is also their job; as is the maintenance of the town's two major parks.
Have you visited the Oro Valley Parks and Recs web site? We have. From this site you can:
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Council Members Bill Garner, Brandon Burns and Mike Zinkin are interested in improving the quality of life for young families and young professionals in Oro Valley. They believe, as do we, that "Parks and Recs" is a critical Town function
Both Mike Zinkin and Bill Garner bring some creative ideas on how to build Naranja Park. Their ideas would build the park such a way that the growth would be orderly and done without the need for property tax.
In the future, it is our intention to post more regarding building great parks and great recreational facilities in Oro Valley.
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Oro Valley is growing. There were more young families living here than ever before. The town's desire to increase employment through its economic development efforts are a statement to young families that Oro Valley wants them to not only live here and but also to work here.
Jobs are one half the equation of a successful town. Jobs enable people to work here. The other half of the equation for the town to have great parks and recreational facilities.
The Oro Valley Parks and Recreation Department ("Parks and Recs") maintains the Oro Valley recreational facilities. The renovation of the Kreigh Park Aquatic facility is their responsibility. The new archery facility is also the responsibility. The eventual paving of the unpaid portion of the CDO Wash Trail schedule for 2013 is also their job; as is the maintenance of the town's two major parks.
Have you visited the Oro Valley Parks and Recs web site? We have. From this site you can:
- Become a "Friend Of The Pool" by sponsoring a plaque
- Read about the "60.15 miles of signed bike routes, 36.1 miles of paved shoulders, and 14.9 miles of shared use paths"
- Get a metal detecting permit for use in our parks
- See a Calendar of Events
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Council Members Bill Garner, Brandon Burns and Mike Zinkin are interested in improving the quality of life for young families and young professionals in Oro Valley. They believe, as do we, that "Parks and Recs" is a critical Town function
Both Mike Zinkin and Bill Garner bring some creative ideas on how to build Naranja Park. Their ideas would build the park such a way that the growth would be orderly and done without the need for property tax.
In the future, it is our intention to post more regarding building great parks and great recreational facilities in Oro Valley.
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Sunday, May 20, 2012
Bits and Pieces: Oro Valley Police Department Annual Report
The 2011 Oro Valley Police Department Annual Report was released Friday. The cover quotes Mayor Hiremath: "“Oro Valley has one of the top—if not THE top—police departments in the state of Arizona.”
Some interesting "bits and pieces" from the report:
- "Currently, The Town has Neighborhood Watch groups consisting of 3,200 homes." (p. 15)
- The Crimes Free Multi-Housing "program is similar to Neighborhood Watch but for apartment complexes. It encourages neighbors to interact with one another but also holds apartment managers to strict criteria when signing leases with new tenants. In return, the Police Department advises management of any police responses to their property so they are aware of any situations."(p. 15)
- The Department received almost 13,900 volunteer hours in 2011, down from almost 17,000 hours in 2010.(p. 15)
- In 2011, there were 749 property crimes and 28 violent crimes (p. 19)
- Personnel and Equipment grant monies totaled $578,000 and $168,000 in 2011. (p. 24)
- The Department generated $42,735 from copying police reports in 2011. (p. 24)
- The value of seized money recovered from convicted criminals totaled $490,500. Uses include: "Training personnel and purchasing necessary equipment that is currently unattainable through general fund." (p. 24)
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Council "Slam Dunks" 2012-2013 Budget
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The Oro Valley Town Council voted to approved the staff submitted town budget for 2012-2013 by a 6-0 vote (Council Member Bill Garner not present.) We have previously written about this budget including our position that approval of such should have been done by the new Council seated on June 6, and not the present Council. No matter. The budget has been "slammed dunked', approved seven current members, two of whom will not be on Council and not subject to it. Mike Zinkin and Brendan Burns, the two incoming members, will be subject to a budget into which they have had no input.
This is the politics of "slam dunk", when five members of Council operated to "get it their way".
It leaves us all with an uncomfortable feeling.
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The Oro Valley Town Council voted to approved the staff submitted town budget for 2012-2013 by a 6-0 vote (Council Member Bill Garner not present.) We have previously written about this budget including our position that approval of such should have been done by the new Council seated on June 6, and not the present Council. No matter. The budget has been "slammed dunked', approved seven current members, two of whom will not be on Council and not subject to it. Mike Zinkin and Brendan Burns, the two incoming members, will be subject to a budget into which they have had no input.
This is the politics of "slam dunk", when five members of Council operated to "get it their way".
It leaves us all with an uncomfortable feeling.
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Council Approves Fry's Fuel Center CUP
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The Oro Valley Town Council voted 5-2, after reconsideration, to approve the Fry's 7 pump fuel station conditional use permit ("CUP"). The station will be located at Lambert and La Canada, near the existing Valero Fuel Station.
Neighbors were successful in convincing Fry's to:
During his presentation, the Fry's representative stated that, at some point, Fry's will not be providing a discount through other gas stations in town. This will most certainly increase the number of visits to this new location since it will be the only place one can use their Fry's Fuel Discount.
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The Oro Valley Town Council voted 5-2, after reconsideration, to approve the Fry's 7 pump fuel station conditional use permit ("CUP"). The station will be located at Lambert and La Canada, near the existing Valero Fuel Station.
Neighbors were successful in convincing Fry's to:
- limit hours of operation from 5am or 11pm.
- operate the station only on an attended basis.
- build the facility with minimal signage
- construct an awning that is more conducive to Oro Valley's ascetic qualities.
- Add some trees for additional screening
During his presentation, the Fry's representative stated that, at some point, Fry's will not be providing a discount through other gas stations in town. This will most certainly increase the number of visits to this new location since it will be the only place one can use their Fry's Fuel Discount.
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012
A Quandary: Could HB 2826 Extend Terms Of Council Members?
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In our posting Monday, we noted that the Arizona State Bill to combine local elections with statewide elections is now law. Effectively, implementation will move the 2014 Mayor and Council elections from March to September, for the Primary, and from May to November, for the General Election. This would mean that new Council Members would not be seated until January, 2015. This is six months after date on which they are would have been seated. This would mean that there would be six months in which only continuing members would be on Council or in which there would be three council members.
The Council would have three members seated to continue Council activities from June through December, 2014. Would it be illegal for exiting council members to remain on Council beyond their elected term? There were elected to serve four years, not 4.5 years.
The issue is further complicated because the Oro Valley budget for 2014-2015 would be approved during this time frame, effectively adding a budget cycle to the purview of the existing Council.
Confused? We are too.
However, this is not going to be a "simple" conversion from one voting time frame to another. There are those who do not wish to see the current Council Members remain in office one minute past their elected time. There are also those who don't care one way or the other.
It will be interesting to watch this develop.
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In our posting Monday, we noted that the Arizona State Bill to combine local elections with statewide elections is now law. Effectively, implementation will move the 2014 Mayor and Council elections from March to September, for the Primary, and from May to November, for the General Election. This would mean that new Council Members would not be seated until January, 2015. This is six months after date on which they are would have been seated. This would mean that there would be six months in which only continuing members would be on Council or in which there would be three council members.
The Council would have three members seated to continue Council activities from June through December, 2014. Would it be illegal for exiting council members to remain on Council beyond their elected term? There were elected to serve four years, not 4.5 years.
The issue is further complicated because the Oro Valley budget for 2014-2015 would be approved during this time frame, effectively adding a budget cycle to the purview of the existing Council.
Confused? We are too.
However, this is not going to be a "simple" conversion from one voting time frame to another. There are those who do not wish to see the current Council Members remain in office one minute past their elected time. There are also those who don't care one way or the other.
It will be interesting to watch this develop.
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Guest View-John Musolf: Town Council Commits To Two Years Of Increases For Police
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Mayor Hiremath is a "master" of burying important items in the consent agenda portion of the town council meeting. He mixes unimportant items with important items. John Musolf's Guest View provides an illustration of one such important item. This one has to do with step pay increases for the Oro Valley Police Department. This item impacts budget spending for two years.
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"Item E on the May 2, 2012 Town Council Consent Agenda Resolution No. (R)12-23, approving a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Public Safety Employees (Police) and the Town of Oro Valley pursuant to Chapter 4, Section 4-1-8 of the Town Code, Public Safety Employee Relations and Processes was not a routine and non-controversial item.
It will affect two years of the Town Budget (FY2012/2013 and FY 2013/2014) and should have been discussed as regular agenda item in a public hearing on the budget. In my opinion, it is an abuse of the use of the Consent Agenda. It passed without any discussion.
Analysis
This MOU with the police will be effective for the following two fiscal years, July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2014. It will affect not only the budget for FY2012/2013 but also the budget for FY2013/2014. Multi-year budgets items should not be undertaken by Council since there is no assurance of what the economic situation will be in the future. We are committing future tax dollars today.
To quote the memo to Council from Stacy Lemos:
“The negotiating teams mutually agreed to a step/merit implementation plan that involves providing a step/merit increase on 7/1/13 for those eligible employees whose anniversary dates fall between and inclusive of 7/1/13 and 12/31/13; and on 1/1/14 for those eligible employees whose anniversary dates fall between and inclusive of 1/1/14 and 6/30/14 of that fiscal year to shorten the wait time for those employees whose anniversary dates fall later in the fiscal year, which was a concern for the PSNC during negotiations”.
Reinstating a step increase for the police for a future FY2013/2014 budget in 2012 does not make any economic sense. Let’s look at the economic conditions in FY2013/2014 for setting the budget. Committing the Town to a future financial action a year from now is not a prudent fiduciary action on the part of the Town Council.
This Memorandum of Understanding is also reaching beyond an agreement with just public safety employees (police) and affecting all town employees which in my opinion should be a separate budgetary discussion.
To again quote the memo to Council from Stacy Lemos:
“As part of fulfilling the Town Council's goal of investing in Town employees, management recommends the reinstatement of the step plan along with a modest merit increase ranging from 2% to 3.5% for non-step plan employees in the second year of the MOU, FY 2013/14. A similar merit increase would also be recommended for the rest of Town staff not represented by this Memorandum of Understanding during FY 13/14 as well”.
The merit increases for non-step employees should not be part of the police negotiations. This statement is trying to influence and gain support for acceptance of pay increases for the police by saying all other town employees would share in the pay increase."
John Musolf
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Mayor Hiremath is a "master" of burying important items in the consent agenda portion of the town council meeting. He mixes unimportant items with important items. John Musolf's Guest View provides an illustration of one such important item. This one has to do with step pay increases for the Oro Valley Police Department. This item impacts budget spending for two years.
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"Item E on the May 2, 2012 Town Council Consent Agenda Resolution No. (R)12-23, approving a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Public Safety Employees (Police) and the Town of Oro Valley pursuant to Chapter 4, Section 4-1-8 of the Town Code, Public Safety Employee Relations and Processes was not a routine and non-controversial item.
It will affect two years of the Town Budget (FY2012/2013 and FY 2013/2014) and should have been discussed as regular agenda item in a public hearing on the budget. In my opinion, it is an abuse of the use of the Consent Agenda. It passed without any discussion.
Analysis
This MOU with the police will be effective for the following two fiscal years, July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2014. It will affect not only the budget for FY2012/2013 but also the budget for FY2013/2014. Multi-year budgets items should not be undertaken by Council since there is no assurance of what the economic situation will be in the future. We are committing future tax dollars today.
To quote the memo to Council from Stacy Lemos:
“The negotiating teams mutually agreed to a step/merit implementation plan that involves providing a step/merit increase on 7/1/13 for those eligible employees whose anniversary dates fall between and inclusive of 7/1/13 and 12/31/13; and on 1/1/14 for those eligible employees whose anniversary dates fall between and inclusive of 1/1/14 and 6/30/14 of that fiscal year to shorten the wait time for those employees whose anniversary dates fall later in the fiscal year, which was a concern for the PSNC during negotiations”.
Reinstating a step increase for the police for a future FY2013/2014 budget in 2012 does not make any economic sense. Let’s look at the economic conditions in FY2013/2014 for setting the budget. Committing the Town to a future financial action a year from now is not a prudent fiduciary action on the part of the Town Council.
This Memorandum of Understanding is also reaching beyond an agreement with just public safety employees (police) and affecting all town employees which in my opinion should be a separate budgetary discussion.
To again quote the memo to Council from Stacy Lemos:
“As part of fulfilling the Town Council's goal of investing in Town employees, management recommends the reinstatement of the step plan along with a modest merit increase ranging from 2% to 3.5% for non-step plan employees in the second year of the MOU, FY 2013/14. A similar merit increase would also be recommended for the rest of Town staff not represented by this Memorandum of Understanding during FY 13/14 as well”.
The merit increases for non-step employees should not be part of the police negotiations. This statement is trying to influence and gain support for acceptance of pay increases for the police by saying all other town employees would share in the pay increase."
John Musolf
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