Shar Pelzl, Oro Valley Neighbor Tells Explorer Readers To Boot Incumbents Out Of Office

Following is a letter from neighbor Shar Pelzl printed in the Jan 16 Explorer.

It’s good for OV voters to have long memories

Does anyone remember Conny Culver, who served a two year term on the Oro Valley Council, ran for re-election, but was so unpopular that she finished dead last? It appears that history may repeat itself.

At the Jan. 8 candidate forum at Sun City, Councilman Terry Parish managed to alienate himself from most of the Sun City crowd when he affirmed that he would take campaign money from developers. Parish said, “Yes, I would take money offered by developers, and I’m proud to say that they support me.”

I also recall how Parish served with pride as poster boy for Vestar, allowing himself to be quoted in brochures and newspaper articles promoting Oro Valley Marketplace (with its Wal-Mart anchor) as a “home run” for the town.

Another incumbent, Helen Dankwerth, suddenly changed positions on Wal-Mart at the forum. After claiming to be neutral on the big box, and refusing to stand up to Vestar on behalf of her constituents, Dankwerth now claims that Wal-Mart is not the high-end shop she’d had in mind for the Marketplace.

But apparently Wal-Mart was all right for the rest of us — her constituents — whose opinions are disdained by Dankwerth. “My decisions are based on my own knowledge,” she went on to say. “I am beholden to no one.” Apparently not even to the citizens who voted for her. And to think we thought that our councilwoman represented us.

Fortunately, Oro Valley voters have long memories and the best thing we can do in the voting booth (or on our vote-by-mail ballot) is to boot these out-of-touch incumbents and start anew.

Sharleen Pelzl
Oro Valley

John Musolf Writes To Explorer Re: GOVAC in "Dire Straits"

Below is a letter to The Explorer (Jan 16) from neighbor John Musolf

Arts council can’t keep asking for more money

I would like to comment on Patrick McNamara’s recent article “Arts in ‘dire’ straits,” published in the Explorer on Jan. 2.

President Satish Hiremarth commented that the Greater Oro Valley Arts Council (GOVAC) has supported the quality of life in arts and culture in Oro Valley for the last 10 years. I believe what GOVAC is doing is admirable, but their activities must be on a sound business basis.

The original intent of the master operating agreement between the town of Oro Valley and GOVAC was that the TOV funding (taxpayer money) would diminish over time, not increase. It appears that the TOV taxpayers will be asked to continue to increase their contributions as deficits grow. GOVAC is looking to TOV to increase its contribution from $110,000 (2006/2007) to $210,000 (2007/2008).

Mr. McNamara stated in his article that “Corporate donations, which according to the group’s tax statements have been on the rise, make up another sizeable portion of the group’s budget.”

However, one of the comments made by GOVAC at the TOV council study session on Dec. 12 was that deficits might grow larger because some corporate donations have recently been reduced because of economic conditions. For example, Wells Fargo had reduced their donation by 50 percent to a recent GOVAC “event.” Does GOVAC mean to imply that the government and taxpayers are not affected by economic conditions and can make up any GOVAC shortfalls?

Instead of paying GOVAC executive directors up to $50,000 per year, the money would be better spent on some professional accounting and audit support to prudently learn how to budget and balance both revenue and expenses and live within reasonable parameters (a sound business basis).

Significant work must be done by GOVAC to provide the detail to show their activities can be primarily self-sustaining with minimum taxpayer funding.

According to GOVAC’s executive director, Kate Marquez, most events are planned with deficits expected.

“We have so many programs that don’t generate revenue,” Marquez said.

“Only about 20 percent of GOVAC’s 47 annual events earn money,” according to Marquez.

The Oro Valley taxpayers can’t be expected to continue to “bail out” GOVAC for past deficits and future projected ones.

John Musolf,
Oro Valley

You Vote "NO" on Parish And Dankwerth

Last week, we asked: "In upcoming election, which candidate(s) will you not vote for under any circumstance? Why?"

It was a "Landslide." Unequivocally, you said you have no use for Parish and Dankwerth, and generally can't wait to vote them out "before they do much more damage to our community."

Click here to read excerpts from your responses.

Hector Conde, Friend & Neighbor Raises Serious Issues On Arroyo Grande Project

Our friend & neighbor, and avid environmentalist, Hector Conde addresses many issues of concern relative to Oro Valley's consideration of State Lands north of town, known as Arroyo Grande.

Please read Hector's message below, and also read our next posting on the WATER issue raised by Tony Davis, Az Star reporter.

Art
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Dear friend and neighbors: There is some disturbing news for those that are or may be concerned with the following:

1 The ownership of the Land lying between Oro Valley and Pinal Co limits

2 The expansion of the Tortolita Mountain Park

3 The increase in traffic and air pollution in the area

4 The increase in taxes that more development will bring

5 The obliteration of all wildlife and native vegetation in the area

6 The disappearance of the ages old biological corridor

4 The increase in water usage that more housing will bring

On January 3^rd I had the chance to read a technical report entitled “Arroyo Grande Conceptual Plan” written by Terra Systems SW for the State Land Department where a development of 11,547 acres is proposed. Roughly a half of it was designated as Master Planned Community, a technical term for “anything goes”. Densities in the area are left to the imagination of the developer’s accountant and the responsibility of the jurisdictional power.

I just got a call from Michelle Muench, Project Manager at the State Land Dept. . She said that the Arroyo Grande plan is being revised now and that it is going to be reviewed by the OV council on the 16th. Then there is going to be a community meeting in OV on January 22nd.

The future jurisdiction is of importance, because Pima County has worked for diligently, trough the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, to set procedures and plans to conserve the land for the benefit of the plant and animal life of the region and has obtained through bonds voted by the public, funds to purchase it.

The State Land Department has ignored the existence of the Arizona Preserve Initiative within the Arizona Statutes. Land that was approved by the Department for preservation is now slated for development. This change in attitude reveals disdain for the electorate. Some 80 people, of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, most representing civic and commercial organizations worked for many years to decide what we wanted in that area. Today state land commissioner Winkelman has decided that only his opinion is valid.

The commissioner has a monumental conflict of interest in dealing with the sale of state land. He is on the board of directors of Valley Partnership Inc. Valley partnership is an AZ registered lobbyist organization. That board has on it some of the most notorious developers in the land...

There is a misconception about how the sale of state land affects public education. The schools work on budgets, which are based on a fixed amount based on the numbers of students in the state and in the need of buildings for those schools. The money is voted by the legislature and does not depend on the sale of state land. As a matter of fact, the more land is sold, the more land is going to be available for congressional pork. The legislative council opined that the “land is an asset that appreciates”. That it may as well stay unsold, it would only increase in value.

The Tortolita Mountain Park is 4,000 acres today. It was going to be expanded to 21,030 acres. All that is now dead. The surrounding communities, both in Pima and Pinal Co could benefit from a large park.

At this point the public has no access to any public record as to what the development would be, but any decision made today would not be what the land would look like years from now, under Oro Valley lax attitude towards development. The Arroyo Grande report mentions that Oracle road, even at 6 lanes, could not serve the population. Most of that area has no significant aquifer; therefore the water would be drawn from Oro Valley. Oro Valley is losing about 8 feet of water depth per year because of excessive pumping.

The town of Oro Valley had a nefarious attitude related to environmental matters. Its continuous growth has led to the destruction of the ecology in the region and is successfully turning the pristine area it was into a mix of roads, cars and red roofs. The town has eliminated an environmentally sensitive land ordinance in progress, a wash, and some 400 acres of open space in Neighborhood 11 (a nice multi-million dollar present to the land owner), and allow the destruction of an ironwood stand in Stone Canyon, just to name a few outrages.

The history of attempts to sell the state land to developers is long and dates prior to 1993. First, Del Webb wanted to extend their Sun City to the north (hence the 4 lane Summerstar Rd. planned to connect the extension) which was denied, then a Catalina realtor tried unsuccessfully to get some land, then OV wanted to annex as a deal with some developers. For the next attempt, we collected 1300 signatures in a petition to Governor Hull, who responded very positively to our request, with a hearing in Sun City, but then an attempt from OV to annex section 16, and lately another attempt and another petition sent matters to the old status quo.

The population and some jurisdictions have put hundreds of work-hours and thousands of dollars in trying to keep our natural resources intact. There is plenty of land available. Why ruin ecologically important land such as a biological Corridor? Somebody’s profits may be Arizona’s future generation’s losses.

As for water, read our assessment in the website www.azwater.us

Please, let your friends know about the meetings.

Hector Conde

Az Star Reports On Water Concerns For Arroyo Grande Potential Annexation

In a front page story in the Jan 20 Tucson Region, Az Star reporter Tony Davis raises what is probably the most important issue concerning Oro Valley's consideration of annexing this 9,100 acre development. The issue is WATER---or more important, where it will come from to serve an estimated 15,900 new homes.

As reported, a retired water consultant said the state is "putting the cart before the horse," by bring this new development to the forefront before deciding what to do with its CAP water.

This potential new development, which is a number of years away, will be discussed at an open house at Town Hall. State Lands Presentation on Arroyo Grande.
Town Hall Tue Jan 22 6:00-8:00 PM

Please read the Az Star article here.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/221348