Earlier today we did a posting commenting on an Explorer editorial. One issued addressed was a funding request from GOVAC (Greater Oro Valley Arts Council) for $25,000 to hold a July 4 program----not at the grass at River Front Park, but, of all places, the hot asphalt at the OV Marketplace.
Our comment on the earlier posting was:
As to GOVAC (and TREO & NPCCC that Mr. Perry didn't mention,) the question is this: What does Oro Valley get for its money? Should we be subsidizing these entities to the extent we do, especially in these difficult economic times when we are operating with a deficit?
Well, at this evening's council meeting, after lengthy discussion, a vote was taken on the requested funding.
Thanks to Bill Garner, KC Carter, Salette Latas & Barry Gillaspie who showed that fiscal responsibility is more than words, the request was turned down.
9 comments:
The presentation by GOVAC both at the prior council meeting and the one last night was a TOTAL mess, disorganized, full of air, and without any concrete message as to
the nitty gritty of their goal; it was a pie-in-the-sky disaster. Quite frankly, I think the Town needs to look into creating an 'arts organization', accountable to Oro Valley only, and perhaps being comprised as another volunteer board. GOVAC, with a paid staff, is a non-class act most certainly 'not together'; the use of the name 'Oro Valley' within this group's organization is an embarrassment to the Town!
If anybody doubts Zev, you only need go to the OV web site and watch the streaming video of the Feb 4 meeting.
There, you also find out that GOVAC originally wanted $50K for this event, even though they already rec'd their full allocation from the town---which one might question, in terms of how much & why, especially when their overhead budget is so "darn" high.
What was Paula Abbott thinking voting FOR this? And then voting to increase Loomis's travel budget by 50%?!!!
And what's the story on the trip to Europe????
As to Paula's votes, we too wonder.
As to the mayor's European sojourn, here's what our neighbor John Musolf had to say in his letter to the Explorer.
Letters to the editor from the Sept. 10 issue
Get elected, and travel the world
Attention world travelers. Free trips. Get elected mayor or councilman.
The town of Oro Valley budgeted $50,000 (2007/2008) and $45,000 (2008/2009) for travel / training purposes for the town council in the “TOV bare bones budgets.” Town council members shall submit a report to the town manager for approval prior to any anticipated travel. Mayor Loomis recently took a trip to Europe (TOV taxpayers bill: $10,208.20). No prior approval. Trip: May 17-24. Approval: July 10 after the trip.
The trip request came from David Welsh (former TOV economic development administrator), now vice president of Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities.
If this trip was for economic development, the TOV should have sent the economic development administrator (Oops. Forgot position is vacant since David Welsh went to TREO).
Mayor Loomis sounded like a good substitute. TREO board member Mayor Loomis recently helped vote TREO $75,000 taxpayer money.
Is there possibly a conflict of interest here?
John Musolf
Oro Valley
Wow. So Loomis actually spent all his travel money for this year, plus spent $10,000 over his budget, and Kunisch, Abbott, and Gillaspie voted to give him more travel money??
Since Mayor Loomis has worked to get express bus service to Raytheon..and also given up Riverfront Park parking to the RTA for park and ride ..(by the way if people are not using Riverfront park and there is all that unused parking which can now go to park and ride - Why do we need Naranja Town Park????)
I suggest that Mayor Loomis ask Raytheon for funds to support GOVAC since Raytheon is benefiting from RTA and a free park and ride lot. Maybe they could give back to the community.
Raindancer
Raindancer,
Raytheon itself isn't really benefiting from the free park and ride. Raytheon EMPLOYEES who opt to use it will benefit from it with gas savings.
However, the RTA plan is funded by a 1/2-cent excise tax so we (including those Raytheon employees) are all paying for this park and ride service.
One minor correction concerning OV Mom's comment---Mr. Gillaspie can't be blamed this time.
Sorry for the confusion. My comment was that Gillaspie voted to increase Loomis's travel budget by 50%. Abbott voted yes to that, AND buddied with Loomis and Kunisch a second time on the GOVAC funding.
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