We are asking all our readers to read the following time-line as it concerns the Coyote Run Bus Service. This issue is of little consequence to the vast majority of our citizens, but it is a real lifeline to those that rely on this service.
If we do not care about our disabled and elderly neighbors, who should we care about?
The next council meeting on this issue will be July 20. We can only hope the full council will show enough compassion, and allow this service to continue.
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TIME-LINE
April 20 Council Meeting
Council votes 6-1 to eliminate Coyote Run Bus Service. Only Bill Garner votes "NO."
"Unfortunately, this is where the rubber hits the road. When you cut, you affect real people and real lives," Councilman Steve Solomon said.
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June 1 Council Meeting
With a large turnout of speakers, including the elderly and disabled that rely on Coyote Run pleading to not discontinue the service, Bill Garner makes a motion to use bed tax revenue to allow for continuation of Coyote Run for another year.
The motion is approved 6-1 with Mayor Hiremath, who serves as Vice Chairman of the RTA Board, casting the lone dissenting vote.
Referring to the seniors and disabled among us that require the services rendered by the Coyote Run Bus, Hiremath says:
"All we're doing by keeping Coyote Run is fostering Oro Valley's elitist mentality."
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June 7 Letter from RTA to Mayor Hiremath
RTA Executive Director Gary Hayes sends Hiremath a letter and states: “Needless to say, we were certainly surprised and disappointed at Oro Valley’s Town Council’s decision last week to continue Coyote Run in its current format."
Hayes continues: “As you know, RTA staff has been working closely with town staff to achieve a win-win solution for the residents of Oro Valley and the RTA, and frankly, were led to believe that the solution had the support of the town’s elected officials.”
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June 8 (The very next day)
Council Member Solomon with a 2nd by Waters requests that the June 1 vote approving the continuation of Coyote Run, be reconsidered. It is placed on the June 15 agenda.
Hiremath is quoted as stating he was glad the council will reconsider the issue.
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June 15 Council Meeting
Council votes 5-2 with Garner & Gillaspie in the minority, to once again put the disabled and the elderly through more agony and waiting by reconsidering the vote to continue Coyote Run.
The council will now go through the process all over again. A second public hearing will have to be held, and the council will have to re-vote on the issue.
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June 29 Special Council Meeting
Council votes 4-1 to appoint Solomon & Waters to a working group aimed at researching regional transportation prospects and addressing questions surrounding the Regional Transportation Authority. (RTA.) Snider and Gillaspie were absent. Once again, Bill Garner was the sole no vote.
We must question how and why Solomon & Waters, the two individuals that requested a reconsideration of the approval of Coyote Run,and voted for the reconsideration, should be on a task force that will make recommendations on this issue.
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July 6 LOVE Blog Posting
Why is Coyote Run necessary?
Read what one supporter says.
Here are a few of the dangers the seniors, whose average age is 81, will be exposed to:
Those who should no longer be driving may be forced to drive again, endangering not only their lives but others.
Seniors, who need to reach doctors beyond Oro Valley/Northwest Hospital may be left on a street corner to await a transfer vehicle in extreme heat or a monsoon with dangers ranging from heatstroke to lightning.
Mentally or physically disabled children may be left in the care of drivers who have had no first aid or CPR training.
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July 20 Council Meeting
SUBJECT:
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE DIRECTION REGARDING ORO VALLEY TRANSIT SERVICES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
A Council work group was formed by the Town Council, comprised of Council Members Waters and Solomon, to address issues and concerns heard at the June 1, 2011 public hearing on the elimination of Coyote Run transit service. The Council work group, in conjunction with staff, will examine options to resolve issues.
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10 comments:
It would be different if Coyote Run had never existed. It was the result of the citizens of Oro Valley's efforts to create something not found in other communities. It took a lot of hard work and passion to launch this stellar service. Much like the Oro Valley Library and our Police Department, it stands out as another asset to our community of excellence. It is a crown jewel of Oro Valley and has been for years. The residents of Oro Valley that attended the last public hearing on Coyote run had done their homework. They presented the results of their research as solutions to keeping this stellar service. Why would the Mayor be so angry over this? It makes no sense. Why has the Mayor blocks the initiation of a Task Force that was proposed in the strategic plan? This life line for a significant portion of our residence is worthy of everyone's efforts to maintain this service. We are not like other communities for a reason. Remember why we live here. It's because this is a great place for everyone. No need to call anyone names like "elistist". We should at a minimum protect what we have.
I agree that Coyote Run is one of the finer things about living in Oro Valley. But it is true that we cannot afford everything we want or once had enough money to fund. Coyote Run is used by a very small (but worthy) number of citizens. Our police force, parks and library are used by many. So what to do? Perhaps Coyote Run can be funded by grants or a 501c3 organization. And perhps some of the people most worried about the potential loss of this service should step up and work on these alternatives. A town mandated task force is not the only answer. Task forces just push problems down the road. I suggest a little self-help. Also, concerned citizens can make themselves available to perform some of the tasks that Coyote Run now does. When was the last time anyone on this forum asked around their neighborhood to see who needed a ride to the doctor's office? Individuals or a small citizens group cannot replace a Parks department, but it CAN make a big difference in a needy person's life.
The two prior comments, which are very much appreciated, make reference to the OV police department.
I would only say this----which I've said on many previous occasions:
How can the mayor, council members Snider, Hornat, Solomon & Waters even think about eliminating this life line for the disabled & elderly when they constantly refuse to even look into the police department budget, that is almost 50% of the whole town budget?
Allowing the cops 68 "take home" cars to all parts of southern Arizona while saying we can't afford the Coyote Run Bus Service is totally disingenuous.
This is NOT a safety issue. This is about doing the right thing.
from reading this timeline i got a new and better perspective on this council. it is lacking in leadership and guiding principles. the mayor should be providing leadership to the council but he appears sorely lacking in this job requirement. it seems the only time he tries to provide leadership is on a pet project-- RTA used to eliminate Coyote Run. Come on Mr Mayor lead, follow or get out of the way.
Chuck---Thanks for your comment. I believe most people that read this time-line would agree with you.
Please keep reading the blog. In a matter of days, we will see how the mayor and the other 4 council members take advantage of the taxpayers in the way they spend OUR money.
Simple, reduce the budget line for the police force and use the money to fund Coyote Run.
There is too much waste and abuse in the police force budget. Did anyone see the TC agenda on the left hand side of the LOVE Blog home page which lists various officers being detailed to other tasks?
Take home vehicle policy has NOT been addressed to my knowledge since its ugly head was raised by this blog.
There is no reason for the police to take up to half of the budget.
Nombe W--- Your comment brings us "full circle."
One thing you, and everyone else can be sure of is that the police budget will not be lowered as long as Hiremath, Snider, Hornat, Waters & Snider have a super majority on the council.
Did anyone notice the PAC, "Citizens For Oro Valley," that is trying to save Snider & Hornat from being recalled?
Who are these "citizens?"
Well, number one & two on the list of supporters are:
1)Oro Valley Police Officers Association
2) Oro Valley Fraternal Order of Police-Lodge 53
Any wonder why there are all those take home vehicles, and why the police department study previously approved that was to be done by an outside (unbiased) company got "killed off" by these five?
Some people don't like the term "Quid Pro Quo."
You can call it what you want, but "it is what it is!"
It is very interesting and POLITICALLY motivated that HOAs received an e-mail message from the OVPD Neighborhood Watch. It included a two-page document entitled "Know Your Police Department's Budget" said to have been completed in an effort to address questions concerning the Oro Valley Police Department's 2011/2012 fiscal year budget. Just how many Neighborhood Watch participants asked these questions about the OVPD's budget?
The answers to these questions frequestly asked by a few councilmembers have now been "answered" through an e-mail to HOAs. Did the Council receive this information for its approval prior to the e-mail being sent? Should we question the validity of these "answers."
This has nothing to do with Neighborhood Watch, and it was certainly POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.
In response to Martha's well-intentioned comment, I offer this: I am the father of a severely, mentally handicapped daughter who has ridden Coyote Run for ten years. Yes, only a small portion of Oro Valley citizens (2%)ride Coyote Run, but they pay dearly for it. My daughter's cuurent cost is $300/month and over the time she has been a rider she has paid over $30,000. The cost to the town for this vital service is, by any calculation, less than 1% of the town budget or about 50 cents per month per citizen. As for stepping up, we and others have tried for a year to become involved in finding a solution to the current issues. Every request to the town council to let us help has fallen on deaf ears. We made a colossal mistake in waiting for the town council to empower us to help make a difference. Now we are working independently of the town council to come up with ways that we can make Coyote Run sustainable if we are given the chance to do so. In the same vein, Martha suggests a little self-help. As any parent of a severely handicapped child will tell you, our live is all about self help. For us that has been 24 hours a day for the last 36 years and as far as we can see into the foreseeable future. And sadly, society in general is quite comfortable with this situation- let those closest to our handicapped citizens take care of them. rest assured that my wife and I will apply all the self help possible to give our child some quality of life. But society, like it or not, also has some responsibility for these special citizens. Any society, no matter how large or small, is only as good as it treats its weakest citizen.
In response to TerryT...
AMEN!
I pray the Council will finally decide that keeping Coyote Run is the RIGHT thing to do for all citizen of Oro Valley.
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