Just what Oro Valley needs! More bad publicity as a "care less" community that doesn't give a damn about our environment, our habitat, or what happens with our water.
Please read a copy of an email we received. It certainly doesn't help the image of Oro Valley. Too bad, the letter writer didn't mention Steve Solomon by name and attribute some of the most asinine comments to him! Please watch this debacle on streaming video.
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Dear Friends of Save the Scenic Santa Ritas,
As you know the Oro Valley Town Council had the following item on the “Consent Calendar” of their agenda last evening:
“Rescission of Resolution No. R07-55, strongly opposing the proposed Rosemont mine.”
In other words, in 2007 the Town Council had voted to “strongly oppose the Rosemont mine,” and now one or more members of the Council were using the mechanism of the Consent Calendar to change their position. The Consent Calendar is supposed to be limited to items that are routine and non-controversial, clearly not the case here.
So, Councilmember Barry Gillaspie asked to have the item removed from the Consent Calendar. That would mean there could be a Public Hearing and we could speak. There were probably 40 of us in attendance; many of us had already sent in letters, made phone calls, etc.
After the various council members had their say, with statements such as “ this issue is of no concern to Oro Valley,” and “we are not experts and cannot make a decision on this issue,” and “our taking a position on this issue makes no difference,” the Council voted 5-2 AGAINST allowing a public hearing. Then they voted 4-3 in favor of the item; i.e., their position on the Rosemont mine is now “neutral.”
I do want to say that Council Members Barry Gillaspie and Bill Garner spoke eloquently on our behalf not only pointing out that this was not a “routine, non-controversial” item and thus should not be on the Consent Calendar but also emphasizing the economic and environmental impacts of the project. For instance, that the aquifer that Oro Valley depends on will be impacted, etc.
If you are interested in watching the meeting, video is available at http://orovalley.granicus.com/viewpublisher.php?view_id=5#reg. The agenda item concerning the Rosemont mine starts around 36 minutes in.
MY SINCERE THANKS TO ALL WHO ATTENDED LAST EVENING!
I want to especially thank Carolyn Campbell, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection; Jenny Neely, Sky Island Alliance; and Keith Bagwell and Roy Emrick, Sierra Club, for making the long drive. People came from as far away as Sonoita, Hilton Ranch Rd., and Green Valley. Also, there were numerous individuals from Tucson and Oro Valley in attendance. And, I’d like to thank our youngest supporter, Brenden Hoyme – 7 months of age – for joining us in his first venture into the political arena. And, of course, his mother, Lisa Froelich, without whom we wouldn’t be operating at all.
WE WERE OUT FLANKED THIS TIME; BUT WE WILL PREVAIL IN THE END!
Gayle Hartmann
SSSR Board President
