Updated: Bits and Pieces

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An article by David Fitzimmons of the Arizona Daily Star entitled:  "TREO On The Job: Touting Tucson Without Collapsing Into Laughter" is a "hoot."  What we also find interesting is how little Fitzimmons thinks of Tucson, the town in which he's been living for years.
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"Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities has teamed up with the Tucson Airport Authority and other local groups to gather data that can help boost air service to the Old Pueblo - including a survey to help identify routes that could support business travel.

You can participate in the online survey through June 30 at www.surveymonkey.com/s/TUSairservice
(Source)
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 In "California’s business-hostile attitude should benefit Tucson", writer Roger Yohem notes the flight of companies leaving California for more friendly business climates.  Not one of these companies chose Arizona, preferring Texas and a few other states.   Yohem suggests that it would be better to bring California relocation specialists to Tucson to discuss opportunities that it would be to bring 36 people to San Diego.
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If my students turned in reports like these I'd give-em an "F":

The agenda for Wednesday's Oro Valley Town Council Meeting includes a trip report submitted on by the town, not by the attendees, regarding the TREO San Diego junket. The report is a joke. It merely restates the stated objective of the meeting and notes that the two Oro Valley Town Council Members, Hornat and Waters, attended the meeting starting mid morning on Thursday, June 7.  The report also includes the agenda.  There is nothing in this report that states what the two attendees actually learned and what the cost of this trip was to TREO and to the Town Of Oro Valley.

This same agenda has a trip report submitted by Joe Hornat regarding a Land Use Meeting he attended in Scottsdale. It is another "joke".  It merely states what was discussed at the meeting. It does not discuss what Joe learned nor what it cost the Town of Oro Valley for Joe to attend.
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Also on next week's Oro Valley Town Council Agenda under the consent agenda section:

• "The Economic Development division will be focusing on annexations and special events during FY2012-13.  For the Town to be successful in our annexation outreach efforts, as well as in the recruitment of multi-day special events, Town staff is proposing a three-year contract with MTCVB.  Funding for FY2012-13 will remain flat at $74,970, with an increase in FY2013-14 in an amount not to exceed $120,000 and an increase in FY2014-15 in an amount not to exceed $175,000." (Consent Item I) 
• Item P calls for approving the $41,000 one year agreement with TREO.  Another joke.

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Regarding Parks and Recreation, Item O on the consent agenda of next week's Oro Valley Town Council meeting calls for the town to affirm its commitment to fund any overrun on the construction of a paved path under Oracle Road that connects the CDO wash trail to Catalina State Park. The project is funded by ADOT. There should be no overruns.

Once this project is completed and once the town paves the remaining portion of the CDO trail from first avenue to the bridge at the Market Place in 2013, this trail will extend from LaCanada to the Catalina State Park. It will be a true "gem"; miles of traffic-free walking or bicycle riding. Add to this the new path along Lambert that will be completed next year plus the paths already existing along LaCanada and First Avenue, and you've got an outstanding bicycle-friendly town.

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