Oro Valley Candidate Challenge Now Rests With The Court

The legal challenge to the candidacy of two Oro Valley residents is now in the hands of Arizona superior court judge Gus Aragon. Aragon is the same judge who ruled that the voter petitions for a referendum on the purchase of the El Conquistador Country Club failed to meet strict compliance standards. The petitions had the wrong filing numbers.

Wednesday the plaintiff, Don Bristow, and the four defendants presented their case. Yesterday, they presented their closing arguments. The judge will likely issue a ruling shortly as some ballots have already been mailed.

The facts of the case are not in dispute
Candidate Doug Burke agrees that he did not include the name and signature of the circulator on the back of any petitions he submitted. He stated that he did not think that this requirement applied to him on the basis that he collected all the signatures himself.

Candidate Joe Winfield agrees that a few of his forms did not include the circulator signature on the back.  "The crux of the matter for me personally is that the plaintiff has alleged that the petitions I submitted do not comply. I do not agree with that."  Winfield  discussed sections of the Oro Valley Candidate Handbook to support his conclusion.

"I believe the intent is to raise doubts in voter's minds that somehow I have tried to game the system" he stated in his closing. "I am a resident of Arizona. I am an registered voter. This [requirement of signing all the petitions as circulator on the back] doesn't apply to me."

Bristow's attorney, Bill Risner, plead that the state statute requires that the certification be present on each and every petition; that this is a substantial requirement; and that the judge should reject the petitions.

Watch Risner's rebuttal closing at right. Watch the closing argument of all parties here. Videos are courtesy of auditaz.

On the surface this sounds like a simple decision. The judge needs to decide if there is a statute that applies to a recall election; and if so then excluding the certification is a fatal flaw.

But it is not a simple decision.

The Pima County defense: The court can not interrupt an election once it has started
Pima County's defense is that the Bristow challenge has no standing because the county printed and mailed a few ballots. Four ballots have been returned.

The county argues that it is they who determine the end date of a court challenge regardless of what a statute dictates. If this is indeed so, then the county can manipulate the election process. Perhaps they rushed to print and mail ballots 7 weeks before the election to prevent this court challenge.

The county points to a court case where the judge determined that a challenge can not be considered after voting has started. It is up to Judge Aragon to decide if this case has merit in this situation.

Attorney Risner has a different perspective. The end date for a challenge is mandated by law. Bristow filed his case several days earlier than required.

Oro Valley Attorney Sidles: Clerk Bower is the "...definition of professionalism"
Oro Valley town attorney Tobin Sidles argued that town clerk Julie Bower should not be a defendant in this case. According to Sidles: Bower’s job was to "count the number of signatures, accept them, and wait for a Title XV1 challenge." She sought counsel from him and from the state elections director. Referring to Bower's actions: "This is the definition of professionalism."

Tough decision ahead for Judge Aragon
First, Judge Aragon has to decide if there is a valid Arizona statute relating to a recall election petitions, If so, then he will have to determined if the lack of certification makes the petitions substantially invalid. This is unlike the strict compliance standard that he applied in the El Conquistador Country Club voter referendum petition rejection.

Then, assuming that he believes that the lack of certification is substantial, he will have to rule as to whether Bristow filed his appeal after, what the county claims, was the date due.

Candidacy Of Oro Valley Election Spoilers Challenged In Court Today

The legitimacy of the candidacy of Douglas Burke and Joe Winfield for this November's Oro Valley recall election will be heard in Superior Court today.

The candidacies have been challenged by Oro Valley resident Don Bristow.  Bristow is the head of Accountable Government Now, a PAC that seeks to "complete the recall process."

We refer to these two candidates as "spoilers" because, in our opinion, their very late entry into the race guarantees that they can not win the election. They will merely draw votes from the challengers, thus helping the election of the Incumbents.

Bowers could have rejected petitions
Bristow has challenged every Burke petition because all of Burke's petitions are totally blank on the backside. The backside is where the verification is completed and signed by the petition circulator. This is a legal requirement.

Bristow is challenging some of Winfield's which were the correct double-sided form per instructions from the town. Some of these petitions lack complete verification. In addition, some of the signatures on the petition are not registered voters in Oro Valley. Some of the signatures were signed by people who had previously signed a Pat Straney petition.

Bristow is being represented by attorney Bill Risner. You can watch his remarks regarding the case courtesy of Audit-AZ.

According to Bristow: "If the petitions lacking the verification are rejected, Winfield will not have enough signatures to be on the ballot."

Why did Oro Valley Town Clerk Julie Bower not immediately reject these petitions? These petitions were clearly missing information require by statute.

"Yes." as Bristow wrote to us, "These petitions were accepted by the same Town Clerk, Julie Bowers, who rejected within seconds of receipt all voter referendum petitions on the El Conquistador Country Club last spring because of a wrong serial number." The Arizona courts affirmed her right to have done so.

So, one might wonder, why didn't Bowers reject the questionable Burke and Winfield petitions?

It may be due to the standard Bowers applied in reviewing the petitions. That standard is "substantial compliance." This is different from the standard of "strict compliance" that Bowers applied in the El Conquistador Country Club vote petitions.

What constitutes "substantial compliance" is a matter of judgment on the part of the clerk. It is likely that today Bowers and Pima County recorder, F. Ann Rodriguez, both named defendants will discuss their position.

The town asserts, in its press release that Bowers had  no authority to do anything but accept the petitions as submitted:

 "Unlike the referendum petition process, which the Town recently underwent in January 2015, there is no specific state statute granting the town clerk the authority to remove petition sheets in the recall candidate process; therefore, all candidate nomination petitions were accepted."(Source: Town Of Oro Valley press release)

We asked Joe Winfield his reaction to the court case. "It's what I love about America."

We will continue to follow developments as they progress.

Guest View-Don Bristow: Oro Valley Should Consider Alerternatives To A Full Sevice Community Center Restaurant

Monday, you have the opportunity to meet with the architect, Klindt Brenenridge, who is working on the rehabilitation of the Oro Valley Community Center and Recreation Center. In this guest view, Resident Don Bristow shares his thinking about the project.
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Included in the initial proposed remodeling of the Oro Valley Community Center is the second floor restaurant area. Before committing the residents’ money and this area to a full-service restaurant operation, there must be a discussion regarding the need and economics of the Town operating a restaurant.

Is the Community Center what the name implies or is it a County Club? If it is a County Club, a full-time full service restaurant is appropriate.

Operating a full time restaurant will result in increased operating and maintenance costs and most likely additional tax dollar subsidies. It also requires competing with the private sector restaurants within Oro Valley. Operating a restaurant is difficult and takes full-time commitment to make a profit. Just ask the owners of restaurants operating in Oro Valley. Who in the Oro Valley government is capable of evaluating Troon’s restaurant management performance or offering professional advice? There are alternatives that must be presented and evaluated.

One viable alternative for the everyday operations of a Community Center restaurant, is a snack bar type operations which is open for a continental breakfast to early evening. It could also serve as a coffee and tea access point. A walled off bar, operating during scheduled golf hours, would meet the needs of most patrons. The kitchen could remain, but be used by outside catering companies which would be hired and paid for by the sponsor of golf outings or other events.. A full-service catering company would supply all necessary support items such as tables and chairs, linens, china,  and silverware. There are other alternatives that can and must be publicly discussed before any of the residents’ tax dollars are spent for a full-service full or part time restaurant.

The large area currently dedicated to the restaurant could utilize moveable walls to create multifunctional rooms. As the available square footage of the Center is limited, this would be a good potential use and have much lower operating and maintenance costs.

What do you think?

Attend the Architect Open House at the Community Center on June 29, 2105, from 6 to 7 p.m. However, in a one-hour time frame there may not be sufficient time for the residents to be heard. Therefore, after the meeting contact our Councilmembers and Town Manager to share your thoughts.
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Don Bristow is a long-time Oro Valley resident and 2014 candidate for Oro Valley Town Council. Don is a frequent speaker at Oro Valley council meetings and has been a member of various Oro Valley committees.  

Bristow Asserts That The Town Of Oro Valley Restricts Access To Information

The Town Of Oro Valley has created barriers to effective resident education and communication by using the town's constituent services coordinate as the public's central access point to information, according to to Oro Valley resident and former council candidate Don Bristow

Bristow voiced his concerns during the "Call To The Audience" portion of last week's town council meeting.

"Planning staff is instructing residents to direct all questions to constituent services." This, noted Bristow, results in chain communications, which is "...known to be a very poor communication process."

Jessica Hynd is Oro Valley's Constituent Services Coordinator (CSC).  She explained her role to one of our readers in a recent mail.  The CSC "...is a Town employee whose main duty is to address questions and concerns of constituents since the CSC serves as the direct link between the community, Town staff and Council. In order to do so, the CSC records the inquiries and the responses that the CSC provides to the constituent. The CSC works directly with the appropriate staff to draft a response that adequately addresses the person’s inquiry. Consequently, the CSC has general knowledge but is typically not an expert, which explains the reason why the CSC works closely with the experts in drafting responses to constituents."

Hynd further asserts that town staff can receive direct contact from constituents. "However, the CSC position is more appropriate when the amount of inquiries increases. This position ensures that the questions or concerns are documented and answered. It is the Town’s responsibility to adequately address our residents’ questions and concerns, as one of the main tools that makes us successful is the position of CSC."

Bristow asserted just the opposite: ""This office is great for simple inquiries... but is not effective when dealing with the more complex issues such as those inquiries related to planning and zoning situations.""

Bristow noted that businesses and developers have direct access to town planning staff while residents don't!

In addition, Bristow asserts, the manner in which neighborhood meetings on general plan amendments are presented to residents restricts their ability to get a complete picture of the request.

"Neighborhood  meetings that use separate stations [for the discussion of issues], prohibit residents from obtaining the knowledge they need to participate in a decision making process," according to Bristow.   The approach used in neighborhood meetings results in "... poor dissemination of information and effective communication."

We understand what Bristow is talking about.  LOVE is restricted by the Town Of Oro Valley from getting responses directly from Oro Valley employees.  Our only interface is through town communications director Misti Nowak.  Misti, by they way, is very competent and a timely help to us on basic, single focused questions. However, answering more complex questions requires direct contact with the responsible town employee.

We wrote Mayor Hiremath, telling him that we thought we were on an official "do not help" list because we were not allowed to access town personnel.

The Mayor research the situation and responded to us:

"Oro Valley does not carry any official "Do not help" list. That was the most concerning thing that you had said and I wanted to make sure I looked into that first as I, as Mayor, would have been very concerned if a list like that actually existed!! 

Misti was correct in that Town staff does NOT do interviews for PRIVATE blogs. We direct private bloggers to the Town website or encourage them to attend events and write about things they see for themselves. The reason for that is that there are literally dozens and dozens of private blog sites that request interviews with staff and that is just not feasible for us to do."

We responded to the Mayor by telling him that we did not want to argue the point.

We think that this policy is wrong. We know that applying it to LOVE is wrong.  We are a community news source focused only on Oro Valley. We are accessible to all on the internet, so we are not a private blog.
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Guest View-Don Bristow's "After Election Thoughts"

Saying thank you hardly seems enough when I think of everything volunteers did for me during my campaign for Council.

Volunteers gave input into and revised my brochures and flyers; they stood on street corners holding signs of support; they walked neighborhoods and delivered thousands of flyers; they talked with, emailed and wrote letters to friends and neighbors about supporting me; they put my signs in their yards and neighbor’s yards; they invited me into their homes to become acquainted with me; they donated money to the campaign; and they called, emailed me, and stopped by with suggestions and encouragement. It really is each of them who make Oro Valley a Community of Excellence.

The election did not end the way I had hoped. However, it was a great honor to run for the Oro Valley Council, and to be supported and encouraged by so many concerned citizens who felt I could be their voice on the Council.

Running with a focus on the residents of Oro Valley, and funding my campaign with only individual donations was an uphill battle to say the least. I was pleased to receive around $2,000 in donations and spend approximately $3,000.

My opponents received significant funding from special interest groups. I worry that these special interests will continue to shape the future of Oro Valley as they have done for the last four year. The incumbents each received between $14,000 and $18,000 in donations, and their final receipts have not yet been reported. Mayor Hiremath, at the last reporting period, had received almost $35,000 and still counting. The four combined their efforts, and so far have reported expenses exceeding $25,000.

Almost all of their donations were from developers, builders, real estate people, car dealers, and others who interface with Town staff and Council. During the last four years, this Council’s ruling majority have catered to these groups and individuals. With the significant funding from these groups during this election, there is every reason to believe the residents’ needs will not receive fair consideration.

I plan to stay very involved, listen to, and speak on behalf of, in the mayor’s words after the election “the whiny minority” who, I believe do NOT distract from the town’s forward momentum. I hope that each of you will also be involved. Let’s move forward together, and make certain the Council hears and acts upon the needs and desires of all concerned citizens.
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Don Bristow is a long-time Oro Valley resident and 2014 candidate for Oro Valley Town Council. Don is a frequent speaker at Oro Valley council meetings and has been a member of various Oro Valley committees.

Guest View-Council Member Bill Garner: Straney and Bristow Are The Only Choice For Oro Valley

Thanks to the Citizens of Oro Valley, I am serving my second term on the Oro Valley Council. I have, up to now, tried to stay out of the pettiness that we have all witnessed. I have thought it inappropriate to openly campaign or endorse any candidate running for any Oro Valley office.

Town of Oro Valley Web Site

Although I truly believe that people who know me can probably quickly figure out where I stand on this year's race for Council and Mayor. I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight, in case there is any doubt. It is very important that Pat Straney be elected Mayor and that Don Bristow be elected to council.

Our current Mayor has done nothing to bring this Council together. He has had many opportunities to show unity on the Council. Instead he has chosen to flex his muscle and be divisive. He does not share what he does when he is out representing the Oro Valley as a member of the Pima Association of Governments (PAG) or the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA).

Our current Mayor was at the forefront in the failed recall attempt. I have never seen a sitting member of an elected body actively participate in, let alone lead the recall of another sitting member of that body. He has divided our community. He should be replaced so that we can take this town forward.

Pat Straney is a man with a corporate background. He has supervised large numbers of people and been responsible for large budgets. He has shown his leadership skills as the President of the Rancho Vistoso Community HOA. He is a man of integrity, with all the leadership qualities, and is deserving of your support.

Don Bristow has also been active in his neighborhood HOA. He has been a fixture at Council meetings and many Planning and Zoning meetings. He has shown an active interest in our Community and deserves to be on Council. Don studies the agenda and has, on many occasions, contacted the Council prior to the meeting with his insight. Don is well versed in the Town's Codes and Council Procedures. He will "hit the road running".  He will be an outstanding council member.

This is an important election. We need to change the complexion of the Council. It is time I stepped out and publicly stated my support...and do so for Pat Straney and Don Bristow.
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Straney and Bristow Seek To Unite Oro Valley

"What will you do to unite Oro Valley?" 

That question was put to the candidates at the Northwest Conservatives Forum on July 9.

Candidate Bristow summed up the feeling of many in the community.

"In my opinion there is discord. You can't have 3 council members very active in trying to recall another one, in the papers, out on the streets, and not have discord."  

Don also spoke of the need for respect for the opinions of others, respect that has been lacking in the council: "When you are discussing issues you do not attack people, you discuss the issues." Don would like to be sure in his tenure as council person to get the best opinions of all 7 members of council.

Candidate Straney observed: "I like energetic discussion... I seek alternate opinions. When people feel strongly... you need to do the hard job of listening."

It is not possible to fix a problem if you deny there is a problem. the Majority-4 deny that Oro Valley is a divided community.  Here is where they stand:

Hornat: "I don't think there is discord."
Council Member Hornat supports his position with information on council votes.  During the tenure of this council, there have been "..15, votes out of 158 votes that were 4-3 votes;  99 of them were 7-0 votes."  He feels that the council has aired their differences very well.

Hornat, as we previously reported, was gathering recall signatures at Fry's in Oracle in the last days of the recall effort when he was supposed to be at a meeting a Securaplane.  Hornat is also one of the 2 individuals on council who attack, rather than discuss issues.

Mayor Hiremath: I did it because it was right
Mayor Hiremath led the failed Zinkin recall effort. He did not answer the question as to how he would bring Oro Valley together.  Perhaps, he simply does not care to or think there is as need to bring the community together.  Rather, Hiremath lectured that it was his job to enforce the rules and that's what he was doing when he led the recall of Council Member Zinkin.

Council Member Snider: If someone is still offended "... all we need to do is talk about it."
Council Member Snider thinks that "I think the recall issue is over."  This from a council person who was still talking about the recall on February 24, a month after it failed.  She gave a speech at council on how "offended" she was by alleged remarks.

Council Member Waters: "Theres nothing wrong with disagreement,"
Council Member Waters asserted that "It is untrue that sitting Council Members organized any recall." Water's role in the recall was to advise the other members of the Majority-4 on how to "make the recall personal." Thus, Snider's Februry 24 remarks.
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Watch the video of the candidate responses.  Tell us which candidates are best qualified to bring Oro Valley together.
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Guest View-Don Bristow: Why I Want To Represent You On Council

After attending most of the Town council meetings for the past four years, I became aware of the growing dissention among council members. This dissention has become unacceptable to many Oro Valley citizens, myself included. For the sake of the Town and its citizens, this discord has to change.

After much thought, I decided the best way to return civility, cooperation, and team work to the council was from within. I will apply my consulting skills in team development and facilitation toward achieving this goal.

Attending council meetings, I also became aware of how few citizens attended and participated in these meetings. Since many may find it difficult to attend these meetings, I would like to be their voice as their citizen-centric council member.

My foremost responsibility will be to the citizens of Oro Valley. I pledge to seek and hear as many opinions as possible before making any decisions. I will respect the views of others, and offer compromises when appropriate. Additionally, many citizens have noted that some council members consistently show up unprepared for meetings.

I pledge to prepare for Council Meetings by researching agenda items in advance. I will listen carefully to presentations and speakers; ask pertinent follow-up questions; carefully evaluate each proposal; and adhere to the Oro Valley General Plan and Town Codes when making decisions.

The future of Oro Valley is very dependent on its financial health and a clearly written 2015 General Plan. I will support major projects, such as the development of Naranja Park, only after input from citizens and consultants and after financial plans has been reviewed and approved. I will strengthen fiscal responsibility by spending wisely on residents’ priorities, and by requiring supporting documents for all non-urgent projects. I will base my decisions on facts, not fantasy.

As your council member, I will work to strengthen the approval criterion for 2015 General Plan amendments and rezoning. I will maintain public safety and quality of life for all. I am also running for council to advocate for environmental and historical preservation as well as increased cultural, recreations, and learning opportunities for all ages.

Thank you for your support. It would be an honor to be your Councilmember.

Don Bristow
votedonbristow.com

Northwest Conservatives Forum Incumbents Misstate The Facts On Oro Valley's Employee Wage Increases They Granted

Last week the Northwest Conservatives hosted a candidate forum at the Oro Valley library.  LOVE's John Musolf video recorded the event.  We posted in on YouTube for you to view.  You can access it at the top right panel of this blog.  This posting is first of several that we will post regarding the forum.
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Incumbents Mayor Hiremath and Council Members Hornat, Snider and Waters either misstated the facts of simply obliquely responded when asked the following question at last week's Northwest Conservatives candidate forum.

"Lacking any evidence that the Town has difficulty retaining employees, the recently adopted salary increases were based on a study that compared Oro Valley to cities and counties with much larger populations. The increases are ongoing and also trigger increased retirement obligations for the Town. Given that residents’ incomes are flat or declining, and County property taxes are increasing significantly, please explain your views on fiscal responsibility relative to salaries.” 

Fact Check: When All Is Considered, The Average Wage Increase Is 6.5%, Mr. Mayor, not 2%

Mayor Hiremath stated:  "The reality is, the average raise the employees got was 2%."

Mayor Hiremath is wrong.

The fact is that the minimum one time salary adjustment was 2.7% for Oro Valley's top 24 employees. Some one-time adjustments are as high as 6%.  On top of this, each employee will receive an merit increase on their employment anniversary date of from 3.5 - 4.0% on their new base wage.  Taken together, the one-time adjustment plus the merit increases will average about 6.5%,  Some employees will see a double digit increase over their 2013-2014 compensatoin

Fact Check: There Is No Town Of Oro Valley Employee Retention Problem

No one discussed the retention rate of Oro Valley employees.    Our guess is the incumbents either never checked on what the retention rate is or that the retention rate is high, therefore not supporting their position.  We have seen no mass exodus of Oro Valley employees despite not receiving salary increase for 3 years. This is because there are few comparable job opportunities. 

Incumbent Lou Waters provided two examples of the town is losing employees. In neither case, compensation was not the reason.

Waters pointed to former town planner David Williams. Williams, be believe, left to go into private practice for, what we understand, were personal reasons over which the town would have no control; and the town's Human Resource Director, Ron Corbin, left to return to Yuma to be with his wife.  His position, based on this study, received a 8.3% earnings increase based on the study.

Fact Check: 8 of 11 Municipalities To Which Oro Valley Was Compared In The Salary Study Are In The Phoenix Area

Council Member Joe Hornat disputed that the study included towns bigger the Oro Valley. He observed that Sahuarita and Marana were included in the study. He is correct. However, these are only 2 of the 11 communities considered.   The fact is, as noted in our posting last week, 8 of the 11 cities in the study were in Maricopa County. All of these have substantially larger populations than Oro Valley.

Fact Check: Current Compensation Is Just One Possible Factor That Attracts Or Retains Quality Personal

Council Member Snider stated the following in response to the question:

"Any organization that thinks they can satisfy the needs of their constituents on mediocrity [of employees] is set up for failure."  

We think that Snider equates high pay to retaining quality employees.  Pay is merely one possible reason people want to work for the Town Of Oro Valley.

Some like public service. Some serve because a public sector job presents a more suitable life style than the pressure-filled competitive nature of the private sector. Others like working in the public sector because public sector jobs are more secure than private sector jobs. Some like it because the benefits they receive, like the ones offered in Oro Valley are far richer than those offered in other communities or the private sector.  Even others like it because of the rich defined benefits retirement program, a program that is no longer offered in the private sector. Regardless of the reason compensation is only one reason that motivates people to work for the Town of Oro Valley.

Fact Check: Challengers Agreed That Some Increase Was Warranted, However...

Mayoral Candidate Patrick Straney and Council Candidate Don Bristow observed that raises were in order for town staff.  Employees had, after all, not received increases in 3 years.

Bristow pointed out that it is the basis for determining the size of the raises that is of concern: "The problem is that the study [upon which the decision was made to significantly increase staff salaries] is flawed."

Pat Straney cautioned that Oro Valley should be thinking "long term" when it comes to granting salary increases.  Given the transient nature of most of Oro Valley's revenues: "We need to know the impact and where the money [in the future] is coming from" to pay for increases.
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Please watch the video. Then, tell us: What is your analysis of the responses?

Heather's Corner: The Bristow's Inspire Others Living With Diabetes

Did you know one of out nine Arizonans is affected by diabetes and one out of three children born after the year 2000, have been affected in some way.

According to the latest Arizona Diabetes Burden Report in 2011, there has been an 80% increase from 1995-2010 with people diagnosed with diabetes and due to those that go undetected it is reasonable to conclude there are more than 600,000 people living with diabetes here in our state. Chances are very high that you or someone you know is managing diabetes right now. (Source)

There is a steadfast national organization called the American Diabetes Association ("ADA"). The ADA local chapters in Arizona. These are dedicated to "...prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes." (Source) The ADA does this through funding research, providing services to communities, providing objective and credible information, and providing a voice for those living with diabetes that have been denied their rights.

Don Bristow, current Oro Valley Councilmember candidate, and his wife Diane, have long been volunteers for the ADA Southern Arizona Chapter for a number of years.  Diane has "lived as an insulin-dependent diabetic for 51+ years." Their intentions have always been to provide inspiration and hope for those living with diabetes and encourage them to know that it is possible to "celebrate 25, 50, 75 years or more of a life well-lived with diabetes."

Along with volunteering, they are both co-Chairs for the Rest Stops at the nationally held annual event, ADA Tour de Cure. The Tour de Cure is a 10k, 50k and 100k bike ride held each March. Its purpose is to "raise money and awareness for diabetes; provide community-based education programs; protect the rights of those with diabetes and fund research for a cure. This is one of two major fund-raising events for the Diabetic Association."

Source: Boston Museum of Science

Don and Diane Bristow's work with the ADA is of particular importance to Southern Arizona.

Diabetes is an extraordinary challenge for Southern Arizona's Tohono O'Odham Nation. It is so significant that the Nation, itself, identifies it as an epidemic.  "The Diabetes Epidemic: Until the 1960’s, no tribal member had ever suffered from type-2 (adult onset) diabetes. Today, more than 50% of all Tohono O’odham adults have the disease, the highest rate in the world." (Source)

"Many cultures that have lived in the Southwest deserts carry a gene that appears to help them adapt to cycles of food availability and scarcity that regularly occur in this environment," observers an exhibit at Boston's Museum of Science. This gene is common among the Tohono O'Odham people.

"People who carry this "feast or famine gene" generally have a lower metabolic rate."   Abundance of food, as in today's times, can lead to excessive weight gain.  Excessive weight is a major contributor to diabetes.

The ADA Southern Arizona chapter also helps advocate on federal, state, and local levels for the rights of individuals with diabetes and for setting the standards for care in hospitals and clinics. Some of their local events and programs consist of: Camp AZDA, family connection and support groups, quarterly "fun activities" designed to engage and educate children with diabetes and their families, and health fairs.

As always Oro Valley, there is room for you to get involved. Think about volunteering your time or resources to this cause. Chances are it is an organization that hits home closer than we'd like to appreciate.
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Heather Nenadovich has lived in Oro Valley a total of five years. She has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona. Her husband is Canadian so she is a hockey fan by default and so are her two very clever children. When not being a mommy, she enjoys hiking in Catalina State Park, hand building pottery, and gardening. Her favorite things about living in Oro Valley are the towns recognition of art and culture, their commitment to preserving nature and the Christmas parade. (Also anything from GMG Chinese Bistro.)

Meet The New Candidates: Pat Straney and Don Bristow Seek To Bring Civility Back To The Oro Valley Town Council

Recently, the Arizona Daily Star published regarding each of the six Oro Valley candidates. The article is brief.  Also a local advertising circular published about these candidates. They conveniently printed only the pictures of the Majority-4, They conveniently misstated that these 4 have served 2-terms, perhaps in an attempt to increase their "gravitas".

You already know the Majority-4.   You don't need to read about what they say now. You simply need to look at their performance during the past 4 years. You simply can judge them on their performance.

But, what of the two newcomers?  Would you like to meet them?

Today, June 11, we introduce them to you. Heck, we'll even post their picture!

We've done our homework on them. We've met with them. We know what they want to accomplish. We know they are viable candidates.  We want to share some of what he have learned.

Patrick Straney For Mayor

Pat Straney

You can read about Pat's background both as President of the Ranch Vistoso Master HOA and as a senior executive at General Motors (He left long before the bankruptcy) at his web site, votepatstraneymayor.com. So, we won't repeat it here. What we do want to share are some of the insights we learned during our conversations with him.

Pat believes that our elected officials need to work as a team.  He also believes that it is the Mayor's role to seek ways to build consensus. To Pat, discord has no role in Oro Valley governance.

Pat observed to us that he understands that council members will not always agree.  He sees lack of agreement as a good thing.  Pats experience has been that the best ideas often surface through the convergence of differing views. We agree.  He has demonstrated through is work in the public and private sector that he can build agreement.

Our conversations with Pat have been reassuring. He is "calm, cool and collected." He handled our tough questions directly. When we asked him, for example, if he were friendly with any of the Majority-4. He responded that he knows Mayor Hiremath because the Mayor appointed him to a advisory activity in town. He also told us that he serves on a Rancho Vistoso Community sub committee with Joe Hornat and that he enjoyed talking to Joe about issues that are shared by both Rancho Vistoso Community and Town of Oro Valley. Pat noted: "I want to be everyone's Mayor." We think that is a good thing!

We asked Pat his thinking on the role of the Mayor when it comes to managing the town. Pat believes that the Mayor needs to do his own thinking. He said that he is ready to do the hard work of preparing for every meeting by reading the materials and then meeting with staff.

When it comes to special interests Pat believes that as Mayor, Oro Valley is his special interest. He wants to provide the leadership required to build on the Town’s strengths and help guide it to the highest level of excellence – while preserving the history, culture and uniqueness that defines Oro Valley.

Pat doesn't believe that the Oro Valley Police Department or any other town department’s 's budget and operations should be a source of contention among council members. His plan is to fully understand the ample input received from the Oro Valley residents relative to their expectation of Town services provided. It is the council’s job to fully understand all aspects of providing such services over the long term and make knowledge based decisions that support Oro Valley excellence going forward.

Don Bristow For Council

Don Bristow, like Pat Straney, has been a resident of Oro Valley for a number of years. You can read about him by visiting his website, votedonbristow.com.

There are three things that we found refreshing when we spoke with Don regarding his candidacy.

First, Don is a citizen who takes action. He is active in our community even though, at present, he is neither an elected or appointed official.  For example:

• Don is passionate that Oro Valley’s codes and regulations should be reviewed and followed.  He believes that these codes should not ignored or administratively modified to suit special interests. Rather than complaining about violations, he actually does something about it.  When Don sees what he believes to be a sign or display code violation, he reports it to town staff, with accompanying photos.  He knows its a violation because he knows the code.  Most often, the violations he reports are validated by town staff. Corrections are made.
• Don’s interest goes far beyond signage. He attends virtually all council meetings and many board and commission meetings. He has brought forth issues to staff and council such as permitting a u-haul rental facility where it did not belong; to challenging a staff conclusion that an RV motor coaches and towable trailers are, by definition, merely cars. This definition allows for the display of RV motor coaches and towable trailers at the Oro Valley Marketplace, a display which does little to benefit Oro Valley.

Don has demonstrated the he, like Pat, will do his homework. He will be prepared to do his job knowledgeably.  Don will listen to all presentations and ask questions before making his decisions.

Second, Don will do his council job effectively because he is a measured, respectful person. He gets along with everyone because he is respectful to all. His positions are fact-based. They are presented in a manner that is both understandable and verifiable.

Third, Don believes the only special interest group is you, the citizens of Oro Valley.  This does not mean that he will ignore other interests. It means that he will seek council decisions that balance the needs of the citizens with the needs of other interests, including the business community. Within that context, he told us that he will use the Oro Valley’s General Plan and Town regulations as his guide to making decisions while on council.

We asked Don what he would like to accomplish while on Council.  He responded that he would like to transform the Oro Valley Town Council into a highly cooperative team, a team that demonstrates respect not only for fellow council members but also for the citizens of Oro Valley.  He would seek fiscal responsibility by spending wisely on priorities that matter to the residents of Oro Valley.  He would also advocate for environmental, historical and cultural preservation in Oro Valley.  Of course, all of this would be done, he noted, in the context of maintaining quality of life and public safety for all in Oro Valley.
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Both Pat and Don are registered Independents, like us.

Mixed Use: A Bad Thing To Some-- A Good Thing To Others

We have written  about a potential land use designation called "Mixed Use."  We have even posted guest views on it.  In June, we reported that the Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission recommended that Oro Valley Development and Infrastructure Department look at it as part of their planning efforts. Yesterday, we reported that town staff and some council are in favor of it and are moving forward to amend the current general plan to include it.

So, how do the residents feel?

Two residents spoke about mixed use zoning at the July 3 Oro Valley council meeting. Their comments appeared during the "blue card" portion of the review of the Oro Valley Development and Infrastructure Department 2013-1015 plan.   They residents are Don Bristow and Bill Adler.  Both are knowledgeable and articulate on the subject.

Don's comments were the main thrust of his call to audience remarks.  Bill's were a part of a large discussion of items.  We thought you would like to view both remarks because they clearly differentiate the two opposing views.

In Don's case: "My opinion is that council and town staff do not legitimately have  a mandate  from the citizens of Oro Valley to place mixed use designations on the zoning maps... to be included in the 2015 plan for the citizens to ratify."  Don believes that the town should first define "mixed use", apply it to the zoning maps, if applicable, and then put it in front of the voters as part of the general plan update.

Bill's postion is that "Planning staff has developed a definition for it and there is no anticipation of changing the land use map. All we are trying to do is to add an element so that the option to designate would be an option for the applicant to choose to have their property designated as mixed use. This is not something that the town will impose. It is something that the town will afford to an applicant."

Later, during the same discussion at the council meeting, Council Member Hornat observed: "I would never support the imposition of mixed use on a physical property." Continuing, he noted: "I would support an alternative that specifically said: 'If you're going to do mixed use, these are the kinds of things you're going to do.'"  Hornat further observed: "I agree with Mike [Zinkin] that the citizens deserve a chance to look at this." Later, however, he states: "I would like to see a minor general plan amendment that we have fixed use" so that staff can move forward to develop the code for it."

Tell us what you think.

• Do you understand the concept of "Mixed Use?"
• Do you think its a "good thing" for Oro Valley?
• Do you think that it should considered as a general plan amendment, as an inclusion in the 2015 general plan, or not at all?

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