Bits and Pieces

Chamber honors local businesses and community leaders 

The Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce recognized local businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders at its 34th annual meeting, held at El Conquistador on March 26.  There were more than 330 attendees. Among the awards: A Senior Journey was named Outstanding Small Business; Anchor Wave received Outstanding Midsize Business; and Splendido at Rancho Vistoso was recognized as Outstanding Large Business. In the nonprofit category, Hearts of Gold Police Family Outreach Foundation and Youth On Their Own were honored, while Karen Kochhar of Right at Home Tucson was named Outstanding Community Leader. The Chamber also presented its Legacy Award to Art State Arizona, highlighting its lasting contribution to the community.

Town agrees to pay county almost $12,900 for election services this year
The Oro Valley Town Council approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Pima County Recorder’s Office to provide election services for the 2026 election cycle, including voter registration maintenance, early voting, and ballot processing for both the July 21 primary and November 3 general elections. The agreement, which runs through the end of 2026, continues the Town’s longstanding practice of using county services to conduct its elections. The cost of these services is expected to be about $12,900, which will be paid to the county for administering the elections. (Source: The Oro Valley Town Council Meeting of April 8, 2026)

Town urges residents to sign up for CodeRED emergency alerts

The Town of Oro Valley is encouraging residents and businesses to sign up for CodeRED, a free emergency notification system that delivers alerts by phone, text, email, and social media. The system is used for urgent situations such as AMBER alerts, hazardous road conditions, boil water advisories, and evacuation notices. Officials recommend that users verify and update their contact information, including adding alternate numbers, to improve reliability during emergencies. The Town notes that CodeRED complements its broader communication efforts and helps ensure timely delivery of important safety information.  (Town of Oro Valley Media Release)

State delay voided commercial use tax approval...Council to restart process

Town staff informed the Oro Valley Town Council that the use tax approved in January has been voided after the Arizona Department of Revenue failed to update the official model tax code within the required 10-day period, despite receiving the Town’s ordinance within that timeframe. As a result, the Town must restart the process, including public notification and a new council vote. Council voted 5-1 to authorize staff to begin that process, with plans to bring the item back for consideration in June.  (Source: The Oro Valley Town Council Meeting, April 8, 2026)

Oro Valley leaders support Camp Corral fundraiser for military families

Oro Valley Councilmembers Elizabeth Robb and Mary Murphy will join the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 39 at a fundraiser for Camp Corral on Sunday, April 19 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Golden Corral (6865 N. Thornydale Road). Camp Corral is a national nonprofit that provides a free week of summer camp for children of wounded, ill, and fallen military service members, and has served thousands of children nationwide since its founding. The event will include raffle ticket sales, silent auction items, and donation opportunities, with proceeds helping send military children to camp and support the organization’s programs. The event is free to attend. (Source: Camp Corral Flyer)

Residents voice no opinion on the Path Forward General Plan at first public hearing

Tuesday, we reported that the Planning and Zoning Commission was holding a public hearing on the final resident-recommended draft of the Path Forward General Plan. As it turned out, only one resident had requested to speak but, when called, declined to do so. The Commission discussion focused on questions about specific elements of the plan, including broadband access for safety, and included general support for the plan and the level of resident participation in its development. The Commission will hold a second public hearing on April 14 before making a recommendation to Town Council.

Battle of the Bands registration opens for high school musicians

Registration is now open for the Oro Valley Battle of the Bands, scheduled for Friday, May 22 at 7:15 p.m. at Steam Pump Ranch. Bands must submit an original demo or YouTube link by May 15, with selected groups performing a three-song set in front of a live audience. To be eligible, at least half of each band’s members must be high school students. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges, with first, second, and third place prizes awarded. (Source: Town of Oro Valley Parks and Recreation Bulletin)

Chamber Candidate Forum set for April 23

The Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce will host a candidate forum on April 23 at the Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene, providing residents an opportunity to hear directly from candidates ahead of the July 21 primary election. The event is free and open to the public, and attendees are encouraged to submit questions in advance to help guide the discussion.  

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Five Oddities

Five oddities
Yesterday we reported our fact-based analysis of the decision by the Town Council to overrule the Planning and Zoning Commission regarding the height permitted for the new Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene (OVCN) sanctuary. As we reported, the Council approved a 36-foot height. But what we didn’t report were the oddities we observed during that meeting. There were many—but here are our top five:

Council ignores four years of input from residents
The residents most directly impacted by the decision have been attending Council meetings and speaking during the “Call to Audience” portion for the past four years. They have consistently voiced concerns about the church's expansion. None of this was acknowledged by the Council during last week’s discussion. Instead, Mayor Winfield referred to an impromptu “survey” based on emails he received just days before the meeting, regarding the church’s request for a continuance. He reported that 10 of the 13 emails he received supported granting the continuance. He gave full weight to these last-minute emails rather than four years of sustained public comment. The rest of the Council went along with it.

What happened during the five-minute timeout, and why did Barrett change her mind?
After spending considerable time making an impassioned plea for a 29-foot height limit, Vice Mayor Barrett asked for a five-minute recess to reconsider. Her words were: “Can I ask for us to take a five-minute break? I just—I really want to think for a minute.” Some have speculated that she may have been influenced during that break by one or more Council members, but there is no evidence of that, and such speculation is not helpful without proof. Still, taking a break to reflect isn’t wrong—but it does invite speculation when a clear change in position follows so closely afterward.

The "Clifton Matter:" Why was it brought up at the same time?
It seemed odd that the Clifton matter was discussed during the executive session just before the public discussion of the OVCN height appeal. The Clifton case involves a court ruling against the Town, where the court found that a town body—specifically the Board of Adjustment—erred in a height-related decision. The Town not only lost the case but was ordered to pay Clifton's legal fees and costs of about $19,000. Immediately after the executive session, the Council voted to appeal the Planning and Zoning Commission OVCN height ruling. It’s hard to ignore the timing: A height-related legal loss followed by a sensitive height decision in public session. It makes one wonder whether town attorneys were subtly signaling the Council to avoid a possible courtroom setback. If so, the Council followed that signal precisely.

Robb voted "Yes”
Councilmember Robb lives directly across from the church property and is personally affected by the decision. Rather than standing with the Concordia-Buena Vista group, which opposed the height increase, she voted in favor of it. Her decision was in sharp contrast to Councilmember Greene, an OVCN member, who celebrated openly after the vote. Perhaps Robb believed the outcome was inevitable and decided to go along with it. But as the saying goes: "Never go along just to get along."

OVCN snatches victory from the jaws of defeat
OVCN came to the meeting hoping for a continuance, fearing the Council might reject their height request. Instead, by the end of the night, they got everything they wanted—approval for the full 36 feet. The residents, meanwhile, got nothing. In fact, their concerns weren’t even a factor in the Council’s discussion. Not once did anyone on the dais speak to the repeated objections and long-standing input from affected neighbors.

Yes, it was a strange night, indeed.
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Out With The Old. In With The New.

Out with the old. In with the new.
Tonight marks the dawn of a new era for the Oro Valley Town Council. Two new members will be seated. Two former members, both of whom have created controversy during their years on the council, will be gone.

An Era of Peace?
We expect this to be an era of peace, at least for the next two years. That’s when four seats on the council, including the mayor’s seat, will be up for reelection.

Reflections on Past Councils
This is the first time we can recall a council this peaceful. The councils chaired by Mayor Paul Loomis were full of characters who liked to argue with each other. It was actually quite funny. The councils chaired by Mayor Hiremath were marked by ongoing efforts by some majority members, led by Council Member Solomon, to target the three council members who didn’t agree with them. They were constantly harassed and bullied. Add to that the fact that one of those council minority members was continuously focused on the police department. It’s never a good idea to go after the police department in Oro Valley.

A Calmer Council Outlook
For at least the next two years, there will be no wrangling on the council. There will be no harsh words among council members. Nothing negative will be said about Town staff. There will be no “points of order” used by one council member, Solomon yet again, to harass Tim Bohen. There will be lots of seconding by Council Member Mo Greene. And we suspect many more bland council topics produced by a very passive Town Manager who, a year ago, replaced a town manager with an aggressive agenda shaped by the previous administration.

New Members Ready to Serve
The two new council members, Elizabeth Robb and Mary Murphy, are “ready to go.” They are both interesting people with very different backgrounds. They'll bring fresh perspectives to this council. Both have been attending introductory meetings with Town staff. These meetings are designed to familiarize them with all facets of Town operations. We recently spoke with both of them, and their level of enthusiasm is high. They are starting their four years on the council with open minds.

Wishing Them Well
We can only wish them well.

We hope they don’t step on any land mines.

Shake Up the Council: Massive Undervoting Signaled Strong Support for Newcomers

Most voters cast only two, and not three votes
In the 2024 Oro Valley Council election, the vast majority of voters made a deliberate choice: Instead of voting for the allowed three candidates, 70% chose to vote for only two. The two candidates they overwhelmingly supported were Mary Murphy and Elizabeth Robb, who together received 4,800 more votes than incumbents Tim Bohen and Mo Greene. This gave them a significant 30% voting advantage in a four-person race. It’s likely that some voters paired Greene with Murphy or Bohen with Robb in their selections, but most decided not to cast their third vote.

Demonstrating a desire for new leadership
The clear message from voters in 2024 was: "We want fresh thinking on the council." Although incumbent Mo Greene was re-elected, it seems to be more due to the availability of an additional seat and a lack of a strong newcomer opponent rather than strong voter support. Greene received nearly 2,000 fewer votes than either of the two newcomers, suggesting that his presence on the council is more a result of circumstance than a strong voter mandate.

Golf Course stance cost Bohen the election
Greene narrowly defeated Bohen by 556 votes, with 542 of those votes coming from the three precincts around the town’s municipal golf courses. Bohen, known for his critical stance on the financial transparency of the town's golf operations, evidently lost support in these areas. However, his position didn’t gain him additional votes elsewhere in the community, indicating that most voters are indifferent to the golf course issue. This outcome highlights a key lesson from this election.

A shift in voter sentiment from the 2022 Election
The 2024 Council election results are a stark contrast to those of 2022, when voters clearly supported the continuation of the current council's direction by re-electing the three incumbents—Barrett, Nicolson, and Jones Ivey—with a 4,700-vote plurality, an 18% advantage in a six-person race. The number of ballots with less than three council votes in the 2024 election was notably higher, with 70% of voters opting not to use their third vote, compared to just 15% under-voting in 2022.

The new members will be seated on council in early November.

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Editor Note: An “undervote” occurs in an election when a voter selects fewer candidates than the number allowed for a particular race. For example, if voters are permitted to choose up to three candidates but only select one or two, those unselected slots are considered undervotes. The undervote is calculated by subtracting the total number of votes cast for all open positions from the total number of votes that could have been submitted. In our analysis, we divided that number by the number of ballots cast to determine the percent of ballots that contained less than three votes.  

Town Council Candidate, Elizabeth Robb – A Life of Service

Today we present Oro Valley Town Council Candidate, Elizabeth Robb’s opening statement during the Sun City Candidate Forum held on June 12.
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"My name is Elizabeth Robb, and I have been fortunate enough to have led an interesting life as I was born into a military family.

My father served in Vietnam, and while I was in college getting my Animal Science degree, despite being told “a lady doesn't do that,” I took ROTC and I joined the North Carolina National Guard. My basic training is what brought me out to Arizona, and during Desert Storm, I applied for active duty. I spent three and a half years in Germany as an interrogation platoon leader, as a headquarters executive officer, and as a signals battalion intelligence officer. I then returned to Arizona and got my company command at the intelligence school at Fort Huachuca.

I met the man who was eventually going to be my husband, got married, and went into the Army Reserves out in Phoenix. I then passed the national EMT exam, and I volunteered for the Southern Arizona Rescue Association as a rescuer, as a medical instructor, and as a board member.

In addition to raising my own special needs child, I raised two step-daughters, and I was a foster care infant emergency placement home. I ended up adopting one of my placements. He just graduated from CDO High School. I’m very proud of him.

I volunteered for 15 years in the amphitheater school district, doing assorted jobs. I eventually became a classified substitute so that I could continue doing those jobs even after my kids moved on. My boys were active in Boy Scouts, and I participated as a Cub Scout den leader, an outdoor coordinator, a merit badge counselor, and an Eagle mentor. Additionally, I've served as treasurer in five different organizations, and I've run my own successful small business for the last 15 years. Fiscal responsibility is an area where I excel.

I’m not an incumbent so I can't talk about my voting record. I can only talk about the skills I bring and the vision that I have for the future of Oro Valley.

When I moved to Oro Valley 26 years ago, the town covered 28 square miles, and my house was across the street from the southern border of Oro Valley. That border is now almost two miles further south, and the town now covers 36 square miles. I've watched our town grow and I would now like the opportunity to be a part of shaping that future -- together, with you.

I believe my experiences and unique set of skills will serve me well in representing you on the Oro Valley Town Council and guiding the direction of our town for the next four years. I've served my country, I've served my community, and I've served my family. Now I'm ready to serve you on the Oro Valley Town Council.

I ask for your vote on July 30th. Thank you so much for the opportunity to introduce myself to you."

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Sun City Forum: Robb's Goal Is To "Prevent Bad Decisions"

Insightful perspectives directly from the candidates 

This is the second part of our series on the Sun City Candidate Forum held on June 12. Last week, we wrote about Mo Greene's council goals. Tomorrow we feature Tim Bohen. Thursday we feature Mary Murphy, Today we feature Elizabeth Robb, in her own words.
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Elizabeth Robb: Prevent bad decisions

 “At this stage in Oro Valley’s growth, I believe one of the most important jobs of our town council is to prevent bad decisions. Oro Valley has a wonderful small-town feel, lots of outdoor recreational opportunities, and spectacular scenic views. We need to maintain that."

Responsible growth is imperative

"We don’t need, and you have said you don’t want, five- and six-story buildings. Every Saturday, when I’m selling at the farmer’s market—that’s my business—I see La Posada, the continuous care community, growing in front of me because I’m facing right towards it. And I think to myself, how did we get this giant five-story building in Oro Valley?Preventing decisions like that is one of the reasons I’m running for town council."

Additionally, "We don’t need to rezone all of our remaining commercial land into super-dense, poorly-planned apartments that will negatively impact our water. Many of you signed the petition against the Avilla tiny rental home development proposed on both sides of the Safeway. I attended one of those meetings, and I disagreed with that rezoning also. That’s another reason I am running for town council."

Stop pouring unchecked amounts of money into golf
"We don’t need to continue pouring unchecked amounts of money into golf. Some people pay for their own golf courses. If you look at our municipal golf operations in Oro Valley, we have spent an average of about $2.5 million a year since we acquired the golf course and the community center in 2015. We just spent $9.1 million redoing the irrigation systems, cart paths, and bunkers on two golf courses, and now the 10-year budget projection has almost an additional $13 million planned for the community center. The spending on golf and the Community Center has got to be brought under control and in line with other parks and recreation spending."

We don’t need outside money running our town
“We don’t need outside money funding candidates in our elections to try to force on us what we don’t want or need. This is an important issue. For example, the part-owner of the Oro Valley Marketplace has put an enormous amount of money into candidates running for our town elections in the last several elections, including this one.

After they were not successful in their last election, their apartments at the Oro Valley Marketplace were held to two and three stories. If you’re like me and not in favor of 75-foot tall buildings, it’s important to know who is funding our candidates. I have self-funded my campaign with my own money and small donations because I want to serve your interests, not special interests.” 

Let's reserve our open spaces

"We need to preserve our scenic corridors and outdoor open spaces. Oro Valley's biggest challenge is how we manage the remaining 6% of our undeveloped land because it affects everything. It affects our water, it affects our views, it affects our traffic, and it affects our small town feel."

We need to manage town finances to ensure fiscal sustainability

"Our second biggest challenge is how we're going to manage our finances. I've attended both recent council meetings on the upcoming fiscal year 2024-25 budget and I have a pretty good understanding of how I would approach ensuring we never reach a fiscal crisis. We do not need and should never have a property tax. Oro Valley was built on that principle and I will uphold that."

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Bits and Pieces

Sign Destruction Continues…Police Involved
Council candidates report that all candidate signs were stolen at corners on La Cholla and Lambert and LaCholla and Naranja.  This appears to be vandalism. However, Robb and Bohen’s signs have been targeted and destroyed in multiple locations, including Pusch View Lane and Oracle.  Tuesday night we learned that a Greene sign at LaCholla and Tangering was sliced with the face cut out. A Murphy sign was on the ground in the same area. 

What is going on people? The police have been notified and are currently investigating the incidents. They are determined to catch the culprits.

Incidents are under investigation by the
Oro Valley Police Department

Follow Up: SRO Program Costs Oro Valley $550,000 Annually
In April, we reported that in 2023/24 the town received $90,000 from the Amphi School District for the School Resource Officers it provides to the district’s schools. According to the Oro Valley Police Department the cost of these officers is $639,885 for this year. Though the years are different, our best guess is that the annual cost of the program to the town is about $550,000. 

Sandbags available during Monsoon season
Last week marked "… the official start of monsoon season, and the Town of Oro Valley wants to make sure residents are monsoon ready. The Town will once again provide free sandbags to residents who may need to protect areas of their homes from storm runoff. Sandbag pickup is located at 9451 N. Egleston Drive, which is behind the fields at James D. Kriegh Park. Sandbags will be available beginning Monday, June 17, through September 30, 2024. The lot is accessible from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. "(Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Release)

CDO shared use path closures to enable water flood control
This week, the Pima County Regional Flood Control District began a Cañada del Oro (CDO) Wash Levee Augmentation Project along share use path.  There will be intermittent closures from N. La Cañada Drive to N. Oracle Road, with completion expected by November 2024, weather permitting. Following the 2020 Bighorn Fire, sediment build-up decreased the wash’s capacity, necessitating this project to restore capacity and enhance flood protection for nearby homes and businesses.  (Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Release)

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The Battle for Oro Valley: Which Three Candidates Will Secure Your Vote?

Four candidates seek three open seats

There are four candidates for three council seats. You will be voting for them in the July 30 primary. If you are a registered independent, be  sure to order either a Republican or a Democrat Ballot or you won't be able to vote unless you go the the polls. You can order your ballot by contacting the Pima County Recorder's Office at 520-724-4330.

Vote only for those you want in office

Now that you know how to vote, you need to decide for whom you are going to vote. There are three council seats so you can cast up the three votes. You're not required to do so. You should cast a vote for only those whom you want on council. Otherwise, if you vote for a person you don't want on council, you increase the vote count threshold for those you want on council.

LOVE's "Candidate Snapshot" can help you decide

We've created a "Candidate Snapshot"which summarizes each candidate.We created the snapshot based on research and based on our discussions with three of the  candidates. 

The candidates share common ground on issues such as water conservation, public safety, fiscal responsibility, and community engagement. They differ in their approaches to revenue diversification, growth management, specific water conservation initiatives, and their methods of collaboration and engagement.

While the candidates do agree on the following...

• The importance of water conservation and sustainable management of water resources. 
• The importance of maintaining strong public safety services and ensuring that police officers are well-compensated and supported. 
• The need for fiscal responsibility, though they have different approaches to achieving it 
• The importance of community engagement and collaboration with regional authorities and state agencies.

There is some divergence in their approach

• When it comes to fiscal responsibility, Bohen wants to focus attention on improving the efficiency of town operations and better prioritization of spending, while Greene, Robb, and Murphy are open to diversifying revenue through various means. 
• When it comes to growth management, Bohen emphasizes infill development, while the others are more open to strategic growth in areas with infrastructure and preserving the town’s character. 
• Regarding water conservation, Bohen proposes direct non consumption drinking water use reduction actions, while others focus on using technology, promoting responsible usage, and water harvesting.
• In the area of collaborating with other entities, Bohen focuses on direct engagement, Greene emphasizes strategic planning and grants, Robb highlights proactive partnerships, and Murphy emphasizes regional planning and resource sharing.

Tomorrow, Sun City is holding a candidate forum. This is something they've done for years. However, we've learned that this time the forum is not really a forum and that it is not open to the public, so we're not sure whether will be able to report on it or not. If we can will let you know what we learn.

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Meet Council Candidate Elizabeth Robb

Meet Elizabeth Robb in her own words

We met Elizabeth Robb last week with the purpose of providing insights to our readers about who she is and why she decided to run for a council seat in the July election. Here is what she had to say. The words are hers...the subtitles are ours.

A Passion for Education and Community

 "Since the boys were in elementary, I jumped in… started helping with the school, whenever and wherever they needed help and with the PTO. I also got involved with Cub Scouts, I started helping in the High School as a classified substitute teacher."

A business owner of "Elizabeth's Garden"

Robb reminisces about the humble beginnings of her agricultural venture, highlighting her passion for farming and entrepreneurship.  "Elizabeth's Garden started with a garden overflowing with tomatoes... and it's gone crazy from there. Now I've got a whole general store." You have likely have seen her at the town's Saturday Farmer's Market, 

A LOVE of Oro Valley

"The army brought me out here. Then I went to Germany for a couple of years. Then I came back and met my husband and stayed…We already knew we liked this school district. And then we looked at Oro Valley and the area around. I was like, you know, this is perfect." 

A focus on supporting public safety

”We have a fabulous, wonderful, safe community. We've got a great police department. We've been supporting them well. And we need to keep doing that.”

Preserving recreation and open space

 “Oro Valley is a great place for outdoor recreation, and it needs to stay that way. There’s so much fun recreational outdoor activities that people can do of all levels.” Robb reeled off a list to us" "…the aquatic center….playgrounds… parks…archery…Steam Pump Ranch…movies…bike events...We’ve got pickleball, we've got the weight facility that's in the community center, which my son is using. And then we've got all the trails in the mountains and all the trails around town, bike paths. ...You want to find something to do they offer all those classes.”

Assuring our water supply

“We have enough water available as long as we don't overbuild. We need to stay within what our water supply is, keep our water use reasonable, try to preserve it. We live in a desert. And there's lots of issues coming up with water and I don't know any good solutions to, but we'll try and find the best one we possibly can.”

Ensuring responsible development

"No development is not realistic... but we can't have completely out of control development that's going to change the atmosphere and the feel and the function of Oro Valley."

A decision to make a first hand difference

"Over the past three years, I’ve watched the events surrounding the [Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene] request for a sports complex rezoning. I’ve gained insight into how our town operates from this and from my experience in building our garage and interacting with planning and zoning. As a result, I’ve been paying closer attention to Oro Valley's affairs, recognizing various zoning issues and studying town agendas. I realized there's an opportunity for positive change, and I know I can help. My background as a company commander and involvement in brigade and battalion staff have equipped me with experience in meetings, planning, and working with diverse groups. Additionally, my involvement with various committees and organizations, such as PTOs and Boy Scouts, has honed my skills in organizing people and achieving objectives."

Want to learn more?

You can learn more about Elizabeth Robb? Visit her campaign website.

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