Here’s What Happened While We Were Away…

Town Finance Director: Oro Valley successfully negotiated the financial challenge of Covid-19

…this according to town finance manager, Wendy Gomez speaking at the May 19 town council meeting was referring to the projections for the year based on actual results through March. Gomez attributed this to holding the line on spending; and that revenues “…have significantly out performed expectations.” 

Speaking of the general fund, Gomez noted said the fund revenues are estimated to be 20% over budget for the year, at $52,2 million. The primary sources of this are federal government “rescue” money; higher than expected local sales tax revenues (12% over budget); and increased commercial and residential construction activity that is driving license and permit revenue. Spending is estimated to be 2.7% under budget.

Council to consider completed Parks and Recreation Master Plan as a “reference” for future spending decisions

The Oro Valley Town Council discussed the parks and recreation master plan at it’s May 19 meeting. According to the town’s master plan project consultant, the master plan “…provides information over which to make decisions” on parks and recreation spending now and in the future. The council made it clear in the resolution it passed (Panel at right) that this plan is not going to be implemented as is and that the community will continue to provide input

“This work is an invaluable tool for us but we are not committing to any particular spending,” noted Council Member Bohan. “It’s a plan. It’s not something we are going to be locked into,” according the Council Member Joyce-Ivey.

Mayor Winfield and Vice Mayor Barrett have proposed what they would like to see happen with Parks and Recreations spending next year.

La Posada Senior Living Facility Development Progressing

In March, LOVE reported that the Nakoma Sky senior living project was back in operation. Owners of the La Posada Senior Living Facility (formerly titled “Nakoma Sky”) develop ment have submitted a new conceptual architecture plan for the main part (Area C on map at left) of their development. This is the five-story apartment portion. This retirement community is located north of Home Depot and on the northern side of the CDO wash. The Hiremath council approved the entire project in 2016. “The maximum height (75', 5 stories)was previously approved as part of the PAD zoning in 2014 and is not under consideration. However, the revised design reduces the building mass by decreasing the height of the residential buildings from east to west.” The Planning and Zoning Commission will hear this item in tonight’s meeting.

GRDF says: “No Burning”

The Golder Ranch Fire District announced this past Thursday that it will not issue any burning permits. Also, any permits issued during the past 180 days are revoked.  “The conditions in our region are very dry and we are going to do everything we can to keep our community safe,” says Chief Randy Karrer. (Source: GRFD Press Release). Remember last summer. One dry lightening strike and the Catalina’s burned for two months.

Fireworks Test June 3

The town is conducting a fireworks test of nine shots this Thursday at 8:30pm.  It is a test of the July 4th fireworks show from Naranja  Park.  The test is a chance for residents to see if they can see the fireworks from their house as there will be no in person visits to the park allowed on July 4.

uPetsia makes pet breath smell better for longer.

No. this is not an advertisement. Its about our Oro Valley based startup.

 

The company, uPetsia, resides in the Center for Innovation in Oro Valley. It is the winner of an event sponsored by the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce. “uPetsia (rhymes with "“You betcha") is a startup focused on making dog breath smell better for longer by engineering bacteria for dog and cat microbiota. uPetsia's product is incorporated into pet treats and chews and provides hours of minty-fresh breath. The The winner for the UACI Sponsored Launch Fueled by Greater Oro Valley Chamber of underlying technology was developed at the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and BIO5 Institute by founders Eric Lyons, David Baltrus and Scott Zentack. Tech Launch Arizona (TLA), the technology commercialization arm of the UArizona refined and protected the invention and also helped them identify their best market.” (Source: May 2021 Center for Innovation Newsletter)

Bits and Pieces

2021 Water Utility Annual Report Available
The Town of Oro Valley Utility has issued its 2020 Annual Report. Some highlights:

• Produced 7,700 “Football Field’s” of drinking water, 1 foot deep

• Served 20,700 connections serving 46,500 resident

• Open 24/7/365

• The utility is fiscally sound

Look for LOVE’s upcoming series on water starting this Monday.

Council chambers being remodeled

“The Orv Valley Town Council Chambers has been completely gutted, down to the frame. We are modernizing the chambers to better serve the public by adding current AV technology. We are expanding the chambers by increasing the room size and removing unnecessary architectural elements that were taking up space within the old chambers. This will add audience capacity. We are reorienting the Dias and presentation viewing to better accommodate the entire audience. And we are upgrading all the furniture.

 

The renovation cost is over $500K due to the following: 

• Modernization of the AV for better conveyance of information to Council and the public. 
• Increasing the room size, causes the building to be structurally altered to accommodate. 

As a government building, we are subject to commercial building standards – far more stringent and robust than residential construction. Construction costs in general have increased greatly through the pandemic. In some cases, costs have increased over 30%.” (Source: Town of Oro Valley)

Tech Connect online magazine features the Oro Valley Innovation Center

This spring’s online issue of Tech Connect Magazine features the Oro Valley UA Innovation Center. Worth a quick read.

Busy day for first responders

Yesterday, was a busy day for first responders. We came across two incidents and snapped a couple of shots . One was a 10am traffic accident. It was at Oracle and Tangerine. A car traveling from Tangerine to Northbound Oracle met another southbound on Oracle.   That closed two lanes on Oracle for a spell.  Then, at 5:30 last night, first responders aided an injured soccer player at Riverfont Park.  

Generally, you don’t see one incident in a day. But two? 

Good to see just how good are Oro Valley’s first responders.

Beware of Lakeshore Learning phishing email 

If you have a comcast email address, you may receive an email from Lakeshore Learning confirming an order. The email is an order. It says you used PayPal to pay for it. The order asks that you click a link if you did not make this order. Do not click the link. Do not call the customer service phone number on the order. Just delete it.

Bits and Pieces

Tech Parks' Startup Incubator, UACI Opens its Doors in Oro Valley 

In mid December, The University of Arizona Center for Innovation opened its new bioscience-focused startup incubator facility in Oro Valley. The new center is officially up and running and ready to support bioscience startups with the resources, programming, facilities and mentorship needed for startups to thrive. The incubator will offer companies access to shared laboratory equipment like an ultra-low freezer, biosafety cabinets and an inverted fluorescence microscope. Startups will also be guided through a 27-point roadmap for business enterprises designed to support bioscience discoveries and help translate them into marketable technologies.

The center’s first tenant is TheraCea Pharma, a UA drug technology spinoff that in early November was named winner of a “sponsored launch” competition for a slot in the incubator sponsored by BioSA. (Source: Innovation Center Press release)

Council approves pay increase

The Oro Valley Town Council approved a pay increase of 3% for all employees starting in January. This will cost the town $385,000 through June 30. It will permanently embed $888,000 in cost to next year's budget.  This amount does not include the added fringe benefit costs that are based as percent of salary. 

Previously, the Town Council requested the Town Manager to assess market and revenue trends and come back to provide an update and recommendation regarding potential salary increases." Town Manager Jacobs' assessment is that the town needs to do this in order to provide competitive wages; and that the town can afford it by not added open positions.

Is there anyone you know who has received a pay increase during Pandemic times? We know many who are living on less.

2020 in the rear view mirror

TakeBackOV published a quick retrospective on Oro Valley's 2020. Well worth watching.

Troon is back!

The town replace Troon, the company that managed the Town of Oro Valley golf courses, with Billy Casper Golf this fall. Troon announced the purchase of Indigo Golf, which was formerly called Billy Casper Golf. Read about the purchase. 

Guest View: "Senior Independent Living Project Stonewalled"

LOVE preface

The following is a guest view from landowner Ron Cohn. Cohn owns the land adjacent to and west of Securaplane. This land abuts Tangerine Road. It's legal title: "Block 6, Innovation Corporate Center." 

According to Cohn, the lot is a permitted use for a senior living facility. That permitted use was granted by council in 2008 (Source: Ordinance 08-02, Exhibit A). "Assisted living/ skilled nursing/continuum of car facilities shall be permitted on parcels...within the Innovation Corporate Center."

Cohn believes that this clause requires the town to issue a permit for construction of his planned independent living facility.  He has been refused such by the town and has embarked on an effort to inform the council and the public of this injustice.

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Guest View

Bayer Vella and J.J. Johnston in concert with Joe Winfield have been blocking the issuance of a building permit for a beautiful 136-unit Senior Resort Style project on 8 acres. Johnston recently quit—guess he couldn’t take the heat in the kitchen after accomplishing nothing for 3 years. Winfield and Vella have created no jobs (net loss) or economic opportunity for Oro Valley. They have no plan. They dream of creating another Silicon Valley—God forbid—in the quiet bedroom community of Oro Valley. 

Winfield, Vella and several Council members kiss up to Venture West and Ventana Medical—the largest, richest landowners in Innovation Park. These landowners do not pay their share of property taxes. For many years they have avoided paying $277,000 per year on 116 acres vacant land worth millions of dollars. Guess who picks up their share: hardworking Oro Valley taxpayers and retirees!! Councilmembers Solomon and Rodman take a lot of money from these same landowners.

Vella issues them building permits whenever they ask (All Seasons). Nakoma Sky gets favorable treatment from Vella (5 story building height). Vella has never developed anything and he is making key development decisions in Oro Valley. Vella is paid over $110,000 per year—for what?

Vella and Winfield say “no more Senior living.” This Senior project would bring in 200 high quality residents and create 30± good on-site jobs and pump over $1,000,000 per year purchasing goods and services in Oro Valley over and above their residential expenses. The Mayor and Council are very willing to give a one-time shot of one million dollars taxpayer money to failing businesses but for some ignorant reason they refuse to allow a project which can increase income for these same businesses for many years at no cost to taxpayers.

This project is located in a commercial area, not near any residential area and a short walk from the hospital. Need support from residents of Oro Valley. Please call Mayor and Council and Vella and give them your opinion.

Ron Cohn

Landowner

Block 6

Innovation Park

520-270-7118