Bits and Pieces

Almost a year now and Gephart still does no know how huge construction sales tax forecasting error happened
LOVE has written for almost a year that the Town badly overestimated FY2025-26 construction sales tax revenue, budgeting about $5.1 million and ultimately collecting only about $2.7 million. At Wednesday’s Council meeting, we learned that staff made a large error in the opposite direction on building permits: residential building permit revenue reached $1.55 million, while total license and permit revenue exceeded budget by nearly $684,000. 

Vice Mayor Melanie Barrett asked the obvious question: How could the Town significantly overestimate construction tax revenue while simultaneously underestimating the permit revenue associated with development? Finance Director David Gephart responded, “I don’t have a good answer for you at this point,” adding that he would have to “go back and look at how the budget was formulated.” 

When Barrett asked for a report explaining the discrepancy, Gephart agreed. 

The construction sales tax problem had been apparent for months, making it reasonable to expect Gephart to already understand how the original assumptions had gone so wrong. The issue is no longer simply that two forecasts missed badly in opposite directions. It now raises a broader question: Is Gephart providing the level of financial oversight the Council should expect?

Council and residents appeal staff zoning decision; Board of Adjustment hearing October 5

The Oro Valley Town Council and nearby Rancho Vistoso residents have appealed a staff zoning interpretation involving the proposed senior-care development on the vacant commercial parcel north of Safeway Vistoso Plaza. The disputed interpretation, issued by the Planning and Zoning Administrator, determined that a “sanatorium” is a permitted use in the Rancho Vistoso PAD’s C-1 commercial zoning district. Under Town procedures, appeals of zoning interpretations are heard by the Board of Adjustment, which acts as a quasi-judicial body and makes the Town’s final decision on the matter. Oro Valley The appeal is scheduled for a Board of Adjustment hearing on October 5. (learn more here)

Town launches pre-approved home plans to cut time and cost

Oro Valley’s new Community Model Homes program is now live, giving residents access to Town pre-approved designs intended to make building a guest house, casita or home faster and less expensive. The initial library includes accessory dwelling units and single-family homes, with duplex and triplex plans expected beginning in 2027. The plans are created by local design professionals and builders and are available for use by interested residents. The Town says the program is intended to expand housing options while reducing permitting time and costs. Visit the town program home page to learn more.

Oro Valley expects 14% CAP reduction in 2027 — but says local supplies are secure

Oro Valley Water Utility says the federal government’s new Colorado River operating framework is expected to reduce the Town’s Central Arizona Project allocation by about 14% beginning in January 2027. Water Utility Director Peter Abraham says Oro Valley is positioned to absorb that reduction because its CAP allocation exceeds what it normally needs, allowing the Town to store excess water underground, and because it has accumulated long-term storage credits that can be used if future CAP deliveries decline further. The Utility also points to its diversified water portfolio — groundwater, CAP water and reclaimed water — and regional partnerships as additional protection against future shortages. (Town of Oro Valley Water, "Behind the meter," Fall 2026 issue)

Fall pavement preservation work underway across Oro Valley

Oro Valley has started its fall 2026 pavement preservation program, with work scheduled from September through November on streets and in neighborhoods throughout town. The Town says the work is intended to extend the life of existing pavement before more expensive reconstruction is required, with streets selected based on pavement condition and prior treatment history. Among the larger areas on this fall’s list are Naranja Drive from La Cañada to First Avenue, Vistoso Commerce Loop, Vistoso Estates and Tangerine Heights, along with numerous neighborhood streets. Work is generally scheduled between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and residents in affected neighborhoods will receive notice before construction begins. (Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Release)

OVHS September Happenings...

Historical Society shares discoveries from its archives
Volunteers with the Oro Valley Historical Society have been working this summer on digitizing all of the Society’s archives, including documents, photographs and physical items. The Society is inviting the community to see some of what volunteers have discovered, including materials that may never have been seen before. Visit the Pusch House Museum at historic Steam Pump Ranch every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon this month. Docents will be on site to answer questions and provide additional information.

Click To Enlarge

On September 23, learn how sunlight carried messages across frontier Arizona
On Wednesday, September 23, at 10:30 a.m. at the Oro Valley Public Library, former CIA analyst and Oro Valley resident Lee Krsiean will present “Heliograph: Frontier Arizona’s Communication by Sunlight.” The presentation will discuss how U.S. Army soldiers used light-reflecting heliographs for communication and security for early settlers. Reflected-light communication could carry information across long distances, including from Flagstaff to Arizona’s southern border.

Attend The Peace Pole dedication September 26
On Saturday, September 26, the Historical Society will hold a special ceremony at Steam Pump Ranch. At 10 a.m., members of the Rotary Club of Oro Valley, Town officials and members of the Oro Valley Historical Society will dedicate a Peace Pole donated by the Rotary Club earlier this year. Peace Poles are an international symbol carrying the message “May Peace Prevail On Earth.” The Oro Valley pole carries that message on four sides in English, Mandarin, Spanish and Tohono O’odham. The community is invited to attend the dedication.

The presentation and visits to the Pusch House Museum are complimentary. Donations to the Oro Valley Historical Society are gratefully accepted. 

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Editor Note: Before radio became common, the U.S. Army used heliographs in the Southwest because bright sunlight and clear air allowed messages to travel many miles between mountaintops and other elevated stations. The Historical Society presentation will focus on how this system was used in frontier Arizona for military communication and security.

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Proposition 431 Is OV’s Path Forward...Ten Things To Know

Prop 431 is on the November Ballot

Proposition 431, OV’s Path Forward, will be on your ballot this November. Here's ten things you should know before voting on OV’s next 10 years!

1. What is OV’s Path Forward?
This is Oro Valley’s General Plan, which was created by residents and must now be approved by residents. If it earns your vote, it will set goals, policies, and actions that guide the Town through 2036.

2. Who created OV’s Path Forward?
Oro Valley residents created this plan. Over the past two years, we have encouraged readers to take surveys, participate in online discussions, and review the plan. This resulted in more than 10,700 comments from residents like you.

3. Why is OV’s Path Forward important?
The plan reflects residents’ goals and priorities for Oro Valley’s quality of life. It includes specific actions related to community safety, parks, views, water resources, economic development, roadways, housing, land use, and more.

4. How does the plan lead to meaningful results in the community?
OV’s Path Forward is an action-oriented plan and a commitment from the Town to uphold residents’ values and priorities. It includes 286 specific actions for the Town to implement over the next 10 years. As stated on OVPathForward.com, “These actions are prioritized through the Town’s Strategic Plan, which allows Oro Valley to focus on the most pressing needs and optimize resources accordingly, while keeping the community’s long-term goals in mind.”

Each year, the Town produces a progress report showing residents how these actions are being fulfilled. The progress report for the current plan stated, “100% of its actions” were addressed.

5. How is OV’s Path Forward different from the Town’s current plan?
This new plan shares many of the same values as the Town’s current plan, like ensuring a safe community, conserving scenic views, and providing high-quality parks and roads. It also offers more specific direction in areas like housing, water resources, and Town finances. A more in-depth article about the differences between the plans is available in our LOVE OV’s Path Forward Primer.

6. What happens if OV’s Path Forward isn’t approved by the voters?
OV’s Path Forward was created by residents and must be approved by residents. If it does not pass in November, the current plan will stay in effect until a new one is approved by the voters.

7. What does the plan say about water use?
The plan emphasizes the community’s priority to “Ensure water availability for current and future residents.” It incorporates long-term strategies to diversify the town’s water sources and prepare for future water challenges.

8. What does the plan say about growth and development?
Based on resident guidance, the plan focuses on targeted growth and redevelopment. It includes goals and policies that prioritize the conservation of views and environmental resources during development. The plan honors residents’ preference for lower building heights and homeownership while encouraging more retail, restaurants, and gathering spaces.

9. Will the plan increase taxes?
No, the plan does not increase taxes. Most actions maintain residents’ core values and do not require additional resources. It states, “Most [actions] will entail efficient and effective use of existing resources. Others require further community engagement and additional resources to achieve meaningful results” (OV Path Forward, Achieving Meaningful Results, p. 9).

10. How do I get more information about OV’s Path Forward? 

The plan is available online at OVPathForward.com and display copies can be read at the Oro Valley Public Library, Community and Recreation Center, and the lobbies of the Town Hall Administration and Community and Economic Development buildings.

Town staff are available to present to groups or meet individually. You can contact them at OVPathForward@orovalleyaz.gov.

These FAQs and the plan are available on OVPathForward.com

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Publisher Note: Do take advantage of LOVE's Prop 431 Primer. Click the second tab above.

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Look What Happened While We Were On Holiday

Bourn To Reshape Innovation Park

Bourn Companies, a Tucson-based developer with major projects throughout Southern Arizona, has purchased approximately 334 acres of remaining undeveloped commercial land in Innovation Park. The park is home to major employers including Roche Tissue Diagnostics, Oro Valley Hospital and other technology and medical businesses. Bourn founder Don Bourn says the company sees an opportunity to create a “world-class mixed-use business park.” Carrying out that vision could eventually require Town Council approval for rezoning or other changes to existing development rules. Still, the purchase offers Oro Valley an opportunity to jump-start land that has remained vacant for years despite repeated Town efforts to attract new employers. There is also a potentially important side benefit: Bourn is the developer of Uptown, the former Foothills Mall property that Oro Valley has identified as a potential annexation target. Bourn’s investment in Innovation Park gives the Town and the developer a new reason to work closely together.

Victory declared: Council dissolves TAC

At its September 2 meeting, the Oro Valley Town Council voted unanimously to dissolve the Tourism Advisory Commission. Mayor Winfield noted that TAC had completed much of the work it was created to help advance, including creating a focused Leisure Travel Management Plan. With that plan now moving into implementation, changes in Town tourism staffing, four of the Commission’s five seats vacant, and four new councilmembers taking office in November, the Council decided this was an appropriate time to bring TAC’s work to a close rather than immediately appoint an almost entirely new commission to multiyear terms.

Under the approved motion, town staff is to provide quarterly progress reports to the council, and bring forward any significant proposed changes in tourism policy or strategy. 

TAC made a difference. In one year, the Commission helped turn a grandiose draft travel and leisure study into a workable, practical and implementable plan. TAC pushed the Town to include its two major resorts as key stakeholders and kept pressure on staff to focus less on completing process steps and more on achieving measurable results.

Shaddock Named Oro Valley Assistant Town Manager

Town Manager Jeff Wilkins promoted Karl Shaddock to Assistant Town Manager. Shaddock joined Oro Valley in 2021 as a management analyst and was promoted to Assistant to the Town Manager in 2023. His work has included strategic planning, capital improvement coordination, organizational initiatives and intergovernmental affairs. As the Town’s registered lobbyist, he helped secure more than $14 million in state and federal funding over three years. In his new position, Shaddock will lead development of the Town’s Strategic Initiatives Division, which will focus on priority projects identified in the General Plan and Strategic Plan.   

Event Marketing Pays: May Circle Pit brought visitors, exposure and dollars to Oro Valley

The May 15th Circle Pit event at the Bicycle Pump Track Naranja Park generated an estimated $75,000 to more than $100,000 in local economic activity, according to the Town’s post-event assessment. The event produced $14,000 in facility rental revenue for Oro Valley, about 180 room nights at El Conquistador and approximately $54,000 in lodging and food-and-beverage revenue at the resort. The Town also estimated that the event reached millions of people through social media, aided by Adidas, Satisfy Running and participating influencers. Organizers and attendees praised Oro Valley’s pump track, skate park, trails and outdoor setting, and several expressed interest in returning for future races, training opportunities and recreation events.   (Source: Town of Oro Valley Post Event Report)

OVCN to build sports ministry in Marana... Oro Valley ministry expansion continues

Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene (OVCN) is moving ahead with a new 28-acre campus at Twin Peaks Road and Desert Falcon Lane in Marana. The project includes a sanctuary, youth center, classrooms, gymnasium, playground, athletic fields and sports courts.  The concept closely resembles the broader expansion OVCN previously proposed for its Oro Valley campus, where plans had included additional facilities for its growing youth and sports ministries. That Oro Valley proposal was later scaled back, while the Marana campus now provides OVCN with a separate location for many of those activities. Earler this month, the Marana Town Council approved the rezoning needed for the project despite concerns raised by nearby residents about traffic, lighting, noise and the intensity of the proposed use.

Beware of PETCO grooming

An Oro Valley family is seeking greater accountability after its service dog, Buttons, was seriously injured during a grooming appointment at Petco. Pet owner Stephanie Torres told KOLD that Buttons apparently fell from a grooming table while still attached to a leash, leaving her hanging by the neck. A veterinary examination found fluid in one lung, a partial tracheal collapse, and injuries to both eyes. Petco paid the approximately $3,000 veterinary bill and said it investigated the incident and took appropriate internal action. Torres said she appreciates that the expenses were covered but wants stronger safeguards and better employee training to prevent a similar incident. Buttons is expected to make a full recovery. (Source)

Check our Oro Valleys Trails Map

Oro Valley residents and visitors can now explore the community’s trail and path network through OVTrailsConnect.com, the online home of the town’s 10-year Trails and Paths Master Plan. The website features interactive and printable maps showing existing and proposed multiuse paths, unpaved trails, trailheads, The Loop and the Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve, along with information about implementation priorities, funding opportunities and the community engagement that shaped the plan. The maps will be updated as new routes and trailheads are completed,

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Love Returns September 15

Bits and Pieces

Congratulations to Misti Nowak on 15 years with Oro Valley

A shoutout to Misti Nowak, Oro Valley’s Communications & Marketing Administrator, on 15 years of service to the Town. Nowak has led the Town’s communications and marketing efforts through major community initiatives, public information campaigns and events, including Oro Valley’s 50th anniversary celebration. Her team has also earned national recognition from the City-County Communications & Marketing Association for its work in public-sector communications. Congratulations to Misti on this milestone and on 15 years of helping keep Oro Valley residents informed and engaged. 

Two Town prosecutors reportedly resigning
LOVE has been alerted that Oro Valley’s two Town prosecutors have both decided to resign and are expected to move to positions with Pima County. According to the information provided to LOVE, neither replacement position had been posted as of August 10, raising the possibility of a temporary gap in prosecutors dedicated to Town cases. 

LOVE has not independently confirmed the departures or the Town’s plans for handling prosecutions during any transition.

Best of Both Worlds: Westward Look agreement combines Town incentives with Visit Tucson support
At last Wednesday’s Town Council meeting, the Town Council unanimously approved an incentive-based agreement with Westward Look Resort that provides up to $62,500 for qualifying group and sports bookings that generate room-night activity in Oro Valley. The resort is currently a member of Visit Tucson and pays $3,000 annually. Town Manager Wilkins stated that El Conquistador’s membership was probably under $5,000. The resorts therefore continue to receive Visit Tucson’s regional marketing and sales support at a relatively modest membership cost of less than $8,000 combined. That is far less than the $410,000 a year the Town previously paid Visit Tucson for a broader package of destination-marketing services. The broader package included leisure marketing, meetings and convention sales, sports tourism promotion and regional destination marketing on behalf of Oro Valley as a whole.

Rockin’ 4 Heroes awards education grants to local officers
Rockin’ 4 Heroes has awarded $1,000 education grants to six active-duty officers from the Tucson, Marana and Oro Valley police departments, including Oro Valley Police Sergeant Ryan Goss. The grants, funded through the nonprofit’s Law Enforcement Support Fund, help officers pursue degrees, leadership training, professional accreditation and advanced certifications. Rockin’ 4 Heroes, founded by Michael and Bonnie Quinn, supports first responders, active military, veterans and Gold Star families. Its annual free Rockin’ 4 Heroes Concert is scheduled for November 8 at James D. Kriegh Park in Oro Valley. (Rockin’ 4 Heroes media release)

Arizona Heroes Memorial to mark 25th anniversary of 9/11

The Arizona Heroes Memorial will hold a special ceremony on Friday, September 11, at 6:30 p.m. to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The event will honor those who lost their lives, recognize the heroes who responded and remember the families and communities affected by 9/11. The ceremony will take place at the Arizona Heroes Memorial, 810 W. Naranja Drive in Oro Valley.

Town plans new annual Community Report
Oro Valley plans to begin producing an annual Community Report highlighting major Town accomplishments, services and performance. Town Manager Jeff Wilkins said the report is intended to improve communication and transparency by bringing information now spread among weekly, monthly and quarterly reports into one public-facing document. It will be organized around the Town’s seven strategic-plan focus areas and include major projects, service statistics and other notable accomplishments.

More businesses are opening in Oro Valley
The Town’s August/September Vista newsletter lists several new and coming businesses. New arrivals include Northwestern Neurology at Rancho Vistoso Boulevard, Hair by Kady on Oracle Road, Brenda M. Beck massage therapy on Cool Drive and Surf Thru Express Car Wash on Oracle Road. Coming soon are Barro’s Pizza, Presidio Dental and an Xfinity location.

Free movies continue at the Community Center lawn
Oro Valley’s free Movies on the Lawn series continues at the Community and Recreation Center. Goat is scheduled for August 22, followed by Hoppers on September 12. Movies begin shortly after sundown on the lawn near the golf driving range, and attendees should bring their own chairs or blankets.

Friday night music returns to Steam Pump Ranch in September
Free Friday Night Concerts return to Steam Pump Ranch on September 25 and October 2 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. The bands had not yet been announced when the newsletter was published. Food trucks will be onsite, with beer and wine available for purchase.

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Plenty of Blame To Go Around When It Comes To The TAC and Franke Resignations

Plenty of blame to go around
There is plenty of blame to go around for the resignations of the four members of the Tourism Advisory Commission (TAC), for Destination Manager Franke’s departure from the Town, and for the conduct of the TAC meetings. Yes. There were some unruly commission meetings. And Mayor Winfield should not have intervened to admonish the chairman of the commission. And Jeff Wilkins should not have revealed confidential employee exit interview information over and over again, playing a "blame game."

But to say that department head Paul Melcher, to whom Franke directly reported and who ran the Commission meetings, is blameless is gaslighting of the highest order

Melcher, and likely Town Manager Jeff Wilkins, had opportunities to make clear to Franke that the Commission had no authority to direct her, set policy or determine the future of the Town’s destination marketing program. If that was clearly understood, then the Commission’s criticism alone does not fully explain her decision to resign. 

As far as the Commission’s “behavior” is concerned, Melcher was not a bystander. He ran the meetings and had played a major role in selecting the commissioners. Yet when commissioners raised legitimate questions or criticisms, he often appeared unable or unwilling to address them directly. That included basic concerns about why the Town had not involved Oro Valley’s two resorts fully in developing its destination marketing program. Instead of resolving those concerns, Melcher often deflected them, allowing relatively simple disagreements to become more contentious than they needed to be.

All of this leads us to wonder whether Franke saw the same problems. Perhaps she lacked confidence in the department’s leadership or questioned whether it was capable of building an effective destination marketing program. Maybe she simply concluded that it was time to get out. We do not know because Franke never told us. What we do know is that there is enough evidence to conclude that Oro Valley’s destination marketing effort has serious management problems that need attention.

Fortunately, there is something to build on…
The good news is that the Town has one remaining Tourism Advisory Commission member. Her name is Malarie Puggioni. She has destination-marketing experience as a former Marketing Manager for the Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau. She brings valuable expertise in destination marketing. it is experience that is particularly important as Oro Valley works to promote its resorts, businesses, outdoor amenities, and distinctive identity.

...And some things that can be fixed
We've identified nine things to ensure the success of a reconstituted Commission: 

1. Make it clear: The Commission is advisory only
The Town should state plainly that the Commission reports to the Town Council as a body, not to an individual Councilmember or the Mayor. Its role is advisory. It should not try to act as Town staff, direct employees, or assume the authority of elected officials.

2. Make it clear: The Commission has a very specific charter
The Commission is an arm of the Council. It is tasked with specific responsibilities in the establishing resolution. Anything else must be assigned by the Council or the Town Manager. The Commission should stick to those responsibilities.

3. Make it clear: There are very specific roles
In that regard, establish:
○ Who develops and approves agendas
○ Who may add agenda items
○ Who sets regular meeting dates
○ Who may call, reschedule, or cancel meetings
○ How the Commission reports its work to the Council

4. Define the chair’s role
The chair should be trained to lead orderly meetings, keep discussion within the Commission’s scope, ensure that all members are heard, and maintain respectful dialogue.

5. Appoint—do not elect—the chair
Rather than having the Commission elect its own chair, the Director and Council Liaison should appoint a chair. This should be someone who understands the Commission’s limited advisory role, parliamentary procedure, and the Town’s expectations for productive meetings. The individual must be willing to take charge when needed.

6. Provide meaningful training for every Commission member. Topics to include:
○ The council-manager form of government
○ The Commission’s advisory role and limits
○ Arizona Open Meeting Law
○ Parliamentary procedure
○ Standards for respectful conduct
○ The proper way to bring concerns or recommendations forward in meetings

7. Train the department director in how to manage a meeting
Paul Melcher had a very difficult time managing these meetings. He often appeared flustered. Perhaps that was because he has less knowledge of destination marketing than the commissioners. He tended to focus on the work staff was doing, while the commissioners focused on results. Still, the meetings could have been better managed.

For starters, Melcher should watch a Water Utility Commission meeting. There, he would see how Director Peter Abraham masterfully educates the Commission and steers discussion back to the topic at hand. Or he could watch a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting to observe how Planning and Zoning staff keep commissioners focused and on track. He could also watch the Finance Director David Gephart keep Budget and Finance Commisson attention on agenda items. These meetings work well because staff members have a strong command of their subject matter and know how to guide discussion productively.

8. Have a designated parliamentarian at every meeting
A parliamentarian helps the chair enforce meeting rules, keep discussions orderly, and ensure that meetings remain focused on matters properly before the Commission. The Town had a parliamentarian at only a few meetings. There should be a parliamentarian at every Commission meeting, particularly during the reconstitution period. 

9. Select members who understand the game and will play by the rules
Knowledge of tourism, hospitality, resorts, marketing, or local business is useful, but it should not be the only criteria. Members should also demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively, communicate respectfully, stay within the Commission’s role, and provide constructive advice even when they disagree with a Town decision. And, of course, they should maintain their cool.

The goal is to: Encourage collaborative discussions that are on point; ensure that discussion is informed, respectful, and within the Commission’s scope; and that all is directed through the proper public process.
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