Bits and Pieces

Mark Your Calendars: April 11-Oro Valley Celebrates Settler's Day

Come One! Come All!

Oro Valley's Settler's Day Festival is a week from tomorrow, April 11,  from 9am-3pm at Steam Pump Ranch. It looks like a good time for all.  Celebrate Oro Valley's heritage.  There will be lots going on!

Oro Valley Police Department Donates $15,000 to Children's Museum Oro Valley Oro Valley Police Department

The Oro Valley Police Department has donated $15,000 Children's Museum Oro Valley. The check was presented on April 1, 2015 at 6 p.m. at the Oro Valley Town Council meeting. The money donated is from its forfeiture funds, which are proceeds received from the forfeitures of criminal activity.

OVCOG Nears Recall Petition Goal--Seeks More than Needed

According to a press release of April 1, Oro Valley Citizens For Open Government ("OVCOG") has nearly reached its goal of collecting sufficient signatures for recall election of the Majority-4. "The Residents of Oro Valley are speaking loud and clear their desire to recall these four Council members. Our deadline is April 27th - we are on the home stretch." The election would be held in November if sufficient signatures are gathered and approved by the Oro Valley town clerk and the pima county elections office.

The group is seeking more than sufficient signatures. You can visit the OVCOG web site for days, times and locations to sign the petitions if you wish.

Lamonna: Ironic. El Conquistador Shop Not Collecting New Sales Tax

Resident Shirl Lamonna spoke to the Oro Valley Town Council Wednesday regarding her observation that some Oro Valley merchants are not collecting the new half penny sales tax increase. Ironically, one of those merchants is the El Conquistador hotel which is now owned by HSL properties.  The purpose of the sales tax is to pay for operating the El Conquistador Country Club facility that the town is buying from Lopez.

Council direct Town Manager Caton to look into it.

Rotary "Splash For Cash" Is April 26

The Rotary Club of Oro Valley is sponsoring a "Splash For Cash" event at the Oro Valley Aquatic Center on April 26 from 1-4pm. It is billed as a "Fun competition between the five Oro Valley High Schools."

Events include a 200 yard Tarzan Relay and an aquatic obstacle course. TV4 anchor Tom McNamara will be the event MC. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the aquatic center or by clicking here.

The Rotary will donate the all funds raise to Oro Valley charitable causes.

Adler: Shorten Council Meetings. Get More Citizen Input, Consider The General Plan

Oro Valley resident Bill Adler observes that Oro Valley town council meetings can be shortened and more resident-input focused. Speaking at Wednesday's call to audience, Adler noted that things like town department reports could be eliminated. After all, these are already available to council.

Adler is concerned that this council is simply not seeking and therefore not getting sufficient citizen input. Later in the meeting Adler noted that the town was using a non voter approved "strategic plan" for decision making and not using the voter approved 2015 General Plan.

In an email to us, Bill clarified his comment at the meeting:

"The General Plan revision that is on going now and is relying upon 'guiding principles' as the basis for policies and action is not the basis for the plan for parks. This whole idea of sports tourism, signature events, economic development from 'national and international sports teams' is not reflected in guiding principles." He asks: "How do we sell a General Plan to voters that doesn't have language relating to sports tourism, but that is a direction the Town has taken based upon another document citizens had nothing to do with?"

LOVE has observed that on many occasions, the Majority-4 has asserted that the general plan is a guide. They do not consider it policy. They follow what they call the "Strategic Plan." This is a document they created supposedly based on the "guidance" of the 2015 General Plan. However, they consider this general plan out-of-date and not of use.