How many times have we heard from the Town Council and the Town Staff that it was the Oro Valley Sports Alliance and the parents of youth athletes who came to them requesting that they find a way to fund new ball fields?This assertion was made by various council members during multiple Town Council meetings beginning in February 2017. It was stated again during the Town’s slide show presentation at the September 13th Naranja Park Bond Open House. One of the slides shown stated the following:
"When did the community make this request?Your recent water bill also included a flyer from the Town entitled, “Prop 454/Naranja Park Bond 2017.” That flyer states:
At the February 15, 2017 Council Meeting, members of the community – including youth sport parents, athletes, and Oro Valley user groups – asked Council to accelerate the development of additional sport fields to meet user demand.”
“The community spoke and we listened.”
Rumors began circulating that there was much more to the story
Rumors have been circulating for months that it was actually the mayor who initiated this plan rather than the Oro Valley Sports Alliance and the parents of youth athletes. According to the rumor, the mayor wanted to build a sports complex and event center at Naranja Park but he wanted the initial request to come from the athletic community in the form of a request for ball fields. Once that was on the table, the plan would be altered to include a sports complex and event center.
Residents were told that the request for new ball fields was first brought to the council’s attention in February 2017. However, LOVE was recently presented with some new information that shows, once again, that the town is not telling you the whole truth.
Oro Valley Little League Website reveals the truth
On December 15, 2016, Oro Valley Little League (OVLL) President, Ben Weege, wrote the following on the OVLL website:
There are new developments regarding the possible construction of baseball fields at Naranja Park. The town council recently reached out to our league and community requesting signatures in support of the project. This turn of events is very exciting news, as so many volunteers have worked tirelessly to help make baseball at Naranja a reality.On December 28, 2016, Ben Weege wrote the following update on the OVLL website:
OVLL now asks for your support. Mayor Hiremath told me personally that the Council is also exploring the addition of soccer fields as well, so let’s get to work! Signatures from residents of Tucson and other surrounding communities are valid and highly encouraged. (A link to a petition site was included.)
Mayor Hiremath has requested Oro Valley Little League’s signed petitions preferably by January 3rd so that they might be available for the town council’s next meeting January 4th.
So according to the Town, it was the youth athletes, coaches, and parents who reached out to the Town Council. According to the president of the Oro Valley Little League, it was actually the Town Council who reached out to the Little League. Additionally, the mayor also chose the deadline for when the petitions should be submitted. (NOTE: Of the approx. 10,000 signatures obtained on the petition, only 168 of them were from residents of Oro Valley!)
Our Gang
An Oro Valley resident recently referred to the Town Council as “The Gang who can’t spend straight.” Apparently they’re also “The Gang who can’t get their stories straight.” It looks like it was the mayor and council, rather than the OVLL, who initiated the action that led to the $17 million dollar Naranja Park Bond and the secondary property tax to fund it.
You can read the above-mentioned postings from Oro Valley Little League website HERE
