The Historic Preservation Commission and the Historical Society are two separate organizations
The following Guest View discusses the relationship between the Town’s Historic Preservation Commission ("HPC") and the Oro Valley Historical Society ("OVHS"). These are two separate organizations.HPC is a town-run commission that “was formed to promote the educational, cultural and economic welfare of the Town of Oro Valley by insuring the preservation of historic buildings, districts, landmarks, structures, documents, photographs and other artifacts that represent the historic background and development of the greater Oro Valley area.”
The OVHS is a non-profit corporation whose mission "...is to promote research, preservation, education and dissemination of history related to the Greater Oro Valley area."
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In 2015, there was an agreed upon plan for OVHS to use the garage at Steam Pump Ranch
"When I [Mike Zinkin] was on the Oro Valley Town Council, I was the liaison to the Historic Preservation Commission and I was part of a group that helped update the Steam Pump Ranch (SPR) Master Plan in 2015. The group was headed up by Kristy Diaz-Trahen, the Parks and Rec Director and Corkey Poster, an architect.
The results of this plan are in the panel at right; and, as you can see in the legend, Item A4 cites a partnership with the Oro Valley Historical Society (OVHS) to dedicate the garage to the OVHS for their offices, gallery, restrooms, and storage.
The OVHS goes back to 2005 when Jim Kriegh (Oro Valley’s founding father), Dr. Pat Spoerl, and town resident Dick Eggerding, initiated the Society to preserve Oro Valley History and landmarks. In 2006 there was a Memorandum of Understanding between the Town and the OVHS establishing a framework for the partnership. In 2009 a License Agreement was formed to allow the OVHS to, among other things, schedule tours, events, and plant in the Heritage Garden.
The Town has not done much to update and restore Steam Pump Ranch
At one time there was $400,000 in the Capital Improvement Plan to fund Ranch updates. However, it was decided by then Town Manager Greg Caton that the one-time revenues were not going to be as projected, therefore the improvements at SPR were canceled.
Town reneged on its promise to the Oro Valley Historical Society
In May 2020, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board met to discuss updated plans for SPR. Included in this plan was a huge change to repurpose the SPR garage for Parks and Rec office spaces, thereby removing the OVHS from this space, relegating them instead to a one-room office in the Pusch House.
While this room is big enough for some storage, it is not big enough for the offices, meeting space, wet and dry labs, research room, and restroom that they were promised by the Town.
Not even a courtesy call to let OVHS know
This came without even a courtesy call to the OVHS advising them of the change. Imagine the shock to the OVHS who had donated $5,000 to help fund the updated assessment. (This money has since been returned to them and is partially being used to pay for rent on the storage room in the Pusch House, which had never been charged before).
Town Manager, Mary Jacobs cut out the citizen-driven OVHS from Steam Pump Ranch
The OVHS goes back to 2005 when Jim Kriegh (Oro Valley’s founding father), Dr. Pat Spoerl, and town resident Dick Eggerding, initiated the Society to preserve Oro Valley History and landmarks. In 2006 there was a Memorandum of Understanding between the Town and the OVHS establishing a framework for the partnership. In 2009 a License Agreement was formed to allow the OVHS to, among other things, schedule tours, events, and plant in the Heritage Garden.
The Town has not done much to update and restore Steam Pump Ranch
At one time there was $400,000 in the Capital Improvement Plan to fund Ranch updates. However, it was decided by then Town Manager Greg Caton that the one-time revenues were not going to be as projected, therefore the improvements at SPR were canceled.
Town reneged on its promise to the Oro Valley Historical Society
In May 2020, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board met to discuss updated plans for SPR. Included in this plan was a huge change to repurpose the SPR garage for Parks and Rec office spaces, thereby removing the OVHS from this space, relegating them instead to a one-room office in the Pusch House.
While this room is big enough for some storage, it is not big enough for the offices, meeting space, wet and dry labs, research room, and restroom that they were promised by the Town.
Not even a courtesy call to let OVHS know
This came without even a courtesy call to the OVHS advising them of the change. Imagine the shock to the OVHS who had donated $5,000 to help fund the updated assessment. (This money has since been returned to them and is partially being used to pay for rent on the storage room in the Pusch House, which had never been charged before).
Town Manager, Mary Jacobs cut out the citizen-driven OVHS from Steam Pump Ranch
Just how much office space does the Parks and Rec Department need? They already have space at Town Hall, Naranja Park, and the Aquatic Center. Nowadays, employees are working from home and that is becoming the new normal. But there is no space for the OVHS at Steam Pump Ranch? A facility that is on the National Register of Historic places? This is unconscionable.
What happened to the partnership between the Town of Oro Valley and the OVHS?
To quote from a May 2020 letter sent to the mayor and council by OVHS:
To the best of my knowledge, the Town has never responded to that letter.
Who’s in charge?
The Historic Preservation Commission was involved in the plan to allow the OVHS to have space in the garage, yet it was the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) that reallocated them to a rent-paying room in the Pusch House. I wonder what Councilmember Steve Solomon thinks about all of this. He is the current Town Council liaison to the HPC.
What happened to the partnership between the Town of Oro Valley and the OVHS?
To quote from a May 2020 letter sent to the mayor and council by OVHS:
“We ask that the Town Council explain the decision for the Garage Building repurposing. We further ask that the Town and Parks and Recreation at least be honest about their intentions regarding our “partnership.” If this is something you would like to dissolve, at least be respectful and courteous enough to tell us so.”
To the best of my knowledge, the Town has never responded to that letter.
Who’s in charge?
The Historic Preservation Commission was involved in the plan to allow the OVHS to have space in the garage, yet it was the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) that reallocated them to a rent-paying room in the Pusch House. I wonder what Councilmember Steve Solomon thinks about all of this. He is the current Town Council liaison to the HPC.
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