Vistoso Golf Course Purchase Has Gone "Sideways"

The Conservation Fund is being excluded from negotiations

Something is not "right" with the attempted purchase of the Vistoso Golf Course, this according to those who have been working tireless to create a permanent conservation preserve. Some spoke on this at last night's council meeting, pleading with the council to get involved.

Town resident Rosa Dailey stated that the continued involvement of The Conservation Fund ("TCF"), the entity that she identified and introduced to Oro Valley is in doubt.  Dailey has been working tirelessly for the past three years to accomplish the goal of having the former golf course become a natural walking trail preserve that will become part of the town's trail system in perpetuity. 

TCF involvement is critical for the land to become conserved in perpetuity

According to resident Rich Molnar speaking at the meeting. "Without the involvement of TCF there will be no defined conservation easement to protect the property in perpetuity. An entity needs to be an accredited land trust to do so. The Town of Oro Valley is not an accredited land trust."  

Only TCF can fund the purchase and convert the land to a conservation easement. If the land is purchased by the town and is not designated a conservation easement, then future councils can change the land designation.

Town Manager Jacobs has not gotten an appraisal of the land... is freezing TCF out

According to Dailey and others speaking a the meeting, TCF has been excluded and, frankly, treated poorly by Town Manager Mary Jacobs during the recent negotiations for the land purchase. 

The town's plan, we believe, is for the town to purchase the land with a grant from TCF. This can only happen if there is an appraisal of the property.  Apparently, the town has not gotten a property appraised. 

Resident Rich Molnar, also speaking to council: "The Conservation Fund can only be involved if negotiations for the property are done in an above board, transparent manner. I surmise that since  no formal appraisal has been requested and that there is a serious lack of  communication with Mike Ford and the Conservation Fund at present, one can only speculate what's actually happening behind the scene. Is the town manager accountable to anyone? Who is driving the bus here? And yet the community continues to suffer.

To Council: "Fix this mess"

Dailey pleaded with council to :"Fix this mess....This is not right. I can not condone what is going on right now." 

Dailey noted that Mike Ford of TCS has worked with countless municipalities on a handshake using a process based on national standards. "What then does it say for Oro Valley that an organization with a national reputation can not work with the present situation we have in negotiations with Rompsen?"

"Mike Ford [TCF] is fed up. His advice is being ignored. The advice we got from our attorneys is being ignored," according to resident Tom Stegman.

Molnar: "The lack of transparency is really disturbing and the lack of trust is overwhelming."

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