Guest View-Jack Stinnett: Who’s Behind the Keep OV Strong PAC?

It's election season in Oro Valley. We’ve seen numerous political attacks on Next Door by Keep Oro Valley Strong (KOVS), unsolicited emails, postcards and even a tacky four page tabloid decrying the ethics and honesty of our current Mayor and Council.

So I ask the question – who’s behind this? Political Action Committees must report expenses and donations.  I checked the Town clerks' website.

Here are the "founding father” donors to the KOVA as reported in their 4th Quarter 2020 initial campaign finance report (pages 5 and 6):

1. Dr. Harry “Mo” Greene - Current councilmember 
2. Don Cox – Chairman 2018 KOVS; a Sharp advocate on Next Door and in Explorer letters to the Editor 
3. James Prunty - Former OVPD volunteer training coordinator; author of Next Door attacks on our "inferior" council members 
4. Terry Wolf - 2022 President Carmel Pointe HOA Board of Directors ( in Canada Hills) 
5. Phillip Wheeler – 2022 KOVS treasurer and 2022 Treasurer Carmel Pointe HOA Board of Directors ( in Canada Hills )
6. Joe Hornat - Former Town Councilmember; Voted off Council in 2018 
7. Bill Rodman - Former Town Councilmember; Voted off Council in 2020 and Current council candidate 
8. Thomas Plantz – Current Chairman of KOVS and Chairman of failed 2019 recall of Mayor Winfield and Vice Mayor Barrett 
9. Dick Johnson - Former Town Councilmember 
10. Mike Schoeppach - Former Men’s Golf Association President 

Since the initial filing, additional donations were reported in the KOVS 1st Quarter 2021 report. Dr. Harry “Mo” Greene kicked in another $100 and current Councilmember Steve Solomon contributed $250.

The majority of Keep OV Strong contributors are located in Carmel Pointe and other Canada Hills neighborhoods.

So what is the common denominator? This is only my opinion, but:

First and foremost, KOVS consists of current and replaced “pro-growth” politicians and Hiremath supporters. They were unhappy that the Hiremath council was ousted in 2018 and that they no longer run the town. They oppose Winfield’s responsible growth vision and support 75’ high and 800’ long apartments at the Oro Valley Marketplace.

The second issue is that many former country club members resent sharing their golf courses and tennis courts with the rest of us. Remember, they had exclusive access to a 18 hole course every week before the Winfield Council hired Indigo Golf and changed the town courses from a country club to a public course model.

The final straw was when the Winfield Council voted to expand "their" half percent sales tax revenue from dedicated to golf and the Community Center to support all town parks. This enabled the town to use golf savings to fund the expansion of Naranja Park, fix the golf irrigation on both courses and rebuild the tennis courts.

I fully support town residents being involved and politically active. But this group’s slime ball attacks belong in Chicago, not Oro Valley. When you are barraged with biased opinions and false information, it helps to know the source.

Guest View-Jack Stinnett: Bill Rodman Is Proven Leader of "Over-development"

Rodman's voting record fostered Oro Valley Over-Development
During the early Hiremath years, Council Member Bill Rodman sat on the Planning and Zoning Commission. These are years in which Oro Valley moved toward over-development. Rodman was at the epicenter of it all.

Rodman's record shows that he is a proven leader in over-development. From 2012-2016, while on the Planning and Zoning Commission. Rodman demonstrated his bias by approving wealthy land owner and developer requests.

Want proof? Just look at his voting record while on the Planning and Zoning Commission
During these years, Rodman rarely saw a General Plan amendment or rezoning he did not like. Rodman approved the following while he was on the Planning and Zoning Commission:

• Increased building heights for El Corredor apartments; 
• Approved a General Plan Amendment, ESL Amendment, and Rezoning for a 5-story retirement community (the abandoned Nakoma Sky project) on 79.5 acres;
• Voted to approve rezoning 45 acres from R1-144 to R1-7 (144,000 sqft to 7,000 sqft lots) on Naranja near La Cholla; 
• Approved rezoning 149 acres at Tangerine and First Ave ["Kai" property] from 3 acre lots to Medium Density Residential and commercial; 
• Supported a Major General Plan Amendment of the Olsen property from Low Density Residential and open space to Medium Density Residential.

This is  just a sample. 

Rodman has continued his over-development stance while on council
Rodman brought his over-development bias with him when he was elected to Town Council in 2016. From 2016 to 2018, while Hiremath was in control of council, Rodman approved thirteen General Plan amendments and/or rezoning requests. Indeed, he voted for one of these General Plan Amendments while he was a council member for less than three hours!

The only reason Rodman has not shown his over-development bias in the past two years is that you, the voters, replaced the Hiremath council with a council that was far more resident friendly, and far less developer friendly.

We need leaders who put the people first
Yes. Incumbent Bill Rodman has demonstrated “proven leadership” but unfortunately it’s been directed at steering developer projects through and around Oro Valley’s General Plan process, Environmentally Sensitive Lands rules, and town zoning codes.

This might be a good thing for developers.

But it is a bad thing for the residents of Oro Valley.

Let’s be sure to elect council members that place residents, not developers first.
---
Jack Stinnett is an Oro Valley resident. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served on Minesweepers and Destroyers. After his military service, Jack was employed as an engineer and plant manager in the Nuclear Power industry, a factory manager in the automotive industry, and Vice-President of a worldwide engine components business. Jack finished his career as President and CEO of Morris Material Handling in Milwaukee. He and his wife, Connie, moved to Oro Valley in 2011. Jack was a member of Oro Valley Parks and Recreation Commission from 2012-2014, serving as Chairman in 2013-2014. He enjoys woodworking, biking, and visiting his grandchildren.