Bits and Pieces

Congratulations to Misti Nowak on 15 years with Oro Valley

A shoutout to Misti Nowak, Oro Valley’s Communications & Marketing Administrator, on 15 years of service to the Town. Nowak has led the Town’s communications and marketing efforts through major community initiatives, public information campaigns and events, including Oro Valley’s 50th anniversary celebration. Her team has also earned national recognition from the City-County Communications & Marketing Association for its work in public-sector communications. Congratulations to Misti on this milestone and on 15 years of helping keep Oro Valley residents informed and engaged. 

Two Town prosecutors reportedly resigning
LOVE has been alerted that Oro Valley’s two Town prosecutors have both decided to resign and are expected to move to positions with Pima County. According to the information provided to LOVE, neither replacement position had been posted as of August 10, raising the possibility of a temporary gap in prosecutors dedicated to Town cases. 

LOVE has not independently confirmed the departures or the Town’s plans for handling prosecutions during any transition.

Best of Both Worlds: Westward Look agreement combines Town incentives with Visit Tucson support
At last Wednesday’s Town Council meeting, the Town Council unanimously approved an incentive-based agreement with Westward Look Resort that provides up to $62,500 for qualifying group and sports bookings that generate room-night activity in Oro Valley. The resort is currently a member of Visit Tucson and pays $3,000 annually. Town Manager Wilkins stated that El Conquistador’s membership was probably under $5,000. The resorts therefore continue to receive Visit Tucson’s regional marketing and sales support at a relatively modest membership cost of less than $8,000 combined. That is far less than the $410,000 a year the Town previously paid Visit Tucson for a broader package of destination-marketing services. The broader package included leisure marketing, meetings and convention sales, sports tourism promotion and regional destination marketing on behalf of Oro Valley as a whole.

Rockin’ 4 Heroes awards education grants to local officers
Rockin’ 4 Heroes has awarded $1,000 education grants to six active-duty officers from the Tucson, Marana and Oro Valley police departments, including Oro Valley Police Sergeant Ryan Goss. The grants, funded through the nonprofit’s Law Enforcement Support Fund, help officers pursue degrees, leadership training, professional accreditation and advanced certifications. Rockin’ 4 Heroes, founded by Michael and Bonnie Quinn, supports first responders, active military, veterans and Gold Star families. Its annual free Rockin’ 4 Heroes Concert is scheduled for November 8 at James D. Kriegh Park in Oro Valley. (Rockin’ 4 Heroes media release)

Arizona Heroes Memorial to mark 25th anniversary of 9/11

The Arizona Heroes Memorial will hold a special ceremony on Friday, September 11, at 6:30 p.m. to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The event will honor those who lost their lives, recognize the heroes who responded and remember the families and communities affected by 9/11. The ceremony will take place at the Arizona Heroes Memorial, 810 W. Naranja Drive in Oro Valley.

Town plans new annual Community Report
Oro Valley plans to begin producing an annual Community Report highlighting major Town accomplishments, services and performance. Town Manager Jeff Wilkins said the report is intended to improve communication and transparency by bringing information now spread among weekly, monthly and quarterly reports into one public-facing document. It will be organized around the Town’s seven strategic-plan focus areas and include major projects, service statistics and other notable accomplishments.

More businesses are opening in Oro Valley
The Town’s August/September Vista newsletter lists several new and coming businesses. New arrivals include Northwestern Neurology at Rancho Vistoso Boulevard, Hair by Kady on Oracle Road, Brenda M. Beck massage therapy on Cool Drive and Surf Thru Express Car Wash on Oracle Road. Coming soon are Barro’s Pizza, Presidio Dental and an Xfinity location.

Free movies continue at the Community Center lawn
Oro Valley’s free Movies on the Lawn series continues at the Community and Recreation Center. Goat is scheduled for August 22, followed by Hoppers on September 12. Movies begin shortly after sundown on the lawn near the golf driving range, and attendees should bring their own chairs or blankets.

Friday night music returns to Steam Pump Ranch in September
Free Friday Night Concerts return to Steam Pump Ranch on September 25 and October 2 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. The bands had not yet been announced when the newsletter was published. Food trucks will be onsite, with beer and wine available for purchase.

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Residents Wary of Town's Travel and Leisure Study

Need to evaluate and plan a viable path ahead for the town's destination marketing efforts
The Oro Valley Town Council discussed a Leisure and Travel Study the town has undertaken. The discussion was one of many topics at the council's February strategic planning study session. The study is an attempt to develop an effective destination marketing strategy and program. The study is badly needed because the town is...

"Babes in the Woods" when it comes to destination marketing

The town took over destination marketing from Visit Tucson last March. It did so without a plan and without experience. Since then, the town hired a destination marketing manager, developed a mobile app, and launched digital marketing efforts (Source). However, results have been minimal regarding significant leads, leading the two resorts most affected by the change to rejoin Visit Tucson on their own.  The town simply was not capable of or prepared to effectively engage in destination marketing. It should have done this study long before it made the change.

There are so many questions to be answered...questions that should have been answered before the town took on this reponsibility

At the February meeting, council members:

• Expressed interest in understanding how the $522,000 previously allocated to Visit Tucson are currently being used before committing to additional tourism investments. 
• Suggested that rather than increasing marketing efforts, the town should focus on evaluating existing programs to determine their effectiveness.
• Identified areas that could benefit from enhanced tourism investment like Steam Pump Ranch NS Sports Tourism
• Discussed upgrading recreational facilities to attract tournaments and large-scale events. Additionally, expanding arts and cultural programming was highlighted as a way to increase community engagement and strengthen Oro Valley’s identity as a destination for arts and outdoor experiences.
• Consider partnering with nearby communities that do not use Visit Tucson, such as Marana, Sahuarita, and Green Valley, to develop a regional tourism strategy... perhaps even engaging a shared tourism consultant

Town plans structured study process
Town has hired consultant CSL International to lead the study and established an internal steering committee, including
• Town Manager Jeff Wilkins
• Community and Economic Development Director Paul Melcher
• Destination Marketing Manager Crystal Franke
• Parks and Recreation Director Rosalyn Epting
• Tohono Chul Executive Director Jamie Maslyn Larson
• SAACA Executive Director Kate Marquez

But will that be enough? Some residents do not think so
Although there has been no public discussion of this study, some residents have expressed concern to regarding the study's focus, transparency, and execution. Some believe town staff may not fully understand the economic benefits of a well-structured tourism strategy...that they may not know what one is. The current Path Forward draft suggests increasing tourism to support resorts, hotels, and businesses, but critics argue that the true purpose of tourism should be to generate tax revenue for town services by attracting outside dollars into the local economy.

The cancellation of Visit Tucson without input from key stakeholders, particularly Oro Valley’s two world-class resorts, has also led to skepticism about the town’s ability to develop an effective tourism strategy internally. Group business, such as corporate meetings and events, generates far more tax revenue than leisure tourism, yet this is not reflected as a priority in the study.

Long timeline for completion
The study is expected to take six to eight months to complete, after which recommendations will be presented to the council. The first update is expected in April, which will provide a clearer picture of how the study aligns with Oro Valley’s long-term tourism strategy. At that time, concerned residents may have an opportunity to voice their thoughts on the process and its direction.

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It's a Wrap! Top Stories of 2024

Top five stories of 2024

2024 was a busy year in Oro Valley. Here us out cut at the top five stories. 

1. Celebrating 50 years of community and growth
The Town of Oro Valley commemorated its 50th anniversary throughout 2024 with a series of events that highlighted the community’s history and spirit. The celebrations included a vibrant parade on April 6, featuring over 90 participants from local schools, community groups, and businesses, along with a spectacular fireworks display on April 13 at James D. Kriegh Park. Additionally, on April 27, the town hosted the “50 Trees for 50 Years” community tree planting event, where residents gathered to plant 50 trees across four locations, enhancing the town’s green spaces. The Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce also launched the “50 Businesses for 50 Years” Shop OV campaign, highlighting 50 local businesses throughout the year to encourage community support and economic growth.

2. Robb and Murphy elected to council
In the 2024 Oro Valley Town Council election, two new council members were elected by a vast majority of votes, reflecting strong community support. Elizabeth Robb, a local business owner, and Mary Murphy, a longtime resident and community advocate, bring fresh perspectives to the council. Their addition is expected to influence upcoming decisions on key community issues, including development projects, public services, and fiscal policies. Residents anticipate that the new council members will prioritize transparency and community engagement, ensuring that the voices of Oro Valley citizens are well-represented in the town’s governance.

3. The OVCN’s onslaught on Oro Valley’s historic neighborhood took a new turn
The Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene (OVCN) put its plan to build a massive sports complex on hold, at least for the moment. However, that plan is not dead; it’s simply on hiatus. Instead, they are now pursuing the addition of new facilities to their campus, substantially increasing their footprint. The latest effort is to ask permission for buildings of greater height than currently exists. As we wrote yesterday, it’s a continuing cycle of misery for the residents. This saga will continue into 2025.

4. Another year of nothing for the Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve
The Town Council did lots of talking about the Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve. There was much discussion about plans to do something. The council even agreed to “do something” only to learn that one of those plans — repurposing the abandoned pond into a “desert garden” — was an unattractive alternative. Residents noticed this, and the council temporarily paused the approved plan to take another look at the water feature instead of a desert garden. More on this in 2025. In the meantime, the preserve looks like an abandoned golf course.

5. "OVPathForward" moves forward big time
The town made progress this year in creating its 2026 General Plan, called “OV Path Forward.” A draft vision and guiding principles were developed with the input of thousands of residents. The next step is to flesh out the details around these principles. Working groups will tackle this in 2025.

Honorable mention

There were some other notable happenings this year:

• The fourth annual Rockin’4Heroes concert was a huge success.
• The town implemented an 8.3% increase in water rates, while continuing to use thousands of gallons of water on recreation facilities, earning the LOVE Water Waster Award for the fourth time.
• The town council adopted a $151.2 million budget.
• Oro Valley celebrated the opening of Naranja Park.
• The Arizona Heroes Memorial at the park was dedicated.
• The town ended its contract with Visit Tucson and took over its own destination marketing program.
• The Town Council rejected the tiny homes project in Rancho Vistoso.

And on a sad note
Rick Messina, a well-liked groundskeeper at the Pusch Ridge Golf Course, tragically died from a bee attack in July. Friends of Pusch Ridge Golf raised almost $10,000 to help Rick’s parents.

It was indeed a busy year in Oro Valley.

We suspect that 2025 will be just as busy.

Happy holidays to all.
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Ending Visit Tucson Destination Marketing Agreement Sends Town Staff Into Panic Mode

The town created a mess when it dismissed Visit Tucson

In March, Town Manager Wilkins announced that the town did not renew an agreement with Visit Tucson to, among other things, provide group marketing bookings/leads for the town's two resorts: Westward Look and The El Conquistador. This ended a twelve-plus year partnership.

Wilkins violated the open meeting law by "polling" the council. Then, without a formal council vote, he terminated the relationship via a letter. He never consulted the resorts in making the decision. The day after sending the letter he learned that the resorts would have no access to Visit Tucson's group booking services; thus forcing the town into panic mode to get into a business in which they have no expertise... replacing Visit Tucson's destination marketing activities. Faced with this mess, he had no choice to bring it to the council last week to get their funding approval to move forward with his plan.

The panic happened because Wilkins made the decision behind closed doors without thinking through the implications

We learned how all this happened when the situation was discussed by the council last week and motions voted upon, in an attempt of the town to "paint over the mess" Wilkins created.

In January and February, Wilkins violated the open meeting law

...by polling individual council members in one-on-one meetings on firing Visit Tucson. Supposedly, he reviewed staff analysis of Visit Tucson performance in relation to the town. He did this in response to a strategic plan item for a Visit Tucson return on investment analysis [see panel right]. He did this in individual sessions not open to the public. From these meetings, Wilkins concluded that the council wanted him to not renew Visit Tucson's contract.

In March, Wilkins sent the letter to Visit Tucson

He sent a letter to Visit Tucson informing them of the decision without considering the immediate impact on the two resorts.

Wilkins did so without understanding the impact on the two resorts

The next day, Wilkins learned that the two Oro Valley resorts would no longer be getting group booking services from Visit Tucson. Visit Tucson by-laws only allow resorts in jurisdictions that pay fees to Visit Tucson to be members and, therefore, avail themselves of Visit Tucson services. According to Oro Valley Development Director Paul Melcher, “When we terminated our agreement with Visit Tucson, [we learned that] there wasn't an automatic extension of membership to the two resorts. We found that out after we had presented the letter to Visit Tucson."

Panic ensued

Operating in panic mode, town staff cobbled together a plan to provide destination marketing services for the two resorts. According to Melcher: “We immediately went into the mode of what are we going to do for the first 30 days once we knew there might not be an opportunity for the resorts to be part of Visit Tucson. We recognized that they needed that group booking support.”

Last week, Wilkins asked the council to "paint over the mess"

Last week, staff met at the council meeting to present the Visit Tucson ROI analysis and their plan for the town to become a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). At that time, Wilkins explained why he did not renew the Visit Tucson contract. Referring to the staff ROI analysis:

“So, those are the thoughts that we, uh, we reviewed with, uh, with council members. But if that’s really after that, uh, there really wasn't, uh, you're from the council, uh. You know we had, again, our contract was coming- the extension of the three months was coming forward-and there wasn't a council member said “You know what: Let's put on the agenda and renew and extend.”

Council vote: 6-1 in favor of the "paint job"

In the meeting, council voted 6-1 (Councilmember Solomon voted no) to ratify to no longer use Visit Tucson, to have the town proceed with becoming a DMO, and to implement the plan. This, despite the fact, as Solomon noted, that the town is not prepared to make this work:

“Everything we see here is on paper. We're already behind the game. We would have needed this to be in place and fully operational on the day that we left Visit Tucson and it wasn't and it isn't now. This is a wish list. There is nothing functioning here. There's no website. We don't have the expertise on staff. We don't have the experience and we don't have nearly the financial capability that Visit Tucson has.”

The whole thing is bizarre

The manner in which this is being handled is amateurish and places a significant revenue stream source of the resorts and the town in jeopardy. As Solomon noted: “If this goes wrong, what are the consequences: A third of the income to the Hilton and a good part to the Westwood look and a negative 11 million dollar economic impact to the town. This may be good a year from now. But it is not ready. It is short-sighted and it can cause irreparable harm to our community and our economy.”

So why would the Wilkins do this?
Is town staff incompetent? Or is there something we have not been told? Our gut tells us it's some of both.

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Oro Valley Ends "Visit Tucson" Destination Marketing Partnership

Town will do its own destination marketing

The town has been using Visit Tucson [see panel] as its destination marketing company. According to Town Manager Jeff Wilkins speaking at last week’s town council meeting this arrangement is over. He announced that the town will handle its own destination marketing. 

“Oro Valley is starting to transition and manage its own tourism strategy. We've started to work toward special events, especially in the sporting event area.”  He noted that the town will “…continue to purchase advertising space in certain publications, and also work on additional marketing [with Visit Tucson]…they would still communicate with us when they needed facilities and such. But we did express that we were parting ways as far as the agreement.”

Town has been using Visit Tucson for many years...value always questioned

The town has been funding Visit Tucson and its predecessor, MTCVB, for years. Residents have consistently questioned its value. Marana and Sahuarita have never funded it. The organization never demonstrated that it returned significant return for the investment to Oro Valley. The amount paid increased substantially when the town annexed Westward Look in 2021.  This annexation brought with it a Pima County agreement with Visit Tucson for destination marketing at Westward Look. The agreement entailed a cost of $250,000 solely for Westward Look. The cost was determined based on a percentage of bed tax revenue. The total funding in the town’s budget for Visit Tucson this year is $410,000.

It is unclear if Visit Tucson directly benefited Oro Valley

The last council update from Visit Tucson on its contribution to the town was in February of 2022. At that time, they claimed that they:

• Delivered 26,500 room nights to Oro Valley hotels
• Hotel occupancy at 55%...and revenues up about 16%
• and they were were actively marketing the town

Visit Tucson has not updated the council since then.

Our guess is that it was a close to "break even" deal for the town
What we do know regarding Visit Tucson’s direct benefits to Oro Valley is based on their 2023 Annual Report. The only direct benefit noted in that report is Visit Tucson’s claim that it brought the US Artistic Swimming’s US Junior Senior Championship to the Oro Valley Aquatic Center in April of 2023; and that the organization was so impressed by the facility, they planned to return for the US Master Championships last October. 

Regarding the value of that to the town and other Visit Tucson events, our estimate indicates that the total revenue brought to the town by Visit Tucson barely exceeded the funds paid by the town to Visit Tucson. Specifically, it amounted to $556,000 compared to Visit Tucson's $410,000 fee. [See "About our estimate" at the conclusion of this article]

Decision appears to have been abrupt..updated
This past December, we asked Mayor Winfield when the next update to council from Visit Tucson would occur. He told us that it would occur around this time. Early last month at the council’s strategy study session, Vice Mayor Barrett reminded all that a full analysis of Visit Tucson’s contribution to the town was in order according to the council’s “…strategic leadership plan [iteCommunity and Economic Development staff completed the analysis and created a PowerPoint presentation for Council that summarizes the key findings of that analysis. Feel free to submit a records request for that presentation, which is entitled: Visit Tucson Annual Agreement Assessment.m] 1.4.1: A complete a comprehensive analysis of the return on investment and benefits derived from the town's partnership with Visit Tucson and bring options to council regarding the town's tourism and attraction plans.” 

That analysis and those option were never presented to Council in a public session. However, the Community and Economic Development staff completed the analysis and created a PowerPoint presentation for Council that summarizes the key findings of that analysis. The town tells us that it was discussed with each council member during their monthly briefings from the town manager. We have requested that document.

So why the change?
So we do not know why the town made the decision. Nor do we know what will be the future plans. We have ask both the town and Council Member Nicolson, the liaison to Visit Tucson, for an explanation. We'll let you know what we learn.

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About our estimate

In their annual report for 2023, Visit Tucson claimed to have generated $23 in revenue for every dollar invested system-wide. This translated to an average of $9.43 million generated for Oro Valley. Assuming that all of this revenue was returned in bed tax and sales taxes, totaling 5.9%, these additional revenues would amount to $556,000, slightly surpassing the $410,000 the town pays Visit Tucson.

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Bits and Pieces

Build-To-Rent Units are included in the determination of Oro Valley's 100 year assured water supply

This is a correction to the post that was here originally which stated that apartments are not included in Oro Valley's determination of assured water supply. That was incorrect. That "loophole" to which we refer only applies to developments in communities that do not have a state approved "Designation of Assured Water Supply." (DAWS) 

According to Oro Valley's Water Utility Director: "The Town of Oro Valley has a DAWS and therefore any developments that fall within the Water Utility’s service area fall under the requirements of the assured water supply rules. This is a good thing. It ensures that all water production and use is accounted for. No loopholes. Every year the Water Utility submits an Annual Report to the ADWR. This report documents all of the water received or produced by the Utility as well as all of the water delivered by the Utility. All water movement is accounted for and all committed demands from all user classifications counts towards our DAWS. No loopholes." (Source: email from Director Abraham.)

This is a list Arizona jurisdictions that have a DAWS. Oro Valley is listed on it.

Naranja Park entrance pedestrian safety improvements on hold

The Town has put on hold the interim pedestrian safety improvements at the Naranja Drive entrance to Naranja Park. According to Town Public Works Director Paul Keesler, this delay is a result of three lawsuits that have been filed against the town, collectively seeking damages of $89.5 million. The improvements are on hold until the attorney's "finish their work".  

It's understandable that the town is proceeding cautiously in this matter. The plaintiffs are using the recently installed north-side entrance safety path, implemented by the town earlier this summer, as evidence to support their claim that the town acknowledges some responsibility for the accident in that area.  The plaintiff may use further improvements as yet more evidence of such.

Register to participate in the 2026 General Plan Process

You should register at OVPathForward.com to participate in the 2026 General Plan process. This will give you the opportunity to participate in online discussions about important topics in the community. Also, while you are there, view the video about the plan. "The General Plan is our ‘true north’ because it is informed and shaped by the citizens,” Mayor Winfield said. “We will leverage the momentum of our success with the 2016 plan to propel us into our next decade.” (Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Release) 

Pretty rocks at Riverfront Park

An individual is painting river rocks with the names of dogs that walk at Riverfront Park. The stack is growing. You can see the fine work at left. We've been told, but have yet to confirm, that Elizabeth is the first name of the person who has created this lovely artwork.

Visit Tucson has not appeared before the Town Council since 2022

The Town of Oro Valley pays $415,000 to Visit Tucson, the group that promotes regional tourism, since February of 2022. Mayor Winfield tells us that they will appear before council "early next year."

Some key Oro Valley senior staff don't even live in Oro Valley 

We find it curious that the town's Planning Director Bayer Vella, the town's Director of Public Works Paul Keesler, the town's Water Director Peter Abraham, and the town's Director of Economic Development Paul Melcher don't live in Oro Valley. Yet, collectively, they have tremendous power over life in our town. We should think that Oro Valley residency be mandatory for anyone who holds the senior position in our town. That way they'll have some skin in the game.

Town fills three positions

The town has filled three key positions: 

• Scott Zufelt is now the Innovation & Technology (I&T) Director
• Jeffery Hidalgo is the now the Public Information Officer (PIO)
• Rosalyn Epting is the Parks and Recreation Director

(Source: Town of Oro Valley Town Manager Executive Report to Council, November 2023)

Welcome all to Oro Valley!

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"Visit Tucson" Reports: Oro Valley Hotel Occupancy At 55%...And Revenues Up About 16%

Visit Tucson delivered 26,500 room nights to Oro Valley hotels in 2021
In 2021, the regional marketing organization, Visit Tucson, brought “47 booking some 25,000 room nights” to Oro Valley’s hotels for groups. This according to Felipe Garcia, the organization’s new President/CEO. Garcia addressed his remarks to the Oro Valley Town Council at the February 2 Council meeting. It was the annual update to the Council on what Visit Tucson has done for the community. According to Garcia, sports tourism brought in an additional 13 bookings and almost 3,500 room nights.

Oro Valley hotel occupancy at 55%...and revenues up about 16%
Garcia compared 2019 and 2021 hotel occupancy rates for the last quarter of each year. Hotels in Oro Valley were just a bit over half filled in both quarters but the average hotel rate skyrocket from $118 to $146 per room. “That it's more money coming to the community.” By our calculations, total revenue would be up about 16%.  Garcia concluded that “Consumers are coming back to the community and realizing that it's a great place.”

Garcia believes that Oro Valley is a very attractive community because of its open space. People coming here from lockdown location simply enjoy all we have to offer: Hiking, bicycling, or simply walking in the great outdoors.

Visit Tucson has been actively marketing Oro Valley
The organization brought 28 event planners to town last fall. They met with Mayor Winfield. “When we bring them to the community, they see what is here.. and look at the mountains … it's very very easy sale for us,” according to Garcia. “In April, we will bring a group of journalists and clients from Canada to Oro Valley … will be going around the community eating in restaurants. I will be selling to them while they're here in our community.”  The Visit Tucson web site has an Oro Valley page.

$410,000 Funding from bed tax revenues
According to Town Manager Mary Jacobs: “We currently utilize Visit Tucson as our primary marketing group.” The 2021-22 budget includes $250,000 for Visit Tucson. That cost increased when the town annexed the Westward Look Resort. Visit Tucson has been receiving 50% of Westward Look’s bed taxes through an agreement with Pima County. So, the total in the budget, post Westward Look Annexation, for Visit Tucson is $410,000. (Source)

All funds come from the town’s bed tax revenues of 6%.

Lack of hotel responsiveness is a big challenge
It seems odd that the hotels that benefit from the efforts of the Town and Visit Tucson to increase hotel occupancy are unresponsive to opportunities that are presented to them. According to Garcia, hotel responsiveness to opportunities is a problem. “One of the biggest challenges we have is a lack of staffing in hotels. Many hotels are relying on a regional salesperson so we have to go and tell them they have pay attention to us here in Southern Arizona.”

Garcia is enthusiastic about 2022
Garcia noted that organizations are just now returning to offsite events. Much of the travel to date has been by individuals. He wants Oro Valley to “keep doing what you're doing. Keep building a very strong community that is unique.” While Oro Valley is doing that, Visit Tucson plans to complete updating its website; and to focus on social media as a way to get the word out about our community and about Southern Arizona in general. With that in mind, he requested that anyone who has decent pictures of the town please send it to him so that he can include them in presentations and on the website.
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About Visit Tucson

Visit Tucson is a regional marketing organization, with a goal of promoting tourism in Southern Arizona. It is a non profit organization. It is funded by three jurisdictions: The City of Tucson ($5million), Pima County ($2.2 million) and Oro Valley ($410,000). Marana and Sahuarita are not participants and provide no funding. (Source)  Private-sector revenue adds $277,450 in Visit Tucson’s 2021-22 [$7.9 million] fiscal year budget. "While the Town of Oro Valley contributes a set amount each year, Pima County and City of Tucson contribute a percentage of bed tax collections."  Council Member Josh Nicolson is the Oro Valley Town Council liaison to Visit Tucson.

"Dream it, then do it" is Oro Valley's Latest Mural

There’s a new mural in town

It is at James D. Kreigh Park. It is painted on a utility wall near the aquatic center. The mural faces the park.  Artist Ashley White painted the mural. The mural is a project funded by the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce,Visit Tucson and the Town of Oro Valley.   The Southern Arizona Arts Council sponsored the project. This past Monday was the ribbon cutting. Council Members Harry Green and Tim Bohen attended the event, as well as former Mayor Paul Loomis.

Noting the number of youth practicing various sports, President of the Chamber Dave Perry noted that "This is the place kids pursue this sort of stuff" before turning the event over to Artist White for her comments.

Inspired by Jim Kreigh's words

White explained at the opening ceremony that the expression used, "Dream it, then do it" were those of Jim Kreigh's.  White is a commercial artist, designing various spaces such as restaurants. "One of the things I always do is look at who is going to be there and what do they appreciate. When I was here I notices so many different kinds of people... I wanted anyone who came here to be able to connect" with the mural. 

White research Oro Valley's founder Jim Kreigh. "I read a lot about him..his mission... his hard work and dedication... and how he wanted the town yo have control over its own destiny. It was not an easy process for him." White noted that Kreigh had a vision and a goal. "I went through those giant scrapbooks that his wife made." She also watched a video about Jim talking about the time. "The very last thing he said in the video: 'If you have a dream of something to be done, then do it." (link 26:01 mins)

The mural has the dreams of all ages

In the process of creating the mural, residents were requested to submit their "dreams" in four words or less. (LOVE posting). Many of these dreams are written on the mural. One of White's goals was to share he dreams of people of all ages.. from "Mac and Cheese to Running a Marathon." Other dreams, like a "Happy and healthy family", "To be accepted" and "Kindness for all others" are universal. Some are aspirational like "travel in a RV" and "Live near the ocean."

Next time you are at Kreigh Park do take a moment to look at the mural both from afar and then close up. We guarantee that it is worth the moment.

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About the artist: Ashley White is a commercial artist working in Southern Arizona and beyond under the business name Modern Aquarian. She specializes in custom designed hand painted signs, murals, and other artwork for businesses and public spaces. Her passion is helping business owners create functional and charismatic spaces and contributing to the visual character of cities. See more of Ashley's work on Instagram or Facebook @ModernAquarian or ModernAquarian.com

Council Targets Nagging Problems In 2021-22 Record Budget

2021-22 budget cap: $162 Million

Oro Valley will roar into the post pandemic era. Last week, the town council unanimously approved the largest budget cap it the town’s history: $162 Million.

The approved cap is intended to be used to fix nagging problems

An underfunded public safety plan and long needed investment in Naranja Park; Golf Course Irrigation; the town’s trails system are the drivers of the spending.

The council has seized the opportunity to fix these problems now because the town has received free federal money, seen an unexpected surge in sales tax revenues and fees, and has the opportunity to take advantage of cheap interest borrowing rates.

Town Manager’s requested budget: $107.5 million 

The Town Manager’s recommended budget starts the formal budget process. We reported our build up of that budget in April. The town manager submitted a budget of $107.4 million. She was instructed by council to ad $27 million for the pay down of the town’s underfunded public safety pension (“PSPRS”).

Town Council problem fix: $54 million

PSPRS: $27 million 

The budget cap includes $27 million in spending that the council directed the town manager to include in the budget. That amount is to be used to pay-down the town’s underfunded PSPRS.

Parks: $25 million 

Since that budget’s submission, the council directed the town manager to add spending of about $24 million to pay for parks. Half of that was directed by council to be spent on Naranja Park. (Our report on the town $42 million in bonds to cover the PSPRS pay down and parks investment.) 

Annexation of Westward Look: $700,000 

The Westward Look annexation, also a council decision, caused the addition of about $700,000 to the budget. This amount is needed for the town to complete promised improvements and for added funding of $160,000 for “Visit Tucson”. 

The town is required to designate a percentage of its bed tax revenues for tourism attraction. According to Town Manager Mary Jacobs: “We currently utilize Visit Tucson as our primary marketing group.” Visit Tucson had been receiving about 50% of Westward Look’s bed taxes through an agreement with Pima County. The town manager’s budget had included $250,000 for Visit Tucson. So, the total in the budget for Visit Tucson is $410,000

Former Vistoso Golf Course: $1,000,000 

Another council decision will be its role in possible grant funding of $1 million if The Conservation Fund is successful in purchasing the former Vistoso Golf Course from Romspen LLC; and then gifting a permanent conservation easement of the property to the town.

The council will conduct a second hearing on the budget at its June 14 meeting.

Jacobs To Position 2021 Budget to "Weather The Storm"

2020-21 budget goal: Position the town to "weather the storm"
Developing a 2020-21 budget is indeed a challenge for the town's new CFO, David Gephart. The goal of the budget, which will be provided to council in a week, is: "...to position the town to be able to weather a longer storm should that happen and to also have some contingency dollars available in case the early predictions [of economic recovery] do not come through as planned."

"The total proposed budget will be 3% less in 2021"
In a LOVE interview last week, Town Manager Mary Jacobs told us that "The only reason why it doesn't feel like it's going to be as bad next fiscal year is that we did so well this fiscal year." One factor is that the town is completing its first full year of on-line sales tax revenue collection. "We expect a very sharp drop off in sales tax revenues for the first six months of the year." By the end of the fiscal year, she believes that the town will be collecting sales tax revenue at the pre Covid-19 shutdown level. 

A cautious approach

"We're still early in the process. We will have some additional reserves available in the budget for contingency if we're far off. We'll be very carefully monitoring both expenditures and revenues on a monthly basis. I'll be holding off on some of our projects [until] I feel comfortable that our projections are coming in as we planned because that will still give us an opportunity to make additional cuts. We want to moderate the impact on services to the community." 

Shifting economic development focus

The Covid-19 pandemic will alter the business landscape. The town will experience a pause in economic growth, perhaps until next year.  The town's economic development focus will need to shift.  Jacobs identified two areas where a shift in focus may be appropriate.

"One thing that we can do is to focus on industries that are not going to suffer, like Biotechnology. That's our niche." The University of Arizona Incubator is moving forward. "We can look at how we can help those startup companies and attract other companies as well." 

The second area is in-store retailing.  Oro Valley has focused on attracting  retailers to the community. Its been a long-term strategy. Times have changed. Long before the shutdown, consumers were shifting spending to online shopping.  Oro Valley, like many communities, has empty store fronts. 

The crisis has accelerated that consumer buying shift to online.  Jacobs believes that the town should consider "... code changes that would broaden potential uses to primary employers in some of our other commercial areas so we can see some reuse in shopping spots... because 'brick and motor' is a problem and there is a lot of space out there."

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Bits and Pieces

Archery Demo Day Tomorrow At Naranja Park

Interested in learning Archery? Then do go over to Naranja Park from 9 to Noon tomorrow to join in the festivities. They will be basic archery instruction, vendor booths, a competitive shoot, a course walk-around, and food trucks.

It is billed as "fun for the whole family." Call 520-229-5050 to learn more.

Oro Valley's First Settlers

No. We're not the first settlers!
Former Oro Valley Mayor Loomis, Richard
and Archeologist Allen Denoyer

Saturday's Setter's Day festivity at Steam Pump Ranch gave us pause to think about Oro Valley first setter's, the Hohokam.  There is a replica of a mud adobe hut on the north side of the site, .  It looks in move-in condition.

Its not terribly big. Could probably comfortably fit 4. Maybe a bit risky of getting flooded in the rain. But, then again, we don't have much of that in Oro Valley.

Governor Ducey Signs Wrong Bill

Face with a choice to make the referendum process even more onerous than it already is or simplifying it a bit, Arizona Governor Ducey signed a bill (HB2407) that will make it impossible to have a successful referendum:

"House Bill 2407 by Republican Rep. David Stevens, R-Sierra Vista, modifies requirements for voter referendums and recalls, tightening rules on the signature-gathering process and the wording of the measure. Thousands of signatures can be invalidated over minor mistakes including margin spacing and serial numbers, while single signatures can be disqualified for not matching a voter’s registration or marking the wrong date." (Source)

Does anyone know of a case that the Supreme Court could hear that would give them the opportunity to overturn this legislative overreach?

Oro Valley Optimist Club Sponsors Golf Event on May 16 To Raise Funds For Youth

The Oro Valley Optimist Club, of which Heather wrote this past Tuesday, is sponsoring a "Scramble For Youth" at the El Conquistador Country Club.  All proceeds will go to support Oro Valley Youth Programs.  Learn more and register here.

Sprint Triathlon Tomorrow

The 3rd annual Oro Valley Sprint Triathlon is tomorrow. It is a 800 meter swim, a 14 mile bike ride, and a 3 mile run.  The event runs from 6-11am. The event will impact traffic on Concordia, La Canada, Lambert Lane and Oracle Road.

Visit Tucson Estimates $4million Impact On Oro Valley

Visit Tucson, Oro Valley's external marketing arm, reported to the Oro Valley Town Council this past Wednesday that its efforts have increase the Oro Valley economy by $4million in the past year. It estimates hat 27,000 visitors have come to town as a result of their efforts. Watch this brief video of their report.

Visit Tucson received $175,000 from Oro Valley's Bed Taxes last year. This funds 2.5% of their revenue. Next year, the town is committed to funding it for $225,000.