Bits and Pieces

Town overstates the case when it comes to Golf and the Community Center

The Town of Oro Valley recently issued a press release celebrating the 10-year anniversary of its acquisition of the El Conquistador Country Club—now the Community and Recreation Center. While the release praises growth in memberships, expanded amenities, and the development of golf and recreation programming, not all residents share in the enthusiasm. From the start, the purchase sparked division. Critics questioned the cost, especially the use of a half-percent sales tax to support what some view as a facility serving a limited segment of residents.

Over the past decade, the Center has required millions in improvements—from parking expansions to bridge replacements, irrigation system upgrades, and the recent installation of an elevator. And while golf rounds are reportedly up, and operations have reached a break-even point, capital expenses still rely on public subsidy. The facility disproportionately benefits residents living nearby and active users of golf, tennis, and fitness programming, leaving others to wonder if the investment truly reflects town-wide priorities. Celebrating 10 years is fair. But calling it one of the “Town’s most beloved amenities” may be overstating the case—especially for those who continue to question its cost, limited accessibility, and opportunity cost.

Animal control agreement with Pima County extended another year

Last night, the Oro Valley Town Council approved a one-year extension of its intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Pima County for animal control services. The current agreement expires June 30, 2025, and the extension would carry it through June 30, 2026. Under the IGA, Pima County enforces Oro Valley’s Animal Control Code, covering issues such as rabies control, licensing, leash laws, and sheltering of stray animals. Since FY 2022, the agreement has been funded primarily through licensing fees collected in Oro Valley, with Pima County covering the balance through its general fund. Staff estimate the arrangement saves the Town about $50,000 annually compared to providing the service independently.

Wilkins says budget holds the line while addressing key priorities

Town Manager Jeff Wilkins told the Mayor and Council at Wednesday night's council meeting that town revenues are flattening while costs continue to rise, requiring “a lot of strategic choices” over the next two years. He emphasized that his team worked line by line with departments to keep the 2026 Town Manager’s Recommended Budget flat, while preserving essential services, supporting public safety, and making targeted investments in the workforce and community priorities. Wilkins acknowledged the difficulty of these decisions and noted the inclusion of a new police officer position, a modest reduction in staffing elsewhere, and a continued focus on critical infrastructure. He reminded the public that the budget process remains open, with three more meetings—including two public hearings—still ahead.

Lawsuit over Rancho Valley Vista sewer damage continues... questions linger

The legal case (C20242358) between Pima County and Pulte Homes over sewer damage near the Rancho Valley Vista lift station is still ongoing. The dispute focuses on whether the damage was caused by poor soil preparation during construction or by an alleged 84,000-gallon water discharge in December 2021. Pulte has countered the County’s claims and is seeking reimbursement for repair work it says became necessary as a result of the leak. 

While the Town of Oro Valley is not a party to the lawsuit, the town is the water provider.  Town Water Director Abraham presented findings at a February 2024 Council meeting suggesting that an 84,000-gallon water discharge in December 2021 may have caused sewer damage near the lift station at Rancho Valley Vista. However, questions have since been raised about the accuracy and completeness of that presentation. Specifically, the water bill shown to Council at that time was from September 2022—not December 2021—and showed minimal usage. Some observers are now questioning whether the key water bill from the time of the alleged leak even exists or was ever issued, raising doubts about the basis for the discharge claim.

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Guest View-Tony D'Angelo: What's Next For Community Center Operations

What’s Next for Community Center Operations?
There are two very different aspects of Parks and Recreation in Oro Valley. There are the traditional amenities—playgrounds, ball fields, trails, multi-use paths, and cultural venues like Steam Pump Ranch. Most of these assets are paid for by tax proceeds and grants. Only about 10% of operating costs and capital investments come from user fees.

Fee-Based Recreational Facilities
The other part of Parks and Recreation includes amenities for which users pay fees. These include the Community Center health club, the Overlook Restaurant, El Conquistador Golf, El Conquistador Tennis, pickleball courts, and the Aquatic Center. Because these facilities are owned and operated by the town, they are not considered “for profit” but are managed with the goal of offsetting most expenses through user fees. Currently, user fees cover approximately 60% of the costs associated with these assets. Not only do these assets meet the needs of Oro Valley residents, but they also attract and serve visitors. Should both aspects of Parks and Recreation be managed together and in the same way?

A Shift in Oro Valley's Growth
We are at a point in the evolution of Oro Valley where growth through land development is reaching its limit. To meet the future needs of our community, Economic Development is exploring alternative ways to generate revenue. Our fee-based community recreational assets already contribute to a tourism strategy.

Investing in Fee-Based Assets
Leveraging fee-based assets requires investments to maintain the quality needed to attract the desired audience. These facilities must be well-maintained, aggressively marketed, and managed in ways that balance their use to serve both residents and visitors. To achieve this, we should consider creating an enterprise entity for fee-based recreational assets to ensure they are mostly self-funded. This could involve establishing a separate taxing authority. Fees need to remain affordable for residents while being sufficient to cover operating costs and future capital needs to maintain the quality expected to attract and serve visitors and businesses in Oro Valley.

Current Management vs. Revenue Potential
Currently, revenue-generating assets are managed in the same way as non-revenue-generating facilities that are freely accessible to the community. The distinction between these types of assets is clear. For example, Kriegh Park is a general-use facility for baseball and softball, with a playground and walking path—all mostly free. In contrast, the adjacent Aquatic Center is a revenue-generating facility that hosts swim meets and supports the town’s sports tourism strategy.

Enhancing Economic Development
Revenue-generating facilities should be strategically used to support the town’s economic development, specifically through sports and recreational tourism. These facilities need focused attention to ensure they achieve the goal of bringing visitors and their spending to the community.

Proposal: A Commission That Reports to the Council
Assigning an accountable commission that reports to the council to oversee fee-based facilities from a business perspective is more appropriate than using valuable Town Council resources to discuss operational details, such as dust abatement on the El Conquistador Course. Many communities have established enterprise funds or similar oversight organizations to manage user-fee-based recreational operations. This model could be applied in Oro Valley.

The Challenge Ahead
Our Parks and Recreation staff does an excellent job managing a diverse range of assets. The challenge going forward is determining whether it is realistic for them to manage everything in a way that best serves both residents and the town’s economic future.

I believe exploring this alternative is worth debating.

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Tony D'Angelo is a long-time Oro Valley resident and President of the Friends of Pusch Ridge Golf. 

Bits and Pieces

Historical Society fundraiser on February 19

The Oro Valley Historical Society will have a fundraising event on Sunday, February 19 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Oro Valley Country Club. Author Wynne Brown will give a presentation on her book, “The Forgotten Botanist – Sara Plummer Lemmon’s Life of Science and Art”. Find out how this intrepid woman climbed to new heights (Mt. Lemmon)! Tickets are on sale at the Oro Valley Historical Society (OVHS) website. Look for the red ticket on the home page. You can also purchase tickets at the OVHS booth at the Farmer’s Market at Steam Pump Ranch (10901 N. Oracle) on Saturday from 9 to Noon. Ticket sales CLOSE Wednesday, February 15. We hope to see you at the Pusch House Museum and we thank you for your support!

Tucson Bicycle Classic: March 3-5

"The Town of Oro Valley is pleased to announce a partnership with Tucson Bicycle Classic, a three-day stage race March 3 – 5, which will bring a circuit race to Oro Valley on March 5, from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Oro Valley race route will be around Naranja Park and is expected to bring about 600-700 professional riders. 

The race route/circuit around Naranja Park is just over four miles long, and riders will complete that route up to seven times, providing spectators an excellent opportunity to view these athletes in action multiple times. The race will begin and end near the entrance to Naranja Park (810 W. Naranja Drive), with various viewing areas along the route. Please see map [above] for suggested locations. On event day, Naranja Park will be closed to all vehicles except to the racers." (Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Release)

Arizona Heroes Memorial groundbreaking February 28

The Arizona Heroes Memorial is going to happen. The groundbreaking is Tuesday Feb.28th at 11am at Naranja Park. Seven long years and it's finally coming to fruition! You can read more about the memorial here. 

Click on panel at left on how to attend.

Sunday is "Super Sports Day at Pusch Ridge Golf"

This Sunday from 11am to 3pm there will be food and live and televised sports for your entertainment at Pusch Ridge Golf.  Blacktop Grill food truck will sell quesadillas, hotdogs and Mexican street corn. The Pusch Ridge Pro Shop will be selling soda, margaritas and beer. Oro Valley Girls Scout Cadette Troop #157 will have their famous Girl Scout cookies for sale. You can watch live or televised sports throughout the day and watch action-packed tennis on El Conquistador’s courts as the USTA Junior Nationals, level 2 Tennis Tournament play. The Pro Shop plans to televise the Waste Management Phoenix Open and some of the Super Bowl pre-game activities.

New short term rental ordinance now in effect; licensing deadline is May 5

"ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (Feb. 7, 2023) – On Jan. 4, the Oro Valley Town Council approved an ordinance establishing rules, regulations and licensing requirements for short term and vacation rentals (e.g. Airbnb, VRBO, etc.). The ordinance went into effect on Feb. 3; however, understanding that some individuals may need time to become familiar with the licensing process, Town Council allowed for a 90-day implementation period during which time the ordinance will not be enforced. The deadline to register short term rental properties is May 5, and enforcement of the ordinance begins May 6." (Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Release) Click here to begin the registration process.

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The Watchdog Report: And The Bleeding Continues

Should we believe Mayor Winfield when he tells us that golf is making money? We have heard this time and time again, yet the facts prove otherwise as seen in two October reports. One is the  profit and loss statement for the golf courses. The other is the report for the general fund report.

Highlights from July 1 through October 2022 (33% of the way through the fiscal year)
• Golf expenditures exceeded revenues by $605,000. (This is $61,000 more than last year’s loss for the same time period which was $544,000.)

• El Conquistador Golf had 310 less public rounds and $1,394 less in green fee revenues in October 2022 than in October of 2021. Golf had 450 fewer total rounds played this year than last year.

• Even more significant, for the fiscal year to date (July 1 – October 31) the public rounds are 2,536 less than this same time in 2021, and $50,740 less in collected green fees.

Losses have continued since the golf courses opened in May 2015
You might remember that our previous mayor (Hiremath) asserted that we would only lose major money in the first two years but that things would even out by year 3. He also said, “In year 4 or 5 or 6, are we going to project a profit? You’re darn right, we are.” [Source: December 17, 2014 Town Council Meeting]

Well, it’s now 7.5 years later and these losses have continued. We, the citizens, just invested $7 million in irrigation upgrades. The golf members are doing all they can, but it’s not enough.

Still waiting for ADA Compliance
Money still needs to be spent on making the Community Center ADA compliant, as well as the tennis courts at Pusch Ridge. The proposed capital outlay for the CCF still proposes to spend $2,666,700 of which only $312,105 has been spent. This means that the Town is expecting to dish out an additional $2,354,595. Where is this money coming from?

Draw your own conclusions

The Council has already spent over $28,000,000 for the Naranja Park amenities. They have done nothing to diminish the amount of potable/drinking water that we use to irrigate Town properties [panel left] and the mayor tells us golf is making money. Read the attachments we linked above. These are the town's numbers.  Draw your own conclusions.

On top of all this, the General Fund is forecasted to end the fiscal year with a decrease of $12 million. (Although the FY 2022/23 budget forecast showed an expected decrease of $13.8 million, so this is better than expected). This is the fund which pays for the operation of the Town. The ghost of former Town Manager Mary Jacobs is still haunting us. However, the Town Manager cannot do anything without the concurrence of Council.

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Mike Zinkin and his wife have lived in Oro Valley since 1998. He served on the Oro Valley Development Review Board from 2005-2009, the Board of Adjustment from 2011-2012, and the Town Council from 2012-2016. He was named a Fellow for the National League of Cities. He was a member of the NLC Steering Committee for Community and Economic Development and a member of the Arizona League of Cities Budget and Economic Development Committee. He was an Air Traffic Controller for 30 years. Mike has a Bachelor’s degree in history and government from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education from California State University, Northridge.

Guest View-Mayor Winfield: Naranja Park Buildout Provides Recreation Opportunity For All

In early July, Oro Valley voters will be receiving ballots for the 2022 election or a Mayor and three town council members. LOVE plans to keep you informed regarding each candidate. In this regard, we’ve offered the pages of LOVE to each candidate. We’ve asked that they submit guest views. Mayor Winfield has provided the following “Guest View”. 

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Naranja Park Buildout Provides Recreation Opportunity For All
Last Tuesday I had the privilege to speak at the groundbreaking for the Naranja Park expansion. It was an exciting day for me personally, and for the many young families in attendance. What started as a vision when the Town acquired the 213 acre site in 1998 is now well underway to becoming the best recreational facility in our region.

Over the past two years, the Town involved the community in developing a Parks and Recreation Master Plan. From this plan came a new design for Naranja Park that works with the topography of the site to reduce grading, and allow the site to be expanded for half the previous plan’s cost.

Improvements and upgrades to Community Center exterior amenities were identified and also determined to be a priority. The improvements at the Community Center tennis courts and golf irrigation replacement are already underway and will be completed sometime in 2024.

To construct these improvements, the Town has obtained a $25 million parks and recreation bond at 2.3% interest, which will be funded by the half-cent sales tax revenues that were previously required to subsidize golf. In 2018, the golf subsidy was $1.75 million; as fiscal year 2021 ends, we now project NO subsidy for golf.

The Town’s successful golf management efforts included changing the golf operator to Indigo Sports, changing the operating model of the courses from a country club model to a municipal model, and opening all course to outside play. We have grown memberships, and benefit from a $125,000 annual contribution from adjacent HOAs.

Using bond financing for these capital projects at a record low interest rate has allowed the Town to design and build the park as a whole, saving both time and millions of dollars. It will also allow our current and future residents to enjoy these amenities years sooner without any tax increase.

Naranja Park, identified as the highest priority, will be expanded with new amenities: 4 additional multi-use fields, 6 pickleball courts, 3 basketball courts, a bike pump track, a skate park, a splash pad and paved walking trails. At the Community Center residents will enjoy a resurfaced and expanded parking lot, upgraded and improved tennis courts, 4 new pickleball courts for a total of 10. Both the El Conquistador and Canada golf courses will have their 40 year old irrigation systems replaced. Multi-use paths will be added to La Canada Drive and Naranja Drive to provide safe off road access to the Community Center and Naranja Park.

Health and wellness are important to our community. These new and improved amenities will provide expanded outdoor activities for existing and future Oro Valley residents. They will provide opportunities for physical fitness and social interaction for years to come.

Joe Winfield

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Bits and Pieces

Kreigh Park playground temporarily closing for upgrades
ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (Feb. 3, 2022) –– Oro Valley Parks and Recreation is excited to announce that the playground at James D. Kriegh Park will be replaced with brand-new playground structures, play surface and shade structure.

 
Before the new amenities can be installed, the existing playground and surface need to be removed. Because of that, the playground and ramada will be closed for construction starting Feb. 7. The upgraded playground is expected to reopen in late March.
The existing playground equipment is over 20 years old and was identified as needing to be replaced through the Parks and Recreation Master Plan process that was conducted in 2020/2021.

 

Community input played an important role in the new playground design. Parks and Recreation created a survey for residents to pick different designs and amenities. Over 400 people responded with comments and feedback on the designs. The first option (shown below) received over 65% of the vote, making it the winner.

 
Construction updates along with closure/reopening announcements will be made on the Oro Valley Parks and Recreation Facebook page. During construction, don’t forget that Oro Valley has additional playgrounds at Naranja Park and Riverfront Park.

(Source: Town of Oro Valley Press Release 2-3-22)

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Council approves removing HSL option to lease town courses (if town declares any one of them 
"discontinued")

"On April 23, 2015, the Town Council entered into a Purchase and Sales Agreement for the El Conquistador Country Club and Golf Courses with HSL El Conquistador Golf, LLC (HSL). The agreement contains provisions allowing HSL to lease from the Town the 9-hole Resort (Pusch) Golf Course and/or the La Canada Golf Course in the event the Town decided not to maintain them as golf courses. A similar provision is included for the tennis courts.

In January 2021, HSL opted not to exercise its right to operate/lease the Pusch Golf Course after the Town declared it a discontinued course, effectively extinguishing their option in the Agreement. During the Town Council's discussion regarding the installation of new irrigation for the La Canada and El Conquistador courses, Council expressed interest in inquiring of HSL their willingness to relinquish the same option on the La Canada course.

(source)

 
HSL agreed to do so.  Council approved the measure 6-1 at the meeting this past Wednesday.

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LaCanada awaits repaving after water break

The town has repaired the water line break that occurred on LaCanada, north of Lambert Lane. Contractors are awaiting warmer day temperatures to repave the road.

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Volunteers needed for senior programming task force

"Oro Valley Parks and Recreation is seeking volunteers for a new taskforce to research and provide suggestions/feedback on senior program ideas. If you are interested, please contact Nancy Ellis at nellis@orovalleyaz.gov to request an application. The deadline to apply is February 28, 2022."

(Source)

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El Conquistador Resort hosts Golf Pro Tour All-Star Event on Pusch Ridge Course this month

The  El Conquistador Resort is hosting the second annual Disc Golf Pro Tour All-Star event. It will be held on the Pusch Ridge Golf course on February 11-13, 2022. The event will showcase some of the top disc golfers in the world as they compete in a unique format event that will kick off the 2022 season. Spectator tickets may be purchased here. Read more about this event here.

(source)

Bits and Pieces

Council considers censure

Next Wednesday, the Oro Valley Town Council will discuss censuring Council Member Tim Bohen for a rather innocuous remark. The remark can be heard at the beginning this three minute council discussion from the March 3 town council meeting. Bohen was questioning why town staff can produce a work product in two weeks that they said at a previous meeting could not be produced for a month; while, at the same time, saying that they could not quickly produce a request for proposal because they were too busy. The discussion centers's around the opening of the Pusch Ridge Course. The matter, we believe, is entirely politically motivated. 

Maybe Bohen is on to something...read or next "bits".

Oro Valley Tennis Out For Bids

Speaking of requests for proposal, the town is not too busy to produce a request for proposal for Tennis operations.  El Conquistador Tennis has been ably run by Jennifer Fuchs through her company, El Conquistador LLC, since 2018. That's when she leased the facilities from the town.  The lease includes operating the courts at Pusch Ridge and the ones at the Community Center.  You can read about that auspicious start here.  

The lease expires October 1. Per requirements, the town is going to initiate a request for proposal from interested bidders on March 15.  Fuchs wrote to her members: "we are prepared to submit our proposal. Wish us luck!"

Seems to us that that lease is a model for what should happen with the Pusch Ridge Golf course.

For the record

We're posting The Conservation Fund's statement regarding their not participating in the town's purchase of the former Vistoso Golf course property.  As reported this past Monday, those who have worked tirelessly for the past three years to get this land designated as town owned and run conservation land are "up in arms". 

They identified and worked for a solution that would cost the town nothing more than the annual maintenance of a walking preserve. This is unlike those who live around the the town owned golf courses. Instead, they came to the town, hat in hand, begging for the town to keep their golf courses open.  They won.

HIVE in effect

The town has recently increased its Oracle Road traffic surveillance. The target is between Ina and Magee. The town announces their high intensity vehicle enforcement ("HIVE") activities on their Twitter and Facebook pages. The most recent was from 3pm to 6pm yesterday. The focus was on the Oracle-Magee intersection. This is the town's highest traffic accident area.

Oro Valley Town Manager's Inaction Caused Pusch Ridge Golf "Crisis"

Failure to act started last May

The Town of Oro Valley knew in April that HSL Conquistador was not going to take over operation of the Pusch Ridge 9-hole golf course. Yet, it continued to move forward with closing the facility despite knowing that it was never the intent of the the council to leave their neighbors who live on or near the course in jeopardy. 

The intent of the Town Council was never to close the course... It was to lease the course to the El Conquistador

On February 18, 2020 The Oro Valley Town Council unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with HSL El Conquistador and HSL Financial Management for the takeover of the Pusch Ridge Course. HSL was to lease the facility from the town, exercising a “discontinued golf” clause in the original 2015 purchase and sale agreement when the town purchased the Community Center, Golf, and Tennis. That Memorandum of Understanding stated that the town was going to discontinue operating the nine hole Pusch Ridge Course on October 1, 2020. The lease agreement was to come before council in the future.

Town Attorney Cohen assured the Town Council that HSL was going to take over operations. All that was left was the negotiation of a lease.

The MOU was negotiated by Town Attorney, Gary Cohen and Town Manager, Mary Jacobs.

 

According to Cohen “HSL is telling us, right now, that they are going to lease this course and that it will be effective October 1.” (Time stamp: 2:04:14 of 2-28-20 Oro Valley Town Council Meeting).

In late April, HSL told Town Manager Jacobs that they were not likely to lease the course

Town Manager Jacobs explained at the February 17 meeting that HSL indicated that they did not have the financial resources to do so.

Jacobs noted that “They were aware that operating the golf course would require a subsidy.”  In other words, HSL did a workup of the financial prospects and decided not to do lease the property, just as they had decided to get rid of it when they sold it to the town in 2015. 

It may even be possible that HSL has bigger plans in mind for that property (Please do use your imagination).

HSL has no pressing need for the course itself. The El Conquistador Resort no longer needs a golf course in order to be rated "five star." It now has a spa that qualifies them for this rating.

The town neglected the golf course, closed it, despite knowing that HSL was not going to take it over

The Town closed the course in April due to Covid. Then, the Town eliminated over-seeding and watering the course. The fairways were brown. Residents who live along the course were "up in arms." They launched an effort to get the grass green again and succeeded Wednesday night. As we reported last Thursday, the Town will consider a detailed plan to operate the course starting in November.

Town Manager Jacobs did not act early... created the crisis... dumped it on Council 

Town Manager Jacobs did not act to immediately include this property in the Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment that she commissioned. She should have done this in May when she knew HSL was not really interested in assuming operation of the golf course. But even if they were interested, the land should have been included in the Needs Assessment and Master Plan. Then, if HSL failed to lease the land, its use could be considered in the larger context of the town - not a one-off decision as is now the case.

It is likely that the council did not know of HSL's lack of interest until September 23. This is when they extended the agreement with HSL for 120 days.  The Town Council, like the rest of us, were "in the dark."

Jacobs' inaction disappointing. She is a strategic thinker.  Is it possible that she did not know that HSL was simply "playing the Town" because HSL is always "playing the Town?" 

All the signs were there. 

They even told her they weren't interested.

The town is where it is today on this because of her inaction. 

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Naranja Park... Building Over Time... Meeting Resident Needs

Naranja Park: A long time in coming
The Oro Valley Town Council approved a plan to develop Naranja Park on November 6, 2013.  This happened after eleven years of wrangling on the part of six town councils and hundreds of residents and non residents on what to put there.

The goal was always to build a regional park out of the 213 acre site: A former crushed rock, sand, gravel, hot-mix asphalt, and ready-mixed concrete facility owned by CalMat.  The town acquired the land in purchases in 1996 and 2000. (Source: 11-7-2017 Town of Oro Valley press release)

There had been thirteen years of thoroughly vetted and eventually rejected grandiose master plans. The amounts of $154 million and $48.6 million were bandied about to pay for what was proposed.  The voters rejected a $48.6 million bond in 2008. The idea of what to put there lay in wait. The, in 2012,  the town opened the archery range that is visible from Naranja. 

In 2013, the town council agreed to move forward with a "pay as you go" plan of $2.3 million.  The town was to bring utilities to the site and to construct: A dog park(1.1 acres) with separate areas/entrances for small and large dogs with a grass interior with dirt perimeter and a ramada in each area; two multi-sport (300' x 200' each) with turf borders and lighting; and a chip-sealed, striped and lit parking lot.

Groundbreaking was on November 27, 2014.  It was a start. Finally, an industrial eyesore was going to be something beautiful.

Then, in 2017, the town got off track again... asking residents to approve a property tax to pay for a bond of $17 million ($28 million in total cash flow) to fund ball fields at Naranja Park.  70% of the residents rejected it. Read more on that here.

  Naranja Park: Its come a long way

Today, Naranja Park has four multi-purpose (soccer) lighted fields, two dog parks, the archery range and a newly opened kids play area.  The play are features a climbing tower and rope climb (both pictured at left), zip lines, a ramada, picnic tables and seating areas. 

There is also a grass centerpiece which, unfortunately, looks like it needs some work as it is quite lumpy. The town has added paved roads and pave parking lots.  It's a work in progress.

Naranja Park: Building it the right way

Naranja Park is being created over many years, involving today's generations in what will be their park, rather than being built at one time based on the wants of one specific generation.

There's a difference in results. Look at the plans in the panel that follows (click to enlarge) These are what what has been proposed over the years.

Imagine if the town built the Naranja Park that was dreamed in 2001. There would be no soccer fields. Instead, there would be baseball and softball fields, fields that are now nicely provided at Kreigh Park. There would be no dog park. There would be no archery range.  

Imagine if it had built what was imagined in 2007. There would be a community center and tennis courts, both of which were opportunistically purchased by the town when it bought the El Conquistador golf courses in 2015.  

The 2015 plan is different from what the town proposed in Prop 454.

And , if the town had moved in any of these directions, it would have been saddled residents with significant bond debt that would last yet another twenty years from now.  Instead, the town has taken a steadier approach, incurring no debt.

Let's hope that the town stays the course because things are shaping up nicely.

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Visit the town site to learn more about Naranja Park.

Bits and Pieces: Time To Free Oro Valley

Time to Free Us!
There are a number of reputable studies that show that 50 to 80 times the number of recorded COVID-19 cases are out there; and that these people were either not sick at all or had cases so mild they didn't have to pay attention to it. Guess this isn't such a scary apocalyptic flu after all.

Using even the lowest estimate of 50 unreported to every reported case, the COVID-19 numbers look much less threatening. Perhaps, not threatening at all.

Here's the adjusted numbers:

• You have a 2% of getting sick enough to even worry about it
• .1% is overall mortality rate if you do get it. That means you have 99.9% chance you will be just fine.

Now that we have the data it is clear that only those who are at highest risk should have been locked-down. Those who serve them need to take precautions. The rest of us need to get back to our lives.

Mayor Winfield does not agree with us. Watch his recent video.  It is yet more: "Stay Strong", "We're in this together" pablum.

We are not children. We need to be treated like adults. And we do have the "Bill of Rights".

In his video, Winfield claims that COVID-19 cases in Arizona are increasing. He is wrong. The total number of new cases are flat or decreasing. 250 new case a day in a state of 4  million people does not make for an epidemic. And most days it is far less than that.

The number of cases reported have been spiking up and down because more tests are being done. These people may have it but they are not anywhere near close to being really sick.

Mr. Mayor, there are 4 million people living in this state and a whopping 5,700 cases in total. There are at most 10 cases in Oro Valley and there are 45,000 residents. 

It is insane to imprison 99.9% of the population!

Heat and sunlight kill the virus on any surface in 2 minutes. Open our dog parks. Open our tennis courts. Open our basket ball court. Give us some semblance of progress. 

You can do this. The CDC says that a State can and should be opened on an individual county and town basis.

One size does not fit all. Fight for Oro Valley to be free. Be a leader. We don't need a nanny.

The "excessive noise" police have no standard noise measure
This is from Nextdoor.com. An El Conquistador resident wrote:

"We have our music on in our backyard, we live off the 15th hole. Country music playing, with no vulgar language or anything bad. We have the cops show up for a noise complaint?! Are you kidding me! It wasn’t even 7 pm! The officers were professional and understood our confusion....I am baffled by the ridiculous nature of this situation and the lack of courtesy in this well established neighborhood."

We wonder: What the police were thinking? We wonder why the person who complained, if there was one, didn't simply go over to the neighbor. And why was it necessary for two cops to show up?

The Oro Valley noise ordinance (10-1-4) states: "No person shall negligently make, cause, or permit unreasonable noise." What, exactly, is "unreasonable?" It is not standard of measure. It is entirely subjective. "Unreasonable noise" can be and should be quantified in the ordinance defining decibels within a distance commensurate with zoning of the area. It is easy to establish a standard. Let's do it.

Impersonating LOVE and Winfield
Someone has created a fake LOVE email address (letorovalleyexcel@gmail.com).  If you receive any emails from that address, they were not sent by us. Someone (most likely the same person) has also created a fake Facebook page that appears to be the facebook page of Mayor Joe Winfield and they are sending friend requests to unsuspecting people. Please always check to make sure that the emails or friend requests you receive are actually from LOVE or from Mayor Winfield. It if looks suspicious, disregard it.


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Guest View- John Spitler: Oro Valley's Proposed New Water Rates Will Reduce Municipal Golf Cost

A bit of "history" tells the story
It’s times like this when going back and reviewing history sheds additional light on current events or proposals.

In this case, it has to do with the Oro Valley Water wanting to raise drinking water rates and lower reclaimed water rates.

$1 Million in water revenue "lost" when the town purchased the El Conquistador Country Club
Prior to the Town of Oro Valley buying the El Con Golf and Tennis facilities in 2015, the El Conquistador Resort paid to the Town a million dollars annually to use re-claimed water for watering the 36 golf holes. [The Pusch Ridge course uses potable water.]

When the Town purchased the El Conquistador Country Club, the million dollars was lost as “revenue” to the town's water fund. Instead, it became a cost of doing golf business. Keep in mind that the biggest cost in running a golf course in the desert can be the cost of water!

The million dollars each year was not coming in to the town's water fund from an outside source. Just thinking logically this has to be expensed against the golf courses’ bottom line. 

A simple "book entry"makes municipal golf financial results look better
The water company wants to raise our water rates and lower the rates on re-claimed water.

Step back and look at this proposed raise in rates based on “history.”

If the Town has lost out on that $1 million dollars in water revenue and has to eat the cost somehow on the books, doesn’t it give credence that the overall cost of doing golf course business starts to look better, if re-claimed water rates to water the golf courses are lessened?

Aren’t we making up the difference in part as our water rates are rising and the Town’s cost to re-claimed water are lowered?

Isn’t this a stealthy way to prop up the bottom line of municipal golf, along with the increased sales tax already in place? 

Just a thought !!
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Guest View: Mike Zinkin - What Happened To Oversight?

What happened to oversight?
Oro Valley is not governed by the elected officials but by the Town staff. There hasn’t been any oversight over staff functions since the Hiremath regime.

Council authorized town manager to sign for El Conquistador Country Club without due diligence
A perfect example of this is the Purchase and Sales Agreement (PSA) executed between HSL and the Town. That agreement culminated with the Town owning the Community Center, 45 holes of golf, 2 swimming pools, and numerous tennis courts. The motion that allowed for this purchase was to instruct the Town Manager to negotiate and execute the agreement.

Council never reviewed the agreement

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Prior to a vote on the motion to allow for this, a couple of Council members asked that the Council be allowed to review the agreement prior to it being signed. The Hiremath people were aghast with this proposal. After all, they argued, we hire the Town Manager and staff to do this kind of work…they are educated in this...they know more than we do. In other words, we, the elected officials, are delegating our authority to you, the town employees, to enter into this agreement.

The Council is accountable to the People, the staff is not
Why would council delegate, without oversight, something as important as this? We all can now see the results of the PSA. No elected official has signed the PSA. It was signed by the Town Manager and the Town’s Legal Services Director. I doubt that any elected official has even read the PSA.

Any legal document that binds the Town should be signed by the Mayor
The latest agreement between the town and HSL, the one that leases the Pusch Ridge 9-hole course back to HSL, is going to be signed by the town manager (see MOU above).

I wonder…Do the current council members know the “details” of this lease agreement? The lease agreement itself has not details at all.  Is HSL going to be responsible to make the Pusch Ridge pro shop ADA compliant of is this the town’s problem? Is HSL going to get reduced water rates for the potable water being used on the golf course? Is HSL paying $10,000/yr. to lease the course? How many years is the lease valid? The contract is misdated!

Return this power where it belongs, to the elected officials 
My message to council is simple: Do your job. Get in the “weeds.” Stop delegating your authority. The People trusted you to do a job on their behalf. They did not entrust an employee of the town to do that.

2020 Parks and Recreation Master Plan Phase 1 To Assess What People Want

2020: What people want
The Town Of Oro Valley is developing a Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The first phase of the plan is to determine what residents want. The town will approach this in several ways. One way is to do a statistically valid survey.

2014: What people wanted
The last survey was done in 2014. The most wanted items, those wanted by at least half the respondents are listed in the panel below.

Vice Mayor Barrett reminded us  in 2018 while a candidate for office of the 2014 survey results. "Far at the top were Playgrounds, Ramadas, and Walking Paths." Add to this list ballfields and basketball courts.

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Not on the most wanted list: A community center or municipal golf. Golf, in fact was rated as "not important" by 63% of the respondents.

The town built a plan for Parks and Recreation based on its existing facilities, the wants of the community, and the practical limitation that all facilities will be built on a pay as you go basis.

Then, in 2015 everything changed.

2015: An opportunistic purchase cast the plan aside
The opportunistic acquisition of the El Conquistador Country Club was at odds with the findings of the 2014 survey. Suddenly, golf and a community center jumped to the top of the list.

Mayor Satish Hiremath justified the "sudden turn" as fitting into the plan. He told LOVE that the purchase of the El Conquistador Country Club was "...a very unique opportunity for the Town to acquire a turn-key operation that will serve as the Community and Recreation Center." He then overstated the level of interest residents had in a community center telling LOVE that "Recent community survey results have indicated that the majority of our residents are interested in having a community center." Hiremath stated that "...Golf and Tennis fit into our strategy of youth and amateur events." (source)

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2016 General Plan provides guidance
The 2016 "Your Voice Our Future" General Plan was approved by the voters. The plan reaffirms the 2016 community survey results. It focuses Parks and Recreation on community events, outdoor recreation, the arts, and playing fields and courts.

The 2020 plan needs your input
The planning process is detailed on the town's website, planyourparksov. Do visit the site. Find ways to get involved. One thing you can do immediately send the town your ideas on what would you like Oro Valley Parks and Recreation to consider for future planning. Take the time to submit your thinking.

Remember: The plan considers more than just parks, golf, the community center and the aquatic center. It also includes Steam Pump Ranch and community events, such as holiday, running and bicycling events. It includes our trail system. It's for all of us of all all ages. So do think broadly and send in your thoughts.

We will be posting more about the master plan and the planning process in future love postings. Key word: 2020 Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
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Bits and Pieces

Check out the "Jim Horne" Oro Valley Podcast
Oro Valley resident Jim Horne as produced three podcasts to date. The first is about water. The second two are about Oro Valley history. Each podcast is an interview with a subject matter expert. The podcasts are informative, educational, and fun. You can listed to them on the Apple podcast or Spotify apps. Well worth your time.

El Conquistador Tennis had a great year
Jennifer Fuchs, owner-operator of El Conquistador Tennis, told us that things are going well. She leases the tennis facilities from the town. In a December message to members she wrote: "We thank you for another great year! Without all of your support, in so many areas, we would not be able to work with the greatest Tennis membership, residents and guests in such a beautiful environment." We wish her continued success in 2020.

Plan Your Parks Today
The Town Of Oro Valley is building a master plan for parks and recreation facilities. This as directed by town council.  "The purpose of the Oro Valley Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment and Master Plan is to offer strategies and operational policies that provide guidance in order to meet the needs of current and future Oro Valley residents."

Visit PlanYouParksOV today to learn more about this and to participate.

It's your town.

Get in the game! (get the pun?)

Two Oracle Place (Formerly Platinum Fitness) to get a new look
The building that formerly housed Platinum Fitness is going to get an upgraded, more upscale look. According to the town: "The applicant has purchased the property and intends to redevelop the site as a mix of office, retail and restaurant space" (source). The pictures of the new facility show an astounding change. Here's one "before and after" rendering:

Guest View: Mike Zinkin ~ Golder Ranch Fire District Chief uses public safety scare tactics as a reason to keep all 36 holes of golf

At the July 24th Town Council Special meeting regarding Oro Valley Golf Operations, Golder Ranch Fire District Chief, Randy Karrer, addressed the Town Council. He urged the Council to retain all 36 holes of golf to avoid a decrease in property values which he believed would result in funding cuts to the fire department since Golder Ranch F.D. operates solely on property taxes.

Karrer said that closing the golf courses “would have a cumulative and lasting effect that would most certainly injure the fire district in future years.” He speculated the following chain of events:

• Property values would go down

• Property tax assessments would be reduced as a result

• Lowered property tax assessments would result in less property tax revenue

• Less property tax revenue means less money to Golder Ranch which could result in a “significant reduction in public safety service level which would likely mean a reduction in force or layoffs of firefighters and paramedics.”

• The other option would be to significantly increase property taxes in order to offset the loss from the lowered property valuations.

Remember, this supposed reduction in property values is speculation.

Where was Chief Karrer in December 2014?
Not a bad scare tactic, but where was Chief Karrer in December 2014? On December 17, 2014, the Hiremath Council was to vote on the purchase of the HSL properties. According to the Power Point presentation that evening, the properties included, a 31,475 sq. ft. building located on La Canada, a 5,600 sq. ft. building located at the Pusch Ridge course, 324 acres of land assessed at over $30,000,000, plus 31 tennis courts and 2 heated swimming pools.

The Property Tax assessment that the El Conquistador Hotel was paying for all of this was around $40,000/year.

Since municipalities do not pay property taxes, the second the Town closed escrow on the El Con property -- the County, and therefore The Golder Ranch Fire District, lost that $40,000/year in Property Tax revenue. This was not speculation. It was a definite outcome. Why was he silent at that time?

Chief Karrer, where were you in December 2014?
…..
Mike Zinkin has a Bachelor’s degree in history and government from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education from California State University, Northridge. He was a commissioned ensign in the United States Navy Reserve. He was an Air Traffic Controller for 30 years. He and his wife moved to Oro Valley in 1998. Mike served on the Oro Valley Development Review Board from 2005-2009 and the Board of Adjustment from 2011-2012. He served on the Town Council from 2012-2016 during which time he was named a Fellow for the National League of Cities University, he was a member of the National League of Cities Steering Committee for Community and Economic Development, and a member of the Arizona League of Cities Budget and Economic Development Committee.

Summary: Oro Valley Town Council Special Session – July 24, 2019 – Part 1.

TOPIC: Discussion and Possible Action regarding Town of Oro Valley Golf Operations

This meeting is part of a “Golf Options” series, including a Town Council Study Session in January 2019, a Listening Session in February 2019, and approximately 6 Executive Sessions. (The Executive Sessions focused on contractual obligations between Troon, HSL, and the Town of Oro Valley.)

The meeting was organized as follows:

Staff presentation – Public Input – 15 minute break
Additional 30 minutes of public input – Town Council Discussion

Mayor Winfield set the ground rules for the meeting. He asked the audience to please be respectful, acknowledging that the meeting was taking place in a house of worship (Church of the Nazarene). He requested that there be no applause or jeering during or after any resident’s speech. He reiterated that he wanted the meeting to be a civil and safe setting for everyone.

According to a local news report, there were over 700 people in attendance.

Town Manager Mary Jacobs gave her summary analysis of golf operations
She referred to the Summary Document which is on the Town’s website – Summary of Town Manager’s Analysis of Golf Operations.

“The Town acquired the former El Conquistador Golf and Tennis Club in December 2014 for $1M dollars….At the time of the purchase, the initial projections predicted that following an investment of $2.8M in capital improvements, the golf courses, restaurant and tennis operations combined would break even after 5 years…In addition, there would need to be about $9.2M in various capital expenditures over 10 years of which an estimated $6.4M would be for the golf courses.”

Town Attorney, Gary Cohen discussed three key contractual obligations
(1) Golf course restrictions. The agreement between HSL and Oro Valley limits the possible uses to golf courses, open space, or recreational amenities in a manner compatible with the operation of the resort as a first-class property.

(2) HSL’s rights upon discontinuation of one or more of the courses. HSL shall have the right to lease such facilities from the Town for a 50-year term. He believes the lease tern is $10,000 per year.

(3) Golf course operator provision. The requisite qualification for the operator of the golf courses is as follows: a professional national or regional management company with prior experience managing both municipal and resort golf courses.

Slide presentation by Mary Jacobs

2017 National Golf Foundation Options (NGF recommended Option B: 27 holes)

Town Criteria

Key Overall Assumptions

Capital Investment Assumptions

Natural Open Space Examples – “The Art of the Possible” 

Public Park Space Examples 

36-hole option – Pros and Cons 

27-hole option – Pros and Cons 

18-hole option – Pros and Cons 

No golf/Open space/Recreation – Pros and Cons 

Part 2 will be published on Wednesday and will include the public comments.

Guest View: Bob Sterritt ~ What mess?

My wife and I are long-term residents of Oro Valley. We would like to offer another viewpoint to Mr. Zinkin’s incessant berating of the town-owned El Conquistador Community Center and Golf Course facility.

For us, the Community Center and it’s amenities are an important part of our active senior lifestyle and we dispute the notion posted by Mike Zinkin in a recent offering in LOVE. Zinkin said, “one might be impressed and think we are working ourselves out of this mess.” (You can read that article HERE)

What mess?

The original purchase of the El Conquistador property, valued at more than $26,000,000 for a mere $1M, provided immediate Community Center benefits not only for golfers, but includes swimming, tennis, pickleball, and fitness facilities for Oro Valley citizens. I question how long the Town would have taken, and at what cost, to construct to provide similar amenities.

In Mr. Zinkin’s article, he cites $94,231 in higher revenues in 2018, but neglects to mention the accounting loss of $284,306 in tennis revenue which is now being posted as monthly rental payments to the Town. Why not work towards solutions in lieu of the negative rhetoric with misleading information?

Articles by Mr. Zinkin, which cast gloom and doom, are having a negative impact on “membership and membership fees” per Troon’s report to the Council May 8th. Perhaps the negative bias reporting in LOVE is part of the problem, not a solution.

Oro Valley is seeing the impact of the closure of the Golf Club at Vistoso with at least one home sale cancellation, overall sales volume decreasing, lower property values, and ultimately lower tax revenues. Is Zinkin proposing repeating that mistake with the closure of additional courses?
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LOVE prides itself on making sure that posts are factually supported.  As such, we have asked Mr. Sterritt to substantiate his finding of "lower property values" and "lower tax revenues" and that the home sale cancellation referenced in the article was due to the buyer discovering that the Vistoso Golf Club would be closing.  We are awaiting his response and will update the information as it becomes available.  We have also afforded Mike Zinkin an opportunity for a rebuttal if he wishes.

Bits and Pieces

Council appoints 5 member Finance Commission. 
Last week the town Council appointed a five-member budget committee. The members are:

Cathy Solverson for a term expiring December 31, 2020
John Latchford for a term expiring December 31, 2020
James Beasley for a term expiring December 31, 2020
David Newell for a term expiring December 31, 2021
Susan Rosenberg for a term expiring December 31, 2021

All have at least some background in accounting or finance. Four have lived in Oro Valley for five years or less. One has been a resident of the town for 20 years. None have attended the town's Citizens Academy. Their job will be to take a look at the 2019-20 budget that Town Manager Jacobs will submit later this spring. They will provide their input directly to council.

Is Amphi clamping down on outside facility use?
One of our readers wrote about two schools not allowing use of the outdoor track facilities. "CDO is no longer allowing people who aren't attending school there to use the running track. Cross Middle School is also limiting non students from using their running track."  We wonder if it is the same a Ironwood Ridge?  The town does not have a running track and we have seen none in any of the future plans we have reviewed.

Tennis events on the horizon
The town's El Conquistador Tennis Club, run by longtime tennis pro, Jennifer Fuchs, is hosting two USTA events this month. One is the "USTA Spring Team Championships L 1 BG12". The other is the USTA Level 3 "Go for the Gold."  These events will bring tourism to our community.

Fuchs' company, El Conquistador Tennis LLC, leases the tennis courts from the town. The town maintains the facilities and receives funds from tennis memberships.  You can read more about that arrangement here.

In her recent email to tennis members, Fuchs noted that "The Town of Oro Valley did approve our request and patched the courts this month. They have also budgeted funds to do a complete resurface this spring or early summer. The concept of rebuilding a few courts at a time is always being considered." (Source: Fuchs email of 2-22-19)

Beware: Crime is all around us
The recent suspicious death of a Laurie Draegth on Brearly Drive, the attempted armed robbery by a purse snatcher at Fry's on Oracle and and a recent theft of a credit card from an apartment in Oro Valley, tells us that we need to be very careful both in our homes and when we are "out and about." It is indeed a dangerous world, even in peaceful Oro Valley. One suggestion: Leave the purse and wallet at home. Bring only what you need for the trip you are making. Write us with other ideas.

Free concert tonight at Steam Pump Ranch
Come join SAACA and the Town for the FREE Steam Pump Ranch Concert Series! A concerts will take place tonite. There is an "Family event with fun music Blue Grass music beginning at 5 p.m. and lots of family fun activities for little ones and adults alike. Then from 6:30 – 9 p.m., a second band featuring fun 50s – 90s music for all ages will take the stage. The full event will also include food trucks and Sonoita Vineyards winery. Come for dinner and stay all night!" (Source: Town of Oro Valley)