New Kids on the Block

By Carl Jackson

SEDONA, AZ - (March 9, 2010) – Unofficial Sedona election results released by Yavapai County show a clean sweep victory for the candidates supported by the political action committee Responsive Sedona Leadership 2010 who chose its slate from those committed to follow the "Will of the People."

On election night, the slate consisting of Mayor Rob Adams, Barbara Litrell, Mike Ward, Dan McIlroy, and Dennis Rayner converged at a campaign party hosted by Judy Reddington, one of the committee members for RSL2010.  The event was live streamed on Sedona.biz. 

Amongst colored balloons and a festive atmosphere, along with the candidates, former State Senator Tom O'Halleran; Vice Mayor Cliff Hamilton; Democrats of the Red Rock President Angela LeFevre; and former Sedona Mayor Dick Ellis were spotted.

In a major unexpected victory, the entire slate selected by RSL2010 swept the election.

49% of Sedona's registered voters voted in this election, or 3,330.

Mayor Rob Adams Wins

Incumbent Mayor Adams won decisively against interim council member Jerry Frey.

Said Rob Adams, "The selfless effort that people put into supporting candidates is amazing to me.  I look in the mirror every morning and ask myself if I'm doing what's right for the community.  I also ask myself what kind of people I'm attracting.  Looking around here I say I'm doing it right."  The Mayor went on to say, "I'm stunned and I'm overjoyed and I'm so looking forward to the next two years."

2 Year Candidate Dennis Rayner Wins

Sleeper 2 year candidate Dennis Rayner toppled incumbent Dan Surber through a grass-roots door-to-door campaign.  Rayner is a self professed activist and environmentalist whose wife Marlene is the chair of the Sierra Club, Sedona-Verde Valley Chapter.  Rayner is best known to some for standing along 89A with a sign that said "Say No to Lights."

Said Rayner, "I'm not entirely speechless but my knees are shaking. We've taken Sedona back for the people. The oligarchy is gone."

4 Year Candidates: Barbara Litrell, Mike Ward, and Dan McIlroy Win

For the 4 years candidates, many expected former Keep Sedona Beautiful President Barbara Litrell to win a seat on council, and she did so resoundingly taking the most votes.  Unexpected, however, was the loss by incumbent Nancy Scagnelli, a strong proponent for lights on 89A and an opponent of a National Scenic Area designation for Sedona, who garnered few votes of support.

Candidates Mike Ward and Dan McIlroy took the #2 and #3 spots in votes cast.

Voters could vote for up to 3 candidates to fill the 3 open 4-year council seats.  To win, each candidate had to gain more than 50% of the 3,330 who voted, or 1,666.

Said Barbara Litrell, "Rob is going to have an easier time in the next two years."

Paul Chevalier, Chair of the RSL2010 praised Sedona Vice Mayor Cliff Hamilton and Democrats of the Red Rocks President Angela LeFevre for being key players in the RSL2010 slate winning the election.

Said a tearful Chevalier, "I want to thank the hundreds of you. I'm having one of the most emotional nights of my life here."

Said Hamilton, "The one person who lit one little match shouldn't be given credit for a forest fire.  I'm really looking forward to the next 2 years of my life."

LeFevre took the opportunity to inform the crowd that Representative Ann Kirkpatrick (D, AZ District 1) has decided to move forward with submitting NSA legislation to Congress.

In a humorous "inside baseball" moment, 89A lights opponent Doug Blackwell said, "This is the last time you'll see [the candidates] all together socially, otherwise it'll be an [Open Meeting Law violation]."

Proposition 400

The result is a shift in the balance of power that will likely lead to a renewed battle with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to prevent the installation of 93 light poles along 89A; stated council support for a Congressional National Scenic Area designation for the greater Sedona area; and a reconstitution of the the Mayor's Committees that were dissolved by the previous council, but this time expect the committees to be sanctioned by the newly seated city council.

The new council will be comprised as follows: