Mayor Responds to Red Rock News

Sedona, AZ — In their March 1 editorial, The Sedona Red Rock News claimed that city staff acted outside their authority when starting work on the Safe Place to Park project, because council had not yet taken a formal vote to sanction that work.  That isn’t true.  The RRN claimed that because council didn’t take a formal vote, they made no decision and were not “on the record.”  That isn’t true.  The RRN claimed that the “site could open to the public tomorrow.”  That isn’t true.  They said that the city has “already built the site.”  That isn’t true.  They claimed, “tens of thousands of dollars in materials and salaries have been already paid.”  That isn’t true.  The RRN wants you to believe that something nefarious is going on.  That also is not true.

On January 9th council unanimously directed staff to move forward with the Safe Place to Park project.  That direction is memorialized in the adopted minutes from that meeting.  These minutes reflect what is “on the record.”  Council’s direction to staff routinely results in staff actions to follow whatever that direction may be.  For this project and in accordance with the January 9 council direction, the staff actions include but are not limited to:

Staff have been working diligently on all of those logistics since January 9, as the city council and the community should expect them to.

The RRN would have you believe the minor grading and site preparation work that has been done is an egregious violation of public trust, done by an out-of-control staff.  Some grading was completed and gravel and millings from the city’s materials yard were put in place to keep the access area from getting too muddy since maintenance staff and planning and zoning commissioners were traveling in and out of the site.  None of this work has changed the existing land use or violates current zoning designation.  None of this work is permanent nor obligates the council to move forward with this project.  It was also done as workload allowed during normal staff schedules and only existing on-hand supplies were used.  No expenditures were made, let alone tens of thousands of dollars.

Getting some site prep done allows the city, if the project is formally approved on 3/12, to be able to more easily and readily place the temporary infrastructure.  Staff have not installed and will not be installing the fencing, gates, portable showers, portable bathrooms, signage, solar bollard lighting, and other elements, until the final land use change and other contracts are considered on 3/12.  The minor site prep is squarely within the parameters of what would be expected from staff when council directs them to move a project forward.  It is also within the city manager’s authority to direct.  If staff hadn’t pursued this preparatory work, and the project was approved but then took much longer to implement because nothing proactive had been done, then the RRN would fault the city for taking too long to get it up and running.  I should say if the editor personally approves of something the city does, then staff are being responsive, doing their jobs and taking initiative.  If he disapproves, then the council isn’t adequately controlling them or they’re overstepping their authority.

The staff did not overstep. The council provided direction.  Both were doing their best to serve the community.

Any opinions expressed above are mine alone and do not necessarily represent the views of the Sedona City Council.

 

All the best,

 

Scott Jablow

Mayor

 

Mayor