By Steve Segner
Sedona, AZ — The Sedona City Council spent the April 12 council meeting trying to put a positive spin on self-inflicted wounds; it got fired!
The Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau quit its million-dollar contract to provide marketing support for the city. That’s right. The city’s largest not-for-profit vendor walked away from the table.
Sales in Sedona are off by close to 100,000,000 dollars and tax income for the town by close to $10,000,000. Yes, $10,000,000.00 will not be used for public services for local citizens.
I have lived in Sedona for over 25 years. Most of the time, I am a strong supporter of local government. I have always found the city managers and staff professional and even-handed. So how did we get to the “Dog Bites Man”moment?
The Chamber did not quit the city. They quit the city council.
For any city or business to operate efficiently, there must be clear goals and a transparent chain of command. The current city council needs to have clear goals for the Chamber. Instead, they increasingly interfered with the Chamber’s professional operations.
They seemed to feel it was their right, and even their obligation, to meddle in day-to-day operations or manage by asking “Gotcha questions,” some as long as thirteen pages, single-spaced.
The Chamber was the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). Its job was to promote tourism and support local businesses.
For the last two years, the city council stopped the Chamber from marketing the city and supporting small businesses. The city council would not allow Chamber members to use their funds to support marketing efforts for its members.
Several of our city councilors are new to the area and new to the council. They have time on their hands, as they are obsessed with micro-managing many aspects of city operations rather than respecting the professional expertise of our city manager, staff, and contractors.
The Chamber had no choice but to fire the city and start working for its members.
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23 Comments
Gee, I wonder if revenue is down, that could mean less demand for city services, that the city could cut staff and expenses???
Silly me, that’s impossible. Government never shrinks. The fact that the city spends over $10,000 per resident and the budget grows by a huge percentage every year, 40% per year the last time I looked a few years ago, cuts in city spending could never be considered !!
“Professional staff” got us into this mess.
Steve never mentions that the ” City of Sedona” could be ELIMINATED, and then the counties would just take over, and probably do a better job much cheaper.
Coconino and Yavapai counties would just laugh Stevie out of the office.
One can only hope.
Sorry, that’s not true. You can’t undo a city in Arizona; the town has bonds and loans that would need to be paid off.
W’d have one police officer, a county sheriff who is drive-through every few hours—no paving or traffic control people and much much much more. Please look up your facts before you say things that aren’t true or are misleading. The city was formed because of a lawsuit and a vote of the residents. The millions and millions of dollars that come into the city come from visitors, not locals.
Steve Segner should win a guiness record for being wrong
Arizona Revised Statutes
Title 9 – Cities and Towns
§ 9-102 – Disincorporation
Universal Citation: AZ Rev Stat § 9-102 (2022)
9-102. Disincorporation
A. The supervisors of the county in which a city or town is situated shall, upon the petition of two-thirds of the qualified electors residing within the city or town within sixty days of when the petition is filed, do either of the following:
1. Disincorporate the city or town, and appoint a trustee with authority to wind up the affairs of the corporation, sell and convey its property, real and personal, pay the debts of the city or town and deposit the surplus of the proceeds of the property in the county treasury to be there disposed of for the benefit of the inhabitants of the disincorporated city or town.
2. Call for an election for the purpose of deciding for or against the disincorporation of the city or town. The election shall take place on a date prescribed by section 16-204 but not more than one hundred eighty days after the petition is filed, except that no such election shall be called within twelve months from the date of a previous election for disincorporation of the same city or town. Only qualified electors of the city or town shall vote on this question. If a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon votes for disincorporation, then the board of supervisors shall, by an order entered of record, declare the city or town disincorporated and shall proceed in the manner prescribed in paragraph 1 of this subsection.
B. If the incorporation of a city or town is rescinded or declared null and void by a court of competent jurisdiction for any reason, the superior court in the county in which that city or town is situated may appoint a trustee with authority to wind up the affairs of the corporation, sell and convey its property, real and personal, and pay the debts of the city or town. Any net proceeds remaining from the liquidation of such property shall be spent for the benefit of the inhabitants of the disincorporated city or town. An expenditure for the benefit of such inhabitants shall be determined in the following manner:
1. The superior court shall conduct a public hearing to receive the recommendations of the inhabitants for the disposition of such proceeds. The superior court shall determine the object or objects for which such proceeds shall be spent by determining in its discretion that such object or objects benefit and are in the best interests of the majority of all age groups of the inhabitants. The object or objects may include private, nonprofit organizations.
2. The superior court may appoint an advisory committee composed of the inhabitants to assist it in rendering its decision and to ensure that such object or objects are carried out and shall require the committee to provide a strict accounting of the expenditure of such monies.
3. After receiving and approving a final accounting of the expenditure of such monies, the superior court may discharge the advisory committee and trustee.
C. Indebtedness and obligations of or issued by or on behalf of such city or town shall not become indebtedness or obligations of the county, except that the county is responsible as a trustee to insure that all obligations and debts of the city or town are paid. The indebtedness and obligations of such city or town shall be paid pursuant to subsection D of this section. The city or town which is disincorporated shall continue as a political subdivision until all of the debts and obligations of the city or town are satisfied.
D. The appointed trustee shall annually estimate an amount to be levied as a tax on all taxable property in the disincorporated city or town to pay the indebtedness or obligations of the city or town. Subject to the limitation contained in subsection E of this section, on or before June 30 the appointed trustee shall certify to the board of supervisors the amount of taxes necessary to be levied for these purposes, and the board of supervisors shall levy and cause the amount to be collected as secondary taxes at the same time and in the same manner as levying and collecting general county taxes.
E. The taxes levied pursuant to subsection D of this section shall be levied until such time as the indebtedness or obligations of the city or town shall have been satisfied. The amount levied each year shall not exceed the amount levied for the tax year preceding the year in which the city or town is disincorporated.
F. In addition to the authority provided in subsection A of this section, the appointed trustee may operate the facilities of the city or town until such facilities are sold or otherwise disposed of as determined by the county board of supervisors.
G. Before obtaining any signatures on a petition required by subsection A of this section, a copy of the petition shall be filed with the clerk of the board of supervisors. The petition shall state its purpose clearly and concisely and shall be in the form and signed and verified as generally provided for initiative petitions. Petitioners have one hundred eighty days from the date of such filing to obtain the required number of signatures.
H. The county recorder shall verify the names on the petition within thirty days after the petition is completed and filed and, if valid, the board of supervisors shall proceed as prescribed in subsection A, paragraph 1 or 2 of this section. If the city or town is disincorporated pursuant to this section, the board of supervisors shall appoint the trustee pursuant to subsection A of this section within thirty days after disincorporation.
Here is a copy and paste that you posted? You just proved his point? lol….Now that’s some debate skills their girl!
B. If the incorporation of a city or town is rescinded or declared null and void by a court of competent jurisdiction for any reason, the superior court in the county in which that city or town is situated may appoint a trustee with authority to wind up the affairs of the corporation, sell and convey its property, real and personal, and pay the debts of the city or town. Any net proceeds remaining from the liquidation of such property shall be spent for the benefit of the inhabitants of the disincorporated city or town. An expenditure for the benefit of such inhabitants shall be determined in the following manner:
Perfect response to Stevie. Stay away from the creator of Sedona’s mess.
Can the residents fire the city too?
The residents are tired of city management that are supposed to be in the office get lavish car and phone allowances. Can the residents end team building meetings at 4 star resorts?
Can you Steve with all your power just fire the whole city? Trust me, they would not be missed.
Sedona Fire is NOT part of the city. We could use County Sheriffs for police. Easy peasy.
STEVE WRITES “I have lived in Sedona for over 25 years” . THAT”S A BOLD LIE.
Steve lives in Oak Creek Canyon, 2975 Thompson Road, and has since the early 2000s. He passes our house every day and whenever he hosts his fundraisers for Sedona candidates and congressmen to buy their votes, they and their people park on our road — IN THE CANYON– and it’s obnoxious.
I dont pretend I live in Sedona city limits (and I would never live in Sedona because I enjoy canyon life) and Stevie shouldn’t lie and say he lives in Sedona either, but he does and it’s wrong.
he bought this council with his donations. The Chamber quit him too.
I own homes in Scottsdale, the canyon and several in Sedona, and a small hotel, and by the way I gave no money to anyone on this council I do use our property in the canyon for fundraising events for our local congressman and local charities hope that helps
Can you be specific as to the car and phone allowances and what 4 star resort so they hold those team building? Last time I checked the Marriott where the city does hold their events isn’t even close to 4 Stars so what do you know that the rest of us don’t?
Check the budget for car and phone allowances, lots of city staff get them. Do a freedom of information request for accounts payable and payroll. Checking the budget is a waste of time, it’s deliberately confusing.
Team building meeting was at an Indian casino in Phoenix.
Great reply to Steve,he needs much mental assistance.
Bobby, just a heads up. Many people have multiple homes in Sedona, and the Verde Valley. Some even out of state. Just a heads up, anyone can pick and choose were they live. Same goes for voting! I bet you knew that, just rather tell a little fib!
This is very well written out and states some real facts.
Thank you Steve. I for one appreciate the effort it takes to deal with these knuckle heads who want to confront you on nonsensical technicalities “Steve doesn’t even live in Sedona”.
I’m sure it makes you wonder why you should even bother. Well just know there are those who appreciate what you’re saying and that you took the time to present actual facts.
In the state of Arizona, cities are generally considered to have more autonomy and control over their local affairs than they would under county control. Cities have their own city councils, mayors, police departments, and other local services, which are directly accountable to the local community. This allows for more responsive and efficient decision-making on local issues.
Additionally, cities have the ability to establish their own local policies and ordinances, which may be more tailored to the specific needs of their community. Under county control, cities may be subject to more uniform policies and regulations that may not be as tailored to their specific needs.
Overall, the advantage of being a city in Arizona is greater local control and autonomy over local affairs, allowing for more responsive and efficient decision-making and the ability to establish policies and regulations that are more tailored to the specific needs of the community.
I agree with Steve Segner regarding his comments on County vs. City. Most critical services such as Law Enforcement and Fire however have Mutual Aid Response Agreements in support of one another. Removing any one agency albeit city or county could dramatically increase response times and decrease capability. So there is always that to consider.
Local control, what a laugh. Sedona went from charming small town with a New Age focus to a traffic clogged tourist trap.
Local control was supposed to limit development so said the city promoters. Instead you get the sewer plant and more development.
What irritates me the most is the injection of “treated” waste water into the aquifer. What could go wrong???? You do know that many chemicals and pharmaceuticals cannot be removed by the so called treatment? Three arms and one leg on your grandchildren is a good thing, right?
Go take another Covid jab. It’s safe and effective and 2 shots will end Covid. Or not.
The government and big Pharma has never lied to you.
I can just imagine that the locals who were born, in Sedona said the same thing when you moved here. Growth happens populations grow and you don’t know in Sedona things change and people who fight change seem to be unhappy. Progress is in the eye of the beholder you can be unhappy anyplace
Not all growth is progress.
Not all change is good.
Steve loves bumper to bumper traffic in front of his little bed and breakfast.
I didn’t enjoy a 5 minute drive to the market taking 55 minutes.
Segner doesn’t have children or grandchildren, so no worries about future birth defects. He also thinks he’s taking his money with him.
There’s always been people like Segner, the only problem is there are a lot of them now.
“Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
Hard times are coming. Make yourself right with God.
Sedona and Arizona will grow because people keep having children; Connie and I have chosen not to because enough is enough. A newborn child is the most polluting thing on earth 90 + years of polluting our planet, fewer people equal less pollution. That being said, everyone has a right to enjoy Sedona. “The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new.” Socrates:
You say Hard times are coming. Make yourself right with God. Jesus said that 2000 years ago ! Getting a little old. Change is good.
You really came out of left field? Tourism makes birth defects? Progress makes birth defects? Sorry to say hatred and people not accepting other people for who they are is, far more of a problem. It creates people who killing others because they are different!. Could the news be anymore on spot right now?
@Hey Mike?
Tourism doesn’t directly cause birth defects. Excess tourism where people don’t take their waste water and excreted chemicals home with them cause birth defects. As they don’t remove their waste water when they leave, and an irresponsible local government decides they can just inject the so called “treated” wastewater into the local aquifer, so out of sight out of mind with no concern about those that might eventually drink that water, even themselves, because more tourists are always good, just destroy the local environment.
@Steve. “People keep having children” in Sedona? It that why one of the elementary schools closed?
Making yourself right with God is “Getting a little old?”
“A newborn child is the most polluting thing on earth 90 + years of polluting our planet, fewer people equal less pollution.”
Steve, you and Connie have lived a long time and polluted much. By your logic, you should do the best thing for the planet and you should arrange to stop breathing as soon a possible. .
What I inferred from the comments above, tourists are good, people are bad and pollute. And tourists don’t pollute.
I do suggest you read the reports own the injected wastewater, they don’t remove all the pharmaceuticals and they only guess where the injected wastewater travels. Of course the the government says the water is clean enough.
The same government that said the jab is “safe and effective.” Make sure to get your boosters !!
Wow, just wow.
My point is the population keeps growing and schools in Sedona are closing because 60 rolls don’t have the children. The point I’m making is everybody has a right to see Sedona. The population is growing in Phoenix. Get used to it. Living in Sedona gives us no preferential treatment. When someone enters the city limits, they are a citizen.