Jan. 10

Dear Citizens:
     Happy New Year! I hope you all enjoyed your holidays.
Council approved the Nov. financial report. The report shows a deficit in revenue of 20% less than last year. The estimated shortfall for the fiscal 2009-10 year is estimated to be $600,000.
     There was discussion of court costs based on an expenditure item of a worker’s desk extension totaling $1,326. When questioned on how court costs were to be cut down, Mayor Schwan stated that as the CEO of the Town, he had asked the Judge and Court Clerk to look into cost cutting.
     Coady Comment: Court expenses fall under council jurisdiction and not the court. To place the Judge in this position is what I call “the fox in the chicken coop” concept.
     Council passed zoning amendments pertaining to signs. The sign moratorium will continue for another month until these amendments go into place. One major change was allowing a maximum of 5 open house signs depending on the number of directional changes (street turns).

CALL TO THE PUBLIC: Gary Hayward took issue with the 11th annual TREECYCLE Event held last week.
Margaret Steward spoke on how supportive the Carefree Town staff was.

DID YOU KNOW: Vice Mayor Miller claimed that 12,000-15,000 people attended the Carefree Christmas parade. I don’t know where all those cars parked, but it was a great parade.

SHERIFF’S SECTOR: MCSO Nov. Stats-12 arrests, 1 assault, 3 burglaries, 88 citations were issued, 53 for speed, 2 DUI, 0 noise.

CAREFREE ELECTION-MARCH 9TH -There appears to be some confusion regarding the upcoming Special Election scheduled for March 9, 2010. This election is to determine whether David Schwan retains his seat on the Town Council. It is not a mayoral election. If Mr. Schwan is removed from the Council by the voters, then the Town Council, including the new member elected at the Special Election, will choose a new mayor from among the seven council members. The direct election of the mayor by the voters, approved at the last election, does not go into effect until 2011.
At this time, three people have taken out election packets to run in the Special Election. We will not know who is actually running until potential candidates return their packets with the appropriate number of signatures. I have spoken with all three potential candidates and they have all informed me that the primary reasons they are considering running are Mr. Schwan's continued repression of the political rights of citizens and his failure to realistically address the Town's growing fiscal crisis.
John Traynor, who narrowly lost in the last election even though he was a write-in candidate, has told me that he is definitely running. You can check his site out at http://traynorincarefree.com The other two potential candidates, Jim Pierce and Carrie Treadwell, are taking a more wait and see approach.
No matter who runs and how it ends, this Special Election will surely be a watershed moment for Carefree. I urge everyone to monitor and participate in this election.

TREECYCLE 2010- First and foremost, a thank you to our financial supporters; 34 Easy Street Restaurant, Black Mountain Fitness, Jessco Electric, The Sierra Club, Treadwell Technologies, the Town of Cave Creek and of course Desert Foothills Landscape.
     Advertising for this event is one reason for our continued success. So a special thanks to Don Sorchych at the Sonoran News, and the Foothills Focus.
     This year Boy Scout Troop 803 volunteered to work our TREECYCLE, and they were a great addition. The Bad Donkey donated lunch one day, so a thank you to them (especially from the Boy Scouts).
     Last, but not least, thanks to my dedicated volunteers who have worked recycle for so many years.
     I am happy to report that each year our numbers grow. This year, our eleventh, we had a great response (583 trees). More and more people are realizing the importance of recycling. Recyclers even received coupons for a free day at Black Mountain Fitness.
     Anthony Olivieri of Lowe’s, came by on Saturday, bringing fruit and cookies for our workers. He apologized for any perceived insult to our long standing TREECYLE, stating that Lowe’s was unaware of our program and would never have scheduled such an event to coincide with ours. I considered it a very nice gesture, and it basically placed the lack of coordination exactly where it belongs. Hopefully, next year we will have the opportunity to work together rather than compete.

GREEN SEMINAR- Saturday, Jan 30, 10:00 am, in Council Chambers, there will be a seminar given by Architect Erik Koss on building and living green. Mr. Koss will address new concepts, materials and products.

EVENT CALENDAR - P& Z Meeting-1/11,5:00PM, Concerts in the Gardens (Igor and the Jazz Cowboys) -1/21 from 7-8:30PM, Going Green Seminar, with Architect Erik Koss, council chambers-1/30, 10:00AM, Farmer’s Market, on Fridays, at the Town Center 11-1:30, Town Council Meeting- 2/5, 5:00 PM.
If you wish to contact me, be included, or removed from my email list for CAREFREE MATTERS, write me at BobCoadyaz@aol.com. Or, if your e-mail address should change, please let me know that too, so you can continue to receive CAREFREE MATTERS.

Councilman Bob Coady